The growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has driven significant advancements in battery technology, particularly in battery packaging systems. A critical safety and performance aspect of these systems is the reliable and efficient joining of battery components, such as the busbar to tab interconnectors. Traditional joining techniques, such as ultrasonic welding, resistance spot welding, and soldering, are widely used in battery manufacturing, which have certain inherent limitations in terms of materials and productivity. Laser welding is capable of joining a wide range of materials, including dissimilar metals, with reasonable speed and accuracy. The quasi-continuous wave (QCW) fiber laser is particularly well-suited for the precision demands of battery manufacturing. Its ability to finely adjust energy output and pulse duration ensures high-quality welds. This paper investigates laser overlap welding using a QCW laser for producing tab-to-busbar interconnectors for Li-ion battery assembly. In this research, a 1.5 mm thick electro-nickel-plated copper (Cu [Ni-plated]) busbar and a 0.2 mm thick steel-copper-steel (SS-Cu-SS) sandwich tab were welded using QCW 6 kW pulsed laser. The effects of key process parameters, laser power, laser frequency, pulse duration, and scan speed on mechanical bond failure load, electrical contact resistance, weld morphology, bead width, and microhardness distribution have been studied. The maximum failure load was found to be 610 N, with the lowest contact resistance, 150 mu Omega, achieved under closely spaced pulses.

Cracks in concrete significantly reduce its durability. In recent years, the self-healing of cracks using microalgae has gained attention due to its ability to precipitate calcium carbonate through photosynthesis, unlike bacterial methods. This study presents the microalgae species Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) as a biological healing agent for the remediation of microcracks in cement mortar. The microalgae were cultivated in five media (M-1 to M-5) by progressively replacing Kosaric medium (KM) with calcium and phosphate-based concrete wash wastewater (CWW) in 25 % increments. Among these, medium M-3 exhibited optimal growth, with an optical density of 2.3, biomass yield of 4.2 g/L-1, and chlorophyll content of 30 mg/L- 1 by Day 12. The microalgae solution from M-3 was subsequently used to treat cracks in six mortar samples (S-1 to S-6), where S-1 and S-2 served as uncracked and cracked controls, respectively, and S-3 to S-6 were healed using microalgae solution supplemented with calcium (Ca2+) source. Applying 1 mL of microalgae solution from Day 1, along with 0.024 mmol Ca2+, to the S-4 sample with a crack width of 0.3-0.4 mm resulted in 97.8 % recovery in compressive strength from 41.60 MPa compared to the benchmark control strength of 49.10 MPa, corresponding to a 14.3 % increase over the strength of the S-2 specimen, 42 MPa. The SEM-EDX, XRD, and FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of calcite as the healing compound. An eco-compatible approach by introducing microalgae growth medium through modified media (M-3) and Ca2+ supplements through CaO, demonstrated the potential of A. platensis as a biological self-healing agent for crack-healing.

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely employed in biomedical, aerospace, sports, and marine sectors for their high strength-to-weight ratio, biocompatibility, low modulus, and corrosion resistance. However, they have low hardness, limiting tribological performance. Therefore, this work aims to deposit a Cu-Ni-Ti coating on Ti using premix Laser Directed Energy Deposition (LDED) and liquid pool mixing to enhance Ti performance. In addition, investigating the impact of LDED process parameters on coating geometry, coating composition, microstructure, and microhardness. Copper and nickel were selected as the premix components, as they enhance antimicrobial and microhardness performance, respectively. Single-track Cu-Ni premix coatings were deposited at four levels of laser power (800-2000 W) and scan speed (3-12 mm/s) on Ti. The measured clad area and substrate melt area were highest at the maximum laser power (2000 W) and lowest scan speed (3 mm/s) due to higher linear energy density. A maximum Ti content of 47 wt% in the clad region was achieved at the highest laser power (2000 W) and highest scan speed (12 mm/s), due to enhanced liquid pool mixing under this condition. The coating exhibited a microhardness at least twice that of Ti, primarily due to the presence of hard intermetallic phases, suggesting a strong potential for improved wear resistance.

