Composite materials include a steel matrix with reinforcing carbon fiber integrated into the matrix, and having unreinforced regions suitable for stamping or other deformation. The composite materials have substantially lower density than steel, and are expected to have appreciable strength within regions having the reinforcing carbon fiber, while having greater deformability in unreinforced regions. Methods for forming composite steel composites includes combining at least two laterally spaced apart reinforcing carbon fiber components, such as a carbon fiber weave, with steel nanoparticles and sintering the steel nanoparticles in order to form a steel matrix with reinforcing carbon fiber integrated therein, and unreinforced regions located in the lateral spaces between carbon fiber components.

Disclosed herein is a composite comprising a metal alloy matrix; where the metal alloy matrix comprises aluminum in an amount greater than 50 atomic percent; a first metal and a second metal; where the first metal is different from the second metal; and where the metal alloy matrix comprises a low temperature melting phase and a high temperature melting phase; where the low temperature melting phase melts at a temperature that is lower than the high temperature melting phase; and a contracting constituent; where the contracting constituent exerts a compressive force on the metal alloy matrix at a temperature between a melting point of the low temperature melting phase and a melting point of the high temperature melting phase or below the melting points of the high and low temperature melting phases.

Disclosed herein is a composite comprising a metal alloy matrix; where the metal alloy matrix comprises aluminum in an amount greater than 50 atomic percent; a first metal and a second metal; where the first metal is different from the second metal; and where the metal alloy matrix comprises a low temperature melting phase and a high temperature melting phase; where the low temperature melting phase melts at a temperature that is lower than the high temperature melting phase; and a contracting constituent; where the contracting constituent exerts a compressive force on the metal alloy matrix at a temperature between a melting point of the low temperature melting phase and a melting point of the high temperature melting phase or below the melting points of the high and low temperature melting phases.

The present invention relates to a composite material based on aluminium or copper and tin oxide-functionalized carbon nanotubes, to the method for producing same and to a cable comprising said composite material as the electrically conductive element.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head connected to and moveable by the support. The system may also include an encoder configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of material passing through the print head, and a controller in communication with the encoder. The controller may be configured to selectively implement a corrective action in response to the signal.

A hermetically sealed electronic package may include a thermal panel having a panel interior surface and a panel exterior surface with electronic device(s) in thermal communication with the panel interior surface. An enclosure, isolating environmental communication from internal electronic devices and modules, may be coupled to the thermal panel, and the enclosure may have an enclosure interior surface and an enclosure exterior surface. A plurality of electrical feedthroughs may be coupled to the package enclosure for signal and data transmission, and the conducting pin(s) in every electrical feedthrough may be bonded by a hydrophobic sealing material for harsh environmental electrical signal, data and power transmission. The ratio of sealing length over sealing bead diameter in the electrical feedthrough subassembly may have a preferred value from 2 to 3; and the ratio of the sealing bead diameter over pin diameter in the electrical feedthrough subassembly may have a preferred value from 1.5 to 2.0, where a preferred thermal stress resistance could be designed for making highly hermetic sealed electronic package.

A method for forming a connection such as an electrical connection, to a fibre material electrode element comprises moving a length of the fibre material relative to a pressure injection stage and pressure impregnating by a series of pressure injection pulses a lug material into a lug zone part of the fibre material to surround and/or penetrate fibres of the fibre material and form a lug strip in the lug zone. The fibre material may be a carbon fibre material and the lug material a metal such as Pb or a Pb alloy. Apparatus for forming an electrical connection to a fibre material electrode element is also disclosed.

A method is disclosed for fabricating an object. The method may include discharging a material through an outlet of a print head, and moving the print head during discharging to form the object with the material. The method may also include moving the outlet of the print head a distance away from the object to provide a clearance between the outlet and the object, moving a cutting mechanism through the clearance toward the material, and causing the cutting mechanism to sever the material at a distance away from the outlet of the print head.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing an object. The system may include a support, and a print head being connected to and moved by the support. The print head may have an outlet configured to discharge a material and a cutting mechanism configured to sever the material. The system may also include a controller in communication with the support and the print head. The controller may be configured to cause the print head to discharge material through an outlet, and cause the support to move the print head during discharging to form the object with the material. The controller may also be configured to cause the outlet of the print head to be moved a distance away from the object to provide a clearance between the outlet and the object, to cause a cutting mechanism to be moved through the clearance toward the material, and to cause the cutting mechanism to sever the material at a distance away from the outlet of the print head.

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.