A method based on the electroforming technique has been proposed for the fabrication of nanoparticle-reinforced copper-matrix composites using an electrolyte of copper sulfate–sulfuric acid solution containing 1 cm3/L of the nanoparticles without surfactants. Of the tested nanoparticles such as Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, and CeO2, whose sizes ranged from 10 to 30 nm, only TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully embedded in the copper matrix during electroforming, owing to their positive charge in the electrolyte solution. It should be noted that there was very little contamination in the copper matrix, because surfactants were absent during electroforming. Therefore, the electrical conductivity of the specimen that was electroformed in the electrolytes with TiO2 nanoparticles was not significantly different from that of pure copper. Nevertheless, the hardness, yield, and ultimate tensile strength were significantly improved by a small amount (0.3 mass%) of TiO2 nanoparticles primarily because of strengthening by Orowan mechanics. The electroforming process is thus a promising means to prepare copper-matrix composites with an excellent balance of electrical conductivity and mechanical strengths.

Structural relaxation around free volume in Zr50Cu40Al10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) during isothermal annealing at 473, 573 and 673 K which are below glass transition temperature Tg =675 K have been investigated by positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) measurements. The trends of change in positron lifetime, which correspond to the size of free volume at each annealing temperature, have a good correlation with their density change. These annealing processes obey a stretched exponential relaxation function (KWW: Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts law). Fitting parameters of KWW function, with relaxation time t0 and β, in each temperature were determined. These relaxation parameters depend on the annealing temperature, suggesting the distribution of activation energy for structural relaxation. Moreover, the profile of electron momentum distribution around free volume derived by CDB spectrum during annealing showed no appreciable change at each temperature. These facts suggest that long range chemical ordering, particularly around the free volume, dose not take place essentially.

Three kinds of Fe-based model alloys, Fe-0.02wt%Cu, Fe-0.6wt%Cu, and Fe-1.2wt%Cu were irradiated with 2MeV electrons at 250°C. After the irradiation, the hardness was measured by using a micro Vickers hardness tester at room temperature. It was found that the hardness change by electron irradiation is proportional to the product of the copper concentration and the square root of electron fluence. The result is discussed in terms of the dispersion strengthening by Cu precipitates.

CeO2 thin films were irradiated with 200MeV Xe ions. Effects of the irradiation were studied by using Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) measurement at SPring8 synchrotron radiation facility. EXAFS spectra for the irradiated thin films near the Ce K-edge show that the coordination number for oxygen atoms around Ce atom decreases and that the Ce-O Debye-Waller factor increases by the irradiation. The atomic distance between oxygen atom and Ce atom does not vary within the accuracy of EXAFS measurement. The effect of high density electronic excitation on the structure of CeO2 is discussed.

The structure of Au-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles prepared by sonochemical technique was investigated by an analytical transmission electron microscopy. The core (Au)-shell (Pd) structure was clearly confirmed by the intensity profile of annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM). The line-scan analysis of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in STEM mode also revealed the Au core-Pd shell structure. The selected area electron diffraction pattern from the Au-Pd nanoparticles indicated the possibility that the crystal lattice of Pd shell is expanded and coincident with the crystal lattice of Au core.

Dilute aqueous solutions with Au3+ ions and Polyethylene Glycol Monostearate are irradiated with ∼1 MeV γ-ray from 60Co source, 10 MeV pulsed electrons or 1.6 GeV carbon ions. After the irradiation, the color of solutions changes from buff yellow to reddish color. The UV-vis absorption spectra show that after the irradiation, light absorption around 530 nm appears, which corresponds to the excitation of the surface plasmon due to Au nano-particles. The result confirms that the irradiation reduces Au3+ ions in the aqueous solutions and synthesizes Au nano-particles. Size and shape of the nano-particles are examined by using 200kV transmission electron microscope. Effects of irradiation parameters (total dose and dose rate) on Au nano-particle synthesis are discussed.

We have studied high-energy ion irradiation effects in bismuth by measuring the electrical resistivity at low temperature in relation to its structural change. Bismuth thin films (330–520 Å thick) are irradiated below ∼10 K with energetic (150–200-MeV) heavy ions. The resistivity of the specimen is measured in situ below ∼7.2 K during the irradiation. After the irradiation, annealing behavior of the resistivity is observed up to ∼30 K. The temperature dependence of the resistivity during annealing shows an abrupt increase around 20 K, implying re-crystallization of irradiation-induced amorphous regions. We have tried to detect a superconducting transition which may take place as a result of irradiation-induced amorphization. In the range of the measuring temperature down to ∼4.9 K, resistivity decrease due to superconducting transition has not been observed in the temperature dependence of the resistivity after 200-MeV 197Au ion irradiation up to a fluence of 3.1×1012 cm-2.

In order to modify the lattice structure and magnetic properties, we irradiate Fe-50at.%Rh alloys with 8 MeV electrons at room temperature. Effects of irradiation are investigated by using Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD).

Although the crystal structure is not changed by the irradiation and remains the B2 structure, the lattice parameter increases by about 0.1–0.3 % and the antiferromagnetic(AF)-ferromagnetic(FM) transition temperature decreases by 3–18 deg. with increasing the electron fluence. The present result shows that energetic electron irradiation can be used for the precise control of AF-FM transition temperature of Fe-50at.%Rh alloy.

Anomalously large shift of the Curie temperature has recently been observed in Fe-Ni Invar alloys irradiated with high-energy heavy ions. This large effect can be attributed to the large positive magneto-volume effect essentially originated in the itinerant electron ferromagnetism in Fe-Ni Invar alloys. To investigate the mechanism of the large modification of the ferromagnetism and the structure of the modified portion, measurements of the beam energy dependence of AC-susceptibility-temperature curves have been made. It was found that the amount of the shift of the Curie temperature did not change by increasing the beam energy. On the contrary, the intensity of the susceptibility of the modified portion increased with increasing the ion beam energy. The high-density electronic excitation is considered to be responsible for the large modification of the ferromagnetism in Fe-Ni Invar alloys.