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A voltage reference is indispensable in Integrated Circuits. To improve the limited linear output voltage range and energy efficiency of a voltage reference, we innovatively propose a switched-capacitor-based programmable voltage reference scheme employing inverter-based OTAs to reduce the power consumption, simultaneously using a novel Correlated Level Shifting (CLS) technique (without active overhead) to enhance the OTA's DC gain and integral gain. Experimented with SMIC 180 nm CMOS technology, a scheme-based voltage reference realizes a programable output voltage range from 266 to 995 mV at −30 to 120 °C, and the corresponding temperature coefficient (TC) ranges from 82.4 to 99.5 ppm/°C. The power consumption is 976 nW. Furthermore, comparative experiments and evaluations with other schemes have unequivocally verified the superiority of our proposed scheme, characterized by its high energy efficiency and wide output voltage range. The scheme can be suitably deployed in a multitude of novel edge-data processing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a dynamic amplifier with high energy efficiency and high gain suitable for a delta-sigma modulator based on the floating-inverter amplifier (FIA), in-depth analysis of the existing FIA and its improved structure, and simulation verification. Compared with other FIA structures, the proposed amplifier has a better compromise in terms of power consumption and stability, which was designed and simulated using the SMIC 180 nm CMOS technology. Under a 1.2 V power supply, the closed-loop direct current (DC) gain and the output swing were about 104 dB and ±380 mV, respectively, and the input-referred in-band noise was about −100 dB with the chopper circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider roadside infrastructure-to-roadside infrastructure communications in a vehicular ad hoc network. A remote roadside unit (RSU), which does not have connection to the backbone network, needs to send its data traffic to a central RSU (which has backbone connection) by using help from vehicles passing by. Cost is assigned to information transmission energy consumption, as well as possible violation of a soft delay bound. For each passing vehicle, the remote RSU needs to decide whether or not to ask for help from the vehicle, with a target at a minimal rate of cost. We derive an optimal decision strategy of the remote RSU, which is shown to have a conditional pure-threshold structure, i.e., when a vehicle arrives at the remote RSU, if the queuing delay of the data traffic at the remote RSU is above a threshold, it is optimal for the remote RSU to ask for help from the vehicle, with a condition that the vehicle’s speed satisfies a requirement. We also provide a method that can theoretically derive the threshold. The conditional pure-threshold structure makes our derived strategy very easy to implement with very low computation complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates the problem of traffic scheduling between roadside units (RSUs) in a vehicular delay-tolerant network. A source RSU needs the help of passing-by vehicles to forward its traffic to a destination RSU. Costs are associated with energy consumption and information loss. When a vehicle arrives, the source RSU needs to decide whether to stop, i.e., transmit its traffic to the vehicle, or skip this vehicle and continue to wait for other vehicles. The source RSU's objective is to achieve the minimal rate of cost. In this paper, we theoretically derive an optimal stopping strategy of the source RSU. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the derived strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Black liquor is a major by-product of pulp mills; it is one of the most important renewable energy resources, which can be used as a material to produce electrical power, hydrogen, methanol and dimethyl ether by the black liquor gasification technology. In this paper, experiments were carried out with an oxygen injected-gasifier with different oxygen mass ratios, and then the gas compositions were determined and thermal efficiencies were estimated. The results support the following findings: (a) The oxygen mass ratio affected the formations of the CO and H2, which formations decrease with increasing oxygen mass ratio. (b) The best thermal efficiency of (bagasse black liquor gasification) BBLG system is 0.816, which is close to that of the (dry black liquor gasification) DBLG systems and the (catalytic hydrothermal gasification) CHG systems, and is 25.6% higher than that of the common (recovery boilers) RB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This review summarizes the preparation methods of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and the progress in the research pertaining to their surface modification. Moreover, the preparation and surface modification of nanocellulose were comprehensively introduced based on the existing literature. The review focuses on the mechanical treatment of cellulose, the surface modification of fibrillated fibers during pretreatment, the surface modification of nanocellulose and the modification of CNFs and their functional application. In the past five years, research on cellulose nanofibrils has progressed with developments in nanomaterials research technology. The number of papers on nanocellulose alone has increased by six times. However, owing to its high energy consumption, high cost and challenging industrial production, the applications of nanocellulose remain limited. In addition, although nanofibrils exhibit strong biocompatibility and barrier and mechanical properties, their high hydrophilicity limits their practical application. Current research on cellulose nanofibrils has mainly focused on the industrial production of CNFs, their pretreatment and functional modification and their compatibility with other biomass materials. In the future, with the rapid development of modern science and technology, the demand for biodegradable biomass materials will continue to increase. Furthermore, research on bio-based nanomaterials is expected to advance in the direction of functionalization and popularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]