Along with the evolution of renewable energy technologies and some other systems such as electric vehicle, demands for batteries as storage unit has increased. Keeping the temperature of batteries in a specific range is necessary to have reliable performance and prevent degradation. In regard to the enhanced thermophysical specifications compared with pure heat transfer fluids, nanofluids would be attractive alternatives for them in thermal management of batteries. The purpose of this article is to identify the impact of using nanofluids for thermal management of batteries as heat transfer fluid with improved properties and evaluate the impactful factors in their cooling performance both as direct coolant or operating fluid of heat pipes as cooling mediums. In this regard, this article reviews the studies implemented on the thermal management of batteries by use of nanofluids. Reduction in maximum temperature of battery packs and temperature difference, due to elevation of heart transfer as a consequence of increment in the thermal conductivity, are the most remarkable outcome of using nanofluids for battery thermal management. Although nanofluids could be advantageous in term of heat transfer intensification, increment in the pressure drop can be one of the disadvantages in conditions of using liquid flow. In cases of using nanofluidic thermal mediums like heat pipes, the enhancement in the cooling performance can be attributed to some other factors, e.g. increase of nucleation sites for promotion of two-phase heat transfer, as well as thermal conductivity elevation. Concentration of the nanomaterials, operating condi tions, specifications of the solid phase are among the most significant items in the effectiveness of the cooling techniques with nanofluids. In design of nanofluidic thermal management units of batteries, the mentioned influential factors must be taken into account to reach the optimal performance.

Microchannel heat sinks (MCHSs) are effective and compact thermal management devices that are broadly developed in recent years. Performance of these equipment is impacted by a variety of the factors that have been investigated and evalu ated by the scholars and researches. Use of coolant with improved thermal properties can elevate heat transfer rate and consequently the thermal performance. One of the attractive techniques for improvement of convective heat transfer is use of nanofluids, with higher thermal conductivity in comparison with the conventional heat transfer fluid, as the coolant. The aim of the current article is to comprehensively review the applications of the hybrid nanofluids, containing more than single nanomaterial in the base fluid, in the MCHSs. Findings of the research works on the use of these nanofluids in MCHSs have revealed considerable potential for elevation in heat transfer rate. Several factors impact the modification of heat transfer in MCHSs with hybrid nanofluids including the characteristics of the coolant, configuration of the system and operating conditions. As well as heat transfer, other factors such as the pressure drop and entropy generation would be impacted due to the existence of the hybrid nanomaterials in the working fluid. Some recommendations are presented in this article for the forthcoming researches in order to further enhance the heat transfer and modify the characteristics of these systems.

The research considers an hourly residential load demand with a daily average of 988kWh/day and investigates possible standalone systems, including solar panels (photovoltaic [PV]), wind turbines (WTs), diesel generator (DG), biogenerator (BG), and battery bank (Bat), to provide the load demand, for a case study located in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the monthly solar radiation and wind speed are 5.74kWh/m2/day and 5.33m/s, respectively. In this study, enviroeconomic factors, including inflation and discount rates, capacity shortage and load demand, CO2 and SO2 penalties, diesel and biomass prices are considered, while they were not considered in the previous studies in Saudi Arabia. The results show that the net present cost and cost of energy of the optimized system are $1.03M and 0.178$/kWh, respectively. Additionally, the prices of diesel fuel and biomass have a significant impact on the CO2 emissions of the system, even with a 10% increase in the renewable fraction. The results of sensitivity analyses show that increasing the CO2 emission penalty from 20 to 80$/ton leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions by 50%. The effect of the initial cost of WT on the configuration of the optimal system is higher than that of PV, and increasing both prices significantly leads to an increase in CO2 emissions.

renewed interest in lateritic ores, yet Kazakhstan’s substantial resources remain underused due to the lack of effective extraction technologies. This study provides the first comprehensive mineralogical and processing evaluation of laterite ore from the Kempirsay deposit and demonstrates the applicability of the sulfation roasting-water leaching (SR-WL) method to Kazakh high-iron laterites. Physicochemical analysis showed that Ni and Co are mainly hosted in Fe-bearing phases goethite, hematite, and trevorite with minor incorporation in silicates; the ore contains, (in wt.%):1.08 Ni, 0.104 Co, and 20.2 Fe. Roasting at 500 °C with 30 wt.% H2SO4 generated readily leachable sulfates, and subsequent leaching at 85 °C (180 min, S: L = 1:6) extracted 93.3% Ni, 92.0% Co, and 84% Fe. Selective dissolution was achieved by roasting at 700 °C with 50 wt.% H2SO4, yielding 90.08% Ni and 90.01% Co while limiting Fe dissolution to 6.12%, producing a low-iron pregnant leach solution (PLS) containing, g·L−1: 2.11 Ni, 0.35 Co, 2.12 Fe. Overall, the results show that the SR-WL process is a viable and newly validated pathway for converting low-grade Kazakh laterites into Ni-Co intermediates suitable for modern metallurgical supply chains.

В данной работе простым гидротермальным методом синтезированы три типа структур кобальтита цинка ZnCo2O4 на никелевой пене: наностержни, нанонити и пластины. Исследованы морфология и структурные характеристики синтезированных образцов. Выращенные структуры могут быть использованы в качестве основы для бесферментных электрохимических биосенсоров. Методом сканирующей электронной микроскопии (SEM) был проведен детальный анализ серии из шести образцов, синтезированных при различных соотношениях Zn:Co (1:1, 1:10 и 10:1). Результаты исследования элементного состава наноструктур ZnCo₂O₄, синтезированных гидротермальным методом на никелевой пене, показали, что состав полученных материалов коррелирует с составом исходного ростового раствора, подтверждая контролируемость процесса легирования. Отсутствие каких-либо примесей свидетельствует о высокой чистоте синтезированных образцов. Полученные данные подтверждают возможность точного управления стехиометрией кобальтита цинка. Показано, что морфология выращенных образцов зависит от стехиометрии прекурсоров, обеспечивая управляемый рост наноструктурированных материалов. Показано, что гидротермальный метод синтеза наноструктур ZnCo₂O₄ позволяет получать материалы с широким диапазоном стехиометрии от кобальт- до цинксодержащих фаз, что открывает возможности для тонкой настройки эффективных, функциональных свойств ZnCo₂O₄.

