Surface Technology (表面技术)•2026•DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.09.004
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4, KDP) crystals are indispensable optical components in high-power laser systems and inertial confinement fusion devices, yet their hygroscopicity, brittleness, and low hardness render them among the most difficult materials to machine. This study establishes a solid-phase chemical reaction rate model grounded in heterogeneous solid-phase reaction kinetics and the Arrhenius equation, quantifying the influence of mechanical action and temperature on reaction kinetics. The true contact area between the KDP crystal and the fixed abrasive pad is computed, and the reaction layer thickness is derived by coupling the reaction rate model with single-abrasive scratching theory. A material removal model is subsequently formulated, linking abrasive penetration depth to reaction layer thickness. Experiments were conducted at polishing pressures of 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 kPa and pad rotational speeds of 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 r/min. Theoretical material removal rates were compared with empirical data, yielding discrepancies within 13% (maximum errors of 10.6% at 7.5 kPa and 12.5% at 30 kPa). Material removal rate increases monotonically with polishing pressure and pad rotational speed. The model elucidates the coupling mechanism between chemical and mechanical actions: solid-phase reactions generate a reaction layer on the workpiece surface, which is removed by abrasive mechanical action; equilibrium between chemical and mechanical actions enables high-quality KDP crystal processing.
Opto-Electronic Advances (光电进展)•2026•DOI: 10.29026/oea.2026.250211
Conventional terahertz (THz) single-pixel imaging relies on sequential compressed sensing with spatial modulators, imposing severe acquisition latency and hardware complexity. This work demonstrates a parallelized THz single-pixel imaging scheme using a pixelated metasurface within a standard THz time-domain spectroscopy system. Spatial information is encoded through multiple narrow linewidth resonances rooted in bound states in the continuum (BIC) physics, while the BIC-enabled pixelated metasurface facilitates near-field distributed sensing via local field enhancement. A 2×2 metasurface array validates integrated imaging and sensing in a proof-of-concept experiment, with demonstrated scalability to larger arrays. The approach achieves 100% accuracy in binary imaging reconstruction from a single THz pulse and enables refractive index sensing with a sensitivity exceeding 14.39 GHz/RIU. Leveraging the intrinsic penetration capability of THz radiation, this technique offers significant promise for next-generation noninvasive applications such as security inspection and defect detection in semiconductor chips and pharmaceutical products.
Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (中国有色金属学报)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(26)67067-7
Conventional ammonium sulfate leaching of ionic rare earth ores generates 4–6 t of ammonia-nitrogen wastewater per ton of rare earth and drives mining-area soil pH to 3.5–4.0, creating an acute environmental compliance risk. This study evaluates a low-ammonium synergistic lixiviant comprising 0.020 mol/L (NH4)2SO4 and 0.010 mol/L acetic acid (HAc) at pH 4–5, 30 °C, and 1 h contact time. Comparative leaching experiments establish a rare earth element (REE) leaching efficiency of 88.92%, a 13.36% absolute increase over single 0.020 mol/L (NH4)2SO4 leaching. To achieve the same ~90% efficiency benchmark, the conventional single-salt system requires 0.030 mol/L (NH4)2SO4; the synergistic system therefore reduces ammonium consumption by 33.3%. Surface characterization indicates a dual mechanism: H+ attenuates electrostatic interactions between RE3+ and silicate surfaces, enhancing NH4+–RE3+ exchange, while CH3COO− forms soluble RE3+/Al3+ complexes that prevent Al(OH)3 passivation and sustain surface reactivity. The protocol offers a directly deployable route to cut reagent cost and ammonia-nitrogen load without sacrificing recovery, addressing the principal bottleneck restraining sustainable ionic rare earth ore exploitation under China's dual-carbon and rare earth total-amount control policies.
Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (中国有色金属学报)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(26)67064-1
The influence of thickness and annealing treatment on the microstructure and soft magnetic properties of Fe−Si−B−Cu−Nb alloy (Finemet) thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering was systematically investigated. As-deposited films are amorphous; coercivity decreases and saturation magnetization increases with thickness, stabilizing at 400 nm. Annealing at 773 K and 873 K precipitates nanocrystalline α-Fe within the amorphous matrix. Exchange coupling between nanocrystals and the amorphous matrix enhances soft magnetic properties. Rapid thermal processing (RTP) controls the heating rate to minimize grain size and optimize nanocrystal distribution, achieving low coercivity and high saturation magnetization without additional transition metals. The film annealed at 873 K for 30 min with a heating rate of 25 K/s exhibits a coercivity of 0.8 A/m and saturation magnetization of 1.45 T. Compared to the 773 K annealed film, the 873 K annealed film shows significantly lower coercivity due to smaller precipitated nanocrystals. RTP with controlled thermal gradient enables even smaller nanocrystals, further enhancing magnetic properties. These results demonstrate that RTP-treated Finemet films are promising for high-frequency, miniaturized, and integrated electronic devices.
Chinese Journal of Energetic Materials (含能材料)•2026•DOI: 10.11943/CJEM2026036
To address the issue that resin matrices in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites cannot participate in explosive energy release when used in warhead casings, an epoxy resin cured compound with both high mechanical properties and high energy-release characteristics was prepared by introducing more easily pyrolyzable polyether segments and fluoropolymer-coated nano-aluminum powder into a high-rigidity epoxy cured compound. The crosslinked network structure, mechanical properties, thermal decomposition characteristics, ignition and combustion characteristics, and energy-release performance were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, quasi-static mechanical testing, TG-DSC, laser ignition testing, and closed bomb testing. Results show that the cured compound has a well-formed crosslinked network, a tensile strength of 72.41 MPa, an initial thermal decomposition temperature of approximately 273 °C, a minimum ignition energy reduced to 1.77 J, a maximum pressure rise rate of 0.407 MPa·ms⁻¹, and a peak pressure increased to 5.935 MPa in closed bomb tests. The introduction of polyether segments and fluoropolymer-coated nano-aluminum enhances the energy release rate and total energy release, making the material a potential resin matrix for CFRP-based reactive structural materials.
Chinese Journal of Energetic Materials (含能材料)•2026•DOI: 10.11943/CJEM2026051
The channel reactor offers advantages of high-efficiency mass and heat transfer, providing a basis for transitioning mixed-controlled strongly exothermic reactions from batch to continuous industrial production. This study focuses on the synthesis of 3-amino-4-aminoximiofurazan (AAOF). Reaction calorimetry experiments provided fundamental heat release data, which, combined with material and energy balances, yielded exothermic model parameters for a channel reactor. A heat transfer-exothermic model was constructed, and numerical solutions simulated jacket heat transfer, heat transfer rates, and heat exchange medium effectiveness. Thermal safety risks in the continuous flow process were analyzed, leading to a heat exchange control strategy. Results show that for a reactor tube of 0.01 m diameter and 5 m length, producing AAOF at 2 kg·h⁻¹ with heat transfer oil in co-current flow, the mass flow rate significantly affects safety: below 0.1 kg·h⁻¹, outlet temperature exceeds 120 °C, approaching the onset decomposition temperature (121.7 °C), risking thermal accumulation and runaway; optimal heat removal occurs at 2–3.5 kg·h⁻¹; above 4.5 kg·h⁻¹, temperature drops below 100 °C, failing to meet process conditions. The optimal heat exchange medium flow range is 2–3.5 kg·h⁻¹, providing foundational data and process parameters for safe design and stable operation of AAOF synthesis in channel reactors.
Chinese Journal of Energetic Materials (含能材料)•2026•DOI: 10.11943/CJEM2026001
To improve rock fragmentation in open-pit deep-hole blasting, an in-hole layered column charge configuration was designed. Small-scale blasting tests on sandstone specimens were conducted under continuous and layered column charges to capture the failure process and final fragmentation. DEM-PBM coupled simulations visualized the dynamic fracture evolution and validated the experimental observations. Results show that under continuous charge, the top quarter of the specimen developed only a single blast-induced crack, splitting it into two parts, with horizontal fragment velocity of 2.0 m·s⁻¹ and a maximum block size of 9.0 cm. In contrast, layered charge produced multiple cracks in the top quarter, fragmenting it into smaller pieces, increasing horizontal velocity to 7.0 m·s⁻¹, and eliminating blocks larger than 5.0 cm. Simulations confirmed these trends, with maximum block size reduced from 8.8 cm to below 5.0 cm and velocity reaching 6.8 m·s⁻¹, closely matching experiments. Field trials in an open-pit coal mine overburden blasting demonstrated that layered charge reduced the boulder yield from 48.1% to 5.6%, significantly improving fragmentation. The findings confirm the practical effectiveness of in-hole layered column charge in enhancing rock breakage in deep-hole bench blasting.
