Method for making metal-carbon composites and compositions

Abstract

A method for making covetic metal-carbon composites or compositions by electron beam melt heating under vacuum (pressure <10.sup.3 Torr) is described herein. This fabrication method is advantageous, in that it provides oxygen-free covetic materials in a process that allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method described herein also can be applied to produce multi-element-carbon composites within a metal or alloy matrix, including high melting temperature materials such as ceramic particles or prefabricated nano- or micro-structures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene compounds. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of flowing electrons through the melted metal-carbon precursor. This process creates strong bonding between nanocarbon structure and the metal elements in the melt.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a covetic metal-carbon composite material comprising the sequential steps of: (a) passing an electric current of less than about 1 ampere through a precursor mixture of a metal and a carbon material in an electrically conductive, grounded vessel by irradiating the mixture with an electron beam under vacuum at a pressure of less than about 10.sup.3 Torr, wherein the electron beam has a sufficient beam energy to heat the mixture to a temperature below the melting point of the mixture at a heating rate in the range of about 1 to about 10 C. per minute ( C./min) to expel dissolved gasses therefrom; (b) increasing the electron beam energy to a level sufficient to heat the precursor composition at a heating rate in the range of about 10 to about 200 C./min to a temperature sufficient to melt the mixture, cause convention mixing therein, and thereby convert the precursor mixture to a covetic metal-carbon composite material; (c) terminating the electron beam to allow the mixture to cool to ambient room temperature while maintaining the pressure at less than about 10.sup.3 Torr; and (d) recovering the resulting covetic metal-carbon composite material from the vessel at ambient atmospheric pressure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, iron, nickel, and alloys thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is in the form of a powder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises copper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is a particulate carbon material.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the particulate carbon material comprises carbon microparticles, carbon nanoparticles, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a grounded graphite crucible.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure in steps (a), (b) and (c) is in a range of about 10.sup.3 Torr to about 10.sup.7 Torr.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises graphite.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon material comprises carbon black.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon material is selected from the group consisting of graphene, carbon nanotubes, and carbon nanofibers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon comprises carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or a combination thereof, in which the nanotubes, nanofibers, or both also comprise nanoparticles of one or more metal attached to or encapsulated within the nanotubes or nanofibers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the electron beam is rastered across the precursor mixture during step (a), step (b) or both steps (a) and (b).

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises copper and the carbon material comprises graphite or carbon black.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises copper and the carbon material comprises graphite.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon comprises about 1 to about 10 percent by weight (wt %) based on the total weight of the precursor mixture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1, Panel (A) shows a scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of covetic copper made by vacuum electron beam melting; Panel (B) shows an SEM of covetic copper made by a conventional process. Arrows indicate copper oxide particles.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an SEM of covetic copper prepared by a conventional process (U.S. Pat. No. 8,647,534 B2, FIG. 3). Arrows indicate copper oxide particles.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an electron beam melting system.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a sample of a copper covetic with 5 wt % carbon produced by electron beam melting inside a vacuum processing chamber.

(5) FIG. 5 provides an SEM image of an as-solidified surface of covetic copper material with approximately 5 wt % carbon produced by electron beam melting inside a vacuum chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) The enhanced properties of covetic metals likely result from carbon nanostructures and networks that form between the metal matrix and carbon nanoparticles. Two distinct carbon nanostructures have been found in covetic materials: (1) carbon clusters with size ranging from a few nanometers (nm) to several hundred nm, and (2) graphene-like carbon nanostructures that become incorporated within the copper lattice. Under conditions that allow formation of copper oxide, such as the conditions encountered during the conventional process, it is likely that the carbon is also oxidized, which causes loss of carbon and disruption of beneficial carbon nanostructures within the material.

(7) When covetic copper is made by electron beam melting under vacuum, loss of carbon is avoided and carbon nanostructures are preserved, which can lead to an enhancement in physical and electrical properties of the covetic material. Table 1 shows the electrical resistance of thin films (approx. 50 nm thick) made from copper electron beam-melted with addition of about 2 wt. % carbon, using graphite as the carbon source, (i.e. covetic copper), and of the same copper without carbon added. The covetic copper described herein showed an unexpected enhancement in conductivity >30%. Copper-carbon composites made using graphite as the carbon source exhibited superior electrical conductivity to copper-carbon composites made using carbon black as the carbon source. In metals and alloys, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity are strongly correlated, i.e., as one increases so does the other. Use of graphite or graphene as the carbon source also allows for the covetic reaction to take place without having to pass electric currents of the order of hundreds of amperes during the melt phase as is required by the known prior art. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,972,380; 8,647,534.

