Patent ID: 9322084
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: B01F,C22B,C22C

Claim Text:
1. A method for the production of metal matrix nanocomposites, the method comprising: (a) introducing nanoparticle agglomerates into a volume of molten metal contained within a cavity defined by a production chamber; (b) mechanically mixing the nanoparticle agglomerates in the volume of molten metal, wherein the mixing reduces the size of the nanoparticle agglomerates; (c) creating a cavitation zone within a sub-volume of the molten metal contained in a cavitation cell that is immersed in the larger volume of molten metal contained within the production chamber cavity; and (d) dispersing the nanoparticles in the size-reduced nanoparticle agglomerates as individual nanoparticles in the molten metal by pumping the size-reduced nanoparticle agglomerates into the cavitation zone, wherein the dispersed individual nanoparticles pass out of the cavitation cell and back into the larger volume of molten metal.