A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METAL COMPOUNDS

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the production o f titanium alloys and titanium-aluminium inter-metallic compounds and alloys. Starting from a precursor material including titanium subchloride (titanium trichloride or titanium dichloride), the precursor material is reduced by aluminium to produce titanium-aluminium intermetallic complexes or alloys an d aluminium chloride which is driven away from the reaction zone so as to favo ur the forward reaction and the production of the titanium-aluminium compounds. Starting from a precursor material of titanium subchloride avoids the proble ms associated with starting from titanium metal (which is expensive to produce) or titanium tetrachloride (a reaction very difficult to control), and result s in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminium compounds with controllable composition.