Abstract: A method for imaging inclusions in metal or metal alloy castings is described. One embodiment of the present method first involves casting a metal or metal alloy article using an investment casting mold where the mold facecoat, and perhaps one or more of the mold backup layers, comprises an imaging agent distributed substantially uniformly throughout in amounts sufficient for imaging inclusions. The facecoat preferably comprises an intimate mixture of a refractory material and the imaging agent. Intimate mixtures can be produced in a number of ways, but a currently preferred method is to cocalcine the refractory material, such as yttria, with the imaging agent, such as gadolinia. The facecoat also can comprise plural mold-forming materials and/or plural imaging agents. The difference between the linear attenuation coefficient of the article and the linear attenuation coefficient of the imaging agent should be sufficient to allow imaging of the inclusion throughout the article.

Abstract: A method for imaging inclusions in metal or metal alloy castings is described. One embodiment of the present method first involves casting a metal or metal alloy article using an investment casting mold where the mold facecoat, and perhaps one or more of the mold backup layers, comprises an imaging agent distributed substantially uniformly throughout in amounts sufficient for imaging inclusions. The facecoat preferably comprises an intimate mixture of a refractory material and the imaging agent. Intimate mixtures can be produced in a number of ways, but a currently preferred method is to cocalcine the refractory material, such as yttria, with the imaging agent, such as gadolinia. The facecoat also can comprise plural mold-forming materials and/or plural imaging agents. The difference between the linear attenuation coefficient of the article and the linear attenuation coefficient of the imaging agent should be sufficient to allow imaging of the inclusion throughout the article.

Abstract: A method for imaging inclusions in metal or metal alloy castings is described. One embodiment of the present method first involves casting a metal or metal alloy article using an investment casting mold where the mold facecoat, and perhaps one or more of the mold backup layers, comprises an imaging agent distributed substantially uniformly throughout in amounts sufficient for imaging inclusions. The facecoat preferably comprises an intimate mixture of a refractory material and the imaging agent. Intimate mixtures can be produced in a number of ways, but a currently preferred method is to cocalcine the refractory material, such as yttria, with the imaging agent, such as gadolinia. The facecoat also can comprise plural mold-forming materials and/or plural imaging agents. The difference between the linear attenuation coefficient of the article and the linear attenuation coefficient of the imaging agent should be sufficient to allow imaging of the inclusion throughout the article.

Abstract: A metal or metal alloy article is cast using an investment casting mold where the mold facecoat, and perhaps one or more of the mold backup layers, comprises an imaging agent distributed substantially uniformly throughout in amounts sufficient for imaging inclusions. The facecoat preferably comprises an intimate mixture of a refractory material and the imaging agent. Intimate mixtures can be produced in a number of ways, but a currently preferred method is to cocalcine the refractory material, such as yttria, with the imaging agent, such as gadolinia. The facecoat also can comprise plural mold-forming materials and/or plural imaging agents. The difference between the linear attenuation coefficient of the article and the linear attenuation coefficient of the imaging agent should be sufficient to allow imaging of the inclusion throughout the article. The metal or metal alloy article is then analyzed for inclusions by N-ray analysis.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an aqueous ceramic slurry having from about 70-weight percent to about 85 weight-percent of a fused yttria-zirconia material. The weight percent of zirconia in the fused yttria-zirconia preferably varies from about 1.0 weight percent to about 10.0 weight percent. Fused slurries may comprise, in addition to fused yttria-zirconia, an inorganic binder (preferably silica), an organic binder (preferably a latex binder), a surfactant (preferably a sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate), an antifoaming agent (preferably a water-dilutable active silicone defoamer) and titanium dioxide. The slurries of the present invention are used to form ceramic mold facecoatings for casting reactive materials. These slurries are less sensitive to pH fluctuations than are slurries made from 100 percent yttria (yttria slurries). Moreover, slurries as described in the disclosure do not gel prematurely, and exhibit substantially the same formation of oxygen-enriched titanium (alpha case) than do yttria slurries.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an aqueous ceramic slurry having from about 70-weight percent to about 85 weight-percent of a fused yttria-zirconia material. The weight percent of zirconia in the fused yttria-zirconia preferably varies from about 1.0 weight percent to about 10.0 weight percent. Fused slurries may comprise, in addition to fused yttria-zirconia, an inorganic binder (preferably silica), an organic binder (preferably a latex binder), a surfactant (preferably a sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate), an antifoaming agent (preferably a water-dilutable active silicone defoamer) and titanium dioxide. The slurries of the present invention are used to form ceramic mold facecoatings for casting reactive materials. These slurries are less sensitive to pH fluctuations than are slurries made from 100 percent yttria (yttria slurries). Moreover, slurries as described in the disclosure do not gel prematurely, and exhibit substantially the same formation of oxygen-enriched titanium (alpha case) than do yttria slurries.