Sample records for ideal electrode material

  1. An Ideal Electrode Material, 3D Surface-Microporous Graphene for Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Areal Capacitance

    DOE PAGES

    Chang, Liang; Stacchiola, Dario J.; Hu, Yun Hang

    2017-07-03

    The efficient charge accumulation of an ideal supercapacitor electrode requires abundant micropores and its fast electrolyte-ions transport prefers meso/macropores. But, current electrode materials cannot meet both requirements, resulting in poor performance. We creatively constructed three-dimensional cabbage-coral-like graphene as an ideal electrode material, in which meso/macro channels are formed by graphene walls and rich micropores are incorporated in the surface layer of the graphene walls. The unique 3D graphene material can achieve a high gravimetric capacitance of 200 F/g with aqueous electrolyte, 3 times larger than that of commercially used activated carbon (70.8 F/g). Furthermore, it can reach an ultrahigh arealmore » capacitance of 1.28 F/cm 2 and excellent rate capability (83.5% from 0.5 to 10 A/g) as well as high cycling stability (86.2% retention after 5000 cycles). The excellent electric double-layer performance of the 3D graphene electrode can be attributed to the fast electrolyte ion transport in the meso/macro channels and the rapid and reversible charge adsorption with negligible transport distance in the surface micropores.« less

  2. An Ideal Electrode Material, 3D Surface-Microporous Graphene for Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Areal Capacitance

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

    Chang, Liang; Stacchiola, Dario J.; Hu, Yun Hang

    The efficient charge accumulation of an ideal supercapacitor electrode requires abundant micropores and its fast electrolyte-ions transport prefers meso/macropores. But, current electrode materials cannot meet both requirements, resulting in poor performance. We creatively constructed three-dimensional cabbage-coral-like graphene as an ideal electrode material, in which meso/macro channels are formed by graphene walls and rich micropores are incorporated in the surface layer of the graphene walls. The unique 3D graphene material can achieve a high gravimetric capacitance of 200 F/g with aqueous electrolyte, 3 times larger than that of commercially used activated carbon (70.8 F/g). Furthermore, it can reach an ultrahigh arealmore » capacitance of 1.28 F/cm 2 and excellent rate capability (83.5% from 0.5 to 10 A/g) as well as high cycling stability (86.2% retention after 5000 cycles). The excellent electric double-layer performance of the 3D graphene electrode can be attributed to the fast electrolyte ion transport in the meso/macro channels and the rapid and reversible charge adsorption with negligible transport distance in the surface micropores.« less

  3. Recent Progress in Iron-Based Electrode Materials for Grid-Scale Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Fang, Yongjin; Chen, Zhongxue; Xiao, Lifen; Ai, Xinping; Cao, Yuliang; Yang, Hanxi

    2018-03-01

    Grid-scale energy storage batteries with electrode materials made from low-cost, earth-abundant elements are needed to meet the requirements of sustainable energy systems. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with iron-based electrodes offer an attractive combination of low cost, plentiful structural diversity and high stability, making them ideal candidates for grid-scale energy storage systems. Although various iron-based cathode and anode materials have been synthesized and evaluated for sodium storage, further improvements are still required in terms of energy/power density and long cyclic stability for commercialization. In this Review, progress in iron-based electrode materials for SIBs, including oxides, polyanions, ferrocyanides, and sulfides, is briefly summarized. In addition, the reaction mechanisms, electrochemical performance enhancements, structure-composition-performance relationships, merits and drawbacks of iron-based electrode materials for SIBs are discussed. Such iron-based electrode materials will be competitive and attractive electrodes for next-generation energy storage devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Recent research progress on iron- and manganese-based positive electrode materials for rechargeable sodium batteries.

    PubMed

    Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Komaba, Shinichi

    2014-08-01

    Large-scale high-energy batteries with electrode materials made from the Earth-abundant elements are needed to achieve sustainable energy development. On the basis of material abundance, rechargeable sodium batteries with iron- and manganese-based positive electrode materials are the ideal candidates for large-scale batteries. In this review, iron- and manganese-based electrode materials, oxides, phosphates, fluorides, etc, as positive electrodes for rechargeable sodium batteries are reviewed. Iron and manganese compounds with sodium ions provide high structural flexibility. Two layered polymorphs, O3- and P2-type layered structures, show different electrode performance in Na cells related to the different phase transition and sodium migration processes on sodium extraction/insertion. Similar to layered oxides, iron/manganese phosphates and pyrophosphates also provide the different framework structures, which are used as sodium insertion host materials. Electrode performance and reaction mechanisms of the iron- and manganese-based electrode materials in Na cells are described and the similarities and differences with lithium counterparts are also discussed. Together with these results, the possibility of the high-energy battery system with electrode materials made from only Earth-abundant elements is reviewed.

  5. Recent research progress on iron- and manganese-based positive electrode materials for rechargeable sodium batteries

    PubMed Central

    Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Komaba, Shinichi

    2014-01-01

    Large-scale high-energy batteries with electrode materials made from the Earth-abundant elements are needed to achieve sustainable energy development. On the basis of material abundance, rechargeable sodium batteries with iron- and manganese-based positive electrode materials are the ideal candidates for large-scale batteries. In this review, iron- and manganese-based electrode materials, oxides, phosphates, fluorides, etc, as positive electrodes for rechargeable sodium batteries are reviewed. Iron and manganese compounds with sodium ions provide high structural flexibility. Two layered polymorphs, O3- and P2-type layered structures, show different electrode performance in Na cells related to the different phase transition and sodium migration processes on sodium extraction/insertion. Similar to layered oxides, iron/manganese phosphates and pyrophosphates also provide the different framework structures, which are used as sodium insertion host materials. Electrode performance and reaction mechanisms of the iron- and manganese-based electrode materials in Na cells are described and the similarities and differences with lithium counterparts are also discussed. Together with these results, the possibility of the high-energy battery system with electrode materials made from only Earth-abundant elements is reviewed. PMID:27877694

  6. Architecture engineering of supercapacitor electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Kunfeng; Li, Gong; Xue, Dongfeng

    2016-02-01

    The biggest challenge for today’s supercapacitor systems readily possessing high power density is their low energy density. Their electrode materials with controllable structure, specific surface area, electronic conductivity, and oxidation state, have long been highlighted. Architecture engineering of functional electrode materials toward powerful supercapacitor systems is becoming a big fashion in the community. The construction of ion-accessible tunnel structures can microscopically increase the specific capacitance and materials utilization; stiff 3D structures with high specific surface area can macroscopically assure high specific capacitance. Many exciting findings in electrode materials mainly focus on the construction of ice-folded graphene paper, in situ functionalized graphene, in situ crystallizing colloidal ionic particles and polymorphic metal oxides. This feature paper highlights some recent architecture engineering strategies toward high-energy supercapacitor electrode systems, including electric double-layer capacitance (EDLC) and pseudocapacitance.

  7. Idealism and materialism in perception.

    PubMed

    Rose, David; Brown, Dora

    2015-01-01

    Koenderink (2014, Perception, 43, 1-6) has said most Perception readers are deluded, because they believe an 'All Seeing Eye' observes an objective reality. We trace the source of Koenderink's assertion to his metaphysical idealism, and point to two major weaknesses in his position-namely, its dualism and foundationalism. We counter with arguments from modern philosophy of science for the existence of an objective material reality, contrast Koenderink's enactivism to his idealism, and point to ways in which phenomenology and cognitive science are complementary and not mutually exclusive.

  8. Recycling positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery

    DOEpatents

    Sloop, Steven E.

    2017-11-21

    Examples are disclosed of methods to recycle positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. In one example, the positive-electrode material is heated under pressure in a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After heating, the positive-electrode material is separated from the concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After separating, the positive electrode material is rinsed in a basic liquid. After rinsing, the positive-electrode material is dried and sintered.

  9. Electrode materials for rechargeable batteries

    DOEpatents

    Abouimrane, Ali; Amine, Khalil

    2015-04-14

    Selenium or selenium-containing compounds may be used as electroactive materials in electrodes or electrochemical devices. The selenium or selenium-containing compound is mixed with a carbon material.

  10. Manganese oxide-based materials as electrochemical supercapacitor electrodes.

    PubMed

    Wei, Weifeng; Cui, Xinwei; Chen, Weixing; Ivey, Douglas G

    2011-03-01

    Electrochemical supercapacitors (ECs), characteristic of high power and reasonably high energy densities, have become a versatile solution to various emerging energy applications. This critical review describes some materials science aspects on manganese oxide-based materials for these applications, primarily including the strategic design and fabrication of these electrode materials. Nanostructurization, chemical modification and incorporation with high surface area, conductive nanoarchitectures are the three major strategies in the development of high-performance manganese oxide-based electrodes for EC applications. Numerous works reviewed herein have shown enhanced electrochemical performance in the manganese oxide-based electrode materials. However, many fundamental questions remain unanswered, particularly with respect to characterization and understanding of electron transfer and atomic transport of the electrochemical interface processes within the manganese oxide-based electrodes. In order to fully exploit the potential of manganese oxide-based electrode materials, an unambiguous appreciation of these basic questions and optimization of synthesis parameters and material properties are critical for the further development of EC devices (233 references).

  11. Template-free synthesis of renewable macroporous carbon via yeast cells for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Sun, Hongmei; He, Wenhui; Zong, Chenghua; Lu, Lehui

    2013-03-01

    The urgent need for sustainable development has forced material scientists to explore novel materials for next-generation energy storage devices through a green and facile strategy. In this context, yeast, which is a large group of single cell fungi widely distributed in nature environments, will be an ideal candidate for developing effective electrode materials with fascinating structures for high-performance supercapacitors. With this in mind, herein, we present the first example of creating three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating macroporous carbon materials via a template-free method, using the green, renewable, and widespread yeast cells as the precursors. Remarkably, when the as-prepared materials are used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors, they exhibit outstanding performance with high specific capacitance of 330 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and good stability, even after 1000 charge/discharge cycles. The approach developed in this work provides a new view of making full use of sustainable resources endowed by nature, opening the avenue to designing and producing robust materials with great promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices.

  12. Electrostatic atomization: Effect of electrode materials on electrostatic atomizer performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sankaran, Abhilash; Staszel, Christopher; Kashir, Babak; Perri, Anthony; Mashayek, Farzad; Yarin, Alexander

    2016-11-01

    Electrostatic atomization was studied experimentally with a pointed electrode in a converging nozzle. Experiments were carried out on poorly conductive canola oil where it was observed that electrode material may affect charge transfer. This points at the possible faradaic reactions that can occur at the surfaces of the electrodes. The supply voltage is applied to the sharp electrode and the grounded nozzle body constitutes the counter-electrode. The charge transfer is controlled by the electrochemical reactions on both the electrodes. The electrical performance study of the atomizer issuing a charged oil jet was conducted using three different nozzle body materials - brass, copper and stainless steel. Also, two sharp electrode materials - brass and stainless steel - were tested. The experimental results revealed that both the nozzle body material, as well as the sharp electrode material affected the spray and leak currents. Moreover, the effect of the sharp electrode material is quite significant. This research is supported by NSF Grant 1505276.

  13. Vanadium based materials as electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Yan; Li, Bing; Guo, Wei; Pang, Huan; Xue, Huaiguo

    2016-10-01

    As a kind of supercapacitors, pseudocapacitors have attracted wide attention in recent years. The capacitance of the electrochemical capacitors based on pseudocapacitance arises mainly from redox reactions between electrolytes and active materials. These materials usually have several oxidation states for oxidation and reduction. Many research teams have focused on the development of an alternative material for electrochemical capacitors. Many transition metal oxides have been shown to be suitable as electrode materials of electrochemical capacitors. Among them, vanadium based materials are being developed for this purpose. Vanadium based materials are known as one of the best active materials for high power/energy density electrochemical capacitors due to its outstanding specific capacitance and long cycle life, high conductivity and good electrochemical reversibility. There are different kinds of synthetic methods such as sol-gel hydrothermal/solvothermal method, template method, electrospinning method, atomic layer deposition, and electrodeposition method that have been successfully applied to prepare vanadium based electrode materials. In our review, we give an overall summary and evaluation of the recent progress in the research of vanadium based materials for electrochemical capacitors that include synthesis methods, the electrochemical performances of the electrode materials and the devices.

  14. Importance of Electrode Material in the Electrochemical Treatment of Wastewater Containing Organic Pollutants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panizza, Marco

    Electrochemical oxidation is a promising method for the treatment of wastewaters containing organic compounds. As a general rule, the electrochemical incineration of organics at a given electrode can take place at satisfactory rates and without electrode deactivation only at high anodic potentials in the region of the water discharge due to the participation of the intermediates of oxygen evolution. The nature of the electrode material strongly influences both the selectivity and the efficiency of the process. In particular, anodes with low oxygen evolution overpotential (i.e., good catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions), such as graphite, IrO2, RuO2, and Pt only permit the partial oxidation of organics, while anodes with high oxygen evolution overpotential (i.e., anodes that are poor catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions), such as SnO2, PbO2, and boron-doped diamond (BDD) favor the complete oxidation of organics to CO2 and so are ideal electrodes for wastewater treatment.However, the application of SnO2 and PbO2 anodes may be limited by their short service life and the risk of lead contamination, while BDD electrodes exhibit good chemical and electrochemical stability, a long life, and a wide potential window for water discharge, and are thus promising anodes for industrial-scale wastewater treatment.

  15. Carbon nanocages as supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Xie, Ke; Qin, Xingtai; Wang, Xizhang; Wang, Yangnian; Tao, Haisheng; Wu, Qiang; Yang, Lijun; Hu, Zheng

    2012-01-17

    Supercapacitor electrode materials: Carbon nanocages are conveniently produced by an in situ MgO template method and demonstrate high specific capacitance over a wide range of charging-discharging rates with high stability, superior to the most carbonaceous supercapacitor electrode materials to date. The large specific surface area, good mesoporosity, and regular structure are responsible for the excellent performance. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Electrochemical characterization of high frequency stimulation electrodes: role of electrode material and stimulation parameters on electrode polarization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghazavi, Atefeh; Cogan, Stuart F.

    2018-06-01

    Objective. With recent interest in kilohertz frequency electrical stimulation for nerve conduction block, understanding the electrochemistry and role of electrode material is important for assessing the safety of these stimulus protocols. Here we describe an approach to determining electrode polarization in response to continuous kilohertz frequency sinusoidal current waveforms. We have also investigated platinum, iridium oxide, and titanium nitride as coatings for high frequency electrodes. The current density distribution at 50 kHz at the electrode–electrolyte interface was also modeled to demonstrate the importance of the primary current distribution in supporting charge injection at high frequencies. Approach. We determined electrode polarization in response to sinusoidal currents with frequencies in the 1–50 kHz range and current amplitudes from 100 to 500 µA and 1–5 mA, depending on the electrode area. The current density distribution at the interface was modeled using the finite element method (FEM). Main results. At low frequencies, 1–5 kHz, polarization on the platinum electrode was significant, exceeding the water oxidation potential for high amplitude (5 mA) waveforms. At frequencies of 20 kHz or higher, the polarization was less than 300 mV from the electrode open circuit potential. The choice of electrode material did not play a significant role in electrode polarization at frequencies higher than 10 kHz. The current density distribution modeled at 50 kHz is non-uniform and this non-uniformity persists throughout charge delivery. Significance. At high frequencies (>10 kHz) electrode double-layer charging is the principal mechanism of charge-injection and selection of the electrode material has little effect on polarization, with platinum, iridium oxide, and titanium nitride exhibiting similar behavior. High frequency stimulation is dominated by a highly nonuniform primary current distribution.

  17. The effect of priming materialism on women's responses to thin-ideal media.

    PubMed

    Ashikali, Eleni-Marina; Dittmar, Helga

    2012-12-01

    Consumer culture is characterized by two prominent ideals: the 'body perfect' and the material 'good life'. Although the impact of these ideals has been investigated in separate research literatures, no previous research has examined whether materialism is linked to women's responses to thin-ideal media. Data from several studies confirm that the internalization of materialistic and body-ideal values is positively linked in women. After developing a prime for materialism (N = 50), we present an experimental examination (N = 155) of the effects of priming materialism on women's responses to thin-ideal media, using multiple outcome measures of state body dissatisfaction. Priming materialism affects women's body dissatisfaction after exposure to thin media models, but differently depending on the dimension of body image measured. The two main novel findings are that (1) priming materialism heightens the centrality of appearance to women's self-concept and (2) priming materialism influences the activation of body-related self-discrepancies (BRSDs), particularly for highly materialistic women. Exposure to materialistic media has a clear influence on women's body image, with trait materialism a further vulnerability factor for negative exposure effects in response to idealized, thin media models. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  18. Engineering Redox Potential of Lithium Clusters for Electrode Material in Lithium-Ion Batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Kushwaha, Anoop Kumar; Sahoo, Mihir Ranjan; Nanda, Jagjit; ...

