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Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications
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Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications

A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2027 | Viewed by 3801

Editor

Dr. Zhirou Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: microstructure characterization of light alloys; research on plastic deformation and recrystallization of light alloys; research on the mechanical properties of light alloys

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lightweight alloys play a pivotal role in modern engineering, serving crucial applications across the aerospace, automotive, marine, and transportation sectors. Materials such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and their advanced composites are continually being developed to achieve higher performance, improved efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. The evolution of these materials relies on a deepened understanding of the interrelationships between alloy composition, processing techniques, microstructural characteristics, and resultant mechanical properties.

Recent advances in manufacturing and processing technologies—including additive manufacturing, severe plastic deformation, and advanced heat treatments—have enabled the production of lightweight alloys with tailored microstructures and enhanced performance. At the same time, growing demands for energy efficiency and sustainability call for alloys that offer not only high strength-to-weight ratios but also improved durability, corrosion resistance, and suitability for multi-functional applications.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present the latest research and engineering developments related to lightweight alloys, with a particular focus on the relationships between microstructure, mechanical properties, and performance in service. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the design and development of novel lightweight alloys; optimization of processing routes; characterization and modeling of microstructural evolution; and evaluation of mechanical behavior under quasi-static, dynamic, cyclic, and thermal loads. Research addressing environmental performance, life-cycle assessment, joining technologies, and industrial case studies are also strongly encouraged.

It is widely recognized that macroscopic properties such as strength, ductility, and damage tolerance are governed by microstructural features and deformation mechanisms occurring at various length scales. A thorough understanding of these mechanisms is essential for developing next-generation lightweight alloys capable of meeting increasingly demanding engineering requirements.

We invite researchers and engineers to contribute original research and review articles that will promote the continued advancement and application of lightweight metallic materials.

Dr. Zhirou Zhang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • lightweight alloys
  • aluminum alloys
  • magnesium alloys
  • titanium alloys
  • additive manufacturing
  • microstructural characterization
  • mechanical properties
  • deformation mechanisms
  • environmental durability

