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Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2024) | Viewed by 6761

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Interests: additive manufacturing; microstructural analysis; deformation behavior; heat treatment; grain refinement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After our successful first two volumes of this Special Issue, “Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys”, we have decided to create a third volume to collect and publish state-of-the-art research on the structure–mechanical property relationship in metallic materials.

This third volume of this Special Issue, like the first two ones, will focus on the contemporary trends in material engineering related to metallic materials with a special emphasis on the effect of grain size, structure modifications using thermal, chemical, surface, and mechanical treatment, as well as on the decrease in the specific weight of the finished elements using light metal alloys such as those containing aluminum, magnesium, and titanium.

Prof. Dr. Tomasz Tański
Dr. Przemysław Snopiński
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • metallic alloys
  • nonferrous alloys
  • additive manufacturing
  • mechanical properties
  • manufacturing
  • heat treatment
  • nanostructured
  • structure–property correlations
  • advanced material characterization

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 8928 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Softening Resistance Behavior and Its Mechanism in Cu-Ni-Si Alloys with Discontinuous Precipitates
by Yicheng Cao, Wei Luo, Zhen Yang, Haofeng Xie, Wenjing Zhang, Zengde Li, Lijun Peng, Yunqing Zhu and Jun Liu
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215323 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 530
Abstract
In this study, isothermal annealing experiments were conducted on copper-nickel-silicon alloys containing continuous precipitates (CP) and discontinuous precipitates (DP) to investigate the effects of different types of precipitate phases on the microstructural evolution and softening temperature during annealing, as well as to analyze [...] Read more.
In this study, isothermal annealing experiments were conducted on copper-nickel-silicon alloys containing continuous precipitates (CP) and discontinuous precipitates (DP) to investigate the effects of different types of precipitate phases on the microstructural evolution and softening temperature during annealing, as well as to analyze the differences in softening mechanisms. The experimental results revealed that the softening temperature of the CP alloy, subjected to 75% cold deformation, was 505 °C. In contrast, the DP alloy achieved softening temperatures of 575 °C and 515 °C after 75% and 97.5% cold deformation, respectively. This indicates that the DP alloy exhibits significantly superior softening resistance compared to the CP alloy, attributed to the distinct softening mechanisms of the two alloys. In the CP alloy, softening is primarily influenced by factors such as the coarsening of the precipitate phase, the occurrence of recrystallization, and the reduction in dislocation density. In the DP alloy, the balling phenomenon of the DP phase is more pronounced, and its unique microstructure exerts a stronger hindrance to dislocation and grain boundary motion. This hindrance effect reduces the extent of recrystallization and results in a smaller decrease in dislocation density. In summary, the DP alloy, due to its unique microstructure and softening mechanisms, demonstrates better softening resistance, providing higher durability and stability for high-temperature applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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19 pages, 15512 KiB  
Article
Effects of Process Parameters and Process Defects on the Flexural Fatigue Life of Ti-6Al-4V Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
by Brandon Ramirez, Cristian Banuelos, Alex De La Cruz, Shadman Tahsin Nabil, Edel Arrieta, Lawrence E. Murr, Ryan B. Wicker and Francisco Medina
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4548; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184548 - 16 Sep 2024
Viewed by 859
Abstract
The fatigue performance of laser powder bed fusion-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy was investigated using four-point bending testing. Specifically, the effects of keyhole and lack-of-fusion porosities along with various surface roughness parameters, were evaluated in the context of pore circularity and size using 2D optical [...] Read more.
