Article comprising a fine-Grained metallic material and a polymeric material

Abstract

Lightweight articles comprising a polymeric material at least partially coated with a fine-grained metallic material are disclosed. The fine-grained metallic material has an average grain size of 2 nm to 5,000 nm, a thickness between 25 micron and 5 cm, and a hardness between 200 VHN and 3,000 VHN. The lightweight articles are strong and ductile and exhibit high coefficients of restitution and a high stiffness and are particularly suitable for a variety of applications including aerospace and automotive parts, sporting goods, and the like.

1 . An article comprising:
 i) a permanent substrate comprising a polymeric material; and   ii) a fine-grained metallic material having an average grain size between 2 nm and 5,000 nm, a thickness between 25 μm and 5 cm, a hardness between 200 VHN and 3,000 VHN, said fine-grained metallic material covering at least a portion of said permanent substrate.   
     
     
         2 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An article according to  claim 1  wherein said portion has a surface roughness in the range of Ra=0.25 μm to Ra=25 μm. 
     
     
         36 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein said metallic material is selected from the group consisting of:
 i) a pure metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Au, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Sn, Fe, Pt, Ti, W, Zn and Zr,   ii) an alloy containing at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Au, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Sn, Fe, Pt, Ti, W, Zn and Zr;   iii) pure metals selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Au, Cu, Co, Cr,   Ni, Sn, Fe, Pt, Ti, W, Zn and Zr and alloys containing at least two of these, further containing at least one element selected from B, C, Mo, Mn, P, S, Si, Pb, Pd, Rh, Ru, Sn and V;   iv) any of (i), (ii) or (iii) where said metallic coating also contains particulate addition in a volume fraction between 0 and 95% by volume.   
     
     
         37 . An article according to  claim 36 , wherein said particulate addition is one or more materials selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, carbides, carbon, ceramics, glass and polymer materials. 
     
     
         38 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein said permanent substrate is a filled or unfilled polymeric material selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin composites, polyamide, glass filled polyamide, polyester, polythalamide, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs), polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). 
     
     
         39 . An article according to  claim 38 , wherein said filled polymeric material contains a filler selected from the group consisting of glass, glass fibers, carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphite, graphite fibers, metals, metal alloys, ceramics and mineral fillers. 
     
     
         40 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein said fine-grained metallic material has a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. 
     
     
         41 . An article according to  claim 1 , containing an intermediate conductive layer between said metallic material and said permanent substrate. 
     
     
         42 . An article according to  claim 41 , where the intermediate conductive layer comprises a metallic layer constituted of Ag, Ni or Cu or a combination of any two or all of these. 
     
     
         43 . An article according to  claim 41 , where the intermediate conductive layer comprises polymeric material with conductive particulates therein. 
     
     
         44 . An article according to  claim 43 , where the conductive particulates are composed of or contain Ag, Ni or Cu or graphite or other conductive carbon or a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         45 . An article according to  claim 41 , where the intermediate conductive layer is a conductive paint or a conductive epoxy. 
     
     
         46 . An article according to  claim 1 , containing a polymeric adhesive material between the permanent substrate and the fine-grained metallic material. 
     
     
         47 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein said article is a component or part of an automotive application. 
     
     
         48 . An article according to  claim 47 , where the component or part is selected from the group consisting of brackets, fuel rails, spoilers, muffler tips, wheels, vehicle frames, grill guards, pedals, brake pedals and running boards. 
     
     
         49 . An article according to  claim 47  or  48 , wherein the fine-grained metallic material is constituted of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co and Fe. 
     
     
         50 . An article according to  claim 1 , which has a tubular structure and said fine-grained metallic material extends over at least part of an inner or outer surface of said tubular structure. 
     
     
         51 . An article according to  claim 50 , wherein said permanent substrate comprises a polymeric material containing filler selected from the group consisting of glass, glass fibers, graphite, graphite fibers, carbon, carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         52 . An article according to  claim 50 , wherein the fine-grained metallic material has a hardness of greater than 200 VHN and a ratio of thickness to grain size of greater than 1,000. 
     
