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Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2266

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yong-Cheng Lin

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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: alloys; intelligent manufacturing processing; heat treatment; microstructure; deformation mechanisms; properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xinhua Liu

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Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: alloys; hot deformation; microstructure; deformation mechanisms; properties
Prof. Dr. Jufu Jiang

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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: alloys; hot deformation; microstructure; deformation mechanisms; properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zhichao Sun

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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Interests: alloys; hot forming; heat treatment; microstructure; deformation mechanisms; properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daoguang He

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: alloys; heat treatment; microstructure; deformation mechanisms; properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metals and alloys are extensively utilized in various engineering fields, e.g., aerospace, transportation, and energy equipment. To obtain accurate geometric designs and excellent properties for their components, metals and alloys often undergo complicated plastic deformation processes. The plastic deformation behaviors and microstructure evolution mechanisms implicated in these processes are incredibly complex, owing to the effect of multiple alloying elements and complicated processing conditions.

This Special Issue, entitled "Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition)", aims to collect state-of-the-art research articles or comprehensive review papers in the field of metal and alloy science, as well as contributions addressing advances in engineering technology and innovative applications. It welcomes high-quality research submissions focusing on plastic deformation characteristics, multiscale microstructure modeling, manufacturing processing parameter optimization, and innovative metal and alloy applications in engineering.

All articles published in this Special Issue are subject to careful editorial selection. We intend to provide a forum for disseminating excellent research findings and innovative ideas in the field.

Prof. Dr. Yong-Cheng Lin
Prof. Dr. Xinhua Liu
Prof. Dr. Jufu Jiang
Prof. Dr. Zhichao Sun
Dr. Daoguang He
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 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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • metals and alloys
  • process–structure–property relationships
  • modeling and simulation
  • advanced manufacturing technology
  • innovative applications

