Innovative Processing to Produce Advanced Intermetallic Materials

在热机和结构应用中，对高温、轻重量、强韧性材料的需求是无止境的。金属间化合物，如钛铝化物，为改善当前最先进的镍基高温合金和钛合金的高温性能提供了重要的机会。然而，在延展性、强度、抗氧化性和抗蠕变性等方面有显著提高的铝化钛基材尚未得到充分开发。晶粒细化、微观合金化和宏观合金化以及金属间化合物的强化是改善铝化钛高温性能的创新途径。该项目将利用射频热等离子体技术合成超细和超纯铝化钛粉末。其产生机理是在氩高温等离子体中铝还原四氯化钛。在等离子体反应器中，铝化钛的微观合金化和宏观合金化也将在合成铝化钛粉末的同时进行。增强钛铝复合材料也将进行研究。该计划将产生具有改善延展性和高温性能的钛铝基合金和复合材料。

There is an insatiable demand for high temperature, light weight, strong and ductile materials in heat engine and structural applications. Intermetallics such as titanium aluminide offer a significant opportunity for improved high temperature properties over current state-of-the-art nickel base superalloys and titanium alloys. However, titanium aluminide base materials with substantially improved ductility, strength, oxidation and creep resistance have not been fully developed. Grain refining, micro- and macroalloying and reinforcing of titanium aluminide intermetallics are innovative approaches to improve the high temperature properties of titanium aluminide. This program will utilize a rf thermal plasma technique to synthesize ultrafine and ultrapure titanium aluminide powders. The production mechanism is aluminum reduction of titanium tetrachloride in an argon high temperature plasma. Micro- and macroalloying of titanium aluminide will also be carried out in the plasma reactor simultaneously with the synthesis of titanium aluminide powders. Reinforced titanium aluminide composites will also be investigated. A titanium aluminide base alloy and composite with improved ductility and high temperature properties will result from this program.