Journal of Semiconductors (半导体学报 - 中国科学院半导体研究所)•2026•DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25060031
Aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) has emerged as a III-nitride semiconductor with exceptional piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and thermal properties, enabling advanced micro/nano devices. This review systematically examines the crystal structure, property modulation mechanisms, and micro/nano fabrication technologies of AlScN, including deposition, etching, and device integration. Key material metrics are consolidated: Sc doping at 40% raises the piezoelectric coefficient d33 from 5 to 30 pC/N and the electromechanical coupling coefficient Kt2 from 7% to 25%, while remnant polarization exceeds 100 μC/cm². The wide bandgap (up to 6.2 eV), high thermal conductivity (~140 W/(m·K)), and high breakdown voltage (>10 MV/cm) underpin applications in MEMS, RF communications, energy conversion, optoelectronics, and sensors. Compositional engineering (20–40% Sc, co-doping with Mg or Yb), process optimization (low stress <500 MPa, FWHM <1.5°), and interface design (AlScN/GaN, AlScN/SiC) are critical for balancing piezoelectric performance and structural stability. Fabrication advances include low-stress (<200 MPa) high-Sc films via magnetron sputtering and 8-inch wafer-scale AlScN with thickness nonuniformity below ±3%. Device demonstrations span 33.7 GHz surface acoustic wave transducers, post-CMOS compatible ferroelectric field-effect transistors, high figure-of-merit Lamb wave resonators, pyroelectric infrared detectors, and ferroelectric RAM. Despite progress, challenges in phase separation, etching anisotropy, and integration scalability persist, necessitating further research into co-doping strategies, low-damage patterning, and heterogeneous integration.
Int. Journal of Mining Science and Technology (采矿与安全工程)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2026.01.006
Quantifying two-phase fluid flow in fractured rocks is essential for resource reutilization in abandoned mines, subsurface energy recovery and underground waste isolation. This study develops a mathematical framework for predicting the permeability of rough fracture networks by integrating fractal geometry with single-phase and two-phase seepage theory. A permeability model for rough fracture networks is first established, and its sensitivity to key geometric parameters is analyzed. A second model is then formulated to relate water-phase saturation to measurable variables, enabling the estimation of two-phase permeability from Reynolds number and aperture. Model predictions show deviations of less than 10% from numerical simulations for both single-phase and two-phase flow, demonstrating the accuracy and robustness of the proposed approach. The results highlight the dominant roles of fracture number, tortuosity and aperture in controlling permeability, as well as the influence of flow regimes on relative permeability. The proposed framework provides a practical and physically based method for analyzing multiphase seepage in fractured rock and offers a foundation for further applications to field-scale fractured systems.
Journal of Semiconductors (半导体学报 - 中国科学院半导体研究所)•2026•DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/26020057
Integrated silicon photonics has emerged as a transformative technology for post-Moore computing, offering high bandwidth, ultralow latency, and low energy consumption that surpass traditional electronic architectures. As AI models grow in complexity, the demand for high-speed, energy-efficient computing has intensified research into photonic accelerators. Matrix multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations, central to deep learning and combinatorial optimization, are particularly amenable to photonic implementation because light enables parallel multiplication and accumulation with minimal data movement. However, practical deployment has been hindered by challenges in large-scale integration, electro-optical co-packaging, analog computation accuracy, and compatibility with mainstream AI models. Two recent Nature studies have achieved pivotal breakthroughs: a 64×64 photonic arithmetic computing engine (PACE) with over 16,000 monolithically integrated photonic components, and a universal photonic AI accelerator. PACE employs a 2.5D hybrid packaging approach, cointegrating a 65-nm silicon photonics PIC and a 28-nm CMOS EIC via flip-chip bonding, achieving a minimum bump pitch of 100 μm and parasitic capacitance of 40–60 fF. Its incoherent optical computing architecture eliminates cross-channel interference and enables high-precision calibration. These works validate photonic accelerators as competitive alternatives to electronic AI chips, marking a critical step toward commercialization.
China Foundry•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s41230-026-5208-0
Thin-walled aluminum alloys, prized for their high specific strength, are critical to modern aerospace and other advanced industries. Counter-gravity casting (CGC) is a premier method for fabricating such components, where precise control over solidification microstructure is paramount. However, this control is challenged by the complex interplay of forced and natural convection during solidification. This study employs a coupled multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann (D2Q9) and quantitative phase-field model to simulate dendritic growth in a thin-walled Al-0.576wt.%Cu alloy. Simulations reveal that convection disrupts dendritic symmetry: for equiaxed crystals, solute plumes and asymmetric arm growth are observed, while for columnar dendrites, an optimal applied force exists that refines the microstructure without compromising economic viability. Furthermore, forced convection consistently reduces the inclination angle of primary dendrites. These findings, validated against experimental data, elucidate the micro-mechanisms of dendritic growth under convection, providing critical theoretical guidance for optimizing CGC processes.
China Foundry•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s41230-025-4147-5
The effects of the high pressure die casting (HPDC) processes on porosity, microstructure, and mechanical properties of heat-treatment-free aluminum silicon (Al-Si) alloys have long been a focal point in automotive die-casting research. In this work, the combined effect of shot sleeve materials and slow shot speeds on porosity, microstructure and mechanical properties of a newly designed HPDC Al-Si alloy was investigated. Results show that employing a ceramic shot sleeve or increasing the slow shot speed significantly reduces both the average size and area fraction of externally solidified crystals (ESCs), as well as the average pore size and volume fraction. When the slow shot speed is increased from 0.05 m·s-1 to 0.1 m·s-1, the pore volume fraction decreases by 10.2% in steel-shot-sleeve samples, compared to a substantial 67.1% reduction in ceramic-shot-sleeve samples. At a slow shot speed of 0.1 m·s-1, castings produced with a ceramic shot sleeve exhibit superior mechanical properties: 8.3% higher yield strength, 17.4% greater tensile strength, and an 81.4% improvement in elongation, relative to those from a steel shot sleeve. These findings provide valuable insights for minimizing porosity and coarse ESCs in die castings, offering promising potential for broader industrial applications.
China Foundry (中国铸造 - 英文版)•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s41230-026-4124-6
In order to investigate the effect of die wall thickness on morphologies of defect band, a stepped mold with a wall thickness of 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, and 1 mm was designed to carry out high pressure die casting experiments with AlSi10MgMn alloy. For castings with wall thickness of 2-4 mm, the ratio of the mean defect band width (w) and mean grain size (d) in the defect band (w/d) ranges 7-18, while it increases to 24.47 for the 5 mm-thick casting. This difference is related with the filling speed and the distribution of externally solidified crystals (ESCs). The mold flow analysis indicates that the filling speed decreases from 25.41 m·s-1 to 11.07 m·s-1 when wall thickness increases from 2 mm to 5 mm. Due to the decreasing filling speed along the wall thickness, ESCs gradually diffuse from the center to the defect band, which keep the shear strength in the defect band at a high-level during filling. Meanwhile, the shear strength generated during the filling also decreases as the shear rate drops. Finally, the defect bands in the 5 mm-thick region become widen and indistinct, and the porosity is as high as 5.25%.
China Foundry (中国铸造 - 英文版)•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s41230-025-4253-4
In the casting process of 1060 industrial pure aluminum, the inclusions in the aluminum melt significantly affect the product quality. In this study, the influence of refining temperature and the composition of salt fluxes on the purification effect and mechanical properties of aluminum melt was investigated. The results indicate that lower refining temperatures and modified salt fluxes can effectively enhance the cleanliness of the aluminum melt. As the refining temperature increases, the large inclusions gradually increase. The addition of 16wt.% Na3AlF6 can dissolve and break up Al2O3 inclusions, facilitating the separation of the aluminum melt and aluminum slag. The addition of 16wt.% Na3AlF6 and 2wt.% CaCO3 to the basic salt fluxes enables gas refinement, thereby further improving the cleanliness of the aluminum melt. Under the refining condition of 37wt.% NaCl-47wt.% KCl-16wt.% Na3AlF3-2wt.% CaCO3 at 740 °C, better cleanliness and mechanical properties were obtained. The cleanliness and yield strength are approximately 99.99928% and 71.46 MPa, respectively. This work can offer valuable reference and theoretical insights for future research.
