19 24 33 P. 14 Archaeometallurgical Determination of Provenance Failure Investigations: Part I HTPro Newsletter Included in This Issue AI OPTIMIZES PARAMETERS FOR BINDER JET AM TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 | VOL 183 | NO 8
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19 24 33 P. 14 Archaeometallurgical Determination of Provenance Failure Investigations: Part I HTPro Newsletter Included in This Issue AI OPTIMIZES PARAMETERS FOR BINDER JET AM TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 | VOL 183 | NO 8
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Showcase your thought leadership and innovations at one of ASMʼs 2026 conferences and expositions, which offer unparalleled access to highly engaged audiences of industry leaders and decision-makers. Learn more about each event and related exhibit and sponsorship opportunities at asminternational.org/events 2026 EVENTS FAS SUMMIT ON FAILURE ANALYSIS & PREVENTION: FATIGUE AND FRACTURE JANUARY 28 – 29, 2026 | OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA A brand-new gathering dedicated to advancing the science and practice of failure analysis. This summit’s theme is Fatigue & Fracture. Dive into in-depth sessions on fatigue mechanisms, fracture modes, and failure prevention. Learn from leading experts and engage in meaningful discussion—all while contributing to the growth of this critical field. INTERNATIONAL THERMAL SPRAY CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION (ITSC) MARCH 18 – 20, 2026 | BANGKOK, THAILAND ITSC is the world’s foremost international conference and exhibition for thermal spray technologists, researchers, manufacturers, and suppliers. This conference rotates between North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim and is organized by the ASM Thermal Spray Society, the German Welding Society (DVS), and iiw. HEAT TREAT MEXICO CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION APRIL 14 – 16, 2026 | MONTERREY, MEXICO Heat Treat Mexico is powered by the strength of the ASM Heat Treating Society, ASM Mexico Chapter, and the organizers of Heat Treat North America. This conference and expo will showcase heat treating resources, programming, and technology for the emerging markets in Mexico. SHAPE MEMORY & SUPERELASTIC TECHNOLOGIES CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION MAY 4 – 8, 2026 | LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA The International Conference on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies (SMST) is the leading worldwide conference and exposition for the shape memory and superelastic technologies and is highly focused on the manufacturing and application of shape memory materials. AEROMAT | JUNE 2 – 4, 2026 | WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA AeroMat focuses on innovative aerospace materials, fabrication, and manufacturing methods that improve performance, durability, and sustainability of aerospace structures and engines with reduced life-cycle costs. THERMAL SPRAY OF SUSPENSIONS & SOLUTIONS SYMPOSIUM + EBCS (TS4E) SEPTEMBER 16 – 18, 2026 | PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC The ASM Thermal Spray Society will again offer a symposium focused on suspension and solution thermal spray technology. This symposium offers an opportunity for scientists and engineers interested in the emerging S&STS technologies to address both research challenges and development of industrial applications. INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS, APPLICATIONS, AND TECHNOLOGIES (IMAT) SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 1, 2026 | QUEBEC CITY, CANADA IMAT, ASM’s annual event, is the only targeted event on advanced materials, applications, and technologies in key growth markets that will have a focus on economic trends and business forecasts. The event will include a diverse group of materials experts, including the ASM Programming Committees, AeroMat Committee, and all six of ASM’s Affiliate Societies, who are heavily involved in building the technical symposiums, which will have a strong focus on real-world technologies that can be put to use today. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR TESTING AND FAILURE ANALYSIS (ISTFA) OCTOBER 4 – 8, 2026 | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ISTFA is the only North American event devoted to the semiconductor, electronic sample preparation, and imaging markets. ISTFA offers the best venue for failure analysts and the FA community for sharing challenges and acquiring the technical knowledge and resources needed to take them on.
49 ASM NEWS The latest news about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other Society activities. OPTIMIZING BINDER JET ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PARAMETERS Bhargavi Mummareddy A physics-informed multi-agent framework demonstrates how physicsconstrained AI can accelerate industrial adoption of binder jet additive manufacturing by delivering first-time right process parameters. 14 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 2 An advanced 3D printing process creates an intricate geometric object. AI generated. Courtesy of Dreamstime. On the Cover: 54 HIGHLIGHTS FROM IMAT 2025 This photo gallery features some of the awards, meetings, and fun had at IMAT 2025 in Detroit. HISTORY OF TREDEGAR IRON WORKS PRESERVED AT MUSEUM The Richmond iron foundry was a major supplier of armament during the Civil War and produced parts that aided the expansion of the nation’s railroads. 31
4 Editorial 5 Research Tracks 10 Machine Learning 6 Metals/Polymers/Ceramics 8 Testing/Characterization 11 Process Technology 12 Emerging Technology 13 Nanotechnology 63 Editorial Preview 63 Special Advertising Section 63 Advertisers Index 64 3D PrintShop TRENDS INDUSTRY NEWS DEPARTMENTS Check out the Digital Edition online at asminternational.org/news/magazines/am-p ASM International serves materials professionals, nontechnical personnel, and managers worldwide by providing high-quality materials information, education and training, networking opportunities, and professional development resources in cost-effective and user-friendly formats. ASM is where materials users, producers, and manufacturers converge to do business. Advanced Materials & Processes (ISSN 0882-7958, USPS 762080) publishes eight issues per year: January/February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, and November/December, by ASM International, 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073-0002; tel: 440.338.5151; fax: 440.338.4634. Periodicals postage paid at Novelty, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Vol. 183, No. 8, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025. Copyright © 2025 by ASM International®. All rights reserved. Distributed at no charge to ASM members in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. International members can pay a $30 per year surcharge to receive printed issues. Subscriptions: $499. Single copies: $54. POSTMASTER: Send 3579 forms to ASM International, Materials Park, OH 44073-0002. Change of address: Request for change should include old address of the subscriber. Missing numbers due to “change of address” cannot be replaced. Claims for nondelivery must be made within 60 days of issue. FEATURES NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 | VOL 183 | NO 8 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 3 19 29 33 24 33 HTPro The official newsletter of the ASM Heat Treating Society. This supplement focuses on heat treating technology, processes, materials, and equipment. 19 ARCHAEOMETALLURGICAL PROVENANCES AND CONTEXTS Russell Wanhill and Omid Oudbashi Archaeometallurgical provenances and contexts are fundamental to understanding technological developments and cultural relationships of ancient metal-using societies. 24 FAILURE INVESTIGATIONS: A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS, PART I Jeffrey L. Hess The first part in an article series introduces a systematic, team-based approach to failure investigations that goes beyond identifying what failed and includes determining the root causes and applying corrective action. 29 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INDUSTRY PANEL AT HEAT TREAT 2025 Representatives from various materials-related industries shared how they are implementing AI in their workflows, and stressed that human expertise remains essential for validating outputs, curating quality data, and making final decisions.
4 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 ASM International 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073 Tel: 440.338.5151 • Fax: 440.338.4634 Joanne Miller, Editor joanne.miller@asminternational.org Victoria Burt, Managing Editor vicki.burt@asminternational.org Frances Richards and Corinne Richards Contributing Editors Anne Vidmar, Layout and Design Allison Freeman, Production Manager allie.freeman@asminternational.org EDITORIAL COMMITTEE John Shingledecker, Chair, EPRI Beth Armstrong, Vice Chair, Oak Ridge National Lab Adam Farrow, Past Chair, Los Alamos National Lab Yun Bai, Ford Carl Boehlert, Michigan State University Punnathat Bordeenithikasem, Machina Labs Daniel Grice, Materials Evaluation & Engineering Surojit Gupta, University of North Dakota Hideyuki Kanematsu, Suzuka National College of Technology Ibrahim Karaman, Texas A&M University Ricardo Komai, Tesla Krassimir Marchev, Northeastern University Bhargavi Mummareddy, Dimensional Energy Scott Olig, U.S. Naval Research Lab Christian Paglia, SUPSI Institute of Materials and Construction Ryan Paul, GrafTech International Satyam Sahay, John Deere Technology Center India Abhijit Sengupta, USA Federal Government Kumar Sridharan, University of Wisconsin Vasisht Venkatesh, Howmet Aerospace ASM BOARD OF TRUSTEES Elizabeth Ho man, President and Chair Daniel P. Dennies, Senior Vice President Tirumalai Sudarshan, Vice President Navin Manjooran, Immediate Past President William Jarosinski, Treasurer Rahul Gupta Hanchen Huang Victoria Miller Christopher J. Misorski Erik Mueller Ramana G. Reddy JP Singh Dehua Yang Fan Zhang Veronica Becker, Executive Director STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS Victoria Anson, Emily Ghosh, Wyeth Haddock Individual readers of Advanced Materials & Processes may, without charge, make single copies of pages therefrom for personal or archival use, or may freely make such copies in such numbers as are deemed useful for educational or research purposes and are not for sale or resale. Permission is granted to cite or quote from articles herein, provided customary acknowledgment of the authors and source is made. The acceptance and publication of manuscripts in Advanced Materials & Processes does not imply that the reviewers, editors, or publisher accept, approve, or endorse the data, opinions, and conclusions of the authors. ELEVATING THE NEXT GENERATION Huntington Place was abuzz with nearly 5000 attendees at ASM’s annual meeting in Detroit this October, which included Heat Treat, ICRS, and IMAT, with a theme of “Elevating Performance Together.” A dozen keynotes, special lectures, and panels explored pressing challenges and future prospects for our industry. Many speakers also discussed ways to set up the next generation of workers for success. The Alpha Sigma Mu lecturer, William Frazier, FASM, shared what he foresees in his crystal ball: a growing need for workers with technical skills in additive manufacturing, computational materials science and AI, nanotechnology, polymer and composite science, and characterization. Also promoting computational methods was Hamish Fraser, FASM, of The Ohio State University, who presented the milestone 50th Henry Clifton Sorby Lecture. Numerous past Sorby recipients attended his talk on “Application of Computational Modeling and Electron Microscopy in the Exploration and Development of Refractory High Entropy Alloys.” Fraser emphasized the importance of using computational modeling to back up the work done experimentally. Yet he expressed concern that next generation researchers often skip traditional trace analyses in favor of other methods. He is on a campaign to remind them of the foundational tools needed for proper materials characterization. IMAT’s new Executive Leadership Forum, chaired by Navin Manjooran, FASM, brought together thought leaders from academia and industry to discuss the future of materials science, engineering, and technology. Nicole Hudak, an emerging professional stepping up into new roles, shined as the emcee. She introduced the panelists who emphasized the need to help students early in their academic careers to get involved in group projects that mimic the way various disciplines work together in the real world. This will prepare them for the collaborative work style required in their future jobs. Watch for more highlights from this forum in the next issue of AM&P. Some practical advice on the use of new technology was provided at the AI in Industry Panel, which is summarized in this issue. Panelists shared their workday uses of AI and when to be cautious of it. Specifically, they discussed challenges in training the younger generation to spot AI hallucinations. At the ever-popular Women in Materials Engineering Breakfast, a panel of women representing academia, industry, and consulting shared insights and fielded questions around the topic of “Taking Charge of Your Career.” This annual event provides a powerfully supportive atmosphere to empower professionals at all stages of their careers. With over 200 students and emerging professionals onsite in Detroit, ASM offered them numerous events including: DomesDay, Fluxtrol Student Poster Competition, HTS Strong Bar competition, and Venture Challenge. More importantly, speakers and individual members shared their knowhow, advice, and offered networking support. And many students and emerging professionals are listening, learning, and willing to step up into leadership roles. For the future of our industry, it’s elevating. joanne.miller@asminternational.org Nicole Hudak at the Executive Leadership Forum.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 5 RESEARCH TRACKS SUPERCOMPUTERS SUPPORT AI MATERIALS DISCOVERY With help from supercomputers at the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, researchers at the University of Cambridge are developing AI tools that automatically mine scientific journal articles to build structured materials databases. These datasets are then used to train specialized language models designed to streamline materials research. “The aim is to have something like a digital assistant in your lab,” says Jacqueline Cole, head of molecular engineering at Cambridge. “A tool that complements scientists by answering questions and offering feedback to help steer experiments and guide their research.” Cole’s recent work has focused on developing smaller, faster, and more efficient AI models to support materials research, without the massive computing costs typically required to train large language models (LLMs) from scratch. To bypass this costly pretraining process, Cole and her colleagues developed a method for generating a large question and answer (Q&A) dataset from domain-specific materials data. Using new algorithms and their ChemDataExtractor tool, they converted a database of photovoltaic materials into hundreds of thousands of Q&A pairs. This process, known as knowledge distillation, captures detailed materials information in a form that off-the-shelf AI models can easily ingest. Cole’s team used the Q&A pairs to fine-tune smaller language models, which went on to match or outperform much larger models trained on general text, achieving up to 20% higher accuracy in domain-specific tasks. While their study focused on solar-cell materials, the team believes the approach could be applied broadly to other research areas. anl.gov. SOFTNESS IN AMORPHOUS MATERIALS Researchers in Japan from the University of Osaka, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Okayama University, and the University of Tokyo are figuring out why glass and other amorphous materials deform more easily in some regions than others. By applying a mathematical method called persistent homology, the team demonstrated that these soft regions are governed by hidden hierarchical structures, where ordered and disordered atomic arrangements coexist. Amorphous materials including glass, rubber, and certain plastics lack the long-range order of crystalline solids. However, they are not completely random, as they possess medium-range order (MRO), subtle atomic patterns that extend over a few nanometers. MRO has long been suspected to play a critical role in determining the physical properties of amorphous materials, particularly their mechanical responses. Yet due to the complexity of atomic networks, conventional analysis methods have been unable to clarify how MRO relates to regions that deform more easily than their surroundings. The structural origins of mechanical softness in amorphous solids remained elusive until now. In amorphous silicon, the team discovered hierarchical ring structures— smaller rings with irregular edge lengths nested inside larger rings. This coexistence of order and disorder means that softness emerges not from randomness alone, but from constraints imposed by MRO interwoven with local disorder. The discovery establishes a clear principle: Mechanically soft regions arise where disorder is embedded within MRO. This finding provides a practical guideline for developing amorphous solids that are both flexible and strong, suitable for applications from displays and coatings to energy devices. www.osaka-u.ac.jp. Schematic shows how scientific literature is mined using ChemDataExtractor to build materials databases. Persistence diagram obtained from the structure of amorphous silicon, examples of local ring structures corresponding to each point in the diagram, and representative structures including atoms with large nonaffine displacements.