    2017-07-01

    Low negative electrode potential and high reactivity makes lithium (Li) ideal candidate for obtaining highest possible energy density among other materials. Here, we show a novel route with which the overall electrode potential could significantly be enhanced through selection of cluster size. In using first principles density functional theory and continuum dielectric model, we studied free energy and redox potential as well as investigated relative stability of Li n (n ≤ 8) clusters in both gas phase and solution. We found that Li 3 has the lowest negative redox potential (thereby highest overall electrode potential) suggesting that cluster based approachmore » could provide a novel way of engineering the next generation battery technology. The microscopic origin of Li 3 cluster’s superior performance is related to two major factors: gas phase ionization and difference between solvation free energy for neutral and positive ion. Taken together, our study provides insight into the engineering of redox potential in battery and could stimulate further work in this direction.« less

  19. Engineering Redox Potential of Lithium Clusters for Electrode Material in Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

    Kushwaha, Anoop Kumar; Sahoo, Mihir Ranjan; Nanda, Jagjit

    Low negative electrode potential and high reactivity makes lithium (Li) ideal candidate for obtaining highest possible energy density among other materials. Here, we show a novel route with which the overall electrode potential could significantly be enhanced through selection of cluster size. In using first principles density functional theory and continuum dielectric model, we studied free energy and redox potential as well as investigated relative stability of Li n (n ≤ 8) clusters in both gas phase and solution. We found that Li 3 has the lowest negative redox potential (thereby highest overall electrode potential) suggesting that cluster based approachmore » could provide a novel way of engineering the next generation battery technology. The microscopic origin of Li 3 cluster’s superior performance is related to two major factors: gas phase ionization and difference between solvation free energy for neutral and positive ion. Taken together, our study provides insight into the engineering of redox potential in battery and could stimulate further work in this direction.« less

  20. Electrode materials for rechargeable battery

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Christopher; Kang, Sun-Ho

    2015-09-08

    A positive electrode is disclosed for a non-aqueous electrolyte lithium rechargeable cell or battery. The electrode comprises a lithium containing material of the formula Na.sub.yLi.sub.xNi.sub.zMn.sub.1-z-z'M.sub.z'O.sub.d, wherein M is a metal cation, x+y>1, 0material preferably has a spinel or spinel-like component in its structure. The value of y preferably is less than about 0.2, and M comprises one or more metal cations selected preferably from one or more monovalent, divalent, trivalent or tetravalent cations, such as Mg.sup.2+, Co.sup.2+, Co.sup.3+, B.sup.3+, Ga.sup.3+, Fe.sup.2+, Fe.sup.3+, Al.sup.3+, and Ti.sup.4+. The electrode material can be synthesized using an ion-exchange reaction with a lithium salt in an organic-based solvent to partially replace sodium ions of a precursor material with lithium ions.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-07-01

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

  2. Recent advances in material science for developing enzyme electrodes.

    PubMed

    Sarma, Anil Kumar; Vatsyayan, Preety; Goswami, Pranab; Minteer, Shelley D

    2009-04-15

    The enzyme-modified electrode is the fundamental component of amperometric biosensors and biofuel cells. The selection of appropriate combinations of materials, such as: enzyme, electron transport mediator, binding and encapsulation materials, conductive support matrix and solid support, for construction of enzyme-modified electrodes governs the efficiency of the electrodes in terms of electron transfer kinetics, mass transport, stability, and reproducibility. This review investigates the varieties of materials that can be used for these purposes. Recent innovation in conductive electro-active polymers, functionalized polymers, biocompatible composite materials, composites of transition metal-based complexes and organometallic compounds, sol-gel and hydro-gel materials, nanomaterials, other nano-metal composites, and nano-metal oxides are reviewed and discussed here. In addition, the critical issues related to the construction of enzyme electrodes and their application for biosensor and biofuel cell applications are also highlighted in this article. Effort has been made to cover the recent literature on the advancement of materials sciences to develop enzyme electrodes and their potential applications for the construction of biosensors and biofuel cells.

  3. Aqueous processing of composite lithium ion electrode material

    DOEpatents

    Li, Jianlin; Armstrong, Beth L.; Daniel, Claus; Wood, III, David L.

    2017-06-20

    A method of making a battery electrode includes the steps of dispersing an active electrode material and a conductive additive in water with at least one dispersant to create a mixed dispersion; treating a surface of a current collector to raise the surface energy of the surface to at least the surface tension of the mixed dispersion; depositing the dispersed active electrode material and conductive additive on a current collector; and heating the coated surface to remove water from the coating.

  4. Aqueous processing of composite lithium ion electrode material

    DOEpatents

    Li, Jianlin; Armstrong, Beth L; Daniel, Claus; Wood, III, David L

    2015-02-17

    A method of making a battery electrode includes the steps of dispersing an active electrode material and a conductive additive in water with at least one dispersant to create a mixed dispersion; treating a surface of a current collector to raise the surface energy of the surface to at least the surface tension of the mixed dispersion; depositing the dispersed active electrode material and conductive additive on a current collector; and heating the coated surface to remove water from the coating.

  5. Electrode-active material for electrochemical batteries and method of preparation

    DOEpatents

    Varma, R.

    1983-11-07

    A battery electrode material comprises a non-stoichiometric electrode-active material which forms a redox pair with the battery electrolyte, an electrically conductive polymer present in the range of from about 2% by weight to about 5% by weight of the electrode-active material, and a binder. The conductive polymer provides improved proton or ion conductivity and is a ligand resulting in metal ion or negative ion vacancies of less than about 0.1 atom percent. Specific electrodes of nickel and lead are disclosed.

  6. Electrode-active material for electrochemical batteries and method of preparation

    DOEpatents

    Varma, Ravi

    1987-01-01

    A battery electrode material comprising a non-stoichiometric electrode-active material which forms a redox pair with the battery electrolyte, an electrically conductive polymer present in the range of from about 2% by weight to about 5% by weight of the electrode-active material, and a binder. The conductive polymer provides improved proton or ion conductivity and is a ligand resulting in metal ion or negative ion vacancies of less than about 0.1 atom percent. Specific electrodes of nickel and lead are disclosed.

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-03-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

    Ni, Qiao; Wu, Feng

    2017-01-01

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

  9. Phosphate Framework Electrode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Fang, Yongjin; Zhang, Jiexin; Xiao, Lifen; Ai, Xinping; Cao, Yuliang; Yang, Hanxi

    2017-05-01

    Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered as a promising alternative for the next generation of electric storage systems due to their similar electrochemistry to Li-ion batteries and the low cost of sodium resources. Exploring appropriate electrode materials with decent electrochemical performance is the key issue for development of sodium ion batteries. Due to the high structural stability, facile reaction mechanism and rich structural diversity, phosphate framework materials have attracted increasing attention as promising electrode materials for sodium ion batteries. Herein, we review the latest advances and progresses in the exploration of phosphate framework materials especially related to single-phosphates, pyrophosphates and mixed-phosphates. We provide the detailed and comprehensive understanding of structure-composition-performance relationship of materials and try to show the advantages and disadvantages of the materials for use in SIBs. In addition, some new perspectives about phosphate framework materials for SIBs are also discussed. Phosphate framework materials will be a competitive and attractive choice for use as electrodes in the next-generation of energy storage devices.

  10. Phosphate Framework Electrode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries

    PubMed Central

    Fang, Yongjin; Zhang, Jiexin; Xiao, Lifen; Ai, Xinping; Yang, Hanxi

    2017-01-01

    Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been considered as a promising alternative for the next generation of electric storage systems due to their similar electrochemistry to Li‐ion batteries and the low cost of sodium resources. Exploring appropriate electrode materials with decent electrochemical performance is the key issue for development of sodium ion batteries. Due to the high structural stability, facile reaction mechanism and rich structural diversity, phosphate framework materials have attracted increasing attention as promising electrode materials for sodium ion batteries. Herein, we review the latest advances and progresses in the exploration of phosphate framework materials especially related to single‐phosphates, pyrophosphates and mixed‐phosphates. We provide the detailed and comprehensive understanding of structure–composition–performance relationship of materials and try to show the advantages and disadvantages of the materials for use in SIBs. In addition, some new perspectives about phosphate framework materials for SIBs are also discussed. Phosphate framework materials will be a competitive and attractive choice for use as electrodes in the next‐generation of energy storage devices. PMID:28546907

  11. Improving Electrode Durability of PEF Chamber by selecting suitable material

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Corrosion resistance of four materials - titanium, platinized titanium, stainless steel, and boron carbide - as electrodes in a Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) system was studied to reduce electrode material migration into the food by electrode corrosion. The PEF process conditions were 28 kV/cm field s...

  12. Structure and Modification of Electrode Materials for Protein Electrochemistry.

    PubMed

    Jeuken, Lars J C

    The interactions between proteins and electrode surfaces are of fundamental importance in bioelectrochemistry, including photobioelectrochemistry. In order to optimise the interaction between electrode and redox protein, either the electrode or the protein can be engineered, with the former being the most adopted approach. This tutorial review provides a basic description of the most commonly used electrode materials in bioelectrochemistry and discusses approaches to modify these surfaces. Carbon, gold and transparent electrodes (e.g. indium tin oxide) are covered, while approaches to form meso- and macroporous structured electrodes are also described. Electrode modifications include the chemical modification with (self-assembled) monolayers and the use of conducting polymers in which the protein is imbedded. The proteins themselves can either be in solution, electrostatically adsorbed on the surface or covalently bound to the electrode. Drawbacks and benefits of each material and its modifications are discussed. Where examples exist of applications in photobioelectrochemistry, these are highlighted.

  13. The rise of organic electrode materials for energy storage.

    PubMed

    Schon, Tyler B; McAllister, Bryony T; Li, Peng-Fei; Seferos, Dwight S

    2016-11-07

    Organic electrode materials are very attractive for electrochemical energy storage devices because they can be flexible, lightweight, low cost, benign to the environment, and used in a variety of device architectures. They are not mere alternatives to more traditional energy storage materials, rather, they have the potential to lead to disruptive technologies. Although organic electrode materials for energy storage have progressed in recent years, there are still significant challenges to overcome before reaching large-scale commercialization. This review provides an overview of energy storage systems as a whole, the metrics that are used to quantify the performance of electrodes, recent strategies that have been investigated to overcome the challenges associated with organic electrode materials, and the use of computational chemistry to design and study new materials and their properties. Design strategies are examined to overcome issues with capacity/capacitance, device voltage, rate capability, and cycling stability in order to guide future work in the area. The use of low cost materials is highlighted as a direction towards commercial realization.

  14. A polyoxovanadate as an advanced electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Han-Yi; Wee, Grace; Al-Oweini, Rami; Friedl, Jochen; Tan, Kim Soon; Wang, Yuxi; Wong, Chui Ling; Kortz, Ulrich; Stimming, Ulrich; Srinivasan, Madhavi

    2014-07-21

    Polyoxovanadate Na(6)V(10)O(28) is investigated for the first time as electrode material for supercapacitors (SCs). The electrochemical properties of Na(6)V(10)O(28) electrodes are studied in Li(+) -containing organic electrolyte (1 M LiClO(4) in propylene carbonate) by galvanostatic charge/discharge and cyclic voltammetry in a three-electrode configuration. Na(6)V(10)O(28) electrodes exhibit high specific capacitances of up to 354 F g(-1). An asymmetric SC with activated carbon as positive electrode and Na(6)V(10)O(28) as negative electrode is fabricated and exhibits a high energy density of 73 Wh kg(-1) with a power density of 312 W kg(-1), which successfully demonstrates that Na(6)V(10)O(28) is a promising electrode material for high-energy SC applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Pseudocapacitive and hierarchically ordered porous electrode materials supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saruhan, B.; Gönüllü, Y.; Arndt, B.

    2013-05-01

    Commercially available double layer capacitors store energy in an electrostatic field. This forms in the form of a double layer by charged particles arranged on two electrodes consisting mostly of active carbon. Such double layer capacitors exhibit a low energy density, so that components with large capacity according to large electrode areas are required. Our research focuses on the development of new electrode materials to realize the production of electrical energy storage systems with high energy density and high power density. Metal oxide based electrodes increase the energy density and the capacitance by addition of pseudo capacitance to the static capacitance present by the double layer super-capacitor electrodes. The so-called hybrid asymmetric cell capacitors combine both types of energy storage in a single component. In this work, the production routes followed in our laboratories for synthesis of nano-porous and aligned metal oxide electrodes using the electrochemical and sputter deposition as well as anodization methods will be described. Our characterisation studies concentrate on electrodes having redox metal-oxides (e.g. MnOx and WOx) and hierarchically aligned nano-porous Li-doped TiO2-NTs. The material specific and electrochemical properties achieved with these electrodes will be presented.

  16. A review of electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Guoping; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jiujun

    2012-01-21

    In this critical review, metal oxides-based materials for electrochemical supercapacitor (ES) electrodes are reviewed in detail together with a brief review of carbon materials and conducting polymers. Their advantages, disadvantages, and performance in ES electrodes are discussed through extensive analysis of the literature, and new trends in material development are also reviewed. Two important future research directions are indicated and summarized, based on results published in the literature: the development of composite and nanostructured ES materials to overcome the major challenge posed by the low energy density of ES (476 references).

  17. Extrusion of electrode material by liquid injection into extruder barrel

    DOEpatents

    Keller, D.G.; Giovannoni, R.T.; MacFadden, K.O.

    1998-03-10

    An electrode sheet product is formed using an extruder having a feed throat and a downstream section by separately mixing an active electrode material and a solid polymer electrolyte composition that contains lithium salt. The active electrode material is fed into the feed throat of the extruder, while a portion of at least one fluid component of the solid polymer electrolyte composition is introduced to the downstream section. The active electrode material and the solid polymer electrolyte composition are compounded in a downstream end of the extruder. The extruded sheets, adhered to current collectors, can be formed into battery cells. 1 fig.

  18. Extrusion of electrode material by liquid injection into extruder barrel

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

    Keller, David Gerard; Giovannoni, Richard Thomas; MacFadden, Kenneth Orville

    An electrode sheet product is formed using an extruder having a feed throat and a downstream section by separately mixing an active electrode material and a solid polymer electrolyte composition that contains lithium salt. The active electrode material is fed into the feed throat of the extruder, while a portion of at least one fluid component of the solid polymer electrolyte composition is introduced to the downstream section. The active electrode material and the solid polymer electrolyte composition are compounded in a downstream end of the extruder. The extruded sheets, adhered to current collectors, can be formed into battery cells.

  19. Electrode material comprising graphene-composite materials in a graphite network

    DOEpatents

    Kung, Harold H.; Lee, Jung K.

    2014-07-15

    A durable electrode material suitable for use in Li ion batteries is provided. The material is comprised of a continuous network of graphite regions integrated with, and in good electrical contact with a composite comprising graphene sheets and an electrically active material, such as silicon, wherein the electrically active material is dispersed between, and supported by, the graphene sheets.

  20. Electrode material comprising graphene-composite materials in a graphite network

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

    Kung, Harold H.; Lee, Jung K.

    A durable electrode material suitable for use in Li ion batteries is provided. The material is comprised of a continuous network of graphite regions integrated with, and in good electrical contact with a composite comprising graphene sheets and an electrically active material, such as silicon, wherein the electrically active material is dispersed between, and supported by, the graphene sheets.

  1. Advances in electrode materials for Li-based rechargeable batteries

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

    Zhang, Hui; Mao, Chengyu; Li, Jianlin

    Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries store energy as chemical energy in electrode materials during charge and can convert the chemical energy into electrical energy when needed. Tremendous attention has been paid to screen electroactive materials, to evaluate their structural integrity and cycling reversibility, and to improve the performance of electrode materials. This review discusses recent advances in performance enhancement of both anode and cathode through nanoengineering active materials and applying surface coatings, in order to effectively deal with the challenges such as large volume variation, instable interface, limited cyclability and rate capability. We also introduce and discuss briefly the diversity and newmore » tendencies in finding alternative lithium storage materials, safe operation enabled in aqueous electrolytes, and configuring novel symmetric electrodes and lithium-based flow batteries.« less

  2. Extrusion of electrode material by liquid injection into extruder barrel

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

    Keller, D.G.; Giovannoni, R.T.; MacFadden, K.O.

