Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (中国有色金属学报)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(26)67058-6
Twin-roll casting (TRC) Mg−3Al−1Sn−0.5Ca−0.2Mn (ATXM) alloys exhibit limited deformation resistance and inadequate corrosion performance, constraining their commercial deployment. This study integrates rare earth (RE) microalloying (Sm, Ce, or Y at 0.1 wt.%) with rolling to address the strength–plasticity–corrosion trilemma. Rolling reduces grain size from ~50 μm to below 5 μm and transforms Al8Mn5 secondary phases into Al8Mn4RE, modifying phase composition, dimension, and spatial arrangement. The rolled ATXM-0.1Y alloy achieves a yield strength of 238 MPa, tensile strength of 305 MPa, and elongation of 23%, coupled with a corrosion rate of approximately 1.7 mm/a—an ~80% reduction relative to TRC ATXM. Sm and Ce additions yield strengths of 238 and 232 MPa, elongations of 18% and 17%, and corrosion rates of 3.4 and 2.9 mm/a, respectively. Strengthening mechanisms are attributed to fine-grain and Orowan strengthening, while corrosion mitigation arises from reduced individual galvanic corrosion and enhanced protective corrosion product film quality. The work establishes a screening protocol for RE elements and processing parameters to synergistically improve mechanical and corrosion properties, facilitating commercial adoption of Mg alloys.
Railway Engineering Science (铁道工程科学)•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40534-025-00388-2
The escalating traffic density and operational speeds of subway systems have intensified fatigue damage in turnout rails, particularly within the hazardous space of fixed frogs where wheel–rail dynamic interaction is exacerbated. This study addresses the rolling contact fatigue (RCF) crack initiation behavior of a No. 9 turnout fixed frog, a configuration widely deployed in subway networks. A three-dimensional explicit transient rolling contact finite element model was developed to simulate wheel–rail interaction under varying vehicle speeds and fastener vertical stiffness conditions. The analysis focused on crack initiation locations, angles, and fatigue life. Results demonstrate that the 30 mm top width cross-section of the nose rail is the most susceptible to fatigue cracking, with cracks initiating on the rail surface. The angle between the crack initiation surface and the lateral direction ranges from 70° to 95°, while the angle relative to the vertical direction remains difficult to predict. Higher vehicle speeds significantly reduce fatigue life, whereas fastener vertical stiffness exerts a minor influence. The calculated RCF crack initiation life is approximately 24,000 cycles across three stiffness conditions. Simulation outcomes align with field survey findings, validating the model's fidelity. The established methodology provides theoretical support for optimizing fixed frog structures and predicting fatigue life in subway turnouts.
Railway Engineering Science (铁道工程科学)•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40534-025-00381-9
Turnout irregularity governs the stochastic vibration response of vehicle–turnout coupling systems, yet frequency-domain models that preserve the statistical characteristics of each frequency point remain scarce. This study establishes a turnout irregularity full information expression model (TIFIEM) using stochastic harmonic functions (SHF) and applies it to vehicle–turnout stochastic vibration and reliability analysis. Spectral estimation trials identify the Hamming window with a 4096-point window length as optimal for turnout irregularity power spectral density (PSD) estimation, and a fifth-order polynomial is recommended for PSD fitting with minimal error. The TIFIEM reproduces randomness in amplitude, frequency, and phase; a sample size of 250 irregularity realizations minimizes the root-mean-square error against the target spectrum. PSD amplitudes at distinct frequency points follow a Chi-square distribution with 2 degrees of freedom. Application to a No. 18 turnout at 300 km/h identifies the straight switch rail 3–7 m from the switch rail tip and the point rail 53–54 m from the tip as the most wear-susceptible regions. The reliability of the vehicle–turnout structure at the crossing panel decreases to 95.8%, indicating that these zones warrant prioritized inspection.
Nano Research•2026•DOI: 10.26599/NR.2026.94908775
Flexible sensors have advanced rapidly to achieve skin-like multisensory capabilities, yet their performance is compromised by strain disturbances and multi-parameter interactions, impeding widespread deployment. Here, we report a flexible fibrous device with a patterned cellular structure enabling anti-strain interference, dual-parameter measurement, and static/dynamic detection. The patterned cellular fibrous structure achieves a heterogenous strain distribution that preserves sensing performance under 10% strain. The sensor integrates a piezoresistive component for low-frequency mechanical stimuli and a thermoelectric response to calibrate temperature-induced resistance changes. A hybrid piezoresistive/piezoelectric sensing platform was experimentally implemented for static pressure persistence and high-frequency acoustic excitation from 0 to 300 Hz. The hybrid tactile sensing achieved the highest material identification accuracy of 98.6%. This work provides valuable proposals to resolve practical constraints in flexible sensor applications, compelling advantages for broader wearable integration.
