A lightweight sandwich panel structure with a complex shape and curvature, and a method to fabricate such a panel out of high temperature alloys. Embodiments of a micro-truss core structure that offer high specific strength and stiffness while allowing for curvature, and methods for depositing multiple layers of metals that can be interdiffused into complex alloys, are provided. A core of a panel may be fabricated from a polymer template, which may be shaped, e.g., curved, and coated with metal layers, which may then be heat treated to cause the layers of metal to interdiffuse, to form an alloy.

Described is a composite material composed of an atomically thin (single layer) amorphous carbon disposed on top of a substrate (metal, glass, oxides) and methods of growing and differentiating stem cells.

Ternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, particularly nickel-titanium based quaternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, are disclosed and made by a method employing physical vapor deposition (PVD), such as by sputtering, of NiTiX, wherein X is a ternary metal constituent. By employing PVD processing, ternary and quaternary NiTi alloy bulk materials may be made in in the as-deposited state such that the configuration and conformation of a desired precursor material, e.g., wires, tubes, planar materials, curvilinear, or as the near finished end product, such as a hypotube for stent manufacture, semilunar for cardiac valves or conical for embolic or caval filters, is formed on a removable deposition substrate in the configuration and conformation of the precursor material or near-finished end product.

To produce an SiO powder having a rounded spherical particulate shape and a small particle diameter; and further having a low degree of impurity contamination, efficiently and economically.

A mixture of Si and SiO.sub.2 as an SiO gas generation raw material 9 is loaded into a crucible 2. The mixture in the crucible 2 is heated under a reduced pressure so as to generate SiO gas. The generated SiO gas is accumulated on a deposition base 5 rotating on the crucible 2. When SiO deposit 10 accumulated on the deposition base 5 is scraped off with a blade 7, a tip of the blade 7 is separated from a surface of the deposition base 5, and in a state in which a portion of the SiO deposit 10 accumulated on the deposition base 5 is left on the deposition base 5, the remaining SiO deposit 10 is scraped off by the blade 7 and collected as an SiO powder 11.

Ternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, particularly nickel-titanium based quaternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, are disclosed and made by a method employing physical vapor deposition (PVD), such as by sputtering, of NiTiX, wherein X is a ternary metal constituent. By employing PVD processing, ternary and quaternary NiTi alloy bulk materials may be made in in the as-deposited state such that the configuration and conformation of a desired precursor material, e.g., wires, tubes, planar materials, curvilinear, or as the near finished end product, such as a hypotube for stent manufacture, semilunar for cardiac valves or conical for embolic or caval filters, is formed on a removable deposition substrate in the configuration and conformation of the precursor material or near-finished end product.

The technique relates to a method for preparing a nanomesh metal membrane 5 transferable on a very wide variety of supports of different types and shapes comprising at least one step of de-alloying 1 a thin layer 6 of a metal alloy deposited on a substrate 7, said method being characterized in that said thin layer 6 has a thickness less than 100 nm, and in that said de-alloying step 1 is carried out by exposing said thin layer 6 to an acid vapor in the gas phase 8, in order to form said nanomesh metal membrane 5.

Provided is a carrier-attached metal foil which can suppress the number of foreign matter particles on the surface of a metal layer to enhance circuit formability, and can keep stable releasability even after heating at a high temperature of 240 C. or higher (for example, 260 C.) for a long period of time. The carrier-attached metal foil includes a carrier, a release functional layer provided on the carrier, the release functional layer including a metal oxynitride, and a metal layer provided on the release functional layer.

A method and an apparatus for producing metal and ceramic coatings on a fluidized bed of particles or fibers are described. The method utilizes a unique apparatus to transfer vibratory motion through a wall of a deposition chamber in order to produce a fluidized bed of particle or fluidized bed of fibers inside the chamber. The method and apparatus are versatile, allowing particles of different shapes, sizes, materials and masses to be fluidized and coated. The fluidization process allows uniform and conformal coatings on particles and fibers. Coatings of pure metals, alloys, or ceramic materials can be produced.

An intravascular stent having a hybrid pattern. The hybrid pattern comprises a plurality of circumferentially self-expansible members comprising a plurality of interconnected, geometrically deformable closed cells, adjacent self-expansible members interconnected by a plurality of bridge members linking a first interconnection between two closed cells in a first self-expansible member to a second interconnection between two closed cells in a second self-expansible member, wherein the second interconnection is circumferentially offset and non-adjacent to the first interconnection.

Cellular materials and methods of making and using the cellular materials.