Binary Phase Research Articles

Miniaturized distillation device for detection of hydrocarbons using distillation curve principle

Abstract The objective of this study is to miniaturize the distillation apparatus to detect and analyze the composition of hydrocarbon mixtures. To achieve this, a micrometric chip measuring 150×100×6 mm3 was fabricated using a CO2 laser engraving machine. The chip, made of poly-methylmethacrylate, consists of a mini heater, condenser, and column. Its purpose is to separate hydrocarbons and determine the distillation curve of the mixtures. To assess its performance, three hydrocarbons (iso-pentane, 1-pentene, and n-hexane) were injected into the chip in different percentages ranging from 0 to 100%. These hydrocarbons were selected to represent pure, binary, and ternary compounds. The chip then analyzed the samples, and the distillation curves were obtained by plotting the boiling temperature against the percentage of condensed volume. The results of the experiments revealed that each distillation test lasted about 15 minutes. Despite the close boiling temperatures of iso-pentane and 1-pentene (27.8 and 30 °C, respectively), the chip could accurately identify the composition of different mixtures in the analyzed materials. The repeatability test demonstrated that the average standard deviation for the examined binary mixtures ranged from 1-2%, indicating the reliable reproducibility of the results. In conclusion, the miniaturized distillation chip that was fabricated can effectively analyze hydrocarbon mixtures and determine their purity.

3, 4-Bis (3-nitrofurazan-4-yl) furoxan (DNTF) and 4-methoxy-1-methyl-3, 5-dinitro-1H-pyrazole (DMDNP) based molten carrier with high energy and low sensitivity: eutectic design and desensitization effect

Utilizing insensitive explosives to form a eutectic with 3, 4-bis (3-nitrofurazan-4-yl) furoxan (DNTF) proved to be an effective method for reducing its sensitivity and melting point. In this study, the interaction between DNTF and 4-methoxy-1-methyl-3, 5-dinitro-1H-pyrazole (DMDNP) was simulated using the interaction region indicator (IRI), revealing that the intermolecular forces in the mixture are stronger than those of the individual components. Co-molten mixtures of DNTF-DMDNP with varying compositions were prepared through electrostatic spraying technology, and a binary phase diagram was established using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experimentally extrapolated molar ratio of the DNTF-DMDNP eutectic was determined to be 48.7/51.3, with a eutectic point at approximately 338.2K. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests confirmed that no chemical reactions or crystal transformations occurred during the preparation of the eutectic. The thermal decomposition temperatures at different heating rates and apparent activation energy of the eutectic fell within the range between those of DNTF and DMDNP. Addition of even just 10% DMDNP significantly reduced mechanical sensitivity in co-molten mixtures, resulting in a rapid decrease from 100% to 12% friction sensitivity. The detonation velocity of the DNTF-DMDNP eutectic measured at 8.47kms-1 only experienced a slight decrease by about 0.78kms-1 (8.4%) compared to pure DNTF, indicating efficient desensitization by incorporating DMDNP with minimal energy loss potentiality. Furthermore, adjusting composition allowed for control over detonation performance and sensitivity in melt-cast explosives composed of DNTF-DMDNP.

A new design method for Ti-VMoCrFeAl titanium alloys with superb strength

This study developed a new design method for Ti-VMoCrFeAl titanium alloys. Based on the selection of multiple elements, compositions of a series of Ti-VMoCrFeAl titanium alloys were calculated under the VEC constraint, and the VEC range of α+β binary phases at different temperature was predicted as a design reference. The present design method exhibited a promising accuracy. Two alloys were prepared, and the precipitation strengthening was experimentally investigated and discussed. The results showed that the yield strength of the aged alloys mainly depends on interface hardening and solid-solution hardening of α and β phases with a certain volume fraction. With the increment of VEC, the solid-solution hardening effect increases due to the increase of the multiple β-type elements in both the phases, and the interface strengthening effect decreases due to the reduction of the fraction and the increase of size of the α phase. The alloy with VEC of 4.21 can obtain superb tensile yield strength of 1495 MPa with 6.7 % elongation after aging at 500 °C for 12 h, superior to most of existing alloys.

Effect of formulation parameters on the characteristics of binary ethosomes loaded with Fluconazole

Background: The emergence of fungal resistance to most conventional topical antifungal drugs remains a serious problem. New topical drug delivery systems, such as ethosomes, particularly binary ones, have proven to be effective due to their ability to efficiently target the deeper layers of the skin, due to the presence of a high amount of ethanol in their structure. They deliver an optimal drug dose with reduced toxicity. These are soft and flexible vesicles, composed of phospholipids, a binary alcohol phase and water. The combination of ethanol with other alcohols is believed to give them smaller vesicle sizes, higher skin permeability and better entrapment efficiency. This study aimed to formulate and characterize binary ethosomes loaded with Fluconazole to investigate the effect of formulation parameters on their characteristics. Methods: A preliminary trial consisted on the preparation of blank classical ethosomes without active substance by varying the sonication time to select the optimal time, allowing for the subsequent the preparation of binary ethosomes loaded with Fluconazole, where ethanol and soybean lecithin concentrations were varied. The ethosomes were characterized by determining the particle size, zeta potential and the percentage of entrapment efficiency of Fluconazole. Results: The particle size of the blank classical ethosomes ranged from 412,2±1,7nm to 5816±9,6nm, while the binary ethosomes ranged from 742,5±11,1nm to 2288±10nm. The zeta potential was between -8.15±0.1mV and -41.1±0.2mV for classical ethosomes and -9.91±0.1mV and -48.4±0.35mV for binary ethosomes. Finally, the entrapment efficiency percentage of the binary ethosomes ranged from 48,89±3.5% to 89,89±0.1%. Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, the formulation parameters had a significant impact on the characteristics of the formulated ethosomes.

Pulsed Orthogonal Time Frequency Space: A Fast Acquisition and High-Precision Measurement Signal for Low Earth Orbit Position, Navigation, and Timing

The recent rapid development of low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation-based navigation techniques has enhanced the ability of position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services in deep attenuation and interference environments. However, existing navigation modulations face the challenges of high acquisition complexity and do not improve measurement precision at the same signal strength. We propose a pulsed orthogonal time frequency space (Pulse-OTFS) signal, which naturally converts continuous signals into pulses through a special delay-Doppler domain pseudorandom noise (PRN) code sequence arrangement. The performance evaluation indicates that the proposed signal reduces at least 89.4% of the acquisition complexity. The delay measurement accuracy is about 8 dB better than that of the traditional binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signals with the same bandwidth. It also provides superior compatibility and anti-multipath performance. The advantages of fast acquisition and high-precision measurement are verified by processing the real signal in the developed software receiver. As Pulse-OTFS occupies only one time slot of a signal period, it can be easily integrated with OTFS-modulated communication signals and used as a navigation signal from broadband LEO satellites as an effective complement to the global navigation satellite system (GNSS).

Multi focus acoustic field generation using Dammann gratings for phased array transducers

Phased array transducers can shape acoustic fields for versatile manipulation; however, generating multiple focal points typically involves complex optimization. This study demonstrates that Dammann gratings – binary phase gratings originally used in optics to generate equal-intensity spot arrays – can be adapted for acoustics to create multiple equal-strength focal points with a phased array transducer. The transducer elements were assigned phases of 0 or π, based on a Dammann grating defined by its transition points. Simulations show that simple gratings with two transition points can generate fields with up to 12 focal points of nearly equal acoustic pressures. Compared to conventional multi-focus phase optimization techniques, the Dammann grating approach offers computational efficiency and facile reconfiguration of the focal pattern by adjusting the grating hologram. We tested this approach in numerical simulations with a hypothetical high-resolution array, achieving up to 12 focal points, and validated the efficacy of the Dammann grating in a conventional 16x16 transducer array through both simulations and experiments. This comparison highlights that while Dammann gratings effectively generate multi-focus fields, the recreation ability of these gratings in a conventional array shows a lower resolution than the hypothetical array. This study underlines the potential of adapting binary phase functions from photonics to enhance ultrasound-based acoustic manipulation for tasks requiring parallel actuation at multiple points.

Binary composite depolymerization system targeting polymer injection wells: A fusion of experiment and mechanism

With the continuous development and application of polymer flooding technology, the problem of polymer injection well blockage has become increasingly severe, and various plugging removal technologies have emerged. This paper studies the depolymerization agent system, aiming at the blockage problem caused by the injection of polymer HLCHEM-P01 in the mine. The depolymerization agent system is evaluated through gel chromatography analysis, corrosion evaluation, pH sensitivity evaluation, and core displacement experiment. Finally, an efficient, safe, low corrosion and reliable binary compound depolymerization agent system was obtained. It can almost wholly degrade the polymer solution after 90 min. Analyze the mechanism of action of the binary compound depolymerization agent system, which involves specific antagonistic or synergistic interactions. The overall oxidation performance of mixed chemical agents is not just a simple superposition of the oxidation performance of individual chemical agents. The application effect of the depolymerization agent system is significant, and the core permeability recovery reaches over 90%. Effectively solving blockage problems can help improve oilfield efficiency and increase crude oil recovery.

Investigating the physical properties of the binary compound CdTe under different pressures using FP-LMTO method

The structural, electronic and optical properties of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) are investigated at different pressures using the full potential linear muffin-tin orbital FP-LMTO method based on density functional theory (DFT), within the local density approximation LDA and the generalized gradient approximation GGA approximations were used to calculate the exchange-correlation potential. The ground state properties of CdTe compound were determined for diverse phases, and the band structure and optical parameters were calculated at pressures ranging from 0 GPa to 50 GPa. Optical parameters, including real part, imaginary part of the dielectric function, reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient and energy loss function, were calculated for over an energy range from 0 eV to 13.6058 eV. The results were compared with available experimental and theoretical data, showing good agreement with earlier reported result. These particularities reveal that CdTe as favorable material for optoelectronic applications, as it exhibits together important electronic and optical responses under different pressure.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by Fe-TiO2/MIL-101(Cr) nanocomposites under visible light

The misuse of antibiotics, including tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), can easily lead to drug resistance and the decline of human immunity, which is extremely harmful to human health. In this paper, TiO2 was modified using two different techniques: semiconductor composite and metal ion doping. Fe-TiO2/MIL-101 (Cr) nanocomposite photocatalyst (FTM-x) was effectively prepared by solvothermal method and used for the degradation of TCH in water under visible light. The performance of ternary composite materials, in comparison to single or binary compounds, are improved by using an easy and convenient hydrothermal technique. Among them, FTM-2 showed efficient photodegradation and structural stability. After 120 min in visible light, FTM-2 removed 95.5 % of TCH, and the removal was maintained at 85 % after 4 cycles. The composite FTM-x was characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Raman, which proved the successful synthesis of the composite. Photoelectrochemical and photoluminescence (PL) analyses were used to examine the photoelectric properties of the prepared photocatalysts. The results suggested that optimizing the composites' photoresponse and electron-hole separation could be linked to improving the photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic activity of superoxide radicals (O2−) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) was demonstrated to be mediated by free radical trapping investigations, which were utilized to determine the active components of the process.

Exploring Sb2S3 as a hole transport layer for GeSe based solar cell: a numerical simulation

Abstract Germanium selenide (GeSe) and antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) both are technological intriguing semiconductor material for green and economical photovoltaic devices. In this study, GeSe and Sb2S3 have been utilized as the absorber layer and hole transport layer, respectively, to constructed a heterojunction thin film solar cell consisting of FTO/TiO2/GeSe/Sb2S3/Metal. The GeSe and Sb2S3 are binary compounds and can adopt the same film deposition method, for instance, thermal evaporation, which is expected to improve process compatibility and to reduce production costs. The TiO2 (electron transport layer) and Sb2S3 can form small spike-like conduction band offset and valence band offset with the GeSe, respectively, which possesses potential to suppress carrier recombination at the heterointerfaces. Subsequently, the effects of main functional layer material parameters, heterointerface characteristics and back contact metal work function on the performance parameters of the proposed solar cell were simulated and analyzed using wxAMPS software. After numerical simulation and optimization, the proposed solar cell can reach an open circuit voltage of 0.872 V, a short circuit current of 40.72 mA·cm−2, a filling factor of 84.16%, and a conversion efficiency of 28.35%. According to the simulation results, it is anticipated that the Sb2S3 can serve as a hole transport layer for GeSe based solar cell and enable device to achieve high efficiency. Simulation analysis also provides some meaningful references for the design and preparation of heterojunction thin film solar cells.

Comparative Study and Recommendations for Thermal Performance Enhancement of Energy Storage Materials: Mono, Binary and Ternary Nano-enhanced Organic Phase Change Materials

Comparative Study and Recommendations for Thermal Performance Enhancement of Energy Storage Materials: Mono, Binary and Ternary Nano-enhanced Organic Phase Change Materials

From electrons to phase diagrams with machine learning potentials using pyiron based automated workflows

We present a comprehensive and user-friendly framework built upon the pyiron integrated development environment (IDE), enabling researchers to perform the entire Machine Learning Potential (MLP) development cycle consisting of (i) creating systematic DFT databases, (ii) fitting the Density Functional Theory (DFT) data to empirical potentials or MLPs, and (iii) validating the potentials in a largely automatic approach. The power and performance of this framework are demonstrated for three conceptually very different classes of interatomic potentials: an empirical potential (embedded atom method - EAM), neural networks (high-dimensional neural network potentials - HDNNP) and expansions in basis sets (atomic cluster expansion - ACE). As an advanced example for validation and application, we show the computation of a binary composition-temperature phase diagram for Al-Li, a technologically important lightweight alloy system with applications in the aerospace industry.

Numerical Investigations of a Single Loop Pulsating Heat Pipe for Cryogenic Applications

Abstract The thermohydraulics of a single-loop pulsating heat pipe (PHP) for cryogenic applications have been simulated. The 120 mm long PHP tube is made of a 1.5 mm diameter inner tube of thickness 0.83 mm. The computation fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis performed with the ansysfluent software is a 2D numerical study using pure nitrogen as the working fluid in binary phases. The boundary condition on the evaporator is of constant heat flux, while the same on the condenser is of constant temperature. The phase behavior of the liquid and vapor and their interactions are accounted for through the volume of fluid (VOF) method and the Lee model. The numerical model is validated using the existing experimental data, with an agreement of less than 8% between them. The thermo-hydraulic variations of temperature, pressure, and velocity have been simulated for different heat loads and fractional liquid contents (fill ratios). The temperature and pressure oscillations set in the PHP-fluid increase with the heat added to the evaporator while the fluid velocity remains independent. The heat load and the fill ratio dictate the effective thermal conductivity—attaining nearly 3400 W/mK for a fill ratio of 70% in the chosen PHP geometry. An alteration has been made in the Jacob number to predict the dominance of sensible heat over latent heat in a PHP, postulated by other researchers. The constant fill ratio assumption is not truly valid as it indicates a small yet finite variation with the change in the heat load.

Utilizing Binary Phase Segregation and Extrusion to Enhance the Electronic Properties of Graphene Nanocomposites.

Our goal in this study is to incorporate graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a polymer blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) to facilitate the dispersion of GNPs and use the morphology of phase segregation to create a pathway for concentrating GNPs to achieve percolation with lower GNP concentration. Investigating the interfacial properties between PLA/GNPs and iPP/GNPs, we noticed that iPP has a lower contact angle on GNPs compared to PLA on GNPs. This showed a great potential that the GNP are easily confined in iPP rather than in PLA domains or at the PLA/PP interfaces. Utilizing this property, as the PLA content increases, the iPP content decreases, resulting in a reduction of the available space for GNPs. This decrease in space leads to a higher chance for GNPs to accumulate together. Furthermore, through careful control of the concentration in the immiscible blend of PLA/PP, it is possible to achieve a bicontinuous structure. This structure facilitates the creation of a pathway for the fillers, allowing for the use of minimal GNPs while achieving optimal electrical conductivity properties. The PLA/PP/GNPs can be oriented by the shear forces coming from the nozzle that produce a higher performance.

Design of high-performance binary carbonate/hydroxide Ni-based supercapacitors for photo-storage systems

Silicon solar cells were used to convert solar energy into electrical energy, and a supercapacitor was designed to store this energy. To maximize the surface area of the electrodes, a three-dimensional Ni foam substrate was employed, onto which Ni-based compounds were deposited to enhance the electrochemical performance of the electrodes. Specifically, to address the conductivity reduction problem that arises when using only Ni ions, we introduced transition metal ions such as Mn, Co, Cu, Fe, and Zn to create binary compounds as electrode material. These binary metal compounds provided high electronic conductivity, structural stability, and reversible capacity, thereby optimizing the performance of the supercapacitor. As a result, the optimized NiCo(CO3)(OH)2 electrode demonstrated high capacity and excellent cycle stability, exhibiting an energy density of 35.5 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 2555.6 W kg−1 as an asymmetric supercapacitor device. Furthermore, when this device was combined directly with silicon solar cells, it achieved a storage efficiency of 63 % and an overall efficiency of 5.17 % under an illumination intensity of 10 mW cm−2. These findings suggest the potential for commercializing high-performance self-charging energy storage devices and contribute significantly to the advancement of energy storage technology.

Wide-field large-angle beam splitters based on polarization-insensitive coding metasurfaces

Metasurfaces have been used to make various optical devices such as beam splitters because of their excellent capability to control light. The most recent work on metasurface beam splitters focused on realizing one-dimensional beam splitting. Based on generalized Snell’s law, we designed the beam splitters using a coding strategy by phase gradient metasurfaces, which can divide vertically incident light into two-dimensional space. Meanwhile, the beam splitters are polarization-insensitive because highly rotationally symmetric nanorods are used as structure units. Using different code groups, especially applying 0 and π binary phases, the proposed beam splitters have various functions such as beam deflection, two-beam splitting, and multi-beam splitting. The flexible design of the coding maps allows the light transmission to cover a full-view field. The maximum splitting angles in two-beam and multi-beam splitters are 35.7° and 28.3°, respectively. All the designed beam splitters have a power efficiency of over 80%. The beam splitters have the advantages of small size, easy integration, large beam splitting angle, wide beam splitting area, and high efficiency. They could be applied to many optical systems, such as multiplexers and interferometers in integrated optical circuits.

Designing an all-laser processing and operating microheater conceptual device for medical applications

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent condition affecting a significant portion of the population, with a reported prevalence of 33% and 19% in males and females, respectively. OSA is associated with an increased risk of sudden death, with studies suggesting nearly double the risk compared to individuals without OSA. The condition is characterized by frequent sleep disruptions due to airway collapse, often at the level of the tongue or soft palate. Current treatment approaches primarily rely on radiofrequency (RF) ablation for tissue volume reduction. While effective, this technique can cause significant collateral damage and postoperative pain due to extensive burning of surrounding tissues. To avoid such drawbacks, in this work it is proposed and discussed the features of a possible conceptual all-laser-processing and operating device that can produce localized heat affected zones, with the possibility to monitor the local temperature during the procedure. The device is based on the eutectic composition of the system Al2O3-YAG, with double doping Nd3+ and Cr3+ crystalline fiber tip, which is prepared by the Laser-Heated Pedestal Growth technique on a sapphire single crystal fiber end. The results showed that the tip, although highly Nd3+-doped, follows the Jackson-Hunt relation for binary eutectic compounds. The lifetime of the luminescence produced by the Cr3+ doping, emitted by the eutectic tip, can act as a temperature sensor for the device in the range of 30 to 100 °C.

Open Sn Framework Structure Hosting Bi Guest atoms-Synthesis, Crystal and Electronic Structure of Na13Sn26Bi.

The large variety of structures of Zintl phases are generally well understood since their anionic substructures follow bonding rules according to the valence concept. But there are also exceptions, which make the semiconductors especially interesting in terms of structure-property relationships. Although several Na-Sn-Pnictides with a variety of structural motives are known, up to this point no ternary compound in the Na-Sn-Bi system has been described. In this paper we present the Zintl-phase Na13Sn25.73Bi1.27 comprising a complex, open-framework structure of Sn atoms, with one mixed Sn/Bi site, hosting Na atoms. An additional Bi atom is loosely connected with only weak contacts to the framework filling a larger cavity within the network. According to band structure calculations of the two ordered variants with either full occupation of the mixed site with Sn or Bi, resulting in Na13Sn26Bi and Na13Sn24Bi3, respectively, both compounds are semiconductors with band gaps of 0.5 eV. A comparison of the band structures with the structurally related binary compounds Na5Sn13 and Na7Sn12 shows that only the perfectly charge balanced Na7Sn12 is a semiconductor whereas Na5Sn13 is metallic. The rather specific electronic situation in the ternary compound is traced back to the loosely bound Bi atom, which acts as a guest atom according to Bix@Na13Sn26-yBiy, with x=1 and y=0.27, capable to change its oxidation state and thus to uptake additional electrons allowing the system to be a semiconductor. Therefore, Na13Sn25.73Bi1.27 can be understood as a rare example of an open framework structure of Sn atoms comprising Bi atoms in the cavities.

Discovery of Alloy Catalysts for Ammonia Decomposition by Machine Learning-Based Prediction of Adsorption Energies

Ammonia decomposition has gained significant attention as an eco-friendly method for hydrogen production because it creates no carbon dioxide emissions. While Ru catalysts are known for their high activity in ammonia decomposition, their high cost makes them uneconomical for commercial use. Therefore, it is essential to explore novel alloy catalysts composed of inexpensive elements with high catalytic performance. Nitrogen adsorption energies serve as key descriptors indicating the catalytic performance for ammonia decomposition, and first-principle calculations can compute these energies. However, the screening of numerous alloy catalyst candidates through extensive first-principle calculations and experimental validations remains time-consuming due to the vast number of potential candidates. To address this, artificial intelligence and machine learning models are being developed to quickly predict catalyst performance, efficiently searching for promising catalyst candidates. In this study, we developed a machine-learning-based method to rapidly predict nitrogen adsorption energies using a graph-based artificial neural network, thereby efficiently searching for novel catalysts for ammonia decomposition. Our training dataset included the nitrogen adsorption energies of 30 pure transition metal catalyst candidates, as well as binary alloy catalyst candidates, including core-shell and intermetallic compounds. As a result, we successfully identified 12 catalyst candidates composed of inexpensive elements that are likely to exhibit catalytic performance comparable to Ru catalysts.

OFDM system based on parametric DFT transform

This study introduces a specific type of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system that relies on the parametric discrete Fourier transform (DFT-alpha), where alpha is a parameter randomly selected within the range [-2pi, 0]. We investigate the performance of the proposed system across various channel types and modulation formats, including binary phase shift keying (BPSK), 16 quadratic amplitude modulation (QAM), analyzing aspects such as bit-error rate (BER), peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), and computational complexity. This work considers the most interesting special case of the one-parameter DFT, which is the DFT-π/6 . The simulated results confirm the suggested OFDM system’s ability to minimize the computational complexity of the conventional OFDM system, standing as the primary contribution of the current study, while maintaining the performance identical. Therefore, the parametric DFT-OFDM system would be a good alternative to the classical DFT-OFDM. The findings suggest that parametric DFT based OFDM holds significant potential for high-speed optical wireless communication systems.