LIQUID METAL/COLD METAL BOND ENHANCEMENT IN A MAGNETOSTRICTIVELY STRESSED SUBSTRATE

A NEW METHOD OF APPLYING THIN, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE FILMSTO A SUBSTRATE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS STRIP ELECTROPLATING (CSEP) IS DESIRABLE FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT AS A MEANS OF LIMITING CHEMICAL AND METALLIC CONTAMINATION OF WASTEWATER AND THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF TREATMENT. AVCA CORPORATION HAS DONE PRELIMINARY DESIGN WORK ON A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING THIN FILMS BY LEVITATIONOF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIALS IN AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAINMENT DEVICE AND TRANSFERS THEM TO A FERROUS SUBSTRATEPASSING UNDER THE DEVICE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS AS A REPLACEMENT FOR CSEP. A QUESTION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED BEFORE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEVITATION PORTION OF THE DESIGN TAKES PLACE IS THE QUALITY OF THE BOND ACHIEVED BY THE DIRECT APPLICATION OF A LIQUID METAL TO A RELATIVELY COLD FERROUS SUBSTRATE. PRELIMINARY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT SUCH BONDS ARE WORTHWHILE. AVCA CORPORATION HAS DESIGNED A SUPPLEMENTAL PROCESS OF ENHANCING THESE BONDS THAT CAN BE DEVETAILED INTO THE LEVITATION PORTION OF ITS DESIGN THAT INVOLVES RELIQUEFACTION OF THE FILM WHILE SUBJECTING THE SUBSTRATE TOA STRONG MAGNETOSTRICTIVE EFFECT. THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BENCH TOP DEVICE FOR TESTING THE MAGNETOSTRICTIVE INTERACTION AND FOR MODELLING THE ENTIRE PROCESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING INSTRUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.