bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can We Consider SiC Nanoparticles Inert When We Add Them to Electrodeposition Systems?
Authors: Pinate Santiago , Leisner Peter , Zanella Caterina 
Published: December 2020

One of the biggest challenges that the electrodeposition of nanocomposites faces is obtaining reproducible results and controlled end products. Albeit, nominally equal particles and similar bath composition often are reported contradictory results in the codeposition rate when nanocomposites are electroplated.
In this study, the chemical response of as-produced SiC nanoparticles (50 and 60 nm size) from different suppliers was examined by ζ-potential measurements and pH titration. The latter revealed a buffering effect at acidic pH with different intensity for each powder, while the ζ-potential values also varied between suppliers. These results highlighted how the particles’ surface state could be the source of contradictory values in their codeposition rate, where SiC50 reported ≈ 0.8% vol. content, whereas SiC60 ≈ 4.5% vol.
The main objective of this work was to tackle the scattering of powder beahviour by a surface treatment (ST) of the powder based on nitric acid, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge has not been proposed before in this context of electroplating nanocomposites. The ST was successful in bringing the particles independently of their size, batch or production route to a common status and behaviour, thus a controlled electrocodeposition. The buffering effect observed by titration reported a similar intensity decrease, and the ζ-potential measurements showed comparable negative values for each powder. Moreover, the ST significantly altered the codeposition rate allowing a similar codeposition for both powders, thus resulting in also a similar microhardness and microstructure.
Creep Deformation of Lithium Foil at Moderate Pressures (< 2 MPa) and Temperatures (30-50°C)
Authors: Ding Shaochen , Fairgrieve-Park Logan , Fleischauer Michael 
Published: December 2020

Lithium metal is receiving significant research attention as a potential next generation negative electrode material in lithium ion batteries because it can offer a ~50% increase in cell energy density compared to conventional graphite electrodes. There are, however, a number of mechanical challenges using lithium metal electrodes. Mechanical stack pressure is required to ensure good contact between solid-state electrodes and electrolytes. Moderate to high stack pressures (e.g. < 10 MPa) can also supress void formation during fast charging and discharging.1 Creep, the plastic deformation of a material under constant pressure, improves battery performance by preventing and filling voids, but can also lead to decreased performance if lithium is unable to sustain the required stack pressure, and potentially cell shorting if lithium is e.g. extruded beyond the current collectors.
Creep deformation rates are highly dependent on homologous temperature and pressure. Lithium metal has a relatively low melting point (181°C) / high homologous temperature at common cell temperatures which should result in substantial lithium creep deformation. Previous studies have characterized both the tensile creep properties of lithium foils2 and compressive creep properties of bulk lithium rods.3 Significant barrelling of the high aspect ratio lithium rods (initial height:width of 4:1 to 1:1) during compression made it difficult to determine the applied pressure on the lithium, obscuring the relationship between pressure and creep rate.3 These important studies increased our collective understanding of the mechanical properties of lithium, but are not necessarily reflective of the compressive creep of lithium foils in a cell environment. Here, we report on the compressive creep of lithium foil within an electrochemical cell at commercially relevant stack pressures and temperatures.
Compressive creep deformation of low aspect ratio (1:40 to 1:10; initially 0.3 – 2.5 mm thick, 13 mm diameter) lithium metal foils was measured in hermetically sealed, rigid but flexible cells at temperatures between 30 - 110°C and applied pressures between 1 - 2 MPa. Creep testing was performed by integrating a Conflat-style electrochemical cell4 featuring welded bellows and an optical window with an Instron 5966 Universal Testing System (which measures / controls force and displacement). Creep rates were determined using the time-dependent displacement data after reaching a constant applied force. Two methods to convert force to pressure will be described, including the use of an inline camera to measure the lithium-compressive piston contact area.
Creep deformation was observed at all tested temperatures, and all pressures above 1 MPa. Creep rates were on the order of a few tenths of a micron per hour, which while small, implies very limited device lifetime with thin lithium layers. Lithium metal may not be physically strong enough for use in high energy density all solid-state devices.

Figure 1
Solid State Ion Conductors to Enable Low Temperature Molten Sodium Batteries
Authors: Spoerke Erik D. , Peretti Amanda , Gross Martha , Percival Stephen , Small Leo J. , Hill Ryan , Cheng Yang-Tse 
Published: December 2020

Molten sodium batteries show clear promise for safe, long-lifetime grid-scale energy storage, and there is growing expectation that they may be able to impact a host of energy storage areas, ranging from vehicle electrification to industrial applications. Key to the successful development and implementation of these technologies, though, are 1) reducing the traditionally high operating temperature of these batteries and 2) identifying robust, zero-crossover solid state separators that will perform effectively at these reduced temperatures. Traditional molten sodium batteries, such as sodium-sulfur and sodium-nickel chloride (ZEBRA), operate near 300°C, where ceramic separators, such as β”-Al2O3 have high ionic conductivity, but these high temperature systems can be cost-prohibitive in large scale applications. Here, we discuss a significant deviation from these chemistries and materials in a sodium-iodide (NaI) battery that utilizes a molten sodium anode and a sodium iodide-based molten salt catholyte, operating at drastically reduced temperatures near 100°C. NaSICONs (Na Super Ion CONductors) show promise as effective ceramic separators in lab-scale demonstrations of this battery chemistry, but challenges to cost, widespread availability of the material, electrochemical compatibility, and mechanical stability of the ceramic have motivated the search for new sodium ion conducting separator materials and designs. We will describe not only critical synthetic considerations, but also important benefits and shortcomings of NaSICON separators for use in this specific battery chemistry. Importantly, we will describe recent efforts build on the promise of NaSICON materials, exploring new composite materials and hybrid structures that meet strenuous demands of ionic conductivity, chemical compatibility, and mechanical robustness for separators in low temperature sodium batteries. Innovative designs that take advantage of controlled particle morphology and organization in polymer-ceramic composites, for example, promise improved mechanical durability and effective ionic conductance in low cost, highly processable systems. Understanding the critical relationships between material composition, microstructure, and electrochemical performance of these emerging materials will be central to the successful development of a new generation of solid-state ion conductors and the realization of effective low temperature molten sodium batteries.
Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.
(Invited) Oxide-Based All-Solid-State Batteries Prepared By Aerosol Deposition
Authors: Iriyama Yasutoshi , Sakakura Miyuki , Motoyama Munekazu , Yamamoto Takayuki 
Published: December 2020

Oxide-based all-solid-state batteries (OX-SSBs) have been expected as next generation rechargeable batteries. Although various kinds of high Li+ conductive solid electrolytes have been prepared such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZ), NASICON-structured Li1.3Al0.3Ti2(PO4)3 (LATP), LiTaPO4 etc, there are serious problems to develop low-resistive positive electrode/high Li+ conductive solid electrolyte interface. Because these high Li+ conductive solid electrolytes are crystallized at 800-1000 ℃, high temperature sintering is common way to combine them with conventional crystalline insertion electrode materials (LiCoO2 (LCO), LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM111) etc). However, both electrodes and solid electrolytes are composed of different elements with different concentrations, such high temperature sintering process frequently provide mutual diffusion region around the interface in addition to structural degradation and then seriously impede the interfacial resistance. Thus, one strategy to prevent those side reactions will be to apply low temperature sintering or densification process.
We have focused on aerosol deposition, AD, a room temperature ceramic coating process. AD can realize quick speed and wide area ceramic coating and has been estimated as a cost-effective process technology for oxide-based energy conversion devices. AD make it possible to prepare electrode-solid electrolyte composite electrodes at room temperature and LiCoO2 film electrode on LiPON film. In addition, AD enables us to investigate the effects of annealing temperature on the interfacial resistances and then limiting temperature for sintering.
In this presentation, our recent works on Ox-SSBs using the AD will be introduced 1) 4V- and 5V-class bulk-type Ox-SSBs, 2) effects of annealing temperature on interfacial resistivity, an example of LCO-LATP system to determine limiting temperature for sintering.
A Molecular Approach to Control the Morphology and Properties for the Development of Highly Conductive and Stable Anion Exchange Membranes
Authors: Al Munsur Abu Zafar , Kim Tae-Hyun 
Published: December 2020

