Having Composition, Density, Or Hardness Gradient Patents (Class 428/610)
  • Patent number: 7001672
    Abstract: A method of depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The medical implant device formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method. The porous material of the base promotes bone ingrowth allowing the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surface or a dental implant bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Medicine Lodge, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel F. Justin, Brent E. Stucker
  • Patent number: 6998180
    Abstract: A package is configured as a composite component with a substrate, at least one semiconductor component, and an enclosure, which are joined to one another. The heat-dissipating substrate is a single-layer or multilayer substrate with a thermal conductivity, transversely with respect to a joining surface to which the semiconductor component is joined, of greater than 170 W/m. The substrate may be a layered structure and/or a structure of graduated material composition, and it has an asymmetrical thermal expansion characteristic. By suitable selection the layers or the material graduation, it is possible to reduce and limit the shear distortion of the composite component formed of the substrate, the semiconductor component, and the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Plansee Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Arndt Lüdtke, Heiko Wildner
  • Patent number: 6964818
    Abstract: A coated article includes formed of an alloy having a composition including nickel and aluminum, and a protective coating overlying and contacting the substrate. The protective coating is a mixture of a quasicrystalline metallic phase, and a non-quasicrystalline metallic phase comprising nickel and aluminum. The aluminum is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 35 percent by weight of the non-quasicrystalline metallic phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ramgopal Darolia
  • Patent number: 6953627
    Abstract: A process for the production of thin walled parts of steel, wherein there are layers that are at least partly differently treatable relating to their strength and hardness qualities. This process can include creating a composite material from a plurality of different layers by connecting at least one core layer and at least one surface layer together. At least one layer of the core or surface layer is cast adjacent to another layer to form a composite material having an alloy gradient that is flat at each interface between any of the core layer or the surface layer. Next, the process can include deforming the composite material along a length of these layers. Finally the process can include heat treating the layers to transform the strength and hardness qualities of at least one of these layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: C.D. Walzholz-Brockhaus GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Toni Junius
  • Patent number: 6942929
    Abstract: A substrate processing chamber component is a structure having an integral surface coating comprising an yttrium-aluminum compound. The component may be fabricated by forming a metal alloy comprising yttrium and aluminum into the component shape and anodizing its surface to form an integral anodized surface coating. The chamber component may be also formed by ion implanting material in a preformed metal shape. The component may be one or more of a chamber wall, substrate support, substrate transport, gas supply, gas energizer and gas exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventors: Nianci Han, Li Xu, Hong Shih
  • Patent number: 6933058
    Abstract: A protective overlay coating for articles used in hostile thermal environments, and more particularly a predominantly beta-phase NiAl intermetallic overlay coating for use as an environmental coating or as a bond coat for a thermal barrier coating deposited on the overlay coating. The overlay coating has inner and outer regions, with the inner region containing more chromium than the outer region. The lower chromium content of the outer region promotes the oxidation resistance of the overlay coating, while the higher chromium content of the inner region promotes the hot corrosion resistance of the coating interior. Under hot corrosion conditions, hot corrosion may attack the outer region, but further hot corrosion attack will substantially cease once the relatively high-chromium inner region of the overlay coating is encountered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ramgopal Darolia
  • Patent number: 6933062
    Abstract: An article protected by a protective coating has a substrate and a protective coating having an outer layer deposited upon the substrate surface and a diffusion zone formed by interdiffusion of the outer layer and the substrate. The protective coating includes platinum, aluminum, no more than about 2 weight percent hafnium, and substantially no silicon. The outer layer is substantially a single phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bangalore Aswatha Nagaraj, Jeffrey Lawrence Williams
  • Patent number: 6921584
    Abstract: The invention relates to a series of extra strong and durable aluminium alloy brazing sheets with enhanced corrosion resistance for brazed heat exchangers. The alloy sheets are based on recycled materials and are suitable for manufacturing of fins, welded tubes, headers and sideplates. The alloy sheets showed improved corrosion performance with respect to pitting corrosion, excellent high temperature sagging resistance and post braze strength, and a good brazeability. By optimising the material combination of fin, tube, header and sideplates it is possible to produce a heat exchanger with adequate corrosion performance in SWAAT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro ASA
    Inventors: Morten Syslak, Gro Stakkestad, Jon Dag Evensen, Xiao-Jun Jiang, Børge Bjørneklett
  • Patent number: 6916386
    Abstract: Guide wires and catheters made from a functionally graded alloy comprising 3-10 weight % Al and 5-20 weight % Mn, the balance being substantially Cu and inevitable impurities. The functionally graded alloy is produced by forming the copper-based alloy, maintaining it at a temperature of at least 500° C. and rapidly cooling it, and then subjecting the alloy to an aging treatment by a gradient temperature heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Inventors: Kiyohito Ishida, Yoshikazu Ishii, Ryosuke Kainuma
  • Patent number: 6905782
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a coated substrate, comprising: an antitarnish layer deposited on a substrate in an amount effective to prevent tarnishing of said coated substrate; and an outer layer deposited onto said antitarnish layer, said outer layer comprising tin or tin alloys having at least 50% by weight tin. The present invention is also directed to coated substrates having a concentration gradient of antitarnish agent diffused into the coating, as well as methods of forming such coated substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher P. Laurello, Derek E. Tyler, Szuchain Chen, Julius C. Fister
  • Patent number: 6884516
    Abstract: It is to propose an internal member for a plasma treating vessel having excellent resistances to chemical corrosion and plasma erosion under an environment containing a halogen gas and an advantageous method of producing the same, which is a member formed by covering a surface of a substrate with a multilayer composite layer consisting of a metal coating formed as an undercoat, Al2O3 film formed on the undercoat as a middle layer and Y2O3 sprayed coating formed on the middle layer as a top coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignees: Tocalo Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Harada, Junichi Takeuchi, Tatsuya Hamaguchi, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Kouji Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 6881498
    Abstract: A surface processing method and power transmission component includes refining a surface region of a metal from a first roughness to a second roughness less than the first roughness. A solid lubricous coating or a hard coating is then deposited on the surface region. The metal has a surface hardness above 50 Rc to reduce the risk that the metal will deform under the coating and leave the coating unsupported. The surface region of the metal may be transformed into a nitrogen-containing compound or solid solution surface region before the surface refining step and deposition of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Clark VanTine Cooper, Harsh Vinayak
  • Patent number: 6849342
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of fabrication and a product, which forms a composite body made of metal and a porous ceramic blank, which adjoins the metallic portion and is infiltrated by the metal, wherein a gradient in properties across the composite portion of the composite body is formed by a heat treatment that reduces some of the oxides across the thickness of the porous ceramic blank. In one embodiment, a gradient from substantial chemical reaction to incomplete chemical reaction of the reducible oxides of the blank with the infiltrated metal is formed inside the composite portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Otto W. Stenzel, Klaus Czerwinski, Iris Postler, Bernd Reinsch
  • Patent number: 6844086
    Abstract: A coated superalloy article is prepared by furnishing a nickel-base superalloy article substrate having a rhenium content of not less than about 4.0 percent by weight, and thereafter depositing an aluminum-containing coating onto a surface of the article substrate. The aluminum-containing coating includes an additive zone having an average aluminum content of not greater than about 27 percent by weight, and a diffusion zone of interdiffusion with the article substrate. A ratio of a thickness of the additive zone to a thickness of the diffusion zone is not greater than about 3:1, and is preferably about 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Theodore Robert Grossman, Ronald Gustav Rajala, Dwayne Edward Burnett, William Scott Walston, Wendy Howard Murpjy
  • Patent number: 6824888
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a bonded body of a beryllium member and a copper or copper alloy member, in which the bonding strength and thermal cycle resistance property are further increased. When the beryllium member and the copper or copper alloy member are bonded to each other, a thin layer of titanium, chromium, molybdenum, or silicon is formed as a diffusion inhibition layer on the surface of the beryllium; a copper layer is formed as a bonding layer on the surface of the diffusion inhibition layer; a thin layer of aluminum or zinc is formed as a bonding promotion layer on the surface of the bonding layer; and the beryllium member and the copper or copper alloy member are diffusion bonded to each other with the intermediate layer formation side being the bonding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hatano, Takaharu Iwadachi, Minoru Uda
  • Publication number: 20040224179
    Abstract: A laser shock processing treatment enables a selectively adjustable and customized compressive residual stress distribution profile to be developed within a workpiece by tailoring the size and shape of the laser beam spots. One peening operation applies to the workpiece a first pattern having relatively large laser beam spots and then applies a second pattern having relatively small laser beam spots. The composite use of such small and large beam spots enables the stress distribution profile to be tailored to the part specifications. The large beam spots maximize the depth of compressive residual stress in the part, while the small beam spots optimize the surface compressive residual stresses of the part. The use of small spot beam patterns allows untreated or improperly processed areas to be laser peened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: LSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Sokol, Allan H. Clauer
  • Patent number: 6815087
    Abstract: An aluminum-coated structural member includes an Al—Si—Fe alloy layer formed on a steel substrate layer. The alloy layer includes a softer region having a hardness smaller than or equal to a hardness of the steel substrate layer, extends from the surface of the steel substrate layer toward a surface of the alloy layer, over a depth range greater than or equal to 50% of a thickness of the alloy layer. The Al—Si—Fe alloy layer has an oxide weight smaller than or equal to 500 mg/dm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Takagi, Eizaburo Nakanishi, Tomoyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6805970
    Abstract: The properties of a metal piece are altered by laser peening the piece on the first side using an acoustic coupling material operatively connected to the second side and subsequently laser peening the piece on the second side using an acoustic coupling material operatively connected to the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Hackel, John M. Halpin, Fritz B. Harris, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20040197592
    Abstract: A gradient material molded body, obtained in continuous casting from at least one metal alloy solidified in an outer shell of the molded body, outside the thermodynamic equilibrium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Manfred Heinritz, Heinz-Michael Zaoralek, Rainhard Laag, Jurgen Kruger, Horst Herbst
  • Publication number: 20040191556
    Abstract: A comparatively high vacuum pressure method of manufacturing two-way shape memory effect devices produces devices having a compositional gradient through the thickness of a film of shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy film exhibits two-way shape memory effect, which is useful for fabricating cyclical actuating devices without need of a biasing mechanism. Examples of shape memory alloys include Ni:Ti-, Au:Cd-, Fe:Mn:Si- and Cu:Ni:Al-based binary, ternary and higher order alloys. Three-dimensional devices may be mass produced using the shape memory alloy and process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Peter A. Jardine
  • Patent number: 6797406
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a color cathode ray tube provided with a pressed-type shadow mask. As material for constituting the shadow mask 6, a single plate body made of a composite gradient alloy plate consisting of three layers 6A, 6B, 6C or more in which an alloy element has the concentration gradient which is continuously changed from one surface to the other surface is used. The present invention can realize a pressed mask having a large radius of curvature by self-correcting the thermal deformation such as a doming or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriharu Matsudate, Nobuhiko Hosotani
  • Publication number: 20040185294
    Abstract: It is disclosed a method of deposting a seal coating and a seal system comprising at least two layers (3, 4) on the surface of an article (1). The upper or surface layer (4) has a higher chromium activity than a bottom layer (3) to reduce a diffusion of cobalt and the formation of cobalt oxide is reduced. The coating (2) of invention may be heat-treated to reduce or optimize the formation of cobalt oxide to sustin the wear property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Abdus Suttar Khan, Ian William Boston, James Alexander Hearley
  • Publication number: 20040180232
    Abstract: The present invention is process for forming diffusion aluminide coatings on an uncoated surface of a substrate, without interdiffusing a sufficient amount of aluminum into a coating layer to adversely affect the coating growth potential and mechanical properties of said coating layer. A metal substrate is provided comprising an external surface and an internal passage therein defined by an internal surface, at least a portion of the external surface of the substrate being coated with a coating layer selected from the group consisting of &bgr;-NiAl-base, MCrAlX, a line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a non-line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a pack diffusion aluminide, and a slurry diffusion aluminide on said substrate. The external surface of the substrate is cleaned. The metal substrate is subjected to a aluminum vapor phase deposition process performed using a fluorine-containing activator selected from the group consisting of AiF3, CrF3, NH4F, and combinations thereof, at a rate in the range of about 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nripendra Nath Das, Joseph David Rigney, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Matthew David Saylor
  • Publication number: 20040157081
    Abstract: A coated article, a coating for protecting an article, and a method for protecting an article are provided. The article comprises a metallic substrate and a substantially single-phase coating disposed on the substrate, wherein the coating comprises nickel (Ni) and at least about 30 atomic percent aluminum (Al); the coating further comprises a gradient in Al composition, the gradient extending from a first Al concentration level at an outer surface of the coating to a second Al concentration level at an interface between the substantially single-phase coating and the substrate, wherein the first Al concentration level is greater than the second Al concentration level and the second concentration level is at least about 30 atomic percent Al.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Ji-Cheng Zhao, Don Mark Lipkin
  • Patent number: 6773829
    Abstract: A cast slab has a negative segregation zone composed of a multilayer structure of negative segregation layers disposed between dendrite or crystalline layers. The dendrite or crystalline layers are a deflection structure caused by vibration during formation of the cast slab. The negative segregation layers have a distance between them of not more than 2 mm and the number of negative segregation layers is not less than 3. The cast slab has an equi-axed crystal ratio of not less than 50% inside the multilayer negative segregation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sasai, Eiichi Takeuchi, Hiroshi Harada, Hajime Hasegawa, Takehiko Toh, Keisuke Fujisaki
  • Patent number: 6746783
    Abstract: A coated article, a coating for protecting an article, and a method for protecting an article are provided. The article comprises a metallic substrate and a substantially single-phase coating disposed on the substrate, wherein the coating comprises nickel (Ni) and at least about 30 atomic percent aluminum (Al); the coating further comprises a gradient in Al composition, the gradient extending from a first Al concentration level at an outer surface of the coating to a second Al concentration level at an interface between the substantially single-phase coating and the substrate, wherein the first Al concentration level is greater than the second Al concentration level and the second concentration level is at least about 30 atomic percent Al.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ji-Cheng Zhao, Don Mark Lipkin
  • Patent number: 6716540
    Abstract: A multilayer film formed body comprises an outermost layer comprising a diamondlike carbon film, a substrate comprising an iron material, and an intermediate layer comprising a first layer on the substrate side, and a second layer on the outermost layer side. The first layer comprises at least either metal of Cr and Al, and a second layer comprises an amorphous layer including carbon and at least either metal of Cr and Al. The second layer has a gradient structure where the metal decreases as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer increases stepwise or continuously as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the first layer is close to the hardness of the first layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the outermost layer is close to the hardness of the outermost layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Koichiro Akari, Eiji Iwamura
  • Patent number: 6696171
    Abstract: A method of ion implantation using oxygen backfill and a modified surface layer formed therefrom are provided. The method of ion implantation includes the steps of placing a substrate metal in an ion implantation vacuum chamber, introducing oxygen into the ion implantation vacuum chamber and directing a beam of ions at the substrate metal. The modified surface includes a substrate metal and implanted atoms at a surface of the substrate metal. The implanted atoms are integrated with the substrate metal. The substrate metal has an implanted atom concentration of at least 5 atomic % to a depth of over 250 Å.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Bruce D. Sartwell, Paul M. Natishan
  • Patent number: 6689486
    Abstract: The present invention discloses devices and a method of fabrication of devices using a shape memory effect, thin film with a compositional gradient through the thickness of the film. Specifically, a NiTi SME thin film is disclosed that can be used in actuators, MEMS devices and flow control. The process of fabrication includes a gradual heating of the target over time during the sputter deposition of a thin film on a substrate under high vacuum, without compositional modification. The resulting thin film exhibits two-way shape memory effect that can be cyclically applied without an external bias force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Inventors: Ken K. Ho, Gregory P. Carman, Peter A. Jardine
