Abstract: A method of producing a purified tin, which emits low alpha radiation by using a vacuum refining has developed: the steps are comprising: preparing a crude tin; containing the crude tin in a crucible and placing it in a vacuum furnace; and removing the impurities, which have higher vapor pressures and low boiling points than that of the tin from the vacuum furnace. The impurities, such as a lead and bismuth can be removed as much as possible by utilizing the difference of the vapor pressure of the elements in the tin. It is possible to minimize the emission of alpha radiation, so that it can be prevented the occurrence of the software errors.

Abstract: A metal storage material, containing a perovskite-type composite oxide of formula (1), which is a material to stores a metal component of a metal-containing material: ABHaO3-b??Formula (1) in which A is at least one selected from lanthanoid elements and Group 2 elements of the periodic table, and B is at least one selected from Groups 3, 4, and 13 elements, and transition metal elements of the fourth period of the periodic table; a and b are quantities of hydrogen and oxygen vacancies, within the range of: 0?a?1.0, 0?b?0.5, respectively; and a method of recovering a metal, containing the steps of: heating the metal-containing material, in the presence of the perovskite-type composite oxide; dissolving, in an acid, the composite oxide which stores a metal, to give an eluate of the metal; and recovering the metal, from the eluate.

Abstract: A method by which the amount of nickel contained in an alloy having a composition represented by Sn—X—Ni can be regulated. The method of nickel concentration regulation comprises adding phosphorus to Sn—X—Ni in a molten state (wherein X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, Zn, Cu, Bi, Au, Ti, Ge, Ga, Si, and Ce), holding the mixture at 250-400° C., and removing the resultant dross floating on the surface of the liquid phase and containing a P—Ni compound and a P—Sn—Ni compound. An example of X is copper, and the content thereof may be 0.3-5 wt %. The phosphorus may be added in the state of a Sn—P alloy. The upper limit of the amount of the phosphorus to be added may be about half the nickel amount in terms of atomic amount.

Abstract: A reducing dross method of lead-free solder includes the steps of: producing master alloy of reducing dross which comprises Sn and 0.1 to 0.8 wt % P; analyzing the percentage of P of the lead-free solder to be modified, in order to reach 0.008 to 0.015 wt % P in the lead-free solder, adding the master alloy into the lead-free solder with the percentage of P less than 0.008 wt % or no P; then sampling the lead-free solder at regular intervals to determine the percentage and the percentage loss of P, if the percentage of P being less than a given value from 0.008 to 0.015 wt %, adding the master alloy to keep the percentage of P as 0.008 to 0.015 wt %.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for producing an inexpensive Mg2Si1-xSnx polycrystal that can be effectively used as thermoelectric conversion materials that can be expected to have a high performance index by doping if necessary.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new compositions of matter, particularly metals and alloys, and methods of making such compositions. The new compositions of matter exhibit long-range ordering and unique electronic character.

Abstract: Proposed is a method for separating dross in a soldering process for a printed circuit board using a tin bath containing liquid tin. The method includes collecting dross produced during the soldering process; grinding the dross to tin ash in the tin bath for allowing a portion of tin contained in the tin ash to be melted again to join the liquid tin; and scooping up and recycling the tin ash not melted in the tin liquid. The method precludes a waste of tin resources and high manufacturing costs which might otherwise arise from directly scooping up dross of high tin content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new compositions of matter, particularly metals and alloys, and methods of making such compositions. The new compositions of matter exhibit long-range ordering and unique electronic character.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of the bonding strength of a Pb-free alloy solder being inferior to that of the conventional Pb-containing alloy solder and provides a Pb-free alloy solder satisfactory in bonding reliability. An alloy solder is manufactured by adding a predetermined amount of carbon to a Pb-free solder in a high-temperature atmosphere of a temperature in the range of 800° C. to 1200° C. An alloy solder manufacturing method includes a melting process for melting a Pb-free solder by heating the Pb-free solder in a high-temperature atmosphere of a temperature in the range of 800° C. to 1200° C.

Abstract: The method relates to a pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical process for the recovery and recycling of lithium and vanadium compounds from a material comprising spent rechargeable lithium batteries, particularly lithium metal gel and solid polymer electrolyte rechargeable batteries. The method involves providing a mass of the material, hardening it by cooling at a temperature below room temperature, comminuting the mass of cooled and hardened material, digesting with an acid its ashes obtained by incineration, or its solidified salts obtained by molten salt oxidation, or the comminuted mass itself, to give a mother liquor, extracting vanadium compounds from the mother liquor, separating heavy metals and aluminium therefrom, and precipitating lithium carbonate from the remaining solution.

Abstract: A process for metal purification comprising a first step for heating a feed metal in a feed crucible to generate a vapor of the metal, a second step for directing the vapor into a condensation passageway for vapors, where part of the vapor is condensed to generate a molten condensate, a third step for directing the vapor through the condensation passageway for vapors into a solidification crucible so that the vapor is cooled to solidify said metal in a high-purity form, and a fourth step for returning the molten condensate into the feed crucible.

