{"title":"Theoretical and experimental studies on magnesite smelting for co-producing forsterite via silicothermic magnesium production under relative vacuum","authors":"Dong Wang, Xiao-xi Zhao, Jia-xin Zuo, Ting-an Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a magnesium ore resource with abundant reserves and excellent cost-effectiveness, the efficient utilization of magnesite in the magnesium smelting process is of great significance to the green and low-carbon development of the magnesium metallurgical industry. In this paper, a systematic theoretical and experimental study was carried out on the in-situ reduction and phase change dissipation of magnesium prepared by relative vacuum silicothermic reduction of magnesite without the addition of calcium. A process for silicothermic magnesium production from magnesite under relative vacuum without calcium addition, which co-produces forsterite (RVMS-CF), was proposed. Meanwhile, the Gibbs free energy, equilibrium temperature of the reduction reaction were calculated based on the laws of thermodynamics. The reaction mechanism of RVMS-CF was elucidated through experimental investigations. The effects of different molar ratios of magnesium oxide to silicon on the magnesium reduction rate and the products of reduction slag were investigated. The experimental results show that when the molar ratio of magnesium oxide to silicon is 1.8:1, the magnesium reduction rate reaches the maximum of 82.26%. Furthermore, the energy consumption of the new process can be reduced by >40% compared with the Pidgeon process, and the production cost per ton of magnesium can be cut by >3000 CNY relative to the latter, representing excellent economic benefits. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the engineering application of the RVMS-CF process, and offers insights for the development of continuous magnesium smelting technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102138"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148383708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhiyuan Liu, Tianyou Wang, Li Jin, Jian Zeng, Shuai Dong, Fenghua Wang, Fulin Wang, Jie Dong
{"title":"Effect of Al2Y phase on microstructure and deformation behavior of Mg-Al-Y Alloys: Insights from FIB-DIC technique","authors":"Zhiyuan Liu, Tianyou Wang, Li Jin, Jian Zeng, Shuai Dong, Fenghua Wang, Fulin Wang, Jie Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2025.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2025.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the present work, four Mg-3Al-5Y, Mg-6Al-11Y, Mg-9Al-17Y, and Mg-11Al-21Y (wt.%) alloys, with different volume fractions of Al<sub>2</sub>Y phase, were fabricated by mechanical stirring casting and hot extrusion. The effect of Al<sub>2</sub>Y phase on the microstructure and deformation behavior of Mg-Al-Y alloys was investigated using the focused ion beam–digital image correlation (FIB-DIC) technique. The results show that as the volume fraction of the Al<sub>2</sub>Y phase increases, the strength of the Mg-Al-Y alloys continuously improves, which is primarily attributed to the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) strengthening mechanism. The Young’s modulus also increases, owing to the high modulus of the Al<sub>2</sub>Y phase, and the increase in modulus is more consistent with the prediction of the Reuss model. Notably, the Mg-9Al-17Y alloy achieves an optimal combination of yield strength (202.4 MPa), Young’s modulus (51.5 GPa), and ductility (7 %). The FIB-DIC technique highlights strain concentration at the Al<sub>2</sub>Y/Mg matrix interfaces and grain boundaries, where strain compatibility is influenced by adjacent grain orientations and phase interfaces mismatch. Additionally, the size, dispersion, and distribution of Al<sub>2</sub>Y phases play a crucial role in strain accommodation. This study provides valuable insights for the design of high-performance magnesium alloys with enhanced mechanical properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101813"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144786559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kivilcim Sonmez, Serap Safran, Ali Gencer, Chen Guo, Fatima Al-Mokdad, Fatih Ervuz, Haluk Koralay, Yusuf Oznal, Shanli Salahi, Ayten Seçkin, Salih Can Taskin, Donliang Wang, Yanwei Ma
{"title":"Optimizing internal Mg diffusion processed MgB2 superconductors: The minimal activation strategy","authors":"Kivilcim Sonmez, Serap Safran, Ali Gencer, Chen Guo, Fatima Al-Mokdad, Fatih Ervuz, Haluk Koralay, Yusuf Oznal, Shanli Salahi, Ayten Seçkin, Salih Can Taskin, Donliang Wang, Yanwei Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102157","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102157","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the effect of nanoscale copper (Cu) coating thickness on the phase formation kinetics, microstructural homogeneity, and superconducting properties of Internal Mg Diffusion (IMD) processed MgB<sub>2</sub> wires was systematically investigated. Central magnesium (Mg) rods were coated with Cu layers ranging from 200 nm to 800 nm to act as in situ activators. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) indicated that the Cu coating promotes low-temperature MgB<sub>2</sub> formation by facilitating the formation of a local Mg-Cu eutectic interactions that accelerate Mg diffusion, enabling phase formation even at 575 °C. Resistivity measurements showed that the 200 nm Cu-coated wires exhibited broader superconducting transitions (<em>ΔT<sub>c</sub></em> ≈ 1.8 K) at low annealing temperatures, whereas the 800 nm Cu-coated wires showed sharper transitions (<em>ΔT<sub>c</sub></em> ≈ 1.0 K) and denser microstructures, indicating improved phase homogeneity due to enhanced Mg diffusion. However, transport critical current density (<em>J<sub>c</sub></em>) measurements revealed that excessively thick Cu coatings adversely affect <em>inter-granular</em> current transport, likely due to the segregation of Cu-rich impurity phases such as MgCu<sub>2</sub> at grain boundaries. Among all samples, the 200 nm Cu-coated wire annealed at 625 °C exhibited the highest <em>J<sub>c</sub></em> value of 3.9 × 10<sup>4</sup> A/cm<sup>2</sup>. These results demonstrate that careful optimization of Cu coating thickness provides an effective interface-engineering strategy for improving the performance of IMD-MgB<sub>2</sub> wires and supports the use of Cu activation as a practical route for low-cost, high-performance superconducting applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102157"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"World's First Mass-Production-Ready Wrought Magnesium Alloy Electric Side Stepper for New Energy Vehicles","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102184","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102184"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148694395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Modulating the microstructure of β′ phase in Mg-Nd alloys: A phase-field study","authors":"Kaile Wang, Wenkui Yang, Pengya Lei, Hua Hou, Yuhong Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102163","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Applying external stress during aging can effectively regulate the precipitation process in magnesium alloys, thereby influencing their strength-ductility synergy. In this work, a three-dimensional phase-field model coupled with external loading was employed to quantitatively investigate the precipitation behavior of β′ phase in Mg–0.5 at.% Nd alloys under various stress conditions. The simulation results accurately predicted the habit planes and growth directions of the three variants of β′ phase, showing good agreement with experimental observations. It was found that compressive stress along the 〈0001〉<sub>α</sub> direction (CSA1) and tensile stresses along the <span><math><msub><mrow><mo>〈</mo><mrow><mn>11</mn><mover><mn>2</mn><mo>¯</mo></mover><mn>0</mn></mrow><mo>〉</mo></mrow><mi>α</mi></msub></math></span> and <span><math><msub><mrow><mo>〈</mo><mrow><mn>1</mn><mover><mn>1</mn><mo>¯</mo></mover><mn>00</mn></mrow><mo>〉</mo></mrow><mi>α</mi></msub></math></span> directions (TSA2, TSA3) promoted the cooperative growth of all three variants. In contrast, shear stress applied to the {0001}<sub>α</sub> basal plane favored the preferential growth of only one variant, leading to a pronounced orientation effect. This phenomenon was well explained by introducing the interaction energy under applied stress. Furthermore, the strengthening contribution under different stress conditions was quantified based on the Orowan mechanism, and the loading mode corresponding to the optimal mechanical properties was identified. This study reveals the underlying mechanism of external stress in modulating precipitation behavior and provides theoretical guidance for the design of stress-assisted aging processes for high-performance Mg–Nd alloys.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102163"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148287026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structure of MgB2 ceramics obtained by spark plasma sintering and hot pressing methods","authors":"Elena Igorevna Kuznetsova, Tatyana Pavlovna Krinitsina, Mikhail Vasilyevich Degtyarev, Andrey Vladimirovich Protasov","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102161","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102161","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spark plasma sintering (SPS) and traditional hot-pressing (HP) sintering were used to produce bulk MgB<sub>2</sub> ceramics from commercial powder. The structure of ceramics was studied using SEM, TEM, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The density of the SPS ceramics obtained at 1100°C was 2.35 g/cm<sup>3</sup>, which corresponds to 91% of the theoretical density of MgB<sub>2</sub> but with increasing temperature the MgB<sub>2</sub> phase decomposes to form magnesium tetraboride. It was shown that in the SPS method, MgB<sub>2</sub> decomposition begins already at a temperature of 700°C, and increasing the sintering temperature to 1100°C leads to a significant increase in the volume fraction of the MgB<sub>4</sub> phase from 8% to 44%. Partial sintering by the HP method resulted in a porous structure representing a continuous ceramic framework of the superconducting phase with a critical current density <em>J<sub>C</sub></em> = 1.15 × 10<sup>6</sup> A/cm<sup>2</sup> (at a temperature of 30 K in zero field)<sub>.</sub> This shows that the formation of MgB<sub>2</sub> with high superconducting properties is possible at moderate temperatures and pressures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102161"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148311860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Breaking the mechanical properties-thermal conductivity trade-off in Mg alloys: Current progress, strategies, and future industrial trajectories","authors":"Jun Tan, Hao Lv, Jürgen Eckert","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102095","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102095","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102095"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148949837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microstructure and property optimization of thixomolding AZ91D magnesium alloy for automotive navigation housing applications","authors":"Jian Dong, Jufu Jiang, Runze Chen, Ying Wang, Jingbo Cui, Xiaodong Zhang, Junliang Chen, Weirong Li, Chunhua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effects of key thixomolding and T6 heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91D magnesium alloy for new energy vehicle navigation brackets were investigated. Optimized thixomolding conditions yielded fine and nearly spheroidized α-Mg grains with uniformly distributed secondary phases, facilitating a coordinated enhancement of both strength and ductility. The optimal performance was achieved at a slurry temperature of 580 °C, mold temperature of 250 °C, injection speed of 2.25 m/s, and die-casting pressure of 10 MPa, with a maximum ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 263.9 MPa and an elongation of 6.6%. After solution treatment, the UTS further increased to 275.5 MPa and the elongation rose to 7.9% due to the dissolution of coarse brittle phases. Subsequent aging led to significant precipitation of β-Mg<sub>17</sub>Al<sub>12</sub>and Mg<sub>16</sub>Al<sub>12</sub>Zn, which increased the yield strength and UTS to 181.9 and 287.7 MPa, while slightly reducing the elongation to 4.8%. The coherent interfaces between the precipitates and the matrix, along with the localized strain accumulation, contributed to the strengthening of the alloy. Range analysis revealed the relative influence of each factor on mechanical properties as follows: injection speed > slurry temperature > mold temperature > die-casting pressure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102089"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148949753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yi Yu, Yuantao Shi, Wenya Zhang, Lei Tan, Lin Liu, Jie Pan
{"title":"Alternating magnetic field-responsive and spatiotemporally programmable Mg60Zn35Ca5 coating against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus for orthopedic implants","authors":"Yi Yu, Yuantao Shi, Wenya Zhang, Lei Tan, Lin Liu, Jie Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Implant-associated infections (IAIs), particularly those caused by methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA), remain a major clinical challenge that frequently leads to implant failure. Here, we report an alternating magnetic field (AMF)-activatable titanium implant (Ti-MgZnCa) that integrates spatiotemporally programmable antibacterial therapy with intrinsic, sustained antimicrobial defense, addressing key limitations of systemic antibiotics including insufficient local bioavailability, resistance development, and systemic side effects. Under AMF stimulation, the Ti-MgZnCa displays a magnetothermal effect that accelerates amorphous coating degradation, promotes rapid Zn<sup>2+</sup>/Mg<sup>2+</sup> release, and facilitates efficient singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation, thereby achieving potent short‑term antibacterial outcomes (99.74% against MRSA within 15 min). After activation, controlled surface evolution produces a microporous hydrophilic surface that facilitates post‑antibacterial cell adhesion and proliferation. In an acute infection model of rat tibial implants, Ti‑MgZnCa achieves an antibacterial rate of 98.59% after 15 min of AMF treatment and 99.99% after 7 days, without detectable systemic inflammation as confirmed by complete blood counts. This AMF‑responsive implant combines intrinsic antibacterial activity, on‑demand high‑efficiency bactericidal function, and favorable biocompatibility, offering a promising strategy for infection-resistant orthopedic implants and supporting its potential for clinical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102147"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148383724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiannan Zhou, Yili Zhao, Wenyan Zhan, Qingyang Yan, Chen Zhu, Xiaokun Yang, An Li, Jingtao Dai, Yageng Li, Ping Li
{"title":"Neutrophil-mediated macrophage responses to biodegradable magnesium and zinc implants","authors":"Jiannan Zhou, Yili Zhao, Wenyan Zhan, Qingyang Yan, Chen Zhu, Xiaokun Yang, An Li, Jingtao Dai, Yageng Li, Ping Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jma.2026.102186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Magnesium (Mg)- and zinc (Zn)-based biodegradable metals are increasingly used as bone-related implants. However, the early immune response, particularly neutrophil–macrophage crosstalk, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the communications between neutrophils and macrophages in Mg-based and Zn-based implants, compared with titanium (Ti)-based implants, with a focus on early immune responses and immunoregulatory mechanisms. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, high-resolution transcriptomic maps of the immune cells surrounding Ti, Mg, and Zn implants were constructed in a rat femoral implantation model. Ti-based implants induced a microenvironment stabilization phenotype in neutrophils, characterized by minimal inflammation. In contrast, Mg-based implants triggered acute inflammation, marked by strong crosstalk between neutrophils and <em>Cers6</em><sup>+</sup> macrophages via the LGALS9–CD45 signaling. Zn-based implants, however, promoted immune regulation and bone remodeling through neutrophil–<em>Ccl3</em><sup>+</sup> macrophage interactions mediated by the SEMA4D–PLXNB2 axis. Distinct macrophage subsets (<em>Apoe</em><sup>+</sup> macrophage, <em>Cers6</em><sup>+</sup> macrophage, and <em>Ccl3<sup>+</sup> macrophage</em>) were identified, each exhibiting unique functional roles in tissue homeostasis, inflammation, and osteoimmunological activation. This study reveals material-specific immunomodulatory pathways governing neutrophil–macrophage crosstalk, providing significant insights for optimizing the design of biodegradable implants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16214,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Magnesium and Alloys","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 102186"},"PeriodicalIF":15.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148949609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}