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Surface Modifications and Coatings for Metallic Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 1227

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Materials and Synchrotron Radiation Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, 2168, Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280, Japan
Interests: biomaterials; composites; interface; coating; titanium alloy; magnesium alloy; tribocorrosion; mechanical properties; optical properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an era of pivotal advancements in material science, the surface engineering of metallic materials is at the forefront of innovation, driving enhanced performance, durability, and functionality across various industries. For instance, the surface characteristics of materials and the coating technology employed on them contribute to the biocompatibility and biosafety of biomaterials and the heat resistance of turbine blades in jet engines. This, in turn, affects fuel consumption and durability. The surface condition of hot-rolled rolls is related to the quality of the steel sheet.

Various chemical or physical methods have been employed in the field of surface modification and coating of metals, depending on the specific application. Additionally, coatings of similar or different materials, including carburizing, nitriding, clad materials, and ceramic spraying, have been proposed, and some of them have been implemented in practice. As the importance of energy conservation and the enhancement of quality of life continues to grow, surface modification technology is emerging as a crucial foundational technology that supports the infrastructure of modern society and improves the intrinsic quality of materials, and its scientific principle is essential for technological advancement.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome for this Special Issue, which aims to present the latest knowledge, developments, methodologies, and insights into developing, characterizing, and applying surface modification technologies or candidate technologies designed to enhance the functionality of heat-resistant materials, biomaterials, or electronic materials. Additionally, the aim is to elucidate the fundamental principles underlying various phenomena induced by surface modification and coating of metallic materials for various applications.

The topics covered include, but are not limited to, studies on improving properties such as heat resistance, wear resistance, wettability, cytotoxicity, adhesiveness, optical properties, and electrical properties. Additionally, research on the mechanical behavior of the interface between the metal substrate and the coating, exfoliation resistance, and bonding mechanisms of dissimilar materials is encouraged. Furthermore, the aim is to facilitate the integration of cutting-edge research and practical applications, thereby opening up new avenues of exploration in this field.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Eri Miura-Fujiwara
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. 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

  • surface modification
  • coating
  • heat resistance
  • wear resistance
  • wettability
  • cytotoxicity
  • adhesiveness
  • optical properties
  • electrical properties
  • bonding mechanism

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 2847 KiB  
Article
Hydrogen-Free Plasma Nitriding Process for Fabrication of Expanded Austenite Layer on AISI 316 Stainless Steel Surface
by Mitsuhiro Hirano, Koyo Miura and Naofumi Ohtsu
Materials 2025, 18(1), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18010140 - 1 Jan 2025
Viewed by 643
Abstract
The addition of hydrogen to nitrogen facilitates the formation of nitride phases in the plasma nitriding processes of stainless steels, though it also induces the deterioration of their mechanical properties. This study presents a hydrogen-free plasma nitriding process for fabricating a nitrogen-expanded austenite [...] Read more.
The addition of hydrogen to nitrogen facilitates the formation of nitride phases in the plasma nitriding processes of stainless steels, though it also induces the deterioration of their mechanical properties. This study presents a hydrogen-free plasma nitriding process for fabricating a nitrogen-expanded austenite phase (γN) on an AISI 316 stainless steel surface. The steel substrate was nitrided in N2-Ar plasma with various gas compositions discharged by radio frequency (RF) and direct current (DC) modes. The process using the RF mode enabled the fabrication of a layer composed of a γN phase with a thickness of approximately 3 μm on the steel surface regardless of the gas composition, thereby enhancing its surface hardness. In contrast, such a layer was not observed in the DC mode, and the steel’s hardness was similar to that of the untreated surface. This difference in layer formation was attributed to the mitigation of surface etching by the Ar active species using the RF mode because of the lower bias voltage compared with that of the DC mode. This phenomenon suppresses the removal of the nitride phase formed during the process, which is a key factor contributing to nitrogen penetration. In conclusion, an N2-Ar plasma nitriding process using the RF mode is demonstrated to be a hydrogen-free process for fabricating a layer of a γN phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modifications and Coatings for Metallic Materials)
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