Electrolyte engineering for optimizing anode/electrolyte interface towards superior aqueous zinc-ion batteries:A review

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs) are promising candidates for the large-scale energy storage systems due to their high intrinsic safety,cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness.However,issues such as dendrite growth,hydrogen evolution reaction,and interfacial passivation occurring at the anode/electrolyte interface(AEI) have hindered their practical application.Constructing a stable AEI plays a key role in regulating zinc deposition and improving the cycle life of AZIBs.The fundamentals of AEI and the challenges faced by the Zn anode due to unstable interfaces are discussed.A comprehensive summary of electrolyte regulation strategies by electrolyte engineering to achieve a stable Zn anode is provided.The effectiveness evaluation techniques for stable AEI are also analyzed,including the interfacial chemistry and surface morphology evolution of the Zn anode.Finally,suggestions and perspectives for future research are offered about enabling a durable and stable AEI via electrolyte engineering,which may pave the way for developing high-performance AZIBs.

Phase transformation in titanium alloys:A review

Due to a series of exceptional properties,titanium and titanium alloys have received extensive attention in recent years.Different from other alloy systems,there are two allotropes and a sequence of metastable phases in titanium alloys.By summarizing the recent investigations,the phase transformation processes corresponding to the common phases and also some less reported phases are reviewed.For the phase transformation only involvingαandβphases,it can be divided intoβ→αtransformation and a reverse transformation.The former one has been demonstrated from the orientation relationship betweenαandβphases and the regulation ofαmorphology.For the latter transformation,the role of the stress has been discussed.In terms of the metastable phases,the mechanisms of phase formation and their effects on microstructure and mechanical properties have been discussed.Finally,some suggestions about the development of titanium alloys have been proposed.

Microstructure and ablation behavior of Zr-based ultra-high-temperature gradient composites

To obtain high-performance Zr-based ultra-high-temperature composites,Zr-based ultra-high-temperature gradient composites were prepared by changing the laying method of the infiltrant via reactive melt infiltration.The effects of different infiltrant laying methods on the microstructure and ablative properties of Zr-based ultrahigh-temperature gradient composites were investigated.The results showed that the gradient structure of the Zr-based ultrahigh-temperature gradient composites differed when the composition ratio of the infiltrant was changed.When the thicknesses of the Zr/Mo/Si layers were 6/4/12 mm and 8/2/12 mm,the SiMoZrC solid solution content in the samples increased and decreased along the infiltration direction,respectively.The gradient samples were ablated in an oxyacetylene flame at 3000°C for 40 s.The ablation resistance of the sample was the highest when the infiltrant was a powder and the thickness of the Zr/Mo/Si layer was 6/4/12 mm.

Enhancing Na^(+) diffusion dynamics and structural stability of O3-NaMn_(0.5)Ni_(0.5)O_(2)cathode by Sc and Zn dual-substitution

Sc and Zn were introduced into O3-NaMn_(0.5)Ni_(0.5)O_(2)(NaMN)using the combination of solution combustion and solid-state method.The effect of Sc and Zn dual-substitution on Na^(+) diffusion dynamics and structural stability of NaMN was investigated.The physicochemical characterizations suggest that the introduction of Sc and Zn broaden Na^(+) diffusion channels and weaken the Na—O bonds,thereby facilitating the diffusion of sodium ions.Simulations indicate that the Sc and Zn dual-substitution decreases the diffusion barrier of Na-ions and improves the conductivity of the material.The dual-substituted NaMn_(0.5)Ni_(0.4)Sc_(0.04)Zn_(0.04)O_(2)(Na MNSZ44)cathode delivers impressive cycle stability with capacity retention of 71.2%after 200 cycles at 1C and 54.8%after 400 cycles at 5C.Additionally,the full cell paired with hard carbon anode exhibits a remarkable long-term cycling stability,showing capacity retention of 64.1%after 250 cycles at 1C.These results demonstrate that Sc and Zn dual-substitution is an effective strategy to improve the Na^(+) diffusion dynamics and structural stability of NaMN.

High-throughput studies and machine learning for design of β titanium alloys with optimum properties

Based on experimental data,machine learning(ML) models for Young's modulus,hardness,and hot-working ability of Ti-based alloys were constructed.In the models,the interdiffusion and mechanical property data were high-throughput re-evaluated from composition variations and nanoindentation data of diffusion couples.Then,the Ti-(22±0.5)at.%Nb-(30±0.5)at.%Zr-(4±0.5)at.%Cr(TNZC) alloy with a single body-centered cubic(BCC) phase was screened in an interactive loop.The experimental results exhibited a relatively low Young's modulus of(58±4) GPa,high nanohardness of(3.4±0.2) GPa,high microhardness of HV(520±5),high compressive yield strength of(1220±18) MPa,large plastic strain greater than 30%,and superior dry-and wet-wear resistance.This work demonstrates that ML combined with high-throughput analytic approaches can offer a powerful tool to accelerate the design of multicomponent Ti alloys with desired properties.Moreover,it is indicated that TNZC alloy is an attractive candidate for biomedical applications.

Microstructural evolution and dynamic recrystallization mechanisms of additively manufactured TiAl alloy with heterogeneous microstructure during hot compression

Microstructural evolution and dynamic recrystallization(DRX)mechanisms of a Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb(at.%)alloy prepared by selective electron beam melting(SEBM)during hot deformation at 1150℃and 0.1 s^(-1)were investigated by hot compression tests,optical microscope(OM),scanning electron microscope(SEM),electron back-scattered diffraction(EBSD)and transmission electron microscope(TEM).The results show that the initial microstructure of the as-SEBMed alloy exhibits layers of coarseγgrains and fineγ+α_(2)+(α_(2)/γ)lamellar mixture grains alternately along the building direction.During the early stage of hot deformation,deformation twins tend to form within the coarse grains,facilitating subsequent deformation,and a small number of DRX grains appear in the fine-grained regions.With the increase of strain,extensive DRX grains are formed through different DRX mechanisms in both coarse and fine-grained regions,involving discontinuous dynamic recrystallization mechanism(DDRX)in the fine-grained regions and a coexistence of DDRX and continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX)in the coarsegrained regions.

B4C／Al复合材料的制备工艺和组织研究

研究了用无压浸渗法制备的B1C/Al复合材料的制备工艺和组织。通过对碳化硼陶瓷预制体成型压力和保压时间的控制，采用X射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜及能谱仪分别对B1C／Al复合材料的相组成、微观形貌和微区成分进行分析。结果表明：成型压力为100MPa，保压时间选择1．5min，预烧温度在1700℃时，可以制得组织致密、均匀的B1C／Al复合材料。金属铝在高温下浸渗时与碳化硼陶瓷骨架反应生成Al3BC，AlB2，Al2C3等陶瓷相。Al3BC和AlB2为主要反应产物。B4C／Al复合材料中碳化硼是以连续的骨架结构存在，渗入的铝相则以连续基体的形式铺满整个组织。

Effects of Al and Mo on high temperature oxidation behavior of refractory high entropy alloys

Refractory high entropy alloys have superior mechanical properties at high temperatures, and the oxidation behavior of these alloys is very important. The present work investigated the high temperature oxidation behavior of three alloys with compositions of TiNbTa0.5Zr, TiNbTa0.5ZrAl and TiNbTa0.5ZrAlMo0.5, and the effects of alloying elements were discussed. Results indicated that the oxidation rates of the TiNbTa0.5Zr and TiNbTa0.5ZrAl alloys are controlled by diffusion, and obey the exponential rule. However, the oxidation rate of the TiNbTa0.5ZrAlMo0.5 alloy is controlled by interface reaction, and obeys the linear rule. The addition of Al leads to a better oxidation resistance by forming a protective oxide scale. However, the protection of Al-rich scale is weakened by the addition of Mo. Extensive pores and cracks occur in the oxide scale of the TiNbTa0.5ZrAlMo0.5 alloy, resulting in a significant decrease in oxidation resistance.

Effect of quenching rate on microstructure and stress corrosion cracking of 7085 aluminum alloy

The influence of quenching rate on microstructure and stress corrosion cracking （SCC） of 7085 aluminum alloy was investigated by tensile test, slow strain rate test （SSRT）, combined with scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and electrochemical test. The results show that with decreasing the quenching rate, the size and inter-particle distance of the grain boundary precipitates as well as precipitation free zone width increase, but the copper content of grain boundary precipitates decreases. The SCC resistance of the samples increases first and then decreases, which is attributed to the copper content, size and distribution of grain boundary precipitates.

Characterization of hot deformation behavior of AA2014 forging aluminum alloy using processing map

The hot deformation behavior of AA2014forging aluminum alloy was investigated by isothermal compression tests attemperatures of350-480°C and strain rates of0.001-1s-1on a Gleeble-3180simulator.The corresponding microstructures of thealloys under different deformation conditions were studied using optical microscopy(OM),electron back scattered diffraction(EBSD)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The processing maps were constructed with strains of0.1,0.3,0.5and0.7.The results showed that the instability domain was more inclined to occur at strain rates higher than0.1s-1and manifested in theform of local non-uniform deformation.At the strain of0.7,the processing map showed two stability domains:domain I(350-430°C,0.005-0.1s-1)and domain II(450-480°C,0.001-0.05s-1).The predominant softening mechanisms in both of the twodomains were dynamic recovery.Uniform microstructures were obtained in domain I,and an extended recovery occurred in domainII,which would lead to the potential sub-grain boundaries progressively transforming into new high-angle grain boundaries.Theoptimum hot working parameters for the AA2014forging aluminum alloy were determined to be370-420°C and0.008-0.08s-1.

Effects of pore size and porosity of surface-modified porous titanium implants on bone tissue ingrowth

The effects of surface-modified porous titanium implants with different porosities and pore sizes on osseointegration were investigated in vivo.Three porous titanium implants(A30,A40 and A50 containing volume fractions of space-holder NaCl being 30%,40%and 50%,respectively)were manufactured by metal injection moulding(MIM).The surface-modified implants were implanted into muscles and femurs of hybrid male dogs.Interface osteogenic activity and histological bone ingrowth of porous titanium implants were evaluated at 28,56 and 84 d.The results showed that when additive space-holder amount of NaCl increased from 30%to 50%(volume fraction),the general porosity and mass fraction of macropores of porous titanium rose from 42.4%to 62.0%and from 8.3%to 69.3%,respectively.Histologic sections and fluorescent labeling showed that the A50 implant demonstrated a significantly higher osteogenic capacity at 28 d than other implants.Bone ingrowth into the A30 implant was lower than that into other implants at 84 d.Therefore,the pore structure of A50 implant was suitable for new bone tissue to grow into porous implant.

Age-hardening behavior and microstructure of Cu-15Ni-8Sn-0.3Nb alloy prepared by powder metallurgy and hot extrusion

Cu-15Ni-8Sn-0.3Nb alloy rods were prepared by means of powder metallurgy followed by hot extrusion.Element maps obtained by electron probe micro analyzer(EPMA)showed that Nb-rich phases were formed and distributed within grains and at grain boundaries of the Cu-15Ni-8Sn-0.3Nb alloy.Transmission electron microscope(TEM)results indicated that there was no obvious orientation relationship between these phases and the matrix.Spinodal decomposition and ordering transformation appeared at early stages of aging at400°C and caused significant strengthening.Cu-15Ni-8Sn-0.3Nb alloy exhibited both higher strength(ultimate tensile strength>1030MPa)and higher tensile ductility(elongation>9.1%)than Cu-15Ni-8Sn alloy after aging treatment.The improvement was caused by Nb-rich phases at grain boundaries which led o the refinement of grain size and postponed the growth of discontinuous precipitates during aging.

Effects of environment on dry sliding wear behavior of silver-copper based composites containing tungsten disulfide

Silver based composites containing different amounts of WS2were prepared by hot-pressing method and their tribologicalbehaviors were investigated against coin silver under humid air,dry nitrogen and vacuum on a ball-on-disk tester with normal load of5N.The components of composites,microstructure of debris and worn surface were characterized using XRD SEM,EDS and XPS.It is demonstrated that environmental conditions significantly affect the tribological behavior of silver based composites.The frictioncoefficient is the highest in humid air,and the lowest in dry nitrogen.It is found that the friction and wear behavior of the compositesare strongly depended on the characteristics of the lubrication film forming in different operating environments,such as thicknessand composition.In addition,it is indicated that the dominant wear mechanisms of silver based composites are abrasive wear anddelamination under different conditions.

Displacive transformation as pathway to prevent micro-cracks induced by thermal stress in additively manufactured strong and ductile high-entropy alloys

The micro-cracking behaviors of two high-entropy alloys(HEAs) of the FeMnCoCrNi family prepared by selective laser melting were systematically studied. Residual stresses were also analyzed by X-ray diffraction technique. Results show that the equiatomic FeMnCoCrNi HEAs with a relatively stable single-phase face-centered cubic(FCC) structure suffered from micro-cracking with residual tensile stress after laser melting. In contrast, the metastable non-equiatomic Fe MnCoCr HEAs with reduced stacking fault energy are free of micro-cracks with residual compressive stress at various volumetric energy densities(VEDs). The displacive transformation from the FCC matrix to the hexagonal close-packed(HCP) phase during cooling prevents the micro-cracking via consuming thermal stress related internal energy. Further, the displacive transformation during tensile deformation contributes to the higher strength and ductility of the metastable dual-phase HEA compared to that of the stable single-phase HEA. These findings provide useful guidance for the design of strong, ductile, and crack-free alloys for additive manufacturing by tuning phase stability.

Effect of carbon on high temperature compressive and creep properties of β-stabilized TiA l alloy

Carbon is an important alloying element in improving high temperature mechanical properties of various metallic materials.The effects of carbon on high temperature mechanical properties of aβ-stabilized Ti?45Al?3Fe?2Mo(molar fraction,%)alloy were studied through compressive and creep tests.The results show that the carbon addition(0.5%,molar fraction)obviously enhances the high temperature compressive strength and creep resistance of theβ-stabilized Ti?45Al?3Fe?2Mo alloy.A lot of nano-scaled Ti3AlC carbides precipitate in theβ-stabilized alloy and these carbides pin the dislocations,and greatly increase the high temperature properties.At the same time,the carbon addition decreases the amount of?phase,refines the lamellar spacing,and causes solution strengthening,which also contribute to the improvement of the high temperature properties.

