Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114818
Zhaoxin Wang , Lijia Li , Zongyang Zhang , Wei Ji , Ming Li , Xiangyu Zong , Cong Li , Han Wang , Jibing Wang
{"title":"Investigation on indentation scaling relationships of ITO thin films considering the indenter tip rounding defect","authors":"Zhaoxin Wang , Lijia Li , Zongyang Zhang , Wei Ji , Ming Li , Xiangyu Zong , Cong Li , Han Wang , Jibing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114818","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114818","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To improve the applications of indium tin oxide (ITO) films, higher measurement requirements are implemented due to the significant effects of more complicated stress states and limitations of testing conditions on the mechanical properties. In this work, the effect of the tip bluntness on indentation responses and scaling relationships for film/substrate composite systems is investigated via finite-element (FE) simulations and dimensional analysis. A novel indentation method is proposed to measure the intrinsic elastic modulus of thin films based on the scaling relationship among the curvature of the loading segment in <em>P</em>-<em>h</em> curves and material properties. FE simulations indicate the significant effect of tip bluntness on indentation responses. However, the curvature is essentially independent of the dimensionless parameter of <em>h</em><sub>m</sub>/<em>t</em>. Furthermore, the tilt effect during the direct calibration procedure is corrected through spatial mapping transformation of atomic force microscopy data. Herein, the measured tip rounding radius fitted by 2D profile and 3D topography are 70 ± 4.8 nm and ∼72.83 nm, respectively. The indentation data acquired with the actual Berkovich indenter are used to verify the scaling relationships. The elastic modulus of ITO films is calculated as ∼135.26 GPa, and the measured error is only ∼3.59 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114818"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114817
Litu Huo , Tao Ma , Weimin Gao , Yungang Li , Jianxin Gao
{"title":"Microstructure evolution and the corresponding mechanical properties of Fe-Mn-Al-C-Nb low-density steel under aging treatment","authors":"Litu Huo , Tao Ma , Weimin Gao , Yungang Li , Jianxin Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To develop high-strength, low-density steels applicable for automotive field, the study systematically investigated Fe-28Mn-10Al-C-0.5Nb steel after aging at 450 °C-550 °C in terms of its microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and deformation and strengthening mechanisms. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method served for examining the austenite grain morphology and the orientation of annealing twins at different aging temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) served for elucidating the precipitation behavior and spatial distribution of NbC, κ-carbides, and other secondary phases. Furthermore, the deformation mechanisms under different tensile strains were explored using TEM and EBSD, with particular attention to the evolution of dislocations and other substructures in the deformed specimens. Quantitative evaluation was conducted on the yield strength variation under varying strengthening mechanisms through theoretical modeling. According to relevant results, with rising aging temperature, the finely dispersed spherical κ-carbides gradually transform into a uniformly distributed rectangular morphology. The strength and toughness of the experimental steel both increase with aging temperature, and the steel aged at 500 °C exhibits an outstanding overall property, with a tensile strength of 1199 MPa and an elongation of 37 %. Planar dislocation slip is the primary deformation mode, and the favorable strength-ductility balance results from the microband-induced plasticity. Calculations confirm dislocation strengthening as the primary strengthening mechanism in the experimental steel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114817"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114816
Ruofeng Yin , Enoch Obeng , Zhixing Li , Akmal Ergashev , Wei Wang , Rongbing Chen , Wei Wu , Da Sun , Qingqing Yao , Wencan Wu , Yunzhong Zhan
{"title":"ZnO@MXene nanoplatform for near infrared induced elimination of drug resistant bacteria and Acceleration of infected wound healing","authors":"Ruofeng Yin , Enoch Obeng , Zhixing Li , Akmal Ergashev , Wei Wang , Rongbing Chen , Wei Wu , Da Sun , Qingqing Yao , Wencan Wu , Yunzhong Zhan","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drug-resistant bacterial wound infections, especially those caused by methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA), pose a critical clinical challenge with limited effective therapeutic options. Here, we report a photothermally responsive nanoplatform, (ZWMx), engineered via hydrothermal synthesis to integrate efficient photothermal conversion, reactive oxygen species generation, and bacterial membrane disruption. The composite leverages the broad absorption in the near infrared region and excellent electrical conductivity of tungsten carbide MXene to overcome the photoinstability of ZnO, achieving a photothermal conversion efficiency of approximately 29.78 % and strong catalytic activity through reactive oxygen species. Upon irradiation at 808 nm, ZWMx rapidly eliminates over 90 % of MRSA <em>in vitro</em> within five minutes and disrupts established biofilms, indicating a synergistic and multifaceted bactericidal mechanism. <em>In vivo</em>, ZWMx promotes near-complete healing of MRSA-infected wounds within twelve days, with minimal thermal damage to surrounding tissues, high biocompatibility, and increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor one, suggesting enhanced angiogenesis. These findings establish a light-responsive therapeutic strategy for the targeted elimination of drug-resistant infections and effective stimulation of wound repair, providing a promising alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114816"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114822
Dejan Tomažinčič, Jure Kajbič, Jernej Klemenc
{"title":"Fabrication and response testing of a hybrid cellular structure with the ability to transform cells formed into diamond-shaped silhouettes","authors":"Dejan Tomažinčič, Jure Kajbič, Jernej Klemenc","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development, production and application of an active hybrid cell structure are presented. The composite structure is built from two very different materials, the combination of which enables changing the external geometry of the product with a temperature variation. The base (matrix) is a biodegradable polymer produced using additive manufacturing, to which wires made of high-strength material with a shape memory effect are subsequently added. The two materials are built into specially designed cell shapes with progressively increasing cell sizes. Since the wires are made of NiTinol alloy, this enables temperature activation of the wire network, which triggers controlled changes of the structure’s geometry. For this purpose, three implementations of cell structures were made with an objective to find the most effective backward transformation of the cellular structure after the activation of the wires. The activation of the structure was tested both in hot air and in hot water. Numerical simulations confirmed experimental tests and showed the strong regeneration ability of the hybrid especially in the third version of the structure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114822"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114812
Qi Wang , Jianxiong Gu , Ping Tao , Liangyan Wang , Chunming Wang , Yongliang Zhu , Yiwu Quan
{"title":"Enhancing supercritical CO2 immersion resistance of aramid pulp-filled ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber composites through reinforced interfacial bonding","authors":"Qi Wang , Jianxiong Gu , Ping Tao , Liangyan Wang , Chunming Wang , Yongliang Zhu , Yiwu Quan","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114812","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114812","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of supercritical carbon dioxide(sCO<sub>2</sub>)-resistant sealing rubbers is a key solution to addressing the critical challenges in the application of sCO<sub>2</sub>-related industries. This study focused on enhancing the sCO<sub>2</sub> immersion resistance of aramid fiber-reinforced ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber composites through strengthened interfacial bonding. Combined modification with coupling agents and polyisocyanate was applied to the surfaces of phosphoric acid-etched aramid fibers. H pull-out tests revealed that after modification, the interfacial bonding strength between the fibers and rubber significantly increased from 12.9 to 51.1 N. Scanning electron microscopy analysis further confirmed this enhanced interfacial bonding. Notably, the modified interface had minimal impact on the high-temperature compression set, thermal aging resistance, thermal decomposition temperature, or low-temperature performance. However, sCO<sub>2</sub> immersion tests (165 °C, 17 MPa, 3 days) revealed that interface reinforcement improved the tensile strength retention of EPDM composites containing phosphoric acid-treated aramid fibers modified with coupling agents and polyisocyanate. Specifically, this modification reduced tensile strength loss from 41 % to 33 %. This study provides a simple and effective surface impregnation-based interfacial reinforcement strategy to enhance the sCO<sub>2</sub> resistance of rubber composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114812"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114805
Marida Pontrandolfi , Linda Squillaci , Jonas Olsson , Pradip Aryal , Robert Pederson , Isabelle Choquet , Antonio Ancona
{"title":"A comprehensive framework to study the influence of beam shaping in laser metal fusion processes","authors":"Marida Pontrandolfi , Linda Squillaci , Jonas Olsson , Pradip Aryal , Robert Pederson , Isabelle Choquet , Antonio Ancona","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Beam shaping is considered a technology capable of dramatically improving quality and robustness of Laser Metal Fusion (LMF) processes. However, systematic investigations of its effects on melt-pool dynamics, temperature field and microstructure are still required. In this work, we propose an integrated approach combining a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, in-situ temperature measurements and metallographic analysis to explore programmable ring beam profiles, ranging from Gaussian-dominant to ring-dominant configurations. This method, initially proposed on Ti-6Al-4V bead-on-plate tracks, validates melt-pool temperatures measured in-process by a dual-wavelength pyrometer against CFD predictions, which are in turn validated with metallographic cross-sections. Ring modes lowered peak temperature by up to 35 %, transforming deep-narrow pools (aspect ratio ≈0.9) into shallow-wide ones (≈0.4). This suppressed humping at line energies ≥ 0.28 J mm<sup>−</sup>1, whereas lower energies produced only superficial melting. Simulations matched pyrometer data within 5 % whenever pool width equalled the pyrometers’ sensing spot; all tracks solidified into ultrafine α with retained β, independent of beam mode. Therefore, the combination of in-situ, ex-situ and CFD tools offers a practical workflow for assisting data-driven process optimization and can be easily extended to other LMF processes, with its potential implementation in industrial Laser Powder Bed Fusion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114805"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145119502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114808
Qinghua Tan , Ning Ji , Qiongchi Zhang , Bo Chen , Haoyu Wang , Bo Zhao , Dong Wang , Xijing He , Pengrong Ouyang
{"title":"Energy-based multiphase CFD framework integrating DPM and CIEM for predicting dynamic cell adhesion in porous scaffolds","authors":"Qinghua Tan , Ning Ji , Qiongchi Zhang , Bo Chen , Haoyu Wang , Bo Zhao , Dong Wang , Xijing He , Pengrong Ouyang","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114808","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114808","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The architecture of porous scaffolds significantly influences the adhesion of seeded cells, which determines the scaffold’s final performance. However, how scaffold structure affects this process remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to address this challenge from the perspective of the hydromechanical microenvironment. We employed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method to simulate dynamic cell seeding in porous scaffolds with varying structures, using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) to model seeded cells. A novel Cell Impingement Energy Model (CIEM) was implemented to capture cell-scaffold interactions, where adhesion was determined by impingement energy. The simulation results were validated through <em>in vitro</em> dynamic seeding and <em>in vivo</em> animal experiments. The results showed that despite comparable morphological parameters, TPMS and Voronoi scaffolds presented lower overall cell adhesion but a more uniform spatial distribution, while Diamond scaffolds exhibited higher cell adhesion, primarily localized on the surface. Adjusting the morphological parameters can improve the uniformity of cell distribution in Diamond scaffold. More importantly, the computational and experimental results were highly consistent, suggesting that CFD combining DPM and CIEM can effectively simulate dynamic cell seeding. This study presents a reliable approach for predicting cell adhesion in porous scaffolds, offering valuable insights for scaffold design and optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114808"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114793
L. Walch , T. Klünsner , A. Hohenwarter , R. Pippan , M.J. Cordill , M. Hausbauer , S. Marsoner , A. Hackl , H. Leitner , G. Ressel
{"title":"How austenite improves the fatigue behavior of high-speed steels","authors":"L. Walch , T. Klünsner , A. Hohenwarter , R. Pippan , M.J. Cordill , M. Hausbauer , S. Marsoner , A. Hackl , H. Leitner , G. Ressel","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimizing the fatigue performance of tool materials, such as high-speed steels, is crucial for increasing the service life of parts and metalworking tools. An important property in this respect is a material’s resistance to the propagation of short cracks, evident in cyclic R-curve behavior. The potential to improve the fatigue crack propagation resistance by transformation-induced crack closure was studied for a high-speed steel grade in which significant fractions of metastable austenite were retained. The austenite’s resistance to martensitic transformation under cyclic thermal loads was evaluated. Transformation-induced plasticity was studied using tensile tests with in situ determination of austenite content by X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The cyclic R–curve behavior and the threshold for fatigue crack propagation were determined for stress ratios of R = 0.1, −1, and −5. Critical parameters regarding fatigue behavior, such as the slope of the cyclic R-curve and the long crack threshold of the stress intensity factor range, were significantly improved relative to comparable industry-relevant material states.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114793"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114811
Junwei Yin , Shuai Deng , Yuchang Zhang , Yunxian Cui , Mingfeng E
{"title":"Patterned preparation of high-quality graphene film based on solution coating","authors":"Junwei Yin , Shuai Deng , Yuchang Zhang , Yunxian Cui , Mingfeng E","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114811","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114811","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Graphene has excellent electronic mobility, high electrical conductivity, and strong thermal conductivity. These properties make it suitable for use in electronic devices, sensors, and energy storage systems. However, current methods for producing graphene films face several problems. They are often expensive, require specific substrates, and have low success rates during transfer. These issues limit the large-scale use of graphene films. In this study, we propose a low-cost method to prepare graphene films. The method uses a flexible polyimide (PI) mask. Laser etching is used to create specific patterns on the PI mask. Then, a printing technique is applied to deposit graphene films onto quartz substrates. Compared to traditional approaches, this method is cheaper, works with various substrates. We used systematic characterization to evaluate the method. The results show that it can produce uniform and high-quality graphene films. We also studied the effects of film thickness, substrate treatment, and vacuum annealing on film performance. Hydrophilic treatment improves the dispersion of the graphene slurry. This helps the film become more uniform and improves its adhesion to the substrate. Vacuum annealing removes some dopants and makes the film cleaner. This method provides a promising solution for low-cost and large-scale production of graphene films.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114811"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials & DesignPub Date : 2025-09-21DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114800
Xuefei Wang , Shijie Zhang , Di Jiang , Wei Yu , Yihao Zheng , Chunyang Luo , Haojie Wang , Zhaodong Wang
{"title":"Transformer-based multimodal learning for predicting mechanical properties in heat-treated stainless steel","authors":"Xuefei Wang , Shijie Zhang , Di Jiang , Wei Yu , Yihao Zheng , Chunyang Luo , Haojie Wang , Zhaodong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurately predicting mechanical properties of heat-treated materials is critical for intelligent process control and advanced manufacturing. This study proposes a Transformer-based multimodal learning framework for predicting the hardness and wear behavior of carburized steel after vacuum carburizing. By integrating microstructural images, material compositions, and process parameters, the proposed model effectively captures complex cross-modal relationships. Experimental results show that the multimodal model achieves high prediction accuracy, with an R<sup>2</sup> of 0.98 and MAE of 5.23 HV for hardness prediction. Furthermore, Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) is introduced to preprocess the wear curve, reducing noise and improving the robustness of friction performance prediction. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and generalizability of the proposed approach, offering a practical AI-based solution for intelligent material property evaluation and process optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":383,"journal":{"name":"Materials & Design","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 114800"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}