Nano-Micro Letters•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-02003-9
Accurate blood pressure (BP) monitoring is essential for preventing and managing cardiovascular disease. Advancements in materials science, medicine, flexible electronic, and artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled cuffless, unobtrusive BP monitoring systems, offering an alternative to traditional sphygmomanometers. However, extending these advances to real-world cardiovascular care particularly in resource-limited settings remains challenging due to constraints in computational resources, power efficiency, and deployment scalability. This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of AI-enhanced wearable BP monitoring, emphasizing its potential for personalized, scalable, and accessible healthcare. We systematically analyze the end-to-end system architecture, from mechano-electric sensing principles and AI-based estimation models to edge-aware deployment strategies tailored for low-resource environments. We further discuss clinical validation metrics and implementation barriers and prospective strategies. To bridge lab-to-field translation, we propose an innovative "sensor-model-deployment-assessment" co-design framework. This roadmap highlights how AI-enhanced BP technologies can support proactive hypertension control and promote cardiovascular health equity on a global scale.
Nano-Micro Letters•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01986-9
Melt electrowriting (MEW) enables the precise deposition of polymeric fibers at micro-/nanoscale, allowing for the fabrication of 3D biomimetic scaffolds. By incorporating stimuli-responsive polymers and/or functional fillers, MEW-based 4D printing creates scaffolds capable of undergoing controlled, reversible shape transformations in response to external stimuli over time. These dynamic 4D scaffolds can be tailored for minimally invasive delivery, remote actuation, and real-time responsiveness to physiological environments, making them highly relevant for biomedical applications. This review systematically elucidates the principles of MEW-based 4D printing, including material considerations, actuation methods, and structure design strategies, along with shape programming and morphing mechanisms. The versatility of MEW for rational fabrication of biomimetic scaffolds is firstly introduced. Subsequently, the critical elements underpinning MEW-based 4D printing process are overviewed, including an analysis of stimuli-responsive materials compatible with MEW, an evaluation of applicable external stimuli, and a discussion on the advancements in design strategies for 4D scaffolds. Recent progress of MEW 4D scaffolds for applications in tissue engineering, biomedical implants, and drug delivery systems are highlighted. Finally, key challenges and perspectives toward material innovation, fabrication optimization, and actuation control are discussed. This review aims to provide valuable insights for design and creation of multifunctional biomimetic dynamic scaffolds by MEW-based 4D printing.
Nano-Micro Letters•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01851-9
Ambient-air, moisture-assisted annealing is widely used in fabricating perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the inherent sensitivity of perovskite intermediate-phase to moisture—due to fast and spontaneous intermolecular exchange reaction—requires strict control of ambient humidity and immediate thermal annealing treatment, raising manufacturing costs and causing fast nucleation of perovskite films. We report herein a self-buffered molecular migration strategy to slow down the intermolecular exchange reaction by introducing a n–butylammonium bromide shielding layer, which limits moisture diffusion into intermediate-phase film. This further endows the notably wide nucleation time and humidity windows for perovskite crystallization in ambient air. Consequently, the optimized 1.68 eV-bandgap n-i-p structured PSC reaches a record-high reverse-scan (RS) PCE of 22.09%. Furthermore, the versatility and applicability of as-proposed self-buffered molecular migration strategy are certified by employing various shielding materials and 1.53 eV-/1.77 eV-bandgap perovskite materials. The n-i-p structured PSCs based on 1.53 eV- and 1.77 eV-bandgap perovskite films achieve outstanding RS PCEs of 25.23% and 19.09%, respectively, both of which are beyond of the state-of-the-art ambient-air processed PSCs.
Journal of Central South University•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s11771-026-6264-8
Aiming at the problem of large deformation of arch shoulder in deep high stress roadway of Hudi Coal Mine, through field sampling, experimental test and numerical simulation, the deformation mechanism of arch shoulder under the coupling action of high stress, soft and hard rock strata of roof, weakening of surrounding rock and disturbance of space staggered roadway was revealed. According to the research results, high-stress increases the range of the plastic zone, and the soft and hard rock strata change the expansion form of the plastic zone. With the decrease of the vertical distance of the space staggered roadway, the insufficient bearing capacity of the supporting material and other factors lead to the increase of the deformation of the shoulder angle and the side, forming the deformation characteristics of the arch shoulder. Based on this, the active and passive collaborative control technology is proposed, and the targeted support concept of "unloading control + strong support + collaborative" is adopted. The optimization scheme controls the deformation of roadway within 8% of the section size, significantly reduces the range of the plastic zone, and effectively solves the problem of difficult support of arch shoulder deformation.
Journal of Central South University•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s11771-026-6231-4
Piezoelectric enhanced photocatalytic purification of polluted wastewater is currently one of the better strategies for environmental pollution control. This work proposes a novel and efficient approach for the purification of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) wastewater via core-shell MoS2/ZnO heterojunction activated by peroxodisulfate (PDS), where the MoS2/ZnO heterojunction was fabricated via a hydrothermal route. By exploiting the intrinsic piezoelectric properties of both MoS2 and ZnO, the heterojunction generates an internal electric field that facilitates the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, thereby accelerating the photocatalytic purification. Under the optimized conditions, the TC purification efficiency can reach 91.2% with the collaborative assistance of PDS activation, and the MoS2/ZnO heterojunction also exhibited excellent recyclability, maintaining a purification efficiency of 90.76% over five cycles. The MoS2/ZnO heterojunction demonstrated robust photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation and aeration, with the purification kinetics conforming to a pseudo-first-order model. And the purification pathways of TC were systematically investigated, and the dominant reactive oxygen species involved in the process were identified. This work elucidates the underlying piezoelectric-photocatalytic mechanism and provides a sustainable strategy for the efficient removal of antibiotic contaminants from aqueous environments, offering significant potential for practical environmental remediation applications.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01808-y
Micro-silicon (Si) anode that features high theoretical capacity and fine tap density is ideal for energy-dense lithium-ion batteries. However, the substantial localized mechanical strain caused by the large volume expansion often results in electrode disintegration and capacity loss. Herein, a microporous Si anode with the SiOx/C layer functionalized all-surface and high tap density (~0.65 g cm⁻3) is developed by the hydrolysis-driven strategy that avoids the common use of corrosive etchants and toxic siloxane reagents. The functionalized inner pore with superior structural stability can effectively alleviate the volume change and enhance the electrolyte contact. Simultaneously, the outer particle surface forms a continuous network that prevents electrolyte parasitic decomposition, disperses the interface stress of Si matrix and facilitates electron/ion transport. As a result, the micron-sized Si anode shows only ~9.94 GPa average stress at full lithiation state and delivers an impressive capacity of 901.1 mAh g⁻1 after 500 cycles at 1 A g⁻1. It also performs excellent rate performance of 1123.0 mAh g⁻1 at 5 A g⁻1 and 850.4 at 8 A g⁻1, far exceeding most of reported literatures. Furthermore, when paired with a commercial LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, the pouch cell demonstrates high capacity and desirable cyclic performance.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01800-6
Although multifunctional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with ultrahigh electromagnetic wave absorption are highly required to solve increasingly serious electromagnetic radiation and pollution and meet multi-scenario applications, EMI shielding materials usually cause a lot of reflection and have a single function. To realize the broadband absorption-dominated EMI shielding via absorption–reflection–reabsorption mechanisms and the interference cancelation effect, multifunctional asymmetric bilayer aerogels are designed by sequential printing of a MXene-graphene oxide (MG) layer with a MG emulsion ink and a conductive MXene layer with a MXene ink and subsequent freeze-drying for generating and solidifying numerous pores in the aerogels. The top MG layer of the asymmetric bilayer aerogel optimizes impedance matching and achieves re-absorption, while the bottom MXene layer enhances the reflection of the incident electromagnetic waves. As a result, the asymmetric bilayer aerogel achieves an average absorption coefficient of 0.95 in the X-band and shows the tunable absorption ability to electromagnetic wave in the ultrawide band from 8.2 to 40 GHz. Finite element simulations substantiate the effectiveness of the asymmetric bilayer aerogel for electromagnetic wave absorption. The multifunctional bilayer aerogels exhibit hydrophobicity, thermal insulation and Joule heating capacities and are efficient in solar-thermal/electric heating, infrared stealth, and clean-up of spilled oil.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01774-5
