batterydata/paper-abstracts huggingface dataset:
Zinc–Bromine redox flow battery (Zn–Br2 RFB) is one of the most promising aqueous metal hybrid flow batteries used to store high energy in mega scale. This aqueous system provides high cell voltage with high practical energy density over the other redox flow systems. Conversely, poor reversibility of bromide/bromine redox couple strictly affects cell performances such as rate capability, cell efficiency and cycle life. In the present work, the rate capability is enhanced to 80 mA cm−2 by improving the bromine reversibility in the positive electrode. First time, reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) is employed to improve the bromine kinetics in the Zn–Br2 redox flow battery. The electrochemical analysis showed highly renovated bromine kinetics with less peak separation potential (103 mV) and very closer onset potentials (anodic reaction: 0.92 V & cathodic reaction: 1.08 V). Moreover, the obtained anodic (Ia) and cathodic (Ic) peak current ratio (Ia/Ic) 0.83 indicates the improved reversibility of bromine reactions on rGO supported 3D carbon felt electrodes. Importantly, the cell showed increased energy efficiency of 80.75% for the rGO supported electrode based flow system over the studied cycle range. Thus, the rGO based electrode materials have fascinated more interest as an efficient electrocatalyst for Zn–Br2 RFB development.
ZrO2 nanoparticle decorated carbon nanofibers (ZrO2/CNF) were explored by electrospinning technique with ZrOCl2·8H2O and polyacrilonitrile (PAN) as precursors, and were considered as negative electrode for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). It is found that the ZrO2 nanoparticle uniformly embedded in the CNF not only increases the disorder of CNF, but also improves the catalytic activity of CNF, further resulting in good electrochemical activity. Specially, the sample with proper content of ZrO2 (CNFZrO2-18) shows superior electrochemical activity for the negative couple for VRFB. Furthermore, the charge-discharge tests verify that CNFZrO2-18 can enhance performance of cell. At 100 mA cm−2, the discharge capacity and energy efficiency of the cell with CNFZrO2-18 arrive at 91.5 mA h and 73.3%, 8.7% and 8.3% more than those of pristine cell, respectively. After charging and discharging for 50 cycles at 80 mA cm−2, the cell exhibits outstanding stability with initial discharge capacity retention of 95.0%. The high electrochemical performance of ZrO2/CNF mainly comes from the good electrocatalytic properties of ZrO2 and in situ decoration for CNF by electrospinning technique.
The electrochemical storage of aluminum in graphitic electrodes is a topic of much interest in the search for alternative battery systems. Here, we show that an Al-based battery can be realized using a cathode assembled with graphene flakes obtained from processed expandable graphite. When compared to pristine graphite (in this work, with 45 mAh/g at a current density of 214 mA/g), the capacity and cycle life performance are notably increased by the use of the graphene flakes (172 mAh/g, at 214 mA/g, after 100 cycles). The location and persistence of the charged choloraluminate species in the carbon materials was experimentally analyzed and complemented with computational modelling. Accordingly, and besides intercalation, grafting of the Al-species onto the graphene layers was identified as a possible mechanism that enhanced the performance of the processed expandable graphite cathodes. Such a phenomena would make the electrode more conductive and introduce a path for charge storage on its surface (akin to faradaic supercapacitors).
To determine the areas involved in reorganization of language to the right hemisphere after early left hemisphere injury, we compared fMRI activation patterns during four production and comprehension tasks in post-surgical epilepsy patients with either left (LH) or right hemisphere (RH) speech dominance (determined by Wada testing) and healthy controls. Patient groups were carefully matched for IQ, lesion location and size. RH patients’ activation across all tasks was greatest in right hemisphere areas homotopic to areas activated by LH and control participants. Differences in right vs. left dominant hemisphere activation were limited to homologous areas typically activated by language tasks, supporting the hypothesis that language localization following transfer to the RH is the mirror-image of localization in the absence of transfer. The similarity of these findings to those in patients with larger, peri-sylvian lesions suggests that these areas in both hemispheres may be uniquely predisposed to subserve various language functions.
