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The Oman ophiolite (Samail massif, Sultanate of Oman) is the largest sub-aerial exposure of oceanic lithosphere on Earth and provides the opportunity to study the accretion and alteration of oceanic lithosphere formed under fast-spreading conditions. Drill hole GT3A (23∘06′50.7′′ N, 58∘12′42.2′′ E) of the ICDP (International Continental Scientific Drilling Program) Oman Drilling Project with a length of 400 m aimed at penetrating the dike–gabbro transition of the Samail ophiolite paleocrust in order to shed light on the role of the axial melt lens (AML) during accretion of the lower plutonic crust. AMLs beneath fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges are sandwiched between the sheeted dike complex and the uppermost gabbros and are believed to feed the upper crust and, at least partially, the underlying crystal mush. Typical gabbroic rocks from dike–gabbro transitions of fast-spreading systems are the so-called “varitextured gabbros”, often showing considerable variations in mineral mode, texture and grain size, which are regarded as the frozen fillings of axial melt lenses. Here, we present a detailed petrographic, microanalytical and bulk-chemical investigation of 36 mafic rocks from the drill hole GT3A, which represent mostly varitextured gabbros, revealing a complex formation with several evolution stages. Poikilitic domains formed first, corresponding to an early crystallization stage, where only plagioclase and clinopyroxene of more primitive composition crystallized. Later, domains of granular textures containing also interstitial amphibole and Fe–Ti oxide were formed. This stage is characterized by a magma evolution that underwent crystal fractionation established by lower temperatures due to more efficient hydrothermal cooling at the margin of the AML. A last stage is characterized by pervasive hydrothermal alteration, where all primary minerals have been altered under temperature conditions, varying from the magmatic regime down to greenschist facies. A highlight of this stage is amphiboles showing noticeable compositional zoning. The observation of peculiar microgranular domains, representing relics of stoped exogenic material from the sheeted dike complex, documents the upward migration of an AML in a replenishment event, forcing the AML to burn through previously altered sheeted dikes. This process is responsible for significant assimilation of hydrothermally altered components, indicated by a marked Cl enrichment in the outer zones of magmatic amphiboles. Petrological modeling involving gabbros and basalts revealed that the GT3A rock suite followed a fractional crystallization evolution trend, with a primitive MORB as parental melt with an estimated water content of 0.2 wt % to 0.8 wt %. The modeled liquid lines of descent suggest a magmatic evolution via fractional crystallization, where the basalts correspond to frozen liquids, while the gabbros, especially the more primitive ones, show a significant cumulate component.

Multiphase boride layers consisting of (CoFe)2B, (Fe0.4Mn0.6)B, Cr2Ni3B6 and (Cr0.4Mn0.6)B were formed on the surface of Co1.21Cr1.82Fe1.44Mn1.32Ni1.12Al0.08B0.01 high entropy alloy by powder-pack boronizing at 900 °C, 950 °C and 1000 °C for 4 h. The nanohardness (H), modulus of elasticity (E) and fracture toughness (KC) of the multiphase boride layers were determined based on the load–displacement (P-h) curves obtained in the nanoindentation tests. Three distinct regions were identified on the cross-sections of the produced layers: an outer layer consisting of MeB-type borides, an inner layer consisting of Me2B-type borides and the transition zone. The microstructural aspects of the layers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Detailed analysis of the influence of the chemical composition on hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness in the three regions indicated that the most critical factor influencing the mechanical properties was the presence of chromium, iron and cobalt borides in the microstructure. Especially the formation of chromium borides reduced the fracture toughness of the transition zone.

Commercially pure Fe, Fe35Mn, and (Fe35Mn)5Ag alloys were prepared by uniaxial pressing of the mixture of individual powders, followed by sintering. The influence of the alloying elements Mn and Ag on the corrosion behaviour of these Fe-based alloys was investigated in Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS). Furthermore, the role of the components in HBSS, particularly Ca2+ ions during alloys degradation was studied. Distribution of local pH and dissolved oxygen concentration was measured 50 μm above the interface of the degrading alloys. The results revealed that 5 wt% Ag addition to Fe35Mn alloy triggered micro-galvanic corrosion, while uniform corrosion dominated in pure Fe and Fe35Mn. Fast precipitation of Ca–P-containing products on the surface of these Fe-based alloys buffered local pH at the metal interface, and blocked oxygen diffusion at the initial stages of immersion. In the (Fe35Mn)5Ag, the detachment or structural changes of Ca–P-containing products gradually diminished their barrier property. These findings provided valuable insights into the degradation mechanism of promising biodegradable Fe-based alloys., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Local pH and O2 concentration were monitored at Fe-alloy interfaces in flowing HBSS at 37 °C. • Local pH at metal interface was more neutral (7.1–7.8) in HBSS + Ca than HBSS (6.4–8.3). • Dissolved oxygen was depleted at metal interface, in both electrolytes, HBSS and HBSS + Ca. • Oxygen reduction reaction and oxidation of ferrous products consumed O2 at a high rate. • The barrier property of Ca–P-containing products diminished as immersion time elapsed.

