Recent advances and perspectives in MXene-based cathodes for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs)show great potential for applications in grid-scale energy storage,given their intrinsic safety,cost effectiveness,environmental friendliness,and impressive electrochemical performance.However,strong electrostatic interactions exist between zinc ions and host materials,and they hinder the development of advanced cathode materials for efficient,rapid,and stable Zn-ion storage.MXenes and their derivatives possess a large interlayer spacing,excellent hydrophilicity,outstanding electronic conductivity,and high redox activity.These materials are considered“rising star”cathode candidates for AZIBs.This comprehensive review discusses recent advances in MXenes as AZIB cathodes from the perspectives of crystal structure,Zn-storage mechanism,surface modification,interlayer engineering,and conductive network design to elucidate the correlations among their composition,structure,and electrochemical performance.This work also outlines the remaining challenges faced by MXenes for aqueous Zn-ion storage,such as the urgent need for improved toxic preparation methods,exploration of potential novel MXene cathodes,and suppression of layered MXene restacking upon cycling,and introduces the prospects of MXene-based cathode materials for high-performance AZIBs.

Tuning Metallic Co0.85Se Quantum Dots/Carbon Hollow Polyhedrons with Tertiary Hierarchical Structure for High-Performance Potassium Ion Batteries

Potassium-ion batteries(KIBs)are a potential candidate to lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)but possess unsatisfactory capacity and rate properties.Herein,the metallic cobalt selenide quantum dots(Co0.85Se-QDs)encapsulated in mesoporous carbon matrix were designed via a direct hydrothermal method.Specifically,the cobalt selenide/carbon composite(Co0.85Se-QDs/C)possesses tertiary hierarchical structure,which is the primary quantum dots,the secondary petals flake,and the tertiary hollow micropolyhedron framework.Co0.85Se-QDs are homogenously embedded into the carbon petals flake,which constitute the hollow polyhedral framework.This unique structure can take the advantages of both nanoscale and microscale features:Co0.85Se-QDs can expand in a multidimensional and ductile carbon matrix and reduce the K-intercalation stress in particle dimensions;the micropetals can restrain the agglomeration of active materials and promote the transportation of potassium ion and electron.In addition,the hollow carbon framework buffers volume expansion,maintains the structural integrity,and increases the electronic conductivity.Benefiting from this tertiary hierarchical structure,outstanding K-storage performance(402 mAh g?1 after 100 cycles at 50 mA g?1)is obtained when Co0.85Se-QDs/C is used as KIBs anode.More importantly,the selenization process in this work is newly reported and can be generally extended to prepare other quantum dots encapsulated in edge-limited frameworks for excellent energy storage.

Unveiling the cellular microstructure-property relations in martensitic stainless steel via laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)is a widely recognized additive manufacturing technology that can fabricate complex components rapidly through layer-by-layer formation.However,there is a paucity of research on the effect of laser scanning speed on the cellular microstructure and mechanical properties of martensitic stainless steel.This study systematically investigated the influence of laser scanning speed on the cellular microstructure and mechanical properties of a developed Fe11Cr8Ni5Co3Mo martensitic stainless steel produced by LPBF.The results show that increasing the laser scanning speed from 400 to 1000 mm/s does not lead to a noticeable change in the phase fraction,but it reduces the average size of the cellular microstructure from 0.60 to 0.35μm.The scanning speeds of 400 and 1000 mm/s both had adverse effects on performances of sample,resulting in inadequate fusion and keyhole defects respectively.The optimal scanning speed for fabricating samples was determined to be 800 mm/s,which obtained the highest room temperature tensile strength and elongation,with the ultimate tensile strength measured at(1088.3±2.0)MPa and the elongation of(16.76±0.10)%.Furthermore,the mechanism of the evolution of surface morphology,defects,and energy input were clarified,and the relationship between cellular microstructure size and mechanical properties was also established.

Structure characterization of the oxide film on FGH96 superalloy powders with various oxidation degrees

The structure of the oxide film on FGH96 alloy powders significantly influences the mechanical properties of superalloys.In this study,FGH96 alloy powders with various oxygen contents were investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic probe technology to elucidate the structure evolution of the oxide film.Energy dispersive spectrometer analysis revealed the presence of two distinct components in the oxide film of the alloy powders:amorphous oxide layer covering the γ matrix and amorphous oxide particles above the carbide.The alloying elements within the oxide layer showed a laminated distribution,with Ni,Co,Cr,and Al/Ti,which was attributed to the decreasing oxygen equilibrium pressure as oxygen diffused from the surface into the γ matrix.On the other hand,Ti enrichment was observed in the oxide particles caused by the oxidation and decomposition of the carbide phase.Comparative analysis of the oxide film with oxygen contents of 140,280,and 340 ppm showed similar element distributions,while the thickness of the oxide film varies approximately at 9,14,and 30 nm,respectively.These findings provide valuable insights into the structural analysis of the oxide film on FGH96 alloy powders.

"Win-Win"Scenario of High Energy Density and Long Cycling Life in a Novel Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)Cathode

The development of high-energy and long-lifespan NASICON-type cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries has always been a research hotspot but a daunting challenge.Although Na_(4)MnCr(PO_(4))_(3)has emerged as one of the most promising high-energy-density cathode materials owing to its three-electron reactions,it still suffers from serious structural distortion upon repetitive charge/discharge processes caused by the Jahn-Teller active Mn^(3+).Herein,the selective substitution of Cr by Zr in Na_(4)MnCr(PO_(4))_(3)was explored to enhance the structural stability,due to the pinning effect of Zr ions and the≈2.9-electron reactions,as-prepared Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)/C delivers a high capacity retention of 85.94%over 500 cycles at 5 C and an ultrahigh capacity of 156.4 mAh g^(-1)at 0.1 C,enabling the stable energy output as high as 555.2 Wh kg^(-1).Moreover,during the whole charge/discharge process,a small volume change of only 6.7%was verified by in situ X-ray diffraction,and the reversible reactions of Cr^(3+)/Cr^(4+),Mn^(3+)/Mn^(4+),and Mn^(2+)/Mn^(3+)redox couples were identified via ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique tests and density functional theory calculations further demonstrated the fast reaction kinetics of the Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)/C electrode.This work offers new opportunities for designing high-energy and high-stability NASICON cathodes by ion doping.

Oxygen variation in titanium powder and metal injection molding

The control of oxygen is paramount in achieving high-performance titanium(Ti)parts by powder metallurgy such as metal in-jection molding(MIM).In this study,we purposely selected the Ti and Ti-6Al-4V powders as the reference materials since these two are the most representative Ti materials in the industry.Herein,hydride-dehydride(HDH)Ti powders were pre-oxidized to examine the ef-fect of oxygen variation on the characteristics of oxide layer on the particle surface and its resultant color feature.The results indicate that the thickness and Ti oxide level(Ti^(0)→Ti^(4+))of the oxide layer on the HDH Ti powders increased as the oxygen content increased,lead-ing to the transition of color appearance from grey,brown to blue.This work aids in the powder feedstock selection at the initial stage in powder metallurgy.In addition,the development of oxygen content was comprehensively studied during the MIM process using the gas-atomized(GA)Ti-6Al-4V powders.Particularly,the oxygen variation in the form of oxide layer,the change of oxygen content in the powders,and the relevant parts were investigated during the processes of kneading,injection,debinding,and sintering.The oxygen vari-ation was mainly concentrated in the sintering stage,and the content increased with the increase of sintering temperature.The variation of oxygen content during the MIM process demonstrates the crucial role of powder feedstock and sintering stage in controlling oxygen con-tent.This work provides a piece of valuable information on oxygen detecting,control,and manipulation for the powder and processing in the industry of Ti and its alloys by powder metallurgy.

Recent advances in electrospun electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)have been considered as an ideal choice for the next generation large-scale energy storage applications owing to the rich sodium resources and the analogous working principle to that of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).Nevertheless,the larger size and heavier mass of Na^(+)ion than those of Li^(+)ion often lead to sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior cycling life in SIBs compared to the LIB counterparts.The pursuit of promising electrode materials that can accommodate the rapid and stable Na-ion insertion/extraction is the key to promoting the development of SIBs toward a commercial prosperity.One-dimensional(1 D)nanomaterials demonstrate great prospects in boosting the rate and cycling performances because of their large active surface areas,high endurance for deformation stress,short ions diffusion channels,and oriented electrons transfer paths.Electrospinning,as a versatile synthetic technology,features the advantages of controllable preparation,easy operation,and mass production,has been widely applied to fabricate the 1 D nanostructured electrode materials for SIBs.In this review,we comprehensively summarize the recent advances in the sodium-storage cathode and anode materials prepared by electrospinning,discuss the effects of modulating the spinning parameters on the materials’micro/nano-structures,and elucidate the structure-performance correlations of the tailored electrodes.Finally,the future directions to harvest more breakthroughs in electrospun Na-storage materials are pointed out.

Research progress on selective laser melting processing for nickel-based superalloy

Selective laser melting(SLM),an additive manufacturing process mostly applied in the metal material field,can fabricate complex-shaped metal objects with high precision.Nickel-based superalloy exhibits excellent mechanical properties at elevated temperatures and plays an important role in the aviation industry.This paper emphasizes the research of SLM processed Inconel 718,Inconel 625,CM247LC,and Hastelloy X,which are typical alloys with different strengthening mechanisms and operating temperatures.The strengthening mechanism and phase change evolution of different nickel-based superalloys under laser irradiation are discussed.The influence of laser parameters and the heat-treatment process on mechanical properties of SLM nickel-based superalloys are systematically introduced.Moreover,the attractive in-dustrial applications of SLM nickel-based superalloy and printed components are presented.Finally,the prospects for nickel-based superalloy materials for SLM technology are presented.

Preparation of high nitrogen and nickel-free austenitic stainless steel by powder injection molding

High nitrogen and nickel-free austenitic stainless steel has received much recognition worldwide because it can solve the problem of ＂nickel-allergy＂ and has outstanding mechanical and physical properties. In this article, 0Cr17Mn11Mo3N was prepared by powder injection molding （PIM） technique accompanied with solid-nitriding. The results show that the critical solid loading can achieve up to 64vol% by use of gas-atomized powders with the average size of 17.4 μm. The optimized sintefing conditions are determined to be 1300℃,2 h in flowing nitrogen atmosphere, at which the relative density reaches to 99% and the N content is as high as 0.78wt%. After solution annealing at 1150℃for 90 rain and water quench, the 0.2% yield strength, ultimate tensile strength （UTS）, elongation, reduction in area, and hardness can reach as high as 580 MPa, 885 MPa, 26.0%, 29.1%, and Hv 222, respectively.

Low-temperature oxidation behavior of MoSi_2 powders

The oxidation behavior of molybdenum disilicide （MoSi2） powders at 400, 500, and 600℃ for 12 h in air were investigated by using X-ray diffraction （XRD） and transmission electron microscopic （TEM） techniques. Significant changes were observed in volume, mass, and color. Especially at 500℃, the volume expansion was found to be as high as 7-8 times, the color changed from black to yellow-white, and the mass gain was about 169.34% after 8 h, with SiO2 and MoO3 as main reaction products. The gains in volume and mass were less at 400 and 600℃ compared with those at 500℃, probably due to the less reaction rate at 400℃ and the formation of silica glass scale at 600℃, which would protect the matrix and restrain the diffusion of oxygen and molybdenum. Thus, the accelerated oxidation behavior of MoSi2 powder appeared at 500℃ and the volume expansion was the sign of accelerated oxidation.

Influences of oxide content and sintering temperature on microstructures and mechanical properties of intragranular-oxide strengthened iron alloys prepared by spark plasma sintering

How to increase strength without sacrificing ductility has been developed as a key goal in the manufacture of high-performance metals or alloys. Herein, the double-nanophase intragranular yttrium oxide dispersion strengthened iron alloy with high strength and appreciable ductility was fabricated by solution combustion route and subsequent spark plasma sintering, and the influences of yttrium oxide content and sintering temperature on microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. The results show at the same sintering temperature,with the increase of yttrium oxide content, the relative density of the sintered alloy decreases and the strength increases. For Fe–2wt%Y_(2)O_(3)alloy, as the sintering temperature increases gradually, the compressive strength decreases, while the strain-to-failure increases. The Fe–2wt%Y_(2)O_(3)alloy with 15.5 nm Y_(2)O_(3)particles uniformly distributed into the 147.5 nm iron grain interior sintered at 650℃ presents a high ultimate compressive strength of 1.86 GPa and large strain-to-failure of 29%. The grain boundary strengthening and intragranular second-phase particle dispersion strengthening are the main dominant mechanisms to enhance the mechanical properties of the alloy.

Effect of different additives on the properties of lithium alanate

LiAIH4 doped with Ni and Ce（SO4）2 additives and the effect of doping on temperature and hydrogen release were studied by pressure-content-temperature （PCT） experiment and X-ray diffraction （XRD） analysis. It is indicated that doping with Ni induces a significant decrease in temperature in the first step and LiA1H4 doped with 1mol% Ni presents the most absorption of hydrogen. Doping with Ce（S04）2 also causes a marked decrease, while the amount of hydrogen release changes only slightly. The results from X-ray diffraction analysis show that doping does not cause any structural change; Ni and Ce-containing phases are not observed at room temoerature or even at 250℃.

Processing and characterization of C_f/SiC composites

Carbon fiber-reinforced SiC composites were prepared by precursor pyrolysis-hot pressing （PP-HP） and precursor impregnation-pyrolysis （PIP）, respectively. The effect of fabrication methods on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. It was found that the composite prepared by PP-HP exhibits a brittle fracture behavior, which is mainly ascribed to a strongly bonded fiber/matrix interface and the degradation of the fibers caused by a higher processing temperature. On the contrary, the composite prepared by PIP shows a tough fracture behavior, which could be rationalized on the basis of a weakly bonded fiber/matrix interface as well as a higher strength retention of the fibers. As a result, in comparison with the composite prepared by PP-HP, the composite prepared by PIP achieves better mechanical properties with a flexural strength of 573.4 MPa and a fracture toughness of 17.2 MPa.m^1/2.

Improvement of a High Velocity Compaction Technique for Iron Powder

Water atomized pure iron powder was compacted by high velocity compaction （HVC） with and without upper relaxation assist （URA） device. The influence of URA device on green density, spring back, green strength and hardness was studied. Morphological characteristics of the samples were observed by scanning electron microscope （SEM）. Green strength of the samples was measured by computer controlled universal testing machine. The results show that as stroke length increases, the green density, green strength and hardness of the compacts increase gradually. At the identical stroke length, the green density of the compacts pressed with URA devise was 2% higher than the compacts pressed without URA device. The green strength and hardness of the compacts pressed with URA device were higher than the compacts pressed without URA device. Furthermore, the radial spring back of the compacts decreased gradually with the increment in stroke length, whilst that of compacts prepared with URA device was lower.

Porous FeAl alloys via powder sintering:Phase transformation,microstructure and aqueous corrosion behavior

This study investigates the phase transformation and microstructure of porous Fe Al parts sintered from elemental powder mixtures using in-situ neutron diffraction and in-situ thermal dilatometry.A single B2 structured Fe Al phase was determined in the sintered Fe Al alloy.The combined effects of the Kirkendall porosity,transient liquid phase,and phase transformations associated with powder sintering all contribute to the swelling phenomenon of the final sintered part.The aqueous corrosion test indicates that the corrosion products include iron oxides in the porous Fe Al parts.The accumulation of corrosion products blocks the pore channel and decreases pore size and permeability over the soaking time.

Advancing knowledge of plasma spraying coatings for Li||Sb-Sn liquid metal batteries by X-ray micro-CT

The performance of Li||Sb-Sn liquid metal batteries(LMBs) is hindered by the corrosion of the Sb-Sn cathode on its current collector. Herein, a uniform, dense, and low-oxidized W coating was prepared by plasma spraying, which can effectively resist the corrosion of the cathode and improve the cycle stability of the Li||Sb-Sn LMBs. For the first time, micro-CT nondestructive inspection is applied in the field of LMBs. The corrosion micromorphology and composition evolution of the SS304 matrix and Sb-Sn cathode with or without the plasma-sprayed W coating is obtained without disassembling the battery, which proves that the W coating can effectively protect the SS304 matrix. Our autonomous new LMB device for nondestructive inspection is universal and can be applied to different LMBs systems for advancing knowledge of corrosion mechanism and protection. This work guarantees the ability to directly visualize the inner critical positions in three dimensions and fills the knowledge gap in the field of LMB detection technology.

Synergistic improvement of strength and ductility via doping cerium into PH13-8Mo stainless steel by laser powder bed fusion

In this study,the PH13-8Mo stainless steel parts doped without and with cerium(Ce)were fabricated via laser powder bed fusion followed by post-heat treatment,and systematically compared in terms of microstructure,phase constituent,and tensile properties.The comparative results show that doping Ce-modified grains with the equiaxed morphology and finer size,increased the mechanical stability of austenite,and enhanced the sphericity of oxide inclusion in the resultant PH13-8Mo.Additionally,the coherency between the newly-formed CeAlO 3 inclusion and matrix was effectively im proved after doping Ce,as compared to the original aluminum oxide inclusion without doping Ce.The resultant PH13-8Mo parts doped with Ce yielded an ultimate tensile strength of 1446±20 MPa with a fracture elongation of 16.0%±1.5%,for the first time meeting the AMS 5629E H1000 standard for the PH13-8Mo made by additive manufacturing(AM).The enhanced strength results from the strengthening effects of nanoscale precipitation(inclusion)and grain refining.Meanwhile,the ductilizing mechanism can be attributed to the enhanced inclusion sphericity and ameliorative coherency between the inclusion and matrix,and improved misorientation angle of grain boundary owing to the modification by Ce,which efficiently re-duced the stress concentration and enhanced cracking resistance during deformation.Therefore,doping rare earth elements presents a promising pathway to synergistically improve the strength and ductility of stainless steels by AM.

High-throughput preparation for alloy composition design in additive manufacturing:A comprehensive review

Additive Manufacturing(AM)is revolutionizing aerospace,transportation,and biomedical sectors with its potential to create complex geometries.However,the metallic materials currently used in AM are not intended for high-energy beam processes,suggesting performance improvement.The development of materials for AM still faces challenge because of the inefficient trial-and-error conventional methods.This review examines the challenges and current state of materials including aluminum alloys,titanium alloys,superalloys,and high-entropy alloys(HEA)in AM,and summarizes the high-throughput methods in alloy development for AM.In addition,the advantages of high-throughput preparation technology in improving the properties and optimizing the microstructure mechanism of major additive manufacturing alloys are described.This article concludes by emphasizing the importance of high-throughput techniques in pushing the boundaries of AM materials development,pointing toward a future of more effective and innovative material solutions.

Fabrication of commercial pure Ti by selective laser melting using hydride-dehydride titanium powders treated by ball milling

Micro-fine sphericalpowders are recommended for selective laser melting(SLM). However, they are mostly expensive due to the complex manufacturing technique and low yield. In this paper, using lowcost treated hydride-dehydride(HDH) Ti powders, commercial pure Ti(CP-Ti) was successfully fabricated by SLM. After 4-h milling, the resulting powders become near-spherical with no obvious angularity, and have optimal flowability with the apparent density of 1.64 ± 0.02 g/cm^3, tap density of 2.10 ± 0.04 g/cm^3,angle of repose 40.11?±0.09?, and Carr's index of 77.74 ± 0.15. The microstructure was determined with full acicular martensitic β phase. The CP-Ti can achieve superior mechanical properties with the ultimate tensile strength of 876.1 ± 20.5 MPa and elongation of(14.7 ± 0.5)%, which exhibit distinctly competitive compared to the as-cast CP-Ti or Ti-6 Al-4 V. Excellent mechanical properties together with its low-cost make SLM-fabricated CP-Ti from modified HDH Ti powders show promising applications.

Microstructure, wear resistance, and corrosion performance of Ti35Zr28Nb alloy fabricated by powder metallurgy for orthopedic applications

A ternary Ti35Zr28Nb alloy was fabricated by powder metallurgy(PM)from pre-alloyed powder.The microstructure,hardness,corrosion behavior,and wear response of the produced alloy were investigated systematically.The results show that nearly full dense Ti35Zr28Nb alloy(relative density is 98.1±1.2%)can be fabricated by PM.The microstructure was dominated with uniform phase.The Ti35Zr28Nb alloy displayed spontaneous passivity in a naturally aerated simulated body fluid(SBF)solution at 37±0.5°C.The Ti35Zr28Nb alloy exhibited the highest corrosion resistance as compared to as-cast Ti6Al4V and pure Ti because of the formation of a protective passive film containing TiO2,Nb2O5,and ZrO2,including the highest corrosion potential(-0.22±0.01 V),the lowest corrosion current density(57.45±1.88 nA),the lowest passive potential(0.05±0.01 V)and the widest passivation range(1.29±0.09 V).Under the same wear condition,the wear rate of the Ti35Zr28Nb alloy(0.0021±0.0002 mm3/m·N)was lower than that of the CP Ti(0.0029±0.0004 mm3/m·N)and close to that of the Ti6Al4V(0.0020±0.0003 mm3/m·N).The wear mechanism of the Ti35Zr28Nb alloy was mainly dominated by abrasive wear,accompanied by adhesive wear.The highest corrosion resistance together with the adequate wear resistance makes the PM-fabricated Ti35Zr28Nb alloy an attractive candidate for orthopedic implant materials.