Effect of anodic treatment on the electrocatalytic activity of superficial Raney nickel catalyst in cathodic hydrogen

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

Korovin, N.V.; Kozlova, N.I.; Kumenko, M.V.

This work is concerned with the effect of oxidation on the activity of Raney nickel catalyst in cathodic hydrogen evolution. The superficial Raney nickel catalyst (nickel SRC) was prepared by a previously described procedure. The surface of the nickel SRC was oxidized by applying an anodic sweep over the potential range from 0.25 to 1.00 V with a potential sweep rate of 1 mV/sec. The rate of cathodic hydrogen evolution increases after pretreatment of the surface of nickel SRC by application of an anodic pulse. A significant increase in the reaction rate most probably is due to oxygen adsorption onmore » the nickel SRC surface. The largest increase in the amount of weakly bound hydrogen corresponds to the most active electrode. Oxidation of the nickel surface by an anodic pulse causes both an acceleration and a retardation of the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction.« less

The effect of cathodic polarization on the corrosion fatigue behavior of a precipitation hardened aluminum alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, E. F.; Duquette, D. J.

1986-02-01

Fatigue experiments were conducted on polycrystalline and monocrystalline samples of a high purity Al, 5.5 wt pct Zn, 2.5 wt pct Mg, 1.5 wt pct Cu alloy in the peak-hardened heat treatment condition. These experiments were conducted in dry laboratory air and in 0.5 N NaCl solutions at the corrosion potential and at applied potentials cathodic to the corrosion potential. It has been shown that saline solutions severely reduce the fatigue resistance of the alloy, resulting in considerable amounts of intergranular crack initiation and propagation under freely corroding conditions for polycrystalline samples. Applied cathodic potentials resulted in still larger decreases in fatigue resistance and, for poly crystals, increases in the degree of transgranular crack initiation and propagation. Increasing amounts of intergranular cracking were observed when applied cyclic stresses were reduced (longer test times). The characteristics of cracking, combined with results obtained on tensile tests of deformed and hydrogen charged samples, suggest that environmental cracking of these alloys is associated with a form of hydrogen embrittlement of the process zones of growing cracks. Further, it is suggested that stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue of these alloys occurs by essentially the same mechanism, but that the often observed transgranular cracking under cyclic loading conditions occurs due to enhanced hydrogen transport and/or concentrations associated with mobile dislocations at growing crack tips.

Multi-layer coatings for bipolar rechargeable batteries with enhanced terminal voltage

DOEpatents

Farmer, Joseph C.; Kaschmitter, James; Pierce, Steve

2017-06-06

A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar coated cell according to one embodiment includes applying a first active cathode material above a substrate to form a first cathode; applying a first solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the first cathode to form a first electrode separation layer; applying a first active anode material above the first electrode separation layer to form a first anode; applying an electrically conductive barrier layer above the first anode; applying a second active cathode material above the anode material to form a second cathode; applying a second solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the second cathode to form a second electrode separation layer; applying a second active anode material above the second electrode separation layer to form a second anode; and applying a metal material above the second anode to form a metal coating section. In another embodiment, the anode is formed prior to the cathode. Cells are also disclosed.

Integrated structure vacuum tube: A Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dimeff, J.; Kerwin, W. J.

1974-01-01

Cathode emission is made to occur by heating entire structure to 600 C, and positive potential is applied to anode with negative potential on grids. Electron flow takes place from ring to circular anode through electric field produced by grids.

Advanced electric propulsion research, 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilbur, Paul J.

1990-01-01

Results of an experimental study of the characteristics of ion thruster hollow cathodes operating at high discharge currents (up to 60 A) are presented in a companion report. This work shows that ions produced near the cathode orifice can acquire sufficient energy to induce the high sputter erosion rates on cathode potential surfaces that have been observed in ion thrusters. A mechanism by which these ions could be produced is also described. A second, brief study showing how a discharge chamber model developed previously can be applied to determine optimal values for one or more discharge chamber design parameters is presented. The experimental approach being used to study the plasma potential field and charge-exchange ion production rate downstream of the accelerator grid of an ion thruster is discussed and preliminary results are presented.

Charge-transfer modified embedded atom method dynamic charge potential for Li-Co-O system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Fantai; Longo, Roberto C.; Liang, Chaoping; Nie, Yifan; Zheng, Yongping; Zhang, Chenxi; Cho, Kyeongjae

2017-11-01

To overcome the limitation of conventional fixed charge potential methods for the study of Li-ion battery cathode materials, a dynamic charge potential method, charge-transfer modified embedded atom method (CT-MEAM), has been developed and applied to the Li-Co-O ternary system. The accuracy of the potential has been tested and validated by reproducing a variety of structural and electrochemical properties of LiCoO2. A detailed analysis on the local charge distribution confirmed the capability of this potential for dynamic charge modeling. The transferability of the potential is also demonstrated by its reliability in describing Li-rich Li2CoO2 and Li-deficient LiCo2O4 compounds, including their phase stability, equilibrium volume, charge states and cathode voltages. These results demonstrate that the CT-MEAM dynamic charge potential could help to overcome the challenge of modeling complex ternary transition metal oxides. This work can promote molecular dynamics studies of Li ion cathode materials and other important transition metal oxides systems that involve complex electrochemical and catalytic reactions.

Charge-transfer modified embedded atom method dynamic charge potential for Li-Co-O system.

PubMed

Kong, Fantai; Longo, Roberto C; Liang, Chaoping; Nie, Yifan; Zheng, Yongping; Zhang, Chenxi; Cho, Kyeongjae

2017-11-29

To overcome the limitation of conventional fixed charge potential methods for the study of Li-ion battery cathode materials, a dynamic charge potential method, charge-transfer modified embedded atom method (CT-MEAM), has been developed and applied to the Li-Co-O ternary system. The accuracy of the potential has been tested and validated by reproducing a variety of structural and electrochemical properties of LiCoO 2 . A detailed analysis on the local charge distribution confirmed the capability of this potential for dynamic charge modeling. The transferability of the potential is also demonstrated by its reliability in describing Li-rich Li 2 CoO 2 and Li-deficient LiCo 2 O 4 compounds, including their phase stability, equilibrium volume, charge states and cathode voltages. These results demonstrate that the CT-MEAM dynamic charge potential could help to overcome the challenge of modeling complex ternary transition metal oxides. This work can promote molecular dynamics studies of Li ion cathode materials and other important transition metal oxides systems that involve complex electrochemical and catalytic reactions.

Combined Effect of Alternating Current Interference and Cathodic Protection on Pitting Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of X70 Pipeline Steel in Near-Neutral pH Environment.

PubMed

Wang, Liwei; Cheng, Lianjun; Li, Junru; Zhu, Zhifu; Bai, Shuowei; Cui, Zhongyu

2018-03-22

Influence of alternating current (AC) on pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of X70 pipeline steel in the near-neutral pH environment under cathodic protection (CP) was investigated. Both corrosion and SCC are inhibited by -0.775 V SCE CP without AC interference. With the superimposition of AC current (1-10 mA/cm²), the direct current (DC) potential shifts negatively under the CP of -0.775 V SCE and the cathodic DC current decreases and shifts to the anodic direction. Under the CP potential of -0.95 V SCE and -1.2 V SCE , the applied AC current promotes the cathodic reaction and leads to the positive shift of DC potential and increase of cathodic current. Local anodic dissolution occurs attributing to the generated anodic current transients in the positive half-cycle of the AC current, resulting in the initiation of corrosion pits (0.6-2 μm in diameter). AC enhances the SCC susceptibility of X70 steel under -0.775 V SCE CP, attributing to the promotion of anodic dissolution and hydrogen evolution. Even an AC current as low as 1 mA/cm² can enhance the SCC susceptibility.

High Current Hollow Cathode Plasma Plume Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Robert E.; Kamhawi, Hani; Williams, George J., Jr.

2014-01-01

Plasma plume measurements are reported for a hollow cathode assembly (HCA) operated at discharge currents of 50, 70, and 100 A at xenon flow rates between 19 - 46 standard cubic centimeter per minute. The HCA was centrally mounted in the NASA-300MS Hall Thruster and was operated in the "spot" and "plume" modes with additional data taken with an applied magnetic field. Langmuir probes, retarding potential analyzers, and optical emission spectroscopy were employed to measure plasma properties near the orifice of the HCA and to assess the charge state of the near-field plasma. Electron temperatures (2-6 electron volt) and plasma potentials are consistent with probe-measured values in previous investigations. Operation with an applied-field yields higher discharge voltages, increased Xe III production, and increased signals from the 833.5 nm C I line. While operating in plume mode and with an applied field, ion energy distribution measurements yield ions with energies significantly exceeding the applied discharge voltage. These findings are correlated with high-frequency oscillations associated with each mode.

Lymphocyte Electrotaxis in vitro and in vivo

PubMed Central

Lin, Francis; Baldessari, Fabio; Gyenge, Christina Crenguta; Sato, Tohru; Chambers, Robert D.; Santiago, Juan G.; Butcher, Eugene C.

2008-01-01

Electric fields are generated in vivo in a variety of physiologic and pathologic settings, including penetrating injury to epithelial barriers. An applied electric field with strength within the physiologic range can induce directional cell migration (i.e. electrotaxis) of epithelial cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and neutrophils suggesting a potential role in cell positioning during wound healing. In the present study, we investigated the ability of lymphocytes to respond to applied direct current (DC) electric fields. Using a modified transwell assay and a simple microfluidic device, we show that human peripheral blood lymphocytes migrate toward the cathode in physiologically relevant DC electric fields. Additionally, electrical stimulation activates intracellular kinase signaling pathways shared with chemotactic stimuli. Finally, video microscopic tracing of GFP-tagged immunocytes in the skin of mouse ears reveals that motile cutaneous T cells actively migrate toward the cathode of an applied DC electric field. Lymphocyte positioning within tissues can thus be manipulated by externally applied electric fields, and may be influenced by endogenous electrical potential gradients as well. PMID:18684937

Lymphocyte electrotaxis in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Lin, Francis; Baldessari, Fabio; Gyenge, Christina Crenguta; Sato, Tohru; Chambers, Robert D; Santiago, Juan G; Butcher, Eugene C

2008-08-15

Electric fields are generated in vivo in a variety of physiologic and pathologic settings, including penetrating injury to epithelial barriers. An applied electric field with strength within the physiologic range can induce directional cell migration (i.e., electrotaxis) of epithelial cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and neutrophils suggesting a potential role in cell positioning during wound healing. In the present study, we investigated the ability of lymphocytes to respond to applied direct current (DC) electric fields. Using a modified Transwell assay and a simple microfluidic device, we show that human PBLs migrate toward the cathode in physiologically relevant DC electric fields. Additionally, electrical stimulation activates intracellular kinase signaling pathways shared with chemotactic stimuli. Finally, video microscopic tracing of GFP-tagged immunocytes in the skin of mouse ears reveals that motile cutaneous T cells actively migrate toward the cathode of an applied DC electric field. Lymphocyte positioning within tissues can thus be manipulated by externally applied electric fields, and may be influenced by endogenous electrical potential gradients as well.

Physicochemical effects on uncontaminated kaolinite due to electrokinetic treatment using inert electrodes.

PubMed

Liaki, Christina; Rogers, Christopher D F; Boardman, David I

2008-07-01

To determine the consequences of applying electrokinetics to clay soils, in terms of mechanisms acting and resulting effects on the clay, tests were conducted in which an electrical gradient was applied across controlled specimens of English China Clay (ECC) using 'inert' electrodes and a 'Reverse Osmosis' water feed to the electrodes (i.e., to mimic electrokinetic stabilisation without the stabiliser added or electrokinetic remediation without the contaminant being present). The specimens in which electromigration was induced over time periods of 3, 7, 14 and 28 days were subsequently tested for Atterberg Limits, undrained shear strength using a hand shear vane, water content, pH, conductivity and zeta potential. Water flowed through the system from anode to cathode and directly affected the undrained shear strength of the clay. Acid and alkali fronts were created around the anode and cathode, respectively, causing changes in the pH, conductivity and zeta potential of the soil. Variations in zeta potential were linked to flocculation and dispersion of the soil particles, thus raising or depressing the Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit, and influencing the undrained shear strength. Initial weakening around the anode and cathode was replaced by a regain of strength at the anode once acidic conditions had been created, while highly alkaline conditions at the cathode induced a marked improvement in strength. A novel means of indicating strength improvement by chemical means, i.e., free from water content effects, is presented to assist in interpretation of the results.

Cadmium (II) removal mechanisms in microbial electrolysis cells.

PubMed

Colantonio, Natalie; Kim, Younggy

2016-07-05

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal, causing serious environmental and human health problems. Conventional methods for removing cadmium from wastewater are expensive and inefficient for low concentrations. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) can simultaneously treat wastewater, produce hydrogen gas, and remove heavy metals with low energy requirements. Lab-scale MECs were operated to remove cadmium under various electric conditions: applied voltages of 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 V; and a fixed cathode potential of -1.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Regardless of the electric condition, rapid removal of cadmium was demonstrated (50-67% in 24 h); however, cadmium concentration in solution increased after the electric current dropped with depleted organic substrate under applied voltage conditions. For the fixed cathode potential, the electric current was maintained even after substrate depletion and thus cadmium concentration did not increase. These results can be explained by three different removal mechanisms: cathodic reduction; Cd(OH)2 precipitation; and CdCO3 precipitation. When the current decreased with depleted substrates, local pH at the cathode was no longer high due to slowed hydrogen evolution reaction (2H(+)+2e(-)→H2); thus, the precipitated Cd(OH)2 and CdCO3 started dissolving. To prevent their dissolution, sufficient organic substrates should be provided when MECs are used for cadmium removal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficiency arcjet thruster with controlled arc startup and steady state attachment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, William W. (Inventor); Knowles, Steven C. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

An improved efficiency arcjet thruster has a constrictor and electrically-conductive nozzle anode defining an arc chamber, and an electrically-conductive rod having a tip spaced upstream from the constrictor and defining a cathode spaced from the anode by a gap generally coextensive with the arc chamber. An electrical potential is applied to the anode and cathode to generate an electrical arc in the arc chamber from the cathode to anode. Catalytically decomposed hydrazine is supplied to the arc chamber with generation of the arc so as to produce thermal heating and expansion thereof through the nozzle. The constrictor can have a electrically insulative portion disposed between the cathode tip and the nozzle anode, and an electrically-conductive anode extension disposed along the insulative portion so as to define an auxiliary gap with the cathode tip substantially smaller than the gap defined between the cathode and nozzle anode for facilitating startup of arc generation. The constrictor can also include an electrically-conductive electrode with a variable electrical potential to vary the shape of the arc generated in the arc chamber. Also, the cathode is mounted for axial movement such that the gap between its tip and the nozzle anode can be varied to facilitate a generally nonerosive generation of the electrical arc at startup and reliable steady state operation. Further, the arc chamber can have a nonparallel subsonic-to-supersonic transition configuration, or alternatively solely a nonparallel supersonic configuration, for improved arc attachment.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IONS OF VAPORIZABLE MATERIALS

DOEpatents

Wright, B.T.

1958-01-28

a uniform and copious supply of ions. The source comprises a hollow arc- block and means for establishing a magnetic field through the arc-block. Vaporization of the material to be ionized is produced by an electric heated filament. The arc producing structure within the arc-block consists of a cathode disposed between a pair of collimating electrodes along with an anode adjacent each collimating electrode on the side opposite the cathode. A positive potential applied to the anodes and collimating electrodes, with respect to the cathode, and the magnetic field act to accelerate the electrons from the cathode through a slit in each collimating clectrode towards the respective anode. In this manner a pair of collinear arc discharges are produced in the gas region which can be tapped for an abundant supply of ions of the material being analyzed.

Characterization and optimization of cathodic conditions for H2O2 synthesis in microbial electrochemical cells.

PubMed

Sim, Junyoung; An, Junyeong; Elbeshbishy, Elsayed; Ryu, Hodon; Lee, Hyung-Sool

2015-11-01

Cathode potential and O2 supply methods were investigated to improve H2O2 synthesis in an electrochemical cell, and optimal cathode conditions were applied for microbial electrochemical cells (MECs). Using aqueous O2 for the cathode significantly improved current density, but H2O2 conversion efficiency was negligible at 0.3-12%. Current density decreased for passive O2 diffusion to the cathode, but H2O2 conversion efficiency increased by 65%. An MEC equipped with a gas diffusion cathode was operated with acetate medium and domestic wastewater, which presented relatively high H2O2 conversion efficiency from 36% to 47%, although cathode overpotential was fluctuated. Due to different current densities, the maximum H2O2 production rate was 141 mg H2O2/L-h in the MEC fed with acetate medium, but it became low at 6 mg H2O2/L-h in the MEC fed with the wastewater. Our study clearly indicates that improving anodic current density and mitigating membrane fouling would be key parameters for large-scale H2O2-MECs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synchrotron X-ray studies of model SOFC cathodes, part I: Thin film cathodes

DOE PAGES

Chang, Kee-Chul; Ingram, Brian; Ilavsky, Jan; ...

2017-10-14

In this work, we present synchrotron x-ray investigations of thin film La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.2Fe 0.8O 3-δ (LSCF) model cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells, grown on electrolyte substrates by pulse laser deposition, in situ during half-cell operations. We observed dynamic segregations of cations, such as Sr and Co, on the surfaces of the film cathodes. The effects of temperature, applied potentials, and capping layers on the segregations were investigated using a surfacesensitive technique of total external reflection x-ray fluorescence. We also studied patterned thin film LSCF cathodes using high-resolution micro-beam diffraction measurements. We find chemical expansion decreases for narrowmore » stripes. This suggests the expansion is dominated by the bulk pathway reactions. Lastly, the chemical expansion vs. the distance from the electrode contact was measured at three temperatures and an oxygen vacancy activation energy was estimated to be ~1.4 eV.« less

Evaluation of porous carbon felt as an aerobic biocathode support in terms of hydrogen peroxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milner, Edward M.; Scott, Keith; Head, Ian M.; Curtis, Tom; Yu, Eileen Hao

2017-07-01

Aerobic biocathodes provide a low-cost and sustainable substitute for expensive precious metal catalysts at the cathode of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs). However, the abiotic formation of peroxide, which is catalyzed by the porous carbon support at certain cathode potentials, may be detrimental to their activity. Two different carbon felt supports, one treated with nitric acid, the other untreated, were characterized electrochemically through a series of chronoamperometry (CA) experiments using a novel 4-electrode electrochemical setup, in order to determine the potential at which peroxide is initially formed. Peroxide was detected at a potential of -0.2 V (all potentials are against Ag/AgCl) for the untreated carbon felt electrode and at a potential of -0.05 V for the nitric acid treated carbon felt. Given these results, two half-cells poised at -0.2 and -0.1 V were setup in order to study biocathode formation. The half-cell poised at -0.2 V did not develop an aerobic biocathode, whereas the half-cell poised at -0.1 V developed an aerobic biocathode. This study shows that to develop aerobic biocathodes on carbon felt, cathode electrode potentials more positive than -0.2 V must be applied.

Bioelectrochemical ethanol production through mediated acetate reduction by mixed cultures.

PubMed

Steinbusch, Kirsten J J; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Schaap, Joris D; Kampman, Christel; Buisman, Cees J N

2010-01-01

Biological acetate reduction with hydrogen is a potential method to convert wet biomass waste into ethanol. Since the ethanol concentration and reaction rates are low, this research studies the feasibility of using an electrode, in stead of hydrogen, as an electron donor for biological acetate reduction in conjunction of an electron mediator. Initially, the effect of three selected mediators on metabolic flows during acetate reduction with hydrogen was explored; subsequently, the best performing mediator was used in a bioelectrochemical system to stimulate acetate reduction at the cathode with mixed cultures at an applied cathode potential of -550 mV. In the batch test, methyl viologen (MV) was found to accelerate ethanol production 6-fold and increased ethanol concentration 2-fold to 13.5 +/- 0.7 mM compared to the control. Additionally, MV inhibited n-butyrate and methane formation, resulting in high ethanol production efficiency (74.6 +/- 6%). In the bioelectrochemical system, MV addition to an inoculated cathode led directly to ethanol production (1.82 mM). Hydrogen was coproduced at the cathode (0.0035 Nm(3) hydrogen m(-2) d(-1)), so it remained unclear whether acetate was reduced to ethanol by electrons supplied by the mediator or by hydrogen. As MV reacted irreversibly at the cathode, ethanol production stopped after 5 days.

Towards the Identification of the Keeper Erosion Cause(s): Numerical Simulations of the Plasma and Neutral Gas Using the Global Cathode Model OrCa2D-II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira; Goebel, Dan M.; Jameson, Kristina K.

2006-01-01

Numerical simulations with the time-dependent Orificed Cathode (OrCa2D-II) computer code show that classical enhancements of the plasma resistivity can not account for the elevated electron temperatures and steep plasma potential gradients measured in the plume of a 25-27.5 A discharge hollow cathode. The cathode, which employs a 0.11-in diameter orifice, was operated at 5.5 sccm without an applied magnetic field using two different anode geometries. It is found that anomalous resistivity based on electron-driven instabilities improves the comparison between theory and experiment. It is also estimated that other effects such as the Hall-effect from the self-induced magnetic field, not presently included in OrCa2D-II, may contribute to the constriction of the current density streamlines thus explaining the higher plasma densities observed along the centerline.

Plasma Nitriding of AISI 304 Stainless Steel in Cathodic and Floating Electric Potential: Influence on Morphology, Chemical Characteristics and Tribological Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; He, Yongyong; Wang, Wei; Mao, Junyuan; Zhang, Lei; Zhu, Yijie; Ye, Qianwen

2018-03-01

In direct current plasma nitriding (DCPN), the treated components are subjected to a high cathodic potential, which brings several inherent shortcomings, e.g., damage by arcing and the edging effect. In active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) processes, the cathodic potential is applied to a metal screen that surrounds the workload, and the component to be treated is placed in a floating potential. Such an electrical configuration allows plasma to be formed on the metal screen surface rather than on the component surface; thus, the shortcomings of the DCPN are eliminated. In this work, the nitrided experiments were performed using a plasma nitriding unit. Two groups of samples were placed on the table in the cathodic and the floating potential, corresponding to the DCPN and ASPN, respectively. The floating samples and table were surrounded by a steel screen. The DCPN and ASPN of the AISI 304 stainless steels are investigated as a function of the electric potential. The samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscope. Dry sliding ball-on-disk wear tests were conducted on the untreated substrate, DCPN and ASPN samples. The results reveal that all nitrided samples successfully produced similar nitrogen-supersaturated S phase layers on their surfaces. This finding also shows the strong impact of the electric potential of the nitriding process on the morphology, chemical characteristics, hardness and tribological behavior of the DCPN and ASPN samples.

Fundamental understanding of oxygen reduction and reaction behavior and developing high performance and stable hetero-structured cathodes

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

Liu, Xingbo

2016-11-14

New unique hetero-structured cathode has been developed in this project. La 2NiO 4+δ (LNO) as a surface catalyst with interstitial oxygen defects was introduced onto the state-of-the-art (La 0.6Sr 0.4) 0.95Co 0.2Fe 0.8O 3-δ (LSCF) cathode to enhance the surface-limited ORR kinetics on SOFC cathode. Furthermore, the hetero-structured cathode surface maintains high activity under electrode polarization with much less negative effects from surface cation segregation of Sr, which is known to cause degradation issues for conventional LSCF and LSC cathodes, thus improving the cathode long-term stability. The interface chemistry distribution and oxygen transport properties have been studied to prove themore » enhancement of power out and stability of LNO-infiltrated LSCF cathode. The further investigation demonstrates that CeO 2 & La 2-xNiO 4+δ (x=0-0.2) co-infiltration is a simple and cost-effective method to improve both performance and stability of LSCF cathode by limiting nano-particles growth/delamination and further improve the surface stability. For the first time, a physical model is proposed to illustrate how unique interstitial species on hetero-structured cathode surface work to regulate the exchange rate of the incorporation reaction. Meanwhile, fundamental investigation of the surface oxygen exchange and bulk oxygen transport properties under over-potential conditions across cathode materials have been carried out in this project, which were discussed and compared to the Nernst equation that is generally applied to treat any oxide electrodes under equilibrium.« less

Investigation of plasma contactors for use with orbiting wires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Robert D.; Grossi, Mario D.; Hohlfeld, Robert

1987-01-01

The proposed Shuttle-based short tether experiments with hollow cathodes have the potential for providing important data that will not be obtained in long tether experiments. A critical property for hollow cathode effectiveness as a plasma contactor is the cross magnetic field conductivity of the emitted plasma. The different effects of hollow cathode cloud overlap in the cases of motion-driven and battery-driven operation are emphasized. The calculations presented on the size and shape of the hollow cathode cloud improve the qualitative picture of hollow cathodes in low Earth orbit and provide estimates of time constants for establishing the fully-expanded cloud. The magnetic boundary value problem calculations indicate the way in which the magnetic field will effect the shape of the cloud by resisting expansion in the direction perpendicular to the field. The large-scale interactions of the system were also considered. It was concluded that recent plasma chamber experiments by Stenzel and Urrutia do not model an electrodynamic tether well enough to apply the results to tethered system behavior. Orbiting short tether experiments on hollow cathodes will provide critical information on hollow cathode performance and the underlying physics that cannot be obtained any other way. Experiments should be conducted as soon as funding and a suitable space vehicle are available.

Biofuel cell based on direct bioelectrocatalysis.

PubMed

Ramanavicius, Arunas; Kausaite, Asta; Ramanaviciene, Almira

2005-04-15

A biofuel cell, consisting of two 3mm diameter carbon rod electrodes and operating at ambient temperature in aqueous solution, pH 6, is described. Biofuel cell based on enzymes able to exchange directly electrons with carbon electrodes was constructed and characterized. Anode of the biofuel cell was based on immobilized Quino-hemoprotein alcohol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter sp. 33 (QH-ADH), cathode on co-immobilized glucose oxidase from Aspergilus niger (GO(x)) and microperoxidase 8 from the horse heart (MP-8) acting in the consecutive mode. Two enzymes GO(x) and MP-8 applied in the design of biofuel cell cathode were acting in consecutive mode and by hydrogen peroxide oxidized MP-8 was directly accepting electrons from carbon rod electrode. If ethanol was applied as an energy source the maximal open circuit potential of the biofuel cell was -125 mV. If glucose was applied as energy source the open circuit potential of the cell was +145 mV. The maximal open circuit potential (270 mV) was achieved in the presence of extent concentration (over 2 mM) of both substrates (ethanol and glucose). Operational half-life period (tau(1/2)) of the biofuel cell was found to be 2.5 days.

Pulsed plasma thruster by applied a high current hollow cathode discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Masayuki; N. Nogera Team; T. Kamada Team

2013-09-01

The pulsed plasma thruster applied by a high current hollow cathode discharge has been investigated. In this research, the pseudo-spark discharge (PSD), which is a one of a pulsed high current hollow cathode discharge, is applied to the plasma thruster. In PSD, the opposite surfaces of the anode and cathode have a small circular hole and the cathode has a cylindrical cavity behind the circular hole. To generate the high speed plasma flow, the diameter of the anode hole is enlarged as compared with that of the cathode hole. As a result, the plasma is accelerated by a combination of an electro-magnetic force and a thermo-dynamic force inside a cathode cavity. For the improvement of the plasma jet characteristic, the magnetic field is also applied to the plasma jet. To magnetize the plasma jet, the external magnetic field is directly induced nearby the electrode holes. Consequently, the plasma jet is accelerated with the self-azimuthal magnetic field. With the magnetic field, the temperature and the density of the plasma jet were around 5 eV and in the order of 10 19 m-3. The density increased several times as compared with that without the magnetic field.

Plasma dynamics on current-carrying magnetic flux tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swift, Daniel W.

1992-01-01

A 1D numerical simulation is used to investigate the evolution of a plasma in a current-carrying magnetic flux tube of variable cross section. A large potential difference, parallel to the magnetic field, is applied across the domain. The result is that density minimum tends to deepen, primarily in the cathode end, and the entire potential drop becomes concentrated across the region of density minimum. The evolution of the simulation shows some sensitivity to particle boundary conditions, but the simulations inevitably evolve into a final state with a nearly stationary double layer near the cathode end. The simulation results are at sufficient variance with observations that it appears unlikely that auroral electrons can be explained by a simple process of acceleration through a field-aligned potential drop.

Triode for Magnetic Flux Quanta.

PubMed

Vlasko-Vlasov, V K; Colauto, F; Benseman, T; Rosenmann, D; Kwok, W-K

2016-11-15

In an electronic triode, the electron current emanating from the cathode is regulated by the electric potential on a grid between the cathode and the anode. Here we demonstrate a triode for single quantum magnetic field carriers, where the flow of individual magnetic vortices in a superconducting film is regulated by the magnetic potential of striae of soft magnetic strips deposited on the film surface. By rotating an applied in-plane field, the magnetic strip potential can be varied due to changes in the magnetic charges at the strip edges, allowing accelerated or retarded motion of magnetic vortices inside the superconductor. Scaling down our design and reducing the gap width between the magnetic stripes will enable controlled manipulation of individual vortices and creation of single flux quantum circuitry for novel high-speed low-power superconducting electronics.

Impact of operating conditions on the acetylene contamination in the cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Yunfeng; St-Pierre, Jean

2017-12-01

Realistically, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are operated under varying operating conditions that potentially impact the acetylene contamination reactions. In this paper, the effects of the cell operating conditions on the acetylene contamination in PEMFCs are investigated under different current densities and temperatures with different acetylene concentrations in the cathode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is applied during the constant-current operation to analyze the impacts of the operating conditions on the acetylene electrochemical reactions. The experimental results indicate that higher acetylene concentrations, higher current densities and lower cell temperatures decrease the cell performance more. In particular, cathode poisoning becomes more severe at medium cell current densities. The cell cathode potentials at such current densities are not sufficient to completely oxidize the intermediate or sufficiently low to completely reduce the adsorbed acetylene. Based on these investigations, the possible condition-dependent limitations of the acetylene concentration and cell operating voltage are proposed for insight into the acetylene contamination mitigation stratagem. Regarding the barrier conditions, the acetylene reactions change abruptly, and adjusting the cell operation parameters to change the acetylene adsorbate and intermediate accumulation conditions to induce complete oxidation or reduction conditions may mitigate the severe acetylene contamination effects on PEMFCs.

Reverse iontophoresis of urea in health and chronic kidney disease: a potential diagnostic and monitoring tool?

PubMed Central

Ebah, Leonard M; Read, Ian; Sayce, Andrew; Morgan, Jane; Chaloner, Christopher; Brenchley, Paul; Mitra, Sandip

2012-01-01

Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) need regular monitoring, usually by blood urea and creatinine measurements, needing venepuncture, frequent attendances and a healthcare professional, with significant inconvenience. Noninvasive monitoring will potentially simplify and improve monitoring. We tested the potential of transdermal reverse iontophoresis of urea in patients with CKD and healthy controls. Methods Using a MIC 2® Iontophoresis Controller, reverse iontophoresis was applied on the forearm of five healthy subjects (controls) and 18 patients with CKD for 3–5 h. Urea extracted at the cathode was measured and compared with plasma urea. Results Reverse iontophoresis at 250 μA was entirely safe for the duration. Cathodal buffer urea linearly correlated with plasma urea after 2 h (r = 0·82, P < 0·0001), to 3·5 h current application (r = 0·89, P = 0·007). The linear equations y = 0·24x + 1 and y = 0·21x + 4·63 predicted plasma urea (y) from cathodal urea after 2 and 3 h, respectively. Cathodal urea concentration in controls was significantly lower than in patients with CKD after a minimum current application of 2 h (P < 0·0001), with the separation between the two groups becoming more apparent with longer application (P = 0·003). A cathodal urea cut-off of 30 μM gave a sensitivity of 83·3% and positive predictive value of 87% CKD. During haemodialysis, the fall in cathodal urea was able to track that of blood urea. Conclusion Reverse iontophoresis is safe, can potentially discriminate patients with CKD and healthy subjects and is able to track blood urea changes on dialysis. Further development of the technology for routine use can lead to an exciting opportunity for its use in diagnostics and monitoring. PMID:22409780

A polymerized C60 coating enhancing interfacial stability at three-dimensional LiCoO2 in high-potential regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudaya, Chairul; Halim, Martin; Pröll, Johannes; Besser, Heino; Choi, Wonchang; Pfleging, Wilhelm; Seifert, Hans Jürgen; Lee, Joong Kee

2015-12-01

The interfacial instabilities, including side reactions due to electrolyte decompositions and Cobalt (Co) dissolutions, are the main detrimental processes at LiCoO2 cathode when a high-voltage window (>4.2 V) is applied. Nevertheless, cycling the cathode with a voltage above 4.2 V would deliver an increased gravimetric capacity, which is desired for high power battery operation. To address these drawbacks, we demonstrate a synergistic approach by manufacturing the three-dimensional high-temperature LiCoO2 electrodes (3D HT-LCO) using laser-microstructuring, laser-annealing and subsequent coating with polymerized C60 thin films (C60@3D HT-LCO) by plasma-assisted thermal evaporation. The C60@3D HT-LCO cathode delivers higher initial discharge capacity compared to its theoretical value, i.e. 175 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C with cut-off voltage of 3.0-4.5 V. This cathode combines the advantages of the 3D electrode architecture and an advanced C60 coating/passivation concept leading to an improved electrochemical performance, due to an increased active surface area, a decreased charge transfer resistance, a prevented Co dissolution into the electrolyte and a suppressed side reaction and electrolyte decomposition. This work provides a novel solution for other cathode materials having similar concerns in high potential regimes for application in lithium-ion microbatteries.

Electrochemical nitridation of metal surfaces

DOEpatents

Wang, Heli; Turner, John A.

2015-06-30

Electrochemical nitridation of metals and the produced metals are disclosed. An exemplary method of electrochemical nitridation of metals comprises providing an electrochemical solution at low temperature. The method also comprises providing a three-electrode potentiostat system. The method also comprises stabilizing the three-electrode potentiostat system at open circuit potential. The method also comprises applying a cathodic potential to a metal.

Full-color laser cathode ray tube (L-CRT) projector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovskiy, Vladimir; Nasibov, Alexander S.; Popov, Yuri M.; Reznikov, Parvel V.; Skasyrsky, Yan K.

1995-04-01

A full color TV projector based on three laser cathode-ray tubes (L-CRT) is described. A water-cooled laser screen (LS) is the radiation element of the L-CRT. We have produced three main colors (blue, green and red) by using the LS made of three II-VI compounds: ZnSe ((lambda) equals 475 nm), CdS ((lambda) equals 530 nm) and ZnCdSe (630 nm). The total light flow reaches 1500 Lm, and the number of elements per line is not less than 1000. The LS efficiency may be about 10 Lm/W. In our experiments we have tested new electron optics: - (30 - 37) kV are applied to the cathode unit of the electron gun; the anode of the e-gun and the e-beam intensity modulator are under low potential; the LS has a potential + (30 - 37) kV. The accelerating voltage is divided into two parts, and this enables us to diminish the size and weight of the projector.

Cathodic current enhancement via manganese and oxygen related reactions in marine biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strom, Matthew James

Corrosion is a threat that has economic, and environmental impacts worldwide. Many types of corrosive attack are the subject of ongoing research. One of these areas of research is microbiologically influenced corrosion, which is the enhancement and/or initiation of corrosion events caused by microorganisms. It is well known that colonies of microorganisms can enhance cathodic currents through biofilm formation. The aim of the present work was to elucidate the role of manganese in enhancing cathodic currents in the presence of biofilms. Repeated polarizations conducted in Delaware Bay waters, on biofilm coated Cr identified potentially sustainable reduction reactions. The reduction of MnO2 and the enhancement of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were proven to be factors that influence cathodic current enhancement. The removal of ambient oxygen during polarizations resulted in a shutdown of cathodic current enhancement. These field data led to an exploration of the synergistic relationship between MnO2 and the ORR. Laboratory studies of the catalysis of peroxide disproportionation by MnO2 were monitored using a hanging mercury drop electrode. Experiments were run at an ambient sweater pH of 8 and pH 9, which simulated the near-surface conditions typical of cathodes immersed in seawater. Rapid reoxidation at the more basic pH was shown to allow manganese to behave as a persistent catalyst under the typical electrochemical surface conditions of a cathode. As a result a mechanism for ORR enhancement by manganese was proposed as a unique mechanism for cathodic current enhancement in biofilms. A separate field study of Delaware biofilms on stainless steel coupled to a sacrificial Al anode was carried out to identify the ORR enhancement mechanism and sustainable redox reactions at the cathode. Chemical treatments of glutaraldehyde and formaldoxime were applied to cathodes with biofilms to distinguish between enzymatic and MnO2 related ORR enhancement. The results ruled out the enzymatic catalysis of ORR and supported the catalysis by MnO2. Sustainable redox reactions at the cathode were evaluated by monitoring the cathodic current of biofilm coated stainless steel for a year under different polarization intensities. The results showed that sustainable cathodic reactions were present in marine biofilms but their influence on the cathodic current was negligible until a potential was reached where the ORR could take place. Additionally seasonal variability was observed in the enhanced cathodic current in Delaware Bay biofilms. This was attributed to the seasonal variability of manganese in the water column.

Electrolytic trichloroethene degradation using mixed metal oxide coated titanium mesh electrodes.

PubMed

Petersen, Matthew A; Sale, Thomas C; Reardon, Kenneth F

2007-04-01

Electrochemical systems provide a low cost, versatile, and controllable platform to potentially treat contaminants in water, including chlorinated solvents. Relative to bare metal or noble metal amended materials, dimensionally stable electrode materials such as mixed metal oxide coated titanium (Ti/MMO) have advantages in terms of stability and cost, important factors for sustainable remediation solutions. Here, we report the use of Ti/MMO as an effective cathode substrate for treatment of trichloroethene (TCE). TCE degradation in a batch reactor was measured as the decrease of TCE concentration over time and the corresponding evolution of chloride; notably, this occurred without the formation of commonly encountered chlorinated intermediates. The reaction was initiated when Ti/MMO cathode potentials were less than -0.8 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode, and the rate of TCE degradation increased linearly with progressively more negative potentials. The maximum pseudo-first-order heterogeneous rate constant was approximately 0.05 cm min(-1), which is comparable to more commonly used cathode materials such as nickel. In laboratory-scale flow-though column reactors designed to simulate permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), TCE concentrations were reduced by 80-90%. The extent of TCE flux reduction increased with the applied potential difference across the electrodes and was largely insensitive to the spacing distance between the electrodes. This is the first report of the electrochemical reduction of a chlorinated organic contaminant at a Ti/MMO cathode, and these results support the use of this material in PRBs as a possible approach to manage TCE plume migration.

Triode for Magnetic Flux Quanta

DOE PAGES

Vlasko-Vlasov, V. K.; Colauto, F.; Benseman, T.; ...

2016-11-15

In an electronic triode, the electron current emanating from the cathode is regulated by the electric potential on a grid between the cathode and the anode. Here we demonstrate a triode for single quantum magnetic field carriers, where the flow of individual magnetic vortices in a superconducting film is regulated by the magnetic potential of striae of soft magnetic strips deposited on the film surface. By rotating an applied in-plane field, the magnetic strip potential can be varied due to changes in the magnetic charges at the strip edges, allowing accelerated or retarded motion of magnetic vortices inside the superconductor.more » Scaling down our design and reducing the gap width between the magnetic stripes will enable controlled manipulation of individual vortices and creation of single flux quantum circuitry for novel high-speed low-power superconducting electronics.« less

Uniaxial Magnetization Performance of Textured Fe Nanowire Arrays Electrodeposited by a Pulsed Potential Deposition Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neetzel, C.; Ohgai, T.; Yanai, T.; Nakano, M.; Fukunaga, H.

2017-11-01

Textured ferromagnetic Fe nanowire arrays were electrodeposited using a rectangular-pulsed potential deposition technique into anodized aluminum oxide nanochannels. During the electrodeposition of Fe nanowire arrays at a cathodic potential of - 1.2 V, the growth rate of the nanowires was ca. 200 nm s-1. The aspect ratio of Fe nanowires with a diameter of 30 ± 5 nm reached ca. 2000. The long axis of Fe nanowires corresponded with the <200> direction when a large overpotential during the on-time pulse was applied, whereas it orientated to the <110> direction under the potentiostatic condition with a small overpotential. By shifting the on-time cathode potential up to - 1.8 V, the texture coefficient for the (200) plane, TC200, reached up to 1.94. Perpendicular magnetization performance was observed in Fe nanowire arrays. With increasing TC200, the squareness of Fe nanowire arrays increased up to 0.95 with the coercivity maintained at 1.4 kOe at room temperature. This research result has opened a novel possibility of Fe nanowire arrays that can be applied for a new permanent magnetic material without rare-earth metals.

Emission current control system for multiple hollow cathode devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beattie, John R. (Inventor); Hancock, Donald J. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

An emission current control system for balancing the individual emission currents from an array of hollow cathodes has current sensors for determining the current drawn by each cathode from a power supply. Each current sensor has an output signal which has a magnitude proportional to the current. The current sensor output signals are averaged, the average value so obtained being applied to a respective controller for controlling the flow of an ion source material through each cathode. Also applied to each controller are the respective sensor output signals for each cathode and a common reference signal. The flow of source material through each hollow cathode is thereby made proportional to the current drawn by that cathode, the average current drawn by all of the cathodes, and the reference signal. Thus, the emission current of each cathode is controlled such that each is made substantially equal to the emission current of each of the other cathodes. When utilized as a component of a multiple hollow cathode ion propulsion motor, the emission current control system of the invention provides for balancing the thrust of the motor about the thrust axis and also for preventing premature failure of a hollow cathode source due to operation above a maximum rated emission current.

Correlation of intercalation potential with d-electron configurations for cathode compounds of lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Chen, Zhenlian; Zhang, Caixia; Zhang, Zhiyong; Li, Jun

2014-07-14

The d-electron localization is widely recognized as important to transport properties of transition metal compounds, but its role in the energy conversion of intercalation reactions of cathode compounds is still not fully explored. In this work, the correlation of intercalation potential with electron affinity, a key energy term controlling electron intercalation, then with d-electron configuration, is investigated. Firstly, we find that the change of the intercalation potential with respect to the transition metal cations within the same structure class is correlated in an approximately mirror relationship with the electron affinity, based on first-principles calculations on three typical categories of cathode compounds including layered oxides and polyoxyanions Then, by using a new model Hamiltonian based on the crystal-field theory, we reveal that the evolution is governed by the combination of the crystal-field splitting and the on-site d-d exchange interactions. Further, we show that the charge order in solid-solution composites and the compatibility of multi-electron redox steps could be inferred from the energy terms with the d-electron configuration alternations. These findings may be applied to rationally designing new chemistry for the lithium-ion batteries and other metal-ion batteries.

Effective degradation of rhodamine B by electro-Fenton process, using ferromagnetic nanoparticles loaded on modified graphite felt electrode as reusable catalyst: in neutral pH condition and without external aeration.

PubMed

Tian, Jiangnan; Zhao, Jixiang; Olajuyin, Ayobami Matthew; Sharshar, Moustafa Mohamed; Mu, Tingzhen; Yang, Maohua; Xing, Jianmin

2016-08-01

Polytetrafluoroethylene/ferromagnetic nanoparticle/carbon black (PTFE/MNP/CB)-modified graphite felt (GF) was successfully applied as cathode for the mineralization of rhodamine B (RhB) in electro-Fenton (EF) process. The modified cathode showed high decolorization efficiency for RhB solution even in neutral pH condition and without external aeration, achieving nearly complete decolorization and 89.52 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal after 270-min oxidation with the MNP load 1.2 g at 50 A/m(2). Moreover, the operational parameters (current density, MNP load, initial pH, and airflow rate) were optimized. After that, adsorption isotherm was also conducted to compare the absorption quantity of CB and carbon nanotube (CNT). Then, the surface morphologies of MNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray detector (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); and the modified cathode was characterized by SEM and contact angle. Finally, the stability and reusability of modified cathode were tested. Result uncovered that the PTFE/MNP/CB-modified cathode has the potential for industrial application and the solution after treatment was easily biodegradable.

A novel carbon black graphite hybrid air-cathode for efficient hydrogen peroxide production in bioelectrochemical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Nan; An, Jingkun; Zhou, Lean; Li, Tian; Li, Junhui; Feng, Cuijuan; Wang, Xin

2016-02-01

Carbon black and graphite hybrid air-cathode is proved to be effective for H2O2 production in bioelectrochemical systems. The optimal mass ratio of carbon black to graphite is 1:5 with the highest H2O2 yield of 11.9 mg L-1 h-1 cm-2 (12.3 mA cm-2). Continuous flow is found to improve the current efficiency due to the avoidance of H2O2 accumulation. In the biological system, the highest H2O2 yield reaches 3.29 mg L-1h-1 (0.079 kg m-3day-1) with a current efficiency of 72%, which is higher than the abiotic system at the same current density. H2O2 produced in this system is mainly from the oxygen diffused through this air-cathode (>66%), especially when a more negative cathode potential is applied (94% at -1.0 V). This hybrid air-cathode has advantages of high H2O2 yield, high current density and no need of aeration, which make the synthesis of H2O2 more efficient and economical.

Computational Interpretation of the Relation Between Electric Field and the Applied Current for Cathodic Protection Under Different Conductivity Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yong-Sang; Ko, Sang-Jin; Lee, Sangkyu; Kim, Jung-Gu

2018-03-01

An interpretation of the relation between the electric field and the applied current for cathodic protection is investigated using a boundary element method simulation. Also, a conductivity-difference environment is set for the interface influence. The variation of the potential distribution is increased with the increase of the applied current and the conductivity difference due to the rejection of the current at the interface. In the case of the electric field, the tendencies of the increasing rate and the applied currents are similar, but the interface influence is different according to the directional component and field type (decrease of E z and increases of E x and E y) due to the directional difference between the electric fields. Also, the change tendencies of the electric fields versus the applied current plots are affected by the polarization curve tendency regarding the polarization type (activation and concentration polarizations in the oxygen-reduction and hydrogen-reduction reactions). This study shows that the underwater electric signature is determined by the polarization behavior of the materials.

The effects of cathodic micro-voltage combined with hydrothermal pretreatment on methane fermentation of lignocellulose substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dianxin; Ning, Ping; Qu, Guangfei; Huang, Xi; Liu, Yuhuan; Zhang, Jian

2017-05-01

The methane fermentation study assisted with cathodic micro-voltage was carried out to investigate the electric field effects on the fermentation of hydrothermally pretreated lignocellulose substrate. It was illustrated that a 0.25V cathode voltage and hydrothermal pretreatment could improve the biogas production, biogas quality and lignocellulose degradation ratio significantly. The cumulative biogas productions in the fermentation of hydrothermally pretreated cow dungs at 50°C, 150°C and 200°C with a 0.25V cathode voltage were observed in a total of 6640mL, 9218mL and 9456mL respectively over a detention time of 33 days. In comparison with the fermentation pretreated at 200°C without any voltage, nearly doubled of cumulative biogas production was obtained in the process of cathode-assisted fermentation. It was also observed that the daily methane content greater than or equal to 70% in the biogas generated with cathode voltage were clearly greater than that without voltages. Furthermore, the fermentation applied with a 0.25V cathode voltage had resulted into significant increases of 12.64% and 9.44% in lignin and cellulose degradation ratio relative to voltage free fermentation. And in the process of fermentation applied with cathode voltage, the final lignocellulose degradation ratio increased with the hydrothermal pretreatment temperature. Thus, the hydrothermal pretreatment and assisting fermentation with low cathode voltage can effectively promote the lignocellulose degradation. All results revealed that cathodic micro-voltage combined with hydrothermal pretreatment can remarkably improve the fermentation of lignocellulosic materials, indicating that a more effective fermentation technology can be developed by applying with cathodic micro-voltage.

Oil well flow assurance through static electric potential: An experimental investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashmi, Muhammad Ihtsham Asmat

Flow assurance technology deals with the deposition of organic and inorganic solids in the oil flow path, which results in constriction of the production tubing and surface flow lines and drastically reduces the kinetic energy of the fluid. The major contributors to this flow restriction are inorganic scales, asphaltene, wax and gas hydrates, in addition to minor contribution from formation fines and corrosion products. Some of these materials (particularly asphaltene and inorganic scales) carry surface charges on their nuclei and seen to be attracted by electrode having opposite charge. The focus of the present research is to find the possibilities of inhibiting the deposition of asphaltene and inorganic scales in the production tubing by applying static electrical potential. With this objective, two flow set ups were made; one for asphaltene and the other for scale deposition studies, attached with precision pumps, pressure recording system and DC power supply. In each set up there were two flow loops, one was converted as Anode and the other as Cathode. A series of flow studies were conducted using the flow set ups, in which oil-dilution ratio, temperature and most importantly DC potential difference was varied and the deposition behavior of the asphaltene aggregates and calcium carbonate scale to the walls of the test loops were observed through rise of differential pressure across the loop due to possible deposition and constriction of the flow path. Two different sets of flow studies; one without oil dilution and other with the diluted oil (with n-heptane), were performed. Both experiments were investigated under the influence of static potential applied across the two test loops. Experimental results indicated that asphaltene deposition in the cathode can be retarded or stopped by applying a suitable negative potential; an increase in the static potential resulted in enhanced control over the asphaltene aggregation and hence the deposition. In the second study, scale deposition and retardation through static potential is studied through a series of flow experiments. Under the influence of static potential, scale deposition at the room temperature showed an increase in the deposition rates, whereas, at the elevated temperatures, scale deposition rates were observed to be retarded and delayed. Beyond a certain value of the static potential, this decreasing trend in deposition rates become directly proportional to the applied static potential. Results showed that the scale deposition may be controlled if not completely stopped, in the anode, if a suitable positive potential can be applied to it. The overall conclusion of this study is as follows: • Asphaltene deposition can be arrested almost completely by converting the production well into a cathode. • Scale deposition can be retarded or deposition rate can be much delayed by converting the production well into an anode.

Improvement on the Repair Effect of Electrochemical Chloride Extraction Using a Modified Electrode Configuration

PubMed Central

Feng, Wei; Xu, Jinxia; Jiang, Linhua; Song, Yingbin; Cao, Yalong; Tan, Qiping

2018-01-01

To improve the repair effect of electrochemical chloride extraction, a modified electrode configuration is applied in this investigation. In this configuration, two auxiliary electrodes placed in the anodic and cathodic electrolytes were used as the anode and cathode, respectively. Besides this, the steel in the mortar was grounded to protect it from corrosion. By a comparative experiment, the potential evolution, various ions concentrations (Cl−, OH−, Na+, and K+) in different mortar depths, the corrosion potential, and the current density of the steel were measured. The results indicate that compared to electrochemical chloride extraction with the traditional electrode configuration, this electrochemical chloride extraction method with a modified electrode configuration has a similar chloride removal ratio. Besides this, potential of steel is just about 800 mV for a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) during the treatment, which did not reach the hydrogen evolution potential. The phenomenon of the accumulation of OH−, Na+, and K+ did not occur when the modified electrode configuration is applied. Additionally, higher corrosion potentials and lower corrosion current rates were measured after performing electrochemical chloride extraction with the modified electrode configuration. Additionally, it is a short period of time for the steel to go from activation to passivation. On this basis, the modified electrode configuration may overcome the drawbacks of electrochemical chloride extraction. PMID:29389855

In-Situ through-Plane Measurements of Ionic Potential Distributions in Non-Precious Metal Catalyst Electrode for PEFC

DOE PAGES

Komini Babu, S.; Chung, H. T.; Zelenay, P.; ...

2015-09-14

This manuscript presents micro-scale experimental diagnostics and nano-scale resolution X-ray imaging applied to the study of proton conduction in non-precious metal catalyst (NPMC) fuel cell cathodes. NPMC’s have the potential to reduce the cost of the fuel cell for multiple applications. But, NPMC electrodes are inherently thick compared to the convention Pt/C electrode due to the lower volumetric activity. Thus, the electric potential drop through the Nafion across the electrode thickness can yield significant performance loss. Ionomer distributions in the NPMC electrodes with different ionomer loading are extracted from morphological data using nanoscale X-ray computed tomography (nano-XCT) imaging of themore » cathode. Microstructured electrode scaffold (MES) diagnostics are used to measure the electrolyte potential at discrete points across the thickness of the catalyst layer. When using that apparatus, the electrolyte potential drop, the through-thickness reaction distribution, and the proton conductivity are measured and correlated with the corresponding Nafion morphology and cell performance.« less

Switching on/off the chemisorption of thioctic-based self-assembled monolayers on gold by applying a moderate cathodic/anodic potential.

PubMed

Sahli, Rihab; Fave, Claire; Raouafi, Noureddine; Boujlel, Khaled; Schöllhorn, Bernd; Limoges, Benoît

2013-04-30

An in situ and real-time electrochemical method has been devised for quantitatively monitoring the self-assembly of a ferrocene-labeled cyclic disulfide derivative (i.e., a thioctic acid derivative) on a polycrystalline gold electrode under electrode polarization. Taking advantage of the high sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and temporal resolution of this method, we were able to demonstrate an unexpectedly facilitated formation of the redox-active SAM when the electrode was held at a moderate cathodic potential (-0.4 V vs SCE in CH3CN), affording a saturated monolayer from only micromolar solutions in less than 10 min, and a totally impeded SAM growth when the electrode was polarized at a slightly anodic potential (+0.5 V vs SCE in CH3CN). This method literally allows for switching on/off the formation of SAMs under "soft" conditions. Moreover the cyclic disulfide-based SAM was completely desorbed at this potential contrary to the facilitated deposition of a ferrocene-labeled alkanethiol. Such a strikingly contrasting behavior could be explained by an energetically favored release of the thioctic-based SAM through homolytic cleavage of the Au-S bond followed by intramolecular cyclization of the generated thiyl diradicals. Moreover, the absence of a discernible transient faradaic current response during the potential-assisted adsorption/desorption of the redox-labeled cyclic disulfide led us to conclude in a potential-dependent reversible surface reaction where no electron is released or consumed. These results provide new insights into the formation of disulfide-based SAMs on gold but also raise some fundamental questions about the intimate mechanism involved in the facilitated adsorption/desorption of SAMs under electrode polarization. Finally, the possibility to easily and selectively address the formation/removal of thioctic-based SAMs on gold by applying a moderate cathodic/anodic potential offers another degree of freedom in tailoring their properties and in controlling their self-assembly, nanostructuration, and/or release.

Li + Defects in a Solid-State Li Ion Battery: Theoretical Insights with a Li 3 OCl Electrolyte

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

Stegmaier, Saskia; Voss, Johannes; Reuter, Karsten

In a solid-state Li ion battery, the solid-state electrolyte exits principally in regions of high externally applied potentials, and this varies rapidly at the interfaces with electrodes due to the formation of electrochemical double layers. Here, we investigate the implications of these for a model solid-state Li ion battery Li|Li 3OCl|C, where C is simply a metallic intercalation cathode. We use DFT to calculate the potential dependence of the formation energies of the Li + charge carriers in superionic Li 3OCl. We find that Li+ vacancies are the dominant species at the cathode while Li+ interstitials dominate at the anode.more » With typical Mg aliovalent doping of Li 3OCl, Li + vacancies dominate the bulk of the electrolyte as well, with freely mobile vacancies only ~ 10 -4 of the Mg doping density at room temperature. We study the repulsive interaction between Li+ vacancies and find that this is extremely short range, typically only one lattice constant due to local structural relaxation around the vacancy and this is significantly shorter than pure electrostatic screening. We model a Li 3OCl- cathode interface by treating the cathode as a nearly ideal metal using a polarizable continuum model with an ε r = 1000. There is a large interface segregation free energy of ~ - 1 eV per Li + vacancy. Combined with the short range for repulsive interactions of the vacancies, this means that very large vacancy concentrations will build up in a single layer of Li 3OCl at the cathode interface to form a compact double layer. The calculated potential drop across the interface is ~ 3 V for a nearly full concentration of vacancies at the surface. This suggests that nearly all the cathode potential drop in Li 3OCl occurs at the Helmholtz plane rather than in a diffuse space-charge region. We suggest that the conclusions found here will be general to other superionic conductors as well.« less

Li + Defects in a Solid-State Li Ion Battery: Theoretical Insights with a Li 3 OCl Electrolyte

DOE PAGES

Stegmaier, Saskia; Voss, Johannes; Reuter, Karsten; ...

2017-04-26

In a solid-state Li ion battery, the solid-state electrolyte exits principally in regions of high externally applied potentials, and this varies rapidly at the interfaces with electrodes due to the formation of electrochemical double layers. Here, we investigate the implications of these for a model solid-state Li ion battery Li|Li 3OCl|C, where C is simply a metallic intercalation cathode. We use DFT to calculate the potential dependence of the formation energies of the Li + charge carriers in superionic Li 3OCl. We find that Li+ vacancies are the dominant species at the cathode while Li+ interstitials dominate at the anode.more » With typical Mg aliovalent doping of Li 3OCl, Li + vacancies dominate the bulk of the electrolyte as well, with freely mobile vacancies only ~ 10 -4 of the Mg doping density at room temperature. We study the repulsive interaction between Li+ vacancies and find that this is extremely short range, typically only one lattice constant due to local structural relaxation around the vacancy and this is significantly shorter than pure electrostatic screening. We model a Li 3OCl- cathode interface by treating the cathode as a nearly ideal metal using a polarizable continuum model with an ε r = 1000. There is a large interface segregation free energy of ~ - 1 eV per Li + vacancy. Combined with the short range for repulsive interactions of the vacancies, this means that very large vacancy concentrations will build up in a single layer of Li 3OCl at the cathode interface to form a compact double layer. The calculated potential drop across the interface is ~ 3 V for a nearly full concentration of vacancies at the surface. This suggests that nearly all the cathode potential drop in Li 3OCl occurs at the Helmholtz plane rather than in a diffuse space-charge region. We suggest that the conclusions found here will be general to other superionic conductors as well.« less

Investigation on emission characteristics of metal-ceramic cathode applied to industrial X-ray diode.

PubMed

Xun, Ma; Jianqiang, Yuan; Hongwei, Liu; Hongtao, Li; Lingyun, Wang; Ping, Jiang

2016-06-01

The industrial x-ray diode with high impedance configuration is usually adopted to generate repetitive x-ray, but its performance would be worsened due to lower electric field on the cathode of diode when a voltage of several hundreds of kV is applied. To improve its performance, a novel metal-ceramic cathode is proposed in this paper. Key factors (width, relative permittivity of ceramic, and so on) affecting electric field distribution on triple points are analyzed by electrostatic field calculation program, so as to optimize the design of this novel cathode. Experiments are done to study the characteristics including emission current of cathode, diode voltage duration, diode mean dynamic impedance, and diode impedance drop velocity within diode power duration. The results show that metal-ceramic cathode could improve diode performance by enhancing emission current and stabling impedance; the impedance drop velocity of diode with spoke-shaped metal-ceramic cathode was reduced to -5 Ω ns(-1) within diode power duration, comparing to -15 Ω ns(-1) with metal foil cathode.

Feasibility of applying cathodic protection to underground culverts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-06-01

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development uses metal culverts in various parts of the state. This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of applying cathodic protection both externally and internally to metal culverts to prev...

Anisotropic etching of platinum electrodes at the onset of cathodic corrosion

PubMed Central

Hersbach, Thomas J. P.; Yanson, Alexei I.; Koper, Marc T. M.

2016-01-01

Cathodic corrosion is a process that etches metal electrodes under cathodic polarization. This process is presumed to occur through anionic metallic reaction intermediates, but the exact nature of these intermediates and the onset potential of their formation is unknown. Here we determine the onset potential of cathodic corrosion on platinum electrodes. Electrodes are characterized electrochemically before and after cathodic polarization in 10 M sodium hydroxide, revealing that changes in the electrode surface start at an electrode potential of −1.3 V versus the normal hydrogen electrode. The value of this onset potential rules out previous hypotheses regarding the nature of cathodic corrosion. Scanning electron microscopy shows the formation of well-defined etch pits with a specific orientation, which match the voltammetric data and indicate a remarkable anisotropy in the cathodic etching process, favouring the creation of (100) sites. Such anisotropy is hypothesized to be due to surface charge-induced adsorption of electrolyte cations. PMID:27554398

Semiconductor radiation detector

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

Patt, Bradley E.; Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Tull, Carolyn R.

A semiconductor radiation detector is provided to detect x-ray and light photons. The entrance electrode is segmented by using variable doping concentrations. Further, the entrance electrode is physically segmented by inserting n+ regions between p+ regions. The p+ regions and the n+ regions are individually biased. The detector elements can be used in an array, and the p+ regions and the n+ regions can be biased by applying potential at a single point. The back side of the semiconductor radiation detector has an n+ anode for collecting created charges and a number of p+ cathodes. Biased n+ inserts can bemore » placed between the p+ cathodes, and an internal resistor divider can be used to bias the n+ inserts as well as the p+ cathodes. A polysilicon spiral guard can be implemented surrounding the active area of the entrance electrode or surrounding an array of entrance electrodes.« less

Textile Inspired Lithium-Oxygen Battery Cathode with Decoupled Oxygen and Electrolyte Pathways.

PubMed

Xu, Shaomao; Yao, Yonggang; Guo, Yuanyuan; Zeng, Xiaoqiao; Lacey, Steven D; Song, Huiyu; Chen, Chaoji; Li, Yiju; Dai, Jiaqi; Wang, Yanbin; Chen, Yanan; Liu, Boyang; Fu, Kun; Amine, Khalil; Lu, Jun; Hu, Liangbing

2018-01-01

The lithium-air (Li-O 2 ) battery has been deemed one of the most promising next-generation energy-storage devices due to its ultrahigh energy density. However, in conventional porous carbon-air cathodes, the oxygen gas and electrolyte often compete for transport pathways, which limit battery performance. Here, a novel textile-based air cathode is developed with a triple-phase structure to improve overall battery performance. The hierarchical structure of the conductive textile network leads to decoupled pathways for oxygen gas and electrolyte: oxygen flows through the woven mesh while the electrolyte diffuses along the textile fibers. Due to noncompetitive transport, the textile-based Li-O 2 cathode exhibits a high discharge capacity of 8.6 mAh cm -2 , a low overpotential of 1.15 V, and stable operation exceeding 50 cycles. The textile-based structure can be applied to a range of applications (fuel cells, water splitting, and redox flow batteries) that involve multiple phase reactions. The reported decoupled transport pathway design also spurs potential toward flexible/wearable Li-O 2 batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A 3.5 V lithium-iodine hybrid redox battery with vertically aligned carbon nanotube current collector.

PubMed

Zhao, Yu; Hong, Misun; Bonnet Mercier, Nadège; Yu, Guihua; Choi, Hee Cheul; Byon, Hye Ryung

2014-02-12

A lithium-iodine (Li-I2) cell using the triiodide/iodide (I3(-)/I(-)) redox couple in an aqueous cathode has superior gravimetric and volumetric energy densities (∼ 330 W h kg(-1) and ∼ 650 W h L(-1), respectively, from saturated I2 in an aqueous cathode) to the reported aqueous Li-ion batteries and aqueous cathode-type batteries, which provides an opportunity to construct cost-effective and high-performance energy storage. To apply this I3(-)/I(-) aqueous cathode for a portable and compact 3.5 V battery, unlike for grid-scale storage as general target of redox flow batteries, we use a three-dimensional and millimeter thick carbon nanotube current collector for the I3(-)/I(-) redox reaction, which can shorten the diffusion length of the redox couple and provide rapid electron transport. These endeavors allow the Li-I2 battery to enlarge its specific capacity, cycling retention, and maintain a stable potential, thereby demonstrating a promising candidate for an environmentally benign and reusable portable battery.

Processes For Cleaning a Cathode Tube and Assemblies In A Hollow Cathode Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael J. (Inventor); Verhey, Timothy R. R. (Inventor); Soulas, George C. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

The present invention is a process for cleaning a cathode tube and other subassemblies in a hollow cathode assembly. In the disclosed process, hand covering elastomer gloves are used for handling all cathode assembly parts. The cathode tube and other subassemblies are cleaned with a lint-free cloth damped with acetone, then wiped with alcohol, immersed in ethyl alcohol or acetone, and ultrasonic agitation is applied, heating to 60 C. for ethyl alcohol or 56 C. for acetone. The cathode tube and other subassemblies are dried by blowing with nitrogen gas.

Driven motion and instability of an atmospheric pressure arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasik, Max

Atmospheric pressure arcs are used extensively in applications such as welding and metallurgy. However, comparatively little is known of the physics of such arcs in external magnetic fields and the mechanisms of the instabilities present. In order to address questions of equilibrium and stability of such arcs, an experimental are furnace is constructed and operated in air with graphite cathode and steel anode at currents 100--250 A. The arc is diagnosed with a gated intensified camera and a collimated photodiode array, as well as fast voltage and current probes. Experiments are carried out on the response of the are to applied transverse DC and AC (up to ≈1 kHz) magnetic fields. The arc is found to deflect parabolically for DC field and assumes a growing sinusoidal structure for AC field. A simple analytic two-parameter fluid model of the are dynamics is derived, in which the inertia of the magnetically pumped cathode jet balances the applied J⃗xB⃗ force. Time variation of the applied field allows evaluation of the parameters individually. A fit of the model to the experimental data gives a value for the average jet speed an order of magnitude below Maecker's estimate of the maximum jet speed. A spontaneous instability of the same arc is investigated experimentally and modeled analytically. The presence of the instability is found to depend critically on cathode dimensions. For cylindrical cathodes, instability occurs only for a narrow range of cathode diameters. Cathode spot motion is proposed as the mechanism of the instability. A simple fluid model combining the effect of the cathode spot motion and the inertia of the cathode jet successfully describes the arc shape during low amplitude instability. The amplitude of cathode spot motion required by the model is in agreement with measurements. The average jet velocity required is approximately equal to that inferred from the transverse magnetic field experiments. Reasons for spot motion and for cathode geometry dependence are discussed. An exploratory study of the instability of the arc in applied axial magnetic field is also described. Applicability of the results of the thesis to an industrial steelmaking furnace is considered.

Electric propulsion system technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Garner, Charles E.; Goodfellow, Keith D.; Pivirotto, Thomas J.; Polk, James E.

1992-01-01

The work performed in fiscal year (FY) 1991 under the Propulsion Technology Program RTOP (Research and Technology Objectives and Plans) No. (55) 506-42-31 for Low-Thrust Primary and Auxiliary Propulsion technology development is described. The objectives of this work fall under two broad categories. The first of these deals with the development of ion engines for primary propulsion in support of solar system exploration. The second with the advancement of steady-state magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster technology at 100 kW to multimegawatt input power levels. The major technology issues for ion propulsion are demonstration of adequate engine life at the 5 to 10 kW power level and scaling ion engines to power levels of tens to hundreds of kilowatts. Tests of a new technique in which the decelerator grid of a three-grid ion accelerator system is biased negative of neutralizer common potential in order to collect facility induced charge-exchange ions are described. These tests indicate that this SAND (Screen, Accelerator, Negative Decelerator) configuration may enable long duration ion engine endurance tests to be performed at vacuum chamber pressures an order of magnitude higher than previously possible. The corresponding reduction in pumping speed requirements enables endurance tests of 10 kW class ion engines to be performed within the resources of existing technology programs. The results of a successful 5,000-hr endurance of a xenon hollow cathode operating at an emission current of 25 A are described, as well as the initial tests of hollow cathodes operating on a mixture of argon and 3 percent nitrogen. Work performed on the development of carbon/carbon grids, a multi-orifice hollow cathode, and discharge chamber erosion reduction through the addition of nitrogen are also described. Critical applied-field MPD thruster technical issues remain to be resolved, including demonstration of reliable steady-state operation at input powers of hundreds to thousands of kilowatts, achievement of thruster efficiency and specific impulse levels required for missions of interest, and demonstration of adequate engine life at these input power, efficiency, and specific impulse levels. To address these issues we have designed, built, and tested a 100 kW class, radiation-cooled applied-field MPD thruster and a unique dual-beam thrust stand that enables separate measurements of the applied- and self-field thrust components. We have also initiated the development of cathode thermal and plasma sheath models that will eventually be used to guide the experimental program. In conjunction with the cathode modeling, a new cathode test facility is being constructed. This facility will support the study of cathode thermal behavior and erosion mechanisms, the diagnosis of the near-cathode plasma and the development and endurance testing of new, high-current cathode designs. To facilitate understanding of electrode surface phenomenon, we have implemented a telephoto technique to obtain photographs of the electrodes during engine operation. In order to reduce the background vacuum tank pressure during steady-state engine operation in order to obtain high fidelity anode thermal data, we have developed and are evaluating a gas-dynamic diffuser. A review of experience with alkali metal propellants for MPD thrusters led to the conclusion that alkali metals, particularly lithium, offer the potential for significant engine performance and lifetime improvements. These propellants are also condensible at room temperature, substantially reducing test facility pumping requirements. The most significant systems-level issue is the potential for spacecraft contamination. Subsequent experimental and theoretical efforts should be directed toward verifying the performance and lifetime gains and characterizing the thruster flow field to assess its impact on spacecraft surfaces. Consequently, we have begun the design and development of a new facility to study engine operation with alkali metal propellants.

