Precious metal composite materials and springs and their preparation methods, jewelry

Abstract

This application relates to the field of precious metal materials technology, and more particularly to a precious metal composite material and a spring, a method for preparing the same, and ornaments thereof. The precious metal composite material comprises: gold 58.5-59.0%; silver 2.5-2.8%; nickel 7.6-8.6%; copper 25.2-28.1%; zinc 4.0-4.6%; iron 1.0-1.2%; germanium 0.05-0.5%; and tungsten 0.5-2.0%. The precious metal composite material formed by the unique formulation of this application possesses excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and processability. When used to manufacture springs, it can significantly improve the service life of the springs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of precious metal materials technology, and in particular relates to a precious metal composite material and a spring, the preparation method of the spring and the ornament thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Precious metals mainly refer to elements such as gold, silver, and the platinum group metals. Most of these metals possess beautiful colors and strong chemical stability. Gold, in particular, generally refers to the elemental form of gold, a soft, golden-yellow, corrosion-resistant precious metal.

[0003] The precious metals industry has a karat gold system, also known as karat gold, which is an alloy of gold and other metals. The karat gold system specifies 24 grades, with 24K gold being pure gold, theoretically 100% pure gold. Correspondingly, 1K = 1 / 24. For ease of labeling, internationally, 14K gold is generally defined as having a gold content of 58.5%, meaning that so-called 14K gold is 58.5% gold with other metals added for finishing.

[0004] Springs can be used in precious metal jewelry, especially as elastic components in the field of spring-loaded fasteners. There are reports of springs made of 14K gold (see CN111961909A), however, the yield rate of springs produced with existing 14K gold formulas is not high, and the springs are prone to failure during use. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a precious metal composite material and a spring, as well as a method for preparing the same and an ornament thereof, in order to solve the technical problem of how to improve the service life of precious metal springs.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a precious metal composite material, comprising, by weight percentage, the following components, based on 100% of the total weight of the precious metal composite material:

[0008] Gold 58.5-59.0%

[0009] Silver 2.5-2.8%

[0010] Nickel 7.6-8.6%

[0011] Copper 25.2-28.1%

[0012] Zinc 4.0-4.6%

[0013] Iron 1.0-1.2%

[0014] Germanium 0.05-0.5%

[0015] Tungsten 0.5-2.0%.

[0016] Secondly, this application provides a method for preparing a noble metal composite material, comprising:

[0017] The precious metal composite material of the first aspect of this application is obtained by mixing and melting gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, tungsten-iron alloy and germanium powder, and then casting it.

[0018] Thirdly, this application provides a spring comprising a noble metal composite material according to the first aspect of this application and / or a noble metal composite material prepared by the preparation method according to the second aspect of this application.

[0019] Fourthly, this application provides a method for manufacturing a spring, comprising:

[0020] The precious metal composite material of the first aspect of this application is cast to obtain alloy wire;

[0021] Springs are made from alloy wire using a spring forming process.

[0022] Fifthly, this application provides an ornament comprising the precious metal composite material of the first aspect of this application and / or the precious metal composite material prepared by the preparation method of the second aspect of this application; and / or,

[0023] Springs including those prepared by the method of the third aspect of this application and / or those prepared by the method of the fourth aspect of this application.

[0024] The precious metal composite material provided in the first aspect of this application contains a specific percentage of gold, silver, nickel, copper, zinc, iron, germanium, and tungsten; wherein silver, nickel, copper, zinc, iron, germanium, and tungsten are used as filler metals for gold. Copper, zinc, and nickel can serve as high-elasticity filler metals to improve the elasticity of the precious metal composite material, while nickel can also improve the corrosion resistance of the precious metal composite material; tungsten-iron filler metals can give the precious metal composite material both the wear resistance of tungsten and the properties of stainless steel, not only making the surface of the precious metal composite material less prone to damage, but also improving its tensile strength and hardness, making the precious metal composite material less prone to breakage under tension and possessing good resilience; silver filler metal is soft, making the precious metal composite material easy to process; germanium, as a black hard gold powder, can improve the hardness of the precious metal composite material while also playing a role in grain refinement, which is beneficial for casting and plastic processing. Therefore, the precious metal composite material formed by the formulation of this application has excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and strong machinability, and can significantly improve the service life of springs when used to manufacture them.

