APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COVETIC MATERIALS FROM METAL-CONTAINING PRECURSORS

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/525,631, filed Nov. 30, 2023, and entitled “USING PELLETIZED METAL-DECORATED MATERIALS IN AN INDUCTION MELTING FURNACE,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/957,989, filed Sep. 30, 2022, since granted as U.S. Pat. No. 11,873,563, and entitled “CARBON DISPOSED IN INCONEL ALLOY METAL LATTICES AND METAL LATTICES WITH HIGH CARBON LOADING”, which is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/241,852, since granted as U.S. Pat. No. 11,739,409, entitled “APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING COVETIC MATERIALS USING MICROWAVE REACTORS” and filed on Apr. 27, 2021, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/752,693 entitled “COVETIC MATERIALS” filed on Jan. 27, 2020, and since abandoned, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/460,177 entitled “PLASMA SPRAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS” and filed on Jul. 2, 2019, since abandoned, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/720,677 entitled “PLASMA SPRAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS” and filed on Aug. 21, 2018, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/714,030 entitled “PLASMA SPRAY DEPOSITION” and filed on Aug. 2, 2018. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/752,693 claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/868,493 filed on Jun. 28, 2019, to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/839,995 filed on Apr. 29, 2019, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/797,306 filed on Jan. 27, 2019. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/957,989 claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/252,304 filed on Oct. 5, 2021. The disclosures of all prior applications are considered part of and are incorporated by reference in this patent application.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002]This disclosure generally relates to making and using carbon-containing alloys in an induction melting furnace.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Specialized alloys are smelted in vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnaces. The crucible of such a VIM furnace is used to melt and mix various admixture components (e.g., metals and non-metals). Once the various components of the melt are mixed, the melt can be disposed (e.g., poured) into a mold and cooled. Some admixtures include constituents that are in powder form. Unfortunately, the emotive forces from the induction coils of the VIM furnace act on the powders so as to eject the powder from the VIM furnace. This inhibits mixing of the powders with the other constituents. What is needed are improved methods for using powdered constituents in vacuum induction melting furnaces.

[0004]As used herein, the term “covetic materials” refers to metals infused with nanoscale-sized carbon particles. Covetic materials are desired in various applications since covetic materials possess many physical, chemical, and electrical properties that exceed the capabilities of traditional non-carbon infused materials.

SUMMARY

[0005]This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, the systems, methods, and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.

[0006]Various implementations of the subject matter disclosed herein relate generally to apparatuses, methods, and various compositions of carbon-metal composite materials. The apparatuses are shown and discussed as may be relevant to controlled usage of a plasma spray torch apparatus to produce various carbon-metal bonded compositions of matter, referred to generally and in the present disclosure as “covetic materials”. In some cases, the materials are metal-decorated carbons. In some cases, the materials are carbon-decorated metals. In other aspects, carbon may be combined with materials other than metals, such as ceramics, plastics, composites, silicon, etc. as described in greater detail hereinbelow.

[0007]One configuration of a plasma spray torch is embodied as apparatus having a reaction chamber configured to receive a hydrocarbon process gas that is mixed with a plurality of molten metal nanoscale-sized particles, a microwave energy source operatively coupled to the reaction chamber to provide power thereto, and a controller to adjust the microwave energy source to create conditions in the reaction chamber such that the hydrocarbon process gas dissociates into its constituent carbon atoms, and single layer graphene (SLG) or few layer graphene (FLG) is grown from the carbon atoms onto the molten metal nanoscale-sized particles to form a plurality of carbon-metal nanoscale-sized particles. In some configurations, the conditions in the reaction chamber cause: (i) a first temperature at which the carbon atoms dissolve into the molten metal nanoscale-sized particles, and (ii) a second temperature at which at least some of the dissolved carbon atoms combine with the molten metal in a crystallographic configuration. Some configurations of the apparatus avail of a cooling zone to cool the plurality of carbon-metal nanoscale-sized particles to a powdered form that can be collected and stored in a containment vessel that is juxtaposed in proximity with the reaction chamber.

[0008]According to various implementations, the presently disclosed inventive concepts may be embodied as compositions of matter having any of the following physical and/or structural characteristics, and associated properties. Moreover, these characteristics and/or properties may, according to different embodiments, be included in different combinations or permutations, without limitation.

[0009]In one aspect, a composition of matter includes one or more particles, and each particle independently comprises a metal lattice having one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene disposed therein. Preferably, at least some carbon atoms of the one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are disposed in interstitial sites within the metal lattice. More preferably, the one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are interlaced interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. The graphene may be present as a single layer (e.g., “single layer graphene” or “SLG”), or as multiple layers (e.g., two layers, three layers, five layers, ten layers, or any number of layers up to fifteen, also referred to herein as “few layer graphene” or “FLG”). At least some carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more particles may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice of each particle may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds. The one or more layers of graphene are each preferably substantially devoid of defects, such that the graphene is “pristine”. Preferably, each particle is also characterized by a substantial, or more preferably complete, lack of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s) at grain boundaries and/or at surface(s) of the metal lattice. Owing to the inventive processing techniques described herein, total carbon loading of the particle(s) may range from about 1.5 wt % to about 90 wt %, with various intermediate loadings also being demonstrated (e.g., about 1.5 wt %, about 6 wt %, about 10 wt %, about 15 wt %, about 20 wt %, about 25 wt %, about 33 wt %, about 40 wt %, about 50 wt %, about 60 wt %, about 75 wt %, or up to 90 wt %, in various implementations). Moreover, the particles may be characterized by a diameter in a range from about 20 nm to about 3.5 μm, and/or by having a largest discernable feature size is in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. In some implementations, the particles may be pressed into a pellet.

[0010]According to another aspect, a composition of matter includes an INCONEL® alloy having carbon disposed in a metal lattice thereof. Preferably, at least some of the carbon is disposed at interstitial sites of the metal lattice, and more preferably, the carbon is substantially homogenously distributed throughout the metal lattice. Moreover, grain boundaries of the composition of matter, and/or surfaces of the metal lattice, are substantially devoid of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s), in some implementations. Accordingly, a largest discernable feature size of the composition of matter may be in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. At least some carbon atoms are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more composition of matter may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds.

[0011]Pursuant to yet another aspect, a composition of matter includes a metal lattice having at least about 1.5 wt % carbon disposed therein. Preferably, at least some of the carbon is disposed at interstitial sites of the metal lattice, and more preferably, the carbon is substantially homogenously distributed throughout the metal lattice. Moreover, grain boundaries of the composition of matter, and/or surfaces of the metal lattice, are substantially devoid of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s), in some implementations. Accordingly, a largest discernable feature size of the composition of matter may be in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. At least some carbon atoms are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more composition of matter may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds.

[0012]In various implementations of the foregoing aspects, the metal lattice may include one or more metals selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, niobium, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, the metal lattice may be characterized by a crystalline structure such as face centered cubic (FCC), body-centered cubic (BCC), or hexagonal close packed (HCC). Furthermore, the metal lattice may comprise anywhere from about 15 wt % to about 90 wt % carbon (e.g., about 20 wt %, about 25 wt %, about 33 wt %, about 40 wt %, about 50 wt %, about 60 wt %, about 75 wt %, or up to 90 wt %, in various implementations). The carbon is preferably present at interstitial sites of the metal lattice. The metal(s) may be present in the form of alloy(s), in some approaches. For instance, in particularly preferred approaches, the metals are present in the form of one or more INCONEL® alloys, such as INCONEL® 600, INCONEL® 617, INCONEL® 625, INCONEL® 690, INCONEL® 718 and/or INCONEL® X-750. Even more preferably, the INCONEL® alloy(s) are superalloy(s).

[0013]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus for producing covetic materials including: an energy source configured to generate RF energy (including pulsed, continuous, etc.); a first reactor disposed in communication with the RF energy source, the first reactor including: a first region configured to receive a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid via a first inlet port and the RF energy to dissociate the hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid into carbon species; a second inlet port configured to receive a metal-containing fluid; a second region disposed downstream of the first region and in fluid communication with the second inlet port, the second region configured to produce a mixture of metal species and carbon species; and an output port configured to form covetic materials by cooling the mixture.

[0014]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the energy source is configured to generate RF energy with a frequency between 100 kHz and 300 GHz.

[0015]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid includes methane.

[0016]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the metal-containing fluid includes metal carbonyls, metal halides, pure metal vapors, metal oxides, metal hydrides/nitrides, metal clusters/plasmas, or organometallic compounds.

[0017]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein: the first region is configured to maintain a first temperature for hydrocarbon dissociation; and the second region is configured to maintain a second temperature lower than the first temperature for mixture formation.

[0018]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, further including a control system configured to regulate flow rates of the hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid and the metal-containing fluid to achieve a desired ratio of carbon species to metal species in the mixture.

[0019]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the control system includes mass flow controllers and pressure regulators.

[0020]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the output port includes a rapid cooling mechanism configured to quench the mixture and form nanostructured covetic materials.

[0021]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the rapid cooling mechanism includes a heat exchanger or a controlled atmosphere environment.

[0022]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein: the first reactor is constructed from materials selected from quartz, ceramic, and refractory metals; and the first reactor is configured to withstand high temperatures and RF energy exposure.

[0023]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the carbon species include carbon radicals, polycyclic aromatics, or graphene sheets.

[0024]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the metal species include molten metal droplets or semi-molten metal particles.

[0025]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein: the energy source is configured to operate in pulsed mode; and the pulsed mode enables independent control of plasma density and temperature.

[0026]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the pulsed mode includes variable duty cycles and frequency modulation.

[0027]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, further including a second reactor fluidly connected to the second inlet port, the second reactor configured to dissociate a metal feedstock using thermal or RF energy to produce the metal-containing fluid.

[0028]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the second reactor includes a plasma torch configured to dissociate the metal feedstock using thermal energy.

[0029]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein: the second region includes mixing enhancement features; and the mixing enhancement features include static mixers, turbulence generators, or residence time optimization elements.

[0030]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, further including in-situ monitoring sensors configured to provide real-time monitoring of temperature, pressure, and composition throughout the first reactor.

[0031]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the in-situ monitoring sensors include spectroscopic sensors, temperature probes, or flow measurement devices.

[0032]In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein: the covetic materials include a metal lattice having carbon disposed therein at interstitial sites; and the carbon is present in an amount ranging from about 1.5 wt % to about 90 wt %; and the carbon forms non-polar covalent bonds with metal atoms of the metal lattice.

[0033]Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034]Implementations of the subject matter disclosed herein are illustrated by way of example and are not intended to be limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings. Like numbers reference like elements throughout the drawings and specification. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.

[0035]FIG. 1A is a comparison chart showing two different covetic material formation techniques and example materials that result from application of each, respectively, according to some implementations.

[0036]FIG. 1B presents a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image and a high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy x-ray image of materials (e.g., covetic materials) produced according to the inventive techniques described herein, according to some implementations.

[0037]FIG. 2 depicts a manufacturing process for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0038]FIG. 3 depicts a plasma energy state chart showing how a pulsed microwave energy source is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0039]FIG. 4 depicts an electron temperature control technique that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0040]FIG. 5 illustrates a dual plasma torch apparatus that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0041]FIG. 6 illustrates a pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus that is tuned for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0042]FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting the intersection of common subject matter areas associated with covetics (or related materials), plasma torch spraying, and/or robust synthesized complex carbon coatings, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0043]FIGS. 8A-B are schematics depicting plasma spray processes that are used for spraying carbon particles onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0044]FIG. 9 is a scanning electron microscope image showing the effect of spraying carbon particles onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0045]FIG. 10 shows a chart depicting a graphene growth temperature profile and a binary phase diagram, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0046]FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of a conventional plasma flame apparatus.

[0047]FIG. 12 depicts a pulsed microwave process flow that is used when growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0048]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of conventional a pulsed microwave plasma spray waveguide apparatus that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles.

[0049]FIG. 14 is a schematic depiction of a micro-welding technique that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0050]FIG. 15 is a schematic depiction of a plasma spray apparatus in a coaxial configuration, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0051]FIG. 16 is a schematic depiction of a plasma spray apparatus showing the evolution of materials by processing through a series of non-equilibrium energy conditions, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0052]FIG. 17 depicts a surface wave plasma system for growing graphene onto molten particles, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0053]FIG. 18A1-2, FIG. 18B, FIG. 18C, and FIG. 18D depict various configurations of a plasma spray reactor, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0054]FIG. 19 is a chart that depicts energy versus time during pulse on and pulse off, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0055]FIG. 20A1 are images depicting organo-metallic bonding that occurs when combining carbon and copper using a plasma spray torch, in accordance with some of the disclosed implementations.

[0056]FIG. 20A2 are images depicting a graded composition of matter applied into a substrate material and showing multiple (such as three) material property zones, in accordance with some of the disclosed implementations.

[0057]FIG. 20B is a materials evolution chart depicting several layered configurations that occur when adding carbon to bulk aluminum, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0058]FIG. 21A depicts an apparatus for spraying a molten mixture of materials into a substrate, according to an implementation.

[0059]FIG. 21B depicts a method for spraying materials (e.g., covetic materials) into a substrate, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0060]FIG. 21C is a schematic depicting a plasma spray process that is used for spraying a film, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0061]FIG. 22A depicts an apparatus for wrapping carbon particles with a molten material, e.g., a metal, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0062]FIG. 22B depicts a method for wrapping carbon particles with a molten material, e.g., a metal, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0063]FIG. 23A, FIG. 23B, FIG. 23C, and FIG. 23D, depict example deposition techniques, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0064]FIG. 24A and FIG. 24B depict simplified schematics of materials formed via conventional deposition techniques for placing said materials onto a substrate, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0065]FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B depict simplified schematics of materials formed using inventive deposition techniques that result in non-polar covalent bonding at the surface of a substrate, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0066]FIG. 26A, FIG. 26B, FIG. 26C, FIG. 26D, and FIG. 26E depict schematic diagrams that illustrate how non-polar covalent bonds are formed between sites in the square shapes of a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure of aluminum and sites in the hexagonal shapes that occur in certain crystallographic structures of carbons.

[0067]FIG. 27A depicts an example apparatus for producing a material, e.g., a covetic material, in a powdered form, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0068]FIG. 27B1 and FIG. 27B2 depict an example fluidized bed apparatus for cooling and handling powdered materials, e.g., powdered covetics, in a fluid, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0069]FIG. 27C is a schematic depicting a plasma spray process that is used for production of a powdered material, e.g., powdered covetic material, in accordance with one or more of the disclosed implementations.

[0070]FIG. 28 depicts method for making components from powdered materials, e.g., powdered covetic materials, using injection molding techniques, according to some implementations.

[0071]FIG. 29 depicts various properties of materials described herein, including covetic materials, according to various embodiments.

[0072]FIG. 30A1 and FIG. 30A2 depict problems and solutions associated with melting powder (e.g., metal-decorated carbons) as compared to melting in the same or similar materials in pellet form, according to some embodiments.

[0073]FIG. 31 depicts a method of using a pellet so as to minimize or eliminate ejection of material during introduction of the pellet into a VIM furnace, according to some embodiments.

[0074]FIG. 32 depicts a melt being placed into a mold, according to some embodiments.

[0075]FIG. 33 depicts a simplified schematic of a puck processing technique and apparatus, according to one aspect.

[0076]FIG. 34 shows a simplified schematic of a puck dispersion testing process, according to one approach.

[0077]FIG. 35A shows a simplified schematic cross-sectional view of an electrochemical cell characterized by a pouch cell arrangement, according to one embodiment of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0078]FIG. 35B is a simplified schematic external view of the electrochemical cell shown in FIG. 35A, according to one embodiment of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0079]FIG. 35C depicts a simplified schematic of the pouch cell arrangement shown in FIG. 35B, wrapped into a jelly-roll configuration, according to one approach of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0080]FIG. 36A is a simplified schematic of an electrochemical cell characterized by a coin cell arrangement, according to one implementation of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0081]FIG. 36B depicts various components of the coin cell arrangement shown in FIG. 36A, according to a simplified schematic exploded view.

[0082]FIG. 37A is a simplified schematic of an electrochemical cell characterized by a cylindrical cell arrangement, according to one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0083]FIG. 37B is a simplified schematic cut-out view of exemplary components of the cylindrical cell arrangement shown in FIG. 37A, according to one implementation of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0084]FIG. 38 is a simplified schematic of an electrochemical cell characterized by a cylindrical cell arrangement, according to one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0085]FIG. 39 is a chart showing various forms of carbonaceous material, and methods of producing the same from elemental carbon (e.g., charcoal), which may be included in various components of electrochemical cells such as shown in the foregoing FIGS.

[0086]FIG. 40 illustrates a reactor system for producing covetic materials with dual reactors, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0087]FIG. 41 illustrates a block diagram of a covetic material production system, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0088]FIG. 42 illustrates a block diagram of a covetic material production system with separate processing chambers, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0089]FIG. 43 illustrates a method for producing covetic materials, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0090]The present disclosure relates to the field of advanced materials manufacturing, specifically focusing on the production of covetic materials using radio frequency energy-based reactor systems. Covetic materials, which are metals infused with nanoscale carbon particles, represent a growing area of materials science due to their enhanced physical, chemical, and electrical properties compared to traditional non-carbon infused materials.

[0091]Current methods for producing covetic materials face substantial technical challenges that limit their effectiveness and commercial viability. Conventional metal melt methods often result in inconsistent conversion yields and wide variations in material properties due to difficulties in controlling the kinetics of carbide formation and interdiffusion across solid-liquid interfaces. These approaches struggle with achieving uniform dispersion and distribution of carbon throughout the metal matrix, leading to reactivity issues and variability in the final material characteristics. Additionally, existing processing methods face challenges in independently controlling constituent material temperatures and gas-solid reaction chemistries, which limits the ability to optimize the formation of carbon-metal composite structures.

[0092]The present disclosure addresses these challenges by providing an apparatus that utilizes radio frequency energy, including microwave energy, to independently control the dissociation of hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid and the introduction of metal species in separate reactor regions. This approach enables precise control over the formation of carbon species and metal species, allowing for optimal mixing conditions that result in covetic materials with superior homogeneity and carbon loading compared to conventional methods. The two-region reactor design facilitates separate processing of carbon and metal precursors, followed by controlled mixing and cooling to form the final covetic materials.

[0093]Furthermore, the present disclosure incorporates a sophisticated control system that can regulate flow rates, energy distribution, and temperature profiles throughout the reactor system, enabling the production of covetic materials with tailored properties for specific applications. The apparatus also features an output port with controlled cooling mechanisms that can be optimized to achieve desired material characteristics, while the modular design allows for scalability and integration with existing manufacturing infrastructure.

[0094]Further, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to approaches for creating covetic materials using spraying techniques, rather than by mixing carbon-based materials into the bulk of a molten metal slurry. Some implementations relate to techniques for reduction of the size of interstitial carbon structures down to the nanometer (nm) scale. The accompanying figures and discussions herein present example environments, example systems, and example methods for creating “covetic” materials, understood generally and defined herein to imply comprised of high concentrations (>6% wt, and up to 90% wt) of carbon, integrated into other materials (such as metals, metal-containing materials, plastics, composites, ceramics, etc. as described herein according to various embodiments) in such a way that the carbon does not separate out during melting or magnetron sputtering. The resulting material has many unique and improved properties over the base material from which it is produced. The carbon is dispersed through the (e.g., metal) matrix in several ways that contribute to improvements in material properties. For instance, the carbon is bound into the resulting material (e.g., a covetic material) very strongly, often resisting many standard methods at detecting and characterizing its form. Inclusion of nanoscale carbon raises the melting points and surface tension of the resulting material. Materials produced according to the techniques described herein have higher warm-worked and cold-worked strengths.

Identification and Significance of Problem and Opportunity

[0095]Metal matrix composites may be composed of (at least) a metal or metal alloy (referring to a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion) matrix, in combination with a higher strength modulus ceramic, carbon-based reinforcement, or micro filler in the form of continuous or discontinuous fibers, whiskers, or particles. The size of the reinforcement is important as micrometer-sized reinforcement metals may exhibit improved strength and stiffness up to acceptable levels over base alloys. Nevertheless, such improvements may also be accompanied with undesirably poor ductility and undesirably low yield strength, machinability, and fracture toughness at threshold loadings due to undesirable non-homogeneous disposition of carbon between particles (e.g., at grain boundaries) during processing. To avoid premature cracking and other shortcomings of metal matrix composites with incompatible micrometer-sized reinforcements, it is essential to reduce the size of a reinforcing phase to nanometer scale. Further, methods are needed such that the reinforcing phase is incorporated into the (e.g., metal alloy) matrix, and most preferably such that the reinforcing phase is homogeneously incorporated into the matrix.

[0096]Significant increases in mechanical, thermal, electrical, and tribological (referring to the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion) properties have been observed commensurate with the addition of the aforementioned carbon-based reinforcement. Notably, such properties may change and/or improve as the size of the reinforcement is reduced from a microscale (such as 1-1000 μm) to a nanoscale (such as <100 nm) due to increased cohesion forces between the matrix and the particles. The improvement in properties can be attributed to formation of strong interfaces that promote efficient strengthening mechanisms. Enhancements in tensile and yield strength were reported for nanosized particles (˜20 nm) versus micro-sized particles (˜3.5 □m), although with as much as an order of magnitude less volume loading of the nano-size particles versus the micron-sized particles. Legacy techniques such as induction melting, plasma spark sintering, etc. as known in the art thus often fail to provide reinforcement at nanometer scales. Accordingly, there is a current need for the reduction of carbon structures having interstitial vacancies contained therein down to the nanometer scale.

Microwave (MW) Plasma Torch Reactor

[0097]Using a microwave (MW) plasma torch reactor, pristine 3D few layer graphene (FLG) particles can be continuously nucleated, such as in-flight in an atmospheric-pressure vapor flow stream of a carbon-containing species, such as methane gas, where such nucleation occurs from an initially synthesized carbon-based or carbon-including “seed” particle. Ornate, highly structured, and tunable 3D mesoporous carbon-based particles composed of multiple layers of FLG (such as 5-15 layers) are grown from the carbon-containing species along with concomitant incorporation of metal elements or metal-based alloys to form at least partially covalently bonded (as well as at least partially metallically or ionically bonded) carbon-metal composite, also referred to herein as “covetic”, particle structures. In some implementations, “pristine” graphene (referring to graphene with no defects, or very few defects) is provided or generated in the described MW torch reactor is not oxidized, or contains very little (such as <1%) oxygen content. By itself, in some implementations, metal (in the resultant covetic materials) is held together by metallic bonding and, by itself, carbon (prevalent in graphene or some other organized carbon based 2D or 3D structure, such as a matrix or lattice), is held together by (primarily) non-polar covalent bonds. The composite carbon-metal structure may include non-polar covalent bonds between the carbon and metal atoms that occur at the metal-carbon interface. In preferred implementations, the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and/or between carbon and metal atoms present in the composition of matter consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds.

[0098]Moreover, the carbon may be present in amounts not capable of being achieved using conventional techniques, e.g., the resulting materials may include more than about 6 wt % carbon, more than about 15 wt % carbon, more than about 40 wt % carbon, more than about 60 wt % carbon, or up to about 90 wt % carbon, according to various embodiments. In various embodiments, the carbon may be included in the metal lattice in the foregoing amounts, such that all or substantially all of the carbon is incorporated into the metal (or other material) lattice, and grain boundaries/lattice surfaces are substantially or entirely devoid of carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates. Further still, the carbon is preferably located at interstitial sites of the lattice.

[0099]In particularly preferred embodiments, a material may be provided in the form of a powder having the physical characteristics of “covetic” materials as described herein. The powder may comprise a plurality of particles, e.g., particles having a diameter from about 20 nm to about 3.5 μm, where each particle includes metal-decorated carbon (either in the form of carbon on metal, or metal on carbon) having carbon disposed in the metal lattice as described herein. Most preferably, the particles each independently comprise a metal lattice having one or more (e.g., one, two, five, ten, or up to fifteen) coherent, planar layers of graphene disposed in the metal lattice. FIGS. 21C and 27C show an exemplary cross-sectional structure of such a coherent, planar layer of graphene disposed along a basal plane of an aluminum matrix, according to one aspect of the presently described inventive concepts. Skilled artisans will appreciate that various implementations of the presently described powder may include particles exhibiting such a cross sectional structure. In practice, as the carbon is incorporated into the lattice, it advantageously wicks to the basal plane surfaces rather than precipitating at grain boundaries (or other lattice surfaces). This process is only possible due to the wettable nature of graphene on the nanoscale, and is not observed when producing carbon-implanted materials using conventional techniques.

[0100]In various aspects, at least some carbon atoms of the one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are disposed in interstitial sites within the metal lattice, and preferably one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are juxtaposed parallel to a basal plane of the metal lattice. In some embodiments, one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are juxtaposed interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. In some embodiments, one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are interlaced interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. Skilled artisans reading the present disclosure will appreciate that this unique distribution of carbon at interstitial sites, and disposal with respect to the basal planes of the lattice, are possible due to the inventive processing described herein, which takes advantage of high “wettability” of graphene (particularly pristine graphene) at the nanoscale, and enables both the high carbon loading, substantially homogeneous carbon dispersion, and substantial absence of carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates as described herein, all of which are not achievable using conventional techniques. See, e.g., FIGS. 1A-1B for a graphical comparison of conventionally produced “covetic materials” compared to materials produced using the inventive techniques described herein, as well as corresponding descriptions below.

[0101]With continuing reference to powdered materials according to the present disclosure, at least some of the carbon atoms may be covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, while also allowing for non-polar covalent bonding between carbon atoms, and/or metallic bonding between metal atoms of the material. More specifically, the non-polar covalent bonding between the carbon atoms, and/or between the carbon atoms and metal atoms, is characterized by equal sharing of electrons between the bonded atoms, as opposed to polar covalent bonding (where electrons are shared between bonded atoms) or ionic bonding (where bonded atoms are held together due to charge difference following transfer of electron(s) from one atom to the other). In some aspects, particles of the powdered materials may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds and/or ionic bonds. In the present context, “substantial” exclusion of polar covalent bonds and/or ionic bonds refers to compositions whose properties (e.g., crystalline structure, mechanical strength, thermal/electrical conductivity, reflectivity, etc. as described hereinbelow, inter alia, with reference to FIG. 29) are not caused by presence of polar covalent bonds and/or ionic bonds. Compositions that substantially exclude polar covalent bonds and/or ionic bonds may be considered as consisting essentially or entirely of non-polar covalent bonds, at least with respect to the carbon and metal atoms bonded together within the structure.

