Progress in Materials Science最新文献

Borophene stands out uniquely among Xenes with its metallic character, Dirac nature, exceptional electron mobility, thermal conductivity, and Young’s moduli—surpassing graphene. Invented in 2015, various methods, including atomic layer deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, and chemical vapor deposition, have successfully been demonstrated to realize substrate-supported crystal growth. Top-down approaches like micromechanical, sonochemical, solvothermal and modified hummer’s techniques have also been employed. Thanks to its high electronic mobility, borophene serves as an active material for ultrafast sensing of light, gases, molecules, and strain. Its metallic behaviour, electrochemical activity, and anti-corrosive nature make it ideal for applications in energy storage and catalysis. It has been proven effective as an electrocatalyst for HER, OER, water splitting, CO₂ reduction, and NH₃ reduction reactions. Beyond this, borophene has found utility in bioimaging, biosensing, and various biomedical applications. A special emphasis will be given on the borophene nanoarchitectonics i.e. doped borophene and borophene-based hybrids with other 2D materials and nanoparticles and the theoretical understanding of these emerging materials systems to gain more insights on their electronic structure and properties, aiming to manipulate borophene for tailored applications.

Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite has played a crucial role in replacing metals in numerous applications due to its superior properties and ease of manufacturing. Raw materials, design flexibility, microstructure, durability, and advanced fabrication techniques have further diversified its applications. However, consumption of a huge amount of synthetic polymeric materials and fibers in FRP composites poses a serious challenge to recycling and waste management. Most of the high-performance FRP composites are based on thermoset polymeric materials, which are non-recyclable. Therefore, fundamental research has been initiated on recycling of thermoset-based FRP composites. This review provides a comprehensive study of raw materials used for FRP composites and their applications and waste management, along with a future perspective. The review provides an insight into the chemistry of raw materials and techniques of their synthesis and extraction, fabrication, interface chemistry, structural analysis, and microstructural characterizations of FRP composites. It also focusses on the recent progress of FRP composites as an alternative to metals for various applications and the challenges faced. In addition, the review offers a special emphasis on Vitrimers, waste management, and biodegradation of FRP composites. Finally, the role of FRP composites for hydrogen storage and other futuristic applications is critically discussed.

Wound exudates, the effusion of tissue fluid after injury, can act as a bridge for biochemical substance transfer and provide an environment for wound healing. However, excessive wound exudate prolongs the inflammatory phase and hinders healing, particularly in chronic wounds. Although dressings have long been used to absorb exudates and protect wounds, traditional dressings have non-negligible limitations in exudate management because of their single structure and function. Materials with asymmetric wettability and specific pore structures have unique advantages for controlling unidirectional liquid transport, providing a new approach for exudate management. In recent years, exudate management dressings have advanced significantly, but have seldom been described and discussed in detail. Therefore, this review systematically presents the mechanism, necessity, and configurations of exudate management dressings. Variously, textile-, nano/microfiber-, membrane-, foam/sponge-based, and composite exudate management dressings are reviewed. The methods for evaluating exudate management are briefly described and the current challenges and prospects are presented to provide references for the future development of dressings.

Carbon fibers (CFs) have received remarkable attention in recent decades because of their excellent mechanical properties, low density, and outstanding chemical/thermal stability. However, due to their high cost, the usage of CFs is still limited to high-end applications. Tremendous efforts have been made to fabricate cost-effective CFs by exploring alternative precursors, developing spinning methods, and optimizing processing conditions. Nevertheless, selecting a successful precursor with a matching experimental procedure is still challenging. As an alternative to the experiment, we can utilize predictive modeling at multiscale levels to understand and predict CFs’ behaviors and properties with desired accuracy yet at a significantly reduced cost. The modeling efforts can subsequently be integrated with experimental studies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of efforts to reduce the overall cost of CF preparation via various precursors and by including computational prediction. First, it briefly describes the progress and challenges of CFs, followed by investigating different precursors that may affect their properties. Then, state-of-the-art developments regarding experimental and computational studies for achieving low-cost CFs are discussed in detail. In the end, a summary of the current achievements and a future vision of challenges and possible solutions to obtain cost-effective CFs are given.

Two-dimensional heterostructures (2D HSs) are popular candidates for sustainable energy conversion and storage applications through the synergetic combination of nanosized heterojunctions with intriguing functionalities. The properties of 2D heterointerfaces can be well-regulated for scaled-up applications through synthetic tuning and/or engineering design. In this perspective, the synthesis protocols of 2D heterostructure are first discussed, along with associated modulation strategies to better describe the required functionalities for scaled-up applications. Computational insights are also provided to regulate and predict the heterointerface of the outlined structures based on various models (e.g., atomic, micro, and mesoscale simulations). The role of modulated 2D heterostructures is highlighted with respect to the energy applications along with the current challenges for 2D heterostructure development. This review is anticipated to deliver new paths for the design and construction of 2D heterostructures toward the practical applications in multiple fields with a focus on energy conversion and storage.

