US3278280A - Workable ruthenium alloy and process for producing the same - Google Patents

Workable ruthenium alloy and process for producing the same Download PDF

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Publication number
US3278280A
US3278280A US352379A US35237964A US3278280A US 3278280 A US3278280 A US 3278280A US 352379 A US352379 A US 352379A US 35237964 A US35237964 A US 35237964A US 3278280 A US3278280 A US 3278280A
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United States
Prior art keywords
alloy
ruthenium
gold
palladium
workable
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Expired - Lifetime
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US352379A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jr Frederick C Holtz
Raymond F Vines
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Huntington Alloys Corp
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International Nickel Co Inc
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Publication date
Application filed by International Nickel Co Inc filed Critical International Nickel Co Inc
Priority to US352379A priority Critical patent/US3278280A/en
Priority to GB9730/65A priority patent/GB1025400A/en
Priority to DEJ27676A priority patent/DE1260154B/de
Priority to FR9274A priority patent/FR1426691A/fr
Priority to BE661173D priority patent/BE661173A/xx
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Publication of US3278280A publication Critical patent/US3278280A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/02—Contacts characterised by the material thereof
    • H01H1/021—Composite material
    • H01H1/023—Composite material having a noble metal as the basic material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/04—Making non-ferrous alloys by powder metallurgy
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/04—Making non-ferrous alloys by powder metallurgy
    • C22C1/0466—Alloys based on noble metals
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C5/00—Alloys based on noble metals
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C5/00—Alloys based on noble metals
    • C22C5/04—Alloys based on a platinum group metal

