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Both the electrochemical activity and the energy density of polyaniline (PANI) microparticles suspensions are enhanced by using the compact PANI powder, which is synthesized galvanostatically with 4,4′-diaminobiphenyl as additive. A Zn//PANI suspension rechargeable flow battery system is proposed, in which the flowable PANI suspension is used as cathode electroactive material, zinc plate as anode. A microporous membrane is used as separator to prevent PANI particles from getting into the anode compartment. Results obtained from the small laboratory battery show that the discharge capacity density gradually decreases with number of cycles and the average of discharge capacity loss during 32 cycles is about 0.07% per cycle. However, an average coulombic efficiency of 97% has been achieved at the current density of 20 mA cm−2 and the value of coulombic efficiency shows no significant change during 32 charge/discharge cycles. The flow-through mode for PANI cathode material enables the PANI-based battery to operate at a higher current density in comparison with the conventional Zn–PANI film batteries, and the present findings can mark a new route to improve the performance of conductive polymer-based energy storage devices. | battery |
Objective Patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD) have a diminished ability to discriminate facial expressions of emotion. We investigated early emotion discrimination deficits in PD by means of event-related potentials (ERPs). Methods Emotional pictures were presented to 14 PD patients and 14 healthy controls in a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm (three frames per second) while EEG was recorded. In addition, valence and arousal ratings were obtained for a representative subsample of 54 pictures. Results PD patients rated pictures of highly arousing content as less exciting than did healthy controls. Pictures of high compared to low emotional arousal were associated with a pronounced relative negative shift in the ERP waveform over parietal and occipital sites developing about 220ms after picture onset. This early posterior negativity (EPN) did not differ between PD and control group. Conclusions This dissociation of affective ratings and early ERP components supports the view that PD is associated with blunted emotional responses, but there is no evidence for a deteriorated early visual processing of emotional stimuli. Significance Frequently reported deficits in emotion discrimination are likely not due to deficits in early emotion processing. | non-battery |
Glutamatergic dysfunctions have recently been postulated to play a considerable role in mood disorders. However, molecular mechanisms underlying these effects have been poorly deciphered. Previous work demonstrated the contribution of GluA1-containing AMPA receptors (AMPAR) to a depression-like and anxiety-like phenotype. Here we investigated the effect of temporally and spatially restricted gene manipulation of GluA1 on behavioural correlates of mood disorders in mice. Here we show that tamoxifen-induced GluA1 deletion restricted to forebrain glutamatergic neurons of post-adolescent mice does not induce depression- and anxiety-like changes. This differs from the phenotype of mice with global AMPAR deletion suggesting that for mood regulation AMPAR may be particularly important on inhibitory interneurons or already early in development.
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In this work, hierarchically mesoporous TiO2 spheres were successfully fabricated. The synthesis method could be simply described as adding Ti(SO4)2 into the disperse phase of a conventional emulsion polymerization where emulgator was discovered to play an important role in the formation of the ingenious structure. When used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, it delivered a high capacity of 192 mA h g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 with the retention of 94.3% after 100 cycles, and a reversible capacity of 114 mA h g−1 could be kept at 2 A g−1 after 2000 cycles. At the same time, an excellent initial Coulombic efficiency (>90%) and satisfactory rate performance were obtained. | battery |
The absence of clean cooking facilities and electricity means billions of rural people are deprived of much needed socioeconomic development. Livestock residues (dung) and solar radiation are two renewable energy resources that are abundantly available in rural areas of developing countries. Although it is not feasible for these two resources separately to meet both thermal (cooking) and electricity demands, hybrid applications have not been given due attention. To facilitate integrating these two resources in rural energy planning, and to promote their dissemination through hybrid applications, it is necessary to evaluate their economic merits, and assess their ability to deal with the demands. In this paper, we examine the techno-economic performance of hybrid applications of these two resources by applying a simulation technique using the HOMER tool, and by giving derived cost-saving equations. We also quantify the monetary savings from replacing traditional fuels, and perform a sensitivity analysis on a number of variables (e.g. dung cost, fuelwood cost) to see how they affect the performance of different energy supply alternatives. Furthermore, we examine the practical applicability of the biogas system in the households through a structured survey of 72 ongoing household biogas plants. This study finds that households that have between three and six cattle can potentially meet their cooking and electricity loads through a hybrid implementation of biogas and solar PV (Photovoltaic) system. By replacing conventional fuels households can achieve savings that are more than the total annualized costs incurred for installing new services. | battery |
Iron-based hydroxyl oxides can be regarded as feasible electrodes for sodium-ion batteries due to the simple preparation and rich resources. Goethite nanorod clusters that are wrapped by multi-walled carbon nanotubes with an open tunnel structure exhibit a considerable capacity, a favourable durability and an excellent rate capability within loose working conditions. The structural and electrochemical stability of this anode can be maintained when exposed at ambient environment after 30 days. Moreover, this anode coupled with high-quality Prussian blue cathode delivers feasible energy density of 60 W h kg−1 calculated on the basis of the pouch cell. Abundant voids formed by Kirkendall effect in nanorods allow for the simultaneous promotion of electrolyte infiltration, ion transfer and the pseudocapacitive effect. According to a series of ex situ and in situ measurements, the intercalation and conversion reactions for sodium storage have been revealed and low-volume deformation was observed during the sodiated/desodiated process. In particular, the existence of NaxFeOOH, Fe, NaOH and Na2O species at fully discharged state indicates an incomplete conversion reaction, resulting in steerable volume expansion and high ionic/electrical conductivity. The advanced sodium storage kinetics can be attributed to the moderate diffusion barrier and remarkable pseudocapacitive effect. | battery |
Motor deficits associated with developmental coordination disorder are not attributable to macrostructural brain abnormalities, but differences in brain microstructure may exist. Using diffusion tensor imaging, we explored the integrity of motor, sensory, and cerebellar pathways in children with and without developmental coordination disorder. In seven children with the disorder and nine typically developing children (aged 8-12 years), we measured diffusivity and fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract, posterior thalamic radiation, and superior and middle cerebellar peduncles. Fractional anisotropy of motor and sensory tracts and diffusion parameters in cerebellar peduncles did not differ between groups. Mean diffusivity of the corticospinal tract and posterior thalamic radiation was lower in children with developmental coordination disorder compared with control children (P < 0.04 and P < 0.06, respectively). Results were driven by lower axial diffusivity, which was significantly correlated with motor impairment scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 for both the corticospinal tract (r = 0.56, P = 0.03) and posterior thalamic radiation (r = 0.70, P = 0.003). Reduced axial diffusivity in motor and sensory tracts may be implicated in developmental coordination disorder, but replication in a larger study is needed to confirm these findings. | non-battery |
Lithium sulfur battery has drawn intense interests due to its high theoretical specific capacity and high energy density. However, it remains a big challenge to achieve high capacities and sulfur loadings of cathode via a facile and scaled-up method for the practical applications of lithium sulfur batteries. Herein we designed a three dimensional porous cellular carbon framework (PCCF) as sulfur host via a simple template-activation method. The honeycomb architecture of the PCCF with high BET surface area could encapsulate high content sulfur and the 3D interconnected carbon framework could realize high sulfur loading electrode. Benefiting from the 3D porous cellular architecture, the obtained cellular PCCF/S cathode delivers a notable enhancement in the sulfur content, sulfur loading, cycling stability and rate performance. The PCCF/S cathode with high sulfur content of 84.75% exhibits an initial discharge capacity of 1264.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1C rate and shows good cycling stability with a low capacity decay rate of 0.14% per cycle after 200 cycles at 1C rate. With a high sulfur loading of 6.40 mg cm−2, the cell delivers an initial discharge capacity of 1162.3 mAh g−1 and maintains good cycling stability. | battery |
A nano-LiFePO4/C composite has been directly synthesized from micrometer-sized Li2CO3, NH4H2PO4, and FeC2O4·2H2O by the lauric acid-assisted solid-state reaction method. The SEM and TEM observations demonstrate that the synthesized nano-LiFePO4/C composite has well-dispersed particles with a size of about 100–200nm and an in situ carbon layer with thickness of about 2nm. The prepared nano-LiFePO4/C composite has superior rate capability, delivering a discharge capacity of 141.2mAhg−1 at 5°C, 130.9mAhg−1 at 10C, 121.7mAhg−1 at 20°C, and 112.4mAhg−1 at 30°C. At −20°C, this cathode material still exhibits good rate capability with a discharge capacity of 91.9mAhg−1 at 1°C. The nano-LiFePO4/C composite also shows excellent cycling ability with good capacity retention, up to 100 cycles at a high current density of 30°C. Furthermore, the effect of lauric acid in the preparation of nano-LiFePO4/C composite was investigated by comparing it with that of citric acid. The SEM images reveal that the morphology of the LiFePO4/C composite transformed from the porous structure to fine particles as the molar ratio of lauric acid/citric acid increased. | battery |
The surface passivation of TIMREX® SLX50 graphite powder was studied as received and after heat treatment at 2500°C in an inert gas atmosphere by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry in electrochemical lithium half-cells. 1M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate and either a dimethyl carbonate, propylene carbonate or 1-fluoro ethylene carbonate co-solvent was used as electrolyte systems in these half-cells. The SEI-film formation properties of both graphite materials were correlated with their active surface area (ASA), being responsible for the interactions between the carbon and the electrolyte system. The active surface area was determined from the amount of CO and CO2 gas desorbed at temperatures up to 950°C from the graphite material surface after chemisorption of oxygen at 300°C. The structural ordering at the graphite surface increased significantly during the heat treatment of the SLX50 graphite material as indicated by the significant decrease of the ASA value. The increased surface crystallinity was confirmed by krypton gas adsorption, Raman spectroscopy as well as temperature-programmed desorption. This increased structural ordering seemed to be the parameter being responsible for a hindered passivation of the heat-treated SLX50 causing partial exfoliation of the graphite structure during the first electrochemical lithium insertion in the ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate electrolyte. In the case of the ethylene carbonate/1-fluoro ethylene carbonate electrolyte system, primarily the fluoro compound is responsible for the graphite passivation. In this electrolyte system, pristine SLX50 and the less reactive, heat-treated SLX50 graphite showed significantly different SEI-film formation mechanisms. In contrast, no difference in the passivation mechanism could be identified for different graphite surfaces in the ethylene carbonate electrolyte system with propylene carbonate as co-solvent. | battery |
Since the electric tools are increasingly entering the field of forestry, the aim of this study was to establish the consequences of using electric powered chainsaws on work and its energy efficiency, as well as health of workers. For this purpose, 40 trees were felled in two young spruce stands, half with a cordless electric chainsaw and one half with a petrol chainsaw. Results showed that electric chainsaws are a good alternative to petrol chainsaws for use in small-scale forestry, since in terms of work efficiency their use is comparable to petrol chainsaws and they provide a lower level of energy consumption, and lower exposure of fellers to noise and hand-arm vibrations. Similar to other fields, the results confirmed a positive impact of hand toll electrification on man and environment. The development of electric tools for forestry is expected to intensify with the development of more powerful batteries which are currently still regarded as the major bottleneck. | non-battery |
Sulfur as a conversion cathode has a high theoretical capacity of 1672 mA h g−1 and a theoretical energy density of 3600 W h kg−1 in the Li–S battery. The theoretical energy density is five times larger than that of a conventional lithium ion battery. Various challenges have hindered the use of this highly attractive cathode including the insulating nature of sulfur and poor electrode stability resulting in an irreversible capacity loss due to polysulfide migration from the cathode to the anode. Here we show a simple, scalable, room temperature bottom up approach for the synthesis of a nanostructured sulfur cathode which comprises a sulfur particle embedded with hollow carbon nanospheres encapsulated with polyelectrolyte multilayers. We demonstrate that specific capacity, rate capacity and cycling stability of the Li–S battery are significantly affected by the selection of polyelectrolyte multilayers.
