Processing of nickel-titanium alloys
AssigneeATI Properties, Inc.
InventorC. Craig Wojcik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes for producing a nickel-titanium alloy are disclosed. The processes are characterized by the production of nickel-titanium alloy articles having improved microstructure. A pre-alloyed nickel-titanium alloy is melted and atomized to form molten nickel-titanium alloy particles. The molten nickel-titanium alloy particles are cooled to form nickel-titanium alloy powder. The nickel-titanium alloy powder is consolidated to form a fully-densified nickel-titanium alloy preform that is hot worked to form a nickel-titanium alloy article. Any second phases present in the nickel-titanium alloy article have a mean size of less than 10 micrometers measured according to ASTM E1245-03 (2008) or an equivalent method.
Claims24
A process for producing a near-equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy, the process comprising:
- vacuum arc remelting an electrode produced from materials comprising a titanium input material and a nickel input material to produce a pre-alloyed near-equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy ingot;
- melting the pre-alloyed near-equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy ingot;
- atomizing the molten near-equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy to form molten nickel-titanium alloy particles;
- cooling the molten nickel-titanium alloy particles to form a near-equiatomic nickel-titanium alloy powder;
- hot isostatic pressing at least a portion of the nickel-titanium alloy powder to form a fully-densified nickel-titanium alloy preform;
- hot working the nickel-titanium alloy preform;
- and
- cold working the nickel-titanium alloy after the hot working to form a nickel-titanium alloy article;
- wherein any second phases present in the nickel-titanium alloy article have a mean size of less than 10 micrometers measured according to ASTM E1245-03 (2008) or an equivalent method.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.