Abstract: A GaON/ZnO photoelectrode involving a nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material deposited onto a surface of a conducting substrate, and the nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material containing gallium oxynitride nanoparticles interspersed in zinc oxide nanoparticles, as well as methods of preparing the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode. A method of using the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode for solar water electrolysis is also provided.

Abstract: The invention concerns synthesized amido-amine-based cationic gemini surfactants with flexible and rigid spacers and different hydrophobic. These gemini surfactants were prepared by modified procedure through amidation of long chain carboxylic acids using 3-(dimethylamino)-1-propylamine followed by treatment with halohydrocarbons and showed excellent thermal stability and surface properties useful for various oilfield applications such as enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: Provided is a composition that may include an alkylamine modified graphene having a formula R[—CH2-alkylamine)]x, where R is a graphene core, [—CH2-alkylamine)] is an alkylamine functional group, and x is a non-zero integer. The alkylamine functional group may include [—CH2-n-propylamine)], [—CH2-n-hexylamine)], or [—CH2-n-dodecylamine)]. Trace amounts of an oxygen and nitrogen functional group may be coupled to the graphene core. Further provided is a method that may include introducing alkylamine modified graphene into a hydrocarbon-contaminated water. The method may further include separating a hydrocarbon-absorbed alkylamine modified graphene from the recovered water. Further provided is a system that may include a holding tank, a pump, a membrane housing, and a collection tank. The membrane housing may include membranes and a filtration media.

Abstract: The solar augmented chilled-water cooling system comprises a refrigeration cycle, a cooling tower, an air handling unit (AHU), a supplemental cycle and a solar energy harvesting unit. The supplemental cycle is in fluid communication with the refrigeration cycle, which is in fluid communication with the cooling tower, which in turn is in fluid communication with the supplemental cycle. The cooling tower cools a water stream by evaporation. The water stream from the cooling tower is passed to the supplemental cycle for further cooling using energy from the solar energy harvesting unit. The water stream is then passed to a condenser of the refrigeration cycle for its efficient operation at proper temperature. The water stream is then retuned back to the cooling tower to be re-cooled. In the refrigeration cycle, an evaporator uses operation of the associated condenser for providing cooling effect through the AHU.

Abstract: A system and methods for photovoltaic phase change material assisted thermoelectric air cooling and heating of a building includes a photovoltaic phase change material wall unit which is cooled by absorption of heat by a phase change material attached to the photovoltaic wall unit; a photovoltaic phase change material roof unit which converts solar radiation into electric energy; Peltier based thermoelectric units configured to heat and cool air streams passing through an air duct; and Seebeck effect based thermoelectric units which convert a temperature gradient into thermoelectric power. A hot air stream in the air duct is directed to an air duct on a roof of the building and a cold air stream from the first air duct is circulated into the building interior to achieve thermal comfort.

Abstract: An adsorbent and a method of preparing the adsorbent are described. The adsorbent includes a 2-anthracene ammonium magnetic ionic liquid (MIL), and a [FeCl4]? or a [CoCl3]? ion. The adsorbents, 2-anthracene ammonium tetrachloroferrate (III) ([2AA] FeCl4) and 2-anthracene ammonium trichlorocobaltate (II) ([2AA] CoCl3), are prepared by protonation of 2-aminoanthracene, followed by complexation with FeCl3/CoCl2. The adsorbent of the present disclosure is effective in removing contaminants such as heavy metal ions from an aqueous system in a cost-efficient and selective manner.

Abstract: A method to form a metal matrix composite reinforced with eggshell (ES). The method includes preparing an ES powder, blending and milling the ES powder with at least one metal powder selected from the group consisting of magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr) to form a powder mixture, compacting and sintering the powder mixture to form the metal matrix composite. In addition, a Mg—Zr-ES metal matrix composite with improved corrosion resistance, having an amount of magnesium from 95 to 97 wt. %, an amount of zirconium from 1 to 2 wt. %, and an amount of ES from 1 to 4 wt. %, may be used for biomedical applications.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium that utilizes a distance transformation vector constructed of a probability distribution function (PDF) and a distribution parameter ? in the estimation process for precise and effective PDF estimation. The system includes a mobile wireless agent, a base station and a computing device interconnected over a wireless communication network. The wireless meter transmits sensory information to the computing device, where the sensory information is processed to estimate characteristics of the wireless communication signal based on the Rayleigh estimator. For the estimation, a distance transformation vector of the PDF and a distribution parameter are constructed. The estimated parameters along with a motion actuation plan are sent to the base station, which uses the estimated parameters in transmitting the motion actuation plan to the mobile wireless agent.

Abstract: Methods for preventing, inhibiting, or reducing metal (e.g. mild steel) corrosion in aqueous media utilizing a water-soluble formulation having a polyurea pre-dissolved in a polar aprotic solvent are described. The polyurea contains reacted units of a diisocyanate and a diaminoalkane. The effectiveness of the methods is demonstrated by corrosion inhibition efficiency and corrosion rate of metallic substrates in aqueous acidic environments using the water-soluble formulation.

Abstract: A heating and cooling system powered by renewable energy and assisted with geothermal energy includes a solar cycling unit, a supercritical carbon dioxide (S—CO2) unit, and a refrigerant cycling unit. Solar energy obtained at the solar cycling unit may be used to power the S—CO2 cycling unit. To do so, the solar cycling unit utilizes a solar collector, a thermal energy storage, and a heat exchanger along with a first working fluid which is preferably molten salt or Therminol. Next, the energy generated at the S—CO2 cycling unit, which preferably circulates S—CO2 as a second working fluid, may be used to operate the refrigerant cycling unit. In the refrigerant cycling unit, Tetrafluroethene is preferably used as the third working fluid to produce required cooling effects. Additionally, geothermal heat exchangers may be integrated into the system for use during varying weather conditions.

Abstract: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) may have Zn(II), Pb(II), and/or Cd(II) as a central metal ion, a 4,4?-bipyridylethylene (bpe) ligand as a first ligand; and fumaric acid (fum) and/or oxalic acid (ox) as a second ligand, wherein the 4,4?-bipyridylethylene ligands are stacked in the MOF, and wherein a distance between two consecutive 4,4?-bipyridylethylene ligands is less than 5 ?. Cycloadditions, particularly photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions may be catalyzed by such MOFs, and/or the conversion of photoinduced [2+2] cycloadditions in inventive MOFs may be increased by mechanical force, such as by grinding.

Abstract: A GaON/ZnO photoelectrode involving a nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material deposited onto a surface of a conducting substrate, and the nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material containing gallium oxynitride nanoparticles interspersed in zinc oxide nanoparticles, as well as methods of preparing the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode. A method of using the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode for solar water electrolysis is also provided.

Abstract: A system for co-generating ammonia and power is described. The system includes oxygen transport reactors having an ion transport membrane (ITM) that separates a feed side and a permeate side. The feed side includes a feed inlet and a feed outlet, and the permeate side includes a permeate inlet and a permeate outlet. A first feed inlet receives water vapor to be converted into hydrogen and first oxygen, and a second feed inlet receives air to be split into nitrogen and second oxygen. The ITM selectively allows permeation of the first oxygen and the second oxygen to respective permeate side to support oxy-combustion process. A first feed outlet discharges hydrogen and a second feed outlet discharges nitrogen, where the hydrogen and the nitrogen are combined in a catalytic converter to form ammonia. Combustion gases from the oxygen transport reactors are used to run a gas turbine to extract power.

Abstract: A photoelectrode includes a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, and a layer of graphitic-poly(2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine) (g-PTAP) nanoflakes at least partially covering a surface of the FTO substrate. Further, the g-PTAP nanoflakes have a width of 0.1 to 5 micrometers (?m). In addition, a method for producing the photoelectrode, and a method for photocatalytic water splitting, in which the photoelectrode is used.

Abstract: An aerosol-assisted chemical vapor-deposition (AACVD) method of making nickel sulfide (NiS) nanowires. The method includes depositing a nickel carbamate compound onto a conductive support by an AACVD technique to form nickel sulfide (NiS) nanowires on the conductive support, where the nanowires are present directly on a surface of the conductive support. The NiS electrode prepared by the process of the present disclosure showed excellent OER activity in 1.0 M KOH solution, with a low Tafel value (60 mV dec?1) and good OER stability. The NiS nanowires, as prepared, can be used in energy conversion devices such as batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors.

Abstract: A method of recovering a hydrocarbon from a reservoir is described. The method includes injecting an oil recovery formulation into the reservoir, and collecting the hydrocarbon from the reservoir. The oil recovery formulation includes date leaf particles selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid functionalized date leaf particles and non-functionalized date leaf particles. The date leaf particles have an average particle size of 30 to 950 nanometers (nm). A method for preparing the carboxylic acid functionalized date leaf particles is also provided.

Abstract: A method of detecting Hg2+ ions in an aqueous solution is described. The method includes contacting the aqueous solution with a metal-organic framework (MOF) chemosensor composite to form a mixture and monitoring a change in an absorption and/or a fluorescence profile of the MOF chemosensor composite in the mixture to determine a presence or absence of Hg2+ ions in the aqueous solution. The MOF chemosensor composite includes fluorescein hydrazide (FH); and a MOF, including nickel as a metal ion and at least one trimesic acid (BTC) ligand. A hydrazide group on the fluorescein hydrazide coordinates to the metal ion of the MOF.

Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine blade that includes an elongated wing and at least one airflow blocker in the elongated wing. The elongated wing has a first surface and a second surface which meet at a leading edge and a trailing edge, where the leading edge includes a convex curve. The elongated wing also includes a leading edge slat between the first surface and the second surface; and at least one hollow channel extending from the leading edge slat to the first surface. The hollow channel is curved, and the airflow blocker is configured to block the hollow channel.

Abstract: A functionalized silica sorbent is described. The sorbent comprises mesoporous silica nanoparticles having a surface functionalized with a conjugated system comprising an azole and a phenyl. The surface may be functionalized by a Cu-catalyzed click reaction. The nanoparticles have an average particle size of 10-80 nm, and may be used to adsorb phenolic contaminants from aqueous solutions.

Abstract: A system and method are described for information extraction from network traffic traces that are both encrypted and non-encrypted. The system includes a client computer and a remote computer, where the client computer communicates data over a network. The client computer sets a session key log file environment variable, such that when the client computer launches a supported browser, a session key log file (KLF) is created, computer network traffic traces are captured by retrieving data from encrypted traffic, and the KLF and captured traffic are periodically transferred to a remote server. A remote computer performs traffic mining to analyze the captured traffic traces and extract sensitive pieces of information.