The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for coating large area solid substrates such as flakes, powder, beads, and fibres with metal-based coatings by heating the substrate with a powder mixture including reducible metal oxides and a reducing agent. The method is particularly suited for production of substrates coated with metals, alloys and compounds based on Ti, Al, Zn, Sn, In, Sb, Ag, Co, V, Ni, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ta, Zr, Nb, Rh, Ru, Mo, Os, Re and W.

An aluminum flake pigment is an aluminum flake pigment including aluminum flakes, wherein the aluminum flakes include small-size aluminum flakes each having a particle size of less than or equal to 1 μm, and in a microscope image when the aluminum flakes are observed using a scanning electron microscope, a ratio of the number of the small-size aluminum flakes is less than or equal to 35% with respect to the number of a whole of the aluminum flakes.

An aluminum flake pigment is an aluminum flake pigment including aluminum flakes, wherein the aluminum flakes include small-size aluminum flakes each having a particle size of less than or equal to 1 μm, and in a microscope image when the aluminum flakes are observed using a scanning electron microscope, a ratio of the number of the small-size aluminum flakes is less than or equal to 35% with respect to the number of a whole of the aluminum flakes.

A conductive paste and method of manufacturing thereof. The conductive paste comprises conductive particles dispersed in an organic medium, the organic medium comprising: (a) a solvent; and (b) a binder comprising a polyester. The conductive paste typically comprises silver and may contain various other additives. A stretchable conductive layer can be formed by curing the conductive paste.

This member connection method includes a printing step. In the printing step, a coating film-formed region in which the coating film is formed, and a coating film non-formed region in which the coating film is not formed are formed in the print pattern, and the coating film-formed region is divided into a plurality of concentric regions and a plurality of radial regions by means of a plurality of line-shaped regions provided so as to connect various points, which are separated apart from one another in the marginal part of the connection region.

This member connection method includes a printing step. In the printing step, a coating film-formed region in which the coating film is formed, and a coating film non-formed region in which the coating film is not formed are formed in the print pattern, and the coating film-formed region is divided into a plurality of concentric regions and a plurality of radial regions by means of a plurality of line-shaped regions provided so as to connect various points, which are separated apart from one another in the marginal part of the connection region.

The invention involves producing discontinuous, flake-shaped particles of a soft magnetic material, coating the flake-shaped particles with an electrically insulating coating, and consolidating the coated flaked-shaped particles to form a soft magnetic bulk shape. The consolidated bulk shape can comprise a layer or a simple or complex 3D magnet part shape, which has a consolidated layered microstructure that includes laminated soft magnetic regions that are substantially encapsulated by an electrical insulating layer to increase the resistivity of soft magnetic material, especially when used in silicon iron magnet parts.

The invention involves producing discontinuous, flake-shaped particles of a soft magnetic material, coating the flake-shaped particles with an electrically insulating coating, and consolidating the coated flaked-shaped particles to form a soft magnetic bulk shape. The consolidated bulk shape can comprise a layer or a simple or complex 3D magnet part shape, which has a consolidated layered microstructure that includes laminated soft magnetic regions that are substantially encapsulated by an electrical insulating layer to increase the resistivity of soft magnetic material, especially when used in silicon iron magnet parts.

Flaky magnetic metal particles of embodiments each have a flat surface and a magnetic metal phase containing iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and silicon (Si). An amount of Co is from 0.001 at% to 80 at% with respect to the total amount of Fe and Co. An amount of Si is from 0.001 at% to 30 at% with respect to the total amount of the magnetic metal phase. The flaky magnetic metal particles have an average thickness of from 10 nm to 100 .Math.m. An average value of the ratio of the average length in the flat surface with respect to a thickness in each of the flaky magnetic metal particles is from 5 to 10,000. The flaky magnetic metal particles have the difference in coercivity on the basis of direction within the flat surface.

Flaky magnetic metal particles of embodiments each have a flat surface and a magnetic metal phase containing iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and silicon (Si). An amount of Co is from 0.001 at% to 80 at% with respect to the total amount of Fe and Co. An amount of Si is from 0.001 at% to 30 at% with respect to the total amount of the magnetic metal phase. The flaky magnetic metal particles have an average thickness of from 10 nm to 100 .Math.m. An average value of the ratio of the average length in the flat surface with respect to a thickness in each of the flaky magnetic metal particles is from 5 to 10,000. The flaky magnetic metal particles have the difference in coercivity on the basis of direction within the flat surface.