US4132828A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Assembly of metal-coated carbon fibers, process for production thereof, and method for use thereof
Assignee: Teijin Ltd
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Filing: 1977-06-24
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Granted: 1979-01-02
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Expires: 1997-06-24
Abstract
Abstract An assembly, useful in producing a carbon fiber-reinforced metal, of a plurality of carbon fibers each coated with a matrix metal layer, the fibers having bonded points at the metal layers to form a two-dimensional network structure or both a two-dimensional network structure and a three-dimensional network structure, produced advantageously by an ion plating process or a vacuum deposition process.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo Nakamura
- 👤 Yoshito Fukube
- 👤 Takashi Osaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:52
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B41/00; C04B41/009; C04B14/00; C04B14/38; C04B14/386; C04B30/00; C04B30/02; C04B41/45; C04B41/4584; C04B41/52; C04B41/80; C04B41/81; C04B41/89; C22; C22C; C22C49/00; C22C49/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/922; Y10S428/9335; Y10S428/938; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12444; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2916; Y10T428/2918; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/2938; Y10T428/294; Y10T428/2942; Y10T428/2944; Y10T428/2958; Y10T428/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
An assembly of a plurality of carbon fibers each coated with a matrix metal layer, the coated fibers having bonding points at the metal layers to form a two-dimensional network structure or both a two-dimensional network structure and a three-dimensional network structure, said bonding points being present to such an extent that individual carbon fibers do not substantially change in orientation with each other upon handling and said assembly can be handled without deviations among the individual fibers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
An assembly of a plurality of carbon fibers each coated with a matrix metal layer, the coated fibers having bonding points at the metal layers to form a two-dimensional network structure or both a two-dimensional network structure and a three-dimensional network structure, said bonding points being present to such an extent that individual carbon fibers do not substantially change in orientation with each other upon handling and said assembly can be handled without deviations among the individual fibers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the matrix metal is aluminum, titanium, magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, nickel, iron, cobalt, copper, silver or gold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein said matrix metal-coated carbon fibers include an interlayer of titanium or silicon or a carbide or nitride thereof interposed between the matrix metal layer and the carbon fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the matrix metal is aluminum, and the interlayer is Ti, TiC, TiN, SiC or Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the matrix metal is nickel, iron or cobalt, and the interlayer is TiC, TiN, SiC or Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the matrix metal is titanium, and the interlayer is SiC or Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the matrix metal is magnesium, zinc, lead, tin, copper, silver or gold, and the interlayer is Ti, Si, TiC, TiN, SiC or Si 3 N 4 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the carbon fibers have a diameter of about 5 to about 10 microns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the carbon fibers are present in an amount of about 5 to about 70% by volume.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the interlayer has a thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.5 micron.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the carbon fibers are aligned in one direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the carbon fibers form a random web.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process for producing an assembly of metal-coated carbon fibers having a two-dimensional network structure or both a two-dimensional network structure and a three-dimensional network structure, which comprises coating carbon fibers with a matrix metal layer by ion plating or vacuum deposition, and point bonding the metal-coated carbon fibers by the metal, said bonding points being present to such an extent that individual carbon fibers do not substantially change in orientation with each other upon handling and said assembly can be handled without deviations among the individual fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process for producing an assembly of metal-coated carbon fibers having a two-dimensional network structure or both a two-dimensional network structure and a three-dimensional network structure, which comprises coating carbon fibers with a matrix metal layer by ion plating or vacuum deposition, and point bonding the metal-coated carbon fibers by the metal, said bonding points being present to such an extent that individual carbon fibers do not substantially change in orientation with each other upon handling and said assembly can be handled without deviations among the individual fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the starting carbon fibers are aligned in one direction to form a fiber bundle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process of claim 14, wherein the width, W, of the fiber bundle is adjusted to about nD/P to about 3nD/P wherein D is the diameter of each carbon fiber, n is the number of carbon fibers, and P is the average number of fibers in the thickness direction and is a positive number of 1 to 10.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the starting carbon fibers are in the form of a random web.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 16, wherein the fibers forming the random web have a length of about 1 to about 15 cm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 16, wherein the average number of fibers in the thickness direction of the random web is about 1 to about 10.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the metal deposition rate in the ion plating or vacuum deposition is about 0.5 to about 10μ per minute.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the ion plating is carried out in an atmosphere of an inert gas at a partial pressure of about 0.5 × 10 -2 to 5 × 10 -2 torr in a vacuum at about 1 × 10 -4 torr or a higher vacuum.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the vacuum deposition is carried out in a vacuum of about 1 × 10 -4 torr or a higher vacuum.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 20, wherein the carbon fibers are disposed on a cathode or used as a cathode, and the ion plating is carried out by applying a voltage of about -0.1 to about -3.0 KV between the cathode and the metal ion plating source.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 13, wherein, prior to the ion plating or vacuum deposition, said process includes plasma-etching the carbon fibers.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 13, including preheating the carbon fibers prior to the ion plating or vacuum deposition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 13, wherein prior to coating the carbon fibers with the matrix metal, the process includes forming an interlayer of titanium or silicon, or a carbide or nitride thereof on the surfaces of the carbon fibers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 25, including preheating the carbon fibers to about 600 to about 1500° C., and depositing titanium or silicon by ion plating to form an interlayer of a carbide of titanium or silicon.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 25, including depositing titanium or silicon by ion plating in an atmosphere of nitrogen, with or without preheating the carbon fibers to a temperature of up to about 500° C., thereby to form an interlayer of a nitride of titanium or silicon.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process which comprises stacking a plurality of assemblies of claim 1, and then shaping the stack under heat and pressure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 28, wherein the coating of the carbon fibers with the matrix metal is by ion plating or vacuum deposition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
73 words
The process of claim 29, wherein the matrix metal is a metal which does not react with the carbon fibers, and the process includes shaping the stack under a vacuum of about 10 -2 torr or a higher vacuum at a temperature from the melting point of the matrix metal to a temperature about 100° C. lower than the melting point under a pressure of about 10 to about 100 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
91 words
The process of claim 29, wherein the matrix metal-coated carbon fibers have an interlayer of titanium or silicon or a carbide or nitride thereof between the matrix metal layer and the carbon fiber, and the process includes shaping the stack under a vacuum of about 10 -2 torr or a higher vacuum at a temperature of from the melting point of the matrix metal to a temperature about 100° C. lower than the melting point of the matrix metal under a pressure of about 10 to about 100 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
85 words
The process of claim 29, wherein the matrix metal is a metal which reacts with or dissolves the carbon fibers, and the process includes shaping the stack in a vacuum of about 10 -2 torr or a higher vacuum at a temperature of from a temperature about 100° C. below the melting point of the matrix metal to a temperature which is one-half of the melting point expressed in terms of absolute temperatures under a pressure of about 100 to about 1000 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
94 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the starting carbon fibers are aligned in one direction to form a fiber bundle, wherein the width, W, of the fiber bundle is adjusted to about nD/P to about 3nD/P wherein D is the diameter of each carbon fiber, n is the number of carbon fibers, and P is the average number of fibers in the thickness direction and is a positive number of 1 to 10, and wherein the metal deposition rate in the ion plating or vacuum deposition is about 0.5 to about 10μ per minute.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the starting carbon fibers are in the form of a random web, said fibers having a length of about 1 to about 15 cm, and wherein the metal deposition rate in the ion plating or vacuum deposition is about 0.5 to about 10μ per minute.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein said interlayer is a nitride of titanium or silicon.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 13, wherein said interlayer is a nitride of titanium or silicon.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 13, wherein said coating is by ion plating.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
63 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein said assembly is adapted for further processing to form carbon-fiber reinforced metals, said carbon fibers in said assembly, while being coated with said matrix metal, are discrete from each other and merely contact each other by point bonding at said bonding points, being separated from each other by areas free from said matrix metal at non-bonded areas.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
63 words
The process of claim 13, wherein said assembly is adapted for further processing to form carbon-fiber reinforced metals, said carbon fibers in said assembly, while being coated with said matrix metal, are discrete from each other and merely contact each other by point bonding at said bonding points, being separated from each other by areas free from said matrix metal at non-bonded areas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-01-01 | 1982-07-03 | 1983-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-01-01 | 1986-07-03 | 1987-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-01-01 | 1990-07-03 | 1991-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |