Advances in design by metallic materials: Synthesis, characterization, simulation and applications

Metals have exerted a significant influence throughout the history of mankind, so much so that the different periods of development have often been marked with the name of some material: bronze age and iron age. And all these centuries are studded with continuous discoveries and improvements that have involved materials. However, perhaps in a fairly recent period something has changed in the relationship between Man and Metals: even if until today the growth of humanity remains substantially based on the full exploitation of metals, their convenience compared to other emerging families of unconventional materials is increasingly questioned. In particular, the central argument for this collection was chosen considering that very recently, a great deal of attention has been paid by researchers and technologists to trying to eliminate metal materials in the design of products and processes in favor of plastics and reinforced composites. After a few years, it is possible to state that metal materials are even more present in our lives and this especially is thanks to their ability to evolve. This Special Issue is focused on that and on the recent evolution of metals and alloys with the scope of presenting the state-of-the-art of solutions where metallic materials have become established, without a doubt, as a successful design solution thanks to their unique properties. The Special Issue also intends to outline the fundamental development trends in the field, together with the most recent advances in the use of the metallic materials.