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Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys...
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Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Metal Casting, Forming and Heat Treatment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 8900

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Crystopher Cardoso de Brito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Campus of São João da Boa Vista, São Paulo State University, UNESP, São João da Boa Vista 13876-750, SP, Brazil
Interests: solidification; alloy design; microstructure optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Solidification is one of the oldest processes for producing complex shapes for applications ranging from art to industry. It is a multidisciplinary field of high importance for understanding industrial processing involving molten alloys such as welding, continuous casting, powder metallurgy and foundry. Process limits are still present and are to be overcome. Many research groups have carried out valuable research regarding particular subjects such as nucleation, macrostructure, microstructural transitions, as-cast microstructure, porosity, macrosegregation, metal/mold interface, interdendritic fluid flow, additive manufacturing and mechanical and corrosion properties of as-cast metals. All these topics have been studied for decades following either experimental or modeling approaches, with remarkable complementary aspects between them. Nowadays, complementary research has been developed concerning the evaluation of experimental data from unsteady state solidification. Knowledge of the physical phenomena occurring at microscopic and macroscopic scales, between liquid and solid phases, is fundamental for the control of the microstructure in all the solidification processes, from casting to welding. The comprehension of solidification remains essential for the development of various recently proposed processes. For example, additive manufacturing processes are still to be interpreted concerning how much the solidification thermal parameters can be used to design the solidification microstructure as well as to solve quality problems.

Dr. Crystopher Cardoso de Brito
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • dendritic and cellular growth
  • intermetallic compounds growth
  • cast eutectic alloys
  • microstructure effect on the mechanical resistance
  • microstructure effect on the corrosion behavior
  • cast aluminum alloys
  • cast zinc alloys
  • cast solder alloys
  • solidification modeling
  • alloy atomization
  • heat transfer during solidification of additive manufacturing processes for metals

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 150 KiB  
Editorial
Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition)
by Crystopher Brito
Metals 2025, 15(3), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15030263 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 403
Abstract
The study of solidification behavior, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties remains a fundamental area of research in materials science [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 13311 KiB  
Article
Effects of Thermal Variables of Solidification on the Microstructure and Hardness of the Manganese Bronze Alloy Cu-24Zn-6Al-4Mn-3Fe
by Flávia Gonçalves Lobo, Márcio Rodrigues da Silva, Vinícius Torres dos Santos, Paulo Henrique Tedardi do Nascimento, Rogerio Teram, Maurício Silva Nascimento, Marcela Bergamaschi Tercini, Daniel Ayarroio Seixas, Givanildo Alves dos Santos and Alejandro Zuniga Paez
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1186; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101186 - 18 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1043
Abstract
The Cu-24Zn-6Al-4Mn-3Fe alloy is mainly used for the manufacture of sliding bushings in the agricultural sector due to its high mechanical properties in the cast state. Understanding how the casting thermal parameters affect the microstructure and impact the properties of alloys is fundamental [...] Read more.
The Cu-24Zn-6Al-4Mn-3Fe alloy is mainly used for the manufacture of sliding bushings in the agricultural sector due to its high mechanical properties in the cast state. Understanding how the casting thermal parameters affect the microstructure and impact the properties of alloys is fundamental to optimizing manufacturing processes and improving performance during their application. In this study, the Cu-24Zn-6Al-4Mn-3Fe alloy was unidirectionally solidified under non-steady heat flow conditions using a water-cooled graphite base for heat exchange. Seven points were monitored along the longitudinal region of this ingot, and the data to obtain the solidification variables were extracted using an acquisition system. The cooling rates varied from 4.50 °C/s to 0.22 °C/s from the closest to the furthest position from the heat extraction point. The microstructure was analyzed via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction in order to characterize the phases and intermetallic elements present in the material. The mechanical properties were evaluated through hardness and microhardness tests throughout longitudinal extension of the solidified part. The results showed an increase in hardness and microhardness with a decrease in the cooling rate, which may be related to the increase in size and the κ phase fraction with a decrease in the cooling rate, as analyzed via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, in all positions, there was no significant change in the amount of the α phase retained, with the matrix being mainly composed of the β phase and a small content of approximately 2% of the α phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))
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13 pages, 4520 KiB  
Article
Effects of Solidification Thermal Variables on the Microstructure and Hardness of the Silicon Aluminum Bronze Alloy CuAl6Si2
by Paulo Henrique Tedardi do Nascimento, Vinicius Torres dos Santos, Ricardo de Luca, Marcio Rodrigues da Silva, Flavia Goncalves Lobo, Rogerio Teram, Mauricio Silva Nascimento, Ronaldo Camara Cozza, Antonio Augusto Couto, Givanildo Alves dos Santos and Anibal de Andrade Mendes Filho
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101134 - 5 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1261
Abstract
The properties of the final product obtained by solidification directly result from the thermal variables during solidification. This study aims to analyze the influence of thermal solidification variables on the hardness, microstructure, and phases of the CuAl6Si2 alloy. The material [...] Read more.
The properties of the final product obtained by solidification directly result from the thermal variables during solidification. This study aims to analyze the influence of thermal solidification variables on the hardness, microstructure, and phases of the CuAl6Si2 alloy. The material was solidified using unidirectional solidification equipment under non-stationary heat flow conditions, where heat extraction is conducted through a water-cooled graphite base. The thermal solidification variables were extracted using a data acquisition system, and temperature was monitored at six different positions, with cooling rates ranging from 217 to 3 °C/min from the nearest to the farthest position from the heat extraction point. An optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to verify the fusion structure and determine the volumetric fraction of the formed phases. The XRD results showed the presence of β phases, α phases, and possible Fe3Si2 and Fe5Si3 intermetallics with different morphologies and volumetric fractions. Positions with lower cooling rates showed an increased volume fraction of the α phase and possible intermetallics compared to positions with faster cooling. High cooling rates increased the Brinell hardness of the alloy due to the refined and equiaxed β metastable phase, varying from 143 HB to 126 HB for the highest and lowest rates, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))
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20 pages, 18163 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Solidification and Interfacial Reaction of Sn-Bi and Sn-Bi-In Solder Alloys in Copper and Nickel Interfaces
by Jaderson Rodrigo da Silva Leal, Rodrigo André Valenzuela Reyes, Guilherme Lisboa de Gouveia, Francisco Gil Coury and José Eduardo Spinelli
Metals 2024, 14(9), 963; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14090963 - 25 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2101
Abstract
Although there are studies devoted to lower Indium (In) addition, Sn-Bi alloys containing 10 wt.% In or more have been barely investigated so far. Higher In contents may offer the potential for improved joint production, better control over the growth of interfacial layers, [...] Read more.
Although there are studies devoted to lower Indium (In) addition, Sn-Bi alloys containing 10 wt.% In or more have been barely investigated so far. Higher In contents may offer the potential for improved joint production, better control over the growth of interfacial layers, and enhanced mechanical strength. The present article focuses on the solidification, wettability, adhesion strength, and interfacial intermetallic growth in the Sn-40%Bi-10%In alloy soldered on Cu and Ni pads. SEM-EDS, wettability tests, and tensile tests were performed. The contact angles were measured in Cu and Ni as 24° and 26°, respectively. Indium addition promoted coarsening of the as-solidified microstructure due to an increase in the alloy solidification range. The Bi spacing was increased at least three times, with a strong segregation of Bi towards the interface. The formation and growth of alloy/Cu reaction layers were also evaluated under the different aging conditions of the as-soldered joints, simulating real service. A growth kinetics model of the reaction layer showed that In increases the activation energy, thereby reducing the layer growth. The adhesions of the formed intermetallics films in Cu and Ni were analyzed using tensile tests. It was observed that the alloy/Ni couple exhibited better adhesion. Premature fracturing appears to happen in the alloy/Cu joint due to the higher intermetallic compound’s (IMC) thickness, rough morphology, and coarser microstructure. Both ductile fracture features with dimples and cleavage zones associated with Bi, Cu6(Sn,In)5, and Ni3Sn4 intermetallics were observed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))
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17 pages, 7336 KiB  
Article
Study on the Recognition of Metallurgical Graphs Based on Deep Learning
by Qichao Zhao, Jinwu Kang and Kai Wu
Metals 2024, 14(6), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14060732 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1529
Abstract
Artificial intelligence has been widely applied in image recognition and segmentation, achieving significant results. However, its application in the field of materials science is relatively limited. Metallography is an important technique for characterizing the macroscopic and microscopic structures of metals and alloys. It [...] Read more.
