Manufacturing method of porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material and porous aluminum float

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material and a porous aluminum float is disclosed. The manufacturing method includes: melting an aluminum alloy material to form an aluminum alloy molten metal; controlling the working temperature of the aluminum alloy molten metal to maintain it in a semi-solid state; adding ceramic powder to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; adding carbon material to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; stirring the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal to uniformly disperse the ceramic powder and carbon material in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; injecting gas into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal to form a semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal containing gas foam; and solidifying the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal containing gas foam into a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material filled with several incompletely interconnected pores, which serves as a porous aluminum float. When the carbon material is carbon fiber, the higher the weight percentage of carbon fiber, the greater the compressive strength; and the higher the preheating temperature of the carbon fiber pretreatment, the greater the compressive strength.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material, and more particularly to a porous aluminum float material made using the method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material. Background Technology

[0002] With the rise of marine science, the demand for deep-sea exploration, investigation, and development is becoming increasingly urgent. However, direct observation and measurement activities in the deep sea require essential instruments and equipment. Buoyancy materials are high-strength, low-density composite materials with properties such as resistance to hydrostatic pressure, seawater corrosion, and low water absorption. Buoyancy materials can provide buoyancy for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), surveying devices, and other applications, making them an indispensable foundational material for the development of modern deep-sea diving technology. The sophistication of their technical performance directly affects the reliability and safety of submersibles. Therefore, the application prospects of high-strength, lightweight buoyancy materials are extremely broad.

[0003] Existing buoyancy materials, such as glass spheres composite polymer substrates, ceramic spheres composite metal substrates, and ceramic spheres composite polymer substrates, all require more than five processing steps. Furthermore, due to limitations in the uniformity of mixing and raw material costs, the resulting products are relatively small in size, and a balance cannot be achieved in terms of density, compressive strength, and price.

[0004] Patent document (application publication number CN116080182A) discloses the following technical content: A method for preparing a high-energy-absorbing layered "sandwich" protective structure is carried out according to the following steps: 1. Weighing: Weigh 30-60% hollow spheres and the remainder aluminum ingots according to volume fraction; the hollow spheres are one or more of the following: alumina hollow spheres, fly ash hollow spheres, glass microspheres, SiC hollow spheres, and hollow steel spheres; 2. Core board preparation: After screening and drying the hollow spheres, place them in a steel mold and vibrate them. Preheat the hollow microspheres with the mold to obtain a preheated preform; impregnate the preheated preform with molten aluminum on a press, and then demold it with heat to obtain a hollow sphere porous aluminum-based composite. Material core board; the preheating process is: preheating treatment at 600℃ for 4 hours under a protective atmosphere; the pressure of the pressure impregnation is 2-5 MPa, and the time is 5-15 minutes; III. Preparation of high energy-absorbing layered "sandwich" protective structure: epoxy resin, curing agent and appropriate amount of SiC powder are mixed to obtain epoxy resin adhesive; the panel (can be carbon fiber board), porous aluminum-based composite core board and back board (can be carbon fiber board) are stacked and bonded with epoxy resin adhesive, and finally dried to complete; the epoxy resin is bisphenol A glycidyl ether epoxy resin; the curing agent is m-phenylenediamine; the mass ratio of epoxy resin, curing agent and silicon carbide is (60-50):2:1.

[0005] However, the aforementioned patent documents only mention the lamination of carbon fiber plates, porous aluminum core plates, and carbon fiber plates bonded together, without mentioning porous aluminum carbon fiber composite materials in which carbon fibers are mixed into porous aluminum core plates. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, one objective of this invention is to provide a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material in which carbon material is mixed into porous aluminum alloy.

[0007] In accordance with the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material, comprising the following steps: melting an aluminum alloy material to form an aluminum alloy molten material; controlling the working temperature of the aluminum alloy molten material to maintain it in a semi-solid state; adding ceramic powder to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material; adding carbon material to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material; stirring the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material to uniformly disperse the ceramic powder and carbon material in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material; injecting gas into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material to form a semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material containing gas foam; and solidifying the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material containing gas foam into a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material filled with several incompletely interconnected pores, which serves as a porous aluminum float material.

[0008] Optionally, the carbon material is carbon fiber, graphene, or carbon powder.

[0009] Optionally, the step of immersing the carbon material in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal includes preheating the carbon material for pretreatment.

[0010] Optionally, the carbon material is preheated during pretreatment, with the preheating temperature ranging from 500 to 1200°C.

[0011] Optionally, the carbon material is preheated for pretreatment, and the holding time is between 1 and 1.5 hours.

[0012] Optionally, the carbon material has a weight percentage between 0.1% and 1%.

[0013] Optionally, the ceramic powder contains between 0.5% and 3% by weight.

[0014] Optionally, the ceramic powder includes flake-shaped ceramic powder with dimensions ranging from 10 to 100 μm in length, 10 to 100 μm in width, and less than 10 μm in thickness.

