Abstract: A forging blank of a forging nickel-base superalloy is forged in a forging press having forging dies made of a die nickel-base superalloy. The forging is accomplished by heating the forging blank to a forging-blank starting temperature of from about 1850° F. to about 1950° F., heating the forging dies to a forging-die starting temperature of from about 1500° F. to about 1750° F., placing the forging blank into the forging press and between the forging dies, and forging the forging blank at the forging-blank starting temperature using the forging dies at the forging-die starting temperature, to produce a forging.

Abstract: High molybdenum, corrosion-resistant alloys are provided with greatly increased thermal stability by controlling the atom concentrations to be NiaMobXcYdZe, where: a is between about 73 and 77 atom percent b is between about 18 and 23 atom percent X is one or more required substitutional alloying elements selected from Groups VI, VII and VIII of the Periodic Table and c does not exceed about 5 atom percent for any one element, Y is one or more optional substitutional alloying elements which may be present and d does not exceed about one atom percent for any one element, Z is one or more interstitial elements and e is as tow as possible, not exceeding about 0.2 atom percent in total; and the sum of c and d is between about 2.5 and 7.5 atom percent.

Abstract: A surface treatment process for enhancing the resistance to intergranular corrosion and intergranular cracking of components fabricated from austenitic Ni—Fe—Cr based alloys comprising the application of surface deformation to the component, to a depth in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm, for example by high intensity shot peening below the recrystallization temperature, followed by recrystallization heat treatment, preferably at solutionizing temperatures. The surface deformation and annealing process can be repeated to further optimize the microstructure of the near-surface region. Following the final heat treatment, the process optionally comprises the application of further surface deformation (work) of reduced intensity, yielding a worked depth of between 0.005 mm to 0.01 mm, to impart residual compression in the near surface region to further enhance cracking resistance.

Abstract: A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orientations are arranged substantially in a direction suitable for an expected operational direction, such as tensile or twisting direction or the like, in which the shape memory alloy is expected to move when used in an actuator after the completion of the treatment.

Abstract: The invention relates to plastic working of metals and alloys, predominantly low-plastic and hard-to-work ones, e.g., nickel-, titanium-, and iron-base high-temperature alloys, and producing billets for parts made by plastic working of said billets. The method comprises thermomechanical processing which is performed beginning with the temperature at which a total content of precipitates or an allotropic modification of the matrix exceeds 7%, followed by a stage-by-stage decrease of the working temperature down to the temperature at which a stable fine-grained microstructure of the material is obtained, with ratio between the grain size of various phases differing by not more than 10 times, the billet under processing undergoes deformation with a 1.2 to 3.9 times change in the billet cross-sectional area. When preparing billets from nickel-base alloys a stage-by-stage decrease of the working temperature is carried out so as to provide a maximum 14% gain in the &ggr;-phase at each stage.

Abstract: (1) A nickel-base alloy product having, on the surface thereof, an oxide film comprising at least two layers, namely a first layer mainly composed of Cr2O3 and having a chromium content of not less than 50% relative to the total amount of metal elements and a second layer occurring outside the first layer and mainly composed of MnCr2O4, wherein the grain size of Cr2O3 crystals in the first layer is 50 to 1,000 nm and the total oxide film thickness is 180 to 1,500 nm. (2) A method of producing the nickel-base alloy product as specified above under (1) which comprises subjecting a nickel-base alloy product to oxide film formation treatment by maintaining the same at a temperature of 650 to 1,200° C. in a hydrogen atmosphere or hydrogen-argon mixed atmosphere showing a dew point of −60° C. to +20° C. for 1 to 1,200 minutes.

Abstract: An alloy having a cube textured substrate is disclosed. The alloy includes two different metals. The alloy can be used as a substrate for a superconductor. Optionally, one or more buffer layers can be disposed between the substrate and the superconductor material. The alloy can be prepared using a process that includes rolling the alloy and annealing the alloy. The alloy can have a relatively large volume percent that is formed of grains with cube texture.

