Of Titanium(ti), Zirconium(zr), Or Hafnium(hf) Compound Containing Halogen Patents (Class 75/620)
  • Patent number: 10837084
    Abstract: A molten salt electrolyzer having a metal collection chamber, an electrolysis chamber, and two or more electrolytic cell units positioned in the electrolysis chamber. Each electrolytic cell unit has a cathode having an inner space in a prism form; at least one bipolar electrode in a rectangular cylinder form and disposed in the cathode inner space; and an anode in a prism form and disposed in an inner space of the bipolar electrode. At least part of individual planes forming an outer side of the bipolar electrode closest to the cathode faces a plane forming the prism-form inner space of the cathode. At least part of individual planes forming the inner side of the bipolar electrode closest to the anode faces a plane forming the prism of the anode. At least one plane of the cathode constitutes one plane of a cathode of another electrolytic cell unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TOHO TITANIUM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Matsuhide Horikawa, Daisuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10763165
    Abstract: A method of forming a conductive powder includes reducing, by a reduction reaction, a conductive powder precursor gas using a plasma. Reducing the conductive powder precursor gas forms the conductive powder. The method further includes filtering the conductive powder based on particle size. The method further includes dispersing a portion of the conductive powder having a particle size below a threshold value in a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: You-Hua Chou, Kuo-Sheng Chuang
  • Patent number: 10731264
    Abstract: A method to extract and refine metal products from metal-bearing ores, including a method to extract and refine titanium products. Titanium products can be extracted from titanium-bearing ores with TiO2 and impurity levels unsuitable for conventional methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ACHEMETAL TITANIUM, LLC
    Inventors: James R. Cox, Chanaka L. De Alwis, Benjamin A. Kohler, Michael G. Lewis
  • Patent number: 9322081
    Abstract: Recovery of a metal from scrap materials or other source materials containing two or more metals or other materials by iodization of the materials or parts of them to create multiple metal iodides of respective metals, separating the iodides and dissociating at least one of the iodides to recover its metal component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Orchard Material Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence F. McHugh, Leonid N. Shekhter, Yuri V. Blagoveshchenskiy
  • Patent number: 8871002
    Abstract: The invention provides a technological method for preparing sponge titanium from sodium fluotitanate raw material, comprising the following steps: step A: placing aluminum in an airtight resistance furnace, evacuating, introducing inert gas into the resistance furnace, and heating the aluminum to obtain molten aluminum; step B: opening a reactor cover, adding a proper amount of sodium fluotitanate into the reactor, closing the reactor cover, detecting leakage, slowly heating the reactor to 150° C., evacuating and continuously heating the reactor to 250° C.; step C: introducing inert gas into the reactor, continuously heating the reactor to 900° C., and stirring uniformly; step D: opening a valve, adjusting the stirring speed, dripping the molten aluminum, and controlling the temperature of reaction in a range from 900 to 1000° C.; and step E: opening the reactor cover, removing a stirring device out of the reactor, and eliminating NaAlF4 at upper layer to obtain sponge titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen Sunxing Light Alloys Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xuemin Chen, Jun Yang, Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: 8864874
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing sponge titanium from sodium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and zinc are mixed under a vacuum state, and sodium fluotitanate is then added into the mixture for reaction; a separation step: the product resulting from the complete reaction stands still and is then introduced with inert gas, and NaF and AlF3 in upper-layer liquid phase are extracted; and a distillation step: Zn in the remaining product Zn—Ti is distilled out under a vacuum state, wherein the mass ratio of the aluminum to the zinc is 1:2 to 1:10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen Sunxing Light Alloys Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xuemin Chen, Jun Yang, Zhi Zhou
  • Patent number: 8864873
