Production of intermetallic particles
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorCharles E. Eckert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of producing intermetallic particles such as TiAl.sub.3, NiAl.sub.3 and others utilizes a chamber having a discharge immersed in molten media such as molten metal and having a plasma therein extending from the molten media at the chamber discharge to a site above the discharge. One or more constituents of the desired compound are provided to said site and converted into a superheated spray. The constituents react with each other or with one or more constituents in the aforesaid media to produce the desired compound. A gas exits the chamber and enhances contact and reaction and also transfer to the media.
Claims21
A process for forming one or more intermetallic compounds comprising the steps:
- (a) providing a chamber having a discharge opening positioned within a molten media;
- (b) introducing into said chamber a gas comprising an ionizable gas under sufficient pressure to provide an interior molten media surface substantially at said chamber's discharge region;
- (c) providing a plasma within said chamber, said plasma substantially extending at least from said interior molten media surface to a site within said chamber and spaced from said interior media surface;
- and
- (d) providing to said site within said chamber material comprising one or more constituents reactable with each other or with one or more constituents in said media, or both, to produce one or more intermetallic compounds and converting said material into superheated spray substantially within said plasma and carried toward said interior molten media surface.
A process for forming one or more intermetallic compounds comprising the steps:
- (a) providing a molten media containing one or more constituents of said compound;
- (b) providing a chamber having an open discharge positioned within a molten media;
- (c) introducing into said chamber a gas comprising an ionizable gas under sufficient pressure to provide an interior molten media surface substantially at said chamber's discharge region;
- (d) providing a plasma within said chamber, said plasma substantially extending at least from said interior molten media surface to a site within said chamber and spaced from said interior media surface;
- (e) supplying to said site within said chamber a material comprising one or more constituents reactable with said one or more constituents in said molten media to produce one or more intermetallic compounds and converting said material into superheated spray substantially within said plasma an carried toward said interior molten media surface for reaction of one or more constituents of said compound in said media with one or more constituents in said material to form said compound or compounds;
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- (f) conducting a gas from said chamber into said media to aid entry into said media of substances from said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.