batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
Last decade marked a dramatic increase in renewable energy assets investment around the world and a substantial increase of global renewable energy consumption. To enhance investment decisions in renewable energy generation involves optimization studies that can show the expected renewable energy generation in consideration of numerous constraints, while reduced downtime, enhanced safety and reliability margins of the renewable energy generation plants will reduce the operating cost and increase profitability. To prevent the escalation of maintenance costs resulting from unidentified (and lately identified) ageing degradation mechanisms requires proactive techniques to forestall the effect of different stressors, on the renewable energy generation plant. This paper explores investment decision models for optimising renewable energy generation and different types of ageing mechanisms and their effects on renewable energy generation. Whereas the decision models provide insight on different optimization models for renewable energy generation, the area of application and the constraints considered in the study, the ageing management framework helps in managing ageing related stressors for established renewable energy plants. Since ageing stressors are induced by components interactions, environmental factors and human errors in design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance, Deming PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT cycle was used for designing a systematic ageing management framework that stipulates early setoff of ageing management program through a systematic procedure that uses multidisciplinary team of plant assets management personnel to monitor material degradation, spare parts obsolesce and human errors. Proper implementation of this framework can result in safe, reliable and cost effective renewable energy generation since operating cost can be reduced with minimized downtime.
The present-day lithium ion batteries represent a brilliant electrochemical energy storage technology that has established a dominant niche in portable electronics, yet loses the potentiality in applications that demand increasing energy density such as electric vehicles. Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are considered as an alternative candidate owing to its ultrahigh energy density, low cost, natural abundance, and eco-friendliness. However, the paramount challenges to become a viable technology include inferior utilization of active materials, short cycle life, and low Coulombic efficiency, which are closely associated with the structural designs of sulfur cathodes. Significant progresses and breakthroughs have been made in the most recent years towards the successful modification of the sulfur cathodes for high-performance Li–S batteries. Among them, nanostructured carbons have been demonstrated to be particularly effective to address the critical hurdles mentioned above. To promote the advancement of this exciting field, this article herein will discuss the progresses of the sulfur cathodes with an emphasis on the advanced engineering of nanostructured carbons to improve specific capacity and Coulombic efficiency, high-rate capability, and cycling retention. The review article primarily covers “inside” and “outside” design strategies on cathodes by developing carbon–sulfur composites and novel cell configurations, respectively. Discussion will be detailed to correlate synthesis principles and characteristics of nanostructured carbons with electrochemical performance.
Novel porous carbon-coated mixed-phase porous TiO2 (TiO2(B)/anatase) nanosheets/reduced graphene oxide composites (TiO2@C/RGO) are successfully prepared through a facile one-pot solvothermal process followed by subsequent heat treatment in H2/Ar. The as-formed composites have a hierarchical porous structure, involving an average pore size of 28.56nm, a large pore volume of 0.589cm3 g−1 and a desired surface area (136.19m2 g−1). When used as an anode material in LIBs, TiO2@C/RGO exhibits stable cycling performance with a reversible capacity of 272.9mAhg−1 (with the second capacity retention of 151.1%) after 500 cycles at a current density of 100mAg−1, much higher than that of TiO2@C (177.6mAhg−1, 123.9% of the discharge capacity in second cycle) and TiO2 (75.1mAhg−1, corresponding to 96.5% of the original capacity). More impressively, the capacity of TiO2@C/RGO can reach 158.6mAhg−1 after 500 cycles even at 800mAg−1 with Coulombic efficiency above 99.0%. The superior electrochemical performance of TiO2@C/RGO may be attributed to its unique 3D hierarchical porous structures, the existence of carbon, large surface area and extremely reduced diffusion length.
This research was designed to examine the presence of mutagenic/carcinogenic compounds in airborne pollutants in the rubber industry using an integrated chemical/biological approach. Inhalable airborne particulate matter (PM-10: <10μm) was collected in four rubber factories using a high-volume sampler equipped with a cascade impactor for particle fractionation. The organic extracts of two different fractions (0.5–10μm and <0.5μm) were examined for mutagenicity with the Ames test and for in vitro DNA-damaging activity in human leukocytes by single-cell microgel electrophoresis (Comet assay). The extracts were also studied by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content. Nitrosamines in ambient air were sampled on cartridges and analysed by GC with a thermal energy analyser (TEA) detector. Airborne volatile genotoxins were monitored in situ using a clastogenicity plant test (Tradescantia/micronuclei test). The results showed that airborne particulates were mainly very fine (<0.5μm) and that trace amounts of genotoxic nitrosamines (N-nitrosodimethylamine: 0.10–0.98μg/m3; N-nitrosomorpholine: 0.77–2.40μg/m3) and PAH (total PAH: 0.34–11.35μg/m3) were present in air samples. Some extracts, particularly those obtained from the finest fractions, were mutagenic with the Ames test and genotoxic with the Comet assay. In situ monitoring of volatile mutagens using the Tradescantia/micronuclei test gave positive results in two working environments. The results showed the applicability of this integrated chemical–biological approach for detecting volatile and non-volatile genotoxins and for monitoring genotoxic hazards in the rubber industry.
Currently, challenges are still pervasive in developing excellent new materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this work, we design SnO2/nitrogen-doped graphene (SnO2/NG) composites for SIBs. The SnO2/NG anodes with the optimal nitrogen-doping level exhibit enhanced reversible capacities and rate capabilities over undoped anodes. More importantly, the results reveal that the pyridinic-N is the main contributor to excellent cycling capacity of SnO2/NG. Consequently, the resultant SnO2/NG composite with higher content of pyridinic-N (1.97%) delivers outstanding reversible capacity of 409.6mAhg−1 at 50mAg−1 when the cycling numbers increase to 100cycles, and it also presents superior rate capabilities of 416.5, 366.9, and 318.7mAhg−1 at 200, 400, and 800mAg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the conspicuous improvement of electrochemical performance of SnO2/NG is rooted in its high Na+ diffusion coefficient and small electrochemical reaction polarization. Our strategies might allow development of new avenues for the design of advanced electrode materials in SIBs.
We developed a sacrificial template strategy to synthesize short NiO nanotubes (S-NiO NTs) with mesopores in sidewalls by using short carbon NTs as template for electrochemical capacitors. Further physical characterizations exhibited that as-synthesized S-NiO NTs owned a specific surface area of 150m2 g−1 and hierarchical (meso- and macro-) porosity. Electrochemical data presented that such NTs delivered a specific capacitance of 903Fg−1 at 1Ag−1, much larger than those of long NiO NTs and NiO nanoparticles. The capacity retention of ca. 88%, when the current density increased from 1 to 4Ag−1, indicated high rate capability of the unique S-NiO NTs electrode. Furthermore, a capacitance degradation of ca. 6% after 2000 charge–discharge cycles at 4Ag−1 demonstrated their desirable electrochemical stability. The short tubular and hierarchical porous feature of the S-NiO NTs resulted in the high electrochemical utilization for energy storage even at high rates.
Chronic diseases account for the majority of all deaths worldwide, and their prevalence is expected to escalate in the next 10 years. Because chronic disorders require long-term therapy, the healthcare system must address the needs of an increasing number of patients. The use of new drug administration routes, specifically implantable drug delivery devices, has the potential to reduce treatment-monitoring clinical visits and follow-ups with healthcare providers. Also, implantable drug delivery devices can be designed to maintain drug concentrations in the therapeutic window to achieve controlled, continuous release of therapeutics over extended periods, eliminating the risk of patient non-compliance to oral treatment. A higher local drug concentration can be achieved if the device is implanted in the affected tissue, reducing systemic adverse side effects and decreasing the challenges and discomfort of parenteral treatment. Although implantable drug delivery devices have existed for some time, interest in their therapeutic potential is growing, with a global market expected to reach over $12 billion USD by 2018. This review discusses implantable drug delivery technologies in an advanced stage of development or in clinical use and focuses on the state-of-the-art of reservoir-based implants including pumps, electromechanical systems, and polymers, sites of implantation and side effects, and deployment in developing countries.
