A metal powder having a composition including the following elements, expressed in content by weight: 6.5%≤Si≤10%, 4.5%≤Nb≤10%, 0.2%≤B≤2.0%, 0.2%≤Cu≤2.0%, C≤2% and optionally containing Ni≤10 wt % and/or Co≤10 wt % and/or Cr≤7 wt % and/or Zr as a substitute for any part of Nb on a one-to-one basis and/or Mo as a substitute for any part of Nb on a one-to-one basis and/or P as a substitute for any part of Si on a one-to-one basis, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration, the metal powder having a microstructure including at least 5% in area fraction of an amorphous phase, the balance being made of crystalline ferritic phases with a grain size below 20 μm and possible precipitates, the metal powder having a mean sphericity SPHT of at least 0.80.

Embodiments relate to a system for predicting thermodynamic phase of a material. The system includes a phase diagram image scanning processing module configured to scan a binary phase diagram for each material to be used as a component of a high-entropy alloy (HEA). The system includes a feature computation processing module configured to generate a primary feature and an adaptive feature. The primary feature is representative of a probability that the HEA will exhibit a solid solution phase and/or an intermetallic phase. The adaptive feature is representative of a factor favoring formation of a desired intermetallic HEA phase. The system includes a prediction module configured to encode the primary feature and/or the adaptive feature with thermodynamic data associated with formation of HEA alloy phases to provide an output representation of the HEA alloy phases for a material under analysis.

A sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma are provided. The target and/or coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm.sup.2 or less. In dealing with reduction in hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or coil, a process of producing the target and/or coil, in particular, conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or coil, which is believed to be a cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, a target and/or coil is provided that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity. A method of producing the target and/or the coil is also provided.

A sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma are provided. The target and/or coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm.sup.2 or less. In dealing with reduction in hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or coil, a process of producing the target and/or coil, in particular, conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or coil, which is believed to be a cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, a target and/or coil is provided that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity. A method of producing the target and/or the coil is also provided.

In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.

In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.

A multi-component system alloy includes titanium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tantalum, and further the multi-component system alloy includes at least one selected from the group consisting of hafnium, tungsten, vanadium, and chromium, wherein the alloy satisfies Mo equivalent ≧ 13.5, and the alloy is a single-phase solid solution, a two-phase solid solution, or an alloy in which a main phase is a solid solution phase.

A method for manufacturing a balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, including a step of producing a blank made of a niobium and hafnium alloy including between 5 and 60 wt %, preferably between 5 and 30 wt %, and more preferably between 8 and 12 wt % hafnium, a step of annealing and cooling the blank, at least one step of deforming the annealed blank in order to form a wire. The method includes, before the deformation step, a step of depositing, on the blank, a layer of a ductile material chosen from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cupronickel, cupro-manganese, gold, silver, nickel-phosphorus Ni—P and nickel-boron Ni—B, in order to facilitate the wire shaping operation. A balance spring can be produced by the manufacturing method.

A porous metal foil and porous metal wire are described. Capacitor anodes made from either or both of the porous metal foil and porous metal wire are further described as well as methods to make same.

Tantalum powder that is highly spherical is described. The tantalum powder can be useful in additive manufacturing and other uses. Methods to make the tantalum powder are further described as well as methods to utilize the tantalum powder in additive manufacturing processes. Resulting products and articles using the tantalum powder are further described.