Larissa Feitosa receives TMM Best Paper Award 2026
Award recognises her research comparing phase transformations in classical and additively manufactured maraging steels
At a glance:
- Award: TMM Best Paper Award 2026
- Awardee: Dr Larissa Feitosa, postdoctoral researcher and Humboldt fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials
- Awarded paper: Dilatometric insights into classical and modern maraging steels: a comparative analysis of grades 300, 350, and 400, published in the journal Tecnologia em Metalurgia, Materiais e Mineração (TMM)
- Research focus: Phase transformations and hardening mechanisms in maraging steels
Dr Larissa Feitosa, postdoctoral researcher and Humboldt fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials, has received the TMM Best Paper Award 2026 from the Brazilian Association of Metallurgy, Materials and Mining (ABM). The award recognises her publication in the journal Tecnologia em Metalurgia, Materiais e Mineração (TMM), comparing the behaviour of different grades of maraging steel.
The award ceremony took place on 8 September 2026 during the 10th edition of ABM Week in São Paulo, Brazil.
Comparing three classes of maraging steels
Maraging steels are a class of ultra-high-strength steels that combine exceptional mechanical strength with a relatively straightforward heat-treatment process. Their properties depend strongly on how their microstructure changes during heating and cooling.
In her award-winning study, Feitosa and her co-authors compared three major grades of maraging steel (300, 350 and 400). The study also included grade 300 produced by additive manufacturing, allowing the researchers to investigate how both chemical composition and production route influence the material's behaviour. The team used dilatometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Vickers hardness measurements to examine the materials' microstructures and properties. The results revealed clear differences between grade 400 and the 300 and 350 grades. In particular, the lower nickel and higher molybdenum content of grade 400 was linked to a different precipitation behaviour during heat treatment.
The findings show that both alloy composition and manufacturing route can significantly influence the phase transformations that determine the final properties of maraging steels. In some cases, changing the balance of alloying elements can suppress the formation of nickel-rich phases while promoting molybdenum-rich phases.
The awarded publication combines detailed experimental analysis with a practical understanding of how alloy composition and manufacturing processes affect advanced steels.
Recognition at ABM Week
The ABM Week is a major technical-scientific and business event for the metallurgy, materials and mining sectors in Latin America. The event brings together researchers and industry representatives to promote technological exchange, industrial development and innovation.
