Binary rhenium alloys

Abstract

Rhenium-tungsten alloys including rhenium and from about 0.025% to less than about 10% by weight tungsten. The rhenium-tungsten alloys are formed by a process that includes coating rhenium metal powders with a liquid including a tungsten compound, drying the coated rhenium powder, compressing the dried coated powder to form a compact, and then sintering the compact to form the rhenium-tungsten alloy. The rhenium-tungsten alloys according to the invention exhibit mechanical properties that are superior to high-purity rhenium metal without a loss in ductility.

1 . An alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight tungsten, the alloy exhibiting a room temperature tensile strength in excess of 150 Ksi and an elongation of 25% or greater as measured in accordance with ASTM E8-03.  
   
   
       2 . The alloy according to  claim 1  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       3 . The alloy according to  claim 1  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       4 . The alloy according to  claim 1  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.06% to about 1.25% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       5 . An alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight tungsten formed by a process comprising: 
 coating a metal powder consisting essentially of rhenium with a liquid comprising a tungsten compound;    drying the coated metal powder;    compressing the coated metal powder to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form the alloy.    
   
   
       6 . The alloy according to  claim 5  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       7 . The alloy according to  claim 5  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       8 . The alloy according to  claim 5  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.06% to about 1.25% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       9 . A method comprising: 
 coating a metal powder consisting essentially of rhenium with a liquid comprising a tungsten compound;    drying the coated rhenium powder;    compressing the coated powder to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form an alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight tungsten.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the alloy consists essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 9  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 9  consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.06% to about 1.25% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the liquid comprises ammonium metatungstate.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising cold rolling the sintered compact.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising annealing the sintered compact.  
   
   
       16 . A wire formed of an alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       17 . The wire according to  claim 16  wherein the alloy consists essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       18 . The wire according to  claim 16  wherein the alloy consists essentially of rhenium and from about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       19 . The wire according to  claim 16  wherein the alloy consists essentially of rhenium and from about 0.06% to about 1.25% by weight tungsten.  
   
   
       20 . A method of forming an alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight tungsten comprising: 
 providing a precipitate comprising a rhenium compound and a tungsten compound;    compressing the precipitate to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form the alloy.    
   
   
       21 . An alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium, the alloy formed by a process comprising: 
 coating a metal powder consisting essentially of rhenium with a liquid comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium;    drying the coated metal powder;    compressing the coated metal powder to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form the alloy.    
   
   
       22 . A method comprising: 
 coating a metal powder consisting essentially of rhenium with a liquid comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium;    drying the coated rhenium powder;    compressing the coated powder to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form an alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium.    
   
   
       23 . A method of forming an alloy consisting essentially of rhenium and from about 0.025% up to about 10% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium, the method comprising: 
 providing a precipitate comprising a rhenium compound and a compound comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, iridium, ruthenium and osmium;    compressing the precipitate to form a compact; and    sintering the compact to form the alloy.