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Metals
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Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Light Alloys
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Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Light Alloys

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: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 4043

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lenka Kuchariková

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Materials Engineering, University of Žilina, 010 26 Zilina, Slovakia
Interests: recycling aluminum alloys; metallography; quantitative analysis; studying the 3D morphology of microstructural components; fractography; intermetallic phases in aluminum alloys; mechanical, fatigue, and corrosion properties of aluminum alloys; heat treatment of aluminum alloys
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of light alloys is now more widespread than ever, with routine use in motor vehicles and aircraft. The main goal of this Special Issue is a summation of alloy advances in microstructure, properties, characteristics and applications, heat treatment properties, fabrication, microstructure/property relationships, new materials, applications, and processes. Of course, it is also important to think about safety in terms of using these materials, as this is how we research information with respect to materials science, properties, manufacturing processes, and applications of key engineering metals in a single Special Issue.

Light alloys have great potential in terms of applications in the industry. Their properties are substantially better than the properties of the materials applied so far. Chief among these, of course, is the potential to realize reductions in the weight of many engineering components, as this can be directly linked to reductions in running or operating costs in many industries. An example of this is titanium, which is 42% lighter than steel; aluminum, which is 65% lighter than steel; magnesium, which is 77% lighter than steel, etc. However, it is essential that all properties of the materials must be examined with respect to their correct and safe application. The properties are linked to the input material (ore), production processes, microstructure, processing, etc. Therefore, I would like to invite you to write an article for this Special Issue that summarizes the latest information on light metals.

Dr. Lenka Kuchariková
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. 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

  • light alloys
  • foam
  • extrusion
  • casting
  • novel materials
  • processing methods
  • grain refinement
  • heat treatment
  • microstructure
  • safety

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 7853 KB  
Article
The Effect of Surface Corrosion Damage and Fe Content on the Fatigue Life of an AlSi7Mg0.6 Cast Alloy Used in the Electric Automotive Industry
by Lenka Kuchariková, Eva Tillová, Zuzana Šurdová, Mária Chalupová, Viera Zatkalíková, Edita Illichmanová and Ivana Švecová
Metals 2025, 15(11), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111222 - 5 Nov 2025
Viewed by 153
Abstract
The aluminum casting alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 (A357) is extensively used in the automotive industry due to its favorable balance of mechanical properties, castability, lightweight characteristics, and corrosion resistance. Castings made from this alloy are often subjected to harsh service environments, where surface degradation and [...] Read more.
The aluminum casting alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 (A357) is extensively used in the automotive industry due to its favorable balance of mechanical properties, castability, lightweight characteristics, and corrosion resistance. Castings made from this alloy are often subjected to harsh service environments, where surface degradation and microstructural variability can significantly impact fatigue performance. This study investigates the combined effects of surface corrosion damage and higher Fe content on the fatigue life of the AlSi7Mg0.6 alloy, using a rotating bending fatigue test under simultaneous corrosion exposure in a 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution. The effect of corrosion and Fe content on fatigue life was then investigated and analyzed using Wöhler curves and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrate that the corrosion-fatigue interaction accelerated the kinetics of the fatigue process, while the fracture mechanism and crack initiation places are not fundamentally altered compared to alloys in the state without corrosion damage. A comparison of the fatigue lifetime of samples in an air environment and a corrosive environment shows that the corrosive environment (3.5% NaCl) reduces the fatigue lifetime of alloys without T6 by an average of 7.5 MPa and alloys after T6 by 6 MPa. The results are probably due to the penetration of chloride ions into casting defects located on the surface of the samples. Surface pits formed during corrosion act as stress concentrators, increasing the likelihood of stress-induced failure. Microstructural feature morphology, especially Fe-rich intermetallic phases, influences crack propagation mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Light Alloys)
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14 pages, 5975 KB  
Article
Impact Butt Joining of Copper C1100 and Aluminum Alloy A6061-T6 Plates and Rolling of Joined Plate
by Minoru Yamashita, Yuya Nishimura and Makoto Nikawa
Metals 2025, 15(11), 1207; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15111207 - 29 Oct 2025
Viewed by 246
Abstract
Impact butt joining of copper 5 mm thick C1100 and aluminum alloy A6061-T6 plates was carried out, according to a method recently devised by one of the authors. The joining method results in newly created surfaces being obtained by very large plastic deformation [...] Read more.
Impact butt joining of copper 5 mm thick C1100 and aluminum alloy A6061-T6 plates was carried out, according to a method recently devised by one of the authors. The joining method results in newly created surfaces being obtained by very large plastic deformation under high-speed conditions, wherein the two materials are subjected simultaneously to compression and a high-speed sliding motion. The new surface of C1100 is created by expansion, whereas for A6061-T6, the new surface is created by removal of the softened surface layer. This layer forms a foil, which is extruded from the joining interface by the compressive force. Using a high-speed video camera, the formation of the foil was observed to take place even in the early stages of deformation. The distribution of joint efficiency was evaluated by examining the joint boundary. When the compressive force increased, some specimens fractured in the C1100 region. The zone affected by the joining process was highly limited, to within 0.8 mm of the boundary; i.e., 20% of the plate thickness. The thickness of the joined plate was reduced by repetitive rolling operations, in which the true strain was about −1. This indicates that the layer of the intermetallic compounds is very thin. Once rolled, the joined sheet exhibited a maximum joint efficiency of 99.3%. In cases where the joining efficiency exceeded 80%, the main region exhibiting fracturing was in the A6061-T6 alloy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Light Alloys)
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Review

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21 pages, 3117 KB  
Review
A Critical Review on the Comparative Assessment of Rare-Earth and Non-Rare-Earth Alloying in Magnesium Alloys
by Hafiz Muhammad Rehan Tariq, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Hyun-Hak Kang, Umer Masood Chaudry and Tea-Sung Jun
Metals 2025, 15(2), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15020128 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3068
Abstract
Magnesium (Mg) alloys have emerged as highly sought-after alloys in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical engineering industries due to their low density and excellent mechanical properties. The addition of alloying elements plays a critical role in improving the performance of these Mg alloys, with [...] Read more.
Magnesium (Mg) alloys have emerged as highly sought-after alloys in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical engineering industries due to their low density and excellent mechanical properties. The addition of alloying elements plays a critical role in improving the performance of these Mg alloys, with rare-earth (RE) elements being especially helpful in improving mechanical properties, specifically strength and ductility. However, due to the higher cost and limited availability of RE elements, researchers are trying to explore non-rare-earth (non-RE) alternatives, such as aluminum, calcium, zinc, etc. These non-RE elements offer various advantages including cost effectiveness and enhanced manufacturability, but they may not always match the performance improvements of RE elements. This review critically examines and compares the effects of RE and non-RE alloying elements on the microstructural evolution, corrosion resistance, and strengthening implications of Mg alloys. Furthermore, it explores the recent advancements in alloy development and evaluates the trade-offs between RE and non-RE alloying elements, offering key insights into the optimal approaches for enhancing the performance of Mg alloys across various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microstructure and Properties of Light Alloys)
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