Streamlined process for producing aluminum-scandium alloy

Abstract

An alloy product is produced by an aluminothermic reduction process and an alloying process with one or more other metals or master alloy, where the reduction process and the alloying process are performed in a single stage. The final alloy product may have a scandium concentration that is greater than 0% and less than about 2%. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a first melt is produced at a first melt temperature, a melting and alloying step is performed at a second melt temperature, less than the first melt temperature, and the temperature of the first melt is not substantially less than the second melt temperature before the melting and alloying step.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing an aluminum-scandium final alloy product, comprising:
 an aluminothermic scandium-reduction process; and   an alloying process with one or more other metals or master alloys;   wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process and the alloying process are performed in a single stage, without generating or remelting an Al—Sc master alloy with the one or more other metals or master alloys.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process includes reduction of a scandium halide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the scandium halide includes scandium fluoride (ScF 3 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process is performed in the presence of a flux including an alkali halide salt. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the alkali halide salt includes sodium fluoride (NaF). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising casting an aluminum-scandium alloy, wherein the casting occurs after the alloying process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising machining a cast aluminum-scandium alloy, wherein the machining occurs after the casting. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising packaging the aluminum-scandium final alloy product, wherein the packaging occurs after the machining. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing a final alloy product from material, comprising:
 melting the material; and   alloying the material;   wherein the melting and alloying are performed in a single stage;   wherein the method does not include remelting an alloy produced by an aluminothermic reduction process.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the final alloy product is an aluminum-scandium final alloy product, and wherein the aluminum-scandium final alloy product has a scandium concentration of less than 2%. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising an aluminothermic scandium-reduction process. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process includes reduction of a scandium halide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the scandium halide includes scandium fluoride (ScF 3 ). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process is performed in the presence of a flux including an alkali halide salt. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the alkali halide salt includes sodium fluoride (NaF). 
     
     
         16 . A method for producing a scandium-aluminum alloy, comprising:
 a first step which includes producing a first melt by performing an aluminothermic scandium-reduction process and simultaneously melting and alloying a first metal or master alloy having a first volatilization temperature; and   a second step which includes adding, to the first melt, a second metal or master alloy having a second volatilization temperature, wherein the second volatilization temperature is less than the first volatilization temperature, and wherein the first step is performed before the second step;   wherein the first melt is produced at a first melt temperature, and the second step is performed at a second melt temperature, wherein the second melt temperature is less than the first melt temperature, and wherein the temperature of the first melt is not substantially less than the second melt temperature between the first step and the second step.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first step includes an aluminothermic scandium-reduction process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process includes reduction of a scandium halide. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the scandium halide includes scandium fluoride (ScF 3 ). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the aluminothermic scandium-reduction process is performed in the presence of a flux including an alkali halide salt. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the alkali halide salt includes sodium fluoride (NaF).