Light alloys have irreplaceable advantages such as high specific strength and low density. They are indispensable structural materials in aerospace, military, and marine engineering. It is an enduring research hotspot to prepare high-strength and high-toughness light alloys to play a more significant role in advanced engineering applications. As a new method to improve the mechanical properties of light alloys, the magnetic field-assisted process can produce magnetoplastic effects. Therefore, in this paper, research progress on the magnetoplastic effects of light alloys assisted by magnetic fields was reviewed, and the effects of magnetic fields on dislocations, grain refinement, precipitation kinetics, phase transformation, and mechanical properties of light alloys were elucidated. Magnetic field treatment transforms radical pairs from the ground state to the excited state, which reduces the resistance between dislocations and obstacles, facilitating dislocation depinning. Moreover, magnetic field can promote grain refinement and phase transformation, increase precipitation kinetics, and synergistically improve strength and elongation. Finally, the prospects of magnetic field-assisted processes of light alloys were discussed.

A combination of casting and laser remelting was employed to develop a high-strength and heat-resistant Al−Si−Fe alloy suitable for powder bed fusion using a laser beam (PBF-LB). By clarifying the effects of the incorporated elements and their contents on the microstructure and mechanical performance of Al−Si−Fe alloys, the composition was optimized as Al−11Si−2.5Fe−2Mn−1.2Ni−0.4Cr (in wt.%). The optimized alloy was subsequently validated using PBF-LB, which exhibited favorable machinability, achieving a density of 99.8%. The room-temperature tensile strength of the PBF-LB manufactured Al−Si−Fe alloy reached (512.76±3.26) MPa, with a yield strength of (337.79±2.36) MPa and an elongation of (2.98±0.07)%. The enhanced room-temperature mechanical properties could be mainly attributed to the combined effects of fine-grain strengthening, solid solution strengthening, and precipitation strengthening. At 300 °C, the high-temperature tensile strength of the developed alloy reached (222.47±6.41) MPa, with a yield strength of (164.25±11.40) MPa and an elongation of (8.88±0.33)%, outperforming those of existing alloys documented in the literature. The improved high-temperature mechanical performance was primarily provided by the three-dimensional network comprising cellular heat-resistant Al₁₇(FeMnNiCr)₄Si₂ and α-Al(FeMn)Si phases.

The microstructure evolution and strengthening ability of natural aging (NA), delayed aging (DA), and DA after pre-aging (PDA) of Al−Mg−Si alloy were studied. Results show that small and unstable atomic clusters are generated during NA, leading to the formation of low-density coarse βʺ and β′ phases, thus reducing the strength of DA alloy. However, atomic clusters and GP zones with larger sizes and high Mg/Si molar ratio form during pre-aging treatment. They prevent the generation of clusters during NA and can serve as effective nucleation sites in subsequent artificial aging, which elevates the number density of fine βʺ precipitates and improves the alloy strength. After pre-aging at 175 °C, the strengthening capacity of PDA alloy is restored, with hardness and yield strength reaching  95.1% and 101.9% of peak-aged alloy.

The majority of industrial aluminum casting alloys exhibit low thermal conductivity, which is insufficient for effective heat transfer in electronic devices. The objective of this investigation was to develop new aluminum casting alloys with high thermal conductivity. The impact of alloying elements on the thermal conductivity of pure aluminum was examined, and the relationships among microstructure, thermal conductivity, and the mechanical and corrosion properties of Al−Zn−Ca−(Cu,Mg) alloys were explored. The findings indicate that in the as-cast state, the structure of the alloys consists of α-Al and a eutectic containing the (Al,Zn)₄Ca phase. Following the solution heat treatment, the (Al,Zn)₄Ca phase is spheroidised, and thermal conductivity of the alloys increases, reaching over 75% that of pure aluminum. However, the heat-treated alloys exhibit low mechanical properties: tensile yield strength <60 MPa, ultimate tensile strength <160 MPa, and elongation at fracture >15%. The alloys demonstrate satisfactory fluidity and low hot tearing susceptibility. With the exception of the alloy containing copper, the alloys exhibit low corrosion rates, estimated at approximately 0.02 mm/a.

