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The H13 die steel was prepared by 2 t electroslag remelting furnace. Combined with thermodynamic calculation， experimental observation and statistical analysis， the type， size， morphology and distribution of inclusions in H13 die steel in electroslag ingot under a melting rate of 0.12 kg/s were systematically studied. The results show that the main inclusions in H13 die steel are MgO·Al2O3 and spherical CaO·MgO·Al2O3. During the remelting process of electric slag， MgO·Al2O3 inclusion evolves into MgO·Al2O3+CaO·Al2O3 mixed type inclusion or class CaO·MgO·Al2O3 inclusion. At the same time， a small amount of S will be precipitated with various inclusions as nucleation particles. The precipitated component is mainly CaS， forming CaO·MgO·Al2O3 inclusions wrapped by CaS. The size of inclusions in the electroslag ingot is mainly less than 5 μm， 5-10 μm inclusions are less， and only a small amount of inclusions larger than 10 μm exist. The distribution is similar to that of the electrode， but the overall number of inclusions is reduced. The radial distribution shows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing， and the enrichment of inclusions occurs near half of the radius.

The microstructure morphology， low-temperature performance， and corrosion resistance of hot-rolled and normalized condition Gr.6 steel pipes were analyzed using optical microscopy， scanning electron microscopy， transmission electron microscopy， mechanical testing， and corrosion testing. The results show that the low-temperature mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the developed low-temperature seamless steel pipe Gr.6 in the hot-rolled and normalized states meet the standard requirements. The microstructure in the hot-rolled state is pearlite and ferrite， with uniform and fine grains， but the banded structure is obvious.The precipitated phase is mainly composed of TiN particles， which undergo a ductile brittle transition at -60 ℃. After 900 ℃ normalizing heat treatment， the grains become finer， with a grain size of 10 grade or above. The proportion of large angle grain boundary differences in the normalized state sample is higher than that in the hot-rolled state， and the density of the large angle interface also increases. The precipitate phase is mainly TiN and a small amount of VN particles， and no ductile brittle transition has occurred at -80 ℃.The corrosion behavior of the material was studied through polarization tests with fast and slow polarization scanning rates. Corrosion tests have shown that the stress corrosion sensitivity of normalized specimens is relatively low in electrochemical simulation solutions， while the stress corrosion sensitivity of hot-rolled specimens is relatively high. Therefore， the electrochemical corrosion performance of the normalized state is better than that of the hot-rolled state， and it is suitable for more harsh corrosion environments.

In order to solve the problems of high blooming cost of the traditional process route for ultra-low carbon steel H1T， including preprocessing， converter， RH， bloom/ingot continuous casting， and blooming， and the frequent blockage of nozzle in the process of continuous casting which leads to production interruption， a 150 mm×150 mm billet continuous casting production process has been developed. The process control has been focused on the blockage of continuous casting nozzle， and the changes of composition， slag system， and inclusions during the production process have been analyzed. The industrial production practice shows that the product of ultra-low carbon steel H1T has been successfully produced by adopting the process of adding aluminum for deoxidation in converter tapping， LF slag basicity > 10， top slag （FeO + MnO） ≤ 2%， stirring argon flow > 600 L/min to ensure desulfurization， RH process with oxygen blowing for deep decarburization under 65 Pa， and calcium treatment of molten steel. And the number of continuous heats has reached 10 heats.

Industrialized tests were carried out to produce 20MnTiB cold heading steel with different rare earth （Ce） contents， the effect of Ce on the evolution of inclusions during the production of 20MnTiB cold heading steel based on Ca treatment was investigated through experimental observations and thermodynamic calculations. The results show that after Ce treatment， the large-size spheroidal Al2O3-MgO-CaO-CaS inclusions were metamorphosed and decomposed into about 1 μm spheroidal CeAlO3-MgO-CaO -CaS inclusions， and irregular inclusions of this type around 2 μm were metamorphosed and sphericalized. After hot rolling， the inclusions in the 0Ce specimen wire rod elongated along the rolling direction， the inclusions were larger in size and more irregular in shape， in addition， long strips of MnS inclusions were found. However， in the 27Ce specimen， the S element content was reduced by 40% after Ce treatment， which inhibited the formation of MnS inclusions during the solidification process， and the small-sized， spherical-like characteristics of the inclusions in the wire rods did not change after rolling. The thermodynamic calculations are in agreement with the experimental results. After Ce treatment， the metamorphic decomposition of large-sized and irregular inclusions， the metamorphic spheroidization of small-sized and irregular inclusions， and the disappearance of MnS inclusions avoided the stress concentration caused by the irregular morphology of inclusions in the process of cold heading， which is conducive to the enhancement of the cold heading performance of the test steel and the reduction of the possibility of cold heading cracking. The results can provide technical and theoretical support for the further development of new rare earth microalloyed cold heading steels.

In order to achieve better strength and toughness matching for the newly developed Fe-C-Cr-Ni-Mo-Co-Al co-precipitation hardening ultra-high strength steel， this study deeply discussed the mechanism of dual-aging process on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of experimental steel， and determined the optimal aging process parameters to achieve excellent strength and toughness. The results show that the experimental steel could achieve higher ultimate tensile strength （1924 MPa） under normal aging treatment， but lower yield strength and toughness. The dual-aging technology （570 ℃×0.5 h+480 ℃×20 h） could achieve superior combination of strength and toughness. After the optimal dual-aging treatment， the yield strength has been increased by 224 MPa and the impact work has been increased by 77% while the ultimate tensile strength was merely decreased by 42 MPa， with an error range of ±0.5 J for the impact toughness.The microstructure characterization and theoretical calculation results show that the content of precipitation-hardening phases and reversed austenite play decisive role in the strength and toughness of the experimental steel. The higher pre-aging temperature is benefit to the nucleation and growth of the reversed austenite and the secondary hardening precipitates in the experimental steel. The formation of reversed austenite is helpful to increase the impact energy of the test steel， but high austenite content would significantly reduce the strength of the steel. When continuously aged at 610 ℃， precipitates coarsening and martensite microstructure recovery would lead to a decrease in strength and toughness.

The 2205 duplex stainless steel （/%：0.03C， 1.00Si， 2.00Mn， 0.03P， 0.02S， 21.00-23.00Cr， 4.50-6.50Ni， 2.50-3.50Mo， 0.08-0.20N） were prepared by a smelting process combining 20 t electric arc furnace and ladle refining （EAF+AOD+LF）. Then 2205 duplex stainless steel was hot processed. In this paper， the influence of impact toughness of 2205 duplex stainless steel at different heating temperatures and deformation was studied in hot working process. The test results showed that： At the same heating temperature （950 ℃， 1 050 ℃ and 1 120 ℃） and holding time （1.5 h）， with the increase of deformation （25%， 50% and 75%）， the grain of test steel was broken more fully， but the excessive deformation of test steel caused uneven distribution of two phases（austenite and ferrite）， and the austenite content of steel gradually decreased， the impact toughness showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing； Under the same deformation amount （25%， 50% and 75%） and the same holding time （1.5 h）， with the increase of heating temperature （950 ℃， 1 050 ℃ and 1 120 ℃）， the grains size of test steel were obviously coarsened， the austenite content of steel decreased （57.32%→43.07%）， because the impact thermal property was best when the austenite content was about 50%，therefore， the impact toughness of steel also showed the law of first increasing and then decreasing. When the heating temperature was 1 050 ℃， the holding time was 1.5 h and the deformation amount was 50%， the impact toughness of test steel was the best， The impact energy of test steel were 299 J ， 132 J ，85 J at room temperature， -10 ℃ and -46 ℃， respectively.

Forging and different post-forging heat treatment processes for 430F ferritic stainless steel in rolled condition. The effects of microstructure and properties of the forging 430F stainless steel at different heat treatment processes are studied by metallurgical structure， microhardness， tensile properties and fracture analysis of the test steel after heat treatment. The study shows that 430F stainless steel after forging， 850 ℃ × 4 h high temperature annealing， cooling with the furnace， 550 ℃ out of the air-cooled， and then 350 ℃ × 10 h tempering， cooling with the furnace， the microstructure of its composition by the ferrite single-phase ferrite matrix， the distribution of a large number of fine and uniformly distributed spherical carbides along the grain boundary precipitation σ-phase number is the least. The tensile strength of the test steel is 516 MPa， the hardness is 181 HV， and the elongation rate reaches 29.9%. There are a large number of regular toughness nests on the fracture surface， and the test steel has good plasticity and toughness.

This article prepares 3Al-310S heat-resistant stainless steel by adding 3% Al to ordinary 310S stainless steel. After different solid solution processes， the experimental steel is subjected to X-ray diffraction （XRD）， scanning electron microscopy （SEM）， transmission electron microscopy （TEM）， and room temperature tensile performance testing to study the influence law of solid solution processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 3Al-310S heat-resistant steel. The research results indicate that the matrix structure of 3Al-310S heat-resistant steel is austenite. With the extension of solution time and the increase of solution temperature， the grain size of 3Al-310S heat-resistant steel gradually increases. With the increase of solution time and solution temperature， the hardness and tensile strength of 3Al-310S plate gradually decrease， and the elongation gradually increases. Among them， when the solution temperature is 1 000 ℃ and the solution time is 10 minutes， the tensile strength of the experimental steel reaches 618.75 MPa， and the elongation is 33.80%.

The influence of quenching process on the microstructure evolution and hardness of A514CrQ rack steel has been investigated in this paper. The results showed that granular bainite + a small amount of lath martensite can be obtained after water quenching at 790 ℃/30 min. After 820 ℃-950 ℃/30 min water quenching， full lath martensite was obtained， and with the increase of quenching temperature， the width of martensite block increased， and hence the hardness gradually decreased. The 820 ℃ was identified as the optimal quenching temperature. When the holding time was 1 min-5 min， granular bainite +lath martensite was obtained by water quenching at 820 ℃， and the hardness of the specimen was much lower. When the holding time was 10 min-70 min， full lath martensite was obtained after water quenching at 820 ℃， the martensite block width increased with the increasing holding time， and hence the hardness gradually decreased and tended to be flat. Then the optimal holding time was identified as 10 min. After 820 ℃/10 min air quenching or oil quenching， granular bainite + lath martensite/bainite was obtained， and the content of martensite/bainite after oil quenching was higher. This leads to the lowest hardness of air quenching， the center of oil quenching， and the largest hardness of water quenching. In the process of double cycle quenching process， the final microstructure was determined by the secondary quenching medium， and the martensite/bainite lath can be refined more effectively by using water as the primary quenching medium. After 820 ℃/10 min water quenching + 820 ℃/10 min water quenching， the martensitic block width was the smallest and the hardness was the highest. Thus， this double water quenching process can serve as the preferred quenching process for rack steels.

For the control of cord steel inclusion， long time soft bubbling treatment is usually chosen to improve the cleanliness of molten steel， but it will lead to the increased erosion of magnesia-carbon bricks. Through the industrial production test， the effects of soft blowing time after LF refining on the composition and quantity of oxide inclusions of cord steel wire rod were studied by means of FEI Explorer 4 automatic scanning electron microscopy. Becca standard score and Kobe Standard Max-T （ave） score were used to evaluate the inclusion of wire rod. The results showed that the composition of oxide inclusions larger than 3 μm in the wire rod was similar to that in the process of soft blowing time of 45 min and 25 min after LF refining， and the density of inclusions was 135 /100 mm2 and 103 /100 mm2， respectively. The density of inclusions in the process of soft blowing time of 25 min after LF refining was slightly lower. Expanding the number of comparison tests， the score of Kobe standard Max-T （ave） and Becca standard indicate that the inclusions control of soft bubbling process for 20-25 min did not become worse or slightly improved. The control of low melting point inclusions in cord steel was mainly through controlling Al content， refining slag and other process parameters， and the inclusions that lead to the failure of the final product are often inconsistent with the types of endogenous inclusions. For cord steel， it can be considered to reduce the soft blowing time after LF refining.

With the increase of the proportion of hot delivery and hot charging in pipeline steel continuous casting slab， the cut continuous casting slab are prone to quality defects due to the coupling effect of phase transformation， thermal stress， and temperature， resulting in huge economic losses.This article takes X70 pipeline steel as the research object，by comprehensively considering the nonlinear changes of material thermal properties parameters with temperature and the setting of boundary conditions， the ABAQUS finite element analysis software is used to conduct thermal coupling numerical simulation analysis on the cooling process of X70 pipeline steel 4 500 mm × 2 300 mm × 300 mm continuous casting slab. The conclusion shows that the average heat dissipation rate of the center of gravity of the slab is 0.076 ℃/s， the surface center is 0.084 ℃/s， and the temperature difference between the surface and the center is between 100 ℃ and 210 ℃， which gradually decreases over time. The stress value at the edge of the slab is 25 MPa， and the thermal stress within 300 mm of the edge is roughly the same， within 200 MPa. Considering the changes in temperature field， the cutting time to the heating furnace should be shortened as much as possible， or insulation measures should be added to prevent quality defects caused by excessive thermal stress.

