Recent applications of carbon-based composites in defence industry: A review

Carbon-based composites, including carbon reinforced composites and carbon-matrix composites, in defence technologies have raised a lot of attention due to its significant physical capabilities, superior thermal and mechanical stability, and its eco-friendly nature. Carbon-based composite which incorporating with various carbonaceous materials such as coke, char, black carbon, activated carbon, carbon fibre and other carbon nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres, graphene and graphite) are the greatest viable option for the development of advanced defence technologies. In this review article the characteristics of carbon-based materials and its composites are discussed for their distinct application in defence sectors;aeronautics, maritime, automotive, electronics, energy storage, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and structures. The origin of carbonaceous materials and its production techniques were discussed. Carbon-based composites have a promising future in defence technology, particularly in chemical sensors, drug delivery agents, radar technologies, and nanocomposites due to their low cost, easy availability, flexibility in design and processing.

Advances in core–shell engineering of carbon-based composites for electromagnetic wave absorption

Electromagnetic(EM)absorption is paving the way to overcome the challenges related to conventional shielding strategy against EM pollution through sustainable energy dissipation.As characteristic functional media that can interact with electric or magnetic field branch,EM wave absorption materials(EWAMs)have received extensive attention and realized considerable development in the past two decades,where carbon-based composites are always considered as promising candidates for high-performance EMAWs due to their synergetic loss mechanism as well as diversified composition and microstructure design.Recent progress indicates that there is more and more interest in the fabrication of carbon-based composites with unique core–shell configuration.On one hand,core–shell configuration usually ensures good chemical homogeneity of final products and provides some positive protections for the components with susceptibility to corrosion,on the other hand,it creates enough heterogeneous interfaces between different EM components,which may bring enhanced polarization effect and intensify the consumption of EM energy.In this review,we firstly introduce EM wave absorption theory,and then highlight the advances of core–shell engineering in carbonbased composites in terms of built-in carbon cores and built-out carbon shells.Moreover,we also show some special core–shell carbon-based composites,including carbon/carbon composites,assembled composites,and decorated composites.After analyzing EM absorption performance of some representative composites,we further propose some challenges and perspectives on the development of core–shell carbon-based composites.

MOF-derived multi-interface carbon-based composites with enhanced polarization loss and efficient microwave absorption

Metal-organic framework materials(MOFs)have been widely stu-died because of their adjustable composition and controllable structure in the field of microwave absorption(MA).Therein,Prussian blue analogs(PBA)have attracted the attention of researchers with ultra-high metal content.However,the attenua-tion ability of microwave for PBA-based composites is still unsatis-factory up to now.Therefore,the NiFe/CoFe@C composites were prepared by carbonizing polymetallic PBA(NiCoFe PBA)materials in this work,and the influence of different metal alloy components on MA was explored by adjusting the ratio of metal ions(Ni^(2+)/Co^(2+)).Moreover,the NiFe/CoFe@C composites have rich interfaces and enhance the polarization loss due to the introduction of Ni and it has an optimal performance at 2.7 mm that is the reflection loss(RL)is−41.49 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)is 7.12 GHz with 1/1(Ni^(2+)/Co^(2+)).The above data provides a research idea for obtaining light and efficient absorbers.

Adsorptive removal of PPCPs from aqueous solution using carbon-based composites:A review

Far-ranging and improper uses of pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs)over the last few decades have led to severe water contamination that imposes serious effects on human beings and the ecological system.Therefore,there is an increasing demand for a highly-efficient and environmentally friendly technology for the removal of PPCPs from aqueous solutions.Adsorption technology is an appropriate technology to solve this issue.Carbon-based composites,ranging from modified activated carbon to functionalized biochar,show great potential for this purpose.This review hence elaborates on the environmental occurrences and risks of PPCPs and summarizes the recent progress in removing PPCPs from water using carbon-based adsorbents.The pore structure,relatively large specific surface area(SSA),abundant surface functional groups,highly aromatic structures and the extra excellent characteristics of the cooperative materials contribute to their outstanding adsorption performance.Furthermore,the biochar-clay material is cost effective and more efficient compared to traditional activated carbon regarding the adsorption of PPCPs.Among the emerging adsorbents,graphene and carbon nanotubes composites show superior adsorption ability.Their adsorption mechanisms,such as electrostatic interactions,hydrogen bonding,and pore filling,are discussed in details.

Graphene Aerogel Composites with Self‑Organized Nanowires‑Packed Honeycomb Structure for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

With vigorous developments in nanotechnology,the elaborate regulation of microstructure shows attractive potential in the design of electromagnetic wave absorbers.Herein,a hierarchical porous structure and composite heterogeneous interface are constructed successfully to optimize the electromagnetic loss capacity.The macro–micro-synergistic graphene aerogel formed by the ice template‑assisted 3D printing strategy is cut by silicon carbide nanowires(SiC_(nws))grown in situ,while boron nitride(BN)interfacial structure is introduced on graphene nanoplates.The unique composite structure forces multiple scattering of incident EMWs,ensuring the combined effects of interfacial polarization,conduction networks,and magnetic-dielectric synergy.Therefore,the as-prepared composites present a minimum reflection loss value of−37.8 dB and a wide effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 9.2 GHz(from 8.8 to 18.0 GHz)at 2.5 mm.Besides,relying on the intrinsic high-temperature resistance of SiC_(nws) and BN,the EAB also remains above 5.0 GHz after annealing in air environment at 600℃ for 10 h.

Pushing the Boundaries of Starch Foams: Novel Laminar Composites with Paper Reinforcement

This work explores the development of biodegradable laminar composite foams for cushioning applications.The focus lies on overcoming the inherent brittleness of starch foams by incorporating various paper types as rein-forcement.Tapioca starch and glutinous starch were blended in varying ratios(100:0–0:100)to optimize the base material’s properties.The morphology,density,flexural strength,and impact strength of these starch blends were evaluated.The results revealed a trade-off between impact strength and density,with increasing glutinous starch content favoring impact resistance but also leading to higher density.The optimal ratio of tapioca to glutinous starch for achieving maximumflexural strength and modulus was determined to be 60:40.Theflexural strength of the composite material at this ratio reached a peak value of 5.3±0.6 MPa,significantly surpassing theflexural strength of pure tapioca foam,which was measured to be 3.5±0.4 MPa.Building on this foundation,novel lami-nar composite foams were fabricated using the 60:40 starch blend reinforced with mulberry paper,kraft paper,and newsprint paper.To enhance the interfacial adhesion between the starch matrix and paper reinforcement,a silane coupling agent was employed at a 10 wt%loading on the paper.The incorporation of paper reinforcement into starch foams was found to enhance their mechanical properties.Specifically,flexural strength values increased from 5.3±0.6 MPa for the unreinforced starch foam to 6.8±0.6 MPa,8.1±0.9 MPa,and 7.4±0.1 MPa when reinforced with mulberry paper,kraft paper,and newsprint paper,respectively.Notably,kraft paper reinforcement led to the most enhancements inflexural strength,flexural modulus,and impact strength.This research paves the way for developing sustainable cushioning materials with competitive mechanical properties using bio-based resources like starch and paper.

B2-CuZr reinforced amorphous alloy matrix composites:A review

B2-CuZr phase reinforced amorphous alloy matrix composites has become one of the research hotspots in the field of materials science due to the“transformation-induced plasticity”phenomenon,which makes the composites show better macroscopic plastic deformability and obvious work-hardening behavior compared to the conventional amorphous alloy matrix composites reinforced with ductile phases.However,the in-situ metastable B2-CuZr phase tends to undergo eutectoid decomposition during solidification,and the volume fraction,size,and distribution of B2-CuZr phase are difficult to control,which limits the development and application of these materials.To date,much efforts have been made to solve the above problems through composition optimization,casting parameter tailoring,and post-processing technique.In this study,a review was given based on relevant studies,focusing on the predictive approach,reinforcing mechanism,and microstructure tailoring methods of B2-CuZr phase reinforced amorphous alloy matrix composites.The research focus and future prospects were also given for the future development of the present composite system.

