Texturing micro-dimensional structures on silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum matrix (SiCp/Al) composites is a promising technique for enhancing their tribological performance. However, owing to their heterogeneous material properties, the fabrication of high-quality microdimples on SiCp/Al composites via methods such as laser texturing is challenging. This study introduces elliptical vibration texturing (EVT) to fabricate high-quality microdimples on SiCp/Al through controlled material removal. A kinematic model was developed to predict dimple geometries, and the experimental results revealed that EVT can effectively create uniform microdimple textures with minimal surface damage. The process involves a transition between ductile and brittle‒ductile mixed removal modes, which promotes surface integrity. Tribological tests demonstrated that, compared with untextured surfaces, textured surfaces achieved a 40% reduction in the friction coefficient under lubricated conditions. Deeper dimple textures (6 μm) exhibited superior performance under higher loads owing to enhanced lubricant retention. This study presented a practical approach for improving the tribological performance of metal matrix composites for aerospace applications.

Silicon carbide particle reinforced aluminium matrix composites (SiCp/Al) are widely used in corrosive service environments, where corrosion-induced damage can severely compromise their mechanical integrity. Despite existing studies on corrosion behaviour and mechanical properties, the quantitative coupling between corrosion damage morphology and the resulting mechanical degradation of SiCp/Al composites has not yet been systematically clarified. In this study, such a link is established through a combined experimental and numerical framework. Both general (uniform) and localised corrosion were characterised following 96 h of immersion in EXCO solution. The results reveal a quantitatively resolved trend: the depth of general corrosion remains nearly independent of SiCp volume fraction, while the severity of localised corrosion increases markedly with increasing SiCp content. Stress-strain responses for composites with four representative SiCp volume fractions ranging from 0% to 45% were obtained experimentally and reproduced numerically. The phase field AT1 model, coupled with a homogenisation method, effectively predicted the mechanical behaviour of SiCpreinforced composites before and after corrosion across a wide range of SiCp volume fractions, extending beyond those directly tested experimentally. Additionally, ultimate strength and failure strain maps were constructed as functions of SiCp volume fractions and corrosion degrees, providing a quantitative design and assessment tool for evaluating the mechanical performance of SiCp-reinforced aluminium composites in corrosive environments.

Laser cladding is a promising surface engineering technique characterized by high energy density and strong metallurgical bonding, enabling rapid solidification and controllable microstructural evolution in high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings. However, conventional HEA claddings often show a limited balance between strength and ductility. In this study, FeCoCrNiMo HEA powders were deposited on a 316L stainless steel substrate to fabricate composite coatings reinforced with various contents of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The influence of CNT incorporation on the phase constitution, microstructure, and strengthening mechanisms of the coatings was systematically investigated. During the cladding process, partial decomposition of CNTs occurred, and the released carbon reacted with Cr and Mo to generate finely dispersed (Cr, Mo)-rich M23C6 carbides. The addition of CNTs also introduced lattice distortion and promoted grain refinement, transforming the microstructure from columnar grains into a hybrid of refined dendritic and equiaxed structures. The resulting improvement in mechanical performance was attributed to multiple concurrent strengthening mechanisms, including grain refinement, carbide dispersion, dislocation pinning, and load transfer at the matrix/reinforcement interface. Coatings containing 0.5-1.5 wt% CNTs exhibited uniform microstructures, sound metallurgical bonding, and remarkable increases in hardness and wear resistance. In contrast, excessive CNT content (2 wt%) caused interfacial agglomeration and the formation of brittle phases, leading to microstructural heterogeneity and performance degradation.

