Optical Hydrogel Detector for pH Measurements

Measuring pH has become a major key for determining health conditions, and food safety. The traditional pH assessment approaches are costly and offer low sensitivity. Here, a novel pH sensor based on a pH-responsive hydrogel has been developed. A Fresnel lens pattern was replicated on the surface of the pH-responsive hydrogel using the replica mould method. The pH sensors were tested in a pH range of 4–7. Introducing various pH solutions to the pH sensor led to volumetric shifts as the hydrogel swelled with pH. Consequently, the dimensions of the replicated Fresnel lens changed, modifying the focal length and the focus efficiency of the optical sensor. As a result, the measured optical power at a fixed distance from the sensor changed with pH. The optical sensor showed the best performance in the acidic region when pH changed from 4.5 to 5.5, in which the recorded power increased by 13%. The sensor exhibited high sensitivity to pH changes with a short respond time in a reversible manner. The developed pH optical sensor may have applications in medical point-of-care diagnostics and wearable continuous pH detection devices.

PERPINDAHAN PANAS HYBRID PHOTOVOLTAIC DAN THERMOELEKTRIC GENERATOR DENGAN HOT MIRROR

Heat transfer is the transfer of energy from one area to another due to the temperature difference between these areas. Wasted heat energy can be converted into electricity using (TEG) between the hot and cold sides. If the temperature difference is more significant, the efficiency may increase along with the operating temperature of the TEG-type material. So in this study, the author will calculate the heat transfer that occurs in Photovoltaic (PV), Thermoelectric Generator (TEG), and Hot Mirrors by utilizing thermal energy light produced from Muxindo LED bulbs with 10 Watt, 15 Watt, and 20 Watt power. The results of this study indicate that by using 10, 15, and 20 Watt LED bulbs for free convection heat transfer, the power generated from each point increases because it passes through several obstacles from objects that experience a decrease in temperature to PV and TEG, with the characteristics of the displacement. The movement of molecules from the medium importance follows convection heat at every point of transfer in the intermediate substance. The most significant power generated from radiant heat transfer is about 0.1873 Watt. It occurs on the surface of the fresnel lens using a 20 Watt LED bulb with the characteristic that the radiation propagates in a straight line and does not require an intermediate medium to transfer heat from one substance to another. The most significant conduction heat transfer power, 0.2453 Watt, occurs in Fresnel Lens using a 20 Watt LED bulb with heat transfer characteristics in solid objects.

Investigation of non-imaging Fresnel lens prototyping with different manufacturing methods for solar energy application

Non-imaging Fresnel lenses have been playing an important role in improving the efficiency of the solar energy systems. Many researchers have been developing novel designs of Fresnel lenses to enhance the concentrator performance. To bring the complex design of a Fresnel lens from a conceptual theory to a real-life application while maintaining its efficiency, it is critical to find the optimum manufacturing method that achieves the best quality fabrication at low cost in the lab scale. This work will systematically investigate four advanced manufacturing methods for their lens-making capabilities, including pressure casting, hot embossing, 3D printing, and CNC machining. Six Fresnel lenses were fabricated by the four methods, which were tested in the lab by a solar simulator and a solar cell to demonstrate their performances. The CNC machining provides the best quality lab-scale Fresnel lens that enhances the solar cell efficiency by 118.3%. 3D printing and hot embossing methods are also promising for the fabrication of good performance lenses – increasing the solar cell efficiency by 40-70%. However, the 3D printed lens has the issue of material degradation on the long term. Although the pressure casting is the easiest manufacturing method, the performance of fabricated lens was the lowest.

Long-range robust multifilament arrays from terawatt femtosecond beam

Multiple filament’s formation on a long atmospheric path was studied for an amplitude modulation of the terawatt femtosecond beam with the four and six hole masks. Filaments appeared at the distance that is determined by the Fresnel lens formed by a hole, not by the self focusing theory for the unrestricted (Gaussian like) beam. This lens focuses 1/3 of the energy passing through the hole to the beam spot ≈1 mm in diameter. The robust multifilament array 10–15 m in length was observed if the energy per hole was ≈1-1.5 mJ (pulse duration 50 fs), while each hole produces bundle of a few filaments at higher energies.