Claims
- 1. In the method of consolidating a body in any of initially powdered, sintered, fibrous, sponge, or other form capable of compaction, that includes the steps:a) providing flowable pressure transmission particles having carbonaceous and ceramic composition or compositions, b) heating said particles to elevated temperature, c) locating said heated particles in a bed, d) positioning said body at said bed, to receive pressure transmission, e) effecting pressurization of said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to compact and consolidate the body into desired shape, increasing its density; f) the body consisting essentially of one or more metals selected from the following group: tungsten, rhenium, uranium, tantalum, platinum, copper, gold, hafnium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium and aluminum; g) said consolidated body having, along a body dimension, one of the following characteristics: i) decreasing strength ii) increasing ductility iii) decreasing strength, and increasing ductility.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body has varying metallic composition along said dimension.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said varying metallic composition is characterized by a series of zones, the metal of each zone having a characteristic composition which differs from that of an adjacent zone or zones.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the metals in at least two successive zones consist substantially of tantalum, and tantalum consolidated with a metal or metals selected from the group tungsten, rhenium, uranium, tantalum, platinum, copper, gold, hafnium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium and aluminum.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said body consists of powders of metals that have been initially combined and compressed into body form, at pressure exceeding 20,000 pounds per square inch, prior to said step e) pressurization.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least part of said body has one of the following forms:i) cone ii) lens iii) cylinder iv) cylinder and cone combination v) cylinder and lens combination.
- 7. The method of claim 5 including preheating said body to temperature in excess of 900° C., subsequent to said initial combining and compressing and prior to said pressurization.
- 8. The method of claim 5 including effecting said initial combining and compressing at ambient temperature.
- 9. The method of claim 5 including providing an elastomeric container, positioning said powders in said container, and effecting said initial compressing by compressing said container.
- 10. The method of claim 9 including evacuating gases from said container, prior to said initial compressing thereof.
- 11. The method of claim 10 including sealing of said container after evacuating gases therefrom.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said initial compressing is effected to compress the body to about 60% of body theoretical density.
- 13. The method of claim 1 wherein said pressurization is effected to form the body into generally conical shape.
- 14. The method of claim 1 including effecting said initial compressing to form the body into generally cylindrical shape, with taper at one end.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said pressurization is carried out to reduce the body size while maintaining body generally cylindrical shape with taper at one end.
- 16. The method of claim 5 wherein the powders at one zone of the body consist essentially of tantalum particles coated with substance or substances selected from the group that include tungsten, rhenium, uranium, platinum, copper, gold, hafnium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium and aluminum.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the weight percent of said substance or substances is about 16% of the overall weight of the total powder.
- 18. The method of claim 1 wherein said particles are generally spheroidal and consist of graphite, and/or graphite and ceramic composite.
- 19. The method of claim 1 wherein said body in said bed, prior to said step e) is at a temperature between about 200° C. and 1,800° C.
- 20. The method of claim 1 wherein said body is positioned in said bed to be surrounded by said particulate, the bed consisting substantially entirely of particles in the form of graphite and/or graphite/ceramic beads.
- 21. The method of claim 15 wherein said bed contains sufficient of said flowable particles as to remain essentially free of agglomeration during said (e) step.
- 22. The method of claim 1 wherein said bed consists essentially of one of the following particulates:i) graphite ii) ceramic iii) graphite and ceramic.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the particle mesh size is between 50 and 240.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/551,248, filed Apr. 18, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,209 incorporated herein by reference, which claims priority to Provisional Application Serial No. 60/165,781 filed Nov. 16, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/165781 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/551248 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/592974 |
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US |