Metal powder is a

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

that has been broken down into a powder form. Metals that can be found in powder form include

aluminium powder Aluminium powder is powdered aluminium. This was originally produced by mechanical means using a stamp mill to create flakes. Subsequently, a process of spraying molten aluminium to create a powder of droplets was developed by E. J. Hall in the ...

, nickel powder,

iron powder Iron powder has several uses; for example production of magnetic alloys and certain types of steels. Iron powder is formed as a whole from several other iron particles. The particle sizes vary anywhere from 20-200 μm. The iron properties dif ...

and many more. There are four different ways metals can be broken down into this powder form: *

Direct reduction read online, part I, pp. 240; 250-254; 257. (capacity 650,000 t/year).(fr) Adolf Ledebur (trans. Barbary de Langlade revised and annotated by F. Valton), ''Manuel théorique et pratique de la métallurgie du fer, Tome I et Tome II'', t. 2, Librairie ...

* Gas

atomization Atomization refers to breaking bonds in some substance to obtain its constituent atoms in gas phase. By extension, it also means separating something into fine particles, for example: process of breaking bulk liquids into small droplets. Atomizati ...

* Ultrasonic atomization * Liquid atomization * Centrifugal atomization

Processes

The following processes can be used to produce metal powder: # Direct reduction is the result of blending carbon with iron oxide ore, heating the mixture, removing the sponge iron from the carbon, grinding it, annealing it, and regrinding to make the powder form usable for manufacturing. # Gas atomization occurs when a molten metal is passed through a passageway to a gas-filled chamber that cools the metal. As it falls, it is collected and annealed into a powder. # Ultrasonic metal atomization uses high-frequency sound waves to break molten metal into uniformly spherical droplets. It offers precise particle size control, low contamination, high powder quality, and allows production with no minimum batch size. The equipment is typically compact, making it suitable for use in space-constrained environments. # Liquid atomization is similar to gas atomization, but instead the metal is sprayed with high-pressure liquid which solidifies the droplets more rapidly. This results in the powder being more porous, smaller, and cleaner. # Centrifugal atomization occurs when a metal is put into a chamber as a rod and electrically melted, at the end of the rod, to produce melted droplets that fall into another chamber and then solidify.

Types and Uses

Back in the early 1900's, metal powder was the currency used in the United States of America. Depending on the market, metal powder can be more valuable than gold. The following are the types and uses of metal powder: * Aluminum powder: Fireworks, metallic paints, manufacturing in solar cells in the green energy sector * Bismuth powder: Production of batteries, welding rods, creating alloys * Cadmium powder: Glazed used on

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

s, transparent conductors, nickel-cadmium batteries *

Iron powder Iron powder has several uses; for example production of magnetic alloys and certain types of steels. Iron powder is formed as a whole from several other iron particles. The particle sizes vary anywhere from 20-200 μm. The iron properties dif ...

: Magnetic products, printing, brake pads, certain types of dyes and stains * Nickel powder: used for corrosion resistance, such as in the marine industry :*

Raney nickel Raney nickel , also called spongy nickel, is a fine-grained solid composed mostly of nickel derived from a nickel–aluminium alloy. Several grades are known, of which most are gray solids. Some are pyrophoric, but most are used as air-stable s ...

: used as a catalyst * Platinum black: used as a catalyst * Titanium powder: used in

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...

applications, medical implants and sporting goods.

References

Metals

Metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

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Processes

Types and Uses

See also

References