Abstract: An object of the present invention is to solve the problem in hot workability caused by Cu aggregation and provide semi-hard magnetic materials having good magnetic properties, bias materials for magnetic markers, magnetic markers and production methods of bias materials for magnetic markers. The present invention provides a semi-hard magnetic material including 2.0%?Cu?10.0% and 0.1%?Nb?5.0% by mass %, the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having a microstructure in which Cu phase and an intermetallic compound of Fe and Nb are dispersed. The semi-hard magnetic material of the present invention is suitable as bias materials for magnetic markers. Furthermore, the bias materials for magnetic markers can be formed by disposing bias materials for magnetic markers mentioned above so that a bias magnetic field may be applied to a magnetostrictive element for a magnetic marker.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member having a high absorbing capacity for a liquid owing to capillarity and having in itself a structure capable of holding a large amount of the liquid, a process for producing this member, and a member for absorbing and holding an alcohol used as a fuel for a fuel cell. The porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member provided by the present invention is that including a porous sintered product having a skeleton formed by sintering of metal powder around voids and subjected to hydrophilicity-imparting treatment. The hydrophilicity-imparting treatment is preferably the formation of one or more substances selected from the group consisting of silicon oxides, titanium oxides, chromium oxides and aluminum oxide on the skeleton.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to solve the problem in hot workability caused by Cu aggregation and provide semi-hard magnetic materials having good magnetic properties, bias materials for magnetic markers, magnetic markers and production methods of bias materials for magnetic markers. The present invention provides a semi-hard magnetic material including 2.0%?Cu?10.0% and 0.1%?Nb?5.0% by mass %, the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having a microstructure in which Cu phase and an intermetallic compound of Fe and Nb are dispersed. The semi-hard magnetic material of the present invention is suitable as bias materials for magnetic markers. Furthermore, the bias materials for magnetic markers can be formed by disposing bias materials for magnetic markers mentioned above so that a bias magnetic field may be applied to a magnetostrictive element for a magnetic marker.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member having a high absorbing capacity for a liquid owing to capillarity and having in itself a structure capable of holding a large amount of the liquid, a process for producing this member, and a member for absorbing and holding an alcohol used as a fuel for a fuel cell. The porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member provided by the present invention is that including a porous sintered product having a skeleton formed by sintering of metal powder around voids and subjected to hydrophilicity-imparting treatment. The hydrophilicity-imparting treatment is preferably the formation of one or more substances selected from the group consisting of silicon oxides, titanium oxides, chromium oxides and aluminum oxide on the skeleton.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semi-hard magnetic material having rectangular hysteresis loop and superior magnetization steepness and a method of producing a bias material preferably used for a magnetic marker. This method comprises the steps of preparing a multilayer clad material in which layers “A” each containing Fe as the main component thereof and layers “B” containing as the main component thereof a Cu group metal are diffusion-bonded, heating the multilayer clad material, subjecting the material to a dividing treatment, and applying cold working thereto. By this method, it becomes possible to obtain the semi-hard magnetic material having high squareness ratio and superior magnetization steepness, and to obtain the bias material for the magnetic marker.

Abstract: A bias material for magnetic markers is produced by plastic working to provide a strip form, which has a metal structure consisting of the iron-base matrix and a non-magnetic copper group metal phase in an amount of not less than a solubility limit thereof in an equilibrium state at a room temperature. The non-magnetic copper group metal phase is dispersed in the matrix so as to form a microstructural rod pattern. The bias material comprises preferably 3 to 35% wt % of a copper group metal. The magnetic marker is produced by combining the bias material and a magnetostriction element.