Conventional spheroidization process of cold heading quality steels requires long heat treatment time, and reduction of the heat treatment time is important for improving productivity in the industry. Recently, hot deformation method has been proposed as a means of increasing spherodization kinetics. In this study, the influences of hot deformation on the spherodization behavior of cold heading quality steels were investigated. Hot deformation at the temperature range of $700^{\circ}C$ significantly enhances the spheroidization kinetics. Hot deformation can lead to a substantial reduction of spherodization process time as low as 1~5 hrs.

Study was focused on the quenching embrittlement property of Zircaloy-4 cladding simulated Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) environment in terms of high temperature oxidation and phase transformation. Property in LOCA condition of advanced cladding that contained Nb element was also investigated. Claddings were oxidized at given temperature and given time followed by water quenching. The results showed that ${\beta}$ phase which formed at quenching stage has an influence on cladding property. In case of advanced cladding, Nb retards cladding oxidation, thus enhances quenching resistance.

The effects of the cooling and annealing conditions on the microstructures and corrosion properties were investigated for the Cu-contained Zr-Nb alloy (Zr-1.1Nb-0.07Cu). After annealing at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 15 min, the specimens were cooled by three methods of water quenching, air cooling, and furnace cooling. Widmanstatten structures were developed in both air- and furnace-cooled specimens, and the Widmanstatten plate width of the furnace-cooled specimens was wider than that of the air-cooled ones. The weight gain in the furnace-cooling case was higher than that in the air-cooling case. This could be the reason why the diffusion time was more enough during the furnace cooling than the air cooling. The oxide of the furnace-cooled specimen was nonunformly formed just beneath the Widmanstatten plate boundaries, where ${\beta}_{Zr}$ phases were exised concentrately. Compared with the $640^{\circ}C$ annealing after the water quenching, the $570^{\circ}C$ annealing could make the ${\beta}_{Nb}$ phases and a concomitant reduction of the Nb in the matrix, and then it could improve the corrosion resistance with the increase of the annealing time. It would be concluded that the corrosion resistance of the Zr-1.1Nb-0.07Cu was good when the Nb concentration in the matrix was reached at an equilibrium level and then the ${\beta}_{Nb}$ phase was formed.

Present work was carried out to investigate the influence of welded conditions, such as welding current, diameter of welding wire on the microstructural change and mechanical properties of TIG welded joint in AZ31B Mg alloy. It was found that good and sound welded joint was achieved in all welding conditions. The grain size decreased with increasing welding current and decreasing diameter of welding wire. Also, the second phases were homogeneously distributed in the grain and grain boundary as decreasing welding current and diameter of welding wire. The ${\beta}$ discontinuos precipitates were observed in the welded joint, but this microstructure has not been reported by previous researchs in AZ31B Mg alloy. The hardness value is affected by the existence state of the second phase and the hardness of the welded joint region is lower than the other regions in welded AZ31B Mg alloy. The strength of the welded joint region was influenced by the grain size and has more than 90%, compared to that of ASTM standard specification.

Effect of plasma power on PECVD process were investigated in this study. TiN and TiCN films were deposited on nitrided STD11 steel with 600W, 1,200W and 1,600W plasma power. As the plasma power was increased, the preferred orientation was reinforced from (200) to (111) and the hardness of films was improved. The low plasma power was, however, effective for improving of adhesion force of films. Regarding above properties, TiN and TiCN films were deposited by gradient plasma power. It was possible to get high hardness as well as adhesion force through gradient plasma power.