Aqueous rechargeable zinc‐iodide batteries are considered as highly prospective sustainable energy storage devices with features of high abundance and environmental compatibility. However, the current Zn||I 2 battery cathode has a “shuttle effect” caused by the diffusion of soluble polyiodides, and the Zn anode has serious problems such as dendrite growth and corrosion, which complicates the design of device stability. Herein, a zwitterionic additive, D‐methionine (DMT), is first introduced to address the challenges encountered by both the cathode and anode in Zn||I 2 batteries. The unique reversible redox reaction between DMT and I 3 − suppresses the shuttle effect and accelerates the conversion kinetics of the iodine redox reaction. Meanwhile, DMT adheres securely to the Zn anode and facilitates the directional deposition of Zn (002) surfaces, thus enhancing the corrosion resistance of Zn anode and inhibiting the dendrite growth. The assembled Zn||Zn symmetric cell delivers excellent cycling performance of exceeding 3500 h. In addition, the assembled Zn||I 2 full cell operates stably for more than 800 h under high mass loading of 10 mg cm −2 with an excellent capacity retention of 96%. This innovative strategy provides the potential for zwitterionic additives to greatly enhance Zn‐I 2 batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become pivotal in modern energy storage systems, attributed to their superior energy density and environmentally friendly nature. Among anode materials, tin disulfide (SnS2) stands out due to its high theoretical capacity and affordability. However, its widespread use is hindered by significant volume fluctuations and limited intrinsic conductivity. Herein, we report a yolk-shell SnS2/CoS2 composite encapsulated within a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix (YS-SnS2/CoS2@NxC), designed as an advanced LIB anode. The incorporation of cobalt ions, together with the highly conductive N-doped carbon scaffold, contributes to improved charge mobility and structural robustness. Moreover, the cooperative interaction between dual-metal sulfides and the engineered shell architecture effectively accommodates volume variation and preserves electrode integrity. Electrochemical analyses show that the composite maintains a stable capacity of 803.4 mA·h·g-1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 A·g-1, and delivers 425.9 mA·h·g-1 even after 800 cycles at 2 A·g-1, with nearly full coulombic efficiency. These outcomes underscore the material’s outstanding rate capability and long-lasting cycling performance.

Metallic corrosion severely threatens service safety and causes substantial economic losses in marine, transportation, and chemical engineering fields. Organic anticorrosive coatings are widely applied but suffer from inherent microdefects, insufficient barrier property, and poor durability. Superhydrophobic coatings can repel corrosive media via air-layer trapping; however, their poor mechanical robustness, weak interfacial adhesion, and rapid degradation under harsh environments restrict practical applications. Herein, a green, robust, and long-lasting superhydrophobic composite coating (ACR/SiO₂-SF) was developed by using silicone oil-modified corn straw fiber(SF) and hydrophobic nano-SiO2 as synergistic fillers in acrylic resin (ACR). Corn straw was first alkali-activated to expose hydroxyl groups and then modified via hydrosilylation to obtain hydrophobic SF with improved interfacial compatibility. Effects of SF loading on wettability, morphology, adhesion, mechanical durability, and corrosion resistance were systematically investigated. Results showed that the optimized ACR/SiO2(20)-SF(5) coating achieved a water contact angle(WCA) of 158.14° and sliding angle(SA) of 2°, exhibiting superior superhydrophobicity, self-cleaning, and multi-liquid non-wettability. The coating reached Grade 0 cross-cut adhesion and maintained superhydrophobicity after sandpaper abrasion, water jet impact, strong acid/alkali immersion, thermal-oxidative aging, UV aging, and 90-day saltwater soaking with performance attenuation below 3%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the low-frequency impedance modulus remained above 109 Ω cm2 after 90-day immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The excellent long-term anticorrosion was attributed to the triple-synergy mechanism: surface superhydrophobic repellency, internal labyrinthine barrier, and long-term structural stability. This work provides a low-cost, eco-friendly, and high-performance strategy for metal corrosion protection and promotes high-value utilization of agricultural waste biomass in advanced anticorrosive coatings.

The development of cost-effective, highly efficient, and stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction poses a significant challenge in renewable energy technologies. Herein, a series of noble-metal-free amorphous medium-entropy NiCoFeMo phosphide oxygen evolution reaction electrodes was prepared by a facile synthesis combining chemical reduction and phosphating treatment. The amorphous medium-entropy NiCoFeMo phosphide exhibits an ultralow overpotential of 248 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, accompanied by a modest Tafel slope of 41 mV & sdot;dec-1 in 1 M KOH. The electrode demonstrates remarkable stability for 100 h at a current density of 100 mA cm-2. Detailed characterisation reveals that the high-energy amorphous structure, entropy effect, as well as the appearance of high-valence Mo, are key to its abundant active sites and stability. The present study introduces new insights into the design of structurally simple amorphous medium-entropy alloys that significantly enhance the activity and stability of the oxygen evolution reaction.

The corrosion of rebar significantly impacts the service life of reinforced concrete structures, making the health monitoring of rebar corrosion crucial. This paper presents an innovative method for characterizing the spatiotemporal evolution of rebar corrosion using ultrasonic shear-horizontal (SH) wave full-waveform inversion (SH-FWI). By analyzing ultrasonic SH-waves using the FWI method, the density distribution of various media within the concrete can be reconstructed, enabling the imaging and characterization of different stages of rebar corrosion. This approach was validated through laboratory experiments using electrically accelerated corrosion specimens. The SH-FWI method was employed to perform inversion imaging over the full corrosion cycle of a reinforced concrete specimen. The imaging results were compared with a set of reference specimens featuring corroded rebar sections, which confirmed the accuracy of the SH-FWI method in capturing the spatiotemporal evolution of rebar corrosion. The experimental results further demonstrated the effectiveness of SH-FWI in characterizing the spatiotemporal evolution of rebar corrosion. A comparative analysis with the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) demonstrates that SH-FWI produces clearer structural images and provides more comprehensive information on the spatiotemporal evolution of rebar corrosion.

Selective laser melting (SLM) has emerged as a practical manufacturing method for complex components. Consequently, post-printing heat treatment and surface modification have also become important topics in this field. This study involved the preparation of Ti6Al4V plates using SLM technology. The plasma nitriding behavior of these plates was examined preliminarily, considering factors such as microstructure, surface morphology, phase composition, and corrosion resistance, both in the as-printed condition and after hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment. The results revealed that the uneven microstructure and printing defects could pose a threat to the corrosion resistance of the substrate and the integrity of the nitride film. The appearance of the beta phase after HIP treatment can effectively improve the nitriding rate. It is suggested that sequential HIP, surface polishing, and plasma nitriding could serve as the final surface treatment process for SLM-produced Ti6Al4V parts.

This study elucidates the mechanisms by which macrofouling organisms influence the corrosion behaviour and hydrogen permeation of high-strength steels, employing field exposure experiments, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, corrosion-product characterisation and microbial community analysis. The results show that dynamic biofouling shifts corrosion from uniform to localised, with pit morphology varying according to fouling type, while enriching the rust layer with conductive Fe3O4 and anaerobic FeS. Fouling also promotes microbial diversification, markedly increasing the abundance of microbes within the inner rust regions. Hydrogen permeation is enhanced by microbial metabolism, corrosion-product hydrolysis, oxygen concentration cells and occlusive effects, thereby heightening the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for corrosion management and macrofouling protection in marine environments.

Zinc and its alloys have been regarded as an alternative option for biodegradable implant materials to magnesium and iron-based alloys due to their promising degradation rate. However, poor osseointegration with bone tissue limits their further clinical application. Considering the biofunction of strontium (Sr), namely promoting the formation of bone tissue, in this work, a ZnO-Sr composite coating was prepared on pure Zn via anodic oxidation to boost bioactivity. Surface morphology and composition of the layer were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical measurements were carried out to assess the corrosion behaviour. Long-term immersion tests in simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 21 days were conducted to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity. Corrosion morphology and corrosion products were studied to reveal the corrosion mechanism. The results demonstrated that the Sr-ZnO coating optimized the corrosion rate and enhanced the bioactivity of the substrate, improving its potential for orthopedic applications.

