Tantalum-silicon alloys and products containing the same and processes of making the same

An alloy comprising tantalum and silicon is described. The tantalum is the predominant metal present. The alloy also has a uniformity of tensile strength when formed into a wire, such that the maximum population standard deviation of tensile strength for the wire is about 3 KSI for an unannealed wire at finish diameter and about 2 KSI for an annealed wire at finish diameter. Also described is a process of making a Ta-Si alloy which includes reducing a silicon-containing solid and a tantalum-containing solid into a liquid state and mixing the liquids to form a liquid blend and forming a solid alloy from the liquid blend. Another process of making a Ta-Si alloy is described which involves blending powders containing tantalum or an oxide thereof with powders containing silicon or a silicon-containing compound to form a blend and then reducing the blend to a liquid state and forming a solid alloy from the liquid state. Also, a method of increasing the uniformity of tensile strength in tantalum metal, a method of reducing embrittlement of tantalum metal, and a method of imparting a controlled mechanical tensile strength in tantalum metal are described which involve adding silicon to tantalum metal so as to form a Ta-Si alloy.