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This study demonstrates that diffusion doping of ZGP single crystals with impurity atoms (Mg, Se, Sn, Pb) leads to a decrease in the specific conductivity of the samples. Consequently, this results in reduced absorption in the terahertz frequency range (150–1000 μm). It has been shown that doping ZGP samples with selenium (Se) and lead (Pb) atoms reduces absorption in the infrared region from 0.3–0.6 cm−1 to 0.06–0.09 cm−1. Doping with tin (Sn) leads to a decrease in absorption only in the wavelength region near 2.1 μm from 0.2 cm−1 to 0.05 cm−1. The proposed mechanism for the decrease in infrared absorption is a reduction in zinc vacancies due to doping with impurity atoms. This research lays the groundwork for a technology that produces ZGP crystals with minimal absorption within the 2–8 μm wavelength range, eliminating the need for fast electron beam irradiation technology. This advancement will facilitate the fabrication of ZGP crystals with arbitrary apertures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid oxidation of Sn2+ in tin‐based perovskite solar cells (TPSCs) restricts their efficiency and stability have been main bottleneck towards further development. This study developed a novel strategy which utilizes thiosulfate ions (S2O32−) in the precursor solution to enable a dual‐stage reduction process. In the solution stage, thiosulfate acted as an efficacious reducing agent to reduce Sn4+ to Sn2+, meanwhile, its oxidation products were able to reduce I2 to I− during the film stage. This dual reduction ability effectively inhibited the oxidation of Sn2+ and passivated defects, further promising an excellent stability of the perovskite devices. As a result, thiosulfate‐incorporated devices achieved a high efficiency of 14.78 % with open‐circuit voltage reaching 0.96 V. The stability of the optimized devices achieved a remarkable improvement, maintaining 90 % of their initial efficiencies after 628 hours at maximum‐power‐point (MPP). The findings provid research insights and experimental data support for the sustained dynamic reduction in TPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLet G be an infinite simple group of finite Morley rank and α a supertight automorphism of G so that the fixed point subgroup Pn:=CG(αn) is pseudofinite for all n∈N∖{0} . It is know (using CFSG) that the socle Sn:=Soc(Pn) is a (twisted) Chevalley group over a pseudofinite field. We prove that there is r∈N∖{0} so that for each n we have [Pn:Sn]n the sizes of the Sylow 2-subgroups of Sn are bounded by m. We also note that in the recent identification result of G under the assumption pr2(G)=1 , the use of CFSG is not needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An N-heterocyclic stannylene :Sn(NONAd) (NONAd = [O(SiMe2NAd)2]2−, Ad = 1-adamantyl), reacts rapidly with 2,4,6-tricyclohexylphenyl azide (TCHP)N3, affording a stannaimine, (NONAd)Sn＝N(TCHP). Solutions of (NONAd)Sn＝N(TCHP) react immediately with carbon dioxide (CO2) to give a [2+2]-cycloaddition product, which, upon heating, subsequently engages in a metathesis process to give [Sn(NONAd)(μ-O)]2 and the bulky isocyanate, (TCHP)NCO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is for an article titled "Synchronized crystallization in tin-lead perovskite solar cells" published in Nature Communications. The correction addresses an error in Figure 1 of the article, specifically the incorrect labels in the Fig. 1b plot. The correct labels should be "Sn 5s" and "Pb 6s" instead of "Sn 5p" and "Pb 6p". The correction has been made in both the PDF and HTML versions of the article. The authors of the article are Yao Zhang, Chunyan Li, Haiyan Zhao, Zhongxun Yu, Xiaoan Tang, Jixiang Zhang, Zhenhua Chen, Jianrong Zeng, Peng Zhang, Liyuan Han, and Han Chen. [Extracted from the article]

Although many researchers have devoted their much effort to establish the strategy for developing a stimuli‐responsive molecule and tuning of their properties according to the preprogrammed design, it is still challenging to create desired molecules from the scratch. We recently demonstrated that the molecules with a large structural difference between the theoretically optimized structures in the ground and excited states have a potential to exhibit stimuli‐responsive luminescent properties. We defined these molecules as an excitation‐driven molecule and have shown that they are a versatile platform for designing stimuli‐responsive luminescent molecules. Herein, based on the concept of excitation‐driven molecules, we show that the hypervalent tin‐fused azomethine (TAm) compounds possessing aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties can be obtained by simple chemical modification with a methyl group although conventional TAm derivatives are well known to be highly luminescent compounds in solution. Furthermore, by combining the solid‐state luminescence property of AIE and the coordination number shifts of the hypervalent tin atom, the thermoresponsive films operating below the freezing point are fabricated with the polymer. In this study, we apply the concept of excitation‐driven molecules to the hypervalent compounds and demonstrate to obtain the novel functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin (Sn) doped platinum (Pt) nanoparticles supported on γ‐alumina are important materials catalyzing various reactions, such as the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane (MCH) into toluene, involved in liquid organic hydrogen carriers process, and naphtha catalytic reforming. The role of oxidized forms of Sn, remains misunderstood. Relying on catalysts' models made of a Pt13cluster on the (100) surface of γ‐alumina, the location and effects of Sn4+and Sn2+ interfacial atoms are investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A simulated annealing approach based on ab initio molecular dynamics enables to explore the configurations of the catalytic systems. The Pt clusters' stabilities and that of the adsorbed molecular intermediates are linked to the electronic properties of the cluster and to its ductility modulated by the adsorbed species, the alumina support and the Sn atoms. The Gibbs free energy profiles related to the reaction mechanism of the MCH dehydrogenation into toluene are quantified on the basis of transition state search. The energy span concept reveals that the dual (either detrimental or beneficial) impact of Sn oxidized forms on the intrinsic reactivity of the Pt13 cluster depends on temperature. Based on this DFT analysis, we attempt to clarify the debated role of Sn oxidized species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the insertion of electron deficient alkyne, dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate (DMAD), into the E–Si bond of hypersilyl tetrylenes, PhC(NtBu)2ESi(SiMe3)3 (E = Ge and Sn), at room temperature. Uniquely, the germylene leads to cis alkenes, while the stannylene gives access to trans alkenes, and the insight into divergent stereoselectivity has been obtained by DFT studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Sodium (Na) metal anodes receive significant attention due to their high theoretical specific energy and cost-effectiveness. However, the high reactivity of Na foil anodes and the irregular surfaces have posed challenges to the operability and reliability of Na metals in battery applications. In the absence of inert environmental protection conditions, constructing a uniform, dense, and sodiophilic Na metal anode surface is crucial for homogenizing Na deposition, but remains less-explored. Herein, we fabricated a Tin (Sn) nanoparticle-assembled film conforming to separator pores, which provided ample space for accommodating volumetric expansion during the Na alloying process. Subsequently, a seamless Na-Sn alloy overlayer was formed and transferred onto the Na foil during Na plating through a separator-assisted technique, thereby overcoming conventional operational limitations of metallic Na. As compared to traditional volumetrically expanded cracked ones, the present autotransferable, highly sodiophilic, ion-conductive, and seamless Na-Sn alloy overlayer serves as uniform nucleation sites, thereby reducing nucleation and diffusion barriers and facilitating the compact deposition of metallic Na. Consequently, the autotransferable alloy layer enables a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.9 % at 3.0 mA cm−2 and 3.0 mAh cm−2 in the half cells as well as minimal polarization overpotentials in symmetric cells, both during prolonged cycling 1200 h. Furthermore, the assembled Na||Sn-1.0h-PP||Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 @C@CNTs full cell delivers high capacity retention of 97.5 % after 200 cycles at a high cathodic mass loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of micron silicon suboxide (μ-SiOx) as an anode material for commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is hindered by lower conductivity and significant volume expansion. To effectively address the inherent defects of μ-SiOx, in this study, we developed a strategy to confine μ-SiOx to N-doped-carbon networks modified by Sn nanoparticles to form a SiOx@NC/Sn composite, which utilizes tin salts for protein denaturation and NaCl as a pore-forming agent. The coexistence of Sn and N with carbon forms a conductive network, facilitating the migration of lithium ions and electrons and maintaining the structural stability of the SiOx@NC/Sn composite. SiOx@NC/Sn with a carbon content of 50.8% as the anode for LIBs exhibits long-term stability (801.1 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g−1) and rate capability (401.9 mA h g−1 at a current density of 5.0 A g−1). Moreover, the full cell demonstrates a capacity retention rate surpassing 75% after 100 cycles at 0.5C. This work provides a simple and low-cost strategy for preparing metal-modified and nitrogen doped-carbon materials for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, we have synthesized an environmentally friendly hybrid organic–inorganic layered two-dimensional (2D) lead-free perovskite nanomaterial. The synthesized perovskites, namely (OleylAm)2SnI4 (MHP1), exhibit outstanding water stability and emit luminous red light. The photodetector constructed using our material showcases superior characteristics, including a faster response than comparable devices and improved rise and fall times compared to other 2D perovskite nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is an important way to achieve carbon neutrality, and much effort has been devoted to the design of active sites. Apart from elevating the intrinsic activity, expanding the functionality of active sites may also boost catalytic performance. Here we designed "negatively charged Ag (nc‐Ag)" active sites featuring both the intrinsic activity and the capability of regulating microenvironment, through modifying Ag nanoparticles with atomically dispersed Sn species. Different from conventional active sites (which only mediate the surface processes by bonding with the intermediates), the nc‐Ag sites could also manipulate environmental species. Therefore, the sites could not only activate CO2, but also regulate interfacial H2O and CO2, as confirmed by operando spectroscopies. The catalyst delivers a high current density with a CO faradaic efficiency of 97 %. Our work here opens up new opportunities for the design of multifunctional electrocatalytic active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of two stable monoylide‐substituted stannylenes of type YCNSnR [R=Cl (1) or N(SiMe3)2 (2), and YCN=Ph3P(CN)C] starting from the cyanido‐substituted α‐metallated ylide YCN–K and SnCl2 or (SiMe3)2NSnCl is reported. Coordination of the cyano group to the tin center results in the dimerization of both stannylenes 1 and 2 in the solid state as well as in solution, where syn‐ and anti‐isomers are present. X‐ray diffraction analyses in combination with DFT calculations revealed that the π‐electron density of the ylide ligand is predominantly shifted into the cyano moiety rather than towards the tin center. This results in a strong preference of the dimers over the monomers, which is further emphasized by the reaction with 2,5‐di‐tert‐butylhydroquinone, which undergoes a [1+4] addition to the tin center to yield a spiro compound while preserving the cyclic core of the dimer. In contrast, phenyl isocyanate and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide insert into the Sn−Cylide bond, ultimately leading to the cleavage of the dimer and the formation of monomeric stannylenes with an ylide‐substituted thioamidato and amidinato ligand, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "ESCP's 19th Scientific and Annual Conference, 25–27 September 2024, in Thessaloniki, Greece" provides a list of participants and their respective presentations at the conference. The participants come from diverse backgrounds and countries, and their presentations cover a wide range of topics related to colorectal disease. The conference aims to bring together experts in the field to share knowledge and research findings. [Extracted from the article]