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 6 METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS removing toxic metals from bauxite residue, or red mud, a hazardous by-product of aluminum production. The new technique involves a brief electrical pulse lasting under one minute along with a small amount of chlorine gas. If implemented on a larger scale, the team believes it could revolutionize global waste management and materials recovery. The process uses flash Joule heating (FJH), which rapidly heats materials with a short, highpower electrical pulse to vaporize harmful metals, leaving behind a residue rich in aluminum. The material can then be repurposed into durable ceramic tiles or bricks or put through the standard aluminum production process. Every year, millions of tons of red mud accumulate as toxic waste from aluminum production, which contains harmful metals. Disasters related to its storage have caused river contamination and flooding. The researchers aimed to explore whether this waste could be repurposed rather than merely contained. The FJH method works by REFRACTORY ALLOY RESISTS HIGH TEMPS Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, developed a refractory alloy made of chromium, molybdenum, and silicon that is ductile at ambient temperature. With a melting temperature of 2000°C, it remains stable at high temperatures and is oxidation resistant. Refractory metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, and chromium whose melting points are around 2000°C can be the most resistant to high temperatures, but they are brittle at room temperature. Once in contact with oxygen, they cause failure within a short time at temperatures of 600-700°C. Due to these challenges, nickelbase superalloys have been used for decades in components exposed to air or combustion gases at high temperatures, such as gas turbines. However, the temperatures in which they can be used safely are in the range of 1100°C maximum. This limitation was the starting point for Professor Martin Heilmaier’s team from KIT’s Institute for Applied Materials. Within the “Materials Compounds from Composite Materials for Applications in Extreme Conditions” research group, the scientists succeeded in developing their new alloy. This is significant because resistance to oxidation and ductility cannot be predicted sufficiently to allow a targeted material design, despite great progress in computer-assisted materials development. “In a turbine, even a temperature increase of just 100°C can reduce fuel consumption by about five percent,” says Heilmaier. Stationary gas turbines in power plants could also be operated with lower CO emissions due to more robust materials. “To be able to use the alloy on an industrial level, many other development steps are necessary,” he added. “However, with our discovery in fundamental research, we have reached an important milestone.” kit.edu. NEW PROCESS TURNS RED MUD INTO CERAMICS Scientists at Rice University, Houston, developed a faster and cleaner method for recovering aluminum and Alloy production by means of arc melting in the material synthesis lab of the Institute for Applied Materials. Courtesy of Chiara Bellamoli/KIT. The FJH method can remove toxic metals from bauxite residue. Courtesy of Rice University. New research from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tenn., answers an old question: Do tiny pores in graphite affect nuclear reactor performance? No. The study confirms that small voids in graphite do not disturb the atomic vibrations that determine its interactions with neutrons, giving reactor developers greater confidence that graphite will perform its moderation duties as expected. ornl.gov. BRIEF
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 7 delivering electricity in a flash, like a bolt of lightning, while simultaneously introducing chlorine gas. This approach selectively vaporizes iron and other toxic metals, leaving behind the aluminum. The process is significantly faster than traditional methods, which often require prolonged heating in furnaces or the use of corrosive chemicals. The new method requires no water or solvents and removes sodium salts along the way. Researchers say this technique could benefit industries dealing with other high-volume waste streams such as steel manufacturing, mining, and rare earth processing. rice.edu. SUPER RESILIENT COMPOSITE METAL FOAM A new study at North Carolina State University (NSCU), Raleigh, shows that composite metal foam (CMF) is extremely resilient and able to withstand repeated heavy loads even at temperatures of 400°C and 600°C. Along with the material’s high strength-to-weight ratio, the results suggest that CMF could be used in applications from automobile engines to aerospace components to nuclear power technologies. CMFs are foams that consist of hollow spheres embedded in a metallic matrix. The resulting material is both lightweight and remarkably strong at absorbing compressive forces. In addition, CMF is better at insulating against high heat than conventional metals and alloys such as steel. To learn how CMF would perform under repeated stress at high temperatures, the scientists worked with NC State’s Constructed Facilities Laboratory. For this study, the team worked with CMFs consisting of steel spheres in a steel matrix. Samples were subjected to a repeated loading cycle while exposed to temperatures of 23°C, 400°C, and 600°C. At 400°C, the CMF withstood a loading cycle that alternated between 6 and 60 MPa for more than 1.3 million cycles without failure before the test was halted due to time constraints. At 600°C, the CMF withstood cyclical loading that alternated between 4.6 and 46 MPa for more than 1.2 million cycles without failure before the test was halted. ncsu.edu. Professor Afsaneh Rabiei invented the composite metal foams described here and is working with a small business on its commercialization. Courtesy of NCSU. One Part Supreme 10HT for STRUCTURAL TOUGHENED EPOXY BONDING Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA • +1.201.343.8983 • main masterbond.com www.masterbond.com HIGH BOND STRENGTH Lap shear strength | 3,600-3,800 psi Tensile modulus | 450,000-500,000 psi NASA LOW OUTGASSING Per ASTM E595 standards SERVICE TEMPERATURE RANGE From 4K to +400°F asminternational.axomo.com Show Your ASM Pride! Shop ASM apparel and essentials, a liate society t-shirts, and more in our gear store!
