Tantalum nitride (TaN) exhibits significant advantages in the field of surface modification of orthodontic materials due to its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In this paper, the TaN coatings were fabricated by adjusting nitrogen flow via unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The microstructure, biotribological properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial performances of the TaN coatings were studied. As the nitrogen flow rate increased, the deposition rate of the TaN coating decreased, while the nitrogen content increased within the range of 6.13 at% to 48.10 at%. When the nitrogen content was more than 6.13 at%, the TaN films exhibited a pronounced columnar crystal structure. The coating achieved a maximum hardness of 23.88 GPa at a nitrogen content of 45.42 at%, which was attributed to the formation of a dense hexagonal ε-TaN phase. At the optimal nitrogen content of 20.71 at%, the minimum coefficient of friction (0.303) in the simulated oral saliva was achieved, due to the lubricating effect of the oxide layer formed during friction. Meanwhile, it was concluded that the TaN coating demonstrated excellent antibacterial properties.

Ceramics of 0.2Na6Mo11O36-0.8Lu0.2Sc0.8Fe1- xMnxO3 (x = 0-0.8) were synthesized by a flux method, and an Mn-free WGL specimen was prepared under space microgravity-related conditions to clarify the roles of Mn doping and environment. XRD and Rietveld refinement revealed the coexistence of hexagonal LSFMO and residual NMO phases. With increasing Mn content, the residual NMO fraction decreased from 34.2 to 23.2 wt.%, while the hexagonal LSFMO fraction increased from 65.8 to 76.8 wt.%. Mn doping promoted lateral grain growth, yielding plate-like morphologies, whereas the WGL sample exhibited preferential longitudinal growth with elongated rod-like grains. Notably, WGL contained 73.3 wt.% residual NMO and should be regarded as a two-phase composite rather than a strictly single-phase control sample. XPS indicated that WGL showed a lower Fe2+ fraction and a higher lattice oxygen content, suggesting reduced oxygen-vacancy-related defects. Mn3+ substitution elevated the magnetic transition temperature from 137 (x = 0) to 169 K (x = 0.6) and improved dielectric responses. These results suggest that Mn doping and microgravity-related processing regulate the electromagnetic properties of NMO-LSFMO ceramics through phase evolution, microstructural/interfacial modification, and oxygen-vacancy-related defect control.

To investigate the effect of microalloying on hydrogen embrittlement resistance of hot-stamped steels with strength levels of 1.8 GPa and above, six composition schemes were designed based on conventional 34MnB5 steel, including three routes, namely Nb, V, and Nb–V. U-bend constant-strain bending tests and slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests were conducted on quenched specimens for each scheme. Results indicated that the Nb-containing compositions exhibited superior hydrogen embrittlement resistance. The mechanism by which microalloying refines the martensitic microstructure of 34MnB5 in the quenched state and enhances its resistance to hydrogen embrittlement was studied in detail. It was found that Nb exhibits stronger effects than V in refining and homogenizing the martensite structure. The fundamental reasons for Nb’s enhanced ability to pin austenite grain boundaries at high temperatures—leading to better microstructural refinement and homogenization—are its higher temperature range for second-phase precipitation, greater driving force for grain boundary diffusion, lower austenite grain boundary diffusion coefficient, and weaker tendency for high-temperature coarsening of precipitates. The microstructural refinement and homogenization induced by Nb addition are more pronounced than those achieved by combined additions of Nb and V. Furthermore, within the concentration range of 0–0.1%, the amount of Nb is positively correlated with the degree of microstructural refinement and homogenization. By reducing martensite lath size through microalloying, multiple microstructural modifications occur: decreased density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) in the matrix, significant increase in interface density—especially a higher proportion of high-angle grain boundaries—reduced number of Σ3 special harmful grain boundaries, weakened matrix texture intensity, fewer twin martensites, and smaller twin martensite sizes. These factors collectively contribute significantly to the improved hydrogen embrittlement resistance of Nb-containing steels.

Bacterial colonization and oxidative stress at the bone–implant interface remain major factors compromising the long-term stability of titanium implants. Regulating the local redox microenvironment has therefore emerged as a promising approach to simultaneously control infection and support bone regeneration. Here, cerium-doped TiO2 coatings were fabricated on titanium substrates by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) to introduce redox-active surfaces capable of modulating interfacial oxidative balance.Structural characterization confirmed that cerium was uniformly incorporated within the porous TiO2 layer without detectable phase segregation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the coexistence of Ce3+ and Ce4+ species, with Ce3+ representing ~60% of the surface cerium, indicating the presence of oxygen-vacancy-related redox centers. These mixed-valence sites enable reversible Ce3+/Ce4+ redox cycling, which can dynamically regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the interface.The biological response was strongly dependent on cerium content. Among the tested samples, the TiO2-Ce2 coating showed the most balanced performance, exhibiting antibacterial rates of 81% against Escherichia coli and 89% against Staphylococcus aureus. At the same time, this surface improved cellular tolerance to H02O2-induced oxidative stress and promoted osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase activity. Only trace cerium release was detected, suggesting that the biological effects originate mainly from surface redox activity rather than ionic leaching.

