Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered as some of the most promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, their practical application is hindered by challenges such as the shuttle effect, low conductivity of sulfur, and volume changes during cycling. A key factor to address these issues is the strategy used to incorporate sulfur into the carbon host, which significantly affects the cathode structure and electrochemical performance. In this study, we compare four distinct sulfur immobilization strategies - chemical precipitation (ChP), ball milling infiltration (BM), dissolution-crystallization (DC), and melt diffusion (MD) - using acetylene black (AB) as a conventional conductive carbon host. Each method yields AB@S composites with varying sulfur distributions, loading efficiencies, and interfacial characteristics. Comprehensive morphological and electrochemical characterization, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), confirms differences in sulfur content, particle morphology, and crystalline structure depending on the infiltration route. Electrochemical testing reveals that the synthesis approach is critical in determining the redox kinetics, reversibility, and cycling stability of Li-S batteries. Among the tested approaches, the AB@S cathode fabricated via the BM method delivers the most balanced performance, showing a comparatively high initial discharge capacity of 816 mAh g−1 at 0.1C, improved coulombic efficiency, and enhanced long-term cycling stability, retaining 68% of capacity, unlike DC and MD (about 60%) and ChP (55%) cells. © 2025 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

This paper discusses the concept of geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI) systems, characterized by new principles of action, to reduce seismic loads on buildings. The advantages and disadvantages of GSIs and their environmental and economic reliability are analyzed. The aim of the study is to develop a geotechnical seismic isolation system in the form of vertical barriers, using a rubber–soil mixture (RSM). The novelty of the work lies in the definition of effective structural and technical solutions of vertical seismic barriers made of RSM, characterized by reliability in providing seismic isolation. The ground and superstructure interactions are modeled in PLAXIS 2D software from 2021, using the finite element method, using the accelerogram of the Kobe and Northridge earthquakes. The results confirm the positive impact of using an RSM as an effective GSI geometrical. The results show that the GSI system using an RSM reduces horizontal accelerations by 60%. Significant acceleration reductions of 40–60% are also observed when the thickness and depth of GSI seismic barriers are increased. The results of the study contribute to the substantiation of methodology and scientific and technical efficiency of geotechnical seismic isolation as an economically favorable design alternative to the traditional seismic isolation system.

Global energy and environmental issues are driving the development of modern advances in efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage systems. Such systems must meet a range of requirements, which include high energy and power density, long service life, flexibility, industrial scalability, security and reliability. Progressive achievements in the field of energy storage are associated with the development of various kinds of batteries and supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are state-of-the-art energy storage devices with high power density, long lifespan, and the ability to bridge the power/energy gap between conventional capacitors and batteries/fuel cells. However, supercapacitors have limitations associated with low energy density, which can be solved by using various types of current collectors, since current collectors are one of the main massive components of supercapacitors. This review gives a complete understanding of the effect of current collectors on the actual performance and properties of supercapacitors. We reviewed current collectors based on carbon and metal-containing materials, and supercapacitor configurations to identify possible improvements in electrochemical performance in terms of specific capacitance, energy density, power density, service life and variability in their application. © 2022 The Author(s)

