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In the fast-growing dimension and difficulty of the electricity network, frequency regulation (FR) is considered to be the major significant choice for presenting superior quality electric power su...

Multiferroic composites are promising candidates for magnetic field sensors, next-generation low power memory and spintronic devices, as they exhibit much higher magnetoelectric (ME) coupling and coupled ordering parameters compared to the single-phase multiferroics. Hence, the 3-0 type particulate multiferroic composites having general formula (1 − Φ)[PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3]-Φ[Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4] (Φ = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1.0, (1 − Φ) PFN-ΦCZFMO) were prepared using a hybrid synthesis technique. Preliminary structural and microstructural analysis were carried out using XRD and FESEM techniques, which suggest the formation of 3-0 type particulate composite without the presence of any impurity phases. The multiferroic behaviour of the composites is studied with polarization versus electric field (P-E) and magnetization versus magnetic field (M-H) characteristics at room temperature. The nature of ME coupling was investigated elaborately by employing the Landau free energy equation along with the magneto-capacitance measurement. This investigation suggests the existence of biquadratic nature of ME coupling (P2M2). The magneto-electric coupling measurement also suggests that strain mediated domain coupling between the ferroelectric and magnetic ordering is responsible for the magneto-electric behaviour. The obtained value of direct ME coefficient 26.78 mV/cm-Oe for Φ = 0.3, found to be higher than the well-known single-phase materials and polycrystalline composites.

We probe the influence of particle size polydispersity on field-induced structures and structural transitions in magnetic fluids (ferrofluids) using phase contrast optical microscopy, light scattering and Brownian dynamics simulations. Three different ferrofluids containing superparamagnetic nanoparticles of different polydispersity indices (PDIs) are used. In a ferrofluid with a high PDI (∼0.79), thin chains, thick chains, and sheets are formed on increasing the in-plane magnetic field, whereas isotropic bubbles, and hexagonal and lamellar/stripe structures are formed on increasing the out-of-plane magnetic field over the same range. In contrast, no field-induced aggregates are seen in the sample with low polydispersity under the above conditions. In a polydisperse sample, bubbles are formed at a very low magnetic field strength of 30 G. Insights into the structural evolution with increasing magnetic field strength are obtained by carrying out Brownian dynamics simulations. The crossovers from isotropic, through hexagonal columnar, to lamellar/stripe structures observed with increasing field strength in the high-polydispersity sample indicate the prominent roles of large, more strongly interacting particles in structural transitions in ferrofluids. Based on the observed microstructures, a phase diagram is constructed. Our work opens up new opportunities to develop optical devices and access diverse structures by tuning size polydispersity. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.

The effect of tube material and structure on fluid elastic instability is examined experimentally using a parallel triangular finned tube array with a P/D ratio of 1.78. Flow-induced vibration is a common cause of failure in shell and tube heat exchangers, and it may result in substantial harm to the heat exchanger as well as significant financial loss. There are different mechanisms responsible for flow induced vibration out of which fluid elastic instability and vortex shedding are the most severe due to their sudden occurrence and high amplitude of vibration. Different parameters affect the tube vibration when the tube array is subjected to water crossflow. In this paper effect of tube material and fin are examined for fluid elastic instability. Experimentation was performed to measure demanding velocity at fluid elastic instability for plain and finned tubes for steel, aluminum and copper material. A fully flexible tube array with a cantilever end condition and with a constant pitch ratio subjected to water cross flow was considered. Testing was done with a gradually increasing water flow rate from 5 m3/hr and increases up to 75 m3/hr to obtain fluid elastic instability. The relationship between the critical velocity at fluid elastic instability and the mass damping parameter was investigated using Connor's equation. The amplitude response of vibration concerning the change in velocity shows that the addition of fins, as well as the material change, greatly affects the fluid elastic instability. A small peak before the occurrence of fluid elastic instability was observed. This is maybe due to vortex shedding which further required to be verified using the Strouhal number.

Blood cell images contain lots of uncertainties due to the randomness and variability of gray values. The contrast between the objects and the background of blood cell images are viewed as fuzzy in nature. So, varieties of fuzzy image thresholding mechanisms have been adopted for removing the grayness and vagueness of blood cell images. In this paper, a noble fuzzy segmentation technique is proposed, which processes fuzzy divergence with the mathematical morphological operation. At first, blood cell images are pre-processed to avoid uneven illumination and to reduce noise by fuzzy image morphology, and in the later stage a suitable threshold point is determined using the modified fuzzy divergence. The quality of the obtained images in the fuzzy divergence with the morphology method is observed for enhancement and better entropy. In this paper, we have used a new fuzzy Lomax-Gumbel membership function with the Fuzzy Divergence algorithm in order to overcome the loopholes of other well-known membership functions. The experimental results tested form the point of view of the robustness of the modified method by comparing with Chaira’s method. Finally, the mean value, entropy, and Standard Deviation have been calculated, which are found as greater values than the values of Chaira’s method.

Mg3Sb2 based Zintl compounds are promising thermoelectric materials due to the abundance of magnesium and antimony in nature. However, the main hindrance in realizing the full potential of Mg3Sb2 compounds for thermoelectric applications is the low figure of merit (zT) of p-type Mg3Sb2, in comparison with its n-type counterpart. We report here the enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of p-type Cu and Ag co-doped Mg3Sb2 processed by a solid-state synthesis route. The samples contain α-Mg3Sb2 as a major phase along with elemental Sb as a minor phase. The doped Mg3Sb2 compounds are thermally stable up to 773 K, irrespective of the presence of a small amount of Sb. The co-doping of Ag and Cu in Mg3Sb2 is found to enhance the power factor to 0.8 mW mK−2 and the thermoelectric figure of merit to 0.76 at 673 K. This is the highest figure of merit among doped p-type Mg3Sb2 compounds reported to date. The rattling of the heavy atoms in co-doped Mg3Sb2 is found to significantly reduce the lattice thermal conductivity, which enhances the thermoelectric figure of merit. This work proposes an effective strategy to enhance the zT of p-type Mg3Sb2via Cu–Ag co-doping at Mg sites.

