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Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition)
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Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2027 | Viewed by 9637

Editor

Dr. Qinghuan Huo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: microstructure characterization; plastic deformation and recrystallization of light metals; mechanical property
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After our first two successful editions of the Special Issue “Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys”, we decided to launch the third edition of this Special Issue on light alloys. Light alloys, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, are important materials for the automobile, aircraft, and electronic industries. In recent decades, many studies have reported on the microstructure characteristics, mechanical performance, and advantages of light alloys. Many outstanding studies have resulted in fast progress being made. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are, of course, still many unknown theories and unsolved problems in light alloys. Thus, to further trigger the development of light alloys, the relationship between microstructure characteristics and mechanical performance needs to be researched more deeply. For this reason, the present Special Issue, entitled “Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys”, is proposed. This Special Issue aims to collect excellent studies on light alloys from around the world, including, but not limited to, aluminum alloys; magnesium alloys; titanium alloy; mechanical performance; microstructure characterization; heat treatment; plastic processing; precipitation; phase transformation; SEM; EBSD; FIB; TEM; and in situ X-rays.

We welcome you to submit your excellent work to this Special Issue, entitled “Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition)”, of Materials.

Dr. Qinghuan Huo
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

  • aluminum alloys
  • magnesium alloys
  • titanium alloys
  • mechanical performance
  • microstructure characterization
  • heat treatment
  • plastic processing
  • precipitation
  • phase transformation