8 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 EXPLORING HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT Scientists at Empa’s Joining Technology and Corrosion Laboratory, Switzerland, are investigating an aspect of hydrogen embrittlement that involves the interaction of hydrogen with the passivation layer on steel. This thin layer forms naturally on the surface of most metals and alloys, giving stainless steels their corrosion resistance. The type and composition of this layer differs from steel to steel with some oxides significantly more resistant to hydrogen than others. Researcher Chiara Menegus developed an electrochemical cell in which the steel sample is mounted. Water is placed on one side of the sample and argon gas on the other. By applying an electrical voltage, atomic hydrogen is generated from the water. The hydrogen diffuses through the thin sample until it reaches the oxide layer on the opposite TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION AI SUPPORTS MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS Imagic Bildverarbeitung AG, Zurich, and the Materials Engineering Center Saarland (MECS), Germany, began a strategic partnership in September. The collaboration combines MECS’ expertise in materials science with Imagic’s software expertise in micro- scopy, image analysis, and image data management. This combination creates a holistic ecosystem for materials analysis, from image capture with microscopes and cameras from various manufacturers to AI-based interpretation and automated report generation. The result is accelerated and scalable analysis processes. A key benefit is the complete integration of AI analysis into the on-premises solution of the Imagic IMS software. Notably, data sovereignty always remains with the end user including full control over sensitive image and research data. The first joint application, AI-supported grain size evaluation, is setting new standards, say researchers. “Our approach makes it possible to precisely define the database required for an AI model, including the fundamental truth and a deep understanding of the data generation process. This ensures that the models achieve the highest accuracy, robustness, and generalization in series production,” says Frank Mücklich, FASM, institute director of MECS. The system achieves extreme precision and reproducibility in the detection and quantification of grain boundaries, even in complex cases. This means that complex analyses can be carried out in a fraction of the time previously required, along with increased objectivity, reliability, and significantly greater analytical depth. The application portfolio for AI-supported microstructure analysis will be continuously expanded over the next few years. www.mec-s.de. Testbed 80. Courtesy of Rolls-Royce. Chiara Menegus (back) and Claudia Cancellieri investigate how hydrogen interacts with the thin oxide layers on high-strength steels. Courtesy of Empa. From left: Martin Mueller, Tobias Fox, Björn Bachmann, Dominik Britz, (all with MECS), Patrik Wermelinger (Imagic), and Frank Mücklich (MECS). Oak Ridge National Laboratory built a non-nuclear test bed to simulate the conditions of a space nuclear reactor and avoid the cost and regulations required for testing in a reactor environment. The facility combines hardware with computer models to reproduce space conditions and enable NASA and others to develop autonomous controls using cost-effective components and open-source software. ornl.gov. MIT is the 16th member to join an international consortium building the $2.6 billion Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile. The telescope’s 25.4-meter aperture will have five times the light-collecting area and up to 200 times the power of existing observatories. It is already 40% under construction, with major components being manufactured across 36 U.S. states. Completion is expected by the 2030s. mit.edu. BRIEFS
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 9 side, where it interacts with the native oxide. All steps take place in a protective atmosphere. To characterize the samples, the team uses an analysis technique unique to Switzerland: hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This method uses high-energy x-rays to determine the type and chemical state of atoms in a material, not just on the top surface, but up to 20 nm deep. This is enough to detect the 5-nm-thick oxide layer and the interface with the steel underneath. Although hydrogen itself cannot be directly detected with this method, the researchers have already been able to demonstrate its effects on the oxide layer. www.empa.ch. USING BORON TO REPLACE METAL CATALYSTS Researchers at the University of Würzburg, Germany, are developing methods to eliminate toxic heavy metals used in the chemical industry. The team led by chemistry professor Holger Braunschweig is investigating the metal-mimetic properties of main group elements such as boron. They have shown that under certain conditions, boron can mimic the reaction behavior of metals without being toxic or as expensive as metals. The new research shows that boron can also form so-called π complexes with olefins, which are similar in their properties and behavior to the complexes of transition metals with olefins. “Our discovery opens up a new area of the periodic table for π coordination chemistry, including the possibility of using main group elements as industrial catalysts for functionalization reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons,” says Braunschweig. Traditional coordination complexes of olefins with metals (le ) and the newly-discovered olefin coordination complexes with boron (right). Courtesy of Rian Dewhurst/ Universität Würzburg. “Our main goal is to replace toxic and costly heavy metals in industrial processes with main group elements.” Next, the team wants to modify the boron-olefin π complexes so that their behavior is even more like that of the known metal complexes. www.uni-wuerzburg.de.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 10 MACHINE LEARNING | AI The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) launched the MIT–MBZUAI Collaborative Research Program. Under the five-year agreement, faculty, students, and staff will collaborate to advance the foundations of AI and its applications in scientific discovery, human thriving, and the health of the planet. mit.edu. BRIEF AlloyGPT OFFERS HELP FOR ALLOY DESIGN Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, are developing the potential to train large language models (LLMs) to understand a novel alloy physics language in a similar manner to how ChatGPT works. Led by assistant professor Mohadeseh Taheri- Mousavi, the team developed AlloyGPT, which recognizes the relationship between composition, structure, and properties to generate novel designs for additively manufacturable (AM) structural alloys. The AlloyGPT model features dual functionality: It can accurately predict multiple phase structures and properties based on given alloy compositions, as well as suggest a comprehensive list of alloy compositions that meet stated design goals. “We have created an architecture that has learned the physics of alloys in order to