  • Patent number: 6685429
    Abstract: A method of prestressing a component (30) includes the use of an electrical discharge or current to produce a plasma (39) within a medium (32) located adjacent the component (30). The plasma generates a shock wave which impacts a surface of the component to produce a region of compressive residual stress within the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John R Webster
  • Patent number: 6682828
    Abstract: The coating plant includes a device for running a sheet to be coated along a traveling path past a window for the evaporation or sublimation of elements A an B, sources for the evaporation or sublimation of elements A and element B placed successively in a direction parallel to the traveling path so as to emit elements A and B through the window and a screen for reducing the angle of emission from the source of element B below the limit represented by an exit edge of the window, the screen being mounted so as to move translationally perpendicular to the traveling path and to move along the traveling path between the source of element A and the source of element B so as to obtain either a —A—AB—A— or a —B—AB—B—coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Daniel Chaleix, Patrick Choquet, Alain Lamande, Colin Scott, Christophe Olier
  • Publication number: 20040009364
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy heat exchanger having a tube composed of a thin aluminum alloy clad material, wherein, in the clad material, one face of an aluminum alloy core material containing Si 0.05-0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Kazumitsu Sugano, Noriyuki Yamada, Akio Niikura, Yoshiaki Ogiwara, Masaki Shimizu, Kenji Negura, Sunao Fukuda, Yoshihiko Kamiya
  • Patent number: 6673467
    Abstract: A metallic component exposed to high temperature steam is provided with a coating comprising a thin primer layer deposited on the surface of the metallic component and a thicker overlay layer on top of the primer layer. The primer layer consists of highly ductile, oxidation resistant material such that it remains free of any defects over a long period of exposure. The overlay layer consists of an oxidation resistant, less ductile, and low-cost material. It protects the thin primer layer from mechanical damage and chemical degradation. The primer layer protects the base material of the metallic component from oxidizing steam that may penetrate through cracks of the overlay layer. Due to suitable choice of coating materials and thicknesses of the layers the coating is low-cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Brendon Scarlin, Reinhard Knödler
  • Patent number: 6667111
    Abstract: High energy flux infrared heaters are used to treat an object having a surface section and a base section such that a desired characteristic of the surface section is physically, chemically, or phasically changed while the base section remains unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: UT Battelle LLC
    Inventors: Vinod K. Sikka, Craig A. Blue, Evan Keith Ohriner
  • Publication number: 20030231973
    Abstract: A method for preparing compositionally graded metallic plates and compositionally graded metallic plates suitable for use as interconnects for solid oxide fuel cells are provided. The method of the invention, utilizing powder metallurgy, enables making metallic plates of generally any desired composition to meet the corrosion requirements of fuel cells and other applications, and enables making metallic plates of graded composition from one surface of the plate to the other. A powder of the desired alloy composition is obtained, then solvents, dispersants, a plasticizer and an organic binder are added to form a slip. The slip is then formed into a layer on a desired substrate that can be flat or textured. Once dried, the layer is removed from the substrate and the binder is burned out. The layer is sintered in a reducing atmosphere at a set temperature for a predefined duration specific to the materials used and the desired final properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventors: Michael Krumpelt, Terry Alan Cruse, John David Carter, Jules L. Routbort, Romesh Kumar
  • Patent number: 6620518
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an oxidation and corrosion resistant coating composition produced by a vapor phase co-deposition of transition metals on metallic components. In particular, this coating includes aluminum and silicon and the coated substrate may comprise precious metal, nickel, cobalt or MCrALY. Such coatings are particularly useful in protecting nickel and cobalt and iron-based superalloys from heat corrosion and oxidation attack, especially during high temperature operation, e.g., gas turbine and jet engine hot zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lavery, Alan C. Banner, James Pollock
  • Patent number: 6613452