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have drawn growing interests in the past decade.The inexpensive non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) catalyst and faster oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) kinetic at high pH are the potential driving force to develop AEM materials.Despite numerous studies, molecular design rules have not yet been fully elucidated for the development of highly conductive and alkaline stable AEMs. Polymer materials that can produce tunable nanoscale and well-developed micro-phase separated morphology hold great promises as highly conductive and alkaline stable AEMs.Understanding the relationship between the structure and electrical/physicochemical properties of the corresponding AEMs are critical to the rational design and development of AEMs.
We report herein a systematic approach to develop highly conductive and alkaline stable anion exchange membranes based on the non-(aryl ether) polymer backbone grafted with the pendant quaternary ammonium as an ion-conducting head group and the alkyl chain as a hydrophobic spacer in different ways. The effects of structure on the properties of the corresponding AEMs such as morphology, ion conductivity, physicochemical properties, and fuel cell properties will be investigated in detail.
Low Temperature Synthesis of Halide Phosphors Using Novel Water-Assisted Solid-State Reaction Method
Authors: Toda Kenji 
Published: December 2020

In recent years, nano-phosphor materials have attracted much attention due to their signiﬁcant potential for high-performance micro-LED displays and solid state lighting devices. In addition, nano-phosphors are considered to be promising candidates for spectral-converters to enhance the energy-conversion efﬁciency of silicon solar cells. Synthesis of nano-phosphors can be categorized in two ways namely, chemical and physical methods. Various methods such as the sol-gel, hydro-thermal, or the polymerized complex methods are usually used to synthesize nano-phosphor materials. However, these methods require expensive and special experimental equipment, raw materials, or solvents.
In this study, we synthesized nano-sized halide phosphors using a novel water-assisted solid-state reaction (WASSR) method. This novel soft chemical synthesis method is very simple and can synthesize nano-particle materials just by storing or mixing raw materials added a small amount (typically 10wt%) of water in a reactor at low temperature below 500 K. Typical particle sizes (under 100 nm) of the samples prepared by the WASSR method were smaller than that (2 - 10 micrometer size) of the sample prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method.
For example, a stoichiometric mixture of CsCl, CaCl2 and EuCl3 hydrate was mixed for the WASSR synthesis of CsCaCl3:Eu2+ phosphor. Then, a small amount (2 wt%) of water was added to the mixture and mixed using mortar for 1 min to synthesize a single phase of CsCaCl3:Eu3+. For the reduction of Eu3+ ion, 6 wt % of hydrazine monohydrate was added to the CsCaCl3:Eu3+ and heated in the closed reactor for 12 h at 493 K. The XRD pattern of the products are in good agreement with that of single phase CsCaCl3. The SEM image and the photoluminescence spectra of CsCaCl3:Eu2+ is shown in Figure. CsCa0.09Eu0.01Cl3 shows strong blue emission under the excitation of UV light. Our proposed low cost and low-temperature synthesis technique are promising for an industrial application for phosphor materials synthesis processing.
Acknowledgment
This research was financially supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy(MOTIE) and Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology(KIAT) through the International Cooperative R&D program (P0006844_Development of color conversion nanocrystal luminescence materials for next generation display).
References
[1] T. Kaneko, S. W. Kim, A. Toda, K. Uematsu, T. Ishigaki, K. Toda, M. Sato, J. Koide, M. Toda, Y. Kudo, T. Masaki, and D. H. Yoon, Sci. Adv. Mater., 7, 1502 (2015).
[2] S-W. Kim, T. Hasegawa, M. Watanabe, M. Muto, T. Terashima, Y. Abe, T. Kaneko, A. Toda, T. Ishigaki, K. Uematsu, K. Toda, M. Sato, E. Kawakami, J. Koide, M. Toda, Y. Kudo, T. Masaki and D. H. Yoon, Appl. Spect. Rev., 52, 1 (2017).