design enhanced alloys that have the desired qualities for mechanical performance and manufacturability in a variety of applications,” says Taheri-Mousavi. The team built the autoregressive model by developing a language for the physics of alloys and training this generative AI model. Rather than analyzing words, the model examines compositions and structural features in a sentence format to understand how the composition, structure, and properties are connected. Unlike conventional iterative methods, which often face challenges in finding all possible solutions, AlloyGPT can provide a comprehensive list of elemental combinations to produce the desired materials properties requested. This is especially useful for designing gradient composition AM alloys in which gradual changes in materials properties exist across a single part. cmu.edu. AI LINKS ATOMIC STRUCTURE TO QUANTUM TECH Researchers at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tenn., and colleagues developed a method to determine the atomic A vacancy defect on europium zinc arsenide. Courtesy of Ganesh Narasimha/ORNL. origins of unusual material behavior. Their approach uses Bayesian deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence that combines probability theory and neural networks to analyze complex datasets with remarkable efficiency. The technique reduces the amount of time required for experiments by helping scientists explore sample regions widely and rapidly converge on important features that exhibit interesting properties. “This method makes it possible to study a material’s properties with much greater efficiency,” says ORNL’s Ganesh Narasimha. “Usually, we would need to scan a large region, and then several small regions, and perform spectro- scopy, which is very time consuming. Here, the AI algorithm takes control and does this process automatically and intelligently.” The study explored europium zinc arsenide, a magnetic semimetal known for its unique electronic behaviors. However, the method is generalizable across a wide variety of materials, say researchers. Using advanced scanning tunneling microscopy, the team discovered connections between atomic structures and electronic properties. They say their streamlined approach simplifies the discovery process and advances capabilities related to AI and quantum science. ornl.gov. Assistant professor Mohadeseh Taheri-Mousavi and postdoctoral researcher Bo Ni with their AlloyGPT model.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 1 1 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY ENERGY-EFFICIENT IRON PRODUCTION Scientists at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities are investigating a new method to produce iron. For the first time, the researchers were able to observe chemical reactions and iron formation in real time at the nanometer scale. They say this breakthrough has potential to transform the iron and steel production industry by improving energy efficiency and lowering costs. The new process uses hydrogen gas plasma, an ionized gas that dissociates the hydrogen gas thereby producing an deliberately designed with hetero- geneous grain structures, combining different sizes. This strategy seems promising, but realizing it typically requires powder metallurgy, and it is also complex and costly, making it unrealistic for large-scale applications. To address these concerns, the scientists developed a unique “coreshell” structure inside a nickel-base high-entropy alloy by applying hot rolling along with precise heat treatment. In this structure, the core corresponds to the original large grains, like an egg yolk, while the shell consists of newly formed smaller grains surrounding them, resembling the egg white. During the process, fine nanoscale B2 precipitates form within the alloy. In the final heat treatment step, these precipitates selectively form along grain boundaries. As a result, when external stress is applied, the shell acts like a shield that blocks dislocation motion and enhances strength, while the core serves as a cushion that absorbs impact and mitigates cracking. The new alloy demonstrates outstanding performance, with a yield strength of 1029 MPa, tensile strength of 1271 MPa, and elongation of 31.1%. The alloy is not only much stronger than conventional metals but can also stretch more than 30% without breaking. Results were achieved solely through casting and heat treatment, without requiring complex processing. www.postech.ac.kr. abundance of highly reactive hydrogen atoms. When the iron is exposed to this plasma, these highly reactive atoms strip the oxygen from the ore, producing pure iron and water vapor. The team partnered with Humming- bird Scientific, a company that builds products for electron, x-ray, and ion microscopy, to create a special holder that fits inside a transmission electron microscope. Previous optical methods could only be viewed at a few hundred nanometers. This new method will allow researchers to see things at a nanometer resolution, which is 100 times better than previous research. “Creating plasma could be energetically a lot more efficient than heating the material,” says researcher Andre Mkhoyan. “This innovation could lead to materials being modified with lower energy consumption, ultimately making processes more economically efficient.” cse.umn.edu. ACHIEVING BOTH STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea, are challenging the assumption that for metals, achieving both strength and ductility at the same time is nearly impossible. Large grains in a metal enhance ductility, while small grains increase strength—but incorporating both types within a single metal remains difficult. A new approach has emerged in which metals are Innova Engineered Plastics, Shirley, Mass., opened a new manufacturing center in Mexicali, Mexico. Located in the center of Mexico’s medical device corridor, the facility expands total capacity and capabilities including injection molding, reaction injection molding, cast urethane molding, vacuum and pressure thermoforming, and more. innova-plastics.com. BRIEF Jae Hyun Nam, a Ph.D. student, works in the University of Minnesota Characterization Facility to complete nanometer scale observations as part of the team’s research. Courtesy of Kalie Pluchel/University of Minnesota. Thermodynamic phase diagram and schematic illustration of microstructure of Ni-based high-entropy alloy. Courtesy of POSTECH.