SBIR Phase II: Rapid Fabrication of Titanium Boride (TiB2) Anodes for Electrolysis of Aluminum

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)二期项目将开发非消耗性和可湿性的二硼化钛(TiB2)基阴极，其密度和纯度接近理论密度。阶段I表明，钛和硼粉末可以通过等离子体压力压制反应固化，生产出接近理论密度的TiB_2零件。在第二阶段，将制造直径4英寸、厚度3/8英寸的近净形状阴极以供评估，并将开发一种基于TiB2的新型水射流喷嘴和磨料射流混合器管。第二阶段还将开发二氧化锆(ZrO2)和钛(Ti)增韧的二硼化钛复合材料，用于评估其作为刀具的作用。TiB2电极有望在铝生产中提供更好的性能、成本效益、无危害的工作场所和对环境无害的加工；现在人们认为，快速凝固的近净形状的TiB2零件也可以用于硬质合金加工的刀具、磨料喷嘴的混合管和喷水喷嘴。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop non-consumable and wettable titanium diboride (TiB2)-based cathodes with near-theoretical densities and purity. Phase I demonstrated that titanium and boron powders could be reactively consolidated to produce near-theoretical density TiB2 parts using plasma pressure compaction. A 4-inch diameter by 3/8-inch thickness near-net shape cathode will be fabricated for evaluation in Phase II, and a novel water jet nozzle and abrasive jet mixer tube will be developed based on TiB2. Phase II will also develop zirconium dioxide (ZrO2)- and titanium (Ti)-toughened titanium diboride composites for evaluation as cutting tools. TiB2 electrodes are expected to provide better performance, cost-effectiveness, a hazard-free workplace, and environmentally benign processing in aluminum production; and it is now thought that rapidly consolidated, near net-shape TiB2 parts can also be used in cutting tools for hard metal machining, in mixing tubes for abrasive jets, and in nozzles for water jets.