Prediction of field emitter cathode lifetime based on measurement of I- V curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bormashov, V. S.; Nikolski, K. N.; Baturin, A. S.; Sheshin, E. P.

2003-06-01

A technique is presented, which allows the prediction of field emitter cathode lifetime without long-term direct measurements of cathode parameters stability. This technique is based on periodic measurements of cathode I- V characteristics. Moreover, it allows performing a post-experiment optimization for the appropriate choice of the feedback system to provide a stable operation during a long time. The proposed technique was applied to study the emission properties of reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) and thermo-enlarged graphite (TEG). For the given cathodes, the characteristic time of the cathode destruction was estimated.

How the charge-neutrality level of interface states controls energy level alignment in cathode contacts of organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells.

PubMed

Guerrero, Antonio; Marchesi, Luís F; Boix, Pablo P; Ruiz-Raga, Sonia; Ripolles-Sanchis, Teresa; Garcia-Belmonte, Germà; Bisquert, Juan

2012-04-24

Electronic equilibration at the metal-organic interface, leading to equalization of the Fermi levels, is a key process in organic optoelectronic devices. How the energy levels are set across the interface determines carrier extraction at the contact and also limits the achievable open-circuit voltage under illumination. Here, we report an extensive investigation of the cathode energy equilibration of organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells. We show that the potential to balance the mismatch between the cathode metal and the organic layer Fermi levels is divided into two contributions: spatially extended band bending in the organic bulk and voltage drop at the interface dipole layer caused by a net charge transfer. We scan the operation of the cathode under a varied set of conditions, using metals of different work functions in the range of ∼2 eV, different fullerene acceptors, and several cathode interlayers. The measurements allow us to locate the charge-neutrality level within the interface density of sates and calculate the corresponding dipole layer strength. The dipole layer withstands a large part of the total Fermi level mismatch when the polymer:fullerene blend ratio approaches ∼1:1, producing the practical alignment between the metal Fermi level and the charge-neutrality level. Origin of the interface states is linked with fullerene reduced molecules covering the metal contact. The dipole contribution, and consequently the band bending, is highly sensitive to the nature and amount of fullerene molecules forming the interface density of states. Our analysis provides a detailed picture of the evolution of the potentials in the bulk and the interface of the solar cell when forward voltage is applied or when photogeneration takes place.

Recognizing Single Collisions of PtCl6(2-) at Femtomolar Concentrations on Ultramicroelectrodes by Nucleating Electrocatalytic Clusters.

PubMed

Dick, Jeffrey E; Bard, Allen J

2015-11-04

We report the electrodeposition of electrocatalytic clusters of platinum from femtomolar platinate solutions. An inert carbon fiber ultramicroelectrode (UME) was held at a potential where proton reduction was unfavorable on carbon but favorable on platinum in a 1 M sulfuric acid solution. Upon addition of femtomolar amounts of hexachloroplatinic acid, which will also reduce to Pt(0) at the applied potential on the carbon fiber UME, cathodic blips were observed in the amperometric i-t response. These blips correspond to the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen at the small platinum clusters followed by a rapid deactivation likely due to hydrogen bubble formation. On average, these current spikes occur when five platinum atoms have been formed on the electrode, as determined by a comparative analysis of experimental cathodic blips and calculated hexachloroplatinate molecule collision frequencies.

Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-15

REPRINT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...substrate and an adjacent metal cathode element. The substrate potential is held positive of the cathode with gate elements. In plasma , the gate is...eliminated due to ambient ion flux which maintains the substrate potential near plasma ground. Prototype devices have been tested using a laboratory plasma

Dehalogenation of iodinated X-ray contrast media in a bioelectrochemical system.

PubMed

Mu, Yang; Radjenovic, Jelena; Shen, Jinyou; Rozendal, René A; Rabaey, Korneel; Keller, Jürg

2011-01-15

Iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) are only to a limited extent removed from conventional wastewater treatment plants, due to their high recalcitrance. This work reports on the cathodic dehalogenation of the ICM iopromide in a bioelectrochemical system (BES), fed with acetate at the anode and iopromide at the cathode. When the granular graphite cathode potential was decreased from -500 to -850 mV vs standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), the iopromide removal and the iodide release rates increased from 0 to 4.62 ± 0.01 mmol m(-3) TCC d(-1) and 0 to 13.4 ± 0.16 mmol m(-3) TCC d(-1) (Total Cathodic Compartment, TCC) respectively. Correspondingly, the power consumption increased from 0.4 ± 1 to 20.5 ± 3.3 W m(-3) TCC. The Coulombic efficiency of the iopromide dehalogenation at the cathode was less than 1%, while the Coulombic efficiency of the acetate oxidation at the anode was lower than 50% at various granular graphite cathode potentials. The results suggest that iopromide could be completely dehalogenated in BESs when the granular graphite cathode potential was controlled at -800 mV vs SHE or lower. This finding was further confirmed using mass spectrometry to identify the dehalogenated intermediates and products of iopromide in BESs. Kinetic analysis indicates that iopromide dehalogenation in batch experiments can be described by a first-order model at various cathode potentials. This work demonstrates that the BESs have a potential for efficient dehalogenation of ICM from wastewater or environmental streams.

Alternative model of space-charge-limited thermionic current flow through a plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanell, M. D.

2018-04-01

It is widely assumed that thermionic current flow through a plasma is limited by a "space-charge-limited" (SCL) cathode sheath that consumes the hot cathode's negative bias and accelerates upstream ions into the cathode. Here, we formulate a fundamentally different current-limited mode. In the "inverse" mode, the potentials of both electrodes are above the plasma potential, so that the plasma ions are confined. The bias is consumed by the anode sheath. There is no potential gradient in the neutral plasma region from resistivity or presheath. The inverse cathode sheath pulls some thermoelectrons back to the cathode, thereby limiting the circuit current. Thermoelectrons entering the zero-field plasma region that undergo collisions may also be sent back to the cathode, further attenuating the circuit current. In planar geometry, the plasma density is shown to vary linearly across the electrode gap. A continuum kinetic planar plasma diode simulation model is set up to compare the properties of current modes with classical, conventional SCL, and inverse cathode sheaths. SCL modes can exist only if charge-exchange collisions are turned off in the potential well of the virtual cathode to prevent ion trapping. With the collisions, the current-limited equilibrium must be inverse. Inverse operating modes should therefore be present or possible in many plasma devices that rely on hot cathodes. Evidence from past experiments is discussed. The inverse mode may offer opportunities to minimize sputtering and power consumption that were not previously explored due to the common assumption of SCL sheaths.

Nickel oxide and carbon nanotube composite (NiO/CNT) as a novel cathode non-precious metal catalyst in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Huang, Jianjian; Zhu, Nengwu; Yang, Tingting; Zhang, Taiping; Wu, Pingxiao; Dang, Zhi

2015-10-15

Comparing with the precious metal catalysts, non-precious metal catalysts were preferred to use in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to the low cost and high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) efficiency. In this study, the transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction as well as Raman investigation revealed that the prepared nanoscale NiO was attached on the surface of CNT. Cyclic voltammogram and rotating ring-disk electrode tests showed that the NiO/CNT composite catalyst had an apparent oxygen reduction peak and 3.5 electron transfer pathway was acquired under oxygen atmosphere. The catalyst performance was highly dependent on the percentage of NiO in the CNT nanocomposites. When 77% NiO/CNT nano-sized composite was applied as cathode catalyst in membrane free single-chamber air cathode MFC, a maximum power density of 670 mW/m(2) and 0.772 V of OCV was obtained. Moreover, the MFC with pure NiO (control) could not achieve more than 0.1 V. All findings suggested that NiO/CNT could be a potential cathode catalyst for ORR in MFCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BDNF-Val66Met-Polymorphism Impact on Cortical Plasticity in Schizophrenia Patients: A Proof-of-Concept Study

PubMed Central

Nitsche, Michael A.; Wobrock, Thomas; Bunse, Tilmann; Rein, Bettina; Herrmann, Maximiliane; Schmitt, Andrea; Nieratschker, Vanessa; Witt, Stephanie H.; Rietschel, Marcella; Falkai, Peter; Hasan, Alkomiet

2015-01-01

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to be a moderator of neuroplasticity. A frequent BDNF-polymorphism (Val66Met) is associated with impairments of cortical plasticity. In patients with schizophrenia, reduced neuroplastic responses following non-invasive brain stimulation have been reported consistently. Various studies have indicated a relationship between the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism and motor-cortical plasticity in healthy individuals, but schizophrenia patients have yet to be investigated. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was, therefore, to test the impact of the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism on inhibitory and facilitatory cortical plasticity in schizophrenia patients. Methods: Cortical plasticity was investigated in 22 schizophrenia patients and 35 healthy controls using anodal and cathodal transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the left primary motor cortex. Animal and human research indicates that excitability shifts following anodal and cathodal tDCS are related to molecular long-term potentiation and long-term depression. To test motor-cortical excitability before and after tDCS, well-established single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols were applied. Results: Our analysis revealed increased glutamate-mediated intracortical facilitation in met-heterozygotes compared to val-homozygotes at baseline. Following cathodal tDCS, schizophrenia met-heterozygotes had reduced gamma-amino-butyric-acid-mediated short-interval intracortical inhibition, whereas healthy met-heterozygotes displayed the opposite effect. The BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism did not influence single-pulse motor-evoked potential amplitudes after tDCS. Conclusions: These preliminary findings support the notion of an association of the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism with observable alterations in plasticity following cathodal tDCS in schizophrenia patients. This indicates a complex interaction between inhibitory intracortical interneuron-networks, cortical plasticity, and the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism. Further replication and validation need to be dedicated to this question to confirm this relationship. PMID:25612896

Corrosion fatigue crack growth behavior of titanium alloys in aqueous solutions

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

Shipilov, S.A.

1998-01-01

The corrosion fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior, the effect of applied potential on corrosion FCG rates, and the fracture surfaces of VT20 (near-{alpha}) and TS6 (near-{beta}) titanium alloys were studied. Environments were aqueous solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), ferric chloride (FeCl{sub 3}), and chromic acid (H{sub 2}CrO{sub 4}) with and without NaCl. Depending upon solution composition, corrosion FCG rates were found to be higher or lower than those in air. Cathodic polarization retarded the corrosion FCG, while anodic polarization accelerated insignificantly or almost did not influence it in most of the solutions investigated. However,more » cathodic polarization accelerated corrosion FCG in 0.6 M FeCl{sub 3} and 0.5 M to 2 M H{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} + 0.01 M to 0.1 M NaCl solutions by a dozen times when the maximum stress intensity (K{sub max}) exceeded certain critical values. When K{sub max} was lower than the critical values, the same cathodic polarization (with all other /conditions being equal) retarded corrosion FCG. Results suggested the accelerated crack growth at cathodic potentials resulted from hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). Therefore, critical values of K{sub max}, as well as the stress intensity range ({Delta}K) were regarded as corresponding to the beginning of corrosion FCG according to a HIC mechanism and designated as K{sub HIC} and {Delta}K{sub HIC}.« less

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 192 - Criteria for Cathodic Protection and Determination of Measurements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... I. Criteria for cathodic protection— A. Steel, cast iron, and ductile iron structures. (1) A... accordance with sections II and IV of this appendix. This criterion of voltage shift applies to structures... into the structure surface as measured by an earth current technique applied at predetermined current...

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 192 - Criteria for Cathodic Protection and Determination of Measurements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... I. Criteria for cathodic protection— A. Steel, cast iron, and ductile iron structures. (1) A... accordance with sections II and IV of this appendix. This criterion of voltage shift applies to structures... into the structure surface as measured by an earth current technique applied at predetermined current...

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 192 - Criteria for Cathodic Protection and Determination of Measurements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... I. Criteria for cathodic protection— A. Steel, cast iron, and ductile iron structures. (1) A... accordance with sections II and IV of this appendix. This criterion of voltage shift applies to structures... into the structure surface as measured by an earth current technique applied at predetermined current...

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 192 - Criteria for Cathodic Protection and Determination of Measurements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... I. Criteria for cathodic protection— A. Steel, cast iron, and ductile iron structures. (1) A... accordance with sections II and IV of this appendix. This criterion of voltage shift applies to structures... into the structure surface as measured by an earth current technique applied at predetermined current...

Electron transfer processes occurring on platinum neural stimulating electrodes: pulsing experiments for cathodic-first/charge-balanced/biphasic pulses for 0.566 ≤ k ≤ 2.3 in oxygenated and deoxygenated sulfuric acid.

PubMed

Kumsa, Doe W; Montague, Fred W; Hudak, Eric M; Mortimer, J Thomas

2016-10-01

The application of a train of cathodic-first/charge-balanced/biphasic pulses applied to a platinum electrode resulted in a positive creep of the anodic phase potential that increases with increasing charge injection but reaches a steady-state value before 1000 pulses have been delivered. The increase follows from the fact that charge going into irreversible reactions occurring during the anodic phase must equal the charge going into irreversible reactions during the cathodic phase for charge-balanced pulses. In an oxygenated electrolyte the drift of the measured positive potential moved into the platinum oxidation region of the i(V e) profile when the charge injection level exceeds k = 1.75. Platinum dissolution may occur in this region and k = 1.75 defines a boundary between damaging and non-damaging levels on the Shannon Plot. In a very low oxygen environment, the positive potential remained below the platinum oxidation region for the highest charge injection values studied, k = 2.3. The results support the hypothesis that platinum dissolution is the defining factor for the Shannon limit, k = 1.75. Numerous instrumentation issues were encountered in the course of making measurements. The solutions to these issues are provided.

Application of M-type cathodes to high-power cw klystrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isagawa, S.; Higuchi, T.; Kobayashi, K.; Miyake, S.; Ohya, K.; Yoshida, M.

1999-05-01

Two types of high-power cw klystrons have been widely used at KEK in both TRISTAN and KEKB e +e - collider projects: one is a 0.8 MW/1.0 MW tube, called YK1302/YK1303 (Philips); the other is a 1.2 MW tube, called E3786/E3732 (Toshiba). Normally, the dispenser cathodes of the `B-type' and the `S-type' have been used, respectively, but for improved versions they have been replaced by low-temperature cathodes, called the `M-type'. An Os/Ru coating was applied to the former, whereas an Ir one was applied to the latter. Until now, all upgraded tubes installing M-type cathodes, 9 and 8 in number, respectively, have worked successfully without any dropout. A positive experience concerning the lifetime under real operation conditions has been obtained. M-type cathodes are, however, more easily poisoned. One tube installing an Os/Ru-coated cathode showed a gradual, and then sudden decrease in emission during an underheating test, although the emission could fortunately be recovered by aging at the KEK test field. Once sufficiently aged, the emission of an Ir-coated cathode proved to be very high and stable, and its lifetime is expected to be very long. One disadvantage of this cathode is, however, susceptibility to gas poisoning and the necessity of long-term initial aging. New techniques, like ion milling and fine-grained tungsten top layers, were not as successful as expected from their smaller scale applications to shorten the initial aging period. A burn-in process at higher cathode loading was efficient to make the poisoned cathode active and to decrease unwanted Wehnelt emission. On top of that, the emission cooling, and thus thermal conductivity near the emitting layer could play an important role in such large-current cathodes as ours.

Reduction of AOX in pharmaceutical wastewater in the cathode chamber of bio-electrochemical reactor.

PubMed

Xie, Yawei; Chen, Lujun; Liu, Rui; Tian, Jinping

2018-06-14

A bio-electrochemical reactor (BER) operating at different cathode potentials ranging from -300 to -1000 mV (vs standard hydrogen electrode, SHE) was used to reduce adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) in pharmaceutical wastewater. Cathode polarization enriched the electron donor of the biological system. Thus, the AOX removal efficiency in the BER improved from 59.9% to 70.2%, and the AOX removal rate increased from 0.87 to 1.17 mg AOX/h when the cathode potential was reduced from -300 to -1000 mV with the addition of methyl viologen, a known redox mediator. The decrease of the cathode potential was also beneficial for methane production, and the inhibition of the methanogenic process enhanced the AOX removal. Additionally, cathode coulombic efficiency analysis demonstrated that the proportion of electrons used for AOX reduction decreases with decreasing potential, from 37.6% at -300 mV to 17.3% at -1000 mV, although the AOX removal efficiency improves. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative model of space-charge-limited thermionic current flow through a plasma

DOE PAGES

Campanell, M. D.

2018-04-19

It is widely assumed that thermionic current flow through a plasma is limited by a “space-charge-limited” (SCL) cathode sheath that consumes the hot cathode's negative bias and accelerates upstream ions into the cathode. In this paper, we formulate a fundamentally different current-limited mode. In the “inverse” mode, the potentials of both electrodes are above the plasma potential, so that the plasma ions are confined. The bias is consumed by the anode sheath. There is no potential gradient in the neutral plasma region from resistivity or presheath. The inverse cathode sheath pulls some thermoelectrons back to the cathode, thereby limiting themore » circuit current. Thermoelectrons entering the zero-field plasma region that undergo collisions may also be sent back to the cathode, further attenuating the circuit current. In planar geometry, the plasma density is shown to vary linearly across the electrode gap. A continuum kinetic planar plasma diode simulation model is set up to compare the properties of current modes with classical, conventional SCL, and inverse cathode sheaths. SCL modes can exist only if charge-exchange collisions are turned off in the potential well of the virtual cathode to prevent ion trapping. With the collisions, the current-limited equilibrium must be inverse. Inverse operating modes should therefore be present or possible in many plasma devices that rely on hot cathodes. Evidence from past experiments is discussed. Finally, the inverse mode may offer opportunities to minimize sputtering and power consumption that were not previously explored due to the common assumption of SCL sheaths.« less

Alternative model of space-charge-limited thermionic current flow through a plasma

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

Campanell, M. D.

It is widely assumed that thermionic current flow through a plasma is limited by a “space-charge-limited” (SCL) cathode sheath that consumes the hot cathode's negative bias and accelerates upstream ions into the cathode. In this paper, we formulate a fundamentally different current-limited mode. In the “inverse” mode, the potentials of both electrodes are above the plasma potential, so that the plasma ions are confined. The bias is consumed by the anode sheath. There is no potential gradient in the neutral plasma region from resistivity or presheath. The inverse cathode sheath pulls some thermoelectrons back to the cathode, thereby limiting themore » circuit current. Thermoelectrons entering the zero-field plasma region that undergo collisions may also be sent back to the cathode, further attenuating the circuit current. In planar geometry, the plasma density is shown to vary linearly across the electrode gap. A continuum kinetic planar plasma diode simulation model is set up to compare the properties of current modes with classical, conventional SCL, and inverse cathode sheaths. SCL modes can exist only if charge-exchange collisions are turned off in the potential well of the virtual cathode to prevent ion trapping. With the collisions, the current-limited equilibrium must be inverse. Inverse operating modes should therefore be present or possible in many plasma devices that rely on hot cathodes. Evidence from past experiments is discussed. Finally, the inverse mode may offer opportunities to minimize sputtering and power consumption that were not previously explored due to the common assumption of SCL sheaths.« less

Experimental Analysis of Pseudospark Sourced Electron Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Niraj; Pal, U. N.; Verma, D. K.; Prajapati, J.; Kumar, M.; Meena, B. L.; Tyagi, M. S.; Srivastava, V.

2011-12-01

The pseudospark (PS) discharge has been shown to be a promising source of high brightness, high intensity electron beam pulses. The PS discharge sourced electron beam has potential applications in plasma filled microwave sources where normal material cathode cannot be used. Analysis of the electron beam profile has been done experimentally for different applied voltages. The investigation has been carried out at different axial and radial location inside the drift space in argon atmosphere. This paper represents experimentally found axial and radial variation of the beam current inside the drift tube of PS discharge based plasma cathode electron (PCE) gun. With the help of current density estimation the focusing and defocusing point of electron beam in axial direction can be analyzed.

Outlook for benefits of sediment microbial fuel cells with two bio‐electrodes

PubMed Central

De Schamphelaire, Liesje; Rabaey, Korneel; Boeckx, Pascal; Boon, Nico; Verstraete, Willy

2008-01-01

Summary The benefits of sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) go beyond energy generation for low‐power applications. Aside from producing electrical energy, SMFCs can enhance the oxidation of reduced compounds at the anode, thus bringing about the removal of excessive or unwanted reducing equivalents from submerged soils. Moreover, an SMFC could be applied to control redox‐dependent processes in sediment layers. Several cathodic reactions that may drive these sediment oxidation reactions are examined. Special attention is given to two biologically mediated cathodic reactions, respectively employing an oxygen reduction and a manganese cycle. Both reactions imply a low cost and a high electrode potential and are of interest for reactor‐type MFCs as well as for SMFCs. PMID:21261866

Semiquantitative Performance and Mechanism Evaluation of Carbon Nanomaterials as Cathode Coatings for Microbial Fouling Reduction.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiaoying; Nghiem, Joanne; Silverberg, Gregory J; Vecitis, Chad D

2015-07-01

In this study, we examine bacterial attachment and survival on a titanium (Ti) cathode coated with various carbon nanomaterials (CNM): pristine carbon nanotubes (CNT), oxidized carbon nanotubes (O-CNT), oxidized-annealed carbon nanotubes (OA-CNT), carbon black (CB), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The carbon nanomaterials were dispersed in an isopropyl alcohol-Nafion solution and were then used to dip-coat a Ti substrate. Pseudomonas fluorescens was selected as the representative bacterium for environmental biofouling. Experiments in the absence of an electric potential indicate that increased nanoscale surface roughness and decreased hydrophobicity of the CNM coating decreased bacterial adhesion. The loss of bacterial viability on the noncharged CNM coatings ranged from 22% for CB to 67% for OA-CNT and was dependent on the CNM dimensions and surface chemistry. For electrochemical experiments, the total density and percentage of inactivation of the adherent bacteria were analyzed semiquantitatively as functions of electrode potential, current density, and hydrogen peroxide generation. Electrode potential and hydrogen peroxide generation were the dominant factors with regard to short-term (3-h) bacterial attachment and inactivation, respectively. Extended-time electrochemical experiments (12 h) indicated that in all cases, the density of total deposited bacteria increased almost linearly with time and that the rate of bacterial adhesion was decreased 8- to 10-fold when an electric potential was applied. In summary, this study provides a fundamental rationale for the selection of CNM as cathode coatings and electric potential to reduce microbial fouling. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

High voltage pulse ignition of mercury discharge hollow cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, E. G.

1973-01-01

A high voltage pulse generated by a capacitor discharge into a step-up transformer has been demonstrated capable of consistently igniting hollow cathode mercury discharges at propellant flows and heater power levels much below those required by conventional cathode starting. Results are presented for 3.2-mm diameter enclosed and open keeper cathodes. Starting characteristics are shown to depend on keeper voltage, mercury flow rate, heater power, keeper orifice size, emissive materials, and electrode to which the pulse is applied. This starting technique has been used to start a cathode over 10,000 times without any degradation of starting capability.

Generalized alternating stimulation: a novel method to reduce stimulus artifact in electrically evoked compound action potentials.

PubMed

Alvarez, Isaac; de la Torre, Angel; Sainz, Manuel; Roldan, Cristina; Schoesser, Hansjoerg; Spitzer, Philipp

2007-09-15

Stimulus artifact is one of the main limitations when considering electrically evoked compound action potential for clinical applications. Alternating stimulation (average of recordings obtained with anodic-cathodic and cathodic-anodic bipolar stimulation pulses) is an effective method to reduce stimulus artifact when evoked potentials are recorded. In this paper we extend the concept of alternating stimulation by combining anodic-cathodic and cathodic-anodic recordings with a weight in general different to 0.5. We also provide an automatic method to obtain an estimation of the optimal weights. Comparison with conventional alternating, triphasic stimulation and masker-probe paradigm shows that the generalized alternating method improves the quality of electrically evoked compound action potential responses.

Anode initiated surface flashover switch

DOEpatents

Brainard, John P.; Koss, Robert J.

2003-04-29

A high voltage surface flashover switch has a pair of electrodes spaced by an insulator. A high voltage is applied to an anode, which is smaller than the opposing, grounded, cathode. When a controllable source of electrons near the cathode is energized, the electrons are attracted to the anode where they reflect to the insulator and initiate anode to cathode breakdown.

Hollow Cathode and Keeper-region Plasma Measurements Using Ultra-fast Miniature Scanning Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goebel, Dan M.; Jameson, Kristina K.; Watkins, Ron M.; Katz, Ira

2004-01-01

In order to support the development of comprehensive performance and life models for future deep space missions that will utilize ion thrusters, we have undertaken a study of the plasma structure in hollow cathodes using an new pneumatic scanning probe diagnostic. This device is designed to insert a miniature probe directly into the hollow cathode orifice from either the upstream insert region in the interior of the hollow cathode, or from the downstream keeper-plasma region at the exit of the hollow cathode, to provide complete axial profiles of the discharge plasma parameters. Previous attempts to diagnose this region with probes was Limited by the melting of small probes in the intense discharge near the orifice, or caused significant perturbation of the plasma by probes large enough to survive. Our new probe is extremely compact, and when configured as a single Langmuir probe, the ceramic tube insulator is only 0.5mm in diameter and the current collecting conductor has a total area of 0.002 cm2. A series of current-voltage characteristics are obtained by applying a rapid sawtooth voltage waveform to the probe as it is scanned by the pneumatic actuator into and out of the plasma region, The bellow-sealed pneumatic drive scans the probe 4 cm in the cathode insert region and 10 cm in the anode/keeper plasmas region at average speeds of about 1 mm/msec, and the residence time at the end of the insertion stroke in the densest part of the plasma near the orifice is measured to be only 10 msec. Since the voltage sweep time is fast compared to the motion of the probe, axial profiles of the plasma density, temperature and potential with reasonable spatial resolution are obtained. Measurements of the internal cathode pressures and the axial plasma-parameter profiles for a hollow cathode operating at discharge currents of up to 35 A in xenon will be presented.

Enhancing substrate utilization and power production of a microbial fuel cell with nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel as cathode catalyst.

PubMed

Tardy, Gábor Márk; Lóránt, Bálint; Lóka, Máté; Nagy, Balázs; László, Krisztina

2017-07-01

Catalytic efficiency of a nitrogen-doped, mesoporous carbon aerogel cathode catalyst was investigated in a two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) applying graphite felt as base material for cathode and anode, utilizing peptone as carbon source. This mesoporous carbon aerogel containing catalyst layer on the cathode increased the maximum power density normalized to the anode volume to 2.7 times higher compared to the maximum power density obtained applying graphite felt cathode without the catalyst layer. At high (2 and 3) cathode/anode volume ratios, maximum power density exceeded 40 W m -3 . At the same time, current density and specific substrate utilization rate increased by 58% resulting in 31.9 A m -3 and 18.8 g COD m -3  h -1 , respectively (normalized to anode volume). Besides the increase of the power and the rate of biodegradation, the investigated catalyst decreased the internal resistance from the range of 450-600 to 350-370 Ω. Although Pt/C catalyst proved to be more efficient, a considerable decrease in the material costs might be achieved by substituting it with nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel in MFCs. Such cathode still displays enhanced catalytic effect.

Bioelectrochemical reduction of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion effluent for the production of biofuels.

PubMed

Kondaveeti, Sanath; Min, Booki

2015-12-15

This study proves for the first time the feasibility of biofuel production from anaerobic digestion effluent via bioelectrochemical cell operation at various applied cell voltages (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 V). An increase in cell voltage from 1 to 2 V resulted in more reduction current generation (-0.48 to -0.78 mA) at a lowered cathode potential (-0.45 to -0.84 mV vs Ag/AgCl). Various alcohols were produced depending on applied cell voltages, and the main products were butanol, ethanol, and propanol. Hydrogen and methane production were also observed in the headspace of the cell. A large amount of lactic acid was unexpectedly formed at all conditions, which might be the primary cause of the limited biofuel production. The addition of neutral red (NR) to the system could increase the cathodic reduction current, and thus more biofuels were produced with an enhanced alcohol formation compared to without a mediator. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High Current Hollow Cathode Plasma Plume Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Robert E.; Kamhawi, Hani; Williams, George J., Jr.

2013-01-01

Plasma plume measurements are reported for a hollow cathode assembly (HCA) oper-ated at discharge currents of 50, 70, and 100 A at xenon ow rates between 19 - 46 sccm.The HCA was centrally mounted in the annulus of the NASA-300MS Hall Thruster andwas operated in the spot and plume modes with additional data taken with an appliedmagnetic eld. Langmuir probes, retarding potential analyzers, and optical emission spec-troscopy were employed to measure plasma properties near the orice of the HCA and toassess the charge state of the near-eld plasma. Electron temperatures (2-6 eV) and plasmapotentials are consistent with probe-measured values in previous investigations. Operationwith an applied-eld yields higher discharge voltages, increased Xe III production, andincreased signals from the 833.5 nm C I line. While operating in plume mode and with anapplied eld, ion energy distribution measurements yield ions with energies signicantlyexceeding the applied discharge voltage. These ndings are correlated with high-frequencyoscillations associated with each mode.

Effect of anode-cathode geometry on performance of the HIP-1 hot ion plasma. [magnetic mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauver, M. R.

1978-01-01

Hot-ion hydrogen plasma experiments were conducted in the NASA Lewis HIP-1 magnetic mirror facility to determine how the ion temperature was influenced by the axial position of the cathode tips relative to the anodes. A steady-state EXB plasma was formed by applying a strong radially inward dc electric field near the throats of the magnetic mirrors. The dc electric field was created between hollow cathode rods inside hollow anode cylinders, both concentric with the magnetic axis. The highest ion temperatures, 900 eV, were attained when the tip of each cathode was in the same plane as the end of its anode. These temperatures were reached with 22 kV applied to the electrodes in a field of 1.1 tesla. Scaling relations were empirically determined for ion temperature and the product of ion density and neutral particle density as a function of cathode voltage, discharge current, and electrode positions. Plasma discharge current vs voltage (I-V) characteristics were determined.

Methods and apparatus for using gas and liquid phase cathodic depolarizers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Oliver J. (Inventor); Hitchens, G. Duncan (Inventor)

1998-01-01

The invention provides methods for using gas and liquid phase cathodic depolarizers in an electrochemical cell having a cation exchange membrane in intimate contact with the anode and cathode. The electrochemical conversion of cathodic depolarizers at the cathode lowers the cell potential necessary to achieve a desired electrochemical conversion, such as ozone evolution, at the anode. When gaseous cathodic depolarizers, such as oxygen, are used, a gas diffusion cathode having the cation exchange membrane bonded thereto is preferred. When liquid phase cathodic depolarizers are used, the cathode may be a flow-by electrode, flow-through electrode, packed-bed electrode or a fluidized-bed electrode in intimate contact with the cation exchange membrane.

Potential Dependence of Pt and Co Dissolution from Platinum-Cobalt Alloy PEFC Catalysts Using Time-Resolved Measurements

DOE PAGES

Ahluwalia, Rajesh K.; Papadias, Dionissios D.; Kariuki, Nancy N.; ...

2018-02-09

An electrochemical flow cell system with catalyst-ionomer ink deposited on glassy carbon is used to investigate the aqueous stability of commercial PtCo alloys under cyclic potentials. An on-line inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer, capable of real-time measurements, is used to resolve the anodic and cathodic dissolution of Pt and Co during square-wave and triangle-wave potential cycles. We observe Co dissolution at all potentials, distinct peaks in anodic and cathodic Pt dissolution rates above 0.9 V, and potential-dependent Pt and Co dissolution rates. The amount of Pt that dissolves cathodically is smaller than the amount that dissolves anodically if the upper potentialmore » limit (UPL) is lower than 0.9 V. At the highest UPL investigated, 1.0 V, the cathodic dissolution greatly exceeds the anodic dissolution. A non-ideal solid solution model indicates that the anodic dissolution can be associated with the electrochemical oxidation of Pt and PtOH to Pt 2+, and the cathodic dissolution to electrochemical reduction of a higher Pt oxide, PtO x (x > 1), to Pt 2+. Pt also dissolves oxidatively during the cathodic scans but in smaller amounts than due to the reductive dissolution of PtO x. The relative amounts Pt dissolving oxidatively as Pt and PtOH depend on the potential cycle and UPL.« less

Potential Dependence of Pt and Co Dissolution from Platinum-Cobalt Alloy PEFC Catalysts Using Time-Resolved Measurements

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

Ahluwalia, Rajesh K.; Papadias, Dionissios D.; Kariuki, Nancy N.

An electrochemical flow cell system with catalyst-ionomer ink deposited on glassy carbon is used to investigate the aqueous stability of commercial PtCo alloys under cyclic potentials. An on-line inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer, capable of real-time measurements, is used to resolve the anodic and cathodic dissolution of Pt and Co during square-wave and triangle-wave potential cycles. We observe Co dissolution at all potentials, distinct peaks in anodic and cathodic Pt dissolution rates above 0.9 V, and potential-dependent Pt and Co dissolution rates. The amount of Pt that dissolves cathodically is smaller than the amount that dissolves anodically if the upper potentialmore » limit (UPL) is lower than 0.9 V. At the highest UPL investigated, 1.0 V, the cathodic dissolution greatly exceeds the anodic dissolution. A non-ideal solid solution model indicates that the anodic dissolution can be associated with the electrochemical oxidation of Pt and PtOH to Pt 2+, and the cathodic dissolution to electrochemical reduction of a higher Pt oxide, PtO x (x > 1), to Pt 2+. Pt also dissolves oxidatively during the cathodic scans but in smaller amounts than due to the reductive dissolution of PtO x. The relative amounts Pt dissolving oxidatively as Pt and PtOH depend on the potential cycle and UPL.« less

Erosion behavior of composite Al-Cr cathodes in cathodic arc plasmas in inert and reactive atmospheres

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

Franz, Robert, E-mail: robert.franz@unileoben.ac.at; Mendez Martin, Francisca; Hawranek, Gerhard

2016-03-15

Al{sub x}Cr{sub 1−x} composite cathodes with Al contents of x = 0.75, 0.5, and 0.25 were exposed to cathodic arc plasmas in Ar, N{sub 2}, and O{sub 2} atmospheres and their erosion behavior was studied. Cross-sectional analysis of the elemental distribution of the near-surface zone in the cathodes by scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of a modified layer for all cathodes and atmospheres. Due to intermixing of Al and Cr in the heat-affected zone, intermetallic Al-Cr phases formed as evidenced by x-ray diffraction analysis. Cathode poisoning effects in the reactive N{sub 2} and O{sub 2} atmospheres were nonuniform as a resultmore » of the applied magnetic field configuration. With the exception of oxide islands on Al-rich cathodes, reactive layers were absent in the circular erosion zone, while nitrides and oxides formed in the less eroded center region of the cathodes.« less

PULSE AMPLIFIER

DOEpatents

Johnstone, C.W.

1958-06-17

The improvement of pulse amplifiers used with scintillation detectors is described. The pulse amplifier circuit has the advantage of reducing the harmful effects of overloading cause by large signal inputs. In general the pulse amplifier circuit comprises two amplifier tubes with the input pulses applied to one amplifier grid and coupled to the second amplifier tube through a common cathode load. The output of the second amplifier is coupled from the plate circuit to a cathode follower tube grid and a diode tube in connected from grid to cathode of the cathode follower tube. Degenerative feedback is provided in the second amplifier by coupling a signal from the cathode follower cathode to the second amplifier grid. The circuit proqides moderate gain stability, and overload protection for subsequent pulse circuits.

Hollow cathodes as electron emitting plasma contactors Theory and computer modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, V. A.; Katz, I.; Mandell, M. J.; Parks, D. E.

1987-01-01

Several researchers have suggested using hollow cathodes as plasma contactors for electrodynamic tethers, particularly to prevent the Shuttle Orbiter from charging to large negative potentials. Previous studies have shown that fluid models with anomalous scattering can describe the electron transport in hollow cathode generated plasmas. An improved theory of the hollow cathode plasmas is developed and computational results using the theory are compared with laboratory experiments. Numerical predictions for a hollow cathode plasma source of the type considered for use on the Shuttle are presented, as are three-dimensional NASCAP/LEO calculations of the emitted ion trajectories and the resulting potentials in the vicinity of the Orbiter. The computer calculations show that the hollow cathode plasma source makes vastly superior contact with the ionospheric plasma compared with either an electron gun or passive ion collection by the Orbiter.

Electricity generation of microbial fuel cell with waterproof breathable membrane cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Defeng; Tang, Yu; Mei, Xiaoxue; Liu, Bingfeng

2015-12-01

Simplification of fabrication and reduction of capital cost are important for scale-up and application of microbial electrochemical systems (MES). A fast and inexpensive method of making cathode was developed via assembling stainless steel mesh (SSM) with waterproof breathable membrane (WBM). Three assemble types of cathodes were fabricated; Pt@SSM/WBM (SSM as cathode skeleton, WBM as diffusion layer, platinum (Pt) catalyst applied on SSM), SSM/Pt@WBM and Pt@WBM. SSM/Pt@WBM cathode showed relatively preferable with long-term stability and favorable power output (24.7 W/m3). Compared to conventional cathode fabrication, air-cathode was made for 0.5 h. The results indicated that the novel fabrication method could remarkably reduce capital cost and simplify fabrication procedures with a comparable power output, making MFC more prospective for future application.

Microstructure and optical properties of nanocrystalline Cu2O thin films prepared by electrodeposition.

PubMed

Jiang, Xishun; Zhang, Miao; Shi, Shiwei; He, Gang; Song, Xueping; Sun, Zhaoqi

2014-01-01

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin films were prepared by using electrodeposition technique at different applied potentials (-0.1, -0.3, -0.5, -0.7, and -0.9 V) and were annealed in vacuum at a temperature of 100°C for 1 h. Microstructure and optical properties of these films have been investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV-visible (vis) spectrophotometer, and fluorescence spectrophotometer. The morphology of these films varies obviously at different applied potentials. Analyses from these characterizations have confirmed that these films are composed of regular, well-faceted, polyhedral crystallites. UV-vis absorption spectra measurements have shown apparent shift in optical band gap from 1.69 to 2.03 eV as the applied potential becomes more cathodic. The emission of FL spectra at 603 nm may be assigned as the near band-edge emission.

Conceptual design and experiments of electrochemistry-flushing technology for the remediation of historically Cr(Ⅵ)-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Li, Dong; Sun, Delin; Hu, Siyang; Hu, Jing; Yuan, Xingzhong

2016-02-01

A conceptual design and experiments, electrochemistry-flushing (E-flushing), using electrochemistry to enhance flushing efficiency for the remediation of Cr(Ⅵ)-contaminated soil is presented. The rector contained three compartments vertically superposed. The upper was airtight cathode compartment containing an iron-cathode. The middle was soil layer. The bottom was anode compartment containing an iron-anode and connected to a container by circulation pumps. H2 and OH(-) ions were produced at cathode. H2 increased the gas pressure in cathode compartment and drove flushing solution into soil layer forming flushing process. OH(-) ions entered into soil layer by eletromigration and hydraulic flow to enhance the desorption of Cr(Ⅵ). High potential gradient was applied to accelerate the electromigration of desorbed Cr(Ⅵ) ions and produced joule heat to increase soil temperature to enhance Cr(Ⅵ) desorption. In anode compartment, Fe(2+) ions produced at iron-anode reduced the desorbed Cr(Ⅵ) into Cr(3+) ions, which reacted with OH(-) ions forming Cr(OH)3. Experimental results show that Cr(Ⅵ) removal efficiency of E-flushing experiments was more than double of flushing experiments and reached the maximum of removal efficiency determined by desorption kinetics. All electrochemistry processes were positively used in E-flushing technology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling and characterization of field-enhanced corona discharge in ozone-generator diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Jagadish G.; Vijayan, T.

2010-02-01

Electric field enhanced corona plasma discharge in ozone generator diode of axial symmetry has been investigated and characterized in theory. The cathode K of diode is made of a large number of sharpened nozzles arranged on various radial planes on the axial mast and pervaded in oxygen gas inside the anode cup A, produces high fields over MV/m and aids in the formation of a corona plume of dense ozone cloud over the cathode surface. An r-z finite difference scheme has been devised and employed to numerically determine the potential and electric field distributions inside the diode. The analyses of cathode emissions revealed a field emission domain conformed to modified Child-Langmuir diode-current. Passage of higher currents (over μA) in shorter A-K gaps d gave rise to cathode heated plasma extending from the corona to Saha regimes depending on local temperature. Plasma densities of order 102-106 m-3 are predicted in these. For larger d however, currents are smaller and heating negligible and a negative corona favoring ozone formation is attained. High ozone yields about 20 per cent of oxygen input is predicted in this domain. The generator so developed will be applied to various important applications such as, purification of ambient air /drinking water, ozone therapy, and so on.

Ion and gas chromatography mass spectrometry investigations of organophosphates in lithium ion battery electrolytes by electrochemical aging at elevated cathode potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Waldemar; Wagner, Ralf; Streipert, Benjamin; Kraft, Vadim; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha

2016-02-01

The electrochemical aging of commercial non-aqueous lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6)/organic carbonate solvent based lithium ion battery electrolyte has been investigated in view of the formation of ionic and non-ionic alkylated phosphates. Subject was a solvent mixture of ethylene carbonate/ethyl methyl carbonate EC:EMC (1:1, by wt.) with 1 M LiPF6 (LP50 Selectilyte™, BASF). The analysis was carried out by ion chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for ionic compounds and (headspace) gas chromatography mass spectrometry ((HS)-GC-MS) for non-ionic compounds. The electrochemical aging was performed by galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling and potentiostatic experiments with LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LMNO) as cathode material at increased cut-off potentials (>4.5 V vs. Li/Li+). A strong dependence of the formation of organophosphates on the applied electrode potential was observed and investigated by quantitative analysis of the formed phosphates. In addition, new possible ;fingerprint; compounds for describing the electrolyte status were investigated and compared to existing compounds.

On-Chip Electrophoresis in Supported Lipid Bilayer Membranes Achieved Using Low Potentials

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

A micro supported lipid bilayer (SLB) electrophoresis method was developed, which functions at low potentials and appreciable operating times. To this end, (hydroxymethyl)-ferrocene (FcCH2OH) was employed to provide an electrochemical reaction at the anode and cathode at low applied potential to avoid electrolysis of water. The addition of FcCH2OH did not alter the SLB characteristics or affect biomolecule function, and pH and temperature variations and bubble formation were eliminated. Applying potentials of 0.25–1.2 V during flow gave homogeneous electrical fields and a fast, reversible, and strong build-up of a charged dye-modified lipid in the direction of the oppositely charged electrode. Moreover, streptavidin mobility could be modulated. This method paves the way for further development of analytical devices. PMID:24345193

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

Friebel, Daniel

In situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Pt L{sub 3} edge is a useful probe for Pt-O interactions at polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathodes. We show that XAS using the high energy resolution fluorescence detection (HERFD) mode, applied to a well-defined monolayer Pt/Rh(111) sample where the bulk penetrating hard x-rays probe only surface Pt atoms, provides a unique sensitivity to structure and chemical bonding at the Pt-electrolyte interface. Ab initio multiple-scattering calculations using the FEFF8 code and complementary extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) results indicate that the commonly observed large increase of the white-line at highmore » electrochemical potentials on PEMFC cathodes originates from platinum oxide formation, whereas previously proposed chemisorbed oxygen-containing species merely give rise to subtle spectral changes.« less

Slow-Frequency Pulsed Transcranial Electrical Stimulation for Modulation of Cortical Plasticity Based on Reciprocity Targeting with Precision Electrical Head Modeling

PubMed Central

Luu, Phan; Essaki Arumugam, Easwara Moorthy; Anderson, Erik; Gunn, Amanda; Rech, Dennis; Turovets, Sergei; Tucker, Don M.

2016-01-01

In pain management as well as other clinical applications of neuromodulation, it is important to consider the timing parameters influencing activity-dependent plasticity, including pulsed versus sustained currents, as well as the spatial action of electrical currents as they polarize the complex convolutions of the cortical mantle. These factors are of course related; studying temporal factors is not possible when the spatial resolution of current delivery to the cortex is so uncertain to make it unclear whether excitability is increased or decreased with anodal vs. cathodal current flow. In the present study we attempted to improve the targeting of specific cortical locations by applying current through flexible source-sink configurations of 256 electrodes in a geodesic array. We constructed a precision electric head model for 12 healthy individuals. Extraction of the individual’s cortical surface allowed computation of the component of the induced current that is normal to the target cortical surface. In an effort to replicate the long-term depression (LTD) induced with pulsed protocols in invasive animal research and transcranial magnetic stimulation studies, we applied 100 ms pulses at 1.9 s intervals either in cortical-surface-anodal or cortical-surface-cathodal directions, with a placebo (sham) control. The results showed significant LTD of the motor evoked potential as a result of the cortical-surface-cathodal pulses in contrast to the placebo control, with a smaller but similar LTD effect for anodal pulses. The cathodal LTD after-effect was sustained over 90 min following current injection. These results support the feasibility of pulsed protocols with low total charge in non-invasive neuromodulation when the precision of targeting is improved with a dense electrode array and accurate head modeling. PMID:27531976

Presynaptic and postsynaptic effects of local cathodal DC polarization within the spinal cord in anaesthetized animal preparations

PubMed Central

Bolzoni, F; Jankowska, E

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to compare presynaptic and postsynaptic actions of direct current polarization in the spinal cord, focusing on DC effects on primary afferents and motoneurons. To reduce the directly affected spinal cord region, a weak polarizing direct current (0.1–0.3 μA) was applied locally in deeply anaesthetized cats and rats; within the hindlimb motor nuclei in the caudal lumbar segments, or in the dorsal horn within the terminal projection area of low threshold skin afferents. Changes in the excitability of primary afferents activated by intraspinal stimuli (20–50 μA) were estimated using increases or decreases in compound action potentials recorded from the dorsal roots or peripheral nerves as their measure. Changes in the postsynaptic actions of the afferents were assessed from intracellularly recorded monosynaptic EPSPs in hindlimb motoneurons and monosynaptic extracellular field potentials (evoked by group Ia afferents in motor nuclei, or by low threshold cutaneous afferents in the dorsal horn). The excitability of motoneurons activated by intraspinal stimuli was assessed using intracellular records or motoneuronal discharges recorded from a ventral root or a muscle nerve. Cathodal polarization was found to affect motoneurons and afferents providing input to them to a different extent. The excitability of both was markedly increased during DC application, although post-polarization facilitation was found to involve presynaptic afferents and some of their postsynaptic actions, but only negligibly motoneurons themselves. Taken together, these results indicate that long-lasting post-polarization facilitation of spinal activity induced by locally applied cathodal current primarily reflects the facilitation of synaptic transmission. PMID:25416625

An artificial interphase enables reversible magnesium chemistry in carbonate electrolytes.

PubMed

Son, Seoung-Bum; Gao, Tao; Harvey, Steve P; Steirer, K Xerxes; Stokes, Adam; Norman, Andrew; Wang, Chunsheng; Cresce, Arthur; Xu, Kang; Ban, Chunmei

2018-05-01

Magnesium-based batteries possess potential advantages over their lithium counterparts. However, reversible Mg chemistry requires a thermodynamically stable electrolyte at low potential, which is usually achieved with corrosive components and at the expense of stability against oxidation. In lithium-ion batteries the conflict between the cathodic and anodic stabilities of the electrolytes is resolved by forming an anode interphase that shields the electrolyte from being reduced. This strategy cannot be applied to Mg batteries because divalent Mg 2+ cannot penetrate such interphases. Here, we engineer an artificial Mg 2+ -conductive interphase on the Mg anode surface, which successfully decouples the anodic and cathodic requirements for electrolytes and demonstrate highly reversible Mg chemistry in oxidation-resistant electrolytes. The artificial interphase enables the reversible cycling of a Mg/V 2 O 5 full-cell in the water-containing, carbonate-based electrolyte. This approach provides a new avenue not only for Mg but also for other multivalent-cation batteries facing the same problems, taking a step towards their use in energy-storage applications.

An artificial interphase enables reversible magnesium chemistry in carbonate electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Seoung-Bum; Gao, Tao; Harvey, Steve P.; Steirer, K. Xerxes; Stokes, Adam; Norman, Andrew; Wang, Chunsheng; Cresce, Arthur; Xu, Kang; Ban, Chunmei

2018-05-01

Magnesium-based batteries possess potential advantages over their lithium counterparts. However, reversible Mg chemistry requires a thermodynamically stable electrolyte at low potential, which is usually achieved with corrosive components and at the expense of stability against oxidation. In lithium-ion batteries the conflict between the cathodic and anodic stabilities of the electrolytes is resolved by forming an anode interphase that shields the electrolyte from being reduced. This strategy cannot be applied to Mg batteries because divalent Mg2+ cannot penetrate such interphases. Here, we engineer an artificial Mg2+-conductive interphase on the Mg anode surface, which successfully decouples the anodic and cathodic requirements for electrolytes and demonstrate highly reversible Mg chemistry in oxidation-resistant electrolytes. The artificial interphase enables the reversible cycling of a Mg/V2O5 full-cell in the water-containing, carbonate-based electrolyte. This approach provides a new avenue not only for Mg but also for other multivalent-cation batteries facing the same problems, taking a step towards their use in energy-storage applications.

Enhancing Near Zero Volt Storage Tolerance of Lithium-ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crompton, Kyle R.

There are inherent safety risks associated with inactive lithium ion batteries leading to greater restrictions and regulations on shipping and storage. Maintaining all cells of a lithium ion battery at near zero voltage with an applied fixed resistive load is one promising approach which can lessen (and potentially eliminate) the risk of a lithium ion battery entering thermal runaway when in an inactive state. However, in a conventional lithium ion cell, a near zero cell voltage can be damaging if the anode electrochemical potential increases to greater than the potential where dissolution of the standard copper current collector occurs (i.e. 3.1 V vs. Li/Li+ at room temperature). Past approaches to yield lithium ion cells that are resilient to a near zero volt state of charge involve use of secondary active materials or alternative current collectors which have anticipated tradeoffs in terms of cell performance and cost. In the the present dissertation work the approach of managing the amount of reversible lithium in a cell during construction to prevent the anode potential from increasing to greater than 3.1 V vs. Li/Li+ during near zero volt storage is introduced. Anode pre-lithiation was used in LiCoO 2/MCMB pouch cells to appropriately manage the amount of reversible lithium so that there is excess reversible lithium compared to the cathodes intercalation capacity (reversible lithium excess cell or RLE cell). RLE LiCoO 2/MCMB cells maintained 99% of their original capacity after three, 3-day and three, 7-day storage periods at near zero volts under fixed load. A LiCoO2/MCMB pouch cell fabricated with a pre-lithiated anode also maintained its original discharge performance after three, 3-day storage periods under fixed load at 45°C. The strong recharge performance after near zero volt storage is attributed to the anode potential remaining below the copper dissolution potential during near zero volt storage as informed by reference electrode measurements. Pulse discharge measurements were performed and show that double layer capacitance likely plays a major role in determining the behavior of electrode potentials during near zero volt storage. To further the viability of the anode pre-lithiation method in LiCoO2/MCMB cells, stabilization coatings on the cathode materials are being investigated to increase the tolerance of the cathode to the low potentials it may experience during near zero volt storage of an RLE lithium ion cell. Results show that an AlPO4 coating prevents cation exhange in the cathode crystal structure and substantially increases the cathode's resilience to low electrochemical potentials. Investigations into applying anode pre-lithiation to cells utilizing LiNiCoAlO2 (NCA) cathodes have also been initiated and found to maintain the anode potential below the copper dissolution potential during near zero volt storage. RLE NCA/MCMB cells showed strong recharge performance and improved rate capability retention over a conventional NCA/MCMB cell after ten, 3-day near zero volt storage periods. Scale up of reversible lithium management to NCA/MCMB x3450 pouch cells was achieved using bath lithium addition and rendered a cell that retained 100% of its discharge performance after a 14 day period at near zero volts under fixed load. The near zero volt storage tolerance of lithium ion cells utilizing an advanced, high energy density lithium rich cathode material (0.49Li2MnO3˙0.51LiNi 0.37Co0.24Mn0.39O2 or HE5050) has also been studied and found to be high at room temperature without the need for anode pre-lithiation. HE5050/MCMB cells maintained 100% of their discharge capacity after five, 3-day and five, 7-day near zero volt storage periods at room temperature. HE5050/MCMB also maintained 99% of their discharge capacity after two, 3-day near zero volt storage periods at 40°C. The high first cycle loss and lower intercalation potential of the HE5050 cathode lead to the anode potential remaining <2.8 V vs. Li/Li+ during near zero volt storage and as such, no copper dissolution is expected to be occurring. Finally, Carbon Nanotube (CNT) papers have been shown to be stable up to high potentials vs. Li/Li+ and thus, using them as an anode current collector in place of standard copper can generate lithium ion cells that can tolerate near zero volt storage. However, CNT papers suffer from significant irreversible loss due to their high surface area. An Al2O3 coating deposited by atomic layer deposition is investigated for its effect in reducing the irreversible losses of a CNT paper. The Al2O3 coating was found to reduce irreversible loss by 55% over 50 cycles and still serve as an effective current collector for a graphitic anode composite.

MULTI-ELECTRODE TUBE PULSE MEMORY CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Gundlach, J.C.; Reeves, J.B.

1958-05-20

Control circuits are described for pulse memory devices for scalers and the like, and more particularly to a driving or energizing circuit for a polycathode gaseous discharge tube having an elongated anode and a successive series of cathodes spaced opposite the anode along its length. The circuit is so arranged as to utilize an arc discharge between the anode and a cathode to count a series of pulses. Upon application of an input pulse the discharge is made to occur between the anode and the next successive cathode, and an output pulse is produced when a particular subsequent cathode is reached. The circuit means for transfering the discharge by altering the anode potential and potential of the cathodes and interconnecting the cathodes constitutes the novel aspects of the invention. A low response time and reduced number of circuit components are the practical advantages of the described circuit.

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

Shao, Jiahang; Antipov, Sergey P.; Baryshev, Sergey V.

Field emission from a solid metal surface has been continuously studied for a century over macroscopic to atomic scales. It is general knowledge that, other than the surface properties, the emitted current is governed solely by the applied electric field. A pin cathode has been used to study the dependence of field emission on stored energy in an L-band rf gun. The stored energy was changed by adjusting the axial position (distance between the cathode base and the gun back surface) of the cathode while the applied electric field on the cathode tip is kept constant. Avery strong correlation ofmore » the field-emission current with the stored energy has been observed. While eliminating all possible interfering sources, an enhancement of the current by a factor of 5 was obtained as the stored energy was increased by a factor of 3. It implies that under certain circumstances a localized field emission may be significantly altered by the global parameters in a system.« less

The effect of surface-bulk potential difference on the kinetics of intercalation in core-shell active cathode particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazemiabnavi, Saeed; Malik, Rahul; Orvananos, Bernardo; Abdellahi, Aziz; Ceder, Gerbrand; Thornton, Katsuyo

2018-04-01

Surface modification of active cathode particles is commonly observed in battery research as either a surface phase evolving during the cycling process, or intentionally engineered to improve capacity retention, rate capability, and/or thermal stability of the cathode material. Here, a continuum-scale model is developed to simulate the galvanostatic charge/discharge of a cathode particle with core-shell heterostructure. The particle is assumed to be comprised of a core material encapsulated by a thin layer of a second phase that has a different open-circuit voltage. The effect of the potential difference between the surface and bulk phases (Ω) on the kinetics of lithium intercalation and the galvanostatic charge/discharge profiles is studied at different values of Ω, C-rates, and exchange current densities. The difference between the Li chemical potential in the surface and bulk phases of the cathode particle results in a concentration difference between these two phases. This leads to a charge/discharge asymmetry in the galvanostatic voltage profiles, causing a decrease in the accessible capacity of the particle. These effects are more significant at higher magnitudes of surface-bulk potential difference. The proposed model provides detailed insight into the kinetics and voltage behavior of the intercalation/de-intercalation processes in core-shell heterostructure cathode particles.

Phosphate recovery as struvite within a single chamber microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Cusick, Roland D; Logan, Bruce E

2012-03-01

An energy efficient method of concurrent hydrogen gas and struvite (MgNH(4)PO(4)·6H(2)O) production was investigated based on bioelectrochemically driven struvite crystallization at the cathode of a single chamber microbial electrolysis struvite-precipitation cell (MESC). The MESC cathodes were either stainless steel 304 mesh or flat plates. Phosphate removal ranged from 20% to 40%, with higher removals obtained using mesh cathodes than with flat plates. Cathode accumulated crystals were verified as struvite using a scanning electron microscope capable of energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Crystal accumulation did not affect the rate of hydrogen production in struvite reactors. The rate of struvite crystallization (g/m(2)-h) and hydrogen production (m(3)/m(3)-d) were shown to be dependent on applied voltage and cathode material. Overall energy efficiencies (substrate and electricity) were high (73 ± 4%) and not dependent on applied voltage. These results show that MESCs may be useful both as a method for hydrogen gas and struvite production. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of electric fields on human mesenchymal stem cell behaviour and morphology using a novel multichannel device.

PubMed

Banks, T A; Luckman, P S B; Frith, J E; Cooper-White, J J

2015-06-01

The intrinsic piezoelectric nature of collagenous-rich tissues, such as bone and cartilage, can result in the production of small, endogenous electric fields (EFs) during applied mechanical stresses. In vivo, these EFs may influence cell migration, a vital component of wound healing. As a result, the application of small external EFs to bone fractures and cutaneous wounds is actively practiced clinically. Due to the significant regenerative potential of stem cells in bone and cartilage healing, and their potential role in the observed improved healing in vivo post applied EFs, using a novel medium throughput device, we investigated the impacts of physiological and aphysiological EFs on human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) for up to 15 hours. The applied EFs had significant impacts on hBM-MSC morphology and migration; cells displayed varying degrees of conversion to a highly elongated phenotype dependent on the EF strength, consistent perpendicular alignment to the EF vector, and definitive cathodal migration in response to EF strengths ≥0.5 V cm(-1), with the fastest migration speeds observed at between 1.7 and 3 V cm(-1). We observed variability in hBM-MSC donor-to-donor responses and overall tolerances to applied EFs. This study thus confirms hBM-MSCs are responsive to applied EFs, and their rate of migration towards the cathode is controllable depending on the EF strength, providing new insight into the physiology of hBM-MSCs and possibly a significant opportunity for the utilisation of EFs in directed scaffold colonisation in vitro for tissue engineering applications or in vivo post implantation.

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

Beilis, I. I.

Experiments in the last decade showed that for cathode spots in a magnetic field that obliquely intercepts the cathode surface, the current per spot increased with the transverse component of the magnetic field and decreased with the normal component. The present work analyzes the nature of cathode spot splitting in an oblique magnetic field. A physical model for cathode spot current splitting was developed, which considered the relation between the plasma kinetic pressure, self-magnetic pressure, and applied magnetic pressure in a current carrying cathode plasma jet. The current per spot was calculated, and it was found to increase with themore » tangential component of the magnetic field and to decrease with the normal component, which agrees well with the experimental dependence.« less

Cathodic and anodic biofilms in Single Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Cristiani, P; Carvalho, M L; Guerrini, E; Daghio, M; Santoro, C; Li, B

2013-08-01

The oxygen reduction due to microaerophilic biofilms grown on graphite cathodes (biocathodes) in Single Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells (SCMFCs) is proved and analysed in this paper. Pt-free cathode performances are compared with those of different platinum-loaded cathodes, before and after the biofilm growth. Membraneless SCMFCs were operating in batch-mode, filled with wastewater. A substrate (fuel) of sodium acetate (0.03 M) was periodically added and the experiment lasted more than six months. A maximum of power densities, up to 0.5 W m(-2), were reached when biofilms developed on the electrodes and the cathodic potential decreased (open circuit potential of 50-200 mV vs. SHE). The power output was almost constant with an acetate concentration of 0.01-0.05 M and it fell down when the pH of the media exceeded 9.5, independently of the Pt-free/Pt-loading at the cathodes. Current densities varied in the range of 1-5 Am(-2) (cathode area of 5 cm(2)). Quasi-stationary polarization curves performed with a three-electrode configuration on cathodic and anodic electrodes showed that the anodic overpotential, more than the cathodic one, may limit the current density in the SCMFCs for a long-term operation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A pre-lithiation method for sulfur cathode used for future lithium metal free full battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yunwen; Yokoshima, Tokihiko; Nara, Hiroki; Momma, Toshiyuki; Osaka, Tetsuya

2017-02-01

Lithium metal free sulfur battery paired by lithium sulfide (Li2S) is a hot point in recent years because of its potential for relatively high capacity and its safety advantage. Due to the insulating nature and high sensitivity to moisture of Li2S, it calls for new way to introduce Li ion into S cathode besides the method of directly using the Li2S powder for the battery pre-lithiation. Herein, we proposed a pre-lithiation method to lithiate the polypyrrole (PPy)/S/Ketjenblack (KB) electrode into PPy/Li2S/KB cathode at room temperature. By this process, the fully lithiated PPy/Li2S/KB cathode showed facilitated charge transfer than the original PPy/S/KB cathode, leading to better cycling performance at high C-rates and disappearance of over potential phenomenon. In this work, the ion-selective PPy layer has been introduced on the cathode surface by an electrodeposition method, which can suppress the polysulfide dissolution from the cathode source. The lithium metal free full battery coupled by the prepared Li2S/KB cathode and graphite anode exhibited excellent cycling performance. Hence, we believe this comprehensive fabrication approach of Li2S cathode will pave a way for the application of new type lithium metal free secondary battery.

Effect of stabilization annealing on SCC susceptibility of β-annealed Ti-6Al-4V alloy in 0.6 M NaCl solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Daeho; Park, Jiho; Ahn, Soojin; Sung, Hyokyung; Kwon, Yongnam; Kim, Sangshik

2018-01-01

The effect of stabilization annealing on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of β-annealed Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) alloy was examined in an aqueous 0.6 M NaCl solution under various applied potentials of +0.1, -0.05 and -0.1 V vs Ecorr, respectively, at a strain rate of 10 -6 s -1. The stabilization annealing substantially improved the resistance to SCC of β-annealed Ti64 alloy in 0.6 M NaCl solution under cathodic applied potentials, while the effect was marginal under an anodic applied potential. It was also noted that the areal fraction between ductile and brittle fracture of β-annealed Ti64 specimens, which were slow strain rate tested in 0.6 M NaCl solution, varied with stabilization annealing and applied potentials. The effect of stabilization annealing on the SCC behavior of β-annealed Ti64 alloy in SCC-causing environment was discussed based on the micrographic and fractographic observation.

NiF2 Cathodes For Rechargeable Na Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Distefano, Salvador; Halpert, Gerald

1992-01-01

Use of NiF2 cathodes in medium-to-high-temperature rechargeable sodium batteries increases energy and power densities by 25 to 30 percent without detracting from potential advantage of safety this type of sodium battery offers over sodium batteries having sulfur cathodes. High-energy-density sodium batteries with metal fluoride cathodes used in electric vehicles and for leveling loads on powerlines.

Study of superhydrophobic electrosprayed catalyst layers using a localized reference electrode technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaparro, A. M.; Ferreira-Aparicio, P.; Folgado, M. A.; Brightman, E.; Hinds, G.

2016-09-01

The performance of electrosprayed cathode catalyst layers in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is studied using a localized reference electrode technique. Single cells with an electrosprayed cathode catalyst layer show an increase of >20% in maximum power density under standard testing conditions, compared with identical cells assembled with a conventional, state-of-the-art, gas diffusion cathode. When operated at high current density (1.2 A cm-2) the electrosprayed catalyst layers show more homogeneous distribution of the localized cathode potential, with a standard deviation from inlet to outlet of <50 mV, compared with 79 mV for the conventional gas diffusion cathode. Higher performance and homogeneity of cell response is attributed to the superhydrophobic nature of the macroporous electrosprayed catalyst layer structure, which enhances the rate of expulsion of liquid water from the cathode. On the other hand, at low current densities (<0.5 A cm-2), the electrosprayed layers exhibit more heterogeneous distribution of cathode potential than the conventional cathodes; this behavior is attributed to less favorable kinetics for oxygen reduction in very hydrophobic catalyst layers. The optimum performance may be obtained with electrosprayed catalyst layers employing a high Pt/C catalyst ratio.

Continuous plasma laser. [method and apparatus for producing intense, coherent, monochromatic light from low temperature plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Libby, W. F.; Jensen, C. A.; Wood, L. L. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

The apparatus includes a housing for confining a gas at subatmospheric pressure and including a set of reflectors defining an optical cavity. At least one anode and cathode are positioned within the gas. First control means control the voltage applied to the anode and second control means independently control the temperature of the cathode. The pressure of the gas is controlled by a third control means. An intense monochromatic output is achieved by confining the gas in the housing at a controlled pre-determined reduced pressure, independently controlling the temperature of the electron emitting cathode and applying predetermined controlled low voltage to the anode.

Plasma Emission Characteristics from a High Current Hollow Cathode in an Ion Thruster Discharge Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, John E.; Patterson, Michael J.

2002-01-01

The presence of energetic ions produced by a hollow cathodes operating at high emission currents (greater than 5A) has been documented in the literature. In order to further elucidate these findings, an investigation of a high current cathode operating in an ion thruster discharge chamber has been undertaken. Using Langmuir probes, a low energy charged particle analyzer and emission spectroscopy, the behavior of the near-cathode plasma and the emitted ion energy distribution was characterized. The presence of energetic ions was confirmed. It was observed that these ions had energies in excess of the discharge voltage and thus cannot be simply explained by ions falling out of plasma through a potential difference of this order. Additionally, evidence provided by Langmuir probes suggests the existence of a double layer essentially separating the hollow cathode plasma column from the main discharge. The radial potential difference associated with this double layer was measured to be of order the ionization potential.

Foundations of DC plasma sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomas Gudmundsson, Jon; Hecimovic, Ante

2017-12-01

A typical dc discharge is configured with the negative cathode at one end and a positive anode at the other end, separated by a gas filled gap, placed inside a long glass cylinder. A few hundred volts between the cathode and anode is required to maintain the discharge. The type of discharge that is formed between the two electrodes depends upon the pressure of the working gas, the nature of the working gas, the applied voltage and the geometry of the discharge. We discuss the current-voltage characteristics of the discharge as well as the distinct structure that develops in the glow discharge region. The dc glow discharge appears in the discharge current range from μA to mA at 0.5-300 Pa pressure. We discuss the various phenomena observed in the dc glow discharge, including the cathode region, the positive column, and striations. The dc glow discharge is maintained by the emission of secondary electrons from the cathode target due to the bombardment of ions. For decades, the dc glow discharge has been used as a sputter source. Then it is often operated as an obstructed abnormal glow discharge and the required applied voltage is in the range 2-5 kV. Typically, the cathode target (the material to be deposited) is connected to a negative voltage supply (dc or rf) and the substrate holder faces the target. The relatively high operating pressure, in the range from 2 to 4 Pa, high applied voltages, and the necessity to have a conductive target limit the application of dc glow discharge as a sputter source. In order to lower the discharge voltage and expand the operation pressure range, the lifetime of the electrons in target vicinity is increased through applying magnetic field, by adding permanent magnets behind the cathode target. This arrangement is coined the magnetron sputtering discharge. The various configurations of the magnetron sputtering discharge and its applications are described. Furthermore, the use of dc discharges for chemical analysis, the Penning discharge and the hollow cathode discharges and some of its applications are briefly discussed.

