Abstract: A method for the production of a ?-TiAl base alloy by vacuum arc remelting, which ?-TiAl base alloy solidifies via the ?-phase (?-?-TiAl base alloy), includes the following method steps of forming a basic melting electrode by melting, in at least one vacuum arc remelting step, of a conventional ?-TiAl primary alloy containing a lack of titanium and/or of at least one ?-stabilizing element compared to the ?-?-TiAl base alloy to be produced; allocating an amount of titanium and/or ?-stabilizing element to the basic melting electrode, which amount corresponds to the reduced amount of titanium and/or ?-stabilizing element, in an even distribution across the length and periphery of the basic melting electrode; and adding the allocated amount of titanium and/or ?-stabilizing element to the basic melting electrode so as to form the homogeneous ?-?-TiAl base alloy in a final vacuum arc remelting step.

Abstract: The copper-indium-gallium (CuInGa) alloy is in particular to be used for the production of sputter targets, tubular cathodes and similar coating material sources. It has a phase corresponding to a Cu5Zn8 prototype phase in which the lattice sites of the zinc atoms (Zn) are occupied by gallium atoms (gallium-substituted Cu5Zn8 phase) and in which indium is simultaneously introduced into the elementary cell or phase, making up a proportion of up to 26 wt %.

Abstract: The active brazing solder for brazing ceramic parts of alumina, particularly of high-purity alumina, contains a maximum of 12 wt. % Ti, a maximum of 8 wt. % Be, and less than 16.5 wt. % Fe, the remainder being Zr and any impurities that may be present. The active brazing solder has the following behaviour/features: Brazing temperature: lower than 1,000 ° C.; the brazed joint is high-vacuum-tight over a long period of time; the coefficient of thermal expansion of the active brazing alloy is substantially identical to that of the alumina ceramic in the entire temperature range covered during the brazing process; the strength of the brazed joint between the two ceramic parts is so high that under tensile loading, fracture will result not at the joint, but in the adjacent ceramic; the pressure resistance of the active brazing solder is greater than 2 GPa; the active brazing solder is very good processable into powders having particle sizes on the order of 10 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite composed of a plastic substrate and a thin, continuous metal-containing layer, characterised in that the metal-containing layer is ductile, adheres firmly to the plastic substrate, has a thickness of <2 .mu.m and is composed of a compound corresponding to the formulaM.sub.a O.sub.b C.sub.x N.sub.y B.sub.zwherein:M means one or more metals from the group comprising Ti, Ta, Nb, Zr and Hf,a=0.025 to 0.9b=0.025 to 0.7x=0.2 to 0.9y=0 to 0.7z=0 to 0.7a+b+x+y+z=1provided that the value of a, starting from the substrate surface, increases from a value approximating zero towards to the layer surface, and at least 50% of the carbon atoms at the base of the layer are bound to other carbon atoms by C--C bonds.

Abstract: The active brazing solder for brazing ceramic parts of alumina, particularly of high-purity alumina, contains a maximum of 12 wt. % Ti, a maximum of 8 wt. % Be, and less than 16.5 wt. % Fe, the remainder being Zr and any impurities that may be present. The active brazing solder has the following behaviour/features: Brazing temperature: lower than 1,000.degree. C.; the brazed joint is high-vacuum-tight over a long period of time; the coefficient of thermal expansion of the active brazing alloy is substantially identical to that of the alumina ceramic in the entire temperature range covered during the brazing process; the strength of the brazed joint between the two ceramic parts is so high that under tensile loading, fracture will result not at the joint, but in the adjacent ceramic; the pressure resistance of the active brazing solder is greater than 2 GPa; the active brazing solder is very good processable into powders having particle sizes on the order of 10 .mu.m.