Metal powder is a

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

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 differ ...

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

* 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. # 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

Aluminum 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 ...

: 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

ceramics 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, porcelain ...

, 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 differ ...

: 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: used as a catalyst *

Platinum black Platinum black (Pt black) is a fine powder of platinum with good catalytic properties. The name of platinum black is due to its black color. It is used in many ways; as a thin film electrode, a fuel cell membrane catalyst, or as a catalytic igniti ...

: used as a catalyst *

Titanium powder Titanium powder metallurgy (P/M) offers the possibility of creating net shape or near net shape parts without the material loss and cost associated with having to machine intricate components from wrought billet. Powders can be produced by the blend ...

References

Metals

Metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

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Processes

Types and Uses

See also

References