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3564 KB  
Article
Effect of Eutectic Silicon on the Electrical Conductivity of Al-Si Alloys Using Principal Component Regression Analysis
by Bin Li, Zhao Yang, Yifan Li, Jianqi Lu, Lijia Tan, Wenhao Gong and Qinghuan Huo
Materials 2026, 19(12), 2591; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19122591 - 16 Jun 2026
Viewed by 402
Abstract
The microstructure of as-cast Al-xSi (x = 4, 7, 10) alloys solidified under various cooling rates was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To overcome the multicollinearity among eutectic silicon parameters, Principal Component Regression (PCR) analysis was employed to quantitatively evaluate the effects [...] Read more.
The microstructure of as-cast Al-xSi (x = 4, 7, 10) alloys solidified under various cooling rates was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To overcome the multicollinearity among eutectic silicon parameters, Principal Component Regression (PCR) analysis was employed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of silicon morphology, scale, and content on the electrical conductivity of the alloys. The results demonstrate that rapid solidification significantly refines the plate-like eutectic silicon and reduces its volume fraction, leading to improved electrical conductivity. The PCR model shows that a hierarchical mechanism: volume fraction (PC1) acts as the principal determinant, increasing baseline resistance primarily by truncating the electron mean free path (MFP); meanwhile, within identical alloy systems, morphological parameters (PC2) play a dominant regulatory role. A semi-quantitative electron drift path model was established, confirming that the morphological deviation of eutectic silicon from a spherical shape (i.e., increased aspect ratio) causes a non-linear increase in the amplitude of electron detours. This geometric elongation significantly degrades electrical conductivity, providing theoretical guidance for the microstructural design of high-conductivity Al-Si alloys, which can be practically applied to the manufacturing and optimization of lightweight, heat-dissipating enclosures for new energy vehicle (NEV) motors and power distribution systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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16 pages, 26634 KB  
Article
Effect of Welding Heat Input on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of MIG-Welded Dissimilar Magnesium Alloy Joints
by Lingkai Jin, Xuhui Feng, Xiaoshan Tong, Wenjing Li, Jiaxin Huang and Jian Peng
Materials 2026, 19(10), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19102068 - 15 May 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 522
Abstract
Welding is one of the key joining routes for expanding the engineering applications of dissimilar magnesium alloys. However, after experiencing rapid non-equilibrium heating and cooling cycles, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a welded joint tends to undergo grain coarsening as well as dissolution [...] Read more.
Welding is one of the key joining routes for expanding the engineering applications of dissimilar magnesium alloys. However, after experiencing rapid non-equilibrium heating and cooling cycles, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a welded joint tends to undergo grain coarsening as well as dissolution or agglomeration of precipitates, and therefore becomes the region most susceptible to failure. In this study, 3 mm thick sheets machined from AZ61A and AZ80A magnesium alloy hollow sections were joined by metal inert gas welding (MIG). Different ranges of welding heat input were obtained by combining multiple sets of welding parameters, in order to further tailor the HAZ of dissimilar magnesium alloy joints and achieve sound weld quality. The results showed that the joint exhibited the best overall mechanical performance at 523 J·mm−1, with an ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of 292 MPa, 172 MPa, and 5.4%, respectively. All fractures occurred in the HAZ on the AZ61A side. Under this condition, the second phases in the HAZ were more finely and uniformly dispersed, with a volume fraction of 3.19%, an average size of 2.51 μm, and a minimum average grain size of 23.65 μm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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16 pages, 13335 KB  
Article
Gradient-Structured AZ31 Magnesium Alloy: Enhanced Room-Temperature Stretch Formability and Associated Deformation Mechanisms
by Zihuan Hua, Chao He, Lintao Liu, Zhihan Wang, Shengwen Bai, Meng Li and Bin Jiang
Materials 2026, 19(8), 1566; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081566 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 699
Abstract
In this study, a gradientstructured (GS) AZ31 Mg alloy sheet with high stretch formability is fabricated using turned bearing extrusion (TBE). The mechanism by which the gradient structure contributes to the improvement in formability is elucidated. The Erichsen index of the GS sheet [...] Read more.
In this study, a gradientstructured (GS) AZ31 Mg alloy sheet with high stretch formability is fabricated using turned bearing extrusion (TBE). The mechanism by which the gradient structure contributes to the improvement in formability is elucidated. The Erichsen index of the GS sheet reaches 5.51 mm, representing an increase of up to 89.3% compared to conventional extruded (CE) sheets. During the Erichsen cupping test, when the coarsegrained (CG) layer of the GS sheet is positioned on the inner side, the large grains promote the activation of deformation twins, thereby effectively enhancing the strain accommodation capacity in the thickness direction. Meanwhile, the finegrained (FG) outer layer effectively suppresses the formation of {101-1} and {101-1}-{101-2} twins, reducing local strain concentration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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14 pages, 4753 KB  
Article
Finding Optimal Thermo-Mechanical Processing for a TNTZ-O Beta-Titanium Alloy
by Vasile Danut Cojocaru, Anna Nocivin, Doina Raducanu, Claudia Ioana Cojocaru, Raluca Elena Irimescu and Mihai Bogdan Galbinasu
Materials 2025, 18(23), 5281; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18235281 - 23 Nov 2025
Viewed by 856
Abstract
A titanium-based alloy, with niobium, tantalum and zirconium as its main alloying elements, and a small amount of oxygen, was subjected to a thermo-mechanical processing program consisting of hot and cold rolling interspersed with different solution treatments applied above the β-transus temperature. The [...] Read more.
A titanium-based alloy, with niobium, tantalum and zirconium as its main alloying elements, and a small amount of oxygen, was subjected to a thermo-mechanical processing program consisting of hot and cold rolling interspersed with different solution treatments applied above the β-transus temperature. The objective was to analyze the correlation between structure, processing methods and resulting mechanical properties in order to find an appropriate optimized processing path to obtain suitable mechanical characteristics for application in hard tissue implantology. By using microstructural analysis, such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, a series of microstructural features were analyzed. The enthalpy of mixing—ΔHmix—and the atom size difference parameter—δ—were determined, through which the β-solid solution stability was estimated. Tensile tests were performed, through which the main mechanical characteristics were determined: a yield strength (0.2%) and ultimate tensile strength of around 550 MPa and 650 MPa, respectively, with a low Young’s modulus of 56–58 GPa and an improved elongation to fracture value of 17–18%, associated with a good mechanical osteo-compatibility parameter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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17 pages, 14796 KB  
Article
High-Temperature Deformation Behaviors of Gradient-Structured Mg-Gd-Y-Zr Alloys at High Strain Rates
by Jialiao Zhou, Minghui Wu, Wenxuan Zhang and Jiangli Ning
Materials 2025, 18(17), 4085; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18174085 - 31 Aug 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1698
Abstract
The deformation behaviors of a gradient-structured (GS) Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloy, prepared via surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT), were systematically investigated in comparison with those of a uniform coarse-grained (CG) counterpart by high-temperature tensile tests at high strain rates (≤400 °C and ≥0.01 s−1 [...] Read more.
The deformation behaviors of a gradient-structured (GS) Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloy, prepared via surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT), were systematically investigated in comparison with those of a uniform coarse-grained (CG) counterpart by high-temperature tensile tests at high strain rates (≤400 °C and ≥0.01 s−1). The results indicated that the uniform CG samples exhibited high flow stresses and low elongations (43.9% at 400 °C and 0.01 s−1). Their fraction of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during the hot deformation was very low, and the dislocations accumulated inside the deformed grains formed high residual stresses. Moreover, the solely operated prismatic <a> slips in the coarse grains implied insufficient deformation coordination. These resulted in their low deformability. By contrast, the GS samples formed by SMAT exhibited more stable flow behaviors, showing lower flow stresses and higher elongations (71.9% at 400 °C and 0.01 s−1). The high dislocation density in the severely deformed (SD) layer provided sufficient driving force for DRX, promoting remarkable softening effect during the hot deformation. The grain boundary slip mechanism facilitated by DRX in the SD layer played a significant role in the hot deformation, enhancing the overall plasticity of the GS samples, although the deformed coarse-grained (DCG) layer deformed in a manner resembling that of the CG samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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14 pages, 4541 KB  
Article
Deformation Behaviors and Toughening Mechanisms of Gradient-Structured Mg-Gd-Y Alloy
by Bosong Gao, Minghui Wu, Jiangli Ning, Siwei Wang and Yang Wang
Materials 2025, 18(16), 3818; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163818 - 14 Aug 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1299
Abstract
A Mg-Gd-Y alloy prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) was annealed at 450 °C combined with peak aging. The deformation and fracture mechanisms were investigated using in situ tensile tests. Through quantitative calculations of the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) densities, it was [...] Read more.
A Mg-Gd-Y alloy prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) was annealed at 450 °C combined with peak aging. The deformation and fracture mechanisms were investigated using in situ tensile tests. Through quantitative calculations of the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) densities, it was found that the fine-grained (FG) layer in the gradient structure carried greater plastic strain than the coarse-grained (CG) layer during tension. The calculation results of the geometric compatibility parameter (m’) and microstructure characterization during in situ tests showed that crack initiation and propagation were prone to occur between adjacent coarse grains. However, the hetero-deformation-induced (HDI) strengthening and strain hardening induced by the strain gradient between the FG and CG layers effectively improved the strength–ductility synergy of the gradient-structured (GS) alloy. In addition, the synergistic effect of intrinsic and extrinsic toughening mechanisms in the GS alloy played a significant role in delaying premature failure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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Review

