Microstructure and Micromechanics in Advanced Steels

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced steels continue to play a pivotal role in modern engineering applications because of their exceptional combination of strength, ductility, toughness, corrosion resistance, and cost-effectiveness. The increasing demand for lightweight transportation systems, sustainable energy infrastructure, cryogenic storage and transportation, hydrogen-based technologies, and extreme-environment applications has accelerated the development of novel steel grades with increasingly sophisticated microstructures. Achieving superior performance in these materials requires a fundamental understanding of the relationships between processing, microstructure, deformation mechanisms, and mechanical behavior across multiple length scales.

Recent advances in characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atom probe tomography (APT), electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI), nanoindentation, and in situ testing, have provided unprecedented insights into the microstructural evolution and micromechanical response of steels. At the same time, computational materials science, crystal plasticity modeling, integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), and machine learning approaches are transforming the way microstructure–property relationships are analyzed and optimized. These developments present new opportunities for designing next-generation steels with tailored properties for demanding service conditions.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the latest advances in the fields of microstructure and micromechanics in advanced steels. Original research articles, communications, and review papers are welcome. Contributions addressing experimental, theoretical, computational, and data-driven investigations are particularly encouraged.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Microstructure–property relationships in advanced steels;
• Deformation mechanisms including TWIP, TRIP, martensitic transformation, and twinning;
• Cryogenic and high-temperature mechanical behavior;
• Austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, duplex, and multi-phase steels;
• Advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) and third-generation AHSS;
• Hydrogen embrittlement and environmentally assisted degradation;
• Fatigue, fracture, creep, and wear behavior;
• Phase transformations and microstructural evolution;
• SEM, EBSD, TEM, ECCI, APT, nanoindentation, and in situ characterization;
• Additive manufacturing and emerging processing routes for steels;
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in steel design and property prediction;
• Sustainable steel development and materials for energy applications.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq
Guest Editor

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