A variety of additive manufacturing techniques can be adapted to fabricate a substantially net shape object from a computerized model using materials that can be debound and sintered into a fully dense metallic part or the like. However, during sintering, the net shape will shrink as binder escapes and the base material fuses into a dense final part. If the foundation beneath the object does not shrink in a corresponding fashion, the resulting stresses throughout the object can lead to fracturing, warping or other physical damage to the object resulting in a failed fabrication. To address this issue, a variety of techniques are disclosed for substrates and build plates that contract in a manner complementary to the object during debinding and sintering.

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of thermal interface material assemblies. In one exemplary embodiment, a thermal interface material assembly generally includes a thermal interface material having a first side and a second side and a dry material having a thickness of about 0.0001 inches or less. The dry material is disposed along at least a portion of the first side of the thermal interface material.

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of thermal interface material assemblies. In one exemplary embodiment, a thermal interface material assembly generally includes a thermal interface material having a first side and a second side and a dry material having a thickness of about 0.0001 inches or less. The dry material is disposed along at least a portion of the first side of the thermal interface material.

Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a toughened TiAl-based alloy sheet with periodically misaligned through-hole titanium alloy layers sequentially stacked together. A through structure is formed in the misaligned through-hole titanium alloy layer. Two openings of the through structure are respectively located on upper and lower surfaces of the titanium alloy layer. The misaligned opening position of the through structure is at a center position of a quadrangle formed by every four through holes in adjacent titanium alloy layers. The through structure is filled with a TiAl-based alloy. The TiAl-based alloy layers on adjacent sides of the titanium alloy layer are connected through the TiAl-based alloy in the through structure. The TiAl-based alloy layer is connected to the titanium alloy layer through a Ti.sub.3Al interface layer. The TiAl-based alloy and the titanium alloy in the through structure are connected through a Ti.sub.3Al interface layer.

Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a toughened TiAl-based alloy sheet with periodically misaligned through-hole titanium alloy layers sequentially stacked together. A through structure is formed in the misaligned through-hole titanium alloy layer. Two openings of the through structure are respectively located on upper and lower surfaces of the titanium alloy layer. The misaligned opening position of the through structure is at a center position of a quadrangle formed by every four through holes in adjacent titanium alloy layers. The through structure is filled with a TiAl-based alloy. The TiAl-based alloy layers on adjacent sides of the titanium alloy layer are connected through the TiAl-based alloy in the through structure. The TiAl-based alloy layer is connected to the titanium alloy layer through a Ti.sub.3Al interface layer. The TiAl-based alloy and the titanium alloy in the through structure are connected through a Ti.sub.3Al interface layer.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a sinterable bonding material capable of providing a bonded article having a long-term reliability. The present invention relates to a sinterable bonding material comprising a silver filler and resin particles, wherein the silver filler comprises a flake-shaped filler having an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of 10 nm or less; and the resin particles have an elastic modulus (E) of 10 GPa or less, and a heat decomposition temperature of 200° C. or more. The sintered product of the sinterable bonding material of the present invention is excellent in bonding strength and heat-release characteristics, and has an improved stress relaxation ability.

A method, product, apparatus, and article of manufacture for the application of the Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) method to produce objects in metal, and in metal fiber hybrids or composites. The approach has many advantages, including the ability to produce more complex geometries than conventional methods such as milling and casting, improved material properties, higher production rates and the elimination of complex fixturing, complex tool paths and tool changes and, for casting, the need for patterns and tools. The approach works by slicing a 3D model, selectively printing a fluid onto a sheet of substrate material for each layer based on the model, flooding onto the substrate a powdered metal to which the fluid adheres in printed areas, clamping and aligning a stack of coated sheets, heating the stacked sheets to melt the powdered metal and fuse the layers of substrate, and removing excess powder and unfused substrate.

A method, product, apparatus, and article of manufacture for the application of the Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) method to produce objects in metal, and in metal fiber hybrids or composites. The approach has many advantages, including the ability to produce more complex geometries than conventional methods such as milling and casting, improved material properties, higher production rates and the elimination of complex fixturing, complex tool paths and tool changes and, for casting, the need for patterns and tools. The approach works by slicing a 3D model, selectively printing a fluid onto a sheet of substrate material for each layer based on the model, flooding onto the substrate a powdered metal to which the fluid adheres in printed areas, clamping and aligning a stack of coated sheets, heating the stacked sheets to melt the powdered metal and fuse the layers of substrate, and removing excess powder and unfused substrate.

Method of manufacturing a transparent electrically conductive substrate having an application process whereby a wet layer is formed by applying onto a substrate film a coating liquid comprising metallic nanowires dispersed in a solvent, and a drying process whereby the solvent contained in the abovementioned wet layer is removed by drying, characterised in that the abovementioned drying process includes a process whereby the orientation of the abovementioned metallic nanowires is altered by introducing a forced draft facing towards the substrate from a direction that is different from the longitudinal direction of the substrate film.

Method of manufacturing a transparent electrically conductive substrate having an application process whereby a wet layer is formed by applying onto a substrate film a coating liquid comprising metallic nanowires dispersed in a solvent, and a drying process whereby the solvent contained in the abovementioned wet layer is removed by drying, characterised in that the abovementioned drying process includes a process whereby the orientation of the abovementioned metallic nanowires is altered by introducing a forced draft facing towards the substrate from a direction that is different from the longitudinal direction of the substrate film.