Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
New levitation materials processing on the ground was developed using high gas pressure. Conventional levitation materials processes are carried out in microgravity fields, such as in space or in free-falling, or by applying aerodynamic force, electromagnetic force etc.. This innovated method is based on buoyancy by very high density of high pressure gas. Advantages of this new method are not only as a containerless processing which is able to prepare high purity materials, to produce perfect spheres, but also the possibility to use normal HIP techniques. It is expected that the new processing is applicable in many fields and easy to commercialize.