The paper presents experimental studies on laser cladding synthesis of a titanium matrix composite based on Ti64 titanium alloy and TiB 2 ceramic reinforcement. The weight percentage of TiB 2 ceramics in the composite was 5, 10 and 15%. The phase composition of the resulting materials was analyzed by standard X-ray diffraction and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. It was found that the structure of the titanium matrix composite with 5 wt % ceramics consists of TiB nanowhiskers, and that of samples with higher ceramic content exhibits TiB whiskers with a width of several micrometers. The addition of TiB 2 ceramics increases Young’s modulus, nano- and microhardness of composite samples compared to Ti64 alloy. The indentation method was used to study the formation of a phase that is different from TiB 2 ceramics and TiB microwhiskers and has elastic properties exceeding the elastic properties of the original Ti64 matrix phase. Analytical predictions showed an increase in the effective elastic properties of the formed heterogeneous material with the predicted new phase. It was also found that a lower friction coefficient can be achieved by forming a structure with nanowhiskers, while higher Young’s modulus and microhardness can be obtained by forming a structure with microwhiskers.

The microstructural characteristics of original textured tungsten samples are certified. The free surface velocities of the samples were measured in shock-wave experiments. The dynamic yield strength and spall strength values are determined for samples of various thicknesses. Mathematical modeling of the performed experiments is carried out within the hydrocode algorithm, in which original equations of state, an elastoplastic model, and an instantaneous spall approximation are used. The reliability and predictive capabilities of simulation of the physical and mechanical behavior of textured tungsten under conditions of shock-wave compression and high-speed tension are discussed.

A study has been made of the physicomechanical properties of a heterogeneous material based on TiB, TiB2, TiC, and B4C ceramics and a Ti-6Al-4V metal alloy formed by the method of selective laser melting. Consideration has been given to the influence of TiB, TiB2, TiC, and B4C ceramic particles produced by in situ synthesis in the process of laser action on the microstructure and hardness of the formed metal-matrix composite. Basic mechanisms of variation in the microstructure to form secondary ceramic inclusions were discussed and microhardness measurements at a macro- and nanolevel were carried out. It has been established that ceramic particles formed as a result of the in-situ synthesis improve sharply the hardness of the metal-matrix composite depending on the composition of the ceramics.

The paper pioneers the complex experimental investigation of the metal-ceramic coating made by the additive technologies, the combination of the cold gas-dynamic spraying (CS) and following layered laser processing. The coating is made of ceramic powders WC and B4C, the concentration in the initial mixture of 10-70 wt.%, and metal powders based on Ti+Al, the ratio 94:6 wt.%, and Ni. The result is the strategy of the production of the heterogeneous material without pores and cracks by the consequent deposition of the powder by the CS method followed by the laser action; the thickness of the coating is 4 mm.

It is well-known that laser cut characteristics highly depend on the polarization state of laser beam. The works on laser cutting deal mainly with the effect of the polarization on the cutting speed, whereas the effect on the cut surface quality was almost neglected. This paper presents the experimental investigation of the effect of the laser beam polarization state on the laser cut surface roughness. The СО2 laser was used to cut steel sheets of 3, 5, 8 and 10 mm. The cut surface roughness and maximal cutting speed were measured in the cases of the circular polarization of the laser beam, and plane polarization at various angles between the polarization plane and cutting speed direction. For all thicknesses, the roughness is minimal when the cutting speed direction is perpendicular to the polarization plane. The cutting speed and cut surface quality of the samples, cut by the СО2 laser at various polarization states, were compared with the respective parameters of the samples cut by the fiber laser.

Semi-empirical equations of state (thermal and caloric) are obtained to calculate not only the kinematic parameters (shock wave velocity, particle velocity, and reverberation of waves) but also the thermodynamic parameters (temperature, pressure, and compression) of monolithic and porous polytetrafluoroethylene at high shock pressures. The equations of state are used to model wave interaction in shock-wave experiments using the developed hydrocode. The equations are verified by comparison simulation results with published results of experiments and the data of our shock compression tests of solid and porous samples of PTFE in the range of 10–170 GPa.