The fatigue performance of laser powder bed fusion-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy was investigated using four-point bending testing. Specifically, the effects of keyhole and lack-of-fusion porosities along with various surface roughness parameters, were evaluated in the context of pore circularity and size using 2D optical metallography. Surface roughness of Sa = 15 to 7 microns was examined by SEM, and the corresponding fatigue performance was found to vary by 102 cycles to failure. The S–N curves for the various defects were also correlated with process window examination in laser beam power–velocity (P–V) space. Basquin’s stress-life relation was well fitted to the experimental S–N curves for various process parameters except keyhole porosity, indicating reduced importance for LPBF-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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17 pages, 8221 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Thermal and Electron Wind Force-Assisted Annealing for Extremely High-Density Defect Mitigation
by Md Hafijur Rahman, Sarah Todaro, Daudi Waryoba and Aman Haque
Materials 2024, 17(13), 3188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133188 - 29 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 703
Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of combined thermal and athermal stimuli in mitigating the extremely high-density nature of dislocation networks in the form of low-angle grain boundaries in FeCrAl alloy. Electron wind force, generated from very low duty cycle and high current density [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effectiveness of combined thermal and athermal stimuli in mitigating the extremely high-density nature of dislocation networks in the form of low-angle grain boundaries in FeCrAl alloy. Electron wind force, generated from very low duty cycle and high current density pulses, was used as the athermal stimulus. The electron wind force stimulus alone was unable to remove the residual stress (80% low-angle grain boundaries) due to cold rolling to 25% thickness reduction. When the duty cycle was increased to allow average temperature of 100 °C, the specimen could be effectively annealed in 1 min at a current density of 3300 A/mm2. In comparison, conventional thermal annealing requires at least 750 °C and 1.5 h. For specimens with 50% thickness reduction (85% low-angle grain boundaries), the electron wind force was again unable to anneal the defects even at 3300 A/mm2 current density and average temperature of 100 °C. Intriguingly, allowing average concurrent temperature of 200 °C eliminated almost all the low-angle grain boundaries at a current density of 700 A/mm2, even lower than that required for the 25% thickness reduced specimens. Comprehensive electron and X-ray diffraction evidence show that alloys with extremely high defect density can be effectively annealed in less than a minute at approximately 200 °C, offering a substantial improvement over conventional high-temperature annealing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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19 pages, 1894 KiB  
Article
Prediction of the Cohesion Energy, Shear Modulus and Hardness of Single-Phase Metals and High-Entropy Alloys
by Ottó K. Temesi, Lajos K. Varga, Nguyen Q. Chinh and Levente Vitos
Materials 2024, 17(11), 2728; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112728 - 4 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 880
Abstract
In order to facilitate the prediction of some physical properties, we propose several simple formulas based on two parameters only, the metallic valence and metallic atomic radii. Knowing the composition, for single-phase alloys, the average parameters can be calculated by the rule of [...] Read more.
In order to facilitate the prediction of some physical properties, we propose several simple formulas based on two parameters only, the metallic valence and metallic atomic radii. Knowing the composition, for single-phase alloys, the average parameters can be calculated by the rule of mixture. The input parameters can be obtained from tabulated databases. Adopting from the literature the results of Coulomb crystal model for metals and single-phase high-entropy alloys, we have derived formulas for the shear modulus (G) and the cohesion energy (Ecoh). Based on these parameters separately, we set up two formulas to estimate the hardness in the case of pure metals. For single-phase (solid-solution) HEAs, by simplifying the Maresca and Curtin model, we obtained a formula for estimating the hardness, which takes into account the atomic misfit in addition to G. The maximal hardness for single-phase HEA is approximately 600 kg/mm2 and is obtained for a composition with a valence electron concentration of approximately 6 ÷ 7. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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28 pages, 15835 KiB  
Article
Numerical Optimization of Variable Blank Holder Force Trajectories in Stamping Process for Multi-Defect Reduction
by Feng Guo, Hoyoung Jeong, Donghwi Park, Geunho Kim, Booyong Sung and Naksoo Kim
Materials 2024, 17(11), 2578; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112578 - 27 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1071
Abstract
An intelligent optimization technology was proposed to mitigate prevalent multi-defects, particularly failure, wrinkling, and springback in sheet metal forming. This method combined deep neural networks (DNNs), genetic algorithms (GAs), and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), collectively as DNN-GA-MCS. Our primary aim was to determine [...] Read more.
