Methods, apparatus, and systems for mitigating pinhole defects in optical devices such as electrochromic windows. One method mitigates a pinhole defect in an electrochromic device by identifying the site of the pinhole defect and obscuring the pinhole to make it less visually discernible. In some cases, the pinhole defect may be the result of mitigating a short-related defect

The invention provides a photoreactor assembly (1) comprising a reactor (30), wherein the reactor (30) is configured for hosting a fluid (100) to be treated with light source radiation (11) selected from one or more of UV radiation, visible radiation, and IR radiation, wherein the reactor (30) comprises a reactor wall (35) which is transmissive for the light source radiation (11), wherein the photoreactor assembly (1) further comprises: a light source arrangement (1010) comprising a plurality of light sources (10) configured to generate the light source radiation (11), wherein the reactor wall (35) is configured in a radiation receiving relationship with the plurality of light sources (10); one or more fluid transport channels (7) configured in functional contact with one or more of (i) the reactor (30) and (ii) one or more of the plurality of light sources (10); a cooling system (90) configured to transport a cooling fluid (91) through the one or more fluid transport channels (7).

Methods and systems for enhancing the effectiveness of products generated from ionization, photon-enhanced thermionic emission, multi photon absorption, photo-oxidation, photocatalytic, and/or photochemical reactions utilize an oxidizing agent and photon emissions at wavelengths in a range from 0.01 nm to 845 nm, wherein wavelengths that photo-dissociate trioxygen are excluded.

A method for producing an electrode comprising a core-shell nanocomposite material of which the core is made from silicon and the shell from carbon is provided. The method includes A) synthesising the nanocomposite material by pyrolysing a silicon core to form a core and then pyrolysing a a carbon shell precursor to form a carbon shell around the core, wherein the quantities of silicon and carbon precursor are injected in a proportion such that the mass percentage of carbon in the nanocomposite material is greater than or equal to 45%; B) dispersing the nanocomposite material synthesised in step A) in a solvent to form an ink; C) applying this ink to a support intended to form an electricity collector; D) eliminating the solvent from the ink applied to the support in step C) to obtain the electrode; E) pressing or calendaring the electrode.

Systems and methods of synthesizing nanoparticles on substrates using rapid, high temperature thermal shock. A method involves depositing micro-sized particles or salt precursors on a substrate, and applying a rapid, high temperature thermal pulse or shock to the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors and the substrate to cause the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors to become nanoparticles on the substrate. A system may include a rotatable member that receives a roll of a substrate sheet having micro-sized particles or salt precursors; a motor that rotates the rotatable member so as to unroll consecutive portions of the substrate sheet from the roll; and a thermal energy source that applies a short, high temperature thermal shock to consecutive portions of the substrate sheet that are unrolled from the roll by rotating the first rotatable member. Some systems and methods produce nanoparticles on existing substrate. The nanoparticles may be metallic, ceramic, inorganic, semiconductor, or compound nanoparticles. The substrate may be a carbon-based substrate, a conducting substrate, or a non-conducting substrate. The high temperature thermal shock process may be enabled by electrical Joule heating, microwave heating, thermal radiative heating, plasma heating, or laser heating.

Working equipment includes a tool configured to work a structure at a working location thereon, with the structure having an applied marking at a known location with a known relationship with the working location. A computer system is configured to determine placement of the structure, and accordingly position the tool into at least partial alignment with the working location, and which in at least one instance, the tool is aligned with a second, offset location. A camera is configured to capture an image of the structure and including the marking, and further including the second location with which the tool is aligned. And the computer system is configured to process the image to locate the working location, reposition the tool from the second location and into greater alignment with the located working location, and control the repositioned tool to work the structure at the located working location.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing diamond masses and products thereof using diamond unit cell forming reactions in vapor phase and solid phase. The present invention enables the fabrication of diamond products having a purity and morphology previously unattainable.

In the synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) via high temperature, high pressure methods, a boron feedstock may be elevated above its melting point in a nitrogen environment at an elevated pressure. Methods and apparatus for supporting the boron feedstock and subsequent boron melt are described that enhance BNNT synthesis. A target holder having a boron nitride interface layer thermally insulates the target holder from the boron melt. Using one or more lasers as a heat source, mirrors may be positioned to reflect and control the distribution of heat in the chamber. The flow of nitrogen gas in the chamber may be heated and controlled through heating elements and flow control baffles to enhance BNNT formation. Cooling systems and baffle elements may provide additional control of the BNNT production process.

The present invention is directed to tube-in-a-tube electronic materials and electronic chemical sensors comprising tube-in-a-tube configurations such as covalently functionalized double-walled carbon nanotubes.

Provided is a method for preparing a graphene material from an industrial hemp material by laser induction, which uses a skin, a stem and/or a root of industrial hemp as a carbon precursor-containing material and reduce the carbon precursor-containing material into graphene by laser induction, so as to prepare graphene, graphene quantum dots, a graphene mesoporous material and a graphene composite material.