Al-Co-N thin films, Al-Co-N/Al-N and Al-Co-N/Al-Co multilayers containing various amounts of Co content were deposited by using a two-facing targets type dc sputtering (TFTS) system. The films were also annealed successively and isothermally at different annealing temperatures. Irrespective of Co content and preparation methods, all the as-deposited films were observed non-magnetized. It was found that annealing conditions can control the magnetic and electrical properties as well as the microstructure of the films.

To investigate the effect of ultrasonic nano-crystalline surface modification (UNSM) treatment on rolling contact fatigue and residual stress properties of bearing steels, this paper carried out a rolling contact fatigue test, measured residual stress and retained austenite, performed a wear test, observed microstructure, measured micro hardness, and analyzed surface topology. After the UNSM treatment, it was found that the surface became minute by over $100{\mu}m$. The micro surface hardness was changed from Hv730~740 of base material to Hv850~880 with about 20% improvement, and hardening depth was about 1.3 mm. The compressive residual stress was measured as high as -700~-900 MPa, and the quantity of retained austenite was reduced to 27% from 34%. The polymet RCF-6 ball type rolling contact fatigue test showed over 4 times longer fatigue lifetime after the UNSM treatment under 551 kgf load and 8,000 rpm. In addition, this paper observed the samples, which went through the rolling contact fatigue test, with OM and SEM, and it was found that the samples had a spalling phenomenon (the race way is decentralized) after the UNSM treatment. However, before the treatment, the samples had excessive spalling and complete exploration. Comparison of the test samples before and after the UNSM treatment showed a big difference in the fatigue lifetime, which seems to result from the complicated effects of micro particles, compressive residual stress, retained austenite, and surface topology.

Structural studies have been performed on precipitation hardening and microstructural variations found in Ti-Al-Cr ternary $L1_0$- and $L1_2$-phase alloys using transmission electron microscopy. Both the $L1_0$ and $L1_2$ phase alloys harden by aging at 973 K after solution annealing at higher temperatures. The amount of age hardening of the $L1_2$ phase alloy is larger than that of the $L1_0$ phase alloy. The phase separation between $L1_0$ and $L1_2$ phase have not been observed by aging at 973 K. But $Al_2Ti$ was formed in each matrix alloy during aging. The crystal structure of the $Al_2Ti$ phase is a $Ga_2Zr$ type in the $L1_0$ and a $Ga_2Hf$ type in the $L1_2$ phase, respectively. At the beginning of aging the fine coherent cuboidal $Al_2Ti$-phase are formed in the $L1_0$ phase. By further aging, two variants of $Al_2Ti$ precipitates grow along the two {110} habit planes. On the other hand, in the $L1_2$ phase, the $Al_2Ti$ phase forms on the {100} planes of the $L1_2$ matrix lattice. After prolonged aging the precipitates are rearranged along a preferential direction of the matrix lattice and form a domain consisting of only one variant. It is suggested that the precipitation of $Al_2Ti$ in each matrix alloy occurs to form a morphology which efficiently relaxes the elastic strain between precipitate and matrix lattices.

Effects of annealing treatment on microstructure and mechanical property of co-sputtered TiNi thin films were studied. As-deposited films showed amorphous state. However, above annealing temperature of $500^{\circ}C$ martensite phase (B19'), precipitate phase ($Ti_2Ni$) and a small amount of parent phase ($B_2$) were present, and phase transformation behaviors were three multi-step phase transformations $B19^{\prime}{\rightarrow}B_2$ and $B_2{\rightarrow}R-phase$ and $R-phase{\rightarrow}B19^{\prime}$. Increase of martensite transformation temperature, increase of microhardness and Young's modulus of TiNi films annealed above $500^{\circ}C$ were discussed in terms of precipitate phase.