Hybrid membranes (SPI/ZGO) composed of sulfonated polyimide (SPI) and zwitterionic polymer-functionalized graphene oxide (ZGO) are fabricated via a solution-casting method for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). Successful preparation of ZGO fillers and SPI/ZGO hybrid membranes are demonstrated by FT-IR, XPS and SEM, indicating that ZGO fillers is homogeneously dispersed into SPI matrix. Through controlling the interfacial interaction between SPI matrix and ZGO fillers, the physicochemical properties, e.g., vanadium ion barrier and proton transport pathway, of hybrid membranes are tuned via the zwitterionic acid-base interaction in the hybrid membrane, showing a high ion selectivity and good stability with the incorporated ZGO fillers. SPI/ZGO-4 hybrid membrane proves a higher cell efficiencies (CE: 92–98%, EE: 65–79%) than commercial Nafion 117 membrane (CE: 89–94%, EE: 59–70%) for VRB application at 30–80 mA cm−2. The assembled VRB with SPI/ZGO-4 membrane presents a stable cycling charge–discharge performance over 280 times, which demonstrates its excellent chemical stability under the strong acidic and oxidizing conditions. SPI/ZGO hybrid membranes show a brilliant perspective for VRB application.
Four positive electrodes are extracted from two high-power and two high-energy Li-ion battery consumer cells, and then analyzed by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) tomography. The active material phase, carbon black-binder phase and pore phase are quantitatively evaluated using adequate 3D analysis techniques by their volume fractions, surface areas, particle size distributions and tortuosities. The active material phase is composed of LiCoO2 (Sanyo 1500 mA h), or LiNiCoAlO2 (Sony 2600 mA h) or one of two LiNiCoAlO2-LiCoO2 blends (Kokam high-power 350 mA h and high-energy 560 mA h). Special emphasis was put on the three-dimensional distribution of the submicron-sized (yet highly agglomerated) carbon black-binder phase. Vacuum infiltration with a two-component silicone resin gave greyscale contrast between the carbon black-binder and pore phases for contour description at voxel sizes from 30 to 50 nm. This study elucidates the cathode microstructural features for high-energy and high-power application and provides a complete parameter set of commercial electrodes with differing chemical composition. This information can be used by the scientific community as input parameters in simulations and models, filling the gap between the experimental and the simulation fields.
Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) use among cancer patients is becoming more prevalent; however, our understanding of factors contributing to patients’ decisions to participate in CAM is limited. This study examined correlates of CAM use among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, an understudied population that experiences many physical and psychological difficulties.
ABSTRACT Background The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, crossover study comparing the degree of pulpal anesthesia achieved with the use of a conventional inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block administered with the needle bevel oriented away from the mandibular ramus or toward the mandibular ramus. Methods Fifty-one blinded subjects randomly received an IAN block injection administered with a 27-gauge needle; the needle bevel was oriented away from the mandibular ramus or oriented toward the mandibular ramus at appointments spaced at least one week apart, in a crossover design. The authors used a pulp tester to test molars, premolars and central and lateral incisors for anesthesia in four-minute cycles for 60 minutes. They considered anesthesia to be successful when two consecutive 80 readings (the maximum output on the pulp tester) were obtained within 15 minutes, and the 80 reading was sustained continuously for 60 minutes. Results When the needle bevel was oriented away from the mandibular ramus, successful pulpal anesthesia from the central incisor to the second molar was achieved in 24 to 90 percent of patients. When the needle bevel was oriented toward the mandibular ramus, successful pulpal anesthesia was achieved in 14 to 92 percent of patients. The results showed no significant difference between the two needle bevel orientations. Conclusion The authors concluded that using a 27-gauge needle with the bevel oriented away from the mandibular ramus was similar to using the same needle with the bevel oriented toward the mandibular ramus to administer successful IAN blocks in adults. Clinical Implications For IAN blocks administered with a 27-gauge needle, positioning the needle bevel away or toward the mandibular ramus does not affect anesthetic success.
Nanostructured Si is a very promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries as Si possesses a theoretical specific capacity almost ten times higher than that of the conventional graphite anodes. However, difficulties associated with a low-cost and scalable production and unstable electrode/electrolyte interface of nanostructured Si limit their practical application. Herein, an improved route is developed for preparation of crystalline Si nanoparticles by directly reacting metallurgical-grade Si with ethanol catalyzed by Cu-based catalysts at 200 °C to generate alkoxysilane and Si nanostructures and the latter were ball-milled to obtain the desired Si nanoparticles. The particle size of the crystalline Si nanoparticles could be well tuned by adjusting the reaction time and the amount of ethanol. Furthermore, the surfaces of obtained Si nanoparticles were in situ modified by organic functional groups (R–CH2-OH, R–COOH, etc.), confirmed by FTIR and 1H solid-state NMR, which reacted with lithium in the 1st lithiation to form a stable artificial solid electrolyte interphase layer. As tested, the pristine Si nanoparticles exhibited both high reversible capacity and good cycle life even close to that of the carbon-coated Si nanoparticles. Ultimately, this route is cost-effective for scalable manufacture of Si nanoparticles with in situ functionalized surface that can facilitate formation of stable solid electrolyte interphase layer.
A new composite structure of graphene–sulfur with a high electrochemical performance is proposed. Scotch-tape-like sulfur-assisted exfoliation of graphite is developed to produce the graphene–sulfur composites and freestanding low-defect graphene sheets. The intimate interaction between sulfur and graphene, attributed to the similar electronegativities of the two elements, is stronger than the van der Waals forces between adjacent π–π stacked graphene layers. This causes cleavage of the graphene layers when the sulfur molecules stick to the surface and edges of the graphite, similar to Scotch tape in micromechanical exfoliation processes. This approach enables us to obtain graphene with an electrical conductivity as high as 1820 S cm−1 and a Hall mobility as high as 200 cm2 V−1 s−1, superior to most reported graphene. Furthermore, the graphene sheets which uniformly anchor sulfur molecules provide a superior confinement ability for polysulfides, sufficient space to accommodate sulfur volumetric expansion, a large contact area with the sulfur and a short transport pathway for both electrons and Li+. The unique structure containing 73 wt.% sulfur exhibits excellent overall electrochemical properties of 615 mA h g−1 at the 1 C (1 C = 1675 mA g−1) rate after 100 cycles (corresponding average Coulombic efficiency of over 96%) and 570 mA h g−1 at 2 C. These encouraging results represent that sulfur molecules bound onto graphene sheets could be a promising cathode material for lithium batteries with a high energy density.
In this paper, the kinetics chlorination of β-spodumene for the extraction of lithium has been studied using gaseous chlorine as chlorinating agent. The effect of chlorine flow rate, temperature, mass of the sample, and partial pressure of Cl2 was investigated. The study of the effect of chlorine flow rate indicated that the chlorination of β-spodumene may be carried out in the presence of active chlorinating species The chlorine partial pressure was found to have an appreciable effect on the system reactivity. The temperature was found to be the most important variable affecting the reaction rate. The β-spodumene chlorination process by Cl2 was characterized by an apparent activation energy of about 359kJ/mol in the range from 1000 to 1100°C. Reaction was of non-catalytic gas–solid nature and experimental data fitted the sequential nucleation and growth model.
Background Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is indicated for treatment-resistant epilepsy and depression. Electrophysiologic recordings in the rat brain have shown that VNS promptly increases the firing rate of NE neurons and subsequently that of 5-HT neurons. Thus far, it appears that the standard stimulation parameters currently used in depressed patients produce an optimal activation of 5-HT neurons. Objective/Hypothesis This study was therefore aimed at investigating additional alterations of stimulation parameters to optimize VNS efficacy to further increase 5-HT neuronal activity. Methods Rats were implanted with a VNS device and stimulated for 14 days using standard (0.25 mA/20 Hz/500 microseconds/30 seconds ON-5 minutes OFF, continuously) or various stimulation parameters: extension of the OFF period (30 seconds ON every 10 to 30 minutes), the OFF and ON periods, discontinuous stimulation (12 hours per day using standard parameters), and burst stimulation modes. Rat dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons were recorded under chloral hydrate anesthesia. Results Both 12-hour stimulation periods for 14 days, and the 30-second stimulation every 10 or 15 minutes significantly increased the firing activity of 5-HT neurons to the same extent as standard parameters while the 30-minute intervals were ineffective. Stimulations in a burst mode and the pseudo-one-pulse stimulations also significantly increased 5-HT neuronal activity. Conclusions These results indicate that less stimulation is sufficient to achieve the same VNS efficacy on 5-HT neuronal firing. These data may be relevant for patients using VNS because these new parameters could minimize or prevent side effects and increase battery life of the stimulator.
The electrocatalysis of the dual functional catalysts system composed of electrolytic nano-manganese oxide (nano-MnOx) and cobalt octacyanophthalocyanine (CoPcCN) toward 4-electron reduction of oxygen (O2) in alkaline media was studied. Nano-MnOx electrodeposited on the CoPcCN monolayer-modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was clarified as the nano-rods with ca. 10–20nm diameter by scanning electron microscopy. The peak current for O2 reduction at the dual catalysts-modified GC electrode increases largely and the peak potential shifts by ca. 160mV to the positive direction in cyclic voltammograms compared with those obtained at the bare GC electrode. The Koutecký–Levich plots indicate that the O2 reduction at the dual catalysts-modified GC electrode is an apparent 4-electron process. Collection efficiencies obtained at the dual catalysts-modified GC electrode are much lower than those at the GC electrode and are almost similar to those at the Pt nano-particles modified GC electrode. The obtained results demonstrate that the dual catalysts system possesses a bifuctional catalytic activity for redox-mediating 2-electron reduction of O2 to HO2 − by CoPcCN as well as catalyzing the disproportionation of HO2 − to OH− and O2 by nano-MnOx, and enables an apparent 4-electron reduction of O2 at a relatively low overpotential in alkaline media. In addition, it has been found that the cleaning of the dual catalysts-modified electrode by soaking in 0.1M sulfuric acid solution enhances its catalytic activity toward the reduction of O2.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the commonest type of Dementia worldwide. It rapidly increases with aging especially over 70 years.
Objective We present a new method of effectively removing the ballistocardiogram artifacts (BAs) of electroencephalography (EEG), recorded inside a 1.5T static magnetic field scanner with no fMRI scanning, which conserves the time and frequency features of event-related EEG activity. Methods The BAs are approximated as deterministically chaotic dynamics. A Wavelet-based nonlinear noise reduction (WNNR) method consisting of: (a) wavelet transformation, (b) nonlinear noise reduction and (c) spatial average subtraction, is developed to effectively reduce the BAs so that the residual artifacts are smaller than the EEG signals. Results The effectiveness of the WNNR method to remove the BAs with conservation of the temporal EEG signals is evaluated by simulations and experiments inside a 1.5T static magnetic field, with the visual evoked EEG dynamics. The WNNR method is also demonstrated to effectively retrieve alpha waves while the subjects' eyes are closed. Conclusions The WNNR method has the abilities to effectively remove the BAs and conserve the time–frequency features of EEG activity. Significance The WNNR method provides us a significant technique to obtain clean temporal EEG signals during recording with MRI, especially for the event-related EEG dynamics. Notably, it might work effectively at higher field strengths as well. Moreover, it can be also used to process many other biological data contaminated by the cardiac pulses.
Mono-chloronitrobenzene (MCNB) is investigated as a cathode material for magnesium reserve batteries that use a magnesium anode and a 2M magnesium perchlorate aqueous electrolyte. The composition of the conducting material (acetylene black) in the cathode mix is optimized to obtain better electrochemical performance. The reduction mechanism of mono-chloronitrobenzene is examined by means of cyclic voltammetry using a glassy carbon electrode. Discharge studies at different current drains indicate that Mg–MCNB cells exhibit the highest Coulombic efficiency (86%) at a current drain of 100mA. The reduction of MCNB to mono-chloroaniline is irreversible and diffusion-controlled.