Ultrahigh Yield Research Articles

Steering Acid-base Site Distribution and Hydrophobicity of Bioresourced Bifunctional Hybrid Materials for Direct Synthesis of γ-Valerolactone from Biomass-based Furfural.

The direct production of value-added chemicals from biomass via multiple conversion processes with a sole renewable solid catalyst is promising for carbon-neutral development while challenging. Herein, a series of novel bioresourced organic-inorganic hybrid materials were synthesized from bio-based ascorbic acid (Vc), zirconium chloride (ZrCl4) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) through a facile solvothermal process. The as-prepared Zr-Vc-3 catalyst with Vc, ZrCl4, and p-TSA in the 1:1:0.5 molar ratio displayed outstanding performance in direct furfural-to-γ-valerolactone (GVL) transformation, giving an ultrahigh GVL yield of 76.2%, with an ideal activation energy (55.46 kJ mol-1), outperforming state-of-the-art catalysts. The superior performance of Zr-Vc-3 could be ascribed to its good reusability, relatively large pore size, suitable amount of acid-base sites, and good hydrophobicity. Mechanistic studies unveiled that Lewis acid-base sites facilitate the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and isopropyl levulinate (IPL) to 4-hydroxypentanoate via transfer hydrogenation process, while Brønsted acid sites are instrumental in the ring-opening of furfuryl alcohol to IPL and the lactonization of 4-hydroxypentanoate to GVL, overall contributing to the multi-step conversion of furfural to GVL in a single pot. This work provides a valuable reference for precisely constructing bio-based OIHMs with tailored functionalities forone-pot valorization of biomass feedstocks via tandem reactions.

Atmosphere-driven metal-support synergy in ZnO/Au catalysts for efficient piezo-catalytic hydrogen evolution

Piezo-catalysis, which leverages mechanical energy to drive chemical reactions, is emerging as a promising method for sustainable energy production. While the enhancement of piezo-catalytic performance through metal-support interactions is well-documented, the critical influence of the synthesis atmosphere during metal-loaded piezo-catalyst preparation has been a notable gap in the field. To this end, we systematically investigate how different atmospheric conditions during the synthesis of catalysts—without gas flow or with Ar, N2 and O2—affect metal dispersion, oxidation states, piezo-carrier dynamics, and electronic structure, and subsequently shape the metal-support interactions and piezo-catalytic activity. ZnO/Au, with Au deposited on ZnO, is selected as the model system, and hydrogen evolution reaction is used as the probe reaction. Our results demonstrate that an oxygen-enriched atmosphere significantly enhances the metal-support interactions, achieving an ultrahigh net hydrogen yield of 16.5 mmol·g–1·h–1 on ZnO/Au, a 3.58-fold increase over pristine ZnO. Specifically, the performance improvements substantially surpass those synthesized under other atmospheric conditions. Conversely, exposure to CO2 transforms the ZnO support into ZnCO3, adversely affecting its catalytic activity. These findings reveal the crucial impact of synthesis conditions on piezo-catalyst performance and thereby open new avenues for optimizing catalyst systems for enhanced sustainability.

Bimetallic Cu11Ag3 Nanotips for Ultrahigh Yield Rate of Nitrate-to-Ammonium.

Electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia (NRA) offers a sustainable approach for NH3 production and NO3- removal but suffers from low NH3 yield rate (<1.20 mmol h-1 cm-2). We present bimetallic Cu11Ag3 nanotips with tailored local environment and tip-enhanced effects, which achieve an ultrahigh NH3 yield rate of 2.36 mmol h-1 cm-2 at a low applied potential of -0.33 V vs. RHE, a high Faradic efficiency (FE) of 98.8%, and long-term operation stability at 1800 mg-N L-1 NO3-, outperforming most of the recently reported catalysts. At a NO3- concentration as low as 15 mg-N L-1, it still delivers a high FE of 86.9% and an NH3 selectivity of 93.8%. Operando ATR-FTIR spectra, finite-element method, and DFT calculations reveal that the Cu11Ag3 exhibits reduced adsorption energy barrier of *N intermediates, favorable water dissociation for *H generation and high energy barrier for H2 formation, while its tip-enhanced enrichment promoting NO3- accumulation.

