Attrited titanium powder

Abstract

A method of increasing the apparent density of agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder produced by the subsurface reduction of titanium tetrachloride vapor or a mixture of titanium tetrachloride and other halide vapors in a flowing stream of alkali or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof having a first apparent density after distillation is disclosed. The agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder is introduced into an attriting system wherein the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder is attrited until the powder becomes more spherical than ligmental and the first apparent density is increased by a factor of from about 3 to about 8. Inert atmosphere may be used to prevent unwanted oxygen contamination.

1 . A method of increasing the apparent density of agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder produced by the subsurface reduction of titanium tetrachloride vapor or a mixture of titanium tetrachloride and other halide vapors in a flowing stream of alkali or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof having a first apparent density after distillation, comprising:
 introducing the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder into an attriting system,   attriting the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder until the powder becomes more spherical than ligmental and the first apparent density is increased by a factor of from about 3 to about 8.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attriting is performed in an inert atmosphere. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inert atmosphere includes argon. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inert atmosphere includes nitrogen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attriting system includes at least one of a ball mill, a jet mill, a high pressure water mill, a mechanco-fusion mill or a hammer mill. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium or titanium alloy powder having a first apparent density has a first packing fraction in the range of from about 4% to about 11% and after attrition has a packing fraction in the range of from about 20% to about 45%. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the packing fraction after attrition is in the range of from about 20% to about 30%. 
     
     
         8 . A titanium or titanium alloy powder made according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A titanium or titanium alloy powder made according to the method of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         10 . A method of increasing the apparent density of agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder produced by the subsurface reduction of titanium tetrachloride vapor or a mixture of titanium tetrachloride and other halide vapors in a flowing stream of sodium or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof having a first apparent density after distillation, comprising
 introducing the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder into an attriting system,   attriting the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder in an inert atmosphere until the powder becomes more spherical than ligmental and the first apparent density is increased by a factor of from about 3 to about 8.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inert atmosphere includes a noble gas and/or nitrogen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inert atmosphere is nitrogen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the titanium alloy is substantially 6% Al and 4% V by weight with the balance titanium. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the attriting system includes at least one of a ball mill, a jet mill, a high pressure water mill, a mechanco-fusion mill or a hammer mill. 
     
     
         15 . A titanium or titanium alloy powder made according to the method of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         16 . A titanium or titanium alloy powder made according to the method of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         17 . A titanium alloy made according to the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of increasing the apparent density of agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder produced by the subsurface reduction of titanium tetrachloride vapor or a mixture of titanium tetrachloride and other chloride vapors in a flowing stream of sodium or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof having a first apparent density after distillation, comprising
 introducing the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder into an attriting system including a jet mill,   attriting the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder in an inert atmosphere in the jet mill until the powder becomes more spherical than ligmental and the first apparent density is increased by a factor of from about 3 to about 8.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the jet mill is operated at a pressure of at least 70 psi. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the jet mill is operated at a pressure of at least 90 psi.