Patent ID: 7785530

Claim:
A method for making an ultra-fine, submicron grain titanium or titanium-alloy article comprising the steps of: providing a coarse grain titanium or titanium alloy material having a first grain size; cryogenically milling the coarse grain titanium or titanium-alloy material into an ultra-fine, submicron grain material having a second grain size less than the first grain size; degassing the ultra-fine, submicron grain titanium or titanium-alloy material; densifying the ultra-fine, submicron grain material to form a densified ultra-fine grain material; and forming the article from said densified ultra-fine, submicron grain titanium or titanium-alloy material, wherein said cryogenically milling comprises cryogenically milling said coarse grain titanium or titanium-alloy material in a slurry with a liquid selected from liquid nitrogen, liquid argon, liquid helium, liquid nitrogen mixed with liquid argon or liquid nitrogen mixed with liquid helium, wherein said coarse titanium or titanium alloy material is a member selected from the group consisting of Ti-6Al-4V, commercially pure titanium, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, β-Ti—Mo, α-Ti—Al, and α-β-Ti.