Physico-Chemicals and Chemical processes

Condensation:
♦ distillation process for refining zinc
♦ zinc oxide with charcoal are heated to form zinc vapour
♦ zinc vapour is condensed in cooler extension
♦ Mg powder is produced by the same way (MgO + CaC2)
Thermal decomposition:
♦thermal decomposition of vapour produces metal powders
♦carbonyles of respective metal decomposes at certain
temperature and pressure.
Decomposition reactions are:
Ni(CO)4 Ni + 4CO (bp-43oC)

Fe(CO)5 Fe + 5CO (bp.102oC)

Purity : 99.5% ; Shape : Spherical (

Reduction:

♦Reduction of oxides compound using a reducing agent. Formates,

oxalates and halides may also be used as starting materials.

♦Fe, Cu, Ni, W, Mo and Co can be manufactured

♦Hydrogen, dissociated NH3, CO, coal gas, enriched blast furnace

gas, partially combusted hydrocarbons or alkali metal vapour, carbon
or metals are used as reducing agents.

♦This process yields extremely fine powders with irregular shape and
considerable porosity.

♦Cr is produced by reacting Cr2O3 with Mg

♦Metal oxide is reduced by calcium hydride

 Reduction:
♦By varying
i) the degree of purity,
ii) particle size and shape of the raw materials,
iii) the temperature and time of reduction,
iv) the type of reducing agent and
v) in the case of gaseous reductant, the pressure and flow rate of
the close control over the purity, particle size and shape,
apparent density and related properties of the powder and
completeness of the reduction can be obtained.
Electrodeposition:
♦ Metal powders are produced by electrodeposition process from
aqueous solutions and fused salts.
♦ Copper, beryllium, iron, zinc, tin, nickel, cadmium, antimony,
silver and lead are commercially produced by this method.

Three different types of electrodepositions are:

•deposition as hard and brittle materials (unsuitable for moulding)
•deposition as soft, spongy substance (suitable for sintering)
•direct deposition as powder from the electrolyte (suitable for
sintering)
The advantages of the electrodepostion processes are as follows:

•competing economically with other methods for the production of

cheaper powders
•remarkable uniformity, with high purity, excellent compactability
and sinterablity.
•obtain a wide range of powder qualities by altering bath
composition.
•production of high quality sintered machine parts.

The disadvantages are as follows:

•unsuitable for alloy powders
•time consuming
•high cost due to low productivity
•deposited powders must be washed thoroughly and dried which
increases the cost.
Conditions favoring the production on a cathode of powders easily
removable and pulverized are:
i. high current density
ii. low metal-ion concentration
iii. high acidity and addition of colloids
iv. low temperature
v. high viscosity and
vi. circulation of electrolyte as to avoid and suppress convection.

Selection of cathode: highly polished and smooth surface

Powder characteristics: crysrtalline, angular and needle-like shape
(brittle)
Precipitation from aqueous solution:
♦A metal is precipitated from its aqueous solution by adding of a less
noble metal
Examples:
♦Ag powder is produced from Ag nitrate solution by adding Cu/Fe
♦Tin powder from stannous chloride by adding metallic zinc
Precipitated metals are in general porous
Difficult to remove adherent or entrained salt

Precipitation from fused salt:

♦Powders of reactive metals are prepared by precipitation from fused
salt.
♦Zirconium powder is produced from ZrCl4 with equal amount of KCl
and magnesium.
Hydrometallurgical or gaseous reduction process:
♦Ni, Co and Cu are precipitated by the reduction of aqueous solutions
with hydrogen.
M++ + H2 → M + 2H+ (P-400 to 900 psi; T-130 to 210 C)

Intergranular Corrosion:
▪Grain boundaries are more susceptible to chemical attack
▪Stainless steel in CuSO4-H2SO4 as an electrochemical cell
▪Angular shape

Oxidation and decarburization:

▪Reacting metal carbide with metal oxide

Ultrafine powders:
▪Sols and Gels
▪High melting points metals-electrolysis method employing mercury
cathode