The invention is a process for manufacturing a nano aluminum/alumina metal matrix composite and composition produced therefrom. The process is characterized by providing an aluminum powder having a natural oxide formation layer and an aluminum oxide content between about 0.1 and about 4.5 wt. % and a specific surface area of from about 0.3 and about 5 m.sup.2/g, hot working the aluminum powder, and forming a superfine grained matrix aluminum alloy. Simultaneously there is formed in situ a substantially uniform distribution of nano particles of alumina. The alloy has a substantially linear property/temperature profile, such that physical properties such as strength are substantially maintained even at temperatures of 250° C. and above.

A target for use in a physical vapor deposition process includes a matrix composed of a composite material selected from the group consisting of aluminum-based material, titanium-based material and chromium-based material and all combinations thereof. The matrix is doped with doping elements and the doping elements are embedded as constituents of ceramic compounds or aluminum alloys in the matrix. The doping elements are selected from the group of the lanthanides: La, Ce, Nb, Sm and Eu. A process for producing such a target and a use of such a target in a physical vapor deposition process are also provided.

The disclosure concerns methods for making a composition comprising a light metal and an intermetallic comprising the light metal and a light rare earth element. The composition also may include a plurality of nanoparticles comprising an oxide of the light metal. The method includes directly reducing a light rare earth element precursor compound in a melt of the light metal, thereby forming the light rare earth element and nanoparticles of the light metal oxide.

Method for manufacturing an aluminium alloy part by additive manufacturing comprising a step during which a layer of a mixture of powders is locally melted and then solidified, characterised in that the mixture of powders comprises: first particles comprising at least 80% by mass of aluminium and up to 20% by mass of one or more additional elements, and second yttria-stabilized zirconia particles, the mixture of powders comprising at least 1.5% by volume of second particles.

Metallic matrix composites include a high strength titanium aluminide alloy matrix and an in situ formed aluminum oxide reinforcement. The atomic percentage of aluminum in the titanium aluminide alloy matrix can vary from 40% to 48%. Included are methods of making the metallic matrix composites, in particular, through the performance of an exothermic chemical reaction. The metallic matrix composites can exhibit low porosity.

A structured multi-phase composite which include a metal phase, and a low stiffness, high thermal conductivity phase or encapsulated phase change material, that are arranged to create a composite having high thermal conductivity, having reduced/controlled stiffness, and a low CTE to reduce thermal stresses in the composite when exposed to cyclic thermal loads. The structured multi-phase composite is useful for use in structures such as, but not limited to, high speed engine ducts, exhaust-impinged structures, heat exchangers, electrical boxes, heat sinks, and heat spreaders.

In one aspect, a method for fabricating metal particles is disclosed, which includes adding a plurality of metallic elements into a plasma reactor comprising a circulating fluid and two electrodes, evaporating the metallic elements to form metal vapor using plasma generated by at least one electric discharge pulse between the electrodes; and condensing the metal vapor to form metal particles. In some embodiments, the metal particles comprise metal oxide particles. In some embodiments, the metal particles are useful as part of pharmaceutical compositions or dietary supplements.

A syntactic metal foam composite that is substantially fully dense except for syntactic porosity is formed from a mixture of ceramic microballoons and matrix forming metal. The ceramic microballoons have a uniaxial crush strength and a much higher omniaxial crush strength. The mixture is continuously constrained while it is consolidated. The constraining force is less than the omniaxial crush strength. The substantially fully dense syntactic metal foam composite is then constrained and deformation worked at a substantially constant volume. The deformation working is typically performed at a yield strength that is adjusted by way of selecting a working temperature at which the yield strength is approximately less than the omniaxial crush strength of the included ceramic microballoons. This deformation causes at least work hardening and grain refinement in the matrix metal.

A method for manufacturing an aluminium alloy part by additive manufacturing comprising a step during which a layer of a mixture of powders is melted locally and then solidified, wherein the mixture of powders comprises: —first particles—comprising at least 80 wt % of aluminium and up to 20 wt % of one or more additional elements, and —second particles—of yttria, the volume percentage of second particles in the mixture of powders preferably ranging from 0.5% to 5%.

Described herein are metal compositions comprising a particles of a transition metal or transition metal oxide, characterized in that the metal composition exhibits a new series with improved qualities relative to a metal composition without the particles of the transition metal or transition metal oxide; and methods of making and testing the same.