Zirconium-based and beryllium free solid amorphous alloy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890447-B2
Application number	US-201414769580-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 6, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

The invention concerns a zirconium and/or hafnium based, beryllium free, solid, amorphous alloy, with the addition of silver and/or gold and/or platinum to increase its critical diameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beryllium-free solid amorphous alloy, consisting of, in atomic percentage:
zirconium and/or hafnium as at least one base metal, wherein a total content of said at least one base metal ranges from a minimum value of 50% to a maximum value of 63%;
at least one first additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one first additional metal ranges from a minimum value of 0% to a maximum value of 0.5%, said at least a first additional metal is selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum, and a content of niobium is less than or equal to 0.5%;
at least one second additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one second additional metal ranges from a minimum value of 1.2% to a maximum value of 4.5%, said at least one second additional metal is selected from the group consisting of, gold and platinum;
at least one third additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one third additional metal ranges from a minimum value of 8.5% to a maximum value of 17.5%, said at least one third additional metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and iron;
aluminium ranging from a minimum value of 9% to a maximum value of 13%;
copper ranging from a minimum of value of 10% to a maximum value of 17.5%; and
inevitable impurities,
wherein the alloy has ΔT x as calculated below of 98 K or less:
ΔT x =T x −T g , where T x and T g is a crystallization point and a glass transition point of the alloy, respectively.

2. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein the total content of said at least one base metal ranges from a minimum value of 57% to a maximum value of 63%.

3. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein the total content of said at least one second additional metal in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.2% to a maximum value of 4.0%.

4. The alloy according to claim 3 , wherein the total content of said at least one second additional metal in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.5% to a maximum value of 3.8%.

5. The alloy according to claim 4 , wherein the total content of said at least one second additional metal in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 2.6% to a maximum value of 3.0%.

6. The alloy according claim 1 , wherein gold is present as the at least one second additional metal, and a content of gold in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.5% to a maximum value of 2.5%.

7. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein platinum is present as the at least one second additional metal, and a content of platinum in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.5% to a maximum value of 2.5%.

8. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein the total content of said at least one base metal is less than or equal to 60%.

9. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein a content of aluminium is more than 10.0%.

10. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein zirconium is present as the at least one base metal and a content ratio of zirconium to copper Zr/Cu ranges from a minimum value of 3.0 to a maximum value of 5.0.

11. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein zirconium is present as the at least one base metal and a content ratio of zirconium to copper and nickel in total Zr/(Cu+Ni) ranges from a minimum value of 1.5 to a maximum value of 3.0.

12. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein a content ratio of zirconium, hafnium, niobium, and tantalum in total to copper and nickel in total (Zr+Hf+Nb+Ta)/(Cu+Ni) ÷ranges from a minimum value of 1.5 to a maximum value of 3.0.

13. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein said alloy does not contain niobium.

14. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein neither titanium nor niobium is present in said alloy.

15. The alloy according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy includes less than 0.5% nickel in atomic percentage.

16. A timepiece or jewellery component, comprising the alloy according to claim 1 .

17. A beryllium-free solid amorphous alloy, consisting of, in atomic percentage:
zirconium and/or hafnium as at least one base metal, wherein a total content of said at least one base metal ranges from a minimum value of 50% to a maximum value of 63%;
at least one first additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one first additional metal ranges from a minimum value of 0% to a maximum value of 0.5%, said at least a first additional metal is selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum, and a content of niobium is less than or equal to 0.5%;
at least one second additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one second additional metal ranges from a minimum value of 1.2% to a maximum value of 4.5%, said at least one second additional metal is selected from the group consisting of, gold, palladium, and platinum;
at least one third additional metal, wherein a total content of said at least one third additional metal ranges from a minimum value of8.5% to a maximum value of 17.5%, said at least one third additional metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, manganese, and iron;
aluminium ranging from a minimum value of 9% to a maximum value of 13%;
copper ranging from a minimum of value of 10% to a maximum value of 17.5%; and
inevitable impurities,
wherein the alloy has ΔT x as calculated below of 98 K or less:
ΔT x =T x −T g where T x and T g is a crystallization point and a glass transition point of the alloy, respectively.

18. The alloy according to claim 17 , wherein the total content of said at least one base metal ranges from a minimum value of 57% to a maximum value of 63%.

19. The alloy according to claim 17 , wherein gold is present as the at least one second additional metal, and a content of gold in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.5% to a maximum value of 2.5%.

20. The alloy according to claim 17 , wherein platinum is present as the at least one second additional metal, and a content of platinum in atomic percentage ranges from a minimum value of 1.5% to a maximum value of 2.5%.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Dubach Alban
• Winkler Yves
• Carozzani Tommy

Classifications

• C22C1/11

  Making amorphous alloys · CPC title

• G04B37/22

  Materials or processes of manufacturing pocket watch or wrist watch cases {(machines or tools for the manufacture of clockwork cases G04D3/0064, G04D3/0097, G04D3/029; decoration or tools therefor G04B45/0076)} · CPC title

• A44C27/001

  Materials for manufacturing jewellery · CPC title

• C22C45/10 Primary

  with molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium {or Hf} as the major constituent · CPC title

• G04B29/027

  Materials and manufacturing (alloys, in general C22C) · CPC title