A method for depositing a metal-based coating on a particulate substrate, including: i) preparing a mixture comprising the particulate substrate, a powder comprising a coating metal oxide of one or more of Ti, Al, Zn, Sn, In, Sb, Ag, Co, V, Ni, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ta, Zr, Nb, Rh, Ru, Mo, Os, Re and W, a reducing agent powder of Al metal or Al alloy, and a powder of aluminium chloride; and ii) mixing and heating the mixture to form a coating on the particulate substrate, to produce a coated substrate product.

The invention relates to a method of additive manufacturing an object using a 3D printing apparatus, in which at least one layer or part of at least one layer is formed by an addition-crosslinking electro-conductive silicone composition comprising : (A) at least one organopolysiloxane compound A comprising, per molecule at least two C.sub.2- C.sub.6 alkenyl radicals bonded to silicon atoms, (B) at least one organohydrogenopolysiloxane compound B comprising, per molecule, at least two hydrogen atoms bonded to an identical or different silicon atom, (C) at least one catalyst C comprising at least one metal from the platinum group or the compound thereof, (D) at least one reinforcing silica filler D, (E) at least one thixotropic agent which is selected from compounds having epoxy group, (poly)ether group, and/or (poly)ester group, organopolysiloxane having an aryl group and mixtures thereof; (F) at least one electro-conductive filler F, which is selected from nickel coated carbon, preferably graphite, graphene or mixtures thereof; (G) optionally at least one crosslinking inhibitor G.

Some variations provide a metal matrix nanocomposite composition comprising metal-containing microparticles and nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are chemically and/or physically disposed on surfaces of the microparticles, and wherein the nanoparticles are consolidated in a three-dimensional architecture throughout the composition. The composition may serve as an ingot for producing a metal matrix nanocomposite. Other variations provide a functionally graded metal matrix nanocomposite comprising a metal-matrix phase and a reinforcement phase containing nanoparticles, wherein the nanocomposite contains a gradient in concentration of the nanoparticles. This nanocomposite may be or be converted into a master alloy. Other variations provide methods of making a metal matrix nanocomposite, methods of making a functionally graded metal matrix nanocomposite, and methods of making a master alloy metal matrix nanocomposite. The metal matrix nanocomposite may have a cast microstructure. The methods disclosed enable various loadings of nanoparticles in metal matrix nanocomposites with a wide variety of compositions.

Some variations provide a metal matrix nanocomposite composition comprising metal-containing microparticles and nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are chemically and/or physically disposed on surfaces of the microparticles, and wherein the nanoparticles are consolidated in a three-dimensional architecture throughout the composition. The composition may serve as an ingot for producing a metal matrix nanocomposite. Other variations provide a functionally graded metal matrix nanocomposite comprising a metal-matrix phase and a reinforcement phase containing nanoparticles, wherein the nanocomposite contains a gradient in concentration of the nanoparticles. This nanocomposite may be or be converted into a master alloy. Other variations provide methods of making a metal matrix nanocomposite, methods of making a functionally graded metal matrix nanocomposite, and methods of making a master alloy metal matrix nanocomposite. The metal matrix nanocomposite may have a cast microstructure. The methods disclosed enable various loadings of nanoparticles in metal matrix nanocomposites with a wide variety of compositions.

Bearing steel comprising cubic boron nitride (c-BN) and/or nickel coated cBN spark plasma sintered at a temperature in the range of 850-1050° C. is disclosed. The tribological and corrosion resistance of the bearing steel improved with increasing the amount of c-BN. Further improvement in the properties was achieved with the incorporation of nickel coated c-BN, which caused a phase transition of the bearing steel from magnetic to non-magnetic phase accompanied by interdiffusion enhancement between the matrix and c-BN reinforcement.

Bearing steel comprising cubic boron nitride (c-BN) and/or nickel coated cBN spark plasma sintered at a temperature in the range of 850-1050° C. is disclosed. The tribological and corrosion resistance of the bearing steel improved with increasing the amount of c-BN. Further improvement in the properties was achieved with the incorporation of nickel coated c-BN, which caused a phase transition of the bearing steel from magnetic to non-magnetic phase accompanied by interdiffusion enhancement between the matrix and c-BN reinforcement.

Carbon-based single metal atom or bimetallic, trimetallic, or multimetallic alloy transition metal-containing catalysts derived from exoelectrogen bacteria and their methods of making and using thereof are described. The method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a solution medium comprising at least an electron donor and an electron acceptor comprised of one or more salts of a transition metal; (b) providing exoelectrogen bacterial cells and mixing the exoelectrogen bacterial cells into the solution medium of step (a); (c) incubating the solution medium of step (b); (d) isolating the exoelectrogen bacterial cells from the incubated solution medium of step (c); and (e) pyrolyzing the exoelectrogen bacterial cells resulting in formation of the catalyst. The electron donor can be formate, acetate, or hydrogen.

Carbon-based single metal atom or bimetallic, trimetallic, or multimetallic alloy transition metal-containing catalysts derived from exoelectrogen bacteria and their methods of making and using thereof are described. The method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a solution medium comprising at least an electron donor and an electron acceptor comprised of one or more salts of a transition metal; (b) providing exoelectrogen bacterial cells and mixing the exoelectrogen bacterial cells into the solution medium of step (a); (c) incubating the solution medium of step (b); (d) isolating the exoelectrogen bacterial cells from the incubated solution medium of step (c); and (e) pyrolyzing the exoelectrogen bacterial cells resulting in formation of the catalyst. The electron donor can be formate, acetate, or hydrogen.

A process comprising: (i) coating particles of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide or boron nitride with a metal alloy or metal layer; (ii) agglomerating the particles of step (i); thermally spraying the agglomerated metal or metal alloy coated particles onto a substrate to provide a coating thereon.

A process comprising: (i) coating particles of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide or boron nitride with a metal alloy or metal layer; (ii) agglomerating the particles of step (i); thermally spraying the agglomerated metal or metal alloy coated particles onto a substrate to provide a coating thereon.