Selective Switch Research Articles

Enhanced ammonia electrosynthesis over phosphorus-doped nickel across broad nitrate concentrations via regulating trade-offs in pathways

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) holds promise for carbon-neutral ammonia production but requires efficient electrodes to minimize the formation of nitrite and hydrogen by-products, from either concentrated or dilute feedstocks. Here, we report a trade-off effect upon phosphorus incorporation into Ni, wherein Ni- and P-rich surfaces tend to inhibit nitrite and hydrogen formation, respectively, while promoting the generation of the respective opposite by- products. Under 0.1 M nitrate concentration, the selectivity switch between the by-products presented a correlation with the intrinsic HER activity of surfaces, highlighting the critical role of *H supply. Through ex-situ and in-situ spectroscopies, the reconstructed P-doped Ni (R-NiP) was found to exhibit an oxidation state and local atomic environment intermediate between those of Ni and P-doped Ni (NiP), effectively integrating the suppressing traits of both Ni and P. Consequently, an ammonia Faradaic efficiency of 89 % was achieved at a reduced potential on R-NiP, along with a 2- and 8-fold enhancement in intrinsic activity compared to NiP and Ni, respectively. By leveraging this trade-off, we also showcase the adaptability of NiP platform for effective operation across both lower and higher nitrate concentrations, emphasizing that nitrate bulk concentration should be factored in when regulating *H supply for efficient ammonia electrosynthesis.

Zero-cost upgrade to a multi-fiber network with partial lane-change capabilities

Growing capacity requirements are leading to the deployment of multiple fibers in each optical network link. Even though deploying state-of-the-art multi-fiber network architectures with stacked and independent fiber layers simplifies network design and control, spectrum can be used more efficiently if the optical-network nodes allow fiber layers to be interconnected, i.e., if the so-called lane change is enabled. Unfortunately, lane change in high-degree optical nodes requires wavelength selective switches (WSSs) with a high number of ports, which is prohibitively costly or even unfeasible with current WSS technology. Instead, lane change in low-degree optical nodes can be enabled at no extra cost, using WSS ports that are otherwise left empty. In this study, we describe our proposal for a multi-fiber network with partial lane-change capabilities and perform a simulative study to identify the advantages of this architecture, as well as discuss the emerging resource allocation challenges associated with it. We demonstrate that, by enabling lane change in degree-2 nodes, we can increase network throughput by 3% and restore 5%–8% more traffic in the case of single- and double-link failures at no additional equipment cost.

Establishing a Robust Nonlinear Targeted Switch for C1 Electroproduction in Atomic Alloy Cox/Pd Bimetallenes

Establishing a targeted switch for CO2 conversion under electric drive is essential for achieving carbon‐balance by enabling selective chemicals. However, engineering the topological assembly of active sites to precisely regulate the competing pathways for various intermediates has been plagued by unclear structure‐function relationships. To tailor the CO/formate pathways, herein we established a robust nonlinear targeted switch with tunable active Cox sites integrated into Pd metallene, which involves Co1/Pd single‐atom alloy (favoring CO) and Co2/Pd diatomic alloy (favoring formate). Transitioning from Co1/Pd to Co2/Pd atomic alloy bimetallenes resulted in a nonlinear, high‐contrast flip in selectivity, surpassing 94% for CO and formate productions in both H‐cell and flow cell. Furthermore, the superior selectivity and current efficiency for CO (> 80 %) and formate (> 88%) were consistently maintained at ‐150 mA cm‐2 over continuous 200 h. Theoretical simulations and in‐situ spectroscopy analyses unveiled that appropriate adjacent metal site combinations (Pd‐Pd, Pd‐Co and Co‐Co) lead to tunable dz2 band center and a nonlinear shift in preferred adsorption configurations of intermediates, dictating the C1 pathways. Our finding reveals a desired switch in C1 selectivity and robust stability within Cox/Pd system, providing a new perspective for fine‐tuning energy conversion processes through specific topological assembly.

Establishing a Robust Nonlinear Targeted Switch for C1 Electroproduction in Atomic Alloy Cox/Pd Bimetallenes.

Establishing a targeted switch for CO2 conversion under electric drive is essential for achieving carbon-balance by enabling selective chemicals. However, engineering the topological assembly of active sites to precisely regulate the competing pathways for various intermediates has been plagued by unclear structure-function relationships. To tailor the CO/formate pathways, herein we established a robust nonlinear targeted switch with tunable active Cox sites integrated into Pd metallene, which involves Co1/Pd single-atom alloy (favoring CO) and Co2/Pd diatomic alloy (favoring formate). Transitioning from Co1/Pd to Co2/Pd atomic alloy bimetallenes resulted in a nonlinear, high-contrast flip in selectivity, surpassing 94% for CO and formate productions in both H-cell and flow cell. Furthermore, the superior selectivity and current efficiency for CO (> 80 %) and formate (> 88%) were consistently maintained at -150 mA cm-2 over continuous 200 h. Theoretical simulations and in-situ spectroscopy analyses unveiled that appropriate adjacent metal site combinations (Pd-Pd, Pd-Co and Co-Co) lead to tunable dz2 band center and a nonlinear shift in preferred adsorption configurations of intermediates, dictating the C1 pathways. Our finding reveals a desired switch in C1 selectivity and robust stability within Cox/Pd system, providing a new perspective for fine-tuning energy conversion processes through specific topological assembly.

Scaling wavelength selective switches for multi-band and space-division-multiplexed networks

This paper investigates the practical scalability of wavelength selective switching technology for the emerging multi-band and space-division-multiplexed (SDM) networks. Wavelength selective switching architectures are introduced for multi-band SDM networks. The switching capacity is analyzed for both weakly coupled and strongly coupled SDM networks. Key bottlenecks for scaling up toward multi-band and more spatial modes are identified. Contrary to the conventional view that liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) was the only technological obstacle, the manufacturability of free-space optics with high numerical apertures and constraints on the optical dimensions also brought significant challenges for the development of highly integrated wavelength selective switches for multi-band SDM networks.

Nickel Dynamics Switches the Selectivity of CO2 Hydrogenation.

The Reverse Water Gas-Shift reaction (CO2 + H2=CO + H2O) allows to balance syn-gas under industrial conditions. Nickel has been suggested as a potential catalyst but the temperature required is too high, more than 800ºC, limiting practical implementation but when lowering the temperature methanation occurs. Simulations via Density Functional Theory on well-defined surfaces have systematically failed to reproduce these experimental results. But under reaction conditions Ni surfaces are not static and DFT models coupled to microkinetics show that at high CO coverages drive the generation of Ni adatoms that are the active sites for methanation. At higher temperatures, the adatom population decreases, and the selectivity towards CO increases. Thus, the mechanism behind the selectivity switch is driven by the dynamics induced by reaction intermediates. Our work contributes to the inclusion of dynamic aspects of materials under reaction conditions in the understanding of complex catalytic behaviour.

Switching of electrochemical selectivity due to plasmonic field-induced dissociation

Electrochemical reactivity is known to be dictated by the structure and composition of the electrocatalyst-electrolyte interface. Here, we show that optically generated electric fields at this interface can influence electrochemical reactivity insofar as to completely switch reaction selectivity. We study an electrocatalyst composed of gold-copper alloy nanoparticles known to be active toward the reduction of CO2 to CO. However, under the action of highly localized electric fields generated by plasmonic excitation of the gold-copper alloy nanoparticles, water splitting becomes favored at the expense of CO2 reduction. Real-time time-dependent density functional tight binding calculations indicate that optically generated electric fields promote transient-hole-transfer-driven dissociation of the O─H bond of water preferentially over transient-electron-driven dissociation of the C─O bond of CO2. These results highlight the potential of optically generated electric fields for modulating pathways, switching reactivity on/off, and even directing outcomes.

