Al–Cu mixtures of various compositions underwent the plastic deformation under pressures from 0.5 to 4.0 GPa at room temperature on a Bridgman-anvil-type high-pressure apparatus. The influence of treatment pressure on calorimetric properties of Al and Cu powder mixtures of various compositions is studied. The thermal processes in the samples after deformation under pressure were studied with DSC and TGA within 20–800°C, whereas the structure and composition of the samples and its changes during heating were analyzed with the electron-microscopy method coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray probe. A positron-annihilation method was used to study the atomic-electronic structure of deformed mixtures. The deformed mixtures were tested electrochemically at room temperature in a 6 M KOH solution. The results obtained indicate that the changes in the electronic subsystem of the mixtures can make a significant contribution to the heat release of the samples that underwent plastic deformation under high pressure.

The relationship between the amount of hydrogen electrochemically introduced to Pd and the volume and linear sizes of the formed PdH system, as well as the intensity of cavitation that arises after saturation of Pd with hydrogen, has been determined. The results of the study allows one to describe the mechanism of origin of cavitation on PdH in spite of the impossibility to determine the composition of atmosphere in bulk defects (microvoids, microcracks, and dislocations), which are formed upon hydrogenation of Pd. A Harvey–Knapp model has been employed, which describes well the origin of cavitation on nonwettable surfaces with fine cracks. The model is based on the hypothesis that presence of cavitation cores are present in water in the form of fine air bubbles.

Using the methods of positron annihilation and optical spectroscopy, the effect of gamma (Co60) and electron irradiation (Cockcroft–Walton accelerator) on NaCl single crystals, followed by annealing at various temperatures. It was found that electron color centers are effective traps of positrons diffusing in the lattice. At the same time, hole centers do not capture positrons. It was shown that positrons are captured by sodium clusters formed in the bulk of NaCl crystals upon annealing (443 K) of irradiated (2650 Mrad) samples. The annihilation characteristics of captured positrons allow us to estimate size of sodium clusters R = 23.0 nm and their concentration Nx = 5.3 × 1017 cm–3. Taking into account the fact that modern optical and positron spectrometers are quite compact and sensitive instruments, the monitoring of the processes of radiation degradation of the geological rock of rock salt can be carried out directly at the disposal sites of radioactive waste rather quickly and with the necessary degree of sensitivity to the accumulation of radiolytic products.

The gas evolution process on fully hydrogenated Pd (H : Pd = 0.73) cathodes is studied in a 1 M solution of NaOH at ambient temperature. A phenomenon of spontaneous gas evolution on the surface of PdH after electrolysis and transfer of the sample into a burette with a 1 M solution of NaOH or distilled water is discovered. The volume of the gas that spontaneously evolved on the surface of PdH is 0.22–0.24 cm3/cm2 in a 1 M solution of NaOH and 0.40–0.43 cm3/cm2 in distilled water. It is proposed that the spontaneously evolving gas is not hydrogen from PdH, but results from the cavitation process.

The effect of pulse neutron gamma-radiation on material made from sintered ceramics of hexagonal boron nitride α-BN is studied using positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). The radiation vacancy defects of the α-BN crystal lattice are effective traps of the positrons diffusing into the bulk particles of the material. The positrons’ lifetime (LT) spectra and angular correlation curves of annihilation gamma-ray quanta (ACAR) in ceramic specimens irradiated by neutrons with a cumulative dose of the neutron flow of 10 13 to 10 14 neutron/cm 2 (the average energy of the neutrons is 1.7 MeV) and gamma radiation of 10 3 to 10 5 Р ( E γ = 1 MeV) with the subsequent annealing of the irradiated specimens at 600°C are measured. The observed changes of the annihilation characteristics of the LT and ACAR in the irradiated and sintered specimens allow us to conclude that there is an effective capture of the alpha particles formed upon neutron irradiation via the nuclear reaction B 10 ( n , α)Li 7 with vacancy defects. Helium atoms are released from vacancies to the surface of the α-BN plates upon annealing of the irradiated specimens at 600°C. This mechanism explains the high level of radiation stability of α-BN ceramic dielectrics in ionizing radiation fields.

A systematization is presented of studies of carbon sorbent functionalization based on chemical modification of the active carbon surface by covalent grafting of macromolecular N-substituted cyclic amines. Thus, porous electron-conducting and luminescent layers grafted onto supports are obtained. The layers can sorb organic compounds. After sorption of acids, hydroxides, and metal salts, the layers become electron- and ion-conducting. Here, hydrogen is formed as in cathodically polarized electrochemical bridges and oxygen is formed as in anodically polarized electrochemical bridges. Principles of layer formation are considered on the surface of the material of cellulose fibers and asbestos cloth, as well as nickel filaments. Specific features of such functionalized sorbents are shown.

