daohang fenxiangbox searchbox qikanlogonew daohangnew searchboxnew navrightzone footerzone bookdetail
稀有金属

Chinese Journal of Rare Metals

ISSN(Print): 0258-7076 | | CN: 11-2111/TF

Aims & Scope

3.2CiteScore
2.994CJCR

Chinese Journal of Rare Metals was founded in 1977, is a comprehensive journal, published monthly in Chinese, administrated by China Association for Science and Technology, sponsored by The Nonferrous Metals Society of China and China GRINM Group Co., Ltd., and published by Youke Publishing Co., Ltd. It is incorporated by Chinese Core Journals, source of Chinese scientific and technical papers, source of Chinese Science Citation Database, source of Chinese Physics Literature Database and Chinese Academic Journals (CD). Internationally, Chinese Journal of Rare Metals is indexed by American Engineering (EI compendex), and included by many world famous retrieval databases, like important database SCOPUS, American Chemistry Abstract (CA), British Physics, Electrical Technology, Computer and Control information database INSPEC Science Digest (SA), the Russian Journal of Abstract (AJ), Japanese science and technology information center database JICSTJapanese science and technology literature studies, American Metal Abstract (MA) and so on. It covers alloy processing, mineral processing, smelting, physical and chemical analysis of rare metals, precious metals, rare earth metals and non-ferrous metal materials such as nickel, cobalt. Additionally, the research, development and application of superconducting materials, semiconductor materials, composite materials, ceramic materials, nano materials, magnetic materials and other materials are also reported. The journal serves for research institutions, enterprises and institutions of higher education as well as science and technology personnel infields of rare and nonferrous metals, metallurgy, chemical industry, petroleum geology, energy, aerospace and so on.

More ↓

Explore Content

View all issues ›

Research on Safety Strategy on New Materials Industrial Development

As a fundamental pillar for fostering new quality productive forces, constructing a modern industrial system and safeguarding national comprehensive security, the new materials industry underpins the core competitiveness of high-end manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies. Today's global industrial landscape is undergoing profound restructuring driven by four pivotal forces:intensifying geopolitical competition, worldwide carbon peaking and carbon neutrality transitions, in-depth integration of digital and intelligent technologies, and targeted iteration of materials spurred by diverse downstream application scenarios. In parallel, artificial intelligence, big data and high-throughput computing are revolutionizing the traditional trial-and-error R&D paradigm of materials science, enabling data-driven material screening, inverse structural design and intelligent process optimization to drastically cut research cycles and experimental costs. This paper systematically sorted out the opportunities and structural risks confronting the global new materials industry, and thoroughly reviewed the strategic arrangements rolled out by the United States, the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia in 2025 and 2026. U.S. tied new materials closely to national defense and technological security, launching special programs including Crystal Palace and Carbon Crunch for military advanced materials, and consolidated independent supply chains for semiconductor materials through the CHIPS and Science Act, alongside initiatives to supervise critical mineral resources and apply AI to accelerate material innovation. EU centered its strategy on European strategic autonomy and green transformation, advancing the Advanced Materials Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act to diversify mineral supply, developed circular materials and set global green trade standards. Germany, UK, Japan and Russia had also introduced targeted national plans respectively, focusing on technological sovereignty, digitalized material R&D, military-civilian integrated innovation, rare earth recycling and import substitution amid geopolitical sanctions. After years of policy support and technological accumulation, China had achieved remarkable breakthroughs in lithium battery materials, rare earth functional materials and general carbon fibers, with a batch of national key innovation platforms and specialized sophisticated enterprises cultivated. Nevertheless, prominent internal and external vulnerabilities persisted. Externally, fierce global technological competition and restrictive trade policies created severe "bottleneck" risks, as high-end photoresists, single-crystal superalloys, core manufacturing equipment and other strategic materials still relied heavily on imports, and China lacked sufficient discourse power in formulating international material standards. Targeting six core strategic fields with prominent security risks, this study proposed targeted development frameworks for self-reliant industrial construction. For micro-nano electronic manufacturing, it highlighted localized substitution of bottleneck materials such as photoresists and electronic specialty gases, alongside R&D of low-dielectric materials and wide-bandgap semiconductor supporting materials to match advanced packaging and high-performance chip demands. For aerospace, it advocated full-chain independent manufacturing of high-performance carbon fibers, single-crystal superalloys and ceramic matrix composites to satisfy extreme service conditions of hypersonic vehicles and reusable rockets. For robotics and sensors, priorities covered lightweight structural alloys, rare earth permanent magnets and flexible sensing materials to support bionic robots and precision perception systems. In advanced nuclear energy, the paper stressed breakthroughs in radiation-resistant cladding materials and low-activation structural alloys to support fourth-generation reactors and space nuclear power sources. For marine engineering equipment, corrosion-resistant high-strength steel and deep-sea functional materials were key to advancing polar vessels and offshore renewable energy infrastructure. To systematically resolve industrial security challenges, this paper put forward multi-dimensional countermeasures covering five core dimensions. First, innovation-driven development shall be strengthened via the new whole-of-nation system to tackle generic bottleneck technologies, improve the commercialization system of scientific achievements and optimize intellectual property management for strategic materials. Second, supply chain resilience would be reinforced through domestic mineral exploration, diversified cross-border resource cooperation, national strategic mineral reserves and digital risk early warning platforms. Third, an integrated standard system aligned with international norms shall be established to fill standard gaps in high-end materials and implement full-lifecycle quality traceability management. Fourth, a multi-level talent training matrix would be optimized through industry-university-research integration, performance evaluation reforms and market-oriented incentive mechanisms to address talent shortages. Fifth, the industrial ecosystem would be upgraded through targeted policy support for industrial clusters, intelligent production line transformation and low-carbon circular manufacturing to advance high-end, intelligent and green development simultaneously. In summary, the safety of the new materials industry constituted an indispensable foundation of national industrial and scientific security. Faced with sweeping global industrial reshuffling and fierce international competition, China must advance coordinated upgrades across technological innovation, supply chain robustness, standardization, talent cultivation and industrial ecology. The conclusions and suggestions of this research could provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for constructing an independent, controllable, safe and efficient new materials industrial system, consolidating the bottom line of national scientific and industrial security, and fueling the steady growth of new quality productive forces and the advancement of new industrialization.

Show more

Strain Field and Dynamics Around S-Phase in 2324 Aluminum Alloy

Aluminum alloys are widely appliedd in the aerospace industry due to their excellent mechanical properties, superior corrosion resistance, good machinability, high strength to density ratio, and desirable electrical and thermal conductivity. So far, the aluminization application ratio of civil aircraft exceeds 70%, while that of military aircraft is more than 48%. Among them, the second series of aluminum alloys (Al, Cu, Mg), as heat-treatable strengthend aluminum alloys, have excellent mechanical properties. Therefore, they are widly used as aircraft structural materials. In recent years, 2324 aluminum alloy has been optimized by regulating the content of alloying elements and optimizing heat treatment processes, endowing it with excellent mechanical properties. After aging treatment, the second phases mainly include S', S and T phases. It is notable that S phase acts as the main strengthening phase at room temperature for 2324 aluminum alloy. T phase is the high-temperature strengthening phase, which is a brittle phase at room temperature and there by deteriorates the comprehensive performance of the alloy. In-depth researchon S-phase can help to improve the performance of 2324 aluminum alloy. In this paper, the strain field and nucleation process around S-phase in 2324 aluminum alloy were systematically studied. With transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the strain field and nucleation kinetics around S-phase during aging were investigated. The strain field around S-phase and its intrinsic characteristics were revealed, and the relationship between activation energy and transformation fraction, as well as nucleation mechanism of S-phase, were elucidated. The results showed that a strong stress field existed around the early-formed S-phase, and the stress magnitude decreased with the increasing distance from S-phase. The size of S-phase also affected the surrounding stress field, and the smaller the width of S-phase, the higher the surrounding stress field. On the one hand, S-phase was incoherent with the alloy matrix, the lattice mismatch between the two phases induced the formation of a stress field. The calculated lattice mismatch were –1.25%, 1.92%, and –1.45% for [100]S//[100]Al, [010]S//[012]Al, [001]S//[021]Al, respectively. On the other hand, there were diffused Cu/Mg atoms around S phase, and the concentration of diffused atoms was distributed in a gradient along the direction away from S-phase. In general, the concentration of Cu/Mg atoms was high in the region close to S-phase and low in the region far away from it. Since the atomic sizes of Cu and Mg atoms differed greatly from that of the aluminum atoms of the matrix, a stress field was formed around S-phase. In summary, the stress field around S-phase resulted fromthe superposition of two contributions:the stress field generated by the lattice mismatch and Cu/Mg solute atoms. Moreover, all characteristic temperatures of S'-phase increased with rising heating rate, indicating that the formation and dissolution of S' and S-phase were controlled by the reaction kinetics and exhibited thermal activation characteristics. In addition, the magnitude of precipitation decreased as the increase of the heating rate, which could be explained by the enhanced solid solubility of Cu at a higher heating rates. The average values of the activation energies for the precipitation of S' and S-phases calculated by Kissinger method were 76.65 and 119.57 kJ·mol−1, respectively, and corresponded to vacancy migration energies of 41 and 66.9 kJ·mol−1 in Al-Cu-Mg alloy, respectively. Therefore, the precipitation of S' and S phases was governed by multiple factors rather thanmerley the diffusion of Cu atoms. Then, as the heating rate increased, the temperature was higher for the transformation fraction, indicating that the transformation degree increased with the rising heating rate and temperature. These features could be explained from two aspects:1) at a certain heating rate, the diffusion of solute atoms was enhanced with increasing temperature, thereby promoting the transformation; 2) at a fixed temperature, as the heating rate decreased, the solute atoms had enough time to diffuse, thus increasing the transformation fraction. The apparent activation energies E calculated by the Analytical method were 84.98 and 148.53 kJ·mol−1 for S and S' phases, respectively. The activation energy required for S'-phase formation decreased with the increase of transformation fraction, and the activation energy during the formation of S-phase increases with the increase of the conversion rate. The decreasing activation energy of S'-phase was due to the gradual increase in the nucleation sites during aging. The increase in S-phase activation energy was due to the decrease in alloying elements and dislocations in the matrix with prolonged aging, making the nucleation of S-phase increasingly difficult and requiring higher activation energy. In conclusion, the activation energy of S'-phase decreased with the increase of the transformation fraction, and the activation energy of S-phase increased with the increase of the transformation fraction.

