MMC’s comprising an Al—RE alloy-based matrix and ceramic, metal and/or intermetallic reinforcement particulates dispersed in the alloy matrix provide improved strength and ductility wherein the reinforcement particulates have a higher melting temperature than the matrix alloy.

The present invention relates to a foam material comprising:—a structural matrix (1),—at least one guest phase (2), and—a fluid, the material being characterised in that the structural matrix (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected pores (3), the one or more guest phases (2) are accommodated inside at least one pore (3) of the structural matrix (1) and the fluid is accommodated inside the pores (3). The present invention further relates to the process for preparing the foam material according to the present invention and to the various uses of the foam material according to the present invention.

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.

Process for formation of composite coatings and composite coatings formed thereby. A process for formation of a metal-matrix composite coating on a surface of a substrate is provided. The substrate is an aluminum alloy. The metal-matrix composite coating is formed on the substrate through laser deposition using filler materials comprising aluminum, silicon and graphite. The particles forming the metal-matrix composite coating are formed in-situ from the filler materials. A metal-matrix composite coating obtained by the laser deposition process with in-situ formation of particles is also provided.

A system of obtaining an aluminium melt including SiC particles for use when moulding vehicle parts, e.g. brake disks, the system comprises a pre-processing tank (2), configured to receive SiC particles and to apply a pre-processing procedure to pre-process the SiC particles; a SiC particle transport member (4) configured to transport the pre-processed SiC particles from the pre-processing tank (2) to a crucible (6) of a melting furnace device (8), and the melting furnace device (8) is configured to receive and melt solid aluminium, e.g. aluminium slabs, and to hold an aluminium melt (10) and to receive said pre-processed SiC particles (12). The system also comprises a tube-like SiC particle mixing arrangement (14) defining and enclosing an elongated mixing chamber (16), the mixing arrangement (14) is configured to be mounted in said crucible (6) and structured to receive into said mixing chamber (16) said pre-processed SiC particles (12) via a first inlet (18) and said aluminium melt (10) via at least one second inlet (20), and to apply a mixing procedure by rotating a rotatable mixing member (22) arranged in said mixing chamber (16) about said longitudinal axis A, wherein said pre-processed SiC particles are mixed together with the aluminium melt in said mixing chamber. The mixing arrangement (14) is provided with at least one outlet (26) to feed out the mixture from said mixing chamber into said crucible.

A system of obtaining an aluminium melt including SiC particles for use when moulding vehicle parts, e.g. brake disks. The system comprises a pre-processing tank (2),configured to receive SiC particles and to apply a pre-processing procedure to pre-process the SiC particles; a SiC particle transport member (4) configured to transport the pre-processed SiC particles from the pre-processing tank (2) to a crucible (6) of a melting furnace device (8), and that the melting furnace device (8) is configured to receive and melt solid aluminium, e.g. aluminium slabs, and to hold an aluminium melt (10) and to receive said pre-processed SiC particles (12). The pre-processing tank (2) is a fluidization tank, and that said pre-processing procedure is a fluidization procedure including heating and fluidizing of said SiC particles. The fluidization procedure is performed during a predetermined time period, and that said heating comprises heating said SiC particles up to at least 400° C., in order to achieve a protective oxide layer around said SiC particles.

A composite member excellent in corrosion resistance of a substrate and excellent in heat radiation property is provided. A composite member includes a substrate composed of a composite material containing magnesium or a magnesium alloy and SiC and a coating layer provided on a surface of the substrate. The coating layer includes an outermost layer provided as an outermost surface and an intermediate layer provided directly under the outermost layer. The outermost layer contains nickel and phosphorus. The intermediate layer is mainly composed of copper. The intermediate layer has a thickness not smaller than 30 μm.

A powder metallurgically produced, wear-resistant, and highly thermally conductive copper-based sintered alloy as matrix is disclosed. The sintered alloy includes a powder mixture of a copper-base powder, of a hard phase with a total share of 8 to 40% by weight, of a solid lubricant with a total share of 0.4 to 3.8% by weight, of a pressing additive with a total share of 0.3 to 1.5% by weight, and production-related impurities. The powder mixture includes at least 55% by weight of the copper-base powder.

Methods and apparatuses for in situ synthesis of SiC, CMCs, and MMCs are disclosed, comprising: providing an apparatus having: an electromagnetic energy source; an autofocusing scanner; a powder system for SiC and one or more powders; a powder delivery system; a shielding gas comprising argon and/or nitrogen; and a computer coupled to and configured to control the energy source, scanner, powder system, and powder delivery system to deposit layers of the sample; programming the computer with specifications of the sample; using the computer to control electromagnetic radiation, mixing ratio, and powder deposition parameters based on the specifications of the sample; and using the autofocusing scanner to focus and scan the electromagnetic radiation onto the sample while the powders are concurrently deposited by the powder delivery system onto the sample to create a melting pool to deposit one or more layers onto the sample. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Methods and apparatuses for in situ synthesis of SiC, CMCs, and MMCs are disclosed, comprising: providing an apparatus having: an electromagnetic energy source; an autofocusing scanner; a powder system for SiC and one or more powders; a powder delivery system; a shielding gas comprising argon and/or nitrogen; and a computer coupled to and configured to control the energy source, scanner, powder system, and powder delivery system to deposit layers of the sample; programming the computer with specifications of the sample; using the computer to control electromagnetic radiation, mixing ratio, and powder deposition parameters based on the specifications of the sample; and using the autofocusing scanner to focus and scan the electromagnetic radiation onto the sample while the powders are concurrently deposited by the powder delivery system onto the sample to create a melting pool to deposit one or more layers onto the sample. Other embodiments are described and claimed.