Hydrogen (H2) is a clean and sustainable energy carrier with high energy density, offering a viable alternative to
fossil fuels. In this investigation, MOF-like and ZIF-like Sn-BDC and Sn-ZIF coordination precursors were
employed as sacrificial templates for the synthesis of carbon-supported SnO2 nanocomposites (SnO2@C) via the
thermal carbonization at 400-600◦C. The resulting nanocomposites were then evaluated for hydrogen generation
via NaBH4 hydrolysis and for antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic yeasts. The catalysts were
characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, HRTEM, SAED, and BET analyses. Among the pre-
pared catalysts, SnO2@C-ZIF-500 ◦C showed the highest hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 2000 mL min 1 g 1
at 45 ◦C, outperforming SnO2@C-BDC-400 ◦C (1700 mL min 1 g 1) despite its lower surface area (37.6 m2 g 1
vs. 70.9 m2 g 1, respectively). This enhanced activity is attributed to the N-doped carbon matrix (derived from
ZIF-like frameworks), which improves electron transfer and activates SnO2 sites. Kinetic analysis confirmed
faster reaction rates and lower activation energy for the ZIF-derived catalyst (49.9 kJ mol 1 for SnO2@C-ZIF-
500oC versus 60.4 kJ mol 1 for SnO2@C-BDC-400oC), highlighting the role of mesoporosity and nitrogen doping
in boosting performance. Catalysts offered almost the same activity after three cycles. The antifungal activity of
SnO2@C-BDC-400 ◦C and SnO2@C-ZIF-500 ◦C was evaluated against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis
(0–100 μg/mL) and compared with nystatin. Both catalysts showed stronger inhibition at 100 μg/mL than
nystatin for both strains. The MIC values were lower for SnO2@C materials, indicating superior antifungal
performance. These findings demonstrate that SnO2@C catalysts are promising non-noble materials for efficient
hydrogen generation and potential antimicrobial applications.

Nanoindentation is widely used to evaluate the mechanical properties of irradiated materials; however, its potential for quantifying irradiation-induced subsurface strain remains underexplored. In this work, an integrated experimental–numerical framework based on a physics-constrained inverse modeling approach is employed to estimate the magnitude of a depth-dependent irradiation-induced strain distribution in single-crystal 4H-SiC following sequential He and H ion implantation. The approach combines depth-sensing nanoindentation, finite element modeling (FEM), and a simplex-based inverse optimization routine to calibrate a physically motivated eigenstrain profile derived from ion-damage simulations. The strain field is assumed to follow a lognormal distribution consistent with independently determined damage profiles (stopping and range of ions in matter) and is implemented in the FEM model through a depth-dependent thermal expansion formulation. By minimizing the squared error between simulated and experimental force–displacement curves, the peak tensile strain is estimated to be ∼0.91%, accompanied by an effective Young's modulus of 310 GPa and a yield strength of 16.4 GPa. Independent validation by nano-beam precession electron diffraction confirms good agreement between the reconstructed and experimentally measured out-of-plane strain profiles in both magnitude and spatial distribution. The results demonstrate that nanoindentation, when combined with physics-based inverse modeling, can provide a practical tool for quantifying irradiation-induced strain and residual stress in nuclear ceramics. This methodology offers a complementary approach to diffraction-based techniques for assessing subsurface damage in ion-irradiated materials relevant to advanced nuclear systems.