Abstract: A method for spheridizing silicon metal particles is described. The method involves injecting irregular silicon metal particles into a high-temperature plasma reactor to melt at least 50 weight percent of the particles. The molten droplets are solidified to form substantially spherical silicon particles having a thin SiO coating which may be removed by treating with a weak hydroxide solution.

Abstract: A method for spheridizing silicon metal particles is described. The method involves injecting irregular silicon metal particles into a high-temperature plasma reactor to melt at least 50 weight percent of the particles. The molten droplets are solidified to form substantially spherical silicon particles having a thin SiO coating which may be removed by treating with a weak hydroxide solution.

Abstract: A method for making a tungsten-copper composite oxide wherein an amount of an ammonium tungstate and an amount of an oxide or hydroxide of copper are combined without milling to form a mixture. The unmilled mixture is then dehydrated and fired at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form the tungsten-copper composite oxide.

Abstract: A method of making a tungsten-copper composite oxide wherein an amount of an oxide of tungsten and an amount of an oxide of copper are combined to form a mixture, the oxide of tungsten or the oxide of copper, or both, being in a hydrated form. The mixture is then milled, dehydrated and fired at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form the tungsten-copper composite oxide, the time sufficient to form the tungsten-copper composite oxide being at least about one-half the time sufficient to form the tungsten-copper composite oxide from a mixture of tungsten trioxide, WO.sub.3, and cupric oxide, CuO, under substantially similar conditions.

Abstract: A process comprising by producing maraging steel powder comprises forming an aqueous solution of iron, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum metals values in a predetermined ratio, forming a reducible solid material from the solution reducing the solid material to metallic powder particles, entraining at least a portion of the powder particle in a carrier gas which is fed into a high temperature zone to form droplets therefrom, and cooling said droplets to form essentially spherical shaped maraging steel alloy particles.

Abstract: Composite powders containing a first group of metals of iron, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum in specific ratios and one or more oxidizable metals can be formed by forming an aqueous solution containing first group of metals, forming solid material of the metals from the solution, reducing the solid material to a metallic powder, combining that powder with one or more easily oxidizable metals in an non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: A composition is disclosed consisting essentially of substantially spherical glass particles having a diameter of less than about 25 micrometers.A process is disclosed for producing substantially spherical particles. The process involves providing irregularly shaped glass particles having a predetermined particle size, entraining the particles in a carrier gas, feeding the entrained particles into a high temperature zone having a temperature sufficiently above the softening point of the glass to allow surface tension to subsequently spheroidize the particles and having a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the glass.

Abstract: A process for producing finely divided spherical iron group based metallic powders comprises forming an aqueous solution containing a source of the appropriate metal sources in a mineral acid, forming a reducible iron group based material from the solution, reducing the material to iron group based metal powder particles, subjecting the metal particles to a high temperature zone to melt a portion of the particles and to form droplets and cooling the droplets to form an essential spherical iron group based metallic powders.

