Iron-based Materials Research Articles

Nanodrug Hijacking Blood Transferrin for Ferroptosis-Mediated Cancer Treatment.

Ferroptosis as a promising method of cancer treatment heavily relies on the intracellular iron ion level. Herein, a new iron-supplement nanodrug was developed by conjugating transferrin-homing peptide T10 on the surface of cross-linked lipoic acid vesicles (T10@cLAV), which could hijack blood transferrin (Tf) and specifically deliver it to tumor cells to elevate the Fe2+ level. Meanwhile, the intracellular degradation product of cLAV, dihydrolipoic acid, could regenerate Fe2+ to further boost the ferroptosis. The results disclosed that T10@cLAV achieved tumor inhibition comparable to that of cisplatin at a dose as low as 5 mg/kg in the HeLa tumor-bearing nude mice model and caused no toxicity at the dose up to 300 mg/kg. This tactful iron-supplement strategy of hijacking blood Tf is superior to the current strategies: one is the induction of intracellular ferritin degradation, which is limited by the low content of ferritin, and the other is the delivery of iron-based materials, which easily causes adverse effects.

The Effect of Epoxy Resin on the Infiltration of Porous Metal Parts Formed through Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing technology can print multi-material parts with multiple functions/properties, and has great potential for working in harsh application environments. However, the metal blank formed by sintering metal powder material with binder added through L-PBF has an obvious porous structure and insufficient mechanical properties, and few studies have been conducted studying this. In this paper, epoxy resin was used to impregnate the blank of porous metal parts formed by L-PBF with iron-based powder material at a certain temperature, and a cross-linked curing reaction was carried out with three kinds of phenolic resin in different proportions under the action of a curing agent, so as to fill the pores and achieve the desired mechanical properties. The characteristic peaks of each group of epoxy resin were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectrums. The microstructure, decomposition temperature, and residue of four epoxy resin dispersion systems were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG). The results show that the density of the porous metal parts was obviously improved, the heat resistance temperature of the parts could reach 350 °C, and the tensile strength of the sample after EP2-1 impregnation was increased by 4–6 times after curing at 160 °C for 6 h. Therefore, the use of an epoxy resin dispersion system can increase the porosity of L-PBF porous metal parts, but can also significantly improve their mechanical properties, which can help them to meet the requirements of applications as model materials, biological materials, and functional materials to provide a feasible solution.

Synthesis of uniform Fe2O3@Y2O3 yolk−shell nanoreactors as chemical looping oxygen carriers

Iron-based materials are extensively employed as oxygen carriers in chemical looping processes, but their long-term performance is often inhibited by sintering and agglomeration. Here, we developed a yolk–shell structured Fe2O3@Y2O3 oxygen carrier, with each unit consisting of a Y2O3 shell encapsulating a nano-sized Fe2O3 core. The Y2O3 shell could protect the redox-active cores from sintering, and the void between the yolk and the shell is capable of tolerating cyclic volume and phase changes. During the simulated chemical looping cycles at 600 °C, the Fe2O3@Y2O3 oxygen carriers exhibit a consistent oxygen carrying capacity of 3 wt% over 50 cycles, without any distinguishable structural deterioration. With rational structure optimization, the Fe2O3@Y2O3 oxygen carriers with porous shell could enhance the mass transfer across the shell and enable higher reaction rates. The satisfactory sintering resistance of the Fe2O3@Y2O3 nanostructure demonstrates the feasibility of employing well defined yolk–shell structured oxygen carriers for chemical looping applications.

Influence introducing various plasticizers into an initial charge on the structure and properties of iron-based powder materials alloyed with copper

Influence introducing various plasticizers into an initial charge on the structure and properties of iron-based powder materials alloyed with copper

Oxalate modification enabled advanced phosphate removal of nZVI: In Situ formed surface ternary complex and altered multi-stage adsorption process

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is a promising phosphate adsorbent for advanced phosphate removal. However, the rapid passivation of nZVI and the low activity of adsorption sites seriously limit its phosphate removal performance, accounting for its inapplicability to meet the emission criteria of 0.1 mg P/L phosphate. In this study, we report that the oxalate modification can inhibit the passivation of nZVI and alter the multi-stage phosphate adsorption mechanism by changing the adsorption sites. As expected, the stronger anti-passivation ability of oxalate modified nZVI (OX-nZVI) strongly favored its phosphate adsorption. Interestingly, the oxalate modification endowed the surface Fe(III) sites with the lowest chemisorption energy and the fastest phosphate adsorption ability than the other adsorption sites, by in situ forming a Fe(III)-phosphate-oxalate ternary complex, therefore enabling an advanced phosphate removal process. At an initial phosphate concentration of 1.00 mg P/L, pH of 6.0 and a dosage of 0.3 g/L of adsorbents, OX-nZVI exhibited faster phosphate removal rate (0.11 g/mg/min) and lower residual phosphate level (0.02 mg P/L) than nZVI (0.055 g/mg/min and 0.19 mg P/L). This study sheds light on the importance of site manipulation in the development of high-performance adsorbents, and offers a facile surface modification strategy to prepare superior iron-based materials for advanced phosphate removal.

Characterization and comparison of cobalt-base and nickel-base alloys with iron-base intermetallic hard alloys used in wear protection

Abstract In wear protection, cobalt-base or nickel-base materials are very often used for coatings in order to increase the functionality and service life of components. These materials such as stellite, the nickel-base alloy Colmonoy 56 or Tribaloy T400 are characterized by a high resistance to abrasion, adhesion as well as excellent corrosion resistance even at higher temperatures. Given the criticality of cobalt and partly also nickel, it is necessary to look for more sustainable alternatives to be used in wear protection. One possibility is to further develop iron-base materials so that they can be used in wear protection to prevent both abrasion and adhesion. In this context, sufficient corrosion resistance is desirable. This paper will elaborate on the development of a novel intermetallic iron-base hard alloy.

Barkhausen noise in disordered striplike ferromagnets: Experiment versus simulations.

In this work, we present a systematic comparison of the results obtained from the low-frequency Barkhausen noise recordings in nanocrystalline samples with those from the numerical simulations of the random-field Ising model systems. We performed measurements at room temperature on a field-driven metallic glass stripe made of VITROPERM 800R, a nanocrystalline iron-based material with an excellent combination of soft and magnetic properties, making it a cutting-edge material for a wide range of applications. Given that the Barkhausen noise emissions emerging along a hysteresis curve are stochastic and depend in general on a variety of factors (such as distribution of disorder due to impurities or defects, varied size of crystal grains, type of domain structure, driving rate of the external magnetic field, sample shape and temperature, etc.), adequate theoretical modeling is essential for their interpretation and prediction. Here the Random field Ising model, specifically its athermal nonequilibrium version with the finite driving rate, stands out as an appropriate choice due to the material's nanocrystalline structure and high Curie temperature. We performed a systematic analysis of the signal properties and magnetization avalanches comparing the outcomes of the numerical model and experiments carried out in a two-decade-wide range of the external magnetic field driving rates. Our results reveal that with a suitable choice of parameters, a considerable match with the experimental results is achieved, indicating that this model can accurately describe the Barkhausen noise features in nanocrystalline samples.

Study of the Plasticizer Effect on Technological Properties of Iron-Based Powder Materials Alloyed with Copper

Study of the Plasticizer Effect on Technological Properties of Iron-Based Powder Materials Alloyed with Copper

Superconducting Order Parameter Structure in the Nematic Phase of Iron-based Materials

We consider the effect of the nematic order on the formation of the superconducting state in iron pnictides and chalcogenides. Nematic order with the \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{B}_{{2g}}}$$\\end{document} symmetry is modelled as the d-type Pomeranchuk instability and treated within the mean-field approach. Calculated nematic order parameter depends on the nematic interaction coefficient and abruptly changes with the coefficient’s increase. The superconducting solution is obtained within the spin-fluctuation pairing theory. We show that the leading solution in the nematic phase has a \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{s}_{{\\pi \\pm }}}$$\\end{document} structure. From the critical temperature \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{T}_{c}}$$\\end{document} estimations, we conclude that the nematic superconducting state of the \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{s}_{{\\pi \\pm }}}$$\\end{document} type is more favorable than the usual \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{s}_{ \\pm }}$$\\end{document} and \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{d}_{{{{x}^{2}} - {{y}^{2}}}}}$$\\end{document} type states appearing in the absence of the nematicity.

Effect of Surface-Modified Graphene Addition on In Situ Synthesized Iron-Based Friction Materials

Effect of Surface-Modified Graphene Addition on In Situ Synthesized Iron-Based Friction Materials

Unveiling The Unconventional Superconductivity Via Cuprates and Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Since the twentieth century, the exploration of superconducting material, a type of material that exhibits zero electrical resistance, has remained a paramount topic of inquiry within the scientific community seeing its excellent potential in bringing dramatical improvement to the material science and electric power and high-field magnet technology. However, earliest materials with superconducting aptitude requires extreme condition for critical temperature: It needs a temperature close to 0K, which is hard for application. This severe technical issue then led to an exploration to materials with higher temperature to reveal superconductivity. With decades of efforts, despite there are still arguments in working principle, new material like cooper oxide and iron-based material were found to have critical temperature higher than the limit predicted by Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory. However, recent experiment and accompanying working principle for the superconductivity of twisted layer graphene may suggest that it has greater potential in high temperature superconducting, due to its tunable property and relatively simpler working mechanism.

Pocket pairs in iron-based materials

Pocket pairs in iron-based materials

Transient co-tuning of atomic Fe and nanoparticle facets for self-relaying Fenton-like catalysis

Fenton-like catalysts are important materials for degrading refractory organic pollutants, however, they still suffer from limited oxidizing ability. Although single atoms and nanoparticles with high-index facets are commonly used in catalysis, their high surface energy hinders controllable synthesis. Here, we construct an iron-based material containing both isolated single atoms and high-index faceted nanoparticles by carbon-assisted Flash Joule heating for organic pollutant remediation. The current-induced thermal shock benefits the excitation of iron atoms and subsequent trapping by graphene defects. At ultrahigh temperatures, the thermodynamic limitations are overcome, leading to nanoparticles with high-index facets. Density functional theory calculations indicate that hydroxyl radical production can be enhanced by self-relay catalysis via the ensemble effect between single atoms and high-index facet nanoparticles. The derived materials exhibit dramatically improved performance in terms of antibiotic removal and medical micropolluted water. Thus, this method presents an effective strategy for designing smart materials for organic wastewater purification.

Construction of iron oxide@C@Fe heterointerfaces by oxygen atmosphere heat treatment for enhanced microwave absorption performance

Carbon and iron-based materials are the two most extensively implemented microwave absorption materials. In this paper, carbon/iron-based wave absorption composite materials with tremendous dielectric and magnetic loss were successfully synthesized by carbonizing iron (Ⅲ) acetylacetonate (Fe(acc)3). The heterointerfaces were constructed by oxidation heat treatment to further regulate the dielectric loss and optimize the impedance matching of the composite, and improve the microwave absorption performance. Eventually, ultra-thin lightweight composite materials were prepared. When the thickness of the absorbing coating was only 1.01 mm, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value of the composite was −15.8 dB with 50 % filling. In addition, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) (RL ≤ -10 dB) was highly up to 8.8 GHz (9.2––18 GHz).

MOF-derived FeOx with highly dispersed active sites as an efficient catalyst for enchaning catalytic oxidation of VOCs

Highly efficient and stable catalysts serve as the crucial factor in VOCs catalytic oxidation technology. Iron-based materials are recognized as potential VOCs catalysts due to their cost-effectiveness and non-toxic nature. However, the limited catalytic performance of traditional iron oxide catalysts hinders their further industrial applications. A series of FeOx catalysts were synthesized via pyrolysis of Fe-based MOFs with diverse morphologies for toluene catalytic oxidation. Characterization results demonstrated that the FeOx-100 catalyst performed optimal characteristics, including the abundant specific surface area and smaller crystallite size, which offered highly dispersed active sites and defects for toluene oxidation. The catalytic activity of FeOx-100 was improved by adjusting the precursors and pyrolysis conditions, achieving a 50% toluene conversion at 223 °C and 90% conversion at 249 °C. The redox abilities of FeOx catalysts were carefully evaluated to assess their impact on catalytic activity. The results confirmed that FeOx-100 exhibited superior low-temperature reducibility, remarkable presence of surface active oxygen and lattice oxygen species, jointly facilitating the toluene oxidation performance at lower temperatures. The results of in situ DRIFTS provided evidence supporting a degradation pathway for toluene, likely proceeding as follows: toluene→ benzaldehyde→ benzoate→ anhydride → …→ CO2 and H2O.

