The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government

Qinetiq Limited

Charles M Ward-Close

Peter G Partridge

Francis H Froes

Lakshman Chandrasekaran

Panos Tsakiropoulos

Alistair B Godfrey

Deepak Upadhyaya

A method of removing oxygen from a solid metal, metal compound or semi-metal M1O by electrolysis in a fused salt of M2Y or a mixture of salts, which comprises conducting electrolysis under conditions such that reaction of oxygen rather than M2 deposition occurs at an electrode surface and that oxygen dissolves in the electrolyte M2Y and wherein, M1O is in the form of (sintered) granules or is in the form of a powder which is continuously fed into the fused salt. Also disclosed is a method of producing a metal foam comprising the steps of fabricating a foam-like metal oxide preform, removing oxygen from said foam structured metal oxide preform by electrolysis in a fused salt of M2Y or a mixture of salts, which comprises conducting electrolysis under conditions such that reaction of oxygen rather than M2 deposition occurs at an electrode surface. The method is advantageously applied for the production of titanium from Ti-dioxide.

Electrolytic reduction of metal oxides such as titanium dioxide and process applications

Apparatus and method for matrix coating fibres with metal vapour

Composite materials

Titanium-based alloy produced by vapor quenching

Precursors for metal matrix composites are produced by coating a long fibre ceramic reinforcement with alternating layers of dissimilar species of matrix materials to an aggregate thickness sufficient to yield the intended matrix volume fraction in a consolidated product without additional material. This duplex coating of fibres is performed by vapor phase deposition comprising vapor condensation, sputtering or chemical vapor reaction. The precursor includes an aggregate coating of at least 5% of fibre diameter, preferably at least 20%. Various duplex systems are disclosed, each having one component significantly more frangible than the other to render damage tolerant properties to the resultant metal composite. Product materials are produced from the duplex matrix coated fibres by consolidation of an assembly of coated fibres under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure to cause inter-fibre matrix flow and bonding of matrix materials.

Method of making precursors and articles of ceramic-reinforced metal

Growing community of inventors

Hampshire, United Kingdom

Charles M Ward-Close