Mg-1.6Gd binary alloy was subjected to uniaxial warm rolling at a unidirectional and cross-sectional with a reduction ratio of 95% in order to observe the relationship between its microstructural changes to the degradation behavior. The warm rolling was performed at a temperature range of its recrystallization temperature, which were 400°C and 560°C, and a feed rate of 10 mm/min. Degradation behaviors of Mg-1.6Gd binary alloy was evaluated by means of potentiodynamic polarization and hydrogen evolution test in modified Kokubo’s SBF solution at temperature of 37 ± 1ºC. The lowest corrosion rate of 0.126 mm/year derived from potentiodynamic polarization test was showed by unidirectional-rolled specimen at temperature of 560 °C. Hydrogen evolution test results showed the lowest hydrogen gas formed during 24 hours of immersion was found on unidirectional-rolled specimen at temperature of 560°C with a rate of 0.268 cc/cm2/hours. While cross rolled specimens showed a high corrosion and hydrogen evolution rate of 20 mm/year and 0.28 cc/cm2/hours.

The paper presents research of metallic glass based on a Mg72Zn24Ca4 alloy. Metallic glass was prepared using induction melting and further injection on a spinning copper wheel. The X-ray diffractometer and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were used to investigate the phase transformation of the amorphous ribbon. The heat released in the crystallization process, during isothermal annealing, based on the differential scanning calorimeter investigation, was determined to be 166.18 Jg-1. The effect of isothermal annealing temperature on the kinetics of the amorphous alloy crystallization process using differential scanning calorimeter was investigated. For this purpose, two isothermal annealing temperatures were selected. The incubation time decreases as the temperature of the isothermal annealing increases from 300 to 252 seconds. The same relationship is visible in the case of duration of the phase transformation, which also decreases as the temperature of the isothermal annealing increases from 360 to 228 seconds. The obtained results show a significant influence of isothermal annealing temperature on the degree of phase transformation.

High-power terahertz sources operating at room-temperature are promising for many applications such as explosive materials detection, non-invasive medical imaging, and high speed telecommunication. Here we report the results of a simulation study, which shows the significantly improved performance of room-temperature terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) based on a ZnMgO/ZnO material system employing a 2-well design scheme with variable barrier heights and a delta-doped injector well. We found that by varying and optimizing constituent layer widths and doping level of the injector well, high power performance of THz QCLs can be achieved at room temperature: optical gain and radiation frequency is varied from 108 cm⁻¹ @ 2.18 THz to 300 cm⁻¹ @ 4.96 THz. These results show that among II–VI compounds the ZnMgO/ZnO material system is optimally suited for high-performance room-temperature THz QCLs.

Al-enriched layer was formed on a magnesium substrate with use of casting. The magnesium melt was cast into a steel mould with an

aluminium insert placed inside. Different conditions of the casting process were applied. The reaction between the molten magnesium and

the aluminium piece during casting led to the formation of an Al-enriched surface layer on the magnesium substrate. The thickness of the

layer was dependent on the casting conditions. In all fabricated layers the following phases were detected: a solid solution of Mg in Al,

Al3Mg2, Mg17Al12 and a solid solution of Mg in Al. When the temperature of the melt and the mould was lower (variant 1 – 670o

C and 310 o

; variant 2 – 680o

C and 310o

C, respectively) the unreacted thin layer of aluminium was observed in the outer zone. Applying higher

temperatures of the melt (685o

C) and the mould (325o

C) resulted in deep penetration of aluminium into the magnesium substrate. Areas

enriched in aluminium were locally observed. The Al-enriched layers composed mainly of Mg-Al intermetallic phases have hardness from

187-256 HV0.1.

The magnesium alloy investment castings have greater potential for automobile and air-craft applications due to the higher strength to weight ratio of magnesium alloys and capability of the investment casting process to produce near net shape complex castings. The interfacial-mould metal reactions during investment casting of magnesium alloy inhibit successful production of quality castings. This paper presents the investigation done on the reactions at corners of AZ91 magnesium alloy cast part produced through investment casting. The stepped shape geometry of casting was selected to study the reactions at convex and concave corners of the cast part. The reacted surfaces were characterised using the SEM-EDX and XRD. The formation of oxides was observed on cast surface from characterisation. The temperature profile recorded at corners were helpful to understand the heat dissipation during the solidification of metal at corners. It was observed that the reactions occurred at the concave corner were more as compared to the convex corner of the cast part.

This paper aims to investigate the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of hot-deformed AlMg4 alloys with Mn, Fe, and Si as the main impurities. For this purpose, solidification behavior and microstructural evolution during hot-rolling and heat-treatment processes are investigated by using theoretical calculations and experimental characterization. The crystallization and morphological transformation of intermetallic Al3Fe, Al6Mn, and Mg2Si phases are revealed and discussed in terms of the variation in chemical composition. Following a homogenization heat-treatment, the effect of heat treatment on the intermetallic compounds is also investigated after hot-rolling. It was revealed that the Mg2Si phase can be broken into small particles and spherodized more easily than the Al3Fe intermetallic phase during the hot-rolling process. For the Mn containing alloys, both yield and ultimate tensile strength of the hot-rolled alloys increased from 270 to 296 MPa while elongation decreased from 17 to 13%, which can be attributed to Mn-containing intermetallic as well as dispersoid.

The study was conducted in the area of the impact of sulfur mine in Jeziórko. The aim of the study was to assess changes in pH, cation exchange capacity and content of available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium after 6 years of conducting remediation. In the experiment (plots with an area of 15 m2) degraded soil was rehabilitating by post-floating lime and compost from sewage sludge, sewage sludge and ash from combined heat and power (CHP). Composts at a dose of dry matter 180 t · ha-1 (6%), were determined in accordance with Minister of the Environment Regulation from 2001, applied the following options: control (only native soil limed), compost from municipal sewage sludge, sewage sludge compost (80%) and ash (20%), compost from sewage sludge (70%) and ash (30%). The reclaimed plots were sown with mixture of rehabilitation grass. Single de-acidification, land fertilization and a further 6-year extensive (without fertilization) use had a different influence on the properties of the native soilless substratum. Irrespective of the reclamation manner, after six years land use in the upper layers, observed increase in the average content of available phosphorus, available potassium content does not changed significantly but recorded a tenfold decrease in the content of available magnesium.