Method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder includes the steps of: providing a metal precursor, which includes nickel precursor, and a sulfur compound; introducing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound into a reactor; vaporizing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound within the reactor, and producing nickel-based metal powder containing sulfur through a reaction of the metal precursor and the sulfur compound with the reducing gas introduced into the reactor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder, comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal precursor, which includes nickel precursor, and a sulfur compound;   introducing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound into a reactor;   vaporizing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound within the reactor; and   producing nickel-based metal powder containing sulfur through a reaction of the metal precursor and the sulfur compound with the reducing gas introduced into the reactor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the providing step, the metal precursor and the sulfur compound are provided in the form of a mixture of metal precursor powder and sulfur compound powder, and in the introducing step, the mixture is introduced into the reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mixture is formed by mixing the metal precursor powder and the sulfur compound powder using a mechanical mixing method. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mixture is in the form of mixed precursor granules produced using a spray-drying method, which involves using a precursor mixture solution prepared by dissolving the metal precursor powder and the sulfur compound powder in a solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein within the mixture, a molar ratio of the sulfur compound to the metal precursor may be in the range of 0.00001 to 0.1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the introducing step, the metal precursor and the sulfur compound are introduced separately into the reactor, without being mixed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel precursor comprises at least one of NiCl 2 , NiSO 4 , Ni(NO 3 ) 2 , Ni(CO) 4 , or NiCO 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur compound comprises metal sulfide or metal sulfur oxide,
 wherein a metal constituting the metal sulfide or metal sulfur oxide comprises at least one of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, and Mg., Ca, Sr, Ba, Y, V, Cr, Mn, Zn, Al, Dy, Co, Cu, W, Mo, Pt, Pd, Ni, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, or Sn.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor further comprises an alloying element precursor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the alloying element precursor comprises a metal compound,
 wherein the metal compound comprises at least one of metal sulfate, metal chloride, metal carbonyl, metal nitrate, or metal carbonate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a metal constituting the metal compound comprises at least one of Cu, Fe, Co, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au, Sn, W, or Mo. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the alloying element precursor comprises at least one of CuCl, CuCl 2 , or AgCl. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after producing the nickel-based metal powder,
 forming a powder-coating layer composite by forming a coating layer surrounding the surface of the nickel-based metal powder;   subjecting the powder-coating layer composite to desulfurization heat treatment to reduce the sulfur content within the nickel-based metal powder; and   obtaining the nickel-based metal powder by selectively removing the coating layer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the desulfurization heat treatment is conducted in a vacuum atmosphere, an oxidizing atmosphere, a reducing atmosphere, or an inert atmosphere within a temperature range of 200° C. to 900° C. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder, comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal precursor including nickel precursor, a sulfur compound, and a metal compound for shell formation;   introducing the metal precursor, the sulfur compound, and the metal compound for shell formation into a reactor;   vaporizing the metal precursor, the sulfur compound, and the metal compound for shell formation;   forming a powder-shell layer composite consisting of nickel-based metal powder containing sulfur and a shell layer surrounding the surface of the nickel-based metal powder through a reaction of the metal precursor, the sulfur compound, and the metal compound for shell formation with a reducing gas introduced into the reactor,   subjecting the powder-shell layer composite to desulfurization heat treatment to reduce the sulfur content within the nickel-based metal powder; and   obtaining the nickel-based metal powder by selectively removing the shell layer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal compound for shell formation comprises at least one of metal acetate, metal bromide, metal carbonyl, metal carbonate, metal chloride, metal fluoride, metal hydroxide, metal iodide, metal nitrate, metal oxide, metal phosphate, metal silicate, metal sulfate, or metal sulfide. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a metal constituting the metal compound for shell formation comprises at least one of aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), silver (Ag), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), tin (Sn), lanthanum (La), silicon (Si), gallium (Ga), scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), cadmium (Cd), actinium (Ac), cesium (Cs), hafnium (Hf), or zinc (Zn). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal compound for shell formation comprises at least one of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , ZnCl 2 , or BaCl 2 . 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing spherical nickel-based metal powder, comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal precursor, which includes nickel precursor, and a sulfur compound; introducing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound into a reactor;   vaporizing the metal precursor and the sulfur compound within the reactor;   producing nickel-based metal powder containing sulfur through a reaction of the metal precursor and the sulfur compound with a reducing gas introduced into the reactor,   preparing a slurry by dispersing the nickel-based metal powder in a solution containing a sintering inhibitor, followed by forming a powder-anti-sintering layer composite in which the sintering inhibitor surrounds the nickel-based metal powder through spray drying treatment using the slurry;   subjecting the powder-anti-sintering layer composite to desulfurization heat treatment to reduce the sulfur content within the nickel-based metal powder, and   obtaining the nickel-based metal powder by selectively removing the anti-sintering layer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sintering inhibitor comprises a metal compound, and the metal compound comprises at least one of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , ZnCl 2 , or BaCl 2 .