Patented Feb. 23, 1937 2,072,067 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 202,06 METHOD OF PEEPARNG BERYLLUM ALOYS William B. Donahue, Ossining, N. Y., assignor to Feldspathic Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No drawing. Application January 29, 1934, Serial No. 708,834 17 Claims. (CL 75-150) The present invention relates to the produc is to be obtained, that the copper alloy contains tion of beryllium alloys and has for its general 2 to 12%% of beryllium and 2 to 12%% of mag object to manufacture such alloys by decompo nesium. When no magnesium is employed, the sition of beryllium minerals, and particularly of preferred range of beryllium in the alloy is still double salts of beryllium by fusion with metals 2 to 12%%, although higher proportions can be which will displace and alloy with the liberated obtained. beryllium. If desired, more than two metals can be fused More specifically, it is an object of the present with the beryllium salt. Thus the salt may be invention to displace beryllium from one of its treated with magnesium, aluminum and cppper, 0. double salts by, means of a metal capable of in which case I may obtain an aluminum-copper O replacing beryllium in the salt and alloying the beryllium-magnesium alloy which in many re liberated beryllium with such metal and with spects is superior to the aluminun-magnesium a second metal, or With the second metal alone, copper alloy known as 'Duralumin'. A quater at approximately the melting point of the latter nary alloy of this type may have a copper 5 metal. beryllium-magnesium content of 5 to 15%, such 15 According to the present invention, a fused. ternary alloy containing preferably a to 2%% double beryllium salt, preferably a double fluoride each of beryllium and magnesium. of beryllium and an alkali metal, which is at Where a binary alloy of beryllium is desired, the present time the commercially most available the alkali metals are employed as the reducing mineral, is reacted with an alkali or alkali earth agents. With sodium beryllium fluoride, for ex 20 metal, such as sodium, potassium, lithium, mag ample, I prefer to employ potassium, and with nesium and, calcium and the liberated beryllium a potassium-beryllium salt I prefer to use Sodium. then separated or precipitated from the fusion In place of the copper there may be employed by means of a metal which will alloy with the aluminum, nickel, iron, cobalt, chromium, etc., 25 beryllium. or alloys or mixtures thereof and where the It has already been proposed to reduce double temperature of fusion of such metals or alloys fluorides of beryllium and sodium or potassium With the salt is Such as to Cause Volatilization by means of certain metals, but in all such cases of any of the materials, particularly SOdium, the beryllium remained diffused in the dross or potassium or magnesium, the operations may be 30 slag and was difficult to remove. conducted under pressure. Because of the strong I have found that the so diffused beryllium affinity of beryllium for oxygen, the reactions can be readily and easily separated from the should be carried out in a non-oxidizing or inert fusion with the aid of a metal which will alloy atmosphere. } With the beryllium, such alloy becoming deposited The alloys may be used in the forms in which 35 at the bottom of the fusion in the form of a they are obtained; for example, where the be 35 button and being thereby easily separated from ryllium content is high, the alloy may be en the fused Salt. P ployed as a master alloy for adding beryllium When the alkaline earth metal magnesium is to other alloys. employed as the reducing agent for the beryllium The invention will be further explailed with 40 salt there is obtained a suspension of fused beryl the aid of a specific example. A small quantity 40 lium and magnesium in the melt which can be of pure copper is melted in a carbon crucible, precipitated in the form of a beryllium-magne and to the molten copper there is then added one sium-copper alloy by the addition of copper, or more brickettés composed of magnesium, S0 preferably in finely divided form. In place of dium beryllium fluoride and some powdered or 45 the magnesium I may use the alkali metals, flaky copper. The three ingredients in the brick 45 Sodium, potassium and lithium. When an alkali ette can be compressed readily into a Solid brick metal is employed, the alloy obtained is generally ette in a hydraulic press. The use of the mag a binary alloy of beryllium and copper or equiva nesium, the fluoride and the powdered or flaky lent metal. copper in the form of a brickette is not essential 50 I have found that when magnesium is emi but is preferred because of its convenience. Any 50 ployed as the reducing metal, the beryllium and desired proportions of materials may be em magnesium are alloyed with the second metal in ployed except that the magnesium should be in about the same proportions. Thus an alloy can excess of the theoretical amount required to re be prepared in accordance with my process hav duce the beryllium salt, 55 ing as much as 25% beryllium, 25% magnesium, A temperature just sufficient to keep the mass 55 and the remainder practically all copper. Larger fluid is maintained in the crucible. With the proportions of beryllium and magnesium may be materials just mentioned this temperature is incorporated in the alloy, but I prefer, however, about 1100° C. After 2A, to 3 hours of heating so to proportion the various materials entering the reaction is complete. If the mass from the 60 into the reaction, when a ternary copper alloy crucible were poured out it would be found that 60 2 - - 2,072,067 the free metal was diffused throughout the dross which comprises adding magnesium and a dou or slag. I have found that the addition of a ble fluoride of an alkali