Low-emission synthesis of titanium alloys

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Bernd Friedrich; Professor Dr.-Ing. Daniel Goldmann, since 11/2016
• Subject Area: Metallurgical, Thermal and Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 278127992

The DFG research group FOR 1372, comprising the project partners, the Institute of Mineral and Waste Processing, Waste Disposal and Geomechanics at the University of Clausthal (IFAD), and the Institute of Process Metallurgy and Metal Recycling at the University of Aachen (IME), developed a method for the aluminothermic production of titanium aluminium alloys (ASH- synthesis) involving fewer process steps.The process step minimisation is based on the production and use of high-purity synthetic TiO2 concentrates by reducing ilmenite metal agglomerates with atomic hydrogen using sulphuric acid leaching and hydrolysis under normal conditions and on the mechanical activation of rutile concentrates.The use of these materials in the production of aluminothermic titanium aluminium alloys led to a reduced need for booster material by 30% and thus to reduced chlorine emissions.With this result, the first phase DFG research group FOR 1372 has reached their target for the above mentioned project partners. The target of the 2nd phase is to transfer the developed technology to a commercial scale in the form of a transfer project with partners from the industry.IFAD, in cooperation with the engineering company Siebtechnik GmbH, will strive for an industry-compatible introduction of the mechanical activation through the modification of the used eccentric vibratory mill for the production of mechanically activated rutile ore concentrate. Another aim is to investigate the process step minimised production of synthetic TiO2 from the mass raw material ilmenite in terms of reaction kinetics and to get to a point where it can be put into use. The industry partner Siebtechnik GmbH shall, in this case, provide support in the separation steps solid-liquid after leaching and hydrolysis through the their centrifuge laboratory.The part that IME will take on together with the metallurgical company Elektrowerk Weisweiler GmbH is the transfer of the developed technology to a scale in tons. To achieve this, mechanically activated rutile ore concentrate will be used as input material and thermal balance sheets will be drawn up. A parallel research on low potassium booster mixtures by mechanical activation is also planned, which is to be developed jointly by both project partners. Energy balance sheets are to be drawn up for the aluminothermic system. The industrial application of the ASH synthesis is to be elevated to a higher technical level by the application of vacuum inert gas technology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: Elektrowerk Weisweiler GmbH; Siebtechnik GmbH
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Gock, until 11/2016 (†)