The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical reaction in energy storage and conversion systems such as metal-air batteries and water splitting. The current commercial OER catalysts are the noble metal based materials, which have a high cost and a limited supply. Xu et al have prepared the nanoporous N-Co3O4 materials as cost-effective and high efficient electrocatalysts for OER by N2 plasm...

The existing methods of synthesis of thermoelectric (TE) materials remain constrained to multi-step processes that are time and energy intensive. Here we demonstrate that essentially all compound thermoelectrics can be synthesized in a single-phase form at a minimal cost and on the timescale of seconds using a combustion process called self-propagating high-temperature synthesis. We illustrate ...

The highly competitive environment, linked to the globalization phenomena, demands from companies more agility, better performance and the constant search for cost reduction. The present study focused on improvements in internal materials handling management, approaching the case of a large company in the automotive industry. Materials handling is intrinsically associated with production flow. ...

At the present, auto part industries have become higher challenge in strategy market. As this consequence, manufacturers need to have better response to customers in terms of quality, cost, and delivery time. Moreover, they need to have a good management in factory to comply with international standard maximum capacity and lower cost. This would lead companies to have to order standard part fro...

Consumer and industrial products are manufactured from a range of materials that are selected for specific bulk properties, cost and/or ‘look and feel’. However, many materials chosen in this way do not display the optimum surface properties. This presents an opportunity for surface modifications to apply desirable properties such as fire retardancy, anti-microbial, protein resistance and, wate...

Rational nanostructure design has been a promising route to address critical materials issues for enabling next-generation high capacity lithium ion batteries for portable electronics, vehicle electrification, and grid-scale storage. However, synthesis of functional nanostructures often involves expensive starting materials and elaborate processing, both of which present a challenge for success...

Most of the United States have laws mandating the recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW). In order to comply, municipalities recycle quotas of materials, without regard to fluctuating prices. An inventory system is proposed that allows municipalities to be sensitive to materials prices as they recycle in accordance with state mandates. A dynamic model is developed; it uses historical secondar...

State laws mandate the recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW) across most of the United States. In order to comply, municipalities recycle quotas of materials, generally without regard to fluctuating prices. An inventory system is proposed that allows municipalities to be sensitive to materials prices as they recycle in accordance with state mandates. A dynamic model is developed that uses hi...

This study highlights the economic and environmental challenges of recycling in Ontario, specifically examining the effect of attempting to increase the emissions target for the province’s Waste Electronics (WEEE) program. The findings from the cost model analysis found that Ontario’s Electronic Stewardship program reduces overall carbon emissions by approximately 205 thousand tonnes every year...

There is a paucity of low-fidelity and cost-efficient simulators for training cardiac surgeons in the aspects of aortic root/valve replacement. In this study we addressed this training challenge by creating a low-fidelity, low-cost but, at the same time, anatomically realistic aortic root replacement simulator for training purposes. We used readily available, low cost materials such as lint rol...