Influence of Ni on Cu precipitation in Fe Cu Ni ternary alloy by an atomic study

The early aging Cu precipitations in Fe-3%Cu and Fe-3%Cu-4%Ni ternary alloys are investigated by molecular dynamics （MD） simulations. The results show that the average size of Cu clusters in Fe-3%Cu-4%Ni alloy is larger than that in Fe-3%Cu alloy. The diffusion of Cu is accelerated by Ni according to the mean square displacement （MSD）. Furthermore, the whole formation process of Cu-rich clusters is analyzed in detail, and it is found that the presence of Ni promotes small Cu-rich clusters to be combined into big ones. Ni atoms prefer to stay at the combination positions of small clusters energetically due to a large number of the first nearest neighbor Cu-Ni interactions, which is verified by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory （DFT）.     

Computational design of UHS maraging stainless steels incorporating composition as well as austenitisation and ageing temperatures as optimisation parameters

An extended integral alloy design approach for the development of new ultra high strength maraging steels is presented, which incorporates not only chemical composition effects but also criteria accounting for the influence of the entire heat treatment. The approach considers the desired strengthening precipitates formed during the final ageing treatment as well as undesirable equilibrium phases present during the preceding high temperature homogenisation treatment. The results are compared with the predictions of a previous model, which considered the combination of composition and final precipitation tempering stage only.     

Mineralogy, size, morphology and porosity of aggregates and their relationship with soil susceptibility to water erosion

Soil erosion has been considered as the main process related to losses of soil mass and decrease of productivity in cultivated lands as well as on e of the most important processes in landscape evolution. Attention has been paid to many pedological variables affecting intensity of erosion, but little to the influence of iron compounds on the type, size, shape and porosity of soil aggregates. In the present study, three lithopedodomains which were assumed to be closely related to the dominant lithology of the soil parent material, varying in the degree of water erosion intensity, were selected for further analysis which focused mainly on the influence of iron oxide mineralogy on the soil aggregation. Powder X-ray diffractometry, 80 K Mössbauer data and SEM images are used to correlate all these variables with observed erosion activity in the field. The present data indicate that the more the soil is rich in iron (hematite and/or goethite) or aluminium (gibbsite) (hydr)oxide, the smaller are its aggregates and is porous. Soils derived from metabasic rocks are much more susceptible to collapse under wetting than those from other lithologies. They have the highest iron and clay content. Schist-derived soil is richer in muscovite, has bigger aggregates and porous and are less prone to collapse, while the granite-derived soil presents relatively intermediate resistance, when humid.     

Raman identification of corrosion products on automotive galvanized steel sheets

Iron oxides (haematite, maghemite, magnetite), (oxy)hydroxides (lepidocrocite), carbonates, as well as zinc carbonate and oxide, have been identified on corroded galvanized steel samples after corrosion accelerating tests in the laboratory and compared with those observed on samples taken from vehicles that have been in circulation for five years in severe weather conditions. Spectra recorded on the corroded parts are compared with synthesized compounds. (Hydroxy)carbonates are clearly evidenced on galvanized and phosphated steel sheets. Corrosion layers beneath the paint could be detected. White regions always correspond to a ZnO‐rich phase but maghemite (γ‐Fe₂O₃) and sometimes akaganite (β‐FeOOHCl) are observed at the centre (maroon) of very corroded spots. Maghemite is observed in strongly corroded regions. Goethite (α‐) and lepidocrocite (γ‐FeOOH) (and akaganite) are observed at the surface of less corroded regions of phosphate‐free galvanized steel and are absent for phosphate‐coated steel. Green rust is observed only on galvanized samples corroded in the laboratory. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface composition of the steel powders pre-alloyed with manganese

The determination of the surface oxide layer composition is vital to facilitate the adjustment of the sintering conditions for sufficient removal of the surface oxides for providing strong metal bonding between the metal particles during sintering. To systematically investigate the composition, morphology and thickness of the surface oxide the influence of manganese content from 0.3 to 1.8 wt.% on the surface products composition in the case of water atomized steel powder was evaluated. Analysis of the powder surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy in combination with X-ray microanalysis showed that powder particles in all cases are covered by heterogeneous oxide layer, composed of particulate features of thermodynamically stable oxides (Cr-Mn-Si) and homogeneous iron surface oxide layer in between. For increasing alloying content the fraction of stable oxide cations in the surface layer increases linearly, whereas the thickness of the iron oxide layer decreases. Moreover, from the investigation of the sintering and degassing behavior by thermal analysis coupled with mass-spectrometry (TG/DTA + MS), three different stages of carbothermal reduction process were observed and their correlation with surface oxides composition was established during sintering in argon.     

Mossbauer investigations of corrosion environment influence on Fe valence states in oxide films of zirconium alloys

Mössbauer investigations about iron atom redistribution in oxide films of zirconium alloys subjected to corrosion at 500°C in pure oxygen and water pair have been analysed. The alloys were also subjected to autoclave conditions at a pressure of 10.0 MPa and autoclave conditions at 350°C and at a pressure of 16.8 MPa, using distilled water and water with additives of lithium and fluorine. It is shown that, depending on the corrosion environment, various compounds of iron, such as α-Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, and FeO, as solid solutions of iron in ZrO₂ are formed in oxide films.     

Influence of the Si cap layer on the SiGe islands morphology

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and EDX methods were used to study morphology and chemical composition of SiGe/Si(001) islands grown at 700 degrees C and covered at 550 degrees C and 700 degrees C by Si layers of different thickness. The samples were grown in ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition process (UHVCVD) controlled with in situ reflection of high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). The islands transformed from initial pyramid and dome shapes to lens shape for 1.4 nm and 3.7 nm cap layer thickness at 550 degrees C and 700 degrees C, respectively. An increase of lateral to vertical ratio was observed during the transformation. For the higher depositing temperature the ratio was bigger and was increasing continuously with cap layer thickness. Also, with increasing Si cap layer thickness, the Ge concentration was decreasing, which was more observable for higher capping temperature.     

Influence of Al and Ni on the magnetic properties of Finemet alloys

Crystallization behavior and soft magnetic properties of the FeSiBCuNbM (M=Al or Ni) Finemet alloys are investigated by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, hysteresis loop tracer, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The nanocrystalline alloys are prepared by annealing melt-spun amorphous ribbons at different temperatures. Results indicate that the partial substitution of Ni or Al for Nb results in the increase of saturation magnetic induction density (B_s) of the alloys. The alloys with Al or Ni show favorable combination of soft magnetic properties. The partial substitution of Ni for Nb enhances the B_s value, while Al decreases coercivity. The mechanism underlining the magnetic behavior is discussed.     

STM/AFM studies of the evolution of morphology of electroplated Ni/W alloys

The surface morphology evolution of Ni/W alloys was studied, as a function of the alloy composition. Using the modified plating baths developed in our laboratory recently, electroplated Ni/W alloys with different W content, in the range of 7–67 atom percent (a/o), can be obtained. This was found to lead to different structures, ranging from polycrystalline fcc-Ni type structure to amorphous, followed by orthorhombic with increasing W content in the alloy. Powder XRD was studied to determine the crystal structures. Ex situ STM, AFM and SEM were used to study in detail the surface morphologies of the different alloys, and their evolution with increasing W content.

The important findings are that a mixture of two crystalline forms can give rise to an amorphous structure. Hillocks that are usually a characteristic of epitaxial growth can also exist in the amorphous alloys. Oriented scratches caused by stress can also be formed.

Up to 20 a/o of W is deposited in the alloys in crystalline form, with the fcc-Ni type structure. Between 20 and about 40 a/o an amorphous structure is observed, and above that an orthorhombic crystal structure is seen, which is characteristic of the NiW binary alloy. Careful choice of the composition of the plating bath allowed us to deposit an alloy containing 67 a/o W, which corresponds to the composition NiW₂.     

Cu含量对Ni_(55)Fe_(18)Ga_(27)合金结构和磁性的影响

系统研究了Cu分别替代Fe和Ni对Ni_(55)Fe_(18)Ga_(27)结构和磁性的影响.结果表明:熔炼Ni_(55)Fe_(18-x)Cu_xGa_(27 )(x=1, 2, 3, 4)虽仍为奥氏体相结构,但伴有γ相出现;居里温度随Cu含量增加而降低,这是由于Cu掺杂引起过渡金属近邻原子间相互交换作用减弱所致;交流磁化率随Cu含量增加而降低,原因在于Fe是磁性的主要贡献者,Cu替代Fe会削弱Fe的磁矩,从而导致合金磁性降低.熔炼、退火和甩带Ni_(51)Cu_4Fe_(18)Ga_(27)均存在马氏体相变.熔炼样品马氏体相变温度最高,退火和甩带样品基本相同.这一特点表明热处理方式能够改变原子排列的有序度,因此可以通过改变热处理方式来调控马氏体相变温度.     

Effects of ultrasonic agitation on adhesion strength of micro electroforming Ni layer on Cu substrate

Micro electroforming is an important technology, which is widely used for fabricating micro metal devices in MEMS. The micro metal devices have the problem of poor adhesion strength, which has dramatically influenced the dimensional accuracy of the devices and seriously limited the development of the micro electroforming technology. In order to improve the adhesion strength, ultrasonic agitation method is applied during the micro electroforming process in this paper. To explore the effect of the ultrasonic agitation, micro electroforming experiments were carried out under ultrasonic and ultrasonic-free conditions. The effects of the ultrasonic agitation on the micro electroforming process were investigated by polarization and alternating current (a.c.) impedance methods. The real surface area of the electroforming layer was measured by cyclic voltammetry method. The compressive stress and the crystallite size of the electroforming layer were measured by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) method. The adhesion strength of the electroforming layer was measured by scratch test. The experimental results show that the imposition of the ultrasonic agitation decreases the polarization overpotential and increases the charge transfer process at the electrode–electrolyte interface during the electroforming process. The ultrasonic agitation increases the crystallite size and the real surface area, and reduces the compressive stress. Then the adhesion strength is improved about 47% by the ultrasonic agitation in average. In addition, mechanisms of the ultrasonic agitation improving the adhesion strength are originally explored in this paper. The mechanisms are that the ultrasonic agitation increases the crystallite size, which reduces the compressive stress. The lower the compressive stress is, the larger the adhesion strength is. Furthermore, the ultrasonic agitation increases the real surface area, enhances the mechanical interlocking strength and consequently increases the adhesion strength. This work contributes to fabricating the electroforming layer with large adhesion strength.     

Cobalt-containing oxide layers on titanium, their composition, morphology, and catalytic activity in CO oxidation

In this study possibility to form the layered compositions CoO_x + SiO₂/TiO₂/Ti by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method was shown. Compositions have been obtained by both one-stage PEO method (Method I) with addition of Co(CH₃COO)₂ into silicate electrolyte and impregnation of preliminary obtained by the PEO method SiO₂/TiO₂/Ti systems in aqueous solutions containing cobalt salts with their following annealing (Method II). XRD, XPS and SEM/EDX were used to investigate the phase and element composition, microstructure of the coatings prepared by the two various methods. Catalytic activity of the cobalt-containing composites was investigated in the CO oxidation reaction. Under experimental conditions, the structures obtained by impregnation and annealing method were more active, than those obtained by one-stage PEO method. The surface structures of cobalt-containing coatings obtained by the PEO method and by impregnation and annealing differ in both quantitative and qualitative relation. The cobalt content on the surface of impregnating coatings is three times as much as that for those formed by one-stage PEO method. It is found that coatings obtained by the Method II have a more developed surface. The surface of CoO_x + SiO₂/TiO₂/Ti compositions obtained by the PEO method contains, presumably Co(OH)₂ and Co₃O₄. The surface of the similar compositions obtained by the Method II, possibly contains CoO, either Co₂O₃, or CoOOH. The combination of these factors, perhaps, also provides a higher activity of the compositions formed by the Method II.     

Smartphone-Based Colorimetric Method to Quantify Iron Concentration and to Determine the Nanoparticle Size from Suspensions of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Advanced uses of smartphones are changing lifestyles, and may have a great impact in materials science in the near future. In this work, the use of these devices to develop fast, simple, and cheap methods to characterize magnetic nanoparticle suspensions is tested. A series of dilutions of a wide library of magnetic nanoparticles, composed of iron oxide materials in the range between 3 and 43 nm, with two different shapes and four different coatings is prepared. The colloid color is analyzed using the RGB (red, green, blue) color model. Ratios of these parameters are correlated with the suspension iron concentration and with the nanoparticles average size. A linear relationship between the color (in particular the G/R ratio) and both the colloid iron content and the particles size is found. The link between these parameters allows the development of two new methods to determine either the concentration or the particle size of magnetic nanoparticle suspensions just by acquiring images from suspensions of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles with a smartphone.     

Mn-Cu合金成分对去合金化法制备纳米多孔铜的影响

采用电弧熔炼制备出前驱体Mn-Cu合金,在稀盐酸溶液中自由腐蚀去合金化,制备出具有双连续结构的纳米多孔铜。研究了前驱体合金的成分对纳米多孔铜微观结构及Mn的选择性腐蚀程度的影响。结果表明：前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数为43%时,其去合金化受到抑制,存在明显的未完全去合金化的岛状结构;前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数为32%～23%时,可完全去合金化,形成平均孔径尺寸为20～100 nm,平均系带尺寸为30～80 nm,具有双连续结构的纳米多孔铜;前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数低至20%时,去合金化后存在大量裂纹,形成纳米颗粒聚集体。纳米多孔铜中存在少量的残余Mn,残余Mn的原子分数随着前驱体合金Mn原子分数的增高而降低。实验表明腐蚀液浓度对纳米多孔铜形貌也存在影响。     

Mn-Cu合金成分对去合金化法制备纳米多孔铜的影响

 采用电弧熔炼制备出前驱体Mn-Cu合金,在稀盐酸溶液中自由腐蚀去合金化,制备出具有双连续结构的纳米多孔铜。研究了前驱体合金的成分对纳米多孔铜微观结构及Mn的选择性腐蚀程度的影响。结果表明：前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数为43%时,其去合金化受到抑制,存在明显的未完全去合金化的岛状结构;前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数为32%～23%时,可完全去合金化,形成平均孔径尺寸为20～100 nm,平均系带尺寸为30～80 nm,具有双连续结构的纳米多孔铜;前驱体Mn-Cu合金的Cu原子分数低至20%时,去合金化后存在大量裂纹,形成纳米颗粒聚集体。纳米多孔铜中存在少量的残余Mn,残余Mn的原子分数随着前驱体合金Mn原子分数的增高而降低。实验表明腐蚀液浓度对纳米多孔铜形貌也存在影响。     

Effect of hardness and composition gradients on Barkhausen emission in case hardened steel

The effect of gradients in hardness, structure and composition in the surface layers on magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) was investigated in two widely used low alloy steels. One material was case hardened by induction hardening. The other was case carburised. Similar hardness profiles were produced by the two treatments. It was found that the variation in structure and hardness through the case in the induction-hardened steel had a minor effect on the MBN profile. In contrast, the inhomogeneity in the case-carburised material showed up clearly. This took the form of a broadened or two-peak MBN profile. When the surface layer containing the case was removed by etching, the broadened profile was replaced by a profile with a single peak. It is concluded that the shape and position of the MBN profile is significantly affected when a gradient in microstructure is induced by a gradient in carbon content. On the other hand, a gradient in microstructure induced by heat treatment with a constant carbon level has much less affect on the MBN profile for the induction-hardened steel.     

Influence of Mo on the Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Laser Cladding FeCoCrNi High-Entropy Alloy Coatings

FeCoCrNi and FeCoNiCrMo_0.2 high-entropy alloy powders were prepared by gas atomization. Two kinds of coatings were prepared on the surface of 304 stainless steel by laser cladding technology. The effect of Mo element on the microstructure of laser cladding FeCoCrNi coating and its corrosion behavior in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was investigated. Both FeCoCrNi and FeCoCrNiMo_0.2 powders exhibit a single-phase FCC structure. Due to the remelting and multiple heat treatments during the preparation of the laser cladding coating, a small amount of σ and μ phases appeared in the FeCoCrNiMo_0.2 coating. The microstructures of the two coatings from the bonding area to the top layer are planar, columnar and equiaxed grains, respectively. The addition of the Mo element causes the dendrite size in the middle region of the FeCoCrNiMo_0.2 coating increases significantly and exhibits obvious orientation characteristics. FeCoCrNiMo_0.2 coating has high corrosion potential (−0.01 V_SHE) and low current density (0.94 × 10⁻⁷ A/cm²) in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, showing excellent corrosion resistance. The passivation film formed on corroded the FeCoCrNiMo_0.2 coating contains high content of oxides of Cr and Mo. The addition of the Mo element enhances the compactness and pitting resistance of the passivation film.     

Effect of the oxygen flow rate on the structure and the properties of Ag-Cu-O sputtered films deposited using a Ag/Cu target with eutectic composition

Ag-Cu-O films were deposited on glass substrates by reactive sputtering of a composite Ag₆₀Cu₄₀ target in various Ar-O₂ mixtures. The films were characterised by energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectroscopy and using the four point probe method. The structure of the films is strongly dependent on the oxygen flow rate introduced in the deposition chamber. The variation of the oxygen flow rate allows the deposition of the following structures: Ag-Cu-(O) solid solution, nc-Ag + nc-Cu₂O, nc-Ag + nc-(Ag,Cu)₂O and finally X-ray amorphous. UV-visible reflectance measurements confirm the occurrence of metallic silver into the deposited films. The increase of the oxygen flow rate induces a continuous increase of the film oxygen concentration that can be correlated to the evolution of the film reflectance and the film electrical resistivity. Finally, the structural changes vs. the oxygen content are discussed in terms of reactivity of sputtered atoms with oxygen.     

Behavior of Uranium oxides and oxyfluorides exposed to moisture and 244Cm alpha radiation

Alpha radiolysis studies have been performed on uranium oxides and oxyfluorides (UO₃, U₃O₈, and UO₂F₂) to evaluate the long-term storage characteristics of ²³³U. These uranium compounds (using ²³⁸U as the surrogate for ²³³U) were subjected to relatively high alpha radiation doses (235–634 MGy) by doping with ²⁴⁴Cm. The typical irradiation time for these samples was about 1.5 years, which would be equivalent to more than 50 years irradiation by a ²³³U sample. Both dry and wet (up to 10 wt% water) samples were examined in an effort to identify the gas pressure and composition changes that occurred as a result of radiolysis. This study shows that several competing reactions occur during radiolysis with the net effect of generating only very low pressures of hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide from water, nitrate, and carbon impurities, respectively. In the absence of nitrate impurities, no pressures greater than 1000 Torr are generated. Usually, however, the oxygen in the air atmosphere over the oxides is consumed with the corresponding oxidation of the uranium oxide. In the presence of up to 10 wt% water, the oxides first show a small pressure rise followed by a net decrease due to the oxygen consumption and the attainment of a steady-state pressure at which the rate of generation of gaseous components is balanced by their recombination and/or consumption in the oxide phase.     

Influence of low-temperature annealing on the morphology of the surface layer of an iron-based amorphous alloy

The influence of isothermal annealing on the chemical composition, microstructure, and surface relief of ribbons of an amorphous Fe₇₇NiSi₉B₁₃ alloy was studied using Auger electron spectroscopy and transmission electron, atomic-force, and scanning tunneling microscopy. It is established that an annealing below the glass transition temperature results in a boron enrichment of the ribbon surface layer on the side of the ribbon that was not in contact with the roller during quenching. On both sides of a ribbon, islands of crystallized material 2–5 μm in size appear consisting of nano-and microcrystals of α-Fe on the roller-contacting side and of iron boride on the opposite side. The surface relief on the roller-contacting side of a ribbon and that on the opposite side are shown to differ in terms of their spectral and fractal characteristics after annealing. The effect of the chemical composition and excess free volume of the surface layer on the formation of islands of crystallized material and surface relief is discussed.