An intelligent optimization technology was proposed to mitigate prevalent multi-defects, particularly failure, wrinkling, and springback in sheet metal forming. This method combined deep neural networks (DNNs), genetic algorithms (GAs), and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), collectively as DNN-GA-MCS. Our primary aim was to determine intricate process parameters while elucidating the intricate relationship between processing methodologies and material properties. To achieve this goal, variable blank holder force (VBHF) trajectories were implemented into five sub-stroke steps, facilitating adjustments to the blank holder force via numerical simulations with an oil pan model. The Forming Limit Diagram (FLD) predicted by machine learning algorithms based on the Generalized Incremental Stress State Dependent Damage (GISSMO) model provided a robust framework for evaluating sheet failure dynamics during the stamping process. Numerical results confirmed significant improvements in formed quality: compared with the average value of training sets, the improvements of 18.89%, 13.59%, and 14.26% are achieved in failure, wrinkling, and springback; in the purposed two-segmented mode VBHF case application, the average value of three defects is improved by 12.62%, and the total summation of VBHF is reduced by 14.07%. Statistical methodologies grounded in material flow analysis were applied, accompanied by the proposal of distinctive optimization strategies for the die structure aimed at enhancing material flow efficiency. In conclusion, our advanced methodology exhibits considerable potential to improve sheet metal forming processes, highlighting its significant effect on defect reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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12 pages, 4458 KiB  
Article
Improving Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of 6061 Al Alloys via Differential Speed Rolling and Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation
by Siti Fatimah, Warda Bahanan, I Putu Widiantara, Jae Hoon Go, Jee-Hyun Kang and Young Gun Ko
Materials 2024, 17(6), 1252; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17061252 - 8 Mar 2024
Viewed by 894
Abstract
This study explores the combined potential of severe plastic deformation (SPD) via differential speed rolling (DSR) and plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to enhance the material performance of 6061 Al alloys. To this end, DSR was carried out at a roll-speed-ratio of 1:4 to [...] Read more.
This study explores the combined potential of severe plastic deformation (SPD) via differential speed rolling (DSR) and plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to enhance the material performance of 6061 Al alloys. To this end, DSR was carried out at a roll-speed-ratio of 1:4 to obtain ~75% total thickness reduction and a final microstructure of <1 µm. The rest of the samples were annealed to obtain various grain sizes of ~1, ~25, and ~55 μm. Through DSR, the hardness of the material increased from ~64 to ~102 HV. Different grain sizes altered the plasma behavior which further influence the growth of the coating layer, where the fine grain size produced a compact structure beneficial for corrosion protection. This synergy offers tailored materials ideal for high-performance applications across diverse industries, combining enhanced bulk properties from DSR with optimized surface attributes from PEO. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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19 pages, 6987 KiB  
Article
Research on the Mechanical Model and Hysteresis Performance of a New Mild Steel-Rotational Friction Hybrid Self-Centering Damper
by Debin Wang, Ran Pang, Gang Wang and Guoxi Fan
Materials 2023, 16(22), 7168; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16227168 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1193
Abstract
A mild steel-friction self-centering damper with a hybrid energy-dissipation mechanism (MS-SCFD) was proposed, which consisted of a mild steel, frictional, dual-energy-dissipation system and a disc spring resetting system. The structure and principle of the MS-SCFD were explained in detail while the restoring force [...] Read more.
A mild steel-friction self-centering damper with a hybrid energy-dissipation mechanism (MS-SCFD) was proposed, which consisted of a mild steel, frictional, dual-energy-dissipation system and a disc spring resetting system. The structure and principle of the MS-SCFD were explained in detail while the restoring force model was established. The hysteretic behavior of the MS-SCFD under low-cycle reciprocating loading was modeled. Then, the influence of parameters such as the disc spring preload, the friction coefficient, and the soft-steel thickness on the mechanical properties of the MS-SCFD was investigated. The results indicate that the simulation results are basically consistent with the theoretical prediction results, with a maximum error of only 9.46% for the key points of bearing capacity. Since the MS-SCFD is provided with a hysteretic curve in the typical flag type, it will obtain the capacity of excellent self-centering performance. It can effectively enhance the stiffness, bearing capacity, and self-centering capability of the damper after the pre-pressure of the disc spring is increased. The energy-dissipation capacity of the MS-SCFD increases with the increase in the friction coefficient. However, it also increases the residual deformation of the MS-SCFD. The energy dissipation of the MS-SCFD is particularly sensitive to the thickness of mild steel. After being loaded, all components of the MS-SCFD are not damaged except for the plastic deformation caused by the yielding of the mild steel. The normal function of the MS-SCFD can be restored simply by replacing the mild steel plates after the earthquake. Therefore, it can significantly enhance the economy and applicability of the damper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys, Volume III)
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