Thermoelectric materials are defined as any material that can generate an electrical current when a temperature gradient is applied on it. • The efficiency of any thermoelectric material is quantified using the ZT number which is defined as: = ∗ * T / where S [V/K] stands for the Seebeck coefficient, σ is electrical conductivity [S/m], k is the thermal conductivity [W/m∙K], and T [K] is the absolute temperature. • Most thermoelectric materials are engineered for maximal Seebeck coefficient and minimal thermal conductivity. This usually limits the operating temperature range and makes the material unstable at high temperatures. • Metal oxides do not posses relatively high Seebeck coefficients. However, they are much more stable in high temperatures. • Today, up to 50% of the world power generation is lost to heat. A highly stable thermoelectric material, such as Calcium cobaltite, can be used in these processes to capture the lost energy. • While Calcium cobaltite nano wires have been fabricated using direct electrospinning, we aim to use Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) alongside electrospinning to create a thinner fibers with a direct control over the Calcium to Cobalt ratio.

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are widely considered a crucial pathway toward achieving near zero energy building (NZEB) and communities (NZEC) in urban areas [1]. While a few BIPV research efforts have adopted life cycle assessment (LCA) [2,3], their methodologies often lack the capability of properly modeling the intricate interaction between BIPVs and the surrounding environment. This oversight is paramount, as the urban context significantly influences the energy consumption and energy harvesting potential of BIPVs. Prior studies lack adaptability as they are often tailored to a specific case study, requiring extensive adjustments and reanalysis if any parameters or design alternatives are altered. These shortcomings hamper their ability to provide comprehensive guidance on urban-scale BIPV, where varying architectural configurations and multiple design scenarios need to be considered.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are recognized for their outstanding fuel flexibility and high efficiency in converting chemical energy into electrical energy. This research presents experiments on SOFCs fed with humidified hydrogen and hydrogen-rich gaseous reformates derived from methanol and ammonia: methanol steam reforming (MSR), methanol decomposition (MD), and ammonia decomposition (AD), at 700 – 850 °C. Results of SOFCs operating with MD reformate on different types of SOFCs, which to the best of our knowledge aren’t available in the literature, are presented and compared with other reformate types for the first time. MD-reformate yielded the highest cell performance, with the least disparity in power density from humidified hydrogen, followed by AD-, and MSR-reformates. The study compares the direct internal reforming method, and the innovative Combined Electro-Thermo-Chemical cycle’s (CETC) potential. Introducing the concept of critical power density, the research evaluates fuel utilization across SOFC types. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging and Energy-Dispersive Xray Spectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirm the viability of CO as a fuel, with no carbon deposits on the anodes when using MD-reformate. The findings demonstrate the suitability of using methanol- and ammonia-decomposition products in SOFCs and their compatibility with hybrid power generation cycles.

PAH forms a dense complex with highest rejection of OMPs. Additionally, it shows a favorable trend of lower salt rejection compared to OPMs. The "neutrality point" for the PAH Nafion membrane occurs at 1 g/L, where both MgCl2 and Na2SO4 re rejected equally. Achieving this is beneficial for reducing Donnan exclusion. Reducing Nafion thickness boosts membrane flux but reduces OMPs rejection. Adding a third PAA layer, even at low concentrations, alters the membrane charge to negative with high OMPs rejection.

This research evaluates the environmental impact of using recycled pyrolysis polyolefin wax as a PCM feedstock and to fill data gaps and uncertainties in early-stage life cycle assessment (LCA) of vitrimeric encapsulation of PCMs. Advanced process calculations are used to reduce data gaps to enable material and energy balances through a bottom-up LCA approach, overcoming limitations of vitrimeric reaction to produce PCM encapsulation material. The LCA study evaluates the production of 1-ton PCM obtained by waxes from polyolefin waste benchmarked against commercial PCM feedstocks. Additionally, it estimates the encapsulation of 1-kg PCM by borane-based vitrimeric encapsulation compared to conventional encapsulation processes.

