Jungwan Lee , Sun Ig Hong , Soo-Hyun Joo , Hyoung Seop Kim
{"title":"Insights into strain delocalization and plasticity in pre-deformed metastable dual-phase medium-entropy alloys","authors":"Jungwan Lee , Sun Ig Hong , Soo-Hyun Joo , Hyoung Seop Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interplay between strength and ductility in metallic materials has long been a paradox, particularly in microstructures laden with high-density dislocations where catastrophic plastic instability often undermines their mechanical potential. In this study, we unveil the origin of deformation mechanism that transforms this limitation into an advantage, enabling exceptional uniform elongation (∼45%) in hot-rolled metastable medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) under cryogenic conditions. By leveraging the dynamic coupling of deformation-induced martensitic transformation (DIMT) and strain rate sensitivity (SRS), we reveal how strain localization evolves into global strain delocalization, fundamentally altering the plastic response of dual-phase MEAs. Our findings show that low SRS at the early stage of deformation initiates the strain localization, triggering localized DIMT. As tensile deformation progresses, DIMT amplifies SRS, redistributing strain and enhancing ductility while maintaining high strength. This interdependence between SRS and DIMT, validated through strain rate jump tests and microstructural analyses, sheds unprecedented light on mesoscale deformation phenomena. Unlike traditional studies focusing on recrystallized microstructures, this work pioneers the investigation of pre-deformed, hot-rolled MEAs, correlating strain-hardening behavior with microstructural evolution in a high-dislocation-density matrix. These insights not only elucidate the mechanisms underpinning strain delocalization but also offer a transformative pathway for designing advanced alloys capable of exceptional performance in extreme environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148445"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143908030","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}
Yu Fu, Zewei Zhao , Weiyuan Li , Yang Zuo, Huabei Peng, Yuhua Wen
{"title":"Simultaneously enhancing strength and uniform elongation in titanium through grain boundary engineering to promote deformation twinning","authors":"Yu Fu, Zewei Zhao , Weiyuan Li , Yang Zuo, Huabei Peng, Yuhua Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The severely suppressed deformation twinning in a pure titanium was reactivated through grain boundary engineering to construct uniformly distributed unrecrystallized grains with extensive low-angle grain boundaries. Twinning was promoted by coordinated deformation between unrecrystallized and recrystallized grains that generated high-density geometric necessary dislocations and local stress concentrations, thereby simultaneously improving strength, uniform elongation, and strain hardening.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"938 ","pages":"Article 148459"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143937936","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}
Jin Min , Xianxiang Lu , Wei Han , Guoqing Dai , Jie Xia , Yuanfei Han , Yanhua Guo , Zhonggang Sun , Yidong Xia
{"title":"Additive manufacturing of continuous network structures by in-situ synthesis of TiB+TiC/Ti6Al4V composite powders","authors":"Jin Min , Xianxiang Lu , Wei Han , Guoqing Dai , Jie Xia , Yuanfei Han , Yanhua Guo , Zhonggang Sun , Yidong Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laser melting deposition technology exhibits significant potential in manufacturing titanium matrix composite parts with complex shapes. However, the convenient and efficient introduction of reinforcements has become a challenging task. Hence, based on the principle of in-situ reaction and the idea of combining pre-alloyed powder preparation, the reinforcing phase is embedded in the alloy powder, and TiB + TiC/Ti64 composite with a three-dimensional quasi-continuous network structure distribution of the reinforcement phase is prepared by laser melting deposition. Achieving the columnar to equiaxed grains transformation of the laser additive manufacturing titanium alloy while improving the strength of the matrix. The results indicate that in-situ TiB and TiC have a positive influence on the equiaxed transformation and grain refinement of primary β-Ti grains and α grains. They also facilitate the precipitation of α-Ti with non-Burgers orientation relationships and reduce the texture strength of α-Ti. This study achieved an ultimate tensile strength of 1109 MPa with acceptable ductility, the grain refinement played a pivotal role in enhancing the strength of titanium matrix composites. Consequently, this study offered a novel approach for the structural design of additive manufactured composite materials using powder as a raw material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148460"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143924236","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}
Daeho Kim , Joohee Choi , Seunghwa Ryu , Seung Min Han
{"title":"Strengthening effect in aluminum-graphene nanolayered composites via interface engineering","authors":"Daeho Kim , Joohee Choi , Seunghwa Ryu , Seung Min Han","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The exceptional stiffness of graphene has driven extensive research on its integration within metal-graphene multilayer (ML) composites to enhance mechanical properties. This study investigates the influence of interfacial characteristics on the mechanical performance of Aluminum-graphene (Al-Gr) ML composites, employing either amorphous Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> or crystalline Ag as interlayers. Al-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-Gr ML exhibited limited strengthening, with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealing that dislocations were predominantly impeded at the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> interface rather than the graphene interface, suggesting a negligible strengthening of graphene comparable to Al-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> ML. In contrast, Al-Ag-Gr ML with an epitaxial Al-Ag interface transmitting dislocations to the graphene displayed a substantial increase in strength, surpassing the strength of Al-Ag ML by more than 30 %. To further investigate these contrasting behaviors, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted, revealing that the strengthening contribution of graphene depends heavily on the deformation behavior of the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> layer. At small strains, where shear banding was absent in the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> layer, graphene provided negligible reinforcement. However, at larger strains, when shear banding initiated, graphene effectively restricted further plastic deformation, markedly enhancing strength. These findings highlight the crucial role of interfacial structure and associated deformation mechanism in governing the mechanical behavior of metal-graphene ML composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"938 ","pages":"Article 148440"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143937935","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}
Mengqi Gao , Zhiping Xiong , Miaolan An , Guoqing Zu , Xingwang Cheng
{"title":"Biomimetic three-dimensional brick-and-mortar composite prepared by variable-temperature rolling","authors":"Mengqi Gao , Zhiping Xiong , Miaolan An , Guoqing Zu , Xingwang Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two-dimensional brick-and-mortar composite can be produced by constant-temperature rolling, but it shows anisotropy of microstructures and mechanical behaviors. In order to conquer this problem, variable-temperature rolling is proposed and offers a feasible avenue to produce three-dimensional brick-and-mortar composite. This isotropic microstructure leads to isotropic mechanical performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148457"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143924025","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}
Zhi Wang, Le Li, Zhenghao Chen, Koretaka Yuge, Haruyuki Inui
{"title":"Alloy design for strong and ductile Mn-alloyed Cr-Co-Ni medium-entropy alloys for room temperature applications","authors":"Zhi Wang, Le Li, Zhenghao Chen, Koretaka Yuge, Haruyuki Inui","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The equiatomic Cr-Co-Ni medium-entropy alloy (MEA) is known to exhibit the highest strength and ductility among high- and medium-entropy alloys in the Cr-Mn-Fe-Co-Ni and its subset systems and many attempts have been made to further improve its strength and ductility. A new strategy for alloy design is proposed for Cr-Co-Ni-based MEA by incorporating Mn as the alloying element with the utilization of Mean-Square Atomic Displacement (MSAD) and Stacking Fault Energy (SFE) as predictors for strength and ductility. Our investigation reveals that the addition of 5 at.% Mn results in a modest reduction in MSAD and hence in 0 K yield stress, but the room temperature strength reaches the level achieved by the strongest Cr-rich Cr-Co-Ni MEA (45Cr-20Co-35Ni (in at.%) in our previous study), as the dulling of the temperature dependence of yield strength occurs below room temperature by the addition of Mn. Furthermore, at 77 K, a critical SFE value (−35 mJ/m<sup>2</sup>) is identified below which the tensile ductility drops significantly due to the change in the additional deformation mode from deformation twinning to ε-martensite transformation, while at room temperature the tensile ductility increases monotonously with decreasing SFE. The designed alloy with a composition of 40Cr-5Mn-27.5Co-27.5Ni thus achieves an optimal balance of strength and ductility at room temperature, improving the tensile ductility of the 45Cr-20Co-35Ni alloy by as much as 24 % without scarifying the yield strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148455"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143928530","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}
Junming Xiong , Shuai Tong , Chaofan Li , Guoxiang Shen , Yifan Liu , Zhichao Ma , Hongwei Zhao , Luquan Ren
{"title":"Mechanical‒Thermal coupled fatigue behavior and failure mechanisms of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V alloy","authors":"Junming Xiong , Shuai Tong , Chaofan Li , Guoxiang Shen , Yifan Liu , Zhichao Ma , Hongwei Zhao , Luquan Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the widespread adoption of Ti6Al4V in aerospace applications, driven by its balanced performance at elevated temperatures (up to 600 °C) combined with cost-effectiveness, our understanding of its fatigue behavior under real-world operating conditions-particularly in elevated-temperature mechanical-thermal coupling environments—remains limited. For example, turbofan blades experience concurrent centrifugal tensile loads and thermally-induced bending stresses from aerodynamic and combustion environments, and the precise deformation mechanisms causing fatigue failure under tensile-bending loads and thermal coupling are not fully understood, which limits further improvements in reliability and fatigue performance. In this study, Ti6Al4V samples were fabricated via the laser powder bed fusion (L‒PBF) technique at different scanning speeds for mechanical‒thermal coupling fatigue tests under combined tensile‒flexural loading in the temperature range from room temperature to 600 °C. The experimental results reveal an exponential decrease in the fatigue life as the temperature increases. Fracture morphology analysis indicates that higher temperatures promote significant plastic deformation and the formation of secondary microcracks, both of which accelerate the fatigue failure process. Microstructural examination using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) revealed a decrease in grain size and a change in the grain orientation, suggesting a shift in the plastic deformation mechanism. These findings highlight the role of dislocation mobility and grain refinement in accelerating crack propagation and shortening the fatigue life at elevated temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148456"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143908060","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}
Toko Tokunaga , Yoritoshi Minamino , Koji Yamamoto , Toshiyuki Sugimoto , Koji Hagihara
{"title":"Development of high-toughness high-hardness hypereutectoid steels through optimization of heat treatment and alloying elements","authors":"Toko Tokunaga , Yoritoshi Minamino , Koji Yamamoto , Toshiyuki Sugimoto , Koji Hagihara","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study designed steels based on hypereutectoid compositions containing 0.8 mass% C, 2.0 mass% Cr and 0.2 mass% Mn to achieve high toughness and hardness. The steels were subjected to two specialized heat treatments: grain boundary amelioration treatment at 810 °C and simple oil quenching process, i.e., full martensitic treatment at 950 °C. The effects of heat treatment, rolling process, and chemical composition on microstructure and toughness were investigated. Adding V formed fine vanadium carbide (VC) particles, which inhibited the coarsening of prior austenite (γ) grains, particularly in the samples subjected to full martensitic treatment. Smaller prior γ grain sizes, particularly those below 20 μm, increased impact values. Grain sizes exceeding 20 μm significantly reduced impact values. The rolling process effectively improved toughness by increasing the nucleation sites during the ferrite (α) to γ transformation in both heat treatments, refining prior γ grains, and reducing coarse carbides and inclusions. Grain boundary amelioration exhibited high impact values exceeding 100 J/cm<sup>2</sup> at 700 HV. Notably, a maximum impact value of 243 J/cm<sup>2</sup> was achieved in the rolled 0.7C-0.3V sample with full martensitic treatment, yielding a high hardness of 700 HV without adding expensive alloying elements. The high toughness and high hardness were simultaneously achieved by optimization of the heat treatment and chemical composition, via the control of the size and morphology of the martensitic grains. This enables selecting the best treatment for various practical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"939 ","pages":"Article 148422"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068311","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}
{"title":"The formation and evolution of a novel Cu-Ag-Cd cluster and its effect on microstructures and mechanical properties of an Al-Cu-Ag-Cd alloy","authors":"Jing Cao , Zhiyi Liu , Song Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this work, a novel Cu-Ag-Cd cluster was observed in an Al-Cu-Ag-Cd alloy aged at 165 °C. The evolution of Cu-Ag-Cd clusters is divided into nucleation, growth and transformation stages, as revealed by atom probe tomography (APT). First-principles density functional (DFT) calculation results show the Cu-Ag-Cd cluster prefers to form from the segregation of Cu, Ag and Cd atoms directly. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analysis proposes the presence of these Cu-Ag-Cd clusters promotes the precipitation of θ″, leading to a θ″ phase dominated microstructures with hybrid θ″+ θ′ precipitates in the peak-aged alloy. The contribution of these clusters is also quantified during aged at 165 °C. Our calculation results suggest order strengthening is the main strengthening mechanism of these clusters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148442"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903838","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}
{"title":"Impacts of post-printing heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of wire-arc additively manufactured nickel aluminum bronze alloy","authors":"Ahmed Aliyu, Donald Paul Bishop, Ali Nasiri","doi":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.msea.2025.148454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an effective process for producing and repairing large-scale Nickel Aluminum Bronze (NAB) components, particularly within the marine defense and aerospace industries. This study investigates the impact of two post-printing heat treatments —direct aging and solutionizing followed by aging—on the microstructure and mechanical properties of WAAM-NAB alloy. The as-printed WAAM-NAB alloy (As-PNAB) shows a complex microstructure with large globular κ<sub>II</sub> (Fe<sub>3</sub>Al) and lamellar κ<sub>III</sub> (NiAl) phases. Direct aging at 675 °C for 6 h (DA-NAB) and solutionizing at 950 °C for 2 h before aging (SA-NAB) result in a more uniform κ-phases distribution and the formation of needle-like κ<sub>IV</sub> phases. DA-NAB yields smaller precipitates, while SA-NAB achieves a more homogenous microstructure with larger precipitates that remain smaller than those in As-PNAB. DA-NAB displays superior mechanical properties, with enhanced yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and ductility compared to SA-NAB. DA-NAB was characterized by a more uniform grain structure with reduced dislocation density, contributing to its improved mechanical performance. Direct aging was identified as the most effective heat treatment for achieving a favorable balance of strength and ductility, outperforming the solutionizing and aging approach.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":385,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: A","volume":"937 ","pages":"Article 148454"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143908031","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}