Pub Date : 2025-11-09DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101244
Qing Cao
{"title":"Supporting the computational demands of artificial intelligence through integrated co-design spanning from materials to systems","authors":"Qing Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101244","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 101244"},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101245
Hao Chen, Hsiao-Hsuan Wu, Chia-Chen Li
Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes, such as LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811), are promising for high-energy lithium-ion batteries due to their high capacity. However, their structural stability under high-voltage operation remains a key challenge. In particular, the H2 ↔ H3 phase transition and the resulting transformation from a layered to a rock-salt-like structure cause mechanical stress and interfacial degradation, typically limiting the cutoff voltage of NCM811 cathodes to around 4.3 V. Here, we demonstrate that replacing the conventional liquid electrolyte with a polymer-in-ceramic composite solid electrolyte effectively suppresses these degradation pathways. The solid electrolyte constrains the c-axis lattice contraction and stabilizes the cathode–electrolyte interface, enabling stable cycling up to 5.0 V and significantly extending cycle life. Operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirm that although the cathode potential enters the H2 ↔ H3 regime, the characteristic lattice contraction and interfacial reconstruction are substantially mitigated in the solid-state system. This leads to reduced volumetric strain, preserved layered structure, and the formation of a thinner, more stable interphase. These findings underscore the critical role of solid electrolytes in enhancing the structural and interfacial stability of Ni-rich cathodes, offering a promising route toward safer and longer-lasting high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.
{"title":"Solid electrolyte-driven suppression of H2–H3 phase transition in Ni-rich cathodes for stable high-voltage cycling","authors":"Hao Chen, Hsiao-Hsuan Wu, Chia-Chen Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes, such as LiNi<sub>0.8</sub>Co<sub>0.1</sub>Mn<sub>0.1</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NCM811), are promising for high-energy lithium-ion batteries due to their high capacity. However, their structural stability under high-voltage operation remains a key challenge. In particular, the H2 ↔ H3 phase transition and the resulting transformation from a layered to a rock-salt-like structure cause mechanical stress and interfacial degradation, typically limiting the cutoff voltage of NCM811 cathodes to around 4.3 V. Here, we demonstrate that replacing the conventional liquid electrolyte with a polymer-in-ceramic composite solid electrolyte effectively suppresses these degradation pathways. The solid electrolyte constrains the <em>c</em>-axis lattice contraction and stabilizes the cathode–electrolyte interface, enabling stable cycling up to 5.0 V and significantly extending cycle life. Operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirm that although the cathode potential enters the H2 ↔ H3 regime, the characteristic lattice contraction and interfacial reconstruction are substantially mitigated in the solid-state system. This leads to reduced volumetric strain, preserved layered structure, and the formation of a thinner, more stable interphase. These findings underscore the critical role of solid electrolytes in enhancing the structural and interfacial stability of Ni-rich cathodes, offering a promising route toward safer and longer-lasting high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 101245"},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-16DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101240
Hyunseung Kim , Changyeon Baek , Sang-il Yoon , Dong Hoon Lee , Youngseo Song , Kwi-Il Park , Angus I. Kingon , Seung-Hyun Kim , Chang Kyu Jeong
Pyrochlore oxides (A2B2O7) are gaining prominence as advanced dielectric materials, overcoming intrinsic limitations of conventional ferroelectric and relaxor-based dielectrics through structural adaptability and tunable compositional flexibility. This review critically evaluates recent developments in pyrochlore ceramics and thin films, focusing on compositional design, microstructural engineering, and integration strategies for high-performance dielectric energy storage. Key advantages, such as exceptional thermal stability, minimized hysteresis losses, and enhanced breakdown strengths, are analyzed in depth. The roles of configurational entropy, nanoscale grain refinement, and defect engineering in optimizing polarization and reliability are systematically explored. Challenges, including temperature-dependent dielectric stability, microstructural uniformity, and scalability, are identified, with strategies proposed for future breakthroughs. These advances position pyrochlore oxides as an essential platform for overcoming the key trade-offs that have long limited conventional dielectric ceramics, presenting new opportunities for reliable, high-efficiency energy storage in a wide range of demanding applications. By integrating crystallographic insights with practical device considerations, this work highlights the potential of pyrochlore oxides as transformative materials to bridge existing gaps between high energy density and reliability in next-generation capacitor technologies.
{"title":"Pyrochlore oxides: Redefining dielectric materials prospective towards fresh energy storage capacitors","authors":"Hyunseung Kim , Changyeon Baek , Sang-il Yoon , Dong Hoon Lee , Youngseo Song , Kwi-Il Park , Angus I. Kingon , Seung-Hyun Kim , Chang Kyu Jeong","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pyrochlore oxides (A<sub>2</sub>B<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>) are gaining prominence as advanced dielectric materials, overcoming intrinsic limitations of conventional ferroelectric and relaxor-based dielectrics through structural adaptability and tunable compositional flexibility. This review critically evaluates recent developments in pyrochlore ceramics and thin films, focusing on compositional design, microstructural engineering, and integration strategies for high-performance dielectric energy storage. Key advantages, such as exceptional thermal stability, minimized hysteresis losses, and enhanced breakdown strengths, are analyzed in depth. The roles of configurational entropy, nanoscale grain refinement, and defect engineering in optimizing polarization and reliability are systematically explored. Challenges, including temperature-dependent dielectric stability, microstructural uniformity, and scalability, are identified, with strategies proposed for future breakthroughs. These advances position pyrochlore oxides as an essential platform for overcoming the key trade-offs that have long limited conventional dielectric ceramics, presenting new opportunities for reliable, high-efficiency energy storage in a wide range of demanding applications. By integrating crystallographic insights with practical device considerations, this work highlights the potential of pyrochlore oxides as transformative materials to bridge existing gaps between high energy density and reliability in next-generation capacitor technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 101240"},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145322395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-05DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101241
Natalie P. Holmes , Yue-Sheng Chen , Ranming Niu , Helen McGuire , Eason Yi-Sheng Chen , Julie M. Cairney
Atom probe tomography (APT) is a powerful analytical technique that generates atom-by-atom reconstructions of matter, providing quantitative three-dimensional elemental and isotopic analyses at near atomic-scale resolution across the entire periodic table. It has advantages in chemical sensitivity, spatial resolution, and 3D compositional reconstruction capability. Atom probe tomography was originally applied in the discipline of metallurgy, and has recently expanded to multiple new disciplines, including semiconductors, geology and biology, due to the ability to study less conductive materials that is afforded by laser-induced evaporation within the atom probe. Breakthrough research findings on the near atomic-scale structure of biological materials, such as bone and teeth, have been reported in the last decade, and we now have the opportunity to develop atom probe to utilise the technique for further breakthroughs in medical science and beyond. Here we review studies of the near atomic-scale structure of hard biological materials with atom probe tomography. We cover challenges associated with the analysis of biomaterials and possible solutions, including specimen preparation of non-conductive biological composite materials, bespoke optimisation of atom probe experimental running parameters, interpretation of complex mass spectra, and understanding the reproducibility and accuracy of the 3D atomistic reconstructions.
{"title":"Probing the Near-Atomic Scale Structure of Hard Biological Materials with Atom Probe Tomography: A Review","authors":"Natalie P. Holmes , Yue-Sheng Chen , Ranming Niu , Helen McGuire , Eason Yi-Sheng Chen , Julie M. Cairney","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Atom probe tomography (APT) is a powerful analytical technique that generates atom-by-atom reconstructions of matter, providing quantitative three-dimensional elemental and isotopic analyses at near atomic-scale resolution across the entire periodic table. It has advantages in chemical sensitivity, spatial resolution, and 3D compositional reconstruction capability. Atom probe tomography was originally applied in the discipline of metallurgy, and has recently expanded to multiple new disciplines, including semiconductors, geology and biology, due to the ability to study less conductive materials that is afforded by laser-induced evaporation within the atom probe. Breakthrough research findings on the near atomic-scale structure of biological materials, such as bone and teeth, have been reported in the last decade, and we now have the opportunity to develop atom probe to utilise the technique for further breakthroughs in medical science and beyond. Here we review studies of the near atomic-scale structure of hard biological materials with atom probe tomography. We cover challenges associated with the analysis of biomaterials and possible solutions, including specimen preparation of non-conductive biological composite materials, bespoke optimisation of atom probe experimental running parameters, interpretation of complex mass spectra, and understanding the reproducibility and accuracy of the 3D atomistic reconstructions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 101241"},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101239
Ameneh Taghavi-Kahagh , Seyedeh-Arefeh Safavi-Mirmahalleh , Mohammad Reza Saeb , Mehdi Salami-Kalajahi , Sidi A. Bencherif
Polyampholytes contain both positively and negatively charged groups in their structure, which exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties that make them suitable for energy storage applications. Their unique ability to form strong Coulombic interactions with ions and self-associate, especially in aqueous environments, enhances the performance of electrodes and electrolytes. Extensive research on polyzwitterions, a subgroup of polyampholytes, has demonstrated their application in various systems such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells and solar cells. Polyampholytes improve stability, safety, and overall performance in batteries, leading to increased power output. They have been utilized as gel electrolytes in batteries to address the limited cycle life caused by ion stripping/plating. In supercapacitors, polyampholyte hydrogels enhance ionic conductivity and reduce concentration polarization with their multifunctional properties as electrolytes, binders, and separators. In fuel cells, polyampholyte membranes effectively block active components while maintaining high ionic conductivity. Zwitterions show promise as surface coatings in optoelectronic devices like organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), and organic solar cells (OSCs) by improving charge transport and enhancing internal electric fields. This review analyzes recent studies on polyampholytes, examining their limitations and future prospects, and inspires new ideas for energy storage applications.
{"title":"Polyampholytes in energy storage: A review","authors":"Ameneh Taghavi-Kahagh , Seyedeh-Arefeh Safavi-Mirmahalleh , Mohammad Reza Saeb , Mehdi Salami-Kalajahi , Sidi A. Bencherif","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyampholytes contain both positively and negatively charged groups in their structure, which exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties that make them suitable for energy storage applications. Their unique ability to form strong Coulombic interactions with ions and self-associate, especially in aqueous environments, enhances the performance of electrodes and electrolytes. Extensive research on polyzwitterions, a subgroup of polyampholytes, has demonstrated their application in various systems such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells and solar cells. Polyampholytes improve stability, safety, and overall performance in batteries, leading to increased power output. They have been utilized as gel electrolytes in batteries to address the limited cycle life caused by ion stripping/plating. In supercapacitors, polyampholyte hydrogels enhance ionic conductivity and reduce concentration polarization with their multifunctional properties as electrolytes, binders, and separators. In fuel cells, polyampholyte membranes effectively block active components while maintaining high ionic conductivity. Zwitterions show promise as surface coatings in optoelectronic devices like organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), and organic solar cells (OSCs) by improving charge transport and enhancing internal electric fields. This review analyzes recent studies on polyampholytes, examining their limitations and future prospects, and inspires new ideas for energy storage applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101239"},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101238
Xiaofeng Li , Li Zhang , Yunfei Li , Yuxia Zhao , Zi’ao Guo , Hang Wang , Kaiyuan Liu , Peikang Bai , Bin Liu , Huiping Tang , Yong Liu , Ma Qian
Cemented carbides, which combine refractory metal carbides with binder phases, are essential advanced engineering materials for modern industry, spanning manufacturing, mining, energy production, aerospace, and defense. Their unique properties enable critical applications in cutting tools, drilling equipment, molds, dies, and wear-resistant components, making them vital in today’s technological landscape. Cemented carbides have traditionally been produced using powder metallurgy (PM) techniques. However, these conventional methods have limitations in tooling and molding, particularly for creating complex geometries, which restricts design freedom and innovation. Furthermore, their reliance on costly and time-consuming dies limits rapid response for low-volume, customized, or on-demand production. Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers a promising alternative, eliminating dies and enabling complex geometries, integrated functional features, and innovative product designs previously unattainable with traditional methods. Recent research has explored various AM techniques for producing cemented carbides, including laser powder bed fusion of (LPBF), directed energy deposition (DED), electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF), selective laser sintering (SLS), binder jetting AM (BJAM), and powder extrusion printing (PEP) / 3D gel printing (3DGP). This article critically evaluates the current state-of-the-art, challenges, and future prospects of AM for cemented carbides. We analyze the suitability of various powder preparation methods for AM, examine the effectiveness of different AM techniques with cemented carbides, and discuss the microstructure, defects, and mechanical properties of cemented carbides fabricated by various AM processes, comparing them to traditionally manufactured counterparts. Our concluding remarks highlight the challenges in cemented carbide AM and suggest strategic directions for future research to advance this field.
