Abstract: A process for the production of a shaped article of a ceramic material in which a composition comprising particulate ceramic material and a liquid medium is shaped, the liquid medium is removed from the shaped composition, and the composition is heated to sinter the particles of ceramic material in which the composition is subjected to high shear mixing such that in the shaped article which is produced the mean maximum size of flaw is less than 25 microns. Also, a shaped article of sintered particulate ceramic material in which the mean maximum size of flaw is less than 25 microns and in which the minimum dimension of the shaped article is in excess of 0.1 mm.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of producing a metal-contained composite material from a metal and a sinterable material such as a ceramic material, and to a metal-contained composite material produced by the method. Conventional composite materials consisting of metal and ceramic material do not have sufficient mechanical and electrical properties, under some conditions in use, and are too expensive to be applied extensively. To solve this problem, the invention provides a manufacturing method comprising a process of fabricating a roll of a laminate consisting of a metal strip and a sinterable material, by winding up the laminate, and a process of subjecting the roll to plastic working; a manufacturing method including a heat treatment process carried out at a predetermined temperature, in addition to the above processes; and metal-contained composite materials produced by these methods.

Abstract: A process for production of superconductor wire having multiple rings, comprising the steps of: preparing a silver mixture comprising a silver or silver-gold alloy mixed with a bonding agent, and a superconductor mixture comprising a superconductor powder with bonding agent; arranging both the silver mixture and the superconductor mixture in a extrusion die; extruding a wire having at least one ring of the superconductor mixture and one ring of the silver mixture in the radial direction; and heating the wire at the sinter temperature of the oxide superconductor so that the bonding agent is removed and the oxide superconductor powder and the silver powder are sintered. A superconductor wire comprising an inner core and an outer ring covering the core, wherein one of the ring on the core comprises a sintered silver powder and the other of the ring on the core comprises a sintered oxide superconductor powder.

Abstract: A process for producing porous articles from metal powders. A slurry including metal powders is deposited on a horizontally moving surface. The slurry/moving surface combination is passed through an evaporating zone, a calender zone and a sintering zone to form the desired article. The article is then separated from the moving surface.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a rugged, flexible, superconducting wire comprising: mixing a superconducting material, such as YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x, with a metallic powder to form a metal/superconductor mixture; and loading a metal shell or tube with the metal/superconductor mixture to form a superconducting wire. The superconducting wire may also be cold drawn and annealed to form a very dense wire. The metallic powder is either copper, copper alloy, aluminum or other face centered cubic element. Additionally, a superconducting wire may be formed by encapsulating a superconducting filament within a metal shell.

Abstract: A continuous process for producing strip products which comprises forming an aqueous slurry of a mixture of a metal powder and a film-forming cellulose derivative and producing from this slurry a self-supporting strip. This self-supporting strip is fed onto an endless moving belt by which the strip is transported into and through a sinter furnace. A tensile force is applied to the sintered strip in the direction of travel of the strip, and this tensile force is controlled such that the speed at which the strip leaves the furnace is greater than the speed at which the strip enters the furnace by an amount related to the expected or actual increase in strip length occasioned by expansion of the strip during the sintering process.

Abstract: In a process of producing composite materials consisting of sheet metal plates, metal strips and foils and provided with a skeleton surface structure, a layer of a metal powder which is difficultly flowable and consists of irregularly shaped particles is applied to a continuously moved metallic carrier layer and is bonded to said carrier layer by cold roll cladding and is sintered in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures of 600.degree. to 1000.degree. C. In order to produce composite materials in which the skeleton structure constitutes a layer that is of uniform thickness throughout the surface and is firmly bonded to the carrier layer, the metal powder is uniformly distributed and applied as regards its bulk volume using a distributing roller, which rotates opposite to the main direction of movement of the carrier layer, whereby a uniform thickness is obtained.

Abstract: In a process of manufacturing diaphragms, a layer of a difficulty flowable metal powder is applied to a support, a wire net is rolled onto the powder layer and the latter is compacted at the same time and the metal powder is fired at 800.degree. to 1500.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere. In order to impart to the diaphragms a constant thickness, strength and density, the metal powder is uniformly distributed and applied as regards its bulk volume to the support and the powder layer is moved under a distributing roller rotating opposite to the direction in which the powder is fed.