We report the use of recombinant spores of Bacillus subtilis as a potential bioremediation tool for adsorption of nickel ions. The spore surface protein CotB, previously used for the display of heterologous antigens, was engineered to express eighteen histidine residues within the spore coat. Wild type and recombinant spores were then analyzed to assess their efficiency in adsorbing nickel ions, and the latter proved to be significantly more efficient than wild type spores in metal-binding. The quantities of spores used in the adsorption reaction significantly affected nickel binding, while other factors such as pH and temperature did not show relevant effects. In addition, simple washing procedures were used to partially release spore-bound nickel ions by wild type and recombinant spores. The efficiency of nickel binding, together with the simple purification procedure, the high robustness and safety of B. subtilis spores and the possibility of recovering bound nickel, makes the recombinant spore a new and potentially powerful tool for the treatment of contaminated ecosystems.
Engineered polycrystalline electrodes are critical to the cycling stability and safety of lithium-ion batteries, yet it is challenging to construct high-quality coatings at both the primary- and secondary-particle levels. Here we present a room-temperature synthesis route to achieve a full surface coverage of secondary particles and facile infusion into grain boundaries, and thus offer a complete ‘coating-plus-infusion’ strategy. Cobalt boride metallic glass was successfully applied to a Ni-rich layered cathode LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2. It dramatically improved the rate capability and cycling stability, including under high-discharge-rate and elevated-temperature conditions and in pouch full-cells. The superior performance originates from a simultaneous suppression of the microstructural degradation of the intergranular cracking and of side reactions with the electrolyte. Atomistic simulations identified the critical role of strong selective interfacial bonding, which offers not only a large chemical driving force to ensure uniform reactive wetting and facile infusion, but also lowers the surface/interface oxygen activity, which contributes to the exceptional mechanical and electrochemical stabilities of the infused electrode.
Decarbonization of electricity generation together with electrification of energy-and-carbon-intensive services such as heating and cooling is needed to address ambitious climate goals. Here we show that city-scale electrification of heat with large-scale thermal storage also cost-effectively unlocks significant additional operational benefits for the power sector. We build an optimization model of fully electrified district heating and cooling networks integrated with other electric loads. We leverage real-world consumption and operational data from a first-of-a-kind facility that meets heating, cooling and electrical energy requirements equivalent to a city of 30000 people. Using our model, we compute optimal operational strategies for the controllable loads and thermal storage in this system under different economic hypotheses. In our example, electrifying the previously gas-based heating and cooling infrastructure has led to a 65% reduction in the overall campus carbon footprint. Through least-cost scheduling, the load shape of the aggregate energy system can be flattened and annual peak power demand can be reduced by 15%. Through carbon-aware scheduling that takes advantage of variations in grid power carbon intensity, heating and cooling emissions could further decrease by over 40% in 2025 compared to the 2016 baseline, assuming a policy-compliant electricity mix for California. However, rethinking electricity rates based on peak power usage will be needed to make carbon-aware scheduling economically attractive.
The potential of harvesting energy generated from a (5-cm) miniature wind turbine and storing the charge in a novel organic capacitor is experimentally investigated. The energy is generated by subjecting the wind turbine to different flow speeds between 2 and 8m/s. A maximum output power of 0.2W was attained with an optimum load resistance of 220Ω at 8m/s. The organic capacitor consists of layer-by-layer deposition of synthesized organic semi-conductive polymers, made of doping ionic liquid with non-conductive polymers, and metallic charge element made out of synthesized palladium (Pd) nanoparticles with a diameter of 6nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed uniformly distributed Pd nanoparticles over the entire substrate. Capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements were carried out for the fabricated organic capacitor. The results exhibit large window gates that showed that the Pd nanoparticles are responsible for storing the electric charge. The performance of the organic storage device was evaluated through comparison with a commercial capacitor. The results show that the organic capacitor performed much better at lower frequency values. It was also observed the voltage produced at various airflow speeds was high enough to store the harvested energy in the organic capacitor.
The involvement of microglial activation in metal neurotoxicity is becoming increasingly recognized. Some metal ions, such as zinc (II) and manganese (II), have been recently reported as microglial activators to induce the release of inflammatory mediators including cytokines, chemokines and nitric oxide (NO) which are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases. Cobalt is essential for human life. However, excessive cobalt is cytotoxic and neurotoxic. In the present study, we determined cobalt-induced production of NO and cytokines/chemokines in N9 cells, a murine microglial cell line. High levels of cobalt significantly up-regulated iNOS mRNA and protein expression, which resulted in the release of NO. Cobalt induced the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in both N9 cells and primary mouse microglia and increased lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced cytokine production. Further study showed that cobalt induced cytokine production by a mechanism involving both nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in microglial activation was also confirmed. These findings suggested that cobalt neurotoxicity should be attributed not only directly to neuronal damage but also indirectly to microglial activation which might potentiate neuronal injury via elevation of proinflammatory mediator levels.
Electrochemically active nanocomposites consisting of Li4Ti5O12 2D nanosheets and SnO2 0D nanocrystals are synthesized by the crystal growth of tin dioxide on the surface of 2D nanostructured lithium titanate. According to powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopic analyses, the rutile-structured SnO2 nanocrystals are stabilized on the surface of spinel-structured Li4Ti5O12 2D nanosheets. The homogeneous hybridization of tin dioxide with lithium titanate is confirmed by elemental mapping analysis. Ti K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure and Sn 3d X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate the stabilization of tetravalent titanium ions in the spinel lattice of Li4Ti5O12 and the formation of SnO2 phase with tetravalent Sn oxidation state. The electrochemical measurements clearly demonstrate the promising functionality of the present nanocomposites as anode for lithium secondary batteries. The Li4Ti5O12–SnO2 nanocomposites show larger discharge capacity and better cyclability than do the uncomposited Li4Ti5O12 and SnO2 phases, indicating the synergistic effect of nanocomposite formation on the electrode performance of Li4Ti5O12 and SnO2. The present experimental findings underscore the validity of 2D nanostructured lithium titanate as a useful platform for the stabilization of nanocrystalline electrode materials and also for the improvement of their functionality.
The structures of carbon materials greatly affect the electrochemical properties of sulfur/carbon composites for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Understanding the effect of carbon structure factors on the electrochemical properties of sulfur/carbon composites helps in rational designing of the cathode material for optimized battery performance. We prepare reduced graphene oxide (RGO), cysteine-modified RGO (RGO-CYS), microwave-expanded graphite oxide (MEGO) and activated-MEGO (aMEGO) with specific surface areas (SSA) of 58–3010 m2 g−1, C/O atomic ratios of 2.41–10.81, pore sizes of 0.9–5.6 nm and pore volumes of 0.14–2.03 cm3 g−1. The electrochemical performance researches S/RGO-CYS > S/RGO > S/MEGO > S/aMEGO when it is listed in the order of their specific capacity, rate capability and cyclic life. And the S/RGO-CYS delivers a high reversible capacity of 455 mA h g−1 at 8 C. The excellent performance of S/RGO-CYS composite is ascribed to the sulfur-containing functional groups of the RGO-CYS, which helps the sulfur dispersion and stabilizes the dissoluble lithium polysulfides. Our results demonstrate that the surface chemistry of carbon materials plays a more important role than the SSA, pore size and pore volume for the electrochemical properties of sulfur/carbon composites for Li-S batteries.
Patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) have decreased mobility, which is not fully explained by impaired blood supply to the lower limb. Additionally, reports are conflicted regarding fiber type distribution patterns in PAD, but agree that skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration is impaired.
The aim of this study was to gain insights into the relationship between developmental coordination disorder, peer problems, and behavioral problems in school-aged children where both internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems were considered. We assumed that the relationship between developmental coordination disorder and internalizing/externalizing problems in school-aged children is mediated by peer problems and tested the hypothesis that a greater degree of motor impairment causes a greater degree of peer problems and thus a greater degree of internalizing or externalizing problems. Seventy boys and girls aged between 5 and 11 years were examined using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 and the Intelligence and Developmental Scales. The results of path analysis showed that the relationship between developmental coordination disorder and internalizing/externalizing problems in school-aged children is mediated at least in part by peer problems. However, the cross-sectional design of the study does not provide conclusive evidence for a cause–effect relationship and only allows for the conservative prognosis that a greater degree of motor impairment may cause a greater degree of peer problems and thus a greater degree of internalizing/externalizing problems. Nevertheless, the results of this study emphasize the importance of being well-integrated in their peer group especially for children with developmental coordination disorder.
There has been inconsistent relationships between serum vitamin D levels and lung function in previous studies. However, previous studies included patients with medical diseases, affecting both vitamin D levels and lung function. Considering this view of potential confounders, we investigated if vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is linked to lung function in health screening examinee without overt medical conditions.
In this work, N-doped graphene and carbon co-modified Li3V2(PO4)3 composites (LVP/NGC) are successfully fabricated through a xerogel method for the first time. The obtained architecture combines two types of electronic contact with Li3V2(PO4)3 particles: the point-to-face contact of N-doped graphene and the face-to-face contact of N-doped carbon coating layers. Profiting from the favorable complex structure, graphene and carbon coating layers offer an extraordinary network for electron transfer and hence an excellent long-term and high-rate performance. Even tested at the rate of 40 C, the reversible capacity still maintains 86.9 mAh g−1 after 800 cycles without any fading. This work provides a promising route to improve the long-term and high-rate performance of cathodes for LIBs and enlightens us on exploring preferable strategies to develop advanced electrode materials for other energy storage devices.
Facile fabrication of well-aligned Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) nanosheet arrays grown directly on conductive Ti foil was achieved by hydrothermal growth in LiOH solution. The reaction between Ti foil and LiOH led to the growth of vertically aligned, rectangular lithium titanate oxide hydrate (H-LTO) nanosheet arrays, which could be converted into LTO nanosheet arrays through topotactic transformation via thermal decomposition. An appropriate LiOH concentration was essential for the formation of densely aligned H-LTO nanosheet arrays on the substrate. It was proposed that the formation of the H-LTO nanosheet arrays was through kinetics-controlled growth during the hydrothermal metal corrosion process. When used as a binder-free anode for LIBs, the self-supported LTO nanosheet arrays standing on Ti foil exhibited an excellent rate capability (a reversible capacity of 163 mA h g−1 and 78 mA h g−1 at 20 C and 200 C, respectively) and an outstanding cycling performance (a capacity retention of 124 mA h g−1 after 3000 cycles at 50 C). Furthermore, a flexible lithium ion battery, which could be fully recharged within 30 s and was able to light an LED, was assembled by using the LTO nanosheet arrays as the anode.
The as-prepared cobalt oxide (assigned as CoO x ) was fabricated by precipitation–oxidation from aqueous cobalt nitrate solution using sodium hydroxide and oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. Another series of pure cobalt oxides was refined by the decomposition of CoO x in a nitrogen environment at temperatures of 280, 450 and 950°C (D-280, D-450 and D-950, respectively). Phase transformation, structural properties and red-ox properties were characterized by thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy and temperature-programmed decomposition/reduction (TPD/TPR). Analysis of the thermal behavior on CoO x revealed that a series of pure cobalt oxide with particle sizes of 10–20nm could be obtained easily. The results demonstrated that the refined samples D-280, D-450 and D-950 were CoO(OH), Co3O4 and CoO, respectively.
