Claims
- 1. A method of producing a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:
- applying a layer of a nanocomposite powder at a target surface, said nanocomposite powder comprising at least first and second constituent materials, said first constituent material having a lower melting temperature than said second constituent material;
- directing energy at selected locations of said layer corresponding to the cross-section of the object to be formed in said layer, to fuse particles of said first constituent material thereat;
- repeating said applying and directing steps to form the object in layerwise fashion; and
- removing unfused nanocomposite powder from said object.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- placing precursors for said first and second constituent materials in solution;
- forming a nanocomposite gel phase from said solution, said nanocomposite gel phase comprising said first and second constituent materials;
- firing said nanocomposite gel phase; and
- milling the fired nanocomposite gel phase to produce the nanocomposite powder comprising said first and second constituent materials.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first constituent material is the matrix phase of the object.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second constituent material is the matrix phase of the object.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- heating the object after the step of removing the unfused nanocomposite powder.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first constituent material is a polymer;
- and wherein said heating step removes the polymer from the object and fuses particles of said second constituent material to one another.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said first constituent material is a polymer;
- and wherein said heating step decomposes the polymer to provide a product phase remaining in the object.
- 8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
- wherein said first and second constituent materials are each a ceramic.
- 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
- heating said nanocomposite powder during said directing energy step.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said directing energy step also forms a spinel oxide.
- 11. The method of claim 2, wherein said first constituent material is a metal and said second constituent material is a ceramic.
- 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
- after said step of removing the unfused nanocomposite powder, infiltrating the object with a fusing material.
- 13. The method of claim 2, wherein said first constituent material is a metal and said second constituent material comprises boron.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/951,349, filed Sep. 25, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,062 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/814,715, filed Dec. 30, 1991, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/559,338, filed Jul. 30, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,869, issued Dec. 31, 1991, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/402,694 filed Sep. 5, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,817 issued Jul. 3, 1990.
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Continuations (3)
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814715 |
Dec 1991 |
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Parent |
559338 |
Jul 1990 |
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Parent |
402694 |
Sep 1989 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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951349 |
Sep 1992 |
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