Provided are a method and apparatus for refining titanium scraps and sponge titanium, which can remove oxygen from a melt by supplying a deoxidizing gas to the surface of the melt in order to refine titanium scraps and sponge titanium. The method for refining titanium scraps and sponge titanium comprises supplying hydrogen ions and electrons in plasma to a titanium melt to remove oxygen from the titanium melt surface having an oxide layer formed thereon. In addition, the apparatus comprises: a vacuum chamber; a crucible located in the vacuum chamber and configured to perform melting by the magnetic field of an induction coil in a state in which a melt and the inner wall of the crucible; a calcium gas supply means configured to supply calcium gas from the bottom of the crucible to the space between the inner wall of the crucible and the melt.

A process for smelting steel for ultrafine carborundum sawing wires, comprising: 1) in a vacuum induction furnace, using pure iron and low-phosphorus pig iron as raw materials to be melted into molten steel under the protection of argon; vacuumizing and smelting, and degassing; using silicon iron as a deoxidizer to adjust components of the molten steel; and casting a circular ingot in vacuum; 2) cleaning the surface of the circular ingot to produce an electrode bar; 3) remelting and smelting the electrode bar as raw material to a cylindrical electroslag ingot in an electroslag furnace, wherein the electroslag protecting slag comprises: CaF.sub.2: 45-55%, Al.sub.2O.sub.3: 15-25%, SiO.sub.2: 20-25%, Na.sub.2O: 2-4%, and K.sub.2O: 1-2%; 4) forging the electroslag ingot to a square billet; and 5) rolling the forged billet to a steel wire rod, and the steel wire rod comprising [C]: 0.92-1.1%, [Si]: 0.3-0.4%, [Mn]: 0.5-0.8%, [Al]<0.0008%, [N]<0.005%, [S]<0.01%, and [P]<0.015%.

The invention provides a method for the recovery of a metal-containing product (M.sub.Prod) comprising: providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o), a product metal (M.sub.P) dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o), and one or more metal compounds (M.sub.PC.sub.R) of the product metal (M.sub.P) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o); and treating the composite material to at least partially remove the one or more metal compounds (M.sub.PC.sub.R) from the matrix of oxidised reductant (Ro) to form the metal-containing product (M.sub.Prod).

The invention provides a method for the recovery of a metal-containing product (M.sub.Prod) comprising: providing a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o), a product metal (M.sub.P) dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o), and one or more metal compounds (M.sub.PC.sub.R) of the product metal (M.sub.P) in one or more oxidation states dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.o); and treating the composite material to at least partially remove the one or more metal compounds (M.sub.PC.sub.R) from the matrix of oxidised reductant (Ro) to form the metal-containing product (M.sub.Prod).

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for separating Dy and Tb from an alloy containing Dy and Tb as constitutional metals without using a solvent extraction method. The method of the present invention as a means for resolution is characterized by comprising vaporizing Dy by subjecting the alloy to a heat treatment in an atmosphere of a pressure Pt(Pa) that, when a Dy—Tb composition in the alloy is Dy.sub.xTb.sub.y (atomic composition ratio) and a heat treatment temperature is t, satisfies formula 1: Pt.sub.Tb<Pt<Pt.sub.Dy×(x/(x+y)), wherein Pt.sub.Dy is a vapor pressure (Pa) of Dy alone at the temperature t and Pt.sub.Tb is a vapor pressure (Pa) of Tb alone at the temperature t.

A method for deoxidizing a Ti—Al alloy includes melting and holding a Ti—Al alloy containing 40 mass % or more of Al by a melting method using a water-cooled copper vessel in an atmosphere of 1.33 Pa or more, thereby decreasing an oxygen content in the Ti—Al alloy. The Ti—Al alloy is manufactured using an alloy material composed of a titanium material and an aluminum material. The alloy material contains oxygen in a total amount of 0.1 mass % or more.

A deoxidation system for purifying target material for an EUV light source includes a furnace having a central region and a heater for heating the central region in a uniform manner. A vessel is inserted in the central region of the furnace, and a crucible is disposed within the vessel. A closure device covers an open end of the vessel to form a seal having vacuum and pressure capability. The system also includes a gas input tube, a gas exhaust tube, and a vacuum port. A gas supply network is coupled in flow communication with an end of the gas input tube and a gas supply network is coupled in flow communication with an end of the gas exhaust tube. A vacuum network is coupled in flow communication with one end of the vacuum port. A method and apparatus for purifying target material also are described.

Bulk solidifying amorphous alloys exhibiting improved processing and mechanical properties and methods of forming these alloys are provided. The bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are composed to have high Poisson's ratio values. Exemplary Pt-based bulk solidifying amorphous alloys having such high Poisson's ratio values are also described. The Pt-based alloys are based on Pt—Ni—Co—Cu—P alloys, and the mechanical properties of one exemplary alloy having a composition of substantially Pt.sub.57.5Cu.sub.14.7Ni.sub.5.3P.sub.22.5 are also described.

Bulk solidifying amorphous alloys exhibiting improved processing and mechanical properties and methods of forming these alloys are provided. The bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are composed to have high Poisson's ratio values. Exemplary Pt-based bulk solidifying amorphous alloys having such high Poisson's ratio values are also described. The Pt-based alloys are based on Pt—Ni—Co—Cu—P alloys, and the mechanical properties of one exemplary alloy having a composition of substantially Pt.sub.57.5Cu.sub.14.7Ni.sub.5.3P.sub.22.5 are also described.

A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride processing apparatus includes a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride; a vacuum source to extract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride; a cold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal; and a heater to melt the purified solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.