As global energy demand grows and carbon neutrality goals advance, nuclear energy poses significant challenges to public health and ecological safety due to the radioactive liquid waste generated by its large-scale application. Traditional methods for treating radioactive liquid waste, such as chemical precipitation and evaporation concentration, are hindered by high risks of secondary pollution, substantial energy consumption, and poor selectivity. Adsorption methods, known for their high efficiency, low energy consumption, and operational simplicity, have emerged as a major research focus for radionuclide removal. This paper systematically reviews the research progress in adsorption technologies for radioactive liquid waste treatment, focusing on the adsorption performance, mechanisms, and application potential of five material categories: organic adsorbents, inorganic adsorbents, metal-based materials, composite adsorbents, and biosorbents. These materials exhibit distinct characteristics in terms of specific surface area, functional group design, and structural stability. However, challenges remain, including unclear competitive adsorption mechanisms in complex high-salinity aquatic environments and insufficient long-term irradiation stability. This paper addresses these issues by outlining development paths for adsorbent materials in controllable synthesis, mechanistic insight, and engineering applications, thereby providing a theoretical foundation and technical reference for the safe disposal of radioactive liquid waste.

Achieving optimal mechanical properties, including hardness and fracture toughness, by controlling grain size is a fundamental and long-standing objective in the development of hard and superhard transition metal borides (TMBs) ceramics. It is expected that the mechanical performance of TMBs will be substantially enhanced in nano-crystalline ceramics. However, the fabrication of dense, nano-scale TMBs compacts presents challenges due to poor sintering behavior and pronounced grain growth at high temperature. Here, thanks to the pressure reduced activation energy effect, nano-polycrystalline tantalum diboride (NP-TaB2) monoliths were fabricated under high pressure and moderate temperature conditions. These NP-TaB2 bulks achieve dense microstructure with an average grain size as fine as 36 nm, due to the high nucleation rates and minimal grain growth induced by high pressure. With the decreasing of grain size, the hardness of NP-TaB2 reaches up to 27.5 GPa by the Hall-Petch effect, making it nearly 45% harder than dense, micron-scale grain specimens. Additionally, the fracture toughness of NP-TaB2 is enhanced by 70% at the same time in the nano scale specimens, attributed to the effective energy dissipation by nano grains through crack deflection, branching, and bridging, which enhances fracture toughness with synergistic hardness improvement. This discovery demonstrates that correlating grain size and microstructure with mechanical properties offers valuable insights for enhancing the mechanical properties of TMBs, and potentially benefiting the manufacturing of scientific and industrial tools.

This study systematically investigates the effects of Ta addition (5-10 at%) on the microstructure, phase transformation behavior, mechanical properties, and X-ray visibility of arc-melted NiTiTa shape-memory alloys. Microstructural characterization reveals that Ta acts as both a beta-phase stabilizer and a grain-growth inhibitor, promoting the formation and redistribution of Ta-rich secondary phases and leading to pronounced grain refinement via solute-induced lattice distortion and Zener pinning. With increasing Ta content and thermomechanical processing, the morphology of beta-Ta evolves from relatively continuous grain-boundary features to lamellar structures aligned with the rolling direction. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that Ta addition induces anisotropic distortion of the B19 ' martensitic lattice, while Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements show a modest upward shift in martensitic transformation temperatures. Mechanical testing demonstrates a composition-dependent strength-ductility tradeoff, with alloys containing 5-6 at% Ta achieving an optimal balance between high tensile strength and adequate elongation, whereas higher Ta contents lead to reduced ductility. In addition, increasing Ta content significantly enhances radiopacity due to Ta's high electron density, enabling tunable X-ray visibility while preserving the functional advantages of NiTi-based SMAs. These results provide practical guidelines for designing NiTiTa alloys for biomedical applications requiring a balance among mechanical performance, phase stability, and imaging visibility.

