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.     

High-throughput concept for tailoring switchable mirrors

The optical properties, the switching kinetics and the lifetime of hydrogen switchable mirrors based on Mg-Ni alloys are determined with particular regard to the composition of the optically active metal-hydride layer in combination with the thickness of the catalytic capping layer. For this, a high-throughput experiment is introduced. The switching kinetics and the reversibility of switchable mirrors are strongly thickness dependent, though the details hinge on the fine structure of the clustered capping layer. Therefore, the kinetics is correlated with the surface structures of Pd on Mg_yNi_1−y as investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. The results are explained by the so-called strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) state, characterized by a complete encapsulation of the capping layer clusters by oxidized species originating from the support. The SMSI-effect is less important with increasing Pd-layer thickness, and is suppressed by a good wetting of the Pd-clusters on the optically active film. This explains the critical thickness for the catalyzed hydrogen uptake observed in many switchable mirror systems. Moreover, the degradation of the kinetics during cycling is found to depend on the Pd-layer thickness and on the gas environment. Only films, covered with at least 15 nm Pd, show small degradation caused by the SMSI-effect. The SMSI-effect is partly reversible: after changing the gas environment from hydrogen to oxygen, the oxide on the Pd-clusters can be partly removed.     

Alloy formation in mechanically activated mixtures

The physical mixtures of hydroxocarbonates of Cu and Ni with aluminium were activated using a laboratory planetary mill. The chemical reactions and alloy formations as the effects of grinding were followed by the phase analysis of solid products based on the thermogravimetry and X-ray diffractometry. Experimental evidence indicates that the nature of reactions and products of mechanical activation was dependent on the amount of aluminium and time of grinding. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

一维应变压缩下TC4钛合金绝热剪切研究

 利用内径为57 mm的压缩气炮，在撞击速度为0.2~1.2 km/s（相应的靶中压力为3~15 GPa）范围内进行对称碰撞实验，以研究TC4（Ti-Al6-V4）钛合金在一维应变冲击压缩条件下的绝热剪切现象。对回收得到的受冲击样品，在扫描电镜（SEM）下进行细观金相分析。结果指出，一维应变冲击压缩条件下，TC4钛合金中绝热剪切带产生的对称碰撞速度阈值为500 m/s（相当于样品中的压力为5.87 GPa）；主剪切带与冲击方向约为45°角，带上有圆形和椭圆形两种孔洞且随碰撞速度的增大而增多和长大，这是典型的韧性损伤特征。随碰撞速度增大，产生与主剪切带成15°角的支剪切带。这些与理论预言相符。X射线能谱分析结果指出，剪切带内材料发生了(α+β)→β相的转变，是典型的相变带。剪切带的温度估算与实验提供的信息吻合。     

Effect of carbon content on the microstructure and the cracking susceptibility of Fe-based laser-clad layer

The laser cladding of Fe-based alloys on a medium carbon steel substrate was performed using a CO₂ laser and Ar shielding gas that was blown into a molten pool. The microstructure and cracking susceptibility of the laser-clad layers were studied in terms of carbon additions. Results show that the small change of the carbon content in the alloy powders can obviously change the microstructure and properties of the layers. When the carbon content is in the range of 0.3–0.4 wt.%, the decrease of the carbon content in alloy powders will increase the hardness and toughness of the layers simultaneously under the same process parameters. As a result, crack-free coatings with high hardness can be obtained. As the carbon content increases from 0.2 wt.% to 0.4 wt.%, the segregation ratio of chromium increases, while the segregation ratios of nickel, manganese, and silicon first decrease and then increase. At the same time, a new designing principle concerning the composition and microstructure has been put forward, and the principal mechanisms of strengthening and toughening of the layers are fine-grain strengthening and low carbon martensitic phase transformation strengthening.     

60keV质子辐照对TiNi记忆合金薄膜马氏体相变的影响

 利用磁控溅射的方法在氧化后的单晶Si基片上制备了TiNi形状记忆合金薄膜，利用示差扫描量热法和原位X射线衍射研究了薄膜的马氏体相变特征。通过60keV质子注入（辐照）薄膜样品研究了H+离子对合金薄膜马氏体相变特征的影响，结果表明氢离子注入后引起了马氏体相变开始Ms和结束点Mf以及逆马氏体相变开始As和结束温度Af的下降，而对R相变开始Rs和结束温度Rf影响不大。掠入射X射线衍射表明H+离子注入后有氢化物形成。H⁺离子注入形成的氢化物是引起相变点的变化的主要因素。     

冷拉拔对LY12铝合金小棒组织和性能的影响

研究了淬火前不同冷变形量对ＬＹ１２铝合金挤压小棒组织和性能的影响．结果表明：不同的冷拉拔量对ＬＹ１２铝合金组织和性能有明显的影响；适当的冷变形量能减少或消除该合金挤压棒材的粗晶环．作者还对粗晶环的形成原因及其消除方法进行了讨论．     

Catalytic Activity of Nickel Alloys in Anodic Oxidation of the Hypophosphite Ion as a Function of Their Composition

The rate of anodic oxidation of the hypophosphite ion on alloys Ni-P, Ni-B, and Ni-Mo-P is studied as a function of their composition and structure. The organic compounds that are customarily used to stabilize electrolytes of electroless nickel plating are shown to come useful when controlling composition of the Ni-P coatings at the expense of their different influence on the rates of partial processes of deposition of the alloy components. The formation of catalytic activity of such coatings is affected mostly by a structural factor. With alloys Ni-P, Ni-B, and Ni-Mo-P, whose composition was varied by altering the concentration of the source of the alloying component, dependence of catalytic activity of the surface on the composition is defined mainly by an electronic factor.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 8, 2005, pp. 972–980.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Sotskaya, Dolgikh, Ryabinina.     

Eu,Dy共掺杂SrAl2O4长余辉材料制备新工艺

活化Al-Sr合金粉末水解制备SrAl₂O₄长余辉材料的前驱体,并采用高温固相反应法制备出Eu,Dy共掺杂的SrAl₂O₄长余辉材料,对其微观结构和发光特性进行了研究。实验结果表明:前驱体中Al、Sr元素在微观状态下分布均匀,所制成的长余辉发光材料的发射主峰位于520nm附近,为典型的Eu²⁺离子4f5d-4f的特征发射,初始亮度达到18cd/m²,余辉时间长达46h。