Sum rate optimization in STAR-RIS assisted multiuser massive MIMO-OFDM VLC systems

Visible Light Communication (VLC) offers a promising solution for future networks, leveraging existing lighting infrastructure in indoor environments. However, VLC requires a direct line of sight to function which can be limiting. Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) is a new technology that can bend light and radio waves, addressing this limitation in VLC. RIS come in three types: passive which reflects signals, active that boosts and reflects signals, and Simultaneous Transmission and Reflection (STAR)-RIS which can both reflect and transmit signals simultaneously. STAR-RIS offers the most control over the signal. In this paper, we propose a new multi-user VLC system with a massive Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) architecture, leveraging STAR-RIS to optimize data rates and improve coverage, particularly in non-line-of-sight scenarios. We formulate a system model and solve a convex optimization problem to determine the optimal transmission and reflection coefficients for STAR-RIS elements, aiming to maximize the total sum rate for all users. By employing maximum ratio transmission precoding, we minimize interference among users and demonstrate significant performance gains. Simulation results show that our proposed energy splitting-based STAR-RIS configuration outperforms traditional mode selection and time switching approaches with fixed or random coefficients, yielding substantial improvements in data rates and user experience. This study offers the first detailed exploration of STAR-RIS in VLC systems, highlighting its potential for future high-speed, multi-user communication networks. Our findings set the stage for further research into optimizing VLC systems using STAR-RIS, particularly in complex environments with non-line-of-sight users and massive MIMO-OFDM configurations.

Design and fabrication of polarization independent LCoS phase modulators with polymer waveplate and analog driving

Abstract Phase-only liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) spatial light modulators are used in a variety of applications. Despite their wide use, current phase-only LCoS devices are hindered by their single-polarization modulation. We propose a polarization independent LCoS device which uses a polymer quarter-wave plate for polarization conversion. We designed a custom pixel circuit which enables high driving voltage and high pixel grayscale by utilizing an analog driving frame buffer pixel circuit. Our pixel circuit is optimized for small pixel size and the silicon backplanes can be fabricated at a traditional foundry. We demonstrate polarization independent phase modulation through optical beam steering tests for various input polarizations. Our fabricated device lays the foundation for commercial LCoS devices highly suitable for wavelength selective switches, holographic display, wavefront correction, and optical beam shaping.

Selective switching hydrogenation products of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at high substrate concentrations by regulating Pd-MgO interactions

Controlling the selective activation of one or some functional groups as desired is still a challenge in hydrogenation, especially at high substrate concentrations. Herein, Pd-MgO interfaces over Al2O3 were finely regulated for efficiently selective hydrogenation of furan ring in 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to produce 5-hydroxymethyltetrahydro-2-furaldehyde (5-HMTHFF) or total hydrogenation to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran (BHMTHF), also inhibiting side reaction. The Pd-MgO/Al2O3 with 12.0 wt% of MgO selectively hydrogenates the furan rings with a 5-HMTHFF yield of 82.4 % while that with 2.0 wt% of MgO totally hydrogenates HMF with a DHMTHF yield of 96.2 % at high substrate concentrations (400 mM). Characterizations and DFT calculations demonstrated that oligomeric MgO species suppress the agglomeration of Pd nanoparticles and strengthen HMF adsorption, consequently promoting total hydrogenation. Furthermore, Pdδ+-MgO1-x sites between the crystallized MgO and Pd metal favored tilted adsorption on the interface and weakened the activation of the CO bond, consequently selectively producing 5-HMTHFF.

Selectivity Switching by Ligand Coordination Sites─The Key to Promote the CO2/C2H4 Coupling Reaction over the Ru-Based Catalyst

Selectivity Switching by Ligand Coordination Sites─The Key to Promote the CO₂/C₂H₄ Coupling Reaction over the Ru-Based Catalyst

Janus nanocellulose membrane by nitrogen plasma: Hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity selective switch

Cellulose nanofibrils are one of the keystone materials for sustainable future, yet their poor water repellency hinders their push into industrial applications. Due to complexity and poor economical outcome and/or processing toxicity of the existing hydrophobization methods, nanocellulose loses against its antagonist plastic in medical and food industries. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time the “one-side selective water-repellency activation” in nanocellulose membranes by the means of mild N2-plasma treatment, exhibiting lowest wettability after 20 s of treatment. Hydrophobicity and accompanying Janus character were justified by the topological, chemical and structural reorganizations in cellulose nanofibrils. The findings suggest that the mechanism behind the hydrophilic/hydrophobic change primarily relies on the interplay between OH removal and appearance of SiCH3, originating from the polysiloxanes-based substrate, as well as complementary CNH2 groups formation. First-principles calculations show that NH2 groups moderately increase hydrophobicity, while various SiCH3 substitutions wholly change the character of the surface to repel water. Using nitrogen is shown to be crucial, as N(H)Si(CH3)3 groups induce greater hydrophobicity than simple OSi(CH3)3. Finally, the obtained materials absorb water on the hydrophilic side, while remaining hydrophobic on the other, exhibit high tensile strength, and protection against UV light, demonstrating applicability over wide range of applications.

Shortening the Cycle Time of the Fiber Ribbon Orientation Process for Wavelength Selective Switch Production using Design for Assembly and Disassembly Concepts

Shortening the Cycle Time of the Fiber Ribbon Orientation Process for Wavelength Selective Switch Production using Design for Assembly and Disassembly Concepts

Compact Broadband Wavelength Selective Switch Based on in-Fiber Diffraction Device

Compact Broadband Wavelength Selective Switch Based on in-Fiber Diffraction Device

Benzo-Crown-Ether Functionalized O-BODIPY Probes for Cations - A Selective Fluorescent Probe for Ba2.

Herein, we report the synthesis and sensing characteristics of 4,4'-methoxy-substituted BODIPY fluorescent probes (O-BODIPYs) 3, 4 and 5 equipped with differently sized benzo-crown ethers (cf. Scheme 1, 3 (benzo-15-crown-5), 4 (benzo-18-crown-6) and 5 (benzo-21-crown7)). O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 exhibited in comparison to their known F-BODIPY analogues 3a, 4a and 5a (cf. Scheme 1) an improved solubility in aqueous medium and higher fluorescence quantum yields. Fluorometric study in aqueous solutions of 3, 4 and 5 in the presence of different cations show cation induced fluorescence enhancements (FE). Compared to the benzo-crown ether substituted F-BODIPY analogues 3a, 4a and 5a, we found for the free O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 higher fluorescence quantum yields (φf) but lower cation induced FEs. We show that in aqueous medium the fluorescence quenching process (OFF switching), a photoinduced electron transfer, in O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 is less effective and consequently sensitive and selective ON switching of the fluorescence by cations, too. Albeit these observations the novel benzo-21-crown-7 equipped fluorescent probe 5 exhibits a good fluorometric Ba2+ selectivity and Ba2+ sensitivity in conjunction to their aqueous solubility.

Vertical Switching Algorithm for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Power Grid Heterogeneous Communication Networks

The rapid development of wireless network technology has led to the coexistence of various heterogeneous wireless networks (HWNs). To ensure that users enjoy normal and diversified services, research on vertical switching technology has become an inevitable trend. However, most current vertical switching algorithms only consider static situations or single services, which are not suitable for power grid scenarios. This paper studies the vertical switching problem of wireless heterogeneous networks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) performing inspection tasks in power grid scenarios. In this model, a UAV for power grid inspection needs to plan its flight trajectory, avoid obstacles, and find the optimal trajectory to reach each inspection point. Throughout the UAV inspection process, we must ensure the quality of communication services for the UAV. The UAV dynamically selects different networks for access at different locations, presenting a dynamic network selection and vertical switching problem. This paper proposes a method that combines trajectory planning and network selection, which first utilizes the A-star algorithm to obtain suitable trajectories, and then evaluates and judges networks based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to determine the most appropriate network. It is worth noting that this paper considers three service requirements and seven network attributes under three types of heterogeneous wireless networks. Numerical results show that this method can better meet the requirements of UAV inspection tasks and reduce the number of switches, thus addressing the issue of terminal vertical switches in power grid scenarios.

Selective and quasi-continuous switching of ferroelectric Chern insulator devices for neuromorphic computing.

