Powder metallurgy, in particular production of tungsten monocarbide spherical powders, which is a major component of metalloceramic hard alloys used for manufacture of tools, drill bits, steel alloying, wear-resistant coating cladding at elements operating in intensive wear conditions. The method includes melting of the starting material, and melt atomization with forming of spherical powder. As starting material a tungsten monocarbide grit is used. Melting and atomization of the material is implemented by continuous filling of grit into a rotating crucible of a centrifugal atomization device under an inert atmosphere and melting it by a plasma arc. After that an annealing of the obtained powder is made at a temperature of 1200-1400° C. during a time necessary for W.sub.2C breakup with subsequent cooling of the powder in a furnace. And, the production of tungsten monocarbide spherical powder with WC content of more than 70%.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skuttterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skuttterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

The present invention provides a copper powder which is capable of fusion bonding with a low energy laser by enabling heat to be efficiently inputted with a high absorption rate for laser irradiation and has high convenience in handling, and provides a method for manufacturing the copper powder. One embodiment of the present invention is a copper powder, having an absorption rate for light having a wavelength λ=1060 nm of 18.9% to 65.0%, and an index, which is indicated by (the absorption rate for light having a wavelength λ=1060 nm)/(an oxygen concentration), of 3.0 or more.

The present invention provides a copper powder which is capable of fusion bonding with a low energy laser by enabling heat to be efficiently inputted with a high absorption rate for laser irradiation and has high convenience in handling, and provides a method for manufacturing the copper powder. One embodiment of the present invention is a copper powder, having an absorption rate for light having a wavelength λ=1060 nm of 18.9% to 65.0%, and an index, which is indicated by (the absorption rate for light having a wavelength λ=1060 nm)/(an oxygen concentration), of 3.0 or more.

A production method of particulate materials, through centrifugal atomization (CA) is disclosed. The method is suitable for obtaining fine spherical powders with exceptional morphological quality and extremely low content, or even absence of nonspherical-shape particles and internal voids. A appropriate cost effective method for industrial scale production of metal, alloy, intermetallic, metal matrix composite or metal like material powders in large batches is also disclosed. The atomization technique can be extended to other than the centrifugal atomization with rotating element techniques.

A production method of particulate materials, through centrifugal atomization (CA) is disclosed. The method is suitable for obtaining fine spherical powders with exceptional morphological quality and extremely low content, or even absence of nonspherical-shape particles and internal voids. A appropriate cost effective method for industrial scale production of metal, alloy, intermetallic, metal matrix composite or metal like material powders in large batches is also disclosed. The atomization technique can be extended to other than the centrifugal atomization with rotating element techniques.

A method of making a negative electrode material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided that includes centrifugally distributing a molten precursor comprising silicon and lithium by contacting the molten precursor with a rotating surface in a centrifugal atomizing reactor. The molten precursor is solidified to form a plurality of substantially round solid electroactive particles comprising an alloy of lithium and silicon and having a D50 diameter of less than or equal to about 20 micrometers. In certain variations, the negative electroactive material particles may further have one or more coatings disposed thereon, such as a carbonaceous coating and/or an oxide-based coating.

A method of making a negative electrode material for an electrochemical cell that cycles lithium ions is provided that includes centrifugally distributing a molten precursor comprising silicon and lithium by contacting the molten precursor with a rotating surface in a centrifugal atomizing reactor. The molten precursor is solidified to form a plurality of substantially round solid electroactive particles comprising an alloy of lithium and silicon and having a D50 diameter of less than or equal to about 20 micrometers. In certain variations, the negative electroactive material particles may further have one or more coatings disposed thereon, such as a carbonaceous coating and/or an oxide-based coating.

Disclosed are a continuous heat treatment device and method for a sintered Nd—Fe—B magnet workpiece. The device comprises a first heat treatment chamber, a first cooling chamber, a second heat treatment chamber, and a second cooling chamber continuously disposed in sequence, as well as a transfer system disposed among the chambers to transfer the alloy workpiece or the metal workpiece; both the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber adopt a air cooling system, wherein a cooling air temperature of the first cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the first heat treatment chamber by at least 450° C.; a cooling air temperature of the second cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the second heat treatment chamber by at least 300° C. The continuous heat treatment device and method can improve the cooling rate and production efficiency and improve the properties and consistency of the products.