Higher Maximum Research Articles

Enhanced strength and ductility of aluminum alloy laser welded joints through Ca micro˗alloyed welding materials

Aluminum alloy is widely used in high˗speed train bodies. However, compared with the base material, the tensile strength and elongation of its laser welded joints are significantly reduced, which limits the lightweight application of the next generation of high˗speed trains. The research in this article indicates that laser welding with Ca micro˗alloyed 5356 filler metal has changed the mechanical properties and microstructure of the weld seam. Without the Ca in the filler metal, the strength and elongation of the laser welded joint are only 215.5 MPa and 3.1 %. When the Ca content in the filler metal reaches 0.04 wt%, the laser welded joint has high tensile strength and maximum elongation, which are 251.5 MPa and 9.7 %, respectively. As the Ca content increases, the grain size of the welded joint gradually decreases, and the limiting effect of Ca element on the growth of α˗Al grains is the main reason for grain refinement. In addition, the addition of Ca transforms the coarse Fe˗rich phase in the weld into a fine˗grained second phase, while promoting the formation of deformable nanoparticles γ˗Al12Mg17, leading to the accumulation of dislocations and successfully improving the strength and plasticity of laser welded joints. When the Ca content further increases, the second phase grows, and the tensile strength and plasticity of the joint slightly decrease, but are still higher than that of the joint without Ca.

Soft magnetism enhancement and eddy current suppression in bioinspired Iron‐based nanocrystalline soft magnetic composites with nacre‐like structure

Bioinspired nacre-like structured high-density soft magnetic composites (SMCs) have been successfully constructed using flaky-Fe73.8Si13.5B8.7Cu1Nb3 powders in the supercooled liquid region (SCLR). These densely arranged particles with a consistent planar orientation significantly enhance the soft magnetic properties of SMCs, including high permeability and low magnetic losses. The internal structures of the composites and microstructure evolution of the flaky nanocrystalline particles during the hot-pressing process have been thoroughly studied. Moreover, systematic investigations into the effects of coatings and particle sizes on the maximum permeability and magnetic losses of the composites are conducted. The SMC prepared using the coated particles with a size of 0–100 µm exhibits a high maximum permeability of 2170 (at 1000 Hz) and low magnetic loss of 41.61 W kg–1 (at 1000 Hz and 1.0 T). The losses and permeability analysis reveal that the superior performance of these soft magnetic materials is attributed to their laminated structure, insulation coating, and the reduced planar demagnetizing factor. Compared to the traditional silicon steel, this novel SMCs exhibits high magnetic permeability and reduced magnetic losses at frequencies above 1000 Hz, which possess immense application potential within high-frequency electric machines.

A Boron, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Doped π-Extended Helical Pure Blue Multiresonant Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Emitter for Organic Light Emitting Diodes That Shows Fast kRISC Without the Use of Heavy Atoms.

Narrowband emissive multiresonant thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) emitters are a promising solution to achieve the current industry-targeted color standard, Rec. BT.2020-2, for blue color without using optical filters, aiming for high-efficiency organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, their long triplet lifetimes, largely affected by their slow reverse intersystem crossing rates, adversely affect device stability. In this study, a helical MR-TADF emitter (f-DOABNA) is designed and synthesized. Owing to its π-delocalized structure, f-DOABNA possesses a small singlet-triplet gap, ΔEST, and displays simultaneously an exceptionally faster reverse intersystem crossing rate constant, kRISC, of up to 2 × 106 s-1 and a very high photoluminescence quantum yield, ΦPL, of over 90% in both solution and doped films. The OLED with f-DOABNA as the emitter achieved a narrow deep-blue emission at 445nm (full width at half-maximum of 24nm) associated with Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.150, 0.041), and showed a high maximum external quantum efficiency, EQEmax, of ≈20%.

Formulation and In Vitro Assessment of Polymeric pH-Responsive Nanogels of Chitosan for Sustained Delivery of Madecassoside.

Madecassoside, a triterpenoid saponin compound mainly isolated from the gotu kola herb (Centella asiatica), shows an extensive range of biological activities, including antiapoptotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, neuroprotective, and wound healing effects. It has been highly used in the management of eczema, skin wounds, and other diseases. Due to poor oral bioavailability, membrane permeability, and intestinal absorption, the clinical application of the madecassoside is limited. Hence, a drug carrier system is needed that not only sustains the release of the madecassoside but also overcomes the drawbacks associated with its administration. Therefore, the authors prepared novel pH-responsive chitosan-based nanogels for the sustained release of madecassoside. Free radical polymerization technique was used for cross-linking of polymer chitosan and monomer methacrylic acid in the presence of cross-linker N',N'-methylene bis(acrylamide). The decrease in polymer crystallinity after polymerization and development of nanogels was demonstrated by XRD and FTIR analysis. The effects of nanogel contents on polymer volume, sol-gel analysis, swelling, drug loading, and release were investigated. Results indicated that high swelling and maximum release of the drug occurred at pH 7.4 compared to pH 1.2 and 4.6, indicating the excellent pH-sensitive nature of the engineered nanogels. High swelling and drug release were perceived with the integration of a high quantity of chitosan, while a decline was observed with the high integration of N',N'-methylene bis(acrylamide) and methacrylic acid contents. The same effects of nanogel contents were shown for drug loading too. Sol fraction was reduced, while gel fraction was enhanced by increasing the chitosan load, N',N'-methylene bis(acrylamide), and methacrylic acid. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model of kinetics was trailed by all nanogel formulations with non-Fickian diffusion. The results demonstrated that prepared nanogels can be employed for sustained release of the madecassoside.

Selective phosphate removal by lanthanum carbonate @ anion exchange resin with fixed-bed column: RSM for process optimization and DFT for mechanistic study

Lanthanum carbonate @ anion exchange resin (LC@AER) has shown promise in adsorption processes due to its high maximum adsorption capacity and excellent stability in comparison with other lanthanum-based adsorbents. Nevertheless, there is a lack of significant investigation in evaluating the collective effect of the most influential parameters and determining the molecular complexes between the adsorbent and phosphate. This work aims to comprehensively evaluate and optimize the phosphate adsorption performance in fixed-bed columns and to determine the most favourable molecular configurations. Firstly, a response surface model (RSM) was developed to describe the phosphate adsorption performance in fixed-bed columns under the collective effect of selected independent variables, including influent pH, co-existing sulfate concentration, and empty bed contact time (EBCT). The RSM analysis reveals the significant effects of influent pH and co-existing sulfate concentration on phosphate adsorption. Moreover, the model achieves a correlation coefficient of >0.9, demonstrating its suitability for describing the experimental data. Secondly, various phosphate-lanthanum carbonate configurations were formulated, and the respective adsorption energies were compared using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Subsequently, bidentate mononuclear complexes are determined as the most favourable configurations. The successful matching of the simulated peak locations with the experimental deconvoluted spectra further confirms the presence of such complexes in the system. Overall, this work provides an improved foundation and underlayer theory for potential future scale-up work on phosphate adsorption over LC@AER.

The role of GeoGebra software in conceptual understanding and engagement among secondary school student

This study aims to identify the impact of GeoGebra software on conceptual understanding and engagement in the topic of Functions and Quadratic Equations in One Variable in high school. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design with 60 students at a secondary school in Muallim district. The study results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inference, and the Pearson Correlation. Descriptive analysis indicates that students have a strong grasp of the topic taught, particularly showing high conceptual understanding and maximum engagement in interactive activities. Inference statistics reveal a significant difference in conceptual understanding levels between the treatment and control groups among Level Four students regarding Quadratic Functions and Equations in a Variable. In addition, there were significant differences in student engagement between the treatment and control groups. There is a significant relationship between the level of student engagement and students’ conceptual understanding of Quadratic Functions and Equations in One Variable for both groups. In conclusion, using GeoGebra software has an impact on the relationship between understanding the concept and involving students in learning the topic of Quadratic Functions and Equations in a Variable.

Construction of Weakly Hybridized Excited State Using Donor‐π‐Acceptor Structure and Applications: From Highly Efficient Pure‐Blue Electro‐Fluorescence to Visible‐Light Polymerization

AbstractHerein this work, a novel donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) pure‐blue hybrid local and charge‐transfer (HLCT) fluorescent material TDFBO and its functionalization as organic light emitting diode (OLED) emitter and photoinitiator (PI) in photopolymerization is reported. The weak‐hybridization property involved by the fluorene π‐bridge can simultaneously give satisfied photo‐luminescent quantum yield (PLQY) and make efficient “hot‐exciton” channel achievable. Moreover, the D‐π‐A structure can also promote an exceeding electron mobility as high as 3.57×10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1. Finally, it is noted that the TDFBO‐doped OLED can be regarded as the best one among the pure‐blue emissive OLEDs, which exhibits a high maximum external quantum efficiency of 11.1%, while the rolling‐off only stands on a low level, as 6% at 100 cd m−2. Additionally, a relatively high final conversion of C = C double bond in a representative acrylate monomer is also attained by photoinitiation of TDFBO under 405 nm LED, where the photopolymerization has been applied to 3D printing.

Bright, efficient, and stable pure-green hyperfluorescent organic light-emitting diodes by judicious molecular design

To fulfill ultra-high-definition display, efficient and bright green organic light-emitting diodes with Commission Internationale de l’Éclairage y-coordinate ≥ 0.7 are required. Although there are some preceding reports of highly efficient devices based on pure-green multi-resonance emitters, the efficiency rolloff and device stabilities for those pure-green devices are still unsatisfactory. Herein, we report the rational design of two pure-green multi-resonance emitters for achieving highly stable and efficient pure-green devices with CIEx,ys that are close to the NTSC and BT. 2020 standards. In this study, our thermally activated delayed fluorescence OLEDs based on two pure-green multi-resonance emitters result in CIEy up to 0.74. In hyperfluorescent device architecture, the CIExs further meet the x-coordinate requirements, i.e., NTSC (0.21) and BT. 2020 (0.17), while keeping their CIEys ~ 0.7. Most importantly, hyperfluorescent devices display the high maximum external quantum efficiencies of over 25% and maximum luminance of over 105 cd m−2 with suppressed rolloffs (external quantum efficiency of ~20% at 104 cd m−2) and long device stabilities with LT95s of ~ 600 h.

Ultrafast discharge properties and enhanced energy density in lead‐free NaNbO3‐based relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

AbstractNaNbO3‐based (NN) energy storage ceramics are known for exhibiting high maximum polarization (Pmax) and large recoverable energy density (Wrec). However, the huge energy loss density (Wloss) has been a limiting factor in improving energy storage performance. Therefore, a ternary system was designed to achieve both huge Wrec and efficiency (η). The combination of 0.35Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3–0.65BaTiO3 (BZTBT) was chosen to reduce grain size and disrupt the long‐range ordered domains, thereby inducing the polar‐nano‐regions to mitigate Wloss. The optimal performance was achieved with the 0.75NaNbO3–0.25(0.35Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3–0.65BaTiO3) (0.75NN–0.25BZTBT) ceramic, which exhibited a high Wrec = 2.68 J/cm3 and superior η = 82.7% under 310 kV/cm. Remarkably, the 0.75NN–0.25BZTBT ceramic displayed an exceptionally fast discharge time to 90%, t0.9 = 88 ns, coupled with a huge energy density Wd = 0.95 J/cm3. This study demonstrates the significant potential of 0.75NN–0.25BZTBT ceramic in the realm of energy storage and rapid charge–discharge applications.

Thermal transport in thermoelectric materials of SnSSe and SnS[formula omitted]: A non-equilibrium Monte-Carlo simulation of Boltzmann transport equation

In the present work, thermal transport and the energy conversation in two thermoelectrically efficient candidates of Janus SnSSe and SnS2 are investigated within the non-equilibrium Monte Carlo simulation of the phonon Boltzmann equation. The phonon analysis has been performed to determine the contributed phonon in heat transport. The results present that the dominant participating phonons are the ones from the longitudinal acoustic (LA) branch while the least belongs to the transverse acoustic (TA) modes. Both materials reached the very high maximum temperature in response to the implied wasted heat. This is attributed to the low presence of the critical TA phonons which are on one hand fast enough to leave the hotspot but on the other hand have frequencies commensurable to ZA phonons’ frequency. Also, the temperature profile achieved during the heating and cooling of the materials is studied. It is obtained that the heat propagation through the SnS2 is, at first, swifter, which results in a temperature gradient through the whole material which is less than that of the SnSSe. As the time passes, the heat transfer that is directly related to the material thermal conductivity, slows down. So, the behavior of the SnS2 and SnSSe, in case of the heat propagation status, becomes similar. Moreover, the behavior of the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT), the efficiency (η), and the generated voltage have been figured out. It is stated that the higher zT and η do not guarantee a larger generated Seebeck voltage. This is true, while the generated Seebeck voltage is related to the temperature difference between the heated and the cold junction. Accordingly, how far the temperature of matter rises in response to the implied wasted heat is directly related to the obtained voltage. Mainly, it is presented that the maximum temperature that a material achieves, alongside the temperature gradient and the material property Seebeck coefficient, are essential in introducing thermoelectrically efficient materials with reasonable thermal to electrical energy conversion, useful for thermal engineering.

