Confinement Effect Research Articles

Accelerating gas escape efficiency by parallel alignment of nanosheets arrays for high-current oxygen evolution and urea oxidation

Electrocatalysts play a crucial role in energy production and chemical oxidation. Nonetheless, the efficacy of catalysts in expediting reactions is notably affected by the escape of bubbles and the re-exposure of active sites, particularly under high-current-density conditions. Herein, parallel-aligned Ni(OH)2 nanosheets array is anchored on nickel foam as substrate to verify mass transfer enhancement theory. Compare with disordered and interconnected nanosheets structures, parallel alignment of nanosheets array with superior mass transfer capability, larger exposed surface area, and spatial confinement effects is demonstrated to boost effective removal of in situ generated gas bubbles. Moreover, carbon coating layer with high electrical conductivity and nickel-iron-based composite with high activity is simultaneously anchored on parallel-aligned nanosheets surface (C@FeNi/NF-P). As illustration of application viability, C@FeNi/NF-P exhibits overpotential of 317 mV and potential of 1.45 V at 500 mA cm−2, respectively, for oxygen evolution (OER) and urea oxidation (UOR) with good stability. Moreover, the mass transfer enhancement effect of parallel aligned structure for the high active electrodes is also discussed. This work provides new insight for physical structural modulation of active materials to strengthen electrocatalytic activity with high mass-transfer efficiency, further ensuring high-efficient and stable water splitting and urea oxidation.

Predicting the compressive strength of CFRP-confined concrete using deep learning

The application of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) has revolutionized structural rehabilitation, offering cost-effective and rapid solutions for damaged structures. This study presents a novel deep learning approach for predicting the compressive strength of circular carbon-FRP-confined concrete columns. Leveraging an extensive database of 664 experimental results, the model incorporates monotonicity and smoothness constraints, with hyperparameters optimization using the OPTUNA framework. The proposed model demonstrates exceptional accuracy, achieving R² = 0.93, a20-index = 0.95, and MAPE = 7.89 % on unseen test data, consistently outperforming nine benchmark models including established design guidelines. Scenario-based analysis confirms the model's ability to capture known physical behaviors, such as the effects of concrete strength, column diameter, and FRP thickness on confinement effectiveness. The integration of physical constraints enhances the model's reliability and interpretability, bridging the gap between data-driven and physics-based approaches. This research contributes to the advancement of more accurate, economical, and reliable design guidelines for FRP-strengthened structures, while also demonstrating the potential of constrained deep learning in structural engineering applications.

Confinement Effect Enhanced Bipolar Electrochemistry: Structural Color Coding Coupled with Wireless Electrochemiluminescence Imaging Technology.

In this work, SiO2/CNTs photonic crystal beads were constructed by doping CNTs into SiO2 photonic crystals, which have an angle-independent responsive structural color and can be used as bipolar electrodes due to their good electrical conductivity. In addition, the bipolar electrode-electrochemiluminescence (BPE-ECL) experiments and finite element simulation prove that the low driving voltage can trigger the bipolar electrode electrochemical reactions by confinement effect. Inspired by this, it is the first to combine the SiO2/CNTs structural color coding scheme with low-drive voltage induced wireless BPE-ECL imaging based on the confinement effect of microchannels to achieve simultaneous immune detection of ovarian cancer biomarkers (CA125, CEA, AFP). The detection limits of successfully constructed high-throughput BPE-ECL biosensor for AFP, CEA, and CA125 are 0.72 ng/mL, 0.95 ng/mL, and 1.03 U/mL, respectively, and have good stability and specificity, which expands the application of electrochemiluminescence and lays a foundation for the development of electrochemiluminescence coding technology.

Behavior of GFRP reinforced concrete columns confined with inner steel spirals

AbstractThe paper investigates the behavior of glass‐fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete columns with integrated steel spirals (hybrid reinforcement). Six concrete columns were tested under eccentric axial loading, resulting in failure due to bending. Columns with outer steel longitudinal bars experienced steel yielding at peak loads, while those with GFRP outer rebars failed due to concrete crushing. The results revealed that using GFRP as outer longitudinal bars led to peak loads 3–10% lower compared to columns with steel rebars. Inner confinement by steel spirals increased the load‐carrying capacity. Additionally, columns with inner tubular steel exhibited greater strength than those with steel spirals, indicating a slightly enhanced confinement effect. A finite element model was developed to analyze structural behavior, considering both material and geometric nonlinearity. The model's accuracy was validated by comparing predictions with test results. Parametric analysis from the nonlinear FE model showed that eccentricity significantly impacted column load‐carrying capacity. Increasing inner confinement area and the number of inner longitudinal bars improved structural stiffness and load‐carrying capacity. Furthermore, a simplified theoretical method was proposed. Comparison between experimental failure loads and theoretical predictions revealed differences within 20%, indicating satisfactory reliability of the proposed method.

Excitonic optical properties in monolayer SnP2S6

Abstract Quantum confinement effect and reduced dielectric screening in two-dimensional (2D) dramatically enhance the electron–hole interactions. In this work, we use many-body perturbation theory and Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE) to investigate the electronic and excitonic optical properties of monolayer SnP2S6. Our findings reveal that the excitonic effect dominates the optical absorption spectra in the visible light range, and the lowest-energy exciton X 0 in monolayer SnP2S6 is optically bright with the binding energy of 0.87 eV and the radiative lifetime of ∼ 10−11 s, which is highly advantageous to the photo-luminescence. Most importantly, the absence of optically forbidden states below the bright states X 0 would give rise to a high quantum efficiency of 2D SnP2S6. We also find that applied biaxial strain can further shorten the radiative lifetime of the bright states. These results imply that 2D SnP2S6 is a promising candidate for the optoelectronic devices.

Impacts of quantum confinement effect on threshold voltage and drain-induced barrier lowering effect of junctionless surrounding-gate nanosheet NMOSFET including source/drain depletion regions

In order to modeling of junctionless (JL) surrounding-gate (SG) nanosheet MOSFET more accurately, a new model for determining threshold voltage and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effect of JL SG nanosheet NMOSFET is proposed through deriving the Poisson's equation under rectangular coordinate system. The model captures quantum confinement effect and source/drain depletion regions, it is validated through the Sentaurus TCAD simulation results. Variations of source/drain depletion regions with the channel width, height, doping concentration, the gate bias, the drain bias and variations of threshold voltage, DIBL with the channel width, height, doping concentration considering and not considering quantum confinement effect are studied, respectively. The results show influences of quantum confinement effect on source/drain depletion regions, threshold voltage and DIBL. The developed model will offer quantum corrections in JL SG nanosheet NMOSFET.

A Futuristic Development in 3D Printing Technique Using Nanomaterials with a Step Toward 4D Printing.

3D bioprinting has shown great promise in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for creating patient-specific tissue scaffolds and medicinal devices. The quickness, accurate imaging, and design targeting of this emerging technology have excited biomedical engineers and translational medicine researchers. Recently, scaffolds made from 3D bioprinted tissue have become more clinically effective due to nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Because of quantum confinement effects and high surface area/volume ratios, nanomaterials and nanotechnological techniques have unique physical, chemical, and biological features. The use of nanomaterials and 3D bioprinting has led to scaffolds with improved physicochemical and biological properties. Nanotechnology and nanomaterials affect 3D bioprinted tissue engineered scaffolds for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Biomaterials and cells that respond to stimuli change the structural shape in 4D bioprinting. With such dynamic designs, tissue architecture can change morphologically. New 4D bioprinting techniques will aid in bioactuation, biorobotics, and biosensing. The potential of 4D bioprinting in biomedical technologies is also discussed in this article.

Dimeric-molecular beacon based intramolecular strand displacement amplification enables robust analysis of miRNA

Given the critical role of miRNAs in regulating gene expression and their potential as biomarkers for various diseases, accurate and sensitive miRNA detection is essential for early diagnosis and monitoring of conditions such as cancer. In this study, we introduce a dimeric molecular beacon (Di-MB) based isothermal strand displacement amplification (ISDA) system (Di-MB-ISDA) for enhanced miRNA detection. The Di-MB system is composed of two monomeric MBs (Mono-MBs) connected by a double-stranded DNA linker with single-stranded sequences in the middle, facilitating binding with the flexible arms of the Mono-MBs. This design forms a compact, high-density structure, significantly improving biostability against nuclease degradation. In the absence of target miRNA, the Di-MB maintains its stable structure. When target miRNA is present, it binds to the stem-loop regions, causing the hairpin structure to unfold and expose the stem sequences. These sequences serve as templates for the built-in primers, triggering DNA replication through an intramolecular recognition mechanism. This spatial confinement effect accelerates the strand displacement reaction, allowing the target miRNA to initiate additional reaction cycles and amplify the detection signal. The Di-MB-ISDA system addresses key challenges such as poor biostability and limited sensitivity seen in traditional methods. By enhancing biostability and optimizing reaction conditions, this system demonstrates robust performance for miRNA detection with a detection limit of 100 pM. The findings highlight the potential of Di-MB-ISDA for sensitive and accurate miRNA analysis, paving the way for its application in biomedical study and disease diagnosis in complex biological samples.