    An electrode sheet product is formed using an extruder having a feed throat and a downstream section by separately mixing an active electrode material and a solid polymer electrolyte composition that contains lithium salt. The active electrode material is fed into the feed throat of the extruder, while a portion of at least one fluid component of the solid polymer electrolyte composition is introduced to the downstream section. The active electrode material and the solid polymer electrolyte composition are compounded in a downstream end of the extruder. The extruded sheets, adhered to current collectors, can be formed into battery cells.more » 1 fig.« less

  3. Towards uniformly dispersed battery electrode composite materials: Characteristics and performance

    DOE PAGES

    Yo Han Kwon; Takeuchi, Esther S.; Huie, Matthew M.; ...

    2016-01-14

    Battery electrodes are complex mesoscale systems comprised of electroactive components, conductive additives, and binders. In this report, methods for processing electrodes with dispersion of the components are described. To investigate the degree of material dispersion, a spin-coating technique was adopted to provide a thin, uniform layer that enabled observation of the morphology. Distinct differences in the distribution profile of the electrode components arising from individual materials physical affinities were readily identified. Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) analysis revealed pertinent surface interactions associated with materials dispersivity. Further studies demonstrated that HSPs can provide an effective strategy to identify surface modification approaches formore » improved dispersions of battery electrode materials. Specifically, introduction of surfactantlike functionality such as oleic acid (OA) capping and P3HT-conjugated polymer wrapping on the surface of nanomaterials significantly enhanced material dispersity over the composite electrode. The approach to the surface treatment on the basis of HSP study can facilitate design of composite electrodes with uniformly dispersed morphology and may contribute to enhancing their electrical and electrochemical behaviors. The conductivity of the composites and their electrochemical performance was also characterized. In conclusion, the study illustrates the importance of considering electronic conductivity, electron transfer, and ion transport in the design of environments incorporating active nanomaterials.« less

  4. Towards uniformly dispersed battery electrode composite materials: Characteristics and performance

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

    Yo Han Kwon; Takeuchi, Esther S.; Huie, Matthew M.

    Battery electrodes are complex mesoscale systems comprised of electroactive components, conductive additives, and binders. In this report, methods for processing electrodes with dispersion of the components are described. To investigate the degree of material dispersion, a spin-coating technique was adopted to provide a thin, uniform layer that enabled observation of the morphology. Distinct differences in the distribution profile of the electrode components arising from individual materials physical affinities were readily identified. Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) analysis revealed pertinent surface interactions associated with materials dispersivity. Further studies demonstrated that HSPs can provide an effective strategy to identify surface modification approaches formore » improved dispersions of battery electrode materials. Specifically, introduction of surfactantlike functionality such as oleic acid (OA) capping and P3HT-conjugated polymer wrapping on the surface of nanomaterials significantly enhanced material dispersity over the composite electrode. The approach to the surface treatment on the basis of HSP study can facilitate design of composite electrodes with uniformly dispersed morphology and may contribute to enhancing their electrical and electrochemical behaviors. The conductivity of the composites and their electrochemical performance was also characterized. In conclusion, the study illustrates the importance of considering electronic conductivity, electron transfer, and ion transport in the design of environments incorporating active nanomaterials.« less

  5. Unconventional supercapacitors from nanocarbon-based electrode materials to device configurations.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lili; Niu, Zhiqiang; Chen, Jun

    2016-07-25

    As energy storage devices, supercapacitors that are also called electrochemical capacitors possess high power density, excellent reversibility and long cycle life. The recent boom in electronic devices with different functions in transparent LED displays, stretchable electronic systems and artificial skin has increased the demand for supercapacitors to move towards light, thin, integrated macro- and micro-devices with transparent, flexible, stretchable, compressible and/or wearable abilities. The successful fabrication of such supercapacitors depends mainly on the preparation of innovative electrode materials and the design of unconventional supercapacitor configurations. Tremendous research efforts have been recently made to design and construct innovative nanocarbon-based electrode materials and supercapacitors with unconventional configurations. We review here recent developments in supercapacitors from nanocarbon-based electrode materials to device configurations. The advances in nanocarbon-based electrode materials mainly include the assembly technologies of macroscopic nanostructured electrodes with different dimensions of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers, graphene, mesoporous carbon, activated carbon, and their composites. The electrodes with macroscopic nanostructured carbon-based materials overcome the issues of low conductivity, poor mechanical properties, and limited dimensions that are faced by conventional methods. The configurational design of advanced supercapacitor devices is presented with six types of unconventional supercapacitor devices: flexible, micro-, stretchable, compressible, transparent and fiber supercapacitors. Such supercapacitors display unique configurations and excellent electrochemical performance at different states such as bending, stretching, compressing and/or folding. For example, all-solid-state simplified supercapacitors that are based on nanostructured graphene composite paper are able to maintain 95% of the original capacity at

  6. Modified lithium vanadium oxide electrode materials products and methods

    DOEpatents

    Thackeray, Michael M.; Kahaian, Arthur J.; Visser, Donald R.; Dees, Dennis W.; Benedek, Roy

    1999-12-21

    A method of improving certain vanadium oxide formulations is presented. The method concerns fluorine doping formulations having a nominal formula of LiV.sub.3 O.sub.8. Preferred average formulations are provided wherein the average oxidation state of the vanadium is at least 4.6. Herein preferred fluorine doped vanadium oxide materials, electrodes using such materials, and batteries including at least one electrode therein comprising such materials are provided.

  7. Effect of oxidation of carbon material on suspension electrodes for flow electrode capacitive deionization.

    PubMed

    Hatzell, Kelsey B; Hatzell, Marta C; Cook, Kevin M; Boota, Muhammad; Housel, Gabrielle M; McBride, Alexander; Kumbur, E Caglan; Gogotsi, Yury

    2015-03-03

    Flow electrode deionization (FCDI) is an emerging area for continuous and scalable deionization, but the electrochemical and flow properties of the flow electrode need to be improved to minimize energy consumption. Chemical oxidation of granular activated carbon (AC) was examined here to study the role of surface heteroatoms on rheology and electrochemical performance of a flow electrode (carbon slurry) for deionization processes. Moreover, it was demonstrated that higher mass densities could be used without increasing energy for pumping when using oxidized active material. High mass-loaded flow electrodes (28% carbon content) based on oxidized AC displayed similar viscosities (∼21 Pa s) to lower mass-loaded flow electrodes (20% carbon content) based on nonoxidized AC. The 40% increased mass loading (from 20% to 28%) resulted in a 25% increase in flow electrode gravimetric capacitance (from 65 to 83 F g(-1)) without sacrificing flowability (viscosity). The electrical energy required to remove ∼18% of the ions (desalt) from of the feed solution was observed to be significantly dependent on the mass loading and decreased (∼60%) from 92 ± 7 to 28 ± 2.7 J with increased mass densities from 5 to 23 wt %. It is shown that the surface chemistry of the active material in a flow electrode effects the electrical and pumping energy requirements of a FCDI system.

  8. Effect of oxidation of carbon material on suspension electrodes for flow electrode capacitive deionization

    DOE PAGES

    Hatzell, Kelsey B.; Hatzell, Marta C.; Cook, Kevin M.; ...

    2015-01-29

    Flow electrode deionization (FCDI) is an emerging area for continuous and scalable deionization, but the electrochemical and flow properties of the flow electrode need to be improved to minimize energy consumption. We examine chemical oxidation of granular activated carbon (AC) here to study the role of surface heteroatoms on rheology and electrochemical performance of a flow electrode (carbon slurry) for deionization processes. Moreover, it was demonstrated that higher mass densities could be used without increasing energy for pumping when using oxidized active material. High mass-loaded flow electrodes (28% carbon content) based on oxidized AC displayed similar viscosities (~21 Pa s)more » to lower mass-loaded flow electrodes (20% carbon content) based on nonoxidized AC. The 40% increased mass loading (from 20% to 28%) resulted in a 25% increase in flow electrode gravimetric capacitance (from 65 to 83 F g –1) without sacrificing flowability (viscosity). The electrical energy required to remove ~18% of the ions (desalt) from of the feed solution was observed to be significantly dependent on the mass loading and decreased (~60%) from 92 ± 7 to 28 ± 2.7 J with increased mass densities from 5 to 23 wt %. Finally, it is shown that the surface chemistry of the active material in a flow electrode effects the electrical and pumping energy requirements of a FCDI system.« less

  9. Fuel cell electrode interconnect contact material encapsulation and method

    DOEpatents

    Derose, Anthony J.; Haltiner, Jr., Karl J.; Gudyka, Russell A.; Bonadies, Joseph V.; Silvis, Thomas W.

    2016-05-31

    A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cell cassettes each including a fuel cell with an anode and a cathode. Each fuel cell cassette also includes an electrode interconnect adjacent to the anode or the cathode for providing electrical communication between an adjacent fuel cell cassette and the anode or the cathode. The interconnect includes a plurality of electrode interconnect protrusions defining a flow passage along the anode or the cathode for communicating oxidant or fuel to the anode or the cathode. An electrically conductive material is disposed between at least one of the electrode interconnect protrusions and the anode or the cathode in order to provide a stable electrical contact between the electrode interconnect and the anode or cathode. An encapsulating arrangement segregates the electrically conductive material from the flow passage thereby, preventing volatilization of the electrically conductive material in use of the fuel cell stack.

  10. Reversibly immobilized biological materials in monolayer films on electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Weaver, P.F.; Frank, A.J.

    1993-05-04

    Methods and techniques are described for reversibly binding charged biological particles in a fluid medium to an electrode surface. The methods are useful in a variety of applications. The biological materials may include microbes, proteins, and viruses. The electrode surface may consist of reversibly electroactive materials such as polyvinylferrocene, silicon-linked ferrocene or quinone.

  11. Reversibly immobilized biological materials in monolayer films on electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Weaver, Paul F.; Frank, Arthur J.

    1993-01-01

    Methods and techniques are described for reversibly binding charged biological particles in a fluid medium to an electrode surface. The methods are useful in a variety of applications. The biological materials may include microbes, proteins, and viruses. The electrode surface may consist of reversibly electroactive materials such as polyvinylferrocene, silicon-linked ferrocene or quinone.

  12. Monte Carlo modelling the dosimetric effects of electrode material on diamond detectors.

    PubMed

    Baluti, Florentina; Deloar, Hossain M; Lansley, Stuart P; Meyer, Juergen

    2015-03-01

    Diamond detectors for radiation dosimetry were modelled using the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code to investigate the influence of electrode material and detector orientation on the absorbed dose. The small dimensions of the electrode/diamond/electrode detector structure required very thin voxels and the use of non-standard DOSXYZnrc Monte Carlo model parameters. The interface phenomena was investigated by simulating a 6 MV beam and detectors with different electrode materials, namely Al, Ag, Cu and Au, with thickens of 0.1 µm for the electrodes and 0.1 mm for the diamond, in both perpendicular and parallel detector orientation with regards to the incident beam. The smallest perturbations were observed for the parallel detector orientation and Al electrodes (Z = 13). In summary, EGSnrc Monte Carlo code is well suited for modelling small detector geometries. The Monte Carlo model developed is a useful tool to investigate the dosimetric effects caused by different electrode materials. To minimise perturbations cause by the detector electrodes, it is recommended that the electrodes should be made from a low-atomic number material and placed parallel to the beam direction.

  13. Carbon materials modified by plasma treatment as electrodes for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lota, Grzegorz; Tyczkowski, Jacek; Kapica, Ryszard; Lota, Katarzyna; Frackowiak, Elzbieta

    The carbon material was modified by RF plasma with various reactive gases: O 2, Ar and CO 2. Physicochemical properties of the final carbon products were characterized using different techniques such as gas adsorption method and XPS. Plasma modified materials enriched in oxygen functionalities were investigated as electrodes for supercapacitors in acidic medium. The electrochemical measurements have been carried out using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements have confirmed that capacity characteristics are closely connected with a type of plasma exposition. Modification processes have an influence on the kind and amount of surface functional groups in the carbon matrix. The moderate increase of capacity of carbon materials modified by plasma has been observed using symmetric two-electrode systems. Whereas investigations made in three-electrode system proved that the suitable selection of plasma modification parameters allows to obtain promising negative and positive electrode materials for supercapacitor application.

  14. Method for making thin carbon foam electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Pekala, Richard W.; Mayer, Steven T.; Kaschmitter, James L.; Morrison, Robert L.

    1999-01-01

    A method for fabricating thin, flat carbon electrodes by infiltrating highly porous carbon papers, membranes, felts, metal fibers/powders, or fabrics with an appropriate carbon foam precursor material. The infiltrated carbon paper, for example, is then cured to form a gel-saturated carbon paper, which is subsequently dried and pyrolyzed to form a thin sheet of porous carbon. The material readily stays flat and flexible during curing and pyrolyzing to form thin sheets. Precursor materials include polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethylacrylonitrile (PMAN), resorcinol/formaldehyde, catechol/formaldehyde, phenol/formaldehyde, etc., or mixtures thereof. These thin films are ideal for use as high power and energy electrodes in batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells, and are potentially useful for capacitive deionization, filtration and catalysis.

  15. Thick electrodes including nanoparticles having electroactive materials and methods of making same

    DOEpatents

    Xiao, Jie; Lu, Dongping; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Jiguang; Graff, Gordon L.

    2017-02-21

    Electrodes having nanostructure and/or utilizing nanoparticles of active materials and having high mass loadings of the active materials can be made to be physically robust and free of cracks and pinholes. The electrodes include nanoparticles having electroactive material, which nanoparticles are aggregated with carbon into larger secondary particles. The secondary particles can be bound with a binder to form the electrode.

  16. Effects of Electrode Material on the Voltage of a Tree-Based Energy Generator.

    PubMed

    Hao, Zhibin; Wang, Guozhu; Li, Wenbin; Zhang, Junguo; Kan, Jiangming

    2015-01-01

    The voltage between a standing tree and its surrounding soil is regarded as an innovative renewable energy source. This source is expected to provide a new power generation system for the low-power electrical equipment used in forestry. However, the voltage is weak, which has caused great difficulty in application. Consequently, the development of a method to increase the voltage is a key issue that must be addressed in this area of applied research. As the front-end component for energy harvesting, a metal electrode has a material effect on the level and stability of the voltage obtained. This study aimed to preliminarily ascertain the rules and mechanisms that underlie the effects of electrode material on voltage. Electrodes of different materials were used to measure the tree-source voltage, and the data were employed in a comparative analysis. The results indicate that the conductivity of the metal electrode significantly affects the contact resistance of the electrode-soil and electrode-trunk contact surfaces, thereby influencing the voltage level. The metal reactivity of the electrode has no significant effect on the voltage. However, passivation of the electrode materials markedly reduces the voltage. Suitable electrode materials are demonstrated and recommended.

