Amax Incorporated

Michael H Legge

Ramaswami Neelameggham

John C Priscu

Hedayat Abedi

John F Clarkson

William D Bachman

Varnish-bonded, carbon-coated metal granules are provided, the metal granules being preferably selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum and alloys thereof. The coating may optionally contain at least one calcium compound, e.g., at least one calcium compound selected from the group consisting of CaO, CaCO.sub.3, CaC.sub.2, CaSiO.sub.3, CaSi.sub.2, CaAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, portland cement and CaF.sub.2.

Varnish-bonded carbon-coated magnesium and aluminum granules

A process is provided wherein metal granules coated with a polymerizable oil are heated, while being mechanically mixed, to a polymerizing temperature to convert the oil coating to a varnish and the varnish coating thereafter heated to a higher temperature to decompose at least partially the varnish to carbon, thereby producing a carbon coating strongly bonded to the metal granules. The temperatures employed are below the melting point of the metal granules. The coating is preferably applied to magnesium, aluminum or alloys thereof for use as addition agents in steel, e.g., desulfurizing or deoxidizing agents, and may contain fine particles of at least one calcium compound.

Process for producing varnish-bonded carbon-coated metal granules

A process is provided for producing salt-coated spheroidal granules of magnesium by employing a molten flux bath comprised of a salt composition of NaCl, KCl and CaCl.sub.2 maintained at a temperature in excess of the melting point of magnesium to which is added magnesium metal. A magnesium oxide dispersing agent is maintained in said bath in an amount sufficient for dispersing said magnesium. The bath mixture is subjected to high energy stirring sufficient to disperse the magnesium metal throughout the bath as beads. The bath mixture is then rapidly chilled to form a friable mass of the salt composition with spheroidal granules of magnesium dispersed through the salt matrix. The friable mass is then comminuted under conditions to release the magnesium from the salt as salt-coated spheroids which are thereafter recovered.

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Tooele, UT, United States of America

Michael H Legge