Abstract: An improved method for the continuous fabrication of metal-hydride, electrochemical, hydrogen storage alloy, negative electrodes for use in rechargeable nickel metal hydride cells. The improved method comprises the steps of reducing the size of a high hardness, metal hydride, hydrogen storage alloy by shattering it along natural fracture line thereof. The process next includes providing measured amounts of powered metal hydride electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy material and disposing said material upon a continuous wire mesh screen substrate. Thereafter, the powdered metal hydride electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy and wire mesh screen are subjected to a compaction process wherein they are rolled and pressed so as to form a single integral electrode web which is subsequently exposed to a high temperature sintering process in a chemically inert environment.

Abstract: A process for producing flat products from gas atomised particulate material comprises the steps of forming a relatively smooth castable slurry comprising a suspension of such particulate material in a solution of film-forming binder material, depositing a coating of the slurry onto a substrate or support surface and drying the coating to form a flexible flat product. The dried flat product may be bonded onto the substrate or support surface by the drying process or, alternatively, may be removed therefrom and roll-bonded to a suitable substrate for subsequent compaction and sintering.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing high modulus products. A polymer morphology or powdered metal is solid-state deformed under pressure through the rollers of an extrusion rolling die, at a temperature near but below its crystalline melting point, while controlling the extrusion rate and the rate of rotation of the rollers so that the rate of extrusion of the polymer or metal is substantially the same as the rate of rotation of the rolling die surface.

Abstract: An improved method for the continuous fabrication of metal-hydride, electrochemical, hydrogen storage alloy, negative electrodes for use in rechargeable nickel metal hydride cells. The improved method comprises the steps of providing measured amounts of powdered metal hydride electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy material and disposing said material upon a continuous wire mesh screen substrate. Thereafter, the powdered metal hydride electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy and wire mesh screen are subjected to a compaction process wherein they are rolled and pressed so as to form a single integral electrode web which is subsequently exposed to a high temperature sintering process in a chemically inert environment. The sintering process is designed to drive off excess moisture in the material while discouraging oxidation of the electrode web and set the electrode web state of charge.

Abstract: Welding, soldering and brazing and wire filler metals having a metallic sheath enclosing a core wire and, preferably, filler powder materials. The diameter of the composite wire is reduced by drawing, rolling or swaging. The composite wire is easier for filler metal manufacturers to make and can have better operating characteristics leading to improved bead appearance and joint quality.

Abstract: A process for producing flat products from particulate material comprises the steps of forming relatively smooth, castable slurry comprising a suspension of particulate material in an aqueous solution, a film-forming binder material and a dispersion of a particulate synthetic resin in an aqueous solution, depositing a coating of this slurry onto a support surface and, heating the deposited coating to a temperature at which a component of the synthetic resin volatilises. The coating may be removed from the support surface as a flat product either before or after heating to volatilize a component of the synthetic resin.

Abstract: A process for the passivating, multistage compaction of hot iron particles supplied in the form of a packed bed from a reduction unit and for the subsequent breaking apart of the compacted iron band is described. Prior to the final compacting, the iron particles pass through a homogenizing and precompressing stage. Thus, the compacted iron has a pore volume of max. 40% and a density of at least 5.5 g/cm.sup.3. The iron compacted to a band is subsequently guided between the rollers (7,8,11) of a separating stage exposing it to bending stresses such that it breaks apart at the predetermined desired breaking points. The latter have a smaller density than the band regions between them. They can be produced in that in the precompression stage the feed speed is briefly decelerated compared with the feed speed in the compaction stage or in the compaction stage there is less marked compression at these points than in the intermediate regions.

