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Solid-state electrolytes overcome many challenges of present-day lithium ion batteries, such as safety hazards and dendrite formation1,2. However, detailed understanding of the involved lithium dynamics is missing due to a lack of in operando measurements with chemical and interfacial specificity. Here we investigate a prototypical solid-state electrolyte using linear and nonlinear extreme-ultraviolet spectroscopies. Leveraging the surface sensitivity of extreme-ultraviolet-second-harmonic-generation spectroscopy, we obtained a direct spectral signature of surface lithium ions, showing a distinct blueshift relative to bulk absorption spectra. First-principles simulations attributed the shift to transitions from the lithium 1 s state to hybridized Li-s/Ti-d orbitals at the surface. Our calculations further suggest a reduction in lithium interfacial mobility due to suppressed low-frequency rattling modes, which is the fundamental origin of the large interfacial resistance in this material. Our findings pave the way for new optimization strategies to develop these electrochemical devices via interfacial engineering of lithium ions.

Falling costs of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have made them attractive for grid-scale energy storage applications. Energy storage will become increasingly important as intermittent renewable generation and more frequent extreme weather events put stress on the electricity grid. Environmental groups across the United States are advocating for the replacement of the highest-emitting power plants, which run only at times of peak demand, with Li-ion battery systems. We analyze the life-cycle cost, climate, and human health impacts of replacing the 19 highest-emitting peaker plants in California with Li-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS). Our results show that designing Li-ion BESS to replace peaker plants puts them at an economic disadvantage, even if facilities are only sized to meet 95% of the original plants' load events and are free to engage in arbitrage. However, five of 19 potential replacements do achieve a positive net present value after including monetized climate and human health impacts. These BESS cycle far less than typical front-of-the-meter batteries and rely on the frequency regulation market for most of their revenue. All projects offer net air pollution benefits but increase net greenhouse gas emissions due to electricity demand during charging and upstream emissions from battery manufacturing.

Developing scalable electrical stimulating platforms for cell and tissue engineering applications is limited by external power source dependency, wetting resistance, microscale size requirements, and suitable flexibility. Here, a versatile and scalable platform is developed to enable tunable electrical stimulation for biological applications by harnessing the giant magnetoelastic effect in soft systems, converting gentle air pressure (100-400 kPa) to yield a current of up to 10.5 mA and a voltage of 9.5 mV. The platform can be easily manufactured and scaled up for integration in multiwell magnetoelastic plates via 3D printing. The authors demonstrate that the electrical stimulation generated by this platform enhances the conversion of fibroblasts into neurons up to 2-fold (104%) and subsequent neuronal maturation up to 3-fold (251%). This easily configurable electrical stimulation device has broad applications in high throughput organ-on-a-chip systems, and paves the way for future development of neural engineering, including cellular therapy via implantable self-powered electrical stimulation devices.

Information related to the diverse and dynamic metabolite composition of the small intestine is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. However, our current understanding of the physiochemical dynamics of metabolic processes within the small intestine is limited due to the lack of in situ access to the intestinal environment. Here, we report a demonstration of a battery-free ingestible biosensing system for monitoring metabolites in the small intestine. As a proof of concept, we monitor the intestinal glucose dynamics on a porcine model. Battery-free operation is achieved through a self-powered glucose biofuel cell/biosensor integrated into a circuit that performs energy harvesting, biosensing, and wireless telemetry via a power-to-frequency conversion scheme using magnetic human body communication. Such long-term biochemical analysis could potentially provide critical information regarding the complex and dynamic small intestine metabolic profiles.

Designing a stable solid-electrolyte interphase on a Li anode is imperative to developing reliable Li metal batteries. Herein, we report a suspension electrolyte design that modifies the Li+ solvation environment in liquid electrolytes and creates inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphases on Li. Li2O nanoparticles suspended in liquid electrolytes were investigated as a proof of concept. Through theoretical and empirical analyses of Li2O suspension electrolytes, the roles played by Li2O in the liquid electrolyte and solid-electrolyte interphases of the Li anode are elucidated. Also, the suspension electrolyte design is applied in conventional and state-of-the-art high-performance electrolytes to demonstrate its applicability. Based on electrochemical analyses, improved Coulombic efficiency (up to ~99.7%), reduced Li nucleation overpotential, stabilized Li interphases and prolonged cycle life of anode-free cells (~70 cycles at 80% of initial capacity) were achieved with the suspension electrolytes. We expect this design principle and our findings to be expanded into developing electrolytes and solid-electrolyte interphases for Li metal batteries.

Capabilities for continuous monitoring of pressures and temperatures at critical skin interfaces can help to guide care strategies that minimize the potential for pressure injuries in hospitalized patients or in individuals confined to the bed. This paper introduces a soft, skin-mountable class of sensor system for this purpose. The design includes a pressure-responsive element based on membrane deflection and a battery-free, wireless mode of operation capable of multi-site measurements at strategic locations across the body. Such devices yield continuous, simultaneous readings of pressure and temperature in a sequential readout scheme from a pair of primary antennas mounted under the bedding and connected to a wireless reader and a multiplexer located at the bedside. Experimental evaluation of the sensor and the complete system includes benchtop measurements and numerical simulations of the key features. Clinical trials involving two hemiplegic patients and a tetraplegic patient demonstrate the feasibility, functionality and long-term stability of this technology in operating hospital settings.

Acoustofluidics has promised to enable lab-on-a-chip and point-of-care devices in ways difficult to achieve using other methods. Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers-as small as the chips they actuate-provide rapid fluid and suspended object transport. Acoustofluidic lab-on-chip devices offer a vast range of benefits in early disease identification and noninvasive drug delivery. However, their potential has long been undermined by the need for benchtop or rack-mount electronics. The piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers within require these equipment and thus acoustofluidic device implementation in a bedside setting has been limited. Here we detail a general process to enable the reader to produce battery or mains-powered microcircuits ideal for driving 1-300 MHz acoustic devices. We include the general design strategy for the circuit, the blocks that collectively define it, and suitable, specific choices for components to produce these blocks. We furthermore illustrate how to incorporate automated resonance finding and tracking, sensing and feedback, and built-in adjustability to accommodate devices' vastly different operating frequencies and powers in a single driver, including examples of fluid and particle manipulation typical of the needs in our discipline. With this in hand, the many groups active in lab-on-a-chip acoustofluidics can now finally deliver on the promise of handheld, point-of-care technologies.

The elimination of integrated batteries in biomedical implants holds great promise for improving health outcomes in patients with implantable devices. However, despite extensive research in wireless power transfer, achieving efficient power transfer and effective operational range have remained a hindering challenge within anatomical constraints.ObjectiveWe hereby demonstrate an intravascular wireless and batteryless microscale stimulator, designed for (1) low power dissipation via intermittent transmission and (2) reduced fixation mechanical burden via deployment to the anterior cardiac vein (ACV, ∼3.8 mm in diameter).MethodsWe introduced a unique coil design circumferentially confined to a 3 mm diameter hollow-cylinder that was driven by a novel transmitter-based control architecture with improved power efficiency.ResultsWe examined wireless capacity using heterogenous bovine tissue, demonstrating >5 V stimulation threshold with up to 20 mm transmitter-receiver displacement and 20° of misalignment. Feasibility for human use was validated using Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation of the cardiac cycle, guided by pacer phantom-integrated Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI).ConclusionThis system design thus enabled sufficient wireless power transfer in the face of extensive stimulator miniaturization.SignificanceOur successful feasibility studies demonstrated the capacity for minimally invasive deployment and low-risk fixation.

The efficacy of wireless intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) is limited in part by the number of recording channels, which is constrained by the power budget of the implantable system. Designing wireless iBCIs that provide the high-quality recordings of today's wired neural interfaces may lead to inadvertent over-design at the expense of power consumption and scalability. Here, we report analyses of neural signals collected from experimental iBCI measurements in rhesus macaques and from a clinical-trial participant with implanted 96-channel Utah multielectrode arrays to understand the trade-offs between signal quality and decoder performance. Moreover, we propose an efficient hardware design for clinically viable iBCIs, and suggest that the circuit design parameters of current recording iBCIs can be relaxed considerably without loss of performance. The proposed design may allow for an order-of-magnitude power savings and lead to clinically viable iBCIs with a higher channel count.

Wind energy has been used by humans for thousands of years. Yet, the relatively low economic cost and availability of fossil fuels upstaged the use of wind power. Fossil fuel resources are not renewable and will decline until exhaustion in the future. At the same time, humans have become aware of the adverse effects on the environment caused by reliance on fossil fuel energy. Wind, on the other hand, is a renewable energy source with minimal adverse environmental impacts that does not involve greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural irrigation systems use fossil fuel energy resources in various forms. Groundwater withdrawal is central to supplying agricultural water demand in arid and semi-arid regions. Such withdrawal is mostly based on water extraction with pumps powered by diesel, gasoline, or electricity (which is commonly produced by fossil fuels). This paper coupled the non-sorted genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) as the optimization tool to the mathematical formulation of the wind-powered groundwater production problem to determine the potential of wind energy for groundwater withdrawal in an arid area. The optimal safe yield and the optimal size of regulation reservoir are determined considering two objectives: (1) maximizing total extraction of groundwater and (2) minimizing the cost of reservoir construction. The safe yield and the two objectives are optimized for periods lasting 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 months over a 1-year planning horizon. This paper's methodology is evaluated with groundwater and wind-power data pertinent to Eghlid, Iran. The optimal safe yield increases by increasing the period length. Specifically, increasing the period length from 1 to 6 months increases the safe yield from 12 to 29 m3. Application of the proposed NSGA-II-based optimization of groundwater production identifies the best design and operational variables with computational efficiency and accuracy.

Despite numerous advancements in pacemaker technology for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disorders, lead-related complications associated with these devices continue to compromise patient safety and survival. In this work, we present a system architecture that has the capacity to deliver power to a wireless, batteryless intravascular pacer. This was made possible through a three-tiered, dual-sub-system, four-coil design, which operates on two different frequencies through intermittent remote-controlled inductive power transfer. System efficiency was enhanced using coil design optimization, and validated using numerical simulations and experimental analysis. Our pacemaker design was concepted to achieve inductive power transfer over a 55 mm range to a microscale pacer with a 3 mm diameter. Thus, the proposed system design enabled long-range wireless power transfer to a small implanted pacer with the capacity for intravascular deployment to the anterior cardiac vein. This proposed stent-like fixation mechanism can bypass the multitude of complications associated with pacemaker wires while wireless power can eliminate the need for repeated procedures for battery replacement.

This study investigates trends of injury and hospital admission associated with electric scooter use.

BackgroundThere is a new method of transportation that started in our community in late 2017- rideshare electric scooters (e-scooters). These scooters have proven immensely popular and can now be found in many cities around the world. Despite the pervasiveness of e-scooters, their associated injury patterns are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to describe our department's experience at the epicenter of the e-scooter phenomenon that is sweeping the globe and to characterize operative orthopaedic injuries that are related to e-scooter accidents.MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of all of the operative orthopaedic cases and trauma consults at 2 trauma centers (a level-I center and a level-II center) between September 2017 and August 2019. We identified all operative injuries in which the cause of injury was an e-scooter accident. Data that included demographics, mechanism of injury, diagnosis, and treatment were collected.ResultsSeventy-five operative injuries were identified in 73 patients during the study period. The mean patient age was 35.4 years (range, 14 to 74 years), and the median age was 32 years. There were 4 pediatric patients (14, 15, 15, and 17 years old). Thirty-two patients (43.8%) sustained upper-extremity injuries, and 42 patients (57.5%) sustained lower-extremity injuries; 1 of these patients had both upper and lower-extremity injuries. Nine patients (12.3%) had open fractures. There were 7 hip fractures in patients with an average age of 42.4 years (range, 28 to 68 years). Seventy-one (97.3%) of 73 patients were e-scooter riders, and 2 (2.7%) were pedestrians who were struck by e-scooter riders.ConclusionsE-scooters can cause serious injury. Seventy-three patients required operative treatment in just the first 2 years of e-scooter use in our community. Operative injuries occurred throughout the skeletal system, and several were injuries that are typically associated with high-energy trauma. Although, as a rule, e-scooter use is limited to adults and banned in high pedestrian-traffic areas in our city, the inclusion of 4 underage riders and 2 pedestrians in our cohort suggests that these rules are not always followed. As e-scooters continue to increase in popularity, additional steps should be taken to regulate their use and protect riders and the public.