Полупроводниковые наноструктурированные образцы ZnOи ZnO-GOбыли получены при комнатной температуре методом химического осаждения из раствора.В работе исследовано электрохимическое неферментативное определение аскорбиновой кислоты с помощью полученных наноструктур, нанесённых на стеклоуглеродный электрод. Морфология и структурные свойства изготовленных наноструктурированных материалов были проанализированы с помощью электронного растровогомикроскопа и рентгеновскогодифрактометра. Электрохимические свойствабыли исследованыметодами циклической вольтамперометрии на одноканальном потенциостате-гальваностате. Чувствительность полученных электродовбыла рассчитана для концентрацийаскорбиновой кислотыв фосфатно-буферном растворе от 0,3мМ до 3 мМ при различных скоростях сканирования. Таким образом,было выявлено, что чувствительность образца ZnO-GO ниже, чем у образцаZnO, что может быть связано с диэлектрическими свойствами оксида графена. Однако после отжига в атмосфере чувствительность образца ZnO-GO повысилась, что связано суменьшением дефектов в образце и увеличениемудельной поверхности образцов. В результате исследованийбыл получен модифицированный ZnO-GO/GCE электрод с высокой чувствительностью 386 мкАМ-1см-2,перспективный для использования в качестве основы биосенсора для определения уровнявитамина C вкрови,пищевых продуктах и лекарствах.

An overview of the composition of wolframite ores of the Akchatau deposit and the technologies for processing concentrates using NaOH and Na2CO3 by hydro- and pyrometallurgical methods is given, and the disadvantages associated with both the technology and the equipment are noted. To develop a technology for processing Akchatau wolframite concentrates, samples of ore materials were taken, the chemical and mineralogical composition of the samples was studied, and enrichment was carried out to obtain rich concentrates. The kinetics of the sintering of the wolframite concentrate with soda was investigated, the dependences of the degree of transformation of the tungsten minerals into sodium tungstate were obtained, and the rate constants, the order of the reaction, and the values of the apparent activation energy were calculated. The results of sintering an enlarged sample of wolframite concentrate with soda in a muffle furnace are presented. After the subsequent leaching, studies were carried out to purify the obtained solutions of sodium tungstate from the impurities while eliminating the operations of the neutralizing solutions through the use of electrodialysis with an MK-40 cation-exchange membrane. The scheme of processing the wolframite ores of Akchatau is proposed.

This review highlights advancements in ethylene removal technologies tailored for fruit and vegetable (F&V) preservation, with a focus on physical adsorption and chemical elimination methods. Conventional approaches, such as potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), are limited by toxicity concerns, declining efficiency, and potential fruit disorders. Emerging alternatives, particularly catalytic oxidation using metal oxide catalysts like TiO₂, offer efficient ethylene degradation into non-toxic byproducts. Incorporating these catalysts with porous materials, such as zeolites, enhances ethylene adsorption while providing multifunctional benefits, including antibacterial activity. In addition to discussing the materials of the adsorbents, their binding mechanisms (such as van der Waals forces and π-complexation) were also studied. Future research directions include improving cost-efficiency, optimizing material performance for practical applications, and ensuring food safety in packaging systems. These advancements represent a sustainable strategy to extend the shelf life of F&V in the postharvest supply chain. © 2025

Large volume changes, the insulating nature of sulfur, and the lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) shuttle effect significantly hinder the practical application of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this study, reduced graphene oxide/MXene (rGO/MXene) composites were investigated as potential sulfur host materials. Since the rGO-to-MXene ratio influences electrical conductivity, LiPSs confinement, and structural stability, MXene contents of 10 wt%, 20 wt%, and 30 wt% were systematically evaluated. The (rGO/MXene10)_S60 electrode exhibited the most promising performance, delivering an initial discharge capacity of 981 mAh/g and retaining 606 mAh/g after 100 cycles with Coulombic efficiency (CE) above 97 %. These results demonstrate that a 9:1 rGO-to-MXene ratio optimally enhances conductivity, structural stability, and LiPSs anchoring, making it a promising sulfur host for Li-S batteries.

At present, when the whole world is intensively switching to organic farming, the refusal or minimization of the usage of chemical plant protection products and synthesized fertilizers is a very urgent issue for the agro-industrial complex (AIC). Accordingly, the solution to the problems of increasing yields and ensuring the fight against pathogenic components should be carried out in accordance with the principles of “green” chemistry. In this regard, the usage of heteroleptic complexes based on carboxylic and amino acids with biogenic metals is dictated not only by their availability, low cost, and ability to increase crop yields but also by fungicidal activity, lower toxicity, and easy biodegradability, which lists them among the “green” and cost-effective plant biostimulants. In the present work, for the first time, a heteroleptic complex based on succinic acid and glycine, with the formula [Cu(succ)(gly)], was developed for usage as a fungicidal biostimulant, which has the ability to significantly reduce the number of pathogens. We found that this compound has a layered structure and was able to increase soybean germination up to 100%. © 2023 by the authors.