Show more

Tensile Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution Mechanism of TC4 Alloy at High Temperature

Ti-6Al-4V(TC4), as an excellent dual-phase titanium alloy, exhibits good thermal stability at high temperatures and possesses superior overall performance, leading to its extensive use in the aerospace industry. Due to the complex geometries and poor room-temperature formability of titanium alloys, hot forming processes are typically employed during manufacturing. However, TC4 alloy has a narrow hot working window, where the microstructure is highly sensitive to deformation parameters. The competition among deformation mechanisms such as dynamic recrystallization(DRX), work hardening(WH), and dynamic recovery(DRV)complicates microstructural evolution during high-temperature deformation. Therefore, investigating the effects of deformation parameters on microstructural evolution and corresponding deformation mechanisms is crucial. Traditionally, hot compression tests are used to evaluate alloy forming processes. However, in the complex process of hot stamping of intricate parts, tensile stresses may lead to accumulated damage, significantly reducing final mechanical performance. High-temperature tensile tests accurately reflect the stress state during material deformation. The tensile deformation behavior of titanium alloys differs in mechanism from hot compression, making it essential to elucidate the evolution of microstructure during high-temperature tensile deformation for a better understanding of mechanical property changes. Previous studies have indicated that high-temperature deformation of TC4 alloy involves complex microstructural changes such as processing hardening due to dynamic grain growth, deformation and high-temperature movement of intragranular dislocations, α→β phase transformation, globularization of lamellar α phase, dynamic recovery, and dynamic recrystallization. Consequently, material mechanical properties undergo intricate changes, necessitating exploration of TC4 titanium alloy's mechanical characteristics under different high-temperature conditions. The plastic deformation capability of the alloy fundamentally reflects the macro results of its internal microstructural deformation mechanism. A systematic study on the tensile deformation behavior of TC4 alloy within a broad temperature range for hot forming is currently lacking. Therefore, this paper conducted high-temperature tensile experiments at temperatures of 650, 700, 750, 800 and 850 ℃ with a strain rate of 0.02 s-1, employing electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to analyze the tensile microstructure characteristics and deformation mechanisms of TC4 alloy post-deformation. The formation process of recrystallized grains was reflected by changes in orientation difference angles, and individual grains were selected to analyze the globularization process of lamellar structures. The phase diagrams and image quality maps were used to reveal α-β phase transformation of TC4 alloy. The results showed that:1) TC4 alloy exhibited different deformation characteristics during high-temperature tensile processes. With increasing deformation temperature, yield stress gradually decreased. At 650 ℃, yield stress increased with loading, peaks, and then rapidly decreased until fracture, exhibiting significant work hardening characteristics. At 700 and 750 ℃, yield stress reached a maximum early in deformation, followed by dynamic softening, indicating DRV characteristics. At 800 and 850 ℃, yield stress peaked early in deformation and then decreased gradually with increasing strain, where dynamic recrystallization played a dominant role, resulting in decreased strength and significantly increased elongation. 2) Fracture surface analysis revealed that at lower temperatures, dimples were smaller and deeper, with uneven distribution and presence of microcracks and numerous voids at fracture surfaces. As temperature increased, dimples became larger and shallower, indicating increased plasticity, consistent with macro trends in elongation. 3) During high-temperature deformation of TC4 alloy, significant differences were observed in microstructural morphology. At 650 ℃, primary α phase exhibited elongated distribution with relatively low equiaxed transformation. Local recrystallization occurred in grain boundaries of α-p phase, forming "necklace-like" recrystallized grains. As temperature rose to 700 and 750 ℃, dynamic softening did not fully dissipate energy from thermal deformation, leading to dynamic precipitation of lamellar α phase, with increased thickness of lamellar α phase with temperature rise. At 800 ℃, thinner α phase lamellae transformed into finer recrystallized grains, undergoing dynamic globularization process, with average DRX grain size approximately 1.04 μm. Increasing to 850 ℃, volume fraction of recrystallized grains increased, including those formed at α-p phase grain boundaries and globularization of lamellar α phase. Overall, with increasing tensile temperature, primary α phase tended towards equiaxial transformation, decreasing aspect ratio from 1.67 to 1.35, with grain size initially increasing and then decreasing. Low-angle grain boundaries(LAGBs)gradually transformed into high-angle grain boundaries(HAGBs), with HAGBs content increasing from 11.7% to 36.1%, indicating enhanced DRX effects. High-temperature tensile process of TC4 alloy was controlled by multiple deformation mechanisms, primarily including DRV mechanism, DRX mechanism, α→β phase transformation, lamellar α phase globularization mechanism, and grain boundary sliding(GBS)mechanism. DRV and continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX)mainly controled flow softening process of TC4 alloy, with CDRX mechanism continuously transitioning from LAGBs to HAGBs. Discontinuous dynamic recrystallization(DDRX)phenomenon was observed even at lower temperatures(650 ℃). α→β phase transformation was a critical factor in enhancing alloy plasticity, with decreasing volume fraction of αp phase and increasing α→β phase transformation with temperature rise. Dynamic globularization of lamellar α phase initially occurred in thinner lamellar layers, eventually forming fine and uniform DRX grains.

