Topic Editors

Industrial Enginnering Department (DIEF), Università Degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
DIEF—Industrial Engineering Department, University of Florence, Via S. Marta 3, 50139 Florence, Italy

Surface Engineered Materials

Abstract submission deadline
closed (30 September 2022)
Manuscript submission deadline
closed (31 December 2022)
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Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays surface engineering is a steadily expanding technological field with growing in complexity and involved methods. Nearly all available modern surface techniques are employed to alter, permanently or non-permanently, materials surfaces. Consequently, new and sometimes unexpected, properties have been obtained expanding the number of possibilities available for applications. Tailoring the chemical composition of a surface by chemical or physical treatments is a traditionally pivotal key to obtain engineered surfaces. However, more recently, morphological modification of surfaces proved to be as effective as chemical functionalization increasing the complexity of this research field but also providing new opportunities and powerful tools to engineers and surface scientists. Surface structuring using electrochemical, laser and plasma treatment or mechanical treatments, just to say a few, proved suitable to achieve the specific surface structure needed for advanced and innovative applications. The huge challenges, and opportunities, this field of research is presenting needs to be faced in a truly interdisciplinary approach, bringing together experts from different fields of knowledge: biologists, material and process engineers, physicists and chemists. For such reason we would like to invite you to submit your research paper to the multidisciplinary Topic titled: “Surface Engineered Materials”. This Topic seeks high-quality works including but not limited to:

  • Interface Sciences and Applications
  • Advances in Adhesion Sciences
  • Modeling Theory of Surfaces
  • Surface Biocompatibility
  • Surface Characterization and Advanced Techniques
  • Surface Corrosion
  • Surface Crystallization
  • Surface Hydration at Solid/Liquid Interface
  • Surface Interactions at Bio-Interfaces
  • Surface Interactions at the Nanoscale
  • Surface Microscopy (SEM, AFM, High Speed AFM, STM...)
  • Surface Nanopatterning

Dr. Stefano Caporali
Prof. Dr. Emanuele Galvanetto
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • interface sciences and applications
  • advances in adhesion sciences
  • modeling theory of surfaces
  • surface biocompatibility
  • surface characterization and advanced techniques
  • surface corrosion
  • surface crystallization
  • surface hydration at solid/liquid interface
  • surface interactions at bio-interfaces
  • surface interactions at the nanoscale
  • surface microscopy (SEM, AFM, high speed AFM, STM...)
  • surface nanopatterning

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Polymers
polymers
5.0 6.6 2009 13.7 Days CHF 2700
Materials
materials
3.4 5.2 2008 13.9 Days CHF 2600
Coatings
coatings
3.4 4.7 2011 13.8 Days CHF 2600
Surfaces
surfaces
2.0 - 2018 15.7 Days CHF 1600

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Published Papers (25 papers)

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14 pages, 3683 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Tribo-Behavior of WC–Cr3C2–Ni Coatings by Laser Cladding and HVAF Sprayed: A Comparative Assessment
by Ziying Zhang, Weizhou Li, Ruixia Yang, Xiaolian Zhao and Houan Zhang
Materials 2023, 16(6), 2269; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062269 - 11 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1304
Abstract
SK5 steel is the base material used for the preparation of the wrinkle scraper, whose service life strongly affects the working efficiency and economic benefits. In this work, WC–Cr3C2–Ni coating was deposited on the SK5 steel substrate by using High-velocity air fuel spray [...] Read more.
SK5 steel is the base material used for the preparation of the wrinkle scraper, whose service life strongly affects the working efficiency and economic benefits. In this work, WC–Cr3C2–Ni coating was deposited on the SK5 steel substrate by using High-velocity air fuel spray (HVAF) and Laser cladding (LC) processes respectively, named HVAF-WC coating and LC-WC coating. The microstructure and wear resistance of both coatings were analyzed, and were compared with the substrate sample. Results showed that the coatings were adhesive well onto the substrate. More WC with fine crystals is retained in HVAF-WC coating due to low flame flow temperature, while WC of LC-WC coating is characterized by columnar crystals. The wear rate of HVAF-WC and LC-WC coating was 4.00 × 10−7 mm3/(N•m) and 3.47 × 10−6 mm3/(N•m), respectively, which was two and one orders of magnitude lower than SK5 steel with 3.54 × 10−5 mm3/Nm. HVAF-WC coating exhibited the best wear resistance because of significant fine grain strengthening, which wear mechanism is mainly dominated by abrasive wear. Thus, it was thought that HVAF-WC coating is more effective ways to improve the wear resistance of SK5 steel, comparing with LC-WC coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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12 pages, 45096 KiB  
Article
Physicochemical Properties of UV-Irradiated, Biaxially Oriented PLA Tubular Scaffolds
by Pooja Bhati, Alok Srivastava, Ramya Ahuja, Pankaj Chauhan, Priya Vashisth and Naresh Bhatnagar
Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051097 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1393
Abstract
PLA and its blends are the most extensively used materials for various biomedical applications such as scaffolds, implants, and other medical devices. The most extensively used method for tubular scaffold fabrication is by using the extrusion process. However, PLA scaffolds show limitations such [...] Read more.
PLA and its blends are the most extensively used materials for various biomedical applications such as scaffolds, implants, and other medical devices. The most extensively used method for tubular scaffold fabrication is by using the extrusion process. However, PLA scaffolds show limitations such as low mechanical strength as compared to metallic scaffolds and inferior bioactivities, limiting their clinical application. Thus, in order to improve the mechanical properties of tubular scaffolds, they were biaxially expanded, wherein the bioactivity can be improved by surface modifications using UV treatment. However, detailed studies are needed to study the effect of UV irradiation on the surface properties of biaxially expanded scaffolds. In this work, tubular scaffolds were fabricated using a novel single-step biaxial expansion process, and the surface properties of the tubular scaffolds after different durations of UV irradiation were evaluated. The results show that changes in the surface wettability of scaffolds were observed after 2 min of UV exposure, and wettability increased with the increased duration of UV exposure. FTIR and XPS results were in conjunction and showed the formation of oxygen-rich functional groups with the increased UV irradiation of the surface. AFM showed increased surface roughness with the increase in UV duration. However, it was observed that scaffold crystallinity first increased and then decreased with the UV exposure. This study provides a new and detailed insight into the surface modification of the PLA scaffolds using UV exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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11 pages, 3246 KiB  
Article
Effect of Nitrogen Flow Rate on Microstructure and Optical Properties of Ta2O5 Coatings
by Rui Chao, Haichao Cai, Hang Li and Yujun Xue
Coatings 2022, 12(11), 1745; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12111745 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1194
Abstract
Ta2O5 coatings were prepared on highly transparent quartz glass and silicon wafer substrates using RF magnetron sputtering technology. Different flow rates (10%, 15%, and 20%) of N2 were introduced during the sputtering process while keeping the total sputtering gas [...] Read more.
Ta2O5 coatings were prepared on highly transparent quartz glass and silicon wafer substrates using RF magnetron sputtering technology. Different flow rates (10%, 15%, and 20%) of N2 were introduced during the sputtering process while keeping the total sputtering gas flow rate constant at 40 sccm. The effects of N2 flow rate on the phase structure, micro-morphology, elemental composition, and optical properties of Ta2O5 coatings were investigated. The coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron energy spectroscopy (EDS), and spectrophotometry. The results show that the phase composition of the coating is an amorphous structure when the sputtering gases are pure argon and nitrogen-argon mixed gases, respectively. The coating after the passage of N2 is mainly composed of Ta, N, and O, which confirms that the deposited coating is a composite coating of Ta oxide and nitride. The EDS spectrum indicates that the ratio of O to Ta atoms in the composite coating is greater than the stoichiometric value of 2.5. It may be related to the deposition rate of Ta atoms during the preparation process. The optical properties show that the average transmittance of the composite coating is greater than 75% and the maximum light transmission is 78.03%. The transmittance in the visible range of Ta2O5 coatings prepared under nitrogen-argon mixed gas sputtering conditions is greater than that of those prepared under pure argon sputtering conditions. Finally, the coatings optical direct band gap Edg and indirect band gap Eig are obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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20 pages, 10006 KiB  
Article
Effects of 3D Roughness Parameters of Sandblasted Surface on Bond Strength of HVOF Sprayed WC-12Co Coatings
by Jing Wang, Chao Ai, Xiao Yun, Zhikai Chen and Bing He
Coatings 2022, 12(10), 1451; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12101451 - 01 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1421
Abstract
This work aims to reveal the effects of 3D roughness parameters of sandblasted surfaces on bond strength between thermal spray coatings and substrates. The investigation was carried out on the surface of AISI 4140, which were pretreated with automatic-sandblasting system. 3D topography and [...] Read more.
This work aims to reveal the effects of 3D roughness parameters of sandblasted surfaces on bond strength between thermal spray coatings and substrates. The investigation was carried out on the surface of AISI 4140, which were pretreated with automatic-sandblasting system. 3D topography and roughness parameters were analyzed by a 3D optical profiler. The bond strength of WC-12Co coatings was measured using a pull-off test method. Scanning electron microscope revealed that the morphology of the surface after sandblasting was rough. Furthermore, the surface topography was characterized by several irregular peaks and pits with different directions and no fixed orientation randomly distributed on sandblasted surface. The average values for surface roughness Sa = 4.84 ± 0.34 μm and bond strength = 32.8 ± 2.8 MPa were obtained. In terms of 3D roughness parameters, Sa, Sdr, Sdq and Sq were found to have more significant impact on affecting the bond strength, showing a nonlinear regression relationship. Furthermore, bond strength was positively correlated with Sa, Sdr and Sdq, while inversely proportional to Sq. This confirmed that a greater surface roughness of a sandblasted surface was not more conducive to the improvement of bond strength. The influence mechanism of each parameter was discussed, which was consistent with the regression mathematical model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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12 pages, 8468 KiB  
Article
On the Microstructure, Residual Stress and Fatigue Performance of Laser Metal Deposited TC17 Alloy Subjected to Laser Shock Peening
by Zhibin An, Weifeng He, Xin Zhou, Liucheng Zhou and Xiangfan Nie
Materials 2022, 15(18), 6501; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15186501 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1470
Abstract
Laser shock peening (LSP) has been employed to improve the mechanical properties of repaired aerospace engine components via laser metal deposition (LMD). This study looked at cross-sectional residual stress, microstructure and high cyclic fatigue performance. The outcomes demonstrated that a compressive residual stress [...] Read more.
Laser shock peening (LSP) has been employed to improve the mechanical properties of repaired aerospace engine components via laser metal deposition (LMD). This study looked at cross-sectional residual stress, microstructure and high cyclic fatigue performance. The outcomes demonstrated that a compressive residual stress layer with a value of 240 MPa was formed at a depth of 200 μm in the laser melting deposited zone and the microhardness was improved by 13.1%. The findings of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that misorientation increased and dislocation features were observed after LSP which is beneficial to the enhancement of fatigue performance. The high cycle fatigue data illustrated that the LMD+LSPned samples exhibited 61% improvement in comparison to the as-LMD samples. In the aerospace sector, LSP and LMD are therefore very effective and promising techniques for restoring high-value components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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14 pages, 29730 KiB  
Article
Study on the Improvement of Waterproof Performance of Historical Silt Sites with Silicone Waterproofing Agent
by Xingang Li, Qingwen Ma, Yufu Ji, Kaidi Cheng and Zhuoliang Sun
Coatings 2022, 12(8), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12081162 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1927
Abstract
Silt has the characteristics of obvious capillary water effect and strong water sensitivity. The flooding of the Yellow River caused the water level in Kaifeng to be high, and the damage of capillary water to the silt site of Kaifeng Zhouqiao site is [...] Read more.
Silt has the characteristics of obvious capillary water effect and strong water sensitivity. The flooding of the Yellow River caused the water level in Kaifeng to be high, and the damage of capillary water to the silt site of Kaifeng Zhouqiao site is increasing day by day. In order to improve the waterproof performance of the site soil, three kinds of silicone waterproof materials were selected, and the site soil was improved by internal mixing. The improvement effects of different materials were compared through the capillary water rise test, and the contact angle of the modified soil with the optimal ratio was measured. Microscopic tests were conducted to evaluate its wetting properties and reveal the mechanism of action of the modified materials. The results show that the three kinds of silicone waterproofing agents can improve the waterproofing effect of soil, among which 0.5% sodium methylsilicate modified soil has the most significant waterproofing effect; its capillary water absorption inhibition effect can reach 98.34%, and the contact angle is 137.06. The surface of the modified soil is hydrophobic after the addition of sodium methylsilicate. An evenly distributed waterproof film is thus formed on the surface of the soil particles, which changes the contact mode between the soil particles and strengthens the connection between the soil particles, so that the proportion of large pores decreased. The proportion of mesopores and small pores increased, which made the soil sample more compact. These results explain the improvement of the waterproof performance of the soil sample. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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16 pages, 8629 KiB  
Article
Optimization of AlCrSiWN Coating Process Parameters and Performance Study by the Matrix Analysis Method
by Shasha Wei, Renxin Wang, Hu Yang, Ziming Guo, Rongchuan Lin, Qingmin Huang and Yuhui Zhou
Materials 2022, 15(15), 5153; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155153 - 25 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1004
Abstract
An AlCrSiWN coating was prepared on a cemented carbide substrate by the arc ion plating technology. The optimization of the coating process was carried out by matrix analysis of orthogonal experiments to calculate the influence of the process parameters on the hardness, bonding [...] Read more.
An AlCrSiWN coating was prepared on a cemented carbide substrate by the arc ion plating technology. The optimization of the coating process was carried out by matrix analysis of orthogonal experiments to calculate the influence of the process parameters on the hardness, bonding and roughness indexes of the coating, determine the optimal coating process parameters, and focus on the influence of the bias voltage on the microscopic morphology, mechanical properties and friction properties of the coating. The results showed that the influence of the process parameters on the indexes of the orthogonal experiments was in the following order: bias voltage > arc current > N2 flow rate. The optimal solution was achieved with an arc current of 160 A, a bias voltage of −80 V, and a N2 flow rate of 600 sccm. Properly increasing the bias voltage improved the microscopic morphology, mechanical properties and wear resistance of the coating. When the bias voltage was −80 V, the coating surface presented fewer large particles with a less uniform size and no obvious crater defects; in addition, the cross-sectional structure changed from grape-like to columnar, and the coating had higher hardness, lower roughness and better bond strength. In the friction performance test, coating at a −80 V bias voltage showed better wear resistance, which was reflected in lower friction coefficient and wear, and the wear mechanism mainly consisted of adhesion and oxidation wear. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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9 pages, 4302 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Properties in Simulated Seawater of Copper-Doped Micro-arc Coatings on TC4 Alloy
by Yong Zhang, Wei Yang, Sen Yu, Liqun Wang, Xiqun Ma, Wei Gao, Nan Lan, Wenting Shao and Jian Chen
Coatings 2022, 12(7), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12070883 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1700
Abstract
Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) ceramic coatings were prepared on TC4 titanium alloys by adding CuSO4 to a (NaPO3)6 base solution. The microstructures of the MAO coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy [...] Read more.
Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) ceramic coatings were prepared on TC4 titanium alloys by adding CuSO4 to a (NaPO3)6 base solution. The microstructures of the MAO coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The corrosion resistance and wear resistance of these coatings were evaluated via hydrochloric acid immersion of weight deficit and friction tests. Those results indicated the presence of Cu in the MAO coating in the form of CuO and Cu2O. Incorporation of CuSO4 results in a thickness and roughness increase in the coating. The coating has a lower coefficient of friction (0.2) upon the addition of 4 g/L of CuSO4. The antibacterial properties of the MAO coatings were maximized at 6 g/L of CuSO4. However, the corrosion resistance of the copper-doped MAO coating did not exceed the undoped coating. This study shows that the addition of CuSO4 to the electrolyte successfully prepared copper-containing micro-arc oxidation coatings, which improved the wear resistance and antibacterial properties of the coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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11 pages, 3162 KiB  
Article
Superhydrophobic Modification of Biomass Cuttlebone Applied to Oil Spill Remediation
by Junfei Xu, Pengchao Che, Hailong Zhang, Yuliang Zhang, Jun Wu, Weiqi Li, Jizhong He, Zhihui Ma, Tengfei Li, Yunyuan Dong, Jianping Yu and Ruiping Tong
Materials 2022, 15(13), 4401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15134401 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1554
Abstract
The spills of crude oil and other organic chemicals are common around the world, resulting in severe damage to the environment and ecosystem. Therefore, developing low-cost and eco-friendly absorption material is in urgent need. In this study, we report a superhydrophobic and oleophilic [...] Read more.
