A method for forming a nickel plated graphene hollow sphere is based on self assembly of graphene under the actions of a rotation force and the van der Waals force, and an electroless nickel plating process performed on the exposed surface of the graphene by means of a hydrothermal method. The method is simple to implement at low cost, and the nickel plated graphene hollow sphere product can be produced with good reproducibility and a high yield. The nickel plated graphene hollow sphere formed by the present method can exhibit good electromagnetic wave absorbing performances of both nickel and graphene, and may have a lower overall density.

Articles prepared by additive manufacturing of preforms that are coated by electrodeposition of nanolaminate materials, and methods of their production are described.

Described herein are systems and methods for performing a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to the surface of a variety of materials including thin films, nanomaterials, and other delicate and brittle materials. In an aspect, a surface of a material is modified to a modified surface and from an original state to a modified state, wherein the modified state comprises a physical modification, a chemical modification, or a biological modification. In another aspect, a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is applied to the modified surface of the material for a defined duration of time, wherein a condition associated with the SMAT is adjusted based on a structural composition of the material. In yet another aspect, a defined strain is imposed on the structural composition of the material based on the SMAT.

An environmentally friendly method of coating copper nanowires to reduce oxidation and/or increase electrical/thermal conductivity of the copper nanowires. In one embodiment, a method for coating copper nanowires includes preparing a first solution including a dipolar aprotic organic compound, adding copper nanowires to the first solution under stirring while maintaining the first solution at a pre-determined temperature, preparing a second solution including an oxidation resistant metal, coating the copper nanowires in the oxidation resistant metal by adding the second solution to the first solution under stirring and while maintaining the first solution at the pre-determined temperature.

The invention relates to nickel-coated hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet composite powder, its preparation and high-performance composite ceramic cutting tool material. The composite powder has a core-shell structure with BNNS as the core and Ni as the shell. The self-lubricating ceramic cutting tool material is prepared by wet ball milling mixing and vacuum hot-pressing sintering with a phase alumina as the matrix, tungsten-titanium carbide as the reinforcing phase, nickel-coated hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet composite powder as the solid lubricant and magnesium oxide and yttrium oxide as the sintering aids. The invention also provides preparation methods of the nickel-coated hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet composite powder and the self-lubricating ceramic cutting tool material.

Described herein are systems and methods for performing a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to the surface of a variety of materials including thin films, nanomaterials, and other delicate and brittle materials. In an aspect, a surface of a material is modified to a modified surface and from an original state to a modified state, wherein the modified state comprises a physical modification, a chemical modification, or a biological modification. In another aspect, a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is applied to the modified surface of the material for a defined duration of time, wherein a condition associated with the SMAT is adjusted based on a structural composition of the material. In yet another aspect, a defined strain is imposed on the structural composition of the material based on the SMAT.

Method for preparing high-strength and durable super-hydrophobic film layer on inner wall of elongated metal tube includes roughening treatment of inner wall of a metal tube, electrodepositing preparation of nickel-phosphorus alloy layer and functional coating, heat treatment, subsequent anodizing and low surface energy modification. The method greatly reduces the influence of local mass transfer resistance, and a uniform nanocrystalline film layer is electroplated under the ultrasound induction. Since only electroplating solution is filled in the tube during the preparation process, the consumption of device and raw materials is greatly reduced. Also, since silica particles are added to the electroplating solution in preparing the nanocrystalline film layer, the surface morphology can be made more uniform and denser in terms of the microscopic morphology. Nano-scale channels structures are etched, so that the super-hydrophobic inner surface can have a better ability to store air, and its water flow impact resistance is greatly enhanced.

A method for forming a nickel plated graphene hollow sphere is based on self assembly of graphene under the actions of a rotation force and the van der Waals force, and an electroless nickel plating process performed on the exposed surface of the graphene by means of a hydrothermal method. The method is simple to implement at low cost, and the nickel plated graphene hollow sphere product can be produced with good reproducibility and a high yield. The nickel plated graphene hollow sphere formed by the present method can exhibit good electromagnetic wave absorbing performances of both nickel and graphene, and may have a lower overall density.

A semiconductor apparatus having through silicon via structure and a manufacturing method thereof to enable the significant process and cost reduction and the improvement of performance of through silicon via by forming barrier and seed metal layers with electroless plating, the barrier layer applied in forming through silicon via with wet electroless plating thereby enabling structural uniformity and improvement in electrical properties with less process cost and higher yield to meet the both performance and economic objectives. The instant invention enables the formation of TSV with smaller diameter of the opening and, if necessary, omitting the formation of copper seed layer. Direct copper plating on the barrier layer is possible and this reduces the number of processes, charges the inside of via at once through copper plating to bring more improvements in electrical properties as effect.

A method of electroless nickel plating on surface of silicon carbide powder with a uniform and stable coating. In this method, ultrasonic assist is introduced in the pre-treatment and during plating process, and the powder particles in the liquid are dispersed and deagglomerated by the mechanical action and cavitation of the ultrasonic waves, thereby achieving a uniform dispersion of the powder in the dispersant. Furthermore, a reducing agent is slowly added during plating so as to give a more uniform and stable deposition of the coating onto the surface of the powder particles, and thus a silicon carbide core-nickel shell structure with an excellent powder dispersibility and a uniform and stable coating is produced.