Highly Flexible Graphene-Film-Based Rectenna for Wireless Energy Harvesting

Herein,we report the design,fabrication,and performance of two wireless energy harvesting devices based on highly flexible graphene macroscopic films(FGMFs).We first demonstrate that benefiting from the high conductivity of up to 1×10^(6)S m^(-1)and good resistive stability of FGMFs even under extensive bending,the FGMFs-based rectifying circuit(GRC)exhibits good flexibility and RF-to-DC efficiency of 53%at 2.1 GHz.Moreover,we further expand the application of FGMFs to a flexible wideband monopole rectenna and a 2.45 GHz wearable rectenna for harvesting wireless energy.The wideband rectenna at various bending conditions produces a maximum conversion efficiency of 52%,46%,and 44%at the 5th Generation(5G)2.1 GHz,Industrial Long-Term Evolution(LTE)2.3 GHz,and Scientific Medical(ISM)2.45 GHz,respectively.A 2.45 GHz GRC is optimized and integrated with an AMC-backed wearable antenna.The proposed 2.45 GHz wearable rectenna shows a maximum conversion efficiency of 55.7%.All the results indicate that the highly flexible graphene-film-based rectennas have great potential as a wireless power supplier for smart Internet of Things(loT)applications.

Particle Size Optimization of Thermochemical Salt Hydrates for High Energy Density Thermal Storage

Thermal energy storage(TES)solutions offer opportunities to reduce energy consumption,greenhouse gas emissions,and cost.Specifically,they can help reduce the peak load and address the intermittency of renewable energy sources by time shifting the load,which are critical toward zero energy buildings.Thermochemical materials(TCMs)as a class of TES undergo a solid-gas reversible chemical reaction with water vapor to store and release energy with high storage capacities(600 kWh m^(-3))and negligible self-discharge that makes them uniquely suited as compact,stand-alone units for daily or seasonal storage.However,TCMs suffer from instabilities at the material(salt particles)and reactor level(packed beds of salt),resulting in poor multi-cycle efficiency and high-levelized cost of storage.In this study,a model is developed to predict the pulverization limit or Rcrit of various salt hydrates during thermal cycling.This is critical as it provides design rules to make mechanically stable TCM composites as well as enables the use of more energy-efficient manufacturing process(solid-state mixing)to make the composites.The model is experimentally validated on multiple TCM salt hydrates with different water content,and effect of Rcrit on hydration and dehydration kinetics is also investigated.

3D printing encouraging desired in-situ polypyrrole seed-polymerization for ultra-high energy density supercapacitors

The tireless pursuit of supercapacitors with high energy density entails the parallel advancement of wellsuited electrode materials and elaborately engineered architectures.Polypyrrole(PPy)emerges as an exceedingly conductive polymer and a prospective pseudocapacitive materials for supercapacitors,yet the inferior cyclic stability and unpredictable polymerization patterns severely impede its real-world applicability.Here,for the first time,an innovative seed-induced in-situ polymerization assisted 3D printing strategy is proposed to fabricate PPy-reduced graphene oxide/poly(vinylidene difluoride-cohexafluoropropylene)(PVDF-HFP)(PPy-rGO/PH)electrodes with controllable polymerization behavior and exceptional areal mass loading.The preferred active sites uniformly pre-planted on the 3D-printed graphene substrates serve as reliable seeds to induce efficient polypyrrole deposition,achieving an impressive mass loading of 185.6 mg cm^(-2)(particularly 79.2 mg cm^(-2)for polypyrrole)and a superior areal capacitance of 25.2 F cm^(-2)at 2 mA cm^(-2)for a 12-layer electrode.In agreement with theses appealing features,an unprecedented areal energy density of 1.47 mW h cm^(-2)for a symmetrical device is registered,a rarely achieved value for other PPy/rGO-based supercapacitors.This work highlights a promising route to preparing high energy density energy storage modules for real-world applications.

"Win-Win"Scenario of High Energy Density and Long Cycling Life in a Novel Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)Cathode

The development of high-energy and long-lifespan NASICON-type cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries has always been a research hotspot but a daunting challenge.Although Na_(4)MnCr(PO_(4))_(3)has emerged as one of the most promising high-energy-density cathode materials owing to its three-electron reactions,it still suffers from serious structural distortion upon repetitive charge/discharge processes caused by the Jahn-Teller active Mn^(3+).Herein,the selective substitution of Cr by Zr in Na_(4)MnCr(PO_(4))_(3)was explored to enhance the structural stability,due to the pinning effect of Zr ions and the≈2.9-electron reactions,as-prepared Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)/C delivers a high capacity retention of 85.94%over 500 cycles at 5 C and an ultrahigh capacity of 156.4 mAh g^(-1)at 0.1 C,enabling the stable energy output as high as 555.2 Wh kg^(-1).Moreover,during the whole charge/discharge process,a small volume change of only 6.7%was verified by in situ X-ray diffraction,and the reversible reactions of Cr^(3+)/Cr^(4+),Mn^(3+)/Mn^(4+),and Mn^(2+)/Mn^(3+)redox couples were identified via ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique tests and density functional theory calculations further demonstrated the fast reaction kinetics of the Na_(3.9)MnCr_(0.9)Zr_(0.1)(PO_(4))_(3)/C electrode.This work offers new opportunities for designing high-energy and high-stability NASICON cathodes by ion doping.

Highly Active Interfacial Sites in SFT-SnO_(2) Heterojunction Electrolyte for Enhanced Fuel Cell Performance via Engineered Energy Bands:Envisioned Theoretically and Experimentally

Extending the ionic conductivity is the pre-requisite of electrolytes in fuel cell technology for high-electrochemical performance.In this regard,the introduction of semiconductor-oxide materials and the approach of heterostructure formation by modulating energy bands to enhance ionic conduction acting as an electrolyte in fuel cell-device.Semiconductor(n-type;SnO_(2))plays a key role by introducing into p-type SrFe_(0.2)Ti_(0.8)O_(3-δ)(SFT)semiconductor perovskite materials to construct p-n heterojunction for high ionic conductivity.Therefore,two different composites of SFT and SnO_(2)are constructed by gluing p-and n-type SFT-SnO_(2),where the optimal composition of SFT-SnO_(2)(6∶4)heterostructure electrolyte-based fuel cell achieved excellent ionic conductivity 0.24 S cm^(-1)with power-output of 1004 mW cm^(-2)and high OCV 1.12 V at a low operational temperature of 500℃.The high power-output and significant ionic conductivity with durable operation of 54 h are accredited to SFT-SnO_(2)heterojunction formation including interfacial conduction assisted by a built-in electric field in fuel cell device.Moreover,the fuel conversion efficiency and considerable Faradaic efficiency reveal the compatibility of SFT-SnO_(2)heterostructure electrolyte and ruled-out short-circuiting issue.Further,the first principle calculation provides sufficient information on structure optimization and energy-band structure modulation of SFT-SnO_(2).This strategy will provide new insight into semiconductor-based fuel cell technology to design novel electrolytes.

High energy density in ultra-thick and flexible electrodes enabled by designed conductive agent/binder composite

Thick electrodes can increase incorporation of active electrode materials by diminishing the proportion of inactive constituents,improving the overall energy density of batteries.However,thick electrodes fabricated using the conventional slurry casting approach frequently exhibit an exacerbated accumulation of carbon additives and binders on their surfaces,invariably leading to compromised electrochemical properties.In this study,we introduce a designed conductive agent/binder composite synthesized from carbon nanotube and polytetrafluoroethylene.This agent/binder composite facilitates production of dry-process-prepared ultra-thick electrodes endowed with a three-dimensional and uniformly distributed percolative architecture,ensuring superior electronic conductivity and remarkable mechanical resilience.Using this approach,ultra-thick LiCoO_(2)(LCO) electrodes demonstrated superior cycling performance and rate capabilities,registering an impressive loading capacity of up to 101.4 mg/cm^(2),signifying a 242% increase in battery energy density.In another analytical endeavor,time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to clarify the distribution of cathode electrolyte interphase(CEI) in cycled LCO electrodes.The results provide unprecedented evidence explaining the intricate correlation between CEI generation and carbon distribution,highlighting the intrinsic advantages of the proposed dry-process approach in fine-tu ning the CEI,with excellent cycling performance in batteries equipped with ultra-thick electrodes.

Mussel-inspired PTW@PDA composites for developing high-energy gun propellants with reduced erosion and enhanced mechanical strength

The severe erosion and inadequate mechanical strength are prominent challenges for high-energy gun propellants.To address it,novel PTW@PDA composites was prepared by polydopamine(PDA)-modifying onto potassium titanate whisker(PTW,K_(2)Ti_(6)O_(13)),and after was incorporated into gun propellant as erosion-reducing and mechanical-reinforcing fillers.The interfacial characterizations results indicated that as-prepared PTW@PDA composites exhibits an enhanced surface compatible with propellant matrix,thereby facilitating their dispersion into propellants more effectively than raw PTW materials.Compared to original propellants,PTW@PDA-modified propellants exhibited significant less erosion,with a Ti-Kbased protective coating being detected on the eroded steel.And 0.5 wt%and 1.0 wt%addition of PTW@PDA significantly improved impact,compressive and tensile strength of propellants.Despite the inevitably reduction in relative force,PTW@PDA slightly increase propellant burning rate while exerting little adverse impact on propellant dynamic activity.This strategy can provide a promising alternative to develop high-energy gun propellant with less erosion and more mechanical strength.

Multilevel carbon architecture of subnanoscopic silicon for fast‐charging high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries

Silicon(Si)is widely used as a lithium‐ion‐battery anode owing to its high capacity and abundant crustal reserves.However,large volume change upon cycling and poor conductivity of Si cause rapid capacity decay and poor fast‐charging capability limiting its commercial applications.Here,we propose a multilevel carbon architecture with vertical graphene sheets(VGSs)grown on surfaces of subnanoscopically and homogeneously dispersed Si–C composite nanospheres,which are subsequently embedded into a carbon matrix(C/VGSs@Si–C).Subnanoscopic C in the Si–C nanospheres,VGSs,and carbon matrix form a three‐dimensional conductive and robust network,which significantly improves the conductivity and suppresses the volume expansion of Si,thereby boosting charge transport and improving electrode stability.The VGSs with vast exposed edges considerably increase the contact area with the carbon matrix and supply directional transport channels through the entire material,which boosts charge transport.The carbon matrix encapsulates VGSs@Si–C to decrease the specific surface area and increase tap density,thus yielding high first Coulombic efficiency and electrode compaction density.Consequently,C/VGSs@Si–C delivers excellent Li‐ion storage performances under industrial electrode conditions.In particular,the full cells show high energy densities of 603.5 Wh kg^(−1)and 1685.5 Wh L^(−1)at 0.1 C and maintain 80.7%of the energy density at 3 C.

ANovel Non-Isolated Cubic DC-DC Converter with High Voltage Gain for Renewable Energy Power Generation System

In recent years,switched inductor(SL)technology,switched capacitor(SC)technology,and switched inductor-capacitor(SL-SC)technology have been widely applied to optimize and improve DC-DC boost converters,which can effectively enhance voltage gain and reduce device stress.To address the issue of low output voltage in current renewable energy power generation systems,this study proposes a novel non-isolated cubic high-gain DC-DC converter based on the traditional quadratic DC-DC boost converter by incorporating a SC and a SL-SC unit.Firstly,the proposed converter’s details are elaborated,including its topology structure,operating mode,voltage gain,device stress,and power loss.Subsequently,a comparative analysis is conducted on the voltage gain and device stress between the proposed converter and other high-gain converters.Then,a closed-loop simulation system is constructed to obtain simulation waveforms of various devices and explore the dynamic performance.Finally,an experimental prototype is built,experimental waveforms are obtained,and the experimental dynamic performance and conversion efficiency are analyzed.The theoretical analysis’s correctness is verified through simulation and experimental results.The proposed converter has advantages such as high voltage gain,low device stress,high conversion efficiency,simple control,and wide input voltage range,achieving a good balance between voltage gain,device stress,and power loss.The proposed converter is well-suited for renewable energy systems and holds theoretical significance and practical value in renewable energy applications.It provides an effective solution to the issue of low output voltage in renewable energy power generation systems.

Nonlinear Violence in Nonlinear Oscillations at High Energy

This paper focuses on the characteristics of solutions of nonlinear oscillatory systems in the limit of very high oscillation energy, E;specifically, systems, in which the nonlinear driving force grows with energy much faster for x(t) close to the turning point, a(E), than at any position, x(t), that is not too close to a(E). This behavior dominates important aspects of the solutions. It will be called “nonlinear violence”. In the vicinity of a turning point, the solution of a nonlinear oscillatory systems that is affected by nonlinear violence exhibits the characteristics of boundary-layer behavior (independently of whether the equation of motion of the system can or cannot be cast in the traditional form of a boundary-layer problem.): close to a(E), x(t) varies very rapidly over a short time interval (which vanishes for E → ∞). In traditional boundary layer systems this would be called the “inner” solution. Outside this interval, x(t) soon evolves into a moderate profile (e.g. linear in time, or constant)—the “outer” solution. In (1 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear energy-conserving oscillators, if the solution is reflection-invariant, nonlinear violence determines the characteristics of the whole solution. For large families of nonlinear oscillatory systems, as E → ∞, the solutions for x(t) tend to common, indistinguishable profiles, such as periodic saw-tooth profiles or step-functions. If such profiles are observed experimentally in high-energy oscillations, it may be difficult to decipher the dynamical equations that govern the motion. The solution of motion in a central field with a non-zero angular momentum exhibits extremely fast rotation around a turning point that is affected by nonlinear violence. This provides an example for the possibility of interesting phenomena in (1 + 2)-dimensional oscillatory systems.

A review on the high energy oxidizer ammonium dinitramide:Its synthesis,thermal decomposition,hygroscopicity,and application in energetic materials

Ammonium dinitramide(ADN)is considered as a potential substitute for ammonium perchlorate in energetic materials due to its high density,positive oxygen balance,and halogen-free characteristics.However,its application has been severely limited because of its strong hygroscopicity,difficult storage,and incompatibility with isocyanate curing agents.In order to better bloom the advantages of the highly energetic and environment-friendly ADN in the fields of energetic materials,an in-depth analysis of the current situation and discussion of key research points are particularly important.In this paper,a detailed overview on the synthesis,thermal decomposition,hygroscopic mechanism,and antihygroscopicity of ADN has been discussed,its application in powdes and explosives are also presented,and its future research directions are proposed.

Fluorinated soft carbon as an ultra-high energy density potassium-ion battery cathode enabled by a ternary phase K_(x)FC

Fluorinated carbons(CFx)have been widely applied as lithium primary batteries due to their ultra-high energy density.It will be a great promise if CFx can be rechargeable.In this study,we rationally tune the C-F bond strength for the alkaline intercalated CFx via importing an electronegative weaker element K instead of Li.It forms a ternary phase K_(x)FC instead of two phases(LiF+C)in lithium-ion batteries.Meanwhile,we choose a large layer distance and more defects CFx,namely fluorinated soft carbon,to accommodate K.Thus,we enable CFx rechargeable as a potassium-ion battery cathode.In detail fluorinated soft carbon CF_(1.01) presents a reversible specific capacity of 339 mA h g^(-1)(797 Wh kg^(-1))in the 2nd cycle and maintains 330 mA h g^(-1)(726 Wh kg^(-1))in the 15th cycle.This study reveals the importance of tuning chemical bond stability using different alkaline ions to endow batteries with rechargeability.This work provides good references for focusing on developing reversible electrode materials from popular primary cell configurations.

