Additive manufacturing of micro-architected metals via hydrogel infusion.

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) enables the production of high value and high performance components with applications from aerospace to biomedical fields. Layer-by-layer fabrication circumvents the geometric limitations of traditional metalworking techniques, allowing topologically optimized parts to be made rapidly and efficiently. Existing AM techniques rely on thermally initiated melting or sintering for part shaping, a costly and material-limited process.

Enhanced ion transport in LiO and LiS films.

Films of LiO and LiS grown by sputter deposition exhibit Li conductivity values at room temperature which are enhanced by 3-4 orders of magnitude relative to bulk samples. Possible mechanisms are discussed. The results may help explain the ion transport pathway through passivation layers containing these chalcogenides in batteries.

Degradation behaviors and cytocompatibility of Mg/β-tricalcium phosphate composites produced by spark plasma sintering.

Magnesium (Mg)-based materials have shown great potentials for bioresorbable implant applications. Previous studies showed that Mg with 10 and 20 vol % β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composites produced by spark plasma sintering, improved mechanical properties when compared with pure Mg. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the degradation behaviors of Mg/10% β-TCP and Mg/20% β-TCP composites in revised stimulated body fluid (rSBF), and to determine their cytocompatibility with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) using the direct culture method.