Disclosed herein are doped perovskite oxides. The doped perovskite oxides may be used as a cathode material in an electrochemical cell to electrochemically generate ammonia from N.sub.2. The doped perovskite oxides may be combined with nitride compounds, for instance iron nitride, to further increase the efficiency of the ammonia production.

Provided are a SmFeN magnetic powder which is superior not only in water resistance and corrosion resistance but also in hot water resistance, and a method of preparing the powder. The present invention relates to a method of preparing a magnetic powder, comprising: plasma-treating a gas; surface-treating a SmFeN magnetic powder with the plasma-treated gas; and forming a coat layer on the surface of the surface-treated SmFeN magnetic powder.

Provided are a SmFeN magnetic powder which is superior not only in water resistance and corrosion resistance but also in hot water resistance, and a method of preparing the powder. The present invention relates to a method of preparing a magnetic powder, comprising: plasma-treating a gas; surface-treating a SmFeN magnetic powder with the plasma-treated gas; and forming a coat layer on the surface of the surface-treated SmFeN magnetic powder.

Disclosed herein are doped perovskite oxides. The doped perovskite oxides may be used as a cathode material in an electrochemical cell to electrochemically generate ammonia from N.sub.2. The doped perovskite oxides may be combined with nitride compounds, for instance iron nitride, to further increase the efficiency of the ammonia production.

A process for producing an ordered martensitic iron nitride powder that is suitable for use as a permanent magnetic material is provided. The process includes fabricating an iron alloy powder having a desired composition and uniformity; nitriding the iron alloy powder by contacting the material with a nitrogen source in a fluidized bed reactor to produce a nitride iron powder; transforming the nitride iron powder to a disordered martensitic phase; annealing the disordered martensitic phase to an ordered martensitic phase; and separating the ordered martensitic phase from the iron nitride powder to yield an ordered martensitic iron nitride powder.

A process for producing an ordered martensitic iron nitride powder that is suitable for use as a permanent magnetic material is provided. The process includes fabricating an iron alloy powder having a desired composition and uniformity; nitriding the iron alloy powder by contacting the material with a nitrogen source in a fluidized bed reactor to produce a nitride iron powder; transforming the nitride iron powder to a disordered martensitic phase; annealing the disordered martensitic phase to an ordered martensitic phase; and separating the ordered martensitic phase from the iron nitride powder to yield an ordered martensitic iron nitride powder.

Bulk iron nitride can be synthesized from iron nitride powder by spark plasma sintering. The iron nitride can be spark plasma sintered at a temperature of less than 600 C. and a pressure of less than 600 MPa, with 400 MPa or less most often being sufficient. High pressure SPS can consolidate dense iron nitrides at a lower temperature to avoid decomposition. The higher pressure and lower temperature of spark discharge sintering avoids decomposition and limits grain growth, enabling enhanced magnetic properties. The method can further comprise synthesis of nanocrystalline iron nitride powders using two-step reactive milling prior to high-pressure spark discharge sintering.

Iron nitride nanoparticles and magnet materials made from iron nitride nanoparticles are described. The iron nitride nanoparticles have a core and a shell morphology. The shell is configured to provide a means to nitride the core. The magnetic materials are characterized as having an Msat greater than about 160 emu/g and a coercivity greater than about 700 Oe.

Iron nitride nanoparticles and magnet materials made from iron nitride nanoparticles are described. The iron nitride nanoparticles have a core and a shell morphology. The shell is configured to provide a means to nitride the core. The magnetic materials are characterized as having an Msat greater than about 160 emu/g and a coercivity greater than about 700 Oe.