Excitation functions of 3He-particle-induced nuclear reactions on 103Rh: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Excitation functions for the 3He-induced reactions on 103Rh as alternative pathway for the production of the medically used 103Pd were studied by the stacked foil technique. Excitation functions of the 103Rh(3α, x) 103Pd, 103,104,104m,105Ag and 100,101,101m,102,102mRh reactions were determined up to 27 MeV by detecting only the characteristic γ-rays obtained from the decay of residual nuclei. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical ones obtained from the EMPIRE-3.2 code and ‎the TENDL nuclear data library. From the measured cross-section data integral production yields were calculated

Assessment of natural radioactivity levels in stony sand from Black Stone Beach of Kuantan, the Peninsular Malaysia

Black Stone Beach (or Pantai Batu Hitam) of Kuantan, Malaysia is a windy but unique beach located on the coastal strip, and has become an attraction for tourists from within and outside the country for many years due to its scenic dark rock formations. Considering the radiological safety of human health, a study was conducted to assess the concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the beach environment. Activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the stony sand samples collected from the beach area were assessed by using HPGe γ-ray spectrometry. The measured external gamma radiation dose rates and the activity concentrations were found to ranges 22–31 nGy.h−1 and 9.8 ± 0.6 to 12.4 ± 0.7 Bq.kg−1, 6.8 ± 0.5 to 8.8 ± 0.6 Bq.kg−1 and 209 ± 11 to 354 ± 17 Bq.kg−1 for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The mean values of typical radiological indices such as radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and annual effective dose were found to be 17.82 Bq.kg−1 and 10.86 × 10−3 mSv.year−1 which were far below the world average values of 370 Bq.kg−1 and 2.4 mSv.year−1 set by the UNSCEAR, respectively. Present results served as an important reference for any future radiological study in Kuantan, Malaysia

Recent progress in emerging hybrid nanomaterials towards the energy storage and heat transfer applications:A review

Hybrid nanomaterials, which is a combination of two or more nanoparticles have been extensively evaluated as a promising candidate for energy storage and heat transfer applications, benefitting from the rise of synergistic effects between them. The unique form of this emerging combination of nanomaterials not only offers the improved features of the integrated nanoparticles but gives us the opportunity to tailor their physicochemical properties simply by modifying their composition and morphology. Scientific findings have demonstrated that the dispersion of hybrid nanomaterials in the base fluids, known as - hybrid nanofluids gives us the alternative way to replace mono nanofluid and the conventional heat transfer fluids as it provides a much better heat transfer enhancement that is beneficial for advanced heat transfer devices. On the other hand, when hybrid nanomaterials were utilized for energy storage devices, it exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance, providing a significant contribution to the specific capacitance which permits a new strategy to design new electrodes for advanced energy storage devices. In this article review, we summarised the recent advancements made on the emerging hybrid nanomaterials, comprising of the general overview of the emerging nanomaterials, the synthesis routes for hybrid nanomaterials and their acquired hybrid structures along with their practical applications as electrodes in electrochemical energy storage and as heat transfer fluids for advanced heat transfer devices. Finally, we have also outlined some challenging issues associated with hybrid nanomaterials that requires further attention for future research

Energy challenges for a clean environment: Bangladesh's experience

A significant progress has been made to increase electricity generation capacity in the country over the last decade. The electricity supply for growing demand is the foremost challenge of the government, as the country move towards the vision of middle-income status by 2021 and high-income by 2041. The energy security is the concern due the running out of gas supply soon. Despite significant progress on energy in recent years, the goal of access to electricity for all would not be attainable without implementation of a consistent national energy policy. Well-coordinated national energy policy is required to achieve sustainable development goals of the country. Priorities for action and regulatory framework of energy need to identify to overcome energy crisis. Long-term energy planning and private financing policy are also crucial to extend the pace of progress in the energy sector. This review provides insights into the energy policies at different sectors, notably coal fired electricity in Bangladesh. The results revealed that the effective and efficient CO2 emission could be reduced from power generating sector by introducing advanced fuel technologies and management system. Besides, higher thermal and mechanical efficiency can be obtained by initiating the combined power cycle systems in energy sector. The achievement in energy sector as well as challenges facing in ensuring sustainable energy is highlighted. The key challenges in the existing legal framework and substantial progress improving energy efficiency are also discussed in this review