{"title":"The Effect of Reduction Heat Treatment After Mechanical Alloying on the Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Y2O3/W Composites","authors":"Yusheng Zhou, Wenjie Ding, Junying Wei, Laima Luo, Bing Ma, Yifan Zhang, Jing Wang, Jiaqin Liu, Wanxiu Hai, Yucheng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180835","url":null,"abstract":"During the preparation of Cu-Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/W composites via the in-situ reaction method, the introduction of ammonium metatungstate (AMT) and WO<sub>3</sub> as W precursors often leads to oxygen contamination, which degrades the mechanical and electrical properties of the copper matrix. To address this issue, the alloy Cu-Y-W-O composite powders were subjected to hydrogen reduction at 600°C and 800°C, followed by densification through spark plasma sintering (SPS). The results demonstrate that hydrogen reduction at 800°C more effectively eliminates oxygen impurities and inhibits the formation of Y-W-O compounds, leading to a uniform dispersion of Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and W particles. The AMT sample achieved a tensile strength of 337<!-- --> <!-- -->MPa and an elongation of 28%, while the WO<sub>3</sub> sample reached 365<!-- --> <!-- -->MPa and 19%. Both electrical conductivity and densification were significantly enhanced after reduction. This study underscores the importance of high-temperature hydrogen reduction as a key step in refining the microstructure and improving the overall performance of Cu-Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/W composites.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"137 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915619","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":"Origin of High Grain Boundary Resistance in Anisotropic Polycrystalline Ion Conductors","authors":"Xiaoou Sun, Duanting Yan, Jinhua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180831","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180831","url":null,"abstract":"For polycrystalline ion conductors with anisotropic conduction, revealing the origin of high grain boundary resistance and determining the space charge potential and grain boundary thickness are crucial for their applications in clean energy fields, such as batteries and fuel cells. This work uses La<sub>9.33+x</sub>Si<sub>6</sub>O<sub>26+3x/2</sub> (LSO)-based anisotropic polycrystalline oxide ion conductors with apatite structure as a model system. The results demonstrate that the primary cause of high grain boundary resistance is the significant increase in electrical grain boundary thickness, which arises from electrical anisotropy and random grain orientation. The study also proposes a method to determine the space charge potential at grain boundaries based on the electrical grain boundary thickness, yielding a potential of approximately 0.12<!-- --> <!-- -->eV for LSO-based conductors. The approach for determining space charge potential can be extended to other anisotropic ion conductors. This study's understanding of the grain boundary conduction mechanism improves the ionic conductivity of materials, thereby enhancing the performance of energy devices such as batteries and fuel cells.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915651","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}
Jipeng Wang, Chanyuan Ji, Hui Xu, Lei Jin, Sheng Feng
{"title":"Synergistic engineering of doping and vacancy guiding transformation of active phase for efficient urea electrooxidation","authors":"Jipeng Wang, Chanyuan Ji, Hui Xu, Lei Jin, Sheng Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180848","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180848","url":null,"abstract":"The surface dynamic reconstruction of Ni-based catalysts can lead to the transformation into Ni-based active phase (NiOOH) for boosting the urea oxidation reaction (UOR), while a key challenge associated with Ni-based UOR catalysts is the difficulty in triggering and controlling the reconstruction process to achieve the highest catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. Herein, oxygen-vacancy enriched and molybdenum doped NiCo layered double hydroxide (Mo-NiCo LDH-O<sub>v</sub>) are prepared and employed as model to synergistically boost the UOR. The introduction of oxygen vacancies facilitates the formation of active phases of NiOOH and CoOOH, thus efficiently modulating the electronic configuration of its surface. Meanwhile, Mo doping induces an electronic regulation effect that promotes the oxidation of Ni and Co to higher valence states, accelerates the reaction kinetics, and enables the generation of a highly active composite phase (NiOOH–CoOOH–MoOₓ). The modified catalyst exhibits excellent UOR performance, requiring only 1.32<!