Operating Temperature Research Articles

Development of Nanostructured Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite/Gadolinian-Doped Ceria Composite Electrodes of Solid Oxide Cells Formed by In Situ Polarization.

In the development of nanoscale oxygen electrodes of high-temperature solid oxide cells (SOCs), the interface formed between the nanoelectrode particles and the electrolyte or electrolyte scaffolds is the most critical. In this work, a new synthesis technique for the fabrication of nanostructured electrodes via in situ electrochemical polarization treatment is reported. The lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) precursor solution is infiltrated into a gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) scaffold presintered on a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte, followed by in situ polarization current treatment at SOC operation temperatures. Electrode ohmic and polarization resistances decrease with an increase in the polarization current treatment. Detailed microstructure analysis indicates the formation of a convex-shaped interface between the LSCF nanoparticles (NPs) and the GDC scaffold, very different from the flat contact between LSCF and GDC observed after heating at 800 °C with no polarization current treatment. The embedded LSCF NPs on the GDC scaffold contribute to the superior stability under both fuel cell and electrolysis operation conditions at 750 °C and a high peak power density of 1.58 W cm-2 at 750 °C. This work highlights a novel and facile route to in situ construct a stable and high-performing nanostructured electrode for SOCs.

Efficient Ultraviolet Circularly Polarized Luminescence in Zero-Dimensional Hybrid Cerium Bromides.

Ultraviolet circularly polarized luminescence (UV-CPL) with high photon energy shows great potential in polarized light sources and stereoselective photopolymerization. However, developing luminescent materials with high UV-CPL performance remains challenging. Here, we report a pair of rare earth Ce3+-based zero-dimensional (0D) chiral hybrid metal halides (HMHs), R/S-(C14H24N2)2CeBr7, which exhibits characteristic UV emissions derived from the Ce 5d-4f transition. The compounds show simultaneously high photoluminescent quantum yields of (32-39)% and large luminescent dissymmetry factor (|glum|) values of (1.3-1.5)×10-2. Thus, the figures of merits of R/S-(C14H24N2)2CeBr7 are calculated to be (4.5-5.8)×10-3, which are superior to the reported UV-CPL emissive materials. Additionally, nearly 91% of their PL intensities at 300 K can be well preserved at 380 K (LED operating temperature) without phase transition or decomposition, demonstrating the excellent structural and optical thermal stabilities of R/S-(C14H24N2)2CeBr7. Based on these enantiomers, the fabricated UV-emitting CP-LEDs exhibit high polarization degrees of ±1.0%. Notably, the UV-CPL generated from the devices can significantly trigger the enantioselective photopolymerization of diacetylene with remarkable stereoselectivity, and consequently yield polymerized products with the anisotropy factors of circular dichroism (gCD) up to ±3.9×10-2, outperforming other UV-CPL materials and demonstrating their great potential as UV-polarized light sources.

Expanding the operational temperature window of a superconducting spin valve

Expanding the operational temperature window of a superconducting spin valve

Electricity and hydrogen production by integrating two kinds of fuel cells with copper chlorine thermo-chemical cycle

An innovative cogeneration system based on a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and copper chlorine cycle is being investigated. Instead of directly making electricity by any thermodynamic cycle or thermoelectric generator, the waste heat from SOFC should be used to make hydrogen through the copper-chlorine cycle (Cu–Cl). A portable polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been suggested due to its compatibility with portable and non-portable applications. The obtained results reveal that increasing the current density of SOFC results in higher methane consumption, output power, overpotentials, and hydrogen production. Furthermore, temperature variation does not have as much influence on power generation and efficiency as current density, where the system efficiency, when operating at 0.7 A/cm2 and SOFC operating temperature of 900–1200 K, varies between 40.4 % and 46.3 %. Regarding the methane flow rate, as it increases, the output power increases as well, but the efficiency falls. The system's greatest power output is 677.5 kW and occurs at a methane flow rate of 2.13 mol/s, although the system efficiency is just 39.7 % at that point. Most importantly, SOFC generates nearly 65 % of the total power, while PEMFC generates around 35 %. Therefore, the percentage of additional power that PEMFC can produce is around 55 %.

Doped rare earth elements enhance gas sensing properties of hollow spiral-like Mn(OH)F semiconductor sensors for acetate esters detection

This study successfully synthesized a series of Mn(OH)F hollow structures doped with rare earth elements (Sm, Nd, Ce, and Tb) using a hydrothermal method. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the influence of these dopant elements on the morphology and gas-sensitive properties of Mn(OH)F. The gas-sensing performance of Mn(OH)F nanomaterials doped with Sm, Nd, Ce, and Tb was extensively investigated at 150℃ for methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, and butyl acetate. The results demonstrated good gas-sensing capabilities, with responses reaching 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, and 2.5, respectively. Compared to undoped Mn(OH)F nanomaterials, the operating temperature of these sensors was reduced by about 100℃, and the response values were nearly tripled. Exceptional selectivity and stability were also observed. In addition, an in-depth exploration was conducted into the underlying mechanisms behind the enhanced gas response due to rare earth element doping. This study provides strong theoretical support for the development of efficient acetate ester gas sensors, demonstrating broad prospects for their widespread application in the industrial field.

Dion-Jacobson perovskite solar cells: Further optimize the performance by SCAPS-1D simulation techniques

With rising global energy demands and the emergence of novel energy forms, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are becoming increasingly prominent due to their exceptionally high efficiency in converting power. The advantage of Dion-Jacobson (DJ) type 2D layered perovskite materials lies in their lack of interlayer van der Waals forces, coupled with hydrogen bonds at the extremities, necessitating additional external energy to break through their two-dimensional layered configuration, thereby greatly enhancing the materials' structural integrity. This study utilizes DJ type 2D layered perovskite material to tackle the stability problem. This study aimed to uncover the inherent effects of DJ type 2D perovskite substances by simulating the devices with SCAPS-1D (Solar Cells Capacitance Simulator) and modifying appropriate physical parameters to align closely with the outcomes reported in experiments. Simulation results indicate that factors such as the thickness of the absorber layer, the band gap, the operating temperature, and the thickness of the interfacial defect layer uniquely influence the device's performance. The optimal thickness for the absorbing layer was determined by its ability to absorb light. The aim is to boost the sensitivity of DJ type 2D layered perovskite materials to light across various wavelengths and to refine the PCE. During the simulation, the maximum PCE (26.57%) was attained by enhancing both the band gap width in the absorber layer and the hole transport layer. To delve deeper into the fluctuations in device efficiency in environments with low temperatures, this study established the temperature spectrum between 270 and 300 Kelvin. Investigations revealed that at 272 K, the PCE and FF stood at 28.33% and 83.79% respectively, indicating the effectiveness of DJ type 2D layered PSC in low-temperature applications, preserving structural integrity and superior efficiency relative to other PSCs. Consequently, this study offers a viable approach for creating DJ type 2D layered PSC, ensuring high efficiency and enduring stability in cooler conditions.

Autoclave Design for Microgravity Hydrothermal Synthesis

Microgravity offers an enticing synthetic knob for materials scientists to explore—however, this environment creates major challenges in hardware development that can turn a simple 3-day experiment into a 3-year long nightmare. This paper provides an overview of engineering an autoclave, compatible with NASA’s Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) furnace, to enable microgravity hydrothermal synthesis—an acceleration-sensitive technique that processes aqueous samples above the boiling point of water. Hydrothermal synthesis is a universal chemical transformation technique that is used to produce a range of advanced materials with applications in alternative energy, healthcare, and the food industry. In this work, we use the synthesis of graphene hydrogel as a case study to verify our hardware design on Earth before launching to the International Space Station for microgravity testing. The design addresses pertinent challenges which include enabling thermal expansion while preventing air bubble formation in solution and implementing a pressure fail-safe above the maximum operating temperature. Our goal in presenting this autoclave design is to provide a step forward towards commercial-of-the-shelf microgravity hardware.

Study on operational temperature of magneto-rheological fluid and design dimensions of magneto-rheological damper for optimization

This study aims to restrict the upper limit for flow gap and effective length in magnetorheological (MR) damper for optimal performance. Initially, the sedimentation study of in-house MR fluid (25%) shows that an 8% reduction in the sedimentation ratio with the addition of additive and nonlinear Herschel-Bulkley (HB) model fit reflects a 32.5% decrease in average yield stress with increasing currents when the parallel plate gap is increased from 1 mm to 2 mm. Owing to this decrease in yield stress, further study is extended to fabricate two MR dampers with limit values (LV) of flow gap and effective length with a common magnetic outer cylinder. Testing results of MR dampers revealed a 72% reduction in damping force at 0.8 A current when the LV’s is increased from LV-1 to LV-2. Selecting LV-1 over LV-2 as the upper limit for any design optimization will give the MR damper optimal performance. At higher input parameters, amplitude has a 135% greater impact on damping force than frequency and current. It is also demonstrated that saturation magnetization depends on the applied magnetic field and input loading parameters. Finally, gravimetric analysis shows that the effectiveness of the MR fluid and magnetic particle starts to decline after 322 °C and 400 °C.

