Abstract: The invention relates to a hard metal or cermet body with a hard material phase consisting of WC and/or at least one carbide, nitride, carbonitride and/or oxicarbonitride of at least one of the elements from group IVa, Va, or VIa of the periodic table and a binding metal phase consisting of Fe, Co and/or Ni, said binding metal phase making up 3 to 25 mass %. In particular, WC crystallites should protrude beyond the hard metal or cermet surface of the by 2 to 20 &mgr;m in order to improve the adhesion of surface layers that are applied.

Abstract: In heat-treating a metallic alloy containing volatile metals such as zinc, manganese, chromium, aluminium, and so on in a tunnellike continuous furnace, argon is employed as a furnace atmosphere so that a pressure selectively produced by the argon atmosphere in the furnace is utilized for preventing the volatile metals from evaporating out of the metallic alloy during its heat-treatment. The argon employed as the furnace atmosphere and having a specific gravity higher than the air prevents also the air from entering into the furnace, and works also to purge the air which has happened to come into the furnace together with the metallic alloy, whereby the furnace atmosphere is kept constantly inert.

Abstract: A green compact of a rare earth alloy magnetic powder is made by pressing the powder. The powder is pressed within an air environment that has a temperature controlled at 30° C. or less and a relative humidity controlled at 65% or less.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing an R—Fe—B rare earth magnet of the present invention includes the steps of: compacting rare earth alloy powder having an oxygen content of 4000 wt. ppm or less by dry compacting under compression to produce a compact; impregnating the compact with an oil agent from the surface of the compact; and sintering the compact.

Abstract: Boron powders are sintered and densified utilizing a microwave environment for so doing.

Abstract: The use of liquid phase sintering for weighting of a golf club head is disclosed herein. The preferred weighting material is a multiple component material that includes a high-density component, a binding component and an anti-oxidizing component. A preferred multiple component material includes tungsten, copper and chromium. The liquid phase sintering process is performed in an open air environment at standard atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: Described is a process for producing sintered parts from an aluminum sintering mixture, wherein between 10 and 70% by weight of pure aluminum powder and between 30 and 90% by weight of an aluminum alloy powder are mixed to form an aluminum sintering mixture. The aluminum alloy powder is of the following composition: between 14 and 35% by weight of Si; between 1 and 7% by weight of Cu; between 0.3 and 2.5% by weight of Mg; between 0.3 and 6% by weight of a transition metal, the balance aluminum. The pure alloy powder and the aluminum alloy powder are each of a grain size of a maximum of 315 &mgr;m. The aluminum sintering mixture is mixed with between 0.5 and 2% by weight of compacting additive. The mix of alloy sintering mixture and compacting additive is compacted to form a green compact. The green compact is then sintered. As no low-melting phases occur in the invention, sintered bodies which are stable in respect of shape are reproducibly obtained in the sintering operation.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a permanent magnet, a powder of a magnetic base alloy and powders of at least two binder alloys are mixed. The magnetic base alloy has a general formula SE2T14B, wherein SE is at least one rare earth element, including Y, and T is Fe or a combination of Fe and Co, wherein Co does not exceed 40 wt % of the combination of Fe and Co. The two binder alloys have respective general formulas SE6(Fe,Co)13−xGa1+x and SE2Co3. The base alloy and the at least two binder alloys are mixed in a weight ratio between 99:1 and 89:11. The mixture is then compressed and is subsequently sintered in a vacuum and/or in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sintering a compact of particulate material for a ceramic or of particles of a metal, or a ceramic precursor film, wherein the sintering is performed by heating and burning the compact or the ceramic precursor film while applying centrifugal force to the compact or the ceramic precursor film.