The present study explains the process parameter optimization of friction surfaced deposition of stainless steel over medium carbon steel with multi response criteria according to Taguchi method and the desirability function analysis. The experimental samples were carried out on the basis of L9 orthogonal arrays. The influence of friction surfacing process parameters like axial load, rotational speed and transverse speed on the formation of coating width, thickness and interface temperature was analysed. The optimum process parameters were obtained using both the Taguchi method and the desirability function approach. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied also for the exploration of the effect of coating parameters. A regression model was developed for coating width, thickness and interface temperature as a function of process variables. Based on the optimal friction surfacing parameters the confirmatory experiments were conducted and improvement was verified.

We have reported experimental studies on the self-assembly and degree of ordering of a binary mixture of soft colloids in monolayer deposits obtained by controlled evaporation. A sessile drop containing soft colloids is evaporated on a solid surface to achieve a loosely-packed two-dimensional deposit with a hexagonal arrangement. The soft microgel particles possess a hard core with a compliant corona, which plays a crucial role in retaining the crystallinity of the binary particle monolayer. The ordered arrangement of the binary mixture is observed even when the bulk diameter of one type of particle is 25% higher than the other, irrespective of their mixing ratio (1 : 3, 1 : 1, and 3 : 1). The microgel particles of both sizes are found to be homogeneously distributed throughout the deposit, completely suppressing the size-dependent particle segregation. Furthermore, in contrast to the self-assembly of bidisperse hard colloids, wherein the lattice distorts to accommodate particles of disparate sizes, in soft colloids, the particles deform at the interface to preserve the crystalline lattice. Moreover, unlike the gradual order-to-disorder transition observed in the deposits consisting of monodisperse microgel particles, the deposits of a binary mixture of microgels exhibit no noticeable trend. The areal disorder parameter, pair correlation function and the shape factor which quantifies the local ordering of particles in the deposit indicate the absence of a distinct order-to-disorder transition for the binary mixtures.

For the dependable, safe, and stable operation of electric systems, frequency should be regulated continuously employing appropriate intelligent controllers. Hence, this paper proposes a Chaotic Ha...

Hollow nanotubular ZnO structures were engineered using graphitic carbon nanofibers (GCNF) as removal templates by a modified coprecipitation method. Two dissimilar morphological ZnO-GCNF hybrids w...

Ferroelectric ceramic–polymer composites consisting of Poly Vinyledine Fluoride–Hexa Fluoro Propylene (PVDF-HFP) as polymer host and 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3−0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-BCT) ceramics as filler were prepared using solution casting technique. These composites are characterized for structural, microstructural, vibrational, optical, dielectric and ferroelectric properties at various experimental conditions. The electroactive β phase fraction (observed from XRD and FTIR analysis) increases as the filler concentration increases up to 20 wt% of BZT-BCT and above that its value decreases. FTIR results were analyzed to understand the mechanism of enhancement of β phase by the interaction between negatively surface charged ions of filler with the CH2 dipole of polymer matrix. UV–visible spectroscopy also employed to confirm polymer–ceramic filler interaction. Variation of the dielectric constant with different filler concentrations is explained using the percolation theory. Finally, the interplay between the functional properties and the β phase is discussed in detail.

In the present work, a hybrid Teaching Learning Based Optimization and Pattern Search (hTLBO-PS) technique with Tilted Integral Derivative (TID) controller is suggested for Automatic Generation Control (AGC) under deregulated environment. In the beginning, a two-area four units thermal-gas system is assumed and Tilted Integral Derivative (TID) controller is employed. The superiority of hTLBO-PS based TID is illustrated by comparing the published results with Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Differential Evolution (DE) tuned I/PI/PID controllers for the identical test scheme. After that the suggested methodology is extended to 2-area with 6-units power system by considering the non-linearities parameters. Additionally, to improve the performance of the system, a Thyristor Controlled Phase Shifter (TCPS) is connected in the tie-line and Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) devices are considered in each area. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of proposed method with perturbation in plant parameters has been analyzed.

PurposeArguments for the design of sustainable university buildings have emerged in South Africa. Energy being a major determinant of the sustainability of buildings, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of various building and indoor environmental parameters on the energy performance of university buildings in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey research method, administered within the context of university buildings in South Africa, was used. Data about 16 buildings from three universities were collected. Relevant, inferential statistical analyses were conducted to examine the relative influence of the building parameters on the energy consumed in the buildings. Also, regression models within building parameters were developed independently and in a combination that could be used to estimate energy consumption in the university buildings.FindingsFindings suggested that building and indoor environmental parameters of humidity, indoor temperature, volume, illumination, and window width ratio (WWR), in that order, influenced energy consumption significantly, and also, had direct empirical relationships.Practical implicationsOptimising the building and indoor environmental parameters in design will enhance energy-efficiency in university buildings in South Africa.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in terms of understanding the order of influence of building parameters on energy consumption in university buildings in the temperate climatic zone of South Africa. It also established empirical models between building and indoor environmental parameters and energy consumption, both independently and in combination, that could assist in designing energy-efficient and sustainable university buildings.

