Abstract: A method for nodulizing silicon crystals in casting Aluminum-(8-12%)Silicon alloys is described. An initial alloy melt is refined by addition of a master alloy containing elements of titanium, phosphorous, boron, zirconium and rare earths to the initial molten alloy, and then through conventional heat treatment and aging. Testing the alloys shows that the nodulized silicon crystals are blunted in shape and well distributed, resulting in a high resistance to wear and high ultimate tensile strength at room temperature and at 300 deg. C. Machinability of the Al-Si alloys is also greatly improved by the process.

Abstract: The invention presented herein relates to a niobium-containing zirconium alloy for use in nuclear fuel cladding. The Zr alloy of this invention with superior corrosion resistance is characterized as comprising an alloy composition as follows: 1) niobium (Nb), in a range of 0.8 to 1.2 wt. %; one or more elements selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn), in a range of 0.1 to 0.3 wt. %, respectively; oxygen (O), in a range of 600 to 1400 ppm; silicon (Si), in a range of 80 to 120 ppm; and the balance being of Zr, 2) Nb, in a range of 1.3 to 1.8 wt. %; tin (Sn), in a range of 0.2 to 0.5 wt. %; one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mo, Cu and Mn, in a range of 0.1 to 0.3 wt. %; O, in a range of 600 to 1400 ppm; Si, in a range of 80 to 120 ppm; and the balance being of Zr, 3) Nb, in a range of 1.3 to 1.8 wt. %; Sn, in a range of 0.2 to 0.5 wt. %; Fe, in a range of 0.1 to 0.3 wt.

Abstract: A weldable, corrosion resistant aluminum-magnesium alloy consisting essentially of 3 to 5% by weight magnesium (Mg), 0.05 to 0.15% by weight zirconium (Zr), 0.05 to 0.12% by weight manganese (Mn), 0.01 to 0.2% by weight titanium (Ti), 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of one or more elements selected from the scandium group of the Periodic Table and/or terbium (Tb), wherein at least 0.15% by weight scandium (Sc) is included with or without terbium (Tb) and with or without 0.05 to 0.35% by weight of one or more elements from the lanthanide series, the balance being aluminum (Al), and unavoidable contaminants not exceeding 0.2% by weight silicon (Si).

Abstract: An aluminum-based alloy useful for driveshaft assemblies and method of manufacturing an extruded tube of such alloy. The alloy includes, in weight %, 0.50 to 0.70% Si, up to 0.30% Fe, 0.20 to 0.40% Cu, up to 0.03% Mn, 0.80 to 1.10% Mg, up to 0.03% Cr, balance Al and impurities. In producing extruded tubing, the alloy is extruded, the extruded billet is water quenched, the quenched tube is drawn in a two-stage drawing operation and the drawn tube is given a precipitation hardening treatment.

Abstract: The present invention is a medical implant or device fabricated, in any manner, from a niobium (Nb)—titanium (Ti)—zirconium (Zr)—Molybdenum (Mo) alloy (NbTiZrMo alloy). The implant or device has components at least partially fabricated from a metal alloy comprising a) between about 29 and 70 weight percent Nb; b) between about 10 and 46 weight percent Zr; c) between about 3 and 15 weight percent Mo; and a balance of titanium. The inventive alloy provides for a uniform beta structure which is corrosion resistant, and can be readily processed to develop high-strength and low-modulus, with the ability for conversion oxidation or nitridization surface hardening of the medical implant or device.

Abstract: A method of producing an aluminum alloy fin stock material, comprising the steps of continuously strip casting an aluminum finstock alloy to form an as-cast strip, rolling the as-cast strip to form a sheet article of intermediate gauge, annealing the sheet article of intermediate gauge, and cold rolling the annealed sheet article of intermediate gauge to produce an aluminum finstock material of final gauge. The steps are carried out on a finstock alloy which comprises the following elements in weight percent: Fe 1.6 to 2.4; Si 0.7 to 1.1; Mn 0.3 to 0.6; Zn 0.3 to 2.0; Ti 0.005 to 0.040; incidental elements less than 0.05 each, total no more than 0.15; and the balance aluminum. The invention also relates to the finstock material so-produced which has good thermal conductivity, and is suitable for use in thin gauge (e.g. less than 100 &mgr;m, and preferably 60±10 &mgr;m).

Abstract: A lead-free solder composition having superior mechanical strength is produced by adding a rare earth element to a Sn—Ag alloy or a Sn—Ag—Bi—Cu alloy. The rare earth element is Sm, Gd, or a mixture of these elements with other rare earth elements.

Abstract: Simplified heat-treatment in making aluminum alloys castings of the type improved by aging, especially for automotive engine cylinder heads and motor blocks. The castings, after solidification and extraction from their molds, each have an end product (workpiece) portion and a riser portion (the latter being ultimately cut off as waste). The workpiece portion of the casting is selectively quenched from solution temperatures down to about 120° C. by spraying water or other appropriate liquid preferably as a gas driven mist onto the surfaces of the workpiece while maintaining the riser portion of the casting essentially unsprayed at relatively significantly higher temperatures. After the quench, the residual reservoir of heat thus retained by said riser portion, by internal heat conduction, reheats the workpiece portion and maintains such workpiece portion for an effective time period within the temperature range for artificial aging, thus obviating any need for the aging furnace used by the prior art.

Abstract: A traveling hearth for producing reduced metal by charging and stacking a raw material containing a metal-containing material and a solid-reducing material on a horizontally moving hearth, arranged for disposing a solid-reducing material layer on the hearth, forming concave portions at the solid-reducing material surface, stacking the raw material on the surface of the solid-reducing material layer, reducing the raw material by at least once heating and melting the material on the hearth to separate metal and gangue and ash ingredients, and discharging metal from the hearth.

Abstract: By careful control of composition and processing, Al—Mg based alloy sheets with preferred grain sizes and crystallographic textures that result in good press formability are disclosed. The Al—Mg alloy preferably contains 2-6 wt % Mg, and at least 0.03 wt % of at least one element selected from Fe, Mn, Cr, Zr, and Cu. The crystallographic texture is comprised of grains with a volume fraction in a range of about 30-50% in the CUBE orientation {100}<001>, and a volume fraction in a range of about 10 to 20% in the BRASS orientation {110}<112>, wherein the grain size is within a range of about 50 to 100 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An activated no-clean flux composition for soldering includes a dicarboxylic acid, an organic solvent, and acetic acid in the range of about 2% to about 4% by weight.

Abstract: An Al alloy film containing one kind or two or more kinds of alloy components selected from a group of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and Mn in a total amount of 0.1 to 10 at %, and a melting Al alloy sputtering target for depositing the Al alloy film, wherein the above-mentioned film is used as a reflection film for an optical recording medium, a shading film for a liquid crystal display panel or for a solid image pickup device, and an Al alloy thin film line or electrode material for a semiconductor device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of an electrically conductive metallic strip for the production of plug contact elements. A starting strip of copper or a copper alloy having an initial thickness which is greater than its final thickness is tin-plated. Subsequently, the tin-plated copper strip is deformed by rolling. This rolling process reduces both the thickness of the layer of tin and the thickness of the underlying copper strip.

Abstract: A method of altering the properties of a solid material by varying the temperature of the solid material either before or after or both before and after laser shock processing the solid material. In addition, the method may be repeated for successive laser shock processing of the solid material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a eutectic or hypereutectic aluminium-silicon alloy product suitable for thixoforming, comprising (by weight) 10 to 30% silicon and, if applicable, copper (<10%), magnesium (<3%), manganese (<2%), iron (<2%), nickel (<4%), cobalt (<3%) and other elements (<0.5% each and 1% in total), the microstructure of which is composed of primary silicon crystals, equiaxed type aluminium dendrites less than 4 mm in size and a eutectic composed of eutectic silicon grains and eutectic aluminium grains less than 4 mm in size.

Abstract: A target is laser shock peened by directing against an ablative coating thereon a laser beam pulse having a fluence, duration, and corresponding peak power effective for ablating the coating to form a plasma and shock wave therein. The plasma is confined adjacent the target to plastically deform the target by the shock wave to develop residual compressive stress therein. The pulse has a duration less than ten nanoseconds and a corresponding peak power for increasing coupling efficiency between the pulse and plasma.

Abstract: Hydrogen propelled vehicles and fundamentally new magnesium-based hydrogen storage alloy materials which for the first time make it feasible and practical to use solid state storage and delivery of hydrogen to power internal combustion engine or fuel cell vehicles. These exceptional alloys have remarkable hydrogen storage capacity of well over 6 weight % coupled with extraordinary absorption kinetics such that the alloy powder absorbs 80% of its total capacity within 2 minutes at 300° C.

Abstract: A lead-free solder which is comprised of three elements Sn-Cu-Ni. Cu and Ni are 0.1-2 wt % and 0.002-1 wt % respectively. Preferable weight percentage of Cu and Ni are 0.3 to 0.7 percent and 0.04 to 0.1 percent respectively. Both methods of additive Ni to a base alloy of Sn—Cu and additive Cu to a base alloy of Sn—Ni are applicable.

Abstract: A method for refining molten Al alloy and a non-halogen based flux for refining molten Al alloy which make it possible to perform refining such as removal of gas and inclusions at a high reduction level, and are free from a problem that the flux remains in the molten Al alloy, wherein a refining flux is injected into molten Al alloy obtained by melting an Al raw material to refine the melt, thereafter, the resultant is supplied to a mold, so as to cast the Al alloy. At this time, alum is used as the refining flux.

Abstract: A continuous cast aluminum alloy strip is used in the production of thin gauge or converter foils. The alloy strip contains 0.4 to 0.8% by weigth Fe and 0.2 to 0.4% by weight Si, has an an cast thickness of less than about 30 mm and contains a substantially single intermetallic species of alpha-phase. The strip is cast using a continuous strip caster, e.g. a block or belt caster.