A new electrospark deposition (ESD) method and related system are provided in the present invention based on the use of a magnetized electrode, namely magnetic-aided ESD (M-ESD). In particular, the present invention uses a magnetized electrode (either magnetized by an electro-magnet or being a permanent magnet) to attract fine coating powders at the tip thereof which acts as a soft brush to coat on intricate surface profiles. Accordingly, the method of the present invention is able to provide a soft contact between the magnetized anode and the workpiece to be coated or manipulated. The present invention is useful in various surface engineering applications in the fields of aeronautical (e.g. restoration and repair of damaged aircraft turbine blades), nuclear reactors, military engineering, and in medical industries. As compared to conventional ESD, the present invention can address complicated surface geometries and internal surfaces while the cost can be significantly lowered by using inexpensive components and simplified method steps.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

Disclosed is a technology being implemented in an apparatus for coating a substrate with swarf particles. The apparatus facilitates depositing metal coating onto metal surfaces, polymers, and ceramics. In this apparatus, the grinding process is retrofitted to deposit coatings onto substrates that range from soft (e.g., polymers and aluminium) to hard (e.g., glass-ceramic) materials. The apparatus comprises a sample holder, an infeed, and a grinding wheel. The sample holder holds a substrate to be coated with swarf particles. The infeed holding a work piece. The grinding wheel is mounted at a predefined height over the infeed. The apparatus is used to perform metal coating by depositing the swarf materials on surface of the substrate. It may be noted that the swarf materials are generated by grinding the work piece with the grinding wheel.

Disclosed is an AMS process using a water-leachable alloy that reacts with water and dissolves, and a porous metal manufactured using the same. An AMS precursor including element groups that are selected in consideration of the relationship of heat of mixing with the water-leachable alloy composition to be subjected to the AMS process is immersed in the alloy melt, thus manufacturing a bi-continuous structure alloy. The bi-continuous structure alloy is subjected to dealloying using water, thus manufacturing the porous metal. The water-leachable alloy is a Ca-based alloy having high reactivity to water and high oxidation resistance at high temperatures, and a dealloying process thereof is performed using only pure water, unlike a conventional dealloying process performed using a toxic etching solution of a strong acid/strong base. The metal porous body has high elongation, a large surface area, and low thermal conductivity.

Disclosed is an AMS process using a water-leachable alloy that reacts with water and dissolves, and a porous metal manufactured using the same. An AMS precursor including element groups that are selected in consideration of the relationship of heat of mixing with the water-leachable alloy composition to be subjected to the AMS process is immersed in the alloy melt, thus manufacturing a bi-continuous structure alloy. The bi-continuous structure alloy is subjected to dealloying using water, thus manufacturing the porous metal. The water-leachable alloy is a Ca-based alloy having high reactivity to water and high oxidation resistance at high temperatures, and a dealloying process thereof is performed using only pure water, unlike a conventional dealloying process performed using a toxic etching solution of a strong acid/strong base. The metal porous body has high elongation, a large surface area, and low thermal conductivity.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

Provided are: a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet that has an excellent magnetic property and coating adhesiveness after stress relief annealing; and a production method therefor. This grain-oriented electrical steel sheet has: a steel sheet; a metal coating which contains a metal element and which is disposed on the steel sheet; a coating layer A which is a ceramic coating having an oxide content of less than 30 mass % and which is disposed on the metal coating; and a coating layer B which is an insulating tensile coating containing an oxide and which is disposed on the coating layer A, wherein the metal coating has a thickness of 1.0-10.0 nm, and in the metal element, the atomic radius ratio represented by formula (1) is at least 10%, when the atomic radius of iron is defined as RFe and the atomic radius of the metal element as RA.

(|R.sub.FeR.sub.A|/R.sub.Fe)100.Formula (1):

A new scanning electrochemical microscopy tip positioning method that allows topography and surface activity to be resolved independently is presented. A SECM tip is oscillated relative to the surface of interest. Changes in the oscillation amplitude, caused by the intermittent contact of the SECM tip with the surface of interest, are used to detect the surface of interest, and as a feedback signal for various types of imaging.