Platinum Group Metal-base Component Patents (Class 428/670)
  • Publication number: 20020048683
    Abstract: A coated article is prepared by furnishing an nickel-base article substrate having a free sulfur content of more than 0 but less than about 1 part per million by weight. A protective layer is formed at a surface of the article substrate. The protective layer includes a platinum aluminide diffusion coating. The protective layer may be substantially yttrium-free, or have a controlled amount of yttrium. A ceramic layer may overlie the protective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: William S. Walston, Jon C. Schaeffer, Wendy H. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6372364
    Abstract: A thin film product having a nanostructured surface, a laminate product including the thin film and a temporary substrate opposite the nanostructured surface, a laminate product including the thin film and a final substrate attached to the nanostructured surface and a method of producing the thin film products. The thin film is particularly useful in the electronics industry for the production of integrated circuits, printed circuit boards and EMF shielding. The nanostructured surface includes surface features that are mostly smaller than one micron, while the dense portion of the thin film is between 10-1000 nm. The thin film is produced by coating a temporary substrate (such as aluminum foil) with a coating material (such as copper) using any process. One such method is concentrated heat deposition or a combustion, chemical vapor deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: MicroCoating Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew T. Hunt, Henry A. Luten, III
  • Patent number: 6365285
    Abstract: An improved cobalt-base braze alloy composition is provided for use in repairing superalloy articles, such as gas turbine engines, power generation turbines, refinery equipment, and heat exchangers. The improved cobalt-base braze alloy composition includes nickel; at least one element selected from the group of rhenium, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, and iridium; at least one element selected from the group of boron and silicon; and the remaining balance consists of cobalt. This composition may also include aluminum and/or one or more rare earth/lanthanide series elements, and the composition may be combined with one or more powdered base metal superalloy compositions to form an improved diffusion braze alloy mixture. The compositions according to the present invention enable a repair composite formed of such compositions to at least equal the mechanical, environmental, and processing properties of the superalloy base metal being repaired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Patrick Chesnes
  • Patent number: 6358630
    Abstract: This invention relates to a solder member for external connection joined to a connection terminal formed on a surface of a printed wiring board corresponding to a conductor pattern and having an electroless Ni/Au plated layer, wherein the solder member is a ball-shaped solder containing finely powdered copper and has an excellent joint strength to the connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Tsukada, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yoshikazu Ukai, Kenji Chihara, Yoshihide Tohyama, Yasuyoshi Okuda, Yoshihiro Kodera
  • Patent number: 6355363
    Abstract: A support structure is provided for holding open lumina, the support structure having a stainless steel substrate and a platinum layer forming the surface of the structure. The structure has at least one gold layer arranged between the substrate and the platinum layer. The platinum layer is preferably applied with a pulsed current with current reversal, in order to avoid or reduce brittleness occurring by absorption of hydrogen during galvanic deposition of platinum. Such a support structure (stent) substantially withstands the high mechanical stresses, particularly bending and torsional forces that occur during application, without the formation of significant tears in the platinum layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: W. C. Hereaus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Günter Herklotz, Frank Krüger, Thomas Frey, Thomas Giesel
  • Publication number: 20020028345
    Abstract: A process for preparing a composite metal membrane which contains a thin metal membrane with a desired thickness and a metallic membrane support with a porous structure, wherein metal membrane and membrane support consist of two different metals or metal alloys. The process is carried out by placing a precursor of the metal membrane on a non-porous precursor of the membrane support, the metal composite is then formed from the two precursors, the desired thickness of metal membrane is adjusted by mechanical working the metal composite and then the porous structure for the membrane support is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: Bernd Kempf, Werner Kuhn, Ernst Drost, Hans Hermann Beyer, Meike Roos, Stefan Wieland
  • Patent number: 6352788
    Abstract: A thermal barrier coating (TBC) system for components designed for use in a hostile thermal environment, such as the turbine, combustor and augmentor sections of a gas turbine engine. The TBC system employs a thermal-insulating ceramic topcoat that is compatible with known metallic bond coats, such as diffusion aluminides and MCrAlY and NiAl coatings. The ceramic topcoat is formed of zirconia partially stabilized by about one up to less than six weight percent yttria and further stabilized by about one to about ten weight percent of magnesia and/or hafnia, to exhibit improved impact resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert W. Bruce
