This study explores the physical, radiation shielding, optical, and photoluminescent properties of PbO₂-SiO₂-based glass systems. Traditional radiation shielding materials, like lead and concrete, face challenges due to toxicity and weight. Glass materials provide an alternative, offering transparency and efficiency. Four glass systems were analyzed: PbO₂-SiO₂ (PS), PbO₂-SiO₂-CeO₂ (PSC), PbO₂-SiO₂-Eu₂O₃ (PSE), and PbO₂-SiO₂-Yb₂O₃ (PSY). The results show that rare earth elements densify the glass network, thereby enhancing radiation attenuation properties, quantified through parameters like the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), the half-value layer (HVL), and the mean free path (MFP). The PSY system exhibited the best shielding properties, demonstrating its potential for use in gamma ray shielding. Samples PS0–PS3 revealed semiconducting behavior and may be considered a promising host matrix for solar cells and w-LED applications.

Our research aims to determine the optical properties of binary composites based on TiO₂ and SiO₂ oxides combined with additional metal oxides such as CuO and SrO. The inclusion of CuO and SrO together with TiO₂ and SiO₂ nanoparticles is driven by their ability to introduce intermediate energy levels in the forbidden band, acting as electron traps that reduce the recombination rate and increase the efficiency of solar conversion. Morphological and structural characterization of the materials was carried out to evidence the homogeneity of the final composite materials as well as their high specific surface area. Additionally, an extensive characterization of the optical properties was performed, revealing that the optical parameters of the studied samples depend on their composition. The results indicate that the optical performance of TiO₂-CuO and SiO₂-SrO composites is significantly superior to that of the pure sample. Therefore, these materials are proposed as promising candidates for enhancing the efficiency of solar cells.

Economic and social development is hardly influenced by electric power production and consumption. In this context of the energy supply pressure, energy production and consumption must be monitored and controlled in an intelligent way. Due to the availability of large data measurements, prediction algorithms based on neural networks are widely used in accurate power prediction. Firstly, the particularity of our work is represented by the size of the dataset consisting of 4 years of continuous real-time data measurements collected from the CETATEA photovoltaic power plant, a research site for renewable energies located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Secondly, the high granularity of the dataset with more than 4.2 million unified production and consumption power values recorded every 30 s guarantees the overall prediction accuracy of the system. Performance metrics used to evaluate the prediction accuracy are the mean bias error, the mean square error, the convergence time of the prediction system, the test performance, and the train mean performance. Test results indicate that the predicted unified electric power production and consumption closely resembles the unified electric power measured values.

Phase change materials (PCMs) have emerged as an innovative solution in thermal energy storage and thermal management systems (TMS) owing to their outstanding latent heat of fusion during the phase change process. This study is especially addressed to the battery TMS based on Organic PCMs for fast charging/discharging applications of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These fast processes generate excessive heat during operation, degrade battery performance, decrease energy efficiency, and reduce the lifespan and safety of batteries. Organic PCMs exhibit desirable properties, including high latent heat capacity, good thermal characteristics, low cost, and ease of integration. The major challenge for the successful application of organic PCM comprises its low thermal conductivity, which impacts the heat storage and release rates. PCM-based Paraffin Wax (PW) has been designed by including expanded graphite (EG) as a high thermal conductivity additive in high latent heat of paraffin wax. Experiments focused on the effects of heating methods (microwaves/S-type EG composition and conventional electric oven/S′-type EG composition) of expandable graphite on the thermophysical properties of different PW/EG composites. The crystal and chemical structure of the study samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The battery module created with PW/EG composites were ample examined using charging/discharging experiments at five different C-rates. The effect of current rates on battery surface temperature is investigated in two cases: with PCM cooling and with air cooling. A 20.43% decrease in battery temperature is found at 5C rate with PCM cooling and a maximum reduction in battery charging time of 43.77%.

Lead–bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE, Pb_44.5Bi_55.5) has emerged as a promising candidate for use in advanced nuclear and solar energy systems due to its favorable thermophysical characteristics and radiation shielding capabilities. The aim of this research is to assess the applicability of the induction melting technique to synthesize LBE. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of the structural, thermophysical, and radiation shielding properties of the obtained LBE sample. Various techniques were employed to investigate the solid-to-liquid eutectic transformation, phase composition, morphology, and homogeneity of the obtained material. Experimental and theoretical determinations on density, void, molar volume, thermal conductivity, heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and electrical conductivity were performed. Radiation shielding performance over photon energies ranging from 0.015 to 15 MeV was simulated using the Phy-X/PSD program. The results revealed the eutectic structure comprising Pb₇Bi₃ and Bi phases with near-ideal stoichiometry and a melting point of 127.6 °C. The alloy demonstrated a small void that corresponds to a high degree of sample compaction, high specific heat capacity, moderate thermal conductivity, low thermal diffusivity, and effective radiation shielding. These findings confirm that LBE obtained by the induction melting technique possesses the necessary structural stability and functional properties for integration into nuclear reactor and solar thermal technologies.

This paper investigates a ceramic material based on ferrite-doped zirconia intended for use as a solar absorber in systems designed for the conversion of solar energy into thermal energy. The experimental study details the synthesis procedure of the ferrite-doped zirconia ceramic and its structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic characterization using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and optical band gap energy determination. XRD analysis confirms the presence of the crystalline ferrite phase, which is responsible for the enhanced solar absorption properties. UV–Vis investigations reveal intense absorption bands across the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions, indicating high solar radiation absorptivity. These properties recommend the investigated ceramic as a promising solar receiver material for solar thermal power plants comparable to conventional materials such as carbides and nitrides.