Titanium boride

Abstract

A titanium metal or a titanium alloy having submicron titanium boride substantially uniformly dispersed therein and a method of making same is disclosed. Ti power of Ti alloy powder has dispersed within the particles forming the powder titanium boride which is other than whisker-shaped or spherical substantially uniformly dispersed therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a titanium metal powder, the method comprising:
 introducing a vapor mixture of titanium tetrachloride and a boron halide into and subsurface to a flowing stream of a liquid metal comprising an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or a mixture thereof, to produce the reaction products comprising titanium metal powder having submicron titanium boride dispersed on surfaces thereof, wherein the liquid metal is present in a sufficient amount to (i) reduce the vapor mixture to form the reaction products, and (ii) maintain the reaction products below a sintering temperature of the titanium metal powder; and   recovering the titanium metal powder from the reaction products.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the titanium metal powder comprises boron in an amount greater than 0% by weight up to 3.2% by weight of the titanium metal powder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the titanium metal powder comprises boron in an amount greater than 0% by weight up to about 4% by weight of the titanium metal powder. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium boride is other than whisker-shaped or spherical shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the titanium metal powder into a consolidated powder. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sintering the titanium metal powder to form a sintered powder. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium boride is principally in the form of TiB. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal is at least one of sodium and potassium. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline earth metal is at least one of magnesium or calcium. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor mixture is introduced into the flowing stream of liquid metal at least sonic velocity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the boron halide substantially comprises BCl 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least half of the particles forming the titanium metal powder include titanium boride. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium boride is dispersed upon substantially all of the particles of the titanium metal powder. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing at least one of Al and V into and subsurface to the flowing stream of liquid metal to form a titanium alloy of at least one of Al and V. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the step of consolidating the titanium metal powder into a solid object. 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a titanium metal powder, the method comprising:
 introducing a vapor mixture of titanium tetrachloride and a boron halide into and subsurface to a flowing stream of a liquid metal comprising an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or a mixture thereof, to produce the reaction products comprising titanium metal powder having submicron titanium boride substantially uniformly dispersed on surfaces thereof, wherein the titanium metal powder comprises boron in an amount greater than 0% by weight up to about 4% by weight of the titanium metal powder, and wherein the liquid metal is present in a sufficient amount to (i) reduce the vapor mixture to form the reaction products, and (ii) maintain the reaction products below a sintering temperature of the titanium metal powder; and   recovering the titanium metal powder from the reaction products.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the titanium metal powder includes boron in an amount greater than 0% by weight up to 3.2% by weight of the titanium metal powder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the titanium boride is other than whisker-shaped or spherical shaped. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the titanium boride is principally in the form of TiB. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the boron halide substantially comprises BCl 3 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising introducing at least one of Al and V into and subsurface to the flowing stream of liquid metal to form a titanium alloy of at least one of Al and V.