Processing of metals by powerful electron beams

Treatment of metals by powerful relativistic electron beams is discussed. The quenching effects, recrystallisation, aging and other structural and phase transformations can be achieved depending on regime of irradiation. In principle, it permits to get also structural states of metal, which are impossible to get by conventional methods of heat treatment. Irradiation was found to decrease the recrystallisation threshold. Electric steel with unique magneto contrasting structure, which decrease of electromagnetic loss, compositions “metalglue-metal” based on low-carbon steel with high vibration absorption properties were obtained using irradiation, for example.