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing sponge titanium from potassium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and zinc are mixed under a vacuum state, and the mixture is then reacted with potassium fluotitanate; a distillation step: KF, AlF3 and Zn generated by reaction are distilled out under a vacuum state; and a cooling step: sponge titanium is obtained subsequent to banking cooling. The invention further provides another method for preparing sponge titanium from potassium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and magnesium are mixed under a vacuum argon introduction condition, and the mixture is then reacted with potassium fluotitanate; a distillation step: KF, AlF3, MgF2 and Mg generated by reaction are distilled out under a vacuum state; and a cooling step: sponge titanium is obtained subsequent to banking cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen Sunxing Light Alloys Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xuemin Chen, Jun Yang, Zhi Zhou
  • Publication number: 20140308197
    Abstract: A unique production of titanium compounds and metal by sustainable methods using iron-titanium oxide starting material such as ilmenite, leucoxene, or rutile is described. Here the iron-titanium oxide compound is prepared by converting the iron portion of the compound to ferrous chloride at low temperatures by using close to stoichiometric amounts of sulfur and chlorine required for all the iron oxides and the other non-titanium oxides. The ferrous chloride thus formed is removed recovering a marketable product of ferrous chloride and the ‘sustainable’ titanium oxide starting material by additional process steps. This can be converted to ‘sustainable’ titanium metal, or titanium tetra-chloride by process shown herein for further conversions to titanium dioxide pigment by present chloride process or supplied to existing titanium sponge producers, benefitting them in having a ‘sustainable process’.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Indra Neelameggham
  • Patent number: 8834601
    Abstract: A method for producing a titanium-aluminum alloy containing less than about 15 wt. % aluminum, comprising: a first step in which an amount of titanium subchlorides at or in excess of a stoichiometric amount required to produce the titanium-aluminum alloy are reduced by aluminum to form a reaction mixture comprising elemental titanium, and then a second step in which the reaction mixture comprising elemental titanium is heated to form the titanium-aluminum alloy, whereby reaction kinetics of the method are controlled such that reactions resulting in formation of titanium aluminides are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventor: Jawad Haidar
  • Patent number: 8821612
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stepwise method for the production of titanium-aluminum compounds and some titanium alloys and titanium-aluminum inter-metallic compounds and alloys. In a first step an amount of aluminum is mixed with an amount of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and then an amount of titanium chloride (TiCl4) is added to the mixture. The mixture is heated to a temperature of less than 220° C. to form a product of TiCl3, aluminum and AlCl3. In a second step, more aluminum can be added if required, and the mixture heated again to a temperature above 900° C. to form titanium-aluminum compounds. This method results in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminum compounds with controllable composition. Suitable reactor apparatus is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Jawad Haidar, Sabaratnasingam Gnanarajan, John Burton Dunlop
  • Patent number: 8790441
    Abstract: The invention provides a crystalline Ti powder produced in a molten salt medium, said powder comprising predominantly particles of single ?-Ti crystals that are directly applicable in powder metallurgy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: CSIR
    Inventors: David Steyn Van Vuuren, Salomon Johannes Oosthuizen
  • Publication number: 20130319177
    Abstract: A method for forming a titanium-aluminum based alloy in which titanium subchlorides and aluminum that have already been heated in a first zone are moved into and heated in an intermediate zone to a temperature at which at least a portion of the material can accrete and form a cake on a surface located in the intermediate zone. The non-caked material is moved to and heated in a second zone to form the titanium-aluminum based alloy. The caked material is periodically removed from the surface in the intermediate zone and heated with the non-caked material in the second zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: Jawad HAIDAR
  • Patent number: 8562712
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the production of titanium alloys and titanium-aluminum inter-metallic compounds and alloys. Starting from a precursor material including titanium subchloride (titanium trichloride or titanium dichloride), the precursor material is reduced by aluminum to produce titanium-aluminum intermetallic complexes or alloys and aluminum chloride which is driven away from the reaction zone so as to favor the forward reaction and the production of the titanium-aluminum compounds. Starting from a precursor material of titanium subchloride avoids the problems associated with starting from titanium metal (which is expensive to produce) or titanium tetrachloride (a reaction very difficult to control), and results in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminum compounds with controllable composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Commonwealth Sci. and Ind. Res. Org.
