REDUCTION-MELTING PROCESS TO FORM RARE EARTH-TRANSITION METAL ALLOYS AND THE ALLOYS

摘要

A method has been invented to make rare earth alloy compositions, such as the neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) alloy by a reduction-melting process. The reduction-melting process of this invention comprises the steps of: preparing a primary electrode containing at least one compound or metal to be reduced to form a refined metal or metal alloy ingot; placing said electrode in an electroslag refining furnace; passing a current through said electrode into a molten flux or slag to melt said electrode; reducing the metal or compound in the slag while forming an oxide by-product; collecting melted metal or metal alloy droplets falling through the slag; forming an ingot of said metal or metal alloy from said melted droplets; and collecting the solid oxide by-products in the slag.