Abstract: An sintered iron-based powder metal body with outstandingly lower re-compacting load and having a high density and a method of manufacturing an iron-based sintered component with fewer pores of a sharp shape and having high strength and high density, the method comprising mixing,

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making an oxide dispersion-strengthened tungsten heavy alloy by mechanical alloying that includes the steps of: adding 0.1 to 5 wt. % of Y2O3 powder to a mixed powder comprising more than 90 wt. % of tungsten powder, and nickel and iron powders for the rest; and subjecting the resulting mixture to a mechanical alloying to prepare an oxide dispersion-strengthened tungsten heavy alloy powder. The oxide dispersion-strengthened tungsten heavy alloy prepared by the mechanical alloying is characterized in that fine Y2O3 particles are uniformly dispersed in the matrix which are stable at high temperatures results in enhanced high-temperature strength and a reduction of the shearing strain of the fraction during high strain rate deformation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of monitoring and controlling the furnace atmosphere when sintering PM compacts. According to the invention, the gases determining the carbon and oxygen potentials are measured continuously.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating Cu/Cr sputter targets having a density of at least about 90% of theoretical density and an oxygen content of less than about 1000 ppm. According to the principles of the present invention, Cu and Cr powders, each having particles in the size range of about 20 &mgr;m to about 150 &mgr;m and having oxygen contents preferably less than about 1200 ppm and 600 ppm, respectively, are blended and pressed by hot pressing. A low-oxygen content, high-density Cu/Cr target is thereby achieved for the sputtering of thin films having a defect generation of about 0%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a sintered body of carbonitride alloy with titanium as the main component and cobalt as the binder phase and which does not have any compositional gradients or center porosity concentration after sintering. This is achieved by processing the material in a specific manner to obtain a lower melting point of the liquid phase in the interior of the body than in the surface while balancing the gas atmosphere outside the body with the alloy composition during all stages of the liquid phase sintering.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a sintered body of carbonitride alloy with titanium as main component which does not have a binder phase layer on the surface after sintering. This is obtained by performing the liquid phase sintering step of the process at 1-80 mbar of CO gas in the sintering atmosphere.

Abstract: An AlN dispersed powder aluminum alloy with a particular composition and structure has excellent wear resistance, seizure resistance, heat resistance, toughness and machinability. In the structure of the alloy, AlN layers are discontinuously dispersed along some of the grain boundaries of former aluminum alloy particles in the matrix of an aluminum alloy sintered body. Diffusion and sintering progresses between non-nitrided grains at areas of grain boundaries not having AlN layers, to attain strong bonding between the grains. A nitriding accelerative element such as Mg, Ca or Li is provided in some of the grains to promote the discontinuous formation of the AlN layers. Additionally, layers of a nitriding suppressive element such as Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi or S may be discontinuously dispersed at regions along some of the grain boundaries, and bonding between grains is achieved at these regions as well.

Abstract: A mixed metallurgical powder is provided containing powdered copper used for the manufacture of sintered structural parts such as brushes. A sintered compact made of the mixed metallurgical powder and a method for the manufacture of the sintered compact are also provided. The powder and the sintered compact are provide with an extremely high corrosion resistance because, preferably, the mixed metallurgical powder contains powdered copper and 20-400 ppm by weight of Bi in the form of powdered Bi.

Abstract: A process of forming a multi-phase sintered article of powdered metal comprising: blending a mixture of copper powder, aluminum powder, iron powder, and nickel, each in their free states, with a lubricant, compacting the blended mixture into a die cavity, forming the article, and high temperature sintering the article in a reducing atmosphere comprised of 100% dissociated ammonia so as to produce the multi-phase sintered article of powdered metal; and the multi-phase sintered article of powdered metal formed thereby.

