US2009107290A1PendingUtilityA1

Plasma-based reduction of titanium oxides

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Assignee: LOS ALAMOS NAT SECURITY LLCPriority: Oct 25, 2007Filed: Oct 25, 2007Published: Apr 30, 2009
Est. expiryOct 25, 2027(~1.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Louis A. RosochaDon M. Coates
C22B 4/005Y02P10/122C22B 34/1286C22B 34/1281C22B 5/12
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Claims

Abstract

A method for reducing titanium and other metal oxides to metal is disclosed. The method comprises providing a titanium or other metal oxide exposing the metal oxide to a non-thermal plasma, and reducing at least a portion of the titanium oxide to provide titanium metal. The non-thermal plasma may be formed using a first inert gas species, and a second reactive gas species.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for reducing titanium oxides to titanium metal, the method comprising:
 providing a titanium oxide;   exposing the titanium oxide to a non-thermal plasma;   reducing at least a portion of the titanium oxide to provide titanium metal; and   wherein the non-thermal plasma is formed using a first inert gas species, and a second reactive gas species.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first inert gas species comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of the Nobel gasses and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first inert gas species comprises Argon. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactive gas species comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide, one or more hydrocarbon gasses, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactive gas species comprises hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactive gas species comprises hydrogen gas. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is selected from the group consisting of an electrical-discharge plasma, a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma, a dielectric barrier plasma, a pulsed corona discharge plasma, a pulsed homogeneous/quasi-homogeneous plasma, a glow discharge plasma, and an atmospheric pressure plasma jet. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is selected from the group consisting of an electrical-discharge plasma, and a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the titanium metal is a titanium metal powder. 
   
   
       11 . A method for reducing metal oxides to metal, the method comprising:
 providing a metal oxide;   exposing the metal oxide to a non-thermal plasma;   reducing at least a portion of the metal oxide to provide a metal;   wherein the non-thermal plasma is formed using a first inert gas species, and a second reactive gas species, and the second reactive gas species comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide, one or more hydrocarbon gasses, and mixtures thereof.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second reactive gas species comprises hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second reactive gas species comprises hydrogen gas. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first inert gas species comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of the Nobel gasses and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first inert gas species comprises Argon. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is selected from the group consisting of an electrical-discharge plasma, a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma, a dielectric barrier plasma, a pulsed corona discharge plasma, a pulsed homogeneous/quasi-homogeneous plasma, a glow discharge plasma, and an atmospheric pressure plasma jet. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is selected from the group consisting of an electrical-discharge plasma, and a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-thermal plasma is a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal provided is a metal powder. 
   
   
       20 . A method for reducing titanium oxides to titanium metal, the method comprising:
 providing a titanium oxide;   exposing the titanium oxide to a non-thermal plasma selected from the group consisting of an electrical-discharge plasma, a microwave-driven non-thermal plasma, a dielectric barrier plasma, a pulsed corona discharge plasma, a pulsed homogeneous/quasi-homogeneous plasma, a glow discharge plasma, and an atmospheric pressure plasma jet, the plasma being formed using a first inert gas species, and a second reactive gas species;   reducing at least a portion of the titanium oxide to provide titanium metal powder; and   wherein the second reactive gas species comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide, one or more hydrocarbon gasses, and mixtures thereof.

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