Patent ID: 8821610

Claim:
A method of making metal powder or alloy powder of an average particle size less than 10 μm, consisting of or containing at least one of the reactive metals zirconium, titanium or hafnium by the metallothermic reduction of the oxides or halogenides of the cited reactive metals with the aid of a reduction metal, wherein the metal powder or alloy powder is then phlegmatized by carrying out in addition to the reduction one or both of the following steps: (a) adding passivating gases during the reduction of the oxides or halogenides, and/or after the reduction of the oxides or halogenides during cooling of the metal powder or alloy powder to phlegmatize the metal powder or alloy powder whereby as the passivating gases nitrogen in an amount of at least 1000 ppm and hydrogen in an amount of 500 to 2000 ppm are added into the metal powder or alloy powder, or (b) adding at least 2000 ppm (0.2% by weight) and at most 30,000 ppm (3% by weight) of a passivating solid substance prior to the reduction of the oxides or halogenides, the reduction as well as the phlegmatization being performed in a single gas-tight reaction container that can be evacuated.