Refractory high entropy alloys have broad application prospects due to their excellent comprehensive properties in high temperature environments, and they have been widely implemented in many complex working conditions. According to the latest research reports, the preparation technology of bulk and coating refractory high entropy alloys are summarized, and the advantages and disadvantages of each preparation technology are analyzed. In addition, the properties of refractory high entropy alloys, such as mechanical properties, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and radiation resistance are reviewed. The existing scientific problems of refractory high entropy alloys, at present, are put forward, which provide reference for the development and application of refractory high entropy alloys in the future, especially for plasma-facing materials in nuclear fusion reactors.

Superhydrophobic surfaces have been widely employed in both fundamental research and industrial applications because of their self-cleaning, waterproof, and low-adhesion qualities. Maintaining the stability of the superhydrophobic state and avoiding water infiltration into the microstructure are the basis for realizing these characteristics, while the size, shape, and distribution of the heterogeneous microstructures affect both the static contact angle and the wetting transition mechanism. Here, we review various classical models of wettability, as well as the advanced models for the corrected static contact angle for heterogeneous surfaces, including the general roughness description, fractal theory description, re-entrant geometry description, and contact line description. Subsequently, we emphasize various wetting transition mechanisms on heterogeneous surfaces. The advanced testing strategies to investigate the wetting transition behavior will also be analyzed. In the end, future research priorities on the wetting transition mechanisms of heterogeneous surfaces are highlighted.

We investigated a giant magnetoresistance (MR) effect of two-dimensional electron gas systems subjected to a periodically modulated magnetic field. It is found that the MR ratio of such a periodically modulated system shows strong dependence on the space between the magnetic potentials. With the increase in the number of periods, the maximal MR ratio tends to be enhanced and the peak of the MR ratio locates at a specific relative Fermi energy for the given space between magnetic potentials. Moreover, the maximal MR ratio of odd-period configurations is always larger than that of even-period configurations.

During the past decades, fusion reactor fuels such as deuterium and tritium have been extensively investigated due to increasing interest in nuclear fusion energy. Tritium, which is scarce in nature, needs to be fabricated by tritium breeder materials. Among the commonly investigated tritium breeder materials, lithium titanate (Li₂TiO₃) is recognized as one of the most promising solid tritium breeder materials because of its considerable lithium (Li) atomic density, low activation, excellent chemical stability, and low-temperature tritium release performance. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the current progress in Li₂TiO₃ preparation methods as well as the high Li density, tritium release performance, irradiation behavior, and modification technologies of Li₂TiO₃ pebbles. Li₂TiO₃ can be synthesized by strategies such as solid-state, sol–gel, hydrothermal, solution combustion synthesis, and co-precipitation methods. Among them, the hydrothermal method is promising due to its simplicity and low cost. Many researchers have begun to focus on composite ceramic pebbles to further improve tritium breeder performance. This will provide a new direction for the future development of Li₂TiO₃ pebbles. The present review concludes with a summary of the preparation methods currently under development and offers an outlook of future opportunities, which will inspire more in-depth investigation and promote the practical application of Li₂TiO₃ in this field.