The plastic flow behaviors of AA6061-T4 sheets at different temperatures (21−300 °C) and strain rates (0.002−4 s⁻¹) were studied. Significant nonlinear effects of temperature and strain rate on flow behaviors were revealed, as well as underlying micromechanical factors. Phenomenology and machine learning-based constitutive models were developed. Both models were formulated in the framework of a temperature-dependent linear combination regulated by a transition function to capture the evolution of strain-hardening behavior with increasing temperature. Novel mathematical functions for describing temperature and strain rate sensitivities were formulated for the phenomenological constitutive model. The threshold temperature related to microstructure evolution was considered in the modeling. A data-enrichment strategy based on extrapolating experimental data via classical strain hardening laws was adopted to improve neural network training. An efficient inverse identification strategy, focusing solely on the transition function, was proposed to enhance the prediction accuracy of post-necking deformation by both constitutive models.

The intergranular corrosion behavior of 2050 Al−Li alloy subjected to non-isothermal aging (NIA) treatment with varying pre-deformation amounts was investigated. Results indicate that the resistance to intergranular corrosion improves with increasing pre-deformation amouts. However, when the pre-deformation amount reaches 20%, the corrosion resistance deteriorates. Microstructural analyses via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) reveal that as pre-deformation amount increases, the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) decreases, while the proportion of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) increases. This change provides additional nucleation sites for precipitates, leading to a reduction in T₁ phase size and an increase in T₁ phase density. The finer T₁ phases contribute to a lower localized potential difference within the grains, slowering corrosion propagation. Furthermore, during corrosion, preferential dissolution of Li results in Cu enrichment along grain boundaries, which further reduces the intergranular corrosion resistance.

The effects of the inter-annealing process on the microstructure, plane stress fracture toughness, and tensile properties of an AA7075 cladding sheet were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and mechanical property tests. The results indicate that the plane stress fracture toughness of AA7075-T6 cladding sheet can be greatly improved. The plane stress fracture toughness for the longitudinal−transverse (L−T) and transverse−longitudinal (T−L) directions were 117.7 and 94.8 MPa·m^1/2, respectively, after intermediate annealing at 380 °C. This represents an increase of 23.9 MPa·m^1/2 in the L−T direction and 22.6 MPa·m^1/2 in the T−L direction compared with the AA7075-T6 cladding sheet without intermediate annealing. Moreover, the tensile strength remains similar under different conditions. Microstructure analysis indicates that intermediate annealing before heat treatment can result in long sub-grains, few recrystallized grain boundaries, and small size precipitates in AA7075-T6 cladding sheets.

TIG surface remelting was performed to strengthen the surface of ZL109G alloy piston. The macrostructure indicates that surface remelting leads to the production of a remelted zone (RZ). The diameter of the primary Si decreases from 65.8 μm in the base metal (BM) to 7.1 μm in RZ. The grain size of the RZ is refined to be approximately one-seventh that of the BM. The cellular microstructure in the RZ is characterised by the α(Al) in the centre and intermetallics preferentially located at the cellular boundaries. The results of the mechanical properties demonstrate that the average hardness value of RZ increases by 39% compared to that of BM. For the transverse samples, the ultimate tensile strength increases by ~24.5%, which can be attributed to the solution strengthening of Si in α(Al). The average fracture toughness values are 15.0 and 12.7 MPa·m^1/2 for α(Al) in BM and RZ, respectively.

The impact of Y content on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the Mg−6Zn−xY−1La−0.5Zr alloy was investigated. After the extrusion treatment of Mg−6Zn−xY−1La−0.5Zr alloy, the large grains that did not experience dynamic recrystallization were elongated along the extrusion direction, and the small-sized dynamic recrystallized grains were distributed around the large grains. The Mg−6Zn−1Y−1La−0.5Zr alloy demonstrated a favorable balance between strength and plasticity, exhibiting ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation values of 332.3 MPa, 267.3 MPa, and 16.2%, respectively. Moreover, the EMI SE within the frequency range of 30−1500 MHz changes from 79 to 110 dB, aligning with the electromagnetic shielding requirements of many high-strength applications.

The addition of complexing agents to the electrolyte has been shown to be an effective method to enhance the discharge performance of magnesium−air batteries. In this work, four complexing agents: citric acid (CIT), salicylic acid (SAL), 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,6-DHB), and 5-sulfoisophthalic acid (5-sulfoSAL) were selected as potential candidates. Through electrochemical tests, full-cell discharge experiments, and physicochemical characterization, the impact of these complexing agents on the discharge performance of magnesium−air batteries using AZ31 alloy as the anode material was investigated. The results demonstrated that the four complexing agents increased the discharge voltage of the batteries. Notably, SAL could significantly improve the anodic efficiency and the discharge specific capacity, achieving an anodic efficiency of 60.3% and a specific capacity of 1358.3 mA·h/g at a discharge current density of 10 mA/cm².

The impact of rolling temperature and the crystallographic orientation of α-colonies on the globularization behavior of lamellar α+β microstructure in Ti−6Al−4V alloy was investigated. Firstly, the lamellar structure was heavily rolled at 600, 700, 800 and 900 °C, respectively. Heavy rolling from temperatures of 600 to 900 °C resulted in an increased volume fraction and thickness of β lamellae, while the corresponding parameters for α lamellae decreased. Then, these rolled α+β lamellar microstructures were spheroidized into equiaxed grains upon subsequent annealing. The results demonstrate that the globularization fraction of the lamellar structures diminishes as the rolling temperature increases. Additionally, the globularization fraction for α-colonies with hard crystallographic orientations, such as <0001>//ND and <0001>//TD, is considerably lower compared to those with softer orientations, positioned at certain angles to ND, RD, and TD during annealing process. This results in heterogeneous globularization of α lamellae, leading to the development of pronounced sharp micro-texture. Furthermore, the slipping deformations of α-colonies with varying crystallographic orientations during rolling were meticulously analyzed.

The microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of Ti−12Ni (wt.%) specimens produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using various volume energy density (VED) processing parameter values were investigated. The results showed that the alloy prepared at a low VED of 67 J/mm³ consisted of near-β grains. At a VED of 133 J/mm³, the alloy exhibited coarse primary Ti₂Ni and fine eutectoid structure. This eutectoid structure consisted of α laths and two types of nanoscale Ti₂Ni, one in the form of short rods and the other with a spherical morphology. Further increase of the VED to 267 J/mm³ led to coarsening of the eutectoid structure. The dispersed Ti₂Ni nanoparticles exhibited a significant strengthening effect. The alloy produced at a VED of 133 J/mm³ showed the greatest strength with a nanohardness of (7.8±0.1) GPa and a compressive strength of (1777±27) MPa. However, the presence of Ni segregation and holes produced by the LPBF processing adversely affected the corrosion resistance of the alloy.

In order to achieve the strength−ductility synergy and improve the work-hardening capacity, Ti64 based composites with dispersive nanoscaled TiB whiskers inside grains were fabricated by plasma rotating electrode process coupled with spark plasma sintering. Based on the rapid eutectic reaction, the nanoscaled TiB whiskers exhibited ultra-fine network distribution in composite powders. During the spark plasma sintering process, the network dissolved, and TiB followed the Ostwald ripening mechanism and merged along the (100) plane. The intragranular TiB whiskers could significantly refine the primary β grain and α lath. The ultimate tensile strength of the composite with only 2 vol.% TiB whiskers was enhanced to (1123±17) MPa while the elongation was similar to that of the as-sintered Ti64 alloy with approximately 8%. The strength−ductility synergy effect was mainly attributed to the significant grain refinement and the work-hardening ability improvement contributed by intragranular nanoscaled TiB.

High-density stacking faults (SFs) were introduced into a novel Ni−Co-based superalloy through warm rolling at 300−500 °C, and the effects of SFs on its tensile properties at intermediate temperatures (650 and 750 °C) were investigated. The results indicated that all warm rolled specimens have high-density SFs and Lomer−Cottrell locks compared with the initial specimens. Meanwhile, the simultaneous improvement of intermediate-temperature strength and ductility of alloys can be achieved by high-density SFs. In particular, the specimen rolled at 300 °C exhibited a superior combination of high strength (yield and ultimate tensile strengths of (1311±18) and (1462±25) MPa respectively at 650 °C, and (1180±17) and (1293±15) MPa respectively at 750 °C) and high fracture elongation ((26.7±2.5)% at 650 °C and (10.7±1.3)% at 750 °C). The high strengths and facture elongations of all warm-rolled specimens were primarily attributed to the interaction of pre-existing γ′ phases, high-density SFs and Lomer−Cottrell locks with dislocations, as well as to the formation of high-density deformation nano-twins during tensile loading.

The high-temperature deformation and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behaviors of GH4698 superalloy were investigated via hot compression tests, and an improved unified dislocation density-based constitutive model was established. The results indicate that with the temperature decreasing or the strain rate increasing, the flow stress increases and the DRX fraction decreases. However, as the strain rate increases from 1 to 10 s⁻¹, rapid dislocation multiplication and deformation heat accelerate the DRX nucleation, which further increases the DRX fraction. Discontinuous DRX nucleation is the dominant DRX nucleation mechanism, and continuous DRX nucleation mainly occurs under low strain rates. For the developed improved unified dislocation density-based constitutive model, the correlation coefficient, average absolute relative error, and root mean square error between the measured and predicted stresses are 0.994, 7.32% and 10.8 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficient between the measured and predicted DRX fractions is 0.976. These indicate that the developed model exhibits high accuracy in predicting the high-temperature deformation and DRX behaviors of GH4698 superalloy.

