Sample records for ab3-type alloy electrodes

  1. Non-stoichiometric AB5 alloys for metal hydride electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Reilly, James J.; Adzic, Gordana D.; Johnson, John R.; Vogt, Thomas; McBreen, James

    2001-01-01

    The present invention provides a non-stoichiometric alloy comprising a composition having the formula AB.sub.5+X an atomic ratio wherein A is selected from the group consisting of the rare earth metals, yttrium, mischmetal, or a combination thereof; B is nickel and tin, or nickel and tin and at least a third element selected from the group consisting of the elements in group IVA of the periodic table, aluminum, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, antimony or a combination thereof; X is greater than 0 and less than or equal to about 2.0; and wherein at least one substituted A site is occupied by at least one of the B elements. An electrode incorporating said alloy and an electrochemical cell incorporating said electrode are also described.

  2. Effects on the positive electrode of the corrosion of AB{sub 5} alloys in nickel-metal-hydride batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bernard, P.

    1998-02-01

    Effects of corrosion of MmNi{sub 4.3{minus}x}Mn{sub 0.3}Al{sub 0.4}Co{sub x} alloys (where Mm = Ce 50%, La 30%, Nd 15%, Pr 5%) are evaluated in nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) cells. Particularly, it is shown how Al released by the corroded alloys pollutes the positive electrode, which endures a loss of charging efficiency, due to the formation of a hydrotalcite-like phase stabilized with Al. Furthermore, since Al is eluted from the hydride electrode and is completely trapped in the positive active material, the titration of this element in the positive electrode is a powerful technique for quantification of the corrosion of AB{sub 5} alloysmore » in Ni-MH cells.« less

  3. Effect of Fe2O3 and Binder on the Electrochemical Properties of Fe2O3/AB (Acetylene Black) Composite Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anh, Trinh Tuan; Thuan, Vu Manh; Thang, Doan Ha; Hang, Bui Thi

    2017-06-01

    In an effort to find the best anode material for Fe/air batteries, a Fe2O3/AB (Acetylene Black) composite was prepared by dry-type ball milling using Fe2O3 nanoparticles and AB as the active and additive materials, respectively. The effects of various binders and Fe2O3 content on the electrochemical properties of Fe2O3/AB electrodes in alkaline solution were investigated. It was found that the content of Fe2O3 strongly affected the electrochemical behavior of Fe2O3/AB electrodes; with Fe2O3 nanopowder content reaching 70 wt.% for the electrode and showing improvement of the cyclability. When the electrode binder polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was used, clear redox peaks were observed via cyclic voltammetry (CV), while polyvinylidene fluoride-containing electrodes provided CV curves with unobservable redox peaks. Increasing either binder content in the electrode showed a negative effect in terms of the cyclability of the Fe2O3/AB electrode.

  4. Influence of electrolyte composition and temperature on behaviour of AB5 hydrogen storage alloy used as negative electrode in Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karwowska, Malgorzata; Jaron, Tomasz; Fijalkowski, Karol J.; Leszczynski, Piotr J.; Rogulski, Zbigniew; Czerwinski, Andrzej

    2014-10-01

    The AB5-type metal alloy (Mm-Ni4.1Al0.2Mn0.4Co0.45) has been investigated in different electrolytes (LiOH, NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH). All of the electrochemical measurements have been performed using limited volume electrode technique (LVE). Thickness of the working electrode is nearly equal to the diameter of the grain (ca. 50 μm). Hydrogen diffusion coefficient has been determined using chronoamperometry. Hydrogen diffusion coefficient calculated for 100% state of charge reaches maximum value in KOH (DH = 4.65·10-10 cm2 s-1). We have obtained the highest value of capacity for the electrode in KOH and the lowest - in CsOH. The temperature influence on alloy capacity has been also tested. The alloy has been also characterised with SEM coupled with EDS, TGA/DSC and powder XRD. The unit cell of MmNi4.1Al0.2Mn0.4Co0.45 have been refined in the Cu5.4Yb0.8 structure type (a modified LaNi5 structure); the structure is unaffected by the electrochemical treatment.

  5. Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline AB{sub 5} compounds prepared by mechanical alloying

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Z.; Chen, Z.; Zhou, D.

    1998-10-01

    Nanocrystalline LaNi{sub 5} and LaNi{sub 4.5}Si{sub 0.5} synthesized by mechanical alloying were used as negative materials for Ni-MH batteries. It was found that the electrodes prepared with the nanocrystalline powders had similar discharge capacities, better activation behaviors, and longer cycle lifetimes, compared with the negative electrode prepared with polycrystalline coarse-grained LaNi{sub 5} alloy. The properties of the electrodes prepared with these nanocrystalline materials were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compounds caused by mechanical alloying.

  6. (abstract) Studies on AB(sub 5) Metal Hydride Alloys with Sn Additives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ratnakumar, B. V.; Surampudi, S.; Stefano, S. Di; Halpert, G.; Witham, C.; Fultz, B.

    1994-01-01

    The use of metal hydrides as negative electrodes in alkaline rechargeable cells is becoming increasingly popular, due to several advantages offered by the metal hydrides over conventional anode materials (such as Zn, Cd) in terms of specific energy environmental cycle life and compatibility. Besides, the similarities in the cell voltage pressure characteristics, and charge control methods of the Ni-MH cells to the commonly used Ni-Cd point to a projected take over of 25% of the Ni-Cd market for consumer electronics by the Ni-MH cells in the next couple of years. Two classes of metal hydrides alloys based on rare earth metals (AB(sub 5)) and titanium (AB(sub 2)) are being currently developed at various laboratories. AB(sub 2) alloys exhibit higher specific energy than the AB(sub 5) alloys but the state of the art commercial Ni-MH cells are predominately manufactured using AB(sub 5) alloys.

  7. Studies on metal hydride electrodes containing no binder additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rogulski, Z.; Dłubak, J.; Karwowska, M.; Krebs, M.; Pytlik, E.; Schmalz, M.; Gumkowska, A.; Czerwiński, A.

    Electrochemical properties of hydrogen storage alloys (AB 5 type: LaMm-Ni 4.1Al 0.3Mn 0.4Co 0.45) were studied in 6 M KOHaq using Limited Volume Electrode (LVE) method. Working electrodes were prepared by pressing alloy powder (without binding and conducting additives) into a metal net wire serving as a support and as a current collector. Cyclic voltammetry curves reveal well defined hydrogen sorption and desorption peaks which are separated from other faradic processes, such as surface oxidation. Voltammograms of LVE resemble the curves obtained by various authors for single particle metal alloy electrodes. Hydrogen diffusion coefficient calculated at room temperature for LV electrodes and for 100% state of charge reaches a constant value of ca. 3.3 × 10 -9 and 2.1 × 10 -10 cm 2 s -1, for chronoamperometric and chronopotentiometric measurements, respectively. A comparison of the electrodes with average alloy particle sizes of ca. 50 and 4 μm allows us to conclude that at room temperature hydrogen storage capability of AB 5 alloy studied is independent on the alloy particle size. On the other hand, reduction of the particle size increases alloy capacity at temperatures below -10 °C and reduces time of electrochemical activation of the electrode.

  8. Preparation and characterization of mechanically alloyed AB3-type based material LaMg2Ni5Al4 and its solid-gaz hydrogen storage reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaafar, Hassen; Aymard, Luc; Dachraoui, Walid; Demortière, Arnaud; Abdellaoui, Mohieddine

    2018-04-01

    We developed in the present paper the synthesis of a new AB3-type compound LaMg2Ni5Al4 by mechanical alloying (MA) process. ​​X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was used to determine the structural properties and the phase evolution of the powder mixtures. Two different synthesis pathways have been investigated. The first starting from elemental metals and the second from a mixture of two binary compounds LaNi5 (CaCu5-type structure, P6/mmm space group) and Al(Mg) solid solution (cubic Fm-3 m space group). The results show multiphase alloys which contain LaMg2Ni5Al4 main phase with hexagonal PuNi3-type structure (R-3 m space group). Rietveld analysis shows that using a planetary ball mill, we obtain a good yield of LaMg2Ni5Al4 compound after 5 h of mechanical alloying for both synthesis pathways. TEM analysis confirmed XRD results. SEM-EDX analysis of the final product was in agreement with the nominal chemical formula. A setup of possible solid-gaz hydrogenation reaction will be described so far at the end of this work. Electrochemical results demonstrate evidence on hydrogen absorption in the AB3 material and the discharge capacity was equal to 5.9 H/f.u.

  9. In-electrode vs. on-electrode: ultrasensitive Faraday cage-type electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

    PubMed

    Guo, Zhiyong; Sha, Yuhong; Hu, Yufang; Wang, Sui

    2016-03-28

    A new-concept of an "in-electrode" Faraday cage-type electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) method for the ultrasensitive detection of neurotensin (NT) was reported with capture antibody (Ab1)-nanoFe3O4@graphene (GO) and detector antibody (Ab2)&N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-ethylisoluminol (ABEI)@GO, which led to about 1000-fold improvement in sensitivity by extending the Helmholtz plane (OHP) of the proposed electrode assembly effectively.

  10. Influence of composition on phase occurrence during charge process of AB 5+x Ni-MH negative electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vivet, S.; Latroche, M.; Chabre, Y.; Joubert, J.-M.; Knosp, B.; Percheron-Guégan, A.

    2005-05-01

    Multi-substituted LaNi 5-type alloys (AB 5+x) are widely used as negative electrode materials in commercial Ni-MH batteries. Cobalt substitution on Ni sites allows to enhance battery cycle life by reducing alloy pulverization induced by hydrogen cycling. This improvement is attributed to the occurrence of a three-phase process (α, β and γ) during electrochemical hydrogen loading. In order to better understand the effect of the composition on the phase occurrence and to reduce the rate of costly cobalt, an in situ neutron diffraction study has been performed at room temperature during electrochemical charge of two different electrode materials MmNi 4.07Mn 0.63Al 0.2M 0.4 with M=Fe and Mn and B/A=5.3. These cobalt free compounds show cycle life comparable to that of commercial materials. The results show that three phases are also observed for these samples. The γ-phase content depends on M and is higher for M=Fe than for M=Mn. These results are related to the improved cycle lives and to the alloy pulverization process.

  11. Crystal structure and electrochemical characteristics of non-AB 5 type La-Ni system alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Siqi; Ouyang, Chuying; Lei, Minsheng

    The La-Ni system compounds have been prepared by arc-melting method under Ar atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the as-prepared alloys consist of different phases. The electrochemical properties, including activation, maximum discharge capacity, high rate chargeability (HRC), and high rate dischargeability (HRD) of these alloy electrodes have been studied through the charge-discharge recycle testing at different temperatures and charge (or discharge) currents. Among the La-Ni alloy electrodes studied, LaNi 2.28 alloy has the most excellent high rate charging performance, and La 2Ni 7 alloy exhibit the highest high rate dischargeability, while La 7Ni 3 alloy is capable of discharging at low temperature.

  12. Alloys for hydrogen storage in nickel/hydrogen and nickel/metal hydride batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anani, Anaba; Visintin, Arnaldo; Petrov, Konstantin; Srinivasan, Supramaniam; Reilly, James J.; Johnson, John R.; Schwarz, Ricardo B.; Desch, Paul B.

    1993-01-01

    Since 1990, there has been an ongoing collaboration among the authors in the three laboratories to (1) prepare alloys of the AB(sub 5) and AB(sub 2) types, using arc-melting/annealing and mechanical alloying/annealing techniques; (2) examine their physico-chemical characteristics (morphology, composition); (3) determine the hydrogen absorption/desorption behavior (pressure-composition isotherms as a function of temperature); and (4) evaluate their performance characteristics as hydride electrodes (charge/discharge, capacity retention, cycle life, high rate capability). The work carried out on representative AB(sub 5) and AB(sub 2) type modified alloys (by partial substitution or with small additives of other elements) is presented. The purpose of the modification was to optimize the thermodynamics and kinetics of the hydriding/dehydriding reactions and enhance the stabilities of the alloys for the desired battery applications. The results of our collaboration, to date, demonstrate that (1) alloys prepared by arc melting/annealing and mechanical alloying/annealing techniques exhibit similar morphology, composition and hydriding/dehydriding characteristics; (2) alloys with the appropriate small amounts of substituent or additive elements: (1) retain the single phase structure, (2) improve the hydriding/dehydriding reactions for the battery applications, and (3) enhance the stability in the battery environment; and (3) the AB(sub 2) type alloys exhibit higher energy densities than the AB(sub 5) type alloys but the state-of-the-art, commercialized batteries are predominantly manufactured using Ab(sub 5) type alloys.

  13. Studies on hydride-forming alloys as the active material of a metal hydride electrode for a nickel metal hydride cell

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lim, H.S.; Zelter, G.R.; Allison, D.U.

    1997-12-01

    Multi-component AB{sub 5} hydrides are attractive replacements for the cadmium electrode in nickel-cadmium batteries. The archetype compound of the AB{sub 5} alloy class is LaNi{sub 5}, but in a typical battery electrode mischmetal is substituted for La and Ni is substituted in part by variety of metals. This paper deals with the effect on cycle life upon the partial substitution of various lanthanides for La and Sn, In, Al, Co, and Mn for Ni. The presence of Ce was shown to enhance cycle life as did Sn in some cases. An electrode of La{sub 0.67}Ce{sub 0.33}B{sub 5} alloy gave overmore » 3,500 cycles (to specific capacity of 200 mAh/g), indicating that it is a very attractive alloy for a practical Ni/MH{sub x} cell.« less

  14. Crystal structure and electrochemical properties of rare earth non-stoichiometric AB5-type alloy as negative electrode material in Ni-MH battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xinbo; Chai, Yujun; Yin, Wenya; Zhao, Minshou

    2004-07-01

    The La 0.85Mg xNi 4.5Co 0.35Al 0.15 (0.05⩽ x⩽0.35) system compounds have been prepared by arc melting method under Ar atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the as-prepared alloys have different lattice parameters and cell volumes. The electrochemical properties of these alloys have been studied through the charge-discharge recycle testing at different temperatures and discharge currents. It is found that the La 0.85Mg 0.25Ni 4.5Co 0.35Al 0.15 alloy electrode is capable of performing high-rate discharge. Moreover, it has very excellent electrochemical properties as negative electrode materials in Ni-MH battery at low temperature, even at -40°C.

  15. A study of the Al content impact on the properties of MmNi 4.4- xCo 0.6Al x alloys as precursors for negative electrodes in NiMH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bliznakov, S.; Lefterova, E.; Dimitrov, N.; Petrov, K.; Popov, A.

    AB 5-type hydrogen storage alloys with MmNi 4.4- xCo 0.6Al x (Mm-mischmetal) composition are synthesized, structurally and thermodynamically characterized, and electrochemically tested in 6 M KOH electrolyte. It is shown that an increase of the Al content in the alloy results in expansion of both the alloy lattice cell size and the unit cell volume. These structural changes lead to decrease of the plateau pressure and increase of the plateau width in the pressure-composition-temperature desorption isotherms. Improvement of the specific electrode capacity is also registered with the increase of the cell parameters. In addition to that the higher Al content is found to enhance the stability of the alloy components' hydrides. Maximum discharge capacity of 278 mAh g -1 is measured with an electrode made from a MmNi 3.6Co 0.6Al 0.8 alloy. Cycle life tests of the accordingly prepared electrodes suggest a stability that is comparable to the stability of commercially available hydrogen storage electrodes.

  16. Lithium alloy negative electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huggins, Robert A.

    The 1996 announcement by Fuji Photo Film of the development of lithium batteries containing convertible metal oxides has caused a great deal of renewed interest in lithium alloys as alternative materials for use in the negative electrode of rechargeable lithium cells. The earlier work on lithium alloys, both at elevated and ambient temperatures is briefly reviewed. Basic principles relating thermodynamics, phase diagrams and electrochemical properties under near-equilibrium conditions are discussed, with the Li-Sn system as an example. Second-phase nucleation, and its hindrance under dynamic conditions plays an important role in determining deviations from equilibrium behavior. Two general types of composite microstructure electrodes, those with a mixed-conducting matrix, and those with a solid electrolyte matrix, are discussed. The Li-Sn-Si system at elevated temperatures, and the Li-Sn-Cd at ambient temperatures are shown to be examples of mixed-conducting matrix microstructures. The convertible oxides are an example of the solid electrolyte matrix type. Although the reversible capacity can be very large in this case, the first cycle irreversible capacity required to convert the oxides to alloys may be a significant handicap.

  17. The effects of printing orientation on the electrochemical behaviour of 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)/carbon black electrodes.

    PubMed

    Bin Hamzah, Hairul Hisham; Keattch, Oliver; Covill, Derek; Patel, Bhavik Anil

    2018-06-14

    Additive manufacturing also known as 3D printing is being utilised in electrochemistry to reproducibly develop complex geometries with conductive properties. In this study, we explored if the electrochemical behavior of 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)/carbon black electrodes was influenced by printing direction. The electrodes were printed in both horizontal and vertical directions. The horizsontal direction resulted in a smooth surface (HPSS electrode) and a comparatively rougher surface (HPRS electrode) surface. Electrodes were characterized using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. For various redox couples, the vertical printed (VP) electrode showed enhanced current response when compared the two electrode surfaces generated by horizontal print direction. No differences in the capacitive response was observed, indicating that the conductive surface area of all types of electrodes were identical. The VP electrode had reduced charge transfer resistance and uncompensated solution resistance when compared to the HPSS and HPRS electrodes. Overall, electrodes printed in a vertical direction provide enhanced electrochemical performance and our study indicates that print orientation is a key factor that can be used to enhance sensor performance.

  18. Pyrometallurgical Extraction of Valuable Elements in Ni-Metal Hydride Battery Electrode Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Yin-ju; Deng, Yong-chun; Bu, Wen-gang

    2015-10-01

    Gas selective reduction-oxidation (redox) and melting separation were consecutively applied to electrode materials of AB5-type Ni-metal hydride batteries leading to the production of a Ni-Co alloy and slag enriched with rare earth oxides (REO). In the selective redox process, electrode materials were treated with H2/H2O at 1073 K and 1173 K (800 °C and 900 °C). Active elements such as REs, Al, and Mn were oxidized whereas relatively inert elements such as Ni and Co were transformed into their elemental states in the treated materials. SiO2 and Al2O3 powders were added into the treated materials as fluxes which were then melted at 1823 K (1550 °C) to yield a Ni-Co alloy and a REO-SiO2-Al2O3-MnO slag. The high-purity Ni-Co alloy produced can be used as a raw material for AB5-type hydrogen-storage alloy. The REO content in slag was very high, i.e., 48.51 pct, therefore it can be used to recycle rare earth oxides.

  19. Characterization of corrosion products of AB{sub 5}-type hydrogen storage alloys for nickel-metal hydride batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maurel, F.; Knosp, B.; Backhaus-Ricoult, M.

    2000-01-01

    To better understand the decrease in storage capacity of AB{sub 5}-type alloys in rechargeable Ni/MH batteries undergoing repeated charge/discharge cycles, the corrosion of a MnNi{sub 3.55}Co{sub 0.75}Mn{sub 0.4}Al{sub 0.3} alloy in aqueous KOH electrolyte was studied. The crystal structure, chemical composition, and distribution of corrosion products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Hollow and filed needles of a mixed rare earth hydroxide Mn(OH){sub 3} were found to cover a continuous nanocrystalline corrosion scale composed of metal (Ni, Co) solid solution, oxide (Ni,Co)O solid solution and rare earth hydroxide, and a Mn-depleted alloy subscale. Corrosionmore » kinetics were measured for three different temperatures. Growth kinetics of the continuous corrosion scale and of the Mm(OH){sub 3} needles obeyed linear and parabolic rate laws, respectively. Models for the corrosion mechanism were developed on the basis of diffusional transport of Mn and OH through the hydroxide needles and subsequent diffusion along grain boundaries through the nanocrystalline scale.« less

  20. The performances of proto-type Ni/MH secondary batteries using Zr-based hydrogen storage alloys and filamentary type Ni

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Sang-Min; Lee, Ho; Kim, Jin-Ho; Lee, Paul S.; Lee, Jai-Young

    2001-04-01

    For the purpose of developing a Zr-based Laves phase alloy with higher capacity and better performance for electrochemical application, extensive work has been carried out. After careful alloy design of ZrMn2-based hydrogen storage alloys through varying their stoichiometry by means of substituting or adding alloying elements, the Zr0.9Ti0.1(Mn0.7V0.5Ni1.4)0.92 with high capacity (392 mAh/g at the 0.25C) and improved performance (comparable to that of commercialized AB5 type alloy) was developed. Another endeavor was made to improve the poor activation property and the low rate capability of the developed Zr-based Laves phase alloy for commercialization. The combination method of hot-immersion and slow-charging was introduced. It was found that electrode activation was greatly improved after hot immersion at 80°C for 12h followed by charging at 0.05C. The effects of this method are discussed in comparison with other activation methods. The combination method was successfully applied to the formation process of 80 Ah Ni/MH cells. A series of systematic investigations has been rendered to analyze the inner cell pressure characteristics of a sealed type Ni-MH battery. It was found that the increase of inner cell pressure in the sealed type Ni/MH battery of the above-mentioned Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy was mainly due to the accumulation of oxygen gas during charge/discharge cycling. The fact identified that the surface catalytic activity was affected more dominantly by the oxygen recombination reaction than the reaction surface area was also identified. In order to improve the surface catalytic activity of a Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy, which is closely related to the inner pressure behavior in a sealed cell, the electrode was fabricated by mixing the alloy with Cu powder and a filamentary type of Ni and replacing 75% of the carbon black with them; thus, the inner cell pressure rarely increases with cycles due to the active gas recombination reaction. Measurements of the surface

  1. Li-alloy electrode for Li-alloy/metal sulfide cells

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.

    1996-01-01

    A method of making a negative electrode, the electrode made thereby and a secondary electrochemical cell using the electrode. Lithium, silicon and nickel is alloyed in a prescribed proportion forming an electroactive material, to provide an improved electrode and cell.

  2. Li-alloy electrode for Li-alloy/metal sulfide cells

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, T.D.

    1996-07-16

    A method of making a negative electrode is described, the electrode made thereby and a secondary electrochemical cell using the electrode. Lithium, silicon and nickel is alloyed in a prescribed proportion forming an electroactive material, to provide an improved electrode and cell. 7 figs.

  3. Completely transparent ohmic electrode on p-type AlGaN for UV LEDs with core-shell Cu@alloy nanosilk network (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Duanjun; Wang, Huachun; Huang, Youyang; Wu, Chenping; Chen, Xiaohong; Gao, Na; Wei, Tongbo T.; Wang, Junxi; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong

    2016-09-01

    Metal nanowire networks hold a great promise, which have been supposed the only alternative to ITO as transparent electrodes for their excellent performance in touch screen, LED and solar cell. It is well known that the difficulty in making transparent ohmic electrode to p-type high-Al-content AlGaN conducting layer has highly constrained the further development of UV LEDs. On the IWN-2014, we reported the ohmic contact to n, p-GaN with direct graphene 3D-coated Cu nanosilk network and the fabrication of complete blue LED. On the ICNS-2015, we reported the ohmic contact to n-type AlGaN conducting layer with Cu@alloy nanosilk network. Here, we further demonstrate the latest results that a novel technique is proposed for fabricating transparent ohmic electrode to high-Al-content AlGaN p-type conducting layer in UV LEDs using Cu@alloy core-shell nanosilk network. The superfine copper nanowires (16 nm) was synthesized for coating various metals such as Ni, Zn, V or Ti with different work functions. The transmittance showed a high transparency (> 90%) over a broad wavelength range from 200 to 3000 nm. By thermal annealing, ohmic contact was achieved on p-type Al0.5Ga0.5N layer with Cu@Ni nanosilk network, showing clearly linear I-V curve. By skipping the p-type GaN cladding layer, complete UV LED chip was fabricated and successfully lit with bright emission at 276 nm.

  4. Modiolus-Hugging Intracochlear Electrode Array with Shape Memory Alloy

    PubMed Central

    Min, Kyou Sik; Lim, Yoon Seob; Park, Se-Ik; Kim, Sung June

    2013-01-01

    In the cochlear implant system, the distance between spiral ganglia and the electrodes within the volume of the scala tympani cavity significantly affects the efficiency of the electrical stimulation in terms of the threshold current level and spatial selectivity. Because the spiral ganglia are situated inside the modiolus, the central axis of the cochlea, it is desirable that the electrode array hugs the modiolus to minimize the distance between the electrodes and the ganglia. In the present study, we propose a shape-memory-alloy-(SMA-) embedded intracochlear electrode which gives a straight electrode a curved modiolus-hugging shape using the restoration force of the SMA as triggered by resistive heating after insertion into the cochlea. An eight-channel ball-type electrode array is fabricated with an embedded titanium-nickel SMA backbone wire. It is demonstrated that the electrode array changes its shape in a transparent plastic human cochlear model. To verify the safe insertion of the electrode array into the human cochlea, the contact pressures during insertion at the electrode tip and the contact pressures over the electrode length after insertion were calculated using a 3D finite element analysis. The results indicate that the SMA-embedded electrode is functionally and mechanically feasible for clinical applications. PMID:23762181

  5. Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations of liquid Hg-Pb alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Nalini; Thakur, Anil; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2014-04-01

    Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the structural properties of liquid Hg-Pb alloys. The interatomic interactions are described by ab-initio pseudopotentials given by Troullier and Martins. Three liquid Hg-Pb mixtures (Hg30Pb70, Hg50Pb50 and Hg90Pb10) at 600K are considered. The radial distribution function g(r) and structure factor S(q) of considered alloys are compared with respective experimental results for liquid Hg (l-Hg) and lead (l-Pb). The radial distribution function g(r) shows the presence of short range order in the systems considered. Smooth curves of Bhatia-Thornton partial structure factors factor shows the presence of liquid state in the considered three alloys. Among the all considered alloys, Hg50Pb50 alloy shows presence of more chemical ordering and presence of hetero-coordination.

  6. The Effects of Different Electrode Types for Obtaining Surface Machining Shape on Shape Memory Alloy Using Electrochemical Machining

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, S. G.; Kim, S. H.; Choi, W. K.; Moon, G. C.; Lee, E. S.

    2017-06-01

    Shape memory alloy (SMA) is important material used for the medicine and aerospace industry due to its characteristics called the shape memory effect, which involves the recovery of deformed alloy to its original state through the application of temperature or stress. Consumers in modern society demand stability in parts. Electrochemical machining is one of the methods for obtained these stabilities in parts requirements. These parts of shape memory alloy require fine patterns in some applications. In order to machine a fine pattern, the electrochemical machining method is suitable. For precision electrochemical machining using different shape electrodes, the current density should be controlled precisely. And electrode shape is required for precise electrochemical machining. It is possible to obtain precise square holes on the SMA if the insulation layer controlled the unnecessary current between electrode and workpiece. If it is adjusting the unnecessary current to obtain the desired shape, it will be a great contribution to the medical industry and the aerospace industry. It is possible to process a desired shape to the shape memory alloy by micro controlling the unnecessary current. In case of the square electrode without insulation layer, it derives inexact square holes due to the unnecessary current. The results using the insulated electrode in only side show precise square holes. The removal rate improved in case of insulated electrode than others because insulation layer concentrate the applied current to the machining zone.

  7. Electronic properties of liquid Hg-In alloys : Ab-initio molecular dynamics study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Nalini; Thakur, Anil; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2016-05-01

    Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the structural properties of liquid Hg-In alloys. The interatomic interactions are described by ab-initio pseudopotentials given by Troullier and Martins. Three liquid Hg-In alloys (Hg10In90, Hg30In70,. Hg50In50, Hg70In30, and Hg90Pb10) at 299 K are considered. The calculated results for liquid Hg (l-Hg) and lead (l-In) are also drawn. Along with the calculated results of considered five liquid alloys of Hg-In alloy. The results obtained from electronic properties namely total density of state and partial density of states help to find the local arrangement of Hg and In atoms and the presence of liquid state in the considered five alloys.

  8. Charging/discharging stability of a metal hydride battery electrode

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Geng, M.; Han, J.; Feng, F.

    1999-07-01

    The metal hydride (MH) alloy powder for the negative electrode of the Ni/MH battery was first pulverized and oxidized by electrochemically charging and discharging for a number of cycles. The plate of the negative electrode of an experimental cell in this study was made from a mixture of a multicomponent AB{sub 5}-based alloy powder, nickel powder, and polytetra fluoroethylene (PTFE). The characteristics of the negative electrode, including discharge capacity, exchange current density, and hydrogen diffusivity, were studied by means of the electrochemical experiments and analysis in an experimental cell. The exchange current density of a Mm{sub 0.95}Ti{sub 0.05}Ni{sub 3.85}Co{sub 0.45}Mn{submore » 0.35}Al{sub 0.35} alloy electrode increases with increasing number of charge/discharge cycles and then remains almost constant after 20 cycles. A microcracking activation, resulting from an increase in reaction surface area and an improvement in the electrode surface activation, increases the hydrogen exchange current densities. Measurement of hydrogen diffusivities for Mm{sub 0.95}Ti{sub 0.05}Ni{sub 3.85}Co{sub 0.45}Mn{sub 0.35}Al{sub 0.35} alloy powder shows that the ratio of D/a{sup 2} (D = hydrogen diffusivity; a = sphere radius) increases with increasing number of cycles but remains constant after 20 cycles.« less

  9. In situ neutron diffraction study of deuterium gas absorption by AB5+y alloys used as negative electrode materials for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Latroche, M.; Joubert, J.-M.; Guégan, A. Percheron; Isnard, O.

    2004-07-01

    LaNi5-type alloys store reversibly hydrogen and are used as negative electrode materials in Ni-MH batteries. Substitutions on La and Ni crystallographic sites have led to competitive materials with complex formulae Mm(Ni4.3-xMn0.4Al0.3Cox)1+y (Mm: mishmetal). Materials involving an unexpected metastable phase γ show the best cycle lives. This phase occurrence depends on the mishmetal composition, the cobalt rate and the over-stoichiometry. It is observed as a transitory phase only for charge in electrochemical process. To confirm the appearance of this phase during gas loading, in beam D2 gas absorption has been performed on two materials for which the γ phase is expected. Phase amounts and cell volumes have been measured by in situ neutron powder diffraction analysis under controlled gas pressure as a function of the state of charge.

  10. Hydrogen Ordering in Hexagonal Intermetallic AB5 Type Compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sikora, W.; Kuna, A.

    2008-04-01

    Intermetallic compounds AB5 type (A = rare-earth atoms, B = transition metal) are known to store reversibly large amounts of hydrogen and as that are discussed in this work. It was shown that the alloy cycling stability can be significantly improved by employing the so-called non-stoichiometric compounds AB5+x and that is why analysis of change of structure turned out to be interesting. A tendency for ordering of hydrogen atoms is one of the most intriguing problems for the unsaturated hydrides. The symmetry analysis method in the frame of the theory of space group and their representation gives opportunity to find all possible transformations of the parent structure. In this work symmetry analysis method was applied for AB5+x structure type (P6/mmm parent symmetry space group). There were investigated all possible ordering types and accompanying atom displacements in positions 1a, 2c, 3g (fully occupied in stoichiometric compounds AB5), in positions 2e, 6l (where atom B could appear in non-stoichiometric compounds) and also 4h, 6m, 6k, 12n, 12o, which could be partly occupied by hydrogen as a result of hydrides. An analysis was carried out of all possible structures of lower symmetry, following from P6/mmm for we k=(0, 0, 0). Also the way of getting the structure described by the P63mc space group with double cell along the z-axiswe k=(0, 0, 0.5), as it is suggested in the work of Latroche et al. is discussed by the symmetry analysis. The analysis was obtained by computer program MODY. The program calculates the so-called basis vectors of irreducible representations of a given symmetry group, which can be used for calculation of possible ordering modes.

  11. Electronic properties of liquid Hg-In alloys : Ab-initio molecular dynamics study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sharma, Nalini, E-mail: nalini-2808@yahoo.co.in; Ahluwalia, P. K.; Thakur, Anil

    2016-05-23

    Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the structural properties of liquid Hg-In alloys. The interatomic interactions are described by ab-initio pseudopotentials given by Troullier and Martins. Three liquid Hg-In alloys (Hg{sub 10}In{sub 90}, Hg{sub 30}In{sub 70,.} Hg{sub 50}In{sub 50}, Hg{sub 70}In{sub 30}, and Hg{sub 90}Pb{sub 10}) at 299 K are considered. The calculated results for liquid Hg (l-Hg) and lead (l-In) are also drawn. Along with the calculated results of considered five liquid alloys of Hg-In alloy. The results obtained from electronic properties namely total density of state and partial density of states help to find the localmore » arrangement of Hg and In atoms and the presence of liquid state in the considered five alloys.« less

  12. Ab initio simulations of molten Ni alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woodward, Christopher; Asta, Mark; Trinkle, Dallas R.; Lill, James; Angioletti-Uberti, Stefano

    2010-06-01

    Convective instabilities responsible for misoriented grains in directionally solidified turbine airfoils are produced by variations in liquid-metal density with composition and temperature across the solidification zone. Here, fundamental properties of molten Ni-based alloys, required for modeling these instabilities, are calculated using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Equations of state are derived from constant number-volume-temperature ensembles at 1830 and 1750 K for elemental, binary (Ni-X, X=Al, W, Re, and Ta) and ternary (Ni-Al-X, X=W, Re, and Ta) Ni alloys. Calculated molar volumes agree to within 0.6%-1.8% of available measurements. Predictions are used to investigate the range of accuracy of a parameterization of molar volumes with composition and temperature based on measurements of binary alloys. Structural analysis reveals a pronounced tendency for icosahedral short-range order for Ni-W and Ni-Re alloys and the calculations provide estimates of diffusion rates and their dependence on compositions and temperature.

  13. Concentration dependence of electrical resistivity of binary liquid alloy HgZn: Ab-initio study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Nalini; Thakur, Anil; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2013-06-01

    The electrical resistivity of HgZn liquid alloy has been made calculated using Troullier and Martins ab-initio pseudopotential as a function of concentration. Hard sphere diameters of Hg and Zn are obtained through the inter-ionic pair potential have been used to calculate partial structure factors. Considering the liquid alloy to be a ternary mixture Ziman's formula for calculating the resistivity of binary liquid alloys, modified for complex formation, has been used. These results suggest that ab-initio approach for calculating electrical resistivity is quite successful in explaining the electronic transport properties of binary Liquid alloys.

  14. A new activation process for a Zr-based alloy as a negative electrode for Ni/MH electric vehicle batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yu, J.S.; Lee, H.; Lee, S.M.

    1999-12-01

    The effects of a combination hot-immersion and slow-charging method on the activation of a Zr-based alloy were investigated. A Zr{sub 0.7}Ti{sub 0.3}Cr{sub 0.3}Mn{sub 0.3}V{sub 0.4}Ni{sub 1.0} alloy electrode was treated with two steps: alloy electrodes were immersed at 80 C for 12 h in a KOH solution and then charged at a low current density for one cycle. It was found that the alloy electrode activation was greatly improved after this hot-immersion and slow-charging treatment, and furthermore the treated electrodes were fully activated at the first normal cycle. The effects of this treatment are discussed on the basis of resultsmore » obtained by scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The hot-immersion and slow-charging method was successfully applied to the formation process of 80 Ah Ni/MH cells using this Zr-based alloy.« less

  15. Method of preparing an electrode material of lithium-aluminum alloy

    DOEpatents

    Settle, Jack L.; Myles, Kevin M.; Battles, James E.

    1976-01-01

    A solid compact having a uniform alloy composition of lithium and aluminum is prepared as a negative electrode for an electrochemical cell. Lithium losses during preparation are minimized by dissolving aluminum within a lithium-rich melt at temperatures near the liquidus temperatures. The desired alloy composition is then solidified and fragmented. The fragments are homogenized to a uniform composition by annealing at a temperature near the solidus temperature. After comminuting to fine particles, the alloy material can be blended with powdered electrolyte and pressed into a solid compact having the desired electrode shape. In the preparation of some electrodes, an electrically conductive metal mesh is embedded into the compact as a current collector.

  16. Examination of Multiphase (Zr,Ti)(V,Cr,Mn,Ni)2 Ni-MH Electrode Alloys: Part I. Dendritic Solidification Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boettinger, W. J.; Newbury, D. E.; Wang, K.; Bendersky, L. A.; Chiu, C.; Kattner, U. R.; Young, K.; Chao, B.

    2010-08-01

    The solidification microstructures of three nine-element Zr-Ni-based AB2 type C14/C15 Laves hydrogen storage alloys are determined. The selected compositions represent a class of alloys being examined for usage as an MH electrode in nickel metal-hydride batteries that often have their best properties in the cast state. Solidification is accomplished by dendritic growth of hexagonal C14 Laves phase, peritectic solidification of cubic C15 Laves phase, and formation of cubic B2 phase in the interdendritic regions. The B2 phase decomposes in the solid state into a complex multivariate platelike structure containing Zr-Ni-rich intermetallics. The observed sequence C14/C15 upon solidification agrees with predictions using effective compositions and thermodynamic assessments of the ternary systems, Ni-Cr-Zr and Cr-Ti-Zr. Experimentally, the closeness of the compositions of the C14 and C15 phases required the use of compositional mapping with an energy dispersive detector capable of processing a very high X-ray flux to locate regions in the microstructure for quantitative composition measurement and transmission electron microscope examination.

  17. Unification of the phonon mode behavior in semiconductor alloys: Theory and ab initio calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pagès, O.; Postnikov, A. V.; Kassem, M.; Chafi, A.; Nassour, A.; Doyen, S.

    2008-03-01

    We demonstrate how to overcome serious problems in understanding and classification of vibration spectra in semiconductor alloys, following from traditional use of the virtual crystal approximation (VCA). We show that such different systems as InGaAs (1- bond→1 -mode behavior), InGaP (modified 2-mode), and ZnTeSe (2- bond→1 -mode) obey, in fact, the same phonon mode behavior—hence probably a universal one—of a percolation type (1- bond→2 -mode). The change of paradigm from the “VCA insight” (an averaged microscopic one) to the “percolation insight” (a mesoscopic one) offers a promising link toward the understanding of alloy disorder. The discussion is supported by ab initio simulation of the phonon density of states at the zone center of representative supercells at intermediary composition (ZnTeSe) and at the impurity-dilute limits (all systems). In particular, we propose a simple ab initio “protocol” to estimate the basic input parameters of our semiempirical “percolation” model for the calculation of the 1- bond→2 -mode vibration spectra of zinc blende alloys. With this, the model turns self-sufficient.

  18. Ab initio atomistic thermodynamics study on the oxidation mechanism of binary and ternary alloy surfaces

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Shi-Yu, E-mail: buaasyliu@gmail.com; Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Liu, Shiyang

    Utilizing a combination of ab initio density-functional theory and thermodynamics formalism, we have established the microscopic mechanisms for oxidation of the binary and ternary alloy surfaces and provided a clear explanation for the experimental results of the oxidation. We construct three-dimensional surface phase diagrams (SPDs) for oxygen adsorption on three different Nb-X(110) (X = Ti, Al or Si) binary alloy surfaces. On the basis of the obtained SPDs, we conclude a general microscopic mechanism for the thermodynamic oxidation, that is, under O-rich conditions, a uniform single-phase SPD (type I) and a nonuniform double-phase SPD (type II) correspond to the sustainedmore » complete selective oxidation and the non-sustained partial selective oxidation by adding the X element, respectively. Furthermore, by revealing the framework of thermodynamics for the oxidation mechanism of ternary alloys through the comparison of the surface energies of two separated binary alloys, we provide an understanding for the selective oxidation behavior of the Nb ternary alloy surfaces. Using these general microscopic mechanisms, one could predict the oxidation behavior of any binary and multi-component alloy surfaces based on thermodynamics considerations.« less

  19. Efficient Ab initio Modeling of Random Multicomponent Alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Jiang, Chao; Uberuaga, Blas P.

    2016-03-08

    Here, we present in this Letter a novel small set of ordered structures (SSOS) method that allows extremely efficient ab initio modeling of random multi-component alloys. Using inverse II-III spinel oxides and equiatomic quinary bcc (so-called high entropy) alloys as examples, we also demonstrate that a SSOS can achieve the same accuracy as a large supercell or a well-converged cluster expansion, but with significantly reduced computational cost. In particular, because of this efficiency, a large number of quinary alloy compositions can be quickly screened, leading to the identification of several new possible high entropy alloy chemistries. Furthermore, the SSOS methodmore » developed here can be broadly useful for the rapid computational design of multi-component materials, especially those with a large number of alloying elements, a challenging problem for other approaches.« less

  20. Polyphase alloys as rechargeable electrodes in advanced battery systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huggins, Robert A.

    1987-01-01

    The rechargeability of electrochemical cells is often limited by negative electrode problems. These may include loss of capacity, increased impedance, macroscopic shape change, dendrite growth, or a tendency for filamentary or whisker growth. In principle, these problems can be reduced or eliminated by the use of alloys that undergo either displacement or insertion reactions at reactant species activities less than unity, rather than pure elements. The fundamental reasons for some of these problems with elemental electrodes, as well as the basic principles involved in the different behavior of alloys, are briefly discussed. More information is now available concerning the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of a number of alloys of potential interest for use as electrodes in elevated temperature lithium battery systems. Recent results have extended these results down to ambient temperatures, indicating that some such materials may be of interest for use with new low temperature molten salt electrolytes, or with organic solvent electrolytes. The all solid mixed conductor matrix concept is also reviewed.

  1. Ab initio simulations of iron-nickel alloys at Earth's core conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Côté, Alexander S.; Vočadlo, Lidunka; Brodholt, John P.

    2012-09-01

    We report ab initio density functional theory calculations on iron-nickel (FeNi) alloys at conditions representative of the Earth's inner core. We test different concentrations of Ni, up to ∼39 wt% using ab initio lattice dynamics, and investigate the thermodynamic and vibrational stability of the three candidate crystal structures (bcc, hcp and fcc). First of all, at inner core pressures, we find that pure Fe transforms from the hcp to the fcc phase at around 6000 K. Secondly, in agreement with low pressure experiments on Fe-Ni alloys, we find the fcc structure is stabilised by the incorporation of Ni under core pressures and temperatures. Our results show that the fcc structure may, therefore, be stable under core conditions depending on the temperature in the inner core and the Ni content. Lastly, we find that within the quasi-harmonic approximation, there is no stability field for FeNi alloys in the bcc structure under core conditions.

  2. Ab-initio study of liquid systems: Concentration dependence of electrical resistivity of binary liquid alloy Rb1-xCsx

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thakur, Anil; Sharma, Nalini; Chandel, Surjeet; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2013-02-01

    The electrical resistivity (ρL) of Rb1-XCsX binary alloys has been made calculated using Troullier Martins ab-initio pseudopotentials. The present results of the electrical resistivity (ρL) of Rb1-XCsX binary alloys have been found in good agreement with the experimental results. These results suggest that ab-initio approach for calculating electrical resistivity is quite successful in explaining the electronic transport properties of binary Liquid alloys. Hence ab-initio pseudopotentials can be used instead of model pseudopotentials having problem of transferability.

  3. Improvement in low-temperature and instantaneous high-rate output performance of Al-free AB5-type hydrogen storage alloy for negative electrode in Ni/MH battery: Effect of thermodynamic and kinetic regulation via partial Mn substituting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Wanhai; Zhu, Ding; Tang, Zhengyao; Wu, Chaoling; Huang, Liwu; Ma, Zhewen; Chen, Yungui

    2017-03-01

    A series of Al-free Mn-modified AB5-type hydrogen storage alloys have been designed and the effects of thermodynamic stability and electrochemical kinetics on electrochemical performance via Mn substituting have been investigated. Compared with high-Al alloys, the Al-free alloys in this study have better low-temperature performance and instantaneous high-rate output because of the higher surface catalytic ability. After partial substitution of Ni by Mn, both the hydrogen desorption capacity and plateau pressure decrease, and correspondingly results in an improved thermodynamic stability which is adverse to low-temperature delivery. Additionally, with the improvement of charge acceptance ability and anti-corrosion property via Mn substitution, the room-temperature discharge capacity and cycling stability increase slightly. However, Mn adversely affects the electrochemical kinetics and deteriorates both the surface catalytic ability and the bulk hydrogen diffusion ability, leading to the drop of low-temperature dischargeability, high-rate dischargeability and peak power (Ppeak). Based on the thermodynamic and kinetic regulation and overall electrochemical properties, the optimal composition is obtained when x = 0.2, the discharge capacity is 243.6 mAh g-1 at -40 °C with 60 mA g-1, and the Ppeak attains to 969.6 W kg-1 at -40 °C.

  4. Lateral spin valves with two-different Heusler-alloy electrodes on the same platform

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oki, S.; Yamada, S.; Tanikawa, K.

    2013-11-18

    Using room-temperature molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111), we demonstrate Heusler-alloy bilayers consisting of L2{sub 1}-Co{sub 2}FeSi (CFS) and D0{sub 3}-Fe{sub 3}Si (FS). By fabricating lateral spin valves with L2{sub 1}-CFS and D0{sub 3}-FS electrodes, we can see ideal spin signals even though we use one L2{sub 1}-CFS as a spin injector and another D0{sub 3}-FS as a spin detector. The difference in the spin absorption between L2{sub 1}-CFS and D0{sub 3}-FS can also be examined, and we find that the spin resistance of D0{sub 3}-FS is larger than that of L2{sub 1}-CFS. This work will be useful for understanding spinmore » transport in lateral spin-valve devices with different Heusler-alloy electrodes.« less

  5. Study of atomic structure of liquid Hg-In alloys using ab-initio molecular dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Nalini; Thakur, Anil; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2015-05-01

    Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the structural properties of liquid Hg-In alloys. The interatomic interactions are described by ab-initio pseudopotentials given by Troullier and Martins. Five liquid Hg-In mixtures (Hg10In90, Hg30In70, Hg50In50, Hg70In30 and Hg90In10) at 299K are considered. The radial distribution function g(r) and structure factor S(q) of considered alloys are compared with respective experimental results for liquid Hg (l-Hg) and (l-In). The radial distribution function g(r) shows the presence of short range order in the systems considered. Smooth curves of Bhatia-Thornton partial structure factors factor shows the presence of liquid state in the considered alloys.

  6. Multinary alloy electrodes for solid state batteries I. A phase diagram approach for the selection and storage properties determination of candidate electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anani, A.; Huggins, R. A.

    The desire to produce high specific energy rechargeable batteries has led to the investigation of ternary alloy systems for use as negative electrode components in lithium-based cells. The addition of a third component to a binary alloy electrode could result in a significant change in the thermodynamic and/or kinetic behavior of the electrode material, depending on the relevant phase diagram and the crystal structures of the phases present. The influence of ternary phase diagram characteristics upon the thermodynamic properties and specific energies of multi-component electrodes is discussed with lithiumsilicon-based systems as an illustration. It is shown that the electrode potentials (and thus specific energies of the ensuing cell) as well as the theoretical lithium capacities of electrodes based on these ternary alloy modifications can be significantly increased with respect to their present day binary counterpart.

  7. In situ investigation of working battery electrodes using synchrotron x-ray diffraction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jisrawi, N.M.; Thurston, T.R.; Yang, X.Q.

    The results of an in situ investigation of the structural changes that occur during the operation of working battery electrodes using synchrotron radiation are presented. Two types of electrodes were investigated: an AB{sub 2}-type Laves phase alloy anode with the composition Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}M{sub 2} and a proprietary cell based on a Li{sub x}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 4} spinel compound cathode made by Gould electronics. For the Laves phase alloy compositions with x=0.25 and 0.5 and M=V{sub 0.5}N{sub 1.1}Mn{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.2} were examined. Cells made from two different batches of Li{sub x}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 4} material were investigated. The relationships between battery performancemore » and structural changes will be discussed. In the later case, we also discuss the role of over-discharging on the Li{sub x}Mn{sub 2}O{sub 4} structure and on battery operation.« less

  8. Method of making electrodes for electrochemical cell. [Li-Al alloy

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, T.D.; Kilsdonk, D.J.

    1981-07-29

    A method is described for making an electrode for an electrochemical cell in which particulate electrode-active material is mixed with a liquid organic carrier chemically inert with respect to the electrode-active material, mixing the liquid carrier to form an extrudable slurry. The liquid carrier is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 50% by volume of the slurry, and then the carrier is removed from the slurry leaving the electrode-active material. The method is particularly suited for making a lithium-aluminum alloy negative electrode for a high-temperature cell.

  9. Transparent metal selenide alloy counter electrodes for high-efficiency bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Duan, Yanyan; Tang, Qunwei; Liu, Juan; He, Benlin; Yu, Liangmin

    2014-12-22

    The exploration of cost-effective and transparent counter electrodes (CEs) is a persistent objective in the development of bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Transparent counter electrodes based on binary-alloy metal selenides (M-Se; M=Co, Ni, Cu, Fe, Ru) are now obtained by a mild, solution-based method and employed in efficient bifacial DSSCs. Owing to superior charge-transfer ability for the I(-) /I3 (-) redox couple, electrocatalytic activity toward I3 (-) reduction, and optical transparency, the bifacial DSSCs with CEs consisting of a metal selenide alloy yield front and rear efficiencies of 8.30 % and 4.63 % for Co0.85 Se, 7.85 % and 4.37 % for Ni0.85 Se, 6.43 % and 4.24 % for Cu0.50 Se, 7.64 % and 5.05 % for FeSe, and 9.22 % and 5.90 % for Ru0.33 Se in comparison with 6.18 % and 3.56 % for a cell with an electrode based on pristine platinum, respectively. Moreover, fast activity onset, high multiple start/stop capability, and relatively good stability demonstrate that these new electrodes should find applications in solar panels. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Structure and Magnetic Properties in Ruthenium-Based Full-Heusler Alloys: AB INITIO Calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bahlouli, S.; Aarizou, Z.; Elchikh, M.

    2013-12-01

    In this paper, we present ab initio calculations within density functional theory (DFT) to investigate structure, electronic and magnetic properties of Ru2CrZ (Z = Si, Ge and Sn) full-Heusler alloys. We have used the developed full-potential linearized muffin tin orbitals (FP-LMTO) based on the local spin density approximation (LSDA) with the PLane Wave expansion (PLW). In particular, we found that these Ruthenium-based Heusler alloys have the antiferromagnetic (AFM) type II as ground state. Then, we studied and discussed the magnetic properties belonging to our different magnetic structures: AFM type II, AFM type I and ferromagnetic (FM) phase. We also found that Ru2CrSi and Ru2CrGe exhibit a semiconducting behavior whereas Ru2CrSn has a semimetallic-like behavior as it is experimentally found. We made an estimation of Néel temperatures (TN) in the framework of the mean-field theory and used the energy differences approach to deduce the relevant short-range nearest-neighbor (J1) and next-nearest-neighbor (J2) interactions. The calculated TN are somewhat overestimated to the available experimental ones.

  11. Self-discharge characteristic and mechanism of single-phase PuNi3-, Gd2Co7-, and Pr5Co19-type Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jia, Zeru; Zhang, Lu; Zhao, Yumeng; Cao, Juan; Li, Yuan; Dong, Zhentao; Wang, Wenfeng; Han, Shumin

    2017-12-01

    To decrease the self-discharge rate of the nickel metal hydride batteries, the self-discharge characteristic and mechanism of single-phase PuNi3-, Gd2Co7-, and Pr5Co19-type Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys are studied from the perspective of structure in this work. It is found that the self-discharge rate of the alloy electrodes gradually increases with a rising [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] subunit ratio. The factors resulting in reversible and irreversible self-discharge are analyzed by electrochemical pressure-composition isotherms, Tafel and SEM measurements. Electrochemical P-C isotherms show that with the increasing [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] subunit ratio, the hydrogen desorption plateau pressure sharply elevates, leading to less stability of the corresponding hydride and more reversible self-discharge of the alloys; whereas, corrosion current density of the three alloy electrodes gradually decreases and SEM shows that the amount of hydroxide accumulating on the alloy surface diminishes, indicating the oxidation/corrosion degree alleviates and less irreversible self-discharge with the higher [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] ratio. By calculating the proportion of reversible and irreversible self-discharge in total capacity loss, we find that the reversible self-discharge is nearly more than 90% for the three single-phase alloys, while irreversible self-discharge is less than 10%, which illustrates that reversible self-discharge is the dominate factor in self-discharge of Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys in this study.

  12. Surface structure and electrochemical characteristics of Ti-V-Cr bcc-type solid solution alloys sintered with Ni

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tsuji, Yoichiro; Yamamoto, Osamu; Matsuda, Hiromu

    2000-07-01

    Ti-V-Cr bcc-type solid solution alloys can absorb a large amount of hydrogen and be applied to active materials of the negative electrode in Ni-MH batteries. However, because of the insolubility of Ni into these alloys, the electrochemical characteristics like discharge capacity and cycle life were poor. In order to increase the discharge capacity of hydrogen absorbing alloy electrodes, Ti-V-Cr bcc-type alloy powders were sintered with Ni in order to form Ni contained surface layer on the alloy surface. As sintering temperature rose up, the surface composition changed from TiNi to Ti{sub 2}Ni. TiNi surface layer showed better electrochemical characteristics. Formore » the Ni adding method, Ni electroless plating was preferred because of good adhesion. As a result of optimized conditions, a discharge capacity of 570 mAh/g and an improvement of cycle life were achieved.« less

  13. Kinetics of hydrogen-evolution reaction on lead and lead-alloy electrodes in sulfuric acid electrolyte with phosphoric acid and antimony additives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venugopalan, S.

    1994-03-01

    The kinetics of the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) on smooth Pb, PbCaSn and PbSbSe alloy electrodes is studied in H 2SO 4 (3-10 M) electrolyte that contains phosphoric acid (0-40 g l -1) and antimony (0-10 mg l -1) using galvanostatic polarization in the Tafel domain. A direct correlation is found between iO,H and icor on lead and lead-alloy electrodes with varying concentrations of H 3PO 4 and Sb(III) in H 2SO 4. The maximum suppression of the HER occurs with 20 g l -1 H 3PO 4 in H 2SO 4 for both lead and lead alloys. The data are explained in the light of a model that employs adsorption of H 3PO 4 at the electrode/ electrolyte interface.

  14. Study of atomic structure of liquid Hg-In alloys using ab-initio molecular dynamics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sharma, Nalini; Ahluwalia, P. K.; Thakur, Anil

    2015-05-15

    Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the structural properties of liquid Hg-In alloys. The interatomic interactions are described by ab-initio pseudopotentials given by Troullier and Martins. Five liquid Hg-In mixtures (Hg{sub 10}In{sub 90}, Hg{sub 30}In{sub 70}, Hg{sub 50}In{sub 50}, Hg{sub 70}In{sub 30} and Hg{sub 90}In{sub 10}) at 299K are considered. The radial distribution function g(r) and structure factor S(q) of considered alloys are compared with respective experimental results for liquid Hg (l-Hg) and (l-In). The radial distribution function g(r) shows the presence of short range order in the systems considered. Smooth curves of Bhatia-Thornton partial structure factors factormore » shows the presence of liquid state in the considered alloys.« less

  15. The hydrogen diffusion in liquid aluminum alloys from ab initio molecular dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jakse, N.; Pasturel, A.

    2014-09-01

    We study the hydrogen diffusion in liquid aluminum alloys through extensive ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. At the microscopic scale, we show that the hydrogen motion is characterized by a broad distribution of spatial jumps that does not correspond to a Brownian motion. To determine the self-diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in liquid aluminum alloys, we use a generalized continuous time random walk model recently developed to describe the hydrogen diffusion in pure aluminum. In particular, we show that the model successfully accounts the effects of alloying elements on the hydrogen diffusion in agreement with experimental features.

  16. Low energy milling method, low crystallinity alloy, and negative electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Le, Dihn B; Obrovac, Mark N; Kube, Robert Y; Landucci, James R

    2012-10-16

    A method of making nanostructured alloy particles includes milling a millbase in a pebble mill containing milling media. The millbase comprises: (i) silicon, and (ii) at least one of carbon or a transition metal, and wherein the nanostructured alloy particles are substantially free of crystalline domains greater than 50 nanometers in size. A method of making a negative electrode composition for a lithium ion battery including the nanostructured alloy particles is also disclosed.

  17. Rhenium Alloys as Ductile Substrates for Diamond Thin-Film Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Halpern, Jeffrey M; Martin, Heidi B

    2014-02-01

    Molybdenum-rhenium (Mo/Re) and tungsten-rhenium (W/Re) alloys were investigated as substrates for thin-film, polycrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes. Traditional, carbide-forming metal substrates adhere strongly to diamond but lose their ductility during exposure to the high-temperature (1000°C) diamond, chemical vapor deposition environment. Boron-doped semi-metallic diamond was selectively deposited for up to 20 hours on one end of Mo/Re (47.5/52.5 wt.%) and W/Re (75/25 wt.%) alloy wires. Conformal diamond films on the alloys displayed grain sizes and Raman signatures similar to films grown on tungsten; in all cases, the morphology and Raman spectra were consistent with well-faceted, microcrystalline diamond with minimal sp 2 carbon content. Cyclic voltammograms of dopamine in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) showed the wide window and low baseline current of high-quality diamond electrodes. In addition, the films showed consistently well-defined, dopamine electrochemical redox activity. The Mo/Re substrate regions that were uncoated but still exposed to the diamond-growth environment remained substantially more flexible than tungsten in a bend-to-fracture rotation test, bending to the test maximum of 90° and not fracturing. The W/Re substrates fractured after a 27° bend, and the tungsten fractured after a 21° bend. Brittle, transgranular cleavage fracture surfaces were observed for tungsten and W/Re. A tension-induced fracture of the Mo/Re after the prior bend test showed a dimple fracture with a visible ductile core. Overall, the Mo/Re and W/Re alloys were suitable substrates for diamond growth. The Mo/Re alloy remained significantly more ductile than traditional tungsten substrates after diamond growth, and thus may be an attractive metal substrate for more ductile, thin-film diamond electrodes.

  18. Rhenium Alloys as Ductile Substrates for Diamond Thin-Film Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Halpern, Jeffrey M.; Martin, Heidi B.

    2014-01-01

    Molybdenum-rhenium (Mo/Re) and tungsten-rhenium (W/Re) alloys were investigated as substrates for thin-film, polycrystalline boron-doped diamond electrodes. Traditional, carbide-forming metal substrates adhere strongly to diamond but lose their ductility during exposure to the high-temperature (1000°C) diamond, chemical vapor deposition environment. Boron-doped semi-metallic diamond was selectively deposited for up to 20 hours on one end of Mo/Re (47.5/52.5 wt.%) and W/Re (75/25 wt.%) alloy wires. Conformal diamond films on the alloys displayed grain sizes and Raman signatures similar to films grown on tungsten; in all cases, the morphology and Raman spectra were consistent with well-faceted, microcrystalline diamond with minimal sp2 carbon content. Cyclic voltammograms of dopamine in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) showed the wide window and low baseline current of high-quality diamond electrodes. In addition, the films showed consistently well-defined, dopamine electrochemical redox activity. The Mo/Re substrate regions that were uncoated but still exposed to the diamond-growth environment remained substantially more flexible than tungsten in a bend-to-fracture rotation test, bending to the test maximum of 90° and not fracturing. The W/Re substrates fractured after a 27° bend, and the tungsten fractured after a 21° bend. Brittle, transgranular cleavage fracture surfaces were observed for tungsten and W/Re. A tension-induced fracture of the Mo/Re after the prior bend test showed a dimple fracture with a visible ductile core. Overall, the Mo/Re and W/Re alloys were suitable substrates for diamond growth. The Mo/Re alloy remained significantly more ductile than traditional tungsten substrates after diamond growth, and thus may be an attractive metal substrate for more ductile, thin-film diamond electrodes. PMID:25404788

  19. Note: Erosion of W-Ni-Fe and W-Cu alloy electrodes in repetitive spark gaps.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jiawei; Han, Ruoyu; Ding, Weidong; Qiu, Aici; Tang, Junping

    2018-02-01

    A pair of W-Ni-Fe and W-Cu electrodes were tested under 100 kA level pulsed currents for 10 000 shots, respectively. Surface roughness and morphology characteristics of the two pairs of electrodes were obtained and compared. Experimental results indicated cracks divided the W-Cu electrode surface to polygons while the W-Ni-Fe electrode surface remained as a whole with pits and protrusions. Accordingly, the surface roughness of W-Ni-Fe electrodes increased to ∼3 μm while that of W-Cu electrodes reached ∼7 μm at the end of the test. The results reveal that the W-Ni-Fe alloy has a better erosion resistance and potential to be further applied in spark gaps.

  20. Calcium-Antimony Alloys as Electrodes for Liquid Metal Batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ouchi, T; Kim, H; Ning, XH

    The performance of a calcium-antimony (Ca-Sb) alloy serving as the positive electrode in a Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb liquid metal battery was investigated in an electrochemical cell, Ca(in Bi) vertical bar LiCl-NaCl-CaCl2 vertical bar Ca(in Sb). The equilibrium potential of the Ca-Sb electrode was found to lie on the interval, 1.2-0.95 V versus Ca, in good agreement with electromotive force (emf) measurements in the literature. During both alloying and dealloying of Ca at the Sb electrode, the charge transfer and mass transport at the interface are facile enough that the electrode potential varies linearly from 0.95 to 0.75more » V vs Ca(s) as current density varies from 50 to 500 mA cm(-2). The discharge capacity of the Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb cells increases as the operating temperature increases due to the higher solubility and diffusivity of Ca in Sb. The cell was successfully cycled with high coulombic efficiency (similar to 100%) and small fade rate (<0.01% cycle(-1)). These data combined with the favorable costs of these metals and salts make the Ca vertical bar vertical bar Sb liquid metal battery attractive for grid-scale energy storage. (C) The Author(s) 2014. Published by ECS. All rights reserved.« less

  1. Effects of cerium on the hydrogen absorption-desorption properties of rare earth-Mg-Ni hydrogen-absorbing alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yasuoka, Shigekazu; Ishida, Jun; Kishida, Kyosuke; Inui, Haruyuki

    2017-04-01

    The influence of Ce addition on the phase constitution, microstructure, hydrogen absorption/desorption properties and battery performances of newly developed rare earth (RE)-Mg-Ni hydrogen-absorbing superlattice alloys for negative electrode materials in Ni-metal hydride (MH) batteries were investigated. The partial substitution of RE (La and Nd) with Ce results in a higher discharge performance and a lower cycle life in the battery. The Ce addition greatly affects the phase constitution, which is mainly characterized by increased formation of the AB2 phase (A = RE or Mg and B = Ni or Al). The existence of the AB2 phase is found to accelerate alloy pulverization and oxidation when the alloys are used as negative electrode materials in Ni-MH model cells. The accelerated pulverization and oxidation are considered to be responsible for the observed higher discharge performance and lower cycle life in the batteries, respectively.

  2. Ti12.5Zr21V10Cr8.5MnxCo1.5Ni46.5-x AB2-type metal hydride alloys for electrochemical storage application: Part 1. Structural characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bendersky, L. A.; Wang, K.; Levin, I.; Newbury, D.; Young, K.; Chao, B.; Creuziger, A.

    2012-11-01

    The microstructures of a series of AB2-based metal hydride alloys (Ti12.5Zr21V10Cr8.5MnxCo1.5Ni46.5-x) designed to have different fractions of non-Laves secondary phases were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and electron backscatter diffraction. The results indicate that the alloys contain a majority of hydrogen storage Laves phases and a minority of fine-structured non-Laves phases. Formation of the phases is accomplished by dendritic growth of a hexagonal C14 Laves phase. The C14 phase is followed by either a peritectic solidification of a cubic C15 Laves phase (low Mn containing alloys) or a C14 phase of different composition (high Mn containing alloys), and finally a B2 phase formed in the interdendritic regions (IDR). The interdendritic regions may then undergo further solid-state transformation into Zr7Ni10-type, Zr9Ni11-type and TiNi-type phases. As the Mn content in the alloy increases, the fraction of the C14 phase increases, whereas the fraction of C15 decreases. In the IDRs when the alloy's Mn content increases the Zr9Ni11 phases and Zr7Ni10 phase fraction first increases and then decreases, while the TiNi-based phase fraction first increases and then stabilized at 0.02. IDR compositions can be generally expressed as (Ti,Zr,V,Cr,Mn,Co)50Ni50, which accounted for 7-10% of the overall alloy volume fraction.

  3. Negative electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.; Chilenskas, Albert A.

    1982-01-01

    A secondary electrochemical cell and a negative electrode composition for use therewith comprising a positive electrode containing an active material of a chalcogen or a transiton metal chalcogenide, a negative electrode containing a lithium-aluminum alloy and an amount of a ternary alloy sufficient to provide at least about 5 percent overcharge capacity relative to a negative electrode solely of the lithium-aluminum alloy, the ternary alloy comprising lithium, aluminum, and iron or cobalt, and an electrolyte containing lithium ions in contact with both of the positive and the negative electrodes. The ternary alloy is present in the electrode in the range of from about 5 percent to about 50 percent by weight of the electrode composition and may include lithium-aluminum-nickel alloy in combination with either the ternary iron or cobalt alloys. A plurality of series connected cells having overcharge capacity can be equalized on the discharge side without expensive electrical equipment.

  4. Method of preparing a negative electrode including lithium alloy for use within a secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Tomczuk, Zygmunt; Olszanski, Theodore W.; Battles, James E.

    1977-03-08

    A negative electrode that includes a lithium alloy as active material is prepared by briefly submerging a porous, electrically conductive substrate within a melt of the alloy. Prior to solidification, excess melt can be removed by vibrating or otherwise manipulating the filled substrate to expose interstitial surfaces. Electrodes of such as solid lithium-aluminum filled within a substrate of metal foam are provided.

  5. Ab initio surface properties of Ag-Sn alloys: implications for lead-free soldering.

    PubMed

    Saleh, Gabriele; Xu, Chen; Sanvito, Stefano

    2018-02-07

    Ag and Sn are the major components of solder alloys adopted to assemble printed circuit boards. The qualities that make them the alloys of choice for the modern electronic industry are related to their physical and chemical properties. For corrosion resistance and solderability, surface properties are particularly important. Yet, atomic-level information about the surfaces of these alloys is not known. Here we fill this gap by presenting an extensive ab initio investigation of composition, energetics, structure and reactivity of Ag-Sn alloy surfaces. The structure and stability of various surfaces is evaluated, and the main factors determining the energetics of surface formation are uncovered. Oxygen and sulphur chemisorptions are studied and discussed in the framework of corrosion tendency, an important issue for printed circuit boards. Adsorption energy trends are rationalized based on the analysis of structural and electronic features.

  6. Effects of pulse ON and OFF time and electrode types on the material removal rate and tool wear rate of the Ti-6Al-4V Alloy using EDM machining with reverse polarity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Praveen, L.; Geeta Krishna, P.; Venugopal, L.; Prasad, N. E. C.

    2018-03-01

    Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is an unconventional metal removal process that is extensively used for removing the difficult-to-machine metal such as Ti alloys, super alloys and metal matrix composites. This paper investigates the effects of pulse (ON/OFF) time on EDM machining characteristics of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using copper and graphite as electrodes in reverse polarity condition. Full factorial design method was used to design the experiments. Two variables (Pulse On and OFF) with three levels are considered. The output variables are the tool wear rate and the material removal rate. The important findings from the present work are: (1) the material removal rate (MRR) increases gradually with an increase of the Pulse ON time whereas the change is insignificant with an increase of the Pulse OFF time, (2) Between copper and graphite electrodes, the copper electrode is proved to be good in terms of MRR, (3) a combination of high pulse ON time and OFF time is desirable for high MRR rate in the Cu electrode whereas for the graphite electrode, a combination of high pulse ON time and low pulse OFF time is desirable for high MRR rate, (4) the tool wear rate (TWR) reduces with the Pulse On or OFF time, the rate of TWR is uniform for the graphite electrode in contrast to abrupt decrease from 25 to 50 μs (pulse ON time) in the copper electrode, (5) In order to keep the TWR as minimum possible, it is desirable to have a combination of high pulse ON time and OFF time for both the copper and the graphite electrode.

  7. Main reinforcement effects of precipitation phase Mg2Cu3Si, Mg2Si and MgCu2 on Mg-Cu-Si alloys by ab initio investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Xue-Feng; Wang, Hai-Chen; Tang, Ping-Ying; Tang, Bi-Yu

    2017-09-01

    To predict and compare the main reinforcement effects of the key precipitation phases Mg2Cu3Si, Mg2Si and MgCu2 in Mg-Cu-Si alloy, the structural, mechanical and electronic properties of these phases have been studied by ab initio calculations. The lowest formation enthalpy and cohesive energy indicate that Mg2Cu3Si has the strongest alloying ability and structural stability. The mechanical modulus indicates that Mg2Cu3Si has the strongest resistance to reversible shear/volume distortion and has maximum hardness. The characterization of brittle (ductile) behavior manifests that MgCu2 has favorable ductility. Meanwhile the evaluation of elastic anisotropy indicates that Mg2Si possesses elastic isotropy. Debye temperature prediction shows that Mg2Si and Mg2Cu3Si have better thermal stability. To achieve an unbiased interpretation on the phase stability and mechanical behavior of these precipitation phases, the density of states and differential charge densities are also analyzed. The current study deepens the comprehensive understanding of main reinforcement effects of these precipitation phases on Mg-Cu-Si alloys, and also benefits to optimize the overall performances of Mg-Cu-Si alloy from the hardness, ductility and thermal stability by controlling these second precipitation phases during the heat treatment process.

  8. Polyanion-Type Electrode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Ni, Qiao; Bai, Ying; Wu, Feng; Wu, Chuan

    2017-03-01

    Sodium-ion batteries, representative members of the post-lithium-battery club, are very attractive and promising for large-scale energy storage applications. The increasing technological improvements in sodium-ion batteries (Na-ion batteries) are being driven by the demand for Na-based electrode materials that are resource-abundant, cost-effective, and long lasting. Polyanion-type compounds are among the most promising electrode materials for Na-ion batteries due to their stability, safety, and suitable operating voltages. The most representative polyanion-type electrode materials are Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 and NaTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 for Na-based cathode and anode materials, respectively. Both show superior electrochemical properties and attractive prospects in terms of their development and application in Na-ion batteries. Carbonophosphate Na 3 MnCO 3 PO 4 and amorphous FePO 4 have also recently emerged and are contributing to further developing the research scope of polyanion-type Na-ion batteries. However, the typical low conductivity and relatively low capacity performance of such materials still restrict their development. This paper presents a brief review of the research progress of polyanion-type electrode materials for Na-ion batteries, summarizing recent accomplishments, highlighting emerging strategies, and discussing the remaining challenges of such systems.

  9. Polyanion‐Type Electrode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

    PubMed Central

    Ni, Qiao; Wu, Feng

    2017-01-01

    Sodium‐ion batteries, representative members of the post‐lithium‐battery club, are very attractive and promising for large‐scale energy storage applications. The increasing technological improvements in sodium‐ion batteries (Na‐ion batteries) are being driven by the demand for Na‐based electrode materials that are resource‐abundant, cost‐effective, and long lasting. Polyanion‐type compounds are among the most promising electrode materials for Na‐ion batteries due to their stability, safety, and suitable operating voltages. The most representative polyanion‐type electrode materials are Na3V2(PO4)3 and NaTi2(PO4)3 for Na‐based cathode and anode materials, respectively. Both show superior electrochemical properties and attractive prospects in terms of their development and application in Na‐ion batteries. Carbonophosphate Na3MnCO3PO4 and amorphous FePO4 have also recently emerged and are contributing to further developing the research scope of polyanion‐type Na‐ion batteries. However, the typical low conductivity and relatively low capacity performance of such materials still restrict their development. This paper presents a brief review of the research progress of polyanion‐type electrode materials for Na‐ion batteries, summarizing recent accomplishments, highlighting emerging strategies, and discussing the remaining challenges of such systems. PMID:28331782

  10. Method of preparing a negative electrode including lithium alloy for use within a secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Tomczuk, Z.; Olszanski, W.; Battles, J.E.

    1975-12-09

    A negative electrode that includes a lithium alloy as active material is prepared by briefly submerging a porous, electrically conductive substrate within a melt of the alloy. Prior to solidification, excess melt can be removed by vibrating or otherwise manipulating the filled substrate to expose interstitial surfaces. Electrodes of such a solid lithium--aluminum filled within a substrate of metal foam are provided. 1 figure, 1 table.

  11. Surface-modified Mg{sub 2}Ni-type negative electrode materials for Ni-MH battery

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cui, N.; Luan, B.; Bradhurst, D.

    1997-12-01

    In order to further improve the electrode performance of Mg{sub 1.9}Y{sub 0.1}Ni{sub 0.9}Al{sub 0.1} alloy at ambient temperature, its surface was modified by an ultrasound pretreatment in the alkaline solution and microencapsulation with Ni-P coating. The effects of various surface modifications on the microstructure and electrochemical performance of the alloy electrodes were investigated and compared in this paper. It was found that the modification with ultrasound pretreatment significantly improved the electrocatalytic activity of the negative electrode and then reduced the overpotential of charging/discharging, resulting in a remarkable increase of electrode capacity and high-rate discharge capability but having little influence onmore » the cycle life. However, the electrode fabricated from the microencapsulated alloy powder showed a higher discharge capacity, better high-rate discharge capability and longer cycle life as well.« less

  12. Ultrasonic-electrodeposition of PtPd alloy nanoparticles on ionic liquid-functionalized graphene paper: towards a flexible and versatile nanohybrid electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Yimin; Zheng, Huaming; Wang, Chenxu; Yang, Mengmeng; Zhou, Aijun; Duan, Hongwei

    2016-01-01

    Here we fabricate a new type of flexible and versatile nanohybrid paper electrode by ultrasonic-electrodeposition of PtPd alloy nanoparticles on freestanding ionic liquid (IL)-functionalized graphene paper, and explore its multifunctional applications in electrochemical catalysis and sensing systems. The graphene-based paper materials demonstrate intrinsic flexibility, exceptional mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity, and therefore can serve as an ideal freestanding flexible electrode for electrochemical devices. Furthermore, the functionalization of graphene with IL (i.e., 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) not only increases the electroactive surface area of a graphene-based nanohybrid paper electrode, but also improves the adhesion and dispersion of metal nanoparticles on the paper surface. These unique attributes, combined with the merits of an ultrasonic-electrodeposition method, lead to the formation of PtPd alloy nanoparticles on IL-graphene paper with high loading, uniform distribution, controlled morphology and favourable size. Consequently, the resultant nanohybrid paper electrode exhibits remarkable catalytic activity as well as excellent cycle stability and improved anti-poisoning ability towards electrooxidation of fuel molecules such as methanol and ethanol. Furthermore, for nonenzymatic electrochemical sensing of some specific biomarkers such as glucose and reactive oxygen species, the nanohybrid paper electrode shows high selectivity, sensitivity and biocompatibility in these bio-catalytic processes, and can be used for real-time tracking hydrogen peroxide secretion by living human cells. All these features demonstrate its promising application as a versatile nanohybrid electrode material in flexible and lightweight electrochemical energy conversion and biosensing systems such as bendable on-chip power sources, wearable/implantable detectors and in vivo micro-biosensors.Here we fabricate a new type of flexible and

  13. Alloys of clathrate allotropes for rechargeable batteries

    DOEpatents

    Chan, Candace K; Miller, Michael A; Chan, Kwai S

    2014-12-09

    The present disclosure is directed at an electrode for a battery wherein the electrode comprises clathrate alloys of silicon, germanium or tin. In method form, the present disclosure is directed at methods of forming clathrate alloys of silicon, germanium or tin which methods lead to the formation of empty cage structures suitable for use as electrodes in rechargeable type batteries.

  14. Study of localized corrosion in aluminum alloys by the scanning reference electrode technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Danford, M. D.

    1995-01-01

    Localized corrosion in 2219-T87 aluminum (Al) alloy, 2195 aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloy, and welded 2195 Al-Li alloy (4043 filler) have been investigated using the relatively new scanning reference electrode technique (SRET). Anodic sites are more frequent and of greater strength in the 2195 Al-Li alloy than in the 2219-T87 Al alloy, indicating a greater tendency toward pitting for the latter. However, the overall corrosion rates are about the same for these two alloys, as determined using the polarization resistance technique. In the welded 2195 Al-Li alloy, the weld bean is entirely cathodic, with rather strongly anodic heat affected zones (HAZ) bordering both sides, indicating a high probability of corrosion in the HAZ parallel to the weld bead.

  15. Electrochemical Codeposition of Al-Li-Mg Alloys at Solid Aluminum Electrode from LiCl-KCl-MgCl2 Molten Salt System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Ke; Zhang, Mi Lin; Chen, Ye; Han, Wei; de Yan, Yong; Cao, Peng

    2010-06-01

    The electrochemical codeposition of Mg and Li at an aluminium electrode in LiCl-KCl (50:50 wt pct) melts containing different concentrations of MgCl2 at 893 K (620 °C) to form Al-Li-Mg alloys was investigated. Cyclic voltammograms showed that the potential of Li metal deposition at an Al electrode, before the addition of MgCl2, is more positive than that of Li metal deposition at an Mo electrode, which indicated the formation of an Al-Li alloy. The underpotential deposition of magnesium at an aluminium electrode leads to the formation of Al-Mg alloys, and the succeeding underpotential deposition of lithium on predeposited Al-Mg alloys leads to the formation of Al-Li-Mg alloys. Chronopotentiometric measurements indicated that the codeposition of Mg and Li occurs at current densities lower than -0.668 A cm-2 in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2 (8 wt pct) melts at an aluminium electrode. The chronoamperometric studies indicated that the onset potential for the codeposition of Mg and Li is -2.000 V, and the codeposition of Mg and Li at an aluminium electrode is formed into Al-Li-Mg alloys when the applied potentials are more negative than -2.000 V. X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma analysis indicated that Al-Li-Mg alloys with different lithium and magnesium contents were prepared via potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrolysis. The microstructure of typical dual phases of the Al-Li-Mg alloy was characterized by an optical microscope and by scanning electron microscopy. The analysis of energy dispersive spectrometry showed that the elements of Al and Mg distribute homogeneously in the Al-Li-Mg alloy. The lithium and magnesium contents of Al-Li-Mg alloys can be controlled by MgCl2 concentrations and by electrolytic parameters.

  16. ABS 3D printed solutions for cryogenic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bartolomé, E.; Bozzo, B.; Sevilla, P.; Martínez-Pasarell, O.; Puig, T.; Granados, X.

    2017-03-01

    3D printing has become a common, inexpensive and rapid prototyping technique, enabling the ad hoc fabrication of complex shapes. In this paper, we demonstrate that 3D printed objects in ABS can be used at cryogenic temperatures, offering flexible solutions in different fields. Firstly, a thermo-mechanical characterization of ABS 3D printed specimens at 77 K is reported, which allowed us to delimit the type of cryogenic uses where 3D printed pieces may be implemented. Secondly, we present three different examples where ABS 3D printed objects working at low temperatures have provided specific solutions: (i) SQUID inserts for angular magnetometry (low temperature material characterization field); (ii) a cage support for a metamaterial ;magnetic concentrator; (superconductivity application), and (iii) dedicated tools for cryopreservation in assisted reproductive techniques (medicine field).

  17. Evaluation of Zr(Ni, Mn){sub 2} Laves phase alloys as negative active material for Ni-MH electric vehicle batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Knosp, B.; Jordy, C.; Blanchard, P.

    1998-05-01

    Laves phase alloys of compositions (Zr, Ti)(Ni, Mn, M){sub x} where M = Cr, V, Co, Al, and 1.9 < x < 2.1 with hexagonal C14 or cubic C15 structure have been studied in order to select the most suitable AB{sub 2} alloys as an active material for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. With the selected alloy, feasibility of MH negative electrodes using industrial technology and containing more than 97% of the alloy powder has been demonstrated. 22 Ah Ni-MH batteries for electric vehicle application have been assembled, and 600 cycles have been achieved at steady C/3 charge and discharge ratesmore » and 80% depth of discharge.« less

  18. Ni nanotube array-based electrodes by electrochemical alloying and de-alloying for efficient water splitting.

    PubMed

    Teng, Xue; Wang, Jianying; Ji, Lvlv; Lv, Yaokang; Chen, Zuofeng

    2018-05-17

    The design of cost-efficient earth-abundant catalysts with superior performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is extremely important for future renewable energy production. Herein, we report a facile strategy for constructing Ni nanotube arrays (NTAs) on a Ni foam (NF) substrate through cathodic deposition of NiCu alloy followed by anodic stripping of metallic Cu. Based on Ni NTAs, the as-prepared NiSe2 NTA electrode by NiSe2 electrodeposition and the NiFeOx NTA electrode by dipping in Fe3+ solution exhibit excellent HER and OER performance in alkaline conditions. In these systems, Ni NTAs act as a binder-free multifunctional inner layer to support the electrocatalysts, offer a large specific surface area and serve as a fast electron transport pathway. Moreover, an alkaline electrolyzer has been constructed using NiFeOx NTAs as the anode and NiSe2 NTAs as the cathode, which only demands a cell voltage of 1.78 V to deliver a water-splitting current density of 500 mA cm-2, and demonstrates remarkable stability during long-term electrolysis. This work provides an attractive method for the design and fabrication of nanotube array-based catalyst electrodes for highly efficient water-splitting.

  19. Microstructural characterization of a Zr-Ti-Ni-Mn-V-Cr based AB 2-type battery alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Zhan

    1999-01-01

    Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), combined with X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to investigate a proprietary and multicomponent AB 2 type Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery alloy. This material was prepared by High Pressure Gas Atomization (HPGA) and examined in both the as-atomized and heat treated condition. TEM examination showed a heavily faulted dendritic growth structure in as-atomized powder. Selected Area Diffraction (SAD) showed that this region consisted of both a cubic C15 structure with lattice constant a=7.03 and a hexagonal C14 structure with lattice parameter a=4.97 Å, c=8.11 Å. The Orientation Relationship (OR) between the C14 and C15 structures was determined to be (111)[1more » $$\\bar{1}$$0] C15//(0001)[11$$\\bar{2}$$0] C14. An interdendritic phase possessing the C14 structure was also seen. There was also a very fine grain region consisting of the C14 structure. Upon heat treatment, the faulted structure became more defined and appeared as intercalation layers within the grains. Spherical particles rich in Zr and Ni appeared scattered at the grain boundaries instead of the C14 interdendritic phase. The polycrystalline region also changed to a mixture of C14 and C15 structures. These results as well as phase stability of the C15 and C14 structures based on a consideration of atomic size factor and the average electron concentration are discussed.« less

  20. Pseudosymmetric features of non-centrosymmetric AB type crystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gazhulina, A.P., E-mail: asyagazhulina@yandex.ru; Marychev, M.O.

    2016-07-15

    This work is supplement to our previous investigation (Gazhulina and Marychev, 2015) [1]. We have considered pseudosymmetric features with respect to the operation of inversion (pseudoinversion) for 340 non-centrosymmetric AB type crystals. Analysis of the features of particular structure types allowed us to determine the positions of pseudoinversion centers, subdivide them into separate types, and classify the entire set of crystals studied with respect to the types of pseudoinversion centers and peculiarities of the behavior of the degree of pseudoinversion depending on the ratio of atomic numbers of A and B components. For each group of crystals, average values andmore » lower boundaries of the maximum pseudoinversion are determined and distribution with respect to the degree of pseudoinversion is constructed. - Graphical abstract: A group of 340 non-centrosymmetric AB type crystals have been considered for their pseudosymmetry features with respect to the operation of inversion. Positions of pseudoinversion centers, subdivision of them into separate types, classification of the entire set of crystals studied with respect to the types of pseudoinversion centers and peculiarities of the behavior of the degree of pseudoinversion are established and discussed. Display Omitted - Highlights: • We consider pseudoinversion of 340 non-centrosymmetric AB type crystals. • AB type crystals are divided into three groups with respect to pseudoinversion. • Positions and types of pseudoinversion centers are determined. • Lower boundaries of the maximum pseudoinversion are determined.« less

  1. Spongy Raney nickel hydrogen electrodes for alkaline fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomida, Tahei; Nakabayashi, Ichiro

    1989-11-01

    Spongy Raney nickel catalysts for use as hydrogen electrodes of fuel cells were prepared by a new method. In this method molten aluminum was sprayed on both sides of a spongy plate of nickel as substrate with an acetylene-oxygen flame gun. Then, the spongy nickel electrodes were activated by alloying at a given temperature of from 550 to 750 C, and leaching the aluminum from the alloy in alkaline solution. This type of catalyst showed good thermal and electrical conductivity and also mechanical strength by itself. Its polarization resistance was very low, and the characteristics of the electrodes improved with increase in the temperature of heat-treatment for alloying. The finding that activity depended on the alloying temperature was consistent with observations by scanning electron microscope on the surface textures of catalysts alloyed at different temperatures.

  2. Combined electron beam imaging and ab initio modeling of T1 precipitates in Al-Li-Cu alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dwyer, C.; Weyland, M.; Chang, L. Y.; Muddle, B. C.

    2011-05-01

    Among the many considerable challenges faced in developing a rational basis for advanced alloy design, establishing accurate atomistic models is one of the most fundamental. Here we demonstrate how advanced imaging techniques in a double-aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, combined with ab initio modeling, have been used to determine the atomic structure of embedded 1 nm thick T1 precipitates in precipitation-hardened Al-Li-Cu aerospace alloys. The results provide an accurate determination of the controversial T1 structure, and demonstrate how next-generation techniques permit the characterization of embedded nanostructures in alloys and other nanostructured materials.

  3. Method for uniformly distributing carbon flakes in a positive electrode, the electrode made thereby and compositions

    DOEpatents

    Mrazek, Franklin C.; Smaga, John A.; Battles, James E.

    1983-01-01

    A positive electrode for a secondary electrochemical cell wherein an electrically conductive current collector is in electrical contact with a particulate mixture of gray cast iron and an alkali metal sulfide and an electrolyte including alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides. Also present may be a transition metal sulfide and graphite flakes from the conversion of gray cast iron to iron sulfide. Also disclosed is a method of distributing carbon flakes in a cell wherein there is formed an electrochemical cell of a positive electrode structure of the type described and a suitable electrolyte and a second electrode containing a material capable of alloying with alkali metal ions. The cell is connected to a source of electrical potential to electrochemically convert gray cast iron to an iron sulfide and uniformly to distribute carbon flakes formerly in the gray cast iron throughout the positive electrode while forming an alkali metal alloy in the negative electrode. Also disclosed are compositions useful in preparing positive electrodes.

  4. An ab initio study on the structural, electronic and mechanical properties of quaternary full-Heusler alloys FeMnCrSn and FeMnCrSb

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erkişi, Aytaç

    2018-06-01

    The quaternary full Heusler alloys FeMnCrSn and FeMnCrSb, which have face-centred cubic (FCC) crystal structure and conform to ? space group with 216 space number, have been investigated using Generalised Gradient Approximation (GGA) in the Density Functional Theory (DFT) as implemented in VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package) software. These alloys are considered in ferromagnetic (FM) order. After the investigation of structural stability of these alloys, their mechanical and thermal properties and also electronic band structures have been examined. The calculated spin-polarised electronic band structures and total electronic density of states (DOS) within GGA approximation show that these alloys can exhibit both metallic and half-metallic characters in different structural phases. The calculated formation enthalpies and the plotted energy-volume graphs show that Type-III phase is most stable structural phase for these materials. Also, FeMnCrSb alloy in Type-I/Type-III phases and FeMnCrSn alloy in Type-III phase show half-metallic behaviour with integer total magnetic moments almost 2 and 1 μB per formula unit, respectively, since there are band gaps observed in spin-down states, whereas they have metallic behaviour in majority bands. Other structural phases of both systems are also metallic. Moreover, the calculated elastic constants and the estimated anisotropy shear factors indicate that these materials are stable mechanically in all of three phases except FeMnCrSn in Type-I phase that does not satisfy Born stability criteria in this phase and have high anisotropic behaviour.

  5. Effects of F-treatment on degradation of Mg 2Ni electrode fabricated by mechanical alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jun Sung; Lee, Chang Rae; Choi, Jae Woong; Kang, Sung Goon

    The effects of surface fluorination on the electrochemical charge-discharge properties of a Mg 2Ni electrode, prepared by mechanical alloying in Ni-MH batteries are investigated. After 20 h milling, Mg and Ni powder form nanocrystalline Mg 2Ni. The discharge capacity of this alloy increases greatly on the initial cycle but, due to the formation of a Mg(OH) 2 passive layer, displays rapid degradation in alkaline solution within 10 cycles. In a 6 M KOH+ x M KF electrolyte ( x=0.5, 1, and 2), a continuous and stable fluorinated layer is formed and the durability of the Mg 2Ni electrode increases marketly and a high rate discharge capability is obtained (90-100 mAh/g). Addition of 2 M KF leads to the highest durability of all the electrodes tested. The improvement is due to a thin MgF 2—flourinated layer, which reduces the charge-transfer resistance and protects the Mg 2Ni electrode from forming a Mg(OH) 2 layer.

  6. Activation characteristics of multiphase Zr-based hydrogen storage alloys for Ni/MH rechargeable batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee, H.; Lee, S.M.; Lee, J.Y.

    1999-10-01

    AB{sub 2} type Zr-based Laves phase alloys have been studied for possible use as negative electrodes of Ni/MH batteries with high hydrogen storage capacity. However, these alloys have the serious problem of slow activation owing to the formation of surface oxide films. To overcome this problem, alloys with multiphase microstructures have been developed. These alloys become electrochemically active via the creation of micropores by the dissolution of soluble oxide components such as vanadium oxide. However, this phenomenon has been described based only on changes in the chemical composition of the oxide layer. In the present study, this phenomenon is approachedmore » with respect to interactions between the constituent phases. An electrochemical analysis of constituent phases showed that the second phase, resulting in localized Ni-rich pits on the alloy surface. The presence of microcracks at the periphery of the Ni-rich pits after 30 h exposure to KOH electrolyte implies that hydrogen is absorbed preferentially at Ni-rich pits, thereby forming a large active surface area. However, such multiphase alloys have poor cycle durability due to the persistent dissolution of components in the second phase. Through Cr substitution, the authors have developed a family of durable alloys to prevent this unwanted dissolution from the second phase.« less

  7. Applicability of Type A/B alcohol dependence in the general population.

    PubMed

    Tam, Tammy W; Mulia, Nina; Schmidt, Laura A

    2014-05-01

    This study examined the concurrent and predictive validity of Type A/B alcohol dependence in the general population-a typology developed in clinical populations to gauge severity of dependence. Data were drawn from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The sample included 1,172 alcohol-dependent drinkers at baseline who were reinterviewed three years later. Latent class analysis was used to derive Type A/B classification using variables replicating the original Type A/B typology. Predictive validity of the Type A/B classification was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regressions. A two-class solution consistent with Babor's original Type A/B typology adequately fit the data. Type B alcoholics in the general population, compared to Type As, had higher alcohol severity and more co-occurring drug, mental, and physical health problems. In the absence of treatment services utilization, Type B drinkers had two times the odds of being alcohol dependent three years later. Among those who utilized alcohol treatment services, Type B membership was predictive of heavy drinking and drug dependence, but not alcohol dependence, three years later. Findings suggest that Type A/B classification is both generalizable to, and valid within, the US general population of alcohol dependent drinkers. Results highlight the value of treatment for mitigating the persistence of dependence among Type B alcoholics in the general population. Screening for markers of vulnerability to Type B dependence could be of clinical value for health care providers to determine appropriate intervention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Determination of Thermodynamic Properties of Alkaline Earth-liquid Metal Alloys Using the Electromotive Force Technique

    PubMed Central

    Nigl, Thomas P.; Smith, Nathan D.; Lichtenstein, Timothy; Gesualdi, Jarrod; Kumar, Kuldeep; Kim, Hojong

    2017-01-01

    A novel electrochemical cell based on a CaF2 solid-state electrolyte has been developed to measure the electromotive force (emf) of binary alkaline earth-liquid metal alloys as functions of both composition and temperature in order to acquire thermodynamic data. The cell consists of a chemically stable solid-state CaF2-AF2 electrolyte (where A is the alkaline-earth element such as Ca, Sr, or Ba), with binary A-B alloy (where B is the liquid metal such as Bi or Sb) working electrodes, and a pure A metal reference electrode. Emf data are collected over a temperature range of 723 K to 1,123 K in 25 K increments for multiple alloy compositions per experiment and the results are analyzed to yield activity values, phase transition temperatures, and partial molar entropies/enthalpies for each composition. PMID:29155770

  9. Experimental and ab initio studies on sub-lattice ordering and magnetism in Co{sub 2}Fe(Ge{sub 1−x}Si{sub x}) alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Deka, Bhargab; Kundu, Ashis; Ghosh, Subhradip

    2015-10-07

    Crystallographic and magnetic properties of bulk Co{sub 2}Fe(Ge{sub 1−x}Si{sub x}) alloys with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, synthesized by arc melting method, have been studied. Co{sub 2}FeSi alloy has been found to crystallize with L2{sub 1} structure, but the super-lattice peaks are absent in the X-ray diffraction patterns of alloys containing high Ge concentration. Unit cell volume of this series of alloys decreased from 185.2 to 178.5 Å{sup 3} as Si content was increased from 0 to 1.00. All alloy compositions exhibit ferromagnetic behavior with a high Curie temperature (T{sub C}). T{sub C} showed a systematic variation with x. A comparison between the valuesmore » of saturation magnetization (M{sub s}) and effective moment per magnetic atom p{sub c} estimated from the temperature dependent susceptibility data above T{sub C}, shows that the alloys have half-metallic character. The alloy with x = 0 follows Slater-Pauling (S-P) rule with M{sub s} of 5.99μ{sub B}. However, M{sub s} for the alloy with x = 1.00 was found to be 5.42μ{sub B}, which is lower than the value of 6.0μ{sub B} predicted by S-P rule. Since atomic disorder is known to affect the M{sub s} and electronic structure of these alloys, ab initio calculations were carried out to explain the deviation in observed M{sub s} from S-P rule prediction and the half-metallic character of the alloys. Ab initio calculations reveal that alloys with L2{sub 1} structure have M{sub s} value as predicted by S-P rule. However, introduction of 12.5% DO{sub 3} disorder, which occurs due to swapping of Co and Fe atoms in the unit cell, decreases M{sub s} of alloys with x > 0 from the S-P prediction to values obtained experimentally. The results analyzed from the view point of electronic structure of the alloys in different ordered states bring out the influence of disorder on the observed magnetic properties of these technologically important alloys.« less

  10. Method for uniformly distributing carbon flakes in a positive electrode, the electrode made thereby and compositions. [Patent application

    DOEpatents

    Mrazek, F.C.; Smaga, J.A.; Battles, J.E.

    1981-01-19

    A positive electrode for a secondary electrochemical cell is described wherein an electrically conductive current collector is in electrical contact with a particulate mixture of gray cast iron and an alkali metal sulfide and an electrolyte including alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides. Also present may be a transition metal sulfide and graphite flakes from the conversion of gray cast iron to iron sulfide. Also disclosed is a method of distributing carbon flakes in a cell wherein there is formed an electrochemical cell of a positive electrode structure of the type described and a suitable electrolyte and a second electrode containing a material capable of alloying with alkali metal ions. The cell is connected to a source of electrical potential to electrochemically convert gray cast iron to an iron sulfide and uniformly to distribute carbon flakes formerly in the gray cast iron throughout the positive electrode while forming an alkali metal alloy in the negative electrode. Also disclosed are compositions useful in preparing positive electrodes.

  11. Structural and electronic transport properties of compound forming HgPb liquid alloy using ab-initio pseudopotential

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Nalini; Thakur, Anil; Ahluwalia, P. K.

    2013-02-01

    The electrical resistivity of compound forming liquid alloy HgPb is studied as a function of concentration. Hard sphere diameters of Hg and Pb are obtained through the inter-ionic pair potential evaluated using Troullier and Martins ab initio pseudopotential, which have been used to calculate partial structure factors. Considering the liquid alloy to be a ternary mixture Ziman's formula for calculating the resistivity of binary liquid alloys, modified for complex formation, has been used. The concentration dependence in resistivity occurs due to preferential ordering of unlike atoms as nearest neighbours with help of complex formation model. Though the compound HgiPbi as per structure peaks is found to be less stable. However it contributes significantly to resistivity as compared to bare ions.

  12. Engineering and Optimization of Silicon-Iron-Manganese Nanoalloy Electrode for Enhanced Lithium-Ion Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alaboina, Pankaj K.; Cho, Jong-Soo; Cho, Sung-Jin

    2017-10-01

    The electrochemical performance of a battery is considered to be primarily dependent on the electrode material. However, engineering and optimization of electrodes also play a crucial role, and the same electrode material can be designed to offer significantly improved batteries. In this work, Si-Fe-Mn nanomaterial alloy (Si/alloy) and graphite composite electrodes were densified at different calendering conditions of 3, 5, and 8 tons, and its influence on electrode porosity, electrolyte wettability, and long-term cycling was investigated. The active material loading was maintained very high ( 2 mg cm-2) to implement electrode engineering close to commercial loading scales. The densification was optimized to balance between the electrode thickness and wettability to enable the best electrochemical properties of the Si/alloy anodes. In this case, engineering and optimizing the Si/alloy composite electrodes to 3 ton calendering (electrode densification from 0.39 to 0.48 g cm-3) showed enhanced cycling stability with a high capacity retention of 100% over 100 cycles. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  13. In Vitro Study of Bacteriophage AB3 Endolysin LysAB3 Activity Against Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm and Biofilm-Bound A. baumannii.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jie; Xu, Lu-Lu; Gan, Dan; Zhang, Xingping

    2018-06-01

    The increase in the prevalence of drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is a serious public health concern, which is closely linked to the formation of biofilm. It is reported that the bacteriophage and its endolysin have a good ability to degrade biofilms. The goals of this study were to compare the ability of A. baumannii bacteriophage AB3, its endolysin AB3, and three antibiotics to degrade A. baumannii biofilm and biofilm-bound A. baumannii and to understand the antibacterial mechanism of LysAB3. The 558-bp sequence of the LysAB3 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); the fragment was cloned into pET28a (+) to construct the recombinant plasmid pET28a-LysAB3, which was then expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) to obtain the LysAB3. Differences in A. baumannii biofilm and biofilm-bound A. baumannii after treatment with bacteriophage AB3, LysAB3 or three antibiotics were examined using the crystal violet staining method and an MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Changes in biofilm morphology and thickness in each treatment group were observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. In addition, a LysAB3 construct with the amphiphilic peptide structural region removed (LysAB3-D) was assessed for its antibacterial activity. After 24-hour treatment with either bacteriophage AB3 and its LysAB3, A. baumannii biofilms were significantly degraded, and the number of viable biofilm-bound A. baumannii were also significantly decreased. After removing the amphiphilic peptide structure motif from LysAB3, the antibacterial activity decreased from 95.8% to 33.3%. Thus, LysAB3 can effectively degrade A. baumannii biofilm and biofilm-bound A. baumannii in vitro. The antibacterial mechanism of LysAB3 may be associated with the ability of the amphiphilic peptide structural region to enhance the permeability of cytoplasmic membrane of A. baumannii by degradation of bacterial wall peptidoglycan.

  14. Electrochemical cell and negative electrode therefor

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.

    1982-01-01

    A secondary electrochemical cell with the positive and negative electrodes separated by a molten salt electrolyte with the negative electrode comprising a particulate mixture of lithium-aluminum alloy and electrolyte and an additive selected from graphitized carbon, Raney iron or mixtures thereof. The lithium-aluminum alloy is present in the range of from about 45 to about 80 percent by volume of the negative electrode, and the electrolyte is present in an amount not less than about 10 percent by volume of the negative electrode. The additive of graphitized carbon is present in the range of from about 1 to about 10 percent by volume of the negative electrode, and the Raney iron additive is present in the range of from about 3 to about 10 percent by volume of the negative electrode.

  15. Effect of Cu Alloying on S Poisoning of Ni Surfaces and Nanoparticle Morphologies Using Ab-Initio Thermodynamics Calculations.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Su; Kim, Byung-Kook; Kim, Yeong-Cheol

    2015-10-01

    We investigated the effect of Cu alloying on S poisoning of Ni surfaces and nanoparticle morphologies using ab-initio thermodynamics calculations. Based on the Cu segregation energy and the S adsorption energy, the surface energy and nanoparticle morphology of pure Ni, pure Cu, and NiCu alloys were evaluated as functions of the chemical potential of S and the surface orientations of (100), (110), and (111). The constructed nanoparticle morphology was varied as a function of chemical potential of S. We find that the Cu added to Ni for NiCu alloys is strongly segregated into the top surface, and increases the S tolerance of the NiCu nanoparticles.

  16. Ab initio investigation of competing antiferromagnetic structures in low Si-content FeMn(PSi) alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Guijiang; Eriksson, Olle; Johansson, Börje; Vitos, Levente

    2016-06-01

    The antiferromagnetic structures of a low Si-content FeMn(PSi) alloy were investigated by first principles calculations. One possible antiferromagnetic structure in supercell along the c-axis was revealed in FeMnP0.75Si0.25 alloy. It was found that atomic disorder occupation between Fe atom on 3f and Mn atoms on 3g sites is responsible for the formation of antiferromagnetic structures. Furthermore the magnetic competition and the coupling between possible AFM supercells along the c and a-axis can promote a non-collinear antiferromagnetic structure. These theoretical investigations help to deeply understand the magnetic order in FeMn(PSi) alloys and benefit to explore the potential magnetocaloric materials in Fe2P-type alloys.

  17. Studies of localized corrosion in welded aluminum alloys by the scanning reference electrode technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Danford, M. D.; Nunes, A. C.

    1995-01-01

    Localized corrosion in welded samples of 2219-T87 Al alloy (2319 filler), 2090 Al-Li alloy (4043 and 2319 fillers), and 2195 Al-Li alloy (4043 and 2319 fillers) has been investigated using the relatively new scanning reference electrode technique. The weld beads are cathodic in all cases, leading to reduced anode/cathode ratios. A reduction in anode/cathode ratio leads to an increase in the corrosion rates of the welded metals, in agreement with results obtained in previous electrochemical and stress corrosion studies involving the overall corrosion rates of welded samples. The cathodic weld beads are bordered on both sides by strong anodic regions, with high propensity for corrosion.

  18. Hydrometallurgical treatment of nickel-metal hydride battery electrodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lyman, J.W.; Palmer, G.R.

    1995-12-31

    Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery electrodes have been developed as a substitute for cadmium-containing negative electrodes. Use of NI-MH electrodes offers enhanced electrochemical properties in many instances as well as reduced environmental toxicity. Rechargeable batteries using NI-MH electrodes are also strong candidates for electric vehicles. During the production and secondary reclamation of these battery types, recycling procedures will be needed to prevent environmental impact caused by these wastes as well as to recover the value inherent in the scrap. The US Bureau of Mines (USBM) is investigating hydrometallurgical technology that separates and recovers purified metallic components from Ni-MH battery scrap ofmore » two types, AB{sub 2} and AB{sub 5}. An investigation of acid dissolution and metal recovery techniques has determined several processing alternatives that may be used to promote the successful recycling of much of the battery fabrication scrap and eventual secondary scrap. The metals recovered are Ni, Co, and rare earth metals. Although recovery techniques have been identified in principal, their applicability to mixed battery waste stream and economic attractiveness remain to be demonstrated.« less

  19. Type A-B carbonate chlorapatite synthesized at high pressure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fleet, Michael E.; Liu, Xi

    2008-09-15

    Sodium-bearing type A-B carbonate chlorapatites {l_brace}CCLAP; Ca{sub 10-(y+z)}Na{sub y}{open_square}{sub z}[(PO{sub 4}){sub 6-(y+2z)}(CO{sub 3}){sub y+2z}][Cl{sub 2-=} 2{sub x}(CO{sub 3}){sub x}], with x{approx}y{approx}4z{approx}0.4{r_brace} have been synthesized from carbonate-rich melts at 1350-1000 deg. C and 1.0 GPa, and investigated by single-crystal X-ray structure and FTIR spectroscopy. Typical crystal and compositional data are: a=9.5321(4) A, c=6.8448(3) A, space group P6{sub 3}/m, R=0.027, R{sub w}=0.025, x=0.37(3), y=0.57(2). Crystal-chemical features and FTIR spectra are similar to Na-bearing type A-B carbonate hydroxyapatites (CHAP) and fluorapatites (CFAP) reported recently. The molar amounts of Na and channel (type A) carbonate maintain a near 1:1 ratio in all three compositionmore » series, confirming that the Na cation and A and B carbonate ion substituents exist as a defect cluster within the apatite matrix, to facilitate charge compensation and spatial accommodation. Uptake of carbonate is significantly lower in CCLAP than in CHAP for similar conditions of crystal synthesis. - Graphical abstract: Defect cluster (blue) of A carbonate ion in apatite channel, Na{sup +} cation, and B carbonate ion replacing phosphate group, in carbonate chlorapatite synthesized at high pressure.« less

  20. Transparent nickel selenide alloy counter electrodes for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells exceeding 10% efficiency.

    PubMed

    Duan, Yanyan; Tang, Qunwei; He, Benlin; Li, Ru; Yu, Liangmin

    2014-11-07

    In the current work, we report a series of bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that provide power conversion efficiencies of more than 10% from bifacial irradiation. The device comprises an N719-sensitized TiO2 anode, a transparent nickel selenide (Ni-Se) alloy counter electrode (CE), and liquid electrolyte containing I(-)/I3(-) redox couples. Because of the high optical transparency, electron conduction ability, electrocatalytic activity of Ni-Se CEs, as well as dye illumination, electron excitation and power conversion efficiency have been remarkably enhanced. Results indicate that incident light from a transparent CE has a compensation effect to the light from the anode. The impressive efficiency along with simple preparation of the cost-effective Ni-Se alloy CEs highlights the potential application of bifacial illumination technique in robust DSSCs.

  1. Effect of the Sm content on the structure and electrochemical properties of La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 ( x = 0-0.3) hydrogen storage alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Rui; Wei, Xuedong; Liu, Yongning; Zhu, Changchun; Zhu, Jiewu; Yu, Guang

    La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 (x = 0-0.3) hydrogen storage alloys were prepared by inductive melting and the effect of the Sm content on the structure and electrochemical properties was investigated in the paper. The Sm substitution for La in La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 (x = 0-0.3) alloys does not change the main phase structure (the rhombohedral PuNi 3-type structure), but leads to a shrinkage of unit cell and a decrease of hydrogen storage capacity. With the increase of the Sm content in the alloys, the maximum discharge capacity of electrode decreases from 400.2 (x = 0) to 346.6 mAh g -1 (x = 0.3), but the high-rate dischargeability and cycling stability is improved. After 100 cycles, the capacity retention rate increases from 75 (x = 0) to 85% (x = 0.3).

  2. The Current Status of Hydrogen Storage Alloy Development for Electrochemical Applications

    PubMed Central

    Young, Kwo-hsiung; Nei, Jean

    2013-01-01

    In this review article, the fundamentals of electrochemical reactions involving metal hydrides are explained, followed by a report of recent progress in hydrogen storage alloys for electrochemical applications. The status of various alloy systems, including AB5, AB2, A2B7-type, Ti-Ni-based, Mg-Ni-based, BCC, and Zr-Ni-based metal hydride alloys, for their most important electrochemical application, the nickel metal hydride battery, is summarized. Other electrochemical applications, such as Ni-hydrogen, fuel cell, Li-ion battery, air-metal hydride, and hybrid battery systems, also have been mentioned. PMID:28788349

  3. Inert electrode composition having agent for controlling oxide growth on electrode made therefrom

    DOEpatents

    Ray, S.P.

    1986-04-15

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily. The electrode composition further includes a metal compound dopant which will aid in controlling the thickness of a protective oxide layer on at least the bottom portion of an electrode made therefrom during use. 12 figs.

  4. Inert electrode composition having agent for controlling oxide growth on electrode made therefrom

    DOEpatents

    Ray, Siba P.

    1986-01-01

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily. The electrode composition further includes a metal compound dopant which will aid in controlling the thickness of a protective oxide layer on at least the bottom portion of an electrode made therefrom during use.

  5. Extension of E7024 Electrode Applications in Shipbuilding

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-08-01

    E7028, or ABS Grades 2, 2Y electrodes. A class of E7024 electrodes meeting elongation and Charpy V-notch requirements equivalent to ABS Grades 2 and...that adequate weld quality is maintained. The ABS limitations on E7024 electrodes are associated with the absence of a Charpy impact requirement and...fillet welds 1/2” base plate was used were made with each brand of E7024 electrodes; for tension tests; 1“ plate was used for Charpy . tests to provide

  6. Small polarons and point defects in LaFeO3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Zhen; Peelaers, Hartwin; van de Walle, Chris G.

    The proton-conductive perovskite-type LaFeO3 is a promising negative-electrode material for Ni/metal-hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. It has a discharge capacity up to 530 mAhg-1 at 333 K, which is significantly higher than commercialized AB5-type alloys. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of this performance, we have investigated the structural and electronic properties of bulk LaFeO3, as well as the effect of point defects, using hybrid density functional methods. LaFeO3 is antiferromagnetic in the ground state with a band gap of 3.54 eV. Small hole and electron polarons can form through self- or point-defect-assisted trapping. We find that La vacancies and Sr substitutional on La sites are shallow acceptors with the induced holes trapped as small polarons, while O and Fe vacancies are deep defect centers. Hydrogen interstitials behave like shallow donors, with the donor electrons localized on nearby iron sites as electron polarons. With a large trapping energy, these polarons can act as electron or hole traps and affect the electrical performance of LaFeO3 as the negative electrode for Ni-MH batteries. We acknowledge DOE for financial support.

  7. Examination of Multiphase (Zr,Ti)(V,Cr,Mn,Ni)2 Ni-MH Electrode Alloys: Part II. Solid-State Transformation of the Interdendritic B2 Phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bendersky, L. A.; Wang, K.; Boettinger, W. J.; Newbury, D. E.; Young, K.; Chao, B.

    2010-08-01

    Solidification microstructure of multicomponent (Zr,Ti)-Ni-(V,Cr,Mn,Co) alloys intended for use as negative electrodes in Ni-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries was studied in Part I of this series of articles. Part II of the series examines the complex internal structure of the interdendritic grains formed by solid-state transformation and believed to play an important role in the electrochemical charge/discharge characteristics of the overall alloy composition. By studying one alloy, Zr21Ti12.5V10Cr5.5Mn5.1Co5.0Ni40.2Al0.5Sn0.3, it is shown that the interdendritic grains solidify as a B2 (Ti,Zr)44(Ni,TM)56 phase, and then undergo transformation to Zr7Ni10-type, Zr9Ni11-type, and martensitic phases. The transformations obey orientation relationships between the high-temperature B2 phase and the low-temperature Zr-Ni-type intermetallics, and consequently lead to a multivariant structure. The major orientation relationship for the orthorhombic Zr7Ni10 type is [011]Zr7Ni10//[001]B2; (100)Zr7Ni10//(100)B2. The orientation relationship for the tetragonal Zr9Ni11 type is [001]Zr9Ni11//[001]B2; (130)Zr9Ni11//(100)B2. Binary Ni-Zr and ternary Ti-Ni-Zr phase diagrams were used to rationalize the formation of the observed domain structure.

  8. Advanced screening of electrode couples

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giner, J. D.; Cahill, K.

    1980-01-01

    The chromium (Cr(3+)/Cr(2+)) redox couple (electrolyte and electrode) was investigated to determine its suitability as negative electrode for the iron (Fe(3+)/Fe(2+))-chromium (Cr(3+)/Cr(2+)) redox flow battery. Literature search and laboratory investigation established that the solubility and stability of aqueous acidic solutions of chromium(3) chloride and chromium(2) chloride are sufficient for redox battery application. Four categories of electrode materials were tested; namely, metals and metalloid materials (elements and compounds), alloys, plated materials, and Teflon-bonded materials. In all, the relative performance of 26 candidate electrode materials was evaluated on the basis of slow scan rate linear sweep voltammetry in stirred solution. No single material tested gave both acceptable anodic an acceptable cathodic performance. However, the identification of lead as a good cathodic electrocatalyst and gold as a good anodic electrocatalyst led to the invention of the lead/gold combination electrocatalyst. This type of catalyst can be fabricated in several ways and appears to offer the advantages of each metal without the disadvantages associated with their use as single materials. This lead/gold electrocatalyst was tested by NASA-Lewis Research Center in complete, flowing, redox batteries comprising a stack of several cells. A large improvement in the battery's coulombic and energy efficiency was observed.

  9. Phylogenetic and environmental diversity of DsrAB-type dissimilatory (bi)sulfite reductases

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Albert Leopold; Kjeldsen, Kasper Urup; Rattei, Thomas; Pester, Michael; Loy, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    The energy metabolism of essential microbial guilds in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle is based on a DsrAB-type dissimilatory (bi)sulfite reductase that either catalyzes the reduction of sulfite to sulfide during anaerobic respiration of sulfate, sulfite and organosulfonates, or acts in reverse during sulfur oxidation. Common use of dsrAB as a functional marker showed that dsrAB richness in many environments is dominated by novel sequence variants and collectively represents an extensive, largely uncharted sequence assemblage. Here, we established a comprehensive, manually curated dsrAB/DsrAB database and used it to categorize the known dsrAB diversity, reanalyze the evolutionary history of dsrAB and evaluate the coverage of published dsrAB-targeted primers. Based on a DsrAB consensus phylogeny, we introduce an operational classification system for environmental dsrAB sequences that integrates established taxonomic groups with operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at multiple phylogenetic levels, ranging from DsrAB enzyme families that reflect reductive or oxidative DsrAB types of bacterial or archaeal origin, superclusters, uncultured family-level lineages to species-level OTUs. Environmental dsrAB sequences constituted at least 13 stable family-level lineages without any cultivated representatives, suggesting that major taxa of sulfite/sulfate-reducing microorganisms have not yet been identified. Three of these uncultured lineages occur mainly in marine environments, while specific habitat preferences are not evident for members of the other 10 uncultured lineages. In summary, our publically available dsrAB/DsrAB database, the phylogenetic framework, the multilevel classification system and a set of recommended primers provide a necessary foundation for large-scale dsrAB ecology studies with next-generation sequencing methods. PMID:25343514

  10. Binder-free Si nanoparticle electrode with 3D porous structure prepared by electrophoretic deposition for lithium-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Chen, Dingqiong; Liu, Bo; Zhao, Jinbao

    2015-04-15

    A binder-free silicon (Si) based electrode for lithium-ion battery was fabricated in an organic solvent through one-step electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The nanosized Si and acetylene black (AB) particles were bonded tightly together to form a homogeneous co-deposited film with 3D porous structure through the EPD process. The 3D porous structure provides buffer spaces to alleviate the mechanical stress due to silicon volume change during the cycling and improves lithium-ion conductivity by shortening ion diffusion length and better ion conducting pathway. The electrode prepared with 5 s deposition duration shows the best cycling performance among electrodes fabricated by EPD method, and thus, it was selected to be compared with the silicon electrode prepared by the conventional method. Our results demonstrate that the Si nanoparticle electrode prepared through EPD exhibits smaller cycling capacity decay rate and better rate capability than the electrode prepared by the conventional method.

  11. J-type Carbon Stars: A Dominant Source of 14 N-rich Presolar SiC Grains of Type AB

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Nan; Stephan, Thomas; Boehnke, Patrick

    We report Mo isotopic data of 27 new presolar SiC grains, including 12 N-14-rich AB (N-14/N-15 > 440, AB2) and 15 mainstream (MS) grains, and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Direct comparison of the data for the MS grains, which came from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with large s-process isotope enhancements, with the AB2 grain data demonstrates that AB2 grains show near-solar isotopic compositions and lack s-process enhancements. The near-normal Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of AB2 grains clearly exclude born-again AGB stars, where the intermediate neutron-capture process (i-process) takes place, as theirmore » stellar source. On the other hand, low-mass CO novae and early R-and J-type carbon stars show C-13 and N-14 excesses but no s-process enhancements and are thus potential stellar sources of AB2 grains. Because both early R-type carbon stars and CO novae are rare objects, the abundant J-type carbon stars (10%-15% of all carbon stars) are thus likely to be a dominant source of AB2 grains.« less

  12. A Ti-V-based bcc phase alloy for use as metal hydride electrode with high discharge capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, X. B.; Wu, Z.; Xia, B. J.; Xu, N. X.

    2004-07-01

    The electrochemical characteristics of single bcc phase Ti-30V-15Cr-15Mn alloy were investigated. It was demonstrated that the single bcc phase alloy has high electrochemical discharge performance at high temperature. Its discharge capacity is closely related with temperature and discharge current. The first discharge capacities of 580-814 mAh g-1 of the alloy powder were obtained at discharge current of 45-10 mA g-1 in 6 M KOH solution at 353 K. Although the electrochemical cycle life of the alloy is unsatisfactory at present, it opens up prospects for developing a new hydrogen storage alloy with high hydrogen capacity for use as high performance metal hydride electrodes in rechargeable Ni-MH battery.

  13. A Ti-V-based bcc phase alloy for use as metal hydride electrode with high discharge capacity.

    PubMed

    Yu, X B; Wu, Z; Xia, B J; Xu, N X

    2004-07-08

    The electrochemical characteristics of single bcc phase Ti-30V-15Cr-15Mn alloy were investigated. It was demonstrated that the single bcc phase alloy has high electrochemical discharge performance at high temperature. Its discharge capacity is closely related with temperature and discharge current. The first discharge capacities of 580-814 mAh g(-1) of the alloy powder were obtained at discharge current of 45-10 mA g(-1) in 6 M KOH solution at 353 K. Although the electrochemical cycle life of the alloy is unsatisfactory at present, it opens up prospects for developing a new hydrogen storage alloy with high hydrogen capacity for use as high performance metal hydride electrodes in rechargeable Ni-MH battery.

  14. Characteristics of the high-rate discharge capability of a nickel/metal hydride battery electrode

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Geng, M.; Han, J.; Feng, F.

    1999-10-01

    The high rate discharge capability of the negative electrode in a Ni/MH battery is mainly determined by the charge transfer process at the interface between the metal hydride (MH) alloy powder and the electrolyte, and the mass transfer process in the bulk MH alloy powder. In this study, the anodic polarization curves of a MH electrode were measured and analyzed. An alloy of nominal composition Mm{sub 0.95}Ti{sub 0.05}Ni{sub 3.85}Co{sub 0.45}Mn{sub 0.35}Al{sub 0.35} was used as the negative electrode material. With increasing number of charge/discharge cycles, the MH alloy powders microcrack into particles several micrometers in diameter. The decrease in themore » MH alloy particle size results in an increase in both the activation surface area and the exchange current density of the MH alloy electrode. The electrode overpotentials of the MH electrode decreases with increasing number of cycles at a large value of anodic polarization current. The decrease in electrode overpotential leads to an increase in the high rate discharge capability of the MH electrode. By using the limiting current, the hydrogen diffusion coefficient in the MH alloy was estimated to be 1.2 x 10{sup {minus}11}cm{sup 2}s{sup {minus}1} assuming an average particle radius of 5 {micro}m.« less

  15. Structural Inheritance and Redox Performance of Nanoporous Electrodes from Nanocrystalline Fe85.2B10-14P0-4Cu0.8 Alloys

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Chaoqun; Xu, Lijun; Dan, Zhenhua; Makino, Akihiro; Hara, Nobuyoshi; Qin, Fengxiang; Chang, Hui

    2017-01-01

    Nanoporous electrodes have been fabricated by selectively dissolving the less noble α-Fe crystalline phase from nanocrystalline Fe85.2B14–xPxCu0.8 alloys (x= 0, 2, 4 at.%). The preferential dissolution is triggered by the weaker electrochemical stability of α-Fe nanocrystals than amorphous phase. The final nanoporous structure is mainly composed of amorphous residual phase and minor undissolved α-Fe crystals and can be predicted from initial microstructure of nanocrystalline precursor alloys. The structural inheritance is proved by the similarity of the size and outlines between nanopores formed after dealloying in 0.1 M H2SO4 and α-Fe nanocrystals precipitated after annealing of amorphous Fe85.2B14−xPxCu0.8 (x = 0, 2, 4 at.%) alloys. The Redox peak current density of the nanoporous electrodes obtained from nanocrystalline Fe85.2B10P4Cu0.8 alloys is more than one order higher than those of Fe plate electrode and its counterpart nanocrystalline alloys due to the large surface area and nearly-amorphous nature of ligaments. PMID:28594378

  16. Nonlocal torque operators in ab initio theory of the Gilbert damping in random ferromagnetic alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turek, I.; Kudrnovský, J.; Drchal, V.

    2015-12-01

    We present an ab initio theory of the Gilbert damping in substitutionally disordered ferromagnetic alloys. The theory rests on introduced nonlocal torques which replace traditional local torque operators in the well-known torque-correlation formula and which can be formulated within the atomic-sphere approximation. The formalism is sketched in a simple tight-binding model and worked out in detail in the relativistic tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital method and the coherent potential approximation (CPA). The resulting nonlocal torques are represented by nonrandom, non-site-diagonal, and spin-independent matrices, which simplifies the configuration averaging. The CPA-vertex corrections play a crucial role for the internal consistency of the theory and for its exact equivalence to other first-principles approaches based on the random local torques. This equivalence is also illustrated by the calculated Gilbert damping parameters for binary NiFe and FeCo random alloys, for pure iron with a model atomic-level disorder, and for stoichiometric FePt alloys with a varying degree of L 10 atomic long-range order.

  17. Properties of splat-quenched 7075 aluminum type alloys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Durand, J. P. H. A.; Pelloux, R. M.; Grant, N. J.

    1976-01-01

    The 7075 alloy belonging to the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu system, prepared by powder metallurgy techniques, was used in a study of alloys prepared from splat-quenched foils consolidated into bar material by hot extrusion. Ni and Fe were included in one alloy specimen, producing a fine dispersion of FeAl3 type particles which added to the strength of the aged alloy but did not coarsen upon heat treatment. Fine oxide films showing up on air-splatted foils induce finely dispersed oxide stringers (if the foils are not hot-worked subsequently) which in turn promote axial cracking (but longitudinal tensile strength is not seriously impaired). Splatting in a protective atmosphere, or thermomechanical processing, is recommended to compensate for this.

  18. Occurrence of Diverse AbGRI1-Type Genomic Islands in Acinetobacter baumannii Global Clone 2 Isolates from South Korea.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dae Hun; Jung, Sook-In; Kwon, Ki Tae; Ko, Kwan Soo

    2017-02-01

    In this study, we analyzed the frequency of the AbGRI1-type genomic island (GI) and its association with genotypes. We obtained 130 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates causing bloodstream infections from patients in South Korea. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and multilocus sequence typing were performed. The presence of AbGRI1-type GIs and their structures were determined by sequential PCR and sequencing. Ninety-eight isolates (75.3%) representing 14 sequence types (STs) belonged to clonal complex 208 (CC208), corresponding to global clone 2 (GC2). AbGRI1-type GIs interrupted the comM gene in 107 isolates (82.4%). Four types of GIs were identified: Tn6022 (50 isolates; 46.7%), AbaR4 (23 isolates; 21.5%), Tn6166 (10 isolates; 9.3%), and Tn6166/Tn2006 (24 isolates; 22.4%). In the 50 isolates with Tn6022, Tn2006 or Tn2008B, both containing ISAba1-bla OXA-23 , was present in sites other than GIs in 3 or 28 isolates, respectively. In the 10 isolates with Tn6166, Tn2008B was identified in one isolate. AbGRI1-type GIs were identified nearly exclusively in CC208 isolates, with the exception of nine non-CC208 isolates (AbaR4 in eight ST229 isolates and Tn6022 in one ST1244 isolate). Within CC208 isolates, there was evidence of frequent recombination events, in both housekeeping genes and AbGRI1-type GIs, contributing to genotype diversification and the emergence of carbapenem resistance. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  19. Array-type NH.sub.3 sensor

    DOEpatents

    West, David Lawrence; Montgomery, Frederick Charles; Armstrong, Timothy R; Warmack, Robert J

    2013-12-31

    An array-type sensor that senses NH.sub.3 includes non-Nernstian sensing elements constructed from metal and/or metal-oxide electrodes on an O.sub.2 ion conducting substrate. In one example sensor, one electrode may be made of platinum, another electrode may be made of manganese (III) oxide (Mn.sub.2O.sub.3), and another electrode may be made of tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3). Some sensing elements may further include an electrode made of La.sub.0.6Sr.sub.0.4Co.sub.0.2Fe.sub0.8O.sub.3 and another electrode made of LaCr.sub.0.95.Mg.sub.0.05O.sub.3.

  20. J-type Carbon Stars: A Dominant Source of 14 N-rich Presolar SiC Grains of Type AB

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Nan; Stephan, Thomas; Boehnke, Patrick; ...

    2017-07-21

    Here, we report Mo isotopic data of 27 new presolar SiC grains, including 12 14N-rich AB ( 14N/ 15N > 440, AB2) and 15 mainstream (MS) grains, and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Direct comparison of the data for the MS grains, which came from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with large s-process isotope enhancements, with the AB2 grain data demonstrates that AB2 grains show near-solar isotopic compositions and lack s-process enhancements. The near-normal Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of AB2 grains clearly exclude born-again AGB stars, where the intermediate neutron-capture process (i-process) takesmore » place, as their stellar source. On the other hand, low-mass CO novae and early R- and J-type carbon stars show 13C and 14N excesses but no s-process enhancements and are thus potential stellar sources of AB2 grains. And because both early R-type carbon stars and CO novae are rare objects, the abundant J-type carbon stars (10%–15% of all carbon stars) are thus likely to be a dominant source of AB2 grains.« less

  1. J-type Carbon Stars: A Dominant Source of 14 N-rich Presolar SiC Grains of Type AB

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Nan; Stephan, Thomas; Boehnke, Patrick

    Here, we report Mo isotopic data of 27 new presolar SiC grains, including 12 14N-rich AB ( 14N/ 15N > 440, AB2) and 15 mainstream (MS) grains, and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Direct comparison of the data for the MS grains, which came from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with large s-process isotope enhancements, with the AB2 grain data demonstrates that AB2 grains show near-solar isotopic compositions and lack s-process enhancements. The near-normal Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of AB2 grains clearly exclude born-again AGB stars, where the intermediate neutron-capture process (i-process) takesmore » place, as their stellar source. On the other hand, low-mass CO novae and early R- and J-type carbon stars show 13C and 14N excesses but no s-process enhancements and are thus potential stellar sources of AB2 grains. And because both early R-type carbon stars and CO novae are rare objects, the abundant J-type carbon stars (10%–15% of all carbon stars) are thus likely to be a dominant source of AB2 grains.« less

  2. Investigation on the Microstructure and Ductility-Dip Cracking Susceptibility of the Butt Weld Welded with ENiCrFe-7 Nickel-Base Alloy-Covered Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qin, Renyao; Wang, Huang; He, Guo

    2015-03-01

    The weld metal of the ENiCrFe-7 nickel-based alloy-covered electrodes was investigated in terms of the microstructure, the grain boundary precipitation, and the ductility-dip cracking (DDC) susceptibility. Besides the dendritic gamma-Ni(Cr,Fe) phase, several types of precipitates dispersed on the austenitic matrix were observed, which were determined to be the Nb-rich MC-type carbides with "Chinese script" morphology and size of approximately 3 to 10 µm, the Mn-rich MO-type oxides with size of approximately 1 to 2 µm, and the spherical Al/Ti-rich oxides with size of less than 1 µm. The discontinuous Cr-rich M23C6-type carbides predominantly precipitate on the grain boundaries, which tend to coarsen during reheating but begin to dissolve above approximately 1273 K (1000 °C). The threshold strain for DDC at each temperature tested shows a certain degree of correlation with the grain boundary carbides. The DDC susceptibility increases sharply as the carbides coarsen in the temperature range of 973 K to 1223 K (700 °C to 950 °C). The growth and dissolution of the carbides during the welding heat cycles deteriorate the grain boundaries and increase the DDC susceptibility. The weld metal exhibits the minimum threshold strain of approximately 2.0 pct at 1323 K (1050 °C) and the DTR less than 873 K (600 °C), suggesting that the ENiCrFe-7—covered electrode has less DDC susceptibility than the ERNiCrFe-7 bare electrode but is comparable with the ERNiCrFe-7A.

  3. Fume generation rates for stainless steel, nickel and aluminum alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Castner, H.R.

    1996-12-01

    This paper describes a study of the effects of pulsed welding current on fume produced during gas metal arc welding (GMAW) of stainless steel, nickel, and aluminum alloys. This is an extension of earlier studies of mild steel electrode wire. Reduction of welding fume is important because steady current GMAW of stainless steels and nickel alloys may produce fume that exceeds recommended worker exposure limits for some of the fume constituents. Fume generation from aluminum alloy ER5356 was studied because steady current welding with this alloy produces much higher fume generation rates than ER4043 alloy electrode wire. This work showsmore » that pulsed current can reduce GMAW fume generation rates for Er308L, ER310, and ER312 stainless steel, ERNiCr-3 nickel alloy, and ER5356 aluminum-magnesium alloy electrode wires.« less

  4. Oxidation behavior and electrical property of ferritic stainless steel interconnects with a Cr-La alloying layer by high-energy micro-arc alloying process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Z. J.; Zeng, C. L.

    Chromium volatility, poisoning of the cathode material and rapidly decreasing electrical conductivity are the major problems associated with the application of ferritic stainless steel interconnects of solid oxide fuel cells operated at intermediate temperatures. Recently, a novel and simple high-energy micro-arc alloying (HEMAA) process is proposed to prepare LaCrO 3-based coatings for the type 430 stainless steel interconnects using a LaCrO 3-Ni rod as deposition electrode. In this work, a Cr-La alloying layer is firstly obtained on the alloy surface by HEMAA using Cr and La as deposition electrode, respectively, followed by oxidation treatment at 850 °C in air to form a thermally grown LaCrO 3 coating. With the formation of a protective scale composed of a thick LaCrO 3 outer layer incorporated with small amounts of Cr-rich oxides and a thin Cr 2O 3-rich sub-layer, the oxidation rate of the coated steel is reduced remarkably. A low and stable electrical contact resistance is achieved with the application of LaCrO 3-based coatings, with a value less than 40 mΩ cm 2 during exposure at 850 °C in air for up to 500 h.

  5. Properties of a new type Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy composite anode for zinc electrowinning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Hai-tao; Liu, Huan-rong; Zhang, Yong-chun; Chen, Bu-ming; Guo, Zhong-cheng; Xu, Rui-dong

    2013-10-01

    An Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy composite anode was produced via composite casting. Its electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction and corrosion resistance was evaluated by anodic polarization curves and accelerated corrosion test, respectively. The microscopic morphologies of the anode section and anodic oxidation layer during accelerated corrosion test were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the composite anode (hard anodizing) displays a more compact interfacial combination and a better adhesive strength than plating tin. Compared with industrial Pb-0.3%Ag anodes, the oxygen evolution overpotentials of Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (hard anodizing) and Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (plating tin) at 500 A·m-2 were lower by 57 and 14 mV, respectively. Furthermore, the corrosion rates of Pb-0.3%Ag alloy, Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (hard anodizing), and Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (plating tin) were 13.977, 9.487, and 11.824 g·m-2·h-1, respectively, in accelerated corrosion test for 8 h at 2000 A·m-2. The anodic oxidation layer of Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (hard anodizing) is more compact than Pb-0.3%Ag alloy and Al/Pb-0.3%Ag alloy (plating tin) after the test.

  6. Wire-type MnO2/Multilayer graphene/Ni electrode for high-performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Minglei; Liu, Yuhao; Zhang, Min; Wei, Helin; Gao, Yihua

    2016-12-01

    Commercially available wearable energy storage devices need a wire-type electrode with high strength, conductivity and electrochemical performance, as well as stable structure under deformation. Herein, we report a novel wire-type electrode of hierarchically structure MnO2 on Ni wire with multilayer graphene (MGr) as a buffer layer to enhance the electrical conductivity of the MnO2 and interface contact between the MnO2 and Ni wire. Thus, the wire-type MnO2/MGr/Ni electrode has a stable and high quality interface. The wire-type supercapacitor (WSC) based on wire-type MnO2/MGr/Ni electrode exhibits good electrochemical performance, high rate capability, extraordinary flexibility, and superior cycle lifetime. Length (area, volumetric) specific capacitance of the WSC reaches 6.9 mF cm-1 (73.2 mF cm-2, 9.8 F cm-3). Maximum length (volumetric) energy density of the WSC based on MnO2/MGr/Ni reaches 0.62 μWh cm-1 (0.88 mWh cm-3). Furthermore, the WSC has a short time constant (0.5-400 ms) and exhibits minimal change in capacitance under different bending shapes.

  7. Process for treating ab5 nickel-metal hydride battery scrap

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lyman, J.W.; Palmer, G.R.

    1994-12-31

    A process for treating an AB5 Ni-MH battery to recover purified positive and negative electrode components of the battery is disclosed. An AB5 Ni-MH battery is placed in a mineral acid leach solution to cause the positive and negative electrode components of the battery to separate.

  8. Ag-Pd-Cu alloy inserted transparent indium tin oxide electrodes for organic solar cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Hyo-Joong; Seo, Ki-Won; Kim, Han-Ki, E-mail: imdlhkkim@khu.ac.kr

    2014-09-01

    The authors report on the characteristics of Ag-Pd-Cu (APC) alloy-inserted indium tin oxide (ITO) films sputtered on a glass substrate at room temperature for application as transparent anodes in organic solar cells (OSCs). The effect of the APC interlayer thickness on the electrical, optical, structural, and morphological properties of the ITO/APC/ITO multilayer were investigated and compared to those of ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer electrodes. At the optimized APC thickness of 8 nm, the ITO/APC/ITO multilayer exhibited a resistivity of 8.55 × 10{sup −5} Ω cm, an optical transmittance of 82.63%, and a figure-of-merit value of 13.54 × 10{sup −3} Ω{sup −1}, comparable to those of the ITO/Ag/ITOmore » multilayer. Unlike the ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer, agglomeration of the metal interlayer was effectively relieved with APC interlayer due to existence of Pd and Cu elements in the thin region of the APC interlayer. The OSCs fabricated on the ITO/APC/ITO multilayer showed higher power conversion efficiency than that of OSCs prepared on the ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer below 10 nm due to the flatness of the APC layer. The improved performance of the OSCs with ITO/APC/ITO multilayer electrodes indicates that the APC alloy interlayer prevents the agglomeration of the Ag-based metal interlayer and can decrease the thickness of the metal interlayer in the oxide-metal-oxide multilayer of high-performance OSCs.« less

  9. Correlation between theoretical descriptor and catalytic oxygen reduction activity of graphene supported palladium and palladium alloy electrocatalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seo, Min Ho; Choi, Sung Mook; Lee, Dong Un; Kim, Won Bae; Chen, Zhongwei

    2015-12-01

    The oxygen reduction reaction, ORR, performances of graphene-supported palladium (Pd) and palladium alloys (Pd3X: X = Ag, Co and Fe) catalysts with highly dispersed catalyst particles are investigated in acidic and alkaline conditions using a rotating disk electrode, RDE. Graphene nanosheet, GNS, supported Pd based catalysts are fabricated without surfactant through the impregnation of Pd and 2nd metal precursors on GNS, leading to small and uniformly dispersed nanoparticles, even when high metal loading of up to 60 wt.% are deposited on supports. The ab-initio density functional theory, DFT, calculations, which are based on the d-band center theory, have been applied to correlate with the results of the ORR performances obtained by half-cell tests. Additionally, the cohesive energy, Ecoh, and dissolution potential, Um, for the Pd nanoparticles have been calculated to understand thermodynamic stability. To elucidate the d-band center shift, the Pd 3d5/2 core-level binding energies for Pd/GNS, Pd3Ag/GNS, Pd3Fe/GNS and Pd3Co/GNS have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS. The GNS-supported Pd, or Pd-based alloy-nanoparticle catalyst shows good ORR activity under acidic and alkaline conditions, suggesting it may offer potential replacement for Pt for use in cathode electrodes of anion-exchange membrane fuel cell, AEMFC, and acid based polymer electrolyte fuel cell, PEMFC.

  10. J-type Carbon Stars: A Dominant Source of {sup 14}N-rich Presolar SiC Grains of Type AB

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Nan; Nittler, Larry R.; Alexander, Conel M. O’D.

    We report Mo isotopic data of 27 new presolar SiC grains, including 12 {sup 14}N-rich AB ({sup 14}N/{sup 15}N > 440, AB2) and 15 mainstream (MS) grains, and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Direct comparison of the data for the MS grains, which came from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with large s -process isotope enhancements, with the AB2 grain data demonstrates that AB2 grains show near-solar isotopic compositions and lack s -process enhancements. The near-normal Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of AB2 grains clearly exclude born-again AGB stars, where the intermediate neutron-capture processmore » ( i -process) takes place, as their stellar source. On the other hand, low-mass CO novae and early R- and J-type carbon stars show {sup 13}C and {sup 14}N excesses but no s -process enhancements and are thus potential stellar sources of AB2 grains. Because both early R-type carbon stars and CO novae are rare objects, the abundant J-type carbon stars (10%–15% of all carbon stars) are thus likely to be a dominant source of AB2 grains.« less

  11. The negative electrode development for a Ni-MH battery prototype

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cuscueta, D. J.; Ghilarducci, A. A.; Salva, H. R.; Milocco, R. H.; Castro, E. B.

    2009-10-01

    The negative electrode development for a nickel-metal hydride battery (Ni-MH) prototype was performed with the following procedure: (1) the Lm 0.95Ni 3.8Co 0.3Mn 0.3Al 0.4 (Lm=lanthanum rich mischmetal) intermetallic alloy was elaborated by melting the pure elements in an induction furnace inside a boron nitride crucible under an inert atmosphere, (2) the obtained alloy was crushed and sieved between 44 and 74 μm and mixed with teflonized carbon; (3) the compound was assembled together with a current collector and pressed in a cylindrical matrix. The obtained electrode presented a disc shape, with 11 mm diameter and approximately 1 mm thickness. The crystalline structure of the hydrogen storage alloy was examined using X-ray diffractometry. The measured hcp lattice volume was 1.78% larger than the precursor LaNi 5 intermetallic alloy, increasing the available space for hydrogen movement. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) measurements were used before and after hydriding in order to verify the alloy sample homogeneity. The negative electrode was electrochemically tested by using a laboratory cell. It activates almost totally in its first cycle, which is an excellent characteristic from the commercial point of view. The maximum discharge capacity reached was 314.2 mA h/g in the 10th cycle.

  12. Design of Hydrogen Storage Alloys/Nanoporous Metals Hybrid Electrodes for Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries.

    PubMed

    Li, M M; Yang, C C; Wang, C C; Wen, Z; Zhu, Y F; Zhao, M; Li, J C; Zheng, W T; Lian, J S; Jiang, Q

    2016-06-07

    Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries have demonstrated key technology advantages for applications in new-energy vehicles, which play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the world's dependence on fossil fuels. However, the poor high-rate dischargeability of the negative electrode materials-hydrogen storage alloys (HSAs) limits applications of Ni-MH batteries in high-power fields due to large polarization. Here we design a hybrid electrode by integrating HSAs with a current collector of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Ni. The electrode shows enhanced high-rate dischargeability with the capacity retention rate reaching 44.6% at a discharge current density of 3000 mA g(-1), which is 2.4 times that of bare HSAs (18.8%). Such a unique hybrid architecture not only enhances charge transfer between nanoporous Ni and HSAs, but also facilitates rapid diffusion of hydrogen atoms in HSAs. The developed HSAs/nanoporous metals hybrid structures exhibit great potential to be candidates as electrodes in high-performance Ni-MH batteries towards applications in new-energy vehicles.

  13. Design of Hydrogen Storage Alloys/Nanoporous Metals Hybrid Electrodes for Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries

    PubMed Central

    Li, M. M.; Yang, C. C.; Wang, C. C.; Wen, Z.; Zhu, Y. F.; Zhao, M.; Li, J. C.; Zheng, W. T.; Lian, J. S.; Jiang, Q.

    2016-01-01

    Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries have demonstrated key technology advantages for applications in new-energy vehicles, which play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. However, the poor high-rate dischargeability of the negative electrode materials—hydrogen storage alloys (HSAs) limits applications of Ni-MH batteries in high-power fields due to large polarization. Here we design a hybrid electrode by integrating HSAs with a current collector of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Ni. The electrode shows enhanced high-rate dischargeability with the capacity retention rate reaching 44.6% at a discharge current density of 3000 mA g−1, which is 2.4 times that of bare HSAs (18.8%). Such a unique hybrid architecture not only enhances charge transfer between nanoporous Ni and HSAs, but also facilitates rapid diffusion of hydrogen atoms in HSAs. The developed HSAs/nanoporous metals hybrid structures exhibit great potential to be candidates as electrodes in high-performance Ni-MH batteries towards applications in new-energy vehicles. PMID:27270184

  14. Design of Hydrogen Storage Alloys/Nanoporous Metals Hybrid Electrodes for Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, M. M.; Yang, C. C.; Wang, C. C.; Wen, Z.; Zhu, Y. F.; Zhao, M.; Li, J. C.; Zheng, W. T.; Lian, J. S.; Jiang, Q.

    2016-06-01

    Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries have demonstrated key technology advantages for applications in new-energy vehicles, which play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. However, the poor high-rate dischargeability of the negative electrode materials—hydrogen storage alloys (HSAs) limits applications of Ni-MH batteries in high-power fields due to large polarization. Here we design a hybrid electrode by integrating HSAs with a current collector of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Ni. The electrode shows enhanced high-rate dischargeability with the capacity retention rate reaching 44.6% at a discharge current density of 3000 mA g-1, which is 2.4 times that of bare HSAs (18.8%). Such a unique hybrid architecture not only enhances charge transfer between nanoporous Ni and HSAs, but also facilitates rapid diffusion of hydrogen atoms in HSAs. The developed HSAs/nanoporous metals hybrid structures exhibit great potential to be candidates as electrodes in high-performance Ni-MH batteries towards applications in new-energy vehicles.

  15. Uncharged positive electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.; Vissers, Donald R.; Shimotake, Hiroshi

    1977-03-08

    An uncharged positive-electrode composition contains particulate lithium sulfide, another alkali metal or alkaline earth metal compound other than sulfide, e.g., lithium carbide, and a transition metal powder. The composition along with a binder, such as electrolytic salt or a thermosetting resin is applied onto an electrically conductive substrate to form a plaque. The plaque is assembled as a positive electrode within an electrochemical cell opposite to a negative electrode containing a material such as aluminum or silicon for alloying with lithium. During charging, lithium alloy is formed within the negative electrode and transition metal sulfide such as iron sulfide is produced within the positive electrode. Excess negative electrode capacity over that from the transition metal sulfide is provided due to the electrochemical reaction of the other than sulfide alkali metal or alkaline earth metal compound.