This study investigates the hydrothermal aging behavior of undoped and copper oxide-doped alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ). The ATZ ceramic composites underwent conventional sintering at temperatures ranging from 1250 to 1500 ℃ with a holding time of 12 min. XRD analysis revealed a stable 100

This research explores the impact of different end cooling rates on the mechanical, viscoelastic, and fracture properties of Glass Epoxy (GE) composites. Unidirectional (UD) glass fiber and epoxy resin were utilized to prepare composite laminates, subjected to three distinct end cooling conditions (slow cooling, air cooling and fast cooling). The composites were characterized through tensile, flexural, viscoelastic, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), mode I and II fracture tests. Results revealed a higher degree of cure in slow cooled samples (87.23 %) compared to air cooled (85.11 %) and fast cooled specimens (81.56 %). Results also revealed that cooling rates significantly influenced the mechanical, viscoelastic and fracture properties, with higher cooling rates improving ILSS(38.92 MPa to 46.31 MPa), mode I (256.28 J/m(2) to 373.85 J/m(2)) and mode II (1044.19 J/m(2) to1151.85 J/m(2)) interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT). Tensile strength, modulus and strain at break was found to decrease with higher cooling rates. End rate of cooling (ROC) had limited effect on the flexural strength and modulus. Varied end cooling rates significantly influence the fracture behavior of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites under mode I and mode II loading as evidenced by SEM analysis, with fast-cooled composites exhibiting better fiber-matrix interfacial bonding and higher delamination resistance compared to other composites.

Vegetable oils and animal fats-sourced biodiesel are considered a promising alternative to conventional diesel fuel.However,they possess convinced restrictions like inadequate cold flow properties,poor lubricity,and complex emissions of nitrogen oxides（NO x ）.However,various nano-additives have emerged to overcome those limitations and enhance the performance of biodiesel in diesel engines.The impact of different additives on diesel engine characteristics that have been conducted recently with the combination of biodiesel is thoroughly analyzed in this review paper.Additionally,to provide a thorough summary of experimental research done in this area,the article addresses the several kinds of additives that are frequently employed and their effects on engine performance,combustion,emissions,wear,and durability.The evaluation of nano-additives' impacts in diesel-biodiesel engines highlights significant improvements in emissions,combustion efficiency,and engine durability.For example,the multi-walled carbon nanotubes（MWCNT） are found to increase Brake Thermal Efficiency（BTE） by up to 36.81%,while cerium oxide（CeO 2 ） can reduce Brake Specific Fuel Consumption（BSFC） by as much as 30%.Additionally,titanium dioxide（TiO 2 ） achieves a minimum NOx reduction of 22.57%,and graphene nanoplatelets（GNPs） have produced a minimum 65% reduction in carbon monoxide（CO）emissions,albeit with higher hydrocarbons（HC） emissions.However,long-term engine durability studies are needed to assess the compatibility of nano-additives with engine components and their impact on engine longevity which could be the future research direction aiming to investigate new nanoparticle possibilities and reduce pollutants to maximize biodiesel performance.

The build quality in Laser-Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED) is crucial for industrial production but is often compromised at higher build rates. Higher deposition rates in L-DED typically lead to poor surface finish, high porosity, and solute segregation at grain boundaries. This study investigates in-situ laser remelting with positive defocus to enable a substantially higher deposition rate, i.e., 25 g/min compared to the preferred 7 g/min, in building SS316L components using the powder-based L-DED technique while maintaining the desired build quality. It is shown that laser remelting significantly improves surface finish, reduces porosity by up to 83%, increases microhardness by up to 34%, and eliminates solute segregation compared to the as-deposited case. The effect of specific laser remelting parameters and underlying mechanisms are further investigated via specially designed experiments. The results indicate that employing the highest linear energy density through maximum laser power ( 2000 W) and minimum scan speed ( 400 mm/min) yields minimum porosity. On the other hand, employing the lowest linear energy density through minimum laser power ( 500 W) and maximum scan speed ( 1000 mm/min) yields the highest microhardness due to grain refinement. An analytical model is utilized to provide insights into the process-structure-property relationship based on experimental measurements of cooling rate, grain size, and microhardness. In conclusion, this research demonstrates the potential of in-situ laser remelting to significantly enhance both build rate and quality in L-DED, offering a promising approach for large-scale part production through periodic laser melting during deposition.