  17. Sulfur based electrode materials for secondary batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hao, Yong

    Developing next generation secondary batteries has attracted much attention in recent years due to the increasing demand of high energy and high power density energy storage for portable electronics, electric vehicles and renewable sources of energy. This dissertation investigates sulfur based advanced electrode materials in Lithium/Sodium batteries. The electrochemical performances of the electrode materials have been enhanced due to their unique nano structures as well as the formation of novel composites. First, a nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets/sulfur (NGNSs/S) composite was synthesized via a facile chemical reaction deposition. In this composite, NGNSs were employed as a conductive host to entrap S/polysulfides in the cathode part. The NGNSs/S composite delivered an initial discharge capacity of 856.7 mAh g-1 and a reversible capacity of 319.3 mAh g-1 at 0.1C with good recoverable rate capability. Second, NGNS/S nanocomposites, synthesized using chemical reaction-deposition method and low temperature heat treatment, were further studied as active cathode materials for room temperature Na-S batteries. Both high loading composite with 86% gamma-S8 and low loading composite with 25% gamma-S8 have been electrochemically evaluated and compared with both NGNS and S control electrodes. It was found that low loading NGNS/S composite exhibited better electrochemical performance with specific capacity of 110 and 48 mAh g-1 at 0.1C at the 1st and 300th cycle, respectively. The Coulombic efficiency of 100% was obtained at the 300th cycle. Third, high purity rock-salt (RS), zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) MnS nanocrystals with different morphologies were successfully synthesized via a facile solvothermal method. RS-, ZB- and WZ-MnS electrodes showed the capacities of 232.5 mAh g-1, 287.9 mAh g-1 and 79.8 mAh g-1 at the 600th cycle, respectively. ZB-MnS displayed the best performance in terms of specific capacity and cyclability. Interestingly, MnS electrodes

  18. Nanostructured mesophase electrode materials: modulating charge-storage behavior by thermal treatment.

    PubMed

    Kong, Hye Jeong; Kim, Saerona; Le, Thanh-Hai; Kim, Yukyung; Park, Geunsu; Park, Chul Soon; Kwon, Oh Seok; Yoon, Hyeonseok

    2017-11-16

    3D nanostructured carbonaceous electrode materials with tunable capacitive phases were successfully developed using graphene/particulate polypyrrole (PPy) nanohybrid (GPNH) precursors without a separate process for incorporating heterogeneous species. The electrode material, namely carbonized GPNHs (CGPNHs) featured a mesophase capacitance consisting of both electric double-layer (EDL) capacitive and pseudocapacitive elements at the molecular level. The ratio of EDL capacitive element to pseudocapacitive element (E-to-P) in the mesophase electrode materials was controlled by varying the PPy-to-graphite weight (P w /G w ) ratio and by heat treatment (T H ), which was demonstrated by characterizing the CGPNHs with elemental analysis, cyclic voltammetry, and a charge/discharge test. The concept of the E-to-P ratio (EPR) index was first proposed to easily identify the capacitive characteristics of the mesophase electrode using a numerical algorithm, which was reasonably consistent with the experimental findings. Finally, the CGPNHs were integrated into symmetric two-electrode capacitor cells, which rendered excellent energy and power densities in both aqueous and ionic liquid electrolytes. It is anticipated that our approach could be widely extended to fabricating versatile hybrid electrode materials with estimation of their capacitive characteristics.

  19. Nickel-Tin Electrode Materials for Nonaqueous Li-Ion Cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ehrlich, Grant M.; Durand, Christopher

    2005-01-01

    Experimental materials made from mixtures of nickel and tin powders have shown promise for use as the negative electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical power cells. During charging (or discharging) of a lithium-ion cell, lithium ions are absorbed into (or desorbed from, respectively) the negative electrode, typically through an intercalation or alloying process. The negative electrodes (for this purpose, designated as anodes) in state-of-the-art Li-ion cells are made of graphite, in which intercalation occurs. Alternatively, the anodes can be made from metals, in which alloying can occur. For reasons having to do with the electrochemical potential of intercalated lithium, metallic anode materials (especially materials containing tin) are regarded as safer than graphite ones; in addition, such metallic anode materials have been investigated in the hope of obtaining reversible charge/discharge capacities greater than those of graphite anodes. However, until now, each of the tin-containing metallic anode formulations tested has been found to be inadequate in some respect.

  20. Novel ultrathin Bi2O3 nanowires for supercapacitor electrode materials with high performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Yongfu; Fan, Hongbo; Chang, Xueyi; Dang, Haifeng; Luo, Qun; Cheng, Zhiyu

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, the ultrathin Bi2O3 nanowires are synthesized by an oxidative metal vapor transport deposition technique. Their diameters and length are about 10 nm and several tens of micrometers, the growth direction is along [101] and the specific surface area is about 7.34 m2 g-1. The galvanostatic charge-discharge measurement results show that the specific capacitances of the Bi2O3 nanowires-based electrodes increase with the decrease of the current densities. The maximum capacitance is 691.3 F g-1 at the current density of 2.0 A g-1. The Ragone plot shows that the Bi2O3 nanowires has excellent supercapacitive performance. Moreover, the cyclic stability is measured by the galvanostatic charge/discharge technique at a constant current density of 10.0 A g-1 in 6.0 M KOH electrolyte. The results show the excellent capacitance retention of 75.5% over 3000 cycles. In a word, the Bi2O3 nanowires should be the ideal potential electrode materials for low-costing and effective electrochemical supercapacitors.

  1. Method for making thin carbon foam electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Pekala, R.W.; Mayer, S.T.; Kaschmitter, J.L.; Morrison, R.L.

    1999-08-03

    A method for fabricating thin, flat carbon electrodes by infiltrating highly porous carbon papers, membranes, felts, metal fibers/powders, or fabrics with an appropriate carbon foam precursor material is disclosed. The infiltrated carbon paper, for example, is then cured to form a gel-saturated carbon paper, which is subsequently dried and pyrolyzed to form a thin sheet of porous carbon. The material readily stays flat and flexible during curing and pyrolyzing to form thin sheets. Precursor materials include polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethylacrylonitrile (PMAN), resorcinol/formaldehyde, catechol/formaldehyde, phenol/formaldehyde, etc., or mixtures thereof. These thin films are ideal for use as high power and energy electrodes in batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells, and are potentially useful for capacitive deionization, filtration and catalysis.

  2. Materials for suspension (semi-solid) electrodes for energy and water technologies

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

    Hatzell, Kelsey B.; Boota, Muhammad; Gogotsi, Yury

    2015-01-01

    Suspension or semi-solid electrodes have recently gained increased attention for large-scale applications such as grid energy storage, capacitive water deionization, and wastewater treatment. A suspension electrode is a multiphase material system comprised of an active (charge storing) material suspended in ionic solution (electrolyte). Gravimetrically, the electrolyte is the majority component and aids in physical transport of the active material. For the first time, this principle enables, scalability of electrochemical energy storage devices (supercapacitors and batteries) previously limited to small and medium scale applications. This critical review describes the ongoing material challenges encompassing suspension-based systems. The research described here combines classicalmore » aspects of electrochemistry, colloidal science, material science, fluid mechanics, and rheology to describe ion and charge percolation, adsorption of ions, and redox charge storage processes in suspension electrodes. Our review summarizes the growing inventory of material systems, methods and practices used to characterize suspension electrodes, and describes universal material system properties (rheological, electrical, and electrochemical) that are pivotal in the design of high performing systems. We include a discussion of the primary challenges and future research directions.« less

  3. Sol-gel derived electrode materials for supercapacitor applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Chuan

    1998-12-01

    Electrochemical capacitors have been receiving increasing interest in recent years for use in energy storage systems because of their high energy and power density and long cycle lifes. Possible applications of electrochemical capacitors include high power pulsed lasers, hybrid power system for electric vehicles, etc. In this dissertation, the preparation of electrode materials for use as electrochemical capacitors has been studied using the sol-gel process. The high surface area electrode materials explored in this work include a synthetic carbon xerogel for use in a double-layer capacitor, a cobalt oxide xerogel for use in a pseudocapacitor, and a carbon-ruthenium xerogel composite, which utilizes both double-layer and faradaic capacitances. The preparation conditions of these materials were investigated in detail to maximize the surface area and optimize the pore size so that more energy could be stored while minimizing mass transfer limitations. The microstructures of the materials were also correlated with their performance as electrochemical capacitors to improve their energy and power densities. Finally, an idealistic mathematical model, including both double-layer and faradaic processes, was developed and solved numerically. This model can be used to perform the parametric studies of an electrochemical capacitor so as to gain a better understanding of how the capacitor works and also how to improve cell operations and electrode materials design.

  4. Graphene oxide - Polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite based electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pawar, Pranav Bhagwan; Shukla, Shobha; Saxena, Sumit

    2016-07-01

    Supercapacitors are high capacitive energy storage devices and find applications where rapid bursts of power are required. Thus materials offering high specific capacitance are of fundamental interest in development of these electrochemical devices. Graphene oxide based nanocomposites are mechanically robust and have interesting electronic properties. These form potential electrode materials efficient for charge storage in supercapacitors. In this perspective, we investigate low cost graphene oxide based nanocomposites as electrode material for supercapacitor. Nanocomposites of graphene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol were synthesized in solution phase by integrating graphene oxide as filler in polyvinyl alcohol matrix. Structural and optical characterizations suggest the formation of graphene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites. These nanocomposites were found to have high specific capacitance, were cyclable, ecofriendly and economical. Our studies suggest that nanocomposites prepared by adding 0.5% wt/wt of graphene oxide in polyvinyl alcohol can be used an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

  5. Thermal-stability studies of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Junwei

    2005-07-01

    The thermal stability of lithium-ion batteries has recently attracted attention for two major reasons. (1) Attempts to make large-size cells used in power tools, E-bikes and EVs. Large cells have lower surface area to volume ratios and hence heat dissipation is more problematic than 18650-size cells. Safety problems, therefore, for large cells are more serious. (2) Next generation high-capacity electrodes will increase the energy density of lithium-ion cells meaning even an 18650-size cell may face safety concerns. This thesis presents studies of the thermal stability of electrode materials in electrolytes to understand their reactivity. A search for new positive electrode materials with high thermal stability was made. The thermal stability of two common electrode materials (Li0.81 C6 and Li0.5CoO2) in lithium-ion cells was studied by Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC). Li0.81C 6 has much lower reactivity with lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) electrolyte compared to LiPF6 electrolyte. It is not the case, however, for Li0.5CoO2. Oven tests of full LiCoO 2/C 18650-size cells with LiBOB or LiPF6 electrolytes, confirmed the ARC results. ARC was then used to study the reactivity of existing electrode materials. The thermal stability of a negative electrode material was found to increase with the binding energy of Li atoms hosted in the material. Li0.5VO 2 (B) has a higher lithium binding energy (2.45 eV vs. Li) than Li 0.81C6 (0.1 eV vs. Li) and Li7Ti5O 12 (1.55 eV) and it shows the highest thermal stability in EC/DEC among the three materials. The reactivity of two existing positive electrode materials, LiMn2O4 and LiFePO4, was studied. Cell systems expected to be highly tolerant to thermal abuse were suggested: LiFePO 4/C or Li4Ti5O12 in LiBOB electrolytes. The system, x Li[Ni1/2Mn1/2]O2 • y LiCoO2 • z Li[Li1/3Mn2/3]O2 (x + y + z = 1), was explored for new positive electrode materials with large capacity and high thermal stability. Li[(Ni0.5Mn0.5) xCo1-x]O2 (0

  6. Coaxial fiber supercapacitor using all-carbon material electrodes.

    PubMed

    Le, Viet Thong; Kim, Heetae; Ghosh, Arunabha; Kim, Jaesu; Chang, Jian; Vu, Quoc An; Pham, Duy Tho; Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Kim, Sang-Woo; Lee, Young Hee

    2013-07-23

    We report a coaxial fiber supercapacitor, which consists of carbon microfiber bundles coated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a core electrode and carbon nanofiber paper as an outer electrode. The ratio of electrode volumes was determined by a half-cell test of each electrode. The capacitance reached 6.3 mF cm(-1) (86.8 mF cm(-2)) at a core electrode diameter of 230 μm and the measured energy density was 0.7 μWh cm(-1) (9.8 μWh cm(-2)) at a power density of 13.7 μW cm(-1) (189.4 μW cm(-2)), which were much higher than the previous reports. The change in the cyclic voltammetry characteristics was negligible at 180° bending, with excellent cycling performance. The high capacitance, high energy density, and power density of the coaxial fiber supercapacitor are attributed to not only high effective surface area due to its coaxial structure and bundle of the core electrode, but also all-carbon materials electrodes which have high conductivity. Our coaxial fiber supercapacitor can promote the development of textile electronics in near future.

  7. Material for electrodes of low temperature plasma generators

    DOEpatents

    Caplan, Malcolm; Vinogradov, Sergel Evge'evich; Ribin, Valeri Vasil'evich; Shekalov, Valentin Ivanovich; Rutberg, Philip Grigor'evich; Safronov, Alexi Anatol'evich

    2008-12-09

    Material for electrodes of low temperature plasma generators. The material contains a porous metal matrix impregnated with a material emitting electrons. The material uses a mixture of copper and iron powders as a porous metal matrix and a Group IIIB metal component such as Y.sub.2O.sub.3 is used as a material emitting electrons at, for example, the proportion of the components, mass %: iron: 3-30; Y.sub.2O.sub.3:0.05-1; copper: the remainder. Copper provides a high level of heat conduction and electric conductance, iron decreases intensity of copper evaporation in the process of plasma creation providing increased strength and lifetime, Y.sub.2O.sub.3 provides decreasing of electronic work function and stability of arc burning. The material can be used for producing the electrodes of low temperature AC plasma generators used for destruction of liquid organic wastes, medical wastes, and municipal wastes as well as for decontamination of low level radioactive waste, the destruction of chemical weapons, warfare toxic agents, etc.

  8. Material for electrodes of low temperature plasma generators

    DOEpatents

    Caplan, Malcolm; Vinogradov, Sergel Evge'evich; Ribin, Valeri Vasil'evich; Shekalov, Valentin Ivanovich; Rutberg, Philip Grigor'evich; Safronov, Alexi Anatol'evich; Shiryaev, Vasili Nikolaevich

    2010-03-02

    Material for electrodes of low temperature plasma generators. The material contains a porous metal matrix impregnated with a material emitting electrons. The material uses a mixture of copper and iron powders as a porous metal matrix and a Group IIIB metal component such as Y.sub.2O.sub.3 is used as a material emitting electrons at, for example, the proportion of the components, mass %: iron:3-30; Y.sub.2O.sub.3:0.05-1; copper: the remainder. Copper provides a high level of heat conduction and electric conductance, iron decreases intensity of copper evaporation in the process of plasma creation providing increased strength and lifetime, Y.sub.2O.sub.3 provides decreasing of electronic work function and stability of arc burning. The material can be used for producing the electrodes of low temperature AC plasma generators used for destruction of liquid organic wastes, medical wastes, municipal wastes as well as for decontamination of low level radioactive waste, the destruction of chemical weapons, warfare toxic agents, etc.

  9. Carbonaceous electrode materials for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Hao, Long; Li, Xianglong; Zhi, Linjie

    2013-07-26

    Supercapacitors have been widely studied around the world in recent years, due to their excellent power density and long cycle life. As the most frequently used electrode materials for supercapacitors, carbonaceous materials attract more and more attention. However, their relatively low energy density still holds back the widespread application. Up to now, various strategies have been developed to figure out this problem. This research news summarizes the recent advances in improving the supercapacitor performance of carbonaceous materials, including the incorporation of heteroatoms and the pore size effect (subnanopores' contribution). In addition, a new class of carbonaceous materials, porous organic networks (PONs) has been managed into the supercapacitor field, which promises great potential in not only improving the supercapacitor performances, but also unraveling the related mechanisms. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Sustainable Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage: Organic Na Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Oltean, Viorica-Alina; Renault, Stéven; Valvo, Mario; Brandell, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    In this review, we summarize research efforts to realize Na-based organic materials for novel battery chemistries. Na is a more abundant element than Li, thereby contributing to less costly materials with limited to no geopolitical constraints while organic electrode materials harvested from biomass resources provide the possibility of achieving renewable battery components with low environmental impact during processing and recycling. Together, this can form the basis for truly sustainable electrochemical energy storage. We explore the efforts made on electrode materials of organic salts, primarily carbonyl compounds but also Schiff bases, unsaturated compounds, nitroxides and polymers. Moreover, sodiated carbonaceous materials derived from biomasses and waste products are surveyed. As a conclusion to the review, some shortcomings of the currently investigated materials are highlighted together with the major limitations for future development in this field. Finally, routes to move forward in this direction are suggested. PMID:28773272

  11. Sustainable Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage: Organic Na Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Oltean, Viorica-Alina; Renault, Stéven; Valvo, Mario; Brandell, Daniel

    2016-03-01

    In this review, we summarize research efforts to realize Na-based organic materials for novel battery chemistries. Na is a more abundant element than Li, thereby contributing to less costly materials with limited to no geopolitical constraints while organic electrode materials harvested from biomass resources provide the possibility of achieving renewable battery components with low environmental impact during processing and recycling. Together, this can form the basis for truly sustainable electrochemical energy storage. We explore the efforts made on electrode materials of organic salts, primarily carbonyl compounds but also Schiff bases, unsaturated compounds, nitroxides and polymers. Moreover, sodiated carbonaceous materials derived from biomasses and waste products are surveyed. As a conclusion to the review, some shortcomings of the currently investigated materials are highlighted together with the major limitations for future development in this field. Finally, routes to move forward in this direction are suggested.

