Microstructural and Technological Aspects of Directed Energy Deposition
A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 87
Special Issue Editors
Interests: metal additive manufacturing; microstructural characterization; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
Interests: metal additive manufacturing; microstructural characterization; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Research on the technical mechanisms of directed energy deposition (DED) affecting the crystallography and microstructure of metals has emerged as a critical area of inquiry due to its profound impact on additive manufacturing (AM) performance and component reliability. DED, a layer-by-layer fabrication technique, enables complex geometries and material customization, with applications spanning aerospace, energy, and biomedical sectors. Since its inception, studies have evolved from understanding basic thermal gradients and solidification behaviors to advanced process controls and hybrid methods integrating mechanical deformation. The significance of this field is underscored by the persistent challenges of anisotropic mechanical properties and defect formation linked to microstructural heterogeneity. It is of paramount importance to elucidate how process parameters and thermal histories influence grain morphology, phase transformations, microstructural evolution, and crystallographic texture during directed energy deposition. Understanding these mechanisms enables the optimization of processing strategies to achieve the desired microstructural features such as grain refinement, texture control, and defect minimization.
Moreover, finite element simulations and computational analyses have become increasingly instrumental in predicting thermal history during DED processes, including heat transfer dynamics, thermal transients, residual stress development, and part distortion. These tools enable the proactive optimization of processing strategies by allowing for virtual experimentation prior to fabrication. Advanced simulation approaches can also model microstructural evolution, including grain morphology, phase distributions, and crystallographic texture, thereby enabling the prediction and control of microstructural anisotropy inherent to the DED process. This predictive capability is essential for designing components with tailored microstructural and mechanical properties.
For these reasons, this Special Issue aims to collect papers focused on the technologies of the DED family in order to highlight the microstructural features and their effects on mechanical performance, scalability, and industrial applications.
Dr. Eleonora Santecchia
Guest Editor
Dr. Alberto Santoni
Guest Editor Assistant
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Keywords
- laser powder directed energy deposition
- metals and alloys
- ceramics and metal matrix composites
- microstructural features
- wire arc additive manufacturing
- mechanical properties
- hierarchical structures
- finite element simulations
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