Abstract: An article made of constituent elements is prepared by furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively contain the constituent elements. The constituent elements include a titanium-base metallic composition, boron present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit, and, optionally, a stable-oxide-forming additive element present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce a material comprising a titanium-base metallic composition having titanium boride particles therein, without melting the titanium-base metallic composition. The titanium-base metallic composition having the titanium boride particles therein is consolidated without melting.

Abstract: An article made of constituent elements is prepared by furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively contain the constituent elements. The constituent elements include a titanium-base metallic composition, boron present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit, and, optionally, a stable-oxide-forming additive element present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce a material comprising a titanium-base metallic composition having titanium boride particles therein, without melting the titanium-base metallic composition. The titanium-base metallic composition having the titanium boride particles therein is consolidated without melting.

Abstract: A method for preparing a metallic article made of metallic constituent elements includes furnishing a mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds of the metallic constituent elements. The method further includes chemically reducing the mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds to produce an initial metallic material, without melting the initial metallic material, and consolidating the initial metallic material to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the initial metallic material and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: An electroslag-cold hearth (ESCH) system for refining or producing a desired metal or metal alloy is described. The system includes at least one cold hearth vessel capable of holding a pool of molten liquid metal and an overlying slag layer, and an ingot mold laterally off-set from the cold hearth. A source of raw material, e.g., a feed electrode, is positioned above the cold hearth, and fed into the molten slag in a refining operation. A flow-over dam separates the ingot mold from the cold hearth, preventing the flow of inclusions and other foreign bodies into the ingot mold. In some instances, a non-consumable electrode provides additional thermal energy to the slag. In the production operation, the metal source can be a salt from which the desired metal can be electrochemically extracted. Related methods for refining or producing metals such as titanium alloys are also described.

Abstract: A method for assembling a vane sector for a gas turbine engine, the vane sector including an airfoil vane and a platform includes depositing a wear coating material onto a selected area of the platform, positioning the platform adjacent to the airfoil vane, and executing a brazing operation such that the airfoil vane is permanently coupled to the platform portion and such that the wear coating material is bonded across a predefined area of the platform.

Abstract: A metallic article made of metallic constituent elements is fabricated from a mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds of the metallic constituent elements. The mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds is chemically reduced to produce an initial metallic material, without melting the initial metallic material. The initial metallic material is consolidated to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the initial metallic material and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: A metallic article is prepared by first furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively containing the constituent elements of the metallic article in their respective constituent-element proportions. The constituent elements together form a titanium-base alloy having a stable-oxide-forming additive element therein, such as magnesium, calcium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium, and mixtures thereof. The stable-oxide-forming additive element forms a stable oxide in a titanium-based alloy. At least one additive element is present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit in the titanium-base alloy. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce an alloy material, without melting the alloy material. The alloy material may be consolidated.

Abstract: A metallic alloy made of metallic constituent elements is fabricated and utilized by first furnishing a mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds of the metallic constituent elements, and thereafter chemically reducing the mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds to produce a metallic alloy as a metallic alloy powder, without melting the metallic alloy. The metallic alloy powder is applied to a surface of a substrate article, preferably in a coating, joining, or deposition application.

Abstract: An article of aluminum base-metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of the aluminum base-metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a precursor compound mixture. The alloying element may be, but is not necessarily, thermophysically melt incompatible with the aluminum base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the precursor compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: An article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a compound mixture. The base metal is nickel, cobalt, iron, iron-nickel, or iron-nickel-cobalt. One or more of the alloying elements are thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to a metallic superalloy, without melting the metallic superalloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic superalloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic superalloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: An article has a metallic matrix made of its constituent elements with a dispersoid distributed therein. The article is prepared by furnishing at least one nonmetallic matrix precursor compound. All of the nonmetallic matrix precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic matrix in their respective constituent-element proportions. A mixture of an initial metallic material and the dispersoid is produced. The matrix precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce the initial metallic material, without melting the initial metallic material, and the dispersoid is distributed in the initial metallic material. The mixture of the initial metallic material and the dispersoid is consolidated to produce a consolidated article having the dispersoid distributed in the metallic matrix comprising the initial metallic material. The initial metallic material, the dispersoid, and the consolidated article are not melted during the consolidation.

