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Metal hydrides are known for their outstanding performance as materials for hydrogen storage and processing. These materials find applications for short- and long-term energy storage, compression and supply of hydrogen gas, thermal energy storage, as electrodes and electrolytes in rechargeable batteries, for the microstructural optimisation of functional materials, in thin film technologies, as catalysts, getters and in many other uses. After the discovery of the first binary metal hydrides back in the 19th century, their studies covered all possible binary M-H systems and expanded rapidly into the field of ternary hydrides following the recognition of the excellent hydrogen storage performance of LaNi5- and TiFe-based materials, which operate efficiently at room temperature and at near-ambient H2 pressures. This review aims to provide an overview of the early works, as well as selected recent results on various classes of metal hydrides. It also covers the recent activities from the major contributing countries and continents, including USA, Europe, Japan, China and Australia. These studies relate to achieving the hydrogen storage systems goals set by the Department of Energy in the United States which inspired the research activities at the national and international level, through execution of the tasks on hydrogen-based energy storage managed by the International Energy Agency. The review is prepared by international experts in the field and covers the most important past developments and also presents the recent achievements in the field.
The prevalence of social robots is increasing, with examples such as customer service robots in malls and airports. This trend highlights the importance of transparency, particularly in data-sharing interactions with social robots operating in public spaces, where users may be asked to provide personal information to receive personalized experiences. This article investigates how design transparency influences user trust and data-sharing behavior in human-robot interactions. We conducted an experiment with 143 participants who interacted with the social robot ARI under two transparency conditions: low and high transparency. In the low-transparency condition, participants were informed about the data being collected and could choose to save or delete it. In the high-transparency condition, the robot additionally indicated the sensitivity level of each data item: low (e.g., scenario preference), medium (e.g., name and e-mail), and high (e.g., religious beliefs), allowing participants to make more informed decisions. Participants were presented with two scenarios: exploring city events and discovering local attractions. They received personalized recommendations based on their preferences, with the option to provide personal data (name, phone number, e-mail) for possible future communication. After the interaction, participants decided whether to save or delete the data they had shared. The results indicated that while transparency did not significantly affect trust in the robot, it influenced data-sharing behavior. In particular, participants in the high-transparency condition demonstrated more cautious behavior, opting to save less data and delete more. Furthermore, the results showed that both sensitivity levels and transparency influenced the participants’ data-sharing choices. Low-level sensitivity data led to the highest rates of saving and the lowest rates of deleting, while medium-level sensitivity data showed the opposite pattern. These findings highlight the need to align data categorization with user perceptions to address data sharing concerns more effectively.
Permanent storage of gigatons of carbon in basalt requires thick, uncompartmentalized sequences that allow lateral dissipation of CO2 away from injection sites. Here we assess the presence of flow barriers by evaluating the variations in 87Sr/86Sr patterns in pore water, a method used extensively in sedimentary successions. Present-day pore water 87Sr/86Sr was measured from residual salts in core samples, while past water compositions were reconstructed from carbonate cements of different ages. We reveal smooth and uninterrupted trends in strontium isotopes through a 100 m thick basalt section indicating a common fluid reservoir unaffected by low-permeability massive lava flow interiors. The data further indicate that unconsolidated overburden sediments act as a good seal preventing seawater to mix with in situ pore water, and buoyant supercritical CO2 to leak. Finally, basaltic sequences form viable targets for CO2 storage and suggests that fractures may bypass low-permeability units to create a well-connected reservoir system. 87Sr/86Sr pattern of residual salts from a 100 m basalt section reveal a vertically connected pore water system unaffected by massive lava flow interiors, supporting continental margin basalt sequences as viable reservoirs for permanent CO2 storage.
Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are often ineffective in eliminating persistent micropollutants, such as neonicotinoid pesticides, which pose significant risks to ecosystems and human health. To address this challenge, silicon-modified black titanium dioxide (Si-b-TiO2) photocatalysts were synthesised via a sol-gel route followed by chemical reduction, targeting sustainable environmental remediation under full-spectrum solar irradiation. Controlled Si incorporation (1-15 wt%) tuned the structural, optical, and electronic properties of black TiO2, as confirmed by XRD, TEM, and XPS and FT-IR analyses. Silicon modification suppressed electron-hole recombination and enhanced visible-light absorption, accompanied by increased generation of reactive oxygen species, as evidenced by hydroxyl radical (HO center dot) probing using terephthalic acid fluorescence. The optimised Si1-b-TiO2 photocatalyst achieved an imidacloprid degradation efficiency of approximately 70% within 180 min under full-spectrum irradiation, compared to similar to 34% for pristine black TiO2, corresponding to an apparent rate constant of k = 6.84 & sdot; 10(-3) min(-1). In addition, the catalyst retained more than 90% of its initial activity after five consecutive degradation cycles, demonstrating good operational stability. At higher Si loadings (>= 5 wt%), performance decreased due to pore blockage and recombination, underlining the importance of controlled doping. This work demonstrates that Si-modified black TiO2 provides a cost-effective and scalable material platform for solar-driven water purification, contributing to the development of sustainable technologies for mitigating micropollutants.
Wireless charging is a technology that is projected to promote the acceptance of Electric Vehicles (EV) due to its capability to reduce transport emissions, improve charging convenience and promote environmental sustainability. Technological advancement in dynamic wireless power transfer has contributed to the expansion of Electric Road Systems (ERS) that offer charging infrastructure for Electric Vehicles (EV). ERS is an emerging technology aimed at electrifying road transport by supplying EV with power enabling EV's with the possibility to charge while driving. ERS is an important technology to enhance the electrification of EV thereby addressing battery limitations and further decrease fossil fuel dependency. Although prior studies have evaluation the potential of ERS. There are fewer studies that extensively explored the applicability of wireless ERS in highways or long-distance corridors. Therefore, this article identifies factors as challenges that influences the deployment of wireless ERS and potential application of wireless ERS for sustainable transportation. More importantly this study investigates the feasibility of wireless ERS to decarbonize road vehicles in long-distance corridors. Key findings from this article assess the maturity level of different ERS technologies by presenting use cases and initiatives of ERS focusing on wireless power transfer subsystem and the development of ERS in highways.
