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Materials, Volume 19, Issue 8 (April-2 2026) – 6 articles

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15 pages, 14935 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evolutions in Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Ni-Si-Mg-Mn Multi-Element High-Solute Alloy During a Short-Time Solid Solution Treatment, Aging, and Cold-Rolling

by Yuhang Zhang, Xiaolong Feng, Qingke Zhang, Xiang Lu, Cheng Xu, Xinli Zhang, Feng Liu and Zhenlun Song

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081485 (registering DOI) - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

To obtain ultrahigh strength Cu alloy strip for board-to-board connectors, a CuNiSiMgMn multi-element high-solute alloy was designed, and high-temperature short-time solid solution was utilized to optimize the properties of this alloy. The evolution in microstructure and properties of the cold-rolled CuNiSiMgMn alloy strip during high-temperature short-time solid solution, aging, and further cold-rolling are investigated. The results reveal that there are high-density Ni_xSi precipitates and deformation defects in the original cold-rolled CuNiSiMgMn alloy strip. During a solid solution at 1000 °C, recrystallization primarily occurs between 15 and 30 s, while precipitate decomposition starts at a solid solution time of ~30 s and is almost complete 10 s later. With further increase in the solid solution time, the grain size of the alloy grows rapidly, but the residual precipitate particles exhibit little change. Upon aging at 500 °C for 2 h and a further 80% cold-rolling, nano-sized precipitates are formed, yielding high-strength alloy strips. The 80% cold-rolling increases the microhardness by 12% and decreases the electrical conductivity by 3% IACS. The strip solid solution-treated for 35 s exhibits the maximum strength, with a tensile strength of >950 MPa and a conductivity of >30% IACS. Further extension of the solid solution time decreases both the tensile strength and elongation. This work clarifies the critical time of recovery, recrystallization, and precipitate decomposition of the CuNiSiMgMn alloy during high-temperature solid solution and provides guidance for industrial production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Metals and Alloys)

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21 pages, 10280 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Layer Biocarbon Carbonized from Cellulose Nanocrystals as a Novel Lubricant Nanoadditive in Rapeseed Oil

by Minghang Guan, Kaiqi Su, Guodong Chen, Yu Cheng, Chao Chen, Haibin Zhou, Xiubo Liu and Yuan Meng

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1483; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081483 (registering DOI) - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

It is limited to use cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as green lubricant nanoadditives due to their high biodegradability. A promising solution is to convert CNCs into biocarbon. Herein, a multi-layer biocarbon (MLC) was prepared by carbonizing CNCs with an ionic liquids–thermal method. MLC was characterized comprehensively and then dispersed into rapeseed oil for use as a nanoadditive. The tribological performance of the MLC nanoadditive was evaluated using a ball-on-disc tribometer. The lubrication mechanism of the MLC nanoadditive was elucidated according to wear analysis of the worn surfaces and wear residues. It was found that MLC had a high carbon content of 77 at% and showed a two-dimensional multi-layered morphology. Each layer was composed of amorphous carbon nanosheets embedded with many crystalline carbon dots. The MLC nanoadditive was of excellent dispersibility and stability in rapeseed oil. Tribological experiments showed that the MLC nanoadditive, with a concentration of merely 0.04 wt%, led to a decrease in the frictional coefficient by 12.4% and the wear volume by 50.7%, having higher efficacy than the CNC nanoadditive. The exceptional lubrication effect of the MLC nanoadditive was mainly attributable to its interfacial deposition behavior and its subsequent fragmenting behavior. This work develops a novel method for biocarbon preparation and showcases its significant potential in lubrication applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Green Materials)

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19 pages, 6538 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Qualitative Study of the Oxidation Resistance of PBF-LB/M High-Ta Ni-Based Superalloys with Hf Additions

by Kai Dörries and Joachim Rösler

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1482; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081482 (registering DOI) - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that a new family of Ni-based superalloys with high Ta and high Hf contents exhibits a promising property profile and may be able to fill the gap between creep-resistant alloys and those processable by PBF-LB/M. The effect of simultaneously high Ta and Hf contents on oxidation resistance has not yet been investigated and is addressed qualitatively in this study. Isothermal oxidation tests were conducted in air at 950 °C for 100 h, 300 h, and 500 h. After cooling, the weight change and cross-sections of the specimens were examined. The study shows that the Hf-free alloy exhibits severe spallation of the Al-oxide and Cr-/Ni-oxide layer. The Hf-containing alloys exhibit improved oxide layer adhesion and a promoted formation of a continuous Al-oxide layer, which is attributed to the early formation of Hf-oxide particles. Furthermore, the addition of Hf influences the morphology of internally oxidized Al, which grows preferentially parallel to the surface rather than perpendicular to it. This behavior leads to effective protection of the alloys by an Al-oxide layer, either external or internal, which is remarkable considering the moderate Al content of only 3 wt.%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization, Properties, and Applications of New Metallic Alloys (2nd Edition))

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15 pages, 6942 KB

Open AccessArticle

Structure and Property of Foam Glass-Ceramic Prepared by Copper Tailings

by Linyun Shi, Yingliang Tian, Mingfu Huang, Feng He, Yuanze Wang and Zhiyong Zhao

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1481; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081481 (registering DOI) - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

Large-scale reuse of copper tailings can mitigate environmental hazards and recover strategic elements; this work investigates the feasibility of producing foam glass-ceramics with high copper-tailing content (>70 wt%) by tuning the CaO/SiO₂ ratio to couple melt viscosity and crystallisation. The comprehensive utilisation of these tailings helps mitigate environmental pollution and enhance resource efficiency. In this study, foam glass-ceramics with varying CaO/SiO₂ ratios were synthesised through melt quenching followed by foaming heat treatment. The effects of different CaO/SiO₂ ratios on the foaming behaviour, crystallisation, and microstructure were investigated using DSC, FTIR, viscosity, XRD, SEM, and CT. The results indicate that increasing the CaO/SiO₂ ratio disrupts the three-dimensional network structure of the glass, which lowers the glass viscosity and influences the bubble size and distribution in the foam glass-ceramics. Additionally, the increased CaO content promotes crystal precipitation and enhances the compressive strength of the foam glass-ceramics. At a CaO/SiO₂ mass ratio of 0.22, the foam glass-ceramics exhibited the lower bulk density (240 kg/m³) and thermal conductivity (0.07 W/m·K). The materials also demonstrated good water absorption and compressive strength. This study highlights the potential of using copper tailings in foam glass-ceramics to improve their overall performance, offering promising energy-saving and environmentally friendly solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced and Functional Ceramics and Glasses)

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17 pages, 2463 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Parameters of Block-Shaped Support Tooth Structure Using Orthogonal Experimental Design in Laser Powder Bed Fusion

by Zhongli Li, Guosheng Fei, Daijian Wu, Xiaoci Chen, Yingyan Yu, Zuofa Liu, Jiansheng Zhang and Jie Zhou

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1480; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081480 (registering DOI) - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

To address the challenges associated with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of overhanging structures—namely warping deformation, powder adhesion, and inadequate forming accuracy—this study investigates the optimization of the support–part contact interface using Inconel 625 alloy. The objective is to achieve high-quality part formation with minimal support structures. A Taguchi experimental design was employed to systematically evaluate the effects of key block support parameters—tooth height, tooth top length, tooth base length, and tooth base spacing—on the forming performance of overhanging structures, with forming accuracy and support removability as the optimization targets. The results reveal that tooth top length significantly influences both the forming accuracy of overhanging specimens and the ease of support removal. Specifically, an increase in tooth top length leads to a rapid reduction in specimen deformation, but simultaneously increases the difficulty of support removal. When the tooth top length was set to 0.1 mm, all overhanging specimens failed to form successfully. Tooth base length also plays a critical role in support removability, with removal difficulty initially decreasing and then stabilizing as the tooth base length increases. Based on the trade-off between forming quality and support removability, the optimal parameter combination was identified as: tooth height of 0.4 mm, tooth top length of 0.7 mm, tooth base length of 1.0 mm, and tooth base spacing of 0.3 mm. A validation experiment conducted using this optimized configuration demonstrated good forming accuracy in the support contact area, with a deformation value of −0.208 mm, confirming the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed parameters. This study not only provides a theoretical foundation for the optimal design of block supports in LPBF but also offers experimental data and practical guidance for selecting support parameters in the fabrication of overhanging structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Next-Generation Metal Additive Manufacturing: Intelligent Microstructure Design, Mechanical Reliability, and Advanced Material Systems for Industrial Applications)

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14 pages, 13367 KB

Open AccessArticle

Realizing 303 ps Ultrafast Scintillation Time in 2-Inch CsPbCl₃ Single Crystals Grown Under Br₂ Overpressure

by Jingwei Yang, Fangbao Wang, Liang Chen, Tao Bo, Zhifang Chai and Wenwen Lin

Materials 2026, 19(8), 1479; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081479 - 8 Apr 2026

Abstract

Large-sized, room-temperature ultrafast scintillator single crystals are highly demanded for fast timing applications such as time of flight–positron emission tomography, high-speed medical imaging, and pulse heavy-ray detection. Sub-nanosecond scintillation was discovered in 16 mm sized CsPbCl₃Br_x single crystals in our previous research. In this work, the crystal size of CsPbCl₃Br_0.03 was enlarged to 2 inches (50.8 mm). Meanwhile, by precisely optimizing the vertical Bridgman growth process, we further increased the concentration of Br dopant to realize even faster scintillation decay. In this study, we conducted a series of tests on the grown crystals, including temperature-dependent photoluminescence tests, alpha particle excitation tests, X-ray imaging tests, etc. Via the strategy of the incorporation of Br₂, Br dopant introduces highly efficient fast recombination centers in perovskite CsPbCl₃Br_0.03 crystals, resulting in an unprecedently fast scintillation decay time of 303 ps under ²⁴¹Am α-particle excitation, which is significantly shorter than that of the pure CsPbCl₃ and all other perovskites by at least two orders of magnitude. Benefiting from the excellent optical transparency and high crystalline quality of the CsPbCl₃Br_0.03 crystal, an X-ray spatial resolution of up to 20 lp/mm is achieved. These results further demonstrate the great potential of large-sized CsPbCl₃Br_x single crystals for fast timing applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Scintillator and Detector Materials for Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine)

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