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Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites
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Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2024 | Viewed by 4102

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tong Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: Al and Mg composites; heat-resistant Al alloys; metal additive manufacturing; powder metallurgy; nanomaterials; nucleation; phase formation; crystal growth
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High-performance light alloys and composite (HPLAC) materials have attractive attention for decades, since they possess a promising future for application in industry, transportation and aerospace. Extensive novel preparation methods, specific heat-treatment strategies, particular alloying elements and reinforcements have been confirmed to efficiently improve the mechanical properties of HPLAC materials. Nowadays, the development of advanced testing and inspection equipment and precise computational material theories have provided new opportunities for designing and producing HPLAC materials.

This Special Issue will provide readers with up-to-date information on the recent progress in the field of HPLAC materials. Papers related to preparation methods, microstructure characterization, mechanical properties, and the service performance of HPLAC materials are all within the realm of this Special Issue. Potential material preparation methods include, but are not limited to, casting, powder metallurgy, and 3D printing, while the mechanical properties for consideration include tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, fatigue performance, elastic modulus and wear resistance, etc., at both room temperature and elevated temperature.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews that address advances in HPLAC materials are welcome.

Dr. Tong Gao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • high-performance light alloys
  • light alloy-based composites
  • mechanical properties
  • strengthening mechanisms
  • phase evolution
  • microstructure
  • casting
  • powder metallurgy
  • ball milling
  • reinforcements
  • materials science and engineering

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

2 pages, 166 KiB  
Editorial
How Can We Overcome the Strength–Ductility Tradeoff in Light Alloys and Related Composites?
by Tong Gao and Xiangfa Liu
Materials 2023, 16(3), 934; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16030934 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 776
Abstract
In recent decades, the design and development of light alloys and related composites to achieve a good combination of strength and ductility have attracted huge attention [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

