Composition of matter tailoring: system ia

Abstract

The present invention relates to tailored materials, particularly metals and alloys, and methods of making such materials. The new compositions of matter exhibit long-range ordering and unique electronic character.

1 . A method of processing a material, comprising the steps of:
 (A) adding and optionally melting a material in a reactor;   (B) subjecting the material to an iterative cycling of increasing and decreasing the temperature of the material, such as by varying the temperature of the material between two temperatures over one or more cycles, in the substantial absence of carbon, optionally in the presence of an inert gas flow through the material;   (C) optionally repeating step (B) at the same or different temperatures, one of said temperatures is preferably greater than at least one or both of the temperatures of step (B); and   (D) optionally, cooling the material obtained from step (B) or (C) and selecting a tailored material.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material is essentially carbon free. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material is a metal, such as a transition metal. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transition metal is chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, or alloys thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an the inert gas is added during step (B) and/or step (C) and is selected from one or more of argon, nitrogen, helium, neon, xenon, hydrogen, krypton, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method comprises at least one of the following:
 (a) a gas or gaseous addition (e.g., nitrogen, hydrogen, and/or noble gas) is added to the material through a lance set at a level above the liquid level;   (b) at least one of the gases or gaseous additions comprises a gas mixture;   (c) at least one of the gases has been exposed to radiation;   (d) current, e.g., AC or DC current, is added to the material in a further step or during one or more of the above steps;   (e) during the cooling step, a gas is added to the material; and/or   (f) during the cooling step, the material is quenched with water wherein the water is not stirred;   (g) at least one form of radiation has been filtered;   (h) the material is exposed to radiation in a further step or during one or more of the above steps; and/or   (i) varying the reactor power (e.g., above normal holding power) between two power levels over ½, one or more cycles.   
   
   
       7 . A tailored material produced by the process of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       8 . A composition comprising a material characterized by an X-ray fluorescence analysis report wherein the report recites the presence of an element in the periodic table wherein said composition has not been in contact with said element and is essentially free of carbon. 
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the material comprises a metal. 
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the material comprises copper. 
   
   
       11 . A composition comprising a material characterized by an X-ray fluorescence analysis report wherein the report recites a concentration of an element in the periodic table that exceeds the concentration of said element added to the composition and is essentially free of carbon. 
   
   
       12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the material comprises a metal. 
   
   
       13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the material comprises copper. 
   
   
       14 . A composition comprising a material characterized by an X-ray fluorescence analysis report wherein the report recites a concentration of an element in the periodic table that is less than the concentration of said element added to the composition and is essentially free of carbon. 
   
   
       15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the material comprises a metal. 
   
   
       16 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the material comprises copper.