Silicon dioxide (SiO₂), also known as silica, has received attention in recent years due to wide range of capable applications including biomedical/pharmaceutical, energy, food, and personal care products. This has accelerated research in the extraction of materials from various agricultural wastes; this review investigates the extraction of silica and silicon nanoparticles from sugarcane bagasse ash with potential applications in electronic devices. Specific properties of silica have attracted the interest of researchers, which include surface area, size, biocompatibility, and high functionality. The production of silica from industrial agricultural waste exhibits sustainability and potential reduction in waste production. Bagasse is sustainable and environmentally friendly; though considered waste, it could be a helpful component for sustainable progress and further technological advancement. The chemical, biogenic and green synthesis are discussed in detail for the production of silica. In green synthesis, notable attempts have been made to replace toxic counterparts and decrease energy usage with the same quantity and quality of silica obtained. Methods of reducing silica to silicon are also discussed with the potential application-specific properties in electronic devices, and modern technological applications, such as batteries, supercapacitors, and solar cells.

Carbon burning is a key step in the evolution of massive stars, Type 1a supernovae and superbursts in x-ray binary systems. Determining the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion cross section at relevant energies by extrapolation of direct measurements is challenging due to resonances at and below the Coulomb barrier. A study of the ${}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}(\alpha ,{\alpha }^{\prime }){}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction has identified several $0^{+}$ states in ${}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$, close to the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ threshold, which predominantly decay to ${}^{20}\mathrm{Ne}(\text{ground state})+\alpha$. These states were not observed in ${}^{20}\mathrm{Ne}(\alpha ,{\alpha }_0){}^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ resonance scattering suggesting that they may have a dominant ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ cluster structure. Given the very low angular momentum associated with sub-barrier fusion, these states may play a decisive role in ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion in analogy to the Hoyle state in helium burning. We present estimates of updated ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}+{}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ fusion reaction rates.

Silicon is a promising anode material for the increased performance of lithium-ion batteries because of its high elemental composition and specific capacity. The application of silicon on a commercial scale is restricted due to the limitation of volume expansion. Silicon is also expensive, making it difficult for large-scale commercialisation. Different methods were used to address these issues, including a sintering process and the sol–gel method, to form silicon carbide (SiC), a hard chemical compound containing silicon and carbon. The silicon carbide anode not only acts as a buffer for volume expansion but also allows for better infiltration of the electrolyte, increasing charge and discharge capacity in the battery. Like silicon, silicon carbides can be costly. The development of renewable energy systems is very important, especially in the development of energy storage systems that are not only efficient but also cost-friendly. The cost of the energy storage devices is lowered, making them easily accessible. Silicon carbides can be synthesised from sugarcane, which is the fibrous waste that remains after juice extraction. This could be beneficial, as we could never run out of such a resource, and it offers low carbon with a high surface area. Silicon carbides can be synthesised by carbothermal reduction of silica from sugarcane bagasse. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of silicon carbides and synthetic processes. The innovative use of waste to synthesise materials would reduce costs and comply with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 13 (climate action).

We use a high-resolution ${}^{32}\mathrm{S}(d,t)$ measurement to investigate the claimed existence of a 6401(3) keV state in ${}^{31}\mathrm{S}$ that may affect the ${}^{30}\mathrm{P}(p,\gamma )$ nuclear reaction rate in oxygen-neon (ONe) novae. Our data are shown to exclude the null hypothesis—that the state does not exist—with high significance. Additionally, the data also suggest the existence of a hitherto unreported state at 6648(4) keV. This state corresponds to a ${}^{30}\mathrm{P}(p,\gamma )$ resonance at 517(4) keV, located below the higher edge of the Gamow window for peak nova temperatures of about 0.4 GK.