Process for producing metallic powders

• US 4,705,560 A
• Filed: 10/14/1986
• Issued: 11/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Products Corporation (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Walter A., Kemp, Preston B. Jr., Steigelman, James Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stallard, Wayland
• Application Number:
  US06/918,182
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 75/0.5 R, 75/0.5 B, 75/0.5 BA, 75/0.5 BB, 75/0.5 BC, 75/0.5 C, 264/15
• US Class Current: 75/342
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/065 Spherical particles
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 33/0278 with at least one alloying element having a minimum content above 5%
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 75/953 Producing spheres

Abstract

A process is disclosed for producing essentially spherical metallic powder particles. The process involves mechanically agglomerating a mixture comprising powders wherein the powders are selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, metal-ceramic composites, ceramics, and wherein at least one of the powders is a relatively ductile and/or malleable metal. The resulting mechanically agglomerated powder particles are entrained in a carrier gas and passed through a high temperature zone at a temperture above the melting point of the lowest melting component of the mixture to melt at least about 50% by weight of the mechanically agglomerated particles and form essentially spherical powder particles of the melted portion, followed by resolidifying the resulting high temperature treated material.

Claims

1. A process for producing essentially spherical metallic powders particles, said process comprising:

(a) mechanically agglomerating a mixture comprising powders, wherein said powders are selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, metal-ceramic composites, ceramics, and wherein at least one of said powders is a relatively ductile and/or malleable metal;

(b) entraining the resulting mechanically agglomerated powder particles in a carrier gas and passing said mechanically agglomerated particles through a high temperature zone at a temperature above the melting point of the lowest melting component of said mixture to melt at least about 50% by weight of said mechanically agglomerated particles and form essentially spherical powder particles of said melted portion; and

(c) resolidifying the resulting high temperature treated material.

2. A process of claim 1 wherein said high temperature zone is a plasma.

3. A process of claim 1 wherein the mechanical agglomeration step is done by methods selected from the group consisting of attritor, tumbling, rotary, and vibratory milling.

4. A process of claim 3 wherein said mechanical agglomeration step is done by ball attritor milling.