Surface Modification and Durability Enhancement of Advanced Alloys

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The surface integrity and long-term durability of alloy materials are critical factors in ensuring their reliable performance under harsh mechanical and environmental conditions. In recent years, significant advances have been made in surface modification technologies aimed at enhancing the corrosion resistance, fatigue life, wear performance, and thermal stability of structural and functional alloys. This Topic showcases innovative surface engineering strategies—including coating technologies, surface treatments, microstructure tailoring, and multi-scale characterization—that improve the service performance and lifespan of alloy materials. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, laser and plasma-based modification, ion implantation, nanostructured coatings, surface nanocrystallization, and hybrid treatment techniques. Both experimental investigations and theoretical modeling efforts are welcome, while contributions addressing the mechanisms of surface-induced property changes, the design of multifunctional surfaces, and real-world engineering applications are particularly encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Ping Zhang
Dr. Chuang He
Dr. Damian Przestacki
Dr. Yu-Cun Gu
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.9	6.1	2011	15 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Coatings coatings	3.4	6.1	2011	12.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Corrosion and Materials Degradation cmd	2.7	4.3	2020	25.8 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing jmmp	4.0	5.7	2017	13.7 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Lubricants lubricants	3.6	5.6	2013	13 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Metals metals	3.1	5.7	2011	15.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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All Coatings Lubricants Metals Applied Sciences CMD JMMP

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13 pages, 7663 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Simulation Study on Contact Stress at Copper Busbar Surface Microstructures and Polymer Interfaces

by Mengfu Zhao, Yiming Wen, Changle Xiao, Fei Hai and Hongyan Wu

Coatings 2026, 16(6), 638; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16060638 - 25 May 2026

Viewed by 289

Abstract

Copper busbar inserts are critical components of high-voltage connectors in new energy vehicles. The interfacial contact stress between the insert and the polymer directly affects the sealing reliability and service life of the connector. To address the interfacial stress concentration caused by the [...] Read more.

Copper busbar inserts are critical components of high-voltage connectors in new energy vehicles. The interfacial contact stress between the insert and the polymer directly affects the sealing reliability and service life of the connector. To address the interfacial stress concentration caused by the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients between metal and polymer, this study employs COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2 simulations to investigate the regulation laws of arc-shaped and trapezoidal microstructures on the interfacial stress of copper–polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)/polypropylene (PP). The response surface methodology (RSM) is introduced to verify simulation reliability and optimize parameters. The simulation results indicate that both structures can effectively reduce interfacial stress, and the stress exhibits a significant nonlinear relationship with the structural parameters. Due to its high temperature resistance and polar thioether bond, PPS demonstrates better interfacial compatibility than PP. Under the same structural position, the maximum stress reduction exceeds 20% (from 0.689 MPa to 0.539 MPa). Moreover, the arc-shaped structure is more effective in alleviating stress concentration than the trapezoidal structure. At the same position, compared to the trapezoidal surface, the arc-shaped surface reduces the valley contact stress of PPS from 0.527 MPa to 0.5 MPa (a decrease of 5.12%) and that of PP from 0.679 MPa to 0.605 MPa (a decrease of 10.9%). The optimal parameters are as follows: an arc-shaped radius width of 1.0 mm, a depth of 0.8 mm; a trapezoidal bottom base of 2.0 mm, a height of 1.2 mm. This study provides a basis for the interface design of metal–polymer composite components and holds significant engineering value for the reliability optimization of high-voltage connectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Modification and Durability Enhancement of Advanced Alloys)

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16 pages, 3040 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Corrosion Behaviour of WC-Co Cemented Carbide in Acidic and Alkaline Solutions for PVD Coating Removal

by Magda Anna Stefanescu, Barbara Traenkenschuh, Olivier Messé and Bernhard Christian Seyfang

Corros. Mater. Degrad. 2026, 7(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/cmd7020033 - 21 May 2026

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Abstract

This study investigates the corrosion behaviour of a WC–6Co cemented carbide (94 wt% WC, 6 wt% Co) in acidic (pH 2) and alkaline (pH 13) electrolytes used for industrial PVD coating removal. The removal of the coating was not investigated, since no coatings [...] Read more.