Abstract: A member for semiconductor devices comprising a composite alloy of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and silicon carbide, wherein silicon carbide grains are dispersed in aluminum or the aluminum alloy in an amount of from 10 to 70% by weight, the amount of nitrogen in the surface of the member is larger than that in the inside thereof, and the ratio of aluminum or the aluminum alloy to silicon carbide is the same in the surface and the inside. The member is produced by mixing powdery materials of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and silicon carbide, compacting the mixed powder, and sintering the compact in a non-oxidizing atmosphere containing nitrogen gas, at a temperature between 600.degree. C. and the melting point of aluminum. The member is lightweight and has high thermal conductivity as well as thermal expansion coefficient which is well matches with that of ceramics and others. Therefore, the member is especially favorable to high-power devices.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of sintering cemented carbide bodies including heating said bodies to the sintering temperature in a suitable atmosphere and cooling. If said cooling at least to below 1200.degree. C. is performed in a hydrogen atmosphere of pressure 0.4-0.9 bar and >0.1 bar noble gas, preferably argon cemented carbide bodies with no surface layer of binder phase are obtained. This is an advantage when said bodies are to be coated with wear resistant layers by the use of CVD-, MTCVD- or PVD-technique.

Abstract: A description is given of a method of manufacturing a permanent magnet on the basis of NdFeB. In this method a powder of NdFeB and a powder of a Ga alloy, consisting mainly of Ga and one or more than one rare earth metals (RE), is mixed to form a mixture which is subsequently aligned, compressed and sintered. Such alloys can be ground into homogeneous, fine-grain powders in a simple manner. The composition of the alloy preferably corresponds to the formula REGa.sub.x, where x=1 or x=2. Alloys which are very suitable contain Dy and/or Tb as the rare earth metal.

Abstract: There are disclosed a high temperature superconductive material which can be plastically deformed, processed optionally into predetermined configurations and industrially mass produced and a method of manufacturing a formed body of the high temperature superconductive material. Mixed is a powder raw material which is mainly composed of: 10 to 50 mol % of at least one amide or nitride of alkali metal of Li, Na or K; 10 to 60 mol % of cyanide containing at least one metal selected from aluminum, copper, silver or gold; 5 to 50 mol % of at least one pure metal selected from aluminum, copper, silver or gold; and 10 mol % or less of at least one alkaline earth metal selected from Be, Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba. The powder raw material is pressed, and heated and sintered at the temperature of 673 K to 1553 K. In this manner, obtained is the plastically deformable high temperature superconductive material which can be optionally processed through forging, rolling and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are a plate-crystalline tungsten carbide-containing hard alloy which comprises 4 to 40% by volume of a binder phase containing at least one of iron group metals selected from Co, Ni and Fe as a main component; and the balance of a hard phase comprising tungsten carbide alone, or tungsten carbide and 50% by volume or less of a compound with a cubic structure selected from at least one of carbide and nitride of the 4a (Ti, Zr and Hf), 5a (V, Nb and Ta) or 6a (Cr, Mo and W) group element of the periodic table and mutual solid solutions thereof, and inevitable impurities,wherein when peak intensities at a (001) face and a (101) face in X-ray diffraction using K.alpha. rays with Cu being a target are represented by h(001) and h(101), respectively, the tungsten carbide satisfies h(001)/h(101) .gtoreq.0.50, a composition for forming a plate-crystalline tungsten carbide, and a process for preparing the plate-crystalline tungsten carbide-containing hard alloy.

Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of sputtering targets of tungsten-titanium alloy using high purity tungsten and titanium hydride powders. The powders are blended and placed in a containment vessel holding a die. The die is heated to a temperature of about 700.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. in an argon atmosphere while under pressure. The combination of temperature and pressure is high enough to dehydrate the titanium hydride and to remove the gases. The die is then heated to a higher temperature, in the range of about 1250.degree. C. to 1350.degree. C. while the pressure is increased so as to compact and alloy the powders. The pressure and temperature are held constant until there is no further movement of the ram. The resulting compacted alloy material is then machined to provide a sputtering target with a density between 96% and 100% of theoretical and a gas content less than 850 p.p.m.

