In recent years, demands for sintered ferrous material with higher strength are increasing. To satisfy these demands, studies and commercial use of the die wall lubrication method, the warm compaction method and the combination of both methods are widely carried out to achieve high density. The die wall lubrication warm compaction method makes it possible to achieve high density by reducing internal lubricant through die wall lubrication, although the method involves several issues such as prolonged cycle time due to lubricant spraying and difficulty in spraying lubricant in the case of compacting with complicated geometry. Meanwhile, the conventional warm compaction method requiring no die wall lubricant application cannot achieve such a high density as in the case of die wall lubrication warm compaction due to higher volume of internal lubricant. However, this report discloses our study result in which the possibility of improving density is exhibited by using a lubricant type with superior dynamic ejection property that can reduce volume of lubricant additive.

The development of separation technology is an important research subject as is clear from its role in the Japanese government's research and development program for basic technology for the next generation(1981~1990). Japan is poor not only in mineral resources but also in energy resources and if a sudden change occurs in oil producing facility or an accident occurs in a nuclear power plant, then energy policy must undergo changes and economic foundations may collapse. Japan has already experienced this. Although, oil prices are stable at present and Japan can import oil at low cost due to the yen appreciation, Japan needs to promote development work for any new energy crisis that may come in the future. This has been the motive for gas separation membrane development in Japan. The study of gas permeation through polymer membranes, which is the basis for membranes for gas separation, at Japanese universities began many years ago, but interest in membranes for gas separation was aroused mainly by the Government. The development of gas separation membranes in Japan started with membranes for oxygen separation on an industrial scale.