Corrosion resistant metal products

Abstract

A billet includes a solid steel body and an alloy cladding. The cladding may include a square tube in which the body is inserted with an interface at which the cladding becomes bonded to the body when the billet is heated and rolled or otherwise worked into a ferrous product. At least one element composed of a mass of finely divided scavenging aluminum, titanium or magnesium, is placed in the tube adjacent the body and separate from the interface. The elements are advantageously compressed into briquettes which scavenge oxygen from residual air at the interface to prevent oxidation of the cladding at the interface. The tube may be closed to prevent gases outside the billet from penetrating to the interface. Alternatively, reliance may be placed on the briquettes to scavenge oxygen from the residual air and also from atmospheric air and furnace gases before they can penetrate to the interface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.