Lamellar cross-linking Ni/CeO2 as an efficient and durable catalyst for dry reforming of methane

Dry reforming of methane provides a prospective process for converting greenhouse gases into syngas but suffers from the coking and sintering of catalyst at high operating temperatures. Here we report a lamellar cross-linking Ni/CeO2 catalyst that shows durable performance with 73 % CO2 and 60 % CH4 conversions for DRM at 700 °C in a continuous operation of 50 h. The sintering of Ni particles is inhibited due to the confined migration and aggregation of Ni nanoparticles provided by the lamellar CeO2 nanosheets. Meanwhile, the presence of these CeO2 nanosheets facilitates the release of lattice oxygen and the formation of oxygen vacancies, thereby generating more reactive oxygen species, as revealed by the characterization of Raman, XPS, H2-TPR and O2-TPD. The catalyst characterization using TGA and N2-TP indicates that the reactive oxygen species can realize the in-situ gasification of carbon deposition, thus achieving a balance between the rate of coke formation and carbon gasification. Due to the dynamic balance of carbon deposits, no further accumulation of carbon deposition is observed during the DRM test from 10 h to 50 h.

All-dielectric grating-assisted absorption enhancement in a subwavelength mercury cadmium telluride layer for infrared photodetectors

Light absorption enhancement in a 1.5 μm thick mercury–cadmium–telluride (Hg0.762Cd0.238Te, MCT) layer at room temperature utilizing 1D dielectric grating at mid-wave infrared (MWIR) wavelengths (3–5 μm) has been theoretically investigated. The optimized dielectric grating facilitates light diffraction and scattering into the MCT-absorbing waveguiding layer resulting in an increased lateral optical path. The light absorption was improved from ∼37.5% to ∼71% (TE) and ∼70% (TM) at normal incidence. With enhanced absorption, the photocarrier generation rate in the thin layer would be comparable to a bulk 5 μm thick MCT layer. A ∼3× reduction in the MCT layer thickness without compromising absorption has the potential for realizing infrared photodetectors with improved sensitivity at conventional operating temperatures and/or elevated operating temperatures.

Synthesis of indium oxide nanofibers using electrospinning method towards gas sensor application

AbstractIndium oxide nanofibers (NFs) were synthesized through a two‐step process involving electrospinning followed by calcination. The structural, microstructural, morphological, and elemental characteristics were thoroughly analyzed using techniques such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy‐dispersive spectrometry (EDS) mapping. The characterization of the In2O3 NFs revealed their consistent thickness, structural integrity, and high purity. The nanofibers revealed a uniform diameter spanning from 20 to 50 nm. Upon subjecting the as‐spun nanofibers to heat treatment at 500 °C for 2 h, elongated In2O3 nanofibers containing necked nanoparticles were successfully obtained. The first tests of ammonia sensing were done from 250 to 450 °C; the In2O3 NFs sensor presented a good response of 2.05–100 ppm NH3 at an operation temperature of 300 °C.

Effect of phase change material in cross flow and jet impingement cooling techniques used in heat sink for electronics application

This article presents the results of numerical investigation on comparison between two different cooling techniques namely cross flow and jet impingement cooling techniques used in heat sinks for the electronic components. Pin fin heat sink with and without phase change material (PCM) are considered for the investigation. The main focus of this research is to reduce the peak operating temperature of electronic component and pressure drop and to increase the Nusselt number of the heat sinks. Computational fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool is used to model and investigate the heat transfer characteristics across the heat sink. It is found that the cross flow shows superior thermal characteristics compared to jet impingement method due to which the base temperatures of pin fins in cross flow is at an average temperature of 14.5° C lower than that of jet impingement. Furthermore, the use of PCM significantly reduces the operating temperature of the pin fins by an average temperature of 7.5 °C for cross flow and 6.1 °C for jet impingement flow techniques.

Heat transport characteristics of a flat-evaporator loop heat pipe for use in a thermal management system of electric vehicles

In this work, a flat-evaporator loop heat pipe (FELHP), with a 100 cm2 rectangular thermal interface and an overall length of approximately 2 m was devised for the thermal management of electric vehicles. A simple rectangular-cuboid evaporator was devised using a novel stepped-flat wick structure, and the heat transport characteristics were systematically investigated in terms of the heat load, relative height of the evaporator to the condenser (i.e., position), heat sink temperature, and working fluid. In particular, water-ethanol binary mixtures with different compositions were tested to find an optimum low-freezing-temperature working fluid for use in thermal management system of the electric vehicles driving outdoors. Over the tested heat load range, a significant position dependence of the operating temperature was observed with a thermal resistance change from 0.21 K/W ± 0.02 K/W to 0.14 K/W ± 0.01 K/W for a 0.4 m change in the position. In contrast, the operating temperature of the FELHP was insensitive to changes in the heat sink temperature. A binary mixture containing 20% water and 80% ethanol (by volume) resulted in comparable heat transport characteristics to those of pure water but had a much lower freezing temperature (e.g., a thermal resistance of 0.25 K/W ± 0.03 K/W at 450 W and a freezing temperature of approximately -59 °C), demonstrating that this was an optimum composition of the water-ethanol mixture working fluid of the FELHP.

Frictional heating effects on entropy generation with nonlinear Rosseland radiation: Implementation of generalized differential quadrature method

This article examines heat transfer and entropy generation analysis for boundary layer flow, considering the impacts of frictional heating and nonlinear Rosseland thermal radiation. The equations governing momentum and energy in a two-dimensional boundary layer are transformed into self-similar equations via similarity operations. The generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) is then used to numerically solve the no-dimensional governing equations. Entropy generation and Bejan numbers are computed using the acquired solutions and are then plotted against the emerging flow parameters. An in-depth analysis of temperature distribution, entropy generation, velocity profile, and Bejan number. A high level of agreement was seen when the results from the literature were replicated using GDQM to verify the accuracy of the numerical code. It is found that a self-similar solution exists in the presence of viscous dissipation. The primary contributor to entropy generation at the interface is fluid friction, in contrast to heat transfer. Further, the findings indicate that entropy generation positively correlates with the Prandtl number, heating parameter, radiation parameter, and Eckert number. Notably, the results show that a decrease in operational temperature causes a decrease in entropy production.

Moisture reaction mechanism of Au-modified SnO2 ultrathin nanosheets with exclusive detection of formaldehyde

Exploring the reaction mechanism at the molecular level in detecting different target gases and providing the optimal operating temperature can improve selective detection performance and extend the lifetime of chemiresistors in practical sensing applications. While the humidity effect interaction mechanism between gas and sensor hinders its practical application. Therefore, exploring the reaction mechanism of humidity to detect different target gases at the molecular level can promote the development of exclusive detection performance and service life of sensors. To further disclose this, a one-step chemical method is applied to synthesize the defect-rich SnO2 with an ultrathin nanosheet structure. The experimental results confirmed that the inhibitory effect of humidity on the detection of formaldehyde by Au-SnO2 is significantly lower than that of other interfering volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The response value of Au-SnO2 detect 10 ppm of formaldehyde at 55 °C is 78, which is larger than that of methanol, ethanol, and acetone. This study sheds light on the mechanistic insight into the correlation between operating temperatures and humidity on the excellent performance of the Au-SnO2 chemiresistive sensor. We consider our work significant in developing highly efficient and stable electrochemical sensors to detect VOC gases at room temperature.

Alternative Concepts for Extruded Power Cable Insulation: from Thermosets to Thermoplastics.

The most common type of insulation of extruded high-voltage power cables is composed of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which must be crosslinked to adjust its thermomechanical properties. A major drawback is the need for hazardous curing agents and the release of harmful curing byproducts during cable production, while the thermoset nature complicates reprocessing of the insulation material. This perspective explores recent progress in the development of alternative concepts that allow to avoid byproducts through either click chemistry type curing of polyethylene-based copolymers or the use of polyolefin blends or copolymers, which entirely removes the need for crosslinking. Moreover, polypropylene-based thermoplastic formulations enable the design of insulation materials that can withstand higher cable operating temperatures and facilitate reprocessing by remelting once the cable reaches the end of its lifetime. Finally, polyethylene-based covalent and non-covalent adaptable networks are explored, which may allow to combine the advantages of thermoset and thermoplastic insulation materials in terms of thermomechanical properties and reprocessability.

