Abstract: A nitrogen containing metal powder wicth a large specific surface area, and containing a suitable quantity of nitrogen dispersed uniformly within the metal is produced with good productivity, and provides a solid electrolytic capacitor with a high capacitance, minimal leakage current, and excellent long term reliability. This nitrogen containing metal powder has a ratio W/S between the nitrogen content W [ppm] of the powder, and the specific surface area S [m2/g], as measured by a BET method, that falls within a range from 500 to 3000. This type of powder can be produced by a process in which a metal salt containing the metal is reacted with a reducing agent and undergoes reduction within a diluent salt, thereby generating the metal, wherein a nitrogen containing gas is introduced into the space contacting the reaction melt comprising the metal salt, the reducing agent and the diluent salt, thereby generating the metal and incorporating the nitrogen within the metal.

Abstract: Metal chloride vapor and reducing gas are brought into contact to form metallic powder, the metallic powder is washed in carbonic acid aqueous solution, and the metallic powder is classified in a liquid phase. In this way, metallic powder, such as nickel powder, in which the content of chloride components is extremely small and the coarse particle content is small, can be efficiently produced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of metallic and metal-ceramic composite components by powder injection molding of a system comprising a metal composite powder, a binder and optionally a ceramic component, where the metal composite powder used is mixed with a protecting liquid in an inert atmosphere before the mixing with the binder. The invention furthermore relates to molybdenum/copper and tungsten/copper composite powders which have a primary metal particle size of predominantly <2 ?m, an oxygen content of <0.8% by weight and optionally a ceramic component, to the use of these composite powders for the production of composite components by powder injection molding, and to a process for the preparation of composite powders in which oxides of molybdenum or tungsten and of copper are mixed, dry-ground and reduced using hydrogen at a temperature of from 800 to 1050° C., and a ceramic component is optionally admixed with the resultant metal composite powder.

Abstract: A method of preparing an article made of a metallic material having its constituent elements includes the steps of furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic material in their respective constituent-element proportions, and thereafter utilizing the nonmetallic precursor compound to produce a metallic injection molded brown article. The nonmetallic precursor compounds may be processed into the metallic material by first chemically reducing them to the metallic material, and then injection molding the metallic material, or first injection molding the nonmetallic precursor compounds and then chemically reducing them to the metallic material.

Abstract: High purity refractory metals, valve metals, refractory metal oxides, valve metal oxides, or alloys thereof suitable for a variety of electrical, optical and mill product/fabricated parts usages are produced from their respective oxides by metalothermic reduction of a solid or liquid form of such oxide using a reducing agent that establishes (after ignition) a highly exothermic reaction, the reaction preferably taking place in a continuously or step-wise moving oxide such as gravity fall with metal retrievable at the bottom and an oxide of the reducing agent being removable as a gas or in other convenient form and unreacted reducing agent derivatives being removable by leaching or like process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of an elemental material, comprising the step of reacting a halide of the elemental material with a reducing agent in solid form in a fluidized bed reactor at a reaction temperature which is below the melting temperature of the reducing agent. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elemental material is titanium and the titanium is produced in powder form. The invention also relates to the production of alloys or intermetallics of the elemental materials.

Abstract: Gold powders and methods for producing gold powders. The powders preferably have a small particle size, narrow size distribution and a spherical morphology. The method includes forming the particles by a spray pyrolysis technique. The invention also includes novel devices and products formed from the gold powders.

Abstract: A process of the production of high surface area tantalum and/or niobium powders via the reduction of the corresponding tantalum and/or niobium oxides is disclosed, wherein the reduction is carried out by reacting the tantalum and/or niobium oxides with at least one metal halide selected form the group consisting of halides of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Ce, and an alkali metal at elevation temperature so as to form the tantalum and/or niobium powders. The process of the present invention has the advantages of: simple operation, the tantalum and/or niobium powders obtained have high surface area, high purity, good flowability, therefore are particularly suitable for manufacturing electrolytic capacitors.