The spills of crude oil and other organic chemicals are common around the world, resulting in severe damage to the environment and ecosystem. Therefore, developing low-cost and eco-friendly absorption material is in urgent need. In this study, we report a superhydrophobic and oleophilic porous material using biomass cuttlebone as the scaffold. A layer of polydopamine is grafted on the cuttlebone as the adhesion layer between the cuttlebone and the superhydrophobic coating. The in situ grown silica micro/nanoparticles on top of the adhesion layer provide the anchoring spots for grafting the fluorinated hydrocarbon and a rough topography for realizing superhydrophobicity. The static water contact angle of the superhydrophobic cuttlebone reaches 152°, and its oil contact angle is ~0°. The excellent oil–water separation efficiency of the prepared superhydrophobic cuttlebone is demonstrated using high-density oil/water mixtures and low-density oil/water mixtures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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17 pages, 4075 KiB  
Article
Water Splitting on Multifaceted SrTiO3 Nanocrystals: Calculations of Raman Vibrational Spectrum
by Veera Krasnenko, Leonid L. Rusevich, Aleksander Platonenko, Yuri A. Mastrikov, Maksim Sokolov and Eugene A. Kotomin
Materials 2022, 15(12), 4233; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15124233 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1830
Abstract
Various photocatalysts are being currently studied with the aim of increasing the photocatalytic efficiency of water splitting for production of hydrogen as a fuel and oxygen as a medical gas. A noticeable increase of hydrogen production was found recently experimentally on the anisotropic [...] Read more.
Various photocatalysts are being currently studied with the aim of increasing the photocatalytic efficiency of water splitting for production of hydrogen as a fuel and oxygen as a medical gas. A noticeable increase of hydrogen production was found recently experimentally on the anisotropic faces (facets) of strontium titanate (SrTiO3, STO) nanoparticles. In order to identify optimal sites for water splitting, the first principles calculations of the Raman vibrational spectrum of the bulk and stepped (facet) surface of a thin STO film with adsorbed water derivatives were performed. According to our calculations, the Raman spectrum of a stepped STO surface differs from the bulk spectrum, which agrees with the experimental data. The characteristic vibrational frequencies for the chemisorption of water derivatives on the surface were identified. Moreover, it is also possible to distinguish between differently adsorbed hydrogen atoms of a split water molecule. Our approach helps to select the most efficient (size and shape) perovskite nanoparticles for efficient hydrogen/oxygen photocatalytic production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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16 pages, 8495 KiB  
Article
Self-Lubricating Property of TiB2-Ni Coating in the Hot Forging Die of Aluminum Alloy
by Zhehan Wang, Tao Fu, Bing Xie, Huajun Wang, Pingyuan Ye and Xudong Pan
Coatings 2022, 12(6), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12060829 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1688
Abstract
Hot die forging is a forging forming method widely used in the automobile industry, shipbuilding, and the aerospace industry. In the hot die forging process of aluminum alloy, the “mold sticking” defect often occurs and results in low productivity and short die life. [...] Read more.
Hot die forging is a forging forming method widely used in the automobile industry, shipbuilding, and the aerospace industry. In the hot die forging process of aluminum alloy, the “mold sticking” defect often occurs and results in low productivity and short die life. Herein, we prepared TiB2 reinforced nickel-based coatings by the combined use of a plasma transferred arc and plasma melt injection method, and investigated the morphology and properties of composite coatings in hot forging die conditions. The results showed that the nickel-based coating reinforced with TiB2 generated boron-rich self-lubricating products during the sliding with aluminum alloy, and the adhered aluminum alloy on a coating surface has significantly reduced quantity and transformed morphology from rough plough to smooth layer with the increase of TiB2, which is beneficial to the surface quality of the aluminum alloy counterface. The results of this research provide valuable guidelines for the design and preparation of the coatings applied in the mold in hot die forging of aluminum alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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10 pages, 1968 KiB  
Article
Failure Analysis of Chromium Plating Layer on the Surface of the Piston Rod of the Hydraulic Jack
by Qiankun Zhang, Jiangang Wang, Wenjing Shen, Fengshan Huang and Yongjie Zhao
Coatings 2022, 12(6), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12060774 - 04 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2679
Abstract
The piston rod of the hydraulic jack was a kind of artillery alloy structural steel of 40Cr and its surface was the chromium plating layer. The piston rod worked for a while; the defects of corrosion pit and peeling appeared on the chromium [...] Read more.
The piston rod of the hydraulic jack was a kind of artillery alloy structural steel of 40Cr and its surface was the chromium plating layer. The piston rod worked for a while; the defects of corrosion pit and peeling appeared on the chromium layer. A stereo-microscope, metallographic microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to observe the macromorphology, micromorphology, and microstructure of the failed parts. The composition analysis was performed by the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and a Vickers hardness tester was used to measure the hardness. The results showed that pores and penetrating cracks existed in the chromium layer, leading to the corrosion medium invading the interface and forming a corrosion source. Then, the corrosion intensified, resulting in the bubbling, cracking, and peeling of the chromium layer. More O and minor S elements were detected in the corrosion pit. Finally, the fracture of the chromium layer was a 45° angle destruction mode. The peeling of the chromium layer was caused by the pores and microcracks, working medium, and poor working environment. Some suggestions were put forward to prevent the peeling of the chromium layer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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21 pages, 6202 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in Functionalized Coatings for Corrosion Protection of Magnesium Alloys—A Review
by Bingzhi Li, Zhaoqi Zhang, Tengteng Liu, Zhenghui Qiu, Yan Su, Jinwei Zhang, Cunguo Lin and Li Wang
Materials 2022, 15(11), 3912; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15113912 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2747
Abstract
Magnesium (Mg) and its alloys, which have good mechanical properties and damping capacities, are considered as potential candidate materials in the industrial field. Nevertheless, fast corrosion is the main obstacle that seriously hinders its wide applications. Surface modification is an available method to [...] Read more.
Magnesium (Mg) and its alloys, which have good mechanical properties and damping capacities, are considered as potential candidate materials in the industrial field. Nevertheless, fast corrosion is the main obstacle that seriously hinders its wide applications. Surface modification is an available method to avoid the contact between corrosive media and Mg substrates, thus extending the service life of Mg-based materials. Generally, manufacturing a dense and stable coating as physical barriers can effectively inhibit the corrosion of Mg substrates; however, in some complex service environments, physical barrier coating only may not satisfy the long-term service of Mg alloys. In this case, it is very important to endow the coating with suitable functional characteristics, such as superhydrophobic and self-healing properties. In this review, the various surface treatments reported are presented first, followed by the methods employed for developing superhydrophobic surfaces with micro/nanostructuring, and an overview of the various advanced self-healing coatings, devolved on Mg alloys in the past decade, is further summarized. The corresponding preparation strategies and protection mechanisms of functional coatings are further discussed. A potential research direction is also briefly proposed to help guide functional strategies and inspire further innovations. It is hoped that the summary of this paper will be helpful to the surface modification of Mg alloys and promote the further development of this emerging research field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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13 pages, 6976 KiB  
Article
Cutting Performance of Multicomponent AlTiZrN-Coated Cemented Carbide (YG8) Tools during Milling of High-Chromium Cast Iron
by Hu Yang, Renxin Wang, Ziming Guo, Rongchuan Lin, Shasha Wei and Jianchun Weng
Coatings 2022, 12(5), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12050686 - 16 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1764
Abstract
In order to improve the cutting performance of cemented-carbide (YG8) tools during the milling of high-chromium cast iron, AlTiZrN coating was deposited on the surface of YG8 samples and milling tools by physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology. The micromorphology and mechanical properties of [...] Read more.
In order to improve the cutting performance of cemented-carbide (YG8) tools during the milling of high-chromium cast iron, AlTiZrN coating was deposited on the surface of YG8 samples and milling tools by physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology. The micromorphology and mechanical properties of the coating were studied by the experimental method, and the cutting performance of the coated tools was tested by a milling machining center. The results show that the AlTiZrN coating presents the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of TiN. The average microhardness is 3887 HV0.05. The bonding strength between the coating and the substrate meets the standard HF3 and is up to the requirements. The coefficient of friction (COF) of the coating is about 0.32. AlTiZrN coating can significantly improve the life of cemented-carbide tools. At cutting speeds of 85, 105, and 125 mm/min, the lives of the AlTiZrN-coated tools increased by 20.7%, 22.4%, and 35.2%, respectively, compared with the uncoated tools. Under the same cutting condition, AlTiZrN-coated tools have better cutting and chip-breaking performance than uncoated tools. With the increase in cutting speed, the workpiece chips produced by AlTiZrN-coated tools are smaller and more uniform, and the scratches on the machined surface are smoother. Therefore, at higher cutting speeds, AlTiZrN-coated tools have more advantages in life and cutting performance than that of uncoated tools. During the cutting process, the wear mechanisms of the AlTiZrN-coated tools mainly included friction, oxidation, and bonding, while oxidation and bonding wear were the main wear mechanisms in the later stage of wear. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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10 pages, 2900 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Control of Cracks in Ni60 Coating of 7050 Aluminum Alloy by Electron Beam Cladding
by Hailang Liu, Qian Zhang, Jian Chen, Zhuangji Zeng and Jie Tang
Coatings 2022, 12(5), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12050602 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1204
Abstract
Ni60 electron beam cladding can play an important role in improving the properties of 7050 aluminum alloy. The cracking of the cladding layer, however, greatly affects the cladding quality. To solve this problem, the optimum range of cladding process parameters is determined by [...] Read more.
Ni60 electron beam cladding can play an important role in improving the properties of 7050 aluminum alloy. The cracking of the cladding layer, however, greatly affects the cladding quality. To solve this problem, the optimum range of cladding process parameters is determined by an experimental method: electron beam current [25–30 × 10−3 A], scanning speed [10–12 mm/s] and focusing current [700–720 × 10−3 A]. Through range analysis of the experiment results, the primary and secondary order of the influence of the cladding process parameters on the crack areal density is determined as follows: electron beam current > scanning speed > focusing current. A mathematical model of the crack areal density of the cladding layer is established based on the method of nonlinear regression, which is y = 4.1553 × 104 I2.2887V−0.8379I210.2675. It is shown that the model has obvious significance in the results of variance analysis, which can provide a basis for the selection of electron beam cladding process parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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17 pages, 6038 KiB  
Article
Effect of Morphology, Impact Velocity and Angle of the CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) Particle on the Erosion Behavior of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs): A Finite Element Simulation Study
by Yao Liu, Zhijun Cao, Jianhui Yuan, Xiaowen Sun, Huaiyu Su and Liang Wang
Coatings 2022, 12(5), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12050576 - 24 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1954
Abstract
The erosion of the unmelted CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) particle is one of the dominating factors that causes microcracks in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) when an aeroengine operates under actual service conditions. The microcracks provide a pathway for the erosion [...] Read more.
The erosion of the unmelted CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) particle is one of the dominating factors that causes microcracks in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) when an aeroengine operates under actual service conditions. The microcracks provide a pathway for the erosion of the TBCs by the molten CMAS particles, which accelerates the failure of the coating. Herein a simplified model to mimic the erosion of YSZ (Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2) TBCs by the CMAS particles with high speed is proposed. The finite element method was utilized to systematically investigate the physical damage behaviors of the TBCs by the CMAS particles under various contact configurations, impact velocities and impact angles. We show that the contact configuration has a significant impact on the residual stress of the coating surfaces as well as the formation and types of microcracks. Furthermore, the increment of the erosion velocity gave rise to irreversible deformation around the point of contact, which aggravated the stress conditions of the top layer and led to the delamination failure of the coating. Finally, the larger the erosion angle, the more mechanical energy was converted into internal energy, which accumulated in the YSZ and caused it to finally delaminate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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11 pages, 1721 KiB  
Article
Novel Diffusion Mechanism of Polymers Pinned to an Attractive Impurity
by João C. O. Guerra and Antonio Cadilhe
Polymers 2022, 14(7), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14071459 - 03 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1617
Abstract
Actual substrates unavoidably possess, to some extent, defects and dirt, which motivate understanding the impact due to their presence. The presence of a substrate naturally breaks symmetries. Additionally, it effectively reduces spatial dimensionality, which favors fluctuation-dominated behavior, but it also provides a multitude [...] Read more.
Actual substrates unavoidably possess, to some extent, defects and dirt, which motivate understanding the impact due to their presence. The presence of a substrate naturally breaks symmetries. Additionally, it effectively reduces spatial dimensionality, which favors fluctuation-dominated behavior, but it also provides a multitude of possible interactions. We show evidence of novel behavior in the case of polymer mass transport at a crystalline substrate when a single attractive impurity is present. Specifically, we introduce a model system describing how an attractive impurity pins adsorbed polymers on a substrate. We propose a novel mechanism to explain the size scaling dependence of the diffusion coefficient as DN3/2 for polymers with N monomers. Additionally, the size dependence of the diffusion coefficient scales can be described as DNδ, with δ=1.51 as determined from extensive simulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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18 pages, 5921 KiB  
Article
Tribological Behaviors of Super-Hard TiAlN Coatings Deposited by Filtered Cathode Vacuum Arc Deposition
by Zhiqiang Zhang, Lan Zhang, Heng Yuan, Menglin Qiu, Xu Zhang, Bin Liao, Fengshou Zhang and Xiaoping Ouyang
Materials 2022, 15(6), 2236; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15062236 - 17 Mar 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2182
Abstract
High hardness improves the material’s load-bearing capacity, resulting in the enhancement of tribological properties. However, the high hardness is difficult to achieve for TiAlN coating due to the transformation of the close-packed structure from cubic to hexagonal and the increase in the grain [...] Read more.
High hardness improves the material’s load-bearing capacity, resulting in the enhancement of tribological properties. However, the high hardness is difficult to achieve for TiAlN coating due to the transformation of the close-packed structure from cubic to hexagonal and the increase in the grain size when the Al content is high. In the present study, the ultrahard TiAlN coatings (hardness > 40 GPa) are successfully developed by filtered cathodic vacuum arc technology to study the effect of nitrogen flux rate on tribological behaviors. The highest hardness of 46.39 GPa is obtained by tuning the nitrogen flux rate to achieve the regulation of Al content and the formation of nanocrystalline. The stable fcc TiAlN phase is formed via the solid-phase reaction under a high nitrogen concentration, and more aluminum atoms replace the titanium atoms in the (Ti, Al)N solid solution. The high Al content of the Ti0.35Al0.65N coating has a nanocrystalline structure and the average crystalline size is 16.52 nm. The TiAlN coating deposited at a nitrogen flux rate of 60 sccm exhibits the best properties of a combination of microhardness = 2972.91 Hv0.5, H = 46.39 GPa, E = 499.4 Gpa, ratio H/E* = 0.093 and ratio H3/E*2 = 0.403. Meanwhile, the TiAlN coating deposited at 60 sccm shows the lowest average friction coefficient of 0.43 and wear rate of 1.3 × 10−7 mm3 N−1 m−1 due to the best mechanical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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15 pages, 3339 KiB  
Article
Influence of Target Current on Structure and Performance of Cu Films Deposited by Oscillating Pulse Magnetron Sputtering
by Rong Wang, Chao Yang, Juan Hao, Jing Shi, Fangyuan Yan, Nan Zhang, Bailing Jiang and Wenting Shao
Coatings 2022, 12(3), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12030394 - 16 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2006
Abstract
To improve the deposition rate of thin films, a novel oscillating pulse magnetron sputtering technology (OPMS) was developed to substitute the traditional high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). Meanwhile, the relative density and the mechanical properties were also significantly enhanced by this method. In [...] Read more.
To improve the deposition rate of thin films, a novel oscillating pulse magnetron sputtering technology (OPMS) was developed to substitute the traditional high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). Meanwhile, the relative density and the mechanical properties were also significantly enhanced by this method. In this study, OPMS was used to prepare the pure Cu film, and the effect of the target current on the mode of copper atoms leaving the target (off-target method) under argon gas atmosphere was also investigated. The results showed that with the increase of the target current, the off-target method of copper atoms was transformed from sputtering to evaporation, the surface cracks’ width of the deposited films gradually decreased, and the lattice constants of the Cu films were close to the bulk materials. Furthermore, the deposition rate of Cu films obviously increased from 19 to 103 nm/min. The crystal structures of Cu films showed a face-centered cubic structure, and the grain size increased from 13 to 18 nm, with the target current increased from 2 to 18 A. Moreover, Cu films deposited at currents of 8 and 13 A exhibited excellent adhesion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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15 pages, 3080 KiB  
Article
Influence of Doping on the Topological Surface States of Crystalline Bi2Se3 Topological Insulators
by Kamil Nowak, Michał Jurczyszyn, Maciej Chrobak, Krzysztof Maćkosz, Andrii Naumov, Natalia Olszowska, Marcin Rosmus, Ireneusz Miotkowski, Andrzej Kozłowski, Marcin Sikora and Marek Przybylski
Materials 2022, 15(6), 2083; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15062083 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2705
Abstract
We present STM/STS, ARPES and magnetotransport studies of the surface topography and electronic structure of pristine Bi2Se3 in comparison to Bi1.96Mg0.04Se3 and Bi1.98Fe0.02Se3. The topography images reveal a large [...] Read more.
We present STM/STS, ARPES and magnetotransport studies of the surface topography and electronic structure of pristine Bi2Se3 in comparison to Bi1.96Mg0.04Se3 and Bi1.98Fe0.02Se3. The topography images reveal a large number of complex, triangle-shaped defects at the surface. The local electronic structure of both the defected and non-defected regions is examined by STS. The defect-related states shift together with the Dirac point observed in the undefected area, suggesting that the local electronic structure at the defects is influenced by doping in the same way as the electronic structure of the undefected surface. Additional information about the electronic structure of the samples is provided by ARPES, which reveals the dependence of the bulk and surface electronic bands on doping, including such parameters as the Fermi wave vector. The subtle changes of the surface electronic structure by doping are verified with magneto-transport measurements at low temperatures (200 mK) allowing the detection of Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) quantum oscillations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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10 pages, 3136 KiB  
Article
Optical and Laser-Induced Damage Characterization of Porous Structural Silicon Oxide Film with Hexagonal Period by Nanoimprint Lithography
by Yuan Li, Junhong Su, Junqi Xu, Lihong Yang and Guoliang Yang
Coatings 2022, 12(3), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12030351 - 07 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2013
Abstract
We designed and fabricated a porous nanostructured film with a hexagonal period for a high-power laser system. The proposed nanostructure exhibits polarization-independent, infrared, and antireflective properties. The measured transmittance of the structural film does not drop below 93% between 948 nm and 2500 [...] Read more.
We designed and fabricated a porous nanostructured film with a hexagonal period for a high-power laser system. The proposed nanostructure exhibits polarization-independent, infrared, and antireflective properties. The measured transmittance of the structural film does not drop below 93% between 948 nm and 2500 nm (exceeding 95% from 1411–2177 nm), and this performance is maintained for incident angles ranging from 0–30°. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the structural film (17.94 J/cm2) is much higher than that of the single layer of SiO2 film (7.06 J/cm2). These results show that the preparation process is an effective technique to obtain a large-scale structural surface for high-power laser systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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15 pages, 5815 KiB  
Article
Treatment of Polymeric Films Used for Printed Electronic Circuits Using Ambient Air DBD Non-Thermal Plasma
by Dragos Astanei, Radu Burlica, Daniel-Eusebiu Cretu, Marius Olariu, Iuliana Stoica and Oana Beniuga
Materials 2022, 15(5), 1919; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051919 - 04 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1741
Abstract
This study aims to present the properties of the polymeric films after being subjected to DBD plasma treatment in atmospheric conditions. Three different commercial films of polyester (Xerox Inkjet transparencies and Autostat CUS5 Clear film) and polycarbonate (Lexan™ 8010 MC) have been considered [...] Read more.
