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U.S. Department of Energy
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OXIDATION RESISTANCE OF NIOBIUM-BASE ALLOYS

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4335993· OSTI ID:4335993

A program has been under way for the development of a niobium-base alloy with oxidation-resistant properties above 2000 deg F (1093 deg C); a 1000-fold improvement over the oxidation resistance of uaalloyed niobium at these temperatures was desired. A considerable number of binary and ternary niobium- base alloys have been investigated for oxidation resistance at 980 deg C. The following alloying elements were found to be somewhat beneficial when added in sufficient amounts to niobium: Al, Cr, Ti, Sn, and Co. Addition of other binary elements lowered the oxidation resistance of niobium: V, Cu, Mg, U, Zn, and Si. Elements which had little effect on the oxidation rate of the base metal were Be, Ni, Fe, and Mn. Ternary alloys with better oxidation resistance than unalloyed niobinm were: Nb--20 wvt. % Cr-6 wt. % Al, Nb--10 wt. % Cr--2 wt. % Al, Nb-- 20 at. % Ti--5 at. % Be, and Nb--25 at. 5 Ti-10 at. % Al. A ternary alloy with low resistance was Nb-25 at. % Cr-5 at. % Be. The best of these binary and tenary alloys (Nb--25 wt. % Ti, Nb--20 at. % Ti--5 at. % Be, Nb--25 at. % Ti-10 at. % Al) showed less than a 40-fold improvement in the oxidation rate of unalloyed niobium at 980 deg C (1800 deg F). (auth)

Research Organization:
Nuclear Metals, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.
NSA Number:
NSA-12-012385
OSTI ID:
4335993
Report Number(s):
NMI-1157
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English