[0102]Moreover, the graphene is preferably “pristine”, in that the 2D or 3D structure is substantially devoid of defects such as vacancies, inclusions, contaminants, etc. as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0103]The metal lattice may include one or more metals, such as aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, niobium, and combinations thereof. Where combinations are included, the metals are preferably in the form of an alloy, such as an INCONEL® alloy, preferably an INCONEL® formed from nickel, chromium, aluminum, copper, iron, titanium, tantalum, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, and/or niobium, and most preferably the INCONEL® superalloy is INCONEL® 600, INCONEL® 617, INCONEL® 625, INCONEL® 690, INCONEL® 718, INCONEL® X-750, or a combination thereof. In some cases, combinations include tin and/or tungsten, and/or silver, and/or antimony, either singularly or in combination. In some embodiments one or more of the foregoing metals may be used singly or in combination as surfactants to improve wettability of the metal-carbon combination.

[0104]Powdered materials as described herein are preferably formed using a non-equilibrium plasma, such as may be generated using a microwave plasma-based reactor as described herein. Presently disclosed microwave plasma-based reactor processes provide a reaction and processing environment in which gas-solid reactions can be controlled under non-equilibrium conditions (referring to physical systems that are not in thermodynamic equilibrium but can be described in terms of variables that represent an extrapolation of the variables used to specify the system in thermodynamic equilibrium; non-equilibrium thermodynamics is concerned with transport processes and with the rates of chemical reactions, and the incipient melting of metal powders that can be independently controlled by ionization potentials and momentum along with thermal energy).

[0105]After nucleation in-situ (referring to in-place within the reactor or reaction chamber), exiting solid, substantially solid, or semi-solid carbon-based particles from the plasma torch can be deposited in an additive, layer-by-layer fashion onto a temperature-controlled substrate (such as a drum). The exiting particles can be sprayed onto and bonded onto or into a specific substrate. In some instances, a substrate is not used, rather, groupings of exiting semi-solid particles form one or more directionally organized, free-standing, self-supported structures. Unlike a standard plasma torch where operational flows, power and configuration are limited, presently disclosed microwave plasma torch includes control mechanisms (such as flow control, power control, temperature control, etc.) to independently control one or more constituent material temperatures and gas-solid reaction chemistries to create unique, ornate, highly-organized, covalently-bound carbon-metal structures having a favorably surprising and extremely high degree of homogeneity.

[0106]To elucidate, the largest discernable feature size, e.g., a defined by a length measured along a longitudinal axis of the “feature” in question, of a homogeneously-dispersed metal-carbon combination, according to various implementations, is in a range from about 0.01 nanometers (nm) to one micrometer (μm), preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about one μm, more preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about 750 nm, even more preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about 500 nm, still more preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about 100 nm, in a range, still yet more preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about 50 nm, and most preferably in a range from about 0.01 nm to about 10 nm feature size. This is in contrast with non-homogenous dispersions, which are characterized by relatively large feature sizes on the order of several (e.g., 3-5) micrometers or more.

[0107]The composition of matter may also include a plurality of “aggregates” and/or a plurality of “agglomerates”, where each aggregate includes a multitude of particles joined together, and each agglomerate includes a multitude of aggregates joined together. In some implementations, each of the particles may have a principal dimension in between 20 nm and 150 nm. Each of the aggregates may have a principal dimension in between 40 nm and 10 μm. Each of the agglomerates may have a principal dimension in between 0.1 μm and 1,000 μm.

[0108]Covetic materials produced by the presently disclosed MW reactor-based techniques yield various competitive advantages otherwise not available in current materials or products. One such advantage relates to an inherent scalability and versatility to formulate unique, physically and chemically stable, versatile metal-carbon composites exhibiting predictable deformation (referring to stress, strain, elasticity, or some other ascertainable physical characteristic) in a variety of configurations and/or architectures such as (but not limited to): (1) dense thin film implantations, (2) coatings, (3) thick strips, and (4) powdered particles that can be subjected to subsequent re-melting and casting and/or for use in forming engineered metal alloy components. Any of the foregoing dense thin film MW-reactor produced carbon-based metal composite implantations and/or coatings, and/or strips, and/or powdered particles all exhibit enhanced physical, chemical, and electrical properties as compared with existing parent metal alloy formulations.

[0109]Materials produced using powders as described hereinabove (and/or pellets formed from such powders) share many of the same advantageous physical characteristics and properties of the powder itself, with the exception that the macroscale material may not exhibit the presence of carbon in coherent planar layer(s) disposed along the basal plane of the metal lattice. Instead, macroscale materials (e.g., produced by a microwave plasma spray torch, or other suitable technique described herein (and equivalents thereof that would be appreciated by a skilled artisan upon reading such descriptions)) are characterized by heretofore unachievable carbon loading (e.g., from 1.5 wt % to 90 wt %, and any amount therebetween), uniform/heterogeneous dispersion of carbon throughout the metal matrix, and absence of carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates at lattice surface(s) (e.g., grain boundaries). Other than this distinction, the final products produced using powdered materials, preferably powdered covetic materials, may exhibit any one or more physical characteristics and/or properties of the powdered precursor, in any combination, without departing from the scope of the presently described inventive concepts.

GENERAL EMBODIMENTS

[0110]According to one general aspect, a composition of matter includes one or more particles, wherein each particle independently comprises a metal lattice having one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene disposed in the metal lattice.

[0111]According to another general aspect, a composition of matter includes an INCONEL® alloy having carbon disposed in a metal lattice of the INCONEL® alloy.

[0112]According to yet another general aspect, a composition of matter includes a metal lattice having at least about 15 wt % carbon disposed in the metal lattice.

[0113]Moreover, in various implementations, the foregoing aspects may include any of the following physical and/or structural characteristics, and associated properties. Moreover, these characteristics and/or properties may, according to different embodiments, be included in different combinations or permutations, without limitation.

[0114]In one aspect, a composition of matter includes one or more particles, and each particle independently comprises a metal lattice having one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene disposed therein. Preferably, at least some carbon atoms of the one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are disposed in interstitial sites within the metal lattice. More preferably, the one or more coherent, planar layers of graphene are interlaced interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. The graphene may be present as a single layer (e.g., “single layer graphene” or “SLG”), or as multiple layers (e.g., two layers, three layers, five layers, ten layers, or any number of layers up to fifteen, also referred to herein as “few layer graphene” or “FLG”). At least some carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms of the one or more layers of graphene, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more particles may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice of each particle may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds. The one or more layers of graphene are each preferably substantially devoid of defects, such that the graphene is “pristine”. Preferably, each particle is also characterized by a substantial, or more preferably complete, lack of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s) at grain boundaries and/or at surface(s) of the metal lattice. Owing to the inventive processing techniques described herein, total carbon loading of the particle(s) may range from about 15 wt % to about 90 wt %, with various intermediate loadings also being demonstrated (e.g., about 20 wt %, about 25 wt %, about 33 wt %, about 40 wt %, about 50 wt %, about 60 wt %, about 75 wt %, or up to 90 wt %, in various implementations). Moreover, the particles may be characterized by a diameter in a range from about 20 nm to about 3.5 μm, and/or by having a largest discernable feature size is in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. In some implementations, the particles may be pressed into a pellet.

[0115]According to another aspect, a composition of matter includes an INCONEL® alloy having carbon disposed in a metal lattice thereof. Preferably, at least some of the carbon is disposed at interstitial sites of the metal lattice, and more preferably, the carbon is substantially homogenously distributed throughout the metal lattice. Moreover, grain boundaries of the composition of matter, and/or surfaces of the metal lattice, are substantially devoid of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s), in some implementations. Accordingly, a largest discernable feature size of the composition of matter may be in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. At least some carbon atoms are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more composition of matter may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds.

[0116]Pursuant to yet another aspect, a composition of matter includes a metal lattice having at least about 15 wt % carbon disposed therein. Preferably, at least some of the carbon is disposed at interstitial sites of the metal lattice, and more preferably, the carbon is substantially homogenously distributed throughout the metal lattice. Moreover, grain boundaries of the composition of matter, and/or surfaces of the metal lattice, are substantially devoid of carbon aggregate(s) and/or agglomerate(s), in some implementations. Accordingly, a largest discernable feature size of the composition of matter may be in a range from about 0.1 nm to about 1 μm. At least some carbon atoms are covalently bonded to metal atoms of the metal lattice, and the covalent bonds between carbon atoms and the metal atoms are, or include non-polar covalent bonds. In some embodiments, the covalent bonds may consist essentially, or entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds. Similarly, carbon atoms may be covalently bonded to other carbon atoms, and these covalent bonds may comprise, consist essentially, or consist entirely, of non-polar covalent bonds, according to different implementations. Accordingly, the one or more composition of matter may substantially, or entirely, exclude polar covalent bonds. In like manner, the metal lattice may substantially, or entirely, exclude ionic bonds.

[0117]In various implementations of the foregoing aspects, the metal lattice may include one or more metals selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, niobium, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, the metal lattice may be characterized by a crystalline structure such as face centered cubic (FCC), body-centered cubic (BCC), or hexagonal close packed (HCC). Furthermore, the metal lattice may comprise anywhere from about 15 wt % to about 90 wt % carbon (e.g., about 20 wt %, about 25 wt %, about 33 wt %, about 40 wt %, about 50 wt %, about 60 wt %, about 75 wt %, or up to 90 wt %, in various implementations). The carbon is preferably present at interstitial sites of the metal lattice. The metal(s) may be present in the form of alloy(s), in some approaches. For instance, in particularly preferred approaches, the metals are present in the form of one or more INCONEL® alloys, such as INCONEL® 600, INCONEL® 617, INCONEL® 625, INCONEL® 690, INCONEL® 718 and/or INCONEL® X-750. Even more preferably, the INCONEL® alloy(s) are superalloy(s).

Overview

[0118]The disclosure herein describes integration of a low dose nanofiller carbon-based material such as graphene, known for its inherent structural characteristics such as a high aspect ratio and “2D” planar geometry, with metals. Graphene possesses astonishing favorable mechanical, physical, thermal, and electrical properties due to its in-plane sp² C═C bonding (resulting in 2D planar geometry). Therefore, graphene would serve as an ideal reinforcement for metal matrix composites as compared with alternatives such as micro-filler polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fiber. It should be noted that even at low graphene nanoplatelet content (loadings), a 3D network is formed with an anisotropic (referring to an object or substance having a physical property that has a different value when measured in different directions), that result in marked improvements to thermal and electrical conductivities as well as mechanical features.

[0119]A challenge encountered in using carbon nanofillers in metal matrix composites includes difficulty with dispersion due to poor wetting (referring to the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface, resulting from intermolecular interactions when the two are brought together; the degree of wetting, referred to as wettability, is determined by a force balance between adhesive and cohesive forces). The increased surface area presented by nanofillers causes particles to form into clusters and twists due to Van der Waals forces between carbon atoms. Clustering of nanofillers in metal matrix composites can lead to formation of undesirable cracks and pores that may ultimately compromise structural integrity of the resultant material yielding premature failure under high load or performance conditions.

[0120]Although a number of processing approaches, such as conventional powder metallurgy, hot rolling, casting, and additive manufacturing have been (and may currently also be) used to produce metal matrix composites, there are still challenges with uniformly dispersing nanofillers. Damage to nanofiller from applied stress during consolidation, and undesirable or uncontrollable chemical reactions with the matrix at elevated temperatures during sintering and casting, are some examples of challenges faced during attempts to achieve nanofiller dispersion.

[0121]Defect free, the basal plane of graphene exhibits exceptional favorable chemical stability compared to sides and ends of a graphene sheet, which may be more prone to interact with metals to form carbides (thermodynamically favored as per the Gibbs free energy). During processing, however, defects can readily form in the basal plane, leading to carbide formation and adverse effects to composite properties. Hence, relatively severe processing conditions such as high temperatures and pressures, can adversely affect the quality of the interface between carbon nanofillers and their surrounding metal-based matrix. Specifically, high temperatures and pressures can adversely affect wetting ability, structural integrity, may unwantedly influence carbide formation, and may otherwise cause other deleterious interface reactions.

[0122]An alternative process, referred to as covetics (as introduced earlier), has been successfully used to incorporate carbon nanofillers into metal matrices. In covetic related processes, a network of graphene ‘ribbons’ and nanoparticles have been shown to form within a liquid metal by using an applied electric field that exhibits exceptional stability within the metal matrix, even after re-melting. Correspondingly, the composite structure conducts heat and electricity more efficiently than the parent metal.

Uniform Dispersion

[0123]Since one of the challenges to incorporating graphene into a metal matrix is achieving uniform dispersion, covetics processing overcomes this problem through the concomitant exfoliation and wetting of the graphene ribbons and/or particles within an applied electric field (either from the carbon electrodes or from the breakdown of carbon additives). Impurities, such as oxygen and hydrogen, can be managed via redox reactions at the particle surface, assuming a properly induced voltage at the surface, to promote wetting/dispersion. A challenge is one of controlling the structural integrity and uniformity of the graphene ribbons and/or particles (such as uniformity with respect to size, defects, etc.), as well as controlling chemical reactivity with the metal at elevated temperatures, and as well as controlling distribution of particles in the bulk as well as at the surface of the melt.

Additional Complexities

[0124]Although fundamental modes of energy conduction in metals (both thermal and electrical) can be (at least in part) carried out by electrons and is controlled by the degree of crystallinity and impurities for a filler such as graphene to enhance thermal conductivity in the metal matrix composite (where conduction is via phonons in graphene), there either needs to be some degree of registry and/or coherency (such as an integrally bound nanoscale carbon) with the metal lattice (additionally or alternatively referred to as a scaffold, matrix, or structure) or a minimum platelet spacing (such as proximity or network) threshold for conduction between platelets (such as the graphene would need to be a single layer or just a few layers and 10's of nanometers in length). With respect to strengthening the metal matrix, however, graphene may need to be chemically (or in some instances, also physically) bonded to the matrix for proper load transfer (noting that the length of graphene can be greater than ˜0.5 μm for maximum load transfer). Aside from solid solution strengthening, which relies on coherent and/or semi-coherent elastic strains between carbon (graphene) nanofiller and metal lattice, a discrete graphene nanoparticle can serve as a barrier to dislocation pile-up or pinning (such as Hall Petch grain refinement, referring to a method of strengthening materials by changing their average crystallite (grain) size; it is based on the observation that grain boundaries are insurmountable borders for dislocations and that the number of dislocations within a grain have an effect on how stress builds up in the adjacent grain, which will eventually activate dislocation sources and thus enabling deformation in the neighboring grain, too; so, by changing grain size one can influence the number of dislocations piled up at the grain boundary and yield strength) at grain boundaries, both of which improve mechanical properties.

[0125]Again, because of its 2D nature and high surface area, graphene can orient along regions at grain boundaries in addition to aligning along slip planes within the metal structure. Irrespective of whether the property of interest is chemical, mechanical, thermal, or electrical, the greater the alignment and registry of the nanofiller to the crystal structure of the surrounding metal matrix (at the atomic level), the greater the enhancement as well as stability of the property in a metal matrix composite structure.

[0126]Fundamentally, growth of carbon at a metal surface (heterogenous) or precipitation out of solution in the melt (homogeneous) is dependent on the solubility of carbon in the metal (as per the binary phase diagram shown on the right side of FIG. 10). The solubility of carbon in pure transition metals (and many pure metals, generally) is very low, such as near the melting point of the metal, although increases as the temperature increases to well above the melting point of the metal (such as up to 2,000° C. and above). The solubility of carbon in nickel, for example, near the hypereutectic point of around 2.5% is one of the higher solubilities of carbon in a pure metal. Note that the addition of interstitial impurities such as oxygen, boron, or nitrogen, or substitutional atoms to a metal, can affect (such as potentially increase) the solubility of carbon. It has been shown that the higher the solubility of carbon in a metal, or the higher the temperature of the molten metal, the thicker the carbon that precipitates at the surface of the metal as the metal is cooled down and solidified. Important to note is that solubility of carbon is higher near a free surface, which, in combination with the interfacial energy of the liquid-air interface, favors precipitation of solid carbon at the metal melt-air interface. Equipment and techniques for operating the equipment to overcome the problems attendant to this phenomenon are addressed as pertains to the figures and corresponding discussions.

Definitions and Use of Figures

[0127]Some of the terms used in this description are defined below for easy reference. The presented terms and their respective definitions are not rigidly restricted to these definitions—a term may be further defined by the term's use within this disclosure. The term “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application and the appended claims, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, unless specified otherwise, or is clear from the context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A, X employs B, or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. As used herein, at least one of A or B means at least one of A, or at least one of B, or at least one of both A and B. In other words, this phrase is disjunctive. The articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or is clear from the context to be directed to a singular form.

[0128]Various implementations are described herein with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that elements of similar structures or functions are sometimes represented by like reference characters throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the disclosed implementations—they are not representative of an exhaustive treatment of all possible implementations, and they are not intended to impute any limitation as to the scope of the claims. In addition, an illustrated implementation need not portray all aspects or advantages of usage in any particular environment.

[0129]An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular implementation is not necessarily limited to that implementation and can be practiced in any other implementations even if not so illustrated. References throughout this specification to “some implementations” or “other implementations” refer to a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the implementations as being included in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in some implementations” or “in other implementations” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same implementation or implementations. The disclosed implementations are not intended to be limiting of the claims.

DESCRIPTIONS OF EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATIONS

[0130]FIG. 1A is a comparison chart 1A00 showing two different covetic material formation techniques 102 and example materials that result from the application of each, respectively.

[0131]In the case of conventional metal melt methods 103 to produce covetic materials, solid carbon is added to a metal melt. This conventional metal melt technique is governed by the kinetics of carbide formation and interdiffusion across a solid-liquid (such as carbon-metal) interface under an applied current, which provides additional energy to overcome stacking fault energy between carbon atoms and metal atoms. As such, conventional metal melt techniques for forming covetic processing do not significantly differ from other composite processing methods, such as powder metallurgy and/or hot rolling, which composite processes involve consolidation of a second phase particle into a metal matrix. These conventional composite processing methods face many challenges with dispersion and/or distribution, reactivity, and variability in material properties. Furthermore, conventional covetic processing relies on batch processing, and often yields inconsistent conversion yields as well as wide variations in resultant properties.

[0132]As depicted by image 105, when using conventional metal melt methods 103, the resultant material includes substantial carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates, particularly at grain boundaries and/or surfaces of the metal lattice. This, in turn: (1) limits the role of carbon to reinforce the lattice; and (2) limits the tunability of the surface morphology for surface functionalization. For comparison, when using presently disclosed techniques, the resultant material exhibits nearly uniform homogeneity (such as having no, or substantially no aggregates and/or agglomerates, particularly at grain boundaries and/or lattice surfaces), which homogeneity results from uniform dispersion of carbon into the lattice. This is shown in homogeneity image 106.

[0133]Covetic materials such as are depicted in homogeneity image 106 can be characterized by many desirable material properties 108 such as uniformity, high carbon loading, low carbon content at surfaces, etc. These are highly desirable material properties that are not exhibited by materials formed using conventional metal melt methods 103. Therefore, what is sought after are improved approaches that overcome shortcomings of the conventional metal melt methods 103.

[0134]One such improved approach involves plasma spray torch methods 104. Application of plasma spray torch methods result in a consistent yield of covetic materials, thus overcoming the yield shortcomings of conventional metal melt methods. Furthermore, application of plasma spray torch methods results in covetic materials that possess the aforementioned improved mechanical, improved thermal, and improved electrical properties, thus overcoming resultant material shortcomings of conventional metal melt methods.

Improved Approaches

[0135]As shown, the plasma spray torch methods 104 can be configured to use input materials as introduced (referring to provision of a carbon-containing feedstock species in gaseous form, such as methane, and energizing it via application of MW energy directed through the methane gas, etc.). However, by dissociating carbon-containing gas (such as methane or other hydrocarbon sources) at elevated temperatures, a self-limited monolayer of carbon—and in particular, pristine graphene—can be grown onto and/or into a metal (such as copper, gold, zinc, tin, and lead) lattice. The number of monolayers is dependent at least in part on the solubility of carbon in the metal. Growth kinetics, binding, and the final structure of graphene films onto a metal substrate is dependent on the valence electrons and the symmetry (close packed planes) of the metal. Similarly, metals can be grown on carbon, preferentially nucleating and growing at defect sites of the carbon or at selective oxygen- or hydrogen-terminated sites as well. Alternating stacks of single layer carbon and metal can then be fabricated to realize the enhanced properties of a graphene-reinforced metal composite structure.

[0136]Using a microwave plasma reactor, pristine 3D few-layer graphene particles can be continuously nucleated and grown from a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid source. In addition, selective elements can be incorporated into the 3D graphene particle scaffold by adding them to the plasma gas stream. The microwave plasma reactor process provides a unique reaction environment in which gas-solid reactions can be controlled under non-equilibrium conditions (such as chemical reactions can be independently controlled by ionization potentials and momentum along with thermal energy). Reactants can be inserted as solids, liquids, or gases into a plasma reactor zone to independently control nucleation and growth kinetics of unique non-equilibrium structures (such as graphene on metal and metal on graphene).

[0137]For example, to create integrated graphene-metal composites at the nanometer scale, fine nanometer-scale metal particles can be introduced into a microwave plasma torch along with a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid such as methane. Methane dissociates into hydrogen and carbon (such as using the ideal energy of the microwave plasma to form C and C₂) which can then nucleate and grow ordered graphene onto the semi-molten surface of the metal particle. Non-equilibrium energy conditions can be created by tuning process conditions to independently control the temperature of the metal with respect to carbon reactivity and delivery to the metal surface. Ionized hydrogen (or other ions) at controlled low energies can be used to impinge/sputter the surface of the growing graphene-metal surface without damaging the structure of the graphene-metal composition. This then promotes further growth of alternating graphene-metal layers. In addition, depending on residence time and the energetics within the plasma reaction zone, metal-graphene structures can be created with specific properties that are retained when the metal-graphene structures are rapidly cooled upon being sprayed onto a substrate at a controlled temperature. The formation of the metal-graphene structures at controlled energies within the plasma as well as control of the temperature of the substrate provides independent control of energetic conditions throughout the entire evolution of these covetic materials.

[0138]Graphene can be applied (and/or deposited) onto metal or metal-containing layers of material via “sputtering” (referring to a phenomenon in which microscopic particles of a solid material are ejected from its surface, after the material is itself bombarded by energetic particles of a plasma or gas; the fact that sputtering can be made to act on extremely fine layers of material is often exploited in science and industry—there, it is used to perform precise etching, carry out analytical techniques, and deposit thin film layers in the manufacture of optical coatings, semiconductor devices and nanotechnology products, etc.). Such sputtering, as so described, can be controlled by controlling residence times and energetics within the plasma reaction zone to promote growth of alternating graphene-metal layers when employed with the presently discussed MW plasma reactors. These alternating graphene-metal layers are organized in coherent planes of atoms that are in a regular (such as crystallographic) configuration. This crystallographic configuration is retained when the graphene-metal layers are quick-quenched (in the materials science field, quenching, or quick/rapid quenching, refers to the controlled rapid cooling of a workpiece in water, oil or air to obtain certain material properties; a type of heat treating, quenching prevents or controls undesired low-temperature processes, such as phase transformations, from occurring by reducing the window of time during which these undesired reactions are both thermodynamically favorable and kinetically accessible; for instance, quenching can reduce the crystal grain size of both metallic and plastic materials, increasing their hardness) onto a cooler substrate. Quick quenching, as so described, serves to essentially ‘freeze’ (referring to retention in a substantially solid state rather than solely on the traditional definition of change in phase from a liquid to a solid) graphene to metal in a desired crystallographic configuration formed within the plasma reactor. The homogeneity within and at the surface of the resultant material is extremely uniform. This extremely uniform homogeneity can be used to distinguish from materials that had been formed using metal melt methods 104. This is because the metal melt methods 104 cannot control ion energies independently from thermal energies. More specifically, because the metal melt methods 104 cannot achieve the desired higher ion energies independently from thermal energies, temperatures in the metal melt reaction chamber can be too high for graphene-metal layers to become organized in coherent planes of atoms that are in the desired crystallographic configuration.

[0139]Therefore, when using metal melt methods 104, the desired crystallographic configuration of the graphene-metal never occurs, and thus desired crystallographic configuration cannot be retained when the graphene-metal layers are quenched onto a cooler substrate. Instead, when using metal melt methods 104, undesired carbon precipitation occurs (such as carbon precipitates out of the melt), which in turn leads to unwanted formation of aggregates and/or agglomerates, which in turn leads to non-uniformity in the resultant composition. This non-uniformity in the resultant composition can lead to less-than-ideal chemical and/or physical (mechanical) characteristics in the resultant composition, including but not limited to premature mechanical failure.

[0140]FIG. 1B presents a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image 114 and a high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy x-ray image 116. Also shown here for convenience is the homogeneity image 106 of FIG. 1A.

[0141]As depicted by this example set of images, the carbon is distributed uniformly throughout the metal lattice. This is emphasized in the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image 114. Moreover, the extremely high carbon loading in the metal lattice is clearly shown by the high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy x-ray image 116. In this example, the carbon loading forms approximately 60% of the overall copper-carbon lattice. This is shown in the high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy x-ray image 116. In this particular image, the darker areas are carbon, and the lighter areas (appearing as dots) are copper.

[0142]As can be seen the images, and in particular, as can be seen from the pattern of the high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy x-ray image 116, the carbon and the parent metal (such as in this case copper), are uniformly dispersed. This uniform lattice-level dispersion is present at the surface, as shown, moreover, this uniform lattice-level dispersion is also present deep into the parent metal. Additional images of covetic materials are given in FIG. 20A1, FIG. 20A2 and FIG. 20B, which figures follow after discussion of (1) materials evolution processes, (2) a plasma spray torch apparatus and (3) various configurations of plasma spray torches.

[0143]In one use scenario, the covetic materials of FIG. 1B can be manufactured using a tunable microwave plasma torch that produces integrated graphene-metal composite films at high rates and volumes. One particular manufacturing process during which graphene is grown onto small molten metal particles is now briefly discussed.

[0144]FIG. 2 depicts a manufacturing process 200 for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of manufacturing process 200 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The manufacturing process 200 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0145]One possible method is to use a “non-equilibrium energy” microwave plasma torch to provide non-equilibrium control over the temperature of the metal independently from carbon creation. This plasma torch energy is then directed to the molten and/or semi-molten metal particles surfaces. This technique allows time for growth to occur on the melt. Growth on the melt (or semi-melt or core shell materials) created within the torch will flow out through the main plasma plume to the surface of the metal to be grown upon, and then is quickly quenched. This technique provides a means to grow thick films which, upon layering, could be grown into a homogeneous thick ingot and/or grown into or onto component parts to be post machined or remelted into applications.

[0146]Additionally, FIG. 2 is being presented to illustrate the effects that independent control of constituent material temperatures and gas-solid reaction chemistries when growing graphene onto small molten particles. FIG. 2 shows the evolution through several processes of covetic materials manufacturing; and presents processes used in the formation of plasma torch-based covetic materials.

[0147]As shown, semi-solid particles exiting from the plasma torch can be deposited in an additive, layer-by-layer fashion onto a temperature-controlled substrate. Unlike a standard plasma torch where operational flows, as well as control of power and other configurations are limited, the discussed microwave plasma torch can be operated to independently control constituent material temperatures as well as gas-solid reaction chemistries.

[0148]As can be seen from the disclosure above, microwave plasma sources can result in (for example): (1) higher plasma densities; (2) ion energies with a narrower ion energy distribution; and (3) improved coating properties. This is due, at least in part, to the improved power coupling and (electromagnetic energy) absorption at 2.45 GHz. Pressure dependent, typical electron temperatures are of the order of 1 eV to 15 eV yielding plasma densities of >10¹¹ cm⁻³. Such low electron temperatures are also advantageous not only in terms of controlling the plasma chemistry, but also in terms of limiting the ion energy with ion energies for Argon-based coaxial microwave plasmas that typically are in the range of 5 eV to 80 eV. As a consequence of the narrow plasma sheath formed using these high-density plasmas, collisional broadening of the ion energy distribution is prevented, thus resulting in a sharp ion energy distribution that supports fine control of certain film deposition processes. Additionally, through the usage of pulsed power into a microwave plasma, non-equilibrium energies can be formed and controlled. During application of microwave energy, power is delivered throughout a volume where plasma is to be formed, thus energy is accumulated in a stepwise collisional energy regime.

[0149]The foregoing discussion of FIG. 2 includes techniques for application of microwave energy power, which technique is disclosed in further detail as follows.

[0150]FIG. 3 depicts a plasma energy state chart 300 showing how a pulsed microwave energy source is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles.

[0151]Microwave plasma sources have the potential to achieve higher plasma densities, ion energies with a narrower ion energy distribution, and improved coating properties as a consequence of improved power coupling and absorption at 2.45 GHZ. Pressure-dependent typical electron temperatures are of the order of 1 eV to 15 eV yielding plasma densities of >10¹¹ cm⁻³. Such low electron temperatures are also advantageous not only in terms of controlling the plasma chemistry, but also in terms of limiting the ion energy with ion energies for Argon-based coaxial microwave plasmas that typically are in the range of 5 eV to 80 eV. As a consequence of the narrow plasma sheath formed using these high-density plasmas, collisional broadening of the ion energy distribution is prevented resulting in a sharp ion energy distribution, which is necessary for fine control of some film deposition processes. Additionally, through the use of pulsed power being delivered into a microwave reactor, plasma non-equilibrium energies can be formed and controlled. During application of microwave energy, power is delivered thru a volume where plasma is to be formed, thus energy is accumulated in a stepwise collisional energy regime.

[0152]Once the initial plasma forms in the vast majority of the volume, the delivery antennae where energy is at a maximum continues to increase in a highly localized fashion. Plasma density nearby decreases slightly until the plasma constricts. Further details regarding general approaches to making and using pulsed microwave energy sources are described in U.S. patent Publication No. 10,332,726, issued Jun. 25, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0153]FIG. 3 shows that the initial energy of the plasma is much higher in the non-equilibrium state until it constricts to a much lower stable temperature. More specifically, the plasma energy state chart depicts a transition from an initial high energy non-equilibrium state to a lower energy stable equilibrium state. Once the initial plasma forms, the delivery antennae, where energy is at a maximum, will continue to increase in a highly localized fashion until the plasma constricts and is lost in the remaining parts of the chamber due to energy shielding.

[0154]The pulsed microwave energy source can be controlled so as to optimize electron temperatures for growing graphene onto small molten particles. This is especially effective in the case where pressures are >>20 Torr. To ensure that plasma chemistry dissociation is homogeneous, and that coating of materials is homogeneous as well, the environments of the chamber must be controlled.

[0155]As is shown in FIG. 3, the energy profile indicates that the initial energy is high and, after a time, constricts to a lower level where it stays until the power is removed. The plasma extinguishes and, after restarting, follows the energy cycle again. By reducing the time between the initial plasma ignition and where it stabilizes, the plasma remains mainly in the bulk of the system where a more homogeneous dissociation of materials can occur. The reduction of the time between the initial plasma ignition and the time when it stabilizes can be accomplished by controlling the frequency and duty cycle of pulsing.

[0156]One technique for controlling electron temperatures in a pulsed microwave reactor is shown and described as pertains to FIG. 4.

[0157]FIG. 4 depicts an electron temperature control technique 400 that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of electron temperature control technique 400 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The electron temperature control technique 400 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0158]FIG. 4 illustrates aspects pertaining to growing a few layers of graphene onto molten nanoscale-sized particles rather than mixing carbons into the bulk of a molten slurry. Specifically, the figure is being presented with respect to its contribution to controlling plasma temperature through control of microwave pulsing frequency.

Plasma Temperature Control Via Control of Pulsing Frequency

[0159]As depicted in the foregoing FIG. 3, the energy profile indicates that the initial energy is high and, after a time, constricts to a lower level where it stays until the power is removed. The plasma extinguishes and, after restarting, follows the energy cycle again. By reducing the time between the initial plasma ignition and stabilization, the plasma remains mainly in the bulk of the system where a more homogeneous dissociation of materials can occur.

[0160]As shown in FIG. 4, the effect depends substantially on the timing of the on/off cycle of the microwave energy source. By controlling the frequency of pulsing, optimal chemical dissociation and uniform coatings can be created. Furthermore, by setting the pulsing frequency, the average temperature of the plasma can be controlled as well.

Plasma Temperature Control in a Microwave Plasma Torch

[0161]The herein-discussed integrated microwave plasma torch is used for addressing the formation of integrated, second phase, carbon-metal composite structures with enhanced mechanical, thermal and electrical properties over existing metal alloys and conventional composite processing methods. Furthermore, the microwave plasma torch can be used to form carbon-metal composite coatings and particles directly onto high value asset components. Still further, the aforementioned methods and equipment meet many clean energy goals pertaining to improved electrical distribution and efficient transformer and heat exchanger performance.

Microwave Plasma Torch Practical Applications

[0162]Using the integrated microwave plasma torch technology, materials can be economically (such as cost effectively) deposited and/or formed at fast rates and can be applied and in a variety of different configurations. Benefactors of this technology include various energy production industries-especially as pertains to transmission and storage-transportation industries, military equipment industries, as well as many other manufacturing industries. As one specific practical application example, metallic surfaces of an aircraft can be treated by a plasma spray to create covetic material at the metal-air interface. The metallic surfaces thus become impervious to corrosion. Additionally, the carbon atoms near the surface allows for other materials to be chemically bonded to the carbon atoms and/or adhered to the surfaces. The aforementioned other materials that can be chemically bonded to the carbon atoms might be selected on the basis of requirements that arise in various practical applications.

[0163]As another specific practical application example, metallic surfaces of an airborne vehicle (such as an airplane, helicopter, drone, projectile, missile, etc.) can be treated by a plasma spray to create a covetic material coating that acts as an infrared obscurant (such as a detection countermeasure).

[0164]FIG. 5 illustrates a dual plasma torch apparatus 500 that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of dual plasma torch apparatus 500 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The dual plasma torch apparatus 500 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0165]The shown equipment setup uses: (1) a metal plasma spray torch to supply molten metals to the surface of the heated substrate (Al, Cu, Ag, etc.), and (2) a microwave plasma torch to deliver ionized carbon and plasma radicals to the molten surface so as to cause the covetics growth onto molten metals.

[0166]The system is inserted into an inert gas environment or into an atmospherically controlled chamber to provide better control of materials oxidation. In one implementation, the setup and operation of the torch of FIG. 5 is shown in Table 1, the details of which are discussed infra.

Step D 1 : Reactant Material Identification and Selection

[0167]Any number of metals can be plasma-sprayed concurrently along with metastable carbon species to form a nano-carbon-metal composite structure. Different metals with high electrical and thermal conductivity can be used when forming 2D graphene at concentrations above the thermodynamic solubility limit. In some cases, two different metals are selected, each having different carbon solubility limits and/or different melting points and/or different densities and/or different crystal structures.

Step D 2 : Selection, Modification and Validation of Microwave and ‘Standard’ Plasma Spray Torch(es)

[0168]The apparatus of FIG. 5 can be (in certain implementations) substantially composed of a ‘standard’, off-the-shelf, plasma spray and a microwave plasma torch. Having two torches allows for two different processing steps, namely: (1) incipient melting of the metal, and (2) nucleation/growth of graphene platelets from a hydrocarbon source. Each one of the two torches can be controlled independently from each other.

[0169]As shown in FIG. 5, the two torches are collocated for concurrent or sequential operation. Specifically, the microwave plasma with its low electron temperature and high electron density can be used to optimize graphene formation (including nucleation rate at the carbon supersaturation threshold) whereas the standard plasma spray torch can be used to heat metal powder/particles to a molten or semi-molten state and then accelerate the particles (along with nucleated ionized carbon/graphene) towards the substrate. The two independent flow streams can be coordinated so as to accomplish fine-scale graphene growth on a semi-molten particle surface. In some cases, the dual torch configuration comprises a means to maintain an inert atmosphere (such as cover gas) at or near the exit stream of the torches and in and around the impingement region at the surface of the substrate. This arrangement is advantageous to minimize, or preferably prevent, inclusion of atmospheric gases (such as oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, etc. as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art) in the composition of matter, which can negatively affect bonding between the carbon and metal atoms. Therefore, in certain implementations, the dual torch system is configured to be inserted into a fully controlled inert gas environment (such as a chamber) so as to provide effective control of material oxidation.

Step D 3 : Rationale and Definition of Plasma Processing Parameters

[0170]Reactants (such as hydrocarbons) and inert gases and flows are selected to ensure the stability of plasma and to ensure control of nucleation and growth processes within the plasma (such as supersaturation thresholds for a given gas mixture and flow rate). Acceleration rates and temperatures of the metastable carbon are controlled during excursion from the plasma to the substrate. Correspondingly, process conditions for the standard plasma spray torch are set so as to create a consolidated thin film onto which carbon can impinge and react. Surface temperature and local gas phase environments are controlled so as to promote interaction and growth of the metastable carbon phase.

Step D 4 : Operate the Dual (Metal and Microwave) Plasma Torch

[0171]Various parameters of processing windows of both the metal and microwave plasma torch are configured to be controlled independently or, in some implementations, in conjunction with each other. Before, during and after operation of one or more of the metal and microwave plasma torches (referred to herein as “the dual plasma torch”), processing windows for integrated carbon-metal formation are characterized. Furthermore, one or more parameters or combinations of parameters are selected, deposition of carbon-metal is observed, and using any known-in-the-art techniques, the as-deposited samples can be characterized with respect to various differentiators, including (but not limited to): morphology (such as using a scanning electron microscope (SEM)), structure (such as via x-ray diffraction (XRD) and via Raman spectroscopy), and/or physical and chemical composition.

[0172]FIG. 6 illustrates a pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600 that can be tuned for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an example, one or more variations of pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600 (or any aspect thereof) may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600 (or any aspect thereof) may be implemented in any environment.

[0173]In this configuration, transverse electric (TE) microwave energy power means can be coupled onto (or, in some implementations, also penetrate substantially within) a central dielectric tube to propagate microwave energy into and throughout the central dielectric tube. Gas supplied into the center region (in this example) can be a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid such as methane that absorbs the microwave radiation. Metal powder is supplied (as carried by a substantially inert carrier gas) to be heated within the body (or primary chamber) of the pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600 from the combination of the plasma-derived and applied thermal energy. Upon exposure to such energy, metal powder melts upon reaching a melting temperature to produce a viscous flowable liquid material, or droplets (potentially containing semi-solid materials), or any other conceivable dispersion (largely dependent on attendant melt conditions).

[0174]As hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid decomposes into its constituent element species, carbon radicals nucleate on exposed surfaces of the melted metal droplets. The combination of energy tuning settings of the microwave, and thermal plume temperature settings can allow for different temperatures between the melt temperature and the plasma decomposition/ionization temperature in a central region of the pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600. Non-equilibrium conditions within the central chamber or region of the plasma spray torch apparatus (referring to temperature, pressure, etc.) can allow (or otherwise facilitate) internal lattice placement of the graphene/carbon, whereas the quick quenching creates conditions conducive to covetic materials growth.

[0175]As understood herein, internal lattice placement refers to the positioning of a synthesized lattice structure, e.g., of a carbon material such as graphene, within the lattice structure of input metal(s) such that individual carbon and metal atoms are at least partially aligned. For example, internal lattice placement includes situations in which one or more layers (preferably coherent, planar layers) of graphene, such as single layer graphene (SLG) or few layer graphene (FLG) are juxtaposed interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice, and/or interlaced interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. Internal lattice placement also includes embodiments in which other carbon-based compounds, such as three-dimensional graphenes, carbon nano-onions (CNOs), graphene nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes, graphene superlattices, and equivalents thereof that would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art, are juxtaposed interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice, and/or interlaced interstitially between basal planes of the metal lattice. Again, the primary characteristic of internal lattice placement, regardless of the particular synthesized lattice structure of the carbon-based compound, is that individual carbon and metal atoms are at least partially aligned. Diagrams showing internal lattices where the lattice of the carbon and the lattice of a metal are oriented such that carbon and metal atoms are at least partially aligned are presented in FIG. 8A-B, FIG. 12, FIG. 26C, and FIG. 26D and in corresponding written description, infra.

[0176]Internal lattice placement thus refers to spatial arrangement of carbon and metal atoms in a lattice, and is to be distinguished from chemical and/or ionic bonding, although according to various implementations the presently described inventive compositions of matter may additionally include characteristics such as non-polar covalent bonding between individual carbon atoms within the composition of matter, and/or non-polar covalent bonding between individual carbon and metal atoms within the composition of matter.

[0177]Preferably, compositions exhibiting internal lattice placement are characterized by substantial absence of polar covalent bonding between individual carbon atoms, as well as substantial absence of polar covalent bonding between carbon and metal atoms. Still more preferably, the inventive compositions described herein are characterized by substantial absence of ionic bonding within the metal lattice.

[0178]As will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art, polar covalent bonds, non-polar covalent bonds, ionic bonds, and metallic bonds each have unique distinguishing characteristics, and corresponding electronic and chemical properties.

[0179]An ionic bond results after a complete transfer of the bonding electrons from one atom to the other. The resulting positively and negatively charged ions are then electrostatically attracted. Importantly, ionic bonds rarely have any particular directionality because they result from electrostatic attraction of each ion to all surrounding ions with opposite charge. Ionic compounds generally have high melting temperature, high boiling temperature, are brittle (low mechanical strength), and can conduct electricity when molten or in aqueous solution.

[0180]In metallic bonding, bonding electrons are delocalized over a lattice of atoms. In metals, each atom provides one or more electrons that reside between many atomic centers. The free movement of the delocalized (or “free”) electrons results then in important properties of metals such as high electrical and thermal conductivity. Notably, inventive compositions of matter described herein having carbon dispersed throughout a metal lattice, and substantial covalent bonding between the carbon atoms and the metal atoms of the lattice, may be characterized by all or substantially all (e.g., at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, at least 99%, etc.) of the electrons being involved in such covalent bonding, altering the electrical and/or thermal conductivity of the composition.

[0181]While polar and non-polar covalent bonding both involve the sharing of electron(s), compounds including polar covalent bond(s) are characterized by unequal sharing of the electron(s) between bonding partners. For example, in hydrogen chloride, the chlorine atom has higher electronegativity than the hydrogen, and exhibits a stronger attraction to the electron. Accordingly, the “shared” electron is more strongly associated with the chlorine atom, resulting in a partial negative charge on the chlorine and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen (thus creating a dipole in the HCl molecule). In water the bonds between each hydrogen and the oxygen atom are similarly characterized due to the greater electronegativity of oxygen. This results in dipole moments between each hydrogen and the oxygen atom, and owing to its bent shape, an overall dipole on the water molecule as a whole. However, not all compounds exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding exhibit an overall dipole. Tetrachloromethane has four chlorine atoms bonded to a central carbon, and equally spaced from one another. Although each carbon-chlorine covalent bond is non-polar, the spatial arrangement of the molecule cancels the overall bond moments, yielding a molecule with zero net polarity. Similarly, the linear shape of carbon dioxide cancels out the dipole moments exhibited between each oxygen atom and the central carbon, yielding a molecular structure with no net dipole moment.

[0182]Regardless, in the presence of an electric field, atoms and/or electron clouds involved in polar covalent bonding may be shifted, inducing polarization in alignment with the electric field. This phenomenon can give corresponding compounds energy storage capabilities, and contributes to capacitance of the composition of matter. Compounds exhibiting polar covalent bonding, particularly small molecules or molecules having a large proportion of polar covalent bonds (e.g., at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 50%, etc. in various embodiments) are characterized by melting and boiling temperatures less than compounds exhibiting ionic bonding (again, particularly small compounds and compounds exhibiting a large proportion of ionic bonds), but higher than compounds exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding (yet again, particularly small compounds and compounds exhibiting a large proportion of non-polar covalent bonds). Compounds exhibiting polar covalent bonding may, or may not, exhibit electrical conductivity, although typically less than ionic compounds. In addition, compounds exhibiting polar covalent bonding (still yet again, particularly small compounds and compounds exhibiting a large proportion of polar covalent bonds) are moderately soluble in water (the degree of solubility depending on the overall polarity of the compound) but generally not soluble, or only nominally soluble, in non-polar solvents.

[0183]By contrast, non-polar covalent bonding is characterized by equal sharing of the electron between bonding partners, and consequent absence of any dipole moment therebetween. Compounds exhibiting exclusively (or substantially exclusively) non-polar covalent bonding among constituent atoms therefore lack an overall dipole moment, and the corresponding characteristics associated therewith, as described hereinabove and other characteristics that would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. Exemplary, non-limiting, compounds exclusively (or substantially exclusively) exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding include graphite, single-layer graphenes (SLGs), few-layer graphenes (FLGs), three dimensional graphenes, carbon nano-onions (CNOs), graphene nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes (CNT), both single-walled (SWCNT) and multi-walled (MWCNT), graphene superlattices, etc. as described herein, as well as equivalents thereof that would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present descriptions.

[0184]For instance, compounds exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding, particularly small molecules such as carbon dioxide, molecular hydrogen, methane, etc., and compounds substantially excluding polar covalent bonds and ionic bonds, are generally characterized by low boiling, and melting temperatures, and low electrical conductivity. In most compounds exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding, London dispersion forces control the electronic characteristics of the compound. However, despite consisting essentially of non-polar covalent bonds, graphene (and similar compounds exhibiting sp² and/or sp³ bonding, and/or substantial coordination between electrons due to physical arrangement of the molecular structure and bonding pattern, as would be known by a skilled artisan upon reading the present disclosure) however, exhibits substantial electrical conductivity. Similarly, compounds exhibiting non-polar covalent bonding are typically insoluble, or only nominally soluble in water (though they are soluble in non-polar solvents).

[0185]Referring now to FIG. 6, the single integrated microwave plasma torch of FIG. 6 can be set up and operated as depicted in the following Table 2, the details of which are described infra.

Step S 1 : Deploy a Single Integrated Microwave Plasma Torch

[0186]FIG. 6 depicts a single integrated microwave plasma torch. The torch has the capability to process solid, liquid and vapor reactant feedstock species using (for example) a small inert gas or differentially pumped vacuum for controlling gas flow. The torch can be deployed in any environment (referring to laboratories, research set-ups, or large-scale industrial concerns, etc.).

Step S 2 : Operate the Single Integrated Microwave Plasma Torch for Formation of Graphene Loaded Metal Composite (“Covetic”) Alloys

[0187]Microwave energy is delivered in a collinear waveguide configuration along with a centralized gas feed system for efficient microwave energy absorption. The microwave energy source is used to heat the metal to a semi-molten state. As the CH₄ (or other hydrocarbon source) decomposes (into its constituent species) within an exhaust plume that is directed into a surface wave plasma gas dissociation tube, carbon radicals can nucleate (such as in an organized layer-by-layer manner) on the surface of the metal droplets via being energized by plasma radicals (directed onto the metal droplets). The energy tuning of the microwave thermal plume temperature and plasma allows for independent control of temperatures between the melt and the plasma decomposition/ionization that occurs within the central region of the pulsed microwave plasma spray torch apparatus 600.

[0188]Process conditions are measured and optimized. Desired process conditions are controlled by or for the integrated microwave plasma torch to directly form graphene-loaded metal composite material within a single or multi-stage plasma reaction torch. The plasma torch can be modulated within different regions of the surface wave plasma to enhance resonance (modulation) times and to optimize formation of targeted metal-carbon structures.

[0189]In addition to the shown process gas port (such as for introduction of a hydrocarbon process gas 605) at the depicted location, additional ports 604 can be provided at different locations. Such additional ports can be used to control how the process gas is introduced into the microwave field, and to introduce other process gasses. As examples, a process gas might be SiH₄ or NH₃. In some implementations, more than one input port for gas or more than one input port for particles (such as one for carbon and one for metal) may be included, where the location of the input ports can be positioned in different zones of the plasma torch.

[0190]The foregoing setup and conditions, as well as other conditions are optimized to result in conditions at the substrate surface that enable impinging particles to be consolidated into a film. The as-deposited films are analyzed and characterized according to methods outlined in Step S3 below.

Step S 3 : Validate/Characterize the Graphene (Secondary Phase) Metal Properties

[0191]Characterization of the as-deposited integrated carbon-metal composite structures are accomplished using several techniques. For example, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and/or SEM-EDS can be used to determine chemical composition, binding energies (nanoscale carbon detection) and distribution. Also, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and/or SEM, and/or Raman spectroscopy, and/or XRD can be used for determining morphology and/or for measuring grain size and structural aspects. Electrical and thermal properties as well as the tensile strength and modulus of the composite material can be evaluated using any known techniques.

Results

[0192]The foregoing techniques use a microwave plasma torch to continuously fabricate metal matrix composites. The processing entails material nucleation and formation of a growth zone within the plasma followed by an acceleration and impaction zone for consolidation of the materials onto a substrate. Each zone provides for unique control of dissimilar materials synthesis/formulation and integration; namely, selective, and unique formulation of alloy particles within the plasma, which then, through control of momentum (primarily kinetic) and thermal energetics during impact onto a substrate, enable a unique additive process for controlling consolidation parameters such as porosity, defect density, residual stress, chemical and thermal gradients, phase transformations, and anisotropy.

[0193]Various materials are selected for use across a wide range of growth dynamics within the plasma operation environment. In particular, different hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid sources with specific ratios of carbon to oxygen and hydrogen, and solid metal (or metal alloy) particle sources with different carbon solubilities, melting points, and crystal structures can be processed through the pulsed energy plasma torch processing system. As such, specific plasma processing parameters can be identified for concomitant incipient surface melting of the particle along with nucleation/growth and incorporation of 2D graphene and re-sputtered metal at the metal surface.

[0194]Upon incorporation of graphene into the metal from the microwave plasma torch, as-deposited materials/films are characterized with respect to “covetic-like” properties. As examples, these covetic-like properties can be characterized as (for example): (1) chemical composition (such as to detect impurities and to detect forms of carbon); (2) distributions of carbon (such as interstitial-referring to positions of carbon atoms or species within a metal matrix or lattice, intragranular and intergranular); (3) electrical conductivity; and (4) mechanical strength of the materials. The characterizations may include comparisons between graphene loaded versus un-alloyed parent metals. Further, and strictly as examples, using the microwave plasma torch, the as-deposited materials may exhibit a ratio of carbon to metal throughout the range (inclusive) of about 3% to 90%. In some situations, the ratio of carbon to metal is throughout the range (inclusive) of about 10% to about 40%. In some situations, the ratio of carbon to metal is throughout the range (inclusive) of about 40% to about 80%. In some situations, the ratio of carbon to metal is throughout the range (inclusive) of about 80% to about 90%. In some situations, the ratio of carbon to metal (inclusive) is greater than 90%. The carbon to metal ratio can be affected (or further affected) by parameters or specifications (such as temperatures, thicknesses, homogeneity, etc.) that define the coating process.

[0195]Accordingly, carbon may be present in amounts not capable of being achieved using conventional techniques, e.g., the resulting materials may include more than about 6 wt % carbon, more than about 15 wt % carbon, more than about 40 wt % carbon, more than about 60 wt % carbon, or up to about 90 wt % carbon, according to various embodiments. In various embodiments, the carbon may be included in the metal lattice in the foregoing amounts, such that all or substantially all of the carbon is incorporated into the metal (or other material) lattice, and grain boundaries/lattice surfaces are substantially or entirely devoid of carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates. Further still, the carbon is preferably present/located at interstitial sites of the lattice.