For a steel factory production of BTW1 continuous casting slab is taken as the research object， and high temperature thermoplastic test is carried out by Gleeble 3800 thermal simulation testing machine.The tensile fracture is observed and the microstructure is analyzed by metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope.The test results show that the reduction of area of BTW1 steel decreases first， then increases and again decreases with the increase of heating temperature. The reduction of area reaches the highest value of 68.3% at 1 000 ℃ and only 29.23% at 950 ℃. The reduction of area of BTW1 steel is lower than 40% in several temperature ranges， and the high temperature thermoplasticity is very poor， the crack sensitivity is strong.When the heating temperature is lower than 800 ℃， the thermoplasticity is poor due to the absence of MBIP and DRX， and the fracture morphology shows the coexistence of plastic deformation and brittle fracture. When the heating temperature is lower than 800 ℃， there is no microband induced plasticity and dynamic recrystallization， resulting in poor thermoplasticity， plastic deformation and brittle fracture coexist；When the heating temperature is 950 ℃， the DRX phenomenon increases， but the mixed crystal structure leads to a decrease in plasticity， and the fracture morphology is typical brittle fracture. When the heating temperature is 1 000 ℃， the DRX process is obvious， and the uniform fine grain region is formed， and the fracture is typical dimble morphology. When the heating temperature is 1 100 ℃， a melting zone appears in the fracture， but part of the dimpled structure remains at high temperature.

This article investigates the influence of microalloying with different Ce contents on the precipitation of carbonitrides in 441 ferritic stainless steel through high-temperature thermal simulation experiments and thermodynamic calculation.The results indicate that there are two main types of carbonitrides in 441 ferritic stainless steel without rare earth Ce addition： separately precipitated carbonitrides and heteronucleated composite carbonitrides. After adding rare earth elements to the steel， Al in the nucleation oxide of carbon nitride is gradually replaced by Ce， and the modification order is Al2O3·Ti2O3→AlCeO3·Ti2O3→Ce2O3·Ti2O3. After modification， the mismatch between Ce2O3 and carbonitrides is higher， resulting in a weakened nucleation ability. This not only transforms the morphology from fully encapsulated to semi encapsulated structure， but also intensifies the precipitation of individual carbonitrides. With the addition of high content rare earth elements， CeN gradually precipitates in the steel， and the precipitation process of TiN is inhibited， reducing the precipitation area of carbonitrides and gradually spheroidizing the morphology of carbonitrides. As high content rare earth elements are added， CeN gradually precipitates in the steel The precipitation process of TiN is inhibited during this process， reducing the precipitation area of carbonitrides and gradually spheroidizing their morphology.By comparing different Ce samples， the rare earth addition amount is 0.007%， which increase the density of heterogeneous nucleation compared to the original cast carbonitrides. The density of carbonitrides increases from 66.7 number/mm2 to 74.5 number/mm2， with an average size concentration of 1-3 μm. The best effect is to refine the grain size.

There is an urgent need to develop low-cost， high-strength， and toughness grades of steel for domestic wind power fasteners in order to enhance the competitiveness of the industrial chain and fully participate in market competition. Through the control of smelting process to assure residual w ［P］≤0.015% and w［S］≤ 0.010% and the total oxygen content w［T.O］ stably controlled to be less than 10 × 10-6 during low oxygen operation practice. Two stage low-temperature rolling is adopted and the single pass reduction rate is controlled between 8% to 12%. A 10.9-grade 32CrB4 bolt steel with good impact toughness at -40 ℃ low-temperature for 38.8 mm specification has been successfully developed. The results of mechanical property inspection and metallographic observation indicate that the developed steel has good tensile properties and excellent low-temperature impact properties. The optimal heat treatment process has been studied， which is 820 ℃ soaking water quenching and 510 ℃ soaking tempering. The room temperature tensile strength can reach 1 075 MPa， and the average low-temperature impact value of -40 ℃ KV2 can be 53 J. The microstructure is mainly tempered martensite， with excellent and comprehensive mechanical properties and good uniformity.

The continuous cooling transition curve （CCT curve） and impact energy curve of QDH of the new hot work die steel with 0.8% Ni and without Ni were determined by thermal expansion phase change instrument and impact testing machine， and the influence of Ni on the continuous transformation law and impact energy of QDH steel were analyzed by combining the microstructure and hardness. The test results of thermal expansion curve show that Ni element can significantly reduce the critical phase transition point （Ac1， Ac3 and Ms） of QDH steel， expand the austenite phase region， shift the CCT curve to the right as a whole， reduce the critical cooling rate of pearlite from 0.03 ℃/s to less than 0.02 ℃/s， and reduce the critical cooling rate of martensitic from 0.4 ℃/s to 0.2 ℃/s， which improves the hardenability of steel. The test results of impact energy curves show that the first type of tempering brittleness and the second type of tempering brittleness of the two experimental steels are in the tempering temperature range of 350 ℃-500 ℃ and 550 ℃-620 ℃， respectively， and the impact energy of Ni-containing steel in the whole tempering temperature range is higher than that of Ni-free steel， indicating that Ni element can improve the hardenability of QDH steel and improve its toughness.

This study focuses on the transient electroslag remelting process of 06Cr18Ni11Ti ingots with high filled ratio. By establishing a multiphysics and multiphase coupled model of the ESR process， the influence of melting rate on electromagnetic， heat transfer， fluid flow， and solidification behaviors during the ESR process was investigated. The results indicate that under different melting rates， the current paths are generally consistent， with a obvious skin effect. The temperature inside the crystallizer exhibits a parabolic distribution with significant temperature gradients. As the melting rate increased from 5 kg/min to 7 kg/min， the current density， Lorentz force， and Joule heating increased by 16.2%， 37.7%， and 63.3%， respectively. The maximum temperature of the slag pool increased from 1 902 K to 2 058 K. Both the slag and molten pools exhibit pairs of oppositely directed vortices， with flow becoming more intense with the increasing of melting rate. Under the conditions studied in this paper， increasing the melting rate leads to deepening of the molten pool and prolonging the local solidification time of the ingot. When the melting rate is 5 kg/min， the depth of the molten pool is between 1/2 and 1/3 of the mold diameter and the local solidification time is shortest， which helps to ensure the good density and crystallization quality of the ingot.