In this study, the effects of Li+ intercalation/deintercalation processes on surface morphology, nanomechanical and interfacial properties of sputtered LiMn2O4 cathode film are studied using various techniques, including ex situ field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), nanoindentation tests combining with focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning. The results reveal that the spinel LiMn2O4 cathode film shows good cycling performance and morphology stability, accompanying with a slight increase of surface roughness mainly due to the agglomeration of nano-grains caused by phase transformations. The cathode film mechanically fails due to the stress induced by the lattice parameter change upon Li+ intercalation/deintercalation and lattice mismatch related to inhomogeneous phase transformation as well as the Jahn–Teller distortion in the 4V region. The induced stress in the film causes the fragmentation of grains and the initiation/propagation of micro-cracks, leading to the mechanical degradation. The non-uniformity, micro-cracks and nanomechanical degradation have harmful effects on the electrical contact of LiMn2O4 cathode film, resulting in the capacity fading of the lithium ion battery.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by a significant reduction in AcetylCholinesterase and an increase in ButyrylCholinesterase (BuChE) activity. The existence of polymorphic regions on the BuChE gene has been previously described; the most frequently found polymorphism is the so-called K variant, which leads to a 30% decreased enzymatic activity. Different studies reported a positive association between K variant and AD, strongest among late-onset AD and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 carriers. We analyzed APOE and BuChE polymorphisms in 167 AD and 59 fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) patients compared with 129 healthy controls (HC). We reported a significantly lower frequency of the BuChE K variant in AD compared with HC and FTD and a significant increased frequency of the K variant in FTD. These results are in agreement with the known increase of the BuChE activity in AD and support the evidence of different molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of AD and FTD.
Sodium (Na)-ion-based energy storage devices have been regarded as a promising alternative to the traditional lithium (Li)-ion-based energy systems because of the more abundant Na reserves on the earth. This work, we have made an investigation about spinel nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) as an anode material for Na-ion capacitors (NICs). The NiCo2O4 materials have been fabricated via a facile and scalable chemical deposition route. The obtained NiCo2O4 materials display a typical agglomerate porous morphology with large specific surface area (190.1m2 g−1) and high mesopore volume (0.943cm3 g−1). The NiCo2O4 electrode was found to show non-preferable Na-ion insertion/extraction behavior under the full charge/discharge condition. The designed 3.0-V class NiCo2O4/activated carbon (AC) hybrid capacitor exhibits a much superior performance to the theoretical 4.3-V class capacitor, owing to the effective control of Na-ion insertion/extraction reactions in the NiCo2O4 electrode. The mass-optimized (1:1) 3.0-V class capacitor exhibits desirable energy and power performances (13.8Whkg−1, 308Wkg−1 at 0.4Ag−1), good cycling stability (61.2% energy retention after 2000 cycles at 0.15Ag−1) and excellent Coulombic efficiency (almost at 100%), indicating a potential application of spinel NiCo2O4 for NICs.
The pulp of a watermelon consists of watermelon juice and flesh wall. After a hydrothermal process at 160°C, the pulp turns into a carbon-based composite powder composed of micrometer particles and nanosheets (CPs–CSs). Through a similar hydrothermal process with the mixture of watermelon pulp and an ethanolic solution of ferric nitrate as the precursors, a powder of iron oxide–CPs–CSs composite is also synthesized. X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopies and BET surface area measurement are employed to study the compositions and structures of these composite powders. Their electrochemical properties as potential anode materials of lithium ion batteries are also investigated. It is found that after a heat treatment at 700°C and 800°C, the CPs–CSs composites are mesoporous carbon materials with a specific surface area of 898m2 g−1 and 452m2 g−1, respectively. The iron oxide–CPs–CSs composites after a heat treatment at 700°C and 800°C are all Fe3O4–CPs–CSs. When used as anode materials, both CPs–CSs and Fe3O4–CPs–CSs show very good rate performance. Thanks to the higher surface area of the carbon component, the 700°C-treated Fe3O4–CPs–CSs is superior to others in rate capability. It can deliver a discharge capacity of 350mAhg−1 even at a high current density of 2500mAg−1.