[0196]FIG. 7 is a diagram 700 depicting a coating process. The figure refers to a metallic substrate, which substrate is subjected to plasma torch spraying of covetic materials, which in turn results in synthesized complex carbon coatings. The metallic substrate might comprise any one or more of aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, niobium, and alloys thereof (e.g., various alloys of INCONEL® as described hereinabove), or other bulk metallic materials. The covetic materials might comprise one or more of carbons, graphene, Nano-onions, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbide implanted materials, etc.

[0197]The plasma torch spraying serves to coat the input materials with deposited materials, and can be operated using pulsed energy. As shown, the deposited (such as by layer-on-layer sputtering) materials may be any one or more of carbon, metals (such as listed above), and/or oxides or nitrides.

[0198]Several advantages emerge from use of the foregoing torches. Chiefly among them are the advantages of scalability and versatility of processes to formulate unique stable metal-carbon composites in a variety of configurations/architectures. These configurations/architectures range from fully dense thin film coatings to thick strips or particles for subsequent re-melting and casting/forming into engineered metal alloy components. Each of these species throughout the aforementioned range exhibit unexpectedly favorable (and desirable) enhanced mechanical, thermal and electrical properties when compared to existing parent metal alloy formulations. Additionally, the tunability of the concentration and distribution of covalently-bound 2D graphene in a metal alloy matrix above the thermodynamic solubility threshold, and the layer-by layer formation in a non-equilibrium plasma environment, enables a new class of composite materials that can be engineered to correspond to a specific application and/or to correspond to specific property requirements. Moreover, this can be done at a significantly reduced cost as compared with other techniques.

[0199]The enhanced mechanical, thermal and electrical properties can apply to a large number of applications that use copper and aluminum alloys. As examples, such applications include (but are not limited to): wire conductors and high voltage power transmission cables, microelectronic thermal management and heat exchangers, and numerous applications that use thin film electrical conductors such as batteries, fuel cells, and photovoltaics. In particular, the combination of the microwave plasma torch process and enabling carbon-metal alloy production provides significant energy savings in manufacturing as well as increased thermal efficiency and reduced electrical losses in end-application performance.

[0200]The foregoing plasma spray techniques depict merely one genre of methods for making covetic materials. Another genre involves spraying carbon particles onto small molten metal particles. Such a genre and various species of that genre are shown and discussed as pertains to FIGS. 8A-B, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, and FIG. 14, as well as in the discussions of the figures herein.

[0201]FIGS. 8A-B are schematics depicting a plasma spray process 800 that is used for spraying carbon particles onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of the plasma spray process 800 (or any aspect thereof) may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The plasma spray process 800 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0202]The shown plasma spraying techniques are used in various coating processes wherein heated materials are sprayed onto a surface. The feedstock (such as the coating precursor) is heated by electrical means (such as plasma or arc) and/or chemical means (such as via a combustion flame). Use of such plasma spraying techniques can provide coatings having a thickness in the range of about 20 μm to about 3 mm, depending on the process and feedstock. The coating can be applied over a large area and at a high deposition rate. Using the foregoing techniques, the deposition rate is much higher than can be achieved by conventional coating processes such as electroplating or physical and chemical vapor deposition.

[0203]In addition (or in alternative) to the example materials above, the types of coating materials available for plasma spraying include metals, alloys, ceramics, plastics, and composites. They are fed into the spray torch in powder form or in wire form, then heated to a molten or semi-molten state and accelerated towards substrates in the form of micrometer-size particles. Combustion or electrical arc discharge can be used as the source of energy for plasma spraying. Resultant coatings are made by the accumulation of numerous layers of sprayed particles. In many applications, the surface of the substrate does not heat up significantly, thus facilitating coating of many substances, including most flammable substances.

[0204]FIG. 9 is a scanning electron microscope image 900 showing the effect of spraying carbon particles (such as with particles sizes from 20 nm to 40 μm) onto small molten metal particles. The carbon particles sprayed onto small molten metal particles can be used in various specialized applications. For example, a plasma aluminum-graphite composite can be specially designed to provide coatings for turbine engines. Alternatives include use of aluminum and titanium alloys. The rate of growth of this plasma spray coating material is parabolic. The plasma spray coating material precipitates over short periods of time, which precipitation is largely independent of temperature. For preparation of the material surface, certain processes include preheating of the materials. In some implementations, blasting by grit is performed as well for preparation of the material surface. In some implementations, some portion of the particles that are sprayed onto the surface are still hot enough to form covetic bonds at the surface of the substrate. In other cases, small molten particles are at a temperature to form metal-to-metal bonds.

[0205]Use of the herein-disclosed microwave plasma torch techniques enables the creation of improved materials as compared to use of conventional torches. Specifically, power control limitations and other configuration constraints inherent to conventional plasma torches limit the ability of a conventional plasma torch to independently control input materials and other conditions needed to produce carbons that are effective in the creation of covetic materials that exhibit sufficiently high quality and homogeneity.

[0206]FIG. 10 shows a chart depicting a graphene growth temperature profile 1000 and a binary phase diagram. As an option, one or more variations of graphene growth temperature profile 1000 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The graphene growth temperature profile 1000 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment. The figure also shows a binary phase diagram, where the x-axis is the carbon concentration in a selected metal (such as copper, as shown) as expressed in atomic percent. The temperatures in the temperature profile in the figure as also shown in the phase diagram. Various metals can be used (such as silver, tin, etc.). In some cases, alloys are formed.

[0207]A general idea behind the growth of single layer graphene (SLG) or few layer graphene (FLG) on molten metal is to dissolve carbon atoms inside a transition metal melt at a certain temperature, and then allow the dissolved carbon to precipitate (referring to the creation of a solid from a solution) out at lower temperatures.

[0208]The schematic depicts graphene growth from molten nickel by (for example): (1) melting nickel while in contact with graphite (as carbon source), (2) dissolving the carbon inside the melt at high temperatures, and (3) reducing the temperature for growth of graphene.

[0209]As depicted, keeping the melt in contact with a carbon source at a given temperature will give rise to dissolution and saturation of carbon atoms in the melt based on the binary phase transition of metal-carbon. Upon lowering the temperature, solubility of the carbon in the molten metal will decrease and the excess amount of carbon will precipitate on top of the melt.

[0210]FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of a (conventional) plasma flame apparatus 1100. The figure is being presented to distinguish uses of a legacy plasma flame apparatus as compared to uses of the herein-disclosed microwave plasma torch. Specifically, although use of a legacy plasma flame apparatus can produce diamond, or diamond-like materials on the surface of metals, the process requires significant time for material dissolution of carbon and diffusion so that the final materials precipitate out onto the surface of the metal. During the creation of metal-carbon composite materials as disclosed herein with the presently disclosed implementations, graphene is desired to be interstitially grown and locked between layers (or within lattice or matrix sites) of metals or metal-containing composite materials. However, to do so, the temperatures must be modulated at a high rate. Unfortunately, legacy plasma torches do not offer sufficient control over the temperature and other conditions that are needed to reduce the size of interstitial carbon structures to the nanometer scale (as may be desirable in connection to achieving the covetic materials as desired herein).

[0211]In contrast, a pulsed microwave reactor (as relevant to the presently disclosed implementations as introduced earlier) and corresponding processes are shown and described in FIG. 12 to offer sufficient detailed control over the temperature and other conditions that are needed to reduce the size of interstitial carbon structures to the nanometer scale.

[0212]FIG. 12 depicts a pulsed microwave process flow 1200 that is used when “growing” graphene, referring to the layer-by-layer systematic deposition or application of graphene on substantially flat exposed surfaces of molten metal particles. As an option, one or more variations of pulsed microwave process flow 1200 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The pulsed microwave process flow 1200 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0213]When using the shown pulsed microwave process flow 1200, graphene is grown onto small molten particles. This is accomplished by interactions within the pulsed microwave reactor that occur around inlet 1204 (such as where the metal powder and carrier gas are inlet into the reactor chamber). In addition to inlet 1204, a process gas port 1202 and additional ports (such as additional port 12031 and additional port 12032) are provided at different heights on the side of the reactor apparatus. A waveguide traverses at least the distance from the position of the process gas port 1202 on the side of the reactor to the position of the inlet 1204 on the side of the reactor. Details of how to make and use ports for introduction and continued supply of material into such a reactor for growing graphene onto small molten particles are further disclosed below. More specifically, certain components of the reactor of FIG. 12 are shown and described as pertains to FIG. 13.

[0214]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a conventional pulsed microwave plasma spray waveguide apparatus 1300 that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of pulsed microwave plasma spray waveguide apparatus 1300 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The pulsed microwave plasma spray waveguide apparatus 1300 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0215]In this implementation, microwave delivery components and a pulsing power supply are integrated to form a “surfaguide” (or the like) gas reactor. As shown, a combination of these components is configured to facilitate growing graphene onto small molten particles using a microwave plasma torch.

[0216]An alternative approach is to perform micro-welding using a tungsten inert gas (TIG) plasma source to partially or entirely melt the metal. Such a micro-welding technique is shown and described as pertains to FIG. 14.

[0217]FIG. 14 is a schematic depiction of a micro-welding technique 1400 that is used for growing graphene onto small molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of micro-welding technique 1400 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The micro-welding technique 1400 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0218]A low power, low flow TIG welder power supply and control unit with a custom plasma containment section can be effectively used to heat metal particles of all types. As shown, the exhaust plume, when inserted into the surface wave plasma gas dissociation tube, allows temperatures to remain high enough for the growth of graphene. This mode of growth involving control of plasma radicals composed of hydrocarbons and other added gases formed under non-equilibrium conditions provides many tuning opportunities that can be exploited by many different configurations of a microwave plasma spray apparatus. FIG. 15, FIG. 18A1, FIG. 18A2, FIG. 18B, FIG. 18C, and FIG. 18D, as well as other figures and corresponding written description disclose example configurations of plasma spray apparatus.

[0219]FIG. 15 is a schematic depiction of a plasma spray apparatus in a coaxial configuration 1500. As an option, one or more variations of coaxial configuration 1500 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The coaxial configuration 1500 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0220]In a coaxial style implementation, microwave energy delivery is achieved via TEM waves fed into an antenna with the outer portion of the coaxial member being a quartz tube outside of which are flowed powdered metallic particles. The gas that is fed into the center region in this example is a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid such as methane, where it absorbs the microwave radiation. The powder is heated by microwave energy that escapes the central region and by external inductive heating, which causes metal powder (in particulate form) to melt near the inclined portion, or tip, of the displayed reaction chamber. As the CH₄ decomposes (into its constituent species, carbon, hydrogen, and/or derivatives thereof), carbon radicals nucleate on the surface of the melted metal droplets via the energy of the plasma radicals. Tuning of the microwave duty cycle, as well as tuning of the inductive heating, as well as tuning of the plasma characteristics, facilitates maintenance of different temperatures between the melt and the plasma decomposition/ionization region. Moreover, the non-equilibrium temperature allows for (facilitates) internal lattice placement of the graphene/carbon, and quick quenching creates conditions conducive to further covetic materials growth.

[0221]FIG. 16 is a schematic depiction of a plasma spray apparatus 1600 showing the evolution of materials by processing through a series of non-equilibrium energy conditions. As an option, one or more variations of the plasma spray apparatus 1600 (or any aspect thereof) may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The plasma spray apparatus 1600 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0222]The figure depicts evolution of materials as they pass through the apparatus. Specifically, the figure depicts the regions where different evolutionary changes occur such that in the region near the tip, graphene is grown onto the small metal melt particles. This material is deposited onto a substrate.

[0223]FIG. 17 depicts a surface wave plasma system 1700 for growing graphene onto molten particles. As an option, one or more variations of the surface wave plasma system 1700 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in the context of the architecture and functionality of the implementations described herein. The surface wave plasma system 1700 or any aspect thereof may be implemented in any environment.

[0224]In the shown configuration, the supply gas is fed into the center region of the apparatus. In this example a hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid such as methane is used. The hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid absorbs the microwave radiation, which provides a heat source to heat metal powder. Thus, the metal powder is heated from both: (1) the microwave energy that escapes the central region; and (2) the external inductive heating, to melt and become molten near the tip. As the hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluid decomposes, carbon radicals nucleate on the surface of the melted metal droplets via the energy of the plasma radicals.

[0225]FIG. 18A1 depicts an axial field configuration 1810 of a plasma spray torch. The formation of covetic materials has been discussed using several different apparatuses and corresponding processes. Any of the foregoing apparatuses and corresponding processes can be tuned to achieve particular conditions for formation of covetic materials. In the specific axial field configuration shown, the processes include generating an electric field 1804 between the electrodes to create current flow through a melt of metallic and carbon materials. Specifically, and as shown, a specially configured plasma torch has an externally controlled field where the melted particles form a plasma, which in turn becomes a meta electrode. The electrode on the other side of the field is formed by the shown growth plate 1803. The covetic materials are accelerated through an acceleration zone 1821 and then deposited onto a surface. The created alloy and covetic materials continue to be deposited onto the growth plate and/or onto previously deposited materials in the impaction zone 1823. This technique for deposition results in a material where the carbon loading is homogeneous and in high concentration.

[0226]Input materials can be selected and varied so as to achieve particular properties exhibited materials. For example, and as shown, inputs to the plasma spray torch may include various input gasses 1812 as well as input metallics and/or carbon particles 1818. The foregoing inputs can be introduced into one or more input ports 1862. In some cases, the input metallics and or carbon particles are entrained within a flow of input gasses 1812. Furthermore, the growth plate can change its dimension and composition during ongoing deposition. For example, and as shown, the growth plate 1803 can initially be a substrate 1816, on top of which is deposited hot covetic materials in a torch stream that at least partially melts the substrate as the covetic materials are deposited. The deposited hot covetic materials cool from a molten or partially molten state to form quenched layers.

[0227]In this manner, any number of layers can be formed. The temperatures at the substrate and/or at or near the topmost layer can be controlled such that when a next layer of materials lands on the molten metal of the just formerly-deposited layer, the newly-deposited layer grows in a lateral way to produce single-layer graphene on the surface of this molten metal. This mechanism is distinguished from other techniques at least in that, in contrast to conventional metal melt methods 103, where carbon precipitates out of a molten metal slurry, application of the herein-disclosed plasma spray torch methods 104 results in quenching in a short time period such that there is insufficient time for the carbon to precipitate out of the matrix. Thus, covetic bonds remain intact throughout the layer. A few moments later, after the quenching has formed a solid of metal and well dispersed carbon, another layer is sprayed on top of that, and so on, thereby forming layers of single-layer graphene that was grown, captivated and quick-quenched to produce a true covetic material with extremely high carbon loading within the matrix. As one example, when using conventional metal melt methods 103 (see FIG. 1A), carbon loading might achieve 6% carbon metal. In contrast, when using plasma spray torch methods 104 (see FIG. 1A), 60% carbon loading is readily achieved. In some cases, tight control of inputs and process parameters of the plasma spray torch and its environment allow carbon loading to approach as much as 90% carbon in the resulting material.

[0228]Experimental results using plasma spray torches have shown that highly loaded, highly uniform covetic layers can be formed by at least two quick-quench (such as ‘splat’) methods. A first method brings in carbon particles to cover metal particles (such as in the plasma) and the resulting hot mixture is sprayed onto a much cooler substrate. A second method creates graphene in the plasma and then brings in molten metal that covers the graphene. In both cases, true covetic (referring to a combination of covalent and metallic chemical) bonding occurs while in the plasma plume, and the quick quenching of the spray serves to captivate the mixture into an organo-metallic lattice.

[0229]As shown in FIG. 18A2, the depth or thickness of the quenched layers 1824 can be caused to be thicker or thinner by controlling distances between the plasma flame 1814 and the substrate and/or by controlling the temperatures at the substrate 1816 (such as either higher or lower than ambient) and/or by controlling the pressures in and around the reactor.

[0230]FIG. 18B depicts a radial field configuration 1820 of a plasma spray torch. In this configuration, the melted particles form a plasma within the torch, which plasma becomes a meta electrode. The other electrode is formed by the side of the internal wall.

[0231]The foregoing configurations of FIG. 18A1, FIG. 18A2, and FIG. 18B are merely examples. Other configurations involving different input materials and different input port configurations are possible without departing from the generality of the plasma spray torch disclosed herein. Moreover, different configurations involving different input materials and different input port configurations can achieve the same intended results. For example, two different configurations that are tuned to achieve the same resultant material are shown and described as pertains to FIG. 18C and FIG. 18D. Specifically, the example configurations of FIG. 18C and FIG. 18D can be used for plasma spray torch deposition of ceramic film materials onto carbon-containing particles (such as graphene-containing particles).

[0232]Indeed, thin film deposition of carbon-containing materials (such as via atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APECVD) and/or other variations of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)) have made their way into many areas of materials processing. Various composites and coatings involving such carbon-containing materials may exhibit improved physical properties (such as strength, imperviousness to corrosion, etc.). The morphological characteristics of various 2D and 3D carbons inure these improved physical properties to the composites and coatings by virtue of molecular-level configurations within the carbon-containing materials. In some cases, use of 2D and 3D carbons in composites and coatings greatly increases the resultant carbon-containing material's imperviousness to high temperatures; however, in some cases, these high temperatures rise above ˜2100° C., which is high enough to burn the 2D and 3D carbons themselves. Unfortunately, destroying the 2D carbons and 3D carbons in turn destroys the benefit originally garnered by the carbons in the composite or coating. Therefore, deposition techniques (such as plasma spray torch configurations) are needed to create composites or coatings that are impervious to temperatures even higher than the combustion temperature of carbon.

[0233]FIG. 18C depicts such a configuration, strictly as a non-limiting example. By tuning the inputs and various in-reactor conditions, graphene-containing materials can be coated with a heat-absorbing layer of organically modified silicon (ORMOSIL). The deposition of ORMOSIL ceramic materials onto graphene-containing materials can be achieved via several methods including through the process of atmospheric, reactive plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a silicon-containing precursor 1841 (such as hexamethyl di-siloxane) and a reactive gas such as oxygen. This particular mixture of the silicon-containing precursor and oxygen is made reactive within the plasma. The molecular dissociation that occurs within the plasma flame leads to deposition of silicon oxide onto surfaces such as the foregoing growth plate 1803. To accomplish this, in-reactor conditions are controlled such that an organically modified silicon ceramic is deposited onto surfaces of carbon-containing particles as they form in the reactor. Control of in-reactor growth and in-reactor deposition (such as by controlling APECVD processes) leads to a thin quartz coating around the carbon-containing particles, which are in turn deposited onto a substrate. The thin quartz coating acts as a flame-retardant layer to protect the carbon-containing particles from burning at elevated temperatures.

[0234]FIG. 18D depicts an alternative configuration, strictly as a non-limiting example. As shown, metallic and/or carbon-containing materials are input into the reactor. Microwave energy 1822 is controlled to achieve at least the temperature to dissociate the carbon-containing materials (such as T (c-dis) of FIG. 10). A silicon-containing precursor 1841 (such as HMDSO, HMDSN, etc.) is introduced into the plasma flame and the temperature is lowered in the plasma afterglow. As the temperature is lowered, carbon particles begin to form, becoming coated with the silicon oxide. The carbon particles coated with the silicon oxide are then deposited onto a substrate.

[0235]In one implementation, a thin layer of perhaps 10 nm thick of these 3D materials can be deposited onto a substrate, which won't burn or catch fire even at 1200° C. This is because pristine carbon (such as graphene) is crystallized, such as it's not an amorphous material. Rather, it has been reduced to a state where it simply won't burn anymore.

[0236]On one use case, the foregoing plasma spray torch techniques can be used to produce new types of solder that is non-eutectic. Or, as another use case, the plasma spray torch can spray a coating of material directly onto a substrate to prevent the underlying material from oxidizing.

[0237]In addition to forming materials that do not combust even at 1200° C. in atmospheric pressures, putting quartz around materials often yields huge advantages in applications.

[0238]Besides organically modified silicon, other organic substances can be used to coat the carbon particles or the carbon layers. Characteristics of the coating can be controlled. As one example, the pores of the surface of the sprayed-on materials can be tuned to be hydraulically smooth.

[0239]A plasma spray torch can be used to form a heat-absorbing, glass-coated, non-flammable graphene composed of graphene and silicon, where the silicon coats the graphene such that the graphene is able to withstand temperatures higher than 1600° C. Such a heat-absorbing, glass-coated, non-flammable graphene absorbs infrared energy.

[0240]One specific method for producing organically-modified silicon coatings comprises steps of (for example): (1) introducing a silicon-containing precursor into a plasma spray torch apparatus, (2) combining the silicon-containing precursor with a carrier gas having carbon particles that are entrained in the precursor gas, and (3) coating the carbon particles with silicon.

[0241]The characteristics of the flame-retardant and infrared obscurant materials that result from the plasma spray torch configuration of FIG. 18C and/or FIG. 18D can be tuned, at least in part, by controlling the time-temperature paths though the reactor. More generally, the characteristics of materials that result from the plasma spray torch configuration of FIG. 18A1, FIG. 18A2, FIG. 18B, FIG. 18C or FIG. 18D can be tuned, at least in part, by controlling (such as pulsing) the microwave energy within the reactor.

[0242]FIG. 19 is a chart 1900 that depicts energy versus time during pulse on and pulse off. More specifically, the chart shows one complete time cycle, from time T=0 through 50 microseconds with the microwave being continuously turned on, and then the remaining portion of the shown cycle depicts a time with the microwave being turned off. The plotted curves depict (1) changing density, and (2) changing temperature over the cycle. At time T=0, the temperature is at a minimum point (such as depicted at the origin of the chart). The temperature rises rapidly, then decreases, during which time the plasma density reaches a relatively stable value. When the microwave is turned off at time T=50 microseconds, both the plasma density and the temporal electron temperature decrease rapidly. The pulse time and duty cycle can be controlled so as to achieve a particular density and temperature at any point in time.

[0243]FIG. 20A1 depicts images that show organo-metallic bonding that occurs when combining carbon and copper using a plasma spray torch. As shown, carbon 2052 is deeply embedded within copper 2054. As commonly understood and as referred to herein, organometallic chemistry implies the study of organometallic compounds, chemical compounds containing at least one chemical bond between a carbon atom of an organic molecule and a metal, including alkaline, alkaline earth, and transition metals, and sometimes broadened to include metalloids like boron, silicon, and tin, as well. Aside from bonds to organyl fragments or molecules, bonds to ‘inorganic’ carbon, like carbon monoxide (metal carbonyls), cyanide, or carbide, are generally considered to be organometallic as well. Related compounds such as transition metal hydrides and metal phosphine complexes may be included in discussions of organometallic compounds, though strictly speaking, they are not necessarily organometallic.

[0244]Within organometallic chemistry, organocopper compounds contain carbon to copper chemical bonds, and may possess unique physical properties, synthesis, and reactions. Organocopper compounds may be diverse in structure and reactivity but remain somewhat limited in oxidation states to copper (I), such as denoted Cu⁺. As a d¹⁰ metal center, it is related to Ni(0), but owing to its higher oxidation state, it engages in less pi-backbonding. Organic derivatives of Cu(II) and Cu(III) may be invoked as intermediates but are rarely isolated or even observed. In terms of geometry, copper (I) adopts symmetrical structures, in keeping with its spherical electronic shell. Typically, one of three coordination geometries may be adopted: linear 2-coordinate, trigonal 3-coordinate, and tetrahedral 4-coordinate. Organocopper compounds form complexes with a variety of soft ligands such as alkyl phosphines (R₃P), thioethers (R₂S), and cyanide (CN⁻).

[0245]By any one or more of the aforementioned techniques, the carbon depicted in FIG. 20A1 and FIG. 20A2 is chemically bonded to copper—as opposed to merely being juxtaposed to copper to adhere thereto via van der Waals forces (such as referring to a distance-dependent interaction between atoms or molecules). Unlike ionic or covalent bonds, van der Waals attractions do not result from a chemical electronic bond; they are comparatively weak and therefore more susceptible to disturbance. Moreover, the van der Waals forces quickly vanish at longer distances between interacting molecules. Instead, what is desired is organo-metallic bonding between a metal and carbon.

[0246]FIG. 20A2 depicts images that are a graded composition of matter applied into a substrate material and showing three material property zones. The bulk metal zone 2066 is a first material property zone of these three material property zones. As shown, the first material property zone comprises a metal in a first crystallographic formation, the first crystallographic formation having substantially metallic bonds between metal atoms present in the first material property zone. This first material property zone is substantially adjacent to a second material property zone that at least partially overlaps the first material property zone. The covetic material zone 2064 comprises at least some carbon atoms in a second crystallographic formation, wherein the second crystallographic formation has at least some non-polar covalent bonds between some of the carbon atoms that are present in the second material property zone and the metal atoms that are present in the first material property zone. The top surface zone 2062 is a third material property zone that at least partially overlaps the second material property zone. This top surface zone comprises further carbon atoms that are oriented in a third crystallographic formation. The third crystallographic formation is characterized as having at least some non-polar covalent bonds between individual ones of the further carbon atoms that are present in the third material property zone. In various implementations, there may be some metal atoms in any of the zones, and there may be some carbon atoms in any of the zones. However, this implementation is characterized by a higher metal content zone 2074 that is adjoining to the bulk metal zone 2066. In various implementations, here may be some carbon atoms in any of the zones, and there may be some metal atoms in any of the zones. However, this implementation is characterized by a higher carbon content zone 2072 that is adjoining to the top surface zone 2062.

[0247]FIG. 20B is a materials evolution chart 20B00 depicting several layered configurations that occur when adding carbon to bulk aluminum. In these implementations, materials are sprayed onto an existing, carbon rich covetic substrate or carbide layer to create a carbon to carbon bond through carbon sintering and/or metal melt encapsulation, which in turn creates attachments to form a composite film. The materials evolution chart 20B00 is merely one example of a combinational material (silicon carbide) that is sprayed onto an aluminum bulk material. The process can be tuned to create a covetic or covetic-like film that is deposited onto bulk materials. The resulting materials then can be coated to create a functionalized top layer. One possible configuration of an apparatus for spraying combinational material onto substrate is given in FIG. 21A.

