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Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2024 | Viewed by 9036

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alexander Smirnov

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Deformation Mechanics, Institute of Engineering Science UB RAS, Ekaterinburg 620049, Russia
Interests: metal composites; polymer composites; high-temperature deformation; constitutive equations; multiscale modelling; design materials; damage; material synthesis

Dr. Ying Fu

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Guest Editor

Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan 523808, China
Interests: vacuum metallurgy; mechanical property; metal matrix composites; single crystal copper alloys; compound casting

Dr. Roman Anatolievich Savrai

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Laboratory of Constructional Material Science, Institute of Engineering Science UB RAS, Ekaterinburg 620049, Russia
Interests: metals and alloys; coatings; laser and additive technologies; surface hardening; plasticity; strength and fracture

Dr. Dmitry Vichuzhanin

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Material Micromechanics, Institute of Engineering Science UB RAS, Ekaterinburg 620049, Russia
Interests: metal composites; polymer composites; high-temperature deformation; damage; fracture locus

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the wide range of metals, steels, alloys and polymers that have been developed and are currently being produced, they do not meet requirements of manufacturers in the production of advanced structures in some cases. One of the promising directions for improving the resistance of structural materials to high mechanical and thermal loads is the design of metal- and polymer-based composites. For this purpose, it is necessary to study them in detail at various scales. Investigations should include methods for optimizing the structure formation, as well as the influence of structure on physical, mechanical, thermal, tribological, technological and other properties. The dynamics of crack initiation and propagation, damage accumulation, as well as strain and fracture processes should also be thoroughly assessed.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to report research results on the structure and properties of metal- and polymer-based composites at various scales. Original manuscripts are welcome in the form of short communications, regular research articles, and reviews. The scope includes (but is not limited to): correlations between structure and properties; the design of composites with the specified properties; computer simulation of deformation behavior; artificial intelligence methods for designing composites; damage accumulation analysis; adhesive and cohesive failure; the formation and degradation of structure at high temperatures; methods and procedures for manufacturing metal- and polymer-based composites, as well as new areas of their application.

Dr. Alexander Smirnov
Dr. Ying Fu
Dr. Roman Anatolievich Savrai
Dr. Dmitry Vichuzhanin
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

metal composites
polymer composites
structure
mechanical properties
multiscale modeling/simulation
neural network
damage
fracture
wear
adhesion

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Solid–Liquid Composite Casting Process of Incoloy825/P110 Steel Composite Pipe

by Hailian Gui, Xiaotong Hu, Hao Liu, Chen Zhang, Qiang Li, Jianhua Hu, Jianxun Chen, Yujun Gou, Yuanhua Shuang and Pengyue Zhang

Materials 2024, 17(9), 1976; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17091976 - 24 Apr 2024

Viewed by 299

Abstract

Bimetallic composites have a wide range of application prospects in various industries. Different bonding temperatures, as one of the influencing factors, directly affect the bonding effectiveness as well as the performance and application of the materials. Using metallurgical bonding techniques ensures a strong bond at the interface of bimetallic materials, resulting in high-quality composite pipe billets. This paper describes an Incoloy825/P110 steel bimetal composite material made by the solid–liquid composite method. By utilizing ProCAST 14.5 software for simulation and deriving theoretical formulas, an initial range of temperatures for bimetallic preparation has been tentatively determined. And this temperature range will be utilized for on-site experiments to prepare bimetallic samples. After the preparation process is completed, samples will be selected. The influence of the external mold temperature on the interface bonding of Incoloy825/P110 steel solid–liquid composite material is studied using an ultra-depth three-dimensional morphology microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Through research, the optimal preheating temperature range for the solid–liquid composite outer mold of Incoloy825/P110 bimetallic composite material has been determined. The casting temperature of the inner mold has a significant impact on the interface bonding of this bimetal composite material. As the casting temperature of the inner mold increases, the interface thickness gradually increases. At lower temperatures, the interface thickness is lower and the bonding is poorer. At higher temperatures, melting may occur, leading to coarse grains at the interface. When the temperatures of the inner and outer molds are within a certain range, a new phase appears at the interface. Indeed, it increases the strength of the interface bonding. Due to co-melting of the bimetal near the interface, element migration occurs, resulting in increased Ni and Cr content at the interface and enhanced corrosion resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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18 pages, 6482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recycling of Silicomanganese Slag and Fly Ash for Preparation of Environment-Friendly Foamed Ceramics

by Guihang Yu, Wei Gao, Yanbin Yao, Tingting Zhang, Ying Fu and Xiangqing Kong

Materials 2023, 16(20), 6724; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16206724 - 17 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 792

