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Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition
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Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 10252

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Wei Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: amorphous alloys; relaxation and rejuvenation of amorphous materials; metal matrix composites; high-entropy alloys; porous alloys; high-temperature alloys
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the constituent phases in alloys and composites, materials can exhibit various performance characteristics, thus possessing great potential in different application cases, such as aeronautics and astronautics, the automobile industry, and the electronic and electrical industry. Alloys and composites with high stiffness, high strength, and good ductility can be used as load-bearing components, those with high hardness and ductility can be used as cutting tools, and those with high corrosion resistance can be used as components in seawater or in a chemical atmosphere environment, whereas the heating furnace needs both heating components with a high heat liberation rate, as well as heat insulation components to prevent heat loss.

The aim of this SI is to understand the basic principles of property design and tailoring in alloys and composites, to be used as structural or functional materials. The materials of interest include amorphous alloys, high-entropy alloys, lightweight alloys, metal–matrix composites, ceramic–matrix composites, and polymer–matrix composites. To design and tailor macroscopic properties as structural or functional materials, such as macroscopic stiffness and strength, the phase constituent, volume fraction, and average size of each phase, interface bonding should be well investigated. A thorough understanding of how the composition and processing parameters influence the macroscopic properties will definitely help toward new breakthroughs in the field of alloys and composites and their use in different cases.

Prof. Dr. Wei Guo
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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • alloys and composites
  • mechanical properties
  • functional properties
  • phase constituent
  • design and tailoring
  • amorphous alloys
  • high-entropy alloys
  • lightweight alloys
  • metal matrix composites

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 18454 KiB  
Article
Image-Based Peridynamic Modeling-Based Micro-CT for Failure Simulation of Composites
by Zhuo Wang, Ling Zhang, Jiandong Zhong, Yichao Peng, Yi Ma and Fei Han
Materials 2024, 17(20), 4987; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17204987 - 12 Oct 2024
Viewed by 660
Abstract
By utilizing computed tomography (CT) technology, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the specific details within the material. When combined with computational mechanics, this approach allows us to predict the structural response through numerical simulation, thereby avoiding the high experimental costs. In [...] Read more.
By utilizing computed tomography (CT) technology, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the specific details within the material. When combined with computational mechanics, this approach allows us to predict the structural response through numerical simulation, thereby avoiding the high experimental costs. In this study, the tensile cracking behavior of carbon–silicon carbide (C/SiC) composites is numerically simulated using the bond-based peridynamics model (BB-PD), which is based on geometric models derived from segmented images of three-dimensional (3D) CT data. To obtain results efficiently and accurately, we adopted a deep learning-based image recognition model to identify the kinds of material and then the pixel type that corresponds to the material point, which can be modeled by BB-PD for failure simulation. The numerical simulations of the composites indicate that the proposed image-based peridynamics (IB-PD) model can accurately reconstruct the actual composite microstructure. It can effectively simulate various fracture phenomena such as interfacial debonding, crack propagation affected by defects, and damage to the matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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14 pages, 12101 KiB  
Article
Effect of Casting Process and Thermal Exposure on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Cu-Ni Alloy
by Peijie Xiao, Shiwei Xu, Longbao Chen, Yu Liu, Jianyu Li, Zhi Xiao and Xianming Meng
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4598; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184598 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 568
Abstract
This paper employed squeeze-casting (SC) technology to develop a novel Al-7Si-1.5Cu-1.2Ni-0.4Mg-0.3Mn-0.15Ti heat-resistant alloy, addressing the issue of low room/high temperature elongation in traditional gravity casting (GC). Initially, the effects of SC and GC processes on the microstructure and properties of the alloy were [...] Read more.