In-situ encapsulation synthesis of Fe-SAPO-34 for efficient removal of tetracycline via peroxydisulfate activation: Highly dispersed active sites and ultra-low iron leaching

The agglomeration and leaching of metal species are critical issues for iron-based catalysts to remove tetracycline (TC) through peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation. In this work, iron-oxide species confined in cha cage of silicon aluminum phosphate zeolite (Fe-SAPO-34) was successfully synthesized by in-situ encapsulation method to address the above challenges. In Fe-SAPO-34/PDS system, approximately 92.6% TC was removed within 150 min at experimental conditions: [pH] = 3, [TC] = 20 mg/L, [Catalyst] = 0.10 g/L, [PDS] = 1 mM. Meanwhile, the biggest degradation rate constant is 0.03689 min−1, which surpasses the counterpart systems. This result originates from the well dispersion of Fe-oxide species in Fe-SAPO-34, providing more active sites for TC degradation. As expected, the Fe-oxide species leaching concentration is ultra-low (0.018 mg/L) in Fe-SAPO-34/PDS system, which is attributed that SAPO-34 has a confinement effect of cha cage and eight-ring pore openings to limit its leaching. The radical quenching tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technology verify singlet oxygen (1O2) is the primary reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Fe-SAPO-34/PDS system. Furthermore, two possible pathways for TC degradation are proposed in line with the intermediate identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Effectiveness of TRC jackets for the strengthening of concrete columns after elevated temperatures: Experimental and analytical investigation

Textile reinforced concrete (TRC) materials with high strength and excellent heat resistance might considerably enhance the performance of structures under thermal conditions. This study examined thirty concrete columns, each reinforced with varying TRC configurations, and subjected them to different high-temperature scenarios. Axial compression experiments were subsequently carried out to assess the impact of TRC on concrete's performance at elevated temperatures. Key variables in these tests included different textile layers (0–4 layers), and a temperature range extending from room temperature to 800 °C. The application of TRC was found to facilitate more gradual failure progress during compression tests. In contrast to the unconfined specimens, whose stress-strain curves exhibited a parabolic pattern, those reinforced with TRC displayed a hardening segment at temperatures up to 400 °C. The presence of TRC jackets significantly improved the compressive strength, the ultimate axial strain, and the energy dissipation, both at room temperature and after high-temperature treatments. Furthermore, this paper proposed an innovative model for estimating the residual strength of TRC-confined cylinders after being exposed to various temperatures. This model accounted for the impact of high temperature on the residual bearing capacity of unconfined cylinders, the modulus of elasticity for fibers, and the confinement effectiveness coefficient.

Activated hydrogen-promoted self-generation of H2O2 and reduction of Fe(III) mediated by Pd-based catalysts: A green Fenton-like process

The traditional Fenton process has two issues that hinder its further application and promotion. One is the generation of large amounts of iron sludge. The other is the safe storage and transport of explosive H2O2. The problems could be solved by accelerating to regenerate Fe(II) and realizing to self-generate H2O2. The key to the solution lies in the use of reducing active hydrogen [H] to supply electrons. The effect of different loading methods of Pd0 nanoparticles (NPs), active centres for [H] generation, on the catalytic performance is unknown. Herein, the Pd/UiO-66(Zr) (Pd0 NPs loaded on the surface of UiO-66(Zr)) and Pd@UiO-66(Zr) (Pd0 NPs confined into the pores of UiO-66(Zr)) were synthesized. It confirmed that the [H] could be used to promote to regenerate Fe(II) and self-generate H2O2. Using only a trace amount of ferrous (25 μM) and without H2O2, the trimethoprim (20 mg·L−1) could be thoroughly removed within 90 min. Moreover, the stability of Pd@UiO-66(Zr) was slightly superior to that of Pd/UiO-66(Zr) because of the confinement effect of pore wall on Pd0 NPs, as well as the interception effect on the intermediate products that can be complexed with Pd0 NPs.

Carbon quantum dots assemblies integrated with spatial confined Co nanoparticles for antibiotic degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation

Heterogeneous Co-based materials are well-known for their exceptional catalytic properties in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of antibiotic pollutants. However, the potential applications of these materials are often hindered by significant Co nanoparticle aggregation and ion leaching. In this study, a carbon quantum dot-mediated self-assembly strategy was used to fabricate three-dimensional porous sponge-like Co@CDs-x (x represents the calcination tempeatures) catalysts with spatially confined Co nanoparticles. Among the samples, Co@CDs-900 exhibited a remarkable 97.8 % removal efficiency of TC in 11 minutes, with an apparent rate constant of 0.313 min−1. The exceptional performance of Co@CDs-900/PMS can be attributed to its large specific surface area, unique porosity, and abundant catalytically active sites, which generate ample reactive oxygen species for TC degradation. The catalyst demonstrated good degradation capabilities across a wide pH range of 3–11 and various organic pollutants such as tetranitrophenol, oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, methyl orange, and rhodamine B. Moreover, Co@CDs-900 maintained high activity even after the 5th cycle due to its magnetic property and spatial confinement effect, preventing catalyst loss and ion leaching during recycling tests. The degradation mechanism involved both free-radical and non-free radical pathways, with SO4•− and 1O2 identified as the primary reactive oxygen species. The degradation intermediates of TC were identified and a plausible degradation pathway was proposed. Toxicity assessment revealed that the Co@CDs-900/PMS system effectively reduced the toxicity of TC post-degradation. This study presents an effective approach for developing sponge-like CDs assemblies with spatially confined metal nanoparticles for activating PMS in antibiotic degradation.

Confinement Effect in Multilayer Films Made from Semicrystalline and Bio-Based Polyamide and Polylactic Acid.

Bio-based multilayer films were prepared by using the innovative nanolayer coextrusion process to produce films with a number of alternating layers varying from 3 to 2049. For the first time, a semicrystalline polymer was confined by another semicrystalline polymer by nanolayering in order to develop high barrier polyamide (PA11)/polylactic acid (PLA) films without compromising thermal stability and mechanical behavior. This process allows the preparation of nanostratified films with thin layers (down to nanometric thicknesses) in which a confinement effect can be induced. The stratified structure has been investigated, and the layer thicknesses have been measured. Barrier properties were successfully correlated to the microstructure, as well as the thermal behavior, and mechanical properties. The layer continuity was fully achieved for most of the films, but some layer breakups have been observed on the film with the thinnest PLA layer (2049-layers film). Coextruding PLA with PA11 has induced an increase in PLA crystallinity (from 4 to 16%) along with an increase in thermal stability of the multilayer films without impacting PA11 properties. Gas barrier properties were driven by the PLA confined layers due to the microstructural rearrangement by increasing crystallinity, whereas water barrier properties were governed by the PA11 confining layers due to its lower water affinity. As a consequence, a decrease of water permeability (up to 11 times less permeable for the 6M film) but an increase of gas barrier properties (barrier improvement factor (BIF) of 66% for the 0M film for N2 and BIF of 36% for the 6M film for CO2 for instance) were evidenced as the layer number was increased. This study paves the way for the development of ecofriendly materials with outstanding barrier performances and highlights the importance of nonmiscible polymers adhesion at melt state and additives presence.

Parameters affecting performance of fully instrumented model testing of strip footings on geocell-reinforced soils

A thorough study was conducted to assess the performance of the strip footing reinforced with geocells in sand, focusing on understanding the enhancement effects and geocell reinforcement mechanisms. Critical factors such as geocell modulus, height, soil relative density and load eccentricity were examined through fully instrumented model tests. Measurements included surface displacement profiles, strains on the geocell layer, subsurface pressure distribution and other relevant parameters. Results revealed that the strip footing on geocell-reinforced sand beds exhibited better performance compared to those on unreinforced soil, characterized by increased load-carrying capacity and reduced settlements. Notably, stiffer geocells improved performance significantly, with a 40% higher modulus enhancing the bearing pressure by up to 25%, due to better confinement and anchorage effects. Conversely, geocells with a lower modulus demonstrated more effective vertical stress distribution. Furthermore, increased geocell height moderately enhanced footing performance by improving confinement, although wall buckling under eccentric loading limited major gains. Dense soils under centric loading exhibited up to a 20% better improvement in bearing pressure than loose soils due to higher strain mobilization within the geocell layer. These findings highlight the crucial role of geocell and soil properties, as well as loading conditions, in optimizing reinforcement effects for strip footings.