This study presents a novel approach for developing hard pseudoelastic TiNiCu ternary shape memory alloy (SMA) using laser-directed energy deposition (LDED). We harness the thermocapillary convection to achieve effective material transport by depositing a Cu-Ni powder premix while extracting Ti from the substrate. This approach overcomes the challenges of powder oxidation, agglomeration, handling, and powder recycling associated with conventional additive manufacturing of Ti-based SMAs. The alloy composition is driven by thermocapillary flow, with a Marangoni number significantly higher than the Grashof number. Microstructural analysis reveals the presence of the NiTi-B2 austenitic phase, which is responsible for remarkable pseudoelasticity and reduced hysteresis, with recovery ratios exceeding 90%. Enhanced microhardness (500 HV0.2) is attributed to the formation of hard intermetallic phases. The pseudoelasticity and microhardness values are among the highest reported for any SMA developed via an additive manufacturing route. This ternary SMA has huge potential in biomedical, aerospace, and sensing applications.

Increased waste generation and disposal have become serious concerns in terms of landfill burden and environmental pollution. Transforming the waste materials into useful ones by recycling or reprocessing is the right solution to address the challenges. Eggshells are one sort of bio-waste that has had a significant impact on the material market, which is in desperate need of lightweight, wear-resistant materials. Present research uses Habesha eggshells derived from Ethiopia to process the novel epoxy composite with improved tribo-properties. The open-cast mold technique is employed to fabricate epoxy composites with varying vol.% of Habesha eggshell particles in 5, 7.5, and 10. A pin-on-disc apparatus is pressed into service to conduct the wear test on the composite specimen. The results manifest that the wear rate of composite and frictional index of 10 vol.% of Habesha egg shell particles are 2.14 and 2.46 times better than 5 vol.% respectively. A decrement in frictional properties with an increase in eggshell content is observed along with an increment in the wear rate with the increase in sliding velocity and applied load. The L9 orthogonal array approach is followed to conduct the experiments, and a hybrid statistical approach of GRA-TOPSIS is applied to analyze the data and minimize wear objectives.

As the rate of digitalisation grows in the manufacturing sector, there is a need to address the manner in which design for the human experience is conceptualised. In industrial systems, user experience/user interface (UX/UI) as a paradigm does not fit in squarely, as industrial technologies require a blend of humans and technology for productivity. Thus, the aim of this article is to highlight the challenges and fundamental issues related to human-machine interaction (HMI) design in smart manufacturing from the disciplines of Human Factors and Interaction Design in terms of major themes: (1) designing for operator experience, (2) meaning-based analytics and design for complexity, and (3) human-centered design process for enabling reliability, maintainability, availability, and safety. These various challenges are depicted using a case study of HMI concept design for monitoring an additive manufacturing setup. The article concludes by discussing future steps for addressing HMI design in the manufacturing sector.

Modeling multitrack laser-directed energy deposition (LDED) is different from single-track deposition. There is a temporal variation in the deposition geometry and integrity in a multitrack deposition, which is not well understood. This article employs an analytical model for power attenuation and powder catchment in the melt pool in conjunction with a robust fully coupled metallurgical-thermomechanical finite element (FE) model iteratively to simulate the multitrack deposition. The novel hybrid analytical-numerical approach incorporates the effect of preexisting tracks on melt pool formation, powder catchment, geometry evolution, dilution, residual stress, and defect generation. CPM 9V steel powder was deposited on the H13 tool steel substrate for validating the model. The deposition height is found to be a function of the track sequence but reaches a steady-state height after a finite number of tracks. The height variation determines the waviness of the deposited surface and, therefore, the effective layer height. The inter-track spacing (I) plays a vital role in steady-state height evolution. A larger value of I facilitates faster convergence to the steady-state height but increases the surface waviness. The FE model incorporates the effects of differential thermal contraction, volume dilation, and transformation-induced plasticity. It predicts the deposition geometry and integrity as a function of inter-track spacing and powder feed rate. The insufficient remelting of the substrate or the preceding track can induce defects. A method to predict and mitigate these defects has also been presented in this article.