Abstract

In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of foamed ceramics and expand the application scope of industrial solid waste, in this study, a new type of environment-friendly foamed ceramics was prepared using direct high-temperature foaming with waste silicomanganese slag (SMS) and fly ash (FA) as raw materials and silicon carbide (SiC) as a foaming agent. The influence of SMS content, SiC content, and sintering temperature on the characteristics and microstructure of the specimen were explored. More concretely, the compressive strength, pore morphology, bulk density, and crystalline composition of the foamed ceramics were discussed. The foaming mechanism was also further analyzed. The results showed that including 20% SMS significantly reduced the melt’s viscosity and stimulated bubble expansion. This, in turn, facilitated the creation of a porous structure. Moreover, it was noted that samples containing 20% SMS exhibited an anorthite phase when sintered at 1110 °C, resulting in enhanced compressive strength. The bulk density and compressive strength of the foamed ceramics decreased with an increase in the sintering temperature and SiC content. This trend was primarily attributed to the higher total porosity and the insufficient support of the pore wall to the matrix. The best all-around performance was achieved with 20 wt% SMS, 80 wt% FA as raw material, SiC addition of 1.0 wt%, and a sintering temperature of 1100 °C. Under these conditions, the compressive strength, bulk density, and total porosity of the foamed ceramics were 8.09 MPa, 0.57 g/cm³, and 71.04%, respectively. Taken together, the outstanding porous structure and mechanical properties of this foamed ceramic make it suitable for use as insulation or for building partition materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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22 pages, 10670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computational Study of the Influence of α/β-Phase Ratio and Porosity on the Elastic Modulus of Ti-Based Alloy Foams

by Claudio Aguilar, Javier Henriquez, Christopher Salvo, Ismelí Alfonso, Nicolas Araya and Lisa Muñoz

Materials 2023, 16(11), 4064; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16114064 - 30 May 2023

Viewed by 1355

Abstract

This work aims to perform a computational analysis on the influence that microstructure and porosity have on the elastic modulus of Ti-6Al-4V foams used in biomedical applications with different α/β-phase ratios. The work is divided into two analyses, first the influence that the α/β-phase ratio has and second the effects that porosity and α/β-phase ratio have on the elastic modulus. Two microstructures were analyzed: equiaxial α-phase grains + intergranular β-phase (microstructure A) and equiaxial β-phase grains + intergranular α-phase (microstructure B). The α/β-phase ratio was variated from 10 to 90% and the porosity from 29 to 56%. The simulations of the elastic modulus were carried out using finite element analysis (FEA) using ANSYS software v19.3. The results were compared with experimental data reported by our group and those found in the literature. The β-phase amount and porosity have a synergic effect on the elastic modulus, for example, when the foam has a porosity of 29 with 0% β-phase, and it has an elastic modulus of ≈55 GPa, but when the β-phase amount increases to 91%, the elastic modulus decreases as low as 38 GPa. The foams with 54% porosity have values smaller than 30 GPa for all the β-phase amounts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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21 pages, 20071 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Studying the Plastic Deformation of Cu-Ti-C-B Composites in a Favorable Stress State

by Nataliya Pugacheva, Denis Kryuchkov, Tatiana Bykova and Dmitry Vichuzhanin

Materials 2023, 16(8), 3204; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16083204 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 878

Abstract

Composites with a copper matrix attract the attention of researchers due to their ability to combine high ductility, heat conductivity, and electrical conductivity of the matrix with the high hardness and strength of the reinforcing phases. In this paper, we present the results of studying the effect of thermal deformation processing of a Сu-Ti-C-B composite produced by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) on its ability to deform plastically without failure. The composite consists of a copper matrix and reinforced particles of titanium carbide TiC (sized up to 1.0 μm) and titanium diboride TiB₂ (sized up to 3.0 μm). The composite hardness is 60 HRC. Under uniaxial compression, the composite starts to deform plastically at a temperature of 700 °C and a pressure of 100 MPa. Temperatures ranging between 765 and 800 °C and an initial pressure of 150 MPa prove to be the most effective condition for composite deformation. These conditions enabled a true strain of 0.36 to be obtained without composite failure. Under higher strain, surface cracks appeared on the specimen surface. The EBSD analysis shows that dynamic recrystallization prevails at a deformation temperature of at least 765 °C; therefore, the composite can plastically deform. To increase the deformability of the composite, it is proposed to perform deformation under conditions of a favorable stress state. Based on the results of numerical modeling by the finite element method, the critical diameter of the steel shell is determined, which is sufficient for deformation of the composite with the most uniform distribution of the stress coefficient k. Composite deformation in a steel shell under a pressure of 150 MPa, at 800 °C, is experimentally implemented until a true strain of 0.53 is reached. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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17 pages, 5497 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact Resistance of a Fiber Metal Laminate Skin Bio-Inspired Composite Sandwich Panel with a Rubber and Foam Dual Core

by Wenping Zhang, Ruonan Li, Quanzhan Yang, Ying Fu and Xiangqing Kong

Materials 2023, 16(1), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010453 - 03 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1974

Abstract

This paper reports the development of a novel bio-inspired composite sandwich panel (BCSP) with fiber metal laminate (FML) face sheets and a dual core to improve the low-velocity impact behavior based on the woodpecker’s head layout as a design template. The dynamic response of BCSP under impact load is simulated and analyzed by ABAQUS/Explicit software and compared with that of the composite sandwich panel (CSP) with a single foam core. The impact behavior of BCSP affected by these parameters, i.e., a different face sheet thickness, rubber core thickness and foam core height, was also reported. The results show that BCSP has superior impact resistance compared to CSP, with a lower damage area and smaller deformation, while carrying a higher impact load. Concurrently, BCSP is not highly restricted to any particular region when dealing with stress distributions. Compared to CSP, the bottom skin maximum stress value of BCSP is significantly reduced by 2.4–6.3 times at all considered impact energy levels. It is also found that the impact efficiency index of BCSP is 4.86 times higher than that of CSP under the same impact energy, indicating that the former can resist the impact load more effectively than the latter in terms of overall performance. Furthermore, the impact resistance of the BCSP improved with the increase in face sheet thickness and rubber core thickness. Additionally, the height of the foam core has a notable effect on the energy absorption, while it does not play a significant role in impact load. From an economic viewpoint, the height of the foam core retrofitted with 20 mm is reasonable. The results acquired from the current investigation can provide certain theoretical reference to the use of the bio-inspired composite sandwich panel in the engineering protection field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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14 pages, 2900 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of the Stress State, Testing Temperature, and Hardener Composition on the Strength of an AlMg5/Epoxy Metal-Polymer Joint

by Sergey Smirnov, Dmitry Konovalov, Dmitry Vichuzhanin, Irina Veretennikova, Aleksander Pestov and Viktoria Osipova

Materials 2022, 15(20), 7326; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207326 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1083

Abstract

The regularities of the effect of a complex stress state on the strength of an AlMg5/epoxy adhesive joint are experimentally studied at −50 and +23 °C in tension+shear and compression+shear tests with different normal-to-shear stress ratios. The tests use modified Arcan specimens and Brazil-nut-sandwich specimens, with the lateral faces of the adhesive layer having a shape of a mushroom-like “ridge” aimed at reducing stress concentration at the specimen edges. An original computational model of a selected microvolume including the interface together with the adjacent substrate and adhesive layers is used to process the experimental results. The attainment of the threshold value of strain energy density in the selected microvolume, W*, is used as the failure criterion. The effect of the hardener composition, the testing temperature, and the value of the phase angle β determining the proportion of normal and shear stresses at the adhesive interface on the threshold value W* is detected. W*(β) diagrams (fracture loci) are plotted and analytically described logarithmic functions. They can be used to make strength calculations for adhesive joints in structures and metal-polymer composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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24 pages, 6274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact Resistance and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Hooked-End and Crimped Steel Fiber

by Xiangqing Kong, Yanbin Yao, Bojian Wu, Wenjiao Zhang, Wenchang He and Ying Fu

Materials 2022, 15(19), 7029; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15197029 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1628

Abstract

The utilization of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a sustainable solution to protect the fragile natural environment and save the diminishing natural resources. The current study was aimed at exploring the impact resistance and mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) affected by hooked-end steel fiber (HF) and crimped steel fiber (CF). Fifteen concrete mixtures considering different RCA substitution ratio, steel fiber dosage, and steel fiber shapes were designed. Meanwhile, a statistical analysis method-based Weibull distribution was introduced to evaluate the variations of impact test results, presented using a reliability function. Lastly, the microstructural morphologies of interfacial transition zones at the cement paste/aggregate and cement paste/fiber interfaces were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results showed that the impact resistance and mechanical properties mildly decreased with the increase in substitution ratio of RCA, whereas they conclusively increased with the increase in steel fiber content. Steel fiber recycled aggregate concrete (SFRAC) with 1.5% steel fiber content had the best impact resistance, and its initial cracking times and final failure times were 3.25–4.75 and 8.78–29.08 times those of plain RAC, respectively. HF has better impact resistance than CF. The SEM observations of microstructures indicated that the hardened cement paste of natural aggregate concrete (NAC) was more compact than that of RAC. Steel fiber had a better connection with the cement paste interface than that of aggregate and cement paste owing to better thermal conductivity. This research could be a guide for SFRAC as a structural material in practical engineering, steering the construction industry toward the circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal and Polymer Composites for Functional and Structural Applications)

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