Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138918
Rongfang Li , Xun Feng , Qianqian Tang , Peng Li , Yuebin Xi
{"title":"Synergistic electronic modulation at Ru-Co bimetallic interfaces for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution reaction","authors":"Rongfang Li , Xun Feng , Qianqian Tang , Peng Li , Yuebin Xi","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A heterointerface engineering strategy is developed to enhance alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by constructing Ru<sup>3+</sup>-doped Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-derived RuCoOx nanoarchitectures. Structural and electronic analyses reveal that controlled Ru<sup>3+</sup> doping induces interfacial charge redistribution, forming synergistic Ru-Co active sites that boost both intrinsic activity and electron transfer kinetics. The optimized RuCoOx-2 catalyst achieves an ultralow overpotential of 9 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> and a Tafel slope of 78.1 mV dec<sup>−1</sup> in 1 M KOH, outperforming most cobalt-based benchmarks. Remarkably, RuCoOx-2 maintains 98 % activity after 100 h at −1.1 V vs. RHE, despite containing only 4.5 wt% Ru. Density functional theory calculations confirm that Ru-Co interfacial synergy optimizes hydrogen adsorption free energy (ΔG_H* = −0.12 eV) and lowers water dissociation barriers, providing atomic-level insights into the enhanced HER mechanism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138918"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144291325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138921
Xiaoshan Zhou , Lin Lin , Fangzheng Wang , Yongan Ke , Chunlei Wang , Yaqiong Huang , Linfan Li , Jihao Li
{"title":"Preparation of sodium allylsulfonate-starch based superabsorbent hydrogel with gamma ray irradiation method and its properties","authors":"Xiaoshan Zhou , Lin Lin , Fangzheng Wang , Yongan Ke , Chunlei Wang , Yaqiong Huang , Linfan Li , Jihao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138921","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138921","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the sodium allylsulfonate-starch based superabsorbent hydrogel (SAS-SBSH) with a uniform three-dimensional structure was prepared with gamma ray irradiation. SEM, FTIR and TGA characterized the microstructure, chemical composition and thermal properties of materials. SAS<sub>5wt%</sub>-SBSH showed the highest water absorbency in water (951.17 g/g) and salt solution (30.92 g/g). SAS<sub>3wt%</sub>-SBSH was the next best (709.57 g/g), having better repeated swelling performance than SAS<sub>5wt%</sub>-SBSH. In addition, SAS<sub>3wt%</sub>-SBSH showed high water absorbency in alkaline solution (pH = 9), which was 137.03 % of that in neutral solution. In summary, SAS-SBSH prepared in this study provided reference for the study of superabsorbent materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138921"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144291326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138913
H. Tekdir, A.F. Yetim
{"title":"Multi-pass scratch properties of titanium and vanadium-doped diamond-like carbon coatings applied on commercially pure titanium under different tribological environments: Dry, bio-aqueous, and lubricated conditions","authors":"H. Tekdir, A.F. Yetim","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the influence of titanium (Ti) and vanadium (V) doping on the mechanical performance and scratch resistance of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings applied to commercially pure titanium (Cp-Ti) substrates. The coatings were produced using physical vapor deposition (PVD), and scratch tests were performed under dry, Ringer’s solution, and lubricated conditions. Structural and mechanical characteristics were assessed via X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and microhardness tests. Surface hardness, residual stress, and coating thickness showed notable changes with Ti and V incorporation compared to untreated Cp-Ti. Scratch resistance varied with environment, with lubricated conditions offering the highest resistance and producing narrower scratches than those in Ringer’s solution. These outcomes were linked to the uniform carbide distribution and increased compressive residual stresses in the doped coatings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138913"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144291328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138914
Amardeep Singh , Shengbo Cheng , Rahul Sharma , Qiong Liu , Shujin Li , Dianchao Wang