Abstract: A high purity cobalt sputter target is disclosed which contains a face centered cubic (fcc) phase and a hexagonal close packed (hcp) phase, wherein the value of the ratio of X-ray diffraction peak intensity, Ifcc (200)/Ihcp (10 {overscore (1)}1), is smaller than the value of the same ratio in a high purity cobalt material obtained by cooling fcc cobalt to room temperature from the high temperature at which it is molten.

Abstract: A process for producing a heat-resistant intermetallic compound Ni3Al foil having a room-temperature ductility, which comprises a first step of arc-melting an alloy having a chemical composition containing Ni as a main component and Al to form a starting rod, a second step of growing the starting rod in columnar crystal form by unidirectional solidification, a third step of cutting out the unidirectionally solidified rod to form a plate, and a fourth step of cold-rolling the plate cut at room temperature to form a foil. The invention can provide a process for producing a thin Ni3Al foil which has a thickness of 200 microns or less and which is excellent in high-temperature strength, oxidation and corrosion resistances and room-temperature ductility.

Abstract: A method (10) of forming sputtering target (11) from ingots of tantalum or niobium of requisite purity by the process of cutting the ingot to short lengths (12) and pressure working (14, 22, 30, 34) the ingot along alternating essentially orthogonal work axes. Intermediate anneals (18, 26, 38) are applied as necessary to establish a uniform texture thickness-wise and area-wide throughout the target, including the center. The uniform texture is a substantially constant mix of grains with orientation {100} and {111}, thereby improving sputtering performance by providing a more predictable sputter rate to control film thickness.

Abstract: Improved targets for use in DC magnetron sputtering of nickel or like ferromagnetic face-centered cubic (FCC) metals are disclosed for forming metallization films having effective edge-to-edge deposition uniformity of 5% (3&sgr;) or better. Such targets may be characterized as having: (a) a homogeneous texture mix that is at least 20% of a <200> texture content and less than 50% of a <111>texture content, (b) an initial pass-through flux factor (%PTF) of about 30% or greater; and(c) a homogeneous grain size of about 200 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: A process for forging large components of Alloy 718 material so that the components do not exhibit abnormal grain growth includes the steps of: a) providing a billet with an average grain size between ASTM 0 and ASTM 3; b) heating the billet to a temperature of between 1750° F. and 1800° F.; c) upsetting the billet to obtain a component part with a minimum strain of 0.125 in at least selected areas of the part; d) reheating the component part to a temperature between 1750° F. and 1800° F.; e) upsetting the component part to a final configuration such that said selected areas receive no strains between 0.01 and 0.125; f) solution treating the component part at a temperature of between 1725° F. and 1750° F.; and g) aging the component part over predetermined times at different temperatures. A modified process achieves abnormal grain growth in selected areas of a component where desirable.

Abstract: A manufacturing method, particularly a forging treatment and a heat treatment method of a Ni-based alloy having sulfidation-corrosion resistance used for component members of corrosion-resistant high-temperature equipment, that is, Waspaloy (a trademark of United Technologies) or its improved Ni-based alloy wherein the high temperature sulfidation-corrosion resistance of the alloy can be improved while maintaining hot strength properties is disclosed. A Ni-based alloy used for the method consists essentially of 0.005 to 0.1% C, 18 to 21% Cr, 12 to 15% Co, 3.5 to 5.0% Mo, not more than 3.25% Ti and 1.2 to 4.0% Al (expressed in mass percentage), with the balance substantially comprising Ni.

Abstract: Fe—Ni alloy sheet having improved press-punching formability is produced by specifying the sulfide-forming elements [X%] and sulfur [%S] and by heating, prior to hot-working, to a temperature dependent upon the contents of these elements. The Fe—Ni alloy contains from 30 to 55% of Ni, not more than 0.8% of Mn, from 0.001 to 0.050% of S, from 0.005 to less than 0.5% of Ti, Mg, Ce and/or Ca, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and in which the product of the total content of the Ti, Mg, Ce and Ca and the total content of S ([%X]×[%S]) is limited to a range of from 0.00005 to 0.010. The heating temperature (T) is: 1050° C.≦T(°C.)≦{19500/[8.5−log[%X][%S]]}−350.