[0015] Optionally, when the carbon material is carbon fiber, the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with short carbon fibers no more than 6 mm in length has a greater compressive strength than the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with long carbon fibers longer than 6 mm.

[0016] The present invention further provides a porous aluminum float material, which is manufactured using the aforementioned method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite materials.

[0017] This invention utilizes optimized process parameters (e.g., controlling the weight percentage of carbon material between 0.1% and 1%, and the preheating temperature between 600 and 1000°C) to achieve a compressive strength of 2.5 to 13.3 MPa for porous aluminum floats. According to the porous aluminum alloy-carbon composite material of this invention, when the carbon material is carbon fiber, the higher the weight percentage of carbon fiber, the greater the compressive strength (MPa); and the higher the preheating temperature of the carbon fiber pretreatment, the greater the compressive strength (MPa). Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a manufacturing equipment for porous aluminum alloy carbon composite materials according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a preheating curve diagram of the carbon material pretreatment according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a perspective view of the carbon material pretreatment before and after preheating according to the present invention.

[0022] Figures 5A to 5F These are cross-sectional views of the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite materials of Examples 1-6 of the present invention.

[0023] In the picture: 1: Manufacturing equipment; 10: Aluminum alloy molten metal; 10': Semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; 11: Smelting furnace; 121: Holding temperature foaming furnace; 122: Heater; 123: Feed inlet; 1231: Ceramic powder; 1232: Carbon material; 1232': Carbon material; 124: Agitator; 1241: Motor; 1242: Rotating shaft; 125: Gas injection port; 1251: Gas; 1252: Gas foam; 2: Porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material; S1~S7: Steps. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0025] The accompanying drawings are mainly simplified schematic diagrams, which only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, only the elements related to the present invention are marked in these drawings, and the elements shown are not drawn according to the number, shape, size ratio, etc. of the implementation. The actual specifications and dimensions of the implementation are a selective design, and the layout of the elements may be more complex.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for porous aluminum alloy carbon composite materials according to an embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The manufacturing equipment 1 for the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material includes: a melting furnace 11 and a holding-temperature foaming furnace 121. The holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 is connected to the melting furnace 11 and is used to contain molten aluminum alloy 10 from the melting furnace 11. A method for manufacturing the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps: In step S1, an aluminum alloy material is melted to form an aluminum alloy molten metal. For example, the smelting furnace 11 is used for a smelting process to melt the aluminum alloy material to form an aluminum alloy molten metal 10. In one embodiment, the aluminum alloy material may be selected from recycled aluminum, which refers to ingots or molten aluminum made from more than 75% aluminum and aluminum alloy scrap (scraps of aluminum and alminium alloys) that has been remelted and had its composition adjusted for casting. Recycled aluminum (Secondary aluminum) is also known as secondary aluminum. In another embodiment, the aluminum alloy material may be selected from primary aluminum.

[0027] In step S2, the operating temperature of the molten aluminum alloy is controlled to maintain it in a semi-solid state. For example, the manufacturing equipment 1 for the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material further includes a heater 122. The heater 122 (e.g., an induction coil heater) surrounds the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 to maintain the molten aluminum alloy 10 in a high-temperature semi-solid range, thereby forming the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten 10'. The operating temperature of the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten 10' can be controlled between 650 and 790°C.

[0028] In step S3, ceramic powder is added to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal. For example, the manufacturing equipment 1 for the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material further includes: a feed port 123 and a switching valve 127. The feed port 123 is located above the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 to add ceramic powder 1231 to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10'. The weight percentage of the ceramic powder 1231 is between 0.5% and 3%. For example, the ceramic powder 1231 can be a composite ceramic, such as: metal oxides, metal carbides, metal sulfides, metal nitrides, metal borides, etc. The ceramic powder 1231 can be a silicon compound, such as SiC, SiO2, Al0.47Si0.53, Si3N4, Si, etc. The ceramic powder 1231 can include flake-shaped ceramic powder, with dimensions ranging from length: 10 to 100 μm, width: 10 to 100 μm, and thickness: less than 10 μm. The morphology of flake ceramic powder can be: an aspect ratio of 3 or more (adjustable). The geometry of flake ceramic powder can be: non-isotropic polygons (e.g., dendritic, needle-like, strip-like, feather-like, etc.).

[0029] In step S4, carbon material is added to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal. For example, the feed port 123 is located above the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 and is also used to add carbon material 1232 to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10'. At this time, due to electrostatic effect, the ceramic powder 1231 can prevent the carbon material 1232 from agglomerating. Figure 3 This is a preheating curve diagram of the carbon material pretreatment according to the present invention. Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is a perspective view of the carbon material pretreatment before and after preheating according to the present invention. Please refer to it. Figure 3 , Figure 4A and Figure 4B The steps before immersing the carbon material 1232 into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10' include preheating the carbon material 1232 for pretreatment. The holding time can be between 1 and 1.5 hours, and the preheating temperature can be between 500 and 1200°C (e.g., 600°C or 1000°C), causing the carbon material 1232' to be in an oxidized state. The higher the preheating temperature, the easier it is for the oxidized carbon material 1232' to sink into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10'. Furthermore, the weight percentage of the carbon material 1232 can be between 0.1% and 1%. The carbon material 1232 can be carbon fiber, graphene, or carbon powder. When the carbon material 1232 is carbon fiber, the diameter of the carbon fiber before preheating is approximately 1-10 μm.