Abstract: Context: The main challenge of large-scale biofuel production is related to the extraction of its undesired impurities including glycerol, water, methanol, soap/catalyst, free fatty acids, glycerides, and others. There are many ways to remove glycerol, and herein, the one alternative is the extraction of glycerol from biodiesel by deep eutectic solvents. In this regard, the mixture of a choline chloride (ChCl) and urea, methyltriphenylphosphonium chloride (MTPPCl), and ethylene glycol (EGL), as a deep eutectic solvent (DES), is effective in removing glycerol from biofuel. Methods: In this work, we have investigated the formation mechanism of ChCl and urea, and then MTPPCl and EGL, as a DES, and then extraction of glycerol from biofuel via DES implementing density functional theory (DFT) by Gaussian09 software, B3LYP basis set, and classical all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations by Gromacs software, GROMOS force field. DFT approximation demonstrates that Cl ion plays an important binding role in the formation of complexes ChCl/urea-based DES + biofuel and in MTPPCl/EGL-based DES + biofuel. We have also considered the formation and change of hydrogen bonds upon the formation of these systems using the DFT method. Large HOMO–LUMO gaps in ChCl/urea-based DES + biofuel and in MTPPCl/urea-based DES + biofuel demonstrate the stability of the complexes. The results of MD work have stated that the chloride ion formed bonding with the choline/ethylene glycol EGL, while still weakly intermolecular interacting with the urea/methyltriphenylphosphonium in ChCl/urea- and MTPPCl/EGL-based DESs. Further results of MD simulations stated that the DESs had a higher intermolecular interaction with glycerol in comparison with biofuel, thereby favoring the extraction process of glycerol from model biofuel. Highlights: • Intermolecular interactions of choline chloride and urea, methyl triphenyl phosphonium chloride, and ethylene glycol-based DESs and their applications in the extraction of glycerol from biofuel studied by DFT calculations and classical all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. • Calculated outputs of DFT calculations and classical all-atom molecular dynamics simulations for DESs and their applications in the extraction of glycerol from biofuel were discussed in detail. • The molecular formation mechanism of choline and methyl triphenyl phosphonium-based DESs and their application in the extraction process of glycerol from biofuel were summarized. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Throughout the course of Earth’s existence, it has undergone alternating phases of warm periods and ice ages, resulting in a natural greenhouse effect. This effect is crucial for maintaining liquid water and supporting life, as the mean global annual temperature would have been ‒18°C in its absence (Voet and Voet, 2010). However, since the 1800s, human activities have emerged as the primary catalyst for an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the troposphere, leading to significant impacts on global warming and climate change. These activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels, household, commercial, and industrial practices, as well as deforestation and conventional agricultural activities, contribute to the release of heat-trapping gases (USEPA, 2023). The key GHGs include carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapor, ozone (O3), and fluorinated gases (Table 1). © 2025 Rafiq Islam, AHM Mustafizur Rahman, Heulin Thierry, and Mannava Sivakumar CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has evolved into a serious global issue, widely discussed and studied by scientists around the world. The complexity of researching and classifying this disease lies in the absence of unified criteria: symptoms vary greatly, diagnostic thresholds fluctuate within wide ranges, and the clinical picture is complex and diverse. It largely depends not only on the patient’s age but also on their prior pathological history, quality of life, and geographical location. Under these circumstances, special attention must be paid to the study of diseases that have become increasingly prevalent, are associated with a high frequency and variety of complications, and have acquired new clinical features following COVID-19. In the course of our study, we systematized the main symptoms most characteristic of patients with cardiovascular pathology and post-COVID syndrome (PCS), comprising the main group (51 patients). The control group consisted of patients with similar cardiovascular conditions but without PCS (94 patients), assessed by clinical and laboratory parameters. In the main group, changes in blood laboratory values were observed, with the most prominent being elevated levels of blood enzymes—LDH, CPK, AST, and ALT. Among these, CPK and LDH were the most significant, which elevated levels indicating prolonged tropism of the virus toward vascular endothelium. The levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies in both groups reflected the degree of immunological response and overall immune status.

This study experimentally and numerically investigated CO2 adsorption characteristics onto a highly porous activated carbon. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms experiments were conducted using a high-precision thermogravimetric analyzer. The effects of key parameters, specifically adsorbent bed thickness, temperatures, and pressure, were considered. The two isotherm models were employed to correlate the measured data, and they showed a decent fit. Numerical simulations were carried out using COMSOL Multiphysics software under a coupled heat and mass transfer model. The simulated results showed a reasonable agreement with the experimental uptakes for all studied parameters. The results also showed that the diffusion time constant Ds0/Rp2 is pressure-dependent and varies with the adsorbent bed thickness. The Ds0/Rp2 at each adsorption temperature is calculated and fitted with the Arrhenius equation. Estimated averaged values of limiting Ds0/Rp2 for adsorbent bed thicknesses of 0.9, 5, and 25 mm, respectively, equal to 2.18 × 10−1, 8.64 × 10−2, and 2.05 × 10−2 1/s. Linearly increasing adsorbent bed thickness causes a rapid nonlinear drop in Ds0/Rp2. The findings from this research provide valuable information on the mass transfer characteristics of CO2 onto activated carbon. So, engineers can design optimized heating/cooling systems that operate more effectively, resulting in higher efficiency, reduced system costs, and lower carbon emissions. © 2024 The Authors

This paper aims to analyze various indicators to explain the impact of inequality and income on economic growth at the regional level of Kazakhstan. The data collected from the Bureau of National Statistics from 1995 to 2020 examined the impact of country, interregional, and market inequality indices and real income/wage on the GRP of different regions. Applying the methods such as analysis of unique statistical data covering 16 regions of Kazakhstan and log-linear multivariate regression analysis, which was carried out using the STATA software package, evidence was provided on the influence of interregional, country inequality, and income on economic growth. The analysis showed the differential impact of inequality and income. It was found at the first stage that the gap between interregional inequality and country inequality is insignificant. It was identified at the second stage that in models with real incomes, an increase in income has a negative impact on the development of the economy of Kazakhstan. All the models obtained are consistent and have (although not very high) significant explanatory power and confirm the relationship between inequality and economic growth. The findings can help policymakers, regionalists, economists, and governmental bodies understand the importance of income inequality and which areas can contribute to the formation of effective regional policy. © Karina Turkebayeva, Makpal Bekturganova, Orazaly Sabden, Galiya Dauliyeva, Gaukhar Kenzhegulova, 2022.

Cubic halide based perovskite gained the attention of the researchers due to their remarkable optoelectronic contributions. The present work deals with the first principles calculations based on Density Functional Theory for exploring the TlSnX3(X=Cl,Br,I) cubic perovskites. The important physical characteristics are computed within Wien2k using Full Potential Linearized Augmented Plane wave, FP-LAPW method. The structural stability is examined by energy volume optimization. The optimized lattice constant of TlSnCl3, TlSnBr3 and TlSnI3 is 5.58 Å, 5.83 Å and 6.20 Å. The electronic and optical properties are calculated using Generalized Gradient Approximation with Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof, PBE-GGA, Trans-Blaha modified Becke–Johnson, TB-mBJ and Strongly Constrained and Appropriately Normed, SCAN exchange and correlation functionals. The studied compounds possess direct band gap nature with the band gap of 1.61 eV, 1.08 eV and 0.75 eV with TB-mBJ for TlSnCl3, TlSnBr3 and TlSnI3. The band gap using PBE-GGA(SCAN) potentials for TlSnCl3, TlSnBr3 and TlSnI3 is 0.98 (0.78) eV, 0.67 (0.69) eV and 0.50 (0.48) eV, respectively. The mechanical analysis reveal that these compounds are ductile. The optical characteristics like ε(ω), n(ω), α(ω), R(ω), σ(ω) and L(ω) are calculated by implementing PBE-GGA, TB-mBJ and SCAN XC. High absorption and low reflectivity make these perovskites potential candidates for sustainable energy applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.

For the seismically active region of the southern part of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a mathematical model of seismic action has been developed based on the representation of seismic action by a non-stationary random process, which is obtained from a stationary multiplication by a deterministic envelope function. For the territory of the city of Taraz, the seismic regime of its territory and soil conditions were studied. Accelerograms of strong earthquakes were selected from the world database, the source parameters of which correspond to the parameters of past earthquakes. It was found that the calculated sample of accelerograms for the region of Taraz should include instrumental records with acceleration maxima in the range of 124–275 cm/s2, recorded on soils of the second category. For each accelerogram, the parameters of the correlation functions of the random process, the values of the effective duration and the frequency characteristics of the seismic impact are determined. This information allows to perform digital modeling of seismic impact, given as a random process. The results can be used to calculate buildings with various seismic isolation systems, high-rise and extended buildings.