#sintering

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Fabricating transparent ceramics: Four studies provide a glimpse into several different systems

Opacity is traditionally a hallmark characteristic of ceramics, as their polycrystalline structure prevents light from passing cleanly through. But starting in the mid-20th century, scientists discovered that when ceramics are specially processed to reduce pores and secondary phases, it is possible for ceramics to achieve high levels of light transmission—even achieving optical-grade levels of performance. The combination of optical clarity, durability, and heat resistance offered by transparent ceramics makes them a desirable material for various optical, energy, and defense applications. As such, the market is expected to experience rapid growth in the coming years and reach a value of nearly $2 billion by the end of 2030.

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[joriswegner]

Last year I got a Special Mention in the 3D Pioneers Challenge with a design proposal for 3D-printed heatsinks. As an example of use, I designed this HiFi amplifier chassis. I updated it slightly over the last couple weeks.

[solarpunk-gnome]

Markus Kayser - Solar Sinter Project

[dailymarkhor]

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) Technology Watch the latest DMLS video from Stratasys Direct Manufacturing: source

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Scientists just found a way to 3D print one of the hardest metals on Earth

Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is widely valued for its extreme hardness, but that same strength also makes it very difficult to shape and manufacture. Current production methods consume large amounts of costly material while delivering relatively modest yields. As a result, researchers have been searching for a more efficient and economical way to produce these exceptionally tough materials. WC-Co cemented carbides are essential for applications that demand strong resistance to wear and high hardness, including cutting and construction tools. Traditionally, these materials are produced through powder metallurgy. In this process, powders of WC and Co are compressed under high pressure and heated in sintering machines to form solid cemented carbide. While this method produces very durable final products, it uses significant quantities of expensive raw materials and generates inefficient yields.

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[materialsscienceandengineering]

'Permanently wet' coating method could transform wastewater treatment by helping bacteria survive better

Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels—but only if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers at the University of Surrey and the University of Warwick have developed a method that keeps bacteria submerged throughout coating formation, increasing the number of surviving cells by around 500 times compared to conventional approaches. The research, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, addresses a persistent problem with the technology of biocoatings—thin layers of polymer that contain living bacteria. Most sewage treatment already depends on bacteria to break down organic matter and process nitrates and ammonia, but those bacteria are grown in large open tanks that are expensive, space-hungry and slow to respond to changes in load.

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[materialsscienceandengineering]

How to train your catalyst, one atom at a time

How do you keep a copper catalyst from losing its oomph? Just add a dusting of platinum, says a new study published in Nature Materials. A team of researchers, including scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, investigated a class of metal nanoparticles used as catalysts in major industrial processes. They found that adding a trace amount of platinum to copper nanoparticles greatly reduced an effect known as "sintering," which causes these catalysts to degrade over time. The problem of 'sintering' At peak performance, metal nanoparticles—which include copper, silver, and gold—increase manufacturing throughput by a thousandfold, enabling efficient production of everything from plastics, fertilizer, and fuels to medicine manufacturing and fuel cell operation.

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[materialsscienceandengineering]

Laser technique revolutionizes ultra-high temperature ceramic manufacturing for space, defense applications

Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that uses lasers to create ceramics that can withstand ultra-high temperatures, with applicati

Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that uses lasers to create ceramics that can withstand ultra-high temperatures, with applications ranging from nuclear power technologies to spacecraft and jet exhaust systems. The technique can be used to create ceramic coatings, tiles or complex three-dimensional structures, which allows for increased versatility when engineering new devices and technologies. "Sintering is the process by which raw materials -- either powders or liquids -- are converted into a ceramic material," says Cheryl Xu, co-corresponding author of a paper on this research and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. "For this work, we focused on an ultra-high temperature ceramic called hafnium carbide (HfC). Traditionally, sintering HfC requires placing the raw materials in a furnace that can reach temperatures of at least 2,200 degrees Celsius -- a process that is time-consuming and energy intensive.

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