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At least 91 records · Page 5

Optimizing Solar PV Deployment in Manufacturing: A Morphological Matrix and Fuzzy TOPSIS Approach

The growing energy demand of the industrial sector and the need for sustainable solutions highlight the importance of efficient decision making in solar photovoltaic (PV) implementation. Selecting optimal PV configuration is complex due to the interdependent technical, economic, environmental, and social factors involved. This study introduces an integrated decision-making method combining a morphological matrix and fuzzy TOPSIS to systematically select and rank optimal PV system configurations for manufacturing firms. While the morphological matrix exhaustively examines possible design solutions based on sensing, smart, sustainable, and social (S4) attributes, the fuzzy TOPSIS method ranks the alternatives by handling uncertainty in decision making. A case study conducted in a Mexican manufacturing company validates the methodology’s effectiveness. The optimal PV configuration identified comprehensively addresses operational and sustainability criteria, covering all lifecycle stages. This approach demonstrates quantitative superiority and greater robustness compared to existing fuzzy TOPSIS-based methods for solar PV applications. The findings highlight the practical value of data-driven, multi-criteria decision making for industrial solar energy adoption, enhancing project feasibility, cost efficiency, and environmental compliance. Future research will incorporate discrete event simulation (DES) to further refine energy consumption strategies in manufacturing.

Briceño, Citlaly Pérez↗

Multifunctional reactive inks, methods of use and manufacture thereof

In one embodiment, a method includes dispersing a plurality of particles in solution to form a dispersion and adding a stabilizing agent to the dispersion in an amount sufficient to cause the dispersion to exhibit one or more predetermined rheological properties. The particles in the dispersion are configured to complete a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction upon initiation thereof. In another embodiment, a method includes depositing a material on a substrate. The material includes: a plurality of particles configured to complete a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction upon initiation thereof, a solvent system, and one or more stabilizing agents.

Sullivan, Kyle T.↗

Puncture-Healing Thermoplastic Resin Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composites

A composite comprising a combination of a self-healing polymer matrix and a carbon fiber reinforcement is described. In one embodiment, the matrix is a polybutadiene graft copolymer matrix, such as polybutadiene graft copolymer comprising poly(butadiene)-graft-poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile). A method of fabricating the composite is also described, comprising the steps of manufacturing a pre-impregnated unidirectional carbon fiber preform by wetting a plurality of carbon fibers with a solution, the solution comprising a self-healing polymer and a solvent, and curing the preform. A method of repairing a structure made from the composite of the invention is described. A novel prepreg material used to manufacture the composite of the invention is described.

Gordon, Keith L.↗

Puncture-Healing Thermoplastic Resin Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites

A composite comprising a combination of a self-healing polymer matrix and a carbon fiber reinforcement is described. In one embodiment, the matrix is a polybutadiene graft copolymer matrix, such as polybutadiene graft copolymer comprising poly(butadiene)-graft-poly(methyl acrylate-co-acrylonitrile). A method of fabricating the composite is also described, comprising the steps of manufacturing a pre-impregnated unidirectional carbon fiber preform by wetting a plurality of carbon fibers with a solution, the solution comprising a self-healing polymer and a solvent, and curing the preform. A method of repairing a structure made from the composite of the invention is described. A novel prepreg material used to manufacture the composite of the invention is described.

Gordon, Keith L.↗

Reversible Binding Interfaces Made of Microstructured Polymer Brushes

The polymer brush architecture of the end-tethered polymer molecules is one of the most widely used efficient methods to regulate interfacial interactions in colloidal systems found in live matter and manufactured materials. Emerging applications of polymer brush structures require solutions to new tasks in the control of interfacial interactions. The rapid development of live cell manufacturing relies on scalable and efficient cell harvesting methods. Stimuli-responsive surfaces made of surface-grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) can bind and detach the adherent cell upon changes in temperature and have been used for cell growth and harvesting. The applications are limited by the requirement to satisfy a range of PNIPAM coating characteristics that depend on the dimensions of the integrin complex in the cell membrane and the basal surface. The analysis of the microstructured surfaces, when adhesive and disjoining functions of the microdomains are decoupled, shows that many limitations of PNIPAM one-component coatings can be avoided by using a much broader range of structural characteristics of the microstructured interfaces composed of alternating disjoining PNIPAM domains and adhesive polymeric domains with cell-affinity functional groups. Temperature-controlled reversible adhesion to such microstructured interfaces is studied here experimentally with model systems of solid spherical particles and by employing simulations for solid and soft membranes interacting with the microstructured surfaces to mimic interactions with soft and solid disk-like particles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

