SBIR Phase II: Reactive and Refractory Metal Processing

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)二期项目将提供一个系统，该系统可以将先进的难熔金属合金从元素、废料或预处理原料连续加工成粉末或小型铸件。先进的混合式等离子弧感应炉采用了最新的清洁熔炼技术，保持了这些有希望的材料的全部理论性能。这是一条直接加工近净形状产品的路线。例如，先进的钛合金需要特殊的工艺来保持其材料性能。这一工艺将允许开发特种合金，而不需要大型昂贵的铸造工艺和轧钢厂的成本和复杂性。开发的工艺采用纯元素材料，在一个直接循环中生产铸件或粉末。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是为开发专业和先进的活性合金和耐火合金创造新的方法。目前，这些合金还没有经济上可行的途径，可以从小规模的实验室实验转移到大规模的商业应用中。这一新工艺将加快将这些材料转化为新兴应用的进程。该项目的总体目标是建立一个中试规模的工厂，生产这些专业材料的铸件和粉末。这一新工艺将产生潜在影响的一些选定的材料系统包括先进的钛基形状记忆合金和金属间化合物，如Nb？]硅化物化合物。这些新材料将为医疗和航空航天等行业的客户和用户创造价值。新工艺将通过销售铸件和粉末的收费生产服务以及通过直接销售所产生的设备来实现商业化。最后，能够以更具成本效益的方式轻松生产中试数量的新型合金，将加强对这些材料的科学理解和应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will deliver a system that can continuously process advanced refractory metal alloys from elemental, scrap or preprocessed feed stock into powder or small castings. The advanced hybrid plasma arc induction furnace uses the latest in clean melting techniques maintaining the full theoretical properties of these promising materials. This is a direct processing route for near net shape products. Advanced titanium alloys, for example, require special processes to maintain their material properties. This process will allow the development of specialist alloys without the cost and complexity of large and expensive foundry processes and rolling mills. The process developed takes pure elemental material and produces castings or powder in one direct cycle.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the creation of new methods for development of specialist and advanced reactive and refractory alloys. Currently there is no economically viable route for these alloys to move from small, lab-scale experiments to use in large-scale commercial applications. This new process will speed the process of transitioning these materials into emerging applications. The overall objective of this project is to create a pilot-scale plant to produce castings and powder of these specialist materials. Some selected material systems where this new process will have a potential impact include advance titanium-based shape memory alloys and intermetallics such as niobium?]silicide based compounds. These new materials will create value for customers and users in the medical and aerospace industries, among others. The new process will be commercialized via the sale of a toll production service for castings and powder, and also via direct sales of the resulting equipment. Finally, the ability to easily produce pilot-scale quantities of novel alloys more cost-effectively will enhance the scientific understanding and application of these materials.