To deeply investigate the effect of rare earth （La/Ce） on inclusions and fatigue properties of 20CrMnTi gear steel， the inclusions in 20CrMnTi and 20CrMnTi-RE gear steel treated with 0.002 7% rare earth were analyzed and characterized by various analytical and testing methods， the change of fatigue property was compared and analyzed. The ultra-high weekly fatigue test was carried out and analyzed the change of fatigue properties.The results show that rare earth can react with O element in gear steel to form rare earth oxides， and co-exist with other inclusions such as CaS and MgAl2O4， which become the core of TiN， the complex phase of CaS-MgAl2O4-（MnS）-TiN is transformed into the complex phase of CaS-MgAl2O4-（MnS）-RE2O3-TiN. After addition of rare earth， the amount of inclusions in 20CrMnTi steel decreased significantly， and the inclusions with size over 30 μm basically disappeared. In addition， rare earth improves the anti-fatigue property of gear steel. The fatigue limit of gear steel with rare earth is 26.6 MPa higher than that of gear steel without rare earth at the condition of 50% failure probability for 107 cycles， with better anti-fatigue performance.

To evaluate the crack sensitivity of Q350EW high-chromium weathering resistant steel during continuous cast⁃ ing， the high-temperature thermoplastic characteristics of Q350EW high-chromium weathering resistant steel were studied using Gleeble3500 thermal simulation testing machine， and the distribution of precipitates in the steel was calculated us⁃ ing Thermo-Calc thermodynamic software. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy were used to observe and analyze the macrostructure and microstructure morphology of high-temperature tensile fractures and microstructure at the fractures. The research results indicate that as the heating temperature increases， the tensile strength of the test steel de⁃ creases； The cross-sectional shrinkage curve shows a concave valley around 700 ℃-800 ℃， with the lowest cross-sectional shrinkage of 64. 9% at 775 ℃. The fracture morphology within the range of concave valley temperature is mainly composed of ductile dimples， and its fracture mechanism is ductile fracture. Microscopic analysis shows that ferrite appears at the grain boundaries of the original austenite， leading to a decrease in plasticity. However， due to the high content of ferrite， the plasticity of Q350EW high chromium weather resistant steel still remains at a high level. By optimizing key process pa⁃ rameters such as secondary cooling during continuous casting， the risk of cracking in Q350EW high chromium weather re⁃ sistant steel billets can be reduced. It is recommended that the temperature of the corner bending and straightening section of the billets be less than 750 ℃.

In order to realize the stable batch production of ultra-low P welding wire EF3 for high-grade pipelines， the conditions of dephosphorization were determined by studying the thermodynamic and dynamic conditions of dephosphorization. Through the process of molten iron dephosphorization，100 t converter dephosphorization， ladle dephosphorization， slagging， secondary LF refining and anti-return P process， combined with low P alloy， stable production of ultra-low P welding wire EF3 is realized. By controlling molten iron w［Si］≤0.15% and making high basicity slag with R = 6， it can remove P and S at the same time， achieve molten iron w ［P］≤ 0.020%， iron w ［S］ ≤0.005%； The end temperature of converter is from 1 595 ℃ to 1 610 ℃， the basicity of the final slag is about 4.0， the content of FeO in the final slag is 23.0%-26.0% ， the tapping w［P］ of the converter is less than 0.008% ；The molten steel w［P］ is less than 0.004% by ladle dephosphorization； After dephosphorization with slag removal process， slag removal before and after the basic does not return P， Secondary LF is used to prevent P increase . P increase is very little with low P alloy .The slag removal process is adopted， the P content of molten steel w［P］≤0.005% in tundish can be achieved

This work proposes a new design strategy for overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off of γ′′-strengthened multi-component alloys at intermediate-temperatures. By increasing the V content, the alloy’s ductility is enhanced accordingly (650°C tensile-elongation, 9.85%→15.97%) without compromising strength. This enhancement is attributed to the improved stability of γ′′, which results in a suppression of brittle ε lamellae forming at grain boundaries after deformation and a reduction in γ/γ′′ lattice misfit. Concurrently, the increasing V content increases the γ′′ volume fraction, offsetting potential strength loss due to the lattice misfit reduction.

A novel FeCoNiCrCu high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating and ultrasonic vibration composite treatment method were developed to prepare the Al/Mg bimetal to enhance the Al/Mg interface. Elemental interdiffusion at the Al/HEA interface led to the formation of AlxFeCoNiCrCu. The HEA/Mg interface melted due to friction heat and cavitation effect by ultrasonic vibration and then cooled at an extremely high cooling rate to form nanocrystals. The presence of the nanocrystals hindered dislocation movement, resulting in difficulty in crack propagation, significantly improving the shear strength of the Al/Mg bimetal, which increased from 34.52 MPa without treatment to 77.86 MPa, increasing by 125.55%.

Abstract New methods for producing surfaces with suitable biocompatible properties are desirable due to increasing demands for biomedical devices. Stainless steel 316 L and cp- titanium specimens were coated with thin films of alumina and hafnia deposited using the atomic layer deposition method at two temperatures, 180 and 260 °C. The morphology of the films was analysed using scanning electron microscopy, and their surface energies were determined based on drop contact angle measurements. Biocompatibility assays performed using mesenchymal stem cells were evaluated by incubating the specimens and then exposing their extracts to the cells or directly seeding cells on the specimen surfaces. No detrimental effect was noticed for any of the specimens. Antibacterial properties were tested by directly incubating the specimens with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, our data show that all prepared films were biocompatible. Alumina films deposited on cp-titanium at 260 °C outperform the other prepared and tested surfaces regarding antiadhesive properties, which could be related to their low surface energy.

Abstract We explore the optical properties of La3Ni2O7 bilayer nickelates by using density functional theory including a Coulomb repulsion term. Convincing agreement with recent experimental ambient-pressure spectra is achieved for U ~ 3 eV, which permits tracing the microscopic origin of the characteristic features. Simultaneous consistency with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction suggests the notion of rather moderate electronic correlations in this novel high-T c superconductor. Oxygen vacancies form predominantly at the inner apical sites and renormalize the optical spectrum quantitatively, while the released electrons are largely accommodated by a defect state. We show that the structural transition occurring under high pressure coincides with a significant enhancement of the Drude weight and a reduction of the out-of-plane interband contribution that acts as a fingerprint of the emerging hole pocket. We further calculate the optical spectra for various possible magnetic phases including spin-density waves and discuss the results in the context of experiment. Finally, we investigate the role of the 2–2 versus 1–3 layer stacking and compare the bilayer nickelate to La4Ni3O10, La3Ni2O6, and NdNiO2, unveiling general trends in the optical spectrum as a function of the formal Ni valence in Ruddlesden–Popper versus reduced Ruddlesden–Popper nickelates.

