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Ammonia can be applied as a hydrogen carrier and used directly as a hydrogen production supply. In this paper, a technique for mass-producing hydrogen from ammonia water is proposed by applying a liquid phase plasma (LPP) discharge technique and a photocatalyst. In this reaction, N- and Fe ion codoped TiO2 (N/Fe/TiO2) photocatalysts were prepared and applied as a visible light-sensitive photocatalyst. N/Fe/TiO2 (NFT) had a similar crystal shape and size to anatase TiO2, but the surface was doped with metal ions. The bandgap of the NFT photocatalyst obtained from the spectrum measured by photoluminescence spectroscopy was approximately 2.4 eV. Nitrogen and Fe ions played a role in narrowing the gap between the conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB) of TiO2, effectively reducing the bandgap. In the decomposition reaction of ammonia water by LPP irradiation, the NFT photocatalyst showed the highest hydrogen evolution rate. The amount of hydrogen produced from ammonia water by LPP irradiation on the NFT photocatalyst was approximately 133 L/h. The hydrogen production rate obtained from ammonia water by the photocatalyst and LPP irradiation was significantly higher than that obtained by the ammonia electrolysis process.

This paper presents experimental and numerical analysis results regarding the effects of an incomplete penetration defect on the fatigue lives of socket welded pipes. For the experiment, four-point bending fatigue tests with various defect geometries (defect depth and circumferential length) were performed, and test results are presented in terms of stress-life data. The results showed that for circumferentially short defects, the fatigue life tends to increase with increasing crack depth, but for longer defects, the trend becomes the opposite. Finite element analysis showed that for short defects, the maximum principal stress decreases with increases in crack depth. For a longer defect, the opposite trend was found. Furthermore, the maximum principal stress tends to increase with an increase in defect length regardless of the defect depth.

In this study, europium (Eu) was precipitated in TiO2 powder using liquid phase plasma (LPP) process to prepare a photocatalyst with higher activity, even in the visible light range. Eu was uniformly deposited on the surface of TiO2 by the LPP method. It was observed that the amount of Eu precipitated on the TiO2 surface increased with increasing precursor concentration. XPS and EDS analysis showed that Eu was precipitated as europium oxide. The precipitation of Eu shifted the position of the Raman peak to a higher wavelength; with higher Eu content, the band gap energy decreased. Particularly, the photocatalytic efficiency of the Eu doped TiO2 photocatalyst (EDTP) in the visible light source was much higher than that of bare TiO2, and with higher Eu content, the photocatalytic activity was improved. Acetylsalicylic acid was attacked by HO∙ produced on the EDTP’s surface and assumed to be finally mineralized to H2O and CO2 via two decomposition pathways, namely, decarboxylation and deacetylation.

The effect of the material hardening model of the canister on a finite element vertical cask drop simulation is investigated for the strain-based acceptance evaluation. Three different hardening models are considered in this paper: the isotropic hardening model, the strain rate-dependent Johnson-Cook (J-C) hardening model, and the modified J-C model which are believed to be the most accurate. By comparing the results using the modified J-C model, it is found that the use of the J-C model provides similar or larger stresses and strains depending on the magnitudes of the strain and strain rate. The use of the isotropic hardening model always yields larger stresses and strains. For the strain-based acceptance evaluation, the use of the isotropic hardening model can produce highly conservative assessment results. The use of the J-C model, however, produces satisfactory results.

This study presents a high-stiffness torque sensor with a strain amplification mechanism for cooperative industrial manipulators. A novel strain amplification mechanism for a torque sensor has beendesigned to increase the stiffness of the sensor. The mechanism has a single structure composed of trapezoidal beams, flexure structures, and inner and outer frames. In this configuration, the displacement that occurs in the beam is amplified by the flexure structure. The amplified displacement is measured using capacitance sensing technology. As a result, the developed torque sensor has a high stiffness (198.7 kNm/rad) and compactness (diameter of 110 mm and a thickness of 9.8 mm) that integrates with all the electronics. Additionally, it has a low cost and it is easy to manufacture. Through several experimental setups, we evaluated the sensing performances of the sensor with regard to accuracy, high stiffness, and repeatability.

A piping system stress analysis need to be re-performed for structural integrity assessment after reinforcement of a pipe with significant wall thinning. For efficient stress analysis, a one-dimensional beam element for the wall-thinned pipe with reinforcement needs to be developed. To develop the beam element, this work presents analytical equations for elastic stiffness of the wall-thinned pipe with reinforcement are analytically derived for axial tension, bending and torsion. Comparison with finite element (FE) analysis results using detailed three-dimensional solid models for wall-thinned pipe with reinforcement shows good agreement. Implementation of the proposed solutions into commercial FE programs is explained.

Radiation causes damage to the human body, the environment, and electronic equipment. Shielding against neutron and gamma rays is particularly difficult because of their strong ability to penetrate materials. Conventional gamma ray shields are typically made of materials containing Pb. However, they pose problems in that Pb is a heavy metal, and human poisoning and/or pollution can result from the manufacturing, use, and disposal of these materials. In addition, neutron rays are shielded by materials rich in H2 or concrete. In the case of the latter, the manufacturing cost is high. Thus, it is necessary to develop a new multilayer structure that can shield against both neutron and gamma rays. We set up a simulation model of a multilayered structure consisting of metal hydrides and heavy metals, and then evaluated the simulations using Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code. Monte Carlo simulation is an accurate method for simulating the interaction between radiation and materials, and can be applied to the transport of radiation particles to predict values such as flux, energy spectrum, and energy deposition. The results of the study indicated the multilayer structure of ZrH2, U, and W could shield both neutron and gamma rays, thus showing potential as a new shielding material to replace Pb and concrete.

To ensure high capacity with reasonable cycling stability using the conversion or K-alloy reaction, the anode should minimize or embrace the volume expansion during the discharge (potassiation) and charge (depotassiation) processes. Herein, we report on a Bi2Te3 composite modified by nanosized carbon that boosts the highly reversible capacity with long cycling stability. The as-synthesized Bi2Te3 powders and acetylene black carbon were compositized via high-energy ball-milling, resulting in improvement of the electrical conductivity to ∼10−4 S cm−1 from ∼10−7 S cm−1. Electrochemical investigation revealed that the proposed Bi2Te3@C retained over 79.8% of its initial capacity (311 mAh g− 1) for 500 cycles at a current of 1000 mA g− 1. We unveil the reaction chemistry behind the acceptable performance using operando X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry. The Bi2Te3 undergoes a conversion reaction to form Bi0 metal and K2Te as a conversion byproduct, after which Bi is further potassiated to K3Bi. The highly reversible behavior is attributed to the enlargement of the active area along with the filling of voids among Bi2Te3 particles by nanosized carbons in the composite electrode, enabling not only facile electron transport but also preservation of the electrode shape even after long-term cycling. Our approach highlights the feasibility of applying Bi2Te3@C as a sustainable anode material for potassium-ion batteries.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been studied extensively to employ oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (TFT) including both active layer and gate insulator (GI). Herein, we developed an ALD sandwich structure, which deposits both semiconductor and GI by ALD. In contrast to the previous results using sputter In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO), ALD sandwich structure IGZO TFT exhibited severe deterioration in its electrical performance when the Al₂O₃ was adopted for both buffer layer and GI application. Through measurement of hydrogen permeability of ALD insulators and secondary ion mass spectroscopy of each sandwich structure after annealing, we found a hydrogen accumulation effect between Al₂O₃ and ALD IGZO interface layer, which caused deterioration of electrical performance. In contrast, TFTs with ALD SiO₂, which has proper hydrogen diffusivity, chosen as the buffer and GI had favorable electric properties of 28.17 cm²/V·s, 0.20 V/dec, 0.96, and 0.12 V for the mobility, $V_{th}$ , subthreshold swing (SS), and hysteresis. In this regard, an optimized GI structure via the ALD SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ in situ process based on excellent interface formation with the semiconductor and hydrogen barrier performance, respectively, was developed. This functional GI structure consisting of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ exhibited excellent TFT characteristics (27.52 cm²/V·s, 0.24 V/dec, and 1.07 V for the mobility, SS, and $V_{th}$ , respectively) with improved stability even after hydrogen annealing, which was used to examine the resistance to external hydrogen, showing a threshold voltage shift of -0.15 V and a SS shift of 0.01 V/dec.