Show more

Enhancement of Hardness, Wear, and Corrosion Resistance in Ti-6Al-4V Alloy through Multi-Layer Laser Cladding of TiZrNbCrCo High Entropy Alloy Coatings

Given the challenges posed by the low hardness and inadequate wear resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, this research aimed to explore an innovative solution by employing the laser cladding technique to develop high-entropy alloy(HEA)coatings composed of TiZrNbCrCo on the alloy's surface. The primary objectives were to investigate the effects of varying the number of cladding layers on the elemental composition and to assess how these variations influenced the phase constitution, microstructure, microhardness, wear, and electrochemical properties of HEA coatings. To predict the phase composition of the solid solution phases in HEA coatings with different layer numbers, empirical thermophysical parameters were utilized. The methodology encompassed a detailed experimental setup where the laser cladding process was meticulously optimized to fabricate coatings with varying numbers of layers. This approach enabled the controlled manipulation of the dilution rate and elemental distribution within the coatings, thereby allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the resulting phase and microstructural characteristics. The coatings were systematically analyzed using X-ray diffraction(XRD)to identify their phase compositions and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate their microstructures. Microhardness measurements were conducted to evaluate the mechanical enhancements, while wear tests were performed to assess the wear resistance of the coatings. Furthermore, electrochemical tests in a 3.5%NaCl solution were carried out to determine the coatings' corrosion resistance. The results revealed that all coatings, exhibited a consistent phase composition, predominantly featuring a body-centered cubic (bcc) structured solid solution phase. This phase was characterized by dendrites rich in Nb and inter-dendrites rich in Co. It was observed that an increase in the number of cladding layers led to a decrease in the dilution rate, which in turn facilitated the formation of petal-like Laves phases enriched in Co and Zr, along with α-Ti precipitates enriched in Zr. Remarkably, the average microhardness of the coatings reached HV0.1747.7, approximately 2.33 times that of the substrate. This significant enhancement in microhardness translated to a reduction in wear volume by 68.6% compared to the substrate. The optimal corrosion resistance was achieved with a two-layer configuration, which exhibited the lowest self-corrosion current (6.46×10−6 A·cm−2) a larger self-corrosion potential (-0.286 V), and the lowest corrosion rate, indicating a substantial improvement in corrosion resistance. The conclusion drawn from this study highlighted the critical role of laser cladding parameters in influencing the microstructural and compositional characteristics of HEA coatings. The enhancement in mechanical and chemical properties could be attributed to the strategic manipulation of the number of cladding layers, which optimized the microstructural features such as the distribution of Laves phases and α-Ti precipitates. Moreover, this research contributed to the broader academic discourse by elucidating the relationship between laser cladding parameters, microstructural evolution, and the resulting properties of HEA coatings. In summary, this comprehensive investigation into the development and characterization of TiZrNbCrCo high-entropy alloy coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloy surfaces provided a promising approach for addressing the limitations of conventional titanium alloys. The research outcomes not only demonstrated the feasibility of significantly enhancing the hardness, wear, and corrosion resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloys through laser cladded HEA coatings but also opened up opportunities for using high-entropy alloys in surface engineering to meet the needs of modern industries.

Show more

Research Progress on Doping Modification of High-Capacity Silicon-Based Anode Materials

Silicon(Si)-based anodes are widely recognized as the most promising alternatives to conventional graphite anodes for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs), owing to their ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity(4200 mAh·g-1), lowlithiation potential, abundant crustal reserves, low toxicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, their large-scale commercialization is severely hindered by two intrinsic challenges:1) drastic volume expansion(>300%)during lithiation/delithiation, which induces particle pulverization, electrode integrity degradation, and continuous rupture/reformation of the solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)films, thereby causing irreversible lithium-ion consumption; 2) extremely low intrinsic electrical conductivity(1×10-4 S·cm-1), which restricts ion/electron transport kinetics and thus degrades rate capability.To address these issues, early research efforts focused on nano-engineering of Si and the development of Si-based composites. Nanostructured Si can partially alleviate mechanical fracture by accommodating strain through size-dependent deformation mechanisms; however, it tends to agglomerate during prolonged cycling and exhibits excessive side reactions with the electrolyte, reducing the initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)and cycling lifespan. Si/carbon(Si/C)composites design, which take advantage of the high electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and mechanical flexibility of carbon matrices, have emerged as a primary route toward commercialization. Nevertheless, challenges related to the inherently low conductivity of Si and inadequate interfacial bonding between Si and carbon remain unresolved. Against this backdrop, this review emphasized doping modification as a fundamental strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes. Starting from the lithium storage mechanism of Si—which stored lithium via an alloying/dealloying reaction to form various Li-Si alloys, with a theoretical maximum lithiation phase of Li22Si5 accommodating 4.4 Li atoms per Si atom—and its core limitations, we systematically analyzed the regulation mechanisms and functional effects of different doping approaches. These were categorized into three types:non-metallic (heteroatom) doping, metallic doping, and multi-element co-doping. Non-metallic doping(e.g., with B, P, N, or S)effectively modulated the electronic structure of Si-based materials, improved Li+ transport pathways, enhanced electronic conductivity, and promoted the formation of a more stable SEI layer. Metallic doping was subdivided into two categories:electrochemically inactive metals(e.g., Fe, Ti), which enhanced electrical conduction and provided mechanical reinforcement to alleviate volume expansion, and electrochemically active metals(e.g., Mg, Ge), which contributed additional capacity and helped accommodate volume expansion through synergistic alloying behavior. Multi-element co-doping(including non-metal/non-metal and metal/non-metal combinations)achieved synergistic optimization of multiple physicochemical properties, thus further enhancing conductivity, structural stability, and fast-charging performance. Finally, this review outlined future perspectives for doping modification technologies in Si-based anodes, including the exploration of novel co-doping systems to simultaneously address conductivity, volume expansion, and SEI stability; the optimization of doping processes for precise control over elemental distribution and concentration; and the integration of in-situ characterization techniques to deepen the understanding of the influence of doping elements on the lithium storage mechanism. This review aimed to provide fundamental theoretical insights and practical technical guidance for the development of high-energy-density and fast-charging Si-based anode materials, thereby accelerating their commercial adoption.

Show more

Research on Safety Strategy on New Materials Industrial Development

As a fundamental pillar for fostering new quality productive forces, constructing a modern industrial system and safeguarding national comprehensive security, the new materials industry underpins the core competitiveness of high-end manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies. Today's global industrial landscape is undergoing profound restructuring driven by four pivotal forces:intensifying geopolitical competition, worldwide carbon peaking and carbon neutrality transitions, in-depth integration of digital and intelligent technologies, and targeted iteration of materials spurred by diverse downstream application scenarios. In parallel, artificial intelligence, big data and high-throughput computing are revolutionizing the traditional trial-and-error R&D paradigm of materials science, enabling data-driven material screening, inverse structural design and intelligent process optimization to drastically cut research cycles and experimental costs. This paper systematically sorted out the opportunities and structural risks confronting the global new materials industry, and thoroughly reviewed the strategic arrangements rolled out by the United States, the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia in 2025 and 2026. U.S. tied new materials closely to national defense and technological security, launching special programs including Crystal Palace and Carbon Crunch for military advanced materials, and consolidated independent supply chains for semiconductor materials through the CHIPS and Science Act, alongside initiatives to supervise critical mineral resources and apply AI to accelerate material innovation. EU centered its strategy on European strategic autonomy and green transformation, advancing the Advanced Materials Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act to diversify mineral supply, developed circular materials and set global green trade standards. Germany, UK, Japan and Russia had also introduced targeted national plans respectively, focusing on technological sovereignty, digitalized material R&D, military-civilian integrated innovation, rare earth recycling and import substitution amid geopolitical sanctions. After years of policy support and technological accumulation, China had achieved remarkable breakthroughs in lithium battery materials, rare earth functional materials and general carbon fibers, with a batch of national key innovation platforms and specialized sophisticated enterprises cultivated. Nevertheless, prominent internal and external vulnerabilities persisted. Externally, fierce global technological competition and restrictive trade policies created severe "bottleneck" risks, as high-end photoresists, single-crystal superalloys, core manufacturing equipment and other strategic materials still relied heavily on imports, and China lacked sufficient discourse power in formulating international material standards. Targeting six core strategic fields with prominent security risks, this study proposed targeted development frameworks for self-reliant industrial construction. For micro-nano electronic manufacturing, it highlighted localized substitution of bottleneck materials such as photoresists and electronic specialty gases, alongside R&D of low-dielectric materials and wide-bandgap semiconductor supporting materials to match advanced packaging and high-performance chip demands. For aerospace, it advocated full-chain independent manufacturing of high-performance carbon fibers, single-crystal superalloys and ceramic matrix composites to satisfy extreme service conditions of hypersonic vehicles and reusable rockets. For robotics and sensors, priorities covered lightweight structural alloys, rare earth permanent magnets and flexible sensing materials to support bionic robots and precision perception systems. In advanced nuclear energy, the paper stressed breakthroughs in radiation-resistant cladding materials and low-activation structural alloys to support fourth-generation reactors and space nuclear power sources. For marine engineering equipment, corrosion-resistant high-strength steel and deep-sea functional materials were key to advancing polar vessels and offshore renewable energy infrastructure. To systematically resolve industrial security challenges, this paper put forward multi-dimensional countermeasures covering five core dimensions. First, innovation-driven development shall be strengthened via the new whole-of-nation system to tackle generic bottleneck technologies, improve the commercialization system of scientific achievements and optimize intellectual property management for strategic materials. Second, supply chain resilience would be reinforced through domestic mineral exploration, diversified cross-border resource cooperation, national strategic mineral reserves and digital risk early warning platforms. Third, an integrated standard system aligned with international norms shall be established to fill standard gaps in high-end materials and implement full-lifecycle quality traceability management. Fourth, a multi-level talent training matrix would be optimized through industry-university-research integration, performance evaluation reforms and market-oriented incentive mechanisms to address talent shortages. Fifth, the industrial ecosystem would be upgraded through targeted policy support for industrial clusters, intelligent production line transformation and low-carbon circular manufacturing to advance high-end, intelligent and green development simultaneously. In summary, the safety of the new materials industry constituted an indispensable foundation of national industrial and scientific security. Faced with sweeping global industrial reshuffling and fierce international competition, China must advance coordinated upgrades across technological innovation, supply chain robustness, standardization, talent cultivation and industrial ecology. The conclusions and suggestions of this research could provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for constructing an independent, controllable, safe and efficient new materials industrial system, consolidating the bottom line of national scientific and industrial security, and fueling the steady growth of new quality productive forces and the advancement of new industrialization.

Show more

Measuring Sensible Specific Heat Capacity of In718plus Alloy by DSC

Specific heat capacity is a basic thermal physical parameter in the process of material temperature rise,and it is also a key physical quantity in material design and application. At present,the specific heat capacity of materials is tested mostly by the foreign standard ASTM E1269 "Standard test method for Measuring specific heat capacity by differential scanning calorimetry". The measured specific heat capacity is also called sensible specific heat capacity because the material only changes in temperature without phase transformation during the heating process. However,many metal materials are usually composed of a variety of phases at room temperature due to design and use requirements,and phase transformation will inevitably occur during the heating process,accompanied by obvious thermal response and directly reflected in the specific heat capacity curve. This part of the heat absorption or heat release due to phase transformation is called latent heat,and the specific heat capacity obtained by calculation is the specific heat capacity of latent heat. When the specific heat capacity of an unknown material is tested according to the standard test method,the actual specific heat capacity measured should be called the apparent specific heat capacity. That is because it contains both sensible heat capacity and latent heat capacity,and the current test standard does not mention how to distinguish between the two. When the material has no thermal effect,the apparent specific heat capacity measured is the sensible specific heat capacity. When the material includes thermal effect,the apparent specific heat capacity is greater than the sensible specific heat capacity. In many test cases,the apparent specific heat capacity was mistakenly considered as the sensible specific heat capacity of the material,which made the specific heat capacity data value too large,affecting the thermal conductivity characterization of the material. In this paper,the specific heat capacity of In718plus was tested,and the phase transformation in its curve was subjected to thermal insulation water quenching treatment and microstructure analysis,the specific reasons were identified and the data processing method for obtaining the sensible specific heat capacity was proposed. The specific heat capacity of In718plus superalloy was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). An obvious heat absorption peak appeared during the heating process,resulting in an abnormal increase in the specific heat capacity. After the original microstructure was heated at 700 ℃ in Muffle furnace for 20 min,the η phase and the γ' phase in the grain boundary did not change much. After the original structure was kept at 900 ℃ in Muffle furnace for 20 min and water quenching,η phase on the grain boundary showed a tendency to grow,and the number of γ' phase decreased significantly. Therefore,it could be concluded that the main phase change occurring at the second peak on the DSC thermal analysis curve was the enhanced phase γ' dissolution reaction,which belonged to the first-order phase transition with latent heat. As reported in the literature,In718plus alloy was developed on the basis of In718 alloy by adjusting the chemical composition,and the strengthening phase was more stable γ' -Ni3(Ti,Al,Nb),which increased its service temperature from 649 to 700 ℃. On the DSC curve,the phase transition peak started at 700 ℃ and ended at 900 ℃,which corresponded to the dissolution range of γ' phase. When the sensible specific heat capacity of In718plus itself was measured by DSC,the latent heat of γ' phase dissolution during the heating process had nothing to do with the sensible heat of In718plus itself,and should be distinguished in the test results. It was mentioned in literature that there was a functional relationship between the specific heat capacity and temperature of metal materials in a single-phase structure. Assuming that the material did not undergo phase transition,the specific heat capacity and temperature should meet the formula in the whole temperature range. The temperature points of In718plus alloy without phase transformation were 100,200,300,400,500 and 1000 ℃,and the corresponding specific heat capacity and temperature should meet the above functional relationship. In the case of first-order polynomial fitting,all the other points except the data points at 300 ℃ were distributed on both sides of the line,and the correlation coefficient R2 at this time was 97.5%,with average effect. When quadratic polynomial fitting was used,all the data points were closer to the fitting curve,the fitting effect was better,and the correlation coefficient reached 99.7%. When the third and fourth order polynomials were used,the centers of all data points fell on the fitting curve,and the correlation coefficient was 100%,so the fitting effect was the best. It could be seen that the specific heat capacity of In718plus met the third-order polynomial relationship with temperature. The sensible specific heat capacity of the material was obtained by fitting the data of the temperature range of the phase transition with polynomial fitting. By comparing the correlation coefficient R2,it was found that the R2 reached 100% when the fitting reached the cubic polynomial.

Show more

Enhancement of Hardness, Wear, and Corrosion Resistance in Ti-6Al-4V Alloy through Multi-Layer Laser Cladding of TiZrNbCrCo High Entropy Alloy Coatings

