A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

Functionally graded materials may comprise a graded volume extending between a tungsten-based structure and a steel-based structure, where the graded volume comprises a plurality of additively manufactured layers. At least one of the plurality of additively manufactured layers may comprise a ternary element selected from vanadium and chromium. Some of the additively manufactured layers may further comprise aluminum.

Functionally graded materials may comprise a graded volume extending between a tungsten-based structure and a steel-based structure, where the graded volume comprises a plurality of additively manufactured layers. At least one of the plurality of additively manufactured layers may comprise a ternary element selected from vanadium and chromium. Some of the additively manufactured layers may further comprise aluminum.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with two solid metal moving mechanisms that are independently operated to move two different metals into the receptacle of a vessel in a melted metal drop ejecting apparatus. The ejector is operated to form object features with melted metal drops of one of the two different metals and to form support features with melted metal drops of the other of the two different metals. The thermal expansion coefficients of the two metals are sufficiently different that the support features easily separate from the object features after the object and support features cool.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with two solid metal moving mechanisms that are independently operated to move two different metals into the receptacle of a vessel in a melted metal drop ejecting apparatus. The ejector is operated to form object features with melted metal drops of one of the two different metals and to form support features with melted metal drops of the other of the two different metals. The thermal expansion coefficients of the two metals are sufficiently different that the support features easily separate from the object features after the object and support features cool.

A non-pyrophoric AB.sub.2-type Laves phase hydrogen storage alloy and hydrogen storage systems using the alloy. The alloy has an A-site to B-site elemental ratio of no more than about 0.5. The alloy has an alloy composition including about (in at %): Zr: 2.0-5.5, Ti: 27-31.3, V: 8.3-9.9, Cr: 20.6-30.5, Mn: 25.4-33.0, Fe: 1.0-5.9, Al: 0.1-0.4, and/or Ni: 0.0-4.0. The hydrogen storage system has one or more hydrogen storage alloy containment vessels with the alloy disposed therein.

A non-pyrophoric AB.sub.2-type Laves phase hydrogen storage alloy and hydrogen storage systems using the alloy. The alloy has an A-site to B-site elemental ratio of no more than about 0.5. The alloy has an alloy composition including about (in at %): Zr: 2.0-5.5, Ti: 27-31.3, V: 8.3-9.9, Cr: 20.6-30.5, Mn: 25.4-33.0, Fe: 1.0-5.9, Al: 0.1-0.4, and/or Ni: 0.0-4.0. The hydrogen storage system has one or more hydrogen storage alloy containment vessels with the alloy disposed therein.

The present invention relates to a hard particle powder for a sintered body, the powder including, in terms of mass %, 0.01≤C≤1.0, 2.5≤Si≤3.3, 0.1≤Ni≤20.0, 5.0≤Cr≤15.0, and 35.0≤Mo≤45.0, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, in which the powder before performing sintering comprises an alloy phase comprising a hexagonal crystal structure of C14 type Laves phase.

The present invention relates to a hard particle powder for a sintered body, the powder including, in terms of mass %, 0.01≤C≤1.0, 2.5≤Si≤3.3, 0.1≤Ni≤20.0, 5.0≤Cr≤15.0, and 35.0≤Mo≤45.0, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, in which the powder before performing sintering comprises an alloy phase comprising a hexagonal crystal structure of C14 type Laves phase.