{"title":"Advances in additive manufacturing of cemented carbides: From powder production to mechanical properties and future challenges","authors":"Xiaofeng Li , Li Zhang , Yunfei Li , Yuxia Zhao , Zi’ao Guo , Hang Wang , Kaiyuan Liu , Peikang Bai , Bin Liu , Huiping Tang , Yong Liu , Ma Qian","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cemented carbides, which combine refractory metal carbides with binder phases, are essential advanced engineering materials for modern industry, spanning manufacturing, mining, energy production, aerospace, and defense. Their unique properties enable critical applications in cutting tools, drilling equipment, molds, dies, and wear-resistant components, making them vital in today’s technological landscape. Cemented carbides have traditionally been produced using powder metallurgy (PM) techniques. However, these conventional methods have limitations in tooling and molding, particularly for creating complex geometries, which restricts design freedom and innovation. Furthermore, their reliance on costly and time-consuming dies limits rapid response for low-volume, customized, or on-demand production. Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers a promising alternative, eliminating dies and enabling complex geometries, integrated functional features, and innovative product designs previously unattainable with traditional methods. Recent research has explored various AM techniques for producing cemented carbides, including laser powder bed fusion of (LPBF), directed energy deposition (DED), electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF), selective laser sintering (SLS), binder jetting AM (BJAM), and powder extrusion printing (PEP) / 3D gel printing (3DGP). This article critically evaluates the current state-of-the-art, challenges, and future prospects of AM for cemented carbides. We analyze the suitability of various powder preparation methods for AM, examine the effectiveness of different AM techniques with cemented carbides, and discuss the microstructure, defects, and mechanical properties of cemented carbides fabricated by various AM processes, comparing them to traditionally manufactured counterparts. Our concluding remarks highlight the challenges in cemented carbide AM and suggest strategic directions for future research to advance this field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101238"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101231
Jaime Marian , Wahyu Setyawan , Ying Yang , Anas Manzoor , Weicheng Zhong , Jason R. Trelewicz , Jiankai Yu , Ethan Peterson , Yutai Katoh , Lance Snead , Brian D. Wirth
As the US fusion materials community awaits the selection and design of a fusion prototypical neutron source (FPNS), a risk reduction exercise has been conducted to (i) provide an updated materials performance evaluation using state-of-the-art computational materials modeling, (ii) expand on legacy analysis based on pure Fe to other relevant fusion structural materials types, and (iii) ensure that materials response under FPNS operational conditions is consistent with referential fusion reactor conditions. The current paper describes the efforts undertaken to assemble a comprehensive computational methodology that includes neutronics, primary damage calculations, atomistic simulations of displacement cascades, chemical inventory evolution calculations, and a computational thermodynamic analysis of emerging phases during irradiation. Our work extends existing studies in pure Fe to reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels, tungsten, silicon carbide, and vanadium alloys. We focus on the single-beam deuteron/lithium-stripping neutron source behind the IFMIF-DONES concept, which we assess against ITER, two DEMO designs, and an ideal pure 14-MeV flux. Our analysis indicates that, within standard uncertainties inherent to the models employed, the DONES concept adequately captures fusion conditions in the four materials analyzed. Our work is intended as a comprehensive irradiation damage analysis of fusion-representative neutron sources, to be used for further neutron source evaluation and fusion facility operation.
{"title":"Computational materials assessment of the D/Li-stripping neutron source as a prototypical facility for fusion materials testing","authors":"Jaime Marian , Wahyu Setyawan , Ying Yang , Anas Manzoor , Weicheng Zhong , Jason R. Trelewicz , Jiankai Yu , Ethan Peterson , Yutai Katoh , Lance Snead , Brian D. Wirth","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the US fusion materials community awaits the selection and design of a fusion prototypical neutron source (FPNS), a risk reduction exercise has been conducted to (i) provide an updated materials performance evaluation using state-of-the-art computational materials modeling, (ii) expand on legacy analysis based on pure Fe to other relevant fusion structural materials types, and (iii) ensure that materials response under FPNS operational conditions is consistent with referential fusion reactor conditions. The current paper describes the efforts undertaken to assemble a comprehensive computational methodology that includes neutronics, primary damage calculations, atomistic simulations of displacement cascades, chemical inventory evolution calculations, and a computational thermodynamic analysis of emerging phases during irradiation. Our work extends existing studies in pure Fe to reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels, tungsten, silicon carbide, and vanadium alloys. We focus on the single-beam deuteron/lithium-stripping neutron source behind the IFMIF-DONES concept, which we assess against ITER, two DEMO designs, and an ideal pure 14-MeV flux. Our analysis indicates that, within standard uncertainties inherent to the models employed, the DONES concept adequately captures fusion conditions in the four materials analyzed. Our work is intended as a comprehensive irradiation damage analysis of fusion-representative neutron sources, to be used for further neutron source evaluation and fusion facility operation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 101231"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101229
Son Quang, Nicholas R. Brown, G.Ivan Maldonado
The advancement of fusion energy, heralded as an innovative, environmentally sustainable, and clean alternative to traditional energy sources, necessitates a comprehensive reevaluation and enhancement of the standards and criteria used to assess the suitability of materials for fusion reactors. This study underscores the reforming and simplifying of the current regulatory framework applicable to activated materials for fusion energy. It highlights the unique environmental properties inherent to plasma systems, requiring the adoption of materials that may not fully align within an established conventional regulatory framework. Existing systems and structures governing regulations and compliance, largely modeled on the rules and standards established for fission reactors, may impose excessively stringent constraints that could impede the advancement and innovation of new technologies. In addition, fusion systems would produce significantly less long-term (>100,000 years) radioactive waste per unit energy generated than fission systems, so the existing regulatory framework based upon fission systems is unnecessarily conservative. By implementing a comprehensive framework that thoroughly accounts for the unique properties and behaviors of radionuclides, along with a detailed assessment of the environmental impacts of different materials, innovation can be responsibly advanced while maintaining safety standards and adherence to regulatory requirements. A judicious and restricted use of activated materials is recommended by the integration of advanced waste management strategies and a comprehensive understanding of these materials during operating conditions. Studies show that several activated products from candidate materials for fusion applications will not meet the existing strict activity limits, either as the main elements or as additions. For example, only about 7.1 % of the blanket’s front wall tungsten volume in the Steady State Tokamak Reactor (SSTR) could generate 2,000 times the amount of 192nIr above the allowed limit. The regulatory framework should consider relaxing the criteria for fusion-activated materials by allowing higher activity levels, as the fusion waste decays rapidly and most materials require isolation periods of less than 100 years. The proposed relaxed criteria achieve a balanced integration of optimal performance, enhanced safety measures, and environmental sustainability, thereby promoting the development and adoption of fusion technology as a reliable and viable energy source for the future.
{"title":"Proposed relaxed criteria for fusion-activated materials","authors":"Son Quang, Nicholas R. Brown, G.Ivan Maldonado","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advancement of fusion energy, heralded as an innovative, environmentally sustainable, and clean alternative to traditional energy sources, necessitates a comprehensive reevaluation and enhancement of the standards and criteria used to assess the suitability of materials for fusion reactors. This study underscores the reforming and simplifying of the current regulatory framework applicable to activated materials for fusion energy. It highlights the unique environmental properties inherent to plasma systems, requiring the adoption of materials that may not fully align within an established conventional regulatory framework. Existing systems and structures governing regulations and compliance, largely modeled on the rules and standards established for fission reactors, may impose excessively stringent constraints that could impede the advancement and innovation of new technologies. In addition, fusion systems would produce significantly less long-term (>100,000 years) radioactive waste per unit energy generated than fission systems, so the existing regulatory framework based upon fission systems is unnecessarily conservative. By implementing a comprehensive framework that thoroughly accounts for the unique properties and behaviors of radionuclides, along with a detailed assessment of the environmental impacts of different materials, innovation can be responsibly advanced while maintaining safety standards and adherence to regulatory requirements. A judicious and restricted use of activated materials is recommended by the integration of advanced waste management strategies and a comprehensive understanding of these materials during operating conditions. Studies show that several activated products from candidate materials for fusion applications will not meet the existing strict activity limits, either as the main elements or as additions. For example, only about 7.1 % of the blanket’s front wall tungsten volume in the Steady State Tokamak Reactor (SSTR) could generate 2,000 times the amount of <sup>192n</sup>Ir above the allowed limit. The regulatory framework should consider relaxing the criteria for fusion-activated materials by allowing higher activity levels, as the fusion waste decays rapidly and most materials require isolation periods of less than 100 years. The proposed relaxed criteria achieve a balanced integration of optimal performance, enhanced safety measures, and environmental sustainability, thereby promoting the development and adoption of fusion technology as a reliable and viable energy source for the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101229"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144595896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101225
Xin Su , Ziyu Guo , Gutao Zhang , Hsinyu Tsai , Ning Li
Analog in-memory computing (AIMC) using nonvolatile memories (NVMs) is very promising for achieving low latency and high energy efficiency for deep neural network (DNN) acceleration. There has been significant progress in using phase change memory (PCM) for analog IMC in recent years, especially for DNN inference applications, for both electrical and optical computing. In this paper, we present a review of these works, focusing primarily on PCMs for electrical computing, and including an overview on PCMs for optical computing. For electrical computing using PCM, we review the progress in both the device and the system level. On the device level, we first discuss the impact of PCM characteristics on AIMC computing and introduce relevant benchmarking methods. We then discuss progress in improving PCM devices for AIMC mainly by reducing nonidealities including resistance drift, read noise, and yield. We also discuss progress in programming characteristics that limit the density and programming power. On the system level, we discuss the optimization of memory cells, weight mapping methods, advanced drift compensation algorithms, and co-design considerations. We then review progress in AIMC energy efficiency studies and recent chip demonstrations. Since there is a growing interest in using PCM for photonic computing recently, we give an overview of this area including the device structures and system demonstrations. In the end, we briefly summarize the status and outlook of this field.
