Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
Method for carbonate-hydroxide coprecipitation of materials for manufacture of magnetically soft ferrites and for controlling characteristics of such coprecipitated materials comprising forming an aqueous metal ion solution of ferrous ions and divalent ions of at least one other metal in which the divalent metal ions of said at least one other metal are selected from the group consisting of Mn++, Ni++, Mg++, and Zn++, providing a base solution of carbonates and hydroxides by combining in solution carbonate ion and hydroxide ion source materials selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide, the base solution having a pH of about eleven, combining such metal ion solution and such base carbonate and hydroxide ion solution to form a reaction liquor for precipitation of metal carbonates and metal hydroxides, the reaction liquor having a pH between about 7.5 and about 8.5, and controllably limiting physical agitation applied in combining such metal ion and base solutions by limiting mixing times of such solutions between about five and about thirty seconds and controllably holding the resulting slurry of metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate in mother liquor substantially free of applied physical agitation for a time sufficient to effect formation of spherical particles having a size between about one and about ten microns in diameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
Method for carbonate-hydroxide coprecipitation of materials for manufacture of magnetically soft ferrites and for controlling characteristics of such coprecipitated materials comprising forming an aqueous metal ion solution of ferrous ions and divalent ions of at least one other metal in which the divalent metal ions of said at least one other metal are selected from the group consisting of Mn++, Ni++, Mg++, and Zn++, providing a base solution of carbonates and hydroxides by combining in solution carbonate ion and hydroxide ion source materials selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide, the base solution having a pH of about eleven, combining such metal ion solution and such base carbonate and hydroxide ion solution to form a reaction liquor for precipitation of metal carbonates and metal hydroxides, the reaction liquor having a pH between about 7.5 and about 8.5, and controllably limiting physical agitation applied in combining such metal ion and base solutions by limiting mixing times of such solutions between about five and about thirty seconds and controllably holding the resulting slurry of metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate in mother liquor substantially free of applied physical agitation for a time sufficient to effect formation of spherical particles having a size between about one and about ten microns in diameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 in which the divalent metal ions of said at least one other metal include Mn++ and Zn++.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 in which the resulting slurry of metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate in mother liquor is held for a digestion period in excess of one hour.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 further including the steps of separating such metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate from the mother liquor after such holding period, and then drying such separated precipitate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
THe method of claim 4 further including the step of calcining such metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate at temperatures up to about 800° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 5 further including the steps of pulverizing such calcined material, then compacting such pulverized material to form a magnetic component, and then sintering such magnetic component at elevated temperatures between about 1200° C. and 1400° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 in which such sintering is carried out at 1250° C. to 1350° C. in 100% oxygen for about four (4) hours.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 7 in which such sintering in 100% oxygen is followed by reducing oxygen to about 6% by substituting a neutral gas, such as nitrogen, and then controlling cooling of the magnetic component during which the oxygen percentage of the atmosphere is further reduced with partial pressure of the oxygen being controlled so as to substantially prevent a net loss or gain in oxygen in the magnetic component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein metal carbonate-hydroxide precipitate in mother liquor is held for a digestion period of about sixteen hours at about 20° C.