A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.

A composite structure including a metal form. The composite structure further includes an aerogel matrix formed of an aerogel, with the aerogel matrix being nanoporous and including a plurality of aerogel pores. A polymer occupies at least a portion of the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The polymer is a thermoplastic. The thermoplastic is nanoporous and includes a plurality of thermoplastic pores. The thermoplastic pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The polymer is impregnated within the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The aerogel comprises at least 20% by weight of the composite structure. The aerogel pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The composite structure further contains filler material. The filler material may be graphene. The composite structure further contains reinforcing agents.

A method of freeze-drying comprising rapidly freezing either liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide in and around a material having pores at a rate of at least 0.2° C./min to limit the size of crystals formed from the carbon dioxide so as to avoid the formation of gas bubbles and damage to the pores and exposure of the material to gas-liquid interfaces. During freezing a solid layer primarily of solid carbon dioxide is formed on and surrounding the material by transferring heat with a cryogenic liquid circulating about the material. This solid layer protects the material from gas-liquid interfaces and surface tension before decreasing pressure about the material by venting carbon dioxide.

An electrode for the use of an advanced lithium battery is fabricated using three-dimensionally structured metal foam coated with an active material. The metal foam is porous metal foam that can be used as an anode current collector of a lithium-ion battery and is coated with an anode active material, such as tin, through a sonication-assisted electroless plating method. Additionally, the coated metal foam is heat-treated at an appropriate temperature in order to improve the integrity of the coating layer and hence, the cyclic performance of the lithium-ion battery.

A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.

A process for assembling a device including first and second parts made of first and second materials, respectively, and a third part made of a third material that acts as an intermediate part enabling the assembling, the process including: providing a preform made from an at least partially amorphous metal material capable of increasing its volume under temperature and pressure conditions; placing the first and second parts with the preform between two cavity plates having, the negative shape of the device; heating the assembly to a temperature between the glass transition temperature and the crystallization temperature of the preform to enable, at latest during the heating, the preform to be in a form of a foam and enable expansion of the preform to fill the negative shape of the device and form the third part; cooling the assembly to solidify the preform and separate the device from the cavity plates.

The present invention relates to a HEA foam prepared by selective dissolution of a second phase within a two-phase separating alloy comprising the HEA and a manufacturing method thereof. The manufacturing method of the HEA foam of the present invention has the effect of preparing a novel HEA foam, which was not available in the past, by leaving only a first phase after manufacturing a two-phase separating alloy comprising a first phase by HEA, wherein at least 3 metal elements act as a common solvent. Furthermore, the HEA foam of the present invention has a structure, wherein pores are distributed inside the HEA, in which at least 3 metal elements act as a common solvent. By adding a functional characteristic of low heat conductivity, etc., to the existing high strength characteristic of HEA, the HEA foam of the present invention can exhibit a complex effect by the combination of the two particular effects, thereby being capable of exhibiting excellent physical characteristics.

An electrode for the use of an advanced lithium battery is fabricated using three-dimensionally structured metal foam coated with an active material. The metal foam is porous metal foam that can be used as an anode current collector of a lithium-ion battery and is coated with an anode active material, such as tin, through a sonication-assisted electroless plating method. Additionally, the coated metal foam is heat-treated at an appropriate temperature in order to improve the integrity of the coating layer and hence, the cyclic performance of the lithium-ion battery.

A new method of manufacturing a dual investment reticulated solid mold for producing reticulated metal foam, that includes 3D printing of a wax or resin reticulated precursor prior to pre-investment with a pre-investment plaster or pre-investment ceramic plaster, and removal of the precursor before addition of liquid metal to generate reticulated metal foam.

A method for producing a structural component having a foam structure formed by foaming a foamable material, includes the following steps: additively building a receiving component that reproduces the outer geometry of the structural component to be produced at least in some sections, in particular completely, and having a receiving space for receiving foamable material; introducing at least one foamable material into the receiving space of the receiving component; and carrying out at least one measure for foaming the foamable material introduced into the receiving space of the receiving component so as to form the foam structure.