Quasi-solid-state electrolytes, which integrate the safety characteristics of inorganic materials, the flexibility of polymers, and the high ionic conductivity of liquid electrolytes, represent a transitional solution for high-energy-density lithium batteries. However, the mechanisms by which inorganic fillers enhance multiphase interfacial conduction remain inadequately understood. In this work, we synthesized composite quasi-solid-state electrolytes with high inorganic content to investigate interfacial phenomena and achieve enhanced electrode interface stability. Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 particles, through surface anion anchoring, improve Li+ transference numbers and facilitate partial dissociation of solvated Li+ structures, resulting in superior ion transport kinetics that achieve an ionic conductivity of 0.51 mS cm−1 at room temperature. The high mass fraction of inorganic components additionally promotes the formation of more stable interfacial layers, enabling lithium-symmetric cells to operate without short-circuiting for 6000 h at 0.1 mA cm−2. Furthermore, this system demonstrates exceptional stability in 5 V-class lithium metal full cells, maintaining 80.5% capacity retention over 200 cycles at 0.5C. These findings guide the role of inorganic interfaces in composite electrolytes and demonstrate their potential for advancing high-voltage lithium battery technology.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01739-8
Developing high-efficient flame-retardant coatings is crucial for fire safety polymer and battery fields. Traditional intumescent coatings and ceramifiable coatings struggle to provide immediate and prolonged protection simultaneously, which limits the applicability. To address this, an innovative bi-layered coating with organic/nano-inorganic additives is inspired by differential response behaviors, enabling relay response effect with both fast-acting and extended protection. Specifically, two layers function continuously in the form of a relay. With a mere 320 microns, the bi-layered coating withstands fire temperatures of up to 1400 °C for at least 900 s. Consequently, the coating effective prevented burn through in aluminum plates and glass fabric-reinforced epoxy resin, which otherwise were burned through in 135 and 173 s, respectively. Meanwhile, the bi-layered coating suppressed the formation and decomposition of solid interface layer in lithium soft-package batteries, leading to prolonged electrochemical stability and fire safety. Additionally, the bi-layered coating with a fast response endows polyurethane foam with rapid self-extinguishing, preventing ignition even under exposure to strong fire of 1400 °C. Shortly, our work offers new insights into the design and development of thin, high-performance, and multi-application flame-retardant coatings.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01737-w
Micro light sources are crucial tools for studying the interactions between light and matter at the micro/nanoscale, encompassing diverse applications across multiple disciplines. Despite numerous studies on reducing the size of micro light sources and enhancing optical resolution, the efficient and simple fabrication of ultra-high-resolution micro light sources remains challenging due to its reliance on precise micro-nano processing technology and advanced processing equipment. In this study, a simple approach for the efficient fabrication of submicron light sources is proposed, namely shadow-assisted sidewall emission (SASE) technology. The SASE utilizes the widely adopted UV photolithography process, employing metal shadow modulation to precisely control the emission of light from polymer sidewalls, thereby obtaining photoluminescent light sources with submicron line widths. The SASE eliminates the need for complex and cumbersome manufacturing procedures. The effects of process parameters, including exposure dose, development time, and metal film thickness, on the linewidth of sources are investigated in detail. It is successfully demonstrated red, green, and blue submicron light sources. Finally, their potential application in the field of optical anti-counterfeiting is also demonstrated. We believe that the SASE proposed in this work provides a novel approach for the preparation and application of micro light sources.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01719-y
Urgent requirements of the renewable energy boost the development of stable and clean hydrogen, which could effectively displace fossil fuels in mitigating climate changes. The efficient interconversion of hydrogen and electronic is highly based on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and water electrolysis (PEMWEs). However, the high cost continues to impede large-scale commercialization of both PEMFC and PEMWE technologies, with the expense primarily attributed to noble catalysts serving as a major bottleneck. The reduction of Pt loading in PEMFCs is essential but limited by the oxygen transport resistance in the cathode catalyst layers (CCLs), while the oxygen transport in anode catalyst layers (ACLs) in PEMWEs also being focused as the Ir/IrOx catalyst reduced. The pore structure and the catalyst–ionomer agglomerates play important roles in the oxygen transport process of both PEMFCs and PEMWEs due to the similarity of membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Herein, the oxygen transport mechanism of PEMFCs in pore structure and ionomer thin films in CCLs is systematically reviewed, while state-of-the-art strategies are presented for enhancing oxygen transport and performance through materials and structural design. The deeply research opens avenues for exploring similar key scientific problems in oxygen transport process of PEMWEs and their further development.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01680-w
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis presents considerable advantages in green hydrogen production. Nevertheless, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in PEM water electrolysis currently encounter several pressing challenges, including high noble metal loading, low mass activity, and inadequate durability, which impede their practical application and commercialization. Here we report a self-constructed layered catalyst for acidic OER by directly using an Ir–Ta-based metallic glass as the matrix, featuring a nanoporous IrO2 surface formed in situ on the amorphous IrTaOx nanostructure during OER. This distinctive architecture significantly enhances the accessibility and utilization of Ir, achieving a high mass activity of 1.06 A mgIr−1 at a 300 mV overpotential, 13.6 and 31.2 times greater than commercial Ir/C and IrO2, respectively. The catalyst also exhibits superb stability under industrial-relevant current densities in acid, indicating its potential for practical uses. Our analyses reveal that the coordinated nature of the surface-active Ir species is effectively modulated through electronic interaction between Ir and Ta, preventing them from rapidly evolving into high valence states and suppressing the lattice oxygen participation. Furthermore, the underlying IrTaOx dynamically replenishes the depletion of surface-active sites through inward crystallization and selective dissolution, thereby ensuring the catalyst’s long-term durability.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01665-9
The emerging messenger RNA (mRNA) nanomedicines have sprung up for disease treatment. Developing targeted mRNA nanomedicines has become a thrilling research hotspot in recent years, as they can be precisely delivered to specific organs or tissues to enhance efficiency and avoid side effects. Herein, we give a comprehensive review on the latest research progress of mRNA nanomedicines with targeting functions. mRNA and its carriers are first described in detail. Then, mechanisms of passive targeting, endogenous targeting, and active targeting are outlined, with a focus on various biological barriers that mRNA may encounter during in vivo delivery. Next, emphasis is placed on summarizing mRNA-based organ-targeting strategies. Lastly, the advantages and challenges of mRNA nanomedicines in clinical translation are mentioned. This review is expected to inspire researchers in this field and drive further development of mRNA targeting technology.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01650-2
Separators in supercapacitors (SCs) frequently suffer from high resistance and the risk of short circuits due to inadequate electrolyte wettability, depressed mechanical properties, and insufficient thermal stability. Here, we develop a high-performance regenerated cellulose separator with nano-cracked structures for SCs via a binary solvent of superbase-derived ionic liquid and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The unique nano-cracks with an average width of 7.45 nm arise from the acceleration of cellulose molecular reassembly by DMSO-regulated hydrogen bonding, which endows the separator with high porosity (70.2%) and excellent electrolyte retention (329%). The outstanding thermal stability (273 °C) and mechanical strength (70 MPa) enable the separator to maintain its structural integrity under high temperatures and external forces. With these benefits, the SC utilizing the cellulose separator enables a high specific capacitance of 93.6 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 and a remarkable capacitance retention of 99.5% after 10,000 cycles compared with the commercial NKK-MPF30AC and NKK-TF4030. The robust and high-wettability cellulose separator holds promise as a superior alternative to commercial separators for advanced SCs with enhanced performance and improved safety.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01601-3
Soft robots have partially or entirely provided versatile opportunities for issues or roles that cannot be addressed by conventional machine robots, although most studies are limited to designs, controls, or physical/mechanical motions. Here, we present a transformable, reconfigurable robotic platform created by the integration of magnetically responsive soft composite matrices with deformable multifunctional electronics. Magnetic compounds engineered to undergo phase transition at a low temperature can readily achieve reversible magnetization and conduct various changes of motions and shapes. Thin and flexible electronic system designed with mechanical dynamics does not interfere with movements of the soft electronic robot, and the performances of wireless circuit, sensors, and devices are independent of a variety of activities, all of which are verified by theoretical studies. Demonstration of navigations and electronic operations in an artificial track highlights the potential of the integrated soft robot for on-demand, environments-responsive movements/metamorphoses, and optoelectrical detection and stimulation. Further improvements to a miniaturized, sophisticated system with material options enable in situ monitoring and treatment in envisioned areas such as biomedical implants.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01659-7
One of the significant technological challenges in safeguarding electronic devices pertains to the modulation of electromagnetic (EM) wave jamming and the recycling of defensive shields. The synergistic effect of heterodimensional materials can effectively enable the manipulation of EM waves by altering the nanostructure. Here we propose a novel approach for upcycling by-products of silver nanowires that can fabricate shape-tunable aerogels which enable the modulation of its interaction with microwaves by heterodimensional structure of by-products. By-product heterodimensionality was used to design EM-wave-jamming-dissipation structures and therefore two typical tunable aerogel forms were studied. The first tunable form was aerogel film, which shielded EM interference (EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) > 89 dB) and the second tunable form was foam, which performed dual EM functions (SE > 30 dB & reflective loss (RL) < -35 dB, effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) > 6.7 GHz). We show that secondary recycled aerogels retain nearly all of their EM protection properties, making this type of closed-loop cycle an appealing option. Our findings pave the way for the development of adaptive EM functions with nanoscale regulation in a green and closed-loop cycle, and they shed light on the fundamental understanding of microwave interactions with heterodimensional structures.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01647-x
Herein, a novel Janus-structured multifunctional membrane with integrated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and personalized thermal management is fabricated using shear-induced in situ fibrillation and vacuum-assisted filtration. Interestingly, within the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-carbon nanotube (CNT)-Fe3O4 layer (FCFe), CNT nanofibers interweave with PTFE fibers to form a stable “silk-like” structure that effectively captures Fe3O4 particles. By incorporating a highly conductive MXene layer, the FCFe/MXene (FCFe/M) membrane exhibits excellent electrical/thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, and flame retardancy. Impressively, benefiting from the rational regulation of component proportions and the design of a Janus structure, the FCFe/M membrane with a thickness of only 84.9 µm delivers outstanding EMI shielding effectiveness of 44.56 dB in the X-band, with a normalized specific SE reaching 10,421.3 dB cm2 g−1, which is attributed to the “absorption-reflection-reabsorption” mechanism. Furthermore, the membrane demonstrates low-voltage-driven Joule heating and fast-response photothermal performance. Under the stimulation of a 3 V voltage and an optical power density of 320 mW cm−2, the surface temperatures of the FCFe/M membranes can reach up to 140.4 and 145.7 °C, respectively. In brief, the FCFe/M membrane with anti-electromagnetic radiation and temperature regulation is an attractive candidate for the next generation of wearable electronics, EMI compatibility, visual heating, thermotherapy, and military and aerospace applications.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01669-5
A series of divinylphenyl-acryloyl chloride copolymers (PDVB-co-PACl) is synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization employing tert-butyl acrylate and divinylbenzene as monomers. PDVB-co-PACl is utilized to graft on the surface of spherical aluminum nitride (AlN) to prepare functionalized AlN (AlN@PDVB-co-PACl). Polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) is then used as the matrix to prepare thermally conductive AlN@PDVB-co-PACl/PMHS composites with AlN@PDVB-co-PACl as fillers through blending and curing. The grafting of PDVB-co-PACl synchronously enhances the hydrolysis resistance of AlN and its interfacial compatibility with PMHS matrix. When the molecular weight of PDVB-co-PACl is 5100 g mol−1 and the grafting density is 0.8 wt%, the composites containing 75 wt% of AlN@PDVB-co-PACl exhibit the optimal comprehensive performance. The thermal conductivity (λ) of the composite is 1.14 W m−1 K−1, which enhances by 20% and 420% compared to the λ of simply physically blended AlN/PMHS composite and pure PMHS, respectively. Meanwhile, AlN@PDVB-co-PACl/PMHS composites display remarkable hydrothermal aging resistance by retaining 99.1% of its λ after soaking in 90 °C deionized water for 80 h, whereas the λ of the blended AlN/PMHS composites decreases sharply to 93.7%.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01630-y
Finding ways to produce dense and smooth perovskite films with negligible defects is vital for achieving high-efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we aim to enhance the quality of the perovskite films through the utilization of a multifunctional additive in the perovskite anti-solvent, a strategy referred to as anti-solvent additive engineering. Specifically, we introduce ortho-substituted-4′-(4,4″-di-tert-butyl-1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl)-graphdiyne (o-TB-GDY) as an AAE additive, characterized by its sp/sp2-cohybridized and highly π-conjugated structure, into the anti-solvent. o-TB-GDY not only significantly passivates undercoordinated lead defects (through potent coordination originating from specific high π–electron conjugation), but also serves as nucleation seeds to effectively enhance the nucleation and growth of perovskite crystals. This markedly reduces defects and non-radiative recombination, thereby increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 25.62% (certified as 25.01%). Meanwhile, the PSCs exhibit largely enhanced stability, maintaining 92.6% of their initial PCEs after 500 h continuous 1-sun illumination at ~23 °C in a nitrogen-filled glove box.
New Carbon Materials (新型炭材料)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2026-41-03-09)
Hard carbon (HC) derived from renewable biomass is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, controlling the structure of hard carbon so that it has a high energy density, favorable rate performance, and cycling stability is still a challenge. We propose a strategy to control the open pore structure of hard carbon derived from wood for sodium-ion storage by the addition of sodium carbonate under carbonization at 1100 °C. The resulting HC has an increased interlayer spacing, and a more uniform open pore distribution (2–3 nm) with a high slope capacity, thereby enabling efficient sodium-ion transport and storage. The HC anode has a reversible capacity of 326 mAh g−1 at a current density of 30 mA g−1, and maintains a reversible capacity of 270 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 and a capacity of 68 mAh g−1 even at 10 A g−1 during rate performance tests. After 300 cycles, it retains 76.7% (207 mAh g−1) of its capacity at 1.0 A g−1. In situ Raman spectroscopy and the galvanostatic intermittent titration testing results reveal an adsorption-intercalation-filling sodium storage mechanism. This work provides a strategy to optimize the open pore structure of biomass derived hard carbon for high performance sodium ion storage.
New Carbon Materials (新型炭材料)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2024-39-04-01)
Because of its high purity and excellent orientation, mesophase pitch is a superior precursor for high-performance carbon materials. However, the preparation of top-notch mesophase pitch faces challenges. Catalytic polycondensation at low temperatures is more favorable for synthesizing mesophase pitch, because it circumvents the high-temperature free radical reaction of other thermal polycondensation approaches. The reaction is gentle and can be easily controlled. It has the potential to significantly improve the yield of mesophase pitch and easily introduce naphthenic characteristics into the molecules, catalytic polycondensation is therefore a preferred method of synthesizing highly spinnable mesophase pitch. This review provides a synopsis of the selective pretreatment of the raw materials to prepare different mesophase pitches, and explains the reaction mechanism and associated research advances for different catalytic systems in recent years. Finally, how to manufacture high-quality mesophase pitch by using a catalyst-promoter system is summarized and proposed, which may provide a theoretical basis for the future design of high-quality pitch molecules.
Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (中国有色金属学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(25)67015-4
6061 Al/Cu layered composites were fabricated by accumulative roll bonding (ARB). The microstructural evolution was examined using scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. After seven ARB cycles, the tensile strength increased to 416 MPa, whereas the elongation decreased to 6.7%. The strength enhancement is mainly attributed to work hardening and grain refinement. No brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were detected at the interface, and interfacial bonding improved with additional ARB cycles. The small hardness difference between Al and Cu promoted uniform plastic deformation across layers, enhancing interfacial cohesion. However, strain localization due to different work hardening responses of Al and Cu led to pronounced shear band formation after seven ARB cycles, reducing the plasticity.
Int. Journal of Mining Science and Technology (采矿与安全工程)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2025.01.004
The thermal effects of coal combustion considerably influence the physical and chemical properties, structural characteristics, and stability of rocks, posing a serious threat to the safety of coal mining operations. In this study, the impacts of temperature on the physical and chemical characteristics (i.e., mineral phase, microstructure, and mechanical strength) of sandstone were investigated by employing experimental methods, including microstructural analysis, uniaxial acoustic emission (AE), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results indicate that temperature alters the mineral phase and the pore characteristics, and these two factors jointly affect the mechanical properties of sandstone. The influence of temperature on the mechanical strength of sandstone is categorized into low-temperature strengthening and high-temperature damage, with a threshold temperature identified at 600 °C. The low-temperature strengthening effect encompasses both pore strengthening and mineral phase strengthening, while the high-temperature damage effect primarily results from pore damage. As the experimental temperature rises, both the number of AE events and the AE energy transition from a surge in the post-peak failure stage to a stepwise increase during the loading process. This transition implies that the failure mode of the sandstone sample evolves from brittle failure to tensile failure.
Journal of Semiconductors (半导体学报 - 中国科学院半导体研究所)•2025•DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25020028
Developing efficient neural network (NN) computing systems is crucial in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Traditional von Neumann architectures have both the issues of "memory wall" and "power wall", limiting the data transfer between memory and processing units. Compute-in-memory (CIM) technologies, particularly analogue CIM with memristor crossbars, are promising because of their high energy efficiency, computational parallelism, and integration density for NN computations. In practical applications, analogue CIM excels in tasks like speech recognition and image classification, revealing its unique advantages. For instance, it efficiently processes vast amounts of audio data in speech recognition, achieving high accuracy with minimal power consumption. In image classification, the high parallelism of analogue CIM significantly speeds up feature extraction and reduces processing time. With the boosting development of AI applications, the demands for computational accuracy and task complexity are rising continually. However, analogue CIM systems are limited in handling complex regression tasks with needs of precise floating-point (FP) calculations. They are primarily suited for the classification tasks with low data precision and a limited dynamic range. A novel analogue-digital unified CIM architecture (named as AnDi) has been developed by integrating the analogue and digital computing cores, which aims to address the above challenges of analogue CIM. The key component is the dual-domain floating-point (DDFP) processor, which serves as a universal data type to represent both FP and integer (INT) numbers. This processor enables FP compatibility regardless of the native capabilities of analogue CIM or digital cores. The DDFP data structure consists of an INT tensor for the feature map and an FP scale. The DDFP processor manages data flow between the analogue and digital domains, performing quantization or dequantization operation. This effectively decouples the NN algorithm from the underlying hardware, enabling more general NN computation. The training process for the top-level algorithm can proceed without considering specific hardware architectures, as all data-scaling operations are handled at the hardware level. To maximize the potential of AnDi architecture, several strategies have been proposed. The fine-grained dual-domain mapping divides weight matrices larger than analogue CIM arrays into smaller ones. Weights are allocated to either digital or analogue cores based on their size. Low-parallel weight blocks are assigned to digital cores, thus maximizing the utilization rates of digital multiply-accumulate (MAC) cores. This approach enhances system-level energy efficiency by avoiding weight splits into additional blocks within the same layer, thereby reducing memory management overhead. The NN feature-enhancing technique addresses the noise accumulation issue in analogue CIM. Lightweight enhancing layers are integrated into the network and deployed on noise-free digital cores for inference.
Journal of Semiconductors (半导体学报 - 中国科学院半导体研究所)•2025•DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25030031
Quantum key distribution (QKD) achieves information-theoretic security based on quantum mechanics principles, where single-photon detectors (SPDs) serve as critical components. This study focuses on the sinusoidal gated SPDs widely used in high-speed QKD systems. We investigate the mechanisms underlying the rising-edge jitter in detection signals, identifying contributions from factors such as the temporal width of injected optical pulses, avalanche generation processes, avalanche signal extraction, and pulse discrimination. To address the issue of excessive jitter-induced bit errors, we propose a retiming scheme that utilizes coincidence signals synchronized with the sinusoidal gating signal. This approach effectively suppresses detection signal jitter and reduces the after-pulse probability of the detector. Experimental validation using a high-precision time-to-digital converter (TDC) demonstrates a significant reduction in the rising-edge jitter distribution after applying the suppression scheme. The proposed method features clear principles and straightforward engineering implementation, avoiding direct interference with the detector's operational processes. The designed high-speed sinusoidal gated InGaAs/InP SPD operates at 1.25 GHz, achieving a remarkable reduction in after-pulse probability from 10.7% (without jitter suppression) to 0.72%, thereby enhancing the overall performance of QKD systems.
Journal of Semiconductors (半导体学报 - 中国科学院半导体研究所)•2025•DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25040027
A monolithic integrated full-wave bridge rectifier consisted of horizontal Schottky-barrier diodes (SBD) is prepared based on 100 nm ultra-thin β-Ga2O3 and demonstrated the solar-blind UV (SUV) light-modulated characteristics. Under SUV light illumination, the rectifier has the excellent full-wave rectification characteristics for the AC input signals of 5, 12, and 24 V with different frequencies. Further, experimental results confirmed the feasibility of continuously tuning the rectified output through SUV light-encoding. This work provides valuable insights for the development of optically programmable Ga2O3 AC-DC converters.
Int. Journal of Mining Science and Technology (采矿与安全工程)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2025.08.014
Hydraulic fracture growth is significantly influenced by the minimum horizontal principal stress gradient and the fracturing fluid pressure gradient. However, these gradients are often neglected in scaled physical modeling experiments due to difficulties in reproducing them. This study uses centrifugal hypergravity to simulate both gradients and investigate their effects on fracture propagation. Artificial mortar specimens (φ200 mm × 400 mm) are fractured under 1g (normal gravity), 50g, and 100g. Results show that compared to 1g, fractures under 50g and 100g exhibit increasingly uneven propagation, with higher g-values leading to greater asymmetry. To interpret this, a theoretical analysis based on fracture mechanics is conducted. When the fluid pressure gradient exceeds the stress gradient, a positive net gradient is generated, increasing net pressure at the lower fracture tip. This raises the stress intensity factor at the lower tip, promoting downward growth. As g increases, the disparity becomes more significant, resulting in greater fracture deviation. In conclusion, this study, for the first time, has verified and explained that the net gradient can change the propagation of hydraulic fractures, providing important guidance for wellbore placement under stress gradients.
China Foundry•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s41230-025-3135-0
Based on thermodynamic calculations and continuous rheological extrusion (CRE) technology, Al-Ti-V-B master alloys were designed and prepared. The morphology and the distribution of the refined phases in the master alloys were analyzed by XRD, SEM, and TEM. The effects of master alloy addition and holding time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of A356 alloy were investigated. Under the optimum refiner addition of 0.3wt.% and the holding time of 20 min, the average grain size of the refined A356 alloy is 151.8±9.11 μm, 89.62% lower than that of original A356 alloy. The tensile strength and elongation of as-cast A356 refined alloy are 196.11 MPa and 5.75%, respectively. After T6 treatment, the tensile strength and elongation of A356 refined alloy are 290.1 MPa and 3.09%, respectively. The fracture morphology is characterized by a predominance of along-crystal fracture with a small amount of through-crystal fracture, attributed to the refined grains. Finer grains promote crack path deflection and localized plastic deformation, enhancing energy dissipation and reducing the tendency for brittle fracture. This study provides a novel approach to improving the mechanical properties of A356 alloy through grain refinement using CRE Al-Ti-V-B master alloy.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-3023-4
Interstitial oxygen (O) contamination remains a substantial challenge for metal injection molding (MIM) of titanium alloys. Herein, this critical problem is successfully addressed by regulating the thermal debinding temperature and incorporating the oxygen scavenger LaB6. Results indicate that the surface oxide layer (with a thickness of (13.4 ± 0.5) nm) of Ti6Al4V powder begins to dissolve into the Ti matrix within the temperature range of 663–775°C. O contamination in MIM Ti alloys can be effectively mitigated by lowering the thermal debinding temperature and adding LaB6 powder. As a result of reduced dissolved O content, the slips of mixed <a> and <c + a> dislocations are effectively accelerated, leading to improved ductility. Moreover, grain refinement, along with the in situ formation of TiB whiskers and second-phase La2O3 particles, enhances the strength of the material. The fabricated MIM Ti6Al4V sample exhibits excellent mechanical properties, achieving an ultimate tensile strength of (967 ± 5) MPa, a yield strength of (866 ± 8) MPa, and an elongation of 21.4% ± 0.7%. These tensile properties represent some of the best results reported in the literature for MIM Ti6Al4V alloys. This study offers valuable insights into the development of high-performance MIM Ti alloys and other metal materials.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-3071-9
Indigenous microbial communities were employed after subculture in stirred and column bioleaching experiments involving ion-adsorption type rare earth ore. The microbial eukaryotic communities exhibited dramatically varying diversity and structure across culture compositions. Compared with Czapek and sucrose medium, the community cultured in a nutrient broth (NB) medium had a higher diversity, and it was mainly composed of Zygosaccharomyces, Ustilago, Kodamaea, Malassezia, and Aspergillus. These microorganisms secrete organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, and itaconic acid, which provide effective coordination electrons through hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. Stirred bioleaching experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of community, inoculum dosage, liquid–solid ratio, and time on the leaching efficiency. Stirred bioleaching resulted in a concentration limitation phenomenon. When the inoculum dosage of the community cultured in NB medium was 70vol%, the liquid–solid ratio was 5.0 mL·g−1, and the time was 60 min, the upward trend of rare earths leaching rate has become very small. Specifically, the leaching rates of detectable La, Ce, and Y were approximately 92.49%, 92.42%, and 94.39%, respectively. The leaching efficiency and the three influencing factors all conformed to the Poly5 polynomial function, with variances above 0.99. Column bioleaching experiments were performed at a scale of 1 kg. The self-propelled low-pH environment increased the leaching efficiency, which resulted in a leaching rate of 98.88% for rare earths after 117 h. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the samples mainly comprised quartz, kaolinite, orthoclase, muscovite, and zeolite, which were predominantly present in the form of lumps, flakes, rods, and small particles. After bioleaching, the wave intensity of quartz, kaolinite, orthoclase, and muscovite increased, and that of zeolite decreased considerably. A diminution in the number of fine particles indicated the dissolution of small quantities of clay minerals. Ultimately, the differentiated bioleaching mechanism of various forms of rare earths was discussed based on experimental phenomena.
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering•2025•DOI: 10.1186/s10033-025-01355-y
This paper proposes virtual impedance adaptation of the lower-limb exoskeleton for human performance augmentation (LEHPA) based on deep reinforcement learning (VIADRL) to mitigate reliance on model accuracy and address the ever-changing human-exoskeleton interaction (HEI) dynamics. The classical sensitivity amplification control strategy is expanded to the virtual impedance control strategy with more learnable virtual impedance parameters. The adjustment of these virtual impedance parameters is formalized as finding the optimal policy for a Markov Decision Process and can then be effectively resolved using deep reinforcement learning algorithms. To ensure safe and efficient policy training, a multibody simulation environment is established to facilitate the training process, supplemented by the innovative hybrid inverse-forward dynamics simulation approach for executing the simulation. For comparison purposes, the SADRL strategy is introduced as a benchmark. A novel control performance evaluation method based on the HEI forces at the back, thighs, and shanks is proposed to quantitatively evaluate the performance of our proposed VIADRL strategy. The VIADRL controller is systematically compared with the SADRL controller at five selected walking speeds. The lumped ratio of HEI forces under the SADRL strategy relative to those under the SADRL strategy is as low as 0.81 in simulation and approximately 0.89 on the LEHPA prototype. The overall reduction of HEI forces demonstrates the superiority of the VIADRL strategy in comparison to the SADRL strategy.
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering•2025•DOI: 10.1186/s10033-025-01299-3
Shape prediction of deformable linear objects (DLO) plays critical roles in robotics, medical devices, aerospace, and manufacturing, especially in manipulating objects such as cables, wires, and fibers. Due to the inherent flexibility of DLO and their complex deformation behaviors, such as bending and torsion, it is challenging to predict their dynamic characteristics accurately. Although the traditional physical modeling method can simulate the complex deformation behavior of DLO, the calculation cost is high and it is difficult to meet the demand of real-time prediction. In addition, the scarcity of data resources also limits the prediction accuracy of existing models. To solve these problems, a method of fiber shape prediction based on a physical information graph neural network (PIGNN) is proposed in this paper. This method cleverly combines the powerful expressive power of graph neural networks with the strict constraints of physical laws. Specifically, we learn the initial deformation model of the fiber through graph neural networks (GNN) to provide a good initial estimate for the model, which helps alleviate the problem of data resource scarcity. During the training process, we incorporate the physical prior knowledge of the dynamic deformation of the fiber optics into the loss function as a constraint, which is then fed back to the network model. This ensures that the shape of the fiber optics gradually approaches the true target shape, effectively solving the complex nonlinear behavior prediction problem of deformable linear objects. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to traditional methods, the proposed method significantly reduces execution time and prediction error when handling the complex deformations of deformable fibers. This showcases its potential application value and superiority in fiber manipulation.
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering•2025•DOI: 10.1186/s10033-025-01239-1
In the context of Industry 5.0, more emphasis is placed on human-centric smart manufacturing patterns. Product design is a vital phase of smart manufacturing, involving user engagement is an essential factor in enhancing design quality and fostering innovation. With user involvement in-depth, dynamically changing user requirements and feedback bring new problems to the design process, and the traditional linear solving process cannot perceive such variations timely, which causes hysteresis in the solution. The design solution’s hysteresis affects the consensus achievement process between the designer and user, further prolonging the iteration cycle. To address this issue, a human-centric product conceptual design model is proposed for the timely translation of such variations into design solutions. In this model, design problems are formed by centering on user requirements, designer and user collaboratively solve the problems to form design solutions. Through a cycle of problem-driven, knowledge-supported, and solution evaluation, new problems are solved promptly to achieve progressive solution convergence, which clarifies the iterative evolution process and improves iterative efficiency. To verify the effectiveness of the model, a natural gas well foaming agent automatic filling device design is presented.
Journal of Central South University•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s11771-025-6084-2
Friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) is an innovative additive manufacturing (AM) method. The various heat treatment conditions of aluminum-lithium alloys using this method have not been widely discussed. In this study, the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of FSAM 2195 aluminum-lithium alloy in different heat treatment conditions (T3 and T8) were investigated. The results demonstrated that the heat treatment state of 2195 Al-Li alloys was minimally influenced by FSAM as the FSAM temperature exceeded the solid solution temperature. After conducting a single-pass FSAM experiment, a notable grain refinement was observed in the nugget zone (NZ) region compared to the base material (BM). The average grain size of the 2195-T3 alloy decreased from 6.1 to 2.9 μm, while the proportion of high-angle grain boundaries increased from 16.5% to 43.9%. Similarly, the average grain size of the 2195-T8 alloy decreased from 8.9 to 2.8 μm, with an increase in high-angle grain boundary from 37.6% to 59.2%. The tensile strength of the 2195-T3 Al-Li alloy reached 466 and 478 MPa in the NZ of single-pass and lap experiments, respectively. In comparison, the tensile strength of the 2195-T8 Al-Li alloy in the NZ could reach 452 and 481 MPa in single-pass and lap experiments, respectively. These results demonstrate the significant improvements in microstructure and mechanical properties were achieved through the FSAM process.
Journal of Central South University•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s11771-025-6094-0
High performance composite photocatalyst is a hotspot in the photocatalysis researches. In this study, a cutting-edge CeO2/rutile composite photocatalyst with tiny CeO2 concentration of 1.28 wt% was synthesized via a simple photocatalytic method. This as-obtained CeO2/rutile catalyst (CeO2/TiO2-1:1) exhibited an enhanced wastewater degradation and improved water splitting H2 evolution ability, with 95.83 % removal ratio for methylene blue (MB), 72.84% for tetracycline (TC) and 87.57 μmol/g H2 evolution capacity. Light irradiation and 2-coordinated oxygen vacancies (OV2C) on rutile surface promoted the Ce3+ adsorption on the rutile (110) facet as DFT results shown. The CeO2/rutile type-II heterojunction was evidenced to promote the migration of e−/h+ and generation of ·OH/·O2− and H2, which rapidly boosted the whole photocatalytic performance. This as-prepared CeO2/TiO2 photocatalyst can provide useful inspirations and new thoughts about the photosynthesis process, and offer a novel strategy for heterojunction photocatalysts preparation.
Journal of Central South University•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s11771-025-6076-2
Sb2S3 films are susceptible to the formation of nanogap defects during the crystallization process, leading to their experimental power conversion efficiency (PCE) falling significantly short of the theoretical limit. This investigation presents, a groundbreaking Sb2S3 photovoltaic device model that integrates perovskite within these nanogaps, and systematically examines the mechanisms for enhancing the PCE. Our findings reveal that incorporating perovskite within the nanogaps yields a 10% enhancement in optical absorption performance. Furthermore, perovskite nanogaps function as effective electron transport channels, significantly reducing the recombination of photogenerated carriers within the highly defective Sb2S3. The dimensions and arrangement of the nanochannels play a pivotal role in determining device performance, with optimal measurements of 5 nm in width and 15 nm in spacing. Additionally, this study examines the universality of the nanochannel structure. The projected PCE of this innovative structure is an impressive 25.40%. These findings provide valuable theoretical guidance for designing high-efficiency Sb2S3 solar cells.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-025-3088-8
Nickel-based single-crystal (SX) superalloys are the key metallic materials of aeroengines. However, thermomechanical deformation always occurs during the directional solidification of SX superalloys, negatively influencing the SX structure. Casting deformation is simulated in most of the previous studies, whereas the direct simulation of dendritic thermomechanical deformation has been largely ignored, resulting in a lack of comprehensive understanding of this process. In this study, we systematically investigate dendritic thermomechanical deformation with a model coupled with dendrite growth, fluid flow, and thermomechanical deformation behavior. Results reveal that the dendritic thermomechanical deformation-induced dendrite bending is not randomly distributed but is mainly concentrated on the casting surface. The dendritic thermal stress increases as dendrite grows and accumulates after dendrite bridging. Transverse thermal contraction mainly occurs at the edge of casting in the corner, and axial thermal contraction is larger than transverse contraction. The high-stress region of the primary dendrite trunk is mainly distributed below the dendrite bridging near the solidified part, and the stress along the transverse direction reaches its maximum value on the casting surface. Stress concentrated on the casting surface is mainly attributed to variations in transverse temperature gradients caused by heat dissipation on the lateral mold wall, and inconsistent constraints in the lateral mold walls.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-3044-z