(8) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Electrical Resistance of covetic copper film made from 99% Cu with 2 wt. % graphite by electron-beam melting under vacuum vs. film made from 99% Cu without carbon addition [Thickness of the films 50 nm] CuC2G (Cu99 with 2 Cu99 (Cu- wt. % Graphite Covetic) Parent Metal) Test area 1 (m) 131.7 195.1 Test area 2 (m) 134.0 196.6 Test area 3 (m) 127.6 201.0 Test area 4 (m) 127.0 189.3 Test area 5 (m) 132.7 189.7 Average (m) 130.59 194.34 Sheet Resistance 591.89 880.80 (m/square)

(9) The resistances of the two films [CuC2G (Cu99 with 2 wt. % graphite) and Cu99 (Cu-Parent Metal) were measured at 5 different locations (areas) and used the average of these five measurements to calculate average sheet resistance.

(10) Covetic materials were also made using another type of copper powder (99.9% Cu powder, referred as Cu99.9) and both graphite and carbon black. Table 2 provides the data for both graphite and carbon black usage. CuC2G in Table 2 stands for Cu99.9 with 2 wt. % Graphite; CuC2B stands for Cu99.9 with 2 wt. % Carbon black. Data for the parent Cu99.9 is included in Table 2.

(11) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Electrical resistance of films made from covetic copper that were made from 99.9% Cu with 2 wt. % graphite and 99.9% Cu with 2 wt. % carbon black by electron-beam melting under vacuum vs. films made from 99.9% copper without carbon addition [films 45 nm thick] CuC2G (Cu99.9 CuC2B (Cu99.9 with 2 wt. % with 2 wt. % Graphite Carbon Black Cu99.9 (Cu- Covetic) Covetic) Parent Metal) Test area 1 (m) 165.3 218.3 224.4 Test area 2 (m) 176.1 211.0 224.6 Test area 3 (m) 151.9 207.4 208.0 Test area 4 (m) 152.6 210.4 217.1 Average (m) 161.5 211.8 218.5 Sheet Resistance 731.8 959.8 990.4 (m/square)

(12) An electron beam melting system is generally made of copper and is cooled by circulating water. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a typical electron beam melting system generates thermal electrons by applying a small (a few volts) voltage (V.sub.1) across a tungsten wire filament, which is set at a high negative potential of tens of thousands of volts (typically 3 to 40 KV below the ground). In the system used in the examples described herein, an 8 to 10 KV acceleration voltage (V.sub.2) was used. An electron beam is accelerated by V.sub.2 and passes through an opening on the anode. The electron beam exiting the opening on the anode is bent by the magnetic field and directed at the precursor (target) mixture of metal and carbon inside a vacuum chamber. When electrons hit the target material, their kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy to heat the material. A small alternating magnetic field superimposed over the bending magnetic field can modulate the position where the electron beam hits the target, e.g., rastering the beam across the target. This modulation can effectively raster or sweep the electron beam over a broader area than a stationary beam, resulting in more uniform heating of the material.

(13) No effect of the sweep pattern or frequency of the beam sweep has been detectable in the resulting product. The rastering of the beam can effectively cause convection in the melted mixture, stirring metal-carbon mixture in the crucible, which is beneficial for achieving uniform heating and miring. Some degree of stirring along with the passing of electrical current through the metal-carbon mixture is important factors for the covetic conversion to occur.

(14) The experimental procedure to make covetic materials using both graphite and carbon black is the same. The procedure for making the covetic samples is provided in Table 3.

(15) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Process for making metal-carbon covetic materials by electron beam melting inside a vacuum processing chamber Preparation Metal and carbon are mixed to form a precursor of Mixture mixture, e.g. by grinding the materials together. Loading of The metal-carbon precursor is loaded into a crucible grounded graphite crucible which is placed into an electron beam chamber. The chamber is evacuated to a desired vacuum (e.g. less than 10.sup.3 Torr). Degassing The metal-carbon precursor is then slowly degassed by increasing the beam-induced current up to about 200 mA while maintaining the pressure of the electron beam chamber at 10.sup.4 Torr or less. Melting and The metal-carbon precursor is then melted by Covetic increasing the power of the electron beam to heat Reaction the precursor to or above its melting point. The movement of the electron beam can be controlled by beam manipulation or rastering. A fast moving, rastered electron beam causes stirring of the precursor melt and facilitates the covetic reaction. Cooling After the precursor melt has been stirred by the convection caused by the rastering of the beam, the electron beam is turned off, and the melt cools and solidifies Removal from After cooling to about ambient room temperature, chamber the electron beam chamber is pressurized to ambient pressure, and is opened to remove the covetic metal- carbon composite.

(16) FIG. 4 shows a photograph of a sample of covetic copper produced by the electron beam method described herein using 5 wt % graphite after cooling to room temperature and removing from the electron beam melt processing chamber. FIG. 5 shows a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of the as-solidified surface of covetic copper with about 5 wt % carbon content using graphite as the carbon source. The covetic copper material produced by the electron beam method is dense and has a uniform surface structure. The surface morphology of the covetic copper is similar to that reported for materials made by other processing art that requires the application of large current of hundreds of amperes. (See U.S. Pat. No. 8,541,336; D. R. Forrest, I. Jasiuk, L. Brown, P. Joyce, A. Mansour, and L. Salamanca-Riba Novel Metal-Matrix Composites with Integrally-Bound Nanoscale Carbon Proc. Nanotech Conference and Expo 2012, Jun. 18-21, Santa Clara, Calif. CRC Press, 2012).