In this work we study the magnetization of magnetoactive elastomers (MAE) in which the interface between the matrix and magnetic particles is unstable and allows for slipping of the particles against the wall of their elastomer cavities. The estimate of the maximal angle at which each particle can decline its axis from the initial position is made based on cyclic measurement of several consecutive hysteresis loops at different maximal magnetic fields. A model of magnetization of magnetically hard multigrain particles in an elastic environment with allowance for their possible slipping is proposed. Results of modelling is in fair agreement with the experimental data obtained on MAEs whose polymeric matrix is made of polydimethylsiloxane and the magnetic filler is NdFeB spherical particles. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: Bo 3343/3-1, Od 18/24-1; Russian Foundation for Basic Research, РФФИ: 19-52-12045 The research was accomplished with the financial support by RFBR project 19-52-12045 and DFG projects Bo 3343/3-1 and Od 18/24-1.

High-speed electric motors, e.g., axially laminated anisotropic synchronous reluctance motors (ALA-SynRM), use a solid rotor manufactured by joining alternating layers of magnetic and non-magnetic metallic sheets. The strength of the dissimilar metallic joints is critical for the rotor’s ability to withstand the operating conditions of the high-speed electrical machine. In this work, various dissimilar metallic joint configurations that can be used in high-speed ALA-SynRM rotors are studied by analyzing the shear strength, microstructure, hardness, and composition of the joints. Metallic joints of structural steels and Inconel® alloys fabricated by vacuum brazing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) are studied. Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to calculate the maximum shear stress of the joints that were subjected to various high speed operating conditions. The shear strength of the test specimens was measured and compared with FEA results. The microstructure and chemical composition of the joints were studied by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) on SEM. The results show that the hot isostatic pressed S1100MC-IN718 joint achieved the highest ultimate shear strength (233.3 MPa) followed by vacuum brazed S355MC-IN600 joint (230.1 MPa) and HIP S355-IN718 (203.5 MPa), thereby showing that vacuum brazing and HIP can be viable manufacturing methods to fabricate a high-speed ALA-SynRM rotor.

The synthesis and extensive characterization of newly developed boron nitride nanosheet (BNNSs)-reinforced WNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are presented. The influence of B4C on the structural, physical, mechanical, and nuclear shielding characteristics of synthesized HEAs has been widely examined in terms of its monotonic effects on the behavior changes. The internal morphology and structural characteristics of the fabricated composites are first investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Wear testing is used to determine the coefficient of friction as a function of sliding distance. Experimental gamma ray and neutron setups are created to determine their shielding characteristics against nuclear radiation. Finally, the shielding characteristics of nuclear radiation for gamma ray and fast neutrons are compared extensively to those of many existing and new-generation shielding materials. Among the examined samples, the S2 sample with B4C and BNNSs reinforcement had the greatest mechanical characteristics. Our findings imply that increasing B4C directly contributes to the shielding qualities of nuclear radiation. The B4C created in the structure of BNNSs contributes to the overall properties of HEAs, which are crucial for nuclear applications, since HEAs are being examined as a component of future nuclear reactors. Additionally, B4C is a very versatile material that may be used in circumstances where mechanical and nuclear shielding properties need to be enhanced for a variety of radiation energies. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature. 2-s2.0-85134366577

Образование магнитного порядка в металлах и сплавах рассматривается как проявление в основной кристаллической решётке металлов и сплавов сопряжённой с ней магнитной структуры, обладающей достаточной жёсткостью и энергией. Изучение их взаимосвязи представляет большой интерес для использования промышленных металлов и сплавов. В результате проведённого исследования можно утверждать, что магнитное упорядочение искажает кристаллическую решётку: при температуре перехода она становится менее стабильной, что приводит к значительно более высокой пластичности вновь образующейся магнитоупорядоченной фазы. B температурных областях магнитных превращений пластичность антиферромагнитной или ферромагнитной фазы больше пластичности парамагнитной фазы и ведёт себя немонотонно. Ключевые слова и словосочетания: фазовые магнитные переходы, прочностные свойства при магнитных перестройках ферромагнетизм→парамагнетизм, антиферромагнетизм→парамагнетизм.

We have developed a new type of experimental setup utilizing a multi-anvil large volume press and designed for simultaneous measurements of structure-sensitive thermophysical properties (diffraction, electrical resistivity, viscosity). This multi-probe capability was tested on iron alloys at 2 GPa and up to 1750 K. Phase transitions as detected by X-ray diffraction patterns are clearly associated with changes in the electrical response of the samples. In Fe-S liquids, viscosity measurements in the molten state indicate an increase in viscosity with increasing the amount of alloying agent. A correlation between electrical resistivity and viscosity from our data and previous works is observed. This multi-probe measurement capability improves the detection of solid-state transformations and solid-melt transitions, relates structural and electrical properties of geomaterials, and allows constraining the mobility of melts using viscosity data. This new setup advances research about melt distribution and mobility at conditions relevant to planetary interiors.

