Phase Transformations and Physical Properties of New Materials - An Approach using New Techniques -

在这个项目中，我们通过使用新的方法来研究各种相变，目的是创造新的材料。新方法有两个方面；第一是新思想，第二是新实验技术的运用。在实践中，项目分为6个小组，小组之间进行了密切的合作。(1)金属间化合物的相变（PT）和物理性质（PP），(2)陶瓷中的PT和PP，(3)形状记忆合金中的PT和PP，(4)准晶和非晶材料中的结构和PT，(5)同步辐射的一阶PT研究，(6)计算机模拟的PT研究。这些研究的结果在长崎（1992年12月11日至13日）和石川（1994年1月6日至8日）进行了深入讨论。通过这些密集的讨论，出现了相变研究新发展的许多症状。例如，统一了马氏体的非热和等温相变的统计力学方法，观察了非热相变中不存在潜伏期的孕育期，澄清了准晶和近晶之间的关系，高压下的PT，确定了新型“沸石”和PP的结构（观察笼中K中的铁磁性），同步辐射、高分辨电子显微镜等技术的应用也相当成功。以上只是许多有用结果中的一小部分，这些结果作为本项目的报告发表。我相信这些结果对相变研究的进一步发展有很大的贡献。

In this project, we studied various phase transformations by using new approach, by aiming the creation of new materials. The new approach has two aspects ; the first is new ideas and the second is the utilization of new experimental techniques. In practice, the project was divided into 6 groups in the following, and close co-operation was held between the groups. (1) Phase transformation (PT) and physical properties (PP) in intermetallics, (2) PT and PP in ceramics, (3) PT and PP in shape memory alloys, (4) Structure and PT in quasicrystals and amorphous materials, (5) First order PT study by synchrotron radiations, and (6) PT studies by computer simulations. The results of these studies were intensively discussed at Nagasaki (Dec. 11-13, 1992) and at Ishikawa (Jan. 6-8, 1994).Through these intensive discussions, many symptoms appeared for the new development of phase transformation studies. For example, a statistical mechanical approach which unifies the athermal and the isothermal martensitic transformations, the observation of incubation period in the athermal transformation, for which the incubation period was belived to be absent, the clarification of the relation between a quasicrystal and a nearcrystal, PT under high pressure, the structure determination of a new type "Zeolite" and PP (observation of ferromagnetisim in K trapped in the cages), and quite successful application of synchrotron radiation and high resolution electron microscopy, etc. The above are only a few among many useful results, which are published as a report for the present projext. I beleved these results make great contribution to the further development of phase transformation studies.