This study investigates the corrosion behaviour of a WC–6Co cemented carbide (94 wt% WC, 6 wt% Co) in acidic (pH 2) and alkaline (pH 13) electrolytes used for industrial PVD coating removal. The removal of the coating was not investigated, since no coatings were applied or analysed in this study. The objective was exclusively to simulate the corrosion response of the exposed substrate after the coating had been removed during electrochemical stripping. Potentiodynamic polarisation measurements were performed from OCP −0.2 V to +3 V at a scan rate of 1 mV·s⁻¹, followed by surface characterisation using SEM/EDS and laser profilometry to identify corrosion mechanisms and quantify material degradation. In an acidic solution, corrosion was dominated by cobalt dissolution, followed by the formation of a W–O-rich corrosion-product layer, as indicated by increased tungsten and oxygen contents in SEM/EDS analyses. The layer became increasingly porous and mechanically unstable at higher potentials. Progressive thickening of the corrosion-product layer and subsequent breakdown resulted in significant material loss, including surface abrasion up to ~8 µm. In alkaline electrolytes, SEM/EDS analyses revealed a Co–O-rich surface layer, suggesting cobalt-containing hydroxide/oxide corrosion products. These results suggest that surface-layer formation on WC–Co does not necessarily provide reliable corrosion protection, as stability and morphology strongly depend on pH. These findings provide valuable guidance for the use of cemented carbides in electrochemical stripping processes for PVD coating removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Modification and Durability Enhancement of Advanced Alloys)

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20 pages, 7112 KB  

Open AccessArticle

AEGD-Assisted Plasma Nitriding of AISI M2 Steel: Influence of Treatment Time on Structure and Scratch Resistance

by Sebastián Martínez García, Leonardo Bohórquez Santiago, Alexander Ruden, Julián Felipe Villada Castillo, Abel Hurtado-Macías, Guillermo César Mondragón-Rodríguez, Jhon Alexander Villada-Villalobos and Juan Manuel González-Carmona

J. Manuf. Mater. Process. 2026, 10(5), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp10050150 - 28 Apr 2026

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Abstract

The effect of treatment time on arc-enhanced glow discharge plasma-assisted nitriding (AEGD-PAN) of AISI M2 high-speed steel was investigated for non-heat-treated and heat-treated substrates. Nitriding treatments were carried out at 350 °C for 1.5 and 3.5 h, producing diffusion layers with thicknesses ranging [...] Read more.

The effect of treatment time on arc-enhanced glow discharge plasma-assisted nitriding (AEGD-PAN) of AISI M2 high-speed steel was investigated for non-heat-treated and heat-treated substrates. Nitriding treatments were carried out at 350 °C for 1.5 and 3.5 h, producing diffusion layers with thicknesses ranging from approximately 38 to 75 µm without formation of a continuous brittle compound layer. X-ray diffraction combined with Rietveld refinement revealed the progressive formation of γ′-Fe₄N and ε-Fe₂₃N nitrides together with lattice expansion of the α-Fe matrix, indicating nitrogen supersaturation and precipitation strengthening within the diffusion zone. Heat-treated specimens exhibited higher surface hardness, reaching ~1350 HV_0.1, while non-heat-treated substrates developed pronounced hardness gradients associated with diffusion-controlled layer growth. Scratch testing showed improved resistance to contact-induced damage with increasing nitriding time, particularly for the 3.5 h treatment, where lateral cracking was significantly reduced and load-bearing capacity increased. Multi-pass scratch wear tests revealed a reduction in the Archard wear coefficient by up to four orders of magnitude compared with untreated M2 steel. These results demonstrate that AEGD-PAN at moderate temperature enables efficient diffusion layer formation and significant improvement in the tribological performance of high-alloy tool steels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Modification and Durability Enhancement of Advanced Alloys)

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