A material of formula Li.sub.aTi.sub.b(A.sub.xS.sub.3-x).sub.c wherein A is a metalloid element chosen from selenium, tellurium and mixtures thereof, and the stoichiometric coefficients a, b, c and x are such that 0<x<2.2; 0.4a4.5; 0.9b1.1; and 0.9c1.1.

Process for synthesizing a material, the process including the steps consisting in: a) providing a plurality of powders including: at least one powder including lithium, at least one powder including, for more than 95.0% of its mass, a transition metal chosen from titanium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, niobium, tin, iron and mixtures thereof, and at least one powder including, for more than 95.0% of its mass, a chalcogen element chosen from sulfur, selenium, tellurium and mixtures thereof, b) preparing a particulate mixture by mixing all the powders of the plurality or by mixing one of the powders of the plurality with a milled material obtained by milling a particulate assembly formed by mixing at least two of the other powders of the plurality, and milling the particulate mixture to form the material.

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one a-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one a-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one a-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one a-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

A method of producing a powder suitable for additive manufacturing and/or powder metallurgy applications from a precursor particulate material comprising: subjecting the precursor particulate material to at least one high shear milling process, thereby producing a powder product having a reduced average particle size and a selected particle morphology.

An R-T-B based permanent magnet includes R-T-B based compounds as main-phase crystal grains. R is a rare earth element. T is iron group element(s) essentially including Fe or Fe and Co. B is boron. A two-grain boundary is contained between the two adjacent main-phase crystal grains. An average grain size of the main-phase crystal grains is 0.9 m or more and 2.8 m or less. A thickness of the two-grain boundary is 5 nm or more and 200 nm or less.

An R-T-B based permanent magnet includes R-T-B based compounds as main-phase crystal grains. R is a rare earth element. T is iron group element(s) essentially including Fe or Fe and Co. B is boron. A two-grain boundary is contained between the two adjacent main-phase crystal grains. An average grain size of the main-phase crystal grains is 0.9 m or more and 2.8 m or less. A thickness of the two-grain boundary is 5 nm or more and 200 nm or less.

A method of treating a sintered mining insert including cemented carbide includes the step of subjecting the mining insert to a surface hardening process. The surface hardening process is executed at an elevated temperature of or above 100 C. A mining insert is also provided, wherein the HV1 Vickers hardness measurement increase (HV1%) from the surface region, measured as an average of HV1 measurements taken at 100 m, 200 m and 300 m below the surface, compared to the HV1 Vickers hardness measured in the bulk (HV1bulk), is at least 8.05-0.00350HV1bulk.

A method of producing a powder suitable for additive manufacturing and/or powder metallurgy applications from a precursor particulate material comprising: subjecting the precursor particulate material to at least one high shear milling process, thereby producing a powder product having a reduced average particle size and a selected particle morphology.

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.