About this Research Topic
To achieve this goal, the article collection can include research papers covering the following aspects:
1. Computational Materials Design: Papers should focus on developing accurate models representing additive manufacturing systems. Addressing the challenges posed by undesirable phases, cracking, phase segregation etc. due to the complex kinetics and thermodynamics of AM systems, discussions can include use of tools like CALPHAD, MD simulations and other techniques to identify and eliminate potential issues. However, papers must present experimental results alongside simulations.
2. Machine Learning and AI: Papers can use ML and AI to discover new alloy formulations. However, they must report experimental results alongside to confirm their findings.
3. Experimental Synthesis: Papers should present experimental results for alloys developed for different AM processes. The papers should discuss in detail, process-material interaction, optimization of alloy chemistry, microstructure and process parameters to achieve desired materials and component properties.
4. Characterization Techniques: Papers introducing novel or surrogate characterization methods that accelerate discovery of materials for AM are essential.
Enabling Technologies: Research papers should cover equipment designed to expedite the discovery of AM materials. Examples include efficient research-scale powder synthesis for AM, on-the-fly blending or switching of powder feedstock, and automated robotic laboratories and industrial-scale production units.
The scope of this research topic is to explore recent advances in alloy design strategies for additive manufacturing. The specific themes that contributors can include are:
1. Clean-sheet material design: Papers can explore compositions outside the standard specifications of existing alloys, aiming to achieve performance or microstructure similar to legacy alloys. Additionally, research papers with industrially useful material property objectives, even if not emulating existing materials, are encouraged.
2. High throughput design: Research papers can focus on rapidly evaluating novel AM alloy chemistries. They can discuss experimental synthesis strategies, combined with modelling and/or automation elements to accelerate the process. Surrogate property testing taking advantage of additive manufacturing can also be discussed.
3. Ex-situ powder engineering: Papers can focus on modifying AM powders, such by incorporating inoculants, to improve the printability or properties of an alloy. Emphasis should be on functionalizing the powder to promote equiaxed microstructures or suppress crack formation rather than simply altering the alloy chemistry.
4. In-situ alloy design: Papers should cover developments in powder feedstock flexibility. This involves using blends of elemental or low alloy powders instead of pre-alloyed powders. Strategies for achieving compositional targets and complete melting with different elemental melting temperatures, as well as in-situ alloying using differential rate powder feeders, can also be included.
The types of manuscripts that we are interested in include original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspectives. We welcome manuscripts on experimental research, theoretical studies, and computational simulations related to the proposed themes. However, manuscripts that solely report theoretical studies and computational simulations without any experiments will not be accepted. The manuscripts should explore and provide new insights into the potential alloy design strategies for additive manufacturing and contribute to advancing the field.
Keywords: Metallic Alloy Design, Additive Manufacturing, Thermodynamics, In-situ Alloying, Ex-situ Alloying, CALPHAD, Multicomponent Alloys, Alloy Development, Surrogate Properties, Advanced Characterization, Material Informatics, Machine Learning, High-throughput
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.