The rapid recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is a bottleneck constraining the improvement of photocatalytic efficiency. The construction of porous single-crystalline BiVO4 is expected to resolve this issue and provide plenty of active sites for charge carriers to promote the catalytic reaction. However, due to the fact that the synthesis process requires a delicate balance between the kinetic-driven co-assembly process and thermodynamic-driven crystallization process, it faces significant challenges. Herein, a polymer-intercalated modulation assembly strategy is proposed for synthesizing mesoporous single-crystalline BiVO4 (MSC BiVO4) with tunable pore structure. In this case, the co-assembly of the two metal precursors, acetate ions and polyethyleneimine (PEI), leads to the formation of an inorganic-organic composite via coordination and hydrogen bonding. Moreover, the "modulator" acetate ions obviously weaken the effect of PEI on the original crystal growth orientation of metal oligomers, thereby maintaining the single-crystalline structure. The dendritic PEI acts as a "porogenic agent" to develop a 3D network to intercalate into metal oligomers and form the mesoporous structure. Various characterizations and theoretical calculations verified that the excellent photocatalytic performance with 99% conversion and 99% selectivity for various aromatic alcohols of the as-prepared MSC-BiVO4-1800 is attributed to its single-crystalline properties and well-defined mesoporous structure with vanadium vacancy microenvironment.

Implant-associated infections and insufficient osseointegration remain major challenges that limit long term clinical performance of orthopedic implants. In recent years, near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered photothermal and photodynamic strategies have attracted increasing attention as efficient and controllable antibacterial approaches. In this work, a Mn-doped TiO 2 coating was fabricated on a Ti substrate via micro arc oxidation, followed by surface assembly of Ti 3 C 2 nanosheets using polydopamine as an interfacial mediator, thereby constructing a multifunctional MT@Ti 3 C 2 composite coating with combined antibacterial and osteogenic potential. The resulting coating exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity, improved corrosion resistance and stable interfacial adhesion, providing a favorable surface environment for biological interactions. The incorporation of Ti 3 C 2 nanosheets endows the coating with pronounced NIR responsiveness. Under 808-nm NIR irradiation, the MT@Ti 3 C 2 coating exhibits a pronounced photothermal response and significantly enhanced reactive oxygen species generation, including singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals, compared with the MT coating, which synergistically contributes to strong antibacterial activities with efficiencies of 98.4% against Escherichia coli and 96.8% against Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro simulated body fluid tests demonstrate that the coating effectively induces the formation of bone-like hydroxyapatite, indicating enhanced bioactivity. Further in vitro cell studies reveal good cytocompatibility of the MT@Ti 3 C 2 coating, along with promoted early cell adhesion and enhanced cell proliferation, highlighting its potential for multifunctional surface modification of orthopedic implants.

Two-dimensional ferromagnets are promising for compact spintronic devices. However, their centrosymmetric structure inherently suppresses the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), hindering the stabilization of chiral spin texture. Here, a tunable DMI induced by interface symmetry breaking in Fe3GeTe2/MoS2 vdW heterostructures is reported. We find that the interfacial DMI stabilizes Néel-type skyrmions in Fe3GeTe2/MoS2 heterostructures under zero magnetic field, with nucleation observed at 64 Oe and annihilation at 800 Oe via Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM). Skyrmion density peaks (~0.57 skyrmions/μm2) at a Fe3GeTe2 thickness of ~30 nm and decays beyond ~60 nm, indicating a finite penetration depth of the proximity effect. Such modulated DMI enables a stabilized nucleation of Néel type skyrmions, allowing for precise control over their density, revealed by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Thickness-dependent measurements confirm the interfacial origin of this stabilization. Skyrmion density reaches peak in thin Fe3GeTe2 layers and decays beyond ~60 nm, defining the finite penetration depth of the proximity effect. Micromagnetic simulations reproduce the field-dependent evolution of skyrmions, showing a strong correlation to interfacial DMI. First-principles calculations attribute this DMI to asymmetric charge redistribution and spin-orbit coupling at the heterointerface. This work establishes interface engineering as a universal strategy for stabilizing skyrmions in centrosymmetric vdW ferromagnets, offering a thickness-tunable platform for next-generation two-dimensional spintronic devices.

Aluminum alloys are prone to pitting and intergranular corrosion during use, which greatly limits their large-scale application. This study explores micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coatings on 1.5wt.% CNTs/2024Al composites to improve corrosion resistance. Using a Na2SiO3-NaOH electrolyte at 430V for 12min, MAO coatings were prepared. SEM shows denser surfaces with smaller pores in CNTs-reinforced coatings due to CNTs optimizing discharge channels. XRD confirms alpha-Al2O3 and gamma-Al2O3 phases, with higher crystallinity in CNTs/2024Al coatings. EDS detects C elements, indicating CNTs participation in film formation. Electrochemical tests in 0.5wt.% NaCl show CNTs/2024Al-MAO has a lower corrosion current density (2.63 & times; 10(-7)A/cm(2)) and higher charge transfer resistance, demonstrating superior corrosion resistance. MAO with CNTs offers a viable strategy for enhancing Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMCs) durability in harsh environments.