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The edge plane in carbon structure has good electrocatalytic activity toward vanadium redox reaction. To apply it in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) practically, the graphite nanopowders (GNPs) containing amounts of edge planes are used as electrocatalyst and embedded in the electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) by different mass ratios to make composite electrodes. The morphology and electrochemical activity of the GNPs and the composite electrodes containing them are characterized. Compared with the pristine ECNFs, the composite electrodes show much higher electrochemical activity. With the increase of GNPs content in composite electrodes, the electrochemical reversibility of the vanadium redox couples also increases. It proves the addition of GNPs can surely improve the electrochemical activity of ECNFs. Among the composite electrodes, the ECNFs containing 30 nm GNP by mass ratio of 1:50 show the best electrochemical activity, largest active surface area and excellent stability. Due to the high performance of GNP/ECNFs composite electrode and its relatively low cost preparation process, the GNPs are expected to be used as electrocatalyst in VRFB on a large scale to improve the cell performance. | battery |
The effects of different lanthanum content (0, 0.00600, 0.0112, 0.0195 and 0.0540wt.%) on the electrochemical behavior of lead–lanthanum alloy in sulfuric acid solutions were investigated by linear potential sweep (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The morphology of the corrosion layer and corrosion section of Pb and Pb–La alloys were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) after corrosion testing. It was found that the addition of La inhibits the oxygen evolution reaction on the surface of Pb alloy electrodes, and La amounts of 0.00600 and 0.0540wt.% in Pb–La alloy electrodes can lead to a more effective inhibition. The results of the LSV, CV and EIS experiments show that the addition of La can inhibit the growth of the anodic Pb(II) oxides and PbO2 film. The resistance of the anodic film on the Pb–La electrodes is much lower than that on the Pb electrode. SEM for the corrosion layer indicates that the corrosion product on pure Pb and Pb–0.0195% La alloy is uniform and compact. The corrosion products on the alloys with La contents of 0.00600, 0.0112 and 0.0540 are loose and porous that the active materials can easily sit in the apertures to contact the grid surface intimately with the effective. The results demonstrate that Pb–La alloys show the potential for application as the positive grid material in maintenance-free lead-acid batteries. | battery |
The electrochemical properties of α-graphdiyne (α-GDY) for potassium ion storage were studied by first-principles calculations. Initial potassium ion (K+) insertion was dominated by K-carbon (C) ionic interactions, which was gradually replaced by K–K metallic interactions with further insertion. During the K+ insertion process, a portion of sp-hybridized C was transformed to sp2-hybridized C, while the working voltage gradually decreased to <0.5 V. Two layers of K+ were adsorbed on both sides of an α-GDY monolayer with low diffusion barriers of <0.25 eV, which resulted in a high theoretical capacity of 2870 mA h ∙g−1 with the formation of C14K18. Trilayer α-GDY exhibited a smaller theoretical capacity of 1700 mA h g−1, based on the formation of C42K32 resulting from both interlayer and surface K+ storage. Large hexagonal C-rings provided a small K+ diffusion barrier of 0.353 eV. As a result, K+ ions quickly “dropped” into the interlayer space across the α-GDY layer, while K+ intercalation between α-GDY layers was not favored due to a large diffusion barrier of 0.666 eV, resulting from the small interlayer distance of trilayer α-GDY. This study demonstrated promising electrochemical properties of α-GDY for potassium ion batteries, particularly for its large specific capacity and high rate capability. | battery |
India has a rich tradition of plant-based knowledge on healthcare. A large number of plants/plant extracts/decoctions or pastes are equally used by tribals and folklore traditions in India for treatment of cuts, wounds, and burns. The present review thus attempts to analyze the ethnobotanical knowledge base for treatment of cuts and wounds which includes a usage of plants, methods employed by tribals and folklore practices prevailing in India. Pharmacological reports available on Indian medicinal plants employing various wound healing models and its underlying molecular mechanism, wherever available, has also been briefly reviewed. This pharmacological validation on Indian medicinal plants is very limited and a large number of plants used in tribal and folklore with enormous potential have not been validated for their wound healing activity. This review therefore attempts to bridge the lacunae in the existing literature and offers immense scope for researchers engaged in validation of the traditional claims and development of safe and effective and globally accepted herbal drugs for cuts and wounds. | non-battery |
In this study, the cross-linking-type gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was prepared using trimethylolpropane triacrylate and trimethylolpropane ethoxylate triacrylate and their electrochemical performances were evaluated. The ionic conductivity of the GPE at 20°C was around 5 × 10−3 ∼ 6 × 10−3 Scm−1. The GPE had good electrochemical stability up to 4.5V versus Li/Li+. The electrochemical performance of TMPETA-based cell was better than that of TMPTA-based cell. The discharge capacity of the TMPETA-based cell at the 2.0C rate was 98% of the discharge capacity at the 0.2C rate. The discharge capacity of the TMPTA- and TMPETA-based cell was stable with the charge–discharge cycling | battery |
The transfection of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) with the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel 2 (HCN2) gene has been demonstrated to provide biological pacing in dogs with complete heart block. The mechanism appears to be the generation of the ion current (If) by the HCN2-expressing hMSCs. However, it is not clear how the transfection process and/or the HCN2 gene affect the growth functions of the hMSCs. Therefore, we investigated survival, proliferation, cell cycle, and growth on a Kapton® scaffold of HCN2-expressing hMSCs. | non-battery |
Thermal runaway (TR) is a major safety concern in lithium-ion batteries. Model-based TR prediction is critically needed to optimize safety designs of cells. This paper presents a novel scheme for developing reliable battery TR model from kinetics analysis of cell components. First, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests on the individual cell components and their mixtures are conducted to reveal the TR mechanism and characterize the exothermic reactions, of which the major six (such as the decomposition of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film) are determined as the dominant heat sources. The kinetics parameters of each exothermic reactions are identified from the DSC tests results at variant heating rates using Kissinger’s method and nonlinear fitting method. A predictive battery TR model is established by superimposing the chemical kinetics equations of the six exothermic reactions. The model fits well with the adiabatic TR test results and the oven tests results of a 24 Ah lithium-ion battery, indicating that the model can well reflect the battery TR mechanism and be trusted to predict battery safety performance without assembling a real battery. | battery |
Electrochemical cells (ECs) are devices that convert chemical energy into electricity through spontaneous oxidation–reduction reactions that occur separately at two electrodes through the transport of protons in the electrolyte solution and the flow of electrons in the external circuit. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is an effective device that converts mechanical energy into electricity using organic/polymer materials by a contact induced electrification process followed by charge separation. In this paper, we demonstrate the first integration of an EC and a TENG for simultaneously harvesting chemical and mechanical energy, and its application for powering a sensor and even personal electronics. An EC was fabricated using a Cu/NaCl solution/Al structure, on which a thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film with a micropyramid surface structure was used as the protection layer of the EC for anti-corrosion, anti-contamination and anti-mechanical damage. A TENG was fabricated based on a contact-and-separation process between the PDMS protection layer and the Al electrode layer of the EC. The output performance of the TENG can be increased by embedding BaTiO3 nanoparticles into the PDMS film layer to enhance the dielectric property. Moreover, we also demonstrated that the produced hybrid energies can be stored in a Li-ion battery for lighting up 30 green LEDs.
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One promising approach to reduce the cost of fuel cell systems is to develop hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs), which open up the possibility of platinum-group-metal-free catalysts and low-cost bipolar plates. However, scalable alkaline polyelectrolytes (hydroxide exchange membranes and hydroxide exchange ionomers), a key component of HEMFCs, with desired properties are currently unavailable, which presents a major barrier to the development of HEMFCs. Here we show hydroxide exchange membranes and hydroxide exchange ionomers based on poly(aryl piperidinium) (PAP) that simultaneously possess adequate ionic conductivity, chemical stability, mechanical robustness, gas separation and selective solubility. These properties originate from the combination of the piperidinium cation and the rigid ether-bond-free aryl backbone. A low-Pt membrane electrode assembly with a Ag-based cathode using PAP materials showed an excellent peak power density of 920 mW cm−2 and operated stably at a constant current density of 500 mA cm−2 for 300 h with H2/CO2-free air at 95 °C. | battery |
Consumers’ demand for portable audio/video/ICT products has driven the development of advanced power technologies in recent years. Fuel cells are a clean technology with low emissions levels, suitable for operation with renewable fuels and capable, in a next future, of replacing conventional power systems meeting the targets of the Kyoto Protocol for a society based on sustainable energy systems. Within such a perspective, the objective of the European project MOREPOWER (compact direct methanol fuel cells for portable applications) is the development of a low-cost, low temperature, portable direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC; nominal power 250W) with compact construction and modular design for the potential market area of weather stations, medical devices, signal units, gas sensors and security cameras. This investigation is focused on a conceptual study of the DMFC system carried out in the Matlab/Simulink® platform: the proposed scheme arrangements lead to a simple equipment architecture and a efficient process. | battery |
Nickel-rich metal oxides have been widely pursued as promising cathode materials for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries. Nickel-rich lithium transition metal oxides can deliver a high specific capacity during cycling, but can react with non-aqueous electrolytes. In this work, we have employed a full concentration gradient (FCG) design to provide a nickel-rich core to deliver high capacity and a manganese-rich outer layer to provide enhanced stability and cycle life. In situ high-energy X-ray diffraction was utilized to study the structural evolution of oxides during the solid-state synthesis of FCG lithium transition metal oxide with a nominal composition of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2. We found that both the pre-heating step and the sintering temperature were critical in controlling phase separation of the transition metal oxides and minimizing the content of Li2CO3 and NiO, both of which deteriorate the electrochemical performance of the final material. The insights revealed in this work can also be utilized for the design of other nickel-rich high energy-density cathode materials. | battery |
The edge-emitting semiconductor laser powered by Sifeu et al. oscillator is studied numerically. An electronic/analog model of the system is constructed in order to imitate the behavior of the material model. Period-doubling to chaos, is obtained when varying the amplitude of the reverse bias saturation current. The experimental results show agreement with those obtained numerically. | non-battery |
Exposure to cadmium, a heavy metal present in cigarettes, can be assessed in both urine and blood. Few studies have compared the properties of concurrent measurements of urine cadmium (uCd) and blood cadmium (bCd) in relation to the duration and timing of a known exposure. In this study, bCd and uCd were modeled with data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2010). Adjusted geometric mean bCd and uCd were estimated from regression results. Each 1% higher geometric mean uCd was associated with 0.50% (95% confidence interval: 0.47%–0.54%; R2=0.30) higher bCd. In male never-smokers, bCd was 69% (59%–81%) and uCd was 200% (166%–234%) higher at age ≥70 years versus 20–29 years. Ten pack-years (py) of smoking were associated with 13.7% (10.0%–17.4%) higher bCd and 16.8% (12.6%–21.1%) higher uCd in male smokers. The first year after smoking cessation was associated with 53% (48%–58%) lower bCd and 23% (14%–33%) lower uCd in representative males aged 55 years with 20 py smoking. Smoking in the previous 5 days was associated with 55% (40%–71%) higher bCd and 7% (−3%–18%) higher uCd. Results were similar for women. uCd mainly measures long-term exposure and bCd recent exposure, but with noticeable overlap. Epidemiological studies should base the choice of uCd or bCd on the timing of cadmium exposure relevant to the disease under study.