[0248]FIG. 21A depicts an apparatus for spraying a molten mixture of materials onto a substrate. The figure depicts a microwave reactor that comprises multiple regions inside a containment vessel. Pulsed microwave energy is delivered into the containment vessel. A hydrocarbon process gas 605 is provided through an inlet port. The microwave energy heats the process gas to a high enough temperature to form plasma. The expansion of materials within the containment vessel creates a plasma plume. The continuous addition of materials into the containment vessel in combination with the aforementioned expansion results in a torch effect in and around the plume. Resulting from the high temperatures within and around the plasma plume, the carbon dissociates from the hydrogen, thus forming several different hydrocarbon species (such as CH₃, CH₂). As the temperature continues to increase (such as in the first region 2104, as shown), all or nearly all of the carbon atoms become dissociated from the hydrogen. Using any known technique (such as using a gas-solid separator), the hydrogen-only species are separated from the solid carbon species.

[0249]At the interface between the first region 2104 of the containment vessel and the second region 2106 of the containment vessel, molten metal or molten metal composite, or molten ceramic-metal, or metal matrix, or metal mixture of any sort is introduced through a second inlet into the containment vessel (as shown). The location of the second inlet is selected based on the dimensions of the plasma plume, and/or the temperature of the molten metal at the point of inlet into the containment vessel. More specifically, the metal melt 2108 is introduced into the reactor at a location where the molten metal mixes with the carbon species. As the mixture flows (such as at a high rate of velocity) through the containment vessel, the mixture cools to a lower temperature. The flowing mixture exits the containment at a high rate of velocity such that the mixture of carbon and molten metal is sprayed out of the exit port 2110. The mixture is deposited (such as via spraying sprayed material 2112) onto a target substrate 2116. Various mechanisms for controlling the uniformity of the sprayed material 2112 and/or the resulting deposited material 2114 are shown and discussed as pertains to FIG. 23A through FIG. 23D.

[0250]The temperatures in the second region are low enough that at least some of the carbon precipitates out of the mixture. However, most of the dissociated carbon remains in mixture with the molten metal. When the molten metal mixed with the carbon reaches the target substrate 2116, it cools into a solid. During the transition from a molten mixture to a solid deposit, carbon is trapped between layers of metal and carbon. At certain temperatures the carbon forms non-polar covalent bonds with the metal, thus resulting in covetic material. This covetic material exhibits a range of mechanical, thermal, electrical and tribological properties due to increased cohesion forces (such as non-polar covalent bonds) between the metal matrix and carbon.

[0251]Such covetic materials are a result of use of the pulsed microwave energy to control the energy distribution of the constituents of the materials in the first region and second region of the reactor. More specifically, the energy distribution of the constituents of the materials in the first region and second region of the reactor can be controlled in part by pulsing the microwave and in part by pre-melting the metal particles in an environment external to the chamber of the reactor (such as so as to introduce fully-melted or partially melted metal into the reactor chamber). Any known techniques can be used, singly or in combination to melt the metal particles. As such the degree and/or mixture of fully melted or partially melted particles can be controlled.

[0252]FIG. 21B depicts a method for spraying covetic materials onto a substrate. The method can be used in conjunction with the apparatus of FIG. 21A. As shown, the method is performed using a microwave reactor having an inlet for a process gas, an inlet for a metal melt, and an exit port. Prior to operation, the microwave reactor is configured with an inlet for hydrocarbon process gas, an inlet for a metal melt, and an exit port (operation 21B02). At operation 21B10, the inlet serves to introduce a hydrocarbon process gas into a first region of the reactor. Using the microwave energy, the temperature in the first region of the reactor is elevated such that the hydrocarbon process gas dissociates into carbon and hydrogen species before reaching the metal melt. A different inlet serves to introduce a metal melt into a second region of the reactor (operation 21B20). The elevated temperature in the second region is maintained until the dissociated carbon mixes with the metal melt (operation 21B30). The effect of the aforementioned plume operates to move the mixture into a third region of the reactor (operation 21B40). Movement away from the microwave energy source has the effect of reducing the temperature of the mixture until at least some of the carbon condenses out of the mixture (operation 21B50). However, even though the temperatures are reduced, the plasma torch effect serves to move the mixture through the exit port at a high rate of velocity (operation 21B60). As such, the molten mixture is sprayed onto a substrate (operation 21B70).

[0253]FIG. 21C is a schematic depicting a plasma spray process that is used for spraying a film. As shown, carbon radicals, polycyclic aromatics, graphene sheets, and metal particles are mixed at high temperatures in a plasma reactor (such as referring to the shown first region 2104). Nucleation occurs at these high temperatures, and as temperatures inside the reactor decrease (such as referring to the shown second region 2106), growth and assembly begins. One possible growth mechanism is depicted by the sub-micrometer sized aluminum particles being coated by few layer graphene. These sub-micrometer sized aluminum particles are held together with a combination of metallic bonds, non-polar covalent bonds, and covetic bonds. More specifically, and as shown at the 2 nm scale, carbon atoms are bonded to aluminum atoms. The carbon atoms are organized into a coherent graphene plane that is situated in the aluminum matrix, preferably interlaced between basal planes of the aluminum matrix. The foregoing discussion involving aluminum is merely an example. Other metals can be used. In fact, a coherent graphene plane can be situated (again, preferably between basal planes) not only in a face-centered cubic (FCC) metal lattice, but also in a body-centered cubic (BCC) metal lattice, or in a hexagonal close packed (HCC) metal lattice.

[0254]The foregoing coated particles are then sintered to form particles that have diameters on the order of 100 μm. These semi-molten particles are then accelerated through the reactor and impacted onto a substrate (such as in a first pass), or onto a previously deposited layer of impacted particles (such as in a second or Nth pass).

[0255]FIG. 22A depicts an apparatus for wrapping carbon particles with a molten metal. The configuration of the apparatus of FIG. 22A differs from the configuration of the apparatus of FIG. 21A at least in that the introduction of the molten metal is controlled using the melting apparatus 2209. The metal melt is controlled so as produce molten metal that wraps around carbon particles when the molten metal is introduced into the reactor.

[0256]FIG. 22B depicts a method for wrapping carbon particles with a molten metal. Prior to operation, the microwave reactor is configured with an inlet for hydrocarbon process gas, an inlet for a metal melt, and an exit port (operation 22B02). At operation 22B10, the inlet serves to introduce a hydrocarbon process gas into a first region of the reactor. The method differs from the method of FIG. 21B at least in that, in operation 22B30, the temperatures in the different regions of the reactors are maintained such that some carbon particle species form from the dissociated carbons. The effect of the aforementioned plume operates to move the mixture into a third region of the reactor (operation 22B40). In operation 22B50, at least some of those carbon particles become wrapped by the molten metal. Some bonds are formed between constituent atoms of the carbon particles and atoms of the metal melt. In operation 21B60, the metal-wrapped carbon particles moved through the exit port, further reducing the temperature. When the metal-wrapped particles are deposited onto the substrate (operation 21B70) further bonds are formed between the metal-wrapped carbon and the metal of the substrate.

[0257]FIG. 23A, FIG. 23B, FIG. 23C, and FIG. 23D depict example deposition techniques, according to some implementations.

[0258]As shown in FIG. 23A, the deposited material has a curved shape that is characterized by a middle region of a higher height and end regions of a lower height. In some cases, this is a desired shape for a spot of deposited material. In other cases, it is desirable to spray deposited materials over larger areas. This can be accomplished by moving the substrate with respect to the spray, or by moving the spray with respect to the substrate. FIG. 23B depicts a flexible substrate 2310 that is dispositioned onto a supply reel. The flexible substrate can be drawn onto and around a take-up reel. As such, and in the configuration of FIG. 23B, the spray deposits covetic materials uniformly onto the moving substrate. When the relative movement between the sprayed material 2112 and the substrate is controlled, the resulting deposited materials are of uniform thickness.

[0259]In some situations, it is desired to have a non-flat, but uniform patterning at the surface of the deposited materials. In such a situation, the movement of the substrate can be stepped through a series of discrete positions, thus resulting in the patterning of FIG. 23C. Additionally, or alternatively, a slotted antenna can be disposed between the sprayed material 2112 and the substrate. The slotted antenna functions by distributing the spray evenly across the lateral distance of the slotted antenna. Using such a slotted antenna, a single spot of sprayed material 2112 can have thickness and surface uniformity substantially as shown in FIG. 23D.

[0260]FIG. 24A and FIG. 24B depict conventional techniques for deposition of materials onto a substrate. As shown in FIG. 24A, a carbon agglomerate is held together through use of a binder (such as polymerics). This results in weak binding at the interface between the carbon agglomerate and the substrate. FIG. 24B depicts a coating of carbon materials onto a substrate using a binder. Conventional deposition using binders suffers from peeling. Moreover, even when the surface of the substrate is mechanically pretreated and/or pretreated with deposition of binder material, the interactions between the substrate and the carbon agglomerate are weak.

[0261]As heretofore described, coatings based on deposition of materials onto a substrate using binders and/or using coating techniques (such as such as are shown and described as pertains to FIG. 24A and FIG. 24B) suffer from peeling, low strength properties and other undesirable mechanical properties. Improvements based on plasma spray techniques are shown and discussed in FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B.

[0262]FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B depict example deposition techniques that result in non-polar covalent bonding at the surface of a substrate, according to some implementations. Specifically, and as shown, when the herein-disclosed techniques are used, covetic materials are formed by non-polar covalent bonds between the carbon and the substrate. As such, no binder is needed or used. Furthermore, many of the non-polar bonds formed at the interface between the substrate and the covetic material are strong covalent bonds. In one specific case, where the substrate is aluminum, non-polar covalent bonds are formed between atoms that are in the face-centered cubic structure of aluminum and atoms of carbon that are in a hexagonal structure. A schematic of interfacial bonding is depicted in FIG. 25B.

[0263]FIG. 26A, FIG. 26B, FIG. 26C, and FIG. 26D present schematic diagrams that depict how non-polar covalent bonds are formed between sites in the square shapes of a face-centered cubic structure of aluminum and sites in the hexagonal shapes that occur in certain crystallographic structures of carbons.

[0264]FIG. 26A is an orthogonal view showing the square shapes of face-centered cubic structure of aluminum. FIG. 26B is an orthogonal view showing the hexagonal shapes that occur in certain crystallographic structures of aluminum.

[0265]FIG. 26C depicts one possible superposition of the hexagonal shapes that occur in certain crystallographic structures of carbons on top of the square shapes of face-centered cubic structure of aluminum. FIG. 26D depicts non-polar covalent bonds that are formed at certain sites. The example of the face-centered cubic structure of aluminum is merely one example. Other metals having other crystallographic structures are possible. Unexpected properties exhibited by some embodiments are postulated to be caused by non-polar covalent bonding between carbon and metal atoms being sufficient/effective to “trap” all or substantially all (e.g., at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, at least 99%, etc.) of the “free” electrons typically present in compounds exhibiting metallic bonding, thus altering the properties typically associated with presence of “free” electrons in metals and metal-containing compounds. For instance, certain implementations may be characterized by surfaces of the inventive compositions of matter having effectively no “free” electrons, and thus exhibiting reduced thermal and/or electrical conductivity. Moreover, for implementations having effectively no “free” electrons, the surfaces of the inventive compositions do not oxidize when exposed to ambient air.

[0266]FIG. 26E is an example of a layered covetic material 26E00, where a graphene-like structure is sandwiched between layers of metal material. The lower layer of metal material is a layer of substrate. The top layer of metal material is formed of quenched material that was formerly molten while in the reactor. The graphene-like structure that is sandwiched between layers of metal material is captured between the two layers of metal due to the formation of metal-to-metal bonds between the two metal layers. In addition to the metal bonds, other bods are formed that serve to encase the graphene-like material between the metal layers. In some locations, there are defects in the carbon lattice. Various types of bonds are formed between or near such defects.

[0267]Any or all of the foregoing techniques for forming covetic materials can be used in many applications involving many different types of substrates. Moreover, the relative movement between the spray and the substrate can be controlled so as to result in deposits of any thickness. Any known techniques can be used to control the relative movement. For example, the exit port can be moved over a stationary substrate. This can be accomplished using a hand-held device or a robotically controlled device that is moved relative to the stationary substrate. In some cases, the substrate can be subjected to a bias voltage such that at least some of the material that is sprayed out of the exit port is electrostatically attracted to the surface of the substrate. This has applicability in applications where the substrate is not uniformly flat. As examples, applications where the substrate is not uniformly flat may include: (1) shaped components that are used in machinery that is subjected to corrosively harsh conditions, (2) turbine blades, (3) heat exchanger components, etc., many of which applications are further discussed infra.

[0268]In other situations, characteristics (such as thickness, lateral uniformity, etc.) of the deposition can be enhanced through use of and/or combinations of various chemical vapor deposition techniques. Strictly as one example, aspects or parameters pertaining to known-in-the-art plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques can be controlled so as to optimize characteristics of the deposited layers of covetic materials. As another example, rather than depositing covetic materials onto a surface to form a film or coating, covetic materials can be formed into particles (such as by spraying into a lower temperature environment) and collecting the particles as a powder. Various techniques involving production and use of powered covetic materials are briefly discussed hereunder.

Powdered Covetic Materials

[0269]In some situations, rather than forming covetic materials as a film or coating on or in a substrate, covetic materials can be delivered as a covetic material powder. Such a powdered covetic material can be collected as it exits the reactor, cooled to a temperature below the melting point of the covetic material and collected as a powder. The powder in turn can be handled (such as stored and shipped, poured, mixed, etc.) at room temperatures. The powder can then be remelted and pressed into a form or remelted and re-sprayed. As examples, components for use in highly corrosive environments can be formed from such powdered covetic materials using injection molding or extrusion. Many apparatuses can be used, singly or in combination to form and transport covetic material powders. Example apparatus are shown and described as pertains to FIG. 27A, FIGS. 27B1 and 27B2.

[0270]FIG. 27A depicts an example apparatus 27A00 for producing powdered covetic material 2710 using a cooling region 2702 to cool the sprayed material 2112 when the spray is forced through an exit port 2110 of a microwave reactor. Any one or more cooling techniques in any combination can be used to lower the temperature of the covetic material in cooling region 2702 to a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the covetic material. The cooling region 2702 might host one or more apparatuses to cause the cooling. For example, and as shown, a collection vessel 2704 might be fitted with one or more apparatuses to cause a cyclone effect in the collection vessel, thereby increasing the time for lowering the temperature of the covetic material. In some cases, the time for cooling the covetic material is controlled (such as by increasing or decreasing the time) so as to allow the covetic material to anneal with highly regular bonding. In some cases, controlling the time during which the covetic material is cooled allows for the covetic material to crystalize into highly regular crystalline structures, while still remaining in powered form. In some implementations, a mechanical tumbler-agitator can be fitted between the exit port 2110 of the microwave reactor and collection vessel 2704. The tumbler-agitator can be cleaned or replaced periodically.

[0271]Alternatively, or additionally, and in situations where it is convenient and/or necessary to contain and/or transport powdered covetic material in a fluid, a fluidized bed apparatus can be used. For example, to avoid formation of aggregates and/or agglomerates of particles of the powder, the powdered covetic material can be held (e.g., suspended) in a liquid. In some implementations, a fluidized bed apparatus can be fitted between the exit port 2110 of the microwave reactor and collection vessel 2704. One implementation of such a fluidized bed apparatus is shown and described as pertains to FIG. 27B1 and FIG. 27B2.

[0272]FIG. 27B1 and FIG. 27B2 depict an example fluidized bed apparatus 27B00 for cooling and handling powdered covetic materials in a fluid.

[0273]As shown, the molten metal and carbon mixture is forced through the exit port of the reactor and into the top of a fluidized bed 2750. As the molten metal and carbon mixture is forced out of the exit port, it is cooled in a manner that form particles. The particles are acted on by a downward force of gravity (such as in a downward direction, as shown) while at the same time a process fluid 2754 is forced from the bottom of the fluidized bed to create an upward force. As such, the particles accelerate toward the bottom of the fluidized bed at an acceleration rate slower than that of the local gravity. The flow dynamics can be partially modulated by the geometry of the fluidized bed. For example, and as shown, a length of the fluidized bed can form a tapered body 2762 where a first end of the tapered body has a first dimension D1 and where a second end of the tapered body has a second dimension D2, and wherein D1>D2. The temperature within various portions of the fluidized bed can be controlled in part by power source 2752 that powers a coil (as shown) and/or by a heat source 2760 that heats process fluid 2754 before the process fluid enters the bottom of the fluidized bed.

[0274]The pressures and flow rates and other conditions in the fluidized bed and at the environmental interfaces of the fluidized bed serve to cause the powder and fluid mixture to behave together as a fluid. The mixture exhibits many properties and characteristics of fluids, such as the ability to free flow under gravity, and/or to be pumped using fluid handling technologies.

[0275]In the implementation of FIG. 27B1 and FIG. 27B2, the fluidized bed has multiple ports that are positioned at different heights of the tapered body. This is so that a first powder in fluid 27561 flows out at a particular temperature/pressure, whereas a second powder in fluid 27562 flows out at a second, different particular temperature/pressure. The flows through the multiple ports can be controlled such that the collection vessel can receive any ratio or amounts of first powder in fluid 27561 and second powder in fluid 27562.

Method of Forming Covetic Materials

[0276]Table 3 shows some non-limiting examples of methods for forming powdered covetic materials.

Example Method 1

[0277]In some implementations of method 1, structured carbons (such as carbon allotropes) are formed in a first region of a microwave reactor (such as through the dissociation of a hydrocarbon process gas). In a second region that is at a lower temperature than the first region, the structured carbons are decorated with a metal so as to form a metalized carbon material (such as an organo-metallic material). The metalized carbon material is further cooled to a temperature below the melting point of the metal. In some implementations, the metalized carbon material is initially in the form of carbon particles that are decorated with a metal. The particles are further cooled so as to form a powder. The powder can be collected and transported to an application facility. The powder comprising metalized carbon material having covetic bonds can be remelted and used in conjunction with any known techniques for forming a component from a powder. Strictly as examples, components can be formed from a powder by using die pressing followed by re-melting, isostatic pressing followed by re-melting, hot forging, metal injection molding, laser sintering, etc.

Example Method 2

[0278]In this method 2, one or more hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluids (or in some cases gases and liquids) are input into the system. Strictly as examples, the gases and/or liquids that can be input into the system include methane, ethane, methylacetylene-propadiene propane (MAPP), and hexane. In a first region 2104 at a first temperature, the carbon atoms are dissociated from other atoms (such as dissociated from hydrogen). A molten metal 2108 is introduced into the reactor as metal particles. Then, in a second region 2106, the carbons produced in the first region combine with the metal particles. The carbon can grow on the surface of the metal particles and/or grow within the interior of the metal particles. In some situations, and under some conditions, the carbon growth comprises growth of 2D carbons on or in the metal particles. In other situations, and/or under other conditions, the carbon growth comprises growth of 3D carbons on or in the metal particles. In any of the foregoing growth situations, the growth can take place to the maximum extent allowed by the lattice. For example, the molten metal can be aluminum with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure, and the carbon can form a solid solution with the aluminum up to a particular concentration. In some implementations, the carbon forms a solution with the metal up to a concentration determined by the metal properties (such as the crystal structure) and then precipitate out of the metal-carbon solution to form 2D or 3D carbon on and/or within the metal particles.

[0279]The growth in this method 2 is carried out under non-equilibrium thermal conditions. Specifically, various differing thermal conditions to control (for example): (1) first temperatures (such as higher temperatures) in the first region that are needed to control the foregoing dissociation, and (2) second temperatures (such as lower temperatures) in the second region to control insipient melting of metal powders and/or the formation and properties of the metal-carbon particles in the second region. Temperatures in these two zones can be independently controlled. Using this method, the sprayed materials are true covetic materials that exhibit true covetic behaviors.

Example Method 3

[0280]In still further non-limiting examples, materials and/or coatings on input particles can be created or deposited from mixed materials such as trimethylamine (TMA), trimethylglycine (TMG), and methylacetylene-propadiene propane. The particles can be cooled and collected as a powder. Some examples of particles that can be created from target materials in the first zone are phased carbons, silicon carbide, metal oxides, metal nitrides or metals. In some cases, the input particles are metals, and compound films (such as metal oxides or metal nitrides) are coated on the metallic input particles, while in other cases, the input particles contain compound materials and metallic coatings are deposited on the input particles. Some examples of particles that can be created from input gases in the first zone are carbon allotropes (such as innate carbons), silicons, ZnO, AlOx, and NiO.

[0281]In some implementations, gases, including various non-hydrocarbon gas and/or carbon-containing fluids or alcohols are input into the first zone and the first zone comprises a sputtering apparatus and a power supply, wherein the sputtering apparatus is configured to generate a plurality of ionic species from a selected target material. The target material and the ionic species combine to form a plurality of particles. The power supply can be an AC, DC, RF, or high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) power supply and can be configured to generate a plurality of ionic species from the target material by tuning the power, voltage, frequency, repetition rate, and/or other characteristics of the power supply.

[0282]FIG. 27C is a schematic depicting a plasma spray process that is used for production of a powdered covetic material.

Powdered Material Processing Sequence

[0283]A visual representation of an example powdered material processing sequence from hydrocarbon cracking and particle nucleation (such as the shown first region 2104), to graphene growth (such as the shown second region 2106), cooling of the semi-molten particles (such as in the shown cooling region) and collection of powdered covetic material (such as in the collection region, and into the collection vessel 2704) is shown in FIG. 27C. Mechanisms that underlie the efficacy of the example powdered material processing sequence are now briefly discussed.

[0284]In absence of a metal precursor (whether metalorganic or particle form), the microwave plasma dissociates methane to form carbon radicals (as well as polycyclic aromatics/acetylene) that will then form few layer (FL) graphene (or stacked lamellae) structures respectively. However, in the presence of a metal precursor in the plasma zone (such as refer to the reactors of FIG. 21A and FIG. 22A), the metal (either from metalorganic nuclei or particle) can serve as a seed site for heterogeneous carbon growth (such as carbon in the form of ionized radical, graphene nuclei, or polycyclic aromatic (acetylene)).

[0285]When using metals with a low solubility, such as Al or Cu, graphene sheets can grow (such as either through adatom/monomers or as a cluster) onto the surface of the metal. Characteristics of the growth depends at least in part on symmetry and minimization of interfacial free energy at the metal surface. As such, carbon growth occurs at the metal particle alongside metal atom re-sputtering events at the surface to create intermixed and/or layered metal/carbon structures. As is known in the art, the radius of the metal particle (such as surface curvature), can affect carbon solubility in the metal particle. As an example, a smaller radius (such as corresponding to higher curvature) increases the solubility over equilibrium (at a planar surface), which increase in the solubility can in turn impact the thickness of the graphene layers.

[0286]Once the powdered covetic materials 2710 have been collected in a collection vessel, the powdered covetic materials can be further processed using conventional techniques (such as injection molding techniques, other techniques using powdered metal).

Manufacturing Techniques Using Powdered Covetic Materials

[0287]FIG. 28 depicts method for making components from powdered covetic materials using injection molding techniques. As shown, the method is initiated upon gathering a set of properties for a component to be used in a particular application and/or environment (operation 2810), then selecting a particular powdered covetic material based on at least one of the properties for the application or environment (operation 2820). The selection may be based on desired mechanical properties for the component, and/or based on desired anti-corrosive properties of the component in the environments corresponding to its intended use, and/or other desired properties. The selection might be based on multiple desired properties, and in some cases a selection tool solved an optimization problem based on a set of properties and an objective function.

[0288]Once the covetic material has been selected (operation 2820), the selected powdered covetic material 2825 is melted (operation 2830) and introduced into a mold (operation 2840). A prescribed temperature and a prescribed pressure are maintained inside the mold for a prescribed duration (operation 2850) after which duration the temperature and pressure inside the mold is brought to about 30° C. and about atmospheric pressure (operation 2860). The component is released from the mold (operation 2870) and deployed in the intended application (operation 2880).

[0289]As heretofore mentioned, the selection of a particular covetic material might be based on multiple desired properties, some of which properties might be used as a variable of an objective function. In some cases, the selection of a particular covetic material might be based on a particular dominant property (such as mechanical strength, weight, anti-corrosiveness, etc.). In some cases, the properties of interest are ratios of other properties, such as strength to weight, specific heat to weight, etc.) In some cases, the dominant property is to be maximized (or minimized) subject to one or more constraints on other properties.

[0290]As such, powdered covetic materials can be deployed in a wide range of applications. In many cases, the resulting components made from powdered covetic materials outperform components made from other materials. Some example applications that correlate to certain dominant properties are shown and discussed as pertains to the following FIG. 29.

[0291]FIG. 29 is a diagram 2900 depicting various properties of covetic materials. The shown properties include mechanical attributes, thermal conductivity, resistance to oxidation, durability, resistance to softening at high temperatures, resistance to fatigue, and electrical conductivity. Individual ones and/or combinations of these parameters become dominant when selecting a particular covetic material for a particular application.

[0292]Strictly as an example, resistance to oxidation might be a dominant parameter when selecting a covetic material for use in making corrosion-resistant valves. As another example, when selecting particular covetic materials to be used in the manufacture of blades for aircraft engine turbines, mechanical attributes such as a strength-to-weight ratio, subject to a strength minimum constraint might be a dominating mechanical attribute. The blade might also need to exhibit a very high resistance fatigue.

[0293]Typically, covetic materials exhibit not only the aforementioned properties but also are less dense than the metal or alloy that is used in making the covetic powder. A lower density often corresponds to a lower weight for a formed component as compared with the same component made from the metal or alloy in absence of carbon loading. As such, truck parts (such as cab components, as shown), automobile parts (such as doors fenders, roof panels, etc.), motorcycle parts, bicycle parts as well as various components (such as structural members) of airborne vehicles, and/or watercraft, and/or space-based vehicles or platforms can avail of the lower weight-to-strength ratio of covetic materials as compared with the base metals or alloys that are used in making the covetic materials.

[0294]As another example, covetic materials often exhibit exceptional thermal conductivity such that structural members formed of covetic materials can be used in high-temperature applications (such as heat sinks for electronics, industrial heat exchangers, etc.).

[0295]As yet another example, covetic materials often exhibit exceptional resistance to corrosion. More specifically, covetic laminates made using the foregoing techniques exhibit extremely high corrosion resistance, even at the top layer (such as at the component-to-environment interface). This property is of particular interest when components made with covetic materials are subjected to harsh environments.