  • Publication number: 20020022137
    Abstract: The invention relates to an object, particularly an implant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventor: Frank Breme
  • Patent number: 6346335
    Abstract: A composite material includes a structural carrier layer and a relatively thin metal foil layer separated by a release layer. The release layer, that may be an admixture of a metal such as nickel or chromium and a non-metal such as chromium oxide, nickel oxide, chromium phosphate or nickel phosphate, provides a peel strength for the metal foil layer from the carrier strip that is typically on the order of 0.1 pound per inch to 2 pounds per inch. This provides sufficient adhesion to prevent premature separation of the metal foil layer from the carrier layer, but easy removal of the carrier layer when desired. Typically, the metal foil layer is subsequently bonded to a dielectric and the carrier layer then removed. The metal foil layer is then imaged into circuit features in the manufacture of printed circuit boards and flexible circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Szuchain Chen, Julius Fister, Andrew Vacco, Nina Yukov, A. James Brock
  • Publication number: 20020006524
    Abstract: A method of improving the oxidation and corrosion resistance of a superalloy article comprises providing a superalloy substrate having a sulphur content which is less than 0.8 ppm by weight, and depositing on the substrate a protective antioxidation coating having a sulphur content also less than 0.8 ppm by weight. A heat barrier layer may also be provided by depositing on the protective anti-oxidation coating a ceramic coating of columnar structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: SOCIETE NATIONALE D'ETUDE ET DE CONSTRUCTION DE MOTEURS D'AVIATION "SNECMA"
    Inventors: Yann Jaslier, Alexandre Alperine Serge, Louis Leger Jacques
  • Patent number: 6335107
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a metal substrate is coated with a multilayer surface finish comprising, in succession, an amorphous metal underlayer, a corrosion-resistent metal middle layer and one or more outer layers of precious metal. In an exemplary embodiment the metal substrate comprises copper alloy, the amorphous metal underlayer is Ni—P, the middle layer is nickel and the outer layer is palladium. The resulting structure is particularly useful as an electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Anthony Abys, Chonglun Fan
  • Patent number: 6335104
    Abstract: A method for preparing a copper pad surface for electrical connection that has superior diffusion barrier and adhesion properties is provided. In the method, a copper pad surface is first provided that has been cleaned by an acid solution, a protection layer of a phosphorus or boron-containing metal alloy is then deposited on the copper pad surface, and then an adhesion layer of a noble metal is deposited on top of the protection layer. The protection layer may be a single layer, or two or more layers intimately joined together formed of a phosphorus or boron-containing metal alloy such as Ni-P, Co-P, Co-W-P, Co-Sn-P, Ni-W-P, Co-B, Ni-B, Co-Sn-B, Co-W-B and Ni-W-B to a thickness between about 1,000 Å and about 10,000 Å. The adhesion layer can be formed of a noble metal such as Au, Pt, Pd and Ag to a thickness between about 500 Å and about 4,000 Å.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos J. Sambucetti, Daniel C. Edelstein, John G. Gaudiello, Judith M. Rubino, George Walker
  • Patent number: 6333121
    Abstract: A coated article is prepared by furnishing an nickel-base article substrate having a free sulfur content of more than 0 but less than about 1 part per million by weight. A protective layer is formed at a surface of the article substrate. The protective layer includes a platinum aluminide diffusion coating. The protective layer may be substantially yttrium-free, or have a controlled amount of yttrium. A ceramic layer may overlie the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William S. Walston, Jon C. Schaeffer, Wendy H. Murphy
  • Publication number: 20010046610
    Abstract: A layered article having a curved surface made of a supporting metal metallurgically bonded to a supported metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: John J. Barnes, Joseph G. Biondo, Peter G. Gelblum, Richard D. Lanam, Charles J. Noelke, David A. Wells
  • Patent number: 6315820
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing thin foil alloys through a series of steps. A carrier having a polished carrier surface is placed within a deposition chamber. The carrier surface is generally polished to a mirrored surface finish. A sacrificial layer is applied atop the carrier surface. The sacrificial layer is made of a material that may be easily dissolved or separated from the carrier surface to remove the metal foil. The carrier surface and sacrificial layer are placed within the deposition chamber. The sacrificial layer is exposed to an evaporated first metal which becomes deposited upon the sacrificial layer. An evaporated second metal is then applied concurrently or sequentially with the first metal. The first and second evaporated metals solidify on the sacrificial layer to form a multilayer foil. At this point, the multilayer foil includes discrete layers or areas of the evaporated metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George Steve Saloka, Mujeeb Ismael Ijaz, Prabhakar Singh
