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:
Oct. 28, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1996
Herbert S Goode, Jr, Burien, WA (US);
Jean A Nielsen, Kent, WA (US);
Larry E Nitzsche, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
The invention provides a method of removing surface scale from a titanium or titanium alloy substrate. The method includes the steps of heating the substrate to a temperature in the range from about 100.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C., and thereafter subjecting the heated surface to a plasma formed from a gas selected from the group of consisting of CF.sub.4 and SF.sub.6. The plasma reacts with the surface scale, removing the scale, without attacking the underlying crystalline titanium or titanium alloy. Properly controlled, the plasma reaction terminates when the plasma has penetrated the scale and encounters the underlying crystalline metal. As a result, the method of the invention is capable of uniform removal of the entire surface scale of a crystalline titanium-containing substrate, without intergranular attack of the substrate.