Container-less melt extraction of metallic fibres

A method for the production of metallic fibres is proposed that uses melt extraction from a pending molten edge at the lower end of a metal sheet. Melting the sheet at its edge rather than between the two opposing branches of the inductor is achieved by a tailoring of the induction heating magnetic field. The basic feature of the configuration is the same direction of the electric current in both branches of the inductor. A proper choice of geometry, electrical conductivities of both extraction and substrate material, and the frequency of the alternating magnetic field have proven to be essential for the extraction process. Melting a platinum sheet at the edge and extraction of fibres only 20 micron in effective cross-section from a tin sheet were successfully demonstrated in model experiments.