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Precious and Rare Metal Materials: Synthesis, Application and Characterization

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 1008

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
Interests: advanced precious materials; semiconductor materials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The significance of precious and rare metal materials in contemporary society cannot be overstated, as they exhibit exceptional properties and performance across a wide range of industries, including semiconductors, medicine, electronics, and catalysis. These materials have been instrumental in driving technological advancements, fostering innovation, and enhancing efficiency in various applications.

This Special Issue is designed to provide an in-depth examination of the synthesis, application, and characterization of precious and rare metal materials. The issue aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of their production methods, recycling techniques, and efficient utilization, while addressing the sustainability concerns and unique challenges associated with these materials. Furthermore, it seeks to elucidate the fundamental characteristics that render these metals indispensable and their pivotal role in shaping the modern technological landscape.

We invite scholarly contributions that not only explore the current trends in the synthesis and application of these metals but also critically assess their future prospects and potential advancements. This issue is intended to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners with a keen interest in precious and rare metal materials, providing insights that can inform the advancement of research and development in these fields.

Through an examination of the latest technological trends and their implications, this Special Issue aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the sustainable and innovative use of precious and rare metal materials. By presenting cutting-edge research and expert perspectives, this issue seeks to facilitate a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between these materials, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Shaohong Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • gold-group metals, such as copper, silver, gold, palladium, etc.
  • silver-group metals, such as zinc, cadmium, mercury, etc.
  • platinum-group metals, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium, etc.
  • rare light metals, such as beryllium, lithium, rubidium, cesium, etc.
  • rare precious metals, such as platinum, iridium, osmium, etc.
  • rare dispersed metals, such as gallium, germanium, indium, thallium, etc.
  • rare earth metals, such as scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, etc.
  • refractory rare metals, such as titanium, zirconium, tantalum, vanadium, niobium, etc.
  • radioactive rare metals, such as polonium, radium, actinium, uranium, plutonium, etc.

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4200 KiB  
Article
Insights into Localized Crystallization in the 3D-Cone Solar Evaporator for High-Salinity Desalination
by Ruolan Tang, Wanqi Chen, Bo Yang, Banghe Lv, Haile Yan, Song Li and Liang Zuo
Materials 2025, 18(11), 2610; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18112610 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 415
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation desalination is regarded as a promising solution to address freshwater scarcity. However, salt deposition remains a significant challenge. While structural designs such as designated deposition sites can control crystallization, the mechanisms of salt precipitation at specific locations are still unclear. [...] Read more.
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation desalination is regarded as a promising solution to address freshwater scarcity. However, salt deposition remains a significant challenge. While structural designs such as designated deposition sites can control crystallization, the mechanisms of salt precipitation at specific locations are still unclear. In the present work, we designed a three-dimensional conical evaporator using low-cost cellulose paper for efficient solar-driven desalination. This innovative evaporator design achieves controlled salt crystallization by meticulously balancing the rates of salt diffusion and accumulation, thereby directing salt precipitation to a predetermined location approximately 1.4 cm above the conical base. This phenomenon arises from temperature variations across the evaporator’s three-dimensional surface, which induce differences in water surface tension and create favorable sites for salt precipitation. Such a salt management strategy allows for continuous operation for up to 8 h in high-salinity conditions (24.5 wt.%) without compromising performance. Under one sun irradiation, the evaporator demonstrates exceptional performance, with an evaporation rate of 2.54 kg·m−2·h−1 and an impressive energy conversion efficiency of 93.7%. This approach provides valuable insights into the salt precipitation mechanism, contributing to the future design of three-dimensional evaporators and innovative salt collection strategies. Full article
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Review

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15 pages, 1784 KiB  
Review
A Review of Grain Refinement and Texture Engineering in Aluminum Alloy Magnetron Sputtering Targets
by Run-Xin Song, Dong Wang, Yiqiao Yang, Jinjiang He, Song Li, Hai-Le Yan and Liang Zuo
Materials 2025, 18(14), 3235; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18143235 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 234
Abstract
Aluminum and its alloy magnetron sputtering targets, owing to their superior electrical/thermal conductivity and robust substrate adhesion, serve as critical materials in advanced electronics and information technologies. It is known that the microstructure of the target, including grain uniformity and crystallographic texture, directly [...] Read more.
Aluminum and its alloy magnetron sputtering targets, owing to their superior electrical/thermal conductivity and robust substrate adhesion, serve as critical materials in advanced electronics and information technologies. It is known that the microstructure of the target, including grain uniformity and crystallographic texture, directly affects the sputtering performance and the quality of the deposited thin film. Despite extensive research efforts, the review paper focused on the microstructure of aluminum target materials is still absent. In that context, the recent progress on the Al alloy target is reviewed, focusing on grain refinement and texture control strategies. The roles of alloying elements, such as Si, Cu, and rare-earth Sc and Nd, are described first. The two conventional manufacturing techniques of fabricating Al targets, including melting and powder metallurgy, are introduced. Then, studies on grain refinement by thermomechanical processing routes (hot/cold rolling, annealing and forging) are summarized. Lastly, texture engineering through deformation and heat treatment protocols (unidirectional/multidirectional rolling, deformation thickness, and composite deformation modes) is reviewed. By establishing the relationship between thermomechanical processing and microstructure, this review provides insights for designing high-performance aluminum targets tailored to next-generation advanced thin-film applications. Full article
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