In additive manufacturing operations, powders used in stereolithographic processes need to be precisely spread out in a uniform fashion at every pass of the stereolithographic process to ensure predictability in powder surface morphology. Typically, this is difficult to achieve with conventional powders because often these powders suffer from poor flowability, which may further deteriorate over time, and impairs the efficiency of the stereolithographic processes. The present disclosure describes additive manufacturing powders having improved physical characteristics such as flowability and tap density, which are less sensitive or insensitive to ambient humidity. For example, there is described a powder that includes spherical particles having a particle size distribution of less than 1000 micrometers and having a measurable flowability as determined in accordance with ASTM B213 at 75% relative humidity.

Provided are a fine particle production apparatus and a fine particle production method that can control the particle sizes of fine particles, and efficiently produce a large amount of fine particles having good particle size uniformity. The present invention comprises: a raw material supply unit which supplies raw materials for fine particle production into thermal plasma flame; a plasma torch in which the thermal plasma flame is generated, and which evaporates the raw material supplied by the raw material supply unit by means of the thermal plasma flame to form a mixture in a gas phase state; and a plasma generation unit which generates thermal plasma flame inside the plasma torch. The plasma generation unit includes: a first coil which surrounds the plasma torch, a second coil which is installed below the first coil in the longitudinal direction of the plasma torch and surrounds the circumference of the plasma torch; a first power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated first high-frequency current to the first coil; and a second power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated second high-frequency current to the second coil. The degree of modulation of the first high-frequency current is smaller than the degree of modulation of the second high-frequency current.

Provided are a fine particle production apparatus and a fine particle production method that can control the particle sizes of fine particles, and efficiently produce a large amount of fine particles having good particle size uniformity. The present invention comprises: a raw material supply unit which supplies raw materials for fine particle production into thermal plasma flame; a plasma torch in which the thermal plasma flame is generated, and which evaporates the raw material supplied by the raw material supply unit by means of the thermal plasma flame to form a mixture in a gas phase state; and a plasma generation unit which generates thermal plasma flame inside the plasma torch. The plasma generation unit includes: a first coil which surrounds the plasma torch, a second coil which is installed below the first coil in the longitudinal direction of the plasma torch and surrounds the circumference of the plasma torch; a first power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated first high-frequency current to the first coil; and a second power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated second high-frequency current to the second coil. The degree of modulation of the first high-frequency current is smaller than the degree of modulation of the second high-frequency current.

In a system and method for producing submicron sized particles from a substance, the system may comprise a constant current power supply, a furnace for vaporizing the substance having a chamber for containing the substance, and a condensation unit for rapid cooling of the vaporized substance. The furnace may comprise an insulating outer section, a chamber wall, and two electrodes.

In a system and method for producing submicron sized particles from a substance, the system may comprise a constant current power supply, a furnace for vaporizing the substance having a chamber for containing the substance, and a condensation unit for rapid cooling of the vaporized substance. The furnace may comprise an insulating outer section, a chamber wall, and two electrodes.

This invention relates to magnetocaloric materials comprising ternary alloys useful for magnetic refrigeration applications. The disclosed ternary alloys are Cerium, Neodymium, and/or Gadolinium based compositions that are fairly inexpensive, and in some cases exhibit only 2.sup.nd order magnetic phase transitions near their curie temperature, thus there are no thermal and structural hysteresis losses. This makes these compositions attractive candidates for use in magnetic refrigeration applications. The performance of the disclosed materials is similar or better to many of the known expensive rare-earth based magnetocaloric materials.

This invention relates to magnetocaloric materials comprising ternary alloys useful for magnetic refrigeration applications. The disclosed ternary alloys are Cerium, Neodymium, and/or Gadolinium based compositions that are fairly inexpensive, and in some cases exhibit only 2.sup.nd order magnetic phase transitions near their curie temperature, thus there are no thermal and structural hysteresis losses. This makes these compositions attractive candidates for use in magnetic refrigeration applications. The performance of the disclosed materials is similar or better to many of the known expensive rare-earth based magnetocaloric materials.

The present disclosure generally relates to metallic powders for use in multilayer ceramic capacitors, to multilayer ceramic capacitors containing same and to methods of manufacturing such powders and capacitors. The disclosure addresses the problem of having better controlled smaller particle size distribution, with minimal contaminant contents which can be implemented at an industrial scale.

The present disclosure generally relates to metallic powders for use in multilayer ceramic capacitors, to multilayer ceramic capacitors containing same and to methods of manufacturing such powders and capacitors. The disclosure addresses the problem of having better controlled smaller particle size distribution, with minimal contaminant contents which can be implemented at an industrial scale.

The present application relates to fiber cloth having functional composite particles and a preparation method therefor. The preparation method comprises: placing a solid metal block consisting of functional metal particles into a crucible using an evaporation and condensation process, and heating and evaporating the same into a vacuum physical vapor deposition (PVD) process furnace for condensation; depositing PVD ceramic layers on the outer surfaces of the functional metal particles under the condensed state using a PVD process to form the functional composite particles; and screening the functional composite particles by means of a particle filter and accelerating the particles to bombard the fiber cloth, thereby implanting the functional composite particles into the fiber cloth to form the fiber cloth having the functional composite particles. The functional composite particles in the present application can reduce contact between the internal functional metal particles and external oxygen, slowly release ionic metal ions of the functional metal particles, and prolong the action time of the functional metal particles. According to the present application, by implanting the functional composite particles into the fiber cloth, the fiber cloth with a long lasting antibacterial effect can be obtained.