Effect of Grafting Density on the Crystallization Behavior of Molecular Bottlebrushes.

A unique case of sterically constrained crystallization arises in bottlebrush polymers bearing semicrystalline side chains. Bottlebrushes with grafted side chains can form crystalline structures governed by the complex interplay between side chain packing and backbone confinement. The confinement effect can be readily tuned by varying the side chain grafting density, thus affording control over the crystallization behavior of these systems. In this work, the grafting density effect on the crystallization behavior of molecular bottlebrushes comprising poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) side chains grafted to a methacrylate backbone was systematically studied. Thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry showed that the bottlebrush polymers displayed suppressed crystallization temperatures, lower melting temperatures, and reduced crystallinities compared to linear homopolymer PEO. The crystalline morphology was investigated using polarized light, atomic force, and scanning electron microscopy. Isothermal crystallization experiments revealed a nonmonotonous dependence of the nucleation density on the side chain grafting density. The grafting density effect was also investigated using self-seeding experiments, revealing an increased clearing temperature and memory retention at higher grafting densities. This work highlights how grafting density influences the crystallization behavior of semicrystalline bottlebrushes, providing information for the processing and application of these unique polymers.

Finite Element Analysis of CFFT and CFDTS Columns as a Replacement for CFST Columns in Composite Construction by Using ABAQUS

In the field of composite construction of steel and concrete, concrete filled steel tube CFST columns have been proven to be greater performance structural members. The properties of steel and concrete are used efficiently. But CSFT columns are prone to corrosion in outdoor structures as the outer encasing tube is made up of steel. The outdoor use of CFST column due to its high risk of corrosion requires frequent maintenance and may prove costly. Hence, the possible replacement of steel tubes with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) Tubes has to be investigated. FRPs are the most suitable material for encasing concrete columns due to its orthotropic behaviour. In solution to this, the paper is aimed at numerical study of CFST, CFFT and CFDTS short columns to study the axial compression behavior of these short columns analytically and examine the best suitable alternatives of CFST column. The concrete in-fill double tube section CFDTS with better axial compression, stiffness and ductility are also investigated as a suitable replacement of CFST columns. For these three different specimens of CFST columns of steel tube thickness 3mm, 4.5mm and 6mm, CFFT columns of GFRP tube thickness 3mm, 4.5mm and 6mm and CFDTS column with GFRP outer tube of thickness 3mm, 4.5mm and 6mm as well as inner steel tube of thickness 1.5mm, 2mm and 2.5mm are analyzed and compared. Consequently, CFDTS columns, with 1872 kN are proven to be superior to CFST columns with axial capacity 1653 kN and CFFT with axial capacity 689 kN columns. The confinement effect in CFDTS is more than CFST and CFFT column.

Novel low-carbon eco-concrete filled-FRP tubes under axial compression: Experimental behavior and analytical model

Concrete is essential in global construction but significantly contributes to carbon emissions, primarily due to cement production. The cement industry is adopting low-carbon practices, such as using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to reduce emissions. Concrete prepared with calcined clay can achieve a carbon reduction effect of approximately 30 % compared to ordinary cement. Current studies highlight the reuse of kaolin clay, the predominant constituent of engineering sediment in Shenzhen, China, providing raw materials for sustainable low-carbon and eco-friendly concrete. However, high substitution rates of calcined clay can compromise concrete strength, posing a challenge for the application in load-bearing structures. This study proposed a novel low-carbon eco-friendly concrete (i.e., using calcined clay as supplementary cementitious materials) filled into FRP tubes (i.e., Low-Carbon Eco-Concrete-Filled FRP Tubes, termed LCE-CFFTs) aiming to enhance substitution rates of calcined clay and to improve compressive strength and ductility. This paper provides a detailed description of the preparation method, chemical reaction process, chemical composition, and microstructure of calcined clay. Experimental tests investigated the axial compressive performance of LCE-CFFTs, considering calcined clay substitution rates and FRP thickness as key parameters. The experimental work and theoretical analysis indicated that: the inclusion of 10 % and 40 % calcined clay led to a reduction in carbon emissions, resulting in a decrement of 5.8 % and 23.3 %, respectively; confinement provided by FRP tubes mitigated the reduction in axial compressive strength resulting from calcined clay inclusion, particularly evident at higher substitution rates (40 %); the effect of FRP tube confinement in improving peak stress and axial performance of LCE-CFFTs became more pronounced with higher calcined clay substitution rates; to more accurately predict the axial compressive behavior of LCE-CFFTs of this study, it is essential to consider the biaxial stress-strain state of filament-wound FRP tubes.