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Silicon has been recognized as the most promising anode material for high-capacity lithium ion batteries. However, its large volume variation during the charge-discharge process results in electrode pulverization and fast capacity loss on cycling. The paper reports a facile synthesis of phenylalanine-functionalized graphene quantum dots (PF-GQD) through the pyrolysis of citric acid and phenylalanine. The PF-GQD was coated on the surface of silicon nanoparticles (SiNP) and then treated by thermal annealing in Ar/H2 to obtain PF-GQD@SiNP composite. The PF-GQD coating layer not only improves the electrical conductivity, but also effectively prevents the direct contact of silicon surface with the electrolyte molecules. The composite electrode exhibits an excellent electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries. The specific capacity is 4066mAhg−1 at 50mAg−1, 3796mAhg−1 at 100mAg−1 and 1820mAhg−1 at 1000mAg−1. The capacity can remain 3068mAhg−1 after 100 cycles at 100mAg−1. As a control sample, alanine-functionalized graphene quantum dots (AF-GQD) was also prepared and used for the fabrication of AF-GQD@SiNP composite. The result shows that the electrochemical performance of PF-GQD@SiNP is much better than that of AF-GQD@SiNP. The improvement is attributed to the benzene ring at the edge of graphene sheets. Its introduction creates a wider and finer energy level of electron and well-defined steric structure compared to AF-GQD, which further accelerates the electron transfer and electrolyte transport and leads to an improved electrochemical performance. In addition, the study also provides an economic, eco-friendly and facile method for the fabrication of silicon-based anode materials for next generation high-performance lithium ion batteries. | battery |
Lithium (Li) metal is an ideal anode material for rechargeable batteries due to its extremely high theoretical specific capacity (3860 mA h g−1), low density (0.59 g cm−3) and the lowest negative electrochemical potential (−3.040 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). Unfortunately, uncontrollable dendritic Li growth and limited Coulombic efficiency during Li deposition/stripping inherent in these batteries have prevented their practical applications over the past 40 years. With the emergence of post-Li-ion batteries, safe and efficient operation of Li metal anodes has become an enabling technology which may determine the fate of several promising candidates for the next generation energy storage systems, including rechargeable Li–air batteries, Li–S batteries, and Li metal batteries which utilize intercalation compounds as cathodes. In this paper, various factors that affect the morphology and Coulombic efficiency of Li metal anodes have been analyzed. Technologies utilized to characterize the morphology of Li deposition and the results obtained by modelling of Li dendrite growth have also been reviewed. Finally, recent development and urgent need in this field are discussed.
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With the development of flexible and wearable energy devices, it is highly desirable to exploit flexible and cost-effective electrode materials. In this work, we report a facile and in-situ method for preparing a three-dimensional (3D), flexible and binder-free anode material, composing of leaf-like MoS2 nanostructures uniformly anchored on carbon nanofibers derived from carbonized bacterial cellulose (denoted as MoS2-cBC). With merits of high conductivity, good flexibility and high structural stability, the MoS2-cBC composite was directly used as the anode material and current collector for lithium ion batteries without any binder nor conductive additive. Moreover, owing to the synergistic effect of the uniformly deposited MoS2 nanoleaves and the 3D highly conductive carbon nanofibers, the MoS2-cBC anode exhibits impressively superior electrochemical performance. A high reversible charge capacity of 935mAhg−1 is achieved at 0.1Ag−1, while a capacity of 581mAhg−1 is maintained after 1000 cycles at 1Ag−1 with negligible decay, demonstrating much enhanced long-term cycling stability of the composite. The superior electrochemical performance together with the stability and cost-effective merits make the MoS2-cBC composite promising for next-generation energy storage devices. | battery |
Solid-state 7Li NMR spectroscopy revealed different Ni/Co distributions in an inverse spinel structure of LiNi x Co1−x VO4 cathode materials prepared by either a high-temperature solid-state reaction method (abbreviated as the HT method) or a low-temperature solution co-precipitation method (abbreviated as the LT method). Solid-state 7Li NMR measurements confirmed that the lithium nuclear spin was dominated by a chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) interaction compounded with a small second-order quadrupolar interaction. Ni/Co distribution and inhomogeneity of chemical shift tensors (δ CSA and η CSA constants) associated with crystalline defects are accountable for the variation in spread of the MAS spinning side-band manifolds between nickel uptake and preparation methods. The NMR study also revealed that the HT method yielded broader Ni/Co distributions with greater lithium defects, while the LT method gave much more homogeneous Ni/Co distributions with smaller defects. The NMR results were consistent with XRD data that showed a gradual expansion in the unit-cell lattice with increasing Co content. All cells suffered a large irreversible loss in overall capacity in the first cycle and became stable in terms of cycle efficiency during later cycling. We have found that LiNi x Co1−x VO4 cathode materials prepared by the LT method with more homogeneous Ni/Co distribution and smaller crystalline defects offer a small advantage in capacity over the HT method. | battery |
Nitrogen-doped graphene hollow microspheres (NGHMs) were constructed, using polystyrene microspheres (PSMs) as the sacrificial template. Negatively charged graphene oxide nanosheets (GONs) were assembled onto sulfonated PSMs with the aid of poly(ethyleneimine) through electrostatic interaction. NGHMs were obtained by pyrolysis the mixture of melamine and GON-wrapped PSMs under a nitrogen atmosphere. During the pyrolysis, the removal of PSMs and reduction of GONs and incorporation of heteroatoms were realized simultaneously. The nitrogen atomic percentage in NGHMs reached 7.13%, and sulfur content was also detected. The prepared NGHMs exhibited high catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution with a comparable limiting current density to JM 40 wt% Pt/C. The ORR on NGHMs electrode was dominated by the four-electron pathway in a wide potential range with long-term stability and high fuel selectivity. The enhanced electrocatalytic performance of NGHMs could be ascribed not only to the high nitrogen content, but also to the hollow sphere architecture. Moreover, the nitrogen precursor, melamine, increased the percentage of graphitic-N and prevented hollow spheres from aggregation, which also helped to improve the catalytic activity of NGHMs. | battery |
The fish species Notothenia angustata inhabits temperate waters (10 °C), yet retains physiological traits that show it once existed at sub-zero temperatures. We determined the free-ranging activity, heart rate and metabolism of N. angustata and compared it with Notothenia coriiceps, an ecologically and morphologically congeneric cousin that still inhabits sub-zero waters. Firstly, the association between heart rate (fH) and oxygen consumption (MO2) was first determined in the laboratory. The fish were then released into their respective environments and fH recorded by a miniature archival electronic tag, from which the metabolic rate of the free-ranging fish was extrapolated. Free-ranging activity of wild fish was monitored throughout the study using implanted acoustic tags and a static hydrophone array. Results showed that the difference in standard metabolic rate (SMR) between N. angustata and N. coriiceps fitted the Arrhenius model for inter-species thermal sensitivity in fish (Q 10 =1.76). However, the inter-species disparity in total metabolic rate (TMR) was far greater. This was attributable to N. angustata swimming at higher speeds and covering a 5-fold greater area over 24 h compared with N. coriiceps. As a result, activity (and associated feeding) comprised a far larger portion of TMR in N. angustata (27.9%) than for N. coriiceps (5.7%). We conclude that the increased time spent swimming by N. angustata was presumably to forage for food to acquire sufficient energy to fuel its elevated SMR. This resulted in a much greater inter-species difference in TMR than may be predicted by the disparity in environmental temperature. | non-battery |
Nano-composite polymer electrolytes are receiving attention as potential candidates to be used as electrolyte membranes in lithium polymer batteries and other devices. However, a survey of literature reveals that a systematic study of the effect of concentration and surface area of ceramic fillers on the conductivity enhancement of micro- and nano-composite polymer electrolytes is lacking. In this work, we have studied the thermal and electrical properties of the composite polymer electrolyte (PEO)9LiCF3SO3+Al2O3 incorporating alumina filler grains of four different sizes with different specific surface areas. The results show that the PEO crystallite melting temperature decreased by a few degrees in samples with fillers exhibiting a minimum for samples with high conductivity. The presence of the filler enhanced the ionic conductivity substantially above as well as below 60°C, and the nano-porous alumina grains with 5.8nm pore size and 150m2/g specific area and 15wt.% filler concentration exhibited the maximum enhancement. The observed conductivity enhancement has been attributed to Lewis acid–base type surface interactions of ionic species with O/OH groups on the filler surface, with an additional contribution below 60°C coming from the retention of an increased fraction of the amorphous phase due to the presence of the filler. The conductivity versus filler concentration curves exhibit two conductivity maxima which has been explained in terms of the surface interactions, blocking effect and grain consolidation. The conductivity enhancement appears to saturate beyond 100m2/g grain surface area. | battery |
Addictions to licit and illicit drugs are chronic relapsing brain disorders that affect circuits that regulate reward, motivation, memory, and decision-making. Drug-induced pathological changes in these brain regions are associated with characteristic enduring behaviors that continue despite adverse biopsychosocial consequences. Repeated exposure to these substances leads to egocentric behaviors that focus on obtaining the drug by any means and on taking the drug under adverse psychosocial and medical conditions. Addiction also includes craving for the substances and, in some cases, involvement in risky behaviors that can cause death. These patterns of behaviors are associated with specific cognitive disturbances and neuroimaging evidence for brain dysfunctions in a diverse population of drug addicts. Postmortem studies have also revealed significant biochemical and/or structural abnormalities in some addicted individuals. The present review provides a summary of the evidence that has accumulated over the past few years to implicate brain dysfunctions in the varied manifestations of drug addiction. We thus review data on cerebrovascular alterations, brain structural abnormalities, and postmortem studies of patients who abuse cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, and “bath salts”. We also discuss potential molecular, biochemical, and cellular bases for the varied clinical presentations of these patients. Elucidation of the biological bases of addiction will help to develop better therapeutic approaches to these patient populations. | non-battery |
Energy storage devices are usually stacked from two electrodes and a sandwiched separator. The possible delamination of the stacked structure could deteriorate the electrochemical performance under deformed states. Here the cathode (polyaniline) and anode (metal Zn) are separately electrodeposited on a filter paper coated with current collectors to produce an integrated aqueous Zn-ion battery. High energy and power densities of 175.1 mWh/g@0.43 W/g and 12.1 W/g@90.1 mWh/g, together with excellent cyclic stability, are achieved for the integrated aqueous Zn-ion battery. The electrochemical performance is advantageous over that of Li-ion paper batteries with organic electrolytes and asymmetric supercapacitors with aqueous electrolytes. Impressively, the integrated aqueous Zn-ion battery works well under bending, folding and twisting, respectively, with little loss in the electrochemical performance. | battery |
Objectives The present study was undertaken to evaluate the cognitive profile of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and to correlate with the clinical stage and polysomnographic variables. Methods The study included 25 PD patients who had RBD and 25 PD patients who based on two questionnaires were determined as not having RBD. These patients underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) and neuropsychological assessment using a defined battery of tests. Results The mean age of the patients with clinically probable RBD (RBD+) was 60.4 ± 8.2 years and PD patients without RBD (RBD-) was 57.3 ± 6.6 years (p = 0.14). The mean age at onset of the disease was 53.7 ± 9.4 years for RBD+ and 49.8 ± 7.8 years for RBD-patients (p = 0.12). The mean Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III OFF score was 27.4 ± 11.1 for RBD+ and 32.7 ± 8.2 for RBD- (p = 0.06). The total sleep time of the patients was 4.3 ± 1.7 h with sleep efficiency of 53.8 ± 21.0%. Patients with RBD+ were found to have significant impairment in many neuropsychological tests compared to RBD-. Conclusions RBD + patients had significant impairment in MMSE, category fluency test (FAS test), frontal assessment battery, attention (digit span backwards, Corsi span), verbal memory (story recall) and Rey's auditory verbal learning test. These patients also had poor sleep quality. | non-battery |
A new oxysulfide spinel LiCr0.19Mn1.81O3.98S0.02 with well-developed octahedral structure is synthesized by a sol–gel method using glycolic acid as a chelating agent. The LiCr0.19Mn1.81O3.98S0.02 electrode shows no capacity loss in the 3- and 4-V region. This behavior is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The substitution of S for O in LiMn2O4 stabilizes the structural integrity of the spinel host, which in turn increases the electrochemical cycleability. | battery |
With the ever-increasing demands for higher energy densities in Li-ion batteries, alternative anodes with higher reversible capacity are required to replace the conventional graphite anode. Here, we demonstrate a cost-effective hydrothermal carbonization approach to prepare a hard carbon coated nano-Si/graphite (HC-nSi/G) composite as a high performance anode for Li-ion batteries. In this hierarchical structured composite, the hard carbon coating not only provides an efficient pathway for electron transfer, but also alleviates the volume variation of Si during charge/discharge processes. The HC-nSi/G composite electrode shows excellent performance, including a high specific capacity of 878.6 mAh g−1 based on the total weight of composite, good rate performance, and a decent cycling stability, which is promising for practical applications. | battery |
Metal-oxide anodes represent a significant future direction for advanced lithium ion batteries. However, their practical applications are still seriously hampered by electrode disintegration and capacity fading during cycling. Here, we report a rational design of 3D-staggered metal-oxide nanocomposite electrode directly fabricated by pulsed spray evaporation chemical vapor deposition, where various oxide nanocomponents are in a staggered distribution uniformly along three dimensions and across the whole electrode. Such a special design of nanoarchitecture combines the advantages of nanoscale materials in volume change and Li+/electron conduction as well as uniformly staggered and compact structure in atom migration during lithiation/delithiation, which exhibits high specific capacity, good cycling stability and excellent rate capability. The rational design of metal-oxide nanocomposite electrode opens up new possibilities for high performance lithium ion batteries. | battery |
The paper proposes an analysis of a 100% electric vehicle (EV) scenario on the energy system of the island of Bornholm in Denmark. The paper intends to present challenges and opportunities that a realistic system would face when completely shifting to electric transportation. The EVs are subject to different charging strategies in order to assess the impact on the grid, the potential savings on the charging cost and the effects on battery degradation. In contrast to uncontrolled charging, smart charging strategies are designed not only to satisfy the same charging requirements at the EV departure time, but also maximize the savings on the charging cost and avoid interconnection congestions. Smart strategies bring a reduction in annual charging cost around 12%, on top of a reduction in the degradation because of lower average SOC and number of cycles. Moreover, results show a limited benefit in bidirectional charging because of a marginal increase in savings: this more demanding operation, which allows discharges, leads to higher battery degradation, due to the increase in the number of cycles. | battery |
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relation between ratings of Executive Function (EF) and academic functioning in a sample of 94 middle-school-aged youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Mage = 11.9; 78 % male; 21 % minority). This study builds on prior work by evaluating associations between multiple specific aspects of EF (e.g., working memory, inhibition, and planning and organization) as rated by both parents and teachers on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), with multiple academic outcomes, including school grades and homework problems. Further, this study examined the relationship between EF and academic outcomes above and beyond ADHD symptoms and controlled for a number of potentially important covariates, including intelligence and achievement scores. The EF Planning and Organization subscale as rated by both parents and teachers predicted school grades above and beyond symptoms of ADHD and relevant covariates. Parent ratings of youth’s ability to transition effectively between tasks/situations (Shift subscale) also predicted school grades. Parent-rated symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and planning and organization abilities were significant in the final model predicting homework problems. In contrast, only symptoms of inattention and the Organization of Materials subscale from the BRIEF were significant in the teacher model predicting homework problems. Organization and planning abilities are highly important aspects academic functioning for middle-school-aged youth with ADHD. Implications of these findings for the measurement of EF, and organization and planning abilities in particular, are discussed along with potential implications for intervention.
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Mn-doped LiNiVO4 and LiCoVO4 were obtained by aqueous method under ambient pressure in the whole 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 (LiMn x Ni1−x VO4) and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.3 (LiMn y Co1−y VO4) region. The lattice constants and reversible capacities of the Mn-doped inverse spinel increased by increasing the Mn doping level. In particular, the reversible capacity of the obtained LiMn0.3Co0.7VO4 is around about 100 mAh g−1, which is the largest reported capacity of inverse spinel cathode materials. It suggests that the bottleneck for lithium diffusion in the inverse spinel structure was enlarged by relatively larger Mn substitutional doping to Co or Ni. The ex-situ XRD measurement for charged or discharged inverse spinel pellets revealed a reversible expansion and contraction on cycle due to the structural strength and flexibility. | battery |
Digital audio forensics is used for a variety of applications ranging from authenticating audio files to link an audio recording to the acquisition device (e.g., microphone), and also linking to the acoustic environment in which the audio recording was made, and identifying traces of coding or transcoding. This survey paper provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art (SOA) in digital audio forensics and highlights some open research problems and future challenges in this active area of research. The paper categorizes the audio file analysis into container and content-based analysis in order to detect the authenticity of the file. Existing SOA, in audio forensics, is discussed based on both container and content-based analysis. The importance of this research topic has encouraged many researchers to contribute in this area; yet, further scopes are available to help researchers and readers expand the body of knowledge. The ultimate goal of this paper is to introduce all information on audio forensics and encourage researchers to solve the unanswered questions. Our survey paper would contribute to this critical research area, which has addressed many serious cases in the past, and help solve many more cases in the future by using advanced techniques with more accurate results. | non-battery |
A new inhibitor targeting the mitochondrial complex I shows antitumor activity in preclinical models of acute myeloid leukemia and glioblastoma relying on oxidative phosphorylation.
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Coulter dispersants were investigated as the additive into the positive electrolyte (more than 1.8M vanadium ions) of vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). The electrolyte stability tests showed that, at 45, 50 and 60°C, the addition of 0.050–0.10 w/w Coulter dispersant IIIA (mainly containing coconut oil amine adduct with 15 ethylene oxide groups) into the positive electrolyte of VRB could significantly delay the time of precipitate formation from 1.8–12.3h to 30.3h∼19.3 days. Moreover, the trace amount of Coulter dispersant IIIA as the additive can enhance the electrolyte stability without changing the valence state of vanadium ions, reducing the reversibility of the redox reactions and incurring other side reactions at the electrode. Using the Coulter IIIA dispersant as the additive also improved the energy efficiency of the VRB. The UV–vis spectra confirmed that the trace amount of Coulter IIIA dispersant did not chemically react with V(V) to form new substances. The synergy of Coulombic repulsion and steric hindrance between the macromolecular cationic surfactant additive and the solution reduced the aggregation of vanadium ions into V2O5 and increased the supersaturation of V2O5 crystal in the solution. | battery |
Monocytes and macrophages of individuals with allergic diseases express increased levels of the low-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRII or CD23) on their surfaces. The cross-linking of CD23-bound IgE antibody by allergen activates the cells to release inflammatory mediators. In mast cells, the binding of IgE to the high-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI) has recently been shown to activate these cells independent of allergen. It has not been determined if such is true of the binding of IgE to the low-affinity receptors. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to determine whether monomeric IgE alone can activate CD23-bearing human monocytes and how this may relate to the activation by IgE/anti-IgE immune complex. Purified monocytes, cultured for 48 h with IL-4 to up-regulate CD23 were sensitized with human myeloma IgE and further cultured for 24 h with or without anti-human IgE antibody. The release of cytokines TNF-α and MIP-1α (as an index of activation) was determined by enzyme immunoassay. Results showed that in IL-4-treated/CD23-bearing monocytes, sensitization with IgE alone caused a release of TNF-α and MIP-1α. The addition of anti-IgE antibody to cross-link the bound IgE resulted in the enhancement of the response. Such activation by monomeric IgE and IgE/anti-IgE immune complex was blocked with an anti-CD23 antibody, confirming the specific involvement of CD23 molecules. Neither of the activation modalities elevated intracellular cAMP, contrary to previous report. These results show for the first time, that in CD23-bearing monocytes, IgE sensitization alone can activate monocytes, and that ligation of such IgE by anti-IgE antibody only enhances the response. These observations have implications for the understanding of the pathophysiology of IgE-dependent inflammation accompanying many allergic diseases. | non-battery |
A new method to calculate energy efficiency for rechargeable batteries is proposed successfully and described in the study. The energy efficiency is divided into three categories, the energy efficiency under charge, the energy efficiency under discharge and the energy efficiency under charge–discharge. A key factor in calculating the energy efficiency is attributed to resolve the chemical energy stored in batteries (referred to as net energy hereafter). The net energy is stated with an equation of a function of the open circuit voltage (OCV) and the state of charge (SOC). Therefore, the relationship of OCV and SOC must be sought to solve the function. The OCV curve is computed by average of the charge curve and the discharge curve at a low rate. The quantitative relation of OCV to SOC is acquired by nonlinear fit. According to the method, LiFePO4 power batteries’ energy efficiencies are measured under the moderate current charging and discharging condition. The quantitative relations of the efficiencies are also analyzed for the batteries. | battery |
We report a novel approach to prepare MnO/nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanotubes composites by using a hypercrosslinked tubular porous polymer precursor, which is obtained by a facile strategy of Friedel-Crafts reaction of triphenylamine and formaldehyde dimethyl acetal promoted by ferric trichloride. Owing to the high redox activity of the loaded MnO with uniform distribution on the nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanotubes surface, the enhanced surface area, and the plentiful porous structures of the one dimensional nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanotubes, the lithium-ion batteries fabricated from the MnO/nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanotubes composites exhibit a high electrochemical performance, including a reversible capacity of 652 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and an excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 512 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1 after 250 charge−discharge cycles. The result demonstrates that this kind of MnO/nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanotubes composites are promising candidates for high performance energy storage devices. | battery |
The rechargeability of electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) cathodes in the presence of small amounts (<5wt.%) of TiB2 and TiS2 additives has been investigated in alkaline cells in the one electron regime and the data are compared with those obtained with the already known Bi2O3 additive. Both the TiB2 and TiS2 additives are found to offer slightly better cyclability at higher number of cycles compared to the Bi2O3 additive. However, the incorporation of small amounts of TiB2 or TiS2 into the Bi2O3 additive leads to a significant improvement in the cyclability compared to the Bi2O3 additive, possibly due to a synergistic effect. X-ray diffraction patterns recorded before and after 30 cycles as well as cyclic voltammograms recorded after 3 and 30 cycles reveal that the better cyclability in the presence of TiB2 and TiS2 additives is due to the suppression of the formation of unwanted, electrochemically inactive birnessite and hausmannite phases and a shifting of the second electron capacity of Mn to higher potentials. | battery |
A family of proton conducting membranes based on cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, has been synthesized and characterized. The influence of surface-functionalized silica particles on the membrane properties has been evaluated by means of 1H-NMR, vibrational spectroscopy, thermal analysis and electrochemical characterization. The study revealed that the crystallinity of the polymer, the proton diffusivity and the water retention are strongly affected by the presence of the inorganic compound. Conductivity measurements and preliminary fuel cell tests agreed in determining the best PVA/silica ratio among the various compositions explored and demonstrated the potentiality of the selected membranes as electrolytes in fuel cell devices.
