Patent ID: 8038762

Claim:
A process for production of a chain metal powder formed by a reduction deposition reaction, which comprises the steps of reducing ferromagnetic metal ions contained in an aqueous solution through the action of a reducing agent while applying a magnetic field to the solution in a fixed direction thereby to deposit fine metal particles, and bonding a lot of the fine metal particles in a chain form so as to orient the fine metal particles in a direction of the applied magnetic field through magnetism of the fine metal particles, characterized in that the reduction deposition reaction is conducted in the presence of: (a) a reducing agent for generating a gas during the reduction of metal ions, or a combination of the reducing agent and a foaming agent capable of generating a gas; and (b) a foamable water soluble compound for generating a bubble layer on the surface of the aqueous solution by generation of the gas, and the process comprises separating the bubble layer from the aqueous solution and then collecting the chain metal powder contained in the bubble layer.