Tin(ii) iodide (SnI2) faces significant challenges in photodetector applications, primarily due to its sensitivity to moisture and degradation over time. Achieving uniform, high‐quality films with low impurity and defect levels is also a challenge. Potential solutions include advanced deposition techniques to improve film quality and stability, surface passivation and encapsulation, doping and alloying. In this study, SnI2 thin films have been deposited for the first time using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique to the best of our knowledge. Process parameters like deposition pressure and RF‐power have been optimised via non‐intrusive in‐situ V−I probe impedance analyser. SnI2 thin films have been deposited on glass & transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and p‐Si wafer at various RF‐power to make SnI2/p‐Si heterojunction followed by metallization to make Ag/SnI2/p‐Si/Ag heterojunction photodetector. Characterization techniques like thin film thickness measurement, UV‐Vis‐NIR spectroscopy, Photoluminescence spectroscopy, glancing incidence x‐ray diffraction (GIXRD), SEM and I−V measurements were carried out to study its optical, structural and electronic properties. Fabricated devices, Ag/SnI2/p‐Si/Ag heterojunction photodiode exhibits best critical performance for the film deposited at 150 W having rectifying ratio of 6.9×104 at 1.0 V and photo‐sensitivity of 1.6×104 at 100 mW/cm2 light intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of co-regulating Mo and Sn on the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel in tropical marine atmospheric was investigated. The combined addition of Mo and Sn has been found to significantly improve the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, augmenting the protective capabilities of the rust layer. This combined addition promotes the formation of protective compounds like α-FeOOH and FeCr2O4 within the alloy rust layer. Furthermore, it facilitates the conversion of Cr, Ni and Cu into corrosion-resistant oxides such as Cr2O3, NiFe2O4 and CuO, thereby enhancing the density of the rust layer. Additionally, as corrosion progresses over time, higher levels of Sn addition lead to increased Sn content within the inner rust layer, consequently bolstering the protective qualities of the rust layer. This comprehensive understanding sheds light on the synergistic effects of Mo and Sn in fortifying the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, offering insights for the development of advanced corrosion-resistant materials in marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of PbHfO3 and PbSnO3 in perovskite solid solutions presents valuable opportunities to study the formation mechanisms of incommensurate phases. Crystals of PbHf1-xSnxO3 with 8% Sn were grown and measured using broadband dielectric spectroscopy to investigate the nature of relaxation and the effects of phase transitions. Our findings reveal significant alterations in the dielectric response of the PbHf0.92Sn0.08O3 solid solution, shedding light on the influence of Sn doping on lattice dynamics during the phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High density portable energy storage is desirable owing to the energy requirements of portable electronics and electric vehicles. The Li-ion battery's high energy density could be even further improved through the utilization of alternative materials (instead of carbon) for the anode, such as Sn or Si. Nonetheless, the large volume expansion upon lithiation, up to ~300% for Li22Si5, causes pulverization and rapid capacity degradation during cycling. Sn also forms a Li22Sn5 compound with the equivalent stoichiometric Li capacity but with enhanced ductility. Nano-sized Si and Sn have demonstrated distinctive nanoscale properties, facilitating the retention of higher capacities, particularly when coated with carbon, which improves mechanical stability. To date, the methods of synthesizing coated Si, Sn, or Si-Sn alloyed nanoparticles are complicated, costly, and not readily scalable to meet the demands of cost-effective manufacturing. Spark plasma erosion in a hydrocarbon dielectric has been explored as a one-step process to produce Sn-Si alloy nanoparticles coated with a thin carbon film, offering a scalable and cost-effective processing route. The resulting Sn-Si particles exhibited a bi-modal size distribution at ~5 nm and ~500 nm and were carbon-coated, as intended, from the hydrocarbon dielectric breakdown. The spark-eroded nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized using TEM/EDS, XPS, AES, SSNMR, and TGA, and their improved electrochemical performance was assessed through half-cell experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal carbenes are widely acknowledged as a category of highly effective intermediates that facilitate otherwise inaccessible transformations. In recent decades, carbene chemistry has made considerable advances and has demonstrated remarkable abilities in the formation of diverse chemical bonds and the synthesis of structurally distinctive molecules. Nevertheless, the majority of research within this field has concentrated on α-carbon-substituted carbenes, with comparatively little investigation of carbenes that have been functionalized with a wider structural variety, particularly those that have been substituted with heteroatoms (e.g., O, N, P, S, Si, Ge, Sn and B). The objective of this review is to elucidate the advancements in enantioselective transfer reactions involving metal carbenes substituted with these elements, thereby highlighting their contribution to the expansion of the structural diversity and synthetic utility of carbenes in contemporary chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study aimed to explore the relationships between urinary metals and vital capacity index (VCI) in 380 children and adolescents in Northeast China using a variety of statistical methods. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 children and adolescents in Liaoning Province, China. To assess the relationships between urinary metals and VCI, Elastic-net (ENET) regression, multivariate linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS), bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g computation (qgcomp) were adopted. Results: The ENET model selected magnesium (Mg), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), tin (Sn) and lead (Pb) as crucial elements. In multiple linear regression, we observed urinary Pb, Mn was negatively correlated with VCI individually in both total study population and adolescents (all p values < 0.05) in the adjustment model. The WQS indices were negatively related with VCI in total study population (β=-3.19, 95%CI: -6.07, -0.30) and adolescents (β=-3.46, 95%CI: -6.58, -0.35). The highest weight in total study population was Pb (38.80%), in adolescents was Mn (35.10%). In the qgcomp, Pb (31.90%), Mn (27.20%) were the major negative contributors to the association in the total population (β=-3.51, 95%CI: -6.29, -0.74). As (42.50%), Mn (39.90%) were the main negative contributors (β=-3.95, 95% CI: -6.68, -1.22) among adolescents. The results of BKMR were basically consistent with WQS and qgcomp analyses. Conclusions: Our results indicated that Pb and Mn were priority toxic materials on VCI. The cumulative effect of metals was negatively related to VCI, and this relationship was more pronounced in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Sn dopant on microstructure and magnetic properties of large-scale produced MnBi1 − xSnx (x = 0; 0.05; 0.10; 0.15; 0.20; 0.25) melt-spun ribbons were systematically investigated. With increasing Sn content, the MnBi LTP fraction within the produced ribbons exhibited a decreasing trend, associated with the formation of the Mn3Sn phase. The doped Sn atoms also affected the quenching process, altering the ribbons' microstructures from the grain-like to rod-shaped. The optimized composition was found to be MnBi0.95Sn0.05, which was used to fabricate MnBi-based magnets. Maximum energy products of 12.9 MGOe, 8.1 MGOe, and coercivities of 14.8 kOe, 6.7 kOe were obtained for the MnBi0.95Sn0.05 melt-spun annealed ribbons and magnets prepared from them, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface connects the reinforced phase and the matrix of materials, with its microstructure and interfacial configurations directly impacting the overall performance of composites. In this study, utilizing seven atomic layers of Mg(0001) and Ti(0001) surface slab models, four different Mg(0001)/Ti(0001) interfaces with varying atomic stacking configurations were constructed. The calculated interface adhesion energy and electronic bonding information of the Mg(0001)/Ti(0001) interface reveal that the HCP2 interface configuration exhibits the best stability. Moreover, Si, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Sn, La, Ce, Nd, and Gd elements are introduced into the Mg/Ti interface layer or interfacial sublayer of the HCP2 configurations, and their interfacial segregation behavior is investigated systematically. The results indicate that Gd atom doping in the Mg(0001)/Ti(0001) interface exhibits the smallest heat of segregation, with a value of −5.83 eV. However, Ca and La atom doping in the Mg(0001)/Ti(0001) interface show larger heat of segregation, with values of 0.84 and 0.63 eV, respectively. This implies that the Gd atom exhibits a higher propensity to segregate at the interface, whereas the Ca and La atoms are less inclined to segregate. Moreover, the electronic density is thoroughly analyzed to elucidate the interfacial segregation behavior. The research findings presented in this paper offer valuable guidance and insights for designing the composition of magnesium-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, the impacts of Ce additions at various concentrations (0, 1.0, 3.4, and 4.0 wt.%) on the evolution of the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of as-cast and as-extruded Mg-3Sn alloys were investigated. The findings demonstrate that adding Ce caused the creation of a new ternary MgSnCe phase in the magnesium matrix. Some new Mg17Ce2 phases are generated in the microstructure when Ce levels reach 4%. The thermal conductivity of the Mg-3Sn alloy is significantly improved due to Ce addition, and the Mg-3Sn-3.4Ce alloy exhibits the highest thermal conductivity, up to 133.8 W/(m·K) at 298 K. After extrusion, both the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties are further improved. The thermal conductivity perpendicular to the extrusion direction of Mg-3Sn-3.4Ce alloy could achieve 136.28 W/(m·K), and the tensile and yield strengths reach 264.3 MPa and 227.2 MPa, with an elongation of 7.9%. Adding Ce decreases the dissolved Sn atoms and breaks the eutectic α-Mg and Mg2Sn network organization, leading to a considerable increase in the thermal conductivity of as-cast Mg-3Sn alloys. Weakening the deformed grain texture contributed to the further enhancement of the thermal conductivity after extrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, bis[aqua(2,2′-bipyridine) fluoridotin (II)] hexafluoridotin(IV), [SnF(C10H8N2)(H2O)]2[SnF6], an ionic mixed-valent tin(II)–tin(IV) compound, the bivalent tin atom is the center atom of the cation and the tetravalent tin atom is the center atom of the anion. With respect to the first coordination sphere, the cation is monomeric, with the tin(II) atom having a fourfold seesaw coordination with a fluorine atom in an equatorial position, a water molecule in an axial position and the two nitrogen atoms of the chelating 2,2′-bipyridine ligand in the remaining axial and equatorial positions. The bond lengths and angles of this hypervalent first coordination sphere are described by 2c–2e and 3c–4e bonds, respectively, all of which are based on the orthogonal 5p orbitals of the tin atom. In the second coordination sphere, which is based on an additional, very long tin–fluorine bond that leads to dimerization of the cation, the tin atom is trapezoidal–pyramidally coordinated. The tetravalent tin atom of the centrosymmetric anion has an octahedral coordination. The differences in its tin–fluorine bond lengths are attributed to hydrogen bonding, as the two of the four fluorine atoms are each involved in two hydrogen bonds, linking anions and cations together to form strands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The susceptibility of either oxidation into Sn(IV) or disproportionation into Sn(IV) and Sn(0) limits the study of metal tin‐(II)‐borate ceramics. We report mullite‐type SnCrBO4 and SnVBO4 synthesized in sealed quartz tubes by conventional solid‐state method. X‐ray powder diffraction data Rietveld refinements confirm that both compounds are isostructural to PbMBO4 phases for M = Al, Ga, Cr, Mn, and Fe. The end‐members show a complete miscibility within the Sn(Cr1−xVx)BO4 solid solution. Both the microstructural (average crystallite size, microstrain, and degree of crystallinity) and crystal structural (metric parameters, bond lengths, polyhedral volume, and polyhedral distortion) parameters are observed with respect to the compositional x‐value. The stereochemical activity of the 5 s2 lone electron pairs of Sn2+ cations has been measured by using the Wang–Liebau eccentricity parameter. The structural features are complemented by 119Sn Mössbauer, Raman, and Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy. The 119Sn Mössbauer isomer shifts and the quadrupole splitting values confirm the SnO4 coordination and an Sn(II) valence state. The electronic band gap has been calculated from the UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, which slightly increases with successive decrease of the cationic radius from V to Cr. Temperature‐dependent inverse DC magnetic susceptibility suggests that SnCrBO4 and SnVBO4 are antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic (FM) with a Néel temperature of 17.2(1) K and a Curie temperature of 29.8(1) K, respectively. Alike the end‐member SnVBO4, Sn(Cr0.5V0.5)BO4 is also found to be a rare FM insulator. The thermal stability decreases with increasing vanadium content in the solid solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrially, the silicon requirement of liquid steel is often met with ferrosilicon (FeSi) instead of high‐purity silicon addition. FeSi, a silicon‐rich alloy, contains impurities typically inherited from its manufacturing stage. Therefore, FeSi addition results in the formation of complex inclusions in the liquid steel. Herein, a detailed inclusion characterization of the samples obtained from the melting experiments for a wide range of silicon concentrations has been carried out to examine the effect of FeSi impurities. Pure silica inclusions evolve to silica‐ and/or alumina‐based Si–Al–(Ti)–O–(TiN) complex inclusions with the increasing addition of FeSi to the steel melt. Reduction of silica by aluminum or titanium, the presence of titanium in the steel melt, and/or TiN inclusions formed at the periphery of oxide inclusions restrict the growth of oxide inclusions, resulting in small‐sized (average) oxide inclusions. The underlying mechanism of such complex (Si–Al–Ti–O–N)‐based inclusions has been explained with the aid of microstructural characterization and thermodynamic calculations. Moreover, the steel–crucible (alumina) interface has also been investigated for inclusion deposits and crucible–steel interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological and environmental applications of tin (Sn) isotopes have been hindered by the shortcomings of chemical purification, as severe loss of Sn would occur during sample preparation (evaporation and re-dissolution) and column separation, triggering isotope measurement bias. In this study, we develop a novel and robust separation method to purify Sn from natural samples for accurate isotope measurements. The protocol is established by combining two chromatographic columns loaded with AG 1-X8 and AG 50W-X12 resins, and optimizing the sample evaporation and re-dissolution procedures. The method is proven to efficiently eliminate the main interferents such as Ag, Zn, Mo, Cd and Sb and results in low procedural blank (0.54 ± 0.21 ng, n = 3), quantitative recovery (95--102%, n = 32) and good external precision (δ120Sn of 0.02--0.04‰, in 55 measurements) for isotope measurement. The protocol is further applied to seven geological and environmental reference materials (BCR-2, BHVO-2, AGV-2, JG-2, AC-E, PACs-2 and GSS 7) and new values are reported for both odd (δ119Sn and δ117Sn) and even (δ120Sn and δ122Sn) Sn isotope ratios. This study demonstrates clearly the potential application of our method for studying the geochemical behaviors of Sn and its isotopes in various aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the challenge of varied working temperatures of inductance components in new energy vehicle and 5G communication, the high- T C high-permeability MnZn ferrite with excellent temperature stability was developed by the addition of SnO 2. In this series of samples, initial permeability μ i maintains large values in a wide temperature range. With increasing the SnO 2 content, the temperature of the second permeability peak T sp decreases and meanwhile Curie temperature T C maintains as high as 160 °C. For the best sample with 6000 ppm SnO 2 , μ i at 25 °C is 7244 and exhibits the excellent temperature stability with the low specific temperature coefficient of 0.35 × 10−6 °C−1 between 25 and 130 °C. The addition of SnO 2 generates Fe2+ and adjusts the magneto-crystalline anisotropy constant K 1 = 0 point, which is responsible for the wide-temperature high permeability. The effect of SnO 2 addition on magnetization process has also been clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary half-Heusler (HH) alloys are under intense investigations recently towards achieving high thermoelectric (TE) figure-of-merit (ZT). Of particular interest is the ZrNiPb-based HH alloy, where an optimal value of ZT ~ 0.7 at 773 K has been achieved by co-doping Sn and Bi at Pb site. In this work, we identify an excellent ZT of 1.3 in ZrNi1+xPb0.38Sn0.6Bi0.02 (x = 0.03, at 773 K) composite alloy. This is achieved by synergistic modulation of electronic as well as thermal properties via introduction of minor phase of full-Heusler (FH) in the HH matrix through compositional tuning approach. These Ni-rich ZrNi1+xPb0.38Sn0.6Bi0.02 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.07) alloys were synthesized via energy efficient and time-curbed techniques that involved Arc melting followed by consolidation via spark plasma sintering. These alloys were characterized by XRD and SEM, which show formation of nanocomposites comprising of HH matrix phase and FH secondary minor phases. Enhancement in ZT is mainly attributed to a synchronized increase in power factor (~42%) and ~25% decrease in its thermal conductivity. Here, TE compatibility factor (S) was also calculated for all samples. The value of |S| ~ 2.7 V−1 (at 773 K) is observed for x = 0.03, which is ~17% higher than bare HH composition (x = 0.0). The theoretically calculated TE device efficiency of best-performing sample ZrNi1.03Pb0.38Sn0.6Bi0.02 is estimated to be η ~ 13.6%. Our results imply that deliberately controlled fine tuning in compositions of HH compounds through compositional tuning approach would lead to novel off-stoichiometric HH phases with enhanced ZT value for efficient TE device fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infrared optical properties of thick GeSn films (>500 nm) having 10% Sn concentration and of SiGeSn layers, utilized for the growth of strain-relieved, direct-gap GeSn films by molecular beam epitaxy, are investigated. Two growth methods are used: a graded-growth structure and a stepped-growth structure that help us to illustrate the properties of the GeSn and SiGeSn layers. Interestingly, there can be strong absorption in SiGeSn films throughout the infrared. We observe an increase in infrared absorption with increasing Sn concentration up to 21% Sn and in films, where the Sn is held constant at 18%, with increasing Si concentration up to 30%. Cavity effects in the infrared transmission measurement of stepped-growth structures are observed and associated with reflections at growth interfaces. Si–Si bond formation is proposed to occur at high Si concentrations in SiGeSn films, and the bandgap in SiGeSn films appears to decrease with increasing Si and Sn concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel method for investigating laser-driven dynamic fragmentation in tin using in situ X-ray diffraction. Our experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the method for simultaneously identifying the phase and temperature of fragments through analysis of the diffraction pattern. Surprisingly, we observe a deviation from the widely accepted isentropic release assumption, with the temperature of the fragments being found to be more than 100 K higher than expected, owing to the release of plastic work during dynamic fragmentation. Our findings are further verified through extensive large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, in which strain energies are found to be transferred into thermal energies during the nucleation and growth of voids, leading to an increase in temperature. Our findings thus provide crucial insights into the impact-driven dynamic fragmentation phenomenon and reveal the significant influence of plastic work on material response during shock release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the fabrication and characterization of a new high surface area nanocomposite electrode containing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and titanium nitride (TiN) for electrochemical applications. This approach involves electrochemically depositing rGO on a high surface area TiN nanorod array electrode to form a new nanocomposite electrode. The TiN nanorod array was first formed by the glancing angle deposition technique in a DC (Direct Current) sputtering system. GO flakes of ~1.5 μm in diameter, as confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), were electrodeposited on the nanostructured TiN electrode via the application of a fixed potential for one hour. The surface morphology of the as-prepared rGO/TiN electrode was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the presence of rGO on TiN was confirmed by Raman Microscopy. The CV shows an increase in the capacitive current at rGO/TiN as compared to TiN. The rGO decorated TiN electrode was then used for analyzing the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid and dopamine, and the reduction of nitrate by CV and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), respectively. CV or LSV show that the electrochemical kinetics of these three analytes are significantly faster on rGO/TiN than TiN itself. Overall, the rGO/TiN electrode showed better electrochemical behavior for biomolecules like ascorbic acid and dopamine as well as another target analyte, nitrate ions, compared to TiN by itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial activities on the banks of waterways can degrade both the waterbody and the surrounding area and continue to exert pressure on the environment even after the closure of the industries involved. An assessment was undertaken to determine concentration, distribution, mobility and ecological risk of potentially toxic elements (PTE) from legacy contamination in sediments of the Forth and Clyde Canal, UK. Concentrations of PTE, determined by ICP-MS following aqua regia digestion, were 5.54–219 mg kg−1 for As, < 0.025–11.0 mg kg−1 for Cd, 44.8–883 mg kg−1 for Cr, 39.3–618 mg kg−1 for Cu, 