A method of containing molten aluminum using non-wetting materials comprising depositing MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4, or one selected from an oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, nitride, AlN, BN, carbide, and SiC, onto a crucible. An apparatus for containment of molten aluminum using non-wetting materials comprising a layer of MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4, or one selected from an oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, nitride, AlN, BN, carbide, and SiC, deposited onto a crucible.

A method for producing an Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy ribbon, the method including a step of supplying a molten Fe-based alloy onto a rotating chill roll, and rapidly solidifying the molten Fe-based alloy that has been supplied onto the chill roll, thereby obtaining an Fe-based amorphous alloy ribbon having a free solidified surface and a roll contact surface, and a step of heat-treating the Fe-based amorphous alloy ribbon, thereby obtaining an Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy ribbon; wherein an outer peripheral part of the chill roll is composed of a Cu alloy, and a thermal conductivity of the outer peripheral part is from 70 W/(m.Math.K) to 225 W/(m.Math.K).

A method for integrally forming a non-metal part and a metal part. The method comprises the following steps: A, arranging a non-transparent non-metal part in a mold; B, arranging a metal part on the periphery of the non-metal part in the mold, the metal part being a continuous structure located on the periphery of the non-metal part; C, heating the metal part so that the metal part is formed into semi-solid metal defined in a mold cavity; D, extruding the semi-solid metal through the mold, so that the semi-solid metal is combined with the periphery of the non-metal part in a seamless mode; and E, quickly cooling the semi-solid metal located on the periphery of the non-metal part, so that the semi-solid metal is formed into amorphous metal combined with the periphery of the non-metal part in a seamless mode. The method is simple and practicable, the rate of finished products is high, the metal part obtained through extrusion has high compactness and strength, and the difficulty in follow-up surface treatment of the metal part is reduced.

Cu-based bulk amorphous alloys in the quaternary Cu—Zr—Hf—Al alloy system are disclosed. A method of casting such alloys and articles comprising such alloys also are disclosed.

Cu-based bulk amorphous alloys in the quaternary Cu—Zr—Hf—Al alloy system are disclosed. A method of casting such alloys and articles comprising such alloys also are disclosed.

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement bulk metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a strain wave gear includes: shaping a BMG-based material using a mold in conjunction with one of a thermoplastic forming technique and a casting technique; where the BMG-based material is shaped into one of: a wave generator plug, an inner race, an outer race, a rolling element, a flexspline, a flexspline without a set of gear teeth, a circular spline, a circular spline without a set of gear teeth, a set of gear teeth to be incorporated within a flexspline, and a set of gear teeth to be incorporated within a circular spline.

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement bulk metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a strain wave gear includes: shaping a BMG-based material using a mold in conjunction with one of a thermoplastic forming technique and a casting technique; where the BMG-based material is shaped into one of: a wave generator plug, an inner race, an outer race, a rolling element, a flexspline, a flexspline without a set of gear teeth, a circular spline, a circular spline without a set of gear teeth, a set of gear teeth to be incorporated within a flexspline, and a set of gear teeth to be incorporated within a circular spline.

Provided in one embodiment is a method of identifying a stable phase of an ordering binary alloy system comprising a solute element and a solvent element, the method comprising: determining at least three thermodynamic parameters associated with grain boundary segregation, phase separation, and intermetallic compound formation of the ordering binary alloy system; and identifying the stable phase of the ordering binary alloy system based on the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter by comparing the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter with a predetermined set of respective thermodynamic parameters to identify the stable phase; wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

Provided in one embodiment is a method of identifying a stable phase of an ordering binary alloy system comprising a solute element and a solvent element, the method comprising: determining at least three thermodynamic parameters associated with grain boundary segregation, phase separation, and intermetallic compound formation of the ordering binary alloy system; and identifying the stable phase of the ordering binary alloy system based on the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter by comparing the first thermodynamic parameter, the second thermodynamic parameter and the third thermodynamic parameter with a predetermined set of respective thermodynamic parameters to identify the stable phase; wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

High-density thermodynamically stable nanostructured copper-based metallic systems, and methods of making, are presented herein. A ternary high-density thermodynamically stable nanostructured copper-based metallic system includes: a solvent of copper (Cu) metal; that comprises 50 to 95 atomic percent (at. %) of the metallic system; a first solute metal dispersed in the solvent that comprises 0.01 to 50 at. % of the metallic system; and a second solute metal dispersed in the solvent that comprises 0.01 to 50 at. % of the metallic system. The internal grain size of the solvent is suppressed to no more than 250 nm at 98% of the melting point temperature of the solvent and the solute metals remain uniformly dispersed in the solvent at that temperature. Processes for forming these metallic systems include: subjecting powder metals to a high-energy milling process, and consolidating the resultant powder metal subjected to the milling to form a bulk material.