Metal oxide mesocrystals (MCs) and mesoporous single crystals (MSCs) exhibit superior carrier transport ability, high specific surface area, shortened photo-carrier diffusion lengths to interfaces and enhanced absorbance of the incident sunlight. These advanced features make metal oxide MCs and MSCs be a promising candidate material in photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, dye sensitized solar cells

Phase field simulations incorporating contributions from chemical free energy and anisotropic interfacial energy are presented for the β→α transformation in Ti-6Al-4 V alloy to investigate the growth mechanism of α lamellae of various morphologies from undercooled β matrix. The α colony close to realistic microstructure was generated by coupling the Thermo-Calc thermodynamic parameters of α and β phases

Twin crystal structured Al-10 wt.% Mg alloys that were grown over a broad solidification velocity range were prepared and studied for the first time. The high thermal gradient (G) and growth velocity (V) of directional solidification resulted in the dominant solidification of twins: the twinned dendrite trunks at constant high Vs curved in the G direction with large angles in 7 mm diameter crucibles

The CrFeCoNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) exhibits excellent mechanical properties at lower temperatures due to its low stacking-fault energy, however, its medium- and high-temperature strengths are still insufficient. In consideration of the potential diversified applications, more strengthening approaches except for the previously proposed L12 phase hardening deserve further exploration due to its rapid

The so-called bimodal microstructure of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, composed of primary α grains (αp) and transformed β areas (βtrans), can be regarded as a “dual-phase” structure to some extent, the mechanical properties of which are closely related to the sizes, volume fractions, distributions as well as nano-hardness of the two constituents. In this study, the volume fractions of primary α grains (vol.%(αp))

A grain-size gradient NiTi ribbon with multiple-step shape transition was papered by means of melt-spinning. The ribbons contain coarse and fine grains in the free surface side and copper roller surface side, respectively. The grain-size gradient microstructure induces a two-stage phase transformation behavior in the ribbons during heating or cooling. After tensile deformation pre-treatment, the ribbons

{112-2} compression twin plays an important role in accommodating deformation along the c axis of HCP metals. However, the studies on the interface structure of {112-2} twin boundary (TB), especially the twin tip, and the corresponding local stress release mechanism are still limited. This work studied the interface characters of {11 2- 2} TB of a deformed pure titanium by transmission electron microscope

A multicomponent (TiZrHfNbTaMo)C ceramic has been fabricated by pressureless sintering at temperatures from 2100 °C to 2500 °C, using an equimolar multicomponent carbide powder synthesized by carbothermal reduction as the starting material. Influence of sintering temperature on densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of the ceramics was investigated. The relative density increases with

Nature-inspired superhydrophobic coatings with typical Cassie-Baxter contacts garner numerous interests for multifunctional applications. However, undesirable poor mechanical and thermal stability are still crucial bottlenecks for real-world employment. This work introduces a cost-effective, fluorine free and versatile strategy to achieve double-layered PDMS agglutinated candle soot coating with superior

Influences of Sn and Y on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of as-cast Mg-5Li-3Al-2Zn (LAZ532) alloy were investigated. The addition of Sn and Y refines grains and results in the formation of Mg2Sn and Al2Y phases, thus improving the mechanical properties of alloy by second phase strengthening and grain refinement strengthening. As-cast LAZ532 alloy shows typical filiform

In this work, the effect of microstructure features on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of Ti-7Mo-3Nb-3Cr-3Al (Ti-7333) alloy is investigated. Fatigue tests were carried out at room temperature in lab air atmosphere using a sinusoidal wave at a frequency of 120 Hz and a stress ratio of 0.1. Results show that the fatigue strength is closely related to the microstructure features, especially the αp percentage

A high-performance Mg-4.9Gd-3.2Y-1.1Zn-0.5 Zr alloy has been fabricated by multidirectional forging (MDF) after analyzing its compression behavior. The as-homogenized alloy exhibits a high activation energy Q of deformation (∼285 kJ/mol). The size of DRXed grains after compression tends to decrease as the Z-H parameter (Z) increases, showing a grain size exponent m of ∼4.0. Lamellar LPSO phases, kinking

The mechanism by which electromagnetic forming (EMF) enhances the formability of metals is unclear owing to the coupling effect of multi-physics fields. In the present work, the associated formability improvement mechanisms were qualitatively categorized and illustrated. This was realized by comparing the formability of fully annealed 2219 aluminum alloy (AA 2219-O) sheet under quasi-static (QS), electromagnetic

SiC nanowires/pyrocarbon (SiCnws/PyC) core-shell structure toughened C/C-ZrC-SiC composites were fabricated by CLVD process, and the influences of PyC shell thickness on the microstructure and ablation resistance of the composites were researched. The results presented that SiCnws/PyC core-shell structure had a linear shape, and the composites became dense with the increasing PyC thickness. When the

The corrosion of mild steels by liquid aluminum is an intractable issue in aluminum industry. This review aims to provide an overview of the corrosion behavior of mild steels in the static liquid aluminum with an emphasis on the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects. The corrosion mechanisms of mild steels in liquid aluminum are discussed systematically, based on which four corrosion control approaches

A zwitterionic nanofiber film was constructed through combining zwitterionic polymer with anodic aluminum oxide template for anti-adhering typical marine corrosive microorganisms, i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Chaetoceros muelleri. Results showed that the fabricated zwitterionic polymers film has fibrous nanostructure with uniform distribution and super hydrophilia. This film

Interfacial design is one of the most promising ways in improving mechanical properties of nanocomposites. In this work, a multifunctional aerogel with excellent mechanical performances, sensing sensitivity, and fire retardancy is fabricated by taking advantage of metal coordination between biopolymer and Fe3+. Montmorillonite (MMT) nanosheets are added to induce a ‘brick and mortar’ structure. The

Here, we report a facile method to produce pure silver nanowires (AgNWs) with high yield. A highly conductive dispersant was used to ensure uniform dispersion of the AgNWs. Without any posttreatment, the AgNW networks, deposited on flexible substrates, showed excellent optoelectrical performance owing to minimal junction resistance between the AgNWs. To explore their potential in flexible optoelectronic

This work focuses on irradiation behaviors of a novel silicon carbide and carbon coated nanostructured ferritic alloy ([email protected]) composite for potential applications as a cladding and structural material for next generation nuclear reactors. The [email protected] samples were irradiated with 1 MeV Kr ions up to 10 dpa at 300 and 450 °C. Microstructures and defect evolution were studied in-situ

One can compute the final deformation of a known geometry under specific boundary conditions using the constitutive laws of mechanics that describe their stress strain behavior. In such cases the initial geometry is known, and all operators mapping the deformation are defined on the reference domain. However, there are situations in which the final configuration of a deformation might be known but

Porous g-C3N4 nanosheets (PCN) were prepared by the nickel-assisted one-step thermal polymerization method. Hydrogen (H2) which was produced by the reaction between nickel (Ni) foam and ammonia (NH3) defined the structure and properties of PCN. During the formation of PCN, the participation of H2 not only enhanced the spacing between layers but also boosted the specific surface area that more active

Lightweight, flexible, ultrahigh-performance electromagnetic-interference (EMI) shielding materials are urgently required in the areas of aircraft/aerospace, portable and wearable electronics. Herein, 1D carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon nanofibers (CNF) with 2D edge-rich graphene (ERG) are used to form a lightweight, flexible CNT-ERG-CNF hybrid foam. This foam was fabricated through a self-sacrificial

Adding alloying elements to improve the performances or the manufacturing processes of Al-Mg-Si alloys has long been a serious issue in developing advanced automotive aluminum materials. The Zn element, among those promising ones, has demonstrated positive alloying effects on Al-Mg-Si alloys. However, the atomic-scale roles of Zn in an age-hardened Al-Mg-Si-Zn alloy have not been adequately understood

The uniform corrosion behavior of model FeCrAl alloys as well as commercial Zircaloy-4 as reference material were investigated in 360 °C borated and lithiated water. The results reveal that FeCrAl alloys exhibited better corrosion resistance than Zircaloy-4. It is found that the oxide films formed on the FeCrAl alloys are composed of outer Fe3O4 layer, inner layer consisting of compact spinel layer

We investigated the effects of Al concentration on the reciprocated motion of twin boundaries in pre-strained Mg-Al-Zn alloys through a combination of applied compression and tension, in-situ electron-backscattering diffraction observations, and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy observations. The twin growth was restricted by increased Al concentration, which resulted

Ultrafine-grained alloys fabricated by severe plastic deformation (SPD) have high strength but often poor uniform ductility. SPD via high-ratio differential speed rolling (HRDSR) followed by an annealing treatment was applied to Al0.5CoCrFeMnNi to design the microstructure from which both high strength and high uniform strain can be achieved. The optimized microstructure was composed of an ultrafine-grained

This study investigates the effects of fine and coarse undissolved particles in a billet of the Mg–7Sn–1Al–1Zn (TAZ711) alloy on the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior during hot extrusion at low and high temperatures and the resultant microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy. To this end, partially homogenized (PH) and fully homogenized (FH) billets are extruded at temperatures

Possessing inherently low thermal conductivity, BiSbSe3 is a promising thermoelectric material for medium temperature. Therefore, to substantially optimize the thermoelectric performance of BiSbSe3, researchers mainly focus on the strategies to improve its electrical transport properties. Among these strongly coupled thermoelectric parameters, carrier concentration and effective mass are two intrinsic

In the present research, nutrient broth (NB) medium was identified to be able to neutralize the antibacterial activity of chitosan and its derivatives. Therefore, an improved test method independent of NB medium was proposed to precisely quantify the antibacterial effectiveness and efficiency of chitosan. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of chitosan was 60 μg mL-1 against S. aureus and

Frequent food poisoning and food-borne diseases outbreaking in recent years have caused people to attach great attention to food safety, especially the food contact materials that are essential in the food industrial chains and daily lives, ensuring their clean sanitation are of great importance in blocking microbial contamination and spread of food-borne pathogens. Stainless steel (SS) is one of the

In this work, ultrasonic micro-forging treatment (UMFT) was introduced to achieve homogeneous microstructure, reduce defects and improve mechanical properties of GH3039 superalloy cladding layer processed by directed energy deposition (DED). The microstructure, defects and mechanical properties of the cladding layers treated by UMFT with different ultrasonic powers (UIPs) were investigated. Results

Studying hydrogen behavior in alloys and the mechanical properties of alloys are essential to various practical uses, such as separation membranes, as well as hydrogen embrittlement protection. In order to further develop the non-Pd-alloy membranes used in hydrogen separation, the mechanical, thermal properties of V14NiM (M= Al, Fe, Si, Ti, Zn) and hydrogen solubility and diffusion behaviors of V-based

In this work, carbon nanotube (CNT) based nanocomposites with high mass fraction are proposed by in-situ bridging carbon matrix into CNT paper through optimized chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). Nanoinfiltration behavior of CNTs is basically investigated under the CVI process. The contact between each CNT can be strengthened and the conductive pathways can be established, resulting in the better mechanical

High entropy diborides are new categories of ultra-high temperature ceramics, which are believed promising candidates for applications in hypersonic vehicles. However, knowledge on high temperature thermal and mechanical properties of high entropy diborides is still lacking unit now. In this work, variations of thermal and elastic properties of high entropy (Ti0.2Zr0.2Hf0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2)B2 with respect

Compared with the growing applications of peritectic alloys, none research on the fluid permeability K of dendritic network during peritectic solidification has been reported before. The fluid permeability K of dendritic network in the mushy zone during directional solidification of Sn-Ni peritectic alloy was investigated in this study. Examination on the experimental results demonstrates that both

Nanoporous metals prepared by dealloying have attracted increasing attention due to their interesting size-dependent physical, chemical, and biological properties. However, facile fabrication of metallic ultrathin freestanding nanoporous films (UF-NPFs) by dealloying is still challenging. Herein, we report a novel strategy of facile preparation of flexible Cu, Cu3Ag, and CuAg UF-NPFs by dealloying

All-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have acquired great progress, especially CsPbI2Br. However, their photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) remains far below the theoretical predictions. Non-radiative recombination is one of the important issues affecting the photoelectric performance of the PSCs, and the defective lead ions derived from the evaporation of halide ions in the inorganic

The mechanisms of Y on the wettability, surface tension, and interactions between the Ni-20Co-20Cr-10Al-ξY alloys and MgO ceramics at 1873 K were investigated by sessile drop experiments. The results of nonlinear fitting showed that the equilibrium contact angles and Y concentrations were approximately in accord with the log-normal distribution law. The equilibrium contact angles changed from 101.5°

Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloys with high strength levels fall within narrow composition ranges. The present paper explains their composition rule by establishing the cluster-plus-glue-atom unit of Gd-containing Mg solid solution with the aid of Mg matrix and Mg5Gd precipitate phase. First, based on the structural homologue between Gd-containing Mg solid solution and Mg5Gd precipitate phase and in combination with

The flourishing metal-oxide high-k dielectric materials have been regarded as the vital components of low voltage operated flexible transparent electronic devices. We herein report that ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3) and ZnSnO (ZTO) thin films were firstly integrated into ZTO-based thin film transistors (TFTs) with superior performance. Results have indicated that the 500 ℃-annealed ZTO/Yb2O3 TFTs possess

Cyclic oxidation behavior of NiCrAlYSi + NiAl/cBN abrasive coating at 900 °C and the mechanical properties of the coating-substrate system were investigated. Results indicated that elemental interdiffusion occurred between the coating and substrate, which caused the formation of interdiffusion zone (IDZ) and secondary reaction zone (SRZ) during aluminization, while their compositions and structures

Exploiting economical and high-efficient electrocatalysts of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains urgent in the field of sustainable hydrogen generation by water electrolysis. Ru- and Ir-based materials are benchmark electrocatalysts towards the OER, yet the precious metals are expensive and scarce. Herein, we develop a kind of Ru-doped NiFe-based catalyst with three-dimensional nanoporous surface

A novel three-dimension separable and recyclable rGH-PANI/BiOI photocatalyst with the synergism of adsorption-enrichment and photocatalytic-degradation was successfully prepared via a facile three-step hydrothermal method. The three-dimension reduced graphene oxide hydrogel (rGH) in with flower-like BiOI photocatalyst uniformly distributed not only possesses excellent adsorption and electron transport

Solution-synthesis method is attractive for solid electrolytes because it is a facile and scalable process to be used to permeate electrodes and to construct a thin electrolyte coating layer on active materials. In this work, we report Cl-doped Na3SbS4 prepared via aqueous-solution approach. Besides decent ionic conductivity, the aqueous-solution approached electrolyte demonstrates an improved interfacial

Light and strong AlxCrNbVMo (x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0) refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) were designed and fabricated via a the powder metallurgical process. The microstructure of the AlxCrNbVMo alloys consisted of a single BCC crystalline structure with a sub-micron grain size of 2-3 μm, and small amounts (< 4 vol.%) of fine oxide dispersoids. This homogeneous microstructure, without chemical segregation

Variant selection during the martensitic transformation in steels may play an important role in determining the transformation kinetics and the resulting mechanical properties. In this study, the variant selection and crystallographic features of deformation-induced martensite were investigated by quasi in situ electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) in grade SUS321 during tensile deformation. Significant