The existence of Pt7Cu ordering phase (intermetallic compound) was investigated by ab initio calculations and high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) focusing on irradiation-induced ordering. The Pt7Cu ordering phase (cF32, prototype Ca7Ge) was predicted at 0 K through density functional theory (DFT), and using cluster expansion (CE) method and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation, the ordering temperature of fcc-based Pt7Cu ordering phase was estimated to be above room temperature. The formation of Pt7Cu ordering phase was confirmed by a short-time irradiation for 3.6×103 s at 600 K. MeV electron irradiation can reduce drastically the annealing time for the ordering in the Pt-Cu alloy system, indicating that the combination of the prediction by ab initio calculations and HVEM can offer the unique opportunity to investigate the existence of ordering phase in alloys.

The reverse martensitic (austenite) transformation temperatures (As) were investigated using a diffusion couple of PtTi and CoTi with a continuous compositional gradient. It was found that PtTi and CoTi form a complete solid solution of (Pt, Co)Ti at 1373K. Surface relief was formed by heating due to the austenite transformation. Judging from the formation of the surface patterns and the corresponding chemical compositions, As monotonously decreases with increasing Co content at a rate of -70K/at%Co, and As is estimated to be close to room temperature (RT) when the Co concentration is 15at%Co. Besides, micro Vickers hardness values measured at RT are minimized around 15at%Co.

The distribution of alloying elements in the constituent phases of a C-containing γ-TiAl based alloy has been characterized locally by atom probe tomography. The major elements of the alloy under consideration – Ti, Al, Nb, and Mo – are distributed uniformly within each of the constituent phases. Furthermore, Mo is preferentially dissolved in the βo-phase, whereas Nb content is similar in all phases. The selected C concentration of the alloy is below the overall solubility limit as no precipitates have been observed. Therefore, C is enriched in the α2-phase, whereas the βo-phase is depleted of C. In addition, βo/γ-interfaces have been prepared by site specific sample preparation and characterized by atom probe tomography. Segregation of Mo and C into the interfaces and their close vicinity was observed.

The phase equilibrium and oxidation behavior of the disilicides that form in the Nb-Cr-Si ternary system have been investigated. Although NbSi2 and CrSi2 both exhibit a C40 crystal structure, they form separate ranges of compositional homogeneity in the ternary system. Their phase boundaries at 1300 °C have been experimentally determined in this study. The binary NbSi2 exhibited poor oxidation resistance, showing pest-like behavior during oxidation at temperature above 800 °C. In contrast, the alloys containing Cr showed much better oxidation resistance up to 1200 °C.

Orthorhombic titanium-based Ti2AlNb alloys cannot be used above a temperature limit of about 800°C due to accelerated oxidation and environmental embrittlement. This embrittlement is caused by the high oxygen solubility which deteriorates the mechanical properties. Even if these materials possess an Al content up to ca. 25at.% no protective alumina layer is formed. Instead a non-protective fast growing mixed scale is found. Several attempts have been made to increase their operation temperature e.g. by coatings but none has proven sufficiently protective so far. One new way presented in this paper is to enrich Al in a narrow surface zone by using a powder pack process (aluminization) followed by a fluorination step. Exposure tests at elevated temperature have shown that the aluminized specimens form an alumina layer during exposure in oxidizing environments. Due to the gradient in the Al-concentration interdiffusion with the substrate and the Al-rich diffusion zone occurs which lowers the Al concentration in the diffusion zone. If the Al content drops below a critical value, Ti oxides will also form, which deteriorates the protection provided by the alumina scale. The subsequent fluorination triggers the fluorine effect which stabilizes the protective alumina layer. Untreated specimens are covered with a thick non protective scale and exhibit oxygen ingress in the subsurface zone while treated specimens reveal a thin protective alumina layer and no inward diffusion of oxygen. In this paper results of exposure tests of untreated and treated orthorhombic Ti2AlNb alloys will be presented and compared with the Nb-free α2-phase Ti3Al and Nb-containing Ti3Al-based alloys.

