Process for producing materials reinforced with nanoparticles and articles formed thereby

US7144441B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Shyh-Chin Huang · Latham, US
• Pazhayannur Ramanathan Subramanian · Niskayuna, US
• Robert John Zabala · Schenectady, US
• Roger John Petterson · Fultonville, US
• Eric Allen Ott · Cincinnati, US
• Srinivasa Range Gowda · Cincinnati, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 3, 2003
• Grant date: Dec 5, 2006
• Expiry date: Jul 26, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B22F2999/00
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method for forming a dispersion-strengthened material containing nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed in a matrix phase. The method includes adding nanoparticles and a molten material to a container to form a pool within the container and rotating the container to create a convection vortex in the pool. The convection vortex is sufficient to cause the nanoparticles to be incorporated into the molten material so as to yield a molten composite material, and further causes the molten composite material to be ejected from the container. The molten composite material is then cooled to form a solid composite body comprising a uniform dispersion of the nanoparticles.