Search

n‐Type Mg3(Sb, Bi)2 shows great prospects in mid‐temperature power generation due to its extraordinary thermoelectric (TE)  performance, low‐cost, and environment‐friendly attributes. However, its practical application is hindered by the slow progress of its p‐type counterpart. Herein, a high ZT of ≈0.9 at 773 K is achieved for p‐type Na0.01Mg1.7Zn1Yb0.25Sb2 through manipulation of the electronic transport properties. Then thermal expansion matched barrier material Fe75Sb25 is subtly obtained for Na0.01Mg1.7Zn1Yb0.25Sb2. The contact resistivity no longer increases significantly after aging for 72 hours at 673 K and tends to stabilize, remaining below ≈17 µΩ cm2 after 168 hours. Paired with the high‐performance n‐type Mg3(Sb, Bi)2, the transient liquid phase bonding technique is adopted to connect the hot side of the all‐Mg3Sb2‐based legs to electrode at low temperature, which enables service at high temperature. This all‐Mg3Sb2‐based module displays a high efficiency of ≈8.3% at a temperature difference of ≈430 K and shows good thermal stability when the hot side temperature is maintained at 673 K. This work merits the great potential of the all‐Mg3Sb2‐based device for heat recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GeTe has been considered as a promising mid‐temperature thermoelectric (TE) candidate, but its zT value is severely limited by the excessive hole concentration and high thermal conductivity. Here, it is demonstrated that the TE properties of GeTe can be significantly improve by defect engineering of Sb‐Pb and AgCuTe codoping. The Sb‐Pb codoping is adopted to optimize the carrier concentration and manipulate the rhombohedral lattice distortion, leading to valence band convergence and enhanced power factor. The AgCuTe alloying introduces multiscale phonon scattering centers including dislocations and nano‐precipitates to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity in GeTe. Consequently, a maximum zT of 2.3 at 773 K and an average zT of 1.43 (300–773 K) are obtained in (Ge0.84Sb0.06Pb0.1Te)0.99(AgCuTe)0.01. Moreover, the fabricated thermoelectric module exhibits a high output power density of 0.59 W cm–2 and an energy conversion efficiency of 7.9% at ΔT = 500 K, suggesting hierarchical defect engineering is an effective strategy to realize high‐performance GeTe‐based thermoelectric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong coupling between carrier and phonon transport in thermoelectric (TE) materials severely limits improvements to the figure of merit (ZT). In this work, an approach is proposed to weaken electron‐phonon coupling, effectively enhancing the TE performance of GeTe. Alloying with Zn4Sb3 reduces excessive carrier concentration (nH), widens the bandgap, and promotes band convergence, synergistically improving charge carrier transport and ensuring a high power factor. Additional Pb doping further optimizes nH, boosting the power factor even more. Moreover, phonon transport is suppressed through Pb doping, as reflected in enhanced acoustic‐optical interactions due to the crossing of optical and acoustic modes, and a reduction in sound group velocity. This reinforced strong phonon scattering, combined with multi‐scale hierarchical nano/microstructures in the matrix, significantly reduces lattice thermal conductivity. As a result, a high ZT of 2.1 is achieved at 753 K in Ge0.9Pb0.1Te+0.9%Zn4Sb3. Alongside optimized mechanical performance, a high power density of 1.46 W cm−2 is realized at a temperature difference of 350 K in the fabricated 7‐pair TE module. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of a stepwise optimization strategy for developing high‐performance TE materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Solar‐powered devices, such as wireless networks, are a crucial component of the Internet of Things (IoT). Designing and creating a solar cell architecture with an extended light absorption regime at a reasonable cost is therefore exceedingly important. All inorganic bismuth‐based Cs2AgBiI6 planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have garnered enormous significance due to their exceptional stability against oxygen, heat, and moisture. However, the power conversion efficiencies of Cs2AgBiI6‐based planar PSCs remain relatively low, primarily due to their limited light absorption range and interfacial charge recombination losses. This issue can be effectively addressed using a novel multi‐absorber architecture that incorporates dual absorbers with both lower band gap and wider band gap materials. This approach extends the light absorption range, enabling maximal utilization of the solar spectrum. Therefore, this article incorporates numerical modeling and guided optimization of ITO/ETL/Cs2AgBiI6/Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3/HTL/Ag dual absorber‐based heterojunction structure to improvise the power conversion efficiency of Cs2AgBiI6‐based single‐absorber PSCs. The proposed configuration employs dual perovskite absorber layers (PALs) consisting of wide band gap Cs2AgBiI6 (1.6 eV) as the top absorber layer along with narrow bandgap Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3 (1.27 eV) to act as the bottom absorber layer. Before evaluating the bilayer configuration, two standalone PSC architectures, namely, ITO/ETL/Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3/HTL/Ag (D1)‐ and ITO/ETL/Cs2AgBiI6/HTL/Ag (D2)‐based PSC have been simulated and computed to perfectly fit the earlier anticipated state of art results. After effective validation of the photovoltaic parameters of the standalone architectures, both the absorber layers are appraised to constitute a dual active layer configuration ITO/ETL/Cs2AgBiI6/Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3/HTL/Ag (D3) maintaining the overall absorber layer width constant to elevate the overall solar cell efficiency. Herein, a combination of various competent hole transport layers (HTLs) such as CBTS, CFTS, Cu2O, CuI, CuO, CuSCN, P3HT, PEDOT:PSS, and Spiro‐OMeTAD, as well as electron transport layers (ETLs) like C60, CeO2, IgZo, PCBM, TiO2, WS2, and ZnO, are adopted and compared to attain highly efficient bilayer PSC configuration. The crucial variables of all ETL‐ and HTL‐based proposed bilayer solar cell configurations including the thickness of PALs, the width of the carrier transport layers, defect densities of transport layers, the effect of operating temperature, series, and shunt resistances have been extensively optimized and tuned to attain preeminent photovoltaic power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and quantum efficiencies (QEs). It has been well evinced that the proposed configuration with dual‐absorber layers could effectively widen the light absorption regime to the near‐infrared range and thus significantly contribute toward enhanced photovoltaic performance. The simulation results attained with SCAPS showcase the outstanding performance of the proposed dual active layer solar structure obtained with the combination of CuSCN HTL and TiO2 ETL pair. The work concludes a 35.01% optimized efficient ITO/TiO2/Cs2AgBiI6(PAL‐2)/Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3(PAL‐1)/CuSCN/Ag bilayer solar cell configuration with enhanced short circuit current density (Jsc) of 32.24 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.273 V, and 85.31% fill factor (FF) with 0.6‐ and 0.8‐μm PAL‐1 and PAL‐2 width respectively and 1014‐cm−3 defect density under AM1.G solar spectrum illumination with 1000‐W/m2 light power density. The proposed eco‐friendly solar structure will also help in providing power backup to the next‐generation communication units and devices. Notably the dual‐absorber structure integrating Cs2AgBiI6 and Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3 materials demonstrates significant advantages in quantum efficiency and spectral coverage compared to using either material independently as single absorbers. The proposed model achieves a peak efficiency of approximately 93% across a spectral range of 300–975 nm, surpassing the 90% efficiency obtained with a single Cs2AgBiI6 absorber covering 300–700 nm. Moreover, it exceeds the 89% efficiency achieved by the single Fa0.75Cs0.25SnI3 absorber within the 300‐ to 974.5‐nm spectral range. Solar cells play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability, reliability, and cost efficiency of powering wireless nodes, especially in remote or environmentally sensitive areas where traditional power sources may be inadequate or unavailable. The proposed PSC, with a PCE of 35.01%, can generate 350.1 watts under standard test conditions. This provides sufficient power to support approximately 70 wireless nodes, including wireless sensor nodes, IoT devices, and others, each consuming approximately 5 watts of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 2.4 GHz high-efficiency rectifier circuit suitable for working under very-low-input electromagnetic (EM) power conditions (−20 to −10 dBm) is proposed for typical indoor power harvesting. The circuit features a SMS7630 Schottky diode in a series with a voltage booster circuit at the front end and a direct-current (DC)-pass filter at the back end. The voltage booster circuit consists of an asymmetric coupled transmission line (CTL) and a high-impedance microstrip line (of 100 Ω instead of 50 Ω) to significantly increase the potential at the diode's input, thereby enabling the diode to operate effectively even in very-low-power environments. The experimental measurements show that the microwave direct-current (MW-DC) conversion efficiency of the rectifier circuit reaches 31.1% at a −20 dBm input power and 62.4% at a −10 dBm input power, representing a 7.4% improvement compared to that of the state of the art. Furthermore, the rectifier circuit successfully shifts the input power level corresponding to the peak rectification efficiency from 0 dBm down to −10 dBm. This design is a promising candidate for powering low-energy wireless sensors in typical indoor environments (e.g., the home or office) with low EM energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuInSe2 (CISe) is a semiconductor compound used in photovoltaic applications. There are many ways to synthesize CISe, and the different synthesis methods result in CISe compounds with very different properties. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of a single-junction solar cell is predicted by Shockley and Queisser to be as high as 32%; however, the prediction only considers the semiconductor's bandgap value and the incident solar spectrum. In this study, a nearly cubic CISe supercell is constructed, and the influence of defects under different chemical potentials on the properties, especially the photovoltaic properties, is examined. The results show that p-type CISe is favorable in the stable chemical potential region when defect features are accounted for, but it has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of approximately 15%. The densities of the defects are calculated for the first time, revealing that the deep-level CuIn defect with a high density could be the limiting factor for efficiency. Notably, there is a narrow chemical potential range that allows a high carrier density and relatively low defect density. The efficiency of p-type CISe can reach 22.77% within this chemical potential with a deep-level defect density, n0, and p0 carrier densities of 1.119 × 1016, 1.295 × 102, and 9.827 × 1017 cm− 3, respectively. These findings help clarify defect-induced efficiency loss, which is crucial for improving the large-scale low-cost fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells with intrinsically high defect densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost of bifacial monocrystalline silicon passivated emitter and rear contact solar cells at the module level can be decreased by optimizing the wafer size. This research work has studied electrical and optical loss analysis for 180–90 µm wafer sizes. The solution of thinned 90 µm PERC solar cells to the module level, its performance, and comparison to the reference (180 µm) and undesigned (90 µm) PERC cells have been addressed through SunSolve simulations. A 72-cell bifacial c-Si PERC solar module was simulated with an optimized wafer thickness of 90 µm. The cell performance at a longer wavelength was improved by depositing Al2O3/SiNx/SiOx films on the rear of PERC solar cells. SiOx, SiNx, SiNy, and SiO2 films were deposited on the front side of the PERC solar cell to improve light absorption at shorter wavelengths. The present simulation design with optimized performance led to an average increase of open circuit voltage of 24.7 mV from 699.3 mV to 724 mV, an average increase of fill factor of 0.89% from 79.06% to 79.95%, and an average increase of packing conversion efficiency of 0.96% from 21.78% to 22.74%, as compared to the designed (90 µm) and reference (180 µm) cells. The simulation results showed that the designed cell absolute efficiency has improved compared to the reference cell. The optimized PERC solar cell and its parameters simulated a 72-cell bifacial solar module. The module showed average values of 51.75 V, 9.181 A, 384.3 W, 80.9% and 19.72% for Voc, Isc, Pmp, FF and efficiency. The bifaciality factor of the present module was 78.4% under standard test conditions (STC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical parametric amplification (OPA) is a promising method of producing extremely intense light. A new OPA scheme with comprehensively high performance is urgently required for future development. In this study, an amplification scheme known as crossed‐Fabry‐Perot‐cavity OPA (XOPA) is proposed. It is based on the principle of periodic idler elimination, which prevents energy back‐conversion among the three coupling waves, resulting in a monotonically increasing overall conversion efficiency. Using a signal at 808 nm and a pump at 532 nm, a chirped pulse XOPA is experimentally demonstrated with a conversion efficiency of 56.28% and a gain bandwidth of 120 nm. The measured pulse duration after compression is 19.2 fs, which is comparable to the Fourier‐transform‐limited 16.8 fs. Further investigations revealed several advantages. Stable pulse shaping in spatial, temporal, and frequency domains is realized by a spatiotemporally modulated pump. Pulse contrast adjustability on the front edge of the signal is verified in the XOPA of different Fabry‐Perot cavity lengths. These results indicate astringency and precise regulation of output in nonlinear processes. Considering numerous crystals suitable for noncollinear configurations from the near‐infrared to mid‐infrared regions, XOPA has a universal potential