Copper-based alloys, processes for producing the same, and products formed therefrom
a technology of copper-based alloys and processes, applied in the field of copper-based alloys, can solve the problems of large environmental impact, wide freezing range of alloys, prone to extensive dendritic solidification, etc., and achieves low melting temperature, less chemical segregation, and narrow freezing range.
Inactive Publication Date: 2013-04-18
PURDUE RES FOUND INC
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Benefits of technology
The invention is about a new type of copper alloy that has several technical advantages. Firstly, it has a narrow freezing range, which means it has less chemical segregation and microporosity during solidification. This makes it better suited for producing castings. Secondly, it has a low melting temperature, which makes it easier to cast complex shapes. Lastly, it is lead-free, which makes it ideal for use in plumbing applications. The invention also describes a process for producing the copper-manganese alloys, which can be adapted for large-scale production and can use low-cost manganese as the main ingredient.
Problems solved by technology
As particular examples, casting alloys most commonly used for plumbing applications contain tin (bronze alloys), zinc (brass alloys) and lead, all of which have relatively low melting temperatures compared to copper, with the result that these alloys have wide freezing ranges and are prone to extensive dendritic solidification, chemical segregation and microporosity.
In addition, there is a large environmental impact associated with the production of lead and lead-containing alloys.
Refinery flue gasses disperse lead in the air and water, foundry furnaces generate airborne lead contaminants, requiring occupational monitoring (for example, blood testing), and lead contaminates the foundry molding sand, rendering it a hazardous solid waste.
Although there are many tests for measuring machinability and testing standards are often controversial, none of the alternative alloys developed to date are believed to meet or exceed the machinability of the leaded-brasses.
The inclusion of silicon in this brass material results in the formation of hard second phase particles that facilitate chip breakage during machining.
Although exposure to bismuth does not pose the same level of risk as lead, bismuth is a byproduct of lead production, is much more expensive, and is no longer produced in the US.
Thus, bismuth-containing alloys do not appear to be an optimal long-term solution to the problem of replacing lead in brass.
Method used
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[0019]The present invention provides a class of copper-manganese alloys based around the congruent melting composition of the Cu—Mn binary system, which is believed to be 34.6±1.4 weight percent (about 38±2 atomic percent) manganese and has a melting temperature of about 870° C. In preferred embodiments, the copper-manganese alloys are lead-free, offer high castability for shape casting, and contain sufficiently minimal chemical segregation and microporosity when cast to eliminate the need for lead or other elements to fill the microporosity.
[0020]In investigations leading to the present invention, a small heat of a binary Cu—Mn containing 32 weight percent manganese was produced by induction melting in air in a graphite crucible by combining 99.9% pure copper and 99.9% pure electrolytic manganese. After casting the alloy in a small steel ingot mold, metallographic sections of the resulting ingot showed a distinctive brown color and attractive luster when polished. FIG. 2 is an opti...
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Abstract
Copper-manganese alloys, optionally with potentially other alloying elements, whose compositions are at or sufficiently near the congruent (minimum) melting point of the Cu—Mn system to substantially avoid dendritic growth during solidification. Processes for producing such alloys are also provided, as well as products produced from such alloys.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 472,389, filed Apr. 6, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention generally relates to copper-based alloys that are suitable for use in the production of castings (for example, plumbing castings), wrought forms (for example, produced by rolling, drawing, forging, etc.), and potentially other forms. The invention also relates to the production and processing of such alloys, and particularly processes that are capable of large-scale, efficient production of such alloys.[0003]Copper-based alloys, and particularly brass and bronze alloys, are widely used in a variety of applications, notable but non limiting examples of which include plumbing systems. Relatively complex shapes (for example, valves) can be produced by casting brass and bronze alloys. Copper-based casting alloys that contain add...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): C22C9/05C22C1/02
CPCC22C9/05C22C1/03C22C1/02B22C9/061B22D21/005B22D27/045
InventorTRUMBLE, KEVIN PAUL
OwnerPURDUE RES FOUND INC