Additive Manufacturing and Microstructural Engineering of Stainless Steels and Nickel Superalloys
This community investigates how to build and refine metallic components—primarily stainless steels and nickel-based superalloys—using laser and wire-arc processes, focusing on how the internal grain structure determines resistance to corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement.
The work centers on laser powder bed fusion, selective laser melting, and laser cladding to create complex geometries from stainless steels (316L, 304, duplex) and nickel superalloys. Researchers analyze how these processes affect grain boundaries, phase transformations, and mechanical properties. A significant portion of the literature addresses the interaction between hydrogen and these microstructures, specifically how grain boundaries and precipitates trap hydrogen atoms to prevent embrittlement in high-strength steels and alloys. The goal is to predict and control the final material properties by manipulating the thermal history and cooling rates during manufacturing.
The community is most prominent in nickel research, accounting for 10.6% of all nickel-related papers, and also represents a substantial share of chromium (7.3%) and niobium (5.6%) research. It contains 40,266 papers, with the highest publication volume in the Journal of Iron and Steel Research International, Journal of Materials Research and Technology, and Corrosion Science.
Recent work continues to focus on optimizing process parameters for single-crystal superalloys and developing precipitation-hardened stainless steels for high-temperature corrosion resistance, alongside studies on the bonding mechanisms of dissimilar metal coatings.
Papers behind this description
- Additive Manufacturing: A Comprehensive Review — Sensors, 2024 — doi:10.3390/s24092668
- Hydrogen Embrittlement as a Conspicuous Material Challenge─Comprehensive Review and Future Directions — Chemical Reviews, 2024 — doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00624
- The Role of the Coincidence Site Lattice in Grain Boundary Engineering — 2024 — doi:10.1201/9781003579991
- Additive manufacturing of nickel-based superalloys: A state-of-the-art review on process-structure-defect-property relationship — Progress in Materials Science, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.pmatsci.2023.101108
- Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys — 2021 — doi:10.1201/9781003011804
- Recent developments in nickel-based superalloys for gas turbine applications: Review — Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.171128
- A review on copper alloys with high strength and high electrical conductivity — Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.174456
- Refractory high-entropy alloys: A focused review of preparation methods and properties — Journal of Material Science and Technology, 2022 — doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2022.08.046
- A precipitation hardened austenitic stainless steel with excellent stress corrosion cracking resistance against high-temperature water — Corrosion Science, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.corsci.2025.113352
- Control of grain structure, phases, and defects in additive manufacturing of high-performance metallic components — Progress in Materials Science, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.pmatsci.2023.101153
- Recent research and development status of laser cladding: A review — Optics & Laser Technology, 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.optlastec.2021.106915
- In-situ process monitoring and adaptive quality enhancement in laser additive manufacturing: A critical review — Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.jmsy.2024.04.013
- Investigation of Process and Properties of Cu-Mn-Al Alloy Cladding Deposited on 27SiMn Steel via Cold Metal Transfer — Crystals, 2025 — doi:10.3390/cryst15100858
- Bulk single-crystal-like IN738 alloy fabricated using laser powder bed fusion by controlling the thermal flow — Materials Research Letters, 2025 — doi:10.1080/21663831.2025.2563357
- Effect of the Activator B(OCH3)3 on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu-Mn-Al Alloy Coating via CMT Cladding — Crystals, 2025 — doi:10.3390/cryst15100881
- Passivation, layered surface high-temperature oxidation, and mechanical behaviors in Al-doped cobalt-based dual-phase multi-principal element alloys — Applied Surface Science, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164930
- Achieving serrated grain boundaries within gradient microstructures of nickel-based superalloys for dual-property turbine disks in aeroengines — Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.cja.2025.103910
- Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al2O3 dispersion strengthened Cu by laser in-situ aluminum thermal reduction processing — Materials & Design, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114547