Due to the increasing demand for water, it has become critical to find an innovative solution to supply clean water. Nanomaterials are widely being used for environmental remediation, and, herein, we report a one-step solution by synthesizing a silver-coated magnetic iron oxide (Ag-MIO) nanoparticle-infused hydrogel. Magnetic iron oxide nanomaterials synthesized by the chemical method were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The XRD spectrum elucidated the predominant formation of the hematite phase, and EDX mapping confirmed the formation of Ag-MIO. This novel Ag-MIO-infused hydrogel showed promising potential for sustainable environmental remediation via efficient heavy metal reduction and methylene blue degradation (95%). This hydrogel has also shown potential biological efficacy against pathogenic microorganisms like Escherichia coli.

2D-materials for memristor-based low-power neuromorphic computing.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging has recently become one of the most pressing issues. Given the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles, this study analyzes optimization methods for improving existing approaches to speed up charging while reducing temperature rise. This work formulates a double-objective function for battery charging based on an electrothermal model. The focused objective function is comprised of a combination of two different fitness functions. Optimization of charging current is made dynamically following a battery's temperature. These experimental findings validate the proposed charging strategy's effectiveness in delivering the optimal current profile. This approach demonstrably achieves a well-calibrated balance between competing performance objectives. By adopting the suggested strategy, any increase in the battery's temperature can be maintained within an acceptable temperature range. The proposed constant current constant voltage (CCCV) charging method takes a total charging time of 1874 s, with a temperature shift from 26 to 45.78 .

NCM-622 cathodes have been promising cathodes for lithium-ion batteries due to their high reversible specific capacity and low cost. However, the NCM-622 cathode suffers from structural instability, especially at high voltage. Moreover, at elevated voltages and temperatures the cathode suffers from surface side reactions and particle cracks due to the presence of grain boundaries. The in situ doping of Mg2+ is achieved by doping Mg ions during the synthesis procedure using a CSTR and the LiBO2/B2O3 surface coating is achieved by a simple wet-chemistry method; this dual-modification not only protects the surface of the cathode but the Mg2+ ions in the structure also enhance the cycling stability even at high voltage (4.5 V) and temperature (55 °C). As a result, animproved electrochemical behaviour was observed and the cathode could retain 82.5% of its initial capacity after 100 cycles at 4.5 V. Furthermore, the presence of the hybrid coating on the surface protects the cathode from HF attack and reduces the voltage polarisation during high temperature and voltage cycling. Such a dual-modification strategy can be commercially viable and useful for modification of high-energy-density NCM-622 cathodes.

We demonstrate the stable resistive switching (RS) and interesting neuromorphic features of Ag/Ni-HfO?/P??-Si memristors. This unique technique stacks a Ni-HfO? resistive switching (RS) layer on top of a P??-Si layer, considerably improving the stability, switching efficiency, and synaptic characteristics of memristors. A detailed physical model describes the RS filamentary process, which involves Ag+ ions migrating and forming electrical filaments with applied voltage, shifting the memristor consistent response from low-resistance and high-resistance phases. The memristor maintains consistent RS properties for 96 hours with low deterioration, because of the strong Ni-HfO? layer that improves switching stability. The memristor chip performs successfully in both voltage sweeping and pulse mode processes. The pulse-mode endurance results show that the low-resistance state (LRS) and high-resistance state (HRS) are stable after 100 cycles, with SET and RESET reaction times of 960 and 1636 ms, correspondingly. These findings show the memristors capacity for quick, energy-efficient switching. Furthermore, the memristor shows synaptic action, which resembles biological activities for example short-term (STP) and long-term plasticity (LTP). The conductivity regulation, like neurotransmitter release and synaptic weight correction, is accomplished by ion migration during voltage pulses. Also, the paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) reveals the memristors capacity to simulate synaptic activities, with a PPF index of 130%. The variations in pulse height and width indicate the progressive change from STP to LTP. Thus, the new device design indicates potential in neuromorphic computing, combining robust resistive switching with sophisticated synaptic properties to simulate essential brain activities such as memory retention and adaptation. These findings indicate that Ag/Ni-HfO?/P??-Si memristors have potential consistent switching efficiency and synaptic abilities serve as promising contenders for future artificial intelligence and computer hardware applications

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLBs) offer superior performance and enhanced safety compared to the existing liquid-based lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, recently, an issue has emerged in ASSLBs in which carbon materials accelerate the deterioration of the sulfide solid electrolytes (SSEs), thereby reducing electrochemical performance. In this paper, we present approach for carbon materials that can enhance compatibility with solid electrolytes in ASSLBs. The compatibility between carbon and solid electrolyte is improved by removing amorphous carbon on the carbon surface, which unavoidably forms on the surface during carbon material synthesis, covering about 5?7 nm on the highly crystalline graphite surface. The evaluation of ASSLBs revealed significant differences in electrochemical performance depending on pristine graphite (P-Gr), which had amorphous carbon adsorbed on the surface, and surface-crystallized graphite (SC-Gr) where amorphous carbon was removed. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in electrochemical performance observed in LIBs. The improved electrochemical properties were closely associated with the quantity of Li2S, Li- phosphide, and SEI layer formed by the decomposition of the solid electrolyte during charging and discharging, subsequently affecting interfacial resistance between graphite and SSEs. In addition, stable electrochemical performance was achieved in both half-cell and full-cell evaluations due to the suppressed degradation of the solid electrolyte and the stable interface. This was observed despite reducing the proportion of the solid electrolyte within the anode composite from 40 % to 20 %. We anticipate that improving the interface compatibility between crystalline carbon and the solid electrolyte will broaden the applications of carbon materials in solid-state electrolytes, advancing the development of ASSLBs that meet specific electrochemical performance criteria. © 2024 The Author(s)

Interfacial solar steam generation is considered as economical and more effective implementation of Solar steam generation (SSG) where solar energy is concentrated at the liquid surface via the utilization of heat localization materials (HLM). Herein we report the fabrication of an HLM constituted of a nanocomposite absorber of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and covellite copper sulfide (CuS) supported on a mixed cellulose ester membrane, with a substrate of air laid paper-wrapped polystyrene foam. This structure allowed for strong broad-spectrum absorbance, increased hydrophilic character and minimal thermal losses. The HLM system absorbed 98% of the material and had an evaporation rate of 2.58 kgs per square meter per hour. This is twice the evaporation rate of water tested under the same conditions. Moreover, as fabricated HLM was also incorporated in a solar still in order to assess its practical performance in solar distillation. Initial studies proved that HLM modified solar still was more effective than conventional solar stills. © 2024

As the demand for high-capacity Ni-rich lithium-ion batteries continues to grow, the push to increase their energy density at the material level also increases. To achieve higher energy densities, binder material (BM) and carbon additive (CA) ratios must be minimized, resulting in careful consideration of their selection. Recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been popularized; however, unwanted migration of CNTs during electrode manufacturing causes severe carbon additive agglomeration on the surface, leaving behind a poor conductive network throughout the electrode. This is particularly emphasized, as the binder concentration is lowered to maximize cell energy density. One of the possible solutions is to establish a robust electrically conductive network by incorporating a trace amount of high-aspect-ratio carbon nanofibers (CNFs) alongside CNTs as the CA in Ni-rich active material (AM) cathode electrodes. The results indicate that adding an optimized amount of 0.25 wt % CNFs with 0.75 wt % CNTs constructs an effective conductive network and reduces the through-plane (from the electrode surface to the current collector) resistance significantly. With an electrode ratio of 98:1:1 (AM/CA/BM), the performance is outstanding and shows a capacity retention of 93.7% after 100 cycles at 1C. It is also observed that CNFs help in developing a good electrical network in high-energy-density thick electrodes, as the cycling performance of dual conductive additive CNF/CNT mix electrodes achieves a capacity retention of 97.01% at a loading level of ?20 mg cm–2. Therefore, the addition of CNFs as a trace with CNTs proved beneficial to bypass through-plane parallel resistances within the electrode caused by undesirable migration of CNTs during electrode synthesis. Hence, providing sufficient electrical highways from the electrode surface to the current collector through addition of trace CNFs can significantly enhance the electrochemical performance of the cells and become a facile and retrofittable solution to high electrical resistances arising in the current electrode production process

Ever growth in the energy demand has catapulted us to explore various energies. Henceforth, to meet these ends, among the different cathode active materials, nickel (Ni) rich polycrystalline (PC) cathode materials have been known to serve the purpose aptly. Yet, these PC Ni-rich cathode materials have yielded inferior performances with an increase in voltage and temperature. The absence of grain boundaries in the intrinsic structure, high mechanical strength, high thermal stability, and controllable crystal faucet have made SC cathodes a better prospect. Yet, there are challenges to overcome in the SC cathodes, like larger crystals hindering the Li transport, which leads to disappointing electrochemical performance. Through this perspective article, we wish to elucidate the crucial factors that facilitate the growth of SC-NCM cathode, viable dopants, and coating materials that could enhance the performance, future scope, and scalability of SC-NCM at the Industrial level.

