We investigate the phase formation in the compound layer of cast irons during the gaseous nitrocarburising of four different cast irons, that contain different types of graphites in the shape and size. We examine the change in the surface roughness with the nitrocarburising time. The observation of cross-sectional microstructure and X-ray diffraction analysis indicate that the compound layer consists of single ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}(N,C)$ phase and that its thickness increases in a parabolic manner with the treatment time. The surface roughness parameters, Rz and Ra increase with increasing treatment time. In other words, the roughness parameters increase as the thickness of compound layer increases. The parameters also depend on the shape and size of graphite in the individual cast irons.

Nitrided compound layer and diffusion layer structure were observed by SEM. The compound layer and the constituent of nitrided surface of STS 304, STS 316, STS 410 and SACM 645 steel were analysed using EMPA and XRD respectively. The depth of nitriding layer that is obtained from similar nitriding condition decrease in the order of SACM 645 > STS 410 > STS 316 > STS 304. Result of phase transformation of the nitrided at $550^{\circ}C$ by XRD analysis were as follows; The austenitic stainless steel was mainly consist of $Cr_2N$ accompanying with $Fe_4N$ and $Fe_{2-3}N$ phase and martensitic stainless steel was mainly consist of present $Fe_{2-3}N+Cr_2N$ phase, but SACM 645 steel was $Fe_{2-3}N$ phase present only.

As a research for developing fine-grained high strength low carbon steels, the effects of austenitization temperature and hot deformation on microstructure was investigated in 0.15 wt.% carbon steels with microalloying elements such as Nb and Ti. When the steels were reheated at $1250^{\circ}C$, Nb containing steel showed very coarse austenite grain size of $200{\mu}m$ whereas Nb-Ti steel did fine one of $70{\mu}m$ because Ti carbonitrides could suppress the austenite grain growth. In case of 50% reduction at $850^{\circ}C$, the austenite grains in the Nb steel partially recrystallized while those in the Nb-Ti steel fully recrystallized probably due to finer prior austenite grains.For the Nb-Ti steel, ferrite grain size was not sensitively changed with austenitization temperature and compression strain and, severe deformation of 80% reduction was not essentially necessary to refine ferrite grains to about $3{\mu}m$ which could be obtained through lighter deformation of 40% reduction.

The effect of betatizing temperature on microstructure and transformation characteristics in a Cu-AI-Ni based pseudoelastic alloy fabricated by heated mold continuous casting by using metallography, XRD and calorimetry. The microstructure of cast rod betatized at $600^{\circ}C$ revealed a ${\beta}_1$ parent phase and a ${\gamma}_2$ phase precipitated along the casting direction. When the cast rod was betatized at the elevated temperature above $600^{\circ}C$, the ${\gamma}_2$ phase is completely dissolved into the matrix so that the volume fraction of the ${\gamma}_2$ phase was decreased. The parent phase was stabilized by betatizing at $600^{\circ}C$. However, the ${\beta}_1$ parent phase was transformed to both ${{\beta}_1}^{\prime}$ and ${{\gamma}_1}^{\prime}$ martensites with increasing betatizing temperatures above $600^{\circ}C$, while $M_s$ and $A_s$ temperatures were decreased. The stress-strain curves for compression test were not same with betatizing temperature; the stress-strain curves of the specimen betatized at $600^{\circ}C$ and $700^{\circ}C$ were linear but those of the specimen betatized at $800^{\circ}C$ and $900^{\circ}C$ were not linear.