Post-processing and surface functionalization

Surface treatments based on severe plastic deformation (SPD) stand among the most efficient methods for controlling the microstructure of the substrate for efficiently leading towards superior mechanical strength while preserving the ductility. We use ultrasonic shot peening that takes root in classic shot peening to selectively impact the surface of the substrate with high-speed media, creating hybrid microstructures on the surface and along the depth of the substrate material. The research is motivated by inducing grain size heterogeneity in thin structures to modulate their mechanical response under various types of loading.