Introduction of Bismuth Bismuth, with the chemical symbol Bi, is an important element found naturally in compounds, known as ores. Bismuth is a high-density, silvery metal with a pink tinge. Even though it is a heavy metal, bismuth has very low toxicity. This has to lead to it being a replacement for lead. Bismuth metal is...Continue Reading
What is an AZO Sputtering Target? AZO sputtering targets are also referred to as aluminum-doped zinc oxide sputtering targets. Aluminum-doped zinc oxide is a transparent conducting oxide. This oxide is insoluble in water but is thermally stable. AZO sputtering targets are typically used for thin-film deposition. Doping is a process that involves intentionally adding impurities...Continue Reading
What is Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)? Pulse laser deposition is a method of physical vapor deposition. In this process, a high-power pulsed laser beam is centered on a target within the vacuum chamber. The laser beam vaporizes the target material and deposits it as a thin film on a substrate. The process involves evaporation, ablation,...Continue Reading
What is Hot Isostatic Pressing? Hot isostatic pressing is one of the methods popularly used to process chemical materials. In this method, a material is compressed in a furnace at temperatures between 1173 K to 2523 K and pressures between 100 to 200 MPa. It is quite similar to another process known as hot pressing....Continue Reading
Powder metallurgy is an important metal-forming procedure used in manufacturing essential materials like cutting tools, bearing parts, magnets, etc. Contributing to the automation of the industrial sector, powder metallurgy has continued to attract manufacturers who are looking to lower the cost of manufacturing through forging and machining. This post walks you through the meaning of...Continue Reading
Metal casting is an industrial manufacturing process that is more than 5,000 years old. To date, it continues to play a critical role in the production of essential manufacturing components for the production of automobiles, aircraft, ships, heavy equipment, machining tools, and even plant machinery. In this post, you’ll discover what metal casting is, the...Continue Reading
Introduction Electron beam evaporation and thermal evaporation are types of physical vapor deposition methods. Both processes have some similarities as well as differences. Ever wondered which of these processes is best for coating a substrate you’re working on? Read on. What is Physical Vapor Deposition? Physical vapor deposition is a method of coating substrates below...Continue Reading
The rare earth element ytterbium is a soft, malleable, and ductile element known for its bright silvery luster. Ytterbium is the fourteenth and penultimate element in the lanthanide series, an occurrence that explains the relative stability of its +2 oxidation state. But like the other lanthanides, the most common or stable oxidation state of Ytterbium...Continue Reading
Praseodymium is a chemical element with atomic number 59 and chemical symbol Pr. This element is the third member of the lanthanide series and is categorized as a rare-earth metal. It is soft, silvery, malleable, and ductile. The metal is valued for its magnetic, electrical, chemical, and optical properties. Praseodymium is actually too reactive and...Continue Reading