System and method for forming material substrate printer

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a part via an additive manufacturing process. A solution is used which has a volatile component within which is suspended particles of a powdered material. The solution is heated until it at least one of begins boiling or is about to begin boiling. The heated solution is then deposited at least at one location on a substrate to help form a layer of the part. The volatile component then evaporates, leaving only the particles of powdered material. The particles are then heated to the melting point. The deposition and heating operations are repeated to successively form a plurality of layers for the part. The evaporation of the volatile component helps to cool the part.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

System and method for forming material substrate printer

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a part via an additive manufacturing process. A solution is used which has a volatile component within which is suspended particles of a powdered material. The solution is heated until it at least one of begins boiling or is about to begin boiling. The heated solution is then deposited at least at one location on a substrate to help form a layer of the part. The volatile component then evaporates, leaving only the particles of powdered material. The particles are then heated to the melting point. The deposition and heating operations are repeated to successively form a plurality of layers for the part. The evaporation of the volatile component helps to cool the part.

Demuth, James A.↗

Synthesis of metal metaphosphate for catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions

A method of manufacturing an electrode by disposing a three-dimensional substrate in a metal nitrate solution, drying, and thermally phosphatizing with a phosphorus source under inert gas to form a metal based phosphate catalyst on the substrate. An electrocatalyst and electrode produced via the method are also provided.

Ren, Zhifeng↗

Development of Advanced Manufacturing Approaches for Single-Piece Launch Vehicle Structures

Advanced, near-net shape manufacturing methods have the potential to enable production of structures with fewer welds and reduced machining requirements. Two such methods that are suitable for the manufacturing of single-piece, stiffened barrel-shaped structures are presented. The first solution deployed existing manufacturing technology to produce a thick-walled barrel with integrally machined stiffeners. In this study, an 8-ft. diameter barrel was produced and subjected to a buckling test. Data on the manufacturing and testing of this barrel are provided and compared against the traditional multi-piece weld construction approach. The single-piece barrel resulted in a 28% greater load carrying capacity than the welded barrel. A second solution utilized a novel flow-forming technique to produce the barrel and stiffeners in one process without the need for welding or machining. This is an emerging manufacturing method known as the Integrally Stiffened Cylinder (ISC) process. This innovative process is being evaluated for launch vehicle and commercial aircraft manufacturing. The one-piece, stiffened ISC barrels, which have been successfully fabricated at 10 ft. in diameter, offer a direct replacement for conventional multi-piece, welded or riveted structures. A cost-benefit analysis for launch vehicle cryogenic propellant tanks estimated that the ISC process offers up to a 50% reduction in manufacturing costs and a 10% reduction in mass.

integrally stiffened cylinder (ISC)↗

Techno-economic analysis of roll-to-roll production of perovskite modules using radiation thermal processes

Perovskite solar technology can produce economically viable photovoltaic devices due to low cost of materials and scalable manufacturing. Solution phase deposition of all active layers lends itself to roll-to-roll fabrication methods which are well-established and have production rates of several hundred square meters per minute. In this techno-economic analysis, the opportunity to scale at this production throughput is considered with manufacturing rates exceeding one gigawatt per year in a single plant. Intense pulsed light is used for the post deposition process to minimize costs associated with the footprint, equipment, and operation. The analysis is limited to the operation of a roll-to-roll manufacturing facility producing a perovskite solar film that can be incorporated into photovoltaic modules. Costs associated with materials, labor, and equipment are considered along with utilities determined from the fundamental engineering calculations. Furthermore, the results show that at very large-scale operations of several gigawatts, the costs to produce the solar films range between $0.04-$0.10 per watt.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Life cycle energy demand and carbon emissions of scalable single-junction and tandem perovskite PV

