Described herein are methods of forming a neutron shielding material. Such material may comprise a powder blend comprising a first component comprising a blend of a first metal particle and a first ceramic particle; and a second component comprising a reinforcing chip, the reinforcing chip comprising a second ceramic particle dispersed within a chip metal matrix.

An aluminum-based composite material includes a plurality of coarse crystalline grains (3) of pure aluminum, and a plurality of fine crystalline grains (4) each having an aluminum matrix (1), and a dispersion material (2) dispersed inside the aluminum matrix and formed by reacting a portion or all of an additive with aluminum in the aluminum matrix. The fine crystalline grains exist among the coarse crystalline grains, and the fine crystalline grains have crystalline grain diameters smaller than crystalline grain diameters of the coarse crystalline grains.

A composite structure with an aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The composite structure includes a substrate with an open hole in that surface and the aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide. The aluminum-based alloy layer is disposed in the open hole and contains aluminum, boron, carbon, and oxygen, wherein the content of aluminum is between 4 at. % and 55 at. %, the content of boron is between 9 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of carbon is between 13 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of oxygen is between 2 at. % and 38 at. %, and the ratio of the content of boron to carbon is between 0.3 and 2.7.

The present invention relates to the composition and production of an engineered degradable metal matrix composite that is useful in constructing temporary systems requiring wear resistance, high hardness, and/or high resistance to deformation in water-bearing applications such as, but not limited to, oil and gas completion operations.

The present invention relates to an aluminum matrix composite (AMC), and particularly to a method and apparatus for preparing an AMC with a high strength, a high toughness, and a high neutron absorption. The present invention combines a high-neutron-absorption and highly stable micro-B.sub.4C extrinsic reinforcement with an in-situ nano-reinforcement containing elements B, Cd, and Hf and having high neutron capture ability, achieves efficient absorption of neutrons by using the large cross-sectional area of the micro-reinforcement, achieves effective capture of rays penetrating gaps of the micro-reinforcement by means of the highly dispersed in-situ nano-reinforcement, and significantly improves the toughness of the composite material by means of the high-dispersion toughening effect of the nano-reinforcement, obtaining a particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composite (PAMC) having high toughness and high neutron absorption.

A composite structure with an aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The composite structure includes a substrate with an open hole in that surface and the aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide. The aluminum-based alloy layer is disposed in the open hole and contains aluminum, boron, carbon, and oxygen, wherein the content of aluminum is between 4 at. % and 55 at. %, the content of boron is between 9 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of carbon is between 13 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of oxygen is between 2 at. % and 38 at. %, and the ratio of the content of boron to carbon is between 0.3 and 2.7.

Described herein are methods of forming a neutron shielding material. Such material may comprise a powder blend comprising a first component comprising a blend of a first metal particle and a first ceramic particle; and a second component comprising a reinforcing chip, the reinforcing chip comprising a second ceramic particle dispersed within a chip metal matrix.

The invention relates to vertical or inclined electrodes of an electrolyzer for electrolytically producing aluminum from aluminum oxide. An electrode contains an electrode base and a surface coating based on refractory ceramics. According to a first variant of the invention, the electrode base is made of a composite material containing between 5% and 90% by mass of refractory ceramics, and of at least one metal having a melting temperature exceeding 1000° C., which forms refractory intermetallic compounds upon interaction with aluminum, and/or containing at least one alloy of such a metal. According to a second variant of the invention, the electrode base is made of a metal alloy, for example structural steel or another alloy, and the surface of the electrode base has applied thereto an intermediary layer consisting of a composite material having the composition described above.

The invention is a process for manufacturing a nano aluminum/alumina metal matrix composite and composition produced therefrom. The process is characterized by providing an aluminum powder having a natural oxide formation layer and an aluminum oxide content between about 0.1 and about 4.5 wt. % and a specific surface area of from about 0.3 and about 5 m.sup.2/g, hot working the aluminum powder, and forming a superfine grained matrix aluminum alloy. Simultaneously there is formed in situ a substantially uniform distribution of nano particles of alumina. The alloy has a substantially linear property/temperature profile, such that physical properties such as strength are substantially maintained even at temperatures of 250° C. and above.

A structured multi-phase composite which include a metal phase, and a low stiffness, high thermal conductivity phase or encapsulated phase change material, that are arranged to create a composite having high thermal conductivity, having reduced/controlled stiffness, and a low CTE to reduce thermal stresses in the composite when exposed to cyclic thermal loads. The structured multi-phase composite is useful for use in structures such as, but not limited to, high speed engine ducts, exhaust-impinged structures, heat exchangers, electrical boxes, heat sinks, and heat spreaders.