Lithium-ion battery demand, particularly for electric vehicles, is projected to increase by over 300% throughout the next decade. With these expected increases in demand, cobalt (Co)-dependent technologies face the risk of significant impact from supply concentration and mining limitations in the short term. Increased extraction and secondary recovery form the basis of modeling scenarios that examine implications on Co supply to 2030. Demand for Co is estimated to range from 235 to 430 ktonnes in 2030. This upper bound on Co demand in 2030 corresponds to 280% of world refinery capacity in 2016. Supply from scheduled and unscheduled production as well as secondary production is estimated to range from 320 to 460 ktonnes. Our analysis suggests the following: (1) Co price will remain relatively stable in the short term, given that this range suggests even a supply surplus, (2) future Co supply will become more diversified geographically and mined more as a byproduct of nickel (Ni) over this period, and (3) for this demand to be met, attention should be paid to sustained investments in refined supply of Co and secondary recovery.

About 30% of patients with impaired cardiac function have ventricular dyssynchrony and seek cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). In this study, we demonstrate synchronized biventricular (BiV) pacing in a leadless fashion by implementing miniaturized and wirelessly powered pacemakers. With their flexible form factors, two pacemakers were implanted epicardially on the right and left ventricles of a porcine model and were inductively powered at 13.56 MHz and 40.68 MHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands, respectively. The power consumption of these pacemakers is reduced to µW-level by a novel integrated circuit design, which considerably extends the maximum operating distance. Leadless BiV pacing is demonstrated for the first time in both open-chest and closed-chest porcine settings. The clinical outcomes associated with different interventricular delays are verified through electrophysiologic and hemodynamic responses. The closed-chest pacing only requires the external source power of 0.3 W and 0.8 W at 13.56 MHz and 40.68 MHz, respectively, which leads to specific absorption rates (SARs) 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than the safety regulation limit. This work serves as a basis for future wirelessly powered leadless pacemakers that address various cardiac resynchronization challenges.

Given its total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, the global electric power sector will be required to undergo a fundamental transformation over the next decades to limit anthropogenic climate change to below 2 °C. Implications for biodiversity of projected structural changes in the global electric power sector are rarely considered beyond those explicitly linked to climate change. This study uses a spatially explicit consumption-based accounting framework to examine the impact of demand for electric power on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity globally. We demonstrate that the biodiversity footprint of the electric power sector is primarily within the territory where final demand for electric power resides, although there are substantial regional differences, with Europe displacing its biodiversity threat along international supply chains. The relationship between size of individual components of the electric power sector and threat to biodiversity indicates that a shift to nonfossil sources, such as solar and wind, could reduce pressures on biodiversity both within the territory where demand for power resides and along international supply chains. However, given the current levels of deployment of nonfossil sources of power, there is considerable uncertainty as to how the impacts of structural changes in the global electric power system will scale. Given the strong territorial link between demand and associated biodiversity impacts, development of strong national governance around the electric power sector represents a clear route to mitigate threats to biodiversity associated with efforts to decarbonize society over the coming century.

Energy production and storage has become a pressing issue in recent decades and its solutions bring new problems. This paper reviews the literature on the human and environmental risks associated with the production, use, and disposal of increasingly common lithium-ion batteries. Popular electronic databases were used for this purpose focused on the period since 2000. Assessment of the toxicological and environmental impact of batteries should then have a holistic scope to precede and guide the introduction of appropriate safety measures. In this short review the authors will try to touch upon this complex subject and point out some important issues related to an unprecedented development of lithium ion batteries-powered world. Given the multi-billion dollar business with the risks associated with the development of new technologies requires careful consideration of whether the balance of profits and losses is beneficial to humans and the planet. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):3–20

Benefit-cost analysis is widely used to evaluate alternative courses of action that are designed to achieve policy objectives. Although many analyses take uncertainty into account, they typically only consider uncertainty about cost estimates and physical states of the world, whereas uncertainty about individual preferences, thus the benefit of policy intervention, is ignored. Here, we propose a strategy to integrate individual uncertainty about preferences into benefit-cost analysis using societal preference intervals, which are ranges of values over which it is unclear whether society as a whole should accept or reject an option. To illustrate the method, we use preferences for implementing a smart grid technology to sustain critical electricity demand during a 24-hour regional power blackout on a hot summer weekend. Preferences were elicited from a convenience sample of residents in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This illustrative example shows that uncertainty in individual preferences, when aggregated to form societal preference intervals, can substantially change society's decision. We conclude with a discussion of where preference uncertainty comes from, how it might be reduced, and why incorporating unresolved preference uncertainty into benefit-cost analyses can be important.

Wearable devices for health monitoring and fitness management have foreseen a rapidly expanding market, especially those for noninvasive and continuous measurements with real-time display that provide practical convenience and eliminated safety/infection risks. Herein, a self-powered and fully integrated smartwatch that consists of flexible photovoltaic cells and rechargeable batteries in the forms of a "watch strap", electrochemical glucose sensors, customized circuits, and display units integrated into a "dial" platform is successfully fabricated for real-time and continuous monitoring of sweat glucose levels. The functionality of the smartwatch, including sweat glucose sensing, signal processing, and display, can be supported with the harvested/converted solar energy without external charging devices. The Zn-MnO2 batteries serve as intermediate energy storage units and the utilization of aqueous electrolytes eliminated safety concerns for batteries, which is critical for wearable devices. Such a wearable system in a smartwatch fashion realizes integration of energy modules with self-powered capability, electrochemical sensors for noninvasive glucose monitoring, and in situ and real-time signal processing/display in a single platform for the first time. The as-fabricated fully integrated and self-powered smartwatch also provides a promising protocol for statistical study and clinical investigation to reveal correlations between sweat compositions and human body dynamics.

Background/aimsNonrechargeable deep brain stimulation implantable pulse generators (IPGs) for movement disorders require surgical replacement every few years due to battery depletion. Rechargeable IPGs reduce frequency of replacement surgeries and inherent risks of complications but require frequent recharging. Here, we evaluate patient experience with rechargeable IPGs and define predictive characteristics for higher satisfaction.MethodsWe contacted all patients implanted with rechargeable IPGs at a single center in a survey-based study. We analyzed patient satisfaction with respect to age, diagnosis, target, charging duration, and body mass index. We tabulated hardware-related adverse events.ResultsDystonia patients had significantly higher satisfaction than Parkinson's disease patients in recharging, display, programmer, and training domains. Common positive responses were "fewer surgeries" and "small size." Common negative responses were "difficulty finding the right position to recharge" and "need to recharge every day." Hardware-related adverse events occurred in 21 of 59 participants.ConclusionPatient experience with rechargeable IPGs was largely positive; however, frustrations with recharging and adverse events were common. Dystonia diagnosis was most predictive of high satisfaction across multiple categories, potentially related to expected long disease duration with need for numerous IPG replacements.

BackgroundAlthough studies have consistently found an association between childhood leukaemia risk and magnetic fields, the associations between childhood leukaemia and distance to overhead power lines have been inconsistent. We pooled data from multiple studies to assess the association with distance and evaluate whether it is due to magnetic fields or other factors associated with distance from lines.MethodsWe present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (29,049 cases and 68,231 controls) from 11 record-based studies.ResultsThere was no material association between childhood leukaemia and distance to nearest overhead power line of any voltage. Among children living

Energy storage has become more and more a limiting factor of today's sustainable energy applications, including electric vehicles and green electric grid based on volatile solar and wind sources. The pressing demand of developing high-performance electrochemical energy storage solutions, i.e., batteries, relies on both fundamental understanding and practical developments from both the academy and industry. The formidable challenge of developing successful battery technology stems from the different requirements for different energy-storage applications. Energy density, power, stability, safety, and cost parameters all have to be balanced in batteries to meet the requirements of different applications. Therefore, multiple battery technologies based on different materials and mechanisms need to be developed and optimized. Incisive tools that could directly probe the chemical reactions in various battery materials are becoming critical to advance the field beyond its conventional trial-and-error approach. Here, we present detailed protocols for soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (sXES), and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) experiments, which are inherently elemental-sensitive probes of the transition-metal 3d and anion 2p states in battery compounds. We provide the details on the experimental techniques and demonstrations revealing the key chemical states in battery materials through these soft X-ray spectroscopy techniques.

Solid-state electrolytes are a promising replacement for current organic liquid electrolytes, enabling higher energy densities and improved safety of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, a number of setbacks prevent their integration into commercial devices. The main limiting factor is due to nanoscale phenomena occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces, ultimately leading to degradation of battery operation. These key problems are highly challenging to observe and characterize as these batteries contain multiple buried interfaces. One approach for direct observation of interfacial phenomena in thin film batteries is through the fabrication of electrochemically active nanobatteries by a focused ion beam (FIB). As such, a reliable technique to fabricate nanobatteries was developed and demonstrated in recent work. Herein, a detailed protocol with a step-by-step process is presented to enable the reproduction of this nanobattery fabrication process. In particular, this technique was applied to a thin film battery consisting of LiCoO2/LiPON/a-Si, and has further been previously demonstrated by in situ cycling within a transmission electron microscope.

The electrochemical intercalation of layered materials, particularly graphite, is fundamental to the operation of rechargeable energy-storage devices such as the lithium-ion battery and the carbon-enhanced lead-acid battery. Intercalation is thought to proceed in discrete stages, where each stage represents a specific structure and stoichiometry of the intercalant relative to the host. However, the three-dimensional structures of the stages between unintercalated and fully intercalated are not known, and the dynamics of the transitions between stages are not understood. Using optical and scanning transmission electron microscopy, we video the intercalation of single microcrystals of graphite in concentrated sulfuric acid. Here we find that intercalation charge transfer proceeds through highly variable current pulses that, although directly associated with structural changes, do not match the expectations of the classical theories. Evidently random nanoscopic defects dominate the dynamics of intercalation.

Progress towards the integration of technology into living organisms requires electrical power sources that are biocompatible, mechanically flexible, and able to harness the chemical energy available inside biological systems. Conventional batteries were not designed with these criteria in mind. The electric organ of the knifefish Electrophorus electricus (commonly known as the electric eel) is, however, an example of an electrical power source that operates within biological constraints while featuring power characteristics that include peak potential differences of 600 volts and currents of 1 ampere. Here we introduce an electric-eel-inspired power concept that uses gradients of ions between miniature polyacrylamide hydrogel compartments bounded by a repeating sequence of cation- and anion-selective hydrogel membranes. The system uses a scalable stacking or folding geometry that generates 110 volts at open circuit or 27 milliwatts per square metre per gel cell upon simultaneous, self-registered mechanical contact activation of thousands of gel compartments in series while circumventing power dissipation before contact. Unlike typical batteries, these systems are soft, flexible, transparent, and potentially biocompatible. These characteristics suggest that artificial electric organs could be used to power next-generation implant materials such as pacemakers, implantable sensors, or prosthetic devices in hybrids of living and non-living systems.

Conventional power systems are almost at the verge of their existence and are quickly being replaced by modern, especially smarter alternatives. Rapid and wide deployment of Load side management, which is a smarter and modern way to ensure efficient and economical use of power, is a classic example. However, there are several challenges which need to be addressed before it can be realized as a commercially viable solution. Suitable communication method, called "Home Area Networks", is a mandatory requirement which should be cost effective, robust and with ability to simultaneously handle large number of devices. Due to various inherent issues, communication protocols commonly used now-a-days, are not fully capable to address the requirements of HANs. Power Line Carrier Communications (PLCC) can be a suitable and efficient alternative of quick realization of HANs. In this paper, various aspects of PLCC have been analyzed for use in HANs. Modulation methods, materials, physical parameters and effect of noise have been analyzed. The paper evaluates performance and effectiveness of FSK modulation with aluminum transmission medium for PLC within a residential environment, focusing on the tradeoffs between distance, transmission medium diameter, and type of transmission medium, and cable gauge, which can degrade the performance of PLCC. A novel simulation model has been presented incorporating RLCG (Resistance, Inductance, Capacitance, and Conductance) tools and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). Performance parameter have been comprehensively analyzed of implementation using aluminum as a communication medium. This paper discusses cost effectiveness of PLCC by replacing copper by aluminum as the transmission medium. The study reveals that aluminum cables must be twice the size of copper cable in order to achieve same communication distances. Higher carrier frequencies in FSK modulation increase noise susceptibility, consequently reducing achievable communication distances. Cables with smaller diameters results in lower transmission ranges. These results highlight the trade-offs involved in implementing FSK for in-home PLCC (iPLCC). The study highlights how crucial it is to take these trade-offs into account while developing and refining FSK-based iPLCC systems for use in smart homes., Competing Interests: he authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ashraf et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) cell modeling is crucial to understanding and optimizing solar energy systems. While the single-diode model (PVSDM) is commonly used, the double-diode model (PVDDM) offers improved accuracy at a reasonable level of complexity. However, finding analytical closed-form solutions for the current-voltage (I-U) dependency in PVDDM circuits has remained a challenge. This work proposes two novel configurations of PVDDM equivalent circuits and derives their analytical closed-form solutions. The solutions are expressed in terms of the Lambert W function and solved using a special transcendental function approach called Special Trans Function Theory (STFT). The accuracy of the proposed equivalent circuits is demonstrated on two solar cells/modules, RTC-F and MSX-60, showing equal or better performance than the standard PVDDM equivalent circuit. Further testing on a commercial solar panel under different irradiance and temperature conditions confirms the applicability of the proposed models. To address the parameter estimation problem, a novel metaheuristic algorithm, the chaotic honey-badger algorithm, is developed and evaluated. The results obtained validate the accuracy and practicality of the proposed PVDDM equivalent circuit configurations., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Ali et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Since children have strong desire for exploration and poor safety awareness, foreign body impaction in the digestive tract is one of the most common critical conditions in children. Due to the popularity of electronic products, button battery ingestion by mistake is also increasing in children. Button battery impaction in the esophagus can cause serious complications such as esophageal cauterization and perforation in a short time. Therefore, more active treatment strategies should be taken once button battery ingestion occurs. Surgical treatment is traumatic and prone to cause various complications, so removal of foreign body retained in the esophagus under endoscopy is the preferred strategy., Case Presentation: We introduced a new method to remove the button battery retained in the esophagus of a 17-month-old child. Soon after the patient arrived at the hospital, we actively arranged endoscopic surgery. After the gastroscope entered the esophageal inlet, we first cleaned up the esophageal residues, and then, the button battery was exposed. The surrounding esophageal mucosa showed a little cauterization-like damage. We tried to remove the foreign body using foreign body forceps first, but failed after repeated attempts. Then, we tried to use a disposable balloon to assist in dragging the foreign body, but because the patient was younger with narrower esophagus and the drag resistance of the foreign body was abnormally large, this method also did not work. Violent dragging may cause tearing and perforation of the esophagus. Hence, we used a columnar balloon to help expand the esophagus and successfully removed the button battery at the entrance of the esophagus. For this new method, the columnar balloon was used to expand the esophagus and the button battery was clamped with foreign body forceps, and then, the foreign body was dragged by a disposable stone removal balloon. Because two types of balloons were used, it was named double-balloon method., Conclusions: For the foreign body retained in the esophagus of younger children, the double -balloon method is recommended when the foreign body cannot be removed by traditional methods., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University committee of and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Consent for publication Informed consent was obtained from the parents/legal guardians of all the participants included in the study. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Indiscriminate disposal of dry cell battery (DCB) waste contributes to environmental and public health issues in developing countries such as Ghana, due to the toxic nature of this specific waste. Accordingly, a study was conducted in Accra, Ghana, to determine the socio-economic and demographic factors influencing handling DCB waste, aiming a sustainable environment. Using a random sampling technique, a descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, encompassing 367 respondents from the Accra-Tema Metropolitan areas and Tema West Municipal Assembly in Greater Accra, Ghana. Using descriptive and multivariate statistical methods, the survey data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The results of this study show that female gender and residential area are likely to positively influence the use of DCB at home. Education significantly affects the use of DCB and its proper disposal. The results also suggest that 78% of the respondents disposed of DCB waste in waste bins. The mean monthly income of the respondents stands at USD 270, which is average and likely partially to positively influence the disposal of the DCB. The data collected revealed that female gender, age group, family size, and education level influence the indiscriminate disposal of DCB waste and DCB waste recycling. The results highlight that educated females above the age of 55, with a monthly income, are likely to properly segregate DCB waste. This study contributes to the knowledge gap in relation to dry cell battery waste management (DCBWM) in developing countries, aiming to advance global sustainability. This study is expected to contribute to educate and create awareness in managing DCB waste to reduce its indiscriminate disposal which leads to environmental pollution and negatively affects human health and environmental sustainability in Ghana., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Demand response-based load scheduling in smart power grids is currently one of the most important topics in energy optimization. There are several benefits to utility companies and their customers from this strategy. The main goal of this work is to employ a load scheduling controller (LSC) to model and solve the scheduling issue for household appliances. The LSC offers a solution to the primary problems faced during implementing demand response. The goal is to minimize peak-to-average demand ratios (PADR) and electricity bills while preserving customer satisfaction. Time-varying pricing, intermittent renewable energy, domestic appliance energy demand, storage battery, and grid constraints are all incorporated into the model. The optimal adaptive wind-driven optimization (OAWDO) method is a stochastic optimization technique designed to manage supply, demand, and power price uncertainties. LSC creates the ideal schedule for home appliance running periods using the OAWDO algorithm. This guarantees that every appliance runs as economically as possible on its own. Most appliances run the risk of functioning during low-price hours if just the real time-varying price system is used, which could result in rebound peaks. We combine an inclined block tariff with a real-time-varying price to alleviate this problem. MATLAB is used to do a load scheduling simulation for home appliances based on the OAWDO algorithm. By contrasting it with other algorithms, including the genetic algorithm (GA), the whale optimization algorithm (WOA), the fire-fly optimization algorithm (FFOA), and the wind-driven optimization (WDO) algorithms, the effectiveness of the OAWDO technique is supported. Results indicate that OAWDO works better than current algorithms in terms of reducing power costs, PADR, and rebound peak formation without sacrificing user comfort., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Alghamdi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

With the rapid development of distributed generation (DG) within the framework of modern power systems, accurately assessing the maximum DG hosting capacity in distribution networks is crucial for ensuring the safe and stable operation of the power grid. This paper first introduces an assessment model of maximum DG hosting capacity in distribution network based on optimal power flow (OPF). Then, a two-step method that combines the linearization method and the recursive method is proposed, which consists of two parts: firstly, using linearization method to quickly calculate the preliminary assessment value of maximum DG hosting capacity, and then using a recursive method to accurately correct the preliminary assessment value. Additionally, the proposed improved comprehensive sensitivity index and safety constraint verification method can enhance the computational efficiency and accuracy of the recursive algorithm. Finally, the proposed methods were simulated and validated on the IEEE 33-bus system., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Wan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) recycling is one of the most urgent challenges affecting this technological sector. Indeed, their continuously growing production and demand is already leading to the creation of large volumes of end-of-life LIBs (EoL-LIBs). At the same time, the growing demand for LIBs is not sustainable from the point of view of supply of the critical raw materials needed to produce the essential components of LIBs. The development of efficient and sustainable recycling strategies provides a solution to these two urgent issues. Here we propose a new ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) composition based on choline chloride, citric acid, and ethylene glycol in molar ratio 1:1:1 for the reductive degradation of LiCoO 2 cathode. The optimized leaching process (5g of DES for 100 mg of black mass for 30 min at 140 °C) leads to the full degradation of the cathode with extraction yields above 97% for both Li and Co. Simple electrochemical tests confirm irreversible DES degradation, making its recovery and reuse impractical. We demonstrate that a subsequent thermal treatment, using DES as a sacrificial agent, allows to separate and recover Co 3 O 4 and LiCl with adequate purity to be exploited for LiCoO 2 resynthesis. As a proof of concept, a new batch of LiCoO 2 is synthesized and used for new cells' assembly. The performance of the resynthesized material is comparable with that of the commercial benchmark material, demonstrating the possibility of a full closed-loop recycling route., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Chiara Ferrara reports financial support was provided by University of Milan-Bicocca. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Back-contact silicon solar cells, valued for their aesthetic appeal because they have no grid lines on the sunny side, find applications in buildings, vehicles and aircraft and enable self-power generation without compromising appearance 1-3 . Patterning techniques arrange contacts on the shaded side of the silicon wafer, which offers benefits for light incidence as well. However, the patterning process complicates production and results in power loss. We employed lasers to streamline the fabrication of back-contact solar cells and enhance the power-conversion efficiency. Using this approach, we produced a silicon solar cell that exceeded 27% efficiency. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers were deposited onto the wafer for surface passivation and to collect light-generated carriers. A dense passivating contact, which differs from conventional technology practice, was developed. Pulsed picosecond lasers operating at different wavelengths were used to create the back-contact patterns. The approach developed is a streamlined process for producing high-performance back-contact silicon solar cells, with a total effective processing time of about one-third that of the emerging mainstream technology. To meet the terawatt demand, we developed indium-less cells at 26.5% efficiency and precious silver-free cells at 26.2% efficiency. Thus, the integration of solar solutions into buildings and transportation is poised to expand with these technological advances., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 is a promising absorbent material for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) 1,2 . However, the most efficient α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 PSCs require the inclusion of the additive methylammonium chloride 3,4 , which generates volatile organic residues (methylammonium) that limit device stability at elevated temperatures 5 . Previously, the highest certified power-conversion efficiency of α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 PSCs without methylammonium chloride was only approximately 24% (refs. 6,7 ), and these PSCs have yet to exhibit any stability advantages. Here we identify interfacial contact loss caused by the accumulation of Cs + in conventional α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 PSCs, which deteriorates device performance and stability. Through in situ grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis and density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate an intermediate-phase-assisted crystallization pathway enabled by acetate surface coordination to fabricate high-quality α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 films, without using the methylammonium additive. We herein report a certified stabilized power output efficiency of 25.94% and a reverse-scanning power-conversion efficiency of 26.64% for α-FA 1-x Cs x PbI 3 PSCs. Moreover, the devices exhibited negligible contact losses and enhanced operational stability. They retained over 95% of their initial power-conversion efficiency after operating for over 2,000 h at the maximum power point under 1 sun, 85 °C and 60% relative humidity (ISOS-L-3)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

The burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market poses a substantial challenge to battery recycling systems, yet understanding EV battery recycling behavior from the demand side remains limited. Previous studies have analyzed perceptual or attitudinal factors, neglecting the observable attributes of EV battery recycling. To this end, we proposed a discrete choice model to investigate the differences between formal and informal recycling behaviors, identifying consumer preferences and willingness to pay. By analyzing 1190 sample data collected from Chongqing, China, we find that: (1) The formal recycling market exhibits greater sensitivity to prices compared to the informal recycling market. (2) The formal recycling market favors recycling by EV battery producers, whereas the informal recycling market shows the least preference for recycling by automobile producers. (3) Door-to-door recycling services are the most effective in facilitating the transition from informal to formal recycling markets for EV batteries. (4) Capacity subsidy policies outperform one-time fixed subsidy policies in incentivizing formal recycling. (5) The formal recycling market for EV batteries necessitates "traceability to the recycling outlet", as opposed to being untraceable. (6) The high-awareness group exhibits greater sensitivity to government policies compared to those with lower environmental concerns and less knowledge of EV battery recycling., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) combine contact electrification and electrostatic induction effects to convert waste mechanical energy into electrical energy. As conventional devices contribute to electronic waste, TENGs based on ecofriendly and biocompatible materials have been developed for various energy applications. Owing to the abundance, accessibility, low cost, and biodegradability of biowaste (BW), recycling these materials has gained considerable attention as a green approach for fabricating TENGs. This review provides a detailed overview of BW materials, processing techniques for BW-based TENGs (BW-TENGs), and potential applications of BW-TENGs in emerging bioelectronics. In particular, recent progress in material design, fabrication methods, and biomechanical and environmental energy-harvesting performance is discussed. This review is aimed at promoting the continued development of BW-TENGs and their adoption for sustainable energy-harvesting applications in the field of bioelectronics., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Two-terminal monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells demonstrate huge advantages in power conversion efficiency compared with their respective single-junction counterparts 1,2 . However, suppressing interfacial recombination at the wide-bandgap perovskite/electron transport layer interface, without compromising its superior charge transport performance, remains a substantial challenge for perovskite/silicon tandem cells 3,4 . By exploiting the nanoscale discretely distributed lithium fluoride ultrathin layer followed by an additional deposition of diammonium diiodide molecule, we have devised a bilayer-intertwined passivation strategy that combines efficient electron extraction with further suppression of non-radiative recombination. We constructed perovskite/silicon tandem devices on a double-textured Czochralski-based silicon heterojunction cell, which featured a mildly textured front surface and a heavily textured rear surface, leading to simultaneously enhanced photocurrent and uncompromised rear passivation. The resulting perovskite/silicon tandem achieved an independently certified stabilized power conversion efficiency of 33.89%, accompanied by an impressive fill factor of 83.0% and an open-circuit voltage of nearly 1.97 V. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first reported certified efficiency of a two-junction tandem solar cell exceeding the single-junction Shockley-Queisser limit of 33.7%., Competing Interests: Competing interests: A patent application (No. 202310730135.2, filed in China) that covers the asymmetrically sized texturing used in this work has been submitted., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) poses a significant public health issue, often leading to muscle atrophy and persistent neuropathic pain, which can drastically impact the quality of life for patients. Electrical stimulation represents an effective and non-pharmacological treatment to promote nerve regeneration. Yet, the postoperative application of electrical stimulation remains a challenge. Here, we propose a fully biodegradable, self-powered nerve guidance conduit (NGC) based on dissolvable zinc-molybdenum batteries. The conduit can offer topographic guidance for nerve regeneration and deliver sustained electrical cues between both ends of a transected nerve stump, extending beyond the surgical window. Schwann cell proliferation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production are enhanced by the introduction of the zinc-molybdenum batteries. In rodent models with 10-mm sciatic nerve damage, the device effectively enhances nerve regeneration and motor function recovery. This study offers innovative strategies for creating biodegradable and electroactive devices that hold important promise to optimize therapeutic outcomes for nerve regeneration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Selecting an appropriate anode material (AM) has been considered to be a crucial initial step in advancing high-performance batteries. Within this piece of research, we examine the suitability of the BC 6 NA monolayer (referred to as BC 6 NAML) as an AM by first-principles calculations. The BC 6 NAML exhibits metallic behavior consistently, even with varying concentrations of Na atoms, making it an ideal choice for battery usages. Our findings revealed that the theoretical storage capacity for Na-adhered BC 6 NAML was 406.36 mAhg -1 , surpassing graphite, TiO 2 , BC 6 NA, and numerous other 2D materials. The BC 6 NAML also demonstrates a diffusion barrier of 0.39 eV and favorable diffusivity of Na-ions. Although the open-circuit voltage (OCV) of BC6NAML was temperate and lower compared to the OCV of other AMs like TiO 2 , our results suggested that it is possible to utilize BC 6 NAML as one of the encouraging host materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Consequently, this investigation into the potential anodic application of BC 6 NAML proves valuable for future experimental studies into sodium storage for SIBs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim was to systematically evaluate the usability of all public electric vehicles (EV) direct current fast chargers (DCFC) in the San Francisco region., Background: To achieve a rapid transition to EVs, a highly reliable and easy to use charging infrastructure is critical to building confidence among consumers., Methods: The functionality and usability of all 182 open, public DCFC charging stations with CCS connectors (combined charging system) in the 9 counties of the Bay Area were tested (655 electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) ports). An EVSE was classified as functional if it charged an EV for 2 minutes., Results: Overall, 73.3% of the 655 EVSEs were functional. The causes of the nonfunctioning EVSEs (23.5%) were blank or unresponsive screens or error messages; payment system failures; charge initiation failures; network failures; or broken connectors. In addition, the cable was too short to reach the EV inlet for 3.2% of the EVSEs. A random sampling of 10% of the EVSEs, approximately 8 days after the first evaluation, found no overall change in functionality., Conclusions: The level of functionality found with field testing conflicts with the 95-98% uptime reported by the EV service providers (EVSPs) who operate the EV charging stations. There is a need for precise and verifiable definitions of uptime , downtime , and excluded time , as applied to public EV chargers., Application: The level of failure of the existing public EV DCFC charge infrastructure highlights the importance of improving the system design and maintenance to improve adoption of EVs.

Solar panel installation is generally exposed to dust. Therefore, soiling on the surface of the solar panels significantly reduces the effectiveness of solar panels. Accumulation of dust also shortens their lifespan and reduces efficiency by about 15% to 20%. A significant reduction in the efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels has been observed due to inadequate insulation and dust deposition or shading. To harness maximum solar energy from solar panels up to their rated capacity, they need to be cleaned periodically. Therefore, the current study focuses on the comparative performance analysis of two distinct types of self-cleaning mechanisms, namely self-cleaning wiper (SCW) and nano-coating method. These methods are economical and sustainable for the standard atmospheric conditions of Pakistan. Solar panels (reference, nano-coated, and self-cleaning wiper mechanism) were placed on the roof of the Mechanical Engineering Department MUST Mirpur AJK for five weeks. Solar irradiance, dust density & performance parameters of these three panels were recorded on weekly basis. It was observed that an increase in the rate of dust deposition negatively affects the conversion efficiency of solar panels. When dust density was increased from 7.5 to 18.15 (g/m2), the percentile drops in rated power (50W) for reference, nano-coated, and self-cleaning wiper mechanisms are 37%, 33% and 23%, respectively. Moreover, the payback period of nano-coated and SCW is 1.07 years and 2.79 years, respectively., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests, (Copyright: © 2024 Hameed et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The future trend in global automobile development is electrification, and the current collector is an essential component of the battery in new energy vehicles. Aiming at the misjudgment and omission caused by the confusing distribution, a wide range of sizes and types, and ambiguity of target defects in current collectors, an improved target detection model DCS-YOLO (DC-SoftCBAM YOLO) based on YOLOv5 is proposed. Firstly, the detection rate of defects with different scales is improved by adding detection layers; Secondly, we use the designed DC module as the backbone network to help the model capture the global information and semantic dependencies of the target, and effectively improve the generalization ability and detection performance of the model. Finally, in the neck part, we integrate our designed Convolutional Block Attention Module (SoftPool Convolutional Block Attention Module, SoftCBAM), which can adaptively learn the importance of channels, enhance feature representation, and enable the model to better deal with target details. Experimental results show that the mAP50 of the proposed DCS-YOLO model is 92.2%, which is 5.1% higher than the baseline model. The FPS reaches 147.1, and the detection accuracy of various defect categories is improved, especially Severely bad and No cover, and the detection recall rate reaches 100%. This method has high target detection model efficiency and meets the requirements of real-time detection of battery collector defects., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Tang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Wind power forecasting has complex nonlinear features and behavioral patterns across time scales, which is a severe test for traditional forecasting techniques. To address the multi-scale problem in wind power forecasting, this paper innovatively proposes an ultra-short-term forecasting model LFformer based on Legendre-Fourier, which firstly focuses on the important information in the input sequences by using the encoder-decoder architecture, and then scales the range of the original data with the Devlin normalization method, and then utilizes the Legendre polynomials to The data sequence is projected into a bounded dimensional space, the historical data is compressed using feature representation, then feature selection is performed using the low-rank approximation method of Fourier Transform, the prediction is inputted into the multilayer perceptron through the multi-scale mixing mechanism, and finally the results are outputted after back-normalization. The experimental results show that compared with the existing prediction methods, the model realizes the improvement of prediction accuracy and stability, especially in the ultra-short-term prediction scenario, with obvious advantages. The research results are not only valuable for improving the overall operational efficiency of the wind power system, but also help to enhance the stable operation of the power grid, which provides strong technical support and guarantee for wind power enterprises to improve the competitiveness of bidding for Internet access in the power market competition., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ma et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Egypt faces extreme traffic congestion in its cities, which results in long travel times, large lines of parked cars, and increased safety hazards. Our study suggests a multi-modal approach that combines critical infrastructure improvements with cutting-edge technologies to address the ubiquitous problem of traffic congestion. Assuring vehicles owners of their timely arrival, cutting down on fuel usage, and improving communication using deep learning approach and optimization algorithm within the potential of IoT enabled 5G framework are the main goals. The traffic management system incorporates detection cameras, Raspberry Pi 3 microcontroller, an Android application, cloud connectivity, and traditional traffic lights that are powered using PV modules and batteries to secure the traffic controllers operation in case of grid outage and assure service continuity. The model examines the difficulties associated with Internet of Things (IoT) communication, highlighting possible interference from device-to-device (D2D) devices and cellular user equipment. This all-encompassing strategy aims to reduce fuel consumption, increase road safety and improve traffic efficiency. The model predicts a significant increase in Egypt's urban mobility by utilizing the possibilities of IoT and 5G technologies, which would improve Egypt's towns' livability and efficiency. The goal of this paper is to modernize Egypt's traffic management system and bring it into compliance with global guidelines for intelligent transportation networks., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Ahmed et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSB) have been recognized as a prominent potential next-generation energy storage system, owing to their substantial theoretical specific capacity (1675 mAh g -1 ) and high energy density (2600 Wh kg -1 ). In addition, sulfur's abundance, low cost, and environmental friendliness make commercializing LSB feasible. However, challenges such as poor cycling stability and reduced capacity, stemming from the formation and diffusion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), hinder LSB's practical application. Introducing functional separators represents an effective strategy to surmount these obstacles and enhance the electrochemical performance of LSBs. Here, we have conducted a comprehensive review of recent advancements in functional separators for LSBs about various (i) carbon and metal compound materials, (ii) polymer materials, and (iii) novel separators in recent years. The detailed preparation process, morphology and performance characterization, and advantages and disadvantages are summarized, aiming to fundamentally understand the mechanisms of improving battery performance. Additionally, the development potential and future prospects of advanced separators are also discussed.

With the increasing demand for electricity load in China, orderly power utilization are important measures to alleviate electricity shortages during peak periods. This article establishes a multi-objective optimization model for orderly power utilization in active distribution networks is established, with the optimization objectives of minimizing the total operation cost, minimizing the cost for users, and minimizing the load fluctuation of the system. This model contains a large number of integer variables and nonlinear constraints, which is difficult to solve. To reduce computation time, convex relaxation techniques are adopted to transform the original model into a mixed-integer second-order cone programming (MISOCP) model, which has lower computational complexity. Furthermore, The improved ε-constraint method is proposed to solve the model, which can directly and quickly find the compromise optimal solution of the multi-objective problem. By using simplex search algorithm, the proposed method dose not need to traverse all grid points, which can significantly reduce computation time. Finally, case study on the the IEEE-33 bus distribution network demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Wen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The protection system is crucial for grid stability and safeguarding essential components, including generators, transformers, transmission systems, and power connections. The smart grid system increases the flexibility and complexity of the power system, making fault detection and isolation the primary challenges for the protection system. This paper presents an optimal protection solution using an adaptive electronic relay to enhance reliability and enable self-healing. The proposed protection algorithm quickly detects faults and automatically isolates them from the rest of the healthy system in 25ms. The relay operation algorithm has been validated using MATLAB SIMULINK software. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed smart electronic relay in various sections of the smart grid system, including transformers, transmission and distribution., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Nasrallah et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have become a promising and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to their low cost, high energy, and high safety. However, dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs), and corrosion significantly restrict the performance and scalability of AZIBs. We propose the introduction of a BaTiO 3 (BTO) piezoelectric polarized coating as an interface modification strategy for ZIBs. The low surface energy of the BTO (110) crystal plane ensures its thermodynamic preference during crystal growth in experimental processes and exhibits very low reactivity toward oxidation and corrosion. Calculations of interlayer coupling mechanisms reveal a stable junction between BTO (110) and Zn (002), ensuring system stability. Furthermore, the BTO (110) coating also effectively inhibits HERs. Diffusion kinetics studies of Zn ions demonstrate that BTO effectively suppresses the dendrite growth of Zn due to its piezoelectric effect, ensuring uniform zinc deposition. Our work proposes the introduction of a piezoelectric material coating into AZIBs for interface modification, which provides an important theoretical perspective for the mechanism of inhibiting dendrite growth and side reactions in AZIBs.

Micro-LiNiCoMnO 2 (MNCM), a cathode material with highest market share, has increasing demand with the growth of lithium battery industry. However, whether MNCM exposure brings adverse effects to workers remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between MNCM exposure with systemic inflammation and cardiac function. A cross-sectional study of 347 workers was undertaken from the MNCM production industry in Guangdong province, China in 2020. Metals in urine were measured using ICP-MS. The associations between metals, systemic inflammation, and cardiac function were appraised using a linear or logistic regression model. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and generalized weighted quantile sum (gWQS) models were used to explore mixed metal exposures. The analysis of interaction and mediation was adopted to assess the role of inflammation in the relation between urinary metals and cardiac function. We observed that the levels of lithium (Li) and cobalt (Co) were positively associated with systemic inflammation and heart rate. The amount of Co contributed the highest weight on the increased systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (59.8%), the system inflammation response index (SIRI) (44.3%), and heart rate (65.0%). Based on the mediation analysis, we estimated that SII mediated 32.3% and 20.9% of the associations between Li and Co with heart rate, and SIRI mediated 44.6% and 22.2% of the associations between Li and Co with heart rate, respectively. This study demonstrated for the first time that MNCM exposure increased the risk of workers' systemic inflammation and elevated heart rate, which were contributed by the excessive Li and Co exposure. Additionally, it indicates that systemic inflammation was a major mediator of the associations of Li and Co with cardiac function in MNCM production workers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)