This paste composition includes silver particles (A), a thermosetting resin (B), a curing agent (C), and a solvent (D). A shrinkage rate after curing of the paste composition is 15% or less.

A method of producing composites of micro-engineered, coated particulates embedded in a matrix of metal, ceramic powders, or combinations thereof, capable of being tailored to exhibit application-specific desired thermal, physical and mechanical properties, such as High Altitude Exo-atmospheric Nuclear Standard (HAENS) I, II or III radiation protection, to form substitute materials for nickel, titanium, rhenium, magnesium, aluminum, graphite epoxy, and beryllium. The particulates are solid and/or hollow and may be coated with one or more layers of deposited materials before being combined within a substrate of powder metal, ceramic or some combination thereof which also may be coated. The combined micro-engineered nano design powder is consolidated using novel solid-state processes that prevent melting of the matrix and which involve the application of varying pressures to control the formation of the microstructure and resultant mechanical properties.

A method of producing composites of micro-engineered, coated particulates embedded in a matrix of metal, ceramic powders, or combinations thereof, capable of being tailored to exhibit application-specific desired thermal, physical and mechanical properties, such as High Altitude Exo-atmospheric Nuclear Standard (HAENS) I, II or III radiation protection, to form substitute materials for nickel, titanium, rhenium, magnesium, aluminum, graphite epoxy, and beryllium. The particulates are solid and/or hollow and may be coated with one or more layers of deposited materials before being combined within a substrate of powder metal, ceramic or some combination thereof which also may be coated. The combined micro-engineered nano design powder is consolidated using novel solid-state processes that prevent melting of the matrix and which involve the application of varying pressures to control the formation of the microstructure and resultant mechanical properties.

Methods for forming nanostructures of various shapes are disclosed. Nanocubes, nanowires, nanopyramids and multiply twinned particles of silver may by formed by combining a solution of silver nitrate in ethylene glycol with a solution of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) in ethylene glycol. Hollow nanostructures may be formed by reacting a solution of solid nanostructures comprising one of a first metal and a first metal alloy with a metal salt that can be reduced by the first metal or first metal alloy. Nanostructures comprising a core with at least one nanoshell may be formed by plating a nanostructure and reacting the plating with a metal salt.

Methods for forming nanostructures of various shapes are disclosed. Nanocubes, nanowires, nanopyramids and multiply twinned particles of silver may by formed by combining a solution of silver nitrate in ethylene glycol with a solution of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) in ethylene glycol. Hollow nanostructures may be formed by reacting a solution of solid nanostructures comprising one of a first metal and a first metal alloy with a metal salt that can be reduced by the first metal or first metal alloy. Nanostructures comprising a core with at least one nanoshell may be formed by plating a nanostructure and reacting the plating with a metal salt.

A method for preparing prefabricated gas pore defects includes: defining a defect area, defining a volume percentage of the gas pore defects in the defect area, adjusting the proportion of satellite powder, the proportion of hollow powder and the process parameters of defect preparation according to the volume percentage of the gas pore defects, based on the technique of laser melting deposition, printing the defect area layer by layer by using the defect preparation powder and the process parameters of defect preparation, wherein the particle size of the defect preparation powder is between 45 μm and 106 μm, the proportion of satellite powder is 55-65% and the proportion of hollow powder is 2.9-3.1%, the process parameters of defect preparation comprises: laser power of 600W-1000W, scanning rate of 400 mm/min-800 mm/min, powder feeding rate of 12 g/min-20 g/min, spot diameter of 1 mm-2 mm, scanning spacing of 0.5 mm-1 mm and layer thickness of 0.15 mm-0.2 mm.

A method for preparing prefabricated gas pore defects includes: defining a defect area, defining a volume percentage of the gas pore defects in the defect area, adjusting the proportion of satellite powder, the proportion of hollow powder and the process parameters of defect preparation according to the volume percentage of the gas pore defects, based on the technique of laser melting deposition, printing the defect area layer by layer by using the defect preparation powder and the process parameters of defect preparation, wherein the particle size of the defect preparation powder is between 45 μm and 106 μm, the proportion of satellite powder is 55-65% and the proportion of hollow powder is 2.9-3.1%, the process parameters of defect preparation comprises: laser power of 600W-1000W, scanning rate of 400 mm/min-800 mm/min, powder feeding rate of 12 g/min-20 g/min, spot diameter of 1 mm-2 mm, scanning spacing of 0.5 mm-1 mm and layer thickness of 0.15 mm-0.2 mm.

Powders, electrodes, zinc-air batteries and corresponding methods are provided. Powders comprise perforated shells having a size of at least 100 nm and comprising openings smaller than 10 nm. The shells are electrically conductive and/or comprise an electrically conductive coating. Powders further comprise zinc and/or zinc oxide which resides at least partially within the shells. Methods comprise wetting the shells with a zinc solution to yield at least partial penetration of the zinc solution through the openings, and coating zinc internally in the shells by application of electric current to the shells. Upon electrode preparation from the powder, cell construction and cell operation, zinc is oxidized to provide energy and the shells retain formed Zn O therewith, providing sufficient volume for the associated expansion and maintaining thereby the mechanical stability and structure of the electrode—to enable many operation cycles of the rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Powders, electrodes, zinc-air batteries and corresponding methods are provided. Powders comprise perforated shells having a size of at least 100 nm and comprising openings smaller than 10 nm. The shells are electrically conductive and/or comprise an electrically conductive coating. Powders further comprise zinc and/or zinc oxide which resides at least partially within the shells. Methods comprise wetting the shells with a zinc solution to yield at least partial penetration of the zinc solution through the openings, and coating zinc internally in the shells by application of electric current to the shells. Upon electrode preparation from the powder, cell construction and cell operation, zinc is oxidized to provide energy and the shells retain formed Zn O therewith, providing sufficient volume for the associated expansion and maintaining thereby the mechanical stability and structure of the electrode—to enable many operation cycles of the rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Powders, electrodes, zinc-air batteries and corresponding methods are provided. Powders comprise perforated shells having a size of at least 100 nm and comprising openings smaller than 10 nm. The shells are electrically conductive and/or comprise an electrically conductive coating. Powders further comprise zinc and/or zinc oxide which resides at least partially within the shells. Methods comprise wetting the shells with a zinc solution to yield at least partial penetration of the zinc solution through the openings, and coating zinc internally in the shells by application of electric current to the shells. Upon electrode preparation from the powder, cell construction and cell operation, zinc is oxidized to provide energy and the shells retain formed Zn O therewith, providing sufficient volume for the associated expansion and maintaining thereby the mechanical stability and structure of the electrode—to enable many operation cycles of the rechargeable zinc-air batteries.