  16. The Nature of Electrochemical Delithiation of Li-Mg Alloy Electrodes: Neutron Computed Tomography and Modeling of Li Diffusion and Delithiation Phenomenon

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Yuxuan; Chandran, K.S. Ravi; Jagannathan, M.; ...

    2016-12-05

    Li-Mg alloys are promising as positive electrodes (anodes) for Li-ion batteries due to the high Li storage capacity and the relatively lower volume change during the lithiation/delithiation process. They also present a unique opportunity to image the Li distribution through the electrode thickness at various delithiation states. In this work, spatial distributions of Li in electrochemically delithiated Li-Mg alloy electrodes have been quantitatively determined using neutron tomography. Specifically, the Li concentration profiles along thickness direction are determined. A rigorous analytical model to quantify the diffusion-controlled delithiation, accompanied by phase transition and boundary movement, has also been developed to explain themore » delithiation mechanism. The analytical modeling scheme successfully predicted the Li concentration profiles which agreed well with the experimental data. It is demonstrated that during discharge Li is removed by diffusion through the solid solution Li-Mg phases and this proceeds with β→α phase transition and the associated phase boundary movement through the thickness of the electrode. This is also accompanied by electrode thinning due to the change in molar volume during delithiation. In conclusion, following the approaches developed here, one can develop a rigorous and quantitative understanding of electrochemical delithiation in electrodes of electrochemical cells, similar to that in the present Li-Mg electrodes.« less

  17. The Nature of Electrochemical Delithiation of Li-Mg Alloy Electrodes: Neutron Computed Tomography and Modeling of Li Diffusion and Delithiation Phenomenon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Yuxuan; Chandran, K.S. Ravi; Jagannathan, M.

    Li-Mg alloys are promising as positive electrodes (anodes) for Li-ion batteries due to the high Li storage capacity and the relatively lower volume change during the lithiation/delithiation process. They also present a unique opportunity to image the Li distribution through the electrode thickness at various delithiation states. In this work, spatial distributions of Li in electrochemically delithiated Li-Mg alloy electrodes have been quantitatively determined using neutron tomography. Specifically, the Li concentration profiles along thickness direction are determined. A rigorous analytical model to quantify the diffusion-controlled delithiation, accompanied by phase transition and boundary movement, has also been developed to explain themore » delithiation mechanism. The analytical modeling scheme successfully predicted the Li concentration profiles which agreed well with the experimental data. It is demonstrated that during discharge Li is removed by diffusion through the solid solution Li-Mg phases and this proceeds with β→α phase transition and the associated phase boundary movement through the thickness of the electrode. This is also accompanied by electrode thinning due to the change in molar volume during delithiation. In conclusion, following the approaches developed here, one can develop a rigorous and quantitative understanding of electrochemical delithiation in electrodes of electrochemical cells, similar to that in the present Li-Mg electrodes.« less

  18. 3D-Printed ABS and PLA Scaffolds for Cartilage and Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Regeneration.

    PubMed

    Rosenzweig, Derek H; Carelli, Eric; Steffen, Thomas; Jarzem, Peter; Haglund, Lisbet

    2015-07-03

    Painful degeneration of soft tissues accounts for high socioeconomic costs. Tissue engineering aims to provide biomimetics recapitulating native tissues. Biocompatible thermoplastics for 3D printing can generate high-resolution structures resembling tissue extracellular matrix. Large-pore 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds were compared for cell ingrowth, viability, and tissue generation. Primary articular chondrocytes and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were cultured on ABS and PLA scaffolds for three weeks. Both cell types proliferated well, showed high viability, and produced ample amounts of proteoglycan and collagen type II on both scaffolds. NP generated more matrix than chondrocytes; however, no difference was observed between scaffold types. Mechanical testing revealed sustained scaffold stability. This study demonstrates that chondrocytes and NP cells can proliferate on both ABS and PLA scaffolds printed with a simplistic, inexpensive desktop 3D printer. Moreover, NP cells produced more proteoglycan than chondrocytes, irrespective of thermoplastic type, indicating that cells maintain individual phenotype over the three-week culture period. Future scaffold designs covering larger pore sizes and better mimicking native tissue structure combined with more flexible or resorbable materials may provide implantable constructs with the proper structure, function, and cellularity necessary for potential cartilage and disc tissue repair in vivo.

  19. Martensitic Transformation in a β-Type Mg-Sc Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogawa, Yukiko; Ando, Daisuke; Sutou, Yuji; Somekawa, Hidetoshi; Koike, Junichi

    2018-03-01

    Recently, we found that a Mg-Sc alloy with a bcc (β) phase exhibits superelasticity and a shape memory effect at low temperature. In this work, we examined the stress-induced and thermally induced martensitic transformation of the β-type Mg-Sc alloy and investigated the crystal structure of the thermally induced martensite phase based on in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The lattice constants of the martensite phase were calculated to be a = 0.3285 nm, b = 0.5544 nm, and c = 0.5223 nm when we assumed that the martensite phase has an orthorhombic structure (Cmcm). Based on the lattice correspondence between a bcc and an orthorhombic structures such as that in the case of β-Ti shape memory alloys, we estimated the transformation strain of the β Mg-Sc alloy. As a result, the transformation strains along the 001, 011, and 111 directions in the β phase were calculated to be + 5.7, + 8.8, and + 3.3%, respectively.

  20. Structural, elastic and electronic properties of typical NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys from ab initio calculation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Na; Zhang, Wei-bing; Tang, Bi-yu; Gao, Hai-Tao; He, En-jie; Wang, Lei

    2018-07-01

    The crystal structure, elastic and magnetic properties of important ternary Mg-based alloys NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) have been studied using reliable ab initio calculations. Both cohesive energy and charge density difference suggest that three alloys have good structural stability with the order: NdMgCo4 > NdMgNi4 > NdMgCu4. It shows that NdMgCo4 alloy has magnetic moments with the Co atoms being the main contribution, which is also in agreement with the calculated electronic structures. We find that NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys are all ductile materials with bulk-to-shear modulus (B/G) values higher than 1.75. The trends of calculated values for the shear moduli Cs and C44 are consistent with that of shear modulus G and young's modulus E, proving that NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys exhibit good plasticity with the trend: NdMgNi4 > NdMgCu4 > NdMgCo4. These calculated results give the basis guidance for the design of rare earth-magnesium-transition metal (R-Mg-T) alloys with improved mechanical properties.

  1. Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Studies of Pb m Sb n ( m + n ≤ 9) Alloy Clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Bingyi; Xu, Baoqiang; Yang, Bin; Jiang, Wenlong; Chen, Xiumin; Xu, Na; Liu, Dachun; Dai, Yongnian

    2017-10-01

    Structure, stability, and dynamics of Pb m Sb n ( m + n ≤ 9) clusters were investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics. Size dependence of binding energies, the second-order energy difference of clusters, dissociation energy, HOMO-LUMO gaps, Mayer bond order, and the diffusion coefficient of Pb m Sb n clusters were discussed. Results suggest that Pb3Sb2, Pb4Sb2, and Pb5Sb4 ( n = 2 or 4) clusters have higher stability than other clusters, which is consistent with previous findings. In case of Pb-Sb alloy, the dynamics results show that Pb4Sb2 (Pb-22.71 wt pct Sb) can exist in gas phase at 1073 K (800 °C), which reasonably explains the azeotropic phenomenon, and the calculated values are in agreement with the experimental results (Pb-22 wt pct Sb).

  2. Effect of Inner Electrode on Reliability of (Zn,Mg)TiO3-Based Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Wen‑His; Su, Chi‑Yi; Lee, Ying Chieh; Yang, Jackey; Yang, Tong; PinLin, Shih

    2006-07-01

    In this study, different proportions of silver-palladium alloy acting as the inner electrode were adopted to a (Zn,Mg)TiO3-based multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) sintered at 925 °C for 2 h to evaluate the effect of the inner electrode on reliability. The main results show that the lifetime is inversely proportional to Ag content in the Pd/Ag inner electrode. Ag+1 diffusion into the (Zn,Mg)TiO3-based MLCC during cofiring at 925 °C for 2 h and Ag+1 migration at 140 °C against 200 V are both responsible for the short lifetime of the (Zn,Mg)TiO3-based MLCC, particularly the latter factor. A (Zn,Mg)TiO3-based MLCC with high Ag content in the inner electrode Ag/Pd=99/01 exhibits the shortest lifetime (13 h), and the effect of Ag+1 migration is markedly enhanced when the activation energy of the (Zn,Mg)TiO3 dielectric is greatly lowered due to the excessive formation of oxygen vacancies and the semiconducting Zn2TiO4 phase when Ag+ substitutes for Zn+2 during co-firing.

  3. Fabrication and characterization of microsieve electrode array (µSEA) enabling cell positioning on 3D electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schurink, B.; Tiggelaar, R. M.; Gardeniers, J. G. E.; Luttge, R.

    2017-01-01

    Here the fabrication and characterization of a novel microelectrode array for electrophysiology applications is described, termed a micro sieve electrode array (µSEA). This silicon based µSEA device allows for hydrodynamic parallel positioning of single cells on 3D electrodes realized on the walls of inverted pyramidal shaped pores. To realize the µSEA, a previously realized silicon sieving structure is provided with a patterned boron doped poly-silicon, connecting the contact electrodes with the 3D sensing electrodes in the pores. A LPCVD silicon-rich silicon nitride layer was used as insulation. The selective opening of this insulation layer at the ends of the wiring lines allows to generate well-defined contact and sensing electrodes according to the layout used in commercial microelectrode array readers. The main challenge lays in the simultaneously selective etching of material at both the planar surface (contact electrode) as well as in the sieving structure containing the (3D) pores (sensing electrodes). For the generation of 3D electrodes in the pores a self-aligning technique was developed using the pore geometry to our advantage. This technique, based on sacrificial layer etching, allows for the fine tuning of the sensing electrode surface area and thus supports the positioning and coupling of single cells on the electrode surface in relation to the cell size. Furthermore, a self-aligning silicide is formed on the sensing electrodes to favour the electrical properties. Experiments were performed to demonstrate the working principle of the µSEA using different types of neuronal cells. Capture efficiency in the pores was  >70% with a 70% survival rate of the cell maintained for up to 14 DIV. The TiSi2-boron-doped-poly-silicon sensing electrodes of the µSEA were characterized, which indicated noise levels of  <15 µV and impedance values of 360 kΩ. These findings potentially allow for future electrophysiological measurements using the µSEA.

  4. Corrosion behavior of as-received and previously cast type III gold alloy.

    PubMed

    Ayad, Mohamed F; Ayad, Ghada M

    2010-04-01

    The rationale for using gold alloys is based largely upon their alleged ability to resist corrosion, but little information is available to determine the corrosion behavior of recast alloys. This study characterized the elemental composition of as-received and recast type III gold alloy and examined the in vitro corrosion behavior in two media using a potentiodynamic polarization technique. Seventy-eight disk-shaped specimens were prepared from a type III gold alloy under three casting protocols according to the proportion of as-received and recast gold alloy (n = 26). (1) Group as received (100% as-received metal), (2) group 50% to 50% (50% wt. new metal, 50% wt. once recast metal), and (3) group recast (100% once recast metal). The surface structures of 20 specimens from each group were examined under scanning electron microscopy, and their elemental compositions were determined using X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Further, the potentiodynamic cyclic polarization between -1000 and +1000 mV (SCE) were performed for six specimens from each casting protocol in 0.09% NaCl solution (n = 3) and Fusayama artificial saliva (n = 3) at 37 degrees C. Zero-current potential and corrosion current density were determined. The data were analyzed with 1-way ANOVA and the Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch multiple-range test t (alpha= 0.05). Elemental composition was significantly different among the casting groups (p < 0.001). The mean weight percentage values were 72.4 to 75.7% Au, 4.5 to 7.0% Pd, 10.7 to 11.1% Ag, 7.8 to 8.4% Cu, and 1.0 to 1.4% Zn. The mean values for Zero-current potential and corrosion current density for all casting protocols were not significant (p > 0.05); however, the difference between the electrolytes was significant (p < 0.001). Fusayama artificial saliva seemed to offer the most corrosive environment. Type III gold alloy in any casting protocol retained passivity under electrochemical conditions similar to the oral environment. Moreover, high

  5. Schaeffler-Type Phase Diagram of Ti-Based Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishida, K.

    2017-10-01

    The α(hcp)/β(bcc) phase equilibria of Ti-based multi-component alloys can be described by a Schaeffler-type diagram, where Al and Mo equivalents (Aleq and Moeq) are used. Aleq is thermodynamically defined by the ratio of partial molar free energy changes transfer of one mole of each α forming element and Al from a dilute solution of α to β phases, while Moeq is also deduced by similar thermodynamic quantities of β forming element and Mo. Aleq and Moeq for 40 alloying elements are estimated from the thermodynamic parameters assessed by Kaufman and Murray. It is shown that three types of Ti alloys, i.e., α and near α, α+β, and β alloys, can be exactly classified using Aleq and Moeq. The Ms and β transus temperatures can also be predicted by Aleq and Moeq. The proposed Aleq and Moeq are very useful for alloy design, heat treatment, and microstructural evolution of Ti-based alloys.

  6. Heusler Alloyed Electrodes Integrated in Magnetic Tunnel-Junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hütten, Andreas; Kämmerer, Sven; Schmalhorst, Jan; Reiss, Günter

    As a consequence of the growing theoretically predictions of 100% spin polarized half- and full-Heusler compounds over the past 6 years, Heusler alloys are among the most promising materials class for future magnetoelectronic and spintronic applications. We have integrated Co2MnSi as a representative of the full-Heusler compound family as one magnetic electrode into technological relevant magnetic tunnel junctions. The resulting tunnel magnetoresistance at 20 K was determined to be 95% corresponding to a Co2MnSi spin polarization of 66% in combination with an AlOx barrier thickness of 1.8 nm. For magnetic tunnel junctions prepared with an initially larger Al layer prior to oxidation the tunnel magnetoresistance at 20 K increases to about 108% associated with a Co2MnSi spin polarization of 72% clearly proving that Co2MnSi is already superior to 3d-based magnetic elements or their alloys. The corresponding room temperature values of the tunnel magnetoresistance are 33% and 41%, respectively. Structural and magnetic properties of the Co2MnSi AlOx - barrier interface have been studied with X-ray diffraction, electron and X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and it is shown that the ferromagnetic order of Mn and Co spins at this interface is only induced in optimally annealed Co2MnSi layer. The underlying atomic ordering mechanism responsible for achieving about its theoretical magnetic moment could be assigned to the elimination of Co-Si antisite defects whereas the reduction of Co-Mn antisite defects results in large tunnel magnetoresistance. The presence of a step like tunnel barrier which is already created during plasma oxidation while preparing the AlOx tunnel barrier has been identified as the current limitation to achieve larger tunnel magnetoresistance and hence larger spin polarization and is a direct consequence of the oxygen affinity of the Co2MnSi - Heusler elements Mn and Si.

  7. A new cochlear implant electrode with a "cork"-type stopper for inner ear malformations.

    PubMed

    Sennaroğlu, Levent; Atay, Gamze; Bajin, Münir Demir

    2014-08-01

    Gusher in inner ear malformations is common in patients with incomplete partition type I and type III. It is also common in less severe form as oozing in incomplete partition type II and large vestibular aqueduct. It is important to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) escape around the electrode to prevent meningitis. The custom-made device was produced by Med-El Company. It has a "cork"-like stopper instead of the usual silicon ring to prevent gusher. There are two types of electrodes of different lengths. The standard one is 25mm (contact space 1.7mm) and the short one is 20mm (contact space 1.3mm). It was used in 50 patients with different inner ear malformations. Thirteen patients had gusher, and 11 patients oozing during cochleostomy. One patient with initial prototype of the cork electrode had to be revised because of persistent oozing around the electrode. Another patient had slow extrusion of the electrode most probably due to CSF pulsation and had to be revised. Both patients had no more CSF fistula. CSF fistula in inner ear malformations is a serious situation which may lead to recurrent meningitis. The new electrode with "cork" stopper looks promising in preventing the postoperative CSF leak around the electrode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. High performance 1.2 Ah Si-alloy/Graphite|LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 prototype Li-ion battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marinaro, Mario; Yoon, Dong-hwan; Gabrielli, Giulio; Stegmaier, Petra; Figgemeier, Egbert; Spurk, Paul C.; Nelis, Daniël; Schmidt, Gregory; Chauveau, Jerome; Axmann, Peter; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, Margret

    2017-07-01

    The study reports on realization and electrochemical testing of prototype Si-alloy/Graphite|LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 batteries. Water soluble polyacrylic acid (PAA), used as the only binder at the anode side, demonstrates excellent dispersant and binding properties. Sedimentation tests and rheological measurements show remarkable stability and mostly a thinning behavior of the non-Newtonian type of slurry. The cathode is processed in N-Methylpyrrolidone based slurry using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the binding agent. The electronic conductivities of the manufactured Si-alloy/Graphite and LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 electrodes are evaluated. Furthermore, the cathode and anode electrochemical behavior is initially studied in half-cells, and subsequently in full Li-ion stacked prototype soft pouch-cells (1.22 Ah). It is demonstrated that the manufactured prototype cells can sustain about 290 charge/discharge galvanostatic cycles before the retained capacity drops below 80%. Cell aging is monitored using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), whereas post-mortem SEM analysis of electrodes cross-section is used to shed light on the causes of performance degradation of the cells.

  9. Copper-tantalum alloy

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, Frederick A.; Verhoeven, John D.; Gibson, Edwin D.

    1986-07-15

    A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

  10. A Novel Type of Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Device with Highly Switchable Dual Performances Based on a Carbon Skeleton/Mg2Ni Free-Standing Hydrogen Storage Electrode.

    PubMed

    Li, Na; Du, Yi; Feng, Qing-Ping; Huang, Gui-Wen; Xiao, Hong-Mei; Fu, Shao-Yun

    2017-12-27

    The sharp proliferation of high power electronics and electrical vehicles has promoted growing demands for power sources with both high energy and power densities. Under these circumstances, battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices are attracting considerable attention as they combine the advantages of both batteries and supercapacitors. Here, a novel type of hybrid device based on a carbon skeleton/Mg 2 Ni free-standing electrode without the traditional nickel foam current collector is reported, which has been designed and fabricated through a dispersing-freeze-drying method by employing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a hybrid skeleton. As a result, the Mg 2 Ni alloy is able to deliver a high discharge capacity of 644 mAh g -1 and, more importantly, a high cycling stability with a retention of over 78% after 50 charge/discharge cycles have been achieved, which exceeds almost all the results ever reported on the Mg 2 Ni alloy. Simultaneously, the electrode could also exhibit excellent supercapacitor performances including high specific capacities (296 F g -1 ) and outstanding cycling stability (100% retention after 100 cycles). Moreover, the hybrid device can switch between battery and supercapacitor modes immediately as needed during application. These features make the C skeleton/alloy electrode a highly promising candidate for battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices with high power/energy density and favorable cycling stability.

  11. Investigations of Effect of Rotary EDM Electrode on Machining Performance of Al6061 Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson Smart, D. S.; Jenish Smart, Joses; Periasamy, C.; Ratna Kumar, P. S. Samuel

    2018-04-01

    Electric Discharge Machining is an essential process which is being used for machining desired shape using electrical discharges which creates sparks. There will be electrodes subjected to electric voltage and which are separated by a dielectric liquid. Removing of material will be due to the continuous and rapid current discharges between two electrodes.. The spark is very carefully controlled and localized so that it only affects the surface of the material. Usually in order to prevent the defects which are arising due to the conventional machining, the Electric Discharge Machining (EDM) machining is preferred. Also intricate and complicated shapes can be machined effectively by use of Electric Discharge Machining (EDM). The EDM process usually does not affect the heat treat below the surface. This research work focus on the design and fabrication of rotary EDM tool for machining Al6061alloy and investigation of effect of rotary tool on surface finish, material removal rate and tool wear rate. Also the effect of machining parameters of EDM such as pulse on & off time, current on material Removal Rate (MRR), Surface Roughness (SR) and Electrode wear rate (EWR) have studied. Al6061 alloy can be used for marine and offshore applications by reinforcing some other elements. The investigations have revealed that MRR (material removal rate), surface roughness (Ra) have been improved with the reduction in the tool wear rate (TWR) when the tool is rotating instead of stationary. It was clear that as rotary speed of the tool is increasing the material removal rate is increasing with the reduction of surface finish and tool wear rate.

  12. Electrochemical behavior of Alloy 22 and friction type rock bolt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, Md Sazzadur

    Alloy 22 (Ni-22Cr-13Mo-3Fe-3W) is a candidate alloy for the outer shell of spent nuclear materials storage containers in the Yucca Mountain High Level Nuclear Waste Repository because of its excellent corrosion resistance. The nuclear waste container is cylindrical in shape and the end caps are welded. Typically, Alloy 22 retains the high temperature single phase cubic structure near room temperature, but topologically close packed (TCP) phases such as mu, P, sigma etc. and Cr rich carbides can form during thermal aging and welding. Rock bolts that are used for reinforcing subsurface tunnels are generally made of carbon or low alloy steels; these are being used in the nuclear repository tunnel. The corrosion behavior of these rock bolts have not been systematically evaluated under the environmental conditions of the repository. The ground waters at the Yucca Mountain (YM) repository permeate through the pores of the rock mass, and have propensity to corrode the rock bolts and waste package container. The environmental (aerated and deaerated) conditions influence the rate of corrosion in these material; these have not been systematically evaluated yet under the repository environment. In this study, the corrosion behavior of Alloy 22 and a friction type rock bolts was investigated as a function of temperature and concentration in complex multi-ionic electrolytes. Simulated electrolyte of YM ground water found in the repository environment was made in different concentrations (1X, 10X, and 100X). The interaction of simulated electrolytes in aerated and deaerated condition with Alloy 22 and low alloy steel of friction type rock bolt (split tapered cylinder type commercial design) has been investigated. Polarization resistance method was used to measure the corrosion rates. We found that the corrosion rate of Alloy 22 was higher in the deaerated electrolyte as compared to the aerated. The presence of oxygen in the electrolyte during aeration is conducive to formation

  13. Stability of carbon electrodes for aqueous lithium-air secondary batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohkuma, Hirokazu; Uechi, Ichiro; Matsui, Masaki; Takeda, Yasuo; Yamamoto, Osamu; Imanishi, Nobuyuki

    2014-01-01

    The air electrode performance of various carbon materials, such as Ketjen black (KB), acetylene black (AB and AB-S), Vulcan XC-72R (VX), and vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) with and without La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF) catalyst were examined in an aqueous solution of saturated LiOH with 10 M LiCl in the current density range 0.2-2.0 mA cm-2. The best performance for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions was observed for the KB electrode, which has the highest surface area among the carbon materials examined. A steady over-potential of 0.2 V was obtained for the oxygen reduction reaction using the KB electrode without the catalyst, while the over-potential was 0.15 V for KB with the LSCF catalyst at 2.0 mA cm-2. The over-potentials for the oxygen evolution reaction were slightly higher than those for the oxygen reduction reaction, and gradually increased with the polarization period. Analysis of the gas in the cell after polarization above 0.4 V revealed the evolution of a small amount of CO during the oxygen evolution reaction by the decomposition of carbon in the electrode. The amount of CO evolved was significantly decreased by the addition of LSCF to the carbon electrode.

  14. Elastic properties of fcc Fe-Mn-X (X = Cr, Co, Ni, Cu) alloys studied by the combinatorial thin film approach and ab initio calculations.

    PubMed

    Reeh, S; Kasprzak, M; Klusmann, C D; Stalf, F; Music, D; Ekholm, M; Abrikosov, I A; Schneider, J M

    2013-06-19

    The elastic properties of fcc Fe-Mn-X (X = Cr, Co, Ni, Cu) alloys with additions of up to 8 at.% X were studied by combinatorial thin film growth and characterization and by ab initio calculations using the disordered local moments (DLM) approach. The lattice parameter and Young's modulus values change only marginally with X. The calculations and experiments are in good agreement. We demonstrate that the elastic properties of transition metal alloyed Fe-Mn can be predicted by the DLM model.

  15. Lithium-aluminum-iron electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.

    1979-01-01

    A negative electrode composition is presented for use in a secondary electrochemical cell. The cell also includes an electrolyte with lithium ions such as a molten salt of alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides that can be used in high-temperature cells. The cell's positive electrode contains a a chalcogen or a metal chalcogenide as the active electrode material. The negative electrode composition includes up to 50 atom percent lithium as the active electrode constituent in an alloy of aluminum-iron. Various binary and ternary intermetallic phases of lithium, aluminum and iron are formed. The lithium within the intermetallic phase of Al.sub.5 Fe.sub.2 exhibits increased activity over that of lithium within a lithium-aluminum alloy to provide an increased cell potential of up to about 0.25 volt.

  16. Sodium transport modes in AMTEC electrodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, R.M.; Homer, M.L.; Lara, L.

    1998-07-01

    Transport of alkali metal atoms through porous cathodes of alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cells is responsible for significant, reducible losses in the electrical performance of these cells. Sodium transport has been characterized in a variety of AMTEC electrodes and several different transport modes clearly exist. Free molecular flow is the dominant transport mechanism in clean porous molybdenum and tungsten electrodes, and contributes to sodium transport in all porous electrodes, including WPt{sub 2}, WRh{sub 3}, and TiN. Molybdenum and tungsten electrodes containing phases such as Na{sub 2}MoO{sub 4} and Na{sub 2}WO{sub 4} exhibit very efficient sodium ion transport through themore » electrode in the ionic conducting phase. These electrodes also show reversible electrochemical reactions in which sodium ions and electrons are inserted or removed from into phases such as Na{sub 2}MoO{sub 4} and Na{sub 2}Mo{sub 3}O{sub 6} which are present in the electrode WPt{sub 2} and WRh{sub 3} electrodes typically exhibit both free molecular flow transport as well as an enhanced thermally activated transport mode which is probably surface and/or grain boundary diffusion of sodium in the alloy electrode. Data for large area WPt{sub 2} electrodes within a cylindrical heat shield are reported in this paper. Sodium transport away from these electrodes is effected by both the electrode's properties and the exterior environment which inhibits sodium gas flow to the condenser. Liquid alloy electrodes have been examined and have fairly efficient transport properties by liquid phase diffusion, but have generally not been considered advantageous for development. Titanium nitride, TiN, electrodes used in AMTEC cells, and similar electronically conducting refractory compounds such as TiB{sub 2} and NbN are always physically porous to some degree as formed by sputter deposition or screen printing, and these compounds sinter quite slowly. Hence free molecular flow is

  17. Surface modifications of hydrogen storage alloy by heavy ion beams with keV to MeV irradiation energies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abe, Hiroshi; Tokuhira, Shinnosuke; Uchida, Hirohisa; Ohshima, Takeshi

    2015-12-01

    This study deals with the effect of surface modifications induced from keV to MeV heavy ion beams on the initial reaction rate of a hydrogen storage alloy (AB5) in electrochemical process. The rare earth based alloys like this sample alloy are widely used as a negative electrode of Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) battery. We aimed to improve the initial reaction rate of hydrogen absorption by effective induction of defects such as vacancies, dislocations, micro-cracks or by addition of atoms into the surface region of the metal alloys. Since defective layer near the surface can easily be oxidized, the conductive oxide layer is formed on the sample surface by O+ beams irradiation, and the conductive oxide layer might cause the improvement of initial reaction rate of hydriding. This paper demonstrates an effective surface treatment of heavy ion irradiation, which induces catalytic activities of rare earth oxides in the alloy surface.

  18. AB INITIO Molecular Dynamics Simulations on Local Structure and Electronic Properties in Liquid MgxBi1-x Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hao, Qing-Hai; You, Yu-Wei; Kong, Xiang-Shan; Liu, C. S.

    2013-03-01

    The microscopic structure and dynamics of liquid MgxBi1-x(x = 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) alloys together with pure liquid Mg and Bi metals were investigated by means of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. We present results of structure properties including pair correlation function, structural factor, bond-angle distribution function and bond order parameter, and their composition dependence. The dynamical and electronic properties have also been studied. The structure factor and pair correlation function are in agreement with the available experimental data. The calculated bond-angle distribution function and bond order parameter suggest that the stoichiometric composition Mg3Bi2 exhibits a different local structure order compared with other concentrations, which help us understand the appearance of the minimum electronic conductivity at this composition observed in previous experiments.

  19. Electrode characteristics of nanocrystalline (Zr, Ti)(V, Cr, Ni) 2.41 compound

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majchrzycki, W.; Jurczyk, M.

    The electrochemical properties of nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 alloy, which has the hexagonal C14 type structure, have been investigated. This material has been prepared using mechanical alloying (MA) followed by annealing. The amorphous phase forms directly from the starting mixture of the elements, without other phase formation. Heating the MA samples at 1070 K for 0.5 h resulted in the creation of ordered alloy. This alloy was used as negative electrode for Ni-MH x battery. The electrochemical results show very little difference between the nanocrystalline and polycrystalline powders, as compared with the substantial difference between these and the amorphous powder. In the annealed nanocrystalline Zr 0.35Ti 0.65V 0.85Cr 0.26Ni 1.30 powders discharging capacities up to 150 mA h g -1 (at 160 mA g -1 discharging current) have been measured. The properties of nanocrystalline electrode were attributed to the structural characteristics of the compound caused by mechanical alloying.

  20. Substitutional alloy of Ce and Al

    PubMed Central

    Zeng, Qiao-Shi; Ding, Yang; Mao, Wendy L.; Luo, Wei; Blomqvist, Andreas; Ahuja, Rajeev; Yang, Wenge; Shu, Jinfu; Sinogeikin, Stas V.; Meng, Yue; Brewe, Dale L.; Jiang, Jian-Zhong; Mao, Ho-kwang

    2009-01-01

    The formation of substitutional alloys has been restricted to elements with similar atomic radii and electronegativity. Using high-pressure at 298 K, we synthesized a face-centered cubic disordered alloy of highly dissimilar elements (large Ce and small Al atoms) by compressing the Ce3Al intermetallic compound >15 GPa or the Ce3Al metallic glass >25 GPa. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Ce L3-edge absorption spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations revealed that the pressure-induced Kondo volume collapse and 4f electron delocalization of Ce reduced the differences between Ce and Al and brought them within the Hume-Rothery (HR) limit for substitutional alloying. The alloy remained after complete release of pressure, which was also accompanied by the transformation of Ce back to its ambient 4f electron localized state and reversal of the Kondo volume collapse, resulting in a non-HR alloy at ambient conditions. PMID:19188608

  1. Nickel oxide electrode interlayer in CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite/PCBM planar-heterojunction hybrid solar cells.

    PubMed

    Jeng, Jun-Yuan; Chen, Kuo-Cheng; Chiang, Tsung-Yu; Lin, Pei-Ying; Tsai, Tzung-Da; Chang, Yun-Chorng; Guo, Tzung-Fang; Chen, Peter; Wen, Ten-Chin; Hsu, Yao-Jane

    2014-06-25

    This study successfully demonstrates the application of inorganic p-type nickel oxide (NiOx ) as electrode interlayer for the fabrication of NiOx /CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite/PCBM PHJ hybrid solar cells with a respectable solar-to-electrical PCE of 7.8%. The better energy level alignment and improved wetting of the NiOx electrode interlayer significantly enhance the overall photovoltaic performance. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Mechanical properties of Fe rich Fe-Si alloys: ab initio local bulk-modulus viewpoint

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhattacharya, Somesh Kr; Kohyama, Masanori; Tanaka, Shingo; Shiihara, Yoshinori; Saengdeejing, Arkapol; Chen, Ying; Mohri, Tetsuo

    2017-11-01

    Fe-rich Fe-Si alloys show peculiar bulk-modulus changes depending on the Si concentration in the range of 0-15 at.%Si. In order to clarify the origin of this phenomenon, we have performed density-functional theory calculations of supercells of Fe-Si alloy models with various Si concentrations. We have applied our recent techniques of ab initio local energy and local stress, by which we can obtain a local bulk modulus of each atom or atomic group as a local constituent of the cell-averaged bulk modulus. A2-phase alloy models are constructed by introducing Si substitution into bcc Fe as uniformly as possible so as to prevent mutual neighboring, while higher Si concentrations over 6.25 at.%Si lead to contacts between SiFe8 cubic clusters via sharing corner Fe atoms. For 12.5 at.%Si, in addition to an A2 model, we deal with partial D03 models containing local D03-like layers consisting of edge-shared SiFe8 cubic clusters. For the cell-averaged bulk modulus, we have successfully reproduced the Si-concentration dependence as a monotonic decrease until 11.11 at.%Si and a recovery at 12.5 at.%Si. The analysis of local bulk moduli of SiFe8 cubic clusters and Fe regions is effective to understand the variations of the cell-averaged bulk modulus. The local bulk moduli of Fe regions become lower for increasing Si concentration, due to the suppression of bulk-like d-d bonding states in narrow Fe regions. For higher Si concentrations till 11.11 at.%Si, corner-shared contacts or 1D chains of SiFe8 clusters lead to remarkable reduction of local bulk moduli of the clusters. At 12 at.%Si, on the other hand, two- or three-dimensional arrangements of corner- or edge-shared SiFe8 cubic clusters show greatly enhanced local bulk moduli, due to quite different bonding nature with much stronger p-d hybridization. The relation among the local bulk moduli, local electronic and magnetic structures, and local configurations such as connectivity of SiFe8 clusters and Fe-region sizes has been

  3. Design of Perovskite Oxides as Anion-Intercalation-Type Electrodes for Supercapacitors: Cation Leaching Effect.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yu; Dinh, Jim; Tade, Moses O; Shao, Zongping

    2016-09-14

    Oxygen ions can be exploited as a charge carrier to effectively realize a new type of anion-intercalation supercapacitor. In this study, to get some useful guidelines for future materials development, we comparatively studied SrCoO3-δ (SC), Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF), and Co3O4 as electrodes in supercapacitors with aqueous alkaline electrolyte. The effect of interaction between the electrode materials with the alkaline solution was focused on the structure and specific surface area of the electrode material, and ultimately the electrochemical performance was emphasized. Both BSCF and SC were found to experience cation leaching in alkaline solution, resulting in an increase in the specific surface area of the material, but overleaching caused the damage of perovskite structure of BSCF. Barium leaching was more serious than strontium, and the cation leaching was component dependent. Although high initial capacitance was achieved for BSCF, it was not a good candidate as intercalation-type electrode for supercapacitor because of poor cycling stability from serious Ba(2+) and Sr(2+) leaching. Instead, SC was a favorable electrode candidate for practical use in supercapacitors due to its high capacity and proper cation leaching capacity, which brought beneficial effect on cycling stability. It is suggested that cation leaching effect should be seriously considered in the development of new perovskite materials as electrodes for supercapacitors.

  4. The modular approach enables a fully ab initio simulation of the contacts between 3D and 2D materials.

    PubMed

    Fediai, Artem; Ryndyk, Dmitry A; Cuniberti, Gianaurelio

    2016-10-05

    Up to now, the electrical properties of the contacts between 3D metals and 2D materials have never been computed at a fully ab initio level due to the huge number of atomic orbitals involved in a current path from an electrode to a pristine 2D material. As a result, there are still numerous open questions and controversial theories on the electrical properties of systems with 3D/2D interfaces-for example, the current path and the contact length scalability. Our work provides a first-principles solution to this long-standing problem with the use of the modular approach, a method which rigorously combines a Green function formalism with the density functional theory (DFT) for this particular contact type. The modular approach is a general approach valid for any 3D/2D contact. As an example, we apply it to the most investigated among 3D/2D contacts-metal/graphene contacts-and show its abilities and consistency by comparison with existing experimental data. As it is applicable to any 3D/2D interface, the modular approach allows the engineering of 3D/2D contacts with the pre-defined electrical properties.

  5. Band gap depiction of quaternary FeMnTiAl alloy using Hubbard (U) potential

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhat, Tahir Mohiuddin; Yousuf, Saleem; Khandy, Shakeel Ahmad; Gupta, Dinesh C.

    2018-05-01

    We have employed self-consistent ab-initio calculations to investigate new quaternary alloy FeMnTiAl by applying Hubbard potential (U). The alloy is found to be stable in ferromagnetic phase with cubic structure. The alloy shows half-metallic (HM) ferromagnet character. The values of minority band gap FeMnTiAl are found to be 0.33 eV respectively. Electronic charge density reveals that both types of bonds covalent as well as ionic are present in the alloy. Thus the new quaternary alloy can be proved as vital contender for spin valves and spin generator devices.

  6. Lithium electrode and an electrical energy storage device containing the same

    DOEpatents

    Lai, San-Cheng

    1976-07-13

    An improved lithium electrode structure comprises an alloy of lithium and silicon in specified proportions and a supporting current-collecting matrix in intimate contact with said alloy. The lithium electrode of the present invention is utilized as the negative electrode in a rechargeable electrochemical cell.

  7. Properties of mechanically alloyed Mg-Ni-Ti ternary hydrogen storage alloys for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggeri, Stéphane; Roué, Lionel; Huot, Jacques; Schulz, Robert; Aymard, Luc; Tarascon, Jean-Marie

    MgNiTi x, Mg 1- xTi xNi and MgNi 1- xTi x (with x varying from 0 to 0.5) alloys have been prepared by high energy ball milling and tested as hydrogen storage electrodes. The initial discharge capacities of the Mg-Ni-Ti ternary alloys are inferior to the MgNi electrode capacity. However, an exception is observed with MgNi 0.95Ti 0.05, which has an initial discharge capacity of 575 mAh/g compared to 522 mAh/g for the MgNi electrode. The Mg-Ni-Ti ternary alloys show improved cycle life compared to Mg-Ni binary alloys with the same Mg/Ni atomic ratio. The best cycle life is observed with Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode which retains 75% of initial capacity after 10 cycles in comparison to 39% for MgNi electrodes, in addition to improved high-rate dischargeability (HRD). According to the XPS analysis, the cycle life improvement of the Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode can be related to the formation of TiO 2 which limits Mg(OH) 2 formation. The anodic polarization curve of Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode shows that the current related to the active/passive transition is much less important and that the passive region is more extended than for the MgNi electrode but the corrosion of the electrode is still significant. This suggests that the cycle life improvement would be also associated with a decrease of the particle pulverization upon cycling.

  8. Mechanism for the degradation of MmNi3.9Co0.6Mn0.3Al0.2 electrode and effects of additives on electrode degradation for Ni-MH secondary batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, In-Su; Kalubarme, R. S.; Yang, Dong-Cheol; Kim, Tae-Sin; Park, Choong-Nyeon; Ryu, Hyun-Wook; Park, Chan-Jin

    2011-12-01

    Electrode degradation can affect the lifetime and safety of Ni-MH secondary batteries. This study examined the factors responsible for the degradation of metal hydride (MH) electrodes. The charge-discharge characteristics and cycle life of an MmNi3.9Co0.6Mn0.3Al0.2 (Mm: misch metal) type MH electrode were examined in a cell with a KOH electrolyte. After the charge-discharge cycles, the surface morphology of the electrodes was analyzed to monitor the extent of degradation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provided information on the conductivity of the electrode. X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) was used to quantify the degradation of the electrode in terms of its composition. The MH electrodes degraded with cycling. This phenomenon was more prominent at higher C-rates and temperatures. The electrode degradation was attributed to the loss of active material from the current collector by the repeated absorption and desorption of hydrogen and the formation of an Al2O3 oxide layer on the electrode surface with cycling. In addition, the effects of the addition of Co nano and Y2O3 powder on the degradation of the MmNi3.9Co0.6Mn0.3Al0.2 electrode were examined. The addition of the Y2O3 and Co nano powder significantly improved the performance of the MH electrode by increasing the cycle life and initial activation rate.

  9. Development of PDMS-based flexible dry type SEMG electrodes by micromachining technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Jung Mo; Cha, Doo Yeol; Kim, Deok Su; Yang, Hee Jun; Choi, Kyo Sang; Choi, Jong Myoung; Chang, Sung Pil

    2014-09-01

    The authors developed PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane)-based dry type surface electromyography (SEMG) electrodes for myoelectric prosthetic hands. The SEMG electrodes were strongly recommended to be fabricated on a flexible substrate to be compatible with the surface of skin. In this study, the authors designed a bar-shaped dry-type flexible SEMG electrodes comprised of two input electrodes and a reference electrode on a flexible PDMS substrate to measure EMG signals. The space distance between each electrode with a size of 10 mm × 2 mm was chosen to 18 mm to get optimal result according to the simulation result with taking into consideration the conduction velocity and the median frequency of EMG signals. Raw EMG signals were measured from Brachioradialis, Biceps brachii, deltoideus, and pectoralis major muscles, to drive the application of the myoelectric hand prosthesis. Measured raw EMG signals were transformed to root mean square (RMS) EMG signals using Acqknowledge4.2. The experimental peak voltage values of RMS EMG signals from Brachioradialis, Biceps brachii, deltoideus, and pectoralis major muscles were 2.96 V, 4.45 V, 1.74 V, and 2.62 V, respectively. Values from the dry type flexible SEMG electrodes showed higher peak values than a commercially available wet type Ag-AgCl electrode. The study shows that the PDMS-based flexible electrode devised for measuring myoelectric signals from the surface of skin is more useful for prosthetic hands because of its greater sensitivity and flexibility.

  10. Effect of the Cerium Oxide (CeO2) on the Structural and Electrochemical Properties of the LaNi5Ce Metal Hydride Anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utami Hapsari, Ade; Zulfia, Anne; Raharjo, Jarot; Agustanhakri

    2017-07-01

    One of negative electrode, AB5-type alloy electrodes, have been extensively studied and applied in rechargeable Ni-MH batteries due to their excellent electrochemical characteristics. Some researchers have found that addition of rare earth oxides (La, Ce, Pr, Er, Tm, Yb) to AB5-type alloy (MH) electrode improves battery performance significantly. Cerium Oxide (CeO2) is a light rare earth oxide is widely obtained from the processing of tailings in mining activities. During this time, there is still little data for research applications of cerium oxide for electrode materials. In this paper, the effects of adding CeO2 on the performance metal hydride electrode were investigated. In order to study the effects of CeO2 on the performance of anode material, 1%, 2%, and 3% of weight ratio CeO2 was mixed to LaNi5 as an negative electrode. The powder mixtures were mechanically milled at a speed of rpm 240 for 2 hours using ball mill. The powder mixtures were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Electrochemical characteristics were measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The powder mixing showed the presence of Ce atom substitution into LaNi5 structures that affect the electrochemical properties of the material. The addition of cerium oxide at LaNi5 increase of the value of impedance. However, the addition of the value of impedance at 1% CeO2 is not significant when compared with the addition of 2% and 3% CeO2 that actually make the electrochemical properties of LaNi5 worst. Although the addition of 1% CeO2 also slightly increases the impedance value of LaNi5, but the addition of 1% CeO2 showed increase the corrosion resistance than without the addition of CeO2 and the addition of 2% and 3% CeO2.

  11. Inhibiting the corrosion of MNZh 5-1 alloy in neutral solutions of 5-chloro-1,2,3-benzotrialzol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuznetsov, Yu. I.; Agafonkina, M. O.; Andreeva, N. P.; Arkhipushkin, I. A.; Kazansky, L. P.

    2017-11-01

    The adsorption and protective properties of 5-chloro-1,2,3-benzotriazol (5-chloro-BTA) are studied in relation to MNZh 5-1 alloy in a chloride borate buffer solution with pH 7.4. It is shown that this inhibitor can stabilize the passive state of the alloy at a concentration of 0.12 mmol/g. The adsorption of 5-chloro-BTA on a surface of MNZh 5-1 alloy is polymolecular; the free energy of adsorption is about 80 kJ/mol. The advantages of adsorption and protective properties of 5-chloro-BTA compared to BTA on both MNZh 5-1 alloy and the metals contained in the alloy (Ni, Cu) are shown. XPS data indicate a 5-chloro-BTA monolayer formed on the surface of the alloy. This monolayer was composed of inhibitor molecules, which are normally oriented toward a surface and are not removed during ultrasonic washing of the electrode.

  12. The Electrochemical Co-reduction of Mg-Al-Y Alloys in the LiCl-NaCl-MgCl2-AlF3-YCl3 Melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Mei; Liu, Yaochen; Han, Wei; Wang, Shanshan; Zhang, Milin; Yan, Yongde; Shi, Weiqun

    2015-04-01

    The electrochemical formation of Mg-Al-Y alloys was studied in the LiCl-NaCl-MgCl2 melts by the addition of AlF3 and YCl3 on a molybdenum electrode at 973 K (700 °C). In order to reduce the volatilization of salt solvent in the electrolysis process, the volatile loss of LiCl-NaCl-MgCl2 and LiCl-KCl-MgCl2 melts was first measured in the temperature range from 873 K to 1023 K (600 °C to 750 °C). Then, the electrochemical behaviors of Mg(II), Al(III), Y(III) ions and alloy formation processes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry, and open circuit chronopotentiometry. The cyclic voltammograms indicate that the under-potential deposition of magnesium and yttrium on pre-deposited Al leads to formation of Mg-Al and Al-Y intermetallic compounds. The Mg-Al-Y alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis in the LiCl-NaCl-MgCl2-AlF3-YCl3 melts and characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry. Composition of the alloys was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer, and current efficiency was also determined by the alloy composition.

  13. 3D Printed Dry EEG Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Krachunov, Sammy; Casson, Alexander J.

    2016-01-01

    Electroencephalography (EEG) is a procedure that records brain activity in a non-invasive manner. The cost and size of EEG devices has decreased in recent years, facilitating a growing interest in wearable EEG that can be used out-of-the-lab for a wide range of applications, from epilepsy diagnosis, to stroke rehabilitation, to Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). A major obstacle for these emerging applications is the wet electrodes, which are used as part of the EEG setup. These electrodes are attached to the human scalp using a conductive gel, which can be uncomfortable to the subject, causes skin irritation, and some gels have poor long-term stability. A solution to this problem is to use dry electrodes, which do not require conductive gel, but tend to have a higher noise floor. This paper presents a novel methodology for the design and manufacture of such dry electrodes. We manufacture the electrodes using low cost desktop 3D printers and off-the-shelf components for the first time. This allows quick and inexpensive electrode manufacturing and opens the possibility of creating electrodes that are customized for each individual user. Our 3D printed electrodes are compared against standard wet electrodes, and the performance of the proposed electrodes is suitable for BCI applications, despite the presence of additional noise. PMID:27706094

  14. 3D Printed Dry EEG Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Krachunov, Sammy; Casson, Alexander J

    2016-10-02

    Electroencephalography (EEG) is a procedure that records brain activity in a non-invasive manner. The cost and size of EEG devices has decreased in recent years, facilitating a growing interest in wearable EEG that can be used out-of-the-lab for a wide range of applications, from epilepsy diagnosis, to stroke rehabilitation, to Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). A major obstacle for these emerging applications is the wet electrodes, which are used as part of the EEG setup. These electrodes are attached to the human scalp using a conductive gel, which can be uncomfortable to the subject, causes skin irritation, and some gels have poor long-term stability. A solution to this problem is to use dry electrodes, which do not require conductive gel, but tend to have a higher noise floor. This paper presents a novel methodology for the design and manufacture of such dry electrodes. We manufacture the electrodes using low cost desktop 3D printers and off-the-shelf components for the first time. This allows quick and inexpensive electrode manufacturing and opens the possibility of creating electrodes that are customized for each individual user. Our 3D printed electrodes are compared against standard wet electrodes, and the performance of the proposed electrodes is suitable for BCI applications, despite the presence of additional noise.

  15. Capacity retention in hydrogen storage alloys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anani, A.; Visintin, A.; Srinivasan, S.; Appleby, A. J.; Reilly, J. J.; Johnson, J. R.

    1992-01-01

    Results of our examination of the properties of several candidate materials for hydrogen storage electrodes and their relation to the decrease in H-storage capacity upon open-circuit storage over time are reported. In some of the alloy samples examined to date, only about 10 percent of the hydrogen capacity was lost upon storage for 20 days, while in others, this number was as high as 30 percent for the same period of time. This loss in capacity is attributed to two separate mechanisms: (1) hydrogen desorbed from the electrode due to pressure differences between the cell and the electrode sample; and (2) chemical and/or electrochemical degradation of the alloy electrode upon exposure to the cell environment. The former process is a direct consequence of the equilibrium dissociation pressure of the hydride alloy phase and the partial pressure of hydrogen in the hydride phase in equilibrium with that in the electrolyte environment, while the latter is related to the stability of the alloy phase in the cell environment. Comparison of the equilibrium gas-phase dissociation pressures of these alloys indicate that reversible loss of hydrogen capacity is higher in alloys with P(eqm) greater than 1 atm than in those with P(eqm) less than 1 atm.

  16. Topological phase transitions of (BixSb1-x)2Se3 alloys by density functional theory.

    PubMed

    Abdalla, L B; Padilha José, E; Schmidt, T M; Miwa, R H; Fazzio, A

    2015-07-01

    We have performed an ab initio total energy investigation of the topological phase transition, and the electronic properties of topologically protected surface states of (BixSb1-x)2Se3 alloys. In order to provide an accurate alloy concentration for the phase transition, we have considered the special quasirandom structures to describe the alloy system. The trivial → topological transition concentration was obtained by (i) the calculation of the band gap closing as a function of Bi concentration (x), and (ii) the calculation of the Z2 topological invariant number. We show that there is a topological phase transition, for x around 0.4, verified for both procedures (i) and (ii). We also show that in the concentration range 0.4 < x < 0.7, the alloy does not present any other band at the Fermi level besides the Dirac cone, where the Dirac point is far from the bulk states. This indicates that a possible suppression of the scattering process due to bulk states will occur.

  17. Simulation of Needle-Type Corona Electrodes by the Finite Element Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Shiyou; José Márcio, Machado; Nancy Mieko, Abe; Angelo, Passaro

    2007-12-01

    This paper describes a software tool, called LEVSOFT, suitable for the electric field simulations of corona electrodes by the Finite Element Method (FEM). Special attention was paid to the user friendly construction of geometries with corners and sharp points, and to the fast generation of highly refined triangular meshes and field maps. The execution of self-adaptive meshes was also implemented. These customized features make the code attractive for the simulation of needle-type corona electrodes. Some case examples involving needle type electrodes are presented.

  18. Rare-earth metals in nickel aluminide-based alloys: III. Structure and properties of multicomponent Ni3Al-based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bazyleva, O. A.; Povarova, K. B.; Kazanskaya, N. K.; Drozdov, A. A.

    2009-04-01

    The possibility of increasing the life of heterophase cast light Ni3Al-based superalloys at temperatures higher than 0.8 T m of Ni3Al is studied when their directional structure is additionally stabilized by nanoprecipitates, which form upon additional alloying of these alloys by refractory and active metals, and using special methods for preparing and melting of an alloy charge. The effect of the method of introducing the main components and refractory reaction-active and surface-active alloying elements into Ni3Al-based cast superalloys, which are thermally stable natural composite materials of the eutectic type, on the structure-phase state and the life of these alloys is studied. When these alloys are melted, it is necessary to perform a set of measures to form particles of refractory oxide cores covered with the β-NiAl phase and, then, γ'prim-Ni3Al phase precipitates during solidification. The latter phase forms the outer shell of grain nuclei, which provides high thermal stability and hot strength of an intermetallic compound-based alloy. As a result, a modified structure that is stabilized by the nanoprecipitates of nickel and aluminum lanthanides and the nanoprecipitates of phases containing refractory metals is formed. This structure enhances the life of the alloy at 1000 °C by a factor of 1.8-2.5.

  19. The pattern and degree of capsular fibrous sheaths surrounding cochlear electrode arrays.

    PubMed

    Ishai, Reuven; Herrmann, Barbara S; Nadol, Joseph B; Quesnel, Alicia M

    2017-05-01

    An inflammatory tissue reaction around the electrode array of a cochlear implant (CI) is common, in particular at the electrode insertion region (cochleostomy) where mechanical trauma often occurs. However, the factors determining the amount and causes of fibrous reaction surrounding the stimulating electrode, especially medially near the perimodiolar location, are unclear. Temporal bone (TB) specimens from patients who had undergone cochlear implantation during life with either Advanced Bionics (AB) Clarion ™ or HiRes90K™ (Sylmar, CA, USA) devices that have a half-band and a pre-curved electrode, or Cochlear ™ Nucleus (Sydney, Australia) device that have a full-band and a straight electrode were evaluated. The thickness of the fibrous tissue surrounding the electrode array of both types of CI devices at both the lower (LB) and upper (UB) basal turns of the cochlea was quantified at three locations: the medial, inferior, and superior aspects of the sheath. Fracture of the osseous spiral lamina and/or marked displacement of the basilar membrane were interpreted as evidence of intracochlear trauma. In addition, post-operative word recognition scores, duration of implantation, and post-operative programming data were evaluated. Seven TBs from six patients implanted with AB devices and five TBs from five patients implanted with Nucleus devices were included. A fibrous capsule around the stimulating electrode array was present in all twelve specimens. TBs implanted with AB device had a significantly thicker fibrous capsule at the medial aspect than at the inferior or superior aspects at both locations (LB and UB) of the cochlea (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p < 0.01). TBs implanted with a Nucleus device had no difference in the thickness of the fibrous capsule surrounding the track of the electrode array (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p > 0.05). Nine of fourteen (64%) basal turns of the cochlea (LB and UB of seven TBs) implanted with AB devices demonstrated

  20. Exact ab initio transport coefficients in bcc Fe-X (X=Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, Si) dilute alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Messina, Luca; Nastar, Maylise; Garnier, Thomas; Domain, Christophe; Olsson, Pär

    2014-09-01

    Defect-driven diffusion of impurities is the major phenomenon leading to formation of embrittling nanoscopic precipitates in irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Diffusion depends strongly on the kinetic correlations that may lead to flux coupling between solute atoms and point defects. In this work, flux coupling phenomena such as solute drag by vacancies and radiation-induced segregation at defect sinks are systematically investigated for six bcc iron-based dilute binary alloys, containing Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, and Si impurities, respectively. First, solute-vacancy interactions and migration energies are obtained by means of ab initio calculations; subsequently, self-consistent mean field theory is employed in order to determine the exact Onsager matrix of the alloys. This innovative multiscale approach provides a more complete treatment of the solute-defect interaction than previous multifrequency models. Solute drag is found to be a widespread phenomenon that occurs systematically in ferritic alloys and is enhanced at low temperatures (as for instance RPV operational temperature), as long as an attractive solute-vacancy interaction is present, and that the kinetic modeling of bcc alloys requires the extension of the interaction shell to the second-nearest neighbors. Drag occurs in all alloys except Fe(Cr); the transition from dragging to nondragging regime takes place for the other alloys around (Cu, Mn, Ni) or above (P, Si) the Curie temperature. As far as only the vacancy-mediated solute migration is concerned, Cr depletion at sinks is foreseen by the model, as opposed to the other impurities which are expected to enrich up to no less than 1000 K. The results of this study confirm the current interpretation of the hardening processes in ferritic-martensitic steels under irradiation.

  1. Enhanced Hydrogen Storage Kinetics of Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Mg₂Ni-type Alloy by Melt Spinning.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yang-Huan; Li, Bao-Wei; Ren, Hui-Ping; Li, Xia; Qi, Yan; Zhao, Dong-Liang

    2011-01-18

    Mg₂Ni-type Mg₂Ni 1-x Co x (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) alloys were fabricated by melt spinning technique. The structures of the as-spun alloys were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hydrogen absorption and desorption kinetics of the alloys were measured by an automatically controlled Sieverts apparatus. The electrochemical hydrogen storage kinetics of the as-spun alloys was tested by an automatic galvanostatic system. The results show that the as-spun (x = 0.1) alloy exhibits a typical nanocrystalline structure, while the as-spun (x = 0.4) alloy displays a nanocrystalline and amorphous structure, confirming that the substitution of Co for Ni notably intensifies the glass forming ability of the Mg₂Ni-type alloy. The melt spinning treatment notably improves the hydriding and dehydriding kinetics as well as the high rate discharge ability (HRD) of the alloys. With an increase in the spinning rate from 0 (as-cast is defined as spinning rate of 0 m/s) to 30 m/s, the hydrogen absorption saturation ratio () of the (x = 0.4) alloy increases from 77.1 to 93.5%, the hydrogen desorption ratio () from 54.5 to 70.2%, the hydrogen diffusion coefficient (D) from 0.75 × 10 - 11 to 3.88 × 10 - 11 cm²/s and the limiting current density I L from 150.9 to 887.4 mA/g.

  2. Fabrication and characterization of p+-i-p+ type organic thin film transistors with electrodes of highly doped polymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tadaki, Daisuke; Ma, Teng; Zhang, Jinyu; Iino, Shohei; Hirano-Iwata, Ayumi; Kimura, Yasuo; Rosenberg, Richard A.; Niwano, Michio

    2016-04-01

    Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) have been explored because of their advantageous features such as light-weight, flexible, and large-area. For more practical application of organic electronic devices, it is very important to realize OTFTs that are composed only of organic materials. In this paper, we have fabricated p+-i-p+ type of OTFTs in which an intrinsic (i) regioregular poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) layer is used as the active layer and highly doped p-type (p+) P3HT is used as the source and drain electrodes. The 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) was used as the p-type dopant. A fabricating method of p+-i-p+ OTFTs has been developed by using SiO2 and aluminum films as capping layers for micro-scaled patterning of the p+-P3HT electrodes. The characteristics of the OTFTs were examined using the photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical measurements. We demonstrated that the fabricated p+-i-p+ OTFTs work with carrier injection through a built-in potential at p+/i interfaces. We found that the p+-i-p+ OTFTs exhibit better FET characteristics than the conventional P3HT-OTFT with metal (Au) electrodes, indicating that the influence of a carrier injection barrier at the interface between the electrode and the active layer was suppressed by replacing the metal electrodes with p+-P3HT layers.

  3. The Pattern and Degree of Capsular Fibrous Sheaths Surrounding Cochlear Electrode Arrays

    PubMed Central

    Ishai, Reuven; Herrmann, Barbara S.; Nadol, Joseph B.; Quesnel, Alicia M.

    2017-01-01

    An inflammatory tissue reaction around the electrode array of a cochlear implant (CI) is common, in particular at the electrode insertion region (cochleostomy) where mechanical trauma often occurs. However, the factors determining the amount and causes of fibrous reaction surrounding the stimulating electrode, especially medially near the perimodiolar location, are unclear. Temporal bone (TB) specimens from patients who had undergone cochlear implantation during life with either Advanced Bionics (AB) Clarion TM or HiRes90KTM (Sylmar, CA, USA) or Cochlear TM Nucleus (Sydney, Australia) devices were evaluated. The thickness of the fibrous tissue surrounding the electrode array of both types of CI devices at both the lower (LB) and upper (UB) basal turns of the cochlea was quantified at three locations: the medial, inferior, and superior aspects of the sheath. Fracture of the osseous spiral lamina and/or marked displacement of the basilar membrane were interpreted as evidence of intracochlear trauma. In addition, post-operative word recognition scores, duration of implantation, and post-operative programming data were evaluated. Seven TBs from six patients implanted with AB devices and five TBs from five patients implanted with Nucleus devices were included. A fibrous capsule around the stimulating electrode array was present in all twelve specimens. TBs implanted with AB device had a significantly thicker fibrous capsule at the medial aspect than at the inferior or superior aspects at both locations (LB and UB) of the cochlea (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p<0.01). TBs implanted with a Nucleus device had no difference in the thickness of the fibrous capsule surrounding the track of the electrode array (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p>0.05). Nine of fourteen (64%) basal turns of the cochlea (LB and UB of seven TBs) implanted with AB devices demonstrated intracochlear trauma compared to two of ten (20%) basal turns of the cochlea (LB and UB of five TBs) with Nucleus

  4. Using Factor Mixture Models to Evaluate the Type A/B Classification of Alcohol Use Disorders in a Heterogeneous Treatment Sample

    PubMed Central

    Hildebrandt, Tom; Epstein, Elizabeth E.; Sysko, Robyn; Bux, Donald A.

    2017-01-01

    Background The type A/B classification model for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) has received considerable empirical support. However, few studies examine the underlying latent structure of this subtyping model, which has been challenged as a dichotomization of a single drinking severity dimension. Type B, relative to type A, alcoholics represent those with early age of onset, greater familial risk, and worse outcomes from alcohol use. Method We examined the latent structure of the type A/B model using categorical, dimensional, and factor mixture models in a mixed gender community treatment-seeking sample of adults with an AUD. Results Factor analytic models identified 2-factors (drinking severity/externalizing psychopathology and internalizing psychopathology) underlying the type A/B indicators. A factor mixture model with 2-dimensions and 3-classes emerged as the best overall fitting model. The classes reflected a type A class and two type B classes (B1 and B2) that differed on the respective level of drinking severity/externalizing pathology and internalizing pathology. Type B1 had a greater prevalence of women and more internalizing pathology and B2 had a greater prevalence of men and more drinking severity/externalizing pathology. The 2-factor, 3-class model also exhibited predictive validity by explaining significant variance in 12-month drinking and drug use outcomes. Conclusions The model identified in the current study may provide a basis for examining different sources of heterogeneity in the course and outcome of AUDs. PMID:28247423

  5. In vitro biocompatibility and electrical stability of thick-film platinum/gold alloy electrodes printed on alumina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carnicer-Lombarte, Alejandro; Lancashire, Henry T.; Vanhoestenberghe, Anne

    2017-06-01

    Objective. High-density electrode arrays are a powerful tool in both clinical neuroscience and basic research. However, current manufacturing techniques require the use of specialised techniques and equipment, which are available to few labs. We have developed a high-density electrode array with customisable design, manufactured using simple printing techniques and with commercially available materials. Approach. Electrode arrays were manufactured by thick-film printing a platinum-gold alloy (Pt/Au) and an insulating dielectric on 96% alumina ceramic plates. Arrays were conditioned in serum and serum-free conditions, with and without 1 kHz, 200 µA, charge balanced stimulation for up to 21 d. Array biocompatibility was assessed using an extract assay and a PC-12 cell contact assay. Electrode impedance, charge storage capacity and charge injection capacity were before and after array conditioning. Main results. The manufactured Pt/Au electrodes have a highly porous surface and exhibit electrical properties comparable to arrays manufactured using alternative techniques. Materials used in array manufacture were found to be non-toxic to L929 fibroblasts by extract assay, and neuronal-like PC-12 cells adhered and extended neurites on the array surfaces. Arrays remained functional after long-term delivery of electrical pulses while exposed to protein-rich environments. Charge storage capacities and charge injection capacities increased following stimulation accounted for by an increase in surface index (real surface area) observed by vertical scanning interferometry. Further, we observed accumulation of proteins at the electrode sites following conditioning in the presence of serum. Significance. This study demonstrates the in vitro biocompatibility of commercially available thick-film printing materials. The printing technique is both simple and versatile, with layouts readily modified to produce customized electrode arrays. Thick-film electrode arrays are an

  6. Ti-substituted tunnel-type Na 0.44MnO 2 oxide as a negative electrode for aqueous sodium-ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Yuesheng; Liu, Jue; Lee, Byungju; ...

    2015-03-25

    The aqueous sodium-ion battery system is a safe and low-cost solution for large-scale energy storage, due to the abundance of sodium and inexpensive aqueous electrolytes. Although several positive electrode materials, e.g., Na 0.44MnO 2, were proposed, few negative electrode materials, e.g., activated carbon and NaTi 2(PO 4) 3, are available. Here we show that Ti-substituted Na 0.44MnO 2 (Na 0.44[Mn 1-xTi x]O 2) with tunnel structure can be used as a negative electrode material for aqueous sodium-ion batteries. This material exhibits superior cyclability even without the special treatment of oxygen removal from the aqueous solution. Atomic-scale characterizations based on sphericalmore » aberration-corrected electron microscopy and ab initio calculations are utilized to accurately identify the Ti substitution sites and sodium storage mechanism. Ti substitution tunes the charge ordering property and reaction pathway, significantly smoothing the discharge/charge profiles and lowering the storage voltage. Both the fundamental understanding and practical demonstrations suggest that Na 0.44[Mn 1-xTi x]O 2 is a promising negative electrode material for aqueous sodium-ion batteries.« less

  7. Amperometric glucose sensor based on the Ni(OH)2/Al(OH)4- electrode obtained from a thin Ni3Al foil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jarosz, Magdalena; Socha, Robert P.; Jóźwik, Paweł; Sulka, Grzegorz D.

    2017-06-01

    In this report, we present a facile and relatively fast method to roughen the surface of Ni3Al-based intermetallic foil, and test it as an amperometric non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The alloy samples underwent chemical etching in a H3PO4:CH3COOH (HAc):HNO3:H2O (24:1:1:7 in volume) solution in order to achieve a high surface area with more electroactive sites. The Ni(OH)2/Al(OH)4- electrode was fabricated using potential cycling technique in a highly concentrated alkaline solution. The electrodes were tested electrochemically for oxidation of glucose. We have demonstrated that Ni(OH)2/Al(OH)4- electrodes exhibit high sensitivity towards glucose detection (796 μAmM-1cm-2) and short response time (3 s) upon successive addition of glucose. Moreover, as for a non-nanometric material, prepared electrodes show a relatively good linear correlation between current density and glucose concentration (0.025-0.45 mM) and limit of detection (47.6 μM). For more in-depth characterization of presented material, electrodes were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

  8. [In vitro hepatic targeting tendency of galactosyl-anti CD3 McAb-TILS].

    PubMed

    Jiang, P; He, S; Zhang, C

    1999-03-01

    This study was undertaken to enhance the hepatic targeting tendency of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and hence to lower the recurrence rate of primary liver cancer after hepatectomy. Galactosyl-anti CD3McAb-TILs were prepared and then were incubated together with hepatocytes. Their interaction through asialoglycoprotein receptor-mediated mechanism was observed under the inverted phase contrast microscope. The carbohydrate density of galactosyl-anti CD3McAb and the combining rate of galactosyl-anti CD3McAb with TILs were measured. The results revealed that galactosyl-anti CD3 McAb-TIL obviously were adhered to hepatocytes. The carbohydrate density of galactosyl-anti CD3McAb was 62.18, and the combining rate of galactosyl-anti CD3McAb with TILs was 97.9%. The results suggested that in vitro hepatic targeting tendency of galactosyl-anti CD3McAb-TILs was satisfactory, and that the carbohydrate density of 62.18 and the combining rate of 97.9% ensured the effective use of TILs.

  9. Electrode for molten carbonate fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Iacovangelo, Charles D.; Zarnoch, Kenneth P.

    1983-01-01

    A sintered porous electrode useful for a molten carbonate fuel cell is produced which is composed of a plurality of 5 wt. % to 95 wt. % nickel balance copper alloy encapsulated ceramic particles sintered together by the alloy.

  10. Color evaluation of seventeen European unifloral honey types by means of spectrophotometrically determined CIE L*Cab*h(ab)° chromaticity coordinates.

    PubMed

    Tuberoso, Carlo Ignazio Giovanni; Jerković, Igor; Sarais, Giorgia; Congiu, Francesca; Marijanović, Zvonimir; Kuś, Piotr Marek

    2014-02-15

    CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) L(*)Cab(*)h(ab)° color coordinates for 305 samples of 17 unifloral honeys types (asphodel, buckwheat, black locust, sweet chestnut, citrus, eucalyptus, Garland thorn, honeydew, heather, lime, mint, rapeseed, sage, strawberry tree, sulla flower, savory and thistle) from different geographic locations in Europe were spectrophotometrically assessed and statistically evaluated. Preliminary separation of unifloral honeys was obtained by means of L(*)-C(ab)(*) color coordination correlation. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) revealed an expected segregation of the honeys types according to their chromatic characteristics. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) allowed to obtain a more defined distinction of the 17 unifloral honey types, particularly when using 3D graphics. CIE L(*)C(ab)(*)hab(*) color coordinates were useful for the identification of several honey types. The proposed method represents a simple and efficient procedure that can be used as a basis for the authentication of unifloral honeys worldwide. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Method for forming consumable electrodes from metallic chip scraps

    DOEpatents

    Girshov, Vladimir Leonidovich; Podpalkin, Arcady Munjyvich; Treschevskiy, Arnold Nikolayevich; Abramov, Alexey Alexandrovich

    2005-10-11

    The method relates to metallurgical recycling of waste products, preferably titanium alloys chips scrap. Accordingly after crushing and cleaning, the chip scrap is subjected to vacuum-thermal degassing (VTD); the chip scrap is pressed into briquettes; the briquettes are placed into a mould allowing sufficient remaining space for the addition of molten metal alloy; the mould is pre-heated before filling with the molten metal alloy; the mould remaining space is filled with molten metal alloy. After cooling, the electrode is removed from the mould. The method provides a means for 100% use of chip scrap in producing consumable electrodes having increased mechanical strength and reduced interstitial impurities content leading to improved secondary cast alloys.

  12. Electronically conductive polymer binder for lithium-ion battery electrode

    DOEpatents

    Liu, Gao; Xun, Shidi; Battaglia, Vincent S.; Zheng, Honghe; Wu, Mingyan

    2015-07-07

    A family of carboxylic acid groups containing fluorene/fluorenon copolymers is disclosed as binders of silicon particles in the fabrication of negative electrodes for use with lithium ion batteries. Triethyleneoxide side chains provide improved adhesion to materials such as, graphite, silicon, silicon alloy, tin, tin alloy. These binders enable the use of silicon as an electrode material as they significantly improve the cycle-ability of silicon by preventing electrode degradation over time. In particular, these polymers, which become conductive on first charge, bind to the silicon particles of the electrode, are flexible so as to better accommodate the expansion and contraction of the electrode during charge/discharge, and being conductive promote the flow battery current.

  13. Electronically conductive polymer binder for lithium-ion battery electrode

    DOEpatents

    Liu, Gao; Battaglia, Vincent S.; Park, Sang -Jae

    2015-10-06

    A family of carboxylic acid groups containing fluorene/fluorenon copolymers is disclosed as binders of silicon particles in the fabrication of negative electrodes for use with lithium ion batteries. Triethyleneoxide side chains provide improved adhesion to materials such as, graphite, silicon, silicon alloy, tin, tin alloy. These binders enable the use of silicon as an electrode material as they significantly improve the cycle-ability of silicon by preventing electrode degradation over time. In particular, these polymers, which become conductive on first charge, bind to the silicon particles of the electrode, are flexible so as to better accommodate the expansion and contraction of the electrode during charge/discharge, and being conductive promote the flow battery current.

  14. Electronically conductive polymer binder for lithium-ion battery electrode

    DOEpatents

    Liu, Gao; Xun, Shidi; Battaglia, Vincent S.; Zheng, Honghe; Wu, Mingyan

    2017-08-01

    A family of carboxylic acid groups containing fluorene/fluorenon copolymers is disclosed as binders of silicon particles in the fabrication of negative electrodes for use with lithium ion batteries. Triethyleneoxide side chains provide improved adhesion to materials such as, graphite, silicon, silicon alloy, tin, tin alloy. These binders enable the use of silicon as an electrode material as they significantly improve the cycle-ability of silicon by preventing electrode degradation over time. In particular, these polymers, which become conductive on first charge, bind to the silicon particles of the electrode, are flexible so as to better accommodate the expansion and contraction of the electrode during charge/discharge, and being conductive promote the flow battery current.

