Synthetic rutile derived titanium alloy development utilising the Metalysis Process and field assisted sintering technology

¹ University of Sheffield, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3 JD, UK
² Metalysis Ltd, Unit 4 R-evolution@the AMP, Brindley Way, Catcliffe, Rotherham, S60 5FS, UK

^* Email: sjgraham1@sheffield.ac.uk

Abstract

Utilising novel extraction and processing technologies allows for the realisation of an alternative titanium alloy production route, with many benefits over the traditional Kroll-based one. The route proposed has the potential to reduce the cost of titanium and offers the ability to create alloys which are difficult to make conventionally. It combines the Metalysis Process, an electrolytic metal extraction technique, with field assisted sintering technology (FAST), a rapid and effective solid-state sintering technique. The Metalysis Process reduces metal oxide powders directly into metal powders, which can then be consolidated using FAST. Using synthetic rutile (SR) as the feedstock, compared to pigment grade rutile and TiCl₄, further reduces the cost of titanium produced via this route.

This research investigates the use of this route to create a range of pseudo-binary Ti-Fe alloys, by co-reducing SR with iron (III) oxide (Fe O ). Various techniques were used to analyse the feedstock, reduced alloy powders and consolidated material post-FAST to 23 determine chemistry and microstructure.