Abstract: Powder is composed of ferrite stainless steel containing: C: .ltoreq.0.1 wt %, Si: .ltoreq.3.0 wt %, Mn: .ltoreq.0.30 wt %, Ni: .ltoreq.2.0 wt %, Cr: 11 to 22%, Mo: .ltoreq.3.0 wt %, and the rest being substantially Fe. The metal compound of B, preferably CrB, is added to the powder as the amount of B being between more than 0.03 wt % and less than 0.2 wt % based on the amount of the powder.

Abstract: A contact member according to the invention effectively controls the production of sparks even at a high current, has a simple structure and is appropriate for use as a small contact brush as in a micromotor. A method of manufacturing a strip material for producing the contact member, the strip material being provided with a surface metal layer having a desired configuration which can be easily manufactured continuously, precisely and in large quantities with a high yield of contact members. Each of the contact members comprises a metal base plate and a sintered metal layer formed on a surface of the metal base plate. The contact member is cut from the strip material, which is manufactured by first printing a metal paste on desired positions on a metal base strip and then sintering the metal paste. The sintered metal layer is firmly joined to the metal base strip by diffusion bonding.

Abstract: A sense circuit for sensing a memory state of a memory transistor in a semiconductor memory device by determining whether the memory transistor is on or off is provided. The sense circuit includes a first load P-channel MOS transistor for supplying a first current to the memory transistor, a reference transistor capable of passing a second current same in magnitude as the on current of the memory transistor, and a second load P-channel MOS transistor for supplying the second current to the reference transistor, whereby the second load P-channel MOS transistor is operatively coupled to the first load P-channel MOS transistor.

Abstract: Ferritic stainless steel having excellent machinability and local corrosion resistance comprises 21-30% chromium, less than 0.020% carbon, less than 0.050% nitrogen, 0.4-3.5% silicon, less than 3.0% manganese, 1.0-5.0% molybdenum, 0-3.0% vanadium, 0-5.0% nickel, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0.05-0.20% sulfur, 0.05-0.30% selenium, 0.05-0.30% tellurium, 0.01-0.20% lead, 0.01-0.20% bismuth and 0.005-0.065% calcium. When from 0.3-3.0% vandium is included the Si content should be 0.4-0.7%. When no vanadium is included the Si content should exceed 1% but not 3%.

Abstract: A steel which is suitable for the material of a mold used for plastic molding and which has an improved resistance to corrosion under exposure to a halogen gas generated in injection molding of a thermoplastic synthetic resin blended with a halogen-containing flame-retarding agent is obtained by shaping a steel which consists essentially of up to 0.05% carbon, up to 1.0% silicon, up to 2.0% manganese, 5.0-8.0% nickel, 11.0-15.0% chromium, 1.0-4.0% molybdenum, 0.5-4.0% copper, 0.5-2.0% cobalt and the balance iron into a mold, and then subjecting the mold to age-hardening treatment at a temperature in the range of 400.degree.-450.degree. C. to obtain a hardness of H.sub.R C 30 or higher. The steel may further contain a small, predetermined amount of at least one machinability-improving component such as lead, tellurium, calcium and bismuth and/or a small, predetermined amount of at least one toughness or hardness-improving component such as tungsten, boron, titanium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum.

Abstract: A molybdenum base alloy containing a given amount of at least one of zirconium and hafnium, a given amount of carbon and not more than given amounts of oxygen and nitrogen has an excellent high-temperature strength. This alloy is produced by an electron beam melting process under high vacuum.