Abstract
We report a simple, scalable route to produce ultrahigh-strength magnesium (Mg) via solidification of a colloidal solution containing nanoscale niobium carbide (NbC) particles suspended in liquid magnesium (Mg(l)). A single-atom-level investigation reveals that NbC exhibits spontaneous wetting with molten Mg, driven by the formation of an ordered layer of Mg atoms strongly bonded to the carbon atoms on the NbC {001} surface. This creates Mg-coated NbC (Mg@NbC) particles in liquid Mg and is referred to as Mg(l)-Mg@NbC nanocolloid. This unique and spontaneous wetting behaviour enables uniform nanoparticle dispersion in the molten Mg without external fields, and in the solidified Mg matrix without the need for thermomechanical processing. The resulting NbC dispersoids act as coherent, hard reinforcement phases, significantly strengthening the Mg matrix. As a result, the Mg-NbC material exhibits ultrahigh tensile strength and stiffness, surpassing those of all previously reported Mg alloy systems.
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The source data that support the findings of this study are available in the figshare repository with the identifier (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3006088954).
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Acknowledgements
X.Y. and H.B.N. acknowledge funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), grant number EP/W005042/1 and the Royal Society for International Exchange (IEC\R3\223022) programme. The SuperSTEM Laboratory is the UK National Research Facility for Advanced Electron Microscopy, supported by EPSRC under grant number EP/W021080/1. M.K. acknowledges funding from the A-Step programme grant number JPMJTR23R9 and of the KSAC programme (grant number 2024_21) from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and KAKENHI grant number JP24H00036 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). S.N. and M.K. also acknowledge funding from the Bilateral Joint Research programme (grant number JPJSBP120235704) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). X.Y. and H.B.N. thank CBMM (Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração) for supporting a range of NbC powder feedstocks. We thank Dr Qing Cai for assistance with microscopy characterisation.
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X.Y. and H.B.N. conceptualised the project. They designed the experiments, prepared the materials, carried out the experimental work, processed the data, and performed the analysis. C.F. conducted the DFT calculations. S.N., M.K., T.T., and M.D. prepared the nanosized NbC powder feedstock. T.M. performed the micro-tensile testing. S.W. and Q.M.R. carried out the AC STEM/EELS investigations and data interpretation. F.T. and G.D.W. performed STEM/EDS and 4D-STEM analysis. All authors extensively discussed the data. X.Y., H.B.N., C.F., and S.W. wrote the manuscript, and all authors contributed to editing it.
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Yang, X., Nadendla, H.B., Fang, C. et al. Ultrahigh strength magnesium via solidification of nanocolloid. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71671-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71671-x
