Maximum Conversion Research Articles

Quantitative Estimation of Albedo and Tilt Angle Variation in Bifacial Perovskite Solar Cells.

Bifacial perovskite solar cells (Bi-PSCs) have attracted substantial attention within the photovoltaic (PV) community due to their potential for enhanced power generation, suitability for integration into building structures and applicability in multijunction PV systems. This study presents the fabrication of efficient Bi-PSCs and investigates their unique properties using various characterization techniques, including Lambertian reflection effects through tilt angle arrangements and bottom albedo illuminations. The control device achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.46% under front-side 1 Sun AM1.5G illumination. A significant influence of ground Lambertian reflection is observed with tilt angle variations, resulting in an increase in PCE from 17.46% → 18.82% as the tilt angle reached 20°. Additionally, enhancing the rear-side albedo to 0.5 Sun yielded a maximum PCE of 26% with a bifaciality factor of ∼90% at a tilt angle of 20°. Consequently, the synergistic effect of 0.5 Sun albedo and a 20° angular light inclination led to the development of Bi-PSCs with an efficiency of 26.46%. SCAPS-1D simulations are further employed to validate the experimental Lambertian reflection effects. Moreover, the Bi-PSCs exhibited intrinsic self-encapsulation and chemical robustness (T80 for 2000 h in the N2 atmosphere). This study anticipates that cost-effective and highly efficient Bi-PSCs will emerge as a leading PV technology in both single-junction and tandem PV configurations for electricity generation in the near future.

Theoretical improvement of the energy conversion efficiency of an AZO/CdTe heterojunction solar cell to over 27% by incorporating FeSi2 as a second absorber layer

Abstract This paper presents the numerical analysis of cadmium telluride (CdTe) based solar cells using iron di silicide (FeSi2) as the second absorber layer and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) as the window layer. The photovoltaic performance of solar cells with Al/AZO/CdTe/FeSi2/Ni structure was analyzed and improved by SCAPS-1D software. When analyzing the influence of thickness and carrier concentration on the photovoltaic performance, it was found that the optimum values for the CdTe layer were 300 nm and 1015 cm-3, for the AZO layer they were 10 nm and 1018 cm-3, while for the FeSi2 layer they were 1 µm and 1018 cm-3. The defect density (Nt) at the AZO/CdTe and CdTe/FeSi2 interfaces was also analyzed, obtaining that the optimum value of Nt is 1010 cm-2 at both interfaces. Device optimization is achieved by obtaining a maximum Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) of 27.22% with an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.63 V, a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 51.43 mA/cm2 and a fill factor (FF) of 83.06%, which makes FeSi2 a potential alternative for the development of CdTe-based solar cells due to its absorption of photons with lower energy wavelengths.

Measurement and performance evaluation of triple band differential integrated extraoral rectifying antenna for data transfer and RF energy harvesting for tongue drive system

Wearable assistive devices are vitally important for tetraplegic individuals to provide valuable insights into their intended directives tailored to tongue motions in wireless healthcare industries. The flexible differentially driven extraoral antenna and rectenna measurement system are developed to enable differential sensing and monitoring of the set of unique tongue gestures for extraoral tongue drive system (eTDS) applications in three frequency bands of Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) (915.0 MHz, 2400 MHz, and 5800 MHz). The performance analysis is carried out using the heterogeneous human head model. The differential rectifier is coplanarly integrated with the differential extraoral antenna on the same 0.254 mm thin and 9.5 mm wider Rogers RT/ Duroid 6010 LM substrate. The footprint of the fabricated differential rectenna is 0.135 \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:{\\varvec{\\lambda\\:}}_{\\varvec{g}}\ imes\\:$$\\end{document} 0.082 \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:{\\varvec{\\lambda\\:}}_{\\varvec{g}}$$\\end{document}\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:\ imes\\:$$\\end{document} 0.002 \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:{\\varvec{\\lambda\\:}}_{\\varvec{g}}$$\\end{document} where the planar size of differential rectifier is 15.75\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\:\\:\ imes\\:$$\\end{document} 2.5 mm2. The fabricated systems are situated closely to an artificial head model. The maximum conversion efficiency achieved at 2400 MHz and 5800 MHz is 83.45% and 74.8%, respectively, for 11 dBm of RF input power. Further, the link analysis, including interfacing circuit losses, was carried out theoretically at 915 MHz. Thus, the proposed differential extraoral systems can be employed to acquire and transmit the user intentions in eTDS inspired healthcare applications.

