TABLE OF CONTENTS

TMS 2010 Spotlights Characterization and Modeling
Submit Your Abstract by July 15

Registration Open for MS&T
Save by Registering Early

Taking a Stand for Materials Science and Engineering:
TMS Board Approves Advocacy Policy

Did You Know . . .
. . . E-mail Alerts for Newly Published TMS Journals Are Available?

Get the Latest Society and Materials Technology News Delivered to Your Desktop . . .
. . . By Using the TMS RSS News Feeds

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Applications Open for the 2009 Gordon Research Conference on Physical Metallurgy
Deadline Set for July 12

Mineral Processing Plant Design 2009 Focuses on the Past, Present, and Future
Advanced Registration Open

New Topic Focuses on Engineering-Specific Job Search Tools . . .
. . . In the TMS Job and Financial Security Resource Center

More Help in a Challenging Economy
Positions Available

JOM Reader Poll . . .
. . . On the U.S. Nuclear Power Program

TMS Knowledge Resource Center Introduces New Book
Modeling of Casting, Welding and Advanced Solidication Process XII

Washington News from the Federation of Materials Societies
National Academies Urge Visa Reforms

Submit Your Abstract by July 15

As the TMS focus on characterization and modeling topics has expanded over the years, so has related programming at the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition. To support this growing aspect of the broad-based conference, presenters are being sought for the Characterization and Modeling technical programming at TMS 2010 to be held February 14–18 in Seattle, Washington. The deadline to submit an abstract is July 15.

Eleven of the 58 planned TMS 2010 Annual Meeting and Exhibition symposia fall into the Advanced Characterization and Modeling programming theme. These symposia are: Three-Dimensional Materials Science VI; Characterization of Minerals, Metals and Materials; Computational Thermodynamics and Kinetics; Neutron and X-Ray Studies of Advanced Materials III; The Vasek Vitek Symposium on Crystal Defects, Computational Materials Science and Applications; Stochastic Methods in Materials Research; Failure of Small-Scale Structures; Heterogeneous Nucleation and Initial Microstructure Evolution in Alloys and Colloids; Hume-Rothery Symposium: Configurational Thermodynamics of Materials; Thermo-Mechanical Response of Molecular Solids: Multi-Resolution Theory, Simulations, and Experiments; and Solid-State Interfaces: Toward an Atomistic-scale Understanding of Structure, Properties, and Behavior through Theory and Experiment.

The characterization and modeling symposia represent only a small portion of the total programming planned for TMS 2010. Other topics include Nanoscale and Amorphous Materials; Aluminum and Magnesium; Electronic Materials; High Performance Structural Materials; Materials and Society; and Materials Processing.

For details on all symposia planned for TMS 2010 or to submit an abstract, visit the TMS ProgramMaster by clicking the link below.

Save by Registering Early

Registration for Materials Science & Technology 2009 (MS&T'09), the seventh in a series of multidisciplinary annual conferences, is now open. All conference attendees who register prior to the October 2 advanced registration deadline will receive $100 off the registration rate. MS&T'09 will be held October 25–29 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will showcase a program that consists of nine technical themes. They are:

• Ceramic and Glass Materials
• Electronic and Magnetic Materials
• Environmental and Energy Issues
• Fundamental and Characterization
• Iron and Steel
• Materials and Systems
• Nanotechnology
• Processing and Product Manufacturing
• Special topics

TMS Board Approves Advocacy Policy

The TMS Board of Directors has approved a policy that sets guidelines for taking an advocacy position of significance to the materials science and technology community. The policy, TMS Advocacy Guiding Values and Approval Process, which was approved in May, identifies guiding values and advocacy activities to be followed when considering requests to sign letters or endorse position papers.

The guiding values are:

• Recognizing the importance of advocacy and the involvement of ordinary citizens in the political process, TMS will work to educate our elected officials through the efforts of its own Public & Governmental Affairs (P&GA) Committee and in unison with other professional societies. These efforts will focus on the promotion of materials science and technology and involve themes that are widely shared by the TMS membership.
• TMS will not advocate for a position that favors one technology solution or member group over another.
• TMS will not engage in any advocacy activities that will fall into the category of lobbying and jeopardize TMS' 501(c)(3) status.
• TMS will not advocate any positions that impact any specific regulation that may benefit member organizations in a preferential way.
• TMS will be transparent in determining and communicating those positions for which it does provide advocacy and will openly communicate its endorsement activities.

. . . E-mail Alerts for Newly Published TMS Journals Are Available?

There are two simple ways a subscriber can read monthly journals—either in print or on-line. For convenience, there's much to recommend about the electronic version: it can be viewed from any computer, you can easily search archives for any specific topic, and it is normally available before the print version.

Springer, which distributes TMS journals electronically, offers free e-mail alerts every time a new issue is available. The e-mail notification includes the issue's table of contents and a link to the newest issue. TMS journals JOM, Journal of Electronic Materials, and Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A and B are offered through the Springer web site. In addition, the more often an article is viewed or cited, the more prestigious it becomes.

To sign up for the alert service, visit the TMS E-mail Subscription Update page, enter your contact information, and indicate which alerts you would like to receive. You may also subscribe to the TMS Knowledge Resource Center News for e-mailed updates on new proceedings and texts from TMS, as well as indicate your technical interest for future promotions.

. . . By Using the TMS RSS News Feeds

TMS can now bring the latest in Society and materials technology news to your desktop through eight Really Simple Syndication (RSS) news feeds. The Society offers RSS feeds on news and features posed on various TMS web sites.

The RSS feeds are offered in the following areas:

• Best of TMS News
• TMS e-News
• TMS Home Page News
• MaterialsTechnology@TMS: All Feeds
• MaterialsTechnology@TMS: Education
• MaterialsTechnology@TMS: Materials and Society
• MaterialsTechnology@TMS: Emerging Materials Technology
• MaterialsTechnology@TMS: Established Materials Technology

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Deadline Set for July 12

The application deadline for the 2009 Gordon Research Conference on Physical Metallurgy to be held August 2–7 at Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire, is July 12. The conference focuses on Integrating Computational Materials Science and Engineering (ICME).

The conference will explore recent progress in use of computational materials models to unify the science and engineering of metallic materials. Current capability and challenges for vertical integration of this knowledge and its application in aerospace, automotive, power generation, and other industries will also be discussed. In addition, ICME, a new and potentially transformational discipline, will be part of the programming.

"The unique Gordon Conference format will foster development of a deep understanding of the current capability for using computational materials models to integrate quantitative physical metallurgy into engineering and scientific processes," said John Allison, conference co-chair, a TMS past president, and former leader of the TMS ICME ad hoc committee. "This conference has been designed to bring together and benefit those on the forefront of the application of computational materials models in industry with those involved at the leading edge of computational and experimental materials science."

Nearly a dozen TMS members are responsible for organizing this conference. Kevin Hemker, chair of the TMS Public and Governmental Affairs Committee; Allison; and Hamish Fraser serve as conference chairs. In addition, Mark D. Asta, Emmanuelle A. Marquis, and Peter M. Voorhees serve as conference vice chairs; and Carol Handwerker, Baicheng Liu, John Perepezko, Lyle Schwartz, and Ed Starke serve as conference rapporteurs. Other TMS members will present lectures during the conference and TMS will support a poster during the poster session.

For more information on the Gordon Research Conference on Physical Metallurgy or to obtain an on-line application, click the link below.

Advanced Registration Open

Advanced registration for the Mineral Processing Plant Design 2009 conference, to be held September 30–October 3 in Tucson, Arizona, is now open. The deadline to save $100 on the registration fee is September 11.

Mineral Processing Plant Design 2009, sponsored by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration and TMS, focuses on new developments and operations that have been built and started since 2002; start-up performance vs. design; what's working and what's not working; new flow sheet innovations; process controls that are saving money; and improving production related to the fundamentals presented at the 2002 conference.

