Abstract: In a method for producing tungsten hexachloride which comprises reacting tungsten with chlorine gas at a temperature sufficient to result in the conversion of the tungsten to tungsten hexachloride, the improvement comprising reacting tungsten in the form of pressed pieces to convert the pieces to tungsten hexachloride having an oxygen content of less than about 0.5% by weight with the rate of conversion to tungsten hexachloride being at least about 2.3 times greater than the rate of conversion when the tungsten is in an unpressed form.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for coating tungsten carbide with cobalt metal. The process involves forming an aqueous slurry of tungsten carbide having a particle size of no greater than about -100 mesh, and zinc powder, adding ammonia to the slurry in an amount sufficient so that the slurry is basic after the addition of cobalt chloride, adding a solution of cobalt chloride to the ammoniated slurry with the amount of cobalt chloride being sufficient to provide a coating of partially reduced cobalt on the tungsten carbide, removing this cobalt coated tungsten carbide from the resulting liquor, and heating the coated tungsten carbide in a reducing atmosphere to effect the essentially complete reduction of the cobalt and to produce a cobalt metal coating on the tungsten carbide.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a sheet of tungsten heavy alloy which involves forming a solution of chemical compounds containing the metal values of the alloy in the correct proportion as in the alloy, crystallizing the compounds from solution and drying the compounds, reducing the compounds to their respective metals wherein each particle is an admixture of the allow components; forming a slurry of the metals and a liquid medium, removing the liquid medium from the metals and forming a planar cake of the metals, drying the cake, and sintering the cake to a density equal to or greater than about 90% of the theoretical density of the alloy to form the sheet.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering metals from chromium bearing material comprising one or more or the metals of cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten, iron, tin, aluminum. The process comprises atomizing the material to produce a flowable powder which is then fused in an oxidizing atmosphere with sufficient alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature sufficient to form a nonmagnetic fused material in which the chromium, tungsten and molybdenum are present as water soluble salts. The resulting fused material is then slurried with a sufficient amount of water to dissolve the water soluble compounds. The pH is adjusted to from about 9.2 to about 9.6 with an acid to allow insolubles to form which contain any cobalt, and nickel and the major portion of any iron, tin and aluminum followed by separating the insolubles from the resulting first liquor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing fine cobalt metal powder which comprises adding to a solution of cobaltous chloride, sodium hydroxide in an amount equal to at least the stoichiometric amount required to form a precipitate of the major portion of the cobalt as cobaltous hydroxide and a mother liquor containing the balance of the starting cobalt, separating the precipitate from the mother liquor, water washing the precipitate to remove essentially all of the sodium therefrom, and reducing the precipitate to fine cobalt metal powder having an FSSS of from about 0.5 to about 2.0. Drying of the precipitate before reduction results in the fine cobalt metal powder having essentially no tailings.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a sheet of tungsten heavy alloy which comprises forming metal particles of the alloy wherein each metal particle is a uniform admixture of the alloy components, entraining the particles in a carrier gas, passing the particles and the carrier gas into a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the matrix phase of the particles and maintaining the particles in the zone for a sufficient time to melt at least the matrix phase of the particles and form spherical particles, followed by rapidly and directly solidifying the high temperature treated material while the material is in flight. A slurry is formed of this high temperature treated material and a liquid medium, the liquid medium is removed from the material and a planar cake is formed of the material, the cake is dried, and sintered to a density equal to or greater than about 90% of the theoretical density of the alloy to form the sheet.

Abstract: A process for producing powder particles comprises forming an aqueous solution of the metal values of iron, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum, said metals being present in a predetermined ratio, forming from the solution a reducible solid material selected from the group consisting of salts of said metals, oxides of said metals, hydroxides of said metals and mixtures thereof, and reducing said material to form irregular shaped metallic powder particles.

Abstract: A process for forming maraging steel alloys comprise forming an aqueous solution containing the metal values of iron, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum in a predetermined ratio, forming the reducible solid material from the solution, reducing the solid material to form metallic powder particles. These particles are entrained in a carrier gas and fed into a high temperature zone to form droplets. The droplets are cooled to form essentially spherical particles which are agglomerated with a predetermined amount of at least one readily oxidizable metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium and vanadium. The agglomerates are entrained in a carrier gas and fed into a high temperature zone to form droplets which are thereafter cooled to form essentially spherical shaped particles of a maraging steel alloy containing at least one readily oxidizable metal.

