US3664889A
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TERNARY, QUATERNARY AND MORE COMPLEX ALLOYS OF Be-Al
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
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Filing: 1969-05-26
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1989-05-26
Abstract
Abstract An alloy having extraordinarily high modulus to density and tensile strength to density ratios along with good workability and elongation properties is made from a beryllium-aluminum alloy powder having a complexity index between 1 and 5, as defined in U. S. Pat. No. 3,337,334. Magnesium or zinc or copper or one or more of several metals is blended with or deposited on the Be-Al powder; then the blend is consolidated without melting it and then worked, diffused, and heat-treated, all below the eutectic temperature. The result is that the magnesium or other component (or components) of the alloy is dissolved substantially only into the aluminum-rich phase while leaving the complexity index unchanged. Hence, the properties are superior to alloys having the same Be-Al composition with or without other ingredients, especially those in which the magnesium or other metal is melted into the Be-Al composition.
Inventors
- 👤 William H Mccarthy
- 👤 Raymond W Fenn Jr
- 👤 Donald D Crooks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:19
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22C; C22C1/00; C22C1/04; C22C1/0408; C22C1/0416; C22C25/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
An alloy according to claim 1 having in addition in solid solution in the aluminum-rich phase at least one material from the group consisting of the elements titanium, chromium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, zirconium, iron, and nickel and in an amount able to dissolve completely in said aluminum-rich phase alone at a temperature where the aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
Beryllium-aluminum base alloys consisting essentially of at least 20 percent by weight beryllium with the remainder being primarily aluminum, which are characterized by a distinctive microstructural appearance in which the beryllium-rich phase is present in the form of generally particulate, irregularly shaped substantially continuous networks which are interspersed by the aluminum-rich phase, which is a single-phase substantially continuous network, the mean free intercept distance, lambda , across the aluminum-rich phase being in a range of from approximately 1 to approximately 6 microns and in which the mean intercept diameter, D, across the beryllium-rich phase is in a range of from approximately 1 micron to approximately 16 microns, and at least one additional material chosen from the group consisting of the elements magnesium, zinc, copper, lithium, silver, silicon, and manganese, substantially all of said additional material being contained in solid solution in said aluminum-rich phase and being present in an amount no greater than what can be dissolved in said aluminum-rich phase at a temperature where the aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
An alloy according to claim 3 having in addition in solid solution in said aluminum-rich phase at least one material chosen from the group consisting of the elements titanium, chromium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, zirconium, iron, and nickel and being present in an amount no greater than what can be dissolved in said aluminum-rich phase at a temperature where the aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
146 words
An alloy composite consisting of beryllium-rich and aluminum-rich phases, each being a substantially continuous network, having a complexity index of approximately 1 to 5 and mean free path in the Be-rich or Al-rich phases of less than about 16 microns, in which the aluminum rich phase consists of a single-phase solid solution primarily of aluminum with at least one dissolved addition element selected from the group consisting of the elements in the following list, each said element being present in a concentration expressed as percent of the aluminum-rich constituent, no greater than Zinc up to 30 percent, Magnesium up to 17 1/2 percent, Copper up to 6 percent, Lithium up to 5 1/2 percent, Silver up to 10 percent, Silicon up to 2 percent, Manganese up to 1 1/2 percent, the total beryllium concentration in the alloy composites being 20 to 90 percent of the whole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
An alloy composite according to claim 5 having in addition in solid solution in said aluminum-rich phase at least one element chosen from the group consisting of the elements in the following list in amounts as therein shown: Titanium up to 1 1/2 percent, Chromium up to 1 percent, Bismuth up to 1 percent, Cadmium up to 1 percent, Lead up to 1/2 percent, Zirconium up to 1/2 percent, Iron up to 1/10 percent, Nickel up to 1/10 percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
A ternary alloy composite consisting essentially of beryllium-rich and aluminum-rich phases, each being a single-phase substantially continuous network, and having a complexity index of approximately 1 to 5 and mean freepath in each of the Be-rich and Al-rich phases of less than about 16 microns, the aluminum-rich phase consisting essentially of an aluminum-magnesium solid solution with up to a maximum of about 17 1/2 percent magnesium, the total beryllium concentration being 20 to 95 percent of the whole.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
A quaternary alloy composite consisting of 20 to 90 percent beryllium in a substantially continuous network and 10 to 80 percent of a single-phase aluminum-rich phase in a substantially continuous network containing in solid solution zinc and magnesium, the zinc content being up to 30 percent of the aluminum-rich phase and the magnesium content being up to about 18 percent of the total aluminum-rich phase, the alloy composite having a complexity index of approximately 1 to 5.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A quaternary alloy composite according to claim 8 in which the aluminum-rich phase has been precipitation hardened.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
A quaternary alloy composite consisting of 20 to 90 percent beryllium in a substantially continuous network and 10 to 80 percent of a single-phase aluminum-rich phase in a substantially continuous network containing in solid solution copper and magnesium, in which the copper content is up to 6 percent of the aluminum-rich phase and in which the magnesium content is up to 18 percent of the aluminum-rich phase, the alloy composite having a complexity index of approximately 1 to 5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A quaternary alloy composite according to claim 10 in which the aluminum-rich phase has been precipitation hardened.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
122 words
