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Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4727

Editors

Dr. Florin Popa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Muncii Ave. 103-105, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: soft magnetic materials; nanocrystalline materials; mechanical alloying; Heusler alloys; scanning electron microscopy; EDX; optical microscopy; X-ray diffraction; thermal anlaysis; magnetic measurements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Traian Florin Marinca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Muncii Ave. 103-105, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: magnetic materials; soft magnetic composite; powder metallurgy; materials characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Bogdan Viorel Neamțu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Muncii Ave. 103-105, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: magnetism and magnetic materials; sintering; spark plasma sintering; X-ray diffraction; thermal analysis; magnetic measurements; amorphous and nanocrystalline materials; soft magnetic composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Cǎlin Virgiliu Pricǎ

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Muncii Ave. 103-105, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: mechanical alloying; Fe–Ni alloys; invar-type alloys; spark plasma sintering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Powder metallurgy represents a widely used method for producing finite parts of technologically functional devices used in several industrial areas. To continuously reinvent this field, new advanced materials are developed every year, with applications in a wide range of industries, including from steel to biomaterials and from structural materials to functional materials. To add more value in the field in recent years, also the nano aspect of the powders is considered. The aim of this Special Issue is to present to the scientific community the discussion forum of researchers in the field of materials science and engineering held in the frame of the 6th International Conference on Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials (RoPM&AM2025).

The participants are encouraged to submit original research contributions focused on obtaining methods, characterizations, and applications of nanomaterials and powders. Contributions related to biomaterials and simulations are encouraged as well.

The covered topics may include the following:

  • Powder and PM products;
  • Advanced materials processing;
  • New materials and applications;
  • Functional materials;
  • Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies;
  • Health, safety, and environmental aspects of particulates.

Dr. Florin Popa
Dr. Traian Florin Marinca
Dr. Bogdan Viorel Neamțu
Dr. Cǎlin Virgiliu Pricǎ
Guest Editors

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

  • powder metallurgy
  • powder processing
  • advanced materials
  • additive manufacturing
  • spark plasma sintering
  • functional materials
  • nanomaterials
  • nanostructures
  • biomaterials
  • microstructure
  • annealing
  • simulation and modelling