application in laser systems with extreme intensity, few‐cycle duration, and internal confinement fusion drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the energy consumption and carbon emissions of maritime transportation have raised concerns about environmental issues. A potential way to reduce carbon emissions from vessels is the use of chemical-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. However, this technology faces challenges such as high energy consumption, large space occupation, and high processing costs. Therefore, the development of a technology with low energy consumption and compact CO2 storage is crucial to promote the advancement of CCS technology. This paper introduces a magnesium CO2 battery system that converts CO2 into new energy, in the form of hydrogen, while storing CO2. By preparing highly efficient catalytic electrodes and testing the electrolyte and CO2 flow rate on the battery performance, the optimal process parameters were determined to be Pd/CeO2-oct for the electrodes, a 0.5 mol/L NaOH solution for the electrolyte, and a CO2 flow rate of 1 L/h. The battery system demonstrated high cycling stability and conversion efficiency at a current density of 8 mA·cm−2, with a stable cycling time of 600 min (20 cycles), a cathode hydrogen production of 10.135 mL, and a Faraday efficiency of 97.03%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A three-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI2Br) nanoparticle film was synthesized using solution process in one step. Precursors’ stoichiometry was used to prepare methylammonium bromide and lead (II) bromide in dimethyl formamide. The synthesized CH3NH3PbI2Br solution was spin coated on cleaned ITO prepatterned glass substrate at 2000 rpm. In addition, the influence of post-thermal treatment on the deposited nanoparticles films was evaluated by studying the structural, optical and morphological properties using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, UV–visible spectrophotometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The average crystallite sizes were calculated to be ~ 8.0, ~ 9.4, ~ 11.3 and ~ 13.1 nm of as-prepared and annealed films at 400, 500 and 600 °C, respectively. Besides, the bandgaps of 2.22 eV, 1.96 eV, 1.89 eV and 1.63 eV were extrapolated for as-prepared and annealed films at 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C, respectively. From J–V curves, the Jsc values of 9.4, 10.6, 11.7 and 12.8 mAcm−2, FF values of 56.99%, 57.25%, 58.94% and 59.26% and PCE values of 2.99%, 3.49%, 3.96% and 4.39% were calculated for as-prepared and annealed CH3NH3PbI2Br films at 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C, respectively. The percentage enhancement values of 14.32%, 24.49% and 31.89% compared to as-prepared CH3NH3PbI2Br film. Hence, post-thermal treatment of organic–inorganic halide perovskite material improved its photoconversion efficiency without sacrificing its dimensionality.

Abstract This research paper introduces an avant-garde poly-input DC–DC converter (PIDC) meticulously engineered for cutting-edge energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) applications. The pioneering converter synergizes two primary power sources—solar energy and fuel cells—with an auxiliary backup source, an energy storage device battery (ESDB). The PIDC showcases a remarkable enhancement in conversion efficiency, achieving up to 96% compared to the conventional 85–90% efficiency of traditional converters. This substantial improvement is attained through an advanced control strategy, rigorously validated via MATLAB/Simulink simulations and real-time experimentation on a 100 W test bench model. Simulation results reveal that the PIDC sustains stable operation and superior efficiency across diverse load conditions, with a peak efficiency of 96% when the ESDB is disengaged and an efficiency spectrum of 91–95% during battery charging and discharging phases. Additionally, the integration of solar power curtails dependence on fuel cells by up to 40%, thereby augmenting overall system efficiency and sustainability. The PIDC’s adaptability and enhanced performance render it highly suitable for a wide array of applications, including poly-input DC–DC conversion, energy storage management, and EV power systems. This innovative paradigm in power conversion and management is poised to significantly elevate the efficiency and reliability of energy storage and utilization in contemporary electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructures.

A three-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI2Br) nanoparticle film was synthesized using solution process in one step. Precursors' stoichiometry was used to prepare methylammonium bromide and lead (II) bromide in dimethyl formamide. The synthesized CH3NH3PbI2Br solution was spin coated on cleaned ITO prepatterned glass substrate at 2000 rpm. In addition, the influence of post-thermal treatment on the deposited nanoparticles films was evaluated by studying the structural, optical and morphological properties using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, UV–visible spectrophotometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The average crystallite sizes were calculated to be ~ 8.0, ~ 9.4, ~ 11.3 and ~ 13.1 nm of as-prepared and annealed films at 400, 500 and 600 °C, respectively. Besides, the bandgaps of 2.22 eV, 1.96 eV, 1.89 eV and 1.63 eV were extrapolated for as-prepared and annealed films at 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C, respectively. From J–V curves, the Jsc values of 9.4, 10.6, 11.7 and 12.8 mAcm−2, FF values of 56.99%, 57.25%, 58.94% and 59.26% and PCE values of 2.99%, 3.49%, 3.96% and 4.39% were calculated for as-prepared and annealed CH3NH3PbI2Br films at 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C, respectively. The percentage enhancement values of 14.32%, 24.49% and 31.89% compared to as-prepared CH3NH3PbI2Br film. Hence, post-thermal treatment of organic–inorganic halide perovskite material improved its photoconversion efficiency without sacrificing its dimensionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bis(2,2′-bipyridine)bis(isothiocyanato)ruthenium complexes are organo-metallic dyes having broad absorption properties in the visible region that are widely used in dye-sensitized opto-electronic devices. Here, we report the photocurrent measurement and stability studies of three Ru-complexes, cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylato)ruthenium(II) (N3), its hydrophobic analogues cis-bis(isothiocyanato)(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)(4,4'-di-nonyl-2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Z-907) and hydrophilic analogues (di-tetrabutylammonium cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylato)ruthenium(II), (N719). Z907 shows higher stability and photoelectric conversion efficiency after 2 h analysis than its hydrophilic counter-molecules, N3 and N719. The Z907-TiO2 system exhibited a 1.09 mA/cm2 photocurrent density after 2 h of analysis, with 78% of its performance retained even after an extended 48 h of analysis. The activity of N719-TiO2 and N3-TiO2 sharply decreased after 2 h of analysis, and significant desorption of the dye present on titanium oxide was also observed. This study suggests that hydrophobicity at the electrode-dye interface is a major factor supporting the stability of the dye-sensitized photoanode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect ordered and low dimensional Cs3Bi2I9 planar perovskites have garnered enormous significance in photovoltaic applications due to their remarkable stability against oxygen, heat, and moisture. Despite these advantages, the power conversion efficiencies of Cs3Bi2I9-based planar perovskites remain relatively low. This is primarily attributed to their wide band gap of approximately 2 eV and losses due to interfacial charge recombination. To resolve this issue, this article proposes a novel design of Cs3Bi2I9–La2NiMnO6 based dual absorber composition to form a ITO/ETL/Cs3Bi2I9/La2NiMnO6(LNMO)/HTL multi-heterojunction perovskite solar cell (PSC) architecture. Incorporating La2NiMnO6 oxide material as secondary multifunctional double perovskite absorber layer (DPAL), which possesses a lower band gap of 1.05 eV, as a secondary absorber layer enhances efficient charge separation. This material functions as a hole transport conductor, facilitating the creation of a cascade band-matched hole extraction system with the Cu2ZnSnS4 (CFTS) hole transport material (HTM). Optimized optical response along with precisely aligned energy levels of the proposed Cs3Bi2I9–La2NiMnO6(LNMO) absorber composition greatly attributes in enhanced optical absorption with reduced recombination losses. The critical device parameters of the proposed PSC architecture have been intensively optimized through SCAPS-1D simulator to attain a substantially affordable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.02%%, short circuit current (Jsc) of 42.7 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.863 V, and fill factor (FF) of 75.01% device defect density of 1015 cm−3 under AM 1.5 photo illumination. Notably, the utilization of a dual-absorber structure comprising Cs3Bi2I9 and La2NiMnO6 materials proves to be significantly more efficient in terms of quantum efficiency and wide spectral coverage at optimal values compared to using either material alone as single absorbers. The proposed model achieves a peak efficiency of approximately 90.22% over a spectral range of 300–1200 nm, surpassing the efficiency of 80% attained with a single Cs3Bi2I9 absorber covering a spectral range of 300–980 nm. Additionally, it outperforms the efficiency of 83% achieved by the single La2NiMnO6(LNMO) absorber within the spectral range of 300–1200 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High power output and high conversion efficiency are crucial parameters for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In our previous work, we worked with microfluidic MFCs to study fundamentals related to the power density of the MFCs, but nutrient consumption was limited to one side of the microchannel (the electrode layer) due to diffusion limitations. In this work, long-term experiments were conducted on a new four-electrode microfluidic MFC design, which grew Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms on upward- and downward-facing electrodes in the microchannel. To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing electroactive biofilm (EAB) growth experiencing the influence of opposing gravitational fields. It was discovered that inoculation and growth of the EAB did not proceed as fast at the downward-facing anode, which we hypothesize to be due to gravity effects that negatively impacted bacterial settling on that surface. Rotating the device during the growth phase resulted in uniform and strong outputs from both sides, yielding individual power densities of 4.03 and 4.13 W m−2, which increased to nearly double when the top- and bottom-side electrodes were operated in parallel as a single four-electrode MFC. Similarly, acetate consumption could be doubled with the four electrodes operated in parallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Object: Taking the acquisition mechanism of oscillatory flapping-wing wave energy as the research object, the scheme design and dynamic analysis of the acquisition mechanism are studied. Research Methods: According to the working principle of the acquisition mechanism of oscillatory flapping-wing wave energy, the rotation dynamics model of the acquisition mechanism and the corresponding relationship between the model parameters and the design parameters of the mechanism are established. Based on the momentum moment theorem, the differential equation of the dynamics of the acquisition mechanism and the transfer function of the system are established. The dynamic response of the acquisition mechanism is analyzed, the system parameters are optimized, and the scheme design is carried out. The conversion efficiency of the acquisition mechanism and the energy collection efficiency under different sea conditions are calculated. The motion response of the acquisition mechanism is simulated and analyzed by MATLAB and AQWA software. Research Results: The results show that the response of the crank and swing slider acquisition mechanism is fast and stable, and the average conversion efficiency is 34%. The research process provides an effective reference for the development of the acquisition mechanism of oscillatory flapping-wing wave energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient recovery of the waste heat from the industrial sector can represent an essential step in global energy saving, with the proper usage of other on-grid power resources available for specific high-energy consumers. A simple, low--cost energy conversion system was tested here to recover a part of the waste heat dissipated by a gasoline engine's exhaust pipe under the car's stationary testing mode at temperatures around 80-100 °C. The main components of this system were a copper--made thermal collector, a commercial thermoelectric energy generator (TEG) module TEC1 -- 12706 and a pin-fin heat sink under natural air convection cooling. Under the open-circuit test, heat transfer rates between 4.54 W and 5.56 W were evacuated by the heat sink. A DC electronic load RL was connected at the TEG outputs, and voltage values between 0.566 V and 1.242 V were recorded for output power values between 0.03 W and 0.16 W when RL was modified from 1 Ω to 10 Ω . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a comparison of efficiency and thermal stability of commonly used MAPbI3, FAPbI3 and (FAPbI3)1−xMAPb (Br3−yCly)x based perovskite solar cells is carried out. The structures ITO/SnO2/MAPbI3, FAPbI3 and (FAPbI3)1−xMAPb (Br3−yCly)x x/Spiro-OMETAD/Au are simulated using SCAPS-1D software. After simulation, the observed power conversion efficiency of MAPbI3-based solar cell is 17.37% at optimized thickness 900 nm, while other two solar cells based on FAPbI3 and (FAPbI3)1−xMAPb (Br3−yCly)x have PCEs 17.07% and 16.24% respectively, at optimized thickness 800 nm. The thermal study reveals that the mix cation based solar cell has higher thermal stability as compared to other two purposed structures. This study simplifies the selection of absorber layer in solar cell structure. Our results may help the researcher to fabricate stable and efficient device structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-power microwave (HPM) sources remain of interest to research due to their diverse range of applications The motivation of this research field is to increase the efficiency of HPM sources. One of the simplest oscillators for HPM generation is a virtual cathode oscillator (vircator), however, it has a poor beam-to-microwave conversion efficiency. Therefore, enhancement of the vircator efficiency has demanded innovative solutions since it first appeared 46 years ago. Finding potential methodologies, strategies, and important aspects that may help vircators for better efficiency. Thus, the progress over the last 46 years to improve vircator efficiency using various strategies was summarized in this review. Furthermore, a key idea was also provided for increasing the number of virtual cathodes (VCs) in the beam simultaneously, which might be a useful future technique to achieve high efficiency. A VC is a source of HPM generation. Another factor contributing to the low conversion efficiency in the vircator is that only one VC is formed, and the electron density confined within that single VC is quite modest in comparison to the overall electron density in the device. A considerable number of electrons after escaping from a single VC were lost on the conductive drift-tube wall causing electron loss. This review provides an idea of the formation of multi-VCs in the beam simultaneously. In this way, the generated power of HPM from each newborn VCs sums up to attain better efficiency in one vircator device. Vircator efficiency improved to 28.6% in experiments and 50% in simulations with multiple VCs. This review could be useful in providing a platform for discussing the collective progress made during recent years and highlighting key points for achieving high conversion efficiency that need to be addressed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Electrochemistry is the property of Journal of Electrochemistry Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A direct charge nuclear battery, or DCNB, is one of the nuclear batteries based on direct energy conversion and is characterized by exceptional high voltage generation and conversion efficiency higher than other nuclear batteries. For studying potential applications of DCNB, a preliminary estimation of DCNB electrical power and performance is required; hence, conversion efficiency analysis is crucial. For preliminary verification purposes, an ideal DCNB conversion efficiency was calculated under the simplified electron transport model by using the general-purpose Monte Carlo particle transport calculation code PHITS. The result was compared with a reference experimental efficiency for a T-loaded parallel plate DCNB, and the resulting relative error was approximately 12%. Considering the relative error of 20% or less in DCNB conversion efficiency shown by preceding studies, the resulting error was comparable, and it was concluded that the PHITS code is sufficiently applicable to DCNB conversion efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of temperature on the different parameters of consumption and utilization of food, such as consumption index, conversion of ingested food, absolute digestibility, conversion of digested food and growth rate were investigated by rearing Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister at 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C. Death of different life stages, including under-developed adults occurred at 15 and 35°C. Maximum consumption index during the feeding period was observed at 25°C, whereas it was minimum at 30°C. The results revealed that conversion of ingested food was maximum at 20°C and minimum at 25°C. In addition, the conversion of digested food was maximum at 20°C and minimum at 25°C. However, absolute digestibility and relative growth rate increased with increasing temperature from 20 to 30°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ordnance Equipment Engineering is the property of Chongqing University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: One of the proposed applications of gene drives has been to revert pesticide resistant mutations back to the ancestral susceptible state. Insecticides that have become ineffective because of the rise of resistance could have reinvigorated utility and be used to suppress pest populations again, perhaps at lower application doses. RESULTS: We have created a laboratory model for susceptibility gene drives that replaces field‐selected resistant variants of the acetylcholine esterase (Ace) locus of Drosophila melanogaster with ancestral susceptible variants. We constructed a CRISPR/Cas9 homing drive and found that homing occurred in many genetic backgrounds with varying efficiencies. While the drive itself could not be homozygous, it converted resistant alleles into susceptible ones and produced recessive lethal alleles that could suppress populations. Our studies provided evidence for two distinct classes of gene drive resistance (GDR): rather than being mediated by the conventional non‐homologous end‐joining (NHEJ) pathway, one seemed to involve short homologous repair and the other was defined by genetic background. Additionally, we used simulations to explore a distinct application of susceptibility drives; the use of chemicals to prevent the spread of synthetic gene drives into protected areas. CONCLUSIONS: Insecticide susceptibility gene drives could be useful tools to control pest insects however problems with particularities of target loci and GDR will need to be overcome for them to be effective. Furthermore, realistic patterns of pest dispersal and high insecticide exposure rates would be required if susceptibility were to be useful as a 'safety‐switch' to prevent the unwanted spread of gene drives. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-film solar cells are a substitute for more common crystalline silicon solar cells, which consist of thin semiconductor layers. Thin-film materials comprise direct bandgap and can absorb sunlight more efficiently than silicon. In this article, a double-absorber-based thin-film solar cell comprising CZTS/CZTSSe is designed and optimized through numerical simulation. The proposed solar cell structure consists of a transparent window layer made of aluminum-doped zinc oxide, followed by an intrinsic zinc oxide layer, an n-type cadmium sulfide layer, and a p-type combined absorber layer of copper zinc tin sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4) (CZTS) and copper zinc tin sulfur-selenium alloy (Cu2ZnSn(S,Se4)) (CZTSSe). The structure is further optimized by introducing two interfacial layers between CZTSSe/CZTS and CZTS/CdS. The highest conversion efficiency is achieved by adjusting the thicknesses of the layers, the doping densities in different layers, and the defect densities in the two absorber layers. The optimized model, with a total thickness of 2.01 μm, demonstrates an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.7669 V, a short-circuit current (Jsc) of 48.57740 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 70.61%, and efficiency (η) of 26.31%. These results suggest that CZTS is a promising candidate for replacing other thin-film photovoltaic materials, such as CdTe. The proposed double-absorber thin-film solar cell optimizes doping concentration, thickness, and defect density to enhance performance metrics and efficiency while utilizing non-toxic materials to promote cost-effective, environmentally friendly energy solutions.