-- --> <!-- -->V (vs. RHE) to achieve a current density of 10<!-- --> <!-- -->mA·cm⁻² in 1<!-- --> <!-- -->M KOH with 0.33<!-- --> <!-- -->M urea. This value is 284<!-- --> <!-- -->mV lower than that needed for water oxidation. As a promising UOR catalyst, synergistic engineering of doping and oxygen vacancy Mo-NiCo LDH-O<sub>v</sub> offers new design insights for urea oxidation and degradation.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"142 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143920147","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":"Impact of Ca doping on energy storage efficiency and ferroelectric properties in BiFeO3 thin films","authors":"Yoonho Ahn , Jong Yeog Son","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of lead-free ferroelectric thin films for energy storage applications has gained significant attention due to the demand for environmentally sustainable, high-efficiency capacitors. This study explores the ferroelectric and energy storage properties of Ca-doped BiFeO<sub>3</sub> (BFO) thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, with Ca concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mol%. Structural analysis revealed that grain size and crystallinity improved with increasing Ca content up to 30 mol%. The remanent polarization initially increased, peaking at 10 mol% Ca, and then gradually decreased due to the competing effects of enhanced crystallinity and lattice contraction. The optimized 30 mol% Ca-doped BFO thin film exhibited the highest recoverable energy density of 56.6 J/cm³ and an energy storage efficiency of 60.1 %, attributed to reduced leakage current, increased saturation polarization, and lower remanent polarization. Ca doping effectively suppressed oxygen vacancies, contributing to improved leakage current behavior and excellent fatigue endurance up to 10<sup>12</sup> cycles. These findings demonstrate that Ca doping serves as an effective strategy for tuning the energy storage performance of BFO thin films, offering promising potential for high-efficiency, lead-free ferroelectric capacitors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"1029 ","pages":"Article 180819"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143909889","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}
Devaki U. Asangi , Bipin S. Chikkatti , Ashok M. Sajjan , Nagaraj R. Banapurmath , T.M. Yunus Khan , Syed Waheedullah Ghori , Shivashankar A. Huddar , S.K. Rajappa
{"title":"Electrochemical investigation of Al2O3-CuO binary nanocomposite electrodes: Towards high energy storage supercapacitors","authors":"Devaki U. Asangi , Bipin S. Chikkatti , Ashok M. Sajjan , Nagaraj R. Banapurmath , T.M. Yunus Khan , Syed Waheedullah Ghori , Shivashankar A. Huddar , S.K. Rajappa","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The escalating demand for sustainable energy solutions necessitates advanced energy storage systems. This study explores the development and performance of Al₂O₃/CuO binary nanocomposites as next-generation electrode materials for supercapacitors. Comprehensive material characterizations, including FTIR, XRD, SEM and EDS analyses, confirm the successful integration of Al₂O₃ and CuO, yielding a high surface area. Al₂O₃/CuO composite is subjected to CV, EIS and GCD. CV highlights enhance EDLC behavior and excellent rate capability, while GCD studies demonstrate extended energy and power densities with minimal resistance. The composite retains 85 % of its initial capacitance after 5000 cycles, underscoring exceptional durability and stability. Electrochemical evaluations reveal the Al₂O₃/CuO nanocomposite achieves a superior specific capacitance of 864 F g⁻¹ at 1.0 A g<sup>−1</sup>, far exceeding individual components. EIS further confirms improved charge transfer kinetics and ion diffusion efficiency, driven by the synergistic interplay between Al₂O₃ and CuO. This study underscores the significance of material engineering in unlocking the full potential of binary nanostructures for sustainable energy solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"1029 ","pages":"Article 180806"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915653","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}
Jiawei Huang, Shu Zhu, Tieqiang Geng, Songtao Li, Zhengwang Zhu
{"title":"The Effect of Cooling Rate on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Ca Alloy","authors":"Jiawei Huang, Shu Zhu, Tieqiang Geng, Songtao Li, Zhengwang Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180799","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180799","url":null,"abstract":"7XXX aluminum alloy is widely applied to transportation and construction fields due to its high mechanical properties and low density. However, during the preparation process, the stress concentration caused by the defects such as shrinkage cavities derived from the wide solidification range will lead to the premature failure of the alloy. This study replaced Cu in 7XXX alloy with the addition of insoluble element Ca to control the thermal cracking in the casting process, and concluded the effect of casting cooling rate on the microstructure of Al-Zn-Mg-Ca. The contribution of various strengthening mechanisms was quantitatively calculated to analyze the relationship between the casting process and the enhancement of mechanical properties of the alloy. The tensile strength of the ingot obtained by water cooling is 200<!-- --> <!-- -->MPa higher than that of the ingot obtained by air and furnace cooling. The reason for the improvement in the tensile property is that rapid cooling process promotes the solidification of α-Al and Al<sub>4</sub>Ca, and the large amount of solid solution of alloy elements in the base phase. It is also confirmed that the refined secondary phase is the main reason for the performance improvement through the calculation of the strengthening contribution. This study provides an important reference strategy for the preparation of 7XXX aluminum alloys without pressure forging, in order to prevent the thermal cracking and improve the mechanical properties.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915645","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}
Menglu Li , Weili Li , Wenping Cao , Nuo Xu , Wenqi Li , Weidong Fei
{"title":"Large electrostrictive response in W-Mg co-doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-based ceramics via defect complex designing","authors":"Menglu Li , Weili Li , Wenping Cao , Nuo Xu , Wenqi Li , Weidong Fei","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180802","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180802","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lead-free electrostrictors based on bismuth sodium titanate (Bi<sub>0.5</sub>Na<sub>0.5</sub>TiO<sub>3</sub>, BNT) are critical for sustainable actuator technologies, yet their performance limitations necessitate innovative defect engineering strategies. Here, we report a synergistic B-site donor-acceptor co-doping approach to amplify the electrostrictive response via tailored defect complex. By incorporating W<sup>6 +</sup>-Mg<sup>2+</sup> co-doping, which results in electrostatic field, stress field and electronegativity difference, the domain switching is promoted and the B-site ions are limited. On this basis, we demonstrate the electrostrictive coefficient of 0.0543 m<sup>4</sup>/C<sup>2</sup> at 0.1 Hz and stable around ∼0.037 m<sup>4</sup>/C<sup>2</sup> at 100 Hz. This work establishes a universal co-doping paradigm to optimize lead-free electrostrictors, bridging atomic-scale defect control to macroscopic electromechanical performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"1029 ","pages":"Article 180802"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915628","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}
Sonnu Benny , Galeb William , S. Ezhilarasi , John D. Rodney , R. Ananthan , M. Dinesh Raja , J. Madhavan , S. Arulmozhi
{"title":"Synergistic modulation of active sites in multi-dopant AxNi1-xFe2O4 nanocatalysts for high-efficiency electrochemical water splitting","authors":"Sonnu Benny , Galeb William , S. Ezhilarasi , John D. Rodney , R. Ananthan , M. Dinesh Raja , J. Madhavan , S. Arulmozhi","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The genesis of high-efficiency, persisting, and sustainable electrocatalysts that can power both the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) and the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) is one of the key barriers in advancing the production of hydrogen, a feasible substitute for fossil fuels. In the present investigation, solution combustion was the procedure employed to synthesize Copper, Chromium and Zinc-doped Nickel Ferric Oxide A<sub>x</sub>Ni<sub>1-x</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> where (A = Cu, Cr, and Zn) (X = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 %) nanoparticles, which were then investigated as Transition Metal Oxides-based electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. The developed Zn<sub>0.02</sub>Ni<sub>0.98</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> electrocatalyst demonstrated outstanding OER performance at 1.67 V (<span><math><mi>η</mi></math></span> = 442 mV) vs. RHE in 1 M KOH electrolyte and extraordinary HER activity was displayed by Cu<sub>0.03</sub>Ni<sub>0.97</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> electrocatalyst which exhibited a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at a potential of −0.160 V (<span><math><mi>η</mi></math></span> = 160 mV) vs. RHE. Overall water splitting was achieved with the