Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Shankar M Sastry

Richard J Lederich

James E O'Neal

Tzy C Peng

A method of superplastically forming aluminum alloy composites employs explosive bonding to produce strong, consistent bonds and annealing treatment to produce a fine microstructure in the bonded alloy sheets. The bonded alloy sheets having the fine microstructure can then be formed by superplastic methods to produce complex parts and structural elements.

Explosively bonded expanded structure

A titanium alloy has greatly increased specific strength and increased thermostability. The alloy consists of a titanium matrix in which fibrous dispersoids are formed in situ. The dispersoids are rod and/or plate shaped and have a diameter or depth of about 0.1-0.5 microns and an aspect ratio of about 5-10. A typical alloy has the composition A-X where A is titanium or titanium alloy and X is boron, carbon, nitrogen, mixtures thereof, or mixtures with silicon.

Advanced titanium composite

A method of producing rapidly solidified metal powder utilizes a spinning metal source and a laser beam to melt the surface layer of the source and atomize it. The laser beam is directed at a glancing angle along the surface of the spinning metal source. The source spins at a high speed of 10,000-30,000 revolutions per minute. The atomized metal is solidified rapidly in an inert gas atmosphere. Very high cooling rates up to 10.sup.6 .degree. C. per second can be achieved. Very small and uniformly distributed particles of rapidly solidified metal can be obtained having a narrow particle size distribution from about 50-150 microns and typically having a high percentage of the particles at a particle size of below 100 microns.

Laser melt spin atomized metal powder and process

Transient titanium alloys having the composition A-XH, where A is titanium or a titanium alloy, such as, Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, Ti-6Al-4V, or Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo; where H represents hydrogen and where X is a weight percent value between about 0.01 and 0.5%. The alloys may be produced by heating the base titanium or titanium alloy under pressure in a non-flammable atmosphere containing hydrogen. The alloys containing hydrogen may be formed by superplastic forming techniques. After forming, the original titanium or titanium alloy can be restored by heating the formed part or structure, under vacuum, driving out the hydrogen from the alloy. Parts and structures formed from the transient alloy, and restored, retain the strength and structural integrity of the base alloy.

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Chesterfield, MO, United States of America

Shankar M Sastry