Octanuclear Zinc Clusters in Microporous Organic Polymers: Network-Enhanced Reductive CO2 Fixation to Formamides at Room Temperature.

A building block containing eight zincs and eight iodo groups (8Zn) is obtained by the Zn complexation of a salen ligand bearing two additional hydroxy groups. Through the Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling of 8Zn with 1,3,5,7-tetra(4-ethynylphenyl) adamantane, microporous organic polymers bearing octanuclear zinc clusters (MOP-8Zn) are prepared, exhibiting a high surface area of 562 m2g-1, microporosity, and a particulate morphology with an average diameter of 249nm. The MOP-8Zn exhibits significantly enhanced catalytic performance, compared to molecular counterparts, in the reductive carbon dioxide fixation to formamides, possibly due to the cooperative adsorption and confinement effect of networks on substrates.

Microchip construction for migration assays: investigating the impact of physical confinement on cell morphology and motility during vaccinia virus infection.

Vaccinia virus (VACV)-induced cell migration is thought to be closely related to the rapid transmission of viral infection in the body. The limited studies are mainly based on scratch assay using traditional cell culture techniques, which inevitably ignores the influences of extracellular microenvironment. Physical confinement, inherently presenting in vivo, has proven to be a critical extern cue in modulating migration behaviors of multiple cells, while its impacts on VACV-induced cell motility remain unclear. Herein, we developed a migration assay microchip featuring confined microchannel array to investigate the effect of physical confinement on infected cell morphology and motility during VACV infection. Results showed that different from the random cell migration observed in traditional scratch assay on planar substrate, VACV-infected cells exhibited accelerated directionally persistent migration under confinement microenvironment. Moreover, single-directed elongated dominant lamella appeared to contrast distinctly with multiple protrusions stretched in random directions under unconfined condition. Additionally, the Golgi complex tended to relocate behind the nucleus confined within the microchannel axis compared to the classical reorientation pattern. These differences in characteristic subcellular architecture and organelle reorientation of migrating cells revealed cell biological mechanisms underlying altered migration behavior. Collectively, our study demonstrates that physical confinement acting as a guidance cue has profound impacts on VACV-induced migration behaviors, which provides new insight into cell migration behavior and viral rapid spread during VACV infection.

Effect and mechanism of graphite addition on microstructures and hydrogen storage properties of Mg–Y–Zn alloy

In this work, the Mg-9.1Y-1.0Zn alloy are prepared by semi-continuous casting, and then mechanical milled with graphite. The microstructures and hydrogen storage properties of milled composite are systematically studied. The results show that the as-cast Mg-9.1Y-1.0Zn alloy exhibits serious agglomeration after milling. The addition of graphite significantly restrains the agglomeration of alloy and further refines the particles. Compared with as-cast Mg-9.1Y-1.0Zn alloy, the hydrogen storage properties of Mg-9.1Y-1.0Zn alloy milled with graphite is greatly improved. It needs only three times activation to be fully activated and its maximum hydrogen storage capacity is about 6.7 wt%. Besides, its dehydrogenation activation energy is decreased by about 40 kJ mol−1 relative to as-cast Mg-9.1Y-1.0Zn alloy. During hydrogen absorption and desorption, the stable YH2 hydride is generated by the disproportionation decomposition of LPSO phase. The graphite and in-situ formed YH2 present the synergistic confinement and catalysis effects on the milled Mg–Y–Zn alloy particles, which is conductive to the enhancment of hydrogen storage properties.