[0025] The method for preparing the precious metal composite material provided in the second aspect of this application is the same as the preparation process of the precious metal composite material in the first aspect of this application. Specifically, it involves mixing and melting gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, ferrotungsten alloy, and germanium powder, followed by casting. This preparation method is not only simple but also yields a precious metal composite material with uniform dispersion of the metals. Furthermore, the resulting precious metal composite material exhibits excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance.

[0026] The spring provided in the third aspect of this application contains the aforementioned precious metal composite material. Based on the fact that the precious metal composite material has excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and strong machinability, the spring of this application has a good service life and can be used as an elastic part in precious metal jewelry, especially in the field of spring connecting buckles.

[0027] The spring manufacturing method provided in the fourth aspect of this application involves casting the precious metal composite material provided in the first aspect of this application into alloy wire, and then manufacturing the spring using a spring forming process. This manufacturing method is not only easy to operate, but also produces springs with a long service life, which can be used as elastic components in precious metal jewelry.

[0028] The ornament provided in the fifth aspect of this application includes the precious metal composite material of this application and / or the spring of this application. Based on the aforementioned advantages of the precious metal composite material of this application and / or the spring of this application, the ornament can be used effectively. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the spring prepared according to the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a diagram of a test sample formed from a spring prepared according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the opening and closing process of the spring prepared according to the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a graph showing the pass rate data corresponding to the number of opening and closing cycles of the springs prepared according to the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 5This is a diagram showing the sweat test effect of the alloy wire material of the spring prepared according to the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a salt spray test result image of the alloy wire material of the spring prepared according to the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 7 The images show actual springs that have broken or lost their elasticity, as obtained by the comparative model of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0038] In this application, the term "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0039] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items.

[0040] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above processes does not imply the order of execution. Some or all steps may be executed in parallel or sequentially. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0041] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0042] The weights of the relevant components mentioned in the embodiments of this application can refer not only to the specific content of each component, but also to the proportional relationship between the weights of the components. Therefore, any scaling up or down of the content of the relevant components according to the embodiments of this application is within the scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application. Specifically, the mass described in the embodiments of this application can be a mass unit known in the chemical industry, such as μg, mg, g, or kg.

[0043] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only, to distinguish objects, such as substances, from one another, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of this application, "first XX" may also be referred to as "second XX," and similarly, "second XX" may also be referred to as "first XX." Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0044] Precious metal composite materials refer to materials containing two or more precious metals, which can be alloys of multiple metals, including various types of karat gold. Karat gold (or karat gold) is an alloy of gold and other metals. The "K" in karat gold is a loanword for "Karat." Karat gold jewelry is characterized by its low gold content, low cost, ability to be formulated in various colors, and increased hardness, making it less prone to deformation and wear. Karat gold is further classified according to its gold content, such as 24K, 22K, 18K, and 9K.

[0045] "Matching" is a term used in alloy preparation. For example, if you need to melt 14K gold, you need to add 58.5% gold to other filler metals. The filler metals are called filler metals. Copper, silver, zinc and other metals are often used for filling. By melting relatively cheap metals such as copper, silver and zinc with gold and heating them together, you can get 14K gold.

[0046] Currently, some designs utilize 14K gold to make springs. Specifically, this involves mixing white and yellow gold alloys in a 59% gold ratio, and then processing the mixture using a forging and drawing process. The alloy composition is a 50% white gold alloy and a 50% yellow gold alloy. The specific composition is as follows: Gold (Au) 59%, Copper (Cu) 23.7308%, Nickel (Ni) 12.1545%, Zinc (Zn) 4.6446%, Iron (Fe) 0.0931%, Platinum (Pt) 0.0244%, Iridium (Ir) 0.0186%, Chromium (Cr) 0.016%, Silver (Ag) 0.0065%, and Ruthenium (Ru) 0.0055%. The white gold alloy consists of copper (Cu) and silver (Ag), while the yellow gold alloy is a combination of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn).

[0047] However, the springs produced by the above formula have a low pass rate, and they are prone to breakage or loss of elasticity during use. Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy testing revealed uneven composition, particularly in the gold content, with inconsistent results. Moreover, the use of a 50 / 50 ratio of white gold and yellow gold for filling lacks rigorous experimental verification, raising concerns about the material's quality. The formula's composition differs significantly from actual measurements and contains numerous interfering elements, contradicting the experimental results.

[0048] Based on the above considerations, this application proposes a new formula to improve the elasticity and strength of precious metal composite materials, increase the service life of springs made from them, and overcome the defects of springs that are prone to breakage or loss of elasticity in actual use. The following technical solution is thus proposed.

[0049] precious metal composite materials

[0050] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a precious metal composite material, which, based on 100% of the total weight of the precious metal composite material, comprises the following components in the following weight percentages:

[0051] Gold 58.5-59.0%

[0052] Silver 2.5-2.8%

[0053] Nickel 7.6-8.6%

[0054] Copper 25.2-28.1%

[0055] Zinc 4.0-4.6%

[0056] Iron 1.0-1.2%

[0057] Germanium 0.05-0.5%

[0058] Tungsten 0.5-2.0%.

[0059] In the precious metal composite materials of this application embodiment, silver, nickel, copper, zinc, iron, germanium, and tungsten are used as filler metals for gold. Copper, zinc, and nickel can serve as high-elasticity filler metals to improve the elasticity of the precious metal composite material, while nickel can also improve its corrosion resistance. Tungsten-iron filler metals can combine the wear resistance of tungsten with the properties of stainless steel, making the surface of the precious metal composite material less prone to damage and improving its tensile strength and hardness, making it less prone to breakage under tension and possessing excellent resilience. Silver filler metal is soft, making the precious metal composite material easy to process. Germanium, as a black hard gold powder, can increase the hardness of the precious metal composite material while also refining the grain size, which is beneficial for casting and plastic processing. Therefore, the precious metal composite material formed by the formulation of this application embodiment has excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance, and strong machinability. When used to manufacture springs, it can significantly improve the service life of springs.

[0060] Specifically, the gold content is low, ranging from 58.5% to 59.0%, such as 58.5%, 58.6%, 58.7%, 58.8%, and 59.0%. The silver content is 2.5% to 2.8%, such as 2.5%, 2.6%, 2.7%, and 2.8%. The nickel content is 7.6% to 8.6%, such as 7.5%, 7.7%, 7.8%, 7.9%, 8.1%, 8.4%, and 8.6%. The copper content is 25.2% to 28.1%, such as 25.1%, 25.4%, 25.8%, 26.0%, 26.5%, 27.0%, 27.5%, and 28.0%. The zinc content is 4.0% to 4.6%, such as 4.0%, 4.2%, 4.4%, and 4.5%. Iron content 1.0-1.2%, such as 1.1%, 1.15%, 1.2%, etc. Germanium content 0.05-0.5%, such as 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, etc. Tungsten content 0.5-2.0%, such as 0.5%, 0.8%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, etc.

[0061] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned precious metal composite material is 14K gold, and the 14K gold patching material includes copper-zinc-nickel alloy, silver, ferrotungsten alloy and germanium powder.

