Search Results (2,721)

This study systematically evaluated the potential of five native starches, including corn (CS), potato (PS), tapioca (TS), rice (RS), and sweet potato (SPS), as fat replacers in low-fat pork sausages. The obtained results showed that amylose content varied significantly, with PS and SPS having the highest levels (30.06% and 28.60%, respectively), which were beneficial for forming starch gels. Correspondingly, PS and SPS demonstrated the highest solubility and swelling power. In sausage applications, PS and SPS exhibited superior water-retention capacities, with drying losses of 6.75% and 7.03%, and cooking losses of 2.23% and 2.52%, which were lower than those of the normal control (NC) and low-fat control (LFC) groups. Moreover, the results of texture profile analysis revealed that PS and SPS enabled the sausages to achieve the highest levels of hardness and springiness, contributing to maintaining the moisture retention and toughness of the sausages. Electronic tongue and nose analyses indicated that incorporating these starches did not adversely affect the taste and odor profiles of the sausages, except for RS, which showed distinct flavor encapsulation properties. Overall, PS and SPS served as excellent fat replacers in the meat industry, offering healthier alternatives without compromising product quality. Full article

During long-term operation, power electronic converters are jointly affected by component degradation and operational disturbances, leading to pronounced nonstationary and multi-scale characteristics in output-voltage signals, which pose challenges for fault prediction. To address the degradation forecasting problem of Boost converter output voltage, this paper proposes a multi-scale temporal modeling method that integrates multivariate variational mode decomposition, distribution entropy-based complexity features, and a temporal convolutional network. Multivariate variational mode decomposition is employed to achieve frequency-aligned decomposition of the voltage signal, enabling effective separation of dynamic components at different scales. Distribution entropy is then introduced to characterize the evolution of local structural complexity in each mode, and multi-channel complexity feature sequences are constructed accordingly. Based on these features, a temporal convolutional network is used to perform unified modeling of short-term fluctuations and long-term degradation trends. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves consistently high accuracy across multiple independent runs, with average RMSE ranging from 0.0111 to 0.0179 and average MAPE from 1.15% to 1.84%. The low standard deviations further confirm its robustness for degradation trend prediction under varying operating conditions. Full article

Renewable energy technologies are becoming more and more relevant in a variety of engineering fields as a result of the move toward low-carbon, sustainable energy systems. Although research has historically concentrated on power generation, it now covers a broad range of applications, including precision agriculture, smart grids, energy storage, healthcare devices, and sustainable buildings. However, existing review studies are often limited to single disciplines or specific technologies, lacking a unified cross-disciplinary perspective that captures the interconnected nature of modern renewable energy systems. This gap motivates the need for a comprehensive review that bridges multiple engineering domains. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of literature on renewable energy applications in electrical and electronics, computer, environmental, biomedical, architectural, and agricultural engineering. In electrical and electronics engineering, the use of renewable energy sources is largely based on the efficient generation of electricity from natural resources such as solar, wind, and ocean energy. Computer engineering contributes through artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) architectures, digital twins, and cybersecurity solutions, optimizing energy management. Environmental engineering emphasizes life cycle assessment, carbon footprint reduction, and circular economy strategies. In biomedical engineering, energy harvesting and self-powered devices illustrate micro-scale applications of renewable energy. Architectural engineering integrates renewable systems through building-integrated photovoltaics, net-zero energy designs, and smart building management, while agricultural engineering uses solar-powered irrigation, biomass utilization, agrivoltaic systems, and other sustainable practices. To support a low-carbon future with integrated and sustainable engineering solutions, this study not only highlights innovations within individual fields but also showcases how different disciplines can connect and work together. Overall, the review offers a novel cross-disciplinary framework that advances the understanding of renewable energy systems beyond isolated applications and provides direction for future integrative research. Full article

Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) have emerged as promising approaches for coupling wastewater treatment with energy and resource recovery. Considerable progress has been made in elucidating extracellular electron transfer, biofilm behavior, and electrode development, enabling laboratory systems to achieve high removal efficiencies under controlled conditions. Despite these advances, implementation in real treatment infrastructure remains limited. This review evaluates the progression of METs from laboratory studies to pilot-scale and field applications within the wider landscape of electrochemical wastewater treatment. The effects of reactor setup, material strength, and operational difficulty on performance at different scales are emphasized. Evidence from recent pilots consistently shows reduced energy recovery, along with challenges such as internal resistance, mass-transfer constraints, fouling, and cathode degradation. Laboratory-scale MFC systems have reported peak power densities of up to 23,000 mW/m² and normalized energy recoveries of up to 1.2 kWh/kg COD removed under optimized, controlled conditions; however, pilot-scale systems typically recover only 0.01–0.05 kWh/kg COD removed, representing one to two orders of magnitude below laboratory-reported values. This contrast underscores the persistent gap between controlled experimental performance and operational reality. Proposed solutions, such as modular scale-out, membrane simplification, and the use of low-cost, replaceable materials, are assessed based on their maturity and practical applicability. Techno-economic and life-cycle analyses indicate that component longevity and integration strategy are often more decisive than peak electrochemical output. METs are therefore most likely to provide near-term benefits in hybrid or niche applications rather than as standalone replacements. Advancement toward wider implementation will require standardized metrics, long-term demonstrations, and engineering designs prioritizing robustness and maintainability. Full article

Scandate cathodes have garnered significant attention for their exceptional low-temperature, high-current-density emission characteristics. However, their widespread deployment in vacuum electronic devices is currently hindered by stringent vacuum requirements and susceptibility to ion bombardment. To enhance the engineering applicability of scandate cathodes, this study employs first-principles density functional theory (DFT) to model the surface microstructures of strontium (Sr)–scandium (Sc) co-doped systems. Guided by simulation predictions regarding surface elemental ratios, corresponding emission active materials and cathode samples were fabricated. A systematic comparison between theoretical calculations and experimental measurements reveals a critical trade-off: while increasing Sr content enhances structural stability (indicated by lower formation energies), it concurrently increases the work function. Consequently, an optimal Sr doping level of approximately 2 wt% is identified, which significantly improves emission current density without compromising stability. Cathodes fabricated with this optimized composition were tested in a practical electron gun configuration. Results demonstrate that under low-temperature conditions (1000 °C) and wide-pulse operation (2 ms), the cathode achieves an emission current density of 21.57 A/cm². These findings validate the efficacy of simulation-guided material design and highlight the potential of Sr-doped scandate cathodes for high-power microwave applications. Full article

Ga-based liquid metals (GLMs) have been considered as promising thermal and electrical interface materials for advanced power electronics, combining high thermal conductivity (some types even >30 W/m·K) with fluidity at room temperature. This review systematically evaluates the dual roles of GLMs in power electronics packaging. Their function in thermal management as both thermal interface materials and active cooling media is first examined, followed by an analysis of their capabilities in forming electrical interconnections via low-temperature bonding in fluidic and solid states. However, reliable integration remains challenging due to interfacial reactions and instability with metal substrates. We discuss interfacial mechanisms with Cu and common metallizations, along with emerging regulation strategies such as surface coatings and process acceleration techniques. By examining these interfacial interactions, this work aims to guide the selection and design of surface modification strategies to either promote or inhibit reactions as needed, supporting the development of robust power electronic packaging. Full article

Waste electronic components are valuable secondary resources containing various metals. Analyzing their elemental distribution is crucial for developing recycling methods. Micro- X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) is commonly used for this purpose, but traditional polychromatic X-ray excitation creates high background scattering. This masks trace element signals, impairing detection limits and accurate identification of minor valuable or hazardous elements. To address this, this study developed a monochromatic μ-XRF spectrometer using a low-power molybdenum-target X-ray tube. The system integrates polycapillary lenses for X-ray regulation and a flat crystal for monochromatization, producing a micron-sized monochromatic X-ray spot with high power density. This design eliminates scattered background from the primary continuous spectrum and enhances excitation efficiency by concentrating photon flux, enabling high-brightness monochromatic beams even at low tube power. The spectrometer was validated by analyzing a waste printed circuit board. High-resolution elemental mapping successfully revealed clear distribution patterns of major elements like copper, nickel, and iron, consistent with their physical structures. These images allowed intuitive differentiation of compositional differences across functional regions. This technique effectively overcomes the background interference caused by polychromatic excitation and is expected to further enhance the quality and reliability of elemental distribution imaging. It provides a powerful tool for formulating precise, scientific recycling strategies for waste electronics. Full article

Search coil magnetometers (SCMs) are widely used in space science missions to measure time-varying magnetic fields. However, conventional SCM designs often increase sensor mass and electronic power consumption in order to meet mission-specific sensitivity requirements. This study presents the design and ground-based test results of a space search coil magnetometer (SSCM) concept aimed at reducing sensor mass and electronic power consumption while maintaining practical system operability for platform-constrained missions. Mass reduction was achieved by adopting a rolling-sheet core configuration. In addition, printed circuit board (PCB)-based interconnections between segmented windings were implemented to improve the reproducibility of assembly and mechanical robustness without additional structural complexity. Power reduction was achieved by employing an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)-based sensor amplifier and a compact control electronic unit implemented as a modular stack with a 1U CubeSat standard board form factor. Performance tests confirmed the stable operation of the integrated sensor–electronics chain over the target measurement band. The system-level noise-equivalent magnetic induction (NEMI) measured under laboratory conditions was 33 fT/√Hz at 1 kHz. Environmental tests including vibration and thermal cycling were performed to further verify the structural safety and functional stability of the sensor assembly under space-relevant conditions. The proposed SSCM architecture provides a practical approach for implementing low-mass and low-power magnetic field instruments for platform-constrained space missions. Full article

Low-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) ferroelectrics are promising for next-generation low-power, non-volatile electronics and brain-inspired computing. Among them, CuInP₂S₆ (CIPS) has emerged as one of the most intensively explored systems. Distinct from conventional ferroelectrics, CIPS features a strong “ferroionic” coupling between ferroelectric order and long-range Cu⁺ migration, unlocking unique properties such as multiple polarization states, negative capacitance, and richly tunable conductance states. To date, however, a comprehensive review centered on this ferroionic coupling remains lacking. This review aims to fill that gap by systematically elucidating the ferroionic coupling mechanism, summarizing its manipulation through chemical composition engineering and external fields, and clarifying the dynamic conductive responses and related mechanism. This review further surveys the high-performance CIPS-based nanoelectronic devices enabled by unique properties and concludes with an outlook on future challenges and research directions. Full article

Respiratory rate (RR) is a critical indicator of physiological status, yet unobtrusive and continuous RR monitoring remains challenging, particularly in wearable applications that require soft, lightweight, and low-power sensing systems. This paper presents an integrated approach that combines a textile-embedded embroidered strain-gauge sensor with Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) to enable real-time, on-device RR estimation. The sensing platform consists of a textile-integrated meander-pattern strain gauge and a fabric-mounted analog readout circuit, which together capture thoracic expansion during breathing. Two lightweight neural network models—a convolutional neural network (CNN) operating on raw respiratory waveforms and a dense neural network (DNN) operating on wavelet features—were developed and trained using a public strain-sensor dataset and a custom dataset collected with the textile system (TexHype dataset). Both models were optimized through 8-bit quantization and deployed to an STM32L4 microcontroller, where end-to-end on-device preprocessing, filtering, segmentation, normalization, and inference were performed. The CNN achieved the highest accuracy, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.23 breaths per minute (BPM) on the TexHype dataset, but exhibited substantial inference latency (5.8–6.2 s) due to its computational complexity. In contrast, the wavelet-based DNN demonstrated lower accuracy (MAE 2.21 BPM) but achieved real-time performance with inference times of 18–96 ms, and a power overhead ($\Delta P=P_{\mathrm{active}}-P_{\mathrm{idle}}$) of approximately 3.3 mW during inference. Cross-dataset testing revealed limited generalization between different strain-sensor platforms. The findings highlight key trade-offs between accuracy, latency, and energy efficiency, and illustrate the potential of combining stretchable electronics with embedded intelligence to enable next-generation wearable respiratory monitoring systems. Full article

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment and energy recovery. However, their practical utility is often limited by sluggish cathode kinetics. For this technology, developing cost-effective biocatalysts that do not compromise effectiveness is a primary challenge. In this study, we utilized anthocyanin molecularly functionalized Escherichia coli (Cya-WT) to promote the formation of electroactive biofilms and regulate the intrinsic catalytic activity of single cells, thereby enhancing extracellular electron transfer. MFCs incorporating Cya-WT-loaded carbon cloth (CC) biocathodes were configured to simultaneously evaluate power generation and glucose degradation activity. The results indicated that Cya-WT exhibited significantly improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, achieving a reduction peak current of 3.61 mA cm⁻², compared to 2.02 mA cm⁻² for wild-type E. coli (WT). The assembled MFC offers a peak power density of 268 ± 13.4 μW cm⁻² and decomposes 17.1 ± 1.15 mM of glucose in 150 h, maintaining a consistent voltage output for 800 h. These results demonstrate that anthocyanin functionalization significantly enhances the electrocatalytic performance and metabolic capabilities of E. coli. This novel catalyst design method offers a new strategy for low-cost, renewable MFC cathode catalysts and shows good promise in MFC biopower generation through the assembly of carbon-based biocathodes. Full article

Wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors are propelling a paradigm shift in advanced power electronics, offering functionality that includes higher-switching-frequency operation with improved efficiency and power density possibilities. Gallium nitride (GaN) exhibits unique material properties that correspond to device parameters beneficial for achieving an improved performance compared to its counterparts. The inception of GaN power semiconductor devices has enabled advanced power electronics to realize efficient and compact power converters. However, the current rating of the devices is constrained, and paralleling of the devices is vital to realize high-currentrated power modules. Furthermore, paralleling of the devices can provide improved cooling results in high-power-density systems. This paper presents a comprehensive review study of the paralleling of GaN devices to discuss the different challenges associated with paralleling. One of the fundamental challenges is associated with the design of a structure for paralleling GaN devices. The parallel device structure consequently impacts the parasitics of the device, which limit the operating switching frequency and thermo-mechanical aspects. Furthermore, power loop inductance, gate loop inductance asymmetry, common-source inductance, gate inductance trace length mismatch, and different challenges lead to design trade-offs and efforts to optimize the design by realizing an appropriate trade-off, considering low-inductance packaging along with thermal strategies, and considering a parallel circuit layout and structure. Considering the recent research trends and studies related to the design of parallel GaN devices, this paper presents future perspectives anticipating the realization of an improved parallel GaN device structure. Full article

Cordierite-based ceramics (Mg₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈) were successfully synthesized and comprehensively characterized to evaluate their structural and dielectric behavior for high-temperature electronic applications. Morphological, microstructural and vibrational analyses confirm the high phase purity and structural integrity of the synthesized material. Dielectric measurements reveal high real permittivity (ε′) values at low frequencies and elevated temperatures, mainly attributed to interfacial polarization arising from Schottky-type barriers at grain–grain and surface–volume interfaces, underscoring the crucial influence of heterogeneous interfaces on the dielectric response. The electrical conductivity follows a thermally activated hopping mechanism involving both intra-grain and grain-boundary charge transport. Analysis of the electric modulus formalism provides further insight into relaxation dynamics: the real (M′) and imaginary (M″) components highlight pronounced space-charge effects, with M″ exhibiting a distinct relaxation peak (M″) associated with grain contributions. The systematic shift of this peak toward higher frequencies with increasing temperature indicates enhanced charge-carrier mobility and a strongly thermally activated relaxation process. The frequency-dependent conductivity displays two regimes: a low-frequency plateau corresponding to dc conductivity and a high-frequency dispersive region following a power-law behavior characteristic of hopping conduction, with power-law exponents (α₁ and α₂) markedly lower than unity, confirming the non-Debye character of the relaxation processes. The hopping frequency (ω) increases with temperature, further supporting the thermally activated nature of charge transport. Activation energies extracted from Arrhenius plots of dc conductivity are 0.88 eV for grain boundaries and 0.83 eV for grains, demonstrating that both microstructural regions significantly contribute to the overall conduction process. Full article

The detection of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) decomposition products is critical for diagnosing insulation faults in gas-insulated switchgear (GIS). In this study, a vanadium-doping strategy was incorporated into the graphene/MoS₂ (GM) heterojunction to design a vanadium-doped graphene/MoS₂ (GMV) heterojunction material. Leveraging first-principles density functional theory (DFT), the adsorption behaviors of five characteristic SF₆ and its decomposition gases (H₂S, SO₂, SOF₂, SO₂F₂) on intrinsic GM and GMV were systematically investigated to evaluate their potential for gas sensing applications. Computational results reveal that intrinsic GM exhibits only weak physical adsorption toward all target molecules, with low adsorption energies and negligible charge transfer, which fails to meet practical application requirements. In contrast, GMV demonstrates significantly enhanced adsorption energies for H₂S, SO₂, and SOF₂ at vanadium sites (with a maximum value of −0.388 eV for SO₂) and shorter adsorption distances, while SO₂F₂ and SF₆ preferentially adsorb near electron-deficient carbon regions. Intrinsic GMV displays semimetallic properties, with a Fermi level at 0.126 eV and a band gap of 0.0017 eV. Upon adsorption of H₂S, SOF₂, SO₂F₂, or SF₆, the Fermi level undergoes a moderate shift (ranging from −1.083 eV to +0.349 eV), with minimal changes in the band gap. Conversely, SO₂ adsorption induces a substantial downward shift of the Fermi level to −1.732 eV, accompanied by the emergence of a sharp partial density of states (PDOS) peak near the Fermi level (0–1.5 eV), indicating strong orbital coupling and significant charge transfer. Furthermore, recovery times calculated using classical formulas show that at room temperature and a frequency of 1 × 10⁶ Hz, the recovery time of GMV for SO₂ is 2.43 s, outperforming the other four gases and satisfying practical gas sensing requirements. Through comprehensive analysis of adsorption distances, electronic structure changes, and recovery times, GMV exhibits higher selectivity toward SO₂. Thus, GMV can serve as a sensing material for detecting GIS insulation faults associated with elevated SO₂ concentrations, offering a viable strategy for advancing online monitoring technologies in power systems. Full article

The practical application of inorganic ferroelectric fillers in flexible piezoelectric composites is critically constrained by low polarization efficiency and severe interfacial incompatibility with polymer matrices. Herein, we report a multi-level in situ surface modification strategy that simultaneously addresses both limitations. High-purity one-dimensional tetragonal barium titanate nanofibers (BTO NFs) are first synthesized via sol–gel electrospinning combined with a two-step gradient annealing process, which precisely controls phase evolution and preserves structural continuity. To overcome the detrimental acid-induced degradation of BTO NFs during functionalization, a polydopamine (PDA) buffer layer is first conformally coated, followed by the liquid-phase deposition of a conductive polypyrrole (PPy) shell, forming a robust core–shell PPy@PBT NFs architecture. Incorporating only 4 wt% of these multifunctional fillers into a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix yields a dramatic enhancement in electromechanical performance. The resulting flexible piezoelectric energy harvesters achieve a piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃) of 28.7 pC/N, an output voltage of 13 V, and an output current of 0.7 μA, representing substantial improvements over unmodified filler systems. This synergistic enhancement originates from the PDA-mediated interfacial stress transfer and the PPy-induced Maxwell–Wagner polarization intensification, establishing a robust and generalizable paradigm for high-performance flexible piezoelectric composites in self-powered wearable electronics. Full article