Master alloys for beta 21S titanium-based alloys and method of making same
This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/918,242, filed on Jul. 23, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,723. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a master alloy, particularly for use in making beta Titanium-molybdenum alloys, and methods of making of such master alloys. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Titanium-containing alloys find a broad range of applications in areas where low weight and strength are required, such as aerospace and military uses, as well as corrosion resistance and heat applications, including use in turbine blade jet engine parts, high speed cutting tools, and so on. Molybdenum is known to be difficult to diffuse uniformly in titanium, because of its higher melting point and higher density, which causes molybdenum-rich particles to drop to the bottom of a molten titanium pool where they sinter into agglomerates and form inclusions in the ingot produced. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,910. The same problems of getting molybdenum to homogenize with titanium are also experienced with columbium, which like molybdenum, is also highly refractory. 
     Matters are further complicated in that titanium alloys require relatively tight chemistries, and often the chemistry of the desired master alloy is poorly compatible with the homogenous alloying of the various components, due to differences in component solubility, melting point, density, etc. Furthermore, the chemistry of the alloy is frequently dictated by the alloying process used. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide molybdenum/titanium alloys which may be readily formulated to be substantially free of high molybdenum inclusions. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide columbium/molybdenum/titanium alloys which may be readily formulated to be substantially free of columbium inclusions. 
     Still another object of the invention is to produce an alloy having relatively low aluminum. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention a thermite for use in preparing a Ti master alloy having low aluminum is produced, the master alloy comprising a predominant amount of Mo, and lesser amounts of Cb, Al, Si, O 2 , C, N 2  and Ti. The master alloy of the invention comprises about 55-75% Mo, 6-16% Cb, 1-15 % Al, 0.1-5% Si, 0-1% O 2 , 0-1% C, 0-1% N 2  and balance Ti. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the master alloy comprises about 55-65% Mo, 6-16% Cb, 5-15% Al, 0.1-5% Si, 0-1% O 2 , 0-1% C, 0-1% N 2  and balance Ti. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A master alloy is an alloy of selected elements that can be added to a charge of metal to provide a desired composition or texture or to deoxidize one or more components of the mixture. 
     According to the present invention, an intermetallic compound is first prepared using thermite processing. Thermite processing involves an exothermic reaction which occurs when finely divided aluminum mixed with metal oxides is ignited, causing reduction of the oxide and reaching temperatures of about 2200° C., sufficient to propagate heat through the charge to homogenize the components comprising the resulting intermetallic compounds. 
     Often, a simple thermite process uses a mixture of powdered iron (III) oxide, Fe 2  O 3  and powdered or granular aluminum. However, oxides of metals other than iron may be used, as discussed herein, and mixtures of these oxides may likewise be used. 
     In practicing the invention, the mixed thermite components are charged to a furnace, typically a water-cooled, copper, below-ground reaction vessel, such as that described in &#34;Metallothermic Reduction of Oxides in Water-Cooled Copper Furnaces,&#34; by F. H. Perfect, Transactions of the Metallurgical Society of AIME, Volume 239, August 1967, pp. 1282-1286. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,059, incorporated by reference herein. 
     The mixture is thoroughly and intimately mixed prior to being charged to the furnace so the thermite reaction will occur rapidly and uniformly throughout the charge on ignition. 
     The reaction vessel is preferably covered after the mixture is charged and the pressure within the vessel may be reduced, for example, to about 0.3 mm Hg or less, followed by flooding the vessel with a high purity inert gas such as argon. Such evacuation and purging results in thermites of higher purity, lower nitrogen content. The thermite reaction is initiated with an igniter and allowed to proceed to completion. 
     After the thermite is prepared using thermite processing, it is cooled and size reduced to powdered form using known methods, such as crushers, ball mills, pug mills, grinders, hydriding, etc. 
     After size reduction, the intermetallic compound produced by the thermite process, typically Al 3  Cb, is then mixed with at least one additional metal in powdered form, for example, Ti, to form a substantially uniform mixture. The resulting mixture is then pressed into a compact or briquetted with application of pressures of over about 7,000 psi and preferably of about 15,000-30,000 psi. Typically, such compacts are formed using an isostatic press. 