Abstract: Novel forms of molybdenum metal, and apparatus and methods for production thereof. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are preferably characterized by a surface area of substantially about 2.1 m2/g to substantially about 4.1 m2/g. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are also preferably characterized by a relatively uniform size.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of tungsten and/or molybdenum metal powder or carbide by reducing and optionally carburizing treatment of tungsten and/or molybdenum oxide powder in the presence of alkali metal compounds, wherein at least two alkali metal compounds are used in a ratio so that mixed alkali tungstate or molybdate potentially formed in an intermediate step ((Li, Na, K)2 WOZ, (Li, Na, K)2MoOZ) has a melting point of less than 550° C., wherein z is from 3 to 4.

Abstract: A process for preparing a pure PGM (platinum group metal) from a material containing a plurality of PGM compounds, wherein the PGM is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Os, Ir, Ru, Rh and Re, and the process includes initially forming the PGM in activated form by reduction of PGM ions in aqueous solution at pH 6-8 by a reducing agent, preferably, hydrogen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making alloys or ceramics by the subsurface injection of an equilibrium vapor of a boiling liquid of the ceramic or alloys constituents is disclosed. Various powders and products are disclosed.

Abstract: The production and selection of precursor mixtures used to produce fine powders and methods for making fine powders using the selected precursor. The precursor mixture comprises at least one metal containing precursor, the metal containing precursor has an average molecular weight of less than 2000 grams per unit mol of the metal, the metal containing precursor has a normal boiling point greater than 350K, and the viscosity of the precursor mixture is between 0.1 to 250 cP. The precursor mixture is processed under conditions that produce a fine powder from the precursor mixture. Fine powders produced are of size less than 100 microns, preferably less than 10 micron, more preferably less than 1 micron, and most preferably less than 100 nanometers.

Abstract: Low nanosized combusted products are obtained by introducing at least one volatile metal compound into the flame of a non-premixed, multi-element diffusion flame burner which exhibits a one-dimensional temperature profile. The combustion process generates a stable environment favoring formation of very small particles of uniform composition. Adjusting burner stoichiometry enables production of zero valent metal powders and metal compounds of low or intermediate oxidation states as well as the usual more highly oxidized species.

Abstract: A method of producing an elemental material or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures of halides is provided. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a reducing gas in the presence of reductant material, preferably in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the elemental material or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the reductant material at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced elemental material or alloy.

Abstract: Method for producing powdered metallic products by reacting aluminum subchloride vapor with a powdered oxide reactant such as Iron oxide, cobalt oxide, nickel oxide and boron oxide to form a solid metallic powder product mixed with aluminum oxide, together with aluminum trichloride vapor byproduct.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are capacitors having an anode based on niobium and a barrier layer based on niobium pentoxide, at least the barrier layer having a content of vanadium and process for their preparation and use.

Abstract: A method of converting metal-containing or metal alloy-containing compounds into a metal or metal alloy by rapidly heating the metal-containing or metal alloy-containing compound to an elevated temperature to instigate conversion and holding the metal-containing or metal alloy-containing compound at the elevated temperature for a time sufficient to effect formation of the metal or metal alloy is an efficient and economical method of producing metals and metal alloys.

Abstract: A metallic article is produced by furnishing one or more nonmetallic precursor compound comprising the metallic constituent element(s), and chemically reducing the nonmetallic precursor compound(s) to produce an initial metallic particle, preferably having a size of no greater than about 0.070 inch, without melting the initial metallic particle. The initial metallic particle is thereafter melted and solidified to produce the metallic article. By this approach, the incidence of chemical defects in the metal article is minimized. The melted-and-solidified metal may be used in the as-cast form, or it may be converted to billet and further worked to the final form.

Abstract: A spray pyrolysis method for producing pure metal and/or metal oxide particles uses a mixture of a carrier gas and a solution of a metal salt precursor, water and a co-solvent reducing agent. The metal salt precursors preferably comprise metals from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, Ag and Au, whereas the salt anions preferably comprise nitrates, acetates, oxalates and chlorides. The co-solvents are those that act as a reducing agent, are vaporizable, are inert with respect to the carrier gas, and are hydrophilic, such as alcohols, in particular, low-carbon numbered alcohols such as methanol or ethanol.

Abstract: A method of converting metal-containing compounds into a metal or metal oxide by rapidly heating the metal-containing compound to an elevated temperature to instigate conversion and holding the metal-containing compound at the elevated temperature for a time sufficient to effect formation of the metal or metal oxide is an efficient and economical method of producing metals and metal oxides.