Semiconductor is the main part of the photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study, an evaluation was conducted on two different morphological shapes of TiO2/ZnO semiconductors, namely nanoparticles (NPs) and nanofibers (NFs), to enhance the efficiency of DSSCs. The nanofibrous semiconductors were fabricated using the electrospinning technique. Furthermore, a natural sensitizer, anthocyanin dye, was used to promote the environmental friendliness of the fabricated cells. These cells were then compared to those that used a synthetic dye known as N719 to determine their efficiencies. The UV–vis results confirmed the extraction of anthocyanin from black plum fruits (Syzygium cumini). The structural characteristics of the composites were examined using XRD, FE-SEM, and BET experiments. The XRD results revealed that the anatase phase of TiO2 was dominant in the crystal structure of the semiconductors, while the crystallite sizes of the composites were 25.04 nm and 12.24 nm in NPs and NFs forms, respectively. The FE-SEM analysis revealed the formation of quasi-spherical NPs with an average diameter of 48.26 ± 17.75 nm and NFs with an average diameter of 153.99 ± 26.18 nm. The BET results showed that the surface characteristics of the nanocomposite were enhanced by changing the shape from NPs to NFs. Photovoltaic studies showed that utilizing NFs semiconductors in the photoanodes of DSSCs resulted in increased conversion efficiency of light to electricity. The results of the sun simulator studies confirmed that the use of natural dye led to a decrease in the effectiveness of the DSSCs. This phenomenon can be attributed to the weaker binding of the natural dye to the photoanodes. Furthermore, the EIS investigations illustrated that the electron lifetime in the natural dye is more than twice that of N719, leading to a reduced rate of electron recombination in the Syzygium cumini extract. The TiO2/ZnO NFs photoanodes exhibited superior performance compared to their nanoparticle counterparts in DSSCs. Their high surface area promoted superior dye adsorption and light absorption. Moreover, the interconnected nanofiber network facilitated efficient electron transport, minimizing recombination losses. Increasing the binding strength of the chosen natural dye to the photoanode will also make the cells more environmentally friendly and improve their ability to produce electricity.

Currently generated nitrogen oxides (NOx) and unburned ammonia (NH3) can be converted into nitrogen and moisture that are harmless to the human body and environment using selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The concentrations of NOx and unburned NH3 emitted from the ammonia combustion engines are significantly higher than those emitted by engines using existing hydrocarbon fuels. In this study, ammonia, a representative carbon-free fuel, was used in spark ignition engines for existing passenger vehicles to identify the trends in exhaust gases emitted from engines and conduct experiments on after-treatment strategies to reduce NOx and unburned NH3. The addition of oxygen significantly maximized the conversion efficiency of the SCR after-treatment system by changing the concentration of both NOx and NH3 in the exhaust gas.

Methylammonium Silicon Iodide (MASiI3), a novel perovskite material, has recently garnered significant attention for its potential to enhance the stability of solar cells. However, MASiI3-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have yet to achieve high performance. In this study, we utilized SCAPS-1D device modeling to investigate and optimize the performance of MASiI3-based PSCs, focusing on several key parameters. Our optimization efforts included the electron and hole transport layers (ETL and HTL), their respective thicknesses, doping densities (ND and NA), the TiO2/MASiI3 and MASiI3/Cu2O interface layers, series and shunt resistances, the metal back contact, and the influence of temperature. Through comparative analysis of various prospective materials, we identified TiO2 as the optimal ETL and Cu2O as the optimal HTL due to their superior band alignment. Our findings also highlighted the critical role of ambient temperature in maximizing power conversion efficiency (PCE). The proposed ETL and HTL materials demonstrated effective charge transport properties, contribute to enhanced device performance. Our optimized device achieved a Voc of 0.896 V, a Jsc of 42.47 mA/cm2, an FF of 76.94 %, and a remarkable PCE of 29.29 %. These results underscore the potential of MASiI3-based PSCs when utilizing TiO2 and Cu2O as charge-carrying materials and pave the way for further advancements in perovskite solar cell technology.

The soybean seed yield response to phosphorus (P) fertilizer has significantly increased during soybean breeding but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we used two soybean cultivars with high (Andou 8 (AD8)) and low (Qiandou 5 (QD5)) seed yield response to P fertilizer to compare their yield and yield components, biomass accumulation and partitioning, P content and partitioning and P-use efficiency in Shiqian (SQ) and Dafang (DF) during the growing season in 2020 under 0 (P0) and 35 (P35) kg P ha−1 supply. The results show that AD 8 had a greater seed yield, pod biomass, filled-pod number, seed number, pod P content and P partitioning to pods, and P-use efficiency based on seed yield (PUESY) but lower P-use efficiency based on biomass (PUEB) than QD5 at two experimental sites. The seed number was positively correlated with total biomass and P content, especially with greater pod biomass accumulation and its partition to pods which showed a positive correlation with seed number. Seed number was negatively correlated with stem dry weight and its partitioning to stem, and stem P partition. We conclude (1) different yield response to P fertilizer are explained by different biomass and P content and their partitioning to pod; (2) high biomass and P-conversion efficiency increased the seed number, which accounted for a high yield response to P fertilizer. Our results highlight that soybean breeding increased biomass and nutrient content and their conversion efficiency to achieve high seed yield with P-fertilizer supply.

Identifying brain-tissue types holds significant research value in the biomedical field of non-contact brain-tissue measurement applications. In this paper, a layered metastructure is proposed, and the second harmonic generation (SHG) in a multilayer metastructure is derived using the transfer matrix method. With the SHG conversion efficiency (CE) as the measurement signal, the refractive index ranges that can be distinguished are 1.23~1.31 refractive index unit (RIU) and 1.38~1.44 RIU, with sensitivities of 0.8597 RIU−1 and 1.2967 RIU−1, respectively. It can distinguish various brain tissues, including gray matter, white matter, and low-grade glioma, achieving the function of a second harmonic mode sensor (SHMS). Furthermore, temperature has a significant impact on the SHG CE, which can be used to define the switch signal indicating whether the SHMS is functioning properly. When the temperature range is 291.4~307.9 Kelvin (K), the temperature switch is in the "open" state, and the optimal SHG CE is higher than 0.298%, indicating that the SHMS is in the working state. For other temperature ranges, the SHG CE will decrease significantly, indicating that the temperature switch is in the "off" state, and the SHMS is not working. By stimulating temperature and using the response of SHG CE, the temperature-switch function is achieved, providing a new approach for temperature-controlled second harmonic detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) is a kind of perovskite material, which can effectively absorb photons in sunlight, with an adjustable band gap and relatively stable performance. Aiming at the problem of photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells, this paper proposes a perovskite solar cell with MAPbI3 as an absorption layer. The device structure adopts a trans structure with good stability and low cost, and the hole transport layer adopts poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate(PEDOT:PSS) material, which has good electrical properties and interface properties, and has certain transparency. The electron transport layer adopts tin oxide (SnO2), and its energy band structure is beneficial to carrier transport, and it has excellent electron transport performance and chemical stability, which makes it a material for the electron transport layer. The top electrode and the bottom electrode are made of indium tin oxide (ITO) and aurum (Au) with high reliability respectively. The thickness, band gap, and defect concentration of the battery are simulated by solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS) software. The results show that the thickness and band gap of the absorption layer has great influence on the performance of the battery. The open‐circuit voltage, short‐circuit current density, filling factor and photoelectric conversion efficiency of the optimized perovskite solar cell reached 1.219 V, 30.1641 mA cm−2, 70.14%, and 25.78% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) is a kind of perovskite material, which can effectively absorb photons in sunlight, with an adjustable band gap and relatively stable performance. Aiming at the problem of photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells, this paper proposes a perovskite solar cell with MAPbI3 as an absorption layer. The device structure adopts a trans structure with good stability and low cost, and the hole transport layer adopts poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate(PEDOT:PSS) material, which has good electrical properties and interface properties, and has certain transparency. The electron transport layer adopts tin oxide (SnO2), and its energy band structure is beneficial to carrier transport, and it has excellent electron transport performance and chemical stability, which makes it a material for the electron transport layer. The top electrode and the bottom electrode are made of indium tin oxide (ITO) and aurum (Au) with high reliability respectively. The thickness, band gap, and defect concentration of the battery are simulated by solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS) software. The results show that the thickness and band gap of the absorption layer has great influence on the performance of the battery. The open‐circuit voltage, short‐circuit current density, filling factor and photoelectric conversion efficiency of the optimized perovskite solar cell reached 1.219 V, 30.1641 mA cm−2, 70.14%, and 25.78% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates a metasurface design to achieve remarkable second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency and enhance effective nonlinear susceptibility using the finite element method. The elements of the designed structure are composed of a rectangular split-ring resonator Ag film, a bowtie-shaped Ag nanoantenna, and a pair of Bi bars that induce nonlinear optical phenomena due to the nonuniform distribution of the electric and magnetic fields within the device surface. The simulation results agree perfectly with the theory and demonstrate outstanding achievements in terms of SHG conversion efficiency (η) and effective nonlinear susceptibility ( χ e f f (2) ). Specifically, the metasurface reaches a peak η value of 4.544 × 10 − 8 and an effective nonlinear susceptibility of 3.4 × 10 4 pm/V. This work presents a novel and versatile design to achieve high η and χ e f f (2)   in an SHG metasurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation is considered to be an important means to improve the ecological environment and mitigate climate change. However, inappropriate vegetation restoration can result in severe soil desiccation and ecosystem degradation in water‐limited regions. Here, we evaluated the effects of six different afforestation patterns on soil moisture content, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, and especially the conversion efficiency of the two on the Loess Plateau, taking abandoned land (Al) as a control sample, and attempting to recognize a suitable afforestation pattern based on these parameters. The six afforestation patterns considered were two single‐species shrub plantations (Caragana korshinskii, Ck and Hippophae rhamnoides, Hr), two single‐species tree plantations (Robinia pseudoacacia, Rp and Platycladus orientalis, Po), and two mixed‐species plantations (Rp, Po, Pinus tabuliformis, Pt, and Ulmus pumila, Up mixed plantations (MP); Po and Pt with terracing [MP + T]). We found that mixed‐species plantations (MP + T and MP) have less soil moisture depletion than single‐species plantations, Ck had the highest SOC sequestration but also had a significant deep soil moisture deficit. MP + T had less deep soil moisture deficit but also had lower SOC sequestration than MP. MP show a better comprehensive effect when considering both soil organic carbon sequestration and soil water‐carbon conversion efficiency. Therefore, multispecies MP represent a potentially valuable approach to sustainable afforestation patterns for soil carbon sequestration on the Loess Plateau. This afforestation pattern has the potential to be applied in other similar semi‐arid and semihumid regions. Our results provide insight into vegetation restoration in areas with degraded land. In future afforestation activities, planners must alleviate regional water pressure, increase soil carbon sequestration by increasing species richness, and select the best combination of species to optimize the stability and sustainability of the plantation ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the acceleration of the global warming process, the clean energy crisis is becoming serious; conventional energy is unlikely to solve the current crisis, so people pay attention to new energy. As wave energy is widely distributed, renewable, and clean, hundreds of wave energy converters emerge. In order to understand the research progress of wave energy converters better, this paper divides wave energy converters into overtopping type, oscillating water column type, and oscillating body type according to the working principle and divides the oscillating body type into oscillating float type and oscillating pendulum type by different ways of energy capture. Based on the classification, various types of engineering cases, physical tests and digital simulation, and other academic research results are summarized, especially the generation power and energy conversion efficiency of various devices, and some shortcomings and suggestions are put forward, hoping to provide help for readers to study wave energy generation converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the control of temperature rise in photovoltaic panels by using wickless heat pipe cooling technique. These heat pipes take the help of gravity for circulation of their working fluid without using a wick structure. For current thermal management study, two solar panels of same dimensions and two identical gravity assisted wickless heat pipes are designed and fabricated. One of the panels is cooled by using these two heat pipes. Other panel, without heat pipes is used for performance comparison purpose and has been designated as the reference module. In order to have the same operating conditions, these