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Crystals
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Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys
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Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystalline Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2025 | Viewed by 4615

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lei Wang

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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Material (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: crystal growth; dielectric material; photoelectric properties; optical and magnetic properties; microstructural characterization; anisotropy studies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microstructural characterization and property analysis of alloys involve a number of disciplines, including materials science, physics and chemistry, and aim to extensively explore the influence of the microstructure of alloys on their macroscopic properties. In this Special Issue, we will introduce the applications of alloy microstructural characterization and property analysis in aerospace, transportation, energy and environmental protection, biomedicine and other fields with practical cases to demonstrate their important roles in practical engineering and scientific research. At the same time, we will also focus on the cutting-edge developments in the field of microstructural characterization and property analysis of alloys, share the latest research results and technological advances, and provide readers with useful references. By reading this Special Issue, you will learn the basic concepts, methodological principles and application cases of microstructural characterization and property analysis of alloys, which will help you to improve your professionalism and research level in related fields. At the same time, this Special Issue will also provide a platform for you to communicate and share experiences with your peers, and jointly promote the development of the field of alloy microstructural characterization and property analysis.

Dr. Lei Wang
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 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. Crystals 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 2100 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

  • microstructural characterization
  • alloys
  • performance analysis
  • materials science
  • material performance optimization
  • crystallography

