Method of forming metal-matrix composites and composite materials

Claim 1

A method of forming a composite material having at least two components on a target, including the following steps: flowing a first component of said composite material as a fine particulate entrained in a gaseous carrier axially through a heated chamber of a thermal spray gun and simultaneously heating and accelerating said first component and carrier gas to at least near supersonic velocity; melting a second component of said composite material in rod form in the path of said accelerated and heated particulate first component and carrier gas to form a liquid second component of said composite material; atomizing said liquid second component by flowing said accelerated and heated particulate first component and said carrier gas into contact with said liquid second component, accelerating said atomized liquid second component to said near supersonic velocity and forming a stream of said first and second components and carrier gas substantially uniformly distributed in said stream; and impacting said stream of first and second components against a target in the path of said stream, forming a substantially homogeneous composite material.

Claim 2

A method of forming a composite material having at least two components on a target, including the following steps: flowing a first component of said composite material as a fine particulate entrained in a gaseous carrier axially through a heated chamber of a thermal spray gun and simultaneously heating and accelerating said first component and carrier gas to at least near supersonic velocity; melting a second component of said composite material in rod form in the path of said accelerated and heated particulate first component and carrier gas to form a liquid second component of said composite material; atomizing said liquid second component by flowing said accelerated and heated particulate first component and said carrier gas into contact with said liquid second component, accelerating said atomized liquid second component to said near supersonic velocity and forming a stream of said first and second components and carrier gas substantially uniformly distributed in said stream; and impacting said stream of first and second components against a target in the path of said stream, forming a substantially homogeneous composite material.

Claim 5

A method of forming a metal-matrix composite material having at least two components, including the following steps: heating and accelerating in a thermal spray gun a powdered refractory material as a first component of said metal-matrix composite to near supersonic velocity in a gaseous stream directed toward a target; melting a metal as a second component of said metal-matrix composite material and feeding said liquid metal into and at an angle to said stream of heated and accelerated powder refractory material, said accelerated heated powdered refractory material and gas atomizing said liquid metal and accelerating said atomized liquid metal in said stream substantially uniformly distributed in said powdered refractory material; and creating a deposition of said stream of powdered metal-matrix material and atomized liquid metal to form a substantially homogenous metal-matrix composite material.

Claim 6

A method of forming a metal-matrix composite material having at least two components, including the following steps: heating and accelerating in a thermal spray gun a powdered refractory material as a first component of said metal-matrix composite to near supersonic velocity in a gaseous stream directed toward a target; melting a metal as a second component of said metal-matrix composite material and feeding said liquid metal into and at an angle to said stream of heated and accelerated powder refractory material, said accelerated heated powdered refractory material and gas atomizing said liquid metal and accelerating said atomized liquid metal in said stream substantially uniformly distributed in said powdered refractory material; and creating a deposition of said stream of powdered metal-matrix material and atomized liquid metal to form a substantially homogenous metal-matrix composite material.

Claim 7

A method of forming a metal-matrix on a target, comprising the following steps: introducing a gas into a thermal spray nozzle, said nozzle heating and accelerating said gas and forming a high-velocity, heated gas stream which is discharged from said nozzle along an axis of said nozzle; introducing a fine particulate component into said heated and accelerated gas stream, and entraining said fine particulate component in said heated and accelerated gas stream; introducing at an angle an end of a conductive metal wire into said heated and accelerated gas stream, downstream of said nozzle, drawing an electric arc to said wire end, melting said wire, said gas stream atomizing said melted metal and entraining atomized molten metal in said gas stream; and impacting a target with said accelerated and heated gas stream and entrained fine particulate component and atomized molten metal, forming a substantially homogeneous metal-matrix on said target.

Claim 8

A method of forming a metal-matrix on a target, comprising the following steps: introducing a gas into a thermal spray nozzle, said nozzle heating and accelerating said gas and forming a high-velocity, heated gas stream which is discharged from said nozzle along an axis of said nozzle; introducing a fine particulate component into said heated and accelerated gas stream, and entraining said fine particulate component in said heated and accelerated gas stream; introducing at an angle an end of a conductive metal wire into said heated and accelerated gas stream, downstream of said nozzle, drawing an electric arc to said wire end, melting said wire, said gas stream atomizing said melted metal and entraining atomized molten metal in said gas stream; and impacting a target with said accelerated and heated gas stream and entrained fine particulate component and atomized molten metal, forming a substantially homogeneous metal-matrix on said target.