A layer structure includes a first layer including at least one material selected from a first group consisting of nickel, copper, gold, silver, palladium, tin, zinc, platinum, and an alloy of any of these materials; a third layer including at least one material selected from a second group consisting of nickel, copper, gold, palladium, tin, silver, zinc, platinum, and an alloy of any of these materials; and a second layer between the first layer and the third layer. The second layer consists of or essentially consists of nickel and tin. The second layer includes an intermetallic phase of nickel and tin.

Various embodiments relate to forming particles using undercooled metal particles in response to focused low power laser light. Particle growth can be initiated by utilizing the metastable and liquid nature of the particles, allowing for surface instability promoted by the laser light to induce liquid flow to translate to a neighboring particle. This event can cascade radially leading to accumulation of the liquid metal at the epicenter. The grown solidified particle size can be varied by using different power, exposure time, or working distance. Once the liquid has accumulated into a single region, it eventually solidifies either through homogeneous or heterogeneous nucleation to give a solid particle of larger size than the original. Such a method can be used to print patterns on a surface in four dimensions, where the fourth dimension (4D) is attained through gradient in size of the particles made. Additional systems and methods are disclosed.

A thermoelectric material of the present invention includes copper, tin, and sulfur, wherein a ratio A/B of the number A of copper atoms to the number B of tin atoms is 0.5 to 2.5 and a content of a metal element other than copper and tin is 5 mol % or less with respect to total metal elements. Additionally, the thermoelectric material of the present invention has a thermal conductivity less than 1.0 W/(m.Math.K) at 200 to 400° C.

A method for prepares low melting point metal particles, a conductive paste and a method for preparing the conductive paste, and relates to the technical field of functional materials. The method for preparing low melting point metal particles includes providing an organic resin carrier having fluidity, adding a low melting point metal material and the organic resin carrier into a sealed container for a vacuuming operation or filling a protective gas, making a temperature in the sealed container higher than the melting point of the low melting point metal and performing dispersion by stirring, and lowering the temperature, after performing the dispersion, to be below the melting point of the low melting point metal with continuous stirring during a cooling process to obtain low melting point metal particles dispersed in the organic resin carrier. Low melting point metal particles can be effectively prepared.

Provided are a Sn—Ti alloy powder for a superconducting wire, the Sn—Ti alloy powder making it possible to improve superconducting characteristics by minimizing the size of Sn—Ti particles dispersed in a Sn-based alloy, a method for preparing the same, and a method for manufacturing a superconducting wire using the same, wherein a Sn—Ti alloy is melted to produce a Sn—Ti intermetallic compound having an average particle size of 3 μm or less, and a content of Ti in the entire alloy is 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %, and the method of preparing the Sn—Ti alloy powder for a superconducting wire includes: a Sn—Ti alloy melting step of melting a Sn—Ti alloy or a Sn—Ti alloy processed material; and a Sn—Ti alloy powder formation step of spraying and solidifying a molten Sn—Ti alloy through a nozzle in an inert gas atmosphere.

Molded solder includes first metal powder and second metal powder. The first metal powder has a first solidus temperature and a first liquidus temperature and includes an alloy containing metal elements. The second metal powder has a melting temperature or a second solidus temperature and a second liquidus temperature and includes single metal element or an alloy containing metal elements. The melting temperature and the second liquidus temperature are higher than the first liquidus temperature. The molded solder is so constructed that a mixture of the first metal powder and the second metal powder are press-molded. The molded solder is so constructed that a first solidus temperature of a solder becomes higher when the molded solder becomes the solder after the first metal powder has been melted by heating the molded solder at a temperature equal to or higher than the first liquidus temperature.

Molded solder includes first metal powder and second metal powder. The first metal powder has a first solidus temperature and a first liquidus temperature and includes an alloy containing metal elements. The second metal powder has a melting temperature or a second solidus temperature and a second liquidus temperature and includes single metal element or an alloy containing metal elements. The melting temperature and the second liquidus temperature are higher than the first liquidus temperature. The molded solder is so constructed that a mixture of the first metal powder and the second metal powder are press-molded. The molded solder is so constructed that a first solidus temperature of a solder becomes higher when the molded solder becomes the solder after the first metal powder has been melted by heating the molded solder at a temperature equal to or higher than the first liquidus temperature.

An n-type thermoelectric conversion material expressed in a chemical formula X.sub.3-xX′.sub.xT.sub.3-yCu.sub.ySb.sub.4 (0≦x<3, 0≦y<3.0, and x+y>0), the X includes one or more element(s) of Zr and Hf, the X′ includes one or more element(s) of Nb and Ta, and the T includes one or more element(s) selected from Ni, Pd, and Pt, while including at least Ni, the n-type thermoelectric conversion material expressed in the chemical formula X.sub.3-xX′.sub.xT.sub.3-yCu.sub.ySb.sub.4 has symmetry of a cubic crystal belonging to a space group I-43d.

A degradable, high-strength zinc composition suitable for use in producing degradable tools and components for in use in oil and gas and related application fields.

Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to liquid metal pastes that can be used as thermal interface materials. In one implementation, a liquid metal paste configured to be applied as a thermal interface material between electronic components, includes: 92.5 wt % of 99.9 wt % of a liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy; and 0.1 wt % to 7.5 wt % of a powder of metal particles, the metal particles including Ag, Au, Cu, W, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu or Ni. The liquid metal paste can also include an organic compound coating a surface of the metal particles, the organic compound configured to prevent the metal particles from forming an intermetallic compound with the liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy.