The performance of a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel boosted due to the reduction in cell temperature, which resulted an increase in the electrical performance. Hence, to enhance the performance of PV panels an experimental investigation was carried by incorporating 1-tetradeconal phase change materials (PCM), 40 % of biochar and 1 % of graphene. Four PV panels i.e., referenced PV panel, modified PV-PCM, modified PV with biochar PCM (PV-BPCM) and modified PV with nano enhanced biochar PCM (PV-NBPCM) were chosen for the experimental investigation to assess the thermal, electrical, economic and environmental analysis. It was found that the PVNBPCM exhibited better cooling effect with respect to the referenced PV panel, modified PV-PCM and modified PV-BPCM. The key findings from the comparative study suggested that the PV-NBPCM has reduced the maximum surface temperature around 18.86 K, compared to the other PV panels. While, the average electrical efficiency and power output of a PV-NBPCM was improved by 10.71 % and 24.60 %, respectively, against other proposed PV panels. The estimated levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), uniform end of annual cost (UEAC), and energy payback time (EPBT) for the PV-NBPCM was found to be lower compared to other PV configurations. Finally, the primary significance of using PCMs in solar panels is to improve their electrical efficiency and lifespan by managing the heat generated during operation.
Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on rural financial inclusion and economic growth (2019–2023), focusing on entrepreneurship, household financial behaviour and business formation. It identifies the mechanisms through which UPI adoption drives rural economic transformation. Design/methodology/approach Using a difference-in-differences approach, the study analyses UPI transaction data and household surveys from 200 villages across four Indian states to assess causal effects on financial and economic outcomes. Findings Villages with higher UPI adoption saw a 27% rise in business registrations, a 34% increase in savings accounts and a 42% growth in female-owned enterprises. In comparison, informal borrowing declined by 53% and digital credit access improved by 29%. These effects stemmed from lower transaction costs, better financial information access, network effects driving adoption and increased trust in digital finance. Research limitations/implications The findings are confined to four Indian states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat – and the extrapolation to other regions or emerging economies needs to be taken with caution, observing local economic and institutional conditions. Long-term consequences need to be investigated further. Regional differences, wealth generation and policy reforms applicable to other economies need to be considered in future research. Practical implications Strategic deployment of digital finance, literacy programmes and regulatory safeguards can maximise inclusion and economic impact. UPI adoption also empowers women entrepreneurs, formalises businesses and reduces informal lending dependence, but it requires mitigation of digital exclusion and cybersecurity risks. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first causal evidence of UPI’s role in rural economic transformation, introducing a theoretical framework linking digital finance to market integration and financial inclusion.
Surface integrity of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) fabricated 18Ni300 components remains a critical challenge, which affects wear performance and limits their reliability in tribologically demanding applications. In the present work, the tribological performance of LPBF 18Ni300 parts was systematically investigated to evaluate the combined effects of laser hatch pattern, powder reuse, heat treatment (HT), and laser shock peening (LSP), under dry sliding conditions. Surface characterization including XRD, microhardness, and residual stress analysis was performed. Results indicate that hatch pattern significantly impacts residual stress and hardness, with chessboard hatch yielding higher compressive residual stress and improved wear resistance, while powder recycling leads to wear performance degradation. HT enhanced hardness and wear performance through grain refinement. LSP significantly enhanced wear resistance of recycled powder specimens, through strain induced grain refinement and generation of compressive residual stresses. Phase analysis revealed martensite as the dominant phase in the LPBF-18Ni300 specimens. Morphology of worn surfaces indicates combined influence of abrasion and delamination wear mechanisms in the specimens at all conditions. These findings provide critical guidance for optimizing processing parameters and post-processing treatments to achieve superior tribological performance of LPBF-18Ni300 parts in industrial applications.
Research on cognitive biases has been abundant, while studies on biases in the career exploration phase and decision-making are in the infant stage. This study attempts to find the relationship between intuitive decision style and jumping-to-conclusions (JTC) bias in the career exploration behaviour process. The authors used cross-sectional data from 309 students enrolled in professional courses, such as business management, computer applications, and visual communication, in four southern Indian states. Smart PLS (Version 4) software was used to analyze the data using a Structural equation model. The results suggest that an increase in career exploration behaviour may heighten susceptibility to the JTC bias, and an intuitive decision style partially mediates the effects of career exploration and JTC bias. The authors suggested career interventions and training programmes for career counsellors and academicians based on research findings to enhance critical thinking and rational decision-making in career exploration and development.
We investigate the dynamics of a continuous cluster-eating particle aggregation system as modelled in the literature by the Redner–Ben–Avraham–Kahng (RBK) aggregation equation (Redner et al. in J. Phys. A, 20:1231, 1987). The original model proposed is in the finite-dimensional discrete framework. Therefore, the passage from the original discrete RBK equation to the continuous framework is also established. This model is characterized by unusual cluster-eating or annihilation property which inherently loses particle mass and hence is unable to attain a stationary-state solution. Therefore to overcome this mass loss, terms representing particle addition and extraction are injected into the system and the dynamical behaviour of the new model is analysed. The existence of a stationary-state solution is attained through a dynamical approach. This includes the estimates of the significant quantities and moments in order to stabilize the system. Further emphasizing the theoretical results, numerical simulations are presented to visualize both failure and attainment of a stationary-state solution.
