A manganese carbide (Mn.sub.4C) magnetic material and a production method therefor are provided. According to one embodiment, the saturation magnetization of the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material increases with increasing temperature, and thus the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material is applicable to fields in which thermally induced magnetization reduction is critical.

A manganese carbide (Mn.sub.4C) magnetic material and a production method therefor are provided. According to one embodiment, the saturation magnetization of the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material increases with increasing temperature, and thus the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material is applicable to fields in which thermally induced magnetization reduction is critical.

A manganese carbide (Mn.sub.4C) magnetic material and a production method therefor are provided. According to one embodiment, the saturation magnetization of the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material increases with increasing temperature, and thus the Mn.sub.4C magnetic material is applicable to fields in which thermally induced magnetization reduction is critical.

A thermoelectric conversion material is provided, consisting of a sintered body of a compound containing a dopant, in which a calculated standard deviation of a dopant concentration, which is obtained by measuring the dopant concentration for each of a plurality of compound particles observed in a section of the sintered body, is 0.15 or less. Here, the compound is preferably one or more selected from a MgSi-based compound, a MnSi-based compound, a SiGe-based compound, a MgSiSn-based compound, and a MgSn-based compound.

A thermoelectric conversion material is provided, consisting of a sintered body of a compound containing a dopant, in which a calculated standard deviation of a dopant concentration, which is obtained by measuring the dopant concentration for each of a plurality of compound particles observed in a section of the sintered body, is 0.15 or less. Here, the compound is preferably one or more selected from a MgSi-based compound, a MnSi-based compound, a SiGe-based compound, a MgSiSn-based compound, and a MgSn-based compound.

A method of producing a sintered and forged member includes a mixing process in which a manganese-containing powder made of FeMnCSi containing manganese as a main component, an iron powder made of Fe, a copper powder made of Cu, and a graphite powder made of graphite are mixed together to prepare a mixed powder; a molding process in which the mixed powder is compression-molded into a molded product; a sintering process in which, when the molded product is heated, copper derived from the copper powder and manganese contained in the manganese-containing powder are alloyed, the alloyed copper-manganese alloy is brought into a liquid phase state, and the molded product is sintered to produce a sintered product while elements of the copper-manganese alloy diffuse into an iron base of the molded product; and a process in which the sintered product is forged.

A method of producing a sintered and forged member includes a mixing process in which a manganese-containing powder made of FeMnCSi containing manganese as a main component, an iron powder made of Fe, a copper powder made of Cu, and a graphite powder made of graphite are mixed together to prepare a mixed powder; a molding process in which the mixed powder is compression-molded into a molded product; a sintering process in which, when the molded product is heated, copper derived from the copper powder and manganese contained in the manganese-containing powder are alloyed, the alloyed copper-manganese alloy is brought into a liquid phase state, and the molded product is sintered to produce a sintered product while elements of the copper-manganese alloy diffuse into an iron base of the molded product; and a process in which the sintered product is forged.

When storing a molten ferroalloy or molten nonferrous metal, the molten ferroalloy or molten nonferrous metal is denitrified or prevented from absorbing nitrogen, and thus post processing such as a denitrification process may not be performed. For this, there is provided a method of producing molten manganese-containing steel, the method including: preparing a molten ferroalloy or a molten nonferrous metal; maintaining the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal at a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point thereof; and pouring the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal into prepared molten steel, wherein in the maintaining of the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal, the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal is subjected to a nitrogen-absorption prevention process or a denitrification process.

When storing a molten ferroalloy or molten nonferrous metal, the molten ferroalloy or molten nonferrous metal is denitrified or prevented from absorbing nitrogen, and thus post processing such as a denitrification process may not be performed. For this, there is provided a method of producing molten manganese-containing steel, the method including: preparing a molten ferroalloy or a molten nonferrous metal; maintaining the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal at a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point thereof; and pouring the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal into prepared molten steel, wherein in the maintaining of the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal, the molten ferroalloy or the molten nonferrous metal is subjected to a nitrogen-absorption prevention process or a denitrification process.

Provided is a master alloy for a sputtering target, wherein, when elements constituting the master alloy are following X1, X2, Y1, Y2, Y2, and Y3; specifically, where X1 is one or two types of Ta or W; X2 is at least one type of Ru, Mo, Nb or Hf; Y1 is one or two types of Cr or Mn; Y2 is one or two types of Co or Ni; and Y3 is one or two types of Ti or V, the master alloy comprises any one combination of X1-Y1, X1-Y2, X1-Y3, X2-Y1, and X2-Y2 of the foregoing constituent elements. This consequently yields superior effects of being able to obtain a sintered sputtering target with few defects and having a high-density and uniform alloy composition, and, by using this target, to realize the deposition of an alloy barrier film with uniform quality and few particles at a high speed.