Design Strategies for Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries with High Zinc Utilization: From Metal Anodes to Anode-Free Structures

Aqueous zinc metal batteries(AZMBs)are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage due to the excellent safety, environmental friendliness, natural abundance, high theoretical specific capacity, and low redox potential of zinc(Zn) metal. However,several issues such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and passivation of Zn metal anodes cause irreversible loss of the active materials. To solve these issues, researchers often use large amounts of excess Zn to ensure a continuous supply of active materials for Zn anodes. This leads to the ultralow utilization of Zn anodes and squanders the high energy density of AZMBs. Herein, the design strategies for AZMBs with high Zn utilization are discussed in depth, from utilizing thinner Zn foils to constructing anode-free structures with theoretical Zn utilization of 100%, which provides comprehensive guidelines for further research. Representative methods for calculating the depth of discharge of Zn anodes with different structures are first summarized. The reasonable modification strategies of Zn foil anodes, current collectors with pre-deposited Zn, and anode-free aqueous Zn metal batteries(AF-AZMBs) to improve Zn utilization are then detailed. In particular, the working mechanism of AF-AZMBs is systematically introduced. Finally, the challenges and perspectives for constructing high-utilization Zn anodes are presented.

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.

Effects of Austenite Stabilization on the Onset of Martensite Transformation in T91 Steel

热稳定的影响在为在 T91 以铁酸盐为主要成的耐热的钢的马氏体转变的发作温度上奥氏体被高分辨率的微分膨胀计学习。阶段转变运动信息被从记录 dilatometric 曲线采用杆统治获得。结果显示出那反的稳定，当 T91 以铁酸盐为主要成的钢是在 M_s 点上面对待的等温线联盟者时，由“碳原子的空气”和开始的温度的增加的损坏展示了因为马氏体转变发生，并且它与增加成立 time.While 变得强壮当等温线联盟者在 M_s point.The 下面在温度成立观察到反的稳定行为能在探索 T91 以铁酸盐为主要成的耐热的钢被归因于 M_s 点的相对高的温度时，为马氏体转变的继续的温度逐渐地减少。

Rapid directional solidification in Sn-Cu lead-free solder

An experimental study on the microstructures of a rapid directionally solidified metallo-eutectic Sn-Cu alloy was carried out. This material is an important alloy that is used as a lead-free solder. The results showed that the kinetic undercooling due to the rapid solidification process led to the formation of a pseudoeutectic zone, whereas the hypereutectic reaction produced the regular lamellar structure in the hypereutectic Sn-1.0Cu alloy. The corresponding arm spacing in the obtained lamellar phases decreased gradually with the increase of the applied cooling rate, which corresponded well with the prediction of a rapid directional solidification model.

Prediction of M–A Constituents and Impact Toughness in Stir Zone of X80 Pipeline Steel Friction Stir Welds

This study explored a strategy for predicting the proportion of martensite–austenite(M–A)constituents and impact toughness of stir zone(SZ)on X80 pipeline steel joints welded by friction stir welding(FSW).It is found that the welding forces,including the traverse force(F_(x)),the lateral force(F_(y))and the plunge force(F_(z)),are the key variables related to the change of welding parameters and influence remarkably the characteristics of M–A constituents and impact toughness of SZ.The impact toughness of SZ is commonly lower than that of the base material due to the formation of lath bainite and coarsening of austenite.The characteristics of M–A constituents in SZ are sensitive to the variation of welding parameters and respond well to the change of welding forces.The proportion of small island M–A constituents increases with the decrease in rotational speed and the increase in Fz.The increase in the amount of island M–A constituents is beneficial to improve the impact toughness of SZ.Based on the above findings,a machine learning(ML)model for predicting the M–A constituents and impact toughness is constructed using the force features as the input data set.The force data-driven ML model can predict the M–A constituents and impact toughness precisely and exhibits higher accuracy than ML built with welding parameters.It is believed that the high accuracy is achieved because the force features include more details of FSW process,such as the heat generation,material flow,plastic deformation,and so on,which govern the microstructural evolution of SZ during FSW.

Role of solute in stress development of nanocrystalline films during heating:An in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study

The effect of the solute(Mo)on the stress development of nanocrystalline Ni and Ni-Mo films upon heat-ing has been investigated in real time using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction.The complex and distinct relationship between the film stress and grain boundaries(GBs)has been examined by the evolution of real-time intrinsic stress in combination with the in situ grain growth and thermal characterizations.The different intrinsic stress evolutions in the Ni and Ni-Mo films during the heating process result from the modification of GBs by Mo alloying,including GB amorphization,GB relaxation,and GB segregation.It has been found that GBs play a vital role in the stress development of nanocrystalline films.The addition of a solute can not only inhibit grain growth but also influence the stress evolution in the film by changing the atomic diffusivity at the GBs.This work provides valuable and unique insights into the effect of solutes on stress development in nanocrystalline films during annealing,permitting control of the film stress through solute addition and heat treatment,which is critical for improving the design,processing,and lifetime of advanced nanocrystalline film devices at high temperatures.

Ultra-thick,dense dual-encapsulated Sb anode architecture with conductively elastic networks promises potassium-ion batteries with high areal and volumetric capacities

Ultra-thick,dense alloy-type anodes are promising for achieving large areal and volumetric performance in potassium-ion batteries(PIBs),but severe volume expansion as well as sluggish ion and electron diffusion kinetics heavily impede their widespread application.Herein,we design highly dense(3.1 g cm^(-3))Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene and graphene dual-encapsulated nano-Sb monolith architectures(HD-Sb@Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)-G)with high-conductivity elastic networks(1560 S m^(-1))and compact dually encapsulated structures,which exhibit a large volumetric capacity of 1780.2 mAh cm^(-3)(gravimetric capacity:565.0 mAh g^(-1)),a long-term stable lifespan of 500 cycles with 82%retention,and a large areal capacity of 8.6 mAh cm^(-2)(loading:31 mg cm^(-2))in PIBs.Using ex-situ SEM,in-situ TEM,kinetic investigations,and theoretical calculations,we reveal that the excellent areal and volumetric performance mechanism stems from the three dimensional(3D)high-conductivity elastic networks and the dualencapsulated Sb architecture of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) and graphene;these effectively mitigate against volume expansion and the pulverization of Sb,offering good electrolyte penetration and rapid ionic/electronic transmission.Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) also decreases the Kþdiffusion energy barrier,and the ultra-thick compact electrode ensures volumetric and areal performance.These findings provide a feasible strategy for fabricating ultra-thick,dense alloy-type electrodes to achieve high areal and volumetric capacity energy storage via highly-dense,dual-encapsulated architectures with conductive elastic networks.

Improving creep strength of the fine-grained heat-affected zone of novel 9Cr martensitic heat-resistant steel via modified thermo-mechanical treatment

The infamous type Ⅳ failure within the fine-grained heat-affected zone (FGHAZ) in G115 steel weldments seriously threatens the safe operation of ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants.In this work,the traditional thermo-mechanical treatment was modified via the replacement of hot-rolling with cold rolling,i.e.,normalizing,cold rolling,and tempering (NCT),which was developed to improve the creep strength of the FGHAZ in G115 steel weldments.The NCT treatment effectively promoted the dissolution of preformed M_(23)C_(6)particles and relieved the boundary segregation of C and Cr during welding thermal cycling,which accelerated the dispersed reprecipitation of M_(23)C_(6) particles within the fresh reaustenitized grains during post-weld heat treatment.In addition,the precipitation of Cu-rich phases and MX particles was promoted evidently due to the deformation-induced dislocations.As a result,the interacting actions between precipitates,dislocations,and boundaries during creep were reinforced considerably.Following this strategy,the creep rupture life of the FGHAZ in G115 steel weldments can be prolonged by 18.6%,which can further push the application of G115 steel in USC power plants.

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.

