Electrochemical near-net-shape production via the ffc cambridge process - Dedication to the special session for the 2012 max bredig award

The energy- and labour-intensive extraction processes, and the complex and expensive downstream processes for alloying and manufacturing are the main causes for the high cost of engineering components. These are particularly true for reactive metals based alloys, such as titanium alloys. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using the FFC Cambridge Process for near-net-shape production of Ti-6Al-4V based engineering components in different shapes, including hollow sphere and miniature hollow golf driver head, from their corresponding metal oxide precursors. A series of investigations were carried out in order to attain a fundamental understanding of the relevant electrochemical reduction mechanism in molten CaCl₂. Additive oxide was found to assist the electro-reduction of TiO₂ by preventing in situ formation of perovskites during electrolysis in molten CaCl₂.