Main studies carried out during March:

- Microhardness measurements of the melt spun ribbons. As a result large scatter of data was obtained due to inhomogeneous microstructure of the ribbons.
- SEM imaging of the melt spun ribbons cross-section confirmed change in microstructure during changing casting condition (wheel speed). With faster cooling rates more areas with homogenous microstructure occurs in the ribbon. Also chemical analysis of phases present in the ingot was performed. Three different phases were found.
- Icosahedral phase indentification– based on electron diffraction patterns.
- Investigations of icosahedral phase decomposition during thermal treatment (TEM, XRD) – based on the obtained results probably two step decomposition trough the intermediate phase take place.
- Casting of two new alloys with zirconium and silicon addition.

Awards:
1st prize for the best Ph.D student’s abstract: TEM study of quasicrystals in Al-Mn-Fe melt - spun ribbon for the upcoming XIVth International Conference on Electron Microscopy (sponsored by Polish Society for Microscopy).

Participation in seminars:
- M. Sc. Eng. Piotr Bobrowski: ‘Investigations on the catalytic Au/TiO2 modelsystem’
- M. Sc. Eng Rafal Abram: ‘Atomistic simulations of the process of phase separation in the Fe-Cr system’;
- M. Sc. Eng Artur Kudyba: ‘Influence of technological factors on the wettability of soldering’;