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Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 11912

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Dr. Ainhoa Riquelme

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Department of Material Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Madrid, Spain
Interests: additive manufacturing; direct laser deposition; selective laser melting; laser cladding
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Dear Colleagues,

We are thrilled to announce the second volume of our Special Issue, "Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/coatings/special_issues/additive_manufacture_hard_coat). The first volume contained 12 published articles which were viewed more than 17000 times. Considering that this topic is receiving much attention, we would like to announce a second volume.

Additive manufacturing is a method for the fabrication of 3D components, which are built layer-by-layer (i.e., 3D printing), and is expected to represent a revolution in the component fabrication sector. The technology provides the possibility of fabricating customized parts and the capability of producing complex geometries that are impossible to manufacture with other methods, and makes it possible to optimize the topology in order to obtain lightweight designs. Furthermore, the low material waste produced during additive manufacturing is a highlight from the point of view of the circular economy. For these reasons, the additive manufacturing of metals and metal matrix components could be a possible solution for obtaining components for hard coating applications; however, the additive manufacturing of metallic components is still limited, so the optimization of the fabrication parameters and the properties of these components must be developed and detailed, and thoroughly researched.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Coatings with your original research articles and review papers. Contributions should focus on the fundamentals and applications of the additive manufacturing of metallic components for hard coatings, and we are particularly interested in those that emphasize the capability of the different additive manufacturing methods.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ainhoa Riquelme
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

additive manufacturing
selective laser melting
direct energy deposition
laser cladding
metals
metal matrix composites
cermets
hard coatings

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4506 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Process Parameters for Manufacturing SS316L Parts by LPBF Using a Laser-Adapted Powder Deposition System

by Marian Ferreira Baptista da Silva, Laila Ribeiro de Andrade Acevedo Jimenez, Rogério de Moraes Oliveira and Aline Gonçalves Capella

Coatings 2026, 16(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16020167 - 30 Jan 2026

Viewed by 675

Abstract

This study aims to optimize the process parameters for manufacturing stainless steel AISI 316L (SS316L) components using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) with a Laser-Adapted Powder Deposition System. The influence of volumetric energy density (VED), laser intensity, and interaction time on the topography, defect formation, and hardness of the manufactured parts was investigated. The LPBF process parameters were systematically varied, including laser power (50–250 W) and scanning speed (15–250 mm/s). This resulted in VED values ranging from 55.6 to 647.5 J/mm³. The optimization process revealed ideal process conditions at VED values of 170.9, 256.4, and 641.0 J/mm³, with a minimum laser intensity of 11.8 kW/mm² and interaction times ranging from 0.36 to 2.70 ms. Microstructural analysis revealed a predominantly austenitic phase with residual stresses associated with the LPBF process’s high cooling rates. Mechanical testing showed that parts manufactured under optimized conditions exhibited superior hardness (234–244 HV) compared to conventionally processed SS316L (170–220 HV). It was demonstrated that the laser-adapted powder deposition system can effectively fabricate high-precision components by understanding the interdependencies of parameters in LPBF. This approach contributes to optimizing manufacturing strategies for SS316L components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 8050 KB

Open AccessArticle

Cracking Failure Analysis of Drill Pipe Joint with Hardbanding

by Jinlan Zhao, Dejun Li, Feng Cao and Li Wang

Coatings 2026, 16(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16010025 - 25 Dec 2025

Viewed by 965

Abstract

A batch of drill pipe joints in a well cracked and failed due to hardbanding. In this study, various experiments were conducted to analyze the reasons for cracking failure, including data verification, macroscopic morphology analysis, mechanical properties, microstructure analysis, and micro-Vickers hardness of cracked areas, as well as macroscopic, metallographic, and energy spectrum analysis of the fracture surface after opening the cracked area. The results indicated that (1) the chemical composition, tensile strength, Charpy impact test, and Brinell hardness results of the joint met the requirements of the order technical conditions. (2) The hardbanding in the cracked area had multiple pores and cracks on its outer surface and inside. The maximum diameter of the internal porosity was about 3.4 mm, and the length of the internal crack was about 1 mm. (3) The main reason for the cracking of a batch of drill pipe joints due to hardbanding is a quality problem of the secondary repair welding of the hardbanding. The cracks in the failed drill pipe originated from the porosity and cracks in the hardbanding of the drill pipe box joint. Under the influence of alternating stress and high-pressure mud erosion underground, the cracks rapidly extended to the inner wall, and the porosity in the hardbanding accelerated crack propagation, ultimately causing the drill pipe to crack and fail. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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12 pages, 2569 KB

Open AccessArticle

First-Principles Investigation of Mechanical and Interfacial Properties of Fe–Al Intermetallic Compounds

by Yijie Niu, Qiang Chi, Peng Wang, Changzheng Liu, Jianli Ji, Jun Wang, Hui Feng, Shuai Xu and Shaobin Zhang

Coatings 2025, 15(12), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15121446 - 8 Dec 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 806