Spherical nano-Sb@C composite as a high-rate and ultra-stable anode material for sodium-ion batteries

一种喷雾器水花热分解技术被用来综合球形的 nano-Sb@C 合成。仪器的分析表明与 68.8 wt% 的一个优化 Sb 内容合成的 micro-nanostructured 一致地由极端小的 Sb nanoparticles (10 nm ) 组成在一个球形的多孔的 C 矩阵以内嵌入(作为 10-Sb @ C 表示了) 。Sb 的内容和尺寸能被改变先锋的集中控制。作为钠离子电池的阳极材料， 10-Sb @ C 提供 435 mAh 据 ? 椠据畬楤杮愠猠数楣楦 ? 慣慰楣慴据 ? 景ㄠ ? 的一个分泌物能力 ? 术挠浯慰敲 ? 楷桴琠敨瘠污敵漠 ??? 术映牯 ?? 瑡愠挠慨杲 ? 楤' 湛?慲整漠 ?? ‰ ?

Phase Transformation Behavior and Microstructural Control of High-Cr Martensitic/Ferritic Heat-resistant Steels for Power and Nuclear Plants: A Review

The martensitic/ferritic steels have been used as boiler and turbine materials in power plants, and also been selected as potential materials for structural materials in nuclear reactors. In this paper, the kinetic analysis of the martensite formation and microstructural control of high-Cr martensitic/ferritic steels are reviewed. A modular approach, incorporating Fisher partitioning nucleation and anisotropic growth for impingement, was proposed to describe the martensite formation kinetics under different cooling rates.The kinetic analysis suggested a thermal-activated growth feature occurring during the martensitic transformation of martensitic steels. The microstructure can be tuned by composition optimization and various combinations of heat treatment parameters(temperature, time, severe and minor deformation).For the application in power plant, the potential of boundary-design, refinement of original austenite grain size and the final martensitic lath, pinning effect of stable carbides, in improving the performances of martensitic/ferritic steels at elevated temperatures should be investigated more thoroughly.Furthermore, efforts should be made to explore the effects of retained austenite on the improvement of high-temperature creep strength. For the application of nuclear plants, attempts should also be made to produce Fe powders with uniformly distributed oxide particles by chemical reactions.

Precipitation and hot deformation behavior of austenitic heat-resistant steels: A review

The austenitic heat resistant-steels have been considered as important candidate materials for advanced supercritical boilers, nuclear reactors, super heaters and chemical reactors, due to their favorable combination of high strength, corrosion resistance, perfect mechanical properties, workability and low cost.Since the precipitation behavior of the steels during long-term service at elevated temperature would lead to the deterioration of mechanical properties, it is essential to clarify the evolution of secondary phases in the microstructure of the steels. Here, a summary of recent progress in the precipitation behavior and the coarsening mechanism of various precipitates during aging in austenitic steels is made. Various secondary phases are formed under service conditions, like MX carbonitrides, M_(23)C_6 carbides, Z phase, sigma phase and Laves phase. It is found that the coarsening rate of M_(23)C_6 carbides is much higher than that of MX carbonitrides. In order to understand the thermal deformation mechanism, a constitutive equation can be established, and thus obtained processing maps are beneficial to optimizing thermal processing parameters, leading to improved thermal processing properties of steels.

Formation mechanism and control methods of acicular ferrite in HSLA steels:A review

High strength low alloy(HSLA) steels have been widely used in pipelines,power plant components,civil structures and so on,due to their outstanding mechanical properties as high strength and toughness,and excellent weldability.Multi-phase microstructures containing acicular ferrite or acicular ferrite dominated phase have been proved to possess good comprehensive properties in HSLA steels.This paper mainly focuses on the formation mechanisms and control methods of acicular ferrite in HSLA steels.Effect of austenitizing conditions,continuous cooling rate,and isothermal quenching time and temperature on acicular ferrite transformation was reviewed.Furthermore,the modified process to control the formation of multi-phase microstructures containing acicular ferrite,as intercritical heat treatments,step quenching treatments and thermo-mechanical controlled processing,was summarized.The favorable combination of mechanical properties can be achieved by these modified treatments.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of friction stir welds on 9% Cr reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel

In this study,the microstructures and mechanical properties of 9%Cr reduced activation ferritic/martensitic(RAFM) steel friction stir welded joints were investigated.When a W-Re tool is used,the recommended welding parameters are 300 rpm rotational speed,60 mm/min welding speed and10 kn axial force.In stir zone(SZ),austenite dynamic recrystallization induced by plastic deformation and the high cooling rates lead to an obvious refinement of prior austenite grains and martensite laths.The microstructure in SZ contains lath martensite with high dislocation density,a lot of nano-sized MX and M_3C phase particles,but almost no M_(23)C_6 precipitates.In thermal mechanically affect zone(TMAZ)and heat affect zone(HAZ),refinement of prior austenite and martensitic laths and partial dissolution of M_(23)C_6 precipitates are obtained at relatively low rotational speed.However,with the increase of heat input,coarsening of martensitic laths,prior austenite grains,and complete dissolution of M_(23)C_6 precipitates are achieved.Impact toughness of SZ at-20?C is slightly lower than that of base material(BM),and exhibits a decreasing trend with the increase of rotational speed.

Controlled synthesis of high-quality W-Y2O3 composite powder precursor by ascertaining the synthesis mechanism behind the wet chemical method

As an emerging preparation technology,wet chemical method has been employed widely to produce lots of alloy materials such as W and Mo based alloys,owing to its unique technical advantages.Ascertaining the synthesis mechanism behind wet chemical method is indispensable for controlled synthesis of highquality W-Y2 O3 composite powder precursor.The co-deposition mechanism of yttrium and tungsten component behind the wet chemical method of preparing yttrium-doped tungsten composite nanopowder was investigated systematically in this work.A series of co-deposited composite powders fabricated under different acidity conditions were used as research targets for investigating the effect of surface composition and structure on co-deposition efficiency.It was found that white tungstic acid has more W-OH bonds and much higher co-deposition efficiency with Y^3+ions than yellow tungstic acid.It is illustrated that the coordination reaction between W-OH bonds on tungstic acid particles and Y^3+ions brings the co-deposition of yttrium and tungsten component into being.Through displacing H^+ions in W-OH bonds,Y^3+ions can be adsorbed on the surface of or incorporated into tungstic acid particles in form of ligand.Consequently,to control and regulate Y2 O3 content in powder precursor accurately,H^+ion concentration in wet chemical reaction should be in range of 0.55-2.82 mol L^-1 to obtain white tungstic acid.Besides,H^+ion concentration also has prominent effect on the grain size and morphology of reduced powder precursor.The optimal value should be around 1.58 mol L^-1,which can lead to minimum W grain size(about 17 nm) without bimodal structure.The chemical mechanism proposed in this work could produce great sense to preparation of high-quality precursor for sintering high-performance Y2 O3 dispersion strengthened W based alloys.Our work may also shed light on the approach to exploit analogous synthesis mechanism in other alloy systems.

Tailoring the secondary phases and mechanical properties of ODS steel by heat treatment

The oxide dispersion strengthened(ODS) steel with the nominal composition of Fe–14 Cr–2 W–0.3 Ti–0.2 V–0.07 Ta–0.3 Y2O3(wt%) was fabricated by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing(HIP). In order to optimize the relative volume fraction of secondary phases, the as-HIPed ODS steel was annealed at 800°C, 1000°C, 1200°C for 5 h, respectively. The microstructures and different secondary phases of the as-HIPed and annealed ODS samples were identified by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and X-ray diffraction(XRD). The tensile properties of all the ODS steels at room temperature were also investigated. The results indicate that annealing is an effective way to control the microstructure and the integral secondary phases. The annealing process promotes the dissolution of M23C6 particles, thus promoting the precipitation of TiC.No obvious coarsening of Y2Ti2O7 nanoparticles can be observed during annealing. The tensile results indicate that the annealed ODS sample with the optimized secondary phases and high density possesses the best mechanical properties.

Variation of activation energy determined by a modified Arrhenius approach:Roles of dynamic recrystallization on the hot deformation of Ni-based superalloy

The hot deformation behaviors of Ni18 Cr9 Co9 Fe5 Nb3 Mo superalloy were explored in the formation temperature range free ofγ’phase with various strain rates applied.The hot deformation behaviors are initially modeled with Arrhenius equation which gives an average activation energy of 581.1 kJ mol^(-1).A modified Arrhenius approach,including the updated Zener-Hollomon parameter is proposed to consider the change of activation ene rgy under different deformation conditions which turns out a relatively accurate computation for activation energy of hot deformation,i.e.,the standard variance for modified model calculated in the covered deformation condition is just 35.4%of that for Arrhenius equation.The modified model also proposes a map for activation ene rgy which ranges from 571.5-589.0 kJ mol^(-1)for various deformation conditions.Microstructural features of the representative superalloy specimens were characterized by electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD)techniques in order to clarify the influence of activation energy on the microstructural formation.It is found that the Ni-based superalloy samples with higher activation energy are promoted by the degree of dynamic recrystallization which suggests that the rise in activation energy gives either a better recrystallization rate or finer grains.

