STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF DIFFUSION-HARDENING COMPOSITE SOLDERS MODIFIED WITH A Ti-Mo POWDER MIXTURE

В статье обсуждается возможность регулирования свойств диффузионнотвердеющего припоя на основе легкоплавких сплавов галлий-олово, галлий-индийолово, галлий-олово-цинк и твердой компоненты состоящей из порошка сплава медь-олово посредством введения смеси инертных порошков металлического титана и молибдена после термической обработки при различных температурах. Оценена микротвердость и термическая устойчивость композиционных диффузионнотвердеющих припоев. Показано, что термическая обработка при более высоких температурах способствует переходу припоя в равновесное состояние, при этом происходит резкое увеличение твердости. Методом рентгенофазового анализа определены образующиеся в результате диффузионного твердения фазы. Показано, что при различных температурах обработки образуются разные фазы - наноразмерные интерметаллические соединения. За счет небольших добавок наполнителей, инертных или слабовзаимодействующих с галлием, но хорошо им смачиваемых, характеристики диффузионно-твердеющего припоя значительно улучшаются. The article discusses the possibility of regulating the properties of diffusion-hardening solder based on low-melted gallium-tin, gallium-indium-tin, gallium-tin-zinc alloys and a solid component consisting of a copper-tin alloy powder by introducing a mixture of inert powders of metallic titanium and molybdenum after the heat treatment at various temperatures. The microhardness and thermal stability of composite diffusion-hardening solders are evaluated. It is shown that the heat treatment at higher temperatures contributes to the transition of the solder to an equilibrium state, while a sharp increase in hardness occurs. The phases formed as a result of diffusion hardening were determined by the method of X-ray phase analysis. It is shown that at different processing temperatures, different phases are formed - nanoscale intermetallic compounds. Due to small additives of fillers that are inert or weakly interacting with gallium, but are well wetted by it, the characteristics of the diffusion-hardening solder are significantly improved.

Production of Metallic Titanium by Electrowinning in Molten Salts of Titanium Oxycarbide Anode

The electrochemical behavior of Ti3+ in LiCl-LiF-TiF3 salt was investigated by cyclic and square wave voltammetries at 853 K. Both methods confirm the presence of a single reduction wave of Ti3+ ions to metal, at a potential of −2.3 V vs. Cl2/Cl−. The closeness of the potentials of TiCxOy dissolution and Ti3+/Ti4+ wave is an issue during the electrorefining of the anode. A low current density has to be applied to stay within the titanium oxycarbide dissolution and avoid the formation of Ti4+. The titanium deposition was studied by electrorefining of a titanium metal plate in LiCl-LiF-TiF3 (0.62 mol/kg). The cathodic deposit analysis by XRD and SEM confirms the formation of titanium metal with an average grain size of 150 µm. The faradic deposition yields are above 85% and constant between 60 and 160 mA/cm2.

High-harmonic generation in metallic titanium nitride

High-harmonic generation is a cornerstone of nonlinear optics. It has been demonstrated in dielectrics, semiconductors, semi-metals, plasmas, and gases, but, until now, not in metals. Here we report high harmonics of 800-nm-wavelength light irradiating metallic titanium nitride film. Titanium nitride is a refractory metal known for its high melting temperature and large laser damage threshold. We show that it can withstand few-cycle light pulses with peak intensities as high as 13 TW/cm2, enabling high-harmonics generation up to photon energies of 11 eV. We measure the emitted vacuum ultraviolet radiation as a function of the crystal orientation with respect to the laser polarization and show that it is consistent with the anisotropic conduction band structure of titanium nitride. The generation of high harmonics from metals opens a link between solid and plasma harmonics. In addition, titanium nitride is a promising material for refractory plasmonic devices and could enable compact vacuum ultraviolet frequency combs.

Analytical Problems with Preparation of Paraspinal Tissues from Patients with Spinal Fusion for Analysis of Titanium

Preparation of paraspinal tissue of patients with implants for elemental analysis is a challenge because it contains titanium in the ionic form, as well as metallic debris. Most literature reports focus on dissolving the tissue, but the impact of digestion conditions on metallic debris of Ti has not been investigated. In our work, various digestion conditions, including systems, compositions of oxidising mixture, and time, were tested aiming (i) to digest the tissue without digestion of metallic titanium to quantify soluble Ti and (ii) to digest metallic titanium debris to asses total Ti content in tissue. The experiments were performed in a closed mode using a microwave-assisted system and a carbon heating block. Our study revealed that total digestion of titanium was impossible in the tested conditions and the maximal level of digested titanium was below 70%. The mineralisation with the use of concentrated nitric acid was optimal to prepare paraspinal samples to analyse the soluble titanium form because metallic titanium passivated and did not migrate to the solution. The elaborated conditions were applied to determine titanium ion in the periimplant tissue of patients with three different titanium-based surgical systems, including traditional growing rod (TGR), guided growth systems (GGS), and vertical expandable prosthesis titanium rib (VEPTR).