{"title":"A hybrid carbonation system for enhancing recycled aggregate performance through particle size and spatial distribution","authors":"Amardeep Singh , Shengbo Cheng , Rahul Sharma , Qiong Liu , Shujin Li , Dianchao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recycled aggregates (RA) are vital for sustainable construction but have poor mechanical properties. This study investigates carbonation treatment by exposing RA of three size ranges (0.6–5.0 mm, 5.0–16.0 mm, 16.0–31.5 mm) to a 20 % CO<sub>2</sub> unidirectional flow. Smaller particles rapidly absorb CO<sub>2</sub> (99.6 % in 3 h) but show decline over time, while larger particles absorb more slowly yet sustain carbonation, with mass gain increasing by 329 % over 7 days. Upstream sections capture CO<sub>2</sub> quickly, while downstream sections utilize residual CO<sub>2</sub> for prolonged carbonation. Strength was highest near the CO<sub>2</sub> inlet (+19 %), decreasing downstream due to reduced CaCO<sub>3</sub> formation. All mixes showed brittle failure, with consistent ductility (0.9–1.3 mm). A hybrid RA system—small particles upstream and large downstream—may improve long-term CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration and mechanical performance, supporting low-carbon concrete applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138914"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138916
V.S. Suhas , T. Shanmugapriya , Ruben Paul Borg , K. Akash , Anaswara Sunil
{"title":"Enhanced corrosion inhibition of mild steel in concrete pore solution using modified mgo-chitosan epoxy nanocomposite coatings","authors":"V.S. Suhas , T. Shanmugapriya , Ruben Paul Borg , K. Akash , Anaswara Sunil","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, epoxy-based coatings (pure epoxy, MgO-modified, chitosan-modified, and MgO-chitosan nanocomposite) were applied to polished mild steel in a simulated concrete pore solution. The coatings were formulated by dispersing MgO nanoparticles and chitosan into an epoxy resin, homogenised by stirring, applied via the glass slide method, and cured. Electrochemical analysis (open-circuit potential, Nyquist, and Tafel plots) demonstrated the superior performance of the nanocomposite, which exhibited the highest charge-transfer resistance and lowest corrosion current density (I<sub>corr</sub> = 2.076 × 10 − 4). Weight loss tests confirmed a 93.53 % inhibition efficiency, outperforming the uncoated steel and single-additive systems. FESEM morphological analysis revealed a uniform, porous nanocomposite structure with well-dispersed nanoparticles and minimal post-exposure cracking, in contrast to the severe pitting observed in the uncoated specimens. Elemental mapping confirmed MgO-chitosan integration and limited chloride penetration. The synergy between MgO and chitosan validates this hybrid organic–inorganic coating as an effective corrosion mitigation strategy for steel in chloride based alkaline concrete environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138916"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144307749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138925
Yuzhen Yu, Xinlei Zhou, Xi Wang, Weikang Ding
{"title":"Optimization of ZrB2 content in CoCrNiFeAl high-entropy alloy coatings: experimental and simulation study of microstructure and wear resistance","authors":"Yuzhen Yu, Xinlei Zhou, Xi Wang, Weikang Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>CoCrNiFeAl high-entropy alloy (HEA) composite coatings with various ZrB<sub>2</sub> contents (10 wt%, 20 wt%, and 30 wt%) were fabricated on 316 stainless steel substrates using additive manufacturing. The effects of ceramic phase content on the phase composition, grain size, hardness, and tribological behavior of the coatings were systematically investigated. XRD, EBSD, and SEM characterizations revealed that ZrB<sub>2</sub> addition promoted the FCC-to-BCC phase transition and significantly refined the grain structure. Tribological tests showed that the 20 wt% ZrB<sub>2</sub> coating had the most stable coefficient of friction and the highest wear resistance. However, excessive ZrB<sub>2</sub> (30 wt%) content resulted in ceramic particle agglomeration, localized stress concentrations, and interfacial degradation. Finite element modeling using the Digimat/ANSYS platform confirmed the stress amplification effect in agglomerated regions. Overall, according to observed mechanical properties, 20 wt% ZrB<sub>2</sub> content was identified as the optimal reinforcement level for this system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138925"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138919
Rohn Odhiambo Cephas , Duke Ateyh Oeba , Jared Ombiro Gwaro
{"title":"Synthesis and characterization for structural and optical properties of FASnI2Br for perovskite solar cell applications","authors":"Rohn Odhiambo Cephas , Duke Ateyh Oeba , Jared Ombiro Gwaro","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar cells being a clean and renewable energy source, help achieve sustainable development goal number 7; Affordable and clean energy. Perovskite solar cells have attracted the attention of researchers due to their exemplary high-power conversion efficiencies of above 25 %. An example of a material that has been used as a perovskite active layer is FASnI<sub>3</sub>.For tunability of the band gap and enhancing stability, this can be doped with halide materials. In this study, FASnI<sub>2</sub>Br was synthesized, followed by structural characterization using XRD and optical characterization using UV–vis. From the fabricated devices, FF of 50.44 %, PCE of 3.57 %, Jsc of 12.46 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, Voc of 0.44 V and MPP of 3.57 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> were obtained. This was a good indication