U.S. patent application number 10/740453 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-23 for chrome composite materials.
Invention is credited to Beardsley, M. Brad, Jiang, Xiangyang, Smith, William C..
Application Number | 20050136279 10/740453 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34677879 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050136279 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jiang, Xiangyang ; et
al. |
June 23, 2005 |
Chrome composite materials
Abstract
A method of making a composite carbide-boride powder includes
selecting a ferrochrome material, selecting a nickel-containing
material, and selecting a boron-containing material. The
ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material, and the
boron-containing material is combined together to form a mixture,
and the composite carbide-boride powder is generated from the
mixture.
Inventors: |
Jiang, Xiangyang; (Dunlap,
IL) ; Beardsley, M. Brad; (Laura, IL) ; Smith,
William C.; (Chillicothe, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER
LLP
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4413
US
|
Family ID: |
34677879 |
Appl. No.: |
10/740453 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/548 ;
427/446; 75/252; 75/351 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22F 2998/10 20130101;
C22C 29/00 20130101; B22F 2998/10 20130101; C22C 1/058 20130101;
Y10T 428/12028 20150115; B22F 9/16 20130101; B22F 1/0096 20130101;
C22C 1/058 20130101; C22C 1/05 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/548 ;
075/351; 075/252; 427/446 |
International
Class: |
B22F 007/00; C22C
001/05 |
Claims
1. A method of making a composite carbide-boride powder,
comprising: selecting a ferrochrome material; selecting a
nickel-containing material; selecting a boron-containing material;
combining the ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material,
and the boron-containing material to form a mixture; generating the
composite carbide-boride powder from the mixture.
2. The method of claim 1, further including adding chromium to the
mixture.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the nickel is substantially pure
nickel.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the high carbon ferrochrome
powder is at least one of (CrFe).sub.7C.sub.3 and
(CrFe).sub.3C.sub.2.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the boron-containing material
includes nickel-boron.
6. The method of claim 1, further including adding silicon to the
mixture.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ferrochrome material includes
a ferrochrome powder, the nickel-containing material includes a
nickel-containing powder, and the boron-containing material
includes a ferroboron powder.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of combining includes
mixing the ferrochrome powder, the nickel-containing powder, and
the ferroboron powder together with a solvent to form a slurry.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of combining includes
melting the ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material,
and the boron-containing material together to form a melt.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite carbide-boride
powder has a structure including particles dispersed in a matrix
material.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the matrix material contains at
least one of nickel, chrome, and iron.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding a carbon
containing material to the mixture.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the carbon containing material
includes at least one of activated carbon and graphite.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein step of generating the composite
powder includes at least one of atomization, gas atomization, spray
drying and sintering, sintering and crushing, chemical vapor
deposition, and cladding.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the
composite powder produces an average particle size of about 3 .mu.m
to about 500 .mu.m.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the
composite powder produces an average particle size of about 10
.mu.m to about 60 .mu.m.
17. A composite powder, comprising: a ferrochrome component; a
nickel-based component; and a boride component.
18. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the boride component
includes nickel-boride.
19. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the boride component
includes iron-boride.
20. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the ferrochrome
component contains iron up to about 65 percent by weight.
21. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the ferrochrome
component contains carbon up to about 14 percent by weight.
22. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the ferrochrome
component has a chrome content of about 15 weight percent to about
75 weight percent.
23. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the boride component
has a boron content up to about 19 percent by weight.
24. The composite powder of claim 17, wherein the composite powder
has a total weight percentage of no more than about 5 weight
percent provided by one or more of silicon, titanium, niobium,
vanadium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese.
25. A composite powder, comprising: carbon up to about 14 weight
percent; iron up to about 65 weight percent; nickel up to about 35
weight percent; boron up to about 19 weight percent; and about 15
weight percent to about 65 weight percent of chrome.
26. The composite powder of claim 25, including about 10 weight
percent to about 55 weight percent iron.
27. The composite powder of claim 25, including up to about 12
weight percent boron.
28. The composite powder of claim 25, including up to about 10
weight percent carbon and up to about 8 weight percent boron.
29. A composite powder, comprising: a plurality of particles,
wherein at least some of the particles include: a matrix material
including at least one of nickel and nickel-chromium, and a
plurality of Fe--Cr-boride particles dispersed in the matrix
material.
30. A composite material, comprising: a nickel-based material; a
ferrochrome component dispersed within the nickel-based component;
and a boride component dispersed within the nickel-based
component.
31. The composite material of claim 30, further including a carbon
component.
