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  • Editorial
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31 May 2026

3 Pages

Heat Treatment, Microstructures, and Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials

and
1
Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
2
Yibin Institute, Southwest Jiaotong University, Yibin 644000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Metals2026, 16(6), 608;https://doi.org/10.3390/met16060608
This article belongs to the Special Issue Heat Treatment, Microstructures, and Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials
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1. Introduction

Heat treatment is a critical process and core technology in modern manufacturing. By precisely controlling heating, holding, and cooling, it alters the microstructure and interfacial structure of metals to improve their properties [1,2,3].
In recent years, especially, heat treatment has not only been used for traditional metal materials, but more and more are being used in the preparation and performance improvement processes of various new materials, for example, 3D printing, additive manufacturing, and modification of special alloys [4,5,6]. The research and development of its process technology and equipment production line have also received widespread attention.
This Special Issue, after rigorous review and selection, has published 11 high-quality papers covering various aspects such as heat treatment-related theories, processes, structures, and properties, as well as the preparation of new materials.
This Special Issue aimed to address the latest developments in metal heat treatment theory [7,8], process technology [9,10], and new metallic materials [11,12,13], providing a reference for the theoretical and technological innovation of metallic materials.

2. Overview of the Published Articles

Based on the test results of the temperature effect on the tensile properties of DP780 steel, the parameters of the modified Mohr–Coulomb criterion for advanced high-strength dual-phase steel DP780 are determined, providing a reference for its research and application (1).
The research results on the phase transformation behavior of cast steel after heat treatment have good reference value for the study and application of high manganese and high-aluminum-content cast steel materials (2).
A study on the influence of heat treatment on the microstructure and properties of Ti-4Al-3V titanium alloy prepared by wire-feed electron beam additive manufacturing provides a good reference for the subsequent modification heat treatment of titanium alloy additive manufacturing or 3D printing products (3).
Paper (4) provides a study on the phase transformation behavior and failure modes of NiTi alloys under multi-field coupling conditions. It has reference value for the application of NiTi alloy under complex conditions.
Paper (5) is a typical case of the application of surface chemical heat treatment technology in the preparation of new alloys. This study expanded the application of heat treatment technology in the preparation of new materials.
Paper (6) involves the study of the influence of surface oxidation generated during heat treatment on the surface properties of austenitic stainless steel, which can provide reference for related engineering applications.
Papers (7), (8), and (9) study the heat treatment of different non-ferrous metals, all of which involve the relationship between process, microstructure, and properties, and are representative.
Paper (10) studies the effect of tempering heat treatment on the microstructure and properties of typical traditional steel products, which also has reference value.
Paper (11) introduces the influence of austenite formation and decomposition transformation during the cyclic heating and cooling process of high-strength alloys on the microstructure and properties of the final product. The research on new heat treatment processes and high-temperature fatigue-resistant high-strength alloys has reference value.

3. Conclusions and Outlook

The theory and technology of heat treatment have supported the innovative development of metal materials and metal preparation techniques in different fields. This Special Issue contributes excellent work on this topic that enrich the relationship between heat treatment processes, microstructure, and properties. The included studies also introduced a new heat treatment process, theories, and applications in new metal materials.
Future work could focus on the development of new green heat treatment technologies and the application of heat treatment in new metal materials.

Data Availability Statement

No data were used in this paper.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

List of Contributions

  • Li, Y.; Li, D.; Song, H.; Wang, Y.; Wu, D. Temperature Dependency of Modified Mohr–Coulomb Criterion Parameters for Advanced High Strength Dual-Phase Steel DP780. Metals 2024, 14, 721.
  • Lopez-Hirata, V.; Perez-Badillo, E.; Saucedo-Muñoz, M.; Hernandez-Santiago, F.; Villegas-Cardenas, J. Phase Transformations after Heat Treating an As-Cast Fe-30Mn-8.8Al-0.3Si-0.15C Steel. Metals 2024, 14, 748.
  • Chumaevskii, A.; Tarasov, S.; Gurianov, D.; Moskvichev, E.; Rubtsov, V.; Savchenko, N.; Panfilov, A.; Korsunsky, A.; Kolubaev, E. Analysis of the Structure and Properties of As-Built and Heat-Treated Wire-Feed Electron Beam Additively Manufactured (WEBAM) Ti–4Al–3V Spherical Pressure Vessel. Metals 2024, 14, 1379.
  • Ryklina, E.; Polyakova, K.; Komarov, V.; Murygin, S.; Konopatsky, A.; Andreev, V.; Ulanov, A. On Transformation and Stress–Strain–Temperature Behavior of Fine-Grained Ni-Rich NiTi Wire vs. Aging Mode. Metals 2025, 15, 3.
  • Shi, M.; Chen, R.; Zhang, C.; Xu, Z.; Hu, H.; Zhou, X.; Cui, G. The Effect of N/O Elements on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ti-N-O Alloys. Metals 2025, 15, 554.
  • Borowski, T.; Wójcik, H.; Spychalski, M.; Adamczyk-Cieślak, B. Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Thermally Formed Decorative Oxide Layers on Austenitic Steel. Metals 2025, 15, 707.
  • Qiao, Z.; Wang, F.; Xue, C.; Che, C.; Chu, Z. Effect of Heat Treatment Process on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of As-Cast Mg-8Gd-1Y-2Sm-1.2Zn-0.5Mn Alloy. Metals 2026, 16, 145.
  • Zhao, Y.; Ebrahimi, M.; Wu, L.; Attarilar, S.; Wang, Q. Tailored Annealing for Interfacial Design and Mechanical Optimization of Cu18150/Al1060/Cu18150 Trilayer Composites. Metals 2026, 16, 176.
  • Guan, B.; Bai, S.; Zhang, Y.; Fu, P.; Lu, H.; Zhu, H.; Chen, X.; Guo, K.; Wang, H.; Chen, Y. Effect of Tempering on Microstructure, Strength and Toughness Gradient in Quenched Low-Alloy Medium-Thickness Steel Plate. Metals 2026, 16, 243.
  • Wu, Z.; Han, W.; Yuan, B. Effects of Solution Treatment and Artificial Aging on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiB2/7050 Composites. Metals 2026, 16, 294.
  • Zúñiga Pineda, L.; García Rincón, O.; Guerrero Mata, M. Austenite Formation and Decomposition in a High-Strength Alloy Subjected to Heating and Cooling Cycles. Metals 2026, 16, 297.

References

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