For more information on the conference or to register, click on the link below.

. . . In the TMS Job and Financial Security Resource Center

An array of job search and career development tools designed especially for engineers is featured in "Engineering-Specific Resources," the newest topic on the TMS Job and Financial Security Resource Center. Resources include, but are not limited to, job boards, resume building tips, networking resources, and articles on career enhancement strategies.

Since its launch in December 2008, the center has reviewed and compiled a wealth of information and services to help TMS members enhance their employability and maintain their financial footing during these difficult economic times. Over the months, it has become clear that many of the center's most popular offerings addressed the specific needs and interests of materials scientists and engineers. The new "Engineering-Specific Resources" topic consolidates many of these resources in one convenient place, while adding a number of new tools.

To begin the process of searching for a new position or looking for ways to strengthen a current one, it is recommended that you first consult some of the excellent general resources housed in such Center topics as "Job Transition Resources," "Job Search Tool Kit," and "Enhancing Employability." Other Center topics, including "Sources for Legal Information" and “Health Insurance and Health Care Access” can offer helpful advice in managing changes in employment benefits.

To access the TMS Job and Financial Security Resource Center, go to the TMS Members-Only Web site and click on "Job and Financial Security Home" appearing in the menu bar at the left of the page after you enter your login.

Positions Available

The following positions appear in JOM:

Postdoctoral Fellow: TEM Analysis of Nanocomposites and/or of Welded Structures; Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

Protype Developer: KieranTimberlake, KieranTimberlake Research Group, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Space Systems and N/MEMS Faculty Positions: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Metallurgy Manager/Failure Analyst: IMR Metallurgical Services.

For more information on the job opportunities listed, visit the JOM Classifieds web site by clicking below.

. . . On the U.S. Nuclear Power Program

The JOM Reader Poll asks readers to weigh in on topical questions related to the latest issue of the journal. For the upcoming August issue, JOM asks the following question:

As demand for clean energy grows, so does the desire to restart the U.S. nuclear power program. Interest among energy producers is high: As of September 2008, applications had been submitted to build 23 new nuclear power plants. This month JOM asks, how much of a role should nuclear power play in meeting U.S. energy needs?

• As great as possible: It's time to embrace nuclear power as clean, safe, and renewable.
• Moderate: Nuclear power should be just one component of an energy program that also includes solar, wind, hydro, and coal power.
• Minimal: Issues like environmental impact and operational safety haven't been sufficiently settled to start a new nuclear era.
• None: Stop renewing those old plant licenses once and for all.

Modeling of Casting, Welding and Advanced Solidication Process XII

The TMS Knowledge Resource Center added a new book to its extensive library of journals, technical books, text books, and CDs—Modeling of Casting, Welding and Advanced Solidification Process XII.

The book, by Steve L. Cockcroft and Daan M. Maijer, is a collection of proceedings from the 12th International Conference, Modeling of Casting, Welding and Advanced Solidification Process XII, held June 7–14, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. The proceedings encapsulate the progress made in modeling casting processes and liquid-solid phase transformations over the years.

The papers presented provide a clear picture of the modeling activities for processes involving solidification, covering continuous casting, welding, remelting, semi-solid, and shape and ingot casting processes. Other topics related to casting technologies, such as liquid metal treatment and casting tools are also examined.

For more information on the book or to purchase it, click the link below.