The purpose of this study is to analyze morphological characteristics of maxillary primary molar’s root and root canal. 268 children aged 3 - 7 years (175 boys, 93 girls) who had CBCT (152 children) and 3D CT (116 children) taken in Seoul National University Dental Hospital from January 2006 to April 2020 were included. The number of roots and root canals were analyzed in 1002 teeth without any root resorption or periapical pathologies. Curvature, angulation, length of root and root canal, as well as cross-sectional shapes of the root canal were analyzed in 218 teeth. By using Mimics and 3-Matics software, volume, surface area, and volume ratio of root canal was analyzed in 48 teeth. More than half of maxillary primary molars have 3 roots and 3 root canals. The degree of symmetry of root canal type was about 0.63 (Cohen’s kappa coefficient). The most frequent shape of roots and canals was linear in 1st primary molars and curved in 2nd primary molars. Angulation, length of root and root canals was the largest on palatal roots. Most teeth showed ovoid or round shapes at apex. The largest root canal volume, surface area, volume ratio was found in the palatal roots.

We propose a hydrogen-based preliminary reduction process for primary ilmenite before the smelting process in titanium dioxide pigment production, because of its advantages of low energy consumption and carbon dioxide mitigation. The hydrogen-based gaseous reduction of primary ilmenite concentrate was investigated at temperatures between 1273 K and 1473 K (1000 °C and 1200 °C) in an H2–CO atmosphere and compared it with the carbothermic reduction of secondary ilmenite. Between 1273 K and 1373 K, hydrogen reduction was faster than carbothermic reduction for the entire time of the reaction. However, at 1473 K, CO evolution by the Boudouard reaction caused the carbothermic reduction to be faster initially; however, hydrogen reduction was faster after 70 minutes. The phases of the final product by the gaseous reduction were metallic iron, TiO2, and a pseudobrookite solid solution. Numerous cracks and pores were generated, and agglomerated iron was observed throughout the particles. The gaseous reduction reaction was controlled by a chemical reaction with an activation energy of 42 kJ/mol. For the subsequent smelting process, the use of ilmenite concentrate feeds reduced by hydrogen during the preliminary reduction process decreased the energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Here, we propose a new strategy that employs a functional separator composed of radical scavenging agents for removal of radical species in the cell. In detail, a radical scavenger, trimesitylborane (TRMSB), is embedded on the surface of nano-sized tungsten oxide (WO3) by a simple one-step process and the resulting nanoparticles are coated onto conventional separators by a dip-coating process. Our screening test performed by chemical reaction of TRMSB with a radical indicator (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) confirms that TRMSB effectively scavenges radical species via a chemical reaction, implying that the use of a WO3-TRMSB–functionalized separator would be effective for decreasing radical concentrations during electrochemical processes. In our electrochemical tests, the cell cycled with a WO3-TRMSB–functionalized separator exhibit showed both improved cycling retention compared to a cell cycled with a bare separator and improved physical and mechanical properties.

KLS-1 Lunar regolith simulant was microwave sintered to explore its potential applicability in future lunar construction. The effects of sintering temperature on linear shrinkage, density, porosity, and microstructural, mechanical, and thermal properties were investigated. As the sintering temperature increased, linear shrinkage and density increased and porosity decreased. Structural evolution in the sintered samples was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Unconfined compressive strength testing showed that mechanical strength increased significantly with increasing sintering temperature, with 1120 °C giving the highest strength of 37.0 ± 4.8 MPa. The sintered samples exhibited a coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately 5 × 10−6 °C−1, which was well-maintained even after cyclic temperature stress between −100 and 200 °C. Therefore, this microwave processing appears promising for the fabrication of building material with sufficient mechanical strength and thermal durability for lunar construction.

The principal causes of the poor picture quality on active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, operating under extremely low brightness and gray-scale conditions, were analyzed and verified by measuring and modelling of the electrical simulations. Through the analysis, it was found that the deteriorated picture quality was induced by a delayed saturation voltage, which means the electric potential difference between the initial voltage applied to the anode of the OLED (Vinit) and the OLED saturated voltage (Vsat) for emission. This is because the deviations of pico-ampere-level currents and delayed OLED charging prior to light emission increased the saturation voltage when there were low driving currents. Thus, we optimized the voltage by increasing Vinit from −4.5 to −2.7 V, effectively eliminating image deterioration by reducing the OLED charging delay. Thus, the proposed approach opens up advancements of obtaining superior picture quality with ultra-low luminance, even in the dark illuminance environments. We discuss how OLED picture quality may be enhanced under low brightness, including the driving methods, design considerations, and processes involved.

Four-dimensional (4D) printing is a promising technique that can produce shape-morphing materials to designated stimuli. However, as bilayered structures with varying mechanical properties are requ...

Mechanical energy is one of the freely available green energy sources that could be harvested to meet the small-scale energy demand. Piezoelectric nanogenerators can be used to harvest the biomechanical energy that is available in everyday human life and power various portable electronics. Herein, a ferroelectric material, i.e., lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), was synthesized and used to fabricate a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (FPNG). Generally, ferroelectric materials display a strong electrostatic dipole moment and high piezoelectric coefficient, thus resulting in enhanced electrical performance. First, LiTaO3 nanoparticles were synthesized and loaded into poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) to form a piezoelectric film and then, the piezoelectric composite film was sandwiched between two aluminum electrodes to fabricate an FPNG. The effect of the electrical performance of FPNG as a function of the concentration of LiTaO3 loaded into PVDF was systematically investigated and optimized. The 2.5 wt % FPNG exhibited open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and power density values of ∼18 V, ∼1.2 μA, and ∼25 mW/m2, respectively. Furthermore, the FPNG revealed good electrical stability and mechanical durability. Finally, the FPNG was employed as a weight sensor to harvest various biomechanical energies and operate low-power- electronics.

In this study, we examine the effect of oxygen vacancies ( ${V}_{O}$ ) near the back surface of p-type tin monoxide (SnO) semiconductors on the device performance of its thin-film transistors (TFTs). Non-stoichiometry of the SnO surface layer was controlled through oxidant exposure conditions during alumina (Al2O3) growth using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). During the initial period of Al2O3 deposition, trimethylaluminum precursors absorbed oxygen from the SnO layer and created the ${V}_{O}$ , which can form a ${V}_{O}$ -rich region at the Al2O3/SnO interface. By modulating the oxygen plasma density during the PEALD process, the ${V}_{O}$ was effectively controlled, allowing the electrical characteristics to transition from ambipolar behavior to ${p}$ -channel only conduction. This study demonstrates the importance of the back surface of SnO, suggesting a new perspective of ambipolar behavior in p-type SnO semiconductors.

We, for the first time, report potassium storage in carbon-modified Li4Ti5O12 spinel (C-LTO), where the carbon coating increases the electrical conductivity from ~10−7 to ~10−1 S cm−1. C-LTO provides a high initial charge capacity of approximately 221 mAh g −1 at 0.2C (34 mA g −1) with about 77% retention for 200 cycles. Pre-potassiation of C-LTO electrode successfully improved initial Coulombic efficiency. The excellent electrode performance is further emphasized at high rate (3.2C, 544 mA g −1), with an initial capacity of 130 mAh g −1 and 70% retention for 1000 cycles. During the reaction in K cells, the incorporation of K+ ions into the cubic spinel Li4Ti5O12 induces a biphasic reaction, namely cubic rock salt K-rich K6LiTi5O12 and Li-rich Li7Ti5O12 phases accompanied by Ti4+/3+ redox, as confirmed by in-situ X-ray diffraction and ex-situ X-ray absorption analyses. The original Li4Ti5O12 spinel is recovered upon depotassiation. In addition, full cells paired with a P3-K0.5[Mn0.8Fe0.1Ni0.1]O2 cathode demonstrate the feasibility of applying the C-LTO electrode as an anode for high-rate and long-term potassium storage.

As the application of composite materials increases, analysis and optimum design for various dynamic loads as well as static loads are required. In this paper, we present an optimal design study using the equivalent static load method for laminated composite structures subjected to various nonlinear dynamic loads. First, the dynamic analysis of the laminate composite structure was performed using the finite element method. Next, the equivalent static load at each time step was calculated using the calculated dynamic response, and the static response optimization of the composite structure was performed by applying the calculated equivalent static load as a multi-load condition. Then, optimal design was performed by minimizing mass or maximizing strength by designing stacking thickness and stacking angle as design variables by applying various dynamic loads for the three different composite material structures. As a result of the optimization, the results of the conventional dynamic response optimization method, the error of less than 0.1 %, and the convergence speed up to 18 times were shown, and it was verified that the convergence speed was excellent while ensuring the accuracy of the solution.

The Li[Ni0.9Co0.05 Al0.05]O2 (NCA) cathode material was continuously coated with polypyrrole (ppy), which is a conductive polymer, to improve its life-cycle characteristics. The thickness of the coating layer was about 4.2 nm. The electrochemical performance was improved by dry-coating ppy on NCA nanofibers, which reduced side reactions with the electrolyte. After 50 cycles at 0.5 C, the ppy-coated NCA had a capacity retention of 83.1%, which was higher than that of the pristine NCA (73.7%). Furthermore, the initial discharge capacity was 218.8 mAhg−1 at 0.1 C, which was 26.1% higher than that of the pristine NCA. From the impedance measurement, the resistance of NCA@ppy was found to be lower than that of pristine NCA.

ConspectusAll-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are considered to be a next-generation energy storage concept that offers enhanced safety and potentially high energy density. The identification of solid electrolytes (SEs) with high ionic conductivity was the stepping-stone that enabled the recent surge in activity in this research area. Among the various types of SEs, including those based on oxides, sulfides, polymers, and hybrids thereof, sulfide-based SEs have gained discernible attention owing to their exceptional room temperature ionic conductivity comparable even to those of their liquid electrolyte counterparts. Moreover, the good deformability of sulfide SEs renders them suitable for reducing the interfacial resistance between particles, thereby obviating the need for high-temperature sintering. Nevertheless, sulfide-based ASSB technology still remains at the research stage without any manufacturing schemes having been established. This state of affairs originates from the complex challenges presented by various aspects of these SEs: their weak stability in air, questions surrounding the exact combination of slurry solvent and polymeric binder for solution-based electrode fabrication, their high interfacial resistance resulting from solid particle contacts, and limited scalability with respect to electrode fabrication and cell assembly. In this Account, we review recent developments in which these issues were addressed by starting with the materials and moving on to processing, focusing on new trials. As for enhancing the air stability of sulfide SEs, strengthening the metal-sulfur bond based on the hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory has yielded the most notable results, although the resulting sacrificed energy density and weakened anode interface stability would need to be resolved. Novel electrode fabrication techniques that endeavor to overcome the critical issues originating from the use of sulfide SEs are subsequently introduced. The wet chemical coating process can take advantage of the know-how and facilities inherited from the more established lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the dilemmatic matter of contention relating to the polarity mismatch among the slurry solvent, SE, and binder requires attention. Recent solutions to these problems involved the exploration of various emerging concepts, such as polarity switching during electrode fabrication, fine polarity tuning by accurate grafting, and infiltration of the electrode voids by a solution of the SE. The process of using a dry film with a fibrous binder has also raised interest, motivated by lowering the manufacturing cost, maintaining the environment, and boosting the volumetric energy density. Finally, optimization of the cell assembly and operation is reviewed. In particular, the application of external pressure to each unit cell has been universally adopted both in the fabrication step and during cell operation to realize high cell performance. The effect of pressurization is discussed by correlating it with the interface stability and robust interparticle contacts. Based on the significant progress that has been made thus far, we aim to encourage the battery community to engage their wide-ranging expertise toward advancing sulfide-based ASSBs that are practically feasible.

This study proposed a novel method of crushing glass aggregates to reduce the alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Glass aggregates were crushed while immersed in different calcium bearing solutions. ASR measurement and compressive strength tests of mortars incorporating the glass aggregate were performed to investigate the feasibility of the crushing method. The results indicate that the crushing method was effective in both ASR mitigation and compressive strength improvement. Calcium nitrite solution was found to be more effective than calcium chloride solution for mitigating ASR damage. The ASR expansion after 14 days, measured in accordance with ASTM C1260, was 0.228% when the glass aggregates were conventionally crushed in air, which is potentially unsafe. This value decreased to 0.082% when the aggregates were crushed in calcium nitrite solution, a value which is considered innocuous. The compressive strength of the mortar was enhanced by approximately 12% compared to that of a mortar with conventionally crushed glass aggregate by incorporating glass aggregates crushed in calcium nitrite solution.

