Metallurgy Meets Innovation: BelSU Researchers Share Insights at Key Event

The event, titled “Current Issues in Physical Metallurgy of Steels and Alloys,” attracted over 100 participants and marked the 28th gathering of the Ural School of Metallurgical Technologists and Thermal Engineers. This year’s conference was particularly special, as it commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Honored Scientist, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, and Professor Leonid Tushinsky, the founder of the NETI School of Materials Science.

Traditionally held every two years in February across various cities in the Urals region of Russia, this scientific and technical conference brought together leading experts from multiple disciplines. The main organizers included Novosibirsk State Technical University (NETI), the Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Metal Physics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin.

The conference focused on critical topics such as phase and structural transformations, structural evolution under plastic deformation and heat treatment, as well as cutting-edge developments in additive manufacturing and advanced materials. Participants engaged in discussions about physical and computational methods for material diagnostics.

Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) was well-represented, with staff from two laboratories: the Laboratory of Bulk Nanostructured Materials and the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Heat-Resistant Materials. Researchers presented their findings, supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), highlighting new methods for processing metals and alloys to enhance their mechanical properties.

Dmitry Panov, Head of the Bulk Nanostructured Materials Laboratory, delivered an invited presentation titled “Deformation and Fracture of Gradient Austenitic Steels,” which sparked significant interest among attendees. Stanislav Naumov, a Senior Researcher in the same laboratory, presented his paper on the effects of heat treatment on a gamma-titanium aluminide-based alloy.

Anastasia Semenyuk, a Junior Researcher, showcased her work on high-chromium steel formed by selective laser melting, earning a third-place diploma for her poster presentation among young researchers. Aleksandr Kalinenko, also a Junior Researcher at BelSU and winner of the "BelSU Scientist of the Year" award, discussed microstructural aspects of friction stir machining of high-chromium steel. Additionally, Ivan Nikitin, a junior researcher with a PhD in Engineering, shared insights from his research on selective laser melting.

Other staff members from Belgorod State University also made their mark at the conference in Berdsk with poster presentations. Sergey Mironov, a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Heat-Resistant Materials, participated in absentia. A professor in the Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology at the Institute of Engineering and Digital Technologies, Mironov was honoured as “BelSU Scientist of the Year.” His report focused on the mechanical behavior of heat-resistant steel type P92 produced through selective laser melting.

Ivan Zuyko, a senior researcher in the same laboratory and recipient of the AKSALIT 2025 industry award, presented a poster detailing the heat resistance of an aluminum-matrix composite created via friction stir processing. Additionally, Maxim Tkachev, a graduate student in the Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, showcased his research on “The Effect of Friction Stir Processing on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CU-CR-ZR-Y Alloy.”

Sergey Borisov, a junior researcher in the Laboratory of Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured and Heat-Resistant Materials, along with Ivan Brazhnikov, a research engineer at the BelSU Technology and Materials Shared Use Center, also shared their findings in poster format. 

As noted by the BelSU scientists, the Urals School of Metallurgists, with a rich history spanning over half a century, once again served as a vital platform for discussing pressing issues in modern science and facilitating knowledge transfer among experts in the field.