Research Group Members Attend the 7th International Conference on Powder Metallurgy in Asia in Qingdao and Achieve Outstanding Results
In the golden autumn of October, on the shores of the Yellow Sea, the 7th International Conference on Powder Metallurgy in Asia – the most influential academic event in the field of powder metallurgy in Asia – was grandly held from October 19th to 22nd at the beautiful coastal city's Shangri-La Hotel in Qingdao. Jointly organized by the Powder Metallurgy Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance and the Chinese Society for Metals, the conference brought together leading experts, scholars, and young students from the global powder metallurgy field. A delegation of five from our research group attended the conference and delivered excellent academic presentations. The delegation included Professor Feng Peizhong, student Liu Yudong, along with former group members: Professor Lu Qiong (now at Kunming University of Science and Technology), Professor Shang Zhichao (now at Henan Academy of Sciences), and student Sang Changcheng (now at Hefei University of Technology).
Figure 1: Group photo of the team members in front of the 2015 Asian Powder Metallurgy International Conference venue.
Over the four-day conference, the faculty and students from our research group fully presented their latest research findings and engaged in in-depth exchanges with peers from both China and abroad.
Professor Feng Peizhong was invited to serve as the chairman of the "Metal Matrix Composites" parallel session and also delivered an oral presentation titled "Upcycling waste MoSi2 into high-performance composite coatings for protecting refractory alloys across a wide temperature range." The presentation innovatively proposed a new strategy for using waste heating elements as raw materials to prepare high-performance composite coatings via spark plasma sintering technology. It systematically elaborated on the mechanism of effectively suppressing excessive interfacial diffusion at high temperatures by designing a multi-layer coating structure, offering a novel approach to solving key technical challenges in high-temperature protective coatings, which sparked considerable interest among the attendees.
Figure 2: Professor Feng Peizhong delivering his oral presentation.
Professor Lu Qiong's presentation was titled "Achieving Synergistic Improvement of Strength and Toughness in Titanium Matrix Composites via Supersaturated Solid Solution and Phase Transformation Strategy." She introduced a novel heterostructure-optimized titanium matrix composite, uniquely combining fine/coarse grain regions with in-situ formed interfacial submicron TiB/micron TiC reinforcements and intragranular nano TiB whiskers. This composite achieved an excellent balance of strength and plasticity, with a nearly 30% increase in strength compared to the matrix alloy without any loss of ductility. These findings reveal the vast, untapped potential for optimizing the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites.
Professor Shang Zhichao's presentation was titled "3D Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Porous Co-Al-Cr Intermetallic Fabricated via Rapid Low-Energy Self-Exothermic Reaction for Advanced Filtration Applications." He introduced a method for one-step synthesis of porous intermetallics with a three-dimensionally interconnected structure via a novel low-energy self-exothermic reaction and systematically revealed the intrinsic relationship between their pore structure and filtration performance/corrosion behavior. This work paves a new path for filtration and solid-liquid separation applications in high-temperature corrosive atmospheres.
Student Sang Changcheng's presentation was titled "Microstructure and properties of W-Cu functional graded materials prepared by combining tape casting with infiltration sintering method." He introduced a new method for preparing continuous W-Cu functionally graded materials. The core of this method lies in utilizing the stratified distribution characteristic of W powders in a liquid medium due to particle size differences. Through debinding, reduction, and sintering processes, a W skeleton with a porosity gradient is formed. Finally, by infiltrating copper, a W-Cu functionally graded material with continuously varying composition was successfully fabricated.
Student Liu Yudong reported on his research "Preparation, High Temperature Physicochemical Properties, and Molten Salt Corrosion Behavior of High-Entropy Rare Earth Ceramics." He successfully synthesized a novel high-entropy rare earth silicate ceramic, which exhibits excellent thermophysical properties and outstanding resistance to CMAS molten salt corrosion, holding significant application potential in the field of thermal/environmental barrier coatings.
At this conference, while our research group's work gained widespread recognition, we also experienced a highlight moment. After strict selection by the conference review committee, Professor Shang Zhichao, student Sang Changcheng, and student Liu Yudong were awarded the "Best Paper Award for Young Scientists" by the conference, in recognition of their outstanding research work and excellent presentations. This honor not only fully affirms the scientific research innovation capabilities of the awardees but also reflects the growing influence of our research group on the high-level international academic stage.
Figure 3: Presentation of the "Best Paper Award for Young Scientists."
Figure 4: Professor Yang Jinbo presenting the Parallel Session Chairman Certificate of Honor to Professor Feng Peizhong.
All rivers run to the sea, and knowledge knows no bounds. This trip to Qingdao not only allowed our research group to make a strong impact on the international stage and gain honors but also helped clarify our future direction. The research group will continue to uphold the scientific spirit of "being distinctive, having highlights, exerting influence, and achieving substantial results," forging ahead on the path of powder metallurgy and advanced materials science, and striving to produce more innovative achievements with international impact.