Method for the production of non-evaporable ternary gettering alloys

Claim 1

A method for the production of non-evaporable ternary gettering alloys of the type Zr-M 1 -M 2 in which M 1 is a metal chosen from the group comprising vanadium and niobium and in which M 2 is a metal chosen from the group comprising iron and nickel; said method comprising in sequence the steps of: I. mixing zirconium and an alloy M 1 -M 2 in air at atmospheric pressure and at room temperature to form a mixture; and then II. melting the mixture under vacuum at a pressure of less than 10 -2 torr or in an inert atmosphere at less than atmospheric pressure to form a ternary alloy; and then III. cooling the ternary alloy to room temperature; and then IV. grinding the ternary alloy to obtain a powder having a particle size less than 500μ.

Claim 2

A method for the production of non-evaporable ternary gettering alloys of the type Zr-M 1 -M 2 in which M 1 is a metal chosen from the group comprising vanadium and niobium and in which M 2 is a metal chosen from the group comprising iron and nickel; said method comprising in sequence the steps of: I. mixing zirconium and an alloy M 1 -M 2 in air at atmospheric pressure and at room temperature to form a mixture; and then II. melting the mixture under vacuum at a pressure of less than 10 -2 torr or in an inert atmosphere at less than atmospheric pressure to form a ternary alloy; and then III. cooling the ternary alloy to room temperature; and then IV. grinding the ternary alloy to obtain a powder having a particle size less than 500μ.

Claim 9

A method for the production of non-evaporable ternary gettering alloys of the type Zr-V-Fe; said method comprising in sequence the steps of: I. mixing in air, at atmospheric pressure, at room temperature a Zr-sponge with a V-Fe alloy in the weight ratio of from 1:1 to 2.5:1; wherein the V-Fe alloy has a nominal weight content of V of 82% to form a mixture; and then II. melting the mixture under vacuum at a pressure less than 10 -3 torr at a temperature between 1250° and 1400° C. to form a ternary alloy; and then III. cooling the ternary alloy to room temperature; and then IV. grinding the ternary alloy to obtain a powder having a particle size less than 125μ.

Claim 10

A method for the production of non-evaporable ternary gettering alloys of the type Zr-V-Fe; said method comprising in sequence the steps of: I. mixing in air, at atmospheric pressure, at room temperature a Zr-sponge with a V-Fe alloy in the weight ratio of from 1:1 to 2.5:1; wherein the V-Fe alloy has a nominal weight content of V of 82% to form a mixture; and then II. melting the mixture under vacuum at a pressure less than 10 -3 torr at a temperature between 1250° and 1400° C. to form a ternary alloy; and then III. cooling the ternary alloy to room temperature; and then IV. grinding the ternary alloy to obtain a powder having a particle size less than 125μ.