The National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) (Urdu: قومی جامعہ برائے سائنس و ٹیکنالوجی, romanized: Qaumī Jāmi'ā barā'e Sāins va Ṭaiknālōjī) is a multi-campus public research university having its main campus in Islamabad, Pakistan. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. Founded in 1991, it was initially formed for the need of commissioned officers by combining engineering colleges and schools. Later, it was converted into a public research university with the main campus setup in Islamabad to promote science and technology in Pakistan.Founded to provide quality technical education for rapid industrialization in Pakistan, NUST adopted an American university model and stressed laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering. It has since played a key role in the development of standardization in education of fields such as engineering, mathematics, and technology in Pakistan and is widely known for its innovation and academic strength, making it one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Pakistan. The university is also home to an under-construction International Association of Science Parks (IASP) certified National Science and Technology Park..
This study investigates the dynamic relationship between order flow toxicity, measured by the volume-synchronized probability of informed trading (VPIN), and price jumps in the Bitcoin market using high-frequency data and vector autoregressive model (VAR) modelling. By integrating behavioral finance theory to market microstructure framework, we explore how informed trading activity influences jumps in price, and how traders respond to such volatility. Our findings reveal that VPIN significantly predicts future price jumps, with positive serial correlation observed in both VPIN and jump size, suggesting persistent asymmetric information and momentum effects. On the contrary, price jumps occasionally affect VPIN. This study also identifies time-zone and day-of-the-week effects in VPIN, highlighting the role of global trading patterns. The results are robust among the choices of jump tests including Jiang and Oomen (2008) test which is empirically robust against market microstructure noise. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of intraday volatility in cryptocurrency markets and offer practical implications for risk management, trading strategy design, and regulatory oversight.
Extrusion forming of lightweight metal products, such as aluminum and magnesium alloys, is a crucial aspect of high-performance manufacturing. It is one of the most effective methods for achieving objectives such as weight reduction, environmental sustainability, and process simplification. This article summarizes and analyzes the latest research advancements in this field from a unique perspective. It covers the incorporation of auxiliary processes, such as pre-treatment and post-treatment or the application of specialized energy fields, the development of raw materials and mold structures, the optimization of loading implementation methods and conditions, and the expansion of product functionalities and application ranges. Additionally, it anticipates future directions across multiple dimensions, including the streamlining and simplification of process flows, the proactive management of uneven deformation, the integration of structure, performance, function, and utility, and the incorporation of emerging artificial intelligence technologies. This analysis provides a scientific foundation for enriching and enhancing the existing theoretical framework of specialized extrusion forming technology for aluminum and magnesium alloys, paving the way for significant breakthroughs in research aimed at improving manufacturing efficiency. (c) 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.
A novel method for fabricating "core-rim" structured toughened (Ti, Ta)C-(Ti, Ta)B2-SiC based ceramics was developed, employing in-situ reaction hot-pressing of TiC, TaB2, and Si powders at 1600 degrees C. This study explored the impact of varying TaB2 and Si concentrations on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the ceramics and clarified the formation mechanism of the "core-rim" structure. In this process, the reaction process of TiC and TaB2 powders and the reaction and solid solution formation of (Ti, Ta)C and (Ti, Ta)B2 occur simultaneously. TiC/TaC react with Si to form (Ta, Ti)Si2 and beta-SiC phases through further solid solution reactions. The presence of beta-SiC and (Ta, Ti)Si2, coupled with low-temperature insitu reactions, restricts grain growth and refines the microstructure. Adding 10 mol% TaB2 results in incomplete diffusion of TaC in TiC, leading to the distinct "core-rim" structure, with cracks propagating preferentially along the rim. The beta-SiC and plate-like (Ti, Ta)B2 structures formed in-situ reactions significantly enhance the fracture toughness of the ceramics. The TiC-32 mol% Si-10 mol% TaB2 (10TB-16) exhibited superior fracture toughness of 6.97 +/- 0.52 MPa m1/2 , the TiC-16 mol% Si-30 mol% TaB2 (30TB-16) exhibited superior flexural strength of 835 +/- 39 MPa, excellent fracture toughness of 6.68 +/- 0.66 MPa m1/2 , offering new insights into optimizing the strength and toughness of ceramics. (c) 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.
Dry-type power equipment, valued for its safety and environmental compatibility, has become the preferred solution for urban, industrial, and building power systems where stringent safety and environmental standards apply. Although glass fiber/epoxy resin (GF/EP) composites are widely adopted as the primary insulation material in certain types of dry-type power equipment, the ongoing trend toward higher voltage levels and larger capacities demands enhanced flame retardancy and mechanical strength. In this work, melamine-based compound (MPBA) was synthesized via chemical route and combined with aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP) to develop an MPBA/ADP hybrid filler with integrated flame-retardant and toughening properties. The incorporation of this composite filler effectively enhances the flame retardancy and mechanical performance of GF/EP composites while preserving their essential electrical insulation characteristics. The GF/EP composite exhibits an insulation performance with breakdown strength (Eb) of 43.9 kV/mm, limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 23.2 %, UL94 flammability rating of V-1, tensile strength of 48.3 MPa and flexural strength of 65.1 MPa. When incorporating 5 wt% MPBA and 10 wt% ADP as fillers, the resulting MPBA5/ADP10/GF/EP composite maintains excellent dielectric insulation properties, achieving a breakdown strength of 46.0 kV/mm, higher than the 43.9 kV/mm observed in conventional GF/EP composites. Simultaneously, the LOI increases to 36.1 %, the UL-94 rating reaches V-0, the tensile strength improves to 49.3 MPa, and the flexural strength rises to 77.6 MPa. This work represents the first successful demonstration of synergistic enhancement in flame retardancy, mechanical strength, and electrical insulation in EP-based composites through molecular-level design of functional fillers, offering a novel strategy for microstructure engineering of EP insulating materials in dry-type power equipment.
Europe is warming at the fastest rate of all continents, experiencing a temperature increase of about 1 degrees C higher than the corresponding global increase. Aiming to be the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 under the European Green Deal, Europe requires an in-depth understanding of the potential energy transition pathways. In this paper, we develop four qualitative long-term scenarios covering the European energy landscape until 2060, considering key uncertainty pillars- categorised under social, technological, economic, political, and geopolitical dimensions. First, we place the scenarios in a three-dimensional space defined by Social dynamics, Innovation, and Geopolitical instabilities. These scenarios are brought to life by defining their narratives and focus areas according to their location in this three-dimensional space. The scenarios envision diverse futures and include distinct features. The EU Trinity scenario pictures how internal divisions among EU member states, in the context of global geopolitical instability, affect the EU climate targets. The REPowerEU++ scenario outlines the steps needed for a self-sufficient, independent European energy system by 2050. The Go RES scenario examines the feasibility of achieving carbon neutrality earlier than 2050 given favourable uncertain factors. The NECP Essentials scenario extends current national energy and climate plans until 2060 to assess their role in realising climate neutrality. The scenarios are extended by incorporating policies and economic factors. They are then detailed in a Qualitative to Quantitative (Q2Q) matrix, linking narratives to quantification. Finally, two scenarios (Go RES and REPowerEU++) are quantified using the open-source energy system model GENeSYS-MOD to illustrate the quantification process.