Abstract: Process for producing a valve metal powder by producing a precursor of desired morphology, converting the precursor into an oxide of the valve metal, stabilizing the structure of the oxide by heat treatment and reducing the stabilized oxide while retaining the morphology. Valve metal powders obtainable in this way, in particular comprising spherical agglomerates with a mean agglomerate size of 10-80 &mgr;m, preferably 20-40 &mgr;m, and use of these valve metal powders to produce solid electrolyte capacitors.

Abstract: Novel forms of molybdenum metal, and apparatus and methods for production thereof. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are preferably characterized by a surface area of substantially 2.5 m2/g. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are also preferably characterized by a relatively uniform size.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrafine nickel powder suitable for a laminated ceramic capacitor electrode material. According to the ultrafine nickel powder, cracks and/or delamination are not liable to generate in the process for producing a ceramic capacitor, and its internal electrode can be made into a thinner layer, and the electric risistivity of the capacitor-can be made low. The ultrafine nickel powder has an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m, having the sulfur content of 0.02-1.0% by weight, and particles thereof being spherical, thereby exhibiting excellent properties. They can be produced by vapor phase hydrogen-reducing process using nickel chloride vapor.

Abstract: Novel forms of molybdenum metal, and apparatus and methods for production thereof. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are preferably characterized by a surface area of substantially 2.5 m2/g. Novel forms of molybdenum metal are also preferably characterized by a relatively uniform size. Preferred embodiments of the invention may comprise heating a precursor material to a first temperature in the presence of a reducing gas, and increasing the first temperature at least once to reduce the precursor material and form the molybdenum metal product.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrafine nickel powder suitable for a laminated ceramic capacitor electrode material. According to the ultrafine nickel powder, cracks and/or delamination are not liable to generate in the process for producing a ceramic capacitor, and its internal electrode can be made into a thinner layer, and the electric risistivity of the capacitor can be made low. The ultrafine nickel powder has an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m, having the sulfur content of 0.02-1.0% by weight, and particles thereof being spherical, thereby exhibiting excellent properties. They can be produced by vapor phase hydrogen-reducing process using nickel chloride vapor.

Abstract: A high-surface-area heterogenite (HCoO2) material is described for use in making submicron cobalt metal powders. The HCoO2 material has a surface area of at least about 90 m2/g and is preferably produced by dehydrating a cobalt hydroxide precipitate at 110° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improvement in the method and the apparatus for reducing tungsten oxide powder to tungsten metal powder. The method produces more uniform particle size distribution by decreasing the variability of temperature and inconsistency of reductant gas flow during the reduction process. The method includes the steps of: providing powder particles of WOx in a unique reaction boat with a low aspect ratio to a multi-tube furnace; (a) contacting particles of WOx, wherein x is at least 2.

Abstract: A process for the production of high surface area tantalum and/or niobium powders via the reduction of the corresponding tantalum and/or niobium oxides is disclosed, wherein the reduction is carried out by reacting the tantalum and/or niobium oxides with at least one metal halide selected from the group consisting of halides of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Ce, and an alkali metal at elevated temperature so as to form the tantalum and/or niobium powders. The process of the present invention has the advantages of: simple operation, the tantalum and/or niobium powders obtained have high surface area, high purity, good flowability, therefore are particularly suitable for manufacturing electrolytic capacitors.

Abstract: Molybdenum trioxide or ammonium dimolybdate is reduced to molybdenum metal as it passes through an atmosphere of hydrogen in a multi-zoned thermally profiled rotating tube furnace.

Abstract: Metal powder Ta and/or Nb, with or without one or metals from the group Ta, Nb, Ti, Mo, W, V, Zr and Hf, is made in a fine powder form by reduction of metal oxide by contact with a gaseous reducing agent, preferably an alkaline earth metal, to near complete reduction, leaching, further deoxidation and agglomeration, the powder so produced being sinterable to capacitor anode form and processable to other usages.

Abstract: A process is described for the production of metal powder and alloy powders containing at least one of the metals iron, copper, tin, cobalt or nickel, by mixing aqueous metal salt solutions with an aqueous carboxylic acid solution, separating the precipitation product from the mother liquor and reducing the precipitation product to the metal.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-metal element or a metal or an alloy thereof from a halide or mixtures thereof. The halide or mixtures thereof are contacted with a stream of liquid alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to convert the halide to the non-metal or the metal or alloy and to maintain the temperature of the reactants at a temperature lower than the lesser of the boiling point of the alkali or alkaline earth metal at atmospheric pressure or the sintering temperature of the produced non-metal or metal or alloy. A continuous method is disclosed, particularly applicable to titanium.

