Abstract A method for the preparation of a solid product characterized in that particles of a solid material homogeneously dispersed in a porous metallic mass is prepared in a liquid containing a metal dissolved in the form of a compound soluble in the liquid, the dispersion being mixed with a reagent capable of precipitating a compound of the metal so that at least a portion of the particles is entrapped in the precipitate in a uniformly dispersed state, the precipitate containing the dispersed particles being separated from the other constituents of the mixture, and the precipitate subjected to a treatment of reduction or thermal dissociation of a temperature which is below the melting point of the metal constituting the mass, to convert the compound of the metal directly into a solid elementary metal and into a vaporized by-product without any physical or chemical alteration of the dispersed phase.
A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of: separating the mixture of copper hydroxides and therein dispersed graphite particles by decantation; washing said mixture at least once with dilute aqueous ammonia; removing the resulting washing liquor by decantation and filtration; drying the remaining solid residue; crushing said dried residue and passing it through a sieve having a mesh width of about 0.15 mm; and heating the powder thus obtained in the presence of a gaseous reducing agent selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, cracked ammonia and cracked methanol until substantially all copper is present in the form of porous metallic copper.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 2, further comprising heating and compressing in an inert atmosphere at sintering temperature the mass of porous metallic copper with graphite particles embedded therein to obtain a shaped article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 2, further comprising mixing the powder of porous metallic copper and dispersed graphite particles with metallic zinc powder, and heating and compressing in an inert atmosphere at sintering temperature the thus obtained powder mixture to obtain a shaped article.