Abstract Light-matter interactions have emerged as a new research focus recently offering promises of unveiling novel physics and leading to applications under nonequilibrium conditions. The quantized Hall conductivities predicted by Floquet theory assuming a Fermi-Dirac distribution however deviate from experimental observations. To resolve these puzzles, we consider the effect of nonequilibrium electron occupation to study the anomalous, valley, and spin Hall effects of a prototype monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide MoS2. We find that spin Hall conductivity can be effectively suppressed approaching zero value by linearly polarized light under near resonant excitations. In contrast, it is substantially enhanced by circularly polarized light, originating from optical selection rules and topological phase transitions. Besides, the quantized anomalous Hall conductivity is much reduced if nonequilibrium occupations of Floquet bands are considered. Our study provides a novel avenue for engineering various Hall effects in two-dimensional materials using light, holding great promises for future device applications.

Abstract Uranium ditelluride (UTe2) is the strongest contender to date for a p-wave superconductor in bulk form. Here we perform a spectroscopic study of the ambient pressure superconducting phase of UTe2, measuring conductance through point-contact junctions formed by metallic contacts on different crystalline facets down to 250 mK and up to 18 T. Fitting a range of qualitatively varying spectra with a Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) model for p-wave pairing, we can extract gap amplitude and interface barrier strength for each junction. We find good agreement with the data for a dominant p y -wave gap function with amplitude 0.26 ± 0.06 meV. Our work provides spectroscopic evidence for a gap structure consistent with the proposed spin-triplet pairing in the superconducting state of UTe2.

Abstract Solution-processable 2D materials (2DMs) are gaining attention for applications in logic, memory, and sensing devices. This review surveys recent advancements in memristors, transistors, and sensors using 2DMs, focusing on their charge transport mechanisms and integration into silicon CMOS platforms. We highlight key challenges posed by the material’s nanosheet morphology and defect dynamics and discuss future potential for monolithic 3D integration with CMOS technology.

Abstract Two-dimensional materials-based ultrafast spintronics are expected to surpass conventional data storage and manipulation technologies, that are now reaching their fundamental limits. The newly discovered van der Waals (VdW) magnets provide a new platform for ultrafast spintronics since their magnetic and electrical properties can be tuned by many external factors, such as strain, voltage, magnetic field, or light absorption for instance. Here, we report on the direct relationship between magnetic order and Terahertz (THz) electrodynamics in Fe n GeTe2 (n = 3, 5) (FGT) films after being illuminated by a femtosecond optical pulse, studying their ultrafast THz response as a function of the optical pump-THz probe temporal delay. In Fe5GeTe2, we find clear evidence that light-induced electronic excitations directly influence THz electrodynamics similarly to a demagnetization process, contrasting with the effects observed in Fe3GeTe2, which are characterized by a thermal energy transfer among electrons, magnons, and phonons. We address these effects as a function of the pump fluence and pump-probe delay, and by tuning the temperature across the magnetic ordering Curie temperature, highlighting the microscopic mechanisms describing the out-of-equilibrium evolution of the THz conductivity. Finally, we find evidence for the incoherent-coherent crossover predicted by the Kondo-Ising scenario in Fe3GeTe2 and successfully simulate its light-driven electrodynamics through a three-temperature model. As indicated by these results, FGT surpasses conventional metals in terms of modulating their properties using an optical lever.

Abstract Dynamical and structural heterogeneities play an important role in glass transition phenomena. However, the relation between these heterogeneities is not fully revealed. In this study, we simultaneously observed these heterogeneities near the glass transition temperature in Zr50Cu40Al10 using five-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy, which can record the spatiotemporal distribution of diffraction patterns. The heterogeneities were visualized with sub-nanometer resolution, and a correlation between them was measured up to the glass transition temperature. We verified that ordered structures had slow dynamics, and the order decreased as the temperature increased.

Abstract Recent advances in deep learning generative models (GMs) have created high capabilities in accessing and assessing complex high-dimensional data, allowing superior efficiency in navigating vast material configuration space in search of viable structures. Coupling such capabilities with physically significant data to construct trained models for materials discovery is crucial to moving this emerging field forward. Here, we present a universal GM for crystal structure prediction (CSP) via a conditional crystal diffusion variational autoencoder (Cond-CDVAE) approach, which is tailored to allow user-defined material and physical parameters such as composition and pressure. This model is trained on an expansive dataset containing over 670,000 local minimum structures, including a rich spectrum of high-pressure structures, along with ambient-pressure structures in Materials Project database. We demonstrate that the Cond-CDVAE model can generate physically plausible structures with high fidelity under diverse pressure conditions without necessitating local optimization, accurately predicting 59.3% of the 3547 unseen ambient-pressure experimental structures within 800 structure samplings, with the accuracy rate climbing to 83.2% for structures comprising fewer than 20 atoms per unit cell. These results meet or exceed those achieved via conventional CSP methods based on global optimization. The present findings showcase substantial potential of GMs in the realm of CSP.

Abstract Superalloys are indispensable materials for the fabrication of high-temperature components in aircraft engines. The discovery of a novel class of γ/γ′ Co-Al-W alloys has ignited a surge of interest in Co-based superalloys, with the aspiration to transcend the inherent constraints of their Ni-based counterparts. However, the conventional methodologies utilized in the design and advancement of new γ/γ′ Co-based superalloys are frequently characterized by their laborious and resource-intensive nature. In this study, we employed a coupled Density Functional Theory (DFT) and machine learning (ML) approach to predict and analyze the stability of the crucial γ′ phase, which is instrumental in expediting the discovery of γ/γ′ Co-based alloys. A dataset comprised of thousands of reliable formation (H f) and decomposition (H d) energies was obtained through high-throughput DFT calculations. Through regression model selection and feature engineering, our trained Random Forest (RF) model achieved prediction accuracies of 98.07% for H f and 97.05% for H d. Utilizing the well-trained RF model, we predicted the energies of over 150,000 ternary and quaternary γ′ phases within the Co-Ni-Fe-Cr-Al-W-Ti-Ta-V-Mo-Nb system. The energy analyses revealed that the presence of Ni, Nb, Ta, Ti, and V significantly reduced the H f and the H d of γ′, while Mo and W deteriorate the stability by increasing both energy values. Interestingly, although Al reduces the H f, it increases H d, thereby adversely affecting the stability of γ′. Applying domain-specific screening based on our knowledge, we identified 1049 out of >150,000 compositions likely to form stable γ′ phases, predominantly distributed across 11 Al-containing systems and 25 Al-free systems. Combining the analysis of CALPHAD method, we experimentally synthesized two new Co-based alloys with γ/γ′ dual-phase microstructures, corroborating the reliability of our theoretical prediction model.

