Recent Progress and Approaches on Carbon-Free Energy from Water Splitting

Sunlight is the most abundant renewable energy resource,providing the earth with enough power that is capable of taking care of all of humanity’s desires-a hundred times over.However,as it is at times diffuse and intermittent,it raises issues concerning how best to reap this energy and store it for times when the Sun is not shining.With increasing population in the world and modern economic development,there will be an additional increase in energy demand.Devices that use daylight to separate water into individual chemical elements may well be the answer to this issue,as water splitting produces an ideal fuel.If such devices that generate fuel were to become widely adopted,they must be low in cost,both for supplying and operation.Therefore,it is essential to research for cheap technologies for water ripping.This review summarizes the progress made toward such development,the open challenges existing,and the approaches undertaken to generate carbon-free energy through water splitting.

Extraction of symmetry energy coefficient in heavy-ion reactions near the Fermi energies

An improved method is proposed for the extraction of the symmetry energy coefficient relative to the temperature,a_(sym)/T,in the heavy-ion reactions near the Fermi energy region,based on the modified Fisher Model.This method is applied to the primary fragments of antisymmetrized molecular dynamics(AMD)simulations for ^(46)Fe+^(46)Fe,^(40)Ca+^(40)Ca and ^(48)Ca+^(48)Ca at 35 MeV/nucleon,in order to make direct comparison to the results from the K(N,Z)method of Ono et al.In our improved method,the extracted values of a_(sym)/T increase as the size of isotopes increases whereas,in the K(N,Z)method,the results show rather constant behavior.This increase in our result is attributed to the surface contribution of the symmetry energy in finite nuclei.In order to evaluate the surface contribution,the relation a_(sym)/T=[a_(sym)^((V))(1-k_(S/V) A^(-1/3))]/T is applied and k_(S/V)=1.20~1.25 was extracted.This value is smaller than those extracted from the mass table,reflecting the weakened surface contribution at higher temperature regime.Δμ/T,the difference of the neutron-proton chemical potentials relative to the temperature,is also extracted in this method at the same time.The average values of the extractedΔμ/T,Δμ/T show a linear dependence on the proton-neutron a_(sym)metry parameter of the system,δ_(sys),andΔμ/T=(15.1±0.2)δ_(sys)-(0.5±0.1)is obtained.

Investigating and predicting the role of photovoltaic, wind, and hydrogen energies in sustainable global energy evolution

The global shift toward next-generation energy systems is propelled by the urgent need to combat climate change and the dwindling supply of fossil fuels.This review explores the intricate challenges and opportunities for transitioning to sustainable renewable energy sources such as solar,wind,and hydrogen.This transition economically challenges traditional energy sectors while fostering new industries,promoting job growth,and sustainable economic development.The transition to renewable energy demands social equity,ensuring universal access to affordable energy,and considering community impact.The environmental benefits include a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a lesser ecological footprint.This study highlights the rapid growth of the global wind power market,which is projected to increase from$112.23 billion in 2022 to$278.43 billion by 2030,with a compound annual growth rate of 13.67%.In addition,the demand for hydrogen is expected to increase,significantly impacting the market with potential cost reductions and making it a critical renewable energy source owing to its affordability and zero emissions.By 2028,renewables are predicted to account for 42%of global electricity generation,with significant contributions from wind and solar photovoltaic(PV)technology,particularly in China,the European Union,the United States,and India.These developments signify a global commitment to diversifying energy sources,reducing emissions,and moving toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.This review offers stakeholders the insights required to smoothly transition to sustainable energy,setting the stage for a resilient future.

Heavy ion energy influence on multiple-cell upsets in small sensitive volumes:from standard to high energies

The 28 nm process has a high cost-performance ratio and has gradually become the standard for the field of radiation-hardened devices.However,owing to the minimum physical gate length of only 35 nm,the physical area of a standard 6T SRAM unit is approximately 0.16μm^(2),resulting in a significant enhancement of multi-cell charge-sharing effects.Multiple-cell upsets(MCUs)have become the primary physical mechanism behind single-event upsets(SEUs)in advanced nanometer node devices.The range of ionization track effects increases with higher ion energies,and spacecraft in orbit primarily experience SEUs caused by high-energy ions.However,ground accelerator experiments have mainly obtained low-energy ion irradiation data.Therefore,the impact of ion energy on the SEU cross section,charge collection mechanisms,and MCU patterns and quantities in advanced nanometer devices remains unclear.In this study,based on the experimental platform of the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou,low-and high-energy heavy-ion beams were used to study the SEUs of 28 nm SRAM devices.The influence of ion energy on the charge collection processes of small-sensitive-volume devices,MCU patterns,and upset cross sections was obtained,and the applicable range of the inverse cosine law was clarified.The findings of this study are an important guide for the accurate evaluation of SEUs in advanced nanometer devices and for the development of radiation-hardening techniques.

Crosstalk between degradation and bioenergetics: how autophagy and endolysosomal processes regulate energy production

Cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to adapt to changes in nutrient availability, cellular activity, and transitions in cell states. The balance between glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration is crucial for energy production, and metabolic reprogramming stipulates a shift in such balance to optimize both bioenergetic efficiency and anabolic requirements. Failure in switching bioenergetic dependence can lead to maladaptation and pathogenesis. While cellular degradation is known to recycle precursor molecules for anabolism, its potential role in regulating energy production remains less explored. The bioenergetic switch between glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration involves transcription factors and organelle homeostasis, which are both regulated by the cellular degradation pathways. A growing body of studies has demonstrated that both stem cells and differentiated cells exhibit bioenergetic switch upon perturbations of autophagic activity or endolysosomal processes. Here, we highlighted the current understanding of the interplay between degradation processes, specifically autophagy and endolysosomes, transcription factors, endolysosomal signaling, and mitochondrial homeostasis in shaping cellular bioenergetics. This review aims to summarize the relationship between degradation processes and bioenergetics, providing a foundation for future research to unveil deeper mechanistic insights into bioenergetic regulation.

MXene Hybridized Polymer with Enhanced Electromagnetic Energy Harvest for Sensitized Microwave Actuation and Self‑Powered Motion Sensing

Polymeric microwave actuators combining tissue-like softness with programmablemicrowave-responsive deformation hold great promise for mobile intelligentdevices and bionic soft robots. However, their application is challenged by restricted electromagneticsensitivity and intricate sensing coupling. In this study, a sensitized polymericmicrowave actuator is fabricated by hybridizing a liquid crystal polymer with Ti3C2Tx(MXene). Compared to the initial counterpart, the hybrid polymer exhibits unique spacechargepolarization and interfacial polarization, resulting in significant improvements of230% in the dielectric loss factor and 830% in the apparent efficiency of electromagneticenergy harvest. The sensitized microwave actuation demonstrates as the shortenedresponse time of nearly 10 s, which is merely 13% of that for the initial shape memory polymer. Moreover, the ultra-low content of MXene (upto 0.15 wt%) benefits for maintaining the actuation potential of the hybrid polymer. An innovative self-powered sensing prototype that combinesdriving and piezoelectric polymers is developed, which generates real-time electric potential feedback (open-circuit potential of ~ 3 mV) duringactuation. The polarization-dominant energy conversion mechanism observed in the MXene-polymer hybrid structure furnishes a new approachfor developing efficient electromagnetic dissipative structures and shows potential for advancing polymeric electromagnetic intelligent devices.

Defect Engineering with Rational Dopants Modulation for High‑Temperature Energy Harvesting in Lead‑Free Piezoceramics

High temperature piezoelectric energy harvester(HTPEH)is an important solution to replace chemical battery to achieve independent power supply of HT wireless sensors.However,simultaneously excellent performances,including high figure of merit(FOM),insulation resistivity(ρ)and depolarization temperature(Td)are indispensable but hard to achieve in lead-free piezoceramics,especially operating at 250°C has not been reported before.Herein,well-balanced performances are achieved in BiFeO3–BaTiO3 ceramics via innovative defect engineering with respect to delicate manganese doping.Due to the synergistic effect of enhancing electrostrictive coefficient by polarization configuration optimization,regulating iron ion oxidation state by high valence manganese ion and stabilizing domain orientation by defect dipole,comprehensive excellent electrical performances(Td=340°C,ρ250°C>10^(7)Ωcm and FOM_(250°C)=4905×10^(–15)m^(2)N^(−1))are realized at the solid solubility limit of manganese ions.The HT-PEHs assembled using the rationally designed piezoceramic can allow for fast charging of commercial electrolytic capacitor at 250°C with high energy conversion efficiency(η=11.43%).These characteristics demonstrate that defect engineering tailored BF-BT can satisfy high-end HT-PEHs requirements,paving a new way in developing selfpowered wireless sensors working in HT environments.

Moment analysis of bio-inspired stochastic energy harvesters under wind conditions

To further understand the performance of the energy harvesters under the influence of the wind force and the random excitation,this paper investigates the stochastic response of the bio-inspired energy harvesters subjected to Gaussian white noise and galloping excitation,simulating the flapping pattern of a seagull and its interaction with wind force.The equivalent linearization method is utilized to convert the original nonlinear model into the Itôstochastic differential equation by minimizing the mean squared error.Then,the second-order steady-state moments about the displacement,velocity,and voltage are derived by combining the moment analysis theory.The theoretical results are simulated numerically to analyze the stochastic response performance under different noise intensities,wind speeds,stiffness coefficients,and electromechanical coupling coefficients,time domain analysis is also conducted to study the performance of the harvester with different parameters.The results reveal that the mean square displacement and voltage increase with increasing the noise intensity and wind speed,larger absolute values of stiffness coefficient correspond to smaller mean square displacement and voltage,and larger electromechanical coupling coefficients can enhance the mean square voltage.Finally,the influence of wind speed and electromechanical coupling coefficient on the stationary probability density function(SPDF)is investigated,revealing the existence of a bimodal distribution under varying environmental conditions.

Energy Efficient Dual User Association for Large Scale IRS-Aided mmWave Communication Networks

The deployment of multiple intelligent reflecting surfaces(IRSs)in blockage-prone millimeter wave(mmWave)communication networks have garnered considerable attention lately.Despite the remarkably low circuit power consumption per IRS element,the aggregate energy consumption becomes substantial if all elements of an IRS are turned on given a considerable number of IRSs,resulting in lower overall energy efficiency(EE).To tackle this challenge,we propose a flexible and efficient approach that individually controls the status of each IRS element.Specifically,the network EE is maximized by jointly optimizing the associations of base stations(BSs)and user equipments(UEs),transmit beamforming,phase shifts of IRS elements,and the associations of individual IRS elements and UEs.The problem is efficiently addressed in two phases.First,the Gale-Shapley algorithm is applied for BS-UE association,followed by a block coordinate descent-based algorithm that iteratively solves the subproblems related to active beamforming,phase shifts,and element-UE associations.To reduce the tremendous dimensionality of optimization variables introduced by element-UE associations in large-scale IRS networks,we introduce an efficient algorithm to solve the associations between IRS elements and UEs.Numerical results show that the proposed elementwise control scheme improves EE by 34.24% compared to the network with IRS-all-on scheme.

An Energy Management System with Mobile Energy Station Based Wireless Energy Transfer:System Design and Prototype Implementation

In indoor environments,various batterypowered Internet of Things(IoT)devices,such as remote controllers and electronic tags on high-level shelves,require efficient energy management.However,manually monitoring remaining energy levels and battery replacement is both inadequate and costly.This paper introduces an energy management system for indoor IoT,which includes a mobile energy station(ES)for enabling on-demand wireless energy transfer(WET)in radio frequency(RF),some energy receivers(ERs),and a cloud server.By implementing a two-stage positioning system and embedding energy receivers into traditional IoT devices,we robustly manage their energy storage.The experimental results demonstrate that the energy receiver can harvest a minimum power of 58 mW.

Studies on heteronuclear diatomic molecular dissociation energies using algebraic energy method

The algebraic energy method （AEM） is applied to the study of molecular dissociation energy De for 11 heteronuclear diatomic electronic states： a^3∑＋ state of NaK, X^2∑＋ state of XeBr, X^2∑＋ state of HgI, X^1∑＋ state of LiH, A3∏（1） state of IC1, X^1∑＋ state of CsH, A（3∏1） and B0＋（3∏） states of CIF, 21∏ state of KRb, X^1∑＋ state of CO, and c^3∑＋ state of NaK molecule. The results show that the values of De computed by using the AEM are satisfactorily accurate compared with experimental ones. The AEM can serve as an economic and useful tool to generate a reliable De within an allowed experimental error for the electronic states whose molecular dissociation energies are unavailable from the existing literature

Green hydrogen:A promising way to the carbon-free society

With increasing importance attached by the international community to global climate change and the pressing energy revolution,hydrogen energy,as a clean,efficient energy carrier,can serve as an important support for the establishment of a sustainable society.The United States and countries in Europe have already formulated relevant policies and plans for the use and development of hydrogen energy.While in China,aided by the“30·60”goal,the development of the hydrogen energy,production,transmission,and storage industries is steadily advancing.This article comprehensively considers the new energy revolution and the relevant plans of various countries,focuses on the principles,development status and research hot spots,and summarizes the different green hydrogen production technologies and paths.In addition,based on its assessment of current difficulties and bottlenecks in the production of green hydrogen and the overall global hydrogen energy development status,this article discusses the development of green hydrogen technologies.

Theoretical Prediction of Gibbs Free Energies of Formation for Crystallineα-MOOH andα-M_2O_3 Based on a Linear Free-Energy Relationship

In the present study,the modified Sverjensky-Molling equation,derived from a linear-free energy relationship,is used to predict the Gibbs free energies of formation of crystalline phases ofα-MOOH （with a goethite structure）andα-M_2O_3（with a hematite structure）from the known thermodynamic properties of the corresponding aqueous trivalent cations（M^（3＋））.The modified equation is expressed asΔG_（f,M_VX）~0=a_（M_VX）ΔG_（0,M^（3＋））^（0）＋b_（M_VX）＋β_（M_VXγM^（3＋））,where the coefficients a_（M_VX）,b_（M_VX）,andβ_（M_VX） characterize a particular structural family of M_VX（M is a trivalent cation[M^（3＋）]and X represents the remainder of the composition of solid）;γ^（3＋）is the ionic radius of trivalent cations（M^（3＋））;ΔG_（f,M_VX）~0 is the standard Gibbs free energy of formation of M_vX;andΔG_（n,M^（3＋））~0 is the non-solvation energy of trivalent cations（M^（3＋））.By fitting the equation to the known experimental thermodynamic data,the coefficients for the goethite family（α-MOOH）are a_（M_VX）=0.8838,b_（M_VX）=-424.4431（kcal/mol）,andβ_（M_VX）=115（kcal/ mol.（？））,while the coefficients for the hematite family（α-M_2O_3）are a_（M_VX）=1.7468,b_（M_VX）=-814.9573（kcal/ mol）,andβ_（M_VX）=278（kcal/mol.（？））.The constrained relationship can be used to predict the standard Gibbs free energies of formation of crystalline phases and fictive phases（i.e.phases that are thermodynamically unstable and do not occur at standard conditions）within the isostructural families of goethite（α-MOOH）and hematite（α-M_2O_3）if the standard Gibbs free energies of formation of the trivalent cations are known.

2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities:A third update of the energy costs of human activities

Background:The Compendium of Physical Activities was published in 1993 to improve the comparability of energy expenditure values assigned to self-reported physical activity(PA)across studies.The original version was updated in 2000,and again in 2011,and has been widely used to support PA research,practice,and public health guidelines.Methods:This 2024 update was tailored for adults 19-59 years of age by removing data from those≥60 years.Using a systematic review and supplementary searches,we identified new activities and their associated measured metabolic equivalent(MET)values(using indirect calorimetry)published since 2011.We replaced estimated METs with measured values when possible.Results:We screened 32,173 abstracts and 1507 full-text papers and extracted 2356 PA energy expenditure values from 701 papers.We added303 new PAs and adjusted 176 existing MET values and descriptions to reflect the addition of new data and removal of METs for older adults.We added a Major Heading(Video Games).The 2024 Adult Compendium includes 1114 PAs(912 with measured and 202 with estimated values)across 22 Major Headings.Conclusion:This comprehensive update and refinement led to the creation of The 2024 Adult Compendium,which has utility across research,public health,education,and healthcare domains,as well as in the development of consumer health technologies.The new website with the complete lists of PAs and supporting resources is available at https://pacompendium.com.

Older Adult Compendium of Physical Activities:Energy costs of human activities in adults aged 60 and older

Purpose:To describe the development of a Compendium for estimating the energy costs of activities in adults>60 years(OA Compendium).Methods:Physical activities(PAs)and their metabolic equivalent of task(MET)values were obtained from a systematic search of studies published in 4 sport and exercise databases(PubMed,Embase,SPORTDiscus(EBSCOhost),and Scopus)and a review of articles included in the 2011 Adult Compendium that measured PA in older adults.MET values were computed as the oxygen cost(VO_(2),mL/kg/min)during PA divided by 2.7 m L/kg/min(MET_(60+))to account for the lower resting metabolic rate in older adults.Results:We identified 68 articles and extracted energy expenditure data on 427 PAs.From these,we derived 99 unique Specific Activity codes with corresponding MET_(60+)values for older adults.We developed a website to present the OA Compendium MET_(60+)values:https://pacompendium.com.Conclusion:The OA Compendium uses data collected from adults>60 years for more accurate estimation of the energy cost of PAs in older adults.It is an accessible resource that will allow researchers,educators,and practitioners to find MET_(60+)values for older adults for use in PA research and practice.

Accurate studies on the full vibrational energy spectra and molecular dissociation energies for some electronic states of halogen molecule

This paper obtains accurate vibrational spectroscopic constants and full vibrational energy spectrum by the al- gebraic method （AM） for some electronic states of halogen diatomic molecules. Motivated by the recent success of obtaining the dissociation energies of Li2 molecule by using a new analytical formula, it further extends the formula to study the dissociation energies of halogen diatomic molecules. The results show that the AM spectrum and the theoretical dissociation energies agree well with RKR data and experimental data respectively.

Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

Metal-organic framework-based single-atom electro-/ photocatalysts: Synthesis, energy applications, and opportunities

Single-atom catalysts(SACs)have gained substantial attention because of their exceptional catalytic properties.However,the high surface energy limits their synthesis,thus creating significant challenges for further development.In the last few years,metal–organic frameworks(MOFs)have received significant consideration as ideal candidates for synthesizing SACs due to their tailorable chemistry,tunable morphologies,high porosity,and chemical/thermal stability.From this perspective,this review thoroughly summarizes the previously reported methods and possible future approaches for constructing MOF-based(MOF-derived-supported and MOF-supported)SACs.Then,MOF-based SAC's identification techniques are briefly assessed to understand their coordination environments,local electronic structures,spatial distributions,and catalytic/electrochemical reaction mechanisms.This review systematically highlights several photocatalytic and electrocatalytic applications of MOF-based SACs for energy conversion and storage,including hydrogen evolution reactions,oxygen evolution reactions,O_(2)/CO_(2)/N_(2) reduction reactions,fuel cells,and rechargeable batteries.Some light is also shed on the future development of this highly exciting field by highlighting the advantages and limitations of MOF-based SACs.

Research on Properties of Metasilicate Bonded Carbon-free Basic Dry Vibration Mix

Carbon-free basic dry vibration mix was prepared using middle grade magnesia and fused magnesia as main starting materials,metasilicate replacing phenolic resin as binder,adding a certain amount of medium and low temperature intensifiers. Effects of binder,grain composition,and additives on basic dry vibration mix for tundish were studied,and the bonding mechanism was also analyzed. The results show that：（1） when using metasilicate as binder,the higher strength can be acquired; （2） the suitable grain composition is q=0.48,the critical granularity is 5 or 3 mm,the fines addition is 10%-20% （mass percent）; （3） the strength and corrosion resistance of the basic dry vibration mix can be improved by the melting compound of metasilicate and additives; （4） with temperature rising,the bonding type in dry vibration mix changes from cohere bonding to reaction bonding,and then to ceramic bonding at last.

Oxygen functionalization-assisted anionic exchange toward unique construction of flower-like transition metal chalcogenide embedded carbon fabric for ultra-long life flexible energy storage and conversion

The metal-organic framework(MOF)derived Ni–Co–C–N composite alloys(NiCCZ)were“embedded”inside the carbon cloth(CC)strands as opposed to the popular idea of growing them upward to realize ultrastable energy storage and conversion application.The NiCCZ was then oxygen functionalized,facilitating the next step of stoichiometric sulfur anion diffusion during hydrothermal sulfurization,generating a flower-like metal hydroxysulfide structure(NiCCZOS)with strong partial implantation inside CC.Thus obtained NiCCZOS shows an excellent capacity when tested as a supercapacitor electrode in a three-electrode configuration.Moreover,when paired with the biomass-derived nitrogen-rich activated carbon,the asymmetric supercapacitor device shows almost 100%capacity retention even after 45,000 charge–discharge cycles with remarkable energy density(59.4 Wh kg^(-1)/263.8μWh cm^(–2))owing to a uniquely designed cathode.Furthermore,the same electrode performed as an excellent bifunctional water-splitting electrocatalyst with an overpotential of 271 mV for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and 168.4 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)at 10 mA cm−2 current density along with 30 h of unhinged chronopotentiometric stability performance for both HER and OER.Hence,a unique metal chalcogenide composite electrode/substrate configuration has been proposed as a highly stable electrode material for flexible energy storage and conversion applications.