Abstract: One or more organic or inorganic metal salts or compounds of at least one of the groups IV, V and VI of the periodic system, particularly V, Cr, Mo and W, optionally together with one or more organic iron group metal salts, are dissolved in at least one polar solvent and complex bound with at least one complex former comprising functional groups in the form of OH or NR.sub.3, (R=H or alkyl). Hard constituent powder and optionally soluble carbon source are added to the solution. The solvent is evaporated and the remaining powder is heat treated in an inert and/or reducing atmosphere. As a result, coated hard constituent powder is obtained, which after addition of a pressing agent and optionally with other coated hard constituent powders and/or carbon to obtain the desired composition, can be compacted and sintered according to standard practice.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to aluminum containing iron-base alloys useful as electrical resistance heating elements. The aluminum containing iron-base alloys have improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The alloy has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and includes, in weight %, over 4% Al, .ltoreq.1% Cr and either .gtoreq.0.05% Zr or ZrO.sub.2 stringers extending perpendicular to an exposed surface of the heating element or .gtoreq.0.1% oxide dispersoid particles. The alloy can contain 14-32% Al, .ltoreq.2% Ti, .ltoreq.2% Mo, .ltoreq.1% Zr, .ltoreq.1% C, .ltoreq.0.1% B, .ltoreq.30% oxide dispersoid and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, .ltoreq.1% rare earth metal, .ltoreq.1% oxygen, .ltoreq.3% Cu, balance Fe.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing sintered parts of aluminum or aluminum alloy with improved mechanical properties using batch degassing, die compaction and liquid phase sintering. The batch degassing consists of holding a prealloyed aluminum powder at a temperature of about 350.degree. to about 450.degree. C. in a stainless steel autoclave in which the pressure is reduced to less than 5.times.10.sup.-6 torr. Once the desired pressure is reached the powder is cooled down within the autoclave while still under vacuum. The resulting powder is then compacted at a pressure of 20 to 50 tsi at between room temperature and about 250.degree. C., but preferably at a warm temperature of about 65.degree. C. The final densification is completed by liquid phase sintering in argon atmosphere at 625.degree. C. This method allows the production of sintered compacts characterized by a density close to 97% of theoretical, which makes it possible to eliminate the need for a hot working step.

Abstract: A slide member of a sintered aluminum alloy includes a matrix (1) formed of an aluminum alloy powder, and aluminum nitride films (2) dispersed along old, i.e. former original, powder grain boundaries of this matrix. When a state in which the aluminum nitride films (2) completely continuously enclose the peripheries of the old powder grain boundaries is defined as a dispersion ratio of 100%, the present aluminum nitride films (2) are discontinuously dispersed at a dispersion ratio of not more than 80%. A powder compact consisting of rapidly solidified aluminum alloy powder is heated and held in a nitrogen gas atmosphere, thereby facilitating reaction between aluminum and nitrogen through an exothermic phenomenon following deposition of elements solidly dissolved in the aluminum alloy, for forming aluminum nitride films dispersed on the aluminum alloy powder grain surfaces.

Abstract: A sintering method for a W--Ni--Mn type heavy alloy, including controlling the deoxidization of tungsten and nickel under an inert atmosphere, changing to a hydrogen atmosphere at above a temperature at which manganese is deoxidized and simultaneously deoxidizing tungsten, nickel and manganese, and sintering by raising the temperature, resulting in the fabrication of a sintered heavy alloy having a 100% relative theoretical density.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing an oxidant mixed with a carrier gas into pre-heating zone of a continuous furnace for effectively removing lubricant from powder metal compacts prior to sintering at high temperatures. Mixing a controlled amount of a gaseous oxidizing agent such as moisture, carbon dioxide, air or mixtures thereof with a carrier gas and introducing the mixture into the preheating zone of a continuous furnace under controlled conditions accelerates removal of lubricant from powder metal compacts prior to sintering at high temperature by decomposing lubricant vapors into smaller and more volatile hydrocarbons, produces sintered components with close to soot- and residue-free surfaces and with the desired physical properties, prolongs the life of furnace components including muffles and belts, and reduces downtime, maintenance and operating costs.

Abstract: A method for forming an exterior surface of a high-temperature component, such as a blade or vane of a gas turbine engine. The method entails forming a shell by a powder metallurgy technique that yields an airfoil whose composition can be readily tailored for the particular service conditions of the component. The method generally entails providing a pair of inner and outer mold members that form a cavity therebetween. One or more powders and any desired reinforcement material are then placed in the cavity and then consolidated at an elevated temperature and pressure in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. Thereafter, at least the outer mold member is removed to expose the consolidated powder structure. By appropriately shaping the mold members to tailor the shape of the cavity, the consolidated powder structure has the desired shape for the exterior shell of a component, such that subsequent processing of the component does not require substantially altering the configuration of the exterior shell.

Abstract: A fabrication method for a tungsten heavy alloy includes first fabricating a green compact or a sintered body composed of tungsten and other elements except manganese, then putting manganese thereon, and sintering the tungsten heavy alloy with manganese manganese, whereby the formation of pores, which occurs because manganese is oxidized by the deoxidation of oxides existing on the surface of powders of tungsten, nickel and iron is prevented, and a tungsten heavy alloy having a 100% non-theoretical density of 100% is obtained.

Abstract: Aluminum powder compositions intended for powder metallurgy applications are provided. The powder compositions contain aluminum and aluminum alloys or blends made from elemental powders, admixed with a polyethylene lubricant. The polyethylene admixture eases the compaction of powders and the ejection of parts. As compared to other conventional admixed lubricants used for Al powder metallurgy applications, polyethylene allows to obtain parts with higher green and sintered strengths. Proper delubrication prior to sintering is of importance.

Abstract: This invention provides a heat transmitting pipe and a heat transmitting plate which are capable of greatly improving the heat transfer efficiency of a conventional finned heating pipe and a convention heating plate. Copper oxide powder is deposited in a vapor phase onto a cellular synthetic resin coated with an adhesive beforehand. Thereafter, a copper plate with the same metal powder deposited thereon is placed on one surface of the metal powder-bearing cellular synthetic resin and is brought into lightly pressed contact with the surface by a roll press or the like, to thereby form a laminated article. Subsequently, the cellular synthetic resin is burnt off in a combustion furnace, to thereby produce a cellular metal material of the copper oxide on the copper plate. Further, the cellular metal material is reduced and sintered in a reducing atmosphere such as that of a hydrogen reduction furnace, to thereby produce a cellular copper material which is provided with the copper plate on one surface thereof.

Abstract: A blend of pre-alloyed stainless steel powder for use in producing sintered stainless steel, said powder consisting essentially of, by weight, up to 0.05% carbon, 22% to 26% chromium, 10% to 24% nickel, 2.7% to 5% molybdenum, 0.1% to 1% boron, up to 2.0% manganese, up to 2.0% silicon, balance iron and residuals, together with manganese sulfide particles added thereto until they comprise up to 4%, by weight, of the overall blend, experimental results having shown that the blend offers significant improvements in the machinability of the resulting steel. The patent also claims a method for making sintered steel using the blend, as well as the sintered steel resulting from the process.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for forming a titanium alloy by powder metallurgy, which comprises the processes of mixing uniformly a powder of titanium or an alloy thereof with a low-melting point metal or alloy powder, injecting the mixture into a press forming die, then press forming them under heating to a temperature near and over the melting point of the low-melting point metal, or to a temperature between the liquidus and the solidus of the low-melting point alloy, or to a temperature near and over the liquidus to obtain the targeted compact, and holding this compact in the pressurized state to cause the molten low-melting point metal or alloy to infiltrate the powder grain boundary of the titanium or alloy thereof, and then sintering the compact thus obtained in an inert atmosphere or a vacuum to diffuse the titanium or alloy thereof and the low-melting point metal or alloy into each other and to make alloys of them.