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 6645 KB  
Article
Effect of Propylene Glycol Coolant pH on the Galvanic Corrosion Behavior of 6061 Aluminum Alloy/304 Stainless Steel
by Hao Miao, Cong Shao, Jinqiao Zheng, Hao Yu, Heqian Wang and Kui Xiao
Materials 2026, 19(13), 2898; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19132898 - 6 Jul 2026
Viewed by 702
Abstract
6061 aluminum alloy is lightweight and has good thermal conductivity, while 304 stainless steel possesses excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance; both have broad application prospects in cooling circuits. Propylene glycol coolant shows great potential in liquid cooling systems due to its low [...] Read more.
6061 aluminum alloy is lightweight and has good thermal conductivity, while 304 stainless steel possesses excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance; both have broad application prospects in cooling circuits. Propylene glycol coolant shows great potential in liquid cooling systems due to its low toxicity and good antifreeze properties. However, during operation, galvanic corrosion may occur when the two metals come into direct contact within the coolant, thereby threatening system safety and service life. This study focuses on 6061 aluminum alloy, 304 stainless steel, and their galvanic couples. Electrochemical testing, SEM, 3D confocal microscopy, and XPS were used to systematically investigate their self-corrosion and galvanic corrosion behavior in propylene glycol coolant at pH values of 4.8, 6.8, and 8.8. The results indicate that 6061 aluminum alloy is more sensitive to pH changes; its corrosion resistance first increases and then decreases as pH rises, with the least corrosion occurring at pH = 6.8 and the most severe at pH = 4.8. 304 stainless steel exhibited lower corrosion rates at pH 6.8 and 8.8, but corrosion significantly worsened at pH 4.8. For the 6061 aluminum alloy/304 stainless steel couple, the galvanic current first decreased and then increased with rising pH, while the galvanic potential first increased and then decreased. The 6061 aluminum alloy consistently acted as the anode, and the 304 stainless steel consistently acted as the cathode, with the highest sensitivity to galvanic corrosion observed at pH 4.8. XPS analysis shows that under different pH conditions, the corrosion products of 6061 aluminum alloy are Al(OH)3 and Al2O3, while the main components of the passivation film on 304 stainless steel remain unchanged. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications)
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15 pages, 18420 KB  
Article
Evolution of the Young’s Modulus of Al-7Si-4Cu Alloy with Increasing Temperature by Various Strengthening Approaches
by Hongyu Wang, Jingyi Hu, Tong Gao, Hongfu Su, Shushuai Liu and Xiangfa Liu
Materials 2026, 19(9), 1831; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19091831 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 508
Abstract
Despite the crucial role of Young’s modulus in the structural performance of Al alloys, the effects of common strengthening approaches on its evolution, particularly at elevated temperatures, remain largely unexplored. In this study, an Al-7Si-4Cu alloy was modified by hot deformation, micro-alloying with [...] Read more.
Despite the crucial role of Young’s modulus in the structural performance of Al alloys, the effects of common strengthening approaches on its evolution, particularly at elevated temperatures, remain largely unexplored. In this study, an Al-7Si-4Cu alloy was modified by hot deformation, micro-alloying with 0.3 wt.% Sc, alloying with 4 wt.% Ni, and reinforcement with 0.8 vol.% Al2O3 nanoparticles. The effects of these strengthening approaches on the microstructure and the evolution of Young’s modulus from room temperature to 350 °C were examined. It was found that the Young’s modulus of the alloys decreased with the increase in temperature, while this tendency is much more obvious when the temperature exceeds 250 °C. The results showed that hot deformation markedly refines the α-Al grains while the Young’s modulus stays largely unchanged. The Sc addition leads to the formation of the W phase but has no significant effect on the Young’s modulus. In contrast, the addition of Ni substantially increases the Young’s modulus through the formation of Al3CuNi intermetallic particles, with the Young’s modulus increasing from 72.15 to 76.47 GPa. With the addition of Al2O3 particles, the decreasing magnitude of Young’s modulus is optimized when the temperature is higher than 250 °C. This work may be referred to when designing high-modulus Al alloys by considering the utilization of various strengthening concepts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications)
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13 pages, 4919 KB  
Article
Enhancing the Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Effectiveness of a AZ61 Magnesium Alloy by Deformation and Subsequent Heat Treatment
by Minhyeok Kang, Kyengtaek Kim, Seongje Kim, Jose Victoria-Hernandez, Dietmar Letzig and Sangbong Yi
Materials 2026, 19(7), 1383; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19071383 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 569
Abstract
The rapid advancement and widespread application of telecommunication technologies have significantly increased human exposure to electromagnetic waves, thereby intensifying the demand for effective electromagnetic shielding materials. Beyond potential health concerns, ensuring the stable performance of highly integrated electronic devices also necessitates protection against [...] Read more.