[0030] In step S5, the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material is stirred to uniformly disperse the ceramic powder and carbon material within it. For example, the manufacturing equipment 1 for the porous aluminum alloy-carbon composite material further includes: a stirrer 124 extending into the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 to stir the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material 10', thereby uniformly dispersing the ceramic powder 1231 and carbon material 1232 within it. The stirrer 124 is rotated by a motor 1241 via a rotating shaft 1242 (e.g., at 500 rpm or higher) to stir the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material 10', ensuring uniform dispersion of the ceramic powder 1231 and carbon material 1232 within it.

[0031] In step S6, gas is injected into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal to form a semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal containing gas foam. For example, the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 is provided with a gas injection port 125, which is used to allow gas to enter and disperse within the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121. The gas injection port 125 is located below the holding-temperature foaming furnace 121 to inject gas 1251 into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10' to form a semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal 10' containing gas foam 1252. For example, the injected gas can be nitrogen (N2), air, argon (Ar), etc., and the gas injection flow rate can be 10 sccm or more, where sccm is ml / min, which is also a unit of flow rate. Since the ceramic powder and carbon material will hinder the rise of the gas foam in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal, the gas foam is relatively evenly distributed in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal.

[0032] In step S7, the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material containing gas foam is solidified into a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material filled with several incompletely interconnected pores, serving as a porous aluminum float. For example, the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material containing gas foam can be directly solidified into a product (porous aluminum float) of a specific shape. This invention can utilize optimized process parameters (e.g., controlling the weight percentage of carbon material between 0.1% and 1%, and the preheating temperature between 600 and 1000°C) to achieve a compressive strength of 2.5 to 13.3 MPa for the porous aluminum float. Furthermore, when the carbon material is carbon fiber, the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with short carbon fibers no greater than 6 mm in length has a higher compressive strength compared to porous aluminum alloy carbon composite materials with long carbon fibers greater than 6 mm.

[0033] As can be seen from Examples 1 to 6 in Table 1, in the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material of the present invention, when the carbon material is carbon fiber, the compressive strength (MPa) is greater as the weight percentage of carbon fiber increases; and the compressive strength (MPa) is greater as the preheating temperature of the carbon fiber pretreatment increases.

[0034] Table 1 Figures 5A to 5F This is a cross-sectional view of the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material of Examples 1-6 of the present invention. The porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material 2 of Examples 1-6 of the present invention is a porous aluminum float material, which is manufactured using the above-described method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material.

[0035] The porous aluminum float material of this invention has a compressive strength between 2.5 and 13.3 MPa, making it suitable for use as a deep-sea buoyancy material and capable of withstanding water pressure at a depth of 1000 meters below sea level. Furthermore, the porous aluminum float material of this invention can be made from recycled aluminum, significantly reducing the price of deep-sea buoyancy materials.

[0036] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments for fully illustrating the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Aluminum alloy material is melted to form an aluminum alloy molten soup; The working temperature of the molten aluminum alloy is controlled to keep the molten aluminum alloy in a semi-solid state; The ceramic powder was added to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; Carbon material is added to the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal; Stir the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material to uniformly disperse the ceramic powder and carbon material in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten material; Gas is injected into the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal to form a semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal containing gas foam; and The semi-solid aluminum alloy containing gas foam is solidified into a porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with several incompletely interconnected pores inside.

2. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The carbon material is carbon fiber, graphene, or carbon powder.

3. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps before immersing the carbon material in the semi-solid aluminum alloy molten metal include preheating the carbon material for pretreatment.

4. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The carbon material is preheated for pretreatment at a temperature between 500 and 1200°C.

5. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The carbon material is preheated for pretreatment, and the holding time is between 1 and 1.5 hours.

6. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The carbon material has a weight percentage between 0.1% and 1%.

7. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ceramic powder contains between 0.5% and 3% by weight.

8. The method for manufacturing porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Ceramic powders include flake-shaped ceramic powders with dimensions ranging from 10 to 100 μm in length, 10 to 100 μm in width, and less than 10 μm in thickness.

9. The method for manufacturing the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the carbon material is carbon fiber, the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with short carbon fibers no more than 6 mm in length has a greater compressive strength than the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material with long carbon fibers longer than 6 mm.

10. A porous aluminum float material, characterized in that, It is made using the manufacturing method of the porous aluminum alloy carbon composite material as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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