International audience; For improving mechanical strength of cast irons, a fully pearlitic matrix is sought by alloying with tin, copper and manganese. This applies in particular to the compacted graphite irons considered here. While average macro-and micro-hardness values were similar for the four fully pearlitic alloys under study, it was found that high copper and low tin content showed some very high maximum micro-hardness values, significantly higher than the corresponding mean. Such values may be seen as hard points in the material that would certainly impair machinability. Discussion of the reasons for these extreme values opens directions for further studies.

International audience; Photoswitchable 11 nm nanocrystals with the coordination network Cs{Co[Fe(CN)6]} were obtained using a template-free method. The nanocrystals were recovered from the colloidal solutions as solid materials surrounded by cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) cations or embedded in the organic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Complementary magnetic, spectroscopic, and structural techniques, including EPR spectroscopy, reveal a majority (∼70%) of the low-spin and photoactive diamagnetic CoIIIFeII pairs located in the core of the nanocrystals and a mixture of CoIIFeII and CoIIFeIII species present mainly within the shell of the objects. While bulk compounds with similar vacancy concentration do not exhibit noticeable photoinduced charge transfer, the observed photoactivity of the nanocrystals is ascribed to their nanometric size. The relaxation temperature of the photoinduced state shifts upward by ∼55 K when PVP is replaced by CTA. This is ascribed to the larger rigidity of the dense CsCoFe_CTA material, whose metastable state is lower than that for CsCoFe_PVP, leading to a larger relaxation energy barrier and, therefore, to a higher relaxation temperature.

The authors built a prototype motor with NANOMET stator cores. NANOMET is one of the several nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys [see ref. 1]. Motor iron loss and other characteristics were compared with 35A360 (Japanese Industrial Standards), which is one of the widely used conventional electromagnetic steel sheet, and the effectiveness of the new material is shown. This study describes the method to build NANOMET stator cores, and presents the evaluation results of the prototype motor.

High chromium cast iron (HCCI) has been widely used as wear-resistant material in the industry. Alloying is an effective way to improve the microstructure and mechanical properties of HCCI. This paper added multi-component V-Fe-Ti-Nb-C-Zr-B alloy (VFC) to HCCI, showing a significant synergistic solution-strengthening effect. The results show that the added V-Ti-Nb-B are dissolved in M7C3 carbide to form the (Cr, Fe, V, Ti, Nb)7(C, B)3 alloy carbide, and a small amount of V and all Zr are dissolved in austenite and martensite. Adding VFC into HCCI improved the hardenability of HCCI, decreased the residual austenite content from 6.0 wt% to 0.9 wt%, increased the martensite content from 70.7 wt% to 82.5 wt%, and changed the structure and content of M7C3 carbide. These changes increased the hardness of as-cast and heat-tread HCCI by 1.4% and 4.1%, increased the hardness of austenite and martensite by 7.9% and 7.0%, increased the impact toughness by 16.9%, and decreased the friction coefficient and wear loss by 2.3 % and 7.0 %, respectively. Thus, the hardness, toughness, wear resistance, and friction resistance of HCCI alloy are improved simultaneously.

Laser-clad AlCrFeCoNi high entropy alloy (HEA) coatings, produced on the surface of AISI 316 L stainless steel, were pack-borided at 1000 °C for 4 h in open air, high-purity Ar and vacuum environments. The HEA, which had an initial hardness of 6.14 ± 2.06 GPa, formed a complex boride layer consisting of (CoFe)B2, (CrFe)B2 and Cr2Ni3B6 phases on its surface, with hardness ranging from 15.95 ± 0.7 to 20.15 ± 4.50 GPa as a result of the boriding process. While the greatest boride layer thickness was obtained in the sample borided in vacuum, the highest surface hardness was obtained in the sample borided in air. The borided coatings showed improved wear resistance and lower friction values compared to the untreated control samples, both at 25 °C and 650 °C. The borided coatings also showed reduced coefficients of friction at 650 °C. The wear losses at 650 °C significantly exceeded those at 25 °C.

