Copper-iron alloy and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

[Problem] To provide: a copper-iron alloy that, by adding rice husk ash, which is a plant-based silicon, as a catalyst to a metal obtained by dissolving copper and iron in a furnace, the gases during melting are degassed and the mixture of copper and iron becomes a metal with a uniformly distributed composition as a whole, so as to have high performance as a shielding material against electromagnetic waves; and a method for manufacturing the copper-iron alloy.　[Solution] Provided is a copper-iron alloy characterized by comprising a compound in which a mixture of copper and iron is uniformly dispersed, the configuration being realized by adding rice husk ash as a catalyst to a metal obtained by dissolving copper and iron in a furnace and performing natural convection or electromagnetic stirring.　

Description

Copper-iron alloy and its manufacturing method

[0001] This invention relates to an improved copper-iron alloy, which is produced by melting copper and iron in a furnace and adding rice husk ash as a catalyst to the resulting molten metal, resulting in a uniformly distributed mixture of copper and iron. This copper-iron alloy has excellent performance as a shielding material against electromagnetic waves, and relates to a method for producing the same.

[0002] A conventional method for producing a copper-iron alloy is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5608704 (Patent Document 1), which includes a copper molten metal degassing step in which electrolytic copper is melted in a first melting furnace and gas is removed from the molten copper; a molten iron degassing step in which pure iron is melted in a second melting furnace and gas is removed from the molten iron; a reaction step in which the temperature of the molten copper in the first melting furnace is increased to approximately the same as that of the molten iron in the second melting furnace and then mixed to cause a crystallization reaction between the copper and iron; and a pouring step in which the crystallized molten copper is poured into a mold. Also known in the copper molten metal degassing step is a method in which a deoxidizer containing at least one of silicon, phosphorus, or lithium is added to the molten copper. Another known method in the iron molten metal degassing step is a method in which a deoxidizer containing at least one of aluminum, manganese, titanium, or silicon is added to the molten iron.

[0003] JP 2013-237887 A (Patent No. 5608704) discloses a pouring process in which electrolytic copper is melted in a first melting furnace and gas is removed from the molten copper, then pure iron is melted in a second melting furnace and gas is removed from the molten iron, the temperature of the molten copper in the first melting furnace is increased to approximately the same temperature as the molten iron in the second melting furnace, and the two are mixed to cause a crystallization reaction between the copper and iron, and the resulting molten metal is poured into a mold. The document also discloses the use of ferrosilicon as a deoxidizer for deoxidizing the molten iron. However, the document does not disclose the use of ferrosilicon as a deoxidizer for the molten iron, but does not disclose a configuration in which the ferrosilicon is used as a catalyst for a copper-iron alloy. JP 2015-93311 (Patent No. 6223787) discloses a eutectic copper-iron alloy in which crystallized bodies of a CF / Fe intermetallic compound are uniformly dispersed, the eutectic copper-iron alloy being obtained by subjecting molten copper deoxidized in a first melting furnace and molten iron deoxidized in a second melting furnace to a crystallization reaction in a third blast furnace and then cooling the resulting mixture. However, the above-mentioned configurations do not disclose the use of vegetable silicon as a catalyst for the eutectic copper-iron alloy. CN102517446 and Patent Document 3 disclose a method for producing ferrosilicon by mixing carbonized rice husk ash and steel scrap and refining the mixture in a furnace to reduce the production cost of ferrosilicon used as a deoxidizer, etc. However, no configuration is disclosed in which ferrosilicon is used as a catalyst for the copper-iron alloy, and the use of ferrosilicon as a catalyst for the copper-iron alloy is not anticipated, even in combination with Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0004] Copper and iron are metals with completely different properties. Even if they are melted and mixed in separate furnaces, they will separate when exposed to air. Therefore, a cooling technique is used to uniformly mix the copper and iron to form a uniformly distributed compound. In this invention, copper and iron are melted in separate furnaces and then mixed in a single furnace while stirring. This reaction is carried out using rice husk ash, a pyrolyzed plant silica, as a catalyst. This degasses the copper and iron molten metal, and the catalytic action of the catalyst uniformly disperses the copper and iron compounds. Furthermore, even if this molten metal is placed in a container, such as an ingot case, and rapidly cooled while being protected from air, the characteristic of uniformly and balancedly dispersing the copper and iron compounds is not lost. This discovery led to the completion of this invention. Furthermore, adding a metal that improves magnetic properties to the catalyst enhances the magnetic shielding effect beyond that of copper and iron alone. Furthermore, the above copper-iron compound does not lose its electromagnetic wave shielding effect even when it is reheated and processed by extrusion, rolling, drawing, etc.

