A Multi-Functional Single-Stage Power Electronic Interface for Plug-In Electric Vehicles Application

This paper proposes a Zeta-derived non-isolated single-stage power electronic interface for on-board application of plug-in electric vehicles, which provides all modes (plug-in charging, propulsion, and regenerative braking) of vehicle operation. In addition, the proposed converter can charge the battery through universal input voltage range, i.e., 90–260 V due to buck/boost operations in plug-in charging mode. In propulsion and regenerative braking modes, the proposed converter operates as conventional boost and buck DC/DC converter, respectively. Compared to existing single-stage converters, the proposed converter has least components to those converters which have buck/boost operation in plug-in charging mode. A voltage/current stresses and loss analysis of the converter have been investigated for each mode of converter operation. Detailed simulation and experimental results are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed converter.     

Determination of the flow stress of five AHSS sheet materials (DP 600, DP 780, DP 780-CR,DP 780-HY and TRIP 780) using the uniaxial tensile and the biaxial Viscous Pressure Bulge (VPB) tests

Room temperature uniaxial tensile and biaxial Viscous Pressure Bulge (VPB) tests were conducted for five Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) sheet materials, and the resulting flow stress curves were compared. Strain ratios (R-values) were also determined in the tensile test and used to correct the biaxial flow stress curves for anisotropy. The pressure vs. dome height raw data in the VPB test was extrapolated to the burst pressure to obtain the flow stress curve until fracture. Results of this work show that the flow stress data can be obtained to higher strain values under biaxial state of stress. Moreover, it was observed that some materials behave differently if subjected to different state of stress. These two conclusions, and the fact that the state of stress in actual stamping processes is almost always biaxial, suggest that the bulge test is a more suitable test for obtaining the flow stress of AHSS sheet materials for use as an input to Finite Element (FE) simulation models.     

Structural damage in ZnO bombarded by heavy ions

The effect of implantation parameters on damage build-up in ZnO bombarded with Bi and Er ions is studied by Rutherford backscattering/channelling spectrometry. The results show that the damage accumulation behaviour in ZnO is different dramatically from that in other semiconductors. In particular, a variation of implantation parameters, such as collision cascade density, sample temperature and ion flux, has only a minor influence on the damage accumulation in the crystal bulk for the case of such heavy ions. Moreover, an intermediate damage peak, between the surface and bulk defect peaks, is observed for all the irradiation conditions studied. The cascade density affects the behaviour of this intermediate peak with increasing ion dose.     

Photoelectrochemical solar cell fabrication with tungsten diselenide single crystals

Recent reports on highly efficient photoelectrochemical solar cells withn-type WSe₂ have prompted us to grown-type single crystals of WSe₂ using a chemical vapour transport method. Different transporting agents have been used. It is seen that SeCl₄ transporter leads to very large single crystals ofp-type WSe₂, whereas the same transporting agent with excess amount of Se leads ton-type single crystals. PEC solar cells fabricated withp-type andn-type crystals thus grown have been reported and the results discussed.     

Impact of zonal wind on latitudinal variation of total columnar ozone over the Indian Peninsula

Latitudinal and seasonal variability of total columnar ozone from September 2007 to August 2008 across the Indian longitude sector within 10.5° N to 34.5° N and 70.5° E to 94.5° E using satellite data obtained from Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observing System (EOS) is presented. The total column ozone (TCO) over the area of study shows a gradually varying pattern throughout the year. In the post-monsoon (autumn) and winter months, maximum TCO is observed in the north-western part of the subcontinent while the minimum is often observed towards the east at about the same latitudes. A west–east spatial gradient is clearly observed in autumn months. As winter approaches, a north–south spatial gradient becomes more prominent than the east–west gradient. It has been further observed that TCO does not vary significantly over the entire subcontinent in monsoon.     

A new glucose sensor based on encapsulated glucose oxidase within organically modified sol–gel glass

A non-mediated glucose biosensor is reported based on encapsulated glucose oxidase (GOD) within the composite sol–gel glass, which is prepared using optimum concentrations of 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane, 2-(3, 4-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyltrimethoxy silane, GOD dissolved in double distilled water and HCl. A white, smooth film of sol–gel glass with controlled thickness is also prepared at the surface of a Pt disk electrode without GOD to study the electrochemistry of ferrocene monocarboxylic acid at the surface of the modified electrode. The electrochemistry of ferrocene monocarboxylic acid at composite sol–gel glass electrode with varying thickness is reported. The GOD-immobilized film over the Pt disk surface shows a yellow colour. The new sol–gel glass in the absence and the presence of GOD is characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The enzyme-immobilized film of different thickness is made using varying concentrations of soluble sol–gel components applied to the well of the Pt disk electrode. The enzyme is cross-lined with the 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, one of the composite component of sol–gel glass using glyoxal at 4°C for 4 h. The response of non-mediated enzyme sensor is studied based on cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurements. A typical amperometric response of the enzyme sensor having varying thickness of the modified sol–gel glass film is reported. The variation of the response time as a function of the film thickness is reported. The stability of cross-linked GOD to sol–gel glass is found to be more than a month without loss of enzymatic activity when the enzyme sensor is stored at 4°C.     

Dual‐band circularly polarized dielectric resonator antenna for wireless applications

This letter investigates an integrated antenna configuration for WLAN/WiMAX applications. The proposed composite antenna configuration is simply the grouping of ring dielectric resonator along with reformed square‐shaped slot antenna. Three significant characteristics of proposed article are: (1) aperture act as magnetic dipole and excite HE_11δ mode in ring dielectric resonator antenna; (2) reforming of square aperture generates orthogonal modes in ring DRA and creates CP in lower frequency band; (3) annular‐shaped Microstrip line along with reformed square aperture creates CP wave in upper frequency band. With the purpose of certifying the simulated outcomes, prototype of proposed structure is fabricated and tested. Good settlement is to be got between experimental and software generated outcome. Experimental outcomes show that the proposed radiating structure is operating over 2 frequency bands that is, 2.88‐3.72 and 5.4‐5.95 GHz. Measured 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidth in lower and upper frequency band is approximately 9.52% (3.0‐3.4 GHz) and 5.85% (5.64‐5.98 GHz), respectively. These outcomes indicate that the proposed composite antenna structure is appropriate for WLAN and WiMAX applications.     

Multi-switching adaptive synchronization of two fractional-order chaotic systems with different structure and different order

In this work, we combine the active and adaptive control theories, and propose a novel synchronization scheme for a class of fractional-order chaotic systems with different structure and different order. Based on the new version of fractional-order Lyapunov stability theory, we design the adaptive controllers and updating laws of different switching. We use the fractional-order Lorenz chaotic system and the fractional-order Chen chaotic system as examples to analyze the multi-switching synchronization process for fractional-order chaotic systems with different structures and different orders. Finally, numerical simulations are also given to illustrate the effectiveness and validation of the proposed method, and the model uncertainties and external disturbances are added to the considered systems to verify the robustness of the proposed controllers.     

Degradation of BPSCCO superconductors during processing

Evaporation losses of Bi, Sr, Cu and Pb during processing of Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-oxide (BPSCCO) superconductors were observed, which affected the superconducting properties. Incongruent loss of Bi, Sr, Cu and Pb was reduced by covering the pellets by excess BPSCCO powder during sintering and formation of the 2223 phase was observed to be enhanced. Formation of low temperature eutectic by silver addition was observed to accelerate the rate of evaporation. Lower temperature processing was required for fabrication of high quality Ag sheathed BPSCCO tapes.