  15. Fabrication of Lab-on-Paper Using Porous Au-Paper Electrode: Application to Tumor Marker Electrochemical Immunoassays.

    PubMed

    Ge, Shenguang; Zhang, Yan; Yan, Mei; Huang, Jiadong; Yu, Jinghua

    2017-01-01

    A simple, low-cost, and sensitive electrochemical lab-on-paper assay is developed based on a novel gold nanoparticle modified porous paper working electrode for use in point-of-care testing (POCT). Electrochemical methods are introduced for lab-on-paper based on screen-printed paper electrodes. To further improve specificity, performance, and sensitivity for point-of-care testing, a novel porous Au-paper working electrode (Au-PWE) is designed for lab-on-paper using growth of an interconnected Au nanoparticle (NP) layer on the surface of cellulose fibers in order to enhance the conductivity of the paper sample zone and immobilize the primary antibodies (Ab1). With a sandwich-type immunoassay format, Pd-Au bimetallic nanoparticles possessing peroxidase-like activity are used as a matrix to immobilize secondary antibodies (Ab2) for rapid detection of targets. This lab-on-paper based immunodevice is applied to the diagnosis of a cancer biomarker in clinical serum samples.

  16. Field Trial Performance of Herculex XTRA (Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1) and SmartStax (Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 + Cry3Bb1) Hybrids and Soil Insecticides Against Western and Northern Corn Rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

    PubMed

    Johnson, K D; Campbell, L A; Lepping, M D; Rule, D M

    2017-06-01

    Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), are important insect pests in corn, Zea mays L. For more than a decade, growers have been using transgenic plants expressing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to protect corn roots from feeding. In 2011, western corn rootworm populations were reported to have developed resistance to Bt hybrids expressing Cry3Bb1 and later found to be cross-resistant to hybrids expressing mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab. The identification of resistance to Cry3 (Cry3Bb1, mCry3A, and eCry3.1Ab) hybrids led to concerns about durability and efficacy of products with single traits and of products containing a pyramid of a Cry3 protein and the binary Bt proteins Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1. From 2012 to 2014, 43 field trials were conducted across the central United States to estimate root protection provided by plants expressing Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 alone (Herculex RW) or pyramided with Cry3Bb1 (SmartStax). These technologies were evaluated with and without soil-applied insecticides to determine if additional management measures provided benefit where Cry3 performance was reduced. Trials were categorized for analysis based on rootworm damage levels on Cry3-expressing hybrids and rootworm feeding pressure within each trial. Across scenarios, Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 hybrids provided excellent root protection. Pyramided traits provided greater root and yield protection than non-Bt plus a soil-applied insecticide, and only in trials where larval feeding pressure exceeded two nodes of damage did Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 single-trait hybrids and pyramided hybrids show greater root protection from the addition of soil-applied insecticides. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Design and optimization of a novel 3D detector: The 3D-open-shell-electrode detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Manwen; Tan, Jian; Li, Zheng

    2018-04-01

    A new type of three-dimensional (3D) detector, namely 3D-Open-Shell-Electrode Detector (3DOSED), is proposed in this study. In a 3DOSED, the trench electrode can be etched all the way through the detector thickness, totally eliminating the low electric field region existed in the conventional 3D-Trench-Electrode detector. Full 3D technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations have been done on this novel silicon detector structure. Through comparing of the simulation results of the detector, we can obtain the best design of the 3SOSED. In addition, simulation results show that, as compared to the conventional 3D detector, the proposed 3DOSED can improve not only detector charge collection efficiency but also its radiation hardness with regard to solving the trapping problem in the detector bulk. What is more, it has been shown that detector full depletion voltage is also slightly reduced, which can improve the utility aspects of the detector. When compared to the conventional 3D detector, we find that the proposed novel 3DOSED structure has better electric potential and electric field distributions, and better electrical properties such as detector full depletion voltage. In 3DOSED array, each pixel cell is isolated from each other by highly doped trenches, but also electrically and physically connected with each other through the remaining silicon bulk between broken electrodes.

  18. Effects of morphological control on the characteristics of vertical-type OTFTs using Alq3.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young Do; Park, Jong Wook; Kang, In Nam; Oh, Se Young

    2008-09-01

    We have fabricated vertical-type organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) using tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq(3)) as an n-type active material. Vertical-type OTFT using Alq(3) has a layered structure of Al(source electrode)/Alq(3)(active layer)/Al(gate electrode)/Alq(3)(active layer)/ITO glass(drain electrode). Alq(3) thin films containing various surface morphologies could be obtained by the control of evaporation rate and substrate temperature. The effects of the morphological control of Alq(3) thin layer on the grain size and the flatness of film surface were investigated. The characteristics of vertical-type OTFT significantly influenced the growth condition of Alq(3) layer.

  19. Mapping the Galvanic Corrosion of Three Coupled Metal Alloys Using Coupled Multielectrode Array: Influence of Chloride Ion Concentration

    PubMed Central

    Duan, JinZhuo; Cao, Ning

    2018-01-01

    The galvanic corrosion behavior of three metal alloys commonly used in water desalination plants was investigated using coupled multielectrode arrays consisting of aluminum-brass (HAl77-2), titanium alloy (TA2), and 316L stainless steel (316L SS). The three electrode types were coupled galvanically and arranged in different geometric configurations. Their corrosion behavior was characterized as a function of the chloride concentration. The potential and current distributions of the three-electrode coupling systems display electrochemical inhomogeneity. Generally, the aluminum-brass wires are anodic versus the titanium alloy and stainless steel. The titanium alloy acts as a primary cathode, and the 316L SS acts as a secondary cathode. The corrosion rate of aluminum-brass depends on the concentration of chloride ion, with a maximum corrosion rate at a chloride concentration of 2.3 wt %. In terms of geometrical arrangements, when the anodic HAl77-2 wires are located on the edge and are connected to the 316L SS wires in the coupling system, the main anodic area enlarges, especially in the area adjacent to the 316L SS wires. When the HAl77-2 wires are located between (in the middle of) the two other types of wires, the corrosion rates are higher than the corrosion rates observed from the other two geometrical arrangements. PMID:29677150

  20. Mapping the Galvanic Corrosion of Three Coupled Metal Alloys Using Coupled Multielectrode Array: Influence of Chloride Ion Concentration.

    PubMed

    Ju, Hong; Duan, JinZhuo; Yang, Yuanfeng; Cao, Ning; Li, Yan

    2018-04-20

    The galvanic corrosion behavior of three metal alloys commonly used in water desalination plants was investigated using coupled multielectrode arrays consisting of aluminum-brass (HAl77-2), titanium alloy (TA2), and 316L stainless steel (316L SS). The three electrode types were coupled galvanically and arranged in different geometric configurations. Their corrosion behavior was characterized as a function of the chloride concentration. The potential and current distributions of the three-electrode coupling systems display electrochemical inhomogeneity. Generally, the aluminum-brass wires are anodic versus the titanium alloy and stainless steel. The titanium alloy acts as a primary cathode, and the 316L SS acts as a secondary cathode. The corrosion rate of aluminum-brass depends on the concentration of chloride ion, with a maximum corrosion rate at a chloride concentration of 2.3 wt %. In terms of geometrical arrangements, when the anodic HAl77-2 wires are located on the edge and are connected to the 316L SS wires in the coupling system, the main anodic area enlarges, especially in the area adjacent to the 316L SS wires. When the HAl77-2 wires are located between (in the middle of) the two other types of wires, the corrosion rates are higher than the corrosion rates observed from the other two geometrical arrangements.

  1. The sandwich-type electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for α-fetoprotein based on enrichment by Fe3O4-Au magnetic nano probes and signal amplification by CdS-Au composite nanoparticles labeled anti-AFP.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Hankun; Gan, Ning; Li, Tianhua; Cao, Yuting; Zeng, Saolin; Zheng, Lei; Guo, Zhiyong

    2012-10-09

    A novel and sensitive sandwich-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for ultra trace levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP) based on sandwich immunoreaction strategy by enrichment using magnetic capture probes and quantum dots coated with Au shell (CdS-Au) as the signal tag. The capture probe was prepared by immobilizing the primary antibody of AFP (Ab1) on the core/shell Fe(3)O(4)-Au nanoparticles, which was first employed to capture AFP antigens to form Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP complex from the serum after incubation. The product can be separated from the background solution through the magnetic separation. Then the CdS-Au labeled secondary antibody (Ab2) as signal tag (CdS-Au/Ab2) was conjugated successfully with Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP complex to form a sandwich-type immunocomplex (Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP/Ab2/CdS-Au), which can be further separated by an external magnetic field and produce ECL signals at a fixed voltage. The signal was proportional to a certain concentration range of AFP for quantification. Thus, an easy-to-use immunosensor with magnetic probes and a quantum dots signal tag was obtained. The immunosensor performed at a level of high sensitivity and a broad concentration range for AFP between 0.0005 and 5.0 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.2 pg mL(-1). The use of magnetic probes was combined with pre-concentration and separation for trace levels of tumor markers in the serum. Due to the amplification of the signal tag, the immunosensor is highly sensitive, which can offer great promise for rapid, simple, selective and cost-effective detection of effective biomonitoring for clinical application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Improved electrochemical properties of amorphous Mg 65Ni 27La 8 electrodes: Surface modification using graphite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, D. C.; Li, Lu; Liang, G. Y.; Guo, Y. L.; Wu, H. B.

    Amorphous Mg 65Ni 27La 8 alloy is prepared by melt-spinning. The alloy surface is modified using different contents of graphite to improve the performances of the Mg 65Ni 27La 8 electrodes. In detail, the electrochemical properties of (Mg 65Ni 27La 8) + xC (x = 0-0.4) electrodes are studied systematically, where x is the mass ratio of graphite to alloy. Experimental results reveal that the discharge capacity, cycle life, discharge potential characteristics and electrochemical kinetics of the electrodes are all improved. The surface modification enhances the electrocatalytic activity of the alloy, reduces the contact resistance of the electrodes and obstructs the formation of Mg(OH) 2 on the alloy surface. An optimal content of graphite has been obtained. The (Mg 65Ni 27La 8) + 0.25 C electrode has the largest discharge capacity of 827 mA h g -1, which is 1.47 times as large as that of the electrode without graphite, and the best electrochemical kinetics. Further increasing of graphite content will lead to the increase of contact resistance and activation energy for charge-transfer reaction of the electrode, resulting in the degradation of electrode performance.

  3. Toward New Magnesium Alloy Design - Theoretical and Experimental Studies of the Influence of Alloying Elements on Deformation Twinning

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-27

    Research Office (W911NF-12-1-0023). Ab initio calculations have been performed to study the effects of solute atoms on the c/a ratio of magnesium alloys ... effects of alloying elements on the c/a ratio of magnesium were performed. The most commonly and extensively used alloying elements such as Al, Mn, and... Magnesium Alloy Design - Theoretical and Experimental Studies of the Influence of Alloying Elements on Deformation Twinning M.F. Horstemeyer

  4. 3D-Printed Fluidic Devices for Nanoparticle Preparation and Flow-Injection Amperometry Using Integrated Prussian Blue Nanoparticle-Modified Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Bishop, Gregory W.; Satterwhite, Jennifer E.; Bhakta, Snehasis; Kadimisetty, Karteek; Gillette, Kelsey M.; Chen, Eric; Rusling, James F.

    2015-01-01

    A consumer-grade fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer was used to construct fluidic devices for nanoparticle preparation and electrochemical sensing. Devices were printed using poly(ethylene terephthalate) and featured threaded ports to connect polyetheretherketone (PEEK) tubing via printed fittings prepared from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). These devices included channels designed to have 800 × 800 µm2 square cross sections and were semitransparent to allow visualization of the solution-filled channels. A 3D-printed device with a Y-shaped mixing channel was used to prepare Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) under flow rates of 100 to 2000 µL min−1. PBNPs were then attached to gold electrodes for hydrogen peroxide sensing. 3D-printed devices used for electrochemical measurements featured threaded access ports into which a fitting equipped with reference, counter, and PBNP-modified working electrodes could be inserted. PBNP-modified electrodes enabled amperometric detection of H2O2 in the 3D-printed channel by flow-injection analysis, exhibiting a detection limit of 100 nM and linear response up to 20 µM. These experiments show that a consumer-grade FFF printer can be used to fabricate low-cost fluidic devices for applications similar to those that have been reported with more expensive 3D-printing methods. PMID:25901660

  5. A Limited Dynamic Investigation of Magnesium Alloy AZ31B in 3 Orientations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    YYYY) September 2016 2. REPORT TYPE Technical Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 1 August 2014–31 December 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A ...ARL-TR-7807 ● SEP 2016 US Army Research Laboratory A Limited Dynamic Investigation of Magnesium Alloy AZ31B in 3 Orientations...Laboratory A Limited Dynamic Investigation of Magnesium Alloy AZ31B in 3 Orientations by Tyrone L Jones Weapons and Materials Research Directorate

  6. Lithium-aluminum-magnesium electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Melendres, Carlos A.; Siegel, Stanley

    1978-01-01

    A negative electrode composition is presented for use in a secondary, high-temperature electrochemical cell. The cell also includes a molten salt electrolyte of alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides and a positive electrode including a chalcogen or a metal chalcogenide as the active electrode material. The negative electrode composition includes up to 50 atom percent lithium as the active electrode constituent and a magnesium-aluminum alloy as a structural matrix. Various binary and ternary intermetallic phases of lithium, magnesium, and aluminum are formed but the electrode composition in both its charged and discharged state remains substantially free of the alpha lithium-aluminum phase and exhibits good structural integrity.

  7. Defect energetics of concentrated solid-solution alloys from ab initio calculations: Ni 0.5Co 0.5, Ni 0.5Fe 0.5, Ni 0.8Fe 0.2 and Ni 0.8Cr 0.2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhao, Shijun; Stocks, George Malcolm; Zhang, Yanwen

    2016-08-03

    It has been shown that concentrated solid solution alloys possess unusual electronic, magnetic, transport, mechanical and radiation-resistant properties that are directly related to underlying chemical complexity. Because every atom experiences a different local atomic environment, the formation and migration energies of vacancies and interstitials in these alloys exhibit a distribution, rather than a single value as in a pure metal or dilute alloy. In this study, using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory and special quasirandom structure, we have characterized the distribution of defect formation energy and migration barrier in four Ni-based solid-solution alloys: Ni 0.5Co 0.5, Nimore » 0.5Fe 0.5, Ni 0.8Fe 0.2 and Ni 0.8Cr 0.2. As defect formation energies in finite-size models depend sensitively on the elemental chemical potential, we have developed a computationally efficient method for determining it which takes into account the global composition and the local short-range order. In addition we have compared the results of our ab initio calculations to those obtained from available embedded atom method (EAM) potentials. Our results indicate that the defect formation and migration energies are closely related to the specific atomic size in the structure, which further determines the elemental diffusion properties. In conclusion, different EAM potentials yield different features of defect energetics in concentrated alloys, pointing to the need for additional potential development efforts in order to allow spatial and temporal scale-up of defect and simulations, beyond those accessible to ab initio methods.« less

  8. Defect energetics of concentrated solid-solution alloys from ab initio calculations: Ni0.5Co0.5, Ni0.5Fe0.5, Ni0.8Fe0.2 and Ni0.8Cr0.2.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Shijun; Stocks, G Malcolm; Zhang, Yanwen

    2016-09-14

    It has been shown that concentrated solid solution alloys possess unusual electronic, magnetic, transport, mechanical and radiation-resistant properties that are directly related to underlying chemical complexity. Because every atom experiences a different local atomic environment, the formation and migration energies of vacancies and interstitials in these alloys exhibit a distribution, rather than a single value as in a pure metal or dilute alloy. Using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory and special quasirandom structures, we have characterized the distribution of defect formation energy and migration barrier in four Ni-based solid-solution alloys: Ni0.5Co0.5, Ni0.5Fe0.5, Ni0.8Fe0.2, and Ni0.8Cr0.2. As defect formation energies in finite-size models depend sensitively on the elemental chemical potential, we have developed a computationally efficient method for determining it which takes into account the global composition and the local short-range order. In addition we have compared the results of our ab initio calculations to those obtained from available embedded atom method (EAM) potentials. Our results indicate that the defect formation and migration energies are closely related to the specific atoms in the structure, which further determines the elemental diffusion properties. Different EAM potentials yield different features of defect energetics in concentrated alloys, pointing to the need for additional potential development efforts in order to allow spatial and temporal scale-up of defect and simulations, beyond those accessible to ab initio methods.

  9. Structures and Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage Properties of the As-Spun RE-Mg-Ni-Co-Al-Based AB2-Type Alloys Applied to Ni-MH Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yanghuan; Yuan, Zeming; Shang, Hongwei; Li, Yaqin; Qi, Yan; Zhao, Dongliang

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, the La0.8- x Ce0.2Y x MgNi3.5Co0.4Al0.1 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2) alloys were synthesized via smelting and melt spinning. The effect of Y content on the structure and electrochemical hydrogen storage characteristics of the as-cast and spun alloys was investigated. The identifications of XRD and SEM demonstrate that the experimental alloys possess a major phase LaMgNi4 and a minor phase LaNi5. The variation of Y content results in an obvious transformation of the phase abundance rather than phase composition in the alloys, namely LaMgNi4 phase increases while LaNi5 phase decreases with Y content growing. Furthermore, the replacement of Y for La causes the lattice constants and cell volume to clearly decrease and markedly refines the alloy grains. The electrochemical tests reveal that these alloys can obtain the maximum values of discharge capacity at the first cycling without any activation needed. With Y content growing, the discharge capacity of the alloys obviously declines, but its cycle stability remarkably improves. Moreover, the electrochemical dynamics of the alloys, involving the high-rate discharge ability, hydrogen diffusion coefficient ( D), limiting current density ( I L), and charge transfer rate, initially augment and then decrease with rising Y content.

  10. Local structure of the crystalline and amorphous states of Ga2Te3 phase-change alloy without resonant bonding: A combined x-ray absorption and ab initio study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolobov, A. V.; Fons, P.; Krbal, M.; Mitrofanov, K.; Tominaga, J.; Uruga, T.

    2017-02-01

    Phase-change memories are usually associated with GeTe-Sb2Te3 quasibinary alloys, where the large optical contrast between the crystalline and amorphous phases is attributed to the formation of resonant bonds in the crystalline phase, which has a rocksalt-like structure. The recent findings that tetrahedrally bonded Ga2Te3 possesses a similarly large property contrast and very low thermal conductivity in the crystalline phase and undergoes low-energy switching [H. Zhu et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 083504 (2010), 10.1063/1.3483762; K. Kurosaki et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 012101 (2008), 10.1063/1.2940591] challenge the existing paradigm. In this work we report on the local structure of the crystalline and amorphous phases of Ga2Te3 obtained from x-ray absorption measurements and ab initio simulations. Based on the obtained results, a model of phase change in Ga2Te3 is proposed. We argue that efficient switching in Ga2Te3 is due to the presence of primary and secondary bonding in the crystalline phase originating from the high concentration of Ga vacancies, whereas the structural stability of both phases is ensured by polyvalency of Te atoms due to the presence of lone-pair electrons and the formation of like-atom bonds in the amorphous phase.

  11. Effect of monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to class I and class II HLA antigens on lectin- and MoAb OKT3-induced lymphocyte proliferation.

    PubMed

    Akiyama, Y; Zicht, R; Ferrone, S; Bonnard, G D; Herberman, R B

    1985-04-01

    We have examined the effect of several monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to monomorphic determinants of class II HLA antigens, and MoAb to monomorphic determinants of class I HLA antigens and to beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2-mu) on lectin- and MoAb OKT3-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) and cultured T cells (CTC). Some, but not all, anti-class II HLA MoAb inhibited the proliferative response of PBMNC to MoAb OKT3 and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). The degree of inhibitory effect varied considerably. This effect was not limited to anti-class II HLA MoAb since anti-class I HLA MoAb and anti-beta 2-mu MoAb also inhibited MoAb OKT3- or PWM-induced proliferative responses. In contrast, the response of PBMNC to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) was not blocked by any anti-class II HLA MoAb. However, some anti-class II HLA MoAb also inhibited the proliferative response of CTC plus allogeneic peripheral blood adherent accessory cells (AC) to PHA or Con A as well as to MoAb OKT3 or PWM. This may be attributable to the substantially greater class II HLA antigen expression by CTC than by fresh lymphocytes. Pretreatment of either CTC or AC with anti-class II HLA MoAb inhibited OKT3-induced proliferation. In contrast, pretreatment of CTC, but not AC, with anti-class I HLA MoAb inhibited the proliferative response of CTC to OKT3. Pretreatment of CTC with anti-class I HLA MoAb inhibited PHA-, Con A and PWM-induced proliferation, to a greater degree than the anti-class II HLA MoAb. It appears as if lymphocyte activation by different mitogens exhibits variable requirements for the presence of cells expressing major histocompatibility determinants. Binding of Ab to membrane markers may interfere with lymphocyte-AC cooperation, perhaps by inhibiting binding of mitogens to their receptors or by interfering with lymphocyte and AC function. We also have examined the role of class II HLA antigens on CTC by depleting class II HLA-positive cells

  12. Tantalum-copper alloy and method for making

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, Frederick A.; Verhoeven, John D.; Gibson, Edwin D.

    1984-11-06

    A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

  13. Tantalum-copper alloy and method for making

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, F.A.; Verhoeven, J.D.; Gibson, E.D.

    1983-06-01

    A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

  14. Positive electrode current collector for liquid metal cells

    DOEpatents

    Shimotake, Hiroshi; Bartholme, Louis G.

    1984-01-01

    A current collector for the positive electrode of an electrochemical cell with a positive electrode including a sulfide. The cell also has a negative electrode and a molten salt electrolyte including halides of a metal selected from the alkali metals and the alkaline earth metals in contact with both the positive and negative electrodes. The current collector has a base metal of copper, silver, gold, aluminum or alloys thereof with a coating thereon of iron, nickel, chromium or alloys thereof. The current collector when subjected to cell voltage forms a sulfur-containing compound on the surface thereby substantially protecting the current collector from further attack by sulfur ions during cell operation. Both electroless and electrolytic processes may be used to deposit coatings.

  15. Composite electrode/electrolyte structure

    DOEpatents

    Visco, Steven J.; Jacobson, Craig P.; DeJonghe, Lutgard C.

    2004-01-27

    Provided is an electrode fabricated from highly electronically conductive materials such as metals, metal alloys, or electronically conductive ceramics. The electronic conductivity of the electrode substrate is maximized. Onto this electrode in the green state, a green ionic (e.g., electrolyte) film is deposited and the assembly is co-fired at a temperature suitable to fully densify the film while the substrate retains porosity. Subsequently, a catalytic material is added to the electrode structure by infiltration of a metal salt and subsequent low temperature firing. The invention allows for an electrode with high electronic conductivity and sufficient catalytic activity to achieve high power density in ionic (electrochemical) devices such as fuel cells and electrolytic gas separation systems.

  16. Ab initio molecular dynamics investigations of low-energy recoil events in Ni and NiCo

    DOE PAGES

    Liu, Bin; Yuan, Fenglin; Jin, Ke; ...

    2015-10-06

    Low-energy recoil events in pure Ni and the equiatomic NiCo alloy are studied using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the threshold displacement energies are strongly dependent on orientation and weakly dependent on composition. The minimum threshold displacement energies are along the [1 1 0] direction in both pure Ni and the NiCo alloy. Compared to pure Ni, the threshold displacement energies increase slightly in the NiCo alloy due to stronger bonds in the alloy, irrespective of the element type of the PKA. A single Ni interstitial occupying the center of a tetrahedron formed by four Ni atomsmore » and a <1 0 0> split interstitial is produced in pure Ni by the recoils, while only the <1 0 0> split interstitial is formed in the NiCo alloy. Compared to the replacement sequences in pure Ni, anti-site defect sequences are observed in the alloy, which have high efficiency for both producing defects and transporting energy outside of the cascade core. These results provide insights into energy transfer processes occurring in equiatomic alloys under irradiation.« less

  17. Ab initio study of weakly bound halogen complexes: RX⋯PH3.

    PubMed

    Georg, Herbert C; Fileti, Eudes E; Malaspina, Thaciana

    2013-01-01

    Ab initio calculations were employed to study the role of ipso carbon hybridization in halogenated compounds RX (R=methyl, phenyl, acetyl, H and X=F, Cl, Br and I) and its interaction with a phosphorus atom, as occurs in the halogen bonded complex type RX⋯PH3. The analysis was performed using ab initio MP2, MP4 and CCSD(T) methods. Systematic energy analysis found that the interaction energies are in the range -4.14 to -11.92 kJ mol(-1) (at MP2 level without ZPE correction). Effects of electronic correlation levels were evaluated at MP4 and CCSD(T) levels and a reduction of up to 27% in interaction energy obtained in MP2 was observed. Analysis of the electrostatic maps confirms that the PhCl⋯PH3 and all MeX⋯PH3 complexes are unstable. NBO analysis suggested that the charge transfer between the moieties is bigger when using iodine than bromine and chlorine. The electrical properties of these complexes (dipole and polarizability) were determined and the most important observed aspect was the systematic increase at the dipole polarizability, given by the interaction polarizability. This increase is in the range of 0.7-6.7 u.a. (about 3-7%).

  18. Advanced 3D Ni(OH)2/CNT Gel Composite Electrodes for Supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Hanlin; Duong, Hai Minh

    2015-03-01

    In order to enhance the performance of supercapacitors, advanced 3D Porous CNT/Ni(OH)2 gel composite electrodes are developed in this work. Compared with previously reported graphene gel supercapacitors, our electrodes using 1D CNTs have smaller diffusion resistance due to a shorter ion transport path. The developed 3D xerogel composite electrodes demonstrate the success of a careful engineered guest/host materials interface. Initially, the CNT gels are coated on the nickel foam to form a 3D scaffold, which serves as a microscopic electrical conductive network. Then Ni(OH)2 are incorporated using a traditional electrodeposition method. In this work, two types of the 3D CNT-coated nickel foams are investigated. The gels can be used directly as hydrogels or dried in air to form xerogels. Both hydrogels and xerogels present 3D tangled CNT networks. It shows that the hydrogel composite electrodes with unbundled CNTs, though presenting high capacitances of 1400 F/g at low discharge rate, possess lower capacitances at higher discharge rate and a poor cycling performance of less than 23% retention. In contrast, the xerogel composite electrodes can overcome these limitations in terms of a satisfied discharge performance of 1200 F/g and a good cycling retention more than 85% due to a stronger Ni(OH)2/CNT interface. The CNT bundles in the xerogel electrodes formed during the drying process can give a flat surface with small curvature, which facilitate the Ni(OH)2 nucleation and growth. Thanks for the support from the A star R-265-000-424-305.

  19. Correlation between crystallographic anisotropy and dendritic orientation selection of binary magnesium alloys.

    PubMed

    Du, Jinglian; Guo, Zhipeng; Zhang, Ang; Yang, Manhong; Li, Mei; Xiong, Shoumei

    2017-10-19

    Both synchrotron X-ray tomography and EBSD characterization revealed that the preferred growth directions of magnesium alloy dendrite change as the type and amount of solute elements. Such growth behavior was further investigated by evaluating the orientation-dependent surface energy and the subsequent crystallographic anisotropy via ab-initio calculations based on density functional theory and hcp lattice structure. It was found that for most binary magnesium alloys, the preferred growth direction of the α-Mg dendrite in the basal plane is always [Formula: see text], and independent on either the type or concentration of the additional elements. In non-basal planes, however, the preferred growth direction is highly dependent on the solute concentration. In particular, for Mg-Al alloys, this direction changes from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] as the Al-concentration increased, and for Mg-Zn alloys, this direction changes from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] as the Zn-content varied. Our results provide a better understanding on the dendritic orientation selection and morphology transition of magnesium alloys at the atomic level.

  20. Ab initio joint density-functional theory of solvated electrodes, with model and explicit solvation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arias, Tomas

    2015-03-01

    First-principles guided design of improved electrochemical systems has the potential for great societal impact by making non-fossil-fuel systems economically viable. Potential applications include improvements in fuel-cells, solar-fuel systems (``artificial photosynthesis''), supercapacitors and batteries. Economical fuel-cell systems would enable zero-carbon footprint transportation, solar-fuel systems would directly convert sunlight and water into hydrogen fuel for such fuel-cell vehicles, supercapacitors would enable nearly full recovery of energy lost during vehicle braking thus extending electric vehicle range and acceptance, and economical high-capacity batteries would be central to mitigating the indeterminacy of renewable resources such as wind and solar. Central to the operation of all of the above electrochemical systems is the electrode-electrolyte interface, whose underlying physics is quite rich, yet remains remarkably poorly understood. The essential underlying technical challenge to the first principles studies which could explore this physics is the need to properly represent simultaneously both the interaction between electron-transfer events at the electrode, which demand a quantum mechanical description, and multiscale phenomena in the liquid environment such as the electrochemical double layer (ECDL) and its associated shielding, which demand a statistical description. A direct ab initio approach to this challenge would, in principle, require statistical sampling and thousands of repetitions of already computationally demanding quantum mechanical calculations. This talk will begin with a brief review of a recent advance, joint density-functional theory (JDFT), which allows for a fully rigorous and, in principle, exact representation of the thermodynamic equilibrium between a system described at the quantum-mechanical level and a liquid environment, but without the need for costly sampling. We then shall demonstrate how this approach applies in

  1. Lanthanum manganite-based air electrode for solid oxide fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Ruka, Roswell J.; Kuo, Lewis; Li, Baozhen

    1999-01-01

    An air electrode material for a solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed. The electrode material is based on lanthanum manganite having a perovskite-like crystal structure ABO.sub.3. The A-site of the air electrode material preferably comprises La, Ca, Ce and at least one lanthanide selected from Sm, Gd, Dy, Er, Y and Nd. The B-site of the electrode material comprises Mn with substantially no dopants. The ratio of A:B is preferably slightly above 1. A preferred air electrode composition is of the formula La.sub.w Ca.sub.x Ln.sub.y Ce.sub.z MnO.sub.3, wherein Ln comprises at least one lanthanide selected from Sm, Gd, Dy, Er, Y and Nd, w is from about 0.55 to about 0.56, x is from about 0.255 to about 0.265, y is from about 0.175 to about 0.185, and z is from about 0.005 to about 0.02. The air electrode material possesses advantageous chemical and electrical properties as well as favorable thermal expansion and thermal cycle shrinkage characteristics.

  2. SN 2013ab: a normal Type IIP supernova in NGC 5669

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bose, Subhash; Valenti, Stefano; Misra, Kuntal; Pumo, Maria Letizia; Zampieri, Luca; Sand, David; Kumar, Brijesh; Pastorello, Andrea; Sutaria, Firoza; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Kumar, Brajesh; Graham, M. L.; Howell, D. Andrew; Ochner, Paolo; Chandola, H. C.; Pandey, Shashi B.

    2015-07-01

    We present densely sampled ultraviolet/optical photometric and low-resolution optical spectroscopic observations of the Type IIP supernova 2013ab in the nearby (˜24 Mpc) galaxy NGC 5669, from 2 to 190 d after explosion. Continuous photometric observations, with the cadence of typically a day to one week, were acquired with the 1-2 m class telescopes in the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope network, ARIES telescopes in India and various other telescopes around the globe. The light curve and spectra suggest that the supernova (SN) is a normal Type IIP event with a plateau duration of ˜80 d with mid-plateau absolute visual magnitude of -16.7, although with a steeper decline during the plateau (0.92 mag 100 d-1 in V band) relative to other archetypal SNe of similar brightness. The velocity profile of SN 2013ab shows striking resemblance with those of SNe 1999em and 2012aw. Following the Rabinak & Waxman prescription, the initial temperature evolution of the SN emission allows us to estimate the progenitor radius to be ˜800 R⊙, indicating that the SN originated from a red supergiant star. The distance to the SN host galaxy is estimated to be 24.3 Mpc from expanding photosphere method. From our observations, we estimate that 0.064 M⊙ of 56Ni was synthesized in the explosion. General relativistic, radiation hydrodynamical modelling of the SN infers an explosion energy of 0.35 × 1051 erg, a progenitor mass (at the time of explosion) of ˜9 M⊙ and an initial radius of ˜600 R⊙.

  3. Molybdenum-copper and tungsten-copper alloys and method of making

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, Frederick A.; Verhoeven, John D.; Gibson, Edwin D.

    1989-05-23

    Molybdenum-copper and tungsten-copper alloys are prepared by a consumable electrode method in which the electrode consists of a copper matrix with embedded strips of refractory molybdenum or tungsten. The electrode is progressively melted at its lower end with a superatmospheric inert gas pressure maintained around the liquifying electrode. The inert gas pressure is sufficiently above the vapor pressure of copper at the liquidus temperature of the alloy being formed to suppress boiling of liquid copper.

  4. Molybdenum-copper and tungsten-copper alloys and method of making

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, F.A.; Verhoeven, J.D.; Gibson, E.D.

    1989-05-23

    Molybdenum-copper and tungsten-copper alloys are prepared by a consumable electrode method in which the electrode consists of a copper matrix with embedded strips of refractory molybdenum or tungsten. The electrode is progressively melted at its lower end with a superatmospheric inert gas pressure maintained around the liquefying electrode. The inert gas pressure is sufficiently above the vapor pressure of copper at the liquidus temperature of the alloy being formed to suppress boiling of liquid copper. 6 figs.

  5. Glucose sensing on graphite screen-printed electrode modified by sparking of copper nickel alloys.

    PubMed

    Riman, Daniel; Spyrou, Konstantinos; Karantzalis, Alexandros E; Hrbac, Jan; Prodromidis, Mamas I

    2017-04-01

    Electric spark discharge was employed as a green, fast and extremely facile method to modify disposable graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) with copper, nickel and mixed copper/nickel nanoparticles (NPs) in order to be used as nonenzymatic glucose sensors. Direct SPEs-to-metal (copper, nickel or copper/nickel alloys with 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25wt% compositions) sparking at 1.2kV was conducted in the absence of any solutions under ambient conditions. Morphological characterization of the sparked surfaces was performed by scanning electron microscopy, while the chemical composition of the sparked NPs was evaluated with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The performance of the various sparked SPEs towards the electro oxidation of glucose in alkaline media and the critical role of hydroxyl ions were evaluated with cyclic voltammetry and kinetic studies. Results indicated a mixed charge transfer- and hyroxyl ion transport-limited process. Best performing sensors fabricated by Cu/Ni 50/50wt% alloy showed linear response over the concentration range 2-400μM glucose and they were successfully applied to the amperometric determination of glucose in blood. The detection limit (S/N 3) and the relative standard deviation of the method were 0.6µM and <6% (n=5, 2µM glucose), respectively. Newly devised sparked Cu/Ni graphite SPEs enable glucose sensing with distinct advantages over existing glucose chemical sensors in terms of cost, fabrication simplicity, disposability, and adaptation of green methods in sensor's development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Pre-Melting in Iron and Iron Alloys at Earth's Core Conditions: Results from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vocadlo, L.; Martorell, B.; Brodholt, J. P.; Wood, I. G.

    2014-12-01

    Seismically determined S-wave velocities in the Earth's inner core are observed to be much lower (10-30%) than those generally inferred from mineral physics. This is a remarkably large discrepancy - mineralogical models for the mantle and the outer core match the observed velocities to around 1%. In no other large volume of the Earth does such a difference exist. There have been a number of arguments put forward over the years to account for the difference, but none have been universally accepted and our inability to explain the seismic velocities of the inner core remains an uncomfortable truth. Here, we present results from ab initio molecular dynamics calculations performed at 360 GPa and core temperatures on hcp and fcc iron, and on fcc-Fe alloyed with nickel and hcp-Fe alloyed with silicon. The calculated shear modulus, and therefore seismic velocities, of pure hcp-Fe reduces dramatically just prior to melting, providing an elegant explanation for the observed velocities. Calculations on fcc-Fe show no such strong reduction in VS, with a transformation to an hcp-type structure prior to melting; addition of 6.5 atm% and 13 atm% Ni to fcc-Fe raises the temperature of this transition. When silicon is added to hcp-Fe, the pre-melting behaviour is found to be very similar to that of pure hcp-Fe with a strong nonlinear shear weakening just before melting and a corresponding reduction in VS. Because temperatures range from T/Tm = 1 at the inner-outer core boundary to T/Tm ≈ 0.99 at the centre, this strong nonlinear effect on VS should occur in the inner core, providing a compelling explanation for the low VS observed.

  7. Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Ni–Fe Alloy Coatings Based on 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium-Hydrogen Sulfate Ionic Liquid.

    PubMed

    He, Xinkuai; Zhang, Chuang; Zhu, Qingyun; Lu, Haozi; Cai, Youxing; Wu, Luye

    2017-02-01

    The electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Ni–Fe alloy coatings and associated nucleation/growth processes are investigated on the glassy carbon (GC) electrode in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-hydrogen sulfate ([BMIM]HSO4) ionic liquid (IL). Cyclic voltammetric data suggest that the co-electrodeposition of Ni–Fe alloys is quasi-reversible. Moreover, chronoamperometry results indicate that the electrodeposition proceeds via a simultaneous nucleation and three-dimensional growth mechanism. In addition, the effects of electrodeposition potential and electrolyte temperature on the coating thickness and Fe content are also studied. The microstructure and composition of the Ni–Fe alloy coatings on Cu substrate are investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). SEM observations show that these electrodeposits present a dense and compact structure, EDS analysis indicates that the coatings are composed of Ni and Fe, XRD pattern shows the coatings are crystalline with a face-centred cubic (fcc) structure. Tafel plots reveal that the Ni–Fe alloy prepared from [BMIM]HSO4 IL presents better corrosion resistance than that of pure Ni.

  8. Advances in Low Carbon, High Strength Ferrous Alloys

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-04-01

    35 TABLES 1. Specified chemical compositions and mechanical properties for GMAW/SAW/ GTAW wire electrodes, MIL-XXXS type, for welding...minimum service temperature of +300 F. The chromium and molybdenum additions improved hardenability and promoted the formation of mar- tensite in thick...alloying ele- ments ( chromium , nickel and molybdenum) are required, especially for thick sections. Production of high strength steel plate for military

  9. Sandwich-type electrode

    DOEpatents

    Lu, Wen-Tong P.; Garcia, Earl R.

    1983-01-01

    Disclosed is an improvement on a method of making an electrode wherein a suspension in a liquid is prepared of a powdered catalyst containing a noble metal, carbon powder and a binder, and the suspension is poured over a carbon substrate dried, compressed and sintered to form a solid catalyst layer bonded to the carbon substrate. The improvement is placing a carbon paper on the catalyst layer prior to compressing. The improved electrode can be used as either a cathode or an anode in a sulfur dioxide depolarized electrolyzer in a process for producing hydrogen from water.

  10. A novel high capacity positive electrode material with tunnel-type structure for aqueous sodium-ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Yuesheng; Mu, Linqin; Liu, Jue; ...

    2015-08-06

    In this study, aqueous sodium-ion batteries have shown desired properties of high safety characteristics and low-cost for large-scale energy storage applications such as smart grid, because of the abundant sodium resources as well as the inherently safer aqueous electrolytes. Among various Na insertion electrode materials, tunnel-type Na 0.44MnO 2 has been widely investigated as a positive electrode for aqueous sodium-ion batteries. However, the low achievable capacity hinders its practical applications. Here we report a novel sodium rich tunnel-type positive material with a nominal composition of Na 0.66[Mn 0.66Ti 0.34]O 2. The tunnel-type structure of Na 0.44MnO 2 obtained for thismore » compound was confirmed by XRD and atomic-scale STEM/EELS. When cycled as positive electrode in full cells using NaTi 2(PO 4) 3/C as negative electrode in 1M Na 2SO 4 aqueous electrolyte, this material shows the highest capacity of 76 mAh g -1 among the Na insertion oxides with an average operating voltage of 1.2 V at a current rate of 2C. These results demonstrate that Na 0.66[Mn 0.66Ti 0.34]O 2 is a promising positive electrode material for rechargeable aqueous sodium-ion batteries.« less

  11. Relation between the conditions of preparation and the polarization characteristics of spongy Raney nickel electrodes used as anodes for fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomida, Tahei; Okamura, Kazuhiro; Ashida, Toshifumi; Nakabayashi, Ichiro

    1992-04-01

    Spongy Raney nickel electrodes were prepared from substrates of spongy nickel plate coated with aluminum. Influences of the temperature for alloying and the weight ratio of aluminum to nickel (Al/Ni) in the substrate on polarization characteristics were studied in connection with the alloy compositions formed, and the surface microstructure of the catalysts. For this, the ratio Al/Ni in the substrate was varied ranging from 0.1 to 2.5. Electrode performance was improved, with increases in both the temperature for alloying and the Al/Ni ratio of the substrates. However, the higher the temperature used for alloying, the lower were the effects of the Al/Ni ratio. The activated Raney nickel was prepared from an alloy whose components were NiAl3 and/or Ni2Al3. It was also shown that a good polarization performance resulted from the increase in activated nickel grains, which were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and an increase in the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area of the electrode-catalyst. The broad peaks observed in X-ray diffraction of Raney nickel catalysts implied crystal distortions, which should be closely related to an increase in the BET surface area.

  12. Fabrication and characterization of p{sup +}-i-p{sup +} type organic thin film transistors with electrodes of highly doped polymer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tadaki, Daisuke; Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012

    2016-04-21

    Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) have been explored because of their advantageous features such as light-weight, flexible, and large-area. For more practical application of organic electronic devices, it is very important to realize OTFTs that are composed only of organic materials. In this paper, we have fabricated p{sup +}-i-p{sup +} type of OTFTs in which an intrinsic (i) regioregular poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) layer is used as the active layer and highly doped p-type (p{sup +}) P3HT is used as the source and drain electrodes. The 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F{sub 4}-TCNQ) was used as the p-type dopant. A fabricating method of p{sup +}-i-p{supmore » +} OTFTs has been developed by using SiO{sub 2} and aluminum films as capping layers for micro-scaled patterning of the p{sup +}-P3HT electrodes. The characteristics of the OTFTs were examined using the photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical measurements. We demonstrated that the fabricated p{sup +}-i-p{sup +} OTFTs work with carrier injection through a built-in potential at p{sup +}/i interfaces. We found that the p{sup +}-i-p{sup +} OTFTs exhibit better FET characteristics than the conventional P3HT-OTFT with metal (Au) electrodes, indicating that the influence of a carrier injection barrier at the interface between the electrode and the active layer was suppressed by replacing the metal electrodes with p{sup +}-P3HT layers.« less

  13. Method of preparing a dimensionally stable electrode for use in a MCFC

    DOEpatents

    Swarr, Thomas E.; Wnuck, Wayne G.

    1987-12-22

    A method is disclosed for preparing a dimensionally stable electrode structure, particularly nickel-chromium anodes, for use in a molten carbonate fuel cell stack. A low-chromium to nickel alloy is provided and oxidized in a mildly oxidizing gas of sufficient oxidation potential to oxidize chromium in the alloy structure. Typically, a steam/H.sub.2 gas mixture in a ratio of about 100/1 and at a temperature below 800.degree. C. is used as the oxidizing medium. This method permits the use of less than 5 weight percent chromium in nickel alloy electrodes while obtaining good resistance to creep in the electrodes of a fuel cell stack.

  14. Calcium alloy as active material in secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Roche, Michael F.; Preto, Sandra K.; Martin, Allan E.

    1976-01-01

    Calcium alloys such as calcium-aluminum and calcium-silicon, are employed as active material within a rechargeable negative electrode of an electrochemical cell. Such cells can use a molten salt electrolyte including calcium ions and a positive electrode having sulfur, sulfides, or oxides as active material. The calcium alloy is selected to prevent formation of molten calcium alloys resulting from reaction with the selected molten electrolytic salt at the cell operating temperatures.

  15. Gene transfer device utilizing micron-spiked electrodes produced by the self-organization phenomenon of Fe-alloy.

    PubMed

    Miyano, Naoki; Inoue, Yuuki; Teramura, Yuji; Fujii, Keisuke; Tsumori, Fujio; Iwata, Hiroo; Kotera, Hidetoshi

    2008-07-01

    In the diffusional phase transformation of two-phase alloys, the new phase precipitates form the matrix phase at specific temperatures, followed by the formation of a mixed microstructure comprising the precipitate and the matrix. It has been found that by specific chemical-etching treatment, the precipitate in Fe-25Cr-6Ni alloy projects substantially and clusters at the surface. The configuration of the precipitate has an extremely high aspect ratio: it is several microns in width and several tens of microns in length (known as micron-spiked). This study targets the development of a gene transfer device with a micro-spike produced based on the self-organization phenomenon of the Fe-25Cr-6Ni alloy. With this spike-projected device, we tried to efficiently transfer plasmid DNA into adherent cells by electric pulse-triggered gene transfer using a plasmid-loaded electrode (electroporation-based reverse transfection). The spiked structure was applied to a substrate of the device to allow efficient gene transfer into adherent cells, although the general substrate was flat and had a smooth surface. The results suggest that this unique spike-projected device has potential applications in gene transfer devices for the analysis of the human genome in the post-genome period.

  16. Composition suitable for use as inert electrode having good electrical conductivity and mechanical properties

    DOEpatents

    Ray, S.P.; Rapp, R.A.

    1984-06-12

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metals or metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily. 8 figs.

  17. Composition suitable for use as inert electrode having good electrical conductivity and mechanical properties

    DOEpatents

    Ray, Siba P.; Rapp, Robert A.

    1984-01-01

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metals or metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily.

  18. Metal hydrides as electrode/catalyst materials for oxygen evolution/reduction in electrochemical devices

    DOEpatents

    Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Halpert, Gerald; Fultz, Brent; Witham, Charles K.; Bowman, Robert C.; Hightower, Adrian

    1997-01-01

    An at least ternary metal alloy of the formula, AB.sub.(5-Y)X(.sub.y), is claimed. In this formula, A is selected from the rare earth elements, B is selected from the elements of groups 8, 9, and 10 of the periodic table of the elements, and X includes at least one of the following: antimony, arsenic, and bismuth. Ternary or higher-order substitutions, to the base AB.sub.5 alloys, that form strong kinetic interactions with the predominant metals in the base metal hydride are used to form metal alloys with high structural integrity after multiple cycles of hydrogen sorption.

  19. Enhanced control of electrochemical response in metallic materials in neural stimulation electrode applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Watkins, K.G.; Steen, W.M.; Manna, I.

    New means have been investigated for the production of electrode devices (stimulation electrodes) which could be implanted in the human body in order to control pain, activate paralysed limbs or provide electrode arrays for cochlear implants for the deaf or for the relief of tinitus. To achieve this ion implantation and laser materials processing techniques were employed. Ir was ion implanted in Ti-6Al-4V alloy and the surface subsequently enriched in the noble metal by dissolution in sulphuric acid. For laser materials processing techniques, investigation has been carried out on the laser cladding and laser alloying of Ir in Ti wire.more » A particular aim has been the determination of conditions required for the formation of a two phase Ir, Ir-rich, and Ti-rich microstructure which would enable subsequent removal of the non-noble phase to leave a highly porous noble metal with large real surface area and hence improved charge carrying capacity compared with conventional non porous electrodes. Evaluation of the materials produced has been carried out using repetitive cyclic voltammetry, amongst other techniques. For laser alloyed Ir on Ti wire, it has been found that differences in the melting point and density of the materials makes control of the cladding or alloying process difficult. Investigation of laser process parameters for the control of alloying and cladding in this system was carried out and a set of conditions for the successful production of two phase Ir-rich and Ti-rich components in a coating layer with strong metallurgical bonding to the Ti alloy substrate was derived. The laser processed material displays excellent potential for further development in providing stimulation electrodes with the current carrying capacity of Ir but in a form which is malleable and hence capable of formation into smaller electrodes with improved spatial resolution compared with presently employed electrodes.« less

  20. Aerosol jet printed p- and n-type electrolyte-gated transistors with a variety of electrode materials: exploring practical routes to printed electronics.

    PubMed

    Hong, Kihyon; Kim, Se Hyun; Mahajan, Ankit; Frisbie, C Daniel

    2014-11-12

    Printing electrically functional liquid inks is a promising approach for achieving low-cost, large-area, additive manufacturing of flexible electronic circuits. To print thin-film transistors, a basic building block of thin-film electronics, it is important to have several options for printable electrode materials that exhibit high conductivity, high stability, and low-cost. Here we report completely aerosol jet printed (AJP) p- and n-type electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) using a variety of different electrode materials including highly conductive metal nanoparticles (Ag), conducting polymers (polystyrenesulfonate doped poly(3,4-ethylendedioxythiophene, PEDOT:PSS), transparent conducting oxides (indium tin oxide), and carbon-based materials (reduced graphene oxide). Using these source-drain electrode materials and a PEDOT:PSS/ion gel gate stack, we demonstrated all-printed p- and n-type EGTs in combination with poly(3-hexythiophene) and ZnO semiconductors. All transistor components (including electrodes, semiconductors, and gate insulators) were printed by AJP. Both kinds of devices showed typical p- and n-type transistor characteristics, and exhibited both low-threshold voltages (<2 V) and high hole and electron mobilities. Our assessment suggests Ag electrodes may be the best option in terms of overall performance for both types of EGTs.

  1. Electron beam irradiated ITO films as highly transparent p-type electrodes for GaN-based LEDs.

    PubMed

    Hong, C H; Wie, S M; Park, M J; Kwak, J S

    2013-08-01

    We have investigated the effect of electron beam irradiation on the electrical and optical properties of ITO film prepared by magnetron sputtering method at room temperature. Electron beam irradiation to the ITO films resulted in a significant decrease in sheet resistance from 1.28 x 10(-3) omega cm to 2.55 x 10(-4) omega cm and in a great increase in optical band gap from 3.72 eV to 4.16 eV, followed by improved crystallization and high transparency of 97.1% at a wavelength of 485 nm. The overall change in electrical, optical and structural properties of ITO films is related to annealing effect and energy transfer of electron by electron beam irradiation. We also fabricated GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using the ITO p-type electrode with/without electron beam irradiation. The results show that the LEDs having ITO p-electrode with electron beam irradiation produced higher output power due to the low absorption of light in the p-type electrode.

  2. Friction Stir Welding of Magnesium Alloy Type AZ 31

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kupec, Tomáš; Behúlová, Mária; Turňa, Milan; Sahul, Miroslav

    The paper deals with welding of Mg alloy of the type AZ 31 by Friction Stir Welding technology (FSW). The FSW technology is at present predominantly used for welding light metals and alloys, as aluminium, magnesium and their alloys. Experimental part consists of performing the simulation and fabrication of welded joints on a new-installed welding equipment available at the Welding Research Institute — Industrial Institute of SR Bratislava. Welding tools made of tool steel type H 13 were used for welding experiments. Geometry of welding tools was designed on the base of literature knowledge. Suitable welding parameters and conditions were determined using numerical simulation. Main emphasis was laid upon the tool revolutions, welding speed and tool bevel angle. The effect of welding parameters on the quality of welded joints was assessed. Assessment of welded joints was carried out by radiography, light microscopy, hardness measurement and EDX microanalysis. Static tensile test was employed for mechanical testing.

  3. Efficient charge injection in p-type polymer field-effect transistors with low-cost molybdenum electrodes through V2O5 interlayer.

    PubMed

    Baeg, Kang-Jun; Bae, Gwang-Tae; Noh, Yong-Young

    2013-06-26

    Here we report high-performance polymer OFETs with a low-cost Mo source/drain electrode by efficient charge injection through the formation of a thermally deposited V2O5 thin film interlayer. A thermally deposited V2O5 interlayer is formed between a regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) or a p-type polymer semiconductor containing dodecyl-substituted thienylenevinylene (TV) and dodecylthiophene (PC12TV12T) and the Mo source/drain electrode. The P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with the bare Mo electrode exhibited lower charge carrier mobility than those with Au owing to a large barrier height for hole injection (0.5-1.0 eV). By forming the V2O5 layer, the P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with V2O5 on the Mo electrode exhibited charge carrier mobility comparable to that of a pristine Au electrode. Best P3HT or PC12TV12T OFETs with 5 nm thick V2O5 on Mo electrode show the charge carrier mobility of 0.12 and 0.38 cm(2)/(V s), respectively. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy results exhibited the work-function of the Mo electrode progressively changed from 4.3 to 4.9 eV with an increase in V2O5 thickness from 0 to 5 nm, respectively. Interestingly, the V2O5-deposited Mo exhibits comparable Rc to Au, which mainly results from the decreased barrier height for hole carrier injection from the low-cost metal electrode to the frontier molecular orbital of the p-type polymer semiconductor after the incorporation of the transition metal oxide hole injection layer, such as V2O5. This enables the development of large-area, low-cost electronics with the Mo electrodes and V2O5 interlayer.

  4. Influence of rare earth content on Mm-based AB 5 metal hydride alloys for Ni-MH batteries-An X-ray fluorescence study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ananth, M. V.; Raju, M.; Manimaran, K.; Balachandran, G.; Nair, Lekshmi M.

    AB 5-type MH alloys with Mm (Misch metal) as the A part (with varied rare earth contents in Mm) were investigated for rare earth by XRF analysis and battery performance by life cycle tests with an objective of understanding the influence of rare earth content on electrochemical hydrogen storage. The La/Ce ratio was found to vary from 0.51 to 18.73. The capacity output varied between 179 and 266 mAh g -1. The results show that the La/Ce ratio has a strong influence on the performance, with the best performance realized with samples having an La/Ce ratio of around 12. La enhancement facilitates easy activation due to refinement in grain size and interstitial dimensions. Also, an orderly influence on crystalline structure could be seen. The study demonstrates that the rare earth content is an essential factor in determining the maximum capacity output because of its influence on crystal orientation as well as an increase in the radius of the interstitials, lattice constants and cell volumes.

  5. AB INITIO STUDY OF GRAIN BOUNDARY PROPERTIES OF TUNGSTEN ALLOYS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Setyawan, Wahyu; Kurtz, Richard J.

    2012-04-17

    Density functional theory was employed to investigate the grain boundary (GB) property of W-TM alloys (TM: fifth and sixth row transition metals). GB strengthening was found for Hf, Ta, Nb, Ru, Re, Os and Ir for 27{l_brace}525{r_brace} and to a lesser degree for 11{l_brace}323{r_brace}. Lower valence solutes strengthen the GB at certain substitutional sites, while higher valence elements enforce it at other positions. For 3{l_brace}112{r_brace}, the alloys exhibit reduced cleavage energies. Hence, allowing with TMs increases the GB cohesion more effectively for large-angle GBs whose cleavage energy is, in general, inherently lower than the low-angle ones. Electron density analysis elucidatesmore » the mechanism of charge addition or depletion of the GB bonding region upon TM substitution at various positions leading to stronger or weaker intergranular cohesion, respectively.« less

  6. Ab initio investigation of the surface properties of austenitic Fe-Ni-Cr alloys in aqueous environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rák, Zs.; Brenner, D. W.

    2017-04-01

    The surface energetics of two austenitic stainless steel alloys (Type 304 and 316) and three Ni-based alloys (Alloy 600, 690, and 800) are investigated using theoretical methods within the density functional theory. The relative stability of the low index surfaces display the same trend for all alloys; the most closely packed orientation and the most stable is the (111), followed by the (100) and the (110) surfaces. Calculations on the (111) surfaces using various surface chemical and magnetic configurations reveal that Ni has the tendency to segregate toward the surface and Cr has the tendency to segregate toward the bulk. The magnetic frustration present on the (111) surfaces plays an important role in the observed segregation tendencies of Ni and Cr. The stability of the (111) surfaces in contact with aqueous solution are evaluated as a function of temperature, pH, and concentration of aqueous species. The results indicate that the surface stability of the alloys decrease with temperature and pH, and increase slightly with concentration. Under conditions characteristic to an operating pressurized water reactor, the Ni-based alloy series appears to be of better quality than the stainless steel series with respect to corrosion resistance and release of aqueous species when in contact with aqueous solutions.

  7. Nuclear Fusion Blast and Electrode Lifetimes in a PJMIF Reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thio, Y. C. Francis; Witherspoon, F. D.; Case, A.; Brockington, S.; Cruz, E.; Luna, M.; Hsu, S. C.

    2017-10-01

    We present an analysis and numerical simulation of the nuclear blast from the micro-explosion following the completion of the fusion burn for a baseline design of a PJMIF fusion reactor with a fusion gain of 20. The stagnation pressure from the blast against the chamber wall defines the engineering requirement for the structural design of the first wall and the plasma guns. We also present an analysis of the lifetimes of the electrodes of the plasma guns which are exposed to (1) the high current, and (2) the neutron produced by the fusion reactions. We anticipate that the gun electrodes are made of tungsten alloys as plasma facing components reinforced structurally by appropriate steel alloys. Making reasonable assumptions about the electrode erosion rate (100 ng/C transfer), the electrode lifetime limited by the erosion rate is estimated to be between 19 and 24 million pulses before replacement. Based on known neutron radiation effects on structural materials such as steel alloys and plasma facing component materials such as tungsten alloys, the plasma guns are expected to survive some 22 million shots. At 1 Hz, this equal to about 6 months of continuous operation before they need to be replaced. Work supported by Strong Atomics, LLC.

  8. Evaluation of different approaches for improving the cycle life of MgNi-based electrodes for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rongeat, C.; Grosjean, M.-H.; Ruggeri, S.; Dehmas, M.; Bourlot, S.; Marcotte, S.; Roué, L.

    Several methods have been investigated to enhance the cycle life of amorphous MgNi used as the negative electrode for Ni-MH batteries. The first approach involves modifying its surface composition in different ways, including the electroless deposition of a chromate conversion coating, the addition of chromate salt or NaF into the electrolyte and the mechanical coating of the particles with various compounds (e.g. TiO 2). Another approach consists of developing (MgNi + AB 5) composite materials. However, the cycle life of these modified MgNi electrodes remains unsatisfactory. On the other hand, the modification of the bulk composition of the MgNi alloy with elements such as Ti and Al appears to be more effective. For instance, a Mg 0.9Ti 0.1NiAl 0.05 electrode retains 67% of its initial discharge capacity (404 mAh g -1) after 15 cycles compared to 29% for MgNi. The charging conditions also have a great influence on the electrode cycle life as demonstrated by the existence of a charge input threshold below which minor capacity decay occurs. In addition, the particle size has a major influence on the electrode performance. We have developed an optimized electrode constituted of Mg 0.9Ti 0.1NiAl 0.05 particles with the appropriate size (>150 μm) showing a capacity decay rate as low as ∼0.2% per cycle when charged at 300 mAh g -1.

  9. A fine pointed glucose oxidase immobilized electrode for low-invasive amperometric glucose monitoring.

    PubMed

    Li, Jiang; Koinkar, Pankaj; Fuchiwaki, Yusuke; Yasuzawa, Mikito

    2016-12-15

    A low invasive type glucose sensor, which has a sensing region at the tip of a fine pointed electrode, was developed for continuous glucose monitoring. Platinum-iridium alloy electrode with a surface area of 0.045mm(2) was settled at the middle of pointed PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) tubing and was employed as sensing electrode. Electrodeposition of glucose oxidase in the presence of surfactant, Triton X-100, was performed for high-density enzyme immobilization followed by the electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine for the formation of functional entrapping and permselective polymer membrane. Ag/AgCl film was coated on the surface of PEEK tubing as reference electrode. Amperometric responses of the prepared sensors to glucose were measured at a potential of 0.60V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The prepared electrode showed the sensitivity of 2.55μA/cm(2) mM with high linearity of 0.9986, within the glucose concentration range up to 21mM. The detection limit (S/N=3) was determined to be 0.11mM. The glucose sensor properties were evaluated in phosphate buffer solution and in vivo monitoring by the implantation of the sensors in rabbit, while conventional needle type sensors as a reference were used. The results showed that change in output current of the proposed sensor fluctuated similar with one in output current of the conventional needle type sensors, which was also in similar accordance with actual blood sugar level measured by commercially glucose meter. One-point calibration method was used to calibrate the sensor output current. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The presence of anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb) and/or anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) does not exclude the diagnosis of type 2 amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis.

    PubMed

    Tomisti, L; Urbani, C; Rossi, G; Latrofa, F; Sardella, C; Manetti, L; Lupi, I; Marcocci, C; Bartalena, L; Curzio, O; Martino, E; Bogazzi, F

    2016-05-01

    It is widely accepted that type 2 amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) generally occurs in patients with a normal thyroid gland without signs of thyroid autoimmunity. However, it is currently unknown if the presence of anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb) and/or anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) in AIT patients without other signs of an underlying thyroid disease may impair the response to glucocorticoid therapy. We performed a pilot retrospective cohort study with matched-subject design and an equivalence hypothesis, comparing the response to glucocorticoid therapy between 20 AIT patients with a normal thyroid gland, low radioiodine uptake, undetectable TSH receptor antibodies and positive TgAb and/or TPOAb (Ab+ group), and 40 patients with the same features and absent thyroid antibodies (Ab- group). The mean cure time was 54 ± 68 days in the Ab+ group and 55 ± 49 days in the Ab- group (p = 0.63). The equivalence test revealed an equivalent cure rate after 60, 90 and 180 days (p = 0.67, 0.88 and 0.278, respectively). The occurrence of permanent hypothyroidism was higher in the Ab+ group than in the Ab- group (26.3 vs 5.13 %, p = 0.032). The presence of TgAb and/or TPOAb does not affect the response to glucocorticoid therapy, suggesting that the patients with features of destructive form of AIT should be considered as having a type 2 AIT irrespective of the presence of TGAb or TPOAb. These patients have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism after the resolution of thyrotoxicosis and should be monitored accordingly.

  11. Lanthanum manganite-based air electrode for solid oxide fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Ruka, R.J.; Kuo, L.; Li, B.

    1999-06-29

    An air electrode material for a solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed. The electrode material is based on lanthanum manganite having a perovskite-like crystal structure ABO[sub 3]. The A-site of the air electrode material preferably comprises La, Ca, Ce and at least one lanthanide selected from Sm, Gd, Dy, Er, Y and Nd. The B-site of the electrode material comprises Mn with substantially no dopants. The ratio of A:B is preferably slightly above 1. A preferred air electrode composition is of the formula La[sub w]Ca[sub x]Ln[sub y]Ce[sub z]MnO[sub 3], wherein Ln comprises at least one lanthanide selected from Sm, Gd, Dy, Er, Y and Nd, w is from about 0.55 to about 0.56, x is from about 0.255 to about 0.265, y is from about 0.175 to about 0.185, and z is from about 0.005 to about 0.02. The air electrode material possesses advantageous chemical and electrical properties as well as favorable thermal expansion and thermal cycle shrinkage characteristics. 10 figs.

  12. Electronic and Thermoelectric Properties of SnSe1-x S x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) Alloys: First-Principles Calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamad, Bothina

    2018-04-01

    Ab initio investigations of the electronic and thermoelectric (TE) properties of SnSe1-x S x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) alloys are performed using density functional theory. The TE properties are calculated using the semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory within the constant relaxation time approximation. Band gap values are found to range between 0.94 eV and 1.02 eV in agreement with the experimental findings and previous calculations. All alloys tend to exhibit p-type TE properties, indicated by a sharp peak near the Fermi level that indicates a heavy carrier concentration. Electrical conductivity is found to decrease, whereas the Seebeck coefficient and the power factor increase for higher concentrations. The three alloys, SnS, SnSe and SnSe0.75S0.25 alloys exhibit the same power factor of 3.5 × 10-3 W/m K2, which is promising for thermoelectric applications.

  13. The influence of electrode type on electrocoagulation process for removal of chromium (VI) metal in plating industrial wastewater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prasetyaningrum, Aji; Jos, Bakti; Dharmawan, Yudhy; Prabowo, Bilal T.; Fathurrazan, Muh.; Fyrouzabadi

    2018-05-01

    Chromium (VI) is one of the major metallic pollutants in plating industrial wastewater. Cr(VI) is one of toxic metal that cause serious threat to human health and the environment because its non-biodegradable. Among the technologies for removing these pollutants, electrocoagulation can be considered as an effective method. This method have some advantages such as less amount of produced sludge and high efficiency in removal of pollutants.This research intended to study the effects of type of electrode on the degree of Cr(VI) removal from wastewater of plating industry using electrocoagulation method. This laboratory research conducted with 3 types of electrode (aluminum, stainless and combination of both electrode). Synthetic chromium wastewater was prepared at the initial concentration of 100 mg L-1. The process was conducted at pH 3. The electricity current was setting at 3 Ampere. The variable of time of electrocoagulation at 1 and 2 hours. After performing the process on electrochemical cells, samples analyzed by the UV-Vis spectrophotometer regarding amount of Cr(VI) metals. The results showed that aluminium was the best performance electrode at variable of 2 hours with 26% of reduction of Cr(VI)metal content in plating industrial waste water.

  14. Electrochemical Characterization of Vanadium Pentoxide (V 2O5) And Activated Carbon (AC) Electrodes in Multivalent Aluminum Nitrate (Al(NO3)3) Electrolyte for Battery-Type Hybrid Supercapacitor Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solanki, Ketan Subhash

    Hybrid supercapacitors (HSC) have been extensively investigated for enhanced charge storage capacity (Yoo, et al. 2014). Although Li-ion batteries are known for high energy density, but their limited power density has driven the research toward developing hybrid supercapacitors (Jayalakshmi and Balasubramanian 2008). They combine non-faradic properties of electric double layer capacitors (EDLC) and faradic properties of pseudocapacitors to provide high energy density without compromising high Power density (Yoo, et al. 2014) (Lukatskaya, Dunn and Gogotsi 2016). In HSC, one electrode will store energy by double layer mechanism whereas the other stores through redox intercalation or surface redox reactions (Lukatskaya, Dunn and Gogotsi 2016) (Karthikeyan, et al. 2010). In this study, we have examined the electrochemical characteristics of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) and activated carbon (AC) in an aqueous multivalent aluminum nitrate (nonhydrate, Al(NO3)3) electrolyte for viable electrode applications in battery-type hybrid supercapacitors, also known as supercapattery. A Specific capacitance of 340 Fg -1 was obtained at a scanning rate of 10 mV/s. Although this configuration showed promising storage and cyclability capability but the voltage for intercalation of Al3+ ions occurred below zero voltage. Hence, right selection of electrodes for such configurations may help in obtaining intercalation and de-intercalation voltages above zero volt and thereby result in a viable practical application with better performance.

  15. [A study on the color difference between Au-Pt alloy porcelain and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain].

    PubMed

    Li, Yong; Zhao, Yunfeng; Li, Hong

    2003-06-01

    To investigate the color difference between Au-Pt alloy porcelain and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain. 30 metal-ceramic specimens with different dentin porcelain thickness were fabricated with two types of metal-ceramic alloy, each type of alloy had 15 specimens. L*, a*, b* were measured after opaque porcelain was applied, and dentin porcelain was fired 1, 3, 5, 7 times by MINOLTA CR-100. Then delta E was calculated which reflected the color difference between high-gold alloy porcelain and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain. Comparing with Ni-Cr alloy porcelain, the color of Au-Pt alloy porcelain was reddish, yellowish and less bright. The delta E between high-gold alloy porcelain and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain in shade A2 was largest when opaque porcelain was applied. It decreased when dentin porcelain was applied. It became smallest when fired 3 times, and increased along with the increase of fire times. It was larger than 1.5 except firing 3 times. When dentin porcelain was applied, delta E which was larger than 1.5 among different dentin porcelain thickness decreased along with the increase of dentin porcelain thickness. The color difference between the two types of metal-ceramic alloy should be carefully taken into account in order to improve the quality of color matching.

  16. CMOS compatible electrode materials selection in oxide-based memory devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhuo, V. Y.-Q.; Li, M.; Guo, Y.; Wang, W.; Yang, Y.; Jiang, Y.; Robertson, J.

    2016-07-01

    Electrode materials selection guidelines for oxide-based memory devices are constructed from the combined knowledge of observed device operation characteristics, ab-initio calculations, and nano-material characterization. It is demonstrated that changing the top electrode material from Ge to Cr to Ta in the Ta2O5-based memory devices resulted in a reduction of the operation voltages and current. Energy Dispersed X-ray (EDX) Spectrometer analysis clearly shows that the different top electrode materials scavenge oxygen ions from the Ta2O5 memory layer at various degrees, leading to different oxygen vacancy concentrations within the Ta2O5, thus the observed trends in the device performance. Replacing the Pt bottom electrode material with CMOS compatible materials (Ru and Ir) further reduces the power consumption and can be attributed to the modification of the Schottky barrier height and oxygen vacancy concentration at the electrode/oxide interface. Both trends in the device performance and EDX results are corroborated by the ab-initio calculations which reveal that the electrode material tunes the oxygen vacancy concentration via the oxygen chemical potential and defect formation energy. This experimental-theoretical approach strongly suggests that the proper selection of CMOS compatible electrode materials will create the critical oxygen vacancy concentration to attain low power memory performance.

  17. Intraflagellar transport velocity is governed by the number of active KIF17 and KIF3AB motors and their motility properties under load

    PubMed Central

    Milic, Bojan; Andreasson, Johan O. L.; Hogan, Daniel W.; Block, Steven M.

    2017-01-01

    Homodimeric KIF17 and heterotrimeric KIF3AB are processive, kinesin-2 family motors that act jointly to carry out anterograde intraflagellar transport (IFT), ferrying cargo along microtubules (MTs) toward the tips of cilia. How IFT trains attain speeds that exceed the unloaded rate of the slower, KIF3AB motor remains unknown. By characterizing the motility properties of kinesin-2 motors as a function of load we find that the increase in KIF3AB velocity, elicited by forward loads from KIF17 motors, cannot alone account for the speed of IFT trains in vivo. Instead, higher IFT velocities arise from an increased likelihood that KIF3AB motors dissociate from the MT, resulting in transport by KIF17 motors alone, unencumbered by opposition from KIF3AB. The rate of transport is therefore set by an equilibrium between a faster state, where only KIF17 motors move the train, and a slower state, where at least one KIF3AB motor on the train remains active in transport. The more frequently the faster state is accessed, the higher the overall velocity of the IFT train. We conclude that IFT velocity is governed by (i) the absolute numbers of each motor type on a given train, (ii) how prone KIF3AB is to dissociation from MTs relative to KIF17, and (iii) how prone both motors are to dissociation relative to binding MTs. PMID:28761002

  18. Intraflagellar transport velocity is governed by the number of active KIF17 and KIF3AB motors and their motility properties under load.

    PubMed

    Milic, Bojan; Andreasson, Johan O L; Hogan, Daniel W; Block, Steven M

    2017-08-15

    Homodimeric KIF17 and heterotrimeric KIF3AB are processive, kinesin-2 family motors that act jointly to carry out anterograde intraflagellar transport (IFT), ferrying cargo along microtubules (MTs) toward the tips of cilia. How IFT trains attain speeds that exceed the unloaded rate of the slower, KIF3AB motor remains unknown. By characterizing the motility properties of kinesin-2 motors as a function of load we find that the increase in KIF3AB velocity, elicited by forward loads from KIF17 motors, cannot alone account for the speed of IFT trains in vivo. Instead, higher IFT velocities arise from an increased likelihood that KIF3AB motors dissociate from the MT, resulting in transport by KIF17 motors alone, unencumbered by opposition from KIF3AB. The rate of transport is therefore set by an equilibrium between a faster state, where only KIF17 motors move the train, and a slower state, where at least one KIF3AB motor on the train remains active in transport. The more frequently the faster state is accessed, the higher the overall velocity of the IFT train. We conclude that IFT velocity is governed by ( i ) the absolute numbers of each motor type on a given train, ( ii ) how prone KIF3AB is to dissociation from MTs relative to KIF17, and ( iii ) how prone both motors are to dissociation relative to binding MTs.

