The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a powder for additive manufacturing. The method comprises steps of: vaporising a precursor metal material to form a metal vapor, wherein the precursor material includes a metal alloy and inclusions, and vaporising the alloy includes heating the precursor material to a temperature above the boiling point of the metal alloy and below the boiling point of the inclusions; condensing the metal vapor to form a molten metal; and atomizing the molten metal to form a metal powder. The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

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.

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.

The invention relates to a steel wire suitable for making a spring or medical wire products which remarkably improve the performance of conventional stainless steel wire. The steel comprises (in wt. %): C: 0.02 to 0.15, Si: 0.1 to 0.9, Mn: 0.8 to 1.6, Cr 16 to 20, Ni: 7.5 to 10.5, Mo: ≤3, Al: 0.5 to 2.5, Ti: ≤0.15, N: ≤0.05, optional elements, and impurities, balance Fe, wherein the total amount of Cr and Ni is 25 to 27 wt. %, and wherein the steel has a microstructure including, in volume % (vol. %), martensite: 40 to 90, austenite: 10 to 60, and delta ferrite: ≤5.

A novel medium entropy alloy having the chemical formula Mo.sub.xCrNiCo (atomic %) where (x ranges from ˜0.4 to ˜1.0).

Processes for producing low-nitrogen metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloys, which prevent the nitrogen in the surrounding atmosphere from being carried into the melt and being absorbed by the metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloy during the metallothermic reaction, include vacuum-degassing a thermite mixture comprising metal compounds and metallic reducing powders contained within a vacuum vessel, igniting the thermite mixture to effect reduction of the metal compounds within the vessel under reduced pressure i.e., below 1 bar, and conducting the entire reduction reaction in said vessel under reduced pressure, including solidification and cooling, to produce a final product with a nitrogen content below 10 ppm. The final products obtained, in addition to low-nitrogen metallic chromium in combination with other elements, can be used as raw materials in the manufacture of superalloys, stainless steel and other specialty steels whose final content of nitrogen is below 10 ppm.

Processes for producing low-nitrogen metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloys, which prevent the nitrogen in the surrounding atmosphere from being carried into the melt and being absorbed by the metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloy during the metallothermic reaction, include vacuum-degassing a thermite mixture comprising metal compounds and metallic reducing powders contained within a vacuum vessel, igniting the thermite mixture to effect reduction of the metal compounds within the vessel under reduced pressure i.e., below 1 bar, and conducting the entire reduction reaction in said vessel under reduced pressure, including solidification and cooling, to produce a final product with a nitrogen content below 10 ppm. The final products obtained, in addition to low-nitrogen metallic chromium in combination with other elements, can be used as raw materials in the manufacture of superalloys, stainless steel and other specialty steels whose final content of nitrogen is below 10 ppm.

The present invention belongs to the field of titanium metallurgy, and particularly relates to a method for preparing a titanium-aluminum alloy. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for preparing a titanium-aluminum alloy, including the following steps: a. adding TiCl.sub.4 and AlCl.sub.3 to a molten electrolyte in a protective atmosphere, wherein the molten electrolyte is a mixture of at least one of alkali metal chloride or alkaline earth metal chloride and alkali metal fluoride; b. electrolyzing the mixture obtained in step a; and c. obtaining a titanium-aluminum alloy through vacuum distillation of a cathode product after electrolysis. The method of the present invention can shorten the preparation process of a titanium-aluminum alloy and reduce the manufacturing cost thereof, which is of great significance to the development of titanium alloy in practice.

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 (Mp) 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 (R.sub.O) 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 (Mp) 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 (R.sub.O) to form the metal-containing product (M.sub.Prod).