Solid immiscible alloys and methods for making the solid immiscible alloys are provided. The microstructure of the immiscible alloys is characterized by a minority phase comprising a plurality of particles of an inorganic material dispersed in a majority phase comprising a continuous matrix of another inorganic material. The methods utilize nanoparticles to control both the collisional growth and the diffusional growth of the minority phase particles in the matrix during the formation of the alloy microstructure.

The present invention relates to a composite material based on aluminium or copper and tin oxide-functionalized carbon nanotubes, to the method for producing same and to a cable comprising said composite material as the electrically conductive element.

A composite material is provided having functionalized carbon nanotubes and a metal matrix. It is obtained by a process including dispersing functionalized carbon nanotubes or a mixture of functionalized carbon nanotubes and of at least one metal, in an open-pore or semi-open-pore metal foam, in order to form a composite structure, and compacting the composite structure obtained in the preceding stage in order to form the composite material in the form of a solid mass.

A composite material is provided having functionalized carbon nanotubes and a metal matrix. It is obtained by a process including dispersing functionalized carbon nanotubes or a mixture of functionalized carbon nanotubes and of at least one metal, in an open-pore or semi-open-pore metal foam, in order to form a composite structure, and compacting the composite structure obtained in the preceding stage in order to form the composite material in the form of a solid mass.

Provided are composite materials that may include a monophasic blend including at least one metal, and graphene. The graphene may be present in the monophasic blend at an amount of about 0.001% to about 90%, by weight, based on the weight of the composite material. Also provided are methods for continuously producing composite materials, and apparatuses

An article comprises a bulk layer of an aluminum-alloy composite and a surface layer. The bulk layer comprises an aggregate dispersed in an aluminum-alloy matrix, the aggregate being solid and unreactive in a melt of the aluminum-alloy matrix, and having an average particle size of 100 microns or less. The surface layer comprises an anodized form of the bulk layer.

A composition-of-matter is described herein comprising copper or an alloy thereof, and at least one nanocompound dispersed in the copper or an alloy thereof, wherein the copper or an alloy thereof is a cast metal. Further described herein are articles of manufacture comprising the composition-of-matter, and a process for preparing such a composition-of-matter, by dispersing at least one nanocompound in a melt of copper or and alloy thereof, and cooling the melt.

A manufacturing method includes: 1) forming a melt including one or more metals; 2) introducing nanostructures into the melt at an initial volume fraction of the nanostructures; and 3) at least partially evaporating one or more metals from the melt so as to form a metal matrix nanocomposite including the nanostructures dispersed therein at a higher volume fraction than the initial volume fraction.

A manufacturing method includes: 1) forming a melt including one or more metals; 2) introducing nanostructures into the melt at an initial volume fraction of the nanostructures; and 3) at least partially evaporating one or more metals from the melt so as to form a metal matrix nanocomposite including the nanostructures dispersed therein at a higher volume fraction than the initial volume fraction.

A method for making covetic metal-nanostructured carbon composites or compositions is described herein. This method is advantageous, in that it provides substantially oxygen-free covetic materials and allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method comprises introducing carbon into a molten metal in a heated reactor under low oxygen partial pressure, while passing an electric current through the molten metal. The reactor is heated at a temperature sufficient to form a network of nanostructured carbon within a matrix of the metal. After heating the covetic material is recovered from the reactor.