On May 12, 2026, Professor Feng Xu from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, delivered an academic report titled “Design and Regulation of Novel Magnetic Intermetallic Compounds” in School of Physics and Technology, Nanjing Normal University. This report was hosted by Professor Lifa Zhang.

Magnetism is a fundamental property of matter, and magnetic alloys constitute a major category of metallic functional materials. Metallic magnetic functional materials are widely used in electric motors, magnetic recording, magnetic refrigeration, and many other fields, representing a characteristic industry of China’s national economy. The research group led by Professor Xu Feng is dedicated to this field, covering high-frequency spin dynamics in soft magnetic thin-film systems and their microwave applications; magnetic structural phase transition alloys exhibiting giant magnetostrictive and giant magnetocaloric effects; amorphous soft magnetic and rare-earth-based bulk permanent magnetic alloys; magnetic half-metals; and spin transport phenomena. In this presentation, Professor Xu mainly introduced recent achievements in the design and modulation of magnetic intermetallic compounds at different length scales, including: forming methods and texture control of room-temperature magnetic refrigeration alloys based on first-order magnetic structural phase transitions; performance optimization and magnetoelastic coupling mechanisms of MnCoSi-based giant magnetostrictive alloys via metamagnetic phase transitions; design and modulation of anomalous thermal expansion alloys for various application scenarios; multi-band magnetic microwave-absorbing composites; and explorations of low-dimensional magnetism and magnetoelectric coupling effects.

After the presentation, teachers and students raised questions regarding anomalous thermal expansion effects and rotating magnetic field modulation, which were patiently answered by Professor Feng Xu. Through this seminar, students gained a profound understanding of the design and modulation of magnetic intermetallic compounds.

Introduction of Prof. Feng Xu

Xu Feng is a national leading talent, Zijin Distinguished Professor and doctoral supervisor at Nanjing University of Science and Technology. He formerly served as Vice Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering and Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. His research focuses on magnetic intermetallic compounds, including magnetic phase transition alloys, magnetostrictive alloys, anomalous thermal expansion alloys, magnetic microwave-absorbing composites, spintronics materials, and rare-earth permanent magnets. He has led projects funded by the National Defense Science and Technology Outstanding Young Talent Fund and the Jiangsu Distinguished Young Scholar Fund, and has been selected for the second level of Jiangsu Province's “333 High-Level Talent Cultivation Project.” His awards include the Second Prize of the National Technology Invention Award, the First Prize of the Ministry of Education Technology Invention Award, the First Prize of the Jiangsu Science and Technology Award, the Youth Science and Technology Award of the Chinese Ordnance Society, the China Patent Excellence Award, and the Jiangsu Patent Gold Award. He has published over 250 SCI-indexed papers and holds 35 authorized invention patents.