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 12 EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NOBEL PRIZE HONORS METALORGANIC FRAMEWORKS Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghi received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for developing a new form of molecular architecture. In their constructions, metal ions function as cornerstones that are linked by long organic molecules. Together, the metal ions and molecules are organized to form crystals that contain large cavities, and these porous materials are called metal-organic frameworks (MOF). By varying the building blocks used in the MOFs, chemists can design them to capture and store specific substances. MOFs can also drive chemical reactions or conduct electricity. “Metal-organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions,” says Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. It began in 1989, when Robson tried using the inherent properties of atoms in a new way. He combined positively charged copper ions with a four-armed molecule, which had a chemical group that was attracted to copper ions at the end of each arm. When combined, they bonded to form a well-ordered, spacious crystal like a diamond filled with numerous cavities. Robson immediately recognized the potential of his molecular construction, but it was unstable and easily collapsed. Next, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi provided this building method with a firm foundation. Between 1992 and 2003, they separately made a series of discoveries. Kitagawa showed that gases can flow in and out of the constructions and predicted that MOFs could be made flexible. Yaghi created a very stable MOF and showed that it can be modified using rational design, giving it new and desirable properties. Following these groundbreaking discoveries, chemists have built tens of thousands of different MOFs. Some of these may help solve the world’s greatest challenges, with applications from separating PFAS from water to capturing carbon dioxide and beyond. nobelprize.org. STOPPING CRACKS IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES Researchers at Brown University discovered surprising details about how cracks form in multilayer flexible electronic devices. The team found that small cracks in a device’s fragile electrode layer can drive deeper, more destructive cracks into the tougher polymer substrate layer on which the electrodes sit. The work overturns an assumption that polymer substrates usually resist cracking. For the study, postdoc Anush Ranka made small experimental devices using various types of ceramic electrodes and polymer substrates. He then subjected them to bending tests and used an electron microscope to examine the cracks. The study showed that cracks in the ceramic layer often drive deeper cracks into the substrate. The effect occurred across ceramic and polymer combinations, suggesting this is a common failure mechanism in flexible electronics. Understanding the cracking mechanism led the team toward a potential fix: adding a third layer of material between the ceramic and the substrate that mitigates the elastic mismatch. The researchers believe their design diagram could lead to more durable devices. brown.edu. Chang Robotics, Jacksonville, Fla., joined the Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity Engineering Research Center (HAND ERC), a multiinstitutional effort led by Northwestern University and funded with a $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation. HAND ERC is developing robotic hands that come equipped with AI-powered skills that will improve over time. www.changrobotics.ai. BRIEF Many flexible metal-organic frameworks can change shape when they are filled or emptied of various substances. Courtesy of Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. A microscope image reveals how cracks that form in the ceramic top layer of a flexible electronic device can penetrate deep into the polymer substrate beneath. Courtesy of Brown University.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 13 ADDING WRINKLES TO 2D MATERIALS Materials scientists at Rice University, Houston, discovered that small creases in 2D materials can control electron spin with extreme precision, a finding that may speed development of ultracompact, energy-efficient electronic devices. It is believed that computing with spin could overcome the limitations of current silicon-based technology, reducing the energy footprint of devices and data centers. To combat the information decay typical with spin, the researchers found that bending atomically thin layers of materials like molybdenum ditelluride creates a unique spin texture called persistent spin helix (PSH), which can preserve spin state even in scattering collisions. The team hypothesized that wrinkles in 2D materials could be a way to control electron spin states: When a 2D material is bent, the top side of the sheet stretches while the bottom gets compressed. This uneven strain causes positive and negative charges to shift slightly relative to one another, producing an internal electric field called flexoelectric polarization. “Undulations are common in 2D materials, appearing as wrinkles or self-sustained hairpin-like loops when folded—creating regions with extremely high curvature,” says researcher Sunny Gupta. “We demonstrate that in such hairpin folds in molybdenum ditelluride, PSH states can achieve a spin-precession length of about 1 nanometer— the shortest reported to date.” A short precession length means spintronic devices can be much more compact. “Here we showed that not only do macroscopic changes in the geometry or shape of 2D materials have an impact on the deep quantum-relativistic interaction between electron spin and nuclei, but also that this effect can be harnessed to create exotic spin textures for novel spintronics,” added Gupta. rice.edu. SILVER NANOWIRE FILM HELPS INFRARED CAMERAS Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering developed a transparent electrode made from embedding tiny silver wires into a transparent plastic matrix that can be easily deposited on top of conventional infrared detectors. “We’ve developed a material that solves a fundamental problem NANOTECHNOLOGY Graphical depiction of electron spins in a bent 2D material, which exhibits the persistent spin helix structure. Courtesy of Sunny Gupta. that has been limiting infrared detector design,” says Ayaskanta Sahu, associate professor. “Our transparent electrode material works well across the infrared spectrum, giving engineers more flexibility in how they build these devices.” The team tested their material by building it into infrared cameras that use colloidal quantum dots as the light-responsive material. For this study, the scientists used tiny clusters of mercury telluride, a type of quantum dot that responds to various wavelengths of infrared light. Their new approach represents a significant improvement over existing methods that rely on expensive materials like indium tin oxide or thin metal films, which either lose transparency in longer infrared wavelengths or suffer from poor electrical properties and must be rigid. Measuring 120 nm in diameter and 10-30 µm in length, the silver nanowires form conductive networks even at relatively low concentrations. When embedded in the PVA matrix, they form a silvery conductive ink that can be sprayed or spun onto infrared detectors as stable and flexible films that could even be manufactured at the low temperatures needed for quantum dot processing. engineering.nyu.edu. Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed an electrically controlled smart window that can cut near-infrared light transmission by almost 50%. Their method relies on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. llnl.gov, doi.org/10.1021/ acs.nanolett.5c00059. BRIEF Scanning electron microscopy of nanowires reveals areas of transparency and overlapping nanowires for electron transport. Courtesy of Håvard Mølnås.