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Homes away from home show the behavioral patterns of people who are always on the move from one place to another. Many small size hotels in Ghana keep springing up quickly in a bid to provide home for people away from home. Yet, innovative ideas that enhance patronage and sustainability is on a decline, leading to eventual foldup. This study seeks to advance the entrepreneurial innovations of small hotels in order to sustain growth in Ghana. Successful stories about SMEs exist but are rare. A population size of 2915 entrepreneurs operating small medium hotels across the country were zoned into three, and schematic random sampling method was used in selecting the hotels. A scale of 100% hospitality industry attitudinal variables such as Service Innovations, Process Innovations, Management Innovations and Marketing Innovations were used. Responses from small hotel managers/owners indicate that there is a strong correlation between innovative activities and patronage. We therefore, recommend small hospitalities’ managers to develop their innovative abilities as a reliable path to the survival and growth of their businesses in a highly perishable and competitive business environment.
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Asbestos containing materials are a component of many vehicle brake systems, including those found in some light aircraft. To characterize the asbestos exposure that results from the installation and maintenance of these components, an aircraft fitted with asbestos containing brake pads had brake changes performed while both area and personal air samples were taken. The brake changing process took place in a closed, unventilated aircraft hanger and all operations were performed according to the manufacturer’s recommended procedure. Personal air samples did not detect any measurable amount of asbestos fibers during the brake changing or subsequent cleanup procedures. Analysis of personal samples (n =9) using phase contrast microscopy indicated airborne fiber concentrations at or below 0.003f/ml as 8-h time weighted averages (TWAs) and less than 0.069f/ml averaged over 28–30min sampling periods. Airborne chrysotile fibers were detected by two area air samples with fiber concentrations remaining at or below 0.0013f/ml over an 8-h TWA. These results indicate that normal brake changing work practices on aircraft with asbestos containing brake pads does not produce a harmful level of asbestos exposure for aircraft mechanics. | non-battery |
Fuel cell (FC) power plants are subject to a number of possible outage and derated states due to partial or full failure of auxiliaries. Furthermore, most of the power system reliability studies reported in the literature assume mean values of the particular measure of reliability. However, the reliability indices for grids such as failure rate, outage duration, etc. vary for different time period due to weather conditions, variety of power demands and random faults. It is essential to obtain the estimation of reliability under all environmental, operational and loading conditions. This paper considers above mentioned seasonal variation of grid reliability indices as well as partial or full failure of fuel cell auxiliaries for grid-connected PEM fuel cell power plants (FCPPs). In the paper, a detailed state–space model of the grid-connected FCPP is presented which is a combination of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) power plant generation model and grid outage model. The state–space generation model of a PEMFC power plant is formed based on the failure modes of system auxiliary components. As for the grid outage state–space modeling, the effects of weather conditions such as normal and adverse weather are taken into consideration in modeling the failure and repair rates. The functional relationship between weather conditions and transition rates, namely failure and repair rates are developed based on the fuzzy set theory and embedded into Markov model (MM). Simulation results are obtained for a 5kW grid-connected PEMFC that supplies a typical residential house using the MATLAB software package. | battery |
A photovoltaic (PV) integrated energy system is an ideal alternative to meet the heavy power demand of air conditioners in summer in hot climate areas. This paper presents the practical operation of a grid-connected, photovoltaic-powered, central air conditioner for an office building in South China. Typical operation characteristics have been analyzed regarding three indices such as solar fraction (SF), net solar fraction (NSF) and surplus energy ratio (SER). Different weather patterns such as sunny, cloudy and overcast based on the percentage of cloud coverage have been considered in this study. It is found that the performance of the system was significantly influenced by the meteorological conditions and that the value of SF is in different ranges for the three weather patterns. Additionally, the NSF and SER show meaningful trends for the three weather patterns. In addition, the SF is high in April, September and October due to the low cooling load. The yearly average values of SF, NSF and SER are 51.62%, 104.5% and 52.72%, respectively. The study methods proposed in this paper might be useful to predict and design PV integrated air-conditioning systems in different areas. This paper is presented and recommended by 5th International Conference on Nuclear and Renewable Energy Resources. | battery |
The objective of this study was to examine and attempt to confirm our previous findings of an increased frequency of the C4B null allele (C4BQ0) in subjects with autism. Newly identified subjects from Utah and Oregon were studied. Families evaluated included 85 who had a child with autism and 69 control families. Of the subjects with autism studied, 42.4% carried at least one C4BQ0, compared with 14.5% of the control subjects (p = 0.00013), with a relative risk of 4.33. Over half of the C4B null alleles in the subjects with autism involved C4A duplications. A marked increase in the ancestral haplotype 44.1 that lacks a C4B gene and has 2 C4A genes was also observed. The results of this study suggest that the human leukocyte antigen class III C4BQ0 significantly increases the risk for autism. | non-battery |
The established biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) require invasive endeavours or presuppose sophisticated technical equipment. Consequently, new biomarkers are needed. Here, we report that plasma levels of soluble amyloid precursor protein β (sAPPβ), a protein of the initial phase of the amyloid cascade, were significantly lower in patients with symptomatic AD (21 with mild cognitive impairment due to AD and 44 with AD dementia) with AD-typical cerebral hypometabolic pattern compared with 27 cognitively healthy elderly individuals without preclinical AD. These findings yield further evidence for the potential of sAPPβ in plasma as an AD biomarker candidate. | non-battery |
The development of new electrolytes is a centerpiece of many strategies to improve electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC) devices. We present here a computational screening-based rational design approach to find new electrolyte materials. As an example application, the known chemical space of almost 70 million compounds is investigated in search of electrochemically more stable solvents. Cyano esters are identified as especially promising new compound class. Theoretical predictions are validated with subsequent experimental studies on a selected case. These studies show that based on theoretical predictions only, a previously untested, but very well performing compound class was identified. We thus find that our rational design strategy is indeed able to successfully identify completely new materials with substantially improved properties. | battery |
Electrochemical and thermal properties of LiNi0.74Co0.26O2 cathode material with 5, 13 and 25μm-sized particles have been studied by using a coin-type half-cell Li/LiNi0.74Co0.26O2. The specific capacity of the material ranges from 205 to 210mAhg−1, depending on the particle size or the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area. Among the particle sizes, the cathode with a particle size of 13μm shows the highest specific capacity. Even though the material with a particle size of 5μm exhibits the smallest capacity value of 205mAhg−1, no capacity fading was observed after 70 cycles between 4.3 and 2.75V at the 1C rate. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of the charged electrode at 4.3V show a close relationship between particle size (BET surface area) and thermal stability of the electrode, namely, a larger particle size (smaller BET surface area) leads to a better thermal stability of the LiNi0.74Co0.26O2 cathode. | battery |
A mathematical model is developed by fitting the discharging curve of LiFePO4 batteries and used to investigate the relationship between the state of charge and the closed-circuit voltage. The proposed mathematical model consists of dual exponential terms and a constant term which can fit the characteristics of dual equivalent RC circuits closely, representing a LiFePO4 battery. One exponential term presents the stable discharging behavior and the other one presents the unstable discharging behavior and the constant term presents the cut-off voltage. | battery |
Nickel and nickel oxide nanocrystals in their pure phase are carefully embellished by a facial method on oxygen-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (O-MWCNTs) using nickel nitrate (NN) was effectively accomplished for the first time by calcining them in hydrogen, nitrogen and air, respectively, at suitable temperatures. Nickel and nickel oxide nanocrystals impregnated O-MWCNTs were examined for its structure and morphology by various techniques, such as powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The nanocrystals on the O-MWCNTs were determined of 15–20 nm size. Decorated nanocrystals on CNT’s have potential applications in semiconductor industries. | non-battery |
According to the European and other countries’ legislation, e.g. USA and Japan, used batteries and accumulators are regarded as hazardous waste. In connection with these regulations spent electrochemical power sources are separately collected and sent to recovery and recycling plants. In the highly developed countries yearly collection levels achieved in practice typically surpass 100g of spent batteries per inhabitant. In this work we present the information about the Polish legislation concerning marketing, collection and recycling of batteries. We also characterize the Polish batteries collection system and give achieved collection levels of used electrochemical power sources in our country. | battery |
In this present work, a polymer electrolyte based on polymer/clay nanocomposite has been developed. Montmorillonite (MMT) clay was used as the filler, due to its special size in length and thickness, and its sandwich type structure. The obtained gel polymer electrolytes have high ionic conductivity up to 2.5mScm−1 with high cationic transference number (about 0.64) at room temperature. The influences of the filler on the membrane morphology, the solvent uptake, the ionic conductivity, and the cation transport number were investigated, and thus the significant contribution from the exfoliated organophilic MMT was identified. | battery |
In this paper the recycling of nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and primary lithium batteries was examined. Three mechanical routes of treatment were developed for each type recovering mainly three fractions: ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals and electrodic powders. The above mentioned types of spent batteries were also treated together by a unique mechanical route, obtaining in this way a powder enriched in cobalt, nickel and manganese which can be further extractable by chemical leaching. Experimental tests of solvent extraction were performed on synthetic leach liquors simulating a feed mixture of spent devices with weight composition 40% NiMH, 40% primary lithium, and 20% Li-ion (as determined by manual sorting of 3 tons of end of life batteries collected in Northern Italy). Under these conditions nickel and cobalt can be easily separated by using Cyanex 272 (stoichiometric ratio Cyanex/Co = 4, pH 5–6), but in presence of manganese Cyanex 272 loses its selectivity towards cobalt. Thus manganese must be preliminarily removed by using D2EHPA (stoichiometric ratio D2EHPA/Mn = 2, pH 4). Mechanical treatments and hydrometallurgical section to recover metals from electrodic powder are unavoidable operations in order to recover at least 50% of batteries as weight according to European Guideline 2006/66/EC. | battery |
Birth registration marks a child’s right to identity and is the first step to establishing citizenship and access to services. At the population level, birth registration data can inform effective programming and planning. In Tanzania, almost two-thirds of births are in health facilities, yet only 26% of children under 5 years have their births registered. Our mixed-methods research explores the gap between hospital birth and birth registration in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. | non-battery |
