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It is well known within the dam engineering profession that the potential for earthquake-induced cracking is a key consideration in the design and construction of dams. Transverse cracking of embankment dams is a major concern of engineers involved in dam safety management and commonly represents a potential failure mode for such dams. If transverse cracking extends below the reservoir level, it may lead to leakage from the reservoir, internal erosion of the embankment soils, and dam failure. Considerable effort has been made in the engineering profession during the last few decades to study the nature and effects of dam earthquake cracking and to develop design measures to mitigate its potential occurrence. However, few studies exist on earthquake-induced cracking of embankment dams, and the profession's ability to accurately predict its characteristics is limited. Thus, it seems useful to review key aspects of earthquake cracking of embankment dams and some of the lessons learned about cracking from the past performance of dams during earthquakes. This paper aims to fulfill this objective by providing an overview of the observed effects of earthquakes on embankment dams, discussing the potential for embankment dam failure by cracking, reviewing basic concepts about the mechanics of cracking in soils, discussing the analysis of embankment dam cracking in practice, and presenting two case histories of cracking of embankment dams. The case histories describe (1) the performance of Matahina dam during construction, reservoir filling, and the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake in New Zealand and (2) the performance of Lenihan dam during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California and an analysis of the dam for that earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high‐activity non‐noble metal catalysts for improving the ability of water dissociation and H* adsorption/desorption in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) process in alkaline and neutral electrolytes is essential but remains challenging. Herein, a Mo‐doped NiCoCu alloy with tuned tensile strain and localized electrons is designed and synthesized by combining the solvothermal and annealing methods for achieving ampere‐level HER performance. Theoretical calculation results prove that Mo doping induces lattice tensile strain and localized electrons (electrons from Mo to the Ni/Co/Cu atoms), promoting the adsorption of O* and H* from H2O molecules on the Mo and Co sites and accelerating water dissociation. Therefore, NiCoCu‐Mo0.078/CF (CF = copper foam) shows low water dissociation energy, providing sufficient H* during the HER process. Meanwhile, its H* Gibbs free energy value is near zero, implying a rapid H* adsorption/desorption process. Electrochemical results show that NiCoCu‐Mo0.078/CF achieves better HER intrinsic activity in both a 1.0 m KOH (η−10/η−1000 = 35/212 mV) and a 1.0 m phosphate buffer solution (η−10/η−1000 = 24/256 mV) compared to NiCoCu‐Mo0/CF and NiCoCu‐Mo0.163/CF, and it can continuously operate for 100 h at −1000 mA cm−2. This work shows a sustainable way to design high‐performance catalysts for water electrolysis and proposes a well‐performing HER catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In‐depth comprehension and improvement of the sluggish hydrogen evolution kinetics in alkaline media is highly important to enhance the activity and durability of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) for green hydrogen production. Herein, a hydrogen atom‐terminated core–shell PdH@Ru nanobamboos (NBs) is developed by the synergetic strategy of epitaxial growth and in situ DMF hydrogenation. The synthesized PdH@Ru NBs demonstrate exceptional activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media, requiring only a 14 mV overpotential at the 10 mA cm−2, surpassing those of commercial Pt/C (35 mV) and H‐free Pd@Ru NBs (37 mV). Furthermore, an AEMWE device using PdH@Ru NBs as the cathode also achieves the current density of 1000 mA cm−2 at ≈1.80 V in 1.0 m KOH at 60 °C, with continuous operation for 50 h. The operando spectroscopic analysis and density functional theory calculations suggest that hydrogen insertion into the Pd@Ru NBs induces tensile strain on the Ru surface layer, altering the Pd/Ru electronic structure and weakening H adsorption, thereby enhancing the HER efficiency. The bamboo‐like hollow structure features numerous active sites, which contribute to the optimization of electron/mass diffusion in the alkaline electrolyte. This work provides a potential high‐efficiency cathodic electrocatalyst for industrial hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruthenium Dioxide (RuO2), as one of the most promising alternatives to IrO2, suffers from the severe dissolution and overoxidation of Ru active sites during the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which hinders its practical application. Herein, the study constructs a short‐range ordered tantalum single atoms‐doped RuO2 catalyst (Ta‐RuO2) with asymmetric Ru‐O‐Ta(‐O‐Ta) active units for the enhanced acidic OER. The Ta‐RuO2 catalyst exhibits superior catalytic activity with an overpotential of 201 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a long‐lasting stability of 280 h. Physical characterizations combined with electrochemical tests reveal that the incorporation of atomically arranged Ta atoms induces significant tensile strain, effectively optimizing the adsorption strength of oxygen‐containing intermediates by regulating the Ru d‐band center and weakening the Ru‐O covalency, thus boosting the catalytic activity. Furthermore, the formed Ru‐O‐Ta(‐O‐Ta) active local structure is well maintained during the OER process owing to the synergy of strong corrosion resistance of Ta‐O bonds and the electron transfers from Ta to Ru via oxygen bridge stabilizing the Ru sites, contributing to the enhanced stability. This study provides a novel method via incorporation of corrosion‐resistant and short‐range ordered single atoms to significantly enhance the acidic OER stability and activity of cost‐effective catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the details of the analyses which were conducted to study the effects of steel reinforcing bars with unintended high strength on the behaviors of reinforced concrete (RC) columns. The influence of these bars on the column strength and strength-reduction factors were investigated. The former was studied with the help of column axial load-moment interaction diagrams, while a reliability analysis was carried out for the latter. Four different column cross sections reinforced with reinforcement ratios varying from 1 to 4% were included in the analysis. Other variables included concrete compressive and reinforcing bar yield strengths. The effects of the aforementioned variables were also considered on the development length of the reinforcing bars in tension and compression. It was found that the use of reinforcing bars with unintended high strength could change column behavior to compression-controlled at a lesser axial load level, which is accompanied by a reduction in the curvature capacity. Modifications have been suggested to control the negative effects of unintended high strength of bars on the column behavior and bar development length. Strength-reduction factors for RC sections ranging from compression-controlled to tension-controlled regions have also been proposed, which differ from those suggested by the prevalent code of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research extensively used different progressive machine learning (ML) techniques to predict the compressive strength (CS) and tensile strain (TSt) of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) with 14 input variables and six algorithms. Specifically, random forest (RF), support vector machine, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), light gradient boosting machine, categorical gradient boosting (CatBoost), and natural gradient boosting techniques were used in the present study, to understand mechanical properties of ECC meanwhile these properties are crucial for design codes and developing new reliable models for mixtures. The discrepancy between the ML technique and specific ECC expected outputs is novel in this study and will aid researchers in better understanding of ECC features. To estimate the CS and TSt of the ECC, 2535 and 1469 input data points, respectively, were incorporated based on the material ratio, W/B, and different properties of the fibers. In addition, hyperparameter optimization techniques have also been used in ML to improve over fitting and make the model more accurate and robust. Moreover, an error analysis was highlighted between the actual and predicted CS and TSt of the ECC with each ML technique. Also, the significance and influence of the variable inputs that affect the CS and TSt were explained using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) approach. Among all approaches, CatBoost and XGBoost predicted the CS and TSt of ECC with greater accuracy than other techniques in terms of the coefficient of determination (R2), mean square error, mean absolute error, root mean square error, and symmetric mean absolute percentage error. The training and testing R2 values of CatBoost and XGBoost for predicting the CS and TSt of ECC were 0.96, 0.89, 0.89, and 0.76, respectively. SHAP analysis revealed that W/B and fiber elongation were the most significant input variables for the CS and TSt of the ECC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A first-principles method was used to explore the influence of tensile strain on the electrical and optical characteristics of Nb-doped MoSe2. The tensile strain has been discovered to have a higher influence on the electrical structure of the Nb-doped MoSe2 system than pure monolayer MoSe2. According to the energy band structure study, the pure monolayer MoSe2 is a direct bandgap semiconductor, but the system doped with Nb instead of Mo atoms is a p-type-doped semiconductor. The bandgap of the Nb-doped MoSe2 system decreases gradually with the increase of tensile strain, but still maintains the p-type semiconductor properties, and the bandgap of the pure monolayer MoSe2 also decreases gradually with the increase of tensile strain. From the density of states analysis, it is found that for the total density of states of the doped system at different tensile strains, it is mainly contributed by the Mo-4d and Se-4p orbitals. The optical properties analysis showed that the doped system under tensile strain had higher absorption coefficient and reflectance peak than the Nb-doped MoSe2 system without tensile strain. Additionally, the doped system showed redshift phenomenon in both the absorption and reflection peaks as the tensile strain increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nitride (SiNx) is used for device passivation and capacitance dielectric in GaN monolithic microwave integrated circuits. However, this is a conflicting requirement as passivation requires SiNx to cause tensile strain, and capacitance dielectric primarily demands a high breakdown voltage and large dielectric constant for SiNx, leading to a damaged AlGaN surface during deposition. Two independent SiNx depositions under two different conditions (silicon‐ and nitrogen‐rich) are usually carried out to meet both requirements. Herein, a solution for a unified deposition through interfacial strain analysis on an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure grown on 6H‐SiC imposed by thin film silicon nitride (SiNx), deposited using inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition system is proposed. The strain analysis is done using Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology of the SiNx is studied using atomic force microscopy. The breakdown characteristics are ascertained from measurements on high electron mobility transistors and metal–insulator–metal capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nanozymes have demonstrated significant potential in combating malignant tumor proliferation through catalytic therapy. However, the therapeutic effect is often limited by insufficient catalytic performance. In this study, we propose the utilization of strain engineering in metallenes to fully expose the active regions due to their ultrathin nature. Here, we present the first report on a novel tensile strain‐mediated local amorphous RhRu (la‐RhRu) bimetallene with exceptional intrinsic photothermal effect and photo‐enhanced multiple enzyme‐like activities. Through geometric phase analysis, electron diffraction profile, and X‐ray diffraction, it is revealed that crystalline‐amorphous heterophase boundaries can generate approximately 2 % tensile strain in the bimetallene. The ultrathin structure and in‐plane strain of the bimetallene induce an amplified strain effect. Both experimental and theoretical evidence support the notion that tensile strain promotes multiple enzyme‐like activities. Functioning as a tumor microenvironment (TME)‐responsive nanozyme, la‐RhRu exhibits remarkable therapeutic efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. This work highlights the tremendous potential of atomic‐scale tensile strain engineering strategy in enhancing tumor catalytic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In this paper, we systematically studied the effects of non-metallic element (B, C, N, O, F) doping and biaxial stretching on the photoelectric properties of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures by using the first-principles calculation method based on density functional theory. The results show that the p-type doping is realized by B, C, and N atom doping, and the n-type doping is realized by O and F atom doping. The doping of B and C atoms produces impurity energy levels in the band gap, which affects the conductivity of the heterostructure. The band gap of N and O atom–doped heterostructures increases under tensile strain, but it is still a direct band gap. The analysis of the optical properties of the heterostructures shows that the doping of non-metallic atoms can adjust the optical absorption rate and reflectivity of the heterostructures. Under the action of tensile strain, the optical properties of the doped heterostructures have changed significantly in the low-energy region. This article provides a theoretical basis for the future application of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures. Method: This paper uses the first-principles calculation method based on density functional theory. The PBE exchange-correlation functional based on generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is selected for the specific calculation, and the crystal structure is geometrically optimized by the ultrasoft pseudopotential method. It is verified that when the cutoff energy of the ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructure is 500 eV, the K-point grid is selected to be 10 × 10 × 2 with the lowest energy, so the cutoff energy is selected to be 500 eV. The K-point grid is selected to be 10 × 10 × 2. The convergence limits for structural optimization are as follows: the maximum force between atoms is 0.01 eV/Å, the convergence threshold of the maximum energy change is set to 10−9 eV/atom, and the convergence threshold of the maximum displacement is 0.001 Å. In order to avoid the influence of atomic periodic motion between different atomic layers, a vacuum layer of 20 Å is added in the vertical direction. Considering the interaction of vdW between the interfaces, the DFT-D2 method is used to verify. The optical properties were calculated by the random phase approximation method, and the K-point grid was selected as 12 × 12 × 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a summary of many of the key findings on the application of geosynthetics in tailings storage facilities. Topics include the compressibility and permeability of tailings, the equations predicting leakage through circular and non-circular geomembrane holes, the effect of the subgrade permeability, and the effect of a lateral drainage system within tailings on leakage predictions. Two commonly encountered engineering problems relating to the piping through circular geomembrane holes and the opening width of non-circular defective geomembrane seams are given to demonstrate the potential application of leakage prediction equations. Meanwhile, issues related to the subgrade imperfection and the long-term performance of both high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and bituminous geomembranes in tailings storage applications are addressed. The research highlights that an appropriate HDPE geomembrane liner can be expected to perform very well for an extremely long time, limiting leakage and contaminant migration from the facility into the surrounding environment if the liner is well constructed on a suitable subgrade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cause of diagonal tension cracks is the drying shrinkage of the initial concrete, which causes them to appear at the corners of square openings, which are the most vulnerable areas to stress. Looking specifically at the cause from a structural aspect, the concentrated stress exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete, causing cracks to occur at the corners. Typically, diagonal tension reinforcement bars are arranged to prevent diagonal tension cracks, however, they have often failed to be practical solutions because they do not entirely prevent the continued occurrence of cracks. Consequently, the present study developed diagonal tension cracks control devices that are capable of preventing diagonal tension cracks. Next, comparative experiments on existing diagonal tension reinforcement bars with respect to drying shrinkage were conducted to verify the utility of the diagonal tension crack reinforcement materials through performance evaluation. According to the results, the maximum elastic strain at the top and bottom opening edges was 29.2% and 35.8%, respectively, which was a large reduction compared to the 6.7% and 4.9% of the existing diagonal tension reinforcement. Considering the above points, it is expected that the developed control device will be very practical in terms of industry.

Exploitation of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR) catalysts with high activity and stability at large current density is a major challenge for energy-saving H2 production in water electrolysis. Herein, we use the pyridinic-N doping carbon layers coupled with tensile strain of FeNi alloy activated by NiFe2O4 (FeNi/NiFe2O4@NC) for efficiently increasing the performance of water and urea oxidation. Due to the tensile strain effect on FeNi/NiFe2O4@NC, it provides a favorable modulation on the electronic properties of the active center, thus enabling amazing OER (η100 = 196 mV) and UOR (E10 = 1.32 V) intrinsic activity. Besides, the carbon-coated layers can be used as armor to prevent FeNi alloy from being corroded by the electrolyte for enhancing the OER/UOR stability at large current density, showing high industrial practicability. This work thus provides a simple way to prepare high-efficiency catalyst for activating water and urea oxidation.

Using first principles calculations, we systematically investigated the effects of strain engineering on the electronic, mechanical, and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) orthorhombic III–V group materials, including BN, BP, BAs, AlN, AlP, and GaN. It is shown that all the III–V orthorhombic monolayers exhibit excellent mechanical anisotropy for Young’s modulus, Shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio, especially for the AlN and GaN monolayers. AlN, AlP, and GaN are predicted to be indirect bandgap semiconductors, with their bandgap of 0.70, 0.15, and 0.53 eV, respectively. And BN is demonstrated to be a direct bandgap semiconductor (0.63 eV). Under uniaxial tensile strains, their electronic structures have non-monotonic anisotropic variations and these monolayers can be effectively modulated from metal to semiconductor, experiencing indirect–direct bandgap transitions. In addition, all the orthorhombic III–V materials exhibit highly anisotropic light-harvesting performances and the optical absorbance can be efficiently tailored with tensile strains applied along a- and b-directions. The strong optical absorptions in the visible light regions suggested that AlN, BN, and GaN may be optically tunable 2D materials for component absorbance layers for solar cell applications. The excellent anisotropic and tunable electronic, mechanical, and optical performances indicate that the orthorhombic III–V monolayers are promising candidates for potential applications of optoelectronics and photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fretting wear is one of the main degradation mechanisms produced in steel wire and it is widely used for the lifting and handling of equipments. The main objective of the present work is to analyse the mechanical properties of the fretting and non-fretting wire. Statics tensile tests were performed on non-fretting wire and pre-damaged artificially fretting wire subsequently, after that tensile stress (σT), tensile strain (εT), and breaking load (BL) were measured for both wires and their basic mechanical properties were compared. For the analysis wire diameter values varies from 7 mm to 9 mm and artificially pre-damaged wire having reduced diameters varies from 5.8 mm to 8.1 mm were used. From these tests the basic mechanical properties values of maximum tensile stress, tensile strain, modulus of elasticity (E), breaking load (BL) 1610 N/mm², 12.08%, 78854.3 Mpa and 56.73 KN respectively were obtained, for pre-damaged artificially fretting wire. On the other hand, for the non-fretting wire, the values of maximum tensile stress, tensile strain, modulus of elasticity, and breaking load have been obtained as 1171.5 MPa, 16.40 %, 63289.4 MPa and 58.7 KN respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous glass fiber fabrics can improve the shortcomings of shape memory polymers in terms of mechanical properties. However, the mechanical properties of shape memory composites will not be optimal if the interface between the glass fibers and the matrix is poorly bonded. The purpose of this study is to explore the thermomechanical properties and shape memory behavior of shape memory epoxy resin and composites before and after the chemical modification of glass fiber. The effects of the ratios of epoxy to curing agent and whether the knitting fabrics are modified with silane coupling agent on the properties of the composites are investigated. The results show that the thermal decomposition temperature and glass transition temperature of the shape memory epoxy polymers increase with the increasing mass ratio of diaminodiphenylmethane. The