Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for processing a powder alloy to improve its microstructure. The methods for processing the powder alloy can include introducing the powder alloy into a powder vessel having an inert atmosphere, uniformly heat treating the powder alloy inside the powder vessel at its solutionizing temperature, and cooling the heat treated powder alloy at a rate of at least 5° C./s to form treated particles. The treated particles obtained from the methods and apparatuses disclosed herein can be used in any suitable manufacturing process, such as in cold gas dynamic spray.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a resin composition in which the specific resistance after curing is low regardless of the type of a thermosetting resin, and furthermore, the specific resistance after curing does not significantly change depending on the content of a copper powder; and a conductive copper paste including the resin composition. There are provided a resin composition including (A) a copper powder having an oxygen content of 0.3% by mass or less, (B) a thermosetting resin, (C) a fatty acid, and (D) an amine or an amine compound, as well as a conductive copper paste containing the resin composition. The (A) component has an average particle size of preferably 1 to 10 ?m.

Abstract: Provided relates to a method for manufacturing an anisotropic conductive adhesive and a method for mounting a component using an anisotropic conductive adhesive, and provides a method for manufacturing an anisotropic conductive adhesive, including: a process of removing a first oxide film on solder particles by using a first reducing agent; and a process of manufacturing an anisotropic conductive adhesive by mixing the solder particles, a gapper, and an adhesive resin.

Abstract: Provided are a titanium-based powder excellent in fluidity and shape retention property, and an ingot and a sintered article obtained using the titanium-based powder as a material. The titanium-based powder has an average circularity of 0.815 or more and less than 0.870, a CV value of particle sizes of 22 or more and 30 or less, and an angle of repose of 29 degrees or more and 36 degrees or less.

Abstract: A method for fabricating fine reduced iron powders comprises the following steps: heating fine iron oxide powders having a mean particle size of smaller than 20 ?m to a reduction temperature of over 700° C. to reduce the fine iron oxide powder into iron powders that are partially sintered into iron powder agglomerates; and performing a crushing-spheroidizing process on the iron powder agglomerates to obtain individual iron powders having a mean particle size of smaller than 20 ?m. The method can reduce iron oxide powers into iron powders having a rounded shape and a high packing density and a high tap density, which are suitable for the metal injection molding process and the inductor fabrication process. The reduced iron powder may further be processed using an annealing process and a second crushing-spheroidizing process in sequence to further increase the sphericity, packing density, and tap density of the reduced iron powder.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a material comprising one or more semiconductive substances is vaporized to generate a vapor phase condensate. The vapor phase condensate is allowed to form nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are annealed to yield substantially spherical nanoparticles.

Abstract: A method for fabricating fine reduced iron powders comprises the following steps: heating fine iron oxide powders having a mean particle size of smaller than 20 ?m to a reduction temperature of over 700° C. to reduce the fine iron oxide powder into iron powders that are partially sintered into iron powder agglomerates; and performing a crushing-spheroidizing process on the iron powder agglomerates to obtain individual iron powders having a mean particle size of smaller than 20 ?m. The method can reduce iron oxide powers into iron powders having a rounded shape and a high packing density and a high tap density, which are suitable for the metal injection molding process and the inductor fabrication process. The reduced iron powder may further be processed using an annealing process and a second crushing-spheroidizing process in sequence to further increase the sphericity, packing density, and tap density of the reduced iron powder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a high purity copper (Cu) powder material useable in fabricating a sputtering target material for electronic industrial applications, for example a penetrator liner. The foregoing method has a configuration of using an apparatus composed of a raw material feeder, a plasma torch and a reactor to prepare a metal powder, and includes steps of passing a Cu powder having an average particle diameter of 30 to 450 ?m through the thermal plasma torch at an introduction rate of 2 to 30 kg/hr. to thereby fabricate a Cu powder having an average particle diameter of 5 to 300 ?m.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of manufacturing ultra fine metal powder used for an electrode for an MLCC and ultra fine metal powder manufactured by the same. The method of manufacturing ultra fine metal powder includes: preparing a master mold in which a pattern is formed; forming a sacrificial layer by applying a polymer material on the pattern; forming a metal layer on the sacrificial layer; and forming individual ultra fine metal powder by removing the sacrificial layer and separating the metal layer from the master mold.