[0005] The problem that this invention aims to solve is an invention that adds rice husk ash as a catalyst to molten copper and iron melted in a furnace, resulting in a metal in which the mixture of copper and iron is uniformly distributed, making it possible to produce a copper-iron alloy (metallurgically, copper and iron do not form metallic compounds, but in this invention, a mixture in which copper and iron are uniformly dispersed is called a copper-iron alloy) that has high performance as a shielding material against electromagnetic waves.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a copper-iron alloy and a method for producing the same, comprising: a first electric melting furnace for melting finely powdered copper to produce molten copper; a second electric melting furnace for melting pure iron to produce molten iron; a third electric melting furnace for adjusting the temperature of the molten copper to that of the molten iron and then mixing the two; the third electric melting furnace is provided with pyrolyzed vegetable silica ash to be added as a catalyst; the third electric melting furnace is provided with mixing means for natural convection and / or electromagnetic stirring, and the copper and iron are formed into a compound in which the copper and iron are uniformly dispersed throughout by the catalyst; In the inventions of claims 2 and 4, magnetic poles each having a coil wound around an iron core are symmetrically arranged on the furnace wall of the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, and a three-phase AC voltage is applied to the magnetic poles to generate a rotating magnetic field at the outlet. The molten copper-iron metal is passed through the rotating magnetic field, causing the molten copper-iron metal to become a paramagnetic substance and generating eddy currents. The electromagnetic force generated between the eddy currents and the rotating magnetic field causes the molten copper and iron to rotate at the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, and the molten copper and iron are mixed together uniformly via a catalyst, resulting in a copper-iron alloy in which copper and iron are uniformly dispersed, and a method for producing the same.

[0007] Copper and iron are metals with completely different properties. Even if they are melted in a furnace to form an alloy, the copper and iron will separate when exposed to air. Therefore, a cooling technique without contact with air is required to create a uniformly distributed copper-iron compound. In this patent, copper and iron are melted in a furnace and then reacted using fine powders of pyrolyzed plant silica ash and rice husk ash (white silica) as a catalyst. This degassing process removes gas from the molten copper and iron. Furthermore, the copper-iron compound retains its uniformly dispersed characteristic when rapidly cooled in a container, such as an ingot case, away from air. Furthermore, adding a metal that improves magnetic properties to the catalyst enhances the magnetic shielding effect beyond that of copper and iron alone. Furthermore, the copper-iron compound retains its electromagnetic wave shielding effect even when reheated and processed through processes such as extrusion, rolling, and drawing. Furthermore, by melting copper and iron in separate furnaces or in the same furnace and then adding pyrolyzed rice husk ash as a catalyst, the copper and iron become a compound in which they are uniformly dispersed throughout, resulting in a high electromagnetic wave shielding effect. By melting copper and iron in a furnace and then adding rice husk ash, which is the ash of pyrolyzed plant silica, as a catalyst, the copper and iron do not lose their uniform dispersion even when cooled and air is blocked. Furthermore, rice husk powder can also simultaneously degasify copper and iron bathwater. Furthermore, this copper-iron compound does not lose its electromagnetic wave shielding effect even when reheated and processed into products.

[0008] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a copper-iron alloy according to Example 1; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a copper-iron alloy; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of Example 2;

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Fine copper powder 11 is placed in a first electric melting furnace 1 and melted, and gas in the molten copper 11A is removed using a deoxidizer or the like.

[0010] Next, pure iron 12 is placed in the second electric melting furnace 2 and melted, and gas in the molten iron 12A is degassed using a deoxidizer or the like. The temperature of the molten copper 11A in the first electric melting furnace 1 is raised to approximately the same temperature as the molten iron in the second electric melting furnace 2, and then the molten copper 11A and molten iron 12A are mixed in the third electric melting furnace 3.

[0011] Molten copper 11A and molten iron 12A are mixed in a third electric melting furnace 3, and pyrolyzed vegetable silica ash 4 is added as a catalyst. The white silica fine powder functions as a deoxidizer and can also function as a catalyst for the copper-iron mixture. This degassing process removes gas from the copper and iron molten metals 11A and 12A. The crystallized molten metals are mixed by natural convection due to the temperature difference, and / or the electromagnetic stirring means 15 installed in the third electric melting furnace 3 allows the copper and iron to be kneaded into a uniformly dispersed state while the air is blocked off. This produces a crystallized molten metal, which can then be poured into a container such as a mold while the air is blocked off to produce a copper-iron alloy.

[0012] The ingot obtained by pouring contains uniformly distributed crystals of Cu / Fe compounds, and can be processed into various industrial materials by extrusion, rolling, drawing, etc. Because such industrial materials contain dispersed Cu / Fe crystal fragments, which are highly permeable, they have excellent properties as a shielding material against electromagnetic waves. Here, the third electric melting furnace 3 does not have to be a melting furnace that is physically different from the first and second melting furnaces, and may be a furnace that functions as the third electric melting furnace 3 and serves both purposes.

