Impact Extrusion of Uranium (open access)

Impact Extrusion of Uranium

Uranium has been successfully impact extruded into typical cylindrical shapes of conventional design. Extrusion was carried out in the "gamma" region by heating cast uranium slugs to a temperature of approximately 1050 degrees C. Protection against oxidation was afforded by surrounding the slugs during heating with an inert atmosphere of argon gas. Impact extruded shapes possessed physical properties which are better than the properties of as-cast metal. Also, extruded shapes show a uniform internal structure with flow lines characteristic of commercial impact extruded pieces formed from other metals. Impact extrusion, as a fabricating processes for uranium, maybe applied successfully to produce complicated shapes or forms not practical by casting or where savings in metal and machining time is desired. The process would not appear to be commercial unless a large quantity of pieces was required.
Date: January 10, 1951
Creator: Hanks, G. S.; Jaynes, G. E.; Taub, J. M. & Doll, D. T.
System: The UNT Digital Library