Method of making rare-earth strengthened components
View Patent ↗A method of manufacturing a metallic component includes atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid having at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder. A series of heat treating steps are performed on the metallic powder. A first heat treating step is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere, and a second heat treating step is performed in an inert atmosphere. A third heat treating step is performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides. The metallic component is formed from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
1. A method of manufacturing a metallic component comprising:
atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder;
performing a series of heat treating steps on the metallic powder comprising
a first heat treating step performed in an oxidizing atmosphere,
a second heat treating step performed in an inert atmosphere, and
a third heat treating step performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides; and
forming the metallic component from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder comprises atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the metallic component comprises forming a combustion turbine component.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder comprises atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form a crystalline metallic powder.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder comprises atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form an amorphous metallic powder.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising milling the metallic powder to form a nanosized metallic powder.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising milling the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides to form a nanosized metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first heat treating step is performed for a first period of time; and wherein the second heat treating step is performed for a second period of time; and wherein the second period of time is greater than the first period of time.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic liquid comprises between 0.1% and 10% by weight of rare-earth elements.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one non rare-earth element comprises at least one of nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, and iron.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic liquid comprises at least 50% nickel by weight.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic liquid comprises at least 50% cobalt by weight.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing atmosphere comprises hydrogen.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing atmosphere comprises argon and oxygen.
15. A method of manufacturing a combustion turbine component comprising:
atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder;
performing a series of heat treating steps on the metallic powder comprising
a first heat treating step performed in an oxidizing atmosphere,
a second heat treating step performed in a vacuum, and
a third heat treating step performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides; and
forming the combustion turbine component from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form a metallic powder comprises atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form a crystalline metallic powder.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form a metallic powder comprises atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and one non rare-earth element in an inert atmosphere to form an amorphous metallic powder.
18. The method of claim 15 further comprising milling the metallic powder to form a nanosized metallic powder.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising milling the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides to form a nanosized metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first heat treating step is performed for a first period of time; and wherein the second heat treating step is performed for a second period of time; and wherein the second period of time is greater than the first period of time.
21. The method of claim 15 wherein the metallic liquid comprises between 0.1% and 10% by weight of rare-earth elements.
22. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one non rare-earth element comprises at least one of nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, and iron.
23. A method of manufacturing a combustion turbine component comprising:
atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid comprising at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder;
performing a series of heat treating steps on the metallic powder comprising
a first heat treating step performed in an oxidizing atmosphere for a first time period,
a second heat treating step performed in an inert atmosphere for a second time period greater than the first time period, and
a third heat treating step performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides; and
forming the combustion turbine component from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising milling the metallic powder to form a nanosized metallic powder.
25. The method of claim 23 further comprising milling the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides to form a nanosized metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
26. The method of claim 23 wherein the metallic liquid comprises between 0.1% and 10% by weight of rare-earth elements.
27. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one non rare-earth element comprises at least one of nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, and iron.