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Groundwater monitoring has been performed in a well of the Kultuk area on the western shore of Lake Baikal since 2013. Compression and extension of the near-surface crust are defined through measurements of an AR4/8 (234U/238U activity ratio) and an A4 (234U activity) in groundwater from the Kultuk reservoir. Its thermal state is estimated by determining thermophilic macrocomponents Si, Na, and microcomponent Li. The recorded change in the groundwater reservoir and coeval seismogenic processes, which resulted in earthquakes of the central Baikal Rift System, are considered paragenetically related near-surface and deeper processes of the crust, respectively. It is inferred that compression of the Kultuk area, accompanied by the Goloustnoe earthquake in 2015, was changed by its extension during the strong Baikal–Khubsugul seismic reactivation in 2020–2023. Under compression of the crust, groundwater ascended from a shallow part of the reservoir of 0.5–0.9 km episodically heated up to 116°C by friction in a fault plane. Afterward, a deeper hydrogeodynamic center was generated with its final localization at a depth of about 1.2 km in 2019–2020; during the subsequent Baikal–Khubsugul seismic reactivation, groundwater mainly upraised from the hydrogeodynamic center with frictional heating in a fault plane up to 99°C. Episodic penetration of groundwater portions from depth up to 1.6 km accompanied a slight upward enlargement of an active part of the reservoir to 1 km. The further monitoring of chemical hydrogeodynamics of the Kultuk reservoir may provide a forecast of seismic hazards in the central Baikal Rift System. Research highlights: 10-year groundwater monitoring in the Kultuk area of the western shore of Lake Baikal shows the temporal change of compression and extension of the near-surface crust through measurements of an AR4/8 (234U/238U activity ratio) and an A4 (234U activity). Compression was accompanied by the moderate Goloustnoe earthquake in 2015. Change to extension results in strong Baikal–Khubsugul seismic reactivation in 2020–2023. The thermal state in the Kultuk water reservoir is estimated by determining thermophilic macrocomponents Si, Na, and microcomponent Li. Under compression of the crust, groundwater ascended from a shallow part of the reservoir of 0.5–0.9 km episodically heated up to 116°C by friction in a fault plane. During the Baikal–Khubsugul seismic reactivation, groundwater mainly upraised from the hydrogeodynamic center with frictional heating in a fault plane up to 99°C. The further monitoring of chemical hydrogeodynamics of the Kultuk reservoir may provide a forecast of seismic hazards in the central Baikal Rift System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective area growth and epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) of semipolar (11¯$1 \left(\right. \macr \left.\right)$01) GaN stripes are demonstrated on a trench patterned vicinal (001) Si substrate fabricated by a maskless photolithography‐based process. High precision alignment enables selective mask formation to one sidewall of the trench. Selective area growth of GaN stripes is conducted from the (111) plane sidewall of Si, and ELOG region reaches ≈13 μm. The ELOG GaN crystal is dislocation‐free at most areas. The semipolar GaN stripes with atomically flat surface morphology are uniformly obtained. Light‐emitting diode structures with InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells are grown on the 13‐μm ELOG (11¯$1 \left(\right. \macr \left.\right)$01) GaN stripes and a single photoluminescence emission peaked at 485 nm is obtained, suggesting potential for the cost‐effective semipolar micro light‐emitting diode fabrication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Bioactive glass is a multifunctional synthetic composite material that releases active ions slowly and exhibits certain biological activities after affinity with tissues. Their versatility stems from the versatility of their preparation processes and components, allowing them to be applied in different clinical scenarios. OBJECTIVE: To review the main application forms, application fields of bioactive glass, as well as the influence of doping different elements on its function. METHODS: A literature search was conducted across WanFang Medical Database, CNKI Database, PubMed Database, and Web of Science Database, using the search terms “bioactive glass, slow-release ions, bone tissue engineering, composite scaffold, tissue regeneration and repair, biomedical engineering” in Chinese and English. The timeframe was limited from 2000 to 2023. Finally, 88 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) In terms of application forms, bioactive glass can be fabricated as coatings, particles, bone cements, and scaffolds according to needs. Coatings have the potential to enhance the biological activity of implants, yet they are susceptible to instability as a result of degradation. Particles offer a viable solution for the repair of irregular bone defects; however, particles produced through traditional methods often possess limited functionality. Bone cement provides the benefits of minimal invasiveness and injectability, yet its application is restricted to smaller bone defects. Scaffolds exhibit excellent mechanical properties and are commonly used for larger-sized bone defects, yet they have limited toughness. (2) In terms of applications, bioactive glass can be used in a variety of tissue regeneration and repair and disease treatment fields, including dentistry, orthopedics, soft tissue engineering, and cancer. (3) In terms of element doping, the addition of specific elements to bioactive glass not only improves its mechanical properties but also endows it with special biological functions such as bioactivity, degradability, and antibacterial properties. (4) Biologically active glass is a versatile material that can be used in different forms and functions by adjusting the preparation process and element doping to meet various clinical needs in bone tissue engineering and is widely used in the field of biomedical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaAs materials are widely used in plenty of fields such as field-effect transistors, lasers, photodetectors, etc. However, the electronic state structure of p-type dopant acceptor is much more complicated than that of n-type. In our experiments, we choose the element Be as the dopant acceptor. The doping concentration of the N-type GaAs thin film layer achieved 2.07 × 1018 cm−3 with a mobility of 2097 cm2/V.s at 1250 °C for the Si doping source, and the doping concentration of the P-type GaAs thin film reached 1.29 × 1017cm−3 with a mobility of 255.6 cm2/V.s at 800 °C for the Be doping source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) has attracted worldwide attention for its ultrahigh theoretical storage capacity (4200 mA h g−1), low mass density (2.33 g cm−3), low operating potential (0.4 V vs. Li/Li+), abundant reserves, environmentally benign nature, and low cost. It is a promising high-energy-density anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), offering a replacement for graphite anodes owing to the escalating energy demands in booming automobile and energy storage applications. Unfortunately, the commercialization of silicon anodes is stringently hindered by large volume expansion during lithiation–delithiation, the unstable and detrimental growth of electrode/electrolyte interface layers, sluggish Li-ion diffusion, poor rate performance, and inherently low