Vladimir L Radchenko

US Patent:

6309441, Oct 30, 2001

Filed:

Apr 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/284688

Inventors:

Mark Gilbert Benz - Burnt Hills NY
Robert John Zabala - Schenectady NY
Vladimir Nikolayevich Radchenko - New York NY
Anatoly Danilovich Riabtsev - Makeevka, UA
Oleg Vladimirovich Tarlov - Donetsk, UA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

C22B 5900
C22C 2800

US Classification:

75 1046

Abstract:

Rare earth alloy compositions, such as the neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) alloy are made by a Reduction-Melting process. The Reduction-Melting process comprises preparing a primary electrode containing at least one compound or metal to be reduced to form a refined metal or metal alloy ingot; placing the electrode in an electroslag refining furnace; passing a current through the electrode into a molten flux or slag to melt the electrode; reducing the metal or compound in the slag while forming an oxide by-product; collecting melted metal or metal alloy droplets falling through the slag; forming an ingot of the metal or metal alloy from the melted droplets; and collecting the solid oxide byproducts in the slag.