Int. Journal of Mining Science and Technology (采矿与安全工程)•2026•DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2026.01.003
Cemented rockfill (CRF) combines structural support with sustainable reuse of coal-derived solid waste. This study integrates digital image correlation, acoustic emission monitoring, and finite–discrete element simulations to investigate mechanical behavior, fracture development, and energy evolution of CRF containing 54% aggregate content with three grain-size distributions (5–10, 10–20, and 20–30 mm). Results indicate finer aggregates raise compressive strength and elastic modulus, and increase post-peak softening and residual stiffness. Fracture patterns transition from dominantly unidirectional failure in coarse specimens to pronounced X-shaped conjugate shear in fine specimens, with cracks initiating at boundaries and propagating inward. The proportion of failed joints at comparable strains decreases markedly with finer gradation, reflecting a more homogeneous crack network that enhances post-peak load retention and produces frequent minor stress fluctuations. Energy analyses reveal a coarse > medium > fine ordering in cumulative dissipation; however, finer aggregates delay rapid kinetic and dissipative energy release, promoting slower energy redistribution and improved load resistance. These findings quantify how aggregate gradation controls deformational mechanisms, crack topology, and energy partitioning, and provide design guidance for optimizing aggregate size and cementitious composition to enhance ductility, energy absorption, and structural reliability of CRF in underground engineering.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-025-01812-2
In the era of global climate change, personal thermoregulation has become critical to addressing the growing demands for thermoadaptability, comfort, health, and work efficiency in dynamic environments. Here, we introduce an innovative three-dimensional (3D) self-folding knitted fabric that achieves dual thermal regulation modes through architectural reconfiguration. In the warming mode, the fabric maintains its natural 3D structure, trapping still air with extremely low thermal conductivity to provide high thermal resistance (0.06 m2 K W−1), effectively minimizing heat loss. In the cooling mode, the fabric transitions to a 2D flat state via stretching, with titanium dioxide (TiO2) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings that enhance solar reflectivity (89.5%) and infrared emissivity (93.5%), achieving a cooling effect of 4.3 °C under sunlight. The fabric demonstrates exceptional durability and washability, enduring over 1000 folding cycles, and is manufactured using scalable and cost-effective knitting techniques. Beyond thermoregulation, it exhibits excellent breathability, sweat management, and flexibility, ensuring wear comfort and tactile feel under diverse conditions. This study presents an innovative solution for next-generation adaptive textiles, addressing the limitations of static thermal fabrics and advancing personal thermal management with wide applications for wearable technology, extreme environments, and sustainable fashion.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01645-5
The integration of dual-mesoporous structures, the construction of heterojunctions, and the incorporation of highly concentrated oxygen vacancies are pivotal for advancing metal oxide-based gas sensors. Nonetheless, achieving an optimal design that simultaneously combines mesoporous structures, precise heterojunction modulation, and controlled oxygen vacancies through a one-step process remains challenging. This study proposes an innovative method for fabricating zinc stannate semiconductors featuring dual-mesoporous structures and tunable oxygen vacancies via a direct solution precursor plasma spray technique. As a proof of concept, the resulting zinc stannate-based coatings are applied to detect 2-undecanone, a key biomarker for rice aging. Remarkably, the zinc oxide/zinc stannate heterojunctions with a well-defined secondary pore structure exhibit exceptional gas-sensing performance for 2-undecanone at room temperature. Furthermore, practical experiments indicate that the developed sensor effectively identifies adulteration in various rice varieties. These results underscore the potential of this method for designing metal oxides with tailored properties for high-performance gas sensors. The enhanced adsorption capacity and dual-mesoporous features of this semiconductor make it a promising candidate for sensing applications in agricultural food safety inspections.