The rapid advancement and widespread application of telecommunication technologies have significantly increased human exposure to electromagnetic waves, thereby intensifying the demand for effective electromagnetic shielding materials. Beyond potential health concerns, ensuring the stable performance of highly integrated electronic devices also necessitates protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI). In this study, the effects of processing conditions on the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of AZ61 magnesium alloy sheets were systematically investigated. Aging treatment of rolled AZ61 alloy promoted the formation of Mg17Al12 lamellae. Transmission Kikuchi diffraction analysis revealed that plate-like Mg17Al12 precipitates preferentially formed on the (0001) planes of the Mg matrix, contributing to improved EMI shielding. The rolled AZ61 sheet exhibited the highest SE in both the as-rolled state (83.1 dB at 900 MHz) and after aging for 131 h at 250 °C (76.2 dB at 900 MHz). The superior shielding performance of the as-rolled sheet is attributed to its high density of deformation-induced defects such as dislocations and twins, which induce lattice distortions and impede wave propagation. Meanwhile, the enhanced SE from the 131 h-aged condition results from multiple reflections of incident electromagnetic waves facilitated by the matrix–precipitate lamellar microstructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications)
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17 pages, 8329 KB  
Article
The Influence of Al Content on the Ignition and Flame Propagation Behavior of Ti1−xAlx Alloys in Enriched-Oxygen Environment
by Cheng Zhang, Qiwei Ran, Jianjun Li, Pengfei Jin, Guangyu He, Jinfeng Huang and Congzhen Wang
Materials 2026, 19(4), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19040824 - 23 Feb 2026
Viewed by 696
Abstract
Titanium aluminide intermetallics have gained considerable attention as high-temperature structural materials for aerospace applications, but are susceptible to “titanium fire” under extreme service conditions. The role of Al elements on the combustion behavior of titanium aluminide intermetallics remains not fully understood. Herein, the [...] Read more.
Titanium aluminide intermetallics have gained considerable attention as high-temperature structural materials for aerospace applications, but are susceptible to “titanium fire” under extreme service conditions. The role of Al elements on the combustion behavior of titanium aluminide intermetallics remains not fully understood. Herein, the influence of Al content on the ignition critical condition and burning rate of Ti1−xAlx alloys was investigated by using promoted ignition combustion (PIC) tests under oxygen-enriched atmosphere. Results indicated that the critical oxygen pressure of Ti1−xAlx alloys increases from 0.11 MPa to 0.23 MPa, and the ignition temperature under oxygen pressure of 0.41 MPa increases from 1059.5 ± 4.8 K to 1120.4 ± 2.5 K as Al content increases from 20 at% to 70 at%. However, the combustion rate increases from 11.85 ± 0.13 mm·s−1 to 14.05 ± 0.09 mm·s−1 as Al content increases from 20 at% to 70 at%. Moreover, the activation energy for ignition increases from 105.44 kJ·mol−1 to 153.04 kJ·mol−1 as Al content increases from 20 at% to 70 at%. According to the microstructure analysis after combustion, the influence of Al content on the ignition activation energy and burning rate is attributed to multiple factors involving bonding energy, melting temperature, and heat release. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications)
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16 pages, 21902 KB  
Article
Rapid Optimization of Microstructure–Hardness Relationship in Ti-Al-V-Zr-Nb-Mo Alloy via Gradient Heat Treatment
by Lijuan Zhu, Chun Feng, Yuanlong Liang, Wei Luo, Kai Zhang, Ligang Zhang, Bin Wang and Huiqun Liu
Materials 2026, 19(4), 660; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19040660 - 9 Feb 2026
Viewed by 718
Abstract
This study employed a gradient heat treatment strategy to efficiently acquire microstructure parameters and establish the microstructure–hardness relationship in Ti-6Al-4V-1.5Zr-1.0Nb-0.5Mo alloy, addressing the knowledge gap in rapid optimization of heat treatment windows. Gradient solution treatment in the α + β region (859–928 °C) [...] Read more.
This study employed a gradient heat treatment strategy to efficiently acquire microstructure parameters and establish the microstructure–hardness relationship in Ti-6Al-4V-1.5Zr-1.0Nb-0.5Mo alloy, addressing the knowledge gap in rapid optimization of heat treatment windows. Gradient solution treatment in the α + β region (859–928 °C) revealed that hardness reaches a minimum at a Vαp/Vβt ratio of approximately 0.5, a condition to be avoided if aging is not applied. Subsequent aging at 500 °C, a common temperature for such alloys, highlighted the solution-treated sample at 908 °C as possessing high hardening potential, attributed to its high βt fraction (Vβt = 70%) and sufficient retained β phase that promoted fine αs precipitation. Gradient aging (502–590 °C) of this optimized microstructure further showed that peak hardness (>350 HV1, measured under a 1 kg load) was achieved at 502 °C and 551 °C, where the Vαp/Vβt ratio remained near the optimal 3:7, and the precipitated refined αs exhibited minimal width. The hardness of the bimodal microstructure is governed by two principal factors: the Vαp/Vβt ratio (optimum near 3:7) and the precipitation efficiency of refined αs from retained β phase. The gradient approach proves to be an effective high-throughput method for rapidly correlating heat treatment parameters with microstructure and properties, accelerating the design of heat treatments for titanium alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Lightweight Alloys: Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Applications)
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