The article is dedicated to the memory of Academician V.N. Antsiferov, the outstanding Russian scientist who significantly contributed to the materials science. The article describes his steps of becoming a scientist; the history of establishing the Russian largest scientific center of powder material science as being the Antsiferov’s School; Antsiferov’s activity as the director of this Center, the Professor holding a Chair in the Technical University, the Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The article highlights the most important research results of the scientist and the group he headed in the field of powder metallurgy and materials science for the aerospace complex, machine and instrument making industry, oil production and other industries.

The paper examines nanopowders of ZrO₂–Y₂O₃–CeO₂ and ZrO₂–Y₂O₃–CeO₂–Al₂O₃ systems in order to study the influence of a dispersion medium pH on the solubility of complex nanopowder particles in aqueous media after filtration and centrifugation for preparation of stable dispersions for further toxicological tests of nanoparticles. The concentration of elements remaining in the supernatant after sample preparation which includes membrane filtration and centrifugation is determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The paper defines main characteristics of dispersions of synthesized nanopowders such as the point zero of charge and zeta potential. It is found that the highest aggregate stability of nanopowder dispersion without Al₂O₃ additive lies in the optimal pH range from 5,5 to 9,5, while the highest aggregate stability of nanopowder dispersion with Al₂O₃ additive is at pH = 7,0. The obtained results indicate that dispersion of these powders leads to formation of yttrium oxyhydroxide hydrosol dissolved at pH < 6,0. Aluminum hydroxide is formed when the powder with Al₂O₃ additive is dissolved in neutral aqueous media, while in acidic media (pH < 6) basic soluble salts are formed instead of aluminum hydroxide, and in alkaline media (pH > 7) amphoteric aluminum hydroxide is dissolved due to the formation of aluminates

The paper reviews the results of using the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) powder technology to obtain various nanomaterials, which can be utilized for tribological purposes. Firstly, these are low-cost nanopowders of sulfides, oxides, nitrides, carbides, borides and metals, which can be used as solid lubricants and friction modifiers for liquid and semisolid lubricants. Secondly, these are solid compact nanostructured ceramic and composite materials for the production of tribological structures. This type of nanomaterials can be obtained either ex situ from SHS nanopowders by sintering or introducing into the melt or in situ in a single stage from initial powdered reagents by the methods of gasostatiс SHS technology, force SHS compaction, SHS casting, and SHS in the melt, which significantly simplifies and cheapens production of such materials. Thirdly, these are SHS materials for application of nanostructured coatings of different thickness with high wear resistance and low friction factor, such as nanostructured materials for surfacing and spraying, electro-spark alloying electrodes, multicomponent targets for magnetron sputtering and cathodes for vacuum arc evaporation, nanosized fillers for electrochemical and electroless chemical coatings.

The article presents the results of studying the complex alloy (ferrosilicoaluminum) nitriding under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The paper demonstrates that the ferrosilicoaluminum nitriding is a complex and multistage process. It is found that the ferroalloy nitriding produces AlN as a primary product with the subsequent Si₃N₄ synthesis resulting in the formation of Si₃N₄-based solid solutions. The rate and degree of the ferrosilicoaluminum nitriding are studied versus the main parameters of SHS. The paper also identifies critical parameters of the combustion process.

Based on the model of regular solutions and experimental data on quasi-binary sections and individual substances, the liquidus surfaces of SiC–B₄C–Me^dB₂ quasi-ternary eutectic systems (where boride Me^dB₂ – CrB₂, VB₂, NbB₂, TaB₂, TiB₂, ZrB₂, HfB₂, W₂B₅) are built. The paper provides the comparison of theoretical calculations with experimental data and reviews regularities of SiC–B₄C–Me^dB₂ phase diagrams. It is found that there is a regular decrease in diboride concentration in the ternary eutectics with the increase in its melting point. Correlations are established between the eutectic temperature and Me^dB₂ melting point t_эвт = f(t_пл ^MedB2), the eutectic temperature and MedB2 formation enthalpy : t_эвт = f(ΔH_f ^MedB2). The type of correlations is close to similar correlations observed earlier in SiC–Me^dB₂ and B₄C–Me^dB₂ boundary quasi-binary systems. The structure and parameter analysis of the reviewed systems allows for the conclusion on the prospects of developing a wide range of engineering and functional ceramic materials and coatings based on these systems and obtained by pressureless sintering, as well as heating and consolidation pulse methods.