  19. Anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy requires type I and II interferons and synergizes with anti-PD-1 or anti-CD137 mAb therapy.

    PubMed

    Stagg, John; Loi, Sherene; Divisekera, Upulie; Ngiow, Shin Foong; Duret, Helene; Yagita, Hideo; Teng, Michele W; Smyth, Mark J

    2011-04-26

    Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/ErbB-2), has become the mainstay of treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer. Nevertheless, its exact mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. Although several studies suggest that Fc receptor-expressing immune cells are involved in trastuzumab therapy, the relative contribution of lymphocyte-mediated cellular cytotoxicity and antitumor cytokines remains unknown. We report here that anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy is dependent on the release of type I and type II IFNs but is independent of perforin or FasL. Our study thus challenges the notion that classical antibody-dependent, lymphocyte-mediated cellular cytotoxicity is important for trastuzumab. We demonstrate that anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy of experimental tumors derived from MMTV-ErbB-2 transgenic mice triggers MyD88-dependent signaling and primes IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells. Adoptive cell transfer of purified T cell subsets confirmed the essential role of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells. Notably, anti-ErbB-2 mAb therapy was independent of IL-1R or IL-17Ra signaling. Finally, we investigated whether immunostimulatory approaches with antibodies against programmed death-1 (PD-1) or 41BB (CD137) could be used to capitalize on the immune-mediated effects of trastuzumab. We demonstrate that anti-PD-1 or anti-CD137 mAb can significantly improve the therapeutic activity of anti-ErbB-2 mAb in immunocompetent mice.

  20. The Mechanochemical Cycle of Mammalian Kinesin-2 KIF3A/B under Load.

    PubMed

    Andreasson, Johan O L; Shastry, Shankar; Hancock, William O; Block, Steven M

    2015-05-04

    The response of motor proteins to external loads underlies their ability to work in teams and determines the net speed and directionality of cargo transport. The mammalian kinesin-2, KIF3A/B, is a heterotrimeric motor involved in intraflagellar transport and vesicle motility in neurons. Bidirectional cargo transport is known to result from the opposing activities of KIF3A/B and dynein bound to the same cargo, but the load-dependent properties of kinesin-2 are poorly understood. We used a feedback-controlled optical trap to probe the velocity, run length, and unbinding kinetics of mouse KIF3A/B under various loads and nucleotide conditions. The kinesin-2 motor velocity is less sensitive than kinesin-1 to external forces, but its processivity diminishes steeply with load, and the motor was observed occasionally to slip and reattach. Each motor domain was characterized by studying homodimeric constructs, and a global fit to the data resulted in a comprehensive pathway that quantifies the principal force-dependent kinetic transitions. The properties of the KIF3A/B heterodimer are intermediate between the two homodimers, and the distinct load-dependent behavior is attributable to the properties of the motor domains and not to the neck linkers or the coiled-coil stalk. We conclude that the force-dependent movement of KIF3A/B differs significantly from conventional kinesin-1. Against opposing dynein forces, KIF3A/B motors are predicted to rapidly unbind and rebind, resulting in qualitatively different transport behavior from kinesin-1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The mechanochemical cycle of mammalian kinesin-2 KIF3A/B under load

    PubMed Central

    Andreasson, Johan O.L.; Shastry, Shankar; Hancock, William O.; Block, Steven M.

    2015-01-01

    Summary The response of motor proteins to external loads underlies their ability to work in teams and determines the net speed and directionality of cargo transport. The mammalian kinesin-2, KIF3A/B, is a heterotrimeric motor involved in intraflagellar transport and vesicle motility in neurons. Bidirectional cargo transport is known to result from the opposing activities of KIF3A/B and dynein bound to the same cargo, but the load-dependent properties of kinesin-2 are poorly understood. We used a feedback-controlled optical trap to probe the velocity, run length and unbinding kinetics of mouse KIF3A/B under various loads and nucleotide conditions. The kinesin-2 motor velocity is less sensitive than kinesin-1 to external forces, but its processivity diminishes steeply with load, and the motor was observed occasionally to slip and reattach. Each motor domain was characterized by studying homodimeric constructs, and a global fit to the data resulted in a comprehensive pathway that quantifies the principal force-dependent kinetic transitions. The properties of the KIF3A/B heterodimer are intermediate between the two homodimers, and the distinct load-dependent behavior is attributable to the properties of the motor domains, and not to the neck-linkers or the coiled-coil stalk. We conclude that the force-dependent movement of KIF3A/B differs significantly from conventional kinesin-1. Against opposing dynein forces, KIF3A/B motors are predicted to rapidly unbind and rebind, resulting in qualitatively different transport behavior from kinesin-1. PMID:25866395

  2. Steel — ab Initio: Quantum Mechanics Guided Design of New Fe-Based Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prahl, Ulrich; Bleck, Wolfgang; Saeed-Akbari, Alireza

    This contribution reports the results of the collaborative research unit SFB 761 "Steel — ab initio", a cooperative project between RWTH Aachen University and the Max-Planck-Institute for Iron Research in Düsseldorf (MPIE) financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG). For the first time, it is exploited how ab initio approaches may lead to a detailed understanding and thus to a specific improvement of material development. The challenge lies in the combination of abstract natural science theories with rather engineering-like established concepts. Aiming at the technological target of the development of a new type of structural materials based on Fe-Mn-C alloys, the combination of ab initio and engineering methods is new, but could be followed quite successfully. Three major topics are treated in this research unit: a) development of a new method for material- and process-development based on ab initio calculations; b) design of a new class of structural materials with extraordinary property combinations; c) acceleration of development time and reduction of experimental efforts and complexity for material- and process-development. In the present work, an overview of the results of the first five years as well as an outlook for the upcoming three-year period is given.

  3. Durability of De-Alloyed Platinum-Nickel Cathode Catalyst in Low Platinum Loading Membrane-Electrode Assemblies Subjected to Accelerated Stress Tests

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ahluwalia, R. K.; Wang, X.; Peng, J. -K.

    Here, the durability of de-alloyed platinum-nickel catalysts supported on high-surface area carbon (d-PtNi/C) in optimized electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) under an accelerated stress test (AST) protocol is investigated with the objective of developing a quantitative understanding of the degradation mechanisms and their relationship to the electrode structure, pre-conditioning, and operating conditions. It is found that the cell degradation can be mitigated by controlling the voltage cycle, acid washing the MEA to remove Ni contaminants that enter the electrode and membrane during fabrication, and monitoring the operating conditions. For example, the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss is <25% aftermore » 30,000 triangle cycles with 0.925 V upper potential limit if the MEA is acid washed and extensive diagnostics are avoided. The parameters that exacerbate the cell degradation also accelerate the rate at which Ni leaches out from the catalyst. A mechanistic model is presented for the degradation in performance of d-PtNi/C electrodes. The model correlates a) the degradation in ORR mass and specific activities with ECSA and Ni losses, b) the decrease in limiting current density ( iL), which is inversely proportional to the O 2 mass transport resistance, with the degradation in catalyst roughness factor, and c) the increase in mass transfer overpotentials with the reduced current density, i/iL .« less

  4. Durability of De-Alloyed Platinum-Nickel Cathode Catalyst in Low Platinum Loading Membrane-Electrode Assemblies Subjected to Accelerated Stress Tests

    DOE PAGES

    Ahluwalia, R. K.; Wang, X.; Peng, J. -K.; ...

    2018-04-25

    Here, the durability of de-alloyed platinum-nickel catalysts supported on high-surface area carbon (d-PtNi/C) in optimized electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) under an accelerated stress test (AST) protocol is investigated with the objective of developing a quantitative understanding of the degradation mechanisms and their relationship to the electrode structure, pre-conditioning, and operating conditions. It is found that the cell degradation can be mitigated by controlling the voltage cycle, acid washing the MEA to remove Ni contaminants that enter the electrode and membrane during fabrication, and monitoring the operating conditions. For example, the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss is <25% aftermore » 30,000 triangle cycles with 0.925 V upper potential limit if the MEA is acid washed and extensive diagnostics are avoided. The parameters that exacerbate the cell degradation also accelerate the rate at which Ni leaches out from the catalyst. A mechanistic model is presented for the degradation in performance of d-PtNi/C electrodes. The model correlates a) the degradation in ORR mass and specific activities with ECSA and Ni losses, b) the decrease in limiting current density ( iL), which is inversely proportional to the O 2 mass transport resistance, with the degradation in catalyst roughness factor, and c) the increase in mass transfer overpotentials with the reduced current density, i/iL .« less

  5. Wick-and-pool electrodes for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Roche, Michael F.; Faist, Suzan M.; Eberhart, James G.; Ross, Laurids E.

    1977-01-01

    An electrode system includes a reservoir of liquid-metal reactant, and a wick extending from a submersed location within the reservoir into the molten electrolyte of an electrochemical cell structure. The wick is flooded with the liquid metal and thereby serves as one electrode within the cell. This electrode system has application in high-temperature batteries employing molten alkali metals or their alloys as active material within an electrode submersed within a molten salt electrolyte. It also can be used in electrochemical cells where the purification, separation or electrowinning of liquid metals is accomplished.

  6. Wick-and-pool electrodes for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Roche, Michael F.; Faist, Suzan M.; Eberhart, James G.; Ross, Laurids E.

    1980-01-01

    An electrode system includes a reservoir of liquid-metal reactant, and a wick extending from a submersed location within the reservoir into the molten electrolyte of an electrochemical cell structure. The wick is flooded with the liquid metal and thereby serves as one electrode within the cell. This electrode system has application in high-temperature batteries employing molten alkali metals or their alloys as active material within an electrode submersed within a molten salt electrolyte. It also can be used in electrochemical cells where the purification, separation or electrowinning of liquid metals is accomplished.

  7. A large microRNA cluster on chromosome 19 is a transcriptional hallmark of WHO type A and AB thymomas.

    PubMed

    Radovich, Milan; Solzak, Jeffrey P; Hancock, Bradley A; Conces, Madison L; Atale, Rutuja; Porter, Ryan F; Zhu, Jin; Glasscock, Jarret; Kesler, Kenneth A; Badve, Sunil S; Schneider, Bryan P; Loehrer, Patrick J

    2016-02-16

    Thymomas are one of the most rarely diagnosed malignancies. To better understand its biology and to identify therapeutic targets, we performed next-generation RNA sequencing. The RNA was sequenced from 13 thymic malignancies and 3 normal thymus glands. Validation of microRNA expression was performed on a separate set of 35 thymic malignancies. For cell-based studies, a thymoma cell line was used. Hierarchical clustering revealed 100% concordance between gene expression clusters and WHO subtype. A substantial differentiator was a large microRNA cluster on chr19q13.42 that was significantly overexpressed in all A and AB tumours and whose expression was virtually absent in the other thymomas and normal tissues. Overexpression of this microRNA cluster activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Treatment of a thymoma AB cell line with a panel of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors resulted in marked reduction of cell viability. A large microRNA cluster on chr19q13.42 is a transcriptional hallmark of type A and AB thymomas. Furthermore, this cluster activates the PI3K pathway, suggesting the possible exploration of PI3K inhibitors in patients with these subtypes of tumour. This work has led to the initiation of a phase II clinical trial of PI3K inhibition in relapsed or refractory thymomas (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02220855).

  8. Development of casting investment preventing blackening of noble metal alloys Part 2. Application of developed investment for type 4 gold alloy.

    PubMed

    Nakai, Akira; Kakuta, Kiyoshi; Goto, Shin-ichi; Kato, Katuma; Yara, Atushi; Ogura, Hideo

    2003-09-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the developed investment for the prevention of blackening of a cast Type 4 gold and to analyze the oxides on its surface in relation to the blackening of the alloy. The experimental investments were prepared using a gypsum-bonded investment in which boron (B) or aluminum (Al) was added as a reducing agent. A Type 4 gold alloy was cast into the mold made of the prepared investment. The effect of the additives was evaluated from the color difference (deltaE*) between the as-cast surface and the polished surface of the cast specimen. B and Al were effective to prevent the blackening of a Type 4 gold alloy and the color of the as-cast surface approached that of the polished surface with increasing B and Al content. The prevention of the blackening of the gold alloy can be achieved by restraining the formation of CuO.

  9. The mixing mechanism during lithiation of Si negative electrode in Li-ion batteries: an ab initio molecular dynamics study.

    PubMed

    Johari, Priya; Qi, Yue; Shenoy, Vivek B

    2011-12-14

    In order to realize Si as a negative electrode material in commercial Li-ion batteries, it is important to understand the mixing mechanism of Li and Si, and stress evolution during lithiation in Si negative electrode of Li-ion batteries. Available experiments mainly provide the diffusivity of Li in Si as an averaged property, neglecting information regarding diffusivity of Si. However, if Si can diffuse as fast as Li, the stress generated during Li diffusion can be reduced. We, therefore, studied the diffusivity of Li as well as Si atoms in the Si-anode of Li-ion battery using an ab initio molecular dynamics-based methodology. The electrochemical insertion of Li into crystalline Si prompts a crystalline-to-amorphous phase transition. We considered this situation and thus examined the diffusion kinetics of Li and Si atoms in both crystalline and amorphous Si. We find that Li diffuses faster in amorphous Si as compared to crystalline Si, while Si remains relatively immobile in both cases and generates stresses during lithiation. To further understand the mixing mechanism and to relate the structure with electrochemical mixing, we analyzed the evolution of the structure during lithiation and studied the mechanism of breaking of Si-Si network by Li. We find that Li atoms break the Si rings and chains and create ephemeral structures such as stars and boomerangs, which eventually transform to Si-Si dumbbells and isolated Si atoms in the LiSi phase. Our results are found to be in agreement with the available experimental data and provide insights into the mixing mechanism of Li and Si in Si negative electrode of Li-ion batteries.

  10. Synthesis of a novel magnetic Fe3O4/γ-Al2O3 hybrid composite using electrode-alternation technique for the removal of an azo dye

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Kyung-Won; Choi, Brian Hyun; Ahn, Kyu-Hong; Lee, Sang-Hyup

    2017-11-01

    A novel magnetic adsorbent of Fe3O4/γ-Al2O3 hybrid composite (denoted as M-Fe/Al-H) was developed electrochemically via a sequential application of iron and aluminum electrodes in a one-pot fashion, which called here as electrode-alternation technique, followed by pyrolysis. Physical and chemical properties of the prepared adsorbents were characterized and their feasibility towards the removal of di-anionic azo dye Acid Black 1 (AB1) was assessed. Textural and structural characterization revealed that the prepared M-Fe/Al-H possesses superior properties than those of M-Fe (sole usage of iron electrode), which may improve the adsorption capacity. Kinetics revealed that the adsorption equilibrium was reached within 12 h with approximately 90% of the equilibrium adsorption capacity within the first 3 h. Comprehensive analysis using the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models indicated that the dominant mechanism of the reaction is film diffusion with intraparticle diffusion being the rate determining step. The adsorption equilibrium isotherm data were best represented by the Sips isotherm model, which found to be approximately 1501, 1786, and 1959 mg/g at 283, 293, and 303 K, respectively. The exceptional performance as well as its ease of separation allows M-Fe/Al-H to be a promising candidate as an effective for azo dye removal from various aqueous medium.

  11. Modeling of the Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type IrSb(sub 3)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fleurial, J.

    1994-01-01

    IrSb(sub 3) is a compound of the skutterudite family of materials now being investigated at JPL. A combination of experimental and theoretical approaches has been recently applied at JPL to evaluate the potential of several thermoelectric materials such as n-type and p-type Si(sub 80) Ge(sub 20) alloys, n-type and p-type Bi(sub 2) Te(sub 3)-based alloys and p-type Ru(sub 2) Ge(sub 3) compound. The use of a comprehensive model for the thermal and electrical transport properties of a given material over its full temperature range of usefulness is a powerful tool for guiding experimental optimization of the composition, temperature and doping level as well as for predicting the maximum ZT value likely to be achieved.

  12. Kinetics of Electrocatalytic Reactions from First-Principles: A Critical Comparison with the Ab Initio Thermodynamics Approach.

    PubMed

    Exner, Kai S; Over, Herbert

    2017-05-16

    Multielectron processes in electrochemistry require the stabilization of reaction intermediates (RI) at the electrode surface after every elementary reaction step. Accordingly, the bond strengths of these intermediates are important for assessing the catalytic performance of an electrode material. Current understanding of microscopic processes in modern electrocatalysis research is largely driven by theory, mostly based on ab initio thermodynamics considerations, where stable reaction intermediates at the electrode surface are identified, while the actual free energy barriers (or activation barriers) are ignored. This simple approach is popular in electrochemistry in that the researcher has a simple tool at hand in successfully searching for promising electrode materials. The ab initio TD approach allows for a rough but fast screening of the parameter space with low computational cost. However, ab initio thermodynamics is also frequently employed (often, even based on a single binding energy only) to comprehend on the activity and on the mechanism of an electrochemical reaction. The basic idea is that the activation barrier of an endergonic reaction step consists of a thermodynamic part and an additional kinetically determined barrier. Assuming that the activation barrier scales with thermodynamics (so-called Brønsted-Polanyi-Evans (BEP) relation) and the kinetic part of the barrier is small, ab initio thermodynamics may provide molecular insights into the electrochemical reaction kinetics. However, for many electrocatalytic reactions, these tacit assumptions are violated so that ab initio thermodynamics will lead to contradictions with both experimental data and ab initio kinetics. In this Account, we will discuss several electrochemical key reactions, including chlorine evolution (CER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction (ORR), where ab initio kinetics data are available in order to critically compare the results with those derived from a

  13. Life duration of Ni-MH cells for high power applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Guenne, Laure; Bernard, Patrick

    Intensive research and development carried out at SAFT Research [1,2] has shown that limitation of Ni-MH battery life duration can be directly linked to AB 5 alloy corrosion in the negative electrode. A mathematical model taking into account these results has been developed in order to predict battery life as a function of the conditions of utilisation: cycle and calendar life [3]. However, the degradation of the negative electrode is the consequence of two phenomena: surface corrosion of the active alloy and decrepitation of alloy particles during cycling. Up to now, only the kinetic law controlling the evolution of the thickness of the corrosion layer could have been quantified [3]. On the other hand, the kinetic law of decrepitation could not be directly measured, but is only fitted by determining the total amount of corrosion. Thus, an in situ method suitable to quantify the electrochemical surface of the alloy has been developed. Therefore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been used to follow the degradation of the negative electrode, as a function of depth of discharge (DOD) during cycling. Alloy corrosion measurements and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses have been performed to confirm the validity of the method. It has been found that decrepitation is nearly zero for low levels of low DOD (5%).

  14. Synchrotron x-ray diffraction studies of the structural properties of electrode materials in operating battery cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thurston, T.R.; Jisrawi, N.M.; Mukerjee, S.

    Hard x rays from a synchrotron source were utilized in diffraction experiments which probed the bulk of electrode materials while they were operating {ital in} {ital situ} in battery cells. Two technologically relevant electrode materials were examined; an {ital AB}{sub 2}-type anode in a nickel{endash}metal{endash}hydride cell and a LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} cathode in a Li-ion {open_quote}{open_quote}rocking chair{close_quote}{close_quote} cell. Structural features such as lattice expansions and contractions, phase transitions, and the formation of multiple phases were easily observed as either hydrogen or lithium was electrochemically intercalated in and out of the electrode materials. The relevance of this technique for future studiesmore » of battery electrode materials is discussed. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

  15. Method of making composition suitable for use as inert electrode having good electrical conductivity and mechanical properties

    DOEpatents

    Ray, S.P.; Rapp, R.A.

    1986-04-22

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metals or metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily. 8 figs.

  16. Method of making composition suitable for use as inert electrode having good electrical conductivity and mechanical properties

    DOEpatents

    Ray, Siba P.; Rapp, Robert A.

    1986-01-01

    An improved inert electrode composition is suitable for use as an inert electrode in the production of metals such as aluminum by the electrolytic reduction of metal oxide or metal salt dissolved in a molten salt bath. The composition comprises one or more metals or metal alloys and metal compounds which may include oxides of the metals comprising the alloy. The alloy and metal compounds are interwoven in a network which provides improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength while preserving the level of chemical inertness necessary for such an electrode to function satisfactorily.

  17. Effect of cold rolling on the microstructural evolution of new β-typed Ti–6Mo–6V–5Cr–3Sn–2.5Zr alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Choi, Gwnaghyo; Lee, Kwangmin, E-mail: kmlee@jnu.a

    A Ti–6Mo–6V–5Cr–3Sn–2.5Zr (wt.%) alloy was designed as a new metastable β-Ti alloy. The effect that cold rolling had on the microstructural evolution of the material was investigated via optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. A single β phase formed in the alloy after solution treatment at 780 °C for 30 min followed by water quenching. The solution-treated alloy was cold rolled with thickness reductions of 10%, 30%, 50% and 70%, and the hardness values increased as the thickness of the specimen decreased. The textures of the cold rolled specimen weremore » characterized according to the 〈110〉 partial parallel to the rolling direction as the rolling reduction increased. The crystallographic orientation showed principal α-fiber textures for (111)〈110〉 and (112)〈110〉. The cold deformation led to the appearance of martensite α″ phases, particularly stress-induced martensite (SIM) α″ phases. - Highlights: • Effect of cold rolling on new β-typed Ti-6Mo-6V-5Cr-3Sn-2.5Zr alloy was studied. • A single β phase was obtained after solution treatment at 780 °C for 30 min. • α-Fiber textures became dominated with the increase in cold rolling reduction. • A stress-induced α″ martensite was caused by cold rolling.« less

  18. Recovery of Li from alloys of Al- Li and Li- Al using engineered scavenger compounds

    DOEpatents

    Riley, W. D.; Jong, B. W.; Collins, W. K.; Gerdemann, S. J.

    1994-01-01

    A method of producing lithium of high purity from lithium aluminum alloys using an engineered scavenger compound, comprising: I) preparing an engineered scavenger compound by: a) mixing and heating compounds of TiO2 and Li2CO3 at a temperature sufficient to dry the compounds and convert Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3 to Li.sub.2 O; and b) mixing and heating the compounds at a temperature sufficient to produce a scavenger Li.sub.2 O.3TiO.sub.2 compound; II) loading the scavenger into one of two electrode baskets in a three electrode cell reactor and placing an Al-Li alloy in a second electrode basket of the three electrode cell reactor; III) heating the cell to a temperature sufficient to enable a mixture of KCl-LiCl contained in a crucible in the cell to reach its melting point and become a molten bath; IV) immersing the baskets in the bath until an electrical connection is made between the baskets to charge the scavenger compound with Li until there is an initial current and voltage followed by a fall off ending current and voltage; and V) making a connection between the basket electrode containing engineered scavenger compound and a steel rod electrode disposed between the basket electrodes and applying a current to cause Li to leave the scavenger compound and become electrodeposited on the steel rod electrode.

  19. SN2012ab: a peculiar Type IIn supernova with aspherical circumstellar material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilinski, Christopher; Smith, Nathan; Williams, G. Grant; Smith, Paul; Zheng, WeiKang; Graham, Melissa L.; Mauerhan, Jon C.; Andrews, Jennifer E.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Akerlof, Carl; Chatzopoulos, E.; Hoffman, Jennifer L.; Huk, Leah; Leonard, Douglas C.; Marion, G. H.; Milne, Peter; Quimby, Robert M.; Silverman, Jeffrey M.; Vinkó, Jozsef; Wheeler, J. Craig; Yuan, Fang

    2018-03-01

    We present photometry, spectra, and spectropolarimetry of supernova (SN) 2012ab, mostly obtained over the course of ˜300 d after discovery. SN 2012ab was a Type IIn (SN IIn) event discovered near the nucleus of spiral galaxy 2MASXJ12224762+0536247. While its light curve resembles that of SN 1998S, its spectral evolution does not. We see indications of CSM interaction in the strong intermediate-width emission features, the high luminosity (peak at absolute magnitude M = -19.5), and the lack of broad absorption features in the spectrum. The Hα emission undergoes a peculiar transition. At early times it shows a broad blue emission wing out to -14 000 km s-1 and a truncated red wing. Then at late times (>100 d) it shows a truncated blue wing and a very broad red emission wing out to roughly +20 000 km s-1. This late-time broad red wing probably arises in the reverse shock. Spectra also show an asymmetric intermediate-width Hα component with stronger emission on the red side at late times. The evolution of the asymmetric profiles requires a density structure in the distant CSM that is highly aspherical. Our spectropolarimetric data also suggest asphericity with a strong continuum polarization of ˜1-3 per cent and depolarization in the Hα line, indicating asphericity in the CSM at a level comparable to that in other SNe IIn. We estimate a mass-loss rate of \\dot{M} = 0.050 M_{⊙} yr^{-1} for vpre = 100 km s-1 extending back at least 75 yr prior to the SN. The strong departure from axisymmetry in the CSM of SN 2012ab may suggest that the progenitor was an eccentric binary system undergoing eruptive mass loss.

  20. Method of preparing a dimensionally stable electrode for use in a molten carbonate fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Swarr, T.E.; Wnuck, W.G.

    1986-01-29

    A method is disclosed for preparing a dimensionally stable electrode structure, particularly nickel-chromium anodes, for use in a molten carbonate fuel cell stack. A low-chromium to nickel alloy is provided and oxidized in a mildly oxidizing gas of sufficient oxidation potential to oxidize chromium in the alloy structure. Typically, a steam/H/sub 2/ gas mixture in a ratio of about 100/1 and at a temperature below 800/sup 0/C is used as the oxidizing medium. This method permits the use of less than 5 wt % chromium in nickel alloy electrodes while obtaining good resistance to creep in the electrodes of a fuel cell stack.

  1. P and n-type microcrystalline semiconductor alloy material including band gap widening elements, devices utilizing same

    DOEpatents

    Guha, Subhendu; Ovshinsky, Stanford R.

    1988-10-04

    An n-type microcrystalline semiconductor alloy material including a band gap widening element; a method of fabricating p-type microcrystalline semiconductor alloy material including a band gap widening element; and electronic and photovoltaic devices incorporating said n-type and p-type materials.

  2. Method of manufacturing lead electrodes for storage cells

    DOEpatents

    Jonville, P.; Stoehr, H.; Beccu, K.D.

    1975-09-23

    A method of manufacturing electrodes for lead storage batteries is described. Molten lead or lead alloy is deposited on a felt of glass fibers by spraying in a molten state to fill the space between the fibers of the felt to form an electrically conductive zone defining electrode contacts. A mass of powdered lead-based material is introduced into the felt by filtration for subsequently producing an active electrode mass by at least one electrochemical transformation. The felt is then cut into individual electrodes. (auth)

  3. Multiple assays indicate varying levels of cross resistance of Cry3Bb1-selected field populations of the western corn rootworm to mCry3A, eCry3.1Ab, and Cry34/35Ab1

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Minnesota populations of the western corn rootworm (WCR) surviving Cry3Bb1-expressing corn in the field and WCR populations assumed to be susceptible to all Bt proteins were evaluated for susceptibility to Cry3Bb1, mCry3A, eCry3.1Ab, and Cry34/35Ab1 in diet assays and three different plant-based ass...

  4. The Development of the Low-Cost Titanium Alloy Containing Cr and Mn Alloying Elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Kailiang; Gui, Na; Jiang, Tao; Zhu, Ming; Lu, Xionggang; Zhang, Jieyu; Li, Chonghe

    2014-04-01

    The α + β-type Ti-4.5Al-6.9Cr-2.3Mn alloy has been theoretically designed on the basis of assessment of the Ti-Al-Cr-Mn thermodynamic system and the relationship between the molybdenum equivalent and mechanical properties of titanium alloys. The alloy is successfully prepared by the split water-cooled copper crucible, and its microstructures and mechanical properties at room temperature are investigated using the OM, SEM, and the universal testing machine. The results show that the Ti-4.5Al-6.9Cr-2.3Mn alloy is an α + β-type alloy which is consistent with the expectation, and its fracture strength, yield strength, and elongation reach 1191.3, 928.4 MPa, and 10.7 pct, respectively. Although there is no strong segregation of alloying elements under the condition of as-cast, the segregation of Cr and Mn is obvious at the grain boundary after thermomechanical treatment.

  5. Initial Operative Experience and Short-term Hearing Preservation Results With a Mid-scala Cochlear Implant Electrode Array.

    PubMed

    Svrakic, Maja; Roland, J Thomas; McMenomey, Sean O; Svirsky, Mario A

    2016-12-01

    To describe our initial operative experience and hearing preservation results with the Advanced Bionics (AB) Mid Scala Electrode (MSE). Retrospective review. Tertiary referral center. Sixty-three MSE implants in pediatric and adult patients were compared with age- and sex-matched 1j electrode implants from the same manufacturer. All patients were severe to profoundly deaf. Cochlear implantation with either the AB 1j electrode or the AB MSE. The MSE and 1j electrodes were compared in their angular depth of insertion and pre to postoperative change in hearing thresholds. Hearing preservation was analyzed as a function of angular depth of insertion. Secondary outcome measures included operative time, incidence of abnormal intraoperative impedance and telemetry values, and incidence of postsurgical complications. Depth of insertion was similar for both electrodes, but was more consistent for the MSE array and more variable for the 1j array. Patients with MSE electrodes had better hearing preservation. Thresholds shifts at four audiometric frequencies ranging from 250 to 2000 Hz were 10, 7, 2, and 6 dB smaller for the MSE electrode than for the 1j (p < 0.05). Hearing preservation at low frequencies was worse with deeper insertion, regardless of array. Secondary outcome measures were similar for both electrodes. The MSE electrode resulted in more consistent insertion depth and somewhat better hearing preservation than the 1j electrode. Differences in other surgical outcome measures were small or unlikely to have a meaningful effect.

  6. Electronic Structure at Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces in Magnesium based Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balachandran, Janakiraman; Siegel, Donald

    2015-03-01

    Magnesium is a promising multivalent element for use in next generation electrochemical energy storage systems. However, a wide range of challenges such as low coulombic efficiency, low/varying capacity and cyclability need to be resolved in order to realize Mg based batteries. Many of these issues can be related to interfacial phenomena between the Mg anode and common electrolytes. Ab-initio based computational models of these interfaces can provide insights on the interfacial interactions that can be difficult to probe experimentally. In this work we present ab-initio computations of common electrolyte solvents (THF, DME) in contact with two model electrode surfaces namely -- (i) an ``SEI-free'' electrode based on Mg metal and, (ii) a ``passivated'' electrode consisting of MgO. We perform GW calculations to predict the reorganization of the molecular orbitals (HOMO/LUMO) upon contact with the these surfaces and their alignment with respect to the Fermi energy of the electrodes. These computations are in turn compared with more efficient GGA (PBE) & Hybrid (HSE) functional calculations. The results obtained from these computations enable us to qualitatively describe the stability of these solvent molecules at electrode-electrolyte interfaces

  7. Increasing the endurance of electrodes of heating salt tanks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulikov, A. I.

    1997-05-01

    Electrodes used for heating, melting, and sustaining the requisite temperature regime in salt tanks for heat treatment of metals and alloys operate under severe conditions (heating to 1300°C, aggressive medium of the melts of salts of alkali and alkali-earth metals). This causes early failure of the electrodes, and the heat treatment unit is stopped for repair. For example, the design service life of electrodes for SVS 2.3/13I tanks is two months, but as a rule it does not exceed one month of continuous operation. The replacement of conventional low-carbon electrode steel (for example, of grade 10) by a more expensive heat- and corrosion-resistant steel has not proved effective but rather increased the cost of the electrodes and hence the cost of the produced parts. In this connection, it is interesting to get acquainted with works devoted to increasing the service life of salt-tank electrodes for heat treatment shops of machine-building and tool plants. The present paper describes such an attempt.

  8. Dendrite segregation in Ni3Al-based intermetallic single crystals alloyed with Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Co, and Re

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drozdov, A. A.; Povarova, K. B.; Morozov, A. E.; Antonova, A. V.; Bulakhtina, M. A.; Alad'ev, N. A.

    2015-07-01

    The character of dendrite segregation in Ni3Al-based intermetallic VKNA-type alloy single crystals with a dendritic-cellular structure is studied. Distribution coefficient k d of an alloying element (AE) in the alloy during solidification k d = c d.a.I/ c 0 ( c 0 is the AE content in the alloy (liquid phase composition), c d.a.I is the AE content in primary dendrite arms of the alloy (in the solid phase)) and segregation coefficient k s = c d.a.I/ c i.d ( c i.d is the AE content in the interdendritic space) have been found. A comparative study of the dendrite segregation parameters in VKNA-nype Ni3Al-based intermetallic alloys and the well-known ZhS36-type nickel superalloy shows that the intermetallic alloys satisfy to the rule deduced for two- and three-component nickel-based superalloys: if an introduced AE increases the melting temperature of the basic metal, we have k d > 1 (Co, W, Re); if it decreases the melting temperature, we have k d < 1 (Al, Ti, Cr, Mo). Dendrite segregation coefficients k s are dependent on the proportion of the AE contents in the alloys. In nickel superalloys, the dendrite segregation of aluminum, tungsten, and rhenium is higher than that in the intermetallic alloys. The dendrite segregation coefficients of tungsten and rhenium is higher by a factor of 1.5-2 than that in the VKNA-type intermetallic alloys with a low content of refractory metals. This can be due to the retardation of diffusion of refractory metals in the solid phase of a nickel superalloy highly alloyed with these elements.

  9. The structural, electronic and dynamic properties of the L1{sub 2}- type Co{sub 3}Ti alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arikan, Nihat; Özduran, Mustafa

    2014-10-06

    The structural, electronic and dynamic properties of the cubic Co{sub 3}Ti alloy in L1{sub 2} structure have been investigated using a pseudopotential plane wave (PP-PW) method within the generalized gradient approximation proposed by Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (GGA-PBE). The structural properties, including the lattice constant, the bulk modulus and its pressure derivative agree reasonably with the previous results. The density of state (DOS), projected density of state (PDOS) and electronic band structure are also reported. The DOS shows that Co{sub 3}Ti alloy has a metallic character since the energy bands cross the Fermi level. The density of states at Fermi level mainly comesmore » from the Co-3d states. Phonon dispersion curves and their corresponding total densities of states were obtained using a linear response in the framework of the density functional perturbation theory. All computed phonon frequencies are no imaginer and thus, Co{sub 3}Ti alloy is dynamically stable. The zone center phonon modes have been founded to be 9.307, 9.626 and 13.891 THz for Co{sub 3}Ti.« less

  10. Realization of deep 3D metal electrodes in diamond radiation detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wulz, Thomas; Gerding, William; Lavrik, Nickolay; Briggs, Dayrl; Srijanto, Bernadeta; Lester, Kevin; Hensley, Dale; Spanier, Stefan; Lukosi, Eric

    2018-05-01

    A fabrication technique to create 3D diamond detectors is presented. Deep reactive ion etching was used to create an array of through-diamond vias (TDVs) in a 2 × 2 × 0.15 mm3 electronic grade single crystal diamond detector. The diameter of the TDVs was nominally 30 μm with a pitch of 100 μm between them. The TDVs were filled with chromium using hexavalent chromium electroplating to create 3D electrodes, which were connected electrically by interdigitated electrodes. The fabricated 3D diamond detector responded to both alpha particles and X-rays, exhibiting a charge collection efficiency of 52.3% at 200 V. Comparing to a diamond detector with the same interdigitated electrodes, but no 3D electrodes, confirms that the 3D electrodes are electrically active within the device. The average resistivity of the 3D electrodes is 2.89 ± 0.03 × 10-5 Ω cm, near that of bulk chromium. These results indicate that this fabrication technique is a potential option for 3D diamond detector fabrication.

  11. 3-Dimensional Microstructure of Al-Al3Ti Alloy Severely Deformed by ECAP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sato, Hisashi; Hishikawa, Takahisa; Makino, Yuuki; Kunimine, Takahiro; Watanabe, Yoshimi

    Microstructure of Al-Al3Ti alloy deformed by Equal-Channel-Angular Pressing (ECAP) is 3-dimensionally investigated. Especially, distribution of Al3Ti particles is focused in this study. The Al-Al3Ti alloy has coarse Al3Ti platelet particles in α-Al matrix. When the Al-Al3Ti alloy is deformed by ECAP under route A, fine Al3Ti platelet particles are observed. These Al3Ti platelet particles are aligned along to deformation axis, and its plane normal is perpendicular to the deformation axis. On the other hand, Al-Al3Ti alloy ECAPed under route Bc forms several groups consisted of fine Al3Ti platelet particles. Moreover, longitudinal size of the Al3Ti particle groups is close to that of initial Al3Ti particles with 4-pass ECAP specimen. These distribution behaviors of the Al3Ti particle can be explained by plastic flow of α-Al matrix. Finally, it is concluded that distribution of Al3Ti particle in Al-Al3Ti alloy by ECAP is controlled by plastic deformation of α-Al matrix.

  12. Ab-initio study of B{sub 2}-type technetium AB (A=Tc, B=Nb and Ta) intermetallic compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Acharya, Nikita, E-mail: acharyaniks30@gmail.com; Fatima, Bushra; Sanyal, Sankar P.

    2016-05-06

    The structural, electronic and elastic properties of AB type (A = Tc, B = Nb and Ta) technetium intermetallic compounds are studied using full potential linearized plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated lattice parameters agree well with the experimental results. The elastic constants obey the stability criteria for cubic system. Ductility for these compounds has been analyzed using the Pugh’s rule and Cauchy’s pressure and found that all the compounds are ductile in nature. Bonding nature is discussed in terms of Fermi surface and band structures.

  13. A large microRNA cluster on chromosome 19 is a transcriptional hallmark of WHO type A and AB thymomas

    PubMed Central

    Radovich, Milan; Solzak, Jeffrey P; Hancock, Bradley A; Conces, Madison L; Atale, Rutuja; Porter, Ryan F; Zhu, Jin; Glasscock, Jarret; Kesler, Kenneth A; Badve, Sunil S; Schneider, Bryan P; Loehrer, Patrick J

    2016-01-01

    Background: Thymomas are one of the most rarely diagnosed malignancies. To better understand its biology and to identify therapeutic targets, we performed next-generation RNA sequencing. Methods: The RNA was sequenced from 13 thymic malignancies and 3 normal thymus glands. Validation of microRNA expression was performed on a separate set of 35 thymic malignancies. For cell-based studies, a thymoma cell line was used. Results: Hierarchical clustering revealed 100% concordance between gene expression clusters and WHO subtype. A substantial differentiator was a large microRNA cluster on chr19q13.42 that was significantly overexpressed in all A and AB tumours and whose expression was virtually absent in the other thymomas and normal tissues. Overexpression of this microRNA cluster activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Treatment of a thymoma AB cell line with a panel of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors resulted in marked reduction of cell viability. Conclusions: A large microRNA cluster on chr19q13.42 is a transcriptional hallmark of type A and AB thymomas. Furthermore, this cluster activates the PI3K pathway, suggesting the possible exploration of PI3K inhibitors in patients with these subtypes of tumour. This work has led to the initiation of a phase II clinical trial of PI3K inhibition in relapsed or refractory thymomas (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02220855). PMID:26766736

  14. High-strength tungsten alloy with improved ductility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klopp, W. D.; Raffo, P. L.; Rubenstein, L. S.; Witzke, W. R.

    1967-01-01

    Alloy combines superior strength at elevated temperatures with improved ductility at lower temperatures relative to unalloyed tungsten. Composed of tungsten, rhenium, hafnium, and carbon, the alloy is prepared by consumable electrode vacuum arc-melting and can be fabricated into rod, plate, and sheet.

  15. Ni and Cr addition to alloy waste forms to reduce radionuclide environmental releases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Olson, L.

    2016-10-11

    Reference alloy waste forms (RAW) were fabricated and underwent hybrid corrosion/immersion testing to parameterize the ANL analytical oxidative-dissolution model to enable the calculation of fractional release rates and to determine the effectiveness of Ni and Cr trim additions in reducing release rates of radionuclide surrogates. Figure 1 shows the prototypical multiphase microstructure of the alloys with each phase type contributing about equally to the exposed surface area. The waste forms tested at SRNL were variations of the RAW-6 formulation that uses HT9 as the main alloy component, and are meant to enable evaluation of the impact of Ni and Crmore » trim additions on the release rates of actinides and Tc-99. The test solutions were deaerated alkaline and acidic brines, ranging in pH 3 to pH 10, representing potential repositories with those conditions. The testing approach consisted of 4 major steps; 1) bare surface corrosion measurements at pH values of 3, 5, 8, and 10, 2) hybrid potentiostatic hold/exposure measurements at pH 3, 3) measurement of radionuclide concentrations and relations to anodic current from potentiostatic holds, and 4) identification of corroding phases using SEM/EDS of electrodes.« less

  16. iElectrodes: A Comprehensive Open-Source Toolbox for Depth and Subdural Grid Electrode Localization.

    PubMed

    Blenkmann, Alejandro O; Phillips, Holly N; Princich, Juan P; Rowe, James B; Bekinschtein, Tristan A; Muravchik, Carlos H; Kochen, Silvia

    2017-01-01

    The localization of intracranial electrodes is a fundamental step in the analysis of invasive electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in research and clinical practice. The conclusions reached from the analysis of these recordings rely on the accuracy of electrode localization in relationship to brain anatomy. However, currently available techniques for localizing electrodes from magnetic resonance (MR) and/or computerized tomography (CT) images are time consuming and/or limited to particular electrode types or shapes. Here we present iElectrodes, an open-source toolbox that provides robust and accurate semi-automatic localization of both subdural grids and depth electrodes. Using pre- and post-implantation images, the method takes 2-3 min to localize the coordinates in each electrode array and automatically number the electrodes. The proposed pre-processing pipeline allows one to work in a normalized space and to automatically obtain anatomical labels of the localized electrodes without neuroimaging experts. We validated the method with data from 22 patients implanted with a total of 1,242 electrodes. We show that localization distances were within 0.56 mm of those achieved by experienced manual evaluators. iElectrodes provided additional advantages in terms of robustness (even with severe perioperative cerebral distortions), speed (less than half the operator time compared to expert manual localization), simplicity, utility across multiple electrode types (surface and depth electrodes) and all brain regions.

  17. iElectrodes: A Comprehensive Open-Source Toolbox for Depth and Subdural Grid Electrode Localization

    PubMed Central

    Blenkmann, Alejandro O.; Phillips, Holly N.; Princich, Juan P.; Rowe, James B.; Bekinschtein, Tristan A.; Muravchik, Carlos H.; Kochen, Silvia

    2017-01-01

    The localization of intracranial electrodes is a fundamental step in the analysis of invasive electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in research and clinical practice. The conclusions reached from the analysis of these recordings rely on the accuracy of electrode localization in relationship to brain anatomy. However, currently available techniques for localizing electrodes from magnetic resonance (MR) and/or computerized tomography (CT) images are time consuming and/or limited to particular electrode types or shapes. Here we present iElectrodes, an open-source toolbox that provides robust and accurate semi-automatic localization of both subdural grids and depth electrodes. Using pre- and post-implantation images, the method takes 2–3 min to localize the coordinates in each electrode array and automatically number the electrodes. The proposed pre-processing pipeline allows one to work in a normalized space and to automatically obtain anatomical labels of the localized electrodes without neuroimaging experts. We validated the method with data from 22 patients implanted with a total of 1,242 electrodes. We show that localization distances were within 0.56 mm of those achieved by experienced manual evaluators. iElectrodes provided additional advantages in terms of robustness (even with severe perioperative cerebral distortions), speed (less than half the operator time compared to expert manual localization), simplicity, utility across multiple electrode types (surface and depth electrodes) and all brain regions. PMID:28303098

  18. Undoped p-type GaN1-xSbx alloys: Effects of annealing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Segercrantz, N.; Baumgartner, Y.; Ting, M.; Yu, K. M.; Mao, S. S.; Sarney, W. L.; Svensson, S. P.; Walukiewicz, W.

    2016-12-01

    We report p-type behavior for undoped GaN1-xSbx alloys with x ≥ 0.06 grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low temperatures (≤400 °C). Rapid thermal annealing of the GaN1-xSbx films at temperatures >400 °C is shown to generate hole concentrations greater than 1019 cm-3, an order of magnitude higher than typical p-type GaN achieved by Mg doping. The p-type conductivity is attributed to a large upward shift of the valence band edge resulting from the band anticrossing interaction between localized Sb levels and extended states of the host matrix.

  19. Cermet electrode

    DOEpatents

    Maskalick, Nicholas J.

    1988-08-30

    Disclosed is a cermet electrode consisting of metal particles of nickel, cobalt, iron, or alloys or mixtures thereof immobilized by zirconia stabilized in cubic form which contains discrete deposits of about 0.1 to about 5% by weight of praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, or a mixture thereof. The solid oxide electrode can be made by covering a substrate with particles of nickel, cobalt, iron, or mixtures thereof, growing a stabilized zirconia solid oxide skeleton around the particles thereby immobilizing them, contacting the skeleton with a compound of praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, or a mixture thereof, and heating the skeleton to a temperature of at least 500.degree. C. The electrode can also be made by preparing a slurry of nickel, cobalt, iron, or mixture and a compound of praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, or a mixture thereof, depositing the slurry on a substrate, heating the slurry to dryness, and growing a stabilized zirconia skeleton around the metal particles.

  20. Ab Initio Calculations of Transport in Titanium and Aluminum Mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, Nicholas; Novak, Brian; Tam, Ka Ming; Moldovan, Dorel; Jarrell, Mark

    In classical molecular dynamics simulations, the self-diffusion and shear viscosity of titanium about the melting point have fallen within the ranges provided by experimental data. However, the experimental data is difficult to collect and has been rather scattered, making it of limited value for the validation of these calculations. By using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations within the density functional theory framework, the classical molecular dynamics data can be validated. The dynamical data from the ab initio molecular dynamics can also be used to calculate new potentials for use in classical molecular dynamics, allowing for more accurate classical dynamics simulations for the liquid phase. For metallic materials such as titanium and aluminum alloys, these calculations are very valuable due to an increasing demand for the knowledge of their thermophysical properties that drive the development of new materials. For example, alongside knowledge of the surface tension, viscosity is an important input for modeling the additive manufacturing process at the continuum level. We are developing calculations of the viscosity along with the self-diffusion for aluminum, titanium, and titanium-aluminum alloys with ab initio molecular dynamics. Supported by the National Science Foundation through cooperative agreement OIA-1541079 and the Louisiana Board of Regents.

  1. Magnetization of ternary alloys based on Fe0.65Ni0.35 invar with 3d transition metal additions: An ab initio study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Onoue, Masatoshi; Trimarchi, Giancarlo; Freeman, Arthur J.; Popescu, Voicu; Matsen, Marc R.

    2015-01-01

    Smart susceptors are being developed for use as tooling surfaces in molding machines that use apply electro-magnetic induction heating to mold and form plastics or metal powders into structural parts, e.g., on aerospace and automotive manufacturing lines. The optimal magnetic materials for the induction heating process should have large magnetization, high magnetic permeability, but also small thermal expansion coefficient. The Fe0.65Ni0.35 invar alloy with its negligible thermal expansion coefficient is thus a natural choice for this application. Here, we use density functional theory as implemented through the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method within the coherent-potential approximation, to design new alloys with the large magnetization desired for smart susceptor applications. We consider the Fe0.65-xNi0.35-yMx+y alloys derived from Fe0.65Ni0.35 invar adding a third element M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, or Co with concentration (x + y) reaching up to 5 at. %. We find that the total magnetization depends linearly on the concentration of M. Specifically, the early 3d transition metals from Sc to Cr decrease the magnetization with respect to that of the invar alloy whereas Mn and Co increase it.

  2. Electrochemical behavior of lead alloys in sulfuric and phosphoric acid solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paleska, I.; Pruszkowska-Drachal, R.; Kotowski, J.; Dziudzi, A.; Milewski, J. D.; Kopczyk, M.; Czerwiński, A.

    The electrochemical behavior of lead, lead-antimony, and lead-calcium-aluminium-tin alloys has been studied in solutions containing various concentrations of sulfuric and phosphoric acids. The dependence of these electrode processes on some experimental conditions (mainly sweep rate and potential range) has been studied. The measurements were performed using a cyclic voltammetry technique. The study and the analysis of the morphology of alloys have been performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cyclic voltammograms of the lead-antimony alloy electrodes, similarly to pure lead electrode, also show the "anodic excursion" peak under some experimental conditions. Well defined current waves, corresponding to the oxidation and reduction processes of Sb, are observed, if the alloy surface is freshly abraded. The oxidation of antimony starts at potentials at which the formation of PbO takes place. The peak current of Sb oxidation reaction decreases during successive cycles, suggesting that Sb dissolves from the alloy surface during the first CV sweeps. Another explanation for this effect might be the formation of a PbSO 4 selective membrane.

  3. Prediction of possible CaMnO3 modifications using an ab initio minimization data-mining approach.

    PubMed

    Zagorac, Jelena; Zagorac, Dejan; Zarubica, Aleksandra; Schön, J Christian; Djuris, Katarina; Matovic, Branko

    2014-10-01

    We have performed a crystal structure prediction study of CaMnO3 focusing on structures generated by octahedral tilting according to group-subgroup relations from the ideal perovskite type (Pm\\overline 3 m), which is the aristotype of the experimentally known CaMnO3 compound in the Pnma space group. Furthermore, additional structure candidates have been obtained using data mining. For each of the structure candidates, a local optimization on the ab initio level using density-functional theory (LDA, hybrid B3LYP) and the Hartree--Fock (HF) method was performed, and we find that several of the modifications may be experimentally accessible. In the high-pressure regime, we identify a post-perovskite phase in the CaIrO3 type, not previously observed in CaMnO3. Similarly, calculations at effective negative pressure predict a phase transition from the orthorhombic perovskite to an ilmenite-type (FeTiO3) modification of CaMnO3.

  4. Initial Operative Experience and Short Term Hearing Preservation Results with a Mid-Scala Cochlear Implant Electrode Array

    PubMed Central

    Svrakic, Maja; Roland, J. Thomas; McMenomey, Sean O.; Svirsky, Mario A.

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To describe our initial operative experience and hearing preservation results with the Advanced Bionics (AB) Mid Scala Electrode (MSE) STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Sixty-three MSE implants in pediatric and adult patients were compared to age- and gender-matched 1j electrode implants from the same manufacturer. All patients were severe to profoundly deaf. INTERVENTION Cochlear implantation with either the AB 1j electrode or the AB MSE. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The MSE and 1j electrode were compared in their angular depth of insertion (aDOI) and pre- to post-operative change in hearing thresholds. Hearing preservation was analyzed as a function of aDOI. Secondary outcome measures included operative time, incidence of abnormal intraoperative impedance and telemetry values, and incidence of postsurgical complications. RESULTS Depth of insertion was similar for both electrodes, but was more consistent for the MSE array and more variable for the 1j array. Patients with MSE electrodes had better hearing preservation. Thresholds shifts at four audiometric frequencies ranging from 250 to 2,000 Hz were 10 dB, 7 dB, 2 dB and 6 dB smaller for the MSE electrode than for the 1j (p<0.05). Hearing preservation at low frequencies was worse with deeper insertion, regardless of array. Secondary outcome measures were similar for both electrodes. CONCLUSIONS The MSE electrode resulted in more consistent insertion depth and somewhat better hearing preservation than the 1j electrode. Differences in other surgical outcome measures were small or unlikely to have a meaningful effect. PMID:27755356

  5. High-throughput ab-initio dilute solute diffusion database.

    PubMed

    Wu, Henry; Mayeshiba, Tam; Morgan, Dane

    2016-07-19

    We demonstrate automated generation of diffusion databases from high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A total of more than 230 dilute solute diffusion systems in Mg, Al, Cu, Ni, Pd, and Pt host lattices have been determined using multi-frequency diffusion models. We apply a correction method for solute diffusion in alloys using experimental and simulated values of host self-diffusivity. We find good agreement with experimental solute diffusion data, obtaining a weighted activation barrier RMS error of 0.176 eV when excluding magnetic solutes in non-magnetic alloys. The compiled database is the largest collection of consistently calculated ab-initio solute diffusion data in the world.

  6. Enhancing the light-extraction efficiency of AlGaN deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes using highly reflective Ni/Mg and Rh as p-type electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maeda, Noritoshi; Yun, Joosun; Jo, Masafumi; Hirayama, Hideki

    2018-04-01

    Improving the light-extraction efficiency (LEE) is a major issue for the development of deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). For this improvement, we introduced a transparent p-AlGaN contact layer and a reflective p-type electrode. In this work, we investigated the improvements obtained by replacing conventional Ni/Au p-type electrodes with highly reflective Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes. The external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 279 nm DUV LEDs were increased from 4.2 to 6.6% and from 3.4 to 4.5% by introducing Ni/Mg and Rh p-type electrodes, respectively. The LEE enhancement factors for the Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes were 1.6 and 1.4, respectively. These results are explained by the fact that the measured reflectances of the Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes were approximately 80 and 55%, respectively. Moreover, it was concluded that a passivation layer is required for Ni/Mg electrodes to prevent the degradation of the LED properties by the oxidation of Mg.

  7. LaNi{sub 5}-based metal hydride electrode in Ni-MH rechargeable cells

    DOEpatents

    Bugga, R.V.; Fultz, B.; Bowman, R.; Surampudi, S.R.; Witham, C.K.; Hightower, A.

    1999-03-30

    An at least ternary metal alloy of the formula AB{sub (Z-Y)}X{sub (Y)} is disclosed. In this formula, A is selected from the rare earth elements, B is selected from the elements of Groups 8, 9, and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and X includes at least one of the following: antimony, arsenic, germanium, tin or bismuth. Z is greater than or equal to 4.8 and less than or equal to 6.0. Y is greater than 0 and less than 1. Ternary or higher-order substitutions to the base AB{sub 5} alloys that form strong kinetic interactions with the predominant metals in the base metal hydride are used to form metal alloys with high structural integrity after multiple cycles of hydrogen sorption. 16 figs.

  8. Linear conduction in N-type organic field effect transistors with nanometric channel lengths and graphene as electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chianese, F.; Candini, A.; Affronte, M.; Mishra, N.; Coletti, C.; Cassinese, A.

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we test graphene electrodes in nanometric channel n-type Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs) based on thermally evaporated thin films of the perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide derivative. By a thorough comparison with short channel transistors made with reference gold electrodes, we found that the output characteristics of the graphene-based devices respond linearly to the applied bias, in contrast with the supralinear trend of gold-based transistors. Moreover, short channel effects are considerably suppressed in graphene electrode devices. More specifically, current on/off ratios independent of the channel length (L) and enhanced response for high longitudinal biases are demonstrated for L down to ˜140 nm. These results are rationalized taking into account the morphological and electronic characteristics of graphene, showing that the use of graphene electrodes may help to overcome the problem of Space Charge Limited Current in short channel OFETs.

  9. 3D printed graphene-based electrodes with high electrochemical performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vernardou, D.; Vasilopoulos, K. C.; Kenanakis, G.

    2017-10-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printed graphene pyramids were fabricated through a dual-extrusion FDM-type 3D printer using a commercially available PLA-based conductive graphene. Compared with flat printed graphene, a substantial enhancement in the electrochemical performance was clearly observed for the case of 3D printed graphene pyramids with 5.0 mm height. Additionally, the charge transfer of Li+ across the graphene pyramids/electrolyte interface was easier enhancing its performance presenting a specific discharge capacity of 265 mAh g-1 with retention of 93% after 1000 cycles. The importance of thickness control towards the printing of an electrode with good stability and effective electrochemical behavior is highlighted.

  10. Using sewage sludge pyrolytic gas to modify titanium alloy to obtain high-performance anodes in bio-electrochemical systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Yuan; Ying, Kang; Shen, Dongsheng; Huang, Lijie; Ying, Xianbin; Huang, Haoqian; Cheng, Kun; Chen, Jiazheng; Zhou, Yuyang; Chen, Ting; Feng, Huajun

    2017-12-01

    Titanium is under consideration as a potential stable bio-anode because of its high conductivity, suitable mechanical properties, and electrochemical inertness in the operating potential window of bio-electrochemical systems; however, its application is limited by its poor electron-transfer capacity with electroactive bacteria and weak ability to form biofilms on its hydrophobic surface. This study reports an effective and low-cost way to convert a hydrophobic titanium alloy surface into a hydrophilic surface that can be used as a bio-electrode with higher electron-transfer rates. Pyrolytic gas of sewage sludge is used to modify the titanium alloy. The current generation, anodic biofilm formation surface, and hydrophobicity are systematically investigated by comparing bare electrodes with three modified electrodes. Maximum current density (15.80 A/m2), achieved using a modified electrode, is 316-fold higher than that of the bare titanium alloy electrode (0.05 A/m2) and that achieved by titanium alloy electrodes modified by other methods (12.70 A/m2). The pyrolytic gas-modified titanium alloy electrode can be used as a high-performance and scalable bio-anode for bio-electrochemical systems because of its high electron-transfer rates, hydrophilic nature, and ability to achieve high current density.

  11. All-weld-metal design for AWS E10018M, E11018M and E12018M type electrodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Surian, E.S.; Vedia, L.A. de

    This paper presents the results of a research program conducted to design the all-weld metal deposited with AWS A5.5-81 E10018M, E11018M and E12018M SMAW-type electrodes. The role that different alloying elements such as manganese, carbon and chromium play on the tensile properties, hardness and toughness as well as on the microstructure was studied. Criteria for selecting the weld metal composition leading to optimum combination of tensile strength and toughness are suggested. The effect of the variation of heat input, within the requirements of the AWS standard, on the mentioned properties was also analyzed. It was found that the E11018M andmore » E12018M all-weld-metal tensile properties are very sensitive to variations in heat input. For certain values of chemical composition, welding parameter ranges suitable to guarantee the fulfillment of AWS requirements were determined.« less

  12. Effect of alloying on screw dislocation structure in Mo: atomistic modelling approach with ab-initio parametrization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gornostyrev, Yu. N.

    2005-03-01

    The plastic deformation in bcc metals is realized by the motion of screw dislocations with a complex star-like non-planar core. In this case, the direct investigation of the solute effect by first principles electronic structure calculations is a challenging problem for which we follow a combined approach that includes atomistic dislocation modelling with ab-initio parametrization of interatomic interactions. The screw dislocation core structure in Mo alloys is described within the model of atomic row displacements along a dislocation line with the interatomic row potential estimated from total energy full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FLMTO) calculations with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange-correlation potential. We demonstrate (1) that the solute effect on the dislocation structure is different for ``hard'' and ``easy'' cores and (2) that the softener addition in a ``hard'' core gives rise to a structural transformation into a configuration with a lower energy through an intermediate state. The softener solute is shown to disturb locally the three-fold symmetry of the dislocation core and the dislocation structure tends to the split planar core.

  13. Thermodynamics of reaction of praseodymium with gallium-indium eutectic alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melchakov, S. Yu.; Ivanov, V. A.; Yamshchikov, L. F.; Volkovich, V. A.; Osipenko, A. G.; Kormilitsyn, M. V.

    2013-06-01

    Thermodynamic properties of Ga-In eutectic alloys saturated with praseodymium were determined for the first time employing the electromotive force method. The equilibrium potentials of the Pr-In alloys saturated with praseodymium (8.7-12.1 mol.% Pr) and Pr-Ga-In alloys (containing 0.0012-6.71 mol.% Pr) were measured between 573-1073 K. Pr-In alloy containing solid PrIn3 with known thermodynamic properties was used as the reference electrode when measuring the potentials of ternary Pr-In-Ga alloys. Activity, partial and excessive thermodynamic functions of praseodymium in alloys with indium and Ga-In eutectic were calculated. Activity (a), activity coefficients (γ) and solubility (X) of praseodymium in the studied temperature range can be expressed by the following equations: lgaα-Pr(In) = 4.425 - 11965/T ± 0.026. lgаα-Pr(Ga-In) = 5.866 - 14766/T ± 0.190. lgγα-Pr(Ga-In) = 2.351 - 9996/T ± 0.39. lgХPr(Ga-In) = 3.515 - 4770/T ± 0.20.

  14. On the Alloying and Properties of Tetragonal Nb5Si3 in Nb-Silicide Based Alloys

    PubMed Central

    Tsakiropoulos, Panos

    2018-01-01

    The alloying of Nb5Si3 modifies its properties. Actual compositions of (Nb,TM)5X3 silicides in developmental alloys, where X = Al + B + Ge + Si + Sn and TM is a transition and/or refractory metal, were used to calculate the composition weighted differences in electronegativity (Δχ) and an average valence electron concentration (VEC) and the solubility range of X to study the alloying and properties of the silicide. The calculations gave 4.11 < VEC < 4.45, 0.103 < Δχ < 0.415 and 33.6 < X < 41.6 at.%. In the silicide in Nb-24Ti-18Si-5Al-5Cr alloys with single addition of 5 at.% B, Ge, Hf, Mo, Sn and Ta, the solubility range of X decreased compared with the unalloyed Nb5Si3 or exceeded 40.5 at.% when B was with Hf or Mo or Sn and the Δχ decreased with increasing X. The Ge concentration increased with increasing Ti and the Hf concentration increased and decreased with increasing Ti or Nb respectively. The B and Sn concentrations respectively decreased and increased with increasing Ti and also depended on other additions in the silicide. The concentration of Sn was related to VEC and the concentrations of B and Ge were related to Δχ. The alloying of Nb5Si3 was demonstrated in Δχ versus VEC maps. Effects of alloying on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) anisotropy, Young’s modulus, hardness and creep data were discussed. Compared with the hardness of binary Nb5Si3 (1360 HV), the hardness increased in silicides with Ge and dropped below 1360 HV when Al, B and Sn were present without Ge. The Al effect on hardness depended on other elements substituting Si. Sn reduced the hardness. Ti or Hf reduced the hardness more than Cr in Nb5Si3 without Ge. The (Nb,Hf)5(Si,Al)3 had the lowest hardness. VEC differentiated the effects of additions on the hardness of Nb5Si3 alloyed with Ge. Deterioration of the creep of alloyed Nb5Si3 was accompanied by decrease of VEC and increase or decrease of Δχ depending on alloying addition(s). PMID:29300327

  15. Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab Bacillus thuringiensis proteins.

    PubMed

    Oyediran, Isaac O; Matthews, Phillip; Palekar, Narendra; French, Wade; Conville, Jared; Burd, Tony

    2016-12-01

    The susceptibility of the northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Smith & Lawrence) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was determined using a diet bioassay. Northern corn rootworm neonates were exposed to different concentrations of mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab, incorporated into artificial diet. Larval mortality was evaluated after 7 d. The mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins were found to be toxic to the northern corn rootworm larvae. The LC 50 and LC 99 values for mCry3A were 5.13 and 2482.31 μg/mL, respectively. For eCry3.1Ab, the LC 50 and LC 99 values were 0.49 and 213.01 μg/mL. Based on the estimated lethal concentrations, eCry3.1Ab protein was more efficacious to northern corn rootworm larvae than mCry3A. These lethal concentration values will be used as diagnostic doses for routine annual monitoring for change in susceptibility of field collected northern corn rootworm to mCry3A, and eCry3.1Ab toxins. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  16. Alloyed surfaces: New substrates for graphene growth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tresca, C.; Verbitskiy, N. I.; Fedorov, A.; Grüneis, A.; Profeta, G.

    2017-11-01

    We report a systematic ab-initio density functional theory investigation of Ni(111) surface alloyed with elements of group IV (Si, Ge and Sn), demonstrating the possibility to use it to grow high quality graphene. Ni(111) surface represents an ideal substrate for graphene, due to its catalytic properties and perfect matching with the graphene lattice constant. However, Dirac bands of graphene growth on Ni(111) are completely destroyed due to the strong hybridization between carbon pz and Ni d orbitals. Group IV atoms, namely Si, Ge and Sn, once deposited on Ni(111) surface, form an ordered alloyed surface with √{ 3} ×√{ 3} -R30° reconstruction. We demonstrate that, at variance with the pure Ni(111) surface, alloyed surfaces effectively decouple graphene from the substrate, resulting unstrained due to the nearly perfect lattice matching and preserves linear Dirac bands without the strong hybridization with Ni d states. The proposed surfaces can be prepared before graphene growth without resorting on post-growth processes which necessarily alter the electronic and structural properties of graphene.

  17. Low-cycle fatigue of Type 347 stainless steel and Hastelloy alloy X in hydrogen gas and in air at elevated temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaske, C. E.; Rice, R. C.; Buchheit, R. D.; Roach, D. B.; Porfilio, T. L.

    1976-01-01

    An investigation was conducted to assess the low-cycle fatigue resistance of two alloys, Type 347 stainless steel and Hastelloy Alloy X, that were under consideration for use in nuclear-powered rocket vehicles. Constant-amplitude, strain-controlled fatigue tests were conducted under compressive strain cycling at a constant strain rate of 0.001/sec and at total axial strain ranges of 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0 %, in both laboratory-air and low-pressure hydrogen-gas environments at temperatures from 538 to 871 C. Specimens were obtained from three heats of Type 347 stainless steel bar and two heats of Hastelloy Alloy X. The tensile properties of each heat were determined at 21, 538, 649, and 760 C. The continuous cycling fatigue resistance was determined for each heat at temperatures of 538, 760, and 871 C. The Type 347 stainless steel exhibited equal or superior fatigue resistance to the Hastelloy Alloy X at all conditions of this study.

  18. Ab initio investigation of barium-scandium-oxygen coatings on tungsten for electron emitting cathodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vlahos, Vasilios; Booske, John H.; Morgan, Dane

    2010-02-01

    Microwave, x-ray, and radio-frequency radiation sources require a cathode emitting electrons into vacuum. Thermionic B-type dispenser cathodes consist of BaxOz coatings on tungsten (W), where the surface coatings lower the W work function and enhance electron emission. The new and promising class of scandate cathodes modifies the B-type surface through inclusion of Sc, and their superior emissive properties are also believed to stem from the formation of a low work function surface alloy. In order to better understand these cathode systems, density-functional theory (DFT)-based ab initio modeling is used to explore the stability and work function of BaxScyOz on W(001) monolayer-type surface structures. It is demonstrated how surface depolarization effects can be calculated easily using ab initio calculations and fitted to an analytic depolarization equation. This approach enables the rapid extraction of the complete depolarization curve (work function versus coverage relation) from relatively few DFT calculations, useful for understanding and characterizing the emitting properties of novel cathode materials. It is generally believed that the B-type cathode has some concentration of Ba-O dimers on the W surface, although their structure is not known. Calculations suggest that tilted Ba-O dimers are the stable dimer surface configuration and can explain the observed work function reduction corresponding to various dimer coverages. Tilted Ba-O dimers represent a new surface coating structure not previously proposed for the activated B-type cathode. The thermodynamically stable phase of Ba and O on the W surface was identified to be the Ba0.25O configuration, possessing a significantly lower Φ value than any of the Ba-O dimer configurations investigated. The identification of a more stable Ba0.25O phase implies that if Ba-O dimers cover the surface of emitting B-type cathodes, then a nonequilibrium steady state must dominate the emitting surface. The identification of

  19. Novel flame synthesis of nanostructured α-Fe2O3 electrode as high-performance anode for lithium ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yang; Roller, Justin; Maric, Radenka

    2018-02-01

    Nanostructured electrodes have significant potential for enhancing the kinetics of lithium storage in secondary batteries. A simple and economical manufacturing approach of these electrodes is crucial to the development and application of the next generation lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. In this study, nanostructured α-Fe2O3 electrode is fabricated by a novel one-step flame combustion synthesis method, namely Reactive Spray Deposition Technology (RSDT). This process possesses the merits of simplicity and low cost. The structure and morphology of the electrode are investigated with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical performance of the nanostructured α-Fe2O3 electrodes as the anodes for Li-ion batteries is evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in coin-type half-cells. The as-prepared electrodes demonstrate superior cyclic performance at high current rate, which delivers a high reversible capacity of 1239.2 mAh g-1 at 1 C after 500 cycles. In addition, a discharge capacity of 513.3 mAh g-1 can be achieved at 10 C.

  20. Fabrication and characterization of nano-Y2O3 and Al2O3 dispersed W-Ni alloys by mechanical alloying and pressureless conventional sintering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Talekar, V. R.; Patra, A.; Karak, S. K.

    2018-03-01

    Nano Y2O3 and Al2O3 dispersed W-Ni alloys with nominal composition of W89Ni10 (Y2O3)1 (alloy A), W89Ni10 (Al2O3)1 (alloy B) were mechanically alloyed for 10 h followed by compaction at 0.5 GPa pressure with 5 min of dwell time and conventional sintering at 1400°C with 2 h soaking time in Ar atmosphere with Ar flow rate of 100 ml/min. The microstructure of milled and sintered alloy was investigated using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Elemental mapping. Minimum crystallite size of 31.9 nm and maximum lattice strain, dislocation density of 0.23%, 9.12(1016/m2) respectively was found in alloy A at 10 h of milling. Uneven and coarse particles at 0 h of milling converted to elongated flake shape at 10 h of milling. Bimodal (fine and coarse) particle size distribution is revealed in both the alloys and minimum particle size of 0.69 μm is achieved in 10 h milled alloy A. Evidences of formation of intermetallic phases like Y2WO6, Y6WO12 and Y10W2O21 in sintered alloy A and Al2(WO4)3, NiAl10O16, NiAl2O4 and AlWO4 in sintered alloy B were revealed by XRD pattern and SEM micrograph. Minimum grain size of 1.50 μm was recorded in sintered alloy A. Both faceted and spherical W matrix is evident in both the alloys which suggests occurrence of both solid phase and liquid phase sintering. Maximum % relative sintered density and hardness of 85.29% and 5.13 GPa respectively was found in alloy A. Wear study at 20N force at 25 rpm for 15 min on ball on plate wear tester revealed that minimum wear depth (48.99 μm) and wear track width (272 μm) was found for alloy A as compared to alloy B.

