Some variations provide a functionalized composite material comprising: a thermoplastic polymer binder matrix disposed in a distinct volume; a plurality of discrete metal or metal alloy particles dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer matrix; and a plurality of discrete particulates assembled on surfaces of the discrete metal or metal alloy particles, wherein the discrete particulates are in contact with the thermoplastic polymer binder matrix, wherein the discrete particulates are smaller than the discrete metal or metal alloy particles in at least one dimension, and wherein the discrete particulates are compositionally different than the discrete metal or metal alloy particles. The discrete particulates may be selected and/or configured to function as a grain refiner, a sintering aid, and/or a strengthening phase, within the functionalized composite material.

A sintered body obtainable by a process which includes pressing a powder comprising or consisting of at least one valve metal so as to provide a pellet, providing the pellet together with a reducing agent so that the pellet is not in a direct contact with and does not come into a direct contact with the reducing agent, heating so that the powder in the pellet is sintered to form a sintered body, an oxygen content of the at least one valve metal within the sintered body is simultaneously reduced, and the reducing agent is oxidized to an oxidized reducing agent, and removing the oxidized reducing agent with at least one mineral acid.

A method of additive manufacturing includes depositing a layer of absorptive material onto a workpiece, depositing a layer of additive manufacturing stock powder onto the workpiece, and fusing the stock powder to the workpiece using a focused energy source at a wavelength wherein the absorptive material has a higher absorptivity at the wavelength of the focused energy source than the absorptivity of the stock powder at that wavelength. The focused energy source can be a laser, e.g., with a 1064 nm wavelength, for example.

The invention relates to a forming method of an alloy comprising predominantly Ti or nearby stage, comprising the steps of: Preparation of a homogeneous mixture of particle powder comprising micrometric particles of pure Ti and nanoscale particles of at least one additional element or compound promoting the beta phase of the Ti during its cooling from its phase transition temperature. exposing said particle powder mixture to a focused energy source that is selectively heat at least a portion of a bed of said homogeneous powder mixture at a temperature between 850 and 1850 C. cooling of the part having undergone this exposure with conservation of the phase b of the Ti.

The invention relates to a forming method of an alloy comprising predominantly Ti or nearby stage, comprising the steps of: Preparation of a homogeneous mixture of particle powder comprising micrometric particles of pure Ti and nanoscale particles of at least one additional element or compound promoting the beta phase of the Ti during its cooling from its phase transition temperature. exposing said particle powder mixture to a focused energy source that is selectively heat at least a portion of a bed of said homogeneous powder mixture at a temperature between 850 and 1850 C. cooling of the part having undergone this exposure with conservation of the phase b of the Ti.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of high throughput preparation and hot working of materials, and in particular to a high throughput micro-synthesis method of multi-component materials based on the temperature gradient field controlled by microwave energy. This invention, characterized by flexible material selection, quick temperature rising and high-efficient heating, uses microwave heating both to achieve quick preparation of small block combinatorial materials under the same temperature field in one time and to realize micro-synthesis under the different temperature gradient fields in one time including high-throughput sintering-melting and heat treatment of materials. This invention successfully overcomes drawbacks of current material preparation, such as unitary combination of components, low-efficient external heating, unique control temperature, huge material consumption and high cost during material preparation and heat treatment.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of high throughput preparation and hot working of materials, and in particular to a high throughput micro-synthesis method of multi-component materials based on the temperature gradient field controlled by microwave energy. This invention, characterized by flexible material selection, quick temperature rising and high-efficient heating, uses microwave heating both to achieve quick preparation of small block combinatorial materials under the same temperature field in one time and to realize micro-synthesis under the different temperature gradient fields in one time including high-throughput sintering-melting and heat treatment of materials. This invention successfully overcomes drawbacks of current material preparation, such as unitary combination of components, low-efficient external heating, unique control temperature, huge material consumption and high cost during material preparation and heat treatment.

A method is disclosed for improving the production of electrical switch contacts, in particular for vacuum tubes. In the method, an electrical or electromagnetic field assists and/or effects a sintering process. In the method, the sintering process takes place on a metallic carrier, and via the method, semi-finished contact elements for electrical switch contacts, contact elements for electrical switch contacts, and/or electrical switch contacts, in particular for vacuum tubes, are produced.

The invention relates to a method for producing a steel shaped body, particularly, for example, a component for common rail fuel injection valves, comprising the method steps of: forming a powderous composition based on iron oxide, from oxide particles, with the addition of carbon and micro-alloy elements so as to adjust a bainitic microstructure; heating the powderous composition to a sinter temperature; reducing the shaped body obtained by sintering; and cooling the sintered shaped body to room temperature. As a result, from the three essential state phases in a state diagram (10), specifically the ferrite-perlite state range (11), the bainite state range (12) and the martensite state range (13), preferably the bainitic state phase is formed in a medium temperature range by the ferrite-perlite state range (11) being shifted to longer cooling periods and the martensite state range (13) being shifted to lower temperatures.

A sintered valve guide having a metallic structure that has a matrix composed of a martensite phase dispersed in a pearlite single phase structure or a mixed structure of ferrite and pearlite, and a pore dispersed within the matrix, wherein the martensite phase exists in a proportion such that an area ratio of the martensite phase in a structure cross-section is within a range from 1 to 10% of the matrix is provided. A method for producing a sintered valve guide is provided, the method includes preparing a mixed powder by adding a copper-phosphorous alloy powder, a nickel powder and a graphite powder to an iron powder, molding the mixed powder into a molded body having a density of 6.8 to 7.2 Mg/m.sup.3, and sintering the obtained molded body at a temperature of 950 to 1,200? C.