Alloys having low coefficient of thermal expansion and methods of making same
The present disclosure provides alloys having an ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 60° F. to 80° F. The alloys have coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60° F. to 80° F. Methods of making such alloys also are provided, as well articles of manufacture including such alloys and methods of making such articles.
1 . A material comprising iron and nickel and having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
2 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.25×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
3 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
4 . The material of any of claims 1 through 3 , wherein the material is a temper rolled material.
5 . The material of any of claims 1 through 3 , wherein the material is a temper rolled and stretched material.
6 . The material of any of claims 1 through 5 , wherein the material comprises 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent iron.
7 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material consists essentially of iron, nickel and incidental impurities.
8 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material further comprises iron.
9 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises 61.5 to 64.5 weight percent iron.
10 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel and 61.5 to 64.5 weight percent iron.
11 . The material of claim 10 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
12 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises about 36 weight percent nickel.
13 . The material of claim 12 , wherein the material comprises about 64 weight percent iron.
14 . The material of claim 13 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
15 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material further comprises, in weight percentages: 0 to 0.50 cobalt; 0 to 1.00 manganese; 0 to 0.40 silicon; 0 to 0.15 carbon; 0 to 0.25 chromium; 0 to 0.020 phosphorus; 0 to 0.020 sulfur; 0 to 0.30 selenium; 0 to 0.10 aluminum; 0 to 0.10 magnesium; 0 to 0.10 titanium; and 0 to 0.10 zirconium.
16 . The material of claim 15 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
17 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material has a chemistry satisfying at least one of UNS K93603 and UNS K93050.
18 . The material of claim 17 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
19 . A material having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F. and comprising, in weight percentages: 35.5 to 36.5 nickel; iron; 0 to 0.50 cobalt; 0 to 1.00 manganese; 0 to 0.40 silicon; 0 to 0.15 carbon; 0 to 0.25 chromium; 0 to 0.020 phosphorus; 0 to 0.020 sulfur; 0 to 0.30 selenium; 0 to 0.10 aluminum; 0 to 0.10 magnesium; 0 to 0.10 titanium; and 0 to 0.10 zirconium.
20 . The material of claim 19 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.25×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
21 . The material of claim 19 , wherein material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
22 . The material of claim 19 , wherein the material is a temper rolled material.
23 . The material of claim 19 , wherein the material is a temper rolled and stretched material.
24 . The material of claim 19 , wherein the material consists essentially of, in weight percentages: 35.5 to 36.5 nickel; iron; 0 to 0.50 cobalt; 0 to 1.00 manganese; 0 to 0.40 silicon; 0 to 0.15 carbon; 0 to 0.25 chromium; 0 to 0.020 phosphorus; 0 to 0.020 sulfur; 0 to 0.30 selenium; 0 to 0.10 aluminum; 0 to 0.10 magnesium; 0 to 0.10 titanium; and 0 to 0.10 zirconium.
25 . The material of claim 19 , wherein the material has a composition that satisfies at least one of UNS K93603 and UNS K930505.
26 . A method of making a material, the method comprising temper rolling an alloy comprising nickel and iron to a reduction of at least 10%, wherein the resulting material has a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the method comprises temper rolling the alloy to a reduction of at least 20%.
28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the method comprises temper rolling the alloy to a reduction of at least 10% and no greater than 40%.
29 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the resulting material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.25×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
30 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the resulting material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
31 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy consists essentially of iron, nickel and incidental impurities.
32 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy comprises 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel.
33 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy consists essentially of 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel, iron, and incidental impurities.
34 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy comprises about 36 weight percent nickel.
35 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy comprises, in weight percentages: 35.5 to 36.5 nickel; iron; 0 to 0.50 cobalt; 0 to 1.00 manganese; 0 to 0.40 silicon; 0 to 0.15 carbon; 0 to 0.25 chromium; 0 to 0.020 phosphorus; 0 to 0.020 sulfur; 0 to 0.30 selenium; 0 to 0.10 aluminum; 0 to 0.10 magnesium; 0 to 0.10 titanium; and 0 to 0.10 zirconium.
36 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy consists essentially of, in weight percentages: 35.5 to 36.5 nickel; iron; 0 to 0.50 cobalt; 0 to 1.00 manganese; 0 to 0.40 silicon; 0 to 0.15 carbon; 0 to 0.25 chromium; 0 to 0.020 phosphorus; 0 to 0.020 sulfur; 0 to 0.30 selenium; 0 to 0.10 aluminum; 0 to 0.10 magnesium; 0 to 0.10 titanium; and 0 to 0.10 zirconium.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.25×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
38 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the alloy has a composition satisfying at least one of UNS K93603 and UNS K93050.
39 . The method of claim 26 wherein the method further comprises, prior to temper rolling the alloy:
cold rolling the alloy; and
annealing the alloy.
40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein annealing the alloy comprises heating the alloy at a temperature in the range of 1500° F. to 1600° F.
41 . The method of claim 39 , wherein annealing the alloy comprises heating the alloy at 1500° F.±25° F.
42 . The method of claim 39 , wherein annealing the alloy comprises heating the alloy at about 1500° F.
43 . An article of manufacture including a material comprising 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel and having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.
44 . The article of manufacture of claim 43 , wherein the material further comprises iron.
45 . The article of manufacture of claim 43 , wherein the material consists essentially of iron, nickel and incidental impurities.
46 . The article of manufacture of claim 43 , wherein the material is a temper rolled material.
47 . The article of manufacture of claim 43 , wherein the material is a temper rolled and stretched material.
48 . The article of manufacture of claim 43 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of a telescope, a camera, an optical device, a laser, a pipe, a cryogenic pipe, a telecommunications device, a mobile phone network filter, a cathode ray tube shadow mask part, a cathode ray tube frame part, a cathode ray tube gun part, a wave guide tube, a tank membrane, a tanker, a liquefied natural gas tanker, a mold plate for aircraft structural composite material fabrication, a bimetallic strip, and a thermostat.
49 . A method for making an article of manufacture, the method comprising:
providing a temper rolled material comprising 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel and having a coefficient of thermal expansion no greater than 0.35×10 −6 ° F. −1 ; and
processing the material to form at least a part of the article of manufacture.
50 . A temper rolled alloy consisting essentially of 35.5 to 36.5 weight percent nickel, iron and incidental impurities, wherein the alloy has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.20×10 6 ° F. −1 in the range of 60 to 80° F.