    Inventor: Jawad Haidar
  • Publication number: 20130255445
    Abstract: A device for producing titanium metal comprises (a) a first heating unit that heats and gasifies magnesium and a first channel that feeds the gaseous magnesium, (b) a second heating unit that heats and gasifies titanium tetrachloride so as to have a temperature of at least 1600° C. and a second channel that feeds the gaseous titanium tetrachloride, (c) a venturi section at which the second channel communicates with an entrance channel, the first channel merges into a throat and as a result the magnesium and the titanium tetrachloride combine in the throat and a mixed gas is formed in the exit channel, and in which the temperature of the throat and the exit channel is regulated to be at least 1600° C., (d) a titanium metal deposition unit that communicates with the exit channel and has a substrate for deposition with a temperature in the range of 715-1500° C., and (e) a mixed gas discharge channel that communicates with the titanium metal deposition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: TEKNA PLASMA SYSTEMS INC., HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Maher I. Boulos, Jiayin Guo, Jerzy Jurewicz, Gang Han, Shujiroh Uesaka, Tatsuya Shoji
  • Publication number: 20130164167
    Abstract: A method to extract and refine metal products from metal-bearing ores, including a method to extract and refine titanium products. Titanium products can be extracted from titanium-bearing ores with TiO2 and impurity levels unsuitable for conventional methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL RESOURCE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL RESOURCE SERVICES, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130091988
    Abstract: The invention provides a preparation method for producing metal zirconium industrially and producing low-temperature aluminum electrolyte as byproduct, which comprises the following steps: A) aluminum and fluorozirconate are put in a closed reactor, inert gas is fed into the reactor after evacuation, the reactor is heated up to 780° C. to 1000° C. and then the mixture in the reactor is stirred rapidly; and B) after reaction continues for 4 to 6 hours, the liquid molten at the upper layer is sucked out to obtain low-temperature aluminum electrolyte, and the product at the lower layer is subjected to acid dipping or distillation to remove surface residue to obtain metal zirconium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: SHENZHEN SUNXING LIGHT ALLOYS MATERIALS CO.,LTD
    Inventor: Shenzhen Sunxing Light Alloys Materials Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8388727
    Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of titanium hydride powder using continuous or semi-continuous process, and using titanium slag or synthetic rutile as raw materials, while hydrogen, titanium tetrachloride, titanium trichloride, titanium dichloride, and hydrogen chloride are participate as intermediate reaction products. The continuous comprises: (a) reduction of TiCl4 to low titanium chlorides followed by cooling a mixture, (b) separating of residual TiCl4 from solid low chlorides by heating the mixture in argon or vacuum up to 150° C. followed by removing the titanium tetrachloride from the mixture, (c) dissociation of TiCl3 to TiCl2 at 450° C. in vacuum followed by removal of gaseous titanium tetrachloride from the reaction zone, condensation to the liquid, and returning back into the reaction retort, (d) dissociation of TiCl2 in vacuum at 750-850° C. to manufacture fine powder of metallic titanium and titanium tetrachloride, whereby hydrogen heated up to 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: ADMA Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrey Klevtsov, Alexander Nikishin, Jury Shuvalov, Vladimir Moxson, Volodymyr Duz
  • Patent number: 7959707
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include methods for producing purified semiconductor or metallic materials. In one embodiment, the methods include admixing a particulate composition of a material, for instance, a metal, with a metal halide to produce a metal-metal halide admixture. The admixture is then heated to a temperature that is above the material's melting point in a container that is chemically and physically stable at that temperature. The molten admixture is allowed to segregate into a lower of the material and an layer of the metal halide and cooled. The metal halide is then separated from the material and a purified semiconductor or metallic material is thereby produced. Also provided are purified material crystals, shaped ingots and/or taper, sheet, or ribbons produced by such methods, as well as the silicon chips and solar panels in which such products are employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Angel Sanjurjo, Kai-Hung Lau, Xiaobing Xie, Anoop Nagar
  • Patent number: 7901483
    Abstract: A process for producing titanium metal sponge from an exothermic reaction between titanium tetrachloride vapor and molten magnesium vapor, and reclaiming reactive metals from by-products of the exothermic reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Metals Production Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheldon A. Spachner
  • Patent number: 7632333
