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23 pages, 2548 KB  
Article
Energy Sustainability in the Usumacinta River: An Energy Management System for a Microgrid in Boca del Cerro, Tabasco
by David Abraham Uribe Sosa, Víctor Manuel Ramírez Rivera, Víctor Darío Cuervo Pinto and Diego Langarica Córdoba
Energies 2026, 19(10), 2390; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19102390 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
The growing energy demand in rural areas such as the ejido Boca del Cerro, located in Tenosique, Tabasco (Mexico), near the Usumacinta River, calls for sustainable energy solutions such as microgrids. This study proposes an energy management system combining renewable energy forecasting and [...] Read more.
The growing energy demand in rural areas such as the ejido Boca del Cerro, located in Tenosique, Tabasco (Mexico), near the Usumacinta River, calls for sustainable energy solutions such as microgrids. This study proposes an energy management system combining renewable energy forecasting and fuzzy control for a simulated small autonomous rural microgrid scenario designed to supply a fixed priority load of 5 kW and a variable flexible load ranging from 1 to 10 kW. Three LSTM architectures (vanilla, stacked, and bidirectional) are compared for predicting solar irradiance, wind speed, and river flow. The vanilla model is optimized using Hyperband to improve prediction accuracy, particularly for flow rate, which is rarely addressed in similar studies. Forecasts feed into models of photovoltaic, wind, and hydro systems within the microgrid. Energy dispatch is managed through fuzzy logic control. The fuzzy controller supports load prioritization, battery charge/discharge management, and surplus energy redirection to an absorbing load. The final vanilla LSTM achieved RMSE values of 25.741, 0.302, and 12.644 for solar irradiance, wind speed, and river flow, respectively, with NSE values above 0.949 in all cases. These results indicate high forecasting accuracy for solar irradiance and river flow, with limited improvement for wind speed. Overall, the proposed EMS enables effective energy flow management, while the integration of hydrokinetic turbines with AI-based forecasting represents a novel contribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling and Optimization of Power Grid)
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25 pages, 1280 KB  
Article
Multi-Objective Optimization of Power Regulation Parameters for Hydropower Units Considering Equipment Lifetime
by Tingyan Lyu, Yonglin Kang, Rui Lyu, Youhan Deng, Yushu Li, Leying Li, Zhiwei Zhu and Chaoshun Li
Electronics 2026, 15(10), 2135; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15102135 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
Against the backdrop of increasing penetration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, coupled with intermittent regional power restrictions, ensuring the quality of power transmission has become increasingly critical. The volatility and uncertainty of wind and photovoltaic output exacerbate dynamic [...] Read more.
Against the backdrop of increasing penetration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, coupled with intermittent regional power restrictions, ensuring the quality of power transmission has become increasingly critical. The volatility and uncertainty of wind and photovoltaic output exacerbate dynamic fluctuations in net load on the grid side, necessitating hydroelectric units to undertake more frequent Automatic Generation Control (AGC) regulation tasks in complementary hydro–wind–solar operations. However, frequent regulation processes significantly intensify the operational stress on actuating mechanisms within the governor system, thereby accelerating wear and degradation of equipment such as hydraulic turbine servomotors. This study employs modeling and simulation to investigate the influence and mechanistic role of key control parameters in the AGC process on the wear of hydraulic turbine servomotors. Utilizing pulse count and pulse width metrics, a reasonable quantification of this impact is established. A multi-objective optimization framework for AGC parameters is constructed, and frontier solutions are selected based on quantified equipment wear values. Simulation results indicate that the optimized parameters achieve a balanced performance in terms of settling time, steady-state performance, and comprehensive dynamic metrics during power closed-loop transition processes. This approach effectively mitigates the actuation intensity of servomotors while satisfying regulation quality requirements, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the power closed-loop adjustment process. Full article
46 pages, 4599 KB  
Article
Multi-Strategy Enhanced Beaver Behavior Optimizer for Global Optimization and Enterprise Bankruptcy Prediction
by Haoyuan He and Mingyang Yu
Symmetry 2026, 18(5), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18050848 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
Enterprise bankruptcy prediction is a critical research issue in financial risk early warning, credit evaluation, and investment decision-making. To address the limitations of traditional methods in handling high-dimensional, nonlinear, and complex financial data, including parameter sensitivity, susceptibility to local optima, and insufficient prediction [...] Read more.