ion/electron conductivity. These present major safety challenges lead to quick capacity degradation in LIBs. Herein, we present the synergistic effects of nanostructured silicon and SrTiO3 (STO) for use as anodes in Li-ion batteries. Si and STO nanoparticles were incorporated into a multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) matrix using a planetary ball-milling process. The mechanical stress resulting from the expansion of Si was transferred via the CNT matrix to the STO. We discovered that the introduction of STO can improve the electrochemical performance of Si/CNT nanocomposite anodes. Experimental measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provide evidence for the enhanced mobility of Li-ions facilitated by STO. Hence, incorporating STO into the Si@CNT anode yields promising results, exhibiting a high initial Coulombic efficiency of approximately 85%, a reversible specific capacity of ~800 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1, and a high-rate capability of 1400 mA g−1 with a capacity of 800 mA h g−1. Interestingly, it exhibits a capacity of 350 mAh g−1 after 1000 lithiation and delithiation cycles at a high rate of 600 mA hg−1. This result unveils and sheds light on the design of a scalable method for manufacturing Si anodes for next-generation LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the effect of silicon (Si) addition on the phase transformation behaviour of the Ni–Ti alloy. The Ni–Ti–Si alloys were fabricated with varying proportions of Si through a modified vacuum induction melting technique with argon backfilling. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry were done to analyse the microstructure, elemental composition, and phase transformation temperatures, respectively, to validate the effectiveness of this modified melting technique. The results indicate an increase in the phase transformation temperature with an increase in the Si content in the alloy mixture and the alloys were prepared with a very minimal amount of detrimental impurities. This technique helps to produce high-temperature shape memory alloys with utmost purity which helps in retaining their functional properties. The transformation temperatures observed from differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the Af temperature varies from 342.68 K to 379.95 K for 3 to 12% variation in Si content. This group of shape memory alloys have potential use as actuators in aircrafts and various other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious threat to food safety and human health. Minimizing Cd uptake and enhancing Cd tolerance in plants are vital to improve crop yield and reduce hazardous effects to humans. In this study, we designed three Cd concentration stress treatments (Cd1: 0.20 mg·kg−1, Cd2: 0.60 mg·kg−1, and Cd3: 1.60 mg·kg−1) and two foliar silicon (Si) treatments (CK: no spraying of any material, and Si: foliar Si spraying) to conduct pot experiments on soil Cd stress. The results showed that spraying Si on the leaves reduced the Cd content in brown rice by 4.79–42.14%. Si application increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 1.77–4.08%, stomatal conductance (Gs) by 5.27–23.43%, transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.99–20.50% and intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ci) by 6.55–8.84%. Foliar spraying of Si significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in rice leaves by 9.84–14.09% and 4.69–53.09%, respectively, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 7.83–48.72%. In summary, foliar Si spraying protects the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of rice canopy leaves, and is an effective method to reduce the Cd content in brown rice.

Mitochondrial quality control is finely tuned bymitophagy, the selective degradation of mitochondria through autophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis. Removal of damaged mitochondria is essential to preserve cellular bioenergetics and prevent detrimental events such as sustained mitoROS production, pro-apoptotic cytochrome c release or mtDNA leakage. The array of tools available to study mitophagy is very limited but in constant development. Almost a decade ago, we developed a method to assess mitophagy flux using MitoTracker Deep Red in combination with lysosomal inhibitors. Now, using the novel tandem-fluorescence reporter mito-QC (mCherry-GFP-FIS1101-152) that allows to differentiate between healthy mitochondria (mCherry+GFP+) and mitolysosomes (mCherry+GFP-), we have developed a robust and quantitative method to assess mitophagy by flow cytometry. This approach has been validated in ARPE-19 cells using PINK1/Parkindependent (CCCP) and PINK1/Parkin-independent (DFP) positive controls and complementary techniques. Furthermore, we show that the mito-QC reporter can be multiplexed, especially if using spectral flow cytometry, to simultaneously study other cellular parameters such as viability or ROS production. Using this technique, we evaluated and characterized two prospective mitophagy inducers and further dissected their mechanism of action. Finally, using mito-QC reporter mice, we developed a protocol to measure mitophagy levels in the retina ex vivo. This novel methodology will propelmitophagy research forward and accelerate the discovery of novel mitophagy modulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of strategies have been developed to enhance the cycling stability of Si-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries. Although significant progress has been made in enhancing the cycling stability of Si-based anodes, the low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) remains a significant challenge to their commercial application. Herein, pitch-based carbon (C) coated Si nanoparticles (NPs) were wrapped by graphene (G) to obtain Si@C/G composite with a small specific surface area of 11.3 m2 g−1, resulting in a high ICE of 91.2% at 500 mA g−1. Moreover, the integrated utilization of graphene and soft carbon derived from the low-cost petroleum pitch strongly promotes the electrical conductivity, structure stability, and reaction kinetics of Si NPs. Consequently, the synthesized Si@C/G with a Si loading of 54.7% delivers large reversible capacity (1191 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1), long cycle life over 200 cycles (a capacity retention of 87.1%), and superior rate capability (952 mAh g−1 at 1500 mA g−1). When coupled with a homemade LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cathode in a full cell, it exhibits a promising cycling stability for 200 cycles. This work presents an innovative approach for the manufacture of Si-based anode materials with commercial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter (Geoanalytical Metrology) is a contribution to the Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research Handbook of Rock and Mineral Analysis – an online textbook that is a fully revised and updated edition of Handbook of Silicate Rock Analysis, which was written by Philip J. Potts and published in 1987 by Blackie and Son (Glasgow). This second edition comprises chapters, written by prominent research scientists, designed to provide comprehensive overviews of the relevant techniques for the elemental characterisation of rocks and minerals. Chapters are designed to allow new practitioners to the field (including research students) to attain a comprehensive understanding of the theory, practice and capabilities of each technique, as well as being of benefit to established research geoanalysts. In