Thermodynamic calculations of structural and phase balance in the Ti–Si–C system at 1100–1400 °C was made using the CALPHAD method. The paper demonstrates the calculated phase diagrams of this system. It is found that 100 % of the Ti₃SiC₂ phase is formed at the stoichiometric relationship of components. Deviations in the carbon or silicon content lead to the formation of titanium carbide, titanium disilicide, or silicon carbide in the system. The phase composition is virtually not affected by the temperature in the examined temperature range. The paper provides comparison of the calculated data with the experimentally determined phase composition of the said system samples after the spark plasma sintering of the mechanoactivated powder. In practice, the process temperature and the duration of high-temperature soak significantly affect the phase composition of the final product due to the limited speed of solid phase reactions during the synthesis of compounds. The resulting samples have a grain size of 1–5 μm and hardness of 4–15 GPa depending on the phase composition.

The study covers the formation of structure and properties during infiltration, pressureless and spark plasma sintering in Cu – (12,5÷37,5 vol.%) Ti₃SiC₂ powder materials using electron microscopy, X-ray phase and energy dispersive analysis methods. The paper determines the independence of composite material (CM) phase composition from the sintering method and the temperature within 900–1200 °C. Special aspects of CM structure formation during sintering include deintercalation of silicon from titanium carbosilicide, formation of a solid carbon solution based on titanium silicide Ti₅Si₃(С), small amounts of titanium carbide, silicon carbide and silicide TiSi₂. The increased concentration of Ti₃SiC₂ in CM leads to a certain decrease in electrical conductivity, but also to a significant increase in hardness, strength and wear resistance of the electroerosion electrode composites for EDM.

Highly porous permeable materials were obtained from zirconia nanopowders stabilized with 2, 3 and 7 mol.% of yttria by duplicating the polymer matrix. It was found that samples feature a complex surface relief formed by sintered powder agglomerates obtained as a result of sintering treatment. Raman spectroscopy showed that the phase composition of material surfaces is identical to the phase composition of initial nanopowders and was only presented by the tetragonal modification in all the reviewed cases. The study demonstrated that the application of nickel (active catalytic component) from nickel nitrate solutions or by metallic nickel deposition on the surface of ZrO₂ stabilized with 3 mol.% of Y₂O₃ led to a monoclinic modification. Only tetragonal modification was identified on the surface of highly porous ZrO₂ samples stabilized with 2 and 7 mol.% of Y₂O₃. The peak decomposition procedure recorded a shift in the integrated intensity of peaks towards the lines typical for monoclinic modification.

The paper studies specific aspects of the production process, structure and properties of porous permeable materials made of fiber and VT1-0 grade wire. It is shown that these are perspective materials for medicine, in particular for replacement of bone defects. These materials allow for varying porosity and related physical and mechanical properties in a wide range to bring them to bone tissue characteristics as close as possible, provide conditions for penetration and germination of bone in pore spaces, and make it plastic without tendency to chipping.

The thermal stability of multilayer nanostructured coatings is investigated by analyzing the diffusion mobility of layer components. The paper studies in detail the possibility of increasing the thermal stability of multilayer coatings based on mutually-soluble Ti–Al–N and Cr–N layers by introducing an additional Zr–N-based barrier layer into the multilayer nanostructure. The calculated coefficients of basic coating metal element diffusion into the corresponding nitride layers when heating to 800–1000 °C show no significant diffusion blur of layer boundaries in the presence of a Zr–N-based barrier layer. Thus, its introduction reduces their values (obtained at t = 1000 °C, cm²/s: D_Cr/TiN = 5·10^–17, D_Cr/ZrN = 2·10^–18; D_Ti/Cr2N = 9·10^–18, D_Ti/ZrN = 3·10^–18). Physical and mechanical properties of the coatings are not changed during vacuum annealing at t < 900 °C but significantly degrade as the annealing temperature rises further due to the degradation of the multilayer structure of coatings during their annealing.

Multicomponent nanostructured TiCaPCON–B coatings with 7,4–15,0 at.% of boron were obtained by magnetron sputtering. It was shown that all elements were uniformly distributed over the coating thickness. The TiCaPCON–B coatings revealed a dense columnar structure with a column width less than 80 nm. It was found that the introduction of boron changed the phase composition of the coatings, but had no significant effect on their morphology. The base of the TiCaPCON–B coatings consisted of free carbon and Ti(C, N), TiB₂, BN phases. The study of mechanical properties revealed that the coatings had a relatively high hardness (20–24 GPa) and low Young’s modulus (213–231 GPa). The coatings exhibited hydrophilic properties within the 24-hour exposure to air. Depending on the boron content in the coating, its rate of release into normal saline was 17–24 mkg/(l·сm²·day). In vitro biological studies showed 30–40 % improvement in bioactivity of coatings containing 12,7–15,0 at.% of boron as compared with titanium.