The shape memory effect (SME) response of a deformation-processed NiTiNb shape memory alloy is benchmarked against the response of a cast alloy. The insoluble Nb element ternary addition is known to widen the hysteresis with respect to the binary NiTi alloy. Cast microstructures naturally consist of a cellular arrangement of characteristic eutectic microconstituents surrounding primary matrix r...

Liquid-phase electronic circuits are patterned on an elastomer substrate with a microcontact printer. The printer head dips into a pool of a liquid-phase gallium-indium alloy, e.g., eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) or gallium-indium-tin (Galinstan), and deposits a single drop on a silicone elastomer substrate. After patterned deposition, the liquid-phase circuit is sealed with an additional laye...

Tin whisker growth is a serious reliability concern for electronics using high-density packaging. Whisker growth behavior of tin lead eutectic solders doped with different neodymium concentration (5–0.1wt.%) was studied in present work. Results indicate that the Nd in the all of the Sn–Pb–Nd alloys mainly exists in NdSn3 intermetallic compound, and that the distribution of the NdSn3 phase is ve...

Mn was an important alloying element used in Al-Mg-Mn alloys. However, it had to be limited to a low level (<1.0 wt %) to avoid the formation of coarse intermetallics. In order to take full advantage of the benefits of Mn, research was carried out to investigate the possibility of increasing the content of Mn by studying the effect of cooling rate on the formation of Fe- and Mn-rich intermetall...

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have received a great deal of attention due to scientific and technological interest ever since the first successful synthesis of an amorphous phase in the Au–Si system in 1960 (Klement et al., 1960). There has been a lot of interest to identify parameters to assess the glass forming ability (GFA) of various alloy systems and compositions. A great deal of scientific...

In this study, an addition of Ag micro-particles (8–10 lm) with a content in the range between 0 and 1.5 wt.% to Sn–9Zn eutectic solder, were examined in order to understand the effect of Ag additions as the particulate reinforcement on the microstructural and mechanical properties as well as the thermal behavior of the newly developed composite solders. Here, an approach to prepare a micro-com...

The development of non-equilibrium group IV nanoscale alloys is critical to achieving new functionalities, such as the formation of a direct bandgap in a conventional indirect bandgap elemental semiconductor. Here, we describe the fabrication of uniform diameter, direct bandgap Ge(1-x)Sn(x) alloy nanowires, with a Sn incorporation up to 9.2 at.%, far in excess of the equilibrium solubility of S...

The present work uses X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis to compare the chemical composition of native oxide films formed spontaneously on commercial pure magnesium and AZ31, AZ80 and AZ91D magnesium alloys. The study considers both the outer surface and inner regions of the films with the assistance of argon ion bombardment. Possible relationships are established between the alloy...