Influences of aluminum carbide ($Al_4C_3$) addition on microstructure and damping capacity of Mg-3%Al casting alloy have been investigated based on experimental results of optical micrography, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry analysis and damping capacity measurement at RT. The addition of $Al_4C_3$ particles results in an efficient grain refinement. The damping capacity shows an increasing tendency with an increase in $Al_4C_3$ content. The damping value associated with $Al_4C_3$ particles is linearly dependent on the volume fraction of $Al_4C_3$ particles to the 2/3 power, $f_{2/3}$, which corresponds to the total surface area of the particles.

The effect of spray deposition of oxide particles on oxidation behaviors of as-cast Mo-14.2Si-9.6B (at%) alloys at $1200^{\circ}C$ up to for 100 hrs has been investigated. Various oxide powders are utilized to make coatings by spray deposition, including $SiO_2,\;TiO_2,\;ZrO_2,\;HfO_2$ and $La_2O_3$. It is demonstrated that the oxidation resistance of the cast Mo-Si-B alloy can be significantly improved by coating with those oxide particles. The growth of the oxide layer is reduced for the oxide particle coated Mo-Si-B alloy. Especially, for the alloy with $ZrO_2$ coating, the thickness of oxide layer becomes only one fifth of that of uncoated alloys when exposed to in air for 100 hrs. The reduction of oxide scale growth of the cast Mo-Si-B alloy due to oxide particle coatings are discussed in terms of the change of viscosity of glassy oxide phases that form during oxidation at high temperature.

Changes in microstructure and damping capacity with aging time for solutionized Mg-Al alloy have been investigated. Discontinuous ${\beta}\;(Mg_{17}Al_{12})$ precipitates form along the primary grain boundaries, the amount of which increases as the aging time increases. The hardness of the matrix with respect to aging time shows a typical "S" shape, indicating a generation of fine continuous precipitates in the matrix during the aging. The peak level of damping capacity is obtained after 1 hour of aging, over which the damping capacity becomes deteriorated continuously. The formation of optimum density of continuous ${\beta}$ precipitates with fine morphology which would act as pinning points for dislocation lines, might be responsible for the improvement of damping capacity.

This study examined the phase changes, nitride precipitation and variation in mechanical properties of STS 304, STS 321 and STS 316L austenitic stainless steels after high temperature gas nitriding (HTGN) at temperature ranges from $1050^{\circ}C\;to\;1150^{\circ}C$. Fine round type of $Cr_2N$ nitrides were observed in the surface layers of 304 and 316L steels, even more in STS 321. Additionally, square type of TiN was found in STS 321 austenitic matrix too. As a result of many precipitates in the surface layer of the STS 321, it was seen $370{\sim}470Hv$ hardness variation depending on the HTGN treatment conditions, and interior region of austenite represented 150Hv. The surface hardness value of STS 304 and STS 316L showed $255{\sim}320Hv$, respectively. The nitrogen content was shown 0.27, 1.7 and 0.4% respectively at the surface layers of the STS 304, STS 321 and STS 316L. After the HTGN it was shown the improvement of corrosion resistance of the STS 321 and STS 316L compared with solution annealed steels in the solution of 1N $H_2SO_4$ whereas the STS 304 was not.

The high electrical conductivity Cu-0.15% Sn alloys containing various P contents, and the high conductivity and high strength Cu-0.1% Sn-0.1%Ag alloys with various Mg/P additions were fabricated and their mechanical properties and electrical conductivity were investigated. The electrical conductivity was generally decreased as the P content was increased where as the hardness and strength was shown to increase. When Mg was added to P-containing Cu alloys, the detrimental effect of P on the conductivity was significantly reduced, and TEM observations indicated that the formation of $Mg_3P_2$ phase is responsible for this result.

This study has been investigated the effect of high temperature gas nitriding (HTGN) heat treatment of STS 444 (18Cr-0.01Ni-0.01C-0.2Nb) ferritic stainless steel in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas at the temperature range between $1050^{\circ}C\;and\;1150^{\circ}C$. The surface layer was changed into martensite and austenite with the nitrides of NbCrN by HTGN treatment. Due to the precipitation of nitrides and matrensite formation, the hardness of the surface layer showed $400Hv{\sim}530Hv$. The nitrogen concentration of the surface layer appeared as 0.05%, 0.12% and 0.92%, respectively, at $1050^{\circ}C,\;1100^{\circ}C\;and\;1150^{\circ}C$. When the nitrogen is permeated from surface to interior, Nb and Cr, which have strong affinities with nitrogen, also move from interior to surface. Therefore it is considered that this counter-current of atoms promotes the formation of NbCrN at the surface layer.