The paper presented the findings obtained by industrial research and experimental development on the use of rare earth metals (REMs) in the production of heavy steel ingots and their impact on the internal quality of the 42CrMo4 grade steel forging. REMs alloying was carried out after vacuuming the steel. A relatively large melting loss of cerium (about 50%) and its further decrease in casting due to reoxidation were observed. Refinement of structure and better mechanical properties of forged bar containing about 0.02 wt.% of Ce compared to that of the standard production were not achieved. The wind power shaft with content of about 0.06 wt.% of Ce showed high amount of REM inclusions, which were locally chained, and in some cases, initiated cracks. Four stoichiometrically different types of REM inclusions were detected in forgings, namely (La-Ce)2O2S + (La-Ce)O2 + SiO2 (minority); oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony bound to lanthanum and cerium probably bonded with iron oxides La + Ce, MgO, Al2O3 a SiO2; (La-Ce)2O2S, FeO, SiO2, and CaO or CaS.

An experimental system for complex thermo-mechanical material analysis is presented in this article. The system provides simultaneous measurements of tensile properties as well as heat generation in the process of tensile deformation. The cooling curve of the sample after its reversible deformation was measured. On the basis of an exponential model of a cooling body with respect to the Biot number Bi, it is possible to calculate the specific heat capacity c p , the thermal diffusivity α, and the thermal conductivity k. The method had been tested on a variety of materials and the results were compared to those in the technical literature or obtained by reference independent experiments and showed very good agreement.

The work is focused on evaluation of resistance of the welded joint made of supermartensitic 13Cr6Ni2.5Mo stainless steel to sulfide stress cracking. Testing method A and solution B in accordance with NACE TM 0177 were used. All the testing samples were ruptured in a very short time interval but welded joint samples were fractured primarily in the weld metal or in heat affected zone and not in the basic material. Material analysis of samples were made with use of a ZEISS NEOPHOT 32 light microscope and a JEOL 6490LV scanning electron microscope.

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In the paper we present measurements of transport physical parameters such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity and specific heat capacity and dc electrical conductivity as well as the mechanical values E*, tg δ for rubber compounds filled by different ratio of silica - carbon black fillers. From presented results it is possible to see that proper filler concentration (rubber blend - silica - carbon black) rising all thermal parameters as well as mechanical properties represented by complex Young’s modulus and so, maintains the good mechanical parameters of the blend and finally it also lowers the electrical resistance. All trends are favourable for the improvement of useful rubber blends properties.

The present work is focused on complex evaluation of crack profiles, created around Vickers indents in two types of cutting tool ceramics, namely in the Al2O3 + ZrO2 ceramics and -Si3N4. The geometry of Vickers indents is investigated using two different evaluation methods. The first one is based on the application of serial sectioning from the indented specimen surface. The second method consists in the layer removing from plane perpendicular to the indented surface. These evaluation methods are convenient for determine the shape of created cracks and profiles of deformed area developed around the investigated indents. The mentioned methods contribute to the understanding of physical engineering principles resulting from the radial/median and lateral crack formation as the important characteristics influencing the reliable technical application of investigated ceramic materials.

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The aim of the work was to evaluate the hot ductility loss in TiNb stabilized IF steel directly from the continuously-cast slab using hot torsion testing (plastometry) in the temperature range 600–1250 °C according to the basic programme, and also after temperature cycling. A good match of the temperature dependences of number of turns to failure (Nf) and intensity of deformation Se was confirmed. In both cases, the existence of three temperature areas with decrease in plasticity to a minimum was confirmed. The two-stage temperature cycling according to the CT1150 and CT900 programmes mostly resulted in a decrease in plasticity compared to the basic programme. The most significant effect of cycling was related to the CT900 programme below the maximum plasticity in the base programme at 850 °C. A less pronounced decrease was observed for CT1150 cycling below the maximum plasticity in the base program at 1050 °C. In the case of CT1150 cycling, more complex particles were observed at the fractures compared with the basic programme, namely carbonitrides of Ti and Nb in combination with oxisulfides respectively, then Ti nitrides with oxisulfides or oxides and, in addition, complex (Fe,Nb)P4, (Ti,Nb)3S4 type particles. Their mean size determined statistically using TEM was much finer, only 20 nm versus 42 nm in the basic programme. Similarly, CT900 cycling revealed finer particles with an average size of 37 nm compared to 105 nm in the basic programme. The observed particles were Al oxides, Ti(N,C) and (Ti,Nb)2S, in contrast to the particles probably of TiFe and FeMnS in the basic programme. The decrease in plasticity corresponded to the finer particles, newly created in the temperature cycling.