National Academies Urge Visa Reforms

While acknowledging some progress by the federal government in addressing post-9/11 visa policies and procedures, the National Academies and other organizations have issued a statement urging additional steps:

• Convene a high-level interagency panel to review the full range of visa-related policies and procedures imposed after 9/11, evaluate their cost-effectiveness, and consider revising or eliminating ineffective and unnecessary procedures.
• Provide additional resources to agencies involved in the visa process to allow timely processing of visa applications.
• Streamline the non-immigrant visa process to 30 days for legitimate graduate students, researchers, or professionals in science and technology whose applications are supported by a qualified university, scientific body, or company.
• Reduce repetitive processing of visa applications for well-known researchers and scholars who regularly visit the United States to attend academic conferences and conduct research.
• Increase training of consular staff to make treatment of applicants more consistent and enhance security.
• Provide more information to applicants who experience delays in the application process and establish a review process for applications that take more than 30 days to process.
• Review and streamline the Technology Alert List, which identifies sensitive areas of science and technology for possible export controls, to include only subject areas that have explicit implications for national security.
• Expand ongoing efforts to renegotiate visa reciprocity agreements between the United States and key sending countries, such as China, to extend the duration of visas each country grants students and scholars of the other and to permit multiple entries on a single visa.
  
  

ABOUT e-NEWS

TMS e-News is a monthly e-mailed newsletter that provides information on The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society's membership, meetings, publications, and other activities of interest.

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OPEN ACCESS ARTICLES

The following articles from TMS journals and web sites are available to all readers at no charge. This month’s featured articles are:

JOM: "Atomic Layer Deposition of TiO₂ Thin Films on Nanoporous Alumina Templates: Medical Applications" by Roger J. Narayan, Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere, Robin L. Brigmon, Michael J. Pellin, and Jeffrey W. Elam
Nanostructured materials may play a significant role in controlled release of pharmacologic agents for treatment of cancer. Many nanoporous polymer materials are inadequate for use in drug delivery. Nanoporous alumina provides several advantages over other materials for use in controlled drug delivery and other medical applications. Atomic layer deposition was used to coat all the surfaces of a nanoporous alumina membrane in order to reduce the pore size in a controlled manner. Neither the 20 nm nor the 100 nm TiO₂-coated nanoporous alumina membranes exhibited statistically lower viability compared to the uncoated nanoporous alumina membrane control materials. Nanostructured materials prepared using atomic layer deposition may be useful for delivering a pharmacologic agent at a precise rate to a specific location in the body. These materials may serve as the basis for “smart” drug delivery devices, orthopedic implants, or self-sterilizing medical devices. [READ]

MT@TMS: Materials Education: "Materials at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez: The Surge" by O. Marcelo Suárez
An alumnus who has not visited the tropical campus of the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM) since 2000 would not believe his or her eyes when seeing the university’s materials research laboratories today. Crammed with state-of-the-art instrumentation and research workhorses, the labs are a testament to the growth of materials science on this campus. In the midst of the summer, a small army of researchers is occupied with materials experimentation, report writing, and preparation for formal oral or poster presentations. Likely, the visitor may be surprised at the age of those “researchers:” eleventh graders, seasoned public school science teachers, and dozens of college students, in addition to the expected masters and doctoral students. Every now and then, a professor comes to discuss pointed issues with any of them, while a box filled with recently purchased supplies circulates through the room. [READ]

MT@TMS: Materials and Society: "JOM Examines Lead-Free Solder Reliability Issues" by Lynne Robinson
Reliability issues continue to pose challenges for those engineering lead-free solder packages. Materials issues directly related to solder joint reliability are explored in five papers in the June issue of JOM. As Kejun Zeng wrote in his commentary to the topic, “Investigation of the dependence of properties of bulk solder alloys on compositions and processes can, of course, greatly help reliability engineering of solder joints. However, because of the strong effect of the interface between solder and soldered metal on the reliability of fine pitch solder joints, research of bulk solders is not enough to answer all the questions. The influences of composition and microstructure of solder joints on the reliability of bond interface should also be studied.” [READ]

MT@TMS: Emerging Materials Technologies: "EMC 2009 Examines Current and Future Trends in Electronic Materials" by Lynne Robinson
From computers that switch on instantly like a light bulb, to devices the size of a quarter that contain the contents of 250 DVDs, the future of electronics depends on the materials that make them. For more than 50 years, the TMS Electronic Materials Conference (EMC) has “served as a unique venue to present recent results on novel electronic materials and devices for the international community,” said Robert Biefeld, general chair of EMC 2009. This year’s event will take place from June 24–26 at the Pennsylvania State University. [READ]