Abstract: A surface treatment process for enhancing the intergranular corrosion and intergranular cracking resistance of components fabricated from austenitic Ni—Fe—Cr based alloys comprised of the application of surface cold work to a depth in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm, for example by high intensity shot peening, followed by recrystallization heat treatment preferably at solutionizing temperatures (>900 C.). The surface cold work and annealing process can be repeated to further optimize the microstructure of the near-surface region. Following the final heat treatment, the process can optionally comprise the application of surface cold work of reduced intensity, yielding a cold worked depth of 0.005 mm to 0.01 mm, in order further enhance resistance to cracking by rendering the near surface in residual compression.

Abstract: Disclosed is an elongated metallic article having a curved section therein which has a first part formed on an outside part of the curved section, and a second part formed on an inside part of the curved section. The first part was initially deformed beyond a region of twin boundary deformation, but was thereafter returned to the region of twin boundary deformation. The second part was left deformed beyond the region of twin boundary deformation. When a compressive load is applied to the thus prepared article, and the first part and the second part are both compressed, the first part can deform more readily than the second part so that the article deforms into a more straight shape as its deformation progresses. Thus, the article may be made resistant to buckling in spite of the presence of the curved section.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making an alloy comprising the steps of cladding with a tube a plurality of metal members including a first and a second metal to form a metal composite. The metal composite is drawn for reducing the diameter thereof. The tube is removed to provide a remainder. The remainder is heated to convert the remainder to alloy. A multiplicity of composites may be processed simultaneously for producing fine alloy fibers.

Abstract: An article is formed from an ingot of a nickel-iron base alloy having a composition including from about 4.5 weight percent niobium to about 5.5 weight percent niobium and capable of forming delta-phase precipitates, and having fewer than about 1 grain per square inch at 100× magnification. An array of intragranular delta-phase precipitates is precipitated within the ingot to provide grain nucleation sites. The ingot having the array of delta-phase precipitates therein is deformed at a temperature below a delta-phase solvus temperature, thereby producing a fine-grained billet.

Abstract: Hot working a nickel-chromium alloy that contains by weight percent, 42 to 65 chromium, 0.002 to 0.1 calcium, 0.002 to 0.1 magnesium, 0 to 2 aluminum, about 0 to 5 cobalt, 0 to 3 copper, 0 to 5 iron, 0 to 5 manganese, 0 to 3 molybdenum, 0 to 3 niobium, 0 to 2 silicon, 0 to 3 tantalum, 0 to 5 titanium, 0 to 5 tungsten, 0 to 5 vanadium, 0 to 1 zinc, 0 to 0.2 carbon 0 to 0.1 silver, 0 to 0.1 cerium, 0 to 0.1 phosphorus, 0 to 0.1 sulfur, less than 0.005 total boron, rare earths and zirconium and balance nickel and incidental impurities, at a temperature of at least 800.degree. C. improves formability for .alpha.-phase chromium alloys.

Abstract: A method combining isothermal and high retained strain forging is described for Ni-base superalloys, particularly those which comprise a mixture of .gamma. and .gamma.' phases, and most particularly those which contain at least about 40 percent by volume of .gamma.'. The method permits the manufacture of forged articles having a fine grain size in the range of 20 .mu.m or less. The method comprises the selection of a fine-grained forging preform formed from a Ni-base superalloy, isothermal forging to develop the shape of the forged article, subsolvus forging to impart a sufficient level of retained strain to the forged article to promote subsequent recrystallization and avoid critical grain growth, and annealing to recrystallize the microstructure. The method permits the forging of relatively complex shapes and avoids the problem of critical grain growth. The method may also be used to produce location specific grain sizes and phase distributions within the forged article.

Abstract: This process makes it possible to manufacture articles of any shape by stamping, in which articles the matrix of the alloy has to have a coarse-grained structure. According to the invention, a partial hot-forming operation is carried out by stamping a blank made of an oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy, especially a nickel-based alloy, having an initial ultrafine-grained structure, in order to form a shaped component, this shaped component is subjected to a secondary recrystallization heat treatment so as to develop an abnormal grain growth, and then a new hot-forming operation is carried out by stamping in order to give the recrystallized shaped component the final shape of the article.

