Abstract: Embodiments include a core plug holding apparatus including a tubular member configured to be inserted into a side pocket of a mandrel, the tubular member having an uphole end, a downhole end, and a core plug section located between the uphole end and the downhole end, wherein the core plug section is used for housing of one or more core plug samples and wherein tubular member includes one or more orifices formed in the core plug section. Embodiments include a method of sampling a well including deploying one or more core plug holding apparatuses into one or more side pocket mandrels of a completion; holding the one or more core plug holding apparatuses in the one or more side pocket mandrels for an incubation period; and retrieving the one or more core plug holding apparatuses from the one or more side pocket mandrels after the passage of the incubation period.

Abstract: A device and method for absorbing electromagnetic waves can include a honeycomb sheet formed by a plurality of interconnected hexagon cells arranged in rows. The hexagon cells are made up of sidewalls, each sidewall formed by two surfaces that converge at a top of the sidewall and diverge from the top to a bottom of the sidewall such that a thickness of the sidewalls increases from top to bottom and an angle forms between the two surfaces at the top of the sidewall. In an example, the angle is about 8 degrees. The honeycomb sheet can be coated with a magnetic, composite coating to increase electromagnetic shielding. An example coating includes magnetic multi-granular nanoclusters (MGNC) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). A base layer can be attached to the honeycomb sheet for mechanical stability and additional absorption. The device is suitable for radar absorbing materials (RAM) for aerospace and military applications.

Abstract: A bi-directional DC voltage converter includes a controller, controlled switches, inductors, and capacitors to accomplish DC voltage conversion with minimal input current ripple and high efficiency. The controller is operable in a boost mode in which the switches are independently controlled to convert low-voltage DC power to high-voltage DC power. The controller is operable in a buck mode in which the switches are independently controlled to convert high-voltage DC power to low-voltage DC power.

Abstract: A method of incorporating nanoparticles into a contact lens includes contacting the contact lens with a solvent sufficient to remove liquid from the contact lens and contacting the contact lens with colloidal nanoparticles sufficient to transfer nanoparticles from the colloidal nanoparticles to the contact lens.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for collecting water droplets from an airflow of a cooling tower (8) through condensation of water vapour using an electrostatic separator (20), wherein the electrostatic separator is a single unit electrostatic separator (20) or a multi-unit electrostatic separator. The method for water particles collection from the exhaust airflow of a cooling tower primarily comprises condensing water vapour into large water droplets. It is experimentally proved that electrostatic separation solves the problem of visible plume pollution, and blow down decreased since collected water flows back to the circulating water. Additionally, electrostatic separation results in small pressure drop of the cooling tower (8).

Abstract: Methods of preparing a mineral-coated rock micromodel can include 3D-printing a transparent porous micromodel with photo-curable polymer, seeding a thin layer of mineral nanoparticles in the network of pores inside the micromodel, and subsequently growing a mineral layer on the thin layer of mineral nanoparticles. The thin layer of mineral nanoparticles can be introduced by injecting a suspension containing the mineral nanoparticles through the microporous polymer micromodel, and the mineral layer can be grown in-situ on the thin layer of mineral nanoparticles in the network of pores by injecting an ion-rich solution configured to crystallize from solution in response to contacting the mineral nanoparticles.

Abstract: Described herein are coated chloride salt particles, including NaCl/TiO2 and NaCl/SiO2 core/shell particles, along with methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Three-dimensional printing on a membrane of a filtration device is described herein. Forming the filtration device involves receiving a membrane comprising a porous material, depositing an ink into pores of the porous material, causing the ink to solidify, and continuously building three-dimensional printed structures via micro-stereolithographic three-dimensional printing. Solidifying the ink causes the ink to bond with the membrane.

Abstract: Electrical Tomography (ET) Images of an object can be generated based on features extracted during an excitation cycle. For example, a method described herein can include selecting, from a plurality of electrodes attached to the object, a first pair of electrodes. The method can include exciting the first pair of electrodes during a first excitation cycle. Additionally, the method can include generating an analog signal by performing measurements across remaining pairs of electrodes of the plurality of electrodes during the excitation cycle. The method can include generating the digital signal based on an analog to digital conversion of the analog signal. Further, the method can include extracting, during the excitation cycle, features based on the digital signal. The method can include generating an ET image associated with the object based on the features.

Abstract: The invention provides for a hybrid unmanned aerial and submersible vehicle (UASV) (100) comprising a fuselage (102), at least one wing structure (104, 106), a propulsion system (116, 118) and an empennage. The said vehicle is capable of operating in air, on water and underwater via its wing tilting mechanism wherein the transition of the vehicle between different mediums is seamless. Further, the wing structures (104, 106) are connected on either side of the fuselage (102), such that each wing (104, 106) tilts about a common lateral axis (360° of freedom), and wherein said tilting depends on the mode of operation of the UASV (100). The vehicle of the present invention further includes a propeller protection system, a landing system, control surfaces, and sensors. The present invention also discloses methods for operating the UASV (100) in multiple mediums.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sustainable and green polylactic acid-based membranes embedded with self-assembled positively and negatively charged multiwalled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide nanohybrids for the removal of organic and inorganic nutrients from wastewater, and methods of synthesis of the same. A positively charged multi-walled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide (f-MWCNT/GO) nanohybrid-based mixed matrix membrane can comprise a self-assembled multi-walled carbon nanotube and graphene oxide (f-MWCNT/GO) nanohybrid, and a polylactic acid (PLA) membrane matrix. The f-MWCNT/GO nanohybrid is integrated into the PLA membrane matrix to form the positively charged mixed matrix membrane. A negatively charged multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-GO/MWCNTs-COOH) nanohybrid-based mixed matrix membrane can comprise a positively charged Graphene Oxide and negatively charged multi-walled carbon nanotube-COOH (f-GO/MWCNTs-COOH) nanohybrid, and a polylactic acid (PLA) membrane matrix.

Abstract: An electrodeless plasma thruster with closed-ring-shaped gas discharge chamber (1, 10) can include a gas discharge chamber (1, 10) closed-ring-shaped in fluid communication with a propellant storage system (10, 70). An antenna (3, 30) can be positioned on the exterior of the gas discharge tube (1, 10). A guide tube (2, 20) can be coupled with the gas discharge chamber (1, 10) at a first end and have a second open end. A magnetic system (7, 50) can be positioned on the second end of the guide tube (2, 20). The magnetic system (7, 50) can be electrically coupled with a power supply. The power supply can be electrically coupled with a power converter (11, 80) and a control module.

Abstract: This disclosure includes systems and techniques that verify an educational quality of online videos, employing a platform that enables experts to endorse and/or recommend videos that are more readily accessible to end users. Certain aspects include a computing device for a service provider that receives a query from a user for video content. The computing device forwards the query to a hosting service, and in response to the query, the computing device receives, from the hosting service, a list of video content items it hosts. The computing device identifies, for each video content item within the list of video content items, an endorsement value associated with one or more experts. In some aspects, the computing device generates an aggregated list of video content items from a plurality of lists of video content items based on endorsement values. The computing device provides recommendations to the user using the endorsement values.

Abstract: An imaging system for measuring flow rates of the individual phases of a multiphase flow and for providing images of the multiphase flow, wherein the imaging system is adapted to also measure the thickness of deposits on the internal wall of a pipe, and to a method for analyzing a multiphase flow flowing through a pipe using the imaging system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sustainable and green polylactic acid-based membranes embedded with self-assembled positively and negatively charged multiwalled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide nanohybrids for the removal of organic and inorganic nutrients from wastewater, and methods of synthesis of the same. A positively charged multi-walled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide (f-MWCNT/GO) nanohybrid-based mixed matrix membrane can comprise a self-assembled multi-walled carbon nanotube and graphene oxide (f-MWCNT/GO) nanohybrid, and a polylactic acid (PLA) membrane matrix. The f-MWCNT/GO nanohybrid is integrated into the PLA membrane matrix to form the positively charged mixed matrix membrane. A negatively charged multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-GO/MWCNTs-COOH) nanohybrid-based mixed matrix membrane can comprise a positively charged Graphene Oxide and negatively charged multi-walled carbon nanotube-COOH (f-GO/MWCNTs-COOH) nanohybrid, and a polylactic acid (PLA) membrane matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an ice-nucleating particle for cloud seeding and other applications, which can initiate ice nucleation at a temperature of ?8° C. Further, the ice nucleation particle number increased continuously and rapidly with the reducing of temperature. The ice nucleating particle in the present invention is a nanostructured porous composite of 3-dimensional reduced graphene oxide and silica dioxide nanoparticles (PrGO-SN). The present invention also provides for a process for synthesizing the PrGO-SN.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally describe two-dimensional/three-dimensional conjugated salicylaldehydate metal organic framework (2D/3D-c-SA MOF) compositions, method for green synthesis of the two-dimensional/three-dimensional conjugated salicylaldehydate metal organic framework (2D/3D-c-SA MOF) compositions, applications of the said compositions in supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, electrocatalytic conversion reactions, photocatalytic reduction of CO2 and other uses.

Abstract: A liquid desalination system is disclosed. The liquid desalination system includes a feed line having an inlet to receive liquid and an outlet to discharge the liquid. The liquid desalination system includes a magnet coupled to the feed line, the magnet to generate an oscillating magnetic field within the feed line and in opposition to the feed water flow. The removal of targeted ions can be achieved by manipulating the frequency and rate of the generated electromagnetic waves. The generated electromagnetic waves can be tuned to weaken the hydration bonds of that specific ion and facilitate its removal. The liquid desalination system generates an electric field across the feed line to enable the liquid to flow through the electric field. The electric field may attract sodium ions to a positive electrode and may attract chloride ions to a negative electrode, to desalinate the liquid in the feed line.

Abstract: An ophthalmic contact lens configured to treat color vision deficiency is presented herein. The contact lens includes a tinted region containing either or both of a first dye that is configured to absorb at least 50% of incident light in a spectral band between 480 nanometers to 500 nanometers and a second dye that is configured to absorb at least 50% of incident light in a spectral band between 550 nanometers to 580 nanometers. A method of manufacturing such a contact lens and a process of forming an ophthalmic contact lens by an additive manufacturing process is also presented.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for preparing carbon nanostructure sheets are provided. The apparatuses may include a casting body including a substrate configured to move along a first direction, a slurry reservoir configured to contain a slurry, a dispenser connected to the slurry reservoir and configured to dispense the slurry onto a surface of the substrate and a doctoring member that extends in a second direction traversing the first direction and that is positioned above the surface of the substrate. The slurry may include carbon nanostructures, and/or one or more functional materials. The doctoring member may be spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a predetermined distance.