A process for producing a unitary graphene matrix composite, the process comprising: (a) preparing a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dispersed in a fluid medium, wherein the graphene oxide gel is optically transparent or translucent; (b) mixing a carbon or graphite filler phase in said graphene oxide gel to form a slurry; (c) dispensing said slurry onto a surface of a supporting substrate or a cavity of a molding tool; (d) partially or completely removing the fluid medium from the slurry to form a composite precursor; and (e) heat-treating the composite precursor to form the unitary graphene composite at a temperature higher than 100 C. This composite exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface hardness, and scratch resistance.

(Problem) In conventional method for producing artificial graphite, in order to obtain a product having excellent crystallinity, it was necessary to mold a filler and a binder and then repeat impregnation, carbonization and graphitization, and since carbonization and graphitization proceeded by a solid phase reaction, a period of time of as long as 2 to 3 months was required for the production and cost was high and further, a large size structure in the shape of column and cylinder could not be produced. In addition, nanocarbon materials such as carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber and carbon nanohorn could not be produced. (Means to Solve) A properly pre-baked filler is sealed in a graphite vessel and is subsequently subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment, thereby allowing gases such as hydrocarbon and hydrogen to be generated from the filler and precipitating vapor-phase-grown graphite around and inside the filler using the generated gases as a source material, and thereby, an integrated structure of carbide of the filler and the vapor-phase-grown graphite is produced. In addition, nanocarbon materials are produced selectively and efficiently by adding a catalyst or adjusting the HIP treating temperature.

A process for producing a unitary graphene matrix composite, the process comprising: (a) preparing a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dispersed in a fluid medium, wherein the graphene oxide gel is optically transparent or translucent; (b) mixing a carbon or graphite filler phase in said graphene oxide gel to form a slurry; (c) dispensing said slurry onto a surface of a supporting substrate or a cavity of a molding tool; (d) partially or completely removing the fluid medium from the slurry to form a composite precursor, and (e) heat-treating the composite precursor to form the unitary graphene composite at a temperature higher than 100 C. This composite exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface hardness, and scratch resistance.

The invention relates to heat treatment of polymorphic semicrystalline or crystallizable polymers to increase the content of the highest melting crystalline form. Such heat treatment results in a polymer powder that has a consistent, uniform melting range, improved flow and improved durability of the powder particle size for applications that require powder flow at elevated temperatures. In addition to improved powder properties, the articles produced from the powders also exhibit better physical properties in both appearance and in mechanical properties. Thus the invention also includes polymer powders and articles produced by the described processes.

A process for producing a unitary graphene matrix composite, the process comprising: (a) preparing a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dispersed in a fluid medium, wherein the graphene oxide gel is optically transparent or translucent; (b) mixing a carbon or graphite filler phase in said graphene oxide gel to form a slurry; (c) dispensing said slurry onto a surface of a supporting substrate or a cavity of a molding tool; (d) partially or completely removing the fluid medium from the slurry to form a composite precursor, and (e) heat-treating the composite precursor to form the unitary graphene composite at a temperature higher than 100 C. This composite exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface hardness, and scratch resistance.

The invention relates to heat treatment of polymorphic semicrystalline or crystallizable polymers to increase the content of the highest melting crystalline form. Such heat treatment results in a polymer powder that has a consistent, uniform melting range, improved flow and improved durability of the powder particle size for applications that require powder flow at elevated temperatures. In addition to improved powder properties, the articles produced from the powders also exhibit better physical properties in both appearance and in mechanical properties. Thus the invention also includes polymer powders and articles produced by the described processes.

In one instance a semicrystalline polyketone powder useful for additive manufacturing is comprised of a bimodal melt peak determined by an initial differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) scan at 20 C./min and a D.sub.90 particle size of at most 300 micrometers and average particle size of 1 micrometer to 150 micrometers equivalent spherical diameter. In another instance, A composition is comprised of a semicrystalline polyketone powder having a melt peak and a recrystallization peak, wherein the melt peak and recrystallization peak fail to overlap.

Provided are a three-dimensional object additive manufacturing method and device, a storage medium and computer apparatus, where the method includes: forming a powder material layer by using a powder material; applying a liquid material onto the powder material layer according to layer printing data, where the liquid material dissolves at least part of the powder material, and the liquid material includes an active component capable of polymerization; and supplying energy to the powder material layer so that the active component in the liquid material is polymerized, the powder material itself is not polymerized and does not polymerize with the active component, and an area of the powder material layer to which the liquid material is applied is molded to obtain a slice layer of a three-dimensional object.

For laser sintering, a material includes at least one powder that has been treated by heat to modify at least one of: a melting temperature of the at least one powder; and a recrystallization temperature of the at least one powder and results in the narrowing of the melting curve of the treated material relative to the untreated material. The heating can include a series of heating steps. The treatment improves the efficacies of the SLS process and product quality.

A method of manufacturing a synthetic bale, including the steps of heating a mixture of a first plurality of fibers with a second plurality of fibers to cause the first plurality of fibers and the second plurality of fibers to thermally bond with one another to create bonded fibers, directing the bonded fibers into a forming chamber, and outputting the bonded fibers into a sheath configured for use as a synthetic ground-based bale.