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US 6,190,468 B1Granted
Metamorphic processing of alloys and products thereof
AssigneeBrush Wellman Inc.
InventorEdward B. Longenberger
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AssigneeBrush Wellman Inc.
InventorEdward B. Longenberger
Estimating the term…
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention is the metamorphic processing of a beryllium-copper alloy. The alloy is (i) thermodynamically treated for greater than about 10 hours at a temperature generally within a range of 900° to 1500° F., (ii) warm worked at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate {acute over (ε)} greater than or equal to about (2.210×107)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4°)], where T is in ° F., at the temperature, (iii) annealed at a temperature between 1375° and 1500° F. for about 15 minutes to about 3 hours, (iv) water quenched, and (v) thermal hardened at a temperature generally within a range of about 480° and 660° F. Grain size is reduced with concomitant improvements in ultimate strength, toughness, total elongation, % reduction in area and ultrasonic inspectability.
A precipitation hardened beryllium copper alloy having a refined equiaxed uniform grain structure and an average grain size of about 20 to 50 μm, the alloy comprising about 0.20 to about 0.60% beryllium and about 1.4 to about 2.2% nickel, the balance copper, wherein the alloy is made by a process in which a cast ingot is thermodynamically treated by heating at a temperature of about 900 to 1850° F. for at least about 10 hours followed by warm working the alloy at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate ε greater than or equal to about (1.243×107)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4)] where T is in ° F.
A precipitation hardened beryllium copper alloy having a refined equiaxed uniform grain structure, the alloy comprising about 1.60 to about 1.79% beryllium and about 0.2 to about 0.35% cobalt, the balance copper, wherein the alloy is made by a process in which a cast ingot is thermodynamically treated by heating at a temperature of about 1000 to 1250° F. for at least about 16 hours followed by warm working the alloy at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate ε greater than or equal to about (1.009×108)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4)] where T is in ° F.
A precipitation hardened beryllium copper alloy having a refined equiaxed uniform grain structure, the alloy comprising about 1.80 to about 2.00% beryllium and about 0.20 to about 0.35% cobalt, the balance copper, wherein the alloy is made by a process in which a cast ingot is thermodynamically treated by heating at a temperature of about 1000 to 1250° F. for at least about 16 hours followed by warm working the alloy at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate ε greater than or equal to about (2.210×107)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4)] where T is in ° F.
A precipitation hardenable, hot worked beryllium copper ingot, the alloy forming the ingot having a heterogeneous, quasi-amorphous, unrecrystallized grain structure and comprising about 1.60 to about 1.79% beryllium and about 0.2 to about 0.35% cobalt, the balance copper, wherein the hot worked ingot is made by a process in which a cast ingot is heated at a temperature of about 1000 to 1250° F. for at least about 16 hours followed by warm working the ingot at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate ε greater than or equal to about (1.009×108)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4)] where T is in ° F.
A precipitation hardenable, hot worked beryllium copper ingot, the alloy forming the ingot having a heterogeneous, quasi-amorphous, unrecrystallized grain structure and comprising about 1.80 to about 2.00% beryllium and about 0.20 to about 0.35% cobalt, the balance copper, wherein the hot worked ingot is made by a process in which a cast ingot is heated at a temperature of about 1000 to 1250° F. for at least about 16 hours followed by warm working the ingot at greater than about 30% strain at a strain rate ε greater than or equal to about (2.210×107)/exp[(2.873×104)/(T+459.4)] where T is in ° F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.