The present invention relates to a suspension comprising 50-95% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of at least one metallic material and/or ceramic material and/or polymeric material and/or solid carbon containing material; and at least 5% by weight of the total suspension of one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof. In addition, the invention relates to uses of such suspension in 3D printing processes.

The present invention relates to a suspension comprising 50-95% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of at least one metallic material and/or ceramic material and/or polymeric material and/or solid carbon containing material; and at least 5% by weight of the total suspension of one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof. In addition, the invention relates to uses of such suspension in 3D printing processes.

To reduce size and mass of a nuclear reactor system, an integrated in-vessel shield separates the role of a neutron reflector and a neutron shield. Nuclear reactor system includes a pressure vessel including an interior wall and a nuclear reactor core located within the interior wall of the pressure vessel. Nuclear reactor core includes a plurality of fuel elements and at least one moderator element. Nuclear reactor system includes a reflector located inside the pressure vessel that includes a plurality of reflector blocks laterally surrounding the plurality of fuel elements and the at least one moderator element. Nuclear reactor system includes the in-vessel shield located on the interior wall of the pressure vessel to surround the reflector blocks. In-vessel shield is formed of two or more neutron absorbing materials. The two more neutron absorbing materials include a near black neutron absorbing material and a gray neutron absorbing material.

To reduce size and mass of a nuclear reactor system, an integrated in-vessel shield separates the role of a neutron reflector and a neutron shield. Nuclear reactor system includes a pressure vessel including an interior wall and a nuclear reactor core located within the interior wall of the pressure vessel. Nuclear reactor core includes a plurality of fuel elements and at least one moderator element. Nuclear reactor system includes a reflector located inside the pressure vessel that includes a plurality of reflector blocks laterally surrounding the plurality of fuel elements and the at least one moderator element. Nuclear reactor system includes the in-vessel shield located on the interior wall of the pressure vessel to surround the reflector blocks. In-vessel shield is formed of two or more neutron absorbing materials. The two more neutron absorbing materials include a near black neutron absorbing material and a gray neutron absorbing material.

A reaction-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) body is produced by: providing a preform including ceramic elements and carbon, and one or more surface features; providing a powder which includes diamond particles and carbon; locating the powder in the surface feature(s); and infiltrating the preform and the powder with molten silicon (Si) to form reaction-bonded SiC in the preform, and to form reaction-bonded SiC coatings on the diamond particles. The present disclosure also relates to a device/component which includes: a main body portion and discrete elements located at least partially within the main body portion. The main body portion may include reaction-bonded SiC and Si, but not diamond, while the discrete elements include diamond particles, reaction-bonded SiC coatings surrounding the diamond particles, and Si. According to the present disclosure, diamond may be advantageously located only where it is needed.

A reaction-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) body is produced by: providing a preform including ceramic elements and carbon, and one or more surface features; providing a powder which includes diamond particles and carbon; locating the powder in the surface feature(s); and infiltrating the preform and the powder with molten silicon (Si) to form reaction-bonded SiC in the preform, and to form reaction-bonded SiC coatings on the diamond particles. The present disclosure also relates to a device/component which includes: a main body portion and discrete elements located at least partially within the main body portion. The main body portion may include reaction-bonded SiC and Si, but not diamond, while the discrete elements include diamond particles, reaction-bonded SiC coatings surrounding the diamond particles, and Si. According to the present disclosure, diamond may be advantageously located only where it is needed.

A method of fabricating a brake component made from a ceramic matrix composite is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes infiltrating a carbon fabric with a slurry containing a ceramic powder and a sintering aid; laying up the carbon fabric in a desired geometry to form a raw component; warm pressing the raw component to form a green component; and sintering the green component via a spark plasma sintering process to form a sintered component.

A method of fabricating a brake component made from a ceramic matrix composite is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes infiltrating a carbon fabric with a slurry containing a ceramic powder and a sintering aid; laying up the carbon fabric in a desired geometry to form a raw component; warm pressing the raw component to form a green component; and sintering the green component via a spark plasma sintering process to form a sintered component.

A method for forming a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component with an internal cooling channel includes partially densifying a first fiber preform to form a portion of a final ceramic matrix volume, machining a first channel into a surface of the partially densified first fiber preform, covering the first channel with a fibrous member to form a near net shape fiber preform with an internal passage formed by the first channel and the fibrous member, and densifying the near net shape fiber preform.

Disclosed herein are compounds, methods, and tools which comprise composite matrices of tungsten tetraborides and ceramics.