In the present paper the structure and thermal properties of europium cerium oxides were investigated. The material for the research was obtained via solid state synthesis. The initial powders: ceria CeO2 and europia Eu2O3 were mixed in 1:1 mass ratio (non-stoichiometric proportion with the excess of CeO2) and milled. The sintering process was performed using high temperature vacuum press at 1350°C. Calorimetric analysis was conducted both for initial powders and milled mixture. The structure, phase composition and thermal diffusivity of obtained material were investigated in as-sintered condition. It was revealed that the obtained material was multi-phase. Non-stoichiometric phases including Ce0.5Eu0.5O1.75 with fluorite type structure and different lattice parameters were present. Thermal diffusivity decreased in the range from 25 to 900°C from 1.49 to 0.57 mm2/s and then increased to 0.70 mm2/s at 1400°C.

The primary microstructure of new Co-based superalloy of Co-20Ni-7Al-7W (at.%) type was showed in this article. The alloy was manufactured by induction melting in vacuum furnaces. This alloy is a part of new group of high-temperature materials based on Co solid solution and strengthened by coherent L12 phase similar to Ni-based superalloys with γʹ phase. The final form of Coss/L12 microstructure is obtained after fully heat treatment included homogenization, solutionizing and aging processes. But first step of heat treatment thermal parameters determination is characterization of primary microstructure of alloys after casting process with special attentions on segregations of alloying elements in solid solution and presences of structural elements such as eutectic areas, and other phases precipitations. In analysed case the relatively high homogeneity of chemical composition was expected especially in the case of W distribution, what was confirmed be SEM/EDS analysis in dendritic and interdendritic areas.

In the article, the characterization of the microstructure, phase composition and distribution of elements in the Eu2O3-ZrO2 sintered materials obtained by four different ways of powders’ homogenization (mixing) process and different temperature of sintering process is shown. The feedstock powders with an average mole ratio of ZrO2 to Eu2O3 equal 74% to 26% were used as an initial material. The principal aim of the investigation was characterization of differences in the microstructure of the same type of ceramics, however, prepared via different mixing and manufacturing processes. The range of the investigation covered a characterization of these materials via phase identification of all samples by XRD (X-ray diffraction) and characterization of internal morphology of the specimens with detailed analysis of elements distributions by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDS (energy dispersive spectrometry). The aim of the following investigation is to characterize the possibilities of the solid state synthesis of the europium zirconate based materials, dedicated for TBC applications.

The γ/γ′ Co-based alloys are a new class of cobalt superalloys, which are characterized by remarkable high temperature strength owing to strengthening by γ′-Co3(Al, X) phases. In this investigation, the effect of cerium addition on oxidation behavior of model Co-Al-W alloys was studied. The introduction of Ce aimed at improvement of the oxidation resistance of γ′-forming Co-based superalloys. The minor additions of cerium (0.1, 0.5 at.%) were added to the base alloy Co-9Al-9W. The alloys were prepared via induction vacuum melting (VIM). Further, a primary microstructure of the alloys was analyzed with particular regard to a segregation of Ce. The thermogravimetric analysis (TG) under non-isothermal conditions was used to preliminary estimate the oxidation behavior of alloys at different temperatures. During experiment, differential thermal analysis (DTA) was performed simultaneously. After this test, cyclic oxidation expermients was carried out at 800°C for 500 h. In as-cast state, Ce segregates to interdendritic areas and forms intermetallic phases. The effect connected with melting of interdendritic precipitates was observed at 1160°C. Ce-containing alloys were less prone of oxide spallation. Moreover, oxidation rate of these alloys substantially decreased after 100h of oxidation, whereas mass of the sample corresponding to base alloy continued to increase.

In this investigation, the formation of oxide scales on different Co-Ni based superalloys of γ–γ′ type was analyzed. Co-20Ni-7Al-7W (at. %) alloy as well as its W-free modifications based on Co-Ni-Al-Mo-Nb and Co-Ni-Al-Ta systems was analyzed under conditions of high temperature oxidation at 800 and 900°C. Therefore, the alloys were isothermally oxidized at selected temperatures for 100 h in laboratory furnace. Afterwards, the oxidation products were evaluated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The performed tests showed that W-free alloys exhibit worse oxidation resistance compared to those of Co-Ni-Al-W alloys. After oxidation at 900°C, all alloys were prone of oxide spallation. The scales characterized by oxide peeling were mostly composed of complex Co-based oxides, including CoWO4, CoTa2O6, Co2Mo3O8, CoNb2O6.

The study investigated the primary structure of the new generation of superalloys based on Co-10Al-5Mo-2Nb and Co-20Ni- 10Al-5Mo-2Nb cobalt. Research on a group of cobalt-based materials was initiated in 2006 by J. Sato [1]. These materials may replace nickel-based superalloys in the future due to their excellent properties at elevated temperatures relative to nickel-based superalloys. The primary microstructure characterisation of the Co-10Al-5Mo-2Nb and Co-20Ni-10Al-5Mo-2Nb alloy are the basic subject of this article. The Co-10Al-5Mo-2Nb and Co-20Ni-10Al-5Mo-2Nb alloy are tungsten free alloys of a new type with the final microstructure based on the Co-based solid solution L12 phase of the Co3(Al,Mo,Nb) type as a strengthened structural element. The analysed alloys were investigated in an as-cast state after a vacuum casting process applied on graphite moulds. The primary microstructure of the alloys and the chemical constituent of dendritic and interdendritic areas were analysed using light, scanning electron and transmission microscopy. Currently, nickel-strengthened γ’ phase steels are still unrivalled in aerospace applications, however, cobalt based superalloys are a response to their existing limitations, which do not allow maintaining the current rate of development of aircraft engines.