Methods for constructing parts with improved properties using metallic glass alloys

{
  "publication_number": "US2015315678A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Methods for constructing parts with improved properties using metallic glass alloys",
  "abstract": "Described herein are methods of constructing a part having improved properties using metallic glass alloys, layer by layer. In accordance with certain aspects, a layer of metallic glass-forming powder is deposited to selected positions and then fused to a surface layer (i.e. layer below) by suitable methods such as laser heating or electron beam heating. The deposition and fusing are then repeated as need to construct the part, layer by layer. In certain embodiments, one or more sections or layers of non-metallic glass-forming material can be included as needed to form a composite final part. In certain aspects, the metallic glass-forming powder may be crystalized during depositing and fusing, or may be recrystallized during subsequent processing to provide selectively crystalized sections or layers, e.g., to impart desired functionality. In other aspects, non-metallic glass-forming materials may be deposited and fused at selected positions, e.g., to provide selective shear banding to impart improved ductile properties and plasticity. In yet other aspects, the metallic glass-forming powder or metallic glass material and non-metallic glass-forming material are deposited and fused to form a foam-like, bellow or similar structure, which is able to crumple under high stress to absorb energy under impact.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of forming a metallic glass part comprising a crystalline portion and an amorphous portion, the method comprising: depositing a layer of a metallic glass-forming alloy; and fusing the layer of the metallic glass-forming alloy to a surface layer by heating at least a portion of the deposited metallic glass-forming alloy to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the alloy and cooling to form the metallic part comprising a crystalline portion and an amorphous portion. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposited metallic glass-forming alloy comprises a powder having crystalline portions and amorphous portions. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein fusing comprises heating and cooling at least a portion of the metallic glass-forming alloy under conditions to form the crystalline portion. 4. A method of forming a metallic glass composite part with improved toughness comprising: depositing a layer of a metallic glass-forming alloy to at least a portion of a surface layer; heating at least a portion of the metallic glass-forming alloy to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the alloy and cooling to form the metallic glass composite part comprising a fused metallic glass layer; depositing a layer of non-metallic glass material to one or more portions of the fused metallic glass layer; and fusing the non-metallic glass material to the fused metallic glass layer to form a shear band of non-metallic glass material in the metallic glass composite part. 5. The method of claim 4 where the toughness of the metallic glass composite part is 5% greater than a metallic glass part formed of the metallic glass-forming alloy. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-metallic glass material is selected from a group consisting of crystalline material, plastic, ceramic, semiconductors, non-heated metallic glass powder, and Kevlar fibers. 7. The method of claim 4 where is the metallic glass-forming alloy is a powder. 8. The method of claim 7 where the metallic glass-forming alloy is a homogenous atomized powder. 9. The method of claim 4 where the metallic glass-forming alloy is a wire. 10. The method claim 4 where the metallic powder is heated to above the melting temperature in a time of less than 5 seconds. 11. A method of forming an amorphous metal foam part comprising: depositing a layer of a metallic glass-forming alloy; heating the layer of metallic glass-forming alloy to a temperature above the glass transition of the alloy and cooling to form the amorphous metal foam part to fuse the layer of the metallic glass-forming alloy; and the amorphous metal foam part having at least 10% void space by volume. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the layer of metallic glass-forming alloy is deposited, heated, and cooled on portions of a housing to integrally form the amorphous metal foam into the housing. 13. The method of claim 12 where the integrally formed amorphous metal foam comprises internal structures of the housing. 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the housing comprises a shell, where the shell integrally formed amorphous metal foam forms a core that is surrounded by the shell. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the layer of metallic glass-forming alloy is selectively deposited to form an ordered lattice structure in the foam. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the order lattice structure comprises a honeycomb. 17. The method of claim 11 where the metallic glass-forming alloy is selectively deposited to create crumple zone with an unidirectional collapse. 18. The method of claim 11 where the metallic glass-forming alloy comprises a powder. 19. The method of claim 18 where the powder is a homogenous atomized powder. 20. The method of claim 11 where the metallic glass-forming alloy comprises a wire."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure is directed to methods of constructing parts using metallic glass alloys.\n\nMetallic glasses have been made in a variety of metallic systems. They are generally prepared by quenching from above the melting temperature to the ambient temperature. Generally, high cooling rates such as one on the order of 10 5 ° C./sec to 10 3 ° C./sec, are needed to achieve an amorphous structure. The lowest rate by which a metallic glass can be cooled to avoid crystallization, thereby achieving and maintaining the amorphous structure during cooling, is referred to as the critical cooling rate for the BMG. In order to achieve a cooling rate higher than the critical cooling rate, heat has to be extracted from the sample. The thickness of articles made from amorphous alloys often becomes a limiting dimension, which is generally referred to as the critical (casting) thickness.\n\nThere exists a need for methods of constructing parts using metallic glasses, as well as a need for metallic glass-forming materials designed for use in such methods.\n\nDescribed herein are methods of constructing a part having improved properties using metallic glass alloys, layer by layer, as well as structures produced by such methods. The disclosure is also directed to methods of improving properties of metallic glass parts.\n\nIn accordance with certain aspects, a layer of a metallic glass-forming alloy is deposited to selected positions and then fused to a surface layer by suitable methods such as laser heating or electron beam heating.",
  "cpc": [
    "C22C 45/00",
    "B05D 5/00",
    "B22F 10/28",
    "B22F 10/32",
    "B22F 12/20",
    "B22F 3/11",
    "B22F 3/1115",
    "B22F 9/08",
    "C22C 1/00",
    "C22C 1/002",
    "C22C 1/11",
    "C22C 2200/02",
    "C22C 33/0214",
    "C22C 33/0278",
    "C22C 47/14",
    "C22C 49/14",
    "Y02P 10/25"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B05D 5/00",
    "C22C 1/00",
    "C22C 45/00",
    "B22F 3/105",
    "B22F 3/11"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Apple Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Joseph C. Poole",
    "Theodore A. Waniuk",
    "Jeffrey L. Mattlin",
    "Michael S. Nashner",
    "Christopher D. Prest"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-04-17",
  "publication_date": "2015-11-05",
  "priority_date": "2014-04-30",
  "application_number": "US-201514690239-A",
  "family_id": "54354834",
  "cited_by_count": 19,
  "citations": [
    "US20070003782A1",
    "US20080209976A1",
    "US20070111119A1",
    "US20100310901A1",
    "US20110165339A1",
    "US20130139964A1"
  ]
}