Low oxygen refractory metal powder for powder metallurgy

Abstract

A method of making sheet bar and other precursors of formed products to be made by extensive working. The method includes providing a powder metal, preferably under 100 PPM oxygen content of non-spherical particles, compacting the powder into a coherent precursor form of at least 100 pounds, whereby a precursor is provided enabling extended fabrication to a finished product form. The finished product is resistant to breakup in fabrication due to oxide inclusion effect and produces a low oxygen end product. The method can process multiple species of metals that include at least one higher melting metal and one lower melting metal to produce an alloy or micro-composite of the metals as worked, where one metal is preferably a refractory metal (Ta, Nb, W, Wo, Zr, Hf, V and Re). The process is controlled to cause powder of the higher melting metal to be extended into a fibrous form.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making sheet bar and other precursors of formed products to be made by extensive working comprising: 
 providing a metal as a powder under 250 PPM oxygen content of non-spherical particles,    compacting the powder into a coherent precursor form of at least 100 pounds,    whereby a precursor is provided enabling extended fabrication to a finished product form, which is resistant to breakup in fabrication due to oxide inclusion effect and produces a low oxygen end product.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the powder has under 100 ppm oxygen.  
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with either of claims  1  or  2  wherein the metal is a refractory metal Ta, Nb, W, Wo, Zr, Hf, V and Re).  
     
     
         4 . The method of either of claims  1  or  2  wherein multiple species of metals are provided.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the multiple species include at least one higher melting metal and one lower melting metal to produce an alloy or micro-composite of the metals as worked.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the process is controlled to cause powder of the higher melting metal to be extended into a fibrous form.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the higher melting metal is a refractory metal.