Abstract: A metallic article is produced by furnishing one or more nonmetallic precursor compound comprising the metallic constituent element(s), and chemically reducing the nonmetallic precursor compound(s) to produce an initial metallic particle, preferably having a size of no greater than about 0.070 inch, without melting the initial metallic particle. The initial metallic particle is thereafter melted and solidified to produce the metallic article. By this approach, the incidence of chemical defects in the metal article is minimized. The melted-and-solidified metal may be used in the as-cast form, or it may be converted to billet and further worked to the final form.

Abstract: A method of preparing an article made of a metallic material having its constituent elements includes the steps of furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic material in their respective constituent-element proportions, and thereafter utilizing the nonmetallic precursor compound to produce a metallic injection molded brown article. The nonmetallic precursor compounds may be processed into the metallic material by first chemically reducing them to the metallic material, and then injection molding the metallic material, or first injection molding the nonmetallic precursor compounds and then chemically reducing them to the metallic material.

Abstract: An article of aluminum base-metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of the aluminum base-metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a precursor compound mixture. The alloying element may be, but is not necessarily, thermophysically melt incompatible with the aluminum base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the precursor compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: A martensitic steel metallic article (20) made of metallic constituent elements is fabricated from a mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds of the metallic constituent elements. The mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds is chemically reduced to produce a metallic martensitic steel, without melting the metallic martensitic steel. The metallic martensitic steel is consolidated to produce a consolidated metallic article (20), without melting the metallic martensitic steel and without melting the consolidated metallic article (20).

Abstract: A method for preparing an article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element includes the steps of preparing a compound mixture by the steps of providing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal, providing a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element, and thereafter mixing the base-metal precursor compound and the alloying-element precursor compound to form a compound mixture. The compound mixture is thereafter reduced to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy. The step of preparing or the step of chemically reducing includes the step of adding an other additive constituent. The metallic alloy is thereafter consolidated to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: A metallic article made of metallic constituent elements is fabricated from a mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds of the metallic constituent elements. The mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds contains more of a base-metal element, such as nickel, cobalt, iron, iron-nickel, and iron-nickel-cobalt than any other metallic element. The mixture of nonmetallic precursor compounds is chemically reduced to produce a metallic superalloy material, without melting the metallic superalloy material. The metallic superalloy material is consolidated to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic superalloy material and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

Abstract: An article has a metallic matrix made of its constituent elements with a dispersoid distributed therein. The article is prepared by furnishing at least one nonmetallic matrix precursor compound. All of the nonmetallic matrix precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic matrix in their respective constituent-element proportions. A mixture of an initial metallic material and the dispersoid is produced. The matrix precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce the initial metallic material, without melting the initial metallic material, and the dispersoid is distributed in the initial metallic material. The mixture of the initial metallic material and the dispersoid is consolidated to produce a consolidated article having the dispersoid distributed in the metallic matrix comprising the initial metallic material. The initial metallic material, the dispersoid, and the consolidated article are not melted during the consolidation.

Abstract: A metallic article is prepared by first furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively containing the constituent elements of the metallic article in their respective constituent-element proportions. The constituent elements together form a titanium-base alloy having a stable-oxide-forming additive element therein, such as magnesium, calcium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium, and mixtures thereof. The stable-oxide-forming additive element forms a stable oxide in a titanium-based alloy. At least one additive element is present at a level greater than its room-temperature solid solubility limit in the titanium-base alloy. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce an alloy material, without melting the alloy material. The alloy material may be consolidated.

Abstract: An article made of a metallic material having its constituent elements is made by furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic material in their respective constituent-element proportions. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce particles comprising the metallic material, without melting the precursor compounds and without melting the metallic material. The particles may be consolidated into a rod, which may be used as a welding rod in a welding operation. Alternatively, the nonmetallic precursor compounds may be consolidated prior to the chemical reduction.