Abstract: The invention provides a new and improved process and exothermic reaction mixture for producing molten weld metal. The molten weld metal is used in joining one metallic piece with at least one other metallic piece. The process and exothermic reaction mixture have distinct advantages over the prior art. These advantages include a higher filler metal yield, an increased tensile strength, and a higher quality corrosion resistant weld. These advantages are accomplished by a process wherein a reactant mixture is provided which has a reducing agent, a metallic compound, and at least two filler metals that at least in part do not chemically react with the metallic compound, one of which is aluminum. The metallic compound subsequently forms, with the reducing agent, having a high heat of formation which provides an exothermic reaction with sufficient heat to melt the filler metals.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a titanium carbide metal matrix alloy, by firing a particulate reaction mixture comprising carbon, titanium and matrix material, under conditions such that the titanium and carbon react exothermically to form a dispersion of fine particles comprising titanium carbide (preferably less than 10 microns) in a predominantly metal matrix. The titanium and matrix are preferably added as a titanium alloy such as ferrotitanium, e.g. eutectic ferrotitanium. The reaction conditions are preferably selected so that during the reaction a molten zone moves through the body of the reaction mixture; the resulting hard particles are of globular form; and their average size is uniform throughout the resulting dispersion.

Abstract: A method of recovering metals and producing a secondary slag from base metal smelter slag produced by a copper or nickel smelter includes mixing the smelter slag with at least one reducing agent selected from the group consisting of carbon, calcium carbide, ferrosilicon and aluminum, said carbon and calcium carbide (if present) being from about 1% to about 40% by weight of the slag and said aluminum (if present) being from about 2% to about 35% by weight of the slag and with from zero to about 70% calcium oxide by weight of the slag, heating the mixture aluminothermically if Al is present as reducing agent above the melting point to reduce the smelter slag to a metal alloy containing iron and possibly silicon and aluminum, depending on the quantity of aluminum added to the smelter slag, and heavy metals such as copper, nickel and cobalt which were in the smelter slag and thereby also producing a secondary slag containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of calcium silicate, calcium alu

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the aluminothermal production of molten steel for the aluminothermal welding of workpieces, wherein the aluminothermal reaction is carried out in a crucible made of porous or hollow spherical .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 with a density of 0.8-3.0 g/cm.sup.3 and a bulk density of 0.3-1.8 g/cm.sup.3.

Abstract: Electrical heating elements and related articles having oxidation resistance at high temperatures, produced by a method involving micropyretic synthesis. A composition subjected to micropyretic synthesis comprises a filler material, a reactive system capable of undergoing micropyretic synthesis, and (optionally) a plasticizer or extrusion agent. The method of preparation of articles includes slurry techniques, plastic extrusion, slip casting, or coating.

Abstract: An ignitable material is positioned in contact with a slag contained within a plasma arc treatment system having an electrode and an electrical ground. The slag is initially at a temperature below a conducting temperature at which the slag will conduct electricity between the electrode and grounding network. The ignitable material has a self-sustaining reaction which releases heat energy upon ignition. The ignitable material is ignited with a pilot arc thereby heating at least a portion of the slag to the conducting temperature so that an arc between the electrode and grounding network can be sustained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of metal alloys, metal oxides and slag-based products, such as mineral wool, from industrial waste materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process for recycling industrial waste materials into valuable commercial products, including, pure metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, and a molten slag comprising non-reducible metal oxides which thereafter can be converted to vitreous fiber and shot. Industrial waste materials suitable for use in the present invention include metal-containing waste products, particularly inorganic hazardous waste materials. The present process accomplishes total recycling in such a manner that the entire industrial waste material is consumed and converted to useful products.

Abstract: Master alloys and methods of producing same are disclosed, wherein an intermetallic compound, for example Al.sub.3 Cb is first prepared via thermite processing, then size reduced, then mixed with other components in amounts yielding a mixture in the desired proportion for the master alloy. The mixture is compacted, then heated to produce the master alloy by fusion.

Abstract: A process for recovering valuable metals from an iron dust using a shaft furnace is disclosed. The iron dust is agglomerated and supplied into a the shaft furnace together with a lump coke and a flux. Valuable metal oxides contained in the iron dust are reduced in this shaft furnace. Volatile metals containing zinc and lead among the valuable metals thus reduced are volatilized within the shaft furnace and reoxidized, and then discharged from the shaft furnace together with an exhaust gas so as to be recovered as a crude zinc oxide. The reduced metal iron and slag are accumulated on a bottom portion of the shaft furnace in their molten states, and then separated and recovered.

Abstract: A method of successfully disposing of, or recycling, waste metals comprising placing the waste metals in an aluminum container, placing the container in a crucible containing a mixture of powdered aluminum and iron oxide, initiating a self-sustaining reaction between the oxide and the metal that oxidizes the aluminum and reduces the iron and heats the contents of the crucible to 4,000.degree. F. or higher to melt the waste metals and the iron and produce an ingot of the iron and the metal from the sharps and aluminum oxide slag, and trapping the heat and reaction products above the crucible with a hood of refractory material which covers the crucible and is sealed by partial immersion in loosely packed sand. The hood enables complete containment and incineration of the reaction products. The ingot and the slag can be recycled.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and means of producing weld metal for use in joining two or more aluminum containing pieces. The method includes the steps of providing a novel mixture of reactants comprising silicon, a reducing agent, a metallic compound which is exothermically reduced by the reducing agent, and a filler metal that does not react with the metallic compound. The mixture of reactants is then exothermically reacted so as to form the weld metal for joining the metallic pieces. At least about 90 percent by weight of the weld metal is produced by the silicon and the filler metal and at least about 90 percent by weight of the weld metal has a chemical composition substantially similar to that of at least one of the metallic pieces being joined.

Abstract: A thermite process for producing a pure metal or alloy by charging a reactor furnace with a mixture primarily containing a powdered metallic oxide and a reducing agent such as powdered aluminum, wherein a batch of the mixture of the starting materials is divided into a plurality of loading lots. The amount of heat generated by each of the loading lots of the starting materials is so regulated that the amount of heat generated by each loading lot differs from the amount of heat generated by other loading lots and the loading lots are sequentially arranged. The lots are loaded into a furnace to form layers for thermite reaction in an ascending order of heat generation.

Abstract: High-purity metallic chromium is produced by a method of initially preparing a mixture of chromium oxide, aluminum, carbon and an easily sulfidable metallic powder, and subsequently providing a thermite-reaction with the mixture to produce thermite-crude metallic chromium and a solid solution of carbon and easily sulfidable metal. Residual impurities in the thermite-crude metallic chromium are subsequently removed by heat treating the crude metallic chromium. This method produces high-purity metallic chromium advantageous for preparing corrosion and heat resistant chromium-containing alloys.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and means of producing weld metal for use in joining two or more metallic pieces. The method includes the steps of providing a novel mixture of reactants comprising a reducing agent, a metallic compound which is exothermically reduced by the reducing agent, and a filler metal that does not react with the metallic compound. The mixture of reactants is then exothermically reacted so as to form the weld metal for joining the metallic pieces. At least about 90 percent by weight of the weld metal is produced by the filler metal and at least about 90 percent by weight of the weld metal has a chemical composition substantially similar to that of at least one of the metallic pieces being joined.

Abstract: A method for making a light metal-rare earth metal alloy comprises adding a pellet to a bath of molten light metal, said pellet consisting essentially of a mixture of light metal powder and rare earth metal-containing compound. Such pellets, which are made under pressures of about 9 ksi or more, are preferably added to molten baths of aluminum, magnesium or combinations thereof. The light metal powders and rare earth metal-containing compounds that are mixed together to form said pellets are preferably substantially similar in terms of median particle size. This method is suitable for aluminothermically reducing scandium oxide to make aluminum-scandium alloy therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a vanadium-rich, multi-component reversible, electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy directly from a vanadium-reductant alloy without first obtaining pure vanadium. In one exemplification the vanadium-reductant alloy is a vanadium-aluminum alloy of low oxygen content, while in another exemplification the vanadium-reductant alloy is refined by electron beam evaporation, and in a third exemplification the vanadium-reductant alloy contains further reductants that reduce the oxygen content without adding impurities to the alloy. The vanadium-reductant alloy is directly used as a precursor in forming the electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of fine powder materials and the products of that process. The process involves the in-situ precipitation of second phase particles, such as ceramic or intermetalics, within a metal matrix, followed by separation of the particles from the matrix to yield a powder comprising the second phase particles. Particles formed by this process are typically in the size range of 0.01 to 10 microns and have controlled morphology, narrow size distribution, well defined stoichiometery and relatively high purity. Exemplary of second phase particles formed by this process are metal borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides, silicides and beryllides, including TiB.sub.2, ZrB.sub.2, VB.sub.2, MoB.sub.2, TiC, WC, VC, TiN, ZrSi.sub.2, MoSi.sub.2, Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3, and TiBe.sub.12.

Abstract: Waste materials containing chromium, such as the sludge resulting from neutralization of chromic acid bleed streams from metal cleaning and plating operations, are (1) rendered innocuous for land fill purposes by heating to temperatures of at least about 700.degree. C. to stabilize the materials for safe disposal and (2) activated by heating to temperatures of about 400.degree. to 500.degree. and the chromium content in the resulting calcine can be recovered by thermite reduction.