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a novel alloy and, more particularly, to a novel ruthenium-rich alloy and articles made therefrom by powder metallurgy techniques.
  • ruthenium can have advantages not shared by most other metals. For example, the nobility, high melting point, and hardness which characterize ruthenium make it advantageous for an electrical contact material. As a practical matter, however, the working problems associated with ruthenium cause difficulties in making contacts for switch and other electronic and electrical components therefrom. Although attempts were made to overcome the foregoing difficulties and other difficulties, none, as far as we are aware, was entirely successful when carried into practice commercially on an industrial scale.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a novel workable ruthenium-rich alloy.
  • FIGURE 1 is a representation of the alloy structure of the present invention taken at 75 diameters and FIGURE 2 is a similar representation taken at 250 diameters.
  • the present invention contemplates a novel liquid-phase sintered, duplex-structured ruthenium alloy containing, in weight percent, about 60% to about 90% ruthenium, about 5% to about 35% gold, and about 5% to about 35% palladium.
  • the ruthenium essentially appears in the form of rounded grains dispersed in and metallurgically bonded to a continuous gold palladium alloy matrix which matrix is believed to be substantially saturated with ruthenium.
  • the grains of rutheinum are advantageously about 0.002 inch to about 0.0002 inch in diameter.
  • the alloy can contain up to in the aggregate of platinum, rhodium, iridium, molybdenum and tungsten, by weight, and can contain small amounts, e.g., up to 0.5%, of impurities unavoidably associated with gold, palladium and ruthenium.
  • metal 3,278,280 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 powders of the alloy ingredients having a particle size below 100 mesh are mixed thoroughly and pressed into a compact.
  • the compacted mixture is then sintered at a sufiiciently high temperature to liquefy and distribute the gold-palladium phase.
  • the thus-produced alloy i then cooled.
  • the ratio of gold to palladium is maintained at about 2:1 to about 1:1 in the alloy to render the alloy cold workable, for example, to the extent that the alloy can be reduced at least about 40% in section without annealing.
  • ruthenium powder is compacted into a compact, is lightly sintered if desired, is then infiltrated with molten gold-palladium alloy, and is cooled to solidify the matrix phase.
  • the ruthenium powder compact is subjected to a vacuum pretreatment at sintering temperatures prior to infiltration with gold-palladium alloy.
  • FIGURES 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing depict, respectively, the microstructure taken at diameters and at 250 diameters of Alloy No. 8 herein produced by the contact infiltration method.
  • the drawing shows substantially rounded, isolated grains or islands of ruthenium 11 dispersed in and bonded to a continuous gold-palladium phase 12.
  • the more wear resistant ruthenium grains 11 stand out presenting in effect a substantially pure ruthenium surface.
  • the ruthenium grains are surrounded by and metallurgically bonded to the matrix metal.
  • the matrix metal and the ruthenium cooperate to produce a workable composite of substantial hardness, strength and significant ductility.
  • alloy composition In carrying the invention into practice, it is advantageous with respect to alloy composition to maintain the amount of ruthenium within the range of about 60% to about to maintain the amount of gold within the range of about 5% to about 30%, and to maintain the amount of palladium within the range of about 5% to about 30%.
  • the gold and palladium contents are maintained between about 10% and 20%, by weight of the alloy and the gold:palladium ratio is maintained between about 2:1 and 1:1 to confer cold workability to the liquid-phase sintered alloy. Even more advantageously from the cold-workability standpoint, the gold: palladium ratio does not exceed about 1.5 to 1. Ruthenium contents below 60% result in sagging or distortion during sintering while ruthenium contents above provide poor ductility in the resulting alloy articles. Gold contents below 5% (with palladium contents above 30% or 35%) result in excessive solution of ruthenium in the matrix phase with the result that the matrix phase becomes very hard and of limited workability.
  • Liquid-phase sintered alloys such as those set forth in Table I which are made by either infiltration or powder mixing techniques employing metal powders of about 325 mesh can exhibit ultimate tensile strengths (U.T.S.) in the range of about 60 to about 100 thousands of pounds per square inch (p.s.i.) and elongations of the order of 5% to about 10%.
  • the alloys are readily workable and are substantially uniformly deformed during working. That is, both the matrix and the dispersed ruthenium particles deform under working conditions.
  • sintered portions of Alloy N0. 8 pro quizd by contact infiltration could be cold rolled to efiect a 45% reduction in thickness without developing edge cracks. When cold rolling, it is advisable to limit reductions to about 5% to 10% per pass.
  • commercially pure massive ruthenium cannot be reduced in section to any significant extent by cold working methods.
  • the alloys of the invention are characterized by a high combination of nobility, melting point, hardness, workability, and ductility. These characteristics make alloys of the present invention particularly suitable in electrical and electronic applications, particularly in instances where mechanical wear is encountered. Thus, contacts includinge electrical contacts, welding contacts, etc., bearings for instruments, slip rings, etc., may be produced from the liquid-phase sintered alloys provided in accordance with the invention.
  • a liquid-phase sintered alloy containing, by weight, about 5% to'about 35% gold, about 5% to 35% palladium and the balance essentially ruthenium, and with the ruthenium content being at least about 60% of the alloy, said alloy having a duplex structure consisting of rounded ruthenium grains dispersed in a gold-palladium alloy matrix.
  • a cold-worked electrical contact made of a liquidphase sintered alloy containing, by weight, about 5% to about 35% gold, at least about 5% palladium, with the ratio of gold to palladium being about 2:1 to about 1:1, and the balance essentially ruthenium, and with the ruthenium content being at least about 60% of the alloy, said alloy having a duplex structure consisting of rounded ruthenium grains dispersed in a gold-palladium alloy matrix.
  • the method for producing a cold-workable ruthenium alloy which comprises preparing a compact comprising ruthenium powder and distributing throughout said compact a molten gold-palladium alloy containing gold and palladium in the ratio of about 2:1 to about 1:1 to pro prise a final comp-act containing, by weight, about 5% to about 35% gold, at least about 5% palladium, and the balance essentially ruthenium, and with the ruthenium content being at least about 60% of the alloy, and having a duplex structure consisting of rounded ruthenium grains distributed through a gold-palladium alloy matrix.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Powder Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Contacts (AREA)
US352379A 1964-03-16 1964-03-16 Workable ruthenium alloy and process for producing the same Expired - Lifetime US3278280A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US352379A US3278280A (en) 1964-03-16 1964-03-16 Workable ruthenium alloy and process for producing the same
GB9730/65A GB1025400A (en) 1964-03-16 1965-03-08 Ruthenium alloys
DEJ27676A DE1260154B (de) 1964-03-16 1965-03-11 Ruthenium-Sinterlegierung sowie Verwendung und Herstellung derselben
FR9274A FR1426691A (fr) 1964-03-16 1965-03-15 Alliages de ruthénium
BE661173D BE661173A (me) 1964-03-16 1965-03-16

