Diamond Film Synthesis with a DC Plasma Jet:Effect of the Contacting Interface between Substrate and Base on the Substrate Temperature

The contacting interface between the substrate and water-cooled base is vital to the substrate temperature during diamond films deposition by a DC （direct current） plasma jet. The effects of the solid contacting area,conductive materials and fixing between the substrate and the base were investigated without affecting the other parameters. Experimental results indicated that the preferable solid contacting area was more than 60% of total contacting areal; the particular Sn-Pb alloy was more suitable for conducting heat and the concentric fixing ring was a better setting for controlling the substrate temperature. The result was explained in terms of the variable thermal contact resistance at the interface between substrate and base. The diamond films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） for morphology, X-ray diffraction （XRD） for the intensity of characteristic spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy for structure.

Study of NiSi/Si Interface by Cross-Section Transmission Electron Microscopy

Different silicidation processes are employed to form NiSi,and the NiSi/Si interface corresponding to each process is studied by cross-section transmission electron microscopy （XTEM）. With the sputter deposition of a nickel thin film,nickel silicidation is realized on undoped and doped （As and B） Si（001） substrates by rapid ther mal processing （RTP）. The formation of NiSi is demonstrated by X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering spectros- copy. The influence of the substrate doping and annealing process （one-step RTP and two-step RTP） on the NiSi! Si interface is investigated. The results show that for one-step RTP the silicidation on As-doped and undoped Si substrates causes a rougher NiSi/Si interface,while the two-step RTP results in a much smoother NiSi/Si interface. High resolution XTEM study shows that axiotaxy along the Si（111） direction forms in all samples, in which specific NiSi planes align with Si（111） planes in the substrate. Axiotaxy with spacing mismatch is also discussed.

A METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF STRUCTURE CONTAINING NON-SMOOTH CONTACTABLE INTERFACES

A novel single-step method is proposed for the analysis of dynamic response of visco-elastic structures containing non-smooth contactable interfaces. In the method, a two-level algorithm is employed for dealing with a nonlinear boundary condition caused by the dynamic contact of interfaces. At the first level, an explicit method is adopted to calculate nodal displacements of global viscoelastic system without considering the effect of dynamic contact of interfaces and at the second level, by introducing contact conditions of interfaces, a group of equations of lower order is derived to calculate dynamic contact normal and shear forces on the interfaces. The method is convenient and efficient for the analysis of problems of dynamic contact. The accuracy of the method is of the second order and the numerical stability condition is wider than that of other explicit methods.

BODY PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OF AUTOMOBILE DRIVING HUMAN MACHINE CONTACT INTERFACE

Aiming at the fatigue and comfort issues of human-machine contact interface in automobile driving and based on physiological and anatomical principle, the physiological and biochemical process of muscles and nerves in the formation and development of fatigue is analyzed systematically. The fatigue-causing physiological characteristic indexes are mapped to biomechanical indexes like muscle stress-strain, the compression deformation of blood vessels and nerves etc. from the perspective of formation mechanism. The geometrical model of skeleton and parenchyma is established by applying CT-scanned body data and MRI images. The general rule of comfort body pressure distribution is acquired through the analysis of anatomical structure of buttocks and femoral region. The comprehensive test platform for sitting comfort of 3D adjustable contact interface is constructed. The test of body pressure distribution of human-machine contact interface and its comparison with subjective evaluation indicates that the biomechanical indexes of automobile driving human-machine contact interface and body pressure distribution rule studied can effectively evaluate the fatigue and comfort issues of human-machine contact interface and provide theoretical basis for the optimal design of human-machine contact interface.

Modeling Methods and Test Verification of Root Insert Contact Interface for Wind Turbine Blade

Two modeling methods of the root insert for wind turbine blade are presented,i.e.,the local mesh optimization method(LMOM)and the global modeling method(GMM).Based on the optimized mesh of the local model for the metal contact interface,LMOM is proposed to analyze the load path and stress distribution characteristics,while GMM is used to calculate and analyze the stress distribution characteristics of the resin layer established between the bushing and composite layers of root insert.To validate the GMM,a tension test is carried out.The result successfully shows that the shear strain expresses a similar strain distribution tendency with the GMM′s results.

Over 12%efficient kesterite solar cell via back interface engineering

Kesterite Cu_(2)ZnSn(S,Se)_(4)(CZTSSe)has attracted considerable attention as a non-toxic and earthabundant solar cell material.During selenization of CZTSSe film at high temperature,the reaction between CZTSSe and Mo is one of the main reasons that result in unfavorable absorber and interface quality,which leads to large open circuit voltage deficit(VOC-def)and low fill factor(FF).Herein,a WO_(3)intermediate layer introduced at the back interface can effectually inhibit the unfavorable interface reaction between absorber and back electrode in the preliminary selenization progress;thus high-quality crystals are obtained.Through this back interface engineering,the traditional problems of phase segregation,voids in the absorber and over thick Mo(S,Se)_(2)at the back interface can be well solved,which greatly lessens the recombination in the bulk and at the interface.The increased minority carrier diffusion length,decreased barrier height at back interface contact and reduced deep acceptor defects give rise to systematic improvement in VOCand FF,finally a 12.66%conversion efficiency for CZTSSe solar cell has been achieved.This work provides a simple way to fabricate highly efficient solar cells and promotes a deeper understanding of the function of intermediate layer at back interface in kesterite-based solar cells.

Formulations of a hydromechanical interface element

A hydromechanical interface element is proposed for the consideration of the hydraulic-mechanical coupling effect along the interface.The fully coupled governing equations and the relevant finite element formulations are derived in detail for the interface element.All the involved matrices are of the same form as those of a solid element,which makes the incorporation of the model into a finite element program straightforward.Three examples are then numerically simulated using the interface element.Reasonable results confirm the correctness of the proposed model and motivate its application in hydromechanical contact problems in the future.

Experimental analysis of interface contact behavior using a novel image processing method

The spatial and temporal evolution of real contact area of contact interface with loads is a challenge.It is generally believed that there is a positive linear correlation between real contact area and normal load.However,with the development of measuring instruments and methods,some scholars have found that the growth rate of real contact area will slow down with the increase of normal load under certain conditions,such as large-scale interface contact with small roughness surface,which is called the nonlinear phenomenon of real contact area.At present,there is no unified conclusion on the explanation of this phenomenon.We set up an experimental apparatus based on the total reflection principle to verify this phenomenon and analyze its mechanism.An image processing method is proposed,which can be used to quantitative analysis micro contact behaviors on macro contact phenomenon.The weighted superposition method is used to identify micro contact spots,to calculate the real contact area,and the color superimposed image is used to identify micro contact behaviors.Based on this method,the spatiotemporal evolution mechanism of real contact area nonlinear phenomena is quantitatively analyzed.Furthermore,the influence of nonlinear phenomenon of real contact area on the whole loading and unloading process is analyzed experimentally.It is found that the effects of fluid between contact interface,normal load amplitude and initial contact state on contact behavior cannot be ignored in large-scale interface contact with small roughness surface.

Ohmic Contact at Al/TiO_2/n-Ge Interface with TiO_2 Deposited at Extremely Low Temperature

TiO2deposited at extremely low temperature of 120°C by atomic layer deposition is inserted between metal and n-Ge to relieve the Fermi level pinning. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy indicate that the lower deposition temperature tends to effectively eliminate the formation of GeOxto reduce the tunneling resistance. Compared with TiO2deposited at higher temperature of 250°C,there are more oxygen vacancies in lower-temperature-deposited TiO2, which will dope TiO2contributing to the lower tunneling resistance. Al/TiO2/n-Ge metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes with 2 nm 120°C deposited TiO2achieves 2496 times of current density at-0.1 V compared with the device without the TiO2interface layer case, and is 8.85 times larger than that with 250°C deposited TiO2. Thus inserting extremely low temperature deposited TiO2to depin the Fermi level for n-Ge may be a better choice.

Predicting impact forces on pipelines from deep-sea fluidized slides:A comprehensive review of key factors

Deep-sea pipelines play a pivotal role in seabed mineral resource development,global energy and resource supply provision,network communication,and environmental protection.However,the placement of these pipelines on the seabed surface exposes them to potential risks arising from the complex deep-sea hydrodynamic and geological environment,particularly submarine slides.Historical incidents have highlighted the substantial damage to pipelines due to slides.Specifically,deep-sea fluidized slides(in a debris/mud flow or turbidity current physical state),characterized by high speed,pose a significant threat.Accurately assessing the impact forces exerted on pipelines by fluidized submarine slides is crucial for ensuring pipeline safety.This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in understanding pipeline impact forces caused by fluidized deep-sea slides,thereby identifying key factors and corresponding mechanisms that influence pipeline impact forces.These factors include the velocity,density,and shear behavior of deep-sea fluidized slides,as well as the geometry,stiffness,self-weight,and mechanical model of pipelines.Additionally,the interface contact conditions and spatial relations were examined within the context of deep-sea slides and their interactions with pipelines.Building upon a thorough review of these achievements,future directions were proposed for assessing and characterizing the key factors affecting slide impact loading on pipelines.A comprehensive understanding of these results is essential for the sustainable development of deep-sea pipeline projects associated with seabed resource development and the implementation of disaster prevention measures.

Optimization Analysis of Sliding Electrical Contact Interface Based on Electromechanical Coupling

This work addresses the critical issue of current density distribution in the sliding electrical contact interface based on electromechanical coupling, which is essential for minimizing damage and enhancing performance. Using electromechanical coupling analysis and finite element analysis (FEA), the effects of initial contact pressure, pulse current input, and armature speed on current density are examined. Key findings indicate that optimizing the convex rail and armature structures significantly reduces peak current density, improving uniformity and reducing damage. These optimizations enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and service life of sliding electrical contact interfaces, providing a theoretical foundation for designing more durable and efficient high-current-density applications.

Control Method for Steel Strip Roughness in Two-stand Temper Mill Rolling

How to control surface roughness of steel strip in a narrow range for a long time has become an important question because surface roughness would significantly influence the appearance of the products. However, there are few effective solutions to solve the problem currently. In this paper, considering both asperities of work roll pressing in and squeezing the steel strip, two asperity contact models including squeezing model and pressing in model in a two-stand temper mill rolling are established by using finite element method（FEM）. The simulation investigates the influences of multiple process parameters, such as work roll surface roughness, roll radius and roll force on the surface roughness of steel strip. The simulation results indicate that work rolls surface roughness and roll force play important roles in the products; furthermore, the effect of roll force in the first stand is opposite to the second. According to the analysis, a control method for steel strip surface roughness in a narrow range for a long time is proposed, which applies higher work roll roughness in the first stand and lower roll roughness in the second to make the steel strip roughness in a required narrow range. In the later stage of the production, decreasing the roll force in the first stand and increasing the roll force in the second stand guarantee the steel strip roughness relatively stable in a long time. The following experimental measurements on the surface topography and roughness of the steel strips during the whole process are also conducted. The results validate the simulation conclusions and prove the effect of the control method. The application of the proposed method in the steel strip production shows excellent performance including long service life of work roll and high finished product rate.

Current advancements on charge selective contact interfacial layers and electrodes in flexible hybrid perovskite photovoltaics

Perovskite-based photovoltaic materials have been attracting attention for their strikingly improved performance at converting sunlight into electricity.The beneficial and unique optoelectronic characteristics of perovskite structures enable researchers to achieve an incredibly remarkable power conversion efficiency.Flexible hybrid perovskite photovoltaics promise emerging applications in a myriad of optoelectronic and wearable/portable device applications owing to their inherent intriguing physicochemical and photophysical properties which enabled researchers to take forward advanced research in this growing field.Flexible perovskite photovoltaics have attracted significant attention owing to their fascinating material properties with combined merits of high efficiency,light-weight,flexibility,semitransparency,compatibility towards roll-to-roll printing,and large-area mass-scale production.Flexible perovskite-based solar cells comprise of 4 key components that include a flexible substrate,semi-transparent bottom contact electrode,perovskite(light absorber layer)and charge transport(electron/hole)layers and top(usually metal)electrode.Among these components,interfacial layers and contact electrodes play a pivotal role in influencing the overall photovoltaic performance.In this comprehensive review article,we focus on the current developments and latest progress achieved in perovskite photovoltaics concerning the charge selective transport layers/electrodes toward the fabrication of highly stable,efficient flexible devices.As a concluding remark,we briefly summarize the highlights of the review article and make recommendations for future outlook and investigation with perspectives on the perovskite-based optoelectronic functional devices that can be potentially utilized in smart wearable and portable devices.