Abstract: A method for preparing a highly crystallized metal powder, involving the steps of: supplying at least one heat-decomposable metal compound powder into a reaction vessel using a carrier gas; and forming a metal powder by heating the metal compound powder in a state in which the metal compound powder is dispersed in a gas phase at a concentration of no more than 10 g/liter, at a temperature that is over the decomposition temperature of the metal compound powder and at least (Tm −200)° C. when the melting point of the metal contained in the metal compound powder is Tm° C. The method provides a high-purity, high-density, highly dispersible, fine, highly crystallized metal powder consisting of spherical particles of uniform size, which is suitable for use in thick film pastes, and particularly conductor pastes and the like used in the preparation of multilayer ceramic electronic parts.

Abstract: In a process for production of ultrafine nickel powder, raw material gas having a partial pressure of nickel chloride vapor within a range from 0.2 to 0.7 is fed into a reducing furnace and the nickel chloride vapor is reduced with hydrogen while flowing the raw material gas in this reducing furnace at a space velocity (SV) within a range from 0.02 to 0.07 sec−1.

Abstract: A boron addition for making potassium-doped tungsten powder is described herein. Boron is added to a potassium-doped starting material, preferably in the form of boric acid, and then the mixture is reduced to form a potassium-doped tungsten powder. The boron addition results in increased potassium incorporation in the potassium-doped tungsten powder and also effects an increase in potassium retention in sintered compacts of the potassium-doped tungsten powder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing metal powder comprising: preparing a simple or mixed oxalate of one or more metals formed of particles with needle-like morphology having a mean acicularity ratio (length/diameter) of from 4 to 20, and a length of from 5 to 10 microns and converting said oxalate to metal or metal alloy powder by reducing treatment with gaseous hydrogen. The conversion of said oxalate can be carried out by decomposing said oxalate, in air, to an oxide and then reducing said oxide to metal or metal alloy. The metal is chosen from among the rare earth metals and the transition metals, preferably from among iron, cobalt, and nickel. The method is particularly suitable for making iron powder metal having a spongy and filament-like microstructure which makes it suitable for use in heating composition for thermo-piles. In addition, the invention relates to metal compacts unstoved or annealed which are obtained by applying compaction pressure to the powders according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a metallic powder which exhibits superior sintering properties in a production of multilayer ceramic capacitors, and exhibits superior dispersion characteristics in forming of conductive pastes, thereby preventing delamination. Metallic powder produced by bringing a metallic chloride gas into contact with a reducing gas in a reducing temperature range is subjected to a surface treatment by a nonionic surfactant in a wet or dry process to obtain final metallic powder.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide nitrogen-containing metallic powder at high productivity, which powder contains a metal such as niobium or tantalum containing nitrogen uniformly, and enables production of an anode electrode that has high specific capacitance and low leakage current and that exhibits excellent reliability for a prolonged period of time. There is provided nitrogen-containing metallic powder which is a solid solution containing 50-20,000 ppm nitrogen, in which the metal that constitutes the metallic powder is niobium or tantalum. The nitrogen-containing metallic powder is produced through the process in which while a metallic compound is reduced with a reducing agent, a nitrogen-containing gas is introduced into a reaction system to thereby form metal, and nitrogen is simultaneously incorporated into metal.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrafine nickel powder suitable for a laminated ceramic capacitor electrode material. According to the ultrafine nickel powder, cracks and/or delamination are not liable to generate in the process for producing a ceramic capacitor, and its internal electrode can be made into a thinner layer, and the electric risistivity of the capacitor can be made low. The ultrafine nickel powder has an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m, having the sulfur content of 0.02-1.0% by weight, and particles thereof being spherical, thereby exhibiting excellent properties. They can be produced by vapor phase hydrogen-reducing process using nickel chloride vapor.