Abstract

Fe–Al intermetallic compounds are promising candidates for hydrogen permeation barrier coatings owing to their excellent oxidation stability and inherent resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. However, the mechanical properties and interfacial behavior of different Fe–Al phases, particularly at Fe/Fe–Al interfaces, remain insufficiently understood, limiting their reliable application in hydrogen-containing environments. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to systematically evaluate the bulk mechanical moduli, surface energetics, and interfacial adhesion of FeAl, Fe₃Al, and Fe₂Al₅. The results reveal that FeAl exhibits the highest elastic and shear moduli due to its B2-ordered structure and directional bonding, while Fe₂Al₅ shows pronounced anisotropy and the lowest strength as a consequence of its low-symmetry structure. Surface energy analysis indicates that Fe₂Al₅ possesses relatively stable facets, whereas interfacial adhesion calculations demonstrate that FeAl/Fe and Fe₃Al/Fe interfaces provide significantly stronger bonding compared to Fe₂Al₅/Fe. Charge density and electron localization function (ELF) analyses confirm that Fe–Fe bonds are dominated by metallic character with delocalized electrons, whereas Al-rich regions display enhanced localization, leading to weaker interfacial adhesion in Fe₂Al₅/Fe. These findings clarify the fundamental mechanisms governing Fe–Al mechanical and interfacial properties and provide theoretical guidance for the design of robust Fe–Al-based hydrogen barrier coatings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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21 pages, 19150 KB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Properties of Plasma Etching-Resistant Y₂O₃ Films

by Rui Zhang, Jiaxing Peng, Xiaobo Zhang, Kesheng Guo, Zecui Gao, Wei Dai, Zhengtao Wu, Yuxiang Xu and Qimin Wang

Coatings 2025, 15(12), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15121397 - 29 Nov 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1992

Abstract

Yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) films have been widely used as protective layers in plasma etching equipment, but achieving stoichiometric films with high deposition rates remains a challenge. In this study, Y₂O₃ films were fabricated by a medium-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (MF-RMS) technique. The oxygen flow and target control voltage were regulated through a closed-loop feedback control system, which effectively solved the problem. The microstructure, mechanical, optical, and plasma etching properties were systematically investigated. The results showed that near-stoichiometric films can achieve a relatively high deposition rate. Increasing the deposition temperature induced a structural transition in the Y₂O₃ film from a predominantly cubic phase to a mixture of cubic and monoclinic phases. For Y₂O₃ films deposited at room temperature, increasing the bias voltage increased the deposition rate but reduced hardness and elastic modulus. The Y₂O₃ film deposited at 300 °C in the near-metallic mode exhibited the highest hardness and elastic modulus, reaching 13.3 GPa and 222.0 GPa, respectively. All Y₂O₃ films exhibited excellent transmittance and resistance to plasma etching. This study provides an effective protective strategy for semiconductor etching chambers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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12 pages, 14320 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Scanning Speed on Microstructure and Properties of Ni/B₄C/TiC Coating

by Yan Tong, Bo Cui, Yu Liu, You Lv, Qimeng Liu and Dongdong Zhang

Coatings 2025, 15(8), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080932 - 9 Aug 2025

Viewed by 887

Abstract

Ni/B₄C/TiC coating was prepared using laser cladding technology with 45 steel as substrate material. The effects of different scanning speeds on phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and tribological properties were investigated. It was found that the coating is primarily composed of Fe₃B, Fe₃C, B₂Fe₃Ni₃, TiC, and solid solution of [Fe, Ni]. TiC particles are not completely dissolved, which promotes grain refinement. The microhardness increases with the increase in scanning speed and reaches the maximum value at 240 mm/min. The wear resistance test revealed that the coating exhibited the best wear resistance at 240 mm/min. The main wear mechanisms were fatigue wear, abrasive wear, and a small amount of oxidative wear. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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14 pages, 7044 KB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructure, Wear and Corrosion Properties of Inconel 718-CeO₂ Composite Coatings

by Yu Liu, Guohui Li, Hui Liang, Zhanhui Zhang, Zeyu Li and Haiquan Jin

Coatings 2025, 15(7), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15070783 - 2 Jul 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1033

Abstract

Based on laser cladding technology, six composite coatings with different amounts of Inconel 718 and 0~5% CeO₂ were successfully prepared on the 316L stainless steel substrate. The effect of different amounts of CeO₂ particles was investigated and discussed, such as microstructure, phases, elemental distribution, microhardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The results show that the phases are composed of γ~(Fe, Ni), Ni₃Nb, (Nb_0.03Ti_0.97)Ni₃, and MC_X(M = Cr, Nb and Mo). When the amount of CeO₂ particles is higher than 1%, some Ce₂O₃ compounds can be detected in coatings. The average microhardness values of N0~N5 are 604.6, 754.5, 771.6, 741.4, 694.5 and 677.3 HV_0.2, respectively. There is a trend that the microhardness increases firstly and then decreases, because an appropriate amount of CeO₂ can improve the solid solution strength. The average wear rate values of N0~N5 are 2.97 × 10⁻⁵, 1.22 × 10⁻⁵, 0.94 × 10⁻⁵, 1.53 × 10⁻⁵, 1.81 × 10⁻⁵ and 2.26 × 10⁻⁵ mm³∙N⁻¹∙min⁻¹, respectively. The N2 coating has the smallest corrosion current density of 2.05 × 10⁻⁴ A·cm⁻², which is about 56% of the N0 coating. When the amount of CeO₂ particles is 2%, the coating has the best wear resistance and corrosion resistance due to fine grains and Cr, Nb and Mo compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 5657 KB

