Patent ID: 6997232
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: B22F,B33Y,C22C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object having a desired shape, comprising the steps of: a). forming a mixture that contains a binder and at least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite having said desired shape; b). removing said binder from said green composite by a process effective to maintain said desired shape as a porous preform structure; c). converting a portion of said aluminum, to aluminum nitride while said porous preform structure is supported by a mixture of oxygen reducing particles and support particles to thereby transform said green composite to a rigid skeleton of said desired shape with said porous structure; and d). infiltrating said porous preform structure at an effective temperature with an infiltrant that is selected from the group consisting of molten aluminum and a molten second aluminum-base alloy to form said three-dimensional object with a near theoretical density.