Strong, lightweight article containing a fine-grained metallic layer

Abstract

Articles for automotive, manufacturing and industrial applications including shafts or tubes used, for example, as golf club shafts, ski and hiking poles, fishing rods or bicycle frames, skate blades and snowboards are at least partially electroplated with fine-grained layers of selected metallic materials. Parts with complex geometry can be coated as well. Alternatively, articles such as conical or cylindrical golf club shafts, hiking pole shafts or fishing pole sections, plates or foils and the like can also be electroformed of fine-grained metallic materials on a suitable mandrel or temporary substrate to produce strong, ductile, lightweight components exhibiting a high coefficient of restitution and a high stiffness for use in numerous applications including sporting goods.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An article comprising at least one fine-grained layer selected from the group consisting of metal, metal alloy and metal matrix composite on a metallic or non-metallic substrate, said fine-grained layer having:
 (i) a microstructure with an average grain size ≦750 nm;   (ii) a modulus of resilience ≧0.25 MPa; and   (iii) an elastic limit ≧0.75%.   
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 20  wherein said fine-grained layer extends over at least part of an inner surface, an outer surface or both an inner and outer surface of a substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 20  containing one or more fine-grained layers. 
     
     
         23 . The article according to  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  wherein at least one said layer is a pure metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Sn, Fe, Pt and Zn; an alloy of two or more of these metals, or an alloy of at least one of these metals and a component selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, C, P, S and Si. 
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein the substrate comprises a polymer substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein the substrate comprises a graphite composite material. 
     
     
         26 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein said substrate comprises a polymer and contains additives selected from the group consisting of graphite fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers and fiberglass. 
     
     
         27 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein the total weight of said layer or layers amounts to 5 to 95% of the weight of the article. 
     
     
         28 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  containing a conductive material between the substrate and the layer. 
     
     
         29 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein the substrate comprises a metal. 
     
     
         30 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  wherein the substrate comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti and Fe. 
     
     
         31 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is selected from the group consisting of a fishing, hockey, tennis, golf, bicycle and automotive component. 
     
     
         32 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is a fishing component. 
     
     
         33 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a fishing component and said substrate comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         34 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is a bicycle component. 
     
     
         35 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a bicycle component and said substrate comprises carbon and/or graphite. 
     
     
         36 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is a golf component. 
     
     
         37 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21 , or  22  which is a golf club head or golf club head face plate. 
     
     
         38 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  wherein said article is a golf component and at least one said fine-grained layer comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu and Fe. 
     
     
         39 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  wherein said article is a golf component and at least one said fine-grained layer comprises Ni. 
     
     
         40 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a golf component, said substrate comprises a metal or a polymeric material and at least one said fine-grained layer comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu and Fe. 
     
     
         41 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a baseball bat, said substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Fe and at least one said fine-grained layer comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu and Fe. 
     
     
         42 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is a shaft or tube. 
     
     
         43 . The article of  claim 20 ,  21  or  22  which is a shaft or tube selected from the group consisting of golf club shaft, hockey shaft, ski pole shaft and hiking pole shaft. 
     
     
         44 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a golf club shaft and said substrate comprises Al and/or Ti. 
     
     
         45 . The article of  claim 20  or  21  which is a golf club shaft, said substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Fe and at least one said fine-grained layer comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu and Fe.