Molding and separating of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and composite containing amorphous alloy

Abstract

A method to form and to separate bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy where the forming and separating takes place at a temperature around the glass transition temperature or within the super cooled liquid region are provided.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 processing a metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the processing is performed in a manner such that a time-temperature profile during the processing does not traverse through a region bounding a crystalline region in a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the metal alloy, and   cutting a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by a cutting tool that is heated to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy without previously cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part to a temperature near room temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part comprises heating an amorphous alloy from below Tg to a superplastic forming region between Tg and a melting point of the metal alloy (Tm), and inserting the amorphous alloy into a mold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool comprises shearing a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool, a temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part is below Tg or above Tg, except that a localized temperature in a cutting zone surrounding the cutting tool is above Tg. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part comprises heating the metal alloy to Tm or above, inserting the metal alloy into a mold, and cooling the metal alloy to a temperature below Tg to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool comprises shearing a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein during the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool, a temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part is below Tg or above Tg, except that a localized temperature in a cutting zone surrounding the cutting tool is above Tg. 
     
     
         8 . A method to form and to separate a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, wherein the forming and separating takes place at a temperature around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu, Fe) b (Be, Al, Si, B) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 30 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 60, and “c” is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu) b (Be) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 40 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 50, and “c” is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy can sustain strains up to 1.5% or more without any permanent deformation or breakage. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising:
 providing a feedstock of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy;
 heating the feedstock, a mold, and a cutting tool to around a glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy; 
   shaping the heated feedstock into the mold and separating any excess material by the cutting tool to form the desired shape; and
 cooling the formed part to temperatures far below the glass transition temperature. 
   
     
     
         13 . A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising:
 providing the metal alloy;   heating the metal alloy to a casting temperature at or above a melting temperature of the metal alloy to form a molten alloy;   introducing the molten alloy into a mold; and quenching the molten alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of the metal alloy to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy;   heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy and a cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy;   separating any excess material from the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy to form a part having a desired shape; and   cooling the part to temperature below the glass transition temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the separating comprises forming microfeatures on a surface of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the microfeatures comprise a hologram. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a mold configured to process a metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the mold is configured to be heated or cooled in a manner such that a time-temperature profile during the metal alloy in the mold does not traverse through a region bounding a crystalline region in a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the metal alloy, and   a cutting tool configured to cut a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the cutting tool is capable of being heated to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy and cut the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part without previously cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part to a temperature near room temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the cutting tool comprises a microfeature on a surface of the cutting tool such that the microfeature can be formed on a surface of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part after cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising:
 providing the metal alloy;   heating the metal alloy to a casting temperature at or above a melting temperature of the metal alloy to form a molten alloy;   introducing the molten alloy into a mold; and quenching the molten alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of the metal alloy to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy;   heating only the cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy is at temperature below Tg;   separating any excess material from the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy to form a part having a desired shape; and   cooling the part to temperature below the glass transition temperature.