Abstract: A biocompatible surgical article is provided for cutting biological tissue or implantation in contact therewith. The surgical article has a composition of tungsten carbide—nickel with a percentage of additional metal carbides present. A typical composition in total weight percentages is WC 85 to 95%, Cr3C2, Mo2C, VC each alone or in combination being present from 0 to 2%, and Ni constituting the remainder. The composition is formed to have a mean grain size of between 200 and 800 nm with a particle dispersion index (Pdl) corresponding to (the square of the standard deviation)/(mean grain size) of between 0 and 0.6, and in some embodiments between 0.02 and 0.2.

Abstract: Granulation device comprising means for heating a material to be granulated in order to cause its melting and means for supplying the molten material to a container (1) terminated by an orifice (9) for spraying the material in the form of droplets at the entrance of a cooling housing wherein the droplets solidify into granules. Said container comprises on at least one portion of its inner wall raised helical elements imposing a helical blade-type circulation to the molten material, said helical elements (5,6,7) being comprised of grooves provided in a generally cylindrical part (4) which is housed without any clearance into a cylindrical portion of said container (1).

Abstract: The method causes the deposition of calcium or calcium alloy to a cathode by electrolysis of a calcium derivative in a bath of molten salts based on calcium halides. The calcium derivative is in solution into the molten salt bath in ionic form. For producing calcium alloy, calcium is caused to deposit on a liquid metal cathode and the calcium is alloyed in situ with the metal of the cathode to form the alloy. The method enables the production at the anode of high purity metals such as graphite carbon or silicon from calcium carbide, respectively calcium silide or calcium silicon. It is also possible to obtain high purity calcium by decomposition of the alloy obtained by vacuum distillation.

Abstract: The refining additive is an alloy in the form of granules of a metal selected from the group of alkaline earth metals and zinc with a small quantity of a metallic element capable of giving the alloy a substantially lower melting point. The alloy can be a eutectic alloy.This alloy, which is in the form of granules, allows the treatment of steels, cast iron and non-ferrous metals at lower temperatures and with a substantial reduction in bubble formation.The alloy may be introduced in the form of a core wire.

Abstract: Metal in the form of granules is solidified from the molten state by forming a jet of molten metal which is caused to pass through a vibrating orifice in order to divide the jet into individual drops and causing solidification of the drops by cooling so as to form the granules. The drops of the jet are caused to fall from the vibrating orifice under the action of gravity through an inert gas atmosphere which is maintained at a temperature below the solidification temperature of the molten metal. In the case of reactive metals, the jet is formed by withdrawal from a mass of molten metal maintained in contact with a bath which is not miscible with the molten mass and selectively dissolves the derivatives produced in the event of oxidation.

Abstract: The process comprises subjecting a magnetic material dispersed in the fluid to the action of a variable magnetic field. It is thus possible to provide efficient stirring of this fluid and to facilitate reactions taking place, between a constituent of the fluid medium, and particles dispersed in this fluid, including a substance at least partly active at the surface. They may be, in particular, a ferromagnetic solid substance and a compound in solution in the fluid and non-magnetic.