This work analyzes the impact of MgO nanoparticles on the properties of an epoxy resin solution with uniform structure and particular degree of cure synthesized by the reaction of epoxy resin and pyromellitic dianhydride. Various concentrations of epoxy/MgO nanocomposites were fabricated by mechanical mixing, ultrasonication-based dispersion and casting processes. FTIR results have shown clear differences in the vibrations of C-H, epoxide rings, and main amine N-H groups. This confirms the interaction between MgO particles and the epoxy polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction analysis detected prominent peak at 18.35 degrees, along with additional ones at 43.44 degrees and 62.56 degrees, associated with the (200) and (220) planes of MgO crystal,
... Show MoreAg2O (Silver Oxide) is an important p-type (in chasm to most oxides which were n-type), with a high conductivity semiconductor. From the optical absorbance data, the energy gap value of the Ag2O thin films was 1.93 eV, where this value substantially depends on the production method, vacuum evaporation of silver, and optical properties of Ag2O thin films are also affected by the precipitation conditions. The n-type and p-type silicon substrates were used with porous silicon wafers to precipitate ±125 nm, as thick Ag2O thin film by thermal evaporation techniques in vacuum and via rapid thermal oxidation of 400oC and oxidation time 95 s, then characterized by measurement of
... Show MoreIn the coming decade, a substantial rise in energy consumption within the buildings sector is predicted to lead to a 30% increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of materials for building envelopes significantly influences the overall energy demand of HVAC systems, which contribute significantly to electricity usage. To enhance compatibility between grey clay and straw, a suggested approach involves using a composite material comprising rice water and grey clay, enriched with a high proportion of rice straw and soaked in rice water. This environmentally friendly technique yields a green construction material capable of reducing energy consumption in HVAC systems by up to 35.6% over a 24-h period. The potential energy savings of this
... Show MoreA twisted-fin array as an innovative structure for intensifying the charging response of a phase-change material (PCM) within a shell-and-tube storage system is introduced in this work. A three-dimensional model describing the thermal management with charging phase change process in PCM was developed and numerically analyzed by the enthalpy-porosity method using commercial CFD software. Efficacy of the proposed structure of fins for performing better heat communication between the active heating surface and the adjacent layers of PCM was verified via comparing with conventional longitudinal fins within the same design limitations of fin material and volume usage. Optimization of the fin geometric parameters including the pitch, numb
... Show MoreThe melting duration in the photovoltaic/phase-change material (PV/PCM) system is a crucial parameter for thermal energy management such that its improvement can realize better energy management in respect to thermal storage capabilities, thermal conditions, and the lifespan of PV modules. An innovative and efficient technique for improving the melting duration is the inclusion of an exterior metal foam layer in the PV/PCM system. For detailed investigations of utilizing different metal foam configurations in terms of their convective heat transfer coefficients, the present paper proposes a newly developed mathematical model for the PV/PCM–metal foam assembly that can readily be implemented with a wide range of operating condition
... Show MoreThis experimental study demonstrates the gable-reinforced concrete beams’ behavior with several number of openings (six and eight) and posts’ inclination, aimed to find the strength reduction in this type of beam. The major results found are: for the openings extending over similar beam length it is better to increase the number of posts (openings),