TY - JOUR A1 - Mai, H. L. A1 - Cui, X.-Y, A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Neugebauer, J. A1 - Ringer, S. P. T1 - A high-throughput ab initio study of elemental segregation and cohesion at ferritic-iron grain boundaries N2 - Segregation of alloying elements and impurities at grain boundaries (GBs) critically influences material behaviour by affecting cohesion. In this study, we present an ab initio high-throughput evaluation of segregation energies and cohesive effects for all elements up to Z=92 in the periodic table (Z = 1–92, H–U) across the substitutional sites in six model ferritic iron GBs using density functional theory (DFT). From these data, we construct comprehensive elemental maps for solute segregation tendencies and cohesion at GBs, providing guidance for segregation engineering. We systematically assess the cohesive effects of different elements in all segregating positions along multiple fracture paths with a quantum-chemistry bond-order method as well as a modified Rice–Thomson–Wang theory of interfacial cohesion. The effects of segregants on the cohesion of GBs are shown to vary drastically as a function of site character, and hence their induced cohesive effects must be considered as a thermodynamic average over the spectral energy distribution. Thus, models that overlook these aspects may fail to accurately predict the impacts of varying alloying concentrations, thermal processing conditions, or GB types. The insights presented here, along with our accompanying dataset, are expected to advance our understanding of GB segregation in steels and other materials. KW - Defects PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-638397 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2025.121288 SN - 1359-6454 VL - 297 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Elsevier Inc. AN - OPUS4-63839 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Janssen, Jan A1 - George, Janine A1 - Geiger, Julian A1 - Bercx, Marnik A1 - Wang, Xing A1 - Ertural, Christina A1 - Schaarschmidt, Jörg A1 - Ganose, Alexander Miguel A1 - Pizzi, Giovanni A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Neugebauer, Jörg T1 - A Python workflow definition for computational materials design N2 - Numerous Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) have been developed in the field of computational materials science with different workflow formats, hindering interoperability and reproducibility of workflows in the field. To address this challenge, we introduce here the Python Workflow Definition (PWD) as a workflow exchange format to share workflows between Python-based WfMS, currently AiiDA, jobflow, and pyiron. This development is motivated by the similarity of these three Python-based WfMS, that represent the different workflow steps and data transferred between them as nodes and edges in a graph. With the PWD, we aim at fostering the interoperability and reproducibility between the different WfMS in the context of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) workflows. To separate the scientific from the technical complexity, the PWD consists of three components: (1) a conda environment that specifies the software dependencies, (2) a Python module that contains the Python functions represented as nodes in the workflow graph, and (3) a workflow graph stored in the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). The first version of the PWD supports directed acyclic graph (DAG)-based workflows. Thus, any DAG-based workflow defined in one of the three WfMS can be exported to the PWD and afterwards imported from the PWD to one of the other WfMS. After the import, the input parameters of the workflow can be adjusted and computing resources can be assigned to the workflow, before it is executed with the selected WfMS. This import from and export to the PWD is enabled by the PWD Python library that implements the PWD in AiiDA, jobflow, and pyiron. KW - Worklows KW - FAIR Workflows KW - Automation KW - Materials Acceleration Platforms PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-643325 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D5DD00231A SN - 2635-098X SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-64332 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Roters, F. A1 - Aslam, A. A1 - Bai, Y. A1 - Büschelberger, M. A1 - Bulert, K. A1 - Butz, A. A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Jogi, T. A1 - Klitschke, S. A1 - Martin, M. A1 - Meyer, L.-P. A1 - Morand, L. A1 - Nahshon, Y. A1 - Radtke, N. A1 - Saikia, Ujjal A1 - Trondl, A. A1 - Wessel, A. A1 - Zierep, P. A1 - Helm, D. T1 - StahlDigital: Ontology-Based Workflows for the Steel Industry N2 - The innovative strength of the steel industry is based on the mastery of microstructure–property relationships. Digital workflows can largely contribute to this aim by making the complexity of workflows reproducible and their execution user independent. In this work, the tools and workflows developed in the project StahlDigital as part of the German MaterialDigital initiative are presented and application examples are provided. A steel ontology builds the foundation for data collection and storage as well as for the semantic description of experimental and simulation data processing workflows. A dataspace powered by the Dataspace Management System (DSMS) digitally represents such workflows and manages data along them in a Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable manner aiming to derive new knowledge. Experimental data processed via DSMS can be further evaluated and used as input for simulation workflows. The simulations included in such workflows are run by the workflow system pyiron, which has been semantically extended in StahlDigital for this purpose. KW - Steel KW - Rolling KW - Multiscale simulation KW - Ontology KW - Workflow PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-627187 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202402148 SN - 1527-2648 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag AN - OPUS4-62718 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Xuyang A1 - Kumar, Sourabh A1 - Chen, Xinren A1 - Gault, Baptiste A1 - Dehm, Gerhard A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Raabe, Dierk T1 - Grain Boundary Transformation Induced by Boron Segregation N2 - Boron enhances the hardenability of low-alloyed steel and reduces embrittlement at low temperatures, at parts-per-million concentration levels. Ist effectiveness arises from segregation to grain boundaries (GBs)-planar defects- between crystals-yet atomic-scale evidence remains limited.We addressed this gap by synthesizing GBs with controllable geometry and orientation, enabling reproducible comparison with and without boron segregation. Differential phase-contrast imaging directly reveals boron at iron GBs, and in-situ TEM heating (20 °C to 800 °C) allows us to track the dynamic evolution of GB structures. We found that boron segregation induces local structural changes and triggers GB phase transformations, as corroborated by calculated GB defect phase diagrams spanning broad ranges of carbon and boron content. Our findings not only bridge a gap in understanding the interplay between GB structure and chemistry but also lay the groundwork for targeted design and passivation strategies in steel, potentially transforming its resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, corrosion, and mechanical failure. KW - Steel KW - Defect Phases KW - Grain Boundary PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-655812 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62264-1 VL - 16 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Nature Communications AN - OPUS4-65581 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Roy, Arkendu A1 - Kumar, Sourabh A1 - de Oliveira Guilherme Buzanich, Ana A1 - Prinz, Carsten A1 - Götz, Emilia A1 - Retzmann, Anika A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - Synergistic Catalytic Sites in High‐Entropy Metal Hydroxide Organic Framework for Oxygen Evolution Reaction N2 - AbstractThe integration of multiple elements in a high‐entropy state is crucial in the design of high‐performance, durable electrocatalysts. High‐entropy metal hydroxide organic frameworks (HE‐MHOFs) are synthesized under mild solvothermal conditions. This novel crystalline metal–organic framework (MOF) features a random, homogeneous distribution of cations within high‐entropy hydroxide layers. HE‐MHOF exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), reaching a current density of 100 mA cm−2 at ≈1.64 VRHE, and demonstrates remarkable durability, maintaining a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for over 100 h. Notably, HE‐MHOF outperforms precious metal‐based electrocatalysts despite containing only ≈60% OER active metals. Ab initio calculations and operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrate that the high‐entropy catalyst contains active sites that facilitate a multifaceted OER mechanism. This study highlights the benefits of high‐entropy MOFs in developing noble metal‐free electrocatalysts, reducing reliance on precious metals, lowering metal loading (especially for Ni, Co, and Mn), and ultimately reducing costs for sustainable water electrolysis technologies. KW - Electrocatalysis KW - Green Hydrogen PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202408114 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-61739 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hickel, Tilmann A1 - Waske, Anja A1 - Tehranchi, Ali A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Stawski, Tomasz M. A1 - Fellinger, Tim-Patrick A1 - Mehmood, Asad A1 - Witt, Julia A1 - Ozcan, Ozlem A1 - Guilherme Buzanich, Ana A1 - Kumar, Sourabh A1 - Mishra, Rajesh Kumar A1 - Holzer, Marco A1 - Stucchi de Camargo, Andrea Simone A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo A1 - Manzoni, Anna A1 - Fantin, Andrea A1 - John, Elisabeth A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan A1 - Bührig, Sophia A1 - Murugan, Jegatheesan A1 - Marschall, Niklas A1 - George, Janine A1 - Darvishi Kamachali, Reza A1 - Maaß, Robert A1 - Emmerling, Franziska T1 - Chemically complex materials enable sustainable high-performance materials N2 - Chemically complex materials (CCMats) 􀀀 including high-entropy alloys, oxides, and related multi-principal element systems 􀀀 offer a paradigm shift in materials design by leveraging chemical diversity to simultaneously optimize functional, structural, and sustainability criteria. The vastness of the compositional and structural space in CCMats propels the field into an expanding exploratory state. To reconcile functional and structural performance across this immense parameter space remains an open challenge. This Perspective evaluates the opportunities and challenges associated with harnessing chemical complexity across a broad spectrum of applications, such as hydrogen storage, ionic conductors, catalysis, magnetics, dielectrics, semiconductors, optical materials, and multifunctional structural systems. It is delineated how three central design strategies: targeted substitution (SUB), defect engineering (DEF), and diversity management (DIV) enable the reconciliation of high functional performance with long-term structural stability and environmental responsibility. Advances in computational thermodynamics, microstructure simulations, machine learning, and multimodal characterization are accelerating the exploration and optimization of CCMats, while robust data infrastructures and automated synthesis workflows are emerging as essential tools for navigating their complex compositional space. By fostering cross-disciplinary knowledge transfer and embracing data-driven design, CCMats are poised to deliver next-generation materials solutions that address urgent technological, energy, and environmental demands. KW - Chemically complex materials KW - Structural stability KW - Functional performance KW - Design strategies KW - Sustainability PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-655598 UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359028626000033?via%3Dihub DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2026.101256 SN - 1359-0286 VL - 42 SP - 1 EP - 26 PB - Elsevier Ltd. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-65559 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -