Carbon-doped percentage effect on the mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon sample using molecular dynamics simulation

Abstract

Porous materials have attracted considerable attention from researchers due to its many uses in molecular separation, heterogeneous catalysis, absorption technologies, and electronic improvements. These solid materials, often defined by their structural voids, are essential in several sectors. This research investigated the impact of carbon doping on the mechanical characteristics of nanoporous silicon matrices. The use of high-purity silicon doping is very beneficial in the semiconductor industry and is crucial for high-power devices and automotive applications. This study simulates a nanoporous silicon sample by molecular dynamics methods, adding carbon doping at different concentrations. The findings demonstrate that when the carbon doping concentration escalated from 1 % to 30 %, the mechanical resistance of the system decreased correspondingly. The ultimate tensile strength fell from 10.26 to 9.02 GPa. Furthermore, Young's modulus rose from 83.47 to 98.37 GPa. The decline in mechanical stability was associated with a drop in the model's total weight, which had considerable ramifications for industrial applications. Thus, incorporating C-doped nanoporous silicon into real applications not only lowered the weight of target materials but also improved their use. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.