With the growing interest in utilizing Mg and austenitic stainless steel (ASS) in the automotive sector, joining them together in three-sheet configuration is inevitable. However, achieving this task presents considerable challenges due to the large differences in their physical, metallurgical and mechanical properties. To overcome these challenges, the feasibility of using weld-bonding to join Mg alloy/ASS/ASS was investigated. The nugget formation, interface characteristics, microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated. The results show that the connection between the Mg alloy and upper ASS was achieved through the combined effect of the cured adhesive and weld-brazing in the weld zone. On the other hand, a metallurgical bond was formed at the ASS/ASS interface. The Mg nugget microstructure exhibited fine columar grains composed predominantly of primary α-Mg grains along with a eutectic mixture of α-Mg and β-Mg17Al12. The nugget formed at the ASS/ASS interface consisted largely of columnar grains of austenite, with some equiaxed dendritic grains formed at the centerline of the joint. The weld-bonded joints exhibited an average peak load and energy absorption of about 8.5 kN and 17 J, respectively (the conventional RSW joints failed with minimal or no load application). The failure mode of the joints changed with increasing welding current from interfacial failure via the Mg nugget/upper ASS interface to partial interfacial failure (part of the Mg nugget was pulled out of the Mg sheet). Both failure modes were accompanied by cohesive failure in the adhesive zone.

We describe a mass spring system (MSS), which is also referred as lattice model in the literature, predicting the load -displacement curve of the orthotropic materials. We have developed the MSS model of a double cantilever beam to capture the energy release rate in a mode I fracture of the orthotropic materials using two different formulations: maximum strain energy and maximum strain. Further, we have considered determination of fracture energy of cortical bone, as a case study, using the compliance based beam method (CBBM). This method avoids monitoring of crack length during fracture and provides the complete R -curve along with the plateau, which is the fracture energy. We have also obtained the R -curve from the load -displacement curve predicted by the MSS model and determined the fracture energy of cortical bone. As the maximum percentage error in fracture energy predicted by the MSS model for dehydrated and hydrated bone is 1.02 per cent and 1.15 per cent, respectively, the results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Thus, we have shown the ability of the MSS model to produce quantitative results as well in comparison to the models presented in the literature for simulation of a fracture, which give essentially qualitative results. We have used the validated MSS model for characterizing the load -displacement behavior of cortical bone for increasing mineralization and porosity.

The objective of this research is to create a highly effective approach for eliminating pollutants from the environment through the process of photocatalytic degradation. The study centers around the production of composites consisting of CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using an ultrasonic-assisted method, with a focus on their capacity to degrade ibuprofen (IBF) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) via photodegradation. The impact of rGO on the structure, morphology, and optical properties of CCTO was inspected using XRD, FTIR, Raman, FESEM, XPS, BET, and UV-Vis. Morphology characterization showed that rGO particles were dispersed within the CCTO matrix without any specific chemical interaction between CCTO and C in the rGO. The BET analysis revealed that with increasing the amount of rGO in the composite, the specific surface area significantly increased compared to the CCTO standalone. Besides, increasing rGO resulted in a reduction in the optical bandgap energy to around 2.09 eV, makes it highly promising photocatalyst for environmental applications. The photodegradation of IBF and CIP was monitored using visible light irradiation. The results revealed that both components were degraded above 97% after 60 min. The photocatalyst showed an excellent reusability performance with a slight decrease after five runs to 93% photodegradation efficiency.

The Palm Oil sector is one of the biggest biomass industries in Malaysia with approximately 140 million tonnes of oil palm waste produced in 2022. A proper and systematic approach is required to manage and valorize this waste if Malaysia intends to fully utilize biomass resources. Pyrolysis procedures have emerged as an exceptionally encouraging method to transform biomass into valuable products. The critical benefit of this technique lies in its proficient capability to thermally decompose biomass at elevated temperatures without the presence of oxygen. This technology facilitates the synthesis of biochar, bio-oil, and syngas, which hold critical value in different applications. This work investigates the potential of valorizing oil palm wastes (OPW) into porous carbon via catalytic pyrolysis. The study intends to discover a green feedstock for energy storage applications through a sustainable technology. OPW will first be treated with Iron(III) nitrate and Cobalt(II) nitrate salts to incorporate the Fe, Co, and FeCo catalyst particles. The pretreated OPW will then undergo pyrolysis in an inert environment at 600 °C. The results showed biochar yields of 36.33 %, 31.47 % and 34.92 % for Fe, Co, and FeCo catalysts, respectively. Electrochemical tests showed that the specific capacitances for Fe-600, Co-600, and FeCo-600 were 66.3746, 64.2444, and 71.2457 F/g, respectively. The Nyquist plots obtained showed that FeCo-600 possessed the lowest contact resistance and highest capacitive properties.