Efficiency limit for diamond metal/intrinsic/p-type Schottky barrier-based betavoltaic cells

Diamond materials hold great potentials with favorable characteristics for betavoltaic cells, thanks to their simple structure, high conversion efficiency, and radiation robustness. However, to explore its efficiency limit is greatly hindered by the material growth, doping techniques, and device design as well. In this work, a device model based on a diamond metal/intrinsic/p-type (MIP) Schottky barrier architect is analyzed for an accurate prediction of the efficiency limit for the betavoltaic cell based on such a structure. The study takes various factors of significance into account on the betavoltaic cell device characteristics, including the radiation source, thickness and doping concentration of the intrinsic layer, metal work function, as well as the metal/diamond interface traps and traps in the bulk. The current–voltage characteristics and fundamental parameters of the betavoltaic cells are thoroughly analyzed. According to our results, an open-circuit voltage of 2.04 V, a short-circuit current density of 87 nA·cm−2, and a fill factor of 0.9 for the diamond MIP betavoltaic cell can be achieved, which give a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 10.7%, at optimal conditions using 50 nm thick Al metal as the contact layer, 9 μm thick and 1 × 1014 cm−3-doping intrinsic layer, and 10 μm thick and 2 × 1017 cm−3-doping p-layer under a 2 μm 63Ni irradiation. This work also discusses the impact of the interface/bulk traps on the barrier heights of practical Schottky diodes and the device's performance as well.

Synergetic Effect of Ni‐CeO₂ Bimetallic Catalyst for an Effective Decomposition of Methane to Hydrogen and Filamentous Nanocarbons

AbstractThe work attempts to synthesis nickel‐ceria bimetallic catalysts supported on porous carbon template, thermally stable at 850 °C, for dehydrogenation of methane to hydrogen and carbon nanostructures. A series of bimetallic Ni catalysts were synthesized by varying the % ceria content (30Ni‐5CeO2/AC, 30Ni‐10CeO2/AC, and 30Ni‐15CeO2/AC) using the incipient wetness impregnation approach. Among the set of bimetallic catalysts, the 30Ni‐5CeO2/AC catalyst was found to offer highest methane conversion and stability. A maximum conversion of 90 % was achieved with 40 % methane feed concentration along with good catalyst stability. The promoter ceria at low concentration enhanced the dispersion of metal over the catalytic surface, resulting in adequate metal‐support interaction. The ability of the carbon support along with promoter ceria enhanced the thermal stability of the Ni catalyst up to 850 °C, offering high conversion and catalyst stability has been the highlight of the work. Advanced analytical techniques were used to characterize the catalyst's structural, textural, and morphological properties both before and after the reaction. The morphological study of the best‐performing catalyst demonstrated the formation of dense carbon nanotubes through tip‐growth mechanism exhibiting a high aspect ratio.

Optimized design and performance testing of hydraulic electrostatic actuator

ABSTRACT Hydraulic electrostatic actuators have become a research hotspot for their inherent flexibility and safety of human-machine interaction. This paper aims to combine the characteristics of dielectric elastomers and fluid actuators, enhancing the dielectric constant and breakdown field strength by modifying Al2O3 on the surface of nanostructured BaTiO3 and in order to develop a hydraulic electrostatic actuator with silicone rubber as the matrix material. Single-factor experiments were firstly conducted to confirm the range of three factors affecting the actuation strain of the actuator: BaTiO3@Al2O3 content, thickness of the silicone rubber elastomer film, and pre-stretching ratio coefficient. The response surface methodology was used to study the interactive influence of the above three influencing factors on the actuation strain. It was obtained that A has an insignificant influence on the actuation strain, AB has a significant influence on the actuation strain, and B, C, AC, and BC have a highly influence on the actuation strain. Maximizing actuation strain as the optimization objective yielded the combination results of each factor: BaTiO3@Al2O3 content of 2.57%, thickness of 0.60 mm, and pre-stretching ratio coefficient of 2.50. Actuation strain tests were conducted with optimized parameters under no-load. The experimental results of the actuation strain test show that the relative error between the test value and the model prediction value of 16.47% is less than 5%, and the optimization model results are reliable. The optimized hydraulic electrostatic actuator was tested for actuation strain and electrical performance under different loads. The experiment showed that the maximum actuation strain of the hydraulic electrostatic actuator was 17.20% under a load of 100 g. The critical breakdown current of the actuator ranged from 115 μA to 130 μA, and the maximum electromechanical conversion efficiency of the actuator under different loads was 67.93%. Finally, a joint actuating device was developed based on the structure of the actuator, amplifying the output displacement of the actuator to 30 mm, and the linear displacement of the soft electro-fluid actuator can be converted into a 20° rotation angle through the gear steering mechanism, thus validating the effectiveness of the hydraulic electrostatic actuator.

Intensification of n-butyl ethanoate synthesis using ultrasound over ammonium sulphate supported on silica extracted from rice husk ash as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst

ABSTRACT The silica extracted from rice husk ash was used as support to load ammonium sulphate ((NH4)2SO4) (10–40 wt.%) and ammonium sulphate supported on rice husk silica ((NH4)2SO4/RHS) catalysts were characterised by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with EDS techniques. The catalyst was further used to convert butan-1-ol to n-butyl ethanoate in an ultrasonic batch reactor. The study demonstrated the influence of ultrasound and operating parameters on the conversion. The maximum conversion of 88.77% was attained at the optimal operating conditions of temperature 353 K, molar ratio 1:2 (ethanoic acid to butan-1-ol), catalyst loading 4% (w/w), duty cycle 75% and ultrasound power 80 W. When compared with the conventional process, the reaction time was reduced by 54% in ultrasound-assisted synthesis over conventional synthesis. It has been observed that intensification benefits as it lowers reaction time for the ultrasound-assisted approach.

Toward Water-Resistant, Tunable Perovskite Absorbers Using Peptide Hydrogel Additives.

In recent years, hydrogels have been demonstrated as simple and cheap additives to improve the optical properties and material stability of organometal halide perovskites (OHPs), with most research centered on the use of hydrophilic, petrochemical-derived polymers. Here, we investigate the role of a peptide hydrogel in passivating defect sites and improving the stability of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI, CH3NH3PbI3) using closely controlled, in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques under realistic pressures. Optical measurements reveal that a reduction in the density of defect sites is achieved by incorporating peptide into the precursor solution during the conventional one-step MAPI fabrication approach. Increasing the concentration of peptide is shown to reduce the MAPI crystallite size, attributed to a reduction in hydrogel pore size, and a concomitant increase in the optical bandgap is shown to be consistent with that expected due to quantum size effects. Encapsulation of MAPI crystallites is further evidenced by XPS quantification, which demonstrates that the surface stoichiometry differs little from the expected nominal values for a homogeneously mixed system. In situ XPS demonstrates that thermally induced degradation in a vacuum is reduced by the inclusion of peptide, and near-ambient pressure XPS (NAP-XPS) reveals that this enhancement is partially retained at 9 mbar water vapor pressure, with a reduced loss of methylammonium (MA+) from the surface following heating achieved using 3 wt % peptide loading. A maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.6% was achieved with a peptide loading of 3 wt %, compared with 15.9% from a 0 wt % device, the former maintaining 81% of its best efficiency over 480 h storage at 35% relative humidity (RH), compared with 48% maintained by a 0 wt % device.