  • Publication number: 20010038923
    Abstract: A coating system and a method for its manufacture are provided. An electrically conductive base coat and a porous overcoat lying over the base coat are arranged on a ceramic substrate. At least one additional deposited layer is arranged on the base coat in such a way that the additional layer is formed in the pores of the porous overcoat adjacent to the base coat. The additional layer is deposited either by currentless or electrolytic deposition. For electrolytic deposition of the additional layer, the ceramic substrate sintered with the base coat and the overcoat is submerged in an electrolytic bath and the base coat is connected as a cathode. The currentless deposition takes place from a solution of the metal to be deposited with the addition of a reducing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Jens Stefan Schneider, Frank Stanglmeier, Bernd Schumann
  • Patent number: 6306524
    Abstract: A coating for use on a superalloy substrate comprising a diffusion barrier as an intermediate layer overlying the substrate and underlying a protective coating having a high aluminum content. The diffusion barrier layer is characterized by having low solubility for aluminum from either the substrate or the protective coating. Further, the diffusion barrier layer has low interdiffusivity for elements from the substrate and the coating, a minimal impact on the mechanical properties of the article which is coated, a minimal thermal expansion mismatch with both the substrate and the high aluminum content protective coating, and can be applied readily using existing coating application techniques. The diffusion barrier is preferably a single phase alloy or intermetallic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene T. Spitsberg, Ramgopal Darolia, Melvin R. Jackson, Ji-Cheng Zhao, Jon C. Schaeffer
  • Publication number: 20010031372
    Abstract: A multi-coating step immersion coating process for producing a coating of a noble metal on a non-noble metal substrate, wherein the noble metal is of a predetermined amount expressed as a percent of the total weight of coated product, and wherein the non-noble metal substrate is in the form of fine particles or a powder is disclosed. The process also utilizes inter-plating step and post-plating step rinsing step sequences which together with the use of the plurality of coating steps consistently results in high quality product having a uniform coating, excellent corrosion resistance and excellent electrical conductivity. Use of the coated products produced according to the process in a variety of electrically conductive compositions, including plastics, adhesives and inks, and in plastic and resin based electromagnetic shielding materials is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventor: MARIAN J. OSTOLSKI
  • Patent number: 6299986
    Abstract: A high rhenium-containing nickel superalloy article (10) has a multilayer coating (12) comprising a barrier coating (14) and an aluminide coating (16). The aluminide coating (16) is a corrosion and oxidation protective coating for the superalloy article (10). The barrier coating (14) comprises an alloy with a similar composition to the high rhenium-containing nickel superalloy article (10) but with less rhenium. The barrier coating (14) minimises diffusion of elements between the aluminide coating (16) and the superalloy article (10) to minimise the formation of topologically close packed phases at the interface between the superalloy article (10) and the multilayer coating (12). The barrier coating (12) preferably has some rhenium to minimise diffusion of rhenium from the superalloy article (10) to the barrier coating (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Meehar C. Meelu
  • Patent number: 6291082
    Abstract: A dielectric layer has an opening which communicates with a metal line therebeneath. A layer of silver is deposited over the structure and into the opening, and copper is deposited by electroplating in the opening. An additional silver layer is the deposited, and an anneal step is undertaken so that the copper is surrounded or encapsulated by alloy containing copper and silver. After removal of appropriate portions of the silver layers, the copper remains encapsulated or encased by copper-silver alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Sergey Lopatin
  • Patent number: 6277500
    Abstract: A gas turbine component consists of a superalloy base material with a single crystal structure and a protective coating layer. The coating layer has a single crystal structure, which is epitaxial with the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Maxim Konter, Wilfried Kurz, Matthias Gaumann
  • Patent number: 6274254
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprises connector contacts having a metal base and a surface finish layer over the base, the surface finish layer being a composite of an electroplated precious metal composition and wear resistant particles dispersed therein. In the preferred embodiment, the precious metal layer is a PdCo alloy and the wear resistant particles are sub-micron sized lubricating particles, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene particles and a flash coat of gold is provided over the composite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Anthony Abys, Conor Anthony Dullaghan, Chonglun Fan, Brian Thomas Smith
