[Xist]

I found a YouTube video where some bald Canadian gave vague descriptions of ten real Sci Fi technologies and he mentioned this stuff. I did not find much, just:

Various scraps of metal are dissolved in acid and then recreated with a series of electric charges that alter the atomic structure of the metal. Using electric charges, the metals are shaped as they grow so they conform to a mold placed inside the tank. Alternatively for coatings, an item is placed in a tank containing metal ions. Specialized electrical currents are then applied to bind specific ions to the item with varying degrees of currents binding specific ions.

Growing Metals with Modumetal - Nanalyze

and

[Y]ou can get the metal alloy to grow onto it in ultra-thin layers (down to a thickness of 1 nanometer, or a billionth of a meter). These materials are called “nanolaminates.” The molecular structure of the layers can be adjusted to make the resulting alloy resistant to shattering, resistant to being penetrated or deformed, and lightweight—material properties that usually can’t be combined. “How the layers grow is our secret sauce,” says Lomasney. “It’s like grass growing, you can watch it.”

The result? Metals that can be used to make stronger armor—at half the weight of the conventional steel used in military vehicles such as Humvees. Modumetal’s method can also yield fully-formed specialized metal parts without the need for complex processing steps like machining.

Modumetal Grows Nanotech Metals for Military, Aiming To Make Parts For Your Car | Xconomy