NbMoTaWCr RHEA powder and coating were prepared by mechanical alloying combined with laser cladding, and their phase, microstructure, friction and wear properties, and corrosion behavior under high-temperature molten salt were analyzed. The results show that the coating exhibits a typical dendritic structure composed of the main BCC phase and fine Cr2Nb-type Laves phase at the grain boundaries, with an elastic modulus of 112.64 +/- 5.21 GPa and a Vickers hardness of 943.1 +/- 10.2 HV0.2. Under dry friction conditions, its friction coefficient is 0.478, and the wear rate is 2.57 x 10-5 mm3/(N center dot m), representing a 70.2 % reduction compared to the matrix. In the molten salt corrosion environment of 75 % Na2SO4 + 25 % NaCl at 850 degrees C, the Cr2Nb-type Laves phase enriched with Cr elements at the grain boundaries helps prevent the formation of loose, unprotective corrosion products and blocks the penetration of corrosion media along the grain boundaries, thus enhancing the high-temperature molten salt corrosion resistance of the coating. The corrosion behavior involves a complex synergistic process of selective oxidation, sulfidation, and chlorination. The dense cladding layer transformed into a loose, porous structure.

Developing highly efficient, cost-effective, and stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction is crucial for their potential applications in hydrogen production. Here, by combining the advantages of amorphous and medium-entropy alloys, a Ce-doped amorphous medium-entropy NiFeCo alloy electrode for the oxygen evolution reaction was synthesised via a simple electrodeposition method. The amorphous medium-entropy NiFeCoCe catalyst, exhibiting superhydrophilicity, demonstrated a low overpotential of 205 mV at a current density of 10 mA center dot cm-2 and a small Tafel slope of 42 mV center dot dec-1 in 1 M KOH. The electrodes exhibit high stability over 100 h at various current densities because of their excellent corrosion resistance. Surface composition analysis revealed that the abundant active sites of the catalyst result from the uniform distribution and high-energy state of the amorphous structure, as well as the effective incorporation of Ce species. Our study provides new insights into the straightforward structural design of amorphous medium-entropy alloys for highly efficient and durable oxygen-evolving electrodes.

Developing cost-effective and highly active electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for realizing sustainable hydrogen production. Herein, we report a synergistic strategy combining a sacrificial templating method, in-situ nitrogen doping, and phosphidation to synthesize iron phosphide nanoparticles confined within nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres (FeP@NHCSs). The resulting catalyst exhibits excellent HER activity, requiring overpotentials of only 57 mV and 109 mV to achieve 10 mA cm- 2 in acidic and alkaline media, respectively, with Tafel slopes of 84 and 85 mV dec- 1. The outstanding activity and stability are attributed to the conductive N-doped carbon shells that enhance charge transfer and expose abundant active sites. This work provides an effective design route for low-cost, high-performance FeP-based catalysts toward practical water electrolysis applications.

This research investigates the creation of a carbon sol-reinforced Ni-P/C film using composite electrodeposition techniques. The surface microstructure of the films was analyzed, and the hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance were evaluated at varying carbon-sol concentrations. The results show that films with a carbon sol concentration of 15mL/L possess a consistent and compact convex shape, superior mechanical properties, and improved corrosion resistance. The hardness of the Ni-P/C films increased by 7% compared to that of the Ni-P coating, while the improvement in wear resistance was more substantial. However, when the carbon sol concentration exceeds 15mL/L, the performance of the Ni-P/C films declines. The decline can be attributed to the excessive inclusion of carbon sol, which leads to carbon particle accumulation, the formation of pores and cracks, and a subsequent decrease in coating performance.

To address the hazards of fluoride (F) in activating titanium (Ti) prior to nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) plating, this study developed an F-free activation strategy that leverages the inherent surface nanocrystallization (SNC) of Ti resulting from precision machining. Specifically, SNC was first achieved on pure Ti through mechanical polishing, and then subsequent brief electrochemical hydrogen charging generated catalytic TiH2 in situ, which did not deteriorate the mechanical properties of the substrate and was readily decomposed at 200 degrees C. In this way, the rapid initiation and stable deposition of the Ni-P coating were reliably achieved. After heating above 200 degrees C, the coating exhibited sufficient bonding strength and at 400 degrees C, it achieved a high hardness of over 1000 HV and a wear rate approximately 1/50th that of the Ti substrate. Complete crystallization at this temperature produced a Ni/Ni3P/Ni5P2 nanocomposite structure. Interface analysis further revealed that SNC effectively promoted the diffusion of Ni from the coating into the Ti substrate, resulting in a nanocrystalline NiTi/amorphous composite transition layer at the interface. This work presents a green and efficient pretreatment process for depositing high-performance Ni-based coatings on Ti. The findings may also offer significant insights for applications involving heterogeneous metal bonding and the design of metallic coatings.

In this study, NiCrBSi-TiCrN composite coatings with varying Cr contents were prepared by plasma spraying technology and assessed for sliding wear behavior at 200 degrees C. The effects of optimizing the Cr content on the coating microstructure, high-temperature wear performance, and mechanical mixed layer formation mechanism were systematically investigated. XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques were utilized to characterize the phase composition and microstructure of the composite coatings before and after wear. A reciprocating friction and wear tester was employed to assess the wear behavior of the coatings. Also, Raman and XPS techniques were employed to analyze the sliding wear products of the coatings. The findings showed that the composite coating comprises gamma-Ni, Cr3C2, Cr3B4, TiCrN, and Ti3O phases, which become enriched in TiCrN grain boundaries when Cr exceeds the solid solution limit. Wear tests demonstrated that the Cr25 coating exhibits outstanding high-temperature wear resistance, with a wear rate (4.5268 x 10-8 mm3/Nm) reduced by 22 % and 18 % compared to Cr15 (4.8361 x 10-8 mm3/Nm) and Cr35 (5.5369 x 10-8 mm3/Nm), respectively. Simultaneously, its mating ball wear rate (1.1806 x 10-9 mm3/Nm) is reduced by 44 % and 30 % compared to Cr15 (2.0960 x 10-9 mm3/Nm) and Cr35 (1.6757 x 10-9 mm3/Nm), respectively. The coatings' wear behavior is influenced that brittle fracture-dominated three-body wear, accelerated wear chip refinement due to thermal-force coupling, and the establishment of anti-wear mechanisms through mechanically mixed layers. Optimizing the Cr content inhibits brittle fracture of TiCrN and prevents excessive softening that could lower hardness. This optimization promotes a stable mechanically mixed layer, which greatly enhances wear resistance. This research provides theoretical support and an experimental foundation for developing high-performance wear-resistant coatings suitable for wear conditions in oil extraction, which hold significant value in engineering applications.

This work systematically investigates the effects of Cr and V elements on the microstructure, grain size, and properties of TiN-based coatings prepared by reactive plasma spraying (RPS). Thermodynamic calculations were conducted to assess the feasibility of the reaction. The phase composition and microstructure of the coatings were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Their mechanical, wear and corrosion resistance properties were tested using a microhardness tester, a friction and wear testing machine, and an electrochemical workstation. The experiments successfully produced ternary nitride coatings primarily composed of face-centered cubic (FCC) structures. After etching agent treatment, it was found that the internal structures of all three coatings consisted of dense equiaxed grains, closely packed columnar grains, and dendritic grains. The addition of V significantly refined the grain size to 20-50 nm and formed high-density nanotwins and dislocations. The grain size of the (Ti,Cr)N coating is comparable to that of TiN. Performance testing indicates that the (Ti,V)N coating exhibits the highest microhardness, reaching 2054 HV0.1, significantly exceeding that of TiN (1120.5 HV0.1) and (Ti,Cr)N (1230.7 HV0.1). its coefficient of friction was the lowest (0.4134), with wear volume and wear rate of 0.4025 mm3 and 3.72 x 10-4 mm3/N & sdot;m, significantly superior to TiN (1.4627 mm3, 1.35 x 10-3 mm3/N & sdot;m) and (Ti,Cr)N (0.8231 mm3, 7.71 x 10-4 mm3/ N & sdot;m). In a 3.5 % NaCl solution, the corrosion current density of (Ti,Cr)N and (Ti,V)N coatings is one order of magnitude lower than that of TiN coatings. This study proposes that the atomic size difference between the dopant elements and Ti, as well as the reactivity of the nitridation process, are key factors influencing grain size in RPS nitride systems, providing a technical pathway and theoretical basis for developing novel wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings.

