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Abstract We demonstrate that doping hydroxyapatite (HAp) with Cr³⁺ions induces oxygen vacancies, contributing to paramagnetism. Cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence analyses reveal increased oxygen vacancy formation in$${\text{O}}{\text{H}}^{-}$$ ${\text{OH}}^{-}$and$${\text{P}}{\text{O}}_{4}^{3-}$$ ${\text{PO}}_4^{3-}$groups with rising Cr³⁺concentrations, highlighted by stronger cathodoluminescence emissions at 2.57 and 2.95 eV and the photoluminescence emission at 3.32 eV. Raman spectroscopy shows new modes at 900 and 970 cm⁻¹, indicating distortion of thev₁vibrational mode due to Cr³⁺substitution at Ca(II) sites of the HAp lattice. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms Cr³⁺in the HAp:Cr. Magnetometry reveals a shift from diamagnetism in pure HAp to increasing paramagnetism in HAp:Cr with higher Cr³⁺content, achieving 0.0460 emu/g at 10 kOe with concentrations higher than 2.9 at.%. This paramagnetism is attributed to Cr³⁺ions and singly ionized oxygen vacancies$$V^{\prime}_{{\text{O}}}$$ $V_{\text{O}}^{\prime }$aligning along an external magnetic field, with$$V^{\prime}_{{\text{O}}}$$ $V_{\text{O}}^{\prime }$formation linked to$${\text{PO}}_{4}^{{3}-}$$ ${\text{PO}}_4^{3-}$replacement by$${\text{PO}}_{3}^{{2}-}$$ ${\text{PO}}_3^{2-}$in HAp. 

We report compression tests on micropillars manufactured from bulk specimens of partially devitrified SAM2×5 (Fe_49.7Cr_17.7Mn_1.9Mo_7.4W_1.6B_15.2C_3.8Si_2.4). Yield strength values of ≈6 GPa are obtained. Such a high strength can be attributed to the higher glass transition temperature (883 K) of this material, which impedes the multiplication of shear bands under loading, and to the presence of hard crystalline domains that result from devitrification of the amorphous powders during powder consolidation. The Vickers hardness of the specimens is found to be strongly correlated to the processing temperature and, hence to the volume of crystalline phases present in the specimens. As the processing temperature is increased, there is a reduction in free volume from the structural relaxation process in the amorphous alloy, leading to the eventual nucleation of crystalline phases of BCC Fe, Cr₂B, Cr_21.30Fe_1.7C₆, or Fe₂₃B₂C₄, during the densification process. These results shed light on the relationship between nanocrystalline domains and the mechanical behavior of Fe‐based amorphous/crystalline composites. 

Tantalum carbide (TaC) and hafnium carbide (HfC) have some of the highest melting temperatures among the transition metal carbides, borides, and nitrides, making them promising materials for high‐speed flight and high‐temperature structural applications. Solid solutions of TaC and HfC are of particular interest due to their enhanced oxidation resistance compared to pure TaC or HfC. This study looks at the effect of Hf content on the oxidation resistance of TaC–HfC sintered specimens. Five compositions are fabricated into bulk samples using spark plasma sintering (2173 K, 50 MPa, 10 min hold). Oxidation behavior of a subset of the compositions (100 vol% TaC, 80 vol% TaC + 20 vol% HfC, and 50 vol% TaC + 50 vol% HfC) is analyzed using an oxyacetylene torch for 60 s. The TaC–HfC samples exhibit a reduction in the oxide scale thickness and the mass ablation rate with increasing HfC content. The improved oxidation resistance can be attributed to the formation of a Hf₆Ta₂O₁₇phase. This phase enhances oxidation resistance by reducing oxygen diffusion and serving as a protective layer for the unoxidized material. The superior oxidation resistance of TaC–HfC samples makes these materials strong contenders for the development of high‐speed flight coatings.