  • Patent number: 6245447
    Abstract: An iron aluminide coating as a bonding layer between a thermally stressed element of a thermal turbomachine and a heat insulation coat consists essentially of:  5-35 % by weight aluminum 15-25 % by weight chromium 0.5-10  % by weight molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum and/or niobium   0-0.3 % by weight zirconium 0-1 % by weight boron 0-1 % by weight yttrium the remainder being iron and incidental impurities arising from production thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Mohamed Nazmy, Markus Staubli
  • Patent number: 6245448
    Abstract: A palladium plated lead frame (34) for integrated circuit devices has a nickel strike (36) and a palladium/nickel alloy layer (38) separating the copper base metal (28) from the nickel intermediate layer (40) in order to prevent a galvanic potential from drawing copper ions from the base metal layer (28) to the top layer (42). The nickel strike (36) and palladium/nickel alloy layer (38) also reduce the number of paths through which a copper ion could migrate to the top surface resulting in corrosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald Charles Abbott
  • Publication number: 20010002296
    Abstract: An iron aluminide coating consists essentially of: 1 5-35% by weight aluminum 15-25% by weight chromium 0.5-10% by weight molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum and niobium 0-0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: May 31, 2001
    Inventors: Mohamed Nazmy, Markus Staubli
  • Patent number: 6238465
    Abstract: A novel method of producing an improved thin hydrogen-selective palladium-alloy membrane, through solid-solid interdiffusion of thin films or layers of palladium and a palladium-enhancing metal, such as copper, subjected in the presence of a reducing agent, such as hydrogen, to an elevated temperature below the melting point of both metals, for a sufficient time to effect substantially complete interdiffusion of the metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Walter Juda Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Juda, Charles W. Krueger, R. Todd Bombard
  • Patent number: 6235412
    Abstract: A process for producing a terminal metal pad structure electrically interconnecting a package and other components. More particularly, the invention encompasses a process for producing a plurality of corrosion-resistant terminal metal pads. Each pad includes a base pad containing copper which is encapsulated within a series of successively electroplated metal encapsulating films to produce a corrosion-resistant terminal metal pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tien-Jen Cheng, Ajay P. Giri, Ashwani K. Malhotra, John R. Pennacchia, Eric D. Perfecto, Roy Yu
  • Patent number: 6228513
    Abstract: A method of improving the oxidation and corrosion resistance of a superalloy article comprises providing a superalloy substrate having a sulphur content which is less than 0.8 ppm by weight, and depositing on the substrate a protective antioxidation coating having a sulphur content also less than 0.8 ppm by weight. A heat barrier layer may also be provided by depositing on the protective anti-oxidation coating a ceramic coating of columnar structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation “SNECMA”
    Inventors: Yann Jaslier, Serge Alexandre Alperine, Jacques Louis Leger
  • Patent number: 6228510
    Abstract: An improved coating and method for applying the coating to minimize the consumption of substrate material during high temperature service by formation of an intermediate metal aluminide layer. A layer of Ni or Co or combinations of Ni and Co are added to the substrate material as an overlay by a process such as electroplating or electroless plating. A diffusion aluminide is then formed at the surface by exposing the plated substrate to a source of aluminum at an elevated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keng N. Chen, Shih T. Ngiam, Genfa Hu
  • Patent number: 6221512
    Abstract: A metallic article (30) comprises a bond coating (34) on the metallic article (30) and a ceramic thermal barrier coating (38) on the bond coating (34). The ceramic thermal barrier coating (38) comprises a plurality of columnar grains (40) extending substantially perpendicular to the surface of the metallic article (30). The ceramic thermal barrier coating (38) has an inner portion (44), a transition portion (46) and an outer portion (48). Each columnar grain (40) has a substantially constant cross-sectional area throughout its length in the outer portion (48), has smooth surfaces and there are distinct uniform gaps (42) between columnar grains to minimize the stress/strain in the columnar grains (40) and/or to minimize the stress/strain between adjacent columnar grains (40) and thereby increases the resistance to spallation of the ceramic thermal barrier coating. The columnar grains (40) are produced by controlling the evaporation rate of the ceramic, the temperature and speed of rotation of the article (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce PLC, Chromalloy United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: David S Rickerby