  12. A novel material screening platform for nanoporous gold-based neural electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chapman, Christopher Abbott Reece

    Neural-electrical interfaces have emerged in the past decades as a promising modality to facilitate the understanding of the electropathophysiology of neurological disorders as well as the normal functioning of the central nervous system, and enable the treatment of neurological defects through electrical stimulation or electrically-controlled drug delivery. However, chronically implanted electrodes face a myriad of design challenges, including their coupling to neural tissue (biocompatibility), small form factor requirement, and their electrical properties (maintaining a low electrical impedance). Planar electrode materials such as planar platinum and gold experience a large increase in electrical impedance when electrode dimensions are reduced to increase spatial resolution of neural recordings. A decrease in electrode surface area reduces the total capacitance of the electrode double layer resulting in an increase in electrode impedance. This high impedance can reduce the signal amplitude and increase the thermal noise, resulting in degradation of signal-to-noise ratio. Conventionally, this increase in electrical impedance at small electrode dimensions has been mitigated by coatings with rough morphologies such as platinum black, conducting polymers, and titanium nitride. Porous surfaces have high effective surface area enabling low impedance at small electrode dimensions. However, achieving long-term stability of cellular coupling to the electrode surface has remained difficult. Designing electrodes that can physically couple with neurons successfully and maintain low impedance at small electrode dimensions necessitates consideration of novel electrode coatings, such as carbon nanotubes and gold nanopillars. Another promising material, and focus of this proposal, is thin film nanoporous gold (np-Au). Nanoporous gold is a promising material for addressing these limitations because of its inherently large effective surface area allows for lower impedances at

  13. Novel air electrode for metal-air battery with new carbon material and method of making same

    DOEpatents

    Ross, Jr., Philip N.

    1990-01-01

    A novel carbonaceous electrode support material is disclosed characterized by a corrosion rate of 0.03 wt. %/hour or less when measured a5 550 millivolts vs. a Hg/HgO electrode in a 30 wt. % KOH electrolyte a5 30.degree. C. The electrode support material comprises a preselected carbon black material which has been heat-treated by heating the material to a temperature of from about 2500.degree. to about 3000.degree. C. over a period of from about 1 to about 5 hours in an inert atmosphere and then maintaining the preselected carbon black material at this temperature for a period of at least about 1 hour, and preferably about 2 hours, in the inert atmosphere. A carbonaceous electrode suitable for use as an air electrode in a metal-air cell may be made from the electrode support material by shaping and forming it into a catalyst support and then impregnating it with a catalytically active material capable of catalyzing the reaction with oxygen at the air electrode of metal-air cell.

  14. Ruthenium-based, inert oxide electrodes for impregnating active materials in nickel plaques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manoharan, R.; Uma, M.

    Titanium electrodes coated with mixed ruthenium-iridium-titanium oxides are tested as inert counter electrodes for impregnating active materials in porous nickel plaques. The latter are to be used as the positive electrodes in nickel/cadmium cells. Weight losses and variations in bath voltage have been monitored while using these electrodes in the impregnation bath. A 2.85 Ah nickel/cadmium cell has been constructed using nickel electrodes developed by employing the coated electrodes of this study. The performances of these coated electrodes are compared with those of platinum electrodes that are currently employed by nickel/cadmium battery manufacturers. The results are found to be satisfactory.

  15. Effects of addition of different carbon materials on the electrochemical performance of nickel hydroxide electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sierczynska, Agnieszka; Lota, Katarzyna; Lota, Grzegorz

    Nickel hydroxide is used as an active material in positive electrodes of rechargeable alkaline batteries. The capacity of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries depends on the specific capacity of the positive electrode and utilization of the active material because of the Ni(OH) 2/NiOOH electrode capacity limitation. The practical capacity of the positive nickel electrode depends on the efficiency of the conductive network connecting the Ni(OH) 2 particle with the current collector. As β-Ni(OH) 2 is a kind of semiconductor, the additives are necessary to improve the conductivity between the active material and the current collector. In this study the effect of adding different carbon materials (flake graphite, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT)) on the electrochemical performance of pasted nickel-foam electrode was established. A method of production of MWNT special type of catalysts had an influence on the performance of the nickel electrodes. The electrochemical tests showed that the electrode with added MWNT (110-170 nm diameter) exhibited better electrochemical properties in the chargeability, specific discharge capacity, active material utilization, discharge voltage and cycling stability. The nickel electrodes with MWNT addition (110-170 nm diameter) have exhibited a specific capacity close to 280 mAh g -1 of Ni(OH) 2, and the degree of active material utilization was ∼96%.

  16. A calibration-free electrode compensation method

    PubMed Central

    Rossant, Cyrille; Fontaine, Bertrand; Magnusson, Anna K.

    2012-01-01

    In a single-electrode current-clamp recording, the measured potential includes both the response of the membrane and that of the measuring electrode. The electrode response is traditionally removed using bridge balance, where the response of an ideal resistor representing the electrode is subtracted from the measurement. Because the electrode is not an ideal resistor, this procedure produces capacitive transients in response to fast or discontinuous currents. More sophisticated methods exist, but they all require a preliminary calibration phase, to estimate the properties of the electrode. If these properties change after calibration, the measurements are corrupted. We propose a compensation method that does not require preliminary calibration. Measurements are compensated offline by fitting a model of the neuron and electrode to the trace and subtracting the predicted electrode response. The error criterion is designed to avoid the distortion of compensated traces by spikes. The technique allows electrode properties to be tracked over time and can be extended to arbitrary models of electrode and neuron. We demonstrate the method using biophysical models and whole cell recordings in cortical and brain-stem neurons. PMID:22896724

  17. Nanostructured manganese oxide thin films as electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Hui; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li

    2011-01-01

    Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, are alternative energy storage devices, particularly for applications requiring high power densities. Recently, manganese oxides have been extensively evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their low cost, environmental benignity, and promising supercapacitive performance. In order to maximize the utilization of manganese oxides as the electrode material for the supercapacitors and improve their supercapacitive performance, the nanostructured manganese oxides have therefore been developed. This paper reviews the synthesis of the nanostructured manganese oxide thin films by different methods and the supercapacitive performance of different nanostructures.

  18. Electrode stabilizing materials

    DOEpatents

    Amine, Khalil; Abouimrane, Ali; Moore, Jeffrey S.; Odom, Susan A.

    2015-11-03

    An electrolyte includes a polar aprotic solvent; an alkali metal salt; and an electrode stabilizing compound that is a monomer, which when polymerized forms an electrically conductive polymer. The electrode stabilizing compound is a thiophene, a imidazole, a anilines, a benzene, a azulene, a carbazole, or a thiol. Electrochemical devices may incorporate such electrolytes.

  19. Compliant Electrode and Composite Material for Piezoelectric Wind and Mechanical Energy Conversions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, Bin (Inventor)

    2015-01-01

    A thin film device for harvesting energy from wind. The thin film device includes one or more layers of a compliant piezoelectric material formed from a composite of a polymer and an inorganic material, such as a ceramic. Electrodes are disposed on a first side and a second side of the piezoelectric material. The electrodes are formed from a compliant material, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene. The thin film device exhibits improved resistance to structural fatigue upon application of large strains and repeated cyclic loadings.

  20. Screening of redox couples and electrode materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giner, J.; Swette, L.; Cahill, K.

    1976-01-01

    Electrochemical parameters of selected redox couples that might be potentially promising for application in bulk energy storage systems were investigated. This was carried out in two phases: a broad investigation of the basic characteristics and behavior of various redox couples, followed by a more limited investigation of their electrochemical performance in a redox flow reactor configuration. In the first phase of the program, eight redox couples were evaluated under a variety of conditions in terms of their exchange current densities as measured by the rotating disk electrode procedure. The second phase of the program involved the testing of four couples in a redox reactor under flow conditions with a varity of electrode materials and structures.

  1. Battery Electrode Materials with High Cycle Lifetimes

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

    Prof. Brent Fultz

    2001-06-29

    In an effort to understand the capacity fade of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, we performed a systematic study of the effects of solute additions on the cycle life of metal hydride electrodes. We also performed a series of measurements on hydrogen absorption capacities of novel carbon and graphite-based materials including graphite nanofibers and single-walled carbon nanotubes. Towards the end of this project we turned our attention to work on Li-ion cells with a focus on anode materials.

  2. Conductor-polymer composite electrode materials

    DOEpatents

    Ginley, D.S.; Kurtz, S.R.; Smyrl, W.H.; Zeigler, J.M.

    1984-06-13

    A conductive composite material useful as an electrode, comprises a conductor and an organic polymer which is reversibly electrochemically dopable to change its electrical conductivity. Said polymer continuously surrounds the conductor in intimate electrical contact therewith and is prepared by electrochemical growth on said conductor or by reaction of its corresponding monomer(s) on said conductor which has been pre-impregnated or pre-coated with an activator for said polymerization. Amount of the conductor is sufficient to render the resultant composite electrically conductive even when the polymer is in an undoped insulating state.

  3. High-capacity electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage: Role of nanoscale effects

    DOE PAGES

    Nanda, Jagjit; Martha, Surendra K.; Kalyanaraman, Ramki

    2015-06-02

    In this review, we summarize the current state-of-the art electrode materials used for high-capacity lithium-ion-based batteries and their significant role towards revolutionizing the electrochemical energy storage landscape in the area of consumer electronics, transportation and grid storage application. We discuss the role of nanoscale effects on the electrochemical performance of high-capacity battery electrode materials. Decrease in the particle size of the primary electrode materials from micron to nanometre size improves the ionic and electronic diffusion rates significantly. Nanometre-thick solid electrolyte (such as lithium phosphorous oxynitride) and oxides (such as Al 2O 3, ZnO, TiO 2 etc.) material coatings also improvemore » the interfacial stability and rate capability of a number of battery chemistries. Finally, we elucidate these effects in terms of different high-capacity battery chemistries based on intercalation and conversion mechanism.« less

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

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

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

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

  5. Method of preparation of carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries

    DOEpatents

    Doddapaneni, N.; Wang, J.C.F.; Crocker, R.W.; Ingersoll, D.; Firsich, D.W.

    1999-03-16

    A method is described for producing carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Electrodes prepared from these carbon materials exhibit intercalation efficiencies of {approx_equal} 80% for lithium, low irreversible loss of lithium, long cycle life, are capable of sustaining a high rates of discharge and are cheap and easy to manufacture. The method comprises a novel two-step stabilization process in which polymeric precursor materials are stabilized by first heating in an inert atmosphere and subsequently heating in air. During the stabilization process, the polymeric precursor material can be agitated to reduce particle fusion and promote mass transfer of oxygen and water vapor. The stabilized, polymeric precursor materials can then be converted to a synthetic carbon, suitable for fabricating electrodes for use in rechargeable batteries, by heating to a high temperature in a flowing inert atmosphere. 4 figs.

  6. Method of preparation of carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries

    DOEpatents

    Doddapaneni, Narayan; Wang, James C. F.; Crocker, Robert W.; Ingersoll, David; Firsich, David W.

    1999-01-01

    A method of producing carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Electrodes prepared from these carbon materials exhibit intercalation efficiencies of .apprxeq.80% for lithium, low irreversible loss of lithium, long cycle life, are capable of sustaining a high rates of discharge and are cheap and easy to manufacture. The method comprises a novel two-step stabilization process in which polymeric precursor materials are stabilized by first heating in an inert atmosphere and subsequently heating in air. During the stabilization process, the polymeric precursor material can be agitated to reduce particle fusion and promote mass transfer of oxygen and water vapor. The stabilized, polymeric precursor materials can then be converted to a synthetic carbon, suitable for fabricating electrodes for use in rechargeable batteries, by heating to a high temperature in a flowing inert atmosphere.

  7. Amorphous Metal Polysulfides: Electrode Materials with Unique Insertion/Extraction Reactions.

    PubMed

    Sakuda, Atsushi; Ohara, Koji; Fukuda, Katsutoshi; Nakanishi, Koji; Kawaguchi, Tomoya; Arai, Hajime; Uchimoto, Yoshiharu; Ohta, Toshiaki; Matsubara, Eiichiro; Ogumi, Zempachi; Okumura, Toyoki; Kobayashi, Hironori; Kageyama, Hiroyuki; Shikano, Masahiro; Sakaebe, Hikari; Takeuchi, Tomonari

    2017-07-05

    A unique charge/discharge mechanism of amorphous TiS 4 is reported. Amorphous transition metal polysulfide electrodes exhibit anomalous charge/discharge performance and should have a unique charge/discharge mechanism: neither the typical intercalation/deintercalation mechanism nor the conversion-type one, but a mixture of the two. Analyzing the mechanism of such electrodes has been a challenge because fewer tools are available to examine the "amorphous" structure. It is revealed that the electrode undergoes two distinct structural changes: (i) the deformation and formation of S-S disulfide bonds and (ii) changes in the coordination number of titanium. These structural changes proceed continuously and concertedly for Li insertion/extraction. The results of this study provide a novel and unique model of amorphous electrode materials with significantly larger capacities.

  8. Electrochemical degradation of trichloroacetic acid in aqueous media: influence of the electrode material.

    PubMed

    Esclapez, M D; Díez-García, M I; Sàez, V; Bonete, P; González-García, José

    2013-01-01

    The electrochemical degradation of trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) in water has been analysed through voltammetric studies with a rotating disc electrode and controlled-potential bulk electrolyses. The influence of the mass-transport conditions and initial concentration of TCAA for titanium, stainless steel and carbon electrodes has been studied. It is shown that the electrochemical reduction of TCAA takes place prior to the massive hydrogen evolution in the potential window for all electrode materials studied. The current efficiency is high (> 18%) compared with those normally reported in the literature, and the fractional conversion is above 50% for all the electrodes studied. Only dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and chloride anions were routinely detected as reduction products for any of the electrodes, and reasonable values of mass balance error were obtained. Of the three materials studied, the titanium cathode gave the best results.

  9. High capacity electrode materials for batteries and process for their manufacture

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Christopher S.; Xiong, Hui; Rajh, Tijana; Shevchenko, Elena; Tepavcevic, Sanja

    2018-04-03

    The present invention provides a nanostructured metal oxide material for use as a component of an electrode in a lithium-ion or sodium-ion battery. The material comprises a nanostructured titanium oxide or vanadium oxide film on a metal foil substrate, produced by depositing or forming a nanostructured titanium dioxide or vanadium oxide material on the substrate, and then charging and discharging the material in an electrochemical cell from a high voltage in the range of about 2.8 to 3.8 V, to a low voltage in the range of about 0.8 to 1.4 V over a period of about 1/30 of an hour or less. Lithium-ion and sodium-ion electrochemical cells comprising electrodes formed from the nanostructured metal oxide materials, as well as batteries formed from the cells, also are provided.

  10. Recent Development of Advanced Electrode Materials by Atomic Layer Deposition for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

    PubMed

    Guan, Cao; Wang, John

    2016-10-01

    Electrode materials play a decisive role in almost all electrochemical energy storage devices, determining their overall performance. Proper selection, design and fabrication of electrode materials have thus been regarded as one of the most critical steps in achieving high electrochemical energy storage performance. As an advanced nanotechnology for thin films and surfaces with conformal interfacial features and well controllable deposition thickness, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been successfully developed for deposition and surface modification of electrode materials, where there are considerable issues of interfacial and surface chemistry at atomic and nanometer scale. In addition, ALD has shown great potential in construction of novel nanostructured active materials that otherwise can be hardly obtained by other processing techniques, such as those solution-based processing and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. This review focuses on the recent development of ALD for the design and delivery of advanced electrode materials in electrochemical energy storage devices, where typical examples will be highlighted and analyzed, and the merits and challenges of ALD for applications in energy storage will also be discussed.