Submicron-scale Au-decorated TiO2 mesoporous spheres for enhanced photon harvesting in DSSCs through near-field enhancement, light scattering, and dye loading

Light harvesting materials are crucial for capturing the sunlight in a device such as a solar cell for better efficiency. In this study, we developed high surface area, submicron-sized TiO2 spheres (MTS) incorporated with anisotropic Au nanoparticles (Au_MTS) to create highly light-absorbing photoanodes for enhanced dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) efficiency. The high surface area of MTS (∼125 m2/g) allows for increased dye-loading, while their submicron size (150–300 nm) provides superior light-scattering capabilities for significantly enhancing the photoanode’s light absorption. Furthermore, incorporating of anisotropic Au nanoparticles enables broadband surface plasmon resonance (SPR) coupling, synergistically boosting photon harvesting in the Au_MTS photoanodes. The interconnected tiny TiO2 nanoparticle network in MTS supports charge carrier generation and transport, providing ample sites for dye adsorption and efficient electron pathways. Au_MTS with varying amounts of Au nanoparticles synthesized by a greener microwave-assisted synthesis method and DSSC devices were fabricated and compared with devices made from pristine MTS and P25 nanoparticles. The optimal Au_MTS device, containing ∼1.3 wt% Au nanoparticles, achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ∼7.7%, representing improvements of ∼40% and ∼60% over pristine MTS (PCE of ∼5.2%) and P25 nanoparticles (PCE of ∼4.71%), respectively. Overall, this work demonstrates the effectiveness of plasmonic mesoporous photoanodes in enhancing DSSC performance through improved photo response, light scattering, and dye loading.

Atomistic insight into the device engineering of inorganic halide perovskite solar cells

Perovskites provide a promising pathway for fabricating efficient and lightweight solar cells, which could be game-changers in the renewable energy landscape. Yet, the phase stability and device design are still the key issues of perovskite-based photovoltaics. Herein, we evaluated the phase stability of CsPbX3 (X = I, Br, and Cl) upon analyzing the lattice dynamics from first-principles and then predicted fundamental properties including bandgap, carrier mobility, and optical absorption as input to optimize the device design of solar cell. A maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.36 % was achieved for a CsPbBr3-based solar cell. Those findings highlight the potential of CsPbX3 perovskites for high-efficiency solar cells. The computational approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the material's structural stability, charge-carrier dynamics, and optoelectronic characteristics. The collective analysis enables a holistic understanding of CsPbX3 perovskites and provides a roadmap for future advancements in perovskite solar-cell technology.

Stoichiometric-Ratio-Controlled Fe and Ni Non-noble Metal Catalysts Supported on γ-Al2O3 for Turquoise Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes Production.

Herein, we synthesized a series of catalysts comprising iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) supported on γ-Al2O3 nanopowder (Fe-Ni/γ-Al2O3) by controlling the stoichiometric ratio of the metals through the facile co-precipitation method. The ratio of Fe and Ni on the γ-Al2O3 support varied from 0 to 70 weight percent (wt%). The freshly prepared catalysts' phase, structure, and crystallinity exhibited variability as the Fe and Ni stoichiometric ratios were altered. The catalyst demonstrated effective performance in methane cracking, producing turquoise hydrogen and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a temperature-programmed reactor coupled with mass spectrometry. It was observed that the Fe3Ni4 catalyst, comprising 30% Fe and 40% Ni, exhibited a maximum methane conversion rate of 85% and a hydrogen yield of 72.55%. Moreover, the values of turnover frequency (2.38 min-1) indicated that the Fe3Ni4 had a better production rate and was consistent with the conversion process throughout the reaction. The structural attributes of the spent catalysts were examined, revealing variations in the lateral length, uniformity, and diameters (~33 to 56 nm) of the produced Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) when transitioning from catalyst Fe0Ni7 to Fe7Ni0. The investigation underscored the significance of metal stoichiometrically controlled catalysts and their catalytic efficacy in methane cracking applications.

Study of Aluminium, Gallium and Gallium Boron as P-Type Dopants for New-Generation n+np+ Solar Cells

Silicon n-type n+np+ solar cells offer many advantages over conventional n+pp+ cells, including better resistance to light-induced degradation and higher conversion efficiency potential. However, the formation of the p+ emitter in n+np+ cells requires high diffusion temperatures and the use of alternative boron dopants is necessary to overcome the limitations of conventional processes. This study explored aluminium, gallium and gallium/boron co-doping as p-type dopants for the fabrication of thin (140 µm) n+np+ solar cells. The results showed that aluminium is not suitable for the formation of the p+ emitter due to its low solid solubility in silicon and its high segregation towards silicon oxide. Gallium required high diffusion temperatures and suffered from a degradation of the concentration profile in later stages of the manufacturing process, leading to poor performing solar cells. Gallium/boron co-doping has proved to be a promising alternative to boron. Thin n+np+ solar cells doped with GaB achieved a maximum conversion efficiency of 13.7%, slightly lower than that of boron-doped cells (14.9%). Optimisation of the GaB diffusion process and surface passivation could further improve the performance of these cells. This study demonstrates the potential of gallium/boron co-doping for the manufacture of new-generation thin n+np+ solar cells. Further research is needed to fully exploit the advantages of this technology and contribute to improving the efficiency and cost of silicon solar cells.

Model of occupational exposure of workers performing inspection of welded joints

A model of occupational exposure to gamma flaw detector operators working with portable flaw detectors in the field has been developed. The initial data for the development and verification of the model were the results of measurements of the characteristics of the gamma radiation field at the workplaces of flaw detectors and data from individual dosimetric monitoring. The relationships between the measured (H*(10), Hp(10)) and protection (effective dose) quantities (conversion coefficients) were determined using calculations and phantom experiments simulating three main operations of the full production cycle: transportation of the flaw detector to the place of X-raying of the product, installation of a flaw detector to perform x-raying and X-raying of the product. As a result of the study, it was found that more than 90% of the dose contribution to the readings of an individual dosimeter is due to the installation of the flaw detector in the working position and X-raying of the product. The values of the conversion coefficients for these operations in the form of the ratio of the effective dose values and the readings of dosimeters (Hp(10)) located on the worker's body at chest level (standard place) and abdominal level differ little for both positions of individual dosimeters. The use of maximum conversion coefficient value of 0.8 Sv/Sv corresponding to the operation of X-raying of the product will ensure conservatism in the assessment of the effective dose for the entire production cycle by no more than 15% and 25% for dosimeters located at the chest level and abdominal level, respectively.

Technological Aspects of Sintering Low-Quality Wolframite Concentrate with Potassium Carbonate

The loss of quality of wolframite concentrates determines the need to improve their processing method that ensures maximum conversion of tungsten into water-soluble wolframate and a reduction in water-soluble impurities. The results of thermodynamic modeling of the sintering of wolframite concentrate with sodium and potassium carbonates indicate a greater efficiency of K2CO3: The reagent consumption required for complete conversion of tungsten into solution decreases from 170% from stoichiometric sintering with Na2CO3 to 110% for K2CO3, as well as the proportion of soluble silicates up to 0.1%. In addition, sintering with K2CO3 is accompanied by the formation of compounds with a higher melting point, preventing melting and coating formation during the process. Mathematical sintering models were obtained by the method of probabilistically deterministic planning of this experiment. Optimal parameters have been determined: The extraction of tungsten into a solution of more than 95% is achieved by sintering with K2CO3 in an amount of 105–110% according to the stoichiometric requirements for the formation of K2WO4, K2MoO4, and K2SO4 at temperatures of 1073–1123 K for 100–120 min. Pilot tests have confirmed the effectiveness of the process. The possibility of sintering a cinder of wolframite concentrate with K2CO3 without the introduction of recycled materials has been established. Sintering under optimal conditions ensures the transition of tungsten to water-soluble tungstate by 97.5%.

