A method for brazing a first ceramic component and a second metal alloy component, to make a structural or external timepiece element, a zirconia-based ceramic is chosen for the first component and a titanium alloy for the second component, a first recess is made inside the first component, set back from a first surface in a junction area with a second surface of the second component, braze material is deposited on this first surface and inside each recess, the second surface is positioned in alignment with the first surface to form an assembly, this assembly is heated in a controlled atmosphere to above the melting temperature of the braze material, in order to form the braze in the junction area.

A method for brazing a first ceramic component and a second metal alloy component, to make a structural or external timepiece element, a zirconia-based ceramic is chosen for the first component and a titanium alloy for the second component, a first recess is made inside the first component, set back from a first surface in a junction area with a second surface of the second component, braze material is deposited on this first surface and inside each recess, the second surface is positioned in alignment with the first surface to form an assembly, this assembly is heated in a controlled atmosphere to above the melting temperature of the braze material, in order to form the braze in the junction area.

A method of case hardening a titanium part, including placing the titanium part within a chamber; evacuating or purging the chamber; heating the titanium part placed within the chamber; introducing a gas containing cyanogen into the chamber; and exposing the titanium part placed within the chamber to the introduced gas containing cyanogen.

A method of case hardening a titanium part, including placing the titanium part within a chamber; evacuating or purging the chamber; heating the titanium part placed within the chamber; introducing a gas containing cyanogen into the chamber; and exposing the titanium part placed within the chamber to the introduced gas containing cyanogen.

Metallic matrix composites include a high strength titanium aluminide alloy matrix and an in situ formed aluminum oxide reinforcement. The atomic percentage of aluminum in the titanium aluminide alloy matrix can vary from 40% to 48%. Included are methods of making the metallic matrix composites, in particular, through the performance of an exothermic chemical reaction. The metallic matrix composites can exhibit low porosity.

Metallic matrix composites include a high strength titanium aluminide alloy matrix and an in situ formed aluminum oxide reinforcement. The atomic percentage of aluminum in the titanium aluminide alloy matrix can vary from 40% to 48%. Included are methods of making the metallic matrix composites, in particular, through the performance of an exothermic chemical reaction. The metallic matrix composites can exhibit low porosity.

A method for manufacturing a metal alloy component. The method comprises heating a shaped metal component and an alloying element source of vapor-phase transportable alloying element species in a reactor in the presence of a vapor-phase transport agent, wherein the heating is conducted under conditions which cause the vapor-phase transportable alloying element species to diffuse into the shaped metal component; and forming a metal alloy component alloyed with element species from the alloying element source.

A balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti, H and possible traces of other elements selected from O, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, with the following weight percentages: a Ti content comprised between 1 and 80 wt %, a H content comprised between 0.17 and 2 wt %, a total content of all other elements of less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, the remainder to 100 wt % consisting of Nb. A manufacturing method for the balance spring is also disclosed and includes a step of thermochemically treating a blank made of a Nb and Ti alloy in an atmosphere including hydrogen so as to enrich the Nb and Ti alloy with hydrogen in interstitial form.

An exterior panel is configured to accommodate high thermal stresses imposed on exterior surfaces of aerospace transport vehicles during hypersonic flight. The exterior panel is formed of a superplastic material such as a titanium alloy, and includes an exterior skin and a plurality of cooling tubes that extend through the panel. The exterior panel further includes an interior skin configured to be attached to a frame member such as a rib, stringer, or spar of the transport vehicle. The tubes pass through a multicellular core, which is sandwiched between the exterior and interior skins to impart tensile and compressive strength to the exterior panel. In one disclosed method, the core is superplastic formed and diffusion bonded to the exterior skin, the tubes, and the interior skin. A cooling fluid, which may be a gas or liquid, including a fuel, may be pumped through the tubes to cool the exterior panel.

An alpha-beta titanium-based alloy including titanium; one of 0.001-1.0 wt. % neodymium, 0.001-1.0 wt. % dysprosium, or 0.001-0.5 wt. % erbium; and at least one of aluminum, zirconium, tin, oxygen, molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, iron, and chromium present in amounts defined based on an aluminum equivalent and a molybdenum equivalent, wherein the aluminum equivalent (Al-eq) is between 0 to 7.5% and the molybdenum equivalent (Mo-eq) is between 2.7 to 47.5, and wherein the aluminum equivalent (Al-eq) and the molybdenum equivalent (Mo-eq) are defined, in weight percents, as follows:
Al-eq=(Al %)+(Zr %)/6+(Sn %)/3+10*(O %)
Mo-eq=(Mo %)+0.67*(V %)+0.33*(Nb %)+2.9*(Fe %)+1.6*(Cr %).