Artificial intelligence has been widely applied in image recognition and segmentation, achieving significant results. However, its application in the field of materials science is relatively limited. Metallography is an important technique for characterizing the macroscopic and microscopic structures of metals and alloys. It plays a crucial role in correlating material properties. Therefore, this study investigates the utilization of deep learning techniques for the recognition of metallo-graphic images. This study selected microscopic images of three typical cast irons, including ductile, gray, and white ones, and another alloy, cast aluminum alloy, from the ASM database for recognition investigation. These images were cut and enhanced for training. In addition to coarse classification of material type, fine classification of material type, composition, and the conditions of image acquisition such as microscope, magnification, and etchant was performed. The MobileNetV2 network was adopted as the model for training and prediction, and ImageNet was used as the dataset for pre-training to improve the accuracy. The metallographic images could be classified into 15 categories by the trained neural networks. The accuracy of validation and prediction for fine classification reached 94.44% and 93.87%, respectively. This indicates that neural networks have the potential to identify types of materials with details of microscope, magnification, etchants, etc., supplemental to compositions for metallographic images. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))
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14 pages, 14444 KiB  
Article
Fe-Containing Al-Based Alloys: Relationship between Microstructural Evolution and Hardness in an Al-Ni-Fe Alloy
by Jonas Faria, Andrei de Paula, Cássio Silva, Rafael Kakitani, André Barros, Amauri Garcia, Crystopher Brito and Noé Cheung
Metals 2023, 13(12), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13121980 - 6 Dec 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1718
Abstract
Recycled Al alloys not only offer environmental and economic benefits but also present a valuable base for the development of innovative materials, such as Al-Ni-Fe alloys. This work particularly focuses on the microstructural changes and hardness of an Al-5Ni-1Fe alloy (wt.%) solidified with [...] Read more.
Recycled Al alloys not only offer environmental and economic benefits but also present a valuable base for the development of innovative materials, such as Al-Ni-Fe alloys. This work particularly focuses on the microstructural changes and hardness of an Al-5Ni-1Fe alloy (wt.%) solidified with an approximate 20-fold variation in cooling rates. For the various microstructural length scales obtained, only the eutectic regions exhibit a uniform pattern, with the eutectic colonies comprising an α-Al phase along with Al3Ni and Al9FeNi intermetallic compounds. It is shown that microstructural refinement can lead to a 36% increase in hardness. To represent this mathematically, hardness values are associated with the eutectic colony and intermetallic fiber spacings (λEC and λIF is, respectively) using experimental equations based on the Hall–Petch relationship and multiple linear regression. In addition, comparisons are undertaken with Al-5Ni and Al-1Fe (wt.%) alloy samples produced under the same conditions. The Al-5Ni-1Fe alloy exhibits higher hardness values than both the Al-5Ni and Al-1Fe binary alloys. Furthermore, the hardness of the ternary Al-Ni-Fe alloy is sensitive to microstructural refinement, a characteristic absent in the binary alloys. For λIF−1/2 = 1.56 µm−1/2 (coarser microstructure), the Al-5Ni-1Fe alloy exhibits a hardness of about 13% and 102% higher than that of the Al-5Ni and Al-1Fe alloys, respectively, while for λIF−1/2 = 1.81 µm−1/2 (finer microstructure), it demonstrates a hardness of approximately 39% and 147% higher as compared to that of the Al-5Ni and Al-1Fe alloys, respectively. Thus, this research provides experimental correlations that connect hardness, microstructure, and solidification thermal parameters, contributing to a better understanding for the design of as-cast Fe-contaminated Al-Ni-based alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Solidification Behavior of Metals and Alloys (2nd Edition))
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