Application of pulsed electron beams for improvement of material surface properties

The pulsed electron beam facilities GESA I and GESA II were developed in cooperation between Efremov Institute St. Petersburg, Russia and the Research Center Karlsruhe (FZK), Germany for large area surface treatment with beam diameter of 4 – 10 cm. It melts the material surface down to a depth of 10–100 µm. Technological applications are improvement of high temperature oxidation resistance of MCrAlY and of its bonding properties to TBC´s, prevention of liquid metal attack on steels, surface hardening and increase of wear resistance and lowering of sea water corrosion and high cycle fatigue of aircraft engine blades. An overview is given on the status of the current applications.