Powder metallurgy is an ideal method for fabricating particle reinforced magnesium matrix composites, while thermomechanical processing is essential for controlling their formability. However, research on the hot working process and microstructure evolution mechanisms remains insufficient. This study systematically investigates the hot deformation behavior and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanism of a 15 vol% SiCp/AZ31 composite fabricated by powder metallurgy. Uniaxial hot compression tests under different temperatures (350-500 degrees C) and strain rates (0.001-1 s-1) were conducted on a Gleeble 3800 simulator. Microstructural evolution and the underlying DRX mechanisms were elucidated using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The results show that the flow stress behavior is characterized by initial work-hardening, followed by either softening/stabilization under most conditions or a continuous rise at 450-500 degrees C/0.001 s-1 . The hyperbolic sine model was identified as the most accurate constitutive equation for predicting flow stress. The processing map indicates the optimal processing region within the range of 460-500 degrees C/0.1-1 s-1 , where DRX proceeds sufficiently and is governed by particle stimulated nucleation (PSN, 32.3 %)) and discontinuous DRX (18.3 %). In contrast, the instability region found at 360-420 degrees C/0.05-1 s-1 , which featured micro-voids within the AZ31 matrix, is dominated by PSN (28.5 %) and continuous DRX (8.7 %). With an average deformation activation energy of 155.29 kJ/mol and an average stress exponent of 4.18, the primary deformation mechanism of the composite is identified as dislocation climb controlled by lattice diffusion.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) exhibit great potential for corrosion- and wear-resistant applications; however, their service reliability is often limited by the instability of passive films in chloride-containing environments. In this work, FeCoCrNiMo HEA coatings and carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced composite coatings were fabricated on 316L stainless steel via laser cladding. The influence of CNT addition on microstructure, strengthening mechanisms, and corrosion behavior was systematically investigated. The results show that CNTs promote the dispersed precipitation of M23C6 carbides during rapid solidification, resulting in significant grain refinement and reduced solidification defects, including decreased porosity and refined dendritic spacing. Consequently, the average microhardness increased by 57.6%, while the wear rate decreased to 3.32 & times; 10- 7 mm3 N- 1 m- 1. Electrochemical analyses revealed a more positive open-circuit potential, lower corrosion current density, and higher chargetransfer resistance for the HEA/CNT coating, indicating the formation of a denser and more stable passive film. The enhanced performance is attributed to a CNT-induced carbon-modified heterogeneous structure, which provides multiscale synergistic effects including structural densification, diffusion barrier formation, and passive film reinforcement, thereby effectively suppressing corrosive species penetration and improving passive film regeneration.

Aluminum matrix materials are essential for lightweight structural applications, yet their performance under high-temperature cyclic loading is constrained by microstructural instability. This study presents a novel synthesis route initiated at the powder precursor stage to fabricate an in-situ (Al2 O3 + Al3 Ti)/Al composite. The approach combines a hybrid sol-gel process with powder metallurgy, first establishing a reinforcement network along grain boundaries and then enabling partial incorporation of the reinforcements into grain interiors, thereby achieving synergistic strengthening through coordinated intra- and intergranular mechanisms. The composite exhibits exceptionally high-cycle fatigue resistance at 350 degrees C, delivering a fatigue strength of 97 MPa-significantly higher than that of conventional heat-resistant aluminum alloys. Through multi-scale characterization using X-ray computed tomography, neutron diffraction, and microstructural analysis, the underlying strengthening mechanisms were systematically elucidated. Nanosized Al2 O3 particles effectively pin dislocations and suppress grain coarsening, promoting stable dislocation networks that enhance microstructural stability, while the Al3 Ti intermetallic phase contributes to load-bearing capacity and alleviates stress concentration through anti-phase boundary formation. The synergistic combination underpins the composite's excellent fatigue endurance, offering valuable insights for designing advanced aluminum matrix composites with enhanced thermal stability. (c) 2026 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Matter conductivities are crucial physical properties that directly determine the engineering application value of materials. In reality, the majority of materials are multiphase composites. However, there is currently a lack of theoretical models to accurately predict the conductivities of composite materials. In this study, we develop a unified mixed conductivity (UMC) model, achieving unity in three aspects: (1) a unified description and prediction for different conductivities, including elastic modulus, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, liquid permeability coefficient, and gas diffusion coefficient; (2) a unified-form governing equation for mixed conductivities of various composite structures, conforming to the Riccati equation; (3) a unified-form composite structure, i.e., a three-dimensional multiphase interpenetrating cuboid structure, encompassing over a dozen of typical composite structures as its specific cases. The UMC model is applicable for predicting the conductivity across six different types of physical fields and over a dozen different composite structures, providing a broad range of applications. Therefore, the current study deepens our understanding of the conduction phenomena and offers a powerful theoretical tool for predicting the conductivities of composite materials and optimizing their structures, which holds significant scientific and engineering implications.

Nickel-based superalloy GH4145 is widely used in aero-engine springs, blades, and other parts due to its excellent mechanical properties. It is a high-hardness and difficult-to-machine material. Improving the surface quality after processing has great significance for the long-term stable service of aero-engines. In this paper, simulation models with varying rake angles were developed using Abaqus to predict the damage forms on both the machined surface and subsurface. The effects of different process parameters on the surface quality of GH4145 were studied by using CBN grinding wheel. The influence of experimental parameters on the surface quality of GH4145 was analyzed, and the related grinding mechanism was expounded. Under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) detection, the crack propagation process and the phenomenon of serious damage to the surface quality such as white layer were analyzed. The results show that the single particle prediction models with different rake angles can reflect the actual grinding situation to a large extent, and the model with the rake angle of − 15° is more consistent with the detection phenomenon observed in this experiment. The surface damage forms are mainly pits, burrs, and boundary bosses caused by plastic deformation under simulation and experimental detection. The detection of the subsurface shows that in addition to the above phenomena, there are cracks and debris adhesion. The linear velocity of the grinding wheel is the main factor affecting the surface quality of the machined surface, the cutting depth is the second, and the feed rate has the least influence. The maximum roughness in the grinding experiment reaches 1.992 µm. Considering the thermal softening phenomenon of the material, the linear velocity range should be selected from 30 to 35 m/s, and the feed rate and grinding depth should be selected relatively small values.

Carbon-nanotube–reinforced aluminium (CNTs/Al) composites have emerged as promising candidates for aerospace and defence applications that demand superior component surface integrity, yet its machining window under high-speed ball-end milling remains insufficiently quantified. In this study, a non-uniform finite-element model of high-speed ball-end milling of CNTs/Al composites was developed in ABAQUS. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) response-surface experiments together with single-factor experiments was implemented, and surface morphology, surface roughness, and subsurface defects were characterised using confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This framework elucidates how spindle speed ( n ), feed rate ( v f ), and axial depth of cut ( a p ) govern roughness (Ra) and the formation mechanisms of surface defects during high-speed ball-end milling. ANOVA of the BBD response-surface experiments shows that a p is the dominant factor affecting surface Ra (F = 102.56), followed by n (F = 33.74) and v f (F = 19.96). Through the three-dimensional simulation model of the machined surface and the laser confocal microscope scanning, it can be seen that the surface defects during milling are burrs, peaks, pits. The main removal forms of CNTs are pull-out, fracture and destruction. In the actual processing, keeping n between 11,000 and 13,000 r/min, v f between 8 and 12 mm/min, and a p below 10 mm yields better surface quality while maintaining machining efficiency.

Purpose To improve the surface quality of Mg 2 Si/Al composites after solution treatment, the formation mechanism of surface defects under milling machining conditions is investigated to reduce the surface roughness. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes the formation mechanism of surface defects on Mg 2 Si/Al composites under micro-milling conditions by establishing a two-dimensional finite element simulation model. Response surface (Box–Behnken) experiments are designed to establish a prediction model for surface roughness, and an analysis of extreme variance is used to investigate the effects of milling depth (ap), spindle speed (vs) and feed rate (vf) on surface quality. NSGA-II multi-objective optimization algorithm is used to optimize the process parameters by considering surface roughness and milling efficiency. Experiments are also applied to verify the relationship between surface defects and particle damage. The effect of depth of cut on surface defects is also investigated. Findings There are few studies on solid solution treated Mg 2 Si/Al composites. Solid solution treated Mg 2 Si/Al composites have excellent material properties without changing the original shape of the material, and they are indispensable and critical materials in the fields of aerospace, energy, electronic information and energy transportation. Originality/value This study elucidates the formation mechanism of surface damage in Mg 2 Si/Al composites, optimizes reasonable process parameters and provides technical guidance for its milling processing. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-0309/

Mg2Si/Al composites are widely used in aerospace and automotive lightweight applications due to their excellent structural properties, such as superior specific stiffness, specific strength, and wear resistance. The removal mechanism of Mg2Si/Al composites is explored by establishing a finite element milling simulation model. A three-factor, four-level milling experiment based on the orthogonal experimental method is conducted to illustrate the patterns of the effects of milling parameters and surface defects on surface quality. Suitable milling parameters are successfully optimized by predictive modeling and experimental validation methods. The results show that the removal of Mg2Si/Al composites is mainly characterized by plastic deformation of the aluminum matrix and brittle fracture, crushing, bulging, and pulling out of Mg2Si particles.

In order to reveal the influence of cutting parameters on the surface roughness and surface morphology of SiCp/Al composites, the milling experiment of SiCp/Al 2009 composites with volume fraction of 20% was carried out by using polycrystalline diamond ball-end milling cutter. The three-dimensional finite-element modeling and simulation of the milling process are carried out, and the influence of the removal of the matrix and SiC particles on the surface quality of the composite material is expounded. The single-factor experimental design and response surface experimental design were used in the experiment, and the analysis of variance was used to check the dependence of cutting parameters and their interaction, and the prediction model of surface roughness was compared with the actual model. The surface and subsurface morphologies of the workpiece were observed by laser scanning confocal microscope and scanning electron microscope, and the influence of cutting parameters on the surface quality was analyzed. The results show that the milling depth has the greatest influence on the surface roughness, followed by the milling speed, and the feed speed has the least influence on the surface roughness. The optimal value of the surface roughness of milling is 0.034 μm, the machined surface has obvious pits, cracks, burrs, and the subsurface of the workpiece has the phenomenon of particle breakage, pits, and shedding.

