Open Access Spotlight: Composition, microstructure and property control in high performance materials systems
Showcasing the latest freely accessible research from across the IOM3 journals portfolio.
The Open Access Spotlight showcases recent Open Access research from the IOM3 journals portfolio. This monthly round‑up highlights research that is freely available to read and reflects the commitment IOM3 holds to widening access, strengthening knowledge exchange and promoting open research practices across materials, minerals and mining.
IOM3 members also receive free online access (login required) to all IOM3 publications, along with more than 70 additional titles from Sage’s engineering and materials science portfolio, complementing the Open Access content featured here.
• Effect of increasing the proportion of high-alumina iron ore on structures and properties of sinter produced in iron ore blending sintering process
Ironmaking & Steelmaking Vol. 53, No. 1
Jian Hou, Jian Zhang, Zhiming Yan, Xuke Yang, Hongyan Wu, Xiaobo Huang, Chenguang Bai, Shengfu Zhang
pp. 177–188
DOI: 10.1177/03019233241273486
Amid declining availability of high‑grade iron ore, steel producers are turning to high‑alumina ore as a possible replacement. This study examines how increasing Al₂O₃ content influences sintering behaviour, identifying a critical deterioration in yield and quality at 2.35% Al₂O₃, while slightly higher levels can improve the reduction index. Microstructural analysis shows that changes in SFCA morphology and porosity largely govern sinter quality, offering guidance for the effective use of high‑alumina ores in blast furnace ironmaking.
• Grain boundary diffusion in compositionally complex alloys: A comprehensive review
International Materials Reviews, Vol. 71, No. 2
Bhawna Yadav, G. Mohan Muralikrishna, Mayur Vaidya, Gerhard Wilde, Sergiy V. Divinski
pp. 129–177
DOI: 10.1177/09506608251390882
High‑entropy alloys (HEAs) demand a clear understanding of grain‑boundary (GB) diffusion, which strongly influences their mechanical and environmental performance. This review evaluates the “sluggish diffusion” concept and examines how GB complexions, segregation, precipitation and inter‑phase boundary diffusion shape transport behaviour compared with conventional alloys, while also outlining the experimental challenges posed by multi‑principal element systems. It identifies key research gaps to support future GB‑engineering strategies and the development of next‑generation high‑performance HEAs.
• The role of chemical, polar and octahedral tilt disorder in high voltage/energy density ceramics
International Materials Reviews, Vol. 71, No. 2
Ian M. Reaney, Richard Beanland, Robin Sjökvist, Yubo Zhu, Ge Wang, Derek C. Sinclair
pp. 178–196
DOI: 10.1177/09506608251408632
Power modules in electric vehicles require dielectrics and capacitors capable of operating under high temperatures and electric fields, driving the need for advanced high‑energy‑density materials. This article reviews existing and emerging dielectric systems, with particular focus on high‑permittivity materials that maintain a quasi‑linear polarisation–field response due to chemical, polar and octahedral‑tilt disorder. It shows how combining high resistivity with tilt disorder can guide the design of next‑generation capacitors for power electronics.
• Formation, quantification and morphology of retained austenite in the heat-affected zone of a high-strength steel
Science and Technology of Welding and Joining, Vol. 31, No. 2
Daniel Schrittwieser, Thomas Willidal, Oleksandr Glushko, Ronald Schnitzer
pp. 128–135
DOI: 10.1177/1362171826142167
This study examines the formation and morphology of retained austenite in the heat‑affected zone (HAZ) of a thermomechanically processed high‑strength steel using dilatometry, high‑energy X‑ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Retained austenite increases from about 1% in the initial state to 1.9% in the coarse‑grained HAZ and 3.9% in the intercritically reheated coarse‑grained HAZ. Most of this austenite is located within martensite–austenite constituents, although some appears as a stand‑alone phase.
• Optimized Fe-Mn-Cr-Si-C master alloy for enhanced hardenability in liquid phase sintered PM steels: A nickel-free approach
Powder Metallurgy Vol. 69, No. 2
Patrick Kiprotich Korir, Kumar Babu Surreddi, Maheswaran Vattur Sundaram, Farnoosh Forouzan, Dimitris Chasoglou, Marta-Lena Antti
pp. 141–149
DOI: 10.1177/00325899251394154
This study evaluates Fe‑Mn‑Cr‑Si‑C master alloys as a more sustainable alternative to nickel for improving hardenability in press and sinter powder metallurgy steels. Thermodynamic optimisation, gas atomisation and sintering trials show that these master alloys enhance hardenability even at lower cooling rates, with mechanical properties such as yield strength and apparent hardness comparable to steels alloyed with nickel. The results demonstrate that Fe‑Mn‑Cr‑Si‑C master alloys offer a viable route to achieving high performance while reducing reliance on nickel.
• Effect of admixed alloying components on the properties of sintered steels based on Cr prealloyed powder
Powder Metallurgy Vol. 69, No. 2
Milad Hojati, Christian Gierl-Mayer, Herbert Danninger
pp. 150–162
DOI: 10.1177/00325899251398417
Press‑and‑sinter powder metallurgy is an efficient route for producing large numbers of precision parts, but achieving the required properties under moderate gas‑quench cooling rates depends strongly on alloying strategy. This study compares Cr‑prealloyed steels modified with Ni, Mn, or a fine Mn–Si masteralloy and shows that, at cooling rates around 0.7 K/s, Mn enables sinter hardening with lower additions than Ni or the masteralloy, but significantly reduces impact energy due to intergranular failure. In contrast, Ni and the Mn–Si masteralloy provide a more favourable balance of hardness and toughness, underscoring the importance of selecting an appropriate alloying route.
