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The paper deals with the innovative ways of nonstandard, simplifying applications of the valid method for evaluating uncertainties in measurement results and with the definition of conditions of their usability. The evaluation of a substitute criterion for measurement accuracy by means of a relative difference between the measurand and its reference value is proposed. This nonstandard relative uncertainty is comparable with the overall relative standard uncertainty in the measurement result, and thus the evaluation of it enables other simplifications in the calculations of measurement result uncertainties. The use of the simplified evaluation of measurement results is illustrated in two experiments in measurement of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of an insulating material newly developed for the needs of building practice, namely measurement using commercial instruments, and measurement using a newly developed original measuring instrument.

The paper presents the study results on chemical composition of the coarse primary M7C3 carbides occurring in the soft annealed NC11LV/D2 tool steel consisting of: 1.53% C; 11.65% Cr; 0.01% W; 0.81% Mo; 0.068% V; (balance iron plus admixtures), used for cold operation. The microanalyzer of type SEMPROBE Su-30, French made by CAMECA Co., equipped with two WDS X-ray spectrometers and an EDS VOYAGER 3 100, NORAN Instruments Co., made in USA. It was found that out of the three alloying elements occurring in the big carbides of the annealed NC11LV/D2 steel, i.e. Cr, Mo, and V, the chromium appears to be the most uniformly distributed. The big carbides vary concerning C, Cr, Mo, V; the greatest differentiation degree of the contents of Mo and Cr, and the least - of vanadium. The average chemical composition of the big/coarse carbides is as follows: C = 9.42±1.28%; Cr = 44.17±2.95%; Mo = 4.48±3.52%; V = 4.53±0.31%; balance Fe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stainless steel materials are widely used for multiple applications because of their good mechanical properties and very good corrosion resistance in a number of environments. They are also used as biomaterials to manufacture conventional and novel medical devices. The stability of the surface oxide layer is one of the most important features of a biomaterial. Electrochemical polishing (EP) is the most extensively used surface technology for stainless steel. We have improved this surface technology by introducing a magnetic field. With a new process called magnetoelectropolishing (MEP) we can improve metal surface properties by making the stainless steel more resistant to halides encountered in a variety of body fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine, etc. Corrosion research results are presented on the behavior of the most commonly used material—medical-grade AISI Type 316L (UNS S31603) stainless steel—applied for human body implants, stents, and devices. Three basic environments have been adopted for the studies: pure distilled water, the Ringer's body fluid, and 3% sodium chloride (NaCl) aqueous solution (the most aggressive environment). The study results cover open-circuit potential and polarization curve characteristics of austenitic stainless steels (Types 304 [UNS S30400], 304L [UNS S30403], 316 [UNS S31600], and 316L), and a ferritic stainless steel (Type 430 (UNS S43000]). The comparison of the corrosion behavior of the stainless steels' surface after two elect ropolishing processes carried out in the absence (EP) and presence of the magnetic field (MEP) is reported. The experiments were carried out at room temperature (25°C). It has been found that the proposed MEP process shifts the corrosion potentials into the direction of greater corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) process may be used to fabricate porous coatings on titanium. The ranges of voltages used in case of these plasma treatments are different. It has been found that for DC PEO processing the voltage must be higher than that in the case of AC PEO treatment. In addition, the shape and frequency of the voltage signal have also an influence. In the paper scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDEOS) were used to characterise obtained coatings. It was found that it is possible to obtain the porous coatings enriched with phosphorus and copper by use of AC-PEO at only 200 Vpp, while increasing the PEO voltage results in non-porous and cracked coatings. Based on GDEOS for 200 Vpp three sublayers were used, with ranges of 0-400, and 400-2400, and 2400-3600 seconds of sputtering time for first, and second, and transition sublayers respectively. XPS spectra for sample processed at 200 Vpp indicate in top 10 nm layer presence of titanium as Ti4+ and phosphorous as phosphates (most likely PO43–, HPO42–, H2PO4–, P2O73–).

Porous coatings on titanium may be obtained by AC or DC Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) process. One has to point out that depending on the plasma treatment the ranges of voltages used are different. It has been found that for DC PEO processing the voltage must be higher than that in the case of AC PEO treatment. In addition, the shape and frequency of the voltage signal have also an impact. Produced coatings were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDEOS). It was found that it is possible to obtain the porous coatings enriched with phosphorus and copper by use of DC-PEO at 500, 575 and 650 VDC, whereas increasing the PEO voltage results in an increase of Cu/P (copper-to-phosphorus) atomic ratio. Furthermore, based on GDEOS data, three sublayers with different elements concentrations were detected ranging as follows 0-350, 350-2100, 2100-2900 seconds of sputtering time for 575 VDC. Based on XPS results the top 10 nm layer, consisted mainly of titanium (Ti4+), copper (Cu+ and/or Cu2+), and phosphates (PO43–, HPO42–, H2PO4–, P2O73–).

Coatings enriched with zinc and copper as well as calcium or magnesium, fabricated on titanium substrate by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) under AC conditions (two cathodic voltages, i.e., -35 or -135 V, and anodic voltage of +400 V), were investigated. In all experiments, the electrolytes were based on concentrated orthophosphoric acid (85 wt%) and zinc, copper, calcium and/or magnesium nitrates. It was found that the introduced calcium and magnesium were in the ranges 5.0-5.4 at% and 5.6-6.5 at%, respectively, while the zinc and copper amounts were in the range of 0.3-0.6 at%. Additionally, it was noted that the metals of the block S (Ca and Mg) could be incorporated into the structure about 13 times more than metals of the transition group (Zn and Cu). The incorporated metals (from the electrolyte) into the top-layer of PEO phosphate coatings were on their first (Cu + ) or second (Cu 2+ , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) oxidation states. The crystalline phases (TiO and Ti 3 O) were detected only in coatings fabricated at cathodic voltage of -135 V. It has also been pointed that fabricated porous calcium-phosphate coatings enriched with biocompatible magnesium as well as with antibacterial zinc and copper are dedicated mainly to medical applications. However, their use for other applications (e.g., catalysis and photocatalysis) after additional functionalizations is not excluded.

This paper shows that the subject of porous coatings fabrication by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO), known also as Micro Arc Oxidation (MAO), is still current, inter alia because metals and alloys, which can be treated by the PEO method, for example, titanium, niobium, tantalum and their alloys, are increasingly available for sale. On the international market, apart from scientific works/activity developed at universities, scientific research on the PEO coatings is also underway in companies such as Keronite (Great Britain), Magoxid-Coat (Germany), Mofratech (France), Machaon (Russia), as well as CeraFuse, Tagnite, Microplasmic (USA). In addition, it should be noted that the development of the space industry and implantology will force the production of trouble-free micro- and macro-machines with very high durability. Another aspect in favor of this technique is the rate of part treatment, which does not exceed several dozen minutes, and usually only lasts a few minutes. Another advantage is functionalization of fabricated surface through thermal or hydrothermal modification of fabricated coatings, or other methods (Physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sol-gel), including also reoxidation by PEO treatment in another electrolyte. In the following chapters, coatings obtained both in aqueous solutions and electrolytes based on orthophosphoric acid will be presented; therein, dependent on the PEO treatment and the electrolyte used, they are characterized by different properties associated with their subsequent use. The possibilities for using coatings produced by means of plasma electrolytic oxidation are very wide, beginning from various types of catalysts, gas sensors, to biocompatible and antibacterial coatings, as well as hard wear coatings used in machine parts, among others, used in the aviation and aerospace industries.