Skeletal muscle operates through a mechanism in which calcium ions act as a trigger at low electric potentials, followed by contraction powered by adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis. Inspired by this process, we have developed an electrochemical artificial muscle with low-voltage redox triggering and spontaneous contraction. Triggering is achieved by electrochemically charging the muscles at voltages below 0.4 V, which enables I3⁻ injection and subsequent oxidation to I2. Spontaneous muscle contraction then occurs via the reaction I2 + I⁻ → I3⁻, analogous to the role of adenosine triphosphate in skeletal muscle contraction, yet fundamentally distinct from conventional electrochemical artificial muscles. Following this mechanism, pristine carbon nanotube yarn muscles and carbon nanotube yarn muscles modified by quaternary ammonium cations generated contractile strokes of 5.2% and 15.5%, respectively. Moreover, the contracted state can be stably maintained without electrical energy input, and full recovery to the original length is achieved by applying a reverse voltage. Such mechanisms present a promising strategy for the development of energy-efficient artificial muscles.

This study aims to establish an optimal ratio of Mineral Oil (MO) and Neem Oil After Esterification (NOAE)to develop a Mixed Insulation (MXI) that effectively replaces the MO for oil-filled transformers and other oil-filled electrical equipments. The effective use of two-stage esterification technique using Neem Oil (NO) as a base oil and concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as acid and base catalysts had been adopted to transform NO into NOAE. Further, the FAME formation is confirmed using the 1H-NMR. By lowering the impact of MO in oil-cooled transformers, the proposed MXI's dielectric properties are critically analysed using its AC breakdown voltage (BDV) in sphere-sphere and point-plane, kinematic viscosity (KVIS), corona inception voltage (CIV) and interfacial tension (IFT), and other dielectric properties. The MXI proportions are subject to accelerated thermal ageing in the presence of a pressboard and copper plate. The changes in their dielectric properties are reported along with the information about the material characteristics using an FTIR. Further, the validation of the samples is verified using Weibull distribution and Kurtosis and Skewness values. The current study on MXI is given credence by the discovery that sample X30, or the optimal MO: NOAE blending ratio, is 70:30. The X30's dielectric properties showed a notable level of durability after ageing, which helped to explain its high resistance and low conductivity.

For X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) imaging, we systematically investigated the edge multi-guard-ring (GR) structure and electric field optimization of an ultra-large-area hybrid silicon pixel sensor to ensure reliable operation under high reverse bias. Based on a standard 8-inch CMOS process, a sensor with a size of 10.3 cm× 2.5 cm, a pixel pitch of 100 μm× 100 μm, and an array format of 1024 × 256 was developed. A current collection ring (CCR) and multiple guard rings were introduced around the pixel array to enhance breakdown voltage and electrical stability. TCAD simulations indicate that reducing the spacing between the CCR and the first guard ring lowers the peak electric field in the interior region, while increasing the number of guard rings suppresses edge field crowding, thereby improving overall uniformity. Based on these findings, an improved 11GR_N structure was proposed. Breakdown voltage tests on the CCR of large-area sensors show some variability among different structures, with the 11GR_N structure exhibiting a median CCR breakdown voltage of 355 V, higher than other designs. Moreover, no breakdown was observed in the pixel array under bias up to 600 V. These results provide a feasible optimization strategy for the design of high-voltage-tolerant silicon pixel sensors in ultra-large-scale XFEL imaging detectors.

Design of integrated power converters capable of operating with a wide input voltage range in standard CMOS technologies is challenging due to the low breakdown voltage of modern transistors. This paper presents a fully integrated, fully soft-switched resonant modular multilevel converter (IRMMC), designed in standard 180 nm CMOS with nominal supply voltage of 1.8 V, that enables high-efficiency power conversion over a wide input voltage range of 2 V to 5.5 V—well beyond the safe operating limits of scaled CMOS devices. The proposed architecture combines multilevel voltage division, resonant energy conversion, and modular reconfiguration to simultaneously support wide input adaptability, inherent flying-capacitor voltage balancing, and continuous output voltage regulation. A dynamically reconfigurable multilevel converter, utilizing an additional sub-module and control logic, enables seamless mode transitions and capacitor self-balancing without the need for complex sensing or control loops. An integrated LLC resonant tank, using a 0.8 nH in-package series inductor, along with an active rectifier, achieves output regulation from 0.4 V to 1.2 V and ensures full zero-voltage switching (ZVS) for all power MOSFETs across the entire operating range. The prototype converter delivers a maximum output power of 2 W with a peak efficiency of 88%, demonstrating its suitability for compact, energy-efficient power delivery in integrated system-on-chip (SoC) applications.

MiniCACTUS-v2 is a monolithic sensor prototype designed in LF 150 nm CMOS process for time tagging of individual Minimum Ionizing Particles with an accuracy better than 100 ps. The sensing element is a deep n-well/p-substrate diode without internal amplification. To minimize detector capacitances, the analog front-ends and the discriminators for each pixel have been implemented outside the pixel, at the column level. After fabrication, the sensors have been thinned to 150 μm, 175 μm and 200 μm and then post-processed for backside biasing. The breakdown voltages measured on these sensors are higher than 500 V, ensuring the complete depletion of the charge collection volume. In this paper, we will focus on the time resolution measurements from a test-beam campaign conducted in July 2025 at SPS-CERN. During this period, several pixels from the 3 different sensor thicknesses have been tested at different bias voltages. The best time resolution measured is 48.88 ps on a 0.5 mm× 0.5 mm pixel from a 175 μm-thick sensor at 500 V, with nominal settings for the on-chip analog front-end and discriminator.

Prediction method for switching impulse breakdown voltage of rod-plane gaps based on reptile-MMD

We present a novel promising fabrication technique for Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators based on Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) technology of conductive inks on dielectric surfaces and characterize the AJP-SDBDs optical and electromechanical performance. Linear SDBD designs, with ultra-smooth electrode edges of micrometer thickness have been fabricated, which when driven by AC, High Voltage waveforms, present stable plasma operation and reproducible features. We measure the electromechanical characteristics in terms of ink-related electrical properties (through Van der Pauw-resistivity and Hall measurements), plasma properties through electrical diagnostics, time-resolved imaging and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), while we perform Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) measurements of the induced wall-jet flow. The printed electrodes show a clear metallic behavior, with their electronic properties comparing very favorably to other printable materials. The AJP-SDBDs show similar electromechanical characteristics with conventional SDBDs fabricated via conventional methods, good robustness, and more intense nature indicating lower breakdown voltage requirements. The emission spectra from the discharge show dominant formation of excited N 2 and N 2 + species. Based on high-resolution OES, an estimation of rotational and vibrational temperatures of the N 2 (C) state is performed, showing the strong non-equilibrium nature of the discharges produced. This helps in maintaining the average gas temperature in the positive and negative AC voltage phase at low levels (below 350 K) indicating its minimal impact on the gas dynamics. In terms of induced flow and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) forcing, the AJP-SDBD resulted in wall-jet flows with a maximum velocity achieved of approximately 5 m/s and a wall-jet height of approximately 3 mm at 7 mm from the exposed electrode edge for the 30 kV 3 kHz case. At the same conditions, the EHD force reached more than 27.5 mN/m. The obtained values and trends are in good agreement with literature values of conventional AC driven SDBD actuators, showcasing AJP potential as a promising fabrication technique for robust and efficient plasma actuators and related applications. • First time application of Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) technology in the fabrication of Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators. • Silver ink electrodes present perfect alignment, great adhesion, ultra-fine and ultra-smooth edges, micrometer thickness and low resistivity. • Optical and electromechanical characterization show similar characteristics with SDBDs fabricated via conventional methods, good robustness, and enhanced discharge ignition and intensity characteristics. • Measured maximum induced flow velocities of about 5 m/s and total EHD body force more than 27.5 mN/m. • AJP-SDBDs show great promise as a fabrication technique for next generation of robust, efficient and novel plasma actuators.

Prediction of sphere gap breakdown voltage based on values of electric field strength and GSABO-SVM

This paper presents a novel work function modulated Fin-channel schottky barrier diode (WFM-Fin-SBD) with optimized electrical characteristics. The architecture incorporates Ti as the Schottky metal on the Fin top surface to reduce the turn-on voltage (Von) and mitigate forward conduction loss. Simultaneously, Ni is selectively deposited on the Fin sidewalls and trenches bottom. This configuration ensures effective carrier depletion within the fin channel under both zero-bias and reverse-bias conditions, thereby suppressing reverse leakage current and enhancing the breakdown voltage. As a result, the WFM-Fin-SBD achieves superior performance metrics, including a lowVonof 0.35 V, a specific on-resistance (Ron,sp) of 6.25 mΩ·cm2, and a current density of 598 A cm-2at 6 V. Under reverse bias, the enhanced depletion effect at the Ni/Ga2O3interface effectively pinches off the conductive channel, which suppresses the leakage current and enables a breakdown voltage of -241 V, which is approximately 5.5 times that of conventional Ti-SBDs. Furthermore, frequency-dependent conductance measurements reveal that the interface trap density (Dit) of the WFM-Fin-SBD is situated between those of the Ti-SBD and the Ni-SBD. The slightly elevatedDitcompared to the Ni-SBD is mainly attributed to the presence of Ti at the Fin top. Meanwhile, TCAD simulations elucidate the underlying physical mechanisms. The proposed WFM-Fin-SBD demonstrates superior performance, positioning it as a promising candidate for high-efficiency power electronics.

To investigate the influence of secondary crosslinking time on the interfacial insulation performance between crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) and a semiconductive shielding layer, XLPE sheets and semiconductive EVA pellets were selected. XLPE/semiconductive shielding layer interfacial specimens with secondary crosslinking times of 10 min, 15 min, 30 min, 45 min and 60 min were prepared. Polarization and depolarization current (PDC) measurements, breakdown voltage tests, peel adhesion strength evaluation and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations were systematically performed. The interfacial polarization current, characteristic breakdown voltage and interfacial peel adhesion strength of the specimens were obtained and analyzed. The experimental results indicate that, with increasing secondary crosslinking time, the interfacial polarization current showed an initial decrease followed by an increase, and the characteristic breakdown voltage and the interfacial peel adhesion strength showed an initial increase followed by a decrease. Further analysis suggests that an excessively long secondary crosslinking time reduces the area of the interfacial interpenetration region between XLPE and the semiconductive shielding layer, which is the primary factor responsible for the deterioration of interfacial insulation performance. The results provide experimental evidence and theoretical support for optimizing flexible joint manufacturing processes and improving their operational reliability and service lifetime.

As anion exchangemembrane systems have emerged as a competitivelow temperature electrolysis technology, research has expanded toother components and device integration. In this study, nickel (Ni)and stainless steel (SS)-based porous transport layers (PTLs) areinvestigated in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). Compared toMEAs using Ni, the SS PTL shows higher performance due to less kineticsand residual loss and possibly due to a combination of iron mobilityimproving oxygen evolution reactivity and electron conduction pathways,as well as higher porosity increasing site access. Voltage decay ratesof approximately 144 and 115 μV/h, respectively, for the Niand SS PTLs are found, although the long-term durability and lifetimeimplications are convoluted. Voltage breakdown analysis confirms thatboth PTLs saw significant increases in residual loss possibly dueto catalyst/PTL property changes that affected electronic, ionic,and mass transport pathways. For the Ni PTL, a higher proportion ofthe losses were due to cell kinetics; comparatively, more of the SSPTL losses were due to increases in the high frequency resistance.The experimental findings presented here provide insights on the impactof the PTL materials and their properties.

This work presents the design of a -Ga2O3 MOSFET incorporating a P-type Ga2O3 buffer layer on a high-thermal-conductivity AlN/SiC composite substrate. The electrical characteristics of the device were simulated using Sentaurus TCAD. Results demonstrate that the integration of the composite substrate effectively mitigates self-heating effects, reducing the peak temperature () from 776.5 K to 570.9 K at 300 K, while simultaneously increasing the threshold voltage () from −0.35 V to 1.52 V. Through systematic optimization of the P-Ga2O3 buffer layer thickness and doping concentration, the device achieves a breakdown voltage () of 4781 V, a power figure of merit (PFOM) of 2.18 GW/cm2, an , on/off ratio of 9.20 × 109, and cut-off/maximum oscillation frequencies (/) of 1.29 GHz and 1.40 GHz, respectively. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for developing -Ga2O3-based power devices with high breakdown voltage, improved thermal conductivity, and low specific on-resistance ().

Abstract This work presents a simple, compact analytical model that shows the impact of superjunction (SJ) layer thickness variations in the VDMOS drift layer. The device performance examined includes breakdown voltage (BV), area-specific on-resistance (Ron,sp), associated figures of merit (FOM) and Baliga FOM (BFOM). In this model, charge balance principles, critical electric field scaling, and mobility degradation via the Caughey Thomas relation are considered. The proposed model is validated for SJ thickness ranging from 3 to 39 µm in the drift layer and doping concentration from 1×10¹⁵ to 1.5×10¹⁶ atoms/cm³. The model predicts BV in the range of 120–909 V with variation of electric field from ~5×10⁴ to 2.33×10⁵ V/cm. The corresponding Ron,sp varies from ~2 to 35 mΩ·cm², while the FOM (BV²/Ron,sp) ranges from ~6 to 140 (MW/cm²) and the BFOM (εμEc³) spans ~0.1 to 18 (MW/cm²). The analytical results show good agreement with TCAD simulations, tSJ>11µm with average errors below 10% across the doping concentration and less than 1% under optimized charge balanced conditions. The findings highlighted the best trade-off occurs at intermediate doping levels, where conduction and blocking capabilities are optimally balanced. The results provide useful design insights for performance optimization of SJ based power devices.

Soil microbial communities in landfills play a crucial in waste degradation and pollution mitigation, yet their diversity and functionality in many regions remain underexplored. This study used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterise microbial communities in soil samples from the Buffelsdraai landfill waste site (samples: XM-AA, XM-BB, XM-CC, XM-DD). We identified dominant taxa, namely, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, and evaluated their taxonomic diversity and metabolic potential. Diversity indices revealed high richness in XM-AA (Shannon: 4.188), suggesting the potential of a strong waste-processing capacity, while XM-BB showed reduced diversity (Shannon: 1.453), likely due to contaminant stress (eg, nickel, cobalt). XM-CC and XM-DD exhibited moderate diversity (Shannon: 2.671-2.942) with Actinobacteria dominance (99%), suggesting adaptation to landfill conditions. Functional profiling via Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathways highlighted carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, alongside xenobiotic biodegradation, pointing to potential for organic waste and pollutant breakdown. Physicochemical analyses detected elevated sodium (22 640 mg/kg in cell 1) and trace metals (eg, Ni: 0.1469 mg/kg), influencing microbial composition. These results emphasise microbial diversity’s role in landfill soil functionality and position Actinobacteria as a bioremediation target for degrading leachate organics and immobilising metals. This study provides a baseline profile of microbial taxonomic and functional responses to landfill-associated environmental stressors in South Africa. The findings highlight the ecological roles of landfill microbial communities and their potential relevance for future bioremediation research.

Safety and effectiveness of the TactiFlex duo system: 6-month results of the FOCALFLEX study.

This study is devoted to the analysis of the operational reliability of a cable network with a nominal voltage of 10 kV of an industrial enterprise. The cable network is a critical element of the power supply system with a minimum level of redundancy, which imposes high requirements on its reliability. The main structural element of the studied cables of the AASHv brand (3×185 mm²) is impregnated paper insulation based on a rosin-oil compound. The specificity of such insulation lies in its heterogeneous (non-uniform) structure, consisting of three phases: solid (cellulose paper), liquid (oil-rosin mixture) and gas (microscopic air inclusions formed during the cable manufacturing process). The presence of gas inclusions significantly reduces the dielectric strength, in particular the breakdown voltage. Air microcavities cause local inhomogeneity of the electric field, which leads to the development of internal partial discharges, gradual destruction of the dielectric and subsequent complete loss of insulating properties. The article presents the results of calculations of the insulation breakdown voltage for various temperature regimes and variable frequency of the applied voltage (a graphical summary is presented in the corresponding graph). Under the influence of an electric field, oxygen in air inclusions is partially converted into ozone and nitrogen oxides, which initiates chemical degradation of the cellulose matrix and impregnating compound. The kinetic processes of destruction of paper insulation were estimated by two independent methods: analytical (taking into account physical mechanisms) and based on the Arrhenius equation (thermal activation aging model). Both approaches gave convergent results with a relative error of no more than 10 %. The data obtained indicate that over a thirty-year period of operation, impregnated paper insulation of cables retains a sufficient level of insulation characteristics, which confirms its acceptable long-term stability provided there is no external damage, excessive overheating or moisture. The conclusions of the study can be used to predict the residual resource of cable lines, optimize the frequency of diagnostic tests and justify the transition to modern types of insulation (for example, cross-linked polyethylene) at the stages of network reconstruction.

Advancements in material design, specifically the developmentofhybrids combining metal oxides (MOx) andzeolitic imidazolate frameworks (MOF/ZIFs), have revolutionized modernmaterials science by employing their synergistic effects and creatingthe hybrid interface MOF/MOx. This worksystematically examines the structural evolution, defect engineering,and thermal stability of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-7, ZIF-8,ZIF-67, and ZIF-71)-coated ZnO and Cd-doped ZnO columnar structures.Comprehensive characterization was performed on all four studied ZIFs,including scanning electron microscopy revealing dodecahedral morphologyof ZIF particles, and in situ temperature-dependentX-ray diffraction showing smaller coherently scattering regions comparedto the sizes of the particles. SEM images indicate that these particlesare polycrystalline and show a large contribution of surface-relateddomains. Thermolysis behavior and bond energy analysis reveal therole of Co–N bonds in thermal degradation of ZIF-67 at 250°C compared to Zn–N bond of ZIF-8, which degrades at 325°C, although Co–N has a higher bond energy compared toZn–N, attributed to unsaturated coordination of Co with N,which leads to easy oxygenation of a Co–N bond. In ZIF-71 andZIF-8, peak shifts are observed at higher angles by increasing thetemperature, which would point to a negative thermal expansion. Usingcurrent–voltage characteristics, an inverted hysteresis wasobserved by employing forward and reverse voltage sweep, which maybe characterized as capacitive hysteresis attributed to charge trapsthat slow down the return path. Gas-sensing studies revealed functionalimplications that ZIF-67-coated ZnO exhibited selective VOC sensingat 250 °C and enhanced hydrogen sensing at 300 °C, withstructure–property correlations elucidated through defect analysis.Other hybrid materials, such as ZIF-7-coated ZnO, ZIF-8-coated ZnO,and ZIF-71-coated ZnO, elucidate better hydrogen, n-butanol, and 2-propanolsensing compared to ethanol and acetone. Our findings highlight thecritical role of ZIF type and Cd doping in tuning the structural,thermal, and functional properties of ZnO-based composites, offeringnew perspectives for the rational design of advanced sensing materialsbased on the hybrid interface MOF/MOx.

Nanofluids have emerged as promising candidates for enhancing the dielectric and thermal performance of insulating liquids used in power transformers. While numerous studies report significant improvements in breakdown voltage (up to +10–40%) and thermal conductivity, the underlying mechanisms remain only partially understood and often contradictory, particularly with respect to long-term stability and ageing behavior. This paper presents a comprehensive and critical review of nanofluids applied to transformer insulation, adopting a system-level approach focused on the oil–paper insulation system. The analysis reveals that the reported performance strongly depends on key parameters such as nanoparticle concentration, dispersion quality, and experimental conditions, leading to significant inter-study variability. Dielectric improvements are shown to be maximized within narrow concentration ranges and may deteriorate due to nanoparticle aggregation, while thermal enhancements are often accompanied by increased viscosity, resulting in a thermo-hydraulic trade-off. Furthermore, this review highlights major contradictions in the literature, including the paradoxical relationship between electrical conductivity and dielectric strength, as well as the unclear impact of nanofluids on cellulose ageing. The findings demonstrate that performance observed at the fluid level cannot be directly extrapolated to real transformer conditions without considering the complex interactions between nanoparticles, oil, cellulose, and moisture. To address these limitations, a conceptual framework termed Nano-Modified Composite Insulation (NMCI) is proposed. This model provides a unified description of multiphase interactions and offers a basis for a more realistic evaluation of nanofluids under operational conditions. This work emphasizes the need for standardized experimental methodologies and long-term studies and provides clear research directions toward the development of reliable and industrially applicable nanofluid-based insulation systems.

To improve the breakdown voltage (BV)−specific on-resistance (R on,sp) trade-off and enhance manufacturability, this article proposes a novel lateral diffused metal−oxide−semiconductor (LDMOS) structure that features a split gate and split contact field plate (CFP). This novel structure requires no additional bias voltages, masks, or process steps, making it fully compatible with the bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process flow. The physical mechanisms are elucidated through technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. In the on-state, the positively biased split gate forms an accumulation layer at the drift region surface, thereby reducing R on,sp. In the off-state, both the split gate and split CFP introduce additional electric-field peaks that smooth the lateral electric field, thus preserving a high BV. Compared with the conventional CFP-LDMOS, the proposed CFP-LDMOS achieves an 8.52% reduction in R on,sp without compromising BV, leading to an 8.07% improvement in the figure of merit (FOM). Notably, the proposed structure can be extended to LDMOS devices across different voltage levels within BCD platforms, demonstrating its broad applicability.

This study discusses the development of enhanced insulating materials for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable insulations by reinforcing Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) with nanomagnesia (MgO) particles. The main emphasis of this work is to investigate the DC breakdown voltage performance of LDPE/MgO nanocomposites as a function of filler content. Increase in DC breakdown strength is very important for long-term reliability and safety of HVDC cable insulation. Besides electrical performance, tensile strength and morphological study were made as complementary studies to check the mechanical stability and quality of particle dispersion. The nanocomposites were fabricated using the melt-blending method, where 40 grams of LDPE was mixed with 1.25 wt.%, 2.5 wt.% and 5wt.% of nanomagnesia at 170 [°C] and 50 rpm (rotation per minute) using a Haake internal mixer. The resulting materials were hot-pressed into 1 mm thin films at 160 [°C] and 50 bar pressure. DC breakdown voltage tests were conducted on the samples to determine their breakdown voltage. Tensile testing was conducted for the mechanical property evaluation where the LDPE and 2.5 wt% MgO composite show slightly lower strain, indicating decreased ductility. Overall, the incorporation of MgO enhances stiffness but reduces flexibility and strain-hardening capacity, resulting in a stronger yet less ductile material. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was undertaken to complement the results, which included the dispersion quality of MgO particles and the filler interfacial bonding. Results indicated that nanomagnesia incorporation improved the DC breakdown voltage of LDPE, with the optimum value at 2.5 wt.% of MgO. At this loading, the material showed the strongest dielectric strength while retaining reasonable tensile properties. Thus, this study has proven that LDPE reinforced with 2.5 wt.% of nanomagnesia is a viable and efficient insulation material for HVDC cable applications at average of 40.1 [kV] compared to pure LDPE at 32.41 [kV].