Isotherms of benzene and water vapor adsorption onto a composite material made of a layer of active carbon microparticles and cyclic ethanolamine macromolecules bonded to cellulose are measured. The layer is formed by carbon particles with sizes of 2.5–4 µm and grafted porous macromolecular ethanolamine. The latter combines the particles into electron-conducting and luminescent aggregates. The pores in carbon are connected with those of cyclic amines through voids formed by the cycles of oxo-amine groups and conjugated carbon groups on the surfaces of carbon particles. It is found that when the relative pressure is increased, the pores in amines, where the sorbed molecules are combined into host–guest complexes, are filled first. This is followed by estafetee filling of the pores with water or benzene molecules.

The sintering of graphite-like boron nitride α-BN powder was studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy with angular correlation of annihilation radiation within a temperature range from 900 to 1400°C. The changes observed in the annihilation characteristics were compared with the change in the specific surface area of samples. The model describing the bulk diffusion of positrons with their egress onto the surface of lamellae was developed. The coefficeint of positron diffusion in α-BN was estimated as D = 6.6 × 10 –5 cm 2 /s.

Materials are produced with porous layers based on ethanolamine derivatives of PVC or compounds of active carbon with hydroxyethylcyclam derivatives of PVC with aqua complexes of chloride hydrogen cross-linked with the surface of cellulose or asbestos fabric. Their capacity for sorption with respect to hexane and benzene in the saturated vapor and liquid phases is determined. The dependences of current on voltage in a circuit are determined for bridges composed of these materials in air, and in the vapor and liquid phases of benzene and hexane between 3 M HCl solutions and 3 M HCl solutions containing 3 M CaCl 2 . It is established that only H + ions migrate along the bridges between the HCl solutions, and H + and Cl – ions were the only species that moved along the bridges between the HCl solutions containing CaCl 2 . The voltages at which the movement of ions starts are determined, and constants characterizing the conductivity of the layers are found. It is shown that these parameters depend on the structure of a layer, the nature of the fabric, and the medium surrounding a bridge.

A review of methods for the synthesis of new composite materials—electroactive and adsorption-active tissues, their electrochemical properties, and potential applications is presented. These are cellulose or asbestos fibers with porous layers linked to their surface, which consist of cyclam derivatives of PVC filled with active carbon, providing electric conductivity. The H+ or OH– ion conductivity is provided by the H2SO4 or NaOH aqua complexes with aza-crown groups in the pore walls. The high rate of ion transport was demonstrated in air, hexane, benzene, and their vapors. When the current is passed, H2 or O2 is evoluted, or redox transformations of the adsorbed substances occur on the carbon particles. The dependence of the characteristics of the material on its composition and adsorption equilibrium conditions was analyzed. The mechanism of its functioning was suggested. The material was shown to be promising for use in the production of H2 or O2 and acid–base or redox transformations of substances adsorbed from gaseous media or nonaqueous solutions.

A fundamentally new low-temperature method of synthesizing ammonia has been suggested, which is carried out directly in a hydrogen-producing matrix with a material made of cellulose fabric with porous layers of ethanol–cyclam PVC derivatives with activated carbon with aquacomplexes of sodium hydroxide grafted onto its fibers. Complexes of zero-valent nickel and iron within the cyclam structure are formed in the matrix. Hydrogen is formed on the cathode in the course of electrolysis of water from sodium hydroxide aqua complexes on particles of activated carbon as microelectrodes. Hydrogen forms bonds with complexes of zero-valent nickel. Nitrogen from adsorbed air is bound in complexes of zero-valent iron and interacts with active atomic hydrogen. Water is transported to carbon particles through the fabric onto which the layer is grafted. The process is carried out at the room temperature. It has been found that the forming hydrogen is almost completely used. As opposed to the existing methods of synthesis of ammonia, the suggested process is carried out at room temperature and normal pressure.

Application of the positron-annihilation-probe technique for nondestructive diagnostics of the double electric layer (DEL) at the polymer–metal interface and, hence, of the electric component of polymer adhesion to the metal is described. Separated curves of angular correlation of positron-annihilation radiation (ACPAR) for metal, polymer, and metal with a polymer layer allow detecting the presence of a strong electric field of a DEL at the nickel–epoxy-resin interface. The value of the DEL potential is determined to be 15 keV. The method of a positron-annihilation probe allows identifying the presence of a DEL on the internal interfaces of materials and estimating its energy parameters so as to correctly reflect the value of the contribution of the electrostatic component to the interphase interaction.