Spontaneous local redox reaction to passivate CNTs as lightweight current collector for high energy density lithium ion batteries

Extensive usage of highly conductive carbon materials with large specific surface area(e.g.,carbon nanotubes,CNTs)in lithium ion batteries(LIBs),especially as current collector of anodes,suffers from low initial coulombic efficiency(ICE),large interfacial resistance,and severe embrittlement,as the large specific surface area often results in severe interfacial decomposition of the electrolyte and the formation of thick and fluffy solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)during cycling of LIBs.Herein,we demonstrate that when the CNT-based current collector and Na foil(which are being stacked intimately upon each other)are being placed in Na+-based organic electrolyte,local redox reaction between the Na foil and the electrolyte would occur spontaneously,generating a thin and homogeneous NaF-based passivating layer on the CNTs.More importantly,we found that owing to the weak solvation behaviors of Na+in the organic electrolyte,the resulting passivation layer,which is rich in NaF,is thin and dense;when used as the anode current collector in LIBs,the pre-existing passivating layer can function effectively in isolating the anode from the solvated Li+,thus suppressing the formation of bulky SEI and the destructive intercalation of solvated Li+.The relevant half-cell(graphite as anode)exhibits a high ICE of 92.1%;the relevant pouch cell with thus passivated CNT film as current collectors for both electrodes(LiCoO_(2)as cathode,graphite as anode)displays a high energy density of 255 Wh kg^(-1),spelling an increase of 50%compared with that using the conventional metal current collectors.

The second fusion of laser and aerospace-an inspiration for high energy lasers

Since the first laser was invented,the pursuit of high-energy lasers(HELs)has always been enthusiastic.The first revolution of HELs was pushed by the fusion of laser and aerospace in the 1960s,with the chemical rocket engines giving fresh impetus to the birth of gas flow and chemical lasers,which finally turned megawatt lasers from dream into reality.Nowadays,the development of HELs has entered the age of electricity as well as the rocket engines.The properties of current electric rocket engines are highly consistent with HELs’goals,including electrical driving,effective heat dissipation,little medium consumption and extremely light weight and size,which inspired a second fusion of laser and aerospace and motivated the exploration for potential HELs.As an exploratory attempt,a new configuration of diode pumped metastable rare gas laser was demonstrated,with the gain generator resembling an electric rocket-engine for improved power scaling ability.

New carbon-nitrogen-oxygen compounds as high energy density materials

Molecular crystals are complex systems exhibiting various crystal structures,and accurately modeling the crystal structures is essential for understanding their physical behaviors under high pressure.Here,we perform an extensive structure search of ternary carbon-nitrogen-oxygen(CNO)compound under high pressure with the CALYPSO method and first principles calculations,and successfully identify three polymeric CNO compounds with Pbam,C2/m and I4m2symmetries under 100 GPa.More interestingly,these structures are also dynamically stable at ambient pressure,and are potential high energy density materials(HEDMs).The energy densities of Pbam,C2/m and I4m2 phases of CNO are about2.30 kJ/g,1.37 kJ/g and 2.70 kJ/g,respectively,with the decompositions of graphitic carbon and molecular carbon dioxide andα-N(molecular N_(2))at ambient pressure.The present results provide in-depth insights into the structural evolution and physical properties of CNO compounds under high pressures,which offer crucial insights for designs and syntheses of novel HEDMs.

Proteomic Analysis of the Small Intestine Reveals Adaptive Strategies for Energy Restriction of Phrynocephalus vlangalii at High Altitude

The environmental characteristics of hypothermia and hypoxia exert great selective pressure on the energy metabolism of high-altitude animals,especially the ectotherms.Current research on energy-limited adaptation of high-altitude ectotherms has focused on energy expenditures.However,the mechanisms of increasing energy intake in high-altitude ectotherms have been studied rarely.In order to investigate the adaptation mechanism of the small intestine,the key part of energy acquisition for animals,to energy limitation at high altitude in ectotherms,the gut proteins of Phrynocephalus vlangalii from high-and low-altitude populations were compared using label free proteomics.GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that proteins associated with energy intake,such as those involved in oxidation-reduction processes,glutathione metabolism,oxidoreductase activity,cofactor binding,catalytic activity and metabolic pathways,were significantly up-regulated in high-altitude populations;while proteins associated with energy expenditure,such as immune responses and processes,membrane attack complexes,natural killer pathway and other immune-related processes,were significantly down-regulated in expression.

