Abstract: A method of preparing a thermoelectric material includes the following steps. A thermoelectric raw material can be filled into a cavity of a first mold so that the thermoelectric raw material filled in the cavity has first and second dimensions. The first dimension can be defined in a first direction. The second dimension can be defined in a second direction. The second direction can be perpendicular to the first direction. The first dimension can be equal to or greater than the second dimension. The thermoelectric raw material filled in the cavity can be cooled in a uniaxial direction that is parallel to the second direction at a cooling rate of at least 600° C./min.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photovoltaic device having excellent environmental durability and good adhesion with a collector electrode made of metal paste. The photovoltaic device comprises an ITO film on a p-type amorphous silicon hydride film on a light incident side of the photovoltaic device and a collector electrode made of silver paste on the ITO film. A silicon oxide insulation film made of SiOx is provided on at least regions on the ITO film where the collector electrode is not formed. The thickness of the silicon oxide insulation film is about 1 to 10 times thicker than an arithmetic mean deviation (Ra) of the underlying ITO film. The silicon oxide insulation film is a film having a Si-2p peak with a full width at half maximum of 2.45 or less, which is evaluated by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the preparation of reinforcements for composite materials, whereby single- and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) may be electrophoretically deposited on fibrous substrates for the production of hybrid CNT/fibers. The fibers may include carbon fibers and woven carbon fabrics. The length, as well as the density and orientation of the deposited nanotubes on the fiber surfaces may also be tailored. The strength of the CNT/fiber-matrix interface formed in composites fabricated from the hybrid CNT/fibers may be adjusted by introduction of functional groups on the CNT/fiber surfaces, such as aminophenyl and carboxyphenyl groups.

Abstract: A pattern forming method for forming a pattern on a pattern forming material on a substrate by using an imprint pattern provided to a mold is constituted by preparing a substrate having thereon a pattern forming area, disposing the pattern forming material placed in an uncured state in the pattern forming area in a dispersion state at a plurality of positions at different intervals, and curing the pattern forming material in a state in which the pattern forming material is deformed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the imprint pattern provided to the mold.

Abstract: A device and method to predict and regulate nitrogen concentration in a flow shifting system. In one aspect of the system, a bleed valve fluidly coupled to multiple fuel cell stacks is used to reduce the presence of nitrogen in an anode flowpath. One or more sensors can be used to measure voltage within one or both of the fuel cell stacks. By assessing fuel cell voltage changes within the anode flowpath and equating such changes with nitrogen fraction buildup, the system can manipulate the bleed valve at appropriate times to improve system operability. In one form of equating the sensed voltage changes with the nitrogen fraction buildup, a predictive algorithm can be used by a logic device in a controller to compare the sensed voltage so that the controller instructs the bleed valve when to open and close. In a variation, the controller can compare the sensed voltages against stored data rather than rely on a formula or related algorithm.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for manipulating or formulating a solid substance which melts under pressure of a gas without degrading at a temperature lower than the melting point of the substance at atmospheric pressure including: applying to the substance a liquefied gas or dense gas to melt the substance without degrading the substance; then contacting the molten substance with a carrier fluid, which is at substantially the same pressure as the liquefied gas or dense gas, to form a solution or mixture of at least a part of the molten substance and the carrier fluid; and passing the solution or mixture into a vessel of lower pressure than the pressure of the liquefied gas or dense gas and carrier fluid to form particles of the substance; and particles formed by the method.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack (1) performs power generation using an anode gas having hydrogen as its main component, and after a power generation reaction, the anode gas is discharged as anode effluent. The anode effluent is re-circulated into the anode gas through a return passage (5). The return passage (5) comprises a purge valve (8) which discharges the anode effluent to the outside of the passage. In this invention, calculation of a first energy loss caused by an increase in non-hydrogen components in the anode gas while the purge valve (8) is closed (S7, S28), and calculation of a second energy loss which corresponds to the amount of hydrogen lost from the anode gas by opening the purge valve (8) (S8, S29) are performed. By opening the purge valve (8) when the second energy loss equals or falls below the first energy loss, the start timing of purging is optimized.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a fuel cell stack is overheating. The system measures the temperature of end cells in the stack using end cell temperature sensors, and calculates an average end cell temperature based on the end cell temperature measurements. The system also measures the temperature of a cooling fluid being output from the fuel cell stack. The system determines if any of the measured end cell temperatures are outlying by comparing each end cell temperature measurement to the average. The system determines that the cooling fluid outlet temperature sensor has possibly failed if the cooling fluid outlet temperature is greater than the average end cell temperature and the cooling fluid outlet temperature minus the average end cell temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature value.

Abstract: The present invention uses lithographically patterned graphite stacks as the basic building elements of an efficient and economical photovoltaic cell. The basic design of the graphite-based photovoltaic cells includes a plurality of spatially separated graphite stacks, each comprising a plurality of vertically stacked, semiconducting graphene sheets (carbon nanoribbons) bridging electrically conductive contacts.

Abstract: A solar roofing system includes components that can be made to mimic traditional tabbed asphalt roofing shingles in size, shape, and performance. Additionally, the shingles also include photovoltaic devices embedded in the shingle tabs. Shingles are installed in a traditional manner using traditional tools and fasteners in offset and overlapping rows. Electrical connectivity among tabs is made by contact between top and bottom surfaces of shingles without the need for additional wiring or hardware. The system includes multiple shingle shapes including a variation that can be cut apart into separate tabs. This solar roofing system can be integrated with non-photovoltaic components to fit irregularities found in a variety of roof surfaces. The system, once installed, creates a redundancy of electrical connectivity throughout a roof surface to allow for interruptions and irregularities in the roof surface and to allow for highly reliable output performance.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separation system includes a housing at which a gas inlet and a gas outlet are provided; a separation pipe contained in the housing; a separation membrane provided in the separation pipe; and a pump configured to inject a gas into the housing through the gas inlet from an outside of the housing to the gas outlet.

Abstract: A clamping structure for a planar solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising a flexible sheet and a rigid, thermally insulating end block, the flexible sheet being capable of bending into a primarily convex shape, the rigid, thermally insulating end block shaped as a rectangular base with a planar surface and an opposing surface that is primarily convex in shape, the flexible sheet being placed adjacent to the opposing surface of the rigid, thermally insulating end block, the flexible sheet thereby bending to obtain a shape that is primarily convex. The invention also relates to a solid oxide fuel cell stack and a process for the compression of the stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of fire-resistant dense moulded pieces made from wood fibers, mixed with water glass as a binding flame-protection agent at a temperature above ambient temperature. A non-woven fiber formed from the above mixture is compressed to a density of <350 kg/m3 and then the hardening of the binding flame protection agent carried out in a closed press in the compressed state at temperatures above 80° C.

Abstract: A suction roller (65) is used as a drive roller for feeding a film in a solution casting method. The suction roller (65) has a surface (65a) on which a plurality of circular suction holes (91) is formed. The suction hole (91) has a diameter of 4 mm and a chamfered edge. The width of chamfer is 10% in ratio to the diameter of the hole. The surface (65a) is hardened by chrome plating so as to have a hardness of 900 in Vicars hardness. A roller temperature controller (100) is provided near the suction roller (65) to control the surface temperature of the roller by the air supply. The surface temperature of the suction roller (65) is about 10° C. higher than temperature of the film (61)immediately before contacting to the suction roller (65).

Abstract: A concentrating solar collector that utilizes a solar collector optical system to concentrate solar light onto a PV cell (image plane), wherein the solar collector optical system includes an array of first optical elements that divide the solar light into separate beams, and a secondary optical system that integrates (superimposes) the separate beams in a defocused state at the image plane, thereby forming a uniform light distribution pattern on the PV cell. The secondary optical system is positioned at a distance from the aperture plane, whereby the rays of each separate beam leaving the secondary optical element are parallel. The image plane (PV cell) is located at the back focal point of the second image element, whereby all of the separate beams are superimposed on the PV cell in a defocused state. Optional intervening third optical elements are used to increase the acceptance angle.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrode plate for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which comprises a collector and an active material layer provided on at least one side of the collector, in which the active material layer has one or more slits. Such an electrode plate can facilitate infiltration of a liquid electrolyte even when wound at high density and can have high stability of quality. There is also disclosed a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery with high capacity and high quality, which is constructed using the above-mentioned electrode plate.

Abstract: A fuel cell (stack or a single cell) includes a cell module to which an aging process that progresses initial creep has been applied such that creep during use is reduced compared with a cell module to which the aging process has not been applied. A manufacturing method of a fuel cell (stack or a single cell) includes an aging step for progressing through initial creep by applying at least a compression load to a cell module.

Abstract: Disclosed are a nano-sized palladium-doped anion exchange resin catalyst or palladium-doped cation exchange resin catalyst, a preparation method thereof and a method of removing dissolved oxygen in water using the same. The palladium-doped anion exchange resin catalyst exhibits high dissolved oxygen removal efficiency of 99˜99.99%, and the palladium-doped cation exchange resin catalyst exhibits high dissolved oxygen removal efficiency of at least 97%, and further, dissolved oxygen in water can be removed through a catalytic reaction without the use of additional chemicals, thereby discharging no secondary pollutants. This catalyst is environmentally friendly, can be continuously developed, and can prevent the loss of the palladium catalyst, which is expensive, and thus can be efficiently applied to various fields, including semiconductors, power plants, microbial culture, food and pharmaceutical production, and the fermentation industry.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to provide a stacked-type thin-film photoelectric conversion device having high photostability, at a high yield rate and significantly reduced production costs. In a stacked-type photoelectric conversion device having an amorphous silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit and a crystalline silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit stacked thereon or vice versa, an amorphous photoelectric conversion layer included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.03 ?m and less than 0.17 ?m, a crystalline photoelectric conversion layer included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.2 ?m and less than 1.0 ?m, and a silicon oxide layer of a first conductivity type included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit and a silicon layer of a second conductivity type included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit make a junction.

Abstract: Enhanced safety is provided in the event of an information handling system catastrophic battery failure by extending a flame container outward from the battery to vent flammable gases through holes having a quenching distance that retards transfer of flames from the battery. For example, telescoping cylinder sections disposed proximate the casing of a battery cell are forced outward as a telescoping assembly when pressure within the casing exceeds a predetermined safety threshold. The flame container vents flammable gases away from other cells of the battery and may direct the vented gases to the exterior of an information handling system housing or to the interior of the housing.