Copper alloys and copper matrix composites have been attracting a lot of attention lately. Their composition design, preparation, and processing directly affect the final performance. In this review, several typical copper alloys, such as Cu-Fe-P, Cu-Ni-Si, and Cu-Cr-Zr are analyzed. The deformation mechanisms, microstructure evolution, and dynamic recrystallization behavior are summarized. In addition, dispersion strengthened copper matrix composites and graphene reinforced copper matrix composites are reviewed.

The concrete relationship between the process parameters and nanoproduct properties is an important challenge for applying nanotechnology to produce functional nanomaterials. In this study, the relationships between series of process parameters and the medicated nanofibers’ diameter were investigated. With an electrospinnable solution of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and ketoprofen as the core fluid, four kinds of nanofibers were prepared with ethanol as a sheath fluid and under the variable applied voltages. Based on these nanofibers, a series of relationships between the process parameters and the nanofibers’ diameters (D) were disclosed, such as with the height of the Taylor cone (H, D = 125 + 363H), with the angle of the Taylor cone (α, D = 1576 − 19α), with the length of the straight fluid jet (L, D = 285 + 209L), and with the spreading angle of the instable region (θ, D = 2342 − 43θ). In vitro dissolution tests verified that the smaller the diameters, the faster ketoprofen (KET) was released from the HPMC nanofibers. These concrete process-property relationships should provide a way to achieve new knowledge about the electrostatic energy-fluid interactions, and to meanwhile improve researchers’ capability to optimize the coaxial process conditions to achieve the desired nanoproducts.

In a drug delivery system, the physicochemical properties of the polymeric matrix have a positive impact on the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. In this work, monolithic F1 fibers and coaxial F2 fibers were successfully prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone as the main polymer matrix for drug loading and the poorly water-soluble curcumin (Cur) as a model drug. The hydrophobic poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) (PHBV) was designed as a blank layer to change the hydrophilicity of the fiber and restrain the drug dissolution rate. The curved linear morphology without beads of F1 fibers and the straight linear morphology with few spindles of F2 fibers were characterized using field-emission environmental scanning electron microscopy. The amorphous forms of the drug and its good compatibility with polymeric matrix were verified by X-ray diffraction and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Surface wettability and drug dissolution data showed that the weaker hydrophilicity F2 fibers (31.42° ± 3.07°) had 24 h for Cur dissolution, which was much longer than the better hydrophilic F1 fibers (15.31° ± 2.79°) that dissolved the drug in 4 h.

The approximate process range for preparing the Cu–Cr–Zr alloy by selective laser melting (SLM) was determined by ANSYS simulation, and the influence of the SLM process parameters on the comprehensive properties of the SLM-formed alloy was studied by the design of experiments. The Cu–Cr–Zr alloy with optimum strength and hardness was prepared with high efficiency by optimizing the process parameters for SLM (i.e., laser power, scanning speed, and hatching distance). It is experimentally shown that tensile strength and hardness of the SLM alloy are increased by increasing laser power and decreasing scanning speed, whereas they are initially increased and then decreased by increasing the hatching distance. Moreover, strength, roughness and hardness of the SLM alloy are optimized when laser power is 460 W, scanning speed is 700 mm/s and hatching distance is 0.06 mm. The optimized properties of the SLM alloy are a tensile strength of 153.5 MPa, hardness of 119 HV, roughness of 31.384 μm and relative density of 91.62%.