17 pages, 7624 KiB  
Article
Controlled Size Characterization Process for In-Situ TiB2 Particles from Al Matrix Composites Using Nanoparticle Size Analysis
by Mingliang Wang, Qian Wang, Zeyu Bian, Siyi Chen, Yue Gong, Cunjuan Xia, Dong Chen and Haowei Wang
Materials 2024, 17(9), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17092052 - 27 Apr 2024
Viewed by 253
Abstract
The wide size range and high tendency to agglomerate of in-situ TiB2 particles in reinforced Al matrix composites introduce great difficulties in their size characterization. In order to use a nanoparticle size analyzer (NSA) to obtain the precise size distribution of TiB [...] Read more.
The wide size range and high tendency to agglomerate of in-situ TiB2 particles in reinforced Al matrix composites introduce great difficulties in their size characterization. In order to use a nanoparticle size analyzer (NSA) to obtain the precise size distribution of TiB2 particles, a controlled size characterization process has been explored. First, the extraction and drying processes for TiB2 particles were optimized. In the extraction process, alternated applications of magnetic stirring and normal ultrasound treatments were proven to accelerate the dissolution of the Al matrix in HCl solution. Furthermore, freeze-drying was found to minimize the agglomeration tendency among TiB2 particles, facilitating the acquisition of pure powders. Such powders were quantitatively made into an initial TiB2 suspension. Second, the chemical and physical dispersion technologies involved in initial TiB2 suspension were put into focus. Chemically, adding PEI (M.W. 10000) at a ratio of mPEI/mTiB2 = 1/30 into the initial suspension can greatly improve the degree of TiB2 dispersion. Physically, the optimum duration for high-energy ultrasound application to achieve TiB2 dispersion was 10 min. Overall, the corresponding underlying dispersion mechanisms were discussed in detail. With the combination of these chemical and physical dispersion specifications for TiB2 suspension, the bimodal size distribution of TiB2 was able to be characterized by NSA for the first time, and its number-average diameter was 111 ± 6 nm, which was reduced by 59.8% over the initial suspension. Indeed, the small-sized and large-sized peaks of the TiB2 particles characterized by NSA mostly match the results obtained from transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)
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16 pages, 20002 KiB  
Article
Influence of Zr Microalloying on the Microstructure and Room-/High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of an Al–Cu–Mn–Fe Alloy
by Jingbin Liu, Jingyi Hu, Mengyu Li, Guiliang Liu, Yuying Wu, Tong Gao, Shushuai Liu and Xiangfa Liu
Materials 2024, 17(9), 2022; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17092022 - 26 Apr 2024
Viewed by 359
Abstract
Here, 0.3 wt.%Zr was introduced in an Al-4 wt.%Cu-0.5 wt.%Mn-0.1 wt.%Fe alloy to investigate its influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy. The microstructures of both as-cast and T6-treated Al–Cu–Mn–Fe (ACMF) and Al–Cu–Mn–Fe–Zr (ACMFZ) alloys were analyzed. The intermetallic compounds [...] Read more.
Here, 0.3 wt.%Zr was introduced in an Al-4 wt.%Cu-0.5 wt.%Mn-0.1 wt.%Fe alloy to investigate its influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy. The microstructures of both as-cast and T6-treated Al–Cu–Mn–Fe (ACMF) and Al–Cu–Mn–Fe–Zr (ACMFZ) alloys were analyzed. The intermetallic compounds formed through the casting procedure include Al2Cu and Al7Cu2Fe, and the Al2Cu phase dissolves into the matrix and re-precipitates as θ′ phase during the T6 process. The introduction of Zr results in the precipitation of L12-Al3Zr nanometric precipitates after T6, while the θ′ precipitates in ACMFZ alloy are much finer than those in ACMF alloy. The L12-Al3Zr precipitates were found coherently located with θ′, which was assumed beneficial for stabilizing the θ′ precipitates during the high-temperature tensile process. The tensile properties of ACMF and ACMFZ alloys at room temperature and elevated temperatures (200, 300, and 400 °C) were tested. Especially, the yield strength of ACMFZ alloys can reach 128 MPa and 65 MPa at 300 °C and 400 °C, respectively, which are 31% and 33% higher than those of ACMF alloys. The strengthening mechanisms of grain size, L12-Al3Zr, and θ′ precipitates on the tensile properties were discussed. This work may be referred to for designing Al–Cu alloys for application in high-temperature fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)
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15 pages, 5630 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Compression Behavior of High Porosity, Microporous Open-Cell Al Foam Using Supergravity Infiltration Method
by Yuan Li, Zhe Wang and Zhancheng Guo
Materials 2024, 17(2), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17020337 - 10 Jan 2024
Viewed by 499
Abstract
By employing a method that combines a NaCl compacting template and supergravity infiltration, open-cell aluminum (Al) foam with varying porosities was prepared. The Al foam fabricated has a pore size of 400 µm and porosity ranging from 0.72 to 0.88. The experimental results [...] Read more.
By employing a method that combines a NaCl compacting template and supergravity infiltration, open-cell aluminum (Al) foam with varying porosities was prepared. The Al foam fabricated has a pore size of 400 µm and porosity ranging from 0.72 to 0.88. The experimental results indicate that, with an increase in compaction pressure during the NaCl compacting process, the porosity of the foam Al increases and the struts become finer. As the gravity coefficient increases, the density and integrity of the foam Al also increase. Due to the effectiveness of supergravity in overcoming the infiltration resistance between the NaCl preform and molten Al, the supergravity infiltration method holds promise as a practical new technique for fabricating high-porosity open-cell Al foam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)