Abstract: A process for the production of a superelastic material out of a nickel and titanium alloy, characterized by the fact that it consists in obtaining an ingot starting from a mixing of nickel and titanium consisting in 55.6%.+-.0.4% in weight of nickel and to proceed with a thermal treatment of martensite plaquettes generation by subjecting said ingot during 5 to 45 minutes to a temperature comprised between 480 and 520.degree. C. The process allows the obtaining of a truly superelastic material at room temperature.

Abstract: A method of treating a component formed from a Ni--Ti based shape memory alloy, so that the component exhibits superelasticity, comprises cold working the component, annealing the alloy while the component is restrained in the configuration resulting from the cold working step, and exposing the component to a temperature that is less than the solvus temperature of the alloy and greater than the temperature to which it is exposed in the annealing step to cause the A.sub.f temperature to be reduced.

Abstract: In the fabrication of components from a face centered cubic alloy, wherein the alloy is cold worked and annealed, the cold working is carried out in a number of separate steps, each step being followed by an annealing step. The resultant product has a grain size not exceeding 30 microns, a "special" grain boundary fraction not less than 60%, and major crystallographic texture intensities all being less than twice that of random values. The product has a greatly enhanced resistance to intergranular degradation and stress corrosion cracking, and possesses highly isotropic bulk properties.

Abstract: A method for forming nickel base superalloy articles of manufacture by a combination of hot die forging, isothermal forging and heat treatment below and above the solvus.

Abstract: In the fabrication of components from a face centred cubic alloy, wherein the alloy is cold worked and annealed, the cold working is carried out in a number of separate steps, each step being followed by an annealing step. The resultant product has a grain size not exceeding 30 microns, a "special" grain boundary fraction not less than 60%, and major crystallographic texture intensities all being less than twice that of random values. The product has a greatly enhanced resistance to intergranular degradation and stress corrosion cracking, and possesses highly isotropic bulk properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a wear resistant igh permeability alloy consisting by weight of 60-90% Ni, 0.5-14% Nb, 0.0003-0.3% N and O in total (excluding 0% of N or O), and a remainder of Fe. The alloy has more than 3000 of effective permeability at 1 KHz, more than 4000 G of a saturated flux density and a recrystallization texture of {110}<112>+{311}<112>.

Abstract: Disclosed is a large alloy forging, the forging having an alloy composition selected from one of a nickel base alloy, a cobalt-chromium-nickel base alloy, a nickel-cobalt base alloy and an iron-nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy, the forging having a grain size of ASTM grain size 3 or finer, as measured by ASTM method E112 and having a tensile strength in the range of 135 to 175 KSI.

Abstract: Disclosed is a large alloy forging and method for making it. The forging having an alloy composition selected from one of a nickel base alloy, a cobalt-chromium-nickel base alloy, a nickel-cobalt base alloy and an iron-nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy and having a grain size of ASTM grain size 4 or finer, as measured by ASTM method E112 and having a tensile strength in the range of 135 to 175 KSI. The process includes: (1) four upset forgings, (2) a rapid cooling after the final upset cooling, (3) a first and second upset forging with a reduction greater than 50%, (4) a third upset forging with a reduction greater than 25.%, and (5) a forging process with a fourth upset forging with a reduction greater than 50%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat-treating nickel base superalloy articles to provide different properties in different regions of the article. An initially fine grain microstructure is heated such that a portion of the article is held above the .gamma.' solvus temperature long enough to provide a coarse grain microstructure while the remainder of the article remains below the .gamma.' solvus temperature and retains the fine grain microstructure. The coarse grain microstructure provides a reduced rate of fatigue crack growth rate while the fine grain microstructure retains good tensile properties. The invention is particularly applicable to the fabrication of turbine disks for gas turbine engines.

