Dependence between structure of cast Al-Ni-La alloys and their chemical composition

The peculiarities of cast Al-Ni-La alloys structure formation depending on the content and ratio of the main components are analyzed in the work. It is shown, that so far the studied system has been considered mainly for the creation of amorphous materials. At the same time, Al-Ni and Al-La systems have phase diagrams that allow us to consider double and triple alloys of these systems to create promising creep-resistant alloys for casting. At the same time, the peculiarities of their structure formation in this context were not determined. Samples with different contents of nickel and lanthanum were prepared for research and analyzed how each of the elements, their number and ratio affect the formation of their structural-phase state. It is shown, that low nickel content of about 2 wt. % and lanthanum up to 5 wt. % eutectic is formed like thin almost monolithic intermetallic plates. As the number of components increases and, accordingly, the number of eutectics increases, the dispersion of its components increases. The analysis of the alloy structure dependence due to studied system on their chemical composition showed that, most likely, during the formation of the eutectic, Al11La3 particles, which may have the form of nanosized fibers, are formed first of all. It should be noted that at the eutectic content of lanthanum in the alloys no primary-formed Al11La3 particles were found. This may indicate that nickel shifts the eutectic concentration of lanthanum toward higher values. At the same time, at the hypoeutectic concentration of lanthanum and the hypereutectic concentration of nickel, some Al11La3 formations were outside the regions of the main eutectic with nickel aluminide. Such questions necessitate further studies of the aluminum angle of the triple state diagram of the Al-Ni-La system. Keywords: Al-Ni-La system, creep-resistant cast aluminum alloys, structure, eutectic.

Survivability of Anhydrobiotic Cyanobacteria in Salty Ice: Implications for the Habitability of Icy Worlds

Two anhydrobiotic strains of the cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis, namely CCMEE 029 and CCMEE 171, isolated from the Negev Desert in Israel and from the Dry Valleys in Antarctica, were exposed to salty-ice simulations. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the cyanobacterial capability to survive under sub-freezing temperatures in samples simulating the environment of icy worlds. The two strains were mixed with liquid solutions having sub-eutectic concentration of Na2SO4, MgSO4 and NaCl, then frozen down to different final temperatures (258 K, 233 K and 203 K) in various experimental runs. Both strains survived the exposure to 258 K in NaCl solution, probably as they migrated in the liquid veins between ice grain boundaries. However, they also survived at 258 K in Na2SO4 and MgSO4-salty-ice samples—that is, a temperature well below the eutectic temperature of the solutions, where liquid veins should not exist anymore. Moreover, both strains survived the exposure at 233 K in each salty-ice sample, with CCMEE 171 showing an enhanced survivability, whereas there were no survivors at 203 K. The survival limit at low temperature was further extended when both strains were exposed to 193 K as air-dried cells. The results suggest that vitrification might be a strategy for microbial life forms to survive in potentially habitable icy moons, for example in Europa’s icy crust. By entering a dried, frozen state, they could be transported from niches, which became non-habitable to new habitable ones, and possibly return to metabolic activity.

Viscosity and Density of Co-B Liquid Fusions

Kinematic viscosity and density of cobalt liquid alloys with boron is studied. Range of boron concentration was from 1 to 8 mass percent. The chemical composition of real industrial alloys is in limits of this range of concentration. Viscosity and density measurements of all samples are taken in a wide temperature interval. Measurements of viscosity are taken by method of torsional fluctuations of a crucible with fusion. Measurements of density are taken by method of a sessile drop. Existence of density data significantly increased the accuracy of processing of experimental data of viscosity. It is revealed that kinematic viscosity can be different at one and same chemical composition of an alloy. It is established that upon transition through the eutectic concentration of boron, nature of viscosity dependences from temperature of a liquid alloy changes. The explanation option of the found regularities is offered.

X-Ray Investigations on Molten Cu-Sb Alloys

Using X-ray diffraction, structure factors and pair correlation functions of several molten Cu-Sb alloys and pure antimony were determined and compared with published structural, thermodynamic and electronic properties. The eutectic concentration Cu37Sb63 was investigated in dependence on temperature, and a model structure factor was calculated applying a segregation model.

On controlled solidification studies of some TiO2 binary alloys

TiO2 single crystal fibers in the 1 mm diameter range were pulled from different alloy melts using the laser heated pedestal melting technique. The alloying elements studied were CaO, MnO, MgO, SiO2, FeO, and Al2O3. Phase diagram solute partition coefficient, k0, maximum solid solubility limit, CS(max), eutectic concentration, CE, and eutectic temperature, TE, were determined for each of these alloys. Solute redistribution effects in the solid, controlled precipitation in the solid, smooth solid-liquid interfaces in the presence of high melt concentrations and substantial crystal broadening by fluid migration up the solid from the melt all indicated the existence of a very strong thermodynamic field and a large solid diffusion coefficient operating in the solid behind the solid/liquid interface.

Phase Relationships in Sea Ice as a Function of Temperature

Quantitative measurements of the liquid water phase in a sample of sea ice were made with a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. The measurements are used to compute the phase relationships in sea ice as a function of temperature. A model for sea-water based upon a mixture of seven binary salts is used for these computations. The n.m.r. measurements are related to the solvation water which is associated with each binary salt. This solvation water is bound to the salt in a pseudo-crystalline structure, with the amount of water determined by the eutectic concentration of the salt. The results are given in tabular form and differ somewhat from previously published tables. Two controversial hydrated salts were added to the table, based on the n.m.r. data.

Phase Relationships in Sea Ice as a Function of Temperature

Quantitative measurements of the liquid water phase in a sample of sea ice were made with a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. The measurements are used to compute the phase relationships in sea ice as a function of temperature. A model for sea-water based upon a mixture of seven binary salts is used for these computations. The n.m.r. measurements are related to the solvation water which is associated with each binary salt. This solvation water is bound to the salt in a pseudo-crystalline structure, with the amount of water determined by the eutectic concentration of the salt. The results are given in tabular form and differ somewhat from previously published tables. Two controversial hydrated salts were added to the table, based on the n.m.r. data.

Isotope Effects of Electromigration in Molten Lithium-Potassium Sulfate Mixtures

The difference in mobility of the isotopes of lithium and potassium has been studied in molten sulfate mixtures over the concentration range 41 to 90 equiv. % Li2SO4. For the eutectic composition (80% Li2SO4) the temperature range 625 to 835°C was covered. The mass effect, μ, (relative difference in mobility divided by relative difference in mass) was calculated. The accuracy, which is much lower for potassium than for lithium, was not sufficient to provide information on the temperature dependence of the mass effects, but it was evident that the ratio between the mass effects of the two cations depends upon concentration. Thus, while the mass effect for lithium is — 0.13 ± 0.02 over the whole range, for potassium it is of the order of — 0.16 for the eutectic concentration and — 0.07 for the mixture with 41% Li2So4. The observed increase of the mass effect at low concentrations is in agreement with results for other systems and can be expected from simple models of the transport mechanism. For lithium the mass effect is the same in the molten sulfate mixtures as in pure fcc lithium sulfate.