Materials Characterization最新文献

{"title":"Synergistic interfacial design and dual-phase precipitation for high-strength, high-thermal-conductivity Mg-Zn-Al/MWCNT composites","authors":"Jiangtao Hou ,&nbsp;Wenbo Du ,&nbsp;Siqing Feng ,&nbsp;Xin Xu ,&nbsp;Cheng Liu ,&nbsp;Yiming Li ,&nbsp;Langxiang Zhong ,&nbsp;Yujia Xu ,&nbsp;Yunhao Kang","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the present work, Mg-Zn-Al matrix composites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized using a powder metallurgy route coupled with an aging treatment. The influence of Al content and MWCNT addition on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of the composites was examined. It was found that the MWCNTs were uniformly dispersed within the matrix, and a partially inserted (PI) interface formed between them and the Mg matrix. After aging treatment, the precipitated phases in the composites consisted of <span><math><msubsup><mi>β</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>′</mo></msubsup></math></span> phase and icosahedral quasi-crystal phase (I phase), and the dominant precipitate shifted from <span><math><msubsup><mi>β</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>′</mo></msubsup></math></span> to I phase as Al content exceeded 1.5 wt%. The evaluation of mechanical properties revealed that the aged Mg-6Zn-1.5Al/0.4MWCNTs composite exhibited tensile yield and ultimate tensile strengths of 296 MPa and 371 MPa, respectively, exhibiting 39% and 25% enhancements compared to the Mg<img>6Zn alloy. Meanwhile, the composite maintained a high thermal conductivity of 101.4 W/(m·K). The enhanced mechanical strength was primarily attributed to the efficient load transfer enabled by well-dispersed MWCNTs with strong interfacial bonding, and was further supplemented by the synergistic strengthening from dual precipitates, Al-induced texture strengthening and minor grain refinement. The high thermal conductivity of the composite was due to the acceleration effect of MWCNTs on free electron migration, coupled with the alleviation of lattice distortions in the Mg matrix caused by the precipitation of <span><math><msubsup><mi>β</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>′</mo></msubsup></math></span> phase and I phase.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116201"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the mechanism of vanadium microalloying to enhance the mechanical properties and damping capacity in high manganese steel","authors":"Shuai Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Zhang ,&nbsp;Yang Zhao ,&nbsp;Junjun Cui ,&nbsp;Liqing Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High‑manganese (Mn) steel with an appropriate Mn content exhibits an exceptional damping capacity, which makes it an important and promising structurally and functionally integrated material. In fact, the interstitial carbon atoms in high-Mn damping steel not only inhibit ε-martensitic transformation and formation of stacking faults, which can affect the mechanical properties, but also impede the movement of partial dislocations, thereby deteriorating the damping capacity. In this study, we propose the strategy of using vanadium (V)-microalloying to deplete carbon atoms, attempting to reduce the adverse effects of carbon atoms. The results show that after V-microalloying in Fe-17Mn-V steel, both the mechanical properties and damping capacity have been improved. The strength increase primarily comes from coordinate grain refinement, carbide precipitation, and controlled martensitic transformations; in addition, the enhancement of damping capacity is closely related to the precipitation of V-rich carbides. The V-rich carbides reduce the weak pinning points (C and Cr atoms), thereby lowering the resistance of partial dislocations during the bowing out and breakaway movements. At high strain amplitude, the planar slips of partial and full dislocations are the primary damping mechanisms, and the damping capacity increases rapidly. Moreover, the planar slips of partial and full dislocations can bypass the V-rich carbides, dissipating more energy and further improving the damping capacity. The V-microalloying high-Mn damping steels exhibit an outstanding combination of mechanical properties (tensile strength &gt;950 MPa, elongation &gt;43.0%) and damping capacity (0.041, strain amplitude of 0.1%, frequency of 1 Hz).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116239"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surface modification of β-type Ti–13Nb–7Sn–4Mo alloy by Sr and Ag incorporation into CaTiO3/anatase nanotubes for antibacterial and cell proliferation enhancement","authors":"Hsueh-Chuan Hsu ,&nbsp;Shih-Ching Wu ,&nbsp;Xin-Hao Chou ,&nbsp;Wen-Fu Ho","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116234","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116234","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the persistent challenges of implant-associated infections and insufficient osseointegration, this study presents a surface modification strategy for low-modulus Ti–13Nb–7Sn–4Mo alloy. In this approach, titania nanotube arrays were prepared by anodization and microwave annealing. A CaTiO₃/anatase hybrid structure was then formed hydrothermally, followed by Sr and Ag incorporation to enhance cell response and antibacterial function. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that CaTiO₃ particles were primarily distributed on the nanotube surface and partially extended into the nanotube interiors. Selected area electron diffraction and high-resolution TEM confirmed the formation of Ca_(1–x)Sr_xTiO₃, indicating partial substitution of Ca by Sr. In addition, Ag nanoparticles with uniform distribution on and within the nanotube arrays were identified by TEM-SAED analysis. Antibacterial assays using <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em> demonstrated that the sample with 0.58 at.% Ag achieved an antibacterial activity value (R) greater than 2.0, corresponding to a bacterial reduction rate exceeding 99%, indicating effective antibacterial performance. These findings highlight the critical role of surface Ag content in antibacterial efficacy. Furthermore, in vitro culture of MG63 osteoblastic cells confirmed that the hierarchical surface morphology—including micron, submicron, and nanoscale features—facilitated strong cell adhesion and proliferation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116234"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formation and evolution mechanism of twin substructures in Tb-Dy-Fe alloys during Bridgman directional solidification processes","authors":"Jiangping Xin ,&nbsp;Siyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiheng Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Bao ,&nbsp;Xuexu Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_1.95 rare earth magnetostrictive rods with a dimension of φ32 × 200 mm were prepared by the Bridgman directional solidification method. Analyses using techniques such as EBSD and TEM confirmed the existence of twin substructures within Laves (ReFe₂) phase crystals during the growth process of oriented grains. Through the synergistic analysis of orientation distribution, atomic arrangement, and local strain, the formation mechanism of twin substructures and their evolution with the growth of oriented grains were systematically investigated. The experimental results show that the formation of twin substructures originates from atomic stacking faults in the {111} close-packed planes and is regulated by increased undercooling induced by the grain growth environment, as well as local stress and compositional fluctuations. During the initial growth stage, solute enrichment on both sides of grains induces the formation of twin bands composed of twin lamellae in the transverse direction. The twin boundaries are Σ3{111} coherent twin boundaries (CTB), which are flat and parallel to the longitudinal growth direction. And the width and number of these twin lamellae increase synchronously with grain growth. In the later stage of grain growth, the decreased temperature gradient at the solid-liquid interface front intensifies solute enrichment, promoting the formation of twins along the longitudinal direction (i.e., the temperature gradient direction). The twin boundaries exhibit a step-like morphology and consist of Σ3{111} CTBs and Σ3{112} incoherent twin boundaries (ITBs), which completely alter the longitudinal growth orientation of the grains. This study clarifies the evolution patterns of twins and their key influencing factors during the directional solidification process, deepens the understanding of the orientation growth mechanism of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116220"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual-heterostructure in selective laser melted CuCrZr alloy: Formation mechanism, deformation behavior and mechanical response","authors":"Yihao Luo ,&nbsp;Shuqin Zhang ,&nbsp;Liuyi Huang ,&nbsp;Yingquan Liu ,&nbsp;Ziye Xue ,&nbsp;Yiming Chen ,&nbsp;Jiabin Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>CuCrZr alloy is considered a promising candidate for combustion chamber liners by virtue of its excellent strength and conductivity. In this study, a CuCrZr alloy fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) and subsequently peak-aged at 500 °C for 0.5 h achieves an excellent strength-conductivity synergy. This enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effect of a heterogeneous grain structure and dual-scale precipitates. The results indicate that the as-built CuCrZr alloy exhibits a bimodal grain structure, consisting of coarse columnar grains in the melt pool centers and fine equiaxed grains in the boundary overlap regions. Simultaneously, intrinsic heat treatment during SLM leads to the formation of primary coarse Cr precipitates with incoherent phase interface. Subsequent aging promotes the precipitation of fine, coherent secondary Cr precipitates. During deformation, plastic incompatibility, arising from the preferential yielding of coarse columnar grains constrained by elastic fine equiaxed grains, creates strain gradients and geometrically necessary dislocations accumulation. The increasing low-angle grain boundaries fraction with strain helps coordinate this deformation, while the ensuing strain partitioning maintains a strain gradient that thereby drives continuous work hardening to fracture. The precipitates govern strengthening via