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 nickel.

The present disclosure discloses flake metal lithium powder and a preparing method thereof; by ultrasonically pulverizing the metal lithium placed in a low-viscosity inert organic resolvent using a vacuum ultrasonic pulverization method, a micrometer scale flake metal lithium powder is prepared. The metal lithium powder may be used as an anode material for a lithium cell or lithium ion cell. The present method has advantages of high product purity, simple operation, low processing temperature, low cost, high efficiency, and less demanding on equipment, etc., and has a high prospect of being applied to mass production of metal lithium powder.

The present disclosure discloses flake metal lithium powder and a preparing method thereof; by ultrasonically pulverizing the metal lithium placed in a low-viscosity inert organic resolvent using a vacuum ultrasonic pulverization method, a micrometer scale flake metal lithium powder is prepared. The metal lithium powder may be used as an anode material for a lithium cell or lithium ion cell. The present method has advantages of high product purity, simple operation, low processing temperature, low cost, high efficiency, and less demanding on equipment, etc., and has a high prospect of being applied to mass production of metal lithium powder.

A method of additive manufacturing is disclosed, comprising using a powder comprising a first particulate component (1) with a first mean particle diameter, and a second particulate component (2) with a second mean particle diameter. The first mean particle diameter is at least twice the second mean particle diameter. The particles (2) of the second component are bonded to the particles (1) of the first component, and the first and second components comprise different materials. The powder is deposited.

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 -Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 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 -Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

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 nano structures 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.

To provide a method for efficiently producing metal microparticles having a particle diameter of 1 m to 10 m, and a device for producing the same. A metal microparticle production method is used, which includes a particle generating step of generating primary particles by irradiating a metal lump in a solvent in a first tank with an ultrasonic wave, and a particle splitting step of irradiating the primary particles with an ultrasonic wave in a solvent in a second tank and splitting the primary particles to produce secondary particles. Further, a metal microparticle production device is used, which includes: a first tank that has a solvent and a metal lump; a first heating unit that heats the solvent in the first tank; a first ultrasonic vibrator that is disposed in the first tank and irradiates the metal lump with an ultrasonic wave to generate primary particles; a second tank that has the solvent and the primary particles; and a second ultrasonic vibrator that irradiates the primary particles with an ultrasonic wave to split the primary particles.

To provide a method for efficiently producing metal microparticles having a particle diameter of 1 m to 10 m, and a device for producing the same. A metal microparticle production method is used, which includes a particle generating step of generating primary particles by irradiating a metal lump in a solvent in a first tank with an ultrasonic wave, and a particle splitting step of irradiating the primary particles with an ultrasonic wave in a solvent in a second tank and splitting the primary particles to produce secondary particles. Further, a metal microparticle production device is used, which includes: a first tank that has a solvent and a metal lump; a first heating unit that heats the solvent in the first tank; a first ultrasonic vibrator that is disposed in the first tank and irradiates the metal lump with an ultrasonic wave to generate primary particles; a second tank that has the solvent and the primary particles; and a second ultrasonic vibrator that irradiates the primary particles with an ultrasonic wave to split the primary particles.

A raw material for a magnet, which comprises Sm and Fe. A magnet is obtained by nitriding this raw material for a magnet. In particular, a raw material for a magnet comprises an SmFe binary alloy as a main component. An intensity ratio of an Sm.sub.2Fe.sub.17 (024) peak to an SmFe.sub.7 (110) peak is less than 0.001 as measured by an X-ray diffraction method.

A raw material for a magnet, which comprises Sm and Fe. A magnet is obtained by nitriding this raw material for a magnet. In particular, a raw material for a magnet comprises an SmFe binary alloy as a main component. An intensity ratio of an Sm.sub.2Fe.sub.17 (024) peak to an SmFe.sub.7 (110) peak is less than 0.001 as measured by an X-ray diffraction method.