Abstract: A vessel for transporting a material that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperature, includes a body having an interior surface comprising textured metal, and a superoleophobic coating on the interior surface for inhibiting the material from adhering to the interior surface, the superoleophobic coating including a nanotextured coating disposed on the textured metal and functionalized with a fluorinated compound. The superoleophobic coating facilitates flow of the material along the interior surface.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, in accordance with one embodiment, includes analyzing a business intelligence report for correlating information therein with a physical environment, and for determining effects of the information in the business intelligence report on the physical environment. An animated virtual reality simulation of the physical environment, as affected by the information, is created based on results of the analysis of the business intelligence report. The animated virtual reality simulation is output to a virtual reality device.

Abstract: Vanadium oxide nanomaterial composite compositions and substrates including films comprising vanadium oxide nanomaterial composite compositions are described. A film and composition generally including a polymeric matrix; and a crystalline vanadium oxide nanomaterial dispersed in the polymeric matrix, wherein the crystalline vanadium oxide nanomaterial comprises a smallest dimension between about 100 nm and about 5 nm.

Abstract: A highly scalable process has been developed for stabilizing large quantities of the zeta-polymorph of V2O5, a metastable kinetically trapped phase, with high compositional and phase purity. The process utilizes a beta-Cux V2O5 precursor which is synthetized from solution using all-soluble precursors. The copper can be leached from this structure by a room temperature post-synthetic route to stabilize an empty tunnel framework entirely devoid of intercalating cations. The metastable ?-V2O5 thus stabilized can be used as a monovalent-(Li, Na) or multivalent-(Mg, Ca, Al) ion battery cathode material.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of preparing bitumen for transport, apparatus for preparing bitumen for transport, methods of transporting bitumen, and transportation-ready forms of bitumen. Instead of relying on exogenous components to induce bitumen solidification, the methods and apparatus of the present disclosure reorganize bituminous materials derived from the same origin into core-shell bitumen microcapsules, such that relatively low solubility components (e.g. asphaltenes) encapsulate relatively high solubility components (e.g. maltenes). Importantly, the bitumen microcapsules of the present disclosure are sufficiently mechanically resilient to meet one or more thresholds for midstream transportation, and they are readily fluidized for downstream processing with conventional technologies. Taken together, these aspects may ameliorate one or more challenges in achieving commercially viable bitumen solidification technologies.

Abstract: Vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix, substrates including the vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix, and related methods of making vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix are described.

Abstract: Cross-linked polymer nanoparticles were designed and synthesized with cyclodextrins as the starting monomer. These nanoparticles display exemplary adsorption properties in terms of capacity and selectivity, which comes from the synthetic design. The nanoparticles are also highly robust for various practical adsorption applications. The new synthetic method of these nanoparticle materials involves the reaction of cyclodextrin monomers through an emulsion polymerization approach. The size of the nanoparticles can be tuned easily.

Abstract: A vessel for transporting a material that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperature, includes a body having an interior surface comprising textured metal, and a superoleophobic coating on the interior surface for inhibiting the material from adhering to the interior surface, the superoleophobic coating including a nanotextured coating disposed on the textured metal and functionalized with a fluorinated compound. The superoleophobic coating facilitates flow of the material along the interior surface.

Abstract: Methods for preparation of a carbon membrane include providing a solution comprising a diacetyl biphenyl monomer and an alkylsulfonic acid. The solution is treated under such conditions that an aldol condensation reaction occurs so as to produce a porous polymer network. The porous polymer network is treated under such conditions that a Scholl reaction occurs.

Abstract: A vessel for transporting a material that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperature, includes a body having an interior surface comprising textured metal, and a superoleophobic coating on the interior surface for inhibiting the material from adhering to the interior surface, the superoleophobic coating including a nanotextured coating disposed on the textured metal and functionalized with a fluorinated compound. The superoleophobic coating facilitates flow of the material along the interior surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of preparing bitumen for transport, apparatus for preparing bitumen for transport, methods of transporting bitumen, and transportation-ready forms of bitumen. Instead of relying on exogenous components to induce bitumen solidification, the methods and apparatus of the present disclosure reorganize bituminous materials derived from the same origin into core-shell bitumen microcapsules, such that relatively low solubility components (e.g. asphaltenes) encapsulate relatively high solubility components (e.g. maltenes). Importantly, the bitumen microcapsules of the present disclosure are sufficiently mechanically resilient to meet one or more thresholds for midstream transportation, and they are readily fluidized for downstream processing with conventional technologies. Taken together, these aspects may ameliorate one or more challenges in achieving commercially viable bitumen solidification technologies.

Abstract: Doped nanoparticles, methods of making such nanoparticles, and uses of such nanoparticles. The nanoparticles exhibit a metal-insulator phase transition at a temperature of ?200° C. to 350° C. The nanoparticles have a broad range of sizes and various morphologies. The nanoparticles can be used in coatings and in device structures.

Abstract: Vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix, substrates including the vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix, and related methods of making vanadium oxide nanomaterials dispersed in a polymeric matrix are described.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to the synthesis and characterization of V2O5/CdE NW/QD heterostructures. The V2O5/CdE heterostructures are versatile new materials constructs for light harvesting, charge separation, and the photocatalytic production of solar fuels; polymorphism of V2O5 and compositional alloying of both components provides for a substantial design space for tuning of interfacial energy offsets. Also provided are a new class of type-II heterostructures composed of cadmium chalcogenide QDs (CdE where E=S, Se, or Te) and ?-V2O5 nanowires (NWs). The synthesis and characterization of V2O5/CdE NW/QD heterostructures, prepared via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and linker-assisted assembly (LAA), the characterization of their photoinduced charge-transfer reactivity using transient absorption spectroscopy, and their performance in the photocatalytic reduction of protons to hydrogen are also disclosed.

Abstract: A highly scalable process has been developed for stabilizing large quantities of the zeta-polymorph of V2O5, a metastable kinetically trapped phase, with high compositional and phase purity. The process utilizes a beta-Cux V2O5 precursor which is synthetized from solution using all-soluble precursors. The copper can be leached from this structure by a room temperature post-synthetic route to stabilize an empty tunnel framework entirely devoid of intercalating cations. The metastable ?-V2O5 thus stabilized can be used as a monovalent-(Li, Na) or multivalent-(Mg, Ca, Al) ion battery cathode material.

Abstract: The Li-ion paradigm of battery technology is fundamentally constrained by the monovalency of the Li-ion. A straightforward solution is to transition to multivalent ion chemistries, with Mg2+ the most obvious candidate due to considerations of size and mass. Despite early interest, the realization of Mg batteries has faced myriad obstacles, including a sparse selection of cathode materials demonstrating the ability to reversibly insert divalent ions. Disclosed herein is evidence of reversible topochemical and electrochemical insertion of Mg2+ into a metastable one-dimensional polymorph of V2O5. Not only does ?-V2O5 represent a rare addition to the pantheon of functional Mg battery cathode materials, but is also distinctive in exhibiting a combination of high stability, high specific capacity due to ion insertion, and moderately high operating voltage.

Abstract: Vanadium oxide nanomaterial composite compositions and substrates including films comprising vanadium oxide nanomaterial composite compositions are described. A film and composition generally including a polymeric matrix; and a crystalline vanadium oxide nanomaterial dispersed in the polymeric matrix, wherein the crystalline vanadium oxide nanomaterial comprises a smallest dimension between about 100 nm and about 5 nm.

Abstract: The electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction includes nanosheets of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) deposited on a carbon fiber substrate. The catalyst is formed in stepwise fashion by chemical vapor deposition of nanosheets of MoO3 onto the substrate, then reducing the MoO3 to nanosheets of MoO2 using sublimed sulfur, then by reaction of sulfur vapor with the MoO2 to form nanosheets of MoS2 on the carbon fiber substrate. The catalyst is multifaceted, having a large density of edges providing catalytically active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The activity of the catalyst is enhanced by coating the catalyst with spherical fullerenes (nC60).

Abstract: VO2 and V2O5 nano- or micro-materials. The VO2 nano-materials and micro-materials have an M1 phase structure and oxygen stoichiometry that deviates 2% or less from theoretical stoichiometry. The VO2 nano-materials and micro-materials may doped with cation dopants and/or anion dopants. The VO2 and V2O5 nano- or micro-materials can be made by hydrothermal methods starting with V3O7.H2O nano- or micro-material. The VO2 and V2O5 nano- or micro-materials can be used as, for example, thermochromic window coatings.

Abstract: Provided are methods for forming graphene or functionalized graphene thin films. Also provided are graphene and functionalized graphene thin films formed by the methods. For example, electrophoretic deposition methods and stamping methods are used. Defect-free thin films can be formed. Patterned films can be formed. The methods can provide conformal coatings on non-planar substrates.