Increase of alloys functional properties by electronic beam processing

The article considers a review of domestic and foreign works on the use of intense pulsed electron beams for surface treatment of metals, alloys, cermet and ceramic materials. The advantages of using electron pulsed beams over laser beams, plasma flows, and ion beams are noted. The promising directions of using electron-beam processing were analyzed and are as following: 1 – smoothing the surface, getting rid of surface microcracks, while simultaneously changing the structural-phase state of the surface layer, to create high-performance technologies for the finishing processing of critical metal products of complex shape made of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V and titanium; steels of various classes; hard alloy WC – 10 wt. % Сo; aluminum; 2 – removal of microbursts formed during the manufacture of precision molds (SKD11 steel) and biomedical products (Ti-6Al-4V alloy); 3 – finishing the surface of molds and dies; 4 – improvement of the functional properties of metallic biomaterials: stainless steel, titanium and its alloys, alloys based on titanium nickelide with shape memory effect, and magnesium alloys; 5 – processing of medical devices and implants; 6 – formation of the surface alloys for powerful electrodynamic systems; 7 – improvement of the characteristics of aircraft engine and compressor blades; 8 – formation of thermal barrier coatings applied to the surface of the combustion chambers. It is shown that with the correct choice of process parameters, such as accelerating voltage, energy density of electron beam, number of pulses, and pulse duration, it is possible to control carefully and/or manipulate the characteristics of structural-phase state and surface properties. In order to improve the properties of the material and the durability of the products made of it, an important factor is the structure modification to form a submicro-nanosized grain (or subgrain structure).