Lead-free Cs2TiBr6 perovskite solar cells achieving high power conversion efficiency through device simulation

Recently, lead-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained significant attention in the photovoltaic industry due to their remarkable properties such as high bandgap and high absorption coefficient. However, challenges such as toxicity, instability, and short shelf life limit the use of inorganic-organic lead-based PSCs. To address these issues, researchers introduced eco-friendly, lead-free, and stable cesium titanium (Cs2TiBr6) single-halide absorber material. The aim of this work is to perform the numerical modelling and simulation of FTO/SnO2/Cs2TiBr6/CBTS/Au structure incorporating interfacial defect layers (IDL) using SCAPS-1D to examine and study its characteristics properties about various photovoltaic (PV) parameters such as light-absorbing layer thickness, charge transport layer thickness, doping, defect density, operating temperature, and quantum efficiency (QE). After evaluating these parameters, the proposed single-halide Cs2TiBr6-based structure shows superior performance as compared to previously reported experimental and simulation-based Cs2TiBr6 perovskite structures. The results show a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.24 %, with a fill factor (FF) of 88.9 %, an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.31 V, and a short-circuit current density (JSC) of 20.76 mA/cm2. This work encourages researchers to develop low-toxic, and stable PSCs for the future solar cell industry.

Nanoscale grating-based perovskite solar cell with improved efficiency

MAPbI3 perovskite-based solar cell (PSC) has attracted much attention due to its high absorption rate. The top flat electrode degrades the behavior of PSC due to limiting the light reached to the absorber layer, which reduces the efficiency. In this study, the influence of texturing the top FTO electrode surface with a triangular saw-tooth grating on both the optical and electrical performance is reported. The interference effects are also considered in this work by modeling the PSC structure as a Fabry–Perot resonator. In this regard, the finite difference time domain method is utilized to precisely simulate the optical characteristics of the nano-structural design. Also, the optical behavior of PSC is studied at different triangular grating (TG) structures and dimensions at which the light absorption is maximized. Furthermore, the effect of absorber thickness and defect density on the optoelectronic performance is investigated. We configured the conversion efficiency (η) of the proposed PSC structure by using the bulk and Langevin recombination mechanisms. The proposed grating structure enhances the light coupling, and hence the light absorption and the generated current density are increased. For absorber thickness of 350 nm, we reported a maximum conversion efficiency (η) of 19.5% for the proposed triangular grating (TG) structure with an enhancement of 19.6% compared to the structure with a flat FTO layer. As the defect density is increased from 1012 cm−3 to 1018 cm−3, the efficiency of the optimum TG PSC is reduced from 19.5% to 10.1%, respectively. The simulation results, therefore, contribute to the understanding of the PSC-based MAPbI3 design and can be used to improve its physical behavior.

Quad-Band Rectifier Circuit Design for IoT Applications

In this work, a novel quad-band rectifier circuit is introduced for RF energy harvesting and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The proposed rectifier operates in the Wi-Fi frequency band and can supply low-power sensors and systems used in IoT services. The circuit operates at 2.4, 3.5, 5, and 5.8 GHz. The proposed RF-to-DC rectifier is designed based on Delon theory and Greinacher topology on an RT/Duroid 5880 substrate. The results show that our proposed circuit can harvest RF energy from the environment, providing maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) greater than 81% when the output load is 0.511 kΩ and the input power is 12 dBm. In this work, we provide a comprehensive design framework for an affordable RF-to-DC rectifier. Our circuit performs better than similar designs in the literature. This rectifier could be integrated into an IoT node to harvest RF energy, thereby proving a green energy source. The IoT node can operate at various frequencies.

KINETIC STUDY OF ESTERIFICATION CATALYZED WITH ALUMINUM SULFATE AIMED AT CONVERTING LEVULINIC ACID INTO METHYL LEVULINATE

Recycling lignocellulosic biomass is a sustainable alternative to the petrochemical industry since it allows the production of valuable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly chemical products, such as levulinic acid (LVA) and levulinate esters. Methyl levulinate (MLV), for example, has been assessed as a fuel additive with low toxicity, high lubricity, and flash point stability. In this respect, the present investigation details a kinetic study of methyl esterification catalyzed with aluminum sulfate aimed at converting levulinic acid into methyl levulinate. The reactions were carried out in a Parr Instruments stainless steel reactor to assess the effect of temperature (120, 140 and 160 °C) and reaction time (30, 60, 120 and 180 min) on LVA conversion into MLV, maintaining a constant LVA:methanol ratio of 1:8 and aluminum sulfate catalyst concentration of 0.04 mol.L-1. The maximum LVA-MLV conversion of 93.04 % was obtained at a temperature of 160 °C and reaction time of 60 minutes. The pseudo first-order kinetic model exhibited the best fit to the experimental data, with correlation coefficients (R²) greater than 0.96, and it was used to calculate activation energy, obtaining a value of 10.19 kcal.mol-1.

Preparation of a finely dispersion nickel-based in-situ pyrolysis catalyst: Influence of lignocellulosic constituents

Metal/biochar catalysts could be synthesized via directly subjecting biomass impregnated with metal salts to pyrolysis. The properties of biochar are intricately linked to the inherent composition of the raw material, which in turn could influence the degree of metal dispersion and its catalytic impact. The poplar sawdust and its fractioned proportion was employed for the preparation of Ni-based biochar catalysts. The work mainly focuses on the impact of lignocellulosic material with diverse compositions on the dispersion of nickel particles during the calcination-pyrolysis co-process. Given that cellulose and holocellulose constituted the majority of the material, the matching catalyst support may encourage the migration of nickel species to produce substantial amounts of particles, perhaps as a result of several reactions such as dehydration and aromatization. In contrast, the utilization of sawdust as a support demonstrated a remarkable effect in dispersing nickel particles, nickel particle size and H2 uptake were 7.0nm and 19.8 μmol/g, respectively, while also displaying exceptional catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of vanillin, with the maximum conversion and 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (MMP) yield of 99.7% and 69.0%. It has been determined that the presence of lignin in the system has a beneficial impact on the dispersion of nickel and its catalytic activity.

Small molecule of aminoacetonitrile hydrochloride prompting large improvement in the performance of perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) continuously update their best research efficiency records, currently has exceeded 26 %. However, the industrialization of PSCs still faces the issues of stability and performance improvement, and interface defects are notorious negative factors. Herein, a small molecule aminoacetonitrile hydrochloride (AAN) as multi-functional additive is introduced into the interface of tin oxide (SnO2)/perovskite. The cyano group (CN) on AAN can coordinate with Pb2+ on perovskite; Cl− can occupy halide vacancy in perovskite and oxygen vacancy on SnO2, and NH3+ can form hydrogen bonding with iodide ions in perovskite. It is verified that crystal growth quality is improved, trap-state density is reduced, energetic alignment is adjusted, charge transfer is ameliorated, and carrier recombination is alleviated. Therefore, the AAN-modified PSC achieves a maximum power conversion efficiency of 24.52 % with a high open-circuit voltage of 1.18 V and satisfactory stability, compared to the unmodified device efficiency of 21.24 %, demonstrating a significant impact of the multi-functional small molecule of AAN in highly efficient and stable PSCs.