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29 pages, 448 KB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of θ-Series Precipitates in Aluminum Alloys
by Bin Chen
Materials 2025, 18(23), 5406; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18235406 - 30 Nov 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3375
Abstract
This review systematically synthesizes the research progress on θ-series precipitates. It traces the historical evolution of θ-series precipitate research, from the accidental discovery of age hardening in Duralumin to the atomic-scale insights enabled by advanced electron microscopy and computational methods. The precipitation sequence [...] Read more.
This review systematically synthesizes the research progress on θ-series precipitates. It traces the historical evolution of θ-series precipitate research, from the accidental discovery of age hardening in Duralumin to the atomic-scale insights enabled by advanced electron microscopy and computational methods. The precipitation sequence (supersaturated solid solution → GP zones → θ″ → θ′ → θ), transformation mechanisms, and interfacial characteristics of θ′/Al are comprehensively analyzed, with special attention to ongoing controversies such as the structure of GP zones and the pathways of θ″ → θ′ transition. Furthermore, the review discusses how alloying elements regulate θ′ stability through interfacial segregation, vacancy interactions, and co-precipitation effects. Critical unresolved challenges are highlighted, including the kinetic limitations of θ′ coarsening and the need for mechanistic studies on multi-element microalloying. This synthesis aims to provide a foundation for future research toward designing high-performance age-hardenable aluminum alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Light Alloys (3rd Edition))
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