Abstract: A method for producing agglomerated tantalum particles, comprising: a step for grinding secondary tantalum particles, which are obtained by reducing a tantalum salt, and adding water thereto to give a water-containing mass; a step for drying said water-containing mass to give a dry mass; a step for sieving said dry mass to give spherical particles; and a step for heating said spherical particles. A mixed tantalum powder comprising a mixture of agglomerated tantalum particles (X) with agglomerated tantalum particles (Y), wherein said agglomerated tantalum particles (X) show a cumulative percentage of particles with particle size of 3 ?m or less of 5 mass % or less after 25 W ultrasonic radiation for 10 min, while said agglomerated tantalum particles (Y) show a cumulative percentage of particles with particle size of 3 ?m or less of 10 mass % or more after 25 W ultrasonic radiation for 10 min.

Abstract: Provided are an ancillary material, used for shape processing, which is capable of shortening a processing time, avoiding a reduction in quality of a shape provided to a workpiece material, and allowing a relatively low manufacturing cost; a processing method using the ancillary material; and a method of manufacturing the ancillary material. The tungsten alloy grains (1) comprise: tungsten of greater than or equal to 80% by mass and less than or equal to 98% by mass; nickel; at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and cobalt; and an inevitable impurity, a maximum diameter thereof is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 5.00 mm, and a specific surface area thereof is less than or equal to 0.02 m2/g. The tungsten alloy grains (1, 10), the workpiece material (30), an abrasive (20) are blended in a container (100) and the container is rotated, thereby processing the shape of the workpiece material (30).

Abstract: A method of increasing the apparent density of agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder produced by the subsurface reduction of titanium tetrachloride vapor or a mixture of titanium tetrachloride and other halide vapors in a flowing stream of alkali or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof having a first apparent density after distillation is disclosed. The agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder is introduced into an attriting system wherein the agglomerated ligmental titanium or titanium alloy powder is attrited until the powder becomes more spherical than ligmental and the first apparent density is increased by a factor of from about 3 to about 8. Inert atmosphere may be used to prevent unwanted oxygen contamination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite of a carbon nanomaterial and a metallic material which has a homogeneous composite metal structure and thixotropic properties by compositing a metallic material of a non-ferrous metal alloy with a carbon nanomaterial by using both stirring and ultrasonic vibration. The method comprises compositing the metallic material of the non-ferrous metal alloy with the carbon nanomaterial by adding the carbon nanomaterial in a state where the metallic material shows thixotropic properties by spheroidization of solid phase in a semi-solid state, and the compositing is performed by a process for stirring and kneading the semi-solid metallic material while keeping the temperature thereof at a solid-liquid coexisting temperature, and a process for dispersing the carbon nanomaterial to liquid phase between solid phases by ultrasonic vibration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing nanometer-size spherical particles. The method includes a first step for producing intermediate spherical particles. The intermediate spherical particles include a polycrystalline or single-crystalline region, having a particle size of 1 to 300 ?m. The method of the present invention further includes a second step for producing final spherical particles. The second step uses a swirling plasma gas flow having the central axis thereof, the central axis running through an area between an anode and a cathode of a plasma generator. The intermediate spherical particles are discharged along the axis to subject the intermediate spherical particles to a plasma atmosphere of the area to form the final spherical particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides nanoprisms etched to generate triangular framework structures. These triangular nanoframes possess no strong surface plasmon bands in the ultraviolet or visible regions of the optical spectrum. By adding a mild reducing agent, metal ions remaining in solution can be reduced, resulting in metal plating and reformation of nanoprisms. The extent of the backfilling process can be controlled, allowing the formation of novel nanoprisms with nanopores. This back-filling process is accompanied by a regeneration of the surface plasmon bands in the UV-visible spectrum.

Abstract: A process for producing green iron ore pellets comprises the inclusion of Direct Reduced Iron or a metallic iron-containing material into the pellet mixture to enhance Direct Compressive Strength properties of the green pellets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite of a carbon nanomaterial and a metallic material which has a homogeneous composite metal structure and thixotropic properties by compositing a metallic material of a non-ferrous metal alloy with a carbon nanomaterial by using both stirring and ultrasonic vibration. The method comprises compositing the metallic material of the non-ferrous metal alloy with the carbon nanomaterial by adding the carbon nanomaterial in a state where the metallic material shows thixotropic properties by spheroidization of solid phase in a semi-solid state, and the compositing is performed by a process for stirring and kneading the semi-solid metallic material while keeping the temperature thereof at a solid-liquid coexisting temperature, and a process for dispersing the carbon nanomaterial to liquid phase between solid phases by ultrasonic vibration.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a producing method by which minute metal balls having a high sphericity or roundness and a uniform diameter. The present invention provides a method of producing minute metal balls, comprising the steps of cutting a wire material having a diameter ? at predetermined distances to provide metal pieces having a cut length L equal to or smaller than 2 mm and a ratio L/? in a range of 0.1?L/??3.0, and introducing the metal pieces into a plasma flame to spheroidize the metal pieces. In the present invention, it is preferable that the metal pieces are made of any metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, Au and Al, or an alloy as a main of any of these metals. It is also preferable that the metal pieces are made of any metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ti, W, Ni and Cr, or an alloy as a main of any of these metals.