Co-rich ZnCo2O4 (ZCO) two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets are decorated with highly porous, glucose-derived, zero-dimensional (0D) interconnected network-like carbon nanospheres (CNS) using an in situ hydrothermal method. The content of CNS in the reaction is varied to produce two different composites (CNS@ZCO-I and CNS@ZCO-II). Their physicochemical properties are examined and compared with those of the pristine-CNS and ZCO samples. The non-stoichiometry of the elements in ZCO of the composites is quantified by X-ray diffraction using a Reitveld refinement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. CNS@ZCO-II is found to be Co-rich in ZnCo2O4 compared to the other samples. The high surface area of the CNS and non-stoichiometry of Zn/Co in the composites provide a short ion/electron transport path distance, high electronic conductivity, additional electrochemical active sites, and stable structural integrity. This viable strategy offers a good interaction between the CNS and ZCO, which translates to better electrochemical activity as an electrode material for energy storage devices. The CNS@ZCO-II composite with a higher CNS concentration shows an excellent electrochemical performance of approximately 1116.24 F g−1 at 0.35 A g−1 (compared to the pristine-ZCO and CNS@ZCO-I composite).

In the rapidly growing size and intricacy of the power system network, Load Frequency Control (LFC) is considered to be the utmost vital requirement for supplying quality power to the customers. Mo...

PurposeThe built environment is well known for carbon emission and its impact especially as it pertains to existing buildings. This has culminated in an increasing need for a retrofit of such buildings. This study details the development of an artefact for improving the delivery of energy retrofit projects therein to curb these impacts.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized a mixed method research design for data collection. In achieving this, data was collected in three different phases; (1) a pilot study; (2) a juxtaposition of desktop case studies, live case studies, focus group discussion forum and an expert survey; and (3) a questionnaire survey for the validation of the emergent artefact. Accordingly, the quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas qualitative content analysis was deployed for qualitative data.FindingsThe findings enabled an identification of the elements of a building energy retrofit project (BERP) such as project initiation, building assessment, detailed energy survey, technical analysis and implementation plans of energy measures, monitoring and verification. Also, it provided the challenges and enablers associated with successful BERP. This information was subsequently utilized in the development and validation of an artefact for delivering successful BERP. Summarily, a set of guidelines comprising of seven stages for managing successful BERPs were elucidated.Practical implicationsThe validated artefact provides an adaptive and innovative route for achieving sustainability in retrofit trade.Originality/valueThe study conceptualizes an artefact for improving the delivery of BERPs.

Improvement in area of artificial intelligence for predicting different hydrological phenomenon has shaped an enormous alteration in predictions. Knowledge on suspended sediment load (SSL) is vital in managing water resources problems and safe guard environment. Present study evaluated accurateness of five soft computing techniques, i.e. radial basis function network (RBFN), cascade forward back propagation neural network (CFBPNN), support vector machine (SVM), integration of support vector machine with firefly algorithm (SVM-FFA) and phase space reconstruction (PSR) with SVM-FFA (PSR-SVM-FFA) approaches to estimate daily SSL in Salebhata, Suktel, Lant gauge stations in western part of Odisha, India. Performance of selected models were evaluated on basis of performance criterion namely root mean square error (RMSE), Nash-Sutcliffe (NSE), Wilton index (WI) for choosing best fit model. Results acquired verified that application of various neural network methods in present field of study showed fine concurrence with observed SSL values. Comparison of estimation accuracies of different methods exemplified that PSR-SVM-FFA is very precise to estimate SSL when compared with other models. Result shows that Suktel gauge station, the best value of WI is 0.978 for PSR-SVM-FFA model, while it is 0.959, 0.923, 0.885, and 0.842 for SVM-FFA, SVM, CFBPNN, RBFN models in testing phase. Moreover, cumulative SSL data calculated by PSR-SVM-FFA method are closer to observed data as compared to other methods.

In this article, we report the influence of substrate temperature (Tsub) on the evaporation driven patterning of colloids on solid substrates. When the drops are dried in an environment maintained ...

We categorized chickpea nodules based on their size (mm) [large (> 7), medium (2–7), small (

This paper presents a modified moth swarm algorithm (mMSA) to solve the frequency control of distributed power generation system (DPGS). The DPGS contains renewables like wind, solar photovoltaic as well as storage devices like the battery and flywheel along with electric vehicles. At the first stage, the superiority of the proposed mMSA over moth swarm algorithm is compared by considering benchmark unimodal, multimodal and fixed-dimension test functions. The outcomes are also compared with some recently suggested optimization algorithms to validate the superiority of the suggested mMSA method. In the next step, the hybrid fuzzy PD–PI (hFPD–PI) controller is proposed for the frequency regulation of DPGS. To authenticate the feasibility of the proposed method, experimental validation employing hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulation based on OPAL-RT has been carried out. Further, to study the effect of uncertainties in the parameters of the studied system, sensitivity analysis is performed. Finally, the proposed approach is compared with some newly proposed frequency regulation methods in a standard two-area test system. It is noticed that mMSA-based hFPD–PI controller provides better frequency regulation compared to some recent approaches.

Here, the assessment of suspended sediment load is evaluated by four ANN algorithms: support vector machine (SVM), cascade-forward back-propagation (CFBP), feed-forward back-propagation (FFBP), and radial basis fewer neuron (RBFN) networks. Techniques are applied to a watershed of arid region, India. Sensitivity in terms of Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (ENS), correlation coefficient (CC), and ratio between root mean square error and standard deviation (RSR) are computed. Results show that SVM shows preeminent value of RSR 0.0636, ENS 0.8869, and CC 0.9418, while Qt, Qt−1, Qt−2, Qt−3, Qt−4, Pt, Pt−1, Pt−2, Pt−3 architecture is applied. But for the same architecture, FFBP, RBFN and CFBP illustrate that the paramount value of CC is 0.9350, 0.9228, and 0.8985. As a whole, the performance of SVM shows superiority while considering various combinations of discharge and rainfall in contrast to FFBP, CFBP, and RBFN algorithm. Among all techniques, RBFN performs poor as compared to other algorithms. Interpretation of the results will help to compute sediment load in un-gauged catchments.

Recent studies in tribology show that deterministic surface texture enhances the tribological performance of parallel sliding lubricated contacts in terms of reduction in friction and an increase in load carrying capacity. This paper presents an experimental study to assess the effect of texture size and height on hydrodynamic performance of parallel sliding thrust bearing. Positive deterministic textures of different size and height with circular, elliptical, square and triangular cross-sections are fabricated for investigation. The experiments are performed using an in-house developed thrust bearing apparatus with constant flow lubrication system. The most important finding is that all the textured surfaces produce lower frictional torque and higher bearing clearance as compared to the untextured surface under varying load and speed. From the test results, it is found that with same texture height, specimens having small texture size perform better tribological characteristics followed by medium and large size textures. Furthermore, it is reported that with same texture size, a higher value of texture height is promising better hydrodynamic performance for all shapes.

The present work showcases the relationship between process variables and coating dimensions of Aluminium-AA6063 over stainless steel-AISI316 through friction surfacing. A 23 factorial design technique and RSM were performed, also the existed model was authenticated by confirmatory experiments. Influence of variation in rotational speed (2000, 2400, 2800 rpm), transverse speed (75, 150, 225 mm/min) and axial force (4, 5, 6 kN) on coating width and thickness was investigated. Analysis of interfacial characteristics of the coating was made using SEM and EDX techniques. 150 mm/min transverse speed, 5 kN axial force and 2400 rpm rotational speed were identified as optical parameters with an observed coating thickness = 1.96 mm and width = 18.12 mm respectively.

Magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures can exhibit higher magnetic and ferroelectric ordering temperatures along with large ME coupling compared to single-phase multiferroic materials. We synthesized Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PFN)/Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 (NZFO)/Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PFN)/Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 (NZFO)/Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PFN) multilayer heterostructures having dimensions of 40/10/40/10/40 nm. High quality epitaxial growth of these heterostructures was confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns. These nanostructures show well saturated polarization (∼52 μC cm−2) and magnetization (∼62 emu cm−3) at room temperature (RT). The magnetic and ferroelectric transitions occur well above RT. These heterostructures exhibit relaxor behavior and undergo 2nd order ferroelectric phase transition. Magnetodielectric measurements show significant coupling between the magnetic and electrical order parameters at RT. These characteristics of the heterostructures make them suitable as potential candidates for ultra-low power memory, spintronics, and different multifunctional (micro)nanoscale device applications.

Growing car ownership and congestion are a threat to transportation sustainability in urban areas globally. Cities in the developing world have not been spared from the congestion problems due to the influx of vehicles and the subsequent increase in private vehicle ownership. Congestion in developing countries is also associated with limited road infrastructure and lack of traffic management resources. Poor traffic management leads to inconvenience as it is characterized by an increase in travel time. The study evaluates congestion in Gaborone as experienced and perceived by regular travellers, using both public and private transportation in Gaborone. The objective of this paper is to investigate the state of road transportation congestion by assessing road user perceptions on travelling times and delays as well as investigating private transportation users’ possibilities of migrating to public transportation use with the influence of ICT. To achieve this, we evaluate individuals travel times, develop regression models predicting total trip duration for an individuals’ trips per day as well as exploring travellers’ experiences with the public transportation system and their understanding of sustainability in relation to increased private vehicle use. The study further evaluates factors that could influence modal shift from private to public transportation as a way of reducing vehicles on the roads.

Modelling of runoff is a significant practice in water resources engineering. Therefore, discovering consistent and advanced methods for prediction of runoff is crucial for hydrologic processes. Here, a narrative integrated intelligence model attached with PSR (phase space reconstruction) is anticipated to estimate runoff for five watersheds of Balangir, Odisha, India. Monthly monsoon precipitation, temperature, humidity data of five watersheds over 28 years (1990–2017) are employed and validated. Here, the proposed model is an integration of support vector machine (SVM) with firefly algorithm (FFA) and PSR. Various indices such as NSE (Nash–Sutcliffe), RMSE (root mean square error) and WI (Willmott's index) are used to find the performance of the model. The developed PSR-SVM-FFA model demonstrates pre-eminent WI value ranging from 0.97 to 0.98 while the SVM and SVM-FFA models encompass 0.92 to 0.93 and 0.94 to 0.95, respectively. Also, an assessment of data from the suggested model is schemed and validated. The proposed PSR-SVM-FFA model gives better accuracy results and error limiting up to 2–3%.

The present experimental work has attempted to analyze the influence of substrate heating on coating geometry during the deposition of stainless steel over medium carbon steel substrate using friction surfacing process. Inductive heating was applied to the substrate plate using an electric unit with three different temperatures of 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C. Elemental process parameters like axial force, rotational speed and transverse speed with different combinations were considered for conducting experimental work. The material consumption rate (CR) and deposition rate (DR) were extensively studied. The high rate of material consumption and deposition were seen at samples obtained from 600 °C of inductive heating compared to the conventional friction surfacing process. Using the IR thermometer, the interface temperature at both the advancing and the retreating side was recorded which showed a higher temperature was experienced by advancing side than the retreating side. The mechanical strength of the coating was analyzed by micro hardness and bending tests. Interfacial attributes of the coating were analyzed by using FE- SEM images and the elemental composition at the coating interface was studied through the EDAX report.

Hypothesis Spray drying is a facile technique to transform colloidal dispersion into micro-granules of controlled size, shape, and morphology. There is significant interest to understand the structural integrity, different morphology of the granules obtained post spray drying which find potential application in many technological fields. The shape of the constituent particles in the colloidal dispersion that is spray dried is expected to influence the micro-structural features of the micro-granules. Experiments We investigate the formation of micro-granules consisting of nano-ellipsoids through controlled spray drying. The morphological features and the packing of ellipsoids in the granules are quantitatively analyzed by using small angle neutron scattering, small angle X-ray scattering and high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy. The time evolution of the micro-structure and the structural integrity of the granules are investigated by re-dispersing the powder granules in water. Findings The morphology of the granules are found to be strongly correlated with the aspect ratio of the ellipsoid. While the drying of droplets containing lower aspect ratio ellipsoids give rise to mostly spherical granules, in stark contrast, for higher aspect ratio ellipsoids, micro-granules of different morphologies are formed including doughnut shaped granules. A plausible mechanism explaining such an aspect ratio dependent shape transformation is proposed.

This article offers a systematic and practical framework for identifying sustainable manufacturing practices from a resource efficiency perspective to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) achieve industry-specific resource efficiency goals. It describes a tool called the Resource Efficiency Guidebook (REG) that combines a resource efficiency principle matrix and spreadsheet calculators to offer SMEs a systematic model for identifying and selecting industrial resource efficiency projects. REG contains assessment recommendations selected from industrial resource assessments performed in real manufacturing facilities. REG consists with six distinct resource categories where each category is accompanied by a list of common assessment recommendations (ARs). These ARs address specific improvements in resource efficiency and cost savings opportunities from across all genres of manufacturing industry. Each AR is accompanied by information containing all of the necessary calculations to re-produce the AR in another plant. Additionally, each resource category is accompanied by a set of best practices that explains the fundamentals of resource efficiency principles. This paper presents brief case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the REG for improving resource efficiency both economically and environmentally and discusses for the continued development of holistic and practical methods for assessing, developing and implementing resource efficiencies.

Very recently, it was suggested that non-aqueous acetonitrile/AOT/n-heptane microemulsions may undergo a interfacial transition from reverse micelle (RM) to bi-continuous microemulsion (BMC) above an intermediate ws (= [acetonitrile]/[AOT]). Herein, we develop a unique strategy for probing interfacial transition of the microemulsion by using microemulsion as a template for synthesis of hydrophobic silver colloids. Precursors (silver nitrate) and reducing agents (ascorbic acid) are insoluble in n-heptane phase and thus, Ag colloids formation occur solely inside the acetonitrile fraction and therefore, the structural morphology of the Ag colloids provides valuable information regarding the structure of the template where Ag colloids formation occur. At low ws (≤ 1), synthesized silver colloids exhibits remarkably strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band but the strength of SPR remarkably drops at ws = 2 and almost vanishes at ws = 3. TEM measurements revealed the presence of isolated spherical monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of ∼6 nm diameter at lower ws and larger distribution of nanoparticle sizes at ws = 2. Most interestingly, interconnected Ag colloids packed channels were found at ws = 3 which directly shows footprint of the BMC nature of the microemulsion template. Thus, the characteristics of Ag colloids (i.e. size distribution and optical quality) provide valuable information about interfacial structure of the microemulsion and suggested that microemulsion switches from RM to BMC nature at an intermediate ws.

Single phase polycrystalline DyMnO3 (DMO) was synthesized using acrylamide polymer gel template method. We report the structural, magnetic, specific heat and dielectric properties of DMO over wide experimental conditions. Room temperature XRD pattern shows the formation of singe phase material without any impurity. The magnetic properties such as magnetization versus temperature (M vs. T) and magnetization versus magnetic field (M vs. H) were studied around the transition temperatures region. The temperature dependent magnetization data suggest two phase transitions corresponding to the lock-in temperature below which ferroelectric ordering exist (around 19 K; Tlock) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of Dy spin (around 8 K; TN (Dy)). The magnetic hysteresis obtained were fitted to extract weak ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic/paramagnetic (AFM/PM) contribution to the magnetic data. The order of magnetic transitions were analyzed from Arrott plot. The temperature dependent specific heat measurement shows all three phase transitions corresponding to (i) AFM ordering of Mn spin (around 38 K; TN(Mn)), (ii) Tlock transition and (iii) TN(Dy) transition. The effect of magnetic field to the transitions were studied using specific heat capacity measurement. The peak intensity of TN(Dy) decreases on the application of magnetic field whereas peak intensity of Tlock increases with increase in magnetic field in specific heat measurement. Further the third anomaly, TN (Mn) remains more or less unaffected by the application of magnetic field. The intrinsic dielectric behaviour of the material was observed up to 160 K, above this temperature there is large increase in dielectric value due to the contribution from Maxwell- Wagner polarization.

Free standing and flexible ferroelectric ceramic-polymer composites (PVDF+ ϕ wt.% of BNBT (0.94Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-0.06BaTiO3)) with 0–3 connectivity were synthesized by solution-casting technique. Composite nature and homogeneous distribution of ceramic filler particles in PVDF were confirmed with x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic analysis. The intensity ratio of β-phase with respect to α–phase i.e., I20.2°/I18.4° (obtained from XRD analysis) and the fraction of electro-active beta phase i.e., F(β)% (obtained from FTIR analysis) are enhanced with increase in filler concentrations and peaked for 35 wt% of the ceramic filler. An enhancement of the % of crystallinity (calculated from XRD analysis) has been observed with increase in the filler concentrations. The increase of the fraction of β-phase has been explained on the basis of ion (negatively charged surface ion of the ferroelectric ceramic filler) -dipole (-CH2 dipole of the polymer matrix) interactions, as evidenced from FTIR and UV-VIS absorbance spectra. Relative dielectric permittivity (dielectric constant) and ferroelectric polarization were found to be highest for the composite with 35 wt% of ferroelectric ceramic filler. Percolation theory has been successfully employed to explain the observed trend in the dielectric properties with the compositional variation. Significant enhancement in the electro active β-phase has been correlated with the improved dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the composite.

Lithium ion-conducting metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are rapidly gaining interest because of their potential application as ion-permeable, robust electrode separators in rechargeable batteries, arguably the most ubiquitous portable clean energy storage devices developed to date. A novel, water-stable 2D sheet-like neutral Cu(I)–sulfonate MOF featuring π-acidic naphthalenediimide (NDI) ligands that can simultaneously bind guest lithium ions with its carbonyl and uncoordinated sulfonate oxygen atoms and charge diffuse perchlorate anions through anion−π interaction has been constructed. While the pristine MOF pellets displayed poor intrinsic electrical conductivity (4.65 × 10–10 S/m) at room temperature due to inadequate charge carrier density and electron delocalization pathway, upon infiltration of LiClO4, its ionic conductivity surged almost million times to 2.3 × 10–4 S/m, and the activation energy for charge carrier transport dropped to a mere 0.167 eV. In contrast, the conductivity of Bu4NClO4-treate...

Developing a responsive pavement-management infrastructure system is of paramount importance, accentuated by the quest for sustainability through adoption of the Road Traffic Management System. Technological advances have been witnessed in developed countries concerning the development of smart, sustainable transportation infrastructure. However, the same cannot be said of developing countries. In this study, the development of a pavement management system at network level was examined to contribute towards a framework for evaluating a Pavement Quality Index and service life capacity. Environmental surface response models in the form of temperature and moisture variations within the pavement were applied, using sensor devices connected to a data cloud system to carry out mathematical analysis using a distinctive mesh analysis deformation model. The results indicated variation in the Resilient Modulus of the pavement, with increasing moisture content. Increase in moisture propagation increased saturation of the unbound granular base which reduced the elastic modulus of the sub-base and base layer and reduced the strength of the pavement, resulting in bottom-up cracks and cracking failure. The horizontal deformation reduced, indicating that the material was experiencing work hardening and further stress would not result in significant damage. Increasing temperature gradient resulted in reduced stiffness of the asphalt layer. In tropical regions, this can result in rutting failure which, over time, results in top-down cracks and potholes, coupled with increasing moisture content.

In this work metaheuristic technique such as modified Hybrid Whale Optimization Algorithm (mWOA) is used for control of speed along with ripple reduction in output torque of 75 KW, 4-phase 8/6 Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) drive. The objective is to develop a controller for combined goal of speed control and ripple reduction in output torque of SRM. Various performance factors such as gain of proportional controller & integral controller of speed controller as well as of current controller commutation angle values are considered for performance assessment of SRM. A comparison is made of the performance of SRM with implementation of modified Whale Optimization Algorithm (mWOA) & Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). It is seen that coefficient of torque ripple, ISE of current and objective function is reduced by mWOA algorithm as compared to WOA.

Empirical evidence shows that design-related challenges influence delay in building projects in India. Based on case studies of building projects from the capital region of Odisha Province of India, the factors relating to consultants and design have been identified and policy interventions were compiled to reduce design linked delay. A survey method to collect data, statistical analysis and a Systems Dynamics modelling approach were used according to different scenarios to propose strategic interventions. The findings suggested that complexity of design and compilation of documents, and the combined complexity of both can cause substantial delay. The model results revealed that the combined effect of appointing competent consultants and communicating effectively could reduce delay significantly. The novelty of the study lies in using a systems approach to develop causal feedback relationships among variables, as opposed to considering one origin of the problem at a time. The study makes three contributions: (1) design-linked challenges and mechanisms of delay, based on causal feedback relationships in building construction, can be diagnosed to evolve appropriate remedial measures; (2) impacts of different interventions can be visualised quantitatively under different scenarios; and (3) an alternative methodology to examine the trend of the project period is offered.

We report the evolution of the thermoelectric and mechanical properties of n-type SnSe obtained by iodine doping at the Se site. The thermoelectric performance of n-type SnSe is detailed in the temperature range starting from 150 K ≤ T ≤ 700 K. The power factor of 0.25% iodine doped SnSe is found to be 0.33 mW m−1 K−2 at 700 K, comparable to that of the other monovalent doped n-type SnSe. The temperature-dependent electrical conductivity of the undoped and iodine doped SnSe samples is corroborated by using the adiabatic small polaron hopping model. A very low value of thermal conductivity, 0.62 W m−1 K−1, is obtained at 300 K and is comparable to that of SnSe single crystals. The low thermal conductivity of n-type polycrystalline SnSe is understood by taking into account the anharmonic phonon vibrations induced by the incorporation of heavy iodine atoms at the Se sites as well as the structural hierarchy of the compound. Besides, iodine doping is found to improve the reduced Young's modulus and hardness values of SnSe, which is highly desirable for thermoelectric device applications.

We report the unique actuation characteristics of moisture-driven, fully reversible soft biopolymer films fabricated from Bombyx mori silk. The instantaneous actuation is driven by the water vapor induced stress gradient generated across the thickness of the film, and it possesses subsecond response and actuation times. The excellent durability and consistent performance of the film without any noticeable fatigue are established by subjecting it to more than a thousand continuous actuation cycles. The weight-lifting capability of the film is fascinating, where a few tens of micrograms of water generate a colossal force required to lift hundreds of milligrams of weight. Several other potential uses of silk fibroin based soft actuators, such as an intelligent textile layer with the crescent-shaped windows that open on perspiring skin and an autonomous crawler, are also demonstrated. Interestingly, even moisture emanating from the human palm triggers the ultrafast actuation process. These silk films are fabricated using a simple facile solution-casting technique, which can be scaled up with relative ease.

Asphalt production plants play an important role in the field of civil engineering, but also in the entire economic system since the construction of roads enables uninterrupted functioning within it. In this paper, the ranking of asphalt production plants on the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina has been performed. The modern economy needs contemporary models and methods to solve complicated MCDM problems and, for these purposes, it has been developed an original Interval Rough Number (IRN) Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model that implies an extension of two methods belonging to the field with interval rough numbers. After forming a list of eight most significant criteria for assessing the efficiency of asphalt production plants, the Interval Rough Number PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment (IRN PIPRECIA) method was developed to determine the significance of the criteria. A total of 21 locations with asphalt mixture installation were considered. For that purpose, seven asphalt production plants were included, and for their ranking, the IRN EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution) method was created. The aim of this paper is to develop a novel interval rough model that can be useful for determining the efficiency of asphalt production plants. Averaging in group decision-making (GDM) for both methods was performed using an IRN Dombi weighted geometric averaging (IRNDWGA) aggregator. The obtained results show that (A15) Ruma (SP)–Mačvanska Mitrovica–Zasavica has the best characteristics out of the set of locations considered in this study. However, Alternatives A6 and A19 are also variants with remarkably good characteristics since there is very little difference in values compared to the first-ranked alternative. Also, the obtained results have shown that the developed model is applicable, which is proven through a comparative analysis.

Identification of key indicators that cause safety challenges and vulnerable roads is crucial for improving traffic safety. This paper, therefore, entails to the development of a novel multiphase multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model to evaluate the vulnerability of urban roads for traffic safety. This was conducted by using data from 17 important roads of a South African city and combining several methods such as CRiteria Importance through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC), data envelopment analysis (DEA), and measurement of alternatives and ranking according to compromise solution (MARCOS). Taking the elements of the DEA method, two new approaches for calculating the weights of criteria, the DEA-1 and DEA-2 models, were formed and integrated with the CRITIC method to obtain the final values of criteria weights. The MARCOS method was applied to evaluate 17 alternatives, for each direction separately. The aim of developing such a model is to use the advantages of obtaining objectivity of criteria weights through linear programming and correlation of values of the collected data. Also, the MARCOS method, as one of the newer and applicable methods, provides additional significance. Extensive sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate the model. The findings suggest that there are a certain number of roads that have a high level of safety for both directions, as well as a group of risky roads, which need traffic improvement measures. Thus, the results indicate that the model is sensitive to various approaches and can prioritize vulnerable roads comprehensively based on which safety measures can be taken.

The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is one of the most significant multi-criteria techniques for defining the relationships among criteria and for defining the weight coefficients of criteria. Since multi-criteria models are very often used in management and decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, the fuzzy DEMATEL model has been extended in this paper by D numbers (fuzzy DEMATEL-D). The aim of this research was to develop a multi-criteria methodology that enables the objective processing of fuzzy linguistic information in the pairwise comparison of criteria. This aim was achieved through the development of the fuzzy DEMATEL-D method. Combining D numbers with trapezoidal fuzzy linguistic variables (LVs) allows for the additional processing of uncertainties and ambiguities that exist in experts&rsquo, preferences when comparing criteria with each other. In addition, the fuzzy DEMATEL-D methodology has a unique reasoning algorithm that allows for the rational processing of uncertainties when using fuzzy linguistic expressions for pairwise comparisons of criteria. The fuzzy DEMATEL-D methodology provides an original uncertainty management framework that is rational and concise. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a case study with the application of the proposed multi-criteria methodology is presented.

There is a changed perspective regarding the development of cities and increasingly many countries in the West and some developing countries, as in South Africa, are making concerted attempts to transform their cities to smart cities. Using the context of the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa and drawing on the perceptions of stakeholders, the objective of the paper is to offer a perspective on such a transformation. The study first assessed the performance of various factors and attributes that influence three important aspects of a smart city: economy, mobility and governance system. It then recorded the viewpoints of stakeholders about how these aspects can contribute to the development of a smart city. Further, Applied Systems Analysis (ASA) linked System Dynamics (SD) conceptual models based on the interlinkage and causal feedback relationships among various factors under each aspect were developed, which could assist in offering perspectives that would enable eliciting of policy interventions to develop smart cities. Findings indicate that there are potentials and positive indicators in all three aspects. It is emerged that reinforcement of the inter-relationship among entrepreneurship, innovation, productivity, economic image and international embeddedness will foster a smart economy. Efficient public transportation and advancement of Information Communication Technology (ICT) system will strengthen local accessibility and ensure an innovative, sustainable and safe transportation system that will result in smart mobility. Effective participation of stakeholders in the decision-making process alongside the elected city council and transparency will aid smart governance. The combined effect of these attributes should enable the transformation of the city to a smart city.

A noncovalent interaction based self-assembled ruthenium (II) phthalocyanine (RuPc) and N-pyridyl-peryleneimide (PyPMI) dyad has been exploited to fabricate n-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This supramolecular dyad design is an alternative method to replace the most challenging synthesis of covalent-linked dyads. Metal-coordinated-based dyad complex improved the light-harvesting properties of the photoanodes as opposed to when individual dye anchored on TiO2 surface alone. DSSCs comprise of RuPc⋅PyPMI dyad convert light-to-electrical energy more efficiently (η = 2.29%) than those made of single dye under one sun irradiation (100 mW cm−2) condition. The enhanced photovoltaic performance of the dyad-based devices is due to the broader light absorption of the dyad in the longer wavelengths, enabling better electron injection into the conduction band of TiO2. The combined effect of efficient electron-hole charge separation and the long-lived charge-separated states facilitated the higher short-circuit current density (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the devices. The enhancement of Voc and Jsc of the devices is confirmed by measuring current–voltage (I–V) curve and incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectrum of each device.

Suspended sediment prediction is essential for wearing awayof soil and sedimentation at time of peakinundation period. Several kinds of neural networks have been projected in preceding papers for applications in hydrological events. This research intelligence focuses on assessment of applicability of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN) for forecasting flow on daily basis at gauging station in Mahanadi river basin. Superlative performance is assessed on basis of RMSE, R2 which was attained by the precipitation and antecedent flow as model inputs. Based on performance value RNN gives prominent value as compare to RBFN. In case of RBFN three transfer function Tan-sig, Log-sig, purelin are utilized for evaluating model performance. While Tan-sig function used model gives extent value of R2 that is0.9614 and 0.9843 for training and testing phase respectively.

Hypothesis Evaporating sessile drops containing surface active colloids is a promising route to self-assemble two-dimensional nanostructures. The standard protocol is to first self-assemble surface active nanoscale particles at the water-vapour interface and subsequently transfer it on to a solid surface. Colloidal monolayers with very few morphologies have been fabricated, exploiting this bottom-up self-assembly technique. However, the evaporation kinetics under controlled humidity conditions may dramatically alter the microstructure of self-assembled colloidal monolayers at the liquid–vapor interface and that on the solid surfaces, an aspect that has not been fully addressed in the prior studies. Experiments To this end, we present an experimental study of evaporation driven self-assembly of soft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgel particles loaded in a sessile drop. The surface-active microgel particles spontaneously populate the water-vapour interface facilitating the suppression of the coffee-ring effect and the formation of monolayer stains. The role of evaporation kinetics under controlled humidity conditions on the colloid’s microstructure adsorbed to the solvent-air interface and on the morphology of the colloidal monolayer transferred onto the solid surface are studied in detail. Findings The formation of particle-free and particle-rich regions at the water–vapor interface is observed for sessile drops evaporated under saturated humidity conditions. We show that the evaporation induced shrinkage of the interface area and the enhancement of the areal density of microgel particles adsorbed onto the interface leads to a restructuring of the particle-laden interface. The rearrangement of microgel particles along the water–vapor interface resembling the de-wetting assisted patterns is transferred to the solid substrate upon complete evaporation of the solvent. The microgel particles in the deposit assemble into domains with enhanced crystalline order. The evolution of Voronoi entropy across the monolayer deposit patterns obtained by the standard and slow evaporation routes are presented.

In this paper, a new fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model for traffic risk assessment was developed. A part of a main road network of 7.4 km with a total of 38 Sections was analyzed with the aim of determining the degree of risk on them. For that purpose, a fuzzy Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to the COmpromise Solution (fuzzy MARCOS) method was developed. In addition, a new fuzzy linguistic scale quantified into triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) was developed. The fuzzy PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment&mdash, fuzzy PIPRECIA method&mdash, was used to determine the criteria weights on the basis of which the road network sections were evaluated. The results clearly show that there is a dominant section with the highest risk for all road participants, which requires corrective actions. In order to validate the results, a comprehensive validity test was created consisting of variations in the significance of model input parameters, testing the influence of dynamic factors&mdash, of reverse rank, and applying the fuzzy Simple Additive Weighing (fuzzy SAW) method and the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (fuzzy TOPSIS). The validation test show the stability of the results obtained and the justification for the development of the proposed model.

Skilled labour shortage in construction industry is a major challenge in South Africa. Therefore, the objective of the study is to assess the factors that cause skilled labour shortage, its consequent effects on the construction industries and how the scenario can be improved. The study was conducted by considering construction industry in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and using a survey research method and conceptual System Dynamics (SD) modelling. Findings reveals that investment, wage challenges, talent management, work environment, training, experience, and Government policy are the important challenges for the skilled labour shortage. Inadequacy of skilled labour considerably impacts the quality of work, productivity, and scheduling. The causal loop diagrams show that enhancement in investment in the labour wages will strengthen the availability of skilled labourers leading to higher productivity, and vice versa. Talent management based on appropriate recruitment and retention policy, staff development programmes and investment in these aspects will augment the skilled labour pool. Also, a better work environment through a policy of health and safety, investment in working condition and supported by Government policy will reduce the attrition of the labourer because of job dissatisfaction, which consequently will reduce the skilled labour shortage in the industry.

In this paper, a novel evolution (MDE) algorithm optimized fuzzy PID controller is proposed for load frequency control (LFC) of interconnected power system with the consideration of nonlinearity. The gains of the fuzzy PID controller are optimized using different strategies of DE algorithm. Then, modification in DE algorithm is proposed for the best strategy by a simple but effective scheme of changing two of its most important control parameters (step size and crossover probability) with an objective of achieving improved performance. Additionally, a thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC) model is developed which is suitable for LFC problem. The performance of fuzzy PID controller coordinated with TCSC has been investigated. Finally the proposed approach is investigated under randomly load. Keywords: Load frequency control (LFC), Generation rate constraint (GRC), Fuzzy logic controller (FLC), Differential evolution (DE) algorithm, Thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC)

Eumelanins are melanocyte-derived natural pigments with inherent electrical cues and outstanding physicochemical properties, which enhance the electroconductivity of the synthetic polymeric scaffold, upon incorporation as nanoparticles. Electrospun nanofibrous meshes generated from such composite polymers are of great interest for muscle tissue engineering applications. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of fabricating nanofibrous scaffolds of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) incorporated with eumelanin nanoparticles (EUNp) by electrospinning and further assessed their impact on myogenic differentiation of skeletal myoblasts. Morphological and physicochemical analysis of EUNp-PVA nanofibrous mesh showed uniform, bead-free, thermally stable, and randomly oriented nanofibers (450 ± 10 nm) with effective retention of the incorporated EUNp, without any chemical cross-reactivity. Voltammetric measurements of EUNp-PVA mesh exhibits stable electrical conductivity (∼4.0 S cm