(17) Preparation of Mixture of Metal-Carbon Precursor.

(18) The metal and carbon components of a desired covetic composition are mixed together in the targeted weight or molar ratios to form a precursor mixture. For example, a metal, such as copper, or a mixture of metals is combined with, e.g., graphite, carbon black, or graphene, at a desired ratio. Typically, the carbon content is in the range of about 1 wt % to about 10 wt %, preferably in the range of about 2 wt % to about 5 wt %. Preferably, the metal (or metal alloy) composition accounts for about 90 to 99 wt %, although up to 10 wt % of other materials such as ceramics, other forms of carbon such as nanotubes, and nanofibers may be included in place of some of the metal or alloy. For large scale process, metal scrap, chips, filings, or compacted sponges can be used in place of metal powder as metal source.

(19) In some cases it is desirable to comminute or grind the carbon and metal (e.g., a metal powder) together to achieve a relatively uniform mixture prior to proceeding to degassing. In one typical specific example, about 14 g of copper powder (Aldrich Chemical Company, 99% pure) and about 0.7 g of graphite powder (Fisher Chemical Company, G-67 graphite powder) were mixed inside a fume hood using agate mortar and pestle. Subsequently, the mixture was ball milled in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to prepare the precursor. The milling time was about 2 to 3 hours. The particle size of the metal powder was in the range of about 0.5 to 40 micrometers. The oxygen content typically is less than about 1000 ppm.

(20) Loading of the Chamber.

(21) The metal-carbon precursor is loaded into a crucible (such as graphite crucible typically used for electron beam-evaporation, about 1 inch in diameter), the crucible is placed into an electron beam hearth, and the electron beam melt processing chamber is pressurized to a desired vacuum. The vacuum processing chamber used herein has a base pressure of 10.sup.7 Torr (or 10.sup.10 atmosphere). It typically requires overnight pumping to achieve such a vacuum level.

(22) Degassing.

(23) An electron gun equipped on the electron beam melting system generates an electron beam under high voltage. The metal-carbon precursor is degassed by slowly increasing heating power of the electron beam. Preferably, an electron beam hearth operates at about 8 kilovolts (KV) with beam current up to about 200 milliampere (mA). The rate of heating is in the range of 1 to 10 C./minute. For the initial heating, the electron beam current should be increased at a rate such that the pressure in the electron beam chamber does not exceed 10.sup.4 Torr. Electrons in the electron beam enter the precursor, flow through the precursor, and exit through the grounded crucible.

(24) Melting and Covetic Reaction.

(25) Melt the metal-carbon precursor by rapidly increasing the heating power of the electron beam to a desired level. A monitoring and feedback control system can be utilized for automatic control of the heating power of the electron beam melting system. The electron beam is focused by a magnetic field and directed to the precursor inside the crucible. When the electron beam hits the precursor material, an electric current is generated in which electrons in the electron beam enter the precursor material, flow through the precursor, and exit through the crucible. The kinetic energy of the electrons converts to heat energy to heat up the precursor and create a precursor-melt. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of the electrical current flowing through the melted metal-carbon precursor. In the electron beam melting system, there is an electron beam manipulation or rastering control that allows rapid movement (at frequencies up to thousands of Hz) of the electron beam. This effectively creates a vortex in the melted precursor and thus facilitates further mixing and the covetic reaction between metal and carbon. The rate of heating is in the range of 10 to 200 C./minute.

(26) Cooling and Removal from Chamber

(27) After a few minutes of stirring, the electron gun power is shut off the power to turn off the beam. The melt is then allowed to cool and solidify. Once the covetic material is at or near ambient room temperature the reaction chamber is pressurized to ambient atmospheric pressure and the covetic metal is recovered.

(28) All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

(29) The use of the terms a and an and the and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms comprising, having, including, and containing are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning including, but not limited to,) unless otherwise noted. The terms consisting of and consists of are to be construed as closed terms, which limit any compositions or methods to the specified components or steps, respectively, that are listed in a given claim or portion of the specification. In addition, and because of its open nature, the term comprising broadly encompasses compositions and methods that consist essentially of or consist of specified components or steps, in addition to compositions and methods that include other components or steps beyond those listed in the given claim or portion of the specification. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All numerical values obtained by measurement (e.g., weight, concentration, physical dimensions, removal rates, flow rates, and the like) are not to be construed as absolutely precise numbers, and should be considered to encompass values within the known limits of the measurement techniques commonly used in the art, regardless of whether or not the term about is explicitly stated. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., such as) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate certain aspects of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

(30) Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.