A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

Identifying a stable phase of a binary alloy comprising a solute element and a solvent element. In one example, at least two thermodynamic parameters associated with grain growth and phase separation of the binary alloy are determined, and the stable phase of the binary alloy is identified based on the first thermodynamic parameter and the second thermodynamic parameter, wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

This disclosure describes various configurations and components for bimetallic and trimetallic claddings for use as a wall element separating nuclear material from an external environment. The cladding materials are suitable for use as cladding for nuclear fuel elements, particularly for fuel elements that will be exposed to sodium or other coolants or environments with a propensity to react with the nuclear fuel.

Methods of preparing improved metal hydride alloy materials are provided. The alloys include a mixture of at least four of vanadium, titanium, nickel, chromium, and iron. The alloy is processed by at least one of thermal and physical treatment to generate a refined microstructure exhibiting improved kinetics when used as electrodes in MH batteries (e.g., higher discharge current). The thermal treatment includes rapid cooling of the alloy at greater than 10.sup.4 K/s. The physical treatment includes mechanical pulverization of the alloy after cooling. The microstructure is a single phase (body centered cubic) with a heterogeneous composition including a plurality of primary regions having a lattice parameter selected from the range of 3.02 to 3.22 and a plurality of secondary regions having a lattice parameter selected from the range of 3.00 to 3.22 and at least one physical dimension having a maximum average value less than 1 m.

A bi-continuous composite of a refractory alloy and copper, and a method for manufacturing the same, are provided. The method for manufacturing a bi-continuous composite of a refractory alloy and copper includes: providing an alloy melt swapping (AMS) precursor; providing a copper melt with a temperature in a range of 1085 C. to 3410 C.; immersing the AMS precursor into the copper melt; and removing the AMS precursor from the copper melt. The AMS precursor includes elements having positive and negative mixing enthalpy with copper, respectively. The AMS precursor into which the copper melt is diffused becomes a bi-continuous composite with a first phase formed from the copper and a second phase formed from the AMS precursor.

In an aspect, an electrochemical cell comprises: a positive electrode; a negative electrode, said negative electrode having an alloy having a composition comprising V; and an electrolyte; wherein an additive is provided in said electrolyte to form primary vanadate ions upon dissociation of said additive in said electrolyte; and wherein the electrochemical cell is a metal hydride battery. In some embodiments of this aspect, the alloy is configured to sorb hydrogen during charging of said electrochemical cell and desorb hydrogen during discharging of said electrochemical cell. In some embodiments of this aspect, the electrolyte has a pH selected from the range of 13 to 15.

A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au) and at least one other secondary atom, the at least one other secondary atom selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), manganese (Mn), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O), and combinations thereof; erbium (Er), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), zinc (Zn), and combinations thereof; and barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), gadolinium (Gd), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), osmium (Os), phosphorus (P), rubidium (Rb), rhenium (Re), selenium (Se), samarium (Sm), terbium (Tb), thallium (Th), and combinations thereof.

A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

Disclosed are a separation membrane including a Group 5-based alloy, wherein crystal particles in the alloy have an average minor axis length of about 3 ?m to about 10 ?m and an aspect ratio of about 1:8 to 1:20, wherein the alloy is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, and a method of manufacturing the same.
A.sub.xB.sub.yC.sub.z(Chemical Formula 1) In Chemical Formula 1, A is vanadium, niobium, or tantalum, B and C are same or different and are independently selected from nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt), x is a real number of greater than or equal to about 0.8 and less than 1, y+z=1?x, and y and z are independently real numbers of greater than or equal to about 0.

This disclosure describes various configurations and components for bimetallic and trimetallic claddings for use as a wall element separating nuclear material from an external environment. The cladding materials are suitable for use as cladding for nuclear fuel elements, particularly for fuel elements that will be exposed to sodium or other coolants or environments with a propensity to react with the nuclear fuel.