One hundred and forty-four people with convulsive seizures (CS) and 144 healthy controls were evaluated for cognitive function, using a battery of neuropsychological tests. People with CS performed significantly worse than the controls on the Mini‐Mental State Examination, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, auditory verbal learning test, digit span test, verbal fluency test, and digit cancellation test. The percentage of patients who had abnormal scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was higher than that of controls (54.9% vs. 7.6%, p<0.001). Cognitive functional impairment was detected in 65.3% of the patients and 29.2% of the controls (p<0.001). People with CS presented with depressive mood and a wide range of cognitive deficits, particularly deficits in episodic declarative memory, attentional capacity, semantic memory, and mental speed. Years in education were positively associated with the cognitive performance of people with CS (OR=0.655, 95% CI: 0.486–0.882, p=0.005). | non-battery |
A hybrid power system configuration based on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), lion-lithium battery (LIB) and supercapacitor (SC) was designed without grid connection for the hybrid tramway. To adapt to the rapid load power change and achieve higher fuel efficiency and optimal oxygen excess ratio (OER) operation of the PEMFC power subsystem, a master-slave energy management strategy based on fuzzy logic hysteresis state machine (FuHSM) and differential power processing compensation (DPPC) was proposed for the hybrid tramway, effectively taking into consideration of the dynamic response and optimum OER tracing of the integrated PEMFC subsystem. The master FuHSM controller was utilized to grantee the optimal power coordination of the multiple power sources and the slave DPPC controller was responsible for further compensating the load power demand to enhance the dynamic performance and bus voltage stability. Furthermore, the equivalent H2 consumption minimization optimization considering characteristics of the proposed energy management strategy was realized by means of EIA-PSO algorithm to further improve the fuel economy of the overall hybrid power system. The results demonstrate that the proposed energy management strategy can guarantee the stability of the hybrid power system throughout the driving cycle. In addition, more efficient power coordination dynamics among the PEMFC, LIB and SC subsystems could be achieved without additional performance degradation of the integrated PEMFC subsystem, and the results of the comparisons with other control strategies verify that the proposed energy management strategy could achieve an increase in fuel efficiency of nearly 7% for the overall hybrid tramway. Finally, the influence of the proposed energy management strategy on the service life of the PEMFC subsystem was detailed discussed, and the performance degradation of the PEMFC subsystem was quantified so as to be integrated into the proposed energy management strategy. | battery |
The intercalation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), into molybdenum disulfide, like that of other electron pair donors, leads to mixed ionic–electronic conductors. At room temperature, intercalates show electrical and lithium-ion conductivities better than MoS2 and bulk PEO composites, respectively. However, these products are known to be sensitive to temperature; indeed, in the range 80–100°C an irreversible decrease of the electrical conductivity is observed. In order to investigate these features, the thermal behavior of a series of polyethers of different molecular weights (poly(ethylene glycol) (Mw 3400) and PEO with Mw in the range 104–4×106, pure and intercalated in MoS2, (Lix(MoS2)(polyether)y with x∼0.1 and y=1.1−1.5), was comparatively analyzed. Furthermore, the effect of thermal treatment of the sample on the electrical conductivity was studied for one of the intercalated products. Results indicate that irreversible changes, detected by both loss of weight and a significant conductivity lowering, are occurring in the range from about 100°C to a temperature near to the decomposition point of the organic phase at about 350°C. | battery |
Working memory (WM) is considered a core deficit in Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with numerous studies demonstrating impaired WM among children with ADHD. We tested the degree to which WM in children with ADHD was improved by performance-based incentives, an analog of behavioral intervention. In two studies, WM performance was assessed using a visuo-spatial n-back task. Study 1 compared children (ages 9–12 years) with ADHD–Combined type (n = 24) to a group of typically developing (TD) children (n = 32). Study 1 replicated WM deficits among children with ADHD. Incentives improved WM, particularly among children with ADHD. The provision of incentives reduced the ADHD-control group difference by approximately half but did not normalize WM. Study 2 examined the separate and combined effects of incentives and stimulant medication among 17 children with ADHD-Combined type. Both incentives and a moderate dose of long-acting methylphenidate (MPH; ~0.3 mg/kg t.i.d. equivalent) robustly improved WM relative to the no-incentive, placebo condition. The combination of incentives and medication improved WM significantly more than either incentives or MPH alone. These studies indicate that contingencies markedly improve WM among children with ADHD–Combined type, with effect sizes comparable to a moderate dose of stimulant medication. More broadly, this work calls attention to the role of motivation in studying cognitive deficits in ADHD and in testing multifactorial models of ADHD. | non-battery |
We consider the methodology of intelligent analysis of telemetry data based on modern mathematical methods of information processing. We define urgent tasks of analysis and forecasting, taking into account the 20-year experience of operating the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS RS). We give a basic description of these methods and present the results of testing on real data obtained from ISS RS telemetry information.
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Vehicle electrification is expanding worldwide and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from the transportation sector. Batteries are a key component of energy storage systems for electric vehicles (EVs), and their integration into EVs can lead to a wide range of possible environmental outcomes. These outcomes depend on factors such as powertrain type, electricity source, charging patterns, and end-of-life management. Given the complexities of battery systems, a framework is needed to systematically evaluate environmental impacts across battery system life cycle stages, from material extraction and production to use in the EV, through the battery’s end-of-life. We have developed a set of ten principles to provide practical guidance, metrics, and methods to accelerate environmental improvement of mobile battery applications and facilitate constructive dialogue among designers, suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, and end-of-life managers. The goal of these principles, which should be implemented as a set, is to enhance stewardship and sustainable life cycle management by guiding design, material choice, deployment (including operation and maintenance), and infrastructure planning of battery systems in mobile applications. These principles are applicable to emerging battery technologies (e.g., lithium-ion), and can also enhance the stewardship of existing (e.g., lead-acid) batteries. Case study examples are used to demonstrate the implementation of the principles and highlight the trade-offs between them. | battery |
We present a set of stimuli representing human actions under point-light conditions, as seen from different viewpoints. The set contains 22 fairly short, well-delineated, and visually “loopable” actions. For each action, we provide movie files from five different viewpoints as well as a text file with the three spatial coordinates of the point lights, allowing researchers to construct customized versions. The full set of stimuli may be downloaded from | non-battery |
High-capacity flexible electrode materials for high-energy lithium–ion batteries become critically important with technological improvements on portable and bendable electronic equipment such as rollup displays, implantable medical devices, active radio-frequency identification tags, and wearable devices. Although different types of bendable electrode materials have been introduced, it is very important to fabricate highly-flexible electrode materials with reasonable fabrication technique and high electrochemical performance similar to those of conventional high-capacity electrode materials. Herein, we introduced high-capacity, flexible Si/SiO2/C nanofiber composite anode materials by simple electrospinning and subsequent heat treatment processes. To further improve the long-term cycling performance, additional nanoscale carbon coating of flexible Si/SiO2/C nanofibers was performed by CVD technique. Electrochemical performance results showed that CVD carbon-coated flexible Si/SiO2/C nanofiber composites exhibited high capacity retention of 86.7% and high coulombic efficiency of 96.7% at the 50th cycle. It is, therefore, demonstrated that CVD carbon-coated flexible Si/SiO2/C nanofiber composites are promising anode material candidate for next-generation flexible and high-energy lithium–ion batteries. | battery |
Graphite–silicon mixtures are encapsulated in a Si–O network derived from sol–gel transformation of alkoxy-silane(methyl-trimethoxy-silane). The composites are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The catalyst used in the sol–gel process significantly affects the electrochemical properties of the composites. The initial specific capacity of the composites is close to 500mAhg−1, which is between that of graphite alone (∼300mAhg−1) and mechanical mixtures of graphite and silicon of identical silicon contents (∼900mAhg−1). Base (NH4OH) catalyzed composites perform substantially better than acid (HCl) catalyzed composites. The experimental results have yet to demonstrate any real advantage of the composites over graphite in terms of cycleability. Nevertheless, this approach should not be dismissed as the network material in this study may not have been optimized. | battery |
Structure changes of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 were detected at the electrode/electrolyte interface of lithium cell using synchrotron X-ray scattering and two-dimensional model electrodes. The electrodes were constructed by an epitaxial film of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 synthesized by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The orientation of the film depends on the substrate plane; the 2D layer of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 is parallel to the SrTiO3(110) substrate ((110) LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2//(110) SrTiO3), while the 2D layer is perpendicular to the SrTiO3(111) substrate ((003) LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2//(111) SrTiO3). The in situ X-ray diffraction of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2(003) confirmed three-dimensional lithium diffusion through the two-dimensional transition meal layers. The intercalation reaction of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 will be discussed. | battery |
Over the past twelve years, ideas and methods from nonlinear dynamics system theory, in particular, group theoretical methods in bifurcation theory, have been used to study, design, and fabricate novel engineering technologies. For instance, the existence and stability of heteroclinic cycles in coupled bistable systems has been exploited to develop and deploy highly sensitive, low-power, magnetic and electric field sensors. Also, patterns of behaviour in networks of oscillators with certain symmetry groups have been extensively studied and the results have been applied to conceptualize a multifrequency up /down converter, a channelizer to lock into incoming signals, and a microwave signal generator at the nanoscale. In this manuscript, a review of the most recent work on modelling and analysis of two seemingly different systems, an array of gyroscopes and an array of energy harvesters, is presented. Empirical values of operational parameters suggest that damping and external forcing occur at a lower scale compared to other parameters, so that the individual units can be treated as Hamiltonian systems. Casting the governing equations in Hamiltonian form leads to a common approach to study both arrays. More importantly, the approach yields analytical expressions for the onset of bifurcations to synchronized oscillations. The expressions are valid for arrays of any size and the ensuing synchronized oscillations are critical to enhance performance. | non-battery |
