This disclosure relates to a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, PCBN, composite material comprising cubic boron nitride, cBN, particles and a binder matrix material in which the cBN particles are dispersed. The binder matrix material comprises one or more superalloys.

A conductive supporting member includes an outer portion that includes a Cu matrix phase and a second phase dispersed in the Cu matrix phase and containing a Cu—Zr compound and that has an alloy composition represented by Cu-xZr (x is atomic % of Zr and 0.5≤x≤16.7 is satisfied) and an inner portion that is present on an inner side of the outer portion, is formed of a metal containing Cu, and has higher conductivity than the outer portion.

A conductive supporting member includes an outer portion that includes a Cu matrix phase and a second phase dispersed in the Cu matrix phase and containing a Cu—Zr compound and that has an alloy composition represented by Cu-xZr (x is atomic % of Zr and 0.5≤x≤16.7 is satisfied) and an inner portion that is present on an inner side of the outer portion, is formed of a metal containing Cu, and has higher conductivity than the outer portion.

A method for densifying a material includes arranging the material in a cavity of a mold and applying pressure to the material in the mold. While applying pressure to the material in the mold, a magnetic field is applied to the material in the mold to cause the material to transform between a first allotrope phase and a second allotrope phase. Applying the magnetic field to the material includes magnetic cycling, which includes one or more iterations of adjusting the magnetic field to a first strength, and then adjusting the magnetic field to a second strength. The method includes determining a density of the material during the magnetic cycling and, responsive to determination that the determined density reaches a threshold density, stopping the magnetic cycling.

A method for densifying a material includes arranging the material in a cavity of a mold and applying pressure to the material in the mold. While applying pressure to the material in the mold, a magnetic field is applied to the material in the mold to cause the material to transform between a first allotrope phase and a second allotrope phase. Applying the magnetic field to the material includes magnetic cycling, which includes one or more iterations of adjusting the magnetic field to a first strength, and then adjusting the magnetic field to a second strength. The method includes determining a density of the material during the magnetic cycling and, responsive to determination that the determined density reaches a threshold density, stopping the magnetic cycling.

A method for manufacturing a porous metal body according to the present invention includes: a surface oxidizing step of heating a titanium-containing powder in an atmosphere containing oxygen at a temperature of 250° C. or more for 30 minutes or more to provide a surface-oxidized powder; and a sintering step of depositing the surface-oxidized powder in a dry process, and sintering the surface-oxidized powder by heating it in a reduced pressure atmosphere or an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 950° C. or more.

A method for manufacturing a porous metal body according to the present invention includes: a surface oxidizing step of heating a titanium-containing powder in an atmosphere containing oxygen at a temperature of 250° C. or more for 30 minutes or more to provide a surface-oxidized powder; and a sintering step of depositing the surface-oxidized powder in a dry process, and sintering the surface-oxidized powder by heating it in a reduced pressure atmosphere or an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 950° C. or more.

A 3D printed diamond/metal matrix composite material and a preparation method and application thereof are provided. The composite material includes core-shell doped diamond, a metal matrix, and an additive, where the core-shell doped diamond includes a core, a transition layer, a shell, a coating, a porous layer, and a modification layer. The preparation method includes: uniformly mixing the diamond, the metal matrix, and the additive and performing 3D printing according to a 3D CAD slice model to obtain the composite material designed by the model. The metal matrix and the diamond surface of the composite material are mainly metallurgically bound, which can improve the binding strength between the diamond and the metal matrix, thereby improving the use properties of the composite material and a diamond tool. The core-shell doped diamond has good ablation resistance, and can effectively avoid and reduce thermal damage to diamond in a 3D printing forming process.

A composite structure is disclosed comprising a neutron-absorbing metal hydride phase contained within a matrix having a density of greater than 95%. In various embodiments the metal hydride is a hydride of one or more of the following: Gadolinium, Hafnium, Europium, Samarium. The composite structure is utile as a shield for fusion or fission reactors.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a sintered alloy valve guide capable of inhibiting valve adhesion even in a high-temperature environment. The problem can be solved by a sintered alloy valve guide impregnated with a lubricating oil including pores that are sealed on the valve guide outer circumferential surface. More particularly, the problem is solved by the sealing step of performing a sealing treatment of pores on the outer circumferential surface of a sintered body impregnated with a lubricating oil.