Figure 1
Neuronal Tau Protein Film Stability on Gold Surface: Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of Partial and Complete Surfaces
Authors: Wallace William , Martic Sanela 
Published: December 2020

Tau is a neuronal protein responsible for microtubule formation [1]. It is also the pathological protein active in the Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathway. When Tau begins to aggregate as a result of misfolding, the neuronal cells die due to the lack of microtubule formation and can take on prion-like properties [2]. Therefore, detection of aggregated Tau can serve as a powerful tool in the early diagnosis of AD and dementia related diseases. As has been previously demonstrated, Tau 441 can be detected with an electrochemical immunoassay based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) by using gold electrode [3]. The EIS was also used to monitor interactions between Tau protein and Heparin [4]. Due to the sensitive nature of protein molecules, buffers of physiological pH need to be employed to maintain native protein structure. However, not all buffer solutions are appropriately suited for surface studies. Herein, we describe use of EIS to monitor and detect surface stability of Tau protein films on gold electrode in two common buffers: MES buffer and Phosphate Buffer (PB). Additionally, the stability of partial and complete surfaces was also monitored. The partial surface was completed by backfilling with a solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the complete surface was backfilled using 1-butylamine and hexanethiol. After modifying the surface of the electrode with activated lipoic acid and Tau, a series of further incubation steps were performed to test surface stability under various conditions. The EIS was measured as a function of Tau or Heparin concentrations, and incubation time and temperature. The control experiments included, Tau-free surface, Heparin-free solution, and buffer solutions in order to minimize non-specific interactions. The stability of the surfaces was measured as a signal change in EIS after incubations and it was discovered that certain buffered solutions and partial surfaces induced large changes in tau protein films on surfaces.

References

[1] M.D. Weingarten, A.H. Lockwood, S. Hwo, M.W. Kirschner, A Protein Factor Essential for Microtubule Assembly, Natl. Acad Sci. 72 (1975) 1858–1862.
[2] F. Clavaguera, J. Hench, M. Goedert, M. Tolnay, Prion-like transmission and spreading of tau pathology, Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol. 41 (2015) 47–58.
[3] N. Carlin, S. Martic-Milne, Anti-tau antibodies based electrochemical sensor for detection of tau protein biomarkers, J. Electrochem. Soc. 165 (2018) G3018–G3025.
[4] H. Trzeciakiewicz, J. Esteves-Villanueva, R. Soudy, K. Kaur, S. Martic-Milne, Electrochemical characterization of protein adsorption onto YNGRT-Au and VLGXE-Au surfaces, Sensors (Switzerland). 15 (2015) 19429–19442.
Electrochemical Characterization of Carboplatin at Unmodified Platinum Electrodes and Its Application to Drug Uptake Studies in Ovarian Cancer Cells
Authors: Luu Huy Tran Le , Nachtigal Mark W. , Kuss Sabine 
Published: December 2020

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has the highest mortality rate among gynecological cancers and affects patients on all continents. Primary treatments involve surgery and the administration of chemotherapeutics, such as carboplatin, which is listed by the World Health Organization as an essential medication for the treatment of human cancers. Unfortunately, due to high rates of drug resistance of EOC towards carboplatin, cancer relapse rates are devastating, and the mechanisms of chemoresistance to carboplatin have not been adequately identified. Consequently, there is a dire need for innovative strategies that are able to detect carboplatin resistance in cancer and to further our understanding of the fundamental nature of chemoresistance towards carboplatin.
The presented work describes the thorough electrochemical characterization of carboplatin. We quantify the uptake of carboplatin by ovarian cancer cells by electrochemistry to better understand mechanisms of carboplatin chemoresistance. Results emerging from this research will be important for future medical research developing novel agents to combat chemoresistance.
Preparation and Mnuplation of Silver Nanostructure with Plasmon Activity By a Simple Method
Authors: Hyono Atsushi , Yoshitani Riu , Takase Mai , Suzuki Keita , Ito Fuminori , Chiba Makoto 
Published: December 2020

Introduction: One of metal fine particles’ applications is Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering; SERS) with their surface plasmon resonance. It is usually performed on the substrates which have gold or silver clusters on their surface. It can be enhanced at the gap between two clusters much more than at the surface of a cluster. However, this enhancement at the gap of clusters was limited because these clusters were usually placed on the plate substrate. Placed these nanoparticles on the surface of the larger particles, the enhanced point can be moved on any place.
In this study, we tried to prepare polystyrene (PS) particles which have smaller metal particles deposited by the electroplating on their surface.

