№ 2 (2024)

Using the technology of wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM – wire arc additive manufacture), a high-entropy alloy (HEA) of non-equiatomic composition Al, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni was manufactured. Using the methods of modern physical materials science, an analysis of the elemental and phase composition, defective substructure, mechanical and tribological properties of the HEA surface layer, formed as a result of complex modification, combining the deposition of a film (B + Cr) and irradiation with a pulsed electron beam in an argon medium, was carried out. In the initial state, the alloy has a simple cubic lattice with a lattice parameter of 0.28795 nm; the average grain size of the HEA is 12.3 µm. Chemical elements (at. %) 33.4 Al; 8.3 Cr, 17.1 Fe, 5.4 Co, 35.7 Ni, which form HEA, are distributed quasi-periodically. The irradiation regime was revealed (energy density of the electron beam E_S = 20 J/cm², pulse duration 200 µs, number of pulses 3 pulses, frequency 0.3 s more than 5 times), allowing to increase microhardness (almost 2 times) and wear resistance (more than 5 times), reduce the coefficient of friction by 1.3 times. Regardless of the value of E_S, HEA is a single-phase material and has a simple cubic crystal lattice. High-speed crystallization of the surface layer leads to the formation of a subgrain structure (150–200) nm. It is shown that an increase in the strength and tribological properties of HEA is due to a significant (4.5 times) decrease in the average grain size, the formation of particles of chromium and aluminum oxyborides, and the incorporation of boron atoms into the crystal lattice of HEA.

Based on the use of appropriate approaches, methods and results of the analysis of a number of topical problems of physical materials science, an in-depth analysis has been done of calorimetric and volumetric data for direct, reverse and deformation martensitic transformations in a nanostructured Ti_49.3Ni_50.7 shape memory alloy obtained by cold rolling with simultaneous action of pulsed high-density current. For the first time, by applying a new technique for processing calorimetric spectra (peaks), the staging and “kinetics” of changes in heat content, as well as thermal effects (enthalpies of individual stages) during direct and reverse martensitic transformations during cooling or heating of samples at a constant rate (3 × K/ min) in the range 170–370 K has been done. It is shown, by processing volumetric data, using theoretical values of the dislocation density and elements of the classical theory of dislocations, that in the Ti_49.3Ni_50.7 shape memory alloy subjected to cold deformation accompanied by the action of a pulsed current, a deformation martensitic transformation occurs, leading to a positive volume effect (∆V/V) ≈ 3 × 10^–3), which can be largely due to dislocations. It is shown, by applying the theoretical values of the dislocation density and elements of the classical theory of dislocations, that the possible contributions of dislocations to the enthalpies of direct and reverse martensitic transformations (in the Ti_49.3Ni_50.7 alloy) can and should be significantly lower in absolute value, but opposite in sign to the observed enthalpies of direct and reverse martensitic transformation in a given alloy. It is shown that the physics of the processes under consideration is contained to a certain extent in scientific discoveries No. 239 “The phenomenon of thermoelastic equilibrium during phase transformations of the martensitic type – the Kurdyumov effect” and No. 339 “The phenomenon of the formation of non-equilibrium grain boundaries in polycrystals when they absorb lattice dislocations”.

The analytical approach has been developed in the framework of the continuous XY-model. This approach allows calculating the spontaneous magnetization reversal time of finite-length atomic chains on the metallic surface. The interaction of the magnetic moments of atoms is described by the classical Hamiltonian, which includes the Heisenberg exchange interaction, the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction, and the magnetic anisotropy energy. Using the Co/Pt(664) system as an example, it has been shown that the proposed method is in a good agreement with the results of the numerical simulation in the limit of short and long atomic chains. And for atomic chains of intermediate length, it can be used to estimate an upper bound on the spontaneous magnetization reversal time. We obtained the dependences of the spontaneous magnetization reversal time of finite-length Co chains the value of the exchange integral, parameters of the magnetic anisotropy, and also on the value of the projection of the Dzyaloshinskii vector onto the axis perpendicular to the plane containing the magnetic moments of the atoms. It is shown that the proposed method has a wide range of applicability both in terms of temperature and the values of the physical parameters characterizing the magnetic properties of the atomic chains.

