The Nb-Si based in-situ composite was produced by resistive sintering (RS) technique. In order to identify present phases, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used on the composite. XRD analysis revealed that the composite was composed of Nb solid solution (Nbss) and α-Nb5Si3 phases. The microstructure of the composite was characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was performed for the micro-analysis of the chemical species. SEM-EDS analyses show that the microstructure of composite consists of Nbss, Nb5Si3 and small volume fraction of Ti-rich Nbss phases. The micro hardness of constituent phases of the composite was found to be as 593±19 and 1408±33 Hv0.1, respectively and its relative density was % 98.54.

The review of peculiarity of growth and experimental results of the magneto-transport measurements (longitudinal magneto-resistance R_xx and the Hall resistance R_xy) over a wide interval of temperatures for several samples of Hg_1−xCd_xTe (x ≈ 0.13–0.15) grown by MBE is presented in this paper. An amazing temperature stability of the SdH-oscillation period and amplitude is observed in the entire temperature interval of measurements up to 50 K. Moreover, the quantum Hall effect (QHE) behaviour of the Hall resistance was shown in the same temperature interval. These peculiarities of the R_xx and R_xy for strained thin layers are interpreted using quantum Hall conductivity (QHC) on topologically protected surface states (TPSS). In the case of not strained layers it is assumed that the QHC on the TPSS contributes also to the conductance of the bulk samples. The experimental results on magneto-transport (QHC and SdH) obtained for the strained 100 nm thickness Hg_1−xCd_xTe layer are interpreted on the basis of the 8 × 8 kp model and an advantage of the Hg_1−xCd_xTe as topological insulators is shown. This article is an expanded version of the scientific reports presented at the International Conference on Semiconductor Nanostructures for Optoelectronics and Biosensors 2016 ICSeNOB2016, May 22–25, 2016, Rzeszow, Poland.

The impact of small addition of zirconium in hypoeutectic commercial AlSi10MgCu alloys on their mechanical properties (hardness) in as cast and thermally treated conditions was investigated. Small addition of zirconium does not change significantly the as cast and heat-treated microstructure of investigated alloys except to reduce the SDAS and grain size of primary α-aluminium phases. Addition of zirconium up to 0.14 wt. percentage increases the hardness of investigated alloys in as cast conditions. The increase in the hardness of samples after various solid solution times can correlate very well with the formation of small needle like coherent Al3Zr particles.

The effect of the complex ligature with nickel and REM (Ce, La) aluminides on the structure formation, the nature of the distribution of the elements, and the microhardness of the structural constituents of Al-5 wt.% Cu aluminum alloy were investigated. On the example of microalloying of the Al-5 wt.% Cu alloy with a master alloy containing Ni and REM (Ce, La) aluminides it was shown that a redistribution of Al and Cu occurs in α-solid solution and eutectic. This is reflected in the refinement of α-solid solution and eutectic at 0.15 wt.% of the master alloy addition and, accordingly, increases the microhardness of α-solid solution by 100 MPa and eutectic by 125 MPa.