[0013] In Example 2, an example of natural convection and electromagnetic stirring means 15 in the third electric melting furnace 3 shown in Figure 2 is shown. Magnetic poles 6, each having a coil wound around an iron core, are symmetrically arranged on the furnace wall of the outlet 3A of the third electric melting furnace 3.

[0014] When a three-phase AC voltage 7 is applied to the magnetic poles 6, a rotating magnetic field 8 is generated at the outlet 3A of the third electric melting furnace 3. When the molten copper-iron metal is passed through this rotating magnetic field 8, an eddy current is generated because the molten copper-iron metal is a paramagnetic material.

[0015] Furthermore, an electromagnetic force is generated between the eddy current and the rotating magnetic field, which causes the molten copper and molten iron to rotate at the outlet 3A of the electric melting furnace 3. The molten copper and molten iron are mixed together by this rotation. As a result, any air bubbles remaining in the molten copper and molten iron are crushed and degassed.

[0016] Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the molten copper and iron are mixed together, the temperature difference causes convection, which uniformly mixes the catalyst vegetable silica 4, and the molten copper and iron are rotated by electromagnetic force, further uniformly mixing the copper and iron. The mixed molten copper-iron metal is taken out from the outlet 3A of the third electric melting furnace 3 and rapidly cooled in an airtight manner, producing a copper-iron alloy in which the copper and iron are uniformly dispersed.

[0017] [Advantages of copper-iron alloys] After copper and iron are melted in a furnace, pyrolyzed plant-based silica is added as a catalyst, which disperses the copper and iron, and then they are kneaded together by electromagnetic force, resulting in Cu / Fe crystal flakes, which are highly permeable, being dispersed in the Cu matrix, giving the alloy excellent properties, for example, as a shielding material with a high shielding effect against electromagnetic waves.

[0018] Furthermore, when metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese that improve magnetic properties are added to the catalyst, the magnetic shielding effect becomes even stronger than that of copper and iron.The above copper-iron alloy does not lose its electromagnetic wave shielding effect even when it is reheated and processed into products by extrusion, rolling, drawing, etc.

[0019] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electric melting furnace 2 Electric melting furnace 3 Electric melting furnace 3A Outlet 4 Vegetable silica ash 5 Copper-iron alloy 6 Magnetic pole 7 Three-phase AC voltage 8 Rotating magnetic field 11 Fine copper powder 11A Copper bath 12 Pure iron 12A Iron bath 15 Mixing means / stirring means

Claims

1. A copper-iron alloy comprising: a first electric melting furnace for feeding and melting fine copper powder to produce molten copper; a second electric melting furnace for melting pure iron to produce molten iron; a third electric melting furnace for adjusting the temperature of the molten copper to that of the molten iron before mixing; pyrolyzed vegetable silica ash is added as a catalyst to the third electric melting furnace; a mixing means for natural convection or electromagnetic stirring is provided in the third electric melting furnace; the copper and iron are turned into a compound in which they are uniformly dispersed throughout by the catalyst, and the alloy is cooled by blocking off air.

2. The copper-iron alloy according to claim 1, characterized in that magnetic poles with coils wound around iron cores are symmetrically arranged on the furnace wall of the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, a three-phase AC voltage is applied to the magnetic poles to generate a rotating magnetic field at the outlet, and the molten copper-iron is passed through the rotating magnetic field, causing the molten copper-iron to become a paramagnetic material and generate eddy currents, and the electromagnetic force generated between the eddy currents and the rotating magnetic field causes the molten copper and iron to rotate at the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, so that the molten copper and molten iron are mixed uniformly throughout with the aid of a catalyst, resulting in a copper-iron alloy in which copper and iron are uniformly dispersed.

3. A method for producing a copper-iron alloy comprising: a first electric melting furnace for feeding and melting fine copper powder to produce molten copper; a second electric melting furnace for melting pure iron to produce molten iron; a third electric melting furnace for adjusting the temperature of the molten copper to that of the molten iron before mixing; a third electric melting furnace for providing pyrolyzed vegetable silica ash as a catalyst; a mixing means for natural convection or electromagnetic stirring in the third electric melting furnace; a compound in which copper and iron are uniformly dispersed throughout by the catalyst, and the mixture is cooled by blocking off air.

4. A method for producing a copper-iron alloy as described in claim 3, characterized in that magnetic poles with coils wound around iron cores are symmetrically arranged on the furnace wall of the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, a three-phase AC voltage is applied to the magnetic poles to generate a rotating magnetic field at the outlet, and the molten copper-iron is passed through the rotating magnetic field, causing the molten copper-iron to become a paramagnetic material and generate eddy currents, and the electromagnetic force generated between the eddy currents and the rotating magnetic field causes the molten copper and iron to rotate at the outlet of the third electric melting furnace, so that the molten copper and molten iron are mixed uniformly throughout with the aid of a catalyst, resulting in a copper-iron alloy in which copper and iron are uniformly dispersed.

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