Excellent electrostatic control and gate reliability for breakdown enhanced AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with extreme permittivity BaTiO3

In this Letter, we investigated the electrostatic control capability and gate reliability of the BaTiO3 integrated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The fabricated HEMT exhibits a high peak maximum transconductance of 141 mS/mm, a large ON/OFF current ratio of 4.1 × 109, and a small subthreshold swing of 70.6 mV/dec, attributed to the gate leakage suppression and prominent gate coupling. These parameters demonstrate that the HEMT device with extreme permittivity BaTiO3 dielectric has the excellent electrostatic control capability. A high breakdown voltage of 1348 V was also achieved thanks to the screening of the negative gate image charges and the resulting improvement of electric field distribution by using double-layer BaTiO3 with the wrapped gate structure. Furthermore, gate bias step-stress and pulse I–V measurements show that the device exhibits a small VTH shift of 0.06 V at 2 V bias stress and a slight current collapse of ∼2.7% accompanied with a 6.0% RON increment at a quiescent drain bias VDSQ = 30 V, which benefits from the high quality of the dielectrics/AlGaN interface with Dit of 8.87 × 1012 eV−1/cm2. These findings elucidate the immense potential of extreme permittivity dielectrics engineering in achieving high-performance AlGaN/GaN power electronic devices.

Sharp increase in Saharan dust intrusions over the western Euro-Mediterranean in February–March 2020–2022 and associated atmospheric circulation

Abstract. During the months of February–March (FM) of the 2020–2022 period, several intense dust intrusions from northern Africa affected Europe. The frequency of dust events was exceptional, considering that wintertime is the season with minimum dust activity in the Mediterranean, and some episodes displayed a duration and/or intensity never recorded before, affecting large areas of the western Euro-Mediterranean (WEM) region. The main objective of this work is to construct a catalogue of FM dust events over the WEM for the 2003–2022 period based on satellite aerosol retrievals and to analyse their atmospheric drivers at the synoptic and large scales, paying special attention to the recent 2020–2022 period of high dust activity. Overall, our results indicate large intraseasonal and interannual variability in the occurrence of wintertime dust events over the WEM. Dust events of FM 2020–2022 were characterized by enhanced dust concentration and high maximum altitudes in comparison with those of previous years (2003–2019). WEM dust events are associated with enhanced activity of high-pressure systems over the Euro-Atlantic sector, which favour the obstruction of the westerlies and the occurrence of cut-off lows at subtropical latitudes. However, these high-pressure systems can exhibit a large variety of configurations, including meridional dipole blocking patterns with poleward shifted jets or Mediterranean subtropical ridges with an intensified mid-latitude jet. The former is the dominant favourable pattern for WEM dust occurrence, but the latter was relatively common during the 2020–2022 period.

Experimental Investigation of Thermoacoustics and High-Frequency Combustion Dynamics with Band Stop Characteristics in a Pressurized Combustor

In combustor systems, thermoacoustic instabilities may occur and must be avoided for reliable operation. An acoustic network model can be used to predict the eigenfrequencies of the instabilities and the growth rate by incorporating the combustion dynamics with a flame transfer function (FTF). The FTF defines the interconnection between burner aerodynamics and the rate of combustion. In the current study, the method to measure the FTF in a pressurized combustor is explored. A siren unit, mounted in the fuel line, induced a fuel flow excitation of variable amplitude and high maximum frequency. This was performed here for pressurized conditions at 1.5 bar and 3 bar and at a thermal power of 125 kW and 250 kW. In addition to the experimental investigation, a 1-D acoustic network model approach is used. In the model, thermoviscous damping effects and reflection coefficients are incorporated. The model results compare well with experimental data, indicating that the proposed method to determine the FTF is reliable. In the approach, a combination of an FTF with a band stop approach and a network modeling approach was applied. The method provides a good match between experimentally observed behavior and an analytical approach and can be used for instability analysis.

Acceptor Copolymerized Axially Chiral Conjugated Polymers with TADF Properties for Efficient Circularly Polarized Electroluminescence.

Chiral conjugated polymer has promoted the development of the efficient circularly polarized electroluminescence (CPEL) device, nevertheless, it remains a challenge to develop chiral polymers with high electroluminescence performance. Herein, by the acceptor copolymerization of axially chiral biphenyl emitting skeleton and benzophenone, a pair of axially chiral conjugated polymers namely R-PAC and S-PAC are synthesized. The target polymers exhibit obvious thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) activities with high photoluminescence quantum yieldsof 81%. Moreover, the chiral polymers display significant circularly polarized luminescence features, with luminescence dissymmetry factor (|glum|) of nearly 3 × 10-3. By using the chiral polymers as emitters, the corresponding circularly polarized organic light-emitting diodes (CP-OLEDs) exhibit efficient CPEL signals with electroluminescence dissymmetry factor|gEL| of 3.4 × 10-3 and high maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 17.8%. Notably, considering both EQEmax and |gEL| comprehensively, the device performance of R-PAC and S-PAC is the best among all the reported CP-OLEDs with chiral conjugated polymers as emitters. This work provides a facile approach to constructing chiral conjugated TADF polymers and discloses the potential of axially chiral conjugated luminescent skeletons in architecting high-performance CP-OLEDs.

Design and Performance Analysis of an Outer-Rotor PMaSynRM

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) are consciously used as traction motors in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The rotor position (inner-rotor, outer-rotor) and topology of PMSMs significantly impact their torque profile, efficiency, and demagnetization characteristics. This article focuses on designing an outer-rotor permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motor (PMaSynRM) under traction motor requirements and investigating its electromagnetic performance using the finite element method (FEM). This study's primary challenge is achieving optimal machine performance, considering high maximum torque and the risk of demagnetization at low levels. The design, derived from analytical calculations, was subjected to Finite Element Method (FEM) analyses. These analyses investigated motor performance in terms of efficiency, the ability to generate torque at different drive currents, and the risk of demagnetization. As a result of the study, the proposed PMaSynRM design was obtained that provides an adequate demagnetization performance even under 300% loading, has a maximum torque exceeding 35 Nm, and achieves an efficiency of 90% at rated conditions.

Association rule mining of air quality through an improved Apriori algorithm: A case study in 244 Chinese cities

AbstractPredicting air pollution is complex due to intertwined factors among local climate, built environment, and development stages. This study leverages K‐means clustering and an improved Apriori algorithm to investigate the combined effects of local meteorological, morphological, and socioeconomic factors on air quality in 244 prefectural‐level Chinese cities. Results reveal that the secondary industry in GDP and saturation vapor pressure strongly relate to air quality. Severe air pollution occurs when urban development is coupled with reduced green areas and high temperatures, confirming that a single factor cannot predict air quality well. For example, we find that combining low population, low regional GDP, high maximum temperatures, and longer roads worsens air quality in small urban built‐up areas. Additionally, temperature and altitude differences associate with highway passenger volume, regional GDP, and population differently. Given our rules mining methods have broader applications in diversified urban environments, this study provides new insights for improving air quality and local Sustainable Development Goals.

Prognostic impact and predictors of persistent renal dysfunction in acute kidney injury after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact and predictors of persistent renal dysfunction in acute kidney injury (AKI) after an emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 877 patients who underwent emergency PCI for AMI were examined. AKI was defined as serum creatinine (SCr) ≥ 0.3mg/dL or ≥ 50% from baseline within 48h after PCI. Persistent AKI was defined as residual impairment of SCr ≥ 0.3mg/dL or ≥ 50% from baseline 1month after the procedure. The primary outcome was the composite endpoints of death, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, and dialysis. AKI and persistent AKI were observed in 82 (9.4%) and 25 (2.9%) patients, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that persistent AKI, but not transient AKI, was an independent predictor of primary outcome (hazard ratio, 4.99; 95% confidence interval, 2.30-10.8; P < 0.001). Age > 75years, left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%, a high maximum creatinine phosphokinase MB level, and bleeding after PCI were independently associated with persistent AKI. Persistent AKI was independently associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients who underwent emergency PCI for AMI. Advanced age, poor cardiac function, large myocardial necrosis, and bleeding were predictors of persistent AKI.

Magnetic Fe3O4/Fe‐Mn binary oxide/bentonite nanocomposite ‐ a novel adsorbent for removal of reactive red 195 dye from water

AbstractIn this study, a nanocomposite, Fe3O4/Fe‐Mn binary oxide/bentonite (FFMB), was synthesized, characterized and evaluated its adsorption behavior of azo Reactive Red 195 dye (RR‐195) in aqueous solution. The results of characterization (X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopies, vibration‐sample magnetometer, etc.) demonstrate that FFMB consists of Fe3O4 core and Fe2O3‐MnO2 binary oxide shell, which are distributed relatively uniformly on the exfoliated bentonite support with BET surface area of about 188 m2 g−1. It exhibits superparamagnetic properties with saturation magnetization of 39.6 emu g−1. The results of batch adsorption experiments show that the material has high ability of RR‐195 adsorption in terms of both adsorption rate and capacity. The adsorption efficiency was highest at pH 2–3. The adsorption process followed the pseudo‐second‐order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models with a rather high maximum adsorption capacity of 163.4 mg g−1. Besides, Weber–Morris kinetic and Temkin isotherm models also provide useful insight into the adsorption mechanism. The material shows a good reusability. After 5 adsorption–desorption cycles the adsorption efficiency reached about 75% of the first cycle and the saturation magnetization decreased insignificantly. These results reveal that FFMB can become an alternative adsorbent for azo dye removal from wastewaters.

Microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of low-cost Ti–Al–Cr–Fe alloys processed via powder metallurgy

A variety of economical Ti–3Al–6Cr-xFe (x = 0, 1, 2 wt%) alloys were prepared utilizing typical powder metallurgy (cold pressing and sintering) to explore the impact of Fe concentration on the densification behavior, phase evolution, microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The inclusion of Fe increases the compressibility. The high diffusivity of the Fe element contributes to the densification but excessive Fe inclusion causes Kirkendall pores to develop. Therefore, Ti–3Al–6Cr–1Fe has the highest density. Every alloy is made up of intermetallic (TiCr2), α, and β phases. The proportion of the β phase rose with the addition of Fe. The optimal combination of mechanical characteristics was obtained by Ti–3Al–6Cr–1Fe (ultimate tensile strength of 1093 MPa and ductility of 3.1%), which is explained by the interaction of higher density and solid solution strengthening effects. Ti–3Al–6Cr–2Fe has the greatest corrosion resistance due to the relatively high density and maximum β phase proportion.

Dissolution-Induced Surface Reconstruction of Ni0.95Pt0.05Si/p-Si Photocathode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical H2 Production.

Metal silicide/Si photoelectrodes have demonstrated significant potential for application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce H2. To achieve an efficient and economical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a paramount consideration lies in attaining exceptional catalytic activity on the metal silicide surface with minimal use of noble metals. Here, this study presents the design and construction of a novel Ni0.95Pt0.05Si/p-Si photocathode. Dopant segregation is used to achieve a Schottky barrier height as high as 1.0eV and a high photovoltage of 420mV. To achieve superior electrocatalytic activity for HER, a dissolution-induced surface reconstruction (SR) strategy is proposed to in situ convert surface Ni0.95Pt0.05Si to highly active Pt2Si. The resulting SR Ni0.95Pt0.05Si/p-Si photocathode exhibits excellent HER performance with an onset potential of 0.45V (vs RHE) and a high maximum photocurrent density of 40.5mAcm-2 and a remarkable applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of 5.3% under simulated AM 1.5 (100mWcm-2) illumination. The anti-corrosion silicide layer effectively protects Si, ensuring excellent stability of the SR Ni0.95Pt0.05Si/p-Si photoelectrode. This study highlights the potential for achieving efficient PEC HER using bimetallic silicide/Si photocathodes with reduced Pt consumption, offering an auspicious perspective for the cost-effective conversion of solar energy to chemical energy.