US 12,390,853 B2
Leachable ceramic materials for use in casting
Eric Larson, Hayward, CA (US); Douglas McCracken, Hayward, CA (US); Norman Poeppel, Hayward, CA (US); and Jennifer Kachala, Hayward, CA (US)
Assigned to Morgan Advanced Ceramics, Inc., Hayward, CA (US)
Appl. No. 16/636,546
Filed by Morgan Advanced Ceramics, Inc., Hayward, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 27, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/070503
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 4, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/030025, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/542,411, filed on Aug. 8, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0406340 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. B22C 21/14 (2006.01); B22C 1/00 (2006.01); C04B 35/117 (2006.01); C04B 38/00 (2006.01)
CPC B22C 21/14 (2013.01) [B22C 1/00 (2013.01); C04B 35/117 (2013.01); C04B 38/0054 (2013.01); C04B 38/0074 (2013.01); C04B 2235/3418 (2013.01); C04B 2235/5436 (2013.01); C04B 2235/786 (2013.01); C04B 2235/96 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Supports for supporting mold parts and/or cores in investment casting, comprising a leachable support material comprising:
a mechanically supportive continuous matrix phase comprising alumina;
at least one second phase interpenetrating the mechanically supportive continuous matrix phase and providing a pathway for leachants to penetrate into the material,
wherein the supports are dimensioned to support the mold parts and/or cores in investing casting, and wherein the leachable support material comprises:
in the range of 1 wt. % and 12 wt. % of the second phase, and the second phase interpenetrates the matrix and provides a pathway for leachants to penetrate into the material; and
less than 15 vol. % voids;
wherein a first material used to form the mechanically supportive continuous phase in the supports has a first particle size distribution including a first d50 and a second material used that form the second phase in the supports has a second particle size distribution and a second d50 such that the second phase is uniformly distributed throughout the matrix phase, providing leachability and strength of the supports; and
wherein the first d50 is greater than the second d50.