The kinetics of the nitrided layer thickness growth and its structure depend on the nitrogen flux from the atmosphere to the nitrided surface. A nitrogen flux to the surface is more significant than a diffusion flux into the substrate, during forming surface iron nitrides and the internal nitriding zone. For pure iron, nitrided under low pressure, cutting off the nitriding atmosphere creates a flux from the subsurface layer of nitrides to the surface. The purpose of this paper is to determine the direction of the nitrogen flux in a similar situation for steels containing nitride-forming elements, thus answering the question of the stability of the layer nitrided under such conditions. The surface of X37CrMoV5-1 steel was nitrided under low pressure (of 24 hPa) and annealed in a vacuum or nitrogen. The microstructure, thickness of the nitride layers nitrided layers, the thickness of the internal nitriding zone, surface hardness and stresses were examined. The highest values of the nitrided layer properties were observed for the samples saturated only with nitrogen obtained from ammonia dissociation or additionally heated in nitrogen. It has been shown that using a pure vacuum during the annealing stage leads to unfavourable changes in the structure of the nitrided layer formed and, in particular, to the decomposition of the iron nitride layer formed at the saturation stage and occurrence of the tensile stresses—what excludes practical application of such layer. Ultimately, it has been shown that in the low-pressure nitriding process, the stability of the nitride layer of the nitrided surface strongly depends on the annealing atmosphere during the annealing stage, while the stability of the internal nitriding zone remains mainly at the same level.

Fe–Co alloys are attracting attention as magnetostrictive materials for energy harvesting and sensor applications. This work investigated the magnetostriction characteristics and crystal structure of additive-manufactured Fe–Co alloys using directed energy deposition. The additive-manufactured Fe–Co parts tended to exhibit better magnetostrictive performance than the hot-rolled Fe–Co alloy. The anisotropy energy ΔK1 for the Fe–Co bulk, prepared under a power of 300 W (referred to as bulk−300 W), was larger than for the rolled sample. For the bulk−300 W sample in a particular plane, the piezomagnetic constant d was large, irrespective of the direction of the magnetic field. Elongated voids that formed during additive manufacturing changed the magnetostrictive behavior in a direction perpendicular to these voids. Magnetic property measurements showed that the coercivity decreased. Since sensors should be highly responsive, Fe–Co three-dimensional parts produced via additive manufacturing can be applied as force sensors.

Nanocrystalline nickel-iron layers are produced electrochemically on copper discs by varying the current density and then annealed in a vacuum furnace at a temperature range between 200 and 800 °C. Grain size, iron content, texture and microstrain of the microstructure are primarily characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Instrumented indentation tests and microbending tests for mechanical characterization are carried out. The iron contents of the investigated layers are 5.7, 8.8, 13.5 and 17.7 wt.-%. By varying the annealing temperature, the reduction of the microstrains is initiated at 200 °C and ends at a temperature of about 280 °C. Primary recrystallization starts slightly higher at 220 °C and is completed at 300 °C. With higher iron content, the indicated temperatures shift to slightly higher values. Indentation modulus, Young's modulus, indentation hardness and strength change considerably after the annealing treatment. Fracture strain at the edge, as a measure of ductility, decreases immediately after annealing at 200 °C to 0 %. Low annealing temperatures occurring before the beginning of primary recrystallization lead to an increase in indentation hardness and 0.01-% offset bending yield strength Rp0.01∗ as compared to the electrochemically deposited initial state. After annealing at high temperatures, the mechanical parameters are mostly below the initial values for electrochemical deposition. Hall-Petch (HP) behavior is observed for Rp0.01∗, both for the electrochemically deposited specimens down to almost 6 nm and for the specimens annealed at high temperatures. Specimens annealed at low temperatures deviate from the HP straight line to higher values. In this case, an increase in strength is assumed to be due to the very small nanocrystalline (nc) grain sizes, segregation at the grain boundaries and a decrease in dislocation density. Indentation hardness measurements show almost no dependence on D−0.5 for the electrochemically deposited specimens and also for annealed specimens below 30nm grain size. Above 30nm, the indentation hardness values are considerably higher than for the HP straight line. Overall, the hardness and strength values of the nc specimens, electrochemically deposited or additionally annealed, are significantly higher than those of the microcrystalline (mc) specimens.

The interference of the continuum background and overlapping peaks on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was considered as one of the major obstacles in LIBS quantitative analysis. To minimize the impact, an algorithm based on an iterative discrete wavelet transform (IDWT) and Richardson–Lucy deconvolution (RLD) was developed. The optimization of IDWT and RLD was implemented. The broadening could be compressed by 5 times using RLD, approximately. After data processing, the R2 values increased from 0.973 to 0.993 for Mn in iron alloys and from 0.816 to 0.985 for Fe in aluminum alloys, respectively. Meanwhile, the RMSECV decreased from 0.057 wt% to 0.032 wt% and from 0.101 wt% to 0.041 wt%, respectively. This work demonstrates that the IDWT combined with the RLD can be a powerful and potential algorithm for spectral interference correction.

This paper presents two methods of introducing boron into the surface layer of iron alloys, namely diffusion boronizing by means of the powder method and laser alloying with a TRUMPF TLF 2600 Turbo CO2 gas laser. Amorphous boron was used as the chemical element source. As regards diffusion drilling, the influence of temperature and time on the properties of the layer was tested. During the laser alloying, the influence of the thickness of the boriding paste layer as well as the power and laser beam scanning velocity was determined. How the carbon content in steel and alloying elements in the form of chromium and boron influence the structure of the surface layer was tested. To achieve this object, the following grades of steel were used: C45, C90, 41Cr4, 102Cr6, and HARDOX boron steel. The microhardness and wear resistance of the obtained boron-containing surface layers were tested. A Metaval Carl Zeiss Jena light microscope and a Tescan VEGA 5135 scanning electron microscope, a Zwick 3212B microhardness tester, and an Amsler tribotester were used for the tests. The structure of the diffusion- borided layer consists of the needle-like zone of FeB + Fe2B iron borides about 0.15 mm thick, with a good adhesion to the substrate of the steel subjected to hardening and tempering after the boriding process. After the laser alloying, the structure shows paths with dimensions within: width up to 0.60 mm, depth up to 0.35 mm, containing a melted zone with a eutectic mixture of iron borides and martensite, a heat affected zone with a martensitic-bainitic structure and a steel core. The microhardness of both diffusionborided and laser-borided layers falls within the range of 1000 – 1900 HV0.1, depending on the parameters of the processes. It has been shown that, apart from the structure and thickness of the layer containing boron and microhardness, the frictional wear resistance depends on the state of the steel substrate, i.e. its chemical composition and heat treatment. The results of testing iron alloys in the borided state were compared with those obtained only after the heat treatment.

Iron-based amorphous alloys are characterized by so-called soft magnetic properties. Unfortunately, the geometry of iron-based amorphous materials significantly limits the applicability of these materials. One way to expand the use of these materials is to make composites based on them. As part of this work, rapid-cooled alloys were produced using the injection casting method. On their basis, magnetic composites with the addition of a non-magnetic binder were produced. The results of the structure (XRD) and magnetic properties (VSM) tests of the produced materials are presented. The research results have shown that the decisive impact on the magnetic properties of composites is the fact of the separation of magnetic particles with a non-magnetic binder. In this case, the influence of exchange interactions is dominated by dipole interactions.

The current trends of production of casts are directed towards production of components disposing of higher accuracy, increased quality of surface and homogenous structure. In case of a thin-walled cast the development of speed of pressing and of pressure was observed inside the mould cavity during pressure die casting of ferrous alloys. In case of die casting of ferrous alloys the attention was paid to life service of a pressing piston and of a filling chamber. The optimal temperature of the steel casting ranges from 1600 to 1750°C and optimal mould temperature ranged from 220 to 260°C. The residues having occurred in gates reached the hardness of 38 HRC and in case of casts the value was of 45 HRC. Influence of acting of resistance pressure on the thin-walled casts only minimally. With the increasing resistance pressure the structure becomes more fine-grained and along with the increasing thickness of the wall the influence of the resistance pressure increases as well. Technology of pressure die casting of iron alloys can be compared with the pressure die casting technology of aluminium alloys. As standard, for pressure die casting the cast irons with carbon content of lower than 3% are recommended.

The basic damping properties of composite lathe structures are analyzed by modal diagnostics. New experimental results and literature data from non-Russian research are employed. The damping properties of cast-iron and composite lathe structures are compared. The composites considered are ferrocement, polymer concrete, and metal concrete.

Although there are many primary carbides in the cutting edge of knives made of high-carbon martensitic steel, the effect of primary carbides on the sharpness of knives has not been clarified. In this paper, the evolution of primary carbides during the production process of 8Cr13MoV steel was presented. The effect of size and amount of primary carbides on the sharpness of knives was studied via employing rolling forging and diffusion annealing process, respectively. Results indicated that primary carbides easily fell off from cutting edge during cutting process, which would decrease the wear resistance of knives. The refinement of primary carbides could not only improve the wear resistance of cutting edge, but also weaken the fluctuation of sharpness during the service process of knives. By decreasing the amount of primary carbides, the wear resistance of knives would increase effectively, which improved the cutting performance effectively. Reducing the amount of primary carbides and refining the primary carbides in cutting edge were both effective ways to improve the sharpness of knives.

The aim of this study was to determine the behaviour of vanadium in molten slag and carbon saturated iron alloys using a metal-slag-gas equilibration technique under controlled CO atmospher...

The Fe–B–Si–P–C alloys with crystalline phases of different type that are deposited in the initial stages of devitrification are studied by means of X-ray structural analysis. The alloy structure is modeled by an ensemble of small incoherent particles consisting of tetrahedral close-packed (tcp) crystalline phases. The calculation results and experimental data are in good agreement for all types of tcp phases with small particle size. However, X-ray analysis cannot distinguish between the amorphous state and heterogeneous structure with deposits of one of the tcp phases in the early stages of solidification. Such nonuniform structure may change the properties of the alloy, although the diffuse-scattering pattern remains unchanged.

The Master Curve (MC) method is widely used to evaluate the fracture toughness of ferritic steels for reactor pressure vessels in the ductile-brittle transition zone, but this method is onl...

Magnetic domain wall memory technology, wherein the information is stored in magnetic domains of multiple magnetic nanowires, is a potential concept proposed to store the large amount of digital data in the near future, which is generated due to the widespread use of social media and computing devices. However, one of the technological challenges which remains to be solved in domain wall memory is the controllable pinning of the domain walls at the nanometer scale. Here, we demonstrate the possibility to stabilize domain walls with nanoscale modification of magnetic properties by using thermal diffusion of elements from crossbar configuration. We have inspected and evaluated the magnetic properties of the nanowires using Kerr microscopy. The pinning field induced by Cr diffusion of our Ni80Fe20 nanowire was estimated to be about 8 kA/m as determined from minor loop (magnetoresistance vs. magnetic field) measurements. The proposed concept can potentially be used in future domain wall memory applications. © 2018 Elsevier B.V. We gratefully acknowledge Nanyang Technological University Start-Up Grant, AcRF-Tier 1 grant RG163/15 of Ministry of Education Singapore, and NTU-JSPS grant offered by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for the funding and support of this research.

The development of bioresorbable materials for temporary implantation enables progress in medical technology. Iron (Fe)-based degradable materials are biocompatible and exhibit good mechanical properties, but their degradation rate is low. Aside from alloying with Manganese (Mn), the creation of phases with high electrochemical potential such as silver (Ag) phases to cause the anodic dissolution of FeMn is promising. However, to enable residue-free dissolution, the Ag needs to be modified. This concern is addressed, as FeMn modified with a degradable Ag-Calcium-Lanthanum (AgCaLa) alloy is investigated. The electrochemical properties and the degradation behavior are determined via a static immersion test. The local differences in electrochemical potential increase the degradation rate (low pH values), and the formation of gaps around the Ag phases (neutral pH values) demonstrates the benefit of the strategy. Nevertheless, the formation of corrosion-inhibiting layers avoids an increased degradation rate under a neutral pH value. The complete bioresorption of the material is possible since the phases of the degradable AgCaLa alloy dissolve after the FeMn matrix. Cell viability tests reveal biocompatibility, and the antibacterial activity of the degradation supernatant is observed. Thus, FeMn modified with degradable AgCaLa phases is promising as a bioresorbable material if corrosion-inhibiting layers can be diminished.

The Fe-Mn-Si shape memory alloys are considered promising materials for the biodegradable bone implant application since their functional properties can be optimized to combine bioresorbability with biomechanical and biochemical compatibility with bone tissue. The present study focuses on the fatigue and corrosion fatigue behavior of the thermomechanically treated Fe-30Mn-5Si (wt %) alloy compared to the conventionally quenched alloy because this important functionality aspect has not been previously studied. Hot-rolled and water-cooled, cold-rolled and annealed, and conventionally quenched alloy samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, tensile fatigue testing in air atmosphere, and bending corrosion fatigue testing in Hanks’ solution. It is shown that hot rolling at 800 °C results in the longest fatigue life of the alloy both in air and in Hanks’ solution. This advantage results from the formation of a dynamically recrystallized γ-phase grain structure with a well-developed dislocation substructure. Another important finding is the experimental verification of Young’s modulus anomalous temperature dependence for the studied alloy system, its minimum at a human body temperature, and corresponding improvement of the biomechanical compatibility. The idea was realized by lowering Ms temperature down to the body temperature after hot rolling at 800 °C.

For many applications, implants overtake body function for a certain time. Bioresorbable implants reduce patient burden as they prevent adverse consequences due to remaining implants or operations for removal. Such materials are in clinical use but do not fulfill the requirements of all applications. Iron (Fe) is promising to develop further bioresorbable materials as it offers biocompatibility and good mechanical properties. Alloying, e.g., with manganese (Mn), is necessary to adapt the mechanical behavior and the degradation rate. However, the degradation rate of FeMn is too low. The creation of phases with high electrochemical potential evokes anodic dissolution of the FeMn, increasing the degradation rate. Therefore, silver (Ag), which is insoluble with Fe, has high potential, is biocompatible, and offers antibacterial properties, can be used. Powder-based processes such as laser beam melting (LBM) are favorable to process such immiscible materials. A degradable Ag alloy has to be used to enable the dissolution of Ag phases after the FeMn. This study reports first about the successful processing of FeMn with 5 wt.% of a degradable Ag–calcium–lanthanum (AgCaLa) alloy and enables further targeted adaption due to the gained understanding of the effects influencing the morphology and the chemical composition of the Ag phases.

Because engineering materials must cover a wide range of very different properties, a great number of such materials are necessary to address all technical applications. The main classes of engineering materials are dealt with in this chapter: metals and their alloys, polymeric materials, ceramics, glasses, and composites. The specific composition, the manufacturing processes leading to specific constituents/phases and structures, and the resulting properties are outlined for iron and its alloys, for some light metals, and for alloys based on nickel, cobalt, and copper. Great space is dedicated to iron alloys, because they offer the widest range of properties and thus applications in mechanical engineering based on one metal, such as construction steel, automobile sheet steel, cutting tools, and silverware, to name but a few examples. The fine-tuning of properties using heat and mechanical treatments is outlined. A special field of modification is the chemical alteration of surfaces to increase the carbon concentration, leading to different properties of the core and surface of parts.

CoCrFeNiAl0.25Ti0.5 high entropy alloy alloys (HEA), produced by powder metallurgy were subjected to boriding to improve their mechanical properties. Sintering was carried out at 1200 degrees C for 2 h in Ar, and boriding was performed at 900, 1000 and 1100 degrees C for 2 h using a 90 wt% B4C + 10 wt% NaBF4 boriding powder mixture. Microstructures, densities, surface roughnesses, and mechanical properties (hardness, fracture toughness and nanoindentation responses) of the samples were investigated. FCC, BCC and sigma phases had been observed after sintering, whereas complex metal borides were formed on the surfaces after boriding. Relative density values were between 85% and 90%. Significant increases in surface hardness were observed after boriding due to formation of hard, silicide-free boride layers. The boride layer thickness and hardness increased with increasing boriding temperature. The elastic modulus of the surface of the sintered sample (47.07 GPa) increased with the boriding process to values in the range of 140-151 GPa. Fracture toughness values between 3.57 and 4.25 MPa m(1/2) were obtained in borided samples, and increasing the boriding temperature reduced the fracture toughness.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) with face-centered cubic (FCC) structures exhibit high toughness and corrosion resistance, but their average strengths and relatively low wear resistance can limit their engineering ap-plications. In this study, FCC Al0.07Co1.26Cr1.80Fe1.42Mn1.35Ni1.10 HEAs were boronized for 4 h at temperatures of 900, 950, and 1000 degrees C to form hard, protective metal borides on their surfaces. The microstructural characteristics of the borides formed were examined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of the boride layers were studied by nanoindentation measurements, and the tribological performances of the layers were evaluated by ball-on -disk type wear tests in air, 3.5% NaCl and 5% H2SO4. Irrespective of the boronizing temperature, (Fe0.4Mn0.6) B, (Cr0.4Mn0.6)B, (CoFe)B2 and Cr2Ni3B6 phases were detected in the surfaces of the boronized samples. The surface hardnesses of the boronized samples reached nearly ten times the hardness of the as-cast HEA. The borides were effective in reducing friction as well as wear. Increasing the boronizing temperature increased the thicknesses of the coatings and further improved wear characteristics. Wear rates in 5% H2SO4 were generally higher than the wear rates in 3.5% NaCl, but the highest wear rates were observed in air. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determining the thermal conductivity of iron alloys at high pressures and temperatures are essential for understanding the thermal history and dynamics of the Earth's metallic cores. The authors summarize relevant high-pressure experiments using a diamond-anvil cell and discuss implications of high core conductivity for its thermal and compositional evolution.

We present results on the identification of phase transitions in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo alloys using machine learning. The approach for finding phase transitions in the system is based on the `learning by confusion' scheme, which allows one to characterize phase transitions using a universal $W$-shape. By applying the `learning by confusion' scheme, we obtain 2D $W$-a shaped surface that characterizes a triple phase transition point of the GdFeCo alloy. We demonstrate that our results are in the perfect agreement with the procedure of the numerical minimization of the thermodynamical potential, yet our machine-learning-based scheme has the potential to provide a speedup in the task of the phase transition identification., 4 pages, 2 figures; Published in IEEE Xplore

The magnets are typically classified into Stoner and Heisenberg type, depending on the itinerant or localized nature of the constituent magnetic moments. In this work, we investigate theoretically the behaviour of the magnetic moments of iron and cobalt in their B2-ordered alloy. The results based on local spin density approximation for the density functional theory (DFT) suggest that the Co magnetic moment strongly depends on the directions of the surrounding magnetic moments, which usually indicates the Stoner-type mechanism of magnetism. This is consistent with the disordered local moment picture of the paramagnetic state, where the magnetic moment of cobalt gets substantially suppressed. We argue that this is due to the lack of strong on-site electron correlations, which we take into account by employing a combination of DFT and dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). Within LDA + DMFT, we find a substantial quasiparticle mass renormalization and a non Fermi-liquid behaviour of Fe-3d orbitals. The resulting spectral functions are in very good agreement with measured spin-resolved photoemission spectra. Our results suggest that local correlations play an essential role in stabilizing a robust local moment on Co in the absence of magnetic order at high temperatures. © 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK AG acknowledges AI Poteryaev and AS Belozerov for fruitful discussions, EUSpec COST Action and the Competitiveness Enhancement Programme-CEP 3.1.1.2.?-17. The work is supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) under the projects 2015-05020 and 2019-03569 as well as Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT), Project No. IB2018-7490. The computer simulations are performed on computational resources provided by NSC allocated by the Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing (SNIC).

The extreme pressures achievable with dynamic compression holds great promise for studying planetary interiors. Phase stability of Fe-Si alloys, which are complex to address, is particularly relevant to understanding telluric planetary cores due to the widely varying properties produced by small changes in Si concentration. Here we report the study of phase stability of pure iron and Fe-Si alloys by x-ray diffraction measurements carried out on shocked samples using an x-ray free electron laser (XFEL). Our setup combined with the brilliance of the XFEL allows us to observe the rapid onset of high-pressure solid-solid phase transformation in Fe and Fe-Si8.5wt%; we observe no such evidence in Fe-Si16wt% up to 110 GPa on the nanosecond timescale. Density Functional Theory calculations provide the conceptual framework to rationalize these observations. Taken together our experiments and calculations support recent dynamic compression measurements and shed light on conflicting static compression results. Our work highlights the need to properly consider the differing intrinsic timescales of the static and dynamic experiments when comparing results, and the complementarity of the techniques in assessing phase diagram and transition mechanisms.

The following materials-science aspects of the frictional treatment (FT) of martensitic and austenitic steels with sliding indenters were considered in this study: mechanisms of nanostructuring of iron alloys upon FT under sliding-friction conditions; strengthening, resistance to thermal softening, wear resistance, and mechanical characteristics of steels subjected to frictional and combined thermomechanical treatments; application perspectives of the nanostructuring FT in innovative technologies.

The hot deformation behaviour of an Ni-based austenitic stainless steel (Fe-31Ni-15Cr austenitic steel) was investigated by isothermal tensile testing at temperatures ranging from 900–1100°C and at strain rates of 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 s−1. The effects of the deformation parameters were studied through analyses of true stress–strain curves. Processing maps were built based on the dynamic material model. The fracture morphology was observed. The stress of the alloy has a dependence on strain rate and deformation temperature. A modified Johnson–Cook constitutive model was built and examined. The entire tensile fracture surface presenting typical plastic fracture morphology is covered by dimples and voids. The processing maps reveal that instability mainly appears in Ni-based austenitic stainless steel at low deformation temperatures ranging from 900–940°C.

A series of ternary transition metal gallides around the equiatomic composition have been synthesized from the elements by arc-melting and subsequent annealing. The compounds crystallize with site occupancy variants of the hexagonal Laves phase MgZn2, with the hexagonal ZrBeSi or the orthorhombic TiNiSi type. All samples have been characterized on the basis of their lattice parameters, determined by X-ray powder diffraction (Guinier technique). The structures of NbCr1.58Ga0.42and NbFe1.51Ga0.49(MgZn2type,P63/mmc), NbRhGa (ZrBeSi type,P63/mmc), and ScNiGa, ScPtGa and ScAuGa (TiNiSi type,Pnma) were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data. The ScPtGa and ScAuGa crystals showed trilling formation. Mixed site occupancies were only observed in the Laves phases while all other crystals were well ordered. A striking structural motif of NbRhGa is the formation of niobium chains (264 pm Nb–Nb) along thecaxis. Several gallides were magnetically characterized. They are Pauli paramagnets. The two crystallographically independent iron sites in the Laves phase TaFeGa could be distinguished in the57Fe Mössbauer spectrum. The isomer shifts of 0.06(3) (Fe1) and –0.02(3) (Fe2) mm s−1indicate metallic iron.

The microstructure and corrosion properties of Fe-Cr-Si alloys prepared by mechanical alloying method were studied using the 57Fe transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy (TMS), x-ray diffraction (XRD),...

This review focuses on grain growth behaviors and the underlying mechanisms of bulk electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel and nickel-iron alloys. Effects of some important factors on grain growth are described. During thermal-induced grain growth process, grain boundary migration plays a key role. For similar thermal conditions, due to grain boundary mobility with solute drag, limited grain growth occurs in nanocrystalline alloys, as compared to pure metals. Nonetheless, in the case of stress-induced grain growth process, there are a variety of mechanisms in samples having various deformation histories. As an example the grain growth of nanocrystalline nickel and Ni-20%Fe alloy with nearly the same grain-size distribution and average grain size is compared in this paper. Thermal analysis indicates nanocrystalline nickel is much more prone to rapid grain growth than nanocrystalline Ni-20%Fe alloy. Nevertheless, grain growth of nanocrystalline Ni-20%Fe is found to be more pronounced than nanocrystalline nickel during rolling deformation.

The most important scientific problem solved under the guidance of Professor Krishtal M. A. was the problem of corrosion-mechanical destruction of high-strength reinforcing iron alloys. Much effort has been expended to solve this scientific problem of great applied importance. Complex regularities were established and the physical nature and mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement and destruction of reinforcing high-strength steels used in composite reinforced concrete structures and structures in the form of fibrous steel reinforcing fillers were revealed. In the Tula region in solving this problem a significant contribution was made by a student of Mikhail Aronovich Krishtal – Professor Nikolay Nikolaevich Sergeev, who defended his PhD and doctoral dissertations under his leadership.