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 product in which at least a portion of the product has a nanocrystalline microstructure, and a method of forming the product. The method generally entails machining a body in a manner that produces chips consisting entirely of nano-crystals as a result of the machining operation imposing a sufficiently large strain deformation. The body can be formed of a variety of materials, including metal, metal alloy and ceramic materials. Furthermore, the body may have a microstructure that is essentially free of nano-crystals, and may even have a single-crystal microstructure. The chips produced by the machining operation may be in the form of particulates, ribbons, wires, filaments and/or platelets. The chips are then used to form the product. According to one aspect of the invention, the chips are consolidated to form the product, such that the product is a monolithic material that may contain nano-crystals.

Abstract: Method for producing metallic nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating non-oxidizing plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone to metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and to the plasma afterglow where it cools and condenses to form solid metallic nanoparticles.

Abstract: The invention relates to sintered particles for use in wear applications and to a process for producing the sintered particles. The particles are of substantially spheroidal shape, have a grain size of 20 to 180 &mgr;m and have a predominantly closed porosity or are free of pores. The process for producing such particles starts from a powder material with a partially porous internal structure, which is introduced into a furnace and sintered at a temperature at which the material of the metallic binder adopts a pasty state while applying pressure to reduce the pore content of the starting material.

Abstract: In a high-speed fabrication process for producing highly uniform metallic microspheres, a molten metal is passed through a small orifice, producing a stream of molten metal therefrom. A series of molten metal droplets forms from the break up of the capillary stream. To achieve high uniformity of the spheres and avoid defects, the droplets are cooled before being captured. Separating the droplets, by causing them to travel in different paths than their adjacent droplets, helps to facilitate the cooling of the droplets. The droplets can be separated by electrostatically charging them as they break off from the capillary stream. The droplets are then passed through an electric field, which can be produced by a pair of deflection plates. The droplets are dispersed by varying the electric field—e.g., by rotating the plates or by varying the voltage applied thereto—or by varying the electrostatic charge of the droplets.

Abstract: A hard metal granulate is produced by wet milling and spray drying in a spray tower using pure water as the liquid phase. The spray tower is configured and operated in such a way that a ratio of the quantity of water added via the slurry (in liters per hour) to tower volume (in m3) is between 0.5 and 1.8 and in that a maximum of 0.17 kg of slurry is atomized per m3 of incoming drying gas. The slurry has a solid particle concentration within a range of 65-85% by weight. Under these conditions, the addition of a water-soluble, long-chain polyglycol to the slurry prior to spraying previously required in order to prevent oxidation of the hard metal granulate is no longer necessary.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve releasability from the jig of a method of producing a minute metal ball by heating and melting and then cooling a metal piece of specific dimensions and further, to present a metal ball with very good dimensional accuracy and sphericity, even though diameter is minute. By means of the above-mentioned method, very good releasability between the metal ball and jig after melting and cooling is obtained and long-term use of the tool becomes possible by placing a metal piece on a jig with a layer of fine powder of BN, AlN or C having low wettability with the metal piece in between, or by making a layer of fine powder adhere to the surface of the metal piece and then placing this metal piece on the jig or shaking and arranging individual metal pieces in holes in the same.

Abstract: A water-atomized metal powder having a spherical particle shape, an average particle size of 25 &mgr;m or less and a tap density ratio of 50-60%. The spherical powder is produced by forming non-spherical metal particles, which have been produced from molten metal by water-atomization, into spherical particles using a high speed gas current which causes high speed collisions to occur between said particles and between said particles and a collision body. The thus obtained spherical metal powder is particularly suitable for injection molding since and, by using the powder, the blending proportion of organic binder used in injection molding can be reduced and high strength debound bodies can be obtained.

Abstract: A method of producing copper powder having little variation in its particle size and an excellent monodispersion properties. A copper complex ion solution is prepared from a copper-containing solution and a complexing agent, then a reducing agent is added to the copper complex ion solution to precipitate metallic copper. The copper-containing solution herein contains copper sulfate, copper formate, copper pyrophosphate, copper chloride or copper carbonate and the complexing agent is at least one carboxylate or phosphate.

Abstract: A method of producing soft fine metal spheres for semiconductor packaging from a material selected from soft metals and soft alloys. A plurality of fine wires made of the material are arranged in parallel on a flat base plate. Each of the wires has a diameter of not more than 100 .mu.m. The fine wires are cut into wire chips having an equal mass relative to each other and a chip length/chip diameter ratio between 5 and 100 by utilizing a cutting jig having cutting edges which are arranged at a constant pitch. The resulting wire chips are arranged so that the chips are spaced apart a minimum distance sufficient to prevent the chips from merging when melted. The resulting spaced-apart wire chips are heated to a temperature up to but not exceeding 100.degree. C. above the melting point thereof, thereby forming the chips into molten spheres. The resulting molten spheres are cooled, thereby forming solid spheres having a diameter within about 5% of a desired diameter.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a powder for sendust core is disclosed which is used in power supplies, converters and invertors, and in which the sendust powder is manufactured by applying the atomizing process, and the powder is coated with a special ceramic mixture insulator, so that the core loss would be small after forming a product. The method for manufacturing the powder for a sendust core includes the steps of: preparing a sendust alloy melt composed of (in wt %) 4-13% of Si, 4-7% of Al, and balance of Fe under an inert atmosphere; spouting water with a pressure of 1500-3500 psi to a flow of said sendust alloy melt through four or more nozzles having a diameter of 10-20 mm, so as to form a relatively regular polyhedral powder; adding 0.1-1.0 wt % of kaoline to the powder, and heat-treating it at a temperature of 700.degree.-850.degree. C. for 30 minutes or more under a reducing atmosphere; and carrying out a wet coating on the heat-treated powder by using 0.

Abstract: A method for efficiently and accurately manufacturing fine metal balls such as solder is provided. A liquid is poured into a vertically elongated cylindrical container, where the liquid is heated up to a temperature higher than the melting point of the metal from its top to middle regions and maintained at a temperature lower than the melting point in the lower region. Metal pieces each of which is made to have a predetermined volume are dropped into the container. The metal pieces are heated and melted while passing the high-temperature region, and take the shape of a substantial sphere due to their own surface tension. However, when the balls reach the low-temperature region, they are cooled and solidified to become substantially perfect metal balls. Since this process can be successively performed, a large number of fine low-melting-point metal balls with high dimensional accuracy can be efficiently manufactured by combining the process with a wire cutter with a high accuracy.

Abstract: Metal such as solder is immersed in a heating medium containing a rosin or derivative thereof and an organic solvent and heated to a temperature above the melting point of the metal, to remove the oxide film of the metal and make the metal spherical. If a hardened caster oil or high softening point rosin or derivative thereof is further added as a thickener to the heating medium, the size increase of the metal particle can be prevented. By heating at a temperature lower than the melting point of the metal, the oxide film can be removed without making the particles spherical. Using thus obtained solder particles, fluxless soldering can be done. Also, a fluxless soldering method is provided.

Abstract: A pressure medium composed of plural kinds of fluids each of which have a different density is charged in a pressure chamber forming, for example, fluid layers. A material is suspended by way of buoyancy brought by this pressure medium. By properly controlling the density of the pressure medium of plural kinds of fluids, various kinds of materials having different densities can be supported in a suspending state at an almost constant pressure. The apparatus and the method processes the material under a state of compensated-gravitation, and is capable of forming an easy-handling weightless state for a long period of time at low cost in a simple manner for ease of handling of the material being processed and can contribute to developing useful materials and novel materials and to the supplying of them in bulk.

Abstract: In order to develop a method for producing at least approximately ball-shaped metallic particles at least almost equal in diameter such that a greater yield of particles at least almost equal in diameter is achieved than in known methods, it is suggested that a continuous stream of liquid metal is acted on locally by compressional vibrations that thereby cross-sectional constrictions are formed in the stream at a distance from each other in longitudinal direction of the stream which lead to the dissection of the stream and that the segments of the dissected stream adopting a ball shape due to the surface tension of the liquid metal are cooled to solidify the liquid metal.

