Recent Research Trends in Severe Plastic Deformation of Metallic and Non-Metallic Materials

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) has emerged as a transformative tool in materials science, enabling the development of ultrafine-grained, nanostructured and heterostructured materials with exceptional mechanical and functional properties. Initially gaining prominence in the early 2000s for microstructure control and mechanical property enhancement, SPD is now increasingly applied to improve functional properties, particularly in biomedical, energy, and hydrogen-related applications. The scope of SPD has expanded from metallic materials to encompass a wide range of non-metallic materials, including ceramics and polymers. Additionally, SPD methods have provided insights into natural phenomena involving high strain and pressure, such as phase transformations and certain geological and astronomical processes. This article reviews recent research trends, as highlighted in the 2023 special issue of Materials Transactions entitled “Superfunctional Nanomaterials by Severe Plastic Deformation”, focusing on recent advancements and interdisciplinary applications of SPD.