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In this work, dissimilar rapid Rotary Friction Welding of WC-Co cermet to AISI 304 L austenitic stainless steel has been conducted using different friction times. The microstructural examination showed that the increase in friction time from 4s to 12s increases the grain size in both the heat affected zone and the thermo-mechanically affected zone and enlarges the extent of the fully dynamically recrystallized zone. EDS analysis revealed the existence of a Fe Cr W rich band along the WC-Co/AISI 304 L interface in the central region of the weld joint and its absence from the peripheral region. The formation of this band suggests the occurrence of a mutual inter-diffusion between the cermet and the steel which enhanced the metallurgical bonding of the interface. The mechanical behavior investigated by nano-indentation measurements and nano-scratch tests revealed that, regardless the friction time effect and considering the 304 L ASS side, the highest hardness (HIT) and the lowest Young's modulus (EIT) values were recorded in the fully dynamically recrystallized zone. Besides, the increase of friction time resulted in an increase of hardness and Young's modulus of each zone in the AISI 304 L steel side.

Si3N4/hBN composites were fabricated by hot isostatic pressing at 1700°C/3h with 1, 3 and 5 wt. % micro-sized or nano-sized hexagonal boron nitride particles added to silicon nitride matrix. An indentation quench test method was used for estimation of thermal shock resistance of monolithic Si3N4and Si3N4/hBN composites. Thermal shock resistance of the composites increased with the increase of size and volume of hBN particles. The critical temperature difference for the composites with micro-sized hBN was significantly higher (over 900°C) compared to the monolithic silicon nitride (580°C).

The aim of this work is indentation study of local mechanical properties of Cu-22Zn-4.6Al alloy, which has significant shape memory effect after quenching from dual α + β phase region. The study was carried out on the samples with thermoelastic and non-thermoelastic martensite in the structure, which were obtained by quenching from various temperatures. A different behavior concerning mechanical properties measurements of α phase and β phase transformed to martensite after quenching from various temperatures was found out. It was observed almost no change of mechanical properties of α phase, whereas indentation hardness HIT and indentation modulus EIT raised with increasing quenching temperature. Also some serious differences were observed at indentation test of thermoelastic and non-thermoelastic martensite.

The performance of drilling tools hardfacing in different conditions is strongly related to microstructural aspect of the coating and to the adhesion with the substrate. In the present investigation, the manual oxy-acetylene brazing process was employed for AISI 1020 steel hardfacing using WC-Ni. The substrate/hard facing interface was particularly studied which was a Ni-Cr-Al-Mo interlayer prepared by flame thermal spray method. The microstructural results exhibit a good embedding of WC particles into the Ni matrix, where the inter-diffusion of Ni, Cr, and Fe elements at the interface is enhanced using the interlayer. The dissolution and decarburization phenomena of WC particles with the formation of W2C eutectic phase and their effect on the decohesion and pull out of the particles during the wear test were studied. The hardness (HIT) and Young's modulus (EIT) of different parts of the hardfacing were investigated by instrumented nanoindentation. The wear resistance of the surface coatings under alkaline condition using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) basic solution of pH = 12 is two times higher than under dry condition. Furthermore, the formation of SiO2 third body stripes along the wear track promotes the decrease of the friction coefficient and the volume loss. On the other side, the wear mechanism is adhesive with severe plastic deformation of the Ni matrix in dry condition and oxidative/abrasive wear in alkaline wet condition.

Three oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels with different chromium content (MA 956, MA 957 and ODM 751) were studied as candidate materials for new nuclear reactors in term of their radiation stability. The radiation damage was experimentally simulated by helium ion implantation with energy of ions up to 500 keV. The study was focused on surface and sub-surface structural change due to the ion implantation observed by mostly non-destructive techniques: positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and nanoindentation. The applied techniques demonstrated the best radiation stability of the steel ODM 751. Blistering effect occurred due to high implantation dose (mostly in MA 956) was studied in details.

In this work, properties of perovskite lanthanum niobate La1/3NbO3 (LN) and tantalate La1/3TaO3 (LT) transparent thin films (∼200 nm thickness) prepared by chemical solution deposition on Pt/SiO2/Si substrates were described. The precursors and films were analyzed using FTIR and XPS spectra, XRD and SEM imaging. The both films after annealing at 1100 °C contained perovskite phase with a small fraction of pyrochlore LaNb5O14 (in LN). The heterogeneous microstructure of LN film was composed from spherical or needle-like particles and homogeneous LT film that resulted in significant changes of their mechanical properties. The elastic modulus and hardness of these films were characterized for the first time by conventional and continuous stiffness (CSM) nanoindentation. The LT film modulus (E) and hardness (H) were higher (∼105.7 and 5.3 GPa) than LN (∼91.5 and 3.8 GPa). The effect of microstructure on mechanical properties is significant. In addition, the average Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov (DMT)-based elastic modulus of LN film surface were estimated ∼50 GPa using AFM PeakForce QNM elastic mapping. The findings presented here can contribute to the fabrication of LN and LT films for the application to electrolytic thin film devices.

Three SiC based composites with 30, 40 and 50% of additives (Ti and NbC with ratio of 9:16) have been prepared by hot pressing without other sintering additives. The microstructure, porosity, and chemical composition were studied using SEM/EDS. Local mechanical properties such as hardness and elastic modulus of individual components of the composite were investigated by nanoindentation. Hardness and fracture toughness of the composites were evaluated by means of Vickers macroindentation. Indentation cracks were observed and their propagation was analyzed. It was shown that the present phases were distributed uniformly. The materials with 40 wt% and 50 wt% TiNbC were almost fully dense with porosity lower than 1%. The individual constituents shown similar elasticity modulus (550–590 GPa). Indentation fracture toughness was comparable in all materials, between 2.7–3.0 MPa.m1/2. Cracks in SiC were mostly straight, transgranular. In other places they propagated both trans- and intergarnularly, often followed SiC/TiNbC and TiNbC/TiNbC grain boundaries. The four-point bending strength was 435 MPa for 30% TiNbC and is comparable in all materials within the error of measurement. These results suggest much lower cohesive strength of TiNbC grain boundaries. Electrical conductivity increased with increasing amount of TiNbC and in all materials was more than 1000 S/m. Consequently, all composites were EDM machinable, the surfaces of the cut were intensively oxidized.

Three different types of SiC based cermets with various content (30, 40, 50 wt.%) of electrically conductive TiNbC phase have been fabricated by hot-pressing without sintering additives. The effect of TiNbC content on the basic mechanical, electrical and tribological properties of SiC-TiNbC cermets was investigated. Tribological properties have been characterized by the ball-on-disc method at the ambient temperature and dry wear conditions with air humidity 35–40% at the load of 5–30 N, sliding distance of 500 m, with the static partner made from SiC. Corresponding wear rate was calculated and wear mechanisms were identified. Resulting materials were relatively hard, with increasing amount of TiNbC the hardness increased from 19.8 ± 1 GPa for 30 wt.% of TiNbC up to 25.4 ± 0.9 GPa at 50 wt.% of TiNbC. The fracture toughness values were independent on TiNbC phase and varied between 2.7 and 2.9 MPa.m 1/2 . Similarly, Young's modulus increased from 354 GPa to 435 GPa. It was found that electrical conductivity of SiC cermets was rapidly improved with increased fraction of metallic phases and was three orders of magnitude higher at 30 wt.% TiNbC addition and around four order of magnitude higher at 50 wt.% of TiNbC metallic phase comparing to conventional semiconductive SiC ceramics with electrical conductivity ~ 10 Sm − 1 . Coefficient of friction (between 0.3 and 0.5) and wear resistance (10 − 6 –10 − 7 mm 3 /Nm) were comparable with the wear resistant SiC materials.

The work deals with the observation of microstructure and crack propagation from macro-indentation in a set of newly developed materials. Complex composites based on SiC matrix with 30, 40 and 50 wt. % of additives (Ti and NbC) were hot pressed at 1960 oC in air atmosphere under 30 MPa pressure for 1.5 hour. The microstructure and chemical composition were studied by SEM equipped with EDX analyzer. Hardness of the composites was evaluated by means of classic Vickers macro-indentation and fracture toughness was determined by the Anstis method. Indentation cracks were observed and their propagation was analyzed. The electrical conductivity as function of volume fraction of additives was determined.

SiC based composite with 50 % of additives (Ti and NbC with ratio of 9:16) has been prepared. The microstructure, porosity, and chemical composition were studied using SEM equipped with EDS analyser. Local mechanical properties such a hardness and elastic modulus of individual components of the composite were investigated by nanoindentation using Berkovich indenter tip. Hardness and fracture toughness of studied material as a whole was evaluated by means of classic Vickers macroindentation. Indentation cracks were observed and their propagation was analyzed. It was shown that the present phases were distributed uniformly. Moreover, final density was satisfactory with porosity lower than 1 %. The individual constituents shown similar elasticity modulus (550 - 590 GPa). Hardness (HIT) exhibited very pronounced load-size effect. At 10 mN load, hardness was 42.33 GPa ± 1.1 GPa for SiC and 35.73 GPa ± 0.9 GPa for TiNbC, while at 500 mN the composite hardness was 27.61 GPa ± 0.505 GPa. It is in good agreement with macrohardness values, when 27.6 GPa and 25 GPa has been measured for 1 and 10 kg loads, respectively. Indentation fracture toughness was 3.3 MPa.m1/2 ± 0.22 MPa.m1/2. Electrical conductivity was measured by four point probes method and its value was 8.8×104 ± 0.3×104 Sm-1.

Transparent Eu and Nd doped lanthanum niobate tantalate La1/3Nb0.8Ta0.2O3 (LNT) thin films (~150 nm) were prepared by sol–gel/spin-coating process on Pt/SiO2/Si substrates and annealing at 1100 °C. The x-ray diffraction analysis of films confirmed formation of the perovskite La1/3NbO3 and La1/3TaO3 phases with traces of pyrochlore LaNbO4. Eu and Nd doped LNT films were smoother with roughness 17.1 and 25.4 nm in comparison with LNT (43.3 nm). In all films was observed heterogeneous microstructure with the perovskite spherical and pyrochlore needle-like particles. The mechanical properties of films were characterized for the first time by conventional and continuous stiffness (CSM) nanoindentation. The Eu and Nd doped LNT film modulus (E) and hardness (H) were higher than LNT (~99.8 and 4.4 GPa) determined by conventional nanoindentation. It was measured the significant effect of substrate on properties of Eu or Nd films (H ~ 5.9 or 4.9 GPa and E ~ 107.3 or 104.1 GPa) by CSM nanoindentation.