for an active material for perovskite solar cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138919"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Advancements in metal oxide-based innovative nanomaterials for biomedical applications: Challenges and future outlook","authors":"Khushboo Gupta , Sunil Chauhan , Dharm Veer Singh , V.E.A. Montaño , O.P. Thakur , Santosh Kumar , Rajesh Dhiman , O.Raymond Herrera , Manish Kumar , Subhash Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138912","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138912","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Numerous researchers have been interested in nanomaterials due to their small size, great stability, affinity, and selectivity. Numerous metal and metal-oxide nanomaterials (MONMs) have been the subject of extensive, intensive research over the past few decades due to their important characteristics, which include size, shape, surface mass proportion, and reactivity. Antimicrobial therapy, targeted drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cancer treatment are just a few of the areas in which the nanoparticles (NPs) are being used. MONMs can fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria by disrupting cell walls, offering controlled drug delivery to targeted tissues, enhancing MRI contrast for better disease diagnosis, and delivering chemotherapy directly to tumors/cancer, minimizing side effects. Despite challenges related to toxicity and stability, MONMs in improving medical treatments make these NPs a game-changing solution for tackling critical issues like antibiotic resistance and enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy in modern healthcare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138912"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144291331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138924
Kevin J. García-Caraveo , Ángel R. Montoya-García , Lucia G. Arellano , Álvaro Miranda , Luis A. Pérez , Miguel Cruz-Irisson
{"title":"DFT investigation of NH3 trapping and sensing by metal-decorated SnC nanosheets","authors":"Kevin J. García-Caraveo , Ángel R. Montoya-García , Lucia G. Arellano , Álvaro Miranda , Luis A. Pérez , Miguel Cruz-Irisson","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the adsorption capacity and properties of metal-decorated tin carbide nanosheets (2D-SnC) for NH<sub>3</sub> detection were investigated. Li- and Na-decorated 2D-SnC exhibited strong adsorption energies, with recovery times of 9 h and 3.97 s, respectively—both significantly longer than the 329 ns recovery time observed for pristine 2D-SnC. In contrast, K-decorated 2D-SnC showed weak adsorption energy for NH<sub>3</sub> molecules, with a rapid recovery time of 26.5 ns. Additionally, NH<sub>3</sub> adsorption induced only a slight modification in the bandgap of metal-decorated 2D-SnC. Notably, the pristine and K-decorated 2D-SnC demonstrated high sensitivity to NH<sub>3</sub>, highlighting their potential for gas sensing applications. Meanwhile, Li-decorated 2D-SnC is an effective nanostructure for NH<sub>3</sub> capture. The nanosheets revealed minor structural variations at 298 K, indicating their thermal stability at this temperature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138924"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144291330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Materials LettersPub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138923
M.Thien Phung , Farjana Rahman , Chong Yeal Kim , M. Shaheer Akhtar , O-Bong Yang
{"title":"State-of-charge estimation and prediction by machine learning models using experimental dataset of lithium-ion batteries based on ionic liquid modified LiFSI electrolyte","authors":"M.Thien Phung , Farjana Rahman , Chong Yeal Kim , M. Shaheer Akhtar , O-Bong Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate state-of-charge (SOC) estimation and prediction in Lithium-ion battery (LIBs) remains a critical issue due to nonlinear battery behavior and environmental fluctuations. This work explains the development of Machine learning (Support vector machines, Decision tree, Gradient boosting) models to estimate and predict accurate SOC of LIBs wherein the experimental data was used from LIBs with LiFSI and pyridinium-based ionic liquid electrolytes. To achieve the optimal model performance, key hyperparameters were tuned using max_features_input, max_depth of models, max_split_data, etc. Feature importance revealed that discharge capacity was the most influential feature, confirming the model’s reliability. Optimized Decision tree model attained an exceptional SOC accuracy with low Root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.001298, Mean square error (MSE) = 0.00000168, and R<sup>2</sup> = 0.999948 in 0.301193 s for experimental data. These findings demonstrate the potential of machine learning approach to enhance SOC estimation and the longevity, safety, and capacity of LIBs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":384,"journal":{"name":"Materials Letters","volume":"398 ","pages":"Article 138923"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144313319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}