In the field of broadband metamaterial absorbers, most research efforts have focused on optimizing the resonant layers and designing multi-layer structures, but relatively little attention has been paid to the dielectric layers themselves. This paper proposed a method using carbonyl iron powder to modify the dielectric layer. This method significantly enhances the electromagnetic wave attenuation capability of the dielectric layer with the X-band range for metamaterial absorbers. A broadband absorber with a reflection loss (RL) of less than –10 dB within the frequency range of 4.98–18 GHz and covering the C, X, and Ku band was designed. This work analyzed the surface current distribution and the power loss distribution to elucidate the absorption mechanism of the absorber. It was found that the modified dielectric layer accounted for more than 30% of the total loss in the 2–18 GHz frequency band, and the effective absorption bandwidth (RL ≤ –10 dB) was almost twice that of the unmodified dielectric layer. This enhancement in absorption bandwidth is attributed to the introduction of a new electromagnetic wave loss mechanism by carbonyl iron powder. Meanwhile, the absorber exhibited good angular stability, maintaining at least 80% absorption (RL ≤ –7 dB) in the 7.0–18.0 GHz range even when the incident angle was increased to 60°. The experimental results showed that the measured results matched the simulation results well. Furthermore, compared with other methods for broadening the absorption bandwidth, the metamaterial absorber obtained by this method offers several advantages, including wideband absorption, thin profile, and a simple manufacturing process. This approach provides a new and promising direction for the design of broadband absorbers.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-025-3087-9
NaTi2(PO4)3 (NTP) is a material with a NASICON structure, a three-dimensional open type skeleton, and suitable negative voltage window, which is widely regarded as a magnetic anode material for aqueous sodium ion batteries (ASIBs). However, NTP’s intrinsically poor conductivity hampers their use in ASIBs. Herein, bimetallic doped carbon material was designed and combined with the sol–gel method to prepare NaTi2(PO4)3–C–FeNi (NTP–C–FeNi) composite materials. This bimetallic doped carbon composite NTP material not only has a large specific surface area, but also effectively improves conductivity and promotes rapid migration of Na+. Following the rate performance test, NTP–C–FeNi retained a reversible capacity of 116.75 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1, representing 95.9% of the first cycle capacity. After 500 cycles at 1.5 A·g−1, the cycle fixity was 85.3%. The enhancement of electrochemical performance may owe to the widening of pathways and acceleration of Na+ insertion/extraction facilitated by FeNi–C doping, while the carbon coating effectively promotes electrode charge transfer. The results indicate that the bimetallic doped carbon composite NaTi2(PO4)3 holds potential for practical applications in novel aqueous sodium ion battery systems.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-2988-3
The <001> orientation of the Goss texture aligned with the rolling direction is the most easily magnetized direction, effectively enhancing the magnetic properties of non-oriented silicon steel. In the present study, an ultra-thin high-silicon sheet of 0.2 mm with a strong Goss texture was successfully fabricated using a two-stage rolling method, achieving superior magnetic properties. The combination of suitable primary rolling reduction and intermediate annealing proved beneficial in promoting the formation of Goss texture. Electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) was used to characterize micro-shear bands within deformed grains of secondary rolled sheets. Observations revealed that the recrystallized Goss nucleus originated from the Goss substructure of shear bands within deformed {111}<112> grains during the initial stages of recrystallization. The influence of stored energy and grain size on texture evolution was thoroughly investigated using quasi-in situ EBSD during recrystallization. In the initial stages, large deformed {111}<112> and near {111}<112> grains with high stored energy facilitated nucleation and growth of Goss and near-Goss grains within shear bands and reduced grain boundary nucleation. In the later stages, large deformed grains with low stored energy underwent a strain-induced grain boundary migration mechanism to nucleate. During the recrystallization, many recrystallized Goss and near-Goss grains clustered together, with Goss grains rotating towards near-Goss orientation. The resulting annealed ultra-thin 0.2 mm sheet with a pronounced Goss texture exhibited superior magnetic properties.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-3004-7
The effective reuse of iron phosphate residue (IPR) is the key issue in the recycling of spent LiFePO4 batteries. Therefore, in this study, the reduction leaching of IPR in H2SO4 solution by adding iron powder as reducing agent was investigated and compared with direct leaching. The results show that the leaching rate of IPR reached 97% under the optimum reduction leaching conditions. Kinetic studies show that the activation energy for reduction leaching is 12.71 kJ/mol, while that of direct leaching is 21.57 kJ/mol. Moreover, the reduction leaching time is reduced by half and the acid consumption is reduced by 30% compared to direct leaching with the same leaching rate. This work provides a scientific guidance to the treatment of iron phosphate residue from the recycling of spent LiFePO4 batteries.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-3064-8
Silicomanganese dust contains large amounts of valuables, such as Si and Mn, which can be used as raw materials for the smelting of silicomanganese. However, the direct addition of dust to the submerged arc furnace can influence the permeability of burden due to the fine particle size of dust, which results in incomplete reduction reactions during the smelting process. In this paper, silicomanganese dust, graphite powder, and other additives were pressed to form carbon-containing dust briquettes, and the self-reduction process of the dust briquettes was investigated through the isothermal thermogravimetric method with different carbon–oxygen (C/O) molar ratios, contents of fluxing agents, and reduction temperatures. Various reduction kinetic models for dust briquettes at different temperatures were established. The results show that the reaction fraction of the dust briquettes was about 90% at a C/O molar ratio of 1.2 with optimal reduction efficiency. The addition of CaF2 contributed to the decrease in the melting point and viscosity of dust briquettes, which increased their reduction rate. As the reduction temperature increased, the reduction rate of dust briquettes increased. The reduction reaction rate of dust briquettes was controlled through gas-phase diffusion. Meanwhile, their reduction process was analyzed kinetically, with the reaction time of 5 min as the dividing line. The apparent activation energies for the two diffusion stages were 56.10 and 100.52 kJ/mol, respectively. The kinetic equations are expressed as [1 − (1 − ƒ)1/3]2 = 0.69e−56100/(RT)t and [1 − (1 − ƒ)1/3]2 = 2.06e−100520/(RT)t.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-024-2888-6
In recent years, medium entropy alloys have become a research hotspot due to their excellent physical and chemical performances. By controlling reasonable elemental composition and processing parameters, the medium entropy alloys can exhibit similar properties to high entropy alloys and have lower costs. In this paper, a FeCoNi medium entropy alloy precursor was prepared via sol–gel and co-precipitation methods, respectively, and FeCoNi medium entropy alloys were prepared by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction. The phases and magnetic properties of FeCoNi medium entropy alloy were investigated. Results showed that FeCoNi medium entropy alloy was produced by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction at 1500°C. Some carbon was detected in the FeCoNi medium entropy alloy prepared by carbothermal reduction. The alloy prepared by hydrogen reduction was uniform and showed a relatively high purity. Moreover, the hydrogen reduction product exhibited better saturation magnetization and lower coercivity.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01599-8
Recent advancements in passive wireless sensor technology have significantly extended the application scope of sensing, particularly in challenging environments for monitoring industry and healthcare applications. These systems are equipped with battery-free operation, wireless connectivity, and are designed to be both miniaturized and lightweight. Such features enable the safe, real-time monitoring of industrial environments and support high-precision physiological measurements in confined internal body spaces and on wearable epidermal devices. Despite the exploration into diverse application environments, the development of a systematic and comprehensive research framework for system architecture remains elusive, which hampers further optimization of these systems. This review, therefore, begins with an examination of application scenarios, progresses to evaluate current system architectures, and discusses the function of each component—specifically, the passive sensor module, the wireless communication model, and the readout module—within the context of key implementations in target sensing systems. Furthermore, we present case studies that demonstrate the feasibility of proposed classified components for sensing scenarios, derived from this systematic approach. By outlining a research trajectory for the application of passive wireless systems in sensing technologies, this paper aims to establish a foundation for more advanced, user-friendly applications.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01598-9
Chloroform and other volatile organic pollutants have garnered widespread attention from the public and researchers, because of their potential harm to the respiratory system, nervous system, skin, and eyes. However, research on chloroform vapor sensing is still in its early stages, primarily due to the lack of specific recognition motif. Here we report a mesoporous photonic crystal sensor incorporating carbon dots-based nanoreceptor (HMSS@CDs-PCs) for enhanced chloroform sensing. The colloidal PC packed with hollow mesoporous silica spheres provides an interconnected ordered macro-meso-hierarchical porous structure, ideal for rapid gas sensing utilizing the photonic bandgap shift as the readout signal. The as-synthesized CDs with pyridinic-N-oxide functional groups adsorbed in the hollow mesoporous silica spheres are found to not only serve as the chloroform adsorption sites, but also a molecular glue that prevents crack formation in the colloidal PC. The sensitivity of HMSS@CDs-PCs sensor is 0.79 nm ppm−1 and an impressively low limit of detection is 3.22 ppm, which are the best reported values in fast-response chloroform vapor sensor without multi-signal assistance. The positive response time is 7.5 s and the negative response time 9 s. Furthermore, relatively stable sensing can be maintained within a relative humidity of 20%–85%RH and temperature of 25–55 °C. This study demonstrates that HMSS@CDs-PCs sensors have practical application potential in indoor and outdoor chloroform vapor detection.