METAL POWDER ATOMIZATION MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process comprising:
- atomizing a heated reactive metal source to produce a raw reactive metal powder;
contacting said heated reactive metal source with an atomization mixture comprising at least one atomizing gas and at least one additive gas that is present at a concentration of less than 1000 ppm in said atomization mixture while atomizing said heated reactive metal source; and
forming, with said at least one additive gas, a surface layer on said raw reactive metal powder, said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon, comprises less than 1000 ppm of at least one element from said at least one additive gas,wherein said surface layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, said first layer comprising atoms of said heated reactive metal source with atoms and/or molecules of said at least one additive gas, said first layer being a depletion layer deeper and thicker than said second layer, said second layer being a native oxide layer,and wherein a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
m of said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon, has a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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Abstract
There are provided reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing processes. For example, such processes include providing a heated metal source and contact the heated metal source with at least one additive gas while carrying out the atomization process. Such processes provide raw reactive metal powder having improved flowability. The at least one additive gas can be mixed together with an atomization gas to obtain an atomization mixture, and the heated metal source can be contacted with the atomization mixture while carrying out the atomization process. Reactive metal powder spheroidization manufacturing processes are also provided.
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Citations
103 Claims
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1. A reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process comprising:
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atomizing a heated reactive metal source to produce a raw reactive metal powder; contacting said heated reactive metal source with an atomization mixture comprising at least one atomizing gas and at least one additive gas that is present at a concentration of less than 1000 ppm in said atomization mixture while atomizing said heated reactive metal source; and forming, with said at least one additive gas, a surface layer on said raw reactive metal powder, said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon, comprises less than 1000 ppm of at least one element from said at least one additive gas, wherein said surface layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, said first layer comprising atoms of said heated reactive metal source with atoms and/or molecules of said at least one additive gas, said first layer being a depletion layer deeper and thicker than said second layer, said second layer being a native oxide layer, and wherein a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
m of said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon, has a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 42, 44, 45, 47, 50, 52, 54, 55, 59, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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8. (canceled)
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9. The process of claim 0, wherein said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon comprises a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
- m having a flowability less than 36 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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10. (canceled)
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11. The process of claim 0, wherein said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon comprises a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
- m having a flowability less than 30 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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12. The process of claim 0, wherein said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon comprises a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
- m having a flowability less than 28 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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13-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. The process of claim 0, wherein said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon further comprises a particle size distribution of about 45 to about 75 μ
- m having a flowability less than 26 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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33-35. -35. (canceled)
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36. The process of claim 0, wherein said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon further comprises a particle size distribution of about 45 to about 106 μ
- m having a flowability less than 26 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
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37-41. -41. (canceled)
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43. (canceled)
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46. (canceled)
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48-49. -49. (canceled)
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51. (canceled)
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53. (canceled)
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56-58. -58. (canceled)
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60. A reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process comprising:
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mixing together an atomizing gas and at least one additive gas to obtain an atomization mixture; contacting a heated reactive metal source with said atomization mixture while atomizing said heated reactive metal source to produce a raw reactive metal powder having a surface layer thereon; sieving said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon to obtain a powder having a predetermined particle size; and contacting said powder having said predetermined particle size with water. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 79, 80)
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61-64. -64. (canceled)
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67-78. -78. (canceled)
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81. A reactive metal powder spheroidization manufacturing process comprising:
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contacting a reactive metal powder source with a spheroidization process gas mixture that comprises at least one spheroidization process gas and at least one additive gas that is present at a concentration of less than 1000 ppm in said spheroidization process gas mixture while spheroidizing said reactive metal powder source to produce a raw reactive metal powder; and forming, with said at least one additive gas, a surface layer on said raw reactive metal powder, said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon comprises less than 1000 ppm of at least one element from said at least one additive gas, wherein said surface layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, said first layer comprising atoms of said heated reactive metal source with atoms and/or molecules of said at least one additive gas, said first layer being a depletion layer deeper and thicker than said second layer, said second layer being a native oxide layer, and wherein a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 53 μ
m of said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon has a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213.- View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88)
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87. (canceled)
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89. A reactive metal powder spheroidization manufacturing process comprising:
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mixing together a spheroidization process gas and at least one additive gas to obtain a spheroidization process gas mixture; contacting a reactive metal powder source with said spheroidization process gas mixture while spheroidizing said reactive metal powder source to produce a raw reactive metal powder having a surface layer thereon; sieving said raw reactive metal powder with said surface layer thereon to obtain a powder having predetermined particle size; and contacting said powder having said predetermined particle size with water.
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90. (canceled)
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94. (canceled)
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98. (canceled)
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103-110. -110. (canceled)
Specification