Process for producing lithium-containing alloy material

Abstract

A process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material is described. The process supplies a light alloy material applicable to the design of lightweight structural components. The process includes first melting alloy materials at a required ratio into a homogeneous alloy melt, then pouring the alloy melt into a ladle protected with an inert gas and pre-filled with a lithium material, where the lithium material is vigorously flushed and mixed with a hot stream of the alloy melt, and diffused into the alloy melt, and then after uniformly mixing, pouring the lithium-containing alloy melt into a mold to form an ingot and produce a lithium alloy. The process solves the fundamental problems of both contamination and uncontrolled component caused by longtime overheat in traditional melting techniques, and is a novel, safe, economic, and efficient manufacture process.

1 . A process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material, comprising:
 (1) placing at least one alloy element into a crucible in a vacuum induction melting furnace;   (2) melting the alloy element into an alloy melt by induction heating in the vacuum induction melting furnace;   (3) pouring the alloy melt into a ladle protected with an inert gas and pre-filled with a lithium material;   (4) shaking the ladle, to vigorously flush and mix the lithium material with the alloy melt, thus forming a molten lithium alloy; and   (5) pouring the molten lithium alloy into a mold to form an ingot, thereby forming a lithium alloy.   
     
     
         2 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the step (2) comprises evacuating the vacuum induction melting furnace to a high vacuum level, to induction heat the alloy element in a vacuum environment. 
     
     
         3 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy element of the step (2) is induction heated in an atmospheric environment. 
     
     
         4 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of pre-heating the ladle before the step (3). 
     
     
         5 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the step (4) comprises strengthening the stirring of the alloy melt and the lithium material by means of an agitating apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 5 , wherein the agitating apparatus is a vibrator. 
     
     
         7 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 5 , wherein the agitating apparatus is an electromagnetic induction coil. 
     
     
         8 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy element is one selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, manganese, zirconium, zinc, titanium, scandium, yttrium, copper, silver, and silicon, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the main component of the alloy element is magnesium, to produce a lithium-magnesium alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The process for producing a lithium-containing alloy material according to  claim 1 , wherein the main component of the alloy element is aluminum, to produce a lithium-aluminum alloy.