Hydriding / Dehydriding
Hydriding / Dehydriding
Reclamation of High Value Scrap
The cost and use of certain high-end metal alloys in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industry requires manufacturers and end-users to find solutions for scrap recycling.聽 聽51猎奇 has developed optimal vacuum processing programs designed to convert scrap materials back to reusable powders.聽 The process involves two separate heat treat cycles.聽 The 51猎奇 hydride cycle provides the customer with a crushable metal hydride.聽 Once the customer crushes the material, 51猎奇 utilizes a vacuum process to remove the hydrogen resulting in a slightly agglomerated powder (HDH powders) for use in new product lines.
Unique Capabilities
- A group of metallurgists, scientists and engineers to design and develop a hydriding / dehydriding (HDH) cycles to meet your company needs
- Furnaces with up to 50,000 lb. capacity to safely hydride materials such as sponge, ingots, turnings, and out-of-spec medical and aerospace parts
- Degassing (dehydriding) capacity up to 50,000 lbs. for powders of varying mesh size
- Value-added process returns waste material back into the product stream
Materials Processed
- Titanium
- Tantalum
- Niobium
- Zirconium
FAQs
Surface cleanliness is critical for successful titanium hydriding. Titanium scrap is typically acid etched prior to processing to remove oxides and surface contaminants. Clean, oxide-free surfaces allow hydrogen to diffuse properly into the material. If the surface is oxidized or contaminated, hydriding may occur at a significantly reduced rate鈥攐r may not occur at all.
Proper surface preparation ensures consistent hydrogen absorption and uniform processing. Removing oxides, oils, and other contaminants helps maximize process efficiency, improve cycle consistency, and achieve the desired material properties.
Yes. Large tantalum ingots can be successfully hydrided, although thicker cross sections require longer diffusion times than thinner materials. In some cases, the outer portion of the ingot will fully hydride while the center core remains unaffected. The hydrided outer material can be removed, and the remaining core can be reprocessed to achieve complete hydriding.
Batch capacity depends on several factors, including the material’s cross section, geometry, and how efficiently it can be loaded into the furnace. Components that nest tightly maximize furnace utilization, while large sheet material or loosely packed turnings reduce the amount of material that can be processed in a single cycle.
Typical hydriding batch capacities range from 2,000 to 7,000 pounds of titanium.
Several variables influence how much material can be processed in one batch, including:
- Material size and thickness
- Part geometry
- Bulk density
- Loading configuration
- Available furnace workload capacity
Optimizing the load configuration helps maximize throughput while maintaining consistent processing results.
Hydriding can be performed on a variety of titanium forms, including:
- Titanium scrap
- Bar stock
- Plate
- Sheet
- Turnings and chips
- Billets
- Other titanium feedstock intended for downstream processing
Titanium hydriding is commonly used to support industries that require titanium powder production or recycled titanium feedstock, including:
- Aerospace
- Defense
- Medical
- Additive manufacturing
- Industrial manufacturing
Titanium hydriding requires precise control of temperature, vacuum, hydrogen exposure, and material preparation. An experienced processor ensures consistent hydrogen absorption, maximizes material recovery, and delivers reliable results for demanding applications.