Abstract: There is provided an evaporating material of thin plate shape which can be manufactured at a reduced cost and at high productivity, the evaporating material being adapted for use in enhancing the coercive force of neodymium-iron-boron sintered magnet by heat treatment while evaporating Dy in vacuum or in reduced-pressure inert gas atmosphere. The evaporating material of this invention has a core member 1a made of a fire-resistant metal having a multiplicity of through holes, and is made by melting a rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof so as to get adhered to, and solidified on, the core member. In this case, the above-mentioned adhesion is performed by dipping the core member into a molten bath of the rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof, and pulling it out of the molten bath.

Abstract: There is provided an evaporating material of thin plate shape which can be manufactured at a reduced cost and at high productivity, the evaporating material being adapted for use in enhancing the coercive force of neodymium-iron-boron sintered magnet by heat treatment while evaporating Dy in vacuum or in reduced-pressure inert gas atmosphere. The evaporating material of this invention has a core member 1a made of a fire-resistant metal having a multiplicity of through holes, and is made by melting a rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof so as to get adhered to, and solidified on, the core member. In this case, the above-mentioned adhesion is performed by dipping the core member into a molten bath of the rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof, and pulling it out of the molten bath.

Abstract: A silicon purification method includes a solidification purification step comprising: preparing the base material to be purified, loading the base material into a crucible, irradiating part of the base material, and fully melting the base material; gradually solidifying the base material by gradually weakening an electron beam so that the solidification proceeds until the solidifying portion occupies a first predetermined ratio of the base material; loading the remnant of the base material into the crucible, and fully melting the remnant of the base material by irradiating the entire area of the remnant of the base material with the electron beam; gradually solidifying the molten metal portion by gradually weakening the electron beam so that the solidification proceeds until the solidifying portion occupies a second predetermined ratio of the molten metal portion; and removing an unsolidified molten metal portion.

Abstract: A method for refining a metal such that, after a base material derived from the metal is melted by being irradiated with an electron beam, the base material is refined by solidifying the base material which was melted, the method including: a step melting all of the base material by irradiating the electron beam over an entire surface of the base material loaded inside a water-cooled crucible placed inside a high vacuum atmosphere; a step gradually solidifying the base material which was melted from a molten metal bottom part of the base material which was melted toward a molten metal surface part at a side being irradiated by the electron beam by gradually weakening an output of the electron beam while maintaining a condition in which the base material which was melted is irradiated with the electron beam; and a step removing a molten metal part which is not solidified, after the base material which was melted is solidified to a certain percentage.

Abstract: A secondary cooling apparatus capable of gradually cooling cast thin pieces and a cast apparatus that uses it are provided. A comb tooth-shaped device is arranged inside a vessel of the secondary cooling apparatus; the cast thin pieces are piled on the comb tooth-shaped device; and crushed small pieces are placed thereon. After the cast thin pieces and the crushed small pieces are gradually cooled, the cast thin pieces are crushed by a pressing device. The crushed small pieces are rapidly cooled by being in contact with a surface of a bottom wall and side faces of cooling teeth. Nd-rich phases or R-rich phases can be annealed by the gradual cooling, and after the crushed small pieces are rapidly cooled to its oxidation temperature or below, the crushed small pieces can be taken out to the air atmosphere.

Abstract: There is provided an evaporating material of thin plate shape which can be manufactured at a reduced cost and at high productivity, the evaporating material being adapted for use in enhancing the coercive force of neodymium-iron-boron sintered magnet by heat treatment while evaporating Dy in vacuum or in reduced-pressure inert gas atmosphere. The evaporating material of this invention has a core member la made of a fire-resistant metal having a multiplicity of through holes, and is made by melting a rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof so as to get adhered to, and solidified on, the core member. In this case, the above-mentioned adhesion is performed by dipping the core member into a molten bath of the rare-earth metal or an alloy thereof, and pulling it out of the molten bath.

Abstract: A silicon purification method includes a solidification purification step in which metal impurities are removed by irradiating a base material made of metallic silicon with an electron beam.

Abstract: A method for refining a metal such that, after a base material derived from the metal is melted by being irradiated with an electron beam, the base material is refined by solidifying the base material which was melted, the method including: a step melting all of the base material by irradiating the electron beam over an entire surface of the base material loaded inside a water-cooled crucible placed inside a high vacuum atmosphere; a step gradually solidifying the base material which was melted from a molten metal bottom part of the base material which was melted toward a molten metal surface part at a side being irradiated by the electron beam by gradually weakening an output of the electron beam while maintaining a condition in which the base material which was melted is irradiated with the electron beam; and a step removing a molten metal part which is not solidified, after the base material which was melted is solidified to a certain percentage.

Abstract: A secondary cooling apparatus capable of gradually cooling cast thin pieces and a cast apparatus that uses it are provided. A comb tooth-shaped device is arranged inside a vessel of the secondary cooling apparatus; the cast thin pieces are piled on the comb tooth-shaped device; and crushed small pieces are placed thereon. After the cast thin pieces and the crushed small pieces are gradually cooled, the cast thin pieces are crushed by a pressing device. The crushed small pieces are rapidly cooled by being in contact with a surface of a bottom wall and side faces of cooling teeth. Nd-rich phases or R-rich phases can be annealed by the gradual cooling, and after the crushed small pieces are rapidly cooled to its oxidation temperature or below, the crushed small pieces can be taken out to the air atmosphere.

Abstract: A sintered Al-alloy, which has a composition of 0.2 to 2.0% of Mg, 10.0 to 35.0% of Si, from 0.2 to 4.0% of Cu, and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance, is produced by using a mixture of the main powder (10.0-35.0% of Si, 0.2-2.0% of Cu, and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance) and at least one metal or mother-alloy powder selected from (a)-(i): (a) Mg powder; (b) Al--Mg powder; (c) Al--Cu powder; (d) Al--Mg--Si powder; (e) Al--Cu--Si powder; (f) Al--Mg--Cu powder; (g) Al--Mg--Cu--Si powder; (h) Mg--Cu powder; and, (i) Mg--Cu--Si powder.

Abstract: An aluminum-alloy main-starting powder for producing a sintered aluminum-alloy consists of from 0.1 to 3.0% of Cu, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities. Mother alloy powder consists of from 4 to 20% of Mg, from 12 to 30% of Si, and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance.

Abstract: A sintered aluminum-alloy consisting essentially in weight of 0.1-2.0% Mg, 0.1-2.0% Si, 0.2-6.0% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance is produced by sintering a mixture of a first aluminum-alloy starting powder and at least one second aluminum-alloy starting powder. The first aluminum-alloy powder consists of 0.1-3.0% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance and the second aluminum-alloy is selected from (1) an aluminum alloy starting powder consisting of 4-20% Mg, 12-30% Si and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance and (2) an aluminum-alloy starting powder consisting of from 0.1-20.0% Mg, 1-20% Si, 30-50% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance.

Abstract: An aluminum-alloy main-starting powder for producing a sintered aluminum-alloy consists of from 0.1 to 3.0% of Cu, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities. Mother alloy powder consists of from 4 to 20% of Mg, from 12 to 30% of Si, and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance. A mixture of the two powders may also be produced. Further, from 0.2 to 2.0% of a lubricant may be added to the mixture.