A glass that won't break: Oxide glasses are important for applications ranging from smartphone screens to window panes. One familiar feature of glass is that it fractures and shatters when rapidly deformed, limiting the number of potential uses. However, Frankberg et al. found that they could deform thin films of glassy alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) with high strain rates at room temperature (see the Perspective by Wondraczek). This surprising observation is supported by simulations of the material that show that dense and flawless glassy alumina samples can deform this way. The discovery provides important insight into designing new glasses that might be more fracture resistant. Science , this issue p. 864 ; see also p. 804

This study investigated the in-situ gaseous (under 150 bar) hydrogen embrittlement behaviour of additively manufactured (AM) Inconel 718 produced from sustainable feedstock. Here, sustainable feedstock refers to the Inconel 718 powder produced by vacuum induction melting inert gas atomisation of failed printed parts or waste from CNC machining. All Inconel 718 samples, namely AM-as-processed, AM-heat-treated and conventional samples showed severe hydrogen embrittlement. Additionally, it was found that despite its higher yield strength (1462 ± 8 MPa) and the presence of δ phase, heat-treated AM Inconel 718 demonstrates 64% lower degree of hydrogen embrittlement compared to the wrought counterpart (Y.S. 1069 ± 4 MPa). This was linked to the anisotropic microstructure induced by the AM process, which was found to cause directional embrittlement unlike the wrought samples showing isotropic embrittlement. In conclusion, this study shows that AM Inconel 718 produced from recycled feedstock shows better hydrogen embrittlement resistance compared to the wrought sample. Furthermore, the unique anisotropic properties, seen in this study for Inconel 718 manufactured by laser powder bed fusion, could be considered further in component design to help minimise the degree of hydrogen embrittlement.

Copper is a critical material for energy transition and green technologies, making its sustainable use increasingly important. Its superior thermal and electrical conductivity make it highly well-suited for additive manufacturing (AM). In this study, copper sourced from offshore electrical cables was upcycled to produce high-quality metal powder for AM. The scrap was processed to separate the metal from plastic and rubber, then refined through ultrasonic atomization, achieving a purity of ~99.5% wt.% with minimal impurities. Characterization demonstrated good flowability, apparent and tap densities, and a well-distributed particle size. To assess its performance in AM, the powder was printed using Directed Energy Deposition (DED) with a laser beam, confirming its high printability and compatibility with the base material. Finally, a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) revealed a significant environmental advantage of the recycling-based process over conventional mining, reducing global warming potential by more than 70%. These findings highlight the importance of feedstock origin in AM sustainability and support the adoption of circular economy strategies to lower the environmental footprint of advanced manufacturing.

In the framework of hydrogen production and storage for clean energy generation, the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement of a newly developed austenitic stainless steel is presented. Gas-atomized metal powders prepared from secondary-sourced metals were employed to manufacture test specimens with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology. After machining and exposure to a controlled, pressurized hydrogen atmosphere at high temperature, the effect of hydrogen charging on the mechanical performance under static and dynamic conditions was investigated. The stabilizing effect of the optimized chemical composition is reflected in the absence of degradation effects on Yield Stress (YS), Ultimate Tensile Stress (UTS), and fatigue life observed for specimens exposed to hydrogen. Moreover, despite a moderate reduction in the elongation at fracture observed by increasing the hydrogen charging time, ductility loss calculated as Relative Reduction of Area (RRA) remains substantially unaffected by the duration of exposure to hydrogen and demonstrates that the austenitic steel is capable of resisting hydrogen embrittlement (HE).

Sustainable disassembly and recovery of end-of-life metal-composite components is a key focus in aviation. Specifically, efficient recycling of metals is hampered by impurity content, which potentially leads to deleterious downgrading of alloys.Recycling of a novel multi-material hybrid joining system for aerospace applications, designed within the EU-funded MIMOSA project, is addressed.The proposed strategy involves mechanical separation of the metal (AlSi10Mg) and composite (CFRP) materials through a multi-stage process. While the CFRP follows a dedicated recycling line, AlSi10Mg is upcycled via atomization to generate sustainable powder feedstock for Additive Manufacturing (AM).Particle size distribution, morphology, chemical composition, tap, and apparent density are evaluated for AlSi10Mg powders from lab-scale atomization. The results confirm the compliance of powder properties with Aerospace standards.Overall, the proposed strategy supports the implementation of a circular model to close the loop on multi-material joints, integrating AM production and recycling of the metal parts of the joints.