To realize a high magnetization while ensuring a high coercivity in Nd-Fe-B/Fe composite thick films, this work proposes a spatially selective Dy co-sputtering strategy that precisely introduces Dy into surface and interfacial regions. This approach significantly strengthens the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and columnar grain continuity, yielding a coercivity of 1.75 T, a remanence of 1.23 T, and a maximum energy product of 35.2 MGOe. Microstructural analyses reveal that the Dy co-sputtering not only adjusts the local chemical composition to form (Nd,Dy)2Fe14B with a high magnetocrystalline anisotropy but also induces a microstructural reconstruction, leading to a synergistic enhancement of both coercivity and remanent magnetization. The first-order reversal curve and magnetic domain observations demonstrate that the long-range dipole interaction between the soft- and hard-magnetic layers is enhanced, which shifts the magnetization reversal mechanism from nucleation-dominated to pinning-dominated, evidencing a pronounced magnetic hardening effect. These findings establish that Dy-assisted microstructure optimization and magnetic hardening, together with the high magnetization provided by the Fe soft-magnetic layer, offer an effective pathway for fabricating high-performance Nd-Fe-B/Fe composite thick films being compatible with micro-electromechanical systems.

Substoichiometric titanium oxides are promising anode materials for electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) because of their high oxygen evolution potential and excellent chemical stability. However, conventional fabrication methods remain limited by poor structural tunability, insufficient mechanical stability, and inadequate exposure of bulk active sites. To overcome these drawbacks, a sponge self-sacrificial template-assisted strategy was developed for the reduction of nano-TiO2. By combining air sintering with optimized hydrogen reduction, a pure-phase porous Magnéli-phase Ti4O7 (MPT) monolithic electrode was successfully fabricated. This strategy enables the scalable construction of high-purity bulk electrodes without size constraints while promoting the synergistic enhancement of electrolyte mass transfer and electron transport. Electrochemical measurements showed that the electrode prepared at 1100 °C for 4 h exhibited a very low charge-transfer resistance (Rct = 3.5 Ω), which was 44.4% and 78.4% lower than those of the electrodes reduced for 2 and 6 h, respectively, indicating superior interfacial charge-transfer capability. Using ceftriaxone sodium as the target pollutant, the optimized electrode achieved a removal efficiency of 93.6% within 140 min at 10 mA·cm−2. Compared with electrodes containing Ti5O9 and Ti3O5 impurity phases, the pure-phase Ti4O7 electrode exhibited markedly enhanced degradation performance, highlighting the critical role of phase purity in electrochemical activity. The macroporous architecture of the prepared electrode facilitates electrolyte penetration, pollutant diffusion, and the exposure of accessible electrochemical interfaces, thereby contributing to its high activity and good stability. Together with the scalable fabrication strategy, this electrode design provides a feasible approach for developing high-performance Magnéli-phase electrodes for wastewater treatment.

Modulations on the microstructure and magnetic properties of Nd-Fe-B thick films are essential for applications in microelectromechanical systems. In Nd-Fe-B/Fe multilayers, strong long-range dipolar interactions between hard and soft magnetic phases lead to the enhancement of remanence but result in lower coercivity. In this work, Tb diffusion layers are integrated into Nd-Fe-B/Ta/Fe multilayer thick films to systematically investigate the magnetic properties and coercivity mechanism. The results show that the introduction of Tb diffusion layers in Nd-Fe-B/Ta/Fe multilayers significantly enhances both remanence and coercivity, increasing the maximum energy product from 25.2 to 36.2 MGOe. Microstructural characterization and magnetization reversal analysis reveal that the multilayer structure improves crystallinity and promotes the c-axis texture of the main magnetic phase, while the long-range dipolar interaction between Fe and Nd-Fe-B layers effectively enhances the overall magnetization. Meanwhile, Tb diffusion strengthens domain wall pinning in the main magnetic phase, suppressing the inhomogeneous magnetization reversal induced by the Fe composite layers. Consequently, a simultaneous enhancement of the remanence and coercivity is achieved. This study provides insights into preparation strategies for high-performance Nd-Fe-B thick films.

Antiferromagnetic Kagome semimetals have attracted tremendous attention for their potential application in antiferromagnetic topological spintronics. Effectively manipulating Kagome antiferromagnetic states can reveal abundant physical phenomena induced from quantum interactions between topology, spin, and correlation. Here, tunable spin textures of FeSn thin films are achieved via introducing interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction from heavy‐metal Pt overlayer. With increasing FeSn thickness, the variable spin textures result in a gradual change in Hall resistivity and magnetoresistance. Importantly, an unconventional damped oscillatory‐like behavior of magnetoresistance at relatively low magnetic fields can be observed in thin FeSn/Pt samples. This oscillatory‐like magnetoresistance feature is confirmed to be related to the special topological spin textures revealed by magnetic force microscopy measurements. The formation of a rich variety of topological spin textures in association with exotic magneto‐transport properties in antiferromagnetic Kagome FeSn heterostructures offers new perspectives for understanding the novel emergent phenomena in Kagome antiferromagnets.

External high magnetic fields (HMFs) enhance wetting behavior and may induce a wetting transition by significantly reducing solid-liquid interfacial energy (sigma(sl)), but the lack of data on sigma(sl) under HMFs hindered understanding of the wetting mechanism. This study investigated the wettability of the Al/R-plane alpha-Al2O3 system by measuring the equilibrium contact angle (theta(e)) and spreading diameter (d(e)). We then directly determined sigma(sl) and characterized the interfacial microstructural evolution, ultimately elucidating the wetting mechanism under HMFs. Wettability was significantly enhanced under HMFs, and a wetting transition occurred. Specifically, theta(e) decreased by up to 49% (a 36% reduction) and d(e) increased by up to 2.5 mm (a 1.9-fold increase). Correspondingly, sigma(sl) significantly reduced, with a maximum decrease of 622.14 mJ.m(-2) (a 27.9% reduction). Magnetic dipole interactions promoted the formation of ordered and near-ordered Al atomic layers at the interface, coherently aligned with the alpha-Al2O3 substrate. With increasing magnetic flux density, the number of ordered Al atomic layers increased (up to similar to 13), and the interface progressively approached coherency. This microstructural evolution supported the pronounced reduction in sigma(sl) and the remarkable enhancement of wettability. These findings provide fundamental insights for elucidating wetting-related phenomena under HMFs and support the broader application of HMF technologies.

Higher-order out-of-plane ordered (o-MAX) phases offer expanded structural diversity, yet their precise atomic arrangements in M5AX4 systems remain incompletely resolved. Here, we report the high-purity synthesis of Mo4VAlC4, an out-of-plane ordered (o-MAX) phase, and provide a systematic characterization of its crystal and ordered atomic structure. Rietveld refinement of neutron and X-ray diffraction data, corroborated by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HRSTEM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, reveals a predominant P-6m2 (no. 187) symmetry with a herringbone-like motif designated as α-twinned. Unlike classical o-MAX phases, Mo4VAlC4 exhibits a layer dependent quasi-ordering, with Mo preferentially enriched in outer (L1, L5) and central (L3) metal layers and V mainly occupies intermediate layers (L2, L4). This distribution of Mo and V is captured by the site-specific notation (Mo0.9V0.1)2(Mo0.5V0.5)2(Mo0.9V0.1)AlC4. Corresponding two-dimensional Mo4VC4 o-MXene was efficiently derived using molten NH4HF2 etching. As a lithium-ion battery anode, Mo4VC4 exhibits a high specific capacity of 410 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 100 cycles along with remarkable rate performance and cycling stability in a full cell using a commercial LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode. Furthermore, by anchoring single-atom Pt to the MXene, an overpotential of 16.1 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 has been achieved for HER applications. This work resolves the atomic ordering and crystal structure of Mo4VAlC4, demonstrates the role quasi-ordering may have in stabilizing higher-n o-MAX phases, and establishes quasi-ordered o-MXenes as promising material for use in energy storage and electrocatalysis applications.

High magnetic fields (HMFs) can markedly influence wetting behavior by modifying the solid-liquid interfacial structure. However, their effects on the wettability of systems with different interfacial structures remain unexplored. We investigated the wetting behavior of molten Al on alpha-Al2O3 with different orientations under HMFs and elucidated the underlying wetting mechanism. The Al/R-plane alpha-Al2O3 system showed the best wettability, with the contact angle reduced by 49 degrees at 6 T. Structural analyses revealed that HMFs induce ordered Al layers epitaxially grown on the substrate (up to similar to 13 layers on the R-plane), driving the interface toward near-coherency and reducing the solid-liquid interfacial energy, thereby significantly enhancing wettability. In addition, orientation-dependent differences in substrate surface structures produce distinct interfacial structures with molten Al, resulting in different wettability. These results highlight a new strategy for tailoring wettability and interfacial properties via magnetic field-substrate orientation coupling.

A series of MoxV4-xAlC3 (x = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0and 2.5) o-MAX phases have been synthesized, in which the ordered atomic occupation is firstly systematically investigated: out-of-plane ordered occupation for x = 2.0 and preferentially ordered occupation for x = 1.0, 1.5, and 2.5, which is inherited into MoxV4−xC3Tz (x = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5) o-MXene. The best Li-ion storage performance has been achieved in MoxV4-xC3Tz o-MXene for x = 2.0, attributed to faster charge-transfer kinetics and more efficient Li-ion diffusion. Combined with XPS analysis and theoretical Bader charge calculations, a reversible redox mechanism caused by Li-ion adsorption/desorption are found in MoxV4-xC3Tz (x = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5) o-MXenes anodes. By tuning the Mo/V-ratio, the o-MXene for x = 2.0 exhibits stronger orbital hybridization and up-shifted p-band center of its -O surface functional terminals, enhanced Li adsorption energy, promoting its excellent Li-ion storage performance.

Cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) often encounter challenges related to low electronic conductivity and sluggish ion transport, particularly when using thick electrode materials. Here, we report for the first time the fabrication of an iodide and heptamolybdate dual-doped polypyrrole (PPy-I-Mo) cathode, prepared through an electrodeposition method for AZIBs. The redox-active dopants not only contribute additional capacity to the composite but also modulate the morphology and electronic structure of the polymer, thereby enhancing both ion and electron transport. Moreover, the strong interactions between heptamolybdate and the I-based species not only effectively confine the dopants within the PPy matrix, preventing counterion depletion, but also facilitate the redox kinetics of iodine. As a result, the PPy-I-Mo electrode, with a high mass loading of 125 mg cm-2, achieves an exceptional areal capacity of approximately 7 mAh cm-2, significantly surpassing the capacities of mono-doped PPy-Mo (0.83 mAh cm-2) and PPy-I (2.07 mAh cm-2). This performance outperforms other reported conducting polymer-based electrodes for AZIBs. Furthermore, this dual-doping strategy can be extended to fabricate other high-performance conducting polymers, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polyaniline. These findings open new avenues for designing high-performance conducting polymers for advanced energy storage devices.

Purpose This study aims to present a reliable wafer-level Au-Si eutectic bonding technique that achieves good hermeticity and high vacuum for MEMS resonators with extremely small cavities (<0.01 mm(3)). Design/methodology/approach The Au-Si eutectic bonding was improved using Ti/Pt as the adhesion and barrier layers, significantly enhancing bonding quality. A microcantilever was packaged to evaluate the vacuum level in the small cavity. Findings The air damping was dramatically reduced for the packed microcantilevers and their quality factors (Q) increased from 600 in atmosphere to over 50,000, corresponding to the vacuum level below 3 Pa. Originality/value Therefore, this bonding technique is applicable for developing high-end MEMS devices.

Aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries (AZSBs) are promising energy storage systems due to their high theoretical capacity and intrinsic safety. However, their practical application is hindered by sluggish ZnS electro-oxidation kinetics and poor reversibility. Herein, we report a CuS-based electrocatalyst that facilitates efficient ZnS-to-S conversion during battery operation. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the CuS-ZnS heterostructure formed during the charge process leads to significant charge redistribution near the heterointerface. This results in directional and rapid electron migration from CuS to ZnS via the Cu-S-Zn network. The resulting electronic polarization enhances the metallic character of ZnS and induces localized charge accumulation around the sulfur atoms in ZnS. This destabilizes the Zn-S bonds by elongation, thereby accelerating the electrochemical oxidation kinetics of ZnS. Additionally, an i-MXene-functionalized separator is employed to effectively suppress Cu2+ shuttling, stabilizing the catalysts during extended cycling. As a result, the optimized AZSB demonstrates a high specific capacity of 1542 mAh g- 1 at 0.3 A g- 1, excellent rate capability, and 75 % capacity retention after 400 cycles. These findings provide new insights into the fabrication of high energy, and stable aqueous Zn-S batteries.

The grain boundary diffusion process (GBDP) has proven to be an effective method for enhancing the coercivity of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets. However, the limited diffusion depth and thicker shell structure have impeded the further development of magnetic properties. Currently, the primary debates regarding the mechanism of GBDP with Tb revolve around the dissolution-solidification mechanism and the atomic substitution mechanism. To clarify this mechanism, the microstructure evolution of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets during the heating process of GBDP has been systematically studied by quenching at different temperatures. In this study, it was found that the formation of TbFe2 phase is related to the dissolution of Nd2Fe14B grains during GBDP with Tb. The theory of mixing heat and phase separation further confirms that the Nd2Fe14B phase dissolves to form a mixed phase of Nd and TbFe2, which then solidifies into the (Nd, Tb)2Fe14B phase. Based on the discovery of the TbFe2 phase, the dissolution-solidification mechanism is considered the primary mechanism for GBDP. This is supported by the elemental content of the two typical core-shell structures observed.

Fascinating physical phenomena often occur near the phase transition points in materials. This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the structural and magnetic properties of a Gd-Al alloy using both experimental and theoretical methods. The results indicate that the Gd-Al alloy exhibits a distinct antiferromagnetic phase transition under a low magnetic field. Theoretical calculations show a non-collinear alignment of magnetic moments on a crystal plane parallel to (001). A non-hysteretic metamagnetic transition, which suggests a magnetoelastic transition with discontinuous volume changes, is observed when the external magnetic field increases. The alloy demonstrates a significant magnetic entropy change of 16.5 J kg-1 K-1 at a field variation of 7 T. Additionally, it displays a giant magnetoresistance effect at low temperatures under the same field conditions. Electronic structure calculations reveal a high density of states (DOS) value near the Fermi level, mainly due to the Gd 5d electrons. The hybridization of Gd 5d and Al 2p orbitals, along with the observed 5d-4f hybridization near the EF, plays a crucial role in the electronic structure. This systematic analysis highlights the importance of an elevated DOS at the Fermi level in enabling the metamagnetic transition, which promotes the application of the Gd-Al alloy in energy-related fields.

In response to the limitations of conventional chemical synthesis methods for the structural modulation of nanomaterials,an innovative high magnetic field-assisted wet chemical synthesis method was proposed to prepare NiFe2O4/Fe2O3 heterostructures.It is found that the high-energy physical field could induce a more homogeneous morphology of NiFe2O4/Fe2O3,accompanied by phase transformation from Fe2O3 to NiFe2O4.As a result,the optimized structure obtained under the magnetic field endows NiFe2O4/Fe2O3 with enhanced performance for the lithium-ion battery anode,as evidenced by an increase of 16％(1200 mA·h/g)in discharge capacity and 24％in ultra-stable cycling performance(capacity retention of 97.1％).These results highlight the feasibility of high magnetic fields in modulating material structure and enhancing lithium storage performance.

Two novel out-of-plane ordered quaternary borides M'4 VSiB2 (M' = Nb and Mo) have been synthesized. The out-of-plane ordered characteristic has been confirmed by the X-ray diffraction, the neutron powder diffraction and the scanning transmission electron microscopy with high-angle angular dark field images. By adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of Mo and V, the 16 l site preferentially occupied by relatively larger atom and 4 c site by relatively smaller atom have been confirmed. The further first-principle calculation demonstrates the dynamical and thermodynamical stability of Mo4 VSiB2 o -T2 phase. This work confirms the transition metal occupation strategy of o -T2 phase and enriches the out-of-plane ordered laminated borides family. (c) 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

V4/3Zr2/3AlC, as the only V-based i-MAX phase reported up to now, cannot be delaminated using the conventional aqueous etching strategy. In the present work, by alloying W, the structure evolves from the C2/c monoclinic one in V4/3Zr2/3AlC to the nanoscale co-existence of C2/c monoclinic and Cmcm orthorhombic ones in (V0.2W0.8)4/3Zr2/3AlC i-MAX with the maximum W content. Especially, at the intermediate composition of (V0.6W0.4)4/3Zr2/3AlC, the long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure is first observed. Feasible delamination has been realized and the resultant Zr-free (V1-xWx)1.33C i-MXene can be obtained for x >= 0.6, suggesting that W-alloying is contributive to the delamination. A specific capacitance of 336.1 F g-1 at the current density of 0.5 A g-1 can be obtained in the (V0.4W0.6)1.33C i-MXene under the extended voltage window of 1 V and highly stable performance for 10 000 charge/discharge cycles by compositing with the shell-structured activated porous carbon. Besides, biological experiments have verified that (V0.4W0.6)1.33C i-MXene significantly inhibits the growth, proliferation, and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing apoptosis, and regulates metabolism and immune response, possessing substantial targeted antitumor potential.

During the grain boundary diffusion (GBD) of Tb, the core–shell and reverse core–shell structures are the two main microstructures influencing the magnetic properties of the sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets. These two microstructures are all composed of the (Nd, Tb)2Fe14B phase, but the formation mechanisms are different. The difference in formation mechanism of the core–shell and reverse core–shell structures was studied by quenching the magnets at different temperatures and holding times. The (Nd, Tb)2Fe14B shell of the core–shell structure is the precondition for forming the reverse core–shell structure. The triple-junction phases (TJPs) area change proves that the Nd elements diffuse from the TJPs to the surface of the (Nd, Tb)2Fe14B shell to form the Tb-poor shell in the reverse core–shell structure and the Gaussian distribution of Tb in the shell of the core–shell structure. In addition, the difference in the Tb content distribution leads to different demagnetization processes, resulting in the opposite effect of these two microstructures on the coercivity. The GBD aims to increase the entire coercivity by enhancing the surface anisotropy field (HA), such as the Tb-rich shell for the grains and the Tb-rich surface (∼200 μm) for the magnets. Therefore, for the reverse core–shell structure forming in the surface of the magnets, the surface with a low HA decreases the coercivity of the grains, reducing the coercivity of the magnets.

Two-dimensional Mo1.33C i-MXene is highly promising for electrochemical energy storage applications. We present a novel and facile approach to induce rapid gelation of Mo1.33C suspensions by ionic liquids (ILs), thereby significantly improving the supercapacitance and Li-ion storage performance of Mo1.33C i-MXene. The introduction of ILs weakens the electrostatic repulsion between nanosheets, triggering their interconnection and the formation of a three-dimensional network. Cation exchange with TBA+ cations in the interlayer alters the spacing, with larger cations leading to increased interlayer distances. Additionally, a notable increase in surfacial -O functional groups has been observed and leads into the enhanced electrochemical energy storage. Firstprinciples calculations indicate that the adsorption of Li-ion is significantly enhanced for the Mo1.33C i-MXene after treatment with ILs. Mo1.33C-[Omim] + exhibits outstanding supercapacitor performance (552.6 F & sdot;g- 1 at 1 A & sdot;g- 1) and Li-ion storage capacity (1056 mAh & sdot;g- 1 at 50 mA & sdot;g- 1). This work presents a simple yet effective strategy for improving the electrochemical performance of Mo1.33C i-MXene, offering significant potential for practical applications in energy storage.

The relatively low coercivity of hydrogenation-disproportionation-desorption-recombination (HDDR) Nd2Fe14B magnetic powders has limited their applications. In this study, Tb70Cu15Al15 alloy powders and TbF3 powders of identical particle size and mass were used for the grain-boundary diffusion (GBD) of HDDR magnetic powders. The experimental results showed that the addition of both diffusion source led to a pronounced and effective enhancement in the coercivity of the HDDR powders, with maximum increases of 30.5 % and 22.9 %, respectively. Under the same Tb concentration, the coercivity increase of magnetic powder diffused with Tb70Cu15Al15 was 14.2 % higher than that of those diffused with TbF3. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the two diffusion sources had significant effects on the distribution and composition of the GBD. Enrichment of non-rare earth elements could reduce the ferromagnetism of the grain boundary phase (GBP) and weaken the demagnetization coupling between Nd2Fe14B nanocrystals. Furthermore, disparities in lattice mismatch at the interfaces were observed, which were important factors influencing coercivity.