A simple and fast method for preparing chitosan (CH)/conducting polymer (CP) composite film with and without reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was realized to investigate the effect of rGO on an optoelectrochemical system. For this purpose, firstly rGO was successfully dispersed in the acidic aqueous solution of CH by ultrasonic agitation. One by one CH and CH/rGO blend deposited on an indium tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass electrode by drop-casting method. After that, N1,N4-bis(2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)terephthalamide (m(BT)) electroactive monomer was deposited onto CH and CH/rGO modified ITO electrode surfaces via electrochemical polymerization. Electrochemical and optical properties of the composite structures were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique and UV–vis spectroscopy. The surface characterizations of nanocomposites have been performed by scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that, chemical functionalities of CH, rGO and p(BT) provide excellent compatibility. Therefore, the CH/rGO/p(BT) electroactive nanocomposite has better conductivity, stability, charge density, electrochromic switching kinetics and electrochemical properties than the CH/p(BT) and p(BT)/rGO composites. This is due to more efficient synergistic effect between CH, rGO and p(BT) which provide larger active surface area and ease ion transport. This method for producing composite films with novel optical, electrical and stability properties has been gaining a new perspective in the material world, which enables smart and advanced material design in various practical applications especially for designing molecular detection systems. | battery |
In this work, for the first time, carbon self-repairing porous g-C3N4 nanosheets (CPCN-NSs) with high surface area (220.7m2 g−1) are prepared by a solvothermal process coupled with post multistep thermal treatment in air. Then a facile hydrothermal method is developed to synthesize carbon self-repairing porous g-C3N4 nanosheets/NiCo2S4 nanoparticles (CPCN-NSs/NCS-NPs) hybrid composite for supercapacitor electrode. With large surface area as well as ultrathin thickness and porous structure, the as-prepared CPCN-NSs could be served as an excellent scaffold to combine with NiCo2S4 nanoparticles (NCS-NPs), while the NCS-NPs with high conductivity could function as conductive linkers between CPCN-NSs and improve the electrical conductivity of the hybrid composite. Electrochemical characterizations indicate that the as-prepared hybrid composite delivers excellent electrochemical properties, exhibiting a high capacitance (1557Fg−1 at current density of 1Ag−1) and excellent cycling stability (only 7.4% loss after 10000 cycles). These results clearly demonstrate that the combination of CPCN-NSs with NCS-NPs can substantially improve the capacitive performance of materials and ultimately increase the cycling stability of supercapacitor electrode. | battery |
Interfacial phenomena in lithium ion polymer batteries result in capacity fade upon cycling due to a number of reasons, with the major one being the poor electrode/electrolyte interface. This leads to poor chemical and electrochemical stability of the electrolyte, i.e. decomposition, electrode passivation, etc. In this paper, we describe a model system, which we have applied to a lithium ion battery for improving compatibility between electrodes and electrolytes in a truly solid-state system. This involved the fabrication of plasticizer-free multi-layered polymer electrolytes wherein the different layers have different compatibility characteristics with the electrodes. These characteristics include morphology, ionic and electronic mobility within the whole cell. Preliminary results using this approach are described. | battery |
Recent work on the empirical structure of psychopathology has aimed to address some limitations that can arise from traditional categorical classification approaches. This research has focused on modeling patterns of co-occurrence among traditional diagnoses, uncovering a variety of well-validated dimensions (or spectra) of psychopathology, spanning common and uncommon mental disorders. A model integrating these empirically derived spectra (the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology; HiTOP) has been proposed. However, the placement of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) within this model remains unclear, as studies have variably found OCD to fit best as part of the Fear, Distress or Thought Disorder spectra. One reason for this may be the heterogeneity of symptoms experienced by individuals with OCD, which is lost when analysing categorical diagnoses. For example, different symptom clusters within OCD—such as washing and contamination versus obsessions and checking—may be differentially associated with different spectra in the HiTOP model. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis. Data were collected in an anonymous online survey from community participants (n = 609), largely with elevated symptoms of mental illness, and analyzed in a factor analytic framework treating OCD as a unitary construct and as four separate symptom clusters. The results indicated that OCD and its constituent symptom clusters had significant loadings of varying strength on the Fear and Thought Disorder spectra. These findings suggest that OCD may be best characterized as cross-loading on both the Fear and Thought Disorder spectra, and highlight the importance of accounting for diagnostic heterogeneity in future research. | non-battery |
Volume change can occur in a lithium–air cell due to Li metal oxidation (reduction) in anode during discharge (charge) and due to solubility of reaction product (lithium peroxide) in the electrolyte at cathode. A mathematical model is developed to study the performance of lithium–air batteries considering the significant volume changes at the anode and cathode sides. Moving boundary technique is used to obtain the governing equations for transport of lithium ions and oxygen as well as for liquid phase potential. A numerical method is introduced to solve the moving boundary problem, and the electrical performance of lithium–air cell is obtained for various load conditions. Results obtained from this model are validated with experimental results for Lithium–air cell. Numerical results indicate that volume changes significantly affect the functioning of lithium–air cells. The high solubility of lithium peroxide in the electrolyte can reduce the passivation in the cathode, but it can also reduce the effective reaction area in the anode. However, the benefit of the former outweighs the detriment of the later phenomenon. On the other hand, if lithium peroxide is insoluble in electrolyte, electrolyte leakage can take place due to decrease in total available space for electrolyte. | battery |
Bioleaching of spent lithium ion secondary batteries, containing LiCoO2, was attempted in this investigation. The present study was carried out using chemolithotrophic and acidophilic bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which utilized elemental sulfur and ferrous ion as the energy source to produce metabolites like sulfuric acids and ferric ion in the leaching medium. These metabolites helped dissolve metals from spent batteries. Bio-dissolution of cobalt was found to be faster than lithium. The effect of initial Fe(II) concentration, initial pH and solid/liquid (w/v) ratio during bioleaching of spent battery wastes were studied in detail. Higher Fe(II) concentration showed a decrease in dissolution due co-precipitation of Fe(III) with the metals in the residues. The higher solid/liquid ratio (w/v) also affected the metal dissolution by arresting the cell growth due to increased metal concentration in the waste sample. An EDXA mapping was carried out to compare the solubility of both cobalt and lithium, and the slow dissolution rate was clearly found from the figures. | non-battery |
Compared to mobile devices of the past decade, current devices provide desktop computer-level processing power in a palm-sized package. However, battery life of such devices has not made the same stride, forcing the user to rely on portable battery packs for backup power. Portable energy harvesting methods could provide a possible solution to reduce the user's dependence on the power grid. In this regard, a mobile energy harvester powered by human arm motion during walking or running activities is developed and tested. The device consists of a pendulum connected to a DC generator through a planetary gear train. An electronic module filters the output and supplies power to a load. A mathematical model of the human arm-harvester system is derived and simulated based on the triple pendulum system. The power output of the harvester for two output modes are recorded for a constant running pace by the user, and the results are compared with the simulation. The model predicted an energy output of 1.72 mJ and testing resulted in 1.39 mJ and 1.16 mJ for a period of 5 s of running activity. This successfully demonstrates the energy harvester's potential as a mobile power supply for charging portable consumer electronics. | battery |
9LiFePO4·Li3V2(PO4)3/C composite cathode material is prepared by a sol–gel method, using ferric citrate, V2O5, Li2CO3, NH4H2PO4 and citric acid as raw materials. The composite material is composed of the olivine LiFePO4 and monoclinic Li3V2(PO4)3 phases. XRD results indicate that most of the iron and vanadium in the raw materials tend to form the LiFePO4 and Li3V2(PO4)3 phases, and only small amounts of Fe and V as the dopants enter into the lattice of Li3V2(PO4)3 and LiFePO4, respectively. The electronic conductivity and Li+ diffusion coefficient of 9LiFePO4·Li3V2(PO4)3/C are 6.615×10−3 Scm−1 and ∼10−10 cm2 s−1, which are three orders of magnitude and one order of magnitude larger than those of the LiFePO4/C, respectively. The composite material shows a first discharge specific capacity of 131.3mAhg−1 and capacity retention of 95.1% after 200 cycles at 10C rate. Compared with the LiFePO4/C, its rate capability and cycle performance are both remarkably improved. | battery |
Dual type polymer electrochromic devices (ECDs) based on potentiodynamically coated films of octanoic acid 2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl ester (OTE), decanedioic acid bis-(2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl) ester (DATE) and ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) were constructed. The former two function as anodically coloring layers and the latter as a cathodically coloring layer in between tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBAFB) poly(methylmethacrylate) gel media. The spectroelectrochemistry, switching ability and stability of the devices were investigated by UV–Vis spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry. These devices exhibit low switching voltages (0–1.4 V) and short switching times with reasonable switching stability under atmospheric conditions. | battery |
In mice, social odors activate vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs); a large percentage of VSNs detect sulfated steroids. Here, the authors find that information about these molecules is conveyed through just a few sensory 'processing streams'. Downstream responses of accessory olfactory bulb neurons suggest distinct integratory roles: most relay a VSN pattern, although a substantial minority integrate across processing streams. | non-battery |
Materials development has historically been driven by human needs and desires, and this is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The global population is expected to reach ten billion by 2050, which will promote increasingly large demands for clean and high-efficiency energy, personalized consumer products, secure food supplies, and professional healthcare. New functional materials that are made and tailored for targeted properties or behaviors will be the key to tackling this challenge. Traditionally, advanced materials are found empirically or through experimental trial-and-error approaches. As big data generated by modern experimental and computational techniques is becoming more readily available, data-driven or machine learning (ML) methods have opened new paradigms for the discovery and rational design of materials. In this review article, we provide a brief introduction on various ML methods and related software or tools. Main ideas and basic procedures for employing ML approaches in materials research are highlighted. We then summarize recent important applications of ML for the large-scale screening and optimal design of polymer and porous materials, catalytic materials, and energetic materials. Finally, concluding remarks and an outlook are provided. | non-battery |
A secondary analysis was performed on preliminary data from an ongoing cross-cultural study on assortative pairing. Independently sampled pairs of opposite-sex romantic partners and of same-sex friends rated themselves and each other on Life History (LH) strategy and mate value. Data were collected in local bars, clubs, coffeehouses, and other public places from three different cultures: Tucson, Arizona; Hermosillo, Sonora; and San José, Costa Rica. The present analysis found that slow LH individuals assortatively pair with both sexual and social partners more strongly than fast LH individuals. We interpret this phenomenon as representing (1) an adaptation for preserving coadapted genomes in slow LH strategists to maintain high copying fidelity genetic replication while producing a lower number of offspring in stable, predictable, and controllable environments and (2) a bet-hedging adaptation in fast LH strategists, favoring the genetic diversification of a higher number of offspring in unstable, unpredictable, and uncontrollable environments.