  1. Cyanex based uranyl sensitive polymeric membrane electrodes.

    PubMed

    Badr, Ibrahim H A; Zidan, W I; Akl, Z F

    2014-01-01

    Novel uranyl selective polymeric membrane electrodes were prepared using three different low-cost and commercially available Cyanex extractants namely, bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid [L1], bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) monothiophosphinic acid [L2] and bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) dithiophosphinic acid [L3]. Optimization and performance characteristics of the developed Cyanex based polymer membrane electrodes were determined. The influence of membrane composition (e.g., amount and type of ionic sites, as well as type of plasticizer) on potentiometric responses of the prepared membrane electrodes was studied. Optimized Cyanex-based membrane electrodes exhibited Nernstian responses for UO₂(2+) ion over wide concentration ranges with fast response times. The optimized membrane electrodes based on L1, L2 and L3 exhibited Nernstian responses towards uranyl ion with slopes of 29.4, 28.0 and 29.3 mV decade(-1), respectively. The optimized membrane electrodes based on L1-L3 showed detection limits of 8.3 × 10(-5), 3.0 × 10(-5) and 3.3 × 10(-6) mol L(-1), respectively. The selectivity studies showed that the optimized membrane electrodes exhibited high selectivity towards UO₂(2+) ion over large number of other cations. Membrane electrodes based on L3 exhibited superior potentiometric response characteristics compared to those based on L1 and L2 (e.g., widest linear range and lowest detection limit). The analytical utility of uranyl membrane electrodes formulated with Cyanex extractant L3 was demonstrated by the analysis of uranyl ion in different real samples for nuclear safeguards verification purposes. The results obtained using direct potentiometry and flow-injection methods were compared with those measured using the standard UV-visible and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopic methods. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Synthesis and properties of Li2SnO3/polyaniline nanocomposites as negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Qiufen; Huang, Ying; Miao, Juan; Zhao, Yang; Wang, Yan

    2012-10-01

    The nanocomposites Li2SnO3/polyaniline (Li2SnO3/PANI) have been synthesized by a micro emulsion polymerization method. The structure, morphology and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared materials are characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman, XPS, TGA, TEM and electrochemical measurements. Results show that Li2SnO3/PANI nanocomposites are composed of uniform and blocky nano-sized particles (40-50 nm) with clear lattice fringes. Electrochemical measurement suggests that Li2SnO3/PANI exhibits better cycling properties and lower initial irreversible capacities than Li2SnO3 as negative electrodes materials for lithium-ion batteries. At a current density of 60 mA g-1 in the voltage about 0.05-2.0 V, the initial irreversible capacity of Li2SnO3/PANI is 563 mAh g-1 while it is 687.5 mAh g-1 to Li2SnO3. The capacity retained of Li2SnO3/PANI (569.2 mAh g-1) is higher than that of Li2SnO3 (510.2 mAh g-1) after 50 cycles. The PANI in the Li2SnO3/PANI nanocomposites can buffer the released stress caused by the drastic volume variation during the alloying/de-alloying process of Li-Sn.

  3. Grain refinement of Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy by novel Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy and its effect on mechanical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apparao, K. Ch; Birru, Anil Kumar

    2018-01-01

    A novel Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy with uniform microstructure was prepared using a melt reaction process for this study. In the master alloy, basic intermetallic particles such as NbAl3, NbC act as heterogeneous nucleation substrates during the solidification of aluminium. The grain refining performance of the novel master alloy on Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy has also been investigated. It is observed that the addition of 0.1 wt.% of Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy can induce very effective grain refinement of the Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy. The average grain size of α-Al is reduced to 22.90 μm from about 61.22 μm and most importantly, the inoculation of Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy with FeNb-C is not characterised by any visible poisoning effect, which is the drawback of using commercial Al-Ti-B master alloys on aluminium cast alloys. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy have been improved obviously by the addition of the 0.1 wt.% of Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy, including the yield strength and elongation.

  4. LaNi.sub.5 is-based metal hydride electrode in Ni-MH rechargeable cells

    DOEpatents

    Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Fultz, Brent; Bowman, Robert; Surampudi, Subra Rao; Witham, Charles K.; Hightower, Adrian

    1999-01-01

    An at least ternary metal alloy of the formula AB.sub.(Z-Y) X.sub.(Y) is disclosed. In this formula, A is selected from the rare earth elements, B is selected from the elements of Groups 8, 9, and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and X includes at least one of the following: antimony, arsenic, germanium, tin or bismuth. Z is greater than or equal to 4.8 and less than or equal to 6.0. Y is greater than 0 and less than 1. Ternary or higher-order substitutions to the base AB.sub.5 alloys that form strong kinetic interactions with the predominant metals in the base metal hydride are used to form metal alloys with high structural integrity after multiple cycles of hydrogen sorption.

  5. The effect of cobalt content in U-700 type alloys on degradation of aluminide coatings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaplatynsky, I.

    1985-01-01

    The influence of cobalt content in U-700 type alloys on the behavior of aluminide coatings is studied in burner rig cyclic oxidation tests at 1100C. It is determined that aluminide coatings on alloys with higher cobalt offer better oxidation protection than the same coatings on alloys containing less cobalt.

  6. LaNi{sub 5}-based metal hydride electrode in Ni-MH rechargeable cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bugga, R.V.; Fultz, B.; Bowman, R.

    1999-03-30

    An at least ternary metal alloy of the formula AB{sub (Z-Y)}X{sub (Y)} is disclosed. In this formula, A is selected from the rare earth elements, B is selected from the elements of Groups 8, 9, and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and X includes at least one of the following: antimony, arsenic, germanium, tin or bismuth. Z is greater than or equal to 4.8 and less than or equal to 6.0. Y is greater than 0 and less than 1. Ternary or higher-order substitutions to the base AB{sub 5} alloys that form strong kinetic interactions with themore » predominant metals in the base metal hydride are used to form metal alloys with high structural integrity after multiple cycles of hydrogen sorption. 16 figs.« less

  7. Revealing strategies of quorum sensing in Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6.

    PubMed

    Fukami, Josiane; Abrantes, Julia Laura Fernandes; Del Cerro, Pablo; Nogueira, Marco Antonio; Ollero, Francisco Javier; Megías, Manuel; Hungria, Mariangela

    2018-01-01

    Azospirillum brasilense is an important plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) that requires several critical steps for root colonization, including biofilm and exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and cell motility. In several bacteria these mechanisms are mediated by quorum sensing (QS) systems that regulate the expression of specific genes mediated by the autoinducers N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). We investigated QS mechanisms in strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 of A. brasilense, which are broadly used in commercial inoculants in Brazil. Neither of these strains carries a luxI gene, but there are several luxR solos that might perceive AHL molecules. By adding external AHLs we verified that biofilm and EPS production and cell motility (swimming and swarming) were regulated via QS in Ab-V5, but not in Ab-V6. Differences were observed not only between strains, but also in the specificity of LuxR-type receptors to AHL molecules. However, Ab-V6 was outstanding in indole acetic acid (IAA) synthesis and this molecule might mimic AHL signals. We also applied the quorum quenching (QQ) strategy, obtaining transconjugants of Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 carrying a plasmid with acyl-homoserine lactonase. When maize (Zea mays L.) was inoculated with the wild-type and transconjugant strains, plant growth was decreased with the transconjugant of Ab-V5-confirming the importance of an AHL-mediated QS system-but did not affect plant growth promotion by Ab-V6.

  8. An ultrasensitive label-free electrochemiluminescent immunosensor for measuring Cry1Ab level and genetically modified crops content.

    PubMed

    Gao, Hongfei; Wen, Luke; Wu, Yuhua; Fu, Zhifeng; Wu, Gang

    2017-11-15

    The development of genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant crops has aroused great public concern about the risks on the eco-environment resulting from a release of toxic Cry proteins (such as Cry1Ab) to the soil. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to measure the Cry proteins level and the GM crops content. Here, we have tested for the first time a method that uses novel carbon nanospheres (CNPs) label-free electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunosensor for the ultrasensitive quantification of Cry1Ab and GM crops. In this work, novel CNPs were prepared from printer toner with a very facile approach, and linked with anti-Cry1Ab antibodies to modify a golden working electrode. The immunoreaction between Cry1Ab and its antibody formed an immunocomplex on the bioreceptor region of the sensor, which inhibited electron transfer between the electrode surface and the ECL substance, leading to a decrease of ECL response. Under the optimal conditions, the fabricated label-free ECL immunosensor determined Cry1Ab down to 3.0pgmL -1 within a linear range of 0.010-1.0ngmL -1 , showing significant improvement of sensitivity than that of most previous reports. Meanwhile, the proposed method was successfully applied for GM rice BT63 and GM maize MON810 detections down to 0.010% and 0.020%, respectively. Due to its outstanding advantages such as high sensitivity, ideal selectivity, simple fabrication, rapid detection, and low cost, the developed method can be considered as a powerful and pioneering tool for GM crops detection. Its use can also be extended to other toxin protein sensing in foods. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Ab initio study of C + H3+ reactions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Talbi, D.; DeFrees, D. J.

    1991-01-01

    The reaction C + H3+ --> CH(+) + H2 is frequently used in models of dense interstellar cloud chemistry with the assumption that it is fast, i.e. there are no potential energy barriers inhibiting it. Ab initio molecular orbital study of the triplet CH3+ potential energy surface (triplet because the reactant carbon atom is a ground state triplet) supports this hypothesis. The reaction product is 3 pi CH+; the reaction is to exothermic even though the product is not in its electronic ground state. No path has been found on the potential energy surface for C + H3+ --> CH2(+) + H reaction.

  10. Predictions of a Large Magnetocaloric Effect in Co- and Cr-Substituted Heusler Alloys Using First-Principles and Monte Carlo Approaches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sokolovskiy, Vladimir V.; Buchelnikov, Vasiliy D.; Zagrebin, Mikhail A.; Grünebohm, Anna; Entel, Peter

    The effect of Co- and Cr-doping on magnetic and magnetocaloric poperties of Ni-Mn-(In, Ga, Sn, and Al) Heusler alloys has been theoretically studied by combining first principles with Monte Carlo approaches. The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties are obtained as a function of temperature and magnetic field using a mixed type of Potts and Blume-Emery-Griffiths model where the model parameters are obtained from ab initio calculations. The Monte Carlo calculations allowed to make predictions of a giant inverse magnetocaloric effect in partially new hypothetical magnetic Heusler alloys across the martensitic transformation.

  11. High-throughput ab-initio dilute solute diffusion database

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Henry; Mayeshiba, Tam; Morgan, Dane

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate automated generation of diffusion databases from high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A total of more than 230 dilute solute diffusion systems in Mg, Al, Cu, Ni, Pd, and Pt host lattices have been determined using multi-frequency diffusion models. We apply a correction method for solute diffusion in alloys using experimental and simulated values of host self-diffusivity. We find good agreement with experimental solute diffusion data, obtaining a weighted activation barrier RMS error of 0.176 eV when excluding magnetic solutes in non-magnetic alloys. The compiled database is the largest collection of consistently calculated ab-initio solute diffusion data in the world. PMID:27434308

  12. Tuning the growth and strain relaxation of ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films on SrRuO3 electrode: influence on electrical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aidoud, Amina; Maroutian, Thomas; Matzen, Sylvia; Agnus, Guillaume; Amrani, Bouhalouane; Driss-Khodja, Kouider; Aubert, Pascal; Lecoeur, Philippe

    2018-01-01

    This study is focused on the link between the structural and electric properties of BaTiO3 thin films grown on SrRuO3-buffered (001) SrTiO3 substrates, SrRuO3 acting as bottom electrode. The growth regime and film structure are here tuned through the growth pressure for pulsed laser deposition in the 1-200 mTorr range. The dielectric, ferroelectric and leakage current properties are systematically measured for the different strain states of the BaTiO3 thin films on SrRuO3. The results are discussed with the help of ab initio calculations on the effects of Ba- and Ti-vacancies on BaTiO3 lattice parameters. A sharp increase of the dielectric constant is evidenced in the high pressure region, where the tetragonality of the BaTiO3 is decreasing rapidly with growth pressure. We interpret this divergence of the dielectric function as the signature of the vicinity of the phase boundary between the out-of-plane and in-plane orientations of the tetragonal BTO films.

  13. Experiment-based modelling of grain boundary β-phase (Mg2Al3) evolution during sensitisation of aluminium alloy AA5083.

    PubMed

    Zhang, R; Steiner, M A; Agnew, S R; Kairy, S K; Davies, C H J; Birbilis, N

    2017-06-07

    An empirical model for the evolution of β-phase (Mg 2 Al 3 ) along grain boundaries in aluminium alloy AA5083 (Al-Mg-Mn) during isothermal exposures is proposed herein. Developing a quantitative understanding of grain boundary precipitation is important to interpreting intergranular corrosion and stress corrosion cracking in this alloy system. To date, complete ab initio models for grain boundary precipitation based upon fundamental principles of thermodynamics and kinetics are not available, despite the critical role that such precipitates play in dictating intergranular corrosion phenomena. Empirical models can therefore serve an important role in advancing the understanding of grain boundary precipitation kinetics, which is an approach applicable beyond the present context. High resolution scanning electron microscopy was to quantify the size and distribution of β-phase precipitates on Ga-embrittled intergranular fracture surfaces of AA5083. The results are compared with the degree of sensitisation (DoS) as judged by nitric acid mass loss testing (ASTM-G67-04), and discussed with models for sensitisation in 5xxx series Al-alloys. The work herein allows sensitisation to be quantified from an unambiguous microstructural perspective.

  14. Bioinformatic analysis of phage AB3, a phiKMV-like virus infecting Acinetobacter baumannii.

    PubMed

    Zhang, J; Liu, X; Li, X-J

    2015-01-16

    The phages of Acinetobacter baumannii has drawn increasing attention because of the multi-drug resistance of A. baumanni. The aim of this study was to sequence Acinetobacter baumannii phage AB3 and conduct bioinformatic analysis to lay a foundation for genome remodeling and phage therapy. We isolated and sequenced A. baumannii phage AB3 and attempted to annotate and analyze its genome. The results showed that the genome is a double-stranded DNA with a total length of 31,185 base pairs (bp) and 97 open reading frames greater than 100 bp. The genome includes 28 predicted genes, of which 24 are homologous to phage AB1. The entire coding sequence is located on the negative strand, representing 90.8% of the total length. The G+C mol% was 39.18%, without areas of high G+C content over 200 bp in length. No GC island, tRNA gene, or repeated sequence was identified. Gene lengths were 120-3099 bp, with an average of 1011 bp. Six genes were found to be greater than 2000 bp in length. Genomic alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the RNA polymerase gene showed that similar to phage AB1, phage AB3 is a phiKMV-like virus in the T7 phage family.

  15. Optimal Analyses for 3×n AB Games in the Worst Case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Li-Te; Lin, Shun-Shii

    The past decades have witnessed a growing interest in research on deductive games such as Mastermind and AB game. Because of the complicated behavior of deductive games, tree-search approaches are often adopted to find their optimal strategies. In this paper, a generalized version of deductive games, called 3×n AB games, is introduced. However, traditional tree-search approaches are not appropriate for solving this problem since it can only solve instances with smaller n. For larger values of n, a systematic approach is necessary. Therefore, intensive analyses of playing 3×n AB games in the worst case optimally are conducted and a sophisticated method, called structural reduction, which aims at explaining the worst situation in this game is developed in the study. Furthermore, a worthwhile formula for calculating the optimal numbers of guesses required for arbitrary values of n is derived and proven to be final.

  16. Supercapacitive transport of pharmacologic agents using nanoporous gold electrodes.

    PubMed

    Gittard, Shaun D; Pierson, Bonnie E; Ha, Cindy M; Wu, Chung-An Max; Narayan, Roger J; Robinson, David B

    2010-02-01

    In this study, nanoporous gold supercapacitors were produced by electrochemical dealloying of gold-silver alloy. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed completion of the dealloying process and generation of a porous gold material with approximately 10 nm diameter pores. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry of the nanoporous gold electrodes indicated that these materials exhibited supercapacitor behavior. The storage capacity of the electrodes measured by chronoamperometry was approximately 3 mC at 200 mV. Electrochemical storage and voltage-controlled delivery of two model pharmacologic agents, benzylammonium and salicylic acid, was demonstrated. These results suggest that capacitance-based storage and delivery of pharmacologic agents may serve as an alternative to conventional drug delivery methods.

  17. Binder-jetting 3D printing and alloy development of new biodegradable Fe-Mn-Ca/Mg alloys.

    PubMed

    Hong, Daeho; Chou, Da-Tren; Velikokhatnyi, Oleg I; Roy, Abhijit; Lee, Boeun; Swink, Isaac; Issaev, Ilona; Kuhn, Howard A; Kumta, Prashant N

    2016-11-01

    3D printing of various biomaterials including titanium and stainless steel has been studied for treating patients with cranio-maxillofacial bone defect. The potential long term complications with use of inert biometals have opened the opportunities for use of biodegradable metals in the clinical arena. The authors previously reported that binder-jet 3D printing technique enhanced the degradation rates of biodegradable Fe-Mn alloy by creating engineered micropores rendering the system attractive as biodegradable implantable devices. In the present study, the authors employed CALPHAD modeling to systematically study and modify the Fe-Mn alloy composition to achieve enhanced degradation rates. Accordingly, Ca and Mg addition to Fe-35wt% Mn solid solution predicted increase in degradation rates. In order to validate the CALPHAD results, Fe - (35-y)wt% Mn - ywt% X (X=Ca, Mg, and y=0, 1, 2) were synthesized by using high energy mechanical alloying (HEMA). Sintered pellets of Fe-Mn-Ca and Fe-Mn-Mg were then subjected to potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and live/dead cell viability tests. Sintered pellets of Fe-Mn, Fe-Mn-Ca, and Fe-Mn-Mg also exhibited MC3T3 murine pre-osteoblast cells viability in the live/dead assay results. Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn-1Ca were thus accordingly selected for 3D printing and the results further confirmed enhanced degradation of Ca addition to 3D printed constructs validating the theoretical and alloy development studies. Live/dead and MTT cell viability results also confirmed good cytocompatibility of the 3D-printed Fe-Mn and Fe-Mn-1Ca constructs. Bone grafting is widely used for the treatment of cranio-maxillofacial bone injuries. 3D printing of biodegradable Fe alloy is anticipated to be advantageous over current bone grafting techniques. 3D printing offers the fabrication of precise and tailored bone grafts to fit the patient specific bone defect needs. Biodegradable Fe alloy is a good candidate for 3D printing synthetic grafts to regenerate bone

  18. M13 Virus-Incorporated Biotemplates on Electrode Surfaces To Nucleate Metal Nanostructures by Electrodeposition.

    PubMed

    Manivannan, Shanmugam; Kang, Inhak; Seo, Yeji; Jin, Hyo-Eon; Lee, Seung-Wuk; Kim, Kyuwon

    2017-09-27

    We report a virus-incorporated biological template (biotemplate) on electrode surfaces and its use in electrochemical nucleation of metal nanocomposites as an electrocatalytic material for energy applications. The biotemplate was developed with M13 virus (M13) incorporated in a silicate sol-gel matrix as a scaffold to nucleate Au-Pt alloy nanostructures by electrodeposition, together with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The phage when engineered with Y3E peptides could nucleate Au-Pt alloy nanostructures, which ensured adequate packing density, simultaneous stabilization of rGO, and a significantly increased electrochemically active surface area. Investigation of the electrocatalytic activity of the resulting sol-gel composite catalyst toward methanol oxidation in an alkaline medium showed that this catalyst had mass activity greater than that of the biotemplate containing wild-type M13 and that of monometallic Pt and other Au-Pt nanostructures with different compositions and supports. M13 in the nanocomposite materials provided a close contact between the Au-Pt alloy nanostructures and rGO. In addition, it facilitated the availability of an OH - -rich environment to the catalyst. As a result, efficient electron transfer and a synergistic catalytic effect of the Au and Pt in the alloy nanostructures toward methanol oxidation were observed. Our nanocomposite synthesis on the novel biotemplate and its application might be useful for developing novel clean and green energy-generating and energy-storage materials.

  19. Structural and electronic properties of Ga2O3-Al2O3 alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peelaers, Hartwin; Varley, Joel B.; Speck, James S.; Van de Walle, Chris G.

    2018-06-01

    Ga2O3 is emerging as an important electronic material. Alloying with Al2O3 is a viable method to achieve carrier confinement, to increase the bandgap, or to modify the lattice parameters. However, the two materials have very different ground-state crystal structures (monoclinic β-gallia for Ga2O3 and corundum for Al2O3). Here, we use hybrid density functional theory calculations to assess the alloy stabilities and electronic properties of the alloys. We find that the monoclinic phase is the preferred structure for up to 71% Al incorporation, in close agreement with experimental phase diagrams, and that the ordered monoclinic AlGaO3 alloy is exceptionally stable. We also discuss bandgap bowing, lattice constants, and band offsets that can guide future synthesis and device design efforts.

  20. Enterocin B3A-B3B produced by LAB collected from infant faeces: potential utilization in the food industry for Listeria monocytogenes biofilm management.

    PubMed

    Al-Seraih, Alaa; Belguesmia, Yanath; Baah, John; Szunerits, Sabine; Boukherroub, Rabah; Drider, Djamel

    2017-02-01

    Enterococcus faecalis B3A-B3B produces the bacteriocin B3A-B3B with activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium perfringens, but apparently not against fungi or Gram-negative bacteria, except for Salmonella Newport. B3A-B3B enterocin has two different nucleotides but similar amino acid composition to the class IIb MR10A-MR10B enterocin. B3A-B3B consists of two peptides of predicted molecular mass of 5176.31 Da (B3A) and 5182.21 Da (B3B). Importantly, B3A-B3B impeded biofilm formation of the foodborne pathogen L. monocytogenes 162 grown on stainless steel. The antimicrobial treatment of stainless steel with nisin (1 or 16 mg ml -1 ) decreased the cell numbers by about 2 log CFU ml -1 , thereby impeding the biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes 162 or its nisin-resistant derivative strain L. monocytogenes 162R. Furthermore, the combination of nisin and B3A-B3B enterocin reduced the MIC required to inhibit this pathogen grown in planktonic or biofilm cultures.

  1. NiCo2S4 nanosheet-decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode materials for all solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor applications.

    PubMed

    Saravanakumar, Balasubramaniam; Jayaseelan, Santhana Sivabalan; Seo, Min-Kang; Kim, Hak-Yong; Kim, Byoung-Suhk

    2017-12-07

    Wire type supercapacitors with high energy and power densities have generated considerable interest in wearable applications. Herein, we report a novel NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode for high performance supercapacitor application. In this work, a facile method is introduced to fabricate a 3D, porous Ni film deposited on a Ni wire as a flexible electrode, followed by decoration with NiCo 2 S 4 as an electroactive material. The fabricated NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode displays a superior performance with an areal and volumetric capacitance of 1.228 F cm -2 and 199.74 F cm -3 , respectively, at a current density of 0.2 mA cm -1 with a maximum volumetric energy and power density (E V : 6.935 mW h cm -3 ; P V : 1.019 W cm -3 ). Finally, the solid state asymmetric wire type supercapacitor is fabricated using the fabricated NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire as a positive electrode and N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) as a negative electrode and this exhibits good areal and volumetric capacitances of C A : 0.12 F cm -2 and C V : 19.57 F cm -2 with a higher rate capability (92%). This asymmetric wire type supercapacitor demonstrates a low leakage current and self-discharge with a maximum volumetric energy (E V : 5.33 mW h cm -3 ) and power (P V : 855.69 mW cm -3 ) density.

  2. Ab initio study of perovskite type oxide materials for solid oxide fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yueh-Lin

    2011-12-01

    Perovskite type oxides form a family of materials of significant interest for cathodes and electrolytes of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These perovskites not only are active catalysts for surface oxygen reduction (OR) reactions but also allow incorporating the spilt oxygen monomers into their bulk, an unusual and poorly understood catalytic mechanism that couples surface and bulk properties. The OR mechanisms can be influenced strongly by defects in perovskite oxides, composition, and surface defect structures. This thesis work initiates a first step in developing a general strategy based on first-principles calculations for detailed control of oxygen vacancy content, transport rates of surface and bulk oxygen species, and surface/interfacial reaction kinetics. Ab initio density functional theory methods are used to model properties relevant for the OR reactions on SOFC cathodes. Three main research thrusts, which focus on bulk defect chemistry, surface defect structures and surface energetics, and surface catalytic properties, are carried to investigate different level of material chemistry for improved understanding of key physics/factors that govern SOFC cathode OR activity. In the study of bulk defect chemistry, an ab initio based defect model is developed for modeling defect chemistry of LaMnO 3 under SOFC conditions. The model suggests an important role for defect interactions, which are typically excluded in previous defect models. In the study of surface defect structures and surface energetics, it is shown that defect energies change dramatically (1˜2 eV lower) from bulk values near surfaces. Based on the existing bulk defect model with the calculated ab initio surface defect energetics, we predict the (001) MnO 2 surface oxygen vacancy concentration of (La0.9Sr0.1 )MnO3 is about 5˜6 order magnitude higher than that of the bulk under typical SOFC conditions. Finally, for surface catalytic properties, we show that area specific resistance, oxygen

  3. Functional analysis of dengue virus (DENV) type 2 envelope protein domain 3 type-specific and DENV complex-reactive critical epitope residues.

    PubMed

    Pitcher, Trevor J; Sarathy, Vanessa V; Matsui, Kiyohiko; Gromowski, Gregory D; Huang, Claire Y-H; Barrett, Alan D T

    2015-02-01

    The dengue virus (DENV) envelope protein domain 3 (ED3) is the target of potent virus neutralizing antibodies. The DENV-2 ED3 contains adjacent type-specific and DENV complex-reactive antigenic sites that are composed of a small number of residues that were previously demonstrated to be critical for antibody binding. Site-directed mutagenesis of a DENV-2 16681 infectious clone was used to mutate critical residues in the DENV-2 type-specific (K305A and P384A) and DENV complex-reactive (K310A) antigenic sites. The K305A mutant virus multiplied like the parent virus in mosquito and mammalian cells, as did the P384A mutant virus, which required a compensatory mutation (G330D) for viability. However, the K310A mutant virus could not be recovered. The DENV-2 type-specific critical residue mutations K305A and P384A+G330D reduced the ability of DENV-2 type-specific, but not DENV complex-reactive, mAbs to neutralize virus infectivity and this was directly correlated with mAb binding affinity to the rED3 mutants. © 2015 The Authors.

  4. Alloy-Based Anode Materials toward Advanced Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Lao, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yu; Luo, Wenbin; Yan, Qingyu; Sun, Wenping; Dou, Shi Xue

    2017-12-01

    Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries owing to the abundant sodium resources. However, the limited energy density, moderate cycling life, and immature manufacture technology of SIBs are the major challenges hindering their practical application. Recently, numerous efforts are devoted to developing novel electrode materials with high specific capacities and long durability. In comparison with carbonaceous materials (e.g., hard carbon), partial Group IVA and VA elements, such as Sn, Sb, and P, possess high theoretical specific capacities for sodium storage based on the alloying reaction mechanism, demonstrating great potential for high-energy SIBs. In this review, the recent research progress of alloy-type anodes and their compounds for sodium storage is summarized. Specific efforts to enhance the electrochemical performance of the alloy-based anode materials are discussed, and the challenges and perspectives regarding these anode materials are proposed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Ab-Initio Investigations of Magnetic Properties and Induced Half-Metallicity in Ga1-xMnxP (x = 0.03, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) Alloys.

    PubMed

    Laref, Amel; AlMudlej, Abeer; Laref, Slimane; Yang, Jun Tao; Xiong, Yong-Chen; Luo, Shi Jun

    2017-07-07

    Ab-initio calculations are performed to examine the electronic structures and magnetic properties of spin-polarized Ga 1- x Mn x P ( x = 0.03, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) ternary alloys. In order to perceive viable half-metallic (HM) states and unprecedented diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) such as spintronic materials, the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method is utilized within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). In order to tackle the correlation effects on 3d states of Mn atoms, we also employ the Hubbard U (GGA + U) technique to compute the magnetic properties of an Mn-doped GaP compound. We discuss the emerged global magnetic moments and the robustness of half-metallicity by varying the Mn composition in the GaP compound. Using GGA + U, the results of the density of states demonstrate that the incorporation of Mn develops a half-metallic state in the GaP compound with an engendered band gap at the Fermi level ( E F ) in the spin-down state. Accordingly, the half-metallic feature is produced through the hybridization of Mn-d and P-p orbitals. However, the half-metallic character is present at a low x composition with the GGA procedure. The produced magnetic state occurs in these materials, which is a consequence of the exchange interactions between the Mn-element and the host GaP system. For the considered alloys, we estimated the X-ray absorption spectra at the K edge of Mn. A thorough clarification of the pre-edge peaks is provided via the results of the theoretical absorption spectra. It is inferred that the valence state of Mn in Ga 1- x Mn x P alloys is +3. The predicted theoretical determinations surmise that the Mn-incorporated GaP semiconductor could inevitably be employed in spintronic devices.

  6. Thermodynamic properties of La-Ga-Al and U-Ga-Al alloys and the separation factor of U/La couple in the molten salt-liquid metal system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novoselova, A.; Smolenski, V.; Volkovich, V. A.; Ivanov, A. B.; Osipenko, A.; Griffiths, T. R.

    2015-11-01

    The electrochemical behaviour of lanthanum and uranium was studied in fused 3LiCl-2KCl eutectic and Ga-Al eutectic liquid metal alloy between 723 and 823 K. Electrode potentials were recorded vs. Cl-/Cl2 reference electrode and the temperature dependencies of the apparent standard potentials of La-(Ga-Al) and U-(Ga-Al) alloys were determined. Lanthanum and uranium activity coefficients and U/La couple separation factor were calculated. Partial excess free Gibbs energy, partial enthalpy of mixing and partial excess entropy of La-(Ga-Al) and U-(Ga-Al) alloys were estimated.

  7. Electrodeposition of Mg-Li-Al-La Alloys on Inert Cathode in Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic Salt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Wei; Chen, Qiong; Sun, Yi; Jiang, Tao; Zhang, Milin

    2011-12-01

    Electrochemical preparation of Mg-Li-Al-La alloys on inert electrodes was investigated in LiCl-KCl melt at 853 K (580 °C). Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and square wave voltammograms (SWVs) show that the existence of AlCl3 or AlF3 could promote La deposition on an active Al substrate, which is predeposited on inert electrodes. All electrochemical tests show that the reduction of La3+ is a one-step reduction process with three electrons exchanged. The reduction of La(III)→La(0) occurred at -2.04 V, and the underpotential deposition (UPD) of La was detected at -1.55 V ( vs Ag/AgCl). The same phenomena concerning La UPD were observed on two inert cathodes, W and Mo. In addition, Mg-Li-Al-La alloys were obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis on the W cathode from La2O3 in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2-KF melts with aluminum as the anode. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated that various phases like the Al2La, Al12Mg17, and βLi phase (LiMg/Li3Mg7) existed in the Mg-Li-Al-La alloys. The distribution of Mg, Al, and La in Mg-Li-Al-La alloys from the analysis of a scan electron micrograph (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) indicated that the elements Mg, Al, and La distributed homogeneously in the alloys.

  8. Novel p-Type Conductive Semiconductor Nanocrystalline Film as the Back Electrode for High-Performance Thin Film Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ming-Jian; Lin, Qinxian; Yang, Xiaoyang; Mei, Zongwei; Liang, Jun; Lin, Yuan; Pan, Feng

    2016-02-10

    Thin film solar cells, due to the low cost, high efficiency, long-term stability, and consumer applications, have been widely applied for harvesting green energy. All of these thin film solar cells generally adopt various metal thin films as the back electrode, like Mo, Au, Ni, Ag, Al, graphite, and so forth. When they contact with p-type layer, it always produces a Schottky contact with a high contact potential barrier, which greatly affects the cell performance. In this work, we report for the first time to find an appropriate p-type conductive semiconductor film, digenite Cu9S5 nanocrystalline film, as the back electrode for CdTe solar cells as the model device. Its low sheet resistance (16.6 Ω/sq) could compare to that of the commercial TCO films (6-30 Ω/sq), like FTO, ITO, and AZO. Different from the traditonal metal back electrode, it produces a successive gradient-doping region by the controllable Cu diffusion, which greatly reduces the contact potential barrier. Remarkably, it achieved a comparable power conversion efficiency (PCE, 11.3%) with the traditional metal back electrode (Cu/Au thin films, 11.4%) in CdTe cells and a higher PCE (13.8%) with the help of the Au assistant film. We believe it could also act as the back electrode for other thin film solar cells (α-Si, CuInS2, CIGSe, CZTS, etc.), for their performance improvement.

  9. Stacked 3D RRAM Array with Graphene/CNT as Edge Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yue; Wu, Huaqiang; Wang, Kun; Wu, Riga; Song, Lin; Li, Tianyi; Wang, Jiangtao; Yu, Zhiping; Qian, He

    2015-09-08

    There are two critical challenges which determine the array density of 3D RRAM: 1) the scaling limit in both horizontal and vertical directions; 2) the integration of selector devices in 3D structure. In this work, we present a novel 3D RRAM structure using low-dimensional materials, including 2D graphene and 1D carbon nanotube (CNT), as the edge electrodes. A two-layer 3D RRAM with monolayer graphene as edge electrode is demonstrated. The electrical results reveal that the RRAM devices could switch normally with this very thin edge electrode at nanometer scale. Meanwhile, benefited from the asymmetric carrier transport induced by Schottky barrier at metal/CNT and oxide/CNT interfaces, a selector built-in 3D RRAM structure using CNT as edge electrode is successfully fabricated and characterized. Furthermore, the discussion of high array density potential is presented.

  10. Tuning of platinum nano-particles by Au usage in their binary alloy for direct ethanol fuel cell: Controlled synthesis, electrode kinetics and mechanistic interpretation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutta, Abhijit; Mondal, Achintya; Datta, Jayati

    2015-06-01

    Understanding of the electrode-kinetics and mechanism of ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is of considerable interest for optimizing electro-catalysis in direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). This work attempts to design Pt based electro-catalyst on carbon support, tuned with gold nano-particles (NPs), for their use in DEFC operating in alkaline medium. The platinum-gold alloyed NPs are synthesized at desired compositions and size (2-10 nm) by controlled borohydride reduction method and successfully characterized by XRD, TEM, EDS and XPS techniques. The kinetic parameters along with the activation energies for the EOR are evaluated over the temperature range 20-80 °C and the oxidation reaction products estimated through ion chromatographic analysis. Compared to single Pt/C catalyst, the over potential of EOR is reduced by ca. 500 mV, at the onset during the reaction, for PtAu/C alloy with only 23% Pt content demonstrating the ability of Au and/or its surface oxides providing oxygen species at much lower potentials compared to Pt. Furthermore, a considerable increase in the peak power density (>191%) is observed in an in-house fabricated direct ethanol anion exchange membrane fuel cell, DE(AEM)FC using the best performing Au covered Pt electrode (23% Pt) compared to the monometallic Pt catalyst.

  11. Humoral anti-OV-TL 3 response after the intravenous administration of radiolabelled Fab' or F(ab')2 fragments in ovarian cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Tibben, J G; Thomas, C M; Massuger, L F; Segers, M F; Schijf, C P; Corstens, F H; Boerman, O C

    1995-10-01

    The human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response was determined in the serum of patients suspected of having ovarian cancer who underwent radioimmunoscintigraphy with either 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' (n = 20) or 111In-DTPA-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 (n = 73). Blood samples were collected prior to and at several time points post-intravenous injection. The detection of HAMA was performed with an in-house OV-TL 3 F(ab')2-based sandwich-type immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). The homologous IRMA demonstrated that 8 of 20 (40%) patients had developed HAMA responses after injection of Fab' fragments and that 14 of 73 (19%) patients had developed HAMA responses after F(ab')2 administration. The subclass of the measured HAMA was analysed in a limited number of samples, showing IgG or IgM as well as mixed responses. The kinetics of the HAMA responses varied greatly. Our study showed the relevance of the sampling time and frequency: HAMA responses can be easily underestimated with a low sampling frequency. The homologous IRMA described in this study was able to quantify the OV-TL 3-specific HAMA responses. With additional assays, the subclass of the HAMA could be further analysed. Remarkably, the fraction of HAMA responders after injection of OV-TL 3 Fab' fragments was in the same range as the proportion of HAMA responders after F(ab')2 administration.

  12. Nickel-Tin Electrode Materials for Nonaqueous Li-Ion Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ehrlich, Grant M.; Durand, Christopher

    2005-01-01

    Experimental materials made from mixtures of nickel and tin powders have shown promise for use as the negative electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical power cells. During charging (or discharging) of a lithium-ion cell, lithium ions are absorbed into (or desorbed from, respectively) the negative electrode, typically through an intercalation or alloying process. The negative electrodes (for this purpose, designated as anodes) in state-of-the-art Li-ion cells are made of graphite, in which intercalation occurs. Alternatively, the anodes can be made from metals, in which alloying can occur. For reasons having to do with the electrochemical potential of intercalated lithium, metallic anode materials (especially materials containing tin) are regarded as safer than graphite ones; in addition, such metallic anode materials have been investigated in the hope of obtaining reversible charge/discharge capacities greater than those of graphite anodes. However, until now, each of the tin-containing metallic anode formulations tested has been found to be inadequate in some respect.

  13. Bond Strength of Gold Alloys Laser Welded to Cobalt-Chromium Alloy

    PubMed Central

    Watanabe, Ikuya; Wallace, Cameron

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the joint properties between cast gold alloys and Co-Cr alloy laser-welded by Nd:YAG laser. Cast plates were fabricated from three types of gold alloys (Type IV, Type II and low-gold) and a Co-Cr alloy. Each gold alloy was laser-welded to Co-Cr using a dental laser-welding machine. Homogeneously-welded and non-welded control specimens were also prepared. Tensile testing was conducted and data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. The homogeneously-welded groups showed inferior fracture load compared to corresponding control groups, except for Co-Cr. In the specimens welded heterogeneously to Co-Cr, Type IV was the greatest, followed by low-gold and Type II. There was no statistical difference (P<0.05) in fracture load between Type II control and that welded to Co-Cr. Higher elongations were obtained for Type II in all conditions, whereas the lowest elongation occurred for low-gold welded to Co-Cr. This study indicated that, of the three gold alloys tested, the Type IV gold alloy was the most suitable alloy for laser-welding to Co-Cr. PMID:19088892

  14. Development of a DNA Sensor Based on Nanoporous Pt-Rich Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Hao, Pham; Thanh, Pham Duc; Xuan, Chu Thi; Hai, Nguyen Hoang; Tuan, Mai Anh

    2017-06-01

    Nanoporous Pt-rich electrodes with 72 at.% Pt composition were fabricated by sputtering a Pt-Ag alloy, followed by an electrochemical dealloying process to selectively etch away Ag atoms. The surface properties of nanoporous membranes were investigated by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), a documentation system, and a gel image system (Gel Doc Imager). A single strand of probe deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was immobilized onto the electrode surface by physical adsorption. The DNA probe and target hybridization were measured using a lock-in amplifier and an electrochemical impedance spectroscope (EIS). The nanoporous Pt-rich electrode-based DNA sensor offers a fast response time of 3.7 s, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.35 × 10-10 M of DNA target.

  15. Ab initio NMR parameters of BrCH3 and ICH3 with relativistic and vibrational corrections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uhlíková, Tereza; Urban, Štěpán

    2018-05-01

    This study is focused on two effects identified when NMR parameters are calculated based on first principles. These effects are 1. vibrational correction of properties when using ab initio optimized equilibrium geometry; 2. relativistic effects and limits of using the Flygare equation. These effects have been investigated and determined for nuclear spin-rotation constants and nuclear magnetic shieldings for the CH3Br and CH3I molecules. The most significant result is the difference between chemical shieldings determined based on the ab initio relativistic four-component Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian and chemical shieldings calculated using experimental values and the Flygare equation. This difference is approximately 320 ppm and 1290 ppm for 79Br and 127I in the CH3X molecule, respectively.

  16. Excited-State Properties of Semiconductor Electrodes and Their Application to Optical Energy Conversion.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-12-26

    DC/TR-83/3 has been published: "Polarization Effects in the Luminescence of Cadmium Selenide Electrodes", H.H. Streckert, H. Van Ryswyk, R.N. Biagioni ...Radiative Recombination in a Stable Photoelectrochemical Cell", P.M. Smiley, P.N. Biagioni , and A.B. Ellis, J. Electrochem. Soc., 131, 1068 (1984...has been assigned to the 3M Co. .-’ PERSONNEL Arthur B. Ellis, P.1. Bryan Benedict * Dr. Richard Biagioni Daniel Bilich Al Burk, Jr. -Ph.D. received

  17. Development of interatomic potentials appropriate for simulation of devitrification of Al 90Sm 10 alloy

    DOE PAGES

    Mendelev, M. I.; Zhang, F.; Ye, Z.; ...

    2015-04-23

    In this study, a semi-empirical potential for the Al 90Sm 10 alloy is presented. The potential provides satisfactory reproduction of pure Al properties, the formation energies of a set of Al–Sm crystal phases with Sm content about 10%, and the structure of the liquid Al 90Sm 10 alloy. During molecular dynamics simulation in which the liquid alloy is cooled at a rate of 10 10 K/s, the developed potential produces a glass structure with lower ab initio energy than that produced by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) itself using a typical AIMD cooling rate of 8 ∙10 13 K/s. Basedmore » on these facts the developed potential should be suitable for simulations of phase transformations in the Al 90Sm 10 alloy.« less

  18. Fatigue Characteristics of 3D Printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padzi, M. M.; Bazin, M. M.; Muhamad, W. M. W.

    2017-11-01

    Recently, the use of 3D printer technology has become significant to industries, especially when involving the new product development. 3D printing is a technology, which produces the 3D product or prototype using a layer-by-layer technique. However, there becomes less research on the mechanical performance of the 3D printed component. In the present work, fatigue characteristics of 3D printed specimen have been studied. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) has been chosen as a material research due to its wide applications. Two types of specimen used, which is the 3D printing and moulding specimens. Fused deposition modelling (FDM) technique was used to produce the specimens. The dog bone shape part was produced based on ASTM D638 standard and the tensile test has been carried out to get the mechanical properties. Fatigue test was carried out at 40%, 60% and 80% of the tensile strength. The moulded part shows higher fatigue cycles compared to 3D printed part for all loading percentages. Fatigue lives for 40%, 60% and 80%, were 911, 2645 and 26948 cycles, respectively. The results indicated that 3D printed part has a lower fatigue life, which may not suitable for industrial applications. However, the 3D printed part could be improved by using various parameters and may be introduced in low strength application.

  19. TiN coated aluminum electrodes for DC high voltage electron guns

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mamun, Md Abdullah A.; Elmustafa, Abdelmageed A.; Taus, Rhys

    Preparing electrodes made of metals like stainless steel, for use inside DC high voltage electron guns, is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. In this paper, the authors report the exceptional high voltage performance of aluminum electrodes coated with hard titanium nitride (TiN). The aluminum electrodes were comparatively easy to manufacture and required only hours of mechanical polishing using silicon carbide paper, prior to coating with TiN by a commercial vendor. The high voltage performance of three TiN-coated aluminum electrodes, before and after gas conditioning with helium, was compared to that of bare aluminum electrodes, and electrodes manufactured from titanium alloymore » (Ti-6AI-4V). Following gas conditioning, each TiN-coated aluminum electrode reached -225 kV bias voltage while generating less than 100 pA of field emission (<10 pA) using a 40 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to field strength of 13.7 MV/m. Smaller gaps were studied to evaluate electrode performance at higher field strength with the best performing TiN-coated aluminum electrode reaching ~22.5 MV/m with field emission less than 100 pA. These results were comparable to those obtained from our best-performing electrodes manufactured from stainless steel, titanium alloy and niobium, as reported in references cited below. The TiN coating provided a very smooth surface and with mechanical properties of the coating (hardness and modulus) superior to those of stainless steel, titanium-alloy, and niobium electrodes. These features likely contributed to the improved high voltage performance of the TiN-coated aluminum electrodes.« less

  20. TiN coated aluminum electrodes for DC high voltage electron guns

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mamun, Md Abdullah A.; Elmustafa, Abdelmageed A., E-mail: aelmusta@odu.edu; Taus, Rhys

    Preparing electrodes made of metals like stainless steel, for use inside DC high voltage electron guns, is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. In this paper, the authors report the exceptional high voltage performance of aluminum electrodes coated with hard titanium nitride (TiN). The aluminum electrodes were comparatively easy to manufacture and required only hours of mechanical polishing using silicon carbide paper, prior to coating with TiN by a commercial vendor. The high voltage performance of three TiN-coated aluminum electrodes, before and after gas conditioning with helium, was compared to that of bare aluminum electrodes, and electrodes manufactured from titanium alloymore » (Ti-6Al-4V). Following gas conditioning, each TiN-coated aluminum electrode reached −225 kV bias voltage while generating less than 100 pA of field emission (<10 pA) using a 40 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to field strength of 13.7 MV/m. Smaller gaps were studied to evaluate electrode performance at higher field strength with the best performing TiN-coated aluminum electrode reaching ∼22.5 MV/m with field emission less than 100 pA. These results were comparable to those obtained from our best-performing electrodes manufactured from stainless steel, titanium alloy and niobium, as reported in references cited below. The TiN coating provided a very smooth surface and with mechanical properties of the coating (hardness and modulus) superior to those of stainless steel, titanium-alloy, and niobium electrodes. These features likely contributed to the improved high voltage performance of the TiN-coated aluminum electrodes.« less

  1. TiN coated aluminum electrodes for DC high voltage electron guns

    DOE PAGES

    Mamun, Md Abdullah A.; Elmustafa, Abdelmageed A.; Taus, Rhys; ...

    2015-05-01

    Preparing electrodes made of metals like stainless steel, for use inside DC high voltage electron guns, is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. In this paper, the authors report the exceptional high voltage performance of aluminum electrodes coated with hard titanium nitride (TiN). The aluminum electrodes were comparatively easy to manufacture and required only hours of mechanical polishing using silicon carbide paper, prior to coating with TiN by a commercial vendor. The high voltage performance of three TiN-coated aluminum electrodes, before and after gas conditioning with helium, was compared to that of bare aluminum electrodes, and electrodes manufactured from titanium alloymore » (Ti-6AI-4V). Following gas conditioning, each TiN-coated aluminum electrode reached -225 kV bias voltage while generating less than 100 pA of field emission (<10 pA) using a 40 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to field strength of 13.7 MV/m. Smaller gaps were studied to evaluate electrode performance at higher field strength with the best performing TiN-coated aluminum electrode reaching ~22.5 MV/m with field emission less than 100 pA. These results were comparable to those obtained from our best-performing electrodes manufactured from stainless steel, titanium alloy and niobium, as reported in references cited below. The TiN coating provided a very smooth surface and with mechanical properties of the coating (hardness and modulus) superior to those of stainless steel, titanium-alloy, and niobium electrodes. These features likely contributed to the improved high voltage performance of the TiN-coated aluminum electrodes.« less

  2. Surface decoration of short-cut polyimide fibers with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their application for reinforcement of lightweight PC/ABS composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Le; Han, Enlin; Wu, Yulun; Wang, Xiaodong; Wu, Dezhen

    2018-06-01

    The surface decoration of short-cut polyimide (PI) fibers with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was performed by fabricating a polydopamine (PDA) coating layer on the fiber surface and then immobilizing MWCNTs onto the coating layer via covalent bonding. This successful surface decoration was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared microscopy and static water contact angle. The application of the surface-decorated PI fibers as reinforcing fibers for reinforcement of polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) alloy was investigated, which indicated that the MWCNTs-decorated PI fibers not only could effectively reinforce the PC/ABS alloy but also generated a significant lightweighting effect on the resulting composites. The maximum mechanical properties were achieved for the composites at a fiber content of 20 wt.% and a fiber length of 3 mm. This significant reinforcement effect is attributed to the enhancement of interaction bonding strength between the fibers and matrix as a result of the surface decoration of PI fibers with MWCNTs. The morphological investigation suggested that fiber rupture was the major energy dissipation mechanism in the tensile and impact failures, whereas fiber debonding and pullout were partly involved in the fracture energy dissipation. In addition, the presence of surface-decorated PI fibers slightly enhanced the thermal stability and load bearing capability of composites. This work can provide a type of high-performance lightweight composite material for automobile and aviation industries.

  3. ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF NICKEL ALLOYS FROM THE PYROPHOSPHATE BATH: NICKEL- ZINC AND NICKEL-MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Panikkar, S.K.; Char, T.L.R.

    1958-02-01

    Results of studies on the electrodeposition of nickel-zinc and nickel-- molybdenum alloys in a pyrophosphate bath using platinium electrodes are presented. The fects of varying current density and metal contents of the electrolyte on alloy deposit composition, cathode efficiency, and cathode potential are presented in tabular form. (J.R.D.) l2432 A study was made of the effect of homogenization on the mechanical properties of solution-treated and aged aluminum and the quantitative effects of several variables on hardness. The effect of alloying elements on the increase in hardness of aluminum is shown. (J.E.D.)

  4. Alloying and Properties of C14–NbCr2 and A15–Nb3X (X = Al, Ge, Si, Sn) in Nb–Silicide-Based Alloys

    PubMed Central

    Tsakiropoulos, Panos

    2018-01-01

    The oxidation of Nb–silicide-based alloys is improved with Al, Cr, Ge or Sn addition(s). Depending on addition(s) and its(their) concentration(s), alloyed C14-AB2 Laves and A15-A3X phases can be stable in the microstructures of the alloys. In both phases, A is the transition metal(s), and B and X respectively can be Cr, Al, Ge, Si or Sn, and Al, Ge, Si or Sn. The alloying, creep and hardness of these phases were studied using the composition weighted differences in electronegativity (∆χ), average valence electron concentrations (VEC) and atomic sizes. For the Laves phase (i) the VEC and ∆χ were in the ranges 4.976 < VEC < 5.358 and −0.503 < ∆χ < −0.107; (ii) the concentration of B (=Al + Cr + Ge + Si + Sn) varied from 50.9 to 64.5 at %; and (iii) the Cr concentration was in the range of 35.8 < Cr < 51.6 at %. Maps of ∆χ versus Cr, ∆χ versus VEC, and VEC versus atomic size separated the alloying behaviours of the elements. Compared with unalloyed NbCr2, the VEC decreased and ∆χ increased in Nb(Cr,Si)2, and the changes in both parameters increased when Nb was substituted by Ti, and Cr by Si and Al, or Si and Ge, or Si and Sn. For the A15 phase (i) the VEC and ∆χ were in the ranges 4.38 < VEC < 4.89 and 0.857 < ∆χ < 1.04, with no VEC values between 4.63 and 4.72 and (ii) the concentration of X (=Al + Ge + Si + Sn) varied from 16.3 to 22.7 at %. The VEC versus ∆χ map separated the alloying behaviours of elements. The hardness of A15-Nb3X was correlated with the parameters ∆χ and VEC. The hardness increased with increases in ∆χ and VEC. Compared with Nb3Sn, the ∆χ and hardness of Nb3(Si,Sn) increased. The substitution of Nb by Cr had the same effect on ∆χ and hardness as Hf or Ti. The ∆χ and hardness increased with Ti concentration. The addition of Al in Nb3(Si,Sn,Al) decreased the ∆χ and increased the hardness. When Ti and Hf, or Ti, Hf and Cr, were simultaneously present with Al, the ∆χ was decreased and the

  5. Fundamental Understanding of the Intrinsic Ductility in Nickel-Base L12 Type Alloys.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-05-12

    COSATI CO0ES I L SUBJE CT TIE RMS (Conue an eo e eee it necessary and identify by blb .un bPe) . ". Eo GROUP SUB. G. Nickel Aluminide , Single...Ni3Al alloys, three series of alloys were formulated and produced as singl’e--crtals. The alloying additions selected include tantalum, tin and titanium ...been completed-for a tantalum and a titanium -containing alloy. Relative .. to the binary alloy, the alloying additions were found to significantly

  6. Stacked 3D RRAM Array with Graphene/CNT as Edge Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Bai, Yue; Wu, Huaqiang; Wang, Kun; Wu, Riga; Song, Lin; Li, Tianyi; Wang, Jiangtao; Yu, Zhiping; Qian, He

    2015-01-01

    There are two critical challenges which determine the array density of 3D RRAM: 1) the scaling limit in both horizontal and vertical directions; 2) the integration of selector devices in 3D structure. In this work, we present a novel 3D RRAM structure using low-dimensional materials, including 2D graphene and 1D carbon nanotube (CNT), as the edge electrodes. A two-layer 3D RRAM with monolayer graphene as edge electrode is demonstrated. The electrical results reveal that the RRAM devices could switch normally with this very thin edge electrode at nanometer scale. Meanwhile, benefited from the asymmetric carrier transport induced by Schottky barrier at metal/CNT and oxide/CNT interfaces, a selector built-in 3D RRAM structure using CNT as edge electrode is successfully fabricated and characterized. Furthermore, the discussion of high array density potential is presented. PMID:26348797

  7. Ab-initio study of the energetics and thermodynamics of the reaction CH3H + O( 3P) → CF3H … O → CF3 + OH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kreye, W. C.

    1996-07-01

    Ab-initio computations at 298.15 K were made of the activation quantities ΔH ‡, ΔS ‡, and ΔG ‡ and of the reaction quantities ΔHr and ΔSr for CF3H + O( 3P) → CF3H … O → .CF3.OH. CF 3H … O is the transition state (TS). GAUSSIAN92 was used and energies computed at a slightly modified Gaussian-2 level. Two potential surfaces for the TS had symmetries 3A' and 3A″. The two rate constants included a semi-classical, quantum-mechanical-tunneling transmission coefficient. The ab-initio ΔH ‡and ΔH r values were in excellent agreement (± 1 kcal/mol) with experiment; but the ΔS ‡, ΔG ‡, and ΔS r values yielded somewhat poorer agreement. Experimental and ab-initio structures were in excellent agreement.

  8. 5V-class bulk-type all-solid-state rechargeable lithium batteries with electrode-solid electrolyte composite electrodes prepared by aerosol deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iriyama, Yasutoshi; Wadaguchi, Masaki; Yoshida, Koki; Yamamoto, Yuta; Motoyama, Munekazu; Yamamoto, Takayuki

    2018-05-01

    Composite electrodes (∼9 μm in thickness) composed of 5V-class electrode of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNM) and high Li+ conductive crystalline-glass solid electrolyte (LATP, Ohara Inc.) were prepared at room temperature by aerosol deposition (AD) on platinum sheets. The resultant LNM-LATP composite electrodes were combined with LiPON and Li, and 5V-class bulk-type all-solid-state rechargeable lithium batteries (SSBs) were prepared. The crystallnity of the LNM in the LNM-LATP composite electrode was improved by annealing. Both thermogravimetry-mass spectroscopy analysis and XRD analysis clarified that the side reactions between the LNM and the LATP occurred over 500 °C with oxygen release. From these results, annealing temperature of the LNM-LATP composite electrode system was optimized at 500 °C due to the improved crystallinity of the LNM with avoiding the side-reactions. The SSBs with the composite electrodes (9 μm in thickness, 40 vol% of the LNM) annealed at 500 °C delivered 100 mAh g-1 at 10 μA cm-2 at 100 °C. Degradation of the discharge capacity with the repetition of the charge-discharge reactions was observed, which will originate from large volume change of the LNM (∼6.5%) during the reactions.

  9. Understanding the adhesion and optical properties of eutectic metal alloys for solution-processed electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Prashant; Aggarwal, Shantanu; Narayana, Chandrabhas; Narayan, K. S.

    2018-02-01

    The role of indium in controlling the adhesion and the optical properties of fusible, low- melting alloys is highlighted in this work. The optical activity of indium-alloy/polymer interface is probed using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which shows a large increase in polymer Raman modes intensity. Signatures of plasmon and chemically enhanced Raman are visible for more than one polymer. Improvement in adhesion is also reflected in their ability to coat conformally onto the polymer surface resulting in a suitable interface for electrical transport. The electrical characteristics of alloy electrodes, which are printed in ambient conditions, are superior when compared to the thermally evaporated aluminum cathodes. Raman and responsivity measurements indicate that indium (In) forms metal/organic hybrid charge-transfer states at the alloy/polymer interface and assumes a decisive role in controlling the mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of these electrodes. Our studies suggest that the indium present in small quantities (˜5 wt. %) can significantly improve the overall performance of the low-temperature printable eutectic alloy electrodes.

  10. Passivation of Cu-Zn alloy on low carbon steel electrodeposited from a pyrophosphate medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yavuz, Abdulcabbar; Yakup Hacıibrahimoğlu, M.; Bedir, Metin

    2018-01-01

    The motivation of this study is to understand whether zinc-based alloy also has a passivation behaviour similar to zinc itself. Cu-Zn alloys were electrodeposited potentiostatically from a pyrophosphate medium on a carbon steel electrode and their corrosion behaviours were studied. Pt and carbon steel electrodes were used in order to examine the corrosion/passivation behaviour of bare Cu, bare Zn and Cu-Zn alloy coatings. The passivation behaviour of all brass-modified electrodes having Zn content between 10% and 100% was investigated. The growth potential affects the morphology and structure of crystals. The brass coatings are more porous than their pure components. The crystalline structure of Cu-Zn alloys can be obtained by changing the deposition potential. The zinc content in brass increases when the deposition voltage applied decreases. However, the growth potential and the ratio of zinc in brass do not affect the passivation behaviour of the resulting alloys. The coatings obtained by applying different growth potentials were immersed in tap water for 24 h to compare their corrosion behaviours with carbon steel having pitting formation.

  11. Negative electrodes for Na-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Dahbi, Mouad; Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Kubota, Kei; Tokiwa, Kazuyasu; Komaba, Shinichi

    2014-08-07

    Research interest in Na-ion batteries has increased rapidly because of the environmental friendliness of sodium compared to lithium. Throughout this Perspective paper, we report and review recent scientific advances in the field of negative electrode materials used for Na-ion batteries. This paper sheds light on negative electrode materials for Na-ion batteries: carbonaceous materials, oxides/phosphates (as sodium insertion materials), sodium alloy/compounds and so on. These electrode materials have different reaction mechanisms for electrochemical sodiation/desodiation processes. Moreover, not only sodiation-active materials but also binders, current collectors, electrolytes and electrode/electrolyte interphase and its stabilization are essential for long cycle life Na-ion batteries. This paper also addresses the prospect of Na-ion batteries as low-cost and long-life batteries with relatively high-energy density as their potential competitive edge over the commercialized Li-ion batteries.

  12. Structural and electrochemical properties of annealed La1-xYxNi3.55Mno.4Alo.3Coo.75 hydrogen storage alloys.

    PubMed

    Du, Yulei; Li, Wei

    2011-06-01

    The effects of the annealing and partial substitution of Y for La on the structural and electrochemical properties of La1-xYxNi3.55Mno.4Alo.3Cro.75 (x = 0, 0.1 and 0.2) alloys were reported in the present work. The single-phased CaCu5-type structure was retained after La was partially substituted by Y. However, the increase of Y content leads to decrease of the lattice parameters and the unit-cell volume. The annealed Lao.9Yo.1Ni3.55Mno.4Alo.3Coo.75 alloys shows typical isometric microstructure, indicating that the composition segregation is improved by annealing. Y substitution for La in the alloys is effective to improve the electrochemical properties at both room temperature and high temperature. A critical substitution content of Y is found at x = 0.1. Copyright © 2011 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Two main and a new type rare earth elements in Mg alloys: A review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Linghang

    2017-09-01

    Magnesium (Mg) alloys stand for the lightest structure engineering materials. Moreover, the strengthening of Mg alloys in ductility, toughness and corrosion predominates their wide applications. With adding rare earth elements in Mg, the mechanical properties will be improved remarkably, especially their plasticity and strength. A brief overview of the addition of rare earth elements for Mg alloys is shown. The basic mechanisms of strengthening Mg alloys with rare earth elements are reviewed, including the solid solution strengthening, grain refinement and long period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase. Furthermore, the available rare earth elements are summarized by type, chemical or physical effects and other unique properties. Finally, some challenge problems that the research is facing and future expectations of ra-re-earth Mg alloys are stated and discussed.

  14. Atomically-thin molecular layers for electrode modification of organic transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gim, Yuseong; Kang, Boseok; Kim, Bongsoo; Kim, Sun-Guk; Lee, Joong-Hee; Cho, Kilwon; Ku, Bon-Cheol; Cho, Jeong Ho

    2015-08-01

    Atomically-thin molecular layers of aryl-functionalized graphene oxides (GOs) were used to modify the surface characteristics of source-drain electrodes to improve the performances of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. The GOs were functionalized with various aryl diazonium salts, including 4-nitroaniline, 4-fluoroaniline, or 4-methoxyaniline, to produce several types of GOs with different surface functional groups (NO2-Ph-GO, F-Ph-GO, or CH3O-Ph-GO, respectively). The deposition of aryl-functionalized GOs or their reduced derivatives onto metal electrode surfaces dramatically enhanced the electrical performances of both p-type and n-type OFETs relative to the performances of OFETs prepared without the GO modification layer. Among the functionalized rGOs, CH3O-Ph-rGO yielded the highest hole mobility of 0.55 cm2 V-1 s-1 and electron mobility of 0.17 cm2 V-1 s-1 in p-type and n-type FETs, respectively. Two governing factors: (1) the work function of the modified electrodes and (2) the crystalline microstructures of the benchmark semiconductors grown on the modified electrode surface were systematically investigated to reveal the origin of the performance improvements. Our simple, inexpensive, and scalable electrode modification technique provides a significant step toward optimizing the device performance by engineering the semiconductor-electrode interfaces in OFETs.Atomically-thin molecular layers of aryl-functionalized graphene oxides (GOs) were used to modify the surface characteristics of source-drain electrodes to improve the performances of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. The GOs were functionalized with various aryl diazonium salts, including 4-nitroaniline, 4-fluoroaniline, or 4-methoxyaniline, to produce several types of GOs with different surface functional groups (NO2-Ph-GO, F-Ph-GO, or CH3O-Ph-GO, respectively). The deposition of aryl-functionalized GOs or their reduced derivatives onto metal electrode surfaces dramatically

  15. Electrochemical aptamer-based nanosensor fabricated on single Au nanowire electrodes for adenosine triphosphate assay.

    PubMed

    Wang, Dongmei; Xiao, Xiaoqing; Xu, Shen; Liu, Yong; Li, Yongxin

    2018-01-15

    In this work, single Au nanowire electrodes (AuNWEs) were fabricated by laser-assisted pulling/hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching process, which then were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical method and finite-element simulation. The as-prepared single AuNWEs were used to construct electrochemical aptamer-based nanosensors (E-AB nanosensors) based on the formation of Au-S bond that duplex DNA tagged with methylene blue (MB) was modified on the surface of electrode. In the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the MB-labeled aptamer dissociated from the duplex DNA due to the strong specific affinity between aptamer and target, which lead to the reduction of MB electrochemical signals. Moreover, BSA was employed to further passivate electrode surface bonding sites for the stable of the sensor. The as-prepared E-AB nanosensor has been used for ATP assay with excellent sensitivity and selectivity, even in a complex system like cerebrospinal fluid of rat brain. Considering the unique properties of good stability, larger surface area and smaller overall dimensions, this E-AB nanosensor should be an ideal platform for widely sensing applications in living bio-system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Photocurrent enhancement of n-type Cu2O electrodes achieved by controlling dendritic branching growth.

    PubMed

    McShane, Colleen M; Choi, Kyoung-Shin

    2009-02-25

    Cu(2)O electrodes composed of dendritic crystals were produced electrochemically using a slightly acidic medium (pH 4.9) containing acetate buffer. The buffer played a key role for stabilizing dendritic branching growth as a pH drop during the synthesis prevents formation of morphologically unstable branches and promotes faceted growth. Dendritic branching growth enabled facile coverage of the substrate with Cu(2)O while avoiding growth of a thicker Cu(2)O layer and increasing surface areas. The resulting electrodes showed n-type behavior by generating anodic photocurrent without applying an external bias (zero-bias photocurrent under short-circuit condition) in an Ar-purged 0.02 M K(2)SO(4) solution. The zero-bias photocurrent of crystalline dendritic electrodes was significantly higher than that of the electrodes containing micrometer-size faceted crystals deposited without buffer. In order to enhance photocurrent further a strategy of improving charge-transport properties by increasing dendritic crystal domain size was investigated. Systematic changes in nucleation density and size of the dendritic Cu(2)O crystals were achieved by altering the deposition potential, Cu(2+) concentration, and acetate concentration. Increasing dendritic crystal size consistently resulted in the improvement of photocurrent regardless of the method used to regulate crystal size. The electrode composed of dendritic crystals with the lateral dimension of ca. 12000 microm(2) showed more than 20 times higher zero-bias photocurrent than that composed of dendritic crystals with the lateral dimension of ca. 100 microm(2). The n-type nature of the Cu(2)O electrodes prepared by this study were confirmed by linear sweep voltammetry with chopped light and capacitance measurements (i.e., Mott-Schottky plots). The flatband potential in a 0.2 M K(2)SO(4) solution (pH 6) was estimated to be -0.78 vs Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The IPCE measured without applying an external bias was approximately 1

  17. Effect of stoichiometry and Cu-substitution on the phase structure and hydrogen storage properties of Ml-Mg-Ni-based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yuan; Tao, Yang; Huo, Quan

    2015-01-01

    To improve the electrochemical properties of rare-earth-Mg-Ni-based hydrogen storage alloys, the effects of stoichiometry and Cu-substitution on the phase structure and thermodynamic properties of the alloys were studied. Nonsubstituted Ml0.80Mg0.20(Ni2.90Co0.50-Mn0.30Al0.30) x ( x = 0.68, 0.70, 0.72, 0.74, 0.76) alloys and Cu-substituted Ml0.80Mg0.20(Ni2.90Co0.50- y Cu y Mn0.30Al0.30)0.70 ( y = 0, 0.10, 0.30, 0.50) alloys were prepared by induction melting. Phase structure analysis shows that the nonsubstituted alloys consist of a LaNi5 phase, a LaNi3 phase, and a minor La2Ni7 phase; in addition, in the case of Cu-substitution, the Nd2Ni7 phase appears and the LaNi3 phase vanishes. Thermodynamic tests show that the enthalpy change in the dehydriding process decreases, indicating that hydride stability decreases with increasing stoichiometry and increasing Cu content. The maximum discharge capacity, kinetic properties, and cycling stability of the alloy electrodes all increase and then decrease with increasing stoichiometry or increasing Cu content. Furthermore, Cu substitution for Co ameliorates the discharge capacity, kinetics, and cycling stability of the alloy electrodes.

  18. X-ray Diffraction Study of Order-Disorder Phase Transition in CuMPt6 (M=3d Elements) Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, Ejaz; Takahashi, Miwako; Iwasaki, Hiroshi; Ohshima, Ken-ichi

    2009-01-01

    We investigated the ordering behavior of ternary CuMPt6 alloys with M=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni by high-temperature polycrystalline X-ray diffraction. The alloys undergo a phase transition from the fcc disordered state to the Cu3Au-type ordered state, except for the alloy with M=Ni, in which only short-range order forms. The transition temperature Tc is highest (1593 K) for M=Ti and decreases almost monotonically with increasing atomic number to 1153 K for M=Co. The observed dependence of ordering tendency on the atomic number of M is discussed in the light of the theory of ordering in transition-metal alloys and its significance for the study of ordering in ternary alloys.

  19. Non Target Effect of Cry1 Ab and Cry Ab x Cry3 Bb1 Bt Transgenic Maize on Orius Insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Abundance

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Non-target effects of Cry1Ab x CP4 EPSPS and Cry1Ab + Cry3Bb1 x CP4 EPSPS Bt transgenic new maize hybrids on insidious flower bugs [Orius insidiosus (Say)] was studied in Nebraska (Mead, C lay Center, and Concord) during 2007 and 2008. The Bt effect was compared to CP4 EPSPS maize (isoline), convent...

  20. Methods and Strategies for the Ab Initio Design of Novel Manganese Oxide- Based Water Splitting Photocatalyst Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanan, Dalal K.

    potential redox reactivity. Optical excitation studies show alloying lowers the LMCT transition to ~8.3 eV leaving all other absorption properties relatively unchanged. We find near degeneracies among spin-allowed and spin-forbidden LMCT states that could facilitate intersystem crossing (ISC) resulting in longer lifetimes. We suggest seeking other materials that exhibit similar LMCT excitations but that are visible-light activated as a design strategy for further enhancing photon conversion efficiencies. Additionally, several dopants (Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, Ti, Sb, Gd, F (n-type dopants) and Li (a p-type dopant)) were assessed for their ability to enhance conductivity in MnO:ZnO. We find Ga, Sc, Ti, F, and Sb dopants create deep traps whereas In forms shallower traps that merit further investigation. In contrast, Y, Al, Gd, and Li dopants should increase the carrier concentration while maintaining favorable electron and hole transport pathways. The adsorption and oxidation of water on MnO:ZnO(001) surface was studied with ab initio DFT+U calculations. The computed phase diagram for the water/MnO:ZnO(001) interface reveals the surface is quite hydrophilic with the half-dissociated 1 ML (2 ML) structure being most stable under water-poor (water-rich) conditions. For the gas phase water oxidation reaction, we compute a thermodynamic overpotential of 0.82 V without yet modeling reaction kinetics or solvation. The overpotential mainly results from the *OOH intermediate being too weakly bound to the surface because of a loss of resonance stabilization in the adsorbate. We suggest judicious doping as a way to stabilize *OOH and potentially reduce the overpotential to just 0.05 V (for 0.5 ML reaction coverage). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  1. Composition design for Laves phase-related body-centered cubic-V solid solution alloys with large hydrogen storage capacities.

    PubMed

    Wang, H B; Wang, Q; Dong, C; Yuan, L; Xu, F; Sun, L X

    2008-03-19

    This paper analyzes the characteristics of alloy compositions with large hydrogen storage capacities in Laves phase-related body-centered cubic (bcc) solid solution alloy systems using the cluster line approach. Since a dense-packed icosahedral cluster A(6)B(7) characterizes the local structure of AB(2) Laves phases, in an A-B-C ternary system, such as Ti-Cr (Mn, Fe)-V, where A-B forms AB(2) Laves phases while A-C and B-C tend to form solid solutions, a cluster line A(6)B(7)-C is constructed by linking A(6)B(7) to C. The alloy compositions with large hydrogen storage capacities are generally located near this line and are approximately expressed with the cluster-plus-glue-atom model. The cluster line alloys (Ti(6)Cr(7))(100-x)V(x) (x = 2.5-70 at.%) exhibit different structures and hence different hydrogen storage capacities with increasing V content. The alloys (Ti(6)Cr(7))(95)V(5) and Ti(30)Cr(40)V(30) with bcc solid solution structure satisfy the cluster-plus-glue-atom model.

  2. Final Report for Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-02ER45997, "Alloy Design of Nanoscale Precipitation Strengthened Alloys: Design of a Heat Treatable Aluminum Alloy Useful to 400C"

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Morris E. Fine; Gautam Ghosh; Dieter Isheim

    A creep resistant high temperature Al base alloy made by conventional processing procedures is the subject of this research. The Ni-based superalloys have volume fractions of cubic L1{sub 2} phase precipitates near 50%. This is not attainable with Al base alloys and the approach pursued in this research was to add L1{sub 2} structured precipitates to the Al-Ni eutectic alloy, 2.7 at. % Ni-97.3 at. % Al. The eutectic reaction gives platelets of Al{sub 3}Ni (DO{sub 11} structure) in an almost pure Al matrix. The Al{sub 3}Ni platelets give reinforcement strengthening while the L1{sub 2} precipitates strengthen the Al alloymore » matrix. Based on prior research and the extensive research reported here modified cubic L1{sub 2} Al{sub 3}Zr is a candidate. While cubic Al{sub 3}Zr is metastable, the stable phase is tetragonal, only cubic precipitates were observed after 1600 hrs at 425 C and they hardly coarsened at all with time at this temperature. Also addition of Ti retards the cubic to tetragonal transformation; however, a thermodynamically stable precipitate is desired. A very thorough ab initio computational investigation was done on the stability of L1{sub 2} phases of composition, (Al,X){sub 3}(Zr,Ti) and the possible occurrence of tie lines between a stable L1{sub 2} phase and the Al alloy terminal solid solution. Precipitation of cubic (Al{sub (1-x)}Zn{sub x}){sub 3}Zr in Al was predicted by these computations and subsequently observed by experiment (TEM). To test the combined reinforcement-precipitation concept to obtain a creep resistant Al alloy, Zr and Ti were added to the Al-Ni eutectic alloy. Cubic L1{sub 2} precipitates did form. The first and only Al-Ni-Zr-Ti alloy tested for creep gave a steady state creep rate at 375 C of 8 x 10{sup -9} under 20MPa stress. The goal is to optimize this alloy and add Zn to achieve a thermodynamically stable precipitate.« less

  3. MXene-Based Electrode with Enhanced Pseudocapacitance and Volumetric Capacity for Power-Type and Ultra-Long Life Lithium Storage.