A homojunction-structured oxide phototransistor based on a mechano-chemically treated indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) absorption layer is reported. Through this novel and facile mechano-chemical treatment, mechanical removal of the cellophane adhesive tape induces reactive radicals and organic compounds on the sputtered IGZO film surface. Surface modification, following the mechano-chemical treatment, caused porous sites in the solution-processed IGZO film, which can give rise to a homojunction-porous IGZO (HPI) layer and generate sub-gap states from oxygen-related defects. These intentionally generated sub-gap states played a key role in photoelectron generation under illumination with relatively long-wavelength visible light despite the wide band gap of IGZO (>3.0 eV). Compared with conventional IGZO phototransistors, our HPI phototransistor displayed outstanding optoelectronic characteristics and sensitivity; we measured a threshold voltage (Vth) shift from 3.64 to -6.27 V and an on/off current ratio shift from 4.21 × 1010 to 4.92 × 102 under illumination with a 532 nm green light of 10 mW/mm2 intensity and calculated a photosensitivity of 1.16 × 108. The remarkable optoelectronic characteristics and high optical transparency suggest optical sensor applications.

In the steam generator of a sodium-cooled fast reactor, heat transfer occurs from the primary sodium flow side at high temperature to the secondary water flow side at low temperature. Preventing the interaction between sodium and water in the heat exchanger is important to avoid a reactive explosion. To do so, the concept of the copper bonded steam generator, which consists of heat-exchanger modules with cross-flow-type arrangement, was recently proposed. In this cross-type arrangement, the sodium flow should be as uniform as possible throughout the horizontal channels in terms of the heat transfer efficiency between the sodium and water sides. This study aims to design a perforated plate leading to uniform sodium flow distribution throughout the 66×33 channels. The geometrical design and location of the perforated plate are optimized using numerical simulation. The designed plate improves the flow distribution uniformity at a slight cost of pressure loss.

As constructing hardware technology is widely regarded as an important step toward realizing brain-like computers and artificial intelligence systems, the development of artificial synaptic electronics that can simulate biological synaptic functions is an emerging research field. Among the various types of artificial synapses, synaptic transistors using an electrolyte as the gate electrode have been implemented as the high capacitance of the electrolyte increases the driving current and lowers operating voltages. Here, transistors using maltose-ascorbic acid as the proton-conducting electrolyte are proposed. A novel electrolyte composed of maltose and ascorbic acid, both of which are biocompatible, enables the migration of protons. This allows the channel conductance of the transistors to be modulated with the gate input pulse voltage, and fundamental synaptic functions including excitatory postsynaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, long-term potentiation, and long-term depression can be successfully emulated. Furthermore, the maltose-ascorbic acid electrolyte (MAE)-gated synaptic transistors exhibit high mechanical endurance, with near-linear conductivity modulation and repeatability after 1000 bending cycles under a curvature radius of 5 mm. Benefitting from its excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, the proposed MAE has potential applications in environmentally friendly, economical, and high-performance neuromorphic electronics, which can be further applied to dermal electronics and implantable electronics in the future.

Herein, the ferrocene redox indicator-based surface film characteristics of spinel lithium manganese oxide (LMO) were evaluated. The pre-cycling of spinel LMO generated a film on the LMO surface. The surface film deposited on LMO surface suppresses further electrolyte decomposition, while the penetration of approximately 0.7 nm-sized redox indicator is not prevented. The facile self-discharge of LMO and regeneration current from the ferrocenium molecule was observed from the redox indicator in a specifically designed four-electrode cell. From this electrochemical behavior, a small-sized HF molecule attack on the LMO surface through a carbonate-based electrolyte-derived film is defined; hence, the prevention of small-sized molecules into the deposited surface film is crucial for the enhancement of LiMn2O4-based lithium-ion batteries.

Based on the movement and accumulation of ions in the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([EMIM]DCA) electrolyte under a positive gate bias, the electrical double layer (EDL) was formed between a nanomesh channel and the [EMIM]DCA electrolyte to contribute to the increase in the conductance of the channel. The basic functions of artificial synapses, such as excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired pulse facilitation (PPF), short-term plasticity (STP), and long-term plasticity (LTP), are realized successfully. Besides, the high-pass filter function was implemented, which shows the application potential of the device in signal processing.

In recent studies, the creep rate of Zircaloy-4, one of the basic property parameters of the nuclear fuel code, has been commonly used with the axial creep model proposed by Rosinger et al. However, in order to calculate the circumferential deformation of the fuel cladding, there is a limitation that a difference occurs depending on the anisotropic coefficients used in deriving the circumferential creep equation by using the axial creep equation. Therefore, in this study, the existing axial creep law and the derived circumferential creep results were analyzed through a circumferential creep test by the internal pressurization method in the isothermal conditions. The circumferential creep deformation was measured through the optical image analysis method, and the results of the experiment were investigated through constructed IDECA (In-situ DEformation Calculation Algorithm based on creep) code. First, preliminary tests were performed in the isotropic β–phase. Subsequently in the anisotropic α-phase, the correlations obtained from a series of circumferential creep tests were compared with the axial creep equation, and optimized anisotropic coefficients were proposed based on the performed circumferential creep results. Finally, the IDECA prediction results using optimized anisotropic coefficients based on creep tests were validated through tube burst tests in transient conditions.

In this study, the oxygen scavenger layer (OSL) is proposed as a back channel in the bilayer channel to enhance both the electrical characteristics and stability of an amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide thin-film transistor (a-IGZO TFT) and also to enable its fabrication at low temperature. The OSL is a hafnium (Hf)-doped a-IGZO channel layer deposited by radio-frequency magnetron cosputtering. Amorphous IGZO TFTs with the OSL, even if annealed at a low temperature (200 °C), exhibited improved electrical characteristics and stability under positive bias temperature stress (PBTS) compared to those without the OSL, specifically in terms of field-effect mobility (31.08 vs 9.25 cm2/V s), on/off current ratio (1.73 × 1010 vs 8.68 × 108), and subthreshold swing (0.32 vs 0.43 V/decade). The threshold voltage shift under PBTS at 50 °C for 10,000 s decreased from 9.22 to 2.31 V. These enhancements are attributed to Hf in the OSL, which absorbs oxygen ions from the a-IGZO front channel near the interface between a-IGZO and the OSL.

We introduced an organic interlayer into the Schottky contact interface to control the contact property. After inserting an 11-nm-thick polyethylenimine (PEI) interlayer between the aluminum (Al) source/drain electrode and the cuprous oxide (Cu2O) channel layer, the Cu2O thin-film transistors (TFTs) exhibited improved electrical characteristics compared with Cu2O TFTs without a PEI interlayer; the field-effect mobility improved from 0.02 to 0.12 cm2/V s, the subthreshold swing decreased from 14.82 to 7.34 V/dec, and the on/off current ratio increased from 2.43 × 102 to 1.47 × 103, respectively. Careful investigation of the contact interface between the source/drain electrode and the channel layer established that the performance improvements were caused by the formation of electric dipoles in the PEI interlayer. These electric dipoles reduced the Schottky barrier height by neutralizing the charges at the metal/oxide semiconductor interface, and the holes passed the reduced Schottky barrier by means of tunneling or thermionic injection. In this way, p-type oxide TFTs, which generally need a noble metal having a high work function as an electrode, were demonstrated with a low-work-function metal. As a basic application for logic circuits, a complementary inverter based on n-type indium-gallium-zinc oxide and p-type Cu2O TFTs was fabricated using only Al source/drain electrodes. This research achieved advances in low-cost circuit design by broadening the electrode metals available for the manufacture of p-type oxide semiconductor-based electronics.

Self-assembling colloidal particles into clathrate hydrates requires the particles to have tetrahedral bonds in the eclipsed conformation. It has been suggested that colloidal particles with eclipsed triangular-shaped patches can form clusters in the eclipsed conformation that leads to colloidal clathrate hydrates. However, in experiments, patches have been limited to circular shapes due to surface energy minimization. Here, we extend the particle synthesis strategy and show that colloidal particles with triangular patches can be readily fabricated by controlling the viscosity of the liquid oil droplets during a colloidal fusion process. The position, orientation, curvature, shape, and size of the patches are all exclusively determined by the intrinsic symmetry of the colloidal clusters, resulting in dipatch particles with eclipsed patches and tetrahedral patchy particles with patch vertices pointing toward each other. Patch curvature can be controlled by tuning the viscosity of the oil droplets and using different surfactants. Using strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition, single-stranded DNA can be selectively functionalized on the patches. However, after annealing these particles, dipatch particles form chains because the patches are too small to form clathrate hydrates. Under certain conditions, tetrahedral triangular patchy particles should prefer the eclipsed conformation, as it maximizes DNA hybridization. However, we observe random aggregates, which result from having triangular patches that are too big. We estimate that tetrahedral patchy particles that can crystallize need to be less than 1 μm in diameter.