The Co−Ni−Ti−V quaternary phase diagrams within the Co−Ni-rich region were investigated using the electron probe X-ray micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Three isothermal sections corresponding to the Co−10Ni−Ti−V, Co−15Ni−Ti−V, and Co−20Ni−Ti−V quaternary systems at 1000 °C were experimentally established. The results indicate that increasing Ni content markedly broadens the γ (α-Co) and γ′ (Co₃Ti) two-phase regions. Based on the Co−Ni−Ti−V phase diagram, alloys with high γ′ solvus temperature were designed, and their comprehensive properties, including γ′ coarsening behavior and mechanical properties, were thoroughly investigated. Compared to Co−Ti−based superalloys, the Co−20Ni−10Ti−10V alloy exhibits lower coarsening rates of γ′ precipitates and γ/γ′ lattice mismatch. Notably, it possesses exceptional high-temperature mechanical properties, with a yield strength of 508 MPa at 1000 °C. This superior performance is primarily attributed to the presence of a high density of stacking fault shear.

The graph-based representation of material structures, along with deep neural network models, often lacks locality and requires large datasets, which are seldom available in specialized materials research. To address this challenge, we developed a more data-efficient center−environment (CE) structure representation that incorporates a predefined attention-focused mechanism. This approach was applied in a machine learning (ML) study to examine the local alloying effects on the structural stability of Nb alloys. In the CE feature model, the atomic environment type (AET) method was utilized, which effectively describes the low-symmetry physical shell structures of neighboring atoms. The optimized ML-CE_AET models successfully predicted double-site substitution energies in Nb with a mean absolute error of 55.37 meV and identified Si−M pairs (where M = Ta, W, Re, and lanthanide rare-earth elements) as promising stabilizers for Nb. The ML-CE_AET model’s good transferability was further confirmed through accurate prediction of untrained alloying element Nb. Significantly, in cases involving small datasets, non-deep learning models with CE features outperformed deep learning models based on graph features reported in the literature.

To improve the accuracy of machine learning in predicting the glass-forming ability, the atomic size difference, mixing enthalpy and estimated viscosity at liquidus temperature were selected as features from the perspectives of structure, thermodynamics and kinetics. Various algorithms including random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and multilayer perceptron (MLP), were employed to predict the maximum size of the metallic glasses. Results show that the XGBoost models using the original and augmented datasets both exhibit superior performance, with the latter achieving the highest determination coefficient of 0.9148 among all the models. For predicting the maximum sizes of unseen Zr−Cu−Ni−Al−(Y) alloys, the XGBoost model trained on the augmented dataset demonstrates the best agreement with the measured data, indicating excellent generalization ability. By model interpretation, it is found that the kinetic factor correlates more with glass-forming ability compared with the thermodynamic and structural factors.

Nanoscale metal-based tunneling junction (MTJ) devices were fabricated using the electromigration method, and their electrical properties were studied after exposure to γ- and β-radiation. Irradiation caused the set threshold voltage (V_set) of the MTJ devices to increase, leading to a transition from a low-resistance state (LRS) to a high-resistance state (HRS). This shift in V_set was due to atom displacement from high-energy electrons excited by γ- and β-radiation. Unlike semiconductor devices, MTJ devices showed resilience to permanent damage and could be restored in-situ through multiple I−V (I is the drain current; V is the drain voltage) sweeps with appropriate configurations. This ability to recover suggests that MTJ devices have promising potential under irradiation. The reparability of irradiated MTJ devices is closely related to nothing-on-insulator (NOI) their structure, providing insights for other NOI and metal-based micro-nanoscale devices.

The impact of Fe content on the microstructures and mechanical properties of an ultra-high strength aluminum alloy, namely, Al−10.50Zn−2.35Mg−1.25Cu−0.12Cr−0.1Mn−0.1Zr−0.1Ti, was investigated. It is found that the increase of Fe content leads to a notable rise in the volume fraction of microscale secondary phases, including (Cu,Fe,Mn,Cr)Al₇, σ phase (composed of Al, Zn, Mg, and Cu elements), and Al₃(Zr,Ti). The formation of these secondary phases results in the depletion of certain phase-forming elements, thereby significantly reducing the quantity of strengthening phases. Fe imposes minimal impact on tensile strength, but it can significantly alter the elongation (δ). For instance, the average elongation of the alloy with 0.18 wt.% Fe (δ=4.5%) is less than half that of the alloy with Fe less than 0.1 wt.% (δ=9.9%−10.9%). The reduction in elongation is attributed to the combined effects of the formation of coarse secondary phases and the diminished quantity of strengthening phases around these coarse phases.

The corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of peak-aged AlZnMgCu alloys containing Si and Er elements were investigated with hardness test, tensile test, intergranular corrosion test, exfoliation corrosion test and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that peak-aged AlZnMgCuSiEr alloy is strengthened by co-precipitation of η′ phases and nano-sized GPB-II zones. The yield strength of the AlZnMgCu alloy is increased by 38.5 MPa and the elongation is increased by 4.5%. At the same time, the corrosion resistance of the AlZnMgCuSiEr alloy is enhanced due to the synergistic effect of Er and Si. The maximum intergranular corrosion (IGC) depth decreases from 264.2 to 9.9 μm. The fundamental reason is that the co-addition of Si and Er regulates the evolution of precipitated phases in grains and at grain boundaries.

1060/7050 Al/Al laminated metal composites (LMCs) with heterogeneous lamellar structures were prepared by accumulative roll bonding (ARB), cold rolling and subsequent annealing treatment. The strengthening mechanism was investigated by microstructural characterization, mechanical property tests and in-situ fracture morphology observations. The results show that microstructural differences between the constituent layers are present in the Al/Al LMCs after various numbers of ARB cycles. Compared with rolled 2560-layered Al/Al LMCs with 37.5% and 50.0% rolling reductions, those with 62.5% rolling reductions allow for more effective improvements in the mechanical properties after annealing treatment due to their relatively high mechanical incompatibility across the interface. During tensile deformation, with the increased magnitude of incompatibility in the 2560-layered Al/Al LMC with a heterogeneous lamellar structure, the densities of the geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) increase to accommodate the relatively large strain gradient, resulting in considerable back stress strengthening and improved mechanical properties.

The microstructure and texture evolutions during extrusion and rolling processes of the 2195 Al−Li alloy were investigated. The EBSD technique was employed to reveal the microscopic evolution mechanisms of different texture components. The findings reveal that the texture evolution is governed by two mechanisms: an overall orientation transformation induced by plastic strain and a localized transformation occurring at the shearing bands within grains. During the rolling process, the extrusion texture components of Ex  and Cu  evolve into S , and the Bs  rotates into the orientations near R-Bs and S. With increasing deformation, the S, Bs, and R-Bs orientations further rotate around the TD axis and disperse into new orientations, forming recrystallized grains. The shearing bands with different initial orientations exhibit similar orientation evolution patterns, all of which evolve from the initial orientation to a series of recrystallization orientations.

To obtain lightweight multicomponent magnesium alloys with high tensile strength, ductility, and stiffness, two extruded Mg_92−5xAl_1.5+3xZn₃Cu_3.5+xCe_x (x=0.5 and 1, labeled as C0.5 and C1) alloys were designed. The results reveal that the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength (YS), and fracture strain of the C0.5 alloy are simultaneously improved compared to those of the C1 alloy, with values of 346 MPa, 312 MPa, and 11.7%, respectively. This enhancement is primarily attributed to the refinement of numerous secondary phases (micron scale Al₃CuCe, micron scale MgZnCu, and nanoscale MgZnCu phases). The calculation of YS shows that the Orowan strengthening and coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms, and the contribution values of both to the YS are 28 and 70 MPa for C0.5 alloy. In addition, the C0.5 alloy has a greater plasticity than the C1 alloy because the ác+añ slip system is initiated.

A method of pre-regulating the lamellar long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase was introduced to enhance the hot plasticity of rare earth magnesium alloys. Additionally, low-temperature extrusion was used to achieve a comprehensive improvement of alloy performance with small deformation, providing a new approach for the preparation of high-performance large components. The strengthening−toughening mechanism under low-temperature extrusion with an extrusion ratio of 3.6꞉1 was investigated by comparing the microstructure and performance of pre-regulated Mg−Gd−Y−Zn−Zr alloy at three different extrusion temperatures (420, 450, and 480 °C). Results show that the alloy extruded at 420 °C exhibits a yield strength of 341 MPa, tensile strength of 419 MPa, and elongation of 7.2%. The increase in strength is mainly caused by the strong texture and internal dislocation pinning of the undynamic recrystallization (un-DRX) zone, and a lower volume fraction of β dynamic precipitation phase is beneficial to improving the ductility of the alloy.

The effect of extrusion temperature on the dynamic recrystallization behavior and mechanical properties of the flame-retardant Mg−6Al−3Ca−1Zn−1Sn−Mn (wt.%) alloy was investigated. The observed dynamic recrystallization mechanisms in the alloy include continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and particle simulated nucleation (PSN) during hot extrusion. A significant increase in yield strength, from 218 to 358 MPa, representing a 140 MPa increase, is achieved by decreasing the extrusion temperature. The strengthening mechanisms were analyzed quantitatively, with the enhanced strength primarily attributed to grain boundary and dislocation strengthening. The plasticity mechanism was analyzed qualitatively, and the increase in the volume fraction of unDRXed grains caused by the decrease in extrusion temperature leads to an increase in the number of  tensile twins during the tensile deformation, resulting in a reduction in plasticity.

With the aim of improving the fatigue properties of Mg alloy welded joints under cyclic loading, the effects of laser bionic treatment and ultrasonic impact bionic treatment on the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of AZ31B Mg alloy TIG-welded joints were studied and compared. The results show that bionic treatment refines the grains on the joint surface and improves the microhardness. In the crack stable growth stage, both bionic samples exhibit a lower FCG rate and a higher FCG resistance. The two bionic treatment methods reduce the probability of crack initiation and partially promote crack deflection, providing a new approach for improving the FCG behavior of welded joints.

The microstructure and creep behavior of C/Y₂O₃ synergistically micro-alloyed high-Al and low-Al TiAl alloys prepared by induction skull melting (ISM) technology were investigated by advanced electron microscopy. Microstructure analysis shows that Y₂O₃ particles are dispersed in both alloys; element C is dissolved in low-Al alloys as solid solution, while it exists as Ti₂AlC particles within lamellae in high-Al alloys. Additionally, high-density nanotwins are generated in high-Al alloys. Creep data show that C/Y₂O₃ micro-alloying significantly enhances creep resistance of TiAl alloys. This benefits from the dispersion strengthening of Y₂O₃ particles, precipitation hardening of dynamically precipitated Ti₃AlC particles and lamellar stabilization caused by dissolved C atoms or Ti₂AlC particles. This strategy causes a more significant improvement on creep resistance of high-Al TiAl alloys, which is attributed to extra twin strengthening effect. At 775−850 °C, these alloys fracture in mixed ductile−brittle mode, but the fracture characteristics change with the increase of temperature.

Compressive mechanical behavior and microstructure evolution of Ti−5.7Al−2.9Nb−1.8Fe−1.6Mo− 1.5V−1Zr alloy under extreme conditions were systematically investigated. The results show that strain rate and temperature have a significant influence on the mechanical behavior and microstructure. The alloy exhibits a positive strain rate sensitivity and negative temperature sensitivity under all temperature and strain rate conditions. The hot- rolled alloy is composed of a bimodal structure including an equiaxed primary α_p phase and a transformed β phase. After compression deformation, the bimodal deformed structural features highly rely on the temperature and strain rate. At low temperature and room temperature, the volume fraction and size of α_p phase decrease with increasing temperature and strain rate. At high temperature, the volume fraction of the α phase is inversely correlated with temperature. A modified Johnson−Cook constitutive model is established, and the predicted results coincide well with the experimental results.

A unique discontinuous lamellar microstructure of titanium alloys consisting of lamellar colonies at prior β-Ti grain boundaries and internal interwoven α-laths is prepared by a TiH₂-based powder metallurgy method. The α-variants get various crystallographic orientations and become discontinuous during vacuum annealing at 700 °C. Remarkably, nanoscale phase δ-TiH compound layers are generated between α-laths and β-strips, so that dislocations are piled up at the α/δ/β interfaces during tensile deformation. This leads to dislocation slips being confined to individual α-laths, with different <a> slips and particularly pyramidal <c+a> slips being activated. The efficiency of wavy slip is promoted and the work hardening rate is enhanced. Finally, the combined effect of dispersed micro-shear bands and lath distortions is considered contributive for alleviating the stress concentration at grain boundaries, resulting in a high-promising synergy of enhanced ultimate tensile strength of 1080 MPa and good elongation to fracture of 13.6%.

