Abstract: A super strong and tough densified wood structure is formed by subjecting a cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes lignin therefrom. The treated wood retains lumina of the natural wood, with cellulose nanofibers of cell walls being aligned. The treated wood is then pressed in a direction crossing the direction in which the lumina extend, such that the lumina collapse and any residual fluid within the wood is removed. As a result, the cell walls become entangled and hydrogen bonds are formed between adjacent cellulose nanofibers, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the wood among other mechanical properties. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the densified wood, it can be adapted to various applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are fast high-temperature sintering systems and methods. A method of fabrication includes positioning a material at a distance of 0-1 centimeters from a first conductive carbon element and at a distance of 0-1 centimeters from a second conductive carbon element, heating the first conductive carbon element and the second conductive carbon element by electrical current to a temperature between 500° C. and 3000° C., inclusive, and fabricating a sintered material by heating the material with the heated first conductive carbon element and the heated second conductive carbon element for a time period between one second and one hour. Other variations of the fast high-temperature sintering systems and methods are also disclosed. The disclosed systems and methods can quickly fabricate unique structures not feasible with conventional sintering processes.

Abstract: A first slurry can be applied over a surface of an existing pipe to form a first layer. The first slurry can comprise a powder, a binder, and a solvent. The powder can comprise a metal. At least some of the powder in the first layer can be sintered to form a new pipe portion by subjecting a portion of the first layer to a first temperature for a first time period. The first temperature can be greater than a melting temperature of the metal. The sintered first layer forming the new pipe portion can be effective to repair or recondition the existing pipe. In some embodiments, the sintered first layer can form at least part of a separate pipe within and/or contacting the existing pipe.

Abstract: A sintering furnace can have a housing, one or more heating elements, and a conveying assembly. Each heating element can be disposed within the housing and can subject a heating zone to a thermal shock temperature profile. A substrate with one or more precursors thereon can be moved by the conveying assembly through an inlet of the housing to the heating zone, where it is subjected to a first temperature of at least 500° C. for a first time period. The conveying assembly can then move the substrate with one or more sintered materials thereon from the heating zone and through an outlet of the housing.

Abstract: A catalytic structure has a plurality of high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles. Each HEA nanoparticle is composed of a homogenous mixture of elements of cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), and at least two transition metal elements. For example, in some embodiments, each HEA nanoparticle is a quinary mixture of Co, Mo, iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). The homogenous mixture in each HEA nanoparticle forms a single solid-solution phase. The catalytic structure can be used to catalyze a chemical reaction, for example, ammonia decomposition or ammonia synthesis. Methods for forming the catalytic structure are also disclosed.

Abstract: Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

Abstract: Precursors can be provided on a surface of a porous support layer and subjected to a temperature?1200 K for a time?60 seconds, so as to sinter the precursors into a porous scaffold. The porous scaffold can comprise an ion-conducting oxide. Filler materials can be provided on a surface of the porous scaffold. The filler materials can have a melting point in a range of 500-1100 K. The porous scaffold with filler materials can be subjected to a temperature?1200 K for a time?50 seconds, so as to melt the filler materials to form a non-porous composite solid-state electrolyte layer, with the filler materials infiltrating the porous scaffold. The solid-state electrolyte layer can be incorporated into a solid-state electrochemical energy device, such as a battery or fuel cell.

Abstract: Systems and methods of synthesizing nanoparticles on substrates using rapid, high temperature thermal shock. A method involves depositing micro-sized particles or salt precursors on a substrate, and applying a rapid, high temperature thermal pulse or shock to the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors and the substrate to cause the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors to become nanoparticles on the substrate. A system may include a rotatable member that receives a roll of a substrate sheet having micro-sized particles or salt precursors; a motor that rotates the rotatable member so as to unroll consecutive portions of the substrate sheet from the roll; and a thermal energy source that applies a short, high temperature thermal shock to consecutive portions of the substrate sheet that are unrolled from the roll by rotating the first rotatable member. Some systems and methods produce nanoparticles on existing substrate.

Abstract: A vapor deposition system can have a support member, a baffle member, and a deposition substrate. The support member can hold a batch of solid-state precursors. The baffle member can be disposed over and spaced from the support member to define a confined heating volume with at least one exit window. The deposition substrate can be disposed over and spaced from the baffle member. The batch of solid-state precursors can be subjected to a temperature greater than 2200, so as to convert at least some of the solid-state precursors into a vapor that exits the confined heating volume via the at least one exit window, flows around the baffle member, and solidifies on the deposition substrate surface. In some embodiments, the baffle member can comprise a heating element. Alternatively or additionally, the vapor deposition system can have a separate heating system.