best-performing electrodes (Zn<sub>0.02</sub>Ni<sub>0.98</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> || Cu <sub>0.03</sub>Ni <sub>0.97</sub>Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) at a constant current density of 50 mA cm⁻² in a 24 h stability test. The electrodes achieved a cell voltage of about 2.2 V. During this time, there was very little degradation evident—just a slight increase of 30 mV from the initial voltage. These results highlight the possibility of doping NiFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanoparticles with Copper, Chromium and Zinc as an economical and effective way to create high-performance electrocatalysts for overall water splitting, providing a feasible route towards sustainable hydrogen production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"1029 ","pages":"Article 180817"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143915647","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}
Hengyi Lu, Tao Jiang, Jiayi Shao, Fangqi Guo, Xiang Tian, Chuyang Liu, Li Zhou, Zhanjiu Sun, Guangbin Ji
{"title":"In situ synthesis of Zr4+ doped BaFe12O19/Fe3O4 composites for enhanced centimeter and millimeter wave absorption compatibility","authors":"Hengyi Lu, Tao Jiang, Jiayi Shao, Fangqi Guo, Xiang Tian, Chuyang Liu, Li Zhou, Zhanjiu Sun, Guangbin Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180731","url":null,"abstract":"To effectively tackle the intricate electromagnetic pollution arising from the rapid advancements in network technology, it is crucial to develop a wide-frequency, highly efficient absorbing material that can simultaneously demonstrate absorption properties for both centimetre-wave and millimetre-wave frequencies. In this study, a hydrothermal method followed by heat treatment is utilized to fabricate the hard-soft magnetic BaZr<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub>/Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> composites. The doping quantity of Zr<sup>4+</sup> ions is modulated in order to regulate the electromagnetic parameters and magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the composites to response concurrently in both centimetre-wave and millimetre-wave bands. This is achieved by utilising the interface exchange coupling between the hard magnetic barium ferrite and the soft magnetic triiron tetraoxide, generating multiple resonant magnetic permeability and enhanced magnetic permeability characteristics. When the heat treatment temperature is set at 700°C, with a doping concentration of Zr<sup>4+</sup> at x = 0.1 and a matching thickness of 2<!-- --> <!-- -->mm, it has been observed that the total effective absorption bandwidth reaches its maximum value of 10.74<!-- --> <!-- -->GHz. The coverage within the frequency bands of 2-18<!-- --> <!-- -->GHz and 26.5-40<!-- --> <!-- -->GHz is measured to be 3.68<!-- --> <!-- -->GHz and 7.06<!-- --> <!-- -->GHz, respectively. This finding presents an entirely new concept for the development of advanced microwave absorbing materials characterized by a broader range of applications.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"98 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143909887","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}
M. Perzanowski, K. Potzger, R. Heller, M. Krupinski, M. Marszalek
{"title":"Magnetization reversal in CoO/Co exchange-biased thin films prepared by post-growth oxidation","authors":"M. Perzanowski, K. Potzger, R. Heller, M. Krupinski, M. Marszalek","doi":"10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180810","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.180810","url":null,"abstract":"Co thin films grown by thermal evaporation have been oxidized in-situ, in ambient conditions, as well as using a plasma device. In all cases, the hysteresis loops reveal exchange-bias coupling between the Co and the CoO layers. We show that the CoO/Co systems fabricated under ambient conditions and in a pure oxygen atmosphere couple magnetically in a similar way. Contrary, the CoO layer produced by plasma treatment shows a lower bias field, coercive field and blocking temperature. The systems also exhibit asymmetric hysteresis loops with different magnetization reversal for the lower descending and upper ascending magnetization branches. In one direction of the external magnetic field sweep the CoO/Co system switches mainly by domain wall motion, while for the opposite field, the influence of the coherent magnetization rotation on the reversal process is stronger. The magnitude of the asymmetry is dependent on the measurement temperature.","PeriodicalId":344,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Alloys and Compounds","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143909888","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}