The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 26, 1995
Glenn A Meyer, Danville, CA (US);
Marcus A Schildbach, Livermore, CA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A carbide and carbonitride surface treatment method for refractory metals is provided, in steps including, heating a part formed of boron, chromium, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten or zirconium, or alloys thereof, in an evacuated chamber and then introducing reaction gases including nitrogen and hydrogen, either in elemental or water vapor form, which react with a source of elemental carbon to form carbon-containing gaseous reactants which then react with the metal part to form the desired surface layer. Apparatus for practicing the method is also provided, in the form of a carbide and carbonitride surface treatment system (10) including a reaction chamber (14), a source of elemental carbon (17), a heating subassembly (20) and a source of reaction gases (23). Alternative methods of providing the elemental carbon (17) and the reaction gases (23) are provided, as well as methods of supporting the metal part (12), evacuating the chamber (14) with a vacuum subassembly (18) and heating all of the components to the desired temperature.