Patents by Inventor Michael A. Kmetz

Michael A. Kmetz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180141870
    Abstract: A ceramic composite article includes ceramic reinforcement fibers each having an outer surface and a continuous zinc oxide coating disposed on the ceramic reinforcement fibers and in contact with the outer surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton
  • Patent number: 9890088
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a preceramic polymer for making a ceramic material including a metal boride. The method includes providing a starting preceramic polymer that includes a silicon-containing backbone chain and first and second reactive side groups extending off of the silicon-containing backbone chain, reacting a boron-containing material with the first reactive side group to bond a boron moiety to the silicon-containing backbone chain, and reacting a metal-containing material with the second reactive side group to bond a metal moiety to the silicon-containing backbone chain such that the preceramic polymer includes the boron moiety and the metal moiety extending as side groups off of the silicon-containing backbone chain. Also disclosed is a preceramic polymer composition and a metal-boride-containing ceramic article fabricated from the preceramic polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Douglas M. Berczik, Michael A. Kmetz, Steve Lawrence Suib, Justin Reutenauer, Timothy Coons
  • Patent number: 9533918
    Abstract: A method for a fabricating a ceramic material includes providing a mixture of a reactive metallic filler material with a preceramic polysilazane material. The preceramic polysilazane material is then polymerized to form a green body. The green body is then thermally treated in an environment that is substantially free of oxygen to convert the polymerized preceramic polysilazane material into a ceramic material that includes at least one nitride phase that is a reaction product of the reactive metallic filler material and a preceramic polysilazane material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Timothy P. Coons, Justin W. Reutenauer
  • Patent number: 9481917
    Abstract: A method for desulfurizing a metal alloy comprises heating the metal alloy to a molten state. A gaseous desulfurizing compound is bubbled through the molten alloy to form a solid sulfur-containing waste phase and a molten reduced-sulfur alloy phase. The solid waste phase and the molten reduced-sulfur alloy phase are separated. The gaseous desulfurizing compound includes a constituent element selected from the group: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mario P. Bochiechio, John Joseph Marcin, Kirk C. Newton, Michael A. Kmetz
  • Patent number: 9446989
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a carbon fiber-reinforced article includes providing carbon fibers that have surfaces that include an initial interfacial bonding strength capacity with respect to bonding with boron nitride. The surfaces are then modified to reduce the initial interfacial bonding strength capacity. A layer of boron nitride is then deposited on the modified surfaces and the carbon fibers are then embedded in a ceramic matrix. A carbon fiber-reinforced article includes the carbon fibers, the layer of boron nitride on the surfaces of the carbon fibers, and the ceramic matrix. The article exhibits non-brittle fracture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Sam Frueh
  • Publication number: 20160236987
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a preceramic polymer for making a ceramic material including a metal boride. The method includes providing a starting preceramic polymer that includes a silicon-containing backbone chain and first and second reactive side groups extending off of the silicon-containing backbone chain, reacting a boron-containing material with the first reactive side group to bond a boron moiety to the silicon-containing backbone chain, and reacting a metal-containing material with the second reactive side group to bond a metal moiety to the silicon-containing backbone chain such that the preceramic polymer includes the boron moiety and the metal moiety extending as side groups off of the silicon-containing backbone chain. Also disclosed is a preceramic polymer composition and a metal-boride-containing ceramic article fabricated from the preceramic polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Douglas M. Berczik, Michael A. Kmetz, Steve Lawrence Suib, Justin Reutenauer, Timothy Coons
  • Publication number: 20160229758
    Abstract: A method to form a ceramic interface coating on ceramic matrix composite (CMC) precursor tape by a continuous process includes passing a ceramic fiber woven cloth tape or unidirectional tape of a first ceramic with a first and second surface through at least one reaction zone of a continuous vacuum chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) reactor heated to a reaction temperature. The method further includes directing a flow of CVD or CVI reactant gas of a second ceramic at the first surface of the tape in a direction perpendicular to the tape such that the reactant gas passes through the tape in a forced flow process depositing the second ceramic on the fibers of the first ceramic thereby coating the fibers of the first ceramic tape with the second ceramic to interface coating form a coated fiber CMC precursor tape product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton
  • Publication number: 20150310971
    Abstract: An article includes at least one fiber that has a fiber core. An interface layer extends around the fiber core. The interface layer includes a ceramic matrix and ferromagnetic regions dispersed through the ceramic matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Gavin Charles Richards, Steven Lawrence Suib, Rebecca Eve Gottlieb
  • Publication number: 20150141235
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a carbon fiber-reinforced article includes providing carbon fibers that have surfaces that include an initial interfacial bonding strength capacity with respect to bonding with boron nitride. The surfaces are then modified to reduce the initial interfacial bonding strength capacity. A layer of boron nitride is then deposited on the modified surfaces and the carbon fibers are then embedded in a ceramic matrix. A carbon fiber-reinforced article includes the carbon fibers, the layer of boron nitride on the surfaces of the carbon fibers, and the ceramic matrix. The article exhibits non-brittle fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Sam Frueh
  • Patent number: 8986845
    Abstract: A ceramic composite article includes ceramic carbide fibers and a ceramic matrix in which the ceramic carbide fibers are embedded. The ceramic matrix includes a laminar structure with at least one layer of a first ceramic material and at least one layer of a second, different ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton, Douglas M. Berczik, Timothy Coons
  • Publication number: 20140178244
    Abstract: A method for desulfurizing a metal alloy comprises heating the metal alloy to a molten state. A gaseous desulfurizing compound is bubbled through the molten alloy to form a solid sulfur-containing waste phase and a molten reduced-sulfur alloy phase. The solid waste phase and the molten reduced-sulfur alloy phase are separated. The gaseous desulfurizing compound includes a constituent element selected from the group: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mario P. Bochiechio, John Joseph Marcin, Kirk C. Newton, Michael A. Kmetz
  • Patent number: 8524317
    Abstract: A composite article includes a substrate and a multilayer coating on the substrate. The multilayer coating includes an inner layer near the substrate, and outermost layer on the inner layer, and an intermediate layer between the inner layer and the outermost layer. The inner layer and outermost layer are boron-containing materials, and the intermediate layer is a silicon-containing ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian K. Flandermeyer, Michael A. Kmetz
  • Publication number: 20130082426
    Abstract: A method for a fabricating a ceramic material includes providing a mixture of a reactive metallic filler material with a preceramic polysilazane material. The preceramic polysilazane material is then polymerized to form a green body. The green body is then thermally treated in an environment that is substantially free of oxygen to convert the polymerized preceramic polysilazane material into a ceramic material that includes at least one nitride phase that is a reaction product of the reactive metallic filler material and a preceramic polysilazane material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Timothy P. Coons, Justin W. Reutenauer
  • Publication number: 20130022826
    Abstract: A ceramic composite article includes ceramic carbide fibers and a ceramic matrix in which the ceramic carbide fibers are embedded. The ceramic matrix includes a laminar structure with at least one layer of a first ceramic material and at least one layer of a second, different ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton, Douglas M. Berczik, Timothy Coons
  • Publication number: 20120251805
    Abstract: A composite article includes a substrate and a multilayer coating on the substrate. The multilayer coating includes an inner layer near the substrate, and outermost layer on the inner layer, and an intermediate layer between the inner layer and the outermost layer. The inner layer and outermost layer are boron-containing materials, and the intermediate layer is a silicon-containing ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Brian K. Flandermeyer, Michael A. Kmetz
  • Patent number: 8182905
    Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for forming low density ceramic felt material cores which are sandwiched between ceramic matrix composites to form a ceramic matrix laminate possessing a high strength-to-density ratio while maintaining a stiffness required for mechanical applications. The core and face plates are coupled together using a chemical vapor process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Kmetz
  • Publication number: 20120082832
    Abstract: A composite article includes a substrate and a multilayer coating on the substrate. The multilayer coating includes an inner layer near the substrate, and outermost layer on the inner layer, and an intermediate layer between the inner layer and the outermost layer. The inner layer and outermost layer are boron-containing materials, and the intermediate layer is a silicon-containing ceramic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Brian K. Flandermeyer, Michael A. Kmetz
  • Publication number: 20110177318
    Abstract: A ceramic composite article includes ceramic reinforcement fibers each having an outer surface and a continuous zinc oxide coating disposed on the ceramic reinforcement fibers and in contact with the outer surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton
  • Publication number: 20110071014
    Abstract: A method of forming a highly densified chemical matrix composite CMC from a preform of a matrix of a non-oxide ceramic and continuous ceramic fibers. An interface coating is added, followed by partially densifying the preform with a resin to increase the density of the preform using a polymer infiltration pyrolysis PIP) process one or more times. A chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process is used to bring the CMC to a final desired density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Kmetz, Kirk C. Newton
  • Publication number: 20110071013
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite is formed from a non-oxide ceramic and continuous ceramic fibers. The matrix includes a hafnium donor in the matrix in an amount sufficient to harden the composite at elevated temperatures to prevent ablation of the composite. The matrix also includes a boron donor in the matrix in an amount sufficient to lower the glass transition temperature of the composite to flow over cracks formed in the composite. The method to form the matrix is selected from polymer infiltration pyrolysis, chemical vapor infiltration, and sequential polymer infiltration pyrolysis and chemical vapor infiltration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kirk C. Newton, Michael A. Kmetz