Methods for electrically forming materials
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorGuangxin Wang
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Abstract
The invention includes a method of forming a material which comprises at least two elements. More specifically, the method comprises providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution extending between the cathode and anode. A metallic product is electrolytically formed within the electrolytic cell. The forming of the metallic product comprises primarily electrorefining of a first element of the at least two elements and primarily electrowinning of a second element of the at least two elements. The invention also includes a mixed metal product comprising at least two elements, such as a product comprising tantalum and titanium.
Claims72
A method for electrolytically forming a material which comprises at least two elements, the method comprising:
- providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution extending between the cathode and the anode;
- and
- electrolytically forming a metallic product with the electrolytic cell, the forming comprising primarily electrorefining of a first element of the at least two elements and primarily electrowinning of a second element of the at least two elements;
- the metallic product comprising the first and second elements.
A method for electrolytically forming a material which comprises at least two elements, the method comprising:
- providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode, at least two anodes, and an electrolytic solution extending between the cathode and the at least two anodes;
- the at least two anodes comprising first and second anodes having different concentrations of a first element relative to one another;
- the electrolytic solution comprising a compound which includes a second element;
- and
- electrolytically forming a metallic product with the electrolytic cell;
- the metallic product comprising a mixture:
- of the first and second elements.
A method for electrolytically forming a material which comprises at least two elements, the method comprising:
- providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode, at least two anodes, and an electrolytic solution extending between the cathode and the at least two anodes;
- the electrolytic solution comprising a compound which includes a second element;
- and
- electrolytically forming a metallic product with the electrolytic cell;
- the metallic product comprising a mixture of the first and second elements;
- one of the at least two anodes being operated at a different voltage than an other of the at least two anodes during the electrolytically forming of the metallic product.
A method for electrolytically forming a product which comprises a mixture of tantalum and titanium, the method comprising:
- providing an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution extending between the cathode and the anode;
- the anode comprising titanium and the electrolytic solution comprising a tantalum-containing compound;
- and
- electrolytically forming a metallic product with the electrolytic cell, the metallic product comprising a mixture of titanium from the anode and tantalum from the tantalum-containing compound.
A material which comprises a mixture of tantalum and titanium;
- and which is at least 99.9 weight percent tantalum and titanium.
A material which consists essentially of a mixture of tantalum and titanium.
A material which consists essentially of:
- at least one first element selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, and niobium;
- at least one second element selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, vanadium, aluminum, chromium and nickel;
- and
- wherein the at least one first element is different from the at least one second element.
A PVD target comprising tantalum to a concentration of greater than or equal to about 5 weight percent and less than or equal to about 95 weight percent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.