shape fixing ratios and shape recovery ratios of the knitting fabric reinforced composites with different mass contents and silane coupling agent modification are above 98.0% at 18.0% tensile strain. After 10 cycles, the shape memory performance of the composites modified with KH560 is still good. Besides, the addition of silane coupling agent to the composites can reduce the shape recovery time by 17.9% and increase the recovery force with 30.0% subjected to 18.0% tensile strain. The tensile strength of the shape memory composites modified with silane coupling agent can increase 32.8% as compared with that of the composites without modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been a notable surge in interest regarding reclaiming valuable chemicals from waste plastics. However, the energy-intensive conventional thermal catalysis does not align with the concept of sustainable development. Herein, we report a sustainable electrocatalytic approach allowing the selective synthesis of glycolic acid (GA) from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) over a Pd67Ag33 alloy catalyst under ambient conditions. Notably, Pd67Ag33 delivers a high mass activity of 9.7 A mgPd -1 for ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) and GA Faradaic efficiency of 92.7 %, representing the most active catalyst for selective GA synthesis. In situ experiments and computational simulations uncover that ligand effect induced by Ag incorporation enhances the GA selectivity by facilitating carbonyl intermediates desorption, while the lattice mismatch-triggered tensile strain optimizes the adsorption of *OH species to boost reaction kinetics. This work unveils the synergistic of strain and ligand effect in alloy catalyst and provides guidance for the design of future catalysts for PET upcycling. We further investigate the versatility of Pd67Ag33 catalyst on CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and assemble EGOR//CO2RR integrated electrolyzer, presenting a pioneering demonstration for reforming waste carbon resource (i.e., PET and CO2) into high-value chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable flexible electronic strain sensor devices have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential for detecting human motion in various scenarios. However, the development of strain sensors with high sensitivity across a wide range of strains remains a major challenge. We present herein a novel strain sensor based on a graded structure thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite yarn with significantly enhanced mechanical performance imparted by the designed structure. The twisted CNTs/TPU spiral yarn demonstrated a fracture elongation of up to 1066% while maintaining charge conductivity under high‐strain conditions. Moreover, it exhibited sensitive changes in resistance versus tensile strain, excellent repeatability, and stability. As a strain sensor, it achieved a gauge factor (GF) of 67.2 within a strain range below 50%, reaching 51.7 in a strain range exceeding 150%. With a fast response time of 0.12 s, it enabled accurate identification of movements in different body parts. These findings highlight the broad application potential of the designed spiral yarn strain sensor in areas such as human motion monitoring and human–computer interaction. Highlights: Prepares a flexible strain sensor with graded‐structure (CNT‐fiber‐yarn).Shows high sensitivity and a wide strain response rangeReveals the conductive model of strain sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report on a comparative study of the structural, optical, and elastic properties of SrTiSe3 and SrZrSe3 compounds using the DFT method. The lattice constants of the compounds are calculated using the GGA-PBE approximation and the hybrid functional Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof (HSE). The properties of the SrTiSe3 and SrZrSe3 materials in relation to electronic composition, elastic constants, and optical characteristics are deduced and analyzed. Both compounds display magnetic behavior, according to electronic calculations. SrTiSe3 shows metallic behavior, as the calculated bandgap value is zero. SrZrSe3, on the other hand, has a bandgap of 0.347 eV, which demonstrates its semiconducting nature. We have demonstrated that the plasma frequency of SrTiSe3 is around 1.77836. Using density functional theory, we report on the electronic characteristics of the compounds under mechanical stress. For SrZrSe3, the gap energy values rise with compressive stress and decrease with increasing tensile stress to zero. In addition, the study includes the extinction coefficient, optical conductivity, dielectric tensor, electron energy loss, and refractive index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and results: In this work the first-principles calculations of the structural, electronic and thermoelectric properties of monolayer TiSe2 are presented. The optimized lattice parameter of monolayer TiSe2 shows excellent agreement with the experimental value. The computed band structure and density of states calculations predict metallic nature of monolayer TiSe2 with overlapping of 0.44 eV between the lowest conduction band and top valance band at high symmetry point M. The position of pseudogap formed by Ti-3d orbitals near the Fermi level confirms the mechanical stability of monolayer TiSe2. Due to the influence of positive strain (tensile strain), the Ti-Se bond length increases and the layer height decreases. The applied tensile strain changes the metallic nature of TiSe2 into a semiconductor with opening of bandgap. It has also been observed that the positions of conduction band minima and valance band maxima change with strain. The charge analysis shows that charge transfer from Ti to Se atom increases when tensile strain is applied, while an opposite trend is observed with compression. The computed thermoelectric coefficients i.e. Seeback coefficient, power factor and figure of merit are in good agreement with the experimental data. The temperature dependence of these coefficients is also reported. Computational method: The density functional theory based calculations are reported employing the PBE-GGA ansatz using the plane wave-pseudopotential method embodied in the Quantum ESPRESSO package. The self-consistent field calculations are performed over a dense Monkhorst–Pack net of 12 × 12 × 1 k-points. The energy convergence criteria for the self-consistent field calculation were set to 10–6 Ry/atom with a cutoff energy of 90 Ry. The thermoelectric properties are computed by combining the band structure calculations with the Boltzmann transport equation using Boltztrap2 package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and results: In this work the first-principles calculations of the structural, electronic and thermoelectric properties of monolayer TiSe2 are presented. The optimized lattice parameter of monolayer TiSe2 shows excellent agreement with the experimental value. The computed band structure and density of states calculations predict metallic nature of monolayer TiSe2 with overlapping of 0.44 eV between the lowest conduction band and top valance band at high symmetry point M. The position of pseudogap formed by Ti-3d orbitals near the Fermi level confirms the mechanical stability of monolayer TiSe2. Due to the influence of positive strain (tensile strain), the Ti-Se bond length increases and the layer height decreases. The applied tensile strain changes the metallic nature of TiSe2 into a semiconductor with opening of bandgap. It has also been observed that the positions of conduction band minima and valance band maxima change with strain. The charge analysis shows that charge transfer from Ti to Se atom increases when tensile strain is applied, while an opposite trend is observed with compression. The computed thermoelectric coefficients i.e. Seeback coefficient, power factor and figure of merit are in good agreement with the experimental data. The temperature dependence of these coefficients is also reported. Computational method: The density functional theory based calculations are reported employing the PBE-GGA ansatz using the plane wave-pseudopotential method embodied in the Quantum ESPRESSO package. The self-consistent field calculations are performed over a dense Monkhorst–Pack net of 12 × 12 × 1 k-points. The energy convergence criteria for the self-consistent field calculation were set to 10–6 Ry/atom with a cutoff energy of 90 Ry. The thermoelectric properties are computed by combining the band structure calculations with the Boltzmann transport equation using Boltztrap2 package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the possibility of flexible textile composites as space deployable devices, carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric and thermoplastic polyurethane were compounded by hot‐pressing. The section shape of the carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric flexible textile composites was observed by scanning electron microscopy. After hot‐pressing at 120°C for 45 min, the thermoplastic polyurethane is best combined with carbon fiber bundle, and fully melted to form a protective layer, which also ensured the deformability of carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric/thermoplastic polyurethane flexible textile composites. The tensile strains of flexible textile composites in the directions of 0°, 15° and 30° were analyzed by digital image correlation. The analysis was carried out from the macroscopic scale, the single cell scale, and the fiber bundle scale, combined with the strain distribution of digital image correlation in the tensile process. From the axial and radial deformation of the bundle and the force analysis of single cell, the phenomena such as strain change, trellising phenomenon, and fabric deformation during tensile were explained. When carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric is added to glass‐fiber composite, the electromagnetic reflection efficiency can be increased by 9%. The research on strain and electromagnetic reflection provided the possibility for the flexible textile composites as a space deployment device. Highlights: Through the use of SEM and hot‐pressing, carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric/TPU flexible textile composites with high coverage were produced.The differences in strain distribution and deformation process throughout the CTFC tensile process at 0°, 15°, and 30° are investigated by DIC and stress analysis.Carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric (TWF) can reflect electromagnetic radiation. TWF can increase the efficacy of reflection in composites. Space deployment is a possible application of TWF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of nanomechanical tensile behavior on electron transport is especially interesting for ultra-thin SiC nanowires (NWs) with different diameters. Our studies theoretically show that these NWs can hold stable electron transmission in some strain ranges and that stretching can enhance the electron transmission around the Fermi level (EF) at the strains over 0.5 without fracture for a single-atom SiC chain and at the strains not over 0.5 for thicker SiC NWs. For each size of SiC NW, the tensile strain has a tiny effect on the number of device density of states (DDOSs) peaks but can increase the values. Freshly broken SiC NWs also show certain values of DDOSs around EF. The maximum DDOS increases significantly with the diameter, but interestingly, the DDOS at EF shows little difference among the three sizes of devices in the late stage of the stretching. Essentially, high electron transmission is influenced by high DDOSs and delocalized electronic states. Analysis of electron localization functions (ELFs) indicates that appropriate tensile stress can promote continuous electronic distributions to contribute electron transport, while excessively large stretching deformation of SiC NWs would split electronic distributions and consequently hinder the movement of electrons. These results provide strong theoretical support for the use of ultra-thin SiC NWs in nano-sensors for functional and controllable electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous analytical studies have demonstrated that low-density lightweight cellular concrete (LCC) subbase pavements can support up to 20 times more traffic loads than unbound granular subbase pavements while protecting the pavement subgrade from adverse freeze–thaw effects in cold regions. This study examines the possibility of providing better-performing pavements on the field through the construction, instrumentation, and monitoring of flexible pavement sections incorporating three LCC densities (400, 475, and 600 kg/m³) as subbase material compared with unbound granular material in Canada. The effects of daily and seasonal temperatures on pavement critical responses to stress and strains were evaluated. The findings showed that these LCC pavements reduced asphalt concrete tensile strain by over two times compared with unbound granular pavements, and that strain increased with a daily temperature increase. Daily subgrade pressure (stress) change was reduced by up to 68%. The study concluded that longer life pavements could be achieved with LCC subbase thicknesses ≥250 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many conductive fabrics have been widely used as fabric strain sensors in recent years due to their excellent flexibility. In this study, high-tenacity polyester warp yarn and silver-coated nylon weft yarn were used to produce six types of conductive fabrics with different structures. The surface morphology of silver-coated nylon yarn was observed under a microscope, and the yarn was placed in an airtight container to test the effect of different humidity on the resistance of the yarn. DM6500 digital multimeter was used to test the resistance sensitivity, fatigue resistance, repeatability, and antistatic properties of conductive fabric samples. The results showed that the change in yarn surface material, external humidity, and strain affected the change in yarn resistance. Different weave structures affected the sensing performance of the fabric. The tighter the structure, the better the sensitivity and antistatic properties, the looser the structure, the better the fatigue resistance and repeatability. Two types of fabric and nylon gloves with different structural tightness are used to make intelligent data gloves. The results showed that both fabrics had good application prospects in limb movement detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we calculate the optical and electronic properties of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures under intrinsic and biaxial tensile strain using the first-principles calculation method based on plane wave density functional theory. The photoelectric properties of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterojunction and single-layer ZrX2 (X = S, Se) structure are analyzed. The results show that the heterostructure has an adjustable band gap and stronger optical absorption capacity and light reflectivity in photoelectric properties. The ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructure under tensile strain