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Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition)

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A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2026) | Viewed by 4338

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Editors

Prof. Dr. Fei Yin

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State Key Laboratory of Light Superalloys, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: high-performance steel; surface engineering; advanced manufacturing; bearing steel
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Prof. Dr. Lin Hua

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State Key Laboratory of Light Superalloys, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: metal forming; plasticity; bearing steel
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Prof. Dr. Jian Wang

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Interests: light-weight structural materials; high strength/ductile materials; radiation-damage tolerant materials; multi-principal elements and/or multiphase alloys; metal-based and ceramic-based composites
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High-performance steel, known for its exceptional mechanical properties, finds wide-ranging applications in fields such as automotive, aerospace, construction, and energy. However, traditional design and manufacturing methods often fail to fully exploit the potential of high-performance steel and meet the requirements of steel structural components in complex engineering environments. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the design and manufacturing of steels. New manufacturing techniques enable high-end production and service performance in steel and its structural components, meeting the demands for properties such as good friction, wear, and fatigue under extreme operating conditions. Therefore, innovative efforts are urgently necessary at various steel processing stages. By developing green and efficient processing technologies to replace traditional lengthy processes, carbon emissions can be reduced. We also hope that steel possesses long-lasting performance and high structural integrity.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest findings and innovative advancements in the field of high-performance steels. We welcome submissions from various disciplines, including but not limited to the following: understanding of the microstructure and properties of high-performance steel, maximization and optimization of the mechanical properties of high-performance steels through tailoring the microstructure, synergistic design of novel microstructure achieving high-performance of steels, manufacturing and enhancement of high-performance/multi-functional components, and green and efficient processing technologies, as well as wear resistance, fatigue resistance, creep, and damage resistance of steel.

Prof. Dr. Fei Yin
Prof. Dr. Lin Hua
Prof. Dr. Jian Wang
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. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

high-performance steel
mechanical behavior
microstructure evolution
design and manufacturing
strengthening
efficient processing technologies
wear resistance
fatigue

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 12600 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Quenching Temperature on the Microstructure and Hydrogen-Assisted Cracking Resistance of Quenched and Tempered (Q+T) Bolt Steel

by Hui Wen, Genhao Shi, Yueyuan Dou, Shibiao Wang, Xiaochun Xu and Qingfeng Wang

Metals 2026, 16(7), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16070786 - 13 Jul 2026

Viewed by 291

Abstract

Quenched and tempered (Q+T) bolt steels are widely used in key load-bearing structures such as bridges, wind power equipment, pressure vessels and engineering machinery, but they are susceptible to hydrogen-induced cracking under applied stress during service. In this study, a bolt steel was subjected to Q+T heat treatment, including quenching at 850, 900, 950, 1000 and 1050 °C, followed by tempering at 500 °C. Microstructural characterization, hydrogen permeation tests, and slow strain rate tensile tests were conducted to investigate the effects of quenching temperature on microstructural evolution, hydrogen diffusion behavior and resistance to hydrogen-assisted cracking. As the quenching temperature increased from 850 °C to 1050 °C, the prior austenite grains, packets and blocks were gradually coarsened, the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries decreased from 64.7% to 54.2%, and although partial dissolution of primary carbides may occur during austenitizing, the number/area fraction and size of carbides observed in the final tempered martensitic microstructure increased after the subsequent tempering treatment. Meanwhile, the Nb/Ti-rich precipitates changed only slightly, and the dislocation density increased. The effective hydrogen diffusion coefficient, D_eff, increased with increasing quenching temperature, mainly because grain coarsening significantly reduced the high-angle grain boundary area and weakened the hydrogen-trapping effect of grain boundaries. This dominant effect masked the diffusion-retarding effects caused by increased dislocation density and coarser carbides. With increasing quenching temperature, the strength loss ratio increased from 7.3% to 12.0%, and the plasticity loss ratio increased from 10.0% to 13.6%, indicating enhanced hydrogen-assisted cracking susceptibility. The fracture morphology gradually changed from deep dimples to flat dimples and flattened ductile–brittle mixed features, while the crack propagation path became straighter. A higher quenching temperature weakened the blocking effect of grain boundaries on crack propagation and reduced the resistance of the quenched and tempered bolt steel to hydrogen-assisted cracking. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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23 pages, 46071 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Tempering Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 165 ksi Grade Drill Pipe Steel

