Provided herein are a thermoelectric material and a method for preparing the same, wherein the thermoelectric material has excellent thermoelectric performance and high mechanical properties (in particular, fracture toughness), and thus, when the thermoelectric material is applied to a thermoelectric module, the thermoelectric module has excellent performance and efficiency and a long lifespan.

[Problem to be Solved]

Provided are an aluminum-silicon-carbide composite having high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, and low specific gravity and a method for producing the composite.

[Solution]

Provided is an aluminum-silicon-carbide composite formed by impregnating a porous silicon carbide molded body with an aluminum alloy. The ratio of silicon carbide in the composite is 60 vol % or more, and the composite contains 60-75 mass % of silicon carbide having a particle diameter of 80 m or more and 800 m or less, 20-30 mass % of silicon carbide having a particle diameter of 8 m or more and less than 80 m, and 5-10 mass % of silicon carbide having a particle diameter of less than 8

A process for post-treatment of electroceramic composite material is disclosed. The process comprises introducing electroceramic composite material and flow-able organometallic compound to a pressure chamber, and degassing (1) the electroceramic composite material by creating a vacuum or underpressure in the pressure chamber, while the electroceramic composite material is immersed (2) in said organometallic compound. Then the pressure is elevated to an atmospheric pressure, wherein said flowable organometallic compound is absorbed (3) into at least part of the pores of the composite material. The electroceramic composite material containing said organometallic compound absorbed into said pores, is then treated (4) with water, water vapour and/or other chemical, thereby producing metal oxide impregnated electroceramic material containing solid metal oxide absorbed into said pores. Instead of flowable organometallic compound, a suspension of metal or metal oxide nanoparticles may be used for the post-treatment.

A method of fabricating a diamond compact includes functionalizing surfaces of diamond nanoparticles with fluorine; combining the functionalized diamond nanoparticles with a non-group-VIII metal to form a particle mixture; and subjecting the particle mixture to high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) conditions to form inter-granular bonds between the diamond nanoparticles. A cutting element for an earth-boring tool includes a plurality of grains of diamond material; a plurality of diamond nanoparticles bonded to the plurality of grains of diamond material; and a non-group-VIII metal fluoride disposed within interstitial spaces between the grains of diamond material and the plurality of diamond nanoparticles. The cutting element is substantially free of a metal-solvent catalyst.

Provided herein are a thermoelectric material and a method for preparing the same, wherein the thermoelectric material has excellent thermoelectric performance and high mechanical properties (in particular, fracture toughness), and thus, when the thermoelectric material is applied to a thermoelectric module, the thermoelectric module has excellent performance and efficiency and a long lifespan.

An SiOx/Si/C composite material, includes SiOx/Si composite particles and a carbon coating layer coated on the SiOx/Si composite particles. The SiOx/Si composite particles include nano-silicon crystallites embedded in an SiOx (0<x2) amorphous matrix phase. The SiOx/Si composite particles have an Si:O molar ratio of 5:1-1.1:1, preferably 2:1-1.2:1. A process for producing an SiOx/Si/C composite material, includes a) milling SiO powder together with a metal reductant in a molar ratio of 125:1-10:1, preferably 2:11-5:1, b) totally removing the oxidation product of the metal reductant to obtain SiOx/Si composite particles, and c) coating the SiOx/Si composite particles with carbon to obtain the SiOx/Si/C composite material.

A method and resulting composition made by: providing boron carbide and a dopant selected from silicon, aluminum, magnesium, and beryllium; and ball milling the boron carbide with the dopant until at least one out of fifteen of the boron and/or carbon atoms of the boron carbide are substituted with the dopant.

A castable refractory composition may include from 5% to 95% by weight of alumina, aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof; from 0.5% to 1.5% by weight alkaline earth metal oxide and/or hydroxide, and 0.1% to 5% by weight of silica having a surface area of at least about 10 m.sup.2/g. The refractory composition may include no more than 0.5% by weight of cementitious binder. The refractory composition may release less than 25 cm.sup.3 of hydrogen gas per kilogram of castable refractory composition upon addition of water. The refractory compositions may set on addition of water.

Methods of producing silicon carbide, and other metal carbide materials. The method comprises reacting a carbon material (e.g., fibers, or nanoparticles, such as powder, platelet, foam, nanofiber, nanorod, nanotube, whisker, graphene (e.g., graphite), fullerene, or hydrocarbon) and a metal or metal oxide source material (e.g., in gaseous form) in a reaction chamber at an elevated temperature ranging up to approximately 2400 C. or more, depending on the particular metal or metal oxide, and the desired metal carbide being produced. A partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction chamber is maintained at less than approximately 1.0110.sup.2 Pascal, and overall pressure is maintained at approximately 1 atm.

A method of fabricating a diamond compact includes functionalizing surfaces of diamond nanoparticles with fluorine; combining the functionalized diamond nanoparticles with a non-group-VIII metal to form a particle mixture; and subjecting the particle mixture to high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) conditions to form inter-granular bonds between the diamond nanoparticles. A cutting element for an earth-boring tool includes a plurality of grains of diamond material; a plurality of diamond nanoparticles bonded to the plurality of grains of diamond material; and a non-group-VIII metal fluoride disposed within interstitial spaces between the grains of diamond material and the plurality of diamond nanoparticles. The cutting element is substantially free of a metal-solvent catalyst.