batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
Introduced predators are important drivers of ecosystem change and can threaten native species. The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) was introduced from Britain into New Zealand where it is currently widespread, including in braided-river environments of the interior cold drylands where it might threaten native species such as riparian ground-nesting birds. The establishment of hedgehogs in braided-river environments may be facilitated by adjacent pastoral landscapes that provide food, primarily invertebrates, and dry shelter. Forays by hedgehogs into native prey habitats, such as riverbed floodplains, increase predation pressure. Understanding the spatial ecology of introduced predators can improve effectiveness of control measures. We assessed spatial resource selection by hedgehogs in a braided-river environment by tracking 27 individuals for 4–8 days in summer and autumn using microGPS-backpacks. We extracted fine-scale landscape variables from a map created using very high resolution satellite imagery to model home range placement within the study area. We also assessed habitat composition and ranking within high-use areas using compositional analysis. Hedgehogs established home ranges in pastoral landscapes containing abundant edges and high vegetation productivity (mainly green pastures and shrubs), and selected pastures and patches of shrubs as high-use areas. Hedgehogs avoided riverbed floodplains, suggesting that reported predation events on ground-nesting birds might be a consequence of secondary predation or individual specialization. We recommend that predation of native species by hedgehogs might be best alleviated if trapping is focused on those areas selected by native fauna of conservation concern (e.g. riverbed floodplains), as well some biologically-determined buffer surrounding these sites.
Computer-assisted technological innovation and breakthroughs in drilling are revolutionizing the energy landscape, creating greater uncertainty about the future trends for oil use. These new dynamics are prompting major oil producers to reconsider the commercial value of their assets, potentially changing the long-term outlook for oil prices. A shift in investment and production strategy by major oil-producing countries and large multinational companies to pre-empt the risk of stranded assets would have significant implications on energy markets. This Perspective surveys the competitive forces at play that are able to shift the dynamics of the global oil market and discusses their implications for US climate and energy policy. A declining long-term oil price might imply that energy and climate scientists and policymakers should revisit the road map of the optimum policies to promote the transition to lower carbon energy and to defend technology gains already achieved.
Aqueous processing would reduce the costs and toxicity associated with the making of the composite electrode. In the present study, carboxymethyl cellulose is used as a binder for 5V cathode material LiNi0.4Mn1.6O4. Compared with electrodes using polyvinylidene difluoride binder, CMC-based LiNi0.4Mn1.6O4 electrodes display a better discharge capacity at all rates. At 0.2C, the discharge capacity is close to the theoretical capacity (146mAhg−1) and the self-discharge is 10% lower. Polyvinylidene difluoride can be efficiently replaced by carboxymethyl cellulose for LiNi0.4Mn1.6O4 in terms of electrochemical performance and brings the advantage of an environment friendly and low cost electrode processing.
The major markets for valve-regulated lead−acid (VRLA) batteries are undergoing a radical upheaval. In particular, the telecommunications industry requires more reliable power supplies, and the familiar 12V electrical system in cars will probably be soon replaced by a 36/42V system, or by other electrical systems if part of the automotive market is taken over by hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs). In order to meet these new challenges and enable VRLA batteries to provide a satisfactory life in float and cycling applications in the telecommunication field, or in the high-rate-partial-state-of-charge service required by both 36/42V automobiles and HEVs, the lead−acid battery industry has to improve substantially the quality of present VRLA batteries based on absorptive glass mat (AGM) technology. Therefore, manufacturing steps and cell components have to be optimized, especially AGM separators as these are key components for better production yields and battery performance. This paper shows how the optimal segregation of the coarse and fine fibres in an AGM separator structure can improve greatly the properties of the material. The superior capillarity, springiness and mechanical properties of the 100% glass Amerglass multilayer separator compared with commercial monolayer counterparts with the same specific surface-area is highlighted.
We present a computational screening of experimental structural repositories for fast Li-ion conductors, with the goal of finding new candidate materials for application as solid-state electrolytes in next-generation batteries. We start from ∼1400 unique Li-containing materials, of which ∼900 are insulators at the level of density-functional theory. For those, we calculate the diffusion coefficient in a highly automated fashion, using extensive molecular dynamics simulations on a potential energy surface (the recently published pinball model) fitted on first-principles forces. The ∼130 most promising candidates are studied with full first-principles molecular dynamics, including an estimate of the activation barrier for the most diffusive structures. The results of the first-principles simulations of the candidate solid-state electrolytes found are discussed in detail.
Fine powders of tin dioxide doped with Mo were prepared under hydrothermal conditions and tested in lithium cells. X-ray and IR data revealed the formation of single-phase products with a rutile-like structure that is maintained upon calcining at 800°C. Mo6+ ions change the habit growth of crystals and are randomly distributed at octahedral positions, thus promoting the formation of cation vacancies. The addition of Mo increases the reversibility of the lithium insertion/de-insertion process, as reflected in the simplified differential specific capacity plots obtained, which result in a single, rather symmetric peak in the anodic and cathodic waves. Furthermore, increasing the Mo content improves retention capacity at the expense of reversible capacity because the transition element acts as an inactive component in the electrochemical process. The following arguments account for the improved performance of these mixed oxides. (i) A diluent effect of Mo atoms that facilitates dispersion of the Sn atoms formed during the reduction process; (ii) hindered formation of large clusters and decreased interfacial strains; (iii) restriction of the number of alloying/de-alloying processes through a decreased reversible capacity during the first few cycles; and (iv) an increased chemical diffusion coefficient for lithium, that results partially from the structural disorder caused by the replacement of tin with molybdenum.
Although lithium-rich layered composite cathode materials can meet the requirements of high discharge capacities and energy densities of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the drawbacks of encountering structural reconstruction, sharp voltage decay during cycling as well as low packing density still exist, which retard their further commercial development. This paper presents a novel approach to construct hollow porous bowl-shaped Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 (denoted as HPB-LMNCO) particles, which involves bowl-shaped carbonaceous particles as the predominant template and polyvinylpyrrolidone as an assistant soft template. One crucial step during the synthetic process is the controlled growth of metal ions with specific molar ratios in the bowl-shaped carbonaceous particles, and the key control parameter is the heating rate to ensure the prepared particles own the desired hollow porous bowl-shaped morphology. Of particular note is the desirable architecture which not only inherits the merits of hollow structures but also facilitates the tight particles packing. Owing to these advantages, utilizing this HPB-LMNCO as a cathode material manifests impressive rate capability and exceptional cycling stability at high rates with capacity retention of above 82% over 100 cycles. These results reveal that structural design of cathode materials play a pivotal role in developing high-performance LIBs.
The effect of temperature on the overall electrochemical properties of La0.7Mg0.3Ni2.875Co0.525Mn0.1 hydrogen storage alloy has been studied systematically. The results show that temperature has a striking effect on the overall electrochemical properties, especially the electrochemical kinetic performance. The maximum discharge capacity and the high rate dischargeability (HRD) of La0.7Mg0.3Ni2.875Co0.525Mn0.1 alloy electrode both decrease with decreasing test temperature, mainly due to the slower hydrogen transfer in the bulk of the alloy and the lower electrocatalytic activity at lower temperatures. Detailed studies on the temperature effect on the polarization resistance (R D), the exchange current density (I 0), the limiting current density (I L) and the hydrogen diffusion coefficient (D), indicate that the diffusion of hydrogen in the bulk for La–Mg–Ni–Co system hydrogen storage alloy electrodes is the rate-determining factor for the discharge process of the alloy electrode for the temperature over 10°C and the charge-transfer reaction is rate-determining step at lower temperature.
Gestational transfer of maternal antibodies against fetal neuronal proteins may be relevant to some neurodevelopmental disorders, but until recently there were no proteins identified. We recently reported a fivefold increase in CASPR2-antibodies in mid-gestation sera from mothers of children with intellectual and motor disabilities. Here, we exposed mice in utero to purified IgG from patients with CASPR2-antibodies (CASPR2-IgGs) or from healthy controls (HC-IgGs). CASPR2-IgG but not HC-IgG bound to fetal brain parenchyma, from which CASPR2-antibodies could be eluted. CASPR2-IgG exposed neonates achieved milestones similarly to HC-IgG exposed controls but, when adult, the CASPR2-IgG exposed progeny showed marked social interaction deficits, abnormally located glutamatergic neurons in layers V–VI of the somatosensory cortex, a 16% increase in activated microglia, and a 15–52% decrease in glutamatergic synapses in layers of the prefrontal and somatosensory cortices. Thus, in utero exposure to CASPR2-antibodies led to permanent behavioral, cellular, and synaptic abnormalities. These findings support a pathogenic role for maternal antibodies in human neurodevelopmental conditions, and CASPR2 as a potential target.
Lithium-sulfur batteries hold great promise for large-scale energy storage owing to their high theoretical energy density and low cost. However, the insulating nature of sulfur and shuttle effect of polysulfides result in low sulfur utilization and rapid capacity decay. Here, sulfonated graphene is fabricated using the low-cost diluted sulfuric acid as sulfonated reagent, for constructing the freestanding sulfur cathode. It is confirmed that the sulfo groups grafted on graphene serve as mediators to react with long-chain polysulfides by forming the thiosulfate/polythionate intermediates, and facilitate the conversion of long-chain polysulfides into short-chain species and solid discharge products. Crucially, the freestanding cathode with sulfur loading of 8.2 mg cm−2 exhibits an areal capacity of 7.57 mA h cm−2 and stable cycling over 100 cycles at 0.1 C.
The effect of surface oxygen on the physical and electrochemical properties of high surface area Mo, V and W carbides and nitrides has been investigated. These materials hold promise for use in supercapacitors and other electrochemical conversion devices. The carbides and nitrides were synthesized using a temperature programmed reaction method and passivated to avoid bulk oxidation on exposure to air. The passivated materials were activated in 0.3 mol dm−3 NaOH solution to remove the oxygen-rich passivation layer. This activation resulted in significant changes in the electrochemical stabilities and capacitances. The surface areas for the Mo and W-based materials were higher after activation, with the effect ranging from an 11% increase for Mo2N to a 208% increase for W2C. An increase in pore volume and mesopore density was also observed for most of the materials. Interestingly, the VC and W2C, which were electrochemically unstable in acidic electrolyte in their passivated form, were stable after activation. The capacitances of all of the materials were increased after activation with the effect ranging from 48% for Mo2N to a 79% increase for (α + β)-Mo2C. This activation process could be used to improve the performance of carbide and nitride-based supercapacitor electrode materials.
The State-of-Charge (SOC) is an important evaluation index for power battery systems in electric vehicles. To eliminate the effects of drift noise in the current sensor, a new working model that takes the drift current as a state variable is proposed for high-power Li-ion batteries. In conjunction with this result, a total available capacity expression that involves the temperature, charge–discharge rate, and running mileage as variables is reconstructed by the actual operation data to improve the model accuracy for application to electric vehicles. Then, to suppress the parameter perturbations of the working model, the Unscented Particle Filter (UPF) method is applied to estimate the SOC. Experiments and numerical simulations are conducted to verify the superiority of the working model and the UPF method. The results show that the UPF method based on the working model can improve the accuracy and the robustness of the SOC estimation.
Background The neural and cognitive substrates of measures of orientation as used in clinical trials and examinations have not been comprehensively examined. Methods We studied 473 subjects diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) at baseline in Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Regression analyses at baseline were conducted to find significant predictors of orientation score among cognitive, brain morphometry, and glucose metabolism measures. Mixed model longitudinal analysis was performed to examine consequences of orientation on functional decline, and Cox hazard models examined the risk of conversion to AD in the MCI group. Results In MCI and AD subjects, orientation was predicted by poorer neurocognitive performance on immediate and delayed episodic memory and attention and processing speed. Among magnetic resonance imaging measures, orientation was predicted by entorhinal cortex thickness, hippocampal volume, and inferior temporal cortex thickness. Glucose metabolism in both middle-inferior temporal cortex and hippocampus were also predictive of orientation score. Functioning was significantly lower in disoriented subjects after 4 years of follow-up, and MCI patients who also were disoriented showed a higher rate of conversion to AD with a hazard ratio of 1.5. Conclusions Orientation is associated with medial temporal lobe structure, temporal lobe glucose metabolism, and episodic memory function. In MCI individuals orientation was a risk factor for progression to AD, also associated with rapid functional decline and worse prognosis. Thus, orientation may serve as a surrogate for episodic memory in clinical examination. These results have direct implications for the use of orientation in MCI and AD clinical trials including ceiling effects in healthy controls and issues of redundancy with measures of memory, when both are used in composite scores.
Solid electrolytes (SEs) are widely considered as an ‘enabler’ of lithium anodes for high-energy batteries. However, recent reports demonstrate that the Li dendrite formation in Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) and Li2S–P2S5 is actually much easier than that in liquid electrolytes of lithium batteries, by mechanisms that remain elusive. Here we illustrate the origin of the dendrite formation by monitoring the dynamic evolution of Li concentration profiles in three popular but representative SEs (LiPON, LLZO and amorphous Li3PS4) during lithium plating using time-resolved operando neutron depth profiling. Although no apparent changes in the lithium concentration in LiPON can be observed, we visualize the direct deposition of Li inside the bulk LLZO and Li3PS4. Our findings suggest the high electronic conductivity of LLZO and Li3PS4 is mostly responsible for dendrite formation in these SEs. Lowering the electronic conductivity, rather than further increasing the ionic conductivity of SEs, is therefore critical for the success of all-solid-state Li batteries.
The discharge characteristics of manganese dioxide (γ-MnO2 of electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) type) as a cathode material in a Zn–MnO2 battery containing saturated aqueous LiOH electrolyte have been investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data on the discharged material indicate that lithium is intercalated into the host structure of EMD without the destruction of its core structure. The XPS data show that a layer of insoluble material, possibly Li2CO3, is deposited on the cathode, creating a barrier to H2O, thus preventing the formation of Mn hydroxides, but allowing the migration of Li ions into the MnO2 structure. The cell could be reversibly charged with 83% of voltaic efficiency at 0.5mA/cm2 current density to a 1.9V cutoff voltage. The percentage utilization of the cathode material during discharge was 56%.
A Pt/WC/C catalyst is developed to increase the methanol electro-oxidation (MOR) and oxygen electro-reduction (ORR) activities of the Pt/C catalyst. Cyclic voltammetry and CO stripping results show that spill-over of H+ occurs in Pt/WC/C, and this is confirmed by comparing the desorption area values for H+ and CO. A significant reduction in the potential of the CO electro-oxidation peak from 0.81V for Pt/C to 0.68V for Pt/WC/C is observed in CO stripping test results. This indicates that an increase in the activity for CO electro-oxidation is achieved by replacing the carbon support with WC. Preferential deposition of Pt on WC rather than on the carbon support is investigated by complementary analysis of CO stripping, transmission electron microscopy and concentration mapping by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The Pt/WC/C catalyst exhibits a specific activity of 170mAm−2 for MOR. This is 42% higher than that for the Pt/C catalyst, viz., 120mAm−2. The Pt/WC/C catalyst also exhibits a much higher current density for ORR, i.e., 0.87mAcm−2 compared with 0.36mAcm−2 for Pt/C at 0.7V. In the presence of methanol, the Pt/WC/C catalyst still maintains a higher current density than the Pt/C catalyst.
In this work, reverse osmosis water desalination plants powered by PV and solar RC cycle systems are reviewed in detail. This review focused on the display of different designs and software used to improve productivity of the desalination plants as well as the types of solar collectors used, membrane, heat transfer fluid and working fluid of the Rankine cycle. The specific energy consumption and cost of fresh water production are also of great interest in this work. According to the results presented in this review it is not recommended to use batteries with PV to drive RO desalination plants because of the high capital and replacement cost of batteries. It is also found that when the energy recovery devices are used, the pre-heating of feed water is not required, especially in the case of PV-RO systems. Currently most of working RO plants are driven by PV, whereas solar thermal power systems (usually using PTC with ORC) are still at the stage of theoretical research. Although, the PTC-ORC-RO desalination system is recommended, it has not yet been implemented on a large scale.
This work presents a comparative study of the performance of absorption cooling systems with internal storage and with external storage. A full dynamic simulation model including the solar collector field, the absorption heat pump system and the building loads has been performed. The first system is composed by four heat pumps that store energy in the form of crystallized salts so that no external storage capacity is required. The second one is a conventional system composed of one liquid absorption pump and external storage in a water tank. Many batteries of simulations have been done to evaluate the performance of these cooling machines when varying solar field surface, solar collector’s efficiency curve and the storage capacity of the systems. Two different indices have been calculated to analyze the response of both systems: Solar Fraction and Primary Energy Ratio. The comparison between both absorption chillers indicates that in order to reach similar values of storage energy, conventional system has a greater room requirement than four units with internal storage working in parallel, requiring an external water tank of at least 15 m3.
In this paper, we present performance simulations and techno-economic analysis of a modular dispatchable solar power tower. Using a heliostat field and power block three orders of magnitude smaller than conventional solar power towers, our unique configuration locates thermal storage and a power block directly on a tower receiver. To make the system dispatchable, a valved thermosyphon controls heat flow from a latent heat thermal storage tank to a Stirling engine. The modular design results in minimal balance of system costs and enables high deployment rates with a rapid realization of economies of scale. In this new analysis, we combine performance simulations with techno-economic analysis to evaluate levelized cost of electricity, and find that the system has potential for cost-competitiveness with natural gas peaking plants and alternative dispatchable renewables.
Although plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (pHEVs) can be considered a powerful technology to promote the change from conventional mobility to e-mobility, their real benefits, in terms of CO2 emissions, depend to a great extent on the average efficiency of their Internal Combustion Engine and on the energy source mix which is used to supply the electrical demand of pHEV. Furthermore the operating cost of the vehicle should also be taken into account in the design process, since it represents the main driver in the customer’s choice. This article has the purpose of assessing, through numerical simulations, the effects of different technology mixes used to produce electrical energy for the battery recharging, of different Internal Combustion Engines on the pHEV performance, and highlighting the main differences with respect to the regulatory test procedure.
A facile method is proposed to prepare Si nanoparticles encapsulated in polymeric carbon (SiNPs-PC) as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. Si nanoparticles (SiNPs) with average diameter of 125 nm are prepared. Under the aid of silane coupling agent, SiNPs are coated with phenolic resin, and SiNPs-PC composite is prepared after carbonization engineering. The SiNPs-PC anode with 63.7 wt% of Si exhibits greatly strengthened electronic conductivity and relatively stable electrode interface. The SiNPs-PC anode delivers a reversible capacity of 984 mA h g−1 with 84% capacity retention after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 and 710 mA h g−1 after 800 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1. When cycled at a very larger current density of 10 A g−1, a decent reversible capacity of 404 mA h g−1 can be harvested, which is still higher than the theoretical capacity of commercial graphite anode. The electrochemical performances are systematically discussed on microstructure and morphology of electrode materials. The feedstock of SiNPs is recycled from waste Si, and the preparation of SiNPs-PC composite is facile, cost-effective and environmentally benign, which shows great potential of industrial production.