The LiAl/FeS2 battery power source for the future

Advanced high power density rechargeable batteries are currently under development. These batteries have the potential of greatly increasing the power and energy densities available for space applications. Depending on whether the system is optimized for high power or high energy, values up to 150 Wh/kg and 2100 W/kg (including hardware) are projected. This is due to the fact that the system uses a high conductivity molten salt electrolyte. The electrolyte also serves as a separator layer with unlimited freeze thaw capabilities. Life of 1000 cycles and ten calendar years is projected. The electrochemistry consists of a lithium aluminum alloy negative electrode, iron disulfide positive electrode, and magnesium oxide powder immobilized molten salt electrolyte. Processed powders are cold compacted into circular discs which are assembled into bipolar cell hardware with peripheral ceramic salts. The culmination of the work will be a high energy battery of 40 kWh and a high power battery of 28 kWh

Photonic quantum information processing

Information processing with light is ubiquitous, from communication, metrology and imaging to computing. When we consider light as a quantum mechanical object, new ways of information processing become possible. In this review I give an overview of how quantum information processing can be implemented with single photons, and what hurdles still need to be overcome to implement the various applications in practice. I will place special emphasis on the quantum mechanical properties of light that make it different from classical light, and how these properties relate to quantum information processing tasks

Blogging in the physics classroom: A research-based approach to shaping students' attitudes towards physics

Even though there has been a tremendous amount of research done in how to help students learn physics, students are still coming away missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: why bother with physics? Students learn fundamental laws and how to calculate, but come out of a general physics course without a deep understanding of how physics has transformed the world around them. In other words, they get the "how" but not the "why". Studies have shown that students leave introductory physics courses almost universally with decreased expectations and with a more negative attitude. This paper will detail an experiment to address this problem: a course weblog or "blog" which discusses real-world applications of physics and engages students in discussion and thinking outside of class. Specifically, students' attitudes towards the value of physics and its applicability to the real-world were probed using a 26-question Likert scale survey over the course of four semesters in an introductory physics course at a comprehensive Jesuit university. We found that students who did not participate in the blog study generally exhibited a deterioration in attitude towards physics as seen previously. However, students who read, commented, and were involved with the blog maintained their initially positive attitudes towards physics. Student response to the blog was overwhelmingly positive, with students claiming that the blog made the things we studied in the classroom come alive for them and seem much more relevant.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Bargaining and reputation: an experiment on bargaining in the presence of behavioural types

We conduct a series of laboratory experiments to understand what role commitment and reputation play in bargaining. The experiments implement the Abreu and Gul (2000) bargaining model that demonstrates how introducing behavioral types, which are obstinate in their demands, creates incentives for all players to build reputations for being hard bargainers. The data are qualitatively consistent with the theory, as subjects mimic induced types. Furthermore, we find evidence for the presence of complementary types, whose initial demands acquiesce to induced behavioural demands. However, there are quantitative deviations from the theory: subjects make aggressive demands too often and participate in longer conflicts before reaching agreements. Overall, the results suggest that the Abreu and Gul (2000) model can be used to gain insights to bargaining behavior, particularly in environments where the process underlying obstinate play is well established

The Religious Significance of Ise Grand Shrine

This research paper will discuss the religious history of Ise, explain the beliefs of Shintoists, explore the rituals performed at the shrines, and explain why the Ise Grand Shrine is a sacred space

AICMA Helps Demine Nicaragua’s Gocen District

The Gocen district of the Mateare municipality in Chiltepe Peninsula, 20 km (12 mi) outside of Managua, Nicaragua, was contaminated with explosive remnants of war from the artillery school that operated nearby. With support from Acción Integral Contra las Minas Antipersonal (Comprehensive Action Against Antipersonnel Mines, AICMA), a program of the Organization of American States, a large portion of the contaminated land in Gocen was cleared and released in 2012

Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Three-dimensional graphene foam (3D GrF) is an interconnected, porous structure of graphene sheets with excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties, making it a candidate reinforcement for polymer matrices. GrF’s 3D structure eliminates nanoparticle agglomeration and provides seamless pathways for electron travel. The objective of this work is to fabricate low density GrF reinforced epoxy composites with superior mechanical and electrical properties and study the underlying deformation mechanisms. Dip coating and mold casting fabrication methods are employed in order to tailor the microstructure and properties. The composite’s microstructure revealed good interfacial interaction. By adding mere 0.63 wt.% GrF, flexural strength was improved by 56%. The addition of 2 wt.% GrF showed a surge in glass transition temperature (56oC), improvement in damping behavior (150%), and electrical conductivity 11 orders of magnitude higher than pure epoxy. Dip coated and mold casted composites showed a gauge factor of ~2.4 indicating electromechanically robust composite materials

Bioethics and Abortion

Elective abortion is unethical because it violates the major principles of medical ethics and is incompatible with Christian values. Underpinning the study of bioethics are four primary, philosophical principles: justice, autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Further inserting a faith-based component into bioethics, namely the doctrine of The Sanctity of Life, provides a moral basis for the observance of the other four principles. This fifth principle, which is analogous to a moral compass, is often neglected in the discussion of abortion. From this doctrine, we derive our belief that human life is sacred, and therefore, should be protected. Included in human life are zygotes, embryos, and fetuses, and their lives depend on sound, logical reasoning. To protect them, this paper makes five claims about abortion, each based on a principle of bioethics: Claim 1: Abortion violates the individual rights of the fetus. Hence, it is a moral injustice. Claim 2: Autonomy is a duty that abortion neglects. Hence, it is immoral. Claim 3: Elective abortion violates the principle of beneficence because it is intrinsically evil. Claim 4: Physicians should avoid elective abortion because it harms the fetus. Claim 5: Elective abortion is incompatible with The Sanctity of Life principle