[0062] This application's embodiments, through the development of a new formula, yield 14K gold with improved elasticity and strength. When used to make springs, this increases their lifespan and makes them less prone to breakage or loss of elasticity during practical use. Furthermore, subsequent research will focus on a production process suitable for this application's technical formula to ensure excellent uniformity of the various elements in the precious metal composite material or spring manufacturing process. Additionally, the use of the aforementioned metal material for patching reduces the cost of mass production.

[0063] Preparation methods of noble metal composite materials

[0064] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a method for preparing a noble metal composite material, comprising:

[0065] Gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, ferrotungsten alloy and germanium powder are mixed and melted, and then cast to obtain the precious metal composite material of the first aspect of this application.

[0066] The method for preparing the precious metal composite material provided in this application is the same as the preparation process of the precious metal composite material in the first aspect of the application. Specifically, gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, ferrotungsten alloy, and germanium powder are mixed and melted, and then cast into shape. This preparation method is not only simple, but also yields a precious metal composite material with uniform dispersion of the metals. Furthermore, the resulting precious metal composite material exhibits excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance.

[0067] In some embodiments, the above preparation method, the melting treatment of gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, ferrotungsten alloy and germanium powder includes: melting gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy and ferrotungsten alloy at a temperature of 1200°C to 1300°C, then mixing and stirring with germanium powder, and cooling to obtain an alloy material; and melting the alloy material at a temperature of 1000°C to 1100°C.

[0068] This application employs a two-stage melting process, which improves material uniformity. Specifically, it ensures that all components are evenly distributed within the alloy, preventing material inhomogeneity caused by component segregation. Furthermore, germanium is prone to vaporization, so it is added last to prevent its loss through volatilization.

[0069] Specifically, the above materials are added in a high-frequency induction furnace in the order of copper-zinc-nickel alloy, silver, gold, and ferrotungsten alloy at the corresponding temperature stages. After complete melting at 1200℃~1300℃, germanium powder is added and stirred evenly. The mixture is then cooled in the furnace to obtain the alloy material. The cooled alloy material is then heated to 1000℃~1100℃ in a continuous casting machine to meet the alloy melting requirements for remelting, and then drawn into long cylindrical bars. Since the elements have completely formed an alloy in this melt, the melting temperature meets the requirements. Of course, various shapes of precious metal composite materials can be obtained by casting according to actual needs.

[0070] Specifically, the copper-zinc-nickel ratio in the aforementioned copper-zinc-nickel alloy is based on the copper-zinc-nickel ratio in the aforementioned precious metal composite material, and the tungsten-iron ratio in the aforementioned tungsten-iron alloy is based on the tungsten-iron ratio in the aforementioned precious metal composite material.

[0071] spring

[0072] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a spring comprising a noble metal composite material according to the first aspect of this application and / or a noble metal composite material prepared by the preparation method according to the second aspect of this application.

[0073] The spring provided in this application embodiment contains the aforementioned precious metal composite material. Based on the fact that the precious metal composite material has excellent elasticity and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and strong machinability, the spring of this application has a good service life and can be used as an elastic part in precious metal jewelry, especially in the field of spring connecting buckles.

[0074] In some embodiments, after the material is melted and cast into a mold according to the formula ratio of "58.6% gold + 41.4% filler", the material is cast into the corresponding alloy wire using a wire pressing machine and a wire drawing machine. Then, the alloy wire is placed on a fully automatic cam computer spring machine for manufacturing and processing to make a spring.

[0075] Spring manufacturing method

[0076] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a method for manufacturing a spring, comprising:

[0077] The precious metal composite material of the first aspect of this application is cast to obtain alloy wire;

[0078] Springs are made from alloy wire using a spring forming process.

[0079] The spring manufacturing method provided in the fourth aspect of this application involves casting the precious metal composite material provided in the first aspect of this application into alloy wire, and then manufacturing the spring using a spring forming process. This manufacturing method is not only easy to operate, but also produces springs with a long service life, which can be used as elastic components in precious metal jewelry.

