Bimetallic AZ31/6060 joints were produced by compound casting. The process involved pouring liquid magnesium alloy onto a solid aluminum alloy insert placed in a mold. Inserts with and without a zinc surface layer were used. For an insert with no Zn layer, the bonding zone was characterized by a non-homogeneous microstructure. In the area adjacent to the AZ31, there was a eutectic (γ and α(Mg)). In the area close to the 6060 alloy, two continuous layers of the γ and β phases were detected. When a 6060 insert with a Zn layer was used, the bonding zone was mainly composed of Mg-Al-Zn phases. The joint without a Zn interlayer had low shear strength (5.5–11.3 MPa). The presence of the Zn interlayer caused a significant increase in the joint strength (39.8–46.6 MPa). The micro-indentation data suggest a less brittle fracture character of the bonding zone with a Zn layer.

Water from mining drainage is turbid because of suspensions. We tested the hypothesis that the chemical composition as well as shape and size of particles in suspensions of natural origin affect the density and functional diversity of zooplankton. The suspensions were analyzed with atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy. Elements found in the beidellite clays were also identified in the mineral structure of the particles. As the size of the microparticles decreased, the weight proportions of phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine increased in the suspensions. These conditions facilitated the biomass growth of large and small microphages and raptorials. As the size of the nanoparticles decreased, the shares of silicon, aluminum, iron, and magnesium increased. These conditions inhibited raptorials the most. Ecosystem functionality was the highest with intermediate suspension parameters, which were at the lower range of the microphase and the upper range of the nanophase. The functional traits of zooplankton demonstrate their potential for use as sensitive indicators of disruptions in aquatic ecosystems that are linked with the presence of suspensions, and they facilitate gaining an understanding of the causes and scales of the impact of suspensions.

The paper presents results of microstructure and mechanical testing examinations performed using optical and transmission electron microscopy, tensile tests and Charpy tests on 10CrMo9-10 and 13CrMo4-5 steels, before and after they were long-term operated at elevated temperatures in a steam heater. In the 10CrMo9-10 steel, the optical microscopy detected a degradation of original bainite that was accompanied by the formation of ferrite, precipitates and micropores. The transmission electron microscopy revealed that the precipitates are M₂₃C₆ and M₇C₃ type carbides, which are located mainly at the boundaries of former austenite grains, and M₃C type carbides, which appear inside the grains. The 13CrMo4-5 steel contained a relatively high amount of ferrite in the ferritic-bainitic/perlitic microstructure already in the originally state. The degradation of the microstructure was less serious than for the 10CrMo9-10 steel. The thermal treatment of the 13CrMo4-5 steel led mainly to the precipitation of carbides. The M₂₃C₆ and M₇C₃ type carbides form in perlitic-bainitic areas, while M₃C and M₆C type carbides precipitate in ferrite. The higher density of the grain boundary precipitates in the long-term operated 10CrMo9-10 steel facilitated the formation of creep-induced micropores and contributed to the hardness reduction.

The paper contains results of studies on X-ray diffraction analysis XRD (studying the phase composition, crystallite sizes and lattice deformations) of oxide layers on P91 steel, operated for a long time at an elevated temperature (T = 535°C, t = 70,000 h). X-ray studies were carried out on the inner surface of a tube, and then the layer surface was polished down to 3.5 μm and the diffraction measurements were performed again to determine individual oxide layers. It has been found that a three-zone oxide layer is formed as a result of long-term operation of P91 steel at the temperature of 535°C. Hematite occurs on the inner surface of the tube. Then magnetite appears below hematite. Going deeper into the layer there is a spinel, i.e. a mixture of magnetite and chromite. A visible decay of total intensity for Fe₂O₃ is observed already at the polishing depth of 3.5 μm. In the case of Fe₃O₄ and FeCr₂O₄ an increase in total intensity is observed already from 7 μm, what manifests in narrowing the diffraction line and hence in increasing the crystallites size and in the relaxation of stresses in this oxide layer. The broadening of a diffraction line caused by a small size of crystallites is expressed by the Scherrer relationship. Instead, the β₂ broadening resulting from lattice distortions (relaxation of stresses) was determined from the Taylor relationship.

The paper presents results of studies on the phase composition, crystallite sizes and lattice deformations of oxide layers formed during a long-term operation on X10CrMoVNb9-1 steel. Test specimens were taken from a live steam pipeline operated at 535°C for 70,000 hours. X-ray studies were carried out on the tube outside surface (on the flue gas side), then the layer’s surface was polished and the diffraction measurements repeated to reveal differences in the originated oxides layer. X-ray phase analysis was performed using a SEIFFERT 3003 T/T X-ray diffractometer, with a cobalt tube of λ_Co = 0.17902nm wavelength. crystallographic database were used for the phase identification.