shearing/Orowan mechanisms. The consequent microstructural evolution, from dislocation forests to final damage initiation, underpins the robust mechanical response. This integrated design yields a substantial improvement in both ultimate tensile strength (to 652.8 MPa) and electrical conductivity (to 62.3% IACS) for as-built CuCrZr alloy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116205"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning-enhanced 3D analysis of tantalum-containing particles impact on creep performance in creep strength enhanced ferritic steels","authors":"Xiyu Zhang,&nbsp;Simon C. Hogg,&nbsp;Stuart Robertson,&nbsp;Mark A.E. Jepson","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While the tempered martensitic microstructure of Creep Strength Enhanced Ferritic (CSEF) steels provides remarkable creep resistance, long-term stability remains a challenge. Microstructural risk factors in CSEF steels caused by nitrides, inclusions and coarsening of particles compromise mechanical integrity, accelerating crack initiation and propagation. Tantalum (Ta) additions promote the formation of nanoscale MX carbonitrides that hinder dislocation recovery and stabilise the microstructure, extending creep life. However, the unintended formation and coarsening of large Ta-containing particles could potentially counteract these benefits by serving as preferential sites for creep cavity nucleation. To better understand the direct correlation between creep damage and coarse Ta-containing particles, 3D Focused Ion Beam (FIB) serial sectioning, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and machine learning (ML) enhanced image segmentation was performed on a novel CSEF steel. High-resolution SEM imaging of sequential 100 nm thick slices enabled 3D reconstruction and quantification of particle distributions. ML enhanced image segmentation significantly accelerated the phase separation process across the large dataset, enabling efficient and consistent analysis that would be impractical with manual methods. The results reveal a close spatial association between the coarse Ta-containing particles and creep damage, with progressive accumulation of these particles toward the fracture surface (volume percentage increasing from 0.038% in as-received material to 0.093% near creep fracture), suggesting these particles serve as preferred sites for cavity nucleation with substantial impact on creep behaviour. This study paves the way for microstructural risk factor assessment in next-generation high-temperature materials and highlights the advantages of combining FIB-SEM serial sectioning with ML to analyse complex microstructures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116212"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simultaneous improvement of strength and ductility of Al-2.9Cu-0.8Li alloy: Through addition of Sc and Ti and low-temperature pre-aging treatment","authors":"Wei Zhou ,&nbsp;Zhen-zhen Liu ,&nbsp;Wen-bin Sun ,&nbsp;Hao Cheng ,&nbsp;Bang-guo Wu ,&nbsp;Tian-le Liu ,&nbsp;Dan-yang Liu ,&nbsp;Jin-feng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The influence of trace Sc and Ti additions on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Al-2.9Cu-0.8Li alloy was investigated. Furthermore, the mechanical performance was enhanced through the introduction of a low-temperature pre-aging treatment. The results indicated that the combined addition of Sc and Ti combined with low-temperature pre-aging treatment ultimately yields an excellent combination of mechanical properties, including an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 449.7 MPa, yield strength (YS) of 368.1 MPa, and elongation (EL) of 14.6%. The Sc and Ti elements were found to preferentially co-precipitate with Zr during solidification, forming Al₃(Sc, Zr, Ti) particles that act as nucleation sites to refine the alloy's grain structure. During recrystallization, these particles inhibit grain boundary migration, thereby contributing to enhanced grain refinement. During the artificial aging process, the Al₃(Sc, Zr, Ti) particles acted as nucleation sites to promote the precipitation of T₁ and S phases, while reducing the width of precipitate-free zones (PFZs) at grain boundaries (GBs). Additionally, Sc and Ti solute atoms were verified to exhibit strong interactions with clusters such as Va, Cu-Va, and Mg-Va, significantly accelerating the precipitation of the S phase while suppressing the formation of the θ’ phase. Furthermore, a low-temperature pre-aging treatment creates favorable nucleation conditions for the T₁ phase, increasing its number density and promoting a more uniform distribution. These factors collectively contribute to the improved strength and ductility of the studied Al-Cu-Li alloy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116165"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strain rate and temperature dependent dynamic response of CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion","authors":"Zhiyuan Chen ,&nbsp;Hongyu Chen ,&nbsp;Ke Chen ,&nbsp;Yang Liu ,&nbsp;Yonggang Wang ,&nbsp;Konrad Kosiba ,&nbsp;Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116181","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116181","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) offers an effective route for producing high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with tailored microstructures and properties. In this study, experimental testing combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was used to investigate the dynamic deformation behavior of LPBF-fabricated CoCrFeNi HEAs under different strain rates and temperatures. The alloy exhibits pronounced strain-rate dependence, with the dominant deformation mechanism shifting from dislocation slip at low strain rates to deformation twinning at high strain rates. Nanoscale twin boundaries act as strong obstacles to dislocation motion, contributing to the enhanced impact resistance of the alloy. Temperature also plays a crucial role in governing the dynamic response. At cryogenic temperatures, the HEA shows significantly improved strain-hardening capability, which is attributed to the hierarchical formation of nanotwins and their interactions with partial dislocations. Extended stacking faults at low temperatures promote dislocation dissociation and restrict cross-slip, intensifying the interactions between dislocations and hierarchical nanotwins and facilitating stress redistribution. This study clarifies the dynamic deformation mechanisms of LPBF-produced CoCrFeNi HEAs and provides insights for designing high-performance materials for extreme service environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116181"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nb-induced precipitation transition in (Zr, W)C solid solution ceramics","authors":"Zhikun Zhang ,&nbsp;Sijia Huo ,&nbsp;Qingyi Kong ,&nbsp;Mingxuan Mao ,&nbsp;Lei Chen ,&nbsp;Yujin Wang ,&nbsp;Yu Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116158","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116158","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The precipitation of (Zr, W)C ceramics in situ can be achieved through the addition of transition metals, thereby enhancing the overall mechanical properties. (Zr_0.7W_0.3)C single phase solid solution powders were prepared by carbothermal reduction via pressureless sintering at 2200 °C, followed by spark plasma sintering (35 MPa) at 2200 °C for 10 min with different Nb contents. The precipitation of the second phase was induced by Nb, accompanied by a W₂C to W transition with the gradual increase in Nb content. The in-situ precipitation process can effectively achieve grain refinement, and the elevated stress concentration present within the precipitated phase grains and at the interphase improves the mechanical properties of the materials. At a Nb content of 10 mol%, the comprehensive mechanical properties achieve a relative density of &gt;99%, a Vickers hardness of 24.71 GPa, and a fracture toughness of 2.92 MPa·m^1/2, which represents a significant enhancement in comparison to single phase (Zr, W)C ceramics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116158"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microstructure evolution and properties of a Cr16Cu1.5 W1.5 soft magnetic stainless steel under heat treatment","authors":"Shengsheng Huang ,&nbsp;Zhu Cao ,&nbsp;Haoming Xu ,&nbsp;Dengping Ji ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Jingyuan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matchar.2026.116164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Achieving an excellent combination of magnetic and mechanical properties is a significant challenge for soft magnetic materials today. This paper characterizes the microstructure of rolled Cr16Cu1.5 W1.5 soft magnetic stainless steel under different heat treatment processes, and tests the material's mechanical and magnetic properties. The results show that the magnetic properties improve between 800 and 900 °C, but deteriorate between 900 and 1000 °C or with prolonged holding times. The strength decreases monotonically with increasing temperature between 800 and 1000 °C, while ductility peaks at 900 °C. Extending the holding time generally reduces strength but enhances plasticity. Aging treatment can increase strength by 22.7%. The heat treatment at 900 °C for 5 min achieves an excellent synergy of properties compared to previous reports: a coercivity (<em>H</em>_<em>c</em>) as low as 206.0 A/m, a saturation magnetization (<em>M</em>_<em>s</em>) of 157.6 Am²/kg, a tensile strength of 511 MPa, and an elongation of 33.0%. Between 800 and 900 °C, grain growth and reduced defect density enhance magnetic properties. Within the 900–1000 °C range and during extended holding times at 900 °C (5–60 min), the quantity of Nb(C,N) precipitates increases, intensifying the pinning effect and resulting in degraded magnetic properties. Aging heat treatment induces the precipitation of copper-rich nano-precipitation phases, leading to precipitation strengthening. This research provides an important theoretical and experimental basis for the development of high-performance soft magnetic stainless steel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18727,"journal":{"name":"Materials Characterization","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 116164"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147386572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}