US3899304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process of growing crystals
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1972-07-17
•
Granted: 1975-08-12
•
Expires: 1992-07-17
Abstract
Abstract A process of growing ionic crystals which comprises providing a support of a molten material, floating a melt of an ionic material (ionic melt) on the molten support material, the molten support material being immiscible with the ionic melt, maintaining at least a portion of the molten support material at a temperature of at least the melting point of the ionic melt, growing a crystal from the ionic melt while the ionic melt is supported on the molten support material by reducing the temperature of the ionic melt below its melting point and removing the grown crystal therefrom. In addition, this invention provides a process of eliminating anionic and cationic impurities in the ionic melt and suppressing contamination of the ionic melt by the molten support material by applying a sufficient electrical potential between the ionic melt and the molten support material. Ionic impurities are thus electrolytically removed from the ionic melt.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert C Linares
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:39
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B15/00; C30B15/06; C30B11/00; C30B11/002; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/12; C30B29/16; C30B29/20; C30B29/60; C30B29/66; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/465; Y10T83/4653; Y10T83/4656; Y10T83/4676; Y10T83/4682
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A PROCESS FOR GROWING IONIC CRYSTALS COMPRISING A. PROVIDING A MOLTEN SUPPORT COMPRISING A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TIN, LEAD, PLATINUM, ALUMINUM, RHODIUM, IRIDIUM, MOLYBDENUM, TANTALUM, GALLIUM, COPPER, GOLD, SILVER, TUNGSTEN AND INDIUM, B. FLOATING A MELT OF AN IONIC MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF REFRACTORY OXIDES ON SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT, AND MOLTEN SUPPORT BEING IMMISCIBLE WITH SAID IONIC MATERIAL, C. MAINTAINING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST THE MELTING POINT OF SAID IONIC MATERIAL, D. GROWING A CRYSTAL FROM SAID IONIC MOLTEN MATERIAL WHILE SAID MATERIAL IS SUPPORTED ON SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT BY REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID IONIC MOLTEN MATERIAL BELOW ITS MELTING POINT, AND E. REMOVING THE GROWN CRYSTAL FROM SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A PROCESS FOR GROWING IONIC CRYSTALS COMPRISING A. PROVIDING A MOLTEN SUPPORT COMPRISING A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TIN, LEAD, PLATINUM, ALUMINUM, RHODIUM, IRIDIUM, MOLYBDENUM, TANTALUM, GALLIUM, COPPER, GOLD, SILVER, TUNGSTEN AND INDIUM, B. FLOATING A MELT OF AN IONIC MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF REFRACTORY OXIDES ON SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT, AND MOLTEN SUPPORT BEING IMMISCIBLE WITH SAID IONIC MATERIAL, C. MAINTAINING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST THE MELTING POINT OF SAID IONIC MATERIAL, D. GROWING A CRYSTAL FROM SAID IONIC MOLTEN MATERIAL WHILE SAID MATERIAL IS SUPPORTED ON SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT BY REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID IONIC MOLTEN MATERIAL BELOW ITS MELTING POINT, AND E. REMOVING THE GROWN CRYSTAL FROM SAID MOLTEN SUPPORT.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ionic material is selected from the group consisting of sapphire, spinel, garnet, magnesia, beryllia, ceria and thoria.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 including initiating growth of said crystal at a cold spot in said molten ionic material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 including introducing the ionic molten material onto said molten support at a first location, initiating crystallization at a point removed from said first location, and maintaining a temperature gradient along a dimension of the ionic molten material in a direction towards said initiating point, such that the temperature is highest adjacent said first location and gradually decreases across the ionic molten material towards said initiating point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 including applying an electrical potential between said ionic molten material and said molten support to remove impurities from said ionic molten material and suppress contamination of said ionic molten material by said molten support.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein said electrical potential is at a value between the oxidation potentials, measured at the melting point of said ionic material, of the constituents of said ionic material and said molten support.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 including continuously floating said ionic molten material on said molten support, continuously solidifying said ionic molten material to form an ionic crystal, and continuously removing said crystal from said molten support.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process as claimed in claim 7 including continuously applying an electrical potential between said ionic molten material and said molten support to continuously remove impurities from said ionic molten material and suppress contamination of said ionic molten material by said molten support.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 including initiating growth of said crystals on a crystal seed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
131 words
A process for growing ionic crystals comprising a. providing a molten support, b. floating a melt of aN ionic material on said molten support, said molten support being immiscible with said ionic material, c. maintaining at least a portion of said molten support at a temperature of at least the melting point of said ionic material, d. applying an electrical potential between said ionic molten material and said molten support to remove impurities from said ionic molten material and suppress contamination of said ionic molten material by said molten support, e. growing a crystal from said ionic molten material while said material is supported on said molten support by reducing the temperature of said ionic molten material below its melting point, and f. removing the grown crystal from said molten support.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
131 words
A process for growing ionic crystals comprising a. providing a molten support, b. floating a melt of aN ionic material on said molten support, said molten support being immiscible with said ionic material, c. maintaining at least a portion of said molten support at a temperature of at least the melting point of said ionic material, d. applying an electrical potential between said ionic molten material and said molten support to remove impurities from said ionic molten material and suppress contamination of said ionic molten material by said molten support, e. growing a crystal from said ionic molten material while said material is supported on said molten support by reducing the temperature of said ionic molten material below its melting point, and f. removing the grown crystal from said molten support.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein said electrical potential is at a value between the oxidation potentials, measured at the melting point of said ionic material, of the constituents of said ionic material and said molten support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as claimed in claim 11 wherein said ionic molten material is a refractory oxide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3086857A
Cited
US2992903A
Cited
US3031275A
Cited
US3245761A
Cited
US3288584A
Cited
US3658504A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-11 | 1979-02-10 | 1979-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-11 | 1983-02-10 | 1983-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-11 | 1987-02-10 | 1987-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |