General Electric Company
PRODUCING TITANIUM ALLOY MATERIALS THROUGH REDUCTION OF TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE

Abstract:

Processes are provided for producing a titanium alloy material, such as Ti--Al alloys. In one embodiment, the process includes: heating an input mixture to a preheat temperature with the input mixture including aluminum, optionally, AlCl.sub.3, and, optionally ally, one or more alloying element halide; introducing TiCl.sub.4 to the input mixture at the first reaction temperature such that substantially all of the Ti.sup.4+ in the TiCl.sub.4 is reduced to Ti.sup.3+; thereafter, heating to a second reaction temperature such that substantially all of the Ti.sup.3+ is reduced to Ti.sup.2+ to form an intermediate mixture (e.g., a Ti.sup.2+ salt); and introducing the intermediate mixture into a reaction chamber at a disproportionation temperature reaction to form the titanium alloy material from the Ti.sup.2+ via a disproportionation reaction.