Abstract: Powder particles and a process for producing the particles are disclosed. The particles are of a ductile and/or malleable material which can be metal, metal alloy, or metal-ceramic composites having a substantially granular appearance and an aspect ratio of from greater than 1 to about 50 and a mean particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter. The process involves grinding the above described material with the grinding media being placed in a mill so that the media are in close proximity to one another to produce a densely packed state which results in the above described powder particles being produced.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing silicon nitride wherein the crystal morphology is controlled. The method involves heating a mixture consisting essentially of a chlorosilane and ammonia at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to produce a nitogen containing silane as an intermediate. The bulk density of the intermediate is controlled to less than about 0.1 g/cc to result in the silicon nitride having a crystal morphology which is essentially all fibrous, or the bulk density can be controlled to greater than about 0.3 g/cc to result in the silicon nitride having a crystal morphology which is essentially all equiaxial, or the bulk density can be controlled to between about 0.1 g/cc and about 0.3 g/cc to result in the silicon nitride having a crystal morphology which is a mixture of fibrous and equiaxial. The intermediate is then heated at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to produce the controlled crystal morphology silicon nitride.

Abstract: A low density tungsten alloy article is disclosed and the method for producing the article. The method involves compacting a relatively uniform tungsten alloy powder with the tungsten content comprising no greater than about 90% by weight of the alloy and the balance a matrix phase to produce a preformed article which is then sintered in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature below the melting point of the matrix phase for a sufficient time to form a densified article which is mechanically worked to produce the final article.

Abstract: A powder material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powder material consists essentially of iron group based and chromium based spherical particles. The material is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter and has an oxygen content of less than about 0.8% by weight. The process for making the spherical particles involves reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder essentially all of which has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter. This is done by fluid energy milling. The finer powder is entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the powder, the temperature being from about 5500.degree. C. to about 17,000.degree. C.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of refractory metal based spherical particles and is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form the spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of titanium based spherical particles which are essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 50 micrometers. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.

Abstract: A powder material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powder material consists essentially of spherical particles selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, ceramic glasses, crystalline ceramic materials, and combinations thereof. The material is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter and has an oxygen content of less than about 0.8% by weight. The process for making the spherical particles involves reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder essentially all of which has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter. This is done by fluid energy milling. The finer powder is entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the powder, the temperature being from about 5500.degree. C. to about 17,000.degree. C.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing fine spherical powder particles. The process involves forming a relatively uniform admixture of a starting powder material and a flowability aid, the flowability aid being non-reactive with and coarser than the starting material, entraining the admixture in a carrier gas and passing the admixture through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the starting material to melt at least about 50% by weight of the starting material, resolidifying the resulting high temperature treated material, and separating the flowability aid from the balance of the high temperature treated material.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing spherical glass particles. The process involves forming a high velocity stream of molten droplets of glass, directing said stream toward a repellent surface, impacting the molten droplets against the surface to form fragmented portions, and cooling the fragmented portions to form a glass powder consisting essentially of particles the major portion of which are glass spheres.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a high hardness refractory metal part, the method comprising hot isostatic pressing a refractory metal part having a density greater than about 98% of the theoretical density in the presence of a pressurizing gas having an atomic size great enough to strain the lattice of the refractory metal at a pressure to exceed the yield strength of the metal to result in the densification of the part to a density of greater than about 98% of the theoretical density. The part is then rapidly cooled. The resulting part has a hardness approaching the hardness of mechanically worked material.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of light metal based spherical particles which are essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder which is then entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone above the melting point of the finer powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is directly solidified.

Abstract: A powdered material and a process for producing the material are disclosed. The powdered material consists essentially of iron group based and chromium based spherical particles. The material is essentially free of elliptical shaped material and elongated particles having rounded ends. The material has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers. The process for making the spherical particles involves mechanically reducing the size of a starting material to produce a finer powder the major portion of which has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers. The finer powder is entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the powder to melt at least about 50% by weight of the powder and form the spherical particles of the melted portion. The powder is then directly solidified.