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US 5,963,777 AGranted
Hypereutectoid and hypoeutectic binary uranium-vanadium alloys
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorMichael R. Staker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Binary alloys of uranium and vanadium having high hardness and strength prepared by selectively adjusting both the composition of the alloy and the solutionization temperature between the gamma-eutectoid and the eutectic points.
Claims19
A composition of matter comprising:
- a quenchable, essentially binary alloy of uranium and vanadium,
- wherein the amount of said vanadium has a predetermined value in the range from about 1.0 to 4.5 on a percent by weight basis,
- wherein the alloy has essentially a two phase microstructure selected from the group essentially consisting of alpha prime martensite and delta,
- and whereby the hardness has a predetermined value in the range of about 36 to 54 HRC in the as-quenched condition.
1 more element
A composition of matter comprising:
- a quenchable, essentially binary alloy of uranium and vanadium, comprising;
- an essentially all martensitic microstructure, wherein the amount of said vanadium has a predetermined value in the range from about 1.0 to 2.5 on a percent by weight basis, and whereby the hardness has a predetermined value in the range of about 36 to 54 HRC in the as-quenched condition.
A method for the production of an essentially binary alloy of uranium and vanadium comprising the steps of:
- charging depleted uranium stock and vanadium stock into a vacuum furnace,
- decreasing the pressure until it is about 1 micron,
- increasing the temperature until said alloy is molten,
- pouring said alloy to form a casting,
- remelting the alloy mixture and again casting the melt to form an ingot,
- homogenizing said casting at a pressure of about 1 micron and a temperature of 1010 degrees C. for 100 hours,
- hot-working at a temperature of 815 degrees C., and
- heat treating at a solutionizing temperature from about 727 to 1040 degrees C., water-quenching and recovering the product.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.