Open AccessArticle

Crack Propagation Mechanism in Thermal Barrier Coatings Containing Different Residual Grit Particles Under Thermal Cycling

by Xin Shen, Zhiyuan Wei, Zhenghao Jiang, Jianpu Zhang, Dingjun Li, Xiufang Gong, Qiyuan Li, Fei Zhao, Jianping Lai and Jiaxin Yu

Coatings 2025, 15(7), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15070747 - 23 Jun 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1480

Abstract

Residual particles embedded at the bond coat/substrate (BC/SUB) interface after grit blasting can affect the failure behavior of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) under thermal cycling. This study employed a 2D finite element model combining the cohesive zone method (CZM) and extended finite element method (XFEM) to analyze the effect of interfacial grit particles. Specifically, the CZM was used to simulate crack propagation at the BC/thermally grown oxide (TGO) interface, while XFEM was applied to model the arbitrary crack propagation within the BC layer. Three models were analyzed: no grit inclusion, 20 μm grit particles, and 50 μm grit particles at the BC/SUB interface. This systematic variation allowed isolating the influence of particle size on the location of crack propagation onset, stress distribution, and crack growth behavior. The results showed that grit particles at the SUB/BC interface had negligible influence on the crack propagation location and rate at the BC/TGO interface, due to their spatial separation. However, their presence significantly altered the radial tensile stress distribution within the BC layer. Larger grit particles induced more intense stress concentrations and promoted earlier and more extensive vertical crack propagation within the BC. However, due to plastic deformation and stress redistribution in the BC, the crack propagation was progressively suppressed in the later stages of thermal cycling. Overall, grit particles primarily promoted vertical crack propagation within the BC layer. Optimizing grit blasting to control grit particle size is crucial for improving the durability of TBCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 16884 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Printability of Rene 65 Powder for Repairing Degraded GTD 111 Gas Turbine Blades Using L-DED and L-PBF

by Henry León-Henao, Edward D. Herderick, Alejandro Toro, Jorge E. Giraldo-Barrada and Antonio J. Ramirez

Coatings 2025, 15(4), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15040410 - 30 Mar 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2259

Abstract

Restoring components in the hot gas path of turbine engines after service-induced degradation is crucial for economic efficiency. This study investigates the printability of Rene 65 powder on a degraded first-stage turbine blade using two additive manufacturing techniques: Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) and Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED). Deposited material was evaluated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) to characterize its crystallographic texture, while microhardness testing provided insight into its mechanical properties. Our results show that L-PBF excels at replicating intricate features, such as small cooling holes, and produces a highly texturized microstructure oriented parallel to <001> under optimal parameters (80 W, 400 mm/s, unidirectional scanning), although at a slower pace. In contrast, L-DED offers a versatile, rapid, and cost-effective method for repairing medium to large parts, yielding an equiaxed microstructure and higher as-printed hardness—approaching GTD 111 values due to an aging effect from high heat input. Both processes effectively restored the dimensional integrity of degraded blade tips, paving the way for more sustainable and economical maintenance strategies in the aerospace industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 10586 KB

Open AccessArticle

Micromechanical Properties and Tribological Performance of Mo, Cr, and Ta Coatings Obtained by Cathodic Arc-Deposition

by Vadim Zakiev, Volodymyr Nadtoka, Islam Zakiev, Bohdan Mordyuk, Oleksandr Yakushenko, Igor Trofimov, Mykola Skoryk and Sviatoslav Yutskevych

Coatings 2025, 15(3), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15030358 - 19 Mar 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1134

Abstract

The aim of the study is a comparative analysis of micromechanical and microtribological properties of the cathodic arc-deposited Mo, Cr, and Ta coatings using nanoindentation and scratch test techniques as well as a microtribological dry sliding test with wear tracks post-examination and worn volume determination using interference profilometry. A new scratch test technique based on the statistical processing of registered sclerograms during a multi-pass scratch test well adopted for the scratch resistance assessment of rough surfaces is suggested. New approaches to microtribological testing based on the indentation tester equipped with an additional precision rotational stage are proposed, which could fill the gap between macro- and nano-scale. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the structure of the studied coatings and phase compositions of the coating-substrate interface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Components for Hard Coatings, 2nd Edition)

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