Provided is a manufacturing method in which a coated solder wire having a dense polysiloxane coating film that is uniformly provided over the entire surface of the solder wire can be efficiently obtained in a single process. A coated solder wire is obtained by a manufacturing method that includes; a radicalization step for forming a radicalized organic silicon compound by mixing a reaction gas that has been plasmatized under atmospheric pressure and an organic silicon compound that is introduced by way of a carrier gas, and radicalizing that organic silicon compound; a reaction area formation step for forming a reaction area that is defined by a helical gas flow and in which the radicalized organic silicon compound is uniformly dispersed; and a coating step for forming a 4 nm to 200 nm thick polysiloxane coating film on the surface of a solder wire by transporting a solder wire inside the reaction area and causing the radicalized organic silicon compound to react with metal on the surface of that solder wire.

A method for forming a connection such as an electrical connection, to a fibre material electrode element comprises moving a length of the fibre material relative to a pressure injection stage and pressure impregnating by a series of pressure injection pulses a lug material into a lug zone part of the fibre material to surround and/or penetrate fibres of the fibre material and form a lug strip in the lug zone. The fibre material may be a carbon fibre material and the lug material a metal such as Pb or a Pb alloy. Apparatus for forming an electrical connection to a fibre material electrode element is also disclosed.

A lead-based alloy containing alloying additions of bismuth, antimony, arsenic, and tin is used for the production of doped leady oxides, lead-acid battery active materials, lead-acid battery electrodes, and lead-acid batteries.

Provided in one embodiment is a method of identifying a stable phase of an ordering binary alloy system comprising a solute element and a solvent element, the method comprising: determining at least three thermodynamic parameters associated with grain boundary segregation, phase separation, and intermetallic compound formation of the ordering binary alloy system; and identifying the stable phase of the ordering binary alloy system based on the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter by comparing the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter with a predetermined set of respective thermodynamic parameters to identify the stable phase; wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

Provided in one embodiment is a method of identifying a stable phase of an ordering binary alloy system comprising a solute element and a solvent element, the method comprising: determining at least three thermodynamic parameters associated with grain boundary segregation, phase separation, and intermetallic compound formation of the ordering binary alloy system; and identifying the stable phase of the ordering binary alloy system based on the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter by comparing the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter with a predetermined set of respective thermodynamic parameters to identify the stable phase; wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

Disclosed herein is a method of forming an alloy material for use in a wire. The method includes forming a master alloy containing lead and silver; and creating a molten wire alloy by combining the master alloy, additional lead, and a third material in a vessel. The method also includes flowing argon gas through and over the molten wire alloy. The method also includes drawing the molten alloy from the vessel through an actively cooled die, and solidifying the molten wire alloy to form a bar of wire alloy.

Disclosed herein is a method of forming an alloy material for use in a wire. The method includes forming a master alloy containing lead and silver; and creating a molten wire alloy by combining the master alloy, additional lead, and a third material in a vessel. The method also includes flowing argon gas through and over the molten wire alloy. The method also includes drawing the molten alloy from the vessel through an actively cooled die, and solidifying the molten wire alloy to form a bar of wire alloy.

Polycrystalline diamond cutting elements having enhanced thermal stability, drill bits incorporating the same, and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a cutting element includes a substrate having a metal carbide and a polycrystalline diamond body bonded to the substrate. The polycrystalline diamond body includes a plurality of diamond grains bonded to adjacent diamond grains by diamond-to-diamond bonds and a plurality of interstitial regions positioned between adjacent diamond grains. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy, a catalyst material, metal carbide, or combinations thereof. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy that coat portions of the adjacent diamond grains such that the lead or lead alloy reduces contact between the diamond and the catalyst.

Polycrystalline diamond cutting elements having enhanced thermal stability, drill bits incorporating the same, and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a cutting element includes a substrate having a metal carbide and a polycrystalline diamond body bonded to the substrate. The polycrystalline diamond body includes a plurality of diamond grains bonded to adjacent diamond grains by diamond-to-diamond bonds and a plurality of interstitial regions positioned between adjacent diamond grains. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy, a catalyst material, metal carbide, or combinations thereof. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy that coat portions of the adjacent diamond grains such that the lead or lead alloy reduces contact between the diamond and the catalyst.

The disclosure relates to thermoelectric materials prepared by self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process combining with Plasma activated sintering and methods for preparing thereof. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the new criterion for combustion synthesis and the method for preparing the thermoelectric materials which meet the new criterion.