The athermal α → ω transformation in Zr-2 at% Nb alloy

The athermal transformation in Zr-2 at.% Nb alloy has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Analysis of the selected-area diffraction pattern has shown that the orientation relationships between the omega and the parent-phase in quenched Zr-2 at.% Nb alloy are the same as have been previously observed for the reaction in pure zirconium. Thus it was deduced that the direct transition has taken place in the alloy during cooling. The-originated -particles were visualized using the dark-field technique. The formation of the athermal omega in the-region of-stabilized Zr-Nb alloy is discussed in terms of the relative positions of the free energy equilibrium curvesT ₀ ,T ₀ ,T ₀ and the correspondingM _s ,M _s andT _s start curves. It is concluded that the omega phase can occur over a much wider range of alloy compositions than is usually recognized on the basis of transformation data.     

The martensitic transformation in cold-worked Fe-Mn alloys studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy

The effect of cold-working on 16, 23 and 30 at% Mn iron-manganese alloys (C<0.05 at%) has been examined using Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The induced martensitic transformation , depends on the composition and on the initial structure. It is found that the transformation in presence of the phase occurs only at high deformations.     

The preparation of alumina fibre by sol-gel processing

Attempts have been made to prepare alumina fibre from the colloidal sol and polymerized alkoxides. The aluminium chloride or aluminium nitrate systems were found to be potential methods for producing continuous alumina fibre: the aluminium nitrate system had a better sintering behaviour than the aluminium chloride system. The aluminium isopropoxide system, however, was unsuitable for preparing alumina fibre but was suitable for the preparation of monoliths, membranes, powders, and multicomponent ceramics. The thermal changes of these precursors were studied by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results demonstrated the different routes of phase transformation as the temperature increases. The aluminium chloride system exhibits two routes for phase transformation: (a) boehmite -Al₂O₃, and (b) gibbsite -Al₂O₃.     

On the flow of a stratified fluid over a barrier

Summary The flow of a stratified fluid over a barrier is considered. The initial-value problem is solved, and it is shown that there is no disturbance far upstream of the barrier whent . The stationary solution which is obtained by lettingt, is given in a simple closed form for a barrier of an arbitrary shape.     

Reaction mechanism for the formation of intermetallic compounds from layered Sm/Fe powder obtained by mechanical milling

Solid-state reactions in layered Sm/Fe powder particles with an overall composition of Sm₁₂Fe₈₈, obtained by ball milling, have been investigated by X-ray diffraction. During annealing at 500C, one reaction, Sm+2FeSmFe₂ was observed in the time-range studied. However, during annealing at 800C, five reactions were observed: Sm+2FeSmFe₂, Sm +3FeSmFe₃, 2Sm+17FeSm₂Fe₁₇, 2SmFe₂+13FeSm₂Fe₁₇, and 2SmFe₃ +11FeSm₂Fe₁₇. It is proposed that such reactions occur by a nucleation and growth process. Reactions of samarium with iron can be governed by nucleation; Sm/Fe interfaces possessing a higher free energy per unit area can play an important role in the nucleation. The observed results are discussed.     

Microstructure and properties of supersaturated ZA27 alloy during natural ageing

The decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution of ZA27 alloy at room temperature has been investigated by X-ray diffraction, TEM and mechanical properties testing. Based on the results obtained, both continuous precipitation and cellular reaction occur during the decomposition process. The continuous precipitation follows the sequence: ₁ + spherical GP zones ₂ + elliptical GP zones ₃ + R + . The cellular reaction can be written: + + . The properties of the alloy depend on the microstructure. After 1 month of ageing, a series of changes of microstructure have taken place. The properties of the alloy are: _b=500 MPa, =13%,H _v=148.     

Precipitation hardening in Cu 1.81 wt % Be 0.28 wt % Co

The structure of the precipitation hardening alloy Cu 1.81 wt % Be 0.28 wt % Co has been studied as a function of ageing temperature and time, by transmission electron microscopy. The continuous precipitation sequence found is: supersaturated solid solution G.P. zones .The G.P. zone is an ordered platelet precipitate, which is coherent on {100} matrix planes and is nucleated in very high densities (>10²⁴ m^–3). The coherency stress fields, due to the misfit of the G.P. zone and matrix, overlap to produce a net matrix contrast along {110} 10, and give the characteristic tweed structure, which can be described by the kinematical theory of diffraction. The semi-coherent intermediate precipitate is nucleated by the G.P. zones and the transformation is characterized from the changes in the arrowhead structure produced in the electron diffraction patterns. No transformation of to the equilibrium precipitate is found for the ageing times investigated.     

Transport in the low-temperature limit of a Landau Fermi liquid

The Boltzmann equation for Landau quasiparticles is solved for T 0 by a specialization of a method discussed by Sykes and Brooker. The quasiparticle distribution function is expanded in Legendre polynomials, assuming a boundary condition which imposes axial symmetry, and even-order terms are assumed to relax together with relaxation time _e , odd-order terms with relaxation time _o . By letting wavelength , with finite, one obtains a first-sound solution, and by lettingT 0, and then , one obtains a zero-sound solution. When these solutions are used to calculate the pressure, it is found that the first-sound solution is consistent with hydrodynamics, exhibiting viscosity = _s , while the zero-sound velocityc ₁=[^–1(B₁+4/3_s)]^1/2, so that phenomenologically zero-sound propagates like a longitudinal elastic wave in a glass. A higher zero-sound mode is also predicted, but is heavily damped. The heat flux is calculated and found to obey Vernotte's equation, which contains an intertial term, added to Fourier's law, that becomes significant asT 0.     

Localized single-particle excitations and the density of states for superconducting composites

The problem of localized single-particle excitations and the density of states (DOS) for an inhomogeneous system consisting of a spherical superconductor (with radius a and order parameter ₁) embedded in another superconductor (order parameter ₂) of infinite size is considered. With the assumption of constant values of ₁ and ₂, the Bogoliubov equations are solved for general values of l (the orbital angular momentum quantum number). For a fixed value of ₁/₂ and different values of ₂/E _F, the dependence of the excitation energy (l=0)/₂ on the particle sizek _F a is shown (k _F is the Fermi wave vector andE _F is the Fermi energy). Fork _F a=300, 450, and 800 and a fixed value of ₂/E _F, the variations in the DOS by changing ₁/₂ are also shown.     

Order parameters and energies of analytic and singular vortex lines in rotating3He-A

We present the expressions of the generalized Ginzburg-Landau (GL) theory for the free energy and the supercurrent in terms of thed vector, the magnetic fieldH, and operators containing the spatial gradient and the rotation. These expressions are then specialized to the Anderson-Brinkman-Morel (ABM) state. We consider eight single-vortex lines of cylindrical symmetry and radiusR=[2m/]^–1/2: the Mermin-Ho vortex, a second analytic vortex, and six singular vortices, i.e., the orbital and radial disgyrations, the orbital and radial phase vortices, and two axial phase vortices. These eight vortex states are determined by solving the Euler-Lagrange equations whose solutions minimize the GL free energy functional. For increasing field, the core radius of the texture of the Mermin-Ho vortex tends to a limiting value, while the core radius of the texture goes to zero. The gap of the singular vortices behaves liker forr 0, where ranges between and . The energy of the radial disgyration becomes lower than that of the Mermin-Ho vortex for fieldsH6.5H*=6.5×25 G (atT=0.99T _c and forR=10L*=60 µm, or=2.9 rad/sec). ForR 2 _T ( _T is the GL coherence length) or _c2 (upper critical rotation speed), the energies of the singular vortices become lower than the energies of the analytic vortices. This is in agreement with the exact result of Schopohl for a vortex lattice at _c 2. Finally, we calculate the correction of order (1 -T/T _c ) to the GL gap for the axial phase vortex.     

A micromechanics theory for the transformation toughening of two-phase ceramics

Summary Based on the principle of thermodynamic equilibrium, the condition of stress-induced phase transformation in a two-phase ceramic is established. The development makes use of the change of potential energy that was calculated with a mean-field approach. In this process the elastic heterogeneity of the constituent phases, and the shape and volume concentration of the randomly oriented metastable ellipsoidal inclusions, are fully accounted for. Both the transformation heightH of the process zone with a steadily growing crack and the fracture toughness increment K of the transforming system are derived. The derived theory is then used to address the effect of inclusion shape and elastic inhomogeneity on the transformation toughening of two-phase ceramics. By considering the metastable ellipsoidal inclusions as phase 1 and the stable matrix as phase 0, it is found that, when ₁/₀>1, flat-like discs always provide a larger transformation-height while spherical ones provide the smallest, and vice versa. As the ratio of ₁/₀ increases, the size of the process zone also increases. For the toughness increment, the results indicate that thin-disc inclusions are again the most effective toughening medium. It is further found that Poisson's ratio of the constituent phases also has a significant effect; the combination ofv ₁0.5 for the inclusions andv ₁0 for the matrix has the best enhancement for fracture toughness. But whenv ₁, the toughness increment K all approaches to an asymptotic value regardless of the values of Poisson's ratios. Some explicit solutions of toughness change for several distinctive shapes of inclusions are also derived for the first time.     

Transport properties and determination of the basic parameters of superconductors with overlapping bands

The thermoconductivity and ultrasonic attenuation in non-single-band super-conductors are investigated. It is proved that the ratio ₂/₁ atT T _c is equal to that atT=0. It is also shown that ultrasonic measurements and data on the phonon thermoconductivity can be used very effectively for definition of the basic parameters of the superconductors with overlapping bands.     

Amplifier based on a field-effect triode with negative current feedback

Conclusions A field-effect triode amplifier with series negative current feedback allows a voltage gain of the order of 200–300 to be obtained for a load resistance R_s1 M. The coefficient K_u begins to decrease noticeably only for a feedback resistance above 500 .The current gain reaches (8–10)·10³. Increasing the resistances R_s and R_L to hundreds of ohms has practically no effect on K_i. For a further increase of R_s and R_L the coefficient K_i decreases.The power gain reaches its maximum value (of the order of 10⁴ or more) for R_s100 and R_L=10–100 k. An increase in R_s leads to a reduction of K_pmax and to a shift of the extremum of the function K_p=f(R_L) into the range of higher values of R_L.A large input resistance of the amplifier (tens of megohms and higher) is obtained when R_s increases to 10–100 M. The maximum input resistance is obtained for R_L and R_s and may exceed values of from hundreds of megohms to several gigaohms. The minimum input resistance is hundreds of kilohms for R_L and R_s0.The minimum input resistance (5–10 k or less) is ensured for R_g and R_L0. An increase of the output resistance to hundreds of megohms or higher occurs for R_g and R_s.Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 9, pp. 67–70, September, 1971.     

Stress-induced phase transformations in a hot-deformed two-phase (α2+γ) TiAl alloy

Stress-induced 2, 2 and 9R phase transformations in a hot-deformed Ti–45 at% Al–10 at% Nb alloy have been investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The 2 phase transformation is an interface-related process. The interfacial superdislocations emitted from the misoriented semicoherent 2– interface react with each other or with the moving dislocations in the phase, resulting in the formation of the 2 phase. The nucleation of the 2 phase transformation takes place either at the 2– interfaces or at the stacking faults on the basal plane of 2 phase, and the growth of plate is accomplished by the moving of a/61 0 1 0 Shockley partials on alternate basal plane (0 0 0 1)2. The 9R structure was usually found to form at incoherent twin or pseudotwin boundaries. During deformation the interfacial Shockley partial dislocations of these incoherent twin and pseudotwin boundaries may glide on (1 1 1) planes into the matrix, resulting in the formation of 9R structure. The interfaces (including 2– and – interfaces) as well as the crystallographic orientation relationship between the as-received or stress-induced 2, and 9R phase have been analysed. The mechanisms for the stress-induced 2, 2 and 9R phase transformations were also discussed. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

The age hardening effect in Ti-6 Al-4 V due to ω and α precipitation in the β grains

The structure at room temperature of a quenched TA6V titanium alloy has been investigated. This structure is + or + according to the treatment temperature; it is always metastable. During ageing the grains decomposed by the reaction + + +; this decomposition was accompanied by a large increase of the 0.2% yield stress. No structural modification was observed in. The and phase of TA6V were separately investigated in the form of single-phase alloys. The hardness of was insensitive to ageing, while was considerably hardened by and; we deduced that the strengthening of the minor phase during ageing is mainly responsible for the hardening of TA6V.     

Precipitation phenomena in the Mg-31 at% Li-1 at% Al alloy

Precipitation phenomena produced in the -phase (b c c) of the Mg-31 at% Li-1 at%Al alloy subjected to different heat treatments have been studied by sensitive single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The variation of the hardness values of specimens quenched and then aged was also examined. It was confirmed that AlLi is a stable phase at room temperature for the examined Al content; AlLi precipitation is only produced for very slow cooling rates from the -field. Phase reactions for specimens quenched and then aged can be summarized as follows: ++ after ageing at room temperature; + ++ AlLi after ageing at 473 K. A considerable increase of the hardness, which attains its maximum value after about 30 h ageing at room temperature, was observed. Neither the -phase nor the AlLi-phase precipitation can account for the observed hardening process. The presence of the -metastable phase when the hardness reaches its maximum value is verified.     

Suppression of Anomalous Allotropic Transformations at High Pressures

Anomalous allotropic transformations accompanied by a reduction in the density of the substance can be suppressed by applying a high pressure equal to the ratio of the heat of transition to the difference in the volumes of the phases involved. The estimated pressures necessary to suppress the (ZrO₂), (Fe), and (Sn) phase transitions are 4.34, 3.00, and 0.495 GPa, respectively.     

Stability and work hardening of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn austenitic steel

The effect of pre-strain on the strain-induced martensitic transformation of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn austenitic steel has been investigated through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. Pre-strain was performed either at room temperature or at 200° C. Final strain was carried out at liquid-nitrogen temperature. The phase was shown to form on {1 1 1} planes of the austenite matrix predominantly by overlapping of stacking faults. The martensite transformation sequence was . Nucleation of the phase mainly occurred at intersections of bands. Austenite stability was shown to increase by pre-strain at 25° C or 200° C. Pre-strain at 200° C has a greater effect on austenite stability than does pre-strain at 25° C. The mechanism was discussed in terms of martensite transformation rate and various substructures introduced during straining. Work hardening was shown to depend on the degree of pre-strain and final strain. The correlation between work hardening and substructures introduced during straining was examined.     

Experimental evaluation of relative mode parameters in the irregular earth-to-ionosphere waveguide

Conclusions A model for representing the propagation of superlong waves was selected. Certain relative mode parameters ()₁, ()₂, ()₃, (V)₁, (V)₂, (V)₃, C₁, C₂, and C₃ can be used in order to account for the time-measurement error produced as a resuit of the double-mode signal propagation, to determine in a semiempirical manner the ionosphere's effective reflection height at night and in the daytime, to calculate and apply signal-propagation corrections which take into account phase velocity changes due to variations in the ionosphere height from day to day, and to calculate the fields of transition paths.Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 8, pp. 75–78, August, 1974.     

Standard Gibbs' energies of formation of BaCuO2, Y2Cu2O5 and Y2BaCuO5

The Gibbs' energies of formation of BaCuO₂, Y₂Cu₂O₅ and Y₂BaCuO₅ from component oxides have been measured using solid state galvanic cells incorporating CaF₂ as the solid electrolyte under pure oxygen at a pressure of 1.01×10⁵ Pa BaO + CuO BaCuO₂ G _f,ox ^o (± 0.3) (kJ mol^–1)=–63.4–0.0525T(K) Y₂O₃ + 2CuO Y₂Cu₂O₂ G _f,ox ^o (± 0.3) (kJ mol^–1)=18.47–0.0219T(K) Y₂O₃ + BaO + CuO Y₂BaCuO₅ G _f,ox ^o (± 0.7) (kJ mol^–1)=–72.5–0.0793T(K) Because the superconducting compound YBa₂Cu₃O_7– coexists with any two of the phases CuO, BaCuO₂ and Y₂BaCuO₅, the data on BaCuO₂ and Y₂BaCuO₅ obtained in this study provide the basis for the evaluation of the Gibbs' energy of formation of the 1-2-3 compound at high temperatures.