Reactant gas composition for fuel cell potential control

DOEpatents

Bushnell, Calvin L.; Davis, Christopher L.

1991-01-01

A fuel cell (10) system in which a nitrogen (N.sub.2) gas is used on the anode section (11) and a nitrogen/oxygen (N.sub.2 /O.sub.2) gaseous mix is used on the cathode section (12) to maintain the cathode at an acceptable voltage potential during adverse conditions occurring particularly during off-power conditions, for example, during power plant shutdown, start-up and hot holds. During power plant shutdown, the cathode section is purged with a gaseous mixture of, for example, one-half percent (0.5%) oxygen (O.sub.2) and ninety-nine and a half percent (99.5%) nitrogen (N.sub.2) supplied from an ejector (21) bleeding in air (24/28) into a high pressure stream (27) of nitrogen (N.sub.2) as the primary or majority gas. Thereafter the fuel gas in the fuel processor (31) and the anode section (11) is purged with nitrogen gas to prevent nickel (Ni) carbonyl from forming from the shift catalyst. A switched dummy electrical load (30) is used to bring the cathode potential down rapidly during the start of the purges. The 0.5%/99.5% O.sub.2 /N.sub.2 mixture maintains the cathode potential between 0.3 and 0.7 volts, and this is sufficient to maintain the cathode potential at 0.3 volts for the case of H.sub.2 diffusing to the cathode through a 2 mil thick electrolyte filled matrix and below 0.8 volts for no diffusion at open circuit conditions. The same high pressure gas source (20) is used via a "T" juncture ("T") to purge the anode section and its associated fuel processor (31).

Methanol-tolerant cathode catalyst composite for direct methanol fuel cells

DOEpatents

Zhu, Yimin; Zelenay, Piotr

2006-09-05

A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) having a methanol fuel supply, oxidant supply, and its membrane electrode assembly (MEA) formed of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode with a membrane therebetween, a methanol oxidation catalyst adjacent the anode electrode and the membrane, an oxidant reduction catalyst adjacent the cathode electrode and the membrane, comprises an oxidant reduction catalyst layer of Pt.sub.3Cr/C so that oxidation at the cathode of methanol that crosses from the anode through the membrane to the cathode is reduced with a concomitant increase of net electrical potential at the cathode electrode.

Methanol-Tolerant Cathode Catalyst Composite For Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

DOEpatents

Zhu, Yimin; Zelenay, Piotr

2006-03-21

A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) having a methanol fuel supply, oxidant supply, and its membrane electrode assembly (MEA) formed of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode with a membrane therebetween, a methanol oxidation catalyst adjacent the anode electrode and the membrane, an oxidant reduction catalyst adjacent the cathode electrode and the membrane, comprises an oxidant reduction catalyst layer of a platinum-chromium alloy so that oxidation at the cathode of methanol that crosses from the anode through the membrane to the cathode is reduced with a concomitant increase of net electrical potential at the cathode electrode.

Miniature Lightweight Ion Pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinha, Mahadeva P.

2010-01-01

This design offers a larger surface area for pumping of active gases and reduces the mass of the pump by eliminating the additional vacuum enclosure. There are three main components to this ion pump: the cathode and anode pumping elements assembly, the vacuum enclosure (made completely of titanium and used as the cathode and maintained at ground potential) containing the assembly, and the external magnet. These components are generally put in a noble diode (or differential) configuration of the ion pump technology. In the present state of the art, there are two cathodes, one made of titanium and the other of tantalum. The anodes are made up of an array of stainless steel cylinders positioned between the two cathodes. All the elements of the pump are in a vacuum enclosure. After the reduction of pressure in this enclosure to a few microns, a voltage is applied between the cathode and the anode elements. Electrons generated by the ionization are accelerated toward the anodes that are confined in the anode space by the axial magnetic field. For the generation of the axial field along the anode elements, the magnet is designed in a C-configuration and is fabricated from rare earth magnetic materials (Nd-B-Fe or Sm-Co) possessing high energy product values, and the yoke is fabricated from the high permeability material (Hiperco-50A composed of Fe-Co-V). The electrons in this region collide with the gas molecules and generate their positive ions. These ions are accelerated into the cathode and eject cathode material (Ti). The neutral atoms deposit on the anode surfaces. Because of the chemical activity of Ti, the atoms combine with chemically active gas molecules (e.g. N2, O2, etc.) and remove them. New layers of Ti are continually deposited, and the pumping of active gases is thus accomplished. Pumping of the inert gases is accomplished by their burial several atomic layers deep into the cathode. However, they tend to re-emit if the entrapping lattice atoms are sputtered away. For stable pumping of inert gases, one side of the cathode is made of Ta. Impaction on Ta produces energetic, neutral atoms that pump the inert gases on the anode structure at the peripheral areas of the cathodes (between anode rings). For inert gases stability, a post design has been implemented. Here, posts of cathode material (Ti) are mounted on the cathode. These protrude into the initial part of the anode elements. Materials sputtered from the posts condense on the anode assembly and on the cathode plane at higher rates than in the normal diodes due to enhanced sputtering at glancing angles from geometrical considerations. This increases pumping by burial. This post design has enhanced pumping rates for both active and inert gases, compared with conventional designs.

Recent Studies on Methanol Crossover in Liquid-Feed Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valdez, T. I.; Narayanan, S. R.

2000-01-01

In this work, the effects of methanol crossover and airflow rates on the cathode potential of an operating direct methanol fuel cell are explored. Techniques for quantifying methanol crossover in a fuel cell and for separating the electrical performance of each electrode in a fuel cell are discussed. The effect of methanol concentration on cathode potential has been determined to be significant. The cathode is found to be mass transfer limited when operating on low flow rate air and high concentrations of methanol. Improvements in cathode structure and operation at low methanol concentration have been shown to result in improved cell performance.

Carbon dioxide capture using resin-wafer electrodeionization

DOEpatents

Lin, YuPo J.; Snyder, Seth W.; Trachtenberg, Michael S.; Cowan, Robert M.; Datta, Saurav

2015-09-08

The present invention provides a resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) apparatus including cathode and anode electrodes separated by a plurality of porous solid ion exchange resin wafers, which when in use are filled with an aqueous fluid. The apparatus includes one or more wafers comprising a basic ion exchange medium, and preferably includes one or more wafers comprising an acidic ion exchange medium. The wafers are separated from one another by ion exchange membranes. The fluid within the acidic and/or basic ion exchange wafers preferably includes, or is in contact with, a carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme to facilitate conversion of bicarbonate ion to carbon dioxide within the acidic medium. A pH suitable for exchange of CO.sub.2 is electrochemically maintained within the basic and acidic ion exchange wafers by applying an electric potential across the cathode and anode.

A Nonaqueous Potassium-Based Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Device.

PubMed

Fan, Ling; Lin, Kairui; Wang, Jue; Ma, Ruifang; Lu, Bingan

2018-05-01

A low cost nonaqueous potassium-based battery-supercapacitor hybrid device (BSH) is successfully established for the first time with soft carbon as the anode, commercialized activated carbon as the cathode, and potassium bis(fluoro-slufonyl)imide in dimethyl ether as the electrolyte. This BSH reconciles the advantages of potassium ion batteries and supercapacitors, achieving a high energy density of 120 W h kg -1 , a high power density of 599 W kg -1 , a long cycle life of 1500 cycles, and an ultrafast charge/slow discharge performance (energy density and power density are calculated based on the total mass of active materials in the anode and cathode). This work demonstrates a great potential of applying the nonaqueous BSH for low cost electric energy storage systems. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In situ X-ray probing reveals fingerprints of surface platinum oxide.

PubMed

Friebel, Daniel; Miller, Daniel J; O'Grady, Christopher P; Anniyev, Toyli; Bargar, John; Bergmann, Uwe; Ogasawara, Hirohito; Wikfeldt, Kjartan Thor; Pettersson, Lars G M; Nilsson, Anders

2011-01-07

In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Pt L(3) edge is a useful probe for Pt-O interactions at polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathodes. We show that XAS using the high energy resolution fluorescence detection (HERFD) mode, applied to a well-defined monolayer Pt/Rh(111) sample where the bulk penetrating hard X-rays probe only surface Pt atoms, provides a unique sensitivity to structure and chemical bonding at the Pt-electrolyte interface. Ab initio multiple-scattering calculations using the FEFF code and complementary extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) results indicate that the commonly observed large increase of the white-line at high electrochemical potentials on PEMFC cathodes originates from platinum oxide formation, whereas previously proposed chemisorbed oxygen-containing species merely give rise to subtle spectral changes.

The alkaline zinc electrode as a mixed potential system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fielder, W. L.

1979-01-01

Cathodic and anodic processes for the alkaline zinc electrode in 0.01 molar zincate electrolyte (9 molar hydroxide) were investigated. Cyclic voltammograms and current-voltage curves were obtained by supplying pulses through a potentiostat to a zinc rotating disk electrode. The data are interpreted by treating the system as one with a mixed potential; the processes are termed The zincate and corrosion reactions. The relative proportions of the two processes vary with the supplied potential. For the cathodic region, the cathodic corrosion process predominates at higher potentials while both processes occur simultaneously at a lower potential (i.e., 50 mV). For the anodic region, the anodic zincate process predominates at higher potentials while the anodic corrosion process is dominant at lower potential (i.e., 50 mV) if H2 is present.

Enhanced electro-Fenton Mineralization of Acid Orange 7 Using a Carbon Nanotube Fiber Based Cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huong Le, Thi Xuan; Alemán, Belén; Vilatela, Juan J.; Bechelany, Mikhael; Cretin, Marc

2018-02-01

A new cathodic material for electro-Fenton (EF) process was prepared based on a macroscopic fiber (CNTF) made of mm long carbon nanotubes directly spun from the gas phase by floating catalyst CVD, on a carbon fiber (CF) substrate. CNTF@CF electrode is a highly graphitic material combining a high surface area ( 260 m2/g) with high electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability . One kind of azo dye, acid orange 7 (AO7), was used as model bio-refractory pollutant to be treated at CNTF@CF cathode in acidic aqueous medium (pH 3.0). The experimental results pointed out that AO7 and its organic intermediate compounds were totally mineralized by hydroxyl radical generated from Fenton reaction. In fact, 96.7 % of the initial TOC was eliminated in 8h of electrolysis by applying a current of -25 mA and ferrous ions as catalyst at concentration of 0.2 mM. At the same electrolysis time, only 23.7 % of TOC removal found on CF support which proved the high mineralization efficiency of new material thanks to CNTs deposition. The CNTF@CF cathode maintained stable its activity during five experimental cycles of EF set-up. The results indicated that CNTF@CF material could be a potential choice for wastewater treatment containing bio-refractory by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs).

Rational design of atomic-layer-deposited LiFePO4 as a high-performance cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Banis, Mohammad N; Sun, Qian; Lushington, Andrew; Li, Ruying; Sham, Tsun-Kong; Sun, Xueliang

2014-10-08

Atomic layer deposition is successfully applied to synthesize lithium iron phosphate in a layer-by-layer manner by using self-limiting surface reactions. The lithium iron phosphate exhibits high power density, excellent rate capability, and ultra-long lifetime, showing great potential for vehicular lithium batteries and 3D all-solid-state microbatteries. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effects of hydrogen embrittlement by cathodic protection on the CTOD of buried natural gas pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Cheol-man; Kim, Woo-sik; Kho, Young-tai

2002-04-01

For the corrosion protection of natural gas transmission pipelines, two methods are used, cathodic protection and a coating technique. In the case of cathodic protection, defects are embrittled by hydrogen occurring at crack tips or surfaces of materials. It is, however, very important to evaluate whether cracks in the embrittled area can grow or not, especially in weld metal. In this work, on the basis of elastic plastic fracture mechanics, we performed CTOD testing under various test conditions, such as potential and current density. The CTOD of the base steel and weld metal showed a strong dependence on the test conditions. The CTOD decreased with increasing cathodic potential and current density. The morphology of the fracture surface showed quasi-cleavage. Cathodic overprotection results in hydrogen embrittlement at the crack tip.

Dynamic behaviour of interphases and its implication on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

PubMed Central

Li, Wangda; Dolocan, Andrei; Oh, Pilgun; Celio, Hugo; Park, Suhyeon; Cho, Jaephil; Manthiram, Arumugam

2017-01-01

Undesired electrode–electrolyte interactions prevent the use of many high-energy-density cathode materials in practical lithium-ion batteries. Efforts to address their limited service life have predominantly focused on the active electrode materials and electrolytes. Here an advanced three-dimensional chemical and imaging analysis on a model material, the nickel-rich layered lithium transition-metal oxide, reveals the dynamic behaviour of cathode interphases driven by conductive carbon additives (carbon black) in a common nonaqueous electrolyte. Region-of-interest sensitive secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that a cathode-electrolyte interphase, initially formed on carbon black with no electrochemical bias applied, readily passivates the cathode particles through mutual exchange of surface species. By tuning the interphase thickness, we demonstrate its robustness in suppressing the deterioration of the electrode/electrolyte interface during high-voltage cell operation. Our results provide insights on the formation and evolution of cathode interphases, facilitating development of in situ surface protection on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-based batteries. PMID:28443608

Dynamic behaviour of interphases and its implication on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wangda; Dolocan, Andrei; Oh, Pilgun; Celio, Hugo; Park, Suhyeon; Cho, Jaephil; Manthiram, Arumugam

2017-04-01

Undesired electrode-electrolyte interactions prevent the use of many high-energy-density cathode materials in practical lithium-ion batteries. Efforts to address their limited service life have predominantly focused on the active electrode materials and electrolytes. Here an advanced three-dimensional chemical and imaging analysis on a model material, the nickel-rich layered lithium transition-metal oxide, reveals the dynamic behaviour of cathode interphases driven by conductive carbon additives (carbon black) in a common nonaqueous electrolyte. Region-of-interest sensitive secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that a cathode-electrolyte interphase, initially formed on carbon black with no electrochemical bias applied, readily passivates the cathode particles through mutual exchange of surface species. By tuning the interphase thickness, we demonstrate its robustness in suppressing the deterioration of the electrode/electrolyte interface during high-voltage cell operation. Our results provide insights on the formation and evolution of cathode interphases, facilitating development of in situ surface protection on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-based batteries.

Durable electrocatalytic-activity of Pt-Au/C cathode in PEMFCs.

PubMed

Selvaganesh, S Vinod; Selvarani, G; Sridhar, P; Pitchumani, S; Shukla, A K

2011-07-21

Longevity remains as one of the central issues in the successful commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and primarily hinges on the durability of the cathode. Incorporation of gold (Au) to platinum (Pt) is known to ameliorate both the electrocatalytic activity and stability of cathode in relation to pristine Pt-cathodes that are currently being used in PEMFCs. In this study, an accelerated stress test (AST) is conducted to simulate prolonged fuel-cell operating conditions by potential cycling the carbon-supported Pt-Au (Pt-Au/C) cathode. The loss in performance of PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode is found to be ∼10% after 7000 accelerated potential-cycles as against ∼60% for Pt/C cathode under similar conditions. These data are in conformity with the electrochemical surface-area values. PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode can withstand >10,000 potential cycles with very little effect on its performance. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies on the catalyst before and after AST suggest that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigate aggregation of Pt particles during prolonged fuel-cell operations while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reflects that the metallic nature of Pt is retained in the Pt-Au catalyst during AST in comparison to Pt/C that shows a major portion of Pt to be present as oxidic platinum. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy conducted on the membrane electrode assembly before and after AST suggests that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigating deformations in the catalyst layer. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Effect of vacuum arc cathode spot distribution on breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Can; Yuan, Zhao; He, Junjia

2017-10-01

A DC circuit breaker performs a key function in breaking an intermediate-frequency (IF) current since breaking a pure IF current is equivalent to breaking a very small DC with a reverse IF current. In this study, it is found that cathode spots show a ring-shaped distribution at 2000 Hz. An arc with an uneven distribution of cathode spots has been simulated. The simulation results show that the distribution of cathode spots significantly affect the microparameter distribution of arc plasma. The current distribution on the anode side differs from that on the cathode side under the total radial electric field. Specifically, the anode current distribution is both uneven and concentrated. The applied axial magnetic field, which cannot reduce the concentrated anode current distribution effectively, might increase the concentration of the anode current. Finally, the uneven distribution of cathode spots reduces the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber.

Virtual cathode emission of an annular cold cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, S.-d.; Kim, J.-h.; Han, J.; Yoon, M.; Park, S. Y.; Choi, D. W.; Shin, J. W.; So, J. H.

2009-11-01

Recent measurement of voltage V and current I of the electron gun of a relativistic klystron amplifier revealed that the resulting current-voltage relationship appeared to differ from the usual Child-Langmuir law (I∝V3/2) especially during the initial period of voltage increase. This paper attempts to explain this deviation by examining the emission mechanism using particle-in-cell simulation. The emission area in the cathode increased stepwise as the applied voltage increased and within each step the current and voltage followed the Child-Langmuir law. The electron emission began when the voltage reached a threshold, and the perveance increased with the emission area. Furthermore, an apparent virtual cathode was formed which was larger than the cathode tip. This occurs because, above a certain voltage, the emission from the edge and the side of the cathode surface dominates the emission from the front-end surface.

Emission characteristics of dispenser cathodes with a fine-grained tungsten top layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, S.; Higuchi, T.; Ouchi, Y.; Uda, E.; Nakamura, O.; Sudo, T.; Koyama, K.

1997-02-01

In order to improve the emission stability of the Ir-coated dispenser cathode under ion bombardment, a fine-grained tungsten top layer was applied on the substrate porous tungsten plug before Ir coating. The emission characteristics were studied after being assembled in a CRT gun. Cathode current was measured under pulse operation in a range of 0.1-9% duty. Remarkable anti-ion bombardment characteristics were observed over the range of 1-6% duty. The improved cathode showed 1.5 times higher emission current than that of a conventional Ir-coated dispenser cathode at 4% duty. AES analysis showed that the recovering rates of surface Ba and O atoms after ion bombardment were 2.5 times higher. From these results it is confirmed that the Ir coated cathode with a fine-grained tungsten top layer is provided with a good tolerance against the ion bombardment.

A carbon-supported copper complex of 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole as a cathode catalyst for alkaline fuel cell applications.

PubMed

Brushett, Fikile R; Thorum, Matthew S; Lioutas, Nicholas S; Naughton, Matthew S; Tornow, Claire; Jhong, Huei-Ru Molly; Gewirth, Andrew A; Kenis, Paul J A

2010-09-08

The performance of a novel carbon-supported copper complex of 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole (Cu-tri/C) is investigated as a cathode material using an alkaline microfluidic H(2)/O(2) fuel cell. The absolute Cu-tri/C cathode performance is comparable to that of a Pt/C cathode. Furthermore, at a commercially relevant potential, the measured mass activity of an unoptimized Cu-tri/C-based cathode was significantly greater than that of similar Pt/C- and Ag/C-based cathodes. Accelerated cathode durability studies suggested multiple degradation regimes at various time scales. Further enhancements in performance and durability may be realized by optimizing catalyst and electrode preparation procedures.

Electron Beam IEMP Simulation Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

Three Trigatrons 99 e5 LIST OF FIGURES (Cont.) FIGURE NO. PAGE 5.13 SPI-PULSE 6000 Diode Current Waveform with 30 an Diameter Cathode and Three Trigatron...section. For the capacitive divider, the relation between the actual voltage Vs (t) on the cathode shank at the position opposite the voltage monitor and...the step function voltage output of a SPI-PJLSE 25 transmission line pulser Is split with an unmatched "’T". One output Is applied to the cathode

Axis-1 diode simulations I: standard 2-inch cathode

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

Ekdahl, Carl

2011-01-11

The standard configuration of the DARHT Axis-I diode features a 5.08-cm diameter velvet emitter mounted in the flat surface of the cathode shroud. The surface of the velvet is slightly recessed {approx}2.5 mm. This configuration produces a 1.75 kA beam when a 3.8-MV pulse is applied to the anode-cathode (AK) gap. This note addresses some of the physics of this diode through the use of finite-element simulations.

Cathodic Potential Dependence of Electrochemical Reduction of SiO2 Granules in Molten CaCl2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiao; Yasuda, Kouji; Nohira, Toshiyuki; Hagiwara, Rika; Homma, Takayuki

2016-09-01

As part of an ongoing fundamental study to develop a new process for producing solar-grade silicon, this paper examines the effects of cathodic potential on reduction kinetics, current efficiency, morphology, and purity of Si product during electrolysis of SiO2 granules in molten CaCl2 at 1123 K (850 °C). SiO2 granules were electrolyzed potentiostatically at different cathodic potentials (0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 V vs Ca2+/Ca). The reduction kinetics was evaluated based on the growth of the reduced Si layer and the current behavior during electrolysis. The results suggest that a more negative cathodic potential is favorable for faster reduction. Current efficiencies in 60 minutes are greater than 65 pct at all the potentials examined. Si wires with sub-micron diameters are formed, and their morphologies show little dependence on the cathodic potential. The impurities in the Si product can be controlled at low level. The rate-determining step for the electrochemical reduction of SiO2 granules in molten CaCl2 changes with time. At the initial stage of electrolysis, the electron transfer is the rate-determining step. At the later stage, the diffusion of O2- ions is the rate-determining step. The major cause of the decrease in reduction rate with increasing electrolysis time is the potential drop from the current collector to the reaction front due to the increased contact resistance among the reduced Si particles.

Selective in situ potential-assisted SAM formation on multi electrode arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, Ann-Lauriene; Toader, Violeta; Lennox, R. Bruce; Grutter, Peter

2016-11-01

The selective modification of individual components in a biosensor array is challenging. To address this challenge, we present a generalizable approach to selectively modify and characterize individual gold surfaces in an array, in an in situ manner. This is achieved by taking advantage of the potential dependent adsorption/desorption of surface-modified organic molecules. Control of the applied potential of the individual sensors in an array where each acts as a working electrode provides differential derivatization of the sensor surfaces. To demonstrate this concept, two different self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-forming electrochemically addressable ω-ferrocenyl alkanethiols (C11) are chemisorbed onto independent but spatially adjacent gold electrodes. The ferrocene alkanethiol does not chemisorb onto the surface when the applied potential is cathodic relative to the adsorption potential and the electrode remains underivatized. However, applying potentials that are modestly positive relative to the adsorption potential leads to extensive coverage within 10 min. The resulting SAM remains in a stable state while held at potentials <200 mV above the adsorption potential. In this state, the chemisorbed SAM does not significantly desorb nor do new ferrocenylalkythiols adsorb. Using three set applied potentials provides for controlled submonolayer alkylthiol marker coverage of each independent gold electrode. These three applied potentials are dependent upon the specifics of the respective adsorbate. Characterization of the ferrocene-modified electrodes via cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that each specific ferrocene marker is exclusively adsorbed to the desired target electrode.

Constructing a novel and safer energy storing system using a graphite cathode and a MoO 3 anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawardhana, Nanda; Park, Gum-Jae; Dimov, Nikolay; Thapa, Arjun Kumar; Nakamura, Hiroyoshi; Wang, Hongyu; Ishihara, Tatsumi; Yoshio, Masaki

A cell employing a graphite cathode and a molybdenum (VI) oxide (MoO 3) anode is investigated as a possible energy storage device. Graphite cathode allows raising the voltage well above the cathode materials of LIBs without causing safety issues. The bottom potential of this anode is 2.0 V vs. Li/Li +, which is well above the lithium plating potential. Pulse polarization experiment reveals that no lithium deposition occurs, which further enhances the safety of the graphite/MoO 3 full cell. Charge/discharge mechanism of this system results from intercalation and de-intercalation of the PF 6 - in the cathode (KS-6) and Li + in the anode (MoO 3). This mechanism is supported by in situ X-ray diffraction data of the graphite/MoO 3 cell recorded at various states of charge.

High voltage pulse ignition of mercury discharge hollow cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, E. G.

1973-01-01

A high voltage pulse generated by a capacitor discharge into a step-up transformer has been demonstrated capable of consistently igniting hollow cathode mercury discharges at propellant flows and heater power levels much below those required by conventional cathode starting. Results are presented for 3.2-mm diameter enclosed and open keeper cathodes. Starting characteristics are shown to depend on keeper voltage, mercury flow rate, heater power, keeper orifice size, emissive materials, and electrode to which the pulse is applied. This starting technique has been used to start a cathode over 10,000 times without any degradation of starting capability. The starting reliability, propellant and power savings offered by the high voltage pulse start should favorably impact performance of electron bombardment thrusters in missions requiring many on-off duty cycles.

Catalyst inks and method of application for direct methanol fuel cells

DOEpatents

Zelenay, Piotr; Davey, John; Ren, Xiaoming; Gottesfeld, Shimshon; Thomas, Sharon C.

2004-02-24

Inks are formulated for forming anode and cathode catalyst layers and applied to anode and cathode sides of a membrane for a direct methanol fuel cell. The inks comprise a Pt catalyst for the cathode and a Pt--Ru catalyst for the anode, purified water in an amount 4 to 20 times that of the catalyst by weight, and a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer in an amount effective to provide an ionomer content in the anode and cathode surfaces of 20% to 80% by volume. The inks are prepared in a two-step process while cooling and agitating the solutions. The final solution is placed in a cooler and continuously agitated while spraying the solution over the anode or cathode surface of the membrane as determined by the catalyst content.

DEMONSTRATION AND EVALUATION OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR DETERMINING THE SUITABILITY OF USTS FOR UPGRADING WITH CATHODIC PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

Field applications of three alternate technologies for assessing the suitability of underground storage tanks for upgrading by the addition of cathodic protection were observed and documented. The technologies were applied to five existing underground storage tanks that were slat...

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells Employing Heteropolyacids as Redox Mediators for Oxygen Reduction Reactions: Pt-Free Cathode Systems.

PubMed

Matsui, Toshiaki; Morikawa, Eri; Nakada, Shintaro; Okanishi, Takeou; Muroyama, Hiroki; Hirao, Yoshifumi; Takahashi, Tsuyoshi; Eguchi, Koichi

2016-07-20

In this study, the heteropolyacids of H3+xPVxMO12-xO40 (x = 0, 2, and 3) were applied as redox mediators for the oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, of which the cathode is free from the usage of noble metals such as Pt/C. In this system, the electrochemical reduction of heteropolyacid over the carbon cathode and the subsequent reoxidation of the partially reduced heteropolyacid by exposure to the dissolved oxygen in the regenerator are important processes for continuous power generation. Thus, the redox properties of catholytes containing these heteropolyacids were investigated in detail. The substitution quantity of V in the heteropolyacid affected the onset reduction potential as well as the reduction current density, resulting in a difference in cell performance. The chemical composition of heteropolyacid also had a significant impact on the reoxidation property. Among the three compounds, H6PV3Mo9O40 was the most suitable redox mediator. Furthermore, the pH of the catholyte was found to be the crucial factor in determining the reoxidation rate of partially reduced heteropolyacid as well as cell performance.

An artificial interphase enables reversible magnesium chemistry in carbonate electrolytes

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

Son, Seoung-Bum; Gao, Tao; Harvey, Steve P.

Magnesium-based batteries possess potential advantages over their lithium counterparts. However, reversible Mg chemistry requires a thermodynamically stable electrolyte at low potential, which is usually achieved with corrosive components and at the expense of stability against oxidation. In lithium-ion batteries the conflict between the cathodic and anodic stabilities of the electrolytes is resolved by forming an anode interphase that shields the electrolyte from being reduced. This strategy cannot be applied to Mg batteries because divalent Mg2+ cannot penetrate such interphases. Here, we engineer an artificial Mg2+-conductive interphase on the Mg anode surface, which successfully decouples the anodic and cathodic requirements formore » electrolytes and demonstrate highly reversible Mg chemistry in oxidation-resistant electrolytes. The artificial interphase enables the reversible cycling of a Mg/V2O5 full-cell in the water-containing, carbonate-based electrolyte. This approach provides a new avenue not only for Mg but also for other multivalent-cation batteries facing the same problems, taking a step towards their use in energy-storage applications.« less

Effect of the anode feeding composition on the performance of a continuous-flow methane-producing microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Zeppilli, Marco; Villano, Marianna; Aulenta, Federico; Lampis, Silvia; Vallini, Giovanni; Majone, Mauro

2015-05-01

A methane-producing microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was continuously fed at the anode with a synthetic solution of soluble organic compounds simulating the composition of the soluble fraction of a municipal wastewater. The MEC performance was assessed at different anode potentials in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, methane production, and energy efficiency. As a main result, about 72-80% of the removed substrate was converted into current at the anode, and about 84-86% of the current was converted into methane at the cathode. Moreover, even though both COD removed and methane production slightly decreased as the applied anode potential decreased, the energy efficiency (i.e., the energy recovered as methane with respect to the energy input into the system) increased from 54 to 63%. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses revealed a high diversity in the anodic bacterial community with the presence of both fermentative (Proteiniphilum acetatigenes and Petrimonas sulphurifila) and aerobic (Rhodococcus qingshengii) microorganisms, whereas only two microorganisms (Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus and Methanosarcina mazei), both assignable to methanogens, were observed in the cathodic community.

Xenon-Ion Drilling of Tungsten Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garner, C. E.

1986-01-01

High-velocity xenon ions used to drill holes of controlled size and distribution through tungsten layer that sheaths surface of controlled-porosity dispenser cathode of traveling wave-tube electron emitter. Controlled-porosity dispenser cathode employs barium/calcium/ aluminum oxide mixture that migrates through pores in cathode surface, thus coating it and reducing its work function. Rapid, precise drilling technique applied to films of other metals and used in other applications where micron-scale holes required. Method requires only few hours, as opposed to tens of hours by prior methods.

Solid oxide membrane (SOM) process for ytterbium and silicon production from their oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yihong

The Solid oxide membrane (SOM) electrolysis is an innovative green technology that produces technologically important metals directly from their respective oxides. A yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) tube, closed at one end is employed to separate the molten salt containing dissolved metal oxides from the anode inside the YSZ tube. When the applied electric potential between the cathode in the molten salt and the anode exceeds the dissociation potential of the desired metal oxides, oxygen ions in the molten salt migrate through the YSZ membrane and are oxidized at the anode while the dissolved metal cations in the flux are reduced to the desired metal at the cathode. Compared with existing metal production processes, the SOM process has many advantages such as one unit operation, less energy consumption, lower capital costs and zero carbon emission. Successful implementation of the SOM electrolysis process would provide a way to mitigate the negative environmental impact of the metal industry. Successful demonstration of producing ytterbium (Yb) and silicon (Si) directly from their respective oxides utilizing the SOM electrolysis process is presented in this dissertation. During the SOM electrolysis process, Yb2O3 was reduced to Yb metal on an inert cathode. The melting point of the supporting electrolyte (LiF-YbF3-Yb2O3) was determined by differential thermal analysis (DTA). Static stability testing confirmed that the YSZ tube was stable with the flux at operating temperature. Yb metal deposit on the cathode was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). During the SOM electrolysis process for silicon production, a fluoride based flux based on BaF2, MgF2, and YF3 was engineered to serve as the liquid electrolyte for dissolving silicon dioxide. YSZ tube was used to separate the molten salt from an anode current collector in the liquid silver. Liquid tin was chosen as cathode to dissolve the reduced silicon during SOM electrolysis. After electrolysis, upon cooling, silicon crystals precipitated out from the Si-Sn liquid alloy. The presence of high-purity silicon crystals in the liquid tin cathode was confirmed by SEM/EDS. The fluoride based flux was also optimized to improve YSZ membrane stability for long-term use.

Fatigue failure of hydrogen embrittled high strength steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Y. G.; Aleszka, J.

1975-01-01

Results of an experimental investigation are presented concerning the fracture behavior of cathodically charged, quenched and tempered martensitic steels under cyclic load conditions. Introduction of H2 by cathodic charging reduced fatigue life by as much as 60%. It is proposed that subsurface transverse fatigue cracks nucleate simultaneously at multiple sites, such as at microcracks, voids, or inclusions. Fatigue crack growth then occurs on planes perpendicular to the major applied stress axis in the presence of the critical combination of applied external stress and hydrogen.

Determination of Fatigue Damage in Corrosion-Fatigued Al-2024-T4 and Cycled Ti-6Al-4V Alloys.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

overall induced microplasticity at very low applied cyclic stresses, the frequency dependence as well as the observed cathodic polariza- tion effects...The absence of an overall induced microplasticity at very low applied cyclic stresses, the frequency dependence as well as the observed cathodic... microplasticity , expressed in terms of the * values, was principally 31 ._ __ __ _ __ _- ..... U - - .. :0 (a) Undeformed to. 5 L . 1 llh1 i. _ _ * :[ I.I5E- (b

Control of internal and external short circuits in lithium batteries using a composite thermal switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, Robert C.; Pickett, Jerome; Goebel, Franz

1991-01-01

A composite material has been developed, consisting of a blend of metal and fluorocarbon particles, which behaves as an electronic conductor at room temperature and which abruptly becomes an insulator at a predetermined temperature. This switching behavior results from the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the conductive and non-conductive portions of the composite. This material was applied as a thin film between the carbon cathode in Li/SOCl2 cells, and the metallic cathode current collector. Using test articles incorporating this feature it was shown that lithium cells externally heated or internally heated during a short circuit lost rate capability and the ability to overheat well below the melting point of lithium (180 C). Thus, during an internal or external cell short circuit, the potential for thermal runaway involving reactions of molten lithium is avoided.

How to get between the sheets: a review of recent works on the electrochemical exfoliation of graphene materials from bulk graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelkader, A. M.; Cooper, A. J.; Dryfe, R. A. W.; Kinloch, I. A.

2015-04-01

Since the beginning of the `graphene era' post-2004, there has been significant interest in developing a high purity, high yield, and scalable fabrication route toward graphene materials for both primary research purposes and industrial production. One suitable approach to graphene production lies in the realm of electrochemical exfoliation, in which a potential difference is applied between a graphite anode/cathode in the presence of an electrolyte-containing medium. Herein we review various works on the electrochemical fabrication of graphene materials specifically through the use of electrochemical intercalation and exfoliation of a graphite source electrode, focusing on the quality and purity of products formed. We categorise the most significant works in terms of anodic and cathodic control, highlighting the merits of the respective approaches, as well as indicating the challenges associated with both procedures.

Synthesis of V2O5 microspheres by spray pyrolysis as cathode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Zhendong; Xu, Jie; Ge, Yali; Jiang, Qiaoya; Zhang, Yaling; Yang, Yawei; Sun, Yuping; Hou, Siyu; Shang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yingjiu

2018-03-01

Vanadium oxide (V2O5) microspheres have attracted considerable attention in the energy field due to their unique properties such as high stability and electrochemical activity. Here, massive V2O5 microspheres with smooth surface, hollow cavity and uniform particle sizes (0.4–1.5 μm), were synthesized by a facile spray pyrolysis process. Post-treatment at predefined temperatures effectively turned the microsphere shell into stacked nanorods with widths of 100 nm and lengths of 500 nm when processed at 500 °C for 3 h under nitrogen atmosphere, with enhanced crystallinity. When applied as cathode materials for supercapacitors, the post-treated V2O5 microspheres at 500 °C exhibited improved specific capacitance and longer discharge time. This is an effective method to manufacture massive V2O5 microspheres with tailored structure and potential applications in high-performance energy storage materials.

Nanostructured tungsten trioxide thin films synthesized for photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation: a review.

PubMed

Zhu, Tao; Chong, Meng Nan; Chan, Eng Seng

2014-11-01

The recent developments of nanostructured WO3 thin films synthesized through the electrochemical route of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition for the application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are reviewed. The key fundamental reaction mechanisms of electrochemical anodization and cathodic electrodeposition methods for synthesizing nanostructured WO3 thin films are explained. In addition, the effects of metal oxide precursors, electrode substrates, applied potentials and current densities, and annealing temperatures on size, composition, and thickness of the electrochemically synthesized nanostructured WO3 thin films are elucidated in detail. Finally, a summary is given for the general evaluation practices used to calculate the energy conversion efficiency of nanostructured WO3 thin films and a recommendation is provided to standardize the presentation of research results in the field to allow for easy comparison of reported PEC efficiencies in the near future. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An Electrostatically Self-Assembled Thin Film Made of Zn-Substituted Tungstoborate and Rhodamine B with Photoelectrochemical Properties.

PubMed

Mao, Xu; Zhang, Jia-Ning; Gao, Li-Hua; Su, Yu; Chen, Peng-Xia; Wang, Ke-Zhi

2016-04-01

An electrostatically self-assembled multilayer thin film consisting of alternating layers of Keggin polyoxometalate of Zn-substituted tungstoborate (BW11Zn) and Rhodamine B (RhB) has successfully been prepared on a quartz and indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra demonstrated that the electrostatically self-assembled film of (BW11Zn/RhB)n was uniformly deposited layer by layer, and the RhB molecules in the film formed the J-aggregation. The photoelectrochemical investigations showed that the films generated stable cathodic photocurrents that originated from RhB, and the maximal cathodic photocurrent density generated by an eight-layer film was 4.9 µA/cm2 while the film was irradiated with 100 mW/cm2 polychromatic light of 730 nm > λ > 325 nm at an applied potential of 0 V versus a saturated calomel electrode.

Method for the depth corrected detection of ionizing events from a co-planar grids sensor

DOEpatents

De Geronimo, Gianluigi [Syosset, NY; Bolotnikov, Aleksey E [South Setauket, NY; Carini, Gabriella [Port Jefferson, NY

2009-05-12

A method for the detection of ionizing events utilizing a co-planar grids sensor comprising a semiconductor substrate, cathode electrode, collecting grid and non-collecting grid. The semiconductor substrate is sensitive to ionizing radiation. A voltage less than 0 Volts is applied to the cathode electrode. A voltage greater than the voltage applied to the cathode is applied to the non-collecting grid. A voltage greater than the voltage applied to the non-collecting grid is applied to the collecting grid. The collecting grid and the non-collecting grid are summed and subtracted creating a sum and difference respectively. The difference and sum are divided creating a ratio. A gain coefficient factor for each depth (distance between the ionizing event and the collecting grid) is determined, whereby the difference between the collecting electrode and the non-collecting electrode multiplied by the corresponding gain coefficient is the depth corrected energy of an ionizing event. Therefore, the energy of each ionizing event is the difference between the collecting grid and the non-collecting grid multiplied by the corresponding gain coefficient. The depth of the ionizing event can also be determined from the ratio.

Methods and systems for fuel production in electrochemical cells and reactors

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

Marina, Olga A.; Pederson, Larry R.

Methods and systems for fuel, chemical, and/or electricity production from electrochemical cells are disclosed. A voltage is applied between an anode and a cathode of an electrochemical cell. The anode includes a metal or metal oxide electrocatalyst. Oxygen is supplied to the cathode, producing oxygen ions. The anode electrocatalyst is at least partially oxidized by the oxygen ions transported through an electrolyte from the cathode to the anode. A feed gas stream is supplied to the anode electrocatalyst, which is converted to a liquid fuel. The anode electrocatalyst is re-oxidized to higher valency oxides, or a mixture of oxide phases,more » by supplying the oxygen ions to the anode. The re-oxidation by the ions is controlled or regulated by the amount of voltage applied.« less

The enhancement of heavy metal removal from polluted river water treatment by integrated carbon-aluminium electrodes using electrochemical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yussuf, N. M.; Embong, Z.; Abdullah, S.; Masirin, M. I. M.; Tajudin, S. A. A.; Ahmad, S.; Sahari, S. K.; Anuar, A. A.; Maxwell, O.

2018-01-01

The heavy metal removal enhancement from polluted river water was investigated using two types of electrodes consist of integrated carbon-aluminium and a conventional aluminium plate electrode at laboratory-scale experiments. In the integrated electrode systems, the aluminium electrode surface was coated with carbon using mixed slurry containing carbon black, polyvinyl acetate and methanol. The electrochemical treatment was conducted on the parameter condition of 90V applied voltage, 3cm of electrode distance and 60 minutes of electrolysis operational time. Surface of both electrodes was investigated for pre and post electrolysis treatment by using SEM-EDX analytical technique. Comparison between both of the electrode configuration exhibits that more metals were accumulated on carbon integrated electrode surfaces for both anode and cathode, and more heavy metals were detected on the cathode. The atomic percentage of metals distributed on the cathode conventional electrode surface consist of Al (94.62%), Zn (1.19%), Mn (0.73%), Fe (2.81%) and Cu (0.64%), while on the anode contained O (12.08%), Al (87.63%) and Zn (0.29%). Meanwhile, cathode surface of integrated electrode was accumulated with more metals; O (75.40%), Al (21.06%), Zn (0.45%), Mn (0.22), Fe (0.29%), Cu (0.84%), Pb (0.47%), Na (0.94%), Cr (0.08%), Ni (0.02%) and Ag (0.22%), while on anode contain Al (3.48%), Fe (0.49 %), C (95.77%), and Pb (0.26%). According to this experiment, it was found that integrated carbon-aluminium electrodes have a great potential to accumulate more heavy metal species from polluted water compare to the conventional aluminium electrode. Here, heavy metal accumulation process obviously very significant on the cathode surface.

Advanced ion thruster research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilbur, P. J.

1984-01-01

A simple model describing the discharge chamber performance of high strength, cusped magnetic field ion thrusters is developed. The model is formulated in terms of the energy cost of producing ions in the discharge chamber and the fraction of ions produced in the discharge chamber that are extracted to form the ion beam. The accuracy of the model is verified experimentally in a series of tests wherein the discharge voltage, propellant, grid transparency to neutral atoms, beam diameter and discharge chamber wall temperature are varied. The model is exercised to demonstrate what variations in performance might be expected by varying discharge chamber parameters. The results of a study of xenon and argon orificed hollow cathodes are reported. These results suggest that a hollow cathode model developed from research conducted on mercury cathodes can also be applied to xenon and argon. Primary electron mean free paths observed in argon and xenon cathodes that are larger than those found in mercury cathodes are identified as a cause of performance differences between mercury and inert gas cathodes. Data required as inputs to the inert gas cathode model are presented so it can be used as an aid in cathode design.

Arc initiation in cathodic arc plasma sources

DOEpatents

Anders, Andre

2002-01-01

A "triggerless" arc initiation method and apparatus is based on simply switching the arc supply voltage to the electrodes (anode and cathode). Neither a mechanical trigger electrode nor a high voltage flashover from a trigger electrode is required. A conducting path between the anode and cathode is provided, which allows a hot spot to form at a location where the path connects to the cathode. While the conductive path is eroded by the cathode spot action, plasma deposition ensures the ongoing repair of the conducting path. Arc initiation is achieved by simply applying the relatively low voltage of the arc power supply, e.g. 500 V-1 kV, with the insulator between the anode and cathode coated with a conducting layer and the current at the layer-cathode interface concentrated at one or a few contact points. The local power density at these contact points is sufficient for plasma production and thus arc initiation. A conductive surface layer, such as graphite or the material being deposited, is formed on the surface of the insulator which separates the cathode from the anode. The mechanism of plasma production (and arc initiation) is based on explosive destruction of the layer-cathode interface caused by joule heating. The current flow between the thin insulator coating and cathode occurs at only a few contact points so the current density is high.

Dynamic behaviour of interphases and its implication on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

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

Li, Wangda; Dolocan, Andrei; Oh, Pilgun

Undesired electrode–electrolyte interactions prevent the use of many high-energy-density cathode materials in practical lithium-ion batteries. Efforts to address their limited service life have predominantly focused on the active electrode materials and electrolytes. Here an advanced three-dimensional chemical and imaging analysis on a model material, the nickel-rich layered lithium transition-metal oxide, reveals the dynamic behaviour of cathode interphases driven by conductive carbon additives (carbon black) in a common nonaqueous electrolyte. Region-of-interest sensitive secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that a cathode-electrolyte interphase, initially formed on carbon black with no electrochemical bias applied, readily passivates the cathode particles through mutual exchange of surface species.more » By tuning the interphase thickness, we demonstrate its robustness in suppressing the deterioration of the electrode/electrolyte interface during high-voltage cell operation. Finally, our results provide insights on the formation and evolution of cathode interphases, facilitating development of in situ surface protection on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-based batteries.« less

Dynamic behaviour of interphases and its implication on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

DOE PAGES

Li, Wangda; Dolocan, Andrei; Oh, Pilgun; ...

2017-04-26

Undesired electrode–electrolyte interactions prevent the use of many high-energy-density cathode materials in practical lithium-ion batteries. Efforts to address their limited service life have predominantly focused on the active electrode materials and electrolytes. Here an advanced three-dimensional chemical and imaging analysis on a model material, the nickel-rich layered lithium transition-metal oxide, reveals the dynamic behaviour of cathode interphases driven by conductive carbon additives (carbon black) in a common nonaqueous electrolyte. Region-of-interest sensitive secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that a cathode-electrolyte interphase, initially formed on carbon black with no electrochemical bias applied, readily passivates the cathode particles through mutual exchange of surface species.more » By tuning the interphase thickness, we demonstrate its robustness in suppressing the deterioration of the electrode/electrolyte interface during high-voltage cell operation. Finally, our results provide insights on the formation and evolution of cathode interphases, facilitating development of in situ surface protection on high-energy-density cathode materials in lithium-based batteries.« less

Effect of cathode cooling efficiency and oxygen plasma gas pressure on the hafnium cathode wall temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashtekar, Koustubh; Diehl, Gregory; Hamer, John

2012-10-01

The hafnium cathode is widely used in DC plasma arc cutting (PAC) under an oxygen gas environment to cut iron and iron alloys. The hafnium erosion is always a concern which is controlled by the surface temperature. In this study, the effect of cathode cooling efficiency and oxygen gas pressure on the hafnium surface temperature are quantified. The two layer cathode sheath model is applied on the refractive hafnium surface while oxygen species (O2, O, O+, O++, e-) are considered within the thermal dis-equilibrium regime. The system of non-linear equations comprising of current density balance, heat flux balance at both the cathode surface and the sheath-ionization layer is coupled with the plasma gas composition solver. Using cooling heat flux, gas pressure and current density as inputs; the cathode wall temperature, electron temperature, and sheath voltage drop are calculated. Additionally, contribution of emitted electron current (Je) and ions current (Ji) to the total current flux are estimated. Higher gas pressure usually reduces Ji and increases Je that reduces the surface temperature by thermionic cooling.

Time-resolved ion energy and charge state distributions in pulsed cathodic arc plasmas of Nb‑Al cathodes in high vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zöhrer, Siegfried; Anders, André; Franz, Robert

2018-05-01

Cathodic arcs have been utilized in various applications including the deposition of thin films and coatings, ion implantation, and high current switching. Despite substantial progress in recent decades, the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed plasma properties are still a matter of dispute, particularly for multi-element cathodes, which can play an essential role in applications. The analysis of plasma properties is complicated by the generally occurring neutral background of metal atoms, which perturbs initial ion properties. By using a time-resolved method in combination with pulsed arcs and a comprehensive Nb‑Al cathode model system, we investigate the influence of cathode composition on the plasma, while making the influence of neutrals visible for the observed time frame. The results visualize ion detections of 600 μs plasma pulses, extracted 0.27 m from the cathode, resolved in mass-per-charge, energy-per-charge and time. Ion properties are found to be strongly dependent on the cathode material in a way that cannot be deduced by simple linear extrapolation. Subsequently, current hypotheses in cathodic arc physics applying to multi-element cathodes, like the so-called ‘velocity rule’ or the ‘cohesive energy rule’, are tested for early and late stages of the pulse. Apart from their fundamental character, the findings could be useful in optimizing or designing plasma properties for applications, by actively utilizing effects on ion distributions caused by composite cathode materials and charge exchange with neutrals.

Hollow Cathode Assembly Development for the HERMeS Hall Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarver-Verhey, Timothy R.; Kamhawi, Hani; Goebel, Dan M.; Polk, James E.; Peterson, Peter Y.; Robinson, Dale A.

2016-01-01

To support the operation of the HERMeS 12.5 kW Hall Thruster for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, hollow cathodes using emitters based on barium oxide impregnate and lanthanum hexaboride are being evaluated through wear-testing, performance characterization, plasma modeling, and review of integration requirements. This presentation will present the development approach used to assess the cathode emitter options. A 2,000-hour wear-test of development model Barium Oxide (BaO) hollow cathode is being performed as part of the development plan. Specifically this test is to identify potential impacts cathode emitter life during operation in the HERMeS thruster. The cathode was operated with a magnetic field-equipped anode that simulates the HERMeS hall thruster operating environment. Cathode discharge performance has been stable with the device accumulating 743 hours at the time of this report. Observed voltage changes are attributed to keeper surface condition changes during testing. Cathode behavior during characterization sweeps exhibited stable behavior, including cathode temperature. The details of the cathode assembly operation of the wear-test will be presented.

Electrochemical studies on the performance of SS316L electrode in electrokinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jeong-Hee; Maruthamuthu, Sundaram; Lee, Hyun-Goo; Ha, Tae-Hyun; Bae, Jeong-Hyo

2009-10-01

Organic and trace metal pollutants are removed by employing various electrodes in an electrokinetic (EK) process. Stainless steel was used either as an anode or a cathode by various investigators in electroremediation systems. In the present study, the role of SS316L as an anode and cathode in EK system was studied by the measurements of pH, conductivity of electrolyte, and potential of the anode and cathode at different current densities. The weight loss of the anode and cathode and the leaching of chromium, iron, and nickel at different current densities were measured and discussed with an electroosmosis process. The electrochemical behavior of SS316L electrode in neutral, acidic and alkaline pH in soil environment was studied by an electrochemical technique viz. polarization study. Surface analysis of SS316L after EK was done by XPS and SEM. The higher conductivity was noticed at anolyte when compared to catholyte. The weight loss of the anode was in the following order 0.615 > 0.307 > 0.123 mA/cm2 and the cathode corrosion rate was vice versa. Peroxide production was also noticed at the anolyte, which may encourage the degradation of the total organic content (TOC) in the soil. The OCP (open circuit potential) of SS316L was about +75 mV vs SCE in the soil extract; while adding acetic acid, the potential shifted to the positive side, to about +380 mV vs SCE. The breakdown potential and the range of passivation potential were higher in acetic acid added system when compared to other systems. Pitting was observed on both the anode and cathode within 48 h during the EK process. The present study concludes that SS is not a proper electrode material for the EK process.

Electrified emotions: Modulatory effects of transcranial direct stimulation on negative emotional reactions to social exclusion.

PubMed

Riva, Paolo; Romero Lauro, Leonor J; Vergallito, Alessandra; DeWall, C Nathan; Bushman, Brad J

2015-01-01

Social exclusion, ostracism, and rejection can be emotionally painful because they thwart the need to belong. Building on studies suggesting that the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC) is associated with regulation of negative emotions, the present experiment tests the hypothesis that decreasing the cortical excitability of the rVLPFC may increase negative emotional reactions to social exclusion. Specifically, we applied cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the rVLPFC and predicted an increment of negative emotional reactions to social exclusion. In Study 1, participants were either socially excluded or included, while cathodal tDCS or sham stimulation was applied over the rVLPFC. Cathodal stimulation of rVLPFC boosted the typical negative emotional reaction caused by social exclusion. No effects emerged from participants in the inclusion condition. To test the specificity of tDCS effects over rVLPFC, in Study 2, participants were socially excluded and received cathodal tDCS or sham stimulation over a control region (i.e., the right posterior parietal cortex). No effects of tDCS stimulation were found. Our results showed that the rVLPFC is specifically involved in emotion regulation and suggest that cathodal stimulation can increase negative emotional responses to social exclusion.

Effect of hydrogen on cathodic corrosion of titanium aluminide

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

Gao, K.W.; Jin, J.W.; Qiao, L.J.

1996-01-01

Cathodic corrosion of titanium aluminide (TiAl) during hydrogen charging in various acidic aqueous solutions and in molten salt at 160 C was studied. At constant potential, the rate of cathodic corrosion (V) was much higher than during anodic dissolution, and V increased linearly with increasing current. V was 10 times higher in the acid solution than in the salt solution under the same current. Disruption of the surface film by local hydride formation during cathodic polarization was shown to be the key step.

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

Tierno, S. P., E-mail: sp.tierno@upm.es; Donoso, J. M.; Domenech-Garret, J. L.

The interaction between an electron emissive wall, electrically biased in a plasma, is revisited through a simple fluid model. We search for realistic conditions of the existence of a non-monotonic plasma potential profile with a virtual cathode as it is observed in several experiments. We mainly focus our attention on thermionic emission related to the operation of emissive probes for plasma diagnostics, although most conclusions also apply to other electron emission processes. An extended Bohm criterion is derived involving the ratio between the two different electron densities at the potential minimum and at the background plasma. The model allows amore » phase-diagram analysis, which confirms the existence of the non-monotonic potential profiles with a virtual cathode. This analysis shows that the formation of the potential well critically depends on the emitted electron current and on the velocity at the sheath edge of cold ions flowing from the bulk plasma. As a consequence, a threshold value of the governing parameter is required, in accordance to the physical nature of the electron emission process. The latter is a threshold wall temperature in the case of thermionic electrons. Experimental evidence supports our numerical calculations of this threshold temperature. Besides this, the potential well becomes deeper with increasing electron emission, retaining a fraction of the released current which limits the extent of the bulk plasma perturbation. This noninvasive property would explain the reliable measurements of plasma potential by using the floating potential method of emissive probes operating in the so-called strong emission regime.« less

Apparatus and procedure to characterize the surface quality of conductors by measuring the rate of cathode emission as a function of surface electric field strength

DOEpatents

Mestayer, Mac; Christo, Steve; Taylor, Mark

2014-10-21

A device and method for characterizing quality of a conducting surface. The device including a gaseous ionizing chamber having centrally located inside the chamber a conducting sample to be tested to which a negative potential is applied, a plurality of anode or "sense" wires spaced regularly about the central test wire, a plurality of "field wires" at a negative potential are spaced regularly around the sense, and a plurality of "guard wires" at a positive potential are spaced regularly around the field wires in the chamber. The method utilizing the device to measure emission currents from the conductor.

Thermal and electrochemical properties of PEO-LiTFSI-Pyr14TFSI-based composite cathodes, incorporating 4 V-class cathode active materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetjen, Morten; Kim, Guk-Tae; Joost, Mario; Appetecchi, Giovanni B.; Winter, Martin; Passerini, Stefano

2014-01-01

Poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PEO-LiTFSI-Pyr14TFSI)-based 4 V-class composite cathodes, incorporating either Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2 or Li(Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05)O2 were prepared by a hot-pressing process and successively investigated in terms of their morphological, thermal, and electrochemical properties. Thereby, excellent mechanical and thermal properties could be demonstrated for all composite cathodes. The electrochemical performance of truly dry all-solid-state Li/P(EO)10LiTFSI-(Pyr14TFSI)2/composite cathode batteries at temperatures as low as 40 °C revealed high delivered capacities. However, in comparison with LiFePO4, the 4 V-class composite cathodes also indicated much lower capacity retention. In-depth investigations on the interfacial properties of Li(Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05)O2 composite cathodes revealed a strong dependence on the anodic cut-off potential and the presence of current flow through the cell, whereby different degradation mechanisms could be characterized upon cycling, according to which the finite growth of a surface films at both electrode/polymer electrolyte interfaces inhibited continuous decomposition of the polymer electrolyte even at potentials as high as 4.3 V. Moreover, the presence of Pyr14TFSI in the 4 V-class composite cathodes sustainably reduced the cathode interfacial resistance and presumably diminished the corrosion of the aluminum current collector.

Effect of Alternating Current on the Cathodic Protection and Interface Structure of X80 Steel.

PubMed

Wang, Huiru; Du, Cuiwei; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Luntao; Ding, De

2017-07-25

This study employs potential-monitoring techniques, cyclic voltammetry tests, alternating current (AC) voltammetry methods, and surface characterization to investigate the AC corrosion of cathodically protected X80 pipeline steel. In a non-passive neutral solution at pH 7.2, a sufficiently negative potential completely protects steel at an AC current density of 100 A/m². In an alkaline solution at pH 9.6, more serious AC corrosion occurs at more negative cathodic protection (CP) potential, whereas without CP the steel suffers negligible corrosion. In addition, the interface capacitance increases with AC amplitude. Based on these results, the AC corrosion mechanisms that function under various conditions are analyzed and described.

A versatile single molecular precursor for the synthesis of layered oxide cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.

PubMed

Li, Maofan; Liu, Jiajie; Liu, Tongchao; Zhang, Mingjian; Pan, Feng

2018-02-01

A carbonyl-bridged single molecular precursor LiTM(acac) 3 [transition metal (TM) = cobalt/manganese/nickel (Co/Mn/Ni), acac = acetylacetone], featuring a one-dimensional chain structure, was designed and applied to achieve the layered oxide cathode materials: LiTMO 2 (TM = Ni/Mn/Co, NMC). As examples, layered oxides, primary LiCoO 2 , binary LiNi 0.8 Co 0.2 O 2 and ternary LiNi 0.5 Mn 0.3 Co 0.2 O 2 were successfully prepared to be used as cathode materials. When they are applied to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), all exhibit good electrochemical performance because of their unique morphology and great uniformity of element distribution. This versatile precursor is predicted to accommodate many other metal cations, such as aluminum (Al 3+ ), iron (Fe 2+ ), and sodium (Na + ), because of the flexibility of organic ligand, which not only facilitates the doping-modification of the NMC system, but also enables synthesis of Na-ion layered oxides. This opens a new direction of research for the synthesis of high-performance layered oxide cathode materials for LIBs.

PIC-MCC analysis of electron multiplication in a cold-cathode Penning ion generator and its application to identify ignition voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noori, H.; Ranjbar, A. H.; Mahjour-Shafiei, M.

2017-11-01

A cold-cathode Penning ion generator (PIG) has been developed in our laboratory to study the interaction of charged particles with matter. The ignition voltage was measured in the presence of the axial magnetic field in the range of 460-580 G. The performed measurements with stainless steel cathodes were in argon gas at pressure of 4 × 10-2 mbar. A PIC-MCC (particle-in-cell, Monte Carlo collision) technique has been used to calculate the electron multiplication coefficient M for various strength of axial magnetic field and applied voltage. An approach based on the coefficient M and the experimental values of the secondary electron emission coefficient γ, was proposed to determine the ignition voltages, theoretically. Applying the values of secondary coefficient γ leads to the average value of γM(V, B) to be = 1.05 ± 0.03 at the ignition of the PIG which satisfies the proposed ignition criterion. Thus, the ion-induced secondary electrons emitted from the cathode have dominant contribution to self-sustaining of the discharge process in a PIG.

An Overview of Electron Acceptors in Microbial Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

Ucar, Deniz; Zhang, Yifeng; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) have recently received increasing attention due to their promising potential in sustainable wastewater treatment and contaminant removal. In general, contaminants can be removed either as an electron donor via microbial catalyzed oxidization at the anode or removed at the cathode as electron acceptors through reduction. Some contaminants can also function as electron mediators at the anode or cathode. While previous studies have done a thorough assessment of electron donors, cathodic electron acceptors and mediators have not been as well described. Oxygen is widely used as an electron acceptor due to its high oxidation potential and ready availability. Recent studies, however, have begun to assess the use of different electron acceptors because of the (1) diversity of redox potential, (2) needs of alternative and more efficient cathode reaction, and (3) expanding of MFC based technologies in different areas. The aim of this review was to evaluate the performance and applicability of various electron acceptors and mediators used in MFCs. This review also evaluated the corresponding performance, advantages and disadvantages, and future potential applications of select electron acceptors (e.g., nitrate, iron, copper, perchlorate) and mediators. PMID:28469607

Shaping memory accuracy by left prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation.

PubMed

Zwissler, Bastian; Sperber, Christoph; Aigeldinger, Sina; Schindler, Sebastian; Kissler, Johanna; Plewnia, Christian

2014-03-12

Human memory is dynamic and flexible but is also susceptible to distortions arising from adaptive as well as pathological processes. Both accurate and false memory formation require executive control that is critically mediated by the left prefrontal cortex (PFC). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enables noninvasive modulation of cortical activity and associated behavior. The present study reports that tDCS applied to the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) shaped accuracy of episodic memory via polaritiy-specific modulation of false recognition. When applied during encoding of pictures, anodal tDCS increased whereas cathodal stimulation reduced the number of false alarms to lure pictures in subsequent recognition memory testing. These data suggest that the enhancement of excitability in the dlPFC by anodal tDCS can be associated with blurred detail memory. In contrast, activity-reducing cathodal tDCS apparently acted as a noise filter inhibiting the development of imprecise memory traces and reducing the false memory rate. Consistently, the largest effect was found in the most active condition (i.e., for stimuli cued to be remembered). This first evidence for a polarity-specific, activity-dependent effect of tDCS on false memory opens new vistas for the understanding and potential treatment of disturbed memory control.

Child-Langmuir law applicability for a cathode sheath description of glow discharge in hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisovskiy, V. A.; Artushenko, K. P.; Yegorenkov, V. D.

2016-08-01

The present paper reveals that the Child-Langmuir law version with the constant ion mobility has to be applied for the cathode sheath description of the glow discharge in hydrogen. Using the analytical model we demonstrate that even in a high electric field the constant mobility law version rather than that for the constant ion mean free path has to hold in the case of impeded charge exchange and the dominant effect of polarization forces on the ion motion through the cathode sheath.

A flexible curvilinear electromagnetic filter for direct current cathodic arc source.

PubMed

Dai, Hua; Shen, Yao; Li, Liuhe; Li, Xiaoling; Cai, Xun; Chu, Paul K

2007-09-01

Widespread applications of direct current (dc) cathodic arc deposition are hampered by macroparticle (MP) contamination, although a cathodic arc offers many unique merits such as high ionization rate, high deposition rate, etc. In this work, a flexible curvilinear electromagnetic filter is described to eliminate MPs from a dc cathodic arc source. The filter which has a relatively large size with a minor radius of about 85 mm is suitable for large cathodes. The filter is open and so the MPs do not rebound inside the filter. The flexible design allows the ions to be transported from the cathode to the sample surface optimally. Our measurements with a saturated ion current probe show that the efficiency of this flexible filter reaches about 2.0% (aluminum cathode) when the filter current is about 250 A. The MP density measured from TiN films deposited using this filter is two to three orders of magnitude less than that from films deposited with a 90 degrees duct magnetic filter and three to four orders of magnitude smaller than those deposited without a filter. Furthermore, our experiments reveal that the potential of the filter coil and the magnetic field on the surface of the cathode are two important factors affecting the efficacy of the filter. Different biasing potentials can enhance the efficiency to up to 12-fold, and a magnetic field at about 4.0 mT can improve it by a factor of 2 compared to 5.4 mT.

A numerical study on electrochemical transport of ions in calcium fluoride slag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimi-Sibaki, E.; Kharicha, A.; Wu, M.; Ludwig, A.

2016-07-01

Electrically resistive CaF 2-based slags are widely used in electroslag remelting (ESR) process to generate Joule heat for the melting of electrode. The electric current is conducted by ions (electrolyte) such as Ca +2 or F -, thus it is necessary to establish electrochemical models to study electrical behavior of slag. This paper presents a numerical model on electrochemical transport of ions in an arbitrary symmetrical (ZZ) and non-symmetrical (CaF2) stagnant electrolytes blocked by two parallel, planar electrodes. The dimensionless Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations are solved to model electro-migration and diffusion of ions. The ions are considered to be inert that no Faradic reactions occur. Spatial variations of concentrations of ions, charge density and electric potential across the electrolyte are analyzed. It is shown that the applied potential has significant influence on the system response. At high applied voltage, the anodic potential drop near the electrode is significantly larger than cathodic potential drop in fully dissociated CaF2 electrolyte.

Correlation between microstructure and thermionic electron emission from Os-Ru thin films on dispenser cathodes

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

Swartzentruber, Phillip D.; John Balk, Thomas, E-mail: john.balk@uky.edu; Effgen, Michael P.

2014-07-01

Osmium-ruthenium films with different microstructures were deposited onto dispenser cathodes and subjected to 1000 h of close-spaced diode testing. Tailored microstructures were achieved by applying substrate biasing during deposition, and these were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy before and after close-spaced diode testing. Knee temperatures determined from the close-spaced diode test data were used to evaluate cathode performance. Cathodes with a large (10-11) Os-Ru film texture possessed comparatively low knee temperatures. Furthermore, a low knee temperature correlated with a low effective work function as calculated from the close-spaced diode data. It is proposedmore » that the formation of strong (10-11) texture is responsible for the superior performance of the cathode with a multilayered Os-Ru coating.« less

[Effect of temperature on performance of microbial fuel cell using beer wastewater].

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Feng, Yu-Jie; Qu, You-Peng; Li, Dong-Mei; Li, He; Ren, Nan-Qi

2008-11-01

The effects of temperature on performance and biological community structure were investigated in air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using beer wastewater amended with 50 mmol/L phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The maximum power density decreased from 483 mW/m2 to 435 mW/m2 when the temperature varied from 30 degrees C to 20 degrees C, meanwhile just a little decreasing on coulombic efficiency and the COD removal rate were observed. Decreasing of temperature resulted in effects both on cathode potential and anode potential, but cathode potential behaved much more sensitive to temperature. The half-saturation constants (Ks) obtained from the fit of Monod-type equation were 228 mg/L (30 degrees C) and 293 mg/L (20 degrees C) respectively. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis indicated that operating temperature not only affected the predominant population of the anodic bacterial community, but also had a great impact on the diversity of the cathodic microbial population.

Light-driven OR and XOR programmable chemical logic gates.

PubMed

Szaciłowski, Konrad; Macyk, Wojciech; Stochel, Grazyna

2006-04-12

Photoelectrodes made of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide modified with various pentacyanoferrates exhibit unique photoelectrochemical properties; photocurrent direction can be switched from anodic to cathodic and vice versa upon changes in photoelectrode potential and incident light wavelength (PhotoElectrochemical Photocurrent Switching, PEPS effect). At certain potentials, anodic photocurrent generated upon UV irradiation has the same intensity as the cathodic photocurrent generated upon visible irradiation. Under these conditions, simultaneous irradiation with UV and visible light results in compensation of anodic and cathodic photocurrents, and zero net photocurrent is observed. This process can be used for construction of unique light-driven chemical logic gates.

Direct electrochemical reduction of metal-oxides

DOEpatents

Redey, Laszlo I.; Gourishankar, Karthick

2003-01-01

A method of controlling the direct electrolytic reduction of a metal oxide or mixtures of metal oxides to the corresponding metal or metals. A non-consumable anode and a cathode and a salt electrolyte with a first reference electrode near the non-consumable anode and a second reference electrode near the cathode are used. Oxygen gas is produced and removed from the cell. The anode potential is compared to the first reference electrode to prevent anode dissolution and gas evolution other than oxygen, and the cathode potential is compared to the second reference electrode to prevent production of reductant metal from ions in the electrolyte.

High-voltage crowbar circuit with cascade-triggered series ignitrons

DOEpatents

Baker, William R. [Orinda, CA

1980-11-04

A series string of ignitrons for switching a large current at high voltage to ground. Switching is initiated by means of a negative trigger pulse applied to the cathode of the lowest voltage level ignitron next to ground to draw ground current through diodes in the ignitor circuit. The trigger pulse is applied thereby to the next higher ignitron cathode and sequentially to the remainder of the ignitrons in the string through diodes in respective ignitor circuits. Full line voltage is held off of nonconducting diodes and ignitrons by means of varistors.

High-voltage crowbar circuit with cascade-triggered series ignitrons

DOEpatents

Baker, W.R.

A series string of ignitrons for switching a large current at high voltage to ground is discussed. Switching is initiated by means of a negative trigger pulse applied to the cathode of the lowest voltage level ignitron next to ground to draw ground current through diodes in the ignitor circuit. The trigger pulse is applied thereby to the next higher ignitron cathode and sequentially to the remainder of the ignitrons in the string through diodes in respective ignitor circuits. Full line voltage is held off of nonconducting diodes and ignitrons by means of varistors.

High-voltage crowbar circuit with cascade-triggered series ignitrons

DOEpatents

Baker, W.R.

1980-11-04

A series string of ignitrons for switching a large current at high voltage to ground. Switching is initiated by means of a negative trigger pulse applied to the cathode of the lowest voltage level ignitron next to ground to draw ground current through diodes in the ignitor circuit. The trigger pulse is applied thereby to the next higher ignitron cathode and sequentially to the remainder of the ignitrons in the string through diodes in respective ignitor circuits. Full line voltage is held off of nonconducting diodes and ignitrons by means of varistors. 1 fig.

Integration issues of a plasma contactor Power Electronics Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; York, Kenneth W.; Bowers, Glen E.

1995-01-01

A hollow cathode-based plasma contactor is baselined on International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) for spacecraft charge control. The plasma contactor system consists of a hollow cathode assembly (HCA), a power electronics unit (PEU), and an expellant management unit (EMU). The plasma contactor has recently been required to operate in a cyclic mode to conserve xenon expellant and extend system life. Originally, a DC cathode heater converter was baselined for a continuous operation mode because only a few ignitions of the hollow cathode were expected. However, for cyclic operation, a DC heater supply can potentially result in hollow cathode heater component failure due to the DC electrostatic field. This can prevent the heater from attaining the proper cathode tip temperature for reliable ignition of the hollow cathode. To mitigate this problem, an AC cathode heater supply was therefore designed, fabricated, and installed into a modified PEU. The PEU was tested using resistive loads and then integrated with an engineering model hollow cathode to demonstrate stable steady-state operation. Integration issues such as the effect of line and load impedance on the output of the AC cathode heater supply and the characterization of the temperature profile of the heater under AC excitation were investigated.

Steady and oscillatory plasma properties in the near-field plume of a hollow cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zun, ZHANG; Kan, XIE; Jiting, OUYANG; Ning, GUO; Yu, QIN; Qimeng, XIA; Song, BAI; Xianming, WU; Zengjie, GU

2018-02-01

Hollow cathodes serve as electron sources in Hall thrusters, ion thrusters and other electric propulsion systems. One of the vital problems in their application is the cathode erosion. However, the basic erosion mechanism and the source of high-energy ions cause of erosion are not fully understood. In this paper, both potential measurements and simulation analyses were performed to explain the formation of high-energy ions. A high-speed camera, a single Langmuir probe and a floating emissive probe were used to determine the steady and oscillatory plasma properties in the near-field plume of a hollow cathode. The temporal structure, electron temperature, electron density, and both static and oscillation of plasma potentials of the plume have been obtained by the diagnostics mentioned above. The experimental results show that there exists a potential hill (about 30 V) and also severe potential oscillations in the near-plume region. Moreover, a simple 2D particle-in-cell model was used to analyze the energy transition between the potential hill and/or its oscillations and the ions. The simulation results show that the energy of ions gained from the static potential background is about 20 eV, but it could reach to 60 eV when the plasma oscillates.

Pressurized air cathodes for enhanced stability and power generation by microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Weihua; Yang, Wulin; Tian, Yushi; Zhu, Xiuping; Liu, Jia; Feng, Yujie; Logan, Bruce E.

2016-11-01

Large differences between the water and air pressure in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can deform and damage cathodes. To avoid deformation, the cathode air pressure was controlled to balance pressure differences between the air and water. Raising the air pressures from 0 to 10 kPa at a set cathode potential of -0.3 V (versus Ag/AgCl) enhanced cathode performance by 17%, but pressures ≥25 kPa decreased current and resulted in air leakage into the solution. Matching the air pressure with the water pressure avoided cathode deformation and improved performance. The maximum power density increased by 15%, from 1070 ± 20 to 1230 ± 70 mW m-2, with balanced air and water pressures of 10-25 kPa. Oxygen partial pressures ≥12.5 kPa in the cathode compartment maintained the oxygen reduction rate to be within 92 ± 1% of that in ambient air. The use of pressurized air flow through the cathode compartments can enable closer spacing of the cathodes compared to passive gas transfer systems, which could make the reactor design more compact. The energy cost of pressurizing the cathodes was estimated to be smaller than the increase in power that resulted from the use of pressurized cathodes.

Effect of Applied Potential on Fatigue Life of Electropolished Nitinol Wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivan, Shiril; Di Prima, Matthew; Weaver, Jason D.

2017-09-01

Nitinol is used as a metallic biomaterial in medical devices due to its shape memory and pseudoelastic properties. The clinical performance of nitinol depends on factors which include the surface finish, the local environment, and the mechanical loads to which the device is subjected. Preclinical evaluations of device durability are performed with fatigue tests while electrochemical characterization methods such as ASTM F2129 are employed to evaluate corrosion susceptibility by determining the rest potential and breakdown potential. However, it is well established that the rest potential of a metal surface can vary with the local environment. Very little is known regarding the influence of voltage on fatigue life of nitinol. In this study, we developed a fatigue testing method in which an electrochemical system was integrated with a rotary bend wire fatigue tester. Samples were fatigued at various strain levels at electropotentials anodic and cathodic to the rest potential to determine if it could influence fatigue life. Wires at potentials negative to the rest potential had a significantly higher number of cycles to fracture than wires held at potentials above the breakdown potential. For wires for which no potential was applied, they had fatigue life similar to wires at negative potentials.

The 15 cm diameter ion thruster research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilbur, P. J.

1974-01-01

The startup reliability of a 15 cm diameter mercury bombardment ion thruster which employs a pulsed high voltage tickler electrode on the main and neutralizer cathodes is examined. Startup of the thruster is achieved 100% of the time on the main cathode and 98.7% of the time on the neutralizer cathode over a 3640 cycle test. The thruster was started from a 20 C initial condition and operated for an hour at a 600 mA beam current. An energy efficiency of 75% and a propellant utilization efficiency of 77% was achieved over the complete cycle. The effect of a single cusp magnetic field thruster length on its performance is discussed. Guidelines are formulated for the shaping of magnetic field lines in thrusters. A model describing double ion production in mercury discharges is presented. The production route is shown to occur through the single ionic ground state. Photographs of the interior of an operating-hollow cathode are presented. A cathode spot is shown to be present if the cathode is free of low work-function surfaces. The spot is observed if a low work-function oxide coating is applied to the cathode insert. Results show that low work-function oxide coatings tend to migrate during thruster operation.

Effect of Alternating Current on the Cathodic Protection and Interface Structure of X80 Steel

PubMed Central

Wang, Huiru; Du, Cuiwei; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Luntao; Ding, De

2017-01-01

This study employs potential-monitoring techniques, cyclic voltammetry tests, alternating current (AC) voltammetry methods, and surface characterization to investigate the AC corrosion of cathodically protected X80 pipeline steel. In a non-passive neutral solution at pH 7.2, a sufficiently negative potential completely protects steel at an AC current density of 100 A/m2. In an alkaline solution at pH 9.6, more serious AC corrosion occurs at more negative cathodic protection (CP) potential, whereas without CP the steel suffers negligible corrosion. In addition, the interface capacitance increases with AC amplitude. Based on these results, the AC corrosion mechanisms that function under various conditions are analyzed and described. PMID:28773211

Influence of Electric Fields on Biofouling of Carbonaceous Electrodes.

PubMed

Pandit, Soumya; Shanbhag, Sneha; Mauter, Meagan; Oren, Yoram; Herzberg, Moshe

2017-09-05

Biofouling commonly occurs on carbonaceous capacitive deionization electrodes in the process of treating natural waters. Although previous work reported the effect of electric fields on bacterial mortality for a variety of medical and engineered applications, the effect of electrode surface properties and the magnitude and polarity of applied electric fields on biofilm development has not been comprehensively investigated. This paper studies the formation of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm on a Papyex graphite (PA) and a carbon aerogel (CA) in the presence and the absence of an electric field. The experiments were conducted using a two-electrode flow cell with a voltage window of ±0.9 V. The CA was less susceptible to biofilm formation compared to the PA due to its lower surface roughness, lower hydrophobicity, and significant antimicrobial properties. For both positive and negative applied potentials, we observed an inverse relationship between biofilm formation and the magnitude of the applied potential. The effect is particularly strong for the CA electrodes and may be a result of cumulative effects between material toxicity and the stress experienced by cells at high applied potentials. Under the applied potentials for both electrodes, high production of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) was indicative of bacterial stress. For both electrodes, the elevated specific ROS activity was lowest for the open circuit potential condition, elevated when cathodically and anodically polarized, and highest for the ±0.9 V cases. These high applied potentials are believed to affect the redox potential across the cell membrane and disrupt redox homeostasis, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth.

Ultra-high-vacuum electrical feedthrough

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gavaler, J. R.; Janocko, M. A.

1976-01-01

Device for cathodic sputtering utilizes cathode dark-space region adjacent to high negative-potential surfaces. Feedthrough is made of metal and glass, is helium leaktight, and is bakeable; it can be incorporated into any vacuum apparatus.

Effect of an InxGa1-xAs-GaAs blocking heterocathode metal contact on the GaAs TED operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkusha, Yu. V.; Prokhorov, E. D.; Storozhenko, I. P.

2004-09-01

The frequency dependence of the generation efficiency of an mm- -nn:In:InxGaGa1-1-xAs- As-nn:GaAs-:GaAs-nn++:GaAs TED with the 2.5-mm long active region is calculated. The optimum values - which yield the diode maximum generation efficiency - for the :GaAs TED with the 2.5-mm long active region is calculated. The optimum values - which yield the diode maximum generation efficiency - for the nn:In:InxGaGa1-1-xAs cathode length, the cathode concentration of ionized impurities, and the height of the potential barrier on metal contact are determined.As cathode length, the cathode concentration of ionized impurities, and the height of the potential barrier on metal contact are determined.

Enhanced hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cell with 3D self-assembly nickel foam-graphene cathode.

PubMed

Cai, Weiwei; Liu, Wenzong; Han, Jinglong; Wang, Aijie

2016-06-15

In comparison to precious metal catalyst especially Platinum (Pt), nickel foam (NF) owned cheap cost and unique three-dimensional (3D) structure, however, it was scarcely applied as cathode material in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) as the intrinsic laggard electrochemical activity for hydrogen recovery. In this study, a self-assembly 3D nickel foam-graphene (NF-G) cathode was fabricated by facile hydrothermal approach for hydrogen evolution in MECs. Electrochemical analysis (linear scan voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) revealed the improved electrochemical activity and effective mass diffusion after coating with graphene. NF-G as cathode in MEC showed a significant enhancement in hydrogen production rate compared with nickel foam at a variety of biases. Noticeably, NF-G showed a comparable averaged hydrogen production rate (1.31 ± 0.07 mL H2 mL(-1) reactor d(-1)) to Platinum/carbon (Pt/C) (1.32 ± 0.07 mL H2 mL(-1) reactor d(-1)) at 0.8 V. Profitable energy recovery could be achieved by NF-G cathode at higher applied voltage, which performed the best hydrogen yield of 3.27 ± 0.16 mol H2 mol(-1) acetate at 0.8 V and highest energy efficiency of 185.92 ± 6.48% at 0.6 V. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcranial direct-current stimulation increases extracellular dopamine levels in the rat striatum

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Tomoko; Takano, Yuji; Tanaka, Satoshi; Hironaka, Naoyuki; Kobayashi, Kazuto; Hanakawa, Takashi; Watanabe, Katsumi; Honda, Manabu

2013-01-01

Background: Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive procedure that achieves polarity-dependent modulation of neuronal membrane potentials. It has recently been used as a functional intervention technique for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases; however, its neuronal mechanisms have not been fully investigated in vivo. Objective/Hypothesis: To investigate whether the application of cathodal or anodal tDCS affects extracellular dopamine and serotonin levels in the rat striatum. Methods: Stimulation and in vivo microdialysis were carried out under urethane anesthesia, and microdialysis probes were slowly inserted into the striatum. After the collection of baseline fractions in the rat striatum, cathodal or anodal tDCS was applied continuously for 10 min with a current intensity of 800 μA from an electrode placed on the skin of the scalp. Dialysis samples were collected every 10 min until at least 400 min after the onset of stimulation. Results: Following the application of cathodal, but not anodal, tDCS for 10 min, extracellular dopamine levels increased for more than 400 min in the striatum. There were no significant changes in extracellular serotonin levels. Conclusion: These findings suggest that tDCS has a direct and/or indirect effect on the dopaminergic system in the rat basal ganglia. PMID:23596399

Membraneless laminar flow cell for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction with liquid product separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monroe, Morgan M.; Lobaccaro, Peter; Lum, Yanwei; Ager, Joel W.

2017-04-01

The production of liquid fuel products via electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a potential path to produce sustainable fuels. However, to be practical, a separation strategy is required to isolate the fuel-containing electrolyte produced at the cathode from the anode and also prevent the oxidation products (i.e. O2) from reaching the cathode. Ion-conducting membranes have been applied in CO2 reduction reactors to achieve this separation, but they represent an efficiency loss and can be permeable to some product species. An alternative membraneless approach is developed here to maintain product separation through the use of a laminar flow cell. Computational modelling shows that near-unity separation efficiencies are possible at current densities achievable now with metal cathodes via optimization of the spacing between the electrodes and the electrolyte flow rate. Laminar flow reactor prototypes were fabricated with a range of channel widths by 3D printing. CO2 reduction to formic acid on Sn electrodes was used as the liquid product forming reaction, and the separation efficiency for the dissolved product was evaluated with high performance liquid chromatography. Trends in product separation efficiency with channel width and flow rate were in qualitative agreement with the model, but the separation efficiency was lower, with a maximum value of 90% achieved.

The study of lead vapor ionization in discharge with a hot cathode and efficiency of its deposition on the substrates applied for plasma separation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonov, N. N.; Samokhin, A. A.; Zhabin, S. N.; Gavrikov, A. V.; Smirnov, V. P.

2016-11-01

Spent nuclear fuel plasma separation method approbation implies the use of model substances. Thus it is necessary to solve the problem of material conversion into a cold plasma flow, as well as the problem of deposition on collectors. For this purpose, we carried out a kinetic and hydrodynamic simulation of the discharge with hot cathode in the lead vapor (lead vapor was injected into the interelectrode gap). Dependencies of the ionization efficiency, electrostatic potential distribution, density distribution of ions and electrons in the discharge gap on the discharge current density and the model substance vapor concentration were obtained. The simulation results show that at discharge current density of about 3.5 A/cm2 and the lead vapor concentration of 2 × 1012 cm-3, the ionization efficiency is close to 60%. Experimental research of the discharge with a hot cathode in the lead vapor was carried out. We also carried out the research of the Pb condensation coefficients on various substrates. For experimental data analysis the numerical model based on Monte Carlo method was used. The research results show that deposition coefficients at medium temperatures of substrates near 70 °C do not drop lower than 75%.

Electrolytic systems and methods for making metal halides and refining metals

DOEpatents

Holland, Justin M.; Cecala, David M.

2015-05-26

Disclosed are electrochemical cells and methods for producing a halide of a non-alkali metal and for electrorefining the halide. The systems typically involve an electrochemical cell having a cathode structure configured for dissolving a hydrogen halide that forms the halide into a molten salt of the halogen and an alkali metal. Typically a direct current voltage is applied across the cathode and an anode that is fabricated with the non-alkali metal such that the halide of the non-alkali metal is formed adjacent the anode. Electrorefining cells and methods involve applying a direct current voltage across the anode where the halide of the non-alkali metal is formed and the cathode where the non-alkali metal is electro-deposited. In a representative embodiment the halogen is chlorine, the alkali metal is lithium and the non-alkali metal is uranium.

PTFE effect on the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction in membraneless microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Guerrini, Edoardo; Grattieri, Matteo; Faggianelli, Alessio; Cristiani, Pierangela; Trasatti, Stefano

2015-12-01

Influence of PTFE in the external Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) of open-air cathodes applied to membraneless microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is investigated in this work. Electrochemical measurements on cathodes with different PTFE contents (200%, 100%, 80% and 60%) were carried out to characterize cathodic oxygen reduction reaction, to study the reaction kinetics. It is demonstrated that ORR is not under diffusion-limiting conditions in the tested systems. Based on cyclic voltammetry, an increase of the cathodic electrochemical active area took place with the decrease of PTFE content. This was not directly related to MFC productivity, but to the cathode wettability and the biocathode development. Low electrodic interface resistances (from 1 to 1.5 Ω at the start, to near 0.1 Ω at day 61) indicated a negligible ohmic drop. A decrease of the Tafel slopes from 120 to 80 mV during productive periods of MFCs followed the biological activity in the whole MFC system. A high PTFE content in the cathode showed a detrimental effect on the MFC productivity, acting as an inhibitor of ORR electrocatalysis in the triple contact zone.

Local Neutral Density and Plasma Parameter Measurements in a Hollow Cathode Plume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jameson, Kristina K.; Goebel, Dan M.; MiKellides, Joannis; Watkins, Ron M.

2006-01-01

In order to understand the cathode and keeper wear observed during the Extended Life Test (ELT) of the DS1 flight spare NSTAR thruster and provide benchmarking data for a 2D cathode/cathode-plume model, a basic understanding of the plasma and neutral gas parameters in the cathode orifice and keeper region of the cathode plume must be obtained. The JPL cathode facility is instrumented with an array of Langmuir probe diagnostics along with an optical diagnostic to measure line intensity of xenon neutrals. In order to make direct comparisons with the present model, a flat plate anode arrangement was installed for these tests. Neutral density is deduced from the scanning probe data of the plasma parameters and the measured xenon line intensity in the optical regime. The Langmuir probes are scanned both axially, out to 7.0 cm downstream of the keeper, and radially to obtain 2D profile of the plasma parameters. The optical fiber is housed in a collimating stainless steel tube, and is scanned to view across the cathode plume along cuts in front of the keeper with a resolution of 1.5 mm. The radial intensities are unfolded using the Abel inversion technique that produces radial profiles of local neutral density. In this paper, detailed measurements of the plasma parameters and the local neutral densities will be presented in the cathode/keeper plume region for a 1.5 cm diameter NEXIS cathode at 25A of discharge current at several different strengths of applied magnetic field.

Effect of Lanthanum-Strontium Cathode Current-Collecting Layer on the Performance of Anode Supported Type Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sun-Young; Ji, Ho-Il; Kim, Hae-Ryoung; Yoon, Kyung Joong; Son, Ji-Won; Lee, Hae-Weon; Lee, Jong-Ho

2013-07-01

We applied screen-printed (La,Sr)CoO3 as a current-collecting layer of planar type unit-cell for lower temperature operation of SOFCs. In this study the effects of the cathode current-collecting layer on the performance of unit cell and symmetric half cell were investigated via AC and DC polarization experiments. According to our investigation, appropriately controlled current collecting layer was very effective to enhance the unit cell performance by reducing not only the ohmic resistance but also the polarization losses of SOFC cathode.

Electrode Cultivation and Interfacial Electron Transport in Subsurface Microorganisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karbelkar, A. A.; Jangir, Y.; Reese, B. K.; Wanger, G.; Anderson, C.; El-Naggar, M.; Amend, J.

2016-12-01

Continental subsurface environments can present significant energetic challenges to the resident microorganisms. While these environments are geologically diverse, potentially allowing energy harvesting by microorganisms that catalyze redox reactions, many of the abundant electron donors and acceptors are insoluble and therefore not directly bioavailable. Microbes can use extracellular electron transfer (EET) as a metabolic strategy to interact with redox active surfaces. This process can be mimicked on electrode surfaces and hence can lead to enrichment and quantification of subsurface microorganisms A primary bioelectrochemical enrichment with different oxidizing and reducing potentials set up in a single bioreactor was applied in situ to subsurface microorganisms residing in iron oxide rich deposits in the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Secondary enrichment revealed a plethora of classified and unclassified subsurface microbiota on both oxidizing and reducing potentials. From this enrichment, we have isolated a Gram-positive Bacillus along with Gram-negative Cupriavidus and Anaerospora strains (as electrode reducers) and Comamonas (as an electrode oxidizer). The Bacillus and Comamonas isolates were subjected to a detailed electrochemical characterization in half-reactors at anodic and cathodic potentials, respectively. An increase in cathodic current upon inoculation and cyclic voltammetry measurements confirm the hypothesis that Comamonas is capable of electron uptake from electrodes. In addition, measurements of Bacillus on anodes hint towards novel mechanisms that allow EET from Gram-positive bacteria. This study suggests that electrochemical approaches are well positioned to dissect such extracellular interactions that may be prevalent in the subsurface, while using physical electrodes to emulate the microhabitats, redox and geochemical gradients, and the spatially dependent interspecies interactions encountered in the subsurface. Electrochemical characterization of isolated strains can help us establish the possible mechanisms of EET, and hence provide an insight on survival strategies of subsurface microbiota in extreme environments. Continental subsurface environments can present significant energetic challenges to the resident microorganisms. While these environments are geologically diverse, potentially allowing energy harvesting by microorganisms that catalyze redox reactions, many of the abundant electron donors and acceptors are insoluble and therefore not directly bioavailable. Microbes can use extracellular electron transfer (EET) as a metabolic strategy to interact with redox active surfaces. This process can be mimicked on electrode surfaces and hence can lead to enrichment and quantification of subsurface microorganisms A primary bioelectrochemical enrichment with different oxidizing and reducing potentials set up in a single bioreactor was applied in situ to subsurface microorganisms residing in iron oxide rich deposits in the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Secondary enrichment revealed a plethora of classified and unclassified subsurface microbiota on both oxidizing and reducing potentials. From this enrichment, we have isolated a Gram-positive Bacillus along with Gram-negative Cupriavidus and Anaerospora strains (as electrode reducers) and Comamonas (as an electrode oxidizer). The Bacillus and Comamonas isolates were subjected to a detailed electrochemical characterization in half-reactors at anodic and cathodic potentials, respectively. An increase in cathodic current upon inoculation and cyclic voltammetry measurements confirm the hypothesis that Comamonas is capable of electron uptake from electrodes. In addition, measurements of Bacillus on anodes hint towards novel mechanisms that allow EET from Gram-positive bacteria. This study suggests that electrochemical approaches are well positioned to dissect such extracellular interactions that may be prevalent in the subsurface, while using physical electrodes to emulate the microhabitats, redox and geochemical gradients, and the spatially dependent interspecies interactions encountered in the subsurface. Electrochemical characterization of isolated strains can help us establish the possible mechanisms of EET, and hence provide an insight on survival strategies of subsurface microbiota in extreme environments.

Alkaline fuel cell performance investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, R. E.; Manzo, M. A.

1988-01-01

An exploratory experimental fuel cell test program was conducted to investigate the performance characteristics of alkaline laboratory research electrodes. The objective of this work was to establish the effect of temperature, pressure, and concentration upon performance and evaluate candidate cathode configurations having the potential for improved performance. The performance characterization tests provided data to empirically establish the effect of temperature, pressure, and concentration upon performance for cell temperatures up to 300 F and reactant pressures up to 200 psia. Evaluation of five gold alloy cathode catalysts revealed that three doped gold alloys had more that two times the surface areas of reference cathodes and therefore offered the best potential for improved performance.

Alkaline fuel cell performance investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, R. E.; Manzo, M. A.

1988-01-01

An exploratory experimental fuel cell test program was conducted to investigate the performance characteristics of alkaline laboratory research electrodes. The objective of this work was to establish the effect of temperature, pressure, and concentration upon performance and evaluate candidate cathode configurations having the potential for improved performance. The performance characterization tests provided data to empirically establish the effect of temperature, pressure, and concentration upon performance for cell temperatures up to 300 F and reactant pressures up to 200 psia. Evaluation of five gold alloy cathode catalysts revealed that three doped gold alloys had more than two times the surface areas of reference cathodes and therefore offered the best potential for improved performance.

Efficient bioconversion of organic wastes to high optical activity of l-lactic acid stimulated by cathode in mixed microbial consortium.

PubMed

Xue, Gang; Lai, Sizhou; Li, Xiang; Zhang, Wenjuan; You, Jiguang; Chen, Hong; Qian, Yajie; Gao, Pin; Liu, Zhenhong; Liu, Yanan

2017-12-12

Lactic acid is one of the emerging top biomass derived platform chemicals that can be fermented from organic wastes. This study evaluated the potential of Cathodic Electro-Fermentation (CEF) as a novel approach to enhance the yield of high optical activity (OA) of l-lactic acid from organic wastes using mixed microbial consortium. The fermentation process was stimulated through the cathode applied with -100 mV versus standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), which contributed to 4.73 times higher lactic acid productivity (0.6578 g L -1 h -1 ) compared to that in the open circuit control (0.1392 g L -1 h -1 ), and an improved OA of l-lactic acid was also observed (42.3% vs. 3.6% of the open circuit control). The study elucidated that the optimal voltage at -100 mV promoted the conversion of pyruvate to l-lactate by 77.9% compared to the Blank, which triggered the generation of l-lactic acid to occur rapidly even at low concentration of pyruvate. The significant variation of microbial community in family- and genus-level distributions were observed in CEF system. Furthermore, the open-circuit operation test demonstrated that the cathode providing in-situ electron supply was essential to achieve high efficient bioconversion of organic wastes to lactic acid. Our work highlights the feasibility of CEF to steer high value-added fermentation products deriving from organic wastes by the mixed microbial consortium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cathode fall model and current-voltage characteristics of field emission driven direct current microplasmas

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

Venkattraman, Ayyaswamy

2013-11-15

The post-breakdown characteristics of field emission driven microplasma are studied theoretically and numerically. A cathode fall model assuming a linearly varying electric field is used to obtain equations governing the operation of steady state field emission driven microplasmas. The results obtained from the model by solving these equations are compared with particle-in-cell with Monte Carlo collisions simulation results for parameters including the plasma potential, cathode fall thickness, ion number density in the cathode fall, and current density vs voltage curves. The model shows good overall agreement with the simulations but results in slightly overpredicted values for the plasma potential andmore » the cathode fall thickness attributed to the assumed electric field profile. The current density vs voltage curves obtained show an arc region characterized by negative slope as well as an abnormal glow discharge characterized by a positive slope in gaps as small as 10 μm operating at atmospheric pressure. The model also retrieves the traditional macroscale current vs voltage theory in the absence of field emission.« less

High-Performance Direct Methanol Fuel Cells with Precious-Metal-Free Cathode.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Wang, Tanyuan; Havas, Dana; Zhang, Hanguang; Xu, Ping; Han, Jiantao; Cho, Jaephil; Wu, Gang

2016-11-01

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) hold great promise for applications ranging from portable power for electronics to transportation. However, apart from the high costs, current Pt-based cathodes in DMFCs suffer significantly from performance loss due to severe methanol crossover from anode to cathode. The migrated methanol in cathodes tends to contaminate Pt active sites through yielding a mixed potential region resulting from oxygen reduction reaction and methanol oxidation reaction. Therefore, highly methanol-tolerant cathodes must be developed before DMFC technologies become viable. The newly developed reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-based Fe-N-C cathode exhibits high methanol tolerance and exceeds the performance of current Pt cathodes, as evidenced by both rotating disk electrode and DMFC tests. While the morphology of 2D rGO is largely preserved, the resulting Fe-N-rGO catalyst provides a more unique porous structure. DMFC tests with various methanol concentrations are systematically studied using the best performing Fe-N-rGO catalyst. At feed concentrations greater than 2.0 m, the obtained DMFC performance from the Fe-N-rGO cathode is found to start exceeding that of a Pt/C cathode. This work will open a new avenue to use nonprecious metal cathode for advanced DMFC technologies with increased performance and at significantly reduced cost.

Carbonaceous cathode with enhanced wettability for aluminum production

DOEpatents

Keller, Rudolf; Gatty, David G.; Barca, Brian J.

2003-09-09

A method of preparing carbonaceous blocks or bodies for use in a cathode in an electrolytic cell for producing aluminum wherein the cell contains an electrolyte and has molten aluminum contacting the cathode, the cathode having improved wettability with molten aluminum. The method comprises the steps of providing a carbonaceous block and a boron oxide containing melt. The carbonaceous block is immersed in the melt and pressure is applied to the melt to impregnate the melt into pores in the block. Thereafter, the carbonaceous block is withdrawn from the melt, the block having boron oxide containing melt intruded into pores therein, the boron oxide capable of reacting with a source of titanium or zirconium or like metal to form titanium or zirconium diboride during heatup or operation of said cell.

Strategies to curb structural changes of lithium/transition metal oxide cathode materials & the changes' effects on thermal & cycling stability

DOE PAGES

Yu, Xiqian; Hu, Enyuan; Bak, Seongmin; ...

2015-12-07

Structural transformation behaviors of several typical oxide cathode materials during a heating process are reviewed in detail to provide in-depth understanding of the key factors governing the thermal stability of these materials. Furthermore, we also discuss applying the information about heat induced structural evolution in the study of electrochemically induced structural changes. All these discussions are expected to provide valuable insights for designing oxide cathode materials with significantly improved structural stability for safe, long-life lithium ion batteries, as the safety of lithium-ion batteries is a critical issue. As a result, it is widely accepted that the thermal instability of themore » cathodes is one of the most critical factors in thermal runaway and related safety problems.« less

HIGH POWER PULSED OSCILLATOR

DOEpatents

Singer, S.; Neher, L.K.

1957-09-24

A high powered, radio frequency pulse oscillator is described for generating trains of oscillations at the instant an input direct voltage is impressed, or immediately upon application of a light pulse. In one embodiment, the pulse oscillator comprises a photo-multiplier tube with the cathode connected to the first dynode by means of a resistor, and adjacent dynodes are connected to each other through adjustable resistors. The ohmage of the resistors progressively increases from a very low value for resistors adjacent the cathode to a high value adjacent the plate, the last dynode. Oscillation occurs with this circuit when a high negative voltage pulse is applied to the cathode and the photo cathode is bombarded. Another embodiment adds capacitors at the resistor connection points of the above circuit to increase the duration of the oscillator train.

Hydroxynaphthoquinone ultrathin films obtained by diazonium electroreduction: toward design of biosensitive electroactive interfaces.

PubMed

March, Gregory; Reisberg, Steeve; Piro, Benoit; Pham, Minh-Chau; Fave, Claire; Noel, Vincent

2010-05-01

Electroactive 2-(phenylsulfanyl)-8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone has been electrodeposited via the reduction of the corresponding diazonium salt on Au electrodes. Surface characterizations by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) reveal that the mechanism of film deposition follows an aryl radical formation and its immobilization on the electrode surface. Electrochemical study shows that the surface coverage can be finely tuned (thickness between one and four layers) by adjusting the potential and the deposition time. By managing the potential applied when reducing diazonium in potentiostatic mode, the formed layer could mediate or not charge transfer. This is the first time that the films obtained by diazonium process are demonstrated to act as mediators in the growth process. Hence, with potentials higher than the formal potential of quinone group, very thin and homogeneous layers are obtained, whereas thicker films are formed when more cathodic potentials than that of quinone are applied. The possibility to manage the charge-transfer kinetics, the thickness, and the homogeneity of electroactive deposits is interesting in the scope of designing electrochemical transducers.

Freestanding and flexible graphene papers as bioelectrochemical cathode for selective and efficient CO2 conversion.

PubMed

Aryal, Nabin; Halder, Arnab; Zhang, Minwei; Whelan, Patrick R; Tremblay, Pier-Luc; Chi, Qijin; Zhang, Tian

2017-08-22

During microbial electrosynthesis (MES) driven CO 2 reduction, cathode plays a vital role by donating electrons to microbe. Here, we exploited the advantage of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) paper as novel cathode material to enhance electron transfer between the cathode and microbe, which in turn facilitated CO 2 reduction. The acetate production rate of Sporomusa ovata-driven MES reactors was 168.5 ± 22.4 mmol m -2 d -1 with RGO paper cathodes poised at -690 mV versus standard hydrogen electrode. This rate was approximately 8 fold faster than for carbon paper electrodes of the same dimension. The current density with RGO paper cathodes of 2580 ± 540 mA m -2 was increased 7 fold compared to carbon paper cathodes. This also corresponded to a better cathodic current response on their cyclic voltammetric curves. The coulombic efficiency for the electrons conversion into acetate was 90.7 ± 9.3% with RGO paper cathodes and 83.8 ± 4.2% with carbon paper cathodes, respectively. Furthermore, more intensive cell attachment was observed on RGO paper electrodes than on carbon paper electrodes with confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. These results highlight the potential of RGO paper as a promising cathode for MES from CO 2 .

Detailed numerical simulation of cathode spots in vacuum arcs: Interplay of different mechanisms and ejection of droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, H. T. C.; Cunha, M. D.; Benilov, M. S.; Hartmann, W.; Wenzel, N.

2017-10-01

A model of cathode spots in high-current vacuum arcs is developed with account of all the potentially relevant mechanisms: the bombardment of the cathode surface by ions coming from a pre-existing plasma cloud; vaporization of the cathode material in the spot, its ionization, and the interaction of the produced plasma with the cathode; the Joule heat generation in the cathode body; melting of the cathode material and motion of the melt under the effect of the plasma pressure and the Lorentz force and related phenomena. After the spot has been ignited by the action of the cloud (which takes a few nanoseconds), the metal in the spot is melted and accelerated toward the periphery of the spot, with the main driving force being the pressure due to incident ions. Electron emission cooling and convective heat transfer are dominant mechanisms of cooling in the spot, limiting the maximum temperature of the cathode to approximately 4700-4800 K. A crater is formed on the cathode surface in this way. After the plasma cloud has been extinguished, a liquid-metal jet is formed and a droplet is ejected. No explosions have been observed. The modeling results conform to estimates of different mechanisms of cathode erosion derived from the experimental data on the net and ion erosion of copper cathodes.

Aluminum reduction cell electrode

DOEpatents

Goodnow, Warren H.; Payne, John R.

1982-01-01

The invention is directed to cathode modules comprised of refractory hard metal materials, such as TiB.sub.2, for an electrolytic cell for the reduction of alumina wherein the modules may be installed and replaced during operation of the cell and wherein the structure of the cathode modules is such that the refractory hard metal materials are not subjected to externally applied forces or rigid constraints.

Tailoring the surface properties of LiNi 0.4Mn 0.4Co 0.2O₂ by titanium substitution for improved high voltage cycling performance

DOE PAGES

Wolff-Goodrich, Silas; Xin, Huolin L.; Lin, Feng; ...

2015-07-30

The present research aims to provide insights into the behavior of LiNi0.4Mn0.4Co0.2O2 (NMC442) and LiNi 0.4Mn 0.4Co 0.2O₂ (NMC442-Ti02) cathode materials under galvanostatic cycling to high potentials, in the context of previous work which predicted that Ti-substituted variants should deliver higher capacities and exhibit better cycling stability than the unsubstituted compounds. It is found that NMC cathodes containing Ti show equivalent capacity fading but greater specific capacity than those without Ti in the same potential range. When repeatedly charged to the same degree of delithiation, NMC cathodes containing Ti showed better capacity retention. Soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) spectra formore » Mn and Co indicated increased reduction in these elements for NMC cathodes without Ti, indicating that the substitution of Ti for Co acts to suppress the formation of a high impedance rock salt phase at the surface of NMC cathode particles. The results of this study validate the adoption of a facile change to existing NMC chemistries to improve cathode capacity retention under high voltage cycling conditions.« less

Robust, easily shaped, and epoxy-free carbon-fiber-aluminum cathodes for generating high-current electron beams.

PubMed

Liu, Lie; Li, Limin; Wen, Jianchun; Wan, Hong

2009-02-01

This paper presents the construction of carbon-fiber-aluminum (CFA) cathode by squeezing casting and its applications for generating high-current electron beams to drive high-power microwave sources. The fabrication process avoided using epoxy, a volatile deteriorating the vacuum system. These cathodes had a higher hardness than conventional aluminum, facilitating machining. After surface treatment, carbon fibers became the dominator determining emission property. A multineedle CFA cathode was utilized in a triode virtual cathode oscillator (vircator), powered by a approximately 450 kV, approximately 400 ns pulse. It was found that 300-400 MW, approximately 250 ns microwave was radiated at a dominant frequency of 2.6 GHz. Further, this cathode can endure high-current-density emission without detectable degradation in performance as the pulse shot proceeded, showing the robust nature of carbon fibers as explosive emitters. Overall, this new class of cold cathodes offers a potential prospect of developing high-current electron beam sources.

Generation of multicomponent ion beams by a vacuum arc ion source with compound cathode.

PubMed

Savkin, K P; Yushkov, Yu G; Nikolaev, A G; Oks, E M; Yushkov, G Yu

2010-02-01

This paper presents the results of time-of-flight mass spectrometry studies of the elemental and mass-to-charge state compositions of metal ion beams produced by a vacuum arc ion source with compound cathode (WC-Co(0.5), Cu-Cr(0.25), Ti-Cu(0.1)). We found that the ion beam composition agrees well with the stoichiometric composition of the cathode material from which the beam is derived, and the maximum ion charge state of the different plasma components is determined by the ionization capability of electrons within the cathode spot plasma, which is common to all components. The beam mass-to-charge state spectrum from a compound cathode features a greater fraction of multiply charged ions for those materials with lower electron temperature in the vacuum arc cathode spot, and a smaller fraction for those with higher electron temperature within the spot. We propose a potential diagram method for determination of attainable ion charge states for all components of the compound cathodes.

Testing and Analysis of NEXT Ion Engine Discharge Cathode Assembly Wear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Domonkos, Matthew T.; Foster, John E.; Soulas, George C.; Nakles, Michael

2003-01-01

Experimental and analytical investigations were conducted to predict the wear of the discharge cathode keeper in the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster. The ion current to the keeper was found to be highly dependent upon the beam current, and the average beam current density was nearly identical to that of the NSTAR thruster for comparable beam current density. The ion current distribution was highly peaked toward the keeper orifice. A deterministic wear assessment predicted keeper orifice erosion to the same diameter as the cathode tube after processing 375 kg of xenon. A rough estimate of discharge cathode assembly life limit due to sputtering indicated that the current design exceeds the qualification goal of 405 kg. Probabilistic wear analysis showed that the plasma potential and the sputter yield contributed most to the uncertainty in the wear assessment. It was recommended that fundamental experimental and modeling efforts focus on accurately describing the plasma potential and the sputtering yield.

Direct observation of the oxygenated species during oxygen reduction on a platinum fuel cell cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalongue, Hernan Sanchez; Kaya, Sarp; Viswanathan, Venkatasubramanian; Miller, Daniel J.; Friebel, Daniel; Hansen, Heine A.; Nørskov, Jens K.; Nilsson, Anders; Ogasawara, Hirohito

2013-12-01

The performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is limited by the reduction at the cathode of various oxygenated intermediates in the four-electron pathway of the oxygen reduction reaction. Here we use ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and directly probe the correlation between the adsorbed species on the surface and the electrochemical potential. We demonstrate that, during the oxygen reduction reaction, hydroxyl intermediates on the cathode surface occur in several configurations with significantly different structures and reactivities. In particular, we find that near the open-circuit potential, non-hydrated hydroxyl is the dominant surface species. On the basis of density functional theory calculations, we show that the removal of hydration enhances the reactivity of oxygen species. Tuning the hydration of hydroxyl near the triple phase boundary will be crucial for designing more active fuel cell cathodes.

Influence of diligent disintegration on anaerobic biomass and performance of microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Divyalakshmi, Palanisamy; Murugan, Devaraj; Rai, Chockalingam Lajapathi

2017-12-01

To enhance the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFC) by increasing the surface area of cathode and diligent mechanical disintegration of anaerobic biomass. Tannery effluent and anaerobic biomass were used. The increase in surface area of the cathode resulted in 78% COD removal, with the potential, current density, power density and coulombic efficiency of 675 mV, 147 mA m -2 , 33 mW m -2 and 3.5%, respectively. The work coupled with increased surface area of the cathode with diligent mechanical disintegration of the biomass, led to a further increase in COD removal of 82% with the potential, current density, power density and coulombic efficiency of 748 mV, 229 mA m -2 , 78 mW m -2 and 6% respectively. Mechanical disintegration of the biomass along with increased surface area of cathode enhances power generation in vertical MFC reactors using tannery effluent as fuel.

Photoresponsive Molecular Memory Films Composed of Sequentially Assembled Heterolayers Containing Ruthenium Complexes.

PubMed

Nagashima, Takumi; Ozawa, Hiroaki; Suzuki, Takashi; Nakabayashi, Takuya; Kanaizuka, Katsuhiko; Haga, Masa-Aki

2016-01-26

Photoresponsive molecular memory films were fabricated by a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling of two dinuclear Ru complexes with tetrapodal phosphonate anchors, containing either 2,3,5,6-tetra(2-pyridyl)pyrazine or 1,2,4,5-tetra(2-pyridyl)benzene as a bridging ligand (Ru-NP and Ru-CP, respectively), using zirconium phosphonate to link the layers. Various types of multilayer homo- and heterostructures were constructed. In the multilayer heterofilms such as ITO||(Ru-NP)m |(Ru-CP)n , the difference in redox potentials between Ru-NP and Ru-CP layers was approximately 0.7 V, which induced a potential gradient determined by the sequence of the layers. In the ITO||(Ru-NP)m |(Ru-CP)n multilayer heterofilms, the direct electron transfer (ET) from the outer Ru-CP layers to the ITO were observed to be blocked for m>2, and charge trapping in the outer Ru-CP layers became evident from the appearance of an intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band at 1140 nm from the formation of the mixed-valent state of Ru-CP units, resulting from the reductive ET mediation of the inner Ru-NP layers. Therefore, the charging/discharging ("1"and "0") states in the outer Ru-CP layers could be addressed and interconverted by applying potential pulses between -0.5 and +0.7 V. The two states could be read out by the direction of the photocurrent (anodic or cathodic). The molecular heterolayer films thus represent a typical example of a photoresponsive memory device; that is, the writing process may be achieved by the applied potential (-0.5 or +0.7 V), while the readout process is achieved by measuring the direction of the photocurrent (anodic or cathodic). Sequence-sensitive multilayer heterofilms, using redox-active complexes as building blocks, thus demonstrate great potential for the design of molecular functional devices. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cathodic Stripping Analysis Complicated by Adsorption Processes: Determination of 2-Thiouracil at a Rotating Silver Disk Electrode,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

concentration, poten- tial sweep rate, rotation speed, deposition potential and other parameters -on the shape and height of the stripping peaks have...concentration, potential sweep rate, rotation speed, deposition potential and other parameters on the shape and height of the stripping peaks have been...of the greater surface area of a solid electrode compared to a dropping mercury electrode. Cathodic stripping voltametry at a rotating silver disk

The long term effects of cathodic protection on corroding, pre-stressed concrete structures: Hydrogen embrittlement of the reinforcing steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enos, David George

Assessment of the effect of cathodic protection on a chloride contaminated bridge pile involves the definition of the hydrogen embrittlement behavior of the pearlitic reinforcement combined with quantification of the local (i.e., at the steel/concrete interface) chemical and electrochemical conditions, both prior to and throughout the application of cathodic protection. The hydrogen embrittlement behavior of the reinforcement was assessed through a combination of Devanathan/Stachurski permeation experiments to quantify subsurface hydrogen concentrations, CsbH, as a function of the applied hydrogen overpotential, eta, and crack initiation tests for bluntly notched and fatigue pre-cracked tensile specimens employing elastic-plastic finite element analysis and linear elastic fracture mechanics, respectively. A threshold mobile lattice hydrogen concentration for embrittlement of 2×10sp{-7} mol/cmsp3 was established for bluntly notched and fatigue pre-cracked specimens. Crack initiation occurred by the formation of shear cracks oriented at an angle approaching 45sp° from the tensile axis, as proposed by Miller and Smith (Miller, 1970), in regions where both the longitudinal and shear stresses were maximized (i.e., near the notch root). These Miller cracks then triggered longitudinal splitting which continued until fast fracture of the remaining ligament occurred. Instrumented laboratory scale piles were constructed and partially immersed in ASTM artificial ocean water. With time, localized corrosion (crevicing) was initiated along the reinforcement, and was accompanied by an acidic shift in the pH of the occluded environment due to ferrous ion hydrolysis. Cathodic protection current densities from -0.1 muA/cmsp2 to -3.0 muA/cmsp2 were applied via a skirt anode located at the waterline. Current densities as low as 0.66 muA/cmsp2 were sufficient to deplete the dissolved oxygen concentration at the steel/concrete interface and result in the observance of hydrogen production within regions near the waterline where the pH had decreased locally due to ferrous ion hydrolysis. By combining the effect of local cathodic protection level as a function of position along the reinforcement on hydrogen absorption with the information on the hydrogen embrittlement characteristics of the reinforcement as a function of hydrogen concentration, safe windows for the application of cathodic protection may be identified. Although hydrogen production and absorption were detected at -0.66 muA/cmsp2, concentrations which were of sufficient magnitude to be considered embrittling were not realized until -1.33 muA/cmsp2. Local hydrogen concentrations were compared to the 100 mV, 200 mV, and -780 mVsbSCE absolute potential cathodic protection criteria. With the exception of the 100 mV depolarization/decay criteria, it was not possible to sufficiently protect the high corrosion rate splash zone of the piling without exceeding the threshold hydrogen concentration for embrittlement at some zone within the reinforcement.

Efficient Conversion of CO 2 to CO Using Tin and Other Inexpensive and Easily Prepared Post-Transition Metal Catalysts

DOE PAGES

Medina-Ramos, Jonnathan; Pupillo, Rachel C.; Keane, Thomas P.; ...

2015-02-19

The development of affordable electrocatalysts that can drive the reduction of CO 2 to CO with high selectivity, efficiency, and large current densities is a critical step on the path to production of liquid carbon-based fuels. In this work, we show that inexpensive triflate salts of Sn 2+, Pb 2+, Bi 3+, and Sb 3+ can be used as precursors for the electrodeposition of CO 2 reduction cathode materials from MeCN solutions, providing a general and facile electrodeposition strategy, which streamlines catalyst synthesis. The ability of these four platforms to drive the formation of CO from CO 2 in themore » presence of [BMIM]OTf was probed. The electrochemically prepared Sn and Bi catalysts proved to be highly active, selective, and robust platforms for CO evolution, with partial current densities of j CO = 5-8 mA/cm 2 at applied overpotentials of η < 250 mV. By contrast, the electrodeposited Pb and Sb catalysts do not promote rapid CO generation with the same level of selectivity. The Pb material is only ~10% as active as the Sn and Bi systems at an applied potential of E = -1.95 V and is rapidly passivated during catalysis. The Sb-comprised cathode material shows no activity for conversion of CO 2 to CO under analogous conditions. When taken together, this work demonstrates that 1,3-dialkylimidazoliums can promote CO production, but only when used in combination with an appropriately chosen electrocatalyst material. More broadly, these results suggest that the interactions between CO 2, the imidazolium promoter, and the cathode surface are all critical to the observed catalysis.« less

Direct Simulations of Coupled Transport and Reaction on Nano-Scale X-Ray Computed Tomography Images of Platinum Group Metal-Free Catalyst Cathodes

DOE PAGES

Ogawa, S.; Komini Babu, S.; Chung, H. T.; ...

2016-08-22

The nano/micro-scale geometry of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) catalyst layers critically affects cell performance. The small length scales and complex structure of these composite layers make it challenging to analyze cell performance and physics at the particle scale by experiment. We present a computational method to simulate transport and chemical reaction phenomena at the pore/particle-scale and apply it to a PEFC cathode with platinum group metal free (PGM-free) catalyst. Here, we numerically solve the governing equations for the physics with heterogeneous oxygen diffusion coefficient and proton conductivity evaluated using the actual electrode structure and ionomer distribution obtained using nano-scalemore » resolution X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT). Using this approach, the oxygen concentration and electrolyte potential distributions imposed by the oxygen reduction reaction are solved and the impact of the catalyst layer structure on performance is evaluated.« less

Reduced Current Spread by Concentric Electrodes in Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES).

PubMed

Bortoletto, M; Rodella, C; Salvador, R; Miranda, P C; Miniussi, C

2016-01-01

We propose the use of a new montage for transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), called concentric electrodes tDCS (CE-tDCS), involving two concentric round electrodes that may improve stimulation focality. To test efficacy and focality of CE-tDCS, we modelled the current distribution and tested physiological effects on cortical excitability. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) were recorded before and after the delivery of anodal, cathodal and sham stimulation on the FDI hotspot for 10 minutes. MEP amplitude of FDI increased after anodal-tDCS and decreased after cathodal-tDCS, supporting the efficacy of CE-tDCS in modulating cortical excitability. Moreover, modelled current distribution and no significant effects of stimulation on MEP amplitude of ADM suggest high focality of CE-tDCS. CE-tDCS may allow a better control of current distribution and may represent a novel tool for applying tDCS and other transcranial current stimulation approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetically insulated diode for generating pulsed neutron and gamma ray emissions

DOEpatents

Kuswa, G.W.; Leeper, R.J.

1984-08-16

A magnetically insulated diode employs a permanent magnet to generate a magnetic insulating field between a spaced anode and cathode in a vacuum. An ion source is provided in the vicinity of the anode and used to liberate ions for acceleration toward the cathode. The ions are virtually unaffected by the magnetic field and are accelerated into a target for generating a nuclear reaction. The ions and target material may be selected to generate either neutrons or gamma ray emissions from the reaction of the accelerated ions and the target. In another aspect of the invention, a field coil is employed as part of one of the electrodes. A plasma prefill is provided between the electrodes prior to the application of a pulsating potential to one of the electrodes. The field coil multiplies the applied voltage for high diode voltage applications. The diode may be used to generate a /sup 7/Li(p,..gamma..)/sup 8/Be reaction to produce 16.5 MeV gamma emission.

Corrosion testing of candidates for the alkaline fuel cell cathode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singer, Joseph; Fielder, William L.

1989-01-01

Current/voltage data was obtained for specially made corrosion electrodes of some oxides and of gold materials for the purpose of developing a screening test of catalysts and supports for use at the cathode of the alkaline fuel cell. The data consists of measurements of current at fixed potentials and cyclic voltammograms. These data will have to be correlated with longtime performance data in order to fully evaluate this approach to corrosion screening. Corrosion test screening of candidates for the oxygen reduction electrode of the alkaline fuel cell was applied to two substances, the pyrochlore Pb2Ru2O6.5 and the spinel NiCo2O4. The substrate gold screen and a sample of the IFC Orbiter Pt-Au performance electrode were included as blanks. The pyrochlore data indicate relative stability, although nothing yet can be said about long term stability. The spinel was plainly unstable. For this type of testing to be validated, comparisons will have to be made with long term performance tests.

Direct Simulations of Coupled Transport and Reaction on Nano-Scale X-Ray Computed Tomography Images of Platinum Group Metal-Free Catalyst Cathodes

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

Ogawa, S.; Komini Babu, S.; Chung, H. T.

The nano/micro-scale geometry of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) catalyst layers critically affects cell performance. The small length scales and complex structure of these composite layers make it challenging to analyze cell performance and physics at the particle scale by experiment. We present a computational method to simulate transport and chemical reaction phenomena at the pore/particle-scale and apply it to a PEFC cathode with platinum group metal free (PGM-free) catalyst. Here, we numerically solve the governing equations for the physics with heterogeneous oxygen diffusion coefficient and proton conductivity evaluated using the actual electrode structure and ionomer distribution obtained using nano-scalemore » resolution X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT). Using this approach, the oxygen concentration and electrolyte potential distributions imposed by the oxygen reduction reaction are solved and the impact of the catalyst layer structure on performance is evaluated.« less

Magnetically insulated diode for generating pulsed neutron and gamma ray emissions

DOEpatents

Kuswa, Glenn W.; Leeper, Ramon J.

1987-01-01

A magnetically insulated diode employs a permanent magnet to generate a magnetic insulating field between a spaced anode and cathode in a vacuum. An ion source is provided in the vicinity of the anode and used to liberate ions for acceleration toward the cathode. The ions are virtually unaffected by the magnetic field and are accelerated into a target for generating an nuclear reaction. The ions and target material may be selected to generate either neutrons or gamma ray emissions from the reaction of the accelerated ions and the target. In another aspect of the invention, a field coil is employed as part of one of the electrodes. A plasma prefill is provided between the electrodes prior to the application of a pulsating potential to one of the electrodes. The field coil multiplies the applied voltage for high diode voltage applications. The diode may be used to generate a .sup.7 Li(p,.gamma.).sup.8 Be reaction to produce 16.5 MeV gamma emission.

Carbon Nanotube-Based Digital Vacuum Electronics and Miniature Instrumentation for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manohara, H.; Toda, R.; Lin, R. H.; Liao, A.; Mojarradi, M.

2010-01-01

JPL has developed high performance cold cathodes using arrays of carbon nanotube bundles that produce > 15 A/sq cm at applied fields of 5 to 8 V/micron without any beam focusing. They have exhibited robust operation in poor vacuums of 10(exp -6) to 10(exp -4) Torr- a typically achievable range inside hermetically sealed microcavities. Using these CNT cathodes JPL has developed miniature X-ray tubes capable of delivering sufficient photon flux at acceleration voltages of <20kV to perform definitive mineralogy on planetary surfaces; mass ionizers that offer two orders of magnitude power savings, and S/N ratio better by a factor of five over conventional ionizers. JPL has also developed a new class of programmable logic gates using CNT vacuum electronics potentially for Venus in situ missions and defense applications. These digital vacuum electronic devices are inherently high-temperature tolerant and radiation insensitive. Device design, fabrication and DC switching operation at temperatures up to 700 C are presented in this paper.

Electrochemically-Induced Redox Reactions in Basalt at High Pressure and Temperature: An Iron and Vanadium K-edge XANES Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavner, A.; Walker, D.; Newville, M.; Sutton, S. R.

2005-12-01

An applied electric field across a silicate sample at high pressures and temperatures in a piston cylinder apparatus can generate a wide range of oxidation states of polyvalent cations within a single experiment. If two or more polyvalent cations are included, this technique can be used to cross-calibrate oxybarometers within a single experiment. The redox state of Fe and V within a partially melted basaltic silicate was manipulated in situ in a piston-cylinder experiment with a DC power supply providing a source and sink of electrons to the sample. A 1V electrical potential differential was applied across vanadium-doped and Fe-bearing synthetic basalt samples for 24 hrs. at 20 kbar and 1400°C in a specially-designed piston cylinder sample assembly. Three experiments were performed: a control sample with no applied voltage, one with bottom cathode and top anode, and a third with top cathode and bottom anode. Synchrotron-based x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was used to provide spot analysis of iron and vanadium oxidation states with 5μm x 5μm spatial resolution throughout the recovered samples. Systematic spatial changes of increasing oxidation states of V and Fe were observed approaching the anode. The differences in oxidation states were mapped to a corresponding local effective oxygen fugacity by comparison and extension of a calibration of vanadium oxidation states as a function of controlled oxygen fugacity from a previous study (Sutton et al., 2005, GCA, vol. 69, pp. 2333-2348). The vanadium mapping indicates that a 1V potential drop across the sample induces effective oxygen fugacity perturbations in excess of ten orders of magnitude. The presence of both Fe and V within the same sample provides a wide range of oxygen fugacity cross-calibration in these recovered samples. A relationship between oxygen fugacity and electrochemical driving force is derived. The experimental results are in good agreement with the derived relationship between applied electrochemical potential difference (the 1V in this experiment), and corresponding calculated oxygen fugacity.

Hot ion plasma production in HIP-1 using water-cooled hollow cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinmann, J. J.; Lauver, M. R.; Patch, R. W.; Layman, R. W.; Snyder, A.

1975-01-01

The paper reports on hot-ion plasma experiments conducted in a magnetic mirror facility. A steady-state E x B plasma was formed by applying a strong radially inward dc electric field near the mirror throats. Most of the results were for hydrogen, but deuterium and helium plasmas were also studied. Three water-cooled hollow cathodes were operated in the hot-ion plasma mode with the following results: (1) thermally emitting cathodes were not required to achieve the hot-ion mode; (2) steady-state operation (several minutes) was attained; (3) input powers greater than 40 kW were achieved; (4) cathode outside diameters were increased from 1.2 cm (uncooled) to 4.4 cm (water-cooled); (5) steady-state hydrogen plasmas with ion temperatures from 185 to 770 eV and electron temperatures from 5 to 21 eV were produced. Scaling relations were empirically obtained for discharge current, ion temperature, electron temperature, and relative ion density as a function of hydrogen gas feed rate, magnetic field, and cathode voltage.

Design of experiments and principal component analysis as approaches for enhancing performance of gas-diffusional air-breathing bilirubin oxidase cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babanova, Sofia; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Ulyanova, Yevgenia; Singhal, Sameer; Atanassov, Plamen

2014-01-01

Two statistical methods, design of experiments (DOE) and principal component analysis (PCA) are employed to investigate and improve performance of air-breathing gas-diffusional enzymatic electrodes. DOE is utilized as a tool for systematic organization and evaluation of various factors affecting the performance of the composite system. Based on the results from the DOE, an improved cathode is constructed. The current density generated utilizing the improved cathode (755 ± 39 μA cm-2 at 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl) is 2-5 times higher than the highest current density previously achieved. Three major factors contributing to the cathode performance are identified: the amount of enzyme, the volume of phosphate buffer used to immobilize the enzyme, and the thickness of the gas-diffusion layer (GDL). PCA is applied as an independent confirmation tool to support conclusions made by DOE and to visualize the contribution of factors in individual cathode configurations.

Surface transformation by a “cocktail” solvent enables stable cathode materials for sodium ion batteries

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

Mu, Linqin; Rahman, Muhammad Mominur; Zhang, Yan

Coating the surfaces of active materials has become an effective and indispensable path towards the stable operation of practical rechargeable batteries. Improving the affordability of coating processes can bring enormous manufacturing advantages to battery applications. Here in this paper, we report a cheap, simple and efficient method to create conformal coating layers on the primary particles of sodium layered oxide materials for improving battery performance. Mimicking the cathode–electrolyte interfacial reaction in practical cells, we create conformal coating layers via the spontaneous reaction between the oxidative cathode surfaces and a cocktail of reductive organic solvents. The conformal coating layers consist ofmore » metal–organic compounds with reduced transition metal cations, i.e., artificial cathode–electrolyte interphases (CEIs). The cells containing these coated cathode materials deliver much improved cycle life while maintaining reasonably high reversible capacity and rate capability. Furthermore, the structural stability and water resistance are enhanced, which can practically help simplify the storage protocol of cathode powders prior to battery manufacturing. The surfaces of most oxide cathode materials (e.g., lithium cathodes and sodium cathodes) are highly oxidative, and thus we expect that the present method, with tailored experimental parameters, can be readily applied to most battery systems.« less

Surface transformation by a “cocktail” solvent enables stable cathode materials for sodium ion batteries

DOE PAGES

Mu, Linqin; Rahman, Muhammad Mominur; Zhang, Yan; ...

2018-01-09

Coating the surfaces of active materials has become an effective and indispensable path towards the stable operation of practical rechargeable batteries. Improving the affordability of coating processes can bring enormous manufacturing advantages to battery applications. Here in this paper, we report a cheap, simple and efficient method to create conformal coating layers on the primary particles of sodium layered oxide materials for improving battery performance. Mimicking the cathode–electrolyte interfacial reaction in practical cells, we create conformal coating layers via the spontaneous reaction between the oxidative cathode surfaces and a cocktail of reductive organic solvents. The conformal coating layers consist ofmore » metal–organic compounds with reduced transition metal cations, i.e., artificial cathode–electrolyte interphases (CEIs). The cells containing these coated cathode materials deliver much improved cycle life while maintaining reasonably high reversible capacity and rate capability. Furthermore, the structural stability and water resistance are enhanced, which can practically help simplify the storage protocol of cathode powders prior to battery manufacturing. The surfaces of most oxide cathode materials (e.g., lithium cathodes and sodium cathodes) are highly oxidative, and thus we expect that the present method, with tailored experimental parameters, can be readily applied to most battery systems.« less

A preliminary characterization of applied-field MPD thruster plumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, Roger M.; Wehrle, David; Vernyi, Mark; Biaglow, James; Reese, Shawn

1991-01-01

Electric probes, quantitative imaging, and emission spectroscopy were used to study the plume characteristics of applied field magnetohydrodynamic thrusters. The measurements showed that the applied magnetic field plays the dominant role in establishing the plume structure, followed in importance by the cathode geometry and propellant. The anode radius had no measurable impact on the plume characteristics. For all cases studied the plume was highly ionized, though spectral lines of neutral species were always present. Centerline electron densities and temperatures ranged from 2 times 10 (exp 18) to 8 times 10 (exp 18) m(exp -3) and from 7500 to 20,000 K, respectively. The plume was strongly confined by the magnetic field, with radial density gradients increasing monotonically with applied field strength. Plasma potential measurements show a strong effect of the magnetic field on the electrical conductivity and indicate the presence of radial current conduction in the plume.

Improving thermal and electrochemical performances of LiCoO{sub 2} cathode at high cut-off charge potentials by MF{sub 3} (M=Ce, Al) coating

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

Aboulaich, Abdelmaula, E-mail: a.aboulaich@managemgroup.com; Ouzaouit, Khalid; Faqir, Hakim

2016-01-15

Highlights: • Fluoride metal is successfully coated on the surface of LiCoO{sub 2}. • Easy and scalable method is adopted for the synthesis of coated-LiCoO{sub 2}. • Appropriate amount of AlF{sub 3} or CeF{sub 3} is beneficial to reduce cation disorder. • The electrochemical performances of coated LiCoO{sub 2} is significantly enhanced at higher potential (cycling efficiency and reversible capacity). • The coated cathode exhibits excellent thermal stability highlighted by calorimetric technique. - Abstract: Surface coating of LiCoO{sub 2} remained one of the efficient methods to enhance its electrochemical and thermal performances, especially at high cut-off potential. In this work,more » MF{sub 3} (M = Ce, Al) coated LiCoO{sub 2} was synthesized via co-precipitation method followed by a solid state reaction at 400 °C. The morphology and structure of the modified cathode material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the fluoride compound MF{sub 3} is successfully coated on the surface of LiCoO{sub 2} cathode particles with an average layer thickness about 12 nm and 40 nm for AlF{sub 3} and CeF{sub 3}, respectively. The electrochemical tests show that the AlF{sub 3}-coating layer significantly enhances the cycling performance of LiCoO{sub 2} cathode material, even at high cut-off potential. While the bare LiCoO{sub 2} cathode displays fast fading at 4.6 V vs. Li{sup +}/Li cutoff potential, the surface-modified electrode exhibits the great capacity of 160 mAh g{sup −1} with excellent capacity retention on several cycles. We concluded that the electrochemical and the thermal enhancement at high potential are ascribed to the presence of MF{sub 3} coating layer which prevent the side reaction during the charge discharge process, alleviate the attack by the acidic electrolyte and reduce the damage of electrode structure.« less

Aluminum reduction cell electrode

DOEpatents

Goodnow, W.H.; Payne, J.R.

1982-09-14

The invention is directed to cathode modules comprised of refractory hard metal materials, such as TiB[sub 2], for an electrolytic cell for the reduction of alumina wherein the modules may be installed and replaced during operation of the cell and wherein the structure of the cathode modules is such that the refractory hard metal materials are not subjected to externally applied forces or rigid constraints. 9 figs.

Surface breakdown igniter for mercury arc devices

DOEpatents

Bayless, John R.

1977-01-01

Surface breakdown igniter comprises a semiconductor of medium resistivity which has the arc device cathode as one electrode and has an igniter anode electrode so that when voltage is applied between the electrodes a spark is generated when electrical breakdown occurs over the surface of the semiconductor. The geometry of the igniter anode and cathode electrodes causes the igniter discharge to be forced away from the semiconductor surface.

Determination of optimal parameters for dual-layer cathode of polymer electrolyte fuel cell using computational intelligence-aided design.

PubMed

Chen, Yi; Huang, Weina; Peng, Bei

2014-01-01

Because of the demands for sustainable and renewable energy, fuel cells have become increasingly popular, particularly the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Among the various components, the cathode plays a key role in the operation of a PEFC. In this study, a quantitative dual-layer cathode model was proposed for determining the optimal parameters that minimize the over-potential difference η and improve the efficiency using a newly developed bat swarm algorithm with a variable population embedded in the computational intelligence-aided design. The simulation results were in agreement with previously reported results, suggesting that the proposed technique has potential applications for automating and optimizing the design of PEFCs.

Composition and Manufacturing Effects on Electrical Conductivity of Li/FeS 2 Thermal Battery Cathodes

DOE PAGES

Reinholz, Emilee L.; Roberts, Scott A.; Apblett, Christopher A.; ...

2016-06-11

The electrical conductivity is key to the performance of thermal battery cathodes. In this work we present the effects of manufacturing and processing conditions on the electrical conductivity of Li/FeS2 thermal battery cathodes. Finite element simulations were used to compute the conductivity of three-dimensional microcomputed tomography cathode microstructures and compare results to experimental impedance spectroscopy measurements. A regression analysis reveals a predictive relationship between composition, processing conditions, and electrical conductivity; a trend which is largely erased after thermally-induced deformation. Moreover, the trend applies to both experimental and simulation results, although is not as apparent in simulations. This research is amore » step toward a more fundamental understanding of the effects of processing and composition on thermal battery component microstructure, properties, and performance.« less

Cobalt porphyrin-based material as methanol tolerant cathode in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bingchuan; Brückner, Cristian; Lei, Yu; Cheng, Yue; Santoro, Carlo; Li, Baikun

2014-07-01

This study focused on the development of novel cathode material based on the pyrolysis of [meso-tetrakis(2-thienyl)porphyrinato]Co(II) (CoTTP) for use in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) to treat wastewater containing methanol. The cathodes produced at two loadings (0.5 and 1.0 mg cm-2) were examined in batch mode SCMFCs treating methanol of different concentrations (ranging from 0.005 to 0.04 M) over a 900 h operational period. Methanol was completely removed in SCMFCs, and the cycle duration was prolonged at high methanol concentrations, indicating methanol was used as fuel in SCMFCs. Methanol had more poisoning effects to the traditional platinum (Pt) cathodes than to the CoTTP cathodes. Specifically, power generations from SCMFCs with Pt cathodes gradually decreased over time, while the ones with CoTTP cathodes remained stable, even at the highest methanol concentration (0.04 M). Cathode linear sweep voltammetry (LSVs) indicated that the electrocatalytic activity of the Pt cathode was suppressed by methanol. Higher CoTTP loadings had similar open circuit potential (OCP) but higher electrocatalytic activity than lower loadings. This study demonstrated that methanol can be co-digested with wastewater and converted to power in MFCs, and a novel cathode CoTTP catalyst exhibits higher tolerance towards methanol compared with traditional Pt catalyst.

Magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator

DOEpatents

Bacon, Larry D.; Ballard, William P.; Clark, M. Collins; Marder, Barry M.

1988-01-01

A magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator employs self-generated magnetic fields to generate microwave energy. An anode of the oscillator includes slow-wave structures which are formed of a plurality of thin conductive vanes defining cavities therebetween, and a gap is formed between the anode and a cathode of the oscillator. In response to a pulsed voltage applied to the anode and cathode, self-generated magnetic fields arfe produced in a cross-field orientation with respect to the orientation of the electric field between the anode and the cathode. The cross-field magnetic fields insulate the flow of electrons in the gap and confine the flow of electrons within the gap.

Magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator

DOEpatents

Bacon, L.D.; Ballard, W.P.; Clark, M.C.; Marder, B.M.

1987-05-19

A magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator employs self-generated magnetic fields to generate microwave energy. An anode of the oscillator includes slow-wave structures which are formed of a plurality of thin conductive vanes defining cavities therebetween, and a gap is formed between the anode and a cathode of the oscillator. In response to a pulsed voltage applied to the anode and cathode, self-generated magnetic fields are produced in a cross-field orientation with respect to the orientation of the electric field between the anode and the cathode. The cross-field magnetic fields insulate the flow of electrons in the gap and confine the flow of electrons within the gap. 11 figs.

Device for providing high-intensity ion or electron beam

DOEpatents

McClanahan, Edwin D.; Moss, Ronald W.

1977-01-01

A thin film of a low-thermionic-work-function material is maintained on the cathode of a device for producing a high-current, low-pressure gas discharge by means of sputter deposition from an auxiliary electrode. The auxiliary electrode includes a surface with a low-work-function material, such as thorium, uranium, plutonium or one of the rare earth elements, facing the cathode but at a disposition and electrical potential so as to extract ions from the gas discharge and sputter the low-work-function material onto the cathode. By continuously replenishing the cathode film, high thermionic emissions and ion plasmas can be realized and maintained over extended operating periods.

A Self-Contained Experimental Diver Heater

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

elcroe3f0ansimad4te3sae DD I 4~4731473 EDITIN OFI NOVAS I OBSOETEanclasifie SECURITY DECLASSIFICATION F D AEBONGRAING oId SCHEDUL Port) Unclassified SECURITY... cathodic material, such as iron (forming a galvanic couple), the reaction proceeds much more rapidly and liberates heat at a usable rate. Similar...the process are: 1. Current flows from anode to cathode via the short circuit because of the potential difference. 2. Water is reduced at the cathode

POWER AND THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR AIR AND SPACE-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAM Delivery Order 0018: Single Ion Conducting Solid-State Lithium Electrochemical Technologies (Task 4)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

a mathematical equation relates the cathode reaction reversible electric potential to the lithium content of the cathode electrode. Based on the...Transport of Lithium in the Cell Cathode Active Material The Nernst -Einstein relation linking the lithium-ion mass diffusivity and its ionic...transient, isothermal and isobaric conditions. The differential model equation describing the lithium diffusion and accumulation in a spherical, active

Both anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation improves semantic processing.

PubMed

Brückner, Sabrina; Kammer, Thomas

2017-02-20

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a common method to modulate cortical activity. Anodal tDCS is usually associated with an enhancement of the stimulated brain area, whereas cathodal tDCS is often described as inhibitory brain stimulation method. Our aim was to investigate whether this canonical assumption derived from the motor system could be transferred to the semantic system. Three groups with 20 healthy subjects each were stimulated at Wernicke's area with either anodal, cathodal or sham tDCS. Subsequently, they performed a simple lexical decision task for a duration of about 25min. Subjects receiving anodal tDCS revealed faster reaction times (RTs) compared to the sham group, although not reaching statistical significance. Surprisingly, in the cathodal group RTs were decreased significantly. All subjects were faster in the second half of the task, but the tDCS-induced improvement lasted for the entire duration of the task. Error rates were not influenced by tDCS, neither were RTs in a choice reaction time task. Thus, both anodal and cathodal tDCS applied to Wernicke's area improved semantic processing. Recently, a meta-analysis revealed that the canonical anodal excitation and cathodal inhibition assumption is observed rarely in cognitive studies. In particular, an inhibitory effect of cathodal tDCS on cognition is rare. Our findings thus support the speculation, that especially language functions could be somewhat 'immune' to cathodal inhibition. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Economic and environmental characterization of an evolving Li-ion battery waste stream.

PubMed

Wang, Xue; Gaustad, Gabrielle; Babbitt, Callie W; Bailey, Chelsea; Ganter, Matthew J; Landi, Brian J

2014-03-15

While disposal bans of lithium-ion batteries are gaining in popularity, the infrastructure required to recycle these batteries has not yet fully emerged and the economic motivation for this type of recycling system has not yet been quantified comprehensively. This study combines economic modeling and fundamental material characterization methods to quantify economic trade-offs for lithium ion batteries at their end-of-life. Results show that as chemistries transition from lithium-cobalt based cathodes to less costly chemistries, battery recovery value decreases along with the initial value of the raw materials used. For example, manganese-spinel and iron phosphate cathode batteries have potential material values 73% and 79% less than cobalt cathode batteries, respectively. A majority of the potentially recoverable value resides in the base metals contained in the cathode; this increases disassembly cost and time as this is the last portion of the battery taken apart. A great deal of compositional variability exists, even within the same cathode chemistry, due to differences between manufacturers with coefficient of variation up to 37% for some base metals. Cathode changes over time will result in a heavily co-mingled waste stream, further complicating waste management and recycling processes. These results aim to inform disposal, collection, and take-back policies being proposed currently that affect waste management infrastructure as well as guide future deployment of novel recycling techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lithium rich cathode/graphite anode combination for lithium ion cells with high tolerance to near zero volt storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crompton, K. R.; Staub, J. W.; Hladky, M. P.; Landi, B. J.

2017-03-01

Management of reversible lithium is an advantageous approach to design lithium ion cells that are tolerant to near zero volt (NZV) storage under fixed resistive load towards highly controllable, enhanced user-inactive safety. Presently, the first cycle loss from a high energy density Li-rich HE5050 cathode is used to provide excess reversible lithium when paired with an appropriately capacity matched mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) anode. Cells utilizing 1.2 M LiPF6 3:7 v/v ethylene carbonate:ethyl methyl carbonate electrolyte and a lithium reference were used for 3-electrode testing. After conditioning, a fixed resistive load was applied to 3-electrode cells for 72 or 168-h during which the anode potential and electrode asymptotic potential (EAP) remained less than the copper dissolution potential. After multiple storage cycles (room temperature or 40 °C), the NZV coulombic efficiency (cell reversibility) exceeded 97% and the discharge capacity retention was >98%. Conventional 2-electrode HE5050/MCMB pouch cells stored at NZV or open circuit for 3 days had nearly identical rate capability (up to 5C) and discharge performance stability (for 500 cycles under a 30% depth of discharge low-earth-orbit regime). Thus, lithium ion cells with appropriately capacity matched HE5050/MCMB electrodes have excellent tolerance to prolonged NZV storage, which can lead to enhanced user-inactive safety.

Functional Testing of the Space Station Plasma Contactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael J.; Hamley, John A.; Sarver-Verhey, Timothy R.; Soulas, George C.

1995-01-01

A plasma contactor system has been baselined for the International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) to control the electrical potentials of surfaces to eliminate/mitigate damaging interactions with the space environment. The system represents a dual-use technology which is a direct outgrowth of the NASA electric propulsion program and, in particular, the technology development effort on ion thruster systems. The plasma contactor subsystems include a hollow cathode assembly, a power electronics unit, and an expellant management unit. Under a pre-flight development program these subsystems are being developed to the level of maturity appropriate for transfer to U.S. industry for final development. Development efforts for the hollow cathode assembly include design selection and refinement, validating its required lifetime, and quantifying the cathode performance and interface specifications. To date, cathode components have demonstrated over 10,000 hours lifetime, and a hollow cathode assembly has demonstrated over 3,000 ignitions. Additionally, preliminary integration testing of a hollow cathode assembly with a breadboard power electronics unit has been completed. This paper discusses test results and the development status of the plasma contactor subsystems for ISSA, and in particular, the hollow cathode assembly.

Electrochemical double layers at the interface between glassy electrolytes and platinum: Differentiating between the anode and the cathode capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruempelmann, J.; Mariappan, C. R.; Schober, C.; Roling, B.

2010-12-01

We have measured potential-dependent interfacial capacitances of two Na-Ca-phosphosilicate glasses and of an AgI-doped silver borate glass between ion-blocking Pt electrodes. An asymmetric electrode configuration with highly dissimilar electrode areas on both faces of the glass samples allowed us to determine the capacitance at the small-area electrode. Using equivalent circuit fitting we extract potential-dependent double-layer capacitances. The potential-dependent anodic capacitance exhibits a weak maximum and drops strongly at higher potentials. The cathodic capacitance exhibits a more pronounced maximum, this maximum being responsible for the maximum in the total capacitance observed in measurements in a symmetrical electrode configuration. The capacitance maxima of the Na-Ca phosphosilicate glasses show up at higher electrode potentials than the maxima of the AgI-doped silver borate glass. Remarkably, for both types of glasses, the potential of the cathodic capacitance maximum is closely related to the activation energy of the bulk ion transport. We compare our results to recent theoretical predictions by Shklovskii and co-workers.

Novel Low-Cost, Low-Power Miniature Thermionic Cathode Developed for Microwave/Millimeter Wave Tube and Cathode Ray Tube Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, Edwin G.

1999-01-01

A low cost, small size and mass, low heater power, durable high-performance barium dispenser thermionic cathode has been developed that offers significant advancements in the design, manufacture, and performance of the electron sources used in vacuum electronic devices--such as microwave (and millimeter wave) traveling-wave tubes (TWT's)--and in display devices such as high-brightness, high-resolution cathode ray tubes (CRT's). The lower cathode heater power and the reduced size and mass of the new cathode are expected to be especially beneficial in TWT's for deep space communications, where future missions are requiring smaller spacecraft, higher data transfer rates (higher frequencies and radiofrequency output power), and greater electrical efficiency. Also expected to benefit are TWT's for commercial and government communication satellites, for both low and geosynchronous Earth orbit, with additional benefits offered by lower cost and potentially higher cathode current loading. A particularly important TWT application is in the microwave power module (MPM), which is a hybrid microwave (or millimeter wave) amplifier consisting of a low-noise solid state driver, a vacuum power booster (small TWT), and an electronic power conditioner integrated into a single compact package. The attributes of compactness and potentially high electrical efficiency make the MPM very attractive for many commercial and government (civilian and defense) applications in communication and radar systems. The MPM is already finding application in defense electronic systems and is under development by NASA for deep space communications. However, for the MPM to become competitive and commercially successful, a major reduction in cost must be achieved.

Insertion of lattice strains into ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel by mechanical stress: A comparison of perfect versus imperfect structures as a cathode for Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozawa, Takahiro; Murakami, Takeshi; Naito, Makio

2016-07-01

The Ni-doped lithium manganese oxide, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, has received much attention as a cathode active material in high-energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This active material has two different spinel structures depending on the ordering state of the Ni and Mn ions. The ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel has an inferior cathode performance than the disordered phase because of its poor electronic conductivity. However, the ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel possesses the potential advantage of avoiding dissolution of the Mn ion, which is an issue for the disordered spinel. The improvement of cathode performance is important for future applications. Here, we report a unique approach to improve the cathode performance of the ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel. The mechanical treatment using an attrition-type mill successfully inserted lattice strains into the ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel structure without a phase transformation to the disordered phase. The insertion of lattice strains by mechanical stresses provided an increased discharge capacity and a decreased charge transfer resistance. This limited crystal structure modification improved the cathode performance. The present work has the potential for application of the mechanically treated ordered LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 spinel as a cathode for high-energy LIBs.

Effects of Neutral Density on Energetic Ions Produced Near High-Current Hollow Cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kameyama, Ikuya

1997-01-01

Energy distributions of ion current from high-current, xenon hollow cathodes, which are essential information to understand erosion phenomena observed in high-power ion thrusters, were obtained using an electrostatic energy analyzer (ESA). The effects of ambient pressure and external flow rate introduced immediately downstream of hollow cathode on ion currents with energies greater than that associated with the cathode-to-anode potential difference were investigated. The results were analyzed to determine the changes in the magnitudes of ion currents to the ESA at various energies. Either increasing the ambient pressure or adding external flow induces an increase in the distribution of ion currents with moderate energies (epsilon less than 25 to 35 eV) and a decrease in the distribution for high energies (epsilon greater than 25 to 35 eV). The magnitude of the current distribution increase in the moderate energy range is greater for a cathode equipped with a toroidal keeper than for one without a keeper, but the distribution in the high energy range does not seem to be affected by a keeper. An MHD model, which has been proposed to describe energetic-ion production mechanism in hollow cathode at high discharge currents, was developed to describe these effects. The results show, however, that this model involves no mechanism by which a significant increase of ion current could occur at any energy. It was found, on the other hand, that the potential-hill model of energetic ion production, which assumes existence of a local maximum of plasma potential, could explain combined increases in the currents of ions with moderate energies and decreases in high energy ions due to increased neutral atom density using a charge-exchange mechanism. The existing, simplified version of the potential-hill model, however, shows poor quantitative agreement with measured ion-current-energy-distribution changes induced by neutral density changes.

Kinetics of oxygen reduction in perovskite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells: A combined modeling and experimental approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miara, Lincoln James

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to replace conventional stationary power generation technologies; however, there are major obstacles to commercialization, the most problematic of which is poor cathode performance. Commercialization of SOFCs will follow when the mechanisms occurring at the cathode are more thoroughly understood and adapted for market use. The catalytic reduction of oxygen occurring in SOFC cathodes consists of many elementary steps such as gas phase diffusion, chemical and/or electrochemical reactions which lead to the adsorption and dissociation of molecular oxygen onto the cathode surface, mass transport of oxygen species along the surface and/or through the bulk of the cathode, and full reduction and incorporation of the oxygen at the cathode/electrolyte two or three phase boundary. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is the main technique used to identify the occurrence of these different processes, but when this technique is used without an explicit model describing the kinetics it is difficult to unravel the interdependence of each of these processes. The purpose of this dissertation is to identify the heterogeneous reactions occurring at the cathode of an SOFC by combining experimental EIS results with mathematical models describing the time dependent behavior of the system. This analysis is performed on two different systems. In the first case, experimental EIS results from patterned half cells composed of Ca-doped lanthanum manganite (LCM)| yttria-doped ZrO2 (YSZ) are modeled to investigate the temperature and partial pressure of oxygen, pO2, dependence of oxygen adsorption/dissociation onto the LCM surface, surface diffusion of atomic oxygen, and electrochemical reduction and incorporation of the oxygen into the electrolyte in the vicinity of the triple phase boundary (TPB). This model determines the time-independent state-space equations from which the Faradaic admittance transfer function is obtained. The unknown rate constants (kad, k des, k1, k1¯ ), and parameters (Ds, Q°, n) arising from the governing equations are estimated from a combination of experiments, mathematical analysis, and numerical data analysis. In the second system, dense patterned films of cathode with composition: La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-delta (LSCF-6428) were fabricated on Ga-doped CeO2 coated YSZ substrates. These samples were analyzed by EIS over a temperature and pO 2 range of 600--800 °C and 10-3--1.00 atm, respectively. To understand the EIS results, a 2-dimensional model was developed which accounted for surface oxygen exchange, and both surface and bulk transport of oxygen to the electrolyte interface. The results were obtained by numerically solving a stationary partial differential equation describing the oxygen vacancy distribution in the cathode. From these results, the model impedance was derived and then fitted to the experimental EIS results. From the fitting results the contributions to the impedance from each of the processes were estimated. Also, the surface exchange rate was estimated over the experimental operating conditions. Finally, the results suggest that the surface diffusion occurred by an interstitial type mechanism in this material. The cathode surface is intimately involved in most of the oxygen reduction processes; however, the surface structure and chemistry is typically treated as an extension of the bulk without consideration of the actual surface properties. Recent evidence suggests that significant changes occur to the surface during operation which in turn leads to changes in electrochemical performance. To investigate these phenomena, well-oriented thin films (250 nm in thickness) of Sr-doped lanthanum manginite (LSM) films were grown on single crystals of YSZ (111). Films which were cathodically biased with a -1 V applied dc potential were compared to control samples. The cathodic bias results in both an enhancement in electrochemical performance and a change in surface chemistry. The changes in electrochemical performance were monitored by ES, while the surface changes were tracked with a combination of soft x-ray techniques such as x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The soft x-ray results indicated that the removal of surface passivating phases (i.e., SrO and MnO) are correlated with improved performance. This work demonstrates the success of estimating fundamental parameters, such as diffusivity and surface coverage, from experimental EIS results using a physically realistic model without, as is commonly done, assuming a specific rate limiting step or using an ambiguous equivalent circuit. This allows researchers to fabricate designer cathodes by selecting materials with optimal kinetic properties such as rapid oxygen dissociation and rapid oxygen transport in (or on) the cathode, independent of geometry.

Membraneless laminar flow cell for electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction with liquid product separation

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

Monroe, Morgan M.; Lobaccaro, Peter; Lum, Yanwei

The production of liquid fuel products via electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is a potential path to produce sustainable fuels. However, to be practical, a separation strategy is required to isolate the fuel-containing electrolyte produced at the cathode from the anode and also prevent the oxidation products (i.e. O 2) from reaching the cathode. Ion-conducting membranes have been applied in CO 2 reduction reactors to achieve this separation, but they represent an efficiency loss and can be permeable to some product species. An alternative membraneless approach is developed here to maintain product separation through the use of a laminar flowmore » cell. Computational modelling shows that near-unity separation efficiencies are possible at current densities achievable now with metal cathodes via optimization of the spacing between the electrodes and the electrolyte flow rate. Laminar flow reactor prototypes were fabricated with a range of channel widths by 3D printing. CO 2 reduction to formic acid on Sn electrodes was used as the liquid product forming reaction, and the separation efficiency for the dissolved product was evaluated with high performance liquid chromatography. Trends in product separation efficiency with channel width and flow rate were in qualitative agreement with the model, but the separation efficiency was lower, with a maximum value of 90% achieved.« less

Membraneless laminar flow cell for electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction with liquid product separation

DOE PAGES

Monroe, Morgan M.; Lobaccaro, Peter; Lum, Yanwei; ...

2017-03-16

The production of liquid fuel products via electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is a potential path to produce sustainable fuels. However, to be practical, a separation strategy is required to isolate the fuel-containing electrolyte produced at the cathode from the anode and also prevent the oxidation products (i.e. O 2) from reaching the cathode. Ion-conducting membranes have been applied in CO 2 reduction reactors to achieve this separation, but they represent an efficiency loss and can be permeable to some product species. An alternative membraneless approach is developed here to maintain product separation through the use of a laminar flowmore » cell. Computational modelling shows that near-unity separation efficiencies are possible at current densities achievable now with metal cathodes via optimization of the spacing between the electrodes and the electrolyte flow rate. Laminar flow reactor prototypes were fabricated with a range of channel widths by 3D printing. CO 2 reduction to formic acid on Sn electrodes was used as the liquid product forming reaction, and the separation efficiency for the dissolved product was evaluated with high performance liquid chromatography. Trends in product separation efficiency with channel width and flow rate were in qualitative agreement with the model, but the separation efficiency was lower, with a maximum value of 90% achieved.« less

A Molecular Electronic Transducer based Low-Frequency Accelerometer with Electrolyte Droplet Sensing Body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Mengbing

"Sensor Decade" has been labeled on the first decade of the 21st century. Similar to the revolution of micro-computer in 1980s, sensor R&D developed rapidly during the past 20 years. Hard workings were mainly made to minimize the size of devices with optimal the performance. Efforts to develop the small size devices are mainly concentrated around Micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) technology. MEMS accelerometers are widely published and used in consumer electronics, such as smart phones, gaming consoles, anti-shake camera and vibration detectors. This study represents liquid-state low frequency micro-accelerometer based on molecular electronic transducer (MET), in which inertial mass is not the only but also the conversion of mechanical movement to electric current signal is the main utilization of the ionic liquid. With silicon-based planar micro-fabrication, the device uses a sub-micron liter electrolyte droplet sealed in oil as the sensing body and a MET electrode arrangement which is the anode-cathode-cathode-anode (ACCA) in parallel as the read-out sensing part. In order to sensing the movement of ionic liquid, an imposed electric potential was applied between the anode and the cathode. The electrode reaction, I3-- + 2e-- ↔ 3I --, occurs around the cathode which is reverse at the anodes. Obviously, the current magnitude varies with the concentration of ionic liquid, which will be effected by the movement of liquid droplet as the inertial mass. With such structure, the promising performance of the MET device design is to achieve 10.8 V/G (G=9.81 m/s2) sensitivity at 20 Hz with the bandwidth from 1 Hz to 50 Hz, and a low noise floor of 100 microg/sqrt(Hz) at 20 Hz.

Removal of ammonium ion from produced waters in petroleum offshore exploitation by a batch single-stage electrolytic process.

PubMed

de Lima, Rosilda Maria Gomes; da Silva Wildhagen, Glória Regina; da Cunha, José Waldemar Silva Dias; Afonso, Julio Carlos

2009-01-30

This work describes a batch single-stage electrochemical process to remove quantitatively the ammonium ion from produced waters from petroleum exploration of the Campos' Basin, seeking to fulfil the directories of the National Brazilian Environmental Council. The anode was made out of titanium covered by a layer of RuO(2)+TiO(2) oxides (Dimensionally Stable Anode), whereas the cathode was made out of pure titanium. Anodic and cathodic compartments were separated by a membrane. The applied current varied from 0.3 to 1.5A. As the current increased NH(4)(+) removal was faster and pH was rapidly decreased to 3. The pH of the anodic compartment increased to approximately 10. When the current was 0.92 A chlorine evolution was observed after 40 min or only 15 min when that current was 1.50 A. In this voltage a deposit containing alkali-earth metal hydroxides/sulphates was formed on the membrane surface of the cathode side, thus suggesting a diffusion process from the anodic to the cathodic compartment. The maximum current applied to the cell must not exceed approximately 0.70 A in order to avoid chlorine evolution. Ammonia removal was over 99.9 wt% at 0.68 A in about 75 min.

Research to develop guidelines for cathodic protection of concentric neutral cables, volume 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanck, J. A.; Nekoksa, G.

1981-08-01

Data from field tests and sieve analyses presented in support of an effort to develop guidelines for the installation of underground transmission primary cables. Anodic and cathodic polarization curves and the surface and cable potential gradients from 38 bellholes.

Challenges in computational evaluation of redox and magnetic properties of Fe-based sulfate cathode materials of Li- and Na-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishkin, Maxim; Sato, Hirofumi

2017-06-01

Several Fe-based sulfates have been proposed recently as cathode materials characterized by a high average operating voltage (i.e. Li2Fe(SO4)2 and Na2Fe2(SO4)3) or low fabrication temperature (e.g. Na2Fe(SO4)2·2H2O)). In this work, we apply three methods to evaluate the redox potentials and magnetic properties of these materials: (1) local density functional theory (DFT) in Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof parametrization; (2) rotationally invariant DFT  +  U and (3) DFT  +  U with magnetic exchange, suggested herein. The U parameters used for DFT  +  U calculations have been evaluated by using a linear response method (this applies to DFT  +  U as well as DFT  +  U calculations with a magnetic exchange term). Moreover, we have performed adjustments of U and, for the case of magnetic exchange, J parameters, to find better agreement with experimental measurements of redox and magnetic properties. We find that a self-consistent DFT  +  U/linear response approach yields quite overestimated redox potentials as compared to experiment. On the other hand, we also show that DFT  +  U calculations are not capable of providing a reasonably accurate description of both redox and magnetic properties for the case of Li2Fe(SO4)2, even when adjusted U parameters are employed. As a solution, we demonstrate that a DFT  +  U methodology augmented by a magnetic exchange term potentially provides more precise values for both the redox potentials and the magnetic moments of the Fe ions in the studied materials. Thus our work shows that for a more accurate description of redox and magnetic properties, further extensions of the DFT  +  U method, such as inclusion of the contribution of magnetic exchange, should be considered.

Acetate enhances startup of a H₂-producing microbial biocathode.

PubMed

Jeremiasse, Adriaan W; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Croese, Elsemiek; Buisman, Cees J N

2012-03-01

H(2) can be produced from organic matter with a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). To decrease MEC capital costs, a cathode is needed that is made of low-cost material and produces H(2) at high rate. A microbial biocathode is a low-cost candidate, but suffers from a long startup and a low H(2) production rate. In this study, the effects of cathode potential and carbon source on microbial biocathode startup were investigated. Application of a more negative cathode potential did not decrease the startup time of the biocathode. If acetate instead of bicarbonate was used as carbon source, the biocathode started up more than two times faster. The faster startup was likely caused by a higher biomass yield for acetate than for bicarbonate, which was supported by thermodynamic calculations. To increase the H(2) production rate, a flow through biocathode fed with acetate was investigated. This biocathode produced 2.2 m(3) H(2) m(-3)  reactor day(-1) at a cathode potential of -0.7 V versus NHE, which was seven times that of a parallel flow biocathode of a previous study. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An air-breathing enzymatic cathode with extended lifetime by continuous laccase supply.

PubMed

Kipf, Elena; Sané, Sabine; Morse, Daniel; Messinger, Thorsten; Zengerle, Roland; Kerzenmacher, Sven

2018-04-22

We present a novel concept of an air-breathing enzymatic biofuel cell cathode combined with continuous supply of unpurified laccase-containing supernatant of the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor for extended lifetime. The air-breathing cathode design obviates the need for energy-intensive active aeration. In a corresponding long-term experiment at a constant current density of 50 µA cm -2 , we demonstrated an increased lifetime of 33 days (cathode potential above 0.430 V vs. SCE), independent of enzyme degradation. The obtained data suggest that theoretically a longer lifetime is feasible. However, further engineering efforts are required to prevent clogging and fouling of the supply tubes. These results represent an important step towards the realization of enzymatic biofuel cell cathodes with extended lifetime and enhanced performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energetic ion production in high current hollow cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, John; Kovach, Yao; Arthur, Neil; Viges, Eric; Davis, Chris

2015-09-01

High power Hall and gridded ion thrusters are being considered as a propulsion option supporting human operations (cargo or tug) to Mars. These engines utilize hollow cathodes for plasma production and beam neutralization. It has now been well documented that these cathodes produce energetic ions when operated at high current densities. Such ions are observed with peak energies approaching 100 eV. Because these ions can drive erosion of the cathode assembly, they represent a credible failure mode. An understanding of energetic ion production and approaches to mitigation is therefore desired. Presented here are data documenting the presence of energetic ions for both a barium oxide and a lanthanum hexaboride cathode as measured using a retarding potential analyzer. Also presented are energetic ion mitigation approaches, which are designed to eliminate the ion energy transfer mechanism. NASA SBIR Contract NNX15CP62P.

Chemical vapor infiltration of TiB{sub 2} fibrous composites

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

Besmann, T.M.

1997-04-01

This program is designed to develop a Hall-Heroult aluminum smelting cathode with substantially improved properties. The carbon cathodes in current use require significant anode-to-cathode spacing in order to prevent shorting, causing significant electrical inefficiencies. This is due to the non-wettability of carbon by aluminum which causes instability in the cathodic aluminum pad. It is suggested that a fiber reinforced-TiB{sub 2} matrix composite would have the requisite wettability, strength, strain-to-failure, cost, and lifetime to solve this problem. The approach selected to fabricate such a cathode material is chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). This process produces high purity matrix TiB{sub 2} without damagingmore » the relatively fragile fibers. The program is designed to evaluate potential fiber reinforcements, fabricate test specimens, and scale the process to provide demonstration components.« less

Effects of an Internally-Mounted Cathode on Hall Thruster Plume Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofer, Richard R.; Johnson, Lee K.; Goebel, Dan M.; Fitzgerald, Dennis J.

2006-01-01

The effects of cathode position on the plume properties of an 8 kW BHT-8000 Busek Hall thruster are discussed. Experiments were conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in a vacuum chamber suitable for the development and qualification of high-power Hall thrusters. Multi-mode Hall thruster operation was demonstrated at operating conditions ranging from 200-500 V discharge voltage, 10-40 A discharge current, and 2-8 kW discharge power. Reductions in plume divergence and increased near-field plume symmetries were found to result from the use of an internally-mounted cathode instead of the traditional externally-mounted configuration. High-current hollow cathodes developed at JPL utilizing lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) emitters were also demonstrated. Discharge currents up to 100 A were achieved with the cathode operating alone and up to 40 A during operation with the Hall thruster. LaB6 cathodes were investigated because of their potential to reduce overall system cost and risk due to less stringent xenon purity and handling requirements.

Planar-focusing cathodes.

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

Lewellen, J. W.; Noonan, J.; Accelerator Systems Division

2005-01-01

Conventional {pi}-mode rf photoinjectors typically use magnetic solenoids for emittance compensation. This provides independent focusing strength but can complicate rf power feed placement, introduce asymmetries (due to coil crossovers), and greatly increase the cost of the photoinjector. Cathode-region focusing can also provide for a form of emittance compensation. Typically this method strongly couples focusing strength to the field gradient on the cathode, however, and usually requires altering the longitudinal position of the cathode to change the focusing. We propose a new method for achieving cathode-region variable-strength focusing for emittance compensation. The new method reduces the coupling to the gradient onmore » the cathode and does not require a change in the longitudinal position of the cathode. Expected performance for an S-band system is similar to conventional solenoid-based designs. This paper presents the results of rf cavity and beam dynamics simulations of the new design. We have proposed a method for performing emittance compensation using a cathode-region focusing scheme. This technique allows the focusing strength to be adjusted somewhat independently of the on-axis field strength. Beam dynamics calculations indicate performance should be comparable to presently in-use emittance compensation schemes, with a simpler configuration and fewer possibilities for emittance degradation due to the focusing optics. There are several potential difficulties with this approach, including cathode material selection, cathode heating, and peak fields in the gun. We hope to begin experimenting with a cathode of this type in the near future, and several possibilities exist for reducing the peak gradients to more acceptable levels.« less

A Smart Microwave Vacuum Electron Device (MVED) Using Field Emitters

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-31

operation of the device. By using a larger retardation value, the slow wave phase velocity is decreased allowing a lower E/B drift velocity. By reducing...the drift velocity the device is able to run at a lower cathode potential reducing the risk of high voltage arcing. This new slow wave circuit will...sole electrode above the cathode by using a thin dielectric layer ( mylar ) on top of the cathode and placing the sole electrode on the dielectric

Zirconium behaviour during electrorefining of actinide-zirconium alloy in molten LiCl-KCl on aluminium cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, R.; Souček, P.; Malmbeck, R.; Krachler, M.; Rodrigues, A.; Claux, B.; Glatz, J.-P.; Fanghänel, Th.

2016-04-01

A pyrochemical electrorefining process for the recovery of actinides from metallic nuclear fuel based on actinide-zirconium alloys (An-Zr) in a molten salt is being investigated. In this process actinides are group-selectively recovered on solid aluminium cathodes as An-Al alloys using a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt at a temperature of 450 °C. In the present study the electrochemical behaviour of zirconium during electrorefining was investigated. The maximum amount of actinides that can be oxidised without anodic co-dissolution of zirconium was determined at a selected constant cathodic current density. The experiment consisted of three steps to assess the different stages of the electrorefining process, each of which employing a fresh aluminium cathode. The results indicate that almost a complete dissolution of the actinides without co-dissolution of zirconium is possible under the applied experimental conditions.

Confined Sulfur in 3 D MXene/Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrid Nanosheets for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

PubMed

Bao, Weizhai; Xie, Xiuqiang; Xu, Jing; Guo, Xin; Song, Jianjun; Wu, Wenjian; Su, Dawei; Wang, Guoxiu

2017-09-12

Three-dimensional metal carbide MXene/reduced graphene oxide hybrid nanosheets are prepared and applied as a cathode host material for lithium-sulfur batteries. The composite cathodes are obtained through a facile and effective two-step liquid-phase impregnation method. Owing to the unique 3 D layer structure and functional 2 D surfaces of MXene and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets for effective trapping of sulfur and lithium polysulfides, the MXene/reduced graphene oxide/sulfur composite cathodes deliver a high initial capacity of 1144.2 mAh g -1 at 0.5 C and a high level of capacity retention of 878.4 mAh g -1 after 300 cycles. It is demonstrated that hybrid metal carbide MXene/reduced graphene oxide nanosheets could be a promising cathode host material for lithium-sulfur batteries. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Strategies to curb structural changes of lithium/transition metal oxide cathode materials & the changes’ effects on thermal & cycling stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiqian, Yu; Enyuan, Hu; Seongmin, Bak; Yong-Ning, Zhou; Xiao-Qing, Yang

2016-01-01

Structural transformation behaviors of several typical oxide cathode materials during a heating process are reviewed in detail to provide in-depth understanding of the key factors governing the thermal stability of these materials. We also discuss applying the information about heat induced structural evolution in the study of electrochemically induced structural changes. All these discussions are expected to provide valuable insights for designing oxide cathode materials with significantly improved structural stability for safe, long-life lithium ion batteries, as the safety of lithium-ion batteries is a critical issue; it is widely accepted that the thermal instability of the cathodes is one of the most critical factors in thermal runaway and related safety problems. Project supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Vehicle Technologies (Grant No. DE-SC0012704).

U.sup.+4 generation in HTER

DOEpatents

Miller, William E [Naperville, IL; Gay, Eddie C [Park Forest, IL; Tomczuk, Zygmunt [Homer Glen, IL

2006-03-14

A improved device and process for recycling spent nuclear fuels, in particular uranium metal, that facilitates the refinement and recovery of uranium metal from spent metallic nuclear fuels. The electrorefiner device comprises two anodes in predetermined spatial relation to a cathode. The anodese have separate current and voltage controls. A much higher voltage than normal for the electrorefining process is applied to the second anode, thereby facilitating oxidization of uranium (III), U.sup.+, to uranium (IV), U.sup.+4. The current path from the second anode to the cathode is physically shorter than the similar current path from the second anode to the spent nuclear fuel contained in a first anode shaped as a basket. The resulting U.sup.+4 oxidizes and solubilizes rough uranium deposited on the surface of the cathode. A softer uranium metal surface is left on the cathode and is more readily removed by a scraper.

Determination of Optimal Parameters for Dual-Layer Cathode of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Using Computational Intelligence-Aided Design

PubMed Central

Chen, Yi; Huang, Weina; Peng, Bei

2014-01-01

Because of the demands for sustainable and renewable energy, fuel cells have become increasingly popular, particularly the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Among the various components, the cathode plays a key role in the operation of a PEFC. In this study, a quantitative dual-layer cathode model was proposed for determining the optimal parameters that minimize the over-potential difference and improve the efficiency using a newly developed bat swarm algorithm with a variable population embedded in the computational intelligence-aided design. The simulation results were in agreement with previously reported results, suggesting that the proposed technique has potential applications for automating and optimizing the design of PEFCs. PMID:25490761

Reductions in Aprotic Media. I. Cathodic Reduction Limits in Acetonitrile at a Platinum Electrode.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-15

specifically; (1) The difference in the effect of water on lithium solutions and tetraalkylammonium solutions, (2) the passivation of a platinum electrode...solutions. 5 EXPERIMENTAL Procedure for Controlled Potential Electrolysis The electrolyses were performed in a glass H-cell. The anode and cathode...fine porous glass frit from the Luggin section. The electrolyses were run in constant potential mode. After electrolysis, the catholyte was removed and

Production of High Energy Ions Near an Ion Thruster Discharge Hollow Cathode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Ira; Mikellides, I. G.; Goebel, D. M.; Jameson, K. K.; Wirz, R.; Polk, James E.

2006-01-01

Several researchers have measured ions leaving ion thruster discharge chambers with energies far greater than measured discharge chamber potentials. Presented in this paper is a new mechanism for the generation of high energy ions and a comparison with measured ion spectra. The source of high energy ions has been a puzzle because they not only have energies in excess of measured steady state potentials, but as reported by Goebel et. al. [1], their flux is independent of the amplitude of time dependent plasma fluctuations. The mechanism relies on the charge exchange neutralization of xenon ions accelerated radially into the potential trough in front of the discharge cathode. Previous researchers [2] have identified the importance of charge exchange in this region as a mechanism for protecting discharge cathode surfaces from ion bombardment. This paper is the first to identify how charge exchange in this region can lead to ion energy enhancement.

Reducing DRIFT backgrounds with a submicron aluminized-mylar cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battat, J. B. R.; Daw, E.; Dorofeev, A.; Ezeribe, A. C.; Fox, J. R.; Gauvreau, J.-L.; Gold, M.; Harmon, L.; Harton, J.; Lafler, R.; Landers, J.; Lauer, R. J.; Lee, E. R.; Loomba, D.; Lumnah, A.; Matthews, J.; Miller, E. H.; Mouton, F.; Murphy, A. St. J.; Paling, S. M.; Phan, N.; Sadler, S. W.; Scarff, A.; Schuckman, F. G.; Snowden-Ifft, D.; Spooner, N. J. C.; Walker, D.

2015-09-01

Background events in the DRIFT-IId dark matter detector, mimicking potential WIMP signals, are predominantly caused by alpha decays on the central cathode in which the alpha particle is completely or partially absorbed by the cathode material. We installed a 0.9 μm thick aluminized-mylar cathode as a way to reduce the probability of producing these backgrounds. We study three generations of cathode (wire, thin-film, and radiologically clean thin-film) with a focus on the ratio of background events to alpha decays. Two independent methods of measuring the absolute alpha decay rate are used to ensure an accurate result, and agree to within 10%. Using alpha range spectroscopy, we measure the radiologically cleanest cathode version to have a contamination of 3.3±0.1 ppt 234U and 73±2 ppb 238U. This cathode reduces the probability of producing an RPR from an alpha decay by a factor of 70±20 compared to the original stainless steel wire cathode. First results are presented from a texturized version of the cathode, intended to be even more transparent to alpha particles. These efforts, along with other background reduction measures, have resulted in a drop in the observed background rate from 500/day to 1/day. With the recent implementation of full-volume fiducialization, these remaining background events are identified, allowing for background-free operation.

Studies of Microdischarge Plasma Thrusters for Nanosatellite Propulsion

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

sections 0^ based on the Lennard - Jones interaction potentials14 are used to determine the neutral transport properties using vk = nk gkt^kb, where g... potential that exists between the MPT and the vacuum. The expulsion of hot gas and ions into the vacuum generates thrust. So far the MPT has been...cathode and e2 is at a potential between ej and e3. In fig. 3 b, ei is anode and e3 is cathode whereas e2 is floating. The power supply for ei is

Hot ion plasma production in HIP-1 using water-cooled hollow cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinmann, J. J.; Lauver, M. R.; Patch, R. W.; Layman, R. W.; Snyder, A.

1975-01-01

A steady-state ExB plasma was formed by applying a strong radially inward dc electric field near the mirror throats. Most of the results were for hydrogen, but deuterium and helium plasmas were also studied. Three water-cooled hollow cathodes were operated in the hot-ion plasma mode with the following results: (1) thermally emitting cathodes were not required to achieve the hot-ion mode; (2) steady-state operation (several minutes) was attained; (3) input powers greater than 40 kW were achieved; (4) cathode outside diameters were increased from 1.2 cm (uncooled) to 4.4 cm (water-cooled); (5) steady-state hydrogen plasma with ion temperatures from 185 to 770 eV and electron temperatures from 5 to 21 eV were produced. Scaling relations were empirically obtained for discharge current, ion temperature, electron temperature, and relative ion density as a function of hydrogen gas feed rate, magnetic field, and cathode voltage. Neutrons were produced from deuterium plasma, but it was not established whether thay came from the plasma volume or from the electrode surfaces.

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

An, Seong Jin; Li, Jianlin; Daniel, Claus

Simple three-electrode pouch cells which can be used in distinguishing the voltage and resistance in individual electrodes of lithium ion batteries have been designed. Baseline (1 mm-staggered alignment, cathode away from a reference electrode) and aligned electrodes to a reference electrode located outside of the anode and cathode were studied to see alignment effects on resistance analysis. Cells composed of A12 graphite anodes, LiNi 0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O 2 (NMC 532 or NCM 523) cathodes, lithium foil references, microporous tri-layer membranes, and electrolytes, were cycled with cathode cutoff voltages between 3.0 V and 4.3 V for formation cycles or 4.6 Vmore » for C-rate performance testing. By applying a hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) technique to the cells, resistances of the baseline cells contributed by the anode and cathode were found to be different from those of the aligned cells, although overall resistances were close to ones from aligned cells. As a result, resistances obtained via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and 2D simulation were also compared with those obtained from HPPC.« less

Theoretical and experimental investigation into high current hollow cathode arc attachment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downey, Ryan T.

This research addresses several concerns of the mechanisms controlling performance and lifetime of high-current single-channel-hollow-cathodes, the central electrode and primary life-limiting component in Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Specifically covered are the trends, and the theorized governing mechanisms, seen in the discharge efficiency and power, the size of the plasma attachment to the cathode (the active zone), cathode exit plume plasma density and energy, along with plasma property distributions of the internal plasma column (the IPC) of a single-channel-hollow-cathode. Both experiment and computational modeling were employed in the analysis of the cathodes. Employing Tantalum and Tungsten cathodes (of 2, 6 and 10 mm inner diameter), experiments were conducted to measure the temperature profile of operating cathodes, the width of the active zone, the discharge voltage, power, plasma arc resistance and efficiency, with mass flow rates of 50 to 300 sccm of Argon, and discharge currents of 15 to 50 Amps. Langmuir probing was used to obtain measurements for the electron temperature, plasma density and plasma potential at the cathode exit plane (down stream tip). A computational model was developed to predict the distribution of plasma inside the cathode, based upon experimentally determined boundary conditions. It was determined that the peak cathode temperature is a function of both interior cathode density and discharge current, though the location of the peak temperature is controlled gas density but not discharge current. The active zone width was found to be an increasing function of the discharge current, but a decreasing function of the mass flow rate. The width of the active zone was found to not be controlled by the magnitude of the peak cathode wall temperature. The discharge power consumed per unit of mass throughput is seen as a decreasing function of the mass flow rate, showing the increasing efficiency of the cathode. Finally, this new understanding of the mechanisms of the plasma attachment phenomena of a single-channel-hollow-cathode were extrapolated to the multi-channel-hollow-cathode environment, to explain performance characteristics of these devices seen in previous research.

MnS decorated N/S codoped 3D graphene which used as cathode of the lithium-sulfur battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongtao; Xu, Rongfei; Deng, Shenzhen; Su, Xin; Wu, Wenting; Liu, Shuiping; Wu, Mingbo

2018-03-01

A scale-upable MnS nanocrystal decorated N/S codoped graphene nanocomposite (MNSG) for Li-S batteries has been readily synthesized through hydrothermal process and followed by thermal treatment under N2. Sulfur is loaded into nanohybrid to produce an outstanding Li-S battery cathode through integrating the advantages and avoiding the disadvantages of graphene and MnS. The optimized cathode can deliver a higher capacity of 756 m Ah g-1 at 0.5 C (1 C = 1675 mA g-1) after 200 cycles and can retain 73% of the initial capacity, which indicates a potential applicable cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries.

Experimental study on copper cathode erosion rate and rotational velocity of magnetically driven arcs in a well-type cathode non-transferred plasma torch operating in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chau, S. W.; Hsu, K. L.; Lin, D. L.; Tzeng, C. C.

2007-04-01

The cathode erosion rate, arc root velocity and output power of a well-type cathode (WTC), non-transferred plasma torch operating in air are studied experimentally in this paper. An external solenoid to generate a magnetically driven arc and a circular swirler to produce a vortex flow structure are equipped in the studied torch system, which is designed to reduce the erosion rate at the cathode. A least square technique is applied to correlate the system parameters, i.e. current, axial magnetic field and mass flow rate, with the cathode erosion rate, arc root velocity and system power output. In the studied WTC torch system, the cathode erosion has a major thermal erosion component and a minor component due to the ion-bombardment effect. The cathode erosion increases with the increase of current due to the enhancement in both Joule heating and ion bombardment. The axial magnetic field can significantly reduce the cathode erosion by reducing the thermal loading of cathode materials at the arc root and improving the heat transfer to gas near the cathode. But, the rise in the mass flow rate leads to the deterioration of erosion, since the ion-bombardment effect prevails over the convective cooling at the cathode. The most dominant system parameter to influence the arc root velocity is the axial magnetic field, which is mainly contributed to the magnetic force driving the arc. The growth in current has a negative impact on increasing the arc root velocity, because the friction force acting at the spot due to a severe molten condition becomes the dominant component counteracting the magnetic force. The mass flow rate also suppresses the arc root velocity, as a result of which the arc root moves in the direction against that of the swirled working gas. All system parameters such as current, magnetic field and gas flow rate increase with the increase in the torch output power. The experimental evidences suggest that the axial magnetic field is the most important parameter to operate the straight-polarity WTC plasma torch at high output power with a limited cathode erosion rate. This emphasizes the importance of an external magnetic field on a WTC torch system for reducing the erosion at the cathode.

Insights into PEMFC Performance Degradation from HCl in Air

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

O Baturina; A Epshteyn; P Northrup

2011-12-31

The performance degradation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is studied in the presence of HCl in the air stream. The cathode employing carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) was exposed to 4 ppm HCl in air while the cell voltage was held at 0.6 V. The HCl poisoning results in generation of chloride and chloroplatinate ions on the surface of Pt/C catalyst as determined by a combination of electrochemical tests and ex-situ chlorine K-edge X-Ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The chloride ions inhibit the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and likely affect the wetting properties of diffusion media/catalyst layer,more » while the chloroplatinate ions are responsible for enhanced platinum particle growth most likely due to platinum dissolution-redeposition. The chloride ions can cause corrosion of the Pt nanoparticles in the presence of aqueous HCl in air even if no potential is applied. Although the majority of chloride ions are desorbed from the Pt surface by hydrogen treatment of the cathode, they partially remain in the system and re-adsorb on platinum at cell voltages of 0.5-0.9 V. Chloride ions are removed from the system and fuel cell performance at 0.5-0.7 V is restored by multiple exposures to low potentials.« less

Tuning Electrochemical Properties of Li-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes by Adjusting Co/Ni Ratios and Mechanism Investigation Using in situ X-ray Diffraction and Online Continuous Flow Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Shen, ShouYu; Hong, YuHao; Zhu, FuChun; Cao, ZhenMing; Li, YuYang; Ke, FuSheng; Fan, JingJing; Zhou, LiLi; Wu, LiNa; Dai, Peng; Cai, MingZhi; Huang, Ling; Zhou, ZhiYou; Li, JunTao; Wu, QiHui; Sun, ShiGang

2018-04-18

Owing to high specific capacity of ∼250 mA h g -1 , lithium-rich layered oxide cathode materials (Li 1+ x Ni y Co z Mn (3- x-2 y-3 z)/4 O 2 ) have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation cathode materials of lithium ion batteries. However, the commercialization of this kind of cathode materials seriously restricted by voltage decay upon cycling though Li-rich materials with high cobalt content have been widely studied and show good capacity. This research successfully suppresses voltage decay upon cycling while maintaining high specific capacity with low Co/Ni ratio in Li-rich cathode materials. Online continuous flow differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS) and in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques have been applied to investigate the structure transformation of Li-rich layered oxide materials during charge-discharge process. The results of OEMS revealed that low Co/Ni ratio lithium-rich layered oxide cathode materials released no lattice oxygen at the first charge process, which will lead to the suppression of the voltage decay upon cycling. The in situ XRD results displayed the structure transition of lithium-rich layered oxide cathode materials during the charge-discharge process. The Li 1.13 Ni 0.275 Mn 0.580 O 2 cathode material exhibited a high initial medium discharge voltage of 3.710 and a 3.586 V medium discharge voltage with the lower voltage decay of 0.124 V after 100 cycles.

Doped carbon nanostructure field emitter arrays for infrared imaging

DOEpatents

Korsah, Kofi [Knoxville, TN; Baylor, Larry R [Farragut, TN; Caughman, John B [Oak Ridge, TN; Kisner, Roger A [Knoxville, TN; Rack, Philip D [Knoxville, TN; Ivanov, Ilia N [Knoxville, TN

2009-10-27

An infrared imaging device and method for making infrared detector(s) having at least one anode, at least one cathode with a substrate electrically connected to a plurality of doped carbon nanostructures; and bias circuitry for applying an electric field between the anode and the cathode such that when infrared photons are adsorbed by the nanostructures the emitted field current is modulated. The detectors can be doped with cesium to lower the work function.

Planar Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell Research and Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-28

electrolyte membrane ( PEM ) fuel cells ", Applied Surface Sei., 227 (2004) 56-72. [10] Grujicic, M., and Chittajallu, K. M., "Optimization of the...cathode geometry in polymer electrolyte membrane ( PEM ) fuel cells ", Chem. Eng. Sei., 59 (2004) 5883-5895. 36 [11] Anderson, W.K., Newman, J.C., Whitfield...M., Djilali, N, Suleman, A., "Optimization of a planar self-breathing PEM fuel cell cathode", AIAA 2006-6917, 11th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary

Development of 8-hydroxyquinoline metal based organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xiaodong

Because of its potential application for flat panel displays, solid-state lighting and 1.5 mum emitter for fiber optical communications, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been intensively researched. One of the major problems with current OLED technology relates to inefficient electron injection at the cathode interface, which causes high driving voltage and poor device stability. Making a low resistance cathode contact for electron injection is critical to device performance. This work mainly focuses on cathode interface design and engineering. The Ohmic contact using a structure of C60/LiF/Al has been developed in electron only devices. It is found that application of the C60/LiF/Al contact to Alq based OLEDs leads to a dramatic reduction in driving voltages, a significant improvement in power efficiency, and a much slower aging process. A new cathode structure based on metal-organic-metal (MOM) tri-layer films has been developed. It is found that MOM cathodes reduce reflection by deconstructive optical interference from two metal films. The absolute reflectance from the MOM tr-ilayer films can be reduced to as low as 7% in the visible light spectrum. In actual working devices, the reflectance can be reduced from ˜80% to ˜20%. MOM cathodes provide a potential low-cost solution for high contrast full-color OLED displays. Low voltage Erq based OLEDs at 1.5 mum emission have been developed. The Erq/Ag cathode interface has been found to be efficient for electron injection. Dramatic improvement in driving voltage and power efficiency has been realized by implementing Bphen and C60 into Erq devices as an electron transport layer. Integration of Erq devices on Si wafers has also been demonstrated.

Improved fuel-cell-type hydrogen sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudek, F. P.; Rutkowski, M. D.

1968-01-01

Modified hydrogen sensor replaces oxygen cathode with a cathode consisting of a sealed paste of gold hydroxide and a pure gold current collector. The net reaction which occurs during cell operation is the reduction of the gold hydroxide to gold and water, with a half-cell potential of 1.4 volts.

Analysis of compound action potentials elicited with specific current stimulating pulses in an isolated rat sciatic nerve.

PubMed

Žužek, Monika C; Rozman, Janez; Pečlin, Polona; Vrecl, Milka; Frangež, Robert

2017-02-01

The ability to selectively stimulate Aα, Aβ-fibers and Aδ-fibers in an isolated rat sciatic nerve (SNR) was assessed. The stimulus used was a current, biphasic pulse with a quasitrapezoidal cathodic phase and rectangular anodic phase where parameters were systematically varied: intensity of the cathodic phase (ic); width of the cathodic phase (tc); width of the cathodic exponential decay (texp) and time constant of the exponential decay (τexp). A SNR was stimulated using a pair of hook electrodes while conduction velocity (CV) and compound action potentials (CAP) were measured at two sites along the SNR using another two pairs of electrodes. Results showed that the highest CAP1 (8.5-9 mV), shall be expected when parameters of the stimulus were within the following range: ic=3.8-4 mA, tc=350-400 μs and texp=330-440 μs. Results also showed that with ascending tc and texp, CV of the corresponding superficial region of the SNR was reduced in both, conduction velocity of CAP1 and conduction velocity of CAP2. It was concluded that action potentials (APs) were activated in the Aβ-fibers and Aδ-fibers along with a slight AP inhibition in the Aβ-fibers. The obtained results, could serve as a tool for developing multi-electrode systems that potentially enable fiber-type selective stimulation of nerve fibers.

Pulsed electromagnetic gas acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahn, R. G.; Vonjaskowsky, W. F.; Clark, K. E.

1975-01-01

Terminal voltage measurements with long cathodes in a high power, quasi-steady MPD discharge show that the critical current for the onset of voltage fluctuations, which was previously shown to be a function of cathode area, approaches an asymptote for cathodes of very large surface area. Floating potential measurements and photographs of the discharge luminosity indicate that the fluctuations are confined to the vicinity of the cathode and hence reflect a cathode emission process rather than a fundamental limit on MPD performance. Photoelectric measurements of particular argon neutral and ion transitions show that the higher electronic states are populated more heavily than would be calculated on the basis of Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium at the local electron temperature and number density. Preliminary optical depth measurements show that for a current of 4 kA and an argon mass flow of 12 g/sec, a population inversion exists between the upper and lower states of the 4880 A argon ion transition.

The hollow cathode in the quasi-steady MPD discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Jaskowsky, W. F.; Jahn, R. G.; Clark, K. E.; Krishnan, M.

1973-01-01

A large hollow cathode has been operated in a quasi-steady MPD discharge over a range of current from 7 to 30 kA and argon mass flow from 0.04 to 6.0 g/sec. The 1.3-cm-i.d. cathode cavity attains steady emission characteristics in some tens of microseconds without the assistance of auxiliary heating, low work function inserts, or external keeper electrodes. Measured current and potential distributions within the cavity reveal that the current attaches in a zone 1 to 2 cm long with a surface current density greater than 1000 A/sq cm and a local axial electric field less than 10 V/cm. Electron densities within the cavity, estimated from spectroscopic records, are above 10 to the 17th power per cu cm, at least one order of magnitude greater than has been reported for either ion engine hollow cathodes or conventional solid cathodes in similar arc discharges.

Burning lithium in CS 2 for high-performing compact Li 2S–graphene nanocapsules for Li–S–batteries

DOE PAGES

Tan, Guoqiang; Xu, Rui; Xing, Zhenyu; ...

2017-06-12

Here, tremendous efforts have been made to design the cathode of Li–S batteries to improve their energy density and cycling life. However, challenges remain in achieving fast electronic and ionic transport while accommodating the significant cathode volumetric change, especially for the cathode with a high practical mass loading. Here we report a cathode architecture, which is constructed by burning lithium foils in a CS 2 vapour. The obtained structure features crystalline Li 2S nanoparticles wrapped by few-layer graphene (Li 2S@graphene nanocapsules). Because of the improvement on the volumetric efficiency for accommodating sulfur active species and electrical properties, the cathode designmore » enables promising electrochemical performance. More notably, at a loading of 10 mg Li2S cm –2, the electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1,160 mAh g –1s, namely, an area capacity of 8.1 mAh cm –2. Li 2S@graphene cathode demonstrates a great potential for Li-ion batteries, where the Li 2S@graphene-cathode//graphite-anode cell displays a high capacity of 730 mAh g –1s as well as stable cycle performance.« less

Burning lithium in CS 2 for high-performing compact Li 2S–graphene nanocapsules for Li–S–batteries

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

Tan, Guoqiang; Xu, Rui; Xing, Zhenyu

Here, tremendous efforts have been made to design the cathode of Li–S batteries to improve their energy density and cycling life. However, challenges remain in achieving fast electronic and ionic transport while accommodating the significant cathode volumetric change, especially for the cathode with a high practical mass loading. Here we report a cathode architecture, which is constructed by burning lithium foils in a CS 2 vapour. The obtained structure features crystalline Li 2S nanoparticles wrapped by few-layer graphene (Li 2S@graphene nanocapsules). Because of the improvement on the volumetric efficiency for accommodating sulfur active species and electrical properties, the cathode designmore » enables promising electrochemical performance. More notably, at a loading of 10 mg Li2S cm –2, the electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1,160 mAh g –1s, namely, an area capacity of 8.1 mAh cm –2. Li 2S@graphene cathode demonstrates a great potential for Li-ion batteries, where the Li 2S@graphene-cathode//graphite-anode cell displays a high capacity of 730 mAh g –1s as well as stable cycle performance.« less

Burning lithium in CS2 for high-performing compact Li2 S-graphene nanocapsules for Li-S batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Guoqiang; Xu, Rui; Xing, Zhenyu; Yuan, Yifei; Lu, Jun; Wen, Jianguo; Liu, Cong; Ma, Lu; Zhan, Chun; Liu, Qi; Wu, Tianpin; Jian, Zelang; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza; Ren, Yang; Miller, Dean J.; Curtiss, Larry A.; Ji, Xiulei; Amine, Khalil

2017-07-01

Tremendous efforts have been made to design the cathode of Li-S batteries to improve their energy density and cycling life. However, challenges remain in achieving fast electronic and ionic transport while accommodating the significant cathode volumetric change, especially for the cathode with a high practical mass loading. Here we report a cathode architecture, which is constructed by burning lithium foils in a CS2 vapour. The obtained structure features crystalline Li2S nanoparticles wrapped by few-layer graphene (Li2S@graphene nanocapsules). Because of the improvement on the volumetric efficiency for accommodating sulfur active species and electrical properties, the cathode design enables promising electrochemical performance. More notably, at a loading of 10 mgLi2S cm-2, the electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1,160 mAh g-1s, namely, an area capacity of 8.1 mAh cm-2. Li2S@graphene cathode demonstrates a great potential for Li-ion batteries, where the Li2S@graphene-cathode//graphite-anode cell displays a high capacity of 730 mAh g-1s as well as stable cycle performance.

Non-isothermal electrochemical model for lithium-ion cells with composite cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Suman; Patil, Rajkumar S.; Ramachandran, Sanoop; Hariharan, Krishnan S.; Kolake, Subramanya Mayya; Song, Taewon; Oh, Dukjin; Yeo, Taejung; Doo, Seokgwang

2015-06-01

Transition metal oxide cathodes for Li-ion batteries offer high energy density and high voltage. Composites of these materials have shown excellent life expectancy and improved thermal performance. In the present work, a comprehensive non-isothermal electrochemical model for a Lithium ion cell with a composite cathode is developed. The present work builds on lithium concentration-dependent diffusivity and thermal gradient of cathode potential, obtained from experiments. The model validation is performed for a wide range of temperature and discharge rates. Excellent agreement is found for high and room temperature with moderate success at low temperatures, which can be attributed to the low fidelity of material properties at low temperature. Although the cell operation is limited by electronic conductivity of NCA at room temperature, at low temperatures a shift in controlling process is seen, and operation is limited by electrolyte transport. At room temperature, the lithium transport in Cathode appears to be the main source of heat generation with entropic heat as the primary contributor at low discharge rates and ohmic heat at high discharge rates respectively. Improvement in electronic conductivity of the cathode is expected to improve the performance of these composite cathodes and pave way for its wider commercialization.

Partially non-linear stimulation intensity-dependent effects of direct current stimulation on motor cortex excitability in humans.

PubMed

Batsikadze, G; Moliadze, V; Paulus, W; Kuo, M-F; Nitsche, M A

2013-04-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the human motor cortex at an intensity of 1 mA with an electrode size of 35 cm(2) has been shown to induce shifts of cortical excitability during and after stimulation. These shifts are polarity-specific with cathodal tDCS resulting in a decrease and anodal stimulation in an increase of cortical excitability. In clinical and cognitive studies, stronger stimulation intensities are used frequently, but their physiological effects on cortical excitability have not yet been explored. Therefore, here we aimed to explore the effects of 2 mA tDCS on cortical excitability. We applied 2 mA anodal or cathodal tDCS for 20 min on the left primary motor cortex of 14 healthy subjects. Cathodal tDCS at 1 mA and sham tDCS for 20 min was administered as control session in nine and eight healthy subjects, respectively. Motor cortical excitability was monitored by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-elicited motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle. Global corticospinal excitability was explored via single TMS pulse-elicited MEP amplitudes, and motor thresholds. Intracortical effects of stimulation were obtained by cortical silent period (CSP), short latency intracortical inhibition (SICI) and facilitation (ICF), and I wave facilitation. The above-mentioned protocols were recorded both before and immediately after tDCS in randomized order. Additionally, single-pulse MEPs, motor thresholds, SICI and ICF were recorded every 30 min up to 2 h after stimulation end, evening of the same day, next morning, next noon and next evening. Anodal as well as cathodal tDCS at 2 mA resulted in a significant increase of MEP amplitudes, whereas 1 mA cathodal tDCS decreased corticospinal excitability. A significant shift of SICI and ICF towards excitability enhancement after both 2 mA cathodal and anodal tDCS was observed. At 1 mA, cathodal tDCS reduced single-pulse TMS-elicited MEP amplitudes and shifted SICI and ICF towards inhibition. No significant changes were observed in the other protocols. Sham tDCS did not induce significant MEP alterations. These results suggest that an enhancement of tDCS intensity does not necessarily increase efficacy of stimulation, but might also shift the direction of excitability alterations. This should be taken into account for applications of the stimulation technique using different intensities and durations in order to achieve stronger or longer lasting after-effects.

Surface area loss mechanisms of Pt3Co nanocatalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasouli, S.; Ortiz Godoy, R. A.; Yang, Z.; Gummalla, M.; Ball, S. C.; Myers, D.; Ferreira, P. J.

2017-03-01

Pt3Co catalyst nanoparticles of 4.9 nm size present on the cathode side of a PEMFC membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy after 10 K voltage cycles under different operating conditions. The operating conditions include baseline (0.4-0.95 V, 80° C, 100% Relative Humidity (RH)), high potential (0.4-1.05 V, 80° C, 100% RH), high temperature (0.4-0.95 V, 90° C, 100% RH), and low humidity (0.4-0.95 V, 80° C, 30% RH). Particle growth and particle loss to the membrane is more severe in the high potential sample than in the high temperature and baseline MEAs, while no significant particle growth and particle precipitation in the membrane can be observed in the low humidity sample. Particles with different morphologies were seen in the cathode including: 1-Spherical individual particles resulting from modified electro-chemical Ostwald ripening and 2-aggregated and coalesced particles resulting from either necking of two or more particles or preferential deposition of Pt between particles with consequent bridging. The difference in the composition of these morphologies results in composition variations through the cathode from cathode/diffusion media (DM) to the cathode/membrane interface.

Cathodic behaviour of stainless steel in coastal Indian seawater: calcareous deposits overwhelm biofilms.

PubMed

Eashwar, M; Subramanian, G; Palanichamy, S; Rajagopal, G; Madhu, S; Kamaraj, P

2009-01-01

Type-316 stainless steel (SS) was investigated as the cathode in galvanic couples in full-strength seawater from the Gulf of Mannar on the southeast coast of India. Tests were devised to examine the impact of SS cathodes on anode materials with or without the accrual of marine biofilms. Biofilmed SS cathodes significantly enhanced the rate of corrosion of nickel, causing noble shifts in the couple potentials. With mild steel and zinc as the anodes, calcareous deposits developed quite rapidly on the SS cathodes and led to a significant reduction of bacterial numbers. The calcareous deposits also caused substantial reduction of galvanic corrosion rates for mild steel, whereas there was no difference for zinc. The deposits were identified by XRD as essentially carbonates, oxides and hydroxides of calcium and magnesium. Potentiodynamic polarization performed on the actual couples after disconnection and equilibration provided reasonable interpretations of the galvanic corrosion trends. Data from this work suggest that a potential of about -0.70 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) should provide optimum protection of SS in warmer, full-strength seawater that supports the precipitation of calcareous deposits. The criterion commonly recommended for temperate conditions of lower water temperature and estuarine waters of lower alkalinity is -1.0 V (SCE).

Self-Driven Desalination and Advanced Treatment of Wastewater in a Modularized Filtration Air Cathode Microbial Desalination Cell.

PubMed

Zuo, Kuichang; Wang, Zhen; Chen, Xi; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Zuo, Jiaolan; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia

2016-07-05

Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) extract organic energy from wastewater for in situ desalination of saline water. However, to desalinate salt water, traditional MDCs often require an anolyte (wastewater) and a catholyte (other synthetic water) to produce electricity. Correspondingly, the traditional MDCs also produced anode effluent and cathode effluent, and may produce a concentrate solution, resulting in a low production of diluate. In this study, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube membranes and Pt carbon cloths were utilized as filtration material and cathode to fabricate a modularized filtration air cathode MDC (F-MDC). With real wastewater flowing from anode to cathode, and finally to the middle membrane stack, the diluate volume production reached 82.4%, with the removal efficiency of salinity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reached 93.6% and 97.3% respectively. The final diluate conductivity was 68 ± 12 μS/cm, and the turbidity was 0.41 NTU, which were sufficient for boiler supplementary or industrial cooling. The concentrate production was only 17.6%, and almost all the phosphorus and salt, and most of the nitrogen were recovered, potentially allowing the recovery of nutrients and other chemicals. These results show the potential utility of the modularized F-MDC in the application of municipal wastewater advanced treatment and self-driven desalination.

Magnesium-based photocathodes for triggering back-lighted thyratrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sozer, Esin B.

This dissertation presents experimental studies of application of magnesium-based photocathodes to optically triggered pseudospark switches, called back-lighted thyratrons (BLTs). Magnesium was chosen as a low work function metal photocathode for its potential to increase triggering performance of the switch with a higher photoemission performance than traditional BLT cathodes. Improvement in triggering performance of plasma switches is of interest for device development of compact pulsed power systems where the size of switching units can limit the overall size and the mobility of the system. Experiments were conducted on photoemission performance of photocathode candidates under BLT-relevant conditions; and delay and jitter performance of a BLT with photocathode candidates with changing helium pressure and switch voltages. A review of photocathode literature showed that Mg and Cu are the most promising candidates for increasing the photoemission during the triggering of BLTs. As a commonly used BLT cathode in the switch literature, Mo was chosen together with Mg and Cu to be tested under BLT-relevant pressure and field conditions. Quantum efficiency measurements of high-purity foils of Mg, Cu and Mo showed a superior performance of Mg and Cu over Mo. Mg had the highest quantum efficiency of 1.5 x 10-5 among all three materials. After photoemission measurements in a test bed were concluded, testing of these cathodes for their switching performance was done in two stages. First, an unfocused UV laser beam (8.5 x 106 W/cm 2) with a wavelength of 266 nm was used for delay measurements of a BLT with Mg, Cu and Mo-based cathodes. Mg-based cathodes showed at least a thirty-fold reduction in delay and jitter compared to Cu-based and at least an eighty-fold reduction in delay and jitter compared to Mo-based cathodes at any given helium pressure and switch voltage pair. Subsequently, a partial focusing of the same light source was utilized (7.4 x 107W/cm 2) for delay measurements of a BLT with copper electrodes at constant switch voltage and changing helium pressure before and after integration of a Mg foil. These measurements showed an order of magnitude shorter delay and jitter throughout the pressure range when the high-purity Mg-foil was present at the switch cathode. Theoretical estimations of electron emission from the cathode during the triggering suggested that the main mechanism responsible for the observed change in delay and jitter was the increased photoemission due to the lower work function of the Mg cathode and that the effect of temperature on triggering is negligible. SEM images of the high-purity Mg foil integrated at the BLT cathode for 106 shots showed signs of melting around the bore hole. No degradation of the switch performance was observed for the duration of 10 6 shots. In conclusion, magnesium-based cathodes for BLTs showed an important potential for small triggering units for optical triggering, especially when the intensity of the optical source is limited. A future work involving plasma simulations is suggested for assessing potential of different cathode/optical source pairs for triggering BLTs.

Efficiency enhancement of polymer solar cells by applying poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a cathode buffer layer via spin coating or self-assembly.

PubMed

Wang, Haitao; Zhang, Wenfeng; Xu, Chenhui; Bi, Xianghong; Chen, Boxue; Yang, Shangfeng

2013-01-01

A non-conjugated polymer poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was applied as a new cathode buffer layer in P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (BHJ-PSCs), by means of either spin coating or self-assembly, resulting in significant efficiency enhancement. For the case of incorporation of PVP by spin coating, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/PVP/Al BHJ-PSC device (3.90%) is enhanced by 29% under the optimum PVP spin-coating speed of 3000 rpm, which leads to the optimum thickness of PVP layer of ~3 nm. Such an efficiency enhancement is found to be primarily due to the increase of the short-circuit current (J(sc)) (31% enhancement), suggesting that the charge collection increases upon the incorporation of a PVP cathode buffer layer, which originates from the conjunct effects of the formation of a dipole layer between P3HT:PCBM active layer and Al electrodes, the chemical reactions of PVP molecules with Al atoms, and the increase of the roughness of the top Al film. Incorporation of PVP layer by doping PVP directly into the P3HT:PCBM active layer leads to an enhancement of PCE by 13% under the optimum PVP doping ratio of 3%, and this is interpreted by the migration of PVP molecules to the surface of the active layer via self-assembly, resulting in the formation of the PVP cathode buffer layer. While the formation of the PVP cathode buffer layer is fulfilled by both fabrication methods (spin coating and self-assembly), the dependence of the enhancement of the device performance on the thickness of the PVP cathode buffer layer formed by self-assembly or spin coating is different, because of the different aggregation microstructures of the PVP interlayer.