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 7409 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Reciprocating Sliding Wear Resistance Evaluation on SiMo Ductile Iron Low Alloyed with Cobalt
by Eduardo Colin-García, Alejandro Cruz-Ramírez, Marisa Moreno-Ríos, Ricardo Gerardo Sánchez-Alvarado, José Antonio Romero-Serrano, Juan Cancio Jiménez-Lugos, Armando Irvin Martínez-Pérez and Edgar Ernesto Vera-Cárdenas
Crystals 2025, 15(3), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15030278 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 288
Abstract
High silicon and molybdenum (SiMo) ductile irons present a metallic matrix composed principally of ferrite with little volume fraction of pearlite and carbides. In this work, two SiMo ductile irons with similar levels of silicon, 0.3% Mo (DI-0.3Mo) and 0.6% Mo with 0.8% [...] Read more.
High silicon and molybdenum (SiMo) ductile irons present a metallic matrix composed principally of ferrite with little volume fraction of pearlite and carbides. In this work, two SiMo ductile irons with similar levels of silicon, 0.3% Mo (DI-0.3Mo) and 0.6% Mo with 0.8% Co (DI-0.6Mo-0.8Co), were evaluated to determine the effect of molybdenum and cobalt on the microstructure, hardness, and wear performance at room temperature. The microstructural characterization of the ductile irons was performed using light microscopy and SEM-EDS. At the same time, mechanical characterization was carried out using Rockwell C hardness, and wear was evaluated using reciprocating ball-on-flat sliding wear tests. The result showed that DI-0.6Mo-0.8Co obtained the higher nodule count (247 nod/mm2), nodularity (86.69%), volume fraction of ferrite (78.15%), and molybdenum carbides (2.1%), while DI-0.3Mo presented a higher volume fraction of pearlite (12.8%) and free graphite (13.88%). The higher value of Rockwell C hardness with 21.29 HRC was obtained in DI-0.6Mo-0.8Co due to a higher amount of molybdenum carbides. The wear resistance shows that the DI-0.6Mo-0.8Co sample presented the highest wear resistance due to an adequate balance between a ferritic matrix reinforced by the molybdenum and cobalt addition and a high carbide content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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18 pages, 6260 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Aluminum Deformation Conditions on Microhardness and Indentation Size Effect Characteristics
by Peter Blaško, Jozef Petrík, Marek Šolc, Mária Mihaliková, Lenka Girmanová, Alena Pribulová, Peter Futáš, Joanna Furman and Kuczyńska-Chałada Marzena
Crystals 2025, 15(3), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15030252 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 419
Abstract
The degree and speed of deformation are factors that influence microstructure and mechanical properties. Aluminum (99.5%) was used as the test material in this experiment. This material is currently mainly used in the electrical industry to manufacture conductors as a substitute for the [...] Read more.
The degree and speed of deformation are factors that influence microstructure and mechanical properties. Aluminum (99.5%) was used as the test material in this experiment. This material is currently mainly used in the electrical industry to manufacture conductors as a substitute for the more expensive copper. The cylindrical samples were deformed at a strain rate of up to 2500 s−1, and the degree of deformation was up to 85%. At the point place of maximum deformation, usually in the center of the sample, the microhardness was measured under various loads, between 10 gf and 100 gf. The obtained data were used to determine the characteristics or parameters of the indentation size effect (ISE) and the influence of the deformation conditions on the microhardness. The results obtained were processed by linear regression analysis, followed by the creation of deformation maps. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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12 pages, 18338 KiB  
Article
Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of a Ti-Al-V-Cr-Fe-Based Alloy
by Honglin Fang, Shewei Xin, Huan Wang, Xingyang Tu, Fei Qiang, Zhiwei Lian and Ping Guo
Crystals 2025, 15(3), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15030250 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 428
Abstract
The effects of different processes for heat treatment on microstructures and mechanical properties of a Ti-Al-V-Cr-Fe-based alloy (TLC002) were investigated based on the Ti-6411 alloy designed by Northwest Institute for Nonferrous Metals Research. The results show that the TLC002 alloy treated with solid [...] Read more.
The effects of different processes for heat treatment on microstructures and mechanical properties of a Ti-Al-V-Cr-Fe-based alloy (TLC002) were investigated based on the Ti-6411 alloy designed by Northwest Institute for Nonferrous Metals Research. The results show that the TLC002 alloy treated with solid solution and aging has high strength and low impact toughness. For the annealed specimens, both strength and impact toughness are high. With the rising annealing temperature from 800 °C to 880 °C, the tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and impact toughness (αu2) increase, especially for the αu2 from 48.7 J/cm2 to 86.0 J/cm2. The tensile and impact specimens treated with both solid solution and aging and annealing are all typical ductile fractures. Both the size dimension and depth of the dimples for the equiaxed structures are greater than those of the bimodal structures, indicating that the plasticity of the equiaxed structures is superior to that of the bimodal structures. The heat treatment that annealing at 880 °C for 1.5 h and then air cooling leads to qualified mechanical properties and a good match of the strength and plasticity of the TLC002 alloy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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16 pages, 5153 KiB  
Article
Small Surface Fatigue Crack Behaviors of Cr-Mo Steel AISI4137
by Seung-Hoon Nahm, Sang-Koo Jeon, Dong-Kyun Kim, Min-Soo Suh and Chang-Min Suh
Crystals 2025, 15(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15010045 - 31 Dec 2024
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Costs are increasing due to the addition of alloying elements such as V, W, and Mo to prevent damage to Cr-Mo steel for fastening bolts, but field tests have shown that it is not an appropriate solution for improving physical properties through heat [...] Read more.