One-Pot Green-Synthesis of Supported Reductive Biogenic Iron-Based Materials for the Removal of Cr(VI)

One-Pot Green-Synthesis of Supported Reductive Biogenic Iron-Based Materials for the Removal of Cr(VI)

Degradation and Erosion of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Comparative Study of a NanoMIL-100 Drug Delivery System.

To make a drug work better, the active substance can be incorporated into a vehicle for optimal protection and control of the drug delivery time and space. For making the drug carrier, the porous metal-organic framework (MOF) can offer high drug-loading capacity and various designs for effective drug delivery performance, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Nevertheless, its degradation process is complex and not easily predictable, and the toxicity concern related to the MOF degradation products remains a challenge for their clinical translation. Here, we describe an in-depth molecular and nanoscale degradation mechanism of aluminum- and iron-based nanoMIL-100 materials exposed to phosphate-buffered saline. Using a combination of analytical tools, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy, we demonstrate qualitatively and quantitatively the formation of a new coordination bond between metal(III) and phosphate, trimesate release, and correlation between these two processes. Moreover, the extent of material erosion, i.e., bulk or surface erosion, was examined from the transformation of nanoparticles' surface, morphology, and interaction with water. Similar analyses show the impact of drug loading and surface coating on nanoMIL-100 degradation and drug release as a function of the metal-ligand binding strength. Our results indicate how the chemistry of nanoMIL-100(Al) and nanoMIL-100(Fe) drug carriers affects their degradation behaviors in a simulated physiological medium. This difference in behavior between the two nanoMIL-100s enables us to better correlate the nanoscale and atomic-scale mechanisms of the observed phenomena, thus validating the presented multiscale approach.

Progress and perspectives on iron-based electrode materials for alkali metal-ion batteries: a critical review.

Iron-based materials with significant physicochemical properties, including high theoretical capacity, low cost and mechanical and thermal stability, have attracted research attention as electrode materials for alkali metal-ion batteries (AMIBs). However, practical implementation of some iron-based materials is impeded by their poor conductivity, large volume change, and irreversible phase transition during electrochemical reactions. In this review we critically assess advances in the chemical synthesis and structural design, together with modification strategies, of iron-based compounds for AMIBs, to obviate these issues. We assess and categorize structural and compositional regulation and its effects on the working mechanisms and electrochemical performances of AMIBs. We establish insight into their applications and determine practical challenges in their development. We provide perspectives on future directions and likely outcomes. We conclude that for boosted electrochemical performance there is a need for better design of structures and compositions to increase ionic/electronic conductivity and the contact area between active materials and electrolytes and to obviate the large volume change and low conductivity. Findings will be of interest and benefit to researchers and manufacturers for sustainable development of advanced rechargeable ion batteries using iron-based electrode materials.

The role of density functional theory in decoding the complexities of hydrogen embrittlement in steels.

Hydrogen (H) is considered as the key element in aiding the initiated green energy transition. To facilitate this, efficient and durable technologies need to be developed for the generation, storage, transportation, and use of H. All these value chain stages require materials that can withstand continuous exposure to H. Once absorbed, H can eventually concentrate to critical levels in a stressed microstructure, inducing specific damage mechanisms and consecutive loss of mechanical properties. This is known as hydrogen embrittlement (HE). Being one of the most significant structural material types, steels are widely used throughout the H value chain. They can suffer from HE, and numerous attempts are made towards understanding and mitigating this complex phenomenon. While originating at a size scale of atoms, HE acts on multiple spatio-temporal scales, and combined efforts of experimental and modelling techniques are needed to deal with it. This perspective is devoted to assimilating the knowledge that can be generated by density functional theory (DFT) methods to understand interactions between H and iron-based materials, and to promote finding solutions to HE in metallic materials in general. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the properties calculated using DFT that can help advance finding novel H-resistant high-strength materials that facilitate the green shift at sufficient performance levels to meet the growing future needs.

Process of Sintering Iron-Based Powder Materials Alloyed with Copper with Introduction of Various Plasticizers Into an Initial Charge

Process of Sintering Iron-Based Powder Materials Alloyed with Copper with Introduction of Various Plasticizers Into an Initial Charge