Process for producing metallic powders
First Claim
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.
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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.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A process for producing essentially spherical metallic powders particles, said process comprising:
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(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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification