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Abstract Water electrolysis is considered one of the major sources of green hydrogen as the fuel of the future. However, due to limited freshwater resources, more interest has been geared toward seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production. The development of effective and selective electrocatalysts from earth-abundant elements for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as the bottleneck for seawater electrolysis is highly desirable. This work introduces novel Pd-doped Co nanoparticles encapsulated in graphite carbon shell electrode (Pd-doped CoNPs@C shell) as a highly active OER electrocatalyst towards alkaline seawater oxidation, which outperforms the state-of-the-art catalyst, RuO2. Significantly, Pd-doped CoNPs@C shell electrode exhibiting low OER overpotential of ≈213, ≈372, and ≈ 429 mV at 10, 50, and 100 mA/cm2, respectively together with a small Tafel slope of ≈ 120 mV/dec than pure Co@C and Pd@C electrode in alkaline seawater media. The high catalytic activity at the aforementioned current density reveals decent selectivity, thus obviating the evolution of chloride reaction (CER), i.e., ∼490 mV, as competitive to the OER. Results indicated that Pd-doped Co nanoparticles encapsulated in graphite carbon shell (Pd-doped CoNPs@C electrode) could be a very promising candidate for seawater electrolysis.

Abstract The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, particularly from models like ChatGPT, presents potential challenges to academic integrity and raises concerns about plagiarism. This study investigates the capabilities of various AI content detection tools in discerning human and AI-authored content. Fifteen paragraphs each from ChatGPT Models 3.5 and 4 on the topic of cooling towers in the engineering process and five human-witten control responses were generated for evaluation. AI content detection tools developed by OpenAI, Writer, Copyleaks, GPTZero, and CrossPlag were used to evaluate these paragraphs. Findings reveal that the AI detection tools were more accurate in identifying content generated by GPT 3.5 than GPT 4. However, when applied to human-written control responses, the tools exhibited inconsistencies, producing false positives and uncertain classifications. This study underscores the need for further development and refinement of AI content detection tools as AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated and harder to distinguish from human-written text.

Background: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are rapidly growing in population with very limited access to freshwater resources. To overcome this challenge, seawater desalination is proposed as an effective solution, as most MENA countries have easy access to saline water. However, desalination processes have massive demand for energy, which is mostly met by fossil fuel-driven power plants. The rapid technological advancements in renewable energy technologies, along with their gradually decreasing cost place renewable energy-driven power plants and processes as a promising alternative to conventional fuel-powered plants. Aim of Review: In the current work, renewable energy-powered desalination in the MENA region is investigated. Various desalination technologies and renewable energy resources, particularly those available in MENA are discussed. A detailed discussion of suitable energy storage technologies for incorporation into renewable energy desalination systems is also included. Key Scientific Concepts of Review: The progress made in implementing renewable energy into power desalination plants in MENA countries is summarized and analyzed by describing the overall trend and giving recommendations for the potential amalgamation of available renewable energies (REs) and available desalination technologies. Finally, a case study in the MENA region, the Al Khafji solar seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA, is used to demonstrate the implementation of REs to drive desalination processes.

Because of the harsh environmental impacts of fossil fuels, price fluctuation, and resource limitation, renewable energy resources (RERs) are considered the ultimate solution to overcome these challenges. RERs are also abundant and environmentally friendly. It has been reported that the growth rates in renewable energy installations have increased by 8–9% annually since 2010, reaching a cumulative capacity of 2.9 TW by 2020 and exceeding the growth rate for fossil resources. In this work, the different RERs have been critically discussed in terms of their operation principles, advantages, disadvantages, and associated environmental impacts, focusing on wind and solar energies as the most deployed RERs. Barriers to the full deployment of RERs to replace fossil resources are discussed. Based on the discussion presented on RERs, the contribution of deploying RERs towards the achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is also critically discussed. A total of 80 indicators have been identified for RERs' contribution toward the achievement of SDGs.

Advanced membranes fabricated from multilayer/laminated graphene oxide (GO) are promising in water treatment applications as they provide very high flux and excellent rejection of various water pollutants. However, these membranes have limited viability, and suffer from instabilities and swelling due to the hydrophilic nature of GO. In this work, the permeability and rejection performance of laminated GO membranes were improved via functionalization with ethylenediamine (EDA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The membranes are fabricated via the pressure-assembly stacking technique, and their structure is well characterized. The performance, rejection, and stability of the fabricated functionalized GO membranes were evaluated. Pillaring the GO layers using diamine and polyamine resulted in exceptionally high water permeability of 113 L/m2h (LMH) compared to only 28 LMH for the pristine GO membrane while simultaneously satisfying high rejection of multivalent salts of 79.4, 35.4, and 19.6 % for Na2SO4, MgCl2, and NaCl, respectively. The results obtained indicate that proper functionalization of GO provides a roadmap for the potential commercialization of such advanced membranes in water treatment applications.

Abstract One of the main goals of assignments in the academic environment is to assess the students’ knowledge and mastery of a specific topic, and it is crucial to ensure that the work is original and has been solely made by the students to assess their competence acquisition. Therefore, Text-Matching Software Products (TMSPs) are used by academic institutes to ensure academic integrity and address plagiarism. However, some students find ways to trick TMSPS. In this paper, files with the common tricks students do to beat TMSPS have been created and investigates with nine academic level TMPS to evaluate their effectiveness against these tricks, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each TMSP, and providing instructors with some practical tips on checking plagiarism effectively and spotting any tricks to cheat without getting noticed.

Living organisms' energy conversion is considered as an essential and sustainable green energy source and future bio-hybrid technologies. Recently, plants were used after harvesting as biomass in bio-fermentation as an energy source. In bio-electrochemical systems, microorganisms work with plants to generate electricity, hydrogen, or methane. This work discusses the simultaneous pollutant removal and electricity generation in plant-based bio-electrochemical systems (P-BES). Factors affecting the P-BES performance and the removal efficiencies of the different organic and inorganic pollutants were illustrated. Furthermore, the plant-based bioelectrochemical systems' role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) was discussed. The SDGs contribution of plant-based bioelectrochemical systems were presented and discussed to evaluate such systems' ability to achieve the three pillars of sustainable development, i.e., economic, environmental, and social.

Among all the electrocatalysts for Lithium-Air battery (Li-air), Platinum Pt is the best performing cathode material. However, the high cost of noble Pt metal and scarcity nature impedes the use of Pt-based catalysts from being extensivity used in commercial applications. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an efficient and cost-effective alternate electrocatalyst to replace Pt-based materials in lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battaries. In the present work, δ-MnO2/N-rGO composite (MNGC) has been synthesized by a simple non-template hydrothermal approach. MNGC with a porous wall structure composed of ultrathin nanosheets exhibits excellent electrochemical properties for oxidation–reduction reaction (ORR). MNGC can provide numerous pathways for abundant oxygen and electrolyte access to facilitate the mass transfer of lithium-ion. Such a well-designed structure offers the right electrocatalyst for the air cathode in lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battaries. The prepared samples principal characteristics are analyzed, which verified the successful synthesis of sheet-like δ-MnO2 grown over the surface of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO). Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) results of MNGC showed enhanced ORR performance compared to MnO2 and N-rGO in terms of the half-wave potential, limiting current, and onset potential. MNGC electrode displayed superior cyclic performances of Li-air with a stable specific capacity, decreased overpotential, reversibility, and rate capability. Li-O2 battery was also tested with MNGN electrode for limited discharge capacity of 500 mAh/g, long-term cycling was achieved without electrolyte degradation. A high specific capacity of 5250 mAh/g was obtained at a high current density of 0.2 mA/cm2. The interlinked effect of δ–MnO2 and N–rGO for supporting the electrochemical interaction between O2 and Li is explained for improved columbic and energy efficiency of Li–O2 battery

Heat transfer operations are very common in the process industry to transfer a huge amount of thermal energy, i.e., heat, from one fluid to another for different purposes. Many fluids are used as heat transfer fluid (HTF), in which water is the most common HTF due to its high specific heat, availability, and affordability. However, conventional HTFs, including water, have a lower thermal conductivity, which is the most critical thermophysical property, hence decreased heat transfer efficiency. The addition of solid particles of highly thermally conductive material, specifically at nano-size, i.e., nanoparticles NPs, result in nanofluid NF, which has evolved over the last two decades as efficient HTF and have been investigated in a wide range of applications. Among NPs, graphene (Gr) based materials have shown very high potential as NF due to the very high thermal conductivity up to 5,000 W/m.K, hence higher thermal conductivity NF. This work aims to thoroughly discuss the thermophysical properties of Gr-based NFs, including thermal conductivity, heat capacity, density, and viscosity. The discussion focus on the thermophysical properties as it is the ultimate determinator of the heat transfer characteristics of the HTF, such as the convective and the overall heat transfer coefficient as well as the heat transfer capacity of the NF. The discussion expands to the relative enhancement in such thermophysical properties reaching up to a 40% increase in thermal conductivity, as the most critical thermophysical property. The discussion shows that Gr-based NF has a much higher thermal conductivity relative to widely studied metal oxide NF and at much lower content, and lower density and viscosity increase, which is critical for determining the pumping power requirements. Critical challenges facing the application of Gr-based NFs such as cost, stability, increased density and viscosity, and environmental impacts are thoroughly discussed with mitigation recommendations given.

This investigation summarized the application of nanofluids (NFs) in heat exchangers (HExs) with different geometries. The quest for heat devices with quick response for the industrial sector is still a major challenge that has been an active research direction over the years. Addressing this issue is likely to increase the capacity of several industries. There is a direct relationship between expanding the heat capacity and the pressure drop. The common approach in increasing the rate of heat transfer often leads to an increment in pressure drop. This study reviews and summarizes the investigations on various geometrical effects inside the channel combined with NF in HExs. This review explored the potential of NFs as possible heat transfer fluid in HExs. From a detailed literature review compiled and evaluated, it has been deduced that NFs application significantly improves the thermal efficiency of HExs. The investigation further evaluated plate, helical, as well as shell and tube HExs. The review explored NFs application in HExs and how they can significantly improve the HExs' thermal characteristics. It was deduced that the use of NFs improved the heat transfer both experimentally and numerically . This equally has a direct relation to energy savings as well as industrial waste heat.

Heat exchangers are widely utilized in different thermal systems for diverse industrial aspects. The selection of HEx depends on the thermal efficiency, operating load, size, flexibility in operation, compatibility with working fluids, better temperature and flow controls, and comparatively low capital and maintenance costs. Heat transfer intensification of heat exchangers can be fulfilled using passive, active, or combined approaches. Utilizing nanofluids as working fluids for heat exchangers have evolved recently. The performance of heat exchangers employed different nanofluids depends mainly on the characteristics and improvement of thermophysical properties. Regarding the unique behavior of different nanofluids, researchers have attended noteworthy progress. The current study reviews and summarizes the recent implementations carried out on utilizing nanofluids in different types of heat exchangers, including plate heat exchangers, double-pipe heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers, and cross-flow heat exchangers. The results showed that nanofluids with enhanced thermal conductivity, although accompanied by a considerable decrease in the heat capacity and raising viscosity, has resulted in performance enhancement of different heat exchangers types. So, the performance evaluation criterion that combines the thermal enhancement and increases the pumping power for any type of heat exchangers is requisite to evaluate the overall performance properly. The challenges and opportunities for future work of heat transfer and fluid flow for different types of heat exchangers utilizing nanofluids are discussed and presented.

Fuel cells (FCs) have received huge attention for development from lab and pilot scales to full commercial scale. This is mainly due to their inherent advantage of direct conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy as a high-quality energy supply and, hence, higher conversion efficiency. Additionally, FCs have been produced at a wide range of capacities with high flexibility due to modularity characteristics. Using the right materials and efficient manufacturing processes is directly proportional to the total production cost. This work explored the different components of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and their manufacturing processes. The challenges associated with these manufacturing processes were critically analyzed, and possible mitigation strategies were proposed. The PEMFC is a relatively new and developing technology so there is a need for a thorough analysis to comprehend the current state of fuel cell operational characteristics and discover new areas for development. It is hoped that the view discussed in this paper will be a means for improved fuel cell development.

Metal–air batteries are a promising technology that could be used in several applications, from portable devices to large-scale energy storage applications. This work is a comprehensive review of the recent progress made in metal-air batteries MABs. It covers the theoretical considerations and mechanisms of MABs, electrochemical performance, and the progress made in the development of different structures of MABs. The operational concepts and recent developments in MABs are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on innovative materials design and cell structures. The classical research on traditional MABs was chosen and contrasted with metal–air flow systems, demonstrating the merits associated with the latter in terms of achieving higher energy density and efficiency, along with stability. Furthermore, the recent applications of MABs were discussed. Finally, a broad overview of challenges/opportunities and potential directions for commercializing this technology is carefully discussed. The primary focus of this investigation is to present a concise summary and to establish future directions in the development of MABs from traditional static to advanced flow technologies. A systematic analysis of this subject from a material and chemistry standpoint is presented as well.

To meet the increasing energy demand, renewable energy is considered the best option. Its patronage is being encouraged by both the research and industrial community. The main driving force for most renewable systems is solar energy. It is abundant and pollutant free compared to fossil products. Wind energy is also considered an abundant medium of energy generation and often goes hand in hand with solar energy. The last few decades have seen a sudden surge in wind energy compared to solar energy due to most wind energy systems being cost effective compared to solar energy. Wind turbines are often categorised as large or small depending on their application and energy generation output. Sustainable materials for construction of different parts of wind turbines are being encouraged to lower the cost of the system. The turbine blades and generators perform crucial roles in the overall operation of the turbines; hence, their material composition is very critical. Today, most turbine blades are made up of natural fiber-reinforced polymer (NFRP) as well as glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). Others are also made from wood and some metallic materials. Each of the materials introduced has specific characteristics that affect the system’s efficiency. This investigation explores the influence of these materials on turbine efficiency. Observations have shown that composites reinforced with nanomaterials have excellent mechanical characteristics. Carbon nanotubes have unique characteristics that may make them valuable in wind turbine blades in the future. It is possible to strengthen carbon nanotubes with various kinds of resins to get a variety of different characteristics. Similarly, the end-of-life treatment methods for composite materials is also presented.

The building block of all economies across the world is subject to the medium in which energy is harnessed. Renewable energy is currently one of the recommended substitutes for fossil fuels due to its environmentally friendly nature. Wind energy, which is considered as one of the promising renewable energy forms, has gained lots of attention in the last few decades due to its sustainability as well as viability. This review presents a detailed investigation into this technology as well as factors impeding its commercialization. General selection guidelines for the available wind turbine technologies are presented. Prospects of various components associated with wind energy conversion systems are thoroughly discussed with their limitations equally captured in this report. The need for further optimization techniques in terms of design and materials used for the development of each component is highlighted.

A low cost bipolar plate materials with a high fuel cell performance is important for the establishment of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM ) fuel cells into the competitive world market. In this research, the effect of different bipolar plates material such as Aluminum (Al), Copper (Cu), and Stainless Steel (SS) of a single stack of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells was investigated both numerically and experimentally. Firstly, a three dimensional (3D) PEM fuel cell model was developed, and simulations were conducted using commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) ANSYS FLUENT to examine the effect of each bipolar plate materials on cell performance. Along with cell performance, significant parameters distributions like temperature, pressure, a mass fraction of hydrogen, oxygen, and water is presented. Then, an experimental study of a single cell of Al, Cu, and SS bipolar plate material was used in the verification of the numerical investigation. Finally, polarization curves of numerical and experimental results was compared for validation, and the result shows that Al serpentine bipolar plate material performed better than Cu and SS materials. The outcome of the investigation was in tandem to the fact that due to adsorption on metal surfaces, hydrogen molecules is more stable on Al surface than Cu and SS surfaces.

Combined heat and power (CHP) in a single and integrated device is concurrent or synchronized production of many sources of usable power, typically electric, as well as thermal. Integrating combined heat and power systems in today’s energy market will address energy scarcity, global warming, as well as energy-saving problems. This review highlights the system design for fuel cell CHP technologies. Key among the components discussed was the type of fuel cell stack capable of generating the maximum performance of the entire system. The type of fuel processor used was also noted to influence the systemic performance coupled with its longevity. Other components equally discussed was the power electronics. The thermal and water management was also noted to have an effect on the overall efficiency of the system. Carbon dioxide emission reduction, reduction of electricity cost and grid independence, were some notable advantages associated with fueling cell combined heat and power systems. Despite these merits, the high initial capital cost is a key factor impeding its commercialization. It is, therefore, imperative that future research activities are geared towards the development of novel, and cheap, materials for the development of the fuel cell, which will transcend into a total reduction of the entire system. Similarly, robust, systemic designs should equally be an active research direction. Other types of fuel aside, hydrogen should equally be explored. Proper risk assessment strategies and documentation will similarly expand and accelerate the commercialization of this novel technology. Finally, public sensitization of the technology will also make its acceptance and possible competition with existing forms of energy generation feasible. The work, in summary, showed that proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM fuel cell) operated at a lower temperature-oriented cogeneration has good efficiency, and is very reliable. The critical issue pertaining to these systems has to do with the complication associated with water treatment. This implies that the balance of the plant would be significantly affected; likewise, the purity of the gas is crucial in the performance of the system. An alternative to these systems is the PEM fuel cell systems operated at higher temperatures.

The critical properties of La0.8Ca0.2Mn1−xCoxO3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) compounds were investigated by analysis of the magnetic measurements in the vicinity of their critical temperature. Arrott plots revealed that the paramagnetic PM-ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition for the sample with x = 0 is a first order transition, while it is a second order transition for all doped compounds. The critical exponents β, γ and δ were evaluated using modified Arrott plots (MAP) and the Kouvel-Fisher method (KF). The reliability of the evaluated critical exponents was confirmed by the Widom scaling relation and the universal scaling hypothesis. The values of the critical exponents for the doped compounds were consistent with the 3D-Heisenberg model for magnetic interactions. For x = 0.1, the estimated critical components are found inconsistent with any known universality class. In addition, the local exponent n was determined from the magnetic entropy change and found to be sensitive to the magnetic field in the entire studied temperature range.