Given the challenges posed by the low hardness and inadequate wear resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, this research aimed to explore an innovative solution by employing the laser cladding technique to develop high-entropy alloy(HEA)coatings composed of TiZrNbCrCo on the alloy's surface. The primary objectives were to investigate the effects of varying the number of cladding layers on the elemental composition and to assess how these variations influenced the phase constitution, microstructure, microhardness, wear, and electrochemical properties of HEA coatings. To predict the phase composition of the solid solution phases in HEA coatings with different layer numbers, empirical thermophysical parameters were utilized. The methodology encompassed a detailed experimental setup where the laser cladding process was meticulously optimized to fabricate coatings with varying numbers of layers. This approach enabled the controlled manipulation of the dilution rate and elemental distribution within the coatings, thereby allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the resulting phase and microstructural characteristics. The coatings were systematically analyzed using X-ray diffraction(XRD)to identify their phase compositions and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate their microstructures. Microhardness measurements were conducted to evaluate the mechanical enhancements, while wear tests were performed to assess the wear resistance of the coatings. Furthermore, electrochemical tests in a 3.5%NaCl solution were carried out to determine the coatings' corrosion resistance. The results revealed that all coatings, exhibited a consistent phase composition, predominantly featuring a body-centered cubic (bcc) structured solid solution phase. This phase was characterized by dendrites rich in Nb and inter-dendrites rich in Co. It was observed that an increase in the number of cladding layers led to a decrease in the dilution rate, which in turn facilitated the formation of petal-like Laves phases enriched in Co and Zr, along with α-Ti precipitates enriched in Zr. Remarkably, the average microhardness of the coatings reached HV0.1747.7, approximately 2.33 times that of the substrate. This significant enhancement in microhardness translated to a reduction in wear volume by 68.6% compared to the substrate. The optimal corrosion resistance was achieved with a two-layer configuration, which exhibited the lowest self-corrosion current (6.46×10−6 A·cm−2) a larger self-corrosion potential (-0.286 V), and the lowest corrosion rate, indicating a substantial improvement in corrosion resistance. The conclusion drawn from this study highlighted the critical role of laser cladding parameters in influencing the microstructural and compositional characteristics of HEA coatings. The enhancement in mechanical and chemical properties could be attributed to the strategic manipulation of the number of cladding layers, which optimized the microstructural features such as the distribution of Laves phases and α-Ti precipitates. Moreover, this research contributed to the broader academic discourse by elucidating the relationship between laser cladding parameters, microstructural evolution, and the resulting properties of HEA coatings. In summary, this comprehensive investigation into the development and characterization of TiZrNbCrCo high-entropy alloy coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloy surfaces provided a promising approach for addressing the limitations of conventional titanium alloys. The research outcomes not only demonstrated the feasibility of significantly enhancing the hardness, wear, and corrosion resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloys through laser cladded HEA coatings but also opened up opportunities for using high-entropy alloys in surface engineering to meet the needs of modern industries.

Show more

Research Progress on Doping Modification of High-Capacity Silicon-Based Anode Materials

Silicon(Si)-based anodes are widely recognized as the most promising alternatives to conventional graphite anodes for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs), owing to their ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity(4200 mAh·g-1), lowlithiation potential, abundant crustal reserves, low toxicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, their large-scale commercialization is severely hindered by two intrinsic challenges:1) drastic volume expansion(>300%)during lithiation/delithiation, which induces particle pulverization, electrode integrity degradation, and continuous rupture/reformation of the solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)films, thereby causing irreversible lithium-ion consumption; 2) extremely low intrinsic electrical conductivity(1×10-4 S·cm-1), which restricts ion/electron transport kinetics and thus degrades rate capability.To address these issues, early research efforts focused on nano-engineering of Si and the development of Si-based composites. Nanostructured Si can partially alleviate mechanical fracture by accommodating strain through size-dependent deformation mechanisms; however, it tends to agglomerate during prolonged cycling and exhibits excessive side reactions with the electrolyte, reducing the initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)and cycling lifespan. Si/carbon(Si/C)composites design, which take advantage of the high electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and mechanical flexibility of carbon matrices, have emerged as a primary route toward commercialization. Nevertheless, challenges related to the inherently low conductivity of Si and inadequate interfacial bonding between Si and carbon remain unresolved. Against this backdrop, this review emphasized doping modification as a fundamental strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes. Starting from the lithium storage mechanism of Si—which stored lithium via an alloying/dealloying reaction to form various Li-Si alloys, with a theoretical maximum lithiation phase of Li22Si5 accommodating 4.4 Li atoms per Si atom—and its core limitations, we systematically analyzed the regulation mechanisms and functional effects of different doping approaches. These were categorized into three types:non-metallic (heteroatom) doping, metallic doping, and multi-element co-doping. Non-metallic doping(e.g., with B, P, N, or S)effectively modulated the electronic structure of Si-based materials, improved Li+ transport pathways, enhanced electronic conductivity, and promoted the formation of a more stable SEI layer. Metallic doping was subdivided into two categories:electrochemically inactive metals(e.g., Fe, Ti), which enhanced electrical conduction and provided mechanical reinforcement to alleviate volume expansion, and electrochemically active metals(e.g., Mg, Ge), which contributed additional capacity and helped accommodate volume expansion through synergistic alloying behavior. Multi-element co-doping(including non-metal/non-metal and metal/non-metal combinations)achieved synergistic optimization of multiple physicochemical properties, thus further enhancing conductivity, structural stability, and fast-charging performance. Finally, this review outlined future perspectives for doping modification technologies in Si-based anodes, including the exploration of novel co-doping systems to simultaneously address conductivity, volume expansion, and SEI stability; the optimization of doping processes for precise control over elemental distribution and concentration; and the integration of in-situ characterization techniques to deepen the understanding of the influence of doping elements on the lithium storage mechanism. This review aimed to provide fundamental theoretical insights and practical technical guidance for the development of high-energy-density and fast-charging Si-based anode materials, thereby accelerating their commercial adoption.

Show more