[0080] In some embodiments, the diameter of the alloy wire is less than or equal to 0.5 mm. This allows for the fabrication of precious metal springs.

[0081] In some embodiments, the casting process includes:

[0082] Precious metal composite materials are subjected to wire casting to obtain alloy wires with a diameter of 1mm-1.5mm; wherein, the wire casting process includes a first annealing condition;

[0083] Alloy wires with a diameter of 1mm-1.5mm are drawn and cast 2 to 4 times to obtain alloy wires with a diameter of less than or equal to 0.5mm; wherein a second annealing condition is included in each drawing and casting process.

[0084] Wire casting is the process of transforming long, cylindrical gold alloy composites into gold-alloy wires. The internal stress generated during the forging process can cause the Vickers hardness of the alloy wire to increase continuously, leading to processing difficulties (material splitting). Therefore, a single intermediate annealing step can be performed. This intermediate annealing under the first annealing condition increases the material's ductility and toughness, facilitating subsequent processing. Furthermore, a protective gas atmosphere (inert atmosphere) is selected to prevent oxidation of the gold alloy wire.

[0085] The wire drawing process involves drawing the desired wire diameter by passing it through a corresponding circular mold. This stage can involve machining the material with a circular cutting tool. The extrusion pressure causes the internal structure of the material to reorganize, significantly increasing its hardness and making machining more difficult. Therefore, multiple intermediate annealing processes are performed. Throughout the entire wire casting process, 3-5 annealing processes are conducted to increase the plasticity and toughness of the alloy material, improving the machinability of the alloy material using this formula.

[0086] Therefore, to reduce the possibility of 14K precious metal materials breaking or splitting during the casting process, multiple annealing processes can be performed to increase their plasticity and toughness.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first annealing conditions include a temperature of 620°C to 640°C and a time of 25 min to 30 min; the second annealing conditions include a temperature of 620°C to 640°C and a time of 25 min to 30 min. These annealing conditions result in better plasticity and toughness in the material during the casting process.

[0088] A spring is made from the aforementioned 14K gold. After melting and casting the material according to the above-mentioned raw material formula ratio of "58.6% gold + 41.4% filler," a wire pressing machine and a wire drawing machine are used to cast the material into a wire diameter of 0.275mm. The wire is then manufactured on a CNC fully automatic cam-type computer spring machine. The filler composition consists of "high-elasticity copper-zinc-nickel alloy filler alloy + silver + ferrotungsten alloy + germanium powder" in specific proportions.

[0089] Specifically, the springs prepared in this application have uniform color, high strength, high hardness, strong corrosion resistance, good fatigue resistance, and superior elasticity, greatly improving the lifespan of 14K precious metal springs in jewelry clasps during actual use, while also exhibiting strong machinability. The material is cut in two stages to ensure that each component is fully and evenly distributed in the alloy, avoiding material inhomogeneity caused by component segregation. When paired with jewelry of 999.5‰ pure gold, the overall gold content will not be lower than the national standard for pure gold purity. The high-elasticity filler effectively improves the elasticity of the gold alloy (tested springs can withstand 6000 opening and closing cycles); simultaneously, the nickel element in the filler ensures that the material does not corrode under sweat and salt spray conditions for 96 hours. The addition of tungsten-iron alloy fillers allows the alloy to combine the wear resistance of tungsten with some properties of stainless steel, making it less likely for cutting tools to damage the material surface during processing, thereby improving its corrosion resistance; at the same time, it increases the tensile strength of the material, making it less prone to breakage during the wire drawing stage; it also increases the hardness of the material, making the produced springs more prone to rebound. Silver, being soft, effectively compensates for excessive material hardness, improving machinability. Germanium black hard gold powder enhances material hardness while also refining grain size, facilitating casting and subsequent plastic processing. Springs produced using this formula can be used in jewelry clasps, meeting a 6000-cycle compression fatigue test. Standardized production can be achieved using this formula and its controlled parameters.

[0090] accessories

[0091] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide an ornament comprising a precious metal composite material according to the first aspect of this application and / or a precious metal composite material prepared by the preparation method according to the second aspect of this application. Alternatively, it comprises a spring according to the third aspect of this application and / or a spring prepared by the preparation method according to the fourth aspect of this application. Alternatively, it comprises both the aforementioned precious metal composite material and a spring.

[0092] The jewelry provided in this application includes the precious metal composite material and / or the spring of this application. Based on the aforementioned advantages of the precious metal composite material and / or the spring of this application, the jewelry can be used effectively.

[0093] In some embodiments, the jewelry may be precious metal jewelry, including various types of ornaments. Specifically, the jewelry includes an ornament body and a spring according to embodiments of this application.

[0094] The following description is based on specific embodiments.

[0095] Example 1

[0096] A type of 14K gold, the raw materials (total weight 100%) include: 58.5% gold, 2.5% silver, 7.6% nickel, 25.2% copper, 4.0% zinc, 1.0% iron, 0.05% germanium, and 1.15% tungsten. Among them, copper, zinc and nickel are made from copper-zinc-nickel alloy, and tungsten and iron are made from tungsten-iron alloy.

[0097] A spring is made from the aforementioned 14K gold. The specific steps are as follows:

[0098] I. Material Preparation

[0099] 58.6% gold + 41.4% filler (i.e., copper-zinc-nickel alloy, silver, ferrotungsten alloy, and germanium powder with the above element content).

[0100] II. Material Cutting

[0101] 1. First, use a high-frequency induction furnace to add the above materials in the order of copper-zinc-nickel alloy, silver, gold, and tungsten-iron alloy at the corresponding temperature stages. After they are completely melted at 1200℃, add hard gold powder, i.e. germanium powder, and stir evenly. Then cool with the furnace.

[0102] 2. Next, the cooled alloy is fed into a continuous casting machine and heated to 1000°C to melt it again, and then drawn into long cylindrical bars of 14K gold (i.e., the above-mentioned 14K gold is prepared).

[0103] III. Casting Stage

[0104] 1. Wire pressing: The long, round 14K gold bars from the blanking stage are die-cast into alloy wires with a diameter of 1mm using a wire pressing machine. This process includes one intermediate annealing (temperature 630℃, time 25-30min, under a protective gas atmosphere).

[0105] 2. Wire Drawing: A wire drawing machine is used to forge alloy wire with a diameter of 1mm during the pressing stage. Specifically, the wire is passed through a corresponding circular die and drawn to the required diameter. After one intermediate annealing, forging continues, followed by another intermediate annealing and further forging, and then another intermediate annealing, directly machining the alloy wire to a diameter of 0.275mm. The conditions for each intermediate annealing are: temperature 630℃, time 25-30 minutes, under a protective gas atmosphere.

[0106] 3. Spring machining

[0107] After the successfully cast 0.275mm diameter alloy wire is inspected and confirmed to be qualified, it is placed on a CNC fully automatic cam-type spring machine to produce a left-hand torsion arm spring (corresponding shape and size as shown). Figure 1 (As shown).

[0108] Comparative Example 1

[0109] A type of 14K gold, comprising: 59% gold, 23.7308% copper, 12.1545% nickel, 4.6446% zinc, 0.0931% iron, 0.0244% platinum, 0.0186% iridium, 0.016% chromium, 0.0065% silver, and 0.0055% ruthenium. The white karat gold tint consists of copper and silver, while the yellow karat gold tint is a combination of copper and zinc.

[0110] The spring is made by mixing white and yellow alloy fillers in a 59% gold ratio and then processing them through a forging and wire drawing process. The filler material is a mixture of 50% white gold filler and 50% yellow gold filler.

[0111] The above 14K gold components are prepared. After mixing the pure gold and the filler metal in the correct proportions, they are melted into square gold bars. These bars are then forged into gold wires of the required diameter using a machine. During the forging process, the wires undergo a single annealing process at 700°C for 20 minutes. Finally, the wires are stretched to the required thickness and placed on a specialized spring-making machine to produce springs, thus obtaining springs made of 14K precious gold (similar in shape to Example 1).

[0112] Performance testing

[0113] (1) Gold content test

[0114] The gold content of the spring was determined by X-ray physical testing and fire assay (‰), specifically by testing multiple sites to demonstrate the uniformity of the material. For detailed procedures, please refer to the standards ISO 11426-2021 "Determination of Gold Content in Jewelry - Gold Alloys - Ash Blowing Method (Fire Assay)" and GB / T 18043-2013 "Determination of Precious Metal Content in Jewelry - X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy".

[0115] The results of Example 1 are shown in Table 1, and the results of Comparative Example 1 are shown in Table 2.

[0116] Table 1

[0117]

[0118] Table 2

[0119] Au(‰) 602.9 597.4 640.5 595.3 594.5 597.9 592.7 603.4 618.8 632.9 Cu(‰) 235.2 237.3 212.6 238.2 239.4 237.7 241.5 235.4 224.9 217.3 Zn(‰) 57.8 61.46 48.11 57.09 60.22 58.69 55.95 57.1 55.13 51.87 Ni(‰) 57.33 56.45 52.71 60.49 58.68 58.63 61.34 58.57 54.13 50.58 Ag(‰) 46.73 47.35 46.01 48.88 47.22 47.07 48.47 45.56 47.07 47.37

[0120] The data in Table 1 demonstrates that the gold element in the spring of Example 1 exhibits excellent uniformity. In Example 1 of this application, the material is cut in two stages to ensure that each component is evenly distributed in the alloy, avoiding material inhomogeneity caused by component segregation. When paired with jewelry of 999.5‰ pure gold purity, the overall gold content will not be lower than the pure gold purity stipulated by national standards.

[0121] The data in Table 2 shows that the 50 / 50 ratio of white K and yellow K used in Comparative Example 1 was not rigorously tested to demonstrate its feasibility, meaning the material's quality is uncertain. The formulated composition differs significantly from the actual measurements, and contains many interfering elements, contradicting the results. For example, the measured Ag content is 4.67%, while the formulated silver Ag content is 0.0065%; however, elements such as platinum (Pt) 0.0244%, iridium (Ir) 0.0186%, and ruthenium (Ru) 0.0055% were not present in the actual measurements.

[0122] (2) Spring fatigue test

[0123] The compressive fatigue test used 300 springs to test the opening and closing steps. For example... Figure 2 As shown: The test sample includes: a spring, a spring placement structure, and a test housing; specifically, the prepared spring is placed in the spring placement structure, and then placed in the test housing to form a complete test sample. The spring clasp opening and closing process is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the test sample's outer shell is fixed to the left clamp of the opening and closing instrument. By pressing the accessory, the spring-loaded structure is pushed a certain distance (generally the maximum distance the spring clip can open). Finally, the accessory disengages from the spring-loaded structure, completing one opening and closing cycle. This process is repeated, and the final number of cycles can be obtained from the instrument's display.

[0124] Figure 4 These are the results of the compression fatigue test in this embodiment. The bar chart represents the number of opening and closing cycles, and the percentage represents the pass rate. A 1500-cycle opening and closing test achieved 100% compliance and met the requirements of four cyclic phases (1500 cycles per phase), demonstrating the effectiveness of the spring material. Figure 4 Data shows that the spring in Example 1 of this application showed no abnormalities after 1500 opening and closing cycles, and could withstand up to 6000 cycles. However, Comparative Example 1, through testing, only achieved a 60% pass rate after 1500 cycles, indicating that the spring was prone to elastic failure (including breakage, etc.). Figure 7 As shown in the figure, the pass rate decreases further with increasing opening and closing frequency. Therefore, the use of high-elasticity joints in Example 1 of this application can effectively improve the elasticity performance of the gold alloy.

