US 11,980,932 B2
Method of producing metal strands and apparatus for producing metal strands
Joachim P. Spatz, Stuttgart (DE)
Assigned to Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Zur Förderung Der Wissenschaften E.V., Munich (DE)
Appl. No. 17/609,997
Filed by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Förderung Der Wissenschaften E.V., Munich (DE)
PCT Filed May 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/063026
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 9, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/229400, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19173835 (EP), filed on May 10, 2019; and application No. 19175749 (EP), filed on May 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212252 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B22D 13/10 (2006.01); B22D 39/00 (2006.01); B22F 1/062 (2022.01); B22F 3/00 (2021.01); B22F 9/08 (2006.01); B22F 9/10 (2006.01); D01D 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC B22D 13/101 (2013.01) [B22D 13/105 (2013.01); B22D 39/00 (2013.01); B22F 1/062 (2022.01); B22F 3/002 (2013.01); B22F 9/10 (2013.01); B22F 2009/088 (2013.01); B22F 2998/10 (2013.01); D01D 5/08 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing at least one of elongate metal strands and fibres with a crucible, the method comprising the steps of:
directing molten metal through a nozzle opening of a nozzle having a nozzle direction in a deposition direction at a regulated pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the crucible, wherein the pressure difference is selected in the range from 50 mbar to 1 bar and wherein the pressure outside of the crucible is kept below atmospheric pressure;
depositing said molten metal from said nozzle on a rotating planar surface having an axis of rotation, wherein a spacing between the nozzle opening and the rotating planar surface is selected in a range of 10 μm to 20 mm, wherein the nozzle and the rotating planar surface are mounted within a chamber having an atmosphere at a pressure corresponding to a lower pressure than ambient pressure;
entraining said molten metal in one plane about said axis of rotation via said rotating planar surface to form the at least one of elongate metal strands and fibres, wherein said rotating planar surface is aligned at an alignment angle with regard to the deposition direction during the entraining of the molten metal;
cooling said elongate metal strands to form solidified metal strands; and
guiding said metal strands to collecting means to collect the solidified metal strands formed on the rotating planar surface.