The influence of the processing temperature of polylactide (PLA) on the structure geometry changing (SGC) and its functional properties were analyzed. The PLA samples subjected to testing were manufactured using incremental fused deposition modeling technology (FDM) with processing temperatures ranging from 180°C to 230°C. The topography of the PLA surfaces formed during heat dissipation and generated by the work table was analyzed. The roughness measurements were carried out using the profile method in accordance with PN ISO 3274: 2011. Registered profiles of the surfaces were analyzed numerically in fractal terms using the method of the S(Δx) structure function. The functional properties of the PLA surface were evaluated on the basis of Abbott-Firestone curves, according to PN EN ISO 13565–2: 1999.

Particles of the Fe-Al type (less than 50 µm in diameter) were sprayed onto the 045 steel substrate by means of the detonation method. The TEM, SAED and EDX analyses revealed that the Fe-Al particles have been partially melted in the experiment of coating formation. Particle undergone melting even within about 80% of its volume. Therefore, solidification of the melted part of particles was expected. Solidification differed significantly due to a large range of chemical composition of applied particles (from 15 at.% Al up to 63 at.% Al). A single particle containing 63 at.% Al was subjected to the detailed analysis, only. The TEM / SAED techniques revealed in the solidified part of particle three sub-layers: an amorphous phase, A ε , periodically situated FeAl + Fe2Al5 phases, and a non-equilibrium phase, Nε . A hypothesis dealing with the inter-metallic phases formation in such a single particle of the nominal composition 0 N = 0.63 is presented. At first, the solid / liquid system is treated as an interconnection: substrate liquid nonmelted particle part / / . Therefore, it is suggested that the solidification occurs simultaneously in two directions: towards a substrate and towards a non-melted part of particle. The solidification mechanism is referred to the Fe-Al meta-stable phase diagram. It is shown that the melted part of particle solidifies rapidly according to the phase diagram of meta-stable equilibrium and at a significant deviation from the thermodynamic equilibrium.

The paper presents the results and provides an analyse of the geometric structure of Fe-Al protective coatings, gas-treated under specified GDS conditions. The analysis of the surface topography was conducted on the basis of the results obtained from the SEM data. Topographic images were converted to three-dimensional maps, scaling the registered amplitude coordinates of specific gray levels to the relative range of 0÷1. This allowed us to assess the degree of surface development by determining the fractal dimension. At the same time, the generated three-dimensional spectra of the autocorrelation function enabled the researchers to determine the autocorrelation length (Sal) and the degree of anisotropy (Str) of the surfaces, in accordance with ISO 25178. Furthermore, the reconstructed three-dimensional images of the topography allowed us to evaluate the functional properties o the studied surfaces based on the Abbott-Firestone curve (A-F), also known as the bearing area curve. The ordinate describing the height of the profile was replaced by the percentage of surface amplitude in this method, so in effect the shares of the height of the three-dimensional topographic map profiles of various load-bearing properties were determined. In this way, both the relative height of peaks, core and recesses as well as their percentages were subsequently established.

The paper presents results of a research on simulation of magnetic tip-surface interaction as a function of the lift height in the magnetic force microscopy. As expected, magnetic signal monotonically decays with increasing lift height, but the question arises, whether or not optimal lift height eventually exists. To estimate such a lift height simple procedure is proposed in the paper based on the minimization of the fractal dimension of the averaged profile of the MFM signal. In this case, the fractal dimension serves as a measure of distortion of a pure tip-surface magnetic coupling by various side effects, e.g. thermal noise and contribution of topographic features. Obtained simulation results apparently agree with experimental data.

The copper droplets contained in the post-processing liquid slag are subjected to the treatment by the complex reagent. The complex reagent has been recently elaborated and patented in frame of the Grant No. PBS3/A5/45/2015. In particular, the complex reagent is dedicated to the post-processing slags coming from the Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów, as a product of the direct-to-blister technology performed in the flash furnace. The recently patented complex reagent effectively assists not only in agglomeration, and coagulation but also in the deposition of the copper droplets at the bottom of crucible / furnace as well. The treatment of the postprocessing slags by the complex reagent was performed in the BOLMET S.A. Company as in the industrial conditions which were similar to those usually applied in the KGHM – Polish Copper (Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów). The competition between buoyancy force and gravity is studied from the viewpoint of the required deposition of coagulated copper droplets. The applied complex reagent improves sufficiently the surface free energy of the copper droplets. In the result, the mechanical equilibrium between coagulated copper droplets and surrounding liquid slag is properly modified. Finally, sufficiently large copper droplets are subjected to a settlement on the crucible / furnace bottom according to the requirements.