     
         53 . An article according to  claim 1  having a fine-grained metallic material coating on a substrate, wherein the weight of the fine-grained metallic material is between 5% and 95% of the total weight of the article. 
     
     
         54 . An article according to  claim 53 , wherein said fine-grained metallic material is constituted of a Ni, Co or Fe based alloy. 
     
     
         55 . An article according to  claim 53 , which is an automotive part. 
     
     
         56 . An article comprising a fine-grained metal material coated polymeric material composite having a yield strength of at least 25 MPa wherein:
 i) the weight of the fine-grained metallic material coating is between 5% and 95% of the total weight of the article;   ii) said article having a torsional or bending stiffness per unit weight improved by at least about 5% when compared to the torque or moment of the same article not containing the metallic material coating.   
     
     
         57 . An article according to  claim 56 , wherein said fine-grained metallic material coating is present on at least part of an inner or outer surface of the composite. 
     
     
         58 . An article according to  claim 57 , wherein said article is a component or part of an automotive application. 
     
     
         59 . An article according to  claim 58 , where the component or part is selected from the group consisting of brackets, fuel rails, spoilers, muffler tips, wheels, vehicle frames, grill guards, pedals, brake pedals and running boards. 
     
     
         60 . An article according to  claim 56 , which has a tubular structure and said fine-grained metallic material extends over at least part of an inner or outer surface of said tubular structure. 
     
     
         61 . An article comprising a polymeric material, having a surface at least partially coated with a fine-grained metallic material having a grain size of between 2 nm and 5,000 nm and a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. 
     
     
         62 . An article according to  claim 61 , wherein said surface which is at least partially coated has a surface roughness in the range of Ra=0.25 μm to Ra=25 μm. 
     
     
         63 . An article according to  claim 61 , wherein said coating is on an outside surface of said polymeric material and has a thickness ranging from about 25 μm and 5 cm. 
     
     
         64 . An article according to  claim 61 , wherein said polymeric material is reinforced. 
     
     
         65 . An article according to  claim 61 , containing a metallized layer between said polymeric material and said fine-grained metallic coating. 
     
     
         66 . An article according to  claim 61 , wherein said article is a component or part of an automotive application. 
     
     
         67 . An article according to  claim 66 , wherein said component or part is selected from the group consisting of brackets, fuel rails, spoilers, muffler tips, wheels, vehicle frames, grill guards, pedals, brake pedals and running boards. 
     
     
         68 . An article according to  claim 61 , which has tubular structure and said fine-grained metallic material extends over at least part of an inner or outer surface of said tubular structure. 
     
     
         69 . An article comprising
 i) a polymer substrate, and   ii) a fine grained metallic layer having a grain size in the range of 2 nm to 5,000 nm, a thickness ranging from 25 μm to 5 cm, a modulus of resilience ranging from 0.25 MPa to 25 MPa and said fine grained layer covering at least a portion of said polymer substrate and the weight of said fine grained metallic layer ranging from 5% to 95% of the weight of said article.   
     
     
         70 . An article according to  claim 69 , wherein its torsional or bending stiffness per unit weight is improved by at least 5% when compared to the torque or moment of an article the same but not containing (ii). 
     
     
         71 . An article according to  claim 69 , wherein said portion of said polymer substrate has an average surface roughness of Ra 0.25 μm to 25 μm. 
     
     
         72 . An article according to  claim 71 , wherein said article contains a layer intermediate (i) and (ii) selected from the group of a metallic intermediate layer, a polymeric adhesive intermediate layer and a conductive polymeric intermediate layer containing conductive particulates. 
     
     
         73 . An article according to  claim 72 , wherein said article is a component or part of an automotive application. 
     
     
         74 . An article according to  claim 73 , wherein said component or part is selected from the group consisting of brackets, fuel rails, spoilers, muffler tips, wheels, vehicle frames, grill guards, pedals, brake pedals and running boards. 
     
     
         75 . An article according to  claim 69 , which has a tubular structure and said fine-grained metallic material extends over at least part of an inner or outer surface of said tubular structure.