This book focuses on recent advances in both theoretical and experimental studies of material behaviour at the micro- and nano-scales. Special attention is given to experimental studies of nanofilms, nanoparticles and nanocomposites as well as tooth defects. Various experimental techniques were used. Magneto- and thermoelastic coupling were considered, as were nonlocal models of thin structures.

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Ultra-precision machining technology has been widely used in the manufacture of many mission-critical components for various industrial areas, such as advanced optics, photonics aerospace, the automotive industry, telecommunications, biomedical areas, energy, the environment, etc. Nowadays, ultra-precision machining technology is capable of producing workpieces with submicron shape accuracy, nanometer surface roughness, and high geometric complexity. Due to increasing geometrical complexity, high-precision requirements and the evolution of advanced materials of the workpiece being machined lead to numerous research challenges in different fields, including ultra-precision machining technologies, novel machining processes, cutting mechanics, surface generation mechanisms, novel machine design, advanced sensing, and machine metrology. In addition, the machining process can be accurately controlled through the modeling and simulation of ultra-precision machining processes, error compensation, materials sciences, measurement and on-machine metrology, as well as advanced applications for functional uses. This reprint aims to collate the latest research results on ultra-precision machining technology and applications in order to promote the development of related industrial technology with high efficiency, high precision, and intelligence.

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This Reprint, guest-edited by Dr. Fei Han, brings together a collection of research works dedicated to the advancement of functional polymer-based gels, with particular emphasis on smart hydrogels, stimuli-responsive materials, polymer composites, and flexible electronic devices. This collection focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of these gel-based materials, with the aim of presenting the latest research advances in areas such as wearable health monitoring and sensors, and highlighting the potential for further innovative research in the field.

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Modern engineering practice requires advanced numerical modeling because, among other things, it reduces the costs associated with prototyping or predicting the occurrence of potentially dangerous situations during operation in certain defined conditions. Thus far, different methods have been used to implement the real structure into the numerical version. The most popular uses have been variations of the finite element method (FEM). The aim of this Special Issue has been to familiarize the reader with the latest applications of the FEM for the modeling and analysis of diverse mechanical problems. Authors are encouraged to provide a concise description of the specific application or a potential application of the Special Issue.

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Carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and its derivatives, nanodiamond, fullerenes, and other nano-sized carbon allotropes have recently attracted a lot of attention among the scientific community due to their enormous potential for a wide number of applications arising from their large specific surface area, high electrical and thermal conductivity, and good mechanical properties. The combination of carbon nanomaterials with polymers leads to new nanocomposites with improved structural and functional properties due to synergistic effects. In particular, the properties of carbon-based polymer nanocomposites can be easily tuned by carefully controlling the carbon nanomaterial synthesis route and additionally the versatile synergistic interactions amongst the nanomaterials and polymers. This book provides selected examples of the most recent advances regarding carbon nanomaterial-reinforced polymeric composites. It includes the most representative types of polymeric matrices and covers aspects of new processing techniques, novel surface modifications of carbon nanomaterials and their applications in diverse fields, in particular in electronics and energy storage.

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Various technologies have been developed for ceramic films and coatings, since they play an important role in the field of materials science. Compared to bulk ceramics, the preparation of ceramic film is certainly not a tedious process, as it includes ball milling, sieving, forming, pre-sintering, and high-temperature sintering. Additionally, it is possible to manufacture ceramic film with various shapes to meet industrial and civil demands. Recently, functional ceramic films and coatings used for lighting, anti-counterfeiting, corrosion prevention, wear resistance, and so on, have become a hot research topic. However, the creation of high-performance films and coatings still remains a challenge because the preparation technique, as well as their composition, microstructure, and compactness, significantly affect their properties and final applications. This Special Issue contains 25 papers, mainly introducing surface coatings, ceramics, photoluminescence, corrosion prevention, and wear resistance. This issue contains outstanding achievements in this field, which will definitely promote the future development of ceramic films and coatings technology.

