@article{Tu2026, 
author = {Chang Tu and Chiheng Dong and Meng Han and Caida Fu and MingHui Tang and He Huang and Chao Yao and Dongliang Wang and Xianping Zhang and Yanwei Ma},
title = {Fluid-assisted grain refinement interlacing dislocation networks in high-performance iron-based superconductors},
year = {2026},
journal = {Journal of Materiomics},
volume = {12},
number = {5},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1016/j.jmat.2026.101261},
doi = {10.1016/j.jmat.2026.101261},
abstract = {Achieving high critical current density in practical superconductors for high-field applications requires well-connected fine grains decorated with nano-scale crystalline defects to immobilize magnetic vortices. In compounds with rigid crystal lattices, however, grain refinement is usually accompanied by the release of stored strain energy rather than the retention of defects. Here, we demonstrate a scalable fluid-assisted milling strategy to produce high-purity Ba1–xKxFe2As2 precursor powders with uniform grains. Unlike dry milling that induces catastrophic fracture through breaking Fe–As covalent bonds, the liquid medium buffers impact energy and promotes shear-dominated deformation. This shear-dominated process selectively disrupts the weaker Ba–As ionic bonds, inducing a concerted lattice twist around the [001] axis and triggering the self-organization of interwoven screw dislocation networks. The dislocations with a density 2–4 orders of magnitude higher than those in conventional ceramics serve as strong pinning centers for magnetic vortices. Together with better grain connectivity and texture, the tapes fabricated from optimally milled powders exhibit a 50% enhancement in critical current density, reaching 1.45 × 105 A/cm2 at 4.2 K and 10 T. Our results establish fluid-assisted milling as a practical route to synergistically refine grains and construct strong pinning landscapes, offering a scalable pathway to high-performance iron-based superconductors.}
}