Enterprise bankruptcy prediction is a critical research issue in financial risk early warning, credit evaluation, and investment decision-making. To address the limitations of traditional methods in handling high-dimensional, nonlinear, and complex financial data, including parameter sensitivity, susceptibility to local optima, and insufficient prediction stability, this study proposes a multi-strategy enhanced Beaver Behavior Optimizer and applies it to optimize kernel extreme learning machines, constructing the MEBBO KELM prediction model. Three improvement mechanisms are introduced, including an elite pool enhanced exploration strategy, a stochastic centroid reverse learning strategy, and a leader guided boundary control strategy, which improve population diversity, global search capability, boundary handling capacity, and convergence accuracy. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on CEC2017 and CEC2022 benchmark datasets and compared with EWOA, HPHHO, MELGWO, TACPSO, CFOA, ALA, AOO, RIME, and BBO. Statistical analyses are conducted using the Wilcoxon rank sum test and the Friedman test. The results demonstrate that MEBBO achieves superior solution accuracy and stability, indicating strong global optimization capability and robustness. Further experiments on the Wieslaw Corporate Bankruptcy Dataset show that MEBBO-KELM achieves strong and robust performance across multiple evaluation metrics, including ACC, MCC, Sensitivity, Specificity, Precision, Recall, and F1 score. Specifically, ACC reaches 79.7578, MCC reaches 0.6050, and F1 score reaches 78.8504, confirming its effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry and Metaheuristic Algorithms)
28 pages, 982 KB  
Review
From Pareto Front to Preferred Design: Human-in-the-Loop Preference-Guided Decision Making in Multi-Objective Energy Systems Optimization—A Scoping Review
by Marwa Mekky and Raphael Lechner
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(10), 4966; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16104966 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
Background: Multi-objective optimization (MOO) is widely used in engineering design and energy systems to represent trade-offs through Pareto fronts. Yet practical deployment requires moving from a non-dominated set to an implementable preferred design, and this decision step is often treated implicitly. Many studies [...] Read more.
Background: Multi-objective optimization (MOO) is widely used in engineering design and energy systems to represent trade-offs through Pareto fronts. Yet practical deployment requires moving from a non-dominated set to an implementable preferred design, and this decision step is often treated implicitly. Many studies equate decision support with improved Pareto front generation or visualization, while decision-maker preferences are assumed, weakly specified, or not elicited from stakeholders. Methods: A two-phase scoping evidence synthesis with PRISMA-informed reporting was adopted to map the literature and synthesize explicit Pareto-front decision-support mechanisms. Phase 1 produced a broad evidence map of how Pareto-front decision support is framed and clustered studies by primary contribution, while Phase 2 conducted a focused synthesis of explicit Pareto-front decision-support methods using refined searches in Scopus and SpringerLink. Results: Phase 1 mapped 46 studies; only 10 reported an explicit reproducible Pareto front solution-selection mechanism. Phase 2 included 17 studies and identified four method families: post hoc scoring and ranking, compromise aggregation, interactive preference-guided exploration, and preference elicitation and learning. Conclusions: The literature remains dominated by Pareto front generation and exploration rather than reproducible final solution selection; future work should strengthen preference elicitation, transparency, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty-aware recommendation stability. Full article
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18 pages, 946 KB  
Article
Optimizing Motion Sequences with Projective Dual Quaternions
by Danail Brezov
AppliedMath 2026, 6(5), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/appliedmath6050080 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
This paper builds upon a previous study suggesting an optimization procedure for rotation sequences by introducing a fourth factor in Euler-type decompositions, thus allowing for an additional degree of freedom used both as a variational parameter and a means to avoid the gimbal [...] Read more.