This experiment was designed to study the surface defects of 20

Great difficulties existed in fabricating large components of SiC particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites with excellent mechanical properties using existing manufacturing procedures. This study demonstrated that the challenges can be addressed by developing a hybrid solid-state additive manufacturing method. The influence of the deposition procedures and the post-processing heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the SiC particles reinforced 2009 aluminum ally matrix composites (SiCp/2009Al composites) was systematically investigated using advanced technologies such as spherical aberration corrected transmission electron microscope, atom probe tomography, etc. The results showed that the SiCp/2009Al composites produced by the hybrid solid-state additive manufacturing exhibited enhanced tensile properties and improved isotropy in mechanical properties compared to the extruded feedstock of SiCp/2009Al composites. This was attributed to the formation of dense metal with uniformly distributed SiC particles, high-density of Cu-Mg co-clusters, refined grains and SiC particles, low deformation texture, tightly bonded SiCp/2009Al interface, and sound interfacial bonding between deposited layers.

Nanocomposites comprising of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and aluminum (Al) have gained tremendous interest over the past few decades owing to their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. The microstructure of GNPs in these composites, such as dispersion, and orientation, significantly affects the loading capacity and thermal properties. However, previous studies on the mechanical properties have overshadowed investigations into the thermal expansion coefficient of GNPs/ Al composites with different microstructures. In this study, a three-dimensional model of microscopic GNPs/2009Al composites was established using the finite element method and the software ABAQUS. The effects of the distribution, geometric configuration, and volume fraction of graphene nanoplatelets on the thermal expansion coefficient of the composite were analyzed. Results show that the thermal expansion coefficient of the composite is less affected by the distribution form of graphene nanoplatelets. However, when the distribution form of graphene nanoplatelets is 2 clusters, the thermal expansion coefficient is smaller than other distribution forms. Moreover, the geometry and volume fraction of graphene nanoplatelets have a significant effect on the thermal expansion coefficient. An increase in the volume fraction of graphene nanoplatelets leads to a decrease in the thermal expansion coefficient of the composites. When the volume fraction of graphene nanoplatelets in the composite is 2.5% and the aggregate distribution is bundled, the thermal expansion coefficient decreases the most (by about 27%) compared to the matrix. By comparing with experimental results, the validity of the model is verified. The conclusions of this study can provide a theoretical basis for designing and optimizing the configuration of graphene nanoplatelets/aluminum matrix composites.

B4C/Al composites are widely utilized as neutron absorbing materials for the storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel. In order to improve the high-temperature mechanical properties of B4C/Al composites, in-situ nano-Al2O3 was introduced utilizing oxide on Al powder surface. In this study, the Al2O3 content was adjusted by utilizing spheroid Al powder with varying diameters, thereby investigating the impact of Al2O3 content on the tensile properties of (B4C + Al2O3)/Al composites. It was found that the pinning effect of Al2O3 on the grain boundaries could hinder the recovery of dislocations and lead to dislocation accumulation at high temperature. As the result, with the increase in Al2O3 content and the decrease in grain size, the high-temperature strength of the composites increased significantly. The finest Al powder used in this investigation had a diameter of 1.4 μm, whereas the resultant composite exhibited a maximum strength of 251 MPa at room temperature and 133 MPa at 350 °C, surpassing that of traditional B4C/Al composites.

B4C/Al 4 C/Al composites are commonly used as neutron absorption materials. The introduction of amorphous Al2O3 2 O 3 through surface oxidation of Al powder can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the composites; however, the thermal stability of the composite is compromised due to the inherent instability of amorphous Al2O3. 2 O 3 . In this study, (B4C 4 C + Al2O3)/Al 2 O 3 )/Al composites were sintered in an air atmosphere with high pressure for the first time, generating stable gamma-Al2O3. 2 O 3 . It was found that in comparison with the conventional vacuum sintering process, (B4C 4 C + Al2O3)/Al 2 O 3 )/Al sintered in an air atmosphere exhibited increases in ultimate tensile strength of 42 % at room temperature and 90 % at 350 degrees C. Furthermore, due to the reaction between Al and oxygen, the composite exhibited exceptional thermal stability when subjected to annealing at 620 degrees C, demonstrating an ultimate tensile strength of 144 MPa at 350 degrees C, surpassing values reported in other studies.

Carbon nanotube aluminum matrix (CNTs/AL) composites are ideal lightweight and high-strength materials due to their excellent properties. However, the research on CNTs/AL composites only stays in the simulation and preparation stages, and no grinding research has been carried out. Revealing the grinding mechanism of CNTs/AL composites has far-reaching significance for the development of high-end equipment industries such as aerospace. Taking CNTs/2009AL composites as the research object, a minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) flat grinding platform was built for comparing the surface quality and defects of dry grinding and MQL grinding. The experimental results show that grinding wheel velocity was the grinding parameter that had the greatest influence on surface roughness in dry grinding and MQL grinding. The subsurface defects of dry grinding mainly included microcracks, burrs, pits, coatings, cavities, etc., and the rebound phenomenon of agglomerated carbon nanotubes. The subsurface defects of MQL grinding were only burrs and pits. The surface coating phenomenon of dry grinding increased with the increase in grinding wheel velocity, and the surface quality was improved. MQL grinding could significantly reduce grinding heat, reduce friction, and make the machined surface smoother. In dry grinding and MQL grinding, the subsurface damage depth decreased obviously with the increase in grinding wheel velocity. When the grinding wheel velocity was 30 m/s, the minimum subsurface damage depth of dry grinding and MQL grinding was 40.091 and 26.906 μm, respectively. Mastering the grinding mechanism of grinding CNTs/AL composites and the influence of grinding parameters on surface quality provides a basis for the selection of parameters and methods in grinding in industry. MQL grinding of CNTs/AL composites reduces the formation of many surface defects and improves the surface quality of the workpiece. It is an efficient, clean, and environmentally friendly processing method.

Bimodal heterostructure consisted of reinforcement-rich and reinforcement-free micro-regions could significantly enhance the strength-ductility of metal matrix composites. However, it could also induce difficult controlling of the heterostructure during hot deformation processing. In this work, an innovative coordination coefficient map based on processing map was proposed to qualitatively evaluate the deformation coordination of two micro-regions within bimodal heterostructure CNT/2009Al composite under different hot compression parameters and analyze its influencing factors. The results showed that the deformation coordination of the two micro-regions was influenced by microstructure evolution as well as the stress-strain distribution between the CNT-rich and CNT-free micro-regions. At medium temperature with medium strain rate (400 degrees C-0.1 s-1) rather than other parameters, the deformation coordination between the CNT-rich and CNT-free micro-regions was well, and the power dissipation distribution within heterostructure conformed to the rule of mixtures. While the additional microstructure evolution at high temperature would lead to the opposite deviation trend of the calculated coordination coefficient. The abnormal grain growth at low strain rate (450 degrees C-0.001 s-1) and the distortion energy between the different micro-regions interfaces at high strain rate (500 degrees C-1 s-1) were the reasons for this phenomenon. The establishment of the new coordination coefficient map provided guidance for the analysis of the hot deformation behavior of the bimodal heterostructure CNT/2009Al composite.

As an aluminum-based reinforcement, Mg2Si particles have excellent properties such as high hardness, high melting point, and high elastic modulus compared with other reinforcements and are widely used in aerospace and automobile fields. However, there is little research on the cutting mechanism of this material. In order to explore the surface grinding mechanism of Mg2Si/Al composites, Grinding simulation of low-volume fraction Mg2Si/Al composites was carried out by ABAQUS, and the influence of different positions of matrix and particle removal on the surface quality of Mg2Si/Al composites was expounded. The plane reverse grinding test was carried out by using CBN (boron nitride) grinding wheel. The L16(43) orthogonal test and three groups of single factor tests were designed. The orthogonal results show that the linear velocity of the grinding wheel has the greatest influence on the surface roughness, and the feed rate and grinding depth are significantly smaller. The range analysis shows that the optimal grinding parameters are: vs = 35 m/s, vw = 0.75 m/min, ap = 0.015 mm. The regression equation for surface roughness was established by using MATLAB. The single factor results show that the surface quality is obviously improved by increasing the linear velocity of the grinding wheel and reducing the feed rate and grinding depth through the observation of the morphology of the processed specimen. The analysis results show that defects such as pits, protrusions, burrs, and a small amount of fish-scale-like on the machined surface are mainly caused by the linear velocity of the grinding wheel, the pulling force of the grinding wheel, and the adhesion of the debris. The defects such as particle micro-cracks, particle pull-out, and matrix cracking on the subsurface, are mainly caused by the compressive stress of the grinding wheel and the stress concentration of the particles. The research results have guiding significance for future composite material cutting research and actual cutting processing.