In the DBC (direct bonding of copper) process the oxygen partial pressure surrounding the AlN/Cu bonding pairs has been controlled by Ar gas mixed with oxygen. However, the direct bonding of Cu with sound interface and good adhesion strength is complicated process due to the difficulty in the exact control of oxygen partial pressure by using Ar gas. In this study, we have utilized the in-situ equilibrium established during the reaction of + 1/2 by placing powder bed of CuO or around the Cu/AlN bonding pair at . The adhesion strength was relatively better in case of using CuO powder than when powder was used. Microstructural analysis by optical microscopy and XRD revealed that the interface of bonding pair was composed of , Cu and small amount of CuO phase. Thus, it is explained that the good adhesion between Cu and AlN is attributed to the wetting of eutectic liquid formed by reaction of Cu and .

Nano magnetite particles have been prepared by two step reaction consisting of urea hydrolysis and ammonia addition at certain ranges of pH. Three different concentrations of aqueous solution of ferric () and ferrous () chloride (0.3 M-0.6 M, and 0.9 M) were mixed with 4 M urea solution and heated to induce the urea hydrolysis. Upon reaching at a certain pre-determined pH (around 4.7), 1 M ammonia solution were poured into the heated reaction vessels. In order to understand the relationship between the concentration of the starting solution and the final size of magnetite, in-situ pH measurements and quenching experiments were simultaneous conducted. The changes in the concentration of starting solution resulted in the difference of the threshold time for pH uprise, from I hour to 3 hours, during which the akaganeite (-FeOOH) particles nucleated and grew. Through the quenching experiment, it was confirmed that controlling the size of -FeOOH and the attaining a proper driving force for the reaction of -FeOOH and ion to give are important process variables for the synthesis of uniform magnetite nanoparticles.

Through the observation of wear scar of two ceramic materials, microstructural wear mechanisms was investigated. As for the -5 vol% SiC nanocomposite, the grain boundary fracture was suppressed by the presence of SiC nano-particles. The intragranular SiC particles have inhibited the extension of plastic deformation through the whole grain. Part of plastic deformation was accommodated around SiC particles, which made a cavity at the interface between SiC and matrix alumina. On the other hand, gas-pressure sintered silicon nitride showed extensive grain boundary fracture due to the thermal fatigue. The lamination of wear scar was initiated by the dissolution of grain boundary phase. These two extreme cases showed the importance of microstructures in wear behavior.