Abstract: A process for attaching a porous layer to a substrate adapted to form the core of a hip prosthesis, the substrate is placed in a cavity in a mould. Spherules are introduced into the space between the substrate and the walls of the cavity. The mould is placed in a furnace, which is heated to a temperature at which the material of which the substrate is made is superplastic. Then a pressure of the order of 10 to 30 MPa is applied to the mould, enabling the spherules to be encrusted on the substrate at a relatively low temperature.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of a composite material incorporating an inorganic matrix in which are distributed inclusions of carbon-containing material, where it comprises the following stages:(a) mixing an inorganic powder with a liquid or viscous resin, which can be transformed into vitreous carbon by heat treatment,(b) subjecting the mixture of resin and inorganic powder to a first heat treatment performed under conditions such that the resin is hardened by crosslinking or polycondensation, and(c) subjecting the thus obtained hardened product to a second heat treatment for transforming the resin into vitreous carbon and thus forming said vitreous carbon inclusions.The composite material obtained comprises a copper matrix in which are uniformly and homogeneously dispersed vitreous carbon inclusions, the vitreous carbon content being at the most 8% by weight.The material is used in the production of electric contacts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of titanium-based alloy members by powder metallurgy.This process consists of:(a) preparing a titanium or titanium alloy powder having a grain size distribution between 100 and 1000 .mu.m,(b) depositing on said powder a coating of a material such that on contact with the titanium or titanium alloy it forms a liquid phase at a temperature T.sub.1 which is below the allotropic transformation temperature T of the titanium or titanium alloy constituting the said powder,(c) introducing the thus coated powder into a mould, and(d) hot compressing this powder in the mould at a pressure of 10 to 30 MPa at a temperature between T.sub.1 and T for a time such that a complete densification of the powder is obtained.Application to the construction of discs for turbines with integrated blades.

Abstract: Particles of perfectly spherical shape are produced within a vacuum-tight furnace chamber of small size by means of a movably mounted screen for stopping the particles discharged from a molten zone of an ingot which is driven in rotation at high speed. The rigid screen is formed of material having high thermal conductivity and is provided with a consumable coating on the surface which is struck by the particles. The coating is capable of producing a vapor atmosphere around the point of impact so as to modify the interfacial surface tension of the particles on the screen by means of a localized process of calefaction.

Abstract: A graphite jacket for a fuel element for nuclear reactors is made by placing a dry mixture of graphite and a powdered thermosetting resin in a mold without application of pressure and heating said mixture to thermoset said resin and then subjecting to a coking treatment. The coked jacket is then filled with a mixture of fissile particles and graphite and the complete assembly is closed and treated with a gaseous hydrocarbon at an elevated temperature to deposit pyrolytic carbon.