Disclosed is a composition having nanoparticles or particles of a refractory metal, a refractory metal hydride, a refractory metal carbide, a refractory metal nitride, or a refractory metal boride, an organic compound consisting of carbon and hydrogen, and a nitrogenous compound consisting of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. The composition, optionally containing the nitrogenous compound, is milled, cured to form a thermoset, compacted into a geometric shape, and heated in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature that forms a nanoparticle composition comprising nanoparticles of metal nitride and optionally metal carbide. The nanoparticles have a uniform distribution of the nitride or carbide.

A sintered material includes a cubic boron nitride, a zirconium-containing oxide, a zirconium-containing nitride, and an aluminum-containing oxide, wherein the zirconium-containing nitride includes both or one of ZrN and ZrON, and the aluminum-containing oxide includes a type Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

Disclosed is a composition having nanoparticles or particles of a refractory metal, a refractory metal hydride, a refractory metal carbide, a refractory metal nitride, or a refractory metal boride, an organic compound consisting of carbon and hydrogen, and a nitrogenous compound consisting of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. The composition, optionally containing the nitrogenous compound, is milled, cured to form a thermoset, compacted into a geometric shape, and heated in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature that forms a nanoparticle composition comprising nanoparticles of metal nitride and optionally metal carbide. The nanoparticles have a uniform distribution of the nitride or carbide.

The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

This invention relates to three-dimensional printing. This invention in particular relates to a method of generating mold and printing a three-dimensional object. The mold thickness is controlled and holes are generated in the mold surface for releasing moisture easily. The mold surface having holes is designed initially digitally and then combined with the three-dimensional model before printing the three-dimensional object. In case the thickness of the mold surface is more then it reduces the overall quality of the three-dimensional object. When the model is enclosed inside the mold, there will be some residue moisture in the model even if the drying apparatus can improve this by drying layer by layer. This affects the final quality of the part. A solution of these problems is provided in the present invention. The thickness of the mold layer is between 0.5 to 1 mm and holes having 0.1 to 0.4 mm diameter. The holes are evenly distributed on the mold. The mold having the holes is prepared from which moisture can easily escape. A method of digitally generated a mold having thin layer and holes is used for fabricating three dimensional objects with high precision and quality.

This invention relates to three-dimensional printing. This invention particularly relates to a system with a dynamic variable size nozzle orifice for three-dimensional printing of objects based on crafting and molding techniques, and a method thereof. The present invention provides a dynamic variable nozzle orifice, where one embodiment uses a nozzle made of a soft flexible material. The soft flexible material, such as rubber, latex or silicone, is such that when the extrusion pressure is high the orifice will enlarge and allow wider extrusion volume for filling large or wide voids. In another scenario, when the extrusion pressure is lower the orifice will be narrower and give precise narrow extrusion to fill smaller voids. Another embodiment uses a method of controlling the orifice size which is by a mechanical means independent of the pressure in the nozzle. Such a method can utilize an iris device for controlling the size of the orifice. By utilizing the function of a dynamic orifice size of the nozzle when depositing a crafting material inside a mold structure as described herein, the printing time can be reduced without a reduction in detailing abilities. Subsequently, the systems and methods of the present invention are useful for fabricating high-quality three-dimensional objects using a crafting paste and molding techniques.

Disclosed is a method of making high temperature fiber including chemically bonding high temperature material to a fiber template at a first temperature to form a precursor fiber and processing the precursor fiber at a second temperature to form the high temperature fiber. The first temperature does not equal the second temperature. Also disclosed are high temperature fibers made by the method.

Disclosed is a thermoelectric composite material includes a thermoelectric material including crystal grains; and a MXene inserted at boundaries of the crystal grains consisting of the thermoelectric material. Accordingly, the thermoelectric composite material may have a reduced thermal conductivity and an increased electrical conductivity. Furthermore, mechanical properties of the thermoelectric composite material may be improved. Thus, the thermoelectric composite material may improve the thermoelectric ability of a thermoelectric module including the same. A method of manufacturing the thermoelectric composite material includes coating MXene on a surface of a thermoelectric material powder including crystal grains; and sintering the thermoelectric material powder coated with the MXene to form a sintered body including the MXene inserted at boundaries of the crystal grains consisting of the thermoelectric material.

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 disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.