This paper builds upon a previous study suggesting an optimization procedure for rotation sequences by introducing a fourth factor in Euler-type decompositions, thus allowing for an additional degree of freedom used both as a variational parameter and a means to avoid the gimbal lock singularity. Here, an analogous result is derived for generic rigid motions, which is of potential interest in 3D robot manipulators, aircraft, and spacecraft using gimbals to navigate in space. The idea is based on Kotelnikov’s principle of transference, which extends the properties of pure rotations to arbitrary Galilean transformations, interpreted as screw motions. To do that in practice, it is convenient to use dual quaternions or their projective version, referred to as dual Rodrigues’ vectors. With this approach, the explicit solutions are easy to extend and therefore optimization is rather straightforward: we show, both analytically and with numerical examples, that factorizing motion into sequences of four consecutive screws is, in general, significantly more energy-efficient compared to using three. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Mathematical Modelling in Mechanical Design and Analysis)
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20 pages, 4630 KB  
Article
Deep Neural Network-Based Optimal Transmission Switching Method for Enhancing Power System Flexibility
by Dawei Huang, Yang Wang, Na Yu, Lingguo Kong and Miao Guo
Electronics 2026, 15(10), 2131; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15102131 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
With the large-scale grid integration of renewable energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, power system net load fluctuations have become significantly more severe, imposing higher demands on system flexibility. Traditional optimal transmission switching (OTS) models require the simultaneous optimization of continuous [...] Read more.
With the large-scale grid integration of renewable energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, power system net load fluctuations have become significantly more severe, imposing higher demands on system flexibility. Traditional optimal transmission switching (OTS) models require the simultaneous optimization of continuous and discrete variables, resulting in high computational complexity that renders them unsuitable for daily real-time scheduling in large-scale power systems. This paper develops a flexible real-time rolling optimization scheduling model that incorporates OTS and proposes a two-stage fast solution framework based on deep neural networks (DNN). In the offline training phase, a multilayer perceptron-based DNN is trained using load and renewable generation data to rapidly and accurately predict the optimal line switching scheme. In the online application phase, the network topology predicted by the DNN transforms the original mixed-integer linear programming problem into a standard linear programming problem, substantially reducing computational complexity and solution time. Case studies on the modified IEEE 118-bus and IEEE 300-bus systems show that the proposed method achieves high prediction accuracy, reduces solution time by up to 117 times, and maintains nearly identical system operating costs to the physics-driven approach in the majority of cases. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively balances computational efficiency and economic performance, verifying the practical value of optimal transmission switching in enhancing large-scale renewable energy accommodation and overall power system flexibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Control of Renewable Energy Systems in Smart Cities)
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12 pages, 3741 KB  
Technical Note
Sustainable Production of Dental and Orthodontic 3D Models Through Fused Granular Fabrication of Recycled Polymers
by Jens Kruse, Malte Stonis, Julia Barasinski, Florian Konstantin Stangl and Hisham Sabbagh
Bioengineering 2026, 13(5), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering13050558 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
Sustainable production in dental and orthodontic 3D printing has gained increasing attention due to environmental concerns and the need for cost-effective and resource-saving solutions. This study presents a proof of concept for using recycled polymers and fused granular fabrication (FGF) in a closed-loop [...] Read more.
Sustainable production in dental and orthodontic 3D printing has gained increasing attention due to environmental concerns and the need for cost-effective and resource-saving solutions. This study presents a proof of concept for using recycled polymers and fused granular fabrication (FGF) in a closed-loop 3D printing approach, omitting intermediate filament manufacturing. A desktop 3D printer served as the kinematic platform and was modified with a pellet-based extruder to directly process recycled polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) flakes, obtained by shredding previously printed PETG parts, into dental models. Dimensional accuracy was evaluated using optical 3D scanning analysis. The results indicate that models produced from recycled PETG are, in principle, suitable for dental and orthodontic applications within the investigated scope. This technical note provides initial evidence supporting the integration of recycled thermoplastics into dental and orthodontic model fabrication as part of sustainable additive manufacturing workflows. Potential pathways for workflow integration in clinical and laboratory environments, as well as directions for future research, are outlined, including the optimization of printing parameters and process stability. The main technical challenges were unreliable feedstock flow, causing bridging and jamming, while thermal creep from insufficient inlet cooling promoted premature softening of the flakes, causing torque spikes and unstable feeding. Full article
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32 pages, 2437 KB  
Article
Policy-Conditioned Technology Pathways for Sustainable Steel Industry Decarbonization in China: A Soft-Linked Scenario Analysis
by Xueao Sun, Qi Sun, Yuhan Li, Xinke Wang, Menglan Yao and Danping Wang
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5005; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105005 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
China’s steel decarbonization is a key sustainability challenge because cleaner production routes must be evaluated not only by their mitigation potential, but also by their implications for industrial continuity, cost affordability, resource security, and transition manageability. This study develops a national-scale soft-linked sustainability [...] Read more.
China’s steel decarbonization is a key sustainability challenge because cleaner production routes must be evaluated not only by their mitigation potential, but also by their implications for industrial continuity, cost affordability, resource security, and transition manageability. This study develops a national-scale soft-linked sustainability assessment framework that translates policy-conditioned macro signals into a multi-period, multi-objective optimization model of steelmaking-route transition from 2025 to 2050. Three policy environments are examined: carbon-control pressure, electricity-cost support for electrified routes, and their combined application. The model evaluates route portfolios by cumulative system cost, emissions, and transition adjustment intensity, linking mitigation with affordability and implementation feasibility. Results show that policy environments do not shift pathways uniformly; instead, they reshape the feasible trade-off frontier and alter which route combinations emerge as plausible compromise solutions. Across scenarios, scrap-based electric arc furnace steelmaking (Scrap-EAF) becomes the central medium-term route, while blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace steelmaking (BF-BOF) contracts but remains residual. Hydrogen-based direct reduced iron–electric arc furnace steelmaking (H2-DRI-EAF) expands under favorable conditions, but does not become dominant by 2050 under the baseline national-scale parameterization. Overall, this study contributes to sustainability-oriented industrial transition analysis by showing how policy-conditioned environments reshape route feasibility, transition sequencing, affordability–mitigation trade-offs, and the practical manageability of China’s steel-sector decarbonization. Full article
17 pages, 998 KB  
Article
Symmetry-Aware Vehicle State Estimation Using a Chaotic-Gradient-Optimized Extended Kalman Filter
by Qianyu Cheng, Wenguang Liu, Xi Liu, Huajun Che and Bei Ding
Symmetry 2026, 18(5), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18050847 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
To address the uncertainty of the measurement noise covariance matrix in vehicle state estimation, this paper proposes a symmetry-aware extended Kalman filter optimized by a chaotic-gradient strategy. The symmetry-aware concept is introduced from the approximate mirror symmetry of vehicle lateral dynamics under left [...] Read more.
To address the uncertainty of the measurement noise covariance matrix in vehicle state estimation, this paper proposes a symmetry-aware extended Kalman filter optimized by a chaotic-gradient strategy. The symmetry-aware concept is introduced from the approximate mirror symmetry of vehicle lateral dynamics under left and right steering excitations. Under identical road adhesion and vehicle operating conditions, the yaw-rate and sideslip-angle responses should exhibit balanced statistical characteristics for positive and negative lateral motions. However, a fixed measurement noise covariance matrix may break this balance and lead to direction-dependent estimation bias or delayed convergence. To improve the statistical consistency of the estimation process, the proposed method adaptively tunes the measurement noise covariance matrix according to the innovation covariance mismatch. A chaotic search mechanism is first used to enhance global exploration, and a variable-step gradient method is then applied to refine the local optimal solution. Through the iterative combination of chaotic traversal and gradient-based refinement, the proposed observer improves the balance between model prediction and measurement correction under stochastic disturbances. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through CarSim and MATLAB/Simulink co-simulation. The results show that, compared with EKF, UKF, and AEKF benchmark observers, the proposed CG_EKF provides more accurate estimation of vehicle yaw rate and sideslip angle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Engineering and Materials)
30 pages, 1421 KB  
Article
Optimization of Cold-Chain Logistics Unitization Strategies Under Dynamic Temperature Constraints
by Jing Wang, Xianfeng Zhao, Xueqiang Du, Jichun Li and Shibo Xu
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5002; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105002 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
The decoupling of physical loading configurations from dynamic temperature control in cold-chain logistics exposes supply chains to severe thermal compliance risks and exponential cost penalties. To address this structural gap, this study formulated the Cold Chain Unitization Loading Optimization Problem (CCULP). We propose [...] Read more.
The decoupling of physical loading configurations from dynamic temperature control in cold-chain logistics exposes supply chains to severe thermal compliance risks and exponential cost penalties. To address this structural gap, this study formulated the Cold Chain Unitization Loading Optimization Problem (CCULP). We propose a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model that integrates continuous-time heat-transfer dynamics—including door-opening impulse disturbances—and Q10-driven quality-decay kinetics as endogenous constraints within the hierarchical assignment of perishable goods to insulated containers, pallets, and vehicles. By treating container thermal resistance as a core decision variable, the model operationalizes a “prevention-first” economic strategy. To solve this NP-hard problem, we developed a Temperature-Aware Heuristic Algorithm (TAHA) that embeds a forward-Euler temperature simulation loop directly into the combinatorial search. Computational experiments on instances up to 100 SKU types demonstrate that TAHA achieves near-optimal solutions (within 0.7% of the MILP proven optimum) while converging 63 times faster than a genetic algorithm benchmark. Moreover, compared with traditional geometry-centric heuristics, TAHA’s proactive container-polarization strategy effectively eliminates the “penalty cliff,” yielding up to a 25.9% reduction in total system cost on Large-scale instances, almost entirely attributable to the elimination of temperature-violation penalties. Sensitivity analyses further confirm TAHA’s robustness under extreme environmental stress (e.g., 40 °C ambient temperatures) and frequent logistical disturbances, offering an integrated framework for proactive risk mitigation and for reducing food loss in sustainable temperature-controlled distribution. Full article
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20 pages, 413 KB  
Article
Multi-Attribute Utility Analysis of Sustainable Supplier Selection Based on Optimized Genetic Algorithm
by Jinxiu Yi and Weijun Shan
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5000; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105000 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
With the global emphasis on sustainable development, supply chain management is facing new challenges and opportunities. Enterprises often face a large number of suppliers when selecting suppliers, which makes the selection process complex. Considering the crucial role of supplier selection in sustainable supply [...] Read more.
With the global emphasis on sustainable development, supply chain management is facing new challenges and opportunities. Enterprises often face a large number of suppliers when selecting suppliers, which makes the selection process complex. Considering the crucial role of supplier selection in sustainable supply chains, a sustainable supplier selection model based on multi-attribute utility analysis and a fuzzy approximation ideal solution ranking method is proposed to reduce carbon emissions and environmental pollution. This model helps companies scientifically evaluate and select suppliers by comprehensively considering three aspects: environment, economy, and society. Meanwhile, the study utilizes an optimized genetic algorithm-based order allocation model to raise the efficacy and fairness of order allocation. Reducing procurement costs often relies on improving resource utilization and reducing production waste, which directly lowers the energy consumption and carbon emission intensity per unit of product. At the same time, reducing product damage and delivery delay rates can avoid additional greenhouse gas emissions caused by rework, abandonment, and emergency transportation. By improving supplier productivity and optimizing order allocation, the developed model can not only reduce economic costs but also control environmental pollution and carbon footprints from the source of the supply chain. The outcomes indicate that technological level is a crucial factor influencing supplier selection, with a significant positive impact on supplier willingness to choose, and its standard path coefficient is 0.199, with a significance level of 0.001. Meanwhile, the optimized genetic algorithm exhibits strong stability and convergence in order allocation. This optimization model has high efficiency in handling large-scale orders. This provides strong support for the decision-making of enterprises in sustainable supply chain management and a valuable reference for China’s exploration and practice in the field of sustainable development. Full article
25 pages, 5657 KB  
Article
Fe-Based Ternary Geopolymer Pervious Subgrade Material: Mechanical Performance, Reaction Mechanism, and Sustainability Assessment
by Xian Wu, Zhan Chen, Xian Zhou, Yinhang Xu, Zhen Hu and Zheng Fang
Processes 2026, 14(10), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14101607 - 15 May 2026
Abstract
This study develops a ternary Fe-based geopolymer system composed of metakaolin (MK), red mud (RM), and fly ash (FA) for the preparation of sustainable water-retaining subgrade materials for sponge-city roadbed applications. Unlike conventional formulations primarily designed for structural strength or rapid permeability, the [...] Read more.