To assess the high-temperature creep properties of titanium matrix composites for aircraft skin, the TA15 alloy, TiB/TA15 and TiB/(TA15−Si) composites with network structure were fabricated using low-energy milling and vacuum hot pressing sintering techniques. The results show that introducing TiB and Si can reduce the steady-state creep rate by an order of magnitude at 600 °C compared to the alloy. However, the beneficial effect of Si can be maintained at 700 °C while the positive effect of TiB gradually diminishes due to the pores near TiB and interface debonding. The creep deformation mechanism of the as-sintered TiB/(TA15−Si) composite is primarily governed by dislocation climbing. The high creep resistance at 600 °C can be mainly attributed to the absence of grain boundary α phases, load transfer by TiB whisker, and the hindrance of dislocation movement by silicides. The low steady-state creep rate at 700 °C is mainly resulted from the elimination of grain boundary α phases as well as increased dynamic precipitation of silicides and α₂.

Laser specific energy significantly impacts the quality of composite coatings. Ti−Al/WC coatings were prepared on the TC21 alloy through laser cladding with specific energy ranging from 66.7 to 133.3 J/mm². The results indicate that the composite coatings primarily comprised Ti₂AlC, α₂-Ti₃Al, γ-TiAl, TiC, and W phases. A gradual increase in the relative intensity of the diffraction peaks of Ti₂AlC, α₂-Ti₃Al, and TiC appeared with the increase of specific energy. When the specific energy was 116.7 J/mm², the Ti−Al/WC coated alloy achieved a maximum micro- hardness of HV_0.2 766.3, which represented an increase of 1.96 times compared with TC21 alloy, and the minimum wear rate decreased dramatically. Much improvement in tribological properties was attained through the fine-grained strengthening of the (α₂+γ) matrix and the dispersion strengthening of self-lubricating Ti₂AlC and intertwining TiC. This study provides valuable insights for the development of high-performance Ti−Al composite coatings.

This study devoted to optimize the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) parameters for the preparation of Zr−2.5Nb alloys, and was focused on power of incident laser beam and its scanning speed. The microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties of samples prepared at different laser powers were investigated. The results show that high quality samples were obtained with the relative density over 99%, ultimate tensile strength of 980 MPa, and the elongation at fracture of 14.18%. At a scanning speed of 1400 mm/s, with increasing laser power from 120 to 180 W, two transformation processes: α' martensite coarsening and transition from an acicular into a zigzag structure (β→α'/α→α+β) occurred. Densification and α' martensite transition improved ductility and corrosion resistance at optimal value of the laser power while lower or higher laser power resulted in decreasing the ductility and corrosion resistance because of unfused particles and pores. Increasing β-Zr amount and size decreased the tensile strength due to the dislocation movement. Passive films, which were spontaneously formed at different laser powers, possessed an optimum corrosion resistance at the laser power of 160 W.

To explain the precipitation mechanism of χ phase in Co-based superalloys, the microstructural evolution of Co−Ti−Mo superalloys subjected to aging was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results show that the needle-like χ phase is mainly composed of D0₁₉-Co₃(Ti,Mo), which is transformed from L1₂-γ′ phase, and a specific orientation relationship exists between them. χ phase is nucleated through the shearing of γ′ phase due to the influence of stacking fault. The crystal orientation relationship between L1₂ and D0₁₉ can be confirmed as {111}_L12//{0001}_D019, and . The growth of D0₁₉-χ phase depends on the diffusions of Ti and Mo, and consumes a large number of elements. This progress leads to the appearance of γ′ precipitation depletion zone (PDZ) around D0₁₉-χ phase. The addition of Ni improves the stability of L1₂-γ′ phase and the mechanical properties of Co-based superalloys.

Insufficient metallurgical compatibility between Zr and Ni can lead to the formation of brittle welds and introduce thermal stress-related challenges during the electron beam welding process. Through the implementation of beam deflection and vibration, a transformation was achieved in the primary Ni₅Zr dendrite structure, transitioning from a mass into a layered configuration, consequently resulting in the formation of an ultrafine-grained eutectic−dendrite complex structure. It is revealed that the enhanced strength−ductility synergy of this structure significantly contributes to the high tensile strength and improved plasticity observed in the welded joints. As a result, the welding cracks are effectively mitigated, and notable advancements are achieved in the mechanical properties of Zr/Ni joints, elevating the tensile strength of the joints from 36.4 to 189 MPa. This research not only highlights the potential of this technique in enhancing the strength and ductility of Zr/Ni welded joints but also serves as a valuable reference for future investigations involving welding applications of dissimilar metals.

