A three-dimensional metallic foam is fabricated with an active oxide material for use as an anode for lithium batteries. The porous metal foam, which can be fabricated by a freeze-casting process, is used as the anode current collector of the lithium battery. The porous metal foam can be heat-treated to form an active oxide material to form on the surface of the metal foam. The oxide material acts as the three-dimensional active material that reacts with lithium ions during charging and discharging.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.

Powders, electrodes, zinc-air batteries and corresponding methods are provided. Powders comprise perforated shells having a size of at least 100 nm and comprising openings smaller than 10 nm. The shells are electrically conductive and/or comprise an electrically conductive coating. Powders further comprise zinc and/or zinc oxide which resides at least partially within the shells. Methods comprise wetting the shells with a zinc solution to yield at least partial penetration of the zinc solution through the openings, and coating zinc internally in the shells by application of electric current to the shells. Upon electrode preparation from the powder, cell construction and cell operation, zinc is oxidized to provide energy and the shells retain formed Zn O therewith, providing sufficient volume for the associated expansion and maintaining thereby the mechanical stability and structure of the electrode—to enable many operation cycles of the rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Powders, electrodes, zinc-air batteries and corresponding methods are provided. Powders comprise perforated shells having a size of at least 100 nm and comprising openings smaller than 10 nm. The shells are electrically conductive and/or comprise an electrically conductive coating. Powders further comprise zinc and/or zinc oxide which resides at least partially within the shells. Methods comprise wetting the shells with a zinc solution to yield at least partial penetration of the zinc solution through the openings, and coating zinc internally in the shells by application of electric current to the shells. Upon electrode preparation from the powder, cell construction and cell operation, zinc is oxidized to provide energy and the shells retain formed Zn O therewith, providing sufficient volume for the associated expansion and maintaining thereby the mechanical stability and structure of the electrode—to enable many operation cycles of the rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

The present document discloses a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presenting pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.

A porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material includes a composition represented by (1−a)Sn.sub.1-xM.sup.1.sub.x+aM.sup.2+cC, wherein: M.sup.1 includes one or more transition metals, metals, or metalloids; M.sup.2 includes one or more transition metals, metals, or metalloids; x is 0≦x≦1; a is 0≦a≦1; and c is 0<c≦99. A method of forming the porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material includes the steps of dissolving one or more metal salts and a metal salt of polysaccharide to form a mixture; subjecting the mixture to heat treatment under an inert atmosphere to form carbon-metal/alloy composite material and metal salt by-product; and washing the formed carbon-metal/alloy composite material and the metal salt by-product with washing solvent to remove the metal salt by-product and obtain the porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material.

A porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material includes a composition represented by (1−a)Sn.sub.1-xM.sup.1.sub.x+aM.sup.2+cC, wherein: M.sup.1 includes one or more transition metals, metals, or metalloids; M.sup.2 includes one or more transition metals, metals, or metalloids; x is 0≦x≦1; a is 0≦a≦1; and c is 0<c≦99. A method of forming the porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material includes the steps of dissolving one or more metal salts and a metal salt of polysaccharide to form a mixture; subjecting the mixture to heat treatment under an inert atmosphere to form carbon-metal/alloy composite material and metal salt by-product; and washing the formed carbon-metal/alloy composite material and the metal salt by-product with washing solvent to remove the metal salt by-product and obtain the porous carbon-metal/alloy composite material.

A method for surface treatment of a metal material in a powder state is provided, the method including obtaining a powder formed from a plurality of particles of the metal material to be treated; and subjecting the powder to an ion implantation process by directing a beam of singly-charged or multi-charged ions towards an outer surface of the particles, the beam being produced by a source of singly-charged or multi-charged ions, whereby the particles have an overall spherical shape with a radius (R). There is also provided a material in a powder state formed from a plurality of particles having a ceramic outer layer and a metal core, the particles having an overall spherical shape.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional macroporous filament construct having interconnected microporous filaments showing a suitable surface roughness and microporosity. The method includes the steps of: a) preparing a suspension having particles of a predetermined material, a liquid solvent, one or more binders and optionally one or more dispersants, b) depositing the suspension in the form of filaments in a predetermined three-dimensional pattern, preferably in a non-solvent environment, thereby creating a three-dimensional filament-based porous structure, c) inducing phase inversion, whereby said filaments are transformed from a liquid to a solid state, by exposing the filaments during the deposition of the filaments with a non-solvent vapour and to a liquid non-solvent, d) thermally treating the structure of step d) by calcining and sintering the structure. The invention further provides a three-dimensional macroporous filament construct having interconnected microporous filaments showing a specific surface roughness and microporosity. The invention also relates to various uses of the construct, including its use for the manufacture of a biomedical product, such as a synthetic bone implant or bone graft.