Improvements in and connected with the Production of Chromium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Titanium, Tungsten, and similar Metals from their Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Compounds.
Year: 1893

page_text: Improvements in and connected with the Production of Chromium,
Manganese, Molybdenum, Titanium, Tungsten, and similar Metals
from their Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Compounds.
We, ALFRED STERNBERG D.Ph. and ALFRED DEUTSCH D.Ph. both of
27 Köpnickerstrasse, Grünau, near Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German
Empire, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
If an oxygen compound of an alkaline earth and chromium manganese
molybdenum titanium or tungsten be mixed with carbon and the mixture be raised
to a temperature of from 1000 to 1200 degrees centigrade, the alkaline earth oxide
is separated with the escape of carbon monoxide, and the heavy metal of the
compound is reduced. Thus-

page_text: I hese are likewise finely ground and are po
the following proportions
(1) Bichromate of soda 10 parts, carbon 4 parts.
(2) Molybdate of soda 10 parts, carbon 2.5 parts.
(3) Titanate of soda 10 parts, carbon 3 parts.
(4) Tungstate of soda 10 parts, carbon 2 parts.
These mixtures, like those of the alkaline earth compounds, may also be heated
or roasted in crucibles. Carbon monoxide and the alkaline metal pass over, which
latter is transformed into carbonate.
For economical reasons it is preferred to obtain the metals of the alkalies in
the metallic form. With this object, the mixtures above set forth are roasted in
retorts or such furnaces as are commonly used in the manufacture of sodium. The
reduction takes place at a temperature of about 1200 degrees C. and is completed
when the metal ceases to distil over. The metal of the metallic acid remains in
the retort or furnace.
There is however no reason why the reduction of the mixtures should not take
place under the action of flame since they melt and thus protect themselves from
the action of the flame.
The processes and re-actions by which we obtain the metals of the metallic acids
may be utilised in various ways, of which the following is a useful example.
It is known that an alloy with iron of tungsten or of chromium give to that metal
peculiar and valuable characteristics, these alloys being known as chrome and
tungsten steels. By our re-action we may easily alloy the surface of iron with
these metals and thus produce a kind of case-hardening effect. For this purpose a
suitable one of the above mixtures is laid or strewed upon the surface of a soft
iron article which is then heated in a muffle to about 1000 degrees C. During the
escape of the alkali metal the surface of the iron becomes alloyed with the metal
of the metallic acid employed. This alloyed surface possesses the same valuable
properties as respects hardness and capacity to resist corrosion as the corresponding
steel alloy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is―
1. The production of chromium manganese molybdenum titanium and tungsten in
the metallic state, substantially as and by the means hereinbefore described.
2. The production of metallic chromium manganese molybdenum titanium and
tungsten with the simultaneous production of the metals of the alkalies, sub-
stantially as and by the means herein before described.
3. The production upon iron of a surface alloy of that metal with chromium
tungsten manganese molybdenum or titanium substantially as and by the means and
for the purpose herein before described.
T: 011 C T.... AD 1802
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.