Prof. Kun LIU | Publications & Academic Profile | SinoTechIntel

Research Publications & English Decoded Briefs

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Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (中国有色金属学报)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(26)67059-8

Achieving strength-ductility tradeoff in near alpha titanium alloy via multi-stage heat treatment-induced nano-martensite phase transformation

A multi-stage heat treatment (MSHT) strategy, comprising a high-temperature short-duration water quench (WQ) followed by low-temperature long-duration furnace cooling (FC), was applied to a near-alpha Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni-2Al-1.5Zr alloy to overcome the strength-ductility tradeoff. The WQ state produced lath nano-martensite alpha-prime, residual beta-prime, and equiaxed recrystallized alpha. Subsequent FC decomposition transformed alpha-prime/beta-prime into homogeneously dispersed nano-scale alpha+beta precipitates, while equiaxed alpha coarsened via grain boundary migration. The WQ condition exhibited an ultimate tensile strength (sigma_UTS) of 610 MPa and elongation to failure (epsilon_f) of 18.2%. The WQ+400FC condition achieved a peak sigma_UTS of 791.5 MPa with epsilon_f = 16.7%, yielding a strength-ductility product (sigma_UTS * epsilon_f) of 13.2 GPa*%, a 19% improvement over the WQ state. Texture analysis revealed a duplex texture in WQ: weak {0001}//Z0 and strong {0110}//Y0, inherited after FC. The 400FC sample showed the highest lattice strain inhomogeneity, with peak kernel average misorientation (KAM) of 1.5 degrees and grain orientation spread (GOS) of 0.96 degrees, correlating with the excellent sigma_UTS. Non-basal slip systems exhibited higher Schmid factor (SF) values after heat treatment, contributing to ductility. Burgers orientation relationship (BOR) reconstruction confirmed variant selection during beta to alpha-prime transformation, with only four predominant alpha-prime variants instead of the twelve theoretically possible.

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Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01704-5

Water-Restrained Hydrogel Electrolytes with Repulsion-Driven Cationic Express Pathways for Durable Zinc-Ion Batteries

The development of flexible zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) faces a three-way trade-off among the ionic conductivity, Zn2+ mobility, and the electrochemical stability of hydrogel electrolytes. To address this challenge, we designed a cationic hydrogel named PAPTMA to holistically improve the reversibility of ZIBs. The long cationic branch chains in the polymeric matrix construct express pathways for rapid Zn2+ transport through an ionic repulsion mechanism, achieving simultaneously high Zn2+ transference number (0.79) and high ionic conductivity (28.7 mS cm−1). Additionally, the reactivity of water in the PAPTMA hydrogels is significantly inhibited, thus possessing a strong resistance to parasitic reactions. Mechanical characterization further reveals the superior tensile and adhesion strength of PAPTMA. Leveraging these properties, symmetric batteries employing PAPTMA hydrogel deliver exceeding 6000 h of reversible cycling at 1 mA cm−2 and maintain stable operation for 1000 h with a discharge of depth of 71%. When applied in 4 × 4 cm2 pouch cells with MnO2 as the cathode material, the device demonstrates remarkable operational stability and mechanical robustness through 150 cycles. This work presents an eclectic strategy for designing advanced hydrogels that combine high ionic conductivity, enhanced Zn2+ mobility, and strong resistance to parasitic reactions, paving the way for long-lasting flexible ZIBs.

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New Carbon Materials (新型炭材料)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2024-39-01-10)

Ir nanoclusters on ZIF-8-derived nitrogen-doped carbon frameworks to give a highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

The precise change of the electronic structure of active metals using low-active supports is an effective way of developing high-performance electrocatalysts. The electronic interaction of the metal and support provides a flexible way of optimizing the catalytic performance. We have fabricated an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst, in which Ir nanoclusters are uniformly loaded on a nitrogen-doped carbon framework (Ir@NC). The synthesis process entails immersing an annealed zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), prepared at 900 °C as a carbon source, into an IrCl3 solution, followed by a calcination-reduction treatment at 400 °C under a H2/Ar atmosphere. The three-dimensional porous structure of the nitrogen-doped carbon framework exposes more active metal sites, and the combined effect of the Ir clusters and the N-doped carbon support efficiently changes the electronic structure of Ir, optimizing the HER process. In acidic media, Ir@NC has a remarkable HER electrocatalytic activity, with an overpotential of only 23 mV at 10 mA cm−2, an ultra-low Tafel slope (25.8 mV dec−1) and good stability for over 24 h at 10 mA cm−2. The high activity of the electrocatalyst with a simple and scalable synthesis method makes it a highly promising candidate for the industrial production of hydrogen by splitting acidic water.

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