addition to the content, chapter titles have been revised where appropriate to reflect progress in this field. Chapter 1, Part 1 (from Section 1 of the handbook dealing with fundamentals of measurement and instrument design) first sets out the overarching conventions that operate in analytical chemistry, including a description of the international organisations and systems that regulate the standards governing the discipline. This is followed by coverage of the statistical basis on which geoanalytical data sets are treated, analysed and interpreted, which summarises most of the relevant tests and terminology employed in this field. The methods by which the calibration of measured signals from instrumental techniques is tackled, followed by method validation, which covers aspects including measurement uncertainty, bias, precision and trueness. Sections detailing metrological traceability and quality management conclude this chapter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the minority carrier diffusion length (MCDL), determined by surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements, is compared in n‐ and p‐type Si wafers after their oxidation under different conditions using various tools (horizontal and vertical furnaces, atomic layer deposition (ALD), low‐pressure chemical vapor deposition, and plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition). It is shown that MCDL varies significantly depending on the design of furnaces, oxidation temperatures, the type of gases used before and during oxidation, and their flow ratios. The type and crystal growth method of Si wafers used for the oxidation also play a significant role and influence MCDL. Additionally, MCDL after the deposition of alumina layers using ALD techniques is found to be significantly larger compared to that observed after the thermal oxidation of Si. The larger values of MCDL after the ALD of Al2O3 are detected independent of temperature and precursors used for the deposition. The origin of different MCDL values after various oxidation processes, with an emphasis on the formation of electrically active defects in Czochralski (CZ)‐ and float‐zone (FZ)‐grown Si wafers is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial graphite anode has advantages such as low potential platform, high electronic conductivity, and abundant reserves. However, its theoretical capacity is only 372 mA h g−1. High-energy lithium-ion batteries have been a research hotspot. The Si anode has an extremely high specific capacity, but its application is hindered by defects such as large volume changes, poor electronic conductivity, and a small lithium-ion diffusion coefficient. Here, the Si/thermally reduced graphite oxide@carbon (Si/RGtO@C) composite was fabricated by electrostatic self-assembly followed by thermal treatment. The RGtO synergistic carbon coating layer can effectively compensate for the low electronic conductivity and buffer the volume expansion effect of the Si nanoparticles during charge/discharge cycles. The Si/RGtO@C anode demonstrated a significantly increased capacity compared to the RGtO. After 300 cycles, Si/RGtO@C kept a discharged capacity of 367.6 mA h g−1 at a high current density of 1.0 A g−1. The Si/RGtO@C anode shows an application potential for commercial high-energy lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the primary focus was on enhancing the performance of Photovoltaic devices by modifying the ETL and HTL transport layers. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of efficiency and fill factor variations resulting from adjustments in key device parameters, notably the active layer thickness. The HTL layer employed materials such as CdTe (Cadmium telluride) and CISSe (Copper indium sulfur selenide), while the ETL layer utilized CdS (Cadmium sulfide), ZnO (Zinc oxide), SnOx (Stannous oxalte), SnO2 (Tin oxide), and TiO2 (Titanium dioxide). Additionally, Silicon (Si) was incorporated into our structure. Our highest efficiency recorded was 27.38%, marking a significant achievement for our proposed cell design. In summary, our simulation results underscore the promising performance of the CdTe/CISSe/Si/CdS/ZnO structure, yielding an efficiency of 27.38%, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.8136V, a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 41.17428 mA/cm², and a fill factor (FF) of 79.36%. The discussions presented herein suggest that our proposed Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Cell holds great potential for adequate performance and improved power conversion efficiency, making it a compelling choice for solar energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si has been considered as an appealing anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. However, the large volume variation limits its practical application. Herein, a binder-, conductive additive- and current collector-free Si/reduced graphene oxide film has been constructed via a simple thermal-reduction method. In the film, Si nanoparticles are encapsulated by reduced graphene oxide, which can accommodate the volume change of Si during cycling efficiently. When utilized as a negative electrode, the Si/reduced graphene oxide film has displayed a high reversible capacity of 1733.4 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 200 mA g−1. Importantly, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results suggest that the composite film possesses more efficient electrochemical reaction kinetics. The strategy reported in this work may supply a facile preparation route for other metal or metal oxides/reduced graphene oxide films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among Al-Zn-Mg alloys, A7003 alloy is considered to be an excellent alloy from the viewpoint of weldability because it is an alloy with relatively low Zn and low Mg composition. In this paper, changes in mechanical properties and microstructure during aging treatment are investigated by the addition of Si in the Al-5.6 mass%Zn-0.75 mass%Mg alloy containing Cu, Mn, Zr and Fe. Cast billets of alloys with different Si contents (Si: 0.05 mass%, 0.15 mass%, and 0.30 mass%) were prepared, and these cast billets were homogenized and extruded. After extrusion, four aging treatments were performed: one step aging at 423K for 8 hours, and two step aging at 373K for 3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours, followed by 423K for 8 hours. The higher the amount of Si, the smaller the thickness of recrystallization layer near the inner surface and near the outer surface, and the smaller the existence rate of recrystallized grains in the cross section. After one step aging at 423K for 8 hours, Si: 0.05 mass% showed lower strength than Si: 0.15 mass% and Si: 0.30 mass%. On the other hand, two-step aging resulted in Si: 0.05 mass%, Si: 0.15 mass%, and Si: 0.30 mass% with similar strength. The low strength of Si: 0.05 mass% after one step aging at 423K for 8 hours is thought to be due to the coarse η phase, which was precipitated in the grain boundaries and grains. In Si: 0.15 mass% and Si: 0.30 mass%, Al(Mn,Fe)Si which formed during homogenization process is present in the grain boundaries and grains after extrusion. It is thought to suppress the generation of the precipitate of the coarse η phase in the aging at 423K for 8 hours, which is a condition that the coarse η phase is easy to generate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-incompatibility (SI) is a crucial mechanism that prevents self-fertilization and inbreeding in flowering plants. Citrus exhibits SI regulated by a polymorphic S -locus containing an S-RNase gene and multiple S -locus F-box (SLF) genes. It has been documented that S-RNase functions as the pistil S determinant, but there is no direct evidence that the SLF genes closely linked with S-RNase function as pollen S determinants in Citrus. This study assembled the genomes of two pummelo (Citrus grandis) plants, obtained three novel complete and well-annotated S -haplotypes, and isolated 36 SLF or SLF-like alleles on the S -loci. Phylogenetic analysis of 138 SLFs revealed that the SLF genes were classified into 12 types, including six types with divergent or missing alleles. Furthermore, transformation experiments verified that the conserved S6-SLF7a protein can lead to the transition of SI to self-compatibility by recognizing non-self S8-RNase in 'Mini-Citrus' plants (S 7 S 8 and S 8 S 29 , Fortunella hindsii), a model plant for citrus gene function studies. In vitro assays demonstrated interactions between SLFs of different S haplotypes and the Skp1–Cullin1–F-box subunit CgSSK1 protein. This study provides direct evidence that SLF controls the pollen function in Citrus , demonstrating its role in the 'non-self recognition' SI system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious threat to food safety and human health. Minimizing Cd uptake and enhancing Cd tolerance in plants are vital to improve crop yield and reduce hazardous effects to humans. In this study, we designed three Cd concentration stress treatments (Cd1: 0.20 mg·kg−1, Cd2: 0.60 mg·kg−1, and Cd3: 1.60 mg·kg−1) and two foliar silicon (Si) treatments (CK: no spraying of any material, and Si: foliar Si spraying) to conduct pot experiments on soil Cd stress. The results showed that spraying Si on the leaves reduced the Cd content in brown rice by 4.79–42.14%. Si application increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 1.77–4.08%, stomatal conductance (Gs) by 5.27–23.43%, transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.99–20.50% and intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ci) by 6.55–8.84%. Foliar spraying of Si significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in rice leaves by 9.84–14.09% and 4.69–53.09%, respectively, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 7.83–48.72%. In summary, foliar Si spraying protects the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of rice canopy leaves, and is an effective method to reduce the Cd content in brown rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies show that zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have promising potential as an absorbing material. In order to improve the optoelectronic properties of the initial system, this paper considers the process of adsorbing multilayer graphene-like ZnO onto a Si (111) surface. The density of electron states for two- and three-layer graphene-like zinc oxide on the Si (111) surface was obtained using the Vienna ab-initio simulation package by the DFT method. A computer model of graphene-like Zinc oxide on a Si (111)-surface was created using the DFT+U approach. One-, two- and three-plane-thick graphene-zinc oxide were deposited on the substrate. An isolated cluster of Zn3O3 was also considered. The compatibility of g-ZnO with the S (100) substrate was tested, and the energetics of deposition were calculated. This study demonstrates that, regardless of the possible configuration of the adsorbing layers, the Si/ZnO structure remains stable at the interface. Calculations indicate that, in combination with lower formation energies, wurtzite-type structures turn out to be more stable and, compared to sphalerite-type structures, wurtzite-type structures form longer interlayers and shorter interplanar distances. It has been shown that during the deposition of the third layer, the growth of a wurtzite-type structure becomes exothermic. Thus, these findings suggest a predictable relationship between the application method and the number of layers, implying that the synthesis process can be modified. Consequently, we believe that such interfaces can be obtained through experimental synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Epitaxial buffer layers such as ceria (CeO2)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) allow the direct integration of functional oxide single crystal thin films on silicon (Si). Microcracks in the buffer layer, often evolving from the large thermal tensile stress, are detrimental to the integration of high-quality complex oxide thin films on Si. In this study, we investigated the evolution of microcracks in sputter-grown epitaxial CeO2 layers by systematically varying the sputtering power and thickness of CeO2 thin films on YSZ single crystal (low thermal mismatch) and YSZ-buffered Si (high thermal mismatch) substrates. Using a plane stress model, we revealed that as the sputtering power increased, the epitaxial CeO2 thin films tended to be more compressively strained at the growth temperature. This could accommodate the tensile strain arising during cooling to room temperature, thereby suppressing the evolution of microcracks. Our result provides not only a method to suppress microcracks in the oxide heterostructure on Si, but also a tool to control their strain state, by controlling their growth parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, CoCrFeNiSix coatings were fabricated by magnetron sputtering at the negative bias voltage ranging from 0 to 100 V. The effect of negative bias voltage on the composition, microstructure and corrosion performance was studied. The results show that all CoCrFeNiSix coatings consisted of amorphous and nanocrystalline FCC phases. However, the ratio of both amorphous/nanocrystalline phases and Si/(Co + Cr + Fe + Ni) atoms decreased with increasing negative bias voltage. Applying negative bias voltage also led to the improved surface quality. Accordingly, the corrosion rate of CoCrFeNiSix coatings in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 solution exhibited a decreasing trend. Meanwhile, the CoCrFeNiSix coating deposited at 100 V had the lowest passive current density, highest coating resistance and lowest carrier density. This was because that Si competed with Cr to suppress the formation of Cr2O3 in the compact inner layer, and thus the decreasing Si content caused by increasing negative bias voltage led to the improved protection effect of the passive film.

In this research paper, the electrical properties of an ITO/Al0.7Ga0.3As/ITO solar cell were investigated using SILVACO 2D-Atlas. Characterization was performed through static characteristics (I–V) and (P-V)) at room temperature and under standard spectrum AM1.5 illumination. Open-circuit voltage (VOC), short-circuit current (ISC), maximum power (Pmax), and fill factor (FF) were also extracted from these characteristics. To obtain more credible results, mid-gap defects were included in the simulation, and a comparison was made with a silicon-based solar cell. The results showed that the presence of mid-gap defects in the solar cells has a detrimental effect on their electrical performance, increasing recombination and reducing the current of the solar cell. Additionally, the inclusion of defects enhances the realism of the simulation results. Despite the inclusion of defects, the ITO/Al0.7Ga0.3As/ITO solar cell maintains its ideality due to its high fill factor (FF) of 80.73%. The results obtained in this study will serve as a reference for choosing appropriate semiconductor materials for solar cells, especially for use in hostile environments.

Different Si doped aluminum alloy materials for automotive use were prepared, and the effects of Si mass fraction on the phase structure, microstructure, hardness, tensile strength, wear performance and wear morphology of the aluminum alloy were studied through XRD, OM, SEM, mechanical performance tests, and friction and wear tests. The results showed that aluminum alloys were mainly composed of α-Al, Mg, Si, as well as the second phase Mg2Si and Mg17Al12. The increase in Si doping mass fraction refined the coral like structure α-Al phase, and the second phase mainly precipitated at grain boundaries. With the increase of Si doping mass fraction, the tensile strength and hardness of aluminum alloy first increased and then decreased, the yield strength continued increasing, and the fracture elongation continued decreasing. The tensile strength of aluminum alloy with a Si doping mass fraction of 3% reached a maximum value of 264.8 MPa, corresponding to a yield strength of 189.6 MPa, a maximum hardness of 58.8 HV, and a corresponding fracture elongation of 10.6%. The wear test results showed that both the wear amount and friction coefficient showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with the increase of Si doping mass fraction. When the Si doping mass fraction was 3%, the friction coefficient and wear amount of the aluminum alloy reached the lowest values, which were 0.052 and 64.8 mg, respectively. The wear resistance of the aluminum alloy was the best, and the direction of the plow groove in the wear surface was uniform and consistent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the realm of simultaneous interpreting (SI) with a focus on the Portuguese-Chinese language pair, examining the interplay between visual inputs and cognitive load. This study posits that visual cues such as hand gestures may influence the cognitive load during SI, a topic that remains controversial in interpreting studies. To address this, we conducted an empirical study involving 18 trainee interpreters divided into two groups: a control group receiving only audio input and an experimental group with additional video input. Utilizing ELAN 6.3 software, we analyzed silent pauses exceeding 300ms to gauge the cognitive load. The research focused on how audio and video inputs impact these silent pauses, with a special emphasis on segments accompanied by semantically related hand gestures. The results revealed that the average duration of silent pauses was marginally shorter for interpreters with video input, although the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. Intriguingly, for both groups, the duration of pauses significantly increased during segments with semantically related gestures, underscoring the inherent high cognitive demand of these segments, irrespective of visual input. A notable discovery was the marked increase in fluency for participants with visual access when interpreting segments accompanied by gestures, which suggests that semantically related gestures provide cognitive benefits. Overall, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the role of visual inputs in SI, highlighting the potential of gesture input to alleviate cognitive load and improve interpreter performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed quality of hybrid maize is affected by different factors, including maturity time and environmental conditions of plant growth. In this study, the effect of four maturity times of hybridized maize from male and female plants was investigated in terms of grain moisture content (30, 35, 40 and 45%) with silicon foliar spraying in a field with saline soil in Kermanshah, Iran. The experiments were on maize seed vigor using the standard germination and simulated tests of cold, Hiltner brick gravel and germination test under drought stress conditions. The results showed that highest percentage and rate of germination were obtained from the treatment with 30% moisture content at maturity with silicon spraying (99% and 0.037 germination per hour). Brick gravel and drought stress tests reduced germination percentage compared to the standard test. Based on Guasnr model, the nonlinear model of germination response curve was fitting to the percentage of moisture contents at maturity time and silicon application for various tests. The activity of Catalase, Ascorbate peroxidase and Malone Dialdehyde enzymes in different tests increased with 35% seed moisture content at the time of harvest and silicon foliar spraying. On the other hand, the maximum activities of the Antioxidant enzymes were found in the germination test under drought stress conditions in the amount of 36.6 µmolmin−1mgprotein Catalase and 2829 nmolmin−1mg Ascorbate peroxidase. In general, according to the decrease in the slope of the germination curve, 30–35% moisture content at maturity time along with silicon use was found to be suitable for producing high quality maize seeds in simulated tests of environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified asphalt binders are still considered important in asphalt pavement. However, the comprehensive use of various modifiers is limited due to storage stability issues. Moreover, there is a scarcity of detailed analyses regarding the degree of separation for asphalt binders among each method despite the utilization of various methods to assess the storage stability of binders. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to assess the storage stability of asphalt binder modified with a crumb rubber modifier (CRM) and styrene–isoprene–styrene (SIS), utilizing five evaluation factors following the ASTM D7173 guidelines based on four mixing methods (A: high-shear mixing method, B: low-speed agitating method, C: high-shear mixing method + low mixing method, D: low-speed agitating method + low mixing method). To produce the modified asphalt binder, the proportions of the CRM were 5% and 10% for each binder, and 10% SIS was added to all binders. The results in this study convey that (1) the addition of the modifier led to an increase in G*/sin δ with different mixing methods, but using mixing methods (C and D) for a relatively long time resulted in a lower G*/sin δ, indicating suboptimal performance; (2) through the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR), rheological properties of Jnr and % rec exhibited trends similar to G*/sin δ evaluation, highlighting an improved elastic recovery with a higher modifier content; (3) storage stability assessment revealed consistent trends in high-shear mixing groups (A and C), while low-speed mixing groups (B and D) exhibited an elevated separation index (SI), suggesting a sensitivity to modification conditions; (4) evaluation using the MSCR method indicated that % rec with a 3.2 kPa load is effective for the sensitive assessment of binder storage stability and Jnr showed a limited sensitivity across varying loads, advocating for % rec for precise evaluation; and (5) despite permitting various tests, achieving consistent results remains challenging. Future research should explore diverse modifiers and optimal evaluation methods to enhance knowledge of binder behavior and separation dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desertification is the deterioration