Graphyne, a novel regularly sp-/sp²-hybridized carbon allotrope, has attracted significant interest in synthetic chemistry and various applications. As a promising approach for material synthesis, mechanochemistry has first been successfully applied to fabricate γ-graphyne (γ-GY) which exhibits highest structural stability among graphyne family and possesses fascinating properties like a direct bandgap and unique nanoporosity. The γ-GY skeleton forms via an alkyne nucleophilic cross-coupling reaction induced by intense mechanical energy using hexahalobenzene and calcium carbide as precursors. This mechanochemical strategy is simple, high-yielding, scalable, and commercially viable. This review aims to offer a comprehensive and critical understanding of mechanochemical synthesis of γ-GY. Firstly, the basic concept, physicochemical properties and potential applications of graphyne, especially γ-GY, are introduced. Subsequently, the review summarizes several state-of-the-art synthetic strategies for γ-GY and corresponding representative characterizations. Furthermore, the feasibility of mechanosynthesis for γ-GY is elucidated through the discussion of its origin which involves mechanochemical dehalogenation, and its subsequent development for the synthesis of alkynyl cross-linked carbon derivatives. The reaction mechanism, and controversial factors (including solvent issue, side reaction, and carbonaceous impurities) of the mechanochemical route are adequately outlined and analyzed. Evidence confirms the existence of γ-GY in the as-prepared sample and inevitable generation of by-products such as carbonaceous impurities. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of mechanochemical synthesizing high-quality γ-GY and derivatives (analogues) are proposed.

Membrane technology has emerged as a promising approach for various CO₂ capture applications, including but not limited to hydrogen purification, natural gas processing, biogas upgrading and flue gas post-treatment. Past decades have seen tremendous efforts in developing new materials with better intrinsic separation capacities. However, only a few of them have made their way to the market. It is therefore timely to compile a review that identifies the gap between materials development and fabrication of asymmetric membranes for carbon capture applications. In this review, we give an overview of the recent development of membrane materials for CO₂ separation. Then, we summarize the processing techniques to turn materials into asymmetric membranes and state-of-the-art membranes. Based upon detailed presentation of literature data, we identify the obstacles preventing CO₂ capture membranes from moving from the lab to the large scale. Last, perspectives on future membrane development are discussed.

For mechanically dominated load profiles, nitrides are preferred as the base material for structural and functional hard coatings, while oxide-based materials offer better protection against high-temperature corrosion (such as oxidation). Thus, when mechanical and thermal loads are combined, the nitrides used should also have excellent stability against temperature and oxidation. How to develop such nitride materials that can withstand both high mechanical and thermal loads is the focus of this review article. This is done primarily with the help of experimental and theoretical investigations of the Ti–Al–N system.

On the basis of transition metal nitride coatings, we discuss important material development guidelines for improved strength, fracture toughness as well as thermal stability and oxidation resistance. Using various superlattice coatings, we further discuss how such nanolamellar microstructures can improve both the strength and fracture toughness of hard coating materials. In addition, other concepts for improving fracture toughness are discussed, with a focus on those that can increase both fracture toughness and hardness.

The individual concepts allow to design materials to meet the ever-growing demand for coatings with a wide range of excellent properties and outstanding property combinations.

This review offers a comprehensive evaluation of an emerging category of adsorbing materials known as high surface area materials (HSAMs) in the realm of water remediation. The objective is to shed light on recent advancements in HSAMs featuring multiple dimensionalities, addressing their efficacy in adsorbing toxic metal ions from wastewater. The spectrum of HSAMs examined in this review encompasses metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), carbon-based porous materials, mesoporous silica, polymer-based porous materials, layered double hydroxides, and aerogels. This review delves into the state-of-the-art design and synthetic approaches for these materials, elucidating their inherent properties. It particularly emphasizes how the combination of high surface area and pore structure contributes to their effectiveness in adsorbing toxic metal ions. These materials possess remarkable attributes, including molecular functionalization versatility, high porosity, expansive surface area, distinctive physicochemical characteristics, and well-defined crystal structures, rendering them exceptional adsorbents. While each of these materials boasts unique advantages stemming from their remarkable properties, their synthesis often entails intricate and costly procedures, presenting a substantial obstacle to their commercialization and widespread adoption. Finally, the review underscores the existing challenges that must be addressed to expedite their translation for water remediation applications of these promising materials.

Transport by rail is an efficient way of moving goods and people while managing problems such as congestion and the consequences on the environment. The relatively low energy consumption and CO₂ emissions are attributed to the low rolling-resistance due to the stiffness of the wheel and rail, leading to small contact area [1]. Investments in rail transportation has boomed in recent years. London, with the oldest underground rail system in the world, has added the Elisabeth Line at a cost of some £14 billion; China now has the largest high-speed rail system in the world. All these developments rely on the safe performance of steel rails, which suffer from two primary damage mechanisms, rolling-contact fatigue caused essentially by repeated contact stresses with the wheel, and a variety of wear mechanisms. Factors such as weldability are important, given that all modern rails are continuous. This review deals with the detailed physical-metallurgy of rail steels, including alloy design, microstructure, variety and choice, and damage mechanisms.