batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
Aim of the study The biological of activity of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (ginseng) is complex but some of its known effects are related to affective and anxiety disorders, including the enhancement of neuroprotection, cellular resilience and plasticity. Whereas such effects suggest that ginseng might have antidepressant activity, previous studies show incongruent results. The sources of contrasting results might be many but one possibility is the utilization of different ginseng preparations in different studies. The current study was therefore designed to examine the effects of a very specific component of ginseng extract, the acidic polysaccharide portion of the plant (WGPA), containing arabinogalactan, type-I rhamnogalacturonan (RG-I)- and homogalacturonan (HG)-rich pectins. Materials and methods WGPA was extracted from ginseng roots and administered orally to mice at 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg doses. WGPA was administered chronically, once daily for 1 week before the start of experiments and throughout the behavioral tests battery. Mice were tested for spontaneous activity, social interactions, anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and despair-like behavior in the forced swim test (FST). Results WGPA had no effects on spontaneous activity or behavior in the EPM. In contrast, 100mg/kg (but not the 200mg/kg) WGPA significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and both doses significantly increased social interactions and decreased aggressive behaviors in mice. Conclusion These results suggest that chronic WGPA treatment might have antidepressant-like effects that are unrelated to generalized behavioral changes. The results are discussed in the context of the known ability of the active ingredients of ginseng to increase neuroprotection, similar to many of the current antidepressant and mood stabilizing drugs.
In order to stabilize the global climate, the world's governments must make significant commitments to drastically reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One of the most promising methods of curbing GHG emissions is a world transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells offer a technically sustainable solution to the projected enormous future energy demands. This article explores utilizing industrial symbiosis to obtain economies of scale and increased manufacturing efficiencies for solar PV cells in order for solar electricity to compete economically with fossil fuel-fired electricity. The state of PV manufacturing, the market and the effects of scale on both are reviewed. Government policies necessary to construct a multi-gigaWatt PV factory and complementary policies to protect existing solar companies are outlined and the technical requirements for a symbiotic industrial system are explored to increase the manufacturing efficiency while improving the environmental impact of PV. The results of the analysis show that an eight-factory industrial symbiotic system can be viewed as a medium-term investment by any government, which will not only obtain direct financial return, but also an improved global environment. The technical concepts and policy limitations to this approach were analyzed and it was found that symbiotic growth will help to mitigate many of the limitations of PV and is likely to catalyze mass manufacturing of PV by transparently demonstrating that large-scale PV manufacturing is technically feasible and reaches an enormous untapped market for PV with low costs.
Batteries with a solid-state electrolyte and a Li anode (solid-state Li batteries, SSLBs) are being considered to replace conventional organic liquid-based Li-ion batteries due to SSLBs’ promise of higher energy density and improved safety. The crucial component in SSLBs is the solid-state electrolyte which must fulfill requirements in Li-ion conductivity, electrochemical stability, and chemical stability towards the cathode and Li anode. Recently, much attention has been given to a class of ceramics with a garnet-type structure, specifically on compositions based on Li-stuffed Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) because they fulfill all the enumerated requirements for a solid-state electrolyte. In this review, we update the progress and analyze the trends in the three main approaches to realize the technological application of LLZO as an electrolyte in SSLBs: (i) crystal structure and lithium content control by doping to enhance Li-ion conductivity of LLZO, (ii) microstructure and dimension control by material processing and thin-film fabrication to reduce electrolyte resistance, and (iii) LLZO–electrode interface tuning to reduce interfacial resistance and improve battery performance. Finally, we offer our perspectives on research paths toward the realization of practical batteries with LLZO solid electrolytes.
Lithium rich oxides have over recent years attracted significant attention as materials able to exhibit high electrical capacity, despite, they exhibit poor rate capability and unstable cycling performance. In this paper, layered lithium rich oxide, Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 is prepared by solvothermal method and then it is protected by a coating consisting of spinel LixMn1.5Ni0.5O4 giving rise to a series of spinel/layered heterostructured materials. The results conrfim that the presence of spinel coating offers the 3D pathways for the diffusion of lithium ions and assures long-lasting performances of the resulting cathode materials. In particular the heterostructured materials modified with 2wt% LixMn1.5Ni0.5O4 amount exhibits the highest specific capacity (over 264mAhg−1 at current density of 40mAg−1, comparing to 237mAhg−1 for the pristine layered structured material), excellent initial coulombic efficiency (82%), optimal cycling performance (capacity retention of 94% after 100 cycles at current density of 200mAg−1) and outstanding rate capability with enhanced lithium diffusion coefficient (7.13×10−13 cm−1s−1 of 2wt% coating amount is much higher than that of 4.23×10−13 cm−1s−1 for pristine material electrode). The finding reported in this work provides a novel insight into the design and preparation of high-performance spinel/layered heterostructured materials.