This paper employed squeeze-casting (SC) technology to develop a novel Al-7Si-1.5Cu-1.2Ni-0.4Mg-0.3Mn-0.15Ti heat-resistant alloy, addressing the issue of low room/high temperature elongation in traditional gravity casting (GC). Initially, the effects of SC and GC processes on the microstructure and properties of the alloy were investigated, followed by an examination of the evolution of the microstructure and properties of the SC samples over thermal exposure time. The results indicate that the SC process significantly improves the alloy’s microstructure. Compared to the GC alloy, the secondary dendrite arm spacing of the as-cast SC alloy is refined from 50.5 μm to 18.5 μm. Meanwhile, the size and roundness of the eutectic Si phase in the T6-treated SC alloy are optimized from 11.7 μm and 0.75 μm to 9.5 μm and 0.85 μm, respectively, and casting defects such as porosity are reduced. Consequently, the ultimate tensile strengths (UTSs) at room temperature and at 250 °C of the SC alloy are 5% and 4.9% higher than that of GC alloy, respectively, and its elongation at both temperatures shows significant improvement. After thermal exposure at 250 °C for 120 h, the morphology of the residual second phase at the grain boundaries in the SC alloy becomes more rounded, but the eutectic Si and nano-precipitates undergo significant coarsening, resulting in a 49% decrease in UTS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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16 pages, 3694 KiB  
Article
The {332}<113> Twinning Behavior of a Ti-15Mo Medical Alloy during Cyclic Deformation and Its Effect on Microstructure and Performance
by Tiewei Xu, Bingqing Sun, Shanshan Zhang, Yuancai Liu, Wei Sun, Ning Cui and Binjiang Lv
Materials 2024, 17(7), 1462; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071462 - 22 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 782
Abstract
In this study, the microstructural evolution of a Ti-15Mo medical alloy was investigated, when the in situ cyclic tensile strain had 2% amplitude and the tension–compression cyclic deformation had 1%, 2%, and 3% amplitude. The Vickers hardness and wear resistance of the alloy [...] Read more.
In this study, the microstructural evolution of a Ti-15Mo medical alloy was investigated, when the in situ cyclic tensile strain had 2% amplitude and the tension–compression cyclic deformation had 1%, 2%, and 3% amplitude. The Vickers hardness and wear resistance of the alloy were also optimized due to the grain-refining effect after cyclic deformation and annealing. The twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) was considered the main deformation mechanism of the Ti-15Mo alloy during the tensile–compressive cycle deformation with suitable strain amplitude. The {332}<113> twins and boundaries were the main contributors to the grain refinement. The optimal microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance were obtained in the alloy deformed by tension–compression cyclic strain with a 3% strain amplitude. The wear resistance of the annealed alloy in Hank’s solution was excellent in contrast to the original Ti-15Mo alloy due to its reasonable microstructure and hardness. It is clear that abundant twins were formed and retained in the coarse grains of the original alloy after cyclic deformation and annealing, which provided the expected refined grains and performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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12 pages, 3422 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Friction Properties of AlCrTiVNbx High-Entropy Alloys via Annealing Manufactured by Vacuum Arc Melting
by Baowei Li, Zihao Zhang, Xiaoling Luo, Kangmin Chen, Jiaqi Zhang, Pan Gong and Zhen Peng
Materials 2024, 17(4), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040812 - 8 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1287
Abstract
To enhance the friction and wear properties of alloys, AlCrTiVNbx high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with various Nb contents were prepared using the arc melting technique and then annealed at 1000 °C for 2 h. The microstructure and hardness changes in the AlCrTiVNbx [...] Read more.
To enhance the friction and wear properties of alloys, AlCrTiVNbx high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with various Nb contents were prepared using the arc melting technique and then annealed at 1000 °C for 2 h. The microstructure and hardness changes in the AlCrTiVNbx (x = 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) HEAs after casting and annealing were studied via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy and the Vickers hardness test. The MFT-EC400 ball disc reciprocating friction and wear tester was used to investigate the wear resistance of the HEAs before and after annealing. The results show that the annealed AlCrTiVNbx HEAs changed from a single-phase structure to a multi-phase structure, and the content of the face-center cubic (FCC) phase and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) phase further increases with the increase in Nb content. The hardness value of the annealed HEAs is greatly enhanced compared with the casting state, and the hardness of the Nb0.5 HEA is increased from 543 HV to 725 HV after annealing. The wear resistance of the alloys after the annealing treatment is also greatly improved, among which Nb0.5 has the best wear resistance. The average friction coefficient of Nb0.5 is 0.154 and the wear rate is 2.117 × 10−5 mm3/(N·m). We believe that the precipitation strengthening after the annealing treatment and the lubrication effect of the FCC phase are the reasons for the significant improvement in wear resistance. The morphology of the samples indicates that the wear mechanism of the alloy includes adhesive wear, abrasive wear and a certain degree of oxidation wear. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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8 pages, 6353 KiB  
Communication
ZrO2 Superhydrophobic Coating with an Excellent Corrosion Resistance and Stable Degradation Performance on Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass
by Ranfeng Wei, Rui Zheng, Chaojun Li, Wei Wang, Hao Zhang, Qijing Sun, Jingwang Lv, Guoyang Zhang, Li Liu and Xiangjin Zhao
Materials 2024, 17(1), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010118 - 26 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1045
Abstract
Photocatalysis is an energy-saving and high-efficiency green environmental technology. Because of its wide band gap and low light utilization, few studies have been conducted on ZrO2 used as a photocatalytic material. In this paper, a corrosion-resistant superhydrophobic ZrO2 coating was prepared [...] Read more.