panels have been installed together. Experimental parameters such as voltage, current from both panels, module temperatures along with solar irradiance and ambient temperature are recorded with the help of a data logger. For this study, minute wise data of various parameters have been recorded for the test period of 9 AM to 5 PM, since solar radiation intensity is high during this time period. Actual data tabulation for the analysis has been done at 15 minute intervals. The comparative analysis for each panel has been carried out for various dates and has been presented in this paper. A significant drop in temperature of around10%, corresponding to a temperature reduction of5.96°C, has been estimated in the operating temperature of photovoltaic module equipped with wickless heat pipes. Further, due to the thermal management, in this study, the optimum enhancement in photoelectric conversion efficiency is found to be 7.69%, with 15.4% of panel with cooling and 14.3% of panel without cooling. Similarly optimum improvement of 4.03% in power output has been recorded with 27.09 W from panel with cooling and 26.04 W from the panel with no cooling. The outcomes of this experimental study are highly encouraging in the field of photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermally-based solar steam generation has emerged as a promising solution for efficient water evaporation. Photothermal particles offer significant advantages in water treatment by converting light energy into heat. While gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are commonly used, their cost can be prohibitive. This study focuses on developing a photothermal water evaporation matrix using hollow CuS nanoparticles (NPs)-embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane sponge. This innovative approach enhanced both water absorption and heat transfer. The system achieved a remarkably high water evaporation rate of 3.23 kg/m2 h under xenon arc lamp irradiation. The investigation revealed that specific wavelength ranges, particularly the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared regions, significantly contribute to water evaporation, with the UV region playing the most prominent role. These findings help optimize photothermal effects by enhancing light absorption at specific wavelengths. Notably, CuS NPs offer a cost-effective alternative to AuNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the commercial application of high‐performance skutterudite (SKD) thermoelectric (TE) devices, breakthroughs in the batch fabrication of TE material and the realization of its stable bonding to the barrier layer are necessary. In this work, the large‐scale SKD bulks with excellent TE performance and decent homogeneity are prepared by melt‐spinning (MS) combined with a hot pressing process. Then, a modified two‐step sintering method is employed to effectively suppress the degree of initial interfacial reaction, resulting in a barrier layer/SKD joint that exhibits low contact resistivity (≈2µΩ·cm2) and high bonding strength (≈30 MPa) with no significant change after aging at 773 K for 30 days. Encouragingly, the joints welded with Mo50Cu50 electrodes also show high stability under the same aging conditions. Finally, the as‐fabricated 8‐pair module shows a highly competitive conversion efficiency of 9% under a temperature difference of 580 K. In addition, during a 360 h aging test with hot‐side temperature of 773 K, the module shows excellent stability. Overall, this work paves the way for batch fabrication of high‐performance SKD using MS and lays a solid foundation for the stable operation of SKD‐based modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It needs to be improved the conversion efficiency and stable operation of conventional pyrolysis with high-temperature flue gas heating (HFH). Herein, a new radiative heating (RH) pyrolysis method is proposed. Experimental studies are carried out on a self-made radiation pyrolysis pilot plant to investigate the effects of different factors (pyrolysis final temperature, residence time, and carrier gas volume) on product distribution. The results show that with the increase of pyrolysis temperature, the yield of the gas phase consistently increases, and the proportion of CH4 and H2 in the pyrolysis gas reaches 62.31% at 700 °C. The yield of the liquid phase increases and then decreases. The recovery rate of pyrolysis oil achieves 68.07% when the pyrolysis temperature is 600 °C with main components of ketones and unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds. The yield of the solid phase consistently decreases. The RH in this work generates more pyrolysis gas in the pyrolysis process and alleviates the effects of fouling layers on the continuous operation of the equipment which has guiding significance for the efficient resource utilization of oil sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the influence of pump radiation parameters and laser resonator configurations on the characteristics of high-energy 589 nm KGW Raman lasers is investigated and explained. The best energy efficiency is obtained in lasers with a flat resonator, while the best angular characteristics are obtained in lasers with an unstable resonator. The use of stable spherical resonators results in the worst energy and angular characteristics. The angular divergence in lasers with flat cavities increases with pump intensity because of wing growth, whereas the core width remains unchanged. The structure of the wings is recorded and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has remarkable optoelectronic capabilities that make it a promising option for the next generation solar cells. In this work, a solar cell with the structure Al/FTO/CdS/Sb2Se3/Mo is modeled and numerically analyzed using SCAPS-1D program. Furthermore, a Al/FTO/CdS/Sb2Se3/Sb2S3/Mo solar cell structure that uses Sb2S3 as the back surface field (BSF) layer is proposed. A comprehensive examination of photovoltaic characteristics for the solar cells was carried out. The optimization process involved adjusting the operating temperature, series and shunt resistance, doping concentration, bulk defect density, back contact metal work function, and thickness of the absorber layer. The optimized Sb2Se3-based solar cell with Sb2S3 material showed a conversion efficiency of 28.91%, suggesting that Sb2Se3-based solar cells have a great deal of potential for further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissipative Kerr solitons (DKS) have long been suffering from poor power conversion efficiency when driven by continuous-wave lasers. By deriving the critical coupling condition of a multimode nonlinear optics system in a generalized theoretical framework, two efficiency limitations of the conventional pump method of DKS are revealed: the effective coupling rate is too small and is also power-dependent. A general approach is provided to resolve this challenge by introducing two types of nonlinear couplers to couple the soliton cavity and CW input through nonlinear processes. The collective coupler opens multiple coupling channels and the self-adaptive coupler builds a power-independent effective external coupling rate to the DKS for approaching the generalized critical coupling condition, which promises near-unity power conversion efficiencies. For instance, a conversion efficiency exceeding 90% is predicted for aluminum nitride microrings with a nonlinear coupler utilizing second-harmonic generation. The mechanism applies to various nonlinear processes, including Raman and Brillouin scattering, and thus paves the way for micro-solitons toward practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research introduces a novel dual ultra-wideband rectenna that has been specifically devised for the S and C bands. The rectenna configuration being presented demonstrates the potential to efficiently capture energy from 1.5 GHz to 4.65 GHz, and 5.55 GHz–7.85 GHz. It is noteworthy to mention that the bandwidths (BW) corresponding to these frequency ranges are 3.15 GHz and 2.3 GHz, correspondingly. The envisioned rectenna is designed to cater to a selection of five distinct commercial bands. The frequencies under consideration include 1.8 GHz, UTMS 2.1 GHz, 5G 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz, which fall within the mid band range for 5G technology. Notably, the extended S-band and C band are also included within this range, catering specifically to 5G applications. For the purpose of rectification, a solitary HSMS 2850 Schottky diode has been selected. The maximum recorded Conversion Efficiency (CE) achieved at 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 5.8 GHz corresponds to CE values of 67 %, 65 %, 77 %, 71 %, and 71 %, respectively. These CE measurements were obtained under varying input power levels (IPL) of −6 dBm, 4 dBm, 4 dBm, 2 dBm, and 9 dBm, respectively. The rectenna under consideration is designed to operate across five distinct frequency bands. Notably, the CE exceeds 65 % across all of these frequency bands. Consequently, the rectenna exhibits a higher output power. As a result, this modification makes it appropriate for supplying energy to low-power electronic equipment.