Niobium based alloy that is resistant to aqueous corrosion

Abstract

A niobium or niobium alloy which contains pure or substantially pure niobium and at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re to form a niobium alloy that is resistant to aqueous corrosion. The invention also relates to the process of preparing the niobium alloy.

1 . A niobium alloy which comprises pure or substantially pure niobium or a niobium alloy and at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re to form a niobium alloy that is resistant to aqueous corrosion, and wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less than 5,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         2 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the metal element is platinum. 
     
     
         3 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the metal element is ruthenium or rhodium or palladium or osmium or iridium. 
     
     
         4 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the metal element is molybdenum or rhenium. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less 2,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less 2,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less 2,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less 2,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         11 . A process to produce the niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1  which is resistant to aqueous corrosion, which comprises microalloying pure or substantially pure niobium and at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less than 10,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is platinum. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is ruthenium or rhodium or palladium or osmium or iridium. 
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is molybdenum or rhenium. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less than 5,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less 2,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         18 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the metal element is present in an amount of at least 150 ppm in the alloy 
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the the alloy is made using laser additive manufacturing (LAM), vacuum arc remelting (VAR), electron beam melting (EBM), or plasma are melting (PAM). 
     
     
         20 . A process of improving corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement resistance of a niobium alloy which comprises microalloying at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re with a pure or substantially pure niobium or a niobium alloy. 
     
     
         21 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one metal element is Re. 
     
     
         22 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one metal element is Mo. 
     
     
         23 . A niobium alloy which consists essentially of pure or substantially pure niobium or a niobium alloy and at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re to form a niobium alloy that is resistant to aqueous corrosion, and wherein the metal element is present in an amount of less than 10,000 ppm in the alloy. 
     
     
         24 . The niobium alloy as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the metal element is molybdenum or rhenium.