A method for producing a biodegradable magnesium metal composite that includes a polycrystalline magnesium matrix and TiB.sub.2 grains which are homogenously distributed in the polycrystalline magnesium matrix involving spark plasma sintering a milled mixture of magnesium powder and TiB.sub.2 powder. The temperature, pressure, and time of the spark plasma sintering used in the method are used to give high microharness, macrohardness, and density with low porosity by limiting the grain growth in the composite. The method yields a biodegradable magnesium metal composite having an improved microhardness, macrohardness, density, and porosity compared to other composites and methods of making composites.

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.

Use of a sensor read out system with at least one fiber optical sensor, which is connected via at least one signal line to a processing unit as part of an additive manufacturing setup, for in situ and real time quality control of a running additive manufacturing process. Acoustic emission is measured via the at least one fiber optical sensor in form of fibers with Bragg grating, fibre interferometer or Fabry-Perot structure, followed by a signal transfer and an analysis of the measured signals in the processing unit, estimation of the sintering or melting process quality due to correlation between sintering or melting quality and measured acoustic emission signals and subsequent adaption of ion and electron beams, microwave or laser sintering or melting parameters of a ion and electron beams, microwave or laser electronics of the additive manufacturing setup in real times via a feedback loop as a result of the measured acoustic emission signals after interpretation with an algorithmic framework in the processing unit.

A magnesium-based thermoelectric conversion material includes a first layer formed of Mg.sub.2Si and a second layer formed of Mg.sub.2Si.sub.xSn.sub.1-x (here, x is equal to or greater than 0 and less than 1), in which the first layer and the second layer are directly joined to each other, and within a junction surface with the first layer and in the vicinity of the junction surface, the second layer has a tin concentration transition region in which a tin concentration increases as a distance from the junction surface increases. The junction layer is regarded as a site in which a tin concentration is found to be equal to or lower than a detection limit by the measurement performed using EDX.

A tantalum powder, a tantalum powder compact, a tantalum powder sintered body, a tantalum anode, an electrolytic capacitor and a preparation method for tantalum powder. The tantalum powder contains boron element, and the tantalum powder has a specific surface area of greater than or equal to 4 m.sup.2/g; the ratio of the boron content of the tantalum powder to the specific surface area of the tantalum powder is 2˜16; the boron content is measured in weight ppm, and the specific surface area is measured in m.sup.2/g; Powder that can pass through a ρ-mesh screen in the tantalum powder accounts for over 85% of the total weight of the tantalum powder, where ρ=150˜170; and the tantalum powder with high CV has a low leakage current and dielectric loss, and good moldability.

A tantalum powder, a tantalum powder compact, a tantalum powder sintered body, a tantalum anode, an electrolytic capacitor and a preparation method for tantalum powder. The tantalum powder contains boron element, and the tantalum powder has a specific surface area of greater than or equal to 4 m.sup.2/g; the ratio of the boron content of the tantalum powder to the specific surface area of the tantalum powder is 2˜16; the boron content is measured in weight ppm, and the specific surface area is measured in m.sup.2/g; Powder that can pass through a ρ-mesh screen in the tantalum powder accounts for over 85% of the total weight of the tantalum powder, where ρ=150˜170; and the tantalum powder with high CV has a low leakage current and dielectric loss, and good moldability.

An article comprises a first portion comprising a first alloy and a second portion comprising a second alloy that is metallurgically bonded to the first portion to form a monolithic article. The metallurgical bonding involves the application of an electrical current across the bond line and results in a retention of a metallurgical structure of the first portion and of a metallurgical structure of the second portion immediately adjacent to a bond line. The first portion has a first dominant property and the second portion has a second dominant property. The first dominant property is different from the second dominant property. The first dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a first position of the article where the first portion is located and the second dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a second position of the article where the second portion is located.

An article comprises a first portion comprising a first alloy and a second portion comprising a second alloy that is metallurgically bonded to the first portion to form a monolithic article. The metallurgical bonding involves the application of an electrical current across the bond line and results in a retention of a metallurgical structure of the first portion and of a metallurgical structure of the second portion immediately adjacent to a bond line. The first portion has a first dominant property and the second portion has a second dominant property. The first dominant property is different from the second dominant property. The first dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a first position of the article where the first portion is located and the second dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a second position of the article where the second portion is located.

An article comprises a first portion comprising a first alloy and a second portion comprising a second alloy that is metallurgically bonded to the first portion to form a monolithic article. The metallurgical bonding involves the application of an electrical current across the bond line and results in a retention of a metallurgical structure of the first portion and of a metallurgical structure of the second portion immediately adjacent to a bond line. The first portion has a first dominant property and the second portion has a second dominant property. The first dominant property is different from the second dominant property. The first dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a first position of the article where the first portion is located and the second dominant property is selected to handle operating conditions at a second position of the article where the second portion is located.