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16 pages, 9044 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study on Microstructure, Segregation, and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Mg Alloy Parts Processed by GISS-HPDC and SEED-HPDC
by Guo-Chao Gu, Li-Xin Xiang, Rui-Fen Li, Wen-Hua Xu, Hong-Liang Zheng, Wen-Hao Wang and Yu-Peng Lu
Materials 2023, 16(20), 6652; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16206652 - 11 Oct 2023
Viewed by 950
Abstract
There are multiple routes to prepare semi-solid slurries with a globular microstructure for semi-solid forming. The variations in the microstructure of semi-solid slurries prepared using different routes may lead to significant differences in the flow behavior and mechanical properties of rheo-diecasting parts. Therefore, [...] Read more.
There are multiple routes to prepare semi-solid slurries with a globular microstructure for semi-solid forming. The variations in the microstructure of semi-solid slurries prepared using different routes may lead to significant differences in the flow behavior and mechanical properties of rheo-diecasting parts. Therefore, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the microstructure evolution associated with different slurry preparation routes and their resulting effects. In this study, the gas-induced semi-solid process (GISS) and the swirl enthalpy equilibrium device (SEED) routes were employed to prepare semi-solid Al-Si-Mg slurries for their simplicity and productivity in potential industrial applications. The prepared slurries were then injected into the shoot sleeves of a high-pressure die casting (HPDC) machine to produce tensile test bars. Subsequently, the bars underwent T6 treatment to enhance their mechanical properties. The microstructure, segregation, and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated and compared with those of conventional HPDC. The results indicated that the GISS and SEED can produce semi-solid slurries containing a spherical α-Al primary phase, as opposed to the dendritic structure commonly found in conventional castings. The liquid fraction had a significant effect on the flow behavior, resulting in variations in liquid segregation and mechanical properties. It was observed that a higher solid fraction (>75%) had a suppressing effect on surface liquid segregation. In addition, the tendency for liquid segregation gradually increased along the filling direction due to the special flow behavior of the semi-solid slurry with a low solid fraction. Furthermore, under the same die-casting process parameters, the conventional HPDC samples exhibit higher yield stress (139 ± 3 MPa) compared to SEED-HPDC and GISS-HPDC samples, which may be attributed to the small grain size and the distribution of eutectic phases. After undergoing the T6 treatment, both SEED-HPDC and GISS-HPDC samples showed a significant improvement in yield and tensile strength. These improvements are a result of solution and precipitation strengthening effects as well as the spheroidization of the eutectic Si phase. Moreover, the heat-treated SEED-HPDC samples demonstrate higher ultimate strength (336 ± 5 MPa) and elongation (13.7 ± 0.3%) in comparison to the GISS-HPDC samples (307 ± 4 MPa, 8.8 ± 0.2%) after heat treatment, mainly due to their low porosity density. These findings suggest that both GISS-HPDC and SEED-HPDC processes can be utilized to produce parts with favorable mechanical properties by implementing appropriate heat treatments. However, further investigation is required to control the porosities of GISS-HPDC samples during heat treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)
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17 pages, 10407 KiB  
Article
Effects of Heating Rates on Microstructural Evolution of Hot Extruded 7075 Aluminum Alloy in the Semi-Solid State and Thixotropic Deformation Behavior
by Guochao Gu, Ruifen Li, Lixin Xiang, Guiyong Xiao and Yupeng Lu
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6145; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186145 - 10 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 773
Abstract
The non-dendritic microstructure plays a crucial role in determining the rheological properties of semi-solid alloys, which are of the utmost importance for the successful industrial application of the thixoforging process. To further understand the impact of the reheating process on the evolution of [...] Read more.
The non-dendritic microstructure plays a crucial role in determining the rheological properties of semi-solid alloys, which are of the utmost importance for the successful industrial application of the thixoforging process. To further understand the impact of the reheating process on the evolution of microstructure and thixotropic deformation behavior in the semi-solid state, a hot extruded and T6 treated 7075 aluminum alloy was reheated to the selected temperature ranges using varying heating rates. Subsequently, thixo-compression tests were performed. The study found that during reheating and isothermal holding, the elongated microstructure of the as-supplied alloy can transform into equiaxed or spherical grains. The presence of recrystallized grains was found to be closely linked to the penetration of the liquid phase into the recrystallized grain boundaries. Furthermore, it was observed that higher heating rates resulted in smaller grain sizes. The thixotropic flow behavior of the alloy with various microstructures was analyzed using the true stress–strain curves obtained by thixo-compression experiments, which exhibited three stages: a rapid increase in true stress to a peak value, followed by a decrease in true stress and a steady stress until the end of compression. The stress fluctuated with strain during the formation of the slurry at a strain rate of 10 s−1, indicating the significant role of strain rate in material flow during semisolid formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Light Alloys and Related Composites)
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