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Advances in Low-Carbon and Zero-Carbon Metallurgical Technologies

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2026 | Viewed by 677

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan 250013, China
Interests: metallurgical transport phenomena; metallurgical environmental engineering

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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: sodium-ion batteries; lithium-ion batteries; gel electrolytes; cathode materials; electrochemical energy storage
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Low-carbon and zero-carbon metallurgy stands at the forefront of sustainable industrial transformation, representing a pivotal shift for the future of the metal and material industry. This Special Issue seeks high-quality feature papers that provide insights into and highlight the latest scientific and technological advancements in developing and scaling low- and zero-carbon metallurgical processes. We welcome contributions that span fundamental research, process innovation, and system integration, with applications across ferrous, non-ferrous, and critical metal production. As Guest Editors of this Special Issue, we cordially invite you to submit your recent work, including original research manuscripts and comprehensive review articles that significantly advance our understanding of these transformative technologies.

Dr. Kezhou Song
Dr. Ying-De Huang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • preparation of metal alloy
  • hydrogen metallurgy
  • secondary resource recycling
  • metallurgy of materials
  • metallurgical electrochemistry
  • bio-leaching and bio-recovery
  • optimization of transportation
  • novel reactor design
  • LCA and techno-economic analysis
  • advanced materials for harsh environments

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 12386 KB  
Communication
Effect of SiC Content on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CoCrFeNi High-Entropy Alloy Composites
by Ning Li, Xinlong Hu, Chengbo Wu, Mengyuan Jiang, Huiying Li, Jinlong Zhang and Fuyuan Dong
Materials 2026, 19(12), 2501; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19122501 - 10 Jun 2026
Viewed by 135
Abstract
In this work, to address the limitation of low strength and hardness of single-phase CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy, SiC particles were introduced as a reinforcing phase to prepare CoCrFeNi matrix composites with SiC contents of 0 wt%, 1 wt%, 2.5 wt% and 5 wt% [...] Read more.
In this work, to address the limitation of low strength and hardness of single-phase CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy, SiC particles were introduced as a reinforcing phase to prepare CoCrFeNi matrix composites with SiC contents of 0 wt%, 1 wt%, 2.5 wt% and 5 wt% via spark plasma sintering (SPS). It was preliminarily predicted that SiC particles would be uniformly distributed along grain boundaries of the CoCrFeNi matrix. During sintering, partial SiC decomposes at high-temperature, high-activity interfaces, regulating carbide precipitation and phase structural evolution, while residual undecomposed SiC remains at grain boundaries to pin boundaries and refine grains, thereby synergistically enhancing mechanical properties and wear resistance. Microstructural characterization reveals that all samples maintain a face-centered cubic (FCC) solid-solution matrix, and samples with non-zero SiC addition contain Cr7C3 carbides, which are mostly distributed at grain boundaries. With the increase in SiC content, mechanical performance is remarkably improved compared with the unreinforced CoCrFeNi matrix: the hardness rises from 198.8 HV to 321.7 HV, the yield strength is greatly enhanced from 242.5 MPa to 673.4 MPa, and the tensile strength increases from 557.9 MPa to 755.7 MPa. The improved yield strength originates synergistically from grain refinement, solid-solution strengthening, grain-boundary strengthening and dislocation strengthening. By clarifying the influence of microstructural defects on critical shear stress (τ0) and normal fracture stress (σ0), the intrinsic mechanism governing tensile mechanical performance and ductile–brittle fracture transition was revealed. This optimized CoCrFeNi/SiC composite exhibits excellent strength–hardness comprehensive performance, showing promising application potential for high-load, wear-resistant and structural service components under severe tribological and pressure conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Low-Carbon and Zero-Carbon Metallurgical Technologies)
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21 pages, 7182 KB  
Article
Improved Thermo-Hydraulic Stability and Boiling Heat Transfer Through a Novel Three-Layer Microchannel Heat Sink with 3/4 Open-Ring Pin Fin Arrays
by Guangyao Liu, Can Ji, Zhigang Liu, Peter D. Lund, Yeyao Liu, Fuqiang Xu, Shenglong Zhang, Cong Wang and Donghao Li
Materials 2026, 19(10), 2143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19102143 - 20 May 2026
Viewed by 221
Abstract
This study systematically investigated flow boiling characteristics within a novel three-layer microchannel heat sink with 3/4 open-ring pin fin arrays, designed for high-heat-flux thermal management of low-carbon metallurgical reactors. Two-phase flow regimes, pressure drop, and wall temperature responses were analyzed. To evaluate the [...] Read more.
This study systematically investigated flow boiling characteristics within a novel three-layer microchannel heat sink with 3/4 open-ring pin fin arrays, designed for high-heat-flux thermal management of low-carbon metallurgical reactors. Two-phase flow regimes, pressure drop, and wall temperature responses were analyzed. To evaluate the impact of functional surface material properties on thermo-hydraulic behavior, a hydrophilic nano-coating modification was applied to the inner copper channel walls for comparison. Increasing the flow rate triggered a transition from a vapor-dominated confined slug flow to a liquid-dominated dispersed bubble flow, which effectively improved the thermo-hydraulic stability. Hydrophilic surface modification resulted in an average pressure drop reduction of 33% and significantly diminished the sensitivity of flow resistance to velocity variations. Through hydrophilic treatment, the localized vapor film effect at high velocities was suppressed, and temperature field homogenization was promoted, yielding a maximum convective heat transfer coefficient of 7760 W/(m2·°C), i.e., 72.9% enhancement over the baseline heat sink. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the formation of a stable near-wall thin liquid film and the promotion of high-frequency nucleate boiling. These results will be of high relevance for developing efficient cooling solutions for power electronics, thereby supporting the advancement of low-carbon metallurgical reactors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Low-Carbon and Zero-Carbon Metallurgical Technologies)
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