This study aims to present the properties of the polymeric films after being subjected to DBD plasma treatment in atmospheric conditions. Three different commercial films of polyester (Xerox Inkjet transparencies and Autostat CUS5 Clear film) and polycarbonate (Lexan™ 8010 MC) have been considered for the tests. The surface wettability has been evaluated based on static water contact angle (WCA) for different treatment times varying between 0.2 s and 30 s, the results revealing a maximum WCA decrease compared to a pristine of up to 50% for Xerox films, 75% for Autostat and 70% for Lexan. The persistence of the hydrophilic effect induced by the plasma treatment has also been verified for up to 72 h of storage after treatment, the results indicating a degradation of the treatment effects starting with the first hours after the treatment. The WCA stabilizes to a value inferior to the one corresponding to pristine in the first 24 h after plasma treatment. The adhesion forces, as well as preliminary surface morphology evaluations have been determined for the considered films using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The adhesion forces are increased together with the prolongation of the plasma treatment application time, varying from initial values of 165 nN, 58 nN and 204 nN to around 390 nN, 160 nN and 375 nN for Xerox, Autostat and Lexan films, respectively, after 5 s of DBD treatment. For the considered materials, the results revealed that the plasma treatment determines morphological changes of the surfaces indicating an increase in surface roughness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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18 pages, 12274 KiB  
Article
Effect of Cr Content on Corrosion Resistance of Ni–xCr–Mo Laser-Cladding Coatings under H2S-Induced High-Temperature Corrosion Atmosphere
by Congcong Liu, Zongde Liu, Yuan Gao, Xinyu Wang and Chao Zheng
Materials 2022, 15(5), 1885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051885 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1625
Abstract
Ni–xCr–Mo laser-cladding coatings with varying Cr content of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt.% were fabricated using a self-assembled coaxial laser-cladding device. The H2S-induced high-temperature corrosion tests under reductive atmosphere were conducted at 500, 550, and 600 °C. Subsequently, the [...] Read more.
Ni–xCr–Mo laser-cladding coatings with varying Cr content of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt.% were fabricated using a self-assembled coaxial laser-cladding device. The H2S-induced high-temperature corrosion tests under reductive atmosphere were conducted at 500, 550, and 600 °C. Subsequently, the influence of Cr content on the microstructural evolution and corrosion resistance of the Ni–xCr–Mo coatings was investigated. The experimental results revealed that 30 wt.% Cr is the limited maximum content that forms the suitable morphology of coatings without large prominent pores and cracks during the fabrication process, and 15 wt.% Cr corresponds to the critical minimum content for excellent corrosion resistance, as implied from the variation tendency of the corrosion weight-gain curves. Moreover, a two-layer structure of the corrosion scales was observed in the Ni–xCr–Mo laser-cladding coatings, which was primarily caused by the selective corrosion between the Ni and S and Cr/Mo and O. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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15 pages, 4766 KiB  
Article
A Sprayable and Visible Light Rapid-Cured Strippable Film for Surface Radioactive Decontamination
by Huiyuan Zhang, Hongxing Zhang, Wenchao Zhu, Hailing Xi, Bomou Ma and Yong He
Polymers 2022, 14(5), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14051008 - 02 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2456
Abstract
Strippable film is effective for removing radioactive contamination. However, it still has some limitations, such as the long curing time (about 30 min~24 h) and the requirement of organic solvents. To address these issues, we report a simple protocol to prepare strippable decontamination [...] Read more.
Strippable film is effective for removing radioactive contamination. However, it still has some limitations, such as the long curing time (about 30 min~24 h) and the requirement of organic solvents. To address these issues, we report a simple protocol to prepare strippable decontamination films using liquid polybutadiene (LPB) and tert-butyl acrylate (TBA) as the raw materials without solvent and using camphorquinone/ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate (CQ/EDB) as a photoinitiator, where the film was formed under household LED panel light or daylight irradiation for about 540 s. After a thorough study of viscosity, real-time Fourier transform infrared (RT-FTIR spectra), gel and volatile organic compound (VOC) contents, mechanical properties and decontamination efficiency, the optimum composition and curing conditions were determined for the decontamination strippable film. VOC content is as low as 12.7 ± 0.7% and the resultant strippable film exhibits good mechanical performances with a tensile strength of up to 5.4 ± 0.4 MPa and elongation of up to 66.6 ± 13%. Most important, the decontamination efficiencies of this strippable film for 133CsCl on glass, ceramic and metal surfaces reach up to 98.1%, 94.3% and 97.6%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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14 pages, 10145 KiB  
Article
Performance Evaluation and Thermal Shock Behavior of PS-PVD (Gd0.9Yb0.1)2Zr2O7/YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings
by Hongxu Zhao, Xiaofeng Zhang, Chunming Deng, Ziqian Deng and Xiaolong Chen
Coatings 2022, 12(3), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12030323 - 01 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2085
Abstract
In this study, (Gd0.9Yb0.1)2Zr2O7 (GYbZ)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) double-ceramic-layer (DCL) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD). The microstructure, mechanical performance, and thermal shock behavior of coatings prepared with spraying [...] Read more.
In this study, (Gd0.9Yb0.1)2Zr2O7 (GYbZ)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) double-ceramic-layer (DCL) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD). The microstructure, mechanical performance, and thermal shock behavior of coatings prepared with spraying distances of 600, 800, and 1000 mm were investigated. The GYbZ coating prepared with a spraying distance of 600 mm showed a closely packed columnar structure. However, the GYbZ coatings prepared with spraying distances of 800 and 1000 mm showed a quasi-columnar structure. The GYbZ coating prepared with a spraying distance of 800 mm had the thickest columnar crystals with obvious inter-columnar gaps. In addition, this coating exhibited excellent mechanical performance and the best thermal shock resistance. The primary failure patterns appearing during thermal shocking on the surface of TBCs can be classified into the following five types: caves, exfoliation, delamination cracks, spalled areas, and radiate cracks. Furthermore, the failure behavior of these coatings in water-quenching tests is clarified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineered Materials)
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