Abstract: The present invention concerns a tungsten carbide base cutting tools formed on sintered hard alloy substrate material. Multiple hard coatings are deposited on the Co-enriched surface layer of the substrate material, and Co-enriched surface layer occurs within a surface layer region that is 50 .mu.m from an interface of said substrate material, wherein the Co content in said surface layer that is 5-10 .mu.m from an interface of said substrate material is within a range from 15-25% by weight; wherein the Co content in said surface layer is more than the Co content in the core, and wherein the content of the carbides of Ti, Ta and Nb is lower than that in the core. The multilayer coating consists of a primary coating of TiCN, a secondary coating of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and the surface coating consisting of at least one of TiCN and TiN. The interface between the substrate material and the primary coating is provided with a first intermediate coating consisting of TiN.

Abstract: There is disclosed a copper smelting process. At first, blister copper is produced in a blister copper-producing facility. Then, the blister copper is caused to flow through blister copper launders into one of anode furnaces, and refined into copper of higher quality in the anode furnace. In the refining operation at the anode furnace, the receiving step and the oxidizing step are carried out at least partly in an overlapping fashion.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are presented for preparing a single crystal ingot of a compound semiconductor material which contains a high vapor pressure component. The apparatus includes: a furnace housing 78 housing a cylindrical hermetic vessel 20 having a ceiling plate section 22A and a bottom plate section 42. External heaters 36, 38 and 40 surrounding the hermetic vessel 20, and a vapor pressure control section which communicates hermetically with the vessel 20.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a tungsten carbide base cutting tools formed on sintered hard alloy substrate material. Multiple hard coatings are deposited on the Co-enriched surface layers of the substrate material, and a maximum value of the Co concentration in a layer occurs within a distance of 50 .mu.m of the external surface of the substrate material, and this surface layer region is referred to as the denuded zone because the surface region is substantially free of carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides of Ti, Ta, and Nb containing W. The multilayer coating consists of a primary coating of TiCN, a secondary coating of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and the surface coating consisting of at least one of TiCN and TiN. The interface between the substrate material and the primary coating is provided with a first intermediate coating consisting of TiN. The interface between the primary coating and the secondary coating is provided with a second intermediate coating consisting of at least one layer of TiC, TiCO and TiCNO.

Abstract: A TiCN-based cermet cutting insert superior in toughness with improved wear resistance includes a binding phase and at least two hard dispersion phases. One hard dispersion phases includes a core of TiCN while the other hard dispersion phases includes a core of a carbonitride solid solution of Ti and one of a V,Hf,Cr, Ta,Nb, Zr, W and Mo.

Abstract: An edge protector for an electrolysis electrode, has an outer surface shape in the central portion thereof which reduces the thickness in that portion to improve uniformity of cooling, and thereby reduce stress cracking as a result of the reduced buildup of thermal stresses. The outer surfaces may be inclined planes or suitable curved shapes that converge from an outer jaw toward an inner jaw. In one embodiment an edge protector includes a sealing member made of a sealing material such as silicone rubber, either integrally formed with the inner jaws, or affixed after forming. A spreader bar has a shape which enables clamping of the edge protector onto a mother blank without excessive expansion of the outer jaw, thereby lengthening service life, and easing installation. A tapered spreader bar for end insertion, and embodiments of spreader bars having flattened surfaces for edgewise insertion and then rotation for tightening are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting light energy into electric energy and storing the same, which comprises a photoelectric conversion unit having an element that generates an electromotive force by irradiation of light and a unit for storing electric energy generated by the photoelectric conversion unit. The element comprises a ferroelectric crystal having a bulk photovoltaic effect such as BaTiO.sub.3, lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) or the like. Light energy is converted into electric energy having a voltage ranging from 10 V to several kV with high reliability to be efficiently stored.

Abstract: A precious metal foil composite comprising a precious metal foil encased, by lamination, in a transparent polymeric sheet material. The composite cards produced from this composite material are used for practical purposes by encasing the above composite together with another component having opaque decorative patterns, and finally encasing the entire assembly in a secondary hard protective covering to provide the outermost protection.

Abstract: A laminar clay having ion-exchange property is mixed with a solution containing polynuclear metal hydroxo cations or positively charged hydroxide or oxide fine particles to serve as precursor ions (3) of inorganic pillars so as to exchange a part of cations (2) between clay layers (1) with the precursor ions (3) of the inorganic pillars. Next, the laminar clay thus obtained is heat-treated at 100.degree. to 900.degree. C. to generate a porous clay intercalation compound, this porous clay intercalation compound is mixed with an ammonium salt aqueous solution to ion-exchange remaining cations (2) with ammonium ions (5). This porous clay intercalation compound is heat treated again at 200.degree. to 900.degree. C. to desorb ammonia, so as to allow hydrogen ions (6) to be carried in the pore portions of the porous clay intercalation compound and on its surface portions.

Abstract: An oxide superconducting material is coated with silver or an alloy thereof and shaped into a linear body, and the linear body is subjected to diameter reduction by means of groove roll rolling, a swaging machine and the like, and then differential speed rolling and heat treatment are repeatedly performed, whereby the linear body is shaped into a tape-shaped wire material. The microstructure control in the longitudinal direction is performed uniformly and efficiently, and a superconducting wire having a high c-axis orientation ratio and a large critical current density Jc at a service temperature is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention presents a method and an apparatus for heat treating a metallic material by performing hydrogen absorption in or desorption from the metallic material. The method includes the steps of recovering the hydrogen gas released from a desorption step and recycling it to a hydrogen absorbing step. Hydrogen recovering can be performed either in a device containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy or in a second heat treating furnace containing the metallic material. Various controlling devices are used to regulate the process of heat treating and recovering of hydrogen gas.

Abstract: A cutting tool is disclosed which includes a tool body having a mounting portion to be secured to a machine tool and having a plurality of insert receiving recesses formed therein. A plurality of cutting inserts are releasably attached to the insert receiving recesses, respectively. The tool body has a nitrided hard layer formed on a surface thereof. Furthermore, a clamp member used in the tool preferably has an abutment surface to be held in abutting contact with the insert or other parts and a chip-contacting surface with which cutting chips produced during cutting operation are brought into contact. The chip-contacting surface is defined by a nitriding hard layer formed on a precision-cast unglazed surface, and has a surface which is left without finish-working. Furthermore, a method for producing a cutting tool which includes a tapped hole formed therein and having an inner surface defining an unnitrided portion is disclosed. In this method, a plug is first threaded into the tapped hole.

Abstract: A twist drill is disclosed. The twist drill comprises a substantially cylindrical tool body having a rotational axis therethrough, a front portion, a rear portion, a plurality of web thickness, a front flank face, a plurality of flutes formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof and extending to the front flank face, and a land disposed between a pair of the flutes. The flute has a wall portion facing toward the rotational direction of the tool body. A cutting edge is formed at an intersection between the wall portion of the flute and the front flank face. The web thickness at the rear portion of the tool body is smaller than the web thickness at the front portion of the tool body.

Abstract: A calcium phosphate granular cement contains mixed powders obtained by mixing .alpha.-type calcium tertiary phosphate or calcium quaternary phosphate with a calcium phosphate compound selected from calcium primary phosphate, calcium secondary phosphate and mixtures thereof at a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.35 to 1.49 or 1.30 to 1.90. A minimum diameter of each cement granule is 0.1 to 1.0 mm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a target unit including a basic body and a target layer mainly comprising Si alloy disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the basic body by a hard-facing method. A target unit in accordance with the present invention has an interposed layer between a basic body and a target layer, in which one side thereof is strongly attached to a peripheral surface of the basic body, while other side thereof is strongly attached to an inner surface of the target layer. Also, a method in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of: preparing a basic body in the form of a cylinder; applying an interposed layer on a peripheral surface of said basic body by means of hard-facing; and further applying a target layer on a peripheral surface of said interposed layer by means of hard-facing.