New Carbon Materials (新型炭材料)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2025-5-3)
In recent years, numerous single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been synthesized to activate persulfate (PS) by a non-radical pathway because of its high selectivity, and activity for the catalyst. Metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-Nx-C) has been identified as the key active site in SACs. Although methods for preparing SACs have been extensively reported, a systematic summary of the direct construction of M-Nx-C, especially unconventional metal-nitrogen-carbon (UM-Nx-C, x≠4), on SACs for PS non-radical activation has still not been reported. The role of the M-Nx-C active sites on PS non-radical activation is discussed and methods for the formation of M-Nx-C and UM-Nx-C active sites in SACs and the effect of catalyst carriers such as carbon nitride (g-C3N4), MOFs, COFs, and other carbon materials are reviewed. Direct and indirect methods, especially for UM-Nx-C active site formation, are also elaborated. Factors affecting the formation of a M-Nx-C active site on SACs are also discussed. Prospects for the use of M-Nx-C active sites for the non-radical activation of PS by SACs to remove organic contaminants from wastewater are evaluated.
Int. Journal of Mining Science and Technology (采矿与安全工程)•2025•DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2025.09.012
Biotite content critically influences rock mechanical behavior and threatens underground engineering stability. Uniaxial compression tests with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring were conducted on granite pegmatite samples having varying biotite content. Peak frequency distribution analysis, rise angle-average frequency (RA-AF) analysis, multifractal theory, and a dynamic multifractal algorithm were applied to explore the relationship between damage evolution and AE characteristics. Results indicate that increased biotite content reduces uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus, enhances plastic deformation, and increases the proportion of shear cracks. The segmented evolution of the dynamic multifractal parameter Dam is biotite-dependent. Oscillations during the elastic phase signify localized shear crack initiation and propagation; their attenuation in the plastic phase reflects frictional closure along biotite cleavage planes, promoting elastic energy storage and delaying release. AE-based damage models and time-varying signals characterize rock damage progression. Stress concentrations around biotite minerals foster localized shear band formation, leading to concentrated shear failure at lower damage levels. Higher biotite content accelerates crack propagation, while smooth cleavage planes lower the fracture energy threshold, reducing strength and stiffness. These findings enhance understanding of biotite-influenced progressive rock damage and underpin stability monitoring and early-warning systems for underground engineering.
Int. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials (矿物冶金与材料学报)•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s12613-025-3093-y
To satisfy the demand for low-cost and long-range electric vehicles by the market, the commercialization of ultrahigh nickel cathode materials with high specific capacity and a wide electrochemical window is expected to facilitate the development of lithium-ion batteries. However, residual lithium compounds with a strong alkalinity cause difficulty in cathode preparation and indirectly affect the cycling stability of the cathode during cycling. Given the inevitability of the formation of residual alkali, a lithium-borate coating with an adjustable thickness was selected by controlling the formation of residual alkali. An additional lithium source was added to the synthesis process and converted into a thicker and more complete coating structure, which rendered the cathode with better cycle stability. As a result, the percentage of peak area of lithium carbonate on the surface-modified cathode surface exhibited a considerable decrease from 38.07% to 28.26%. The etching results show the formation of a uniform coating layer after boric acid treatment. The initial capacity of the treated cathode was 214.6 mAh·g−1 owing to the favorable effect of the surface coating, and the capacity retention raised from 59.35% to 90.75% and from 63.81% to 91.94% after cycling at 0.5 and 1 C current densities, respectively. The boric acid coating-modified strategy proposed in this paper considerably ameliorates the cycling stabilization of cathodes and provides superior commercial application value for ultrahigh nickel cathode materials.
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering•2025•DOI: 10.1186/s10033-025-01205-x
Typically, seat or floor acceleration is used to evaluate the ride comfort of a high-speed train. However, the dynamic performance of the human body significantly differs from that of the floor. Therefore, using the car body floor and seat accelerations to calculate the ride comfort index of a high-speed train may not reflect the true feelings of passengers. In this study, a 3D human-seat-vehicle-track coupling model was established to investigate the ride comfort of high-speed train passengers. The seated human model, which considers the longitudinal, lateral, vertical, pitching, yawing, and rolling motions, comprises the head, upper torso, lower torso, pelvis, thighs, and shanks. The model parameters were determined using multi-axis excitation measurement data based on a genetic algorithm. Subsequently, the applicability of the small-angle assumption and natural modes of the human model is analyzed. Using the coupling system model, the vibration characteristics of the human-seat interaction surface were analyzed. The ride comfort of the high-speed train and human body dynamic performance were analyzed under normal conditions, track geometric irregularities and train meeting conditions. The results showed that the passenger seats in the front and rear rows adjacent to the window had a higher acceleration value than the others. The human backrest and seat pad connection points have higher vibration amplitudes than the car body floor in the human-sensitive frequency range, indicating that using the acceleration values on the floor may underestimate the discomfort of passengers. The ride comfort of high-speed trains diminishes in the presence of track geometric irregularities and when trains pass each other. When the excitation frequency of track geometry irregularities approached the natural frequency of the human-seat-vehicle system, ride comfort in high-speed trains decreased significantly. Moreover, using seat acceleration to evaluate passenger ride comfort overlooks the vibration characteristics of the human body. The transient aerodynamic force generated when the train meets can cause a larger car body roll and lateral motion at 2 Hz, which, in turn, decreases the passenger ride comfort. This study presents a detailed human-seat-vehicle-track coupling system that can reflect a passenger’s dynamic performance under complex operating conditions.
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/s12613-025-3109-7
Utilizing coarse aggregates containing mining waste rock for backfilling addresses the strength requirements and reduces the expenses associated with binder and solid waste treatment. However, this type of material is prone to aggregate segregation, which can lead to uneven deformation and damage to the backfill. We employed an image-segmentation method that incorporated machine learning to analyze the distribution information of the aggregates on the splitting surface of the test blocks. The results revealed a nonlinear relationship between aggregate segregation and variations in solid concentration (SC) and cement/aggregate ratio (C/A). The SC of 81wt%–82wt% and C/A of 10.00wt%–12.50wt% reflect surges in fluid dynamics, friction effects, and shifts in their dominance. A uniaxial compression experiment, supplemented with additional strain gauges and digital image correlation technology, enabled us to analyze the mechanical properties and failure mechanism under the influence of aggregate segregation. It was found that the uniaxial compressive strength, ranging from 1.75 MPa to 12.65 MPa, is linearly related to both the SC and C/A, and exhibits no significant relationship with the degree of segregation in numerical terms. However, the degree of segregation affects the development trend of the elastic modulus to a certain extent, and a standard deviation of the aggregate area ratio of less than 1.63 clearly indicates a higher elastic modulus. In the pouring direction, the top area of the test block tended to form a macroscopic fracture surface earlier. By contrast, the compressibility of the bottom area was greater than that of the top area. The intensification of aggregate segregation widened the differences in the deformation and failure characteristics between the different areas. For samples with different uniformities, significant differences in local deformation ranging from 515.00 με to 1693.70 με were observed during the stable deformation stage. The extreme unevenness of the aggregate leads to rapid crack penetration in the sample, causing macroscopic tensile failure and resulting in premature structural failure.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01607-x
The metal–carbon dioxide batteries, emerging as high-energy–density energy storage devices, enable direct CO2 utilization, offering promising prospects for CO2 capture and utilization, energy conversion, and storage. However, the electrochemical performance of M-CO2 batteries faces significant challenges, particularly at extreme temperatures. Issues such as high overpotential, poor charge reversibility, and cycling capacity decay arise from complex reaction interfaces, sluggish oxidation kinetics, inefficient catalysts, dendrite growth, and unstable electrolytes. Despite significant advancements at room temperature, limited research has focused on the performance of M-CO2 batteries across a wide-temperature range. This review examines the effects of low and high temperatures on M-CO2 battery components and their reaction mechanism, as well as the advancements made in extending operational ranges from room temperature to extremely low and high temperatures. It discusses strategies to enhance electrochemical performance at extreme temperatures and outlines opportunities, challenges, and future directions for the development of M-CO2 batteries.
Nano-Micro Letters•2025•DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01494-2
Research efforts on electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have begun to converge on green and sustainable biomass materials. These materials offer numerous advantages such as being lightweight, porous, and hierarchical. Due to their porous nature, interfacial compatibility, and electrical conductivity, biomass materials hold significant potential as EMI shielding materials. Despite concerted efforts on the EMI shielding of biomass materials have been reported, this research area is still relatively new compared to traditional EMI shielding materials. In particular, a more comprehensive study and summary of the factors influencing biomass EMI shielding materials including the pore structure adjustment, preparation process, and micro-control would be valuable. The preparation methods and characteristics of wood, bamboo, cellulose and lignin in EMI shielding field are critically discussed in this paper, and similar biomass EMI materials are summarized and analyzed. The composite methods and fillers of various biomass materials were reviewed. this paper also highlights the mechanism of EMI shielding as well as existing prospects and challenges for development trends in this field.