Consolidation and fabrication of vanadium and vanadium-base alloys

Abstract

AbstractA review is presented on the current state of technology on the consolidation and fabrication of vanadium and vanadium alloys. Commercial quantities of pure vanadium metal (99.9+%) have been produced by the metallothermic reduction of V2O5 followed by electron-beam refining. Lack of demand stopped further development work on vanadium and vanadium alloys in the USA around 1969. Currently, there is not any active capacity in the USA for producing commercial quantities of high-purity vanadium. Vanadium and vanadium alloys can be processed to all the common mill shapes using procedures similar to those followed for processing niobium and tantalum alloys. To avoid contamination during processing, all elevated-temperature working operations must be accomplished with suitable protection for the workpiece, Le. encapsulation for hot extrusion, forging, and rolling and in process and final annealing a pressure of ≤1. 3 × 10-3 Pa. Gas-tungsten arc welds in unalloyed vanadium containing 1560 ppm C+O+N are rep...