Advances in Protective Coatings for Metallic Surfaces

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 7975

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
Interests: aluminum alloys melt; solidification; nucleation mechanism; heat treatment; strengthening and toughening; mechanical properties; electrical and thermal conductivity; corrosion resistance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metal is one of the most important materials, due to its high strength and ductility. However, metals are usually subject to corrosion, wear, oxidation, etc., during service. This not only affects their performance but also introduces safety problems. Therefore, advancements in surface protection technology are particularly important. In recent years, the development of new coating materials, such as superhydrophobic coatings, nanostructured coatings and antibacterial coatings, has effectively enhanced the corrosion and wear resistance of metals. In addition, physical and chemical surface treatment techniques, such as anodizing, laser surface modification and electrochemical deposition, are also widely used to improve the performance of metal surfaces. Driven by these technologies, the surface protection of metal materials not only enhances damage resistance but also shows promising prospects in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. Meanwhile, by integrating intelligent sensors and monitoring technologies, future surface protection systems will be capable of real-time monitoring and self-repair, further extending the service life of metal materials. In summary, surface protection technology for metals has been continuously advancing, providing more efficient and economical solutions for various industries, promoting the application of metals under extreme conditions.

We invite researchers to contribute to this Special Issue, “Advances in Protective Coatings for Metallic Surfaces”. The topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

  • The corrosion resistance of coatings;
  • The wear resistance of coatings;
  • The thermal insulation of coatings;
  • Superhydrophobic coatings;
  • The adhesion of coatings;
  • Protective performance;
  • Microstructural characterization of surface protection coatings;
  • Mechanical properties of surface protection coatings;
  • Modern production methods of surface protection coatings;
  • Physical–chemical treatments;
  • Additive manufacturing;
  • Laser processing of coatings;
  • Laser metal deposition;
  • Composite coatings;
  • Eco-friendly coatings;
  • Nanostructured coatings;
  • Self-healing coatings;
  • Smart coatings;
  • Monitoring technologies.

Dr. Huabing Yang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • corrosion
  • wear
  • protection coatings
  • smart coatings
  • eco-friendly coatings

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1940 KB  
Article
Influence of Natural Aging After T6 Heat Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Age-Hardenable Al Alloys
by Huabing Yang, Haiyuan Chen, Kai Cheng, Zhiyao Qiao, Xitao Wang, Jianhua Wu, Dongqing Zhao, Xuansheng Feng, Jin Wang, Kaiming Cheng and Jixue Zhou
Coatings 2026, 16(3), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16030339 - 9 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 539
Abstract
It is well known that residual stress is detrimental to mechanical properties of metal materials. This paper investigated the relief of residual stress during long-time natural aging as well as its influence on tensile properties of partial age-hardenable Al alloys. It was found [...] Read more.
It is well known that residual stress is detrimental to mechanical properties of metal materials. This paper investigated the relief of residual stress during long-time natural aging as well as its influence on tensile properties of partial age-hardenable Al alloys. It was found that uniform elongation and ultimate tensile stress were increased after a long-time natural aging of T6 heat-treated 2024, A356, 6063 and 6061 alloys. For example, uniform elongation and ultimate tensile stress of 2024 alloy were respectively increased from 10.2% and 496.7 MPa to 11.1% and 507.5 MPa. According to fracture behavior observation for 2024 and A356 alloys, cracks or/and voids could generate from micron-sized secondary particles or particle/α-Al interface in matrix, which led to fracture of tensile samples eventually. And reduced residual stress during natural aging delayed formation of the cracks or voids based on stress distribution analysis, which led to an increase in uniform elongation and tensile stress of Al alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Protective Coatings for Metallic Surfaces)
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22 pages, 8223 KB  
Article
Tribological Properties of AISI 420 ESR Stainless Steel Modified by Sequential Boriding and Nitriding
by Melvyn Alvarez Vera, Rafael Carrera Espinoza, Valeria López López, Marc Wettlaufer, Stefan Barth, Juan Carlos Díaz Guillén, Héctor Manuel Hernández García, Rita Muñoz Arroyo, Javier A. Ortega, Pablo Moreno Garibaldi and Marco A. Cruz-Gómez
Coatings 2026, 16(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16020263 - 21 Feb 2026
Viewed by 637
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of surface thermochemical treatments using boriding, nitriding, and boronitriding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of martensitic stainless steel AISI 420 ESR. Powder-pack boriding, gas nitriding, and sequential boronitriding processes were applied to enhance surface hardness, wear resistance, [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effects of surface thermochemical treatments using boriding, nitriding, and boronitriding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of martensitic stainless steel AISI 420 ESR. Powder-pack boriding, gas nitriding, and sequential boronitriding processes were applied to enhance surface hardness, wear resistance, and adhesion. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the surface samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, microhardness, and nanoindentation testing. Tribological behavior was analyzed using a pin-on-disk tribometer under dry-sliding wear conditions, with applied normal loads of 5 N and 10 N and a sliding distance of 1000 m. The results showed that the borided samples exhibited the highest surface hardness, up to 1182 HV0.05, as well as brittle fracture and spallation with poor adhesion, while the boronitrided layer offered excellent adhesion. The boronitriding condition demonstrated a synergistic balance, combining high wear resistance (5.92 × 10−7 mm3N−1m−1 and 4.96 × 10−7 mm3N−1m−1) and reduced friction (~0.78 and ~0.67) for loads of 5 N and 10 N, respectively, without brittle fractures on the coating layer. These results confirm that duplex coating treatment is an effective strategy for improving the surface performance of AISI 420 ESR components subjected to severe operating conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Protective Coatings for Metallic Surfaces)
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14 pages, 3012 KB  
Article
Deep Learning-Based Automated Detection of Welding Defects in Pressure Pipeline Radiograph
by Wenpin Zhang, Wangwang Liu, Xinghua Yu, Dugang Kang, Zhi Xiong, Xiao Lv, Song Huang and Yan Li
Coatings 2025, 15(7), 808; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15070808 - 10 Jul 2025
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6150
Abstract
This study applies deep learning-based object detection technology to defect detection in weld radiographs, proposing a technical solution for accurately identifying the types and locations of defects in weld X-ray radiographs. The research encompasses the construction of a defect dataset, the design of [...] Read more.
This study applies deep learning-based object detection technology to defect detection in weld radiographs, proposing a technical solution for accurately identifying the types and locations of defects in weld X-ray radiographs. The research encompasses the construction of a defect dataset, the design of a multi-model object detection network, and the development of an automated film evaluation algorithm. This technology significantly enhances the efficiency and accuracy of detecting and identifying harmful defects on weld radiographs, providing critical technical support for ensuring the safe operation and efficient maintenance of pipelines of pressure equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Protective Coatings for Metallic Surfaces)
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