Magnetoresistive properties of Ni-doped La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganites

La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1?x Ni _x O₃ (x = 0, 0.025, 0.050 and 0.075) ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The partial substitution of Mn by Ni²⁺ leads to a decrease in cell volume as well as a structural transition from the rhombohedral to the orthorhombic structure. Ni²⁺ doping increases the electrical resistivity, decreases the semiconductor–metal transition temperature (T _ms) and relatively enhances the room temperature magnetoresistance (MR), especially in x = 0.025 and around T _ms. With respect to conduction mechanism, the small polaron hopping (SPH) and the variable range hopping (VRH) models were used to examine conduction in the semiconducting region.     

Structure,magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of nonstoichiometric TbCo<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ni<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> compounds

The structure and magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of new nonstoichiometric TbCo₂Ni _x compounds (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) have been studied. The alloys with х ≤ 0.1 have been shown to be single-phase with the MgCu₂-type structure; in alloys with х > 0.1, an additional phase with a PuNi₃-type structure has been formed. It has been found that the concentration dependences of the Curie temperature and magnetic moment of the 3d-metal sublattice have a maximum at x = 0.025. The magnetocaloric effect magnitude for the TbCo2Nix compounds has been estimated using the results of magnetic and heat-capacity measurements.     

Effect of Cu and Mo Additions on the Crystallization Behavior and Magnetic Properties of Fe<Subscript>80</Subscript>Zr<Subscript>10</Subscript>B<Subscript>10</Subscript> Alloy

Fe₈₀Zr₁₀B₁₀, Fe₈₀Zr₁₀B₉Cu₁, and Fe₈₀Zr₈Mo₂B₁₀ amorphous alloys were prepared by melt-spinning and annealed at various temperatures. The effect of Cu and Mo additions on the thermal property, microstructure and magnetic properties of Fe₈₀Zr₁₀B₁₀ alloy is studied. Both Cu and Mo additions decrease the crystallization activation energy. The crystallization process of Fe₈₀Zr₁₀B₁₀ alloy is very complex. Both Cu and Mo additions simplify the crystallization process. But a few α-Mn-type phase is still observed in the initial crystallization stage of Mo-containing alloy. Both Cu and Mo additions increase saturation magnetization (M _s) and decrease coercivity (H _c) of alloys. The addition of Cu is beneficial to decrease H _c in the initial crystallization stage, and the addition of Mo is beneficial to decrease H _c at high temperatures.     

Changes in the temperatures of phase transformations of the Ni<Subscript>2</Subscript>MnGa alloy upon substitution of nickel for manganese

Temperatures of phase transformations of a number of Ni₂MnGa-based alloys (four compositions), which are characterized by substitution of nickel for manganese at an unchanged gallium content (25 at %), have been determined. As the nickel concentration increases with respect to the stoichiometric composition (or the electron concentration e/a increases), the liquidus (T _liq), solidus (T _sol), and martensitic transformation (T _mart) temperatures increase, whereas the magnetic transformation temperature (T _C) decreases slightly.     

Microstructure and Room-Temperature Mechanical Properties of FeCrMoVTi<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> High-Entropy Alloys

FeCrMoVTi _x (x values represent the molar ratio, where x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) high-entropy alloys were prepared by a vacuum arc melting method. The effects of Ti element on the microstructure and room-temperature mechanical properties of the as-cast FeCrMoVTi _x alloys were investigated. The results show that the prepared alloys exhibited typical dendritic microstructure and the size of the microstructure became fine with increasing Ti content. The FeCrMoV alloy exhibited a single body-centered cubic structure (BCC1) and the alloys prepared with Ti element exhibited BCC1 + BCC2 mixed structure. The new BCC2 phase is considered as (Fe, Ti)-rich phase and was distributed in the dendrite region. With the increase of Ti content, the volume fraction of the BCC2 phase increased and its shape changed from a long strip to a network. For the FeCrMoV alloy, the fracture strength, plastic strain, and hardness reached as high as 2231 MPa, 28.2%, and 720 HV, respectively. The maximum hardness of 887 HV was obtained in the FeCrMoVTi alloy. However, the fracture strength, yield stress, and plastic strain of the alloys decreased continuously as Ti content increased. In the room-temperature compressive test, the alloys showed typical brittle fracture characteristics.     

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Sb-Doped TiFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sn Heusler Compounds

Ternary Heusler compounds form a numerous class of intermetallics, which include two families with general compositions ABC and AB₂C, usually referred to as half- and full-Heusler compounds, respectively. Given their tunable electronic properties, made possible by adjusting the chemical composition, these materials are currently considered for the possible use in sustainable technologies such as solar energy and thermoelectric conversion. According to theoretical predictions, Sb substitution in the TiFe₂Sn full-Heusler compound is thought to yield band structure modifications that should enhance the thermoelectric power factor. In this work, we tested the phase stability and the structural and microstructural properties of such heavily doped compounds. We synthesized polycrystalline TiFe₂Sn_1?xSb_x samples, with x?=?0, 0.1, 0.2 and 1.0 by arc melting, followed by an annealing treatment. The structural characterization, performed by x-ray powder diffraction and microscopy analyses, confirmed the formation of the pseudo-ternary Heusler structure (cF16, Fm-3m, prototype: MnCu₂Al) in all samples, with only few percent amounts of secondary phases and only slight deviations from nominal stoichiometry. With increasing Sb substitution, we found a steady decrease in the lattice parameter, confirming that the replacement takes place at the Sn site. Quite unusually, the as-cast samples exhibited a higher lattice contraction than the annealed ones. The fully substituted x?=?1.0 compound, again adopting the MnCu₂Al structure, does not form as stoichiometric phase and turned out to be strongly Fe deficient. The physical behavior at room temperature indicated that annealing with increasing temperature is beneficial for electrical and thermoelectrical transport. Moreover, we measured a slight improvement in electrical and thermoelectrical properties in the x?=?0.1 sample and a suppression in the x?=?0.2 sample, as compared to the undoped x?=?0 sample.     

Effect of Titanium Additions on the Thermophysical Properties of Glass-Forming Cu<Subscript>50</Subscript>Zr<Subscript>50</Subscript> Alloy

Differential scanning calorimetry, laser flash method, and dilatometry were used to study the thermophysical properties of quenched Cu₅₀Zr_50–xTi_x (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8) alloys in the temperature range from room temperature to 1100 K. Data obtained on the heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and density have been used to calculate the coefficient of thermal conductivity. Temperatures corresponding to the stability of martensite CuZr phase, its eutectoid decomposition, and formation in Cu₅₀Zr_50–xTi_x alloys with different Ti contents upon heating have been determined. It has been found that the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of the studied alloys are low and a typical of metallic systems. As the titanium content increases, the coefficients of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity vary slightly. It has been shown that the low values of thermophysical characteristics correspond to the better capability of amorphization and can be a criterion for the glass-forming ability of Cu–Zr-based alloys.     

Effect of silicon on the phase formation in mechanically activated systems based on Fe<Subscript>75</Subscript>C<Subscript>25</Subscript>: Mechanosynthesis of composite states

The methods of X-ray diffraction analysis, Mögsbauer spectroscopy, and measurement of dynamic magnetic susceptibility have been used to study stationary phase states that develop at the later stages of mechanical alloying in a planetary ball mill. In the Fe(100 ? x)C(x), Fe(75)C(25 ? x)Si(x), and Fe(75 ? x)C(25)Si(x) (x ≤ 25) systems, the processes of phase formation are determined by the dynamic equilibrium between the crystalline and amorphous phases. Depending on the composition of the alloys, the conditions of this equilibrium are changed, which is reflected in the sets of the crystalline phases that are formed.     

Structure,Magnetic and Magnetocaloric Properties of Nonstoichiometric TbCo<Subscript>2</Subscript>Mn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> Compounds

TbCo₂Mn_x (x ≤ 1) alloys were synthesized and their crystal structure, heat capacity, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties were studied. Single-phase compounds with the MgCu₂-type structure were formed at х < 0.4. In alloys with х > 0.4, additional phases with the PuNi₃- and Th₆Mn₂₃-type structures form. It was shown that there is a substantial increase in the Curie temperature and magnetic moment of 3d?metal sublattice of the nonstoichiometric compounds when compared to those of the TbCo₂ binary compound. The magnetocaloric effect of single- and multiphase alloys were estimated based on magnetic and heat capacity measurements.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of multi-principal component AlCoCrFeNiCu<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> alloy

By introducing Cu, AlCoCrFeNiCu _x (x values in molar ratio, x = 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5) alloys were designed and prepared. The effects of Cu on microstructure and properties of AlCoCrFeNi alloy were investigated. The introduction of Cu results in the formation of Cu-rich FCC solid solution phase when Cu content is low. There are two FCC solid solution phases, i.e., Cu-rich FCC solid solution phase and phase transformation-induced FCC solid solution phase, when the Cu content is more than 1.0. Both the yield stress and plastic strain of alloy show a turning point when the Cu content is 0.5. Among the seven alloys, Cu_0.5 alloy exhibits the largest yield stress of 1187 MPa and the lowest plastic strain of 16.01 %.     

Superior Mechanical Properties of AlCoCrFeNiTi<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> High-Entropy Alloys upon Dynamic Loading

High-entropy alloys with composition of AlCoCrFeNiTi _x (x: molar ratio; x = 0, 0.2, 0.4) under quasi-static and dynamic compression exhibit excellent mechanical properties. A positive strain-rate sensitivity of yield strength and the strong work-hardening behavior during plastic flows dominate upon dynamic loading in the present alloy system. The constitutive relationships are extracted to model flow behaviors by employing the Johnson-Cook constitutive model. Upon dynamic loading, the ultimate strength and fracture strain of AlCoCrFeNiTi _x alloys are superior to most of bulk metallic glasses and in situ metallic glass matrix composites.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction of NbO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>/Nb(110) surface

Methods of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction were used to investigate the oxygen-induced surface structures on the Nb(110) face which were formed as a result of oxygen segregation from the volume of the crystal upon thermal annealing at 2000 K in a vacuum and/or oxygen adsorption in situ at temperatures higher than 1100 K. The niobium atoms on the crystal surface form quasi-ordered structures in the form of monatomic Nb chains surrounded by oxygen atoms and from the viewpoint of the nearest surroundings and chemical bonding they are close to the states of the metal in NbO _x . The thickness of such NbO _x -like structure is estimated as 0.5 nm at the degree of coverage of the surface of 50%. Two chemically nonequivalent states of oxygen at Nb(110) have been distinguished, supposedly, (1) atomic chemisorbed oxygen on the surface of Nb metal and (2) oxygen in the composition of NbO _x -like clusters on the Nb(110) plane. The NbO _x /Nb(110) model of the surface allows for the distortion of the structure of NbO _x clusters, i.e., periodic atomic displacements of metal atoms in Nb chains by height and changes in the Nb-O bond angles.     

Studying nanocrystalline superconducting Nb<Subscript>3</Subscript>Sn layers in Nb/Cu-Sn composites of various design using NMR and magnetic susceptibility methods

The paper presents the results of measurements of the temperature dependence of the shape of the NMR lines of ⁹³Nb and of the real part of the dynamic magnetic ac susceptibility χ′(T) for multifilamentary superconducting Nb₃Sn-based composites with various geometry of niobium filaments (ordinary cylindrical, paired cylindrical, and ringlike (tubular)) produced by the bronze technology. In all the composites studied, a superconducting (SC) transition was observed in diffusional Nb₃Sn layers at T _c ～ 17 K. Its width is ΔT _c ≈ 3 K and is independent of the composite design. The difference in the absolute value of χ′(T) in the composites of ordinary assembly and with paired filaments is less by a factor of 1.5 than that of a composite with ring filaments. In the experimental NMR spectra of ⁹³Nb, subspectra of different intensities have been distinguished, whose number is three in ordinary assemblies and in assemblies with paired filaments, and two in composites with ring filaments. Estimates of the intensities of each subspectrum in each experimental spectrum of the composites studied has been correlated with a definite diffusional layer of Nb₃Sn; thus, the number of grains of a corresponding layer in each composite has been estimated. In addition, it has been established that in the first two composites the shape of the NMR line of ⁹³Nb is asymmetric, which indicates the existence of an anisotropy of the Knight shift in Nb₃Sn layers in both the normal and superconducting states, whereas in the composite with ring filaments the line is symmetric and the Knight shift is isotropic. The magnitude of the anisotropic Knight shift in composites with isolated and paired cylindrical filaments is ⁹³ K _an ≈ 0.02%. The anisotropy in them appears to be due to the different character and magnitude of interaction of grains of the Nb₃Sn layers with the bronze matrix and the residual Nb, which leads to different shifts of the subspectrum frequencies and, correspondingly, to the shape asymmetry of the NMR line of ⁹³Nb. At the same time, in a composite with ring filaments the interaction of the Nb₃Sn layer with the bronze matrix occurs on both sides, is, apparently, of the same character and is compensated in magnitude. In this case, in the first two composites the tin distribution across the diffusional layers of Nb₃Sn is nonuniform and a significant deviation from the stoichiometric composition is observed.     

Alloying Behavior and Properties of FeSiBAlNiCo<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> High Entropy Alloys Fabricated by Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering

In this paper, FeSiBAlNiCo_x (x = 0.2, 0.8) high-entropy alloy (HEA) powders were fabricated by mechanical alloying process, and the powders milled for 140 h were sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The microstructures and properties of as-milled powders and as-sintered samples were investigated. The results reveal that the final milling products (140 h) of both sample powders present the fully amorphous structure. The increased Co contents obviously enhance the glass forming ability and thermal stability of amorphous HEA powders, which are reflected by the shorter formation time of fully amorphous phase and the higher onset crystallization temperature, respectively. According to coercivity, the as-milled FeSiBAlNiCo_x (x = 0.2, 0.8) powders (140 h) are the semi-hard magnetic materials. FeSiBAlNiCo_0.8 HEA powders possess the highest saturation magnetization and largest remanence ratio. The SPS-ed products of both bulk HEAs are composed of body-centered cubic solid solution, and FeSi and FeB intermetallic phases. They possess the high relative density above 97% and excellent microhardness exceeding 1150 HV. The as-sintered bulks undergo the remarkable increase in saturation magnetization compared with the as-milled state. The SPS-ed FeSiBAlNiCo_0.8 HEA exhibits the soft magnetic properties. The electrochemical corrosion test is carried out in 3.5% NaCl solution. The SPS-ed FeSiBAlNiCo_0.2 HEA reveals the better passivity with low passive current density, and the higher pitting resistance with wide passive region.     

Effect of Hydrogen Intercalation on the Structure of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> with a Low Oxygen Content

We used Raman spectroscopy to study the interaction of YBa₂Cu₃O_y (123) (y ≤ 6.5) with hydrogen at temperatures of 150–200°С. In contrast to the YBa₂Cu₃O_6.96 compound, compositions with low oxygen contents show a lower tendency to form stacking faults. We found that the hydrogenation of these compositions does not lead to the transformation of the 123 phase to the pseudo-124 phase. Absorbed hydrogen does not react with oxygen in 123 and does not form hydroxyl groups. The H_xYBa₂Cu₃O_y oxyhydride is the hydration-reaction product.     

Superconducting cellular MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A new composite superconducting material in the form of a cellular structure consisting of large Mg grains surrounded by thin MgB₂ layers has been prepared. The superconducting properties of such a cellular structure were found to depend on the thickness of the superconducting layer d _s. As d _s decreases from ～30 to 1 μm, the critical temperature decreases by more than 10 K. The derivative of the upper critical field with respect to the temperature (dH _c2/dT) near T _c increases from ～0.2 T/K at high d _s to ～0.35 T/K at d _s ～6 μm. The critical current density of the cellular samples calculated for the area of the superconductor section is above 10⁵ A/cm² (T = 4.2 K and H = 1 T).     

Effect of partial substitution of calcium for yttrium on the structure and properties of the Y<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6.8</Subscript> superconductor

The crystal structure of the high-temperature Y_1–xCa_xBa₂Cu₃O_6.8 superconductor has been studied in a temperature range of 80–300 K using low-temperature X-ray diffraction analysis; its microstructure has been studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Changes of the bond length in the structure of principal phase and precipitation topology of impurity phases and their compositions have been analyzed. An addition of calcium was shown to increase the environmental tolerance of the principal Y123 phase and its microhardness and ensures the low unchanged coefficient of thermal expansion. All of the facts indicate that the material can be used to manufacture composite superconducting articles.     

On the temperature behavior of a tensoresistive effect in the amorphous Fe<Subscript>80</Subscript>B<Subscript>14</Subscript> alloy

Investigation of the temperature behavior of the coefficient of tensoresistance π of the amorphous Fe₈₆B₁₄ alloy in a temperature range from room temperature to the crystallization temperature has been carried out. It has been revealed that below the Curie temperature T _C, in the interval of existence of elinvar properties, π in this alloy increases only weakly, with a temperature coefficient of 4 × 10^?4 K^?1. At T > T _C, a stronger temperature increase of π is observed. An analysis performed has shown that the most probable reason of the observed temperature changes in π was a temperature-induced change in Young’s modulus of the alloy. It has been shown that during crystallization the coefficient of tensoresistance π decreases with increasing amount of crystalline phases in the alloy.     

Transport phenomena in the La<Subscript>0.72</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.28</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystal

Results of an experimental study of the temperature dependences of the magnetization M, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance, thermo-and magnetothermo-emf, and Hall effect of the La_0.72Ba_0.28MnO₃ single crystal are presented. An analysis of the temperature dependences of kinetic properties shows that, at low temperatures, electrons are principal charge carriers in La_0.72Ba_0.28MnO₃ and the metallic conduction takes place. As the temperature increases to T ≈ 145 K, the sign of the ordinary Hall coefficient reverses; this indicates the change in the type of the majority charge carriers. Within a certain temperature range which lies substantially below the Curie temperature (T _C ), a metal-semiconductor transition occurs. Near the Curie temperature and within the paramagnetic range, the manganite under study is a semiconductor; the conduction is mainly effected by holes activated to the mobility edge. The critical behavior of the resistance and magnetoresistance is discussed.     

Influence of Interdiffusion in Sn Solution on Growth of Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>Sn and Cu<Subscript>6</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>5</Subscript> Formed in Semi-infinite and Finite Cu-Sn Diffusion Couples

Reactive diffusion in the Cu-Sn binary system has been studied by using pure Cu/electrically plated Sn with 0.1-0.2 mm thicknesses diffusion couples (EP-couples) at 473 K. The interdiffusion coefficients, \(\tilde{D}\), of the Cu₃Sn and Cu₆Sn₅ diffusion phase layers were determined at the center of these layers by supposing linear concentration (\(C_{\text{i}}\))-distance (X) curves in these layers and by neglecting the interdiffusion in the Sn terminal solution (IDS) as the previous researchers have neglected it. By using \(\tilde{D}\) thus determined, the phase boundary concentrations for the layers obtained in this work and these parameters for the Cu terminal solution chosen appropriately, \(C_{\text{i}}\)-X curves were determined numerically for various values of interdiffusion coefficient, \(\tilde{D}_{\text{in Sn}}\), and the solubility limit of Cu mole fractions, \(N_{\text{Cu}}^{\text{in Sn}}\), in the Sn terminal solution by our method reported previously taking the molar volume change effect into account. The \(C_{\text{i}}\)-X curves obtained experimentally could be reproduced numerically well by neglecting IDS. This result, on the other hand, suggests a large influence of IDS in the semi-infinite diffusion couples (S-couples) or the diffusion couples used by the previous researchers. The quantitative evaluation of the influence in S-couples revealed that it makes the widths of the diffusion layers thinner than those in the present EP-couples in which the influence on the widths is negligibly small. The evaluation of the influence in the diffusion couples used by the previous researchers indicates larger values of \(N_{\text{Cu}}^{\text{in Sn}}\) than those reported as the value of the equilibrium phase diagram.