of land brought on by human activity, climate change, and a loss of vegetation cover and biodiversity. This paper assesses the agricultural drought and desertification levels of Khanaqin district in Diyala province, Iraq, using Sentinel-2 images with a high resolution of 10 m between July 22, 2016, and July 22, 2022. The Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI2), Topsoil Grain Size Index (TGSI), and Salinity Index (SI) derived from Sentinel-2 satellite images were used for this aim. The result showed that the area covered by low desertification intensity increased from (12.05%-9.41%) for the years (2016-2022). The area covered by high desertification intensity increased from (32.49-36.44% for the years (2016-2022), indicating an accelerated desertification process. Finally, the area covered by high desertification intensity increased from 12.34%-21.23% for years (2016-2022). Natural climate variability and human activities, such as land use, overgrazing, deforestation, and unsustainable farming practices, cause agricultural drought and desertification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the study on the comparison of gain coefficient of laser diode on silicon and InP substrate. Fabry–Perot GaInAsP bulk laser diode on InP/Si substrate is successfully obtained to study the optical gain coefficient of laser diode. The influences of temperature, threshold current comparison, and optical gain achievements between bulk InP/Si laser diode substrate and InP laser diode substrate are also analyzed using the same growth structure. A new approach is found by the research group which involves bonding of 1 μm InP semiconductor crystal and a low‐cost silicon crystal prior to epitaxial laser structure growth. With the help of metal–organic vapor‐phase epitaxy technique, GaInAsP double‐heterostructure laser is epitaxially deposited on the well‐bonded InP/Si crystal. Fabry–Perot lasing under pulsed condition is achieved, and the lasing characteristics of InP/Si substrate are compared with that of InP laser device to study the gain coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, polycrystalline n-CrSe2 nanosheets with thickness of 100 nm are grown on p-type Si wafers by the thermal deposition technique under vacuum pressure of 10−5 mbar. Structural and optical investigations showed the preferred growth of the trigonal phase of CrSe2 on Si substrates. Direct allowed transitions within an energy band gap of 2.60 eV were found to be dominant in the films. Silver contacts on the layers allowed construction of hybrid optoelectronic device structure formed from Ag/p-Si Schottky arm and p -Si/ n -CrSe2 pn junction. The device runs in such a way that forward biasing of the Schottky arm is accompanied by a reverse biasing of the pn junction. It is observed that the hybrid device structure can perform as a high-frequency capacitor. The capacitance–voltage characteristic curves show that these capacitors can respond to ac signals with frequencies of 100 MHz. They also exhibit bandstop filter characteristics allowing the passing of signals with return loss and voltage standing wave ratios exceeding 10 dB and 1.76, respectively, at 60 MHz. The device under study displayed rectifying and photo-sensing properties with an asymmetry ratio of 60 in the dark and 217 under excitation of visible light. Visible light excitation of these photosensors displayed voltage biasing dependence in their current responsivity, external quantum efficiency and specific detectivity, reaching values of 0.24 A/W, 65.2% and 4.83 × 109 Jones, respectively. The features of the hybrid devices which use CrSe2 nanosheets as active media make them good candidates for use in radio wave and visible light communication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ge/Si(001) heteroepitaxial layers were grown by HW CVD and in situ doped with Ga or Sb using a separate resistively heated Ge source containing one of these impurities. Sublimation of the germanium source gave a concentration of ~1 × 1019 cm–3 gallium atoms in the layers. The mode of introduction of this impurity into the epitaxial layers was investigated as a function of hot filament (Ta) temperature and growth temperature using C–V and Hall effect. To increase the maximum concentration of charge carriers in the Ge/Si(001) layers, a melt zone was formed on the Ge source during the growth of the layers, which made it possible to increase the concentration of impurities in the Ge layer by almost an order of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present our findings on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) that utilize the conjugated copolymer poly[4-(4,4-dihexadecyl-4H-cyclopenta[1,2-b:5,4-b′]-dithiophen-2-yl)alt[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridine] as the active material, with electrodes composed of arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We employed three types of source and drain electrodes: gold, titanium, and CNT array electrodes with titanium contact pads. A comparison of characteristics of OFETs using these three different electrodes revealed the effectiveness of CNTs in enhancing charge carrier injection for OFETs. The OFETs based on CNT electrodes showed a twofold increase in the drain current and a threefold increase in charge carrier mobility compared to those with gold electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrihydrite, a nanocrystalline iron (oxyhydr)oxide mineral, is widely distributed in soils and sediments on Earth and is probably an important component and/or precursor of widespread nanophase iron minerals on Mars. Terrestrial ferrihydrite often co‐occurs with amorphous silica and/or contains a certain amount of Si in its structure. However, it remains ambiguous how environmental Si concentration affects the formation‐evolution and structure‐spectral features of ferrihydrite in the Fe(III)‐Si systems. To this end, hydrolysis experiments were carried out for Fe‐Si systems at an unprecedentedly wide range of initial Si/(Fe + Si) molar ratios (0–0.80), followed by characterizing the products detailly. X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy results showed that at Si/(Fe + Si) molar ratios ≤0.30, the main phase of the products was ferrihydrite, of which the unit cells enlarged, the crystallinity decreased, and the existing state of Fe changed with increased Si contents; at Si/(Fe + Si) molar ratios ≥0.40, ferrihydrite was no longer formed and a novel amorphous Fe‐O‐Si phase was instead obtained, with the excess Si forming amorphous silica. The visible and near‐infrared spectroscopy, the most powerful tool to detect hydrous minerals on the surface of Mars at global or regional scales, showed weakness in identifying ferrihydrite‐like materials obtained in the Fe‐Si systems. Raman spectroscopy can identify ferrihydrite and Si‐containing ferrihydrite but cannot differentiate between them. Mössbauer spectroscopy showed great potential in both identifying and differentiating between ferrihydrite and Si‐containing ferrihydrite, and thus can be used to characterize the poorly ordered iron (oxyhydr)oxides on Mars. Plain Language Summary: On the surface of ancient Mars where liquid water was available, Fe‐Si hydrolysis systems