Process for Manufacturing Metal Particles

Abstract

Metal particles approximately in the form of spheres having a mean diameter of about 40 μm to about 100 μm, including magnesium silicide particles having a mean diameter of about 1 μm to about 10 μm uniformly dispersed in the metal particles, the metal particles being obtained by mixing about 90 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of magnesium and about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of silicon, and the magnesium silicide particles being formed in the metal particles by the reaction of the magnesium and the silicon.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . A process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles, comprising:
 charging a container with a mixture of about 90 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of magnesium and about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of silicon under an inert gas atmosphere,   heating the mixture to a temperature which exceeds the solidification temperature of the mixture and which is lower than the boiling temperature thereof,   maintaining the temperature of the mixture,   increasing the internal pressure of the container with respect to the internal pressure of a chamber which is provided below the container,   discharging a melt of the mixture from an outlet port of the container to the chamber,   applying a jet gas stream to the melt discharged from the outlet port so as to scatter the melt in the form of particles having a mean diameter of about 40 μm to about 100 μm, and   solidifying the particles.   
   
   
       6 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in claim  5 , wherein the temperature of the mixture heated in the container is in the range of about 940° C. to about 960° C., and the outlet port of the container is set to have a diameter in the range of about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm. 
   
   
       7 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the pressure in the container is higher than the chamber by 0.4 bar or more. 
   
   
       8 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein high-frequency induction furnace is used as the container. 
   
   
       9 . A process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles, comprising:
 charging a container with a mixture of about 80 wt. % to about 94 wt. % of magnesium, 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of silicon and about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of aluminum under an inert gas atmosphere,   heating the mixture to a temperature which exceeds the solidification temperature of the mixture and which is lower than the boiling temperature thereof,   maintaining the temperature of the mixture,   increasing the internal pressure of the container with respect to the internal pressure of a chamber which is provided below the container,   discharging a melt of the mixture from an outlet port of the container to the chamber,   applying a jet gas stream to the melt discharged from the outlet port so as to scatter the melt in the form of particles having a mean diameter of about 40 μm to about 100 μm, and   solidifying the particles.   
   
   
       10 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the temperature of the mixture heated in the container is in the range of about 940° C. to about 960° C., and the outlet port of the container is set to have a diameter in the range of about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm. 
   
   
       11 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the pressure in the container is higher than the chamber by 0.4 bar or more. 
   
   
       12 . The process for manufacturing metal particles approximately in the form of spheres containing therein uniformly dispersed magnesium silicide particles as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein high-frequency induction furnace is used as the container. 
   
   
       13 . A process for manufacturing a vehicle component, comprising:
 subjecting metal particles approximately in the form of spheres having a mean diameter of about 40 μm to about 100 μm to compression molding to give a molding, the metal particles containing magnesium silicide particles having a mean diameter of about 1 μm to about 10 μm uniformly dispersed in the metal particles, the metal particles being obtained by mixing about 90 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of magnesium and about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of silicon, and the magnesium silicide particles being formed in the metal particles by the reaction of the magnesium and the silicon,   sintering the molding by heating the molding to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the mixture to give a sintered material, and   forging the sintered material with application of heat thereto.   
   
   
       14 . The process for manufacturing a vehicle component as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the vehicle component is a piston for an engine. 
   
   
       15 . A process for manufacturing a vehicle component, comprising:
 subjecting metal particles approximately in the form of spheres having a mean diameter of about 40 μm to about 100 μm to compression molding to give a molding, the metal particles containing magnesium silicide particles having a mean diameter of about 1 μm to about 10 μm uniformly dispersed in the metal particles, the metal particles being obtained by mixing about 80 wt. % to about 94 wt. % of magnesium, about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of silicon, and about 1 to 10 wt. % of aluminum, and the magnesium silicide particles being formed in the metal particles by the reaction of the magnesium and the silicon,   sintering the molding by heating the molding to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the mixture to give a sintered material, and   forging the sintered material with application of heat thereto.   
   
   
       16 . The process for manufacturing a vehicle component as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle component is a piston for an engine.