Rhenium alloys mechanism

Two alloys containing tungsten are commercially available. The first, containing about 3 wt % rhenium, is used for heating filaments. The rhenium contributes improved resistance to thermal and mechanical shock. The second alloy contains about 25 wt % rhenium. This latter alloy is sold as sheet, rod, and heavy wire and may be fabricated for various uses. An important use of these rhenium alloys is in the constmction of thermocouples. Various combinations, 3 wt % Re—97 wt % W, or 25 wt % Re—75 wt % W, are usehil for measurement of temperatures to 2500°C (see Temperaturemeasurement). 

Key words Refractory alloys, rhenium effect, Cr-Re alloys, mechanical properties, high temperature, oxidation resistance, thermal shock resistance. 

R. I. Jaffee, C.T. Sims, J.J. Harwood The effect of rhenium on the fabricabilily and ductility of molybdenum and tungsten, Proc. 3rd Plansee Seminar (Plansee AG, Reutte 1958) p. 380 J.G. Booth, R.I. Jaffee, E. I. Salkovitz The mechanisms of the rhenium-alloying effect in group Vl-A metals, Proc. 5th Plansee Seminar (Plansee AG, Reutte 1964) p. 547... 

Metals and alloys, the principal industrial metalhc catalysts, are found in periodic group TII, which are transition elements with almost-completed 3d, 4d, and 5d electronic orbits. According to theory, electrons from adsorbed molecules can fill the vacancies in the incomplete shells and thus make a chemical bond. What happens subsequently depends on the operating conditions. Platinum, palladium, and nickel form both hydrides and oxides they are effective in hydrogenation (vegetable oils) and oxidation (ammonia or sulfur dioxide). Alloys do not always have catalytic properties intermediate between those of the component metals, since the surface condition may be different from the bulk and catalysis is a function of the surface condition. Addition of some rhenium to Pt/AlgO permits the use of lower temperatures and slows the deactivation rate. The mechanism of catalysis by alloys is still controversial in many instances. 

The influence of the support is undoubted and spillover was further confirmed by the excess of hydrogen chemisorbed by a mechanical mixture of unsupported alloy and TJ-A1203 above that calculated from the known values for the separate components. It was also observed that the chemisorption was slower on the supported than on the unsupported metal and that the greater part of the adsorbate was held reversibly no comment could be made on the possible mediation by traces of water. On the other hand, spillover from platinum-rhenium onto alumina appears to be inhibited for ratios Re/(Pt Re) > 0.6. In an infrared investigation of isocyanate complexes formed between nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, on the surface of rhodium-titania and rhodium-silica catalysts, it seems that the number of complexes exceeded the number of rhodium surface atoms.The supports have a pronounced effect on the location of the isocyanate bond and on the stability of the complexes, with some suggestion of spillover. 

The effect of rhenium on the properties of refractory metals has been a research topic of discontinuous relevance since its discovery in the 1950 s [1, 2], Several works have been devoted to the mechanical property enhancement seen in VIb group transition metals when solid solution alloyed with rhenium [3-12], In the 1970 s the works of... 

As mentioned in Sect. 3.2, a thin layer of rhenium/iridium alloy will be ideal to protect the core and reflector from oxidation as well as external and internal contaminants at high temperature. This would require a development program to investigate the thickness needed for the degree of sealing desired, the bond strength with the graphitized foam, radiation effects, and the mechanical resistance to internal pressure buildup. 

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