Abstract: An improved flaked tantalum powder and process for making the flaked powder are disclosed. The powder is characterized by having a Scott density greater than about 18 g/in.sup.3 and preferably at least about 90% of the flake particles having no dimension greater than about 55 micrometers. Agglomerates of the flaked tantalum powder, provide improved flowability, green strength and pressing characteristics compared to conventional flaked tantalum powders. The improved flaked tantalum powder can be made by preparing a flaked tantalum and then reducing the flake size until a Scott density greater than about 18 g/in.sup.3 is achieved. The invention also provides pellets and capacitors prepared from the abovedescribed flaked tantalum powder.

Abstract: To manufacture spherical particles out of liquid phase with a narrow grain spectrum using melting temperatures of up to 1500.degree. C. by generating droplets by means of vibrating nozzles, the liquid phase, the nozzle and the drop distance for the droplets are maintained at a constant temperature of 1.degree. to 10.degree. C. above the melting temperature of the liquid phase until the spherical shape of the falling droplets has stabilized. The particles must then be abruptly chilled.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of heat processing particles of glass. A first current of a mixture of a combustible gas and a gas capable of oxidizing the combustible gas is introduced into a substantially cylindrical chamber from its lower end. The combustible gas is ignited to form a flame in which the gases have a speed of less than 10 m/s. The resulting flame creates a heat processing zone in the chamber. A quenching zone is provided by a second current of gas introduced into the chamber adjacent the chamber side wall such that it swirls around the flame. Particles of glass are then introduced at the lower end of the chamber and these particles contact the flame in the heat processing zone and are then directed to the quenching zone where they are hardened and from which they are collected.

Abstract: A process for producing fine powder, which includes entraining a starting powder material in a carrier gas, injecting the starting powder material using the carrier gas into a high temperature jet to form a high velocity stream of molten droplets, fragmenting the resulting high velocity molten droplets by impacting against a substrate wherein the temperature of the substrate is above the melting point of the powder material, to form smaller droplets, and allowing the resulting fragmented smaller droplets to spheroidize and solidify in flight.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the treatment and production of material, particularly for the treatment and production of free flowing, finely divided metal powder or metal matrix composite powder. The material is composed of tungsten carbide and at least two components, nickel and cobalt. According to the method of the invention the composite powder is first mixed with the organic binder in order to form powder agglomerate, which powder agglomerate is further subjected to sintering treatment in order to remove the binder and to improve the mechanical strength of the composite powder. Further the composite powder is subjected to classification and the classified composite powder is thermally treated at a high temperature in an at least one-step thermal treatment in order to melt the composite powder at least partially, and in order to mix the various components to each other.

Abstract: Metal and ceramic particles of various morphologies are clad with a coating from the transition metal group consisting of silver, gold, copper, nickel, iron, cobalt, aluminum etc., or combinations thereof, to provide improved coated particles for microelectronics or metal matrix composites or other uses. Refractory metal precursor core particles, such as tungsten, molybdenum, niobium and zirconium, as examples, are provided from a composite of tungsten and copper, for example, made by pressurizing and infiltrating or liquid phase sintering of molten copper into a porous tungsten skeleton. Precursor chip particles derived from a tungsten impregnated billet are used as starter particles which may be further enhanced by cogrinding in an attritor ball mill with smaller copper particles to thereby produce an enhanced copper clad-coating of tungsten particles with predetermined percent by weight of copper and tungsten content.

Abstract: A method is described for forming hollow particles, or shells, of extremely small size. The shell material is heated to a molten temperature in the presence of a gas that is at least moderately soluble in the shell material, to form a solution of the molten shell material and the soluble gas. The solution is atomized to form a multiplicity of separate droplets that are cooled while in free fall. Cooling of a droplet from the outside traps the dissolved gas and forces it to form a gas bubble at the center of the droplet which now forms a gas-filled shell. The shell is reheated and then cooled in free fall, in an environment having a lower pressure than the gas pressure in the shell. This causes expansion of the shell, to form a shell having a small wall thickness compared to its diameter.

Abstract: A powder material and a process for producing same are disclosed. The process comprises reducing the size of an electrolytically produced starting dendritic copper powder material by fluid energy milling to produce a finer powder, essentially all of which has a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter, entraining the finer powder in a carrier gas and passing it through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the finer powder, the temperature being from about 5500.degree. C. to about 17,000.degree. C., to melt at least about 50% by weight of the finer powder to form essentially fine spherical particles of the melted portion, and rapidly and directly resolidifying the resulting high temperature treated material while the material is in flight, to form fine spherical particles having a particle size of less than about 20 micrometers in diameter.