High strength rhenium alloys and high temperature components made from such alloys

Abstract

A refractory alloy that includes rhenium as the most abundant alloy component by atomic percent includes tungsten, and at least one element having a higher oxygen affinity than rhenium and having a melting temperature of at least 1650° C. One exemplary alloy includes at least 90% rhenium by atomic percent, about 0.25% to about 4% tungsten by atomic percent, and about 0.25% to about 2% tantalum by atomic percent.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 647,537 filed Jan. 26, 2005.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to methods for applying dense and highly uniform refractory metal alloy coatings onto articles such as aerospace components and, more particularly, to methods for coating at temperatures below the melting points of such alloys. BACKGROUND [0003] The aerospace industry is continuously seeking to increase the operating temperatures for launch vehicle components and equipment, and to thereby enhance the performance and increase the operational life for such products. Materials are needed that can withstand the high temperatures and pressures existing in a rocket exhaust environment. It is further desirable for high temperature and high pressure component materials that also are sufficiently strong that they can be manufactured as thin members and thereby reduce the overall component we...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention provides a refractory alloy that includes rhenium as the most abundant alloy component by atomic percent. The alloy also includes tungsten, and at least one element having a higher oxygen affinity than rhe

Problems solved by technology

Excessive erosion and / or wear rates may cause a component to have a short operational life even though the component has other mechanical properties that-exceed functional requirements.

Although laboratory-prepared very pure rhenium typically has high ductility, commercial grade rhenium tends to have low ductility at high temperatures.

If a rhenium component experiences a slight structural failure when exposed to elevated temperature, the structural weakness tends to lie in the inter-granular mode, indicating the grain boundary strength is lower than the bulk grain strength.

Low boundary strength creates a brittle material due to the inability of granular material to distort when subjected to a load.

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