Perovskite photovoltaics reached record efficiencies in the laboratory and, if sustainably commercialized, they would accelerate a green energy transition. Here, this article presents the development of life-cycle inventory material and energy databases of most promising four single-junction and three tandem scalable perovskite systems with assumptions regarding scalable production validated by industry experts. We conducted comprehensive “ex ante” Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Net Energy Analysis, analyzing their cumulative energy demand, global warming potential profiles, energy payback times and energy return on investment (EROI). LCA contribution analysis elucidates the most impactful material and process choices. It shows that solution-based perovskite manufacturing would have lower environmental impact than vapor-based methods, and that roll-to-roll (RtR) printing offers the lowest impact. Among material choices, MoOx/Al has lower impact than Ag, and fluorine-tin-oxide lower than indium-tin-oxide. Furthermore, we compare perovskites with commercial crystalline-silicon and thin-film PV, accounting for the most recent developments in crystalline-Si wafer production and differences in life expectancies and efficiencies. It is shown that perovskite systems produced with RtR manufacturing could reach in only 12 years of life the same EROI as that of single-crystalline-Si PV lasting 30-years. This work lays a foundation for sustainability investigations of perovskite large-scale deployment.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Three-dimensional continuum point cloud method for large deformation and its verification

This study presents a strong form based meshfree collocation method, which is named Continuum Point Cloud Method, to solve nonlinear field equations derived from classical mechanics for deformed bodies in three-dimensional Euclidean space. The method and its implementation are benchmarked against a nonlinear vector field using manufactured solutions. The analysis of mechanical fields firstly focuses on the study of St. Venant Kirchhoff and compressible neo-Hookean materials. Results for various initial boundary value problems are presented, including benchmark cases involving unidirectional tension and simple shear. Subsequently, the study concludes with an analysis of a displacement-controlled simulation of a compressible neo-Hookean material, specifically a bar that is pulled to 50% of its original length and rotated 90°. The pure tension case yields a 1.5% error in displacement between computed and expected values and a combined tension and torsion loading case provides further insight into material behavior under complex loading conditions. The resulting normal axial and transverse stress-strain curves are also presented. Lastly, the consistency and robustness of the proposed nonlinear numerical schemes are successfully demonstrated through various numerical experiments.

Compressible neo-Hookean materials↗

Inverse kinematic solution for near-simple robots and its application to robot calibration

This paper provides an inverse kinematic solution for a class of robot manipulators called near-simple manipulators. The kinematics of these manipulators differ from those of simple-robots by small parameter variations. Although most robots are by design simple, in practice, due to manufacturing tolerances, every robot is near-simple. The method in this paper gives an approximate inverse kinematics solution for real time applications based on the nominal solution for these robots. The validity of the results are tested both by a simulation study and by applying the algorithm to a PUMA robot.

Hayati, Samad A.↗

Chemically and Mechanically Recyclable Vitrimers from Carbon Dioxide-Based Polycarbonates

Designing thermoset materials with dynamic crosslinks is an important strategy to mitigate rising global carbon dioxide emission levels. The development of polymers from sustainable feedstocks, with efficient manufacturing methods, for high-value applications, and with circular end-of-use solutions is essential for advancing material technologies. One approach involves exploiting carbon dioxide itself as feedstock to create high performance, sustainable materials, by enchaining 50 mol% CO2 via copolymerization with epoxides to yield polycarbonates. This work describes the synthesis, end-functionalization, and curing of poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) and poly(cyclohexene carbonate) (PCHC) into beta-hydroxy ester vitrimers. These vitrimers demonstrate the ability to be mechanically reprocessed up to 3 times with retention of the material’s properties through dynamic transesterification exchange reactions. The polycarbonate vitrimers with gel fractions exceeding 90 % exhibit high tensile strength (> 50 MPa) and Young’s modulus (> 2 GPa), achieved by varying repeat unit structure in the polymer backbone from the low Tg PPC to the more rigid high Tg PCHC structures. Owing to an entropically favorable chain back-biting mechanism, the network chains can be cleaved and depolymerized into cyclic small molecules. In the case of PCHC, this process enables repolymerization back to polycarbonates with 69 wt.% CO2 retention through life-cycles. The promising mechanical performance and recyclability of these CO2-based polycarbonate vitrimers indicate their potential for sustainable, high-performance materials, paving the way for future innovations in circular polymer technologies and carbon capture utilization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Automated Luminaire Design and Local Manufacturing for Highly Efficient, Customized Lighting Solutions

In response to the growing demand for tailorable and energy-efficient lighting solutions, Eaton and partners Synopsys and Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute were funded to develop an automated luminaire design method that was capable of achieving best in class efficiency while being locally manufactured at an affordable cost. This program was broken into four key technology areas, automated optics design, additively manufactured optical material characterization, printed electronics, and additively manufactured mechanical components.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Coupling Approaches with Non-matching Grids for Classical Linear Elasticity and Bond-based Peridynamic Models in 1D

Local-nonlocal coupling approaches provide a means to combine the computational efficiency of local models and the accuracy of nonlocal models. To facilitate the coupling of the two models, non-matching grids are often desirable as nonlocal grids usually require a finer resolution than local grids. In that case, it is often convenient to resort to interpolation operators so that models can exchange information in the overlap regions when nodes from the two grids do not coincide. This paper studies three existing coupling approaches, namely 1) a method that enforces matching displacements in an overlap region, 2) a variant that enforces a constraint on the stresses instead, and 3) a method that considers a variable horizon in the vicinity of the interfaces. Further, the effect of the interpolation order and of the grid ratio on the performance of the three coupling methods with non-matching grids is carefully studied on one-dimensional examples using polynomial manufactured solutions. The numerical results show that the degree of the interpolants should be chosen with care to avoid introducing additional modeling errors, or simply minimize these errors, in the coupling approach.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Review on Progress, Challenges, and Prospects of Material Jetting of Copper and Tungsten

Copper (Cu) and tungsten (W) possess exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity properties, making them suitable candidates for applications such as interconnects and thermal conductivity enhancements. Solution-based additive manufacturing (SBAM) offers unique advantages, including patterning capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and scalability among the various methods for manufacturing Cu and W-based films and structures. In particular, SBAM material jetting techniques, such as inkjet printing (IJP), direct ink writing (DIW), and aerosol jet printing (AJP), present a promising approach for design freedom, low material wastes, and versatility as either stand-alone printers or integrated with powder bed-based metal additive manufacturing (MAM). Thus, this review summarizes recent advancements in solution-processed Cu and W, focusing on IJP, DIW, and AJP techniques. The discussion encompasses general aspects, current status, challenges, and recent research highlights. Furthermore, this paper addresses integrating material jetting techniques with powder bed-based MAM to fabricate functional alloys and multi-material structures. Finally, the factors influencing large-scale fabrication and potential prospects in this area are explored.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterial Ink Production Through Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution for Printed Electronics Applications

Flexible and printed electronics have become increasingly popular as they make possible the production of flexible, low-cost, multifunction devices that are unachievable through traditional manufacturing methods. The printed films are significantly impacted and thus limited by the existing ink production process. Herein, an alternate technique of generating high-quality titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticle ink compatible with aerosol jet printing using laser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS) is showcased. Dynamic light scattering data and transmission electron microscopy confirm the particle size distribution. UV–vis measurements are performed, and the Beer–Lambert relationship is used to determine the concentration of the generated ink. The inks generated at two different repetition rates are compared: 200 kHz and 1 MHz. X-Ray diffraction analysis of the aerosol jet printed thin film post-thermal sintering confirms the grain size and phase purity of the printed thin films. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of the LASiS technique in producing printable nanoparticle inks with little-to-no postprocessing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