  11. Recent Development of Advanced Electrode Materials by Atomic Layer Deposition for Electrochemical Energy Storage

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Electrode materials play a decisive role in almost all electrochemical energy storage devices, determining their overall performance. Proper selection, design and fabrication of electrode materials have thus been regarded as one of the most critical steps in achieving high electrochemical energy storage performance. As an advanced nanotechnology for thin films and surfaces with conformal interfacial features and well controllable deposition thickness, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been successfully developed for deposition and surface modification of electrode materials, where there are considerable issues of interfacial and surface chemistry at atomic and nanometer scale. In addition, ALD has shown great potential in construction of novel nanostructured active materials that otherwise can be hardly obtained by other processing techniques, such as those solution‐based processing and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. This review focuses on the recent development of ALD for the design and delivery of advanced electrode materials in electrochemical energy storage devices, where typical examples will be highlighted and analyzed, and the merits and challenges of ALD for applications in energy storage will also be discussed. PMID:27840793

  12. Direct laser immobilization of photosynthetic material on screen printed electrodes for amperometric biosensor

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

    Boutopoulos, Christos; Zergioti, Ioanna; Touloupakis, Eleftherios

    This letter demonstrates the direct laser printing of photosynthetic material onto low cost nonfunctionalized screen printed electrodes for the fabrication of photosynthesis-based amperometric biosensors. The high kinetic energy of the transferred material induces direct immobilization of the thylakoids onto the electrodes without the use of linkers. This type of immobilization is able to establish efficient electrochemical contact between proteins and electrode, stabilizing the photosynthetic biomolecule and transporting electrons to the solid state device with high efficiency. The functionality of the laser printed biosensors was evaluated by the detection of a common herbicide such as Linuron.

  13. Gallium Nitride Crystals: Novel Supercapacitor Electrode Materials.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shouzhi; Zhang, Lei; Sun, Changlong; Shao, Yongliang; Wu, Yongzhong; Lv, Jiaxin; Hao, Xiaopeng

    2016-05-01

    A type of single-crystal gallium nitride mesoporous membrane is fabricated and its supercapacitor properties are demonstrated for the first time. The supercapacitors exhibit high-rate capability, stable cycling life at high rates, and ultrahigh power density. This study may expand the range of crystals as high-performance electrode materials in the field of energy storage. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Electrodes and electrochemical storage cells utilizing tin-modified active materials

    DOEpatents

    Anani, Anaba; Johnson, John; Lim, Hong S.; Reilly, James; Schwarz, Ricardo; Srinivasan, Supramaniam

    1995-01-01

    An electrode has a substrate and a finely divided active material on the substrate. The active material is ANi.sub.x-y-z Co.sub.y Sn.sub.z, wherein A is a mischmetal or La.sub.1-w M.sub.w, M is Ce, Nd, or Zr, w is from about 0.05 to about 1.0, x is from about 4.5 to about 5.5, y is from 0 to about 3.0, and z is from about 0.05 to about 0.5. An electrochemical storage cell utilizes such an electrode as the anode. The storage cell further has a cathode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte.

  15. Plasma-Assisted Synthesis and Surface Modification of Electrode Materials for Renewable Energy.

    PubMed

    Dou, Shuo; Tao, Li; Wang, Ruilun; El Hankari, Samir; Chen, Ru; Wang, Shuangyin

    2018-05-01

    Renewable energy technology has been considered as a "MUST" option to lower the use of fossil fuels for industry and daily life. Designing critical and sophisticated materials is of great importance in order to realize high-performance energy technology. Typically, efficient synthesis and soft surface modification of nanomaterials are important for energy technology. Therefore, there are increasing demands on the rational design of efficient electrocatalysts or electrode materials, which are the key for scalable and practical electrochemical energy devices. Nevertheless, the development of versatile and cheap strategies is one of the main challenges to achieve the aforementioned goals. Accordingly, plasma technology has recently appeared as an extremely promising alternative for the synthesis and surface modification of nanomaterials for electrochemical devices. Here, the recent progress on the development of nonthermal plasma technology is highlighted for the synthesis and surface modification of advanced electrode materials for renewable energy technology including electrocatalysts for fuel cells, water splitting, metal-air batteries, and electrode materials for batteries and supercapacitors, etc. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. The impact of electrode materials on 1/f noise in piezoelectric AlN contour mode resonators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hoe Joon; Jung, Soon In; Segovia-Fernandez, Jeronimo; Piazza, Gianluca

    2018-05-01

    This paper presents a detailed analysis on the impact of electrode materials and dimensions on flicker frequency (1/f) noise in piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) contour mode resonators (CMRs). Flicker frequency noise is a fundamental noise mechanism present in any vibrating mechanical structure, whose sources are not generally well understood. 1 GHz AlN CMRs with three different top electrode materials (Al, Au, and Pt) along with various electrode lengths and widths are fabricated to control the overall damping acting on the device. Specifically, the use of different electrode materials allows control of thermoelastic damping (TED), which is the dominant damping mechanism for high frequency AlN CMRs and largely depends on the thermal properties (i.e. thermal diffusivities and expansion coefficients) of the metal electrode rather than the piezoelectric film. We have measured Q and 1/f noise of 68 resonators and the results show that 1/f noise decreases with increasing Q, with a power law dependence that is about 1/Q4. Interestingly, the noise level also depends on the type of electrode materials. Devices with Pt top electrode demonstrate the best noise performance. Our results help unveiling some of the sources of 1/f noise in these resonators, and indicate that a careful selection of the electrode material and dimensions could reduce 1/f noise not only in AlN-CMRs, but also in various classes of resonators, and thus enable ultra-low noise mechanical resonators for sensing and radio frequency applications.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    1976-01-01

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

  18. Influence of various Activated Carbon based Electrode Materials in the Performance of Super Capacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ajay, K. M.; Dinesh, M. N.

    2018-02-01

    Various activated carbon based electrode materials with different surface areas was prepared on stainless steel based refillable super capacitor model using spin coating. Bio Synthesized Activated Carbon (BSAC), Activated Carbon (AC) and Graphite powder are chosen as electrode materials in this paper. Electrode materials prepared using binder solution which is 6% by wt. polyvinylidene difluoride, 94% by wt. dimethyl fluoride. 3M concentrated KOH solution is used as aqueous electrolyte with PVDF thin film as separator. It is tested for electrochemical characterizations and material characterizations. It is observed that the Specific capacitance of Graphite, Biosynthesized active carbon and Commercially available activated carbon are 16.1F g-1, 53.4F g-1 and 107.6F g-1 respectively at 5mV s-1 scan rate.

  19. Nanostructured pseudocapacitive materials decorated 3D graphene foam electrodes for next generation supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Patil, Umakant; Lee, Su Chan; Kulkarni, Sachin; Sohn, Ji Soo; Nam, Min Sik; Han, Suhyun; Jun, Seong Chan

    2015-04-28

    Nowadays, advancement in performance of proficient multifarious electrode materials lies conclusively at the core of research concerning energy storage devices. To accomplish superior capacitance performance the requirements of high capacity, better cyclic stability and good rate capability can be expected from integration of electrochemical double layer capacitor based carbonaceous materials (high power density) and pseudocapacitive based metal hydroxides/oxides or conducting polymers (high energy density). The envisioned three dimensional (3D) graphene foams are predominantly advantageous to extend potential applicability by offering a large active surface area and a highly conductive continuous porous network for fast charge transfer with decoration of nanosized pseudocapacitive materials. In this article, we review the latest methodologies and performance evaluation for several 3D graphene based metal oxides/hydroxides and conducting polymer electrodes with improved electrochemical properties for next-generation supercapacitors. The most recent research advancements of our and other groups in the field of 3D graphene based electrode materials for supercapacitors are discussed. To assess the studied materials fully, a careful interpretation and rigorous scrutiny of their electrochemical characteristics is essential. Auspiciously, both nano-structuration as well as confinement of metal hydroxides/oxides and conducting polymers onto a conducting porous 3D graphene matrix play a great role in improving the performance of electrodes mainly due to: (i) active material access over large surface area with fast charge transportation; (ii) synergetic effect of electric double layer and pseudocapacitive based charge storing.

  20. Two-dimensional Cu2Si sheet: a promising electrode material for nanoscale electronics.

    PubMed

    Yam, Kah Meng; Guo, Na; Zhang, Chun

    2018-06-15

    Building electronic devices on top of two-dimensional (2D) materials has recently become one of most interesting topics in nanoelectronics. Finding high-performance 2D electrode materials is one central issue in 2D nanoelectronics. In the current study, based on first-principles calculations, we compare the electronic and transport properties of two nanoscale devices. One device consists of two single-atom-thick planar Cu 2 Si electrodes, and a nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) molecule in the middle. The other device is made of often-used graphene electrodes and a NiPc molecule. Planer Cu 2 Si is a new type of 2D material that was recently predicted to exist and be stable under room temperature [11]. We found that at low bias voltages, the electric current through the Cu 2 Si-NiPc-Cu 2 Si junction is about three orders higher than that through graphene-NiPc-graphene. Detailed analysis shows that the surprisingly high conductivity of Cu 2 Si-NiPc-Cu 2 Si originates from the mixing of the Cu 2 Si state near Fermi energy and the highest occupied molecular orbital of NiPc. These results suggest that 2D Cu 2 Si may be an excellent candidate for electrode materials for future nanoscale devices.

  1. Two-dimensional Cu2Si sheet: a promising electrode material for nanoscale electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng Yam, Kah; Guo, Na; Zhang, Chun

    2018-06-01

    Building electronic devices on top of two-dimensional (2D) materials has recently become one of most interesting topics in nanoelectronics. Finding high-performance 2D electrode materials is one central issue in 2D nanoelectronics. In the current study, based on first-principles calculations, we compare the electronic and transport properties of two nanoscale devices. One device consists of two single-atom-thick planar Cu2Si electrodes, and a nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) molecule in the middle. The other device is made of often-used graphene electrodes and a NiPc molecule. Planer Cu2Si is a new type of 2D material that was recently predicted to exist and be stable under room temperature [11]. We found that at low bias voltages, the electric current through the Cu2Si–NiPc–Cu2Si junction is about three orders higher than that through graphene–NiPc–graphene. Detailed analysis shows that the surprisingly high conductivity of Cu2Si–NiPc–Cu2Si originates from the mixing of the Cu2Si state near Fermi energy and the highest occupied molecular orbital of NiPc. These results suggest that 2D Cu2Si may be an excellent candidate for electrode materials for future nanoscale devices.

  2. Correlation of the impedance and effective electrode area of doped PEDOT modified electrodes for brain-machine interfaces.

    PubMed

    Harris, Alexander R; Molino, Paul J; Kapsa, Robert M I; Clark, Graeme M; Paolini, Antonio G; Wallace, Gordon G

    2015-05-07

    Electrode impedance is used to assess the thermal noise and signal-to-noise ratio for brain-machine interfaces. An intermediate frequency of 1 kHz is typically measured, although other frequencies may be better predictors of device performance. PEDOT-PSS, PEDOT-DBSA and PEDOT-pTs conducting polymer modified electrodes have reduced impedance at 1 kHz compared to bare metal electrodes, but have no correlation with the effective electrode area. Analytical solutions to impedance indicate that all low-intermediate frequencies can be used to compare the electrode area at a series RC circuit, typical of an ideal metal electrode in a conductive solution. More complex equivalent circuits can be used for the modified electrodes, with a simplified Randles circuit applied to PEDOT-PSS and PEDOT-pTs and a Randles circuit including a Warburg impedance element for PEDOT-DBSA at 0 V. The impedance and phase angle at low frequencies using both equivalent circuit models is dependent on the electrode area. Low frequencies may therefore provide better predictions of the thermal noise and signal-to-noise ratio at modified electrodes. The coefficient of variation of the PEDOT-pTs impedance at low frequencies was lower than the other conducting polymers, consistent with linear and steady-state electroactive area measurements. There are poor correlations between the impedance and the charge density as they are not ideal metal electrodes.

  3. Materials Science of Electrodes and Interfaces for High-Performance Organic Photovoltaics

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

    Marks, Tobin

    The science of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells has made dramatic advances over the past three years with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) now reaching ~12%. The upper PCE limit of light-to-electrical power conversion for single-junction OPVs as predicted by theory is ~23%. With further basic research, the vision of such devices, composed of non-toxic, earth-abundant, readily easily processed materials replacing/supplementing current-generation inorganic solar cells may become a reality. Organic cells offer potentially low-cost, roll-to-roll manufacturable, and durable solar power for diverse in-door and out-door applications. Importantly, further gains in efficiency and durability, to that competitive with inorganic PVs, will require fundamental,more » understanding-based advances in transparent electrode and interfacial materials science and engineering. This team-science research effort brought together an experienced and highly collaborative interdisciplinary group with expertise in hard and soft matter materials chemistry, materials electronic structure theory, solar cell fabrication and characterization, microstructure characterization, and low temperature materials processing. We addressed in unconventional ways critical electrode-interfacial issues underlying OPV performance -- controlling band offsets between transparent electrodes and organic active-materials, addressing current loss/leakage phenomena at interfaces, and new techniques in cost-effective low temperature and large area cell fabrication. The research foci were: 1) Theory-guided design and synthesis of advanced crystalline and amorphous transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers which test our basic understanding of TCO structure-transport property relationships, and have high conductivity, transparency, and tunable work functions but without (or minimizing) the dependence on indium. 2) Development of theory-based understanding of optimum configurations for the interfaces between oxide

  4. Rock-salt-type lithium metal sulphides as novel positive-electrode materials

    PubMed Central

    Sakuda, Atsushi; Takeuchi, Tomonari; Okamura, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Hironori; Sakaebe, Hikari; Tatsumi, Kuniaki; Ogumi, Zempachi

    2014-01-01

    One way of increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is to use electrode materials that exhibit high capacities owing to multielectron processes. Here, we report two novel materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4, which were mechanochemically synthesised at room temperature. When used as positive-electrode materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4 charged and discharged with high capacities of 425 mA h g−1 and 386 mA h g−1, respectively. These capacities correspond to those resulting from 2.5- and 3.5-electron processes. The average discharge voltage was approximately 2.2 V. It should be possible to prepare a number of high-capacity materials on the basis of the concept used to prepare Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4. PMID:24811191

  5. A novel SWCNT-polyoxometalate nanohybrid material as an electrode for electrochemical supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Han-Yi; Al-Oweini, Rami; Friedl, Jochen; Lee, Ching Yi; Li, Linlin; Kortz, Ulrich; Stimming, Ulrich; Srinivasan, Madhavi

    2015-04-01

    A novel nanohybrid material that combines single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with a polyoxometalate (TBA)5[PVV2MoVI10O40] (TBA-PV2Mo10, TBA: [(CH3(CH2)3)4N]+, tetra-n-butyl ammonium) is investigated for the first time as an electrode material for supercapacitors (SCs) in this study. The SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 material has been prepared by a simple solution method which electrostatically attaches anionic [PV2Mo10O40]5- anions with organic TBA cations on the SWCNTs. The electrochemical performance of SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 electrodes is studied in an acidic aqueous electrolyte (1 M H2SO4) by galvanostatic charge/discharge and cyclic voltammetry. In this SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 nanohybrid material, TBA-PV2Mo10 provides redox activity while benefiting from the high electrical conductivity and high double-layer capacitance of the SWCNTs that improve both energy and power density. An assembled SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 symmetric SC exhibits a 39% higher specific capacitance as compared to a symmetric SC employing only SWCNTs as electrode materials. Furthermore, the SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 SC exhibits excellent cycling stability, retaining 95% of its specific capacitance after 6500 cycles.

  6. A novel SWCNT-polyoxometalate nanohybrid material as an electrode for electrochemical supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Han-Yi; Al-Oweini, Rami; Friedl, Jochen; Lee, Ching Yi; Li, Linlin; Kortz, Ulrich; Stimming, Ulrich; Srinivasan, Madhavi

    2015-05-07

    A novel nanohybrid material that combines single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with a polyoxometalate (TBA)5[PVMoO40] (TBA-PV2Mo10, TBA: [(CH3(CH2)3)4N](+), tetra-n-butyl ammonium) is investigated for the first time as an electrode material for supercapacitors (SCs) in this study. The SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 material has been prepared by a simple solution method which electrostatically attaches anionic [PV2Mo10O40](5-) anions with organic TBA cations on the SWCNTs. The electrochemical performance of SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 electrodes is studied in an acidic aqueous electrolyte (1 M H2SO4) by galvanostatic charge/discharge and cyclic voltammetry. In this SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 nanohybrid material, TBA-PV2Mo10 provides redox activity while benefiting from the high electrical conductivity and high double-layer capacitance of the SWCNTs that improve both energy and power density. An assembled SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 symmetric SC exhibits a 39% higher specific capacitance as compared to a symmetric SC employing only SWCNTs as electrode materials. Furthermore, the SWCNT-TBA-PV2Mo10 SC exhibits excellent cycling stability, retaining 95% of its specific capacitance after 6500 cycles.