Abstract: Lead-free alloys comprising tin, copper, antimony, silver and a lanthanide metal are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the lead-free alloys and their use for soldering and babbitting. The lead-free solder alloys exhibit improved tensile and shear strength, and they exhibit flow characteristics similar to those of 50:50 tin:lead alloys.

Abstract: In a process for separating tin as well as, if required, copper from scrap melts, in particular, tinplate melts or metallic melts as formed in the working up of waste or metal-oxide-containing combustion residues, the carbon content of the melt is adjusted to 3 to 4.2% by weight and hot wind, oxygen or air enriched with oxygen is locally blown on partial regions of the surface of the melt bath, whereby SnO is discharged, via the gaseous phase, from the redox-gradient-exhibiting zone formed between the carbon-rich bath and the iron oxides produced by top-blowing.

Abstract: The method for processing waste or waste fractions, such as, for example, household refuse, car shredder light fractions or the like, provides for pyrolysis, gasification and/or combustion, whereupon the residues are melted under reducing conditions. The reduced portions are then are subjected to a stepwise oxidation, with chromium being quantitatively separated in a first oxidation stage. After this, a calcium ferrite slag is formed by further oxidation, whereupon the remaining metal bath is further processed in order to recover nonferrous heavy metals.

Abstract: A methods for re-utilizing, for example, scrap steels are provided. A method is provided for separating Sn-containing oxides from steel by blowing Sn-containing oxides away from a steel using a gas. Also provided is a method of making a reclaimed steel by(a) heating a coated steel having an Sn-containing surface layer to oxidize at least a portion of the surface layer;(b) separating at least a portion of the surface layer from the coated steel to produce Sn-containing oxides and an uncoated steel;(c) blowing the Sn-containing oxides away from the uncoated steel using an exhaust gas,where steps (a), (b), and (c) are conducted in a first reaction zone;(d) melting the steel in a second reaction zone to produce the reclaimed steel and an exhaust gas; and(e) recycling at least a portion of the exhaust gas produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone for use in the blowing step,where steps (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) are conducted simultaneously.

Abstract: The method of the invention comprises a method of melting tin-plated iron type scrap using tin-plated iron type scrap of loose packing as a portion of the iron type scrap and conducting melting while controlling the post combustion ratio of the gas by adjusting the amount of the combustion sustaining gas blown from the secondary tuyeres and a method of melting tin-plated iron type scrap packing the tin-plated iron type scrap prior to the non tin-plated iron type scrap and conducting melting while retaining the tin-melted iron type scrap between the coke packed layer and the non tin-plated iron type scrap packed layer.

Abstract: A method is described for the liquid phase synthesis of particles. The particles are composed of silicon or germanium and are optionally produced at sizes such that the particles exhibit quantum size effects. The particles are produced from an organometallic (tetra-organosilicon or tetra-organogermanium) precursors which is dissolved in a solvent that transmits a wavelength of light that photolyzes the precursor. The reaction is carried out under an inert atmosphere. A passivating agent is added to arrest particle growth and impart solubility to the particle. Optionally, a dopant is incorporated into the particle in the course of production so as to modify the electronic properties of the semiconductor particle.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for recovering solder from dross. Dross is poured into a heated chamber (1). The heated dross is then compressed by a piston (21) to force good solder out of the dross into a collecting tray (17).

Abstract: A processing method by which metals may be recovered at a high purity from metal-containing waste materials.The method for processing metal-containing waste materials comprises crushing a metal-containing waste material to a particle size of 1-50 mesh, separating and recovering the metal-containing particles from the crushed portion, introducing the metal-containing particles into a vacuum heating furnace, pre-heating the furnace while under suction evacuation, and then raising the temperature of the furnace in stages while continuing the vacuum suctioning, recovering the metal and non-metal vapor produced at each temperature level using a condensing and adsorbing means, and recovering the liquated metals as melts. The method may be used to process waste batteries, copper-containing waste materials and the like in the same manner to recover high-purity metals.

Abstract: Metal vapor, for example zinc fume in the offgas of a smelting furnace, is captured by bringing the stream into direct contact with a fluidized bed of solid particles having a particulate loading of greater than 10 kg/m.sup.3 and preferably greater than 400 kg/m.sup.3. The thermal mass and temperature of the bed is such as to rapidly quench the vapor in the case of zinc from above 960.degree. C. to below 419.degree. C. in less than 100 milliseconds, whereby the vapor condenses in the bed and is recovered as zinc metal in acceptable yield.

Abstract: An improved method for extracting lithium from aluminum-lithium alloys includes providing an electrorefining cell which contains a cathode comprising a pure molten tin pool and a source of lithium from a molten aluminum-lithium alloy. The lithium is extracted from the Al-Li alloy by applying an electric current through the electrorefining cell whereby lithium dissolves from the molten Al-Li alloy into the tin pool and forms a tin-lithium alloy. The formed Sn-Li alloy may be recovered by casting under a salt layer and cooled to solidification. In a further aspect, the recovered Sn-Li alloy may be processed to further recover lithium therefrom by either electrolytic recovery in a separate electrolytic cell, vacuum distillation or a chemical extraction process.