Cominco, Ltd.

Hans Rensing

Godefridus M Swinkels

Abraham Sadan

John Alden Dunlop

Jack Sklarchuck

Michael A Rockandel

A method for making zinc electrodes for alkaline-zinc batteries comprising the steps of: mixing an amount of a zinc-magnesium binder alloy with an amount of a material chosen from zinc and a second zinc-magnesium alloy to form a mechanical mixture. The melting temperature of the material is at least 15 Celsius degrees higher than the melting temperature of the binder alloy. The mixture is applied to a current collector and the current collector with applied mixture is heated to a temperature at which incipient melting of the binder alloy causes sintering of the mixture with the formation of a coherent layer solidly bonded to the current collector. The compositions and the amount of the binder alloy and the second alloy are selected such that the active material in the layer of the electrode contains no more than about 15% magnesium, preferably no more than about 10% magnesium. In various embodiments, a binder alloy containing 45% to 55% Mg is eutectically sintered with zinc or a second alloy containing from &gt;0% to about 10% Mg, a binder alloy containing about 3% to 4% Mg is eutectically sintered with a second alloy containing either about 20% to 43% Mg is eutectically sintered with a second alloy containing either about 20% to 43% Mg or about 52% to 80% Mg, and a binder alloy containing either about 41% to 50% Mg or containing about 1.5% to 3% is eutectically sintered with zinc.

Method for making zinc electrodes for alkaline-zinc batteries

Tungsten-titanium sputtering targets with improved characteristics are made from high-purity tungsten powder and a second powder consisting of high-purity titanium hydride powder or high-purity titanium hydride powder and high-purity titanium powder. The second powder contains at least 5%, preferably 25% to 100% by weight of titanium hydride powder. A powder mixture having a binodal particle size distribution with respect to the tungsten and second powders is placed under a containment pressure in a die. The die is heated in a vacuum hot-press chamber to a temperature sufficient to dehydride the titanium hydride, and to remove gases and alkali metals. The die is then heated to a second temperature in the range of 1350.degree. to 1550.degree. C. while maintaining the containment pressure and vacuum. A compaction force in the range of 2000 to 5000 psi is then applied to form a compact. The compaction force and vacuum are subsequently released and the compact is cooled. The compact is easily machined to give a sputtering target having a density of at least 95%, preferably, at least 100% of theoretical density, a total gas content of less than 850 ppm, a carbon content of less than 100 ppm and low particulates upon sputtering.

Method for making tungsten-titanium sputtering targets and product

Brine containing at least two salts, one or more of the salts having a higher hydrated form and a lower hydrated or anhydrous form, is fed to a non-convective solar pond and one of the salts having a higher hydrated form and a lower hydrated or anhydrous form is crystallized in a higher hydrated form, dehydrated to a lower hydrated form, and recovered from the bottom of the pond in solid, pure form essentially free from the other salts in the brine. To effect separation, the salt having a higher hydrated form and a lower hydrated or anhydrous form, which is to be recovered in pure form must be present in the pond in an essentially saturated concentration. The concentrations of any of the other salts must generally not exceed saturation concentration at the temperature in the top layer of the pond, and must not exceed saturation concentration at the conditions in the bottom layer of the pond. Concentrations of other salts in the pond must be controlled such that the required density gradient is maintained.

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Rossland, Canada

Hans Rensing