A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

An electro-hydraulic joint supplying system for electrical machining and supporting automatic tool changing includes an electro-hydraulic joint supplying device and a clamping device. The electro-hydraulic joint supplying device includes an insulator, an electro-hydraulic joint supplying base, an electro-hydraulic joint supplying pipe terminal, and an electro-hydraulic joint supplying pipe. The base is fixedly connected with a spindle shell through the insulator. A working fluid pipe connector and a wiring post are arranged on the base; a terminal connector is in a snap-fit with a top end of the electro-hydraulic joint supplying pipe terminal. The pipe terminal communicates with a flushing fluid container in an electrical machining electrode shank through an electro-hydraulic joint supplying pipe. The clamping device includes a first clamping mechanism, a second clamping mechanism, and a cooperation mechanism fixedly connected with the first clamping mechanism or the second clamping mechanism to circumferentially limit the flushing fluid container.

An electrical machining method comprises machining a workpiece by an electrical machining device comprising an electrode; increasing a feedrate of the electrode at a first acceleration if a discharge current passing through the electrode and the workpiece is lower than a discharge current reference; and decreasing the feedrate of the electrode at a second acceleration if the discharge current is higher than the discharge current reference, wherein the second acceleration has an absolute value higher than that of the first acceleration.

A method of initializing a multiferroic element for obtaining a stable element operation includes applying at least one selected from a group consisting of an electric field and a magnetic field to the multiferroic element under a temperature condition equal to or higher than a phase transition temperature. The multiferroic element has a laminated structural body including a first alloy layer and a second alloy layer. The first alloy layer is formed by using any of antimony-tellurium, bismuth-tellurium and bismuth-selenium as a principal component. The second alloy layer is laminated on the first alloy layer, and formed by using a compound represented by the following general formula (1) as a principal component. The second alloy layer is configured to undergo phase transition between a reset phase and a set phase. Electric polarization is not caused in the reset phase, but caused in the set phase. The second alloy layer undergoes the phase transition from the reset phase to the set phase at the phase transition temperature.

[Chemical Formula 1]

M.sub.1-xTe.sub.x (1)

Here, in the above-mentioned general formula (1), M represents an atom of any of germanium, aluminum and silicon, and x represents a numerical value of 0.5 or more and lower than 1.

A method of initializing a multiferroic element for obtaining a stable element operation includes applying at least one selected from a group consisting of an electric field and a magnetic field to the multiferroic element under a temperature condition equal to or higher than a phase transition temperature. The multiferroic element has a laminated structural body including a first alloy layer and a second alloy layer. The first alloy layer is formed by using any of antimony-tellurium, bismuth-tellurium and bismuth-selenium as a principal component. The second alloy layer is laminated on the first alloy layer, and formed by using a compound represented by the following general formula (1) as a principal component. The second alloy layer is configured to undergo phase transition between a reset phase and a set phase. Electric polarization is not caused in the reset phase, but caused in the set phase. The second alloy layer undergoes the phase transition from the reset phase to the set phase at the phase transition temperature.

[Chemical Formula 1]

M.sub.1-xTe.sub.x (1)

Here, in the above-mentioned general formula (1), M represents an atom of any of germanium, aluminum and silicon, and x represents a numerical value of 0.5 or more and lower than 1.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A method for texturing of selected surfaces on a spinal implant. The implant is pretreated with an EDM process by passing the implant by an electrode along an axis, at a predetermined speed, voltage and current. The implant is further conditioned by Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grit blasting followed by an acidic solution bath and process water rinse, which yields a surface porosity and topography conducive to osseointegration on the surface of the spinal implant.

A method for texturing of selected surfaces on a spinal implant. The implant is pretreated with an EDM process by passing the implant by an electrode along an axis, at a predetermined speed, voltage and current. The implant is further conditioned by Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grit blasting followed by an acidic solution bath and process water rinse, which yields a surface porosity and topography conducive to osseointegration on the surface of the spinal implant.