The effects of an axial high magnetic field on the growth of the α-Al dendrites and the alignment of the iron-intermetallics (β-AlSiFe phases) in directionally solidified Al–7 wt% Si and Al–7 wt% Si–1 wt% Fe alloys were investigated experimentally. The results showed that the application of a high magnetic field changed the α-Al dendrite morphology significantly. Indeed, a high magnetic field caused the deformation of the α-Al dendrites and induced the occurrence of the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET). It was also found that a high magnetic field was capable of aligning the β-AlSiFe phases with the <001>-crystal direction along the solidification direction. Further, the Seebeck thermoelectric signal at the liquid/solid interface in the Al–7 wt% Si alloys was measured in situ and the results indicated that the value of the Seebeck signal was of the order of 10 µV. The modification of the α-Al dendrite morphology under the magnetic field should be attributed to the thermoelectric magnetic force acting on the α-Al dendrites. The magnetization force may be responsible for the alignment of the β-AlSiFe phases under the magnetic field.

The present research is focused on studying the evolution of microstructure and texture of a magnesium based alloy with the target composition Mg–3Al–1Zn–(0.5AgIn). Three samples A, B, and C were warm rolled at 300 °C to a cumulative reduction of 33% in 1, 2, and 8 passes, respectively. The optical microstructures and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that sample A possessed more dynamic recrystallization (DRX) as compared to samples B and C. A split of basal pole from normal direction (ND) toward transverse direction (TD) was observed for sample A. However, as the number of passes was increased, the basal pole split was converted into a single peak for samples B and C. The basal intensity of sample C became almost double than that of sample A. It was concluded that a higher reduction per pass resulted in a larger volume fraction of DRXed grains and a weaker basal texture.

The effect of erosion speed on the interaction between erosion and corrosion of the Fe–3.5 wt% B alloy in a flowing zinc bath has been investigated using a rotating-disk technique. The total erosion–corrosion rate increases rapidly, whereas the pure erosion rate tends to increase linearly with an increase in erosion speed and with low damage. The increase in total erosion–corrosion rate is strongly dependent on erosion–corrosion interaction. During the erosion–corrosion process, the severe corrosion reaction roughens the surface by forming a loose corrosion layer and cracks in the anticaustic Fe2B skeleton, which eventually facilitates erosion. The micromechanical scouring effect of liquid zinc worsens corrosion by accelerating the removal of corrosion products and causing spallation of anticaustic Fe2B. An increase in erosion speed intensifies the micromechanical scouring effect of flowing zinc significantly. A strong erosion–corrosion interaction occurs at high erosion speed, which leads to a greater material loss rate.

The kinetics and morphology of oxides formed during in situ proton irradiation–corrosion experiment were analyzed. Experiments were conducted in 320 °C water with 3 wt ppm H2, while irradiated by a 3.2-MeV proton beam at a current density of 2 µA/cm2 producing a damage rate at 4.4 × 10−7 dpa/s. The resulting oxide was compared with reference samples corroded in an autoclave, and literature data found on in-reactor formed oxide. The corrosion rate of the sample irradiated in situ was 10 times faster than the in-pile corrosion rate. The cracked and porous irradiated oxide consisted of monoclinic equiaxed grains of zirconia with a preferential orientation of the oxide grains. Second phase particles (SPPs) consumed by the oxidation front were rapidly oxidized, but no SPPs were amorphized or dissolved in the metal matrix of the irradiated sample.

In this study, semi-solid slurry of AZ91–2 wt% Ca (AZ91–2Ca) alloy was prepared by gas bubbling and shaped by rheo-squeeze casting process. The results indicate that fine semi-solid slurry of AZ91–2Ca alloy could be obtained by gas bubbling within 30 s, with primary α-Mg particles having an average diameter less than 50 μm and average shape factor higher than 0.7. With the decrease of pouring temperature from 599 to 590 °C, both tensile strength and elongation of rheo-squeeze casting AZ91–2Ca alloy first increased and then decreased. The rheo-squeeze casting AZ91–2Ca alloy sample prepared at pouring temperature of 596 °C exhibited the peak tensile strength and elongation. Compared with conventional squeeze casting, the improvement in mechanical properties of rheo-squeeze casting AZ91–2Ca alloy was mainly attributed to the grain refinement strengthening, including the refinement and spheroidization of primary α-Mg particles and the refinement in the residual melt.

Optical properties of Si nanowire (SiNW) arrays prepared on p-doped Si(111) and Si(100) substrates were studied. SiNWs were synthesized by self-assembly electroless metal deposition nanoelectrochemistry in an ionic silver HF solution through selective etching. Total reflectance (R t) and total diffuse reflectance (R dt) of SiNWs change drastically in comparison to polished Si. To understand these changes, diffuse reflectance (R d) with polarized incident light was studied. For samples prepared on Si(111), the wave length integrated R d (wIRd) shows maxima at certain angles of incidence θ, regardless of the incident light polarization. For samples prepared on Si(100), wIRd increases with θ and depends on incident light polarization. Also, R d spectra show structures due to interference effects. Therefore, SiNWs prepared on Si(100) can be considered as thin films whose refractive index depends on light polarization. Moreover, R dt of SiNWs prepared on Si(111) can be modeled as an ensemble of diffuse reflectors.

Copper microcantilevers were produced by focused ion beam milling and tested in situ using a scanning electron microscope. To provide different interfaces for piling up dislocations, cantilevers were fabricated to be single crystalline, bicrystalline, or single crystalline with a slit in the region of the neutral axis. The aim of the experiment was to study the influence of dislocation pile-ups on (i) strength and (ii) Bauschinger effects in micrometer-sized, focused ion beam milled bending cantilevers. The samples were loaded monotonically for several times under displacement control. Even though the cantilevers exhibited the same nominal strain gradient the strength varied by 34% within the three cantilever geometries. The Bauschinger effect can be promoted and prohibited by the insertion of different interfaces.