significantly improves optical absorption capacity and light reflectivity. The ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructure under tensile strain has stronger optical absorption and reflection ability than the single-layer ZrX2 (X = S, Se) structure. The results provide a new theoretical reference for the applying ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures in optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on first principles, the effect of biaxial tensile strain on the electronic structure and optical properties of 1T-CrS2 doped with nonmetallic elements (B, C, and Si) has been studied. The monolayer CrS2 system exhibits an indirect band gap when subjected to tensile strain and Si doping. The direct bandgaps of the B and C doped systems are 0.125 and 0.167 eV, respectively, and the formation energies of both are negative, indicating that the systems are simple to form. Further bandgap modulation is accomplished under tensile strain for the doped systems. The B- and C-doped systems are capable of bandgap-type conversion under tensile strain. The study of the optical properties shows that atomic doping alters the optical response of the system, and a slight absorption band edge appears in the absorption spectrum. At minimal strain (2%), the optical properties of the doped system improved, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic activity of the compounds. The aforementioned findings inform the use of the material in microelectronics and particular optical domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the tensile strain on non-equilibrium electronic properties are studied for the ultra-thin SiC NWs (NWs) with different diameters. Results show that the equilibrium conductance fluctuates with the strain, and the maximum decreases with the increase of the size. Essentially, strong conductance originates from large electron transmission and delocalized electronic states. For I–V characteristics, the tensile strain affects significantly the growth rate and intensity of the current. Under any biases, the strongest current appears in late strain (0.7136) for the single-atom chain, while in the starting strains (e.g. 0.1584, 0.2504) for thicker NWs. The tensile strain would weaken the current of thicker NWs. The mechanical stretching contributes to valuable negative differential resistance (NDR) effect, which appears in middle and late stretching stages such as 5408, 0.7136 and 0.8472 for these three SiC NWs, respectively. Furthermore, NDR effect occurs at more strains and presents multistage features as the diameter of NW increases. The conductance waves with voltage. Such fluctuation deepens and show a more concentrated range with the increased size of NWs. The conductance at closer strains changes with the bias in a relatively close range. From structural evolution, when the NWs are fully extended under tensile strain without structural damage, the necking or the formation of single atom chains, the corresponding conductance and current are stronger, deriving from delocalized electronic states. This work provides an approach to get access to valuable NDR effect and strong backing in promising applications of nano piezoelectric electronics for ultra-thin SiC NWs.

Noble metal‐based metallenes are attracting intensive attention in energy catalysis, but it is still very challenging to precisely control the surface structures of metallenes for higher catalytic properties on account of their intrinsic thermodynamic instability. Herein, the synthesis of tensile‐strained holey Pd metallene by oxidative etching is reported using hydrogen peroxide, which exhibits highly enhanced catalytic activity and stability in comparison with normal Pd metallene toward both oxygen reduction reaction and formic acid oxidation. The pre‐prepared Pd metallene functions as a catalyst to decompose hydrogen peroxide, and the Pd atoms in amorphous regions of Pd metallene are preferentially removed by the introduced hydrogen peroxide during the etching process. The greatly enhanced ORR activity is mainly determined by the strong electrostatic repulsion between intermediate O* and the dopant O, which balances the adsorption strength of O* on Pd sites, ultimately endowing a weakened adsorption energy of O* on TH‐Pd metallene. This work creates a facile and economical strategy to precisely shape metallene‐based nanoarchitectures with broad applications for energy systems and sensing devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) exhibits immense potential in post-silicon electronics due to its bandgap comparable to silicon. Unlike other 2D materials, MoTe allows easy phase modulation and efficient carrier type control in electrical transport. However, its unstable nature and low-carrier mobility limit practical implementation in devices. Here, a deterministic method is proposed to improve the performance of MoTe2 devices by inducing local tensile strain through substrate engineering and encapsulation processes. The approach involves creating hole arrays in the substrate and using atomic layer deposition grown Al2O3 as an additional back-gate dielectric layer on SiO2. The MoTe channel is passivated with a thick layer of Al2O3 post-fabrication. This structure significantly improves hole and electron mobilities in MoTe field-effect transistors (FETs), approaching theoretical limits. Hole mobility up to 130 cm-2 V-1 s-1 and electron mobility up to 160 cm-2 V-1 s-1 are achieved. Introducing local tensile strain through the hole array enhances electron mobility by up to 6 times compared to the unstrained devices. Remarkably, the devices exhibit metal-insulator transition in MoTe FETs, with a well-defined critical point. This study presents a novel technique to enhance carrier mobility in MoTe2 FETs, offering promising prospects for improving 2D material performance in electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-seepage geomembrane with supporting layer has a large tension strain and differential deformation at the boundary of bedrock excavation and filling zone and anchorage zone of structure. It is necessary to ensure that its tensile strain is controlled within a reasonable range. Based on the geomembrane seepage prevention project in the front pool of the upper reservoir of a pumped storage power station, the local deformation adaptability of the geomembrane at anchorage zone and the boundary between bedrock excavation and filling zone was studied with three-dimensional finite element model by adjusting the design of modulus-increased zone of the supporting layer. Through comparative analysis, the reasonable size of the modulus-increased zone was determined and further optimized, and had achieved significant engineering benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgO-based cementitious materials have attracted increasing attentions due to their advantages of low energy consumption, fire resistance, and low CO2 emission. This study develops a new reactive MgO cement (RMC)-silica fume (SF) engineered cementitious composite (ECC). The effects of RMC∶SF mass ratio, fiber type, fiber content, and curing conditions on the mechanical properties and strain-hardening behavior of the RMC-SF ECC are investigated. The hydration characteristics of RMC-SF ECC under different curing conditions were studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. It was found that the RMC-SF ECC obtained a tensile strain capacity of 5.7%. Polyethylene (PE) fibers achieved higher compressive strength, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers yielded better tensile strain capacity. A RMC-SF mass ratio of 1∶1 obtained a higher ductility under high temperature curing at 50°C. Although carbon dioxide curing improves the mechanical properties of RMC-SF ECC due to the formation of MgCO3 , it greatly reduces its ductility. A large amount of brucite and M─ S─ H gels were generated under room temperature curing with plastic wrap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out on the effect of the level of external stresses, σex, and test temperature on the shape memory effect (SME), governed by the FCC ↔ HCP martensitic transformation, in single crystals of the Cr20Mn20Fe20Co34.5Ni5.5 (at.%) high-entropy alloy (HEA) along two different crystallographic orientations, i.e., [ 1 ¯ 23 ] and [011], under tensile strain. It was shown that the SME depends on the crystal orientation and the level of external stresses, σex, in the "cooling-heating" cycle under constant σex. In the "cooling-heating" cycle under constant σex, a maximum SME of 13.6 ± 0.2% was observed in [011]-oriented crystals at an external tensile stress of 150 MPa while in the [ 1 ¯ 23 ] -oriented crystals, a SME of 8.4 ± 0.2% was found under an external tensile stress of 170 MPa. In the "stress-strain" cycle, the maximum SME had similar values of 13–14% in studied orientations. General physical factors (the stress level of the FCC phase, short-range order, and change in the value of dislocation splitting in the external stress field) were established and ensured a large SME and its dependence on the crystal orientation in the Cr20Mn20Fe20Co34.5Ni5.5 HEA single crystals. For the studied orientations, a large SME in the FCC ↔ HCP MT was obtained for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By converting the traditional solid–solid contact to solid–liquid contact, the buried interface of perovskite film is healed to release tensile strain and suppress halide segregation, which universally improves the efficiency and stability of a PSC. [Display omitted] • A universal liquid buried interface is fabricated to replace traditional solid–solid interface. • The weak van der Waals interaction releases the tensile strain. • A champion efficiency of 11.13 % and 14.05 % is achieved for CsPbIBr 2 and CsPbI 2 Br PSCs. • Suppressed halide segregation significantly improves the photostability of PSC. The residual tensile strain, which is induced by lattice and thermal expansion coefficient difference between upper perovskite film and underlying charge transporting layer, significantly deteriorates the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of a halide perovskite solar cell (PSC). To overcome this technical bottleneck, herein, we propose a universal liquid buried interface (LBI) by introducing a low melting-point small molecule to replace traditional solid–solid interface. Arising from the movability upon solid-to-liquid phase conversion, LBI plays a role of "lubricant" to effectively free the soft perovskite lattice shrinkage or expansion rather than anchoring onto the substrate, leading to the reduced defects due to the healing of strained lattice. Finally, the inorganic CsPbIBr 2 PSC and CsPbI 2 Br cell achieve the best PCEs of 11.13 % and 14.05 %, respectively, and the photo-stability is improved by 33.3-fold because of the suppressed halide segregation. This work provides new insights on the LBI for making high-efficiency and stable PSC platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bee structure of an asphalt binder surface changes during the aging and rejuvenation process, and the effect of this microstructural change on the mechanical properties of the asphalt binder is not clear. Therefore, in this paper, a two-dimensional finite element model of an asphalt binder microstructure was constructed based on processed AFM images, and the contents of bee phases and bee casings were varied at the same time to analyze the stress and strain distribution law of the asphalt binder microstructure. The results of the study show that in the bee structure, the stress in the bee phase is obviously greater than that in the bee casing, and the stress in the interstitial phase is the lowest. With the simultaneous enhancement in the proportion of the bee phase and the bee casing, the stresses in the asphalt samples increased in all phase structures. Under the combined effect of the decrease in the content of the bee phase and the increase in the content of the bee casing, there is a certain degree of increase in the internal stresses and strains in the asphalt binder, the effect of the bee casing on the internal stresses in the asphalt binder is more pronounced, and the bee phase and the bee casing play better roles in resisting the external deformation due to the increase in the volume fraction. For a recycled asphalt binder, whether there is an increase in the dosage of the old asphalt binder or an enhancement in the interfacial diffusion and a fusion of new and old asphalt binders, the level of tensile strain within the recycled asphalt binder will increase to a certain extent, which, in turn, will put forward a higher requirement for its anti-cracking ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to Silicon (Si) material abundance and specific properties, monolithic integration of III-V semiconductors on (Si) is of paramount importance for the next-generation in Optoelectronic devises. An alternative approach to lattice mismatched single silicon crystal substrates for heteroepitaxy is proposed. In this work, we have suggested a design of a compliant virtual substrate and we have explored the modulation of stress/lattice parameter of a window layer based on porous silicon pseudo-substrates allowing a defect free epitaxial growth. We prepared a silicon window layer with low porosity and variable thicknesses whose stress is modulated by the succession of several layers with gradual porosity. As a result, we evaluated the stress and the lattice parameter in compliant substrate before and after thermal annealing. The pores reorganization process was supported in Argon atmosphere at constant temperature (900 °C). The samples were studied morphologically by Field Emission scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and structurally by High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HR-XRD) and Nano-Raman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) exhibits immense potential in post‐silicon electronics due to its bandgap comparable to silicon. Unlike other 2D materials, MoTe2 allows easy phase modulation and efficient carrier type control in electrical transport. However, its unstable nature and low‐carrier mobility limit practical implementation in devices. Here, a deterministic method is proposed to improve the performance of MoTe2 devices by inducing local tensile strain through substrate engineering and encapsulation processes. The approach involves creating hole arrays in the substrate and using atomic layer deposition grown Al2O3 as an additional back‐gate dielectric layer on SiO2. The MoTe2 channel is passivated with a thick layer of Al2O3 post‐fabrication. This structure significantly improves hole and electron mobilities in MoTe2 field‐effect transistors (FETs), approaching theoretical limits. Hole mobility up to 130 cm−2 V−1 s−1 and electron mobility up to 160 cm−2 V−1 s−1 are achieved. Introducing local tensile strain through the hole array enhances electron mobility by up to 6 times compared to the unstrained devices. Remarkably, the devices exhibit metal–insulator transition in MoTe2 FETs, with a well‐defined critical point. This study presents a novel technique to enhance carrier mobility in MoTe2 FETs, offering promising prospects for improving 2D material performance in electronic applications.