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a corrosion-resistant article includes a metal substrate and a multi-layer resistant coating disposed over the metal substrate. The coating is operable to resist corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of the metal substrate. The coating includes a first layer comprising a material galvanically similar to the metal substrate. The coating also includes a second layer disposed over the first layer. The second layer comprises a metal anodic to the metal substrate. The corrosion resistant article may also include a corrosion resistant interface layer at the boundary of the first and second layers. The interface layer may be formed by diffusing a portion of the second layer into the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: John Douglas Weir
  • Publication number: 20030162048
    Abstract: The present invention discloses devices and a method of fabrication of devices using a shape memory effect, thin film with a compositional gradient through the thickness of the film. Specifically, a NiTi SME thin film is disclosed that can be used in actuators, MEMS devices and flow control. The process of fabrication includes a gradual heating of the target over time during the sputter deposition of a thin film on a substrate under high vacuum, without compositional modification. The resulting thin film exhibits two-way shape memory effect that can be cyclically applied without an external bias force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Ken K. Ho, Gregory P. Carman, Peter A. Jardine
  • Patent number: 6607613
    Abstract: A metal alloy solder ball comprising a first metal and a second metal, the first metal having a sputtering yield greater than the second metal. The solder ball comprises a bulk portion having a bulk ratio of the first metal to the second metal, an outer surface, and a surface gradient having a depth and a gradient ratio of the first metal to the second metal that is less than the bulk ratio. The gradient ratio increases along the surface gradient depth from a minimum at the outer surface. The solder ball may be formed by the process of exposing the ball to energized ions of a sputtering gas for an effective amount of time to form the surface gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank D. Egitto, Edmond O. Fey, Luis J. Matienzo, David L. Questad, Rajinder S. Rai, Daniel C. Van Hart
  • Patent number: 6589668
    Abstract: Method for forming on a superalloy or other metallic substrate a platinum graded, outward single phase diffusion aluminide coating on a surface of the substrate by depositing a layer comprising Pt on the substrate and then gas phase aluminizing the substrate in a coating chamber having a solid source of aluminum (e.g. aluminum alloy particulates) disposed therein close enough to the surface of the substrate to form at an elevated substrate coating temperature a diffusion aluminide coating having an inner diffusion zone and outer additive single (Ni,Pt)Al phase layer having a concentration of platinum that is relatively higher at an outermost coating region than at an innermost coating region adjacent the diffusion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Howmet Research Corporation
    Inventors: Dwayne A. Braithwaite, Vincent J. Russo, Lloyd W. Cannon, Thomas P. Slavin
  • Patent number: 6582833
    Abstract: A Ti-base wire rod for forming molten metal excellent both in rod feeding smoothness and arc stability is disclosed. A wire rod 301 is composed of Ti metal, and has in the surficial portion including the surface thereof an oxygen enriched layer having an oxygen concentration higher than that in an inner portion. Ratio Tw/Dw of the thickness Tw of the oxygen enriched layer and the diameter Dw of the wire rod is adjusted within a range of 1×10−3 to 1×10−1, and the average oxygen concentration of the oxygen enriched layer is adjusted to 1 wt % or above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Toyoda, Makoto Chujoya, Shigeo Hanajima, Takashi Suzuki, Takashi Orii, Takao Shimizu, Toshiharu Noda, Bunji Naito, Kohachiro Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6579624
    Abstract: A functional film includes a transition layer having a first constituent having SiO as a dielectric material and at least one second constituent selected from aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), yttrium (Y), zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr), tungsten (W) and tantalum (Ta). The first and second constituents have corresponding gradual content gradients according to a thickness of the functional film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaun-gi Choi, Young-rag Do, Joon-bae Lee, Chang-won Park
  • Patent number: 6576349
    Abstract: A heat treatable coated article (e.g., vehicle windshield, IG unit, etc.) is provided with a dual-silver low-E coating. Before and/or after heat treatment (HT), the coating and/or coated article has a visible transmittance of at least 70%, more preferably at least 75%. Moreover, the coating and/or coated article is designed so as to have approximately the same color when viewed over a wide range of viewing angles. In certain embodiments, at least one contact layer (e.g., of or including NiCrOx) that contacts an infrared (IR) reflecting layer (e.g., Ag) is oxidation graded so that it progressively becomes less oxidized through its thickness as it nears the IR reflecting layer. In still other embodiments, a Si-rich silicon nitride layer(s) may be utilized to reduce haze.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verra et la Ceramique S.A.(C.R.V.C.)