Metal-seed assistant photodeposition of platinum over Ta_(3)N_(5) photocatalyst for promoted solar hydrogen production under visible light

Cocatalysts play a vital role in accelerating the reaction kinetics and improving the charge separation of photocatalysts for solar hydrogen production.The promotion of the photocatalytic activity largely relies on the loading approach of the cocatalysts.Herein,we introduce a metal-seed assistant photodeposition approach to load the hydrogen evolution cocatalyst of platinum onto the surface of Ta_(3)N_(5) photocatalyst,which exhibits about 3.6 times of higher photocatalytic proton reduction activity with respect to the corresponding impregnation or photodeposition loading.Based on our characterizations,the increscent contact area of the cocatalyst/semiconductor interface with metal-seed assistant photodeposition method is proposed to be responsible for the promoted charge separation as well as enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity.It is interesting to note that this innovative deposition strategy can be easily extended to loading of platinum cocatalyst with other noble or non-noble metal seeds for promoted activities,demonstrating its good generality.Our work may provide an alternative way of depositing cocatalyst for better photocatalytic performances.

Numerical Analysis of Asphalt Pavements under Moving Wheel Loads

The responses of the pavement in service are the basis for the design of the semi-rigid base course asphalt pavement. Due to the dynamic characteristics of wheel loacis and the temperature loads, the dynamic response analysis is very significant. In this article, the dynamic analysis of asphalt pavement under moving wheel loads is carried out using finite dement method canpled with non-reflective boundary method. The influences of the base modulus, thickness, the vehicle velocity, the tire pressure, and the contact condition at the interface are studied using parametric analysis. The results of numerical analysis show that it is not appropriate to simply increase the base modulus or thickness in the design. It would be beneficial if the base design is optimized synthetically. The increase of damping is also beneficial to the pavements because of the surface deflection and the stresses declination. Furthermore, the good contact condition at the interface results in good performance because it combines every layer of the pavement to work together. As overload aggravates the working condition of the pavement, it is not allowed.

Relationship between the real contact area and contact force in pre-sliding regime

The pre-sliding regime is typically neglected in the dynamic modelling of mechanical systems. However, the change in contact state caused by static friction may decrease positional accuracy and control precision. To investigate the relationship between contact status and contact force in pre-sliding friction, an optical experimental method is presented in this paper.With this method, the real contact state at the interface of a transparent material can be observed based on the total reflection principle of light by using an image processing technique. A novel setup, which includes a pair of rectangular trapezoidal blocks, is proposed to solve the challenging issue of accurately applying different tangential and normal forces to the contact interface. The improved Otsu＇s method is used for measurement. Through an experimental study performed on polymethyl methacrylate（PMMA）, the quantity of contact asperities is proven to be the dominant factor that affects the real contact area. The relationship between the real contact area and the contact force in the pre-sliding regime is studied, and the distribution of static friction at the contact interface is qualitatively discussed. New phenomena in which the real contact area expands along with increasing static friction are identified. The aforementioned relationship is approximately linear at the contact interface under a constant normal pressure, and the distribution of friction stress decreases from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Pancake-Like MOF Solid-State Electrolytes with Fast Ion Migration for High-Performance Sodium Battery

Solid-state electrolyte(SSE)of the sodium-ion battery have attracted tremendous attention in the next generation energy storage materials on account of their wide electrochemical window and thermal stability.However,the high interfacial impedance,low ion transference number and complex preparation process restrict the application of SSE.Herein,inspired by the excellent sieving function and high specific surface area of red blood cells,we obtained a solid-like electrolyte(SLE)based on the combination of the pancake-like metal-organic framework(MOF)with liquid electrolyte,possessing a high ionic conductivity of 6.60×10^(-4) S cm^(−1),and excellent sodium metal compatibility.In addition,we investigated the ion restriction effect of MOF’s apertures size and special functional groups,and the ion transference number increased from 0.16 to 0.33.Finally,the assembled Na_(0.44)MnO_(2)//SLE//Na full batteries showed no obvious capacity decrease after 160 cycles.This material design of SLE in our work is an important key to obtain fast ion migration SLE for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

Atomically bonding Na anodes with metallized ceramic electrolytes by ultrasound welding for high-energy/power solid-state sodium metal batteries

A solid-state sodium metal battery has cut a striking figure in next-generation large-scale energy storage technology on account of high safety,high energy density,and low cost.Nevertheless,the large interfacial resistance and sodium dendrite growth originating from the poor interface contact seriously hinder its practical application.Herein,a modified ultrasound welding was proposed to atomically bond Na anodes and Au-metalized Na_(3)Zr_(2)Si_(2)PO_(12) electrolytes associated with the in situ formation of Na–Au alloy interlayers.Thereupon,intimate Na_(3)Zr_(2)Si_(2)PO_(12)-Au/Na interfaces with a low interfacial resistance(~23Ωcm^(2))and a strong dendrite inhibition ability were constructed.The optimized Na symmetric battery can cycle steadily for more than 900 h at 0.3 mA cm^(-2) under a low overpotential(<50 mV)of Na electroplating/stripping and deliver a high critical current density of 0.8 mAcm^(-2) at room temperature.By incorporating the above interface into the solid-state Na metal battery,taking three-dimensional Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3) as the cathode,the full battery offers a high energy density of 291 Wh kg^(-1) at a high power density of 1860Wkg^(-1).A pouch-type solid-state sodium metal full battery based on a ceramic electrolyte was assembled for the first time,and it lit a 3 V LED lamp.Such a strategy of the ultrasound welding metalized solid-state electrolyte/Na interface by engineering the Na-Au interlayer would pave a new pathway to engineer a low-resistance and highly stable interface for high-energy/density solid-state sodium metal batteries.

Topographic variation and fluid flow characteristics in rough contact interface

Understanding flow characteristics of fluid near rough contact is important for the design of fluid-based lubrication and basic of tribology physics.In this study,the spreading and seepage processes of anhydrous ethanol in the interface between glass and rough PDMS are observed by a homemade optical in-situ tester.Digital image processing technology and numerical simulation software are adapted to identify and extract the topological properties of interface and thin fluid flow characteristics.Particular attention is paid to the dynamic evolution of the contact interface morphology under different stresses,the distribution of microchannels in the interface,the spreading characteristics of the fluid in contact interface,as well as the mechanical driving mechanism.Original surface morphology and the contact stress have a significant impact on the interface topography and the distribution of interfacial microchannels,which shows that the feature lengths of the microchannels,the spreading area and the spreading rate of the fluid are inversely proportional to the load.And the flow path of the fluid in the interface is mainly divided into three stages:along the wall of the island,generating liquid bridges,and moving from the tip side to the root side in the wedge-shaped channel.The main mechanical mechanism of liquid flow in the interface is the equilibrium between the capillary force that drives the liquid spreading and viscous resistance of solid wall to liquid.In addition,the phenomenon of“trapped air”occurs during the flow process due to the irregular characteristics of the microchannel.This study lays a certain theoretical foundation for the research of microscopic flow behavior of the liquid in the rough contact interface,the friction and lubrication of the mechanical system,and the sealing mechanism.

Simulation of flows with moving contact lines on a dual-resolution Cartesian grid using a diffuse-interface immersed-boundary method

In this paper, we investigate flows with moving contact lines on curved solid walls on a dual-resolution grid using a diffuse-interface immersed-boundary（DIIB） method. The dual-resolution grid, on which the flows are solved on a coarse mesh while the interface is resolved on a fine mesh, was shown to significantly improve the computational efficiency when simulating multiphase flows. On the other hand, the DIIB method is able to resolve dynamic wetting on curved substrates on a Cartesian grid, but it usually requires a mesh of high resolution in the vicinity of a moving contact line to resolve the local flow. In the present study, we couple the DIIB method with the dual-resolution grid, to improve the interface resolution for flows with moving contact lines on curved solid walls at an affordable cost. The dynamic behavior of moving contact lines is validated by studying drop spreading, and the numerical results suggest that the effective slip length λ_n can be approximated by 1.9Cn, where Cn is a dimensionless measure of the thickness of the diffuse interface. We also apply the method to drop impact onto a convex substrate, and the results on the dual-resolution grid are in good agreement with those on a single-resolution grid. It shows that the axisymmetric simulations using the DIIB method on the dual-resolution grid saves nearly 60% of the computational time compared with that on a single-resolution grid.