Herein, we report the Li-ion conducting composite material, Li 0.57 La 0.29 TiO 3 (LLTO), coated on a microporous polyethylene separator to use in rechargeable Lithium-metal batteries. Since the LLTO contains structural Li-ions and the three-dimensional conducting channels within, it not only improved the ionic conductivity of coated separator but also improved the surface electrolyte wettability and suppressed the dendrite formation. As a result, the Lithium-metal battery cycling stability and safety features are increased. Consequently, the ceramic composite separator enabled a specific capacity of 105.6 mAhg ?1 for Li/LiMn 2 O 4 coin cell, and 80 % capacity retention is observed even after 500 cycles at 1C, indicating its promising practical potential application. This work provides a feasible and efficient modification strategy of separators for improving the cycling performance and safety of Lithium-metal batteries. In addition, the ceramic composite-coated separator could instill confidence in using Lithium metal as the attractive anode for high-capacity Li-air and Li?sulfur batteries with enhanced thermal and cyclic stability.

Accurate estimation of battery internal model parameters and consequently SOC prediction is crucial in any battery power systems. Hence, it is a fundamental need in electric vehicles, smart grids, and energy storage systems. The accuracy of parameters identification will affect the battery management system, battery safety, characteristics, and performance which mainly depends on battery model parameters. So, to estimate the parameters accurately and easily, we require effective, simple, and robust parameters estimation algorithms. In this article, we propose a new method for estimation of parameters using least square method algorithm for Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) for Electric Vehicle (EV) applications. In this, Second-order RC equivalent circuit model is considered for estimation of parameters of NMC battery. The estimation of parameters and relation between OCV-SOC nonlinear is obtained from the experimental data. This proposed method shows that the calculation of parameters is fast and efficient.

Herein, we present an advanced approach for the estimation of battery model parameters using the Cuckoo Search optimization Algorithm (CSA) for Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIB) in Electric Vehicle (EV) applications. In any battery-powered system, accurate determination of internal battery parameters and, as a consequence, SOC prediction is essential. The precision of parameter identification, which is mostly governed by battery model parameters, will significantly impact the battery’s safety, characteristics, and performance. Hence, we need effective, simple, and efficient parameter estimation algorithms to estimate the parameters accurately. The parameters of the NMC cell are predicted using a 2RC (second-order RC) Equivalent Circuit Model (ECM). The experimental data was utilized to determine the parameters and the correlation between OCV and SOC. The suggested approach and validation results demonstrate that the CSA for detecting parameters in LIBs is efficient and resilient. The proposed algorithm tends to limit the root mean square error of 0.44 percent between experimental and simulation results. Simulated results show that the novel approach outperforms the standard algorithm nonlinear least square method and other metaheuristic methods such as GA and PSO.

Controlling the electronic devices through the Internet of Things (IoT) interfaces is essential in our mundane life. By observing the important parameters, controlling of the system can be performed which produces important pieces of information by keeping in mind the functioning of these e-devices. The outcomes of the environmental observances are associated with this scrutiny. The collected information can be used to create actions such as heating of devices, dominant cooling, or long-term statistic. Through the help of network or any other android application, data can be uploaded on the cloud. In the present study, Arduino UNO and Wi-Fi modules are used to process and transfer the sensed data to the Thingspeak cloud. Thus, the cloud platform (Thing speak) contains the parameters that are received. Any variation in the surroundings is reported in the form of a database through the cloud computing method.

The recent surge of research in the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as an alternative to the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has shown that the SIBs can reduce the load of the LIBs in certain areas. However, the development of SIBs in the commercial arenas is yet to be tapped. This perspective delineates the importance of Ni-rich cathodes and various strategies to ameliorate the performance of the Ni-rich cathodes in the SIBs. Also, discussed various synthesis routes for the industrial-scale synthesis of Ni-rich materials and tried to elucidate the importance of SC cathodes and the necessity to develop those in SIBs.

The objective of this article is to illustrate the various fast charging techniques that are being used to charge the lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. Various charging protocols such as constant current, constant voltage, constant current constant voltage, multistage constant current, varying current method, pulse charging methods are critically reviewed and explained in their broader perspective of fundamental concepts to their modeling/simulation. Amongst, the constant current constant voltage charging approach is considered as a benchmark for other charging protocols in terms of the charging time, the charging efficiency, and battery life. A critical comparison among the various charging methods mentioned above are discussed and possible future research directions in the design and development of new fast charging techniques have been proposed based on the commercial and societal demands.