Transmission effects of high energy nanosecond lasers in laser-induced air plasma under different pressures

When a high energy nanosecond(ns)laser induces breakdown in the air,the plasma density generated in the rarefied atmosphere is much smaller than that at normal pressure.It is associated with a relatively lower absorption coefficient and reduces energy loss of the laser beam at low pressure.In this paper,the general transmission characterizations of a Joule level 10 ns 1064 nm focused laser beam are investigated both theoretically and experimentally under different pressures.The evolution of the electron density(n_(e)),the changes in electron temperature(T_(e))and the variation of laser intensity(I)are employed for numerical analyses in the simulation model.For experiments,four optical image transfer systems with focal length(f)of 200 mm are placed in a chamber and employed to focus the laser beam and produce plasmas at the focus.The results suggest that the transmittance increases obviously with the decreasing pressure and the plasma channels on the transmission path can be observed by the self-illumination.The simulation results agree well with the experimental data.The numerical model presents that the maximum n_e at the focus can reach 10^(19)cm^(-3),which is far below the critical density(n_(c)).As a result,the laser beam is not completely shielded by the plasmas.

Thin NASICON Electrolyte to Realize High Energy Density Solid-State Sodium Metal Battery

The solid-state electrolyte in a solid-state battery acts as an electrons'barrier and an ions'bridge between the two electrodes.As solid-state electrolyte does not store the mobile ions,it is necessary to achieve a thin solid-state electrolyte to reduce the internal resistance and enhance the energy density.In this work,a thin NASICON solid-state electrolyte,with a stoichiometry of Na_(3)Zr_(2)Si_(2)PO_(12),is fabricated by the tape-casting method and its thickness can be easily controlled by the gap between substrate and scraper.The areal-specific resistance and the flexural strength increase with the electrolyte thickness.A solid-state sodium metal battery with 86 pm thick Na_(3)Zr_(2)Si_(2)PO_(12)exhibits a reversible specific capacity of 73-78 mAh g^(-1)with a redox potential of 3.4 V at 0.2 C.This work presents the importance of electrolyte thickness to reduce internal resistance and achieve a high energy density for sodium batteries.

A strategic way of high-performance energy storage device development with environmentally viable “Water-in-salt” electrolytes

Development of cost-effective and environmental friendly energy storage devices(ESDs) has attracted widespread attention in recent scenario of energy research.Recently,the environmentally viable "water-in-salt"(WiS) electrolytes has received significant interest for the development of advanced high performance ESDs.The WiS electrolyte exhibits wide electrochemical stability window(ESW),highsafety,non-flammability and superior electrochemical performance compared to the conventional "salt-in-water" electrolytes.This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion on WiS electrolyte based on theoretical,electrochemical and physicochemical characteristics.A strategic way for the usage of WiS electrolyte in rechargeable metal-ion batteries and supercapacitors with potentially improved electrochemical performance has been reviewed systematically.This review also discussed the unique advantages of WiS electrolytes as well as the future scope and challenges.

Benchmarking calculations of excitation energies and transition properties with spectroscopic accuracy of highly charged ions used for the fusion plasma and astrophysical plasma

Atomic radiative data such as excitation energies, transition wavelengths, radiative rates, and level lifetimes with high precision are the essential parameters for the abundance analysis, simulation, and diagnostics in fusion and astrophysical plasmas. In this work, we mainly focus on reviewing our two projects performed in the past decade. One is about the ions with Z■30 that are generally of astrophysical interest, and the other one is about the highly charged krypton(Z = 36)and tungsten(Z = 74) ions that are relevant in research of magnetic confinement fusion. Two different and independent methods, namely, multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock(MCDHF) and the relativistic many-body perturbation theory(RMBPT) are usually used in our studies. As a complement/extension to our previous works for highly charged tungsten ions with open M-shell and open N-shell, we also mainly focus on presenting and discussing our complete RMBPT and MCDHF calculations for the excitation energies, wavelengths, electric dipole(E1), magnetic dipole(M1), electric quadrupole(E2), and magnetic quadrupole(M2) transition properties, and level lifetimes for the lowest 148 levels belonging to the 3l3configurations in Al-like W61+. We also summarize the uncertainties of our systematical theoretical calculations, by cross-checking/validating our datasets from our RMBPT and MCDHF calculations, and by detailed comparisons with available accurate observations and other theoretical calculations. The data are openly available in Science Data Bank at https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.10569.