GB747471A - Improvements relating to the dispersion of inorganic materials in metals - Google Patents

Abstract

Composite products consisting of one or more solid inorganic materials and a metal or metal mixture in which the said material or materials is or are substantially insoluble are made by mixing the material or materials, in the solid state, with the metal or metal mixture, in the liquid or pasty state, in the presence of at least one substance capable of lowering the interfacial tension between the materials and metals, this substance being selected from the elements Na, K, Cs, Li, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and compounds, other than halides, containing these elements. The metal or metals may be Al or Al alloys in which case the substance used may be a compound of one of the said elements which is reducible by the Al or Al alloy. Among the materials which may be added are metallic oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides, sulphides, silicides, cyanides, phosphides and arsenides, e.g. oxides of Al, Mg, Ti, Si and Ca or compounds containing two or more such oxides or carbides of Si, B, Ti, W, Mo, Fe and Al. Metallic ores or abrasives such as emery, sand, corundum or carborundum or carbon may be used. The process may be used in the refining of metalls or alloys when, after dispersion of the material in the metal or alloy to be refined, at least one molten halide is added causing the material to separate together with impurities.