This study compares the optical and radiative cooling performance of single-layer films embedded with TiO2 or Al2O3 nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix and backed with an aluminum reflector. Optical constants of both materials were obtained from literature, and wavelength-dependent scattering efficiencies were calculated using Mie theory. A Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulation was performed to evaluate the spectral reflectance, absorptance, and emissivity of each film across the solar and thermal-infrared regions. The TiO2-based film exhibited strong visible-light scattering but suffered significant ultraviolet (UV) absorption, resulting in an average solar reflectance of ~0.90. In contrast, the Al2O3-based film showed negligible UV absorption and maintained high reflectance (> 0.95) throughout the 0.3-2.5 μm solar band, leading to a higher net cooling power of approximately 105 W/m² compared to 85 W/m² for TiO2. These results demonstrate that UV reflectance is a key determinant of effective radiative cooling and indicate that Al2O3-based coatings offer strong potential for passive cooling applications in buildings and agricultural environments.

Surface wetting gradient design plays a crucial role in enhancing liquid transportation in smart devices. However, achieving Janus wetting interfacial design to manage high-efficient ion transport paths remains a great challenge in textile electrodes. Herein, a porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel layer was constructed on one side of the composite electrode, while a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) solution was sprayed onto the opposite side of electrode to obtain an asymmetric Janus-wettability textile electrode. Furthermore, the design of asymmetric wettability gradient and multilevel structure has been facilitated to directional liquid self-drive and ion transmission in a Janus-wettability textile electrode. Compared with the charge transfer resistance (Rct) of pure PDMS superhydrophobic electrode (1.58 Ω), the Rct of Janus-wettability electrode was 1.31 Ω, which reveals that the porous PVA layer is beneficial to promoting a rapid electron transfer. For solid-state supercapacitors (FSCs) with Janus-wettability electrode, the Rct of Janus-FSCs (0.5 Ω) was reduced by 90% compared to the composite FSCs (4.6 Ω) without PDMS coating, confirming a faster ionic diffusion after the introduction of stable PDMS superhydrophobic surface for wettability gradient. Moreover, the Janus-wettability FSCs also achieved a specific energy density of 0.104 mWh cm− 2 at 1.2 mW cm− 2, and cycle stability (96.8% after 10,000 cycles). These insights demonstrate the effectiveness of interface coordination in textile electrodes for enhancing electrochemical performance.

Conductive polymeric composites (CPC) incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon fibers (CF) offer promising potential in self-heating applications due to their superior electrical and thermal properties. This study investigates the synergistic effects of CNT and CF on the electrical conductivity and heat-generation capabilities of CNT/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposites. Three CF lengths (0.1 mm, 3 mm, and 6 mm) were systematically evaluated to establish hierarchical conductive networks. The incorporation of 6 mm CF into CNT/PDMS composites resulted in a 72% increase in electrical conductivity compared to composites with 0.1 mm CF. Despite these enhancements in electrical performance, the heat-generation capabilities, based on simulations and experimental validation, showed minimal dependence on CF length. A micromechanics-based numerical approach was used to compare and validate the experimental findings, identifying limitations in current analytical models, especially in predicting the heat-generation behavior.

막 분리 기술은 이산화탄소(CO2) 포집을 위한 가장 효과적인 기술 중 하나로, 운영이 간단하고 화학적 배출이 없 다는 장점이 있다. 수증기와 같은 불순물은 고분자 막의 성능에 큰 영향을 미친다. 다양한 산업 분야의 배가스 농도에 따라, PDMS/PSF 중공사막을 이용한 가스 분리 실험이 수행되었다. PDMS/PSF 막에서의 습도의 영향을 확인하기 위해, 상대습도 0%와 96% 조건에서 CO2 농도를 달리하며 실험을 진행하였으며, 공급 유량은 300 ccm, 온도는 50°C로 유지하였다. 실험 결 과, 수증기는 막의 CO2 투과도는 다소 감소시키는 반면, CO2/N2 선택도는 소폭 증가시키는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 선택도 향상은 CO2의 흡착 증가에 기인한 것으로 해석된다. 50°C에서 20 d간의 연속 실험 후, 막의 CO2 투과도는 소폭 감소하였으나, CO2/N2 선택도는 증가하였다. 이 결과는 PDMS 코팅된 PSF 막이 가혹한 조건에서도 안정적인 성능을 유지함을 보여준다.

With the growth of silicon-based semiconductor sensors in the global sensor market, advancements in body motion detection for wearable devices and sustainable health monitoring have accelerated. This has led to a significant attention on various sensors with excellent flexibility and stretchability, such as PDMS, in numerous applications. In this study to adjust the sensitivity of conventional conductive pressure sensors, a porous sponge structure was initially created using a sugar template method. The polymer was prepared with four different ratios (5:1, 10:1, 20:1, 30:1) to achieve varying flexibilities. To ensure conductivity, the sponge was coated using a dip-coating method with a 3wt% CNT solution. The conductive sponges with various ratios were tested for sensitivity, demonstrating characteristics suitable for a wide range of pressure sensing applications.

Sensors for monitoring human body movements have gained much attention in the recent times especially in the health-care sector as these devices offer real-time monitoring of vital physiological signs, enabling health-care professionals to evaluate health conditions and provide remote feedback. In this work, we have fabricated carbon-nanotube (CNT)/ polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite sensor through simple dispersion and freezing method for monitoring flexion movements in humans. Sensors with different CNT loadings, namely 0.1 wt %, 0.5 wt %, and 1 wt % were fabricated and analyzed to find the best performing sensor. Several characterizations like Raman, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile strength measurements, and piezoresistive studies were carried out to study the features of the sensors. Among the fabricated sensors, the one with the loading concentration of 0.5 wt% is found to be most sensitive for flexion applications with higher gauge factor of 533 at 60% strain level, response time of ~ 140 ms and lower hysteresis loss. The feasibility of the sensor for monitoring flexion like finger bending, wrist bending, elbow bending, and knee bending is also analyzed making it ideal for use in sports for athletes, physicians, and trainers to investigate physical performance and well-being.

The demand for energy is steadily rising because of rapid population growth and improvements in living standards. Consequently, extensive research is being conducted worldwide to enhance the energy supply. Transpiration power generation technology utilizes the vast availability of water, which encompasses more than 70% of the Earth's surface, offering the unique advantage of minimal temporal and spatial constraints over other forms of power generation. Various principles are involved in water-based energy harvesting. In this study, we focused on explaining the generation of energy through the streaming potential within the generator component. The generator was fabricated using sugar cubes, PDMS, carbon black, CTAB, and DI water. In addition, a straightforward and rapid manufacturing method for the generator was proposed. The PDMS generator developed in this study exhibits high performance with a voltage of 29.6 mV and a current of 8.29 μA and can generate power for over 40h. This study contributes to the future development of generators that can achieve high performance and long-term power generation.