  • Patent number: 6221506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bushing baseplate, and to a bushing baseplate. The bushing baseplate is characterized in that it comprises tips (18) constituted by hollow tubular elements of outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of holes (16) in the plate (12) forming the bushing baseplate, which tips are subjected to a step of being expanded radially relative to their axes. The method is simpler and less expensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Engelhard-CLAL S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Guerlet, Franck Pouliquen, Daniel Michel
  • Patent number: 6218029
    Abstract: A multi-layer thermal barrier coating for a superalloy article includes a metallic matrix coating containing particles, a MCrAlY alloy bond coating on the metallic matrix coating, a thin oxide layer on the MCrAlY alloy bond coating and a columnar grain ceramic thermal barrier coating. The metallic matrix coating includes a 80 wt % nickel-20 wt % chromium alloy. The particles include metallic compounds such as carbides, oxides, borides and nitrides, which react with harmful transition metal elements such as titanium, tantalum and hafnium, in the superalloy substrate. One suitable compound is chromium carbide because the harmful transition metal elements will take part in an exchange reaction with the chromium in the chromium carbide to form a stable carbide of the harmful transition metal element. This reduces the amount of harmful elements in the superalloy reaching the oxide layer and increases the service life of the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce, PLC, Chromalloy United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: David S Rickerby
  • Patent number: 6217794
    Abstract: Fibers having at least one near-infrared fluorescing compound associated therewith are prepared by contacting the fibers with the fluorescing compound(s) dissolved in an organic solvent. Suitable organic solvents include ketones and alcohols. The fibers may subsequently be air-dried to remove any remaining volatiles. Fibers coated with the marker solution desirably have less than 1 weight percent of the marker coated thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Isotag Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Dixon Neal, Barbara Crawford Jackson, James John Krutak, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6218025
    Abstract: A sintered electrode of high-melting metal (for example tungsten) is produced from spherical metal powder having a well defined particle size. The mean particle size is from 5 to 70 &mgr;m. The particle size distribution covers a range from at most 20% below to at most 20% above the mean particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Patent- Truchand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluelampen mbH
    Inventors: Dietrich Fromm, Bernhard Altmann, Wolfram Graser, Peter Schade
  • Patent number: 6203926
    Abstract: A corrosion resistant, multi-layer structure on a substrate including an adhesion metallic layer on the substrate, a cushion metallic layer on the adhesion layer, a diffusion barrier layer on the cushion layer, and an impermeable gold layer that encapsulates all the layers, is substantially even on all sides of the layers, and contacts a region on the substrate adjacent the layers to prevent oxidation and corrosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Umar Moez Uddin Ahmad, Harsaran Singh Bhatia, Satya Pal Singh Bhatia, Hormazdyar Minocher Dalal, William Henry Price, Sampath Purushothaman
  • Patent number: 6203931
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lead frame material and a process for manufacturing a lead frame material. The process includes forming an intermediate layer on a lead frame substrate by vacuum deposition and forming a top protective layer on the intermediate layer by vacuum deposition. By using vacuum deposition, the coating material can be selected from a wider variety of materials; thus, coatings with novel compositions can be formed. The intermediate layer can be Ni, Ag, W, Zn, Cr, Mo, Cu, Sn, Al, Ta, Co, Nb, or alloys thereof, and the top protective layer can be Pt, Ir, Re, Ru, Rh, Pd, Au, Ag, or alloys thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chun-Hsun Chu, Shyi-Yi Chen, Jui-Fen Pai
  • Patent number: 6194081
    Abstract: A method of preparing a beta titanium-composite laminate comprising providing a first layer of beta titanium alloy having a yield strength to modulus of elasticity ratio and adhering a first layer of composite having a strength to modulus of elasticity ratio to the layer of beta titanium alloy, thereby forming a beta titanium-composite laminate, where the yield strength to modulus of elasticity ratio of the first layer of beta titanium alloy matches the strength to modulus of elasticity ratio of the first layer of composite such that the first layer of beta titanium alloy will reach its stress limit and the first layer of composite will reach its stress limits at about the same total strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Ticomp. Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Kingston
  • Patent number: 6187454