metal and beryllium to small amount of powdered or flaky copper spread molten metal of the group comprising copper, Over the surface of the molten mass in the cru nickel, iron and aluminum. cible will, upon melting, cause the diffused metal 3. The method of producing beryllium alloys to collect into a button and precipitate with such which comprises adding magnesium and sodium copper to the bottom of the crucible. This op beryllium-fluoride to molten metal of the group eration usually requires about ten minutes but comprising copper, nickel, iron and aluminum. the completion of this treatment may be deter 4. The method of producing beryllium alloys 10 mined with a stirring rod as the fused salt feels which comprises adding magnesium and Sodium O as fluid as water when the button has been pre beryllium-fluoride to maolten copper. cipitated. To keep the metals from oxidizing 5. The method of producing beryllium alloys the heating should be conducted in an atmos which comprises adding a briquetted mixture of phere of hydrogen, helium, nitrogen or other re magnesium and sodium-beryllium-fluoride to 5 ducing or inert gas. molten copper. 15 The weights of the various materials may, for , 6. The method according to claim 1 which example, be as follows: 870 grs. of sodium beryl comprises treating the molten reaction products lium fluoride, containing about 60 grs, of beryl with finely divided copper to precipitate the lium, are reacted with 190 grs. of magnesium beryllium alloy. and 814 grs. of copper. The mixture yields about 7. The method according to claim 2 which 20 904 grs. of alloy. The loss of beryllium is about comprises treating the molten reaction products 25% or 15 grs., so that about 45 grs. of beryllium with finely divided copper to precipitate the beryl are contained in the copper alloy. Approxi lium alloy. mately the same amount of magnesium will be 8. The method according to claim 3 which 25 contained in the alloy; the latter will thus com comprises treating the molten reaction products prise approximately 814 grs. of copper, and 45 with finely divided copper to precipitate the beryl grs, each of beryllium and magnesium. It will lium alloy. be noted that the magnesium is employed in 9. The method according to claim 4 . which the reaction in an excess of about 20%, and I comprises treating the molten reaction products 30 have found that for best results there should with finely divided copper to precipitate the beryl 30 be a considerable excess of magnesium. lium alloy. The temperatures should be carefully con 10. The method according to claim 5 which trolled to keep the metals molten and at the comprises treating the molten reaction products same time avoid or reduce loss by evaporation. with finely divided copper to precipitate the beryl 35 Especially when high melting point metals are lium alloy. - employed, such as nickel, chromium, cobalt and 11. The method of producing beryllium alloys iron, pressure should be employed to avoid loss which comprises adding magnesium and sodium of the more volatile magnesium and alkali met beryllium-fluoride to molten nickel. als, if the latter are used. 12. The method of producing beryllium alloys The alloy of beryllium, magnesium and cop which comprises thermically reacting magnesium 40 per obtained as above described may be heat on sodium-beryllium-fluoride in the presence of treated to harden the same. The alloys are fair metal of the group comprising copper, nickel, ly Soft when poured, but when heated to about iron and aluminum. 1500 F. and quenched and then heated in an 13. The method of producing beryllium alloys 45 Oven for about three hours at about 450 F., which comprises thermically reacting magnesium 45 their hardness and tensile strength are greatly on sodium-beryllium-fluoride in the presence of increased and they become practically fatigue copper. proof. -14. The method of producing beryllium alloys In place of iron, chromium, nickel, cobalt and which comprises thermically reacting magnesium 50 other high melting point metals, lower melting on sodium-beryllium-fluoride in the presence of 50 point alloys of such metals may be employed to nickel. reduce the losses resulting from volatilization. 15. The method of producing beryllium alloys As above indicated, when an alkali metal is which comprises thermically reacting an alkali employed as the reducing or substituting metal, metal or an alkaline earth metal On a double 55 together with an alloying metal, such as copper, fluoride salt of beryllium and an alkali metal a binary alloy of beryllium and copper will be in the presence of a metal of the group composed obtained. As when magnesium is used, two or of copper, nickel, iron and aluminum. more alloying metals or their alloys may be used 16. The method of producing beryllium alloys together with the alkali metal, including cop which comprises thermically reacting an alkali per, aluminum, cobalt, nickel, chromium, iron, metal or an alkaline earth metal on a double 60. etc. Thus sodium beryllium fluoride may be fluoride salt of beryllium and an alkali metal in fused with potassium, copper and aluminum or the presence of a finely divided metal of the other metal to yield a ternary, alloy. group composed of Copper, nickel, iron and alu I claim: minum. 85 1. The method of producing beryllium alloys 17. The method of producing beryllium alloys which comprises reacting molten metal of the which comprises reacting a metal of the group 65 group comprising copper, nickel, iron and alu consisting of copper, nickel, iron and aluminum minum with an alkali or alkaline-earth metal with an alkali or alkaline-earth metal and a and a double fluoride salt of beryllium and an g fluoride salt of beryllium and an aka 70 alkali metal. metal. - O 2. The method of producing beryllium alloys wILLIAM B. DONAHOE,