GB2211147A - Process for treating a material - Google Patents

Process for treating a material Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2211147A
GB2211147A GB8823477A GB8823477A GB2211147A GB 2211147 A GB2211147 A GB 2211147A GB 8823477 A GB8823477 A GB 8823477A GB 8823477 A GB8823477 A GB 8823477A GB 2211147 A GB2211147 A GB 2211147A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
metal
reactive
gaseous
reactive medium
water
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8823477A
Other versions
GB8823477D0 (en
Inventor
R Perkins
R Airey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Original Assignee
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by UK Atomic Energy Authority filed Critical UK Atomic Energy Authority
Publication of GB8823477D0 publication Critical patent/GB8823477D0/en
Publication of GB2211147A publication Critical patent/GB2211147A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B41/00—After-treatment of mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramics; Treatment of natural stone
    • C04B41/53—After-treatment of mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramics; Treatment of natural stone involving the removal of at least part of the materials of the treated article, e.g. etching, drying of hardened concrete
    • C04B41/5338—Etching
    • C04B41/5346—Dry etching
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K13/00—Etching, surface-brightening or pickling compositions
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23F—NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25
    • C23F1/00—Etching metallic material by chemical means
    • C23F1/10—Etching compositions
    • C23F1/12—Gaseous compositions
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23G—CLEANING OR DE-GREASING OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY CHEMICAL METHODS OTHER THAN ELECTROLYSIS
    • C23G5/00—Cleaning or de-greasing metallic material by other methods; Apparatus for cleaning or de-greasing metallic material with organic solvents

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning And De-Greasing Of Metallic Materials By Chemical Methods (AREA)

Abstract

A material is treated by contact with a gaseous reactive medium which is produced by bringing together a reactive metal (e.g. sodium, potassium, lithium, caesium or rubidium (e.g. in the form of superheated steam or water droplets). Materials which may be treated (e.g. to cause cutting, surface smoothing, deburring or descaling) include, for example, metals, metal alloys and ceramic materials.

Description

Process for treating a material The present invention relates to treating a material.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for treating a material which comprises contacting the material with a gaseous reactive medium produced by bringing together a reactive metal and water.
The water may be in any suitable form, for example liquid water (e.g. in droplet form) or steam (e.g.
superheated steam, saturated steam or steam with entrained liquid water).
The reactive metal is preferably liquid metal or a liquid metal alloy.
Examples of reactive metals which may be used in accordance with the present invention are sodium, potassium, lithium, caesium and rubidium and alloys of these metals (e.g. an alloy of sodium and potassium).
As used in this Specification "gaseous reactive medium" means a reactive medium which is capable of bringing about a desired treatment of a material when said material is contacted with said medium, said medium having a gaseous component or a component in vapour form.
The medium may contain, in addition to a gaseous component or a component in vapour form, other substances for example entrained water (e.g. water droplets), particles of reactive metal (e.g. droplets of liquid metal) and products of reaction between the reactive metal and water, which products of reaction may be, for example, in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
In one embodiment of the present invention a gaseous reactive medium may be prepared by spraying liquid sodium as droplets into a stream of superheated steam. The gaseous reactive medium in this embodiment may then typically contain steam, hydrogen, sodium oxide, sodium hydroxide and sodium hydride.
In a second embodiment of the present invention a gaseous reactive medium may be prepared by combining a spray of lithium droplets and a spray of water droplets.
As used in this Specification "reactive metal" means a metal which when brought together with water is capable of producing a gaseous reactive medium which is capable of bringing about a desired treatment of a material when said material is exposed to the influence of said gaseous reactive medium.
By way of example, a material may be cut, or a material surface made smoother, or burrs or scale may be removed from a material by use of a gaseous reactive medium in accordance with the invention.
Examples of materials which may be treated in accordance with the present invention are metals, metal alloys (including the so-called super alloys) and ceramic materials.
By way of example, where, in accordance with the present invention a reactive metal is brought together with water such that the gaseous reactive medium is in the form of a "flame" containing caustic substances, treatment of materials with the "flame" (e.g. to effect cutting, smoothing, deburring or descaling) may be termed "caustic flame machining". For example, liquid sodium and steam may be brought together to produce a "flame" (maximum temperature of approximately 11600C) containing incandescent particles of burning sodium droplets and the flame used in "caustic flame machining".
The composition and temperature of the gaseous reactive medium may be varied by controlling the amounts of reactive metal and water which are brought together in a given time and the pressure at which they are brought together.
It is believed that cutting, smoothing, deburring or descaling in accordance with the present invention involves, at least in part, removal of material by rapid chemical attack.
In accordance with the present invention a material may be treated to effect e.g. cutting, smoothing, deburring or descaling at temperature substantially lower than those involved in the use of thermic lances. Thus, it is believed that the present invention may be applied, for example, to treatment of metals and metal alloys so as substantially to avoid causing heat affected zones.
It will be appreciated that application of the gaseous reactive medium to the material may give rise to heating of the material. By way of example, if desired, the material may be heated independently of any heating caused by application of the gaseous reactive medium. Thus, for example, heat may be applied to the material from a separate source capable of heating the material in addition to any heating arising from the application of the gaseous reactive medium. The application of additional heat from a separate some may be used, for example, to encourage more rapid cutting, smoothing, deburring or descaling in accordance with the present invention. The provision of additional separate heating may also, for example, assist in reducing the effect of thermal shock.
The present invention will now be further described, by way of example only, as follows: Example 1 Liquid sodium, initially at 1200C, was pumped through a nozzle (of minimum diameter 0.5mm) by displacement with a metered flow of pumped paraffin.
By directing the flow of liquid sodium from the nozzle axially along a jet of superheated steam (flowing at 10.4g sec 1 from a supply initially at 3250C and 3 bars total pressure) the liquid sodium was dispersed into a spray of liquid sodium.
This spray reacted spontaneously with the steam to form a gaseous reactive medium in the form of a "flame" of incandescent particles. The "flame" temperature, measured by means of thermocoupies, was in the range 1100 to 11500C.
The gaseous reactive medium was contacted with an alumina ceramic surface by directing the "flame" to impinge on the said ceramic surface.
A smoothing of the surface was observed. This was confirmed by scanning electron microscope examination which revealed an apparently X10 reduction in surface roughness.
Example 2 The procedure of Example 1 was repeated with the exception that the gaseous reactive medium was contacted with a zirconia ceramic surface by directing the "flame" to impinge on the said ceramic surface.
A smoothing of the surface was observed. This was confirmed by scanning electron microscope examination which revealed an approximately X10 reduction in surface roughness.
Example 3 The procedure of Example 1 was repeated with the exception that the gaseous reactive medium was contacted with a nickel alloy artefact. Machining burrs were rapidly removed from the artefact.

Claims (12)

Claims
1. A process for treating a material which comprises contacting the material with a gaseous reactive medium produced by bringing together a reactive metal and water.
2. A process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein liquid water in droplet form is brought together with the reactive metal to produce the gaseous reactive medium.
3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein steam is brought together with the reactive metal to produce the gaseous reactive medium.
4. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the reactive metal is a liquid metal or a liquid metal alloy.
5. A process as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the reactive metal is sodium, potassium, lithium, caesium or rubidium or an alloy of any two of these metals.
6. A process claimed in Claim 1 wherein the gaseous reactive medium is prepared by spraying liquid sodium as droplets into a stream of superheated steam.
7. A process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the gaseous reactive medium is prepared by combining a spray of lithium droplets and a spray of water droplets.
8. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the composition and temperature of the gaseous reactive medium is controlled by controlling the amount of reactive metal and water which are brought together in a given time and/or the pressure at which the reactive metal and water are brought together.
9. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the material is heated by the application of heat independently of any heating arising from contact with the gaseous reactive medium.
10. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein a material is cut, or a material surface is made smoother, or burrs or scale is removed from a material by use of a gaseous reactive medium.
11. A process as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the material is a metal or a ceramic.
12. A process for treating a material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the Examples 1, 2 and 3.
GB8823477A 1987-10-19 1988-10-06 Process for treating a material Withdrawn GB2211147A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB878724423A GB8724423D0 (en) 1987-10-19 1987-10-19 Process for treating material

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8823477D0 GB8823477D0 (en) 1988-11-16
GB2211147A true GB2211147A (en) 1989-06-28

Family

ID=10625521

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB878724423A Pending GB8724423D0 (en) 1987-10-19 1987-10-19 Process for treating material
GB8823477A Withdrawn GB2211147A (en) 1987-10-19 1988-10-06 Process for treating a material

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB878724423A Pending GB8724423D0 (en) 1987-10-19 1987-10-19 Process for treating material

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB8724423D0 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8216663B2 (en) * 2005-06-28 2012-07-10 Canaan Precision Co., Ltd. Surface-modified member, surface-treating process and apparatus therefor

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Chemical Abstracts Vol. *
Chemical Abstracts Vol.8 *
Chemical Abstracts Vol.9 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8216663B2 (en) * 2005-06-28 2012-07-10 Canaan Precision Co., Ltd. Surface-modified member, surface-treating process and apparatus therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8823477D0 (en) 1988-11-16
GB8724423D0 (en) 1987-11-25

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)