Investigation of the Discharge Characteristics of the T6 Hollow Cathode Operating on Several Inert Gases and a Kr/Xe Mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed Rudwan, M.; Gabriel, S. B.

2002-01-01

Investigation of the discharge characteristics of the T6 hollow cathode operating on several inert Xenon is currently the propellant of choice for gridded ion thrusters. But in order to make deep space missions feasible, an increase in the Specific Impulse (SI) that these thrusters can achieve is necessary. One method of achieving this is to use a propellant with a lower atomic mass (e.g. argon), as the propellant exhaust velocity is inversely proportional to the square root of the propellant mass. However, the feasibility of operating the hollow cathode using these alternative propellants has to be demonstrated. Moreover, interest in decreasing the propellant cost in missions and ground testing (especially life tests) have led to the comprehensive discharge characterisation of several gases that will be presented in this paper. A Kr/Xe mixture in the naturally occurring ratio, for example, could offer a 15 times cost saving when compared to pure xenon and 2-3 times cost saving when compared to pure krypton. The T6 hollow cathode discharge behaviour as well as its initiation characteristics have been studied. The tests were carried out in diode configuration using a T6 hollow cathode with an enclosed keeper design employing xenon, krypton, argon and a Kr/Xe mix. The discharge initiation tests were undertaken with a view to investigate some of the factors thought to influence the starting potential such as mass flow rate and tip temperature. It was found that, for mass flow rates ranging from 0.2-1.1 mg/s and cathode tip temperatures ranging from 900-1300oC, the breakdown potential was less than 50V for argon, less than 25V for krypton, less than 21V for xenon and less than 35V for the Kr/Xe mix. The discharge initiation results were then compared to those obtained by Fearn et al. with a T5 cathode operating on mercury and with a T6 cathode utilising an open keeper design using xenon propellant. The xenon breakdown potentials were found to be lower than those obtained with an open keeper design by as much as 4V. Steady state discharge behaviour was also investigated in a range of operating conditions. Spot to plume mode transitions were observed in argon, krypton and Kr/Xe discharges for the first time.

Transspinal direct current stimulation modulates migration and proliferation of adult newly born spinal cells in mice.

PubMed

Samaddar, Sreyashi; Vazquez, Kizzy; Ponkia, Dipen; Toruno, Pedro; Sahbani, Karim; Begum, Sultana; Abouelela, Ahmed; Mekhael, Wagdy; Ahmed, Zaghloul

2017-02-01

Direct current electrical fields have been shown to be a major factor in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival, as well as in the maturation of dividing cells during development. During adulthood, spinal cord cells are continuously produced in both animals and humans, and they hold great potential for neural restoration following spinal cord injury. While the effects of direct current electrical fields on adult-born spinal cells cultured ex vivo have recently been reported, the effects of direct current electrical fields on adult-born spinal cells in vivo have not been characterized. Here, we provide convincing findings that a therapeutic form of transspinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) affects the migration and proliferation of adult-born spinal cells in mice. Specifically, cathodal tsDCS attracted the adult-born spinal cells, while anodal tsDCS repulsed them. In addition, both tsDCS polarities caused a significant increase in cell number. Regarding the potential mechanisms involved, both cathodal and anodal tsDCS caused significant increases in expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, while expression of nerve growth factor increased and decreased, respectively. In the spinal cord, both anodal and cathodal tsDCS increased blood flow. Since blood flow and angiogenesis are associated with the proliferation of neural stem cells, increased blood flow may represent a major factor in the modulation of newly born spinal cells by tsDCS. Consequently, we propose that the method and novel findings presented in the current study have the potential to facilitate cellular, molecular, and/or bioengineering strategies to repair injured spinal cords. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our results indicate that transspinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) affects the migratory pattern and proliferation of adult newly born spinal cells, a cell population which has been implicated in learning and memory. In addition, our results suggest a potential mechanism of action regarding the functional effects of applying direct current. Thus tsDCS may represent a novel method by which to manipulate the migration and cell number of adult newly born cells and restore functions following brain or spinal cord injury. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Tracking Electron Uptake from a Cathode into Shewanella Cells: Implications for Energy Acquisition from Solid-Substrate Electron Donors

PubMed Central

Rajeev, Pournami; Jain, Abhiney; Pirbadian, Sahand; Okamoto, Akihiro; Gralnick, Jeffrey A.; El-Naggar, Mohamed Y.; Nealson, Kenneth H.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT While typically investigated as a microorganism capable of extracellular electron transfer to minerals or anodes, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can also facilitate electron flow from a cathode to terminal electron acceptors, such as fumarate or oxygen, thereby providing a model system for a process that has significant environmental and technological implications. This work demonstrates that cathodic electrons enter the electron transport chain of S. oneidensis when oxygen is used as the terminal electron acceptor. The effect of electron transport chain inhibitors suggested that a proton gradient is generated during cathode oxidation, consistent with the higher cellular ATP levels measured in cathode-respiring cells than in controls. Cathode oxidation also correlated with an increase in the cellular redox (NADH/FMNH2) pool determined with a bioluminescence assay, a proton uncoupler, and a mutant of proton-pumping NADH oxidase complex I. This work suggested that the generation of NADH/FMNH2 under cathodic conditions was linked to reverse electron flow mediated by complex I. A decrease in cathodic electron uptake was observed in various mutant strains, including those lacking the extracellular electron transfer components necessary for anodic-current generation. While no cell growth was observed under these conditions, here we show that cathode oxidation is linked to cellular energy acquisition, resulting in a quantifiable reduction in the cellular decay rate. This work highlights a potential mechanism for cell survival and/or persistence on cathodes, which might extend to environments where growth and division are severely limited. PMID:29487241

STABILIZED FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER

DOEpatents

Fishbine, H.L.; Sewell, C. Jr.

1957-08-01

Negative feedback amplifiers, and particularly a negative feedback circuit which is economical on amode power consumption, are described. Basically, the disclosed circuit comprises two tetrode tubes where the output of the first tube is capacitamce coupled to the grid of the second tube, which in turn has its plate coupled to the cathode of the first tube to form a degenerative feedback circuit. Operating potential for screen of the second tube is supplied by connecting the cathode resistor of the first tube to the screen, while the screen is by-passed to the cathode of its tube for the amplified frequencies. Also, the amplifier incorporates a circuit to stabilize the transconductance of the tubes by making the grid potential of each tube interdependent on anode currents of both lubes by voltage divider circuitry.

Binder materials for the cathodes applied to self-stratifying membraneless microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Walter, Xavier Alexis; Greenman, John; Ieropoulos, Ioannis

2018-04-19

The recently developed self-stratifying membraneless microbial fuel cell (SSM-MFC) has been shown as a promising concept for urine treatment. The first prototypes employed cathodes made of activated carbon (AC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mixture. Here, we explored the possibility to substitute PTFE with either polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) or PlastiDip (CPD; i.e. synthetic rubber) as binder for AC-based cathode in SSM-MFC. Sintered activated carbon (SAC) was also tested due to its ease of manufacturing and the fact that no stainless steel collector is needed. Results indicate that the SSM-MFC having PTFE cathodes were the most powerful measuring 1617 μW (11 W·m -3 or 101 mW·m -2 ). SSM-MFC with PVA and CPD as binders were producing on average the same level of power (1226 ± 90 μW), which was 24% less than the SSM-MFC having PTFE-based cathodes. When balancing the power by the cost and environmental impact, results clearly show that PVA was the best alternative. Power wise, the SAC cathodes were shown being the less performing (≈1070 μW). Nonetheless, the lower power of SAC was balanced by its inexpensiveness. Overall results indicate that (i) PTFE is yet the best binder to employ, and (ii) SAC and PVA-based cathodes are promising alternatives that would benefit from further improvements. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conductor of high electrical current at high temperature in oxygen and liquid metal environment

DOEpatents

Powell, IV, Adam Clayton; Pati, Soobhankar; Derezinski, Stephen Joseph; Lau, Garrett; Pal, Uday B.; Guan, Xiaofei; Gopalan, Srikanth

2016-01-12

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to apparatuses for and methods of conducting electrical current in an oxygen and liquid metal environment. In another aspect, the invention relates to methods for production of metals from their oxides comprising providing a cathode in electrical contact with a molten electrolyte, providing a liquid metal anode separated from the cathode and the molten electrolyte by a solid oxygen ion conducting membrane, providing a current collector at the anode, and establishing a potential between the cathode and the anode.

Long Life Na/NiCl2 Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugga, Ratnakumar V. (Inventor); Surampudi, Subbarao (Inventor); Halpert, Gerald (Inventor)

1996-01-01

The premature capacity failure of Na/NiCl2 secondary cells due to agglomeration of nickel particles on the surface of the NiCl2 cathode is prevented by addition of a minor amount such as 10 percent by weight of a transition metal such as Co, Fe or Mn to the cathode. The chlorides of the transition metals have lower potentials than nickel chloride and chlorinate during charge. A uniform dispersion of the transition metals in the cathodes prevents agglomeration of nickel, maintains morphology of the electrode, maintains the electrochemical area of the electrode and thus maintains capacity of the electrode. The additives do not effect sintering. The addition of sulfur to the liquid catholyte is expected to further reduce agglomeration of nickel in the cathode.

Evaluation of single crystal LaB6 cathodes for use in a high frequency backward wave oscillator tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, L. W.; Davis, P. R.; Schwind, G. A.

1984-01-01

The results of thermionic emission and evaporation studies of single crystal LaB6 cathodes are given. A comparison between the (100), (210) and (310) crystal planes shows the (310) and (210) planes to possess a work function approx 0.2 eV lower than (100). This translates into a significant increase in current density, J, at a specified temperature. Comparison with a state-of-the-art impregnated dispenser cathode shows that LaB6 (310) is a superior cathode in nearly all respects except operating temperature at j 10 A/sq cm. The 1600 K thermionic and room temperature retarding potential work functions for LaB6 (310) are 2.42 and 2.50 respectively.

Induced bioelectrochemical metabolism for bioremediation of petroleum refinery wastewater: Optimization of applied potential and flow of wastewater.

PubMed

Mohanakrishna, Gunda; Al-Raoush, Riyadh I; Abu-Reesh, Ibrahim M

2018-07-01

Hybrid based bioelectrochemical system (BES) configured with embedded anode and cathode electrodes in soil was tested for the bioelectrochemical degradation of petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW). Four applied potentials were studied to optimize under batch mode operation, among which 2 V resulted in higher COD degradation (69.2%) and power density (725 mW/m 2 ) during 7 days of operation. Further studies with continuous mode of operation at optimized potential (2 V) showed that hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 19 h achieved the highest COD removal (37%) and highest power density (561 mW/m 2 ). BES function with respect to treatment efficiencies of other pollutants of PRW was also identified with respect to oil and grease (batch mode, 91%; continuous mode, 34%), total dissolved salts (batch mode, 53%; continuous mode, 24%) and sulfates (batch mode, 59%; continuous mode, 42%). Soil microenvironment in association with BES forms complex processes, providing suitable conditions for efficient treatment of PRW. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioelectrochemical methane (CH4) production in anaerobic digestion at different supplemental voltages.

PubMed

Choi, Kwang-Soon; Kondaveeti, Sanath; Min, Booki

2017-12-01

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) at various cell voltages (0.5, 0.7 1.0 and 1.5V) were operated in anaerobic fermentation. During the start-up period, the cathode potential decreased from -0.63 to -1.01V, and CH 4 generation increased from 168 to 199ml. At an applied voltage of 1.0V, the highest methane yields of 408.3ml CH 4 /g COD glucose was obtained, which was 30.3% higher than in the control tests (313.4ml CH 4 /g COD glucose). The average current of 5.1mA was generated at 1.0V at which the maximum methane yield was obtained. The other average currents were 1.42, 3.02, 0.53mA at 0.5, 0.7, and 1.5V, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and EIS analysis revealed that enhanced reduction currents were present at all cell voltages with biocatalyzed cathode electrodes (no reduction without biofilm), and the highest value was obtained with 1V external voltage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DC response of dust to low frequency AC signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinlay, Michael; Konopka, Uwe; Thomas, Edward

2017-10-01

Macroscopic changes in the shape and equilibrium position of clouds of charged microparticles suspended in a plasma have been observed in response to low frequency AC signals. In these experiments, dusty plasmas consisting of 2-micron diameter silica microspheres suspended between an anode and cathode in an argon, DC glow discharge plasma are produced in a grounded, 6-way cross vacuum chamber. An AC signal, produced by a function generator and amplified by a bipolar op-amp, is superimposed onto the potential from the cathode. The frequencies of the applied AC signals, ranging from tens to hundreds of kHz, are comparable to the ion-neutral collision frequency; well below the ion/electron plasma frequencies, but also considerably higher than the dust plasma frequency. This presentation will detail the experimental setup, present documentation and categorization of observations of the dust response, and present an initial model of the response. This work is supported by funding from the US Dept. of Energy, Grant Number DE-SC0016330, and by the National Science Foundation, Grant Number PHY-1613087.

Electrostatic/magnetic ion acceleration through a slowly diverging magnetic nozzle between a ring anode and an on-axis hollow cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasoh, A.; Mizutani, K.; Iwakawa, A.

2017-06-01

Ion acceleration through a slowly diverging magnetic nozzle between a ring anode and a hollow cathode set on the axis of symmetry has been realized. Xenon was supplied as the propellant gas from an annular slit along the inner surface of the ring anode so that it was ionized near the anode, and the applied electric potential was efficiently transformed to an ion kinetic energy. As an electrostatic thruster, within the examined operation conditions, the thrust, F, almost scaled with the propellant mass flow rate; the discharge current, Jd, increased with the discharge voltage, Vd. An important characteristic was that the thrust also exhibited electromagnetic acceleration performance, i.e., the so-called "swirl acceleration," in which F ≅JdB Ra /√{2 }, where B and Ra were a magnetic field and an anode inner radius, respectively. Such a unique thruster performance combining both electrostatic and electromagnetic accelerations is expected to be useful as another option for in-space electric propulsion in its broad functional diversity.

Mechanism of formation of subnanosecond current front in high-voltage pulse open discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweigert, I. V.; Alexandrov, A. L.; Zakrevsky, Dm. E.; Bokhan, P. A.

2014-11-01

The mechanism of subnanosecond current front rise observed previously in the experiment in high-voltage pulse open discharge in helium is studied in kinetic particle-in-cell simulations. The Boltzmann equations for electrons, ions, and fast atoms are solved self-consistently with the Poisson equations for the electrical potential. The partial contributions to the secondary electron emission from the ions, fast atoms, photons, and electrons, bombarding the electrode, are calculated. In simulations, as in the experiment, the discharge glows between two symmetrical cathodes and the anode grid in the midplane at P =6 Torr and the applied voltage of 20 kV. The electron avalanche development is considered for two experimental situations during the last stage of breakdown: (i) with constant voltage and (ii) with decreasing voltage. For case (i), the subnanosecond current front rise is set by photons from the collisional excitation transfer reactions. For the case (ii), the energetic electrons swamp the cathode during voltage drop and provide the secondary electron emission for the subnanosecond current rise, observed in the experiment.

Ice electrode electrolytic cell

DOEpatents

Glenn, D.F.; Suciu, D.F.; Harris, T.L.; Ingram, J.C.

1993-04-06

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing heavy metals from waste water, soils, or process streams by electrolytic cell means. The method includes cooling a cell cathode to form an ice layer over the cathode and then applying an electric current to deposit a layer of the heavy metal over the ice. The metal is then easily removed after melting the ice. In a second embodiment, the same ice-covered electrode can be employed to form powdered metals.

Ice electrode electrolytic cell

DOEpatents

Glenn, David F.; Suciu, Dan F.; Harris, Taryl L.; Ingram, Jani C.

1993-01-01

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing heavy metals from waste water, soils, or process streams by electrolytic cell means. The method includes cooling a cell cathode to form an ice layer over the cathode and then applying an electric current to deposit a layer of the heavy metal over the ice. The metal is then easily removed after melting the ice. In a second embodiment, the same ice-covered electrode can be employed to form powdered metals.

Monitoring the effects of chelating agents and electrical fields on active forms of Pb and Zn in contaminated soil.

PubMed

Tahmasbian, Iman; Safari Sinegani, Ali Akbar

2013-11-01

The application of electrical fields and chelating agents is an innovative hybrid technology used for the decontamination of soil polluted by heavy metals. The effects of four center-oriented electrical fields and chelating agents on active fractions of lead and zinc were investigated in this pot experiment. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a synthetic chelator and cow manure extract (CME) and poultry manure extract (PME) as natural chelators were applied to the pots (2 g kg(-1)) 30 days after the first irrigation. Two weeks later, four center-oriented electrical fields were applied in each pot (in three levels of 0, 10, and 30 V) for 1 h each day for 14 days. The soil near the cathode and anodes was collected and analyzed as cathodic and anodic soil, respectively. Results indicated that the soluble-exchangeable fraction of lead and zinc were decreased in the cathodic soil, while the carbonate-bound fractions were increased. In the anodic soil, however, the opposite result was observed. EDTA enhanced the soluble-exchangeable form of the metals in both anodic and cathodic soils. Furthermore, the amounts of carbonate-bound heavy metals were increased by the application of CME in both soils. The organic-bound fraction of the metals was increased by the application of natural chelators, while electrical fields had no significant impacts on this fraction.

In-plane and through-plane non-uniform carbon corrosion of polymer electrolyte fuel cell cathode catalyst layer during extended potential cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sourov; Ohashi, Hidenori; Tabata, Hiroshi; Hashimasa, Yoshiyuki; Yamaguchi, Takeo

2017-09-01

The impact of electrochemical carbon corrosion via potential cycling durability tests mimicking start-stop operation events on the microstructure of the cathode catalyst layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) is investigated using focused ion beam (FIB) fabrication without/with the pore-filling technique and subsequent scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations. FIB/SEM investigations without pore-filling reveals that the durability test induces non-uniform cathode shrinking across the in-plane direction; the thickness of the catalyst layer decreases more under the gas flow channel compared to the area under the rim of the flow field. Furthermore, FIB/SEM investigations with the pore-filling technique reveal that the durability test also induces non-uniform cathode shrinking in the through-plane direction; the pores in the area close to the membrane are more shrunken compared with those close to the microporous layer. In particular, a thin area (1-1.5 μm) close to the membrane is found to be severely damaged; it includes closed pores that hinder mass transport through the catalyst layer. It is suggested that uneven carbon corrosion and catalyst layer compaction are responsible for the performance loss during potential cycling operation of PEFCs.

Miniature Oxidizer Ionizer for a Fuel Cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartley, Frank

2006-01-01

A proposed miniature device for ionizing the oxygen (or other oxidizing gas) in a fuel cell would consist mostly of a membrane ionizer using the same principles as those of the device described in the earlier article, Miniature Bipolar Electrostatic Ion Thruster (NPO-21057). The oxidizing gas would be completely ionized upon passage through the holes in the membrane ionizer. The resulting positively charged atoms or molecules of oxidizing gas could then, under the influence of the fringe fields of the ionizer, move toward the fuel-cell cathode that would be part of a membrane/electrode assembly comprising the cathode, a solid-electrolyte membrane, and an anode. The electro-oxidized state of the oxidizer atoms and molecules would enhance transfer of them through the cathode, thereby reducing the partial pressure of the oxidizer gas between the ionizer and the fuel-cell cathode, thereby, in turn, causing further inflow of oxidizer gas through the holes in the membrane ionizer. Optionally the ionizer could be maintained at a positive electric potential with respect to the cathode, in which case the resulting electric field would accelerate the ions toward the cathode.

Solar Powered CO.Sub.2 Conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Bin (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Methods and devices for reducing CO.sub.2 to produce hydrocarbons are disclosed. A device comprises a photoanode capable of splitting H.sub.2O into electrons, protons, and oxygen; an electrochemical cell cathode comprising an electro-catalyst capable of reducing CO.sub.2; H.sub.2O in contact with the surface of the photoanode; CO.sub.2 in contact with the surface of the cathode; and a proton-conducting medium positioned between the photoanode and the cathode. Electrical charges associated with the protons and the electrons move from the photoanode to the cathode, driven in part by a chemical potential difference sufficient to drive the electrochemical reduction of CO.sub.2 at the cathode. A light beam is the sole source of energy used to drive chemical reactions. The photoanode can comprise TiO.sub.2 nanowires or nanotubes, and can also include WO.sub.3 nanowires or nanotubes, quantum dots of CdS or PbS, and Ag or Au nanostructures. The cathode can comprise a conductive gas diffusion layer with nanostructures of an electro-catalyst such as Cu or Co.

Pulse Circuits of Radar Stations

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-06

be less than in a symmetrical flip-flop since voltage webs additionally is reduced, given presence of cathode coupling (triode L2 cathode potential...and t, f(t). 636 7o%:i. iI where C’ - d-c component equal, in accordance with (1.5) -- L. ( * -. wiX " -- angular pulse repetition frequency tPRF]; T. K

Microbial Community Analysis of a Methane-Producing Biocathode in a Bioelectrochemical System

PubMed Central

Van Eerten-Jansen, Mieke C. A. A.; Veldhoen, Anna B.; Plugge, Caroline M.; Stams, Alfons J. M.; Buisman, Cees J. N.

2013-01-01

A methane-producing biocathode that converts CO2 into methane was studied electrochemically and microbiologically. The biocathode produced methane at a maximum rate of 5.1 L CH4/m2 projected cathode per day (1.6 A/m2) at −0.7 V versus NHE cathode potential and 3.0 L CH4/m2 projected cathode per day (0.9 A/m2) at −0.6 V versus NHE cathode potential. The microbial community at the biocathode was dominated by three phylotypes of Archaea and six phylotypes of bacteria. The Archaeal phylotypes were most closely related to Methanobacterium palustre and Methanobacterium aarhusense. Besides methanogenic Archaea, bacteria seemed to be associated with methane production, producing hydrogen as an intermediate. Biomass density varied greatly with part of the carbon electrode covered with a dense biofilm, while only clusters of cells were found on other parts. Based on our results, we discuss how inoculum enrichment and changing operational conditions may help to increase biomass density and to select for microorganisms that produce methane. PMID:24187516

K-Ion Batteries Based on a P2-Type K 0.6CoO 2 Cathode

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

Kim, Haegyeom; Kim, Jae Chul; Bo, Shou-Hang

K-ion batteries are a potentially exciting and new energy storage technology that can combine high specific energy, cycle life, and good power capability, all while using abundant potassium resources. The discovery of novel cathodes is a critical step toward realizing K-ion batteries (KIBs). In this work, a layered P2-type K 0.6CoO 2 cathode is developed and highly reversible K ion intercalation is demonstrated. In situ X-ray diffraction combined with electrochemical titration reveals that P2-type K 0.6CoO 2 can store and release a considerable amount of K ions via a topotactic reaction. Despite the large amount of phase transitions as functionmore » of K content, the cathode operates highly reversibly and with good rate capability. The practical feasibility of KIBs is further demonstrated by constructing full cells with a graphite anode. This work highlights the potential of KIBs as viable alternatives for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries and provides new insights and directions for the development of next-generation energy storage systems.« less

K-Ion Batteries Based on a P2-Type K 0.6CoO 2 Cathode

DOE PAGES

Kim, Haegyeom; Kim, Jae Chul; Bo, Shou-Hang; ...

2017-05-02

K-ion batteries are a potentially exciting and new energy storage technology that can combine high specific energy, cycle life, and good power capability, all while using abundant potassium resources. The discovery of novel cathodes is a critical step toward realizing K-ion batteries (KIBs). In this work, a layered P2-type K 0.6CoO 2 cathode is developed and highly reversible K ion intercalation is demonstrated. In situ X-ray diffraction combined with electrochemical titration reveals that P2-type K 0.6CoO 2 can store and release a considerable amount of K ions via a topotactic reaction. Despite the large amount of phase transitions as functionmore » of K content, the cathode operates highly reversibly and with good rate capability. The practical feasibility of KIBs is further demonstrated by constructing full cells with a graphite anode. This work highlights the potential of KIBs as viable alternatives for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries and provides new insights and directions for the development of next-generation energy storage systems.« less

Generalized Mechanism of Field Emission from Nanostructured Semiconductor Film Cathodes

PubMed Central

Wang, Ru-Zhi; Zhao, Wei; Yan, Hui

2017-01-01

Considering the effect of both the buffer layer and substrate, a series of ultrathin multilayered structure cathodes (UTMC) is constructed to simulate the field emission (FE) process of nanostructured semiconductor film cathodes (NSFCs). We find a generalized FE mechanism of the NSFCs, in which there are three distinct FE modes with the change of the applied field. Our results clearly show significant differences of FE between conventional emitters and nanofilm emitters, which the non-Fowler-Nordheim characteristics and the resonant FE will be inevitable for NSFCs. Moreover, the controllable FE can be realized by fine-tuning the quantum structure of NSFCs. The generalized mechanism of NSFCs presented here may be particularly useful for design high-speed and high-frequency vacuum nano-electronic devices.

Uranium dioxide electrolysis

DOEpatents

Willit, James L [Batavia, IL; Ackerman, John P [Prescott, AZ; Williamson, Mark A [Naperville, IL

2009-12-29

This is a single stage process for treating spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors. The spent nuclear fuel, uranium oxide, UO.sub.2, is added to a solution of UCl.sub.4 dissolved in molten LiCl. A carbon anode and a metallic cathode is positioned in the molten salt bath. A power source is connected to the electrodes and a voltage greater than or equal to 1.3 volts is applied to the bath. At the anode, the carbon is oxidized to form carbon dioxide and uranium chloride. At the cathode, uranium is electroplated. The uranium chloride at the cathode reacts with more uranium oxide to continue the reaction. The process may also be used with other transuranic oxides and rare earth metal oxides.

OPTICAL TRANSCRIBING OSCILLOSCOPE

DOEpatents

Kerns, Q.A.

1961-09-26

A device is designed for producing accurate graphed waveforms of very fast electronic pulses. The fast pulse is slowly tracked on a cathode ray tube and a pair of photomultiplier tubes, exposed to the pulse trace, view separate vertical portions thereof at each side of a fixed horizontal reference. Each phototube produces an output signal indicative of vertical movement of the exposed trace, which simultaneous signals are compared in a difference amplifier. The amplifier produces a difference signal which, when applied to the cathode ray tube, maintains the trace on the reference. A graphic recorder receives the amplified difference signal at an x-axis input, while a y-axis input is synchronized with the tracking time of the cathode ray tube and therefore graphs the enlarged waveshape.

Generalized Mechanism of Field Emission from Nanostructured Semiconductor Film Cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ru-Zhi; Zhao, Wei; Yan, Hui

2017-03-01

Considering the effect of both the buffer layer and substrate, a series of ultrathin multilayered structure cathodes (UTMC) is constructed to simulate the field emission (FE) process of nanostructured semiconductor film cathodes (NSFCs). We find a generalized FE mechanism of the NSFCs, in which there are three distinct FE modes with the change of the applied field. Our results clearly show significant differences of FE between conventional emitters and nanofilm emitters, which the non-Fowler-Nordheim characteristics and the resonant FE will be inevitable for NSFCs. Moreover, the controllable FE can be realized by fine-tuning the quantum structure of NSFCs. The generalized mechanism of NSFCs presented here may be particularly useful for design high-speed and high-frequency vacuum nano-electronic devices.

Instrumentation and Measurements for Electron Emission from Charged Insulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sim, Alec M.

2005-01-01

The electron was first discovered in 1898 by Sir John Joseph Thomson and has since been the subject of detailed study by nearly every scientific discipline. At nearly the same time Heinrich Rudolf Hertz conducted a series of experiments using cathode tubes, high potentials and ultraviolet light. When applying a large potential to a cathode he found that an arching event across the metal plates would occur. In addition, when shining an ultraviolet light on the metal he found that less potential was required to induce the spark. This result, taken together with other electrical phenomena brought about by the shining of light upon metal and was eventually termed the photoelectric effect. The work of Thomson and Hertz represent the beginning of electron emission studies and a body of ideas that pervade nearly all aspects of physics. In particular these ideas tell us a great deal about the nature of physical interactions within solids. In this thesis we will focus on the emission of electrons induced by an incident electron source over a range of energies, in which one can observe changes in emitted electron flux and energy distribution. In particular, when energetic particles impinge on a solid they can impart their energy, exciting electrons within the material. If this energy is sufficient to overcome surface energy barriers such as the work function, electron affinity or surface charge potential, electrons can escape from the material. The extent of electron emission from the material can be quantified as the ratio of incident particle flux to emitted particle flux, and is termed the electron yield.

A solvent-free microbial-activated air cathode battery paper platform made with pencil-traced graphite electrodes.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Ho; Ban, Ju Yeon; Oh, Chung-Hun; Park, Hun-Kuk; Choi, Samjin

2016-06-23

We present the fabrication of an ultra-low cost, disposable, solvent-free air cathode all-paper microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not utilize any chemical treatments. The anode and cathode were fabricated by depositing graphite particles by drawing them on paper with a pencil (four strokes). Hydrophobic parchment paper was used as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) to allow only H(+) to pass. Air cathode MFC technology, where O2 was used as an electron acceptor, was implemented on the paper platform. The bioelectric current was generated by an electrochemical process involving the redox couple of microbial-activated extracellular electron transferred electrons, PEM-passed H(+), and O2 in the cathode. A fully micro-integrated pencil-traced MFC showed a fast start-time, producing current within 10 s after injection of bacterial cells. A single miniaturized all-paper air cathode MFC generated a maximum potential of 300 mV and a maximum current of 11 μA during 100 min after a single injection of Shewanella oneidensis. The micro-fabricated solvent-free air cathode all-paper MFC generated a power of 2,270 nW (5.68 mW/m(2)). The proposed solvent-free air cathode paper-based MFC device could be used for environmentally-friendly energy storage as well as in single-use medical power supplies that use organic matter.

A solvent-free microbial-activated air cathode battery paper platform made with pencil-traced graphite electrodes

PubMed Central

Lee, Seung Ho; Ban, Ju Yeon; Oh, Chung-Hun; Park, Hun-Kuk; Choi, Samjin

2016-01-01

We present the fabrication of an ultra-low cost, disposable, solvent-free air cathode all-paper microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not utilize any chemical treatments. The anode and cathode were fabricated by depositing graphite particles by drawing them on paper with a pencil (four strokes). Hydrophobic parchment paper was used as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) to allow only H+ to pass. Air cathode MFC technology, where O2 was used as an electron acceptor, was implemented on the paper platform. The bioelectric current was generated by an electrochemical process involving the redox couple of microbial-activated extracellular electron transferred electrons, PEM-passed H+, and O2 in the cathode. A fully micro-integrated pencil-traced MFC showed a fast start-time, producing current within 10 s after injection of bacterial cells. A single miniaturized all-paper air cathode MFC generated a maximum potential of 300 mV and a maximum current of 11 μA during 100 min after a single injection of Shewanella oneidensis. The micro-fabricated solvent-free air cathode all-paper MFC generated a power of 2,270 nW (5.68 mW/m2). The proposed solvent-free air cathode paper-based MFC device could be used for environmentally-friendly energy storage as well as in single-use medical power supplies that use organic matter. PMID:27333815

Carbon nanotube: nanodiamond Li-ion battery cathodes with increased thermal conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salgado, Ruben; Lee, Eungiee; Shevchenko, Elena V.; Balandin, Alexander A.

2016-10-01

Prevention of excess heat accumulation within the Li-ion battery cells is a critical design consideration for electronic and photonic device applications. Many existing approaches for heat removal from batteries increase substantially the complexity and overall weight of the battery. Some of us have previously shown a possibility of effective passive thermal management of Li-ion batteries via improvement of thermal conductivity of cathode and anode material1. In this presentation, we report the results of our investigation of the thermal conductivity of various Li-ion cathodes with incorporated carbon nanotubes and nanodiamonds in different layered structures. The cathodes were synthesized using the filtration method, which can be utilized for synthesis of commercial electrode-active materials. The thermal measurements were conducted with the "laser flash" technique. It has been established that the cathode with the carbon nanotubes-LiCo2 and carbon nanotube layered structure possesses the highest in-plane thermal conductivity of 206 W/mK at room temperature. The cathode containing nanodiamonds on carbon nanotubes structure revealed one of the highest cross-plane thermal conductivity values. The in-plane thermal conductivity is up to two orders-of-magnitude greater than that in conventional cathodes based on amorphous carbon. The obtained results demonstrate a potential of carbon nanotube incorporation in cathode materials for the effective thermal management of Li-ion high-powered density batteries.

Experimental advances and preliminary mathematical modeling of the Swiss-roll mixed-reactant direct borohydride fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziznia, Amin; Oloman, Colin W.; Gyenge, Előd L.

2014-11-01

The Swiss-roll single-cell mixed reactant (SR-MRFC) borohydride - oxygen fuel cell equipped with Pt/carbon cloth 3D anode and either MnO2 or Ag gas-diffusion cathodes is investigated by a combination of experimental studies and preliminary mathematical modeling of the polarization curve. We investigate the effects of four variables: cathode side metallic mesh fluid distributor, separator type (Nafion 112® vs. Viledon®), cathode catalyst (MnO2 vs. Ag), and the hydrophilic pore volume fraction of the gas-diffusion cathode. Using a two-phase feed of alkaline borohydride solution (1 M NaBH4 - 2 M NaOH) and O2 gas in an SR-MRFC equipped with Pt/C 3D anode, MnO2 gas diffusion cathode, Viledon® porous diaphragm, expanded mesh cathode-side fluid distributor, the maximum superficial power density is 2230 W m-2 at 323 K and 105 kPa(abs). The latter superficial power density is almost 3.5 times higher than our previously reported superficial power density for the same catalyst combinations. Furthermore, with a Pt anode and Ag cathode catalyst combination, a superficial power density of 2500 W m-2 is achieved with superior performance durability compared to the MnO2 cathode. The fuel cell results are substantiated by impedance spectroscopy analysis and preliminary mathematical model predictions based on mixed potential theory.

A solvent-free microbial-activated air cathode battery paper platform made with pencil-traced graphite electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seung Ho; Ban, Ju Yeon; Oh, Chung-Hun; Park, Hun-Kuk; Choi, Samjin

2016-06-01

We present the fabrication of an ultra-low cost, disposable, solvent-free air cathode all-paper microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not utilize any chemical treatments. The anode and cathode were fabricated by depositing graphite particles by drawing them on paper with a pencil (four strokes). Hydrophobic parchment paper was used as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) to allow only H+ to pass. Air cathode MFC technology, where O2 was used as an electron acceptor, was implemented on the paper platform. The bioelectric current was generated by an electrochemical process involving the redox couple of microbial-activated extracellular electron transferred electrons, PEM-passed H+, and O2 in the cathode. A fully micro-integrated pencil-traced MFC showed a fast start-time, producing current within 10 s after injection of bacterial cells. A single miniaturized all-paper air cathode MFC generated a maximum potential of 300 mV and a maximum current of 11 μA during 100 min after a single injection of Shewanella oneidensis. The micro-fabricated solvent-free air cathode all-paper MFC generated a power of 2,270 nW (5.68 mW/m2). The proposed solvent-free air cathode paper-based MFC device could be used for environmentally-friendly energy storage as well as in single-use medical power supplies that use organic matter.

Hybrid lithium-ion capacitor with LiFePO4/AC composite cathode - Long term cycle life study, rate effect and charge sharing analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shellikeri, A.; Yturriaga, S.; Zheng, J. S.; Cao, W.; Hagen, M.; Read, J. A.; Jow, T. R.; Zheng, J. P.

2018-07-01

Energy storage devices, which can combine the advantages of lithium-ion battery with that of electric double layer capacitor, are of prime interest. Recently, composite cathodes, which combine a battery material with capacitor material, have shown promise in enhancing life cycle and energy/power performances. Lithium-ion capacitor (LIC), with unique charge storage mechanism of combining a pre-lithiated battery anode with a capacitor cathode, is one such device which has the potential to synergistically incorporate the composite cathode to enhance capacity and cycle life. We report here a hybrid LIC consisting of a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4-LFP)/Activated Carbon composite cathode in combination with a hard carbon anode, by integrating the cycle life and capacity enhancing strategies of a dry method of electrode fabrication, anode pre-lithiation and a 3:1 anode to cathode capacity ratio, demonstrating a long cycle life, while elaborating on the charge sharing between the faradaic and non-faradaic mechanism in the battery and capacitor materials, respectively in the composite cathode. An excellent cell capacity retention of 94% (1000 cycles at 1C) and 92% (100,000 cycles at 60C) were demonstrated, while retaining 78% (over 6000 cycles at 2.7C) and 67% (over 70,000 cycles at 43C) of the LFP capacity in the composite cathode.

Spray-on polyvinyl alcohol separators and impact on power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells with different solution conductivities.

PubMed

Hoskins, Daniel L; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Hickner, Michael A; Logan, Bruce E

2014-11-01

Separators are used to protect cathodes from biofouling and to avoid electrode short-circuiting, but they can adversely affect microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance. A spray method was used to apply a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) separator to the cathode. Power densities were unaffected by the PVA separator (339±29mW/m(2)), compared to a control lacking a separator in a low conductivity solution (1mS/cm) similar to wastewater. Power was reduced with separators in solutions typical of laboratory tests (7-13mS/cm), compared to separatorless controls. The PVA separator produced more power in a separator assembly (SEA) configuration (444±8mW/m(2)) in the 1mS/cm solution, but power was reduced if a PVA or wipe separator was used in higher conductivity solutions with either Pt or activated carbon catalysts. Spray and cast PVA separators performed similarly, but the spray method is preferred as it was easier to apply and use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linear scan voltammetric indirect determination of Al(III) by the catalytic cathodic response of norepinephrine at the hanging mercury drop electrode.

PubMed

Zhang, Fuping; Ji, Ming; Xu, Quan; Yang, Li; Bi, Shuping

2005-09-01

The biological effects of aluminum (Al) have received much attention in recent years. Al is of basic relevance as concern with its reactivity and bioavailability. In this paper, the electrochemical behaviors of norepinephrine (NE) in the absence and presence of Al(III) at the hanging mercury drop electrode have been studied and applied to the practical analysis. Highly selective catalytic cathodic peak of NE is yielded by linear scan voltammetry (LSV) at -1.32 V (vs. SCE). A linear relationship holds between the cathodic peak current and the Al(III) concentration. It has been successfully applied to the determination of Al(III) in real waters and synthetic biological samples with satisfying results, which are in accordance with those obtained by ICP-AES method. The electrochemical properties and the mechanisms of the peaks in the presence and absence of Al(III) have been explored. The results show that they are irreversible adsorptive hydrogen catalytic waves. These studies not only enrich the methods of determining Al, but also lay foundations of further understanding of the mechanisms of neurodementia.

Impact of electrode sequence on electrochemical removal of trichloroethylene from aqueous solution

PubMed Central

Rajic, Ljiljana; Fallahpour, Noushin; Alshawabkeh, Akram N.

2015-01-01

The electrode sequence in a mixed flow-through electrochemical cell is evaluated to improve the hydrodechlorination (HDC) of trichloroethylene (TCE) in aqueous solutions. In a mixed (undivided) electrochemical cell, oxygen generated at the anode competes with the transformation of target contaminants at the cathode. In this study, we evaluate the effect of placing the anode downstream from the cathode and using multiple electrodes to promote TCE reduction. Experiments with a cathode followed by an anode (C→A) and an anode followed by a cathode (A→C) were conducted using mixed metal oxide (MMO) and iron as electrode materials. The TCE removal rates when the anode is placed downstream of the cathode (C→A) were 54% by MMO→MMO, 64% by MMO→Fe and 87% by Fe→MMO sequence. Removal rates when the anode is placed upstream of the cathode (A→C) were 38% by MMO→MMO, 58% by Fe→MMO and 69% by MMO→Fe sequence. Placing the anode downstream of the cathode positively improves (by 26%) the degradation of aqueous TCE in a mixed flow-through cell as it minimizes the influence of oxygen generated at the MMO anode on TCE reduction at the cathode. Furthermore, placing the MMO anode downstream of the cathode neutralizes pH and redox potential of the treated solution. Higher flow velocity under the C→A setup increases TCE mass flux reduction rate. Using multiple cathodes and an iron foam cathode up stream of the anode increase the removal rate by 1.6 and 2.4 times, respectively. More than 99% of TCE was removed in the presence of Pd catalyst on carbon and as an iron foam coating. Enhanced reaction rates found in this study imply that a mixed flow-through electrochemical cell with multiple cathodes up stream of an anode is an effective method to promote the reduction of TCE in groundwater. PMID:25931774

Overcoming bottlenecks of enzymatic biofuel cell cathodes: crude fungal culture supernatant can help to extend lifetime and reduce cost.

PubMed

Sané, Sabine; Jolivalt, Claude; Mittler, Gerhard; Nielsen, Peter J; Rubenwolf, Stefanie; Zengerle, Roland; Kerzenmacher, Sven

2013-07-01

Enzymatic biofuel cells (BFCs) show great potential for the direct conversion of biochemically stored energy from renewable biomass resources into electricity. However, enzyme purification is time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the long-term use of enzymatic BFCs is hindered by enzyme degradation, which limits their lifetime to only a few weeks. We show, for the first time, that crude culture supernatant from enzyme-secreting microorganisms (Trametes versicolor) can be used without further treatment to supply the enzyme laccase to the cathode of a mediatorless BFC. Polarization curves show that there is no significant difference in the cathode performance when using crude supernatant that contains laccase compared to purified laccase in culture medium or buffer solution. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the oxygen reduction activity of this enzymatic cathode can be sustained over a period of at least 120 days by periodic resupply of crude culture supernatant. This is more than five times longer than control cathodes without the resupply of culture supernatant. During the operation period of 120 days, no progressive loss of potential is observed, which suggests that significantly longer lifetimes than shown in this work may be possible. Our results demonstrate the possibility to establish simple, cost efficient, and mediatorless enzymatic BFC cathodes that do not require expensive enzyme purification procedures. Furthermore, they show the feasibility of an enzymatic BFC with an extended lifetime, in which self-replicating microorganisms provide the electrode with catalytically active enzymes in a continuous or periodic manner. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Plasma dynamics on current-carrying magnetic flux tubes. II - Low potential simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swift, Daniel W.

1992-01-01

The evolution of plasma in a current-carrying magnetic flux tube of variable cross section is investigated using a one-dimensional numerical simulation. The flux tube is narrow at the two ends and broad in the middle. The middle part of the flux tube is loaded with a hot, magnetically trapped population, and the two ends have a more dense, gravitationally bound population. A potential difference larger than the gravitational potential but less than the energy of the hot population is applied across the domain. The general result is that the potential change becomes distributed along the anode half of the domain, with negligible potential change on the cathode half. The potential is supported by the mirror force of magnetically trapped particles. The simulations show a steady depletion of plasma on the anode side of the flux tube. The current steadily decreases on a time scale of an ion transit time. The results may provide an explanation for the observed plasma depletions on auroral field lines carrying upward currents.

A promising approach for the recovery of high value-added metals from spent lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Juntao; Zhang, Jialiang; Li, Hongxu; Chen, Yongqiang; Wang, Chengyan

2017-05-01

The aim of the paper is to present a promising approach for recycling high value-added metals from the cathode materials of spent LIBs. The synthesis process of NCM cathode material enlightened us to apply reduction roasting to break LiNixCoyMnzO2 into simple compounds or metals. Accordingly, the effect of several factors such as temperature, carbon dosage and roasting time is assessed on the leaching efficiency of valuable metals. The roasted products are analyzed by XRD and SEM-EDS, and the results show that the cathode material after reduction roasting is primarily transformed into Li2CO3, Ni, Co and MnO. However, the solubility of Li2CO3 is relatively low, so carbonated water leaching is used to treat the roasted products. Then the filtrate is evaporated for the preparation of pure Li2CO3, and residue is leached to recycle other metals with H2SO4. The results indicate that, after roasted at 650 °C for 3 h with 19.9% carbon dosage, 84.7% Li is preferentially recovered via carbonated water leaching, and more than 99% Ni, Co and Mn are recycled via acid leaching without adding reductant. Finally, the products of Li2CO3, NiSO4, CoSO4 and MnSO4 are obtained. The process have great potential for industrial-scale recycling from spent LIBs.

Polarity-Dependent Misperception of Subjective Visual Vertical during and after Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS).

PubMed

Santos-Pontelli, Taiza E G; Rimoli, Brunna P; Favoretto, Diandra B; Mazin, Suleimy C; Truong, Dennis Q; Leite, Joao P; Pontes-Neto, Octavio M; Babyar, Suzanne R; Reding, Michael; Bikson, Marom; Edwards, Dylan J

2016-01-01

Pathologic tilt of subjective visual vertical (SVV) frequently has adverse functional consequences for patients with stroke and vestibular disorders. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the supramarginal gyrus can produce a transitory tilt on SVV in healthy subjects. However, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on SVV has never been systematically studied. We investigated whether bilateral tDCS over the temporal-parietal region could result in both online and offline SVV misperception in healthy subjects. In a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind crossover pilot study, thirteen healthy subjects performed tests of SVV before, during and after the tDCS applied over the temporal-parietal region in three conditions used on different days: right anode/left cathode; right cathode/left anode; and sham. Subjects were blind to the tDCS conditions. Montage-specific current flow patterns were investigated using computational models. SVV was significantly displaced towards the anode during both active stimulation conditions when compared to sham condition. Immediately after both active conditions, there were rebound effects. Longer lasting after-effects towards the anode occurred only in the right cathode/left anode condition. Current flow models predicted the stimulation of temporal-parietal regions under the electrodes and deep clusters in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. The present findings indicate that tDCS over the temporal-parietal region can significantly alter human SVV perception. This tDCS approach may be a potential clinical tool for the treatment of SVV misperception in neurological patients.

Influence of Concurrent Finger Movements on Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)-Induced Aftereffects.

PubMed

Shirota, Yuichiro; Terney, Daniella; Antal, Andrea; Paulus, Walter

2017-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to have bidirectional influence on the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in resting participants in a polarity-specific manner: anodal tDCS increased and cathodal tDCS decreased them. More recently, the effects of tDCS have been shown to depend on a number of additional factors. We investigated whether a small variety of movements involving target and non-target muscles could differentially modify the efficacy of tDCS. MEPs were elicited from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle, defined as the target muscle, by single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1). During M1 tDCS, which lasted for 10 min applying anodal, cathodal, or sham condition, the participants were instructed to squeeze a ball with their right hand (Task 1), to move their right index finger only in the medial (Task 2), in the lateral direction (Task 3), or in medial and lateral direction alternatively (Task 4). Anodal tDCS reduced MEP amplitudes measured in Task 1 and Task 2, but to a lesser extent in the latter. In Task 3, anodal tDCS led to greater MEP amplitudes than cathodal stimulation. Alternating movements resulted in no effect of tDCS on MEP amplitude (Task 4). The results are congruent with the current notion that the aftereffects of tDCS are highly variable relying on a number of factors including the type of movements executed during stimulation.

Ferroelectric Emission Cathodes for Low-Power Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kovaleski, Scott D.; Burke, Tom (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Low- or no-flow electron emitters are required for low-power electric thrusters, spacecraft plasma contactors, and electrodynamic tether systems to reduce or eliminate the need for propellant/expellant. Expellant-less neutralizers can improve the viability of very low-power colloid thrusters, field emission electric propulsion devices, ion engines, Hall thrusters, and gridded vacuum arc thrusters. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is evaluating ferroelectric emission (FEE) cathodes as zero expellant flow rate cathode sources for the applications listed above. At GRC, low voltage (100s to approx. 1500 V) operation of FEE cathodes is examined. Initial experiments, with unipolar, bipolar, and RF burst applied voltage, have produced current pulses 250 to 1000 ns in duration with peak currents of up to 2 A at voltages at or below 1500 V. In particular, FEE cathodes driven by RF burst voltages from 1400 to 2000 V peak to peak, at burst frequencies from 70 to 400 kHz, emitted average current densities from 0.1 to 0.7 A/sq cm. Pulse repeatability as a function of input voltage has been initially established. Reliable emission has been achieved in air background at pressures as high as 10(exp -6) Torr.

Multiday Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Causes Clinically Insignificant Changes in Childhood Dystonia: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Bhanpuri, Nasir H; Bertucco, Matteo; Young, Scott J; Lee, Annie A; Sanger, Terence D

2015-10-01

Abnormal motor cortex activity is common in dystonia. Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation may alter cortical activity by decreasing excitability while anodal stimulation may increase motor learning. Previous results showed that a single session of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation can improve symptoms in childhood dystonia. Here we performed a 5-day, sham-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, where we measured tracking and muscle overflow in a myocontrol-based task. We applied cathodal and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (2 mA, 9 minutes per day). For cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (7 participants), 3 subjects showed improvements whereas 2 showed worsening in overflow or tracking error. The effect size was small (about 1% of maximum voluntary contraction) and not clinically meaningful. For anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (6 participants), none showed improvement, whereas 5 showed worsening. Thus, multiday cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation reduced symptoms in some children but not to a clinically meaningful extent, whereas anodal transcranial direct current stimulation worsened symptoms. Our results do not support transcranial direct current stimulation as clinically viable for treating childhood dystonia. © The Author(s) 2015.

Design and Demonstration of Three-Electrode Pouch Cells for Lithium-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

An, Seong Jin; Li, Jianlin; Daniel, Claus; ...

2017-06-14

Simple three-electrode pouch cells which can be used in distinguishing the voltage and resistance in individual electrodes of lithium ion batteries have been designed. Baseline (1 mm-staggered alignment, cathode away from a reference electrode) and aligned electrodes to a reference electrode located outside of the anode and cathode were studied to see alignment effects on resistance analysis. Cells composed of A12 graphite anodes, LiNi 0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O 2 (NMC 532 or NCM 523) cathodes, lithium foil references, microporous tri-layer membranes, and electrolytes, were cycled with cathode cutoff voltages between 3.0 V and 4.3 V for formation cycles or 4.6 Vmore » for C-rate performance testing. By applying a hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) technique to the cells, resistances of the baseline cells contributed by the anode and cathode were found to be different from those of the aligned cells, although overall resistances were close to ones from aligned cells. As a result, resistances obtained via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and 2D simulation were also compared with those obtained from HPPC.« less

Effect of confining wall potential on charged collimated dust beam in low-pressure plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kausik, S. S.; Kakati, B.; Saikia, B. K.

2013-05-01

The effect of confining wall potential on charged collimated dust beam in low-pressure plasma has been studied in a dusty plasma experimental setup by applying electrostatic field to each channel of a multicusp magnetic cage. Argon plasma is produced by hot cathode discharge method at a pressure of 5×10-4 millibars and is confined by a full line cusped magnetic field confinement system. Silver dust grains are produced by gas-evaporation technique and move upward in the form of a collimated dust beam due to differential pressure maintained between the dust and plasma chambers. The charged grains in the beam after coming out from the plasma column enter into the diagnostic chamber and are deflected by a dc field applied across a pair of deflector plates at different confining potentials. Both from the amount of deflection and the floating potential, the number of charges collected by the dust grains is calculated. Furthermore, the collimated dust beam strikes the Faraday cup, which is placed above the deflector plates, and the current (˜pA) so produced is measured by an electrometer at different confining potentials. The experimental results demonstrate the significant effect of confining wall potential on charging of dust grains.

Bioelectrochemically-assisted reductive dechlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane by a Dehalococcoides-enriched microbial culture.

PubMed

Leitão, Patrícia; Rossetti, Simona; Nouws, Henri P A; Danko, Anthony S; Majone, Mauro; Aulenta, Federico

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to verify the possibility to use a polarized graphite electrode as an electron donor for the reductive dechlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane, an ubiquitous groundwater contaminant. The rate of 1,2-DCA dechlorination almost linearly increased by decreasing the set cathode potential over a broad range of set cathode potentials (i.e., from -300 mV to -900 mV vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). This process was primarily dependent on electrolytic H2 generation. On the other hand, reductive dechlorination proceeded (although quite slowly) with a very high Coulombic efficiency (near 70%) at a set cathode potential of -300 mV, where no H2 production occurred. Under this condition, reductive dechlorination was likely driven by direct electron uptake from the surface of the polarized electrode. Taken as a whole, this study further extends the range of chlorinated contaminants which can be treated with bioelectrochemical systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanostructured metal carbides for aprotic Li-O 2 batteries. New insights into interfacial reactions and cathode stability

DOE PAGES

Kundu, Dipan; Black, Robert; Adams, Brian; ...

2015-05-01

The development of nonaqueous Li–oxygen batteries, which relies on the reversible reaction of Li + O 2 to give lithium peroxide (Li 2O 2), is challenged by several factors, not the least being the high charging voltage that results when carbon is typically employed as the cathode host. We report here on the remarkably low 3.2 V potential for Li 2O 2 oxidation on a passivated nanostructured metallic carbide (Mo 2C), carbon-free cathode host. Furthermore, online mass spectrometry coupled with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy unequivocally demonstrates that lithium peroxide is simultaneously oxidized together with the Li xMoO 3-passivated conductive interface formedmore » on the carbide, owing to their close redox potentials. We found that the process rejuvenates the surface on each cycle upon electrochemical charge by releasing Li xMoO 3 into the electrolyte, explaining the low charging potential.« less

Electrochemical method of producing eutectic uranium alloy and apparatus

DOEpatents

Horton, James A.; Hayden, H. Wayne

1995-01-01

An apparatus and method for continuous production of liquid uranium alloys through the electrolytic reduction of uranium chlorides. The apparatus includes an electrochemical cell formed from an anode shaped to form an electrolyte reservoir, a cathode comprising a metal, such as iron, capable of forming a eutectic uranium alloy having a melting point less than the melting point of pure uranium, and molten electrolyte in the reservoir comprising a chlorine or fluorine containing salt and uranium chloride. The method of the invention produces an eutectic uranium alloy by creating an electrolyte reservoir defined by a container comprising an anode, placing an electrolyte in the reservoir, the electrolyte comprising a chlorine or fluorine containing salt and uranium chloride in molten form, positioning a cathode in the reservoir where the cathode comprises a metal capable of forming an uranium alloy having a melting point less than the melting point of pure uranium, and applying a current between the cathode and the anode.

Electrochemical method of producing eutectic uranium alloy and apparatus

DOEpatents

Horton, J.A.; Hayden, H.W.

1995-01-10

An apparatus and method are disclosed for continuous production of liquid uranium alloys through the electrolytic reduction of uranium chlorides. The apparatus includes an electrochemical cell formed from an anode shaped to form an electrolyte reservoir, a cathode comprising a metal, such as iron, capable of forming a eutectic uranium alloy having a melting point less than the melting point of pure uranium, and molten electrolyte in the reservoir comprising a chlorine or fluorine containing salt and uranium chloride. The method of the invention produces an eutectic uranium alloy by creating an electrolyte reservoir defined by a container comprising an anode, placing an electrolyte in the reservoir, the electrolyte comprising a chlorine or fluorine containing salt and uranium chloride in molten form, positioning a cathode in the reservoir where the cathode comprises a metal capable of forming an uranium alloy having a melting point less than the melting point of pure uranium, and applying a current between the cathode and the anode. 2 figures.

Electrochemical hydride generation for the simultaneous determination of hydride forming elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolea, E.; Laborda, F.; Castillo, J. R.; Sturgeon, R. E.

2004-04-01

Simultaneous measurements of As, Sb, Se, Sn and Ge were performed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry following their electrochemical hydride generation. An electrochemical hydride generator based on a concentric arrangement with a porous cathode, working in a continuous flow mode was used. The effects of sample flow rate, applied current and electrolytic solution concentration on response were studied and their influence on the mechanisms of hydride generation discussed. Four materials, particulate lead, reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC), silver and amalgamated silver were tested as cathode materials. The best results were achieved with particulate lead and RVC cathodes, wherein generation efficiencies higher than 80% were estimated for most of the analytes. In general, limits of detection between 0.1 and 3.6 ng ml -1 and a precision better than 5% were achieved using a lead cathode. The analysis of a marine sediment reference material (PACS-2, NRC) showed good agreement with the certified values for As and Se.

Management practices for end-of-life cathode ray tube glass: Review of advances in recycling and best available technologies.

PubMed

Iniaghe, Paschal O; Adie, Gilbert U

2015-11-01

Cathode ray tubes are image display units found in computer monitors and televisions. In recent years, cathode ray tubes have been generated as waste owing to the introduction of newer and advanced technologies in image displays, such as liquid crystal displays and high definition televisions, among others. Generation and subsequent disposal of end-of-life cathode ray tubes presents a challenge owing to increasing volumes and high lead content embedded in the funnel and neck sections of the glass. Disposal in landfills and open dumping are anti-environmental practices considering the large-scale contamination of environmental media by the potential of toxic metals leaching from glass. Mitigating such environmental contamination will require sound management strategies that are environmentally friendly and economically feasible. This review covers existing and emerging management practices for end-of-life cathode ray tubes. An in-depth analysis of available technologies (glass smelting, detoxification of cathode ray tube glass, lead extraction from cathode ray tube glass) revealed that most of the techniques are environmentally friendly, but are largely confined to either laboratory scale, or are often limited owing to high cost to mount, or generate secondary pollutants, while a closed-looped method is antiquated. However, recycling in cementitious systems (cement mortar and concrete) gives an added advantage in terms of quantity of recyclable cathode ray tube glass at a given time, with minimal environmental and economic implications. With significant quantity of waste cathode ray tube glass being generated globally, cementitious systems could be economically and environmentally acceptable as a sound management practice for cathode ray tube glass, where other technologies may not be applicable. © The Author(s) 2015.

Electrostatic acceleration of helicon plasma using a cusped magnetic field

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

Harada, S.; Mitsubishi Heavy Industry ltd., 16-5 Konan 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8215; Baba, T.

2014-11-10

The electrostatic acceleration of helicon plasma is investigated using an electrostatic potential exerted between the ring anode at the helicon source exit and an off-axis hollow cathode in the downstream region. In the downstream region, the magnetic field for the helicon source, which is generated by a solenoid coil, is modified using permanent magnets and a yoke, forming an almost magnetic field-free region surrounded by an annular cusp field. Using a retarding potential analyzer, two primary ion energy peaks, where the lower peak corresponds to the space potential and the higher one to the ion beam, are detected in themore » field-free region. Using argon as the working gas with a helicon power of 1.5 kW and a mass flow rate of 0.21 mg/s, the ion beam energy is on the order of the applied acceleration voltage. In particular, with an acceleration voltage lower than 150 V, the ion beam energy even exceeds the applied acceleration voltage by an amount on the order of the electron thermal energy at the exit of the helicon plasma source. The ion beam energy profile strongly depends on the helicon power and the applied acceleration voltage. Since by this method the whole working gas from the helicon plasma source can, in principle, be accelerated, this device can be applied as a noble electrostatic thruster for space propulsion.« less

Electrostatic acceleration of helicon plasma using a cusped magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harada, S.; Baba, T.; Uchigashima, A.; Yokota, S.; Iwakawa, A.; Sasoh, A.; Yamazaki, T.; Shimizu, H.

2014-11-01

The electrostatic acceleration of helicon plasma is investigated using an electrostatic potential exerted between the ring anode at the helicon source exit and an off-axis hollow cathode in the downstream region. In the downstream region, the magnetic field for the helicon source, which is generated by a solenoid coil, is modified using permanent magnets and a yoke, forming an almost magnetic field-free region surrounded by an annular cusp field. Using a retarding potential analyzer, two primary ion energy peaks, where the lower peak corresponds to the space potential and the higher one to the ion beam, are detected in the field-free region. Using argon as the working gas with a helicon power of 1.5 kW and a mass flow rate of 0.21 mg/s, the ion beam energy is on the order of the applied acceleration voltage. In particular, with an acceleration voltage lower than 150 V, the ion beam energy even exceeds the applied acceleration voltage by an amount on the order of the electron thermal energy at the exit of the helicon plasma source. The ion beam energy profile strongly depends on the helicon power and the applied acceleration voltage. Since by this method the whole working gas from the helicon plasma source can, in principle, be accelerated, this device can be applied as a noble electrostatic thruster for space propulsion.

History of the Development of Liquid-Applied Coatings for Protection of Reinforced Concrete

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, Joseph J.; Hansen, marlin H.

2005-01-01

Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is an insidious problem for structures at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). KSC is located on the coast of Florida in a highly corrosive atmosphere. Launch pads, highway bridge infrastructure, and buildings are strongly affected. To mitigate these problems, NASA initiated a development program for a Galvanic Liquid-Applied Coating System (GLACS). A breakthrough in this area would have great commercial value in transportation, marine and construction industry infrastructures. The patented NASA GLACS system has undergone considerable testing to meet the needs of commercialization. A moisture-cure coating gives excellent adhesion with ease of application compared to existing galvanic products on the market. The latest development, GalvaCori; can be sprayed or hand applied to almost any structure shape. A self-adhesive conductive tape system has been devised to simplify current collection within the coating areas. In testing programs, millivolt potential and milliamp output per square foot of anode have been closely studied at actual test sites. These two parameters are probably the most challenging items of a resin-based, room-temperature-applied, galvanic coating. Extensive re-formulation has resulted in a system that provides the needed polarization for catholic protection of reinforcing steel in concrete in a variety of structure environments. The rate of corrosion of rebar in concrete is greatly affected by the environment of the structure. In addition to this, for any given concrete structure; moisture level, carbonization, and chloride contamination influences the rate of rebar corrosion. Similarly, the cathodic protection level of galvanic systems is also dependent on the moisture level of the concrete. GalvaCorr is formulated to maintain galvanic activity as the moisture level of the structure declines. GalvaCorr is available as a three-part kit. The mixing step requires about ten minutes. The viscosity can be easily adjusted to meet the application needs. The pot or working life is four to six hours, depending on the temperature. GalvaCorr can be thought of as a spray-on coating, battery ready to provide up to -1.4 volts (relative to CSE) of cathodic protection (CP) potential.

Salt taste inhibition by cathodal current.

PubMed

Hettinger, Thomas P; Frank, Marion E

2009-09-28

Effects of cathodal current, which draws cations away from the tongue and drives anions toward the tongue, depend on the ionic content of electrolytes through which the current is passed. To address the role of cations and anions in human salt tastes, cathodal currents of -40 microA to -80 microA were applied to human subjects' tongues through supra-threshold salt solutions. The salts were sodium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium nitrate, sodium sulfate, sodium saccharin, sodium acetate and sodium benzoate, which taken together encompass salty, bitter, sour and sweet taste qualities. The taste of NaCl, the salty and bitter tastes of the other chloride salts and the taste of NaNO(3) was inhibited, suggesting the current displaced stimulatory cations from salty and bitter receptors. However, bitter tastes of non-halide sodium salts were not inhibited, likely because other bitter receptors respond to anions. A discharge current at cathode-off ubiquitously evoked a metallic taste reminiscent of anodal taste used in clinical electrogustometry. Analogous effects on ambient NaCl responses were recorded from the hamster chorda tympani nerve. Increases in tastes of the saccharin and benzoate anions were not evoked during current flow, suggesting that cathodal current does not carry stimulatory anions to sweet receptors. Cathodal current may selectively inhibit salty and bitter-salty tastes for which proximal stimuli are cations.

Experimental Studies of the Effects of Anode Composition and Process Parameters on Anode Slime Adhesion and Cathode Copper Purity by Performing Copper Electrorefining in a Pilot-Scale Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Weizhi; Wang, Shijie; Free, Michael L.

2016-10-01

Copper electrorefining tests were conducted in a pilot-scale cell under commercial tankhouse environment to study the effects of anode compositions, current density, cathode blank width, and flow rate on anode slime behavior and cathode copper purity. Three different types of anodes (high, mid, and low impurity levels) were used in the tests and were analyzed under SEM/EDS. The harvested copper cathodes were weighed and analyzed for impurities concentrations using DC Arc. The adhered slimes and released slimes were collected, weighed, and analyzed for compositions using ICP. It was shown that the lead-to-arsenic ratio in the anodes affects the sintering and coalescence of slime particles. High current density condition can improve anode slime adhesion and cathode purity by intensifying slime particles' coalescence and dissolving part of the particles. Wide cathode blanks can raise the anodic current densities significantly and result in massive release of large slime particle aggregates, which are not likely to contaminate the cathode copper. Low flow rate can cause anode passivation and increase local temperatures in front of the anode, which leads to very intense sintering and coalescence of slime particles. The results and analyses of the tests present potential solutions for industrial copper electrorefining process.

1,3,6-Hexanetricarbonitrile as electrolyte additive for enhancing electrochemical performance of high voltage Li-rich layered oxide cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Long; Ma, Yulin; Li, Qin; Zhou, Zhenxin; Cheng, Xinqun; Zuo, Pengjian; Du, Chunyu; Gao, Yunzhi; Yin, Geping

2017-09-01

1,3,6-Hexanetricarbonitrile (HTN) has been investigated as an electrolyte additive to improve the electrochemical performance of the Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 cathode at high operating voltage (4.8 V). Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) results indicate that HTN can improve the oxidation potential of the electrolyte. The influences of HTN on the electrochemical behaviors and surface properties of the cathode at high voltage have been investigated by galvanostatic charge/discharge test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and ex-situ physical characterizations. Charge-discharge results demonstrate that the capacity retention of the Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 cathode in 1% HTN-containing electrolyte after 150 cycles at 0.5 C is improved to 92.3%, which is much higher than that in the standard electrolyte (ED). Combined with the theoretical calculation, ICP tests, XRD and XPS analysis, more stable and homogeneous interface film is confirmed to form on the cathode surface with incorporation of HTN, meanwhile, the electrolyte decomposition and the cathode structural destruction are restrained effectively upon cycling at high voltage, leading to improved electrochemical performance of Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 cathode.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nanostructured Manganese Oxide as Cathodic Catalyst in a Microbial Fuel Cell Fed with Leachate

PubMed Central

Haoran, Yuan; Lifang, Deng; Tao, Lu; Yong, Chen

2014-01-01

Much effort has been devoted to the synthesis of novel nanostructured MnO2 materials because of their unique properties and potential applications as cathode catalyst in Microbial fuel cell. Hybrid MnO2 nanostructures were fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method in this study. Their crystal structures, morphology, and electrochemical characters were carried out by FESEM, N2-adsorption-desorption, and CV, indicating that the hydrothermally synthesized MnO2 (HSM) was structured by nanorods of high aspect ratio and multivalve nanoflowers and more positive than the naturally synthesized MnO2 (NSM), accompanied by a noticeable increase in oxygen reduction peak current. When the HSM was employed as the cathode catalyst in air-cathode MFC which fed with leachate, a maximum power density of 119.07 mW/m2 was delivered, 64.68% higher than that with the NSM as cathode catalyst. Furthermore, the HSM via a 4-e pathway, but the NSM via a 2-e pathway in alkaline solution, and as 4-e pathway is a more efficient oxygen reduction reaction, the HSM was more positive than NSM. Our study provides useful information on facile preparation of cost-effective cathodic catalyst in air-cathode MFC for wastewater treatment. PMID:24723824

A first-principles model for orificed hollow cathode operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salhi, A.; Turchi, P. J.

1992-01-01

A theoretical model describing orificed hollow cathode discharge is presented. The approach adopted is based on a purely analytical formulation founded on first principles. The present model predicts the emission surface temperature and plasma properties such as electron temperature, number densities and plasma potential. In general, good agreements between theory and experiment are obtained. Comparison of the results with the available related experimental data shows a maximum difference of 10 percent in emission surface temperature, 20 percent in electron temperature and 35 percent in plasma potential. In case of the variation of the electron number density with the discharge current a maximum discrepancy of 36 percent is obtained. However, in the case of the variation with the cathode internal pressure, the predicted electron number density is higher than the experimental data by a maximum factor of 2.

