During this month I faced some technical problems with the microscope. The sample stage was not working as it was supposed to. Especially, rotation of a sample was often impossible due to encoder errors. This made running of 3D measurements impossible. Meanwhile, I read some literature concerning investigations of the cubic ZrO2 where I found information about methods that other people use for sample preparation and what programs are used for experimental data processing.

In the meantime, texture measurements were made on the extruded pipe section and further pilger rolled and extruded alloy AZ31 in three spots. Measured reflections 002, 101 and 100 and the orientation distribution functions were calculated for the three points. Since the program LaboTex automatically narrows the field of orientation function (Euler space) in the case of higher symmetry than triclinic and there is no way to save the functions of a full field, you had to work around this problem in a sophisticated manner described in the literature. After completion of the orientation function to generate a SOR of individual orientations in a large number (in our case 2000000). Then you need to change the structure of the code editor to 1 (symmetry triclinic) and open the converted file in the LaboTex. Now you just need to generate the orientation distribution function on the basis of individual orientation, so that we skip the tedious process of symmetrization orientation distribution function, of course, at the expense of extra work.

In March I’ve worked on my next publication. It is titled “Characterisation of Zn–Mo alloy layers electrodeposited from aqueous citrate solution”
In this paper I wrote among others that: The conditions for molybdenum with zinc electrodeposition from citrate electrolytes were studied. Partial polarisation curves were determined. The surface composition of deposits was ascertained by chemical analysis (EDS and WDXRF) and profile chemical analysis (GDOES). The morphology of coatings was
studied by SEM. The electrolysis parameters allowing electrodeposition of homogeneous Zn–Mo coatings containing various amounts of molybdenum (in the range from about 0.5 wt.% to 8 wt.%) were selected. The deposits’ morphology depends significantly on the content of molybdenum and on the substrate used. Two Zn–Mo phases are formed in deposits: a hexagonal phase with low content of molybdenum, and an amorphous or nanocrystalline phase enriched by molybdenum.

MD simulation for binary liquid alloys. Structural, dynamic and physical properties investigations using CMD and AIMD method. Modelling of parameters for many body interactions using MEAM approach.

In that month studies were performed for the aluminum alloy containing zirconium (Al-Zr) with the transmission electron microscope (STEM, HR, analysis phase). Specimens as pre-prepared thin films have been cut from a piece of alloy Al-Zr. The aim was to examine the correctness the heat treatment and the structure of the initial material. TEM studies revealed the existence in the material very small particles of Al3Zr uniformly distributed in the grains.