[0125] (3) Corrosion resistance test

[0126] The 0.275 mm diameter alloy wire used to manufacture springs was tested according to the standard GB / T 10125-2021 Artificial Atmosphere Corrosion Test (Salt Spray Test). The sweat test results of Example 1 are as follows... Figure 5 As shown (the sweat test replaces the salt spray in the salt spray test with a mist formed by artificial sweat), the effect of the salt spray test is as follows. Figure 6 As shown in the figure. The results show that the alloy wire was basically unaffected, thus exhibiting excellent corrosion resistance.

[0127] Furthermore, the strength, hardness, and elasticity of the spring product were tested using GB / T 35777-2017 Mechanical Properties Test of Metals and Alloys Jewelry Chains (Tensile Test) and GB / T 4340.1-2008 Vickers Hardness Test of Metallic Materials (Part 1: Test Method). The results showed that the spring in Example 1 had excellent mechanical properties.

[0128] In summary, the springs made using the 14K formula and manufacturing process of this application have uniform color, high strength, high hardness, strong corrosion resistance, good fatigue resistance, and superior elasticity, which greatly improves the service life of 14K precious metal springs in jewelry clasps and also makes them highly machinable.

[0129] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A precious metal composite material, characterized in that, Based on the total weight of the precious metal composite material as 100%, it includes the following components in the following weight percentages: Gold 58.5-59.0% Silver 2.5-2.8% Nickel 7.6-8.6% Copper 25.2-28.1% Zinc 4.0-4.6% Iron 1.0-1.2% Germanium 0.05-0.5% Tungsten 0.5-2.0%; Silver, nickel, copper, zinc, iron, germanium, and tungsten in the precious metal composite material are used as filler metals for gold.

2. The noble metal composite material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The precious metal composite material is 14K gold, and the 14K gold patching materials include copper-zinc-nickel alloy, silver, ferrotungsten alloy and germanium powder.

3. A method for preparing a noble metal composite material, characterized in that, include: Gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, tungsten-iron alloy and germanium powder are mixed and melted, and then cast to obtain the precious metal composite material according to any one of claims 1-2.

4. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The process of mixing and melting gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy, ferrotungsten alloy, and germanium powder includes: The gold, silver, copper-zinc-nickel alloy and ferrotungsten alloy are mixed and melted at a temperature of 1200℃~1300℃, and then mixed and stirred with germanium powder, and cooled to obtain an alloy material; The alloy material is melted at a temperature of 1000℃ to 1100℃.

5. A spring, characterized in that, The precious metal composite material includes the precious metal composite material according to any one of claims 1-2 and / or the precious metal composite material prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 3-4.

6. A method for manufacturing a spring, characterized in that, include: The precious metal composite material according to any one of claims 1-2 is subjected to casting treatment to obtain alloy wire; The alloy wire is made into a spring using a spring forming process.

7. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The diameter of the alloy wire is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

8. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The casting process includes: The precious metal composite material is subjected to wire casting to obtain alloy wire with a diameter of 1mm-1.5mm; wherein the wire casting process includes a first annealing condition. The alloy wire with a diameter of 1mm-1.5mm is subjected to 2 to 4 wire drawing and casting processes to obtain alloy wire with a diameter of less than or equal to 0.5mm; wherein a second annealing condition is provided in each wire drawing and casting process.

9. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first annealing conditions include: a temperature of 620℃~640℃ and a time of 25min~30min; and / or, The second annealing conditions include: a temperature of 620℃~640℃ and a time of 25min~30min.

10. An ornament, characterized in that, Includes the noble metal composite material according to any one of claims 1-2 and / or the noble metal composite material prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 3-4; and / or, This includes the spring described in claim 5 and / or the spring prepared by the preparation method described in any one of claims 6-9.

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