Disclosed is a method for the heat treatment of at least one bar made from titanium aluminide alloy for manufacturing at least one low-pressure turbine blade for a turbomachine, comprising hot isostatic pressing of the bar, characterised in that the hot isostatic pressing (121) is followed, after a temperature transition phase, by a step of heat treatment (122) of the bar at a temperature in the immediate vicinity of the eutectoid temperature of the alloy, the temperature being suitable for the formation of an alloy microstructure with a volume fraction of at least 90% single-phase grains γ and a volume fraction of at most 10% of lamellar grains α+γ, the step being followed by a controlled cooling step (123).

Production methods for Ti—Al alloys may include: adding a flux including calcium oxide containing 35+wt. % calcium fluoride, to a melt starting material of Ti material and Al material and with 50+wt. % Al; introducing the fluxed melt starting material into a water-cooled copper crucible having a tapping port in the bottom, induction melting it inside the water-cooled copper crucible in at least a 1.33 Pa atmosphere; the flux, containing oxygen released from the melt starting material by the induction melting, is separated out by tapping the melt starting material, which was induction melted in the water-cooled copper crucible, downward from the tapping port; and when obtaining the Ti—Al alloy by casting the flux-removed melt starting material, the induction melting output is reduced to no more than 90% of that during melting and tapping is performed from the water-cooled crucible with the output in a reduced state.

The present disclosure relates to a titanium or titanium alloy member and to a surface hardening method for the titanium or titanium alloy member. The titanium or titanium alloy member includes a base material of titanium or titanium alloy, and at a surface of the base material, a hardened layer formed by diffusion of oxygen into the surface. The method includes: a heating step of heating the titanium or titanium alloy base material of the member to a predetermined temperature under an inert gas atmosphere; a hardening step of introducing (i) a mixed gas including an inert gas, and (ii) oxygen gas as a hardening treatment gas, to perform hardening treatment of the surface of the base material; and a cooling step of cooling the base material down to room temperature under the inert gas atmosphere.

A porous titanium-based sintered body, having a porosity of 45% to 65%, an average pore diameter of 5 μm to 15 μm, and a bending strength of 100 MPa or more. According to the present invention, a porous titanium-based sintered body having good pore diameter and porosity that are compatible with each other and having a high strength can be provided.

A porous titanium-based sintered body, having a porosity of 45% to 65%, an average pore diameter of 5 μm to 15 μm, and a bending strength of 100 MPa or more. According to the present invention, a porous titanium-based sintered body having good pore diameter and porosity that are compatible with each other and having a high strength can be provided.

A metal powder having a composition including the following elements, expressed in content by weight: 6.5%≤Si≤10%, 4.5%≤Nb≤10%, 0.2%≤B≤2.0%, 0.2%≤Cu≤2.0%, C≤2% and optionally containing Ni≤10 wt % and/or Co≤10 wt % and/or Cr≤7 wt % and/or Zr as a substitute for any part of Nb on a one-to-one basis and/or Mo as a substitute for any part of Nb on a one-to-one basis and/or P as a substitute for any part of Si on a one-to-one basis, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration, the metal powder having a microstructure including at least 5% in area fraction of an amorphous phase, the balance being made of crystalline ferritic phases with a grain size below 20 μm and possible precipitates, the metal powder having a mean sphericity SPHT of at least 0.80.

A sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma are provided. The target and/or coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm.sup.2 or less. In dealing with reduction in hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or coil, a process of producing the target and/or coil, in particular, conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or coil, which is believed to be a cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, a target and/or coil is provided that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity. A method of producing the target and/or the coil is also provided.

A sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma are provided. The target and/or coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm.sup.2 or less. In dealing with reduction in hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or coil, a process of producing the target and/or coil, in particular, conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or coil, which is believed to be a cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, a target and/or coil is provided that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity. A method of producing the target and/or the coil is also provided.

A titanium-aluminum intermetallic for improving casting fluidity includes the following elements in atomic percentage: Al: 40 at % to 50 at %, Cr: 1 at % to 8 at %, Nb: 1 at % to 8 at %, Mo: 1 at % to 5 at %, Mn: 1 at % to 6 at %, Ni+Si+Fe: 1 at % to 15 at %, B: 0.05 at % to 0.8 at %, and the balance of Ti and inevitable impurities. The titanium-aluminum intermetallic in the present disclosure has more adequate casting fluidity, that is, has better castability.

A titanium-aluminum intermetallic for improving casting fluidity includes the following elements in atomic percentage: Al: 40 at % to 50 at %, Cr: 1 at % to 8 at %, Nb: 1 at % to 8 at %, Mo: 1 at % to 5 at %, Mn: 1 at % to 6 at %, Ni+Si+Fe: 1 at % to 15 at %, B: 0.05 at % to 0.8 at %, and the balance of Ti and inevitable impurities. The titanium-aluminum intermetallic in the present disclosure has more adequate casting fluidity, that is, has better castability.