Abstract: High purity refractory metals, valve metals, refractory metal oxides, valve metal oxides, or alloys thereof suitable for a variety of electrical, optical and mill product/fabricated parts usages are produced from their respective oxides by metalothermic reduction of a solid or liquid form of such oxide using a reducing agent that establishes (after ignition) a highly exothermic reaction, the reaction preferably taking place in a continuously or step-wise moving oxide such as gravity fall with metal retrievable at the bottom and an oxide of the reducing agent being removable as a gas or in other convenient form and unreacted reducing agent derivatives being removable by leaching or like process.

Abstract: A method for producing ultra microparticles including steps: dissolving or dispersing at least one of metallic salts into a solvent to form a solution, and irradiating a microwave to the solution to produce the ultra microparticles made of a metal in the metallic salt.

Abstract: A process for production of metallic powder comprising contacting a metallic chloride gas with a reductive gas in a temperature range for a reducing reaction to form a metallic powder and subsequently contacting the metallic powder with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas to cool the powder, wherein the rate of cooling is 30° C. or more for temperatures from the temperature range for the reducing reaction to a temperature of 800°C. or less. The metallic powder is rapidly cooled, which results in suppression of agglomeration of particles in the metallic powder and the growth of secondary particles. Growth of particles of a metallic powder formed in a reduction process into secondary particles through agglomeration after the reduction process is suppressed, and a ultrafine metallic powder having a particle diameter of, for example, 1&mgr;m or less, can be reliably produced.

Abstract: Ultrafine cobalt metal powder consisting of fine crystallites, wherein the crystallites, wherein the crystallitex exhibit a rice-grain shaped to spherical habit and more than 90% of the crystallites have a diameter in the range of from 0.5 to 2 &mgr;m, a process for the production of the cobalt metal powder via an intermediate stage of cobalt carbonate production, and processes and products re certain uses of the cobalt metal powder and the cobalt carbonate and an intermediate oxide so produced.

Abstract: A method for forming metal particles and fibers, including: mixing at least one of nanotubes and nanofibers with at least one metal salt to form a mixture, and decomposing and reducing the mixture. The method of syntheses metal nanoparticles and fibers, such as Cu, Pd, Pt, Ag and Au nanoparticles and Cu sub-micron fibers, by using carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers as templates.

Abstract: A method for preparing a highly crystallized metal powder, comprising: supplying at least one heat-decomposable metal compound powder into a reaction vessel using a carrier gas; and forming a metal powder by heating the metal compound powder in a state in which the metal compound powder is dispersed in a gas phase at a concentration of no more than 10 g/liter, at a temperature that is over the decomposition temperature of the metal compound powder and at least (Tm −200)° C. when the melting point of the metal contained in the metal compound powder is Tm° C. The method provides a high-purity, high-density, highly dispersible, fine, highly crystallized metal powder consisting of spherical particles of uniform size, which is suited to use in thick film pastes, and particularly conductor pastes and the like used in the preparation of multilayer ceramic electronic parts.

Abstract: A nickel ultrafine powder which is characterized by having an average particle diameter of 0.2 to 0.6 &mgr;m and containing coarse particles whose particle diameter is larger than 2.5 times the average particle diameter in an amount less than 0.1% in terms of number-size distribution. It is produced from nickel chloride vapor by reduction with hydrogen in the gas phase. It gives thin internal electrodes (which contributes to high capacity) with only a few short circuits across them.

Abstract: There is provided a high-purity ruthenium sputtering target with a low impurity content, in particular producing extremely few particles, which is suitable for applications such as the formation of semiconductor thin films. The high-purity ruthenium sputtering target is manufactured by feeding crude ruthenium powder into a sodium hydroxide solution; blowing an ozone-containing gas while or after blowing chlorine gas into the solution to form ruthenium tetroxide; absorbing the ruthenium tetroxide in a hydrochloric acid solution or a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and ammonium chloride, and evaporating the solution to dryness; sintering the resultant ruthenium salt in a hydrogen atmosphere to form high-purity ruthenium powder; and hot-pressing the ruthenium powder into a sputtering target.

Abstract: Provided are silver-containing powders and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the silver-containing particles of high quality, of a small size and narrow size distribution. An aerosol is generated from liquid feed and sent to a furnace, where liquid in droplets in the aerosol is vaporized to permit formation of the desired particles, which are then collected in a particle collector. The aerosol generation involves preparation of a high quality aerosol, with a narrow droplet size distribution, with close control over droplet size and with a high droplet loading suitable for commercial applications.