Abstract: An article made of an ultra fine grained cemented carbide material comprising a transition metal carbide and tungsten carbide having an ultrafine grain size below about 0.6 microns and a process for making the same.

Abstract: Disclosed are a plate-crystalline tungsten carbide-containing hard alloy which comprises 4 to 40% by volume of a binder phase containing at least one of iron group metals selected from Co, Ni and Fe as a main component; and the balance of a hard phase comprising tungsten carbide alone, or tungsten carbide and 50% by volume or less of a compound with a cubic structure selected from at least one of carbide and nitride of the 4a (Ti, Zr and Hf), 5a (V, Nb and Ta) or 6a (Cr, Mo and W) group element of the periodic table and mutual solid solutions thereof, and inevitable impurities,wherein when peak intensities at a (001) face and a (101) face in X-ray diffraction using K.alpha. rays with Cu being a target are represented by h(001) and h(101), respectively, the tungsten carbide satisfies h(001)/h(101).gtoreq.0.50, a composition for forming a plate-crystalline tungsten carbide, and a process for preparing the plate-crystalline tungsten carbide-containing hard alloy.

Abstract: Thermoelectric material for high temperature use made of a sintered body of a relative density of at least 75% consisting mainly of cobalt antimony compounds having an elemental ratio Sb/(Co+additives)=x of 2.7<x<3 is produced by a method of firing a shaped body of powders consisting mainly of cobalt and antimony in a non-oxidizing atmosphere under an environmental pressure, wherein the shaped body before the firing is constituted from crystal phases composed of a cubic crystal system compound CoSb.sub.3 (A phase), a monoclinic crystal system compound CoSb.sub.2 (B phase) and a hexagonal crystal system compound CoSb (C phase), and constitutional ratio of these crystal phases is (I.sub.B +I.sub.C)/(I.sub.A +I.sub.B +I.sub.C)<0.15 (wherein, I.sub.X (X is A, B or C) is a relative intensity by X-ray diffraction).

Abstract: A fabrication method for a molybdenum disilicide sintered body in which a molybdenum disilicide powder having excellent oxidation resistance is sintered in a low-temperature sintering method and compacted at a low temperature and under no pressure, includes carrying out a milling on a molybdenum disilicide powder at a low temperature, providing a diffusion path required to sinter the molybdenum disilicide on which a milling is performed, and sintering the resultant powder under the atmosphere of hydrogen or argon gas.

Abstract: A method of making an intermetallic-bonded ceramic composite involves combining a particulate brittle intermetallic precursor with a particulate reactant metal and a particulate ceramic to form a mixture and heating the mixture in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to react the brittle intermetallic precursor and the reactant metal to form a ductile intermetallic and sinter the mixture to form a ductile intermetallic-bonded ceramic composite.

Abstract: Fine powders of iron with less than 5% by weight graphite, copper, and an organic binder can be formed into shapes having a green density of up to about 7.4 g/cc and sintered in a hydrogen containing atmosphere to yield parts having minimum variations in physical properties. Incorporation of small quantities of copper, e.g. 1% or less by weight, negates variations in physical properties of sintered parts that were subjected to variations in the hydrogen content of the sintering atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for shaping a consolidated, substantially oxygen-free, equiaxed MoSi.sub.2 /SiC composite body having an average grain size of 10 .mu.m or less, a SiC content of 2 to 60 v/o and relatively low strength and relatively high ductility comprising subjecting the composite body to plastic deformation under conditions of forming temperature and rate of deformation such that grain growth is substantially avoided, the MoSi.sub.2 /SiC composite body being obtained by providing particles of molybdenum, silicon and carbon in a proportion relative to each other required to produce a composite powder of MoSi.sub.2 and SiC having a composition in that segment of the ternary diagram of FIG. 1 designated A, and subjecting the particles to mechanical alloying under conditions and for a time sufficient to produce the composite powder, followed by consolidation of the composite powder.