One dimensional carbon-based composites as cathodes for lithium-sulfur battery

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs),owing to their much higher energy density compared to the traditional lithium-ion battery,are deemed as one of the most promising candidates for the energy storage system.However,several issues including shuttle effect,lithium dendrites,and volumetric expansion seriously impede the commercial applications of LSBs.One-dimensional carbon materials(1DCMs)have been widely used as the matrix material for LSBs due to their high surface area,superior conductivity,good flexibility,excellent mechanical stability,and functional modifiability.In this review,the recent progress in 1D carbon-based composites as cathode including metal compounds/1DCMs,MOFs/1DCMs,MXenes/1DCMs,and polymers/1DCMs were discussed.Different strategies for polysulfide confinement and analysis of the functions of various components in the composites were summarized detailly.In the end,the current challenges of LSBs were systematically summarized,and the future outlooks were proposed,aiming at providing a comprehensive insight into the design of new host materials for nextgeneration LSBs.

Composition Optimization and Microstructure Design in MOFs-Derived Magnetic Carbon-Based Microwave Absorbers:A Review

Magnetic carbon-based composites are the most attractive candidates for electromagnetic(EM)absorption because they can terminate the propagation of surplus EM waves in space by interacting with both electric and magnetic branches.Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)have demonstrated their great potential as sacrificing precursors of magnetic metals/carbon composites,because they provide a good platform to achieve high dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in carbon matrix.Nevertheless,the chemical composition and microstructure of these composites are always highly dependent on their precursors and cannot promise an optimal EM state favorable for EM absorption,which more or less discount the superiority of MOFs-derived strategy.It is hence of great importance to develop some accompanied methods that can regulate EM properties of MOFs-derived magnetic carbon-based composites e ectively.This review comprehensively introduces recent advancements on EM absorption enhancement in MOFs-derived magnetic carbon-based composites and some available strategies therein.In addition,some challenges and prospects are also proposed to indicate the pending issues on performance breakthrough and mechanism exploration in the related field.

Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene/carbon composites for advanced supercapacitors:Synthesis,progress,and perspectives

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional(2D)layered transition metal carbides/nitrides that show promising potential for energy storage applications due to their high-specific surface areas,excellent electron conductivity,good hydrophilicity,and tunable terminations.Among various types of MXenes,Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) is the most widely studied for use in capacitive energy storage applications,especially in supercapacitors(SCs).However,the stacking and oxidation of MXene sheets inevitably lead to a significant loss of electrochemically active sites.To overcome such challenges,carbon materials are frequently incorporated into MXenes to enhance their electrochemical properties.This review introduces the common strategies used for synthesizing Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x),followed by a comprehensive overview of recent developments in Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites as electrode materials for SCs.Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites are categorized based on the dimensions of carbons,including 0D carbon dots,1D carbon nanotubes and fibers,2D graphene,and 3D carbon materials(activated carbon,polymer-derived carbon,etc.).Finally,this review also provides a perspective on developing novel MXenes/carbon composites as electrodes for application in SCs.

Microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of(TiC+TiB)/TA15 composites prepared by an in-situ synthesis method

Titanium matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles are considered a promising engineering material due to their combination of high specific strength,low density,and high modulus.In this study,the TA15-based composites reinforced with a volume fraction of 10% to 25%(TiB+TiC)were prepared using powder metallurgy and casting technique.Microstructural characterization and phase constitution were examined using optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD).In addition,the microhardness,room temperature(RT)and high temperature(HT)tensile properties of the composites were evaluated.Results revealed that the reinforcements are distributed uniformly even in the composites with a high volume of TiB and TiC.However,as the volume fraction exceeds 15%,TiB and TiC particles become coarsening and exhibit rod-like and dendritic-like morphology.Microhardness increases gradually from 321.2 HV for the base alloy to a maximum of 473.3 HV as the reinforcement increases to 25vol.%.Tensile test results indicate that a reinforcement volume fraction above 20% is beneficial for enhancing tensile strength and yield strength at high temperatures,but it has an adverse effect on room temperature elongation.Conversely,if the reinforcement volume fraction is below 20%,it can improve high-temperature elongation when the temperature exceeds 600℃.

Strength and elastic modulus enhancement in Mg-Li-Al matrix composites reinforced by ex situ TiB2 particles via stir casting

A novel Mg^(-1)0Li-3Al(wt.%,LA103)matrix composite reinforced by ex situ micron TiB_(2) particles was developed in the present study.The ball milling and cold pressing pretreatment of the reinforcements made it feasible to prepare this material under stir casting conditions with good dispersion.The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites prepared by different pretreatment methods were analyzed in detail.The TiB_(2) particles in the Al-TiB_(2)/LA103 composite using the pretreatment process were uniformly distributed in the microstructure due to the formation of highly wettable core-shell units in the melt.Compared with the matrix alloys,the Al-TiB_(2)/LA103 composite exhibited effective strength and elastic modulus improvements while maintaining acceptable elongation.The strengthening effect in the composites was mainly attributed to the strong grain refining effect of TiB2.This work shows a balance of high specific modulus(36.1 GPa·cm^(3)·g^(-1))and elongation(8.4%)with the conventional stir casting path,which is of considerable application value.

Mechanical behaviors of backfill-rock composites: Physical shear test and back-analysis

The shear behavior of backfill-rock composites is crucial for mine safety and the management of surface subsidence.For exposing the shear failure mechanism of backfill-rock composites,we conducted shear tests on backfill-rock composites under three constant normal loads,compared with the unfilled rock.To investigate the macro-and meso-failure characteristics of the samples in the shear tests,the cracking behavior of samples was recorded by a high-speed camera and acoustic emission monitoring.In parallel with the experimental test,the numerical models of backfill-rock composites and unfilled rock were established using the discrete element method to analyze the continuous-discontinuous shearing process.Based on the damage mechanics and statistics,a novel shear constitutive model was proposed to describe mechanical behavior.The results show that backfill-rock composites had a special bimodal phenomenon of shearing load-deformation curve,i.e.the first shearing peak corresponded to rock break and the second shearing peak induced by the broken of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill.Moreover,the shearing characteristic curves of the backfill-rock composites could be roughly divided into four stages,i.e.the shear failure of the specimens experienced:stage I:stress concentration;stage II:crack propagation;stage III:crack coalescence;stage IV:shearing friction.The numerical simulation shows that the existence of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill inevitably altered the coalescence type and failure mode of the specimens and had a strengthening effect on the shear strength of backfillrock composites.Based on damage mechanics and statistics,a shear constitutive model was proposed to describe the shear fracture characteristics of specimens,especially the bimodal phenomenon.Finally,the micro-and meso-mechanisms of shear failure were discussed by combining the micro-test and numerical results.The research can advance the better understanding of the shear behavior of backfill-rock composites and contribute to the safety of mining engineering.

Ultraviolet‑Irradiated All‑Organic Nanocomposites with Polymer Dots for High‑Temperature Capacitive Energy Storage

Polymer dielectrics capable of operating efficiently at high electric fields and elevated temperatures are urgently demanded by next-generation electronics and electrical power systems.While inorganic fillers have been extensively utilized to improved high-temperature capacitive performance of dielectric polymers,the presence of thermodynamically incompatible organic and inorganic components may lead to concern about the long-term stability and also complicate film processing.Herein,zero-dimensional polymer dots with high electron affinity are introduced into photoactive allyl-containing poly(aryl ether sulfone)to form the all-organic polymer composites for hightemperature capacitive energy storage.Upon ultraviolet irradiation,the crosslinked polymer composites with polymer dots are efficient in suppressing electrical conduction at high electric fields and elevated temperatures,which significantly reduces the high-field energy loss of the composites at 200℃.Accordingly,the ultraviolet-irradiated composite film exhibits a discharged energy density of 4.2 J cm^(−3)at 200℃.Along with outstanding cyclic stability of capacitive performance at 200℃,this work provides a promising class of dielectric materials for robust high-performance all-organic dielectric nanocomposites.