A comprehensive understanding of lithium-ion batteries became an essential aspect of solid-state electrochemical research due to their coalescence with routine. While it exhilarates us with increase in productivity of LIBs due to the emergence of Ni-rich cathode materials, the scope to upscale it according to the industrial needs is yet to be tapped to its full potential. Through this perspective article, the functional differences between LIBs and SIBs, state-of-the-art Single-crystalline NCM cathode, the status of the respective research works, crucial factors for industry scaling of the cathode materials, and the future scope of the research work are elucidated.

Flower-like MoS 2 nanospheres were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal route. The morphological and phase analysis confirmed the formation of polycrystalline MoS 2 nanoflowers assembled by lamellar nanosheets. A novel shape-stabilized phase change material was fabricated by imprisoning different concentrations of MoS 2 into myristic acid. It was observed from the experimental results that the duration of melting and cooling rates for PCM of 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 0.75 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.25 wt% increased as compared to pristine counterparts. 1 wt% had the highest heat transfer rate, with a value of 9.4% and 52.81% for melting and cooling, respectively. The result from analytical technique showed there was no chemical reaction between MoS 2 and myristic acid even after multiple cycles. Since this unique MoS 2 based composite has indicated good thermal reliability for latent-heat storage, and release, this composite can be considered as an appropriate PCM for thermal energy storage applications.

Phase change materials (PCM) are commonly utilized materials in latent heat energy storage systems. In the present study, FeO was incorporated into the eutectic mixture of myristic acid and lauric acid. The composites were prepared by a melting and mixing method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering results revealed the physicochemical properties of the eutectic mixture. Thermal analysis was performed on the optimized PCM mixtures with various FeO loadings of 1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 3 wt.%, 4 wt.%, and 5 wt.%. It is observed from the experimental results that the duration of melting and cooling rates for PCM composite with 4 wt.% FeO loadings was significantly improved, i.e., 85.72% and 78.31%, respectively, when compared to its pristine counterparts. These enhanced heating/cooling rates and thermal conductivity are attributed to the optimized impregnation of 4 wt.% FeO nanostructures into the eutectic mixture.

Phase change materials (PCM) are commonly utilized materials in the latent heat energy storage systems. However, they have the limitation of low thermal conductivities which leads to poor charging and discharging rates. Lauric acid dispersed with the iron oxide nanoparticle was tested for its thermal performance to characterize its phase change properties. Different compositions of lauric acid were formulated with varying concentrations of iron oxide ranging from 1 wt. % to 4 wt. % were investigated. From the thermal charging and discharging studies, it was observed that lauric acid with 4% had shown the maximum heat transfer rate. Also, the FTIR spectrum confirmed the chemical stability and uniform dispersion of nanoparticle in lauric acid even after several thermal cycles. Such, lauric acid nanocomposites embedded with the iron oxide could be potential candidates in PCM applications.

Green-synthesized mesoporous-structures have widespread attention due to its environmentally-benign nature and numerous applications. Herein, we report the green synthesis of mesoporous iron oxide network using green tea extract. The morphological and phase analyses were evaluated and elucidated the formation of mesoporous-structure showing predominantly hematite-phase. Catalytic role of ? -Fe 2 O 3 was investigated in Fenton reaction for the removal of methylene blue dye to understand its significance in wastewater treatment.

Nickel-rich materials, as a front-running cathode for lithium-ion batteries suffer from inherent degradation issues such as inter/intragranular cracks and phase transition under the high-current density condition. Although vigorous efforts have mitigated these current issues, the practical applications are not successfully achieved due to the material instability and complex synthesis process. Herein, a structurally stable, macrovoid-containing, nickel-rich material is developed using an affordable, scalable, and one-pot coprecipitation method without using surfactants/etching agents/complex-ion forming agents. The strategically developed macrovoid-induced cathode via a self-organization process exhibits excellent full-cell rate capability, cycle life at discharge rate of 5 C, and structural stability even at the industrial electrode conditions, owing to the fast Li-ion diffusion, the internal macrovoid acting as “buffer zones” for stress relief, and highly stable nanostructure around the void during cycling. This strategy for nickel-rich cathodes can be viable for industries in the preparation of high-performance lithium-ion cells.