Granted Patent B2

US 12,553,110 · App. 18/462,711 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventor: Andrew Ruzek (Mayfield Heights, OH)

Assignee: Materion Corporation

C22C1/0408C21D9/00C22C25/00C21D2201/05

Abstract

Claims (45)

1 . A method of grain refining a beryllium-based article, the method comprising:

combining beryllium and at least one stabilizer comprising at least one metal being selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, nickel, and iron to form a pre-alloy composition;

depositing a layer comprising the pre-alloy composition on a surface;

cycling at least a portion of the layer above a temperature that is greater than or equal to the beta transus temperature of the pre-alloy composition;

precipitating a β-phase of the beryllium in the layer; and

repeating the depositing/cycling/precipitating for one or more successive layers, wherein each of the successive layers comprises the pre-alloy composition and wherein the beryllium-based article has an average grain size from 1 to 80 microns.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beryllium-based article comprises from 1 at. % to 99 at. % of β-phase species, based on the total beryllium in the beryllium-based article.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the combining of beryllium and the at least one stabilizer is done by mixing, blending, atomization, mechanical alloying, resonant mixing, or combinations thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-alloy composition comprises from 40 to 95% by weight of beryllium and from 5 to 60% by weight of the at least one stabilizer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one stabilizer is cobalt and the pre-alloy composition comprises from 15 to 25% by weight of cobalt;

the at least one stabilizer is copper and the pre-alloy composition comprises from 40 to 60% by weight of copper;

the at least one stabilizer is nickel and the pre-alloy composition comprises from 25 to 35% by weight of nickel; or

the at least one stabilizer is iron and the pre-alloy composition comprises from 5 to 15% by weight of iron.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cycling further comprises exposing the deposited layer to an energy source.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cycling further comprises cooling.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average grain size is from 5 to 25 microns.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-alloy composition is in the form of particles.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the particles have a D50 average size from 10 to 50 microns.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the successive layers are deposited on at least a portion of the previously deposited layer.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beta transus temperature is from 1050° C. to 1250° C.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beryllium-based article comprises beryllium; and

at least one stabilizer comprising at least one metal being selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, nickel, and iron,

wherein the beryllium-based article has an average grain size from 1 to 80 microns, and

wherein the beryllium-based article comprises from 1 at. % to 99 at. % of β-phase species based on the total beryllium in the beryllium-based article.

14 . A method of grain refining a beryllium-based article, the method comprising:

depositing a layer on a surface, the layer comprising a pre-alloy composition comprising beryllium and at least one stabilizer comprising at least one metal being selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, nickel, and iron;

cycling at least a portion of the layer above a temperature that is greater than or equal to the beta transus temperature of the pre-alloy composition;

precipitating a β-phase of the beryllium in the layer; and

repeating the depositing/cycling/precipitating for one or more successive layers, wherein each of the successive layers comprises the pre-alloy composition and wherein the beryllium-based article has an average grain size from 1 to 80 microns.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the beryllium-based article comprises from 1 at. % to 99 at. % of β-phase species, based on the total beryllium in the beryllium-based article.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the cycling further comprises exposing the deposited layer to an energy source.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the beta transus temperature is from 1050° C. to 1250° C.

18 . A beryllium-based article comprising:

beryllium; and

at least one stabilizer comprising at least one metal being selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, nickel, and iron,

wherein the beryllium-based article has an average grain size from 1 to 80 microns, and

wherein the beryllium-based article comprises from 1 at. % to 99 at. % of β-phase species based on the total beryllium in the beryllium-based article, wherein the beryllium-based article is produced by:

combining beryllium and at least one stabilizer comprising at least one metal being selected from the group consisting of cobalt, copper, nickel, and iron to form a pre-alloy composition;

depositing a layer comprising the pre-alloy composition on a surface;

cycling at least a portion of the layer above a temperature that is greater than or equal to the beta transus temperature of the pre-alloy composition;

precipitating a β-phase of the beryllium in the layer; and

repeating the depositing/cycling/precipitating for one or more successive layers.

19 . The beryllium-based article of 18, comprising from 40 to 95% by weight of beryllium.

20 . The beryllium-based article of 18, comprising from 5 to 60% by weight of the at least one stabilizer.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (9)