    PubMed

    Niu, Shanshan; Wang, Zhiyu; Yu, Mingliang; Yu, Mengzhou; Xiu, Luyang; Wang, Song; Wu, Xianhong; Qiu, Jieshan

    2018-04-24

    Powerful yet thinner lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are eagerly desired to meet the practical demands of electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. However, the use of soft carbon materials in current electrode design to improve the electrode conductivity and stability does not afford high volumetric capacity due to their low density and capacity for lithium storage. Herein, we report a strategy leveraging the MXene with superior conductivity and density to soft carbon as matrix and additive material for comprehensively enhancing the power capability, lifespan, and volumetric capacity of conversion-type anode. A kinetics favorable 2D nanohybrid with high conductivity, compact density, accumulated pseudocapacitance, and diffusion-controlled behavior is fabricated by coupling Ti 3 C 2 MXene with high-density molybdenum carbide for fast lithium storage over 300 cycles with high capacities. By replacing the carbonaceous conductive agent with Ti 3 C 2 MXene, the electrodes with better conductivity and dramatically reduced thickens could be further manufactured to achieve 37-40% improvement in capacity retention and ultra-long life of 5500 cycles with extremely slow capacity loss of 0.002% per cycle at high current rates. Ultrahigh volumetric capacity of 2460 mAh cm -3 could be attained by such MXene-based electrodes, highlighting the great promise of MXene in the development of high-performance LIBs.

  4. Generation and performance of special quasirandom structures for studying the elastic properties of random alloys: Application to Al-Ti

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    von Pezold, Johann; Dick, Alexey; Friák, Martin; Neugebauer, Jörg

    2010-03-01

    The performance of special-quasirandom structures (SQSs) for the description of elastic properties of random alloys was evaluated. A set of system-independent 32-atom-fcc SQS spanning the entire concentration range was generated and used to determine C11 , C12 , and C44 of binary random substitutional AlTi alloys. The elastic properties of these alloys could be described using the set of SQS with an accuracy comparable to the accuracy achievable by statistical sampling of the configurational space of 3×3×3 (108 atom, C44 ) and 4×4×4 (256 atom, C11 and C12 ) fcc supercells, irrespective of the impurity concentration. The smaller system size makes the proposed SQS ideal candidates for the ab initio determination of the elastic constants of random substitutional alloys. The set of optimized SQS is provided.

  5. A fitting empirical potential for NiTi alloy and its application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Guowu; Tang, Tiegang; Sehitoglu, Huseyin

    Due to its superelastic behavior, NiTi shape memory alloy receives considerable attentions over a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. Limited to its complex structural transformation and multiple variants, semiempirical potentials for performing large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the atomistic mechanical process, are very few. In this work, we construct a new interatomic potential for the NiTi alloy by fitting to experimental or ab initio data. The fitting potential correctly predicts the lattice parameter, structural stability, equation of state for cubic B2(austenite) and monoclinic B19'(martensite) phases. In particular the elastic properties(three elastic constants for B2 and thirteen ones for B19') are in satisfactory agreement with the experiments or ab initio calculations. Furthermore, we apply this potential to conduct the molecular dynamics simulations of the mechanical behavior for NiTi alloy and the results capture its reversible transformation.

  6. Electrochemical determination of hydroquinone using hydrophobic ionic liquid-type carbon paste electrodes

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Three types of carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) with different liquid binders were fabricated, and their electrochemical behavior was characterized via a potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) probe. 1-Octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid (IL) as a hydrophobic conductive pasting binder showed better electrochemical performance compared with the commonly employed binder. The IL-contained CPEs demonstrated excellent electroactivity for oxidation of hydroquinone. A diffusion control mechanism was confirmed and the diffusion coefficient (D) of 5.05 × 10-4 cm2 s-1 was obtained. The hydrophobic IL-CPE is promising for the determination of hydroquinone in terms of high sensitivity, easy operation, and good durability. PMID:20977733

  7. Decarburizing Annealing of Technical Alloy Fe - 3% Si

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobanov, M. L.; Gomzikov, A. I.; Akulov, S. V.; Pyatygin, A. I.

    2005-09-01

    Results of a study illustrating the effect of temperature and moisture content in the atmosphere (5% H2 + 95% N2) on the removal of carbon and oxidation of the surface layer of technical alloy Fe - 3% Si (electrical anisotropic steel of the nitride-copper production variant) are presented. Variation of the concentration of silicon over the thickness of the surface layer is studied. The types of phases forming on the surface and their influence on the occurrence of the processes are determined. Annealing parameters (temperature and moisture content of the atmosphere) at which the processes of decarburization and oxidation are decelerated and even stopped are established.

  8. Thermal and mechanical properties of 3D printed boron nitride - ABS composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quill, Tyler J.; Smith, Matthew K.; Zhou, Tony; Baioumy, Mohamed Gamal Shafik; Berenguer, Joao Paulo; Cola, Baratunde A.; Kalaitzidou, Kyriaki; Bougher, Thomas L.

    2017-11-01

    The current work investigates the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Boron Nitride (BN)-Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) composites prepared using both 3D printing and injection molding. The thermally conductive, yet electrically insulating composite material provides a unique combination of properties that make it desirable for heat dissipation and packaging applications in electronics. Materials were fabricated via melt mixing on a twin-screw compounder, then injection molded or extruded into filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. Compositions of up to 35 wt.% BN in ABS were prepared, and the infill orientation of the 3D printed composites was varied to investigate the effect on properties. Injection molding produced a maximum in-plane conductivity of 1.45 W/m-K at 35 wt.% BN, whereas 3D printed samples of 35 wt.% BN showed a value of 0.93 W/m-K, over 5 times the conductivity of pure ABS. The resulting thermal conductivity is anisotropic; with the through-plane thermal conductivity lower by a factor of 3 for injection molding and 4 for 3D printing. Adding BN flakes caused a modest increase in the flexural modulus, but resulted in a large decrease in the flexural strength and impact toughness. It is shown that although injection molding produces parts with superior thermal and mechanical properties, BN shows much potential as a filler material for rapid prototyping of thermally conductive composites.

  9. Alloy Engineering of Topological Semimetal Phase Transition in MgTa2 -xNbxN3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Huaqing; Jin, Kyung-Hwan; Liu, Feng

    2018-03-01

    Dirac, triple-point, and Weyl fermions represent three topological semimetal phases, characterized with a descending degree of band degeneracy, which have been realized separately in specific crystalline materials with different lattice symmetries. Here we demonstrate an alloy engineering approach to realize all three types of fermions in one single material system of MgTa2 -xNbx N3 . Based on symmetry analysis and first-principles calculations, we map out a phase diagram of topological order in the parameter space of alloy concentration and crystalline symmetry, where the intrinsic MgTa2 N3 with the highest symmetry hosts the Dirac semimetal phase, which transforms into the triple-point and then the Weyl semimetal phases with increasing Nb concentration that lowers the crystalline symmetries. Therefore, alloy engineering affords a unique approach for the experimental investigation of topological transitions of semimetallic phases manifesting different fermionic behaviors.

  10. A reduced graphene oxide/Co 3O 4 composite for supercapacitor electrode

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Xiang, Chengcheng; Li, Ming; Zhi, Mingjia

    2013-03-01

    20 nm sized Co 3O 4 nanoparticles are in-situ grown on the chemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets to form a rGO-Co 3O 4 composite during hydrothermal processing. The rGO-Co 3O 4 composite is employed as the pseudocapacitor electrode in the 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution. The rGOCo 3O 4 composite electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 472 F/g at a scan rate of 2 mV/s in a two-electrode cell. 82.6% of capacitance is retained when the scan rate increases to 100 mV/s. The rGOCo 3O 4 composite electrode shows high rate capability and excellent long-term stability. It alsomore » exhibits high energy density at relatively high power density. The energy density reaches 39.0 Wh/kg at a power density of 8.3 kW/kg. The super performance of the composite electrode is attributed to the synergistic effects of small size and good redox activity of the Co 3O 4 particles combined with high electronic conductivity of the rGO sheets.« less

  11. Ferromagnetism of Fe 3Sn and alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Sales, Brian C.; Saparov, Bayrammurad; McGuire, Michael A.; ...

    2014-11-12

    Hexagonal Fe 3Sn has many of the desirable properties for a new permanent magnet phase with a Curie temperature of 725 K, a saturation moment of 1.18 MA/m. and anisotropy energy, K 1 of 1.8 MJ/m 3. However, contrary to earlier experimental reports, we found both experimentally and theoretically that the easy magnetic axis lies in the hexagonal plane, which is undesirable for a permanent magnet material. One possibility for changing the easy axis direction is through alloying. We used first principles calculations to investigate the effect of elemental substitutions. The calculations showed that substitution on the Sn site hasmore » the potential to switch the easy axis direction. Transition metal substitutions with Co or Mn do not have this effect. We attempted synthesis of a number of these alloys and found results in accord with the theoretical predictions for those that were formed. However, the alloys that could be readily made all showed an in-plane easy axis. The electronic structure of Fe 3Sn is reported, as are some are magnetic and structural properties for the Fe 3Sn 2, and Fe 5Sn 3 compounds, which could be prepared as mm-sized single crystals.« less

  12. Lattice dynamic properties of Rh2XAl (X=Fe and Y) alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al, Selgin; Arikan, Nihat; Demir, Süleyman; Iyigör, Ahmet

    2018-02-01

    The electronic band structure, elastic and vibrational spectra of Rh2FeAl and Rh2YAl alloys were computed in detail by employing an ab-initio pseudopotential method and a linear-response technique based on the density-functional theory (DFT) scheme within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Computed lattice constants, bulk modulus and elastic constants were compared. Rh2YAl exhibited higher ability to resist volume change than Rh2FeAl. The elastic constants, shear modulus, Young modulus, Poisson's ratio, B/G ratio electronic band structure, total and partial density of states, and total magnetic moment of alloys were also presented. Rh2FeAl showed spin up and spin down states whereas Rh2YAl showed none due to being non-magnetic. The calculated total densities of states for both materials suggest that both alloys are metallic in nature. Full phonon spectra of Rh2FeAl and Rh2YA1 alloys in the L21 phase were collected using the ab-initio linear response method. The obtained phonon frequencies were in the positive region indicating that both alloys are dynamically stable.

  13. Tailoring the physical properties of Ni-based single-phase equiatomic alloys by modifying the chemical complexity

    DOE PAGES

    Jin, Ke; Sales, Brian C.; Stocks, George Malcolm; ...

    2016-02-01

    We discovered that equiatomic alloys (e.g. high entropy alloys) have recently attracted considerable interest due to their exceptional properties, which might be closely related to their extreme disorder induced by the chemical complexity. To understand the effects of chemical complexity on their fundamental physical properties, a family of (eight) Ni-based, face-center-cubic (FCC), equiatomic alloys, extending from elemental Ni to quinary high entropy alloys, has been synthesized, and their electrical, thermal, and magnetic properties are systematically investigated in the range of 4–300 K by combining experiments with ab initio Korring-Kohn-Rostoker coherent-potential-approximation (KKR-CPA) calculations. The scattering of electrons is significantly increased duemore » to the chemical (especially magnetic) disorder. It has weak correlation with the number of elements but strongly depends on the type of elements. Thermal conductivities of the alloys are largely lower than pure metals, primarily because the high electrical resistivity suppresses the electronic thermal conductivity. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the electrical and thermal transport properties is further discussed, and the magnetization of five alloys containing three or more elements is measured in magnetic fields up to 4 T.« less

  14. Influence of Doping and Nanostructuration on n-Type Bi2(Te0.8Se0.2)3 Alloys Synthesized by Arc Melting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gharsallah, Mouna; Serrano-Sanchez, Federico; Nemes, Norbert M.; Martinez, Jose Luis; Alonso, Jose Antonio

    2017-01-01

    In competitive thermoelectric devices for energy conversion and generation, high-efficiency materials of both n-type and p-type are required. For this, Bi2Te3-based alloys have the best thermoelectric properties in room temperature applications. Partial replacement of tellurium by selenium is expected to introduce new donor states in the band gap, which would alter electrical conductivity and thermopower. We report on the preparation of n-type Bi2(Te1-xSex)3 solid solutions by a straightforward arc-melting technique, yielding nanostructured polycrystalline pellets. X-ray and neutron powder diffraction was used to assess Se inclusion, also indicating that the interactions between quintuple layers constituting this material are weakened upon Se doping, while the covalency of intralayer bonds is augmented. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy shows large surfaces perpendicular to the c crystallographic axis assembled as stacked sheets. Grain boundaries related to this 2D nanostructuration affect the thermal conductivity reducing it below 0.8 Wm-1K-1 at room temperature. Furthermore, Se doping increases the absolute Seebeck coefficient up to -140 μV K-1 at 400 K, which is also beneficial for improved thermoelectric efficiency.

  15. In operando neutron diffraction study of LaNdMgNi9H13 as a metal hydride battery anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nazer, N. S.; Denys, R. V.; Yartys, V. A.; Hu, Wei-Kang; Latroche, M.; Cuevas, F.; Hauback, B. C.; Henry, P. F.; Arnberg, L.

    2017-03-01

    La2MgNi9-related alloys are superior metal hydride battery anodes as compared to the commercial AB5 alloys. Nd-substituted La2-yNdyMgNi9 intermetallics are of particular interest because of increased diffusion rate of hydrogen and thus improved performance at high discharge currents. The present work presents in operando characterization of the LaNdMgNi9 intermetallic as anode for the nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery. We have studied the structural evolution of LaNdMgNi9 during its charge and discharge using in situ neutron powder diffraction. The work included experiments using deuterium gas and electrochemical charge-discharge measurements. The alloy exhibited a high electrochemical discharge capacity (373 mAh/g) which is 20% higher than the AB5 type alloys. A saturated β-deuteride synthesized by solid-gas reaction at PD2 = 1.6 MPa contained 12.9 deuterium atoms per formula unit (D/f.u.) which resulted in a volume expansion of 26.1%. During the electrochemical charging, the volume expansion (23.4%) and D-contents were found to be slightly reduced. The reversible electrochemical cycling is performed through the formation of a two-phase mixture of the α-solid solution and β-hydride phases. Nd substitution contributes to the high-rate dischargeability, while maintaining a good cyclic stability. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to characterize the anode electrode on cycling. A mathematical model for the impedance response of a porous electrode was utilized. The EIS showed a decreased hydrogen transport rate during the long-term cycling, which indicated a corresponding slowing down of the electrochemical processes at the surface of the metal hydride anode.

  16. Electron transport in extended carbon-nanotube/metal contacts: Ab initio based Green function method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fediai, Artem; Ryndyk, Dmitry A.; Cuniberti, Gianaurelio

    2015-04-01

    We have developed a new method that is able to predict the electrical properties of the source and drain contacts in realistic carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFETs). It is based on large-scale ab initio calculations combined with a Green function approach. For the first time, both internal and external parts of a realistic CNT-metal contact are taken into account at the ab initio level. We have developed the procedure allowing direct calculation of the self-energy for an extended contact. Within the method, it is possible to calculate the transmission coefficient through a contact of both finite and infinite length; the local density of states can be determined in both free and embedded CNT segments. We found perfect agreement with the experimental data for Pd and Al contacts. We have explained why CNTFETs with Pd electrodes are p -type FETs with ohmic contacts, which can carry current close to the ballistic limit (provided contact length is large enough), whereas in CNT-Al contacts transmission is suppressed to a significant extent, especially for holes.

  17. Electrodeposition of Ni-Mo alloy coatings for water splitting reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shetty, Akshatha R.; Hegde, Ampar Chitharanjan

    2018-04-01

    The present study reports the development of Ni-Mo alloy coatings for water splitting applications, using a citrate bath the inducing effect of Mo (reluctant metal) on electrodeposition, its relationship with their electrocatalytic efficiency were studied. The alkaline water splitting efficiency of Ni-Mo alloy coatings, for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction were tested using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronopotentiometry (CP) techniques. Moreover, the practical utility of these electrode materials were evaluated by measuring the amount of H2 and O2 gas evolved. The variation in electrocatalytic activity with composition, structure, and morphology of the coatings were examined using XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses. The experimental results showed that Ni-Mo alloy coating is the best electrode material for alkaline HER and OER reactions, at lower and higher deposition current densities (c. d.'s) respectively. This behavior is attributed by decreased Mo and increased Ni content of the alloy coating and the number of electroactive centers.

  18. Isotopic Composition of Molybdenum and Barium in Single Presolar Silicon Carbide Grains of Type A+B

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Savina, M. R.; Tripa, C. E.; Pellin, M. J.; Davis, A. M.; Clayton, R. N.; Lewis, R. S.; Amari, S.

    2003-01-01

    Presolar SiC grains fall into several groups based on C, N, and Si isotopic compositions. Approximately 93% are defined as mainstream, having 10 less than C-12/C-13 less than 100 and N-14/N-15 ranging from 50 to 20,000. A number of studies have shown that the most likely sources of mainstream grains are low mass asymptotic giant branch stars. Models of nucleosynthesis in AGB stars reproduce the s-process enhancements seen in the heavy elements in mainstream SiC grains. Among the less common grains, A+B grains, which comprise approximately 3-4% of presolar SiC, are perhaps the least well understood. Recent studies by Amari et al. show that A+B grains can be divided into at least 4 groups based on their trace element concentration patterns. Of 20 grains studied, 7 showed trace element patterns consistent with condensation from a gas of solar system composition, while the rest had varying degrees of process enhancements. Our previous measurements on 3 A+B grains showed Mo of solar isotopic composition, but Zr with a strong enhancement in 96Zr, which is an r-process isotope but can be made in an sprocess if the neutron density is high enough to bridge the unstable Zr-95 (T(sub 1/2)= 64 d). The observation of Mo with solar system isotopic composition in the same grains is puzzling however. Meyer et al. have recently shown that a neutron burst mechanism can produce a high Zr-96/Zr-94 without enhancing Mo-100, however this model leads to enhancements in Mo-95 and Mo-97 not observed in A+B grains. We report here results of Mo measurements on 7 additional A+B grains, and Ba measurements on 2 A+B grains, and compare these to the previous studies.

  19. Are new TiNbZr alloys potential substitutes of the Ti6Al4V alloy for dental applications? An electrochemical corrosion study.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, Ana Lúcia Roselino; Hammer, Peter; Vaz, Luís Geraldo; Rocha, Luís Augusto

    2013-12-01

    The main aim of this work was to assess the electrochemical behavior of new Ti35Nb5Zr and Ti35Nb10Zr alloys in artificial saliva at 37 °C to verify if they are indicated to be used as biomaterials in dentistry as alternatives to Ti6Al4V alloys in terms of corrosion protection efficiency of the material. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments were carried out for different periods of time (0.5-216 h) in a three-electrode cell, where the working electrode (Ti alloys) was exposed to artificial saliva at 37 °C. The near-surface region of the alloys was investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All alloys exhibited an increase in corrosion potential with the immersion time, indicating the growth and stabilization of the passive film. Ti35Nb5Zr and Ti6Al4V alloys had their EIS results interpreted by a double-layer circuit, while the Ti35Nb10Zr alloy was modeled by a one-layer circuit. In general, the new TiNbZr alloys showed similar behavior to that observed for the Ti6Al4V. XPS results suggest, in the case of the TiNbZr alloys, the presence of a thicker passive layer containing a lower fraction of TiO2 phase than that of Ti6Al4V. After long-term immersion, all alloys develop a calcium phosphate phase on the surface. The new TiNbZr alloys appear as potential candidates to be used as a substitute to Ti6Al4V in the manufacturing of dental implant-abutment sets.

  20. The effects of an airborne-particle abrasion and silica-coating on the bond strength between grooved titanium alloy temporary cylinders and provisional veneering materials.

    PubMed

    Wei, Ann Yu-Chieh; Sharma, Arun B; Watanabe, Larry G; Finzen, Frederick C

    2011-03-01

    Even though mechanical retentive features, such as grooves, are incorporated into the surface of titanium alloy temporary cylinders, a reliable bond to veneering provisional materials is not always achievable for screw-retained provisional implant restorations. There is insufficient information about the effect of tribochemical silica coating on the bond strength between provisional materials and grooved titanium alloy temporary cylinders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the effect of an airborne-particle abrasion and silica-coating technique on the bond strength between grooved titanium alloy temporary cylinders and provisional veneering bisphenol-A glycidyl methacrylate and polymethyl methacrylate materials. Forty grooved titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) internal connection implant temporary cylinders were used. A disc of veneering material (7.1 × 3.4 mm) was created around the midsection of each cylinder. Forty specimens were divided into 4 groups (n=10): group NoTxPMMA, no surface treatment and polymethyl methacrylate veneering material; group NoTxBisGMA, no surface treatment and BisGMA veneering material; group AbPMMA, airborne-particle abrasion, silica-coating surface treatment (Rocatec), and polymethyl methacrylate; and group AbBisGMA, airborne-particle abrasion, silica-coating surface treatment (Rocatec), and BisGMA. Each specimen was subjected to ultimate shear load testing at the interface of the veneering material and the temporary cylinder in a universal testing machine at a constant crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. Data were analyzed with a 1-way ANOVA (α=.05) followed by post hoc Student-Newman-Keuls test. Each specimen underwent surface observation with a light microscope at ×40 magnification to compare fracture patterns. Airborne-particle abrasion and silica-coating surface treatment significantly lowered the shear bond strength (P<.05). The type of provisional material did not significantly affect the shear bond strength, with or

  1. FP-LAPW investigation of Al3(Sc1‑xTix) alloys properties in L12 and D022 structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khenioui, Youcef; Boulechfar, Rahima; Maazi, Noureddine; Ghemid, Sebti

    2018-06-01

    The ab-initio calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) have been performed to study the structural, mechanical, electronic, thermal and thermodynamic properties of Al3Sc and Al3Ti binary compounds and their ternary mixture Al3(Sc1‑xTix) in L12 and D022 structures. The total energy calculations show that the L12 structure is the more stable one. The Al3Sc0.25Ti0.75 undergoes a martensitic transformation and the formation enthalpies and the lattice parameters decrease with increasing concentration x. The elastic constants are determined and the results show that all compounds are mechanically stable and the cubic cells are more easily deformed by shearing than by unidirectional compression. The elastic modulus indicates that the addition of Ti atoms to Al3Sc improves its ductility. The densities of states (DOSs) calculations show the strong spd hybridization which leads to the formation of a pseudo-gap near the Fermi level in ternary alloys. The densities of states at the Fermi level N(EF) confirm the phase stability. The quasi-harmonic Debye model is used to predict the thermal properties such as heat capacity, Debye temperature, Grüneisen parameter and thermal expansion coefficient of the considered alloys. The determination of Gibbs free mixing energy at different concentrations has been used to calculate the T-x diagram.

  2. To alloy or not to alloy? Cr modified Pt/C cathode catalysts for PEM fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Wells, Peter P; Qian, Yangdong; King, Colin R; Wiltshire, Richard J K; Crabb, Eleanor M; Smart, Lesley E; Thompsett, David; Russell, Andrea E

    2008-01-01

    The cathode electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are commonly platinum and platinum based alloy nanoparticles dispersed on a carbon support. Control over the particle size and composition has, historically, been attained empirically, making systematic studies of the effects of various structural parameters difficult. The controlled surface modification methodology used in this work has enabled the controlled modification of carbon supported Pt nanoparticles by Cr so as to yield nanoalloy particles with defined compositions. Subsequent heat treatment in 5% H2 in N2 resulted in the formation of a distinct Pt3Cr alloy phase which was either restricted to the surface of the particles or present throughout the bulk of the particle structure. Measurement of the oxygen reduction activity of the catalysts was accomplished using the rotating thin film electrode method and the activities obtained were related to the structure of the nanoalloy catalyst particles, largely determined using Cr K edge and Pt L3 edge XAS.

  3. Cr/ITO semi-transparent n-type electrode for high-efficiency AlGaN/InGaN-based near ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hwankyo; Kim, Dae-Hyun; Seong, Tae-Yeon

    2017-11-01

    We investigated the electrical performance of near ultraviolet (NUV) (390 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with various semi-transparent Cr/ITO n-type contacts. It was shown that after annealing at 400 °C, Cr/ITO (10 nm/40 nm) contact was ohmic with a specific contact resistance of 9.8 × 10-4 Ωcm2. NUV AlGaN-based LEDs fabricated with different Cr/ITO (6-12 nm/40 nm) electrodes exhibited forward-bias voltages of 3.27-3.30 V at an injection current of 20 mA, which are similar to that of reference LED with Cr/Ni/Au (20 nm/25 nm/200 nm) electrode (3.29 V). The LEDs with the Cr/ITO electrodes gave series resistances of 10.69-11.98 Ω, while the series resistance is 10.84 Ohm for the reference LED. The transmittance of the Cr/ITO samples significantly improved when annealed at 400 °C. The transmittance (25.8-45.2% at 390 nm) of the annealed samples decreased with increasing Cr layer thickness. The LEDs with the Cr/ITO electrodes exhibited higher light output power than reference LED (with Cr/Ni/Au electrode). In particular, the LED with the Cr/ITO (12 nm/40 nm) electrode showed 9.3% higher light output power at 100 mA than reference LED. Based on the X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and electrical results, the ohmic formation mechanism is described and discussed.

  4. Effect of annealing temperature on microstructure and superelastic properties of a Ti-18Zr-4.5Nb-3Sn-2Mo alloy.

    PubMed

    Fu, Jie; Kim, Hee Young; Miyazaki, Shuichi

    2017-01-01

    In this study a new superelastic Ti-18Zr-4.5Nb-3Sn-2Mo alloy was prepared by adding 2at% of Mo as a substitute for Nb to the Ti-18Zr-11Nb-3Sn alloy, and heat treatment at different temperatures was conducted. The temperature dependence of superelasticity and annealing texture was investigated. Texture showed a dependence of annealing temperature: the specimen annealed at 923K for 0.3ks exhibited {113} β <47¯1> β type texture which was similar to the deformation texture, while specimens annealed at 973, 1073K, and 1173K showed {001} β <110> β type recrystallization texture which was preferable for recovery strain. The largest recovery strain of 6.2%, which is the same level as that of the Ti-18Zr-11Nb-3Sn alloy, was obtained in the specimen annealed at 1173K for 0.3ks due to the well-developed {001} β <110> β type recrystallization texture. The Ti-18Zr-3Nb-3Sn-2Mo alloy presented a higher tensile strength compared with the Ti-18Zr-11Nb-3Sn alloy when heat treated at 1173K for 0.3ks, which was due to the solid solution strengthening effect of Mo. Annealing at 923K for 0.3ks was effective in obtaining a good combination of a high strength as 865MPa and a large recovery strain as 5.6%. The high recovery strain was due to the high stress at which the maximum recovery stain was obtained which was attributed to the small grain size formed at low annealing temperature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Osteoblast and osteoclast responses to A/B type carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite ceramics for bone regeneration.

    PubMed

    Germaini, Marie-Michèle; Detsch, Rainer; Grünewald, Alina; Magnaudeix, Amandine; Lalloue, Fabrice; Boccaccini, Aldo R; Champion, Eric

    2017-06-06

    The influence of carbonate substitution (4.4 wt%, mixed A/B type) in hydroxyapatite ceramics for bone remodeling scaffolds was investigated by separately analyzing the response of pre-osteoblasts and osteoclast-like cells. Carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) (Ca 9.5 (PO 4 ) 5.5 (CO 3 ) 0.5 (OH)(CO 3 ) 0.25 -CHA), mimicking the chemical composition of natural bone mineral, and pure hydroxyapatite (HA) (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 -HA) porous ceramics were processed to obtain a similar microstructure and surface physico-chemical properties (grain size, porosity ratio and pore size, surface roughness and zeta potential). The biological behavior was studied using MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic and RAW 264.7 monocyte/macrophage cell lines. Chemical dissolution in the culture media and resorption lacunae produced by osteoclasts occur with both HA and CHA ceramics, but CHA exhibits much higher dissolution and greater bioresorption ability. CHA ceramics promoted a significantly higher level of pre-osteoblast proliferation. Osteoblastic differentiation, assessed by qRT-PCR of RUNX2 and COLIA2, and pre-osteoclastic proliferation and differentiation were not significantly different on CHA or HA ceramics but cell viability and metabolism were significantly greater on CHA ceramics. Thus, the activity of both osteoclast-like and osteoblastic cells was influenced by the carbonate substitution in the apatite structure. Furthermore, CHA showed a particularly interesting balance between biodegradation, by osteoclasts and chemical dissolution, and osteogenesis through osteoblasts' activity, to stimulate bone regeneration. It is hypothesized that this amount of 4.4 wt% carbonate substitution leads to an adapted concentration of calcium in the fluid surrounding the ceramic to stimulate the activity of cells. These results highlight the superior biological behavior of microporous 4.4 wt% A/B CHA ceramics that could beneficially replace the commonly used HA of biphasic calcium phosphates for future

  6. The influence of the corrosion product layer generated on the high strength low-alloy steels welded by underwater wet welding with stainless steel electrodes in seawater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Qiang; Zou, Yan; Kong, Xiangfeng; Gao, Yang; Dong, Sheng; Zhang, Wei

    2017-02-01

    The high strength low-alloy steels are welded by underwater wet welding with stainless steel electrodes. The micro-structural and electrochemical corrosion study of base metal (BM), weld zone (WZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) are carried out to understand the influence of the corrosion product layer generated on the high strength low-alloy steels welded by underwater wet welding with stainless steel electrodes, methods used including, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicate that the WZ acts as a cathode and there is no corrosion product on it throughout the immersion period in seawater. The HAZ and BM acts as anodes. The corrosion rates of the HAZ and BM change with the immersion time increasing. In the initial immersion period, the HAZ has the highest corrosion rate because it has a coarse tempered martensite structure and the BM exhibites a microstructure with very fine grains of ferrite and pearlite. After a period of immersion, the BM has the highest corrosion rate. The reason is that the corrosion product layer on the HAZ is dense and has a better protective property while that on the BM is loose and can not inhibit the diffusion of oxygen.

  7. Ni3Al-based alloys for die and tool application

    DOEpatents

    Liu, Chain T.; Bloom, Everett E.

    2001-01-01

    A novel Ni.sub.3 Al-based alloy exhibits strengths and hardness in excess of the standard base alloy IC-221M at temperatures of up to about 1000.degree. C. The alloy is useful in tool and die applications requiring such temperatures, and for structural elements in engineering systems exposed to such temperatures.

  8. Performance of ethanol electro-oxidation on Ni-Cu alloy nanowires through composition modulation.

    PubMed

    Tian, Xi-Ke; Zhao, Xiao-Yu; Zhang, Li-de; Yang, Chao; Pi, Zhen-Bang; Zhang, Su-Xin

    2008-05-28

    To reduce the cost of the catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells and improve its catalytic activity, highly ordered Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays have been fabricated successfully by differential pulse current electro-deposition into the pores of a porous anodic alumina membrane (AAMs). The energy dispersion spectrum, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to characterize the composition and morphology of the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays. The results reveal that the nanowires in the array are uniform, well isolated and parallel to each other. The catalytic activity of the nanowire electrode arrays for ethanol oxidation was tested and the binary alloy nanowire array possesses good catalytic activity for the electro-oxidation of ethanol. The performance of ethanol electro-oxidation was controlled by varying the Cu content in the Ni-Cu alloy and the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire electrode shows much better stability than the pure Ni one.

  9. Counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jihuai; Lan, Zhang; Lin, Jianming; Huang, Miaoliang; Huang, Yunfang; Fan, Leqing; Luo, Genggeng; Lin, Yu; Xie, Yimin; Wei, Yuelin

    2017-10-02

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are regarded as prospective solar cells for the next generation of photovoltaic technologies and have become research hotspots in the PV field. The counter electrode, as a crucial component of DSSCs, collects electrons from the external circuit and catalyzes the redox reduction in the electrolyte, which has a significant influence on the photovoltaic performance, long-term stability and cost of the devices. Solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, as well as the structure, principle, preparation and characterization of counter electrodes are mentioned in the introduction section. The next six sections discuss the counter electrodes based on transparency and flexibility, metals and alloys, carbon materials, conductive polymers, transition metal compounds, and hybrids, respectively. The special features and performance, advantages and disadvantages, preparation, characterization, mechanisms, important events and development histories of various counter electrodes are presented. In the eighth section, the development of counter electrodes is summarized with an outlook. This article panoramically reviews the counter electrodes in DSSCs, which is of great significance for enhancing the development levels of DSSCs and other photoelectrochemical devices.

  10. The effect of different rutile electrodes on mechanical properties of underwater wet welded AH-36 steel plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winarto, Winarto; Purnama, Dewin; Churniawan, Iwan

    2018-04-01

    Underwater welding is an important role in the rescue of ships and underwater structures, in case of emergency. In this study, the marine steel plates used are AH-36 steel as parent material. This type of steel is included in the High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA). Electrodes used for welding AH-36 steel plates are commonly the E6013 and E 7024 which are the type of based rutile electrodes. Those electrodes are widely available on the market and they would be compared with the original electrode for underwater which is the type of E7014 with the trade name of Broco UW-CS-1. Welding method used is Shielding Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) with the variation of 5 m and 10 m underwater depth and also varied with the electric current of 120A, 140A and 250A. It was found that hardness value of increased in the area of weld metal and HAZ. HAZ also tends to have the highest hardness compared to both of weld metal and base metal. Non destructive test by radiographed test (RT) on welds showed that there are found welding defects in the form of incomplete penetration on all variations of welding parameters, but there is no porosity defect detected. The results of the hardness tests of underwater wet welded steel plates show that the hardness value of both rutile electrodes (E6013 and E 7024) is apparently similar hardness value compared with the existing commercial electrode (E7014 of Broco UW-CS- 1). The tensile test results of underwater wet welded steel plates show that the use of rutile electrode of E6013 gives a better tensile properties than other rutile electrodes.

  11. The Equivalence between (AB)[dagger] = B[dagger]A[dagger] and Other Mixed-Type Reverse-Order Laws

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tian, Yongge

    2006-01-01

    The standard reverse-order law for the Moore-Penrose inverse of a matrix product is (AB)[dagger] = B[dagger]A[dagger]. The purpose of this article is to give a set of equivalences of this reverse-order law and other mixed-type reverse-order laws for the Moore-Penrose inverse of matrix products.

  12. Clinical performance of the novel DiaSorin LIAISON(®) XL murex: HBsAg Quant, HCV-Ab, HIV-Ab/Ag assays.

    PubMed

    Krawczyk, Adalbert; Hintze, Christian; Ackermann, Jessica; Goitowski, Birgit; Trippler, Martin; Grüner, Nico; Neumann-Fraune, Maria; Verheyen, Jens; Fiedler, Melanie

    2014-01-01

    The fully automated and closed LIAISON(®)XL platform was developed for reliable detection of infection markers like hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (Ab) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-Ag/Ab. To date, less is known about the diagnostic performance of this system in direct comparison to the common Abbott ARCHITECT(®) platform. We compared the diagnostic performance and usability of the DiaSorin LIAISON(®)XL with the commonly used Abbott ARCHITECT(®) system. The qualitative performance of the above mentioned assays was compared in about 500 sera. Quantitative tests were performed for HBsAg-positive samples from patients under therapy (n=289) and in vitro expressed mutants (n=37). For HCV-Ab, a total number of 155 selected samples from patients chronically infected with different HCV genotypes were tested. The concordance between both systems was 99.4% for HBsAg, 98.81% for HCV-Ab, and 99.6% for HIV-Ab/Ag. The quantitative LIAISON(®)XL murex HBsAg assay detected all mutants in comparable amounts to the HBsAg wild type and yielded highly reliable HBsAg kinetics in patients treated with antiviral drugs. Dilution experiments using the 2nd International Standard for HBsAg (WHO) showed a high accuracy of this test. HCV-Ab from patients infected with genotypes 1-3 were equally detected in both systems. Interestingly, S/CO levels of HCV-Ab from patients infected with genotype 3 seem to be relatively low using both systems. The LIAISON(®)XL platform proved to be an excellent system for diagnostics of HBV, HCV, and HIV with equal performance compared to the ARCHITECT(®) system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Area-variable capacitive microaccelerometer with force-balancing electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ha, Byeoungju; Lee, Byeungleul; Sung, Sangkyung; Choi, Sangon; Shinn, Meenam; Oh, Yong-Soo; Song, Ci M.

    1997-11-01

    A surface micromachined accelerometer which senses an inertial motion with an area variation and a force balancing electrodes is developed. The grid-type planar mass of a 7 micrometers thick polysilicon is supported by four thin beams and suspended above a silicon substrate with a 1.5 micrometers air gap. The motion sensing electrodes are formed on the substrate. The sensor is designed as an interdigital rib structure that has a differential capacitor arrangement. The moveable electrodes are mounted on the mass and the pairs of the stationary electrodes are patterned on the substrate. In the accelerometer that has comb-type movable electrodes, the mechanical stress and the electrical pulling effects between a moveable electrodes and the fixed electrodes occur. However this grid-type structure can have a large area variation in a small area relatively without stress and pulling, high sensitivity can be achieved. In order to improve the dynamic rang and a linearity, a pair of comb shape force-balancing electrodes are implemented on both sides of the mass. The force-balancing electrodes are made of the same layer as the mass and anchored on a silicon substrate. When acceleration is applied in the lateral direction, the difference of capacitance results from the area variation between the two capacitors and is measured using a charge amplifier. As AC coupled complimentary pick- off signals are applied in paris of stationary electrodes, the undesirable effects due to temperature and electrical noise are reduced effectively. The accelerometer has a sensitivity of 28mV/g and a bandwidth of DC-120Hz. A resolution of 3mg and a non-linearity of 1.3 percent is achieved for a measurement range of +/- 9 g.

  14. Microstructure and transformation behavior of Ni{sub 24.7}Ti{sub 50.3}Pd{sub 25} high temperature shape-memory alloy with Sc micro-addition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ramaiah, K.V., E-mail: kvramaiah@nal.res.in; Saikrishna, C.N.; Gouthama

    2015-08-15

    NiTiPd shape-memory alloys (SMAs) are potential functional materials for use as solid-state actuators in the temperature range 100–250 °C. The present study investigates the effect of 1.0 at.% Sc micro-addition to Ni{sub 24.7}Ti{sub 50.3}Pd{sub 25} alloy, Sc replacing either Ti or Ni. Results show that all the three alloys studied have stable transformation behavior on stress-free thermal cycling and hence, are suitable for cyclic actuation applications. However, the addition of Sc to NiTiPd alloy leads to decrease of transformation temperatures, the magnitude of decrease being greater for the alloy with Sc replacing Ni. The martensite finish (M{sub f}) temperature ofmore » 181 °C for the NiTiPd alloy decreased to 139 °C for Sc replacing Ti and 83 °C for Sc replacing Ni. Also, the indentation modulus of NiTiPdSc (Sc replacing Ni) alloy is found to be significantly low compared to the other alloys. Analysis indicates that the observed differences in the alloy properties are related to the solubility of Sc in the NiTiPd matrix. While the quaternary NiTiPdSc alloy, Sc replacing Ti, has a single phase microstructure, the alloy with Sc replacing Ni shows the presence of Sc-rich and TiPd-type second phases in the microstructure. TEM examination revealed that the TiPd-type phase has a distinct rod-like morphology (30–50 nm) arranged in a grid-like structure. The transformation and indentation behavior of the alloys is elucidated using thermodynamic calculations of frictional energy and an electronic structure based analysis. - Highlights: • TEM of Ni{sub 23.7}Ti{sub 50.3}Pd{sub 25}Sc{sub 1} showed distinct grid of TiPd-type phase nanorods < 50 nm. • Stress-free thermal cycling of all the three alloys showed stable transformation behavior. • Ni{sub 24.7}Ti{sub 49.3}Pd{sub 25}Sc{sub 1} and Ni{sub 23.7}Ti{sub 50.3}Pd{sub 25}Sc{sub 1} showed single and multiphase structures. • Sc micro-addition (1 at.%) to Ni{sub 24.7}Ti{sub 50.3}Pd{sub 25} alloy decreased

  15. Research and Development of Micro-Alloying High-Strength Shipbuilding Plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Zhenye

    Based on the technological requirements and market demand, Nb micro-alloying D36 grade high strength shipbuilding plate has been successfully developed in HBIS. In this papers, the rational chemical compositions design, smelting and rolling process of Nb micro-alloying D36 grade high strength shipbuilding plate were introduced. Its various performance figures not only comply with the rules of nine classification societies of CCS, LR, ABS NK, DNV, BV, GL, KR and RINA but meet users' requirements. It indicates that HBIS have capacity producing Nb micro-alloying D36 grade high strength shipbuilding plate.

  16. Superwettability-Induced Confined Reaction toward High-Performance Flexible Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Weiwei; Liu, Hongliang; Zhou, Yahong; Ding, Yi; Zhang, Xiqi; Jiang, Lei

    2016-05-18

    To find a general strategy to realize confinement of the conductive layer for high-performance flexible electrodes, with improved interfacial adhesion and high conductivity, is of important scientific significance. In this work, superwettability-induced confined reaction is used to fabricate high-performance flexible Ag/polymer electrodes, showing significantly improved silver conversion efficiency and interfacial adhesion. The as-prepared flexible electrodes by superhydrophilic polymeric surface under oil are highly conductive with an order of magnitude higher than the Ag/polymer electrodes obtained from original polymeric surface. The high conductivity achieved via superhydrophilic confinement is ascribed to the fact that the superhydrophilic polymeric surface can enhance the reaction rate of silver deposition and reduce the size of silver nanoparticles to achieve the densest packing. This new approach will provide a simple method to fabricate flexible and highly conductive Ag/polymer electrodes with excellent adhesion between the conductive layer and the substrate, and can be extended to other metal/polymeric electrodes or alloy/polymeric electrodes.

  17. Electrodeposited gels prepared from protein alloys

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Yinan; Wang, Siran; Chen, Ying; Wang, Qianrui; Burke, Kelly A; Spedden, Elise M; Staii, Cristian; Weiss, Anthony S; Kaplan, David L

    2015-01-01

    Aim Silk-tropoelastin alloys, composed of recombinant human tropoelastin and regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin, are an emerging, versatile class of biomaterials endowed with tunable combinations of physical and biological properties. Electrodeposition of these alloys provides a programmable means to assemble functional gels with both spatial and temporal controllability. Materials & methods Tropoelastin-modified silk was prepared by enzymatic coupling between tyrosine residues. Hydrogel coatings were electrodeposited using two wire electrodes. Results & discussion Mechanical characterization and in vitro cell culture revealed enhanced adhesive capability and cellular response of these alloy gels as compared with electrogelled silk alone. Conclusion These electro-depositable silk-tropoelastin alloys constitute a suitable coating material for nanoparticle-based drug carriers and offer a novel opportunity for on-demand encapsulation/release of nanomedicine. PMID:25816881

  18. Copper Alloy For High-Temperature Uses

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dreshfield, Robert L.; Ellis, David L.; Michal, Gary

    1994-01-01

    Alloy of Cu/8Cr/4Nb (numbers indicate parts by atom percent) improved over older high-temperature copper-based alloys in that it offers enhanced high temperature strength, resistance to creep, and ductility while retaining most of thermal conductivity of pure copper; in addition, alloy does not become embrittled upon exposure to hydrogen at temperatures as high as 705 degrees C. Designed for use in presence of high heat fluxes and active cooling; for example, in heat exchangers in advanced aircraft and spacecraft engines, and other high-temperature applications in which there is need for such material. High conductivity and hardness of alloy exploited in welding electrodes and in high-voltage and high-current switches and other applications in which wear poses design problem.

  19. Rock-salt-type lithium metal sulphides as novel positive-electrode materials

    PubMed Central

    Sakuda, Atsushi; Takeuchi, Tomonari; Okamura, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Hironori; Sakaebe, Hikari; Tatsumi, Kuniaki; Ogumi, Zempachi

    2014-01-01

    One way of increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is to use electrode materials that exhibit high capacities owing to multielectron processes. Here, we report two novel materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4, which were mechanochemically synthesised at room temperature. When used as positive-electrode materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4 charged and discharged with high capacities of 425 mA h g−1 and 386 mA h g−1, respectively. These capacities correspond to those resulting from 2.5- and 3.5-electron processes. The average discharge voltage was approximately 2.2 V. It should be possible to prepare a number of high-capacity materials on the basis of the concept used to prepare Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4. PMID:24811191

  20. Ab - initio study of rare earth magnesium alloy: TbMg

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumari, Meena; Yadav, Priya; Nautiyal, Shashank; Verma, U. P.

    2018-05-01

    The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of TbMg were analyzed by using full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method. This intermetallic is stable in structure CsCl (B2 phase) with space group Pm-3m. In electronic properties, we show the electronic band structure and density of states plots. These plots show that this alloy have metallic character because there is no band gap between the valance band and conduction band at Fermi level. The structural properties, i.e. equilibrium lattice constant, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative, energy and volume show good agreement with available data. In this paper, we also present the total magnetic moment along with the magnetic moment on the atomic and interstitial sites of TbMg intermetallic in B2 phase.

  1. Potentiodynamic polarization study of the in vitro corrosion behavior of 3 high-palladium alloys and a gold-palladium alloy in 5 media.

    PubMed

    Sun, Desheng; Monaghan, Peter; Brantley, William A; Johnston, William M

    2002-01-01

    Corrosion of cast alloy restorations may lead to their failure or adversely affect their biocompatibility. Although some documentation of the corrosion behavior of the high-palladium dental alloys exists, questions remain about their corrosion resistance and mechanisms. This study compared the in vitro corrosion characteristics of 3 high-palladium alloys and 1 gold-palladium alloy in simulated body fluid and oral environments. Two Pd-Cu-Ga alloys and 1 Pd-Ga alloy were selected; an Au-Pd alloy served as the control. The corrosion behavior for the as-cast and simulated porcelain-firing (heat-treated) conditions of each alloy (N = 5) was evaluated in 0.9% NaCl, 0.09% NaCl, and Fusayama solutions. Heat-treated specimens of each alloy (N = 5) were also tested in N(2)-deaerated 0.09% NaCl and Fusayama solutions (pH 4). After immersion in the electrolyte for 24 hours, the open-circuit potential (OCP) was measured, and linear polarization was performed from -20 mV to +20 mV (vs. OCP) at a scanning rate of 0.125 mV/s. Cyclic polarization was performed from -300 mV to +1000 mV and back to -300 mV (vs. OCP) at a scanning rate of 1 mV/s. Data were evaluated with analysis of variance and the Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch multiple-range test (alpha=.05). The OCP of each alloy varied with the condition (as-cast or heat-treated) and electrolyte used. Corrosion resistance was similar for the 4 alloys tested. For cyclic polarization, all alloys showed active-passive or spontaneous passive behavior in nearly all electrolytes. During some reverse scans, the 3 high-palladium alloys displayed 3 or 5 anodic peaks. No positive hysteresis was observed for any of the alloy/electrolyte combinations evaluated. The corrosion resistances of the 3 high-palladium alloys in simulated body fluid and oral environments were comparable to that of the gold-palladium alloy. The similar corrosion resistance for the 3 high-palladium alloys was attributed to their high noble metal content and theorized stable

  2. Electrochemical hydrogen storage alloys and batteries fabricated from Mg containing base alloys

    DOEpatents

    Ovshinsky, Stanford R.; Fetcenko, Michael A.

    1996-01-01

    An electrochemical hydrogen storage material comprising: (Base Alloy).sub.a M.sub.b where, Base Alloy is an alloy of Mg and Ni in a ratio of from about 1:2 to about 2:1, preferably 1:1; M represents at least one modifier element chosen from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Al, Fe, Cu, Mo, W, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Sn, Th, Si, Zn, Li, Cd, Na, Pb, La, Mm, and Ca; b is greater than 0.5, preferably 2.5, atomic percent and less than 30 atomic percent; and a+b=100 atomic percent. Preferably, the at least one modifier is chosen from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Al, Fe, and Cu and the total mass of the at least one modifier element is less than 25 atomic percent of the final composition. Most preferably, the total mass of said at least one modifier element is less than 20 atomic percent of the final composition.

  3. Controlled Pd(0)/t Bu3P Catalyzed Suzuki Cross-Coupling Polymerization of AB-Type Monomers with ArPd(t Bu3P)X or Pd2(dba)3/t Bu3P/ArX as the Initiator

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Honghai; Xing, Chun-Hui; Hu, Qiao-Sheng; ...

    2015-02-05

    The synthesis of well-defined and functionalized conjugated polymers, which are essential in the development of efficient organic electronics, through Suzuki cross-coupling polymerizations has been a challenging task. We developed controlled Pd(0)/t-Bu3P-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling polymerizations of AB-type monomers via the chain-growth mechanism with a series of in situ generated ArPd(t-Bu3P)X (X = I, Br, Cl) complexes as initiators. Among them, the combinations of Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-BrC6H4I, Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-BrC6H4CH2OH and Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-PhCOC6H4Br were identified as highly robust initiator systems, resulting in polymers with predictable molecular weight and narrow polydispersity (PDI~1.13-1.20). In addition, Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-BrC6H4CH2OH and Pd2(dba)3/t-Bu3P/p-PhCOC6H4Br initiator systems afforded functional polymers with >95% fidelity. Our results pavedmore » the road to access well-defined conjugated polymers, including conjugated polymers with complex polymer architectures such as block copolymers and branch copolymers.« less

  4. Ab initio Prediction of Martensitic and Intermartensitic Phase Boundaries in Ni-Mn-Ga

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutta, B.; ćakır, A.; Giacobbe, C.; Al-Zubi, A.; Hickel, T.; Acet, M.; Neugebauer, J.

    2016-01-01

    Despite the importance of martensitic transformations of Ni-Mn-Ga Heusler alloys for their magnetocaloric and shape-memory properties, the martensitic part of their phase diagrams is not well determined. Using an ab initio approach that includes the interplay of lattice and vibrational degrees of freedom we identify an intermartensitic transformation between a modulated and a nonmodulated phase as a function of excess Ni and Mn content. Based on an evaluation of the theoretical findings and experimental x-ray diffraction data for Mn-rich alloys, we are able to predict the phase diagram for Ni-rich alloys. In contrast to other mechanisms discussed for various material systems in the literature, we herewith show that the intermartensitic transformation can be understood solely using thermodynamic concepts.

  5. Development of DS-5573a: A novel afucosylated mAb directed at B7-H3 with potent antitumor activity.

    PubMed

    Nagase-Zembutsu, Akiko; Hirotani, Kenji; Yamato, Michiko; Yamaguchi, Junko; Takata, Takehiko; Yoshida, Makoto; Fukuchi, Keisuke; Yazawa, Mitsuhiro; Takahashi, Shu; Agatsuma, Toshinori

    2016-05-01

    B7-H3 is highly overexpressed in a variety of human clinical tumors, and its expression is significantly associated with poor outcomes. In our study, we aimed to develop new antitumor mAbs by employing cancer cell immunization, and succeeded in generating a mouse anti-human B7-H3 antibody (M30) that shows antitumor activity. M30 was humanized (Hu-M30), and an afucosylated Hu-M30 (DS-5573a) was also generated. To assess the potency of DS-5573a as a therapeutic mAb, we characterized this mAb and evaluated its antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Flow cytometry analysis showed that B7-H3 proteins were expressed on various types of cancer cell lines broadly, and DS-5573a binds to IgC1 and IgC2 domains of human B7-H3. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity of DS-5573a was drastically enhanced against medium to high B7-H3-expressing cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and NCI-H322. DS-5573a also induced high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity against low B7-H3-expressing cancer cell line COLO205, whereas Hu-M30 induced little activity against it. In addition, DS-5573a was found to be a novel anti-B7-H3 antibody which showed antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis activity. Furthermore, DS-5573a showed dose-dependent and significant antitumor efficacy (0.03-3 mg/kg) in MDA-MB-231-bearing SCID mice (which have functional natural killer cells and macrophages), but little antitumor efficacy in NOG mice (which lack natural killer cells and have reduced macrophage function). These results suggest that antitumor activity of DS-5573a is mediated by effector cells, and this mAb could be a promising antitumor therapy for patients with a wide range of B7-H3-expressing tumors. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  6. Thin Film Electrodes with an Integral Current Collection Grid for Use with Solid Electrolytes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ryan, M. A.; Kisor, A.; Williams, R. M.; Jeffries-Nakamura, B.; O'Connor, D.

    1994-01-01

    Thin film, high performance electrodes which can operate in high temperature environments are necessary for many devices which use a solid electrolyte. Electrodes of rhodium-tungsten alloy have been deposited on solid electrolyte using photolytic chemical vapor deposition (PCVD). A technique for depositing electrodes and current collection grids simultaneously has been developed using the prenucleation characteristics of PCVD. This technique makes it possible to fabricate electrodes which allow vapor transport through the thin (<1 (micro)m) portions of the electrode while integral thick grid lines improve the electronic conductivity of the electrode, thus improving overall performance.

  7. Electrochemical formation of a Pt/Zn alloy and its use as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Sode, Aya; Li, Winton; Yang, Yanguo; Wong, Phillip C; Gyenge, Elod; Mitchell, Keith A R; Bizzotto, Dan

    2006-05-04

    The characterization of an electrochemically created Pt/Zn alloy by Auger electron spectroscopy is presented indicating the formation of the alloy, the oxidation of the alloy, and the room temperature diffusion of the Zn into the Pt regions. The Pt/Zn alloy is stable up to 1.2 V/RHE and can only be removed with the oxidation of the base Pt metal either electrochemically or in aqua regia. The Pt/Zn alloy was tested for its effectiveness toward oxygen reduction. Kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were measured using a rotating disk electrode (RDE), and a 30 mV anodic shift in the potential of ORR was found when comparing the Pt/Zn alloy to Pt. The Tafel slope was slightly smaller than that measured for the pure Pt electrode. A simple procedure for electrochemically modifying a Pt-containing gas diffusion electrode (GDE) with Zn was developed. The Zn-treated GDE was pressed with an untreated GDE anode, and the created membrane electrode assembly was tested. Fuel cell testing under two operating conditions (similar anode and cathode inlet pressures, and a larger cathode inlet pressure) indicated that the 30 mV shift observed on the RDE was also evident in the fuel cell tests. The high stability of the Pt/Zn alloy in acidic environments has a potential benefit for fuel cell applications.

  8. Electrical impedance tomography in 3D using two electrode planes: characterization and evaluation.

    PubMed

    Wagenaar, Justin; Adler, Andy

    2016-06-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) uses body surface electrical stimulation and measurements to create conductivity images; it shows promise as a non-invasive technology to monitor the distribution of lung ventilation. Most applications of EIT have placed electrodes in a 2D ring around the thorax, and thus produced 2D cross-sectional images. These images are unable to distinguish out-of-plane contributions, or to image volumetric effects. Volumetric EIT can be calculated using multiple electrode planes and a 3D reconstruction algorithm. However, while 3D reconstruction algorithms are available, little has been done to understand the performance of 3D EIT in terms of the measurement configurations available. The goal of this paper is to characterize the phantom and in vivo performance of 3D EIT with two electrode planes. First, phantom measurements are used to measure the reconstruction characteristics of seven stimulation and measurement configurations. Measurements were then performed on eight healthy volunteers as a function of body posture, postures, and with various electrode configurations. Phantom results indicate that 3D EIT using two rings of electrodes provides reasonable resolution in the electrode plane but low vertical resolution. For volunteers, functional EIT images are created from inhalation curve features to analyze the effect of posture (standing, sitting, supine and decline) on regional lung behaviour. An ability to detect vertical changes in lung volume distribution was shown for two electrode configurations. Based on tank and volunteer results, we recommend the use of the 'square' stimulation and measurement pattern for two electrode plane EIT.

  9. Corrosion characterization of in-situ titanium diboride (TiB2) reinforced aluminium-copper (Al-Cu) alloy by two methods: Salts spray fog and linear polarization resistance (LPR)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosmamuhamadani, R.; Talari, M. K.; Yahaya, Sabrina M.; Sulaiman, S.; Ismail, M. I. S.; Hanim, M. A. Azmah

    2018-05-01

    Aluminium-copper (Al-Cu) alloys is the one of most Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) have important high-strength Al alloys. The aluminium (Al) casting alloys, based on the Al-Cu system are widely used in light-weight constructions and transport applications requiring a combination of high strength and ductility. In this research, Al-Cu master alloy was reinforced with 3 and 6wt.% titanium diboride (TiB2) that obtained from salts route reactions. The salts used were were potassium hexafluorotitanate (K2TiF6) and potassium tetrafluoroborate (KBF4). The salts route reaction process were done at 800 °C. The Al-Cu alloy then has characterized on the mechanical properties and microstructure characterization. Salts spray fog test and Gamry-electrode potentiometer instruments were used to determine the corrosion rate of this alloys. From results obtained, the increasement of 3wt.%TiB2 contents will decrease the value of the corrosion rate. In corrosion test that conducted both of salt spray fog and Gamry-electrode potentiometer, the addition of 3wt.%TiB2 gave the good properties in corrosion characterization compare to Al-Cu-6wt.%TiB2 and Al-Cu cast alloy itself. As a comparison, Al-Cu with 3wt.%TiB2 gave the lowest value of corrosion rate, which means alloy has good properties in corrosion characterization. The results obtained show that in-situ Al-Cu alloy composites containing the different weight of TiB2 phase were synthesized successfully by the salt-metal reaction method.

  10. Elastic anomalies in Fe-Cr alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Hualei; Wang, Guisheng; Punkkinen, Marko P. J.; Hertzman, Staffan; Johansson, Börje; Vitos, Levente

    2013-05-01

    Using ab initio alloy theory, we determine the elastic parameters of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic Fe1-cCrc (0 ≤ c ≤ 1) alloys in the body centered cubic crystallographic phase. Comparison with the experimental data demonstrates that the employed theoretical approach accurately describes the observed composition dependence of the polycrystalline elastic moduli. The predicted single-crystal elastic constants follow complex anomalous trends, which are shown to originate from the interplay between magnetic and chemical effects. The nonmonotonic composition dependence of the elastic parameters has marked implications on the micro-mechanical properties of ferrite stainless steels.

  11. Molybdenum-titanium phase diagram evaluated from ab initio calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barzilai, Shmuel; Toher, Cormac; Curtarolo, Stefano; Levy, Ohad

    2017-07-01

    The design of next generation β -type titanium implants requires detailed knowledge of the relevant stable and metastable phases at temperatures where metallurgical heat treatments can be performed. Recently, a standard specification for surgical implant applications was established for Mo-Ti alloys. However, the thermodynamic properties of this binary system are not well known and two conflicting descriptions of the β -phase stability have been presented in the literature. In this study, we use ab initio calculations to investigate the Mo-Ti phase diagram. These calculations predict that the β phase is stable over a wide concentration range, in qualitative agreement with one of the reported phase diagrams. In addition, they predict stoichiometric compounds, stable at temperatures below 300 ∘C , which have not yet been detected by experiments. The resulting solvus, which defines the transition to the β -phase solid solution, therefore occurs at lower temperatures and is more complex than previously anticipated.

  12. Thermodynamic properties and atomic structure of Ca-based liquid alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poizeau, Sophie

    To identify the most promising positive electrodes for Ca-based liquid metal batteries, the thermodynamic properties of diverse Ca-based liquid alloys were investigated. The thermodynamic properties of Ca-Sb alloys were determined by emf measurements. It was found that Sb as positive electrode would provide the highest voltage for Ca-based liquid metal batteries (1 V). The price of such a battery would be competitive for the grid-scale energy storage market. The impact of Pb, a natural impurity of Sb, was predicted successfully and confirmed via electrochemical measurements. It was shown that the impact on the open circuit voltage would be minor. Indeed, the interaction between Ca and Sb was demonstrated to be much stronger than between Ca and Pb using thermodynamic modeling, which explains why the partial thermodynamic properties of Ca would not vary much with the addition of Pb to Sb. However, the usage of the positive electrode would be reduced, which would limit the interest of a Pb-Sb positive electrode. Throughout this work, the molecular interaction volume model (MIVM) was used for the first time for alloys with thermodynamic properties showing strong negative deviation from ideality. This model showed that systems such as Ca-Sb have strong short-range order: Ca is most stable when its first nearest neighbors are Sb. This is consistent with what the more traditional thermodynamic model, the regular association model, would predict. The advantages of the MIVM are the absence of assumption regarding the composition of an associate, and the reduced number of fitting parameters (2 instead of 5). Based on the parameters derived from the thermodynamic modeling using the MIVM, a new potential of mixing for liquid alloys was defined to compare the strength of interaction in different Ca-based alloys. Comparing this trend with the strength of interaction in the solid state of these systems (assessed by the energy of formation of the intermetallics), the systems with

  13. The aluminum electrode in AlCl3-alkali-halide melts.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holleck, G. L.; Giner, J.

    1972-01-01

    Passivation phenomena have been observed upon cathodic and anodic polarization of the Al electrode in AlCl3-KCl-NaCl melts between 100 and 160 C. They are caused by formation of a solid salt layer at the electrode surface resulting from concentration changes upon current flow. The anodic limiting currents increased with temperature and with decreasing AlCl3 content of the melt. Current voltage curves obtained on a rotating aluminum disk showed a linear relationship between the anodic limiting current and omega to the minus 1/2 power. Upon cathodic polarization, dendrite formation occurs at the Al electrode. The activation overvoltage in AlCl3-KCl-NaCl was determined by galvanostatic current step methods. An apparent exchange current density of 270 mA/sq cm at 130 C and a double layer capacity of 40 plus or minus 10 microfarad/sq cm were measured.

  14. Self-grown oxy-hydroxide@ nanoporous metal electrode for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Kang, JianLi; Hirata, Akihiko; Qiu, H-J; Chen, LuYang; Ge, XingBo; Fujita, Takeshi; Chen, MingWei

    2014-01-15

    A binder-free self-grown oxy-hydroxide@nanoporous Ni-Mn hybrid electrode with high capacitance and cyclic stability is fabricated by electrochemical polarization of a dealloyed nanoporous Ni-Mn alloy. Combined with the low material costs, high electrochemical stability, and environmentally friendly nature, this novel electrode holds great promise for applications in high-capacity commercial supercapacitors. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. High Energy Density Asymmetric Supercapacitor Based on NiOOH/Ni3S2/3D Graphene and Fe3O4/Graphene Composite Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Tsung-Wu; Dai, Chao-Shuan; Hung, Kuan-Chung

    2014-01-01

    The application of the composite of Ni3S2 nanoparticles and 3D graphene as a novel cathode material for supercapacitors is systematically investigated in this study. It is found that the electrode capacitance increases by up to 111% after the composite electrode is activated by the consecutive cyclic voltammetry scanning in 1 M KOH. Due to the synergistic effect, the capacitance and the diffusion coefficient of electrolyte ions of the activated composite electrode are ca. 3.7 and 6.5 times higher than those of the Ni3S2 electrode, respectively. Furthermore, the activated composite electrode exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 3296 F/g and great cycling stability at a current density of 16 A/g. To obtain the reasonable matching of cathode/anode electrodes, the composite of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and chemically reduced graphene oxide (Fe3O4/rGO) is synthesized as the anode material. The Fe3O4/rGO electrode exhibits the specific capacitance of 661 F/g at 1 A/g and excellent rate capability. More importantly, an asymmetric supercapacitor fabricated by two different composite electrodes can be operated reversibly between 0 and 1.6 V and obtain a high specific capacitance of 233 F/g at 5 mV/s, which delivers a maximum energy density of 82.5 Wh/kg at a power density of 930 W/kg. PMID:25449978

  16. A novel fabrication method of carbon electrodes using 3D printing and chemical modification process.

    PubMed

    Tian, Pan; Chen, Chaoyang; Hu, Jie; Qi, Jin; Wang, Qianghua; Chen, Jimmy Ching-Ming; Cavanaugh, John; Peng, Yinghong; Cheng, Mark Ming-Cheng

    2017-11-23

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technique in the field of biomedical engineering and electronics. This paper presents a novel biofabrication method of implantable carbon electrodes with several advantages including fast prototyping, patient-specific and miniaturization without expensive cleanroom. The method combines stereolithography in additive manufacturing and chemical modification processes to fabricate electrically conductive carbon electrodes. The stereolithography allows the structures to be 3D printed with very fine resolution and desired shapes. The resin is then chemically modified to carbon using pyrolysis to enhance electrochemical performance. The electrochemical characteristics of 3D printing carbon electrodes are assessed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The specific capacitance of 3D printing carbon electrodes is much higher than the same sized platinum (Pt) electrode. In-vivo electromyography (EMG) recording, 3D printing carbon electrodes exhibit much higher signal-to-noise ratio (40.63 ± 7.73) than Pt electrodes (14.26 ± 6.83). The proposed biofabrication method is envisioned to enable 3D printing in many emerging applications in biomedical engineering and electronics.

  17. Investigation of Machine-ability of Inconel 800 in EDM with Coated Electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karunakaran, K.; Chandrasekaran, M.

    2017-03-01

    The Inconel 800 is a high temperature application alloy which is classified as a nickel based super alloy. It has wide scope in aerospace engineering, gas Turbine etc. The machine-ability studies were found limited on this material. Hence This research focuses on machine-ability studies on EDM of Inconel 800 with Silver Coated Electrolyte Copper Electrode. The purpose of coating on electrode is to reduce tool wear. The factors pulse on Time, Pulse off Time and Peck Current were considered to observe the responses of surface roughness, material removal rate, tool wear rate. Taguchi Full Factorial Design is employed for Design the experiment. Some specific findings were reported and the percentage of contribution of each parameter was furnished

  18. Pd surface functionalization of 3D electroformed Ni and Ni-Mo alloy metallic nanofoams for hydrogen production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petica, A.; Brincoveanu, O.; Golgovici, F.; Manea, A. C.; Enachescu, M.; Anicai, L.

    2018-03-01

    The paper presents some experimental results regarding the functionalization of 3D electroformed Ni and Ni-Mo alloy nanofoams with Pd nanoclusters, as potential cathodic materials suitable for HER during seawater electrolysis. The electrodeposition from aqueous electrolytes containing NiCl2 and NH4Cl has been applied to prepare the 3D Ni nanofoams. Ni-Mo alloys have been electrodeposited involving aqueous ammonium citrate type electrolytes. Pd surface functionalization has been performed using both electroless and electrochemical procedures. Pd content varied in the range of 0.5 – 8 wt.%, depending on the applied procedure and the operation conditions. The use of a porous structure associated with alloying element (i.e. Mo) and Pd surface functionalization facilitated enhanced performances from HER view point in seawater electrolyte (lower Tafel slopes). The determined Tafel slope values ranged from 123 to 105 mV.dec-1, suggesting the Volmer step as rate determining step. The improvement of the HER catalytic activity may be ascribed to a synergistic effect between the high real active area of the 3D electroformed metallic substrate, Ni alloying with a left transition metal and surface modification using Pd noble metal.

  19. Utilization of Copper Alloys for Marine Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drach, Andrew

    Utilization of copper alloy components in systems deployed in marine environment presents potential improvements by reducing maintenance costs, prolonging service life, and increasing reliability. However, integration of these materials faces technological challenges, which are discussed and addressed in this work, including characterization of material performance in seawater environment, hydrodynamics of copper alloy components, and design procedures for systems with copper alloys. To characterize the hydrodynamic behavior of copper alloy nets, mesh geometry of the major types of copper nets currently used in the marine aquaculture are analyzed and formulae for the solidity and strand length are proposed. Experimental studies of drag forces on copper alloy net panels are described. Based on these studies, empirical values for normal drag coefficients are proposed for various types of copper netting. These findings are compared to the previously published data on polymer nets. It is shown that copper nets exhibit significantly lower resistance to normal currents, which corresponds to lower values of normal drag coefficient. The seawater performance (corrosion and biofouling) of copper alloys is studied through the field trials of tensioned and untensioned specimens in a one-year deployment in the North Atlantic Ocean. The corrosion behavior is characterized by weight loss, optical microscopy, and SEM/EDX analyses. The biofouling performance is quantified in terms of the biomass accumulation. To estimate the effects of stray electrical currents on the seawater corrosion measurements, a low cost three-axis stray electric current monitoring device is designed and tested both in the lab and in the 30-day field deployment. The system consists of a remotely operated PC with a set of pseudo-electrodes and a digital compass. The collected data is processed to determine magnitudes of AC and DC components of electric field and dominant AC frequencies. Mechanical behavior of

  20. P-Type Transparent Cu-Alloyed ZnS Deposited at Room Temperature

    DOE PAGES

    Woods-Robinson, Rachel; Cooper, Jason K.; Xu, Xiaojie; ...

    2016-03-16

    All transparent conducting materials (TCMs) of technological practicality are n-type; the inferior conductivity of p-type TCMs has limited their adoption. Additionally, many relatively high-performing p-type TCMs require synthesis temperatures > 400 °C. Here, room-temperature pulsed laser deposition of copper-alloyed zinc sulfide (Cu x Zn 1- x S) thin films (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) is reported. For 0.09 ≤ x ≤ 0.35, Cu x Zn 1- x S has high p-type conductivity, up to 42 S cm -1 at x = 0.30, with an optical band gap tunable from ≈3.0–3.3 eV and transparency, averaged over the visible, of 50%–71% formore » 200–250 nm thick films. In this range, synchrotron X-ray and electron diffraction reveal a nanocrystalline ZnS structure. Secondary crystalline Cu y S phases are not observed, and at higher Cu concentrations, x > 0.45, films are amorphous and poorly conducting. Furthermore, within the TCM regime, the conductivity is temperature independent, indicating degenerate hole conduction. A decrease in lattice parameter with Cu content suggests that the hole conduction is due to substitutional incorporation of Cu onto Zn sites. This hole-conducting phase is embedded in a less conducting amorphous Cu y S, which dominates at higher Cu concentrations. Finally, the combination of high hole conductivity and optical transparency for the peak conductivity Cu x Zn 1- x S films is among the best reported to date for a room temperature deposited p-type TCM.« less

  1. Enhancing figure-of-merit of n-type Bi2Te3-xSex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Xiao; Yang, Jian; Ma, Yi; Poudel, Bed; Lan, Yucheng; Wang, Dezhi; Ren, Zhifeng; Hao, Qing; Chen, Gang

    2008-03-01

    Themoelectric materials with high dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) are greatly demanded in energy industry, among which bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) exhibits decent ZT around room temperature. However, thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 is still high which limits its wider use for low temperature cooling devices. Here we investigate nanostructured bulk n-type Bi2Te3-xSex by reducing the thermal conductivity via increased phonon scattering of the significantly increased grain boundaries due to nano size grains. We first make alloyed nanopowders by mechanical alloying a mixture of elements with the right ratio and then 100% nanostructured samples by hot press.