This study develops a ternary Fe-based geopolymer system composed of metakaolin (MK), red mud (RM), and fly ash (FA) for the preparation of sustainable water-retaining subgrade materials for sponge-city roadbed applications. Unlike conventional formulations primarily designed for structural strength or rapid permeability, the proposed MK–FA–RM system was designed to improve water-storage capacity while maintaining adequate mechanical support and environmental compatibility. In this ternary system, MK provides highly reactive aluminosilicate species for geopolymer network formation, RM introduces Fe-bearing phases and enhances industrial solid-waste utilization, and FA contributes to particle packing, workability, and resource efficiency. A constrained ternary mixture design implemented using Design-Expert software was adopted to optimize precursor proportions. Within the investigated compositional range, the fitted first-order mixture model showed acceptable statistical adequacy for preliminary composition screening (R2 = 0.86). The optimal blend (60% MK, 30% RM, and 10% FA) achieved a 7-day compressive strength of 8.37 MPa and a water retention rate of 35.3% under ambient curing conditions, satisfying the strength requirement considered for the target subgrade/base-layer application. Microstructural and phase analyses suggest that the synergistic interaction of the three precursors promoted Fe-modified aluminosilicate gel formation together with conventional geopolymer gel products, while improving matrix continuity and preserving interconnected pore space for water storage. This multiscale structural effect helps explain how the material achieved a balance between water retention capacity and mechanical support. Under the tested conditions, the material maintained acceptable residual strength after short-term exposure to water, acid, and sulfate-containing solutions. Life-cycle assessment indicated a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with ordinary Portland cement, while pilot-scale cost analysis showed a 39% lower production cost than MetaMax-based geopolymer materials. Pilot-scale application further demonstrated the constructability and water-regulation potential of the material in practical environments. Overall, the proposed ternary Fe-based geopolymer demonstrates that Fe-rich industrial wastes can be engineered into low-carbon and economically viable water-retaining subgrade materials that balance hydraulic regulation, structural adequacy, and sustainability. Nevertheless, long-term durability, cyclic loading performance, and direct nanoscale characterization of Fe-bearing gel evolution still require further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing and Applications of Polymer Composite Materials)
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9 pages, 3746 KB  
Article
Ultrafast Physical Random Bit Generation Based on an Integrated Mutual Injection DFB Laser
by Jianyu Yu, Pai Peng, Qi Zhou, Pan Dai, Xiangfei Chen and Yi Yang
Photonics 2026, 13(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13050493 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
Ultrafast physical random bit generators (PRBGs) are essential components for modern applications in secure communication, quantum cryptography, encrypted optical fiber sensing and artificial intelligence. While optical chaos-based PRBGs offer high-speed capabilities, conventional systems often rely on discrete components that suffer from system complexity [...] Read more.
Ultrafast physical random bit generators (PRBGs) are essential components for modern applications in secure communication, quantum cryptography, encrypted optical fiber sensing and artificial intelligence. While optical chaos-based PRBGs offer high-speed capabilities, conventional systems often rely on discrete components that suffer from system complexity and environmental instability. This paper proposes and experimentally demonstrates a robust, integrated solution using a two-section mutual injection DFB laser. The device was fabricated using the reconstruction equivalent chirp (REC) technique, which provides precise control over grating phase variation while utilizing low-cost, high-volume fabrication methods. The laser sections, each measuring 450 μm in length, were designed with a free-running wavelength difference of 0.3 nm to ensure a flat optical spectrum and enhanced chaotic dynamics. By optimizing the bias currents, we achieved a chaos RF bandwidth of 20.1 GHz. Notably, the resulting chaotic signal lacks time-delayed signatures, which simplifies the randomness extraction process. To generate random bits, the chaotic waveform was sampled by an 8-bit analog-to-digital converter at 100 GSa/s. Following post-processing through delay-subtracting and the extraction of the four least significant bits (4-LSBs), we realized a total physical random bit rate of 400 Gb/s. The randomness of the generated sequence was successfully verified using the NIST SP 800-22 statistical test suite. This approach offers a compact, energy-efficient, and high-performance integrated chaotic source suitable for secure communication and high-performance computation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Lasers and Their Applications, 3rd Edition)
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19 pages, 3078 KB  
Article
Synergistic Mechanisms of Surfactants and Monovalent Ions for Enhanced Oil Recovery Through Interfacial Properties and Microfluidic Study
by Xuchun Yang, Yafei Liu, Fen He, Chenlu Du, Jingdi Zheng and Desheng Zhou
Gels 2026, 12(5), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050435 (registering DOI) - 15 May 2026
Abstract
In oil and gas development, the oil displacement efficiency of single surfactants is inherently constrained. While synergistic interactions between salt ions and surfactants can enhance displacement performance by modulating interfacial properties and wettability, the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study systematically investigated [...] Read more.
In oil and gas development, the oil displacement efficiency of single surfactants is inherently constrained. While synergistic interactions between salt ions and surfactants can enhance displacement performance by modulating interfacial properties and wettability, the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study systematically investigated the synergistic effects of two monovalent salts (NaCl, KCl) and four surfactants through macroscopic characterization of interfacial property and microfluidic displacement experiments using microfluidic device with dead-end structures. The results show that salt type and concentration significantly influence interfacial dynamics. The four selected surfactants exhibit gel-like behavior through molecular self-assembly in aqueous solutions, and their synergistic interaction with salt ions enhances oil displacement efficiency by modulating interfacial characteristics. High-salinity solutions reduce interfacial tension, with CTAB exhibiting a concentration-dependent decrease, while NP-10 behavior is governed by both surfactant and salt concentrations. The presence of Na+ generally resulted in lower IFT, improved interfacial viscoelasticity, and more favorable wettability alteration compared to K+. One-way analysis of variance confirmed that salt type is the main factor affecting recovery rate (p < 0.05). Notably, 0.2% CTAB+50,000 mg/L NaCl combination achieved the highest recovery rate owing to an optimal balance between interfacial adsorption, film viscoelasticity, and wettability alteration. This investigation elucidates the mechanisms driving surfactant–salt synergism and proposes an optimized surfactant and salt formulation to enhance oil recovery through tailored interfacial properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Technology for Oil and Nature Gas Exploration)
9 pages, 1490 KB  
Communication
A Study on Thin-Film Dispersion Interference Spectral Measurement by Integrating Deep Learning and Physical Model Fitting
by Tong Wu, Haopeng Li, Chenxu Liu, Chuan Zhang, Jiahao Wu, Jingwei Yu, Jianjun Liu, Zepei Zheng, Bosong Duan, Anyu Sun and Bingfeng Ju
Metrology 2026, 6(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/metrology6020033 - 15 May 2026
Abstract
In the context of the increasing demands of precision manufacturing and nanotechnology, especially for emerging fields such as Oxide oxide films in Nuclear nuclear fuel assemblies, the measurement of multi-layer inhomogeneous thin films faces significant challenges. Traditional spectroscopic interference thickness measurement techniques have [...] Read more.
In the context of the increasing demands of precision manufacturing and nanotechnology, especially for emerging fields such as Oxide oxide films in Nuclear nuclear fuel assemblies, the measurement of multi-layer inhomogeneous thin films faces significant challenges. Traditional spectroscopic interference thickness measurement techniques have limitations in handling dispersion interference, parameter coupling, and the efficient solution of nonlinear inverse problems. This study proposes a new model that integrates deep learning and physical model fitting. It constructs a theoretical model of multi-layer thin-film interference spectroscopy based on the Lorentz–Drude formula, uses a generative adversarial network (GAN) for initial structure analysis, and builds a two-layer optimization framework of “deep learning rough positioning—physical model fine fitting”. The research aims to break through the limitations of traditional methods, improve measurement accuracy and anti-noise ability, and provide a key technical support for emerging fields. Full article
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