Titanium master alloy for titanium-aluminum based alloys
AssigneeUniversal Achemetal Titanium, LLC
InventorsJames R. Cox, Chanaka L. DeALWIS, Benjamin A. Kohler, Michael G. Lewis, Juliane B. Kluck
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Abstract
A process is disclosed for the electro-refinement of titanium aluminides to produce titanium-aluminum master alloys which process is effective even in the presence of substantial amounts of aluminum and in the presence of ten (10) or more weight percent oxygen in the material(s) to be refined. The process is likewise effective without the addition of titanium chlorides or other forms of soluble titanium to the electrolyte bath comprising halide salts of alkali metals or alkali-earth metals or a combination thereof.
Claims11
A process for electro-refining titanium-aluminide to produce titanium-aluminum master alloys, comprising:
- a. placing titanium-aluminide comprising more than ten weight percent aluminum, and at least ten weight percent oxygen, into a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel configured with an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, the electrolyte including halide salts of alkali metals or alkali-earth metals or a combination thereof;
- b. heating the electrolyte to a temperature of 500° C.-900° C. sufficient to create a molten electrolyte mixture;
- c. directing an electrical current from the anode through the molten electrolyte mixture to the cathode;
- d. monitoring an electrical differential between the anode and a reference electrode during the directing step, wherein the electrical differential is maintained between 0.2V-0.8V;
- and
- e. dissolving the titanium-aluminide from the anode to deposit a titanium-aluminum master alloy at the cathode;
- wherein the titanium-aluminum master alloy contains less than 5.0 wt % aluminum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.