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Studies on the corrosion and degradation of materials play a decisive role in the novel design and development of corrosion-resistant materials, the selection of materials used in harsh environments in designed lifespans, the invention of corrosion control methods and procedures (e.g., coatings, inhibitors), and the safety assessment and prediction of materials (i.e., modelling). These studies cover a wide range of research fields, including the calculation of thermodynamics, the characterization of microstructures, the investigation of mechanical and corrosion properties, the creation of corrosion coatings or inhibitors, and the establishment of corrosion modelling. This Special Issue is devoted to these types of studies, which facilitate the understanding of the corrosion fundamentals of materials in service, the development of corrosion coatings or methods, improving their durability, and eventually decreasing corrosion loss.

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The coastal zone is the host to many human activities, which have significantly increased in the last decades. However, sea level rise and more frequent storm events severely affect beaches and coastal structures, with negative consequences and dramatic impacts on coastal communities. These aspects add to typical coastal problems, like flooding and beach erosion, which already leading to large economic losses and human fatalities. Modeling is thus fundamental for an exhaustive understanding of the nearshore region in the present and future environment. Innovative tools and technologies may help to better understand coastal processes in terms of hydrodynamics, sediment transport, bed morphology, and their interaction with coastal structures. This book collects several contributions focusing on nearshore dynamics, and span among several time and spatial scales using both physical and numerical approaches. The aim is to describe the most recent advances in coastal dynamics.

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A Special Issue of Metals, entitled “Metal Crystal/Polycrystal Plastic Strain Hardening”, was initiated in 2022 by the late Professor Ronald W. Armstrong to advance the current state of the art. In its final form (2025), this issue comprises ten published works: a closing Editorial article, an initial Editorial article, six regular research papers, one research communication, and one review article. This Reprint collates all ten contributions. These works collectively enhance our current understanding of the effects of dislocations, microstructures, chemistry, and loading conditions on the mechanics and thermodynamics of metals across a range of length and time scales. The diverse content of this Reprint should be of interest to researchers in the fields of engineering mechanics, materials science, and metallurgy.

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Surface integrity management is remarkably important when metal alloys are used to manufacture relevant parts. Advanced materials such as titanium, nickel alloys, non-ferrous alloys, or special steels make surface integrity preservation after machining particularly difficult. Consequently, thorough finishing techniques are required to rectify the surface integrity. Engineering surfaces that exemplify the importance of surface integrity control are typically found in the transportation industry. Pieces formed using complex curved surfaces, such as turbine blades or landing gears, and molds and dies for upsetting operations are good examples. These kinds of parts are often manufactured through 3- or 5-axis machining with the aid of successive adjacent passes of hemispherical tools, whereas this ball-end milling strategy allows one to achieve complex surfaces by following the desired shape through NC interpolations generated by a CAM (it also has deep constraints). In this context, processes such as burnishing, honing, plateau-honing, grinding, and shot-peening can contribute to improving the described surfaces in terms of texture, residual stress, and hardness, and are easily maneuverable from a procedural point of view. This Special Issue collected the research results on these kinds of finishing processes, which are very important to the transportation industry.

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Streams and rivers are subject to considerable hydrodynamic loads. Flow interactions with natural or man-made structures in open channels lead to the development of complex dynamic processes, requiring further studies to comprehend fully. This Special Issue has been conceived to facilitate improvement or propose new approaches, summarize the most important findings of previous studies, and encourage the development of further knowledge in the field of open-channel flows. Various topics are addressed in this SI, including flow interaction with hydraulic structures, flow dynamics in estuaries, flow-vegetation interactions, bed sediment effects on flow structures, and the effect of channel curvature on flow behaviors and sediment transport. The studies published in this Special Issue certainly help readers understand the turbulent flow involved in open channels and apply that understanding to the design and practice of hydraulic engineering and river management.