     It is preferable, especially when forming large compacts, to place spacers at intervals within the compact in order to insure uniform compaction and produce more manageable compact sizes. Ten pound discs of compact are typically produced. The discs are then stacked in the furnace, under vacuum or inert gas and when the reaction starts, it tends to be semi-continuous and controlled rather than violent. The smaller compacts, when stacked, also help prevent melting of the compact, which is in some cases an undesirable result. 
     The compacts or briquets are then heated, preferably with induction heat, to form the desired master alloy by fusion. No special pressure conditions are required for the fusion, which is generally carried out at atmospheric or a milli tor pressure and temperatures of about 600°-1,700° C., depending on the optimal fusion temperature of the compact. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a master alloy for use in preparing a Ti (Beta 21S) alloy having low aluminum (i.e., less than about 10% by weight aluminum) is prepared, comprising about 55-65% Mo, 6-16% Cb, 5-15% Al, 0.1-5% Si, 0-1% O 2 , 0-1% C, 0-1% N 2  and balance Ti. In the thermite step the intermetallic compound Al 3  Cb is produced, by mixing powdered aluminum fines with Cb 2  O 5  powder and at least one oxide, such as Fe 2  O 3  or SiO 2 . This thermite is then size reduced and mixed with powdered components, such as Mo and Ti, then compacted and fused. Most preferably, the master alloy so produced comprises about 60% Mo, 11% Cb, 10% or less Al, 0.4% or less Si, 0.25% or less O 2 , 0.02% or less C, 0-0.03% or less N 2  and balance Ti. Unless otherwise specifically noted, all percentages set forth herein refer to weight percent. 
     It is preferred to use alcohol to keep the mix from separating prior to compaction. As previously discussed, the resulting alloy may be hydrided to produce an end product in size reduced form, as is known. 
     The master alloy is prepared as specified previously, then size reduced and mixed with sufficient Ti to yield a mixture, which upon compaction and melting yields an alloy comprising about 70-85% Ti, 10-20% Mo, 1-8% Al, 1-8% Cb, 0-1% Si, 0-1% O 2  and 0-1% Fe. (Beta 21S type alloy.) 
    
    
     EXAMPLES 
     Example 1 
     It was desired to produce a master alloy having the chemistry 10% Al, 11% Cb, 60% Mo, 0.02% C, 0.003% N 2 , 0.11% O 2 , 0.4% Si balance Ti. An intermetallic compound Al 3  Cb was produced using thermite processing as previously described. 5.5 pounds of this thermite, lot no. 42-096, comprising about 45.65% Al, 51.45% Cb, 2.32% Si, 0.015% C, 0.032% O 2 , 0.004% S and 0.001% N 2  was prepared via thermite processing as previously described and crushed to -50×200 mesh and mixed dry for five minutes with 15 pounds of -100 mesh Mo and 5.25 pounds of -100×325 mesh Ti. After five minutes of dry mixing, 65 ml of alcohol was added and the mixture was remixed for 15 minutes. The mixture was then packed into a CIP bag and isostatically pressed at 25,000 psi to produce a 25.75 lb. compact 4.25&#34; dia.×10.75&#34;. The resulting compact was placed in a 200 lb. induction furnace graphite crucible and covered with a graphite lid, then purged with argon. The compact was heated to about 1600° C. for about 15 minutes. The argon flow was maintained while the fused compact cooled. The resulting master alloy was fully alloyed, was cleaned and crushed to -20 mesh, and analyzed as follows: 
     
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            RAI/McCreath                                                  
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            Al   10.10%                                                   
            Cb   11.064                                                   
            Mo   60.08%                                                   
            Ti   17.94%                                                   
            C    0.057%                                                   
            N.sub.2                                                       
                 0.130%                                                   
            O.sub.2                                                       
                 0.263%                                                   
            Si   0.40%                                                    
            S    0.004%                                                   
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