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2543 KB  
Article
Piezoelectric Actuators for Compliant Mechanisms
by Simona Noveanu, Dan Cristian Noveanu and Ioan Alexandru Ivan
Materials 2026, 19(14), 3116; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19143116 - 20 Jul 2026
Viewed by 397
Abstract
The growing demand for precision and miniaturization in micro-scale systems and biomedical applications has driven the need for highly optimized compliant mechanisms. The design of these mechatronic systems requires advanced actuators optimization, synchronizing material characteristics, geometric limitations, and mechanical structure. This study presents [...] Read more.
The growing demand for precision and miniaturization in micro-scale systems and biomedical applications has driven the need for highly optimized compliant mechanisms. The design of these mechatronic systems requires advanced actuators optimization, synchronizing material characteristics, geometric limitations, and mechanical structure. This study presents analysis results, emphasizing the performance of piezoelectric actuators for compliant mechanisms. Analytical results were presented for two types of actuators: stack actuators and bending actuators. We examined displacement when a different voltage was applied and designed a mini gripper as an application. Finally, experimental results for stack and bending piezoelectric actuators are presented. This study provides a solid framework for integrating simulation findings with experimental requirements in the compliant mechanisms field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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17 pages, 3113 KB  
Article
Effect of Sintering Temperature on Densification, Microstructure, and Corrosion Behavior of Ti6Al4V/20Cu Composites Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy
by Victor Manuel Solorio, Hector Javier Vergara-Hernández, Elena Mihalcea, Julio Villalobos-Brito, Francisco Alvarado-Hernandez, Jose Luis Cabezas-Villa, Gilberto González-Gómez, Mario Misael Machado-López and Luis Olmos
Materials 2026, 19(14), 2979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142979 - 10 Jul 2026
Viewed by 385
Abstract
Copper alloying of Ti6Al4V via liquid-phase sintering (LPS) is a promising route to enhance densification and mechanical properties for biomedical implants. This study investigates the effect of sintering temperature (900–1100 °C) on the densification, microstructure, and electrochemical behavior of Ti6Al4V–20 wt.% Cu composites. [...] Read more.
Copper alloying of Ti6Al4V via liquid-phase sintering (LPS) is a promising route to enhance densification and mechanical properties for biomedical implants. This study investigates the effect of sintering temperature (900–1100 °C) on the densification, microstructure, and electrochemical behavior of Ti6Al4V–20 wt.% Cu composites. Samples were fabricated via pressureless sintering, maintaining a constant relative green density of 72.7%. The results show that the relative density increased progressively from 78.6% at 900 °C to 98.1% at 1100 °C. Microstructural analysis revealed a transition from fragmented Ti-Cu dendritic structures to refined globular intermetallic, with enhanced copper diffusion into the α-Ti matrix above 1000 °C, accompanied by the formation of TiCu and Ti2Cu intermetallic phases. Correspondingly, microhardness increased systematically from 313 HV to 473 HV, correlated with reduced porosity and intermetallic reinforcement. Electrochemical tests in Ringer’s solution indicated that while higher temperatures improve structural integrity, the distribution of Cu-rich phases significantly influences corrosion kinetics. These findings demonstrate that sintering at 1100 °C optimizes the densification–microstructure relationship, providing a technical basis for the development of high-performance Ti-based composites. Based on previous studies of Ti–Cu systems, these materials may exhibit antibacterial activity, although no biological or antibacterial tests were performed in the present work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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17 pages, 5059 KB  
Article
Elastic Die Technology for Spur Gear Powder Compaction: Experimental Measurements and Simulation-Based Validation
by Dan Cristian Noveanu
Materials 2026, 19(6), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19061203 - 19 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 721
Abstract
Achieving high density in complex powder metallurgy components like spur gears is often hindered by friction-induced density gradients and ejection defects. This study investigates a novel elastic die system designed to mitigate these issues through controlled radial deformation. Spur gears were compacted using [...] Read more.
Achieving high density in complex powder metallurgy components like spur gears is often hindered by friction-induced density gradients and ejection defects. This study investigates a novel elastic die system designed to mitigate these issues through controlled radial deformation. Spur gears were compacted using Ancorsteel 2000 powder under pressures of 400–700 MPa, utilizing a tapered elastic sleeve to apply radial compression. Green and sintered densities were measured, while porosity distribution was quantified via image analysis. Additionally, a 3D finite element simulation using FORGE software was conducted to model the thermo-mechanical behavior and stress distribution during the process. Experimental trials demonstrated that the elastic relaxation of the sleeve enabled free ejection of the compacts without requiring an extraction force. Image analysis confirmed a homogenous porosity distribution across the gear teeth, and higher die pre-stressing strokes were found to correlate with increased sintered density. Finite element modeling accurately predicted critical stress concentrations of 700 MPa at the die–sleeve interface and validated the strain distribution. The results confirm that elastic die technology effectively eliminates ejection friction and improves density uniformity in complex gears, offering a viable solution for reducing tool wear and manufacturing defects in high-precision powder metallurgy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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20 pages, 2674 KB  
Article
