Preparation methods and processing techniques include billet preparation, plastic processing, cutting, welding, heat treatment and coating.
The preparation of billet mainly includes powder metallurgy and smelting. Powder metallurgy is suitable for the preparation of small niobium products and ingots for post-processing. Vacuum electron-beam melting, vacuum consumable arc melting and the combination of these two smelting methods are the main methods to prepare niobium and niobium alloy ingots. Electron beam smelting is used to purify niobium and niobium alloy and prepare small diameter ingots. Large size ingots with more uniform alloy composition can be prepared by consumable arc smelting. High purity Niobium and niobium single crystal billet can be prepared by electron beam suspension zone smelting.
Plastic processing of pure Niobium billet can be forged, extruded, rolled and drawn at room temperature ~ 500℃. Niobium alloy has high strength, so it is generally required to be above 1200℃ for extrusion and forging and other primary processing, and then below 500℃ for rolling, drawing, stamping and other processing, into plates, bars, foilings, strips, lines and forgings and other products.
Niobium and niobium alloy cutting is easy to wear and bond tools, so when cutting with oil-water emulsion, carbon tetrachloride and other organic solvents cooling and lubrication, while keeping the sharp tip.
