A method for obtaining a lead-free or low lead content brass billet subjects a mixture of lead-free or low lead content brass chips and graphite powder to extrusion, either direct or inverted. The method obtains lead-free or low lead content brass billets.

A method for obtaining a lead-free or low lead content brass billet subjects a mixture of lead-free or low lead content brass chips and graphite powder to extrusion, either direct or inverted. The method obtains lead-free or low lead content brass billets.

An apparatus for efficiently preparing spherical metal powder for 3D printing includes a housing, a crucible and a powder collection area arranged in the housing, wherein a turnplate arranged in the collection area is an inlaid structure. A material having a poor thermal conductivity is selected as the base of the turnplate, and a metal material having a wetting angle less than 90° with respect to droplets is selected and embedded into the base to serve as an atomization plane of the turnplate. An air hole is disposed in the turnplate. The spherical metal powder for 3D printing combines electromagnetic force breaking capillary jet flow and centrifugal atomization, which breaks through the traditional metal split mode, and makes the molten metal in a fibrous splitting.

An apparatus for efficiently preparing spherical metal powder for 3D printing includes a housing, a crucible and a powder collection area arranged in the housing, wherein a turnplate arranged in the collection area is an inlaid structure. A material having a poor thermal conductivity is selected as the base of the turnplate, and a metal material having a wetting angle less than 90° with respect to droplets is selected and embedded into the base to serve as an atomization plane of the turnplate. An air hole is disposed in the turnplate. The spherical metal powder for 3D printing combines electromagnetic force breaking capillary jet flow and centrifugal atomization, which breaks through the traditional metal split mode, and makes the molten metal in a fibrous splitting.

An apparatus for efficiently preparing spherical metal powder for 3D printing includes a housing, a crucible and a powder collection area arranged in the housing, wherein a turnplate arranged in the collection area is an inlaid structure. A material having a poor thermal conductivity is selected as the base of the turnplate, and a metal material having a wetting angle less than 90° with respect to droplets is selected and embedded into the base to serve as an atomization plane of the turnplate. An air hole is disposed in the turnplate. The spherical metal powder for 3D printing combines electromagnetic force breaking capillary jet flow and centrifugal atomization, which breaks through the traditional metal split mode, and makes the molten metal in a fibrous splitting.

The invention relates to a method of producing elongate metal strands or fibres with a crucible, the method comprising the steps of; directing molten metal through a nozzle having a nozzle direction in a deposition direction at a regulated pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the crucible; depositing said molten metal from said nozzle on a rotating planar surface having an axis of rotation; entraining said molten metal in one plane via said rotating planar surface to form elongate metal strands, wherein said rotating surface is aligned at an alignment angle, to the deposition direction during the entraining of the molten metal; cooling said elongate metal strands to form solidified metal strands; and guiding said metal strands to collecting means to collect the solidified metal strands formed on the rotating planar surface.

The invention relates to a method of producing elongate metal strands or fibres with a crucible, the method comprising the steps of; directing molten metal through a nozzle having a nozzle direction in a deposition direction at a regulated pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the crucible; depositing said molten metal from said nozzle on a rotating planar surface having an axis of rotation; entraining said molten metal in one plane via said rotating planar surface to form elongate metal strands, wherein said rotating surface is aligned at an alignment angle, to the deposition direction during the entraining of the molten metal; cooling said elongate metal strands to form solidified metal strands; and guiding said metal strands to collecting means to collect the solidified metal strands formed on the rotating planar surface.

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 skutterudite 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 skutterudite 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 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.