A method to simultaneously synthesize and consolidate the silicide $NiSi_2$ and the composite $NiSi_2$-20vol.%Nb from powders of Ni, Si, and Nb was investigated. Combustion synthesis was carried out under the combined effect of an electric field and mechanical pressure. The final density of the products increased nearly linearly with the applied pressure. Highly dense $NiSi_2$ and $NiSi_2$-20vol.%Nb with relative densities of up to 97% were produced under the simultaneous application of a 60MPa pressure and a 3000A current on the reactant powders. The respective Vickers microhardness values for these materials were 6.0 and 5.8 GPa. From indentation crack measurements, the fracture toughness values for $NiSi_2$ and $NiSi_2$-20vol.%Nb were calculated to be 3.3 and 4.7 $MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively.

The effects of gas composition, pressure, temperature and time on the case thickness, hardness and nitride formation in the surface of tool steels(STD11 and STD61) have been studied by micro-pulse plasma nitriding. External compound layer and internal diffusion layer and the diffusion layer were observed in the nitrided case of tool steels. The relative amounts and kind of phases formed in the nitrided case changed with the change of nitriding conditions. Generally, only nitride phases such as ${\gamma}(Fe_4N)$, ${\varepsilon}(Fe_{2-3}N)$, or $Cr_{1.75}V_{0.25}N_2$ phases were detected in the compound layer, while nitride and carbide phases such as ${\varepsilon}-nitride(Fe_{2-3}N)$, $(Cr,Fe)_{\gamma}C_3$ or $Fe_3C$ were detected in the diffusion layer by XRD analysis. The thickness of compound layer increased with the increase of nitrogen content in the gas composition. Maximum case depth was obtained at gas pressure of 200Pa.

The effects of Cr content above its solubility limit and thermomechanical treatment on tensile strength and electrical conductivity of Cu-Cr alloys were studied to obtain optimum Cr content exhibiting a high tensile strength without degradation of electrical conductivity. The increase in Cr content above the solubility limit increased tensile strength of Cu-Cr alloys without deterioration of the electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity was not affected by cold rolling. The electrical conductivity of a Cu-3.5%Cr alloy subjected to cold rolling ${\rightarrow}$ aging treatment ($450^{\circ}C{\times}1hr$) ${\rightarrow}$ cold rolling was equal to that of the alloy subjected to cold rolling ${\rightarrow}$ aging treatment. However, the tensile strength of the alloy subjected to the former thermomechanical treatment was superior to that of the alloy subjected to the latter thermomechanical treatment at all the deformation degrees.

The microstructural changes with pearlite formation heat treatment in eutectoid steel(railway steel) consisting of only pearlite structure were evaluated by the ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements. The result of this investigation showed a strong linear dependence of ultrasonic attenuation on pearlite interlamellar spacing, and accordingly on fracture strength of the pearlite.

The effects of pre-heat treatment(Q/T) on microstructure and hardness of STD11 and STD61 tool steel nitrided by micro-pulse plasma were investigated. The quenching temperature for obtaining matrix hardness of STD11 and STD61 steel on range of HRC 50 to HRC 60 desired for machine parts is about $1070^{\circ}C$ and $1020^{\circ}C$ respectively. The hardness of STD11 and STD61 quenched at the temperature was HRC 63 and HRC 56 respectively. The nitrided case depth of STD11 and STD61 nitrided at $550^{\circ}C$ for 5 hours was independent of pre-heat treatment condition and the depth was approximately $100{\mu}m$. However, hardness and compactness of nitrided layer on Q/T treated specimen were higher than the annealed specimen. The case depth increased linearly with the increase of nitriding temperature, however, the hardness of nitrided layer decreased with the increase of temperature. Phase mixture of ${\gamma}-Fe_4N$ and ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ was detected by XRD analysis in the nitrided layer formed at the optimum nitriding condition. The optimum nitriding temperature was approximately $490^{\circ}C$ which was $10^{\circ}C$ lower than the tempering temperature for preventing softening behavior of STD11 and STD61 matrix during nitriding process and the surface hardness of nitrided layer obtained by optimum pre-heat treatment condition was about Hv1400.