Abstract: A light harvesting supercapacitor and a method of preparing the light harvesting supercapacitor are disclosed. The light harvesting supercapacitor includes a transparent substrate, an active layer including TiO2 nanoparticles and polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticles disposed on the transparent substrate, an electrolyte layer including a solid separator and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) disposed on the active layer, a carbon electrode disposed on the electrolyte layer; and a metal layer disposed on the activated carbon electrode. The method of preparing the light harvesting supercapacitor involves pulsed laser ablation in a liquid of bulk PANI to form the PANI nanoparticles. The light harvesting supercapacitor can be used in a photovoltaic device.

Abstract: A CoVOx composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 ?m thick layer of CoVOx having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVOx composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

Abstract: A chemical looping combustion (CLC) based power generation, particularly using liquid fuel, ensures substantially complete fuel combustion and provides electrical efficiency without exposing metal oxide based oxygen carrier to high temperature redox process. An integrated fuel gasification (reforming)-CLC-followed by power generation model is provided involving (i) a gasification island, (ii) CLC island, (iii) heat recovery unit, and (iv) power generation system. To improve electrical efficiency, a fraction of the gasified fuel may be directly fed, or bypass the CLC, to a combustor upstream of one or more gas turbines. This splitting approach ensures higher temperature (efficiency) in the gas turbine inlet. The inert mass ratio, air flow rate to the oxidation reactor, and pressure of the system may be tailored to affect the performance of the integrated CLC system and process.

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: An asymmetric nanocomposite supercapacitor and a method of making the asymmetric nanocomposite supercapacitor. The asymmetric nanocomposite supercapacitor includes a negative electrode with monoclinic tungsten oxide (m-WO3) nanoplates, and a binding compound coated on one face of a substrate, and a positive electrode with a carbonaceous material and a binding compound coated on one face of a substrate. Where the face of the positive electrode and the face of the negative electrode coated with the carbonaceous material and m-WO3 nanoplates, respectively, are separated by and in direct contact with a porous separator.

Abstract: This disclosure presents a method, an apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable medium to synchronize an active load with a microgrid having a plurality of distributed generators. The method comprises obtaining respective reference frames for the active load and each of the plurality of distributed generators. The method further comprises selecting the reference frame of a first distributed generator as a common reference frame for the microgrid. The method further comprises pooling the active load and the other distributed generators of the plurality of distributed generators on the common reference frame of the microgrid. The method further comprises tuning controller parameters of the active load and the plurality of distributed generators so that predefined grid voltage, frequency, and phase values of the microgrid are maintained.

Abstract: A wellbore fluid including a first surfactant, a second surfactant, an activator and an aqueous base fluid is provided. The first surfactant has a structure represented by Formula (I): where Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 are each, independently, a sulfonate, a carboxylate, an ester or a hydroxyl group, m is an integer ranging from 2 to 3, and n, o, and k are each, independently, integers ranging from 2 to 10. The second surfactant has a structure represented by Formula (III): where R2 is a C15-C27 hydrocarbon group or a C15-C29 substituted hydrocarbon group, R3 is a C1-C10 hydrocarbon group, and p and q are each, independently, an integer ranging from 1 to 4. A method of using the wellbore fluid for treating a hydrocarbon-containing formation is also provided.

Abstract: Platinum films can be obtained by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using one or more Pt-dialkyldithiocarbamate complexes of formula Pt(S2CNR2), wherein R is independently alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl, particularly as single source precursors. Such methods may include heating a substrate to a deposition temperature above 150° C. in a reactor; and introducing into the reactor, at the deposition temperature, an aerosol including a platinum dithiocarbamate compound, salt, and/or solvate thereof, to thereby deposit the platinum layer on the substrate. The Pt(S2CNR2)-derived films have well-connected and defect-free surface topography and better catalytic performance, likely due to their high conductivity and reflectivity.

Abstract: A method of measuring a concentration of NO2 in a gaseous mixture using a multimode laser beam that covers a tunable spectral range with a width of no more than 5 nm, wherein the multimode laser beam provides a high resolution transmittance spectrum at an absorption cross section of NO2 molecules, and a system for measuring the concentration of NO2 in the gaseous mixture. Various combinations of embodiments of the system and the method are provided.

Abstract: A method for determining space allocation and signal timing of an isolated signalized intersection consists of at least one remote server and a processing module that is communicably coupled with the at least one remote server. A plurality of traffic-related data, wherein the plurality of traffic-related data reflects activity at the isolated signalized intersection, is received through the processing module. A space determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module. Next, a timing determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module in order to minimize the average intersection delay at the isolated signalized intersection. Based upon the results from the space determination process and the timing determination process a cycle length is determined for the isolated signalized intersection.

Abstract: A reconfigurable, dual-band, MIMO antenna apparatus, a planar MIMO antenna system utilizing the antenna apparatus, and a method of transmitting and receiving a signal by the antenna apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a dielectric planar substrate, a first element, a second element, two varactor diodes per element, and a microstrip feed-line. The first element and the second element each have slotted concentric annular rings. The second element is separated on the dielectric planar substrate from the first element, but is coplanar on the dielectric planar substrate with the first element. The two varactor diodes are placed in series with biasing circuitry, the biasing circuitry including RF chokes and current-limiting resistors. The microstrip feed-line feeds both antenna elements. The dual-band antenna elements can each be independently and concurrently tunable to two signal frequencies bands.

Abstract: A laser light source includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), a pair of optical circulators, a first optical filter, and a first optical waveguide connecting those in series. The outer ring includes the SOA, a pair of optical circulators, a second optical filter, an output port, and a second optical waveguide connecting those in series except for a portion shared. The inner ring operates as a gain-clamped SOA with a feedback control light defined by the first optical filter. The outer ring generates a laser output in a gain region of the clamped SOA, and with multiple peak wavelengths defined by the second optical filter, in a range from L Band to U band, applicable to WDM network systems. A WDM network system and a method of controlling the laser light source are also disclosed.

Abstract: A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and its method of formation is disclosed. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate comprises a solid support, a first noble metal nanoparticles is disposed on the solid support, a porous oxide layer comprising transition metal oxide nanoparticles is disposed on the first noble metal nanoparticles and a second noble metal nanoparticles is disposed on the porous oxide layer. The porous oxide layer prevents contact between the first noble metal nanoparticles and the second noble metal nanoparticles and has a mean pore size of 2 to 30 nm.

Abstract: A two or particularly three-phase process, and corresponding apparatus, desulfurizes sour hydrocarbon gas, e.g., natural gas, generally better than known, using a fixed-bed, two-phase processes in terms of the amount of H2S scavenged and the breakthrough time of H2S. The three-phase process is effective in scavenging H2S at ambient temperature and pressure, using a copper salt catalyst impregnated on alumina or other generally inert support, which is regenerable.

Abstract: A substrate with a superhydrophobic coating, wherein the superhydrophobic coating includes a binding layer disposed on the substrate, and a hydrophobic layer disposed on the binding layer, wherein the hydrophobic layer includes perfluoroalkyl-functionalized silica nanoparticles, and a method of fabricating the substrate with the superhydrophobic coating. Various combinations of embodiments of the substrate with the superhydrophobic coating and the method of fabricating thereof are provided.

Abstract: A fluid catalytic cracking catalyst composition (FCC catalyst composition) includes an FCC catalyst and from 1 wt.% to 30 wt.% aromatization-promoting FCC additive. The FCC catalyst includes a USY zeolite, and the aromatization-promoting FCC additive is an MFI zeolite modified with an aromatization compound. The aromatization compound is a metal or metal oxide that includes a metal element from periods 4-6 of the IUPAC periodic table. A method for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with the FCC catalyst composition at reaction conditions sufficient to upgrade at least a portion of the hydrocarbon feed.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for event detection of passive seismic data are disclosed. The apparatus includes processing circuitry extracts features from the passive seismic data based on a backbone subnetwork of a residual deep neural network. The processing circuitry generates bounding box proposals for a region of interest (ROI) in the passive seismic data based on the extracted features being input to a region proposal network of the residual deep neural network. The processing circuitry classifies the bounding box proposals into two groups. Each bounding box proposal in a first group indicates that a corresponding seismic signal presents in the ROI. Each bounding box proposal in a second group indicates that no seismic signal presents in the ROI. The processing circuitry determines at least one seismic signal in the ROI from the first group of bounding box proposals.

Abstract: A composite material of polyurethane foam having a layer of reduced graphene oxide and polystyrene is described. This composite material may be made by contacting a polyurethane foam with a suspension of reduced graphene oxide, drying, and then irradiating in the presence of styrene vapor. The composite material has a hydrophobic surface that may be exploited for separating a nonpolar phase, such as oil, from an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Atomically thin layers including pores, their method of manufacture, and their use are disclosed. In some embodiments, pores may be formed in an atomically thin layer by growing the atomically thin layer on exposed portions of a substrate that includes islands comprising a material that is different than the material of the substrate. In some embodiments, pores and/or defects may be formed in an atomically thin layer by employing growth conditions that promote the formation of defects and/or pores. In certain embodiments, pores and/or defects may be etched to enlarge their size.

Abstract: A method for determining space allocation and signal timing of an isolated signalized intersection consists of at least one remote server and a processing module that is communicably coupled with the at least one remote server. A plurality of traffic-related data, wherein the plurality of traffic-related data reflects activity at the isolated signalized intersection, is received through the processing module. A space determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module. Next, a timing determination process is performed on the plurality of traffic-related data through the processing module in order to minimize the average intersection delay at the isolated signalized intersection. Based upon the results from the space determination process and the timing determination process a cycle length is determined for the isolated signalized intersection.