Abstract: In a method of producing a composite material for a sliding member having a sliding portion and a backing material which supports the sliding portion, the method comprises the steps of: disposing a powder or a sheet material for the sliding portion on the backing material; irradiating the powder or sheet material with laser beam or electron beam; melting or partially melting the beam-irradiated powder or sheet material; and quenching and solidifying the melted or partially melted portion, whereby the particles of the powder are integrated with one another and the powder in contact with the backing material are bonded thereto, or whereby the sheet material in contact wiht the backing material are bonded thereto.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuous processing of metal between molten and bright hot rolled stages includes the production of uniform liquid metal droplets at the top of a shot tower containing inert gas, forming and maintaining columns of closely spaced but separate metal droplets, retarding the flow of said droplets to a slow, substantially constant, velocity and cooling the droplets principally by radiation to at least partial solidification, collecting the at least partially solidified droplets in a bottomless receptacle in a weakly cohesive column, passing said column into the bite of a pair of mill rolls, rolling the said column into a rolled product, and cooling the rolled product by arc contact with off-set colling/flatening rolls and by radiation and convection cooling in an inert gas.

Abstract: A method of producing a sliding composite material. The method comprises the step of: forming an adhesive layer bonded to the surface of a metal strip by sintering a powder for the adhesive layer which contains no solid lubricant and which is disposed onto the surface of the metal strip; forming a surface layer by sintering another powder for the surface layer which contains a solid lubricant and which is disposed onto the sintered adhesive layer; and rolling the resulting layers and the metal strip to obtain the composite material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making electrode material from high hardness active electrode alloy powder are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves feeding the powder onto a carrier web, aligning a mesh or screen substrate with the carrier web, and compacting the powder and mesh in a series of roller mills. The carrier is removed after it has passed through the first roller mill, and the remaining green electrode web is passed through the second roller mill and into a sintering furnace. After sintering and cooling, the web is calendared, and then is wound on a take-up reel. The furnace provides a substantially water and oxygen-free argon-hydrogen atmosphere for sintering which discourages web oxidization at the elevated sintering temperature. A loss-in-weight feeder can be used to accurately deposit the desired amount of active material on the carrier web.

Abstract: A method of producing strip comprising at least two material layers of different chemical composition bonded one to another, in which separate slurries of powders of different chemical compositions are formed in film-forming cellulose derivatives. Dried layers in strip form are produced from the slurries and these layers are fed, while under tension in interfacial contact, into the nip of a pair of compaction rolls to effect a mechanical bond between the layers. At least one of the strip layers may be subjected to a sintering operation prior to being fed into the nip of the compaction rolls.

Abstract: A process for producing strip from particulate metallic material in which a slurry comprising a suspension of particulate metallic material in a solution of water containing a film forming binder material is deposited as a coating onto a support surface and is heated to gel the binder and to dry the slurry coating, the dried strip subsequently being removed from the support surface and rolled to effect compaction thereof. The ratio of particulate metallic material to water content of the slurry lies within the range 3.4:1 and 4.2:1 to ensure good flowability of the slurry coating and to produce the required flat profile in the rolled strip.

Abstract: A method of making a porous metal article is disclosed comprising:(a) applying a stabilized suspension of a dispersed metal particulate in a fluid medium to a porous metal support;(b) working the support to fill the openings with the stabilized suspension and remove entrained gas;(c) heating the filled support to dry the stabilized suspension and provide the filled support with green or unsintered strength;(d) preferably compressing the dried, filled support to provide better contact between adjacent particles and greater mechanical strength; and(e) sintering the compressed, dried, filled support to remove volatile material and to fuse the individual particles of the metal particulate to the metal support and to each other.The porous metal articles find particular use as filters. They comprise a porous metal support and metal particulate material with the individual particles sinter bonded to each other and to the support.

Abstract: Amorphous metal powders or ribbons are fabricated into solid shapes of appreciable thickness by the application of compaction energy. The temperature regime wherein the amorphous metal deforms by viscous flow is measured. The metal powders or ribbons are compacted within the temperature range.

Abstract: A process for the production of a hollow or a solid profile (21) from dry powder material (27) is accomplished by means of a flexible form (7), through means of which a mold cavity (25) is enclosed in sleeve fashion. The flexible form (7) is capable of being placed under external pressure, over its entire length, radially from all sides, in order to compact, radially, the powder material (27) found, and capable of being poured, inside the form (7). In order to be able to produce endless solid profiles and/or hollow profiles from dry powder material, provided for is that the production of the profile (21) can be accomplished by sections and, additionally, that the mold form (25), running constant at its one end up to the profile diameter, and here limited by the precompacted profile section (21) and at its other end by the mutually convergent inner surfaces (8) of the flexible form provided with a top supply opening (17), is uniformly filled with a measured amount of powder material (27).