Alkali activation techniques (AATs) are utilized to produce glass-based foams (GBFs) including glass or glass ceramic foam, due to their eco-friendly process. Numerous studies have examined the factors affecting the microstructure and density of GBFs during foaming processes. While secondary foaming parameters such as the heating rate, sintering temperature, and holding time have been extensively investigated, primary foaming parameters have been given less attention thus leading to the suboptimal properties and sustainable utilization of GBFs. This study reviews the impact of primary foaming parameters on the microstructure and density of GBFs. Principles, mechanisms, and significance of alkali activators and precursors are discussed. Influential parameters, including particle size of precursor and foaming agents, foaming agent, and alkali activator composition, are analysed along with controllable measures like solid-loadings, surfactants, and gelation time. In addition, different routes of AATs that have the potential to produce optimum properties of GBFs are deliberated. This review provides valuable insight into the production of GBFs using AATs, particularly for sustainable lightweight or thermal insulation applications.

Annual variations in animal’s physiological functions are an essential strategy to deal with seasonal challenges which also vary according to the time of year. Information regarding annual adaptations in the immune-competence to cope with seasonal stressors in reptiles is scarce. The present research plan was designed to analyze the presence of circannual immune rhythms in defense responses of the leucocytes in an ophidian, Natrix piscator. Peripheral blood leucocytes were obtained, counted, and superoxide anion production, neutrophil phagocytosis, and nitrite release were tested to assess the innate immune functions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated by centrifugation (utilizing density gradient) and the cell proliferation was measured. The Cosinor rhythmometry disclosed the presence of significant annual rhythms in the number of leucocytes, superoxide anion production, nitric oxide production, and proliferation of stimulated lymphocytes. The authors found that respiratory burst activity and proliferative responses of lymphocytes were crucial immune responses that showed the annual rhythm. It was summarized that the immune function of the N. piscator is a labile attribute that makes the animal competent to cope with the seasonal stressor by adjustment in the potency of response.

Prolonged annealing of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-8 (LSCF) at 700 degrees C for 1000 h resulted in phase segregation on the surface in the form of submicron-sized SrO on the grains and micron-sized CoFe2O4 particles near the grain boundaries during electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) measurements. The presence of segregated particles results in a substantial decrease in the surface exchange coefficient, kchem. To mitigate this issue, the LSCF electrodes underwent a systematic coating process with the K2NiF4-structure Pr4Ni3O10+8 (PNO), while varying the loading content, thickness, and porosity. This is achieved by adjusting the gap between the nozzle exit and LSCF surface, ranging from 2 cm to 9 cm, coupled with the application of ultrasonic vibration of the nozzle chamber operating between 40 kHz and 180 kHz. Optimal surface coverage with a loading content of 0.28 mg cm-2 referred to as PNO5 results in a significant increase in kchem by up to one and a half order of magnitude compared to bare LSCF. The PNO coating effectively suppresses phase segregation during prolonged exposure, resulting in a substantial decrease in degradation. The improved performance is attributed to the optimal surface coverage of coated particulates, which enhances the active sites for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the triple phase boundary (TPB) area. These exceptional characteristics position PNO coated LSCF as a highly promising cathode option for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).

To probe the oxygen flux over an extended period of 1000 h, oxygen permeation measurements are performed at 700 degrees C for La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-6 (LSCF) coated with K2NiF4-structure Pr4Ni3O10+6 (PNO) while varying surface coverage. The optimization of PNO surface coverage, thickness, and porosity over LSCF involves the application of ultrasonic vibration of the nozzle chamber within the range of 40 kHz to 180 kHz. This is coupled with the adjustment of the gap between the nozzle exit and substrate surface, ranging from 2 cm to 9 cm. The results indicate that the PNO coating facilitated an increase in oxygen permeation and hindered the formation of secondary phases on the surface, known to cause degradation over time. When compared to bare LSCF, a minimal increase of 8 % in oxygen permeation is observed for the coated sample with a PNO loading content of 7.21 mu m, denoted as PNO1. Conversely, the most significant enhancement of 74 % is seen for the loading content of 5.06 mu m, referred to as PNO5. The LSCF membrane experiences a degradation of oxygen flux by 11 % after prolonged operation, significantly surpassing the mere 2.1 % degradation observed for the best-performing PNO5 membrane. This improvement is achieved by suppressing the segregated phases of SrO and CoFe2O4 on the surface. The observed enhancement in oxygen flux is attributed to the optimal surface coverage of the PNO-coated particulate, which increases the number of active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).