[0296]As a still further example, covetic materials can be tuned for surface smoothness. More specifically, covetic laminates made using the foregoing techniques exhibit extremely high surface smoothness. This surface smoothness property is of particular interest when the covetic materials serve as a heat shield, such as may be demanded in applications where friction at the surface (such as friction generated as a fluid passes over the surface at high speed) generates unwanted heat at the surface. By using the herein-disclosed techniques, the specific composition of the covetic material and/or by using the herein-disclosed specific techniques for deposition of the covetic material can result in a hydraulically smooth surface, which can in turn be used in airborne and/or space-based vehicles.

[0297]In certain implementations, one set of properties may dominate other properties. For example, the surface of a space-based vehicle (such as a satellite) might be required to be substantially non-reflective to a range of electromagnet radiation (such as substantially non-reflective to visible light), while at the same time, the surface of the space-based vehicle might be required to be thermally isolating (such as thermally non-conducting). The foregoing tuning techniques accommodate such situations where a particular desired property (such as non-reflectivity) dominates the tuning of the plasma spray torch so as to produce a substantially non-reflective surface, even at the expense of other properties.

[0298]The properties as shown and described as pertains to FIG. 29 are merely examples. Additional properties and/or combinations of properties might be demanded or desirable in various applications, and these additional properties are exhibited in resultant materials based on tuning of inputs and controls of the plasma spray torch. Strictly as examples of the foregoing additional properties, such properties and/or combinations of properties might include or be related to a strength-to-weight metric, and/or a specific density, and/or mechanical toughness, and/or sheer strength, and/or flex strength, etc.

[0299]Some applications (e.g., for high-stress/high-temperature operation, or for operation in chemically-harsh environments) have particular specifications as to anti-corrosiveness, and/or strength, and/or hardness, and/or other characteristics of the final material or component. In some situations, the particular specifications can be satisfied by use of an alloy that is, in turn, used to form components in correspondence with the particular application. VIM furnaces are often used for forming alloys. Sometimes, carbon-containing materials in powder form are added to the alloy admixture so as to decrease weight while maintaining strength and/or other characteristics of the alloy.

[0300]Unfortunately, a VIM furnace generates a strong magnetic field. The effect of this strong magnetic field on constituents of the powder is often stronger than the effect of gravity on the constituents of the powder. As such, the magnetic field has the unwanted effect of ejecting the powder from the VIM furnace even before the powder has a chance to enter into the crucible of the VIM furnace, to melt, and to then disperse within the admixture melt. One technique to address this unwanted ejection of the powder from the VIM furnace is to pelletize the powder into a dense form such that, when the form is introduced into the VIM furnace, it is not ejected by the magnetic force of the VIM furnace. Rather, the pelletized form enters into the crucible of the VIM furnace such that it melts inside the VIM furnace, and such that it becomes mixed into the molten admixture.

[0301]A carbon-containing alloy is thusly formed, preferably a carbon-containing alloy having at least some, more preferably all, of the physical characteristics as described hereinabove with respect to covetic materials. Such physical characteristics shall be understood as including, without limitation, high carbon loading (e.g., above 1.5%, above 5%, above 15%, above 40%, above 60%, and up to 90% of the material is carbon, according to various embodiments); substantially homogeneous dispersal of carbon throughout a surface layer and/or a bulk of the material; presence of carbon at interstitial sites of a crystal lattice of the metal with which the carbon is alloyed; absence of carbon aggregates and/or agglomerates at grain boundaries of the material;

[0302]FIG. 30A1 and FIG. 30A2 depicts problems and solutions associated with melting metal-decorated carbons in powder as compared with melting metal-decorated carbons in pellet form. The figures are being presented side-by-side to particularly illustrate the problem (30A100) and solution (30A200) associated with use of powders in a VIM processor.

[0303]As is known in the art, vacuum induction melting relies on a high-powered current generation source 3006 to melt metal within a vacuum environment 3002. The induction heating process produces eddy currents within conductors (e.g., metals). The eddy currents in turn produce heat. The magnetic field generated by the heating coils produce an upward force. Each individual particle of the powder 3004 does not weigh enough to overcome the upward forced produced by the electromagnetic force, which results in unwanted ejection 3003 of the metal-decorated carbon powder. FIG. 30A2 depicts the herein-disclosed solution to this unwanted ejection, namely by compressing many individual particles of the powder into a pellet 3008. As a result, the force of gravity acting on the pellet overcomes the force of the magnetic field on constituents of the powder. This solves the previously-discussed problem that the effect of the magnetic field of the VIM processor on a powder is stronger than the effect of gravity on the powder. As such, the pellet enters the crucible and is heated together with the constituents of the admixture.

[0304]Once the admixture reaches its melting point, the magnetic fields begin to stir the metal alloy. The alloy melt—including the carbon-containing constituents that are dispersed throughout the alloy melt matrix—can now be poured into a mold that is specific to a component for a given application.

[0305]FIG. 31 depicts a method of using a pellet 3108 so as to minimize or eliminate ejection of material during introduction of the pellet 3108 into the VIM processor 3110. The figure is being presented to illustrate an exemplary materials handling process whereby powdered material 3004 is pelletized before being used in a VIM processor. In additional approaches, the VIM processor 3110 may be substituted, or used in combination with, a vacuum arc melt processing apparatus, an electron beam melt furnace, an ion plating furnace, a plasma flame source, a smelter, a traditional metal-metal melt furnace, or any equivalent(s) and/or combinations thereof that would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0306]To obtain the powdered material, a supply gas (e.g., a hydrocarbon such as methane) is flowed into a plasma reactor to yield a plasma containing dissociated carbon atoms and dissociated hydrogen atoms. At some particular location in the plasma plume, such as where the hydrogen is fully dissociated from the carbon atoms, a metal melt (e.g., a nickel melt) is injected into the plasma. The injected metal melt combines with the dissociated carbon atoms to form a metal-decorated carbon molecules, some of which metal-decorated carbon molecules amalgamate with other metal-decorated carbon molecules. When cooled to a temperature below the melting point of the injected metal, the precipitate exits from the plasma reactor as a powdered material 3104.

[0307]After collection of the metal-decorated carbon powder from the plasma reactor (step 3114) the metal-decorated carbon molecules are separated from the dissociated hydrogen molecules (e.g., H2), possibly in a gas-solid separator or other collection vessel that is situated at the exit port of the plasma reactor. For example, and as shown, a gas-solid separator vessel 3102 may be implemented using equipment such as gravity separators, cyclones, scrubbers, electrostatic separators, filters, etc. as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0308]In the shown example, the metal-decorated carbon (a solid) and the hydrogen molecules (a gas) may be placed in a cyclone gas-solid separator vessel 3102. This particular configuration uses the concept of inertia to separate the solid (e.g., metal-decorated carbon) from the gas (e.g., the hydrogen). Due to the differences of molecular weight between the metal-decorated carbon and the hydrogen, the lighter material, in this case the hydrogen, will be more affected by the vortex created within the cyclonic gas-solid separator vessel. As such, the hydrogen gas will be forced (by the cyclonic effect) to travel upwards, thus separating the gas from the heavier powdered material 3104 (e.g., the metal-decorated carbon molecules). The shape of the gas-solid separator vessel facilitates flow of the metal-decorated carbon particles downwards towards the bottom of the vessel. This downward flow is in an opposite direction from the upward flow of the hydrogen. As such, the metal-decorated carbon particles can be collected for further processing.

[0309]Once the metal-decorated carbon powders have been isolated from the hydrogen and captured, the metal-decorated carbons are compressed to form a rigid body pellet 3108 (step 3116). This pelletizing may be accomplished, for example, through use of pelletizer 3106, such as a 12-ton press that is either automatically actuated or manually operated. Although this example shows use of a 12-ton press as the pelletizer 3106, any pelletizing technique and/or apparatus that would be understood by a skilled artisan apprised of this disclosure as suitable to generate pellets that have sufficient mass to avoid ejection from a VIM processor may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0310]The pelletization of the metal-decorated carbon exploits the mechanics of how the metal-decorated carbon interacts with the magnetic flux of the VIM with respect to gravity. More specifically, gravity acts more forcefully on the pellet than does the magnetic flux. As such, when introducing a pellet (rather than a powder) into the VIM processor 3110, the foregoing problem pertaining to ejection of material due to the magnetic forces is eliminated.

[0311]Once the pellet is introduced into the crucible of the VIM processor, the pellet will begin to melt and mix with other contents of the crucible (step 3118). During this step, when the pellet melts, it is uniformly dispersed within the metal admixture. To facilitate uniform dispersal, the VIM crucible may be loaded with the pellet alone, with the pellet placed on a metal powder, or with metal powder placed both under and on top of the pellet, according to various embodiments.

[0312]The resulting melt 3112 can then be poured into a mold (step 3120) and/or used in conjunction with injection molding equipment to form a component (e.g., turbine blade, automotive components, medical equipment, etc.). In some cases, the resulting output of the VIM processor (e.g., melt 3112) is cooled and then powderized, using any suitable technique, so as to be used with other mechanical part formation methods, for example 3D printing, and in turn, used in any application (step 3122).

[0313]FIG. 32 depicts a melt 3112 being placed into a mold 3202. The melt 3112 can be placed into a mold 3202 of any shape or form. Once the melt has been cooled, the component can be removed from the mold and used in its intended application.

[0314]Strictly as an example, a mold for a turbine blade could be used. The melt, consisting of the metal admixture and the carbon-containing constituents, may then be placed in the turbine blade mold and cooled. Once cooled off and removed from the mold, the turbine blade could be used in its intended application. As another example, the melt may be cooled, then powderized, then packaged for use with a 3D printer or other additive manufacturing technique/apparatus.

[0315]FIG. 33 depicts a simplified schematic of pellet processing, according to various approaches. As described in detail hereinabove with reference to FIG. 31, a powdered material 3104 is obtained, e.g., as output from a microwave plasma reactor, separated from unwanted gases, and pressed into a pellet using a pelletizer 3106. Preferably, the pelletizer 3106 includes a mold having a physical configuration/arrangement suitable to produce a pellet having desired geometry. As shown in FIG. 33, mold 3106a is configured to produce substantially cylindrical pellets (or “pucks”) with a diameter of about one centimeter. Of course, skilled artisans will appreciate that the geometric characteristics of the pellets may be chosen and/or tuned based on properties (e.g., magnetic field strength, volume, etc.) of the VIM processor (or equivalent apparatus) to be used to produce desired materials. Notably, the pellets generated according to experiments represented in FIG. 33 were produced without the need for chemical binders.

[0316]As also shown in FIG. 33, and demonstrated experimentally, the inventors have successfully produced pellets consisting essentially of innate graphene alone (3108a), as well as pellets formed from metal-decorated carbon, e.g., decorated graphene (3108b). Either type of pellet may be produced using substantially the same technique, with the only difference being the composition of the powder used to generate the pellet.

[0317]In a further experiment, represented schematically by FIG. 34, a pellet, such as pellet 3108, was dispersed in a solution of isopropanol via manual agitation. After agitation, which may be performed manually, using an ultrasonic wand (or other mechanism for ultrasonic agitation), etc. as would be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, the resulting suspension exhibited permeability. Magnetic testing verified dispersion of nickel decorated carbon.

[0318]In various approaches, the inventive structures, compositions, configurations, etc. described herein may be implemented in electrochemical cells of various types for practical utilization in a wide variety of applications. Without limitation, exemplary electrochemical cell configurations that may utilize any combination of features described herein, may be in the form of a pouch, a coin, a prismatic cell, a cylindrical configuration, or any suitable equivalent(s) thereof that would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0319]With reference to electrochemical cells having a pouch cell arrangement 3500, and as shown according to exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 35A-35C, an electrochemical cell includes a cathode 3510a and an anode 3510b positioned on opposing sides of the pouch cell arrangement 3500, and separated (physically and/or chemically) by a separator 3510c. The anode 3510c and cathode 3510a are electronically coupled via an electrolyte 3510f present in the pouch cell arrangement 3500. Moreover, each electrode is electronically coupled to an external environment of the pouch cell arrangement 3500 via a current collector and corresponding terminal, i.e. the cathode 3510a is coupled to the external environment via cathode current collector 3510d and cathode terminal 3506a, while the anode 3510b is coupled via anode current collector 3510e and anode terminal 3506b. The foregoing structures are enclosed, encased, or otherwise spatially fixed and contained via a pouch 3502 surrounding the components.

[0320]The pouch 3502, according to various embodiments, may take any suitable form that would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, such as a wrapping, a coating, an enclosure (soft or hard), a compressive structure (such as a metal band or mesh), etc. as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0321]Moreover, as shown in FIG. 35B, the anode terminal 3506b and cathode terminal 3506a extend through the pouch 3502, providing electronic coupling between interior and exterior environments of the pouch cell arrangement 3500. Note the anode terminal 3506b may alternatively be positioned on a same side, or an opposite side, of the pouch cell arrangement 3500 relative to the cathode terminal 3506a. Moreover, the relative position of the anode terminal 3506b and the cathode terminal 3506a may be switched relative to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 35B and 35C, according to alternative implementations and without departing from the scope of the presently described inventive concepts.

[0322]As noted in FIGS. 35A and 35B, the illustrative pouch cell arrangement 3500 may be wound around, e.g., its longitudinal axis, to form a spiral, folded, pleated, rolled, or otherwise at least partially overlapping configuration of the above-referenced electrochemical cell components. In preferred implementations, winding the pouch cell arrangement 3500 yields a configuration known as a “jellyroll”, Shown schematically in FIG. 35C.

[0323]Turning now to FIGS. 36A and 36B, which depict a simplified schematic of an electrochemical cell configured according to a coin cell arrangement 3600 is aptly named for its substantially flat, cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 36A. According to various embodiments, the cylindrical cell arrangement 3600 includes a can 3602 and cap 3604 which protect the components placed therein from mechanical damage, chemical damage (e.g. corrosion, oxidation, etc.) electrical damage, etc. and also prevent leakage of compounds within the cylindrical cell arrangement 3600 into the environment.

[0324]Coupled to the cap 3604 is an anode terminal 3606b, and likewise coupled to the can 3602 is a cathode terminal 3606a (not shown in FIG. 36B). Preferably, these terminals have a composition suitable for conducting electricity generated within the coin cell arrangement 3600 to an appropriately connected or coupled output, and may be inserted into a circuit to provide power thereto, as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present descriptions. Exemplary compositions suitable for use in cathode terminal 3606a and anode terminal 3606b include electrically conductive metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. as known in the art, electrically conductive carbonaceous materials, such as graphene, etc. as known in the art, or any other suitable equivalent thereof that would be appreciated by a skilled artisan upon reading the present disclosures.

[0325]Turning now to FIG. 36B, a plurality of components that may be included in a coin cell arrangement 3600 are shown according to an exploded view consistent with various embodiments of the presently described inventive concepts. It shall be appreciated that components such as washer/spring 3620, spacer 3622, and gasket 3624, represented by dotted outlines, are optional and may, but need not, be included in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein. However, it shall also be appreciated that, depending on the intended application for the coin cell arrangement 3600, washer/spring 3620, spacer 3622, and/or gasket 3624 may advantageously convey mechanical strength, or convey advantageous electrical properties, on the coin cell arrangement 3600. For instance, washer/spring 3620 and/or gasket 3624 may help secure the other depicted components in place, facilitating desired operation of the coin cell arrangement 3600. Similarly, spacer 3622 may cushion the anode 3610b from friction or compressive force from the washer/spring 3620, and/or be formed from a material that facilitates conduction of heat and/or electricity from within the coin cell arrangement 3600 to the anode terminal 3606b, according to the configuration shown in FIG. 36B. Of course, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate various advantages that may be realized via inclusion of washer/spring 3620, spacer 3622, and/or gasket 3624, in various implementations, based on knowledge generally available at the time of the present disclosure's filing date.

[0326]With continuing reference to FIG. 36B, illustrative coin cell arrangement 3600 features internal components including an anode 3610b positioned toward an opposing end of the coin cell arrangement as a cathode 3610a, with a separator 3610c and electrolyte 3610f positioned therebetween. As with all electrochemical cell arrangements shown in FIGS. 35A-38 and consistent with corresponding descriptions thereof provided herein, the anode 3610b, cathode 3610a, separator 3610c, and electrolyte 3610f may each be characterized by any composition as known in the art or as described herein that a skilled artisan would appreciate as suitable for the respective function thereof in an electrochemical cell, upon reading the present disclosure and without departing from the scope of the presently described inventive concepts. Several such exemplary compositions are provided hereinbelow, and others may be set forth elsewhere in the detailed descriptions of the inventive concepts instantly set forth. Unless expressly admitted as being known in the art, it shall be understood that any such exemplary composition described for any of the components of electrochemical cell arrangements 35A-38 is not admitted as being so well-known, but rather is considered part of the inventive concepts presented herein.

[0327]In other approaches, electrochemical cells may be characterized by a cylindrical cell arrangement 3700, e.g., as shown according to illustrative implementations in FIGS. 37A (external view) and 37B (cut-out view), includes a can 3702 and a cap 3704 that contain and protect other components internal to the cylindrical cell configuration, in similar manner as described herein regarding coin cell arrangements such as coin cell arrangement 3600 shown in FIGS. 36A and 36B. Also similar to other arrangements described herein, the cap 3704 and can 3702 each respectively include a terminal configured to conduct electricity generated within the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700 to an external environment, output device electrically coupled to the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700, etc., according to various embodiments and as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 37B, cap 3704 includes a cathode terminal 3706a, while can 3702 includes an anode terminal 3706b (not shown in FIG. 37B), positioned at substantially opposite ends of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700. Of course, the relative position of the cathode terminal 3706a and anode terminal 3706b may be swapped, according to alternative embodiments of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700.

[0328]With continuing reference to FIG. 37B, the illustrative cylindrical cell arrangement 3700 includes similar components as described herein with reference to other electrochemical cell arrangements, but structurally arranged in a unique manner. Most notably, while the cathode(s) 3710a and anode(s) 3710b are spatially separated by separator(s) 3710c, there are a plurality of such structures arranged in substantially laminar configuration and wound around a central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700. In this manner, the cathode(s) 3710a and anode(s) 3710b are not positioned proximate to opposing ends of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700 as is the case for pouch cell arrangement 3500 and coin cell arrangement 3600, but rather present throughout a volume of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700. Regardless, consistent with pouch cell arrangement 3500, the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700 includes a cathode current collector 3710d (not shown in FIG. 37B) and an anode current collector 3710e positioned at opposing ends of the cylindrical cell arrangement 3700 and electrically coupled to a corresponding terminal (i.e., either cathode terminal 3706a or anode terminal 3706b), as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosures.

[0329]Now regarding FIG. 38, a simplified schematic of an electrochemical cell embodied in a prismatic configuration 3800 is shown, according to one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts. As with other electrochemical cell arrangements described hereinabove, the prismatic cell arrangement 3800 includes a can 3802 and a cap 3804. Unique to the prismatic cell arrangement 3800, the can 3802 and cap 3804 as shown in FIG. 38 are substantially rectangular cuboidal in shape, although those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a unique advantage of prismatic cell arrangements as contemplated herein is nearly unlimited flexibility with respect to the spatial configuration of the can 3802 and cap 3804. The sole limitation on such spatial configuration is the ability to fully enclose and contain the internal components, shown according to one exemplary embodiment with reference to electrode and separator arrangement 3810. This flexibility, in large part, is due to implementation of electrode and separator arrangements 3810 characterized by a laminar structure including anode(s) 3810a and cathode(s) 3810a physically and/or chemically separated by separator(s) 3810c. While the particular electrode and separator arrangement 3810 shown in FIG. 38 is a multi-layered structure (e.g., composed of a series of thin films deposited sequentially one onto the other) those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that according to various implementations the components of the electrode and separator arrangement 3810 (which may include components other than anode 3810b, cathode 3810a, and separator 3810c without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed inventive concepts) may be arranged in a “rolled” configuration such as shown in FIGS. 35C and 37B, or in a folded configuration, a pleated configuration, or any other configuration in which at least portion(s) of the components of the electrode and separator arrangement 3810 at least partially overlap themselves, one another, or both. Furthermore, combinations of overlapping arrangements may be implemented in electrode and separator arrangement 3810 without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed inventive concepts.

[0330]Returning to the cap 3804 of exemplary prismatic cell arrangement 3800 shown in FIG. 38, in one illustrative implementation a plurality of terminals including cathode terminal 3806a and anode terminal 3806b are disposed on an external surface of the cap 3804 and electrically coupled to the electrode and separator arrangement 3810, e.g. via one or more current collectors (not shown in FIG. 38) using any suitable means and/or mechanisms that would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant descriptions.

[0331]Several exemplary electrochemical cell arrangements have been shown and described with reference to FIGS. 35A-38, and shall be understood as illustrative rather than limiting on the scope of the inventive concepts presented herein. Moreover, certain arrangements are depicted as including or omitting certain components not expressly shown or described with reference to other arrangements (such as the washer/spring 3520, spacer 3522, gasket 3524, electrolyte 3510f, current collectors 3510d and 3510e, shown with reference to FIG. 35A but not expressly shown or described with reference to other arrangements set forth herein. Despite the particular components shown in FIGS. 35A-38, it shall be understood that any electrochemical cell arrangement, whether in accordance with FIG. 35A-38 or according to a different electrochemical cell arrangement, may include any suitable combination of components described with reference to any single FIGURE, or components not shown in any of the FIGURES, but which would be appreciated as suitable for creating a functioning electrochemical cell by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant descriptions.

[0332]Of course, the various exemplary embodiments of electrochemical cells arranged according to different configurations shown in FIGS. 35A-38 and described hereinabove are provided for illustrative purposes, and should not be interpreted as limiting on the scope of electrochemical cells in which the inventive anode structures and compositions presently disclosed may be implemented. For instance, in various approaches different electrochemical cell configurations may be used together, in any combination, to provide power to one or more machines.

[0333]Moreover, the exemplary electrochemical cell configurations described hereinabove may be modified in any suitable manner known in the art without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein. For instance, various components shown above in FIGS. 35A-38 may be modified, substituted, omitted, supplemented, etc. in any manner that a skilled artisan reading the present disclosure would appreciate as suitable for producing a working electrochemical cell, without extending beyond the scope of the presently described inventive concepts.

[0334]For instance, according to various embodiments, electrochemical cells implemented in accordance with the presently described inventive concepts may include one or more (preferably at least two) electrodes, which may individually be characterized as anode(s), or cathode(s), e.g., according to electrochemical function within the overall cell, and may be formed from any suitable material(s) known in the art and appreciated, upon reading the present disclosure, as suitable for use in combination with other structures and compositions in the exemplary electrochemical cell and in accordance with the inventive concepts provided herein.

[0335]In some approaches, either or both electrode types may be configured in the form of a three-dimensional, monolithic structure that is “free-standing”. In other words, the “free-standing” electrode is “structurally self-supporting”, such that no separate substrate, framework, scaffold, foam, matrix, current collector, supporting fluid, etc. is necessary for the monolith to support its own weight and maintain defining physical characteristics (e.g., density, volume, porosity, physical dimensions, shape, chemical composition, etc.) when deposited, positioned, or otherwise placed in a working environment such as an electrochemical cell. Of course, the inventive concepts presented herein should not be interpreted as being limited in any way to inclusion of or requirement for “free standing” electrode(s), but should be understood as allowing for such structures where advantageous to the specific application(s) or intended utility for the inventive electrochemical cell of interest.

[0336]Where a “free standing” electrode structure is implemented, corresponding electrochemical cells may, and preferably do, omit a distinct current collector (or at least a distinct anode current collector), according to select implementations. Indeed, even where no “free standing” electrode structure is present, electrochemical cells in accordance with the inventive concepts described herein may still omit a distinct current collector structure or component.

[0337]For instance, according to certain implementations, the electrode itself may serve as the current collector, or the separator(s) may serve as the current collector, in addition to fulfilling additional functions described herein with respect to the separator, such as physically, chemically, electrically, etc. segregating various components of the electrochemical cell from one another to avoid undesirable chemical reactions, physical phenomena, etc. as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. Again, the inventive concepts presented herein shall be understood as including, but not requiring, omission of distinct current collector components, according to various embodiments.

[0338]Accordingly, electrodes of the illustrative electrochemical cell implementations may be distinct structures, such as three dimensional monoliths, which may optionally be porous, have surface(s) thereof functionalized in order to enhance, suppress, or otherwise modify functional characteristics thereof (such as permeability, reactivity, etc. to select chemical species present within the electrochemical cell) without limitation. Electrodes may optionally or additionally include indeterminate structures, such as solutions that exhibit functional characteristics of monolithic electrode structures, but are present partially or wholly in the form of a solution. Further still, electrodes may be physically arranged in various configurations, such as thin films which may be sprayed or deposited on a suitable substrate; a one or more (flat) layers which may be sprayed or deposited on a suitable substrate or as free-standing structures; as a plurality of rows and/or channels (e.g., as may be formed in a suitable electrode material, or as may be formed as a result of stacking various layers of an electrochemical cell, rolling a multilayered electrochemical cell, etc.) as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0339]Optionally, electrodes may be coated with a protective layer designed to facilitate or mitigate predetermined chemical or physical interactions with other components of the electrochemical cell, such as reactions that consume electrode active material, form dendritic structures extending from the electrode, etc. as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. In like manner, an electrode may include a plurality of particles (e.g. of active material) dispersed within or throughout the volume of a binder such as a polymer matrix, and the binder may be or include material(s) that facilitate or mitigate desired or undesired interactions within the electrochemical cell, respectively. In still more approaches, electrolyte(s) may be operatively, chemically, or electrically coupled to a membrane or membrane(s) configured (e.g., according to physical characteristics such as porosity, lack of porosity, spatial arrangement, surface area, etc., or chemically configured, e.g. according to chemical composition, specific functionalization (e.g., of surface(s) of the membrane), etc.) to isolate the electrolyte and/or chemical species formed or derived therefrom from other components of the electrochemical cell.

[0340]In particularly preferred approaches, electrodes may include one or more carbonaceous materials such as shown in FIG. 39 and described in greater detail hereinbelow.

