Continuous production of finely divided zirconium powder
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorsAaron J. Becker, Don R. Careatti
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Abstract
Process for production of finely divided zirconium powder by reaction of solid magnesium with ZrCl.sub.4 in a molten salt bath maintained at a temperature below the melting point of magnesium. A preferred salt bath contains about 8 mole % ZrCl.sub.4 in an equimolar mixture of KCl and NaCl and is maintained at about 625.degree. C. Gaseous ZrCl.sub.4 and solid magnesium are continuously fed to a lower portion of the bath, the bath is continuously agitated, and bath containing MgCl.sub.2 is continuously removed. Zirconium powder recovered from the bath is generally spherical with a median particle size of about 2.2 .mu.m and is suitable for use in rapid rise time thermal batteries.
Claims12
A process for production of finely divided Zr powder by reaction of ZrCl.sub.4 with Mg, comprising the steps of
- (a) providing a molten salt bath comprising about 5 to 95 mole % ZrCl.sub.4, about 0 to 45 mole % MgCl.sub.2, and the remainder KCl, NaCl or mixtures of KCl and NaCl;
- (b) maintaining the bath at a temperature greater than the solidus temperature of the bath and less than the melting point of Mg, said temperature being about 540.degree. to 649.degree. C.;
- (c) feeding gaseous ZrCl.sub.4 to a lower portion of the bath;
- (d) reacting the ZrCl.sub.4 with solid Mg to form MgCl.sub.2 and Zr powder;
- and
- (e) separating the Zr powder from the bath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.