Method of producing refractory metal or alloy materials

摘要

There is provided a method of producing a refractory metal or refractory metal-based alloy material by electron beam cold hearth remelting which comprises melting and casting a meltable electrode, characterized in that the electrode used for electron beam cold hearth remelting is made by enveloping a material of refractory metal or refractory metal-based alloy to be melted with an enclosure formed from a metallic material having a higher vapor pressure than said particular refractory metal or from a metallic material which includes component or components having a higher vapor pressure than said particular refractory metal. The evaporation loss of the alloy component or components of the refractory metal-based alloy is compensated for with said metallic material or component(s) of the enclosure or otherwise any metallic material or component(s) of the enclosure provides at least a partial addition of the alloy component or components of the refractory metal-based alloy. Titanium sponge or titanium scrap may be produced into a slab with a square cross section and then directly rolling the slab without subjecting the slab to forging before the rolling.