Method for electroplating extrusion-resistant lead coatings on uranium and the alloys thereof
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsCharles J. Nolan, V. Peter Greco
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Abstract
In order to successfully extrude billets of uranium or the alloys thereof a desired configuration, the exterior surfaces of the billet are first sandblasted to remove all oxide film therefrom and are thereafter electroplated with successive layers of copper and lead. Precaution is taken during the interval between the completion of the sandblasting and the initiation of the copper plating to minimize exposure of the uranium surfaces to any oxygen-containing environment.
Claims2
A method of electroplating successive layers of copper and lead on the exterior surfaces of a billet formed of depleted uranium or an alloy thereof for facilitating the subsequent hydrostatic extrusion thereof at room temperature, comprising the steps of:
- sandblasting the exterior of the billet with a relatively coarse nonmetallic grit to expose a surface free of oxide film;
- removing the sandblasting residue from the exterior surface of the billet;
- inserting the billet into a copper-plating electrolyte with less than one minute of exposure of any oxygen-containing environment after the completion of the sandblasting;
- electrodepositing a layer of copper directly onto the exposed surface of the billet to a nominal thickness of 1/2 mil;
- transferring the copper-plated billet to a lead-plating electrolyte with less than one minute of exposure thereof to any oxygen-containing environment;
- and
- electrodepositing a layer of lead directly on the electroplated copper to a nominal thickness of 1 mil to form an outer coating capable of incremental shearing response to extrusion pressures as high as 350 ksi without detriment to the initial adhesion of the layers of the copper and lead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.