Ductile-to-brittle transition in aluminum alloys

Zhou, D.*; Zhang, X.*; Pang, X.*; Zhao, Z.*; Chen, X.*; Wei, S.*; Yang, C.*; Gong, W.; Harjo, S.; Li, R.*; et al.

Materials Research Letters (Internet), 14(6), p.689 - 698, 2026/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/21663831.2026.2646271

Decay properties of new isotopes Bk and Am

Wang, J. G.*; Zhang, Z. Y.*; Andreyev, A. N.; 33 of others*

Physics Letters B, 875, p.140365_1 - 140365_6, 2026/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2026.140365

The new isotopes Bk and Am were investigated using the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS2. They were identified by measuring radioactive decay chains originating from Bk produced via the Au(Ar,2n)Bk reaction. The energy and half-life were determined for these isotopes. A systematic analysis reveals significant discrepancies between the experimental data and the theoretical predictions for the isotopes of Bk and Am, which warrant further investigation.

Spin excitation continuum from degenerate states in the mixed ferro-antiferromagnetic exchange system CeMgAlO

Gao, B.*; Chen, T.*; Liu, C.*; Klemm, M. L.*; Zhang, S.*; Ma, Z.*; Xu, X.*; Won, C.*; McCandless, G. T.*; Rao, K.*; et al.

Science Advances (Internet), 12(10), p.eaed7778_1 - eaed7778_7, 2026/03

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aed7778

Residual stress relief effect in gradient structural steel and remaining life evaluation under stochastic fatigue loads

Qin, T. Y.*; Hu, F. F.*; Xu, P. G.; Zhang, R.*; Su, Y. H.; Ao, N.*; Li, Z. W.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Shobu, Takahisa; Wu, S. C.*

International Journal of Fatigue, 202, p.109233_1 - 109233_16, 2026/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2025.109233

Fused-ring nanothread synthesized via high-pressure polymerization of naphthalene

Fei, Y.*; Wang, Y.*; Zhang, J.*; Liu, J.*; Zhao, Z.*; Hattori, Takanori; Abe, Jun*; Dong, X.*; Mao, H.-K.*; Zheng, H.*; et al.

Chemistry; A European Journal, p.e71096_1 - e71096_11, 2026/00

https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.71096

We systematically investigated the high-pressure polymerization of naphthalene, the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), using multiple cutting-edge methods. Naphthalene molecules were stacked in herringbone style, and underwent [4+2] cycloaddition reactions along the a-b direction above 20 GPa, yielding one-dimensional Carbon nanothreads (CNThs). In contrast to the formation of many CNThs, the nucleation of the CNThs occurs during compression while their growth proceeds during decompression, which is likely prevalent among herringbone-stacked aromatics. The unit cell of the obtained CNTh crystal is determined and the possible structure of the CNTh product is also proposed. Our research reveals the polymerization characteristics of naphthalene under high pressure, highlighting the fact that the slip-angle plays an important role in governing the polymerization pathway.

All-temperature barocaloric effects at pressure-induced phase transitions

Zhao, X.*; Zhang, Z.*; Hattori, Takanori; Wang, J.*; Li, L.*; Jia, Y.*; Li, W.*; Xue, J.*; Fan, X.*; Song, R.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 16, p.7713_1 - 7713_8, 2025/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63068-z

Caloric effects usually occur in the vicinity of solid-state phase transitions with a limited refrigeration temperature span. Here, we introduce and realize an unprecedented concept -all temperature barocaloric effect, i.e., a remarkable barocaloric effect in KPF across an exceptionally wide temperature span, from 77.5 to 300 K and potentially down to 4 K, covering typical room temperature, liquid nitrogen, liquid hydrogen, and liquid helium refrigeration regions. The directly measured barocaloric adiabatic temperature change reaches 12 K at room temperature and 2.5 K at 77.5 K upon the release of a 250 MPa pressure. This effect is attributed to a persistent phase transition to a rhombohedral high pressure phases. We depict the thermodynamic energy landscape to account for the structural instability. This unique all-temperature barocaloric effect presents a novel approach to highly applicable solid-state refrigeration technology, transcending the conventional multi-stage scenario.

Ordered graphane nanoribbons synthesized via high-pressure diels-alder polymerization of 2,2'-bipyrazine

Li, F.*; Tang, X.*; Fei, Y.*; Zhang, J.*; Liu, J.*; Lang, P.*; Che, G.*; Zhao, Z.*; Zheng, Y.*; Fang, Y.*; et al.

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 147(17), p.14054 - 14059, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c03116

We synthesized a crystalline graphane nanoribbon (GANR) via pressure-induced polymerization of 2,2'-bipyrazine (BPZ). By performing Rietveld refinement of in situ neutron diffraction data, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectra, and theoretical calculation, we found that BPZ experienced Diels-Alder polymerization between the stacked aromatic rings, and formed extended boat-GANR structures with exceptional long-range order. The unreacted -C=N- groups bridge the two ends of the boat, and ready for further functionalization. The GANR has a bandgap of 2.25 eV, with booming photoelectric response (/ =18.8). Our work highlights that the high-pressure topochemical polymerization is a promising method for the precise synthesis of graphane with specific structure and desired properties.

Strong low-energy rattling modes enabled liquid-like ultralow thermal conductivity in a well-ordered solid

Liu, P.-F.*; Li, X.*; Li, J.*; Zhu, J.*; Tong, Z.*; Kofu, Maiko*; Nirei, Masami; Xu, J.*; Yin, W.*; Wang, F.*; et al.

National Science Review, 11(12), p.nwae216_1 - nwae216_10, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae216

Anomalous dislocation response to deformation strain in CrFeCoNiPd high-entropy alloys with nanoscale chemical fluctuations

Ying, H.*; Yang, X.*; He, H.*; Yan, A.*; An, K.*; Ke, Y.*; Wu, Z.*; Tang, S.*; Zhang, Z.*; Dong, H.*; et al.

Scripta Materialia, 250, p.116181_1 - 116181_7, 2024/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2024.116181

Giant barocaloric effects in sodium hexafluorophosphate and hexafluoroarsenate

Zhang, Z.*; Hattori, Takanori; Song, R.*; Yu, D.*; Mole, R.*; Chen, J.*; He, L.*; Zhang, Z.*; Li, B.*

Journal of Applied Physics, 136(3), p.035105_1 - 035105_8, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0211085

Solid-state refrigeration using barocaloric materials is environmentally friendly and highly efficient, making it a subject of global interest over the past decade. Here, we report giant barocaloric effects in sodium hexafluorophosphate (NaPF) and sodium hexafluoroarsenate (NaAsF) that both undergo a cubic-to-rhombohedral phase transition near room temperature. We have determined that the low-temperature phase structure of NaPF is a rhombohedral structure with space group R and NaAsF, i.e., F, E, and A. The phase transition temperature varies with pressure at a rate of dT/dP = 250 and 310 K/GPa for NaPF and NaAsF. The pressure-induced entropy changes of NaPF and NaAsF are determined to be around 45.2 and 35.6J kgK, respectively. The saturation driving pressure is about 40 MPa. The pressure-dependent neutron powder diffraction suggests that the barocaloric effects are related to the pressure-induced cubic-to-rhombohedral phase transitions.