Self‑Assembly of Binderless MXene Aerogel for Multiple‑Scenario and Responsive Phase Change Composites with Ultrahigh Thermal Energy Storage Density and Exceptional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

The severe dependence of traditional phase change materials(PCMs)on the temperature-response and lattice deficiencies in versatility cannot satisfy demand for using such materials in complex application scenarios.Here,we introduced metal ions to induce the self-assembly of MXene nanosheets and achieve their ordered arrangement by combining suction filtration and rapid freezing.Subsequently,a series of MXene/K^(+)/paraffin wax(PW)phase change composites(PCCs)were obtained via vacuum impregnation in molten PW.The prepared MXene-based PCCs showed versatile applications from macroscale technologies,successfully transforming solar,electric,and magnetic energy into thermal energy stored as latent heat in the PCCs.Moreover,due to the absence of binder in the MXene-based aerogel,MK3@PW exhibits a prime solar-thermal conversion efficiency(98.4%).Notably,MK3@PW can further convert the collected heat energy into electric energy through thermoelectric equipment and realize favorable solar-thermal-electric conversion(producing 206 mV of voltage with light radiation intensity of 200 mw cm^(−2)).An excellent Joule heat performance(reaching 105℃with an input voltage of 2.5 V)and responsive magnetic-thermal conversion behavior(a charging time of 11.8 s can achieve a thermal insulation effect of 285 s)for contactless thermotherapy were also demonstrated by the MK3@PW.Specifically,as a result of the ordered arrangement of MXene nanosheet self-assembly induced by potassium ions,MK3@PW PCC exhibits a higher electromagnetic shielding efficiency value(57.7 dB)than pure MXene aerogel/PW PCC(29.8 dB)with the same MXene mass.This work presents an opportunity for the multi-scene response and practical application of PCMs that satisfy demand of next-generation multifunctional PCCs.

In-situ additive manufacturing of high strength yet ductility titanium composites with gradient layered structure using N_(2)

It has always been challenging work to reconcile the contradiction between the strength and plasticity of titanium materials.Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) is a convenient method to fabricate innovative composites including those inspired by gradient layered materials.In this work,we used LPBF to selectively prepare Ti N/Ti gradient layered structure(GLSTi)composites by using different N_(2)–Ar ratios during the LPBF process.We systematically investigated the mechanisms of in-situ synthesis Ti N,high strength and ductility of GLSTi composites using microscopic analysis,TEM characterization,and tensile testing with digital image correlation.Besides,a digital correspondence was established between the N_(2) concentration and the volume fraction of LPBF in-situ synthesized Ti N.Our results show that the GLSTi composites exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to pure titanium fabricated by LPBF under pure Ar.Specifically,the tensile strength of GLSTi was more than 1.5times higher than that of LPBF-formed pure titanium,reaching up to 1100 MPa,while maintaining a high elongation at fracture of 17%.GLSTi breaks the bottleneck of high strength but low ductility exhibited by conventional nanoceramic particle-strengthened titanium matrix composites,and the hetero-deformation induced strengthening effect formed by the Ti N/Ti layered structure explained its strength-plasticity balanced principle.The microhardness exhibits a jagged variation of the relatively low hardness of 245 HV0.2 for the pure titanium layer and a high hardness of 408 HV0.2 for the N_(2) in-situ synthesis layer.Our study provides a new concept for the structure-performance digital customization of 3D-printed Ti-based composites.

A Review on the Advancement of Renewable Natural Fiber Hybrid Composites: Prospects, Challenges, and Industrial Applications

Naturalfibre(NFR)reinforced functional polymer composites are quickly becoming an indispensable sustainable material in the transportation industry because of their lightweight,lower cost in manufacture,and adaptability to a wide variety of goods.However,the major difficulties of using thesefibres are their existing poor dimensional stability and the extreme hydrophilicity.In assessing the mechanical properties(MP)of composites,the interfacial bonding(IB)happening between the NFR and the polymer matrix(PM)plays an incredibly significant role.When compared to NFR/syntheticfibre hybrid composites,hybrid composites(HC)made up of two separate NFR are less prevalent;yet,these hybrid composites also have the potential to be valuable materials in terms of environmental issues.A new dimension to theflexibility of composites reinforced with NFR is added by the cost-effective manufacture of hybrid composites utilising NFR.The purpose of this study is to offer an over-view of the keyfindings that were presented on hybrid composites.The emphasis was focused on the factors that influence the performance of the naturalfiber composites,diverse approaches to enhancing MP,physical,electri-cal,and thermal characteristics of the HC.HC study in polymer science gains interest for applications in con-struction and automotive industries.

Towards data-efficient mechanical design of bicontinuous composites usinggenerative AI

The distribution of material phases is crucial to determine the composite’s mechanical property.While the full structure-mechanics relationship of highly ordered material distributions can be studied with finite number of cases,this relationship is difficult to be revealed for complex irregular distributions,preventing design of such material structures to meet certain mechanical requirements.The noticeable developments of artificial intelligence(AI)algorithms in material design enables to detect the hidden structure-mechanics correlations which is essential for designing composite of complex structures.It is intriguing how these tools can assist composite design.Here,we focus on the rapid generation of bicontinuous composite structures together with the stress distribution in loading.We find that generative AI,enabled through fine-tuned Low Rank Adaptation models,can be trained with a few inputs to generate both synthetic composite structures and the corresponding von Mises stress distribution.The results show that this technique is convenient in generating massive composites designs with useful mechanical information that dictate stiffness,fracture and robustness of the material with one model,and such has to be done by several different experimental or simulation tests.This research offers valuable insights for the improvement of composite design with the goal of expanding the design space and automatic screening of composite designs for improved mechanical functions.

Highly Aligned Graphene Aerogels for Multifunctional Composites

Stemming from the unique in-plane honeycomb lattice structure and the sp^(2)hybridized carbon atoms bonded by exceptionally strong carbon–carbon bonds,graphene exhibits remarkable anisotropic electrical,mechanical,and thermal properties.To maximize the utilization of graphene’s in-plane properties,pre-constructed and aligned structures,such as oriented aerogels,films,and fibers,have been designed.The unique combination of aligned structure,high surface area,excellent electrical conductivity,mechanical stability,thermal conductivity,and porous nature of highly aligned graphene aerogels allows for tailored and enhanced performance in specific directions,enabling advancements in diverse fields.This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in highly aligned graphene aerogels and their composites.It highlights the fabrication methods of aligned graphene aerogels and the optimization of alignment which can be estimated both qualitatively and quantitatively.The oriented scaffolds endow graphene aerogels and their composites with anisotropic properties,showing enhanced electrical,mechanical,and thermal properties along the alignment at the sacrifice of the perpendicular direction.This review showcases remarkable properties and applications of aligned graphene aerogels and their composites,such as their suitability for electronics,environmental applications,thermal management,and energy storage.Challenges and potential opportunities are proposed to offer new insights into prospects of this material.

The use of carbon-based particle electrodes in three-dimensional electrode reactors for wastewater treatment

The use of three-dimensional(3D)electrodes in water treatment is competitive because of their high catalytic efficiency,low energy consumption and promising development.The use of particle electrodes is a key research focus in this technology.They are usually in the form of particles that fill the space between the cathode and anode,and the selection of materials used is important.Carbon-based materials are widely used because of their large specific surface area,good adsorption performance,high chemical stability and low cost.The principles of 3D electrode technology are introduced and recent research on its use for degrading organic pollutants using carbon-based particle electrodes is summarized.The classification of particle electrodes is introduced and the challenges for the future development of carbon-based particle electrodes in wastewater treatment are discussed.