Claims
- 1. A method to agglomerate tantalum or niobium particles or both comprising:
a) combining a volatilizable or vaporizable liquid with particles comprising tantalum, niobium, or both to form wet particles; b) compacting the wet particles; c) drying the wet compacted particles to form a cake; and d) heat treating the cake.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said compacting is accomplished by vibrating said wet particles in a container.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said compacting is accomplished by applying pressure to said wet particles.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid is water.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said water is deionized water.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein before said compacting, said particles soak in the liquid for at least five hours.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein before said compacting, said particles soak in the liquid for at least eight hours.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said drying occurs for at least 10 hours.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said drying occurs for at least 14 hours.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid is present in an amount of from about 30% to about 50% by weight of particles.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said liquid is added in an amount of about 40% by weight of particles.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cake is deagglomerated after heat treating.
- 13. The method of claim 1, said particles have pores, and wherein before said vibrating, the particles soak in the liquid for a time sufficient to allow the liquid to substantially fill the pores of the particles.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles are tantalum particles.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles are niobium particles.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise tantalum particles.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles comprise niobium particles.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water and phosphoric acid.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water and from about 10 ppm to about 100 ppm of phosphorous.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water and an inorganic acid.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid is present in an amount of from about 10% to about 50% by weight of particles.
- 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid is present in an amount to form a paste consistency with the particles.
- 24. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding additional volatilizable or vaporizing liquid to the container while the container is being vibrated.
- 25. The method of claim 1, wherein said drying is accomplished in a vacuum dryer.
- 26. The method of claim 1, wherein said drying occurs at a temperature of from about 180° F. to about 225° F.
- 27. The method of claim 1, wherein said drying occurs at a temperature of from about 180° F. to about 225° F. and a vacuum pressure of from about 20 torr to about 50 torr.
- 28. The method of claim 1, wherein a liquid drying forms on top of the wet particles, before or after compacting.
- 29. The method of claim 28, wherein about 0.125 ml/cm2 of water forms on top of the wet particles based on the square area of a container containing the particles.
- 30. Agglomerated particles obtained by the method of claim 1.
- 31. Agglomerated particles obtained by the method of claim 2.
- 32. Agglomerated particles obtained by the method of claim 3.
- 33. Particles comprising tantalum, niobium, or both, having a flow rate of at least about 65 mg/sec and a pore size distribution greater than unagglomerated particles.
- 34. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles have a flow rate of at least about 100 mg/sec.
- 35. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles have a flow rate of at least about 150 mg/sec.
- 36. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles have a flow rate of at least about 175 mg/sec.
- 37. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles have a flow rate of at least about 200 mg/sec.
- 38. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles comprise niobium.
- 39. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles comprise tantalum.
- 40. The particles of claim 33, wherein said pore size distribution is greater than unagglomerated particles by at least 10% with respect to greater diameter pores.
- 41. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles are nodular tantalum powder.
- 42. The particles of claim 33, wherein said particles are nodular niobium powder.
- 43. The particles of claim 41, wherein said particles have a Scott Density of at least 20 g/inch3.
- 44. The particles of claim 41, wherein said particles have a Scott Density of about 20 g/inch3 to about 40 g/inch3.
- 45. A capacitor component comprising the tantalum powder of claim 39.
- 46. A capacitor component comprising the niobium powder of claim 38.
- 47. The capacitor component of claim 45, wherein said component is a capacitor anode.
- 48. The capacitor component of claim 46, wherein said component is a capacitor anode.
- 49. A method to agglomerate metal particles comprising:
a) combining a volatilizable or vaporizable liquid with metal particles to form wet particles; b) compacting the wet metal particles; c) drying the wet compacted metal particles to form a cake; and d) heat treating the cake.
- 50. A method to agglomerate metal particles comprising:
a) combining a volatilizable or vaporizable liquid with particles comprising wet metal particles; b) vibrating the wet particles; c) drying the wet metal particles to form a cake; and d) heat treating the cake.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/921,262 filed Aug. 2, 2001, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/314,512, filed May 19, 1999, which is entitled to benefit from prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/086,601 filed May 22, 1998, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60086601 |
May 1998 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09314512 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
09921262 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09921262 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10289840 |
Nov 2002 |
US |