Abstract Quantum algorithms are emerging tools in the design of functional materials due to their powerful solution space search capability. How to balance the high price of quantum computing resources and the growing computing needs has become an urgent problem to be solved. We propose a novel optimization strategy based on an active learning scheme that combines the Quantum-inspired Genetic Algorithm (QGA) with machine learning surrogate model regression. Using Random Forests as the surrogate model circumvents the time-consuming physical modeling or experiments, thereby improving the optimization efficiency. QGA, a genetic algorithm embedded with quantum mechanics, combines the advantages of quantum computing and genetic algorithms, enabling faster and more robust convergence to the optimum. Using the design of planar multilayer photonic structures for transparent radiative cooling as a testbed, we show superiority of our algorithm over the classical genetic algorithm (CGA). Additionally, we show the precision advantage of the Random Forest (RF) model as a flexible surrogate model, which relaxes the constraints on the type of surrogate model that can be used in other quantum computing optimization algorithms (e.g., quantum annealing needs Ising model as a surrogate).

Abstract Lightweight refractory high-entropy alloys (LW-RHEAs) hold significant potential in the fields of aviation, aerospace, and nuclear energy due to their low density, high strength, high hardness, and corrosion resistance. However, the enormous composition space has severely hindered the development of novel LW-RHEAs with excellent comprehensive performance. In this paper, an machine learning (ML)-based alloy design strategy combined with a multi-objective optimization method was proposed and applied for a rational design of Al-Nb-Ti-V-Zr-Cr-Mo-Hf LW-RHEAs. The quantitative relation of “composition-structure-property” was first established by ML modeling. Then, feature analysis reveals that Cr content greater than 12 at.% is a key criterion for alloys with high corrosion resistance. The phase structure, density, melting point, hardness and corrosion resistance of the alloys were screened layer by layer, and finally, three LW-RHEAs with superb hard and corrosion resistance were successfully designed. Key experimental validation indicates that three target alloys have densities around 6.5 g/cm3, and all alloys are disordered bcc_A2 single-phase with the highest hardness of 593 HV and the largest pitting potential of 2.5 VSCE, which far exceeds all the literature reports. The successful demonstration in this paper clearly demonstrates that the present design strategy driven by the ML technique should be generally applicable to other RHEA systems.

Abstract Directed atomic fabrication using an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) opens new pathways for atomic engineering of functional materials. In this approach, the electron beam is used to actively alter the atomic structure through electron beam induced irradiation processes. One of the impediments that has limited widespread use thus far has been the ability to understand the fundamental mechanisms of atomic transformation pathways at high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we develop a workflow for obtaining and analyzing high-speed spiral scan STEM data, up to 100 fps, to track the atomic fabrication process during nanopore milling in monolayer MoS2. An automated feedback-controlled electron beam positioning system combined with deep convolution neural network (DCNN) was used to decipher fast but low signal-to-noise datasets and classify time-resolved atom positions and nature of their evolving atomic defect configurations. Through this automated decoding, the initial atomic disordering and reordering processes leading to nanopore formation was able to be studied across various timescales. Using these experimental workflows a greater degree of speed and information can be extracted from small datasets without compromising spatial resolution. This approach can be adapted to other 2D materials systems to gain further insights into the defect formation necessary to inform future automated fabrication techniques utilizing the STEM electron beam.

Abstract To advance the development of high-strength polycrystalline metallic materials towards achieving carbon neutrality, it is essential to design materials in which the atomic level control of general grain boundaries (GGBs), which govern the material properties, is achieved. However, owing to the complex and diverse structures of GGBs, there have been no reports on interatomic potentials capable of reproducing them. This accuracy is essential for conducting molecular dynamics analyses to derive material design guidelines. In this study, we constructed a machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP) with density functional theory (DFT) accuracy to model the energy, atomic structure, and dynamics of arbitrary grain boundaries (GBs), including GGBs, in α-Fe. Specifically, we employed a training dataset comprising diverse atomic structures generated based on crystal space groups. The GGB accuracy was evaluated by directly comparing with DFT calculations performed on cells cut near GBs from nano-polycrystals, and extrapolation grades of the local atomic environment based on active learning methods for the entire nano-polycrystal. Furthermore, we analyzed the GB energy and atomic structure in α-Fe polycrystals through large-scale molecular dynamics analysis using the constructed MLIP. The average GB energy of α-Fe polycrystals calculated by the constructed MLIP is 1.57 J/m2, exhibiting good agreement with experimental predictions. Our findings demonstrate the methodology for constructing an MLIP capable of representing GGBs with high accuracy, thereby paving the way for materials design based on computational materials science for polycrystalline materials.

Abstract We present a comprehensive and user-friendly framework built upon the pyiron integrated development environment (IDE), enabling researchers to perform the entire Machine Learning Potential (MLP) development cycle consisting of (i) creating systematic DFT databases, (ii) fitting the Density Functional Theory (DFT) data to empirical potentials or MLPs, and (iii) validating the potentials in a largely automatic approach. The power and performance of this framework are demonstrated for three conceptually very different classes of interatomic potentials: an empirical potential (embedded atom method - EAM), neural networks (high-dimensional neural network potentials - HDNNP) and expansions in basis sets (atomic cluster expansion - ACE). As an advanced example for validation and application, we show the computation of a binary composition-temperature phase diagram for Al-Li, a technologically important lightweight alloy system with applications in the aerospace industry.

Abstract We develop an automated high-throughput workflow for calculating lattice dynamical properties from first principles including those dictated by anharmonicity. The pipeline automatically computes interatomic force constants (IFCs) up to 4th order from perturbed training supercells, and uses the IFCs to calculate lattice thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and vibrational free energy and entropy. It performs phonon renormalization for dynamically unstable compounds to obtain real effective phonon spectra at finite temperatures and calculates the associated free energy corrections. The methods and parameters are chosen to balance computational efficiency and result accuracy, assessed through convergence testing and comparisons with experimental measurements. Deployment of this workflow at a large scale would facilitate materials discovery efforts toward functionalities including thermoelectrics, contact materials, ferroelectrics, aerospace components, as well as general phase diagram construction.