In this study, the operation of a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) under asymmetric current conditions (i.e., different current densities during charge and discharge) was investigated as a technique to reduce its capacity loss. Two different membrane types (a convection-dominated membrane and a diffusion-dominated membrane) were analyzed. In these analyses, the charging current density was varied while the discharging current was held constant. For both membranes, it was found that increasing the charging current decreases the net convective crossover of vanadium ions, which reduces the capacity loss of the battery. When the tested membranes were compared, the improvement in capacity retention was found to be larger for the diffusion-dominated membrane (12.4%) as compared to the convection-dominated membrane (7.1%). The higher capacity retention in the diffusion-dominated membrane was attributed to the reduction in the cycling time (and hence, suppressed contribution of diffusion) due to the increased charging current. While asymmetric current operation helps reduce capacity loss, it comes at the expense of a reduction in the voltage efficiencies. Increasing the charging current was found to increase the ohmic losses, which lead to a decrease of 6% and 4.3% in the voltage efficiencies of the convection-dominated and diffusion-dominated membranes, respectively.
It is challenging to unlock anionic redox activity, accompanied by full utilization of available cationic redox process, to boost capacity of battery cathodes. Now, material design by tuning the metal–oxygen interaction is shown to be a promising solution.
A new electrochemical system is capable of controlling an integrated analog or digital display and modifying the load resistance of an RFID transponder. In contrast to conventional smart labels the self-writing system is active even when no power is supplied by a reader. The self-writing mechanism and the display functions are based on doping front migration (DFM), an electrochemical effect occurring in structures composed of intrinsically conductive polymers and described here for the first time. This ultralow-cost system represents a new class of smart labels containing analog and digital functions and capable of displaying changing information to the human eye. The device may also be used as a time–temperature integrator that monitors and reports product storage conditions. This may be very useful as a “best before” label on food products.
A facile topochemical route has been developed to synthesize porous LiMn2O4 spheres by using molten LiOH and porous Mn2O3 spheres as a template. The presence of pores with the average size of about 45 nm throughout the whole LiMn2O4 microspheres was confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and N2 adsorption–desorption measurements. When applied as cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the porous sphere LiMn2O4 revealed stable high-rate capability. The discharge capacity is 83 mAh g−1 at 20 C rate, and it shows a good capacity retention after cycling at constantly changing discharge rate. Taking the excellent electrochemical performance and facile synthesis into consideration, the presented porous LiMn2O4 spheres could be a competitive candidate cathode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.
An optimal unit sizing method is presented for stand-alone microgrids with practical system and component life-cycle considerations. The proposed method has been applied to the design and development of a real microgrid system on Dongfushan Island, Zhejiang Province, China, consisting of wind turbine generators, solar panels, diesel generators and battery storage units. A genetic algorithm (GA)-based method is used to solve the sizing optimization problem with multiple objectives including the minimization of life-cycle cost, the maximization of renewable energy source penetration and the minimization of pollutant emissions. The actual system configuration and the operating strategy are discussed in detail in this paper, as well as the operational experience regarding the unique microgrid issues observed and lessons learned that may be useful for future microgrid design and development.
Electrochemically reducing CO2 into value-added chemicals could contribute to CO2 recycling while storing renewable energy. However, reaction products are typically mixed with additional solutes in the liquid electrolyte. Now, a cell that uses a solid electrolyte is shown to produce pure liquid fuel solutions from CO2.
Microstructures and electrochemical performances of Bi based compound film-coated ZnO are investigated and compared with those of Ni film-coated ZnO and Bi nanocompound-modified ZnO in order to illuminate the coating effect of Bi based compound film. Bi based compound film is composed of nanoparticles (1–2nm in diameter) of Bi6(NO3)4(OH)2O6, BiO and Bi2O3, containing lots of micropores. In comparison with Bi nanocompound-modified ZnO and Ni film-coated ZnO, Bi based compound film-coated ZnO shows higher discharge capacity and more stable cycling performance. The highest average discharge capacity is as high as 535mAhg−1, and the discharge capacity does not obviously decrease during the cycling tests. Cyclic voltammograms indicates that Bi based compound film can limit transfer of H2O, OH−, and enhance electrochemical activity of ZnO. The improvement of cycling performance is due to: (1) the coating film structure avoids the direct contact between ZnO/Zn with the electrolyte, and suppresses the dissolution of ZnO/Zn; (2) the micropores in the film is beneficial to adequate diffusion of H2O, OH− and zincates ions, leading to high discharge capacity and good cycling performance; (3) the light weight of the film also has a contribution to high specific discharge capacity.
The lithium storage capability and high rate performance of nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 electrodes are highly dependent on the particle sizes. The electrode made from a very fine anatase powder of 6nm exhibited the highest capacity even at high current rates. It is believed that increasing the specific surface area of the nanocrystalline anatase electrodes has increased the weight ratio of the atoms resided near or on the surface layers and hence improved the surface Li storage; whereas decreasing the particle size has reduced the transport length for Li insertion in the bulk of anatase phase, and so made the Li insertion more efficiently. Besides that, it is found that the specific capacity contributed by the surface Li storage was very stable upon cycling or increasing the current rate; whereas the short Li diffusion length could greatly facilitate the Li insertion/extraction in/from the bulk of the anatase electrode. These two features of nanocrystalline anatase electrodes resulted in very good cycle performance.
Sixteen coded compounds were blind-tested at 4 laboratories using the recently described GADD45a-GFP genotoxicity assay. The compounds were chosen to include non-genotoxic compounds as well as weak and strong genotoxins. None of the compounds required metabolic activation in order to exhibit genotoxic effects. The participating laboratories included 2 global pharmaceutical companies, a global consumer goods company and the Gentronix laboratory in Manchester. Each compound was tested 4 times on different days following a protocol previously described. The tests were carried out after a 3-day training period from the parent lab (Manchester). Following the exclusion of data from tests with positive control failures and data series with ‘spikes’, 92% of assays gave the correct result: non-genotoxins giving negative results and genotoxins giving positive results. There were no randomly distributed problems suggesting that differences between the results from different sites reflected the use of different instruments, procedural differences and operator experience. In naïve operator laboratories the quality of data improved with operator practice. It was concluded that simple clarification of the protocol would provide the level of reliability required for widespread use of the assay in hazard assessment.
This work focuses on the behaviour of pure aluminum in alkaline media, by coupling both acoustic emission (AE) and direct hydrogen voltammetry to electrochemistry. We notably monitored, recorded and analyzed the acoustic emission activity generated by the aluminum electrode as a function of its polarization during a linear sweep voltammetry (from anodic to cathodic potentials) on pure aluminum in 4M aqueous potassium hydroxide solution. Such in situ coupling of electrochemistry and acoustic emission shows a perfect correlation between the two signals. After careful analysis of the AE signal using a statistical treatment, and based on five relevant AE parameters (rise time, duration, amplitude, absolute energy, maximum frequency), we could separate various groups of AE signals occurring at the aluminum electrode. We further linked them to the different (and possibly concomitant) electrochemical phenomena, which are taking place upon polarization of the aluminum electrode in strong alkaline medium. First, we confirmed that hydrogen evolution initiates for potentials positive to aluminum open circuit potential in 4M potassium hydroxide solution; such small but non-negligible hydrogen production occurs in parallel to aluminum oxidation. Second, aluminum oxides are present only around the open circuit potential; whereas they are eroded for high aluminum oxidation potentials, they are flaked off at high hydrogen evolution potentials. Such latter process is probably accelerated by the hydrogen evolution-induced alkalization of the electrolyte. Third, two modes of hydrogen evolution are recorded: one on the oxide, the other one on bare aluminum, the latter being the most efficient. This strong hydrogen evolution at very low electrode potential probably assists the removal of the brittle residual oxide/passive film present on aluminum (which we denote as hydrogen-assisted aluminum exfoliation corrosion), therefore causing the rapid erosion of the aluminum electrode. As a result, aluminum is never in immunity conditions in strong alkaline medium.
Spatially-resolved neutron diffraction has been applied to probe the lithium distribution in radial direction of a commercial Li-ion cell of 18650-type. The spatial evolution of selected Bragg reflections for LiCoO2 (positive electrode, “cathode”) and graphite and lithium intercalated graphite (negative electrode, “anode”) was observed and evaluated by taking beam attenuation and cell geometry effects into account. No evidences for lithium inhomogeneities have been found for the investigated set of cells. Computed neutron tomography using a monochromatic neutron beam confirmed the homogeneous lithium distribution. The relevance of the monochromatic beam to neutron imaging studies of Li-ion cells is discussed.
The inherent thermal instability of lithium-ion cells is a significant impediment to their widespread commercialization for hybrid-electric vehicle applications. Cells containing conventional organic electrolyte-based chemistries are prone to thermal runaway at temperatures around 180°C. We conducted accelerating rate calorimetry measurements on high-power 18650-type lithium-ion cells in an effort to decipher the sequence of events leading to thermal runaway. In addition, electrode and separator samples harvested from a cell that was heated to 150°C then air-quenched to room temperature were examined by microscopy, spectroscopy, and diffraction techniques. Self-heating of the cell began at 84°C. The gases generated in the cell included CO2 and CO, and smaller quantities of H2, C2H4, CH4, and C2H6. The main changes on cell heating to 150°C were observed on the anode surface, which was covered by a thick layer of surface deposits that included LiF and inorganic and organo-phosphate compounds. The sources of gas generation and the mechanisms leading to the formation of compounds observed on the electrode surfaces are discussed.
Among the multiple conservative modalities, physiotherapy is a commonly utilized treatment modality in managing chronic non-specific spinal pain. Despite the scientific progresses with regard to pain and motor control neuroscience, treatment of chronic spinal pain (CSP) often tends to stick to a peripheral biomechanical model, without targeting brain mechanisms. With a view to enhance clinical efficacy of existing physiotherapeutic treatments for CSP, the development of clinical strategies targeted at ‘training the brain’ is to be pursued. Promising proof-of-principle results have been reported for the effectiveness of a modern neuroscience approach to CSP when compared to usual care, but confirmation is required in a larger, multi-center trial with appropriate evidence-based control intervention and long-term follow-up.
In this paper we propose two optimization-based algorithms for coordinating residential battery storage to balance increases in daily operational savings that accrue to residential customers with the management of bi-directional power flows in the distribution grid. Bi-directional power flows are managed to improve the supply voltage for residential customers with rooftop solar PV, in addition to alleviating (potentially infrequent) congestion that occurs in the evening when PV production is unavailable. Our objectives are threefold: (1) to reduce reverse power flow leading to significant voltage rise; (2) to reduce peak loads creating sustained under-voltages and/or approaching a network thermal capacity; and (3) to increase operational savings for the residential customer. To achieve our objectives we present a Distributed-Receding Horizon Optimization (D-RHO) algorithm, wherein charge and discharge rates of residential battery storage are coordinated so as to directly influence power flows along a distribution feeder. We also present an Adaptive-Receding Horizon Optimization (A-RHO) algorithm, in which charge and discharge rates of residential battery storage are coordinated to more directly manage supply voltages. To assess the distributor benefit, both RHO-based algorithms are applied to a publicly available model of an Australian distribution region located in Elermore Vale. The results of this case study confirm that the A-RHO algorithm improves supply voltages in a low voltage network, and that the D-RHO algorithm offers a peak load reduction of 32% along the Elermore Vale medium voltage feeder.
Although carbon has a long history of use in electrochemical devices, the realization of further benefits that it may provide to advancing the electrochemical conversion and storage of energy continues to attract major research interest. Accordingly, in recognition of the value of carbon in enhancing the performance of various types of battery, fuel cells and supercapacitors, the Journal of Power Sources has commissioned a series of specialist reviews on the following topics.1.The role of carbon in fuel cells.2.Graphite and carbon powders for electrochemical applications.3.The role of carbon in valve-regulated lead–acid battery technology.4.Carbon properties and their role in supercapacitors.5.Hydrogen storage by carbon materials.6.Carbon in lithium batteries.The first of these reviews appears at the front of this issue of the Journal and the remainder will follow accordingly. It is hoped that these contributions will stimulate further research and ‘cross-fertilization’ of ideas between groups who are actively engaged in progressing different types of electrochemical power source. The role of carbon in fuel cells. Graphite and carbon powders for electrochemical applications. The role of carbon in valve-regulated lead–acid battery technology. Carbon properties and their role in supercapacitors. Hydrogen storage by carbon materials. Carbon in lithium batteries.
The apoptotic demolition of the nucleus is accomplished by diverse proapoptotic factors, most of which are activated in the cytoplasm and gain access to the nucleoplasm during the cell death process. The nucleus is also the main target for genotoxic insult, a potent apoptotic trigger. Signals generated in the nucleus by DNA damage have to propagate to all cellular compartments to ensure the coordinated execution of cell demise. The nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of signalling and execution factors is thus an integral part of the apoptotic programme. Several proteins implicated in apoptotic cell death have been shown to migrate in and out of the nucleus following apoptosis induction. This review summarises the current knowledge on nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of apoptosis-relevant proteins. The effects of apoptosis induction on the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery are also discussed. Finally, a potential role of nuclear transport as a critical control point of the apoptotic signal cascade is proposed.
All-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) were fabricated using a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiTFS) membrane as the separator and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) as the polymer electrolyte in the porous carbon electrodes. Two types of mediators, NaI/I2 and K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6, were added into the PEO/LiClO4 polymer electrolyte that was used to fabricate the electrodes. The voltage window in which the SCs operated was 2.5–3V. The results of electrochemical measurements, including cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge, indicated that NaI/I2-containing and K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6-containing SCs yielded high specific capacitances of 209.0 and 138.8Fg−1, respectively. In addition to high specific capacitances for the two mediator-containing SCs, both SCs delivered high specific energies (49.1Whkg−1 at 1.6kWkg−1 for the NaI/I2-containing SC and 33.6Whkg−1 at 1.3kWkg−1 for the K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6-containing SC) due to the wide voltage window and fast redox reactions between mediators.
In the two recent developments discussed here, we briefly look at how materials based on carbon nanotubes have been created to remove various contaminants from water.