Recent Advances in Fatigue and Corrosion Properties of Steels

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Metal Failure Analysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 147

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: corrosion resistance of metallic materials; microstructural characterization of metallic materials; failure analysis of thermomechanical processing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of fatigue and corrosion behavior in steels remains a critical area of research, driven by the growing demand for high-performance materials in extreme environments. Recent advances have focused on understanding the synergistic effects of cyclic loading and environmental degradation, particularly in applications such as marine engineering, aerospace, and infrastructure. Innovative approaches in material design, including microstructural optimization through advanced thermo-mechanical processing and alloying, have significantly enhanced fatigue resistance and corrosion durability. For instance, the development of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels with refined grain structures and controlled phase distributions has demonstrated remarkable improvements in both mechanical properties and environmental stability. Furthermore, cutting-edge characterization techniques, such as in situ electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, have provided deeper insights into crack initiation and propagation mechanisms under combined fatigue–corrosion conditions. The integration of computational modeling, including finite element analysis (FEA) and machine learning algorithms, has enabled more accurate predictions of service life and failure modes. Additionally, novel surface engineering methods, such as laser cladding and nanocoatings, offer promising solutions for mitigating corrosion-induced fatigue damage.

This Special Issue aims to highlight breakthroughs in understanding and improving the fatigue and corrosion performance of steels, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge materials science, mechanics, and environmental engineering.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Jinyao Ma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • fatigue properties
  • corrosion resistance
  • steel materials
  • microstructural optimization
  • crack propagation
  • computational modeling
  • fatigue–corrosion interaction
  • marine corrosion
  • coating technologies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 5886 KiB  
Article
Low-Temperature Tempering to Tailor Microstructure, Mechanical and Contact Fatigue Performance in the Carburized Layer of an Alloy Steel for Heavy-Duty Gears
by Qingliang Li, Jian Wang, Gang Cheng and Qing Tao
Metals 2025, 15(9), 934; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15090934 - 22 Aug 2025
Abstract
Taking a typical carburized alloy steel for heavy-duty gears as the research object, this work regulates carburizing–quenching and tempering processes to conduct a layer-by-layer analysis of gradient-distributed microstructures and mechanical properties in the carburized layer. The effects of tempering temperature on martensite evolution, [...] Read more.
Taking a typical carburized alloy steel for heavy-duty gears as the research object, this work regulates carburizing–quenching and tempering processes to conduct a layer-by-layer analysis of gradient-distributed microstructures and mechanical properties in the carburized layer. The effects of tempering temperature on martensite evolution, mechanical properties, and wear resistance were specifically investigated. Results demonstrate that carburizing–quenching followed by cryogenic treatment generates high-carbon martensite at the surface, progressively transitioning to lath martensite towards the core. Low-temperature tempering promotes fine carbide precipitation, while elevated temperatures cause carbide coarsening. Specimens tempered at 175 °C achieve surface hardness of 800 HV and near-surface compressive yield strength of 2940 MPa. These samples exhibit 13% lower wear mass loss compared to 240 °C tempered counterparts, demonstrating superior wear resistance characterized by relatively flat wear surfaces, uniform contact stress distribution, and reduced cross-sectional plastic deformation zones. Key strengthening mechanisms at lower tempering temperatures involve solution strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and partial precipitation strengthening from carbides. Coherent carbides formed under these conditions impede fatigue dislocation motion via shearing mechanisms to suppress plastic deformation and fatigue crack initiation under contact fatigue stress, thereby enhancing wear performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Fatigue and Corrosion Properties of Steels)
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