Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

An insulating material-coated soft magnetic powder includes: a core particle that includes a base portion containing a soft magnetic material containing Fe as a main component and at least one of Si, Cr, and Al, and that includes an oxide film provided on a surface of the base portion and containing an oxide of at least one of Si, Cr, and Al; and an insulating film that is provided on a surface of the core particle and that contains a ceramic, in which a thickness of the insulating film is 5 nm or more and 300 nm or less, and the oxide contained in the oxide film and the ceramic contained in the insulating film are mutually diffused at an interface between the oxide film and the insulating film.

A method for producing hard metal powder suitable for manufacturing hard metal products including metal carbides and a binder is provided. An easy to carry out method that provides high quality hard metal powder includes: a) dissolving in water, water soluble raw materials and a binder source to form an aqueous solution, b) drying the aqueous solution to form a precursor powder having the raw materials homogenously distributed throughout the precursor powder, c) decomposing the precursor powder by heating the powder in an inert atmosphere to remove gas evolved in the decomposition of the raw materials, d) grinding the precursor powder and mixing it with a liquid media to produce a suspension, e) spray drying the suspension to agglomerate the precursor powder, and f) heat treating the agglomerated precursor powder to form a hard metal powder containing agglomerates of carbides evenly distributed and bonded to a metallic matrix.

A hybrid method of surface hardening metallic components using a combination of chemical modification achieved through additive manufacturing and/or diffusion-based processing with transformation-based processing using a high energy density heat source. The hybrid process results in increased surface hardness and/or increased average case hardness and/or increased case depth compared to either treatment individually.

A hybrid method of surface hardening metallic components using a combination of chemical modification achieved through additive manufacturing and/or diffusion-based processing with transformation-based processing using a high energy density heat source. The hybrid process results in increased surface hardness and/or increased average case hardness and/or increased case depth compared to either treatment individually.

A metal powder producing apparatus includes a molten metal supply unit, a cylinder body, and a cooling liquid introduction unit. The molten metal supply unit discharges a molten metal. The cylinder body is capable of being formed with a layer of a cooling liquid for cooling the molten metal on an inner circumference surface of the cylinder body. The cooling liquid introduction unit supplies the cooling liquid to an upper inside of the cylinder body. The inner circumference surface of the upper inside of the cylinder body has a substantially elliptical shape.

A metal powder producing apparatus includes a molten metal supply unit, a cylinder body, and a cooling liquid introduction unit. The molten metal supply unit discharges a molten metal. The cylinder body is capable of being formed with a layer of a cooling liquid for cooling the molten metal on an inner circumference surface of the cylinder body. The cooling liquid introduction unit supplies the cooling liquid to an upper inside of the cylinder body. The inner circumference surface of the upper inside of the cylinder body has a substantially elliptical shape.

A composite precursor powder, including one or more metals or metalloids, and one or more oxides, wherein a molar ratio of the one or more metals or metalloids to the one or more oxides is from about 1:0.01 to about 1:4, and wherein the molar ratio of the one or more metals or metalloids to the one or more oxides is configured according to a desired volumetric change of the composite precursor powder when converted to a non-oxide ceramic.

A composite precursor powder, including one or more metals or metalloids, and one or more oxides, wherein a molar ratio of the one or more metals or metalloids to the one or more oxides is from about 1:0.01 to about 1:4, and wherein the molar ratio of the one or more metals or metalloids to the one or more oxides is configured according to a desired volumetric change of the composite precursor powder when converted to a non-oxide ceramic.