Metal & Alloy Services

Metal & Alloy Services

The MPC specializes in the preparation, purification, and fabrication of high-purity rare earth metals, refractory metals, alkaline earth metals, and alloys in single and polycrystalline forms. Utilizing a core staff consisting of three research scientists and three technicians, this section prepares unique materials with a variety of techniques. Facilities exist for the preparation and purification of metals and alloys including:

	Purification Techniques
	Electron beam melting and zone refining Distillation and electrotransport purification Non-consumable and consumable arc melting/casting (view video) Several configurations of induction and resistance furnaces with controlled atmosphere capabilities including chill casting.

Special alloy ingots preparations from several grams to 25 kg can be prepared under controlled conditions to maintain purity and compositional control. Fabrication equipment includes:

	Fabrication Techniques
	100-ton 12" rolling mill (rod and flat rolling) 6" rolling mill 700-ton hydro extrusion press 5 rotary die swaging machines (1" - 0.014") 12.5-ton 10' and 1.2-ton 8' hydraulic wire drawing benches

Complete mechanical testing capabilities are associated with the MPC, including a 60 ksi Baldwin compression tester, 22 ksi MTS servo-hydraulic tensile testing machine, 220 ksi MTS servo-hydraulic tensile testing machine, 20 ksi Instron servo-hydraulic tensile testing machine, 20 ksi Instron screw driven tensile testing machine and a computer controlled creep testing unit.

Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory operated by Iowa State University under Contract DE-AC02-07CH11358, and is a member of ISU's Institute for Physical Research and Technology.

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