were likely common as a result of the high abundances of Fe and Si in the crust of Mars. By performing hydrolysis experiments of Fe‐Si systems at an unprecedented wide range of Si/(Fe + Si) molar ratios, we found that the hydrolysis products of Fe‐Si systems varied among combinations of ferrihydrite, Si‐containing ferrihydrite, an unknown Fe‐O‐Si phase, and amorphous silica. We also found that the visible and near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy, the most powerful tool to remotely detect hydrous minerals on the surface of Mars at global and regional scales, showed weakness in identifying ferrihydrite, Si‐containing ferrihydrite, and the novel Fe‐O‐Si phase; Raman can be used to identify ferrihydrite‐like materials but cannot be used to differentiate between ferrihydrite and Si‐containing ferrihydrite; mid‐infrared spectroscopy can differentiate ferrihydrite from Si‐containing ferrihydrite and the novel Fe‐O‐Si phase; Mössbauer spectroscopy (recorded at varied temperatures) provided clues to identifying and further differentiating between ferrihydrite‐like materials and thus holds great potential for detecting Fe/Si‐rich phases on the surface of Mars. Key Points: Hydrolysis experiments of Fe(III)‐Si systems were performed at an unprecedentedly wide range of initial Si/(Fe + Si) molar ratios (0∼0.80)The environmental Si concentration controls the formation and evolution of ferrihydrite in the Fe(III)‐Si systemsMössbauer spectroscopy shows great potential in identifying and differentiating between ferrihydrite‐like materials [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like OFDM, OCDM signal also suffers from high PAPR. SLM is an attractive PAPR reduction method but it needs to transmit the information regarding phase sequence i.e. SI to the receiver, which results in reduction in SE and data rate. Various SLM based SI free and SI embedding schemes are available in the literature. In this paper, different possible quaternary to 8-QAM mapping schemes for SI free SLM based PAPR reduction in OCDM system are discussed. Moreover, a new mapping scheme to eliminate the SI requirement has also been presented in this manuscript for SLM based PAPR reduction in OCDM system. Proposed Circular (6, 2) mapping scheme doesn't require SI at the receiving end which results in increase in SE and data rate as compared to standard SLM technique. Random sequence with phase factors {1, −1} is used to generate the phase sequences for the proposed mapping scheme. Also, the analytical expression for SER of Circular (6, 2) mapping scheme over AWGN channel is derived. We have also evaluated the mathematical expression for SER of other possible quaternary to 8-QAM mapping schemes. Computer simulation using MATLAB are also carried out to investigate the performance of all these mapping schemes in terms of PAPR reduction performance as well as SER performance over AWGN and multipath Rayleigh fading channel. Proposed scheme achieves the same PAPR reduction and improved SER performance w.r.t. other six schemes taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates a dual-material gate p-channel tunnel field-effect transistor (p-DMG-TFET) with a Si/SiGe heterojunction for achieving better performance in radio frequency (RF) applications. The results of the simulation demonstrate an improved on-current/off-current ratio (Ion/Ioff ~ 109) and minimum subthreshold swing (19 mV/decade) for the proposed Si0.7Ge0.3 hetero-TFET versus Si used as channel material. A comprehensive simulation study of both Si0.7Ge0.3 and Si channel devices is performed, and on the basis of their DC, analog/RF, and linearity performance, a direct comparison reveals improved results for digital and analog applications. Numerous characteristics of the proposed DMG-HJ-TFET, including IDS, CGS, CGD, gm, gds, fT, TGF, TFP, GFP, and GTFP, are investigated and compared with a Si channel device, in which the proposed device shows better performance for RF circuitry applications. RF figures of merit (FOMs) including gm2, gm3, VIP2, VIP3, 1-dB compression point, IIP3, and IMD3 are also investigated for the proposed structure, which again demonstrates better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial quality control is finely tuned by mitophagy, the selective degradation of mitochondria through autophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis. Removal of damaged mitochondria is essential to preserve cellular bioenergetics and prevent detrimental events such as sustained mitoROS production, pro-apoptotic cytochrome c release or mtDNA leakage. The array of tools available to study mitophagy is very limited but in constant development. Almost a decade ago, we developed a method to assess mitophagy flux using MitoTracker Deep Red in combination with lysosomal inhibitors. Now, using the novel tandem-fluorescence reporter mito-QC (mCherry-GFP-FIS1101−152) that allows to differentiate between healthy mitochondria (mCherry+GFP+) and mitolysosomes (mCherry+GFP−), we have developed a robust and quantitative method to assess mitophagy by flow cytometry. This approach has been validated in ARPE-19 cells using PINK1/Parkin-dependent (CCCP) and PINK1/Parkin-independent (DFP) positive controls and complementary techniques. Furthermore, we show that the mito-QC reporter can be multiplexed, especially if using spectral flow cytometry, to simultaneously study other cellular parameters such as viability or ROS production. Using this technique, we evaluated and characterized two prospective mitophagy inducers and further dissected their mechanism of action. Finally, using mito-QC reporter mice, we developed a protocol to measure mitophagy levels in the retina ex vivo. This novel methodology will propel mitophagy research forward and accelerate the discovery of novel mitophagy modulators.

In the research field of energy storage dielectrics, the “responsivity” parameter, defined as the recyclable/recoverable energy density per unit electric field, has become critically important for a comprehensive evaluation of the energy storage capability of a dielectric. In this work, high recyclable energy density and responsivity, i.e., Wrec = 161.1 J·cm–3 and ξ = 373.8 J·(kV·m2)–1, have been simultaneously achieved in a prototype perovskite dielectric, BaTiO3, which is integrated on Si at 500 ℃ in the form of a submicron thick film. This ferroelectric film features a multi-scale polar structure consisting of ferroelectric grains with different orientations and inner-grain ferroelastic domains. A LaNiO3 buffer layer is used to induce a {001} textured, columnar nanograin microstructure, while an elevated deposition temperature promotes lateral growth of the nanograins (in-plane diameter increases from ~10–20 nm at lower temperatures to ~30 nm). These preferably oriented and periodically regulated nanograins have resulted in a small remnant polarization and a delayed polarization saturation in the film’s P–E behavior, leading to a high recyclable energy density. Meanwhile, an improved polarizability/dielectric constant of the BaTiO3 film has produced a much larger maximum polarization than those deposited at lower temperatures at the same electric field, leading to a record-breaking responsivity for this simple perovskite.

In in-band full-duplex systems, the self-interference of radio frequency poses a significant challenge that limits the operational efficiency of modern telecommunications infrastructure. This paper introduces a novel approach utilizing neural networks (NNs) to optimize impedance matching between the antenna and the balance network of an electrical balance duplexer. This method significantly enhanced the TX-RX isolation by adjusting the digitally controllable capacitor banks within the balance network. The proposed NN model efficiently navigates the extensive search space of these capacitor banks for estimating the probabilities of candidate configurations and selecting the top-k candidates to substantially reduce the search space, thereby improving the speed of the impedance matching process. The simulation results demonstrated that the NN approach achieved near-optimal isolation performance, thereby verifying it effectiveness. Specifically, the proposed method achieved near-optimal mean isolation within 0.18dB, whereas reducing the search space size from approximately 4.3 billion to 256 for a particular capacitor bank structure. This substantial reduction emphasizes the effectiveness of focusing the search exclusively within the candidate space predefined by the NN, thereby yielding much faster convergence.

La conjunción si está tradicionalmente relacionada con la construcción de las oraciones condicionales, también inscritas en el denominado periodo condicional o hipotético, aunque puede introducir enunciados de otro tipo. Mediante una variada combinación de tiempos verbales en ambas cláusulas, las oraciones condicionales manifiestan diversos grados de posibilidad o de cumplimiento de la condición, basados en la realidad manifestada. La variación morfosintáctica debe estudiarse desde una perspectiva isomórfica a partir de la cual todo cambio en la forma conlleva un cambio en el significado. Así pues, este trabajo investiga la variación en el uso de las distintas construcciones con si desde una perspectiva isomórfica en el marco teórico funcional-cognitivo, más concretamente sobre la base teórica de la construcción de espacios mentales. Partimos de la hipótesis de que la conjunción si construye un espacio mental concreto que crea un dominio cognitivo bajo el cual surgen diversos significados y valores que, al mismo tiempo, establecen un punto de vista discursivo. Para llevar a cabo la investigación se han utilizado los textos del Corpus de Referencia del Español Actual (CREA), de los cuales se han extraído 865 construcciones con si. Tales textos se clasifican en magazines, conversaciones espontáneas, entrevistas, documentales, emisiones deportivas, debates y noticias. El análisis será primordialmente cualitativo mediante el estudio discursivo-cognitivo de la conjunción si y de los elementos lingüísticos con los que coaparece, como los tiempos verbales. La cuantificación se ha realizado mediante el programa estadístico Rbrul (Johnson 2009), que proporciona los porcentajes de cada categoría analizada. Además, la división tradicional entre distintos tipos de construcciones condicionales se sustituye por la de condicionales prototípicas y no prototípicas, lo cual permite vislumbrar y determinar de forma más clara el valor de asertividad que construye si como espacio mental. Se concluye que las construcciones con si dan lugar a distintos significados. Debido a la ausencia estructural de apódosis en las no prototípicas, estas tienden a constituir recursos de cortesía en la interacción, por lo que los valores van encaminados a la expresión de variados matices, y buena parte de ellas constituyen estructuras ya gramaticalizadas.

The effects of Si addition to Fe on the formation and growth of intermetallic compounds (IMC) in Fe/Al composites were studied by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. The results showed that: when annealing time was 1 h, the critical IMC formation temperature of Pure Al/Pure Fe, Pure Al/Fe+0.82Si, Al+0.88Si/Pure Fe and Al+0.88Si/Fe+0.82Si were 440 °C, 480 °C, 520 °C and 620 °C, respectively. The major IMC phase formed in the four composites after heat treatments at 640 °C/1h and 640 °C/24h was the η phase (Fe2Al5), and a large number of θ phase (Fe4Al13) particles were present in the η phase for the Pure Al/Pure Fe sample. When Si element was added to Fe and Al, Fe3Al2Si3 phase and FeAl2Si phase were observed in the η phase. The thickness of the formed IMC layer in the four composites after heat treatment at 640 °C/1h was in the order: Pure Al/Pure Fe ≈ Pure Al/Fe+0.88Si > Al+0.888Si/Pure Fe ≈ Al+0.888Si/Fe+0.88Si. The growth activation energies of the IMC layer in the Pure Al/Pure Fe, Pure Al/Fe+0.82Si, Al+0.88Si/Pure Fe, Al+0.88Si/Fe+0.82Si samples were 76.1 kJ/mol, 276 kJ/mol, 349 kJ/mol and 519.6 kJ/mol, respectively. The effect of Si atoms on the formation of IMC was mainly by the interfacial enrichment mechanism and the new phase inhibition mechanism of FexAlySiz. The enrichment of Si at the interface of Al and Fe increased the growth activation energy and reduce the growth rate of IMC layer thickness. The formation of new FexAlySiz phase can inhibit the rapid growth of IMC phase along the C axis.

Silicon (Si) has attracted worldwide attention for its ultrahigh theoretical storage capacity (4200 mA h g−1), low mass density (2.33 g cm−3), low operating potential (0.4 V vs. Li/Li+), abundant reserves, environmentally benign nature, and low cost. It is a promising high-energy-density anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), offering a replacement for graphite anodes owing to the escalating energy demands in booming automobile and energy storage applications. Unfortunately, the commercialization of silicon anodes is stringently hindered by large volume expansion during lithiation–delithiation, the unstable and detrimental growth of electrode/electrolyte interface layers, sluggish Li-ion diffusion, poor rate performance, and inherently low ion/electron conductivity. These present major safety challenges lead to quick capacity degradation in LIBs. Herein, we present the synergistic effects of nanostructured silicon and SrTiO3 (STO) for use as anodes in Li-ion batteries. Si and STO nanoparticles were incorporated into a multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) matrix using a planetary ball-milling process. The mechanical stress resulting from the expansion of Si was transferred via the CNT matrix to the STO. We discovered that the introduction of STO can improve the electrochemical performance of Si/CNT nanocomposite anodes. Experimental measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provide evidence for the enhanced mobility of Li-ions facilitated by STO. Hence, incorporating STO into the Si@CNT anode yields promising results, exhibiting a high initial Coulombic efficiency of approximately 85%, a reversible specific capacity of ~800 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1, and a high-rate capability of 1400 mA g−1 with a capacity of 800 mA h g−1. Interestingly, it exhibits a capacity of 350 mAh g−1 after 1000 lithiation and delithiation cycles at a high rate of 600 mA hg−1. This result unveils and sheds light on the design of a scalable method for manufacturing Si anodes for next-generation LIBs.