Quantum materials exhibit dissipationless topological edge state transport with quantized Hall conductance, offering notable potential for fault-tolerant computing technologies. However, the development of topological edge state-based computing devices remains a challenge. Here we report the selective and quasi-continuous ferroelectric switching of topological Chern insulator devices, showcasing a proof-of-concept demonstration in noise-immune neuromorphic computing. We fabricate this ferroelectric Chern insulator device by encapsulating magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene with doubly aligned h-BN layers and observe the coexistence of the interfacial ferroelectricity and the topological Chern insulating states. The observed ferroelectricity exhibits an anisotropic dependence on the in-plane magnetic field. By tuning the amplitude of the gate voltage pulses, we achieve ferroelectric switching between any pair of Chern insulating states in the presence of a finite magnetic field, resulting in 1,280 ferroelectric states with distinguishable Hall resistance levels on a single device. Furthermore, we demonstrate deterministic switching between two arbitrary levels among the record-high number of ferroelectric states. This unique switching capability enables the implementation of a convolutional neural network resistant to external noise, utilizing the quantized Hall conductance levels of the Chern insulator device as weights. Our study provides a promising avenue towards the development of topological quantum neuromorphic computing, where functionality and performance can be drastically enhanced by topological quantum materials.

Regioselective Condensation Polymerization of Propargylic Electrophiles Enabled by Catalytic Element-Cupration.

Here, we report a set of new polymerization reactions enabled by the 1,2-regioselective hydro- and silylcupration of enyne-type propargylic electrophiles. Highly regioregular head-to-tail poly(2-butyne-1,4-diyl)s (HT-PBD), bearing either methyl or silylmethyl side chains, are synthesized for the first time. A rapid entry into carbon-rich copolymers with adjustable silicon content is developed via in situ monomer bifurcation. Furthermore, a one-pot polymerization/semireduction sequence is developed to access a cis-poly(butadiene)-derived backbone by a ligand swap on copper hydride species. Interestingly, borocupration, typically exhibiting identical regioselectivity with its hydro- and silyl analogues, seems to proceed in a 3,4-selective manner. Computational studies suggest the possible role of the propargylic leaving group in this selectivity switch. This work presents a new class of regioregular sp-carbon-rich polymers and meanwhile a novel approach to organosilicon materials.

Three phase microcontroller based automatic change-over selection switch

The significance of electricity in a developed country cannot be underestimated because power instability problem affects the economy growth, productivity and infrastructure development. The issues of phase failure, losses and phase imbalance earth fault are main causes that lead to unstable and erratic power supply. Most homes and office complexes where single-phase supply is needed are supplied with three phases of power supply to allow change from one phase to another when there is fluctuation or complete outage of power supply on a particular phase. This operation is normally done manually and has caused a setback in terms of time wastage, strenuous operation, susceptibility to fire outbreak, electric shock and high maintenance frequency. When voltage supply on a phase is below 220V or above 415V, this system automatically disconnects the load from the phase and connects to another where the required condition is met. Therefore, this paper presents a Microcontroller Based Automatic Transfer Switching System which is made up of voltage sensing circuit, Hall Effect current sensor, relays, LEDs and LCD of PIC16F877A microcontroller. A system flow chart was developed, programmed with MikroC software and simulated using Proteus electrical software design. A 10KVA single phase generator was used as alternate power source. The load capacity of the design was determined by decoupling Maxwell’s Equations of 8KW and power loss using pointing vector equation as 0.25% of the peak load. The switch is tested to have function optimally within ±5% nominal voltage of 220 - 415V supply and produced approximately 20 seconds elapses during the entire process of power supply changeover. Hence this device is suitable for Industrial and Domestic use where 3-phase power supply is available with a stand-by power source.

Selectivity switch via tuning surface static electric field in photocatalytic alcohol conversion

Photocatalysis has shown great potential in organic reactions, while controlling the selectivity is a long-standing goal and challenge due to the involvement of various radical intermediates. In this study, we have realized selectivity control in the photocatalytic conversion of alcohols via engineering the surface static electric field of the CdS semiconductor. By leveraging the Au-CdS interaction to adjust lattice strain, which influences the intensity of the surface static electric field, we altered the pathways of alcohol conversion. The increased intensity of the surface static electric field changed the activation pathways of the C-H/O-H bond, leading to the selective formation of targeted C/O-based radical intermediates and altering the selectivity from aldehydes to dimers. A wide range of alcohols, such as aromatic alcohol and thiophenol alcohol, were selectively converted into aldehyde or dimer. This work provides an effective strategy for selectively controlling reaction pathways by generating a surface electric field.