NOVELTY - Producing a composite metal powder, comprises: (a) providing a molybdenum metal powder (14); (b) providing a group IA alkali metal compound; (c) combining the molybdenum metal powder and group IA alkali metal compound with a liquid (18) to form a slurry (20); (d) feeding the slurry into a stream of hot gas; and (e) recovering the composite metal powder comprising the group IA alkali metal compound and molybdenum.    USE - The composite metal powder is useful for producing a metal article and a photovoltaic cell, for depositing a film on a substrate, and for forming a coating on a substrate (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The composite metal powder exhibits high densities and flowabilities after screening or classification, increases the energy conversion efficiencies of photovoltaic cells, and provides metal articles with less prone to cracking and other structural problems that may arise over time compared to articles formed from the composite metal powders.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a method for producing a dry blend metal powder, comprising providing a powder supply of molybdenum metal, providing a powder supply comprising the group IA alkali metal, milling at least one of the powder supplies to reduce a particle size of at least one of the powder supplies, and combining the two powder supplies to form a dry blend metal powder;    (2) the composite metal powder, produced by the above method;    (3) a potassium/molybdenum composite metal powder comprising a substantially homogeneous dispersion of sub-particles comprising potassium and molybdenum sub-particles that are fused together to form individual particles of the composite metal powder;    (4) the dry blend powder, produced by the above method;    (5) a potassium/molybdenum dry blend powder product (12) comprising a substantially homogeneous blend of molybdenum metal particles and potassium molybdate particles;    (6) a method for producing a metal article comprising either producing the composite metal powder and consolidating the composite metal powder to form the metal article comprising a potassium/molybdenum metal matrix, or providing the potassium/molybdenum composite metal powder, the group IA alkali/molybdenum composite metal powder or group IA alkali/molybdenum dry powder blend, compacting the potassium/molybdenum composite metal powder, the group IA alkali/molybdenum composite metal powder or group IA alkali/molybdenum dry powder blend, under sufficient pressure to form a preformed article, placing the preformed article in a sealed container, raising the temperature of the sealed container to a temperature that is lower than an optimal sintering temperature of molybdenum or melting point of potassium molybdate, and subjecting the sealed container to an isostatic pressure for a time sufficient to increase the density of the article to at least 90% of theoretical density, or providing the group IA alkali/molybdenum dry powder blend, filling a die with the group IA alkali/molybdenum dry powder blend and compacting the group IA alkali/molybdenum dry powder blend in the die under sufficient pressure to form a preformed article;    (7) the metal article, produced by the above method;    (8) a metal article comprising molybdenum and at least 2 wt.% of potassium;    (9) a method for producing a photovoltaic cell, comprising providing a substrate, depositing a molybdenum metal layer on the substrate, depositing a potassium/molybdenum metal layer on the molybdenum metal layer, depositing an absorber layer on the potassium/molybdenum metal layer, and depositing a junction partner layer on the absorber layer;    (10) a photovoltaic cell comprising a copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) absorber layer, a conductor layer comprising a base conductor layer and a doped conductor layer, where the doped conductor layer is positioned between the base conductor layer and CIGS absorber layer, the base conductor layer comprises molybdenum, the doped conductor layer consisting of molybdenum and the group IA alkali metal, the group IA alkali metal in the doped conductor layer being present in an amount sufficient to increase the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic cell as a result of the diffusion of a portion of the group IA alkali metal into the CIGS absorber layer;    (11) a method for depositing a film on a substrate, comprising either providing the composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and potassium, and depositing the composite metal powder on the substrate by thermal spraying or evaporation, or sputtering a target comprising a potassium/molybdenum metal matrix, sputtered material from the target forming the potassium/molybdenum metal layer; and    (12) a method for forming a coating on a substrate, comprising providing the composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and potassium, mixing the composite metal powder with a vehicle and depositing the mixture on the substrate by printing.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic representation of a process to produce a potassium/molybdenum composite metal powder.    Potassium/molybdenum composite metal powder product (12)    Molybdenum metal powder (14)    Potassium compound (16)    Liquid (18)    Slurry. (20)