Effect of Ni/tubular g-C3N4 on hydrogen storage properties of MgH2

Additive doping is one of the effective methods to overcome the shortcomings of MgH₂ on the aspect of relatively high operating temperatures and slow desorption kinetics. In this paper, hollow g-C₃N₄ (TCN) tubes with a diameter of 2 μm are synthesized through the hydrothermal and high-temperature pyrolysis methods, and then nickel is chemically reduced onto TCN to form Ni/TCN composite at 278 K. Ni/TCN is then introduced into the MgH₂/Mg system by means of hydriding combustion and ball milling. The MgH₂–Ni/TCN composite starts to release hydrogen at 535 K, which is 116 K lower than the as-milled MgH₂ (651 K). The MgH₂–Ni/TCN composite absorbs 5.24 wt% H₂ within 3500 s at 423 K, and takes up 3.56 wt% H₂ within 3500 s, even at a temperature as low as 373 K. The apparent activation energy (E_a) of the MgH₂ decreases from 161.1 to 82.6 kJ/mol by the addition of Ni/TCN. Moreover, the MgH₂–Ni/TCN sample shows excellent cycle stability, with a dehydrogenation capacity retention rate of 98.0% after 10 cycles. The carbon material enhances sorption kinetics by dispersing and stabilizating MgH₂. Otherwise, the phase transformation between Mg₂NiH₄ and Mg₂NiH_0.3 accelerates the re/dehydrogenation reaction of the composite.     

A Complexing Agent to Enable a Wide-Temperature Range Bromine-Based Flow Battery for Stationary Energy Storage

Bromine-based flow batteries (Br-FBs) are considered one of the most promising energy storage systems due to their features of high energy density and low cost. However, they generally suffer from uncontrolled diffusion of corrosive bromine particularly at high temperatures. That is because the interaction between polybromide anions and the commonly used complexing agent (N–methyl–N–ethyl–pyrrolidinium bromide [MEP]) decreases with increasing temperatures, which causes serious self-discharge and capacity fade. Herein, a novel bromine complexing agent, 1–ethyl–2–methyl–pyridinium bromide (BCA), is introduced in Br-FBs to solve the above problems. It is proven that BCA can combine with polybromide anions very well even at a high temperature of 60 °C. Moreover, the BCA contributes to decreasing the electrochemical polarization of Br⁻/Br₂ couple, which in turn improves their power density. As a result, a zinc–bromine flow battery with BCA as the complexing agent can achieve a high energy efficiency of 84% at 40 mA cm⁻², even at high temperature of 60 °C and it can stably run for more than 400 cycles without obvious performance decay. This paper provides an effective complexing agent to enable a wide temperature range Br-FB.     

Spreading and Curing Behaviors of a Thermosetting Droplet-Silicone on a Heated Surface

Thermosetting materials are widely used as encapsulation in the electrical packaging to protect the core electronic components from external force, moisture, dust, and other factors. However, the spreading and curing behaviors of such kind of fluid on a heated surface have been rarely explored. In this study, we experimentally and numerically investigated the spreading and curing behaviors of the silicone(OE6550 A/B, which is widely used in the light-emitting diode packaging) droplet with diameter of ～2.2 mm on a heated surface with temperature ranging from 25 ℃ to 250 ℃. For the experiments, we established a setup with high-speed camera and heating unit to capture the fast spreading process of the silicone droplet on the heated surface. For the numerical simulation, we built a viscosity model of the silicone by using the Kiuna's model and combined the viscosity model with the Volume of Fluid(VOF) model by the User Defined Function(UDF) method. The results show that the surface temperature significantly affected the spreading behaviors of the silicone droplet since it determines the temperature and viscosity distribution inside the droplet. For surface temperature varied from 25 ℃ to 250 ℃, the final contact radius changed from ～2.95 mm to ～1.78 mm and the total spreading time changed from ～511 s to ～0.15 s. By further analyzing the viscosity evolution of the droplet, we found that the decreasing of the total spreading time was caused by the decrease of the viscosity under high surface temperature at initial spreading stage, while the reduction of the final contact radius was caused by the curing of the precursor film. This study supplies a strategy to tuning the spreading and curing behavior of silicone by imposing high surface temperature, which is of great importance to the electronic packaging.     

Development of autonomous monitoring and performance evaluation system of grid-tied photovoltaic station

This work aims to improve the existing monitoring systems MS for two grid-connected PV stations GCPVS of URERMS ADRAR, to eliminate its limitations. This improvement consists of developing an MS which is used for two PV stations with different configurations. This MS contains new LabVIEW-based monitoring software for visualizing real-time measured data and evaluating GCPVS performance. In addition, it illustrates the 2D and 3D real-time relationships of PV system parameters, which allow us to understand the dynamic behavior of PV system components. This developed monitoring software synchronizes also the various data acquisition units DAU of GCPVS, allowing simultaneous data access.To perform a reliable performance analysis and a comparative study of different GCPVS based on accurate measurements, the sensor's calibration is performed with its DAU. The MS autonomy is ensured by integrating developed PV-UPS. A graphical user interface is provided for the evaluation of PV-UPS performance.     

气藏型储气库注气期试井分析探讨

针对气藏型储气库注采井注采过程中储层物性参数影响因素不明确、注采能力不对称的问题。基于相国寺储气库井下连续油管试井测试结果,提出储气库注气期“温降效应”、“变表皮效应”的概念,分析了储气库注采过程中温降效应、变表皮效应以及储层应力敏感对注采的影响。通过气藏型储气库注气期试井分析技术,研究各因素在试井曲线上的响应特征以及对试井解释参数的影响。结果表明:①相对于采气期试井测试,注气期测试得到的储层物性参数具有同样的参考价值;②储气库温降效应对于试井解释结果的影响可忽略不计,而在不同注采运行周期内,变表皮效应以及应力敏感效应影响差异较大;③编制储气库注采运行方案时应充分考虑变表皮效应与应力敏感的影响,在不同注采运行周期内开展试井测试获取准确的储层参数值。研究成果为储气库试井测试与解释提供了重要的研究依据和理论指导。     

Improved energy storage density and energy efficiency of Samarium modified PMNT electroceramic

We report the improved energy storage density and efficiency after 2.5% of Samarium substitution in ferroelectric Pb[(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.80Ti_0.20]O₃ (PMNT) electroceramic. The microstructure and surface morphology were analyzed and correlated with various functional properties. The energy storage density, leakage current density, ferroelectric and dielectric properties were investigated thoroughly, indicating that Samarium's substitution significantly modified the microstructure, the dielectric strength, breakdown electric field, and turned ferroelectric PMNT to relaxor ferroelectrics. Due to the relaxor nature, the gap between remanent polarization and maximum polarization increases with the substitution of Samarium in PMNT matrix, which further increases the recoverable energy storage density and energy efficiency. A nearly 100% increase in recoverable energy density and efficiency was obtained at an electric field strength of 35 kV/cm at room temperature (～296 K). The electroceramic shows maximum energy density near the ferroelectric phase transition temperature (325 K–345 K) region and provides a moderate energy storage density for possible applications in power microelectronics.     

Impedance matching optimization of SiCf/Si3N4–SiOC composites for excellent microwave absorption properties

SiC fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (SiC_f-CMCs) are considered to be one of the most promising materials in the electromagnetic (EM) stealth of aero-engines, which is expected to achieve strong absorption and broad-band performance. Multiscale structural design was applied to SiC_f/Si₃N₄–SiOC composites by construction of micro/nanoscale heterogeneous interfaces and macro double-layer impedance matching structure. SiC_f/Si₃N₄–SiOC composites were fabricated by using SiC fibers with different conductivities and SiOC–Si₃N₄ matrices with gradient impedance structures to improve impedance matching effectively. Owing to its unique structure, SiC_f/Si₃N₄–SiOC composites (A3-composites) achieved excellent EM wave absorption performance with a minimum reflection coefficient (RC_min) of ?25.1 dB at 2.45 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.0 GHz at 2.85 mm in X-band. Moreover, double-layer SiC_f/Si₃N₄–SiOC with an improved impedance matching structure obtained an RC_min of ?56.9 dB and an EAB of 4.2 GHz at 3.00 mm, which means it can absorb more than 90% of the EM waves in the whole X-band. The RC is less than ?8 dB at 2.6–2.8 mm from RT to 600 °C in the whole X-band, displaying excellent high-temperature absorption performance. The results provide a new design opinion for broad-band EM absorbing SiC_f-CMCs at high temperatures.     

Hydrogen wettability of clays: Implications for underground hydrogen storage

This study investigates the ability of hydrogen (H₂) to wet clay surfaces in the presence of brine, with implications for underground hydrogen storage in clay-containing reservoirs. Rather than measuring contact angles directly with hydrogen gas, a suite of other gases (carbon dioxide (CO₂), argon (Ar), nitrogen (N₂), and helium (He)) were employed in the gas-brine-clay system under storage conditions (moderate temperature (333 K) and high pressures (5, 10, 15, and 20 MPa)), characteristic of a subsurface environment with a shallow geothermal gradient. By virtue of analogies to H₂ and empirical correlations, wettabilities of hydrogen on three clay surfaces were mathematically derived and interpreted. The three clays were kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite and represent 1:1, 2:1 non-expansive, and 2:1 expansive clay groups, respectively. All clays showed water-wetting behaviour with contact angles below 40° under all experimental set-ups. It follows that the presence of clays in the reservoir (or caprock) is conducive to capillary and/or residual trapping of the gas. Another positive inference is that any tested gas, particularly nitrogen, is suitable as cushion gas to maintain formation pressure during hydrogen storage because they all turned out to be more gas-wetting than hydrogen on the clay surfaces; this allows easier displacement and/or retrieval of hydrogen during injection/production. One downside of the predominant water wettability of the clays is the upstaged role of biogeochemical reactions at the wetted brine-clay/silicate interface and their potential to affect porosity and permeability. Water-wetting decreased from kaolinite as most water-wetting clay over illite to montmorillonite as most hydrogen-wetting clay. Their wetting behaviour is consistent with molecular dynamic modelling that establishes that the accessible basal plane of kaolinite's octahedral sheet is highly hydrophilic and enables strong hydrogen bonds whereas the same octahedral sheet in illite and montmorillonite is not accessible to the brine, rendering these clays less water-wetting.     

Development of New Product: Rambutan Pulpy Juice

This study aimed to know the effect of adding pulp in rambutan fruit juice on the characteristics of rambutan juice during storage. Research using the CRD, the treatment were kind of pulp (mandarin and rambutan) and pulp concentration (5%, 7.5%, and 10%). The results showed that the addition of pulp significantly affect the characteristics of rambutan juice (pH, vitamin C, total acid) during storage. Pulpy juice with the most prefered was addition of rambutan pulp as much as 7.5% (w/v) and the addition of citrus pulp as much as 7.5% (w/v) with the score of 3-4 (moderate like - like).