[0341]It shall be appreciated that electrolytes in accordance with the presently disclosed inventive concepts may have any suitable chemical composition that would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art taking into consideration the particular context of the electrochemical cell, e.g., the chemical composition and structural arrangement of various other components included in the electrochemical cell.

[0342]Similarly, electrolyte(s) present in various electrochemical cells may be in liquid form, may be or include solid state electrolyte composition(s), may be or include gel-phase or gel-based electrolytes (such as gel polymer electrolytes), or any combination thereof that would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. Similarly, electrolytes may include semi-solid compositions such as gels, slurries, suspensions, etc. as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant disclosure.

[0343]Separator(s), which may also be omitted in accordance with certain aspects of the inventive concepts described herein, may be or include any suitable composition or structure known in the art and which skilled artisans reading the present disclosure will appreciate are compatible with the inventive compositions and/or structures described herein. For instance, separator(s) may include impermeable, solid structures, semi-permeable membranes, selectively permeable compositions (i.e., compositions that are permeable to one or more predetermined chemical species, but impermeable or substantially impermeable to select, or all, other chemical species, according to various embodiments). For example, separators may be configured to physically, chemically, electrically, or otherwise functionally separate or segregate different components of the electrochemical cell from one another in order to avoid undesirable chemical reactions (such as parasitic reactions between electrolyte or derivatives thereof and electrodes, polysulfide shuttling, dendrite formation, etc. as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant descriptions).

[0344]In addition, the exemplary electrochemical cells, in any configuration described herein or equivalents thereof that would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant disclosure, may include one or more mechanisms for mitigating or preventing polysulfide shuttling, dendrite formation, parasitic reactions between electrode(s) and electrolyte(s) (as well as species formed or derived from electrodes or electrolytes during operation of the electrochemical cell), or other chemical species present in the electrochemical cell environment. These mechanisms may be inherent to one or more of the exemplary structures described hereinabove (e.g., electrodes, separators, electrolytes, etc.), or may be specifically configured via specific modification, functionalization, structural arrangement, etc. of the particular components of the electrochemical cell. Any such characteristics, whether inherently present or specifically configured, are described in greater detail herein in accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts presently disclosed.

[0345]From the foregoing general descriptions and corresponding drawings, skilled artisans reviewing the present application will appreciate that, according to different implementations, electrochemical cells as described herein include a variety of components which each have a specific, core role in function of the electrochemical cell as a whole (e.g., electrodes facilitating electrical contact between electrolyte and an environment external to the electrochemical cell; separators serving to isolate or segregate various components, chemical species, etc. from one another within the electrochemical cell environment; and electrolyte facilitating charge transfer between electrodes of the electrochemical cell), the various components may optionally serve or convey one or more additional functions to the electrochemical cell. For instance, and as mentioned above, electrodes or separators may serve, in addition to their respective core roles, as current collectors, allowing omission of separate (often heavy, metal) structures dedicated to collecting current generated by the electrochemical cell.

[0346]In various aspects, any one or more component(s) of the electrochemical cell arrangements described herein may include one or more carbonaceous materials, including but not limited to those shown in FIG. 39. For example, certain components may include carbonaceous materials, carbonaceous materials may be included in addition to the various components shown and described with reference to FIG. 35A-38, or both, as would be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosures. In myriad embodiments, exemplary carbonaceous materials may include, without limitation, carbon black, carbon nano-onions (CNOs), necked CNOs, carbon nanospheres, graphite, pyrolytic graphite, graphene, graphene nanoparticles, graphene platelets, three-dimensional (3D) graphene, graphene oxides, fullerenes, hybrid fullerenes, single-walled nanotubes, multi-walled nanotubes, carbon dots, carbon spheres, porous carbons, carbon fibers, etc. as would be understood by skilled artisans upon reading the present descriptions. Additional details regarding the fabrication of select carbonaceous materials and characteristics thereof, particularly those shown in FIG. 39, are provided by Li, et al. “Synthesis, modification strategies and applications of coal-based materials”, Fuel Processing Tech., 230:1, 107203 (June 2022) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107203).

[0347]Moreover, the exemplary components of electrochemical cells described hereinabove, particularly as shown in FIGS. 35-38, may be present in a single cell “stack” (e.g., two opposing electrodes with corresponding separator, electrolyte, etc. arranged therebetween) or in a repeating (e.g., laminar) structure, according to various embodiments. A simplified repeating structure may, for example, include a first cathode (optionally coupled to a first cathode current collector) at one end of the electrochemical cell, which is immediately adjacent to a first electrolyte, which in turn is immediately adjacent to a first separator, which in turn is immediately adjacent to a second electrolyte, which in turn is immediately adjacent to a first anode (optionally coupled to a first anode current collector) positioned toward an opposing end of the electrochemical cell as the first cathode, collectively forming a single electrochemical cell layer. The repeating structure may further comprise additional electrolyte, separator, and electrode structures in a similar manner to form a multilayered, repeating pattern within the resulting electrochemical cell.

[0348]Whether including repeating structures or not, in various approaches, electrochemical cells may be manipulated, configured, arranged, etc. during fabrication of a larger structure (such as a battery). For instance, and as will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the inventive concepts described herein, in some approaches an electrochemical cell such as shown in FIG. 35B may be “rolled” around a central axis, forming a so-called “jelly roll” configuration, as shown in FIG. 35C according to one embodiment, which may be particularly suitable for certain arrangements or applications, such as for cylindrical or prismatic electrochemical cell embodiments, among others that skilled artisans will comprehend upon reviewing the present disclosure.

[0349]While the foregoing electrode, electrolyte, and separator components are the most common and critical aspects of the exemplary electrochemical cell as described herein, it shall be appreciated that according to various implementations electrochemical cells may, or may not, include any suitable combination or permutation of additional or alternative components, such as membranes, cans, caps, casings, wrappings, springs, wires, spacers, tabs, contacts, leads, gaskets, compressive structures or mechanisms, etc. as would be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present descriptions.

[0350]Moreover, it shall be appreciated that persons having ordinary skill in the art may employ the various electrochemical cell embodiments described herein, including but not limited to coin cell arrangements, cylindrical cell arrangements, pouch cell arrangements, prismatic cell arrangements, etc. or any suitable equivalent(s) thereof that would be understood by said skilled artisan upon reading the present disclosure, in any effective permutation or combination, without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts in this disclosure. For instance, multiple of the same arrangements, combinations of different arrangements, or both, may be employed, e.g., to form a battery, or an assembly (e.g., a battery module, or a battery pack, etc. as would be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure).

[0351]For example, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that different arrangements described herein may have different advantages or disadvantages in the context of different applications, and may choose to employ the most advantageous arrangements of the particular application of interest. Additionally or alternatively, a skilled artisan may include different arrangements to provide robustness across different applications or working conditions to the resulting structure, providing flexibility of use, redundant failure points, or other advantage that would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art in light of the particular application in mind.

[0352]As a concrete example, cylindrical cells are, relative to other arrangements described herein, are prone to cracking. Accordingly, a cylindrical cell arrangement such as shown in FIGS. 37A and 37B may not be applicable to or compatible with a prismatic cell configuration such as shown in FIG. 38, depending on the intended application for a given electrochemical cell, such as applications involving substantial and/or frequent application of mechanical forces (e.g. rapid acceleration/deceleration, vibration, etc. such as often experienced in vehicular applications. Similarly, pouch cell arrangements are particularly sensitive to volumetric expansion and contraction that occurs during natural operation and cycling of the electrochemical cell, and may require or benefit from additional support such as a compressive structure or internal mechanism (e.g. a polymeric support network such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/216,340, filed Jun. 29, 2023 and entitled “Internally enclosed support system for batteries, fabrication techniques and applications for the same”, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference).

[0353]Moreover, while exemplary electrochemical cell arrangements expressly described herein and shown in the various FIGS. include a pouch cell arrangement, a coin cell arrangement, a cylindrical cell arrangement, and a prismatic cell arrangement, other arrangements and/or components may be utilized without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts presented in this disclosure. For example, electrochemical cell arrangements may additionally or alternatively include components or be characterized by arrangements such as chassis, trays, packs, modules, assemblies, casings, etc. as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

[0354]Of course, the electrochemical cells described herein, according to various embodiments, may include external component(s) at least partially surrounding the electrochemical cell. For instance, exemplary external components may be selected from the group consisting of an external casing enclosing the electrochemical cell, a module operatively coupled to the electrochemical cell, an assembly operatively coupled to the electrochemical cell, a pack enclosing the electrochemical cell, a pouch enclosing the electrochemical cell, a can enclosing the electrochemical cell, a tray operatively coupled to the electrochemical cell, a pan operatively coupled to the electrochemical cell, or any combination, permutation, or equivalent(s) thereof that would be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure. The assembly may comprise: a parallel assembly, an in-series assembly, or a cell-to-chassis assembly. In still further embodiments, an electrochemical cell may be integrated into, or may be a part of, a structural component of the device to which the electrochemical cell is providing power, such as being integrated into a structural component of an electric vehicle.

[0355]The presently described inventive concepts include fabricating electrochemical cells of various types using additive manufacturing techniques, injection molding techniques, compression molding techniques, hybrid injection/compression molding techniques, preforming techniques, hand layup techniques, casting techniques, infusion techniques, sintering techniques, or any combination thereof that would be appreciated by a skilled artisan upon reading the present disclosure.

[0356]FIG. 40 illustrates a reactor system 4000 for producing covetic materials with dual reactors, in accordance with one embodiment. As an option, the reactor system 4000 may be implemented in the context of any one or more of the embodiments set forth in any previous and/or subsequent figure(s) and/or description thereof. Of course, however, the reactor system 4000 may be implemented in the context of any desired environment. Further, the aforementioned definitions may equally apply to the description below.

[0357]In various embodiments, the reactor system 4000 may incorporate principles demonstrated in the plasma spray torch methods 104 of FIG. 1A, which enable the formation of covetic materials with substantially uniform homogeneity as shown in homogeneity image 106.

[0358]The reactor system 4000 includes a first reactor 4004 configured to receive a carbon containing fluid 4002. The first reactor 4004 may be constructed from materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and RF energy exposure, such as quartz, ceramic, and/or refractory metals. In some cases, the first reactor 4004 may have a cylindrical, rectangular, and/or custom-shaped chamber design to optimize gas flow patterns and energy distribution. The carbon containing fluid 4002 may include methane, ethane, propane, acetylene, and/or other compounds that can be dissociated to produce carbon species. The carbon containing fluid 4002 may undergo dissociation processes analogous to those described in the manufacturing process 200 of FIG. 2, where graphene is grown onto small molten particles through controlled energy application. The dissociation process may result in the formation of carbon radicals, polycyclic aromatics, and graphene sheets similar to those shown in the plasma spray process of FIG. 21C, where carbon species nucleate and grow under controlled temperature conditions.

[0359]An RF energy source 4006 may be positioned to supply electromagnetic energy to a first reactor region 4008 within the first reactor 4004. The RF energy source 4006 may be configured to generate frequencies between 100 kHz and 300 GHz, enabling precise control over the dissociation process. In some embodiments, to provide precise control over the dissociation process of various different materials (e.g., deriving from carbon-containing gasses and/or fluids, or deriving from metal-containing gasses and/or fluids), separate, independently configured and independently-controlled energy sources are provided for each different reactor. More particularly, separate, independently configured and independently-controlled energy control components are provided for each different reactor. In some deployments, the two separate reactors are differently sized and similarly the independently-controlled energy control components are differently sized with respect to differences in the different energy sources and/or with respect to differences in the different reactors In some cases, the RF energy source 4006 may operate at microwave frequencies such as 915 MHz, 2.45 GHZ, and/or 5.8 GHz to achieve optimal energy coupling with the carbon containing fluid 4002. The first reactor region 4008 may be designed with specific geometric configurations to enhance RF energy absorption and create uniform plasma conditions for hydrocarbon dissociation. The first reactor region 4008 may implement the electron temperature control techniques shown in FIG. 4, enabling precise control over plasma temperature through microwave pulsing frequency modulation. Additionally, the energy control may utilize the pulsed microwave process flow described in FIG. 12, where controlled energy delivery enables the formation of coherent carbon structures. Similarly, the energy control may utilize continuous wave and/or any known pulsed microwave waveform where controlled energy delivery facilitates both dissociation of the metal-containing gas as well as precipitation into various species.

[0360]The reactor system 4000 further includes a second reactor 4012 configured to process a metal containing fluid 4010. The second reactor 4012 may comprise a plasma torch for thermal dissociation of metal feedstock, allowing for independent control of metal species generation. In some cases, the second reactor 4012 may utilize thermal energy sources as alternatives to RF energy, providing flexibility in processing different types of metal feedstocks. The metal containing fluid 4010 may include metal carbonyls, metal halides, organometallic compounds, metal hydrides/nitrides, metal oxides, and/or vaporized metal particles that can be dissociated to produce reactive metal species. The metal species generation may follow principles similar to those described in the dual plasma torch apparatus 500 of FIG. 5, where metal plasma spray torches supply molten metals while maintaining independent control over processing parameters. The metal feedstock processing may incorporate techniques from the micro-welding approach shown in FIG. 14, where tungsten inert gas plasma sources partially or entirely melt metal particles under controlled conditions.

[0361]In various embodiments, the term metal melt may refer to metal in a molten or semi-molten state, and/or may include metal-containing fluids such as vaporized metals, metal-containing gases, organometallic compounds, metal carbonyls, metal halides, and other fluid forms of metal-containing materials that can be processed to generate reactive metal species. The metal melt may be produced through thermal heating, RF energy application, plasma torch processing, or other energy-based dissociation methods that convert metal feedstock (including solids) or gaseous metal precursors into flowable forms suitable for introduction into reactor systems. In some implementations, the metal melt may comprise a mixture of molten metal droplets, semi-solid metal particles, and metal-containing vapors that facilitate interaction with carbon allotropes or other carbon-containing species during covetic material formation.

[0362]An RF energy source 4014 may be associated with the second reactor 4012 to provide electromagnetic energy to a first reactor region 4016 within the second reactor 4012. The RF energy source 4014 may operate at similar frequency ranges as the RF energy source 4006, though the power levels and modulation patterns may be independently controlled to optimize metal species formation. In some cases, thermal energy sources may be used as alternatives to the RF energy source 4014 for hydrocarbon dissociation in the first reactor region 4016, enabling different processing approaches based on the specific metal feedstock characteristics. The energy delivery may utilize the surface wave plasma system configuration described in FIG. 17, where controlled energy input enables optimal metal particle heating and processing.

[0363]An inlet port 4018 may be positioned to connect the first reactor 4004 and the second reactor 4012, facilitating the transfer of processed materials between the reactors. The inlet port 4018 may include flow control mechanisms, temperature regulation systems, and/or pressure balancing features to maintain optimal processing conditions during material transfer. In some cases, the inlet port 4018 may incorporate mixing elements, baffles, and/or flow distributors to enhance the interaction between carbon species and metal species. The mixing enhancement may utilize principles from the coaxial configuration 1500 shown in FIG. 15, where controlled material introduction enables optimal interaction between carbon and metal species.

[0364]A second reactor region 4020 may be disposed downstream from the first reactor region 4008 and may receive materials from both the first reactor 4004 and the second reactor 4012 through the inlet port 4018. The second reactor region 4020 may provide a controlled environment for the formation of covetic materials through the interaction of carbon species and metal species. In some cases, the second reactor region 4020 may include temperature control systems, residence time optimization features, and/or additional energy sources to facilitate the formation of carbon-metal bonds. The carbon-metal interaction may result in the formation of organo-metallic bonding similar to that shown in FIG. 20A1, where carbon is deeply embedded within copper through covalent bonding mechanisms. The material evolution may follow the layered configurations described in FIG. 20B, where carbon addition to bulk aluminum creates multiple material property zones with varying carbon content.

[0365]The reactor system 4000 may operate by dissociating the carbon containing fluid 4002 in the first reactor region 4008 using RF energy from the RF energy source 4006, while simultaneously processing the metal containing fluid 4010 in the first reactor region 4016 using energy from the RF energy source 4014. The processed materials may then be combined in the second reactor region 4020 through the inlet port 4018, where the carbon species and metal species interact to form covetic materials. The dual-reactor configuration allows for independent optimization of processing conditions for each precursor material, resulting in enhanced control over the final covetic material properties. The processing may achieve carbon loading levels similar to those demonstrated in FIG. 1B, where high-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows approximately 60% carbon loading in copper-carbon lattices with uniform distribution throughout the metal matrix.

[0366]The reactor system 4000 exemplifies a resolution to challenges demonstrated in prior art by providing independent control over carbon and metal species generation. Conventional single-reactor systems often struggle with achieving optimal processing conditions for both carbon and metal precursors simultaneously, leading to inconsistent material properties and reduced conversion efficiency. The dual-reactor approach addresses these limitations by allowing separate optimization of temperature, pressure, energy input, and residence time for each precursor stream.

[0367]The reactor system 4000 further resolves prior art limitations related to material mixing and reaction kinetics. Traditional approaches often suffer from poor mixing of carbon and metal species, resulting in non-uniform covetic materials with variable carbon loading. The inlet port 4018 and second reactor region 4020 configuration enables controlled mixing under optimized conditions, promoting uniform distribution of carbon species throughout the metal matrix and enhancing the formation of coherent carbon-metal interfaces.

[0368]Further, in various embodiments, the reactor system 4000 may be modified to include multiple first reactors 4004 operating in parallel to increase throughput and/or process different types of carbon containing fluids 4002 simultaneously. The RF energy sources 4006 and 4014 may be configured with variable power output, frequency modulation capabilities, continuous operation modes, and/or pulsed operation modes to provide enhanced control over dissociation processes. The pulsed operation may utilize the energy versus time control shown in FIG. 19, where pulse timing and duty cycle optimization enables precise control over plasma density and temperature throughout the processing cycle.

[0369]In various embodiments, the second reactor region 4020 may include multiple processing zones with different temperature profiles, residence times, and/or energy inputs to enable staged formation of covetic materials. The reactor system 4000 may incorporate real-time monitoring systems including spectroscopic sensors, temperature probes, and/or flow measurement devices to provide feedback control for process optimization. The system may also include gas recycling capabilities to recover and reuse unreacted carbon containing fluid 4002 and/or metal containing fluid 4010, improving overall process efficiency. The monitoring systems may utilize techniques similar to those described for the puck processing and dispersion testing shown in FIG. 33 and FIG. 34, where material characterization ensures consistent covetic material properties.

[0370]In various embodiments, the reactor system 4000 may be integrated with downstream processing equipment including cooling systems, separation units, and/or collection mechanisms to provide a complete covetic material production line. The cooling systems may implement rapid quenching techniques similar to those described in the plasma spray apparatus 1600 of FIG. 16, where materials evolution through non-equilibrium energy conditions enables the formation of desired covetic structures. The first reactor 4004 and second reactor 4012 may be designed with modular configurations allowing for easy maintenance, component replacement, and/or system scaling. The reactor system 4000 may also incorporate safety features such as emergency shutdown systems, pressure relief mechanisms, and/or inert gas purging capabilities to ensure safe operation during covetic material production.

[0371]FIG. 41 illustrates a covetic material production system 4100, in accordance with one embodiment. As an option, the covetic material production system 4100 may be implemented in the context of any one or more of the embodiments set forth in any previous and/or subsequent figure(s) and/or description thereof. Of course, however, the covetic material production system 4100 may be implemented in the context of any desired environment. Further, the aforementioned definitions may equally apply to the description below.

[0372]The covetic material production system 4100 includes a main reactor 4102 configured to process materials for covetic material formation. The main reactor 4102 may be constructed from high-temperature resistant materials such as stainless steel, Inconel, and/or ceramic-lined chambers to withstand the processing conditions. In some cases, the main reactor 4102 may feature a modular design with removable sections for maintenance and component replacement. The main reactor 4102 may incorporate internal flow distribution systems, temperature monitoring sensors, and/or pressure regulation mechanisms to maintain optimal processing conditions throughout the covetic material formation process. The main reactor 4102 may implement design principles from the plasma spray apparatus configurations shown in FIG. 18A1 and FIG. 18A2, where axial field configurations enable controlled material deposition and quenched layer formation.

[0373]An first energy source 4104 may be positioned to provide power to various components within the covetic material production system 4100. The first energy source 4104 may comprise RF generators, microwave sources, thermal heating elements, and/or plasma generation equipment capable of delivering controlled energy inputs. In some cases, the first energy source 4104 may include variable power output capabilities, frequency modulation systems, and/or pulsed operation modes to enable precise control over dissociation processes. The first energy source 4104 may feature multiple output channels allowing for independent energy delivery to different reactor regions and processing zones. The energy delivery may utilize the pulsed microwave plasma spray waveguide apparatus principles described in FIG. 13, where microwave delivery components and pulsing power supply integration facilitate controlled material processing.

[0374]A first region 4106 may be disposed within the main reactor 4102 and may receive energy input from the first energy source 4104. The first region 4106 may be configured with specific geometric dimensions and internal structures to optimize energy absorption and material processing efficiency. In some cases, the first region 4106 may include gas injection ports, mixing elements, and/or residence time control features to enhance hydrocarbon dissociation processes. The first region 4106 may incorporate temperature control systems, pressure monitoring devices, and/or flow measurement sensors to provide real-time process feedback. The first region 4106 may implement the graphene growth temperature profile and binary phase diagram principles shown in FIG. 10, where controlled temperature management enables optimal carbon solubility and precipitation for graphene formation.

[0375]A second reactor 4108 may be positioned to provide processed materials to the main reactor 4102. The second reactor 4108 may comprise a separate processing chamber designed for metal feedstock dissociation and metal species generation. In some cases, the second reactor 4108 may utilize thermal energy sources, RF energy inputs, and/or plasma torch configurations to achieve optimal metal species formation. The second reactor 4108 may include feedstock injection systems, temperature regulation mechanisms, and/or atmosphere control features to maintain appropriate processing conditions for various metal feedstock types. The second reactor 4108 may incorporate processing techniques from the apparatus for wrapping carbon particles with molten metal shown in FIG. 22A, where controlled metal melt introduction enables optimal carbon-metal interaction. In various embodiments, the second reactor 4108 may receive energy via the second energy source 4114 (in a manner similar to the first energy source 4104 providing energy to the main reactor 4102). In other embodiments, a single energy source may provide energy to multiple reactors (such as the main reactor 4102 and/or the second reactor 4108).

[0376]A second region 4110 may be located downstream from the first region 4106 within the main reactor 4102 and may receive materials from the second reactor 4108. The second region 4110 may be configured to facilitate mixing and interaction between carbon species and metal species under controlled conditions. In some cases, the second region 4110 may include mixing enhancement features such as static mixers, turbulence generators, and/or residence time optimization elements. The second region 4110 may incorporate additional energy inputs from the first energy source 4104 to maintain appropriate temperatures for covetic material formation. The mixing processes may achieve the graded composition of matter shown in FIG. 20A2, where multiple material property zones are created with varying carbon and metal content distributions.

[0377]An output port 4112 may be connected to the second region 4110 and may be configured to receive processed materials from the main reactor 4102. The output port 4112 may include cooling mechanisms, collection systems, and/or material handling equipment to process the formed covetic materials. In some cases, the output port 4112 may feature rapid cooling capabilities such as quench systems, heat exchangers, and/or controlled atmosphere environments to achieve desired material properties. The output port 4112 may incorporate material separation devices, particle size control systems, and/or quality monitoring equipment to ensure consistent covetic material characteristics. The cooling mechanisms may implement techniques from the fluidized bed apparatus shown in FIG. 27B1 and FIG. 27B2, where controlled cooling and material handling in fluid environments enable optimal covetic material formation and collection.

[0378]The first energy source 4104 may provide coordinated energy delivery to both the first region 4106 and the second reactor 4108, enabling synchronized processing of carbon and metal precursors. The main reactor 4102 may facilitate the flow of materials from the first region 4106 through the second region 4110 and ultimately to the output port 4112, creating a continuous processing pathway. In some cases, the covetic material production system 4100 may include feedback control systems that monitor conditions in the first region 4106, second region 4110, and output port 4112 to optimize energy delivery from the first energy source 4104. The continuous processing may follow principles from the plasma spray process shown in FIG. 27C, where systematic material evolution from hydrocarbon cracking through graphene growth to final covetic material collection enables consistent production.

[0379]The covetic material production system 4100 may incorporate a control system for regulating flow rates of hydrocarbon gas (such as carbon feedstock) and/or carbon-containing fluid and metal feedstock to achieve a desired carbon to metal species ratio. The control system may include mass flow controllers, pressure regulators, and/or automated valve systems that adjust material feed rates based on real-time process monitoring. In some cases, the control system may utilize feedback from spectroscopic sensors, temperature measurements, and/or composition analysis to maintain optimal stoichiometric ratios throughout the covetic material formation process. The control system may implement principles from the method for making components from powdered covetic materials shown in FIG. 28, where precise material selection and processing parameter control enable tailored covetic material properties for specific applications.

[0380]In one embodiment, the covetic material production system 4100 may feature a continuous flow reactor system instead of batch processing configuration to enable sustained covetic material production. The continuous flow design may include material feed systems, steady-state processing conditions, and/or continuous material removal mechanisms that allow for uninterrupted operation. In some cases, the continuous flow configuration may incorporate buffer zones, residence time control elements, and/or flow balancing systems to maintain consistent processing conditions while accommodating variations in feed material properties.

[0381]The covetic material production system 4100 may include a scalable design allowing the apparatus to be scaled up and/or down for different production volumes. The scalable design may feature modular reactor components, adjustable energy source configurations, and/or variable throughput capabilities that can be modified based on production requirements. In some cases, the scalable design may include parallel processing units, distributed energy delivery systems, and/or flexible material handling equipment that can accommodate different production scales while maintaining consistent covetic material quality. The scalable design may incorporate the pelletizing techniques shown in FIG. 31, where powdered materials are compressed into pellets to overcome electromagnetic ejection problems in large-scale processing equipment.