35.8–72.1 g kg−1 for Fe, 720–4460 mg kg−1 for Mn, 42.0–154 mg kg−1 for Ni, 93.9–2740 mg kg−1 for Pb, 5.36–122 mg kg−1 for Sn and 288–3640 mg kg−1 for Zn. With the exception of Fe and Mn, higher levels were observed at urban locations than at rural. Enhanced Cr, Pb and Sn content at suburban locations could be attributed to historical industrial activities on the canal bank, while widespread distribution of As and Pb was consistent with atmospheric deposition. In the inner-city area, sediment quality was severely deteriorated, and the potential ecological risk was very high. Fractionation patterns, determined using the modified BCR sequential extraction, indicated a particularly high risk of mobilization for Cd, Mn and Zn, and the highest exchangeable fraction risk from Zn. The research highlights the need to assess and, where necessary, manage legacy contaminated sites in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need of modern microelectronics in the development of technological processes for the formation of nanostructured layers puts forward the necessity of understanding the mechanisms of nucleation and growth of deposits. The article considers the features of the initial stages of electrocrystallization of coatings with tin and tin-copper and tin-copper-ultradisperse diamond alloys. The kinetic regularities of electrode processes were studied by the voltammetry method. Based on the experimental data, the nucleation parameters (nucleation energy, effective interphase surface energy, radius and volume of the nucleus) were calculated. SEM images were obtained and the features of the roughness of the coating surfaces after deposition for 10, 20, 30 and 60 s were studied. It was found that co-deposition of tin-copper alloys and tin-copper-ultradisperse diamond particles increases the value of the limiting current from 2.8 · 10–2 to 5.0 · 10–2 A/cm2. With an increase in electrocrystallization over-voltage, the rate of nucleation increases and their size decreases, while fine-grained and dense deposits are formed. With an increase in the deposition duration, crystallites grow and gradually coalesce with each other, the value of the equivalent diameter of the grain coatings increases, respectively, for: Sn – from 1 ⋅ 10–6 to 4 ⋅ 10–6 m, Sn-Cu – from 0.3 ⋅ 10–6 to 1.3 ⋅ 10–6 m, Sn-Cu-ultradispersed diamond – from 0.9 ⋅ 10–6 to 1.4 ⋅ 10–6 m. The established patterns make it possible to control the structure of the coatings and obtain deposits with specified properties. The presented results may be of interest to specialists involved in the formation of solderable galvanic coatings.

Electrosynthesis is a technique that is attracting increased attention and has many appealing features, particularly its potential greenness. At the same time, electrosynthesis requires a solvent and a supporting electrolyte in order for current to pass through the reaction. These are effectively consumable reagents unless a convenient means of recycling can be developed. As part of our interest in unusual solvents and electrochemistry, we explored the application of simple, inexpensive, and recyclable deep eutectic solvents to the allylation of carbonyls. While several sets of conditions were developed, the goal of avoiding stoichiometric amounts of metal has proven elusive. Still, a deep eutectic solvent can be used to plate out and thus recover the metal used, offering an interesting new option for electrochemical allylations.

The wear characteristics of coated H13 tool steel and as-casted H13 tool steel in dry sliding conditions were investigated through a pin-on-disc tribometer, where the H13 steel is used as a pin and EN31 steel is used as disc material. The study was focused on evaluating the tribological behaviour by examining the friction characteristics, surface morphology and wear performance. Initially, to improve the hardness of the untreated (as-casted) H13 steel, the tempering process where carried out on the samples, which helped elevate the hardness from 38 to 55 HRC. The worn surface of the samples was analysed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Among the four samples (as-casted, heat-treated, AlCrN coated and TiN coated) the as-casted samples were affected by oxidation and adhesive wear. The material loss measured for as-casted, heat-treated, AlCrN and TiN samples was 30.34, 7.85, 0.78 and 0.14 mg, respectively. The measured coefficient of friction was 0.541 for as-casted, 0.492 for the heat-treated, 0.48 for the AlCrN and 0.147 for the TiN sample. From the study, the major conclusion was that the TiN coating offers major wear protection and lower friction.

High density portable energy storage is desirable owing to the energy requirements of portable electronics and electric vehicles. The Li-ion battery’s high energy density could be even further improved through the utilization of alternative materials (instead of carbon) for the anode, such as Sn or Si. Nonetheless, the large volume expansion upon lithiation, up to ~300% for Li22Si5, causes pulverization and rapid capacity degradation during cycling. Sn also forms a Li22Sn5 compound with the equivalent stoichiometric Li capacity but with enhanced ductility. Nano-sized Si and Sn have demonstrated distinctive nanoscale properties, facilitating the retention of higher capacities, particularly when coated with carbon, which improves mechanical stability. To date, the methods of synthesizing coated Si, Sn, or Si-Sn alloyed nanoparticles are complicated, costly, and not readily scalable to meet the demands of cost-effective manufacturing. Spark plasma erosion in a hydrocarbon dielectric has been explored as a one-step process to produce Sn-Si alloy nanoparticles coated with a thin carbon film, offering a scalable and cost-effective processing route. The resulting Sn-Si particles exhibited a bi-modal size distribution at ~5 nm and ~500 nm and were carbon-coated, as intended, from the hydrocarbon dielectric breakdown. The spark-eroded nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized using TEM/EDS, XPS, AES, SSNMR, and TGA, and their improved electrochemical performance was assessed through half-cell experiments.