Tribological properties and thermal-stress analysis of C/C-SiC composites during braking

The tribological properties and thermal-stress behaviors of C/C-SiC composites during braking were investigated aiming to simulate braking tests of high-speed trains. The temperature and structural fields of C/C-SiC composites during braking were fully coupled and simulated with ANSYS software. The results of tribological tests indicated that the C/C-SiC composites showed excellent static friction coefficient (0.68) and dynamic friction coefficient (average value of 0.36). The highest temperature on friction surface was 445℃. The simulated temperature field showed that the highest temperature which appeared on the friction surface during braking was about 463℃. Analysis regarding thermal-stress field showed that the highest thermal-stress on friction surface was 11.5 MPa. The temperature and thermal-stress distributions on friction surface during braking showed the same tendency.

Rubidium-modified bioactive glass-ceramics with hydroxyapatite crystals for bone regeneration

In order to study the influence of rubidium(Rb)addition on the phase composition,microstructure,mechanical properties and cell response of bioactive glass-ceramics,CaO−SiO2−Na2O−B2O3−MgO−ZnO−P2O5 glass system was designed with and without addition of Rb.The results show that hydroxyapatite(HA)and Mg−whitelockite(Ca18Mg2H2(PO4)14)crystalline phases are formed in the glass matrix without Rb.After the addition of Rb,only HA phase is detected.The grain size of the crystals in the glass-ceramics is larger with the addition of Rb than that of samples without Rb.Rb addition can improve the bending strength of glass-ceramics.The cultivation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hBMSCs)on Rb-containing glass-ceramics demonstrates enhanced cell adhesion,proliferation and ALP activity.In conclusion,Rb-modified glass-ceramics exhibit good mechanical property,excellent bioactivity and biocompatibility,which have potential for bone regeneration application.

Effect ofαphase morphology on fatigue crack growth behavior of Ti−5Al−5Mo−5V−1Cr−1Fe alloy

Taking a Ti−5Al−5Mo−5V−1Cr−1Fe alloy as exemplary case,the fatigue crack growth sensitivity and fracture features with various tailoredαphase morphologies were thoroughly investigated using fatigue crack growth rate(FCGR)test,optical microscopy(OM)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The tailored microstructures by heat treatments include the fine and coarse secondaryαphase,as well as the widmanstatten and basket weave features.The sample with coarse secondaryαphase exhibits better comprehensive properties of good crack propagation resistance(with long Paris regime ranging from 15 to 60 MPa·m1/2),high yield strength(1113 MPa)and ultimate strength(1150 MPa),and good elongation(11.6%).The good crack propagation resistance can be attributed to crack deflection,long secondary crack,and tortuous crack path induced by coarse secondaryαphase.

Mechanical properties and wear resistance of medium entropy Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10/TiC composites

The Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10/TiC (volume fraction of TiC, 10%) composites were synthesized in combination of ball milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS) in the present work. Mechanical properties and wear resistance of the Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10/TiC composites were individually investigated. It was found that TiC particles homogenously distributed in the Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10/TiC composite after being sintered at 1373 K for 15 min. Meanwhile, grain refinement was observed in the as-sintered composite. Compared with the pure Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10 medium entropy alloy (MEA) matrix grain, addition of 10% TiC particles resulted in an increase in the compressive strength from 1.571 to 2.174 GPa, and the hardness from HV 320 to HV 872. Wear resistance results demonstrated that the friction coefficient, wear depth and width of the composite decreased in comparison with the Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10 MEA matrix. Excellent mechanical properties and wear resistance could offer the Fe40Mn40Cr10Co10/TiC composite a very promising candidate for engineering applications.

Processing map and hot deformation behavior of Ta-particle reinforced TiAl composite

The hot deformation behavior of a Ta-particle reinforced TiAl composite was studied.Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb-0.2 W(at.%)/20 vol.%Ta metal matrix composite was fabricated by spark plasma sintering.The deformation behavior was investigated by hot compression tests at the temperature ranging from 1050 to 1200℃ and the strain rate ranging from 1×10-3 to 1 s-1.The constitutive equation containing true strain variables was established.The values of activation energy Q under different strain degrees are between 240 and 280 kJ/mol,which are lower than that of pure TiAl.Based on dynamic material modeling,the processing maps at various strain degrees were established,and the optimized parameters for hot working are 1050-1100℃ and 0.005-0.01 s-1.The microstructural evolution during deformation was characterized,which indicated that the dynamic recrystallization plays an important role in this process.