Methods of progressive precipitation strengthening enabling to eliminate the disadvantageous y' phase, formed during the discontinuous transition ,are presented. Elimination of y' precipitates makes the CuNi I OAl3 alloy attain very high mechanical properties. Application of the presented methods of heat treatment gives also the possibility to modify the amount, the size and the morphology of the strengthening precipitates, which enables to control the mechanical properties of the alloy.

The study of the mechanical properties comprised fracture surface examination, texture and microstructure observations of copper samples, which were cold rolled, beginning from the recrystallized state or initially deformed by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) up to equivalent deformation E= 2.7. In cold rolled recrystallized copper, intensive shear band formation on the sample scale as well as on micro-scale was observed; shear bands in cold rolled copper, initially ECAP processed, were difficult to observe. Higher ultimate strength and greater elongation were measured in tensiled samples, cut out in RD direction of rolled to z= 96% copper sheet and preliminarily ECAP processed samples; strain marks on the lateral surface of such a sample in the neck region demonstrated the grain size diameter lower than I μm. Fracture surface observation of ruptured sheet samples of recrystallized copper has shown that it is possible to explain the lower elongation as a result of localised deformation in shear bands. In both cold rolled sheets, texture with { 112 }<11-1> ideal orientation was observed, although in preliminarily ECAP processed copper the dispersion of crystal orientation around the ideal orientation was smaller.

Accurate prediction of springback is essential for the design of tools used in sheet metal stamping operation. This investigation aims to clarify the process conditions of three different bending operations of aluminium alloy brass and deep drawing quality steel sheets, by performing some experiments and finite-element simulation. The computer code MARC was used to simulate the V-die bending process under plane-strain condition. It provides a model, which predicts the precise final shape of products after unloading, in relation to the tensile properties of the material, especially instantaneous strain hardening parameters.

There were investigated some initial structural transformations which take place in ureafurfuryl binding systems. They were investigated by FTIR spectrometry. There were also used two different techniques: transmission and diffuse reflection (DRS). The spectra were recorded within a range of 400-4000 cm'. The subjects of studies were two modified urea-furan resins (Kaltharz F700 and Kaltharz U404U) and the hardening process with two activators. Changes in FTIR spectra during hardening of the resins were recorded after the time of I, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours. In comparison there were also examined mechanical properties (tensile strength and bending strength) of sands prepared with these resins. Changes in the spectra of both resins with different activators were visible in the same range of 1400-1700 cm" in about 2 hours since the moment of making the sand; then the number of the bands and their intesity were decreasing. From the conducted tensile and bending tests of the sand it follows that the highest increase of these parameters takes place within the time ofup to 2 hours; then the strength increases but only slightly. As it follows from the preliminary studies, FTIR spectroscopy, and DRS technique - in particular, can be helpful in assessment of the hardening degree ofmoulding sands with organic binders and in getting familiar with the mechanism of the hardening process of these binders. There are also needed further investigations, especially to identify all the peaks in obtained spectrums.

Clasical thermodynamic analysis of any thermal and chemical process is usually based on the first law of thermodynamics. Such an approach is not sufficient when deeper understanding of the mechanism and nature of each elementary process is required. The use of the first and second law of thermodynamics together is necessary to solve practical problems more effectivly. Especially, application of the entropy generation rate and lost available energy (or exergy) concepts enhance our understanding of thermal process. Such an extended analysis is proposed to detect possible ways to decrease the electric energy consumption. Additionally, least squares adjustment procedure is proposed to make mathematical models of elementary processes taking place inside electrolysis cell more reliable.

On the basis of the earlier evaluation Bi-Cd system was critically assessed by means of CALPHAD method and using the most current thermochemical data for the constituent elements. The influence of various factors on the quality of data fitting was shown on the example of this systems.

Basing on the literature data concerning the sessile drop topic, a method of surface tension of liquid metals and alloys measurements using numerical methods has been developed. The computational procedure used in the experiment was the least square estimation of the parameters of the differential equation describing the shape of a sessile drop of liquid. After a series of tests which confirmed the correctness of the employed computational procedure, the method was used in the surface tension measurements of liquid copper.