Induction of cortical plasticity and improved motor performance following unilateral and bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex.

PubMed

Kidgell, Dawson J; Goodwill, Alicia M; Frazer, Ashlyn K; Daly, Robin M

2013-07-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique that modulates the excitability of neurons within the primary motor cortex (M1). Research shows that anodal-tDCS applied over the non-dominant M1 (i.e. unilateral stimulation) improves motor function of the non-dominant hand. Similarly, previous studies also show that applying cathodal tDCS over the dominant M1 improves motor function of the non-dominant hand, presumably by reducing interhemispheric inhibition. In the present study, one condition involved anodal-tDCS over the non-dominant M1 (unilateral stimulation) whilst a second condition involved applying cathodal-tDCS over the dominant M1 and anodal-tDCS over non-dominant M1 (bilateral stimulation) to determine if unilateral or bilateral stimulation differentially modulates motor function of the non-dominant hand. Using a randomized, cross-over design, 11 right-handed participants underwent three stimulation conditions: 1) unilateral stimulation, that involved anodal-tDCS applied over the non-dominant M1, 2) bilateral stimulation, whereby anodal-tDCS was applied over the non-dominant M1, and cathodal-tDCS over the dominant M1, and 3) sham stimulation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was performed before, immediately after, 30 and 60 minutes after stimulation to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying any potential after-effects on motor performance. Motor function was evaluated by the Purdue pegboard test. There were significant improvements in motor function following unilateral and bilateral stimulation when compared to sham stimulation at all-time points (all P < 0.05); however there was no difference across time points between unilateral and bilateral stimulation. There was also a similar significant increase in corticomotor excitability with both unilateral and bilateral stimulation immediately post, 30 minutes and 60 minutes compared to sham stimulation (all P < 0.05). Unilateral and bilateral stimulation reduced short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) immediately post and at 30 minutes (all P < 0.05), but returned to baseline in both conditions at 60 minutes. There was no difference between unilateral and bilateral stimulation for SICI (P > 0.05). Furthermore, changes in corticomotor plasticity were not related to changes in motor performance. These results indicate that tDCS induced behavioural changes in the non-dominant hand as a consequence of mechanisms associated with use-dependant cortical plasticity that is independent of the electrode arrangement.

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

Yalcin, H.; Koc, T.

In this study 4.5 km long fuel pipeline, located on 41[degrees] N latitude (Istanbul, Turkey) was cathodically protected with solar energy. Four commercial photovoltaic modules of a 12 V version were used. Insolation data were collected by the aid of Florya Meteorological Station. The cathodic protection was applied for three years and kept under control during this period of time. Project criteria and reliability of the protection have been investigated. Better protection than the available criteria for steel pipeline was achieved even in winter solstice months.

Filtered cathodic arc deposition with ion-species-selective bias.

PubMed

Anders, André; Pasaja, Nitisak; Sansongsiri, Sakon

2007-06-01

A dual-cathode arc plasma source was combined with a computer-controlled bias amplifier to synchronize substrate bias with the pulsed production of plasma. In this way, bias can be applied in a material-selective way. The principle has been applied to the synthesis of metal-doped diamondlike carbon films, where the bias was applied and adjusted when the carbon plasma was condensing and the substrate was at ground when the metal was incorporated. In doing so, excessive sputtering by energetic metal ions can be avoided while the sp(3)sp(2) ratio can be adjusted. It is shown that the resistivity of the film can be tuned by this species-selective bias; Raman spectroscopy was used to confirm expected changes of the amorphous ta-C:Mo films. The species-selective bias principle could be extended to multiple material plasma sources and complex materials.

Morphology of uranium electrodeposits on cathode in electrorefining process: A phase-field simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibuta, Yasushi; Sato, Takumi; Suzuki, Toshio; Ohta, Hirokazu; Kurata, Masaki

2013-05-01

Morphology of uranium electrodeposits on cathode with respect to applied voltage, zirconium concentration in the molten salt and the size of primary deposit during pyroprocessing is systematically investigated by the phase-field simulation. It is found that there is a threshold zirconium concentration in the molten salt demarcating planar and cellular/needle-like electrodeposits, which agrees with experimental results. In addition, the effect of size of primary deposits on the morphology of electrodeposits is examined. It is then confirmed that cellular/needle-like electrodeposits are formed from large primary deposits at all applied voltages considered, whereas both the planar and cellular/needle-like electrodeposits are formed from the primary deposits of 10 μm and less.

An Aurivillius Oxide Based Cathode with Excellent CO2 Tolerance for Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Zhu, Yinlong; Zhou, Wei; Chen, Yubo; Shao, Zongping

2016-07-25

The Aurivillius oxide Bi2 Sr2 Nb2 MnO12-δ (BSNM) was used as a cobalt-free cathode for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). To the best of our knowledge, the BSNM oxide is the only alkaline-earth-containing cathode material with complete CO2 tolerance that has been reported thus far. BSNM not only shows favorable activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at intermediate temperatures but also exhibits a low thermal expansion coefficient, excellent structural stability, and good chemical compatibility with the electrolyte. These features highlight the potential of the new BSNM material as a highly promising cathode material for IT-SOFCs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Modeling and simulation for the field emission of carbon nanotubes array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X. Q.; Wang, M.; Ge, H. L.; Chen, Q.; Xu, Y. B.

2005-12-01

To optimize the field emission of the infinite carbon nanotubes (CNTs) array on a planar cathode surface, the numerical simulation for the behavior of field emission with finite difference method was proposed. By solving the Laplace equation with computer, the influence of the intertube distance, the anode-cathode distance and the opened/capped CNT on the field emission of CNTs array were taken into account, and the results could accord well with the experiments. The simulated results proved that the field enhancement factor of individual CNT is largest, but the emission current density is little. Due to the enhanced screening of the electric field, the enhancement factor of CNTs array decreases with decreasing the intertube distance. From the simulation the field emission can be optimized when the intertube distance is close to the tube height. The anode-cathode distance hardly influences the field enhancement factor of CNTs array, but can low the threshold voltage by decreasing the anode-cathode distance. Finally, the distribution of potential of the capped CNTs array and the opened CNTs array was simulated, which the results showed that the distribution of potential can be influenced to some extent by the anode-cathode distance, especially at the apex of the capped CNTs array and the brim of the opened CNTs array. The opened CNTs array has larger field enhancement factor and can emit more current than the capped one.

Co-Flow Hollow Cathode Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofer, Richard R.; Goebel, Dan M.

2011-01-01

Hall thrusters utilize identical hollow cathode technology as ion thrusters, yet must operate at much higher mass flow rates in order to efficiently couple to the bulk plasma discharge. Higher flow rates are necessary in order to provide enough neutral collisions to transport electrons across magnetic fields so that they can reach the discharge. This higher flow rate, however, has potential life-limiting implications for the operation of the cathode. A solution to the problem involves splitting the mass flow into the hollow cathode into two streams, the internal and external flows. The internal flow is fixed and set such that the neutral pressure in the cathode allows for a high utilization of the emitter surface area. The external flow is variable depending on the flow rate through the anode of the Hall thruster, but also has a minimum in order to suppress high-energy ion generation. In the co-flow hollow cathode, the cathode assembly is mounted on thruster centerline, inside the inner magnetic core of the thruster. An annular gas plenum is placed at the base of the cathode and propellant is fed throughout to produce an azimuthally symmetric flow of gas that evenly expands around the cathode keeper. This configuration maximizes propellant utilization and is not subject to erosion processes. External gas feeds have been considered in the past for ion thruster applications, but usually in the context of eliminating high energy ion production. This approach is adapted specifically for the Hall thruster and exploits the geometry of a Hall thruster to feed and focus the external flow without introducing significant new complexity to the thruster design.

High performance and durability of order-structured cathode catalyst layer based on TiO2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ming; Wang, Meng; Yang, Zhaoyi; Wang, Xindong

2017-06-01

In this paper, an order-structured cathode catalyst layer consisting of Pt-TiO2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays that in situ grown on commercial gas diffusion layer (GDL) are prepared and applied to membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In order to prepare the TiO2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays with suitable porosity and prominent conductivity, the morphologies of the TiO2 nanoarray and electrochemical polymerization process of aniline are schematically investigated. The MEA with order-structured cathode catalyst layer is assembled in the single cell to evaluate the electrochemical performance and durability of PEMFC. As a result, the PEMFC with order-structured cathode catalyst layer shows higher peak power density (773.54 mW cm-2) than conventional PEMFC (699.30 mW cm-2). Electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) and charge transfer impedance (Rct) are measured before and after accelerated degradation test (ADT), and the corresponding experimental results indicate the novel cathode structure exhibits a better stability with respect to conventional cathode. The enhanced electrochemical performance and durability toward PEMFC can be ascribed to the order-structured cathode nanoarray structure with high specific surface area increases the utilization of catalyst and reduces the tortuosity of transport pathways, and the synergistic effect between TiO2@PANI support and Pt nanoparticles promotes the high efficiency of electrochemical reaction and improves the stability of catalyst. This research provides a facile and controllable method to prepare order-structured membrane electrode with lower Pt loading for PEMFC in the future.

Lithium-Polymer battery based on polybithiophene as cathode material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, C.; Too, C. O.; Wallace, G. G.

Stainless-steel mesh electrodes coated with polybithiophene, obtained by electrochemical polymerization (constant potential and constant current), have been investigated as cathode materials in a lithium-polybithiophene rechargeable battery by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and long-term charge-discharge cycling process. The effects of different growth methods on the surface morphology of the films and the charge-discharge capacity are discussed in detail. The results show that polybithiophene-hexafluorophosphate is a very promising cathode material for manufacturing lithium-polymer rechargeable batteries with a highly stable discharge capacity of 81.67 mAh g -1 after 50 cycles.

Experimental observation of polarized electroluminescence from edge-emission organic light emitting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ran, G. Z.; Jiang, D. F.; Kan, Q.; Chen, H. D.

2010-12-01

We have observed a strongly polarized edge-emission from an organic light emitting device (OLED) with a silicon anode and a stacked Sm/Au (or Ag) cathode. For the OLED with a Sm/Au cathode, the transverse magnetic (TM) mode is stronger than the transverse electric (TE) mode by a factor of 2, while the polarization ratio of TM:TE is close to 300 for that with a Sm/Ag cathode. The polarization results from the scattering of surface plasmon polaritons at the device boundary. Such a silicon-based OLED is potentially an electrically excited SPP source in plasmonics.

Degradation of aniline by electrochemical activation of peroxydisulfate at MWCNT cathode: The proofed concept of nonradical oxidation process.

PubMed

Nie, Chunyang; Ao, Zhimin; Duan, Xiaoguang; Wang, Chengying; Wang, Shaobin; An, Taicheng

2018-05-07

Enhanced elimination of aniline in aqueous solution was achieved by coupling electrosorption of aniline and electrochemical activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS) at multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) cathode, in which a synergistic effect occurred. It was found that PDS could be effectively activated under a small voltage at MWCNT cathode owing to the specific pore structures of MWCNTs. A nonradical oxidation pathway instead of radical-based oxidation was proposed from the cathodic activation of PDS, wherein PDS molecules with a modified electronic structure was suggested to be the principal reactive species. Meanwhile, the influences of various operation parameters such as electrode potential, PDS concentration, presence of chloride ions on the elimination efficiency, and the stability of MWCNT electrode were also attempted. Therefore, the electrochemical activation of PDS by MWCNT cathode is a promising energy-saving method for the treatment of organic pollutants in wastewater. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transparent Carbon Nanotube layers as cathodes in OLEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadimitratos, Alexios; Nasibulin, Albert; Kauppinen, Esko; Zakhidov, Anvar; Solarno Inc Collaboration; Aalto University Collaboration; UT Dallas Collaboration

2011-03-01

Organic Light Emitting diodes (OLEDs) have attracted high interest in recent years due to their potential use in future lighting and display applications. Reported work on OLEDs traditionally utilizes low work function materials as cathodes that are expensive to fabricate because of the high vacuum processing. Transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets have excellent mechanical and electrical properties. We have already shown earlier that multi-wall (MWCNT) as well as single CNT (SWCNT) sheets can be used as effective anodes in bright OLEDs [,]. The true advantage of using the CNT sheets lies in flexible devices and new architectures with CNT sheet as layers in tandem devices with parallel connection. In this work, we are investigating the possibility of using SWCNT as cathodes in OLEDs. SWCNT sheets have been reported to show lower work function compared to MWCNT. Our work attempts to demonstrate transparent OLED devices with CNT anodes and cathodes. In the process, OLEDs with CNT cathodes have been fabricated in normal and inverted configurations using inorganic oxides (MoO3,ZnO) as invertion layers.

A closed loop process for recycling spent lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gratz, Eric; Sa, Qina; Apelian, Diran; Wang, Yan

2014-09-01

As lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries continue to increase their market share, recycling Li-ion batteries will become mandatory due to limited resources. We have previously demonstrated a new low temperature methodology to separate and synthesize cathode materials from mixed cathode materials. In this study we take used Li-ion batteries from a recycling source and recover active cathode materials, copper, steel, etc. To accomplish this the batteries are shredded and processed to separate the steel, copper and cathode materials; the cathode materials are then leached into solution; the concentrations of nickel, manganese and cobalt ions are adjusted so NixMnyCoz(OH)2 is precipitated. The precipitated product can then be reacted with lithium carbonate to form LiNixMnyCozO2. The results show that the developed recycling process is practical with high recovery efficiencies (∼90%), and 1 ton of Li-ion batteries has the potential to generate 5013 profit margin based on materials balance.

Pulsed electromagnetic gas acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahn, R. G.; Vonjaskowsky, W. F.; Clark, K. E.

1974-01-01

Detailed measurements of the axial velocity profile and electromagnetic structure of a high power, quasi-steady MPD discharge are used to formulate a gasdynamic model of the acceleration process. Conceptually dividing the accelerated plasma into an inner flow and an outer flow, it is found that more than two-thirds of the total power in the plasma is deposited in the inner flow, accelerating it to an exhaust velocity of 12.5 km/sec. The outer flow, which is accelerated to a velocity of only 6.2 km/sec, appears to provide a current conduction path between the inner flow and the anode. Related cathode studies have shown that the critical current for the onset of terminal voltage fluctuations, which was recently shown to be a function of the cathode area, appears to reach an asymptote for cathodes of very large surface area. Detailed floating potential measurements show that the fluctuations are confined to the vicinity of the cathode and hence reflect a cathode emission process rather than a fundamental limit on MPD performance.

InP nanopore arrays for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Zheng, Maojun; Zhang, Bin; Zhu, Changqing; Wang, Faze; Song, Jingnan; Zhong, Miao; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2016-02-19

We report a facile and large-scale fabrication of highly ordered one-dimensional (1D) indium phosphide (InP) nanopore arrays (NPs) and their application as photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production. These InP NPs exhibit superior PEC performance due to their excellent light-trapping characteristics, high-quality 1D conducting channels and large surface areas. The photocurrent density of optimized InP NPs is 8.9 times higher than that of planar counterpart at an applied potential of +0.3 V versus RHE under AM 1.5G illumination (100 mW cm(-2)). In addition, the onset potential of InP NPs exhibits 105 mV of cathodic shift relative to planar control. The superior performance of the nanoporous samples is further explained by Mott-Schottky and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy ananlysis.

New secondary batteries utilizing electronically conductive polymer cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Charles R.; White, Ralph E.

1989-01-01

The objectives of this project are to characterize the transport properties in electronically conductive polymers and to assess the utility of these films as cathodes in lithium/polymer secondary batteries. During this research period, progress has been made in a literature survey of the historical background, methods of preparation, the physical and chemical properties, and potential technological applications of polythiophene. Progress has also been made in the characterization of polypyrrole flat films and fibrillar films. Cyclic voltammetry and potential step chronocoulometry were used to gain information on peak currents and potentials switching reaction rates, charge capacity, and charge retention. Battery charge/discharge studies were also performed.

Cathode materials review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, Claus; Mohanty, Debasish; Li, Jianlin; Wood, David L.

2014-06-01

The electrochemical potential of cathode materials defines the positive side of the terminal voltage of a battery. Traditionally, cathode materials are the energy-limiting or voltage-limiting electrode. One of the first electrochemical batteries, the voltaic pile invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800 (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. 90, 403-431) had a copper-zinc galvanic element with a terminal voltage of 0.76 V. Since then, the research community has increased capacity and voltage for primary (nonrechargeable) batteries and round-trip efficiency for secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Successful secondary batteries have been the lead-acid with a lead oxide cathode and a terminal voltage of 2.1 V and later the NiCd with a nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide cathode and a 1.2 V terminal voltage. The relatively low voltage of those aqueous systems and the low round-trip efficiency due to activation energies in the conversion reactions limited their use. In 1976, Wittingham (J. Electrochem. Soc., 123, 315) and Besenhard (J. Power Sources 1(3), 267) finally enabled highly reversible redox reactions by intercalation of lithium ions instead of by chemical conversion. In 1980, Goodenough and Mizushima (Mater. Res. Bull. 15, 783-789) demonstrated a high-energy and high-power LiCoO2 cathode, allowing for an increase of terminal voltage far beyond 3 V. Over the past four decades, the international research community has further developed cathode materials of many varieties. Current state-of-the-art cathodes demonstrate voltages beyond any known electrolyte stability window, bringing electrolyte research once again to the forefront of battery research.

Influence of cathode geometry on electron dynamics in an ultrafast electron microscope.

PubMed

Ji, Shaozheng; Piazza, Luca; Cao, Gaolong; Park, Sang Tae; Reed, Bryan W; Masiel, Daniel J; Weissenrieder, Jonas

2017-09-01

Efforts to understand matter at ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions have led to the development of instruments such as the ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UEM) that can capture transient processes with combined nanometer and picosecond resolutions. However, analysis by UEM is often associated with extended acquisition times, mainly due to the limitations of the electron gun. Improvements are hampered by tradeoffs in realizing combinations of the conflicting objectives for source size, emittance, and energy and temporal dispersion. Fundamentally, the performance of the gun is a function of the cathode material, the gun and cathode geometry, and the local fields. Especially shank emission from a truncated tip cathode results in severe broadening effects and therefore such electrons must be filtered by applying a Wehnelt bias. Here we study the influence of the cathode geometry and the Wehnelt bias on the performance of a photoelectron gun in a thermionic configuration. We combine experimental analysis with finite element simulations tracing the paths of individual photoelectrons in the relevant 3D geometry. Specifically, we compare the performance of guard ring cathodes with no shank emission to conventional truncated tip geometries. We find that a guard ring cathode allows operation at minimum Wehnelt bias and improve the temporal resolution under realistic operation conditions in an UEM. At low bias, the Wehnelt exhibits stronger focus for guard ring than truncated tip cathodes. The increase in temporal spread with bias is mainly a result from a decrease in the accelerating field near the cathode surface. Furthermore, simulations reveal that the temporal dispersion is also influenced by the intrinsic angular distribution in the photoemission process and the initial energy spread. However, a smaller emission spot on the cathode is not a dominant driver for enhancing time resolution. Space charge induced temporal broadening shows a close to linear relation with the number of electrons up to at least 10 000 electrons per pulse. The Wehnelt bias will affect the energy distribution by changing the Rayleigh length, and thus the interaction time, at the crossover.

Influence of cathode geometry on electron dynamics in an ultrafast electron microscope

PubMed Central

Ji, Shaozheng; Piazza, Luca; Cao, Gaolong; Park, Sang Tae; Reed, Bryan W.; Masiel, Daniel J.; Weissenrieder, Jonas

2017-01-01

Efforts to understand matter at ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions have led to the development of instruments such as the ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UEM) that can capture transient processes with combined nanometer and picosecond resolutions. However, analysis by UEM is often associated with extended acquisition times, mainly due to the limitations of the electron gun. Improvements are hampered by tradeoffs in realizing combinations of the conflicting objectives for source size, emittance, and energy and temporal dispersion. Fundamentally, the performance of the gun is a function of the cathode material, the gun and cathode geometry, and the local fields. Especially shank emission from a truncated tip cathode results in severe broadening effects and therefore such electrons must be filtered by applying a Wehnelt bias. Here we study the influence of the cathode geometry and the Wehnelt bias on the performance of a photoelectron gun in a thermionic configuration. We combine experimental analysis with finite element simulations tracing the paths of individual photoelectrons in the relevant 3D geometry. Specifically, we compare the performance of guard ring cathodes with no shank emission to conventional truncated tip geometries. We find that a guard ring cathode allows operation at minimum Wehnelt bias and improve the temporal resolution under realistic operation conditions in an UEM. At low bias, the Wehnelt exhibits stronger focus for guard ring than truncated tip cathodes. The increase in temporal spread with bias is mainly a result from a decrease in the accelerating field near the cathode surface. Furthermore, simulations reveal that the temporal dispersion is also influenced by the intrinsic angular distribution in the photoemission process and the initial energy spread. However, a smaller emission spot on the cathode is not a dominant driver for enhancing time resolution. Space charge induced temporal broadening shows a close to linear relation with the number of electrons up to at least 10 000 electrons per pulse. The Wehnelt bias will affect the energy distribution by changing the Rayleigh length, and thus the interaction time, at the crossover. PMID:28781982

Carbon Nanotube Bundle Array Cold Cathodes for THz Vacuum Tube Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manohara, Harish M.; Toda, Risaku; Lin, Robert H.; Liao, Anna; Bronikowski, Michael J.; Siegel, Peter H.

2009-12-01

We present high performance cold cathodes composed of arrays of carbon nanotube bundles that routinely produce > 15 A/cm2 at applied fields of 5 to 8 V/µm without any beam focusing. They have exhibited robust operation in poor vacuums of 10-6 to 10-4 Torr- a typically achievable range inside hermetically sealed microcavities. A new double-SOI process was developed to monolithically integrate a gate and additional beam tailoring electrodes. The ability to design the electrodes for specific requirements makes carbon nanotube field emission sources extremely flexible. The lifetime of these cathodes is found to be affected by two effects: a gradual decay of emission due to anode sputtering, and catastrophic failure because of dislodging of CNT bundles at high fields ( > 10 V/µm).

Using a Quasipotential Transformation for Modeling Diffusion Media inPolymer-Electrolyte Fuel Cells

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

Weber, Adam Z.; Newman, John

2008-08-29

In this paper, a quasipotential approach along with conformal mapping is used to model the diffusion media of a polymer-electrolyte fuel cell. This method provides a series solution that is grid independent and only requires integration along a single boundary to solve the problem. The approach accounts for nonisothermal phenomena, two-phase flow, correct placement of the electronic potential boundary condition, and multilayer media. The method is applied to a cathode diffusion medium to explore the interplay between water and thermal management and performance, the impact of the rib-to-channel ratio, and the existence of diffusion under the rib and flooding phenomena.

High negative charge of a dust particle in a hot cathode discharge.

PubMed

Arnas, C; Mikikian, M; Doveil, F

1999-12-01

Dust particle levitation experiments in a plasma produced by a hot filament discharge, operating at low argon pressure, are presented. The basic characteristics of a dust grain trapped in a plate sheath edge in these experimental conditions are reported. Taking into account the sheath potential profiles measured with a differential emissive probe diagnostic, the forces applied to an isolated dust grain can be determined. Two different experimental methods yield approximately the same value for the dust charge. The observed high negative charge is mainly due to the contribution of the primary electrons emitted by the filaments as predicted by a simple model.

Microplasma illumination enhancement of vertically aligned conducting ultrananocrystalline diamond nanorods

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Vertically aligned conducting ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) nanorods are fabricated using the reactive ion etching method incorporated with nanodiamond particles as mask. High electrical conductivity of 275 Ω·cm−1 is obtained for UNCD nanorods. The microplasma cavities using UNCD nanorods as cathode show enhanced plasma illumination characteristics of low threshold field of 0.21 V/μm with plasma current density of 7.06 mA/cm2 at an applied field of 0.35 V/μm. Such superior electrical properties of UNCD nanorods with high aspect ratio potentially make a significant impact on the diamond-based microplasma display technology. PMID:23009733

Galvanic Couple Current and Potential Distribution between a Mg Electrode and 2024-T351 under Droplets Analyzed by Microelectrode Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-04

cathodically to – 1.5 V vs. SCE in aearated NaCl solution dissolves at a rate as high as 4 mA/cm2. However, the same alloy was shown to avoid significant...MgRP coating could be utilized in place of the Mg electrode. It is well known that the wettability of the surface of aluminum and its oxides is high ...aluminum alloys , such as precipitation age hardened 2024-T351, and has performed well in field studies.1–13 The MgRP is designed to be applied to an

Direct Electrochemical Preparation of Cobalt, Tungsten, and Tungsten Carbide from Cemented Carbide Scrap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xiangjun; Xi, Xiaoli; Nie, Zuoren; Zhang, Liwen; Ma, Liwen

2017-02-01

A novel process of preparing cobalt, tungsten, and tungsten carbide powders from cemented carbide scrap by molten salt electrolysis has been investigated in this paper. In this experiment, WC-6Co and NaCl-KCl salt were used as sacrificial anode and electrolyte, respectively. The dissolution potential of cobalt and WC was determined by linear sweep voltammetry to be 0 and 0.6 V ( vs Ag/AgCl), respectively. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior of cobalt and tungsten ions was investigated by a variety of electrochemical techniques. Results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square-wave voltammetry show that the cobalt and tungsten ions existed as Co2+ and W2+ on melts, respectively. The effect of applied voltage, electrolysis current, and electrolysis times on the composition of the product was studied. Results showed that pure cobalt powder can be obtained when the electrolysis potential is lower than 0.6 V or during low current and short times. Double-cathode and two-stage electrolysis was utilized for the preparation of cobalt, tungsten carbide, and tungsten powders. Additionally, X-ray diffraction results confirm that the product collected at cathodes 1 and 2 is pure Co and WC, respectively. Pure tungsten powder was obtained after electrolysis of the second part. Scanning electron microscope results show that the diameters of tungsten, tungsten carbide, and cobalt powder are smaller than 100, 200, and 200 nm, respectively.

Anodal sensory nerve action potentials: From physiological understanding to potential clinical applicability.

PubMed

Leote, Joao; Pereira, Pedro; Cabib, Christopher; Cipullo, Federica; Valls-Sole, Josep

2016-06-01

Low-intensity electrical stimuli of digital nerves may generate a double peak potential (DPp), composed of a cathodal (caAP) and an anodal (anAP) potential in orthodromic recordings. We studied the effects on caAP and anAP of stimuli of variable intensity, duration, and frequency. We also applied a conditioning stimulus to study potential differences in recovery time. The anAP was obtained in 33 of 40 healthy subjects (82.5%) and 4 of 20 patients with various types of sensory neuropathies (20%). Changes in stimulus duration and intensity had reciprocal effects on the amplitude of the anAP and the caAP. There were significant differences in recovery time between caAP and anAP after a conditioning stimulus. The caAP and anAP are 2 interdependent waveforms generated by different effects of the same stimulus over axons at the verge of depolarization. Muscle Nerve 53: 897-905, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Galvanic cathodic protection for reinforced concrete bridge decks: Field evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whiting, D.; Stark, D.

1981-06-01

The application of four sacrificial zinc anode cathodic protection systems to a reinforced concrete highway bridge deck is described. Two system designs were found to be the most promising in terms of polarized potentials and protective current densities achieved during the 3 year monitoring program. One design uses commercially available zinc ribbon anodes spaced at 5 in (127 mm) centers; the other, custom-fabricated perforated zinc sheets. Both systems are overlaid with an open-graded asphalt friction course. The systems yield maximum current density and polarized potentials under warm and moist environment conditions.

Degradation Study by Start-Up/Shut-Down Cycling of Superhydrophobic Electrosprayed Catalyst Layers Using a Localized Reference Electrode Technique.

PubMed

Ferreira-Aparicio, Paloma; Chaparro, Antonio M; Folgado, M Antonia; Conde, Julio J; Brightman, Edward; Hinds, Gareth

2017-03-29

Degradation of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with electrosprayed cathode catalyst layers is investigated during cyclic start-up and shut-down events. The study is carried out within a single cell incorporating an array of reference electrodes that enables measurement of cell current as a function of local cathode potential (localized polarization curves). Accelerated degradation of the cell by start-up/shut-down cycling gives rise to inhomogeneous performance loss, which is more severe close to the gas outlet and occurs predominantly during start-up. The degradation consists primarily of loss of cathode catalyst activity and increase in cell internal resistance, which is attributed to carbon corrosion and Pt aggregation in both anode and cathode. Cells with an electrosprayed cathode catalyst layer show lower degradation rates during the first 100 cycles, compared with those of a conventional gas diffusion electrode. This difference in behavior is attributed to the high hydrophobicity of the electrosprayed catalyst layer microstructure, which retards the kinetics of corrosion of the carbon support. In the long term, however, the degradation rate is dominated by the Pt/C ratio in the cathode catalyst layer.

Ni-Co alloy plaque for cathode of Ni-Cd battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lander, J. J.

1986-03-01

The present invention relates generally to Ni-Cd batteries, and, in particular, relates to the plaque material attached to the cathode. Because of the wide use of nickel-cadmium batteries, the corrosion rates of nickel and nickel-cobalt alloys are of interest to nickel-cadmium battery electrochemical theory and its technology. The plaque material of the cathode consists of a Ni-Co alloy in solid solution wherein the cobalt is by weight percent one to ten percent of the alloy. Conventional methods of applying the plaque material to the nickel core may be used. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved cathode for a nickel-cadmium battery wherein the nickel corrosion is substantially lessened in the plaque material. One process of making the plaque uses a nickel powder slurry that is applied to a nickel-plated steel core. This is then sintered at a high temperature which results in a very porous structure and an welding of the nickel grains to the core. This plaque is then soaked in appropriate salts to make either a positive or a negative plate; nickel salts make a positive plate and a cadmium salts a negative plate, for example. After impregnation, the plaque is placed in an electrolyte and an electric current is passed therethrough to convert the salts to their final form. In the nickel-cadmium cell, nickel hydroxide is the active material in the positive plate.

Study of the electrochemical oxidation and reduction of C.I. Reactive Orange 4 in sodium sulphate alkaline solutions.

PubMed

del Río, A I; Molina, J; Bonastre, J; Cases, F

2009-12-15

Synthetic solutions of hydrolysed C.I. Reactive Orange 4, a monoazo textile dye commercially named Procion Orange MX-2R (PMX2R) and colour index number C.I. 18260, was exposed to electrochemical treatment under galvanostatic conditions and Na2SO4 as electrolyte. The influence of the electrochemical process as well as the applied current density was evaluated. Ti/SnO2-Sb-Pt and stainless steel electrodes were used as anode and cathode, respectively, and the intermediates generated on the cathode during electrochemical reduction were investigated. Aliquots of the solutions treated were analysed by UV-visible and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy confirming the presence of aromatic structures in solution when an electro-reduction was carried out. Electro-oxidation degraded both the azo group and aromatic structures. HPLC measures revealed that all processes followed pseudo-first order kinetics and decolourisation rates showed a considerable dependency on the applied current density. CV experiments and XPS analyses were carried out to study the behaviour of both PMX2R and intermediates and to analyse the state of the cathode after the electrochemical reduction, respectively. It was observed the presence of a main intermediate in solution after an electrochemical reduction whose chemical structure is similar to 2-amino-1,5-naphthalenedisulphonic acid. Moreover, the analysis of the cathode surface after electrochemical reduction reveals the presence of a coating layer with organic nature.

A FED Prototype Using Patterned DLC Thin Films as the Cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, W.; Feng, T.; Mao, D. S.; Wang, X.; Liu, X. H.; Zou, S. C.; Zhu, Y. K.; Li, Q.; Xu, J. F.; Jin, S.; Zheng, J. S.

In our study, diamond-like-carbon (DLC) thin films were prepared by filtered arc deposition (FAD), which provided a way to deposit DLC thin films on large areas at room temperature. Glass slides coated 100nm chromium or titanium thin films were used as cathode substrates. Millions of rectangular holes with sizes of 5 × 5μm were made on the DLC films using a routine patterning process. Here a special reactive ion beam etching method was applied to etch the DLC films. The anodes of the devices were made by electrophoretic deposition. ZnO:Zn phosphor (P15) was employed, which has a broad band bluish green (centered at 490nm). Before electrophoretic deposition, the anode substrates (ITO glass slides) had been patterned into 50 anode electrodes. In order to improve the adherence of phosphor layers, the as-deposited screens were treated in Na2SiO3 solution for 24h to add additional binder. A kind of matrix-addressed diode FED prototype was designed and packaged. 50-100μm-thick glass slides were used as spacers and getters were applied to maintain the vacuum after the exhaustion. The applied DC voltage was ranged in 0-3000V and much higher current density was measured in the cathode-patterned prototypes than the unpatterned ones during the test. As a result, characters could be well displayed.

The Effects of Magnetic Nozzle Configurations on Plasma Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turchi, P. J.

1997-01-01

Over the course of eight years, the Ohio State University has performed research in support of electric propulsion development efforts at the NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH. This research has been largely devoted to plasma propulsion systems including MagnetoPlasmaDynamic (MPD) thrusters with externally-applied, solenoidal magnetic fields, hollow cathodes, and Pulsed Plasma Microthrusters (PPT's). Both experimental and theoretical work has been performed, as documented in four master's theses, two doctoral dissertations, and numerous technical papers. The present document is the final report for the grant period 5 December 1987 to 31 December 1995, and summarizes all activities. Detailed discussions of each area of activity are provided in appendices: Appendix 1 - Experimental studies of magnetic nozzle effects on plasma thrusters; Appendix 2 - Numerical modeling of applied-field MPD thrusters; Appendix 3 - Theoretical and experimental studies of hollow cathodes; and Appendix 4 -Theoretical, numerical and experimental studies of pulsed plasma thrusters. Especially notable results include the efficacy of using a solenoidal magnetic field downstream of a plasma thruster to collimate the exhaust flow, the development of a new understanding of applied-field MPD thrusters (based on experimentally-validated results from state-of-the art, numerical simulation) leading to predictions of improved performance, an experimentally-validated, first-principles model for orificed, hollow-cathode behavior, and the first time-dependent, two-dimensional calculations of ablation-fed, pulsed plasma thrusters.

N- and S-doped mesoporous carbon as metal-free cathode catalysts for direct biorenewable alcohol fuel cells

DOE PAGES

Qiu, Yang; Huo, Jiajie; Jia, Fan; ...

2015-11-06

Nitrogen and sulfur were simultaneously doped into the framework of mesoporous CMK-3 as metal-free catalysts for direct biorenewable alcohol fuel cells. Glucose, NH 3, and thiophene were used as carbon, nitrogen and sulfur precursors, respectively, to prepare mesoporous N-S-CMK-3 with uniform mesopores and extra macropores, resulting in good O 2 diffusion both in half cell and alcohol fuel cell investigations. Among all investigated CMK-3 based catalysts, N-S-CMK-3 prepared at 800 °C exhibited the highest ORR activity with the onset potential of 0.92 V vs. RHE, Tafel slope of 68 mV dec -1, and 3.96 electron transfer number per oxygen moleculemore » in 0.1 M KOH. In addition, the alkaline membrane-based direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) with N-S-CMK-3 cathode displayed 88.2 mW cm -2 peak power density without obvious O 2 diffusion issue, reaching 84% initial performance of that with a Pt/C cathode. The high catalyst durability and fuel-crossover tolerance led to stable performance of the N-S-CMK-3 cathode DAFC with 90.6 mW cm -2 peak power density after 2 h operation, while the Pt/C cathode-based DAFC lost 36.9% of its peak power density. In conclusion, the high ORR activity of N-S-CMK-3 can be attributed to the synergistic effect between graphitic-N and S (C–S–C structure), suggesting great potential to use N-S-CMK-3 as an alternative to noble metal catalysts in the fuel cell cathode.« less

N- and S-doped mesoporous carbon as metal-free cathode catalysts for direct biorenewable alcohol fuel cells

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

Qiu, Yang; Huo, Jiajie; Jia, Fan

Nitrogen and sulfur were simultaneously doped into the framework of mesoporous CMK-3 as metal-free catalysts for direct biorenewable alcohol fuel cells. Glucose, NH 3, and thiophene were used as carbon, nitrogen and sulfur precursors, respectively, to prepare mesoporous N-S-CMK-3 with uniform mesopores and extra macropores, resulting in good O 2 diffusion both in half cell and alcohol fuel cell investigations. Among all investigated CMK-3 based catalysts, N-S-CMK-3 prepared at 800 °C exhibited the highest ORR activity with the onset potential of 0.92 V vs. RHE, Tafel slope of 68 mV dec -1, and 3.96 electron transfer number per oxygen moleculemore » in 0.1 M KOH. In addition, the alkaline membrane-based direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC) with N-S-CMK-3 cathode displayed 88.2 mW cm -2 peak power density without obvious O 2 diffusion issue, reaching 84% initial performance of that with a Pt/C cathode. The high catalyst durability and fuel-crossover tolerance led to stable performance of the N-S-CMK-3 cathode DAFC with 90.6 mW cm -2 peak power density after 2 h operation, while the Pt/C cathode-based DAFC lost 36.9% of its peak power density. In conclusion, the high ORR activity of N-S-CMK-3 can be attributed to the synergistic effect between graphitic-N and S (C–S–C structure), suggesting great potential to use N-S-CMK-3 as an alternative to noble metal catalysts in the fuel cell cathode.« less

Theory and simulation of electron beam dynamics in the AWE superswarf magnetically immersed diode

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

Oliver, B.V.; Welch, D.R.; Olson, C.L.

1999-07-01

Results from numerical simulation and analytic theory of magnetically immersed diode behavior on the United Kingdom's Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Superswarf accelerator are presented. The immersed diode consists of a cylindrical needle point cathode immersed in a strong {approximately}10--20 T solenoidal magnetic field. The anode-cathode (A-K) accelerating gap is held at vacuum and is {approximately}5--10 cm in length, with the anode/target located at the mid-plane of the solenoid. Typical accelerator parameters are 5--6 MeV and 40 kA. Ions emitted from the anode target stream toward the cathode and interact strongly with the electron beam. Collective oscillations between the beam electronsmore » and counter-streaming ions are driven unstable and results in a corkscrew rotation of the beam, yielding a time-integrated spot size substantially larger than that expected from single particle motion. This magnetized ion-hose instability is three dimensional. On the other hand, beam transverse temperature variations, although slightly enhanced in 3D, are primarily due to changes in the effective potential at the cathode (a combination of both the electrostatic and vector potential) and are manifest in 2D. Simulation studies examining spot and dose variation with varying cathode diameter and A-K gap distance are presented and confirm the above mentioned trends. Conclusions are that the diode current is determined by standard di-polar space-charge limited emissions, the minimum beam spot-size is limited by the ion-hose instability saturation amplitude, and the beam transverse temperature at the target is a function of the initial conditions on the cathode. Comparison to existing data will also be presented.« less

Fabrication of nanoelectrodes for neurophysiology: cathodic electrophoretic paint insulation and focused ion beam milling

PubMed Central

Qiao, Yi; Chen, Jie; Guo, Xiaoli; Cantrell, Donald; Ruoff, Rodney; Troy, John

2005-01-01

The fabrication and characterization of tungsten nanoelectrodes insulated with cathodic electrophoretic paint is described together with their application within the field of neurophysiology. The tip of a 127 μm diameter tungsten wire was etched down to less than 100 nm and then insulated with cathodic electrophoretic paint. Focused ion beam (FIB) polishing was employed to remove the insulation at the electrode’s apex, leaving a nanoscale sized conductive tip of 100–1000 nm. The nanoelectrodes were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and their electrochemical properties characterized by steady state linear sweep voltammetry. Electrode impedance at 1 kHz was measured too. The ability of a 700 nm tipped electrode to record well-isolated action potentials extracellularly from single visual neurons in vivo was demonstrated. Such electrodes have the potential to open new populations of neurons to study. PMID:16467926

Evaluating the Passivation of Corrosion of API-X100 Steel with Cyclic Voltammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliyan, Faysal Fayez; Alfantazi, Akram

2017-10-01

In this research, cyclic voltammetry, in oxygen-free low bicarbonate-carbonate solutions, was used to study the corrosion reactions of a high-strength steel, API-X100. With cycles of different scan ranges, the effects of cycling, transpassivation, and cathodic reduction on the electrochemistry of the passive films were analyzed. It was found that carbonate in higher concentrations reduces the anodic activity and the cathodic reactions of the surface. Bicarbonate in small concentrations in solutions that contained low carbonate concentrations catalyzed dissolution and disrupted the formation of the passive films, in reference to the measured anodic currents. From the experiments, there was electrochemical evidence that with more cycles, the passive films were growing thicker, the transpassivation deteriorated the passive films, and during the cathodic reduction, the dissolution was occurring at lower potentials to facilitate later the passivation at higher potentials.

Pulse combustion reactor as a fast and scalable synthetic method for preparation of Li-ion cathode materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Križan, Gregor; Križan, Janez; Dominko, Robert; Gaberšček, Miran

2017-09-01

In this work a novel pulse combustion reactor method for preparation of Li-ion cathode materials is introduced. Its advantages and potential challenges are demonstrated on two widely studied cathode materials, LiFePO4/C and Li-rich NMC. By exploiting the nature of efficiency of pulse combustion we have successfully established a slightly reductive or oxidative environment necessary for synthesis. As a whole, the proposed method is fast, environmentally friendly and easy to scale. An important advantage of the proposed method is that it preferentially yields small-sized powders (in the nanometric range) at a fast production rate of 2 s. A potential disadvantage is the relatively high degree of disorder of synthesized active material which however can be removed using a post-annealing step. This additional step allows a further tuning of materials morphology as shown and commented in some detail.

Influence of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria on the Corrosion Behavior of High Strength Steel EQ70 under Cathodic Polarization

PubMed Central

Guan, Fang; Zhai, Xiaofan; Duan, Jizhou; Zhang, Meixia; Hou, Baorong

2016-01-01

Certain species of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) use cathodes as electron donors for metabolism, and this electron transfer process may influence the proper protection potential choice for structures. The interaction between SRB and polarized electrodes had been the focus of numerous investigations. In this paper, the impact of cathodic protection (CP) on Desulfovibrio caledoniens metabolic activity and its influence on highs trength steel EQ70 were studied by bacterial analyses and electrochemical measurements. The results showed that EQ70 under -0.85 VSCE CP had a higher corrosion rate than that without CP, while EQ70 with -1.05 VSCE had a lower corrosion rate. The enhanced SRB metabolic activity at -0.85 VSCE was most probably caused by the direct electron transfer from the electrode polarized at -0.85 VSCE. This direct electron transfer pathway was unavailable in -1.05 VSCE. In addition, the application of cathodic protection led to the transformation of sulfide rusts into carbonates rusts. These observations have been employed to provide updated recommendations for the optimum CP potential for steel structures in the presence of SRB. PMID:27603928

Analysis of space charge fields using the Lienard-Wiechert potential and the method of images during the photoemission of the electron beam from the cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salah, Wa'el

2017-01-01

We present a numerical analysis of the space charge effect and the effect of image charge force on the cathode surface for a laser-driven RF-photocathode gun. In this numerical analysis, in the vicinity of the cathode surface, we used an analytical method based on Lienard-Weichert retarded potentials. The analytical method allows us to calculate longitudinal and radial electric fields, and the azimuth magnetic field due to both space charge effect and the effect of the image charge force. We calculate the electro-magnetic fields in the following two conditions for the "ELSA" photoinjector. The first condition is in the progress of photoemission, which corresponds to the inside of the emitted beam, and the second condition is at the end of the photoemission. The electromagnetic fields due to the space charge effect and the effect of the image charge force, and the sum of them, which corresponds to the global electro-magnetic fields, are shown. Based on these numerical results, we discussed the effects of the space charge and the image charge in the immediate vicinity of the cathode.

Electrowinning of U-Pu onto inert solid cathode in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts containing UCl3 and PuCl3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakamura, Yoshiharu; Murakami, Tsuyoshi; Tada, Kohei; Kitawaki, Shinichi

2018-04-01

Electrowinning process was investigated for extracting actinides from molten salts used for the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. The separation of actinides from lanthanides is expected to be enhanced by employing inert solid cathodes due to larger potential differences on these cathodes. In this study, the co-deposition behavior of Pu and U metals onto an inert solid cathode made of tungsten was examined in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts containing UCl3 and PuCl3 at 773 K. The standard potential of U3+/U is 0.31 V more positive than that of Pu3+/Pu. The U3+ concentration was varied in the range of 0.11-0.66 wt%, while the Pu3+ concentration was maintained at approximately 2.9 wt%. When the U3+ concentration was not sufficiently low, the deposited U metal readily grew outward from the electrode surface and the electrode surface area rapidly increased, which facilitated only the deposition of U metal. It was estimated that metallic Pu can be efficiently collected along with U at U3+ concentrations lower than ∼0.2 wt%.

Tailored Organic Electrode Material Compatible with Sulfide Electrolyte for Stable All-Solid-State Sodium Batteries.

PubMed

Chi, Xiaowei; Liang, Yanliang; Hao, Fang; Zhang, Ye; Whiteley, Justin; Dong, Hui; Hu, Pu; Lee, Sehee; Yao, Yan

2018-03-01

All-solid-state sodium batteries (ASSSBs) with nonflammable electrolytes and ubiquitous sodium resource are a promising solution to the safety and cost concerns for lithium-ion batteries. However, the intrinsic mismatch between low anodic decomposition potential of superionic sulfide electrolytes and high operating potentials of sodium-ion cathodes leads to a volatile cathode-electrolyte interface and undesirable cell performance. Here we report a high-capacity organic cathode, Na 4 C 6 O 6 , that is chemically and electrochemically compatible with sulfide electrolytes. A bulk-type ASSSB shows high specific capacity (184 mAh g -1 ) and one of the highest specific energies (395 Wh kg -1 ) among intercalation compound-based ASSSBs. The capacity retentions of 76 % after 100 cycles at 0.1 C and 70 % after 400 cycles at 0.2 C represent the record stability for ASSSBs. Additionally, Na 4 C 6 O 6 functions as a capable anode material, enabling a symmetric all-organic ASSSB with Na 4 C 6 O 6 as both cathode and anode materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Potential of porous Co3O4 nanorods as cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Kumar, Ravinder; Singh, Lakhveer; Zularisam, A W; Hai, Faisal I

2016-11-01

This study aims to investigate the potential of porous Co3O4 nanorods as the cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in aqueous air cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The porous Co3O4 nanorods were synthesized by a facile and cost-effective hydrothermal method. Three different concentrations (0.5mg/cm(2), 1mg/cm(2), and 2mg/cm(2)) of Co3O4 nanorods coated on graphite electrodes were used to test its performance in MFCs. The results showed that the addition of porous Co3O4 nanorods enhanced the electrocatalytic activity and ORR kinetics significantly and the overall resistance of the system was greatly reduced. Moreover, the MFC with a higher concentration of the catalyst achieved a maximum power density of 503±16mW/m(2), which was approximately five times higher than the bare graphite electrode. The improved catalytic activity of the cathodes could be due to the porous properties of Co3O4 nanorods that provided the higher number of active sites for oxygen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facile Synthesis of V₂O₅ Hollow Spheres as Advanced Cathodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhang, Xingyuan; Wang, Jian-Gan; Liu, Huanyan; Liu, Hongzhen; Wei, Bingqing

2017-01-18

Three-dimensional V₂O₅ hollow structures have been prepared through a simple synthesis strategy combining solvothermal treatment and a subsequent thermal annealing. The V₂O₅ materials are composed of microspheres 2-3 μm in diameter and with a distinct hollow interior. The as-synthesized V₂O₅ hollow microspheres, when evaluated as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, can deliver a specific capacity as high as 273 mAh·g -1 at 0.2 C. Benefiting from the hollow structures that afford fast electrolyte transport and volume accommodation, the V₂O₅ cathode also exhibits a superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability. The good Li-ion storage performance demonstrates the great potential of this unique V₂O₅ hollow material as a high-performance cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

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

Cobb, Corie Lynn

The development of mass markets for large-format batteries, including electric vehicles (EVs) and grid support, depends on both cost reductions and performance enhancements to improve their economic viability. Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) has developed a multi-material, advanced manufacturing process called co-extrusion (CoEx) to remove multiple steps in a conventional battery coating process with the potential to simultaneously increase battery energy and power density. CoEx can revolutionize battery manufacturing across most chemistries, significantly lowering end-product cost and shifting the underlying economics to make EVs and other battery applications a reality. PARC’s scale-up of CoEx for electric vehicle (EV) batteries buildsmore » on a solid base of experience in applying CoEx to solar cell manufacturing, deposition of viscous ceramic pastes, and Li-ion battery chemistries. In the solar application, CoEx has been deployed commercially at production scale where multi-channel CoEx printheads are used to print viscous silver gridline pastes at full production speeds (>40 ft/min). This operational scale-up provided invaluable experience with the nuances of speed, yield, and maintenance inherent in taking a new technology to the factory floor. PARC has leveraged this experience, adapting the CoEx process for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturing. To date, PARC has worked with Li-ion battery materials and structured cathodes with high-density Li-ion regions and low-density conduction regions, documenting both energy and power performance. Modeling results for a CoEx cathode show a path towards a 10-20% improvement in capacity for an EV pouch cell. Experimentally, we have realized a co-extruded battery structure with a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cathode at print speeds equivalent to conventional roll coating processes. The heterogeneous CoEx cathode enables improved capacity in thick electrodes at higher C-rates. The proof-of-principle coin cells demonstrate the feasibility of the CoEx technology and a path towards higher energy and higher power EV pouch cells.« less

Contribution of the backstreaming ions to the Self-Magnetic pinch (SMP) diode current

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

Mazarakis, Michael G.; Cuneo, Michael E.; Fournier, Sean D.

2016-08-08

Summary form only given. The results presented here were obtained with an SMP diode mounted at the front high voltage end of the RITS accelerator. RITS is a Self-Magnetically Insulated Transmission Line (MITL) voltage adder that adds the voltage pulses of six 1.3 MV inductively insulated cavities. Our experiments had two objectives: first to measure the contribution of the back-streaming ion currents emitted from the anode target to the diode beam current, and second to try to evaluate the energy of those ions and hence the actual Anode-Cathode (A-K) gap actual voltage. In any very high voltage inductive voltage addermore » (IVA) utilizing MITLs to transmit the power to the diode load, the precise knowledge of the accelerating voltage applied on the anode-cathode (A-K) gap is problematic. The accelerating voltage quoted in the literature is from estimates based on measurements of the anode and cathode currents of the MITL far upstream from the diode and utilizing the para-potential flow theories and inductive corrections. Thus it would be interesting to have another independent measurement to evaluate the A-K voltage. The diode's anode is made of a number of high Z metals in order to produce copious and energetic flash x-rays. The backstreaming currents are a strong fraction of the anode materials and their stage of cleanness and gas adsorption. We have measured the back-streaming ion currents emitted from the anode and propagating through a hollow cathode tip for various diode configurations and different techniques of target cleaning treatments, such as heating to very high temperatures with DC and pulsed current, with RF plasma cleaning and with both plasma cleaning and heating. Finally, we have also evaluated the A-K gap voltage by ion filtering techniques.« less

Study of electrode pattern design for a CZT-based PET detector.

PubMed

Gu, Y; Levin, C S

2014-06-07

We are developing a 1 mm resolution small animal positron emission tomography (PET) system using 3D positioning cadmium zinc telluride photon detectors comprising 40 mm × 40 mm × 5 mm crystals metalized with a cross-strip electrode pattern with a 1 mm anode strip pitch. We optimized the electrode pattern design for intrinsic sensitivity and spatial, energy and time resolution performance using a test detector comprising cathode and steering electrode strips of varying dimensions. The study found 3 and 5 mm width cathode strips locate charge-shared photon interactions near cathode strip boundaries with equal precision. 3 mm width cathode strips exhibited large time resolution variability as a function of photon interaction location between the anode and cathode planes (~26 to ~127.5 ns full width at half maximum (FWHM) for 0.5 mm and 4.2 mm depths, respectively). 5 mm width cathode strips by contrast exhibited more stable time resolution for the same interaction locations (~34 to ~83 ns FWHM), provided more linear spatial positioning in the direction orthogonal to the electrode planes, and as much as 68.4% improvement in photon sensitivity over the 3 mm wide cathode strips. The results were understood by analyzing the cathode strips' weighting functions, which indicated a stronger 'small pixel' effect in the 3 mm wide cathode strips. Photon sensitivity and anode energy resolution were seen to improve with decreasing steering electrode bias from 0 to -80 V w.r.t. the anode potential. A slight improvement in energy resolution was seen for wider steering electrode strips (400 versus 100 µm) for charge-shared photon interactions. Although this study successfully focused on electrode pattern features for PET performance, the results are generally applicable to semiconductor photon detectors employing cross-trip electrode patterns.

Study of electrode pattern design for a CZT-based PET detector

PubMed Central

Gu, Y; Levin, C S

2014-01-01

We are developing a 1 mm resolution small animal positron emission tomography (PET) system using 3-D positioning Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) photon detectors comprising 40 mm × 40 mm × 5 mm crystals metalized with a cross-strip electrode pattern with a 1 mm anode strip pitch. We optimized the electrode pattern design for intrinsic sensitivity and spatial, energy and time resolution performance using a test detector comprising cathode and steering electrode strips of varying dimensions. The study found 3 mm and 5 mm width cathode strips locate charge-shared photon interactions near cathode strip boundaries with equal precision. 3 mm width cathode strips exhibited large time resolution variability as a function of photon interaction location between the anode and cathode planes (~26 ns to ~127.5 ns FWHM for 0.5 mm and 4.2 mm depths, respectively). 5 mm width cathode strips by contrast exhibited more stable time resolution for the same interaction locations (~34 ns to ~83 ns FWHM), provided more linear spatial positioning in the direction orthogonal to the electrode planes, and as much as 68.4% improvement in photon sensitivity over the 3 mm wide cathode strips. The results were understood by analyzing the cathode strips’ weighting functions, which indicated a stronger “small pixel” effect in the 3 mm wide cathode strips. Photon sensitivity and anode energy resolution were seen to improve with decreasing steering electrode bias from 0 V to −80 V w.r.t the anode potential. A slight improvement in energy resolution was seen for wider steering electrode strips (400 μm vs. 100 μm) for charge-shared photon interactions. Although this study successfully focused on electrode pattern features for PET performance, the results are generally applicable to semiconductor photon detectors employing cross-trip electrode patterns. PMID:24786208

Cross-stacked carbon nanotube film as an additional built-in current collector and adsorption layer for high-performance lithium sulfur batteries.

PubMed

Sun, Li; Kong, Weibang; Li, Mengya; Wu, Hengcai; Jiang, Kaili; Li, Qunqing; Zhang, Yihe; Wang, Jiaping; Fan, Shoushan

2016-02-19

Cross-stacked carbon nanotube (CNT) film is proposed as an additional built-in current collector and adsorption layer in sulfur cathodes for advanced lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. On one hand, the CNT film with high conductivity, microstructural rough surface, high flexibility and mechanical durability retains stable and direct electronic contact with the sulfur cathode materials, therefore decreasing internal resistivity and suppressing polarization of the cathode. On the other hand, the highly porous structure and the high surface area of the CNT film provide abundant adsorption points to support and confine sulfur cathode materials, alleviate their aggregation and promote high sulfur utilization. Moreover, the lightweight and compact structure of the CNT film adds no extra weight or volume to the sulfur cathode, benefitting the improvement of energy densities. Based on these characteristics, the sulfur cathode with a 100-layer cross-stacked CNT film presents excellent rate performances with capacities of 986, 922 and 874 mAh g(-1) at cycling rates of 0.2C, 0.5C and 1C for sulfur loading of 60 wt%, corresponding to an improvement of 52%, 109% and 146% compared to that without a CNT film. Promising cycling performances are also demonstrated, offering great potential for scaled-up production of sulfur cathodes for Li-S batteries.

Effects of direct current on dog liver: Possible mechanisms for tumor electrochemical treatment

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

Li, K.H.; Gu, Y.N.; Xu, B.I.

1997-03-01

Mechanisms of tumor electrochemical treatment (ECT) were studied using normal dog liver. Five physical and chemical methods were used. Two platinum electrodes were inserted into an anesthetized dog`s liver at 3 cm separation. A voltage of 8.5 V direct current (DC) at an average current of 30 mA was applied for 69 min; total charge was 124 coulombs. Concentrations of selected ions near the anode and cathode were measured. The concentrations of Na{sup +} and K{sup +} ions were higher around the cathode, whereas the concentration of Cl{sup {minus}} ions was higher around the anode. Water contents and pH weremore » determined near the anode and the cathode at the midpoint between the two electrodes and in an untreated area away from the electrodes. Hydration occurred around the cathode, and dehydration occurred around the anode. The pH values were 2.1 near the anode and 12.9 near the cathode. Spectrophotometric scans of the liver sample extract were obtained, and the released gases were identified by gas chromatography as chlorine at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode. These results indicate that a series of electrochemical reactions take place during ECT. The cell metabolism and its environment are severely disturbed. Both normal and tumor cells are rapidly and completely destroyed in this altered environment. The authors believe that the above reactions are the ECT mechanisms for treating tumors.« less

An impressive approach to solving the ongoing stability problems of LiCoPO4 cathode: Nickel oxide surface modification with excellent core-shell principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Örnek, Ahmet

2017-07-01

Nanoscale and NiO-coated LiCoPO4 cathode materials were prepared for the first time by a newly designed three-step synthesis route, which is a combined technique including advantages of the Stöber, hydrothermal and microwave synthesis methods. Using this extraordinary technique, LiCoPO4 particles are coated with a thin NiO layer with a perfect core-shell morphology and the technique's positive contribution to electrochemistry is elucidated in detail. The samples are interpreted using opto-analytical techniques and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis proves that this well-elaborated technique makes it possible to achieve a continuous NiO surface coverage of 8-10 nm, a result that contributes towards solving the chronic electrochemical problems of 4.8 V cathode material. Our data reveal that NiO-coated LiCoPO4 cathode demonstrates superior cycle stability and specific capacity at relatively low rates. The 2.5% wt. NiO-coated cathode exhibits the best electrochemical property, which reaches a discharge capacity of 159 mAh g-1 at 0.l C current rate and shows almost 85% capacity retention after 80 charge-discharge cycles. It therefore achieves partial success in improving the electrochemical properties of the LiCoPO4 cathode material, which is especially crucial for energy storage to be applied in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric applications.

Cathodic Deposition of Mg(OH)2 Coatings on Pure mg in Three mg Salts Aqueous Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yongjun, Zhang; Xiaomeng, Pei; Shugong, Jia

Film-forming effects of cathodic deposition on pure Mg substrate at constant DC in aqueous solutions of magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2ṡ6H2O), magnesium chloride (MgCl2ṡ6H2O) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4ṡ7H2O) respectively were investigated systematically. Typical processes were studied by potentiodynamic cathodic polarization and galvanostatic polarization and typical samples were analyzed by SEM and XRD. The results indicate that the depositing efficiency is not only the highest but stablest, and deposited coatings show the best uniformity with Mg(NO3)2ṡ6H2O solution employed as depositing medium and applied current density ≥1.0mA cm-2. Cathodic deposition leads to regular mass loss of Mg substrate. The cathodic polarization curve of pure Mg in magnesium nitrate solution shows more obvious pseudo-passivation, several Tafel regions with different slopes appearing before diffusion-limited current density region, and oxygen consumption is the major cathodic reduction reaction under specified current density. However, hydrogen evolution reaction is dominant in both Mg chloride and Mg sulfate solutions. The deposition coatings are all composed of continuous and uniform mesh-like “basic layer” adjacent to substrate and discrete distributed snowball-like particles on the microscopic scale. The phase compositions are all crystal Mg(OH)2, and the coatings deposited in Mg chloride solution have (011) preferred orientation.

Operational test report -- Project W-320 cathodic protection systems

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

Bowman, T.J.

1998-06-16

Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-303-640 specifies that corrosion protection must be designed into tank systems that treat or store dangerous wastes. Project W-320, Waste Retrieval Sluicing System (WRSS), utilizes underground encased waste transfer piping between tanks 241-C-106 and 241-AY-102. Corrosion protection is afforded to the encasements of the WRSS waste transfer piping through the application of earthen ionic currents onto the surface of the piping encasements. Cathodic protection is used in conjunction with the protective coatings that are applied upon the WRSS encasement piping. WRSS installed two new two rectifier systems (46 and 47) and modified one rectifier system (31).more » WAC 173-303-640 specifies that the proper operation of cathodic protection systems must be confirmed within six months after initial installation. The WRSS cathodic protection systems were energized to begin continuous operation on 5/5/98. Sixteen days after the initial steady-state start-up of the WRSS rectifier systems, the operational testing was accomplished with procedure OTP-320-006 Rev/Mod A-0. This operational test report documents the OTP-320-006 results and documents the results of configuration testing of integrated piping and rectifier systems associated with the W-320 cathodic protection systems.« less

Magnetically insulated coaxial vacuum diode with partial space-charge-limited explosive emission from edge-type cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belomyttsev, S. Ya.; Rostov, V. V.; Romanchenko, I. V.; Shunailov, S. A.; Kolomiets, M. D.; Mesyats, G. A.; Sharypov, K. A.; Shpak, V. G.; Ulmaskulov, M. R.; Yalandin, M. I.

2016-01-01

The vacuum current associated with any type of electron emission for arbitrary configuration of the diode depends on the combination of the applied electric field and vacuum space charge (VSC) field created by the current. Such fundamental statement should give very close links between the diode current and the normalized cathode field θ which has been introduced by Forbes in 2008 for planar diodes as a reduction in the cathode surface field: θ = field-with/field-without VSC. This article reports the universal approximation of the type of cos(πθ/2) that is the ratio of the actual current and the fully space-charge-limited current. Also, the theoretical treatment and the experimental method of determination of the dynamic emissive characteristics of the macroscopic explosive emission from edge-type cathodes in the coaxial diode are developed. The experimental results obtained with a picosecond time reference between the cathode voltage and the onset of the high-current electron beam exhibit a good coincidence with the theoretical predictions. The presented methods enable the analysis of a real-time-resolved dynamics associated with the dense, magnetized electron beam formation, acceleration and drift motion, including kinematic effects and the phase-stable excitation of high-power microwave oscillators.

Magnetically insulated coaxial vacuum diode with partial space-charge-limited explosive emission from edge-type cathode

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

Belomyttsev, S. Ya.; Rostov, V. V.; Romanchenko, I. V.

2016-01-14

The vacuum current associated with any type of electron emission for arbitrary configuration of the diode depends on the combination of the applied electric field and vacuum space charge (VSC) field created by the current. Such fundamental statement should give very close links between the diode current and the normalized cathode field θ which has been introduced by Forbes in 2008 for planar diodes as a reduction in the cathode surface field: θ = field-with/field-without VSC. This article reports the universal approximation of the type of cos(πθ/2) that is the ratio of the actual current and the fully space-charge-limited current. Also, themore » theoretical treatment and the experimental method of determination of the dynamic emissive characteristics of the macroscopic explosive emission from edge-type cathodes in the coaxial diode are developed. The experimental results obtained with a picosecond time reference between the cathode voltage and the onset of the high-current electron beam exhibit a good coincidence with the theoretical predictions. The presented methods enable the analysis of a real-time-resolved dynamics associated with the dense, magnetized electron beam formation, acceleration and drift motion, including kinematic effects and the phase-stable excitation of high-power microwave oscillators.« less

Method of fabricating a monolithic core for a solid oxide fuela cell

DOEpatents

Zwick, S.A.; Ackerman, J.P.

1983-10-12

A method is disclosed for forming a core for use in a solid oxide fuel cell that electrochemically combines fuel and oxidant for generating galvanic output. The core has an array of electrolyte and interconnect walls that are substantially devoid of any composite inert materials for support consisting instead only of the active anode, cathode, electrolyte and interconnect materials. Each electrolyte wall consists of cathode and anode materials sandwiching electrolyte material therebetween, and each interconnect wall consists of the cathode and anode materials sandwiching interconnect material therebetween. The electrolyte and interconnect walls define a plurality of substantially parallel core passageways alternately having respectively the inside faces thereof with only the anode material or with only the cathode material exposed. In the wall structure, the electrolyte and interconnect materials are only 0.002 to 0.01 cm thick; and the cathode and anode materials are only 0.002 to 0.05 cm thick. The method consists of building up the electrolyte and interconnect walls by depositing each material on individually and endwise of the wall itself, where each material deposit is sequentially applied for one cycle; and where the depositing cycle is repeated many times until the material buildup is sufficient to formulate the core. The core is heat cured to become dimensionally and structurally stable.

Method of fabricating a monolithic core for a solid oxide fuel cell

DOEpatents

Zwick, Stanley A.; Ackerman, John P.

1985-01-01

A method is disclosed for forming a core for use in a solid oxide fuel cell that electrochemically combines fuel and oxidant for generating galvanic output. The core has an array of electrolyte and interconnect walls that are substantially devoid of any composite inert materials for support consisting instead only of the active anode, cathode, electrolyte and interconnect materials. Each electrolyte wall consists of cathode and anode materials sandwiching electrolyte material therebetween, and each interconnect wall consists of the cathode and anode materials sandwiching interconnect material therebetween. The electrolyte and interconnect walls define a plurality of substantially parallel core passageways alternately having respectively the inside faces thereof with only the anode material or with only the cathode material exposed. In the wall structure, the electrolyte and interconnect materials are only 0.002-0.01 cm thick; and the cathode and anode materials are only 0.002-0.05 cm thick. The method consists of building up the electrolyte and interconnect walls by depositing each material on individually and endwise of the wall itself, where each material deposit is sequentially applied for one cycle; and where the depositing cycle is repeated many times until the material buildup is sufficient to formulate the core. The core is heat cured to become dimensionally and structurally stable.

Site-specific transition metal occupation in multicomponent pyrophosphate for improved electrochemical and thermal properties in lithium battery cathodes: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

PubMed

Shakoor, Rana A; Kim, Heejin; Cho, Woosuk; Lim, Soo Yeon; Song, Hannah; Lee, Jung Woo; Kang, Jeung Ku; Kim, Yong-Tae; Jung, Yousung; Choi, Jang Wook

2012-07-18

As an attempt to develop lithium ion batteries with excellent performance, which is desirable for a variety of applications including mobile electronics, electrical vehicles, and utility grids, the battery community has continuously pursued cathode materials that function at higher potentials with efficient kinetics for lithium insertion and extraction. By employing both experimental and theoretical tools, herein we report multicomponent pyrophosphate (Li(2)MP(2)O(7), M = Fe(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)) cathode materials with novel and advantageous properties as compared to the single-component analogues and other multicomponent polyanions. Li(2)Fe(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)P(2)O(7) is formed on the basis of a solid solution among the three individual transition-metal-based pyrophosphates. The unique crystal structure of pyrophosphate and the first principles calculations show that different transition metals have a tendency to preferentially occupy either octahedral or pyramidal sites, and this site-specific transition metal occupation leads to significant improvements in various battery properties: a single-phase mode for Li insertion/extraction, improved cell potentials for Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) (raised by 0.18 eV) and Co(2+)/Co(3+) (lowered by 0.26 eV), and increased activity for Mn(2+)/Mn(3+) with significantly reduced overpotential. We reveal that the favorable energy of transition metal mixing and the sequential redox reaction for each TM element with a sufficient redox gap is the underlying physical reason for the preferential single-phase mode of Li intercalation/deintercalation reaction in pyrophosphate, a general concept that can be applied to other multicomponent systems. Furthermore, an extremely small volume change of ~0.7% between the fully charged and discharged states and the significantly enhanced thermal stability are observed for the present material, the effects unseen in previous multicomponent battery materials.

Aligned Li+ Tunnels in Core-Shell Li(NixMnyCoz)O2@LiFePO4 Enhances Its High Voltage Cycling Stability as Li-ion Battery Cathode.