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 14 AI FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 14 A physics-informed multi-agent framework demonstrates how physics-constrained AI can accelerate industrial adoption of binder jet additive manufacturing by delivering first-time right process parameters. OPTIMIZING BINDER JET ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PARAMETERS Bhargavi Mummareddy Knoxville, Tennessee Binder jet additive manufacturing visualization showing SiC powder particles (blue) with deposited liquid binder (yellow) in interstitial void spaces (white).
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 15 Binder jet additive manufacturing (BJAM) represents one of the most promising technologies for high-volume production of metal and ceramic components, offering unprecedented design freedom without the thermal stresses inherent in laser-based processes. Unlike powder bed fusion techniques, binder jetting operates at room temperature by selectively depositing liquid binder onto powder layers, enabling processing of materials difficult or impossible to handle with high-energy source methods. Its ability to simultaneously print multiple parts with complex internal geometries while maintaining dimensional accuracy positions it as a critical AM technique for aerospace, automotive, and energy applications that require both geometric complexity and material performance. Despite these advantages, BJAM faces a critical bottleneck—process parameter discovery. Current workflows rely heavily on design of experiment methodologies or a common trial and error method, requiring numerous builds to optimize combinations of particle size distribution, binder saturation, roller traverse speed, and sintering schedules. This approach scales poorly when introducing new powders or multimodal blends. The nonlinear multiphysics nature of BJAM, involving particle packing, binder capillary penetration, powder spreading dynamics, and sintering kinetics demands a fundamentally different approach. This article presents a physics- informed multi-agent AI system that operationalizes governing BJAM equations within machine learning frameworks. By decomposing optimization into specialized agents handling physics enforcement, materials classification, and uncertainty quantification, the framework captures cross-material trends while ensuring physical realism, transforming BJAM development from empirical iteration into predic- tive engineering. PHYSICS-INFORMED FOUNDATIONS The framework enforces funda- mental BJAM physics to constrain feasible design regions and prevent non-physical recommendations, including the following: Particle packing density. Random close packing of monosized spheres yields ~60% relative density, while engineered multimodal blends achieve 65-70%. The Furnas relationship follows: where ϕ represents porosity fraction. Binder saturation. Controls inter- particle adhesion and dimensional stability according to: Physics-based constraints enforce 70% ≤ S ≤ 90% to prevent delamination (S < 70%) or dimensional inaccuracy from bleeding (S > 90%). Capillary penetration. Binder penetration follows the Washburn equation: where L is penetration depth, γ is surface tension, r is effective pore radius, θ is contact angle, η is binder viscosity, and t is contact time. Spreading stability. Roller speed optimization follows empirically derived scaling: where α ≈ 0.6 for spherical powders, ensuring uniform layer formation. Sintering kinetics. Densification incorporates diffusion-controlled shrinkage: Material-specific activation energies (Q) define processing windows: Al₂O₃ (~520 kJ/mol, 1600°C), 316L (~280 kJ/mol, 1250°C), and SiC (~650 kJ/mol, >2100°C). MULTI-AGENT ARCHITECTURE The system transforms two user inputs, material type and median particle size (D₅₀), which are put into optimized BJAM process parameters through a coordinated nine-step workflow, as shown in Fig. 1. 1. Physics Agent • Computes packing density bounds (Furnas model). • Estimates binder penetration (Washburn equation). • Sets priors for layer thickness (~4 × D₅₀) and roller speed (∝ 1/D₅₀). • Applies a 0.9× correction for ceramics to account for angular morphology. 2. Constraint Manager – Pass 1 • Enforces feasibility windows: binder saturation 70-90%, sintering temperature ranges from diffusion- controlled activation energies, and printer hardware limits. • Applies binder compatibility rules: aqueous for oxides/carbides; solvent-based for metals. 3. Regression Agent • Implements quantile regression with three gradient boosting models (Q₁₀, Q₅₀, Q₉₀). • Produces conservative, median, and optimistic density predictions. • Provides actionable confidence intervals for decision-making. 4. Feature Engineering • Numerical inputs (D₅₀, thickness, saturation, roller speed) scaled. • Categorical inputs (material type, class, binder chemistry) one-hot encoded. • Interaction terms capture material- specific behavior for transfer across metals, ceramics, and carbides. 5. Materials Agent • Classifies systems and applies binder/saturation ranges. • Metals: solvent binders; saturation 70-85%; roller speed 1.2-3.5 mm/s; densities 88-95%. • Ceramics: aqueous binders; saturation 75-90%; reduced roller speed for angular particles; densities 85-92%. 6. Uncertainty Agent • Propagates errors through bootstrap sampling and cross-validation. • Performs Monte Carlo simulations (n = 10,000) to calibrate confidence intervals. • Flags predictions outside reliability thresholds.
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