A metallurgical system for producing metals and metal alloys includes a fluid cooled mixing cold hearth having a melting cavity configured to hold a raw material for melting into a molten metal, and a mechanical drive configured to mount and move the mixing cold hearth for mixing the raw material. The system also includes a heat source configured to heat the raw material in the melting cavity, and a heat removal system configured to provide adjustable insulation for the molten metal. The mixing cold hearth can be configured as a removal element of an assembly of interchangeable mixing cold hearths, with each mixing cold hearth of the assembly configured for melting a specific category of raw materials. A process includes the steps of providing the mixing cold hearth, feeding the raw material into the melting cavity, heating the raw material, and moving the mixing cold hearth during the heating step.

Systems and methods are provided for producing powders. The system includes a housing having an enclosure, a crucible configured to produce a melt of a first material, a droplet device configured to receive the melt of the first material from the crucible and produce a flow of droplets of the melt of the first material within the enclosure of the housing, wherein the droplets solidify within the enclosure, and a distribution device configured to propel a second material into the flow of droplets of the first material within the enclosure such that the second material is mixed with the droplets of the first material to produce the powder that includes the first material, the second material, and/or a reaction product thereof.

Systems and methods are provided for producing powders. The system includes a housing having an enclosure, a crucible configured to produce a melt of a first material, a droplet device configured to receive the melt of the first material from the crucible and produce a flow of droplets of the melt of the first material within the enclosure of the housing, wherein the droplets solidify within the enclosure, and a distribution device configured to propel a second material into the flow of droplets of the first material within the enclosure such that the second material is mixed with the droplets of the first material to produce the powder that includes the first material, the second material, and/or a reaction product thereof.

A method and system for recovering a high yield of low carbon ferrochrome from chromite and low carbon ferrochrome produced by the method. A stoichiometric mixture of feed materials including scrap aluminum granules, lime, silica sand, and chromite ore are provided into a plasma arc furnace. The scrap aluminum granules are produced from used aluminum beverage containers. The feed materials are heated, whereupon the aluminum in the aluminum granules produces an exothermic reaction reducing the chromium oxide and iron oxide in the chromite to produce molten low carbon ferrochrome with molten slag floating thereon. The molten low carbon ferrochrome is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of low carbon ferrochrome. The molten slag is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of slag.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, -Fe and magnesium nitride.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, -Fe and magnesium nitride.

An improvement of coercive force of NdFeB base sintered magnet can be realized while suppressing a decrease in remanent magnetic flux density to the minimum using a method for modifying grain boundary which comprises heat-treating an NdFeB base magnet with a specific alloy disposed on its surface, the alloy having the following Formula 1:
R.sub.xA.sub.yB.sub.z(1)
wherein R represents at least one rare earth element including Sc and Y, A represents Ca or Li, B represents an unavoidable impurity, and 2x99, 1y<x, and 0z<y.

An improvement of coercive force of NdFeB base sintered magnet can be realized while suppressing a decrease in remanent magnetic flux density to the minimum using a method for modifying grain boundary which comprises heat-treating an NdFeB base magnet with a specific alloy disposed on its surface, the alloy having the following Formula 1:
R.sub.xA.sub.yB.sub.z(1)
wherein R represents at least one rare earth element including Sc and Y, A represents Ca or Li, B represents an unavoidable impurity, and 2x99, 1y<x, and 0z<y.

An improvement of coercive force of NdFeB base sintered magnet can be realized while suppressing a decrease in remanent magnetic flux density to the minimum using a method for modifying grain boundary which comprises heat-treating an NdFeB base magnet with a specific alloy disposed on its surface, the alloy having the following Formula 1:
R.sub.xA.sub.yB.sub.z(1)
wherein R represents at least one rare earth element including Sc and Y, A represents Ca or Li, B represents an unavoidable impurity, and 2x99, 1y<x, and 0z<y.

The present invention provides a high thermal conductivity iron-copper (FeCu) alloy and a method of manufacturing the same. The present invention provides an iron-copper alloy containing 55 to 95 atomic % of iron and 5 to 45 atomic % of copper. The present invention also provides an iron-copper alloy manufacturing method including a first step of preparing a melting furnace; a second step of adding iron and copper to the melting furnace and performing dissolution and molten metal formation so as to contain 55 to 95 atomic % of iron and 5 to 45 atomic % of copper based on the weight of the iron-copper alloy; a third step of stabilizing the molten metal; and a fourth step of pouring the stabilized molten metal into a casting mold and performing casting. The present invention provides an iron-copper alloy that is an iron-based alloy containing iron as a main component and having high thermal conductivity and mechanical properties along with, for example, an electromagnetic-wave shielding property and a soft magnetic property, which can be widely used for metal parts and electronic parts and machine parts.