Lead-free bismuth sodium titanate (BNT)-based ceramics have attracted strong attention as environmentally benign dielectric materials for high-efficiency electrostatic energy-storage capacitors. A key challenge is that pristine BNT typically exhibits large hysteresis, high remnant polarization, and limited dielectric reliability, which restrict recoverable energy storage and efficiency under practical electric fields. Here, we present a focused mini-review of recent studies to clarify how composition design, phase boundary tuning, defect chemistry, and microstructural control collectively enable slim or pinched polarization-electric field (P-E) behavior and improved energy-storage functionality in BNT-related bulk ceramics. The reviewed outcomes consistently show that stabilizing relaxor states governed by polar nanoregions (PNRs), often via solid-solution engineering and secondary relaxor/antiferroelectric-like incorporation, suppresses irreversible switching and reduces hysteresis loss, while densification and grain-size control enhance electrical homogeneity and breakdown strength. In addition, defect-mediated tuning of oxygen vacancy-related complexes is highlighted as an independent lever to control relaxor ergodicity and polarization reversibility, providing a complementary route to slim-loop optimization. These insights are expected to guide integrated design strategies that couple phase/relaxor-state engineering with defect and microstructure optimization, accelerating the development of reliable, temperature-robust, lead-free dielectric capacitors based on BNT-related ceramics.

The increasing global demand for renewable energy has accelerated the deployment of offshore wind farms, thereby highlighting the need for advanced development and performance assessment techniques for dynamic submarine cables used in floating offshore wind systems. These cables are continuously subjected to combined thermal, electrical, and mechanical stresses, with mechanical loading playing a particularly dominant role. As a result, dynamic submarine cables exhibit degradation behaviors that differ significantly from those of conventional fixed submarine cables. This paper presents the design and implementation of a comprehensive evaluation system capable of applying combined thermal, electrical, and mechanical stresses to dynamic submarine cables. The system was validated using a 66 kV wet type submarine cable through commissioning tests and insulation performance measurements. Electrical stress of 72 kV, thermal stress exceeding 95°C, and mechanical stress corresponding to a bending radius of 20 times the cable diameter over 20 cycles were applied to verify system reliability. The subsequent insulation assessments quantitatively confirmed performance variations induced by the combined stresses. The results demonstrate that the proposed platform is the first system capable of simultaneously applying thermal, electrical, and mechanical stresses to dynamic submarine cables, and its operational performance has been successfully validated. This platform enables realistic reliability evaluation of dynamic cables used in floating offshore wind farms and is expected to improve the overall operational reliability of offshore wind power systems.

Human-centric lighting (HCL) aims to enhance well-being and performance by tailoring lighting to human needs. However, LED flicker-rapid brightness changes-remains a critical issue, causing discomfort and reduced productivity. This paper addresses flicker problems in living and industrial spaces with LED lighting. We propose solutions to mitigate flicker by examining causes like power supply variations and LED driver design. Techniques such as high-quality LED drivers, advanced dimming methods, and digital control systems are explored. Our findings show these techniques can significantly reduce flicker, achieving less than 1% flicker performance while meeting HCL’s diverse requirements. Implementing flicker-free lighting in residential spaces enhances comfort and reduces eye strain, while in industrial settings, it improves productivity and safety. This paper emphasizes the importance of control circuits that maintain sub-1% flicker performance while integrating various HCL solutions, enhancing indoor lighting quality, and promoting better health and performance.

Nano Pt particles were dispersed on carbon-based supports by a polyol process for a catalyst application in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. We tried to optimize the effect of pH on the electrostatic forces between the support and the Pt colloids. We investigated the relationship among the surface charges on the carbon support, the solution pH, and the concentration of a glycolate, and the Pt particle size. The produced catalyst with nano Pt particles on the support was evaluated by the long-term cyclic voltammetry (CV) performance test and compared with the results from a commercial catalyst. Our experimental results reveal that the pH-control can modify the particle size distribution and the dispersion of the nano Pt particles. This resulted in a cost-effective method for the synthesis of highly Pt loaded Pt/C catalysts for fuel cells better than a commercial catalyst system.

As a process to improve the insulation performance of VIs (Vacuum Interrupters), AC voltage conditioning is generally adopted by many manufacturers. Although the insulation performance is enhanced easily with AC Voltage conditioning, it has limitations when high recovery voltage is required due to high voltage rate or capacitive current switching. In particular, impurities such as oxides segregated on the electrode surface can be removed not by the energy level of the voltage conditioning but by the higher energy level achieved by the current conditioning process In this article, the current conditioning was carried out in various conditions and its validity was examined. The current conditioning was processed by changing the amplitude of applied current, arc time, the number of tests, and frequency. The insulation performance and the status of contact surface were checked as well. We concluded that as the applied charge quantity and the conditioning coverage area increase, the conditioning effect is much higher.

A variable vacuum capacitor (VVC), which is a variable element, is used to match impedance in plasma that changes with various impedance values, and its use is expanding with the rapid growth of the semiconductor business. Since VVCs have to secure insulation performance and vary capacitance within a compact size, electrode design and manufacturing are very important; thus, various technologies such as part design and manufacturing technology and vacuum brazing technology are required. In this study, based on the model of an advanced foreign company that is widely used for impedance matching in the manufacture of semiconductors and displays, a VVC that can realize the same performance was developed. The electrode part was designed, the consistency was confirmed through analysis, and the precision of capacitance was improved by designing a cup-type electrode to secure the concentricity of the electrode. As a result of the evaluation, all requirements was satisfied. We believe that self-development will be possible if satisfactory responses are received through evaluation by VVC consumers in the future.

