Some eutectic stripes have been generated in a hexagonal (Zn) - single crystal. The stripes are situated periodically with the constant interstripes

spacing. The eutectic structure in the stripes consists of strengthening inter-metallic compound, Zn16Ti, and (Zn) – solid solution.

The rod-like irregular eutectic structure (with branches) appears at low growth rates. The regular lamellar eutectic structure is observed at

middle growth rates. The regular rod-like eutectic structure exists exclusively in the stripes at some elevated growth rates. A new

thermodynamic criterion is recommended. It suggests that this eutectic regular structure is the winner in a morphological competition for

which the minimum entropy production is lower. A competition between the regular rod-like and the regular lamellar eutectic growth is

described by means of the proposed criterion. The formation of branches within irregular eutectic structure is referred to the state of

marginal stability. A continuous transitions from the marginal stability to the stationary state are confirmed by the continuous

transformations of the irregular eutectic structure into the regular one.

The analysis of influence of mould withdrawal rate on the solidification process of CMSX-4 single crystal castings produced by Bridgman

method was presented in this paper. The predicted values of temperature gradient, solidification and cooling rate, were determined at the

longitudinal section of casting blade withdrawn at rate from 1 to 6mm/min using ProCAST software. It was found that the increase of

withdrawal rate of ceramic mould results in the decrease of temperature gradient and the growth of cooling rate, along blade height. Based

on results of solidification parameter G/R (temperature gradient/solidification rate), maximum withdrawal rate of ceramic mould

(3.5 mm/min), which ensures lower susceptibility to formation process of new grain defects in single crystal, was established. It was

proved that these defects can be formed in the bottom part of casting at withdrawal rate of 4 mm/min. The increase of withdrawal rate to 5

and 6 mm/min results in additional growth of susceptibility of defects formation along the whole height of airfoil.

Specimens of Si single crystals with different crystal orientation [100] and [110] were studied by Electro-Ultrasonic Spectroscopy (EUS) and Resonant Ultrasonic Spectroscopy (RUS). A silicon single crystal is an anisotropic crystal, so its properties are different in different directions in the material relative to the crystal orientation. EUS is based on interaction of two signals: an electric AC signal and an ultrasonic signal, which are working on different frequencies. The ultrasonic wave affects the charge carriers' transport in the structures and the intermodulation electrical signal which is created due to the interaction between the ultrasonic wave and charge carriers, is proportional to the density of structural defects. RUS enables to measure natural frequencies of free elastic vibrations of a simply shaped specimen by scanning a selected frequency range including the appropriate resonances of the measured specimens.

The aim of the present work was to determine the influence of the microstructural evolution of copper single crystals with the initial orientations of <001> and <111> after cold drawing on their corrosion resistance. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron backscattering diffraction were used to characterize the microstructural changes. To evaluate the corrosion resistance after deformation, open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization analyses were conducted. The microstructural observations showed the presence of dislocation cell structures and shear bands in deformed sample with initial orientation <001> single crystal, as well as a strongly-developed substructure in sample <111>. The material with initial orientation of <001> was more resistive in analyzed medium than material with the initial orientation of <111>.

A brief description of the innovative mathematical method for the prediction of CET – localization in solidifying copper and copper alloys’ ingots is presented. The method is to be preceded by the numerical simulation of both temperature field and thermal gradient filed. All typical structural zones were revealed within the copper and copper alloys’ massive ingots or rods manufactured by continuous casting. The role of thermal gradient direction for the single crystal core formation has been enlightened. The definition for the index describing proportion between volume fraction of the columnar structure and volume fraction of the equiaxed structure has been formulated by means of the interpretation of some features of the liquidus isotherm velocity course. An attempt has been undertaken to apply the developed mathematical method for the structural zones prediction in the rods solidifying under industrial conditions. An industrial application has been shown, that is, it was explained why the innovative rods should be assigned to the overhead conductors in the electric tractions.

Composition effect on electro-optic (EO) properties of a LiNbO₃ (LN) single-crystal has been investigated in a Li₂O-content range of 47.0–49.95 mol%. Some non-congruent LN crystals with different Li₂O-contents were prepared by performing Li-deficient or Li-rich vapour transport equilibration treatments on as-grown congruent LN crystals. Unclamped EO coefficients γ₁₃ and γ₃₃ of these samples were measured by a Mach–Zehnder interferometric method. The measurements show that in the Li-deficient regime both γ13 and γ33 increase by ∼8% as Li₂O-content decreases from the congruent 48.6 mol% to the 47.0 mol% in the Li-deficient regime. The feature is desired for the EO application of the Li-deficient crystal. In the near-stoichiometric regime, both γ₁₃ and γ₃₃ reveal a non-monotonic dependence. As the Li₂O-content increases from the 48.6 mol%, the EO coefficient decreases. Around Li₂O-content 49.5 mol%, a minimum is reached. After that, the EO coefficient recovers slowly. At the stoichiometric composition, it recovers to a value close to that at the congruent point. Comparison shows that different crystal growth methods give rise to different defect structure features and hence different composition effects.