US3925116A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Superhard martensite and method of making the same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-12-14
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Granted: 1975-12-09
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Expires: 1993-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A superhard martensite and method of making the same wherein ions of an element which is insoluble in iron are implanted into or/and planted onto a steel substrate. The steel is then heat treated, resulting in very fine grained martensite.
Inventors
- 👤 Niels N Engel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:43
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/14; C23C14/16; C21; C21D; C21D1/00; C21D1/06; C21D1/09; C23C12/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/48; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; C23C14/582; C23C14/5826; C23C14/5833; C23C14/5846; C21D2211/00; C21D2211/008; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12771; Y10T428/12861; Y10T428/12951; Y10T428/12958; Y10T428/12965
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
PROCESS OF PRODUCING A FINE GRAIN IRON SUBSTRATE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. SUBJECTING STEEL HAVING INTERSTITIAL ALLOY ATOMS RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.3 TO ABIUT 1.8% BY WEIGHT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BERYLLIUM, BORON, CARBON AND NITROGEN TO AN ION BAMBARDMENT BY AN INSOLUBLE ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HELIUM, NEON, ARGON, KRYPTON, XENON, RANDON, LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CESIUM, FRANCIUM, CALCIUMK STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, SILVER, CADMIUM, MERCYRY, THALLIUM, LEAD, BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, YTRRIUM, LANTHANUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, THORIUM, TANTALUM, COPPER, INDIUM, SELENIUM, TELLURIUM AND POLONIUM SUFFICIENT TO IMPLANT IONS OF THE ELEMENT INTO THE SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO RETARD THE GROWTH OF CRYSTALS DURING THE SUBSEQUENT HEAT TREATMENT OF THE SUBSTRATE; B. HEATING THE SUBSTRATE CONTAINING THE IMPLANTED ELEMENT TO AN AUSTENITE TEMPERATURE RANGE; AND C. QUENCHING THE HEATED SUBSTRATE AT A SUFFICIENT RATE TO PRODUCE CRYSTALS ALONG THE SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN CRYSTALS WHICH NORMALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE HAD THE IONS OF THE ELEMENT NOT BEEN IMPLANTED INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
PROCESS OF PRODUCING A FINE GRAIN IRON SUBSTRATE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. SUBJECTING STEEL HAVING INTERSTITIAL ALLOY ATOMS RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.3 TO ABIUT 1.8% BY WEIGHT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BERYLLIUM, BORON, CARBON AND NITROGEN TO AN ION BAMBARDMENT BY AN INSOLUBLE ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HELIUM, NEON, ARGON, KRYPTON, XENON, RANDON, LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CESIUM, FRANCIUM, CALCIUMK STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, SILVER, CADMIUM, MERCYRY, THALLIUM, LEAD, BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, YTRRIUM, LANTHANUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, THORIUM, TANTALUM, COPPER, INDIUM, SELENIUM, TELLURIUM AND POLONIUM SUFFICIENT TO IMPLANT IONS OF THE ELEMENT INTO THE SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO RETARD THE GROWTH OF CRYSTALS DURING THE SUBSEQUENT HEAT TREATMENT OF THE SUBSTRATE; B. HEATING THE SUBSTRATE CONTAINING THE IMPLANTED ELEMENT TO AN AUSTENITE TEMPERATURE RANGE; AND C. QUENCHING THE HEATED SUBSTRATE AT A SUFFICIENT RATE TO PRODUCE CRYSTALS ALONG THE SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN CRYSTALS WHICH NORMALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE HAD THE IONS OF THE ELEMENT NOT BEEN IMPLANTED INTO THE SURFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insoluble element selected from said group is an inert gas and wherein the ion implanting step includes placing said substrate in a vacuum, admitting said inert gas into said vacuum, producing an electrical plasma discharge through said inert gas with said substrate as the cathode and maintaining the potential and the vacuum in the range which will support the plasma.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process defined in claim 1 wherein said bombardment is carried on in a vacuum chamber by the application of an electrical potential of from about 200 to about 2,000,000 volts and said substrate forms the cathode therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process defined in claim 3 wherein the element is heated by an electron gun.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process defined in claim 3 wherein said implantation is to a depth of approximately 20 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preferred amount of interstitial alloy in said steel substrate ranges from 0.5 to 1.0% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said implanted element has an atomic size substantially like iron.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said element is argon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said element is silver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 where the plAsma is ionized in a magnetic field, high frequency or radio frequency, by radiation beyond the ionization caused by the static d.c. bias.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
A superhard martensite comprising a steel substrate having interstitial alloys atoms ranging from about 0.3 to about 1.8% by weight selected from the group consisting of beryllium, boron, carbon and nitrogen in which the surface thereof contains an element insoluble in the iron of said substrate and embedded in said iron, said insoluble element being selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, calcium, strontium, barium, radium, silver, cadmium, mercury, thallium, lead, beryllium, magnesium, yttrium, lanthanum, zirconium, hafnium, thorium, tantalum, copper, indium, selenium, tellurium and polonium, said surface having martensitic structure with a grain structure substantially smaller than the structure which otherwise would have been produced by heat treatment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
A superhard martensite comprising a steel substrate having interstitial alloys atoms ranging from about 0.3 to about 1.8% by weight selected from the group consisting of beryllium, boron, carbon and nitrogen in which the surface thereof contains an element insoluble in the iron of said substrate and embedded in said iron, said insoluble element being selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, calcium, strontium, barium, radium, silver, cadmium, mercury, thallium, lead, beryllium, magnesium, yttrium, lanthanum, zirconium, hafnium, thorium, tantalum, copper, indium, selenium, tellurium and polonium, said surface having martensitic structure with a grain structure substantially smaller than the structure which otherwise would have been produced by heat treatment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The superhard martensite defined in claim 11 wherein said surface has a Knoop hardness above 1000.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A superhard martensite of claim 11 comprising a martensitic steel substrate in which said surface exhibits a grain size smaller than 0.001 mm as the longest dimension after normal quenching.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A substrate treated in accordance with claim 1 to produce a superhard martensite.
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) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |