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Additive Manufacturing of Metals and Alloys: Recent Advances and Challenges

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 5211

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Interests: manufacturing engineering; materials engineering; composite materials; microforming;

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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Interests: materials characterization; advanced manufacturing; composites design; micro manufacturing

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Guest Editor
Welding and Additive Manufacturing Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, UK
Interests: additive manufacturing; material process and design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Welding and Additive Manufacturing Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, UK
Interests: shape memory alloys; in situ alloying; wire-based direct energy deposition; microstructure and mechanical analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an important manufacturing strategy in Industry 4.0. Compared with traditional manufacturing and processing methods of metallic products, AM exhibits huge advantages in terms of more flexible geometrical shapes, higher efficiency, better performances, less waste, and carbon emission. A wide range of applicable materials provides potentials that AM can flexibly realize stringent requirements of different fields and industries, such as vehicles, aerocraft, spacecraft, marine engineering, nuclear power, medical treatment, and defence.

Nowadays, widely used AM techniques for preparing metals and alloys mainly include two types, direct energy deposition (DED) and powder bed fusion (PBF). Specific approaches of DED and PBF are diversified, involving laser-melting deposition (LMD), laser-based metal wire deposition (LMWD), wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), electron beam melting (EBM), selective laser melting (SLM), hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM), etc. The metals and alloys used in AM can be different according to the requirements of performances, and they might be steels, titanium (Ti) alloys, aluminium (Al) alloys, nickel (Ni) alloys, multiple principal element alloys (MPEAs) and metal matrix composites (MMCs).

This Special Issue aims to cover the latest progress in the field of additive manufacturing of metals and alloys, including the preparation process, microstructure characterization, properties evaluation, and advanced applications. Submissions of original research articles, reviews, and short communications related to the subject are welcome.

Dr. Fanghui Jia
Dr. Fei Lin
Dr. Yao Lu
Dr. Jun Wang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • additive manufacturing
  • metals and alloys
  • materials design
  • microstructure characterization
  • mechanical properties
  • functional properties
  • manufacturing processes
  • preparation and application

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 12082 KiB  
Article
Research on Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and High-Temperature Stability of Hot-Rolled Tungsten Hafnium Alloy
by Yi Yin, Tiejun Wang, Sigui Qin, Wanjing Wang, Yingli Shi and Hongxin Yu
Materials 2024, 17(15), 3663; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17153663 - 24 Jul 2024
Viewed by 407
Abstract
W-(0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) wt.% Hf (mass fraction, wt.%) materials were fabricated by the powder metallurgy method and hot rolling. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and high-temperature stability of alloys with varying compositions were systematically studied. The active element Hf can react with the [...] Read more.
W-(0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) wt.% Hf (mass fraction, wt.%) materials were fabricated by the powder metallurgy method and hot rolling. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and high-temperature stability of alloys with varying compositions were systematically studied. The active element Hf can react with the impurity O segregated at the grain boundary to form fine dispersed HfO2 particles, refining the grains and purifies and strengthening the grain boundary. The average size of the sub-grains in the W-0.3 wt.% Hf alloy is 4.32 μm, and the number density of the in situ-formed second phase is 6.4 × 1017 m−3. The W-0.3 wt.% Hf alloy has excellent mechanical properties in all compositions of alloys. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is 1048 ± 17.02 MPa at 100 °C, the ductile fracture occurs at 150 °C, and the total elongation (TE) is 5.91 ± 0.41%. The UTS of the tensile test at 500 °C is 614 ± 7.55 MPa, and the elongation is as high as 43.77 ± 1.54%. However, more Hf addition will increase the size of the second-phase particles and reduce the number density of the second-phase particles, resulting in a decrease in the mechanical properties of the tungsten alloy. The isochronal annealing test shows that the recrystallization temperature of W-Hf alloy is 1400 °C, which is 200 °C higher than rolling pure tungsten. Full article
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18 pages, 48658 KiB  
Article
Achieving Equiaxed Transition and Excellent Mechanical Properties in a Novel Near-β Titanium Alloy by Regulating the Volume Energy Density of Selective Laser Melting
by Xiaofei Li, Huanhuan Cheng, Chengcheng Shi, Rui Liu, Ruyue Wang and Chuan Yang
Materials 2024, 17(11), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112631 - 29 May 2024
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Abstract
This research investigated the relationship between volume energy density and the microstructure, density, and mechanical properties of the Ti-5Al-5Mo-3V-1Cr-1Fe alloy fabricated via the SLM process. The results indicate that an increase in volume energy density can promote a transition from a columnar to [...] Read more.
This research investigated the relationship between volume energy density and the microstructure, density, and mechanical properties of the Ti-5Al-5Mo-3V-1Cr-1Fe alloy fabricated via the SLM process. The results indicate that an increase in volume energy density can promote a transition from a columnar to an equiaxed grain structure and suppress the anisotropy of mechanical properties. Specifically, at a volume energy density of 83.33 J/mm3, the average aspect ratio of β grains reached 0.77, accompanied by the formation of numerous nano-precipitated phases. Furthermore, the relative density of the alloy initially increased and then decreased as the volume energy density increased. At a volume energy density of 83.33 J/mm3, the relative density reached 99.6%. It is noteworthy that an increase in volume energy density increases the β grain size. Consequently, with a volume energy density of 83.33 J/mm3, the alloy exhibited an average grain size of 63.92 μm, demonstrating optimal performance with a yield strength of 1003.06 MPa and an elongation of 18.16%. This is mainly attributable to the fact that an increase in volume energy density enhances thermal convection within the molten pool, leading to alterations in molten pool morphology and a reduction in temperature gradients within the alloy. The reduction in temperature gradients promotes equiaxed grain transformation and grain refinement by increasing constitutive supercooling at the leading edge of the solid–liquid interface. The evolution of molten pool morphology mainly inhibits columnar grain growth and refines grain by changing the grain growth direction. This study provided a straightforward method for inhibiting anisotropy and enhancing mechanical properties. Full article
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18 pages, 11454 KiB  
Article
Effect of Grain Orientation on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of FeCoCrNi High-Entropy Alloy Produced via Laser Melting Deposition
by Fuyu Ge, Shuai Liu, Xin Zhang, Mengdie Shan, Cheng Peng, Fanghui Jia, Jian Han and Yangchuan Cai
Materials 2023, 16(17), 5963; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16175963 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1333
Abstract
The long, straight grain boundary of the high-entropy alloy (HEA) produced via laser melting deposition (LMD) is prone to cracking due to unidirectional scanning (single wall). To enhance the competitive growth of columnar grains and improve the overall performance of the alloy, a [...] Read more.
The long, straight grain boundary of the high-entropy alloy (HEA) produced via laser melting deposition (LMD) is prone to cracking due to unidirectional scanning (single wall). To enhance the competitive growth of columnar grains and improve the overall performance of the alloy, a vertical cross scanning method was employed to fabricate FeCoCrNi HEA (bulk). The influence of grain orientation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of FeCoCrNi-LMD was systematically investigated. Microhardness tests and tensile tests were conducted to assess the mechanical property differences between the single-wall and bulk samples. This study shows that using a single scanning strategy results in monolayer wall grains sized at 129.40 μm, with a max texture strength of 21.29. Employing orthogonal scanning yields 61.15 μm block-like grains with a max texture strength of 11.12. Dislocation densities are 1.084 × 1012 m−2 and 1.156 × 1012 m−2, with average Schmid factors of 0.471 and 0.416. In comparison to the FeCoCrNi-LMD single wall, the bulk material produced through cross-layer orthogonal scanning exhibited reduced residual stress, weakened anisotropy, and improved mechanical properties. These findings are expected to enhance the potential applications of FeCoCrNi-LMD in various industries. Full article
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Review