32. The composite material of claim 31, wherein the carbon
component and the ferrochrome component interact such that the
composite material includes at least some ferrochrome carbide
containing particles dispersed within a matrix material.
33. The composite material of claim 31, wherein the carbon
component is present in the composite material in an amount up to
about 14 weight percent.
34. The composite material of claim 30, wherein the composite
material includes chrome in an amount of up to about 65 percent by
weight.
35. The composite material of claim 30, wherein the composite
material includes iron in an amount of up to about 65 percent by
weight.
36. The composite material of claim 30, wherein the composite
material has a silicon content of less than about 5 percent by
weight.
37. The composite material of claim 30, wherein the composite
material includes nickel in an amount of up to about 40 weight
percent.
38. The composite material of claim 30, wherein the composite
material includes boron in an amount of up to about 19 percent by
weight.
39. A composite material comprising: a nickel-based material
forming a nickel matrix; a plurality of carbon ferrochrome
particles dispersed in the nickel matrix; and a boride component
dispersed within the nickel matrix.
40. The composite material of claim 39, wherein the composite
material has a Knoop hardness value of between about 950 to 1200
HK.
41. The composite material of claim 39, the composite material
being disposed as a coating on a substrate material.
42. The composite material of claim 41, wherein the substrate
material includes an engine component.
43. The composite material of claim 41, wherein the substrate
material includes a bearing.
44. The composite material of claim 41, wherein the substrate
material includes an axle.
45. A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method
comprising: selecting a ferrochrome material; selecting a
nickel-containing material; selecting a boron-containing material;
combining the ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material,
and the boron-containing material to form a mixture; generating the
composite carbide-boride powder from the mixture; supplying the
composite carbide-boride powder to a coating apparatus; and forming
an iron-boride-nickel composite material coating on at least one
surface of the substrate.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein the coating apparatus includes
a high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) system.
47. The method of claim 45, wherein the coating apparatus includes
a detonation spray system.
48. The method of claim 45, wherein the iron-boride-nickel
composite material coating has a Knoop hardness value of between
about 950 to 1200 HK.
49. The method of claim 45, wherein the substrate includes an
engine component.
50. The method of claim 45, wherein the substrate includes a
bearing.
51. The method of claim 45, wherein the substrate includes an
axle.
52. The method of claim 45, wherein the ferrochrome material
includes at least one of (CrFe).sub.7C.sub.3 and
(CrFe).sub.3C.sub.2.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates generally to chrome composite powders
and, more specifically, to ferrochrome carbide/boride-nickel
composite powders.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Wear and corrosion resistant materials are of great interest
to many industries, including, but not limited to, the heavy
machinery, automobile, and aerospace industries. Even as demand
increases for complex machined components with long life/duty
cycles, low maintenance requirements, and improved performance
under harsh conditions, a parallel objective exists to achieve
these ends at reduced cost to both the industry and the consumer.
Achieving satisfactory wear and corrosion resistance in today's
complex materials has typically required the use of relatively
expensive starting/raw materials in combination with lengthy and
complex processing techniques. While this route can produce wear
and corrosion resistant materials, it can be costly.
[0003] For example, chrome carbide/boride types of powders are used
in applications for wear and corrosion resistant coatings, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,618. These chrome carbide/boride
powders are formed by combining a chrome carbide material, such as
Cr.sub.3C.sub.2, Cr.sub.23C.sub.6, or Cr.sub.7C.sub.3, which are
typically high cost materials, with other materials including
boron. The resulting chrome carbide/boride powders may be used to
form wear and corrosion resistant coatings.
[0004] A disadvantage of using the chrome carbide to generate
chrome carbide types of composite materials is the high cost of the
precursor materials. For example, chrome carbide is expensive and
is typically produced only on small scales for specialty
applications. Moreover, due to the high melting point of the chrome
carbide materials, powder deposition efficiency (i.e., a measure of
how much of a material ends up in a coating) is low. Therefore,
these chrome carbide composite materials are even more costly to
apply.
[0005] The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the
problems or disadvantages existing in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] One aspect of the invention includes a method of making a
composite carbide-boride powder. The method includes selecting a
ferrochrome material, selecting a nickel-containing material, and
selecting a boron-containing material. The ferrochrome material,
the nickel-containing material, and the boron-containing material
is combined together to form a mixture, and the composite
carbide-boride powder is generated from the mixture.
[0007] A second aspect of the invention includes a composite powder
that includes a ferrochrome component, a nickel-based component,
and an iron-boride component.
[0008] A third aspect of the invention includes a composite powder.
The composite powder includes a plurality of particles, and at
least some of the particles include a matrix material including of
at least one of nickel and nickel-chromium. A plurality of
Fe--Cr-boride particles is dispersed in the matrix material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph
illustrating representative morphology of a composite powder
consistent with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an SEM micrograph illustrating representative
morphology of an as-sintered composite powder consistent with an
exemplary embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] A method of making a composite carbide-boride powder is
provided. The method may include selecting a ferrochrome material,
a nickel-containing material, and a boron-containing material, and
mixing the ferrochrome material together with the nickel-containing
material and the boron-containing material. The ferrochrome
material can be selected from among many materials that include at
least some iron, chromium, and/or carbon. For example, in one
embodiment, the ferrochrome material may include at least one of
(CrFe).sub.7C.sub.3 and (CrFe).sub.3C.sub.2, which can be obtained
from many industrial and steel making material vendors, including
FW Winter, Shieldalloy, Chemalloy, among others. Further, the
ferrochrome material may be selected in powder form, ingot form, or
any other form suitable for obtaining the ferrochrome precursor
material. Similarly, the nickel-containing material and the
boron-containing material may be provided in powder form, ingot
form, or any other suitable form. The nickel-containing material
may be selected from a variety of compounds that may serve as a
source of nickel. In one exemplary embodiment, the
nickel-containing compound includes substantially pure nickel
(i.e., nickel metal of at least about 90% purity). The
boron-containing material can be selected from among many materials
that include at least some boron. In certain embodiments the
boron-containing material may include iron and may be characterized
as a ferroboron material.
[0012] The ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material,
and the boron-containing material may be mixed in a variety of
ways. For example, these materials, especially when in powder form,
may be mixed together with a solvent to form a slurry.
Alternatively, these materials may be melted together to form a
melt. The disclosed composite carbide-boride powders, ultimately,
may be generated from the mixture of the ferrochrome material, the
nickel-containing material, and the boron-containing material.
Various methods for generating the composite carbide-boride powders
may be used including, for example, spray drying and sintering,
atomization, gas atomization, sintering and crushing, chemical
vapor deposition, and cladding.
[0013] Various additional materials may be added to the mixture of
the ferrochrome material, the nickel-containing material, and the
boron-containing material. For example, a carbon-containing
material (e.g., activated carbon, graphite, or any other suitable
source of graphite) may be added to the mixture. Supplemental
chromium may also be added to the mixture. Similarly, in some
embodiments, one or more of silicon, titanium, niobium, vanadium,
tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese may be added. For
certain applications, any one of these materials may be limited to
no more than 5% by weight of the composite carbide-boride
powder.
[0014] The disclosed composite carbide-boride powders may have a
variety of particle sizes. In one embodiment, an average particle
size of the composite carbon-boride powder may be from about 3
.mu.m to about 500 .mu.m. In still other embodiments, the average
particle size may be from about 10 .mu.m to about 60 .mu.m.
[0015] The weight percentages of the constituents of the
ferrochrome material may vary according to the requirements of a
particular application. For example, the selected ferrochrome
material may include carbon up to about 14 percent by weight.
Further, the ferrochrome material may contain iron up to about 65
percent by weight. In certain embodiments, however, the amount of
iron may be limited to less than about 35 percent by weight. The
amount of chromium in the ferrochrome material may also vary
between about 15 percent by weight and about 75 percent by weight.
Further, the ferrochrome material may have a iron to chromium
weight ratio of from about 0.2 to 0.5 by weight and a carbon to
chromium ratio of from about 0 to 0.2 by weight. In certain
embodiments, the boron-containing material (e.g., an iron-boride or
nickel boron material) may have a boron content up to about 19
percent by weight.
[0016] Similarly, the weight percentages of the constituents of the
composite carbon-boride powder may also be varied according to the
requirements of a particular application. For example, the
composite carbon-boride powder may include carbon up to about 14
percent by weight. Further, the composite carbon-boride powder may
contain iron up to about 65 percent by weight. In certain
embodiments, however, the amount of iron may be limited to less
than about 35 percent by weight. The amount of chromium in the
composite carbon-boride powder may also vary between about 15
percent by weight and about 75 percent by weight. The composite
carbon-boride powder may also include up to about 35 percent by
weight of nickel and up to about 19 percent by weight of boron.
[0017] The weight percentages of these constituents may be adjusted
depending on a particular application. In one exemplary embodiment,
the iron may be included in the composite carbide-boride powder in
an amount of between about 10 weight percent to about 55 weight
percent. Further, the amount of boron may be limited to 12 weight
percent or less. A balance between hardness and toughness of the
composite material may be obtained, for example, with a carbon
content of up to about 10 weight percent and a boron content up to
about 8 weight percent.
[0018] In one exemplary embodiment, the composite carbide powder
may be made by melting together the various materials in ingot
form. For example, a high carbon ferrochrome powder ingot, nickel
ingot, chromium ingot, and a ferroboron ingot may be melted
together. The ferroboron ingot may have a boron content of about 14
percent to about 20 percent boron by weight. The materials may be
combined, for example, during a melting process, which provides
molten material. The combined melt may be heated to about
1550.degree. C. to about 1700.degree. C., and a composite
carbide-boride powder may be generated from the melt.
[0019] As noted above, the disclosed composite carbide-boride
powders may be produced using various techniques. One such
technique includes atomization. Atomization techniques may be used
to make a fine spray of droplets from a liquid source (e.g., molten
metal, liquid slurry, etc.) Molten metal, for example, may be
integrated (e.g., by injection) into a high pressure directed fluid
stream of gas, water, or air, for example, to produce particles of
varying size (usually from about 10 .mu.m to about 150 .mu.m in
diameter), size distribution, shape, composition, and
microstructure. Droplets carried by the gas, water, or air may be
solidified and collected in a container, which may be filled with
an inert gas to prevent any undesired reactions (e.g., oxidization)
with the particles.
[0020] Generating composite carbide/boride powders through
atomization can form a chrome carbide-boride structure in each
atomized particle. These chrome carbide-boride structures may be
dispersed within a matrix material. In one embodiment, the matrix
material may include a FeCrNi(BC) solid solution. In other
embodiments, the matrix material may any one or more of a nickel,
nickel-chromium, or iron-based matrix The chrome carbide-boride
structures may include particles of Fe--Cr-borides,
carbide-borides, and any combination thereof. FIG. 1, for example,
is a SEM micrograph illustrating representative morphology of a gas
atomized chrome iron nickel carbon boron powder consistent with an
exemplary embodiment of the invention. A distribution of spheroid
particles 10 with particle diameters of about 20 .mu.m is visible
in FIG. 1.
[0021] The composite carbide-boride powders may also be generated
by other techniques, including spray drying and sintering. In spray
drying and sintering, the powder particles may be produced from a
slurry. Spray drying is a process that transforms a slurry liquid
into a powder by spraying the slurry into a heated environment.
When the slurry enters the heated environment, the liquid portion
of the slurry is vaporized, which leaves behind the solid particles
of the powder. Spray drying can be used to produce dense,
non-hollow particles with a controlled size distribution. While
optional, the spray dried powder may be sintered at an elevated
temperature (e.g. about 1000.degree. C. to about 1280.degree. C.,
depending on a particular composition), to form a loosely bonded
powder body. After sintering, this powder body can be broken and
sieved to form the composite carbide-boride powder.
[0022] Sintering and crushing may also be used to produce the
composite carbide-boride powders. Sintering of the powder may serve
to densify the powder by, for example, forming metallurgical bonds
between individual particles and by facilitating chemical reactions
for forming the composite carbide-boride powders. Sintering may be
carried out in a batch furnace or push furnace in a reducing
atmosphere. FIG. 2, for example, is an SEM micrograph illustrating
representative morphology of as-sintered and crushed chrome iron
boron powder particles consistent with an exemplary embodiment of
the invention. As-sintered and crushed particles 12, 14, and 16
exhibit a rough, irregular surface and sub-100 .mu.m
dimensions.
[0023] Prior to generating the composite carbide-boride powders,
approximately 1% to approximately 2% activated carbon, graphite, or
other carbon-containing powder (e.g. a carbonaceous material) may
optionally be added to a mixture of the constituent materials used
to form the composite carbide-boride powders. The presence of this
activated carbon may promote conversion of a (CrFe).sub.7C.sub.3
phase to a higher hardness (CrFe).sub.3C.sub.2 phase. Specifically,
the approximately 1% to approximately 2% activated carbon,
graphite, or other carbon-containing powder may combine with chrome
or other metals during powder particle preparation to form a
carbide structure in the final composite carbide-boride powder.
[0024] As noted above, the disclosed composite carbide-boride
powders may include particles dispersed in a matrix material.
