Combinatorial Exploration and Mapping of Phase Transformation in a Ni-Ti-Co Thin Film Library.

Combinatorial synthesis and high-throughput characterization of a Ni-Ti-Co thin film materials library are reported for exploration of reversible martensitic transformation. The library was prepared by magnetron co-sputtering, annealed in vacuum at 500 °C without atmospheric exposure, and evaluated for shape memory behavior as an indicator of transformation. Composition, structure, and transformation behavior of the 177 pads in the library were characterized using high-throughput wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and four-point probe temperature-dependent resistance (R(T)) measurements. A new, expanded composition space having phase transformation with low thermal hysteresis and Co > 10 at. % is found. Unsupervised machine learning methods of hierarchical clustering were employed to streamline data processing of the large XRD and XPS data sets. Through cluster analysis of XRD data, we identified and mapped the constituent structural phases. Composition-structure-property maps for the ternary system are made to correlate the functional properties to the local microstructure and composition of the Ni-Ti-Co thin film library.

Influences of Si Substitution on Existence, Structural and Magnetic Properties of the CoMnGe Phase Investigated in a Co-Mn-Ge-Si Thin-Film Materials Library.

Materials exhibiting a giant magnetocaloric effect (GMCE) need to be finely tuned with respect to their magnetic and structural properties, specifically their respective transition temperatures. Co-Mn-Ge and Co-Mn-Ge-Si thin-film materials libraries (MLs) were fabricated and characterized to determine the composition range in which the CoMnGe phase is stable and analyze selected single-phase measurement regions. Phase analysis was performed on these MLs and refined in regard to the CoMnGe single-phase region by synchrotron diffraction experiments. A comparison of the MLs revealed that the CoMnGe (HT) single-phase region gets smaller with the addition of Si and exists for 26.5 at. % < Co < 29.5 at. %, 34 at. % < Mn < 37 at. %, Ge ∼ 35 at. %, and Si ∼ 1.5 at. % in the quaternary ML. The investigation of magnetic and structural transition properties in this region revealed hard-magnetic behavior with Curie temperatures (Tc) between 261 and 274 K and large hysteresis widths with values >100 K for the structural transition. A low Co content was necessary to achieve an overlap of Tc and structural transition temperatures, leading to the most favorable properties for a GMCE to be found in Co26.5Mn37Ge35Si1.5.

High-Throughput Structural and Functional Characterization of the Thin Film Materials System Ni-Co-Al.

High-throughput methods were used to investigate a Ni-Co-Al thin film materials library, which is of interest for structural and functional applications (superalloys, shape memory alloys). X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were performed to identify the phase regions of the Ni-Co-Al system in its state after annealing at 600 °C. Optical, electrical, and magneto-optical measurements were performed to map functional properties and confirm XRD results. All results and literature data were used to propose a ternary thin film phase diagram of the Ni-Co-Al thin film system.

Phase Formation and Oxidation Behavior at 500 °C in a Ni-Co-Al Thin-Film Materials Library.

The complete ternary system Ni-Co-Al was fabricated as a thin film materials library by combinatorial magnetron sputtering and was annealed subsequently in several steps in Ar and under atmospheric conditions at 500 °C. Ni-Co-Al is the base system for both Ni- and Co-based superalloys. Therefore, the phases occurring in this system and their oxidation behavior is of high interest. The Ni-Co-Al materials library was investigated using high-throughput characterization methods such as optical measurements, resistance screening, automated EDX, automated XRD, and XPS. From the obtained data a thin film phase diagram for the Ni-Co-Al system in its state after annealing at 500 °C in air was established. Furthermore, a surface oxide composition map of the full Ni-Co-Al system for oxidation at 500 °C was concluded. As a result, it could be shown that at 500 °C an amount of 10 at. % Al is necessary for a Ni-Co-Al thin film to produce a protective Al-oxide scale.