GB386621A - Improved process for alloying or combining metals of any kind - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for the production of alloys, or combinations of metals of any kind, consists in separating a metal from its combination with an acid radical consisting of one kind of atom, e.g. a halide, by a second metal which is to be alloyed with the first metal, the second metal entering into a volatile combination with the acid radical of the first metal compound. If a chloride of the first metal is to be reduced it may be prepared by the direct chlorination of the raw ore. In an example, beryllium chloride vapour is fed into a receptacle containing aluminium. Aluminium chloride is formed and escapes with some unreduced beryllium chloride from the reaction chamber, the reduced beryllium alloying with the excess of aluminium on the application of more heat. The beryllium particles liberated may be fused together instead of being alloyed with an excess of aluminium. The working conditions may be so chosen that the salt to be decomposed is partly solid in the reaction chamber, and the yield of reduced metal may be controlled by adjusting the conditions of temperature and pressure. The reaction may take place in currents of gases which are inert towards, or which participate partly or completely in, the reaction, e.g. nitrogen, hydrogen, or rare gases such as argon, etc.; and such gases may serve to distil metals such as aluminium, magnesium, &c., into the reaction chamber, or to render non-volatile compounds produced by the reaction volatile during the process, as when beryllium sulphide is reduced in hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide being formed leaving the beryllium in the chamber to alloy with the second metal. Similar reactions occur with azides when hydrogen is used. The working temperature may be so arranged that the formation of the alloy takes place substantially or completely at the temperature of the reduction without additional heating. Heat for the initiation of the reduction and for its maintenance and for the alloying process may be supplied externally or by such means as the gases used in the process. The heat of the gases leaving the reaction chamber may be utilized by leading the gases around the reaction chamber. To utilize fully the heat developed during the reaction the walls of the reaction chamber are made of suitable material such as oxides of the metals taking part in the reaction, gold, platinum, iron, or nickel, or the walls may be plated with gold, platinum, &c.