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31 pages, 11068 KiB  
Review
Research Progress on Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing of Zinc Alloys
by Fuxiang Meng and Yulei Du
Materials 2024, 17(17), 4309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174309 - 30 Aug 2024
Viewed by 389
Abstract
Zinc, along with magnesium and iron, is considered one of the most promising biodegradable metals. Compared with magnesium and iron, pure Zn exhibits poor mechanical properties, despite its mild biological corrosion behavior and beneficial biocompatibility. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), unlike traditional manufacturing [...] Read more.
Zinc, along with magnesium and iron, is considered one of the most promising biodegradable metals. Compared with magnesium and iron, pure Zn exhibits poor mechanical properties, despite its mild biological corrosion behavior and beneficial biocompatibility. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), unlike traditional manufacturing techniques, has the capability to rapidly manufacture near-net-shape components. At present, although the combination of LPBF and Zn has made great progress, it is still in its infancy. Element loss and porosity are common processing problems for LPBF Zn, mainly due to evaporation during melting under a high-energy beam. The formation quality and properties of the final material are closely related to the alloy composition, design and processing. This work reviews the state of research and future perspective on LPBF zinc from comprehensive assessments such as powder characteristics, alloy composition, processing, formation quality, microstructure, and properties. The effects of powder characteristics, process parameters and evaporation on formation quality are introduced. The mechanical, corrosion, and biocompatibility properties of LPBF Zn and their test methodologies are introduced. The effects of microstructure on mechanical properties and corrosion properties are analyzed in detail. The practical medical application of Zn is introduced. Finally, current research status is summarized together with suggested directions for advancing knowledge about LPBF Zn. Full article
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29 pages, 13467 KiB  
Review
Mechanical Properties of Bulk Metallic Glasses Additively Manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion: A Review
by Haojie Luo and Yulei Du
Materials 2023, 16(21), 7034; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16217034 - 3 Nov 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1417
Abstract
Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) display excellent strength, high hardness, exceptional wear resistance and corrosion resistance owing to its amorphous structure. However, the manufacturing of large-sized and complex shaped BMG parts faces significant difficulties, which seriously hinders their applications. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) [...] Read more.
Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) display excellent strength, high hardness, exceptional wear resistance and corrosion resistance owing to its amorphous structure. However, the manufacturing of large-sized and complex shaped BMG parts faces significant difficulties, which seriously hinders their applications. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a typical additive manufacturing (AM) technique with a cooling rate of up to 108 K/s, which not only allows for the formation of amorphous structures but also solves the forming problem of complex-shaped BMG parts. In recent years, a large amount of work has been carried out on the LPBF processing of BMGs. This review mainly summarizes the latest progress in the field of LPBF additively manufactured BMGs focusing on their mechanical properties. We first briefly review the BMG alloy systems that have been additively manufactured using LPBF, then the mechanical properties of LPBF-fabricated BMGs including the micro- and nano-hardness, micropillar compressive performance, and macro-compressive and tensile performance are clarified. Next, the relationship between the mechanical properties and microstructure of BMGs produced via LPBF are analyzed. Finally, the measures for improving the mechanical properties of LPBF-fabricated BMGs are discussed. This review can provide readers with an essential comprehension of the structural and mechanical properties of LPBF-manufactured BMGs. Full article
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