US3816952A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Preparation of metal foams with viscosity increasing gases
Assignee: Ethyl Corp
•
Filing: 1971-03-10
•
Granted: 1974-06-18
•
Expires: 1991-03-10
Abstract
Abstract Materials such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, CO2, and water increase the viscosity of molten aluminum base metals. Molten metals so treated yield superior metal foams when blown with a blowing agent. Typical blowing agents which can be used are zirconium, hafnium, and titanium hydrides. Non-stoichiometric materials, MH2 wherein M is titanium, hafnium or zirconium, and a has the value of about 1.65-1.80 can be used as blowing agents. Such non-stoichiometric materials are made by heating the (substantially) stoichiometric compounds.
Inventors
- 👤 L Niebyski
- 👤 C Jarema
- 👤 T Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:51
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C1/00; C22C1/08; C22C1/083; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12479
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
11 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said metal is substantially pure aluminum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said aluminum based metal is alloyed with a second metal selected from the class consisting of magnesium, titanium, copper, zinc, manganese, tin, and silicon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is present in an amount of from about 0.4 to 35 weight per cent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is magnesium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 5 wherein said magnesium is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 10 weight per cent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 6 wherein said amount of magnesium is from about 4 to about 8 weight per cent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is titanium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
Process of claim 8 wherein said titanium is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 2.5 per cent by weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process of claim 9 wherein said amount of titanium is from about 0.8 to about 1.2 weight per cent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is copper.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 11 wherein said copper is present in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 35 weight per cent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process of claim 12 wherein said amount of copper is from about 8 to about 12 weight per cent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is zinc.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 14 wherein said zinc is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 15 weight per cent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process of claim 15 wherein said amount of zinc is from about 8 to about 12 weight per cent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is manganese.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 17 wherein said manganese is present in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 1.5 weight per cent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process of claim 18 wherein said amount of manganese iS from about 0.4 to about 0.8 weight per cent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is tin.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process of claim 20 wherein said amount of tin is from about 1 to about 2 weight per cent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said second metal is silicon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 22 wherein said silicon is present in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 12 weight per cent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process of claim 23 wherein said amount of silicon is from about 0.4 to about 2 weight per cent.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process of claim 1 wherein from about 0.02 to about 10.0 grams of viscosity-increasing agent are employed per each 100 grams portion of said alloy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
Process of claim 3 being further characterized in that from about 0.2 to about 10 grams (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) of air is used as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
Process of claim 3 being further characterized in that from about 1 to about 4 grams (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) of nitrogen is used as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
Process of claim 3 being further characterized in that from about 1 to about 6 grams (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) of water is used as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
Process of claim 3 being further characterized in that from about 1 to about 4 grams (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) of argon is used as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
Process of claim 3 wherein from about 0.05 to about 8 grams of carbon dioxide (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) is used as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
Process of claim 30 wherein said carbon dioxide is added as solid carbon dioxide.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
Process of claim 30 wherein said carbon dioxide is added as liquid carbon dioxide.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
Process of claim 3 wherein from about 0.02 to about 5 grams of oxygen is used (per each 100 gram portion of alloy) as the viscosity-increasing agent.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said metal hydride is selected from a class consisting of titanium hydride, zirconium hydride, and hafnium hydride.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 34 wherein said hydride is titanium hydride.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 34 wherein said hydride is zirconium hydride.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
10 words
Process of claim 34 wherein said hydride is hafnium hydride.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said aluminum based metal is an aluminum silicon alloy and said foaming agent is titanium hydride.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
Process of claim 3 wherein said aluminum based metal is an aluminum magnesium alloy and said foaming agent is zirconium hydride.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said foaming agent has the formula MHa wherein M is selected from the class consisting of titanium and zirconium and ''''a'''' has a value within the range of from about 1.65 to 1.80.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
Process of claim 1 being further characterized in that said blowing step comprises treating the viscous melt with said metal hydride at a temperature of from about 550* to 780*C.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
114 words
A cellular metal foam produced by a process comprising a. increasing the viscosity of a molten aluminum base metal by admixing with said metal at a temperature of from about 20* to about 90*C. above said metal''s liquidus temperature, a viscosity increasing agent selected from the class consisting of argon, nitrogen, air, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water to achieve a desired degree of viscosity increase, b. subsequently foaming the viscous metal thereby produced, and c. substantially cooling the foamed mass thereby produced to form a set cellular product, said product having a more uniform pore size and configuration than a product similarly produced from said metal without the addition of the viscosity increasing agent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-17 | 1977-12-17 | 1978-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-17 | 1981-12-17 | 1982-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-17 | 1985-12-17 | 1986-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |