Sulzer Metco (us) Inc.

Michael Mueller

Mitchell R Dorfman

Liangde Xie

Ashish Patel

A metal oxide powder includes a powder feed material structured and arranged to form molten droplets when melted in a plasma stream. The molten droplets are structured and arranged to form frozen spherical droplets under free-fall conditions such that said molten droplets have ample time for complete in-flight solidification before reaching a collection chamber.

High purity and free flowing metal oxides powder

According to aspects of the present invention, metal oxide powder, such as yttria and alumina powder (feed material), is processed using a plasma apparatus. The process generally consists of in-flight heating and melting of the feed material by the plasma apparatus. The plasma apparatus contains a plasma torch with required power supply and cooling systems, a powder feeder, a chamber to collect the powder and a dedusting system. The heated powder forms molten spherical droplets that are rapidly cooled under free fall conditions. The plasma densification process removes some impurity oxides, modifies the morphology of the particle and increases the apparent density of the powder.

Method for making high purity and free flowing metal oxides powder

The present invention provides a low density and porous zirconia (ZrO) powder partially alloyed with one or more of yttria, scandia, dysprosia, ytterbia, or any of the oxides of lanthanide or actinide. The total amount of alloying oxides should be less than about 30 weight percent. The powder is manufactured by controlled sintering or light plasma densification of physically agglomerated, or chemically derived zirconia composite powder that contains proper amounts of yttria, scandia, dysprosia, ytterbia, or any of the oxides of lanthanide or actinide, or any combination of the aforementioned oxides. The resulting coating from use of the inventive powder has a monoclinic phase content of less than 5 percent.

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Long Valley, NJ, United States of America

Michael Mueller