Advances in Surface Welding Techniques for Metallic Materials

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 October 2026 | Viewed by 1852

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China
Interests: wire arc additive manufacturing; high-efficiency welding; laser-arc hybrid welding; computational fluid dynamics; arc plasma characteristics; molten pool dynamics

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Guest Editor
College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Jiangjun Rd., Nanjing 211106, China
Interests: wire-arc directed energy deposition; hybrid manufacturing; welding of dissimilar metals microstructure prediction; phase-field method; thermal cycles; welding residual stress

E-Mail
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China
Interests: laser additive manufacturing; ultra-high speed laser cladding; multi-scale simulation; materials characterization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Surface welding techniques for metallic materials is one of the core technologies in the field of metal surface engineering. These processes create coatings or connection layers with specific properties on the surface of metal substrates in in order to improve the wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance, and performance characteristics, or to enable the joining of dissimilar materials.

The development of surface welding processes is closely tied to advances in heat source control, material feed systems, real-time monitoring, and computational modeling. Moreover, the integration of Industry 4.0 concepts—such as sensor-based feedback control, machine learning for process optimization, and digital twin simulations—has opened new opportunities for improving welding performance and minimizing defects.

This Special Issue aims to gather the latest developments, challenges, and innovative processes and methods in metal surface welding technology. We warmly welcome submissions presenting novel research findings, comprehensive reviews, and perspectives of future development directions, with the goal of advancing applications of surface welding in high-end equipment manufacturing and extreme environments.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Advanced surface welding processes: ultra-high-speed laser cladding, laser/arc/electron beam hybrid welding, fusion after cold spraying, plasma transferred arc (PTA) welding, wire arc additive re-manufacturing (WAARM), etc.;
  • Metallurgical mechanism: microstructure evolution, phase transformation, grain refinement, and solidification mechanisms of advanced materials in surface welding;
  • Material compatibility: welding of dissimilar metals, high-entropy alloys, and metal matrix composites;
  • Computer-aided surface welding engineering: modeling and simulation of heat transfer, molten pool dynamics, residual stresses, dilution control, and microstructure evolution;
  • Surface property enhancement: wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and fatigue life improvement;
  • Sensors and monitoring: real-time weld quality detection, machine vision, and artificial intelligence in welding control;
  • Sustainability aspects: energy efficiency, recycling, and green manufacturing in welding applications.

Dr. Wenyong Zhao
Dr. Xiangbo Liu
Dr. Xiaolin Bi
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 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-anonymized 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

  • surface welding engineering
  • laser cladding
  • wire arc additive manufacturing
  • advanced surface coatings and materials
  • heat transfer and fluid flow

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 4550 KB  
Article
Effect of Laser Power on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of GH4141 + 0.2 wt.% Y2O3 Alloy Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
by Hongsong Song, Yu Wu, Zijun Zhao, Yu Pan and Bingqing Chen
Coatings 2026, 16(6), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16060712 - 15 Jun 2026
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Abstract
GH4141 + 0.2 wt.% Y2O3 superalloy was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology and subjected to solution and ageing heat treatments. The effects of laser power (1100, 1300, 1500 W) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the [...] Read more.
GH4141 + 0.2 wt.% Y2O3 superalloy was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology and subjected to solution and ageing heat treatments. The effects of laser power (1100, 1300, 1500 W) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the ODS nickel-based superalloy were investigated. The results indicate that as the laser power increased from 1100 W to 1300 W, defects such as cracks and pores in the specimens decreased, the grains were refined, and the microstructure became more uniform; when the laser power was further increased to 1500 W, the grain size coarsened significantly, precipitation phases at the grain boundaries became coarser or locally aggregated, and crack sensitivity increased. EDS analysis revealed enrichment of C, Cr, Mo and Ti in the dark phases at the grain boundaries, which may be associated with MC-type and M23C6-type carbides; no significant agglomeration of Y2O3 particles was observed in the matrix. Room-temperature tensile properties exhibited a pattern of initially increasing and then decreasing with increasing laser power. The tensile strength and elongation after fracture of the specimens were relatively similar under 1100 W and 1500 W conditions, whilst the specimen tested at 1300 W achieved the optimal balance of strength and toughness, with a tensile strength of 1460 MPa and an elongation after fracture of 14.3%, representing increases of approximately 9.8% and 54% compared to the 1100 W and 1500 W conditions, respectively. At 760 °C, the 1300 W specimens still maintained excellent high-temperature strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Surface Welding Techniques for Metallic Materials)
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22 pages, 7928 KB  
Article
Oxidation-Resistant Ni-AlSi12 Composite Coating with Strong Adhesion on Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Substrate via Mechanical Alloying and Subsequent Laser Cladding
by Huanjian Xie, Luyan Xu, Jian Jiang, Haoge Shou, Hongzhang Hao and Ruizhi Feng
Coatings 2025, 15(11), 1329; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15111329 - 14 Nov 2025
Viewed by 817
Abstract
Two Ni-AlSi12 coatings were prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) and mechanical alloying followed by laser cladding (LC), respectively. Phase composition and microstructure variations caused by powder weight ratio and laser-specific energy were thoroughly analyzed in this study. Mechanical properties and oxidation behavior are [...] Read more.
Two Ni-AlSi12 coatings were prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) and mechanical alloying followed by laser cladding (LC), respectively. Phase composition and microstructure variations caused by powder weight ratio and laser-specific energy were thoroughly analyzed in this study. Mechanical properties and oxidation behavior are markedly improved by subsequent laser cladding. The MA-LC coating, characterized by high densification and crack-free properties, presents a homogeneous microstructure with refined features. Microhardness testing reveals a marked superiority of the MA-LC coating over the conventional MA coating. The nano-hardness of MA-LC coating is 9.79 GPa, exhibiting that it is 6.84 times the nano-hardness of the MA sample. Owing to metallurgical bonding, the MA-LC coating possesses excellent scratch bonding performance. The MA-LC coating shows favorable oxidation behavior, due to the following three reasons: Firstly, oxygen diffusion can be effectively blocked by the compact Al2O3 oxide layer developed on the MA-LC coating surface, which reduces the oxidation velocity. Secondly, the coating’s mean grain dimensions demonstrate an increasing tendency after oxidation, which reduces the grain boundary serving as the oxygen diffusion channel. This enhancement significantly improves the coating’s oxidation resistance. Thirdly, analysis of the coating’s respective kernel average misorientation (KAM) map revealed a significant release of internal stress following 100 h oxidation, which can improve the coating’s resistance to spallation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Surface Welding Techniques for Metallic Materials)
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Review

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29 pages, 9949 KB  
Review
Advancements in Interface Layer Design for Ti and Steel Welding: A Review
by Xiaolin Bi, Xiaolong Xie, Ruifeng Li, Taotao Li and Lei Zhang
Coatings 2026, 16(7), 759; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16070759 - 26 Jun 2026
Viewed by 264
Abstract
The connection between dissimilar materials, Ti and steel, has been a focal point for global scholars. Establishing a high-strength bond between Ti alloy and stainless steel offers the potential to harness their respective advantages and reduce production costs, holding significant applications and far-reaching [...] Read more.
The connection between dissimilar materials, Ti and steel, has been a focal point for global scholars. Establishing a high-strength bond between Ti alloy and stainless steel offers the potential to harness their respective advantages and reduce production costs, holding significant applications and far-reaching implications. Currently, non-transition welding methods for Ti/steel, primarily diffusion welding and vacuum brazing, have been pivotal in the early stages of development. Despite their simplicity and convenience, effectively avoiding the formation of brittle Ti–iron compounds in the weld seam, these methods face challenges such as unwelded defects, posing a risk to the reliability of welded structures under service conditions. This limitation restricts their application in products requiring high reliability. The evolving transition welding process, progressing from a single metal interface layer to a multi-metal interface layer, addresses some of the shortcomings of traditional Ti and steel connections, offering promising application prospects. This article delves into the core issue of selecting interface-layer elements and welding methods. Through an analysis of the metallurgical properties of transition metals in conjunction with Ti and steel, the study investigates the impact of single- or bimetallic elements, such as Cu, V, Nb, and Ni, on preparing interface-layer transition metals. A comprehensive review of existing research on Ti and steel welding is presented, with an emphasis on the metallurgical characteristics of their connection. The influence of element selection and welding processes on the metallurgical features and relevant mechanical properties of the weld metal is systematically analyzed and summarized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Surface Welding Techniques for Metallic Materials)
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