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The effects of electron-beam irradiation on the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of polyethylene (PE) separators are investigated. The high-energy electron-beam irradiation creates carbonyl bands on the surface of bare PE separators, however, it does not affect morphology and pore structure of the separators. In addition, cells employing the electron-beam-irradiated PE separators clearly exhibit better ionic conductivity and rate capability without any degradation in cycling performance compared to cells employing the bare PE separator. This improvement is explained by a formation of new functional group on PE surface—the electron-beam irradiation creates carbonyl group on the surface of the PE separator and it readily facilitates the migration of Li+ and improves solvent affinity of the PE separators. Furthermore, the thermal stability of PE separators is effectively enhanced by irradiating them with electron beams. The thermal shrinkage of the electron-beam-irradiated PE separators is observed to be much lower than that of bare PE separators, resulting in an increased gap between the shut-down and melting integrity temperatures. From these results, it is believed that the electron-beam irradiation can be considered as an effective approach to enhance electrochemical and thermal properties of PE separator.
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Classical economic voting theory has received considerable empirical support. Voters reward the incumbent for good times, punish it for bad. But the success of this paradigm, which views the economy as strictly a valence issue, has crowded out testing of other theoretical dimensions. In particular, positional and patrimonial economic voting have hardly been examined. The former concerns the different preferences voters have on economic policy issues, such as progressive taxation. The latter concerns the place of voters in the economic structure itself, not merely as members of a social class but as actual property owners. Through analysis of a special battery of economic items, from a 2008 US presidential election survey, we demonstrate that the economy was important to voters in three ways: valence, position, and patrimony. Taken together, these dimensions go far as an explanation of vote choice, at least with respect to the short-term forces acting on this political behavior. | non-battery |
Adoption of electric vehicles by transport companies remains limited although major European cities should reach CO2-free city logistics by 2030. This paper explores therefore the vehicle choice behaviour of transport companies through a conjoint-based choice analysis. The results showed that the benefits of battery electric vehicles are less valued than their disadvantages. However, a majority of respondents agrees that authorities should encourage the use of battery electric vehicles. Based on the preferences of transporters, we conclude that the most important measures are to develop a larger charging infrastructure and implement financial incentives through subsidies or tax exemption. | non-battery |
Cell monitoring for safe capacity utilization while maximizing pack life and performance is a key requirement for effective battery management and encouraging their adoption for clean-energy technologies. A key cell failure mode is the build-up of residual electrode strain over time, which affects both cell performance and life. Our team has been exploring the use of fiber optic (FO) sensors as a new alternative for cell state monitoring. In this present study, various charge-cycling experiments were performed on Lithium-ion pouch cells with a particular class of FO sensors, fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), that were externally attached to the cells. An overshooting of the volume change at high SOC that recovers during rest can be observed. This phenomenon originates from the interplay between a fast and a slow Li ion diffusion process, which leads to non-homogeneous intercalation of Li ions. This paper focuses on the strain relaxation processes that occur after switching from charge to no-load phases. The correlation of the excess volume and subsequent relaxation to SOC as well as temperature is discussed. The implications of being able to monitor this phenomenon to control battery utilization for long life are also discussed. | battery |
This paper presents a model for flooded and VRLA batteries that is parameterized by impedance spectroscopy and includes the overcharging effects to allow charge-acceptance simulations (e.g. for regenerative-braking drive-cycle profiles). The full dynamic behavior and the short-term charge/discharge history is taken into account. This is achieved by a detailed modeling of the sulfate crystal growth and modeling of the internal gas recombination cycle. The model is applicable in the full realistic temperature and current range of automotive applications. For model validation, several load profiles (covering the dynamics and the current range appearing in electrically assisted or hybrid cars) are examined and the charge-acceptance limiting effects are elaborately discussed. The validation measurements have been performed for different types of lead–acid batteries (flooded and VRLA). The model is therefore an important tool for the development of automotive power nets, but it also allows to analyze different charging strategies and energy gains which can be achieved during regenerative-braking. | battery |
Fronto-limbic connectivity is compromised in mood disorders, as reflected by impairments in white matter (WM) integrity revealed by diffusion tensor imaging. Although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, disruption to normal myelination due to oxidative stress is thought to play a key role. We aimed to determine whether fronto-limbic WM integrity is compromised, and associated with in vivo antioxidant levels (indexed by glutathione; GSH), in young adults with unipolar depression (DEP) and bipolar (BD) disorders. Ninety-four patients with DEP, 76 with BD and 59 healthy controls (18–30 years) underwent diffusion tensor and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated from the cingulum bundle (cingulate, hippocampus), fornix, stria terminalis (ST) and uncinate fasciculus tracts. GSH concentration was measured in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus (HIPP). Compared to controls, DEP showed significantly reduced FA in ST, whereas BD did not significantly differ in FA across the five tracts. There were significant positive correlations between ST-FA and HIPP-GSH across groups. Regression analysis revealed that having DEP or BD and reduced HIPP-GSH were significantly associated with reduced ST-FA. Similarly, decreased ST-FA was associated with poorer neuropsychological performance in conjunction with having DEP. Our findings suggest a structural disconnectivity specific to the limbic region of young adults with DEP. Decreased WM integrity was associated with depleted levels of hippocampal GSH suggesting that this particular disruption may be linked to oxidative stress at early stages of illness. Young adults with BD do not have the same degree of impairment.
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Lithium-impregnated metal foam anodes (LIMFAs) are fabricated and investigated. The LIMFAs are prepared by the impregnation of lithium into molten-salt-coated nickel metal foam. A single cell with the LIMFA exhibits a specific capacity of 3009 As g−1. For comparison, a single cell with a LiSi alloy anode is also discharged, demonstrating a specific capacity of 1050 As g−1. These significant improvements can be attributed to the large amount of lithium impregnated into the metal foam as well as the molten lithium holding capability of the foam. Due to their excellent electrochemical properties, LIMFAs are suitable for use in thermal batteries. | battery |
This paper presents an empirical design methodology to optimize a context recognition system with respect to a trade-off between power consumption and recognition performance rather than straightforward maximization of the recognition rate. As illustration, we present a case study in which the interaction with different household appliances is detected by means of a wrist worn microphone and accelerometers. This example, which is embedded in the larger context of an assisted living scenario, demonstrates that the proposed method leads to improvements in battery lifetime by a factor of 2–4 with only little degradation in recognition performance. For a specific sensor node, we show that a recognition rate of 94% can be achieved with a power consumption of just 3.3 mW, resulting in a battery lifetime of 168 h. | non-battery |
Energy deficiency is one of the key enigmas impacting the livelihood of millions of poverty stricken people throughout the world. It is quite evident that electrification of rural areas can improve the standard of education, health conditions, living and empowering the youth of the nearby population. Uttarakhand state of India is mainly encompassing southern periphery of Himalayas. Census of India reveals that about 123 numbers of villages and 1966 numbers of village hamlets are still unelectrified in the state. Electrification of these villages/hamlets of remote hills using renewable energy resources in off-grid mode is a feasible option compared to uneconomical grid extension. State has identified small hydro power potential of 1500MW, mean annual daily solar radiation of 4.5–5.5kWh/m2 with 300 sunny days in a year, enormous forest foliage, crop residue, animal waste and mean annual wind speed of 5–5.5m/s in some places of the state. The present study comprises the utilization of single technology based system such as small hydro, biomass, biogas, solar and small wind turbines etc. and also aggregated technology, depending on the availability of the resources in the present locality. A methodological framework has been established to avail the demand and resources assessment of the area. Various barriers and issues are finally discussed, which leads to a greater obstacle, in the path of system implementation. In order to address these barriers and issues, suitable solutions are recommended in the present context. | battery |
Metal hydrides are promising high-capacity anode materials for Li-ion batteries but their conversion reaction with lithium suffers from low reversibility at room temperature (RT). Irreversibility issues in magnesium hydride MgH2 thin films are investigated, as well-defined model system. Films are deposited over Cu current collectors by means of microwave plasma-assisted sputtering and coated with aluminum to minimize formation of passivating MgO native oxide. Structural and chemical properties of the electrodes have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Galvanostatic cycling reversibility at RT and C/50 regime is limited to 25% in the first cycle for 1 μm thick films. The lithiation of the thin film is complete and doubles its thickness. Despite drastic volume changes, neither cracks, voids, nor detachment of the thin film from the substrate are noticed. Moreover, electronic resistivity decreases upon lithiation due to the formation of metallic Mg. The origin of irreversibility phenomena in MgH2 films is attributed to sluggish mass transport of species within the electrode at RT. | battery |
Nitromezuril (NZL) is a novel triazine compound that exhibits remarkable anticoccidial activity. However, mutagenicity and genotoxicity of NZL have not been evaluated to date. This study evaluated the potential risks of NZL by testing for bacterial reverse mutation (Ames), mouse sperm abnormality (SA), bone marrow micronucleus (MN) and chromosomal aberration (CA). Mice were orally administered with NZL at 385, 192 and 96mg/kg, corresponding to 0.5×, 0.25× and 0.125× the LD50 of NZL, respectively. No significant increases in SA and CA were found in mice treated with NZL for 5d and 3d, respectively (P >0.05). NZL at 96–385mg/kg did not have significant influence on micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte counts (P >0.05). These results suggest that NZL is not genotoxic. However, Ames test results were positive both with and without the S9 system for Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100, suggesting that NZL may be mutagenic. The mutagenic effects of NZL were different in in vitro and in vivo assays. Further studies should be conducted to confirm the safety of using and developing NZL as a novel anticoccidial drug. | non-battery |
Exploitation of hierarchical porous carbons is increasingly attractive for high-capacity lithium (Li)-oxygen (O2) battery cathodes. However, their practical applications in non-aqueous electrolytes are limited by poor rechargeability, primarily due to the decomposition of carbon electrode and electrolyte. In this work, we report a vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT)-ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) core-shell (VACNT@RuO2) cathode for non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries. The cathode is fabricated with VACNT as the core material and hydrous RuO2 as the shell material, which eliminates the direct contact between the carbon and nucleophilic reactive intermediate species in the electrolyte. In comparison with the VACNT cathode, the VACNT@RuO2 cathode presents a superior rate capability (3.3-fold less reduction in capacity) and cycling stability (sustainable for 100 cycles), with a maximum capacity as large as 13.2 mAh cm−2 (6600 mAh gelectrode −1) at 1.0 mA cm−2. The proposed cathode exhibiting a binder-free and hierarchical core-shell structure is a promising candidate for rechargeable non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries. | battery |
In October 2009, a group of neurologists, neurosurgeons, computational neuroscientists, and engineers congregated to present novel developments transforming human electrocorticography (ECoG) beyond its established relevance in clinical epileptology. The contents of the proceedings advanced the role of ECoG in seizure detection and prediction, neurobehavioral research, functional mapping, and brain–computer interface technology. The meeting established the foundation for future work on the methodology and application of surface brain recordings. | non-battery |
This study investigates the governance role of a country’s legal and extra-legal institutions in explaining the variations in firms’ cost of equity capital induced by concentrated ownership structures from 21 countries. Using four implied cost of equity proxies, the results show that the large ownership-control divergence of the ultimate owner has a positive and significant impact on the firm’s cost of equity capital. The finding lends support to the entrenchment effect in that the concentrated ownership structure increases the firm’s external financing cost. Further analyses demonstrate that the higher equity cost induced by the ultimate ownership structure is significantly reduced by a country’s stronger legal and extra-legal institutions, highlighting the governance role played by a country’s institutions in reducing the firm’s external financing cost. | non-battery |