Metal fiber comprising more than one metal or metal alloy

Abstract

A metal fiber has a cross section, having a perimeter. The cross section comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, each of these zones providing a part of the perimeter. The first zone is composed of a first metal or metal alloy M1, and the second zone is composed of a second metal or metal alloy M2, for which M1 is different from M2. A method to make such fiber is provided. the method as subject of the invention comprises the steps of to—Providing a foil or plate which is composed of metal or metal alloy M1;—Applying at a first side of said foil or plate a layer of a second metal or metal alloy M2;—Coiling up said foil or plate comprising M1 and M2 on a shaft;—Rotating said shaft with coiled foil or plate and cutting the end surface of said coiled foil or plate using a cutting tool.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a metal fiber comprising several metals or metal alloys and to a method of manufacturing such a fiber. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Metal fibers are already well known in the art. The best known example is given by metal fibers obtained by bundle drawing methods. [0003] Bundle drawn metal fibers may comprise different metal alloys, as explained in JP 5-177243. [0004] Metal fibers obtained by coil shaving methods are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,199. [0005] Such metal fibers may be used to provide a metal fiber media for several different applications, such as filtration of liquids or gasses, burner membranes or catalytic carriers. [0006] Frequently the metal fiber media are to be combined with an other metal or metal alloy, in order to provide specific properties to the metal fiber medium, such as catalytic properties. Usually the metal fiber media itself is coated with another additional metal or metal alloy, wh...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The present invention has an object to provide a method to provide metal fibers comprising at least two metals or metal alloys in their cross section. The invention further has as an object to provide a method to provide metal fibers comprising at least two metals or metal alloys in their cross section, which fibers have a smaller equivalent diameter as known in the art. The invention further has as an object to provide a method for providing metal fibers which is cheap in production and which reduces the cost of making metal fiber media comprising more than one metal alloy. The invention also has as an object to provide a process of manufacturing of metal fiber and metal fiber media having an increased flexibility in combination of different metal alloys and the ratio of such different alloys. The invention also has as an object to provide a process of manufacturing of metal fiber and metal fiber media having improved homogeneity of distribution of different metal alloys present in a metal fiber media comprising more than one metal alloy

[0012] The present invention has an object to provide a metal fiber comprising at least two different metals or metal alloys over its cross section and which has a reduced equivalent diameter. The present invention has an object to provide a metal fiber which facilitates and simplifies the process of manufacturing of metal fiber media comprising more than one metal alloy.

[0013] The present invention has further as an object to provide a metal fiber which is cheap in production and which reduces the cost of making metal fiber media comprising more than one metal alloy. This especially in case noble metals are to be used and combined.

Problems solved by technology

Usually the metal fiber media itself is coated with another additional metal or metal alloy, which may result in an uneven distribution of the additional metal or metal alloy throughout the metal fiber medium.

The use of two or more types of metal fibers, to provide combinations of metal alloys in a metal fiber media, has a disadvantage that at least two different metal fibers, out of two different metals or metal alloys are to be produced separately, after which a well mixed blend must be realized.

This method has the disadvantage that it is not adapted to provide wires with cross section surfaces, which surfaces are small enough to be comparable with metal fiber dimensions.

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