Process for dispersing a refractory metal oxide in another metal

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR MAKING A DISPERSION OF A REFRACTORY METAL OXIDE IN ANOTHER METAL THE STEPS COMPRISING COPRECIPITATING (A) A WATER-INSOLUBLE COMPOUND OF A METAL, SAID COMPOUND BEING ONE WHICH WHEN HEATED IN AIR AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 400 TO 100*C. IS CONVERTED TO AN OXIDE OF THE METAL AND SAID METAL BEING ONE HAVING AN OXIDE WITH A FREE ENERGY OF FORMATION AT 27*C. OF UP TO 105 KILOCALORIES PER GRAM ATOM OF OXYGEN IN THE OXIDE, AND (B) A REFRACTORY METAL OXIDE HAVING A FREE ENERGY OF FORMATION AT 1000*C. GREATER THAN 60 KILOCALORIES PER GRAM ATOM OF OXYGEN IN THE OXIDE, THE ULTIMATE PARTICLES OF THE REFRACTORY OXIDE HAVING A SIZE LESS THAN 5 MILLIMICRONS, ROASTING THE COPRECIPITATE IN AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING ATMOSPHERE AT FROM 400 TO 1000* C. WHEREBY THE WATER-INSOLUBLE COMPOUND OF THE METAL IS CONVERTED TO THE ANHYDROUS METAL OXIDE, AND THE SIZE OF THE ULTIMATE REFRACTORY OXIDE PARTICLES IS INCREASED, CONTINUING THE HEATING IN SAID TEMPERATURE RANGE UNTIL THE SIZE OF SAID ULTIMATE PARTICLES IS IN THE RANGE OF FROM 5 TO 500 MILLIMICRONS, THEREAFTER REDUCING SAID METAL OXIDE TO THE CORRESPONDING METAL AND SINTERING THE REDUCED PRODUCT UNTIL THE SURFACE AREA IS LESS THAN TEN SQUARE METERS PER GRAM.