ATOMIZATION OF HETEROGENEOUS COPPER BASE MATERIAL BY THE PLASMA ROTATING ELECTRODE PROCESS

摘要

The most important advantages of powders obtained via the plasma rotating electrode process (PREP) are the low contamination and the spherical particle shape. PREP is preferably applied to materials with a high affinity to oxygen. The atomization of a heterogeneous copper base material alloyed with a small amount of a strong oxidizing element was examined to produce powders with small particle diameter and well suited for HIPing. The relationship between the rotational speed of the electrode and the particle size was investigated. The investigations emphasized the mechanisms of liquid phase formation and distribution. It. could be shown that the melting of domains with eutectic compositions limited the decreasing of particle diameter by increasing the rotational speed.