Functionally graded materials: A review of fabrication and properties

This paper presents an overview of recent advances in functionally graded materials research. The key research opportunities and challenges in the development of manufacturing process and materials selection of functionally graded materials are addressed. The state of knowledge in materials selection, fabrication, characterization, analysis and modelling of functionally graded materials is presented with a particular emphasis on identifying fundamental structure–property relationships. Challenges in fabrication of functionally graded materials are discussed and their future prospects in various scientific and technological fields are addressed.