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Ultra-precision machining is a multi-disciplinary research area that is an important branch of manufacturing technology. With continuous advancements in science and technology and the diversification of industrial needs, ultra-precision machining has become an indispensable component of modern industry. It is widely used in aerospace, semiconductors, optics, microelectronics, automotive manufacturing, biomedical, energy, and other fields with the goal of realizing ultra-precision shape machining or improving surface roughness. The increasing demand for components with ultra-precision accuracy has stimulated the development of ultra-precision machining technology in recent decades. Therefore, this reprint brings together research papers on the frontiers of ultra-precision machining in the hope of advancing the development of related industrial technologies and providing a theoretical basis for subsequent research by relevant scholars.

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This Special Issue and Book, ‘Latest Hydroforming Technology of Metallic Tubes and Sheets’, includes 16 papers, which cover the state of the art of forming technologies in the relevant topics in the field. The technologies and methodologies presented in these papers will be very helpful for scientists, engineers, and technicians in product development or forming technology innovation related to tube hydroforming processes.

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Micro manufacturing involves dealing with the fabrication of structures in the size range of 0.1 to 1000 µm. The scope of nano manufacturing extends the size range of manufactured features to even smaller length scales—below 100 nm. A strict borderline between micro and nano manufacturing can hardly be drawn, such that both domains are treated as complementary and mutually beneficial within a closely interconnected scientific community. Both micro and nano manufacturing can be considered as important enablers for high-end products. This Special Issue of Applied Sciences is dedicated to recent advances in research and development within the field of micro and nano manufacturing. The included papers report recent findings and advances in manufacturing technologies for producing products with micro and nano scale features and structures as well as applications underpinned by the advances in these technologies.

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This book contains manuscripts related to alloys (engineering materials) to discuss potential materials, methods for improvement of the strength and cyclic properties of alloys, the stability of microstructures, the possible application of new (or improved) alloys, and the use of treatment for alloy improvement. The broad spectrum of topics included in the articles of this Special Issue demonstrates that research into the microstructural and mechanical characteristics of alloys represents a contemporary field. These topics are also envisaged to be of interest to scientists in other research centers, and we can still expect new developments in this investigation field.

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Semi-solid metal (SSM) processing, as a viable alternative manufacturing route to those of conventional casting and forging, has not yet been fully exploited despite nearly half a century since its introduction to the metal industry. The slow pace of adopting SSM routes may be due to various reasons, including capital costs, profit margins, and, most importantly, the lack of detailed analysis of various SSM processes in open literature to confidently establish their advantages over more conventional routes. Therefore, the SSM community must disseminate their findings more effectively to generate increased confidence in SSM processes in the eyes of our industrial leaders. As such, we have embarked on the task to invite the leaders in SSM research to share their findings in a Special Issue dedicated to semi-solid processing of metals and composites. SSM processing takes advantage of both forming and shaping characteristics usually employed for liquid and solid materials. In the absence of shear forces, the semi-solid metal has similar characteristics to solids, i.e., easily transferred and shaped; by applying a defined force, the viscosity is reduced and the material flows like a liquid. These unique dual characteristics have made SSM routes attractive alternatives to conventional casting on an industrial scale. With the intention of taking full advantage of SSM characteristics, it is crucial to understand SSM processing, including topics such as solidification and structural evolution, flow behavior through modelling and rheology, new processes and process control, alloy development, and properties in general. This Special Issue focuses on the recent research and findings in the field with the aim of filling the gap between industry and academia, and to shed light on some of the fundamentals of science and technology of semi-solid processing.

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This reprint contains 14 articles published in the Special Issue, “Use of Modern Materials in Technological Processes Accompanied by Frictional Heating". These articles can be divided into five groups:1) Analytical modeling of the frictional heating process in systems made of homogeneous and functionally gradient materials (FGMs) [1–7];2) Numerical simulations of the temperature mode of railway brake systems [8, 9];3) Experimental studies and numerical simulations of the influence of various types of additives added to the friction material in the wet clutch disc [10, 11];4) Inverse thermal problems of friction [12];5) The influence of friction on the stress distribution in a composite containing thin elastic homogeneous inclusions, or that made of FGM [13, 14].

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