Describing metal surfaces and nanostructures with orbital-free density functional theory

Orbital-free density functional theory (OF-DFT) can be made to scale linearly with sample size, allowing thousands of atoms to be treated explicitly with quantum mechanics. State-of-the-art kinetic energy density functionals and ion–electron pseudopotentials are used to obtain accurate structural property predictions for nanoparticles, nanowires, extended surfaces, and nanoindentation of simple metals.     

Al-Cu双金属复合结构的扩散连接试验研究

应用扩散连方法进行了Al-Cu双金属复合结构的试验研究，比较了不同的焊接工艺，材料组合以及母材状态情况Al合金与Cu的连接性，观察了接头区域的微观组织结构，研究表明，固相扩散连接是一种适用于异种材料连接的有效方法，通过在连接区域形成Al-Cu金属间化合物，达到Al和Cu的有效连接，材料组合，母材原始状态以及连接工艺参数对Al合金与Cu的扩散连接存在着明显的影响。表面镀Ni工艺不但能够有效阻止Al和Cu之间形成脆性相，而且Al和Ni之间形成了良好的扩散连接，改善了接头性能。     

Plastic deformation of bcc metal thin foils without dislocation

Heavy plastic deformation of fcc metal thin foils to fracture has been found recently to proceed without involving dislocations, and it results in the formation of high density of vacancy clusters. Thin foil specimens of bcc metals such as V and Mo were plastically deformed to fracture in in situ elongation experiments under an electron microscope. Morphology of thinning and fracture was found to be similar to fcc metals, and no dislocation was observed during heavy deformation. Electron diffraction analysis at the tip of a crack during deformation confirmed a large elastic deformation of up to 5%. Unlike in fcc metal thin foil specimens, point defect clusters were not observed near fractured tips. This difference is attributed to the difference in vacancy reaction, though the deformation in bcc metals without dislocation most likely does produce vacancies.     

Rheology in Processing of in Situ Composites of Polypropylene and Low Melting Poing Metals

The low melting point metallic tin powder or alloy of tin and lead was blended with polypropy-lene. A kind of in situ composite has been prepared. The variations of torque were studied when the composites were mixed in Haake torque rheogeniometer. By way of capillary extrusion, effects upon rheology of the in situ com-posites of the low melting point metals (LMPM) and coupling agent for their different variety and content, were investigated. From flow curves, the results indicate that in situ composites mixed with the LMPM are a kind of pseudoplastic fluid. If the LMPM were melted, the higher the content of the LMPM , the lower apparent viscosity of composites. Meanwhile, when the coupling agent is added into composites, the viscosity of composite will go up first and drop then. This shows that the LMPM have a promoter flow action on the polypropylene.     

MITI projects on recycling

MITI has actively done R&D on industrial technology for waste and reclamation and so there are many research items from small scale to large scale. However, Ecofactory and researches on recycling of metallic materials are introduced here. Ecofactory was proposed by the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory and is now at the stage of the Leading Research, a new research scheme in AISt. Researches on recycling of metallic materials are being done with subsidy. Those researches should contribute to both the preservatin of the global environment and effective recycling of waste materials.Abbreviations AIST Agency of Industrial Science and Technology - MITI Ministry of International Trade and Industry - NEDO New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization     

High-temperature,high-pressure thermophysical measurements on liquid zinc

Wire-shaped zinc samples were resistively volume heated as part of a fast-capacitor discharge circuit. Time-resolved measurements with submicrosecond resolution of the current through the specimen, the voltage drop across it, and the thermal expansion of the specimen as a function of time allow determination of the enthalpy, electrical resistivity, and density at different temperatures up to superheated liquid states of zinc far above the normal boiling point. High static pressures, up to 3800 bar of the ambient medium water, were used. An estimate of the critical pressure for zinc is given by investigations of the stability of the sample with a framing CCD camera, taking pictures of different samples varying the ambient static pressure. The critical volume and the critical temperature are obtained by means of an extrapolation of measured data at different pressures.Paper presented at the Fourth International Workshop on Subsecond Thermophysics, June 27–29, 1995, Köln, Germany.     

Relaxation phenomena caused by equilibration of point defects

Relaxation phenomena due to equilibration of point defects in metals are reviewed. The relaxation effect in specific heat observed in tungsten and platinum confirms that in both cases the nonlinear increase in the high-temperature specific heat has to be attributed to point-defect formation. Relaxation phenomena observed by measurements of electrical resistivity and positron annihilation are also considered. The comparison of the data seems to be favorable for the conclusion that all the phenomena are of one origin.