The required widespread deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology is not accordant with the energy requirements for many existing processes. Our study delves into the potential of ocean-based CDR as a solution, presenting a pathway for large-scale, direct carbon sequestration with relatively minimal energy consumption. Oceans hold over 82% of Earth's carbon reserves as dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) with a CO2 concentration (as carbonate) that is 140 times higher per unit volume than in the atmosphere. The existing interplay of this carbonate system with pH, and with cations found in sea water such as Nat Ca2+ and Mg2+, can offer a direct long-term storage mechanism through the precipitation of these ions into solid carbonate and hydroxide minerals. So-called abiotic ocean-based CDR techniques, particularly those rooted in electrochemistry which can bypass thermal energy losses from the Carnot cycle, therefor possess several unique energetic advantages. Here, we highlight challenges and opportunities in so-called catalytic mineralization, including the current understanding of ocean-based CDR, from thermodynamics and mass- and energy balance considerations, to novel process, electrode, and cell designs. Key parameters are identified that will ultimately shape the technical and economic feasibility of abiotic ocean-based CDR with the aim to aid in the amelioration of anthropogenic CO2 emissions.

Water splitting is a sustainable approach for converting electrical energy to chemical energy (oxygen and hydrogen) without CO 2 emission During overall water splitting, oxygen evolution reaction ( is the major bottleneck due to several reaction steps involved in transfer of the required four electrons, which slows down the reaction kinetics In this project, we use the genetic program, ISGP, to analyze the data and extract the physical information from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy ( ISGP provides an analytical form of the Distribution Function of Relaxation Times ( Using the DFRT, we can calculate the effective resistance and capacitance more accurately These parameters can aid in evaluating the reaction kinetics of RuO 2 (a benchmark catalyst) and any other catalyst in the future ISGP can support the analysis, or even be better than Tafel in cases where the Tafel slope analysis fails.

Methasol consortium targeted to produce methanol as a promising energy storage feedstock, through a sustainable and cost-effective process based on the selective visible light-driven CO2 gas phase reduction. Methasol uses graphitic-Carbon-Nitride or Potassium-Poly-Heptazine-Imide & Metal-Organic- Framework (gC3N4/MOF) z-scheme heterojunction and aims to optimize it toward methanol production. These two Semiconductors will act as oxidation-type photocatalyst (gCN) to allow OER (oxygen evolution reaction) and reduction-type photocatalyst (MOF) to allow CO2RR. It is necessary to achieve adequate band gaps with about 0.2-0.3 V overpotential vs. the thermodynamic CO2RR to methanol and OER from H2O, with aligned energy levels in staggered configuration (Zscheme). Methasol partners optimize the base materials by adjusting the photocatalysts structural & chemical properties. Testing, characterizing and selecting the most promising materials is a crucial step prior the final testing stage of the complete heterojunction. The fabrication of test equipment and photoactive membrane layer was identified as mandatory step prior testing the resultant band-gap by dedicated practical experiments aimed to controle the proportion between the two components of the Z-scheme.

Bubble poisoning is a common problem found in electrochemical devices. One method to tackle this problem is bydesigning porous structures, enhancing bubble release from the catalyst layer. Our goal: study the relation between porous structure and its effect electrochemical activity of bubble release. Using the hard-templating method, we synthesized carbons using polyacrylonitrile )PAN (with different pore sizes –40, 80, 120, 200 nm, to study how pore size affects bubble release. Hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) was taken as a gas releasing reaction, and rutheniumhexamine )RuHA( redox reaction as a reference which does not produce gas.

Seeking low-cost environmentally friendly methods to convert solar energy. Simple design and low tolerances allow for cheap manufacturing. Using acoustic conversion which requires little to no moving parts.

As part of the clean energy transition, a small scale heat engines have an important role in enabling the utilization of distributed technologies such as small geothermal power plants, waste heat recovery, thermal solar and more. External heat cycle engines convert thermal energy into useful work. to maximize work output, a near isothermal turbine is presented instead of conventional adiabatic expansion turbine. Isothermal expansion is obtained by flow of pressurized working fluid (WF) bubbles in a heat transfer liquid (HTL) media while pressure is dropped. The high contact area between the phases and the difference in the phases heat capacities allows the WF bubbles to expand while absorbing heat from the HTL and maintaining a near constant temperature. The expanding bubbles perform work on the HTL that gains kinetic energy that is converted to shaft work.

Organic photodetectors (OPDs) have gained significant attention due to their ability to absorb a broad spectrum of light freq uen cies, while being flexible, cost effective, and suitable for various applications such as imaging, optical communications, sensing, and biomedical monitoring. Un fortunately, even the most advanced OPD systems experience a significant reduction in signal to noise ratio after light exposure. Reducing dark current in OPDs is c rucial for enhancing performance, and an important step towards achieving this is incorporating a suitable charge selective interlayer during fabrication. We demonstr ate that the introduction of a carefully chosen additive into a near infrared (NIR) OPD system, whether into the cathodic interlayer or the donor: acceptor blend, result s in distinct behaviors concerning the collection abilities of charge carriers and the trends in dark current before and after illumination. This study highlights t he impact of the additive's implementation method on the electro optical processes within the device.

Over the past decade, capacitive deionization (CDI) has developed into a promising technology for brackish water desalination and ion selective separations. Faradaic side-reactions are known to affect CDI systems, including the electrode performance, energy efficiency and electrode lifespan, as well as introducing chemical by-products and pH fluctuations affecting the effluent water quality.

The Concept: Atomically dispersed, planar FeN4 is the classic active site for the hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOr).[1,2] However, it may not be accessible enough for the large hydrazine N2H4 molecule. Can we ‘open up’ this site? Our Goal: Accessible and open 3D FeNx sites on a crumpled carbon, allowing improved kinetics for HzOr. Our Plan: • 3D FeNx sites, based on octahedral complexes, coordinating out of plane • A crumpled carbon to avoid flattening of the site: Single layered graphene (SLG), has the structure of a crumpled paper, allowing more coordination sites for the 3D complex.

• 72% of the global primary energy production is lost to waste heat. • Much of the industrial waste heat is low-temperature and highly distributed, requiring small-capacity heat engines that currently are inefficient and expensive.

Hermetia illucens, the black soldier fly (BSF) is an efficient consumer of various organic waste types, yielding a protein and fat-rich output to be used as a food source. • Black soldier fly frass (BSFF) is a term for the residual mixture of insect feces and exoskeletons left from the bioconversion process. BSFF is usually used as a low-value fertiliser by direct field application. • Previous Life cycle assessment (LCA) reviews have outlined electricity consumption and frass direct field application as significant environmental impact factors [1,2] • Utilising BSFF and wastewater as bioenergy sources should be considered to mitigate the high energy demand of the bioconversion and the environmental costs of frass field application.

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells ( is one of the most reliable, efficient technology that can potentially revolutionize energy storage and delivery however, their commercial development is hampered by the chemical decomposition of the anion exchange membranes during operation It requires proper water management since the oxygen reduction process consumes a lot of water, which can cause serious damage to the membrane, especially on the cathode side when there is a lack of water Fig 1 1 Low water concentrations at the cathode in an AEMFC lead to the formation of hydroxides with low water solvation, which increases the cathode's nucleophilicity and speeds up the kinetics of degradation, even of ionomers that are typically ' in strong alkaline solutions 2 Therefore, it is crucial to understand the role of water on oxygen reduction reaction ( to get better insight into the membrane degradation mechanism Herein, we will explore water's effect on the electrocatalysts at the cathode side, and the intrinsic mechanism of the ORR reaction in low water content environments, which might help to solve the drying problem of cell cathode

Rationally designing stable, active, and selective catalysts is a major goal in catalysis research. Surface energy is a critical factor in achieving this goal, but approximations of surface energies in vacuum may not be accurate for electrified solid-liquid interfaces in electrocatalysis. To address this issue, we investigate nickel as an electrooxidation catalyst for alkaline-based reactions. By examining the Ni catalyst's oxidation states, morphology, and structural disorders, we developed a theoretical descriptor based on mechanical concepts of elastic strain to predict the stability and progress of a model urea oxidation reaction. Using state-of-the-art characterization techniques, such as in-situ electrochemical quick-X-ray absorption spectroscopy (ec-QXAS) with sub-s time resolution, and electrochemical attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ec-ATR-IR), we demonstrate the effectiveness of this mechanical strain-descriptor theory.

Development of a simple and computationally efficient method to deterministically predict the sea surface, based on nonlinear dispersion corrections.

Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) and water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) have emerged as attractive candidates for energy conversion and storage. • Several new QAs salts have been proposed in the literature to address this challenge, but while they perform well in ex-situ aqueous stability studies, their performance is very limited in real fuel cell studies. • The combination of alkaline environment and high current densities results in hydroxide anions with limited solvation, becoming extremely reactive towards positively charged quaternary ammonium (QA) salts. • Recently we proposed a new technique to measure the true chemical stability of QAs and AEMs, based on the ability to prepare hydroxide at different concentrations and with different levels of microsolvation. • This study examines the impact of hydration levels and high temperatures (≥ 90°C) on the reactivity of hydroxide anions.