Energy of formation for and liquid binary alloys

We have investigated the free energy of formation for Ag_xIn_1-x and Ag_xSn_1-x liquid binary alloys at temperatures 1173 and 1250 K, respectively. A microscopic theory based on the first order perturbation has been applied. The interionic interaction and a reference liquid are the fundamental components of the theory. The interionic interaction is described by a local pseudopotential. A liquid of hard spheres (HS) of two different effective diametres and charges is used to describe the reference system. The results of the calculations for energy of formation agree very well with the available experimental data. Our calculations also reveal that a simple perturbative approach along with appropriate effective pair potentials can produce nearly quantitative results for the concerned alloys.     

Characterization of ceramic PVD thin films on AZ31 magnesium alloys

Ceramic thin films have been widely used to protect the metal substrate as coatings in the past years. In order to improve the poor corrosion resistance of AZ31 magnesium alloy, the study in this paper used the electron beam evaporation method to prepare ceramic PVD films on its surface with TiO₂ and Al₂O₃ as donors, respectively. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the surface morphology, composition and microstructure of the thin films. Both films deposited on AZ31 took on compact top surface morphologies and grew as amorphous structures on substrate. AES test not only showed that films compositions deviated the standard stoichiometric ratios, but also found that element Mg diffused into films and existed as magnesium oxide in the TiO_x film as well as the AlO_x film. In the electrochemical corrosion test, the AlO_x coating on AZ31 exhibited the largest electrochemical impedance in a 3.5% NaCl solution. But it did not show better corrosion resistance than others for the poorer adhesion. Even if its thickness was small, the TiO_x coating on AZ31 exhibited the best corrosion resistance in this study. According to the observation and analysis, the damage of these films on AZ31 in aggressive solutions was mainly due to the existence of pores, microcracks, vacancies and poor adhesion between coating and substrate.     

On the hydrogen etching mechanism in plasma nitriding of metals

Iron alloys and aluminum were nitrogen implanted in a controlled oxygen atmosphere and the role of hydrogen on the surface etching mechanisms studied. The surface composition was analyzed by in situ photoemission electron spectroscopy (XPS). In iron alloys, hydrogen strongly etches oxygen, improving nitrogen retention on the surface. On the other hand, hydrogen removes nitrogen from aluminum surfaces, with a deleterious effect on the nitriding effectiveness. The oxygen removal in iron alloys is associated with the catalytic effect of electrons in d-orbitals and the nitrogen removal in aluminum is associated with a steric effect.     

Surface reconstructions of InGaAs alloys

The surface reconstructions of In_xGa_1−xAs alloys grown by molecular beam epitaxy on the (0 0 1) surfaces of GaAs and InAs have been studied by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnelling microscopy. A surface phase diagram is presented for the nominally strain-free alloy as a function of substrate temperature and alloy composition, and structural models for the commonly observed 3× reconstructions are discussed. Two new, electronically stable structural models are described that account for the transition of the In_xGa_1−xAs surface alloy from a c(4 × 4) to an asymmetric 3× reconstruction and that are fully consistent with all current experimental evidence.     

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.     

Amorphous Fe–Mg alloy thin films: magnetic properties and atomic vibrational dynamics

Amorphous (a-) Fe _x Mg_1?x alloys are interesting materials for the investigation of non-Debye-like low-energy vibrational excitations. We have prepared a-Fe _x Mg_1?x alloy thin films (0.3 ≤ × ≤0.7) by vapour quenching. The amorphous state was confirmed by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy between 4.2–300 K, and the x- and temperature-dependence of the isomer shift and hyperfine magnetic field was measured. For x= 0.6 and 0.7, magnetic ordering occurs below ~150 K. The atomic vibrational density of states, g(E), was determined by nuclear resonant inelastic scattering, providing clear evidence for the non-Debye-like low-energy vibrational excitations.     

激光辐照Fe81.5P18.4Yb0.1非晶合金的晶化特征

本文用扫描电镜（ＳＥＭ）和示差扫描量热法（ＤＳＣ）研究了ＸｅＣｌ准分子激光辐照Ｆｅ＿（８１．５）Ｐ＿（１８．４）Ｙｂ＿（０．１）非晶合金的晶化特征。结果发现，辐照样品的断面上有类冲击波纹样的层状规则的晶粒分布，其晶粒尺寸由辐照表面向样品内部逐渐减小，最后是近纳米尺度的微晶排布，样品的热稳定性也明显改善。     

Reaction of SbPO4 with lithium in non-aqueous electrochemical cells: preliminary study and evaluation of its electrochemical performance in anodes for lithium ion batteries

SbPO₄, a phosphate with a layered structure, was tested as an electrode material for lithium cells spanning the 3.0-0.0 V range. Two main electrochemical processes were detected as extensive plateaus at ca. 1.6 and 0.7 V in galvanostatic measurements. The first process was found to be irreversible, thus excluding a potential intercalation-like mechanism for the reaction and being better interpreted as a decomposition reaction leading to the formation of elemental Sb. This precludes the use of this compound as a cathodic material for lithium cells. By contrast, the process at 0.7 V is reversible and can be ascribed to the formation of lithium-antimony alloys. The best electrochemical response was obtained by cycling the cell at a C/20 discharge rate over the voltage range 1.25-0.25 V. Under these conditions, the cell delivers an average capacity of 165 Ah/kg—a value greater than those reported for other phosphates—upon successive cycling.     

Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of InAs/Mn digital alloys

We have investigated the magnetic and magneto-transport properties of a systematic sequence of five InAs/Mn digital alloys grown by a combination of molecular beam epitaxy and atomic layer epitaxy. The samples consist of 30 periods of Mn fractional monolayers (ML) (0.17–0.5 ML) separated by 14 ML thick InAs spacer layers in a superlattice configuration. Four samples show n-type electrical conduction while the fifth (0.25 ML Mn) is p-type. Squid magnetization measurements performed on these samples show remnant magnetization above room temperature, which is apparently related to a second phase.     

Coexisting antiferromagnetism and ferromagnetism in mechanically alloyed Fe-rich Fe–Ni alloys: implications regarding the Fe–Ni phase diagram below 400°C

Fe–Ni alloys below the Invar region with compositions Fe_100−xNi_x (x=21, 24, and 27 at%) were prepared by high-energy ball milling technique (mechanical alloying). The as-milled samples, characterized by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy, contain a mixture of (BCC) and γ (FCC) phases, whereas the samples annealed at 650°C for 0.5 h show a single γ (FCC) phase displaying a single line Mössbauer spectrum at room temperature (RT). At low temperature, the Mössbauer spectra of annealed Fe₇₆Ni₂₄ and Fe₇₃Ni₂₇ alloys show the existence of a magnetically split pattern together with a broad singlet, which are ascribed to a high-moment ferromagnetic Ni-rich phase and a low-moment Fe-rich phase, respectively. The Fe-rich phase in annealed Fe₇₆Ni₂₄ alloy, which is paramagnetic at RT, undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering at 40 K, estimated from the dramatic line broadening of its spectrum, giving rise to a small hyperfine field (e.g. 2 T at 6 K). The coexistence of these phases is attributed to phase segregation occurring in these alloys as a result of enhanced atomic diffusion. The stability of these alloys towards martensitic (FCC→BCC) transformation at low temperatures is discussed in connection with the Fe–Ni phase diagram below 400°C.