This collection of articles is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Physics Department named after Professor V. M. Finkel (currently the Department of Natural Sciences named after Professor V. M. Finkel) of the Institute of Fundamental Education of the Siberian State Industrial University and its scientific school "Strength and Plasticity of Materials under External Energy Impacts". This department is a powerful scientific and pedagogical team with an original physical theme, dealing with the problems of strength and plasticity of solids. The process of formation of the team is genetically linked with the leadership of the department by Professor Viktor Moiseevich Finkel, whose name it now bears. His successors, Professor Lev Borisovich Zuev and the current head of the department, Professor Viktor Evgenievich Gromov, preserved and increased the research traditions of the department team.

The data on formation of “white” layers on the surface of rails during long-term operation taken from scientific literature are analyzed. It is noted that the main mechanisms of formation of these layers is martensite and nanosized ferrite generation. Advantages and disadvantages of modern methods of structural studies of “white” layers by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron backscatter diffraction, crystallographic orientation mapping in TEM, Kikuchi diffraction are revealed. Analyzing models of layer formation during intense plastic deformation, it was noted that good conformity with experimental data is provided by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability model.

Effect of ultra - high-frequency (microwave) radiation on the processes of active deformation and relaxation of mechanical stresses in loaded stainless steel samples under the action of current pulses and orientations of vector of microwave radiation electric field stress longitudinally and transversely directed to the axis of the deformed sample is established. With longitudinal orientation of microwave radiation vector and current impact, metal softening effect increases from 22 to 30 %. Analysis of microstructure of samples has shown a significant impact of external energy on grain deformation.

By means of modern physical materials science structure, phase composition, defective substructure and tribological properties that are generated at various distances along the central axis and along the fillet in the head of volumetric and differentially hardened rails in the initial state and after the passed tonnage of 691.8 and 1411 million tons gross have been investigated. For grains of lamellar perlite, ferrite-carbide mixture, and structurally free ferrite, values of scalar density of dislocations are obtained.

The hardening of metallic materials was studied on the basis of the well-known Taylor relation: the relationship between dislocation density and flow stress. The method of transmission electron diffraction microscopy was used to study the structure of samples at various test temperatures in tensile-deformed polycrystalline FCC of solid solutions Cu – Al in the range of aluminum concentrations from 0.5 to 14.0 % (atom.) with an average grain size of 10 – 240 µm. In the Taylor relation, the parameter α characterizes the inter-dislocation interaction. The magnitude of this parameter is mainly calculated theoretically. Based on experimental data, the values of α were calculated for the whole sample and for various types of substructures. The quantitative values of the parameters are given. The analysis of the parameters depending on the concentration of aluminum, the test temperature for fixed values of grain size. The influence of the type of substructure on the parameter value in a particular substructure is investigated.

Features of vibrational response of metal consolidated samples to electrical impulses impact are considered. Results of experimental studies that can be used in analysis of physical processes associated with deformation of metal conductors under the influence of electrical impulses are presented. Obtained experimental data can be used in study of properties of electrically conductive structural elements of electromechanical equipment, in development of non-destructive testing methods, surface treatment of metals, as well as in creation of detachable and permanent connections.

The analysis of the structure and microhardness of a part made of heat- and acid-resistant cast iron of the TEA brand after electric blasting of the internal cylindrical surface is carried out. The optimal processing mode is selected, which is characterized by the formation of a thermally stable layer with a 1.8-fold increased microhardness depth of about 40 microns; partial dissolution in the hardened layer of large graphite inclusions and eutectic colonies, which cause the destruction of the part; the formation of a fine graphite on the surface of a baked layer of solid lubricant; creating an additional relief of the wear surface, which facilitates the running-in of the mating surfaces.

The work is devoted to the analysis of the influence of weak constant magnetic fields with induction up to 0.6 T on the strength and plastic characteristics of paramagnetic materials, in this case polycrystalline technical pure titanium and aluminum. In the course of the work, it was found that weak magnetic fields can qualitatively affect the plastic characteristics of the materials under study. The effect of the magnetic field linearly depended on the induction of the magnetic field and was quantitatively characterized by a change in the microhardness of polycrystalline technically pure titanium and polycrystalline technically pure aluminum. A comparative analysis of the change in the stationary creep rate in a magnetic field of 0.4 T for titanium and aluminum is presented.

