Erode Sengunthar Engineering College

The increasing global demand for sustainable and low-carbon energy sources has driven significant interest in biomass-based biofuels. Industrial waste algae, an abundant, renewable, and non-food bioresource, presents a promising feedstock for thermochemical conversion due to its high lipid content, rapid growth rate, and carbon sequestration potential. This study investigates the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and hydrothermal gasification (HTG) processes for converting industrial waste algae into biofuels, focusing on optimizing bio-oil yield, hydrogen production, and pollution index reduction. The influence of key process parametersincluding temperature, pressure, reaction time, catalyst loading, and solvent-to-biomass (S/B) ratioon bio-oil and hydrogen yield was systematically analyzed through experimental and computational approaches.HTL experiments were conducted at temperatures between 200 and 420 °C, pressures up to 20 MPa, and reaction times ranging from 30 to 90 min, utilizing Ca(OH)₂ as a catalyst. The optimal conditions (300 °C, 50 bar, 60 min, 3

Two tin-based organic-inorganic hybrids, namely bis(3-cyanopyridinium) hexachlorostannate(IV) dihydrate (1) and bis(3-cyanopyridinium) hexabromostannate(IV) dihydrate (2), were synthesized and subjected to an extensive investigation to evaluate their crystal structures alongside their optical, third-order nonlinear, and dielectric responses. Single-crystal XRD study revealed that both hybrids contain discrete [SnCl6]2- and [SnBr6]2anionic octahedral units, which are stabilized via extensive hydrogen-bonding interactions with 3-cyanopyridinium cations and interstitial water molecules. Compound (1) crystallized in the triclinic system with P & imath; symmetry, whereas compound (2) adopted a monoclinic structure with P21/n space group. Diffuse reflectance measurements supported the proposed structural framework and indicated optical band gaps of 4.33 eV for (1) and 3.07 eV for (2), highlighting the halide-dependent modulation of electronic properties. Photoluminescence studies revealed near-UV emission for (1) and visible blue-green emission for (2), linked to halide identity. SEM-EDS and XRF analyses confirmed morphology and elemental composition. Z-scan measurements demonstrated third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of 8.48x10-11 esu for (1) and 7.01x10-11 esu for (2), highlighting their potential in photonics. Dielectric and AC conductivity analyses indicated relaxation behaviour consistent with thermally activated polarization and hopping-type carrier motion. Hirshfeld surface analysis emphasized the dominance of halogen-hydrogen and nitrogen-hydrogen interactions in crystal packing. These results demonstrate how halide substitution modulates the multifunctional behaviour of hybrid stannate frameworks, offering insights into their design for optical and electronic applications.

An emerging innovation in modern electrical power systems is the smart grid, which integrates advanced communication and control technologies to enhance the reliability and efficiency of traditional energy networks. To achieve optimal performance, continuous monitoring and intelligent control are essential. This research focuses on precise power generation tracking in smart grid environments using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). A connection is established between power generation units and specialized sensor nodes to enable seamless and real-time data exchange. To address challenges related to energy efficiency and scalability, an enhanced Cluster Head (CH) selection strategy based on the Gazelle Optimization Algorithm (GOA) is proposed. Furthermore, a Deep Belief Network (DBN) is employed to ensure intelligent and efficient data transmission by minimizing routing distance and improving network lifetime. The proposed framework demonstrates significant improvements in data throughput, packet integrity and latency compared to conventional methods. Overall, this integrated approach sets a new benchmark for efficient, adaptive and intelligent smart grid communication, enabling future advancements in sustainable power system management.

Inconel 718 is a nickel-based superalloy used in challenging environments, such as elevated temperatures and pressures, in aerospace engines and gas turbines. This study investigated the mechanical and wear behaviors of Inconel 718 alloy fabricated using wire-fed laser direct energy deposition additive manufacturing. The components were fabricated by varying the laser power (700, 800, and 900 watts) and scanning speed (500, 550, and 600 mm/min). Component fabricated at 900 W laser power exhibit 8.14 g/cm3 which implies lesser internal porosity due to almost fully dense material. An increase in the laser power and scanning speed increased the hardness of the deposited component from 266.18 to 314.61 Hv. A more uniform hardness distribution across the build surface was achieved at higher laser powers. A pin-on-disc apparatus was used to study the abrasive wear behavior by sliding the fabricated pin against SiC abrasive sheets of different grit sizes (80, 100, and 150 grit). The wear rate of the material decreased with an increase in the laser power and scanning speed, and the opposite trend was observed for the coefficient of friction. The component made with 900 watts of laser power and a scanning speed of 600 mm/min showed a maximum hardness of 314.61 ± 5.11 Hv and had better wear resistance with 1.67 × 10-5 m3/m of wear rate and a friction coefficient of 0.28.

Nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) is a prospective magnetic semiconductor material for applications in photocatalysis, but its actual performance is limited due to inefficient charge transfer and rapid electron–hole recombination. To overcome these drawbacks in the present work, NiFe2O4 was tailored by incorporating steric hindrance provided by cobalt and lanthanum. The Co, La doped and La/Co co-doped NiFe2O4 nanopowders were prepared by a facile co-precipitation method. Effect of doping on the crystal structure, morphology, optical properties, and photocatalytic activity was investigated with XRD, FESEM, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR analysis, photoluminescence spectrum, and photocatalytic degradation performance studies. The structural analysis showed that the cubic spinel phase was maintained after doping, and morphological observations revealed better particle distribution with a decrease in agglomeration. We found that both doping enhanced the electronic transitions and reduce the recombination probability in the doped samples from optical measurements. The photocatalytic activity was also determined by the degradation of methylene blue under visible light, and the results were 38