The novel core−shell SiC@CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy (HEA) matrix composites (SiC@HEA) were successfully prepared via mechanical ball milling and vacuum hot-pressing sintering (VHPS). After sintering, the microstructure was composed of FCC solid solution, Cr₂₃C₆ carbide phases, and Mn₂SiO₄ oxy-silicon phase. The relative density, hardness, tensile strength, and elongation of SiC@HEA composites with 1.0 wt.% SiC were 98.5%,  HV 358.0, 712.3 MPa, and 36.2%, respectively. The core−shell structure had a significant deflecting effect on the cracks. This effect allowed the composites to effectively maintain the excellent plasticity of the matrix. As a result, the core−shell SiC@HEA composites obtained superior strength and plasticity with multiple mechanisms.

To modify the stable thermodynamics and poor kinetics of magnesium hydride (MgH₂) for solid-state hydrogen storage, MIL-100(Fe) was in situ fabricated on the surfaces of TiO₂ nano-sheets (NS) by a self-assembly method, and the prepared TiO₂ NS@MIL-100(Fe) presents an excellent catalytic effect on MgH₂. The MgH₂+ 7wt.%TiO₂ NS@MIL-100(Fe) composite can release hydrogen at 200 °C, achieving a decrease of 150 °C compared to pure MgH₂. Besides, the activation energy of dehydrogenation is decreased to 70.62 kJ/mol and 4 wt.% H₂ can be desorbed within 20 min at a low temperature of 235 °C. Under conditions of 100 °C and 3 MPa, MgH₂+7wt.%TiO₂ NS@MIL-100(Fe) absorbs 5 wt.% of H₂ in 10 min. Surprisingly, 6.62 wt.% reversible capacity is maintained after 50 cycles. The modification mechanism is confirmed that the presence of oxygen vacancies and the synergistic effect of multivalent titanium in TiO₂ NS@MIL-100(Fe) greatly enhance the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of MgH₂.

The development of low-energy consumption and environmentally friendly electrodeposition of metal/alloy films or coatings is presently one of the primary topics for the research community. For this purpose, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are valued as electrolytes for their advantages of low operating temperature and wide electrochemical windows. At present, there is large amount of literature on this emerging field, but there are no specialized reviews of these studies. Here, after a brief introduction of DESs’ concept and history, we comprehensively reviewed the lastest progress on the metal/alloy electrodeposition in DESs. Additionally, we discussed the key influence factors of the electrodeposition process and analyzed the corresponding mechanisms. Based on these, we emphasized the importance of the establishment of predictive models for dealing with the challenges in large-scale applications.

The microstructure and mechanical properties of 2524 Al alloy after quenching in liquid nitrogen (LN₂) were investigated by TEM and compared with those of cold water quenching. The results show that the LN₂ quenching process effectively induces the formation of dislocation loops. These loops become large and unevenly distribute after aging for 15 min. Furthermore, such loops become rapidly immobilized by the precipitation of coarse S phases after 1 h aging. The alloy quenched in LN₂ demonstrates superior peak hardness and displays a more rapid response to subsequent aging treatments compared with the cold water-quenched one. Despite the short aging time, LN₂-quenched sample achieves tensile strength of 488 MPa. This enhanced strength is attributed to the strengthening effect of numerous finely dispersed Guinier-Preston-Bagaryatsky (GPB) zones, in conjunction with the inhomogeneous formation of S phase on the dislocation loops.

The service performance of Al alloy sheets can be improved by controlling the rolling temperature. In this study, the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg-Mn-Sc alloy sheets was enhanced through cryorolling (CR). The corrosion resistance of the CR samples with 50% rolling reduction was superior to that of the room-temperature rolled (RTR) samples. After the sensitization treatment (ST), the maximum intergranular corrosion (IGC) depth for the CR samples was 35.2 μm, while it was 53.9 μm for the RTR samples. Similarly, the mass losses were 56.89 and 73.11 mg/cm² for the CR and RTR samples after ST, respectively. In addition, the impedance modulus of the CR sample was more than twice that of the RTR sample. Superior pitting resistance can be attributed to the thicker passivation film and the Al₆(Mn,Fe) phases being broken and interspersed in CR samples. Furthermore, the sub-grains, shear bands, dispersive Al₃(Sc,Zr) phases, fewer high-angle grain boundaries and high-density dislocations in the CR samples impeded the continuous precipitation of the β (Al₃Mg₂) phase along grain boundaries while promoting its formation inside grains instead. These microscopic characteristics significantly reduced the electrical coupling effect between β phase and the Al matrix, leading to a considerable decrease in IGC occurrence.