MT@TMS: Established Materials Technologies: "Hands to Work: The Practical Artistry of David DeYoung" by Lynne Robinson
Amid smooth curls of wood and hand tools nearly a century old, things of strength and beauty emerge from David DeYoung’s hands. There are favorite projects, “many of them uncompleted,” says the immediate past chair of the TMS Aluminum Committee. He has a particular fondness for a clever work organizer that he designed for his wife, Joan, from walnut that he found five miles from his western Pennsylvania home. A pencil post bed awaiting final carving details is also a source of pride. “I like to use a lot of hand tools the way woodworkers from 150 years ago did,” said DeYoung, who prefers selecting his own rough cut lumber at a local sawmill. “It requires a fair bit of thinking and problem solving to make something useful that is also nice to look at.” [READ]

Journal of Electronic Materials: "Temperature Dependence of Epitaxial Graphene Formation on SiC(0001)" by Luxmi, Shu Nie, P.J. Fisher, R.M. Feenstra, Gong Gu, Yugang Sun
The formation of epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) surfaces is studied using atomic force microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electrical measurements. Starting from hydrogen-annealed surfaces, graphene formation by vacuum annealing is observed to begin at about 1150°C, with the overall step-terrace arrangement of the surface being preserved but with significant roughness (pit formation) on the terraces. At higher temperatures near 1250°C, the step morphology changes, with the terraces becoming more compact. At 1350°C and above, the surface morphology changes into relatively large flat terraces separated by step bunches. Features believed to arise from grain boundaries in the graphene are resolved on the terraces, as are fainter features attributed to atoms at the buried graphene/SiC interface. [READ]

Journal of Electronic Materials: "Geometrical Characteristics and Surface Polarity of Inclined Crystallographic Planes of the Wurtzite and Zincblende Structures" by Hisashi Masui, Samantha C. Cruz, Shuji Nakamura, and Steven P. DenBaars
Inclined crystallographic planes of the wurtzite structure were investigated in comparison with the zincblende structure in terms of surface geometry characteristics. The ball–stick model indicates that the semipolar surface possesses a surface polarity resembling the anion polarity, which agrees with the common experimental observations of epitaxial growth preference for the cation-polarity surface over the surface. The wurtzite surface was found to share geometrical similarities with the zincblende {100} surface uniquely among the possible semipolar planes. This finding encourages epitaxial growth on the plane of wurtzite semiconductors, e.g., GaN, with the potential of avoiding atomic step formations typically associated with off-axis crystallographic planes. [READ]

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B: "In-Situ Analysis of Coarsening during Directional Solidification Experiments in High-Solute Aluminum Alloys" by D. Ruvalcaba, R.H. Mathiesen, D.G. Eskin, L. Arnberg, and L. Katgerman
Coarsening within the mushy zone during continuous directional solidification experiments was studied on an Al-30 wt pct Cu alloy. High brilliance synchrotron X-radiation microscopy allowed images to be taken in-situ during solidification. Transient conditions were present during directional solidification. Under these conditions, solute-rich settling liquid flow affects the dendritic array and thus coarsening. Coarsening was studied by following the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of a developing dendrite at different local solidification times according to the mush depth and instant interface velocity. Solute enrichment and liquid flow cause deceleration and acceleration of the solidification front, which in turn influences both the mush depth and local growth and coarsening due to variations in solutal gradients and thus local undercooling. In addition, spacing between neighboring dendrites (i.e., primary dendrite arm spacing), which determines permeability within the mushy zone, affects the development of high-order branches. [READ]

