Metal matrix composites (MMCs) reinforced by various dimensional nanoscale reinforcements (ranging from 0D to 3D) have gained significant importance in numerous fields such as electronic circuits, aerospace and new energy vehicles due to their exceptional mechanical and functional properties. Despite their widespread applications, the inherent disparity in properties between the matrix and nanoscale reinforcements often results in a trade-off between strength and plasticity, as well as diminished physical characteristics. This dilemma significantly impedes the advancement of MMCs. This review aims to discuss the current state of research on MMCs reinforced by nanoscale reinforcements, highlighting the intricately designed approaches for achieving high strength-ductility matching or enhanced physical properties. Furthermore, the review systematically examines the factors influencing strengthening, toughening mechanisms and deformation behavior, as supported by current experimental and theoretical research across various reinforcement dimensions. Analyzing and evaluating the internal mechanisms and influencing factors that govern the distinctive dimensional design to achieve specific properties can provide fundamental principles for designing and fabricating high-performance composite materials, facilitating the extensive application of the MMCs in cutting-edge fields such as aerospace, electronic communications, and artificial intelligence.

The accurate knowledge of liquid properties for Ti-Al based alloys is of great significance for scientific explorations such as revealing the atomic-scale behaviors in alloy processing and realizing the optimization of manufacture technology. By means of the active learning method based on deep neural network (DNN) and electromagnetic levitation technology (EML), we investigate the microstructure evolution of Ti₄₇Al₄₇Zr₆ alloy, and with a focus on obtaining its liquid state properties. The density, surface tension, viscosity of this liquid alloy and the related self-diffusion coefficient are predicted by the DNN potential. The calculated surface tension exhibits only a deviation of less than 2 % as compared with EML experimental values. The liquid local structure characteristics acquired through Voronoi polyhedron analysis indicate that the fraction of relatively high-coordinated clusters with Al as the central atom displayed an anomalous decrease with the falling of liquid temperature. This effect is attributed to the tendency of these clusters to form icosahedral-like geometries, resulting in an increased fraction of icosahedral-like geometries in liquid alloy.

Two-dimensional clay-based materials have shown significant potential in key electrochemical processes, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Two-dimensional clay-based materials possess intrinsic properties such as porous structures, tunable specific surface areas, excellent thermal and mechanical stability, abundant reserves, and cost-effectiveness. However, limited electrocatalytic activity of two-dimensional clay-based materials remains a major challenge. The issue is closely tied to microscopic structures, including spin states, orbital hybridization, energy band alignment, and lattice stability of two-dimensional clay-based materials. The review delves into the relationship between modified two-dimensional clay-based materials and catalytic performance, summarizing strategies such as defect engineering and heteroatom doping to enhance orbital overlap, thereby improving HER, OER, and ORR activities. Finally, this review discusses the development prospects of clay-based materials, emphasizing the critical role of combining advanced computational and experimental techniques in driving innovations in energy conversion materials.

This paper presents a systematic review of biomedical Ti alloys fabricated through additive manufacturing. It begins with an overview of the development of Ti metals and their applications in biomedical fields, particularly in orthopedic and dental implants. The review highlights recent advancements, such as the incorporation of porous structures. Key aspects of additive manufacturing for biomedical Ti alloys are explored, including material characteristics, preparation parameters, solidification behavior, and post-heat treatments, with emphasis on their effects on microstructure and material properties. This paper further summaries the current states of biomedical standards for Ti alloys, and concludes with a discussion of future trends, opportunities, and challenges in the additive manufacturing of biomedical Ti alloys, including advancements in material innovation, process optimization, and the integration of personalized implants. This review aims to provide valuable insights into the ongoing developments and future directions for additive manufacturing biomedical Ti alloys.