{"title":"Progress and challenges of phase change memory for in-memory computing","authors":"Xin Su , Ziyu Guo , Gutao Zhang , Hsinyu Tsai , Ning Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Analog in-memory computing (AIMC) using nonvolatile memories (NVMs) is very promising for achieving low latency and high energy efficiency for deep neural network (DNN) acceleration. There has been significant progress in using phase change memory (PCM) for analog IMC in recent years, especially for DNN inference applications, for both electrical and optical computing. In this paper, we present a review of these works, focusing primarily on PCMs for electrical computing, and including an overview on PCMs for optical computing. For electrical computing using PCM, we review the progress in both the device and the system level. On the device level, we first discuss the impact of PCM characteristics on AIMC computing and introduce relevant benchmarking methods. We then discuss progress in improving PCM devices for AIMC mainly by reducing nonidealities including resistance drift, read noise, and yield. We also discuss progress in programming characteristics that limit the density and programming power. On the system level, we discuss the optimization of memory cells, weight mapping methods, advanced drift compensation algorithms, and co-design considerations. We then review progress in AIMC energy efficiency studies and recent chip demonstrations. Since there is a growing interest in using PCM for photonic computing recently, we give an overview of this area including the device structures and system demonstrations. In the end, we briefly summarize the status and outlook of this field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101225"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101230
Qi Shang , Jun Tan , Hao Lv , Quan Dong , Yi Lin , Guozhi Wu , Aitao Tang , Bin Jiang , Jürgen Eckert
Mg-based structural materials, known for their lightweight properties and excellent thermal conductivity, have significant potential in applications requiring efficient heat dissipation, especially in the information age. However, a trade-off exists between the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of these materials. Strengthening techniques such as solution strengthening, dislocation strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and second-phase strengthening can improve mechanical properties but typically degrade thermal conductivity. This trade-off presents a major challenge in the development of Mg-based materials that simultaneously offer high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. This review explores the mechanisms and strategies for enhancing the thermal conductivity of Mg-based structural materials, including tailoring alloying elements, depleting matrix solutes, designing composite structure, tailoring texture, and regulating the morphology of the second phase. This will provide insights into the future development of Mg materials.
{"title":"Breaking the trade-off between thermal conductivity and strength of magnesium alloys: Mechanisms and strategies","authors":"Qi Shang , Jun Tan , Hao Lv , Quan Dong , Yi Lin , Guozhi Wu , Aitao Tang , Bin Jiang , Jürgen Eckert","doi":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cossms.2025.101230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mg-based structural materials, known for their lightweight properties and excellent thermal conductivity, have significant potential in applications requiring efficient heat dissipation, especially in the information age. However, a trade-off exists between the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of these materials. Strengthening techniques such as solution strengthening, dislocation strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and second-phase strengthening can improve mechanical properties but typically degrade thermal conductivity. This trade-off presents a major challenge in the development of Mg-based materials that simultaneously offer high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. This review explores the mechanisms and strategies for enhancing the thermal conductivity of Mg-based structural materials, including tailoring alloying elements, depleting matrix solutes, designing composite structure, tailoring texture, and regulating the morphology of the second phase. This will provide insights into the future development of Mg materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":295,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101230"},"PeriodicalIF":12.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}