Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue "The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics"

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2024 | Viewed by 5424

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vlassios Likodimos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Section of Condensed Matter Physics, Department of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, GR-157 84 Zografou, Athens, Greece
Interests: photocatalytic materials; nanostructured titanium dioxide; carbon nanomaterials; metal oxides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Launched in 2008, Materials has provided readers with high-quality content edited by active researchers in material science for 15 years, via sustainable open access and outstanding editorial service. Today, the published papers receive more than 1,500,000 views per month, with readers in more than 150 countries and regions.

The present Special Issue, "The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics", is now available. This Special Issue will publish cutting-edge original research articles or state-of-the-art review papers that provide insight and highlight the latest advances in materials’ properties and applications in different fields ranging from mechanics, electronics, and photonics to solar energy conversion and environmental engineering.

This Special Issue will cover all aspects of materials growth and processing, microstructural and mechanical properties and engineering, advanced characterization techniques, surface and interface engineering of nanostructured and functional materials including metals and alloys, ceramics and coatings, low-dimensional materials, metal oxides and semiconductors for energy and environmental applications, optical and photonic materials, plasmonics, metamaterials, magnetic materials, superconducting and quantum materials, ferroelectrics, multiferroics and magnetoelectrics, thermoelectric materials, metal–organic materials, and amorphous solids. Some research topics include but are not limited to the following:

Metals and alloys;
Low-dimensional materials;
Optical and photonic materials;
Plasmonics and metamaterials;
Superconducting and quantum materials;
Ferroelectrics, multiferroics and magnetoelectrics;
Thermoelectric materials；
Metal-ceramics and hard materials.

Prof. Dr. Vlassios Likodimos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

metals and alloys
semiconductors
low-dimensional materials
photonic materials
plasmonics
metamaterials
superconducting and quantum materials
ferroelectrics
multiferroics
thermoelectrics

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Microstructural and Mechanical Characterization of Colloidal Processed WC/(W5Vol%Ni) via Spark Plasma Sintering

and

Antonio Javier Sanchez-Herencia

Materials 2023, 16(13), 4584; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134584 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 483

Abstract

This study investigates the sintering behaviour and properties of WC-based composites in which WC was mixed with W5vol%Ni in concentrations of 10vol% and 20vol%. Colloidal processing in water and spark plasma sintering were employed to disperse the WC particles and facilitate sintering. The addition of W5vol%Ni improved the sintering process, as evident from a lower onset temperature of shrinkage determined through dilatometric studies. All samples exhibited the formation of tungsten monocarbide (W₂C), with a more pronounced presence in the WC/20(W5vol%Ni) composite. Sintering reached its maximum rate at 1550 °C and was completed at 1600 °C, resulting in a final density exceeding 99.8%. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the detection of WC and W₂C phases after sintering. The observed WC content was higher than expected, which may be attributed to carbon diffusion during the process. Macro-scale mechanical characterisations revealed that the WC/10(W5vol%Ni) composite exhibited a hardness of 18.9 GPa, while the WC/20(W5vol%Ni) composite demonstrated a hardness of 18.3 GPa. Increasing the W5vol%Ni binder content caused a decrease in mechanical properties due to the formation of W₂C phases. This study provides valuable insights into the sintering behavior and properties of WC/W5vol%Ni composites, offering potential applications in extreme environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Substrate-Induced Changes on the Optical Properties of Single-Layer WS₂

Antônio Gomes Souza Filho

R. S. Alencar

and

Bartolomeu C. Viana

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2591; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072591 - 24 Mar 2023

Viewed by 941

Abstract

Among the most studied semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), WS

_{2}

showed several advantages in comparison to their counterparts, such as a higher quantum yield, which is an important feature for quantum emission and lasing purposes. We studied transferred monolayers of WS

_{2}

[...] Read more.

Among the most studied semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), WS

_{2}

_{2}

on a drilled Si

_{3}

_{4}

substrate in order to have insights about on how such heterostructure behaves from the Raman and photoluminescence (PL) measurements point of view. Our experimental findings showed that the Si

_{3}

_{4}

substrate influences the optical properties of single-layer WS

_{2}

. Beyond that, seeking to shed light on the causes of the PL quenching observed experimentally, we developed density functional theory (DFT) based calculations to study the thermodynamic stability of the heterojunction through quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations as well as the electronic alignment of the energy levels in both materials. Our analysis showed that along with strain, a charge transfer mechanism plays an important role for the PL decrease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of the Zintl Phases NaSrSb, NaBaSb and NaEuSb

Yi Wang

and

Svilen Bobev

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1428; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041428 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1060

Abstract

This work details the synthesis and the crystal structures of the ternary compounds NaSrSb, NaBaSb and NaEuSb. They are isostructural and adopt the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure (space group P

\bar{6}

2m; Pearson code hP9). The structure determination in all [...] Read more.