B2 aluminides have a role of Al reservoir for Al2O3 surface and it is expected to increase oxidation resistance of (Nb,Mo)-bccss substrate. For the accumulation of the basic information to design the alloy composed of B2 coating on bccss matrix, bccss - B2 two-phase field was investigated in the Nb-Mo-Ni-Pd-Al system at 1273 K. It is found that Pd-rich B2-(Ni,Pd)Al phase is in equilibrium with Nb-rich bccss phase, while without Pd, the composition range of bccss coexisting with B2-NiAl phase is limited to be low Nb.

Intermetallic titanium aluminides solidifying via the disordered β-phase are of great interest for several high-temperature applications in automotive and aircraft industries. In this paper the thermocyclic oxidation behavior of three β-solidifying γ-TiAl-based alloys at 800°C and 900°C in air, with and without fluorine treatment, is reported for the first time. The behavior of the well-known TNM alloy (Ti-43.5Al-4Nb-1Mo-0.1B, in at.%) is compared with that of two Nb-free model alloys which contain different amounts of Mo (Ti-44Al-3Mo and Ti-44Al-7Mo, in at.%). During thermocyclic high-temperature exposure in air a mixed oxide scale develops on all three untreated alloys. Small additions of fluorine in the subsurface region of the alloys change the oxidation mechanism from mixed oxide scale formation to alumina at both temperatures. The oxidation resistance of the fluorine treated samples was significantly improved compared to the untreated samples.

Fe-Al alloys with about 55 to 65 at.% Al undergo a eutectoid transformation at 1095 °C: Fe5Al8 (ε) ↔ FeAl + FeAl2. Hence, as-cast Fe-Al alloys in this composition range show a very fine-scaled lamellar microstructure (average lamellar spacing below 500 nm) consisting of the two phases FeAl and FeAl2. The microstructure looks similar to the α2 + γ lamellar microstructure of Ti-Al-based alloys, which is known for having well-balanced properties in terms of creep, ductility and strength. However, there is limited knowledge about the properties of Fe-Al-based alloys in this composition range. In this study, a series of as-cast as well as heat-treated Fe-Al alloys with compositions between 57 and 63 at.% Al were investigated. The microstructures and crystal structures were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The composition dependence of all transition temperatures was obtained by differential thermal analysis (DTA).

The complete ternary system Co-Al-W was fabricated as a thin film materials library by combinatorial magnetron sputtering. The materials library was investigated using high-throughput characterization methods such as optical measurements as well as automated resistance screening. The obtained data indicate possible phase regions and compositional regions which show early surface oxidation. The demonstrated approach illustrates that using high-throughput measurement methods provides a fast access to data of relatively unexplored materials systems. The gained data provides a valuable basis for further in-depth studies of the investigated materials systems.

The Au-Si liquid phase was obtained by melting the Si surface via Au-Si eutectic reaction, which contributed to the formation of semiconducting iron disilicide (β-FeSi2), on Au-coated Si(100) substrates. By coating a substrate with an Au layer of 60 nm or more, the Au-Si liquid phase covered the entire Si substrate surface, and single-phase β-FeSi2 was grown on Si(100) substrates. A clear photoluminescence spectrum of β-FeSi2 indicated the formation of high-quality crystals with a low density of the non-radiative recombination center in the grains.

The effects of alloying elements (Ni/Ta) on the temperature dependence of yield stress in Co3(Al,W) with the L12 structure have been investigated through compression tests of nearly single-phase polycrystalline alloys in the temperature range between room temperature to 1,473K. Compared with a ternary Co3(Al,W), a Ni/Ta-added Co3(Al,W) alloy exhibits a higher γ΄ solvus temperature and lower onset temperature of the yield stress anomaly (positive temperature dependence of yield stress), suggesting that the CSF energy is increased by Ni/Ta addition. As a consequence, the high-temperature strength in Co3(Al,W) is considerably enhanced.

The temperature dependence of yield stress and the associated dislocation dissociation in L12 intermetallic compounds are investigated in order to check the feasibility of the classification of L12 intermetallic compounds so far made in terms of the planarity of core structures of partial dislocations with b = 1/2<110> and 1/3<112> on {111} and {001} glide planes. In contrast to what is believed from the classification, the motion of APB-coupled dislocations is evidenced to give rise to the rapid decrease in yield stress at low temperatures for Pt3Al. In view of the fact that rapid decrease in yield stress at low temperatures is also observed in Co3(Al,W) and Co3Ti in which APB-coupled dislocations are responsible for deformation, the SISF-type dissociation is not a prerequisite for the rapidly decreasing CRSS for slip on (111) and the relative magnitudes of the APB energy on (111) and the SISF energy on (111) cannot be a primary factor that determines the type of the temperature dependence of CRSS for L12 compounds. The importance of the CSF energy as a factor determining the type of the temperature dependence of yield stress for L12 compounds through the changes in the planarity of the core structure of the APB-coupled partial dislocation with bp = ½[1$\overline 1$0] is discussed in the light of experimental evidence obtained from Pt3Al.

In order to improve shape memory properties of Au-Cu-Al based shape memory alloys, the possibility to utilize thermo-mechanical treatment was investigated in this study, and effects of heat-treatment temperature on microstructure, martensitic transformation and mechanical properties of cold-rolled Au-30Cu-18Al-2Fe (AuCuAlFe) alloy were clarified by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile tests at room temperature (RT). Here, Fe addition to AuCuAl improves ductility. Cold rolling with the thickness reduction of 30% was successfully carried out in AuCuAlFe at RT. An exothermic heat was observed in DSC at temperature from 402K, suggesting that recovery started at 402K. Besides, the transformation temperature hysteresis increased by the cold-rolling. The alloy was completely recrystallized after the heat treatment at 573K for 3.6ks. Tensile tests revealed that the yield stress was raised by cold rolling and largely by the subsequent heat treatment at 433K, which corresponded to the recovery start temperature by DSC. The yield stress decreased with increasing heat treatment temperature over 453K, probably due to recrystallization. AuCuAlFe cold-rolled and subsequent heat-treated at 573K exhibited the lowest yield stress as well as stress-plateau region, indicating that the thermo-mechanical treatment is effective to improve shape memory properties of Au-Cu-Al based alloys.

Phase equilibria among the β-Ti, α-Ti and γ-TiAl phases were examined at 1473 K, in order to reveal the M/Nb ratio dependence of the relative phase stability of β phase in the Ti-Al-Nb-M (M: V, Cr, Mo) quaternary systems. In all of the quaternary systems, the expansion of β phase region toward the lower (Nb+M) content side is observed due to the existence of negative interaction to stabilize the β phase between the third and fourth elements (i.e. Nb-V, Nb-Cr and Nb-Mo). Composition dependence of the interaction is quantified as a function of the M/(Nb+M) ratio at 42 at.% Al. The strong interaction energy existing between the different group elements should be taken into account to design the multi-component TiAl alloys.

The ternary system Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo shows an age hardening behavior similar to aluminum alloys. After solution annealing followed by rapid quenching, the Fe-Co-matrix is hardened during subsequent aging through precipitation of the intermetallic µ-phase (Fe,Co)7Mo6. In aged condition the entire Mo content is present in coarse primary and fine µ-phase particles and, therefore, the matrix consists exclusively of 71 at% Fe and 29 at% Co. The binary system Fe-Co shows a transformation from the disordered bcc structure to the ordered B2 structure between 25 and 72 at% Co at a critical ordering temperature ranging from room temperature to 723°C. As a consequence, the remaining overaged matrix in the Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo system should also show such a transition. However, an ordered phase is brittle and, thus, not wanted for many applications. Better mechanical properties in terms of ductility can be achieved with a partially or fully disordered phase. Such a state can be obtained by rapid quenching from temperatures above the critical ordering temperature. In this study such an approach was implemented on the ternary Fe - 25 at% Co - 9 at% Mo alloy. The effect of different cooling rates on the mechanical properties was investigated by means of hardness testing. The actual ordering transition of the Fe - 29 at% Co matrix was determined with differential scanning calorimetry and neutron diffraction.

Oxidation tests of Cr containing Co-based superalloys with compositions of Co-20at.%Ni-9at.%Al-9at.%W-x at.%Cr (x = 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) have been carried out at 1173 and 1273 K in air. Oxidation resistance is improved upon alloying with Cr not only at 1173 K but also at 1273 K. The weight gain of the 10at.%Cr alloy oxidized at 1173 K is similar to that of the 5th generation Ni-based superalloy of TMS-173. Alloying with Cr is efficient to improve oxidation resistance, however, the shape of γ’ precipitates is rounded and the alignment of the precipitates along the <100> direction becomes less pronounced upon alloying with Cr.