For the busting of heat, generated in electronic packages, relevant materials need to be developed. Metal matrix composites may be considered as an option to tailor the properties of a material (Cu) by incorporating an additional phase (SiC) for fulfilling the requirements of thermal management systems. The composite (Cu/SiC) was manufactured by friction stir processing. For good interfacial strength, the biggest challenge in the fabrication of Cu/SiC composite was to abolish the reaction between Cu and SiC. Being solid in nature, the process (friction stir processing) does not allow temperature to reach the interfacial interaction. Scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and optical microscopy were used to characterise the composite for microstructural features (particle dispersion, phases present). To confirm the presence of reinforcement, EDS analysis was also performed on the composite. Results indicated the presence of Cu and SiC phases in the stir zone (SZ) with uniform and homogeneous separation of reinforcements. The composite displayed higher hardness, tensile strength, and wear resistance in comparison to unprocessed copper. However, ductility decreased due to high hardness in the composite.

Gas turbine engines are used in many applications such as power plants and aircrafts. The energy generated through fuel combustion has a significant impact on fluid flow characteristics and thrust force produced by gas turbine engines. This energy generation is based on the precise mixing of fuel and air with known proportions. The present research work attempts to examine the characteristics of fluid flow for aero-engine combustion in a chamber with either a single fuel inlet or multiple fuel inlets using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Developed in Creo-6.0 parametric design software, the combustion chamber was modeled and simulated using the ANSYS CFX simulation platform to determine the pressure and other fluid flow-induced characteristics. The analysis was performed for both single fuel inlet and multiple fuel inlet combustion chamber designs. The outlet pressure of the combustion chamber is a key parameter in determining the combustion characteristics and subsequent gas expansion in gas turbine performance. Our results indicated that the outlet pressure from the double fuel inlet design was 49.04% higher than the single fuel inlet design. The thrust force (propulsion) in gas turbine engines is a result of the mass flow rate of exhaust gasses, as quantified by the gas exit velocity. Induced thrust on a combustor with double fuel inlet was 48.3% higher than the induced thrust in the single fuel inlet design, making the double fuel inlet design a more viable option. The higher outlet pressure obtained in the double fuel inlet design showed higher enthalpy generation and greater energy conversion into thrust. The cause of this higher enthalpy is attributed to better fuel combustion in the primary zone. It appears that the double fuel inlet design could improve total turbine efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and lower emissions.

Titanium is one of the most abundant metals with superior properties such as excellent mechanical properties, high strength-to-weight ratio, and oxidation and corrosion resistance. However, it is commercially expensive to produce; hence, its use is limited. Currently, the Kroll process remains the most commercially exploited to produce titanium. Therefore, this paper thoroughly reviews some other proposed and developing thermo-reduction methods using the two main precursors titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and titanium chloride (TiCl₄) together with the environmental impacts they cause. The exorbitant production cost and environmental issues have resulted in enormous research and development to innovate more sustainable methods of titanium production. The various processes were comprehensively analyzed to assess whether they have the potential to expand to be economically viable. From this review, it is apparent that most of the methods still require further research to scale them up to an industrial and commercial level. Recent developments including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Ti (CSIR-Ti), Titanium Reduction Oxide (TiRO), Preform Reduction Process (PRP), and hydrogen-assisted magnesiothermic reduction (HAMR) processes are auspicious for producing high-purity titanium sustainably.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with progressive impairment in patients worldwide, featuring manifestations of both motor dysfunction and various/list-specific non-motor symptoms. Early diagnosis and personalized treatment thus remain the biggest challenges in managing the disease. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially machine learning techniques, has shown immense potential for countering such challenges during the past years. This short review aims to summarize recent innovations in applying Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) to Parkinson’s disease, explicitly directed toward developing diagnostic tools, the prediction of progression, and personalized treatment strategies. We discuss several ML and DL approaches, including supervised and unsupervised learning models that have been applied to classify symptoms and identify biomarkers. In addition, integrating clinical and imaging data into disease models continues to advance. This indicates the emerging role of DL in bypassing the limitations of standard methods. This review of the future of AI in Parkinson’s disease research outlines its possible directions for enhancing patient care and clinical outcomes.

Heat sinks are commonly used in electronic devices to dissipate heat from electronic circuits. Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a viable solution for storing thermal energy during peak loads, helping to delay temperature spikes and maintain the heat sink within safe operating limits. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the energy storage and thermal characteristics of the PCMs used in the heat sink. The heat sink comprises a structured porous material (SPM), and the PCMs used in the analysis are Paraffin wax and Erythritol. The thermal analysis conducted on the heat sink composed of SPMs integrated with PCMs enabled the determination of thermal characteristics. The thermal characteristics evaluated from FEA analysis have shown superior heat absorption properties of Erythritol as compared to Paraffin wax during the initial phases. At 50 s after the simulation, the heat absorbed by Erythritol is 89% higher than Paraffin wax, whereas at higher stages, Paraffin wax exhibited higher heat absorption characteristics. At higher time intervals, i.e., 250 s after running the simulation, the Paraffin wax exhibited 49% higher heat absorption capacity as compared to Erythritol. This behavior of both PCM materials can be attributed to different specific heat capacities and latent heat of fusion at different temperatures. The higher thermal conductivity of Erythritol enables it to absorb higher heat initially, which makes it highly effective for short-duration thermal applications. The Paraffin wax has a higher latent heat of fusion and, therefore, stores more thermal energy for prolonged periods, which makes it suitable for applications demanding sustained thermal management. The study findings have suggested that for applications demanding rapid heat absorption, the Erythritol PCM is the best option, whereas the Paraffin wax is suited for applications demanding a longer duration of heat storage.