The effects of heat treatments and alloying elements on the microstructure and mechanical charaterisitics of specially austempered ADIs containing alloying elements such as Cu, Mo and Ni were investigated. To compare with the effect of conventional and normal(CN) austempering treatment, two kinds of special austempering treatments which are those with pre-quenching and pre-heating were conducted. The hardness and uniaxial fatigue tests were carried out to evaluate the mechanical charateristics. The hardness of ADI treated by CN heat cycles was higher than those of other ADIs. Cu added ADI (Cu-ADI) tempered at 400 after austenitizing exhibited the highest fatigue life cycles. While austempering after prequenching makes the austenite with high carbon stable, which resulted in transformation to highly strengthened bainites from the carbon enriched austenite phases during tempering. The high carbon enriched banites is considered to improve the fatigue strength.

The main objectives were to investigate the suitability of CaO crucible for melting TiAl alloys and to develop investment mold for investment casting of TiAl alloys. TiAl alloy specimen were prepared by plasma arc furnace under argon atmosphere. After melting of TiAl alloy using CaO crucible, the results showed that there is little contamination of oxygen in the TiAl bulk. Conventional vacuum induction furnaces can be readily adaptable to produce cast parts of TiAl without high skilled techniques. The determination of optical metallography and microhardness profiles in investment cast TiAl alloy rods has allowed the gradation of the relative thermal stability of the oxides examined. The molds used for the present study were $ZrO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, CaO stabilized $ZrO_2$ and $ZrSiO_4$. Even although high temperature of mold preheating, $Al_2O_3$ mold is a promising mold material for investment casting of TiAl alloys in terms of thermal stability, cost and handling strength. It is important to take thermal stability and preheating temperature of mold into consideration for investment casting of TiAl alloys.

Al-5.5Zn-2.5Mg-l.5Cu semi-solid slurry was prepared by cooling the liquid metal with a low superheat to a solid and liquid co-existing temperature. Relatively round solid particles could be obtained in the slurry through the simple process. The prepared slurry was deformed into the metallic mold by a press and the mechanical properties of obtained specimens were investigated. Mold filling ability of the alloy slurry was also investigated and compared with that of A356 alloy. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy showed lower mold filling ability than A356 alloy probably because small amount of eutectic phase is present and the heat of fusion generated during solidification is smaller than that of A356 alloy.

This study examined the effects of adding Zn to Sn-3.5Ag solder on the microstructure changes and behavior of interface reaction of the solder joint with Cu substrate. The solder/Cu joints were examined with microscope to observe the characteristics of microstructure changes and interfacial reaction layer with aging treatment for up to 120 days at $150^{\circ}C$. Results of the microstructure changes showed that the microstructures were coarsened with aging treatment, while adding 1%Zn suppresses coarsening microstructures. The Sn-3.5Ag/Cu had a fast growth rate of the reaction layer in comparison with the Sn-3.5Ag-1Zn at the aging temperature of $150^{\circ}C$. Through the SEM/EDS analysis of solder joint, it was proved that intermetallic layer was $Cu_6Sn_5$ phase and aged specimens showed that intermetallic layer grew in proportion to $t^{1/2}$, and the precipitate of $Ag_3Sn$ occur to both inner layer and interface of layer and solder. In case of Zn-containing composite solder, $Cu_6Sn_5$ phase formed at the side of substrate and Cu-Zn-Sn phase formed at the other side in double layer. It seems that Cu-Zn-Sn phase formed at solder side did a roll of banrier to suppress the growth of the $Cu_6Sn_5$ layer during the aging treatment.