A complexed alloy composite consisting of 20 to 90 percent beryllium in a substantially continuous network, the remainder being an aluminum-rich phase in a single-phase continuous network containing in solid solution a plurality of addition elements selected from the group consisting of the elements in the following list at concentrations no greater than listed as a percent of total aluminum-rich phase, at least one of said addition elements being among the first seven on the list, said alloy composite having a complexity index of approximately 1 to 5: Magnesium 17 1/2 Zinc 30 Copper 6 Lithium 5 1/2 Silver 10 Silicon 2 Manganese 1 1/2 Titanium 1 1/2 Chromium 1 Bismuth 1 Cadmium 1 Lead 1/2 Zirconium 1/2 Iron 1/10 Nickel 1/10.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
148 words
A method of making improved Be-Al base alloys which contain at least 20 percent by weight beryllium with the remainder being principally aluminum, comprising: providing a Be-Al alloy powder containing 20 percent to 80 percent beryllium, and having a Be-rich phase and an Al-rich phase, and characterized by a complexity index between about 1 and about 5, and adding to the Be-Al alloy powder at least one addition material choseN from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Cu, Li, Mn, Si, and Ag in an amount able to dissolve solely within the aluminum-rich phase, processing the resulting mixture to dissolve each such added addition material solely in the Al-rich phase forming a solid solution, said processing being done below the eutectic temperature of the combination of metals used, whereby said complexity index remains substantially the same as before the addition material was added to the original Be-Al alloy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 13 wherein during said processing step, at least one material from the group consisting of Ti, Cr, Bi, Cd, Pb, Zr, Fe, and Ni is also added to the Al-rich phase under the same conditions forming a solid solution and in amount able to dissolve solely within the Al-rich phase at a temperature where the Al-rich phase is in a solid state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said processing step includes working the resultant blend at a temperature below the eutectic temperature of the alloy being worked to make the Al-rich phase more uniform and to improve the mechanical properties of the alloy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said processing step comprises solid state diffusion, including both strain-enhanced diffusion and surface diffusion.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
173 words
The method of making beryllium-aluminum alloys which contain at least 20 percent by weight beryllium with the remainder an aluminum-rich phase, being primarily aluminum but containing at least one other metal in solid solution, said alloys being characterized by their ability to undergo selective and substantial change in strength and ductility, said method comprising the steps of providing a starting material in the compositional range set forth above which is selected from the group consisting of fine aluminum coated beryllium powder and small particles of beryllium-aluminum alloy, blending therewith without any melting at least one powdered addition product chosen from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, copper, lithium, manganese, silicon, and silver, in an amount able to dissolve completely solely within said aluminum-rich phase at a temperature where the aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state, compacting said particles under pressure, and dissolving said addition product in solid solution in the aluminum-rich phase only of said beryllium-aluminum alloy, at a temperature below the eutectic temperatures of the blend and of the resulting alloy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said dissolving is accomplished by working the resultant blend at a temperature below the eutectic temperature of the alloy being worked, to enhance and hasten diffusion, to produce more uniformity in the aluminum-rich phase, and to improve the mechanical properties of the alloy.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said dissolving step is done by solid state diffusion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 17 wherein in the blending step, at least one element from the group consisting of titanium, chromium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, zirconium, iron, and nickel is also blended in the same manner forming a solid solution and in amount able to dissolve completely solely within said aluminum-rich phase at a temperature where said aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said dissolving step comprises working the resultant blend at a temperature below the eutectic temperature of the alloy being worked to improve the uniformity and mechanical properties of the alloy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said dissolving step is done by solid state diffusion.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
194 words
The method of making beryllium-aluminum base alloys of substantially improved strength and ductility and affording improved starting materials for more complex alloys, which contain at least 20 percent by weight beryllium with the remainder an aluminum-rich phase being primarily aluminum with at least one other component partitioned in solid solution to the aluminum-rIch phase, which comprise the steps of melting a quantity of substantially pure beryllium, substantially pure aluminum and at least one material chosen from the group consisting of manganese, silicon, copper, silver, titanium, chromium, lead, zirconium, iron, and nickel, in the percentage range desired, said percentage range being no greater for each said material than the amount able to dissolve completely in said aluminum-rich phase alone, at a temperature where the aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state, ''''atomizing'''' said melt to form small particles of the desired alloy, rapidly quenching said particles, compacting said particles to form a substantially solid billet, outgassing said billet, heat treating said billet at an elevated temperature below the eutectic temperature of the alloy to form a solid solution of the said material in the aluminum-rich phase, and extruding the heated billet into the shape desired.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 23 wherein these is added, after quenching and before compacting, material chosen from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, lithium, bismuth, and cadmium, in an amount no greater than the amount able to dissolve completely within said aluminum-rich phase alone at a temperature where said aluminum-rich phase is in a solid state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3337334A
Cited
US3322512A
Cited
US3323880A
Cited
US3558305A
Cited
US3438751A
Cited
US3373002A
Cited
US3379513A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |