Compound particles for use in a shaping and sintering process and process for preparing compound particles

Abstract

A plurality of compound particles for use in a shaping and sintering process, comprising pulverulent non-organic particles in a temporary organic binder, is characterized in that: (i) at least 80% of the pulverulent non-organic particles have a maximum dimension Amax in the range of from 10 nm to 500 μm, (ii) the amount of the temporary organic binder ranges from about 1 to 99 vol.-%, based on the total volume of the compound particles, (iii) at least 80% of the compound particles have a maximum dimension Bmax in the range of from 10 μm to 1000 μm, (iv) the compound particles have an apparent density of at least 70% of the true density, and (v) the compound particles have continuous external surfaces formed from pulverulent non-organic particles exposed at the external surfaces and temporary organic binder in the interstices between the pulverulent non-organic particles, the temporary organic binder presenting non-fractured surfaces. A process for preparing compound particles for use in a shaping and sintering process, comprises 1) providing a liquefied dispersion of pulverulent non-organic particles dispersed in a liquefied temporary organic binder, wherein at least 80% of the pulverulent non-organic particles have a maximum dimension Amax in the range of from 10 nm to 500 μm, 2) atomizing the liquefied dispersion to obtain atomized droplets, at least 80% of the atomized droplets having a maximum dimension B′max in the range of from 10 μm to 1000 μm, and 3) allowing the atomized droplets to solidify to obtain the compound particles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.