A high-quality porous aluminum sintered compact, which can be produced efficiently at a low cost; has an excellent dimensional accuracy with a low shrinkage ratio during sintering; and has sufficient strength, and a method of producing the porous aluminum sintered compact are provided. The porous aluminum sintered compact is the porous aluminum sintered compact that includes aluminum substrates sintered each other. The junction, in which the aluminum substrates are bonded each other, includes the TiAl compound and the eutectic element compound capable of eutectic reaction with Al. It is preferable that the pillar-shaped protrusions projecting toward the outside are formed on outer surfaces of the aluminum substrates, and the pillar-shaped protrusions include the junction.

A metallic coating includes a first metal, a second metal, phosphorous, and graphene nanoparticles. The first metal may be nickel and the second metal may be a refractory metal, such as tungsten, rhenium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, or mixtures thereof. The metallic coating may have, by weight, 1.0% to 40.0% of refractory metal, 1.0% to 20.0% of phosphorous, 0.01% to 5.0% of the graphene nanoplatelets, and a remainder of the nickel.

A powdered material preform includes a pressed powdered metal or other powdered material, where the preform is processed and sealed so that a skin or shell is formed at the outer surface of the preform (such as via melting an outer layer or surface of the preform or via adding an outer layer around the preform or via a combination thereof), with an inner portion of the preform comprising pressed powdered material. The skinned preform may comprise a shape that is generally similar to that of a final product or part to be formed, or may simply comprise a puck or shape of approximately the same mass of the shape being formed, and the skinned preform is suitable for use in subsequent densification and/or consolidation processes or combinations thereof to form the final, fully processed part.

Provided is a metal matrix nanocomposite comprising: (a) a metal or metal alloy as a matrix material; and (b) multiple graphene sheets that are dispersed in said matrix material, wherein said multiple graphene sheets are substantially aligned to be parallel to one another and are in an amount from 0.1% to 95% by volume based on the total nanocomposite volume; wherein the multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof and wherein the chemically functionalized graphene is not graphene oxide. The metal matrix exhibits a combination of exceptional tensile strength, modulus, thermal conductivity, and/or electrical conductivity.

An aluminum alloy powder for additive manufacturing, and method for manufacturing a piece by manufacturing from this powder are disclosed. In one aspect, the alloy powder is composition by weight: Al.sub.compSi.sub.aMg.sub.bZr.sub.cR.sub.d wherein R represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ti, and wherein, in percent by weight: a is between 0.2% and 1%, b is between 0.3% and 1.7%, c is between 0.4% and 5%, and d is between 0% and 1%, wherein the balance consists of aluminum and unavoidable impurities.

Disclosed herein are copper-containing (Cu-containing) conductive pastes, copper (Cu) electrodes formed by firing the Cu-containing conductive paste over a substrate, and articles comprising a structural element with such Cu electrodes, wherein, the Cu-containing conductive paste contains a powder mixture of Cu, Ge, and B particles dispersed in an organic medium.

Described are composites having at least one layer, the at least one layer including an alloy of Al and at least another component or at least one layer including a first and second pluralities of particles. The first plurality of particles may be selected from at least one of Al particles and Al alloy particles. The second plurality of particles may be selected from at least one of metal particles and non-metal particles, wherein the metal particles are selected from at least one of zinc, silicon, bismuth, copper, germanium, indium, antimony, tin, magnesium, or combinations thereof, and the non-metal particles are selected from at least one of carbon, lithium titanium oxide, titania, MoO, MoS.sub.2, Co.sub.2O.sub.4, MnO.sub.2, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, Fc.sub.3O.sub.4, FeS, CuO, or combinations thereof. The composites may be used as both current collectors and active material.

The invention relates to a device, specifically a cast metal object, composed of one or more metals with an additive, such as an aluminate, silicate, or aluminosilicate, dispersed throughout. The additive may be a halloysite nanotube or kaolinite, and may be present in amounts between 0.1 to 10 wt. % relative to the object's total weight. The metal may vary, with options including copper, iron, steel, and their respective alloys. Additionally, a method for generating the cast metal object is provided. The method may provide for preparing a molten material with the metal and additive, pouring this into a casting mold, and cooling it to form the object. The resulting device may be utilized to decrease the transmission of diseases by reducing microbial contamination on touch surfaces. The method may applicable to communicable diseases resulting from viral or bacterial infections, such as coronaviruses or antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

A method of making a porous metal matrix composite is provided. The method includes mixing a metal powder, a plurality of inorganic particles, and a plurality of discontinuous fibers to form a mixture, wherein the metal powder comprises aluminum, magnesium, an aluminum alloy, or a magnesium alloy. The method further includes sintering the mixture to form the porous metal matrix composite. Typically, the inorganic particles comprise porous particles or ceramic bubbles or glass bubbles, and the inorganic particles and the discontinuous fibers are dispersed in the metal. The metal matrix composite has a lower density than the metal and an acceptable yield strength.

When a CuSnBi hadparticle based sliding material is used for sliding, Cu of Cu matrix flows and covers up Bi phase. Seizure resistance lowers as time passes. A Pb-free sliding material preventing the reduction of seizure resistance is provided. (1) Composition: from 1 to 15% of Sn, from 1 to 15% of Bi, from 0.02 to 0.2% of P, and from 1 to 10% of hard particles having an average diameter of from 50 to 70 m, with the balance being Cu and unavoidable impurities. (2) Structure: Bi phase and the hard particles are dispersed in the copper matrix, and all of said hard particles are bonded to the copper matrix.