PubMed

Wu, Zhongzhen; Ji, Shunping; Liu, Tongchao; Duan, Yandong; Xiao, Shu; Lin, Yuan; Xu, Kang; Pan, Feng

2016-10-12

Layered transition-metal oxides (Li[Ni x Mn y Co z ]O 2 , NMC, or NMCxyz) due to their poor stability when cycled at a high operating voltage (>4.5 V) have limited their practical applications in industry. Earlier researches have identified Mn(II)-dissolution and some parasitic reactions between NMC surface and electrolyte, especially when NMC is charged to a high potential, as primarily factors responsible for the fading. In our previous work, we have achieved a capacity of NMC active material close to theoretical value and optimized its cycling performance by a depolarized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) network and an unique "pre-lithiation process" that generates an in situ organic coating (∼40 nm) to prevent Mn(II) dissolution and minimize the parasitic reactions. Unfortunately, this organic coating is not durable enough during a long-term cycling when the cathode operates at a high potential (>4.5 V). This work attempts to improve the surface protection of the NMC532 particles by applying an active inorganic coating consisting of nanosized- and crystal-orientated LiFePO 4 (LFP) (about 50 nm, exposed (010) face) to generate a core-shell nanostructure of Li(Ni x Mn y Co z )O 2 @LiFePO 4 . Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and etching X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have confirmed an intimate contact coating (about 50 nm) between the original structure of NMC and LFP single-particle with atomic interdiffusion at the core-shell interface, and an array of interconnected aligned Li + tunnels are observed at the interface by cross-sectional high-resolution TEM, which were formed by ball-milling and then strictly controlling the temperature below 100 °C. Batteries based on this modified NMC cathode material show a high reversible capacity when cycled between 3.0 and 4.6 V during a long-term cycling.

Dusty-Plasma Particle Accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, John E.

2005-01-01

A dusty-plasma apparatus is being investigated as means of accelerating nanometer- and micrometer-sized particles. Applications for the dusty-plasma particle accelerators fall into two classes: Simulation of a variety of rapidly moving dust particles and micrometeoroids in outer-space environments that include micrometeoroid streams, comet tails, planetary rings, and nebulae and Deposition or implantation of nanoparticles on substrates for diverse industrial purposes that could include hardening, increasing thermal insulation, altering optical properties, and/or increasing permittivities of substrate materials. Relative to prior apparatuses used for similar applications, dusty-plasma particle accelerators offer such potential advantages as smaller size, lower cost, less complexity, and increased particle flux densities. A dusty-plasma particle accelerator exploits the fact that an isolated particle immersed in plasma acquires a net electric charge that depends on the relative mobilities of electrons and ions. Typically, a particle that is immersed in a low-temperature, partially ionized gas, wherein the average kinetic energy of electrons exceeds that of ions, causes the particle to become negatively charged. The particle can then be accelerated by applying an appropriate electric field. A dusty-plasma particle accelerator (see figure) includes a plasma source such as a radio-frequency induction discharge apparatus containing (1) a shallow cup with a biasable electrode to hold the particles to be accelerated and (2) a holder for the substrate on which the particles are to impinge. Depending on the specific design, a pair of electrostatic-acceleration grids between the substrate and discharge plasma can be used to both collimate and further accelerate particles exiting the particle holder. Once exposed to the discharge plasma, the particles in the cup quickly acquire a negative charge. Application of a negative voltage pulse to the biasable electrode results in the initiation of a low-current, high-voltage cathode spot. Plasma pressure associated with the cathode spot as well as the large voltage drop at the cathode spot accelerates the charged particles toward the substrate. The ultimate kinetic energy attained by particles exiting the particle holder depends in part on the magnitude of the cathode spot sheath potential difference, which is proportional to the magnitude of the voltage pulse, and the on the electric charge on the dust. The magnitude of the voltage pulse can be controlled directly, whereas the particle s electric charge can be controlled indirectly by controlling the operating parameters of the plasma apparatus.

Investigation of the role of the micro-porous layer in polymer electrolyte fuel cells with hydrogen deuterium contrast neutron radiography.

PubMed

Cho, Kyu Taek; Mench, Matthew M

2012-03-28

In this study, the high resolution hydrogen-deuterium contrast radiography method was applied to elucidate the impact of the micro-porous layer (MPL) on water distribution in the porous fuel cell media. At the steady state, deuterium replaced hydrogen in the anode stream, and the large difference in neutron attenuation of the D(2)O produced at the cathode was used to track the produced water. It was found that the water content peaked in the cathode-side diffusion media (DM) for the cell without MPL, but with an MPL on the anode and cathode DM, the peak water amount was pushed toward the anode, resulting in a relatively flattened water profile through components and demonstrating a liquid barrier effect. Additionally, the dynamic water behavior in diffusion media was analyzed to understand the effect of a MPL and operating conditions. The water content in the DM changed with applied current, although there is a significant amount of residual liquid content that does not appear to be part of capillary channels. The effect of the MPL on irreducible saturation in DM and cell performance was also investigated.

Cathode-constriction and column-constriction in high current vacuum arcs subjected to an axial magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zaiqin; Ma, Hui; Liu, Zhiyuan; Geng, Yingsan; Wang, Jianhua

2018-04-01

The influence of the applied axial magnetic field on the current density distribution in the arc column and electrodes is intensively studied. However, the previous results only provide a qualitative explanation, which cannot quantitatively explain a recent experimental data on anode current density. The objective of this paper is to quantitatively determine the current constriction subjected to an axial magnetic field in high-current vacuum arcs according to the recent experimental data. A magnetohydrodynamic model is adopted to describe the high current vacuum arcs. The vacuum arc is in a diffuse arc mode with an arc current ranged from 6 kArms to 14 kArms and an axial magnetic field ranged from 20 mT to 110 mT. By a comparison of the recent experimental work of current density distribution on the anode, the modelling results show that there are two types of current constriction. On one hand, the current on the cathode shows a constriction, and this constriction is termed as the cathode-constriction. On the other hand, the current constricts in the arc column region, and this constriction is termed as the column-constriction. The cathode boundary is of vital importance in a quantitative model. An improved cathode constriction boundary is proposed. Under the improved boundary, the simulation results are in good agreement with the recent experimental data on the anode current density distribution. It is demonstrated that the current density distribution at the anode is sensitive to that at the cathode, so that measurements of the anode current density can be used, in combination with the vacuum arc model, to infer the cathode current density distribution.

Electrochemical struvite precipitation from digestate with a fluidized bed cathode microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Cusick, Roland D; Ullery, Mark L; Dempsey, Brian A; Logan, Bruce E

2014-05-01

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) can be used to simultaneously convert wastewater organics to hydrogen and precipitate struvite, but scale formation at the cathode surface can block catalytic active sites and limit extended operation. To promote bulk phase struvite precipitation and minimize cathode scaling, a two-chamber MEC was designed with a fluidized bed to produce suspended particles and inhibit scale formation on the cathode surface. MEC operation elevated the cathode pH to between 8.3 and 8.7 under continuous flow conditions. Soluble phosphorus removal using digester effluent ranged from 70 to 85% with current generation, compared to 10-20% for the control (open circuit conditions). At low current densities (≤2 mA/m(2)), scouring of the cathode by fluidized particles prevented scale accumulation over a period of 8 days. There was nearly identical removal of soluble phosphorus and magnesium from solution, and an equimolar composition in the collected solids, supporting phosphorus removal by struvite formation. At an applied voltage of 1.0 V, energy consumption from the power supply and pumping (0.2 Wh/L, 7.5 Wh/g-P) was significantly less than that needed by other struvite formation methods based on pH adjustment such as aeration and NaOH addition. In the anode chamber, current generation led to COD oxidation (1.1-2.1 g-COD/L-d) and ammonium removal (7-12 mM) from digestate amended with 1 g/L of sodium acetate. These results indicate that a fluidized bed cathode MEC is a promising method of sustainable electrochemical nutrient and energy recovery method for nutrient rich wastewaters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary evidence for performance enhancement following parietal lobe stimulation in Developmental Dyscalculia.

PubMed

Iuculano, Teresa; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2014-01-01

Nearly 7% of the population exhibit difficulties in dealing with numbers and performing arithmetic, a condition named Developmental Dyscalculia (DD), which significantly affects the educational and professional outcomes of these individuals, as it often persists into adulthood. Research has mainly focused on behavioral rehabilitation, while little is known about performance changes and neuroplasticity induced by the concurrent application of brain-behavioral approaches. It has been shown that numerical proficiency can be enhanced by applying a small-yet constant-current through the brain, a non-invasive technique named transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). Here we combined a numerical learning paradigm with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in two adults with DD to assess the potential benefits of this methodology to remediate their numerical difficulties. Subjects learned to associate artificial symbols to numerical quantities within the context of a trial and error paradigm, while tDCS was applied to the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The first subject (DD1) received anodal stimulation to the right PPC and cathodal stimulation to the left PPC, which has been associated with numerical performance's improvements in healthy subjects. The second subject (DD2) received anodal stimulation to the left PPC and cathodal stimulation to the right PPC, which has been shown to impair numerical performance in healthy subjects. We examined two indices of numerical proficiency: (i) automaticity of number processing; and (ii) mapping of numbers onto space. Our results are opposite to previous findings with non-dyscalculic subjects. Only anodal stimulation to the left PPC improved both indices of numerical proficiency. These initial results represent an important step to inform the rehabilitation of developmental learning disabilities, and have relevant applications for basic and applied research in cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation, and education.

Preliminary evidence for performance enhancement following parietal lobe stimulation in Developmental Dyscalculia

PubMed Central

Iuculano, Teresa; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2014-01-01

Nearly 7% of the population exhibit difficulties in dealing with numbers and performing arithmetic, a condition named Developmental Dyscalculia (DD), which significantly affects the educational and professional outcomes of these individuals, as it often persists into adulthood. Research has mainly focused on behavioral rehabilitation, while little is known about performance changes and neuroplasticity induced by the concurrent application of brain-behavioral approaches. It has been shown that numerical proficiency can be enhanced by applying a small—yet constant—current through the brain, a non-invasive technique named transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). Here we combined a numerical learning paradigm with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in two adults with DD to assess the potential benefits of this methodology to remediate their numerical difficulties. Subjects learned to associate artificial symbols to numerical quantities within the context of a trial and error paradigm, while tDCS was applied to the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The first subject (DD1) received anodal stimulation to the right PPC and cathodal stimulation to the left PPC, which has been associated with numerical performance's improvements in healthy subjects. The second subject (DD2) received anodal stimulation to the left PPC and cathodal stimulation to the right PPC, which has been shown to impair numerical performance in healthy subjects. We examined two indices of numerical proficiency: (i) automaticity of number processing; and (ii) mapping of numbers onto space. Our results are opposite to previous findings with non-dyscalculic subjects. Only anodal stimulation to the left PPC improved both indices of numerical proficiency. These initial results represent an important step to inform the rehabilitation of developmental learning disabilities, and have relevant applications for basic and applied research in cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation, and education. PMID:24570659

Plasma parameters of the cathode spot explosive electron emission cell obtained from the model of liquid-metal jet tearing and electrical explosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsventoukh, M. M.

2018-05-01

A model has been developed for the explosive electron emission cell pulse of a vacuum discharge cathode spot that describes the ignition and extinction of the explosive pulse. The pulse is initiated due to hydrodynamic tearing of a liquid-metal jet which propagates from the preceding cell crater boundary and draws the ion current from the plasma produced by the preceding explosion. Once the jet neck has been resistively heated to a critical temperature (˜1 eV), the plasma starts expanding and decreasing in density, which corresponds to the extinction phase. Numerical and analytical solutions have been obtained that describe both the time behavior of the pulse plasma parameters and their average values. For the cell plasma, the momentum per transferred charge has been estimated to be some tens of g cm/(s C), which is consistent with the known measurements of ion velocity, ion erosion rate, and specific recoil force. This supports the model of the pressure-gradient-driven plasma acceleration mechanism for the explosive cathode spot cells. The ohmic electric field within the explosive current-carrying plasma has been estimated to be some tens of kV/cm, which is consistent with the known experimental data on cathode potential fall and explosive cell plasma size. This supports the model that assumes the ohmic nature of the cathode potential fall in a vacuum discharge.

Ammonium Fluoride Mediated Synthesis of Anhydrous Metal Fluoride-Mesoporous Carbon Nanocomposites for High-Performance Lithium Ion Battery Cathodes.

PubMed

Chun, Jinyoung; Jo, Changshin; Sahgong, Sunhye; Kim, Min Gyu; Lim, Eunho; Kim, Dong Hyeon; Hwang, Jongkook; Kang, Eunae; Ryu, Keun Ah; Jung, Yoon Seok; Kim, Youngsik; Lee, Jinwoo

2016-12-28

Metal fluorides (MF x ) are one of the most attractive cathode candidates for Li ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high conversion potentials with large capacities. However, only a limited number of synthetic methods, generally involving highly toxic or inaccessible reagents, currently exist, which has made it difficult to produce well-designed nanostructures suitable for cathodes; consequently, harnessing their potential cathodic properties has been a challenge. Herein, we report a new bottom-up synthetic method utilizing ammonium fluoride (NH 4 F) for the preparation of anhydrous MF x (CuF 2 , FeF 3 , and CoF 2 )/mesoporous carbon (MSU-F-C) nanocomposites, whereby a series of metal precursor nanoparticles preconfined in mesoporous carbon were readily converted to anhydrous MF x through simple heat treatment with NH 4 F under solventless conditions. We demonstrate the versatility, lower toxicity, and efficiency of this synthetic method and, using XRD analysis, propose a mechanism for the reaction. All MF x /MSU-F-C prepared in this study exhibited superior electrochemical performances, through conversion reactions, as the cathode for LIBs. In particular, FeF 3 /MSU-F-C maintained a capacity of 650 mAh g -1 FeF3 across 50 cycles, which is ∼90% of its initial capacity. We expect that this facile synthesis method will trigger further research into the development of various nanostructured MF x for use in energy storage and other applications.

Three-Dimensional Fibrous Network of Na0.21 MnO2 for Aqueous Sodium-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Karikalan, Natarajan; Karuppiah, Chelladurai; Chen, Shen-Ming; Velmurugan, Murugan; Gnanaprakasam, Periyasami

2017-02-16

Sodium-ion hybrid supercapacitors are potential energy-storage devices and have recently received enormous interest. However, the development of cathode materials and the use of nonaqueous electrolyte remain a great challenge. Hence, aqueous Na-ion hybrid supercapacitors based on a three-dimensional network of NaMnO 2 were developed. The cathode material was synthesized by the electro-oxidation of potassium manganese hexacyanoferrate nanocubes. The oxidized compound was confirmed to be Na 0.21 MnO 2 by various physical characterization methods. Manganese dioxide is a well-characterized material for aqueous asymmetric pseudocapacitors, but its usage at high operating voltages is limited due to the electrochemical stability of water. Nevertheless, high-potential and high-performance aqueous supercapacitors exhibiting a cell potential of 2.7 V were developed. Further, the practical applicability of an asymmetric supercapacitor based on NaMnO 2 (cathode) and reduced graphene oxide (anode) was demonstrated by powering a 2.1 V red LED. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electric field effects on current–voltage relationships in microfluidic channels presenting multiple working electrodes in the weak-coupling limit

DOE PAGES

Contento, Nicholas M.; Bohn, Paul W.

2014-05-23

While electrochemical methods are well suited for lab-on-a-chip applications, reliably coupling multiple, electrode-controlled processes in a single microfluidic channel remains a considerable challenge, because the electric fields driving electrokinetic flow make it difficult to establish a precisely known potential at the working electrode(s). The challenge of coupling electrochemical detection with microchip electrophoresis is well known; however, the problem is general, arising in other multielectrode arrangements with applications in enhanced detection and chemical processing. Here, we study the effects of induced electric fields on voltammetric behavior in a microchannel containing multiple in-channel electrodes, using a Fe(CN) 6 3/4- model system. Whenmore » an electric field is induced by applying a cathodic potential at one inchannel electrode, the half-wave potential (E 1/2) for the oxidation of ferrocyanide at an adjacent electrode shifts to more negative potentials. The E 1/2 value depends linearly on the electric field current at a separate in-channel electrode. The observed shift in E 1/2 is quantitatively described by a model, which accounts for the change in solution potential caused by the iR drop along the length of the microchannel. The model, which reliably captures changes in electrode location and solution conductivity, apportions the electric field potential between iR drop and electrochemical potential components, enabling the study of microchannel electric field magnitudes at low applied potentials. In the system studied, the iR component of the electric field potential increases exponentially with applied current before reaching an asymptotic value near 80 % of the total applied potential. The methods described will aid in the development and interpretation of future microchip electrochemistry methods, particularly those that benefit from the coupling of electrokinetic and electrochemical phenomena at low voltages.« less

A density functional theory study on the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of anthraquinone analogue cathode materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

PubMed

Yang, Shu-Jing; Qin, Xiao-Ya; He, Rongxing; Shen, Wei; Li, Ming; Zhao, Liu-Bin

2017-05-21

Organic redox compounds have become the emerging electrode materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. The high electrochemical performance provides organic electrode materials with great opportunities to be applied in electric energy storage devices. Among the different types of organic materials, conjugated carbonyl compounds are the most promising type at present, because only they can simultaneously achieve, high energy density, high cycling stability, and high power density. In this research, a series of heteroatom substituted anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives were designed theoretically so that the high theoretical capacity of AQ remained. The discharge and charge mechanism as well as the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of AQ and its derivatives were investigated using first-principles density functional theory. Using heteroatom substitution, both the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of AQ as cathode materials could be largely improved. Among these conjugated carboxyl compounds, BDOZD and BDIOZD with a simultaneously high theoretical capacity and high working potential exhibit the largest energy density of about 780 W h kg -1 , which is 41% larger than that of AQ. The PQD with the smallest value of λ gives the largest charge transfer rate constant, which is about four times as large as the prototype molecule, AQ. The most interesting finding is that the lithium ion transfer plays a very important role in influencing both the discharge potential and electrochemical charge transfer rate. The present study illustrates that theoretical calculations provide a highly effective way to discover potential materials for use with rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

Cathode materials review

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

Daniel, Claus, E-mail: danielc@ornl.gov; Mohanty, Debasish, E-mail: danielc@ornl.gov; Li, Jianlin, E-mail: danielc@ornl.gov

2014-06-16

The electrochemical potential of cathode materials defines the positive side of the terminal voltage of a battery. Traditionally, cathode materials are the energy-limiting or voltage-limiting electrode. One of the first electrochemical batteries, the voltaic pile invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800 (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. 90, 403-431) had a copper-zinc galvanic element with a terminal voltage of 0.76 V. Since then, the research community has increased capacity and voltage for primary (nonrechargeable) batteries and round-trip efficiency for secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Successful secondary batteries have been the lead-acid with a lead oxide cathode and a terminal voltage of 2.1 V andmore » later the NiCd with a nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide cathode and a 1.2 V terminal voltage. The relatively low voltage of those aqueous systems and the low round-trip efficiency due to activation energies in the conversion reactions limited their use. In 1976, Wittingham (J. Electrochem. Soc., 123, 315) and Besenhard (J. Power Sources 1(3), 267) finally enabled highly reversible redox reactions by intercalation of lithium ions instead of by chemical conversion. In 1980, Goodenough and Mizushima (Mater. Res. Bull. 15, 783-789) demonstrated a high-energy and high-power LiCoO{sub 2} cathode, allowing for an increase of terminal voltage far beyond 3 V. Over the past four decades, the international research community has further developed cathode materials of many varieties. Current state-of-the-art cathodes demonstrate voltages beyond any known electrolyte stability window, bringing electrolyte research once again to the forefront of battery research.« less

2013 Estorm - Invited Paper - Cathode Materials Review

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

Daniel, Claus; Mohanty, Debasish; Li, Jianlin

2014-01-01

The electrochemical potential of cathode materials defines the positive side of the terminal voltage of a battery. Traditionally, cathode materials are the energy-limiting or voltage-limiting electrode. One of the first electrochemical batteries, the voltaic pile invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800 (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. 90, 403 431) had a copper-zinc galvanic element with a terminal voltage of 0.76 V. Since then, the research community has increased capacity and voltage for primary (nonrechargeable) batteries and round-trip efficiency for secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Successful secondary batteries have been the lead acid with a lead oxide cathode and a terminal voltage of 2.1more » V and later the NiCd with a nickel(III) oxide hydroxide cathode and a 1.2 V terminal voltage. The relatively low voltage of those aqueous systems and the low round-trip efficiency due to activation energies in the conversion reactions limited their use. In 1976, Wittingham (J. Electrochem. Soc., 123, 315) and Besenhard (J Power Sources 1(3), 267) finally enabled highly reversible redox reactions by intercalation of lithium ions instead of by chemical conversion. In 1980, Goodenough and Mizushima (Mater. Res. Bull. 15, 783 789) demonstrated a high-energy and high-power LiCoO2 cathode, allowing for an increase of terminal voltage far beyond 3 V. Over the past four decades, the international research community has further developed cathode materials of many varieties. Current state-of-the-art cathodes demonstrate voltages beyond any known electrolyte stability window, bringing electrolyte research once again to the forefront of battery research.« less

Plutonium recovery from spent reactor fuel by uranium displacement

DOEpatents

Ackerman, John P.

1992-01-01

A process for separating uranium values and transuranic values from fission products containing rare earth values when the values are contained together in a molten chloride salt electrolyte. A molten chloride salt electrolyte with a first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is contacted with both a solid cathode and an anode having values of uranium and fission products including plutonium. A voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrolytically to transfer uranium and plutonium from the anode to the electrolyte while uranium values in the electrolyte electrolytically deposit as uranium metal on the solid cathode in an amount equal to the uranium and plutonium transferred from the anode causing the electrolyte to have a second ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride. Then the solid cathode with the uranium metal deposited thereon is removed and molten cadmium having uranium dissolved therein is brought into contact with the electrolyte resulting in chemical transfer of plutonium values from the electrolyte to the molten cadmium and transfer of uranium values from the molten cadmium to the electrolyte until the first ratio of plutonium chloride to uranium chloride is reestablished.

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

Qin, Fen; Key Laboratory on High Power Microwave Technology, Institute of Applied Electronics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900; Wang, Dong, E-mail: mr20001@sina.com

We present the repetitive operation research results of an L-band magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator with metal array cathode (MAC-MILO) in this paper. To ensure a more uniform emission of electrons emitted from the cathode, metal plates with different outer radii and thicknesses are periodically arranged in longitudinal direction on the cathode substrate to act as emitters. The higher order mode depressed MILO (HDMILO) structure is applied to ensure stability of the tube. Comparison experiments are carried out between velvet cathode and MAC MILO driven by a 20 GW/40 Ω/40 ns/20 Hz pulse power system. Experimental results reveal that themore » MAC has much lower outgassing rate, much longer life time, and higher repetitive stability. The MAC-MILO could work stably with a rep-rate up to 20 Hz at a power level of 550 MW when employing a 350 kV/35 kA electric pulse. The TE{sub 11} mode radiation pattern in the farfield region reveals the tube works steadily on the dominant mode. More than 2000 shots have been tested in repetitive mode without any obvious degradation of the detected microwave parameters.« less

The excellent performance of nest-like oxygen-deficient Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 applied in activated carbon air-cathode microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Wang, Junjie; Tian, Pei; Li, Kexun; Ge, Baochao; Liu, Di; Liu, Yi; Yang, Tingting; Ren, Rong

2016-12-01

This study investigated the performance of nano spinel nest-like oxygen-deficient Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 doping activated carbon (AC) as air cathode in microbial fuel cell (MFC). The Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 was synthesized via hydrothermal method and subsequent annealed. The maximum power density (MPD) of MFC with oxygen-deficient Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 modified cathode was 1928±18mWm -2 , which was 1.53 times higher than the bare cathode. The electrochemical studies showed that Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 doping AC exhibited higher kinetic activity and lower resistance. The mechanism of oxygen reduction for the catalyst was a four electron pathway. The oxygen deficient of Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 played an important role in catalytic activity. So Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 would be an excellent promising catalyst for ORR in MFC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visualizing nanoscale 3D compositional fluctuation of lithium in advanced lithium-ion battery cathodes

DOE PAGES

Devaraj, Arun; Gu, Meng; Colby, Robert J.; ...

2015-08-14

The distribution and concentration of lithium in Li-ion battery cathodes at different stages of cycling is a pivotal factor in determining battery performance. Non-uniform distribution of the transition metal cations has been shown to affect cathode performance; however, the Li is notoriously challenging to characterize with typical high-spatial-resolution imaging techniques. Here, for the first time, laser–assisted atom probe tomography is applied to two advanced Li-ion battery oxide cathode materials—layered Li 1.2Ni 0.2Mn 0.6O 2 and spinel LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4—to unambiguously map the three dimensional (3D) distribution of Li at sub-nanometer spatial resolution and correlate it with the distribution ofmore » the transition metal cations (M) and the oxygen. The as-fabricated layered Li 1.2Ni 0.2Mn 0.6O 2 is shown to have Li-rich Li 2MO 3 phase regions and Li-depleted Li(Ni 0.5Mn 0.5)O 2 regions while in the cycled layered Li 1.2Ni 0.2Mn 0.6O 2 an overall loss of Li and presence of Ni rich regions, Mn rich regions and Li rich regions are shown in addition to providing the first direct evidence for Li loss on cycling of layered LNMO cathodes. The spinel LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4 cathode is shown to have a uniform distribution of all cations. These results were additionally validated by correlating with energy dispersive spectroscopy mapping of these nanoparticles in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Thus, we have opened the door for probing the nanoscale compositional fluctuations in crucial Li-ion battery cathode materials at an unprecedented spatial resolution of sub-nanometer scale in 3D which can provide critical information for understanding capacity decay mechanisms in these advanced cathode materials.« less

Insight into self-discharge of layered lithium-rich oxide cathode in carbonate-based electrolytes with and without additive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jianhui; Xing, Lidan; Zhang, Liping; Yu, Le; Fan, Weizhen; Xu, Mengqing; Li, Weishan

2016-08-01

Self-discharge behavior of layered lithium-rich oxide as cathode of lithium ion battery in a carbonated-based electrolyte is understood, and a simple boron-containing compound, trimethyl borate (TMB), is used as an electrolyte additive to suppress this self-discharge. It is found that layered lithium-rich oxide charged under 4.8 V in additive-free electrolyte suffers severe self-discharge and TMB is an effective electrolyte additive for self-discharge suppression. Physical characterizations from XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and ICP-MS demonstrate that the crystal structure of the layered lithium-rich oxide collapses due to the chemical interaction between the charged oxide and electrolyte. When TMB is applied, the structural integrity of the oxide is maintained due to the protective cathode film generated from the preferential oxidation of TMB.

Polarity-Dependent Misperception of Subjective Visual Vertical during and after Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

PubMed Central

Santos-Pontelli, Taiza E. G.; Rimoli, Brunna P.; Favoretto, Diandra B.; Mazin, Suleimy C.; Truong, Dennis Q.; Leite, Joao P.; Pontes-Neto, Octavio M.; Babyar, Suzanne R.; Reding, Michael; Bikson, Marom; Edwards, Dylan J.

2016-01-01

Pathologic tilt of subjective visual vertical (SVV) frequently has adverse functional consequences for patients with stroke and vestibular disorders. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the supramarginal gyrus can produce a transitory tilt on SVV in healthy subjects. However, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on SVV has never been systematically studied. We investigated whether bilateral tDCS over the temporal-parietal region could result in both online and offline SVV misperception in healthy subjects. In a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind crossover pilot study, thirteen healthy subjects performed tests of SVV before, during and after the tDCS applied over the temporal-parietal region in three conditions used on different days: right anode/left cathode; right cathode/left anode; and sham. Subjects were blind to the tDCS conditions. Montage-specific current flow patterns were investigated using computational models. SVV was significantly displaced towards the anode during both active stimulation conditions when compared to sham condition. Immediately after both active conditions, there were rebound effects. Longer lasting after-effects towards the anode occurred only in the right cathode/left anode condition. Current flow models predicted the stimulation of temporal-parietal regions under the electrodes and deep clusters in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. The present findings indicate that tDCS over the temporal-parietal region can significantly alter human SVV perception. This tDCS approach may be a potential clinical tool for the treatment of SVV misperception in neurological patients. PMID:27031726

Time-dependent bacterial community and electrochemical characterizations of cathodic biofilms in the surfactant-amended sediment-based bioelectrochemical reactor with enhanced 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl dechlorination.

PubMed

Wan, Hui; Yi, Xiaoyun; Liu, Xiaoping; Feng, Chunhua; Dang, Zhi; Wei, Chaohai

2018-05-01

Applying an electric field to stimulate the microbial reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) represents a promising approach for bioremediation of PCB-contaminated sites. This study aimed to demonstrate the biocathodic film-facilitated reduction of PCB 61 in a sediment-based bioelectrochemical reactor (BER) and, more importantly, the characterizations of electrode-microbe interaction from microbial and electrochemical perspectives particularly in a time-dependent manner. The application of a cathodic potential (-0.45 V vs. SHE) significantly improved the rate and extent of PCB 61 dechlorination compared to the open-circuit scenario (without electrical stimulation), and the addition of an external surfactant further increased the dechlorination, with Tween 80 exerting more pronounced effects than rhamnolipid. The bacterial composition of the biofilms and the bioelectrochemical kinetics of the BERs were found to be time-dependent and to vary considerably with the incubation time and slightly with the coexistence of an external surfactant. Excellent correlations were observed between the dechlorination rate and the relative abundance of Dehalogenimonas, Dechloromonas, and Geobacter, the dechlorination rate and the cathodic current density recorded from the chronoamperometry tests, and the dechlorination rate and the charge transfer resistance derived from the electrochemical impedance tests, with respect to the 120 day-operation. After day 120, PCB 61 was resistant to further appreciable reduction, but substantial hydrogen production was detected, and the bacterial community and electrochemical parameters observed on day 180 were not distinctly different from those on day 120. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of Microplasmas with Nano-Engineered Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macheret, Sergey; Tholeti, Siva Shashank; Alexeenko, Alina

2015-09-01

Microplasmas can potentially be used as unique tunable dielectrics for reconfigurable radio-frequency systems, if electron densities of 1010-1012 cm-3 can be sustained in cavities smaller than 100 micron. However, for low loss tangent, gas pressures below 10 mTorr would be required, whereas the physics of electron impact ionization dictates the pd scaling so that microplasmas must operate at high gas pressures, hundreds of Torr, and also high voltages. We analyze a new principle of plasma generation that goes well beyond the pd scaling by eliminating electron impact ionization. In the new concept, electrons are generated at the cathode by field emission from nanotubes, and ions are independently produced in field ionization at atomically-sharp tips on the anode. The electrons and ions then move in the opposite directions, mix, and create a plasma. The low pressure results in collisionless motion with no electron-impact ionization. One-dimensional PIC/MCC calculations show that emitters such as carbon nanotubes placed sparsely on the cathode, combined with field ionization nanorods at the anode, can indeed ensure steady-state electron densities of up to 1012 cm-3 at gas pressure lower than 10 mTorr with only 50-100 Volts applied cross a 40-50 μm gap.

Novel electro-fenton approach for regeneration of activated carbon.

PubMed

Bañuelos, Jennifer A; Rodríguez, Francisco J; Manríquez Rocha, Juan; Bustos, Erika; Rodríguez, Adrián; Cruz, Julio C; Arriaga, L G; Godínez, Luis A

2013-07-16

An electro-Fenton-based method was used to promote the regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) previously adsorbed with toluene. Electrochemical regeneration experiments were carried out using a standard laboratory electrochemical cell with carbon paste electrodes and a batch electrochemical reactor. For each system, a comparison was made using FeSO4 as a precursor salt in solution (homogeneous system) and an Fe-loaded ion-exchange resin (Purolite C-100, heterogeneous system), both in combination with electrogenerated H2O2 at the GAC cathode. In the two cases, high regeneration efficiencies were obtained in the presence of iron using appropriate conditions of applied potential and adsorption-polarization time. Consecutive loading and regeneration cycles of GAC were performed in the reactor without great loss of the adsorption properties, only reducing the regeneration efficiency by 1% per cycle during 10 cycles of treatment. Considering that, in the proposed resin-containing process, the use of Fe salts is avoided and that GAC cathodic polarization results in efficient cleaning and regeneration of the adsorbent material, this novel electro-Fenton approach could constitute an excellent alternative for regenerating activated carbon when compared to conventional methods.

Modulation of iTBS after-effects via concurrent directional TDCS: A proof of principle study.

PubMed

Tremblay, Sara; Hannah, Ricci; Rawji, Vishal; Rothwell, John C

Polarising currents can modulate membrane potentials in animals, affecting the after-effect of theta burst stimulation (TBS) on synaptic strength. We examined whether a similar phenomenon could also be observed in human motor cortex (M1) using transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) during monophasic intermittent TBS (iTBS). TDCS was applied during posterior-anterior iTBS using three different conditions: posterior-anterior TDCS (anode 3.5 cm posterior to M1, cathode 3.5 cm anterior to M1), anterior-posterior TDCS (cathode 3.5 cm posterior to M1, anode 3.5 cm anterior to M1), and sham TDCS. When the direction of TDCS (posterior-anterior) matched the direction of the electrical field induced by iTBS, we found a 19% non-significant increase in excitability changes in comparison with iTBS combined with sham TDCS. When the TDCS was reversed (anterior-posterior), the excitatory effect of iTBS was abolished. Our findings suggest that excitatory after-effects of iTBS can be modulated by directionally-specific TDCS. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A strategy to modulate the electrophoretic behavior in plastic microchips using sodium polystyrene sulfonate.

PubMed

Guo, Jinxiu; Chen, Yu; Zhao, Lizhi; Sun, Ping; Li, Hongli; Zhou, Lei; Wang, Xiayan; Pu, Qiaosheng

2016-12-16

Plastic microchips have been broadly used as disposable microfluidic devices, but the poorly defined surface properties limit their application. Herein, we proved that an anionic polymer could be used as the background electrolyte (BGE) to provide a strong and stable cathodic electroosmotic flow (EOF) and modulate the electrophoretic behavior for efficient separation in relative thicker microchannels (∼75μm id). A cathodic EOF of ∼3.3×10 -4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 was maintained using sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSSNa) with a molecular weight of 5×10 5 as the BGE, which ensured fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled biogenic amines (BAs) appeared ahead of other components in the electropherograms obtained with microchips of cyclic olefin copolymer. Four selected BAs appeared within 50s and theoretical plate numbers of 8.0×10 5 /m were achieved. The role of PSSNa was evaluated with streaming potential, dynamic light scattering, contact angle and atomic force microscopy. Its functionalities as surface modifier, viscosity regulator and pseudostationary phase were also confirmed. The proposed electrophoretic method was applied in the fast determination of BAs in fish meat samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the inferior frontal cortex affects the "social scaling" of extrapersonal space depending on perspective-taking ability.

PubMed

Fini, Chiara; Bardi, Lara; Epifanio, Alessandra; Committeri, Giorgia; Moors, Agnes; Brass, Marcel

2017-03-01

When we have to judge the distance between another person and an object (social condition), we judge this distance as being smaller compared to judging the distance between two objects (nonsocial condition). It has been suggested that this compression is mediated by the attribution of a motor potential to the reference frame (other person vs. object). In order to explore the neural basis of this effect, we investigated whether the modulation of activity in the inferior frontal cortex (IFC) of the left hemisphere (recruited during visuospatial processes with a social component) changes the way we categorize space in a social compared with a nonsocial condition. We applied transcranial direct current stimulation to the left IFC, with different polarities (anodal, cathodal, and sham) while subjects performed an extrapersonal space categorization task. Interestingly, anodal stimulation of IFC induced an higher compression of space in the social compared to nonsocial condition. By contrast, cathodal stimulation induced the opposite effect. Furthermore, we found that this effect is modulated by interindividual differences in cognitive perspective taking. Our data support the idea that IFC is recruited during the social categorization of space.

Potential-specific structure at the hematite-electrolyte interface

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

McBriarty, Martin E.; Stubbs, Joanne; Eng, Peter

The atomic-scale structure of interfaces between metal oxides and aqueous electrolytes controls their catalytic, geochemical, and corrosion behavior. Measurements that probe these interfaces in situ provide important details of ion and solvent arrangements, but atomically precise structural models do not exist for common oxide-electrolyte interfaces far from equilibrium. Using a novel cell, we measured the structure of the hematite (a-Fe 2O 3) (110more » $$\\bar{2}$$)-electrolyte interface under controlled electrochemical bias using synchrotron crystal truncation rod X ray scattering. At increasingly cathodic potentials, charge-compensating protonation of surface oxygen groups increases the coverage of specifically bound water while adjacent water layers displace outwardly and became disordered. Returning to open circuit potential leaves the surface in a persistent metastable protonation state. The flux of current and ions at applied potential is thus regulated by a unique interfacial electrolyte environment, suggesting that electrical double layer models should be adapted to the dynamically changing interfacial structure far from equilibrium.« less

Controlled phase stability of highly Na-active triclinic structure in nanoscale high-voltage Na2-2xCo1+xP2O7 cathode for Na-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hee Jo; Kim, Jae-Chan; Dar, Mushtaq Ahmad; Kim, Dong-Wan

2018-02-01

With the increasing demand for high energy density in energy-storage systems, a high-voltage cathode is essential in rechargeable Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. The operating voltage of a triclinic-polymorph Na2CoP2O7, also known as the rose form, is above 4.0 V (vs. Na/Na+), which is relatively high compared to that of other cathode materials. Thus, it can be employed as a potential high-voltage cathode material in Na-ion batteries. However, it is difficult to synthesize a pure rose phase because of its low phase stability, thus limiting its use in high-voltage applications. Herein, compositional-engineered, rose-phase Na2-2xCo1+xP2O7/C (x = 0, 0.1 and 0.2) nanopowder are prepared using a wet-chemical method. The Na2-2xCo1+xP2O7/C cathode shows high electrochemical reactivity with Na ions at 4.0 V, delivering high capacity and high energy density.

Methane production enhancement by an independent cathode in integrated anaerobic reactor with microbial electrolysis.

PubMed

Cai, Weiwei; Han, Tingting; Guo, Zechong; Varrone, Cristiano; Wang, Aijie; Liu, Wenzong

2016-05-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) represents a potential way to achieve energy recovery from waste organics. In this study, a novel bioelectrochemically-assisted anaerobic reactor is assembled by two AD systems separated by anion exchange membrane, with the cathode placing in the inside cylinder (cathodic AD) and the anode on the outside cylinder (anodic AD). In cathodic AD, average methane production rate goes up to 0.070 mL CH4/mL reactor/day, which is 2.59 times higher than AD control reactor (0.027 m(3) CH4/m(3)/d). And COD removal is increased ∼15% over AD control. When changing to sludge fermentation liquid, methane production rate has been further increased to 0.247 mL CH4/mL reactor/day (increased by 51.53% comparing with AD control). Energy recovery efficiency presents profitable gains, and economic revenue from increased methane totally self-cover the cost of input electricity. The study indicates that cathodic AD could cost-effectively enhance methane production rate and degradation of glucose and fermentative liquid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A High‐Voltage and High‐Capacity Li1+xNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathode Material: From Synthesis to Full Lithium‐Ion Cells

PubMed Central

Mancini, Marilena; Gabrielli, Giulio; Kinyanjui, Michael; Kaiser, Ute; Wohlfahrt‐Mehrens, Margret

2016-01-01

Abstract We report Co‐free, Li‐rich Li1+xNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (0

Thermal Measurement during Electrolysis of Pd-Ni Thin-film -Cathodes in Li2SO4/H2O Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castano, C. H.; Lipson, A. G.; S-O, Kim; Miley, G. H.

2002-03-01

Using LENR - open type calorimeters, measurements of excess heat production were carried out during electrolysis in Li_2SO_4/H_2O solution with a Pt-anode and Pd-Ni thin film cathodes (2000-8000 Åthick) sputtered on the different dielectric substrates. In order to accurately evaluate actual performance during electrolysis runs in the open-type calorimeter used, considering effects of heat convection, bubbling and possible H_2+O2 recombination, smooth Pt sheets were used as cathodes. Pt provides a reference since it does not produce excess heat in the light water electrolyte. To increase the accuracy of measurements the water dissociation potential was determined for each cathode taking into account its individual over-voltage value. It is found that this design for the Pd-Ni cathodes resulted in the excess heat production of ~ 20-25 % of input power, equivalent to ~300 mW. In cases of the Pd/Ni- film fracture (or detachment from substrate) no excess heat was detected, providing an added reference point. These experiments plus use of optimized films will be presented.

Process for testing a xenon gas feed system of a hollow cathode assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael J. (Inventor); Verhey, Timothy R. R. (Inventor); Soulas, George C. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

The design and manufacturing processes for Hollow Cathode Assemblies (HCA's) that operate over a broad range of emission currents up to 30 Amperes, at low potentials, with lifetimes in excess of 17,500 hours. The processes include contamination control procedures which cover hollow cathode component cleaning procedures, gas feed system designs and specifications, and hollow cathode activation and operating procedures to thereby produce cathode assemblies that have demonstrated stable and repeatable operating conditions, for both the discharge current and voltage. The HCA of this invention provides lifetimes of greater than 10,000 hours, and expected lifetimes of greater than 17,500 hours, whereas the present state-of-the-art is less than 500 hours at emission currents in excess of 1 Ampere. Stable operation is provided over a large range of operating emission currents, up to a 6:1 ratio, and this HCA can emit electron currents of up to 30 Amperes in magnitude to an external anode that simulates the current drawn to a space plasma, at voltages of less than 20 Volts.

Process for Ignition of Gaseous Electrical Discharge Between Electrodes of a Hollow Cathode Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Michael J. (Inventor); Verhey, Timothy R. R. (Inventor); Soulas, George C. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

The design and manufacturing processes for Hollow Cathode Assemblies (HCA's) that operate over a broad range of emission currents up to 30 Amperes, at low potentials, with lifetimes in excess of 17,500 hours. The processes include contamination control procedures which cover hollow cathode component cleaning procedures, gas feed system designs and specifications, and hollow cathode activation and operating procedures to thereby produce cathode assemblies that have demonstrated stable and repeatable operating conditions, for both the discharge current and voltage. The HCA of this invention provides lifetimes of greater than 10,000 hours, and expected lifetimes of greater than 17,500 hours, whereas the present state-of-the-art is less than 500 hours at emission currents in excess of 1 Ampere. Stable operation is provided over a large range of operating emission currents, up to a 6:1 ratio, and this HCA can emit electron currents of up to 30 Amperes in magnitude to an external anode that simulates the current drawn to a space plasma, at voltages of less than 20 Volts.

Sodium-Rich Ferric Pyrophosphate Cathode for Stationary Room-Temperature Sodium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Shen, Bolei; Xu, Maowen; Niu, Yubin; Han, Jin; Lu, Shiyu; Jiang, Jian; Li, Yi; Dai, Chunlong; Hu, Linyu; Li, Changming

2018-01-10

In this article, carbon-coated Na 3.64 Fe 2.18 (P 2 O 7 ) 2 nanoparticles (∼10 nm) were successfully synthesized via a facile sol-gel method and employed as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries. The results show that the carbon-coated Na 3.64 Fe 2.18 (P 2 O 7 ) 2 cathode delivers a high reversible capacity of 99 mAh g -1 at 0.2 C, outstanding cycling life retention of 96%, and high Coulomb efficiency of almost 100% even after 1000 cycles at 10 C. Furthermore, the electrochemical performances of full batteries consisting of carbon-coated Na 3.64 Fe 2.18 (P 2 O 7 ) 2 nanoparticles as the cathode and commercialized hard carbon as the anode are tested. The full batteries exhibit a reversible capacity of 86 mAh g -1 at 0.5 C and capacity retention of 80% after 100 cycles. Therefore, the above-mentioned cathode is a potential candidate for developing inexpensive sodium-ion batteries in large-scale energy storage with long life.

Perspectives on Li and transition metal fluoride phosphates as cathode materials for a new generation of Li-ion batteries.

PubMed

Antipov, Evgeny V; Khasanova, Nellie R; Fedotov, Stanislav S

2015-01-01

To satisfy the needs of rapidly growing applications, Li-ion batteries require further significant improvements of their key properties: specific energy and power, cyclability, safety and costs. The first generation of cathode materials for Li-ion batteries based on mixed oxides with either spinel or rock-salt derivatives has already been widely commercialized, but the potential to improve the performance of these materials further is almost exhausted. Li and transition metal inorganic compounds containing different polyanions are now considered as the most promising cathode materials for the next generation of Li-ion batteries. Further advances in cathode materials are considered to lie in combining different anions [such as (XO4) (n-) and F(-)] in the anion sublattice, which is expected to enhance the specific energy and power of these materials. This review focuses on recent advances related to the new class of cathode materials for Li-ion batteries containing phosphate and fluoride anions. Special attention is given to their crystal structures and the relationships between structure and properties, which are important for their possible practical applications.

Hydrogenase-independent uptake and metabolism of electrons by the archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis.

PubMed

Lohner, Svenja T; Deutzmann, Jörg S; Logan, Bruce E; Leigh, John; Spormann, Alfred M

2014-08-01

Direct, shuttle-free uptake of extracellular, cathode-derived electrons has been postulated as a novel mechanism of electron metabolism in some prokaryotes that may also be involved in syntrophic electron transport between two microorganisms. Experimental proof for direct uptake of cathodic electrons has been mostly indirect and has been based on the absence of detectable concentrations of molecular hydrogen. However, hydrogen can be formed as a transient intermediate abiotically at low cathodic potentials (<-414 mV) under conditions of electromethanogenesis. Here we provide genetic evidence for hydrogen-independent uptake of extracellular electrons. Methane formation from cathodic electrons was observed in a wild-type strain of the methanogenic archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis as well as in a hydrogenase-deletion mutant lacking all catabolic hydrogenases, indicating the presence of a hydrogenase-independent mechanism of electron catabolism. In addition, we discovered a new route for hydrogen or formate production from cathodic electrons: Upon chemical inhibition of methanogenesis with 2-bromo-ethane sulfonate, hydrogen or formate accumulated in the bioelectrochemical cells instead of methane. These results have implications for our understanding on the diversity of microbial electron uptake and metabolism.

Comparative analysis of microbial community between different cathode systems of microbial fuel cells for denitrification.

PubMed

Li, Chao; Xu, Ming; Lu, Yi; Fang, Fang; Cao, Jiashun

2016-01-01

Two types of cathodic biofilm in microbial fuel cells (MFC) were established for comparison on their performance and microbial communities. Complete autotrophic simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) without organics addition was achieved in nitrifying-MFC (N-MFC) with a total nitrogen (TN) removal rate of 0.35 mg/(L·h), which was even higher than that in denitrifying-MFC (D-MFC) at same TN level. Integrated denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis based on both 16S rRNA and nirK genes showed that Alpha-, Gammaproteobacteria were the main denitrifier communities. Some potential autotrophic denitrifying bacteria which can use electrons and reducing power from cathodes, such as Shewanella oneidensis, Shewanella loihica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Starkeya novella and Rhodopseudomonas palustris were identified and selectively enriched on cathode biofilms. Further, relative abundance of denitrifying bacteria characterized by nirK/16S ratios was much higher in biofilm than suspended sludge according to real-time polymerase chain reaction. The highest enrichment efficiency for denitrifiers was obtained in N-MFC cathode biofilms, which confirmed autotrophic denitrifying bacteria enrichment is the key factor for a D-MFC system.

The effect of cathode felt geometries on electrochemical characteristics of sodium sulfur (NaS) cells: Planar vs. tubular

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Goun; Park, Yoon-Cheol; Lee, Younki; Cho, Namung; Kim, Chang-Soo; Jung, Keeyoung

2016-09-01

Two sodium sulfur (NaS) cells, one with a planar design and the other with a tubular design, were subject to discharge-charge cycles in order to investigate the effect of cathode felt geometries on electrochemical characteristics of NaS cells. Their discharge-charge behaviors over 200 cycles were evaluated at the operation temperature of 350 °C with the current densities of 100 mA cm-2 for discharge and 80 mA cm-2 for charge. The results showed that the deviation from theoretical open circuit voltage changes of a planar cell was smaller than those of a tubular cell resulting in potential specific power loss reduction during operation. In order to understand the effect, a three dimensional statistically representative matrix for a cathode felt has been generated using experimentally measured data. It turns out that the area specific fiber number density in the outer side area of a tubular cathode felt is smaller than that of a planar felt resulting in occurrence of larger voltage drops via retarded convection of cathode melts during cell operation.

Power generation using spinel manganese-cobalt oxide as a cathode catalyst for microbial fuel cell applications.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Mohamed; Gad-Allah, Tarek A; El-Khatib, K M; El-Gohary, Fatma

2011-11-01

This study focused on the use of spinel manganese-cobalt (Mn-Co) oxide, prepared by a solid state reaction, as a cathode catalyst to replace platinum in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) applications. Spinel Mn-Co oxides, with an Mn/Co atomic ratios of 0.5, 1, and 2, were prepared and examined in an air cathode MFCs which was fed with a molasses-laden synthetic wastewater and operated in batch mode. Among the three Mn-Co oxide cathodes and after 300 h of operation, the Mn-Co oxide catalyst with Mn/Co atomic ratio of 2 (MnCo-2) exhibited the highest power generation 113 mW/m2 at cell potential of 279 mV, which were lower than those for the Pt catalyst (148 mW/m2 and 325 mV, respectively). This study indicated that using spinel Mn-Co oxide to replace platinum as a cathodic catalyst enhances power generation, increases contaminant removal, and substantially reduces the cost of MFCs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene: A Cathode Material of Choice for Aluminium-ion Battery.

PubMed

Das, Shyamal

2018-03-22

The pairing of an aluminum anode with a cathode of high energy and power densities determines the future of aluminum-ion battery technology. The arising natural question is - "Is there any suitable cathode material which is capable of storing sufficiently large amount of trivalent aluminum-ions at relatively higher operating potential?". The wonder material "graphene" emerges to be a befitting answer. Graphene footprint in research arena of aluminum-ion battery could be seen merely three years ago. However, the research progress in this front is tremendous and applauding. Outperforming all other known cathode materials, graphene made several remarkable breakthroughs in offering extraordinary energy density, power density, cycle life, thermal stability, safety and flexibility. The future of Al-graphene couple is indeed brighter, if utmost emphasis is drawn right away to surmount the inherent technological challenges. This minireview comprehensively highlights the electrochemical performances, advantages and challenges of graphene as cathode in aluminum-ion battery in conjugation with chloroaluminate based electrolytes. Additionally, the complex mechanism of charge storage in graphene is also elaborated. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bifurcations in the theory of current transfer to cathodes of DC discharges and observations of transitions between different modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieniek, M. S.; Santos, D. F. N.; Almeida, P. G. C.; Benilov, M. S.

2018-04-01

General scenarios of transitions between different spot patterns on electrodes of DC gas discharges and their relation to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are analyzed. In the case of cathodes of arc discharges, it is shown that any transition between different modes of current transfer is related to a bifurcation of steady-state solutions. In particular, transitions between diffuse and spot modes on axially symmetric cathodes, frequently observed in the experiment, represent an indication of the presence of pitchfork or fold bifurcations of steady-state solutions. Experimental observations of transitions on cathodes of DC glow microdischarges are analyzed and those potentially related to bifurcations of steady-state solutions are identified. The relevant bifurcations are investigated numerically and the computed patterns are found to conform to those observed in the course of the corresponding transitions in the experiment.

Reducing carbon dioxide to products

DOEpatents

Cole, Emily Barton; Sivasankar, Narayanappa; Parajuli, Rishi; Keets, Kate A

2014-09-30

A method reducing carbon dioxide to one or more products may include steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may bubble said carbon dioxide into a solution of an electrolyte and a catalyst in a divided electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell may include an anode in a first cell compartment and a cathode in a second cell compartment. The cathode may reduce said carbon dioxide into said products. Step (B) may adjust one or more of (a) a cathode material, (b) a surface morphology of said cathode, (c) said electrolyte, (d) a manner in which said carbon dioxide is bubbled, (e), a pH level of said solution, and (f) an electrical potential of said divided electrochemical cell, to vary at least one of (i) which of said products is produced and (ii) a faradaic yield of said products. Step (C) may separate said products from said solution.

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

Travis, Jonathan; Orendorff, Christopher J.

This work investigated the effects of Al 2O 3 ALD coatings on the performance and thermal abuse tolerance of graphite based anodes and Li(NixMnyCoz)O2 (NMC) based cathodes. It was found that 5 cycles of Al 2O 3 ALD on the graphite anode increased the onset temperature of thermal runaway by approximately 20 °C and drastically reduced the anode’s contribution to the overall amount of heat released during thermal runaway. Although Al 2O 3 ALD improves the cycling stability of NMC based cathodes, the thermal abuse tolerance was not greatly improved. A series of conductive aluminum oxide/carbon composites were created andmore » characterized as potential thicker protective coatings for use on NMC based cathode materials. A series of electrodes were coated with manganese monoxide ALD to test the efficacy of an oxygen scavenging coating on NMC based cathodes.« less

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING IONS OF VAPORIZABLE MATERIALS

DOEpatents

Starr, C.

1957-11-19

This patent relates to electronic discharge devices used as ion sources, and in particular describes an ion source for application in a calutron. The source utilizes two cathodes disposed at opposite ends of a longitudinal opening in an arc block fed with vaporized material. A magnetic field is provided parallel to the length of the arc block opening. The electrons from the cathodes are directed through slits in collimating electrodes into the arc block parallel to the magnetic field and cause an arc discharge to occur between the cathodes, as the arc block and collimating electrodes are at a positive potential with respect to the cathode. The ions are withdrawn by suitable electrodes disposed opposite the arc block opening. When such an ion source is used in a calutron, an arc discharge of increased length may be utilized, thereby increasing the efficiency and economy of operation.

Energy Efficiency and Productivity Enhancement of Microbial Electrosynthesis of Acetate

PubMed Central

LaBelle, Edward V.; May, Harold D.

2017-01-01

It was hypothesized that a lack of acetogenic biomass (biocatalyst) at the cathode of a microbial electrosynthesis system, due to electron and nutrient limitations, has prevented further improvement in acetate productivity and efficiency. In order to increase the biomass at the cathode and thereby performance, a bioelectrochemical system with this acetogenic community was operated under galvanostatic control and continuous media flow through a reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) foam cathode. The combination of galvanostatic control and the high surface area cathode reduced the electron limitation and the continuous flow overcame the nutrient limitation while avoiding the accumulation of products and potential inhibitors. These conditions were set with the intention of operating the biocathode through the production of H2. Biofilm growth occurred on and within the unmodified RVC foam regardless of vigorous H2 generation on the cathode surface. A maximum volumetric rate or space time yield for acetate production of 0.78 g/Lcatholyte/h was achieved with 8 A/Lcatholyte (83.3 A/m2projected surface area of cathode) supplied to the continuous flow/culture bioelectrochemical reactors. The total Coulombic efficiency in H2 and acetate ranged from approximately 80–100%, with a maximum of 35% in acetate. The overall energy efficiency ranged from approximately 35–42% with a maximum to acetate of 12%. PMID:28515713

Energy Efficiency and Productivity Enhancement of Microbial Electrosynthesis of Acetate.

PubMed

LaBelle, Edward V; May, Harold D

2017-01-01

It was hypothesized that a lack of acetogenic biomass (biocatalyst) at the cathode of a microbial electrosynthesis system, due to electron and nutrient limitations, has prevented further improvement in acetate productivity and efficiency. In order to increase the biomass at the cathode and thereby performance, a bioelectrochemical system with this acetogenic community was operated under galvanostatic control and continuous media flow through a reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) foam cathode. The combination of galvanostatic control and the high surface area cathode reduced the electron limitation and the continuous flow overcame the nutrient limitation while avoiding the accumulation of products and potential inhibitors. These conditions were set with the intention of operating the biocathode through the production of H 2 . Biofilm growth occurred on and within the unmodified RVC foam regardless of vigorous H 2 generation on the cathode surface. A maximum volumetric rate or space time yield for acetate production of 0.78 g/L catholyte /h was achieved with 8 A/L catholyte (83.3 A/m 2 projected surface area of cathode) supplied to the continuous flow/culture bioelectrochemical reactors. The total Coulombic efficiency in H 2 and acetate ranged from approximately 80-100%, with a maximum of 35% in acetate. The overall energy efficiency ranged from approximately 35-42% with a maximum to acetate of 12%.

Location of coating defects and assessment of level of cathodic protection on underground pipelines using AC impedance, deterministic and non-deterministic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castaneda-Lopez, Homero

A methodology for detecting and locating defects or discontinuities on the outside covering of coated metal underground pipelines subjected to cathodic protection has been addressed. On the basis of wide range AC impedance signals for various frequencies applied to a steel-coated pipeline system and by measuring its corresponding transfer function under several laboratory simulation scenarios, a physical laboratory setup of an underground cathodic-protected, coated pipeline was built. This model included different variables and elements that exist under real conditions, such as soil resistivity, soil chemical composition, defect (holiday) location in the pipeline covering, defect area and geometry, and level of cathodic protection. The AC impedance data obtained under different working conditions were used to fit an electrical transmission line model. This model was then used as a tool to fit the impedance signal for different experimental conditions and to establish trends in the impedance behavior without the necessity of further experimental work. However, due to the chaotic nature of the transfer function response of this system under several conditions, it is believed that non-deterministic models based on pattern recognition algorithms are suitable for field condition analysis. A non-deterministic approach was used for experimental analysis by applying an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm based on classification analysis capable of studying the pipeline system and differentiating the variables that can change impedance conditions. These variables include level of cathodic protection, location of discontinuities (holidays), and severity of corrosion. This work demonstrated a proof-of-concept for a well-known technique and a novel algorithm capable of classifying impedance data for experimental results to predict the exact location of the active holidays and defects on the buried pipelines. Laboratory findings from this procedure are promising, and efforts to develop it for field conditions should continue.

Electrical stimulation modulates injury potentials in rats after spinal cord injury

PubMed Central

Zhang, Guanghao; Huo, Xiaolin; Wang, Aihua; Wu, Changzhe; Zhang, Cheng; Bai, Jinzhu

2013-01-01

An injury potential is the direct current potential difference between the site of spinal cord injury and the healthy nerves. Its initial amplitude is a significant indicator of the severity of spinal cord injury, and many cations, such as sodium and calcium, account for the major portion of injury potentials. This injury potential, as well as injury current, can be modulated by direct current field stimulation; however, the appropriate parameters of the electrical field are hard to define. In this paper, injury potential is used as a parameter to adjust the intensity of electrical stimulation. Injury potential could be modulated to slightly above 0 mV (as the anode-centered group) by placing the anodes at the site of the injured spinal cord and the cathodes at the rostral and caudal sections, or around –70 mV, which is resting membrane potential (as the cathode-centered group) by reversing the polarity of electrodes in the anode-centered group. In addition, rats receiving no electrical stimulation were used as the control group. Results showed that the absolute value of the injury potentials acquired after 30 minutes of electrical stimulation was higher than the control group rats and much lower than the initial absolute value, whether the anodes or the cathodes were placed at the site of injury. This phenomenon illustrates that by changing the polarity of the electrical field, electrical stimulation can effectively modulate the injury potentials in rats after spinal cord injury. This is also beneficial for the spontaneous repair of the cell membrane and the reduction of cation influx. PMID:25206563

Highly trabeculated structure of the human endocardium underlies asymmetrical response to low-energy monophasic shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, Adam; Robson, Matthew D.; Schneider, Jürgen; Burton, Rebecca; Plank, Gernot; Bishop, Martin J.

2017-09-01

Novel low-energy defibrillation therapies are thought to be driven by virtual-electrodes (VEs), due to the interaction of applied monophasic electric shocks with fine-scale anatomical structures within the heart. Significant inter-species differences in the cardiac (micro)-anatomy exist, however, particularly with respect to the degree of endocardial trabeculations, which may underlie important differences in response to low-energy defibrillation protocols. Understanding the interaction of monophasic electric fields with the specific human micro-anatomy is therefore imperative in facilitating the translation and optimisation of these promising experimental therapies to the clinic. In this study, we sought to investigate how electric fields from implanted devices interact with the highly trabeculated human endocardial surface to better understand shock success in order to help optimise future clinical protocols. A bi-ventricular human computational model was constructed from high resolution (350 μm) ex-vivo MR data, including anatomically accurate endocardial structures. Monophasic shocks were applied between a basal right ventricular catheter and an exterior ground. Shocks of varying strengths were applied with both anodal [positive right ventricle (RV) electrode] and cathodal (negative RV electrode) polarities at different states of tissue refractoriness and during induced arrhythmias. Anodal shocks induced isolated positive VEs at the distal side of "detached" trabeculations, which rapidly spread into hyperpolarised tissue on the surrounding endocardial surfaces following the shock. Anodal shocks thus depolarised more tissue 10 ms after the shock than cathodal shocks where the propagation of activation from VEs induced on the proximal side of "detached" trabeculations was prevented due to refractory endocardium. Anodal shocks increased arrhythmia complexity more than cathodal shocks during failed anti-arrhythmia shocks. In conclusion, multiple detached trabeculations in the human ventricle interact with anodal stimuli to induce multiple secondary sources from VEs, facilitating more rapid shock-induced ventricular excitation compared to cathodal shocks. Such a mechanism may help explain inter-species differences in response to shocks and help to develop novel defibrillation strategies.

Drop Migration and Demixing of Biphasic Aqueous Systems in an Applied Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, Paul; Raghavarao, Karumanchi S. M. S.

1999-11-01

Applying an electric field to a demixing emulsion of poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) and dextran (or maltodextrin) in phosphate-buffered aqueous solution shortens the demixing time up to 6 fold. Phosphate ions partition into the dextran-rich phase imparting a small electrical potential between the phases. PEG-rich drops migrate cathodally, and their electrophoretic mobility is directly proportional to their radius and increases with increased ionization of phosphate. An electric field, either parallel or antiparallel to the gravity vector, can enhance demixing. A theory consistent with these observations states that drops move due to external and internal electroosmotic flow (tractor treading). Enhanced demixing in an electric field whose polarity opposes buoyancy is thought to be caused by initial increased drop growth during retardation by the electric field so that the drop becomes more buoyant. However, at infinite internal drop viscosity the theory does not extrapolate to the result for solid colloid particles.

Performances of YBaCo 1.4Cu 0.6O 5+δ–Ce 0.8Sm 0.2O 1.9 composite cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lizhong; Peng, Lu; Hu, Michael Z.; ...

2015-08-20

In this paper, the electrochemical properties of YBaCo 1.4Cu 0.6O 5+δ–xCe 0.8Sm 0.2O 1.9 (YBCC–xSDC, x=20, 30, 40, 50 wt%) have been investigated for the potential application in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). No chemical reactions between YBCC cathode and SDC electrolyte, and YBCC and La 0.9Sr 0.1Ga 0.8Mg 0.2O 3-δ (LSGM) occur. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of YBCC cathode decreases with SDC addition. The TEC of YBCC–30SDC cathode is 13.60×10 –6 K -1 from 30 to 850 °C in air and it exhibits the best electrochemical performance among the YBCC–xSDC cathodes. The polarization resistance (R p) ofmore » YBCC–30SDC is 0.027 Ω cm 2 at 850 °C, 0.044 Ω cm 2 at 800 °C and 0.075 Ω cm 2 at 750 °C. The maximum power density value of electrolyte-based cell with YBCC–30SDC cathode is 662, 483 and 319 mW cm -2 at 850, 800 and 750 °C, respectively. Finally, preliminary results indicate that YBCC–30SDC is especially promising as a cathode for IT-SOFCs.« less

Modeling electron emission and surface effects from diamond cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrov, D. A.; Smithe, D.; Cary, J. R.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Rao, T.; Smedley, J.; Wang, E.

2015-02-01

We developed modeling capabilities, within the Vorpal particle-in-cell code, for three-dimensional simulations of surface effects and electron emission from semiconductor photocathodes. They include calculation of emission probabilities using general, piece-wise continuous, space-time dependent surface potentials, effective mass, and band bending field effects. We applied these models, in combination with previously implemented capabilities for modeling charge generation and transport in diamond, to investigate the emission dependence on applied electric field in the range from approximately 2 MV/m to 17 MV/m along the [100] direction. The simulation results were compared to experimental data. For the considered parameter regime, conservation of transverse electron momentum (in the plane of the emission surface) allows direct emission from only two (parallel to [100]) of the six equivalent lowest conduction band valleys. When the electron affinity χ is the only parameter varied in the simulations, the value χ = 0.31 eV leads to overall qualitative agreement with the probability of emission deduced from experiments. Including band bending in the simulations improves the agreement with the experimental data, particularly at low applied fields, but not significantly. Using surface potentials with different profiles further allows us to investigate the emission as a function of potential barrier height, width, and vacuum level position. However, adding surface patches with different levels of hydrogenation, modeled with position-dependent electron affinity, leads to the closest agreement with the experimental data.

Parameters controlling microstructures and resistance switching of electrodeposited cuprous oxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdanparast, Sanaz

2016-12-01

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin films were electrodeposited cathodically from a highly alkaline bath using tartrate as complexing agent. Different microstructures for Cu2O thin films were achieved by varying the applied potential from -0.285 to -0.395 V versus a reference electrode of Ag/AgCl at 50 °C in potentiostatic mode, and separately by changing the bath temperature from 25 to 50 °C in galvanostatic mode. Characterization experiments showed that both grain size and orientation of Cu2O can be controlled by changing the applied potential. Applying a high negative potential of -0.395 V resulted in smaller grain size of Cu2O thin films with a preferred orientation in [111] direction. An increase in the bath temperature in galvanostatic electrodeposition increased the grain size of Cu2O thin films. All the films in Au/Cu2O/Au-Pd cell showed unipolar resistance switching behavior after an initial FORMING process. Increasing the grain size of Cu2O thin films and decreasing the top electrode area increased the FORMING voltage and decreased the current level of high resistance state (HRS). The current in low resistance state (LRS) was independent of the top electrode area and the grain size of deposited films, suggesting a filamentary conduction mechanism in unipolar resistance switching of Cu2O.

Near Discharge Cathode Assembly Plasma Potential Measurements in a 30-cm NSTAR Type Ion Engine During Beam Extraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Gallimore, Alec D.

2006-01-01

Floating emissive probe plasma potential data are presented over a two-dimensional array of locations in the near Discharge Cathode Assembly (DCA) region of a 30-cm diameter ring-cusp ion thruster. Discharge plasma data are presented with beam extraction at throttling conditions comparable to the NASA TH Levels 8, 12, and 15. The operating conditions of the Extended Life Test (ELT) of the Deep Space One (DS1) flight spare ion engine, where anomalous discharge keeper erosion occurred, were TH 8 and TH 12 consequently they are of specific interest in investigating discharge keeper erosion phenomena. The data do not validate the presence of a potential hill plasma structure downstream of the DCA, which has been proposed as a possible erosion mechanism. The data are comparable in magnitude to data taken by other researchers in ring-cusp electron-bombardment ion thrusters. The plasma potential structures are insensitive to thruster throttling level with a minimum as low as 14 V measured at the DCA exit plane and increasing gradually in the axial direction. A sharp increase in plasma potential to the bulk discharge value of 26 to 28 volts, roughly 10 mm radially from DCA centerline, was observed. Plasma potential measurements indicate a low-potential plume structure that is roughly 20 mm in diameter emanating from the discharge cathode that may be attributed to a free-standing plasma double layer.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of LixMn2-yCoyO4-dCld Cathode Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-13

Lithium manganese oxide spinel is a potential candidate for Li- ion battery cathodes because of its...240 mAh/g of active material, and 4) high rate charge and discharge. Keywords: Lithium and Li- ion battery , Lithium manganese oxide spinel, Spinel...demonstrate desirable traits for incorporation into lithium - ion batteries for the military. References 1. David Linden (Ed.); Handbook of Batteries