Bimetallic Cu11Ag3 Nanotips for Ultrahigh Yield Rate of Nitrate‐to‐Ammonium

Electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia (NRA) offers a sustainable approach for NH3 production and NO3‐ removal but suffers from low NH3 yield rate (&lt;1.20 mmol h‐1 cm‐2). We present bimetallic Cu11Ag3 nanotips with tailored local environment and tip‐enhanced effects, which achieve an ultrahigh NH3 yield rate of 2.36 mmol h‐1 cm‐2 at a low applied potential of ‐0.33 V vs. RHE, a high Faradic efficiency (FE) of 98.8%, and long‐term operation stability at 1800 mg‐N L‐1 NO3‐, outperforming most of the recently reported catalysts. At a NO3‐ concentration as low as 15 mg‐N L‐1, it still delivers a high FE of 86.9% and an NH3 selectivity of 93.8%. Operando ATR‐FTIR spectra, finite‐element method, and DFT calculations reveal that the Cu11Ag3 exhibits reduced adsorption energy barrier of *N intermediates, favorable water dissociation for *H generation and high energy barrier for H2 formation, while its tip‐enhanced enrichment promoting NO3‐ accumulation.

Design of tri-phase lamellar architectures for enhanced ductility in ultra-strong steel

Achieving exceptional ductility in ultra-high strength steels has long been a formidable challenge, particularly when the yield strength reaches 2.0 GPa. In this study, we have designed an innovative tri-phase lamellar microstructure in medium Mn steel that successfully achieves both an ultrahigh yield strength of approximately 2.0 GPa and an impressive uniform elongation ranging from 22.5 % to 24.5 %. The ultra-high yield strength of this steel is primarily due to the ultrafine lamellar grain with high-density dislocations and HDI strengthening resulting from meticulously designed tri-phase lamellae. The remarkable ductility is attributed to the synergistic action of multiple plasticity mechanisms. The inherently excellent plasticity of the lamellar ferrite, in coordination with the lamellar martensite, generates significant HDI hardening, thereby suppressing the onset of necking in the early stages of deformation. During the mid-stage of deformation, high strain activates the transformation-induced plasticity effect in the highly stable austenite, which remains stable due to substantial HDI hardening and effectively mitigates strain localization. In the later stages of deformation, delamination cracking relieves stress accumulation at the interfaces, delaying material failure. These mechanisms elevate yield strength and uniform elongation product to 47.3 GPa·%, showcasing the tri-phase lamellar structure’s potential for ultrahigh-strength, high-ductility steels.

Pursuing ultrahigh strength–ductility CoCrNi-based medium-entropy alloy by low-temperature pre-aging

Developing high-performance alloys with gigapascal strength and excellent ductility is crucial for modern engineering applications. The concept of multi-component high/medium entropy alloys (H/MEAs) provides an innovative approach to designing such alloys. In this work, we developed the Co1.5CrNi1.5Al0.2Ti0.2 MEA, which exhibits outstanding mechanical properties at room temperature through low-temperature pre-aging followed by annealing treatment. Tensile testing reveals that the MEA possesses an ultrahigh yield strength of 20±0785 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 2365 ± 70 MPa, and exceptional ductility of 15.8% ±1.7%. The superior tensile properties are attributed to the formation of fully recrystallized heterogeneous structures (HGS) composed of ultrafine grain (UFG) and fine grain (FG) regions, along with discontinuous precipitation of coherent nano-size lamellar L12 precipitates. The mechanical incompatibility between the UFG region and the FG regions during deformation induces the accumulation of a large number of geometrically necessary dislocations at the interface, resulting in strain distribution and hetero-deformation-induced (HDI) stress accumulation, contributing significantly to HDI strengthening. HDI strengthening, precipitation strengthening, and grain boundary strengthening are the primary mechanisms responsible for the ultra-high yield strength of the MEA. During deformation, the dominant deformation mechanisms include dislocation slip, deformation-induced stacking faults, and Lomer–Cottrell locks, with minor deformation twinning. The synergistic interaction of these multiple deformation modes provides the MEA with excellent work hardening capability, delaying plastic instability and achieving an excellent combination of strength and ductility. This study provides an effective strategy for synergistically strengthening MEAs by combining HDI strengthening with traditional strengthening mechanisms. These findings pave the way for the development of advanced structural materials with high performance tailored for demanding applications in engineering.

A polymer-like ultrahigh-strength metal alloy

Futuristic technologies such as morphing aircrafts and super-strong artificial muscles depend on metal alloys being as strong as ultrahigh-strength steel yet as flexible as a polymer1–3. However, achieving such ‘strong yet flexible’ alloys has proven challenging4–9 because of the inevitable trade-off between strength and flexibility5,8,10. Here we report a Ti–50.8 at.% Ni strain glass alloy showing a combination of ultrahigh yield strength of σy ≈ 1.8 GPa and polymer-like ultralow elastic modulus of E ≈ 10.5 GPa, together with super-large rubber-like elastic strain of approximately 8%. As a result, it possesses a high flexibility figure of merit of σy/E ≈ 0.17 compared with existing structural materials. In addition, it can maintain such properties over a wide temperature range of −80 °C to +80 °C and demonstrates excellent fatigue resistance at high strain. The alloy was fabricated by a simple three-step thermomechanical treatment that is scalable to industrial lines, which leads not only to ultrahigh strength because of deformation strengthening, but also to ultralow modulus by the formation of a unique ‘dual-seed strain glass’ microstructure, composed of a strain glass matrix embedded with a small number of aligned R and B19′ martensite ‘seeds’. In situ X-ray diffractometry shows that the polymer-like deformation behaviour of the alloy originates from a nucleation-free reversible transition between strain glass and R and B19′ martensite during loading and unloading. This exotic alloy with the potential for mass producibility may open a new horizon for many futuristic technologies, such as morphing aerospace vehicles, superman-type artificial muscles and artificial organs.

Twinning induced strain hardening and plasticity in a γ''-precipitated medium-entropy alloy with ultrahigh yield strength

Keeping adequate strain hardening to postpone plastic instability to a larger tensile strain is a stiff challenge in alloys with high yield strength. This study showed the feasibility of activating deformation twins (DTs) to ductilize an ultra-strong medium-entropy alloy (MEA) through microstructural design. High content (∼24 %) γ'' precipitates were introduced into a Ni49.9Fe33Cr10Nb4Ta3B0.1 (at.%) MEA to offer high yield stress. We found that increasing the γ'' precipitate size and spacing successfully activated DTs, contributing to a sustainable strain hardening of the alloy. Accordingly, an ultrahigh tensile yield stress (YS) of 1.55 GPa and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) of 1.7 GPa, along with a fracture elongation of 14.5 % were achieved in the MEA. We further demonstrated that compared to lowering the stacking-fault energy (SFE), increasing γ'' precipitate spacing significantly reduced the critical shear stress for triggering twinning partials in a nanoscale γ/γ'' system.

The highly efficient and stable near-infrared phosphor Ca3MgSnGe3O12: Cr3+ for multifunctional application

The investigation of efficient and stable near-infrared (NIR) luminescent materials is crucial for rapidly developing near-infrared spectroscopic techniques. Herein, NIR phosphors Ca3MgSnGe3O12: Cr3+ with ultra thermal stability and high internal quantum yield (IQY) are explored. The emission intensity remained at 91.75 %@423 K of room temperature and the IQY/EQE reaches 91.41 %/34.04 % after doping the H3BO3 flux agent for optimization. Moreover, a single luminescence center was identified by cryogenic photo luminescence spectroscopy (PL) from 4 K to 300 K and lifetime decay curve. Importantly, NIR light can easily removes all kinds of background interference that cannot be easily eliminated by visible light, which is not only widely used in night vision and biological tissue penetration, but also has higher application prospects in NIR fingerprint detection. Moreover, it clearly displays high level of fingerprint details under high temperature conditions and after water immersion, thus it is perfectly suited for using in Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) systems. Therefore, Ca3MgSnGe3O12: Cr3+ NIR pc-LEDs have great potential for latent fingerprint detection at actual crime scenes.

On novel Ni-rich phase formed during aging of an additively manufactured ultra-high strength CoFeNi alloy

The precipitation mechanism of strengthening phase of a body-centered-cubic (BCC) structured CoFeNi multi-principal element alloy produced by additive manufacturing was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT). The hardness of CoFeNi alloy achieved the peak value of 554.79 ± 9.86 HV after aging for 160 h at 400 °C. The CoFeNi alloy exhibited an ultrahigh compressive yield strength and ultimate compressive strength up to 1.8 GPa and 2.3 GPa respectively, whilst maintains a strain of 18.9 %. The microstructure of the alloy exhibited nanoscale lamellar Ni-rich phase with high stability homogeneously distributed in BCC matrix after aging at 400 °C. The novel Ni-rich phase containing about 50 at. % Ni with a hexagonal structure is the mainly precipitation strengthening phase, and has coherent orientation relationship with the BCC matrix in the<101>bcc∥<112¯0>Niand 111bcc∥{0001}Ni. Based on the experimental results, the precipitation mechanisms of the Ni-rich phase were discussed in detail. The current work provides a possible new direction to design high-strength alloy by introducing the novel Ni-rich phase.

Ultrastrong, high plasticity, and softening-resistant refractory high-entropy alloy via stable isostructural coherent interfaces

Traditional approaches for improving the mechanical performance of alloys entail modifying interfaces, particularly grain boundaries, with elemental segregation or secondary phases. However, these methods face challenges in concurrently improving the strength, plasticity, and high-temperature softening resistance of alloys. Here, we uncovered that stable isostructural coherent interfaces effectively address these challenges. In the model body-centered cubic (BCC) MoTaVW refractory high-entropy alloy (RHEA) fabricated by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering, controlling the sintering temperature enhances the preferential segregation of W at interfaces. This results in a distinct BCC W-enriched nanolayer between micrometer-scale grains. This nanolayer facilitates dislocation slip and prevents grain growth, thereby improving both plasticity and resistance to high-temperature softening. Consequently, the MoTaVW RHEA featuring stable isostructural coherent interfaces achieves an ultrahigh yield strength of 1410 MPa and a plasticity of 22 % at ambient temperature. Even at 1200 °C, it maintains a yield strength of 575 MPa under hot compression.

Tris(triazolo)triazine‐Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for Efficiently Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production

AbstractTwo‐dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D‐COFs) have recently emerged as fascinating scaffolds for solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion because of their customizable structures and functionalities. Herein, two tris(triazolo)triazine‐based COF materials (namely COF‐JLU51 and COF‐JLU52) featuring large surface area, high crystallinity, excellent stability and photoelectric properties were designed and constructed for the first time. Remarkably, COF‐JLU51 gave an outstanding H2O2 production rate of over 4200 μmol g−1 h−1 with excellent reusability in pure water and O2 under one standard sun light, that higher than its isomorphic COF‐JLU52 and most of the reported metal‐free materials, owing to its superior generation, separation and transport of photogenerated carriers. Experimental and theoretical researches prove that the photocatalytic process undergoes a combination of indirect 2e− O2 reduction reaction (ORR) and 4e− H2O oxidation reaction (WOR). Specifically, an ultrahigh yield of 7624.7 μmol g−1 h−1 with apparent quantum yield of 18.2 % for COF‐JLU52 was achieved in a 1 : 1 ratio of benzyl alcohol and water system. This finding contributes novel, nitrogen‐rich and high‐quality tris(triazolo)triazine‐based COF materials, and also designate their bright future in photocatalytic solar transformations.

Tris(triazolo)triazine-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for Efficiently Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production.

Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D-COFs) have recently emerged as fascinating scaffolds for solar-to-chemical energy conversion because of their customizable structures and functionalities. Herein, two tris(triazolo)triazine-based COF materials (namely COF-JLU51 and COF-JLU52) featuring large surface area, high crystallinity, excellent stability and photoelectric properties were designed and constructed for the first time. Remarkably, COF-JLU51 gave an outstanding H2O2 production rate of over 4200 μmol g-1 h-1 with excellent reusability in pure water and O2 under one standard sun light, that higher than its isomorphic COF-JLU52 and most of the reported metal-free materials, owing to its superior generation, separation and transport of photogenerated carriers. Experimental and theoretical researches prove that the photocatalytic process undergoes a combination of indirect 2e- O2 reduction reaction (ORR) and 4e- H2O oxidation reaction (WOR). Specifically, an ultrahigh yield of 7624.7 μmol g-1 h-1 with apparent quantum yield of 18.2 % for COF-JLU52 was achieved in a 1 : 1 ratio of benzyl alcohol and water system. This finding contributes novel, nitrogen-rich and high-quality tris(triazolo)triazine-based COF materials, and also designate their bright future in photocatalytic solar transformations.

Strengthening high-nitrogen austenitic stainless steel via constructing multi-scaled heterostructure

High nitrogen austenitic stainless steels (HNASSs) have received widespread attention owing to their outstanding corrosion resistance, excellent weldability and workability. However, these materials usually exhibit insufficient yield strength to satisfy the requirement in service because of their face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. Here, we report a novel material design strategy of constructing both grain-scaled and atomic-scaled heterostructure through applying appropriate thermo-mechanical treatment to improve the comprehensive mechanical properties of HNASS. The optimal comprehensive mechanical properties with a yield strength of 1361 MPa and a uniform elongation of 10.6% are achieved. The results show that the ultrahigh yield strength mainly originates from the lath structure consisting of local chemical order domains (∼490 MPa), and the satisfactory ductility benefits from both deformation twinning and dislocation slip. This work proposes for the first time the strategy to improve mechanical properties of HNASS by introducing the multi-scaled heterostructure, and guides the development of high-performance steels and many other advanced fcc materials.

Improving strength-ductility synergy of twinning-induced plasticity steel by introducing a sandwich structure via submerged double-face friction stir processing

Twinning-induced plasticity steels typically exhibit remarkable plasticity and ultimate tensile strength, but the inferior yield strength has become a bottleneck limiting their application. In this work, a unique gradient sandwich structure that aims to break the bottleneck was successfully fabricated using a submerged double-face friction stir processing technique. The sandwich structure is composed of a coarse-grained zone in the core and two ultrafine-grained zones on the surfaces. An ultrahigh yield strength (1215 MPa) which is 2.2 times that of the as-received base material (543 MPa) is achieved for the sandwich structure. Additionally, significant elongation (19 %) and corrosion resistance are retained simultaneously. The coordinated deformation and effective strain transfer between the ultrafine-grained zones and coarse-grained zone facilitate the dispersion of stress and uneven deformation, which contributes to the excellent strength-ductility of the sandwich structure. This work provides a feasible method for fabricating high-performance steels.

Constructing interfacial polarization to improve electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reactions in polyoxometalates-based metal-organic framework-derived Fe7S8-WS2-Co9S8 multi-phase heterostructures

Electrocatalytic nitrogen (N2) reduction to produce ammonia (NH3) has received increasing attention. It is urgent to design highly active and environmentally friendly catalysts due to present electrocatalysts still suffering from poor stability and low catalytic efficacy. In this work, Fe7S8-WS2-Co9S8 multi-phase heterostructures are prepared by using a template-directed assembly approach. The uniform distribution of Fe7S8-WS2-Co9S8 nanosheets derived from polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks (POMOFs) largely provides more reactive active sites and improves the enrichment efficiency of N2. Multi-phase heterojunction interface between Fe7S8, WS2 and Co9S8 enhances the interfacial polarisation and leads to electron transfer from WS2 to Fe7S8 and Co9S8, and further facilitated the reduction of N2 in the electron-rich Fe7S8, resulting in an ultrahigh NH3 yield of 51.21 μg·h·mgcat.−1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 34.12 %. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations indicate that Fe sites are favorable sites for N2 adsorption in Fe7S8-WS2-Co9S8 composites, and Fe7S8-WS2-Co9S8 is most likely to catalyze nitrogen reduction via the distal pathway. The current investigation provides a perspective for developing multi-phase heterogeneous catalysts for electrocatalytic NH3 from N2.

Heterogeneous structure and dual precipitates induced excellent strength-ductility combination in CoCrNiTi0.1 medium entropy alloy

Developing advanced structural materials with high strength and excellent ductility is crucial for meeting aerospace and military requirements. High/medium entropy alloys (H/MEAs) have garnered significant attention due to their superior mechanical properties. In this study, through severe deformation followed by heat treatment at temperatures in the range of 700–900 °C, we successfully obtained a fully recrystallized structure with double precipitates in non-equiatomic CoCrNiTi0.1. Tensile tests at room temperature revealed that the alloy annealed at 700 ° C for 1 h exhibited exceptional mechanical properties, with a yield strength of 1575 MPa, tensile strength of 1735 MPa, and ductility of 15 %. The ultrahigh yield strength is primarily attributed to the synergistic strengthening mechanisms including precipitation strengthening, grain-boundary strengthening, and HDI strengthening. The FCC/L12 interface facilitated dislocation transfer during deformation, reducing stress concentration and promoting uniform deformation. Additionally, deformation mechanisms such as stacking faults and trace twinning contributed to the alloy's excellent ductility, ensuring substantial work-hardening capability and achieving a remarkable strength-ductility combination. These findings not only offer an effective strategy for enhancing the mechanical performance of non-equiatomic MEAs but also deepen our understanding of synergistic strengthening and deformation mechanisms in alloys.

Exceptional strength paired with increased cold cracking susceptibility in laser powder bed fusion of a Mg-RE alloy

Additive manufacturing (AM) of high-strength metallic alloys frequently encounters detrimental distortion and cracking, attributed to the accumulation of thermal stresses. These issues significantly impede the practical application of as-printed components. This study examines the Mg-15Gd-1Zn-0.4Zr (GZ151K, wt.%) alloy, a prototypical high-strength casting Mg-RE alloy, fabricated through laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Despite achieving ultra-high strength, the GZ151K alloy concurrently exhibits a pronounced cold-cracking susceptibility. The as-printed GZ151K alloy consists of almost fully fine equiaxed grains with an average grain size of merely 2.87 µm. Subsequent direct aging (T5) heat treatment induces the formation of dense prismatic β' precipitates. Consequently, the LPBF-T5 GZ151K alloy manifests an ultra-high yield strength of 405 MPa, surpassing all previously reported yield strengths for Mg alloys fabricated via LPBF and even exceeding that of its extrusion-T5 counterpart. Interestingly, as-printed GZ151K samples with a build height of 2 mm exhibit no cracking, whereas samples with build heights ranging from 4 to 18 mm demonstrate severe cold cracking. Thermal stress simulation also suggests that the cold cracking susceptibility increases significantly with increasing build height. The combination of high thermal stress and low ductility in the as-printed GZ151K alloy culminates in a high cold cracking susceptibility. This study offers novel insights into the intricate issue of cold cracking in the LPBF process of high-strength Mg alloys, highlighting the critical balance between achieving high strength and mitigating cold cracking susceptibility.

Phosphonium Iodide Featuring Blue Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence for Highly Efficient X-Ray Scintillator.

Organic scintillators are praised for their abundant element reserves, facile preparation procedures, and rich structures. However, the weak X-ray attenuation ability and low exciton utilization efficiency result in unsatisfactory scintillation performance. Herein, a new family of highly efficient organic phosphonium halide salts with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are designed by innovatively adopting quaternary phosphonium as the electron acceptor, while dimethylamine group and halide anions (I-) serve as the electron donor. The prepared butyl(2-[2-(dimethylamino)phenyl]phenyl)diphenylphosphonium iodide (C4-I) exhibits bright blue emission and an ultra-high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 100 %. Efficient charge transfer is realized through the unique n-π and anion-π stacking in solid-state C4-I. Photophysical studies of C4-I suggest that the incorporation of I accounts for high intersystem crossing rate (kISC) and reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC), suppressing the intrinsic prompt fluorescence and enabling near-pure TADF emission at room temperature. Benefitting from the large Stokes shift, high PLQY, efficient exciton utilization, and remarkable X-ray attenuation ability endowed by I, C4-I delivers an outstanding light yield of 80721 photons/MeV and a low limit of detection (LoD) of 22.79 nGy ⋅ s-1. This work would provide a rational design concept and open up an appealing road for developing efficient organic scintillators with tunable emission, strong X-ray attenuation ability, and excellent scintillator performance.

Ultrastrong and ductile W–Cu composites via Al- mediated interfacial diffusion layers and matrix-nanoclusters networks

W–Cu composites are integrated materials with both structural and functional properties. However, the weak interfacial bonding capability leads to limited strain hardening, which makes it difficult to take full advantage of the coordination of the biphasic materials. In present work, a multistage strain-hardening (MSH) effect is created, which enables the W–Cu composites to possess a persistent and effective strain-hardening capability. The prepared W-30(CuAl5) (wt.%) alloy has significant tensile ductility (∼21 %) and ultra-high yield strength (∼840 MPa). Remarkably, compared to the original W–30Cu without Al alloying, the strength and ductility are over two and three times, respectively, accompanied by the preservation of an electrical conductivity of about 80 %. This excellent synergistic effect stems from the Al-mediated interpenetrating interfacial diffusion layers and matrix-nanoclusters interconnection networks. As a result, a high-density of dislocation segments, self-locking structures, and a variety of twinning mechanisms such as nanotwins and 9R configurations are sequentially activated, allowing the composites to accommodate ductility deformation while simultaneously facilitating interactions that produce three unusual rises in strain-hardening rate. The present work offers a critical perspective on the realization of a synergistic ultrahigh tensile ductility and strength combination in metal matrix composites.