Abstract: A method of reducing defect heights of iron mound defects on a mill glass coated electrical steel, comprises contacting at least a portion of a surface of a mill glass coated electrical steel with an acidic solution for a contacting time sufficient to reduce an average height of iron defects on the surface to a an average height in a range of 0 percent to 150 percent of the thickness of the mill glass coating, without effectively removing the mill glass coating. After contacting, the acid contacted mill glass coated electrical steel is rinsed with water and dried.

Abstract: A method of processing an alloy ingot or other alloy workpiece to reduce thermal cracking may generally comprise depositing a glass material onto at least a portion of a surface of a workpiece, and heating the glass material to form a surface coating on the workpiece that reduces heat loss from the workpiece. The present disclosure also is directed to an alloy workpieces processed according to methods described herein, and to articles of manufacture including or made from alloy workpieces made according to the methods.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treating a gas stream comprising NOx are disclosed. In one embodiment of the method, the gas stream comprising NOx is reacted with ozone to form oxidation products including nitrogen sesquioxide and nitrogen pentoxide. At least a portion of the nitrogen sesquioxide and nitrogen pentoxide is reacted with water to form nitric acid, and a solubilized form of the nitric acid is collected and may be reused or otherwise utilized. Systems for conducting the method also are disclosed.

Abstract: Processes and methods related to producing, processing, and hot working alloy ingots are disclosed. An alloy ingot is formed including an inner ingot core and an outer layer metallurgically bonded to the inner ingot core. The processes and methods are characterized by a reduction in the incidence of surface cracking of the alloy ingot during hot working.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting an electrically conductive metallic material comprises an auxiliary ion plasma electron emitter configured to produce a focused electron field including a cross-sectional profile having a first shape. The apparatus further comprises a steering system configured to direct the focused electron field to impinge the focused electron field on at least a portion of the electrically conductive metallic material to at least one of melt or heat any solidified portions of the electrically conductive metallic material, any solid condensate within the electrically conductive metallic material, and/or regions of a solidifying ingot.

Abstract: Processes, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for forming products from atomized metals and alloys. A stream of molten alloy and/or a series of droplets of molten alloy are produced. The molten alloy is atomized to produce electrically-charged particles of the molten alloy by impinging electrons on the stream of molten alloy and/or the series of droplets of molten alloy. The electrically-charged molten alloy particles are accelerated with at least one of an electrostatic field and an electromagnetic field. The accelerating molten alloy particles are cooled to a temperature that is less than a solidus temperature of the molten alloy particles so that the molten alloy particles solidify while accelerating. The solid alloy particles are impacted onto a substrate and the impacting particles deform and metallurgically bond to the substrate to produce a solid alloy preform.

Abstract: Methods for producing alloy strips that demonstrate improved formability are disclosed. The strips have a crystalline microstructure suitable for improved formability in the manufacture of various articles such as panels for plate heat exchangers and high performance tower packing components.

Abstract: A thermo-mechanical treatment process is disclosed. A nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a first heating step to a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked in a first working step to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working step begins. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a second working step to a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.) and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working step and the beginning of the second heating step. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.

Abstract: A system and method for continuous casting. The system includes a melt chamber, a withdrawal chamber, and a secondary chamber therebetween. The melt chamber can maintain a melting pressure and the withdrawal chamber can attain atmospheric pressure. The secondary chamber can include regions that can be adjusted to different pressures. During continuous casting operations, the first region adjacent to the melt chamber can be adjusted to a pressure that is at least slightly greater than the melting pressure; the pressure in subsequent regions can be sequentially decreased and then sequentially increased. The pressure in the final region can be at least slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The differential pressures can form a dynamic airlock between the melt chamber and the withdrawal chamber, which can prevent infiltration of the melt chamber by non-inert gas in the atmosphere, and thus can prevent contamination of reactive materials in the melt chamber.

Abstract: Methods of refining the grain size of titanium and titanium alloys include thermally managed high strain rate multi-axis forging. A high strain rate adiabatically heats an internal region of the workpiece during forging, and a thermal management system is used to heat an external surface region to the workpiece forging temperature, while the internal region is allowed to cool to the workpiece forging temperature. A further method includes multiple upset and draw forging titanium or a titanium alloy using a strain rate less than is used in conventional open die forging of titanium and titanium alloys. Incremental workpiece rotation and draw forging causes severe plastic deformation and grain refinement in the titanium or titanium alloy forging.