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6228 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Mechanical Property of 6082 Aluminum Alloy via Sc and Zr Addition Combined with Squeeze Casting
by Yushi Qi, Fangming Wei, Yu Wang, Yu Jin, Xusheng Chang and Gang Chen
Materials 2025, 18(9), 1988; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091988 - 27 Apr 2025
Viewed by 168
Abstract
To enhance the mechanical properties of 6082 aluminum alloy, a novel Sc- and Zr-microalloyed 6082 alloy was fabricated through squeeze casting technology. Microalloying with Sc and Zr substantially refined the microstructure of alloy, achieving an average grain size of 136.36 μm—a 31.7% reduction [...] Read more.
To enhance the mechanical properties of 6082 aluminum alloy, a novel Sc- and Zr-microalloyed 6082 alloy was fabricated through squeeze casting technology. Microalloying with Sc and Zr substantially refined the microstructure of alloy, achieving an average grain size of 136.36 μm—a 31.7% reduction compared to the baseline 6082 alloy. Furthermore, the addition of Sc and Zr effectively refined the coarse AlFeMnSi intermetallic phases, mitigating their inherent brittleness. The Sc/Zr-modified alloy exhibited delayed age-hardening kinetics, requiring 100% longer aging time to reach peak hardness due to Sc/Zr-induced retardation of β’’-phase precipitation. The optimized alloy demonstrated better mechanical properties, showing 10.4%, 8.0%, and 71.8% enhancements in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation, respectively, over the non-microalloyed counterpart. The squeeze-cast Sc/Zr-modified alloy valve body showed yield strength exceeding 300 MPa and elongation above 10% across various sections, which verifies the effectiveness of this integrated microalloying and forming approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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19 pages, 13366 KiB  
Article
Influence of Preheating on the Microstructure of a Hot Extruded Nickel-Based Superalloy
by Jun-Cheng Zhu, Yong-Cheng Lin, Yun-Han Ling, Shu-Xin Li, Zi-Jian Chen and Yu-Liang Qiu
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071478 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
Some studies have reported the microstructure evolution of nickel-based superalloys during isothermal forging (IF). However, most of them have not taken into account the microstructure evolution during the preheating stage in manufacturing processes. Investigating the microstructure evolution mechanisms during preheating of nickel-based superalloy [...] Read more.
Some studies have reported the microstructure evolution of nickel-based superalloys during isothermal forging (IF). However, most of them have not taken into account the microstructure evolution during the preheating stage in manufacturing processes. Investigating the microstructure evolution mechanisms during preheating of nickel-based superalloy can provide a more accurate characterization of the initial microstructures prior to IF. In this study, the evolution of grain structure, participation phase, and twins in a hot extruded nickel-based superalloy are examined during heat treatment at the temperature range of 1050~1140 °C and 5~180 min. Also, the interaction mechanisms among the above microstructures are analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate that higher temperature significantly accelerates the dissolution of the primary γ′ (γ′p) phase and grain growth. At 180 min, the average grain size rapidly grows from 4.59 μm at 1080 °C to 14.09 μm at 1110 °C. In contrast, the impact of holding time on the microstructure diminishes after 30 min. At 1080 °C, the average grain size grows from 2.52 μm at 5 min to 4.95 μm at 30 min, after which it remains relatively stable. Initially, the γ′p phase hinders grain boundary migration and inhibits grain growth. However, its complete dissolution at high temperatures significantly promotes grain growth. Careful selection of preheating temperature can mitigate rapid grain growth before forging. Additionally, twins not only refine grains through nucleation and segmentation, but also hinder grain boundary migration in regions with high dislocation density, thereby alleviating grain growth. A model detailing the dissolution of the γ′p phase during preheating is developed, with a correlation coefficient and average absolute relative error of 0.9947 and 9.15%, respectively. This model provides theoretical support for optimizing preheating temperatures and estimating initial microstructures prior to IF. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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13 pages, 6013 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on Anti-Wrinkling Performance of TA1 Titanium Thin Sheet Assisted by Ultrasonic Vibration
by Jiayi Ma, Yucheng Wang, Chunju Wang, Haidong He, Feng Chen and Lining Sun
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1439; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071439 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 207
Abstract
TA1 titanium bipolar plates for hydrogen fuel cells are prone to plastic instability phenomena such as wrinkling during the stamping process, which adversely affects the forming quality. This study applies an ultrasonic-vibration energy field, aligned with the direction of stretching, in a plate [...] Read more.
TA1 titanium bipolar plates for hydrogen fuel cells are prone to plastic instability phenomena such as wrinkling during the stamping process, which adversely affects the forming quality. This study applies an ultrasonic-vibration energy field, aligned with the direction of stretching, in a plate diagonal tensile testing scenario based on the Blaha effect. The impact of varying thicknesses and vibration amplitudes on the anti-wrinkling performance of TA1 titanium sheets is investigated. Through a combined analysis of load–displacement curves and wrinkle height measurements using a super-depth-of-field microscope, by examining the forming load, the onset of wrinkling, and the wrinkle height at buckling locations, this study explores the deformation behavior of the thin sheet and the wrinkle suppression mechanism under the coupled effects of the ultrasonic-vibration field and scale. The results show that as the thickness decreases, the anti-wrinkling ability of the TA1 titanium sheet diminishes. The ultrasonic-vibration energy field reduces the yield stress and flow stress of the material, promoting wrinkling during the elastic deformation stage. Moreover, the 0.075 mm thick TA1 titanium sheet experiences local secondary wrinkling during the plastic deformation stage. Additionally, the ultrasonic-vibration energy field effectively reduces the forming load of the sheet and suppresses wrinkling within a certain range of amplitudes. These findings provide experimental evidence for the ultrasonic-vibration-assisted stamping process of titanium bipolar plates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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12 pages, 6733 KiB  
Article
Optical Properties and Thermal Stability of Ag-In-Cu Film on Aluminum Alloy Substrate Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering
by Xiaojun Zhao, Xinyue Wang, Ke Liu, Yuxiang Jiang, Zhenwu Peng, Yuchi Zhou, Zhonglin Qian, Wei Li, Lekang Lu, Lairong Xiao and Zhenyang Cai
Materials 2025, 18(6), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061318 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 283
Abstract
High-reflectivity metallic films on aluminum substrates are crucial in advanced aerospace and military applications due to their excellent reflectivity and workability. In order to further improve the reflectivity and thermal stability of films, this study investigated the deposition of AgInCux (x = [...] Read more.
High-reflectivity metallic films on aluminum substrates are crucial in advanced aerospace and military applications due to their excellent reflectivity and workability. In order to further improve the reflectivity and thermal stability of films, this study investigated the deposition of AgInCux (x = 1, 3, and 5 wt.%) films on Al 6061 alloy substrates using magnetron sputtering, exploring the impact of deposition parameters and composition on their optical properties and thermal stability. Increased copper content improved thermal stability, while it compromised reflectivity. Additionally, increasing deposition power and time initially enhanced reflectivity, but beyond an optimal point, it decreased. Therefore, the AgInCu films deposited at 30 W for 2 min exhibited the highest reflectivity of 99.8% in the near-infrared range, making them promising candidates for reflective films in next-generation optical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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18 pages, 11112 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Compressive Behavior, Constitutive Modeling, and Complete Failure Criterion of 30 Vol.% B4C/2024Al Composite
by Qiang Yan, Zhihong Zhao, Tian Luo, Feng Li, Jianjun Zhao, Zhenlong Chao, Sanfeng Liu, Yong Mei and Fengjun Zhou
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051170 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 518
Abstract
This study investigated the compressive behavior of 30 vol.% boron carbide (B4C)/2024 aluminum (Al) composites under quasi-static and dynamic loading at different temperatures. Building on the experimental findings, the Johnson–Cook (JC) model was modified, and a complete failure criterion was proposed. [...] Read more.
This study investigated the compressive behavior of 30 vol.% boron carbide (B4C)/2024 aluminum (Al) composites under quasi-static and dynamic loading at different temperatures. Building on the experimental findings, the Johnson–Cook (JC) model was modified, and a complete failure criterion was proposed. These were validated in Abaqus employing the user subroutine for hardening (VUHARD), which incorporated both the modified JC (MJC) model and the complete failure criterion. Experimental results revealed that strain softening was an important feature of the stress–strain curve. The analysis of mechanisms contributing to yield strength revealed that Taylor and load transfer mechanisms dominated, accounting for 89.6% of the total enhancement. Microstructural analysis identified particle fracture and matrix damage were the primary mechanisms driving material failure. Microcracks mainly propagated through the matrix and interface or directly through the ceramic particles and the matrix. The MJC model demonstrated high accuracy in describing the plastic deformation behavior of the composite, with a mean absolute error (MAE) below 15% under dynamic loading. Further simulation confirmed that finite element analyses using the VUHARD subroutine accurately captured the plastic deformation and crack propagation behaviors of the composite under dynamic loading. This study offers a novel approach to describe the plastic deformation and failure behaviors of ceramic-reinforced aluminum matrix composites under dynamic loading conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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19 pages, 6501 KiB  
Article
Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Grinding Metamorphic for 8Cr4Mo4V Steel
by Xue Liu, Tao Xia, Hongfei Li, Tianpeng Song, Nan Qu, Yong Liu and Jingchuan Zhu
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051092 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
The formation of surface austenite leads to microstructural changes, causing grinding hardening. However, the effect of grinding mechanical stresses on surface austenitization remains unclear. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the metamorphic layer are crucial for studying grinding hardening. Therefore, in this study, the [...] Read more.
The formation of surface austenite leads to microstructural changes, causing grinding hardening. However, the effect of grinding mechanical stresses on surface austenitization remains unclear. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the metamorphic layer are crucial for studying grinding hardening. Therefore, in this study, the evolution of the microstructure and corresponding mechanical properties of the grinding surface in 8Cr4Mo4V steel was analyzed. The microstructure of the metamorphic layer was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Physical simulation was employed to analyze the effect of mechanical compressive stress on the austenite transformation start temperature (Ac1). Dimensionless analysis, based on nanoindentation results, was conducted to study the mechanical properties of the metamorphic layer. The metamorphic layer in 8Cr4Mo4V steel consists of martensite, retained austenite, and undissolved carbides. The unresolved carbides are distributed within the cryptocrystalline martensite. Increasing the grinding depth and workpiece feed speed results in higher mechanical stress and temperature, which leads to a reduction in Ac1 and a higher content of austenite. The yield strength of the metamorphic layer is 2427 MPa, which is 427 MPa higher than that of the matrix, indicating obvious grinding hardening. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 10753 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Li on the Fracture Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Extruded Beryllium–Aluminum Composites
by Wentong Li, Yixiao Xia, Yutong Sun, Juanrui Hu, Leilei Hao, Yun Liu, Boyu Ju, Guoqin Chen and Wenshu Yang
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051055 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 352
Abstract
Alloying is an important method to improve the mechanical properties of beryllium–aluminum composites. In this study, two kinds of beryllium–aluminum composites with and without Li were prepared by pressure impregnation method and extrusion, and the effects of Li on the microstructure and mechanical [...] Read more.
Alloying is an important method to improve the mechanical properties of beryllium–aluminum composites. In this study, two kinds of beryllium–aluminum composites with and without Li were prepared by pressure impregnation method and extrusion, and the effects of Li on the microstructure and mechanical properties of beryllium–aluminum alloy were investigated by XRD, SEM and tensile test. The results show the addition of Li enhances the absorption of oxygen and nitrogen in the alloy; however, there is no significant change in the material’s density, which remains at 2.07 g/cm3. Despite an exacerbation of debonding phenomena at the fracture surface of Li-containing beryllium–aluminum alloys and a decrease in ductile dimples density, the yield strength increased from 266.2 MPa to 317.1 MPa, the tensile strength increased from 348.6 MPa to 411.4 MPa, and the elongation only decreased slightly from 2.9% to 2.5%. These experimental results support the design and preparation of high-performance beryllium–aluminum composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Review and Feature Papers in "Metals and Alloys" Section (2nd Edition))
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