IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,559,824
Granted Patent B2
US 12,559,824 · App. 18/301,936 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Stable undercooled metallic particles for filling a void

Inventors: Martin Thuo (Ames, IA); Ian Tevis (Ames, IA)
Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
C22C28/00B22D27/08B22D27/11B22F1/102B22F1/16B22F7/064B23K35/0244B23K35/262B23K35/264B23K35/3006B23K35/3013B23K35/3618C22C5/00C22C5/02C22C5/06C22C9/00C22C11/00C22C11/02C22C11/04C22C11/06C22C11/08C22C11/10C22C12/00C22C13/00C22C13/02C22C14/00C22C16/00C22C27/00C22C27/02C22C27/025C22C27/04C22C27/06C22C29/00C22C29/005C22C29/02C22C29/12C22C30/00C22C30/04C22C32/00C22C32/0005C22C32/001C22C32/0021C22C32/0026C22C32/0031C22C32/0042C22C32/0047C22C32/0052C22C32/0068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,559,824
App. No.
18/301,936
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Undercooled liquid metallic core-shell particles, whose core is stable against solidification at ambient conditions, i.e. under near ambient temperature and pressure conditions, are used to join or repair metallic non-particulate components. The undercooled-shell particles in the form of nano-size or micro-size particles comprise an undercooled stable liquid metallic core encapsulated inside an outer shell, which can comprise an oxide or other stabilizer shell typically formed in-situ on the undercooled liquid metallic core. The shell is ruptured to release the liquid phase core material to join or repair a component(s).

Claims (17)

1 . A metallic matrix comprising:

a product of solidification of a liquid metal or alloy having a melting point in the range of 62° C. to 250° C.; and

shell fragments comprising an oxide of the metal or alloy, wherein the shell fragments are fragments of an outer shell of one or more liquid metallic core-shell particles each comprising an undercooled liquid metallic core comprising the metal or alloy, and the outer shell on the undercooled liquid metallic core.

2 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein a largest dimension of the shell fragments is 4 nm to 900 microns.

3 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the shell fragments comprise an organic adlayer.

4 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein metallic matrix further comprises a product of an organic adlayer on the outer shell.

5 . The metallic matrix of claim 4 , wherein the organic adlayer comprises acetate.

6 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy comprises a solder alloy.

7 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the alloy is selected from the group consisting of a Bi-based alloy, a Sn-based alloy, an Ag-based or Ag-containing alloy, and an Au-containing alloy.

8 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy comprises at least one of gold and silver.

9 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy comprises a Bi-based solder.

10 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy comprises a Sn-based solder.

11 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy comprises Field's metal, wherein the Field's metal is about 32.5 wt % Bi, about 51.0 wt % In, and about 16.5 wt % Sn.

12 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metallic matrix is a joint.

13 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metallic matrix is a repair.

14 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metallic matrix is a solder or filler.

15 . The metallic matrix of claim 1 , wherein the metal or alloy has a melting point in the range of 62° C. to 139° C.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2025
From: THUO, MARTIN; TEVIS, IAN
To: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 072526/0785 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17589299 · Jan 31, 2022
Division 17545889 · Dec 8, 2021
Continuation 16299682 · Mar 12, 2019
Division 14999868 · Jul 12, 2016
Provisional Application 62231722 · Jul 14, 2015
Related Publication 20230383388A1 · Nov 30, 2023
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