Particularly, in one embodiment, at least a majority of the
particles in the composite carbide-boride powder may include
Fe--Cr-carbide-boride particles dispersed within at least one of a
nickel, nickel-chromium, or iron-based matrix. To make this
structure, a metal may be mixed with a high carbon ferrochrome
material prior to spray drying, or added to the melt prior to
atomization, depending on the technique used. The structure may be
formed when the combination of the metal and ferrochrome material
is spray dried or atomized and sprayed. For example, if a metal
powder (e.g. nickel (Ni) or chromium (Cr)) is mixed with the high
carbon ferrochrome powder in the melt, a structure may be produced
when the melt is atomized and sprayed. This structure may include
hard Fe--Cr-carbide-boride particles dispersed relatively uniformly
in a softer, tougher Ni matrix.
[0025] The disclosed composite carbide-boride powders may be used
to form various composite materials for use in many applications.
For example, these composite materials may be used to form
stand-alone parts, composite coatings, etc. The composite
materials, like the composite powders from which they may be
derived, may include a high carbon ferrochrome material combined
with a nickel-based material and an iron-boride material. In the
composite materials, the ferrochrome component and the iron-boride
component may be dispersed in the nickel-based material, for
example. That is, Fe--Cr-carbide boride particles may be dispersed
in a nickel-based or nickel-iron based matrix. Alternatively,
however, the dispersal of the ferrochrome and iron-boride
components in the nickel-based material may provide a composite
material in which at least some portions of the material constitute
an alloy of any combination of nickel, chrome, iron, carbon, and/or
boron.
[0026] The weight percentages of the constituents of the composite
materials may depend from the weight percentages of the
constituents of the composite powder materials used to form the
composite materials. The composite material may have a carbon
component in an amount up to about 14 weight percent and a chrome
content of up to about 65 percent by weight. Iron may be included
in an amount of up to about 65 percent by weight, and silicon may
be included in an amount of less than about 5 percent by weight.
Nickel may represent up to about 40 weight percent and boron may
represent up to about 19 weight percent of the composite
material.
[0027] Coatings and/or free standing parts using the disclosed
composite carbide-boride powders can be made in a variety of ways.
Further, coatings made from the disclosed carbide-boride composite
powders may be applied to a variety of objects/substrates (e.g. a
carbon steel). For example, powders may be used to form coatings on
substrates with any of a variety of application methods including
thermal spray processes (e.g., plasma spray, flame spray, HVOF,
HVAF, detonation gun spray, and cold spray), laser cladding, plasma
welding (e.g., PTA), and sintering (e.g., as associated with one or
more powder metallurgy processes).
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
EXAMPLE
[0028] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a melt was
formed by heating together a high carbon ferrochrome ingot (e.g.,
about 35 percent by weight of the melt), a Cr ingot (e.g., about 30
percent by weight of the melt), a Ni ingot (e.g., about 15 percent
by weight of the melt), and a ferroboron ingot (e.g., about 19
percent by weight of the melt) in an induction crucible. The high
carbon ferrochrome ingot contained about 9 percent by weight C,
about 64 percent by weight Cr, and about 27 percent by weight Fe.
About 1 percent by weight silicon was added to the melt. This melt
was heated to form a mixture of about 35 percent by weight high
carbon ferrochrome, about 30 percent by weight chromium, about 15
percent by weight nickel, and about 19 percent by weight ferroboron
in solution. This combination was heated to about 1550.degree. C.
to about 1700.degree. C., and the melt was gas atomized. A dendrite
chrome carbide-boride structure was formed in each atomized
particle, which was part of an FeCrNi(BC) solid solution. A coating
was made using these atomized particles and a Metco Diamond Jet
System, which achieved coating hardness between about 940 to about
1200 (knoop, 100 gram load).
[0029] The disclosed high carbon ferrochrome precursor materials
and boron-containing powders may be used to produce composite
carbide-boride powders for applications including coating of engine
parts, cylinders, rods, bearings, joints, cam shafts, axles, etc.
Use of these low cost precursors may translate into significant
cost reduction over existing materials and methods. In fact, based
on the cost of the precursor materials, powders produced using
carbon ferrochrome precursors may cost less than half as much as
powders and coatings produced using known materials and methods.
Furthermore, the boron derived from the use of ferroboron powders,
for example, can provide powder and coating hardness values
comparable to when boron alone is used. Ferroboron, however, may be
obtained at a fraction of the cost of boron. Despite the lower
cost, coatings made using the disclosed composite powders may offer
similar or better wear and corrosion resistant properties as the
existing materials. These composite carbide-boride powders may be
used in any industry where wear and corrosion resistant properties
are desired.
[0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the described powders,
coatings, and methods of making powders and coatings, without
departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the
invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from
consideration of the specification and practice of the invention
disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and
examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the
invention being indicated by the following claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *