Glass-Forming Ability and Crystallization of High Purity Pd-Cu-Ni-P Alloy

Glass-forming ability, thermal stability and nucleation behavior of a Pd40Cu30Ni10P20 alloy prepared using a high purity polycrystalline phosphorus are investigated. The critical cooling rate for glass formation for the high purity alloy is the same as that for the previous result, but the improvement of undercooling reaches about 80 K as compared with the fluxed ordinary alloy. In comparison with the non-fluxed alloy, the solidified structure of the present highly purified alloy is significantly different. The non-fluxed sample shows the characteristic “island-like” structure consisted of acicular fcc-Pd2Ni2P solid solution and Cu3Pd intermetallic compound. These acicular phases appear to be caused by the growth of quenched-in nuclei. In the isothermal experiment, nucleus density exhibits time dependence even at 683 K near the nose temperature. It is assumed that the crystallization behavior for the highly purified alloy is closer to homogeneous nucleation from quenched-in nuclei dominant behavior. In order to investigate the nucleation behavior, in-situ TEM observation was carried out. Spherical Pd15P2 particle with a diameter about 15 nm is observed, and this spherical region repeats generation and annihilation during isothermal annealing. The reason for the high glass-forming ability is discussed on the basis of the obtained results.

Oxidation Resistance of Copper Alloy Thin Films Formed by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Co-deposition of copper-palladium alloy films was demonstrated using low-pressure CVD from individual precursors - (hexafluoroacetylacetonato)copper(I)(vinyltrimethylsilane) [(hfac)Cu(I)vtms] and palladium(II)bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonate) [Pd(hfac)2], for Cu and Pd respectively. High-purity alloy films with controlled composition, microstructure and morphology were prepared and their oxidation behavior was examined at different temperatures and compared with that of pure copper CVD films with similar morphology. As-deposited copper-palladium alloy films showed improved resistance to oxidation up to 300°C in air. Enhanced oxidation resistance compared to Cu CVD films was observed at concentrations of palladium as low as 0.5 at. %.

Oxidation Resistance of Copper Alloy Thin Films Formed by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Co-deposition of copper-palladium alloy films was demonstrated using low-pressure CVD from individual precursors - (hexafluoroacetylacetonato)copper(I)(vinyltrimethylsilane) [(hfac)Cu(I)vtms] and palladium(II)bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonate) [Pd(hfac)2], for Cu and Pd respectively. High-purity alloy films with controlled composition, microstructure and morphology were prepared and their oxidation behavior was examined at different temperatures and compared with that of pure copper CVD films with similar morphology. As-deposited copper-palladium alloy films showed improved resistance to oxidation up to 300°C in air. Enhanced oxidation resistance compared to Cu CVD films was observed at concentrations of palladium as low as 0.5 at. %.

Deformation Mechanisms in TiAl-Based Alloys Containing Low Oxygen

ABSTRACTThe effects of oxygen on the deformation behavior of Ti-(48-52)Al alloys is reported. Two types of studies were conducted. In the first, high purity alloy buttons containing low oxygen (~250 ppm) were prepared, whereas in the second, alloys with additions of 1 at.% Er to scavenge the oxygen from the matrix were prepared. The alloys were heat treated to produce large grains and the microstructures characterized by analytical electron microscopy. Samples prepared from the heat treated alloys were electropolished and deformed in compression to a plastic strain of 1.0-1.5% at temperatures between 25 and 800°C and the yield stress measured. The morphology of deformation, that is, slip lines and the presence of twinning, was studied by optical microscopy and the dislocation structures were characterized by weak-beam imaging in the transmission electron microscope. The results of these various studies are presented and discussed in terms of recent developments regarding the factors that appear to control the dislocation structure and the mobility of dislocations.