Ti—Zr alloy powder and anode containing the same
A Ti—Zr alloy in powder form is described. Sintered pellets containing the Ti—Zr alloy powder of the present invention, as well as capacitor anodes, are further described.
1. A titanium-zirconium (Ti—Zr) alloy powder comprising an atomic ratio of Ti and Zr of from 10:90 to 90:10, and having a dendritic structure, an average primary particle size of from 550 nm to 2 microns and a BET surface area of from 1 m 2 /g to about 20 m 2 /g.
2. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder further comprises a Ti—Zr oxide layer on said titanium-zirconium alloy powder.
3. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 2 , wherein said Ti—Zr oxide layer further comprises phosphorus.
4. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 2 , wherein said Ti—Zr oxide layer further comprises phosphorus at a level of from about 50 ppm to about 5,000 ppm.
5. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 2 , wherein said Ti—Zr oxide layer further comprises phosphorus at a level of from about 200 ppm to about 5,000 ppm.
6. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder further comprises a Ti—Zr oxide layer on said titanium-zirconium alloy powder and said Ti—Zr oxide layer has a thickness of from about 5 nm to about 20 nm.
7. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder further comprises a Ti—Zr oxide layer that fully encapsulates said titanium-zirconium alloy powder.
8. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder are particles consisting of a single phase homogeneous solid solution of Ti and Zr.
9. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy has less than 50 ppm carbon.
10. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy has less than 500 ppm of individual grains of titanium or zirconium or both.
11. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a D10 and D90 that is within 35% of the D50.
12. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a D10 and D90 that is within 25% of the D50.
13. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a D10 of from about 0.3 micron to about 10 microns, a D50 of from about 0.5 micron to about 400 microns, and a D90 of from about 1 micron to about 700 microns.
14. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has an oxygen content of from about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %.
15. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a nitrogen content of from about 0.01 wt % to about 20 wt %.
16. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a BET surface area of from 2 m 2 /g to about 20 m 2 /g.
17. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder is a binary Ti—Zr alloy powder.
18. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy has less than 500 ppm of elements other than Ti, Zr, O, N, H, and P.
19. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy has less than 100 ppm of elements other than Ti, Zr, O, and P.
20. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said BET surface area is from 3 m 2 /g to about 10 m 2 /g.
21. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a fractal dimension of from about 2.0 to 2.95.
22. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 21 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a mesh size (US) of from −400 to −40 and a Scott density of from 6 g/in 3 to 30 g/in 3 .
23. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 21 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a mesh size (US) of from −400 to −40 and a Scott density of from 6 g/in 3 to 13 g/in 3 .
24. The titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , wherein said titanium-zirconium alloy powder has a fractal dimension of from 2 to 2.2.
25. A sintered pellet comprising the titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 that is shaped in the form of a pellet and sintered.
26. A capacitor anode comprising said titanium-zirconium alloy powder of claim 1 , that is pressed and sintered.
27. An electrolytic capacitor comprising the capacitor anode of claim 26 .
28. A method of forming a capacitor anode comprising the Ti—Zr alloy of claim 1 , said method comprising forming said Ti—Zr alloy into the shape of an anode and sintering at a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1200° C. for a time of at least 1 minute;
anodizing at from about 16 to about 200 volts;
annealing said anode at a temperature of from about 300 to about 350° C. for a time of from about 10 minutes to about 60 minutes; and
manganizing said anode.