Abstract: A process for forming particulate tungsten alloys from the individual metal sources comprises forming an aqueous solution containing the individual metals for producing tungsten heavy alloys, producing a solid particulate material from the solution and injecting the particle material into a high temperature zone and retaining such material in the high temperature zone for a time sufficient to at least partially melt the metals that are alloying with tungsten while maintaining the temperature of those metals below the boiling point of the lowest boiling metal in the second component. The prealloyed composite powder contains tungsten grains below about 5 micrometers as a discontinuous phase and has a continuous phase of the tungsten and a second component selected from nickel, iron, copper and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing aluminum oxide coated iron powder which comprises contacting iron powder of fine particle size with a liquid aluminum compound wherein the aluminum is hydrolyzable and adding water to the compound and the iron powder to form a slurry, removing essentially all of the liquid from the slurry to produce iron powder with a coating of hydrolyzed aluminum oxide, and firing the iron powder with the hydrolyzed aluminum oxide coating in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to produce iron powder with a coating of aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing aluminum oxide coated iron-aluminum alloy powder which comprises contacting iron-aluminum alloy powder of fine particle size with a liquid aluminum compound wherein the aluminum is hydrolyzable and adding water to the compound and the iron-aluminum alloy powder to form a slurry, removing essentially all of the liquid from the slurry to produce iron-aluminum alloy powder with a coating of hydrolyzed aluminum oxide, and firing the iron-aluminum alloy powder with the hydrolyzed aluminum oxide coating in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to produce iron-aluminum alloy powder with a coating of aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing aluminum oxide coated cobalt powder which comprises contacting cobalt powder of fine particle size with a liquid aluminum compound wherein the aluminum is hydrolyzable and adding water to the compound and the cobalt powder to form a slurry, removing essentially all of the liquid from the slurry to produce cobalt powder with a coating of hydrolyzed aluminum oxide, and firing the cobalt powder with the hydrolyzed aluminum oxide coating in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to produce cobalt powder with a coating of aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A process for forming particulate tungsten heavy alloys from agglomerated material containing the individual metals by using a high temperature zone is improved by retaining the material in the high temperature zone for a time sufficient to at least partially melt the metals that are alloying with tungsten while maintaining the temperature of those metals below the boiling point of the lowest boiling metal in the alloying component.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for reacting a powder with a gas comprising a shroud consisting of a first section having a peripheral cylindrical wall with inner surface and outer surface. Inner surface defines a cavity which serves as reaction chamber in which powder and gas react. First section is detatchably mounted at top end to exit nozzle of high temperature source. First section has powder inlet opening(s) extending through peripheral wall from outer surface to inner surface, thereby connecting the outside with reaction chamber through which powder enters the chamber. Powder inlet opening(s) are positioned sufficiently close to exit nozzle to allow powder to melt and react with gas in the molten state. Second section forms cylindrical jacket skirting lower part of first section at a point below powder inlet openings. Jacket has outer peripheral wall, inner wall one and same with peripheral wall of first section, and top and bottom ring plates forming top and bottom walls respectively of second section.

Abstract: A process for producing a blend of maraging steel alloys and an oxidizable metal comprises forming an aqueous solution or iron, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum in a predetermined ratio. Thereafter, a reducible solid material containing the metals is produced from the solution. The solid material is reduced to metallic powder particles which are entrained in a carrier gas and fed into a high temperature zone to form droplets which are cooled to form essentially spherical shaped metal alloy particles. These particles are combined with a predetermined amount of at least one easily oxidizable metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium and vanadium to form a relative uniform blend of the spherical shaped particles and the readily oxidizable metal.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing fine spherical particles from a fine powder feed material which comprises entraining the powder feed material in a carrier gas, introducing the feed material and carrier gas through a powder port into a high temperature zone and maintaining the powder feed material in the high temperature zone for a sufficient time to melt at least about 50% by weight of the particles of the powder and to form droplets therefrom while at the same time allowing one or more streams of gas to come into contact intermittently with any powder which has accumulated in the vicinity of the powder port to keep the vicinity clear of powder to allow the powder feed to pass unobstructively through the powder port into the high temperature zone. The droplets are then cooled to form spherical particles.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing fine spherical particles from a starting fine powder material which comprises entraining the powder material in a carrier gas, passing the powder material and the carrier gas through a high temperature zone, and maintaining the powder in the high temperature zone for a sufficient time to melt at least about 50% by weight of the particles of the powder and to form spherical particles of the melted portion, allowing the high temperature treated material to come in contact with a reducing atmosphere created by a stream of hydrogen gas, and thereafter rapidly solidifying the resulting high temperature treated material to form spherical particles wherein the oxygen content of the spherical particles is reduced by greater than about 10% by weight from the starting powder.

Abstract: Alloys of a first group of metals containing at least one iron group metal and one or more easily oxidizable metals can be formed by forming an aqueous solution of the first group of metals, forming solids containing the metals from the solution, reducing the solids to a metallic powder, converting the metallic powder to metallic alloy spherical powders, agglomeration the spherical powder with one or more easily oxidizable metals in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, thereafter the agglomerates are subjected to a sufficient temperatures under non-oxidizing conditions to form an alloy. Alternatively, the easily oxidizable metals can be agglomerated with the solids containing the iron group metal prior to converting the agglomerates to a spherical alloy powder.

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 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.