  7. Surface modification of active material structures in battery electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Erickson, Michael; Tikhonov, Konstantin

    2016-02-02

    Provided herein are methods of processing electrode active material structures for use in electrochemical cells or, more specifically, methods of forming surface layers on these structures. The structures are combined with a liquid to form a mixture. The mixture includes a surface reagent that chemically reacts and forms a surface layer covalently bound to the structures. The surface reagent may be a part of the initial liquid or added to the mixture after the liquid is combined with the structures. In some embodiments, the mixture may be processed to form a powder containing the structures with the surface layer thereon. Alternatively, the mixture may be deposited onto a current collecting substrate and dried to form an electrode layer. Furthermore, the liquid may be an electrolyte containing the surface reagent and a salt. The liquid soaks the previously arranged electrodes in order to contact the structures with the surface reagent.

  8. Electrochemical process for electrode material of spent lithium ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Prabaharan, G; Barik, S P; Kumar, N; Kumar, L

    2017-10-01

    Electrochemical method for recovering cobalt and manganese from electrode materials of spent lithium ion batteries was studied. Electrochemical leaching of cobalt and manganese from electrode material was optimized by varying different process parameters such as time, acid concentration and current density. Both cobalt and manganese could effectively be leached out at a current density of 400A/m 2 in 3h using 2M sulphuric acid. In the subsequent study, the metallic cobalt and electrolytic manganese dioxides was recovered from the leach liquor at 200A/m 2 , pH 2-2.5 and 90°C after removing aluminum. The commercial feasibility of the study was tested in pilot scale. Overall recovery of Co, Cu and Mn was above 96%, 97% and 99%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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

  10. LDHs as electrode materials for electrochemical detection and energy storage: supercapacitor, battery and (bio)-sensor.

    PubMed

    Mousty, Christine; Leroux, Fabrice

    2012-11-01

    From an exhaustive overview based on applicative academic literature and patent domain, the relevance of Layered Double Hydroxide (LDHs) as electrode materials for electrochemical detection of organic molecules having environmental or health impact and energy storage is evaluated. Specifically the focus is driven on their application as supercapacitor, alkaline or lithium battery and (bio)-sensor. Inherent to the high versatility of their chemical composition, charge density, anion exchange capability, LDH-based materials are extensively studied and their performances for such applications are reported. Indeed the analytical characteristics (sensitivity and detection limit) of LDH-based electrodes are scrutinized, and their specific capacity or capacitance as electrode battery or supercapacitor materials, are detailed.

  11. High-voltage positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

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

    Li, Wangda; Song, Bohang; Manthiram, Arumugam

    The ever-growing demand for advanced rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in portable electronics and electric vehicles has spurred intensive research efforts over the past decade. The key to sustaining the progress in Li-ion batteries lies in the quest for safe, low-cost positive electrode (cathode) materials with desirable energy and power capabilities. One approach to boost the energy and power densities of batteries is to increase the output voltage while maintaining a high capacity, fast charge–discharge rate, and long service life. Here, this review gives an account of the various emerging high-voltage positive electrode materials that have the potential to satisfy these requirementsmore » either in the short or long term, including nickel-rich layered oxides, lithium-rich layered oxides, high-voltage spinel oxides, and high-voltage polyanionic compounds. The key barriers and the corresponding strategies for the practical viability of these cathode materials are discussed along with the optimization of electrolytes and other cell components, with a particular emphasis on recent advances in the literature. Finally, a concise perspective with respect to plausible strategies for future developments in the field is also provided.« less

  12. High-voltage positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Wangda; Song, Bohang; Manthiram, Arumugam

    2017-04-25

    The ever-growing demand for advanced rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in portable electronics and electric vehicles has spurred intensive research efforts over the past decade. The key to sustaining the progress in Li-ion batteries lies in the quest for safe, low-cost positive electrode (cathode) materials with desirable energy and power capabilities. One approach to boost the energy and power densities of batteries is to increase the output voltage while maintaining a high capacity, fast charge–discharge rate, and long service life. Here, this review gives an account of the various emerging high-voltage positive electrode materials that have the potential to satisfy these requirementsmore » either in the short or long term, including nickel-rich layered oxides, lithium-rich layered oxides, high-voltage spinel oxides, and high-voltage polyanionic compounds. The key barriers and the corresponding strategies for the practical viability of these cathode materials are discussed along with the optimization of electrolytes and other cell components, with a particular emphasis on recent advances in the literature. Finally, a concise perspective with respect to plausible strategies for future developments in the field is also provided.« less

  13. Amperometric Detection in Microchip Electrophoresis Devices: Effect of Electrode Material and Alignment on Analytical Performance

    PubMed Central

    Fischer, David J.; Hulvey, Matthew K.; Regel, Anne R.; Lunte, Susan M.

    2012-01-01

    The fabrication and evaluation of different electrode materials and electrode alignments for microchip electrophoresis with electrochemical (EC) detection is described. The influences of electrode material, both metal and carbon-based, on sensitivity and limits of detection (LOD) were examined. In addition, the effects of working electrode alignment on analytical performance (in terms of peak shape, resolution, sensitivity, and LOD) were directly compared. Using dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and catechol (CAT) as test analytes, it was found that pyrolyzed photoresist electrodes with end-channel alignment yielded the lowest limit of detection (35 nM for DA). In addition to being easier to implement, end-channel alignment also offered better analytical performance than off-channel alignment for the detection of all three analytes. In-channel electrode alignment resulted in a 3.6-fold reduction in peak skew and reduced peak tailing by a factor of 2.1 for catechol in comparison to end-channel alignment. PMID:19802847

  14. Layered double hydroxide materials coated carbon electrode: New challenge to future electrochemical power devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Djebbi, Mohamed Amine; Braiek, Mohamed; Namour, Philippe; Ben Haj Amara, Abdesslem; Jaffrezic-Renault, Nicole

    2016-11-01

    Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely used in the past years due to their unique physicochemical properties and promising applications in electroanalytical chemistry. The present paper is going to focus exclusively on magnesium-aluminum and zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAl & ZnAl LDHs) in order to investigate the property and structure of active cation sites located within the layer structure. The MgAl and ZnAl LDH nanosheets were prepared by the constant pH co-precipitation method and uniformly supported on carbon-based electrode materials to fabricate an LDH electrode. Characterization by powder x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed the LDH form and well-crystallized materials. Wetting surface properties (hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity) of both prepared LDHs were recorded by contact angle measurement show hydrophilic character and basic property. The electrochemical performance of these hybrid materials was investigated by mainly cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry techniques to identify the oxidation/reduction processes at the electrode/electrolyte interface and the effect of the divalent metal cations in total reactivity. The hierarchy of the modified electrode proves that the electronic conductivity of the bulk material is considerably dependent on the divalent cation and affects the limiting parameter of the overall redox process. However, MgAl LDH shows better performance than ZnAl LDH, due to the presence of magnesium cations in the layers. Following the structural, morphological and electrochemical behavior studies of both synthesized LDHs, the prepared LDH modified electrodes were tested through microbial fuel cell configuration, revealing a remarkable, potential new pathway for high-performance and cost-effective electrode use in electrochemical power devices.

  15. Cr2O3 nanoparticles: Advanced electrode materials for high performance pseudocapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babu, I. Manohara; William, J. Johnson; Muralidharan, G.

    2017-05-01

    Cr2O3 nanoparticles have been synthesized via simple and facile microwave irradiation method. The structural, morphological and electrochemical performances of Cr2O3 nanoparticles have been studied. Electrochemical analysis indicates the Cr2O3 electrodes to be good pseudocapacitor material with a specific capacitance (122 F g-1 at a constant current of 1 A g-1), high energy density (6.08 W h kg-1), large power density (218.98 W kg-1). These results allow us to state with confidence that new class of electrode materials with good electrochemical performance has been identified.

  16. Metallic sulfide additives for positive electrode material within a secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Walsh, William J.; McPheeters, Charles C.; Yao, Neng-ping; Koura, Kobuyuki

    1976-01-01

    An improved active material for use within the positive electrode of a secondary electrochemical cell includes a mixture of iron disulfide and a sulfide of a polyvalent metal. Various metal sulfides, particularly sulfides of cobalt, nickel, copper, cerium and manganese, are added in minor weight proportion in respect to iron disulfide for improving the electrode performance and reducing current collector requirements.

  17. Alternate electrode materials for the SP100 reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Randich, E.

    1992-05-01

    This work was performed in response to a request by the Astro-Space Division of the General Electric Co. to develop alternate electrodes materials for the electrodes of the PD2 modules to be used in the SP100 thermoelectric power conversion system. Initially, the project consisted of four tasks: (1) development of a ZrB2 (C) CVD coating on SiMo substrates; (2) development of a ZrB2 (C) CVD coating on SiGe substrates; (3) development of CVI W for porous graphite electrodes; and (4) technology transfer of pertinent developed processes. The project evolved initially into developing only ZrB2 coatings on SiGe and graphite substrates, and later into developing ZrB2 coatings only on graphite substrates. Several sizes of graphite and pyrolytic carbon-coated graphite substrates were coated with ZrB2 during the project. For budgetary reasons, the project was terminated after half the allotted time had passed. Apart from the production of coated specimens for evaluation, the major accomplishment of the project was the development of the CVD processing to produce the desired coatings.

  18. Using Rubber-Elastic Material-Ideal Gas Analogies To Teach Introductory Thermodynamics. Part I: Equations of State.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Brent

    2002-01-01

    Describes equations of state as a supplement to an introductory thermodynamics undergraduate course. Uses rubber-elastic materials (REM) which have strong analogies to the concept of an ideal gas and explains the molar basis of REM. Provides examples of the analogies between ideal gas and REM and mathematical analogies. (Contains 22 references.)…

  19. Using Rubber-Elastic Material-Ideal Gas Analogies To Teach Introductory Thermodynamics. Part II: The Laws of Thermodynamics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Brent

    2002-01-01

    Describes the laws of thermodynamics as a supplement to an introductory thermodynamics undergraduate course. Uses rubber-elastic materials (REM) which have strong analogies to the concept of ideal gas. Provides examples of the analogies between ideal gas and REM and mathematical analogies. (YDS)

  20. Galvanostatically deposited Fe: MnO2 electrodes for supercapacitor application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubal, D. P.; Kim, W. B.; Lokhande, C. D.

    2012-01-01

    The present investigation describes the addition of iron (Fe) in order to improve the supercapacitive properties of MnO2 electrodes using galvanostatic mode. These amorphous worm like Fe: MnO2 electrodes are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and wettability test. The supercapacitive properties of MnO2 and Fe: MnO2 electrodes are investigated using cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and impedance techniques. It is seen that the supercapacitance increases with increase in Fe doping concentration and achieved a maximum of 173 F g-1 at 2 at% Fe doping. The maximum supercapacitance obtained is 218 F g-1 for 2 at% Fe: MnO2 electrode. This hydrous binary oxide exhibited ideal capacitive behavior with high reversibility and high pulse charge-discharge property between -0.1 and +0.9 V/SCE in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte indicating a promising electrode material for electrochemical supercapacitors.

  1. Environmental Screening of Electrode Materials for a Rechargeable Aluminum Battery with an AlCl₃/EMIMCl Electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Ellingsen, Linda Ager-Wick; Holland, Alex; Drillet, Jean-Francois; Peters, Willi; Eckert, Martin; Concepcion, Carlos; Ruiz, Oscar; Colin, Jean-François; Knipping, Etienne; Pan, Qiaoyan; Wills, Richard G A; Majeau-Bettez, Guillaume

    2018-06-01

    Recently, rechargeable aluminum batteries have received much attention due to their low cost, easy operation, and high safety. As the research into rechargeable aluminum batteries with a room-temperature ionic liquid electrolyte is relatively new, research efforts have focused on finding suitable electrode materials. An understanding of the environmental aspects of electrode materials is essential to make informed and conscious decisions in aluminum battery development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the relative environmental performance of electrode material candidates for rechargeable aluminum batteries with an AlCl₃/EMIMCl (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) room-temperature ionic liquid electrolyte. To this end, we used a lifecycle environmental screening framework to evaluate 12 candidate electrode materials. We found that all of the studied materials are associated with one or more drawbacks and therefore do not represent a "silver bullet" for the aluminum battery. Even so, some materials appeared more promising than others did. We also found that aluminum battery technology is likely to face some of the same environmental challenges as Li-ion technology but also offers an opportunity to avoid others. The insights provided here can aid aluminum battery development in an environmentally sustainable direction.

  2. Emerging Prototype Sodium-Ion Full Cells with Nanostructured Electrode Materials.

    PubMed

    Ren, Wenhao; Zhu, Zixuan; An, Qinyou; Mai, Liqiang

    2017-06-01

    Due to steadily increasing energy consumption, the demand of renewable energy sources is more urgent than ever. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a cost-effective alternative because of the earth abundance of Na resources and their competitive electrochemical behaviors. Before practical application, it is essential to establish a bridge between the sodium half-cell and the commercial battery from a full cell perspective. An overview of the major challenges, most recent advances, and outlooks of non-aqueous and aqueous sodium-ion full cells (SIFCs) is presented. Considering the intimate relationship between SIFCs and electrode materials, including structure, composition and mutual matching principle, both the advance of various prototype SIFCs and the electrochemistry development of nanostructured electrode materials are reviewed. It is noted that a series of SIFCs combined with layered oxides and hard carbon are capable of providing a high specific gravimetric energy above 200 Wh kg -1 , and an NaCrO 2 //hard carbon full cell is able to deliver a high rate capability over 100 C. To achieve industrialization of SIBs, more systematic work should focus on electrode construction, component compatibility, and battery technologies. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. New in-situ neutron diffraction cell for electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biendicho, Jordi Jacas; Roberts, Matthew; Offer, Colin; Noréus, Dag; Widenkvist, Erika; Smith, Ronald I.; Svensson, Gunnar; Edström, Kristina; Norberg, Stefan T.; Eriksson, Sten G.; Hull, Stephen

    2014-02-01

    A novel neutron diffraction cell has been constructed to allow in-situ studies of the structural changes in materials of relevance to battery applications during charge/discharge cycling. The new design is based on the coin cell geometry, but has larger dimensions compared to typical commercial batteries in order to maximize the amount of electrode material and thus, collect diffraction data of good statistical quality within the shortest possible time. An important aspect of the design is its modular nature, allowing flexibility in both the materials studied and the battery configuration. This paper reports electrochemical tests using a Nickel-metal-hydride battery (Ni-MH), which show that the cell is able to deliver 90% of its theoretical capacity when using deuterated components. Neutron diffraction studies performed on the Polaris diffractometer using nickel metal and a hydrogen-absorbing alloy (MH) clearly show observable changes in the neutron diffraction patterns as a function of the discharge state. Due to the high quality of the diffraction patterns collected in-situ (i.e. good peak-to-background ratio), phase analysis and peak indexing can be performed successfully using data collected in around 30 min. In addition to this, structural parameters for the β-phase (charged) MH electrode obtained by Rietveld refinement are presented.

  4. Oriented Polyaniline Nanowire Arrays Grown on Dendrimer (PAMAM) Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes as Supercapacitor Electrode Materials.

    PubMed

    Jin, Lin; Jiang, Yu; Zhang, Mengjie; Li, Honglong; Xiao, Linghan; Li, Ming; Ao, Yuhui

    2018-04-19

    At present, PANI/MWNT composites have been paid more attention as promising electrode materials in supercapacitors. Yet some shortcomings still limit the widely application of PANI/MWNT electrolytes. In this work, in order to improve capacitance ability and long-term stability of electrode, a multi-amino dendrimer (PAMAM) had been covalently linked onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) as a bridge to facilitating covalent graft of polyaniline (PANI), affording P-MWNT/PANI electrode composites for supercapacitor. Surprisingly, ordered arrays of PANI nanowires on MWNT (setaria-like morphology) had been observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical properties of P-MWNT/PANI electrode had been characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge technique. The specific capacitance and long cycle life of P-MWNT-PANI electrode material were both much higher than MWNT/PANI. These interesting results indicate that multi-amino dendrimer, PAMAM, covalently linked on MWNT provides more reaction sites for in-situ polymerization of ordered PANI, which could efficiently shorten the ion diffusion length in electrolytes and lead to making fully use of conducting materials.