Copper-chromium alloys have been used as contact materials of vacuum interrupters in circuit breakers, but new materials with highly stable performance are required to break the high voltage and high current barrier due to the recent increase in breaking capacity. In this paper, a new contact material was fabricated from a ternary alloy instead of existing Cu-Cr alloys. Its breaking performance and endurance were verified from a synthetic test and compared with that of various contact materials. The test results verified that the breaking performance of the new contact material was excellent.

For comparison to the Li-ion battery, evaluating a thermal battery must consider additional variables. The first one is the temperature difference between the battery and its unit cell. Thermal batteries and their unit cells have a temperature difference that is caused by the thermal battery activation mechanism and its shape. The second variable is the electrochemical reaction steps. Most Li-ion batteries have a constant electrochemical reaction at the electrode, and battery voltage is affected when the concentration of Li ions is changed. However, a thermal battery has several steps in its electrochemical reaction, and each step has a different potential. In this study, we used unit cell discharge tests based on interpolating a 4D lookup table to estimate the performance of a thermal battery. From the test results, we derived an estimation algorithm by interpolating the table, which is queried from specified profile groups. As a result, we found less than a 5 percent difference between estimation and experiment at the 1.3 V cut-off time.

In this paper, we fabricated flexible CNT/PVDF piezoelectric composite device by introducing CNTs (carbon nanotubes) into PVDF (poly-vinylidene fluoride) solution using spray coating technique. Flexible PEDOT:PSS conducting polymer was used as electrodes. We tried to improve the piezoelectric performance from the CNT/PVDF composite film by increasing the portion of the β-phase PVDF in the film. We confirmed the structural conformation of the CNT/PVDF composite film as a function of CNT concentration by using FT-IR (fourier transform infra-red). As increasing CNT concentration, portion of the β-phase PVDF and resulting piezoelectric performance increased in the CNT/PVDF composite film. We found that CNTs introduced were played as seeds for formation of the β-phase PVDF in the CNT/PVDF composite film and resulting improvement of the piezoelectric performance.

In this paper, we fabricated flexible CNT/PVDF (carbon nanotube / polyvinylidene fluoride) piezoelectric composite device with flexible poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) conducting polymer electrode using spray coating method. We tried to improve the piezoelectric performance from the CNT/PVDF composite film by enhancing electrical conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS electrodes. Electrical conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS electrode was enhanced by dipping it into the EG (ethylene glycol) solvent. Changes of chemical composition of the PEDOT:PSS electrode were analyzed with the dipping time by XPS (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) in terms of oxygen (O1s). Finally, Piezoelectric performances such as output voltage and current were measured with the dipping time. We found that enhanced electrical conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS electrodes resulted in improvement of the piezoelectric performance of the CNT/PVDF films.

This paper suggests a high performance lateral super barrier rectifier (Lateral SBR) device which has the advantages of both Schottky diode and pn junction, that is, low forward voltage and low leakage current, respectively. Advantage of the proposed lateral SBR is that it can be easily implemented and integrated in current BCD platform. As a result of simulation using TCAD, BVdss = 48 V, VF = 0.38 V @ IF = 35 mA, T_j = 150℃ were obtained with very low leakage current characteristic of 3.25 uA

In this paper, we fabricated flexible antenna radiator using the CNT/PVDF (carbon nanotube /polyviny lidene fluoride) composite film. We used polymer film as a matrix material for the flexible devices, and introduced CNTs for adding conductivity into the film resulting in obtaining performances of the antenna radiator. Spray coating method was used to form the CNT/PVDF composite radiator, and pattern formation of the radiator was done by shadow mask during the spray coating process. We investigated the electrical properties of the CNT/PVDF composite films with the CNT concentration, and also estimated the radiator performance. Finally we discuss the feasibility of the CNT/PVDF composite radiator for the flexible antenna.

In order to develop a LED luminaire for naval-submarines which can replace a conventional one with two-compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) of 18 W, we analyzed the electrical and optical performance of the conventional luminaire. A LED luminaire was fabricated as compact as possible based on the analyzed data. The weight of the prototype LED luminaire is 1.8 kg, reducing up to 58% of the conventional one. The use of LED package for the submarine luminaire could reduce the power consumption from 38 W to 14.5 W with the same optical performance. The reason is that the optical efficacy of the LED luminaire improved by 2.47 times as 61.9 lm/W, compared to 25.1 lm/W for the conventional one.

Apart from the deposition of alignment layer, alignment process needs to be involved for alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules. To simplify manufacturing process, several method were used such as rubbing, ion-beam irradiation, UV irradiation, and lithography. But, eventually it needs another treatment for LC alignment. Here, we suggested Si induced polyimide (PI) alignment layer at low temperature. Using this method, we are able to eliminate the alignment process and found that the alignment and electro-optic performance are much better than that of the rubbed PI LC cells. Compared to the rubbed PI cells, the response time was decreased by 70% and C-V characteristics have hysteresis-free.

In this paper, we have studied on the optimal design of the optical compensation film for the TN-LCDs. To have wide viewing angle panels, several methods such as multi-domain method, optical path method, and phase compensation method have been proposed. Among these methods, this paper focused on the phase compensation method. In the phase compensation method, the phase retardation generated from the optical birefringence for the off-axis incident is compensated by using optical films with refractive anisotropy. To compensate the phase retardation of the TN-LCDs, we have proposed design concept for the biaxial optical films and analyzed the optical performance for the proposed structures. The calculation of the dynamic motion of the liquid crystals was based on the Ericksen-Leslie theory and the optical performance of the TN-LCD was calculated from the Extended Jones Matrix Method. From the results, we have confirmed that the optical characteristics of the TN-LCDs with the biaxial films have been improved considerably compared with the TN-LCDs compensated by the combination of the uniaxial films.