Low cost amorphous steel

Abstract

Design and fabrication processes and compositions for iron-based bulk metallic glass materials or amorphous steels. Examples of bulk metallic glasses based on the described compositions may contain approximately 59 to 70 atomic percent of iron, which is alloyed with approximately 10 to 20 atomic percent of metalloid elements and approximately 10 to 25 atomic percent of refractory metals. The compositions can be designed using theoretical calculations of the liquidus temperature to have substantial amounts of refractory metals, while still maintaining a depressed liquidus temperature. The alloying elements are molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, boron, and carbon may be used. Some of the resulting alloys are ferromagnetic at room temperature, while others are non-ferromagnetic. These amorphous steels have increased specific strengths and corrosion resistance compared to conventional high strength steels.

Description

BACKGROUNDThis application relates to compositions of amorphous metallic materials and bulk metallic glasses (BMGs).Amorphous metallic materials made of multiple components are amorphous with a non-crystalline structure and are also known as “metallic glass” materials. Such materials are very different in structure and behaviors from many metallic materials with crystalline structures. Notably, an amorphous metallic material is usually stronger than a crystalline alloy of the same or similar composition. Bulk metallic glasses are a specific type of amorphous materials or metallic glass made directly from the liquid state without any crystalline phase and exhibit slow critical cooling rates, e.g., less than 100 K / s, high material strength and high resistance to corrosion. Bulk metallic glasses may be produced by various processes, e.g., rapid solidification of molten alloys at a rate that the atoms of the multiple components do not have sufficient time to align and form crystalline s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes the design and manufacturing of iron-based amorphous steel alloys with high iron content and high glass formability, which can be used to form bulk metallic glasses. The alloys are made by melting iron, metalloid elements, and refractory metals and then solidifying them to form a bulk amorphous metallic material. The resulting materials have high glass formability and can be used in various applications. The patent also describes a process for producing bulk metallic glass samples with a minimum thickness of 0.5 mm. Overall, this patent provides technical solutions for designing and manufacturing these special alloys and their applications.

Problems solved by technology

These and other applications have limited demands on the sizes and volumes of and devices.

These and other applications have limited demands on the sizes and volumes of the amorphous alloys, which need to be produced.

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