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: "Effect of Temperature on the Properties and Microstructures of Carbon Refractories for Blast Furnace" by Xilai Chen, Yawei Li, Yuanbing Li, Shengli Jin, Lei Zhao, and Shan Ge
The effects of temperature on phase composition, microstructure, and properties of silicon-containing blast furnace (BF) carbon refractories after firing in coke breeze packing at 1000°C to 1600°C were studied with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray, mercury porosimetry, and a laser thermal conductivity meter. The results showed that silicon played a dominant role in the evolution of phase, microstructure, and properties. The amount of SiC whiskers increased with temperature. The phase in the outer part of the specimen was cristobalite balls, and its content decreased and β-SiC whisker increased in the inner part of the specimen. The phase and microstructure development with firing temperature influenced the properties. The bulk density, strength, and <1-μm micropore volume of open pores were highest, whereas the apparent and total porosity, mean pore size, and thermal conductivity were lowest for specimens fired at 1400°C. Moreover, the thermal conductivity was affected by pore structure and phases formed after firing. [READ]

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: "Sodium Borohydride Reduction of Aqueous Silver-Iron-Nickel Solutions: a Chemical Route to Synthesis of Low Thermal Expansion–High Conductivity Ag-Invar Alloys" by E.A. Sterling, J. Stolk, L. Hafford, and M. Gross
Thermal management is a critical concern in the design and performance of electronics systems. If heat extraction and thermal expansion are not properly addressed, the thermal mismatch among dissimilar materials may give rise to high thermal stresses or interfacial shear strains, and ultimately to premature system failure. In this article, we present a chemical synthesis process that yields Ag-Invar (64Fe-36Ni) alloys with a range of attractive properties for thermal management applications. Sodium borohydride reduction of an aqueous Ag-Fe-Ni metal salt solution produces nanocrystalline powders, and conventional powder processing converts this powder to fine-grained alloys. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, thermomechanical analysis, and electrical conductivity measurements; thermal conductivity is estimated using the Wiedemann–Franz law. Sintering of Ag-Fe-Ni powders leads to the formation of two-phase silver-Invar alloys with low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) and relatively high electrical conductivities. A sample of 50Ag-50Invar exhibits a CTE of 8.76 μm/(m· °C) and an estimated thermal conductivity of 236 W/(m·Κ). The Ag-Invar alloys offer thermodynamic stability and tailorable properties, and they may help address the need for improved packaging materials. [READ]

Programs, on-line registration, and more:

Engineering Solutions for Sustainability: Materials and Resources, An International Workshop
Lausanne, Switzerland
July 22-24, 2009

Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2009) Nickel-Cobalt 2009
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
August 23-26, 2009

14th International Conference on Environmental Degradation in Nuclear Power Systems
Virginia Beach, Virginia
August 23-27, 2009

Thermec' 2009: Sixth International Conference on Advanced Materials and Processes
Berlin, Germany
August 25-29, 2009

Defect Recognition Image Processing (DRIP) XIII
Wheeling, West Virginia
September 13-17, 2009

Aluminium Cast House Technology Conference: 11th Australasian Conference & Exhibition 2009
Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia
September 13-19, 2009

2009 International Symposium on Liquid Metal Processing and Casting
Sante Fe, New Mexico
September 20-23, 2009

5th International Conference on Science and Technology of Ironmaking (ICSTI'09)
Shanghai, China
October 19-22, 2009

Materials Science & Technology 2009 Conference and Exhibition (MS&T'09)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 25-29, 2009

2009 International Symposium on Steels for Infrastructure
Beijing, China
November 11-12, 2009

2009 International Symposium on Emerging Challenges for Metals & Materials: Engineering & Technology
Kolkata, India
November 15, 2009

TMS 2010 Annual Meeting
Abstracts due: 7/15/2009
Seattle, Washington
February 14-18, 2010

15th International Conference on Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (ICMOVPE 2010)
Incline Village, Nevada
May 23-28, 2010

Copper 2010
Hamburg, Germany
June 6-10, 2010

Electronic Materials Conference 2010 (EMC 2010)
Notre Dame, Indiana
June 23-26, 2010

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