Remember tiny iron flecks might just cause a problem if loose. If it touches Al, it might burn in oxygen rich or chemically contaminate something else. Iron is death in a fab line. You would not believe the issues and isolations needed for ferro-mag IC's and the like.
Remember MIL spec is under NASA and Commercial and user specs are beneath those of MIL.
Mart>
Ok - I probably won't do anything with this stuff for another two months, but I'll report back on how it goes.
Titanium exposed to minute concentrations of certain other metals becomes =very= hard and *BRITTLE*. All well and good if the entire piece is treated uniformly, but can cause all sorts of problems if it is a 'spot' treatment.
This is a characteristic of 'nearly pure' titanium, that is not shared by most titanium compounds.
Some of the metals that cause this behavior in microscopic quantities, applied to the surface, can be used in macroscopic quantities -- making titanium alloys -- that do not have the same characteristics.
IIRC, skin panels for "Blackbird" were 'unrepairable' for this reason -- complete replace of an entire panel necessary.
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