Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating a substantially metal part, comprising the steps of:
a. providing a skeleton of interconnected adhered metal powder having a network of interconnected porosities throughout, said metal powder composed of at least two elements; b. providing an infiltrant comprising:
i. the same at least two elements as are in the skeleton; and ii. melting point depressant (MPD); the infiltrant having a composition that is a liquidus composition for an infiltration temperature; and c. infiltrating said skeleton with said infiltrant, at approximately said infiltration temperature, whereby essentially no erosion of said skeleton transpires.
- 2-13. (Canceled)
- 14. A method for fabricating a substantially metal part, comprising the steps of:
a. providing a skeleton of interconnected adhered metal powder having a network of interconnected porosities throughout, said metal powder composed of two or more elements, chosen as in step e below; b. providing an infiltrant comprising:
i. the same elements as are in the skeleton; and ii. melting point depressant; the infiltrant having a composition that is a liquidus composition for an infiltration temperature, the liquidus composition and infiltration temperature chosen as in step e below; c. infiltrating said skeleton at said infiltration temperature with said infiltrant in liquid form; d. subjecting said infiltrated skeleton to conditions such that a portion of said melting point depressant diffuses from said infiltrated porosities into said metal powder, and at least partial diffusional solidification occurs; and e. choosing said metal powder composition, melting point depressant, infiltrant composition and infiltration temperature such that during diffusional solidification of said infiltrant, relative ratios, of components other than melting point depressant, in said liquid infiltrant not yet solidified, remain substantially constant.
- 15. The method of claim 14, said melting point depressant consisting essentially of a single element.
- 16. The method of claim 14, said melting point depressant consisting essentially of two or more elements, all of which have similar mass transport characteristics relative to said elements of said skeleton.
- 17. The method of claim 14, said step of subjecting said infiltrated skeleton to conditions such that at least partial diffusional solidification occurs comprising subjecting said infiltrated skeleton to constant temperature conditions such that at least partial isothermal solidification occurs.
- 18. The method of claim 14, said step of subjecting said infiltrated skeleton to conditions such that at least partial diffusional solidification occurs comprising subjecting said infiltrated skeleton to reducing temperature conditions.
- 19. The method of claim 14, said skeleton further comprising melting point depressant.
- 20. The method of claim 14, said skeleton being substantially free of melting point depressant.
- 21. The method of claim 14, said step of choosing comprising choosing said metal powder composition, melting point depressant, infiltrant composition and infiltration temperature such that a liquidus composition and a solidus composition of said infiltrant, that are joined by a tie line on an equilibrium phase diagram, both lie on a line of substantially constant relative proportions of non-MPD components of said infiltrant.
- 22. The method of claim 21, said step of choosing comprising choosing said metal powder composition, melting point depressant, infiltrant composition and infiltration temperature such that the composition of said skeleton, lies on said line of substantially constant relative proportions of non-MPD components of said infiltrant.
- 23-80. (Canceled).
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This claims priority to U.S. Provisional application No. 60/206,066, filed on May 22, 2000, the full disclosure of which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
[0002] The United States Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to the Office of Naval Research Award # N0014-99-1-1090, Research in Manufacturing and Affordability, awarded on Sep. 30, 1999.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60206066 |
May 2000 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09863073 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10820248 |
Apr 2004 |
US |