Phase transformation and microstructure control of Ti_(2)AlNb-based alloys: A review

In recent years,the Ti_(2) AlNb-based alloys are selected as potential alloys for elevated tempe rature applications to replace conventional Ni-based superalloys owing to their good creep resistance and oxidation resistance which are related to the O precipitates.In this paper,the precipitation mecha nisms of O phase,phase transformation and microstructure control of Ti_(2) AlNb-based alloys are reviewed.Ti_(2) AlNb-based alloys generally consist of B2/β,α_(2),and O phase with different morphologies which are derived from the various heat treatment processes,including equiaxed α_(2)/O particles,bimodal microstructure,and Widmannstatten B2/β+O structures etc.As a newly developed strengthening phase,O precipitates can be precipitated from the B2/β matrix or α_(2) phase directly as well as generated by means of peritectoid reaction of α_(2) phase and bcc matrix.Microstructural control of the Ti_(2) AlNb-based alloys can be implemented by refining the original B2/β grain size and regulating the O precipitates.Multidirectional isothermal forging(MIF) and powder metallurgy technique are two effective methods to refine the original B2/βgrains and the morphology and size of O precipitates can be regulated by adding alloying components and pre-deformation process.Moreover,the phase diagram as well as coarsening behavior of Ti_(2) AlNbbased alloys in ageing process is also reviewed.For the further application of these alloys,more emphasis should be paid on the deep interpolation of microstructure-property relationship and the adoption of advanced manufacturing technology.

Precipitate coarsening and its effects on the hot deformation behavior of the recently developedγ’-strengthened superalloys

Recently,theγ’-strengthened superalloys are of great interests in high temperature applications due to their excellent high temperature strength which is derived from theγ’strengthening phase.For theseγ’-strengthened superalloys,the changes in morphology,size and distribution ofγ’precipitates due to coarsening during thermal exposure have a significant impact on the properties of alloys.This article briefly summarizes the recent advances on the coarsening behavior of gamma prime precipitates in the recently-developedγ’-strengthened superalloys and its effects on the hot deformation behavior of superalloys,drawing specific examples on Allvac^(■)718 Plus TM and Ni3 Al-based intermetallic superalloys.It is found that the particle size plays an important role in morphological evolution ofγ’precipitates.For instance,the morphology ofγ’precipitates evolves from cuboidal to strip-like or other complex structures in Ni3 Al-based intermetallic alloys,while theγ’precipitates in Allvac^(■)718 Plus alloy always present nearspherical morphology due to the relatively small initial particle size.The Lifshitz-Slyozof-Wagner(LSW)theory and its modifications,as well as Trans-Interface Diffusion Controlled(TIDC)theory have been applied to describing the coarsening kinetics ofγ’precipitates.Additionally,the hot deformation behavior ofγ’-strengthened superalloy is found to be greatly influenced by the coarsening ofγ’precipitates.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of linear friction welded S31042 heat-resistant steel

S31042 heat-resistant steel was joined by linear friction welding(LFW) in this study. The microstructure and the mechanical properties of the LFWed joint were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, hardness test and tensile test. A defect-free joint was achieved by using LFW under reasonable welding parameters. The dynamic recrystallization of austenitic grains and the dispersed precipitation of NbCrN particles resulting from the high stress and high temperature in welding, would lead to a improvement of mechanical property of the welded joint.With increasing the distance from the weld zone to the parent metal, the austenitic grain size gradually increases from ~1μm to ~150μm, and the microhardness decreases from 301 HV to 225 HV. The tensile strength(about 731 MPa) of the welded joint is comparable to that of the S31042 in the solution-treated state.