[0382]In various embodiments, the covetic material production system 4100 may be modified to include multiple main reactors 4102 operating in parallel to increase overall production capacity and/or process different material combinations simultaneously. The first energy source 4104 may be configured with distributed power delivery systems, independent control channels for each reactor region, and/or adaptive power management capabilities that optimize energy utilization based on real-time processing conditions. The first region 4106 and second region 4110 may incorporate advanced mixing technologies, multi-zone temperature control systems, and/or staged processing capabilities to enhance covetic material formation efficiency. The advanced processing may utilize the deposition techniques shown in FIG. 23A through FIG. 23D, where controlled substrate movement and spray distribution enable uniform material deposition and patterning.

[0383]In various embodiments, the second reactor 4108 may include multiple processing chambers for different metal feedstock types, allowing for simultaneous production of various covetic material compositions within a single system. The output port 4112 may be equipped with advanced material handling systems including automated collection mechanisms, real-time quality assessment tools, and/or integrated packaging systems to streamline covetic material processing and distribution. The covetic material production system 4100 may also incorporate waste heat recovery systems, solvent recycling capabilities, and/or byproduct utilization features to improve overall process efficiency and environmental sustainability. The material handling may implement techniques from the apparatus for producing powdered covetic material shown in FIG. 27A, where cooling regions and collection vessels enable efficient material recovery and processing.

[0384]In various embodiments, the covetic material production system 4100 may be integrated with upstream material preparation systems and downstream processing equipment to create a complete covetic material manufacturing line. The main reactor 4102 may include advanced process monitoring systems with machine learning capabilities, predictive maintenance features, and/or automated optimization algorithms that continuously improve processing efficiency and material quality. The system may also incorporate safety features such as emergency shutdown systems, containment mechanisms for hazardous materials, and/or automated fire suppression systems to ensure safe operation during extended production runs. The integrated manufacturing approach may utilize the various properties of covetic materials shown in FIG. 29, where mechanical attributes, thermal conductivity, and resistance to oxidation enable applications across aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.

[0385]FIG. 42 illustrates a covetic material production system 4200, in accordance with one embodiment. As an option, the covetic material production system 4200 may be implemented in the context of any one or more of the embodiments set forth in any previous and/or subsequent Figures and/or description thereof. Of course, however, the covetic material production system 4200 may be implemented in the context of any desired environment. Further, the aforementioned definitions may equally apply to the description below.

[0386]The covetic material production system 4200 includes a carbon feedstock input 4202 configured to supply carbon-containing precursor materials to the system. The carbon feedstock input 4202 may comprise methane, ethane, propane, acetylene, natural gas, and/or other carbon compounds that can be dissociated to produce carbon species. In some cases, the carbon feedstock input 4202 may include flow control valves, pressure regulation systems, and/or mass flow controllers to maintain precise delivery rates of hydrocarbon materials. The carbon feedstock input 4202 may incorporate purification systems, moisture removal equipment, and/or contaminant filtration mechanisms to ensure high-quality feedstock delivery to downstream processing components. The hydrocarbon processing may follow principles from the microwave plasma spray torch apparatus shown in FIG. 6, where transverse electric microwave energy couples with central dielectric tubes to propagate energy for hydrocarbon dissociation.

[0387]A metal feedstock input 4204 may be positioned to provide metal-containing materials to the covetic material production system 4200. The metal feedstock input 4204 may supply metal carbonyls, metal halides, metal hydrides/nitrides, metal oxides, and/or organometallic compounds, vaporized metal particles, and/or other metal-containing precursors that can be processed to generate reactive metal species. In some cases, the metal feedstock input 4204 may include heating systems, vaporization chambers, and/or carrier gas injection mechanisms to facilitate metal feedstock delivery in appropriate physical states. The metal feedstock input 4204 may feature material handling equipment, storage systems, and/or automated feeding mechanisms to enable continuous and controlled delivery of metal precursors. The metal feedstock processing may implement techniques from the method for using pellets shown in FIG. 31, where pelletized materials overcome electromagnetic ejection problems in induction melting furnaces and enable controlled material introduction.

[0388]Energy source(s) 4206 may be configured to provide power for various processing operations within the covetic material production system 4200. The energy source(s) 4206 may comprise RF generators operating at frequencies between 100 kHz and 300 GHz, microwave sources at 915 MHz, 2.45 GHZ, and/or 5.8 GHz, thermal heating elements, and/or plasma generation equipment. In some cases, the energy source(s) 4206 may include variable power output capabilities, frequency modulation systems, pulsed operation modes, and/or distributed power delivery networks to enable independent control over different processing zones. The energy source(s) 4206 may incorporate power monitoring systems, efficiency optimization controls, and/or adaptive power management features to maintain optimal energy utilization throughout the covetic material formation process. The energy delivery may utilize the electron temperature control technique shown in FIG. 4, where pulsed microwave energy enables precise control over plasma temperature and processing conditions. It is to be appreciated that any number of energy sources may be provide via the energy source(s) 4206, including a single energy source to power multiple reactors, a single energy source per reactor, multiple energy sources per reactor, as needed, depending on the needs of the reactor and the dissociation occurring. Further, each of the energy sources may be independently controlled.

[0389]A hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 may be connected to receive materials from the carbon feedstock input 4202 and energy from the energy source(s) 4206. The hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 may be constructed from high-temperature resistant materials such as quartz, ceramic, refractory metals, and/or plasma-resistant coatings to withstand dissociation conditions. In some cases, the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 may feature specific geometric configurations including cylindrical designs, rectangular chambers, and/or custom-shaped vessels to optimize energy absorption and gas flow patterns. The hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 may include internal mixing elements, residence time control features, temperature monitoring sensors, and/or pressure regulation mechanisms to enhance hydrocarbon dissociation efficiency. The dissociation process may achieve the carbon species formation shown in the plasma spray process of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, where carbon particles are sprayed onto molten metal particles under controlled conditions.

[0390]A metal species generator 4210 may be positioned to receive materials from the metal feedstock input 4204 and process the materials using energy from the energy source(s) 4206. The metal species generator 4210 may comprise plasma torch configurations, thermal dissociation chambers, RF-heated processing zones, and/or vaporization systems designed for metal feedstock processing. In some cases, the metal species generator 4210 may include atmosphere control systems, inert gas environments, and/or controlled oxidation prevention mechanisms to maintain appropriate processing conditions for various metal feedstock types. The metal species generator 4210 may incorporate temperature control systems, residence time optimization features, and/or particle size control mechanisms to produce metal species with desired characteristics for covetic material formation.

[0391]A mixing chamber 4212 may be configured to receive processed materials from both the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 and the metal species generator 4210. The mixing chamber 4212 may include static mixers, turbulence generators, vortex mixing elements, and/or ultrasonic mixing systems to enhance interaction between carbon species and metal species. In some cases, the mixing chamber 4212 may feature multiple mixing zones, staged mixing processes, and/or residence time control elements to optimize the formation of carbon-metal interactions. The mixing chamber 4212 may incorporate temperature control systems, pressure balancing mechanisms, and/or atmosphere control features to maintain appropriate conditions for covetic material formation. In various embodiments, the mixing chamber 4212 may be configured as a separate portion of a single reactor (such as the second region 4020 of the first reactor 4004 of FIG. 35), or a separate component distinct from a dissociating reactor (such as in a series configuration).

[0392]A cooling mechanism 4214 may be positioned downstream from the mixing chamber 4212 to process the combined materials and form covetic materials. The cooling mechanism 4214 may comprise rapid quench systems, controlled cooling profiles, heat exchangers, and/or cryogenic cooling systems to achieve desired material properties. In some cases, the cooling mechanism 4214 may include multi-stage cooling processes, temperature gradient control systems, and/or controlled atmosphere environments to optimize covetic material crystallization and structure formation. The cooling mechanism 4214 may feature material collection systems, particle size control mechanisms, and/or quality monitoring equipment to ensure consistent covetic material characteristics. The cooling processes may implement the rapid cooling techniques described for the apparatus for spraying molten mixtures shown in FIG. 21A, where controlled cooling enables the formation of covetic materials with trapped carbon between metal layers.

[0393]The hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 may incorporate catalyst integration features including catalyst injection systems, catalyst bed configurations, and/or catalyst-coated reactor surfaces to enhance dissociation processes and improve carbon species formation efficiency. The catalyst integration may include transition metal catalysts, noble metal catalysts, and/or ceramic-supported catalyst systems that facilitate hydrocarbon cracking and carbon species generation at reduced energy inputs. In some cases, the catalyst integration may feature regeneration systems, catalyst replacement mechanisms, and/or catalyst activity monitoring to maintain optimal dissociation performance throughout extended operation periods. The catalyst systems may enhance the carbon formation processes similar to those described in the plasma spray deposition techniques shown in FIG. 18C and FIG. 18D, where organically modified silicon ceramic deposition creates flame-retardant coatings on carbon-containing particles.

[0394]The mixing chamber 4212 may include catalyst integration systems comprising mixing enhancement catalysts, carbon-metal bonding catalysts, and/or reaction promotion catalysts to facilitate the formation of covetic material structures. The catalyst integration in the mixing chamber 4212 may include catalyst injection ports, catalyst circulation systems, and/or catalyst recovery mechanisms to optimize the interaction between carbon species and metal species. In some cases, the catalyst integration may feature selective catalyst systems that promote specific carbon-metal bonding configurations while minimizing unwanted side reactions and byproduct formation. The catalyst systems may promote the formation of non-polar covalent bonds between carbon and metal atoms as described in FIG. 26C and FIG. 26D, where hexagonal carbon structures align with face-centered cubic metal lattices.

[0395]The covetic material production system 4200 may incorporate in-situ monitoring sensors throughout the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208, metal species generator 4210, mixing chamber 4212, and/or cooling mechanism 4214 for real-time process monitoring and control. The in-situ monitoring sensors may include spectroscopic sensors for composition analysis, temperature probes for thermal monitoring, pressure sensors for process control, and/or flow measurement devices for material balance tracking. In some cases, the in-situ monitoring sensors may feature optical emission spectroscopy systems, mass spectrometry interfaces, and/or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy equipment to provide detailed chemical composition analysis throughout the covetic material formation process. The monitoring systems may implement techniques similar to those used for the puck dispersion testing shown in FIG. 34, where material characterization ensures consistent covetic material properties and performance.

[0396]The in-situ monitoring sensors may include feedback control systems that automatically adjust processing parameters based on real-time measurements from the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208, metal species generator 4210, mixing chamber 4212, and/or cooling mechanism 4214. The feedback control systems may incorporate machine learning algorithms, predictive control models, and/or adaptive optimization routines that continuously improve processing efficiency and material quality. In some cases, the in-situ monitoring sensors may include early warning systems, process deviation detection mechanisms, and/or automated correction protocols to maintain consistent covetic material production under varying operating conditions.

[0397]The covetic material production system 4200 may include safety measures for handling hydrogen species produced during hydrocarbon dissociation in the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208. The safety measures may comprise hydrogen detection systems, ventilation controls, explosion prevention mechanisms, and/or emergency shutdown protocols to ensure safe operation during hydrogen generation and handling. In some cases, the safety measures may include hydrogen separation systems, hydrogen recovery mechanisms, and/or hydrogen utilization systems that capture and process hydrogen byproducts for beneficial use while maintaining safe operating conditions. The hydrogen handling may implement safety protocols similar to those required for the gas-solid separator vessel shown in FIG. 31, where cyclonic separation enables safe handling of hydrogen and solid materials.

[0398]The safety measures may feature automated safety interlocks, emergency venting systems, and/or fire suppression mechanisms specifically designed for hydrogen handling applications. The safety measures may include continuous hydrogen monitoring throughout the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208, mixing chamber 4212, and/or associated piping and equipment to detect potential hydrogen accumulation and prevent hazardous conditions. In some cases, the safety measures may incorporate inert gas purging systems, pressure relief mechanisms, and/or containment systems that isolate hydrogen-containing regions during emergency conditions and maintenance operations. The safety systems may implement principles from the various reactor configurations shown in FIG. 18A1 through FIG. 18D, where controlled atmosphere environments and emergency protocols ensure safe operation during plasma processing.

[0399]The covetic material production system 4200 may include mechanisms for handling unused and/or excess carbon species from the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber 4208 and/or mixing chamber 4212. The mechanisms may comprise carbon species separation systems, carbon recovery equipment, and/or carbon recycling processes that capture unreacted carbon materials for reuse in subsequent processing cycles. In some cases, the mechanisms may include carbon species purification systems, carbon species storage facilities, and/or carbon species reinjection systems that maintain material efficiency and reduce waste generation throughout the covetic material production process. The carbon recovery may utilize techniques from the apparatus for wrapping carbon particles with molten metal shown in FIG. 22A and FIG. 22B, where controlled material handling enables optimal carbon utilization and recycling.

[0400]The mechanisms for handling unused and/or excess metal species from the metal species generator 4210 and/or mixing chamber 4212 may include metal species recovery systems, metal species separation equipment, and/or metal species recycling processes. The mechanisms may feature metal species condensation systems, metal species collection mechanisms, and/or metal species reprocessing equipment that capture unreacted metal materials for subsequent use. In some cases, the mechanisms may include metal species purification systems, metal species storage systems, and/or automated metal species reinjection capabilities that optimize material utilization and minimize waste production during covetic material formation operations. The metal recovery systems may implement the melt handling techniques shown in FIG. 32, where molten materials are placed into molds for component formation and subsequent reprocessing.

[0401]FIG. 43 illustrates a method 4300 for producing covetic materials using a reactor system, in accordance with one embodiment. As an option, the method 4300 may be implemented in the context of any one or more of the embodiments set forth in any previous and/or subsequent FIGURE(S) and/or description thereof. Of course, however, the method 4300 may be implemented in the context of any desired environment. Further, the aforementioned definitions may equally apply to the description below.

[0402]The method 4300 begins with step 4302, which involves generating radio frequency (RF) energy, including microwave energy. The RF energy may be generated using one or more energy sources configured to operate at frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz, with particular effectiveness at microwave frequencies such as 915 MHZ, 2.45 GHZ, and 5.8 GHz. The energy generation may incorporate variable power output capabilities, frequency modulation systems, and pulsed operation modes to enable precise control over subsequent dissociation processes. The RF energy may be distributed through multiple output channels to provide independent energy delivery to different reactor regions and processing zones within the covetic material production system.

[0403]Following energy generation, step 4304 involves flowing carbon feedstock into a first region of a reactor through a first inlet port. The carbon feedstock may comprise methane, ethane, propane, acetylene, natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds that can be effectively dissociated to produce carbon species. The flow of carbon feedstock may be controlled using mass flow controllers, pressure regulation systems, and automated valve systems to maintain precise delivery rates and optimal processing conditions. The first inlet port may incorporate purification systems, moisture removal equipment, and contaminant filtration mechanisms to ensure high-quality feedstock delivery to the reactor region.

[0404]Step 4306 involves dissociating the carbon feedstock into carbon species and hydrogen species in the first region based on the RF energy. The dissociation process may result in the formation of carbon radicals, polycyclic aromatics, and graphene sheets under controlled temperature and energy conditions. The RF energy absorption may be optimized through specific geometric configurations of the first region, including internal mixing elements, residence time control features, and temperature monitoring sensors. The dissociation conditions may be precisely controlled to achieve desired carbon species characteristics while managing the separation and handling of hydrogen byproducts for safety and process efficiency.

[0405]In step 4308, a metal feedstock is dissociated in a second reactor using thermal or RF energy, including microwave energy, to produce metal species. The metal feedstock may include metal carbonyls, metal halides, organometallic compounds, vaporized metal particles, and other metal-containing precursors that can be processed to generate reactive metal species. The second reactor may comprise plasma torch configurations, thermal dissociation chambers, RF-heated processing zones, and vaporization systems designed specifically for metal feedstock processing. The dissociation process may incorporate atmosphere control systems, inert gas environments, and controlled oxidation prevention mechanisms to maintain appropriate processing conditions for various metal feedstock types.

[0406]Step 4310 involves introducing the metal species produced by the second reactor into a second region of the reactor through a second inlet port, with the second region disposed downstream of the first region. The metal species introduction may be coordinated with the carbon species flow to achieve optimal mixing ratios and interaction conditions for covetic material formation. The second inlet port may include flow control mechanisms, temperature regulation systems, and pressure balancing features to maintain optimal processing conditions during material transfer. The introduction process may incorporate mixing elements, baffles, and flow distributors to enhance the interaction between carbon species and metal species as they combine in the second region.

[0407]In step 4312, a mixture of the carbon species and the metal is formed in the second region through controlled interaction and mixing processes. The mixing may be enhanced through static mixers, turbulence generators, vortex mixing elements, and ultrasonic mixing systems to promote uniform distribution of carbon species throughout the metal matrix. The second region may incorporate temperature control systems, pressure balancing mechanisms, and atmosphere control features to maintain appropriate conditions for covetic material formation. The mixing process may include multiple mixing zones, staged mixing processes, and residence time control elements to optimize the formation of carbon-metal interactions and promote the development of non-polar covalent bonds between carbon and metal atoms.

[0408]Step 4314 involves cooling the mixture at an output port to form the covetic materials through controlled temperature reduction and solidification processes. The cooling may be accomplished using rapid quench systems, controlled cooling profiles, heat exchangers, and cryogenic cooling systems to achieve desired material properties and crystalline structures. The cooling mechanism may include multi-stage cooling processes, temperature gradient control systems, and controlled atmosphere environments to optimize covetic material crystallization and structure formation. The output port may feature material collection systems, particle size control mechanisms, and quality monitoring equipment to ensure consistent covetic material characteristics and properties.

[0409]Finally, step 4316 represents the formation of covetic materials as the final product of the method 4300, resulting in materials with enhanced properties compared to conventional metal alloys. The formed covetic materials may exhibit carbon loading levels ranging from about 1.5 wt % to about 90 wt % with substantially homogeneous distribution throughout the metal matrix. The covetic materials may be characterized by the presence of carbon at interstitial sites of the metal lattice, formation of non-polar covalent bonds between carbon and metal atoms, and absence of carbon aggregates and agglomerates at grain boundaries. The resulting materials may demonstrate improved mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, electrical properties, and corrosion resistance suitable for applications in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and energy sectors.

[0410]In various embodiments, the method 4300 may be modified to include multiple parallel processing streams where the step 4304 and the step 4308, for example, may occur simultaneously in separate reactor systems, enabling increased production capacity and/or processing of different material combinations. The step 4302 may be configured with variable energy delivery profiles, frequency modulation capabilities, and/or pulsed operation modes that provide enhanced control over dissociation processes for different hydrocarbon and metal feedstock types. The step 4306 and the step 4308 may incorporate advanced process monitoring systems including spectroscopic analysis, temperature profiling, and/or composition tracking that enable real-time optimization of dissociation conditions and species generation efficiency.

[0411]In various embodiments, the step 4312 may include multiple mixing stages with different mixing intensities, residence times, and/or temperature profiles that enable staged formation of covetic materials with tailored properties and characteristics. The step 4314 may be equipped with variable cooling rate capabilities, selective cooling zone controls, and/or post-processing treatment systems that enable customization of covetic material properties for specific applications and performance requirements. The method 4300 may incorporate feedback control systems that monitor conditions throughout the step 4306, the step 4308, the step 4312, and the step 4314 to automatically adjust processing parameters and maintain optimal covetic material formation conditions.

[0412]In various embodiments, the method 4300 may be integrated with upstream material preparation procedures including feedstock purification, material preheating, and/or automated material handling that create a complete covetic material manufacturing process. The step 4316 may include advanced material characterization procedures, real-time quality assessment systems, and/or automated sorting mechanisms that ensure consistent covetic material properties and enable rapid identification of material variations. The method 4300 may also incorporate waste heat recovery processes, byproduct utilization procedures, and/or material recycling capabilities that capture unreacted carbon species and metal species from various processing steps for reuse in subsequent production cycles, improving overall material efficiency and reducing waste generation throughout the covetic material formation process.

Further Embodiments

[0413]In various embodiments, the apparatus may incorporate metal-containing gases commonly used in the semiconductor industry as feedstock materials. The metal-containing gases may include trimethyl aluminum (TMA), aluminum chloride, copper chloride, nickel carbonyl, and other organometallic compounds that exist in stable gas form at room temperature. These metal-containing gases may be dissociated using RF energy in a dedicated chamber to produce their constituent metal species, providing enhanced control over metal species generation compared to conventional powder-based approaches.

[0414]In various embodiments, the reactor system may utilize a dual reactor configuration where separate reactors process different precursor materials independently before combining them for covetic material formation. The dual reactor approach may enable independent optimization of processing conditions for carbon-containing precursors and metal-containing precursors, allowing for precise control over temperature, pressure, energy input, and residence time for each material stream. This configuration may address scalability limitations of conventional molten bath methods that rely on exfoliating graphene layers into molten metal using high current applications.

[0415]In various embodiments, the apparatus may incorporate wettable graphene technology where carbon particles are configured to wrap around or coat metal particles rather than the conventional metal-on-carbon arrangement. The wettable graphene approach may enhance the dispersibility of graphene into liquid materials including metals, polymers, and other matrix materials by modifying the surface characteristics of the carbon particles. This methodology may enable improved mixing and interaction between carbon and metal species during covetic material formation.

[0416]In various embodiments, the system may include provisions for processing polymeric compounds in conjunction with carbon materials to create composite structures with tailored properties. The apparatus may incorporate capabilities for depositing organic and inorganic materials onto carbon particles, including silicon deposition for battery applications and other functional coatings. These coating processes may be integrated within the same reactor system used for covetic material production, enabling multi-functional material synthesis.

[0417]In various embodiments, the reactor configuration may include three or more processing chambers to enable staged material processing and enhanced control over reaction conditions. The multi-chamber approach may allow for sequential processing steps including initial dissociation, intermediate mixing, and final consolidation phases. Each chamber may be independently controlled for temperature, pressure, and energy input to optimize specific aspects of the covetic material formation process.

[0418]In various embodiments, the apparatus may incorporate variable ratio control systems that enable adjustment of carbon-to-metal ratios during processing to produce different types of covetic materials. The system may include automated feed rate controls and real-time monitoring capabilities that adjust the relative amounts of carbon species and metal species based on desired material properties. This flexibility may enable production of materials ranging from carbon-on-metal configurations to metal-on-carbon arrangements within the same processing system.

[0419]In various embodiments, the energy source may be configured to provide multiple types of electromagnetic energy including RF, DC pulse, microwave, and other energy forms to optimize dissociation processes for different feedstock materials. The multi-modal energy delivery approach may enable independent control over carbon species generation and metal species production, allowing for fine-tuning of processing conditions based on specific material requirements. The energy sources may be operated in coordinated or independent modes depending on the desired material characteristics.

[0420]In various embodiments, the apparatus may include provisions for processing battery electrode materials by incorporating silicon and other active materials onto carbon substrates. The system may enable production of silicon-coated carbon materials for battery anodes and cathodes, utilizing the same reactor technology employed for covetic material synthesis. This capability may extend the utility of the apparatus beyond traditional metal-carbon composites to include energy storage applications.

Use-Case Scenario

[0421]By way of a use-case scenario, and in various embodiments, an aerospace manufacturer implements the covetic material production apparatus to create lightweight, high-strength components for aircraft turbine engines. The manufacturer configures the reactor system with methane as the carbon feedstock input and introduces aluminum feedstock through the metal feedstock input. The energy source(s) generates RF energy at 2.45 GHz to dissociate the methane in the hydrocarbon dissociation chamber, producing carbon species including carbon radicals and graphene precursors. Simultaneously, the metal species generator processes the aluminum feedstock using thermal energy to create molten aluminum droplets. The carbon species and metal species are then combined in the mixing chamber, where static mixers ensure uniform distribution of carbon throughout the aluminum matrix. The cooling mechanism rapidly quenches the mixture to form covetic materials with approximately 15 wt % carbon loading, resulting in turbine blade components that exhibit enhanced strength-to-weight ratios and improved thermal conductivity compared to conventional aluminum alloys. The in-situ monitoring sensors throughout the system provide real-time feedback to maintain consistent material properties, while the control system regulates flow rates to achieve the desired carbon-to-metal ratio for optimal performance in high-temperature aerospace applications. It is to be appreciated that such use-case scenario is but one possible example (and specific configurations) of implementation of the teachings disclosed herein.

Prior Art Deficiencies

[0422]The present disclosure addresses significant challenges in covetic material production that have long plagued existing manufacturing systems. Prior art solutions have struggled to effectively control the independent processing of carbon and metal precursors, leading to inconsistent conversion yields and wide variations in material properties. Conventional metal melt methods face substantial limitations in achieving uniform dispersion and distribution of carbon throughout the metal matrix, resulting in carbon precipitation out of the molten metal slurry rather than forming the desired integrated carbon-metal bonds. These traditional approaches often produce materials with substantial carbon aggregates and agglomerates particularly at grain boundaries and surfaces of the metal lattice, which limits the role of carbon to reinforce the lattice and restricts the tunability of surface morphology for surface functionalization. Additionally, existing processing methods encounter difficulties in independently controlling constituent material temperatures and gas-solid reaction chemistries, preventing the optimization of carbon-metal composite structure formation and limiting the ability to reduce interstitial carbon structures to the nanometer scale.

[0423]The disclosed apparatus overcomes these deficiencies through a novel dual-reactor approach that enables independent control over carbon species generation and metal species production using radio frequency energy. By incorporating separate regions for hydrocarbon dissociation and metal species introduction, the system achieves precise control over the formation of carbon species and metal species, allowing for optimal mixing conditions that result in covetic materials with superior homogeneity and carbon loading compared to conventional methods. The RF energy source configuration provides independent temperature control between metal melting and carbon dissociation processes, enabling the formation of coherent carbon-metal interfaces and preventing unwanted carbon precipitation. Furthermore, the sophisticated control system that regulates flow rates, energy distribution, and temperature profiles throughout the reactor system enables the production of covetic materials with tailored properties, while the output port with controlled cooling mechanisms can be optimized to achieve desired material characteristics. This innovative approach not only eliminates the formation of carbon aggregates and agglomerates but also enables carbon loading levels from 1.5 wt % to 90 wt % with substantially homogeneous distribution throughout the metal matrix, effectively resolving the longstanding issues of inconsistent material properties and poor carbon dispersion that have plagued prior art systems.

[0424]In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific implementations thereof. It will however be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, the above-described process flows are described with reference to a particular ordering of process actions. However, the ordering of many of the described process actions may be changed without affecting the scope or operation of the disclosure. The specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense.