Study of the Properties of a High-Temperature 50Ti–40Pd–10Ni Shape Memory Alloy

Combined studies of the properties of the 50Ti–40Pd–10Ni alloy with a high-temperature shape memory effect have been carried out. The elemental and phase compositions and its mechanical and thermomechanical characteristics have been determined. Samples cut from the strip with a thickness of 2.04 mm have been studied. The phase transformations are in the range of M_f = 371.3°С to A_f = 436.9°С. These are acceptable values. The maximum values of the shape memory effect ε_SME and of the degree of shape recovery η_SME are 3.9 and 49%, respectively. These values are insufficient to create workable safety devices. These characteristics can be improved via optimal changes in the elemental composition of the shape memory alloy and by an adequate choice of the regimes of heat treatment and of the regimes of providing strain in the investigated objects. The results of these studies are necessary in order to develop different devices used in nuclear power plants.     

Heterovalent substitution of group IV and V diamagnetic ions in the ferromagnetic spinel CuCr2S4

Heterovalent substitution of As⁵⁺, Sb⁵⁺, V⁵⁺, and Sn⁴⁺ diamagnetic ions in CuCr₂S₄ was studied. The results show that, similar to other 3d¹⁰ diamagnetic ions, the As⁵⁺ ions occupy only tetrahedral interstices in the close packing of sulfur ions, while the Sb⁵⁺ and Sn⁴⁺ 4d¹⁰ ions, as well as the Sc³⁺, Ti⁴⁺, and V⁵⁺ 3d⁰ ions occupy only octahedral sites. A new compound of composition Cu₃AsCr₈S₁₆ was synthesized and characterized. It crystallizes in an orthorhombic (sp. gr.Pmm2) spinel-derived structure containing ordered Cu and As ions in tetrahedral sites(a = 13.942 ± 0.004 Å,b = 6.878 ± 0.002 Å,c = 19.692 ± 0.006 Å, Z = 4, V = 1888.43 ± 0.92 Å). The CuCr_1.5Sb_0.5S₄ spinel phase is found to crystallize in sp. gr.Fd3m (a = 10.009 ± 0.002 Å,u = 0.3815 ± 0.0004 Å) with partial ordering on octahedral sites.     

High-current plasma opening switch driven by explosive magnetic generator

Plasma current channel breakage has been realized in experiments with a plasma opening switch (POS) driven by a magnetic explosion generator. The POS critical current was 1.9 ± 0.1 MA and the current fall rate reached ～10¹³ A/s.     

A Thermal Diffusion Study of Alloys of the Bismuth-Antimony System

Metal Science and Heat Treatment -     

Effect of crucible rotation rate on the growth and macrostructure of multicrystalline silicon

This paper examines the influence of uniform rotation of the crucible-melt-crystal system in a flat-bottom Bridgman geometry on the columnar silicon structure formed by a flat solidification front. We analyze the key features of heat exchange via natural convection using numerical simulation of experimental conditions of the growth of multicrystalline silicon from high-purity metallurgical-grade silicon.