In certain embodiments, a method comprises placing nonconductive fibers adjacent to a conductive material, immersing the nonconductive fibers and the conductive material in a plating medium, and applying a voltage to the conductive material to initiate electroplating. The method further comprises engulfing, by electroplating, the nonconductive fibers in metal to create a metal matrix composite.

A cluster of non-collapsed nanowires, a template to produce the same, methods to obtain the template and to obtain the cluster by using the template, and devices having the cluster. The cluster and the template both have an interconnected region and an interconnection-free region.

A cluster of non-collapsed nanowires, a template to produce the same, methods to obtain the template and to obtain the cluster by using the template, and devices having the cluster. The cluster and the template both have an interconnected region and an interconnection-free region.

Provided are a production method of a mold, a manufacturing method of a pattern sheet, a production method of an electroform, a production method of a mold using an electroform, and an original. The production method includes: preparing an original having an inclined portion which is formed in an enclosed shape on an outer peripheral portion of a protruding pattern formed at a center portion on a base and gradually increases in thickness from inside toward outside, and a thermoplastic resin sheet; and forming a recessed pattern on the thermoplastic resin sheet by pressing the original which is heated against the thermoplastic resin sheet at a position where a flat surface of the original and a surface of the thermoplastic resin sheet are separated from each other, cooling the original in the state where the original is pressed, and separating the original from the thermoplastic resin sheet.

Provided are a production method of a mold, a manufacturing method of a pattern sheet, a production method of an electroform, a production method of a mold using an electroform, and an original. The production method includes: preparing an original having an inclined portion which is formed in an enclosed shape on an outer peripheral portion of a protruding pattern formed at a center portion on a base and gradually increases in thickness from inside toward outside, and a thermoplastic resin sheet; and forming a recessed pattern on the thermoplastic resin sheet by pressing the original which is heated against the thermoplastic resin sheet at a position where a flat surface of the original and a surface of the thermoplastic resin sheet are separated from each other, cooling the original in the state where the original is pressed, and separating the original from the thermoplastic resin sheet.

An apparatus includes a template-former, a growth template, having a surface area containing three-dimensional features; a container which includes or retains electrolytes or other fluids from which materials are deposited, removed, or modified onto the growth template or to a structure-in-production; and a computer to plan and control said deposition, removal, or modification.

An apparatus includes a template-former, a growth template, having a surface area containing three-dimensional features; a container which includes or retains electrolytes or other fluids from which materials are deposited, removed, or modified onto the growth template or to a structure-in-production; and a computer to plan and control said deposition, removal, or modification.

An object has a durable superhydrophic, self-cleaning, and icephobic coating includes a substrate and a layer disposed on the substrate, the layer resulting from coating with a formulation having an effective amount of hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticles, liquid silane having one or more groups configured to graft to a hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticle and at least another group that results in hydrophobicity. The hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticles are dispersed in the liquid silane. Another effective amount of synthetic adhesive, selected from thermosetting binders, moisture curing adhesives or polymers that form a strong interaction with a surface, is in solution with a solvent. Upon curing, the layer has a contact angle greater than 90° and a sliding angle of less than 10° and, less than 5% of an area of the layer is removed in a Tape test.

An object has a durable superhydrophic, self-cleaning, and icephobic coating includes a substrate and a layer disposed on the substrate, the layer resulting from coating with a formulation having an effective amount of hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticles, liquid silane having one or more groups configured to graft to a hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticle and at least another group that results in hydrophobicity. The hierarchical structuring micro/nanoparticles are dispersed in the liquid silane. Another effective amount of synthetic adhesive, selected from thermosetting binders, moisture curing adhesives or polymers that form a strong interaction with a surface, is in solution with a solvent. Upon curing, the layer has a contact angle greater than 90° and a sliding angle of less than 10° and, less than 5% of an area of the layer is removed in a Tape test.

A method for producing a porous aluminum foil of the present invention is characterized in that a porous aluminum film is formed on a surface of a substrate by electrolysis using a plating solution containing at least (1) a dialkyl sulfone, (2) an aluminum halide, and (3) a nitrogen-containing compound, and having a water content of 100 to 2000 ppm, and then the film is separated from the substrate. The nitrogen-containing compound is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of an ammonium halide, a hydrogen halide salt of a primary amine, a hydrogen halide salt of a secondary amine, a hydrogen halide salt of a tertiary amine, and a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the general formula: R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4N.X (R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 independently represent an alkyl group and are the same as or different from one another, and X represents a counteranion for the quaternary ammonium cation).