    Inventors: Philip J. Lingle, Anton Dietrich, Ronald E. Laird, Jean-Marc Lemmer
  • Publication number: 20030085260
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a bonded body of a beryllium member and a copper or copper alloy member, in which the bonding strength and thermal cycle resistance property are further increased. When the beryllium member and the copper or copper alloy member are bonded to each other, a thin layer of titanium, chromium, molybdenum, or silicon is formed as a diffusion inhibition layer on the surface of the beryllium; a copper layer is formed as a bonding layer on the surface of the diffusion inhibition layer; a thin layer of aluminum or zinc is formed as a bonding promotion layer on the surface of the bonding layer; and the beryllium member and the copper or copper alloy member are diffusion bonded to each other with the intermediate layer formation side being the bonding surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hatano, Takaharu Iwadachi, Minoru Uda
  • Patent number: 6555247
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy plate for a planographic printing plate capable of being provided with a satisfactory roughed surface by electrolytic etching. The aluminum alloy plate contains 0.1 to 0.6% of Fe, 0.01 to 0.2% of Si, 5 to 150 ppm of Cu, and balance of Al and unavoidable impurities and has a surface layer portion formed of a metastable phase dispersion layer in which metastable phase AlFe-based intermetallic compound particles are dispersed. The metastable intermetallic compound particles each act as a starting point for pits. The alloy plate is formed with a roughed surface which is reduced in unetching and uniformly formed with pits, by electrolytic etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Aluminum Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keitarou Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6537683
    Abstract: A method is described for producing composite multilayer materials which exhibit optimum properties throughout their entire service life. The composite multilayer material comprises a backing layer, a bearing metal layer, an intermediate layer and an electrodeposited overlay, which exhibits a hardness which increases continuously from its surface in the direction of the bearing metal layer. The method provides for the electrodeposition as overlay of a lead-free alloy with at least one hard and one soft component, the current density being modified within the range of from 0.3 to 20 A/dm2 during the deposition process and/or the temperature of the electroplating bath being modified within the range of from 15° C. to 80° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Wiesbaden GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Staschko, Karl-Heinz Gruenthaler
  • Publication number: 20030054191
    Abstract: A method for applying, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, a diffusion aluminide coating to a metallic surface of an article combines use of a relatively low aluminide coating temperature in the range of about 1650-1800° F. with a relatively high Al activity Al source material including Al of at least about 40 weight %. Such combination results in an as-deposited aluminide coating comprising a diffusion portion bonded between a metallic substrate and a coating outer portion of a thickness of no greater than about 60% of the thickness of the coating outer portion, typically less than about 1 mil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Jim Dean Reeves, Nripendra Nath Das
  • Publication number: 20030044634
    Abstract: An article protected by a protective coating includes a substrate made of a first nickel-base superalloy substrate material that is susceptible to the formation of a secondary reaction zone when overlaid by a diffusion aluminide coating or an aluminide overlay coating. A protective coating including a deposited coating at the substrate surface. The deposited coating is a second nickel-base superalloy different from the first nickel-base superalloy and which does not produce a secondary reaction zone when interdiffused with the first nickel-base superalloy. In one version, the deposited coating has a nominal composition, in weight percent, of about 3.1 percent cobalt, about 7.6 percent chromium, about 7.8 percent aluminum, about 5.45 percent tantalum, about 3.85 percent tungsten, about 1.65 percent rhenium, about 0.02 percent carbon, about 0.016 percent hafnium, about 0.015 percent boron, about 0.5 percent silicon, balance nickel and incidental impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Kelly, P. Kennard Wright
  • Patent number: 6528178
    Abstract: A high temperature resistant article with improved protective coating bonding and method of manufacturing the article is provided. In one embodiment, the high temperature resistant article comprises a base body having a surface at least partly coated with an oxidation and corrosion protective coating containing a carbide forming element, wherein said base body is made from a metallic alloy having a medium carbon content and wherein the carbon content in a depth of 50 &mgr;m or deeper from said coated surface is less than 0.3% of said medium carbon content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: Vasudevan Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 6517645
    Abstract: Valve metal articles such as wire, sheet or powder having a second metal, preferably in a peripheral margin, prepared by coating the valve metal with a salt solution of the metal additive and heat treating in the presence of an oxygen getter to remove the oxygen from the valve metal and the anion of the metal salt to form the metal additive. For tantalum wire a preferred second metal is nickel. A preferred oxygen getter is magnesium. Nickel-containing tantalum wire is useful for enhance bonding to sintered pressed tantalum powder pellets in the production of electrolytic capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Cabot Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Fife