We examined the fabrication process of uniaxial tensile-strained Ge wires in micro-bridge structures by utilizing the internal stresses in deposited metal thin films. This method enables strain control by adjusting film-deposition conditions, which is advantageous over previous methods that utilize internal stresses unintentionally applied to Ge-on-insulator substrates. We evaluated the internal stresses in W films formed by sputtering deposition methods. Tensile and compressive stresses were determined based on the Ar gas pressure during the deposition process. We applied tensile strain to Ge wires using 100-nm-thick W films, each with a tensile stress of 890 MPa, deposited in 1.5-Pa Ar gas. We confirmed that strains of up to 1.62% can be achieved and controlled by tuning the structural parameters of the bridge structure with the Ge wires. Photoluminescence peaks shifted to lower energies with increasing strain, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. We also used strained Ge wires to fabricate light-emitting diodes that exhibited clear electroluminescence peaks indicative of band structural modulation in the Ge wires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) anisotropic materials possess asymmetric atomic arrangements and normally exhibit physicochemical properties distinguishably along different crystal orientations, offering a brand-new degree of freedom for fabricating conceptual devices. Developing a feasible strain loading method for materials with nonorthogonal crystalline axes is necessary, enabling a deeper understanding of the 2D anisotropy of such materials, which is of valuable guidance for the optimization of optoelectronic devices. Here, we proposed a uniaxial strain loading method by rotation and examined the trend of optical properties of anisotropic ReS2 under strain applied along the a- and b-axis strain directions. From the Raman and photoluminescence spectra, it can be seen that the vibrational and optical responses achieve the maximum under the strain that is applied uniaxially along the crystalline b-axis. Our work provides a reliable strategy to tailor the anisotropic optical properties, making it feasible to selectively improve the material performance of ReS2 nanostructures-based optoelectronic and logic devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural characteristics influence assessment of fatigue cracking behavior. In the assessment of asphalt pavements, the asphalt structure and practical conditions must be considered. This study analyzes changes in the elastic modulus of the pavement of different asphalt mixtures amid aging and moisture damage through fatigue cracking tests. A model to predict the tensile strain at the bottom of the pavement layer is developed through a structural analysis based on the material properties. The results are comparatively analyzed using the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide to predict the fatigue crack life. The test results indicate that moisture damage significantly influences the material properties of asphalt pavement and can accelerate pavement damage as the asphalt ages. The coefficient values of the proposed fatigue-life prediction model can be used to predict the fatigue life depending on the age of the asphalt and its moisture damage after aging. The degree of fatigue damage can be predicted by calculating the tensile strain using the regression equation and elastic modulus according to the aging and moisture damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Flexible tactile sensors have attracted special attention in the detection of human posture and activity. However, achieving multiple stimulus responses is particularly challenging in terms of structural design and has not been fully addressed. Herein, a novel structural design inspired by combining the characteristics of a strain sensor and e‐textile into a hybrid interface to obtain stretchable multiple stimulus‐responsive tactile sensors (stretching stimulus, pressing stimulus, and bending stimulus) is proposed. The sensitive layer of the sensor is designed as a textile microstructure. The sensor, which has a stable performance with excellent ohm property and durability (>2 years), possesses an extraordinary gauge factor (≈200) and a fast response time (≈2.48 ms) under tensile strain, a high sensitivity (≈2.35 kPa−1) in a low‐pressure range (≈9 kPa) under pressure. It has excellent performance for Human Activity Recognition by being attached to human skin. In addition, a Bluetooth device that tracks muscle activity in real‐time and transmits the output signals to a smartphone application is utilized. These results imply the utility of this sensor for a diverse application of robotic e‐skins or e‐muscles.

The influence of nanomechanical tensile behavior on electron transport is especially interesting for ultra-thin SiC nanowires (NWs) with different diameters. Our studies theoretically show that these NWs can hold stable electron transmission in some strain ranges and that stretching can enhance the electron transmission around the Fermi level (EF) at the strains over 0.5 without fracture for a single-atom SiC chain and at the strains not over 0.5 for thicker SiC NWs. For each size of SiC NW, the tensile strain has a tiny effect on the number of device density of states (DDOSs) peaks but can increase the values. Freshly broken SiC NWs also show certain values of DDOSs around EF. The maximum DDOS increases significantly with the diameter, but interestingly, the DDOS at EF shows little difference among the three sizes of devices in the late stage of the stretching. Essentially, high electron transmission is influenced by high DDOSs and delocalized electronic states. Analysis of electron localization functions (ELFs) indicates that appropriate tensile stress can promote continuous electronic distributions to contribute electron transport, while excessively large stretching deformation of SiC NWs would split electronic distributions and consequently hinder the movement of electrons. These results provide strong theoretical support for the use of ultra-thin SiC NWs in nano-sensors for functional and controllable electronic devices.