  2. 3D Printed Microfluidic Devices with Integrated Versatile and Reusable Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Erkal, Jayda L.; Selimovic, Asmira; Gross, Bethany C.; Lockwood, Sarah Y.; Walton, Eric L.; McNamara, Stephen; Martin, R. Scott; Spence, Dana M.

    2014-01-01

    We report two 3D printed devices that can be used for electrochemical detection. In both cases, the electrode is housed in commercially available, polymer-based fittings so that the various electrode materials (platinum, platinum black, carbon, gold, silver) can be easily added to a threaded receiving port printed on the device; this enables a module-like approach to the experimental design, where the electrodes are removable and can be easily repolished for reuse after exposure to biological samples. The first printed device represents a microfluidic platform with a 500 × 500 μm channel and a threaded receiving port to allow integration of either polyetheretherketone (PEEK) nut-encased glassy carbon or platinum black (Pt-black) electrodes for dopamine and nitric oxide (NO) detection, respectively. The embedded 1 mm glassy carbon electrode had a limit of detection (LOD) of 500 nM for dopamine and a linear response (R2= 0.99) for concentrations between 25-500 μM. When the glassy carbon electrode was coated with 0.05% Nafion, significant exclusion of nitrite was observed when compared to signal obtained from equimolar injections of dopamine. When using flow injection analysis with a Pt/Pt-black electrode and standards derived from NO gas, a linear correlation (R2 = 0.99) over a wide range of concentrations (7.6 - 190 μM) was obtained, with the LOD for NO being 1 μM. The second application showcases a 3D printed fluidic device that allows collection of the biologically relevant analyte adenosine triphosphate (ATP) while simultaneously measuring the release stimulus (reduced oxygen concentration). The hypoxic sample (4.76 ± 0.53 ppm oxygen) released 2.37 ± 0.37 times more ATP than the normoxic sample (8.22 ± 0.60 ppm oxygen). Importantly, the results reported here verify the reproducible and transferable nature of using 3D printing as a fabrication technique, as devices and electrodes were moved between labs multiple times during completion of the study. PMID

  3. Structure and magnetic properties of Sm{sub 3}(Fe{sub 0.85}Cr{sub 0.15}){sub 29}N{sub y} alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Suzuki, Shunji; Suzuki, Shinya; Kawasaki, Masahito

    1995-11-01

    The structure and magnetic properties of Sm{sub 3}(Fe{sub 0.85}Cr{sub 0.15}){sub 29}N{sub y} alloy were investigated. It was found that the alloy had the R{sub 3}(Fe,M){sub 29}-type structure and absorbed 4--5 wt.% of nitrogen which exceeds 4 nitrogen atoms per unit formula. The coercivity of the powder was greatly influenced by the nitrogen content and annealing. The Sm{sub 3}(Fe{sub 0.85}Cr{sub 0.15}){sub 29}N{sub y} alloy powder with 4.1 wt.% of nitrogen showed a high coercivity of 552 kA/m without fine grinding.

  4. Fatigue crack initiation and microcrack propagation in X7091 type aluminum P/M alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirose, S.; Fine, M. E.

    1983-06-01

    Fatigu crack initiation in extruded X7091 RSP-P/M aluminum type alloys o°Curs at grain boundaries at both low and high stresses. By a process of elimination this grain boundary embrittlement was attributed to Al2O3 particles formed mainly during atomization and segregated to some grain boundaries. It is not due to the small grain size, to Co2Al9, to η precipitates at grain boundaries, nor to a precipitate free zone. Thermomechanical processing after extrusion of X7091 with 0.8 pct Co was done by Alcoa to produce large recrystallized grains. This resulted in initiation of fatigue cracks at slip bands, and the resistance to initiation of fatigue cracks at low stresses was much greater. Microcrack growth is, however, much faster in the thermomechanically treated samples, as well as in ingot alloys, than in extruded and aged X7091.

  5. Solvothermal synthesis of platinum alloy nanoparticles for oxygen reduction electrocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Michael K; Moylan, Thomas E; Kukreja, Ratandeep Singh; Atwan, Mohammed H; Tessema, Misle M

    2012-05-23

    Platinum alloy nanoparticles show great promise as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cell cathodes. We report here on the use of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as both solvent and reductant in the solvothermal synthesis of Pt alloy nanoparticles (NPs), with a particular focus on Pt-Ni alloys. Well-faceted alloy nanocrystals were generated with this method, including predominantly cubic and cuboctahedral nanocrystals of Pt(3)Ni, and octahedral and truncated octahedral nanocrystals of PtNi. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), were used to characterize crystallite morphology and composition. ORR activities of the alloy nanoparticles were measured with a rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique. While some Pt(3)Ni alloy nanoparticle catalysts showed specific activities greater than 1000 μA/cm(2)(Pt), alloy catalysts prepared with a nominal composition of PtNi displayed activities close to 3000 μA/cm(2)(Pt), or almost 15 times that of a state-of-the-art Pt/carbon catalyst. XRD and EDS confirmed the presence of two NP compositions in this catalyst. HAADF-STEM examination of the PtNi nanoparticle catalyst after RDE testing revealed the development of hollows in a number of the nanoparticles due to nickel dissolution. Continued voltage cycling caused further nickel dissolution and void formation, but significant activity remained even after 20,000 cycles.

  6. Label-Free Electrochemical Detection of the Specific Oligonucleotide Sequence of Dengue Virus Type 1 on Pencil Graphite Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Souza, Elaine; Nascimento, Gustavo; Santana, Nataly; Ferreira, Danielly; Lima, Manoel; Natividade, Edna; Martins, Danyelly; Lima-Filho, José

    2011-01-01

    A biosensor that relies on the adsorption immobilization of the 18-mer single-stranded nucleic acid related to dengue virus gene 1 on activated pencil graphite was developed. Hybridization between the probe and its complementary oligonucleotides (the target) was investigated by monitoring guanine oxidation by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The pencil graphite electrode was made of ordinary pencil lead (type 4B). The polished surface of the working electrode was activated by applying a potential of 1.8 V for 5 min. Afterward, the dengue oligonucleotides probe was immobilized on the activated electrode by applying 0.5 V to the electrode in 0.5 M acetate buffer (pH 5.0) for 5 min. The hybridization process was carried out by incubating at the annealing temperature of the oligonucleotides. A time of five minutes and concentration of 1 μM were found to be the optimal conditions for probe immobilization. The electrochemical detection of annealing between the DNA probe (TS-1P) immobilized on the modified electrode, and the target (TS-1T) was achieved. The target could be quantified in a range from 1 to 40 nM with good linearity and a detection limit of 0.92 nM. The specificity of the electrochemical biosensor was tested using non-complementary sequences of dengue virus 2 and 3. PMID:22163916

  7. Data and Analysis of the Double Stars STFA 10AB and STFA 1744AB

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arcilla, Marisa; Bowden, Sam; DeBlase, Jacqueline; Hall, Anthony; Hall, Corielyn; Hernandez, Alyssa; Renna, Danielle; Rodriguez, Fatima; Salazar, Cassandra; Sanchez, Andres; Teeter, Dayton; Brewer, Mark; Funk, Benjamin; Gillette, Travis; Sharpe, Scott

    2017-04-01

    Eighth grade students at Vanguard Preparatory School measured the double stars STFA 10AB and STFA 1744AB. A 22-inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and a 14-inch Celestron Schmidt Cassegrain telescope were used. The star Bellatrix was used as the calibration star to determine the scale constant of the 22-inch telescope to be 7.8 “/tick marks. The double star STFA 1744AB was used as the calibration star to determine the scale constant of the 14-inch telescope to be 5.1 “/tick marks. The separation and position angle of STFA 10AB was determined by the 22-inch telescope to be 347.9” and 339.3°. The separation and position angle of STFA 1744AB was determined by the 14-inch telescope to be 3.6” and 158.1°. The measurements that were calculated were compared to the most recent measurements listed in the Washington Double Star Catalog.

  8. Local lattice distortion in high-entropy alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Hongquan; Tian, Fuyang; Hu, Qing-Miao; Vitos, Levente; Wang, Yandong; Shen, Jiang; Chen, Nanxian

    2017-07-01

    The severe local lattice distortion, induced mainly by the large atomic size mismatch of the alloy components, is one of the four core effects responsible for the unprecedented mechanical behaviors of high-entropy alloys (HEAs). In this work, we propose a supercell model, in which every lattice site has similar local atomic environment, to describe the random distributions of the atomic species in HEAs. Using these supercells in combination with ab initio calculations, we investigate the local lattice distortion of refractory HEAs with body-centered-cubic structure and 3 d HEAs with face-centered-cubic structure. Our results demonstrate that the local lattice distortion of the refractory HEAs is much more significant than that of the 3 d HEAs. We show that the atomic size mismatch evaluated with the empirical atomic radii is not accurate enough to describe the local lattice distortion. Both the lattice distortion energy and the mixing entropy contribute significantly to the thermodynamic stability of HEAs. However the local lattice distortion has negligible effect on the equilibrium lattice parameter and bulk modulus.

  9. Effect of Al on Grain Refinement and Mechanical Properties of Mg-3Nd Casting Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lei; Feng, Yicheng; Wang, Liping; Chen, Yanhong; Guo, Erjun

    2018-05-01

    The effect of Al on the grain refinement and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-3Nd alloy was investigated systematically by a series of microstructural analysis, solidification analysis and tensile tests. The results show that Al has an obvious refining effect on the as-cast Mg-3Nd alloy. With increasing Al content, the grain size of the as-cast Mg-3Nd alloy decreases firstly, then increases slightly after the Al content reaching 3 wt.%, and the minimum grain size of the Mg-3Nd alloy is 48 ± 4.0 μm. The refining mechanism can be attributed to the formation of Al2Nd particles, which play an important role in the heterogeneous nucleation. The strength and elongation of the Mg-3Nd alloy refined by Al also increase with increasing Al content and slightly decrease when the Al content is more than 3 wt.%, and the strengthening mechanism is attributed to the grain refinement as well as dispersed intermetallic particles. Furthermore, the microstructural thermal stability of the Mg-3Nd-3Al alloy is higher than that of the Mg-3Nd-0.5Zr alloy. Overall, the Mg-3Nd alloy with Al addition is a novel alloy with wide and potential application prospects.

  10. Surface Chemistry of Perovskite-Type Electrodes During High Temperature CO2 Electrolysis Investigated by Operando Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Opitz, Alexander K; Nenning, Andreas; Rameshan, Christoph; Kubicek, Markus; Götsch, Thomas; Blume, Raoul; Hävecker, Michael; Knop-Gericke, Axel; Rupprechter, Günther; Klötzer, Bernhard; Fleig, Jürgen

    2017-10-18

    Any substantial move of energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable resources requires large scale storage of excess energy, for example, via power to fuel processes. In this respect electrochemical reduction of CO 2 may become very important, since it offers a method of sustainable CO production, which is a crucial prerequisite for synthesis of sustainable fuels. Carbon dioxide reduction in solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) is particularly promising owing to the high operating temperature, which leads to both improved thermodynamics and fast kinetics. Additionally, compared to purely chemical CO formation on oxide catalysts, SOECs have the outstanding advantage that the catalytically active oxygen vacancies are continuously formed at the counter electrode, and move to the working electrode where they reactivate the oxide surface without the need of a preceding chemical (e.g., by H 2 ) or thermal reduction step. In the present work, the surface chemistry of (La,Sr)FeO 3-δ and (La,Sr)CrO 3-δ based perovskite-type electrodes was studied during electrochemical CO 2 reduction by means of near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) at SOEC operating temperatures. These measurements revealed the formation of a carbonate intermediate, which develops on the oxide surface only upon cathodic polarization (i.e., under sufficiently reducing conditions). The amount of this adsorbate increases with increasing oxygen vacancy concentration of the electrode material, thus suggesting vacant oxygen lattice sites as the predominant adsorption sites for carbon dioxide. The correlation of carbonate coverage and cathodic polarization indicates that an electron transfer is required to form the carbonate and thus to activate CO 2 on the oxide surface. The results also suggest that acceptor doped oxides with high electron concentration and high oxygen vacancy concentration may be particularly suited for CO 2 reduction. In contrast to water splitting, the CO 2

  11. Surface Chemistry of Perovskite-Type Electrodes During High Temperature CO2 Electrolysis Investigated by Operando Photoelectron Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Any substantial move of energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable resources requires large scale storage of excess energy, for example, via power to fuel processes. In this respect electrochemical reduction of CO2 may become very important, since it offers a method of sustainable CO production, which is a crucial prerequisite for synthesis of sustainable fuels. Carbon dioxide reduction in solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) is particularly promising owing to the high operating temperature, which leads to both improved thermodynamics and fast kinetics. Additionally, compared to purely chemical CO formation on oxide catalysts, SOECs have the outstanding advantage that the catalytically active oxygen vacancies are continuously formed at the counter electrode, and move to the working electrode where they reactivate the oxide surface without the need of a preceding chemical (e.g., by H2) or thermal reduction step. In the present work, the surface chemistry of (La,Sr)FeO3−δ and (La,Sr)CrO3−δ based perovskite-type electrodes was studied during electrochemical CO2 reduction by means of near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) at SOEC operating temperatures. These measurements revealed the formation of a carbonate intermediate, which develops on the oxide surface only upon cathodic polarization (i.e., under sufficiently reducing conditions). The amount of this adsorbate increases with increasing oxygen vacancy concentration of the electrode material, thus suggesting vacant oxygen lattice sites as the predominant adsorption sites for carbon dioxide. The correlation of carbonate coverage and cathodic polarization indicates that an electron transfer is required to form the carbonate and thus to activate CO2 on the oxide surface. The results also suggest that acceptor doped oxides with high electron concentration and high oxygen vacancy concentration may be particularly suited for CO2 reduction. In contrast to water splitting, the CO2

  12. Facile synthesis of birnessite-type manganese oxide nanoparticles as supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lihu; Luo, Yao; Tan, Wenfeng; Zhang, Yashan; Liu, Fan; Qiu, Guohong

    2016-11-15

    Manganese oxides are environmentally benign supercapacitor electrode materials and, in particular, birnessite-type structure shows very promising electrochemical performance. In this work, nanostructured birnessite was facilely prepared by adding dropwise NH2OH·HCl to KMnO4 solution under ambient temperature and pressure. In order to fully exploit the potential of birnessite-type manganese oxide electrode materials, the effects of specific surface area, pore size, content of K(+), and manganese average oxidation state (Mn AOS) on their electrochemical performance were studied. The results showed that with the increase of NH2OH·HCl, the Mn AOS decreased and the corresponding pore sizes and specific surface area of birnessite increased. The synthesized nanostructured birnessite showed the highest specific capacitance of 245Fg(-1) at a current density of 0.1Ag(-1) within a potential range of 0-0.9V, and excellent cycle stability with a capacitance retention rate of 92% after 3000 cycles at a current density of 1.0Ag(-1). The present work implies that specific capacitance is mainly affected by specific surface area and pore volume, and provides a new method for the facile preparation of birnessite-type manganese oxide with excellent capacitive performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Applying a foil queue micro-electrode in micro-EDM to fabricate a 3D micro-structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Bin; Guo, Kang; Wu, Xiao-yu; Lei, Jian-guo; Liang, Xiong; Guo, Deng-ji; Ma, Jiang; Cheng, Rong

    2018-05-01

    Applying a 3D micro-electrode in a micro electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) can fabricate a 3D micro-structure with an up and down reciprocating method. However, this processing method has some shortcomings, such as a low success rate and a complex process for fabrication of 3D micro-electrodes. By focusing on these shortcomings, this paper proposed a novel 3D micro-EDM process based on the foil queue micro-electrode. Firstly, a 3D micro-electrode was discretized into several foil micro-electrodes and these foil micro-electrodes constituted a foil queue micro-electrode. Then, based on the planned process path, foil micro-electrodes were applied in micro-EDM sequentially and the micro-EDM results of each foil micro-electrode were able to superimpose the 3D micro-structure. However, the step effect will occur on the 3D micro-structure surface, which has an adverse effect on the 3D micro-structure. To tackle this problem, this paper proposes to reduce this adverse effect by rounded corner wear at the end of the foil micro-electrode and studies the impact of machining parameters on rounded corner wear and the step effect on the micro-structure surface. Finally, using a wire cutting voltage of 80 V, a current of 0.5 A and a pulse width modulation ratio of 1:4, the foil queue micro-electrode was fabricated by wire electrical discharge machining. Also, using a pulse width of 100 ns, a pulse interval of 200 ns, a voltage of 100 V and workpiece material of 304# stainless steel, the foil queue micro-electrode was applied in micro-EDM for processing of a 3D micro-structure with hemispherical features, which verified the feasibility of this process.

  14. Ab initio Prediction of Martensitic and Intermartensitic Phase Boundaries in Ni-Mn-Ga.

    PubMed

    Dutta, B; Çakır, A; Giacobbe, C; Al-Zubi, A; Hickel, T; Acet, M; Neugebauer, J

    2016-01-15

    Despite the importance of martensitic transformations of Ni-Mn-Ga Heusler alloys for their magnetocaloric and shape-memory properties, the martensitic part of their phase diagrams is not well determined. Using an ab initio approach that includes the interplay of lattice and vibrational degrees of freedom we identify an intermartensitic transformation between a modulated and a nonmodulated phase as a function of excess Ni and Mn content. Based on an evaluation of the theoretical findings and experimental x-ray diffraction data for Mn-rich alloys, we are able to predict the phase diagram for Ni-rich alloys. In contrast to other mechanisms discussed for various material systems in the literature, we herewith show that the intermartensitic transformation can be understood solely using thermodynamic concepts.

  15. Corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, and electrochemistry of the iron and nickel base alloys in caustic environments. Progress report, 1 March 1977--28 February 1978

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Staehle, R.W.; Agrawal, A.K.

    1978-01-01

    The straining electrode technique was used to evaluate the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of AISI 304 stainless steel in 20N NaOH solution, and of Inconel 600 Alloy and Incoloy 800 Alloy in boiling 17.5N NaOH solution. The crack propagation rate estimated from the straining experiments correlated well with the previous constant load experiments. It was found that the straining electrode technique is a useful method for estimating, through short term experiments, parameters like crack propagation rate, crack morphology, and repassivation rate, as a function of the electrode potential. The role of alloying elements on the crack propagation rate inmore » the above alloys are also discussed.« less

  16. Ab initio study of the electrostatic multipole nature of torsional potentials in CH3SSCH3, CH3SSH, and HOOH

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sokalski, W. A.; Lai, J.; Luo, N.; Sun, S.; Shibata, M.; Ornstein, R.; Rein, R.

    1991-01-01

    The origin of torsional potentials in H3CSSCH3, H3CSSH, and HOOH and the anisotropy of the local charge distribution has been analyzed in terms of atomic multipoles calculated from the ab initio LCAO-MO-SCF wave function in the 6-31G* basis set. The results indicate that for longer -S-S-bonds the major contribution to these torsional barriers are electrostatic interactions of the atomic multipoles located on two atoms forming the rotated bond. This finding demonstrates the important role of electrostatic 1-2 interatomic interactions, usually neglected in conformational studies. It also opens the possibility to derive directly from accurate ab initio wave functions a simple nonempirical torsional potential involving atomic multipoles of two bonded atoms defining the torsional angle. For shorter -O-O- bonds, use of more precise models and inclusion of 1-3 interactions seems to be necessary.

  17. Gas-tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

    DOEpatents

    Frye, Lowell D.

    1984-01-01

    A gas-tungsten arc welding method for joining together structures formed of aluminum alloy with these structures disposed contiguously to a heat-damagable substrate of a metal dissimilar to the aluminum alloy. The method of the present invention is practiced by diamond machining the fay surfaces of the aluminum alloy structures to provide a mirror finish thereon having a surface roughness in the order of about one microinch. The fay surfaces are aligned and heated sufficiently by the tungsten electrode to fuse the aluminum alloy contiguous to the fay surfaces to effect the weld joint. The heat input used to provide an oxide-free weld is significantly less than that required if the fay surfaces were prepared by using conventional chemical and mechanical practices.

  18. Experimental and ab initio molecular dynamics simulation studies of liquid Al60Cu40 alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, S. Y.; Kramer, M. J.; Xu, M.; Wu, S.; Hao, S. G.; Sordelet, D. J.; Ho, K. M.; Wang, C. Z.

    2009-04-01

    X-ray diffraction and ab initio molecular dynamics simulation studies of molten Al60Cu40 have been carried out between 973 and 1323 K. The structures obtained from our simulated atomic models are fully consistent with the experimental results. The local structures of the models analyzed using Honeycutt-Andersen and Voronoi tessellation methods clearly demonstrate that as the temperatures of the liquid is lowered it becomes more ordered. While no one cluster-type dominates the local structure of this liquid, the most prevalent polyhedra in the liquid structure can be described as distorted icosahedra. No obvious correlations between the clusters observed in the liquid and known stable crystalline phases in this system were observed.

  19. Oxygen Evolution Activity of Co-Ni Nanochain Alloys: Promotion by Electron Injection.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Xiaotao; Riaz, Muhammad Sohail; Wang, Xin; Dong, Chenlong; Zhang, Zhe; Huang, Fuqiang

    2018-03-12

    Metal alloy nanoparticles have shown promising applications in electrocatalysis. However, the nanoparticles usually suffer from limited charge-transfer efficiency, which can be solved by preparing one-dimensional materials. Herein, Co-Ni alloy nanochains are prepared by a direct-current arc-discharge method. The nanochains, comprised of mutually coupled uniform nanospheres, can range up to several micrometers in size. When the alloy is exposed to air or under the electro-oxidation process, a metal-metal-oxide heterostructure is obtained. The alloy can inject electrons into the oxide, which makes it more suitable for electrocatalysis. The composition of the samples can be changed by varying the ratio of Ni/Co (i.e., Co, Co 7 Ni 3 , Co 5 Ni 5 , Co 3 Ni 7 , Ni) in the synthesis process. The nanochains show good oxygen evolution performance that correlates with the Ni/Co ratio. Co 7 Ni 3 demonstrates optimal activity with an onset point of 1.50 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and overpotential of 350 mV at 10 mA cm -2 . The alloy nanochains also show excellent durability with 95.0 % current retention after a long-term test for 12 h. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Ab initio calculations for industrial materials engineering: successes and challenges.

    PubMed

    Wimmer, Erich; Najafabadi, Reza; Young, George A; Ballard, Jake D; Angeliu, Thomas M; Vollmer, James; Chambers, James J; Niimi, Hiroaki; Shaw, Judy B; Freeman, Clive; Christensen, Mikael; Wolf, Walter; Saxe, Paul

    2010-09-29

    Computational materials science based on ab initio calculations has become an important partner to experiment. This is demonstrated here for the effect of impurities and alloying elements on the strength of a Zr twist grain boundary, the dissociative adsorption and diffusion of iodine on a zirconium surface, the diffusion of oxygen atoms in a Ni twist grain boundary and in bulk Ni, and the dependence of the work function of a TiN-HfO(2) junction on the replacement of N by O atoms. In all of these cases, computations provide atomic-scale understanding as well as quantitative materials property data of value to industrial research and development. There are two key challenges in applying ab initio calculations, namely a higher accuracy in the electronic energy and the efficient exploration of large parts of the configurational space. While progress in these areas is fueled by advances in computer hardware, innovative theoretical concepts combined with systematic large-scale computations will be needed to realize the full potential of ab initio calculations for industrial applications.

  1. Effect of Alloying Elements on Nano-ordered Wear Property of Magnesium Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yagi, Takahiro; Hirayama, Tomoko; Matsuoka, Takashi; Somekawa, Hidetoshi

    2017-03-01

    The effect of alloying elements on nano-ordered wear properties was investigated using fine-grained pure magnesium and several types of 0.3 at. pct X (X = Ag, Al, Ca, Li, Mn, Y, and Zn) binary alloys. They had an average grain size of 3 to 5 μm and a basal texture due to their production by the extrusion process. The specific wear rate was influenced by the alloying element; the Mg-Ca and Mg-Mn alloys showed the best and worst wear property, respectively, among the present alloying elements, which was the same trend as that for indentation hardness. Deformed microstructural observations revealed no formation of deformation twins, because of the high activation of grain boundary-induced plasticity. On the contrary, according to scratched surface observations, when grain boundary sliding partially contributed to deformation, these alloys had large specific wear rates. These results revealed that the wear property of magnesium alloys was closely related to the plastic deformation mechanism. The prevention of grain boundary sliding is important to improve the wear property, which is the same as that of a large-scale wearing configuration. One of the influential factors is the change in the lattice parameter with the chemical composition, i.e., ∂( c/ a)/∂ C. An alloying element that has a large value of ∂( c/ a)/∂ C effectively enhances the wear property.

  2. Method of preparing a positive electrode for an electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Tomczuk, Zygmunt

    1979-01-01

    A method of preparing an electrochemical cell including a metal sulfide as the positive electrode reactant and lithium alloy as the negative electrochemical reactant with an alkali metal, molten salt electrolyte is disclosed which permits the assembly to be accomplished in air. The electrode reactants are introduced in the most part as a sulfide of lithium and the positive electrode metal in a single-phase compound. For instance, Li.sub.2 FeS.sub.2 is a single-phase compound that is produced by the reaction of Li.sub.2 S and FeS. This compound is an intermediate in the positive electrode cycle from FeS.sub.2 to Fe and Li.sub.2 S. Its use minimizes volumetric changes from the assembled to the charged and discharged conditions of the electrode and minimizes electrode material interaction with air and moisture during assembly.

  3. Detection and quantification of solute clusters in a nanostructured ferritic alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miller, Michael K.; Larson, David J.; Reinhard, D. A.

    2014-12-26

    A series of simulated atom probe datasets were examined with a friends-of-friends method to establish the detection efficiency required to resolve solute clusters in the ferrite phase of a 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloy. The size and number densities of solute clusters in the ferrite of the as-milled mechanically-alloyed condition and the stir zone of a friction stir weld were estimated with a prototype high-detection-efficiency (~80%) local electrode atom probe. High number densities, 1.8 × 10 24 m –3 and 1.2 × 10 24 m –3, respectively of solute clusters containing between 2 and 9 solute atoms of Ti, Y andmore » O and were detected for these two conditions. Furthermore, these results support first principle calculations that predicted that vacancies stabilize these Ti–Y–O– clusters, which retard diffusion and contribute to the excellent high temperature stability of the microstructure and radiation tolerance of nanostructured ferritic alloys.« less

  4. Impact of aluminum doping on the thermo-physical properties of refractory medium-entropy alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Fuyang; Wang, Yang; Vitos, Levente

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the elastic moduli, ideal tensile strength, and thermodynamic properties of TiVNb and AlTiVNb refractory medium-entropy alloys (HEAs) by using ab initio alloy theories: the coherent potential approximation (CPA), the special quasi-random supercell (SQS), and a 432-atom supercell (SC). We find that with increasing number of alloy components, the SQS elastic constants become sensitive to the supercell size. The predicted elastic moduli are consistent with the available experiments. Aluminum doping decreases the stability of the body centered cubic phase. The ideal tensile strength calculation indicates that adding equiatomic Al to TiVNb random solid solution increases the intrinsic strength (ideal strain increase from 9.6% to 11.8%) and decreases the intrinsic strength (from 9.6 to 5.7 GPa). Based on the equation of states calculated by the CPA and SC methods, the thermodynamic properties obtained by the two ab initio methods are assessed. The L21 AlTiVNb (Ti-Al-V-Nb) alloy is predicted to be thermodynamically and dynamically stable with respect to the solid solution.

  5. High-capacity nanostructured germanium-containing materials and lithium alloys thereof

    DOEpatents

    Graetz, Jason A.; Fultz, Brent T.; Ahn, Channing; Yazami, Rachid

    2010-08-24

    Electrodes comprising an alkali metal, for example, lithium, alloyed with nanostructured materials of formula Si.sub.zGe.sub.(z-1), where 0electrodes made from graphite. These electrodes are useful as anodes for secondary electrochemical cells, for example, batteries and electrochemical supercapacitors.

  6. Enhancement of wear and corrosion resistance of low modulus β-type Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) dental alloys through thermal oxidation treatment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianfeng; Gan, Xiaxia; Tang, Hongqun; Zhan, Yongzhong

    2017-07-01

    In order to obtain material with low elastic modulus, good abrasion resistance and high corrosion stability as screw for dental implant, the biomedical Zr-20Nb and Zr-20Nb-3Ti alloy with low elastic modulus were thermal oxidized respectively at 700°C for 1h and 600°C for 1.25h to obtain the compact oxidized layer to improve its wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The results show that smooth compact oxidized layer (composed of monoclinic ZrO 2 , tetragonal ZrO 2 and 6ZrO 2 -Nb 2 O 5 ) with 22.6μm-43.5μm thickness and 1252-1306HV hardness can be in-situ formed on the surface of the Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3). The adhesion of oxidized layers to the substrates is determined to be 58.35-66.25N. The oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi alloys reveal great improvement of the pitting corrosion resistance in comparison with the un-oxidized alloys. In addition, the oxidized Zr-20Nb-3Ti exhibits sharply reduction of the corrosion rates and the oxidized Zr-20Nb shows higher corrosion rates than un-oxidized alloys, which is relevant with the content of the t-ZrO 2 . Wear test in artificial saliva demonstrates that the wear losses of the oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) are superior to pure Ti. All of the un-oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) alloys suffer from serious adhesive wear due to its high plasticity. Because of the protection from compact oxide layer with high adhesion and high hardness, the coefficients of friction and wear losses of the oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) alloys decrease 50% and 95%, respectively. The defects on the oxidized Zr-20Nb have a negative effect on the friction and wear properties. In addition, after the thermal oxidation, compression test show that elastic modulus and strength of Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) increase slightly with plastic deformation after 40% of transformation. Furthermore, stripping of the oxidized layer from the alloy matrix did not occur during the whole experiments. As the surface oxidized Zr-20Nb-3Ti alloy has a combination of excellent performance

  7. Bulk and surface half-metallicity: The case of D0{sub 3}-type Mn{sub 3}Ge

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Hao; Gao, G. Y., E-mail: guoying-gao@mail.hust.edu.cn; Hu, Lei

    2014-01-21

    Motivated by the experimental realization of D0{sub 22}-type Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) films [Kurt et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 132410 (2012)] and the structural stability of D0{sub 3}-type Heusler alloy Mn{sub 3}Ge [Zhang et al. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 25, 206006 (2013)], we use the first-principles calculations based on the full potential linearized augmented plane-wave method to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of D0{sub 3}-type Heusler alloy Mn{sub 3}Ge and its (001) surface. We show that bulk D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge is a half-metallic ferromagnet with the minority-spin energy gap of 0.52 eV and the magnetic moment of 1.00 μ{sub B} permore » formula unit. The bulk half-metallicity is preserved at the pure Mn-terminated (001) surface due to the large exchange split, but the MnGe-terminated (001) surface destroys the bulk half-metallicity. We also reveal that the surface stabilities are comparable between the D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) and the experimental D0{sub 22}-Mn{sub 3}Ge (001), which indicates the feasibility to grow the Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) films with D0{sub 3} phase other than D0{sub 22} one. The surface half-metallicity and stability make D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge a promising candidate for spintronic applications.« less

  8. Germanium- and tellurium-doped GaAs for non-alloyed p-type and n-type ohmic contacts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Joongseo; Barnes, Peter A.; Lovejoy, Michael L.

    1995-08-01

    Epitaxial ohmic contacts to GaAs were grown by liquid phase epitaxy. Heavily Ge-doped GaAs was grown to prepare ohmic contacts to p-GaAs while Te was used for the n-type contacts. Hall measurements were carried out for the samples grown from melts in which the mole fraction of Ge was varied between 1.55 atomic % and 52.2 atomic %, while the Te mole fractions varied between 0.03% and 0.5%. Specific contact resistance, rc, as low as rcp=2.9×10-6 ohm-cm 2 for Ge doping of p=(Na-Nd)=6.0×1019 holes/cm3 was measured for p-contacts and rcn=9.6×10-5 ohm-cm2 was measured for Te doping of n=(Nd-Na)=8.9×1018 electrons/cm3 for GaAs metallized with non-alloyed contacts of Ti/Al.

  9. Crystallographic, magnetic, and electronic structures of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys Ni2XGa (X=Mn,Fe,Co) from first-principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, J.; Raulot, J. M.; Zhang, Y. D.; Esling, C.; Zhao, X.; Zuo, L.

    2011-01-01

    The crystallographic, magnetic and electronic structures of the ferromagnetic shape memory alloys Ni2XGa (X=Mn, Fe, and Co), are systematically investigated by means of the first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory using the VIENNA AB INITIO SOFTWARE PACKAGE. The lattice parameters of both austenitic and martensitic phases in Ni2MnGa have been calculated. The formation energies of the cubic phase of Ni2XGa are estimated, and show a destabilization tendency if Mn atom is substituted by Fe or Co. From Ni2MnGa to Ni2CoGa, the down spin total density of states (DOS) at Fermi level is gradually increasing, whereas that of the up spin part remains almost unchanged. This is the main origin of the difference of the magnetic moment in these alloys. The partial DOS is dominated by the Ni and Mn 3d states in the bonding region below EF. There are two bond types existing in Ni2XGa: one is between neighboring Ni atoms in Ni2MnGa; the other is between Ni and X atoms in Ni2FeGa and Ni2CoGa alloys.

  10. Auxiliary Electrodes for Chromium Vapor Sensors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fergus, Jeffrey; Shahzad, Moaiz; Britt, Tommy

    Measurement of chromia-containing vapors in solid oxide fuel cell systems is useful for monitoring and addressing cell degradation caused by oxidation of the chomia scale formed on alloys for interconnects and balance-of-plant components. One approach to measuring chromium is to use a solid electrolyte with an auxiliary electrode that relates the partial pressure of the chromium containing species to the mobile species in the electrolyte. One example is YCrO3 which can equilibrate with the chromium containing vapor and yttrium in yttria stabilized zirconia to establish an oxygen activity. Another is Na2CrO4 which can equilibrate with the chromium-containing vapor to establishmore » a sodium activity.« less

  11. 3D-Printed Graphene/Polylactic Acid Electrodes Promise High Sensitivity in Electroanalysis.

    PubMed

    Manzanares Palenzuela, C Lorena; Novotný, Filip; Krupička, Petr; Sofer, Zdeněk; Pumera, Martin

    2018-05-01

    Additive manufacturing provides a unique tool for prototyping structures toward electrochemical sensing, due to its ability to produce highly versatile, tailored-shaped devices in a low-cost and fast way with minimized waste. Here we present 3D-printed graphene electrodes for electrochemical sensing. Ring- and disc-shaped electrodes were 3D-printed with a Fused Deposition Modeling printer and characterized using cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy. Different redox probes K 3 Fe(CN) 6 :K 4 Fe(CN) 6 , FeCl 3 , ascorbic acid, Ru(NH 3 ) 6 Cl 3 , and ferrocene monocarboxylic acid) were used to assess the electrochemical performance of these devices. Finally, the electrochemical detection of picric acid and ascorbic acid was carried out as proof-of-concept analytes for sensing applications. Such customizable platforms represent promising alternatives to conventional electrodes for a wide range of sensing applications.

  12. Engineering Group-IV Monochalcogenides by Doping and Alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sirikumara, Hansika; Fitzpatrick, Trevor; Jayasekera, Thushari

    Group-IV monochalcogenides, MX (M=Sn,Ge and X=S,Se) have shown to be promising materials for thermoelectric and photovoltaic applications. These properties can be further engineered by substitutional doping and alloying. Using the results from ab initio Density Functional Theory calculations, we identified a series of new class of monochalcogenide alloys in the form Ge(1-x)SnxS, Ge(1-x)SnxSe, GeSxSe(1- x), SnSxSe(1-x). Stability of their two-dimensional counterparts will also be discussed in this presentation.

  13. Introducing ab initio based neural networks for transition-rate prediction in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Messina, Luca; Castin, Nicolas; Domain, Christophe; Olsson, Pär

    2017-02-01

    The quality of kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations of microstructure evolution in alloys relies on the parametrization of point-defect migration rates, which are complex functions of the local chemical composition and can be calculated accurately with ab initio methods. However, constructing reliable models that ensure the best possible transfer of physical information from ab initio to KMC is a challenging task. This work presents an innovative approach, where the transition rates are predicted by artificial neural networks trained on a database of 2000 migration barriers, obtained with density functional theory (DFT) in place of interatomic potentials. The method is tested on copper precipitation in thermally aged iron alloys, by means of a hybrid atomistic-object KMC model. For the object part of the model, the stability and mobility properties of copper-vacancy clusters are analyzed by means of independent atomistic KMC simulations, driven by the same neural networks. The cluster diffusion coefficients and mean free paths are found to increase with size, confirming the dominant role of coarsening of medium- and large-sized clusters in the precipitation kinetics. The evolution under thermal aging is in better agreement with experiments with respect to a previous interatomic-potential model, especially concerning the experiment time scales. However, the model underestimates the solubility of copper in iron due to the excessively high solution energy predicted by the chosen DFT method. Nevertheless, this work proves the capability of neural networks to transfer complex ab initio physical properties to higher-scale models, and facilitates the extension to systems with increasing chemical complexity, setting the ground for reliable microstructure evolution simulations in a wide range of alloys and applications.

  14. Mechanical properties, microstructural and thermal evolution of Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys by mechanical alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kursun, Celal; Gogebakan, Musa; Eskalen, Hasan

    2018-03-01

    We report on a work of the influence of the mechanical alloying on the microstructure, thermal and mechanical features of Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys. The Mg-based alloys were produced by mechanical alloying technique from mixtures of pure crystalline Mg, Ni, Y and Si powders. These alloys were investigated using a variety of analytical techniques including x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDX) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mechanical properties of the alloys were investigated by Vickers microhardness (HV) tester. After 75 h of milling time, three different intermetallic phases were obtained. These phases were defined as Mg24Y5, Mg2Ni3Si and Mg2Ni by XRD data. The particle and crystallite sizes of the Mg-based alloys were decreased by increasing milling time and they were calculated 2 μm and ˜9 nm, respectively. From the EDX analysis, it was determined that compositional homogeneity of the Mg-based alloys was fairly high. The microhardness values of the Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys increased by increasing Si into the alloys and were determined 101, 131 and 158 HV, respectively.

  15. Structural, electronic, magnetic, and transport properties of the equiatomic quaternary Heusler alloy CoRhMnGe: Theory and experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rani, Deepika; Enamullah, Suresh, K. G.; Yadav, A. K.; Jha, S. N.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Varma, Manoj Raama; Alam, Aftab

    2017-11-01

    In this work, we present structural, electronic, magnetic, mechanical, and transport properties of equiatomic quaternary Heusler alloy, CoRhMnGe, using theoretical and experimental techniques. A detailed structural analysis is performed using x-ray diffraction and extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The alloy is found to crystallize in Y -type structure having space group F 4 ¯3 m (no. 216). The ab initio simulation predicts half-metallic ferromagnetic characteristics leading to large spin polarization. The calculated magnetization is found to be in fair agreement with experiment as well as those predicted by the Slater-Pauling rule, which is a prerequisite for half-metallicity. The magnetic transition temperature (TC) is found to be ˜760 K. Measured electrical resistivity in the temperature range 2-400 K also gives an indication of half-metallic behavior. Effect of hydrostatic pressure on electronic structure, magnetic, and mechanical properties are investigated in detail. The alloy is found to preserve half-metallic characteristics up to 30.27 GPa, beyond which it transits to metallic phase. No magnetic phase transition is found to occur in the whole range of pressure. The system also satisfies the Born-Huang criteria for mechanical stability up to a limited range of pressure. All these properties make the CoRhMnGe alloy promising for spintronics devices.

  16. Overexpression of the ABC transporter AvtAB increases avermectin production in Streptomyces avermitilis.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Jingfan; Zhuo, Ying; Zhu, Dongqing; Zhou, Xiufen; Zhang, Lixin; Bai, Linquan; Deng, Zixin

    2011-10-01

    Avermectins are 16-membered macrocyclic polyketides with potent antiparasitic activities, produced by Streptomyces avermitilis. Upstream of the avermectin biosynthetic gene cluster, there is the avtAB operon encoding the ABC transporter AvtAB, which is highly homologous to the mammalian multidrug efflux pump P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Inactivation of avtAB had no effect, but increasing the concentration of avtAB mRNA 30-500-fold, using a multi-copy plasmid in S. avermitilis, enhanced avermectin production about two-fold both in the wild-type and in a high-yield producer strain on agar plates. In liquid industrial fermentation medium, the overall productivity of avermectin B1a in the engineered high-yield producer was improved for about 50%, from 3.3 to 4.8 g/l. In liquid YMG medium, moreover, the ratio of intracellular to extracellular accumulation of avermectin B1a was dropped from 6:1 to 4.5:1 in response to multiple copies of avtAB. Additionally, the overexpression of avtAB did not cause any increased expression of the avermectin biosynthetic genes through RT-PCR analysis. We propose that the AvtAB transporter exports avermectin, and thus reduces the feedback inhibition on avermectin production inside the cell. This strategy may be useful for enhancing the production of other antibiotics.

  17. Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction using a Silver-Zinc Alloy [CO 2 Electroreduction on a Ag-Zn Alloy

    DOE PAGES

    Hatsukade, Toru; Kuhl, Kendra P.; Cave, Etosha R.; ...

    2017-02-20

    We report on CO 2 electroreduction activity and selectivity of a polycrystalline AgZn foil in aqueous bicarbonate electrolyte. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that the alloy foil was slightly enriched in zinc both at the surface and in the bulk, with a surface alloy composition of 61.3±5.4 at % zinc and with Ag 5Zn 8 as the most prominent bulk phase. AgZn is active for CO 2 reduction; CO is the main product, likely due to the weak CO binding energy of the surface, with methane and methanol emerging as minor products. Compared to puremore » silver and pure zinc foils, enhancements in activity and selectivity for methane and methanol are observed. A five-fold increase is observed in the combined partial current densities for methane and methanol at –1.43 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), representing a four- to six-fold increase in faradaic efficiency. Here, such enhancements indicate the existence of a synergistic effect between silver and zinc at the surface of the alloy that contributes to the enhanced formation of further reduced products.« less

  18. In Vivo Neural Recording and Electrochemical Performance of Microelectrode Arrays Modified by Rough-Surfaced AuPt Alloy Nanoparticles with Nanoporosity

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Zongya; Gong, Ruxue; Zheng, Liang; Wang, Jue

    2016-01-01

    In order to reduce the impedance and improve in vivo neural recording performance of our developed Michigan type silicon electrodes, rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles with nanoporosity were deposited on gold microelectrode sites through electro-co-deposition of Au-Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles, followed by chemical dealloying Cu. The AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified gold microelectrode sites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in vivo neural recording experiment. The SEM images showed that the prepared AuPt alloy nanoparticles exhibited cauliflower-like shapes and possessed very rough surfaces with many different sizes of pores. Average impedance of rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified sites was 0.23 MΩ at 1 kHz, which was only 4.7% of that of bare gold microelectrode sites (4.9 MΩ), and corresponding in vitro background noise in the range of 1 Hz to 7500 Hz decreased to 7.5 μVrms from 34.1 μVrms at bare gold microelectrode sites. Spontaneous spike signal recording was used to evaluate in vivo neural recording performance of modified microelectrode sites, and results showed that rough-surfaced AuPt alloy nanoparticles modified microelectrode sites exhibited higher average spike signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 4.8 in lateral globus pallidus (GPe) due to lower background noise compared to control microelectrodes. Electro-co-deposition of Au-Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles combined with chemical dealloying Cu was a convenient way for increasing the effective surface area of microelectrode sites, which could reduce electrode impedance and improve the quality of in vivo spike signal recording. PMID:27827893

  19. Experimental Verification of the Decomposition of Y2O3 in Fe-Based ODS Alloys During Mechanical Alloying Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Byun, Jong Min; Park, Chun Woong; Do Kim, Young

    2018-06-01

    In this study, we investigated the state of Y2O3, as a major additive element in Fe-based ODS alloys, during mechanical alloying (MA) processes by thermodynamic approaches and experimental verification. For this purpose, we introduced Ti2O3 that formed different reaction products depending on the state of Y2O3 into the Fe-based ODS alloys. In addition, the reaction products of Ti2O3, Y, and Y2O3 powders were predicted approximately based on their formation enthalpy. The experimental results relating to the formation of Y-based complex oxides revealed that YTiO3 and Y2Ti2O7 were formed when Ti2O3 reacted with Y; in contrast, only Y2Ti2O7 was detected during the reaction between Ti2O3 and Y2O3. In the alloy of Fe-Cr-Y2O3 with Ti2O3, YTiO3 (formed by the reaction of Ti2O3 with Y) was detected after the MA and heat treatment processes were complete, even though Y2O3 was present in the system. Using these results, it was proved that Y2O3 decomposed into monoatomic Y and O during the MA process.

  20. First-cycle defect evolution of Li1-xNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 lithium ion battery electrodes investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seidlmayer, Stefan; Buchberger, Irmgard; Reiner, Markus; Gigl, Thomas; Gilles, Ralph; Gasteiger, Hubert A.; Hugenschmidt, Christoph

    2016-12-01

    In this study the structure and evolution of vacancy type defects in lithium ion batteries are investigated in respect of crystallographic properties. The relation between positron annihilation and electronic structure is discussed in terms of structural dynamics during the lithiation process. Samples of Li1-xNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC-111) electrodes with decreasing lithium content (x = 0-0.7) covering the whole range of state of charge were electrochemically prepared for the non-destructive analysis using positron coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy (CDBS). The positron measurements allowed us to observe the evolution of the defect structure caused by the delithiation process in the NMC-111 electrodes. The combination of CDBS with X-ray diffraction for the characterization of the lattice structures enabled the analysis of the well-known kinetic-hindrance-effect in the first charge-discharge cycle and possible implications of vacancy ordering. In particular, CDBS revealed the highest degree of relithiation after discharge to 3.0 V at 55 °C. For the first time, we report on the successful application of CDBS on NMC-111 electrodes yielding new insights in the important role of defects caused by the delithiation process and the kinetic hindrance effect.

  1. Characterizing the Promiscuity of LigAB, a Lignin Catabolite Degrading Extradiol Dioxygenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6

    PubMed Central

    Barry, Kevin P.; Taylor, Erika A.

    2014-01-01

    LigAB from Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6 is the only structurally characterized dioxygenase of the largely uncharacterized superfamily of Type II extradiol dioxygenases (EDO). This enzyme catalyzes the oxidative ring-opening of protocatechuate (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid or PCA) in a pathway allowing the degradation of lignin derived aromatic compounds (LDACs). LigAB has also been shown to utilize two other LDACs from the same metabolic pathway as substrates, gallate, and 3-O-methyl gallate; however, kcat/KM had not been reported for any of these compounds. In order to assess the catalytic efficiency and get insights into the observed promiscuity of this enzyme, steady-state kinetic analyses were performed for LigAB with these and a library of related compounds. The dioxygenation of PCA by LigAB was highly efficient, with a kcat of 51 s−1 and a kcat/KM of 4.26 × 106 M−1s−1. LigAB demonstrated the ability to use a variety of catecholic molecules as substrates beyond the previously identified gallate and 3-O-methyl gallate, including 3,4-dihydroxybenzamide, homoprotocatechuate, catechol, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzonitrile. Interestingly, 3,4-dihydroxybenzamide (DHBAm) behaves in a manner similar to that of the preferred benzoic acid substrates, with a kcat/Km value only ~4-fold lower than that for gallate and ~10-fold higher than that for 3-O-methyl gallate. All of these most active substrates demonstrate mechanistic inactivation of LigAB. Additionally, DHBAm exhibits potent product inhibition that leads to an inactive enzyme, being more highly deactivating at lower substrate concentration, a phenomena that, to our knowledge, has not been reported for another dioxygenase substrate/product pair. These results provide valuable catalytic insight into the reactions catalyzed by LigAB and make it the first Type II EDO that is fully characterized both structurally and kinetically. PMID:23977959

  2. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer coatings facilitate smaller neural recording electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ludwig, Kip A.; Langhals, Nicholas B.; Joseph, Mike D.; Richardson-Burns, Sarah M.; Hendricks, Jeffrey L.; Kipke, Daryl R.

    2011-02-01

    We investigated using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to lower the impedance of small, gold recording electrodes with initial impedances outside of the effective recording range. Smaller electrode sites enable more densely packed arrays, increasing the number of input and output channels to and from the brain. Moreover, smaller electrode sizes promote smaller probe designs; decreasing the dimensions of the implanted probe has been demonstrated to decrease the inherent immune response, a known contributor to the failure of long-term implants. As expected, chronically implanted control electrodes were unable to record well-isolated unit activity, primarily as a result of a dramatically increased noise floor. Conversely, electrodes coated with PEDOT consistently recorded high-quality neural activity, and exhibited a much lower noise floor than controls. These results demonstrate that PEDOT coatings enable electrode designs 15 µm in diameter.

  3. 3D electrode localization on wireless sensor networks for wearable BCI.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, C P; Dias, N S; Hoffmann, K P; Mendes, P M

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents a solution for electrode localization on wearable BCI radio-enabled electrodes. Electrode positioning is a common issue in any electrical physiological recording. Although wireless node localization is a very active research topic, a precise method with few centimeters of range and a resolution in the order of millimeters is still to be found, since far-field measurements are very prone to error. The calculation of 3D coordinates for each electrode is based on anchorless range-based localization algorithms such as Multidimensional Scaling and Self-Positioning Algorithm. The implemented solution relies on the association of a small antenna to measure the magnetic field and a microcontroller to each electrode, which will be part of the wireless sensor network module. The implemented solution is suitable for EEG applications, namely the wearable BCI, with expected range of 20 cm and resolution of 5 mm.

  4. Quantum-mechanical ab initio simulation of the Raman and IR spectra of Mn3Al2Si3O12 spessartine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valenzano, Loredana; Meyer, Alessio; Demichelis, Raffaella; Civalleri, Bartolomeo; Dovesi, Roberto

    2009-07-01

    The IR and Raman spectra of spessartine garnet Mn3Al2Si3O12, are simulated with the periodic ab initio CRYSTAL code by adopting an all-electron Gaussian-type basis set and the B3LYP Hamiltonian. The frequencies of the 25 Raman active modes (3 of A 1 g , 8 of E g and 14 of F 2 g symmetry) and of the two sets of 17 F 1 u transverse-optical and longitudinal-optical frequencies are generated, as well as the IR oscillator strength. The agreement between calculated and experimental data is excellent: for the IR and Raman sets, the mean absolute difference overline{|Updelta|} is 4.0 and 6.8 cm-1, respectively. Isotopic substitution permits to highlight the Mn, Al and Si participation to the various zones of the spectrum. Graphical animation, available on the authors’ web-site ( http://www.crystal.unito.it/vibs/garnets/spessartine/ Type="URL"/> ), provides a very readable description of the movement of atoms and groups in each vibrational mode.

  5. Reaching state-of-the art requirements for MIM capacitors with a single-layer anodic Al2O3 dielectric and imprinted electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hourdakis, Emmanouel; Nassiopoulou, Androula G.

    2017-07-01

    Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitors with a high capacitance density and low non-linearity coefficient using a single-layer dielectric of barrier-type anodic alumina (Al2O3) and an imprinted bottom Al electrode are presented. Imprinting of the bottom electrode aimed at increasing the capacitor effective surface area by creating a three-dimensional MIM capacitor architecture. The bottom Al electrode was only partly nanopatterned so as to ensure low series resistance of the MIM capacitor. With a 3 nm thick anodic Al2O3 dielectric, the capacitor with the imprinted electrode showed a 280% increase in capacitance density compared to the flat electrode capacitor, reaching a value of 20.5 fF/μm2. On the other hand, with a 30 nm thick anodic Al2O3 layer, the capacitance density was 7.9 fF/μm2 and the non-linearity coefficient was as low as 196 ppm/V2. These values are very close to reaching all requirements of the last International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors for MIM capacitors [ITRS, http://www.itrs2.net/2013-itrs.html for ITRS Roadmap (2013)], and they are achieved by a single-layer dielectric instead of the complicated dielectric stacks of the literature. The obtained results constitute a real progress compared to previously reported results by our group for MIM capacitors using imprinted electrodes.

  6. Change In The Electronic Structure And Optical Absorption Of Cuprate Delafossites Via B-site Alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beesley, Ramon; Panapitiya, Gihan; Lewis, James; Lewis Group Team

    Delafossite oxides are a family of materials with the form ABO2 , where the A-site is a monovalent cation (Cu , Ag , Au) and the B-site is a trivalent cation (Ga , Al , In). Delafossites typically have a wide optical band gap, this band gap may be tuned by adding a second B-site element forming an AB(1- x) 1B(x)2O2 alloy. We investigate changes in the electronic structure of CuAlO2 , CuGaO2 , and CuInO2 when alloyed with CuFeO2 . Using the FIREBALL program to optimize the atomic structure, calculate the total and partial density of states, calculate the valence band edge for each alloy level, and investigate the clustering factor of the second B-site atom, it is found that alloying with Fe creates midgap states caused by Fe - O interactions. From the partial density of state, each type of atoms contribution to the change in the valence band edge can be seen. Observed changes to the materials include increased optical absorption in the visible range, and symmetry breaking because of the deformation in the crystal structure. The CuFeO2 alloying percentages range from 0-5%. We are synthesizing these alloys to experimentally verify the changes in the optical absorption spectra.

  7. MicroRNA-19a/b-3p protect the heart from hypertension-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy through PDE5A.

    PubMed

    Liu, Kun; Hao, Qiongyu; Wei, Jie; Li, Gong-Hao; Wu, Yong; Zhao, Yun-Feng

    2018-04-16

    PDE5A is a leading factor contributing to cGMP signaling and cardiac hypertrophy. However, microRNA-mediated posttranscriptional regulation of PDE5A has not been reported. The aim of this study is to screen the microRNAs that are able to regulate PDE5A and explore the function of the microRNAs in cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling. Although miR-19a/b-3p (microRNA-19a-3p and microRNA-19b-3p) have been reported to be differentially expressed during cardiac hypertrophy, the direct targets and the functions of this microRNA family for regulation of cardiac hypertrophy have not yet been investigated. The present study identified some direct targets and the underlying functions of miR-19a/b-3p by using bioinformatics tools and gene manipulations within mouse neonatal cardiomyocytes. Transfection of miR-19a/b-3p down-regulated endogenous expressions of PDE5A at both mRNA and protein levels with real-time PCR and western blot. Luciferase reporter assays showed that PDE5A was a direct target of miR-19a/b-3p. In mouse models of cardiac hypertrophy, we found that miR-19a/b-3p was expressed in cardiomyocytes and that its expression was reduced in pressure overload-induced hypertrophic hearts. miR-19a/b-3p transgenic mice prevented the progress of cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac remodeling in response to angiotensin II infusion with echocardiographic assessment and pressure-volume relation analysis. Our study elucidates that PDE5A is a novel direct target of miR-19a/b-3p, and demonstrates that antihypertrophic roles of the miR-19a/b-3p family in Ang II-induced hypertrophy and cardiac remodeling, suggests that endogenous miR-19a/b-3p might have clinical potential to suppress cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any

  8. Beyond Simple AB Diblock Copolymers: Application of Bifunctional and Trifunctional RAFT Agents to PISA in Water.

    PubMed

    Mellot, Gaëlle; Beaunier, Patricia; Guigner, Jean-Michel; Bouteiller, Laurent; Rieger, Jutta; Stoffelbach, François

    2018-06-20

    The influence of the macromolecular reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (macro-RAFT) agent architecture on the morphology of the self-assemblies obtained by aqueous RAFT dispersion polymerization in polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is studied by comparing amphiphilic AB diblock, (AB) 2 triblock, and triarm star-shaped (AB) 3 copolymers, constituted of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAc = A) and diacetone acrylamide (DAAm = B). Symmetrical triarm (AB) 3 copolymers could be synthesized for the first time in a PISA process. Spheres and higher order morphologies, such as worms or vesicles, could be obtained for all types of architectures and the parameters that determine their formation have been studied. In particular, we found that the total DP n of the PDMAc and the PDAAm segments, i.e., the same overall molar mass, at the same M n (PDMAc)/M n (PDAAm) ratio, rather than the individual length of the arms determined the morphologies for the linear (AB) 2 and star shaped (AB) 3 copolymers obtained by using the bi- and trifunctional macro-RAFT agents. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Corrosion resistant positive electrode for high-temperature, secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Otto, Neil C.; Warner, Barry T.; Smaga, John A.; Battles, James E.

    1983-01-01

    The corrosion rate of low carbon steel within a positive electrode of a high-temperature, secondary electrochemical cell that includes FeS as active material is substantially reduced by incorporating therein finely divided iron powder in stoichiometric excess to the amount required to form FeS in the fully charged electrode. The cell typically includes an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as negative electrode active material and a molten metal halide salt as electrolyte. The excess iron permits use of inexpensive carbon steel alloys that are substantially free of the costly corrosion resistant elements chromium, nickel and molybdenum while avoiding shorten cell life resulting from high corrosion rates.

  10. Corrosion resistant positive electrode for high-temperature, secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Otto, N.C.; Warner, B.T.; Smaga, J.A.; Battles, J.E.

    1982-07-07

    The corrosion rate of low carbon steel within a positive electrode of a high-temperature, secondary electrochemical cell that includes FeS as active material is substantially reduced by incorporating therein finely divided iron powder in stoichiometric excess to the amount required to form FeS in the fully charged electrode. The cell typically includes an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as negative electrode active material and a molten metal halide salt as electrolyte. The excess iron permits use of inexpensive carbon steel alloys that are substantially free of the costly corrosion resistant elements chromium, nickel and molybdenum while avoiding shorten cell life resulting from high corrosion rates.

  11. Microstructure, Phase Occurrence, and Corrosion Behavior of As-Solidified and As-Annealed Al-Pd Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ďuriška, Libor; Palcut, Marián; Špoták, Martin; Černičková, Ivona; Gondek, Ján; Priputen, Pavol; Čička, Roman; Janičkovič, Dušan; Janovec, Jozef

    2018-02-01

    In the present work, we studied the microstructure, phase constitution, and corrosion performance of Al88Pd12, Al77Pd23, Al72Pd28, and Al67Pd33 alloys (metal concentrations are given in at.%). The alloys were prepared by repeated arc melting of Al and Pd granules in argon atmosphere. The as-solidified samples were further annealed at 700 °C for 500 h. The microstructure and phase constitution of the as-solidified and as-annealed alloys were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The alloys were found to consist of (Al), ɛ n ( Al3Pd), and δ (Al3Pd2) in various fractions. The corrosion testing of the alloys was performed in aqueous NaCl (0.6 M) using a standard 3-electrode cell monitored by potentiostat. The corrosion current densities and corrosion potentials were determined by Tafel extrapolation. The corrosion potentials of the alloys were found between - 763 and - 841 mV versus Ag/AgCl. An active alloy dissolution has been observed, and it has been found that (Al) was excavated, whereas Al in ɛ n was de-alloyed. The effects of bulk chemical composition, phase occurrence and microstructure on the corrosion behavior are evaluated. The local nobilities of ɛ n and δ are discussed. Finally, the conclusions about the alloy's corrosion resistance in saline solutions are provided.

  12. Hierarchical Co3O4/PANI hollow nanocages: Synthesis and application for electrode materials of supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Xiaohu; Fan, Huiqing; Ma, Jiangwei; Wang, Chao; Zhang, Mingchang; Zhao, Nan

    2018-05-01

    Hierarchically hollow Co3O4/polyaniline nanocages (Co3O4/PANI NCs) with enhanced specific capacitance and cycle performance for electrode material of supercapacitors are fabricated by combining self-sacrificing template and in situ polymerization route. Benefiting from the good conductivity of PANI improving an electron transport rate as well as high specific surface area from such a hollow structure, the electrode made of Co3O4/PANI NCs exhibits a large specific capacitance of 1301 F/g at the current density of 1 A/g, a much enhancement is obtained as compared with the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode. The contact resistance (Re), charge-transfer (Rct) and Warburg resistance of Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode is significantly lower than that of the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode, indicating the enhanced electrical conductivity. In addition, the Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode also displays superior cycling stability with 90 % capacitance retention after 2000 cycles. Moreover, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor was successfully assembled using Co3O4/PANI NCs as the positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, the assembled device exhibits a superior energy density of 41.5 Wh/kg at 0.8 kW/kg, outstanding power density of 15.9 kW/kg at 18.4 Wh/kg, which significantly transcending those of most previously reported. These results demonstrate that the hierarchically hollow Co3O4/PANI NCs composites have a potential for fabricating electrode of supercapacitors.

  13. Characterization of the Temperature Capabilities of Advanced Disk Alloy ME3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gabb, Timothy P.; Telesman, Jack; Kantzos, Peter T.; OConnor, Kenneth

    2002-01-01

    The successful development of an advanced powder metallurgy disk alloy, ME3, was initiated in the NASA High Speed Research/Enabling Propulsion Materials (HSR/EPM) Compressor/Turbine Disk program in cooperation with General Electric Engine Company and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines. This alloy was designed using statistical screening and optimization of composition and processing variables to have extended durability at 1200 F in large disks. Disks of this alloy were produced at the conclusion of the program using a realistic scaled-up disk shape and processing to enable demonstration of these properties. The objective of the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technologies disk program was to assess the mechanical properties of these ME3 disks as functions of temperature in order to estimate the maximum temperature capabilities of this advanced alloy. These disks were sectioned, machined into specimens, and extensively tested. Additional sub-scale disks and blanks were processed and selectively tested to explore the effects of several processing variations on mechanical properties. Results indicate the baseline ME3 alloy and process can produce 1300 to 1350 F temperature capabilities, dependent on detailed disk and engine design property requirements.

  14. Effects of Zn-In-Sn elements on the electric properties of magnesium alloy anode materials.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhan; Ju, Dongying; Zhao, Hongyang; Hu, Xiaodong

    2011-06-01

    A new magnesium alloy anode is based on an environmentally friendly electrode that contains none of mercury, lead and chromate, but it can enhance the electric properties of alloy significantly. Magnesium alloy adding eco-friendly elements Zn-In-Sn which was developed by orthogonal design were obtained by two casting methods. The effect of additive elements on performance of electrode material was studied. The effects of elements addition and casting method on electric properties and corrosive properties of Mg-Zn-In-Sn alloys were investigated by using electrochemical measurements, corrosive tests and observation of surface structure. The results show that Mg-Zn-In-Sn alloy anode has higher electromotive force and more stable work potential than that commercial magnesium alloy AZ91. It is suitable for anode material of magnesium battery for its small hydrogen evolution, less self-corrosion rate and easy to shed corrosive offspring off. Copyright © 2011 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Gas-tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

    DOEpatents

    Frye, L.D.

    1982-03-25

    The present invention is directed to a gas-tungsten arc welding method for joining together structures formed of aluminum alloy with these structures disposed contiguously to a heat-damagable substrate of a metal dissimilar to the aluminum alloy. The method of the present invention is practiced by diamond machining the fay surfaces of the aluminum alloy structures to profice a mirror finish thereon having a surface roughness in the order of about one microinch. The fay surface are aligned and heated sufficiently by the tungsten electrode to fuse the aluminum alloy continguous to the fay surfaces to effect the weld joint. The heat input used to provide an oxide-free weld is significantly less than that required if the fay surfaces were prepared by using conventional chemical and mechanical practices.

  16. Immunoscintigraphy of ovarian cancer with indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody.

    PubMed

    Massuger, L F; Kenemans, P; Claessens, R A; Verheijen, R H; Schijf, C P; Strijk, S P; Poels, L G; van Hoesel, R G; Corstens, F H

    1990-11-01

    The safety and diagnostic accuracy of immunoscintigraphy with the indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3 F(ab')2(111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2) for diagnosis and follow-up of ovarian cancer was prospectively studied in 31 patients. Planar and SPECT scintigraphy were performed up to 4 days after i.v. injection of 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2. Surgical evaluation was possible in 22 out of 31 patients. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, and CA 125 serum level using the histologically confirmed surgical findings as a "gold standard." Apart from a transient rash observed in two patients, no other immediate or delayed adverse reactions were observed. Within the surgically evaluated group, ovarian cancer lesions were detected in 16 out of 17 patients (94%). Of 45 distinct tumor deposits found at operation, 67% were detected and localized with immunoscintigraphy while X-ray computed tomography and ultrasound visualized 53% and 23%, respectively.

  17. MR Measurement of Alloy Magnetic Susceptibility: Towards Developing Tissue-Susceptibility Matched Metals

    PubMed Central

    Astary, Garrett W.; Peprah, Marcus K.; Fisher, Charles R.; Stewart, Rachel L.; Carney, Paul R.; Sarntinoranont, Malisa; Meisel, Mark W.; Manuel, Michele V.; Mareci, Thomas H.

    2013-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to relate structure to function mapped with high-temporal resolution electrophysiological recordings using metal electrodes. Additionally, MRI may be used to guide the placement of electrodes or conductive cannula in the brain. However, the magnetic susceptibility mismatch between implanted metals and surrounding brain tissue can severely distort MR images and spectra, particularly in high magnetic fields. In this study, we present a modified MR method of characterizing the magnetic susceptibility of materials that can be used to develop biocompatible, metal alloys that match the susceptibility of host tissue in order to eliminate MR distortions proximal to the implant. This method was applied at 4.7 T and 11.1 T to measure the susceptibility of a model solid-solution alloy of Cu and Sn, which is inexpensive but not biocompatible. MR-derived relative susceptibility values of four different compositions of Cu-Sn alloy deviated by less than 3.1% from SQUID magnetometry absolute susceptibility measurements performed up to 7 T. These results demonstrate that the magnetic susceptibility varies linearly with atomic percentage in these solid-solution alloys, but are not simply the weighted average of Cu and Sn magnetic susceptibilities. Therefore susceptibility measurements are necessary when developing susceptibility-matched, solid-solution alloys for the elimination of susceptibility artifacts in MR. This MR method does not require any specialized equipment and is free of geometrical constraints, such as sample shape requirements associated with SQUID magnetometry, so the method can be used at all stages of fabrication to guide the development of a susceptibility matched, biocompatible device. PMID:23727587

  18. MicroRNA-29b-1 impairs in vitro cell proliferation, self‑renewal and chemoresistance of human osteosarcoma 3AB-OS cancer stem cells.

    PubMed

    Di Fiore, Riccardo; Drago-Ferrante, Rosa; Pentimalli, Francesca; Di Marzo, Domenico; Forte, Iris Maria; D'Anneo, Antonella; Carlisi, Daniela; De Blasio, Anna; Giuliano, Michela; Tesoriere, Giovanni; Giordano, Antonio; Vento, Renza

    2014-11-01

    Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of bone cancer, with a peak incidence in the early childhood. Emerging evidence suggests that treatments targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) within a tumor can halt cancer and improve patient survival. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the maintenance of the CSC phenotype, thus, identification of CSC-related miRNAs would provide information for a better understanding of CSCs. Downregulation of miRNA-29 family members (miR-29a/b/c; miR‑29s) was observed in human OS, however, little is known about the functions of miR-29s in human OS CSCs. Previously, during the characterization of 3AB-OS cells, a CSC line selected from human OS MG63 cells, we showed a potent downregulation of miR-29b. In this study, after stable transfection of 3AB-OS cells with miR-29b-1, we investigated the role of miR-29b-1 in regulating cell proliferation, sarcosphere-forming ability, clonogenic growth, chemosensitivity, migration and invasive ability of 3AB-OS cells, in vitro. We found that, miR-29b-1 overexpression consistently reduced both, 3AB-OS CSCs growth in two- and three-dimensional culture systems and their sarcosphere- and colony-forming ability. In addition, while miR-29b-1 overexpression sensitized 3AB-OS cells to chemotherapeutic drug-induced apoptosis, it did not influence their migratory and invasive capacities, thus suggesting a context-depending role of miR-29b-1. Using publicly available databases, we proceeded to identify potential miR-29b target genes, known to play a role in the above reported functions. Among these targets we analyzed CD133, N-Myc, CCND2, E2F1 and E2F2, Bcl-2 and IAP-2. We also analyzed the most important stemness markers as Oct3/4, Sox2 and Nanog. Real-time RT-PCR and western-blot analyses showed that miR-29b-1 negatively regulated the expression of these markers. Overall, the results show that miR-29b-1 suppresses stemness properties of 3AB-OS CSCs and suggest that developing miR-29b-1 as a novel

  19. Evaluation of advanced austenitic alloys relative to alloy design criteria for steam service

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Swindeman, R.W.; Maziasz, P.J.; Bolling, E.

    1990-05-01

    The results are summarized for a 6-year activity on advanced austenitic stainless steels for heat recovery systems. Commercial, near-commercial, and developmental alloys were evaluated relative to criteria for metallurgical stability, fabricability, weldability, and mechanical strength. Fireside and steamside corrosion were also considered, but no test data were collected. Lean stainless steel alloys that were given special attention in the study were type 316 stainless steel, fine-grained type 347 stainless steel, 17-14CuMo stainless steel, Esshete 1250, Sumitomo ST3Cu{reg sign} stainless steel, and a group of alloys identified as HT-UPS (high-temperature, ultrafine-precipitation strengthened) steels that were basically 14Cr--16Ni--Mo steels modified by variousmore » additions of MC-forming elements. It was found that, by solution treating the MC-forming alloys to temperatures above 1150{degree}C and subsequently cold or warm working, excellent metallurgical stability and creep strength could be achieved. Test data to beyond 35,000 h were collected. The ability to clad the steels for improved fireside corrosion resistance was demonstrated. Weldability of the alloys was of concern, and hot cracking was found to be a problem in the HT-UPS alloys. By reducing the phosphorous content and selecting either CRE 16-8-2 stainless steel or alloy 556 filler metal, weldments were produced that had excellent strength and ductility. The major issues related to the development of the advanced alloys were identified and ways to resolve the issues suggested. 89 refs., 45 figs., 8 tabs.« less

  20. Inherently aligned microfluidic electrodes composed of liquid metal.

    PubMed

    So, Ju-Hee; Dickey, Michael D

    2011-03-07

    This paper describes the fabrication and characterization of microelectrodes that are inherently aligned with microfluidic channels and in direct contact with the fluid in the channels. Injecting low melting point alloys, such as eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn), into microchannels at room temperature (or just above room temperature) offers a simple way to fabricate microelectrodes. The channels that define the shape and position of the microelectrodes are fabricated simultaneously with other microfluidic channels (i.e., those used to manipulate fluids) in a single step; consequently, all of the components are inherently aligned. In contrast, conventional techniques require multiple fabrication steps and registration (i.e., alignment of the electrodes with the microfluidic channels), which are technically challenging. The distinguishing characteristic of this work is that the electrodes are in direct contact with the fluid in the microfluidic channel, which is useful for a number of applications such as electrophoresis. Periodic posts between the microelectrodes and the microfluidic channel prevent the liquid metal from entering the microfluidic channel during injection. A thin oxide skin that forms rapidly and spontaneously on the surface of the metal stabilizes mechanically the otherwise low viscosity, high surface tension fluid within the channel. Moreover, the injected electrodes vertically span the sidewalls of the channel, which allows for the application of uniform electric field lines throughout the height of the channel and perpendicular to the direction of flow. The electrodes are mechanically stable over operating conditions commonly used in microfluidic applications; the mechanical stability depends on the magnitude of the applied bias, the nature of the bias (DC vs. AC), and the conductivity of the solutions in the microfluidic channel. Electrodes formed using alloys with melting points above room temperature ensure mechanical stability over all of the