    Abstract: A method of separating metal particulates from a slurry of original constituents of liquid metal and metal particulates and salt particulates is disclosed. The metal and salt particulates are concentrated by removing at least some of the liquid metal, and then, liquid metal or a liquid of the original salt constituent or a mixture thereof is passed through the particulates at a temperature greater than the melting point of the original salt constituent to further concentrate the metal particulates. The metal particulates are then separated from the remaining original constituents or a mixture of the salt constituent. Density differences between the liquid metal and salt are also used to facilitate separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Cristal US, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Anderson, Armstrong Donn, Lance Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 7621977
    Abstract: A system and method of producing an elemental material or an alloy from a halide of the elemental material or halide mixtures. The vapor halide of an elemental material or halide mixtures are introduced into a liquid phase of a reducing metal of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof present in excess of the amount needed to reduce the halide vapor to the elemental material or alloy resulting in an exothermic reaction between the vapor halide and the liquid reducing metal. Particulates of the elemental material or alloy and particulates of the halide salt of the reducing metal are produced along with sufficient heat to vaporize substantially all the excess reducing metal. Thereafter, the vapor of the reducing metal is separated from the particulates of the elemental material or alloy and the particulates of the halide salt of the reducing metal before the particulate reaction products are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Cristal US, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Anderson, Donn Armstrong, Jacobsen Lance
  • Publication number: 20090165597
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stepwise method for the production of titanium-aluminium compounds and some titanium alloys and titanium-aluminium inter-metallic compounds and alloys. In a first step an amount of aluminium is mixed with an amount of aluminium chloride (AlCl3) and then an amount of titanium chloride (TiCl4) is added to the mixture. The mixture is heated to a temperature of less than 220° C. to form a product of TiCl3, aluminium and AlCl3. In a second step, more aluminium can be added if required, and the mixture heated again to a temperature above 900° C. to form titanium-aluminium compounds. This method results in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminium compounds with controllable composition. Suitable reactor apparatus is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH OR
    Inventors: Jawad Haidar, Sabaratnasingam Gnanarajan, John Burton Dunlop
  • Publication number: 20080087139
    Abstract: A process for producing titanium metal sponge from an exothermic reaction between titanium tetrachloride vapor and molten magnesium vapor, and reclaiming reactive metals from by-products of the exothermic reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventor: Sheldon A. Spachner
  • Patent number: 7351272
    Abstract: A method of controlling the size and morphology of powder made by the subsurface injection of a halide vapor into a liquid metal is disclosed. A reaction zone is established and the temperature thereof or the time the powder remains therein is controlled to change powder characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: International Titanium Powder, LLC
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Richard Paul Anderson, Lance E. Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 7041150
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making alloys or ceramics by the subsurface injection of an equilibrium vapor of a boiling liquid of the ceramic or alloys constituents is disclosed. Various powders and products are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Richard Paul Anderson, Lance E. Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 6989041
    Abstract: A process for producing titanium sponge includes carrying out a reduction reaction by supplying titanium tetrachloride to a reaction vessel which stores a reduction bath liquid containing an upper layer of a reactant bath liquid layer containing fused magnesium as a main component and a lower layer of a product bath liquid layer containing fused magnesium chloride as a main component, wherein the level of the interface between the reactant bath liquid layer and the product bath liquid layer and the level of the reduction bath liquid surface are controlled in response to an accumulated supply of titanium tetrachloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Toho Titanium Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Ito, Masanori Yamaguchi, Kenichi Kato, Shigeo Ampo
  • Patent number: 6955703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of an elemental material, comprising the step of reacting a halide of the elemental material with a reducing agent in solid form in a fluidized bed reactor at a reaction temperature which is below the melting temperature of the reducing agent. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elemental material is titanium and the titanium is produced in powder form. The invention also relates to the production of alloys or intermetallics of the elemental materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Zhou, Frederick E. L. Schneider, Jr., Robert J. Daniels, Thomas Messer, Jon Philip R. Peeling
  • Patent number: 6902601
    Abstract: A method of producing an elemental material or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures of halides is provided. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a reducing gas in the presence of reductant material, preferably in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the elemental material or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the reductant material at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced elemental material or alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason X. Nie, Robert Daniels, Dale H. Perkins-Banks, Thomas Messer
  • Patent number: 6821500
    Abstract: An apparatus for thermal conversion of one or more reactants to desired end products includes an insulated reactor chamber having a high temperature heater such as a plasma torch at its inlet end and, optionally, a restrictive convergent-divergent nozzle at its outlet end. In a thermal conversion method, reactants are injected upstream from the reactor chamber and thoroughly mixed with the plasma stream before entering the reactor chamber. The reactor chamber has a reaction zone that is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. The resulting heated gaseous stream is then rapidly cooled by passage through the nozzle, which “freezes” the desired end product(s) in the heated equilibrium reaction stage, or is discharged through an outlet pipe without the convergent-divergent nozzle. The desired end products are then separated from the gaseous stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
    Inventors: James R. Fincke, Brent A. Detering
  • Publication number: 20040079197
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making alloys or ceramics by the subsurface injection of an equilibrium vapor of a boiling liquid of the ceramic or alloys constituents is disclosed. Various powders and products are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: International Titanium Powder, LLC
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Richard Paul Anderson, Lance E. Jacobsen
  • Publication number: 20030061907
    Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Kroftt-Brakston International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armostrong, Stanley S. Borys, Richard Paul Anderson
  • Publication number: 20020184971
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing titanium and zirconium alloys, particularly including such alloys in powder form by continuous vapor phase chloroaluminothermic reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventor: James J. Myrick
  • Publication number: 20020152844
    Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: Kroftt-Brakston International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Stanley S. Borys, Richard Paul Anderson
  • Patent number: 6409797
    Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignees: International Titanium Powder LLC, Kroftt Brakston International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Stanley S. Borys, Richard Paul Anderson
  • Patent number: 5958106
    Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: International Titanium Powder, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Stanley S. Borys, Richard Paul Anderson
  • Patent number: 5779761
    Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Kroftt-Brakston International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn Reynolds Armstrong, Stanley S. Borys, Richard Paul Anderson
  • Patent number: 5460642
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously producing metals such as zirconium, hafnium, titanium, niobium, vanadium, silicon and tantalum. The corresponding metal halide is reacted with a metallic reducing agent such as aluminum, calcium, magnesium and sodium in a reactor where the reaction takes place at a temperature where the metal reducing agent is below its vaporization temperature and where the metal halide is above its vaporization temperature. The metal formed by the reaction is recovered from the reactor by collecting it in a pool of molten product metal contained in a cold wall induction heated receptacle in the reactor from which the metal product is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Leland
  • Patent number: 5147451
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering high purity refractory product metal such as titanium, hafnium, zirconium, vanadium, niobium or their alloys from the regulus of a reduction reaction mixture of a by-product metal halide, excess reducing metal and product metal, which process includes feeding crushed regulus material into a furnace, heating the regulus at temperatures to melt then remove by vaporizing the metal halide and excess reducing metal, and melting the product metal before recovering it from the furnance pool obviating the steps of vacuum distillation or leaching in the recovering step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Leland