A coating system for a surface of a superalloy component is provided. The coating system includes a MCrAlY coating on the surface of the superalloy component, where M is Ni, Fe, Co, or a combination thereof. The MCrAlY coating generally has a higher chromium content than the superalloy component. The MCrAlY coating also includes a platinum-group metal aluminide diffusion layer. The MCrAlY coating includes Re, Ta, or a mixture thereof. Methods are also provided for forming a coating system on a surface of a superalloy component.

Provided is an Ir alloy, which is further improved in Vickers hardness. Specifically, provided is a heat-resistant Ir alloy, including: 5 mass % to 30 mass % of Rh; 0.5 mass % to 5 mass % of Ta; and 0.003 mass % to 0.15 mass % of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of: Sc; Hf; and W, with the balance being Ir.

An Ag alloy film used for a reflecting electrode or an interconnection electrode, the Ag alloy film exhibiting low electrical resistivity and high reflectivity and having exceptional oxidation resistance under cleaning treatments such as an O.sub.2 plasma treatment or UV irradiation, wherein the Ag alloy film contains either In in an amount of larger than 2.0 atomic % to 2.7 atomic % or smaller; or Zn in an amount of larger than 2.0 atomic % to 3.5 atomic % or smaller; or both. The Ag alloy film may further contain Bi in an amount of 0.01 to 1.0 atomic %.

An Ag alloy film used for a reflecting electrode or an interconnection electrode, the Ag alloy film exhibiting low electrical resistivity and high reflectivity and having exceptional oxidation resistance under cleaning treatments such as an O.sub.2 plasma treatment or UV irradiation, wherein the Ag alloy film contains either In in an amount of larger than 2.0 atomic % to 2.7 atomic % or smaller; or Zn in an amount of larger than 2.0 atomic % to 3.5 atomic % or smaller; or both. The Ag alloy film may further contain Bi in an amount of 0.01 to 1.0 atomic %.

Provided is an Ir alloy wire, which is further improved in oxidation wear resistance while ensuring a Vickers hardness. The Ir alloy wire includes: 5 mass % to 30 mass % of Rh; and 0.5 mass % to 5 mass % of Ta, wherein an average value A for an aspect ratio (crystal grain length/crystal grain width) of a structure of the alloy wire in a range of a depth of 0.05 mm or less from a surface of the alloy wire satisfies 1≤A<6.

A method for the manufacturing a representative homotop of a binary metallic nanoparticle (A.sub.xB.sub.1-x).sub.N with a given composition A.sub.xB.sub.1-x, number of atoms N and shape, and at a given temperature, including generating a plurality of homotops, calculating an energy of the generate homotops using formula:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}{E}_{\mathrm{TOP}}=E_0\left(x,N\right)+{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{BOND}}^{A.Math.\text{-}.Math.B}\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{BOND}}^{A.Math.\text{-}.Math.B}+\underset{i}{.Math.}.Math..Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{CORNER},i}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{CORNER},i}^A+\underset{j}{.Math.}.Math..Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{EDGE},j}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{EDGE},j}^A+{.Math.}_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}.Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}^A& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

where E.sub.0(x, N) is constant for a given particle, ε.sub.BOND.sup.A-B(x) is related to an energy gain caused by the mixing of both metals, N.sub.BOND.sup.A-B is a number of heteroatomic

A method for the manufacturing a representative homotop of a binary metallic nanoparticle (A.sub.xB.sub.1-x).sub.N with a given composition A.sub.xB.sub.1-x, number of atoms N and shape, and at a given temperature, including generating a plurality of homotops, calculating an energy of the generate homotops using formula:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}{E}_{\mathrm{TOP}}=E_0\left(x,N\right)+{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{BOND}}^{A.Math.\text{-}.Math.B}\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{BOND}}^{A.Math.\text{-}.Math.B}+\underset{i}{.Math.}.Math..Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{CORNER},i}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{CORNER},i}^A+\underset{j}{.Math.}.Math..Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{EDGE},j}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\mathrm{EDGE},j}^A+{.Math.}_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}.Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}^A\left(x\right).Math.N_{\left\{\mathrm{LMN}\right\}}^A& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

where E.sub.0(x, N) is constant for a given particle, ε.sub.BOND.sup.A-B(x) is related to an energy gain caused by the mixing of both metals, N.sub.BOND.sup.A-B is a number of heteroatomic

An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, and blow molding in a time frame of Less than 1 second.

An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, and blow molding in a time frame of Less than 1 second.

A method of preparing silver nanoparticles, including silver nanorings. A zinc oxide thin film is formed initially by direct-current sputtering of a zinc target onto a substrate. A silver thin film is then formed by a similar sputtering technique, of a silver target onto the zinc oxide thin film. After that, the silver thin film is subject to an annealing treatment. The temperature, duration and atmosphere of the annealing treatment can be varied to control the average particle size, average distance between particles (density), particle size distribution of the silver nanoparticles. In at least one embodiment, silver nanoparticles of ring structure are produced.