Pre-coated Titanium Alloy Components with Ultra-fine Grain Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of titanium and titanium-alloy articles involves costly and time-consuming thermal treatment and wet sealing steps, which are undesirable for achieving optimal grain size and corrosion protection.
Innovation Solution
A pre-coated, high-strength titanium or titanium-alloy material component with an ultra-fine, submicron grain size is produced through cryomilling and subsequent degassing and densification, eliminating the need for thermal treatment and using an organic phenolic resin coating for corrosion protection, allowing for assembly without wet sealants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If thermal treatment processes are used to control grain size, then material grain size can be maintained at desirable levels, but manufacturing costs and processing cycle time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary cryomilling to the titanium alloy powder before consolidation, which pre-establishes the ultra-fine grain structure in the powder particles themselves. This preliminary grain refinement action eliminates the need for subsequent thermal treatment to achieve desired grain sizes, as the fine grain structure is already present before forming operations begin
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and temperature parameters of the material throughout the process. By conducting cryomilling at cryogenic temperatures and then consolidating the powder, the process achieves grain refinement through parameter changes rather than through thermal treatment, thereby eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming heat processing steps
2Reliability
If wet sealant is applied to protect from corrosion, then corrosion protection is achieved, but installation cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a protective coating to the titanium alloy components during the manufacturing process, before installation. This preliminary protective action eliminates the need for subsequent wet sealant application during installation, as the components are already protected against corrosion from the outset
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the protective coating function with the manufacturing process itself. By integrating the protective coating application into the component fabrication process, the invention combines two separate operations (manufacturing and protection) into one unified process, eliminating the need for separate wet sealant application during installation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process results in improved strength, reduced processing steps, and cost savings by eliminating thermal treatment and wet sealing, while enhancing corrosion resistance and ease of manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The article is prepared by beginning with a coarse grain titanium or titanium-alloy material and cryogenically milling the coarse grain material into an ultra-fine, submicron grain material
Implementation Method 2
an organic coating of phenolic resin applied to the surface of the article
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a high-strength, pre-coated, titanium or titanium-alloy material component comprising a titanium or titanium-alloy material article having ultra-fine, submicron grain size microstructure and an organic coating of phenolic resin applied to the surface of the article. The article is prepared from a coarse grain titanium or titanium-alloy powder material that is cryomilled into an ultra-fine, submicron grain material, degassed, and densified. The densified material is formed or otherwise processed into a article, and pre-coated with an organic coating containing phenolic resin prior to installation or assembly.