Multicomponent powder mixing process and compositions produced thereby

Abstract

A method for controlling chemical distribution of substances in a solid state (and products produced thereby), the method comprising the steps of mixing particles of a first powder and a triggerable granule facilitator to form first microcapsules, the first microcapsules each having a core of one of the particles and a cladding of the facilitator; and triggering the facilitator while dry mixing the microcapsules to form substantially spherical granules of the microcapsules, the granules each having a controlled chemical distribution. The method also includes the steps of mixing particles of a second powder with the facilitator to form second microcapsules, the second microcapsules each having a core of one of the particles of the second powder and a cladding of the facilitator; and then mixing the first and the second microcapsules prior to said triggering step. The method further includes the step of the triggering, mixing the first microcapsules and a second triggerable granule facilitator to form a second cladding on the first microcapsules. To any of the foregoing, there can be the further step of pyrolyzing the microcapsules to remove a portion of the facilitator but leave a resulting pyrolysis product, forming a distribution of the pyrolysis product and the particles. Thereafter, if desired, there follows the step of heating the distribution of the pyrolysis product and the particles to induce a solid state reaction between the pyrolysis product and the particles of the first powder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.