A novel method to produce porous pressure-sensitive rubber is developed. For the controlled size distribution of embedded micropores, solution-based procedures using reverse micelles are adopted. The piezosensitivity of the pressure sensitive rubber is significantly increased by introducing micropores. Using this method, wearable human-machine interfaces are fabricated, which can be applied to the remote control of a robot.

A wearable fabric-based integrated power-supply system that generates energy triboelectrically using human activity and stores the generated energy in an integrated supercapacitor is developed. This system can be utilized as either a self-powered activity monitor or as a power supply for external wearable sensors. These demonstrations give new insights for the research of wearable electronics.

Herein we report a detailed investigation of a highly robust hybrid system (sensitizer/TiO2/catalyst) for the visible-light reduction of CO2 to CO; the system comprises 5'-(4-[bis(4-methoxymethylphenyl)amino]phenyl-2,2'-dithiophen-5-yl)cyanoacrylic acid as the sensitizer and (4,4'-bis(methylphosphonic acid)-2,2'-bipyridine)Re(I)(CO)3Cl as the catalyst, both of which have been anchored on three different types of TiO2 particles (s-TiO2, h-TiO2, d-TiO2). It was found that remarkable enhancements in the CO2 conversion activity of the hybrid photocatalytic system can be achieved by addition of water or such other additives as Li(+), Na(+), and TEOA. The photocatalytic CO2 reduction efficiency was enhanced by approximately 300% upon addition of 3% (v/v) H2O, giving a turnover number of ≥570 for 30 h. A series of Mott-Schottky (MS) analyses on nanoparticle TiO2 films demonstrated that the flat-band potential (V(fb)) of TiO2 in dry DMF is substantially negative but positively shifts to considerable degrees in the presence of water or Li(+), indicating that the enhancement effects of the additives on the catalytic activity should mainly arise from optimal alignment of the TiO2 V(fb) with respect to the excited-state oxidation potential of the sensitizer and the reduction potential of the catalyst in our ternary system. The present results confirm that the TiO2 semiconductor in our heterogeneous hybrid system is an essential component that can effectively work as an electron reservoir and as an electron transporting mediator to play essential roles in the persistent photocatalysis activity of the hybrid system in the selective reduction of CO2 to CO.

Visible-light irradiation of a ternary hybrid catalyst prepared by grafting a dye, an H evolving Co catalyst and a CO-producing Re catalyst on TiO have been found to produce both H and CO (syngas) in CO -saturated N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF)/water solution containing a 0.1 m sacrificial electron donor. The H /CO ratios are effectively controlled by changing either the water content of the solvent or the molar ratio of the Re and Co catalysts ranging from 1:2 to 15:1. The controlled syngas formation is discussed in terms of competitive electron flow from TiO to each of the CO -reduction and hydrogen-evolving sites depending on the efficiencies of the two catalytic reaction cycles under given reaction conditions.

A series of Zn–porphyrin dyes was prepared and anchored onto a TiO2 surface to complete a dye-sensitized photocatalyst system, Zn–porphyrin-|TiO2|-Cat, and tested as lower energy photosensitizers for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Three major synthetic modifications were performed on the Zn–porphyrin dye to obtain a lower energy sensitization and improve the catalyst lifetime. We found that incorporating acetylene and linear hexyl groups into the Zn–porphyrin core allowed facile lower energy sensitization, and the addition of the cyanophosphonic acid as an anchoring group gave the long-term dye stability on the TiO2 surface. Under irradiation with red light of >550 nm and a light intensity of 207 mW/cm2, the hybrid ZnP CNPA catalyst showed a TONRe of ∼800 over an extended time period of 90 h. The photocatalytic activities of porphyrin hybrids differ greatly with the binding strength of the anchoring groups of dye and spectral range of the irradiated light and its intensity.

We have conducted a systematic survey for the X-ray properties of millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Currently, there are 47 MSPs with confirmed X-ray detections. We have also placed the upper limits for the X-ray emission from the other 36 MSPs by using the archival data. We have normalized their X-ray luminosities L x and their effective photon indices Γ into a homogeneous data set, which enable us to carry out a detailed statistical analysis. Based on our censored sample, we report a relation of L x ≃ 10 31.05 Ė /10 35 1.31 erg/s (2-10 keV) for the MSPs. The inferred X-ray conversion efficiency is found to be lower than previously reported estimate that could be affected by selection bias. L x also correlates/anti-correlates with the magnetic field strength at the light cylinder B LC /characteristic age τ . On the other hand, there is no correlation between L x and their surface magnetic field strength B s . We have further divided the sample into four classes: (i) black-widows, (ii) redbacks, (iii) isolated MSPs and (iv) other MSP binaries, and compare the properties among them. We noted that while the rotational parameters and the orbital periods of redbacks and black-widow are similar, L x of redbacks are significantly higher than those of black-widows in the 2-10 keV band. Also the Γ of redbacks are apparently smaller than those of black-widows, which indicates the X-ray emission of redbacks are harder than that of black-widows. This can be explained by the different contribution of intrabinary shocks in the X-ray emission of these two classes.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a promising material for use as a flexible electrode in wearable energy devices due to their electrical conductivity, soft mechanical properties, electrochemical activity, and large surface area. However, their electrical resistance is higher than that of metals, and deformations such as stretching can lead to deterioration of electrical performances. To address these issues, here a novel stretchable electrode based on laterally combed CNT networks is presented. The increased percolation between combed CNTs provides a high electrical conductivity even under mechanical deformations. Additional nickel electroplating and serpentine electrode designs increase conductivity and deformability further. The resulting stretchable electrode exhibits an excellent sheet resistance, which is comparable to conventional metal film electrodes. The resistance change is minimal even when stretched by ≈100%. Such high conductivity and deformability in addition to intrinsic electrochemically active property of CNTs enable high performance stretchable energy harvesting (wireless charging coil and triboelectric generator) and storage (lithium ion battery and supercapacitor) devices. Monolithic integration of these devices forms a wearable energy supply system, successfully demonstrating its potential as a novel soft power supply module for wearable electronics.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence e-government adoption in Cambodia as one of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. Design/methodology/approach -This study uses the technology acceptance model (TAM), the extended TAM (TAM2), the diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, and trust to build a parsimonious yet comprehensive model of user adoption of e-government. The authors test the model with an empirical study. Data are collected from a total of 112 public officers in 12 ministries in Cambodia. The research model is then assessed with multiple regression analyses. Findings -The findings in this study show that the determinants of the research model (perceived usefulness, relative advantage, and trust) are support. At the same time, the important determinants of perceived usefulness include image and output quality. Practical implications -The study would help government policy decision makers design and implement policies and strategies to increase the adoption of e-government services in Cambodia as well as in other countries, particularly ASEAN member states that have a similar situation. Originality/value -This paper is one of a few studies on e-government adoption in ASEAN and the first study on e-government adoption in Cambodia.