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US352379A US3278280A (en) 1964-03-16 1964-03-16 Workable ruthenium alloy and process for producing the same

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US3278280A true US3278280A (en) 1966-10-11

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US (1) US3278280A (me)
BE (1) BE661173A (me)
DE (1) DE1260154B (me)
GB (1) GB1025400A (me)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8436520B2 (en) 2010-07-29 2013-05-07 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for use with a spark plug
US8471451B2 (en) 2011-01-05 2013-06-25 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Ruthenium-based electrode material for a spark plug
US8575830B2 (en) 2011-01-27 2013-11-05 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US8760044B2 (en) 2011-02-22 2014-06-24 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US8766519B2 (en) 2011-06-28 2014-07-01 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US8890399B2 (en) 2012-05-22 2014-11-18 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Method of making ruthenium-based material for spark plug electrode
US8979606B2 (en) 2012-06-26 2015-03-17 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Method of manufacturing a ruthenium-based spark plug electrode material into a desired form and a ruthenium-based material for use in a spark plug
US9337624B2 (en) 2012-10-12 2016-05-10 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug and method of making the same
US10044172B2 (en) 2012-04-27 2018-08-07 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode for spark plug comprising ruthenium-based material

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2813087A1 (de) * 1978-03-25 1979-10-04 Rau Fa G Kontaktelement aus feinwanderungsbestaendigem kontaktmaterial und herstellungsverfahren hierzu

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1789733A (en) * 1924-09-08 1931-01-20 Firm W C Heraeus Gmbh Thermoelectric generator
US2206616A (en) * 1938-09-17 1940-07-02 Andrew R Devereux Osmium composition and method of making same
US2328580A (en) * 1941-12-19 1943-09-07 Parker Pen Co Ruthenium alloy pen point
US2470034A (en) * 1945-11-27 1949-05-10 Mallory & Co Inc P R Electric contact formed of a ruthenium composition

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1789733A (en) * 1924-09-08 1931-01-20 Firm W C Heraeus Gmbh Thermoelectric generator
US2206616A (en) * 1938-09-17 1940-07-02 Andrew R Devereux Osmium composition and method of making same
US2328580A (en) * 1941-12-19 1943-09-07 Parker Pen Co Ruthenium alloy pen point
US2470034A (en) * 1945-11-27 1949-05-10 Mallory & Co Inc P R Electric contact formed of a ruthenium composition

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8436520B2 (en) 2010-07-29 2013-05-07 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for use with a spark plug
US8471451B2 (en) 2011-01-05 2013-06-25 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Ruthenium-based electrode material for a spark plug
US8575830B2 (en) 2011-01-27 2013-11-05 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US8760044B2 (en) 2011-02-22 2014-06-24 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US8766519B2 (en) 2011-06-28 2014-07-01 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug
US10044172B2 (en) 2012-04-27 2018-08-07 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode for spark plug comprising ruthenium-based material
US8890399B2 (en) 2012-05-22 2014-11-18 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Method of making ruthenium-based material for spark plug electrode
US8979606B2 (en) 2012-06-26 2015-03-17 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Method of manufacturing a ruthenium-based spark plug electrode material into a desired form and a ruthenium-based material for use in a spark plug
US9337624B2 (en) 2012-10-12 2016-05-10 Federal-Mogul Ignition Company Electrode material for a spark plug and method of making the same

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Publication number Publication date
DE1260154B (de) 1968-02-01
GB1025400A (en) 1966-04-06
BE661173A (me) 1965-09-16

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