Advances in Alloy Surface Mechanics: The Effects of Coating Technologies on Performance

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 74

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Materials and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450045, China
Interests: material forming; surface protection

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Guest Editor
College of Intelligent Science and Control Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing 211169, China
Interests: surface modification; surface coating; tribology; polymer hydrogel; nanoparticles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent advancements in alloy surface mechanics have highlighted the critical role of coating technologies in enhancing material performance across industrial applications. This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted interactions between coating systems and alloy substrates, focusing on how innovative coating technologies optimize mechanical properties, durability, and functionality under extreme conditions.

Spanning theoretical analyses, experimental investigations, and computational modeling, this Special Issue welcomes original research and reviews addressing the following key themes: mechanisms of coating-induced improvements in hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue strength; novel coating processes (e.g., thermal spray, CVD, additive manufacturing); performance under harsh environments (high temperatures, corrosive media, dynamic loading); and degradation pathways of coated alloys. Interdisciplinary studies integrating materials science, mechanical engineering, and surface chemistry are particularly encouraged to advance fundamental understanding and practical applications in aerospace, automotive, energy, and biomedical sectors.

We invite contributions that push the boundaries of alloy surface mechanics, fostering dialog on cutting-edge coating solutions for next-generation material systems.

Potential topics:

  1. Mechanisms of coating-induced mechanical property enhancements;
  2. Advanced coating fabrication processes (thermal spray, CVD, additive manufacturing);
  3. Coating performance under extreme environments (high temperatures, corrosion, dynamic loading);
  4. Degradation mechanisms of coated alloys (wear, corrosion, interface failure);
  5. Computational modeling and simulation of coating performance;
  6. Interdisciplinary approaches in coating design and testing.

Dr. Ningning Li
Dr. Yaling Deng
Guest Editors

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. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • alloy surface mechanics
  • coating technologies
  • mechanical performance
  • wear resistance
  • corrosion protection

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

24 pages, 3803 KB  
Review
Review of Preparation and Key Functional Properties of Micro-Arc Oxidation Coatings on Various Metal Substrates
by Ningning Li, Huiyi Wang, Qiuzhen Liu, Zhenjie Hao, Da Xu, Xi Chen, Datian Cui, Lei Xu and Yaya Feng
Coatings 2025, 15(10), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15101201 (registering DOI) - 12 Oct 2025
Abstract
Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technology demonstrates remarkable advantages in fabricating ceramic coatings on lightweight alloys. For aluminum alloys, MAO rapidly forms dense, pore-free ceramic layers within minutes, significantly enhancing corrosion and wear resistance at low processing costs. In magnesium alloys, optimized electrolyte compositions and [...] Read more.
Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technology demonstrates remarkable advantages in fabricating ceramic coatings on lightweight alloys. For aluminum alloys, MAO rapidly forms dense, pore-free ceramic layers within minutes, significantly enhancing corrosion and wear resistance at low processing costs. In magnesium alloys, optimized electrolyte compositions and process parameters enable composite coatings with a combination of high hardness and self-lubrication properties, while post-treatments like laser melting or corrosion inhibitors extend salt spray corrosion resistance. Titanium alloys benefit from MAO coatings with exceptional interfacial bonding strength and mechanical performance, making them ideal for biomedical implants and aerospace components. Notably, dense ceramic oxide films grown in situ via MAO on high-entropy alloys (HEAs) triple surface hardness and enhance wear/corrosion resistance. However, MAO applications on steel require pretreatments like aluminizing, thermal spraying, or ion plating. Current challenges include coating uniformity control, efficiency for complex geometries, and long-term stability. Future research focuses on multifunctional coatings (self-healing, antibacterial) and eco-friendly electrolyte systems to expand engineering applications. Full article
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