Process for producing a dispersion of an oxide in a metal

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A DIPERSION OF AN OXIDE IN A METAL THE STEPS COMPRISING FORMING A COATING OF A HYDROUS, OXYGEN-CONTAINING COMPOUND OF A METAL, THE METAL BEING ONE HAVING AN OXIDE WITH A FREE ENERGY OF FOR MATION AT 37*C. OF 75 TO 105 KILOCALORIES PER GRAM ATOM OF OXYGEN IN THE OXIDE, SAID COATING BEING FORMED AROUND PARTICLES OF A REFRACTORY METAL OXIDE WHICH IS STABLE UP TO 1000* C., HAS A MELTING POINT ABOVE 1000* C., HAS A FREE ENERGY PER GRAM ATOM OF OXYGEN IN THE OXIDE, AND IS A CALORIES PER GRAM ATOM OF OXYGEN IN THE OXIDE, AND IS IN THE FORM OF SUBSTANTIALLY DISCRETE PARTICLES HAVING AN AVERAGE DIMENSION OF 5 TO 500 MILLIMICRONS, DISPERSING THE COMPOUND-COPATED REFRACTORY OXIDE PARTICLES IN A MOLTEN SALT, ADDING A REDUCING METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METALS IN A PROPORTION AT LEAST STOICHIOMETRICALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE OXIDIZING ELEMENT OF THE COATING, HEATING THE MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 400 TO 1200* C. WHEREBY THE COATING IS REDUCED TO THE METAL ROIGINALLY PRESENT AS COMPOUND, AND SEPARATING THE RESULTING METAL-COATED REFRACTORY OXIDE PARTICLES AS A POWDER FROM THE OTHER PRODUCTS OF THE REDUCTION REACTION AND FROM THE SALT.