Experimental: PS beads (<1.0 μm) were used as template particles. The PS dispersion in 50 % ethanol aqueous solution was put on indium tin oxide coated glass substrate to form the colloidal crystalline template.
The flash electroplating was performed with DC power supply with 1 – 10 V in aqueous solutions containing silver ions. After rinsed with distilled water, the particles were observed by scanning electron microscopy.
Photoabsorption spectrum of Ag deposited samples were measured for evaluation of LSPR.

Results and Discussions: SEM images of Ag electroplated with 3 V for 5 s in 0.001 M AgNO3 aqueous solution on the template by 1.0 μm PS beads were shown in Fig. 1. With lower voltage, 1 V, less Ag clusters were generated. With higher voltage, the clusters were rapidly grown and covered the PS beads’ surface so that it is not found the gap between the clusters. Same tendency was found the results with more concentrated silver solution. It is suggested that the optimal condition for placing Ag clusters on the PS beads was the electroplating with 3 or 5 V. It is also indicated that the Ag particles’ size can be controlled by the applied DC voltage and applied period of electrodeposition. In addition, the Ag cluster induced photoabsorption with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) around 480 nm region. The photoabsorption was observed particularly strongly in the brushy structure (using 1.0 μm PS beads and 5 V applied), and it was shown that it was due to the strong electromagnetic field derived from the nanogap structure in the Ag clusters. This also shows that SPR is localized. We have succeeded in preparing the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) active structure and found that its optical properties can be controlled using a very simple method with an electroplating process. These results suggest that one of the possibilities of the helpful to high sensitivity the sensor using the surface enhanced method (Raman, IR, photoluminescence (PL) and more).

Acknowledgement: This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP19K05191.

Figure 1
Influence of Fuels and pH on the Activity and Dissolution Stability of Bifunctional Alloy Electrocatalysts
Authors: Kormanyos Attila , Speck Florian Dominik , Savan Alan , Ludwig Alfred , Mayrhofer Karl J. J. , Cherevko Serhiy 
Published: December 2020

After two decades of slumber, research on organic fuel cells is getting increasing interest. Organic fuels, such as alcohols provide an attractive avenue to overcome the drawbacks of hydrogen as an energy carrier however, catalysis is still a bottleneck for their efficient oxidation. In most studies almost exclusively primary alcohols (e.g., methanol and ethanol) are investigated as fuels. The major downside of this approach is that these are not “zero emission” systems since CO2 forms as a final product. Moreover, CO evolves as an intermediate, which poisons the catalyst surface leading to deteriorated device performance. A possible solution is to use secondary alcohols, such as isopropanol in which case the product is acetone. A prominent member of the bifunctional electrocatalyst family is PtRu, which proven to be the state-of-the-art electrocatalyst in alcohol oxidation. However, in the case of isopropanol the forming acetone poisons its surface, thus there is an inevitable need for the development of novel catalyst materials circumventing these issues. In general, most research efforts so far have addressed the activity and mechanism of oxidation reactions on bifunctional electrocatalysts, but less is known about the influence of alcohols on their stability during operation. On-line techniques allow an elegant option to study such processes besides activity and to track the formed intermediates in real time.
In this study we employ on-line ICP-MS to map the activity and stability of Pt-rich PtRu and PtIr alloy catalysts towards the electrocatalytic oxidation methanol, ethanol and isopropanol. Material libraries were synthesized by combinatorial reactive magnetron sputtering that allowed precise control over the metal/metal ratio in each sample. To determine both the surface and bulk composition of PtRu and PtIr material libraries XRD, XPS and EDX measurements were performed. Activity and stability of the electrocatalyst samples were studied in both acidic (HClO4) and alkaline (KOH) media and in the presence of the alcohols. The observed trends in the activity and dissolution characteristics of both systems are going to be discussed in detail along with the identification of the possible underlying processes.