The present invention provides an R-T-B based permanent magnet, comprising: a main phase which is composed of the structure of R.sub.2T.sub.14B (R is at least one element selected from Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd, and T is one or more transition metal elements having Fe or a combination of Fe and Co as necessary); and a grain boundary phase which is composed of Ce.sub.xM.sub.1-x (M is at least one element selected from Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Hf, Ta, W and Bi, and x is within the range of 0.20≦x≦0.55), and the cross-sectional ratio Atre of the grain boundary phase to the whole magnet structure is within the range of 0.03<Atre<0.07.

A permanent magnet is expressed by a composition formula: R.sub.pFe.sub.qM.sub.rCu.sub.tCo.sub.100-p-q-r-t. The magnet comprises a metal structure including a main phase having a Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase and a grain boundary phase. The main phase includes a cell phase having the Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase and a Cu-rich phase. A section including a c-axis of the Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase has a first region in the crystal grain and a second region in the crystal grain, the first region is provided in the cell phase divided by the Cu-rich phase, the second region is provided within a range of not less than 50 nm nor more than 200 nm from the grain boundary phase in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the grain boundary phase, and a difference between a Cu concentration of the first region and a Cu concentration of the second region is 0.5 atomic percent or less.

A permanent magnet is expressed by a composition formula: R.sub.pFe.sub.qM.sub.rCu.sub.tCo.sub.100-p-q-r-t. The magnet comprises a metal structure including a main phase having a Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase and a grain boundary phase. The main phase includes a cell phase having the Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase and a Cu-rich phase. A section including a c-axis of the Th.sub.2Zn.sub.17 crystal phase has a first region in the crystal grain and a second region in the crystal grain, the first region is provided in the cell phase divided by the Cu-rich phase, the second region is provided within a range of not less than 50 nm nor more than 200 nm from the grain boundary phase in a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the grain boundary phase, and a difference between a Cu concentration of the first region and a Cu concentration of the second region is 0.5 atomic percent or less.

A method for producing a sintered R-T-B based magnet of this disclosure includes the steps of preparing a plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies (R is at least one of rare earth elements and necessarily contains Nd and/or Pr; and T is at least one of transition metals and necessarily contains Fe); preparing a plurality of alloy powder particles having a size of 90 μm or less and containing a heavy rare earth element RH (the heavy rare earth RH is Tb and/or Dy) at a content of 20 mass % or greater and 80 mass % or less; loading the plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies and the plurality of alloy powder particles of a ratio of 2% by weight or greater and 15% by weight or less with respect to the plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies into a process chamber; and heating, while rotating and/or swinging, the process chamber to move the sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies and the alloy powder particles continuously or intermittently to perform an RH supply and diffusion process.

A method for producing a sintered R-T-B based magnet of this disclosure includes the steps of preparing a plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies (R is at least one of rare earth elements and necessarily contains Nd and/or Pr; and T is at least one of transition metals and necessarily contains Fe); preparing a plurality of alloy powder particles having a size of 90 μm or less and containing a heavy rare earth element RH (the heavy rare earth RH is Tb and/or Dy) at a content of 20 mass % or greater and 80 mass % or less; loading the plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies and the plurality of alloy powder particles of a ratio of 2% by weight or greater and 15% by weight or less with respect to the plurality of sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies into a process chamber; and heating, while rotating and/or swinging, the process chamber to move the sintered R-T-B based magnet bodies and the alloy powder particles continuously or intermittently to perform an RH supply and diffusion process.

A lead free solder composition is disclosed and includes: 0.02% to 6% by weight stibium, 0.03% to 3% by weight copper, 0.03% to 8% by weight bismuth, 42% to 70% by weight indium, 0.3% to 8% by weight silver, 5% to 11% by weight magnesium, 0.8% to 1.6% by weight scandium, 0.7% to 2.0% by weight yttrium, and 10% to 45% by weight tin. The lead free solder composition of the invention has a solidus temperature no lower than 120° C., has good ductility and stability, and hence is suitable for soldering electrical connectors onto the metalized surface on the glass.

A lead free solder composition is disclosed and includes: 0.02% to 6% by weight stibium, 0.03% to 3% by weight copper, 0.03% to 8% by weight bismuth, 42% to 70% by weight indium, 0.3% to 8% by weight silver, 5% to 11% by weight magnesium, 0.8% to 1.6% by weight scandium, 0.7% to 2.0% by weight yttrium, and 10% to 45% by weight tin. The lead free solder composition of the invention has a solidus temperature no lower than 120° C., has good ductility and stability, and hence is suitable for soldering electrical connectors onto the metalized surface on the glass.

A vacuum insulation material including: a core material; and a gas adsorbing agent, wherein the core material and the gas absorbing agent are interposed between a pair of gas barrier materials, wherein at least one of the pair of gas barrier materials includes a quasicrystal metal layer including a quasicrystal metal. The vacuum insulation material may reduce the heat bridge while maintaining high gas barrier properties.

A vacuum insulation material including: a core material; and a gas adsorbing agent, wherein the core material and the gas absorbing agent are interposed between a pair of gas barrier materials, wherein at least one of the pair of gas barrier materials includes a quasicrystal metal layer including a quasicrystal metal. The vacuum insulation material may reduce the heat bridge while maintaining high gas barrier properties.

A composite metal where a phase of particles of solid solution is uniformly dispersed in a Cu phase, the solid solution containing a solid solution of a heat resistant element selected from Mo, W, Ta, Nb, V and Zr and Cr. The composite metal is provided to contain: 20-70% of Cu; 1.5-64% of Cr; and 6-76% of a heat resistant element by weight relative to the composite metal, wherein a remainder is comprised of inevitable impurities. In the composite metal, the particles of the solid solution, contained in the composite metal, are provided to have an average particle diameter of not larger than 20 μm and to uniformly disperse in the Cu phase with an index of the dispersion state of not higher than 1.0.