Amorphous Alloy Seal Supercooled Liquid Region Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limited processability of amorphous alloys restricts their use in forming structural components, particularly in consumer electronic devices, due to high critical cooling rates and resulting thickness limitations, making it challenging to shape and utilize them effectively.
Innovation Solution
Methods are developed to form interfacial layers or seals using amorphous alloys or composites within the supercooled liquid region or around the glass transition temperature, allowing for bonding and creating air-tight or water-proof seals by heating the composition below the crystallization temperature and cooling it below the glass transition temperature to achieve intimate contact with surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If high cooling rates are used to achieve amorphous structure, then amorphous phase is obtained, but thickness is limited to less than 100 micrometers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameters during processing, specifically heating the amorphous alloy to the supercooled liquid region (between Tg and Tx) where the material becomes moldable. This parameter change allows the material to be shaped at elevated temperatures and then cooled to form thick seals while maintaining the amorphous phase, resolving the contradiction between achieving amorphous structure and increasing thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of the amorphous alloy from solid to supercooled liquid state by heating above the glass transition temperature Tg but below the crystallization temperature Tx. In this supercooled liquid region, the material becomes viscous and moldable, allowing it to be disposed into molds and conform to mating surfaces. Subsequent cooling returns the material to solid amorphous state, preserving the amorphous phase while enabling thick section formation
2Strength
If conventional bonding methods are used, then bonding is achieved, but volume shrinkage and chemical attack on surface occur
Solution Approach 1:
The amorphous alloy seal performs self-bonding through its own thermal and mechanical properties. When heated to the supercooled liquid region and pressed against mating surfaces, the material naturally conforms and bonds without requiring external bonding agents or processes that would cause chemical attack. The bonding is achieved through the material's inherent ability to flow and adhere when in the supercooled liquid state, eliminating the need for harmful conventional bonding methods
Solution Approach 2:
The supercooled liquid state of the amorphous alloy acts as an intermediary state that enables bonding without direct chemical interaction with surfaces. In this intermediate viscous state, the material can flow into surface irregularities and form intimate contact, creating strong mechanical adhesion upon cooling while avoiding chemical reactions that would occur with conventional bonding methods
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These methods enable the formation of thicker amorphous alloy parts beyond the critical casting thickness, providing effective bonding and sealing with minimal volume shrinkage, maintaining the amorphous phase, and preventing chemical attack on the surface, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional bonding methods.
Implementation Method 1
heating the composition to a first temperature that is below Tx... the composition having a glass transition temperature Tg and a crystallization temperature Tx
Implementation Method 2
cooling the interfacial layer to a second temperature that is below Tg... wherein the interfacial layer forms an intimate contact with at least one of the first surface and the second surface
Data Source
AI summary
Provided in one embodiment is an article, comprising a first part having a first surface and a hermetic seal disposed over a portion of the first surface, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a composition that is at least partially amorphous.