Abstract: Metastable beta titanium alloys and methods of processing metastable (?-titanium alloys are disclosed. For example, certain non-limiting embodiments relate to metastable (?-titanium alloys, such as binary ?-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, having tensile strengths of at least 150 ksi and elongations of at least 12 percent. Other non-limiting embodiments relate to methods of processing metastable ?-titanium alloys, and more specifically, methods of processing binary (?-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, wherein the method comprises hot working and aging the metastable ?-titanium alloy at a temperature below the (?-transus temperature of the metastable (?-titanium alloy for a time sufficient to form ?-phase precipitates in the metastable ?-titanium alloy. The metastable ?-titanium alloys are not solution heat treated after hot working and prior to aging.

Abstract: Formed alloy strips including zirconium alloy strips that demonstrate improved formability are disclosed. The strips of the present disclosure have a purity and crystalline microstructure suitable for improved formability, for example, in the manufacture of certain articles such as panels for plate exchangers and high performance tower packing components.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a metastable ? titanium alloy comprising, in weight percentages: up to 0.05 nitrogen; up to 0.10 carbon; up to 0.015 hydrogen; up to 0.10 iron; greater than 0.20 oxygen; 14.00 to 16.00 molybdenum; titanium; and incidental impurities. Articles of manufacture including the alloy also are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming an article from an ??? titanium including, in weight percentages, from about 2.9 to about 5.0 aluminum, from about 2.0 to about 3.0 vanadium, from about 0.4 to about 2.0 iron, and from about 0.2 to about 0.3 oxygen. The method comprises cold working the ??? titanium alloy.

Abstract: A method for reducing impurities in magnesium comprises: combining a zirconium-containing material with a molten low-impurity magnesium including no more than 1.0 weight percent of total impurities in a vessel to provide a mixture; holding the mixture in a molten state for a period of time sufficient to allow at least a portion of the zirconium-containing material to react with at least a portion of the impurities and form intermetallic compounds; and separating at least a portion of the molten magnesium in the mixture from at least a portion of the intermetallic compounds to provide a purified magnesium including greater than 1000 ppm zirconium. A purified magnesium including at least 1000 ppm zirconium and methods for producing zirconium metal using magnesium reductant also are disclosed.

Abstract: A thermo-mechanical treatment process is disclosed. A nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a first heating step to a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked in a first working step to a reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature when the first working step begins. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is heated in a second working step to a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.) and less than the M23C6 carbide solvus temperature of the nickel-base alloy. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is not permitted to cool to ambient temperature between completion of the first working step and the beginning of the second heating step. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is worked to a second reduction in area of 20% to 70%. The nickel-base alloy workpiece is at a temperature greater than 1700° F. (926° C.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting an electrically conductive metallic material includes a vacuum chamber and a hearth disposed in the vacuum chamber. At least one wire-discharge ion plasma electron emitter is disposed in or adjacent the vacuum chamber and is positioned to direct a wide-area field of electrons into the vacuum chamber, wherein the wide-area electron field has sufficient energy to heat the electrically conductive metallic material to its melting temperature. The apparatus may further include at least one of a mold and an atomizing apparatus which is in communication with the vacuum chamber and is positioned to receive molten material from the hearth.

Abstract: Metastable beta titanium alloys and methods of processing metastable ?-titanium alloys are disclosed. For example, certain non-limiting embodiments relate to metastable ?-titanium alloys, such as binary ?-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, having tensile strengths of at least 150 ksi and elongations of at least 12 percent. Other non-limiting embodiments relate to methods of processing metastable ?-titanium alloys, and more specifically, methods of processing binary ?-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, wherein the method comprises hot working and direct aging the metastable ?-titanium alloy at a temperature below the ?-transus temperature of the metastable ?-titanium alloy for a time sufficient to form ?-phase precipitates in the metastable ?-titanium alloy. Articles of manufacture comprising binary ?-titanium alloys according to various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of refining the grain size of titanium and titanium alloys include thermally managed high strain rate multi-axis forging. A high strain rate adiabatically heats an internal region of the workpiece during forging, and a thermal management system is used to heat an external surface region to the workpiece forging temperature, while the internal region is allowed to cool to the workpiece forging temperature. A further method includes multiple upset and draw forging titanium or a titanium alloy using a strain rate less than is used in conventional open die forging of titanium and titanium alloys. Incremental workpiece rotation and draw forging causes severe plastic deformation and grain refinement in the titanium or titanium alloy forging.

Abstract: A hold down mechanism for releasably securing a refractory lining to a furnace. The hold down mechanism can comprise plate segments that form a composite plate. The plate segments can comprise a first plate segment structured to articulate relative to a second plate segment. Furthermore, a gap in the hold down mechanism can be structured to adjust in response to a thermal condition of the composite plate, such as thermal expansion or thermal contraction of at least one plate segment. The composite plate can also comprise an articulation plate pivotally coupled to at least one of the first plate segment and the second plate segment via a pivot and/or a slot and pin engagement. The composite plate can further comprise a third plate segment and a second articulation plate pivotally coupled to at least one of the second plate segment and the third plate segment.