Waterborne epoxy (WEP) coatings have attracted extensive attention in the field of anticorrosion due to their environmental friendliness, low toxicity, and excellent adhesion. However, the inherent defects such as high porosity, poor thermal stability, and insufficient long-term corrosion resistance severely limit their practical applications in harsh marine environments. Herein, a novel benzotriazole BTA-SiO2@Al2O3 core-shell composite filler was designed and synthesized, which integrates the physical barrier effect of inorganic microspheres and the active corrosion inhibition function of BTA. A series of BTA-SiO2@Al2O3-WEP composite coatings with filler loadings ranging from 5 to 25 wt% were prepared, and their thermal stability, mechanical properties, and anticorrosion performance were systematically investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the introduction of core-shell fillers significantly improved the thermal stability and glass transition temperature (Tg) of WEP coatings. The initial decomposition temperature (5% mass loss temperature) of the composite coating with 25 wt% filler loading reached 295.04 °C, which was 101.79 °C higher than that of neat WEP. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization tests demonstrated that the composite coating with 20 wt% filler loading exhibited the optimal anticorrosion performance, with a corrosion rate approximately two orders of magnitude lower than that of neat WEP coating. The 240 h neutral salt spray test further confirmed its excellent long-term protective performance, with only negligible corrosion products observed at the artificial scratch, indicating favorable active corrosion protection capability at coating defects. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that BTA molecules could be released with the penetration of corrosive media and form a dense Fe-BTA chelated passivation film on the steel substrate surface through coordination bonds. This work provides a facile and effective strategy for the fabrication of high-performance waterborne epoxy anticorrosion coatings, which have promising applications in marine engineering and industrial protection fields.

Due to its potential reactivity, steel slag () is considered to be a promising supplementary cementitious material. In this work, wet carbonation was used to study the carbon dioxide sequestration () performance of modified steel slag (). Carbonated modified steel slag () and were used as cement replacements, and the workability, mechanical properties and durability of the blended cements were evaluated. At a carbonation pressure below 0.5 MPa, aragonite formed alone in aqueous solution. When the carbonation pressure was increased to 1.7 MPa, weddellite appeared on the surfaces of the . The capacity of first increased then decreased with carbonation pressure, peaking at 131.16 kg/t at 1.3 MPa. Residual soluble calcium salts in accelerated cement hydration by supplying Ca2+. The blends met standard requirements only at replacement ratios below 20%, with compressive strength up to 85.94% of that of the pure cement system. The optimal replacement was 15%, yielding 81.04% relative strength. At optimal dosages, the blends exhibited better carbonation, chloride and sulfate resistance than the pure cement system, while the blends showed reduced performance.

Aluminum alloys suffer from poor tribological performance, necessitating advanced surface engineering solutions. In this research, a novel anodic aluminum oxide (AAO)-Ni-PTFE composite coating was prepared through electrodeposition on 6061 aluminum alloy. The AAO interlayer was incorporated to improve interfacial adhesion between the coating and substrate. This design combines the high strength and hardness of nickel matrices with the low friction of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In comparison with the traditional zinc immersion pretreatment, the AAO interlayer significantly improves the interfacial bonding strength. PTFE particles are uniformly embedded within the AAO nanopores and gradually released during sliding, enabling sustained self-lubrication. The optimal tribological performance was attained when the PTFE addition was 7.5 mL/L, resulting in a friction coefficient of 0.21. This represents a 68.3% reduction compared to the pure nickel coating and a 63.6% decrease in volume wear. Simultaneously, the incorporation of PTFE improves corrosion resistance, indicating the multifunctional potential of the coating for engineering applications.