Abstract Phase-changing materials have been a cornerstone of condensed matter physics for decades. A quintessential example is iron-rhodium (FeRh), which undergoes a first-order phase transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic states near room temperature. The pivotal aspect of this transition is a marked alteration in electrical conductivity. However, its underlying origin still remains elusive, largely due to the difficulties of directly probing fundamental transport during this phase transition. In this study, we investigate the fundamentals of FeRh’s electrical transport employing terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Leveraging the Drude model, we discerned the distinct contributions of extrinsic (momentum scattering time, τ) and intrinsic (charge density, n, and effective mass, m*) factors to electrical conductivity independently. Notably, our investigation unveiled a sharp alteration in n and m* during the phase transition, contrasting with the gradual monotonic decrease of τ with rising temperature. Consequently, our findings provide compelling evidence that the conductivity change in FeRh during the phase transition originates from a restructuring of its band structure. This work provides a crucial step towards a comprehensive understanding of the electrical transport changes occurring during the phase transition, offering valuable insights into the behaviour of phase changing materials.

Abstract Highly sensitive and selective gas-sensing materials are critical for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to breath analysis. A rational approach at the nanoscale is urgent to design next-generation sensing devices. In previous work, we unveiled interesting charge transfer channels at the interface between p-type doped graphene and a layer of nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) molecules, which we believe could be successfully exploited in gas sensing devices. Here, we have investigated the graphene-NiPc interface’s response to adsorbed gas molecules via first-principles calculations. We focused on NH3 and NO2 as test molecules, representing electron donors and acceptors, respectively. Notably, we identified the Ni d z 2 orbital as a key player in mediating the charge transfer and affecting the charge carrier density in graphene. As a proof-of-concept, we then prepared the graphene-NiPc system as a chemiresistor device and exposed it to NH3 and NO2 at room temperature. The sensing tests revealed excellent sensitivity and selectivity, along with a rapid recovery time and a remarkably low detection limit.

Abstract Topological semimetals, known for their intriguing properties arising from band degeneracies, have garnered significant attention. However, the discovery of a material realization and the detailed characterization of spinless Dirac semimetals have not yet been accomplished. Here, we propose from first-principles calculations that the RE 8CoX 3 group (RE = rare earth elements, X = Al, Ga, or In) contains ideal spinless Dirac semimetals whose Fermi surfaces are fourfold degenerate band-crossing points (without including spin degeneracy). Despite the lack of space inversion symmetry in these materials, Dirac points are formed on the rotation-symmetry axis due to accidental degeneracies of two bands corresponding to different 2-dimensional irreducible representations of the C 6v group. We also investigate, through first-principles calculations and effective model analysis, various phase transitions caused by lattice distortion or elemental substitutions from the Dirac semimetal phase to distinct topological semimetallic phases such as nonmagnetic linked-nodal-line and Weyl semimetals (characterized by the second Stiefel–Whitney class) and ferromagnetic Weyl semimetals.

Abstract Doping of luminescent materials by rare-earth ions is common practice to achieve desired emission properties for a large variety of applications. As several rare-earths ions are frequently combined, it is subsequently difficult to effectively detect and control their homogeneous distribution within the host material. Here, we present a simple, rapid, large scale and precise method of rare-earth mapping using a commercial UV-Vis scanner. We discuss the influence of rare-earth distribution on the physical, optical and luminescent properties with no observable qualitative effect on photoluminescent properties and optical anisotropy. On the contrary, rare-earth-rich areas exhibit significantly higher values of refractive index and optical absorption, which allowed for their identification by the commercial scanner device. The presented method thus provides fast and accurate information about the rare-earth distribution in the material volume with high resolution (≈2.7 µm) and low limit of concentration difference detection (≈0.014 at.%) compared to other techniques, which makes it a promising candidate for high throughput measurements.

Abstract Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is recognized as an environmentally friendly construction material derived from reclaimed concrete components. This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive scientometric analysis of RAC research published between 2000 and 2023 in the Web of Science core database. The study includes analyses of publication trends over time, contributions and collaborations among authors, productivity of institutions and countries, co-citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Additionally, the research identifies emerging frontiers in RAC studies. The results are visually presented to provide a holistic overview of the current state of RAC research and future developmental trajectories. The study analyzes publication trends over time, with over 80% of the papers published after 2017, reflecting the growing interest in sustainable construction. Key trends identified include the increasing focus on improving the mechanical properties and durability of RAC, microstructural analysis, and innovative manufacturing techniques. While the field has advanced significantly, challenges remain in areas such as the integration of nanoparticles, biomineralization techniques, carbon capture and utilization, and 3D printing technologies. These challenges underscore the need for continued innovation and exploration. With these advancements, RAC has the potential to play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable construction practices in the future.

Abstract Due to their excellent properties, blue CsPbBr3 quantum dots show great promise for full-colour display and lighting applications. This study used acetonitrile, a polar solvent, to post-treat CsPbBr3 quantum dots, resulting in a blue shift to 453 nm. To enhance stability, these quantum dots were encapsulated within the pore structure of mesoporous silica. A flexible luminescent fiber material was prepared using poly (lactic acid) (PLA) as the substrate, demonstrating improved hydrophobicity and stable optical properties. The material exhibited a contact angle of 99.7° and maintained 82.2% of its fluorescence intensity after 30 days at room temperature. These findings highlight its significant potential for optical applications.

Abstract Brain cancer pose significant life-threats by destructively invading normal brain tissues, causing dysneuria, disability and death, and its therapeutics is limited by underdosage and toxicity lying in conventional drug delivery that relied on passive delivery. The application of nanorobots-based drug delivery systems is an emerging field that holds great potential for brain cancer active targeting and controllable treatment. The ability of nanorobots to encapsulate, transport, and supply therapies directly to the lesion site through blood–brain barriers makes it possible to deliver drugs to hard-to-reach areas. In order to improve the efficiency of drug delivery and problems such as precision and sustained release, nanorobots are effectively realized by converting other forms of energy into propulsion and motion, which are considered as high-efficiency methods for drug delivery. In this article, we described recent advances in the treatment of brain cancer with nanorobots mainly from three aspects: firstly, the development history and characteristics of nanorobots are reviewed; secondly, recent research progress of nanorobots in brain cancer is comprehensively investigated, like the driving mode and mechanism of nanorobots are described; thirdly, the potential translation of nanorobotics for brain diseases is discussed and the challenges and opportunities for future research are outlined.

Abstract Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), capable of converting near-infrared (NIR) light into high-energy emission, hold significant promise for bioimaging applications. However, the presence of tissue barriers poses a challenge to the effective delivery of nanoparticles (NPs) to target organs. In this study, we demonstrate the core–shell UCNPs modified with cationic biopolymer, i.e., N, N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), can overcome endothelial barriers. The core–shell UCNP is composed of NaGdF4: Yb3+,Tm3+ (16.7 ± 2.7 nm) as core materials and silica (SiO2) shell. The average particle size of UCNPs@SiO2 is estimated at 26.1 ± 3.7 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and element mapping shows the formation of hexagonal crystal structure of β-NaGdF4 and elements doping. The surface of UCNPs@SiO2 has been modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to enhance water dispersibility and colloidal stability, and further modified with TMC with the zeta potential increasing from -2.1 ± 0.96 mV to 26.9 ± 12.6 mV. No significant toxic effect is imposed to HUVECs when the cells are treated with core–shell UCNPs with surface modification up to 250 µg/mL. The transport ability of the core–shell UCNPs has been evaluated by using the in vitro endothelial barrier model. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and immunofluorescence staining of tight junction proteins have been employed to verify the integrity of the in vitro endothelial barrier model. The results indicate that the transport percentage of the UCNPs@SiO2 with PEG and TMC through the model is up to 4.56%, which is twice higher than that of the UCNPs@SiO2 with PEG but without TMC and six times that of the UCNPs@SiO2.

Abstract We propose a novel design for multi-junction photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs) operating in higher-order waveguide modes to minimize internal losses. This paper details the design and simulation of a 2-junction PCSEL, including calculations of confinement factors, coupling coefficients, radiation loss, and threshold currents. We compare the performance of 2 J-PCSELs and 1 J-PCSELs, demonstrating the potential for highly efficient multi-junction PCSELs with improved power conversion efficiency and output power.

Abstract Background Malaria, a tropical neglected disease, imposes a significant burden on global health, leading to the loss of thousands of lives annually. Its gold standard treatment is a combination therapy of lumefantrine (LUM) and artemether (ART). Nanotechnology holds significant potential for improving drug bioavailability and potency while reducing adverse effects. Objectives This study aimed to develop lipid-core nanocapsules containing ART and LUM and evaluate their effects in an experimental cerebral malaria model (ECM). Methods The polymeric interfacial deposition method was used to develop lipid-core nanocapsules (LNCs) containing ART and LUM (LNCARTLUM) and were characterized using micrometric and nanometric scales. Male C57BL/6 mice were infected with Plasmodium (P.) berghei ANKA (PbA, 1 × 105 PbA-parasitized red blood cells, intraperitoneally). On day 5 post-infection, PbA-infected mice were orally administered with ART + LUM, LNCARTLUM, blank nanocapsules (LNCBL), or ethanol as a control. Parasitemia, clinical scores, and survival rates were monitored throughout the experiment. Organ-to-body weight ratios, cytokine quantification, and intravital microscopy analyses were conducted on day 7 post-infection. Results LNCs were successfully developed and characterized. The treatment with LNCARTLUM in ECM resulted in complete clearance of parasitemia at 10 dpi, decreased clinical scores, and maintained 100% survival rates. Thereated mice exhibited splenomegaly and reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP1 levels in the brain. Furthermore, the LNCARTLUM treatment protected the brain microvasculature, reducing the number of cells in the rolling process and adherent to the microvasculature endothelium. Conclusion Nanoformulations can potentially improve the efficacy of antimalarial drugs and be considered a promising approach to treat malaria.

Abstract Nanomaterials play a pivotal role in food preservation and its safety, offering ingenious solutions for sustainable food packaging. Nanomaterials enable the creation of packaging materials having unique functional properties. It not only extends the shelf life of the foods by releasing preservatives but also enhances food safety by preventing microbial contamination or food spoilage. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the various applications of nanotechnology in food packaging, highlighting its key advantages. We also delve into the safety considerations and regulatory issues involved in developing nanotechnology-based food packaging materials. Additionally, advancements in the field of nanotechnology-based packaging have the potential to create safer, more sustainable, and high-quality packaging with greater functionality that delivers essential benefits to manufacturers and consumers.

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) bone metastasis poses a significant clinical challenge due to its impact on patient prognosis and quality of life. Curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenol compound found in turmeric, has shown potential in cancer therapy due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, its metabolic instability and hydrophobicity have hindered its clinical applications, leading to a short plasma half-life, poor absorption, and low bioavailability. To enhance the drug-like properties of CUR, nanotechnology-based delivery strategies have been employed, utilizing polymeric, lipidic, and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs). These approaches have effectively overcome CUR’s inherent limitations by enhancing its stability and cellular bioavailability both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, targeting molecules with high selectivity towards bone metastasized breast cancer cells can be used for site specific delivery of curcumin. Alendronate (ALN), a bone-seeking bisphosphonate, is one such moiety with high selectivity towards bone and thus can be effectively used for targeted delivery of curcumin loaded nanocarriers. This review will detail the process of bone metastasis in BC, elucidate the mechanism of action of CUR, and assess the efficacy of nanotechnology-based strategies for CUR delivery. Specifically, it will focus on how these strategies enhance CUR’s stability and improve targeted delivery approaches in the treatment of BC bone metastasis. Graphical abstract

Abstract Among the numerous driving forces that cause the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), pathogenic bacterial extracellular membrane nanovesicles (BEMNs) containing toxins and virulence factors appear to be the key trigger of inflammation and atherogenesis, the major processes involved in the pathogenesis of ASCVD. Since BEMNs are the carriers of nanosized biomolecules to distant sites, they are now being considered as a novel drug delivery system. Nowadays, many therapeutic strategies are used to treat ASCVD. However, the conventional anti-atherosclerotic therapies are not effective enough. This primarily due to the inefficiency of non-targeted drug delivery systems to tissue affected areas, which, in turn, leads to numerous side effects, as well as faulty pharmacokinetics. In this regard, nanomedicine methods using nanoparticles (NPs) as targeted drug delivery vehicles proved to be extremely useful. Bioengineered BEMNs equipped with disease-specific ligand moieties and loaded with corresponding drugs represent a promising tool in nanomedicine, which can be used as a novel drug delivery system for a successful therapy of ASCVD. In this review, we outline the involvement of pathogenic BEMNs in the triggering of ASCVD, the conventional therapeutic strategies for the treatment of ASCVD, and the recent trends in nanomedicine using BEMNs and NPs as a vehicle for targeted drug delivery.

Abstract We explored safer, superior energy storage solutions by investigating all-solid-state electrolytes with high theoretical energy densities of 3860 mAh g−1, corresponding to the Li-metal anode. Despite challenges like dendrite growth, we synthesized ceramic-based electrolytes using green chemistry. These non-doped and doped electrolytes with F-, Ce-, and Mo demonstrated notable ionic conductivity (0.15–0.54 S cm−1) and durability. By customizing nanostructured materials, we improved battery performance, surpassing the conductivity of commercial electrolytes.