A method of producing a composite material comprising: supplying a metal compound (M.sub.PC) of a product metal (M.sub.P) and a reductant (R) capable of reducing the metal compound (M.sub.PC) of the product metal (MP) to a reactor; forming a composite material comprising a matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.0) of the reductant (R), the product metal (M.sub.P) dispersed in the matrix of oxidised reductant (R.sub.0), and at least one of (i) one or more metal compounds (M.sub.PC.sub.R) of the metal compound (M.sub.PC) in one or more oxidation states and (ii) the reductant (R); and recovering the composite material from the reactor, wherein the metal compound (M.sub.PC) of the product metal (M.sub.P) is fed to the reactor such that it is in excess relative to the reductant (R).

The present invention provides a friction material and a brake pad having excellent wear resistance while exhibiting a high friction coefficient under high-temperature and high-speed conditions. A friction material containing: 40 mass % or more and 80 mass % or less of a matrix containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ni and Fe; 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of inorganic particles containing zircon particles, titania particles, and mullite particles; and 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of a lubricant containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride and calcium fluoride, wherein a content of the zircon particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, a content of the titania particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, and a content of the mullite particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less with respect to a total content of 100 vol % of the zircon particles, the titania particles, and the mullite particles.

A titanium aluminide (TiAl) coating capable of improving high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys and a preparation method thereof are provided. The TiAl coating includes α-AlF.sub.3 nanoparticles, and a content of the α-AlF.sub.3 nanoparticles is 5-30 vol. % of the TiAl coating. The preparation method of the TiAl coating includes: using a TiAl alloy target and an α-AlF.sub.3 target as raw materials, and performing magnetron sputtering on a substrate surface to prepare a coating; the magnetron sputtering is double-target co-sputtering, and a substrate temperature during the magnetron sputtering is 150° C., the TiAl alloy target is performed direct current sputtering with a power of 0.5-2 kW, and the α-AlF.sub.3 target is performed radio frequency sputtering with a power of 0.07-0.2 kW. After the coating is obtained by the double-target co-sputtering, the obtained coating is heat-treated at 600-800° C. for 5-20 h to obtain a final coating.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a binder-free, sintered friction lining, for a friction component of a friction assembly, having a friction lining body, which comprises a metallic matrix, at least one abrasive, solid lubricants, and optionally at least one filling material, wherein the solid lubricants are formed by at least two different solid lubricants, which are selected from a group consisting of hexagonal boron nitride and metal sulfides with at least one metal from the group of tungsten, iron, tin, copper, bismuth, antimony, chromium, zinc, silver, manganese, molybdenum.

A composite containing hollow ceramic spheres and a preparation method are provided. The composite includes an impact-resistant gradient complex part containing a hollow ceramic sphere complex, prepared by using a 3D printing method and a hollow ceramic sphere-high polymer complex dielectric material obtained in a blending and fusing way. The obtained composite has the characteristics of relatively low density and high strength. The impact-resistant gradient complex part is a layered complex, the composition and properties of the complex may be regulated in a direction vertical to a layer according to a design, for example, mechanical properties of the complex are transitioned from soft to hard to form gradient change by regulating the change of the composition, and meanwhile, the thickness among layers with different properties is accurately controlled as required. The dielectric, heat conducting and mechanical properties of the hollow ceramic sphere-high polymer complex dielectric material are greatly improved.

A multilayered material system includes at least one of a liner sheet and a cellular core, and a multilayered composite joined to the at least one of a liner sheet and a cellular core. The multilayered composite includes hollow microspheres dispersed within a metallic matrix material.

A multilayered material system includes at least one of a liner sheet and a cellular core, and a multilayered composite joined to the at least one of a liner sheet and a cellular core. The multilayered composite includes hollow microspheres dispersed within a metallic matrix material.

A 3D printing method for an impact-resistant gradient complex part containing a hollow ceramic sphere complex, wherein the method includes the following steps: 1) designing the size and shape of the part as well as an internal layered structure; 2) providing a raw material, wherein the raw material contains a high polymer, a curing agent and hollow ceramic spheres; and 3) providing the raw material with a certain thickness according to a design, then, curing the raw material by using a heat source to form a high polymer layer containing the hollow ceramic spheres, and repeatedly printing the high polymer layer according to the design until the high polymer layer reaches the designed thickness to form the impact-resistant gradient complex part.

The present invention provides methods to sputter deposit films comprising alkali metal compounds. At least one target comprising one or more alkali metal compounds and at least one metallic component is sputtered to form one or more corresponding sputtered films. The at least one target has an atomic ratio of the alkali metal compound to the at least one metallic component in the range from 15:85 to 85:15. The sputtered film(s) incorporating such alkali metal compounds are incorporated into a precursor structure also comprising one or more chalcogenide precursor films. The precursor structure is heated in the presence of at least one chalcogen to form a chalcogenide semiconductor. The resultant chalcogenide semiconductor comprises up to 2 atomic percent of alkali metal content, wherein at least a major portion of the alkali metal content of the resultant chalcogenide semiconductor is derived from the sputtered film(s) incorporating the alkali metal compound(s). The chalcogenide semiconductors are useful in microelectronic devices, including solar cells.

The sintered electrical contact material described in this specification includes at least one salt dispersed within a silver matrix, and no more than 100 ppm of cadmium and cadmium compounds. The sintered electrical contact material exhibit contact resistances much lower than than commercially available silver composites. The salts dispersed within the silver matrix represent a new class of additives for silver composites for high and low current applications.