Performance and Processing of Metal Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 January 2026 | Viewed by 1270

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Suqian University, Suqian 223800, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; metal materials; processing technology

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Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-516 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: lanthanum iron oxide; perovskites; photocatalytic activity; ferrites; spinell; dromaiidae; magnetocaloric effects; manganites; critical behavior; mössbauer properties; nanoparticle
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Throughout history, metals have been central to human development, and while alternative materials such as plastics and composites are emerging, metals continue to thrive due to their unparalleled ability to evolve and adapt.

This issue explores the deep connection between the performance of metals and their unique properties, including mechanical strength, thermal and electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance. It also delves into advanced processing methods, such as additive manufacturing, powder metallurgy, and thermal-mechanical treatments, which are driving new capabilities and enhancing the performance of metal materials. Contributions to this issue are encouraged from researchers focusing on the fundamental understanding of metal behaviour, such as stress-strain relationships, fatigue resistance, and environmental durability. Additionally, studies that demonstrate how new processing techniques can optimize metal microstructure and performance for high-end applications in aerospace, automotive, medical, and construction industries are of particular interest. With a focus on cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary research, this issue aims to catalyse further innovations in material design, processing, and application, reinforcing the critical role of metals in shaping the future of engineering and technology.

This Special Issue, titled "Performance and Processing of Metal Materials", seeks to highlight the latest advancements in metal and alloy technologies, emphasizing their high-performance applications and innovative processing techniques.

Dr. Zhanfeng Wang
Prof. Dr. Benilde F. O. Costa
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • metal materials
  • high-performance alloys
  • advanced processing techniques
  • material behavior modeling
  • mechanical properties

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4225 KB  
Article
DFT Investigation into Adsorption–Desorption Properties of Mg/Ni-Doped Calcium-Based Materials
by Wei Shi, Renwei Li, Xin Bao, Haifeng Yang and Dehao Kong
Crystals 2025, 15(8), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15080711 - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 446
Abstract
Although concentrated solar power (CSP) coupled with calcium looping (CaL) offers a promising avenue for efficient thermal chemical energy storage, calcium-based sorbents suffer from accelerated structural degradation and decreased CO2 capture capacity during multiple cycles. This study used Density Functional Theory (DFT) [...] Read more.
Although concentrated solar power (CSP) coupled with calcium looping (CaL) offers a promising avenue for efficient thermal chemical energy storage, calcium-based sorbents suffer from accelerated structural degradation and decreased CO2 capture capacity during multiple cycles. This study used Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the mechanism by which Mg and Ni doping improves the adsorption/desorption performance of CaO. The DFT results indicate that Mg and Ni doping can effectively reduce the formation energy of oxygen vacancies on the CaO surface. Mg–Ni co-doping exhibits a significant synergistic effect, with the formation energy of oxygen vacancies reduced to 5.072 eV. Meanwhile, the O2− diffusion energy barrier in the co-doped system was reduced to 2.692 eV, significantly improving the ion transport efficiency. In terms of CO2 adsorption, Mg and Ni co-doping enhances the interaction between surface O atoms and CO2, increasing the adsorption energy to −1.703 eV and forming a more stable CO32− structure. For the desorption process, Mg and Ni co-doping restructured the CaCO3 surface structure, reducing the CO2 desorption energy barrier to 3.922 eV and significantly promoting carbonate decomposition. This work reveals, at the molecular level, how Mg and Ni doping optimizes adsorption–desorption in calcium-based materials, providing theoretical guidance for designing high-performance sorbents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Processing of Metal Materials)
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12 pages, 1740 KB  
Article
Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Analysis of Spherical Nanoindentation Stress–Strain Curve of Single-Crystal Copper
by Haoming Xia, Zhanfeng Wang, Shichao Qu, Weijie Shan and Rongkai Tan
Crystals 2025, 15(6), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15060561 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 541
Abstract
In this paper, we perform crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulations of spherical nanoindentation to extract the indentation stress–strain (ISS) curve for a single-crystalline copper. The load–displacement curves on the Cu (010) surface at incremental indentation depths are obtained. Surface pile-up topography is [...] Read more.
In this paper, we perform crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulations of spherical nanoindentation to extract the indentation stress–strain (ISS) curve for a single-crystalline copper. The load–displacement curves on the Cu (010) surface at incremental indentation depths are obtained. Surface pile-up topography is explored and characterized by the activated slip systems on the indented surface and stress distribution on the cross-section to reveal the crystal anisotropy. And the effect of indentation depth on the stiffness and surface pile-up height is further analyzed. Finally, the zero point is defined, and the indentation stress–strain (ISS) curve is extracted from load–displacement curves. The validity of the ISS curve is demonstrated for crystalline copper materials by comparing measured results published in the literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Processing of Metal Materials)
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