Abstract: A tunable impedance simulator and impedance multiplier circuit and a system for configuring a second generation voltage-mode conveyor circuit (VCII) as the tunable impedance simulator and impedance multiplier are described. The tunable impedance simulator and impedance multiplier circuit includes one VCII having a positive input terminal connected to a voltage source, a negative input terminal connected to the voltage source, and an impedance terminal Z0 . The impedance terminal Z0 can be either positive or negative. When the impedance terminal Z0 is positive, a positive active inductor, a positive capacitance multiplier, and a positive resistance multiplier may be implemented. When the impedance terminal Z0 is negative, a negative active inductor, a negative capacitance simulator, and a negative resistance simulator may be implemented.

Abstract: A photoelectrode is provided. The photoelectrode includes a transparent substrate. The photoelectrode further includes a layer of crystalline hematite nanoparticles at least partially covering a surface of the transparent substrate. The photoelectrode further includes a phosphate ions (Pi) interfacial layer coated on a surface of the layer of crystalline hematite nanoparticles. The photoelectrode further includes a plurality of CoFe-Prussian blue analogues (CoFe-PBA) particles uniformly disposed on a surface of the phosphate (Pi) interfacial layer. Methods of making the photoelectrode and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are also provided.

Abstract: A method for making an improved fuel cell using a porosity gradient design for gas diffusion layers in a hydrogen fuel cell, a gas diffusion layer made by the method and a fuel cell containing the gas diffusion layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a susceptor for chemical vapor deposition comprising a horizontal component with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is configured to support one or more wafers; a vertical component extending from the bottom surface of the horizontal component along a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal component; and a hollow region within the vertical component. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a susceptor for chemical vapor deposition comprising a horizontal plate with a top surface configured to support one or more wafers, a vertical rod integrated with and perpendicular to the horizontal plate, and a hollow region within the vertical rod for promoting temperature uniformity across the top surface of the horizontal plate.

Abstract: A system, method, and solar photovoltaic (PV) network for solar PV variability reduction with reduced time delays and battery storage optimization are described. The system includes a Moving Regression (MR) filter; a State of Charge (SoC) feedback control; and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The MR filter, SoC feedback control and BESS are configured to provide smoothing of solar PV variabilities. The MR filter is a non-parametric smoother that utilizes a machine learning concept of linear regression to smooth out solar PV variations at every time step.

Abstract: A system includes a network of multiple network domains, each network domain includes a software defined network (SDN) controller. Each SDN controller includes a network interface circuitry, a processor and a memory. The network interface circuitry provides a communicative coupling with at least one domain of the multiple network domains. The memory includes instructions that when executed by the processor, performs a network update comprising adding links, subtracting links or reporting a status of links in at least one network domain upon receiving a network update request, and performs sending and receiving the network update request to a second SDN controller, where the network update request is part of real-time publish/subscribe protocol, the sending network update request includes a publish message having a specified topic and a set of QoS attributes, and the receiving a network update request includes subscribing to the specified topic and the set of QoS attributes.

Abstract: Carbon nanofiber doped alumina (Al—CNF) supported MoCo catalysts in hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and/or boron doping, e.g., up to 5 wt % of total catalyst weight, can improve catalytic efficiency. Al—CNF-supported MoCo catalysts, (Al—CNF—MoCo), can reduce the sulfur concentration in fuel, esp. liquid fuel, to below the required limit in a 6 h reaction time. Thus, Al—CNF—MoCo has a higher catalytic activity than Al-MoCo, which may be explained by higher mesoporous surface area and better dispersion of MoCo metals on the AlCNF support relative to alumina support. The BET surface area of Al-MoCo may be 75% less than Al—CNF—MoCo, e.g., 166 vs. 200 m2/g. SEM images indicate that the catalyst nanoparticles can be evenly distributed on the surface of the CNF. The surface area of the AlMoCoB5% may be 206 m2/g, which is higher than AlMoCoB0% and AlMoCoB2%, and AlMoCoB5% has the highest HDS activity, removing more than 98% sulfur and below allowed levels.

Abstract: New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO2 and further gases, esp. CH4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

Abstract: A multi-layer membrane which has a mixed polyamide selective layer supported on a porous polysulfone layer. The mixed polyamide selective layer includes reacted units of a polyfunctional acyl halide (e.g. trimesoyl chloride) and a diamine mixture containing 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine and a cyclic diamine (e.g. piperazine). Methods of fabricating the multi-layer membrane via techniques such as phase inversion and interfacial polymerization are described. The inventive membrane is evaluated on its water flux and salt rejection (e.g. sulfate and chloride salts) capabilities. A water desalination system containing the multi-layer membrane(s) is also provided.

Abstract: An indirect evaporative cooling system for cooling a space adjacent to or containing an ablution bay is described. The indirect evaporative cooling system includes a greywater source from the ablution bay and evaporative cooler apparatus located above the space to be cooled in a dome shaped housing. The evaporative cooler apparatus includes a wet channel, at least one spray nozzle, and a dry channel. The at least one spray nozzle is located at the top of the evaporative cooler apparatus and is fluidly connected to the greywater source and the wet channel. The wet channel is located directly above the dry channel. A first side of the dry channel is connected to a first opening with a fan and outside air.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of relaying a transmission between a source device and a destination device in a wireless communication network where one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a plurality of UAVs have been activated to relay the transmission between the source device and the destination device. The method includes calculating a sum of SNRs associated with the one or more UAVs and determining whether the sum of the SNRs is less than a predetermined threshold. The method further includes, when the sum of the SNRs is less than the predetermined threshold, determining whether there is at least one UAV in the plurality of UAVs that has not been activated to relay the transmission. Also, the method includes, when there is at least one UAV that has not been activated to relay the transmission, activating one of the at least one UAV to relay the transmission.

Abstract: A diverter agent includes a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant having a sulfonate terminal moiety; and an ammonium based zwitterionic surfactant.

Abstract: A method of controlling a permeability zone in a reservoir includes introducing a diverter agent comprising a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant including a sulfonate terminal moiety, an ammonium-based zwitterionic surfactant, and an activator in a wellbore. Once introduced, the diverter agent contacts a high permeability zone in the reservoir.

Abstract: A method of making an ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer includes immobilizing a metallocene catalyst on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to form a supported metallocene catalyst complex. The method also includes mixing the supported metallocene catalyst complex in a nonpolar solvent to form a first mixture. The method further includes degassing the first mixture and saturating with a gaseous mixture of ethylene and propylene to form a second mixture. The method further includes mixing an aluminoxane catalyst with the second mixture to initiate a polymerization reaction of the ethylene and propylene to form a reaction mixture comprising the EP copolymer and separating the EP copolymer from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: The perovskite solar cell (PSC) includes a first layer containing a conducting material coated glass plate as a substrate, a second layer containing copper doped nickel oxide, a third layer containing a perovskite, a fourth layer containing nitrogen (N)-doped graphene quantum dots, a fifth layer containing phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester and a top layer including conductive layer. A method for producing the perovskite solar cell is also discussed.

Abstract: A method for coating a substrate with a Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film includes direct current reactive sputtering tungsten (W) onto a substrate in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a tungsten trioxide (WO3) film, direct current reactive sputtering bismuth (Bi) onto the tungsten trioxide (WO3) film in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a dibismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) film, drop-casting a vanadyl acetylacetonate solution onto the Bi2O3 film and heating at a temperature of at least 450° C. in ambient air to convert the Bi2O3 film to a BiVO4 film, and photoelectrochemically coating the BiVO4 film with a cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) to form a modified film on the surface of the substrate. A photoanode containing the Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film prepared by the method, and its application in water splitting.

Abstract: A method of removing a sulfate scale from a surface is provided. The method includes contacting the sulfate-comprising scale with a conversion solution including 1 to 10 wt. % of an alkali metal carbonate, 0.5 to 10 wt. % of a borate salt or hydrate thereof, and 0.5 to 2.5 wt. % of a base to produce a carbonate-comprising scale. The method further includes exposing the carbonate-comprising scale with an acid solution including 2.5 to 25 wt. % of an acid.

Abstract: New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO2 and further gases, esp. CH4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

Abstract: A method includes preparing an alkyl-modified graphene oxide, injecting the modified graphene oxide into a well, and inhibiting acid-induced corrosion of a steel surface in the well with the modified graphene oxide. A composition includes an alkyl-modified graphene oxide having one or more alkyl functional group covalently bonded to a graphene core through an oxygen-containing linking group. A method of preparing modified graphene oxide includes mixing graphite powder with an oxidant to provide a mixture, adding the mixture to an acid solution including H2SO4, H3PO4, or a combination thereof to provide graphene oxide, and reacting the graphene oxide with an alkyl halide by nucleophilic substitution to provide the alkyl-modified graphene oxide.

Abstract: A rapid method of synthesizing nanoflowers made of nanoflakes of nickel molybdate (NiMoO4) directly on nickel foam (NF) through an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) process is disclosed. The nickel molybdate nanoflowers were grown on NF by varying the deposition time for 60 and 120 min at a fixed temperature of 480° C. and their efficiency was investigated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The NiMoO4 nanoflowers of NF obtained after 60 minutes of AACVD process showed OER performance with lowest overpotential of 320 mV to reach standard current density of 10 mA cm?2. The catalyst continuously performed the OER for 15 h, signifying its prominent stability under electrochemical conditions.