The microhardness, elemental and phase composition of the Al – 11Si – 2Cu alloy subjected to electron-plasma alloying, which consisted of an electric explosion of a titanium conductor with a powder charge of Y2O3 and subsequent high-speed heating using an intense pulsed electron beam, were studied. A significant increase in the microhardness of the surface layers of the alloy was found. The penetration depth of the alloying elements, characterizing the thickness of the modified layer, was approximately 170 μm. The material layer (5 μm), most closely adjacent to the modification surface, is characterized by the maximum (155 ± 15.5 HV) microhardness. An intensive decrease in microhardness begins at a distance of 110 μm from the surface and at a distance of 170 μm the microhardness reaches the initial values of 85.9 ± 8 HV. A comparative analysis of changes in microhardness with the concentration of alloying elements in the surface layer of the alloy shows that the increase in microhardness is clearly associated with the presence of titanium and yttrium in the modified layer.

The aim of the work is to study the possibility of increasing the depth of the processing zone during electroexplosive alloying due to the additional amount of heat released during exothermic reactions of interaction of the mixed components. It has been experimentally shown that when alloying the surface of an aluminum substrate with titanium and nickel at an action pulse duration of 100 μs, the depth of the processing zone can reach 150 - 200 μm. Estimated calculations of the influence of thermal effects characteristic of Ti - Al and Ni - Al systems during liquid-phase mixing of components have been carried out, allowing us to explain the results of processing.

The paper studies the structure of the welded joint of rail steel grade E76HF at various modes of contact heating. The optical microscopy methods were used to study and describe the structure in various metal regions in the heat-affected zone. It was established that the welded joint of the samples under study has several zones with different structures, among which a zone consisting of finely divided lamellar perlite (sorbitol) with sections of troostite, a zone of coagulated sorbitol, and a zone whose microstructure is characteristic of the main rail metal in heat-strengthened condition can be distiguished. It was revealed that conducting contact heating after flash butt welding reduces the amount of martensite in the weld zone. During the study, the optimal parameters of contact heating were determined, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a material structure that allows the service life of rails to be increased.

Most of the metals and alloys performance characteristics are determined by the structural phase state of the surfacelayers. These characteristics can be significantly improved by surface hardening. Silumin of the eutectic compositionAK12 and technically pure titanium of the VT1-0 grade were treated by a high-intensity pulsed electron beam in various modes. Many-cycle fatigue tests were carried out and irradiation modes were revealed, which made it possible to increase significantly the fatigue life of the materials under study. Using the methods of scanning and transmission electron
diffraction microscopy, we studied the structural-phase states and defective substructure of silumin and titanium, subjected to multi-cycle fatigue tests to their failure. It was revealed that irradiation of the silumin surface with a high-
intensity pulsed electron beam with electron energy parameters 18 keV, ES = 20 J/cm2, τ = 150 μs, N = 5 pulses, f = 0.3 s–1 allows its fatigue life to be increased 3.5 times. The main reasons for the multiple increase in the fatigue life of silumin are the formation of a multiphase submicro- and nanoscale structure in the surface layer, and the grinding of large silicon wafers to a nanoscale state. The physical reasons for the 2.2-fold increase in the fatigue life of technically pure titanium after electron-beam treatment according to the mode (electron energy 16 keV, ES = 25 J/cm2, τ = 150 μs, N = 3 pulses,
f = 0.3 s–1) are the formation of a lamellar substructure due to high-speed crystallization of the titanium surface layer and a more than twofold decrease in the scalar dislocation density.

Based on experimental research, regularities of influence of chemical composition of E76KHF and E90KHAF rail steel on its maximum plasticity are defined. Data on significant effect of increasing content of carbon, nitrogen, vanadium, sulfur and phosphorus in these steel grades within the interval specified in the state standard on reduction of their plasticity are obtained. Significant effect of increase in steels deformation rate on reduction of their hot plasticity is shown.

The article presents different approaches to motivation of staff in management scientific school, in content and process theories, describes criteria for motivational impact selection, presents its stages and directions. It is noted that motivated personnel are the key to successful work and progressive movement of organization to its strategy implementation and strengthening its market position. The key definition of the article is revealed as a set of driving forces, both in the external environment and within the person, encouraging him/her to carry out certain actions that give them a certain direction.

The article deals with some issues and problems of competence-oriented State Federal Educational Standarts in two-level education system of higher education