A component obtainable by a process which includes providing a composition and sintering the composition at a sintering temperature of from 1250 C. to 1400 C. for a period of from 3 to 15 minutes. The composition includes hard material particles with an inner core of fused tungsten carbide and an outer shell of tungsten carbide, and a binder metal selected from Co, Ni, Fe and alloys with at least one metal selected from Co, Ni and Fe.

A nozzle, a tundish arrangement used for the production of granulated material, and a method and apparatus for the production of a granulated material with an improved size distribution are provided. The grain size and grain size distribution is controlled by a nozzle having a specific design. The nozzle comprises an upper inlet opening, sidewalls forming a channel, a bottom and at least one outlet opening or at least one row of outlet openings at the lower end of the channel. The outlet opening(s) in the channel have a size of at least 5 mm in the smallest dimension. A cross sectional area of the channel at the inlet A.sub.C is at least 3 times bigger than the total area of the outlet openings A.sub.T.

A process for producing a component includes providing a composition comprising hard material particles and a binder metal, and sintering the composition at a sintering temperature of from 1250 C. to 1400 C. for a period of from 3 to 15 minutes. The hard material particles comprise an inner core comprising fused tungsten carbide and an outer shell comprising tungsten carbide. The binder metal is selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Fe and alloys comprising at least one metal selected from Co, Ni and Fe.

A process and a system for producing a stock solution for production of a ferrofluid is provided. The process includes contacting an acidic solution in a reaction container filled with an excess of a bulk material containing Fe(III) and optionally Fe(II). The acid reacts with the bulk material to form the stock solution (Ls) having dissolved ferric (Fe(III)) and optionally ferrous (Fe(II)) ions which is then separated from the bulk material.

A method of producing flakes containing nanostructures from a part made of a material. The method includes subjecting the part made of the material to peening by shots driven by ultrasonic energy for a period of time, wherein nanostructures form on the surface of the part and, subsequently, damage to the part caused by continued peening of the part by the shots driven by ultrasonic energy results in separation of flakes containing nanostructures from the part made of the material. Nanocrystalline flakes containing fractured surfaces, microcracks, nanograins and nanolamellae. Sensors comprising nanocrystalline flakes containing fractured surfaces, microcracks, nanograins and nanolamellae.

A method for producing a weldable titanium alloy and/or composite wire. The method includes: a) forming a green object by blending particulates of titanium sponge with one or more powdered alloying additions and cold compacting the blended mixture and subjecting the blended mixture including lubricant to pressure; b) forming a work body of alloyed titanium by heating the green object in a protected atmosphere and holding the temperature for a period of at least 4 hours, and then hot working the green object at a temperature of less than 200 C. apart from the beta transition temperature of the titanium alloy and shaping the green object to obtain an elongated profile; and c) forming the welding wire by placing the elongated profile of the work body in a rolling mill having one or more rolls disposed in series.

Methods of removing oxygen from a metal are described. In one example, a method (100) can include forming a mixture (110) including a metal, a calcium de-oxygenation agent, and a salt. The mixture can be heated (120) at a de-oxygenation temperature for a period of time to reduce an oxygen content of the metal, thus forming a de-oxygenated metal. The de-oxygenation temperature can be above a melting point of the salt and below a melting point of the calcium de-oxygenation agent. The de-oxygenated metal can then be cooled (130). The de-oxygenated metal can then be leached with water and acid to remove by-products and obtain a product (140).

A method of making a physical unclonable function (PUF) having magnetic and non-magnetic particles is disclosed. Measuring both magnetic field and image view makes the PUF difficult to counterfeit. PUF may be incorporated into a user-replaceable supply item for an imaging device. A PUF reader may be incorporated into an imaging device to read the PUF. Other methods are disclosed.

Torpedo cars for use with granulated iron production, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments of the present technology, a torpedo car includes a tilting mechanism, a body rotatably coupled to the tilting mechanism, and a controller operably coupled to the tilting mechanism to control tilting of the body. The body can include (i) an inner surface defining a cavity and a channel, and (ii) an outer surface defining an opening to the cavity and a channel outlet of the channel spaced apart from the opening. The channel can extend between the channel outlet and a channel inlet interfacing the cavity. The inner surface can include a slag dam configured to prevent slag from exiting the opening while the torpedo car tilts. The controller can control the tilting mechanism to control molten metal flow out of the cavity through the channel.

A low-sulfur granulated metallic unit having a mass fraction of sulfur between 0.0001 wt. % and 0.08 wt. % is disclosed herein. Additionally or alternatively, the granulated metallic unit can comprise a mass fraction of phosphorous of at least 0.025 wt. %, a mass fraction of silicon between 0.25 wt. % and 1.5 wt. %, a mass fraction of manganese of at least 0.2 wt. %, a mass fraction of carbon of at least 0.8 wt. %, and/or a mass fraction of iron of at least 94.0 wt. %.