According to some embodiments, a system includes a three-dimensional (3D) printer, a hydraulic press, and a kiln. The three-dimensional printer includes a print bed, a first printhead, and a second printhead. The first printhead is configured to deposit a layer of a first powder on the print bed. The second printhead is configured to deposit a layer of a second powder on the print bed. The hydraulic press is configured to compress a greenware to form a compressed greenware. The kiln is configured to heat the compressed greenware to a reaction temperature to form an object. The object is surrounded by an excess of the first powder. The kiln is also configured to heat the object surrounded by the excess of the first powder to a melting temperature. The melting temperature is at least the melting point of the first powder and less than the melting point of the object.

A sintered material includes a first material and a second material, wherein the first material is partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2 in which 1 to 90 volume % of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is dispersed in crystal grain boundaries or crystal grains, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is a grain having a grain size of less than or equal to 1 m, and the second material is at least one compound selected from a group consisting of a carbide, a nitride, and a carbonitride, and 5 to 95 volume % of the second material is included in the sintered material.

A porous inorganic additive manufactured article that is comprised of at least two layers of inorganic particulates bound together by a carbon binding phase throughout. The additive manufactured article may be formed by additive manufacturing using a mixture comprised of an organic reactive material and inorganic particulates, wherein the organic reactive material is subsequently reacted to form a thermoset material that forms carbon upon heating that binds the inorganic particulates together to form the porous inorganic additive manufactured article. The porous inorganic additive manufactured article may then be infiltrated with a liquid that is solidified to form a composite article or may be further heated in a differing atmosphere to form a further sintered or reacted porous inorganic article.

Disclosed is a composition having nanoparticles or particles of boron, a refractory metal, or a refractory metal hydride; organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight or a thermoset made from the organic compound; and a reinforcing material. The metal and organic are combined with the reinforcing material. The mixture is heated for make a ceramic having nanoparticles of a boron or refractory metal nitride, boride, or carbide; a reinforcing material; and a carbonaceous matrix. The ceramic is not a powder.

A method for preparing a ceramic-modified carbon-carbon composite material. The method includes preparing and thermally treating a carbon fiber preform, and depositing pyrolytic carbon on the carbon fiber preform in a chemical vapor infiltration furnace, to yield a porous carbon-carbon composite material; placing the carbon-carbon composite material deposited with the pyrolytic carbon on a zirconium-titanium powder mixture, and performing a reactive melt infiltration, to yield a carbon-carbon composite material modified by non-stoichiometric zirconium titanium carbide; and placing the carbon-carbon composite material modified by non-stoichiometric zirconium titanium carbide in a powder mixture including carbon, boron carbide, silicon carbide, silicon, and an infiltration enhancer, and performing an embedding method, to form a ceramic-modified carbon-carbon composite material.

A machined ceramic article having an initial surface defect density and an initial surface roughness is provided. The machined ceramic article is heated to a temperature range between about 1000 C. and about 1800 C. at a ramping rate of about 0.1 C. per minute to about 20 C. per minute. The machined ceramic article is heat-treated in air atmosphere. The machined ceramic article is heat treated at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of up to about 24 hours. The machined ceramic article is then cooled at the ramping rate, wherein after the heat treatment the machined ceramic article has a reduced surface defect density and a reduced surface roughness.

A thermoelectric composite material includes MXene inserted at a boundary of a crystal grain consisting of a thermoelectric material. Accordingly, the thermoelectric composite material may have a reduced thermal conductivity and an increased electrical conductivity. Furthermore, a mechanical property of the thermoelectric composite material may be improved. Thus, the thermoelectric composite material may improve a thermoelectric ability of a thermoelectric module.

A sintered polycrystalline body and a method of forming the sintered polycrystalline body are disclosed. The sintered polycrystalline body comprises a plurality of particles cubic boron nitride dispersed in a matrix. The matrix includes materials selected from compounds of any of titanium and aluminium. The polycrystalline body further comprises 0.1 to 5.0 volume % of lubricating chalcogenide particles dispersed in the matrix. The chalcogenide particles have a coefficient of friction of less than 0.1 with respect to a workpiece material. Preferably sulfide particles are used as lubricant. Preferably 30-70 vol.-% cBN is contained. Sintering takes place at 1100-1600 C. and 4-8 GPa.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.

A multicomponent carbide has at least five transition metals, and a valence electron concentration (VEC) is greater 8.80 electrons. Preferred off-equiatomic multicomponent carbides have five transition metals and a VEC of more than 8.80. Preferred equiatomic multicomponent carbides have five transition metals and a VEC of 9.00 or greater. The valence electron configuration is important for its relationship to the mechanical properties of carbides. Since carbon forms four bonds, when there are more than four valence electrons available from the metals, there are excess electrons in the system. This increases metallic character of bonding and therefore allows for more ductility and higher toughness.