Costs are increasing due to the addition of alloying elements such as V, W, and Mo to prevent damage to Cr-Mo steel for fastening bolts, but field tests have shown that it is not an appropriate solution for improving physical properties through heat treatment. In this study, the characteristics of fatigue cracks using Cr-Mo steel for fastening bolts before and after UNSM (ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification) treatment were studied using fracture mechanics and fracture analysis methods. Specifically, using untreated and UNSM-treated materials: (1) the characteristics of small surface fatigue cracks existing on the surface, and (2) the surface fatigue cracks in the depth direction were observed and analyzed. The microstructure of Cr-Mo steel was refined by severe plastic deformation (SPD) from the surface to a depth of about 100 μm according to the static load of UNSM, and the fatigue limit increased by 30% as a large compressive residual stress was formed. Additionally, like the untreated materials, fisheye cracks did not occur in UNSM-treated materials, even when inclusions were present, and all specimens fractured while forming surface cracks. Accordingly, one or more of the multiple small surface fatigue cracks (MSFC) grew and developed into a major crack that determines the fatigue life, and a major ridge was formed among the many micro-ridges in the internal direction. In other words, this major crack grew and developed a major ridge in the internal direction, determining the lifespan of the test specimen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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14 pages, 5218 KiB  
Article
Very-High-Cycle Fatigue Behaviors for Bearing Steel Microstructural Transformation
by Seung-Hoon Nahm, Sang-Koo Jeon, Dong-Kyun Kim, Min-Soo Suh and Chang-Min Suh
Crystals 2024, 14(12), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14121040 - 29 Nov 2024
Viewed by 834
Abstract
It has been reported that the multiphase structure with martensite and a mixed structure obtained by the quenching and tempering of bearing steel shows high strength and ductility. However, there appears to be no study on the effects of very-high-cycle fatigue (VHCF) and [...] Read more.
It has been reported that the multiphase structure with martensite and a mixed structure obtained by the quenching and tempering of bearing steel shows high strength and ductility. However, there appears to be no study on the effects of very-high-cycle fatigue (VHCF) and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) of a new bearing steel required for the durability design of next-generation bearing steel. This study analyzed the characteristics of microstructure transformation associated with heat treatment cycles and studied and evaluated the fatigue strength characteristics by the UNSM. Fisheye cracks occur from small inclusions inside the specimen only in martensitic microstructure materials in the long-life range. And the characteristic of a double S-N curve in which the fatigue limit decreased in two stages appeared. However, fisheye cracks and double S-N curves did not appear in pearlite and mixed-structure materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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15 pages, 4610 KiB  
Article
The Influence of the Degree of Tension and Compression of Copper on the Indentation Size Effect (ISE)
by Peter Blaško, Jozef Petrík, Marek Šolc, Mária Mihaliková, Lenka Girmanová and Jarmila Trpčevská
Crystals 2024, 14(11), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14110913 - 22 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 782
Abstract
The present work deals with the relationship between the degree of cold plastic deformation (up to 55.3% in the neck area in the tensile test and up to 66.6% in the compression test) and the parameters of the Indentation Size Effect (ISE). The [...] Read more.
The present work deals with the relationship between the degree of cold plastic deformation (up to 55.3% in the neck area in the tensile test and up to 66.6% in the compression test) and the parameters of the Indentation Size Effect (ISE). The tested material consists of 97% wrought copper. The Hanemann tester (Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany) was used to measure micro-hardness. The loads applied during the micro-hardness test were between 0.09807 N and 0.9807 N. The influence of the load on the degree of the micro-hardness and simultaneously on the ISE, expressed by the Meyer’s index n, was significant. The influence of load on the ISE parameters was also evaluated using the Meyer’s index n, the PSR method, and the Hays–Kendall approach. For the undeformed sample, the Meyer’s index was close to 2, with the increase in the degree of tensile and compressive deformation increasing its “reverse” character (n > 2). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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15 pages, 51500 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Laser Parameters on the Wear Resistance of a Cu/BN Remelted Layer
by Hengzheng Li, Shuai Chen, Yang Chen, Yan Liu, Zichen Tao, Yinghe Qin and Conghu Liu
Crystals 2024, 14(9), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14090809 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 793
Abstract
In order to improve the wear resistance of copper and enhance the surface properties of copper parts, this article uses BN nanoparticles as a reinforcing phase and the laser remelting method to prepare a Cu/BN remelted layer on the copper surface. The surface [...] Read more.
In order to improve the wear resistance of copper and enhance the surface properties of copper parts, this article uses BN nanoparticles as a reinforcing phase and the laser remelting method to prepare a Cu/BN remelted layer on the copper surface. The surface morphology, crystal structure, microhardness, and wear resistance of the samples were tested and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), a microhardness tester, and a friction and wear tester. The effects of laser frequency, pulse width, and energy density on the surface morphology and wear resistance of the samples were analyzed and studied, and the effects of the laser parameters on the properties of the Cu/BN remelted layer were discussed. The research results indicate that laser frequency, pulse width, and energy density have a direct impact on the surface morphology and properties of the Cu/BN remelted layer, but the impact mechanism by the above parameters on the remelted layer is different. The effects of laser frequency on the remelted layer are caused by changes in the overlap mode of the remelting points, while laser pulse width and energy density are achieved through changes in remelting intensity. When the laser frequency is 10 Hz, the pulse width is 10 ms, and the energy density is 165.8 J/mm2, the Cu/BN remelted layer has better surface properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructural Characterization and Property Analysis of Alloys)
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