Our study aims to clarify the morphotropic phase boundary observed in Zr-doped hafnia systems. We utilize density-functional-theory calculations to examine various structural phases of (Hf,Zr)O 2 thin films on TiN electrodes. We account for Zr composition, film thickness, and temperature to model the free energy of (Hf,Zr)O 2 on TiN electrodes. Our assessment of the thermodynamic stability of each structural phase in terms of surface and interface energies under the substrate strain allows us to determine that the substrate strain and temperature significantly reduce the energy differences between different phases. Our findings lead to the energy reversal between tetragonal and orthorhombic phases when the film thickness increases. Based on our results, we propose that the formation of a high-temperature tetragonal phase, arising from the rapid thermal or annealing processes, is crucial to the appearance of the morphotropic phase boundary in Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2. Understanding the origin of the morphotropic phase boundary can have significant implications for device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic compression experiments in condensed matter are of interest in part because they provide opportunities to examine material response under extreme conditions; however, the inference of material behavior from dynamic experiments is challenging in the presence of phase transitions exhibiting kinetic processes. Demonstrating an approach to quantitative interpretation of such dynamic experiments, we present a Bayesian model calibration of strength and phase transformation parameters to data drawn from pulsed power and gas gun shot experiments. The posterior predictions of the Bayesian model capture the experimental measurements and account for the various uncertainties in the experimental configurations. This holistic approach to model calibration utilizing multiple types of experimental data identifies important cross correlations among kinetics, strength, and the phase boundary. Improved insight into potential sources of current model form error is provided by comparing the differences between calibrations against different subsets of the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiferroelectric (AFE) materials have great potential for applications in large-strain actuators due to their unique field-induced phase transition properties. In particular, AFE ceramics that exhibit a high level of field-induced strain with reversible and "on/off" features at low electric fields are well suited for use in reliable actuators. In this study, we designed Pb 0.97 La 0.02 (Zr 0.72-x Sn 0.17+x Ti 0.11)O 3 (x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, 0.12, 0.15) AFE ceramics with the components close to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). The polarized Pb 0.97 La 0.02 (Zr 0.60 Sn 0.29 Ti 0.11)O 3 AFE ceramics exhibit an excellent field-induced strain of 1.21 % at a low electric field (60 kV/cm). This phenomenon can be attributed to the more miniaturized and disordered domain structure, which provides an important contribution to its field-induced strain beyond the AFE-FE phase transition. This work not only provides an AFE ceramic candidate for actuators but also explains the origin of the excellent field-induced strain properties of AFE ceramics with components close to the MPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of Si is known to improve the oxidation resistance of pure titanium and titanium alloys. However, most past studies concern the influence of relatively large Si contents (0.35–8 wt%), which is often incompatible with a good ductility because of the presence of Ti5Si3 precipitates. This study focuses on the influence of the Si content on the high-temperature resistance of near-alpha alloys from the family of Ti6244 alloy (6% Al, 2% Sn, 4% Zr 4% Mo–wt%) with small proportions of Si. The silicon addition was found to improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of near-alpha Ti-Al-Sn-Zr-Mo family alloys by decreasing the oxidation rate and the oxide scale thickness, as well by producing a denser oxide scale. Rutile and alumina were detected within the oxide scale by XRD and Raman spectrometry. The presence of Si is associated with the presence of larger quantities of N at the oxide/metal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnTe, the lead-free and environmentally friendly material, has gained recognition as a low band-gap thermoelectric material. However, it encounters challenges due to the presence of a significant concentration of intrinsic tin vacancies and its extremely small band gap of 0.18 eV. These factors contribute to a low Seebeck coefficient (S) and high electronic thermal conductivity. These challenges can be overcome by tuning the band gap of SnTe which enhance its thermoelectric behaviour. In our study, we investigate the thermoelectric properties of the bulk SnTe by systematically increasing the band gap while keeping the carrier concentration fixed. By varying the band gap from 0.14 to 0.8 eV, we observe significant enhancements in the thermoelectric performance of the material. Specifically, the power factor reaches a value of 420 μ W cm - 1 K - 2 and the electronic thermal conductivity decreases to 2.3 W m - 1 K - 1 when the band gap is 0.8 eV and the carrier concentration is 10 18 cm - 3 . Moreover, the figure of merit (ZT) value of SnTe can be improved up to 15 times. This study can motivate further experimental investigation on interesting compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of titanium nitride (TiN) on AISI D2 tool steel, analyzing coating properties and TiN nanoparticle stability in the presence of polyethyleneimine as a dispersant in isopropyl alcohol. The parameters investigated were deposition time (5, 10, and 15 minutes), electric field strength (0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 V/m), and suspension concentration (0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mg/L). Results indicated that a deposition time of 10 minutes with an electric field strength of 0.5 V/m and a suspension concentration of 0.2 mg/L provided optimal results in terms of thickness and micro-hardness. Higher deposition time led to increased thickness but decreased micro-hardness, while increasing electric field intensity for a constant deposition time led to increased deposition mass and thickness but lower quality at higher concentrations. Microstructural examination and micro-hardness testing confirmed these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subgrains and recrystallisation are common microstructural features in solder joints that have been subjected to thermal fatigue or mechanical loading. Here we study similar features in Sn-Ag and Sn-Ag-Cu solder balls after solidification. It is shown that four types of misorientation features exist to different extents in solder balls examined shortly after solidification: (i) small variations in orientation created by dendrite growth and eutectic solidification, (ii) partial polygonisation into subgrains, (iii) small grains with high angle boundaries and (iv) large anomalous grains surrounded by interlacing where the grain boundaries do not correlate with the dendrite growth pattern. The subgrains often have a boundary plane and rotation axis consistent with dislocations from a facile slip system. The recovery and misorientation features were more extensive in regions that solidified at deeper melt undercooling. The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between the solidification and solid-state components of microstructure evolution when interpreting solder microstructures after solidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]