    Abstract: A method of coating a metal part that is to be soldered, in particular a part of an electrical connector for high frequency signals, in which method a layer of white bronze is applied to said part. The layer of white bronze is initially covered in a fine layer of palladium, and then in a fine layer of gold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Radiall
    Inventor: Yves Rivassou
  • Patent number: 6183884
    Abstract: A metallic article includes a bond coating and a ceramic thermal barrier coating on the bond coating. The ceramic thermal barrier coating includes a plurality of columnar grains, which extend perpendicularly to the surface of the metallic article. Each columnar grain includes a plurality of layers. Some of the layers include sub-grains extending at an acute angle to the surface of the metallic article to form voids between adjacent sub-grains. The voids are arranged at an acute angle to the surface of the metallic article and reduce the thermal conductivity of the ceramic thermal barrier coating. Some of the layers include sub-grains extending perpendicularly to the surface of the metallic article to provide erosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce PLC, Chromalloy United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: David S Rickerby
  • Patent number: 6183888
    Abstract: A process for producing a coating for protecting superalloy articles against high temperature oxidation and hot corrosion comprises forming, on the surface of the article, a first deposit of an agglomerated powdered alloy containing at least chromium, aluminum and an active element, and filling the open pores of the powder deposit by a second, electrolytically applied, deposit of a precious platinum group metal. An appropriate thermal treatment is then carried out to effect interdiffusion between the powder based deposit and the electrolytic deposit and produce a coating including chromium, an active element such as yttrium, and a precious platinum group metal throughout its thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation “SNECMA”
    Inventors: Alexandre Serge Alperine, Jean-Paul Fournes, Louis Jacques Leger
  • Patent number: 6183893
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium and a magnetic storage apparatus which are improved to be suitable for high-density magnetic recording. An object thereof is to provide the perpendicular magnetic recording medium and the magnetic storage apparatus which have a low noise property for realizing a recording density of 10 Gb/in.2 or more and a high stability against thermal fluctuation. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising a perpendicular magnetic film formed through an underlayer on a nonmagnetic substrate, wherein the underlayer comprises a material having a hexagonal close packed structure or an amorphous structure, and has a first underlayer nearer to the substrate, and a second underlayer having a hexagonal close packed structure formed on the first underlayer and a preferred growth orientation of [0001] and comprising a material capable of hetero-epitaxy growth onto the perpendicular magnetic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Futamoto, Yoshiyuki Hirayama, Kenya Ito, Kazuetsu Yoshida, Yukio Honda, Nobuyuki Inaba
  • Patent number: 6180263
    Abstract: The hard carbon coating-clad base material of the present invention comprises a base material, a substratal metal coating formed on the base material by a wet plating process, an intermediate metal coating comprising a titanium or chromium coating formed on the substratal metal coating by a dry plating process and a silicon coating formed on the titanium or chromium coating by a dry plating process, and a hard carbon coating formed on the silicon coating by a dry plating process. According to the present invention, a highly reliable hard carbon coating which is excellent in corrosion resistance, adhesion and abrasion resistance can be formed even on brass or an iron base material having poor corrosion resistance, such as SK steel and martensitic and ferritic stainless steels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Naoi
  • Patent number: 6168875
    Abstract: An iridium-niobium alloy bond coat is used under a ceramic thermal barrier coating on turbine blades and vanes to improve the life of the thermal barrier coating. Between the bond coat and the substrate is an underlying protective coating which is either a low pressure plasma sprayed coating such as a NiCoCrAlY alloy or a vapor deposited coating such as tantalum, nickel-tantalum or rhenium. Heat treatment and preoxidation procedures may be used to form the desirable bonds and materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Michael Cybulsky, Thomas B. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 6159623
    Abstract: A palladium plating film having excellent soldering characteristics, including excellent solder wettability, high solder wetting speed, and especially the maintenance of these characteristics in a high-temperature atmosphere, is produced by using a palladium plating solution. The palladium plating film can be used, for example, for the plating of electrical and electronic parts. The palladium plating solution used contains a soluble palladium salt and a quaternary compound, and, if necessary, further contains a pyridine derivative or a salt thereof, and optionally further contains at least one compound selected from ammonium chloride, ammonium hydrogenphosphate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride and boric acid or a soluble selenium salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6156413
    Abstract: A glass circuit substrate wherein nuclei of Pd (palladium) are placed on a glass substrate and a plating layer of Pd--P (palladium--phosphorus) is placed on the nuclei. A fabrication method of the glass circuit substrate comprises steps of forming nuclei of Pd on a glass substrate; and therefore forming a plating layer of Pd--P on the nuclei.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Tomari, Makoto Kameyama, Yasuyuki Nakai
  • Patent number: 6150041
    Abstract: 16 A thick-film circuit (10) includes an electrically conductive substrate (12), such as stainless steel, and a first layer of a gold-rich conductor (15) applied directly thereon. The gold layer is fired in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, such as nitrogen, to ensure a solid mechanical and electrical connection between the gold and the substrate. A next layer of a silver composition (20) containing a first proportion of silver to a conductive metal is directly applied to the gold layer (15). Preferably, the composition (20) includes palladium in equal parts with the silver to achieve a secure mechanical and electrical contact with the gold layer with a minimum resistivity. A silver-rich layer (23) is then applied directly onto the intermediate layer. This silver-rich layer (23) is a composition of silver and the conductive metal in a second proportion greater than the first proportion. In one embodiment, this second proportion is three parts silver to one part palladium by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frans Peter Lautzenhiser, Joel Franklin Downey, Marion Edmond Ellis
  • Patent number: 6150038
    Abstract: A reproducing layer, an intermediate layer, and a recording layer are successively stacked. The reproducing layer is made of a perpendicularly magnetized film whose domain wall coercivity is relatively smaller and whose domain wall mobility is relatively larger as compared with the recording layer around a reproducing temperature. When the reproducing layer, the intermediate layer, and the recording layer have Curie temperatures of Tc1, Tc2, and Tc3, Tc1, Tc2, and Tc3 satisfy a relationship of Tc2<Tc1<Tc3. Upon reproducing information, the reproducing layer is partially heated to more than the Curie temperature by irradiating with a light beam. This arrangement makes it possible to expand and reproduce a domain without causing a repetition of reproduction and to reproduce a signal having a period which is not more than an optical diffraction limit without reducing an amplitude of the reproduced signal, thereby dramatically improving a recording density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Hirokane, Noboru Iwata
  • Patent number: 6150046
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper core layer and a lower core layer which are made of an Fe--M--O alloy, an Fe--M--T--O alloy or an NI--Fe--X alloy so that the upper core layer has a high saturation magnetic flux density, low coercive force and high resistivity, and the lower core layer has a lower saturation magnetic flux density than the upper core layer, low coercive force, high resistivity, and a low magnetostriction constant. Also the lower core layer is formed so that the thickness gradually decreases toward both side ends, and a gap layer can be formed on the lower core layer to have a uniform thickness. Since the lower core layer is formed by sputtering, a material having excellent soft magnetic material can be used, thereby enabling recording at high frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinori Watanabe, Akira Takahashi, Fumihito Koike, Nobuhiro Hayashi, Yoshihiro Kanada, Kiyoshi Sato, Eiji Umetsu, Takashi Hatanai, Akihiro Makino
  • Patent number: 6146772
    Abstract: A composite wire for the manufacture of semifinished products to be subjected to an emptying process in the field of goldsmithery. The wire comprises a support core developing essentially along one of its longitudinal axes in a nonprecious metal that is removable by chemical or electrochemical means as well as a plurality of sections in precious metal having an essentially longitudinal development of which at least a portion of each one is radially engaged in the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Cento Group S.p.A.
    Inventor: Urbano Terziani
  • Patent number: 6143431
    Abstract: Palladium-103 radiochemical of high radionuclidic purity can be produced in commercial scale quantities by irradiating enriched Palladium targets comprising a mixture of Pd isotopes with protons or deuterons in the 10-50 MeV energy range. Commercially viable batch sizes with acceptable specific activity of the product Pd-103 are achieved by adjusting the irradiation energy, irradiation time, irradiation current, current density, plated target mass, plated target shape, plated target size, target isotope enrichment levels, and incident angle of the target to the beam. The method for the production of Pd-103 comprises providing a target material enriched with Pd isotopes comprising atomic masses equal to or greater than Pd-103, applying the target material onto a target support; irradiating the target material with protons or deuterons of sufficient incident energy and time to convert at least some of the Pd isotopes within the target material to Pd-103; and purifying Pd from the non-Pd components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventor: Brian A. Webster