Abstract: A method of producing metallic strip containing discrete particles of one or more additional metallic or non-metallic materials dispersed therein, includes the step of forming a homogeneous mix of ductile metallic particles and a minor proportion of metallic and/or non-metallic particles having chemical and/or physical properties different from those of the ductile metallic particles. A slurry coating comprising a suspension of the mixed particles in a film forming cellulose derivative is deposited onto a moving support surface, dried and removed from the support surface before being subjected to rolling to effect compaction of the ductile content of the strip and sintering at a temperature at which the metallic particles coalesce to form a matrix containing particles of the additional metallic or non-metallic material(s) which either remain as discrete particles or alloy with the matrix.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a composite in the form of a sheet which involves forming a slurry of a brazing alloy powder and a vehicle, applying the slurry as a pattern or as a layer to a structural substrate, removing the vehicle from the slurry, and melting the alloy uniformly into a homogeneous mass without melting the substrate, and thereafter cooling the same to solidify it into a self supporting sheet.

Abstract: A process for making a strip or sheet comprising dispersion strengthened metal or dispersion strengthened metal alloy which comprises rolling directly from dispersion strengthened metal powder to a green strip or sheet density of from at least 90% to 95% of theoretical density, sintering the green strip or sheet in an inert atmosphere at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form a rigid body; reducing the thickness of the strip or sheet by at least 25% by cold rolling or hot rolling and resintering at sintering temperature of at least about 1800.degree. F. for 40 to 75 or more minutes.

Abstract: A process for producing a flat product such as a coin includes the steps of forming a slurry comprising a suspension of particulate material in a film-forming cellulose derivative, depositing a quantity of this slurry onto a support surface, drying the slurry to form a self-supporting flat product, and removing the dried product from the support surface. The particulate material essentially comprises metallic particles and matter whose chemical composition and physical properties differ from those of the metallic particles such that the added matter is not or only partially taken into solution with the metallic particles on heat treatment of the product whereby the presence of the added matter can readily be detected following such heat treatment.

Abstract: In the installation, a strip is shaped from a split tube which is welded or seamed to give a closed tube in a welding or seaming station. Associated with the welding or seaming station is a suction mechanism used for the removal of on the one hand the cold air flow produced by the moving open tube and on the other the air flow heated during welding and flowing back from the closed tube, as a result of the reduction of the internal cross-section thereof. This obviates air turbulence in the welding or seaming station, which could whirl up the pulverulent material introduced into the open tube in a dosing station and could be deposited on the longitudinal edges of the split tube. This could unfavorably influence the seaming or welding process.

Abstract: Sponge titanium powder is compacted, advantageously by roll compaction to a density in the range of about 60% to 80% of the density of solid titanium metal, thereafter heat treated in vacuum at about 500.degree. C. to 750.degree. C., cooled in vacuum to 300.degree. C. and quenched to 100.degree. C. to provide a substrate for electrodes useful in electrolytic processes.

Abstract: A process for forming a mat (14) of metal fibers (2) which can be used to hold ceramic material onto the surface of equipment to be protected from heat and corrosion, including the steps of mixing a plurality of metal fibers (2) with polybutene (8) and a finely-divided brazing material (10). This mixture is spread onto a support member (4) having an insulating coating (6) thereon to prevent the fibers from becoming brazed to the support member. The support member containing the fibers thereon is then subjected to a brazing temperature (12), brazing the fibers together to form a loose mat. The mat is then removed from the support member, and reduced (16) in thickness into a more dense mat of fibers. The dense mat (14) is then again subjected to a brazing temperature (18), to form a final product having unusual strength qualities.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for fabricating tubes (26) from powders (32). A retractable, rotating mandrel (18) is disposed within a powder hopper (12) and circumscribed by a plurality of swaging dies (20). A flexible iris (14), disposed between the hopper (12) and the dies (20), reduces powder (32) loss.As the mandrel (18) is withdrawn from the hopper (12), the dies (20) alternatingly expand and contract compacting the powder (32) in a compaction zone (48) about the mandrel (18) to form a tube (26). The resultant continuous tube (26) is withdrawn along with the mandrel (18).