by Bin Shi, Shibiao Wang, Chunling Zhang, Chunxiang Zhang and Qingfeng Wang

Metals 2026, 16(7), 785; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16070785 - 13 Jul 2026

Viewed by 298

Abstract

The study systematically investigates the effects of tempering temperatures ranging from 610 °C to 690 °C on the multi-scale martensitic microstructure evolution and strength–toughness matching characteristics of 165 ksi grade Cr–Mo–V martensitic steel for ultra-high-strength and high-toughness oil drill pipes. The intrinsic strengthening and toughening mechanisms of the developed steel were further clarified. It was established that an increase in the tempering temperature resulted in a reduction in strength that was found to be monotonic. Concurrently, an enhancement in ductility and low-temperature toughness was observed. The yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decrease monotonically from 1338 MPa and 1397 MPa to 819 MPa and 891 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the −20 °C low-temperature impact absorbed energy rises significantly from 32 J to 148 J, and the fracture elongation increases from 16% to 21%. Combined multi-scale microstructural characterization via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrates that the prior austenite grain size remains nearly unchanged during tempering. In contrast, the hierarchical martensitic substructures, including packets, blocks and laths, undergo continuous coalescence and coarsening. The matrix dislocation density drops sharply from 3.02 × 10¹⁵ m⁻² to 1.20 × 10¹⁵ m⁻². The gradual relaxation of internal lattice strain reduces the kernel average misorientation (KAM) value from 0.32° to 0.21°, and the nano-scale rod-shaped precipitates gradually transform into coarsened spherical carbides. Quantitative analysis of various strengthening mechanisms reveals that grain refinement strengthening and dislocation strengthening serve as the dominant strengthening contributors to the superior strength of the steel, while solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening play auxiliary roles. The remarkable improvement in low-temperature impact toughness is primarily attributed to the substantial increase in crack propagation energy dissipation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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15 pages, 8191 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Annealing Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of Ti–Microalloyed High–Strength Steel for Photovoltaic Mounting Structures

by Xixiao Liu, Jie Liu, Lan Su, Yundong Wang, Xiangting Zhang and Zhengzhi Zhao

Metals 2026, 16(7), 700; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16070700 - 25 Jun 2026

Viewed by 321

Abstract

Photovoltaic mounting structures operate in harsh environments, demanding high strength and elongation. However, a strength–graded product series within the same composition is lacking. Through Ti microalloying and heat treatment, we developed steels with strengths of 500–800 MPa and studied annealing effects at 640–740 °C. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) shows ferrite and cementite: with increasing temperature, ferrite changes from elongated to equiaxed via recovery and recrystallization, while cementite remains finely dispersed along grain boundaries. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) reveals TiC precipitates, which decrease in number but increase in size at higher temperatures. Grain refinement strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and precipitation strengthening are the primary strengthening mechanisms, contributing 91.2% and 94.4% to the yield strength after annealing at 640 °C and 720 °C, respectively. Within a wide annealing temperature range, the tensile strength fully covers the 550–650–750–800 MPa grades, with the corresponding elongation fluctuating between 12.4% and 25.3%, achieving a good strength–ductility balance. In summary, simply adding a single Ti element and adjusting the annealing temperature allows for the production of test steels with strengths ranging from 500 to 800 MPa and matched elongation. This approach not only reduces costs but also provides experimental evidence for the process development of a series of new steels for photovoltaic mounting brackets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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21 pages, 15073 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Heat Input on Microstructure and High-Cycle Fatigue Properties of the CGHAZs in Wind Power Steel

by Guodong Zhang, Liyuan Zhu, Jiangli He, Yisen Kong, Qingfeng Wang and Zhongzhu Liu

Metals 2026, 16(6), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16060635 - 9 Jun 2026

Viewed by 383

Abstract

Wind turbine towers rely on welded joints for structural continuity, and the coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) at these joints is the principal site of fatigue damage under service loading. This study characterises the influence of welding heat input on the microstructural constitution, high-cycle fatigue response, and fracture mechanisms of Gleeble-simulated CGHAZs in a Nb-microalloyed wind power steel. Thermal cycles representative of submerged arc welding at 15, 25, 35, and 45 kJ/cm were applied, and the resulting microstructures were examined by optical microscopy, SEM, EBSD, and TEM. Raising the heat input produced systematic microstructural coarsening: the densities of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) and high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) fell by approximately 40% and 26%, respectively, while the mean equivalent diameter (MED) and prior austenite grain (PAG) size grew by roughly 64% and 67%. Life partitioning showed that crack nucleation accounted for more than 84% of total fatigue cycles in every condition, identifying it as the life-governing damage stage. Over the 15-to-45 kJ/cm range, the CGHAZ fatigue strength at 2 × 10⁶ cycles deteriorated from 246.9 MPa to 208.5 MPa (a 15.6% reduction), while the mean fatigue striation spacing widened from 0.142 μm to 0.183 μm (an increase of 28.9%). These results demonstrate that judicious heat-input selection is a practical and effective means of preserving CGHAZ fatigue integrity in wind tower steel fabrication, and they address a previously unresolved gap concerning high-cycle fatigue fracture mechanisms in this critical microstructural zone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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24 pages, 21536 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Cutting Insert Flank Wear in Previous Turning and Subsequent Diamond Burnishing on the Surface Integrity, Microstructure and Fatigue Limit of Heat-Treated C45 Steel

by Jordan Maximov, Galya Duncheva, Angel Anchev, Vladimir Dunchev, Kalin Anastasov and Mariana Ichkova

Metals 2026, 16(5), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16050520 - 11 May 2026

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Abstract

Burnishing technologies are a cheap and effective means of improving the surface integrity (SI) and performance of metal components. However, there is practically no information about the integral influence of the preceding turning process on the initial (pre-burnishing) SI. This study answers the question of how the white layer resulting from flank wear on the cutting insert in pre-turning affects the SI and fatigue limit, and determines the extent to which subsequent diamond burnishing (DB) is able to improve the SI and rotating bending fatigue limit of normalised, quenched and high-temperature-tempered C45 steel. The (DB)–SI–fatigue limit correlation was investigated using a holistic approach that took into account the effects of the dynamic pattern of flank wear on the initial SI. An explicit relationship was established between the flank wear, the affected surface layer structure and the fatigue limit. Increasing flank wear to the 60th minute intensified the formation of a gradient layer with finer and thinner grains that formed a texture. As a result, a synergistic effect was observed from turning with an insert operating for 60 min and subsequent DB, which maximised the fatigue limit (741 MPa). After 60 min, the structure of the affected layer changed qualitatively towards the formation of a nanostructured (white) layer, which reversed the trend, worsening the fatigue behaviour. As the thickness of the white layer increased, the fatigue limit was sharply reduced to below 560 MPa after the 90th minute. Regardless of the degree of flank wear, DB significantly improved the SI characteristics and increased the fatigue limit after turning with a worn insert, although the absolute dimensions of the positive DB effect depend on the initial SI and fatigue limit due to pre-turning. To achieve a synergistic effect, the cutting insert should be replaced with a new one after every 60 min of operation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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19 pages, 7794 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Solution Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Fe-Ni-Cr-Mo-Al-Ti High-Strength Stainless Steel

by Mutian Niu, Jiahao Chen, Zhenbao Liu, Jiarui Hu, Zhiyong Yang, Yonghua Duan and Xiaohui Wang