This work details the synthesis and the crystal structures of the ternary compounds NaSrSb, NaBaSb and NaEuSb. They are isostructural and adopt the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure (space group P

\bar{6}

2m; Pearson code hP9). The structure determination in all three cases was performed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The structure features isolated Sb^3– anions arranged in layers stacked along the crystallographic c-axis. In the interstices, alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations are found in tetrahedral and square pyramidal coordination environments, respectively. The formal partitioning of the valence electrons adheres to the valence rules, i.e., Na⁺Sr²⁺Sb^3–, Na⁺Ba²⁺Sb^3– and Na⁺Eu²⁺Sb^3– can be considered as Zintl phases with intrinsic semiconductor behavior. Electronic band structure calculations conducted for NaBaSb are consistent with this notion and show a direct gap of approx. 0.9 eV. Additionally, the calculations hint at possible inverted Dirac cones, a feature that is reminiscent of topological quantum materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

The Role of Lithium in the Aging Precipitation Process of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloys and Its Effect on the Properties

and

Materials 2023, 16(13), 4750; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134750 - 30 Jun 2023

Viewed by 500

Abstract

It is well known that the development of lightweight alloys with improved comprehensive performance and application value are the future development directions for the ultra-high-strength 7xxx series Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys used in the aircraft field. As the lightest metal element in nature, lithium (Li) has outstanding advantages in reducing the density and increasing the elastic modulus in aluminum alloys, so Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys containing Li have gained widespread attention. Furthermore, since the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy is usually strengthened by aging treatment, it is crucial to understand how Li addition affects its aging precipitation process. As such, in this article, the effects and mechanism of Li on the aging precipitation behavior and the impact of Li content on the aging precipitation phase of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys are briefly reviewed, and the influence of Li on the service properties, including mechanical properties, wear resistance, and fatigue resistance, of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys are explained. In addition, the corresponding development prospects and challenges of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Li alloy are also proposed. This review is helpful to further understand the role of Li in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys and provides a reference for the development of high-strength aluminum alloys containing Li with good comprehensive properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessReview

Low Temperature Nitriding of Metal Alloys for Surface Mechanical Performance

Michel Drouet

and

Eric Le Bourhis

Materials 2023, 16(13), 4704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134704 - 29 Jun 2023

Viewed by 543

Abstract

Metallic alloys are, by essence, ductile and stiff and can support loads without sudden rupture. This ductility becomes a disadvantage when applications require wear resistance. In this case, the hardening of the surface is required while retaining a core performance. Here, nitriding at low temperatures has proven to be beneficial and has potential. In fact, any phase transitions or unwanted compound precipitations that occur at higher temperatures have to be avoided as they would have a deleterious effect on the chemical homogeneity and mechanical properties. The present contribution summarizes the achievements made with such treatments on metallic alloys. We considered the most popular treatments, namely plasma, implantation, and gas nitridings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessReview

Progress on the Fabrication of Superconducting Wires and Tapes via Hot Isostatic Pressing

and

Materials 2023, 16(5), 1786; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16051786 - 22 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1392

Abstract

Fabrication of high-performance superconducting wires and tapes is essential for large-scale applications of superconducting materials. The powder-in-tube (PIT) method involves a series of cold processes and heat treatments and has been widely used for fabricating BSCCO, MgB₂, and iron-based superconducting wires. The densification of the superconducting core is limited by traditional heat treatment under atmospheric pressure. The low density of the superconducting core and a large number of pores and cracks are the main factors limiting the current-carrying performance of PIT wires. Therefore, to improve the transport critical current density of the wires, it is essential to densify the superconducting core and eliminate pores and cracks to enhance grain connectivity. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) sintering was employed to improve the mass density of superconducting wires and tapes. In this paper, we review the development and application of the HIP process in the manufacturing of BSCCO, MgB₂, and iron-based superconducting wires and tapes. The development of HIP parameters and the performance of different wires and tapes are reviewed. Finally, we discuss the advantages and prospects of the HIP process for the fabrication of superconducting wires and tapes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Materials Physics"

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (6 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI