Depletion of high-grade ore deposits, coupled with growing difficulty of separating low-grade ores, has exposed critical shortcomings in current ore separation technologies: sluggish response, high energy consumption, and elevated noise at room temperature. The advent of third-generation semiconductors has positioned Cd_1-xZn_xTe (0≤x≤1, abbreviated as CZT) as a highly efficient detector material. Leveraging an innovative single-step conversion mechanism, Cd_1-xZn_xTe (0≤x≤1) detectors directly transduce high-energy radiation into charge signals, enabling precise determination of energy, position and time. This paper provided a comprehensive survey of worldwide research on Cd_1-xZn_xTe (0≤x≤1) crystals, systematically comparing the merits and drawbacks of various growth techniques. Detailed assessments were presented on controlling compositional uniformity, managing the solid-liquid interface, and eliminating—or at least mitigating—bulk and surface defects. Building on these analyses, the outlook for future applications and development trajectories of Cd_1-xZn_xTe (0≤x≤1) crystals was discussed.

C19210 is one of the Cu-Fe-P alloys extensively employed in the electronics industry. In order to enhance strength and electrical conductivity of the alloy, thermo-mechanical treatment was applied. In this work, the influences of deformation heat treatment on the mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and microstructure of C19210 were investigated. Results showed that the optimal properties, including a Vickers hardness of 134HV, tensile strength of 445 MPa, electrical conductivity of 88.4%IACS, and elongation of 16.3%, can be achieved through an optimized combinatorial process: solution treatment at 900 ℃ for 120 min, primary cold rolling (80% reduction) with aging at 450 ℃ for 240 min, followed by secondary cold rolling (50% reduction) and aging at 450 ℃ for 60 min. Microstructural observations revealed that combined effects of precipitation strengthening from dispersed precipitates and grain refinement from fine recrystallized grains contributed to the improvement of strength and electrical conductivity. These findings provided a theoretical and practical foundation for optimizing the performance and engineering application of Cu-Fe-P alloys.

Copper and copper alloys have remarkable advantages such as strong plasticity, good processing performance, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, which are widely used in defense technology, electrical engineering, construction and light industry. Surface coating is an important technology widely used for corrosion protection of copper and copper alloys. Common anti-corrosion coatings used on the surface of copper and copper alloys mainly include non-metallic coatings, metallic coatings, and graphene coatings. In particular, non-metallic coatings include polymer coatings, self-assembled monomolecular films, and sol-gel coatings. Metallic coatings are classified into conventional electroplating coatings, thermal spray coatings, laser cladding layers and so on. In the aspects of application situation, the main corrosion types and protection measurements of copper and copper alloys, this paper summarized research development of the anti-corrosion coatings for copper and copper alloys, and focused on the main components, preparation methods, performance characteristics, and application prospects of various coatings. Meanwhile, this paper illuminated corrosion protection mechanisms of various coatings on copper and copper alloys, pointed out the shortcomings of various coatings, and then provided an outlook for development trends of the anti-corrosion coatings for copper and copper alloys, including four key research directions.

Cu-2.0Fe-0.03P-0.11Zn alloy is a promising candidate material for electrical connectors owing to the low cost and excellent castability. Continuous casting serves as a key process in strip and plate production, where the solidification microstructure strongly influences subsequent processing and final product properties. In this study, a cellular automaton-finite element (CAFE) model was developed to simulate the solidification microstructure evolution of the Cu-2.0Fe-0.03P-0.11Zn alloy under continuous casting conditions. Simulated fractions of columnar and equiaxed grains were 87.4% and 12.6%, respectively, which were in close agreement with those of experimentally measured macrostructures (88.6% and 11.4%), confirming reliability and accuracy of the established model. Further investigations were conducted on effects of nucleation undercooling and nucleation density on solidification microstructure. Results indicated that increasing nucleation undercooling reduced the proportion of equiaxed grains: as undercooling increased from 1 K to 6 K, equiaxed grain fraction decreased from 17.1% to 9.2%, respectively. In contrast, increasing nucleation density promoted equiaxed grain formation, with equiaxed grain fraction increasing from 10.4% to 18.5% as the nucleation density increased from 0.5×10⁹ m^–3 to 40×10⁹ m^–3, respectively.

Metal/diamond composites with excellent thermal and mechanical properties are promising materials for thermal management applications, but the weak interfacial bonding between metals and diamond restricts industrialization processing. In this study, first-principle calculations based on density functional theory were employed, focusing on the (111) planes of three face-centered cubic (FCC) metals (Al, Cu, and Ag) and the (111) plane of diamond. A series of Cr-doped interface models with a concentration gradient of 12.5%~62.5% were constructed to systematically investigate the regulatory effect of Cr doping on interfacial bonding performance. Combined with calculations of surface relaxation, surface energy, and interfacial adhesion work, as well as analyses of charge density difference and partial density of states (PDOS), the microscopic mechanism of interfacial strengthening was revealed. Results showed that Cr doping exhibited a significant strengthening effect on Cu/diamond and Ag/diamond interfaces: adhesion work presented a distinct increasing trend with the rise of doping concentration, reaching 0.265 J/m² and 0.254 J/m², respectively, at a concentration of 62.5%, both significantly higher than those at 12.5% concentration. In contrast, due to the strong intrinsic Al-C polar covalent bonds and saturated electronic structure at the Al/diamond interface, Cr doping only slightly improved adhesion work to 0.293 J/m², showing low sensitivity to concentration changes. Analysis of interfacial electronic structure confirmed that introduction of Cr can form stable Cr-C covalent bonds through strong hybridization between Cr-3d orbit and C-2p orbit, thereby reconstructing interfacial electronic structure. However, Al formed saturated covalent bonds with C, making it difficult for Cr to participate in effective hybridization. This study provided an important theoretical basis for optimization interfacial design of metal/diamond composite materials and offered guiding significance for promoting their applications in fields such as thermal management.

WO₂ is the important intermediate product during the carbothermal reduction of WO₃ to WC, and the systematical analysis of the reduction behavior of WO₃ to WO₂ has a significant role on the efficient preparation of WC. Reaction behavior of carbothermal reduction of WO₃ to WO₂ was investigated with adaptation of thermogravimetric (TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and thermodynamic calculation technologies. Influences of different parameters, such as reduction temperature, C/WO₃ molar ratio, and reaction time, on the phase transition and morphological evolution during the process were considered. Results of non-isothermal reduction experiment from room temperature to 1200 ℃ showed that WO₃ was preferentially reduced into WO_2.72, then to WO₂, and finally to metallic W. Phase transition law agreed well with thermodynamic theoretical calculation result. In the range of 1000 to 1050 ℃, with the increase of C/WO₃ molar ratio, the relative content of WO_2.72 in the reaction product gradually decreased, while that of WO₂ increased. Single-phase WO₂ can be prepared at the C/WO₃ molar ratio of 1.1. However, when the C/WO₃ molar ratio increased to 1.2, W formed due to the excess C. During the whole carbothermal reduction process, granular WO₃ was first in contact with honeycomb activated carbon. As the increase of reaction time, heat transfer process began and then chemical reaction between the two reactants occurred to form columnar WO_2.72. Subsequently, the columnar WO_2.72 was further reduced into elliptical WO₂. Based on experimental results, the optimal conditions for preparing well-dispersed WO₂ were determined as follows: reduction temperature of 1050 ℃, C/WO₃ molar ratio of 1.1, and reaction time of 90 min.

Under the global carbon neutrality initiative, the advancement of efficient and low-energy urea synthesis technologies holds crucial importance for sustainable development in agriculture and industry. Electrocatalytic technology enables direct co-reduction of CO₂ and NO₃^– for urea synthesis under ambient conditions, emerging as a highly promising strategy that has garnered significant research interest. Nevertheless, current electrocatalytic systems are constrained by low mass transfer efficiency, insufficient catalytic activity, and poor stability, posing substantial challenges for developing high-performance electrocatalysts. In this study, a honeycomb-like porous AlCuZn alloy catalyst was successfully fabricated through a facile alkali etching approach. At ambient conditions, the optimized AlCuZn-0.5 catalyst demonstrated a remarkable urea Faradaic efficiency of 65.7% at –0.3 V (vs. RHE), representing 1.4-fold enhancement over pristine AlCuZn, with a corresponding yield of 152.4 μg/(h·mg_cat) achieving 1.8-fold improvement. Electrochemical cycling tests and pre-/post-reaction X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed catalyst's superior operational stability and structural integrity. The etched AlCuZn-0.5 manifests enhanced synergistic effects among Al-Cu-Zn components, which facilitated C-N coupling reactions and improved urea selectivity. Porous architecture of the material not only enhanced reactant mass transfer but also reduced charge transfer resistance while exposing abundant active sites, collectively boosting urea production rate. This work established a novel design paradigm of C-N coupling for efficient electrocatalysis of NO₃^– and CO₂, positioning AlCuZn-0.5 as a prospective catalyst for sustainable urea synthesis.

In response to the high hardness of discharged water (350~900 mg/L CaCO₃), seasonal water scarcity, and pipeline scaling risk at Wushan Copper Mine in Jiangxi, this study developed a softening and reuse process based on ion exchange resin. Laboratory-scale tests were conducted to select a domestic Zhengguang (working exchange capacity 550~600 mmol/L). Operating parameters were optimized (flow rate 12 m/h, regenerant concentration 6%~8% NaCl), and the feasibility was verified at an industrial scale of 120 m³/h. Results showed that the softened water hardness was stably controlled at 0~130 mg/L CaCO₃, with a Ryznar stability index of 6.0~7.3. Regenerant salt consumption was 210~245 g/mol, and treatment cost per ton of water was 0.686 RMB/ton, of which the salt cost was 0.684 RMB/ton. Resin cost per cubic meter of softened water was 0.069 RMB/m³, and the average electricity cost for recycled water was 0.002 RMB/m³, comparable to current water intake cost. Concentrations of heavy metals in the regeneration waste complied with the GB 25467—2010 discharge standards (Pb<0.37 mg/L, Zn<0.45 mg/L). This technology addressed the production risk caused by seasonal water interruptions of the Nanyang River, achieved 100% wastewater reuse, and provided a solution for treating high-hardness mine wastewater.

In view of the problems existing in the copper and sulfur separation process of a certain concentrator, such as high copper grade (>0.19%), large circulation load and low copper-sulfur separation efficiency of the tailings, operation process of one-roughing, three-scavenging and two-cleaning for cleaning stage of copper-sulfur separation was formed. Investigation of current status of the on-site process flow and mineralogy analysis of intermediate products in cleaning stage were conducted. On-site process optimization industrial tests were executed based on small-scale experiments on intermediate product grinding. Industrial test results of process flow transformation showed that the copper grade of tailings in cleaning stage dropped from 0.19% to 0.156%; the copper recovery rate in cleaning stage increased from 98.04% to 98.56%. The proposed process technological transformation can create economic benefits of about 16 million yuan per year.

Recycling and reuse of copper alloys constitutes a crucial component in China's copper alloy production. During the recycling of brass, iron (Fe) is a prevalent impurity element that can significantly impact brass properties, thus necessitating stringent limitation of iron in brass. This study achieved precise control of Fe content during brass recycling by regulating the input of recycled materials, and systematically investigated the influence of iron on microstructure and properties of recycled H65 brass. Results demonstrated that with increasing Fe content in brass, grains were significantly refined, and the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and plasticity increased. However, this led to a decrease in elongation and electrical conductivity. Specifically, as Fe content increased from 0.014% to 0.051%, the average grain size decreased from 64.2 μm to 48.9 μm, yield strength increased from 105.9 MPa to 122.1 MPa, and hardness increased from 74.5 HV to 88.1 HV. Conversely, elongation decreased from 62.6% to 54.5%, and electrical conductivity decreased from 27.5%IACS to 25.8%IACS. On the other hand, electrochemical tests revealed that the average corrosion rate exhibited an initial decrease followed by an increase, indicating corrosion resistance initially improved but subsequently deteriorated with increasing Fe content. When Fe content was below 0.04%, solid solution strengthening predominated. Further increases may lead to elemental segregation or even precipitation. This research offered systematical guidance for optimizing economic benefits, controlling microstructural evolution, increasing corrosion resistance, and improving processing performance of recycled brass.