Method for recovery of metal-containing material from a composite material

Abstract

The invention provides a method for the recovery of a metal-containing product (M Prod ) comprising: providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidised reductant (R o ), a product metal (M P ) dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R o ), and one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) of the product metal (M P ) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R o ); and treating the composite material to at least partially remove the one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) from the matrix of oxidised reductant (Ro) to form the metal-containing product (M Prod ).

1 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) comprising a particulate product metal (M P ) having a particle size of less than 500 μm, the metal-containing product produced by a method comprising:
 providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), the product metal (M P ) dispersed in the matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), and one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) of said product metal (M P ) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ); and 
 treating said composite material to at least partially remove said one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) from said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ) to form a metal-containing product (M Prod ). 
 
     
     
         2 . Metal-containing product according to  claim 1 , wherein said (M Prod ) metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy. 
     
     
         3 . Metal-containing product according to  claim 2 , wherein said (M Prod ) alloy approximates Ti-6Al-4V. 
     
     
         4 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 1 , comprises particulate product metal (M P ) having a particle size of from 20-300 μm. 
     
     
         5 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy of two or more of titanium, vanadium and aluminum. 
     
     
         6 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) comprising a particulate product metal (M P ), with the particulate product metal (M P ) being an alloy that approximates Ti64, with the particulate product metal (M P ) being in the form of closely packed sintered particles with irregular shape, and with the particles having a particle size of less than 500 μm, the metal-containing product produced by a method comprising:
 providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), the product metal (M P ) dispersed in the matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), and one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) of said product metal (M P ) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ); and 
 treating said composite material to at least partially remove said one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) from said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ) to form a metal-containing product (M Prod ). 
 
     
     
         7 . Metal-containing product according to  claim 6 , wherein said (M Prod ) metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy. 
     
     
         8 . Metal-containing product according to  claim 7 , wherein said (M Prod ) alloy approximates Ti-6Al-4V. 
     
     
         9 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 6 , comprises particulate product metal (M P ) having a particle size of from 20-300 μm. 
     
     
         10 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 7 , wherein said metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy of two or more of titanium, vanadium and aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) comprising a particulate product metal (M P ), with the particulate product metal (M P ) being an alloy that approximates Ti64, with the particulate product metal (M P ) being in the form of closely packed sintered particles having an irregular shape that is not generally spherical in shape and is not regular in shape, and with the particles having a particle size of less than 500 μm, the metal-containing product produced by a method comprising:
 providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), the product metal (M P ) dispersed in the matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ), and one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) of said product metal (M P ) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ); and 
 treating said composite material to at least partially remove said one or more metal compounds (M P C R ) from said matrix of oxidized reductant (R o ) to form a metal-containing product (M Prod ). 
 
     
     
         12 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 11 , wherein said metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy. 
     
     
         13 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 12 , wherein said alloy approximates Ti-6Al-4V. 
     
     
         14 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 11 , comprises particulate product metal (M P ) having a particle size of from 20-300 μm. 
     
     
         15 . Metal-containing product (M Prod ) according to  claim 12 , wherein said metal-containing product (M Prod ) is an alloy of two or more of titanium, vanadium and aluminum.