scholarly journals AFM as an analysis tool for high-capacity sulfur cathodes for Li–S batteries

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 611-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renate Hiesgen ◽  
Seniz Sörgel ◽  
Rémi Costa ◽  
Linus Carlé ◽  
Ines Galm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Spray Coating ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Electrochemical Tests ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Battery Capacity

In this work, material-sensitive atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were used to analyse the cathodes of lithium–sulfur batteries. A comparison of their nanoscale electrical, electrochemical, and morphological properties was performed with samples prepared by either suspension-spraying or doctor-blade coating with different binders. Morphological studies of the cathodes before and after the electrochemical tests were performed by using AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cathodes that contained polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and were prepared by spray-coating exhibited a superior stability of the morphology and the electric network associated with the capacity and cycling stability of these batteries. A reduction of the conductive area determined by conductive AFM was found to correlate to the battery capacity loss for all cathodes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements of Li2S exposed to ambient air showed that insulating Li2S hydrolyses to insulating LiOH. This validates the significance of electrical ex-situ AFM analysis after cycling. Conductive tapping mode AFM indicated the existence of large carbon-coated sulfur particles. Based on the analytical findings, the first results of an optimized cathode showed a much improved discharge capacity of 800 mA·g(sulfur)−1 after 43 cycles.

scholarly journals Tunable In Situ 3D-Printed PVDF-TrFE Piezoelectric Arrays

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5032
Author(s):  
Alec Ikei ◽  
James Wissman ◽  
Kaushik Sampath ◽  
Gregory Yesner ◽  
Syed N. Qadri
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Vinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Mechanical Strain ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Strain Ratio ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
3D Printed

In the functional 3D-printing field, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) has been shown to be a more promising choice of material over polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), due to its ability to be poled to a high level of piezoelectric performance without a large mechanical strain ratio. In this work, a novel presentation of in situ 3D printing and poling of PVDF-TrFE is shown with a d33 performance of up to 18 pC N−1, more than an order of magnitude larger than previously reported in situ poled polymer piezoelectrics. This finding paves the way forward for pressure sensors with much higher sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, the ability of in situ pole sensors to demonstrate different performance levels is shown in a fully 3D-printed five-element sensor array, accelerating and increasing the design space for complex sensing arrays. The in situ poled sample performance was compared to the performance of samples prepared through an ex situ corona poling process.

scholarly journals Microwave synthesis of high-quality and uniform 4 nm ZnFe2O4 nanocrystals for application in energy storage and nanomagnetics

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1350-1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Suchomski ◽  
Ben Breitung ◽  
Ralf Witte ◽  
Michael Knapp ◽  
Sondes Bauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Zinc Ferrite ◽  
Sol Gel ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Spherical Shape ◽  
Freezing Temperature ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Edge Structure ◽  
X Ray

Magnetic nanocrystals with a narrow size distribution hold promise for many applications in different areas ranging from biomedicine to electronics and energy storage. Herein, the microwave-assisted sol–gel synthesis and thorough characterization of size-monodisperse zinc ferrite nanoparticles of spherical shape is reported. X-ray diffraction, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy all show that the material is both chemically and phase-pure and adopts a partially inverted spinel structure with Fe3+ ions residing on tetrahedral and octahedral sites according to (Zn0.32Fe0.68)tet[Zn0.68Fe1.32]octO4±δ. Electron microscopy and direct-current magnetometry confirm the size uniformity of the nanocrystals, while frequency-dependent alternating-current magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate the presence of a superspin glass state with a freezing temperature of about 22 K. Furthermore, as demonstrated by galvanostatic charge–discharge tests and ex situ X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy, the as-prepared zinc ferrite nanocrystals can be used as a high-capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries, showing little capacity fade – after activation – over hundreds of cycles. Overall, in addition to the good material characteristics, it is remarkable that the microwave-based synthetic route is simple, easily reproducible and scalable.

scholarly journals Deciphering lead and cadmium stripping peaks for porous antimony deposited electrodes

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aqeel Ahmad Taimoor
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Electrochemical Sensing ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Electrochemical Tests ◽  
Diffusion Limitations ◽  
Lead And Cadmium ◽  
Cadmium And Lead

AbstractCadmium and lead are generally taken as model heavy metal ions in water to scale the detection limit of various electrode sensors, using electrochemical sensing techniques. These ions interact with the electrochemically deposited antimony electrodes depending on the diffusion limitations. The phenomenon acts differently for the in-situ and ex-situ deposition as well as for porous and non-porous electrodes. A method has been adopted in this study to discourage the stripping and deposition of the working ions (antimony) to understand the principle of heavy metal ion detection. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique was used to establish the interaction between the working and dissolved ions. In addition to the distinct peaks for each analyte, researchers also observed a shoulder peak. A possible reason for the presence of this peak was provided. Different electrochemical tests were performed to ascertain the theory on the basis of the experimental observations.

Correlation between electrical and morphological properties of canine pyloric circular muscle

1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (3) ◽  
pp. G390-G398 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Vogalis ◽  
S. M. Ward ◽  
K. M. Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Single Cells ◽  
Electrical Coupling ◽  
Circular Muscle ◽  
Muscle Layer ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Morphological Examination ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Time Constants ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Cable Properties

Electrical slow waves decay in amplitude as they conduct from the myenteric to the submucosal regions of the circular muscle layer in the canine pyloric sphincter. We used the partitioned chamber method to study the passive and active properties of pyloric muscles, and we found that length constants of circular muscles of myenteric region were significantly longer than muscles near the submucosal surface. These data suggested differences in either membrane resistance, junctional resistance, or cytoplasmic resistance. The first parameter was evaluated by measuring time constants in intact tissues and single cells isolated from the submucosal and myenteric regions. Membrane time constants were not different in the two regions, nor were differences found in the input resistances of isolated cells. Morphological studies failed to demonstrate differences in cell diameters in the two regions suggesting that cytoplasmic resistances are similar. These findings suggest that the different cable properties in the two regions may be due to differences in electrical coupling. Morphological examination revealed similar numbers of gap junctions between cells in the two regions, but large differences were noted in the size of muscular bundles. Muscles of the myenteric region were arranged into large, tightly packed bundles, whereas muscles of the submucosal region consisted of small bundles with an extensive extracellular space filled with connective tissue. We suggest that the difference in cable properties may be due to differences in electrical coupling between bundles. These data suggest that submucosal muscles function more like a multiunit smooth muscle, whereas myenteric muscles behave as a single unit.

scholarly journals Properties of Arabinogalactan Proteins (AGPs) in Apple (Malus × Domestica) Fruit at Different Stages of Ripening

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Agata Leszczuk ◽  
Justyna Cybulska ◽  
Tomasz Skrzypek ◽  
Artur Zdunek
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Malus Domestica ◽  
Arabinogalactan Proteins ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Mature Stage ◽  
Fruit Storage ◽  
Cell Wall Assembly ◽  
Wall Assembly

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are constituents of the cell wall–plasma membrane continuum in fruit tissue. The aim of the study was to characterise AGPs contained in fruit by determination of their chemical structure and morphological properties. The results were obtained from in and ex situ investigations and a comparative analysis of AGPs present in Malus × domestica fruit at different stages of ripening from green fruit through the mature stage to over-ripening during fruit storage. The HPLC and colorimetric methods were used for analyses of the composition of monosaccharides and proteins in AGPs extracted from fruit. We have found that AGPs from fruit mainly consists of carbohydrate chains composed predominantly of arabinose, galactose, glucose, galacturonic acid, and xylose. The protein moiety accounts for 3.15–4.58%, which depends on the various phases of ripening. Taken together, our results show that the structural and morphological properties of AGPs and calcium concentration in AGPs are related to the progress of ripening, which is correlated with proper fruit cell wall assembly. In line with the existing knowledge, our data confirmed the typical carbohydrate composition of AGPs and may be the basis for studies regarding their presumed properties of binding calcium ions.

scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Self-assembled Hairball-Like VS4 as High-Capacity Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuangshuang Ding ◽  
Bingxin Zhou ◽  
Changmiao Chen ◽  
Zhao Huang ◽  
Pengchao Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Sodium Ion ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Sodium Ion Batteries ◽  
High Discharge Capacity ◽  
Reversible Transformation ◽  
Self Assembled ◽  
Consistent Performance

AbstractSodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered to be attractive candidates for large-scale energy storage systems because of their rich earth abundance and consistent performance. However, there are still challenges in developing desirable anode materials that can accommodate rapid and stable insertion/extraction of Na+ and can exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. Herein, the self-assembled hairball-like VS4 as anodes of SIBs exhibits high discharge capacity (660 and 589 mAh g−1 at 1 and 3 A g−1, respectively) and excellent rate property (about 100% retention at 10 and 20 A g−1 after 1000 cycles) at room temperature. Moreover, the VS4 can also exhibit 591 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 600 cycles at 0 °C. An unlike traditional mechanism of VS4 for Na+ storage was proposed according to the dates of ex situ characterization, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical kinetic analysis. The capacities of the final stabilization stage are provided by the reactions of reversible transformation between Na2S and S, which were considered the reaction mechanisms of Na–S batteries. This work can provide a basis for the synthesis and application of sulfur-rich compounds in fields of batteries, semiconductor devices, and catalysts.

scholarly journals In-depth understanding of the CO2 limitation of air fed anion exchange membrane fuel cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1801-1811
Author(s):  
Ashutosh G. Divekar ◽  
Ami C. Yang-Neyerlin ◽  
Christopher M. Antunes ◽  
Derek J. Strasser ◽  
Andrew R. Motz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Anion Exchange ◽  
Morphological Analysis ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Anion Exchange Membrane ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Ex situ physico-chemical, electrochemical, and morphological analysis sheds light on the CO2 limitation of ambient air anion exchange membrane fuel cells.

Pulsed Laser Deposited Oxide Green Emitting Thin Film Phosphors : Optimization of Growth Conditions

2006 ◽  
Vol 988 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Thiyagarajan ◽  
M. Kottaismay ◽  
M S Ramachandra Rao
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Oxygen Partial Pressure ◽  
Partial Pressure ◽  
Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy ◽  
Quartz Substrate ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Morphological Studies

AbstractStructural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of Zn2(1-x)MnxSiO4 (1 ≤ x ≤ 5) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and morphological studies of ZnGa2O4:Mn thin film green emitting phosphors grown using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique have been investigated. Zn2(1-x)MnxSiO4 thin films grown on Si substrate at 700°C in 300 mTorr of oxygen partial pressure, upon ex-situ annealing at higher temperatures exhibit superior PL intensity. ZnGa2O4:Mn phosphor thin films grown on quartz substrate at 650oC and in-situ annealed in 300mTorr of oxygen partial pressure show better emission intensity. For both Zn2SiO4:Mn and ZnGa2O4:Mn phosphors, luminescence can be assigned to 4T1 – 6A1 transition of Mn2+ within the 3d orbital giving rise to emission at 525 and 503 nm, respectively.

Holographic Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals: Effect of Partial Matrix Fluorination on Electro-Optical and Morphological Properties

2001 ◽  
Vol 709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Schulte ◽  
Stephen J. Clarson ◽  
Lalgudi V. Natarajan ◽  
C. Allan Guymon ◽  
Timothy J. Bunning
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Acrylate Monomer ◽  
Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Polymer Dispersed ◽  
Morphological Differences

ABSTRACTHolographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) films with partially fluorinated matrices were investigated. Electro-optical and morphological studies revealed that fluorinated composites were substantially different from non-fluorinated analogues. The addition of a fluorinated monofunctional acrylate monomer to a pentaacrylate-derived polymer matrix resulted in improved diffraction efficiency. These findings suggest that the partial fluorination of the host polymer decreases the compatibility between the matrix and liquid crystal phase. Morphological differences between fluorinated films and non-fluorinated control specimens were verified using low-voltage, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (LVHRSEM).

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