Recent Submissions
Boosting CO2-to-C2H4 electrocatalysis on Cu2O with waste-derived porous carbon from coconut shells
(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2026) Qin, C; Li, T; Masakorala, G; Zhi, C; Huang, H; Zhou, C; Wang, X; Shen, B; Zhang, Jian-Rong; Zhou, Y
This study presents a sustainable strategy to boost CO2-to-C2H4 conversion by constructing Cu–C interfaces using Cu2O nanospheres supported on porous carbon derived from waste coconut shells. The Cu2O–10mgC catalyst achieves a 4-fold increase in FE(C2H4) compared with Cu2O and maintains >40% selectivity for 45 h. In situ spectra reveal enhanced *COLFB coverage, confirming that oxygen-rich functional groups at the Cu–C interface promote C–C coupling. This work demonstrates both the catalytic and economic feasibility of waste-derived carbon supports for efficient CO2-to-C2H4 conversion.
Evaluating and prioritizing delay factors in naval ship maintenance using the analytic hierarchy process: a Sri Lanka navy shipyard case study
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2026) Fernando, W. J; Silva, N; Perera, C
Timely maintenance of ships and craft is critical for ensuring operational readiness, safety, and economic sustainability in the maritime sector. However, scheduled docking delays remain a persistent challenge globally, incurring significant financial losses and reducing fleet availability. This study presents a systematic, quantitative approach to identify and prioritize 22 critical factors causing delays in scheduled docking. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the study evaluates the relative importance of these factors to support informed decision-making. A case study of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) demonstrates the application of the proposed framework, revealing that 97% of docking delays occur before vessels enter the dock, with 31.8% of these delays attributable to deficiencies in the procurement of materials and spare parts. While the findings are based on a single case study of the SLN shipyard, they offer context-specific insights into the unique challenges faced by naval maintenance operations in developing regions.
EuqAud: Detecting Gender Bias in Audio Datasets Using Polynomial Regression-Based Metric
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2026) Jayawardena, S; Haddela, P.S; Shyamalee, T; Ekanayake, A; Mudalige, T; Dhanawardhana, I
With the growing adoption of audio based AI systems in high-stakes domains such as healthcare, law enforcement, and social media, ensuring fairness particularly regarding gender bias has become critically important. While prior work on fairness has predominantly focused on disparities in model performance, bias inherent in training datasets remains underexplored. To address this gap, we propose EuqAud, a novel, pre-trained and traceable fairness metric that quantifies gender bias in audio datasets using raw acoustic features such as pitch, energy, amplitude, and voice activity. Unlike methods dependent on demographic labels such as race, age or language, EuqAud is designed to be demographic and language agnostic, enhancing its applicability across diverse contexts. The score is computed using an equation derived from polynomial regression with L2 regularization (Ridge regression), yielding robust and generalizable outputs. It spans a range from −10 to 10, where 0 denotes neutral, positive scores indicate male dominant bias, and negative scores reflect female dominant bias. For clarity, bias severity is categorized into three tiers: Neutral (EuqAud < 2), Moderate Bias (2 ≤ EuqAud ≤ 6), and Strong Bias (EuqAud > 6). Evaluation across multiple datasets demonstrates high predictive performance, with R2 values between 0.95 and 0.99. By focusing on dataset level bias rather than model outcomes, EuqAud offers a scalable and rigorous solution for advancing fairness in audio-based AI systems.
Sustainable Alternatives to Clay Bricks: A Review on PET-Based Masonry Units for Green Construction
(Ontario International Development Agency, 2026) Wijesundara H; Perera S.V.T.J
The rapid escalation of global plastic consumption, particularly polyethylene terephthalate (PET), has created severe environmental challenges, while the conventional clay brick industry continues to generate significant greenhouse gas emissions and deplete nonrenewable resources. This paper reviews existing literature on two sustainable construction approaches aimed at addressing these dual issues: (i) the incorporation of melted PET in masonry blocks and (ii) the embedding of sand-filled PET bottles in masonry units. Findings indicate that melted PET-sand composite bricks, particularly at an optimal 1:3 plastic-to-sand ratio, exhibit superior performance compared to conventional clay bricks. These composites achieve compressive strength improvements of over 44% and reduce water absorption by up to 94.93%. They also demonstrate enhanced durability, with less than 2% strength loss under acid exposure, compared to over 15% in traditional bricks. Additionally, their production requires 79% less energy and reduces CO₂ emissions by a similar margin, underscoring their environmental advantages. The review also highlights the effectiveness of sand-filled PET bottles as structural masonry elements. Sand is a superior filler since it can hold up to 38.34 N/mm² of pressure, which is far more than bottles filled with dirt (8.99 N/mm²) or plastic bags (2.72 N/mm²). The review shows that both melted PET-sand bricks and sand-filled PET bottle masonry are good, eco-friendly substitutes for regular clay bricks. These methods have two benefits: they reduce plastic waste and encourage building techniques that are good for the environment. The results give an excellent justification to use PET-based masonry technologies as we shift toward building materials that are better for the environment.
The Role of Women on Corporate Boards in Driving Green Product and Process Innovation in Sri Lanka
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2026-04-24) Kaluarachchi, S
The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of female leadership on the green innovation efforts of firms in Sri Lanka.Green product innovation was evaluated through the presence of ‘green’ patents, whereas green process innovation was assessedbased on environmental management certifications. This study utilises secondary data from the annual reports of publicly listedcompanies covering the period from 2012 to 2023, applying probit regressions to examine the relationship between female direc-tors and firm-level green innovation. The findings indicate a systematic relationship between female board representation andthe occurrence of green innovation at the firm level. This is evident through factors such as the presence of female directors,female chairpersons, board size, ESG, R&D, firm size and industry type. An additional increase in female representation onboards is more likely to enhance green product innovation, rather than green process innovation. The study provides empiricalevidence that women in top management play a crucial role in shaping a firm's proactive environmental strategies. The findingsoffer valuable insights for enhancing corporate governance with a focus on environmental sustainability
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