The results of studying the effect of geometric and thermodynamic parameters of thermal evaporation and copper deposition on graphene lying on the Cu(111) surface on the adsorption of copper atoms, as well as their surface diffusion, are presented. The simulation was carried out by classical molecular dynamics using chains of Nose–Hoover thermostats. Interatomic interactions were determined by the Tersoff–Brenner, Rosato–Gillop–Legrand, and modified Morse potentials. A simple criterion for the thermalization of adatoms on graphene lying on a Cu(111) surface was formulated and tested. The average length and mean time of free path of a copper atom before and after thermalization at low (7 K) and room temperatures were studied for two evaporation temperatures. The probability of adsorption of a copper atom was found. The distributions along the directions of motion of adatoms during equilibrium diffusion were constructed. The distributions of the free path length and time were shown to have an exponential form. The influence of the Cu(111) substrate on the diffusion of the Cu atom on graphene was studied. The results obtained can be used to simulate the growth of copper nanoclusters on graphene by the kinetic Monte Carlo method.

The present work is devoted to the comprehensive experimental study of the magnetoplastic effect found in the aluminum alloy B95pch aged in a weak constant magnetic field. The data on chemical composition of aluminum alloy B95pch, modes of thermal and thermomagnetic treatments and main experimentally observed regularities of changes in values of microhardness, modulus of elasticity of separate local areas and phase composition of aluminum alloy B95pch, aged at temperature 140°С, time from 2 to 8 h, in a constant magnetic field with intensity 557.0 kA/m and in its absence are presented. It was found that the constant magnetic field significantly affects the strength properties and structure of aluminum alloy B95pch. The negative magnetoplastic effect has been detected, the value of which is 21%. It is observed that the constant magnetic field does not significantly affect the average grain size, however, the size and number of observed foreign inclusions within the grain become significantly smaller compared to aging in the absence of magnetic field. In addition, the imposition of the constant magnetic field on the phase formation process leads to the formation of a more distorted structure: the half-width of diffraction lines becomes wider. The results of microhardness and modulus of elasticity measurements of aluminum alloy B95pc were found to be correlated.

The method of aluminothermic self-propagating high-temperature synthesis was used to obtain a composite material based on Nb-Si-C. The study of this system is of interest from the point of view of obtaining high-temperature materials of a new generation for gas turbine engine building, capable of replacing heat-resistant nickel alloys, as well as the potential possibility of forming MAX-phases (phases M_{n + 1}AX_n where n = 1, 2, 3, ...; M is transitional d-metal, A – p-element, X – carbon). The resulting Nb-Si-C composite were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray spectral microanalysis. It is shown that NbC carbide and silicides γ-Nb₅Si₃ and NbSi₂ are formed in the sample. A detailed analysis of the morphological distribution of the constituent phases has been carried out.

Cd_1-xZn_xTe crystals are necessary for the production of ionizing radiation detectors widely used in science, technology, medicine and other fields. Internal stresses during crystallization lead to generation of dislocations and low-angle boundaries. Typical problem of melt crystal growth of Cd-Zn-Te compounds are tellurium inclusions, which deteriorate detector performance. Microgravity conditions provide unique opportunities for growing high-quality crystals due to the absence of convection, more equilibrium conditions of melt mixing, and a decrease in internal stresses. Since the properties of such crystals strongly depend on the production conditions, seeds and a feed ingot with specified compositions and structure are required. Ampoules with two compositions of materials have been prepared for the space experiment. Crystals of different compositions Cd_0.96Zn_0.04Te and Cd_0.9Zn_0.1Te were produced for two charges. They consist of an oriented seed, solvent, and feeding ingot, which are single-phased, single crystalline, have certain crystallographic orientation, meet demands for growth of Cd–Zn–Te crystals in microgravity. Ampoules containing these materials were sent to International Space Station for crystal growth on equipment already assembled at “Nauka” station.

The results of studying the effect of defocusing on interference patterns obtained in X-ray three-block interferometers are presented. Three-block defocused interferometers without a thick block analyzer, with a thick block analyzer and with a separate thick block (enlarger) are designed, manufactured and tested. It is shown that fine structures of interference patterns obtained from three-block defocused interferometers are observed in cases when the interferometer analyzer block is thick or an enlarger is used (fourth thick block). Theoretical calculations show that in the presence of defocusing, as a result of superposition of beams on the input surface of the interferometer analyzer, an interference pattern is formed in the form of parallel fringes (lines) lying in the scattering plane. The coordinates of the maxima of the interference fringes (lines) and the period of the fringes are calculated in the cases without a thick crystal and in its presence, as well as the magnification factor. It has been experimentally proved that a thick crystal (enlarger crystal) does not introduce new information into the interference pattern, but only increases its size in the scattering plane.