Some variations provide a process for additive manufacturing of a nanofunctionalized metal alloy, comprising: providing a nanofunctionalized metal precursor containing metals and grain-refining nanoparticles; exposing a first amount of the nanofunctionalized metal precursor to an energy source for melting the precursor, thereby generating a first melt layer; solidifying the first melt layer, thereby generating a first solid layer; and repeating many times to generate a plurality of solid layers in an additive-manufacturing build direction. The additively manufactured, nanofunctionalized metal alloy has a microstructure with equiaxed grains. Other variations provide an additively manufactured, nanofunctionalized metal alloy comprising metals selected from aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, titanium, magnesium, zinc, silicon, lithium, silver, chromium, manganese, vanadium, bismuth, gallium, or lead; and grain-refining nanoparticles selected from zirconium, tantalum, niobium, titanium, or oxides, nitrides, hydrides, carbides, or borides thereof, wherein the additively manufactured, nanofunctionalized metal alloy has a microstructure with equiaxed grains.

A method of making an article is disclosed. According to the method, an energy beam is directed to a build location on a substrate, and a first powder material is delivered to the build location on the substrate and melted with the energy beam. A second powder material is delivered to the build location on the substrate over the first material and melted with the energy beam. The direction of the energy beam and delivery and melting of the first and second powders is repeated at multiple build locations on the substrate to form a solid surface of the article of the second material. The solid surface comprising the second material is subjected to a finishing process.

A method of making an article is disclosed. According to the method, an energy beam is directed to a build location on a substrate, and a first powder material is delivered to the build location on the substrate and melted with the energy beam. A second powder material is delivered to the build location on the substrate over the first material and melted with the energy beam. The direction of the energy beam and delivery and melting of the first and second powders is repeated at multiple build locations on the substrate to form a solid surface of the article of the second material. The solid surface comprising the second material is subjected to a finishing process.

A sliding member of the present invention includes a coating on a base material. The coating contains hard metal particles and corrosion-resistant metal particles that have hardness lower than that of the hard metal particles. The hard metal particles contain particles that have at least Vickers hardness of 600 Hv or higher. The corrosion-resistant metal particles are made of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni), or are made of an alloy containing said metal. The coating has a cross section in which the hard metal particles are dispersed in an island manner in a particle aggregate of the corrosion-resistant metal particles and in which an area ratio of the corrosion-resistant metal particles is 30% or larger. Thus, corrosion of the hard metal particles in the coating is prevented, whereby the sliding member maintains wear resistance for a long time.

A sliding member of the present invention includes a coating on a base material. The coating contains hard metal particles and corrosion-resistant metal particles that have hardness lower than that of the hard metal particles. The hard metal particles contain particles that have at least Vickers hardness of 600 Hv or higher. The corrosion-resistant metal particles are made of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni), or are made of an alloy containing said metal. The coating has a cross section in which the hard metal particles are dispersed in an island manner in a particle aggregate of the corrosion-resistant metal particles and in which an area ratio of the corrosion-resistant metal particles is 30% or larger. Thus, corrosion of the hard metal particles in the coating is prevented, whereby the sliding member maintains wear resistance for a long time.

A method for depositing lithium on a substrate to form an electrode is provided. The method includes applying a printable lithium composition comprised of lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder, to a substrate.

A solid-state battery comprising a cathode, an anode and a solid electrolyte is provided. In one embodiment, the cathode, anode and/or solid electrolyte is formed from a printable lithium composition including lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder, and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder. In another embodiment, lithium is deposited onto the solid electrolyte with a lithium printable lithium composition including lithium metal powder, a polymer binder compatible with the lithium metal powder, a rheology modifier compatible with the lithium metal powder, and a solvent compatible with the lithium metal powder and with the polymer binder.

Systems, methods, components, and materials are disclosed for stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional, dense objects. A resin including at least one component of a binder system and dispersed particles can be exposed to an activation light source. The activation light source can cure the at least one component of the binder system to form a green object, which can include the at least one component of the binder system and the particles. A dense object can be formed from the green object by removing the at least one component of the binder system in an extraction process and thermally processing particles to coalesce into the dense object.

A method for manufacturing a pitch bearing or a yaw bearing for a wind turbine includes forming an outer race of the bearing of a base material. The method also includes forming an inner race of the bearing of the base material. Further, one of the inner race or the outer race defines a circumferential surface comprising a plurality of gear teeth. The method further includes arranging the inner race within the outer race. In addition, the method includes providing a plurality of roller elements between the outer and inner races. Moreover, the method includes applying a coating material to at least a portion of the plurality of gear teeth via an additive manufacturing process. The coating material is different than the base material. As such, the coating material provides at least one of increased hardness, strength, or durability to the base material.

A method includes applying a sintering precursor material layer to each of a first surface and a second surface of a ceramic tile, and assembling a precursor assembly of a direct bonded copper (DBC) substrate by coupling a first leadframe on the sinter precursor material layer on the first surface of the ceramic tile and a second leadframe on the second surface of the sinter precursor material layer on a second surface of the ceramic tile such that the ceramic tile is disposed between the first leadframe and the second leadframe. The method further includes sinter bonding the first leadframe and the second leadframe to the ceramic tile to form a sinter bonded DBC substrate.