Abstract: A method for preparing a heat-treated article made of a superalloy, such as a turbine disk preform, includes furnishing an article made of a superalloy that is prone to quench cracking, usually after forging the article, and thereafter covering at least a portion of the article with a quench cladding having a thickness of at least about 1/8 inch so that the quench cladding is in direct thermal contact with the article. The quench cladding may be conveniently applied to the article by thermal spraying, which produces direct thermal contact between the quench cladding and the article, or by placing the article into the envelope of the quench cladding material and hot isostatically pressing to achieve a direct thermal contact between the envelope and the article. After the quench cladding is in place, the clad article is heated to elevated temperature and quenched from the elevated temperature to a lower temperature, and the envelope is removed.

Abstract: An Fe-Ni alloy sheet excellent in hot workability, adhesivity to a plating layer and solderability, which consists essentially of:______________________________________ nickel (Ni): from over 38 to 52 wt. %, silicon (Si): from 0.01 to 0.15 wt. %, calcium (Ca): from 0.0002 to 0.0020 wt. %, magnesium (Mg): from 0.0003 to 0.0020 wt. %, where, Ca + 1/2Mg: from 0.0005 to 0.0025 wt. %, ______________________________________and the balance being iron and incidental impurities,where, the contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), oxygen (O), phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) as the incidental impurities being respectively:up to 0.0050 wt. % for carbon,up to 0.0020 wt. % for nitrogen,up to 0.0020 wt. % for sulfur,up to 0.0040 wt. % for oxygen,up to 0.0040 wt. % for phosphorus, andunder 0.010 wt.% for aluminum,where, 1/10 C+1/10 N+S+1/5 O +1/2 P.ltoreq.0.0045 wt.

Abstract: Process for the production of longitudinally-directed coarse-grained columnar crystals in an oxide-dispersion-hardened nickel-based superalloy which is difficult to recrystallize, starting from a warm-kneaded fine-grained structural status, by heating to a preheating temperature T.sub.pre, which is below the minimum recrystallization temperature T.sub.rec min necessary for the material and is at least at the solution annealing temperature of the carbides in the .gamma.-matrix, keeping at T.sub.pre for 5 min to 6 h, for the purpose of isothermal annealing, and immediately heating to recrystallization temperature T.sub.rec at 10.degree. to 40.degree. C./min without prior cooling, and cooling to room temperature.

Abstract: A catheter guide wire is provided for guiding a catheter into a body cavity such as a blood vessel. The base material constituting the wire is made of an elastic alloy wire and subjected to a heat treatment such that its flexibility is sequentially increased from its proximal to distal end portions. A thermoplastic resin or/and a coil spring can be applied to at least the distal end portion of the wire base material. A method of manufacturing the catheter guide wire is also provided. The method is characterized in that the leading end side of the base material is divided into a plurality of areas and subjected to a heat treatment by changing the heat treatment temperature and the time conditions in units of the areas so that the flexibility of the base material is sequentially increased from the proximal to distal end portions of the leading end side.

Abstract: A process for producing a fine grain forged superalloy article having a high yield strength at intermediate temperatures. A preferred starting composition comprises, by weight, 15% Cr, 13.6% Co, 4.1% Mo, 4.6% Ti, 2.2% Al, 0.01% C, 0.007% B, 0.07% Zr, balance Ni. This material is forged at a temperature above the gamma prime solvus and at a true strain of at least 0.5. Alternately, the material may be forged below the gamma prime solvus temperature with intermediate super solvus anneals. The overaged material is then worked at a temperature below the gamma prime solvus. The resultant fine grain material is then heat treated or can be further isothermally forged prior to heat treatment to produce complex shapes.

Abstract: A catheter guide wire is provided for guiding a catheter into a body cavity such as a blood vessel. The base material constituting the wire is made of an elastic alloy wire and subjected to a heat treatment such that its flexibility is sequentially increased from its proximal to distal end portions. A thermoplastic resin or/and a coil spring can be applied to at least the distal end portion of the wire base material. A method of manufacturing the catheter guide wire is also provided. The method is characterized in that the leading end side of the base material is divided into a plurality of areas and subjected to a heat treatment by changing the heat treatment temperature and the time conditions in units of the areas so that the flexibility of the base material is sequentially increased from the proximal to distal end portions of the leading end side.