Energy technology最新文献

Under the increasing urgency for global water resource exploration, conventional flow velocity measurement instruments are inadequate to meet the demands of long-term monitoring in complex environments. This article proposes a self-powered aquatic flow velocity sensor based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology, enabling the detection of water flow velocities. The signal processing circuit designed in this article can step down the high voltage signals generated by the TENG, exceeding 400 V, to approximately 1.7 V, while maintaining the ability to accurately reflect variations in flow velocity. In addressing the issue of flow velocity signal jitter in complex aquatic environments, data processing was performed using a Time-Frequency Cooperative Adaptive Edge Detection Algorithm. Post-processing results showed a deviation of 0 Hz in the primary frequency component compared to the original signal, with a spectral root mean square error of 0.058, indicating accurate reconstruction of flow velocity information. The sensor's effective measurement range spans from 0.1  to 2.4 m/s, adequately fulfilling the flow velocity monitoring requirements across a variety of common aquatic environments. This article offers a low-cost, self-powered innovative solution for dynamic water resource monitoring, demonstrating broad application prospects in hydraulic engineering, hydrological monitoring, and related fields.

Electromobility as a key factor of the energy transition places high demands on its core technology: the lithium-ion cell. In particular, fast charging is one of the critical prerequisites and is associated with major challenges, as improving the fast-charging capability often comes at the cost of reduced energy density. Electrode structuring can enhance the fast-charging capability of lithium-ion cells without compromising energy density. Simple and meaningful characterization methods are essential for rapid development of such processes. However, conventional charge rate tests can lead to misleading results when testing transport-limited electrodes. This study demonstrates that, for transport-limited electrodes, conventional rate tests may yield similar results despite significantly different transport parameters, such as tortuosity. Conventional graphite anodes are compared with electrodes processed via structure calendering—a novel method that combines structuring and calendering within a single roller process step. Using rate tests and half-cell measurements, it is shown how lithium plating contributes to this effect and the underlying electrochemical phenomena are explained. Furthermore, an adapted charge rate test procedure is proposed, which effectively demonstrates the advantage of structured electrodes in the charging direction. The novel method can be implemented using standard cell testers enabling widespread application.

Wearable self-powered sensors offer significant potential for real-time monitoring and behavioral assessment in personalized rehabilitation and neurodevelopmental interventions. In this work, a sodium alginate/silk (SA/silk) composite film–based triboelectric nanogenerator (SS-TENG) is developed for bio-mechanical energy harvesting and motion monitoring in traditional physical training programs for children with autism spectrum disorder. The SA/silk composite provides high mechanical flexibility and stable surface morphology, ensuring consistent triboelectric output during dynamic movements. The SS-TENG delivers a peak open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 195.3 V, short-circuit current (I_SC) of 58.8 μA, and transferred charge (Q_SC) of 174.5 nC, with a maximum power of 4.3 mW. Its output is highly sensitive to changes in force, frequency, and displacement, enabling precise detection of activity intensity. The device also demonstrates strong energy storage capability by effectively charging capacitors. When integrated into footwear, the SS-TENG enables battery-free, real-time monitoring of gait and movement. Notably, it distinguishes between neurotypical and autistic motor behaviors during walking, running, and jumping based on characteristic signal patterns. These results demonstrate the SS-TENG's potential as a wearable, self-powered platform for quantitative evaluation of sports-based interventions, supporting early diagnosis and personalized training in autism spectrum disorder therapy.

The cover image is based on the article Electrochemical Properties for Hydrogen Production of Nitrogen-Doped Sponge-Like Carbon Nanotubes as High-Surface Area Catalyst by IPICYT López-Urías et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.202500964.

Molten salt thermocline storage systems provide significant cost advantages for concentrated solar power, although their thermal performance is constrained by internal thermal resistance within solid fillers. This study establishes a coupled model integrating solid heat conduction and molten salt convection to analyze thermal resistance between molten salt and solid interfaces. System optimization evaluates key parameters including solid thermal conductivity, filler diameter, molten salt thermal conductivity, and inlet velocity. Results indicate that solid thermal resistance impedes solid-salt heat transfer, with optimal solid thermal conductivity maximizing discharging efficiency. As filler diameter increases from 0.025 to 0.045 m, the optimal solid thermal conductivity rises by 3 W (m K)⁻¹, while the discharging efficiency decreases ≈1.8%. At the optimal solid thermal conductivity, moderate reduction of molten salt thermal conductivity increases discharging efficiency by 3.46%. Reduced inlet velocity further diminishes efficiency, requiring elevated molten salt thermal conductivity to enhance thermal performance at lower flow rates. These findings demonstrate that synergistic optimization of solid thermal conductivity and molten salt thermal conductivity under variable operating conditions can significantly enhance thermocline storage efficiency.

Potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to their abundance and low cost. KTi₂(PO₄)₃ (KTP) is a NASICON-type material with high theoretical capacity (128 mAh g⁻¹) and low redox potential (1.6 V). However, it exhibits poor cycle stability and sluggish kinetics due to its low conductivity. Furthermore, selecting an appropriate electrolyte is a significant challenge in maintaining consistent electrochemical performance. To address this, KTi₂(PO₄)₃ nanoparticles were synthesized using a solid-state technique and coated with carbon KTi₂(PO₄)₃/C (KTP/C) derived from oleic acid. The conductive network improves ion transport and electrolyte infiltration. Structural and morphological investigations revealed an interconnected carbon framework. The performance of the KTP and KTP/C electrodes was evaluated using EC:DEC and EC:DMC electrolyte solvents. The initial discharge capacity of the KTP/C electrode was 80 and 90.9 mAh g⁻¹ at 20 mA g⁻¹. The synergistic effects of the electrolyte composition and carbon coating resulted in an electrode exhibiting reasonable capacity retention of up to 98%. The computational methods, such as bond valance site energy(BVSE) and charge distribution analysis (CHARDI) analysis, have revealed a minimal three-dimensional ion-migration barrier and have evaluated electrolyte stability and solvent compatibility. Overall, this study provides new insights for enhancing the strategic development of KTP/C anodes for high-performance K-ion applications.

Radiative cooling (RC) is a compelling passive thermal strategy, dissipating heat via thermal radiation to outer space (≈3 K) without energy input, being useful across subambient to above-ambient temperatures. Recent nanophotonics and metamaterials breakthroughs significantly enhance RC, enabling subambient cooling even under sunlight. This requires tailored spectral properties: high solar reflectivity (0.3–2.5 μm) to minimize heat gain, and high atmospheric window emissivity (8–13 μm) to maximize heat loss. However, widespread deployment faces hurdles in scalability, durability, cost, and adaptability. This review synthesizes recent progress in RC materials (polymers, photonic structures, paints), system designs, and applications like building thermal regulation, personal comfort textiles, and enhancing photovoltaic/electronic efficiency. It incorporates fundamental thermodynamics governing heat exchange, quantifying cooling power via relevant equations, and life-cycle sustainability considerations. Drawing from current literature, the review critically evaluates commercialization barriers, including the lack of performance standardization, long-term degradation, and manufacturability, and proposes research directions for robust, scalable, and viable RC technologies. Emphasis is placed on recent quantitative performance gains and the engineering challenges (atmospheric effects, parasitic heat gains, and material degradation) in translating lab-scale results to real-world deployments for a sustainable future.

With the increasing global demand for clean energy, aqueous zinc-ion batteries have emerged as a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage owing to their high safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, challenges associated with zinc metal anodes, such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution reactions, and corrosion, significantly hinder their cycling stability and commercial viability. This review systematically summarizes eight functional strategies involving artificial interfacial layers to address these issues. This review provides a systematic summary of eight functional strategies based on artificial interfacial layers designed to overcome these issues. By analyzing the mechanisms of various interfacial materials, it highlights their effectiveness in suppressing dendrite growth, mitigating side reactions, and enhancing cycling performance, and further offers perspectives and recommendations for the rational design of highly reversible zinc anodes.

In pursuit of developing a suitable sodium-ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) with enhanced ionic conductivity at room temperature (RT), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is blended with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) of varying molecular weights and sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) at different loadings, via the solution blending technique. The impact of the molecular weight of PEO on the ionic conductivity, dielectric properties, and structural evolution of PVDF-50 wt% PEO blend incorporated with y wt% NaNO₃ (y = 0,1,3,5,7,9,10,12,15), is studied in detail. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis confirms PEO–Na⁺ interaction in SPEs, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses reveal suppressed PEO crystallinity, crucial for enhanced ion conduction. The highest ionic conductivity of 6.98 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at RT is achieved for PVDF-50 wt% PEO-9 wt% NaNO₃ with high molecular weight (HMW) PEO due to the availability of more coordinating sites. The mobility of mobile ions dominates the ionic conductivity in both HMW and low molecular weight (LMW) PEO-incorporated SPEs. The temperature-dependent conductivity studies reveal that both HMW and LMW PEO-incorporated SPEs follow Arrhenius behavior. The ion transference number, evaluated from the DC Wagner polarization method, is greater than or equal to 0.95 for selected SPEs.