We investigate the reduction of SnO2 and the generation of syngas(H2, CO) using methane(CH4) and hydrogen(H2) or a mixed gas of methane and hydrogen as a reducing gas. When methane is used as a reducing gas, carbon is formed by the decomposition of methane on the reduced Sn surface, and the amount of generated carbon increases as the amount and time of the supply of methane increases. However, when hydrogen is used as a reducing gas, carbon is not generated. High purity Sn of 99.8 % and a high recovery rate of Sn of 93 % are obtained under all conditions. The effects of reducing gas species and the gas mixing ratio on the purity and recovery of Sn are not significantly different, but hydrogen is somewhat more effective in increasing the purity and recovery rate of Sn than methane. When 1 mole of methane and 1 mole of hydrogen are mixed, a product gas with an H2/CO value of 2, which is known to be most useful as syngas, is obtained.

To study the effects of graphite shape and the composite fabricating method on the mechanical properties of graphite/copper (Gr/Cu) composites, a copper composite using graphite flakes or graphite granules as reinforcing phases is fabricated using mechanical mixing or electroless plating method. The mechanical properties of the Gr/Cu composites are evaluated by compression tests, and the compressive strength and elongation of the Gr/Cu composites using graphite granules as a reinforcing phase are compared with those of Cu composites with graphite flakes as a reinforcing phase. The compressive yield strength or maximum strength of the Gr/Cu composites with graphite granules as a reinforcing phase is higher than that of the composites using graphite flakes as a reinforcing phase regardless of the alignment of graphite. The strength of the composite produced by the electroless plating method is higher than that of the composite material produced by the conventional mechanical mixing method regardless of the shape of the graphite. Using graphite granules as a reinforcing phase instead of graphite flakes improves the strength and elongation of the Gr/Cu composites in all directions, and reduces the difference in strength or elongation according to the direction.