Photocatalysis is an energy-saving and high-efficiency green environmental technology. Because of its wide band gap and low light utilization, few studies have been conducted on ZrO2 used as a photocatalytic material. In this paper, a corrosion-resistant superhydrophobic ZrO2 coating was prepared on the surface of Zr-based bulk metallic glass by electrochemical etching. This coating not only showed a better corrosion resistance and easier collection, but also presented a stable degradation performance when combined with H2O2; these characteristics are necessary for photocatalysts to survive under harsh environments. This study provides a new direction for designing superhydrophobic surfaces on bulk metallic glass that possess a functional performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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18 pages, 4059 KiB  
Article
Recommendation of SLM Process Parameters Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process and Weighted Particle Swarm Optimization for High-Temperature Alloys
by Ze-Jun Zhang, Yuan-Jie Wu, Ze-Ming Wang, Xiao-Yuan Ji, Wei Guo, Dong-Jian Peng, Xian-Meng Tu, Sheng-Zhi Zhou, Huan-Qing Yang and Jian-Xin Zhou
Materials 2023, 16(16), 5656; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165656 - 17 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1441
Abstract
Selective laser melting (SLM) of high-temperature alloys involves intricate interdependencies among key process parameters, such as laser power and scanning speed, affecting properties such as density and tensile strength. However, relying solely on experiential knowledge for process parameter design often hampers the precise [...] Read more.
Selective laser melting (SLM) of high-temperature alloys involves intricate interdependencies among key process parameters, such as laser power and scanning speed, affecting properties such as density and tensile strength. However, relying solely on experiential knowledge for process parameter design often hampers the precise attainment of target requirements. To address this challenge, we propose an innovative approach that integrates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted particle swarm optimization (WPSO) to recommend SLM process parameters for high-temperature alloy fabrication. Our proposed AHP–WPSO model consists of three main steps. First, a comprehensive historical database is established, capturing the process parameters and performance metrics of high-temperature alloy SLM parts. Utilizing an AHP framework, we compute the performance similarity between target and historical cases, applying rational thresholds to identify analogous cases. When suitable analogs are elusive, the model seamlessly transitions to the second step. Here, the WPSO model optimizes and recommends process parameters according to target specifications. Lastly, our experimental validation of the GH4169 high-temperature alloy through SLM experiments corroborates the effectiveness of our AHP–WPSO model in making process parameter recommendations. The outcomes underscore the model’s high accuracy, attaining a recommendation precision of 99.81% and 96.32% when historical analogs are present and absent, respectively. This innovative approach offers a robust and reliable solution to the challenges posed in SLM process parameter optimization for high-temperature alloy applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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20 pages, 8421 KiB  
Article
Study of Bond Formation in Ceramic and Composite Materials Ultrasonically Soldered with Bi–Ag–Mg-Type Solder
by Roman Kolenak, Tomas Melus, Jaromir Drapala, Peter Gogola and Matej Pasak
Materials 2023, 16(8), 2991; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16082991 - 10 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1524
Abstract
This research aimed to study a Bi–Ag–Mg soldering alloy and the direct soldering of Al2O3 ceramics and Ni–SiC composites. Bi11Ag1Mg solder has a broad melting interval, which mainly depends on the silver and magnesium content. The solder starts to melt [...] Read more.