Chalcogenide materials are emerging as promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries because of their reasonable capacity, which stems from two consecutive conversion and de/alloy reactions. Herein, we introduce the layer-structured Bi2S3 that shows long-term cyclability for sodium storage. Since deep sodiation induces the de/alloy reaction accompanied by a large volume change, we intentionally limit the reaction to the conversion process, resulting in long-term stable cyclability followed by a two-step conversion reaction: Bi2S3 + 3Na+ + 3e− → NaBiS2 + Bi0 + Na2S followed by NaBiS2 + 3Na+ + 3e− → Bi0 + 2Na2S, which was confirmed by operando X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. During the electrochemical reaction, the presence of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) anchored with Bi2S3 assists to improve the charge transfer and buffers the electrode integrity, resulting in enhanced electrode performance of the Bi2S3/rGO composite compared with that of bare Bi2S3. The feasibility of using the Bi2S3/rGO composite is further confirmed in a full cell by pairing it with a Na0.67[Ni0.1Fe0.1Mn0.8]O2 cathode, resulting in reasonable capacity retention of ~74 % of the initial capacity for 300 cycles.

We used a pulsed green laser to activate indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistors (IGZO TFTs). The IGZO films with large bandgaps (>3 eV) were easily activated by heat delivered by a pulsed green laser to the gate, source, and drain metal electrodes. The IGZO TFTs were quickly and selectively activated in the absence of conventional annealing. Compared to the IGZO TFTs that were annealed at 300°C, the IGZO TFTs that were activated via pulsed green laser irradiation exhibited superior electrical characteristics: a field effect mobility of 11.98 ± 0.64 cm2 V−1 s−1, a subthreshold swing of 0.33 ± 0.02 V dec−1, and an on/off ratio of 8.28 × 109 ± 7.42 × 109, which were attributable to increases in the number of metal–oxide (M-O) bonds and oxygen vacancies, and reduced levels of OH-related species. The pulsed green laser broke weak chemical M-O bonds in the IGZO films through dihydroxylation of the OH-related species, and then strengthened the residual M-O bonds via heat transfer from the metal electrodes. This new activation process could replace conventional annealing and is expected to expand the applications of flexible and transparent devices.

As coaxial magnetic gears use NdFeB permanent magnets with high-energy density, they have a torque density comparable to that of mechanical gears, and active research activities have been conducted since. However, NdFeB permanent magnets have conductivity and cause high permanent magnet eddy current losses due to the driving characteristics of coaxial magnetic gears. Ferrite has no conductivity, but because of its weak magnetic force, its competitiveness is poor. In this article, Nd-bonded permanent magnet which has high magnetic force and no conductivity is used. Finite element analysis (FEA) calculations and experimental results of coaxial magnetic gears using Nd-bonded permanent magnets were compared, and the direction of applying Nd-bonded to coaxial magnetic gears was presented by comparing the magnetization method of Nd-bonded.

The increasing interest in harvesting mechanical energy from day-to-day activities is gaining huge interest among researchers. We have fabricated a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) made of aluminum and PDMS film acting as positive and negative triboelectric layers. The layers are arranged in an arc-shaped structure with an air gap of 1 cm between the layers of the device. The PDMS layer is made by blending the polymer solution with the hardener in an appropriate ratio and dried to make the transparent and flexible polymer film. The device shows a maximum electrical response of 110 V and 260 nA voltage and current with the power density of 2.9 mW/m2 at 100 MΩ load resistance. Further, the device has been used for lighting green LEDs and charging commercial capacitors. An Arduino board was connected with LED and buzzer, which was triggered by the TENG device. This shows that with the proper usage of electronic components TENG can be used for self-powered sensors and with IoT applications.

Flexible, multifaceted poly(vinylidene fluoride)/selenium microrod composite films (PS-CFs) were developed by a solution casting (SC) process to convert abundant mechanical energy sources into usef...