A Cu-based sintered sliding member that can be used under high-load conditions. The sliding member is age-hardened, including 5 to 30 mass % Ni, 5 to 20 mass % Sn, 0.1 to 1.2 mass % P, and the rest including Cu and unavoidable impurities. In the sliding member, an alloy phase containing higher concentrations of Ni, P and Sn than their average concentrations in the whole part of the sliding member, is allowed to be present in a grain boundary of a metallic texture, thereby achieving excellent wear resistance. Hence, without needing expensive hard particles, there can be obtained, at low cost, a Cu-based sintered sliding member usable under high-load conditions. Even more excellent wear resistance is achieved by containing 0.3 to 10 mass % of at least one solid lubricant selected from among graphite, graphite fluoride, molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, boron nitride, calcium fluoride, talc and magnesium silicate mineral powders.

A preparation method of a high-strength and high-toughness A356.2 metal matrix composites for a hub is provided, including the following preparation process steps: preparation of a (graphene+HfB.sub.2)-aluminum master alloy wire; A356.2 alloy melting, master alloy addition, refining, and pressure casting; solution and aging treatment; shot blasting, finishing, alkaline/acid cleaning, anodic oxidation, and finished product packaging. In this way, two systems of two-dimensional nano-structure graphene nucleation and in-situ self-nucleation are introduced to complement each other, a second phase of silicon in A356.2 is refined by multi-dimensional scaling, and multi-dimensional nano-phases strengthen the aluminum-based composite material simultaneously. The preparation method solves the problems of limiting the strength, hardness, plasticity and toughness during the application of common A356.2 alloys for a hub, and a graphene/HfB.sub.2/aluminum composite material produced by a low-pressure casting process has an excellent comprehensive performance, so as to achieve a further weight reduction requirement for light weight.

A method for obtaining a lead-free or low lead content brass billet subjects a mixture of lead-free or low lead content brass chips and graphite powder to extrusion, either direct or inverted. The method obtains lead-free or low lead content brass billets.

There is provided a sintered friction material for railway vehicles that has excellent frictional properties and wear resistance even in a high speed range of 280 km/hour or more. The sintered friction material for railway vehicles is a green compact sintered material containing, in mass %, Cu: 50.0 to 75.0%, graphite: 5.0 to 15.0%, one or more selected from the group consisting of magnesia, zircon sand, silica, zirconia, mullite, and silicon nitride: 1.5 to 15.0%, one or more selected from the group consisting of W and Mo: 3.0 to 30.0%, and one or more selected from the group consisting of ferrochromium, ferrotungsten, ferromolybdenum, and stainless steel: 2.0 to 20.0%, with the balance being impurities.

Elongated, ultra-high conductivity electrical conductors for use in advanced electronic components and vehicles, and methods for producing the same, are disclosed herein. The elongated electrical conductors include a conductor body that defines a longitudinal axis. The conductor body includes an isotropically conductive matrix material and a plurality of anisotropically conductive particles interspersed within the isotropically conductive matrix material. Each anisotropically conductive particle defines a respective axis of enhanced electrical conductivity that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the conductor body. The methods include providing a bulk matrix-particle composite that includes the isotropically conductive matrix material and the plurality of anisotropically conductive particles. The methods further include forming the bulk matrix-particle composite into an elongated electrical conductor and aligning the plurality of anisotropically conductive particles such that the respective axis of enhanced electrical conductivity thereof is at least substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated electrical conductor.

A powder metal compact is disclosed. The powder metal compact includes a cellular nanomatrix comprising a nanomatrix material. The powder metal compact also includes a plurality of dispersed particles comprising a particle core material that comprises an Mg—Zr, Mg—Zn—Zr, Mg—Al—Zn—Mn, Mg—Zn—Cu—Mn or Mg—W alloy, or a combination thereof, dispersed in the cellular nanomatrix.

Articles containing a matrix material and plurality of copper nanoparticles in the matrix material that have been at least partially fused together are described. The copper nanoparticles are less than about 20 nm in size. Copper nanoparticles of this size become fused together at temperatures and pressures that are much lower than that of bulk copper. In general, the fusion temperatures decrease with increasing applied pressure and lowering of the size of the copper nanoparticles. The size of the copper nanoparticles can be varied by adjusting reaction conditions including, for example, surfactant systems, addition rates, and temperatures. Copper nanoparticles that have been at least partially fused together can form a thermally conductive percolation pathway in the matrix material.

This disclosure relates in general to three dimensional (“3D”) printers having a configuration that prepares a three-dimensional object by using a feedstock comprising a metal or a polymer compound and a carbon coating formed on a surface of the compound. This disclosure also relates to such feedstocks and their preparation methods. This disclosure further relates to 3D composite objects prepared by using such printers and feedstocks. This disclosure also relates to carbon containing photocurable formulations and methods for their preparation. This disclosure further relates to electrically conducting 3D polymer composites prepared by using such carbon containing photocurable formulations.

Raw material powder containing metal powder as a main component is molded to form a metal powder molded body (3′), and the metal powder molded body (3′) is sintered to form a metal substrate (3). Further, a lubricating member (4) is made of an aggregate of graphite particles (13), and at least a part of a bearing surface (11) is formed of the fabricating member (4). The lubricating member (4) is fitted into the metal powder molded body (3′). After that, the metal powder molded body (3′) is sintered, and at this time, the lubricating member (4) is fixed onto the metal substrate (3) with a contraction force (F) generated in the metal powder molded body (3′).

Provided are an aluminum alloy having an adjusted microstructure in an aluminum matrix or an aluminum alloy matrix for high elongation percentage or high strength and a method of fabricating the same. The aluminum alloy includes an aluminum-based matrix; and a nonmetal element solidified in the aluminum-based matrix, wherein stacking fault energy of the aluminum alloy is decreased compared to that of pure aluminum.