Thermally stable Ni foam-supported inverse CeAlOx/Ni ensemble as an active structured catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methane

Nickel is the most widely used inexpensive active metal center of the heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methane. However, Ni-based catalysts suffer from severe deactivation in CO2 methanation reaction due to the irreversible sintering and coke deposition caused by the inevitable localized hotspots generated during the vigorously exothermic reaction. Herein, we demonstrate the inverse CeAlOx/Ni composite constructed on the Ni-foam structure support realizes remarkable CO2 methanation catalytic activity and stability in a wide operation temperature range from 240 to 600 °C. Significantly, CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam catalyst maintains its initial activity after seven drastic heating-cooling cycles from RT to 240 to 600 °C. Meanwhile, the structure catalyst also shows water resistance and long-term stability under reaction condition. The promising thermal stability and water-resistance of CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam originate from the excellent heat and mass transport efficiency which eliminates local hotspots and the formation of Ni-foam stabilized CeAlOx/Ni inverse composites which effectively anchored the active species and prevents carbon deposition from CH4 decomposition.

Magnetic, Optical, Electrical and Antimicrobial Properties of MnCuZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles

AbstractThe Mn0.92Cu0.08‐yZnyFe2O4 (y=0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) nanoparticles (MCZF NPs) were synthesized via the hydrothermal process at low operating temperature. The MCZF system generated a cubic spinel structure as seen by the X‐ray diffraction patterns. The average crystallite size was observed to be increasing from 25 to 30 nm. The broad (γ1) and narrow (γ2) absorption bands were seen in FTIR spectra and the cation distributions at tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites, respectively, was indicated. The surface morphology was analyzed using electron microscopy. Clarification was provided for the dependence of the optical bandgap shift (Eg~1.96–2.15 eV) on the concentration of substituent. The superparamagnetic nature of MCZF can be advantageous for biomedical applications and it was demonstrated by the magnetization versus applied magnetic field (M−H) loops. Small values of remanence magnetization (Mr) and coercivity (Hc) were found using magnetization versus magnetic field (M−H) curves at y=0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08. This proved that MCZF NPs exhibited the superparamagnetic behavior. The cation distribution at two sublattices was also estimated using a two‐sublattice model. The greatest zone of inhibition in an antibacterial study of MCZF (produced by the green method) was 10.8 mm for Pseudomonosa aeruginosa and 9.4 mm for Staphylococcus aureus.

Analysis of Power Consumption on BOP System in a Fuel Cell Electric Bus According to the Fuel Cell Load Range

AbstractThe proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) in a fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) converts hydrogen's chemical energy into electrical energy. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack and a balance of plant (BOP) system, which efficiently controls the stack. Fuel cell and battery are sensitive to operational temperature, which directly impacts performance, lifespan, and safety. Therefore, a thermal management system (TMS) is necessary to maintain an appropriate temperature by dissipating the heat generated by the fuel cell and battery. In this study, the exponential or quadratic relationships between the power consumption of the major components of an FCEB and various factors, such as temperature and flow rate influencing the operational behavior and control of the components, were analyzed based on the results of a dynamometer vehicle test. Additionally, the vehicle's energy flow was calculated under different fuel cell load conditions. When the fuel cell operated at 56.3 kW, TMS power was 6.6 times higher than at 20 kW. At full load, under 90 kW, it increased to 17.4 times higher. The rise in fuel cell load correlated with higher heat generation, resulting in a significant increase in power consumption for both the radiator fan and coolant pump.

Strain-induced high-Chern-number spin-unlocked edge states in monolayer MnAsO3 with intrinsic quantum anomalous Hall effect

Two-dimensional intrinsic magnetic topological materials that can realize device miniaturization have attracted significant attention recently based on their chiral dissipationless edge states. However, since the experimental observation of quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) is still limited by low temperature, high operating temperature and large nontrivial gap are urgently needed. Here, monolayer MnAsO3 is predicted to be a room-temperature intrinsic magnetic topological material with high Chern number C = 3 based on first-principles calculations, which offers the possibility of achieving high-speed and low-energy-consumption electron transport in the future. Furthermore, the large and experimental feasible nontrivial gap up to 79.09 meV is obtained under compressive strain modulation. Moreover, the high-Chern-number topological phase transition and strain-induced spin-unlocked edge states are observed, indicating the possibility of tuning the electron transport of QAHE. All these findings suggest that monolayer MnAsO3 is a suitable and promising material for fabricating low-energy-consumption spintronics devices.