Phosphate chemical conversion coatings can endow metal substrates with corrosion and wear resistance, providing protection for the base metal materials. However, the use of nitrite-based accelerators, which are harmful to the environment, in the coating-forming process has restricted their practical application. In this study, a novel phosphating accelerator, fly ash (FA), was reported. By introducing FA, a phosphate coating with more excellent performance can be obtained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the introduction of FA can refine the size of phosphate crystals and form a denser and more uniform phosphate coating, which enables the complete coverage of metal substrate surface. As a result, the corrosion resistance of the phosphate coatings with FA has been greatly improved as investigated by the potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test. Compared with the blank phosphate coating, the corrosion rate is reduced from 3.39 to 0.62 mpy. In addition, the dry friction test showed that the friction coefficient of the phosphate coatings decreased from 0.40 to 0.06 after the introduction of FA, which indicated that FA can also effectively improve the friction resistance of phosphate coatings. This study suggests that FA has the potential to be used as a phosphating accelerator to replace traditional harmful accelerators. At the same time, this work also provides a new idea for the resource utilization of industrial waste FA.

The high incidence of peri-implant inflammation has become the main cause of implant treatment failure, and the improvement of the antibacterial properties of clinical oral materials is a key demand in the field of stomatology. To address this issue, we developed a coating on the surface of titanium (Ti) based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), doped with polyphenols and copper (Cu) ions and investigated its antibacterial properties under 808nm near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. The corresponding chemical composition, surface morphology, hydrophilicity and release behavior were investigated, demonstrating the composite coating was successfully applied to the Ti. The MoS2/Cu composite shows a high degree of photocatalytic activity, resulting in the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The addition of tannic acid (TA) enhanced the Cu ion loading capacity of the coating, and further strengthened its antibacterial properties. Moreover, the MoS2-based coating also demonstrates a specific photothermal effect. In vitro experiments indicate that after 10 min of 808 nm NIR, antibacterial rates of 97.6% for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and 98.7% for Escherichia coli (E. coli) were achieved. Therefore, this study provides a novel surface modification scheme for the early prevention of implant-related infections, which helps to reduce the risk of secondary surgeries and improve the clinical success rate of implant treatment.

Titanium (Ti) is a biologically inert material, lacking antibacterial activity and osteoconductive properties, which may lead to implant failure. To address these issues, a surface-modified film is developed that combines inherent antibacterial properties with synergistic antibacterial functionality in response to Near-Infrared (NIR) light. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2 ) nanorods were prepared on a titanium surface via the hydrothermal method. Utilizing the physical perforating properties of TiO2 nanorods combined with the specific ability of Gallium (Ga) to disrupt bacterial Iron (Fe) metabolism, different concentrations of Ga3+ were doped. The microstructure, composition and related physicochemical properties of the film layer were investigated. To further enhance antibacterial efficacy, photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy were integrated by irradiating the film with 808nm NIR light. Results demonstrated that Ga-doped TiO2 films exhibited outstanding synergistic antibacterial activity under 808nm NIR irradiation. Specifically, the highest antibacterial rate of irradiated samples against Escherichia coli (E. coli) reached 98.1%, and the highest antibacterial rate against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) reached 98.5%. Furthermore, the films demonstrated favorable osteoconductive properties in in vitro mineralization experiments. This approach offers a new strategy for addressing issues of implant infection and inadequate osteogenic performance.

Titanium, a widely used material for joint replacements and dental restorations, is vulnerable to bacterial infections on its tissue contact surfaces, which can reduce its long-term durability. In this work, TiO2 nanostructures with varying morphologies were synthesized on titanium surfaces through hydrothermal treatment. The results revealed a transformation of the anatase TiO2 from nanosheets to nanorods and then to nanowire clusters with increasing treatment time. These nanostructures exhibited superhydrophilicity, increasing surface roughness, excellent photothermal conversion, sustained reactive oxygen species (ROS) release, and significant apatite-forming capability. Importantly, in vitro assays using MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells confirmed their excellent biocompatibility. Under NIR laser stimulation, the antimicrobial rates of the optimized nanowire cluster structure reached 94.5 % against Escherichia coli and 90.5 % against Staphylococcus aureus. The results of this study may provide a feasible approach for constructing a physicochemical synergistic antimicrobial system for titanium-based implants with favorable biocompatibility.

Direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries aims to retain and restore cathode active materials, but metallic copper (Cu) impurities introduced during mechanical pretreatment remain difficult to remove and can severely degrade cell safety and durability. Here, we show that Cu persists in cathode black mass during physical separation using froth floatation even when Cu surface is made hydrophilic while the cathode mix is hydrophobic. Oxygen- or sulfonate-containing surface groups promote strong interfacial adhesion among Cu debris, graphite, and layered oxides, causing Cu to co-float with hydrophobic particles. To overcome this limitation, we demonstrate that alkaline hydrothermal treatment converts metallic Cu into soluble hydroxo-complexes while preserving the layered structure of oxide cathode. Experiments with intentionally added Cu (0.2–2 wt%) show removal efficiencies up to ~80% at ~1 wt% Cu, with no detectable Cu-containing crystalline phases after treatment. Regenerated LiNi0.866Mn0.066Co0.05Al0.018O2 (NCMA) cathodes exhibit minimal structural change at initial Cu loading of ≤1 wt% and deliver stable cycling at 40 °C in both half-cells and full cells, indicative of minimal effect of any residual copper. The NCMA∥Gr full cells retain more than 95% of their initial capacity after 100 cycles. These results establish alkaline hydrothermal purification as a chemically selective and structure-compatible approach for mitigating Cu contamination in direct recycling, while highlighting the crucial role of interfacial chemistry in governing impurity behavior within mixed black mass.

A major cause of clinical failure for Ti alloys employed as biomaterials lies in their lack of antimicrobial activity and failure to achieve effective osseointegration. To address these two critical limitations, this work integrates antibacterial silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with piezoelectric BaTiO 3 (BTO) coatings, aiming to simultaneously overcome both deficiencies. The Ag-BTO coatings were fabricated via a combined anodic oxidation-hydrothermal method. By leveraging the biomimetic piezoelectric properties of BTO and the controllable antibacterial activity of Ag NPs, this strategy not only ensures long-term antimicrobial performance but also promotes mineralization through the piezoelectric effect. Experimental results demonstrate that the Ag-BTO coatings exhibit robust antimicrobial efficacy; notably, ultrasonic treatment further enhances their capacity to induce hydroxyapatite deposition. Specifically, the antibacterial rates against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) reach 87.38% and 99.27%, respectively. Overall, this surface modification approach provides a practical solution to enable the stable and successful clinical application of titanium-based bone implants.

In this study, the Al doped diamond-like carbon (Al-DLC) films with different Al content were fabricated by magnetron sputtering technique. The influence of Al content on the composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of Al-DLC films, as well as their corrosion performance in a solar perovskite precursor solution, was systematically investigated. The results showed a non-monotonic evolution of surface roughness and film compactness with increasing Al content. Also, it indicated that Al in the DLC films was present in the form of oxidized states and carbide species, accompanied by an increase in hardness and elastic modulus. Compared to the undoped DLC film, the Al-DLC films exhibited a 1-2 orders of magnitude lower corrosion current density and a markedly higher polarization resistance. The optimum corrosion performance was achieved at an Al content of 19.43 at.% (corrosion current density: 1.8 & times; 10-7A/cm2; polarization resistance: 70.6 & times; 105 Omega & sdot;cm2). In addition, immersion tests in the perovskite precursor solution confirmed the excellent long-term corrosion protection of the optimized Al-DLC film. This improvement was attributed to the reduced surface roughness, a denser structure and thicker films, which suppressed electrolyte permeation and prolonged the diffusion path to the interlayer/ substrate interface. However, at higher Al contents, heterogeneous boundaries between Al and oxide particles formed and acted as preferential transport pathways for the perovskite precursor solution, thereby deteriorating the corrosion resistance.

NbBN nanocomposite films with varying B contents were deposited by high-vacuum multi-target confocal RF magnetron sputtering. The existence state of B was evaluated by first-principles calculations. At a B content of 2.0 at.%, B was incorporated substitutionally on N sites, forming an Nb(B,N) solid solution. When the B content increased to 4.0 at.%, a BN compound had already formed. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of the films were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), nanoindentation and electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that at 4.0 at.% B, the BN-related phase exhibits a relatively ordered structure and forms a locally coherent or near-coherent interface with the NbN, leading to the maximum hardness and the best corrosion resistance. With further increasing B content to 6.2 at.%, the locally coherent interface was disrupted, and the BN phase transformed into an amorphous state, accompanied by a decline in both hardness and corrosion resistance. These improvements in properties were closely related to the formation of a locally coherent interface between the NbN and BN phases, which played a crucial role in reinforcing the film's properties.