The paper describes the results of comprehensive studies of the microstructure, mechanical and technological properties (formability and weldability in the solid state) of the titanium sheet alloy VT6 (Ti-6Al-4V) with improved superplastic properties produced by PSC «VSMPO-AVISMA». In the first part the initial microstructure of the alloy and its mechanical properties over a wide temperature range from 650 to 900°C at strain rates of 4×10 -4 , 4×10 -3 and 4×10 -2 s -1 have been investigated. It is found that the initial microstructure of the sheet is uniform and ultrafine grained with an average size of 1.2 μm. The initial grain size of the microstructure is varied from 0.1 to 4 microns. Most of the grains have a size from 0.5 to 1.5 microns. Mechanical tensile tests revealed that the ultrafine grained titanium alloy VT6 possesses higher superplastic characteristics as compared with those of the standard VT6 sheet. The microstructure of deformed samples and data on changes in the grain size depending on the temperature and strain rate are investigated and represented. The comparison of the superplastic characteristics of the samples cut along and across to the rolling direction indicates the absence of anisotropy. The studied alloy exhibits the best superplastic properties at temperatures ranging from 700 to 850°C and strain rates of 4×10 -4 -4×10 -3 s −1 , which corresponds to the manifestation of the low-temperature superplasticity. Superplastic elongations are from 650 to 1075 %. That allows us to recommend the produced sheet alloy for development of low temperature processing methods based on superplastic forming and diffusion welding to manufacture the parts for aerospace industry.

No abstract

According to the development of the concept of “zero failure” or “zero fuel element defect”, accepted in 2011, which consists in reducing the number of fuel elements that are depressurized in the process of operation to the reached level in the leading countries in nuclear energy (10−6–10−5 defective fuel rods) and avoidance of fuel assemblies with non-hermetic cladding of fuel rods for further operation, including defects with a “gas leak” type, new promising fuels are being developed and introduced, including methods for justifying their safety. Thus, to ensure reliability and safety of new fuel types, it is necessary to provide procedures for monitoring current performance characteristics at all stages of the life cycle of fuel rods. In this paper, experience is given on the development and implementation of instrumentation and methods for monitoring of fuel rods with advanced types of nuclear fuel for VVER reactors that ensure the reliability, safety and competitiveness of technologies associated with the use of advanced fuel rod types, and the implementation of associated components, systems and equipment for monitoring and diagnostics. The features of the applied techniques are presented, and the new system of requirements for the implemented equipment created on their basis. This research continues, and the analysis of intermediate experimental data is carried out in this article.

This article presents research results of national research universities (NRU) and federal universities (FU) contribution to the Project of competitiveness enhancement of the leading Russian universities among global research and education centers (Project 5-100). The following indicators were analyzed: publications, indexed in Web of Science and Scopus databases, share of international students and faculty, share of young employees and staff with PhD, performance in international rankings, etc. The analysis was based on 41 quantitative and 11 qualitative indicators. In the analysis the following data sources were used: statistical forms 1-Monitoring, rankings agencies data, etc. It has been determined that the most influence on the Russian education competitiveness enhancement in the world belongs to the leading NRU – participants of Project 5-100. The article analyzes the contribution of federal universities in the implementation of the Project 5-100.

No abstract