Abstract: A high-strength target material for forming a thin magnetooptical recording film having a structure comprising: (a) 20-75% of a complex phase in which at least one crystallized iron-group metal is dispersed finely and uniformly in a dendritic, acicular or block form in a proportion of 5-40%, of the total composition, in a matrix of an intermetallic compound of at least one first rare earth metal and at least one iron-group metal; (b) 15-40% of a rare earth metal phase of at least one second rare earth metal; and (c) the remainder being an intermetallic compound phase of a reaction phase of the complex phase and the rare earth metal phase, all percentages being by area, wherein the first and second rare earth metals are the same or different. The target material has such a low permeability that thin magnetooptical recording films can be formed by a magnetron sputtering process with a high utilization.

Abstract: A throw-away cutting tool is disclosed. The tool body of the cutting tool consists of a rod-like shank and a bit mounting component arranged at the front end of the shank. The shank is made of cemented carbide, and is formed with a mounting wall extending toward the front end of the tool body. The bit mounting component is made of steel or sintered metal, and is formed with a bit mounting seat defined by a bottom wall and side walls. In the above cutting tool, high resistance against the cutting force produced by cutting operation can be obtained and separation of the shank and the bit mounting component can be prevented; and high rigidity of the tool body is ensured, the damping capacity of the tool body is increased, and therefore vibration and chatter of the cutting tool can be effectively prevented.

Abstract: There is disclosed a precious metal article which is formed of a solid-phase sintered product of a precious metal powder. For manufacturing the precious metal article, a moldable mixture which contains a precious metal powder and a binder removable by sintering is shaped into a prescribed molded object, and the molded object is then subjected to sintering. The moldable mixture is produced by preparing a precious metal powder, preparing a jellylike cellulose binder by blending a cellulose with water and leaving for a prescribed period of time, and blending the precious metal powder and the jellylike cellulose binder together. The most preferable moldable mixture contains 50 to 90% by weight of precious metal powder, 0.8 to 8% by weight of water-soluble cellulose binder, 0.08 to 3% by weight of a surface-active agent. 0.1 to 3% by weight of oil, balance water and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: The ceramics of the present invention comprises a composition having a bonding phase constituent component, a dispersed phase constituent component, and unavoidable impurities. The bonding phase constituent component has one or more of titanium and aluminum carbide, nitride and carbonitride compounds including oxygen, and 20% to 48% by volume of decomposed reaction phase cubic crystal boron nitride. The dispersed phase constituent component comprises cubic crystal boron nitride, and the decomposed reaction phase comprises one or more of titanium carbide, titanium nitride and titanium carbonitride, and one or more of aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride, as well as titanium boride. The crystal grain sizes in the bonding phase comprising the decomposed reaction phase, and the crystal grain sizes in the dispersed phase comprising the cubic boron nitride are all substantially less than 1 micron. The titanium and aluminum carbide compound is preferably Ti.sub.

Abstract: The ceramic composites consisting of sintered alumina comprising a polycrystalline alumina matrix having a grain size of from 0.5 to 10 .mu.m, and fine particles of TiB.sub.2 2 .mu.m or less in diameter being dispersed in the alumina grains, the composite alumina ceramic containing from 15 to 40% by volume of TiB.sub.2 ; or a ceramic composites comprising a polycrystalline alumina matrix as above, fine particles of TiB.sub.2, and fine particles of SiC, the fine particles of TiB.sub.2 and SiC being each 2 .mu.m or less in diameter and being dispersed in the alumina grains, the ceramic composites containing from 5 to 30% by volume of TiB.sub.2 and from 5 to 30% by volume of SiC.