Selective Copper Removal from an Fe–P–Cu Alloy Recovered by Pyrometallurgical Reduction of Spent LiFePO4 Batteries via Sulfidation–Slag Refining
by Jin-Seong Yoon, A-Jin Im and Jei-Pil Wang
Materials 2026, 19(6), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19061185 - 18 Mar 2026
Viewed by 658
Abstract
The recycling of spent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) batteries is receiving increasing attention as electric-vehicle deployment accelerates worldwide. Pyrometallurgical reduction offers a viable route for large-scale recovery of iron-rich products from spent LFP batteries; however, the resulting Fe-based alloys often [...] Read more.
The recycling of spent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) batteries is receiving increasing attention as electric-vehicle deployment accelerates worldwide. Pyrometallurgical reduction offers a viable route for large-scale recovery of iron-rich products from spent LFP batteries; however, the resulting Fe-based alloys often retain residual copper (Cu), which deteriorates alloy quality and constrains downstream utilization and refining. In this study, a sulfidation–slag refining process was developed to selectively remove Cu from an Fe–P–Cu alloy produced by dry reduction of spent LFP batteries. FeS was employed as a sulfidizing agent to promote preferential conversion of Cu into sulfide phases, while fayalite (Fe2SiO4) slag was introduced to enhance phase separation between metallic and sulfide/slag phases. Thermodynamic calculations coupled with high-temperature experiments were conducted at 1400–1600 °C under various Cu:FeS ratios to identify operating conditions that maximize Cu removal while minimizing Fe loss. The results indicate that Cu is selectively transferred from the metallic phase to Cu–Fe–S sulfide phases, whereas Fe remains predominantly in the metal phase. Under the optimal condition (1400 °C, Cu:FeS = 2:1), the refined metal reached an Fe content of 90.80 wt.%, achieving an Fe recovery of 87.42% and a Cu removal efficiency of 81.13%. The proposed approach provides a practical stepwise refining strategy for upgrading Fe-rich secondary resources recovered from spent LFP batteries and facilitates subsequent impurity-control processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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16 pages, 6543 KB  
Article
Phase Evolution by Annealing of Mechanically Activated Ni, Mn, and Sn Elemental Powders Mixture with the Ni2MnSn Heusler Compound Ratio
by Florin Popa, Andra Teodora Anastasia Man, Traian Florin Marinca and Ionel Chicinaș
Materials 2025, 18(24), 5642; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18245642 - 15 Dec 2025
Viewed by 778
Abstract
A Ni2MnSn Heusler alloy composition of elemental powders was high-energy milled for a short time for powder activation. The milling times were chosen to be 1 and 4 h to study how mechanical mixing triggers the phase formation in the Ni-Mn-Sn [...] Read more.
A Ni2MnSn Heusler alloy composition of elemental powders was high-energy milled for a short time for powder activation. The milling times were chosen to be 1 and 4 h to study how mechanical mixing triggers the phase formation in the Ni-Mn-Sn system. After milling, the samples were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and the thermal events of Ni2MnSn L21 phase formation were investigated. The milled samples were compacted at 700 MPa and annealed in a vacuum for 10 min at different temperatures (230 °C, 330 °C, and 600 °C). The annealing temperatures were chosen to emphasize the activated powders’ behavior before and after Sn melting on L21 Structure formation. Using X-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis, the phase quantity was computed, showing that the largest L21 phase (63%) can be obtained from the elemental powder mixture due to Sn melting during the annealing. For milled samples, a Ni3Sn4 phase was obtained by milling, and by annealing this phase, along with the remaining element, it reacts to form a Ni2MnSn L21 phase and a Ni3Sn2 phase. The microstructural evolution of the phase was illustrated by backscattering electron microscopy for milled and subsequent annealed samples, and, by image analysis, a correlation of the phase’s amount was performed. The results of the image analysis were correlated with the X-ray diffraction patterns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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14 pages, 1359 KB  
Article
Properties of n-Octadecane PCM Composite with Recycled Aluminum as a Thermal Enhancer
by Nicoleta Cobîrzan, Gyorgy Thalmaier, Crețu Mihaela, Mircea Năsui and Dan Doru Micu
Materials 2025, 18(24), 5638; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18245638 - 15 Dec 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 855
Abstract
This paper presents new types of PCM composites proposed and analyzed for cooling applications in buildings. The composites (n-octadecane-Al-long/n-octadecane-Al-short) were made of n-octadecane with 7% and 7.5% vol. of recycled aluminum added as a thermal conductivity enhancer to avoid sinking during the melting [...] Read more.
This paper presents new types of PCM composites proposed and analyzed for cooling applications in buildings. The composites (n-octadecane-Al-long/n-octadecane-Al-short) were made of n-octadecane with 7% and 7.5% vol. of recycled aluminum added as a thermal conductivity enhancer to avoid sinking during the melting phase and to improve thermal conductivity. Recycled aluminum chips are inexpensive, abundant, and generate a lower environmental impact during composite production. The effect of the chip content was found to increase the thermal conductivity values of the composites by 100% (n-octadecane-Al short) and by 600% (n-octadecane-Al-long) compared to n-octadecane. The percentage of mass increase remained low. The latent heat of n-octadecane-Al-long decreased from 245 kJ/kg to 195 kJ/kg, the melting time shortened from 990 s to 850 s, and the CO2 emission reduction was by 150 kg CO2eq/year. The volume of the PCM composites varied from 0.083 m3 (n-octadecane) to 0.091 for n-octadecane-Al-long, which represents an increase of up to 11% needed to absorb the solar heat gained by the optimized PCM composite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Materials)
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