IP Library Granted Patent US 11,619,266
Granted Patent B2
US 11,619,266 · App. 16/282,727 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Self lubricating titanium aluminide composite material

Inventors: Frank C. Adams (Irvine, CA); Mark Heuberger (Derby, CT); Charles E. Smith (Fountain Valley, CA); Patrick S. Boyan (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA); Ernest K. Robinson (Rowland Heights, CA)
Assignee: Roller Bearing Company of America, Inc.
F16C33/6696C22C14/00C22C30/00C22C32/0036C22C32/0068C22C32/0078F16C19/04F16C23/045F16C33/1095B22F3/1028C22C1/05
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,619,266
App. No.
16/282,727
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A composite material having an alloy matrix including titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon is disclosed. The composite material includes, by atomic percentage, 40.0% to 50.0% Al, 1.0% to 8.0% Nb, 0.5% to 2.0% Mn, 0.1% to 2.0% B, and 0.01% to 0.2% C. The composite material is doped with a solid lubricant such as MoS 2 , ZnO, CuO, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), WS 2 , AgTaO 3 , CuTaO 3 , CuTa 2 O 6 , or combinations thereof. Components composed of the composite material exhibit increased ductility at room temperature and reduced fracture tendency, resulting in improved durability.

Claims (57)

1. A composite material comprising:

a titanium aluminide alloy matrix including titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon; and

a solid lubricant,

wherein the alloy matrix has a two-phase, fully lamellar microstructure, with the solid lubricant being dispersed therein;

wherein the composite material comprises, by atomic percentage, 40.0% to 50.0% Al, 1.0% to 8.0% Nb, 0.5% to 2.0% Mn, 0.1% to 2.0% B, and 0.01% to 0.2% C;

wherein the solid lubricant is present in the alloy matrix at an atomic percentage of 1% to 30% of the composite material.

2. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN).

3. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant is substantially homogenously distributed as discrete, inert particles.

4. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the lamella have a maximum thickness of 1 μm.

5. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon are uniformly distributed throughout the alloy matrix.

6. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material has a room temperature percent elongation of a minimum of 0.5%.

7. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material has a coefficient of friction less than 0.065 from room temperature up to 800° C.

8. The composite material according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material has a wear rate less than 4.5×10 −4 mm 3 ·N −1 ·m −1 , from room temperature up to 800° C.

9. A bearing comprising:

an outer member; and

an inner member in sliding engagement with the outer member;

wherein at least one of the inner member and the outer member consists of the fully lamellar composite material according to claim 1 .

10. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of MoS 2 .

11. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of ZnO.

12. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuO.

13. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of WS 2 .

14. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of AgTaO 3 .

15. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuTaO 3 .

16. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuTa 2 O 6 .

17. A composite material comprising:

a titanium aluminide alloy matrix including titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon; and

a solid lubricant,

wherein the alloy matrix has a two-phase, near-fully lamellar microstructure, with the solid lubricant being dispersed therein;

wherein the composite material comprises, by atomic percentage, 40.0% to 50.0% Al, 1.0% to 8.0% Nb, 0.5% to 2.0% Mn, 0.1% to 2.0% B, and 0.01% to 0.2% C;

wherein the solid lubricant is present in the alloy matrix at an atomic percent of 1% to 30% of the composite material.

18. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN).

19. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant is substantially homogenously distributed as discrete, inert particles.

20. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the lamella have a maximum thickness of 1 μm.

21. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon are uniformly distributed throughout the alloy matrix.

22. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the composite material has a room temperature percent elongation of a minimum of 0.5%.

23. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the composite material has a coefficient of friction less than 0.065 from room temperature up to 800° C.

24. The composite material according to claim 17 , wherein the composite material has a wear rate less than 4.5×10 −4 mm 3 ·N −1 ·m −1 , from room temperature up to 800° C.

25. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of MoS 2 .

26. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of ZnO.

27. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuO.

28. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of WS 2 .

29. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of AgTaO 3 .

30. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuTaO 3 .

31. The composite material of claim 17 , wherein the solid lubricant consists of CuTa 2 O 6 .

32. A bearing comprising:

an outer member; and

an inner member in sliding engagement with the outer member;

wherein at least one of the inner member and the outer member consists of the near-fully lamellar composite material according to claim 17 .

33. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein impurities are trapped within α 2 layers of the microstructure.

34. The composite material of claim 33 , wherein the impurities are associated with a powder metallurgical process used to make the composite material.

35. The composite material of claim 33 , wherein the impurities comprise either one or both of carbon and oxygen.

36. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein grain boundaries of the composite material are refined by precipitation of TiB 2 at the grain boundaries.

37. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein

the alloy matrix is composed of α 2 layers and γ layers,

the α 2 layers are composed substantially of Ti 3 Al,

the γ layers are composed substantially of TiAl, and

the α 2 layers and the γ layers have a maximum thickness of 0.1 μm to 1 μm.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2021
From: ROLLER BEARING COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058099/0259 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2019
From: ADAMS, FRANK C.; HEUBERGER, MARK; SMITH, CHARLES E.; BOYAN, PATRICK S.; ROBINSON, ERNEST K.
To: ROLLER BEARING COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 049614/0633 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62635211 · Feb 26, 2018
Related Publication 20190264746A1 · Aug 29, 2019