Abstract: Disclosed are single atom dispersions and multi-atom dispersions, and systems and methods for synthesizing the atomic dispersions. An exemplary method of synthesizing atomic dispersions includes: positioning a loaded substrate which includes a substrate which is loaded with at least one of: a precursor of an element or a cluster of an element, applying one or more temperature pulses to the loaded substrate where a pulse of the temperature pulse(s) applies a target temperature for a duration, maintaining a cooling period after the pulse, and providing single atoms of the element dispersed on the substrate after the one or more temperature pulses. The target temperature applied by the pulse is between 500 K and 4000 K, inclusive, and the duration is between 1 millisecond and 1 minute, inclusive.

Abstract: A solid-state ion-conducting structure comprises a plurality of grains formed of a first material composition and a second material composition different from the first material composition. The second material composition can wet boundaries of the grains and/or fill voids between adjacent grains. Each of the material compositions can have an ionic conductivity greater than or equal to 10?4 S/cm. The second material composition may be considered a volatile sintering aid. for example. having a melting point less than a temperature at which the first material composition is sintered. In some embodiments, the solid-state ion-conducting structure can be used as a solid-state electrolyte in a battery.

Abstract: Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

Abstract: A reactant comprising one or more polymers can be subjected to multiple consecutive processing cycles. Each processing cycle can have a first period with heating applied and a second period immediately following the first period with no heating applied. A duration of each processing cycle can be less than or equal to 10 seconds, and a duration of each first period can be less than 1 second. The subjecting can be effective to convert at least some of the reactant into one or more products, for example, one or more constituent monomers or other volatile or gas-phase species. In some embodiments, a reactor can be provided between a heating source and the reactant, for example, to provide a spatio-temporal temperature profile for improved polymer processing.

Abstract: A flexible structure is formed by subjecting cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes hemicellulose and lignin therefrom. The treated wood has a unique 3-D porous structure with numerous channels, excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, and improved flexibility as compared to the natural wood. By further modifying the treated wood, the structure can be adapted to particular applications. For example, nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes, or any other coating or material can be added to the treated wood to form a hybrid structure. In some embodiments, open lumina within the structure can be at least partially filled with a non-wood substance, such as a flexible polymer, or with entangled cellulose nanofibers.

Abstract: A catalytic structure has a substrate and a plurality of high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles. At least a surface layer of the substrate is formed of a metal oxide. The HEA nanoparticles can be formed on the surface layer. Each HEA nanoparticle can comprise a homogeneous mixture of at least four different elements forming a single-phase solid-solution alloy. The catalytic structures can be used to catalyze a chemical reaction, such as an ammonia oxidation reaction, an ammonia synthesis reaction, or an ammonia decomposition reaction.

Abstract: A catalytic structure has a plurality of high-entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles. Each HEA nanoparticle is composed of a homogeneous mixture of elements of cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), and at least two transition metal elements. For example, in some embodiments, each HEA nanoparticle is a quinary mixture of Co, Mo, iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu). The homogeneous mixture in each HEA nanoparticle forms a single solid-solution phase. The catalytic structure is used to catalyze a chemical reaction, for example, ammonia decomposition or ammonia synthesis. Methods for forming the catalytic structure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A sintering furnace can have a housing, one or more heating elements, and a conveying assembly. Each heating element can be disposed within the housing and can subject a heating zone to a thermal shock temperature profile. A substrate with one or more precursors thereon can be moved by the conveying assembly through an inlet of the housing to the heating zone, where it is subjected to a first temperature of at least 500° C. for a first time period. The conveying assembly can then move the substrate with one or more sintered materials thereon from the heating zone and through an outlet of the housing.

Abstract: Degraded electrode material from a used battery can be recycled by subjecting to a thermal shock. The degraded electrode material can have impurities resulting from charge/discharge cycling of the battery. The thermal shock can have a temperature of at least 1000 K for a time period of 10 seconds or less, for example, less than or equal to 1 second. The thermal shock can also include a heating rate of at least 103 K/second preceding the time period and a cooling rate of at least 103 K/second following the time period. The subjecting to the thermal shock regenerate the electrode material, for example, by removing impurities from the electrode material and/or replenishing metal ions within the electrode material.

Abstract: The approach disclosed herein is a process for non-equilibrium chemical and materials processing using the combination of non-equilibrium plasma, non-equilibrium multi-functional catalysis, a precisely programed heating and quenching (PHQ), and supersonic reaction quenching to dynamically change the chemical equilibrium and increase the yield and selectivity of the products. An important feature of the disclosed approach is to realize an efficient and high selectivity synthesis method of chemicals and materials by using non-chemical equilibrium, non-equilibrium catalysts, and non-equilibrium of excited states via active control of molecule excitation by low temperature hybrid plasma, dynamics of chemical reactions by programed heating and supersonic quenching, and the design of non-equilibrium catalysts by thermal shocks and plasma coupling to enable distributed and electrified chemical synthesis of hydrogen, ammonia, valued carbon and other chemical products at atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to electrolyte membrane compositions, electrolyte membranes, batteries utilizing said electrolyte membranes, and methods of assembling said batteries. The electrolyte membranes disclosed herein provide membranes and electrolytes for sustainable and more robust batteries.