Abstract: A method of making a hard constituent powder coated with at least one iron group metal, Me, by dissolving and complex binding at least one of Me.sub.n (NO.sub.3).sub.m and Me.sub.n (SO.sub.4).sub.m and other similar Me.sub.n --X.sub.m compounds containing X-groups with low or no carbon content, preferably Me-nitrates, solely or together with one or more metal salts of at least one iron group metal containing organic groups in at least one polar solvent with at least one complex former comprising functional groups in the form of OH or NR.sub.3, (R=H or alkyl). Hard constituent powder is added to the solution. The solvent is evaporated and remaining powder is heat treated in an inert and/or reducing atmosphere. As a result, coated hard constituent powder is obtained which after addition of a pressing agent can be compacted and sintered according to standard practice.

Abstract: Powdered ferrous metal compositions are disclosed which provide for increased corrosion resistance through the admixing of powder aluminum containing compositions with standard ferrous metal compositions prior to forming the powder metal parts. In a preferred embodiment, the aluminum ranges is admixed as an FeAl alloy powder with the standard ferrous metal composition. The present invention further includes a powder metal ferrous part formed from the composition produced by a method including the steps of (i) providing a ferrous powder metal composition, (ii) admixing a powder aluminum containing composition with the ferrous composition to form a blended mixture, and (iii) forming a powder metal part from at least a portion of the blended mixture.

Abstract: In a process for producing granular material in which at least one hard material phase is mixed with a metal powder and a binder and granulated, no premixing of the hard material phase and the metal powder takes place before mixing with the binder and the binder has a viscosity of from 20 to 200 cm.sup.3 /10 min, preferably from 30 to 100 cm.sup.3 /10 min, in accordance with DIN 53735 at 195.degree. C. and a load of 2.16 kg.

Abstract: A cermet including a cermet core zone in which the content of a binder amounts to at most 90% by mass in relationship to a cermet hard phase is formed with a 0.01 to 3 um deep surface layer having an increased resistance to wear compare to the cermet core zone.

Abstract: A low-cost thermal decomposition degreasing method capable of drastically reducing the time required for a degreasing process which involves heating, vaporization and thermal decomposition, while assuring the shape retention property of an injection molded product during degreasing. The degreasing process comprises: (i) a first step wherein a molded product placed under a reduced pressure less than or equal to atmospheric pressure is heated at a temperature lower than the melting point of a thermoplastic binder so that the thermoplastic binder partially evaporates by 5 wt % or more, and then the molded product is further heated at a temperature lower than higher one of the melting points of a more volatile organic compound and a thermoplastic resin whereby the thermoplastic binder further evaporates by 10 wt % or more, and wherein the final temperature is set to 200.degree. C.

Abstract: This patent application discloses a new process for preparing the sintered article of aluminum nitride at low temperature. It comprises coating aluminum metal film on aluminum nitride powder, then directly molding or homogeneously cold pressing, followed by sintering at 1650.about.175O.degree. C., and finally forming dense aluminum nitride article.

Abstract: A method for forming dendritic metal powders, comprising the steps of: (1) heating a powder comprising non-dendritic particles, under conditions suitable for initial stage sintering, to form a lightly sintered material; and (2) breaking the lightly sintered material to form a powder comprising dendritic particles. In one embodiment, the lightly sintered material is broken by brushing the material through a screen. Another aspect of the present invention comprises the dendritic particles that are produced by the method described above. These particles can comprise any suitable metal, such as transition metals, rare earth metals, main group metals or metalloids or an alloy of two or more such metals. The particles can also comprise a ceramic material, such as a metal oxide. These particles are characterized by a dendritic, highly anisotropic, morphology arising from the fusion of substantially non-dendritic particles, and by a low apparent density relative to the substantially non-dendritic starting material.