Process for forming metal-second phase composites and product thereof

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A method for the production of metal-second phase composite materials, the method comprising producing a precipitate of at least one second phase material in an intermediate metal matrix by contacting reactive second phase-forming constituents, in the presence of a substantially nonreactive solvent metal in which the second phase-forming constituents are more soluble than the second phase material, at a first temperature at which sufficient diffusion of the reactive second phase-forming constituents into the solvent metal occurs to cause the second phase-forming reaction of said constituents to thereby precipitate second phase particles in the solvent metal, producing an intermediate material comprising finely divided second phase particles in the intermediate metal matrix, and forming a molten mass, by introducing the intermediate material into a molten host metal in which said second phase particles are substantially insoluble at a second temperature at which said intermediate metal matrix is dissolved in said host metal, said host metal comprising a metal, metal alloy, or intermetallic, achieving a substantially uniform dispersion of second phase in a final metal matrix, and recovering a product.
2.
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the uniform dispersion is achieved by agitating the molten mass.
3.
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the uniform dispersion is achieved by maintaining the molten mass in the liquid state to substantially disperse the second phase.
4.
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the intermediate material is cooled to a solid before further processing, said solid being wettable by the molten host metal.
5.
The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the intermediate material is crushed before further processing.
6.
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second phase particles are wetted by and substantially unreactive with the molten host metal.
7.
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the second phase-forming constituents is contacted in greater than stoichiometric proportion with another of the second phase-forming constituents