ARA-NEUK REE-Al Intermetallics™ Advanced Material Technology
What is REE-Al Intermetallics™ Technology?
Reacting rare earth metals (REE) with aluminum via a unique mechanism, in relatively comparable ratios, produce innovative binary monolithic intermetallic matrices that exhibit superior-alloy characteristics, including elevated melting point and enhanced corrosion resistance even in harsh environments. This invention is REE-Al Intermetallics™ Technology.
Rare earth elements (REEs) make up a series of 17 metals with exceptionally similar chemistry and are used in most common and everyday equipment. They are used in electronics components for high tech devices includes smartphones, digital cameras, computer hard disks, fluorescent and light emitting-diode (LED) lights, flat-screen televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic displays. More essential industrial usages of REEs are reaction catalysts, rechargeable batteries, phosphor, in magnets, control rod neutron absorbers for reactors, and alloying. However, REEs direct usage, primarily in these essential industrial applications, such as alloying, permanent magnets, nuclear reactor control rod and pressure vessel material technologies, are inhibited due to their chemically unstable (i.e., reactive) characteristics. Even in cold water, the chemical instability of REEs in their pure form makes them unsuitable for any direct industrial alloy application technologies.
The characteristics of REE-Al innovative intermetallic matrices are vastly improved beyond the REE and aluminum while, optimally, contending with various steel and titanium alloys. As such, the system of alloy series managed and developed at ARA-NEUK LLC, called REE-Al Intermetallics™, possesses high potency for versatile applications. Its utility patent application is under publication, US 2022-0259703 A1. Optimally, the REE-Al family of alloy series is comparable or more advantageous in one way or another to aluminum, steel, and titanium alloys for multiple application technologies, including industrial alloys, nuclear reactors, permanent magnets, and microwave engineering micro-devices.
The impact of ARA-NEUK’s REE-Al Intermetallics™’ innovative alloys can revolutionize the course for the necessary technologies to achieve the goal outlined in the renewed Paris Agreement to address climate change and clean energy. Concerning decarbonization mission, for instance, steel production, in particular, has a colossal carbon footprint; about 1.85 tons of carbon dioxide are produced per ton of steel. Inversely, REE-Al Intermetallics™’s first-of-a-kind production methodology features no carbon emissions as an attractive 'green' option for the steel production carbon footprint.
Multi-beam bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of REE-Al 6200 Intermetallics