This research aimed to study a Bi–Ag–Mg soldering alloy and the direct soldering of Al2O3 ceramics and Ni–SiC composites. Bi11Ag1Mg solder has a broad melting interval, which mainly depends on the silver and magnesium content. The solder starts to melt at a temperature of 264 °C. Full fusion terminates at a temperature of 380 °C. The microstructure of the solder is formed by a bismuth matrix. The matrix contains segregated silver crystals and an Ag (Mg, Bi) phase. The average tensile strength of solder is 26.7 MPa. The boundary of the Al2O3/Bi11Ag1Mg joint is formed by the reaction of magnesium, which segregates in the vicinity of a boundary with a ceramic substrate. The thickness of the high-Mg reaction layer at the interface with the ceramic material was approximately 2 μm. The bond at the boundary of the Bi11Ag1Mg/Ni–SiC joint was formed due to the high silver content. At the boundary, there were also high contents of Bi and Ni, which suggests that there is a NiBi3 phase. The average shear strength of the combined Al2O3/Ni–SiC joint with Bi11Ag1Mg solder is 27 MPa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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19 pages, 5472 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Plating Process on Inner Wall of Metal Pipe and Research on Coating Performance
by Chenming Zhang, Yongfeng Li, Xiaochang Xu, Mingming Zhang, Haoyuan Leng and Bin Sun
Materials 2023, 16(7), 2800; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072800 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2164
Abstract
An innovative brush plating process for preparing coatings on the inner wall of metal pipes is proposed, which aims to solve the limitations of current electroplating technology and improve the performance of the inner walls of metal pipes. While optimizing the process, the [...] Read more.
An innovative brush plating process for preparing coatings on the inner wall of metal pipes is proposed, which aims to solve the limitations of current electroplating technology and improve the performance of the inner walls of metal pipes. While optimizing the process, the effect of working voltage on the microhardness, thickness, surface morphology, corrosion resistance, and elastoplasticity of the Ni coating on the inner wall of the tube was studied under the new process. The results indicate this technique can produce high-quality coatings on the inner wall of pipes in a simple and efficient manner. As the working voltage increases, the surface quality and comprehensive performance of the coating show an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend. At 12 V, the coating exhibits the highest surface density and uniformity, the lowest surface roughness, the best corrosion resistance, and the maximum microhardness of 575.8 HV, with a corrosion current density of 1.040 × 10−5 A·cm−2, a corrosion rate of 0.122 mm·a−1, the maximum elastic recovery ratio he/hmax of 0.36, and the best deformation resistance. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of this method in improving the durability and functionality of metal pipes and its potential for various industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alloys and Composites: Structural and Functional Applications, Second Edition)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Dissimilar welding of magnesium alloys and aluminum alloys by explosive welding
Authors: M. Mihara-Narita; H. Sato; Y. Watanabe; B. Mingzhe; N. Saito; I. Nakatsugawa; Y. Chino
Affiliation: 1 Department of Physical Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology 2 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Abstract: It is difficult to weld dissimilar magnesium and aluminum alloys, since the bonding strength is deteriorated by formation of a brittle intermetallic compound (IMC) layer at the bonding interface. In our studies, explosive welding method is applied to the dissimilar welding. A high-speed impact by the explosion of explosives is utilized to bond magnesium and aluminum alloys in a short period of time. Thus, formation of IMCs could be effectively suppressed. As a result of our studies, a thin interlayer of γ-Al12Mg17 phase was confirmed in magnesium alloy/ aluminum alloy cladding plates. We found that alloy compositions of magnesium and aluminum alloys af-fected the thickness of interlayer. Furthermore, it was found that annealing of the cladding plate increased the thickness of interlayer, where aluminum-rich β-Al3Mg2 phase was formed on the aluminum alloy side after annealing at 473 K. Formation of brittle β-Al3Mg2 phase induced crack initiation, which reduced the shear strength. Regarding corrosion resistance, the corrosion weight loss of the explosively welded cladding plates was slightly smaller than that of the mechanically fastened samples. Based on the above, it can be said that explosive welding is highly effective for bonding magnesium alloys with aluminum alloys.

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