5. "Microscopic spheroidal particles obtained by laser cutting "

E. D. CABANILLAS; M. F. CREUS; ROBERTO CARLOS MERCADER

Journal of Materials Science

Año: 2005 vol. 40 p. 519 - 522

0022-2461

Metallic spherical microparticles are needed for a wide range of applications in powder metallurgy They can be produced by several well-known methods. Within a research program aimed at the fabrication of uranium-molybdenum particles for nuclear fuels for research reactors, we have already investigated the use of the electron discharge process to obtain spherical iron particles using kerosene as dielectric and also applied this method to the production of U-Mo spherical particles using pure water as dielectric. In this work we study the characteristics of the particles ejected from the cutting zone of SAE 1010 steel while using a CO2 gaseous laser with the purpose of determining the fesibility to use this technique in the production of microscopic particlles for nuclear applications as well as for other scientific and technological uses.