Methods and apparatuses for in situ synthesis of alloys and/or composites are disclosed, the method comprising: (a) providing an apparatus having: an electromagnetic energy source; an autofocusing scanner; a powder system; a powder delivery system; and computers coupled and configured to control the electromagnetic energy source, the autofocusing scanner, the powder system, and the powder delivery system; (b) programming the computers with structural and material specifications of the sample; (c) using the computers to control electromagnetic radiation, powder mixture, and powder deposition parameters; and (d) focusing and scanning the electromagnetic radiation onto the sample while two or more powders are concurrently deposited onto the sample to deposit layers onto the sample for multiple metal powder synthesis, metal and ceramic synthesis, ceramic synthesis, and/or gradated composition synthesis, wherein the layers comprise at least one new material which differs from the two or more powders. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The sheath (3) is a material, which includes an aluminium (Al) matrix, in which nanometric aluminium oxide particles (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) are homogenously dispersed, the content of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is 0.25 to 5 vol. % and the balance is Al. It is preferred that Al.sub.2O.sub.3 originates from the surface layer present on Al powder used as feedstock material for consolidation. The superconductor based on magnesium diboride (MgB.sub.2) core (1) is fabricated by powder-in-tube or internal magnesium diffusion to boron technology, while the tube is the Al+Al.sub.2O.sub.3 composite, which is a product of powder metallurgy. A loose Al powder is pressed by cold isostatic pressing, and then the powder billet is degassed at elevated temperature and under vacuum, and then is hot extruded into a tube. A thin diffusion barrier (2) tube filled up with a mixture of Mg and B powders or Mg wire surrounded with B powder is placed into the Al+Al.sub.2O.sub.3 composite tube under inert gas or vacuum. Such composite unit is cold worked into a thin wire and then annealed at 625-655 C. for 8-90 min, what results in a formation superconducting MgB.sub.2 in a wire's core (1).

Some variations provide a system for producing a functionalized powder, comprising: an agitated pressure vessel; first particles and second particles contained within the agitated pressure vessel; a fluid contained within the agitated pressure vessel; an exhaust line for releasing the fluid from the agitated pressure vessel; and a means for recovering a functionalized powder containing the second particles disposed onto surfaces of the first particles. A preferred fluid is carbon dioxide in liquefied or supercritical form. The carbon dioxide may be initially loaded into the pressure vessel as solid carbon dioxide. The pressure vessel may be batch or continuous and is operated under reaction conditions to functionalize the first particles with the second particles, thereby producing a functionalized powder, such as nanofunctionalized metal particles in which nanoparticles act as grain refiners for a component ultimately produced from the nanofunctionalized metal particles. Methods for making the functionalized powder are also disclosed.

Provided is a Fe-based sintered body which has both of a high hardness and a high thermal conductivity and which can be more stably produced. The Fe-based sintered body includes: a matrix (1) containing Fe as a main component; and a hard phase (4) dispersed in the matrix (1). The matrix (1) is formed in a network shape and contains Fe. The hard phase (4) contains TiC.

A method for manufacturing an alloy formed from a boride of a precious metal, the method involving reacting a source of the precious metal with a source of boron in a salt or a mixture of salts in the molten state. The present invention also relates to an alloy formed from a boride of a precious metal, the alloy including crystalline nanoparticles of M.sub.xB.sub.y with M which is a precious metal, distributed in an amorphous matrix of B or in an amorphous matrix of B and of M.sub.zB.sub.a.

Wear resistant self-lubricating additive manufacturing parts and part features are disclosed in use with oilfield service operations.

A process for manufacturing metal-ceramic composite material powder comprising ball milling metal powder and ceramic nanoparticles to yield a metal-ceramic composite powder comprising ceramic nanoparticles embedded in a metal matrix powder particles; wherein the ball milling is performed using a ceramic milling media and a milling vessel having a ceramic interior surface. Metal matrix nanocomposite powders comprising ceramic nanoparticles imbedded in metal matrix powder particles; wherein the metal matrix powder particles have a spherical shape; wherein there is uniform distribution the ceramic nanoparticles; wherein the nanocomposite powders have good flowability.

A compositionally-graded structure including a body having a first major surface and a second major surface opposed from the first major surface along a thickness axis, the body including a metallic component and a ceramic component, wherein a concentration of the ceramic component in the body is a function of location within the body along the thickness axis, wherein transitions of the concentration of the ceramic component in the body are continuous such that distinct interfaces are not macroscopically established within the body, and wherein the concentration of the ceramic component is at least 95 percent by volume at at least one location within the body along the thickness axis.

There is provided a method of manufacturing a continuous wire comprising forming a strip formed from at least one metallic material into a channel, placing at least one powder into the channel and sealing edges of the channel together to produce a wire, wherein the method further comprises mixing the powder with a carrier liquid to create a slurry and placing the slurry into the channel. The carrier liquid is chemically inert with respect to the at least one powder.

Provided is an article that includes silicon carbide as a main component and that has sufficient mechanical strength while manufactured by a three-dimensional shaping technology. The article that includes silicon carbide as a main component includes: silicon carbide; a metal boride having a melting point lower than a sublimation point of silicon carbide; and metal silicon.