Metals 2026, 16(4), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16040441 - 18 Apr 2026

Viewed by 651

Abstract

High-strength stainless steels are essential materials for critical load-bearing aerospace components, and solution treatment serves as a core process governing their strength–toughness balance. However, in novel multi-element alloy systems, the complex dissolution behavior of precipitates and its underlying mechanisms affecting matrix phase transformations require further investigation. This study systematically explores the thermodynamic evolution and microstructural response of a novel Fe-Ni-Cr-Mo-Al-Ti ultra-high-strength stainless steel during solution treatment. The research highlights how solution temperature drives Laves phase dissolution, controls prior austenite grain growth, redistributes local chemical elements, and dictates retained austenite stability. By establishing the relationship between microstructural features and macroscopic properties, this study aims to provide crucial theoretical guidance for optimizing heat treatment protocols to achieve superior comprehensive mechanical properties in advanced high-strength stainless steels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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11 pages, 6530 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Finishing Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of Hot-Rolled Hole Expansion Steel 580HE

by Nai Wu, Lei Liu, Zifeng Guo, Xinlang Wu and Zhengzhi Zhao

Metals 2026, 16(3), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16030311 - 11 Mar 2026

Viewed by 654

Abstract

The effects of different finishing rolling temperatures on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a 580HE hole expansion steel were systematically investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the yield strength increases with decreasing finishing rolling temperature, whereas the tensile strength and total elongation exhibit relatively small variations. Significant changes in phase fraction, grain size, spatial distribution, and NbC precipitation behavior are observed under different finishing rolling temperatures. The microstructure mainly consists of polygonal ferrite and granular bainite, while acicular ferrite is formed at higher finishing rolling temperatures. With decreasing finishing rolling temperature, the ferrite and bainite grains are markedly refined and become more uniformly distributed. Meanwhile, the ferrite fraction slightly increases, the crystallographic texture is weakened, and, more importantly, the number density of precipitates increases while their size is significantly reduced. The hole expansion ratio increases noticeably with decreasing finishing rolling temperature, which is mainly attributed to grain refinement, improved microstructural and strain homogeneity, and the selective strengthening effect of fine NbC precipitates. These factors effectively reduce stress concentration and hardness mismatch between soft and hard phases, thereby delaying crack initiation during hole expansion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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22 pages, 10342 KB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructure and Toughness of CGHAZ in Low-Carbon Nb-Ti-La Steel Under High Heat Input Welding Thermal Cycles

by Qiuming Wang, Shibiao Wang, Qingfeng Wang and Riping Liu

Metals 2026, 16(2), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16020195 - 6 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 629

Abstract

This study employed a Gleeble-3800TM thermal simulator to conduct thermal cycle experiments on the coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of Nb-Ti-La microalloyed steel under welding heat inputs of 50, 80, 100, and 120 kJ/cm. A systematic analysis was carried out to investigate the influence of heat input on the microstructure and impact toughness of the CGHAZ. The results indicate that the microstructure of the CGHAZ across different heat inputs consists of acicular ferrite (AF), granular bainite ferrite (GBF), polygonal ferrite (PF), as well as hard phases such as M/A constituents and degenerated pearlite (DP). With increasing heat input, the content of GBF decreases monotonically, while the content of PF increases monotonically, and the amount of hard phases rises continuously. In contrast, the content of AF initially increases and then decreases, reaching its peak at 100 kJ/cm. The microstructural changes induced by higher heat input lead to increased inhomogeneity in the local microstrain, thereby causing a monotonic reduction in crack initiation energy. Regarding crack propagation energy, the optimal performance is achieved at 100 kJ/cm due to the formation of a high proportion of AF, which heterogeneously nucleates on La-rich inclusions. This structure provides a high density of high-angle grain boundaries that effectively hinder crack propagation. Consequently, under the combined influence of crack initiation and propagation behaviors, the CGHAZ exhibits the best impact toughness at a heat input of 100 kJ/cm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in High-Performance Steel (2nd Edition))

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