  5. Challenges and Perspectives for NASICON-Type Electrode Materials for Advanced Sodium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shuangqiang; Wu, Chao; Shen, Laifa; Zhu, Changbao; Huang, Yuanye; Xi, Kai; Maier, Joachim; Yu, Yan

    2017-12-01

    Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted increasing attention in the past decades, because of high overall abundance of precursors, their even geographical distribution, and low cost. Apart from inherent thermodynamic disadvantages, SIBs have to overcome multiple kinetic problems, such as fast capacity decay, low rate capacities and low Coulombic efficiencies. A special case is sodium super ion conductor (NASICON)-based electrode materials as they exhibit - besides pronounced structural stability - exceptionally high ion conductivity, rendering them most promising for sodium storage. Owing to the limiting, comparatively low electronic conductivity, nano-structuring is a prerequisite for achieving satisfactory rate-capability. In this review, we analyze advantages and disadvantages of NASICON-type electrode materials and highlight electrode structure design principles for obtaining the desired electrochemical performance. Moreover, we give an overview of recent approaches to enhance electrical conductivity and structural stability of cathode and anode materials based on NASICON structure. We believe that this review provides a pertinent insight into relevant design principles and inspires further research in this respect. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Facile Synthesis of Mixed Metal Organic Frameworks: Electrode Materials for Supercapacitor with Excellent Areal Capacitance and Operational Stability.

    PubMed

    Kazemi, Sayed Habib; Hosseinzadeh, Batoul; Kazemi, Hojjat; Kiani, Mohammad Ali; Hajati, Shaaker

    2018-06-08

    Electrode materials with high surface area, tailored pore size and efficient capability for ion insertion and enhanced transport of electrons and ions are needed for advanced supercapacitors. In the present study, a mixed metal organic framework (cobalt and manganese based MOF) was synthesized through a simple one pot solvothermal method and employed as the electrode material for supercapacitor. Notably, Co-Mn MOF electrode displayed a large surface area and excellent cycling stability (over 95% capacitance retention after 1500 cycles). Also, superior pseudocapacitive behavior was observed for Co-Mn MOF electrode in KOH electrolyte with an exceptional areal capacitance of 1.318 F cm-2. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled using Co-Mn MOF and activated carbon electrode as positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The fabricated supercapacitor showed specific capacitances of 106.7 F g-1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s-1 and delivered maximum energy density of 30 Wh kg-1 at 2285.7 W kg-1. Our studies suggest the Co-Mn MOF as promising electrode materials for supercapacitor applications.

  7. Methods for making lithium vanadium oxide electrode materials

    DOEpatents

    Schutts, Scott M.; Kinney, Robert J.

    2000-01-01

    A method of making vanadium oxide formulations is presented. In one method of preparing lithium vanadium oxide for use as an electrode material, the method involves: admixing a particulate form of a lithium compound and a particulate form of a vanadium compound; jet milling the particulate admixture of the lithium and vanadium compounds; and heating the jet milled particulate admixture at a temperature below the melting temperature of the admixture to form lithium vanadium oxide.

  8. Wet-spun, porous, orientational graphene hydrogel films for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kou, Liang; Liu, Zheng; Huang, Tieqi; Zheng, Bingna; Tian, Zhanyuan; Deng, Zengshe; Gao, Chao

    2015-02-01

    Supercapacitors with porous electrodes of graphene macroscopic assembly are supposed to have high energy storage capacity. However, a great number of ``close pores'' in porous graphene electrodes are invalid because electrolyte ions cannot infiltrate. A quick method to prepare porous graphene electrodes with reduced ``close pores'' is essential for higher energy storage. Here we propose a wet-spinning assembly approach based on the liquid crystal behavior of graphene oxide to continuously spin orientational graphene hydrogel films with ``open pores'', which are used directly as binder-free supercapacitor electrodes. The resulting supercapacitor electrodes show better electrochemical performance than those with disordered graphene sheets. Furthermore, three reduction methods including hydrothermal treatment, hydrazine and hydroiodic acid reduction are used to evaluate the specific capacitances of the graphene hydrogel film. Hydrazine-reduced graphene hydrogel film shows the highest capacitance of 203 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and maintains 67.1% specific capacitance (140 F g-1) at 50 A g-1. The combination of scalable wet-spinning technology and orientational structure makes graphene hydrogel films an ideal electrode material for supercapacitors.Supercapacitors with porous electrodes of graphene macroscopic assembly are supposed to have high energy storage capacity. However, a great number of ``close pores'' in porous graphene electrodes are invalid because electrolyte ions cannot infiltrate. A quick method to prepare porous graphene electrodes with reduced ``close pores'' is essential for higher energy storage. Here we propose a wet-spinning assembly approach based on the liquid crystal behavior of graphene oxide to continuously spin orientational graphene hydrogel films with ``open pores'', which are used directly as binder-free supercapacitor electrodes. The resulting supercapacitor electrodes show better electrochemical performance than those with disordered graphene

  9. Materials and fabrication of electrode scaffolds for deposition of MnO2 and their true performance in supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Jianyun; Li, Xiaohong; Wang, Yaming; Walsh, Frank C.; Ouyang, Jia-Hu; Jia, Dechang; Zhou, Yu

    2015-10-01

    MnO2 is a promising electrode material for high energy supercapacitors because of its large pseudo-capacitance. However, MnO2 suffers from low electronic conductivity and poor cation diffusivity, which results in poor utilization and limited rate performance of traditional MnO2 powder electrodes, obtained by pressing a mixed paste of MnO2 powder, conductive additive and polymer binder onto metallic current collectors. Developing binder-free MnO2 electrodes by loading nanoscale MnO2 deposits on pre-fabricated device-ready electrode scaffolds is an effective way to achieve both high power and energy performance. These electrode scaffolds, with interconnected skeletons and pore structures, will not only provide mechanical support and electron collection as traditional current collectors but also fast ion transfer tunnels, leading to high MnO2 utilization and rate performance. This review covers design strategies, materials and fabrication methods for the electrode scaffolds. Rational evaluation of the true performance of these electrodes is carried out, which clarifies that some of the electrodes with as-claimed exceptional performances lack potential in practical applications due to poor mass loading of MnO2 and large dead volume of inert scaffold materials/void spaces in the electrode structure. Possible ways to meet this challenge and bring MnO2 electrodes from laboratory studies to real-world applications are considered.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anani, A.; Huggins, R. A.

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

  11. Electrode Materials, Electrolytes, and Challenges in Nonaqueous Lithium-Ion Capacitors.

    PubMed

    Li, Bing; Zheng, Junsheng; Zhang, Hongyou; Jin, Liming; Yang, Daijun; Lv, Hong; Shen, Chao; Shellikeri, Annadanesh; Zheng, Yiran; Gong, Ruiqi; Zheng, Jim P; Zhang, Cunman

    2018-04-01

    Among the various energy-storage systems, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are receiving intensive attention due to their high energy density, high power density, long lifetime, and good stability. As a hybrid of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, LICs are composed of a battery-type electrode and a capacitor-type electrode and can potentially combine the advantages of the high energy density of batteries and the large power density of capacitors. Here, the working principle of LICs is discussed, and the recent advances in LIC electrode materials, particularly activated carbon and lithium titanate, as well as in electrolyte development are reviewed. The charge-storage mechanisms for intercalative pseudocapacitive behavior, battery behavior, and conventional pseudocapacitive behavior are classified and compared. Finally, the prospects and challenges associated with LICs are discussed. The overall aim is to provide deep insights into the LIC field for continuing research and development of second-generation energy-storage technologies. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrode Materials from Cellulose-Derived Carbon Nanofibers.

    PubMed

    Cai, Jie; Niu, Haitao; Li, Zhenyu; Du, Yong; Cizek, Pavel; Xie, Zongli; Xiong, Hanguo; Lin, Tong

    2015-07-15

    Nitrogen-functionalized carbon nanofibers (N-CNFs) were prepared by carbonizing polypyrrole (PPy)-coated cellulose NFs, which were obtained by electrospinning, deacetylation of electrospun cellulose acetate NFs, and PPy polymerization. Supercapacitor electrodes prepared from N-CNFs and a mixture of N-CNFs and Ni(OH)2 showed specific capacitances of ∼236 and ∼1045 F g(-1), respectively. An asymmetric supercapacitor was further fabricated using N-CNFs/Ni(OH)2 and N-CNFs as positive and negative electrodes. The supercapacitor device had a working voltage of 1.6 V in aqueous KOH solution (6.0 M) with an energy density as high as ∼51 (W h) kg(-1) and a maximum power density of ∼117 kW kg(-1). The device had excellent cycle lifetime, which retained ∼84% specific capacitance after 5000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry scans. N-CNFs derived from electrospun cellulose may be useful as an electrode material for development of high-performance supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.

  13. Electrochemical Synthesis of Graphene/MnO2 Nano-Composite for Application to Supercapacitor Electrode.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Kwang Ho; Lee, Hyeon Jeong; Simpson, Michael F; Jeong, Mun

    2016-05-01

    Graphene/MnO2 nano-composite was electrochemically synthesized for application to an electrode material for electrochemical supercapacitors. The nanosized needle-like MnO2 was obtained by use of a graphene substrate. The prepared composite exhibited an ideal supercapacitive behavior. A capacitance retention of 94% was achieved with a 4 h deposition time (an initial capacitance of 574 mF/cm2 at a scan rate of 20 mV/s) and the retention declined with further deposition time. The results demonstrate enhanced contact between the electrode and electrolyte and improved power density as an electrochemical capacitor.

  14. Research Progress in MnO2 -Carbon Based Supercapacitor Electrode Materials.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qun-Zheng; Zhang, Dian; Miao, Zong-Cheng; Zhang, Xun-Li; Chou, Shu-Lei

    2018-04-30

    With the serious impact of fossil fuels on the environment and the rapid development of the global economy, the development of clean and usable energy storage devices has become one of the most important themes of sustainable development in the world today. Supercapacitors are a new type of green energy storage device, with high power density, long cycle life, wide temperature range, and both economic and environmental advantages. In many industries, they have enormous application prospects. Electrode materials are an important factor affecting the performance of supercapacitors. MnO 2 -based materials are widely investigated for supercapacitors because of their high theoretical capacitance, good chemical stability, low cost, and environmental friendliness. To achieve high specific capacitance and high rate capability, the current best solution is to use MnO 2 and carbon composite materials. Herein, MnO 2 -carbon composite as supercapacitor electrode materials is reviewed including the synthesis method and research status in recent years. Finally, the challenges and future development directions of an MnO 2 -carbon based supercapacitor are summarized. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Effects of Different Materials Used for Internal Floating Electrode on the Photovoltaic Properties of Tandem Type Organic Solar Cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Triyana, Kuwat; Yasuda, Takeshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko; Tsutsui, Tetsuo

    2004-04-01

    Three thin heterojunctions sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) and the top electrode as triple-heterojunction organic solar cells have been fabricated. Each heterojunction cell consists of CuPc as a donor layer and perilene tetracrboxylic-bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI) as an acceptor layer. Ultra thin (1 nm average thickness) layers of Ag or Au have been inserted between two heterojunctions as an internal electrode. Ag and Au were chosen as materials both for internal floating and top electrodes. Influences of different deposition sequences of the organic layer in each heterojunction cell and different electrode materials were also investigated. The optimum devices were obtained when the same material was used both as an internal electrode and a top electrode. When the deposition sequence of the heterojunction is PTCBI/CuPc, the most suitable electrode is Au and the ITO is negative relative to the top electrode. Meanwhile, Ag is suitable for an electrode when the deposition sequence is CuPc/PTCBI. In this second deposition sequence, the ITO is positive relative to the top electrode. The open circuit voltage (Voc) of both optimum devices is on the order of 1.35-1.5 V. These values are approximately three times higher than that in single-heterojunction organic solar cells.

  16. PEDOT:PSS as multi-functional composite material for enhanced Li-air-battery air electrodes.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Dae Ho; Yoon, Seon Hye; Ryu, Kwang-Sun; Park, Yong Joon

    2016-01-27

    We propose PSS as a multi-functional composite material for an enhanced Li-air-battery air electrode. The PSS layer was coated on the surface of carbon (graphene) using simple method. A electrode containing PSS-coated graphene (PEDOT electrode) could be prepared without binder (such as PVDF) because of high adhesion of PSS. PEDOT electrode presented considerable discharge and charge capacity at all current densities. These results shows that PSS acts as a redox reaction matrix and conducting binder in the air electrode. Moreover, after cycling, the accumulation of reaction products due to side reaction in the electrode was significantly reduced through the use of PSS. This implies that PSS coating layer can suppress the undesirable side reactions between the carbon and electrolyte (and/or Li2O2), which causes enhanced Li-air cell cyclic performance.

  17. Few-layered CoHPO4.3H2O ultrathin nanosheets for high performance of electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pang, Huan; Wang, Shaomei; Shao, Weifang; Zhao, Shanshan; Yan, Bo; Li, Xinran; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Du, Weimin

    2013-06-01

    Ultrathin cobalt phosphate (CoHPO4.3H2O) nanosheets are successfully synthesized by a one pot hydrothermal method. Novel CoHPO4.3H2O ultrathin nanosheets are assembled for constructing the electrodes of supercapacitors. Benefiting from the nanostructures, the as-prepared electrode shows a specific capacitance of 413 F g-1, and no obvious decay even after 3000 charge-discharge cycles. Such a quasi-two-dimensional material is a new kind of supercapacitor electrode material with high performance.Ultrathin cobalt phosphate (CoHPO4.3H2O) nanosheets are successfully synthesized by a one pot hydrothermal method. Novel CoHPO4.3H2O ultrathin nanosheets are assembled for constructing the electrodes of supercapacitors. Benefiting from the nanostructures, the as-prepared electrode shows a specific capacitance of 413 F g-1, and no obvious decay even after 3000 charge-discharge cycles. Such a quasi-two-dimensional material is a new kind of supercapacitor electrode material with high performance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01460f

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

    DOE PAGES

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

    2015-08-06

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

  19. Neural electrode resilience against dielectric damage may be improved by use of highly doped silicon as a conductive material.

    PubMed

    Caldwell, Ryan; Sharma, Rohit; Takmakov, Pavel; Street, Matthew G; Solzbacher, Florian; Tathireddy, Prashant; Rieth, Loren

    2018-01-01

    Dielectric damage occurring in vivo to neural electrodes, leading to conductive material exposure and impedance reduction over time, limits the functional lifetime and clinical viability of neuroprosthetics. We used silicon micromachined Utah Electrode Arrays (UEAs) with iridium oxide (IrO x ) tip metallization and parylene C dielectric encapsulation to understand the factors affecting device resilience and drive improvements. In vitro impedance measurements and finite element analyses were conducted to evaluate how exposed surface area of silicon and IrO x affect UEA properties. Through an aggressive in vitro reactive accelerated aging (RAA) protocol, in vivo parylene degradation was simulated on UEAs to explore agreement with our models. Electrochemical properties of silicon and other common electrode materials were compared to help inform material choice in future neural electrode designs. Exposure of silicon on UEAs was found to primarily affect impedance at frequencies >1kHz, while characteristics at 1 kHz and below were largely unchanged. Post-RAA impedance reduction of UEAs was mitigated in cases where dielectric damage was more likely to expose silicon instead of IrO x . Silicon was found to have a per-area electrochemical impedance >10×higher than many common electrode materials regardless of doping level and resistivity, making it best suited for use as a low-shunting conductor. Non-semiconductor electrode materials commonly used in neural electrode design are more susceptible to shunting neural interface signals through dielectric defects, compared to highly doped silicon. Strategic use of silicon and similar materials may increase neural electrode robustness against encapsulation failures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. PEDOT:PSS as multi-functional composite material for enhanced Li-air-battery air electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Yoon, Dae Ho; Yoon, Seon Hye; Ryu, Kwang-Sun; Park, Yong Joon

    2016-01-01

    We propose PEDOT:PSS as a multi-functional composite material for an enhanced Li-air-battery air electrode. The PEDOT:PSS layer was coated on the surface of carbon (graphene) using simple method. A electrode containing PEDOT:PSS-coated graphene (PEDOT electrode) could be prepared without binder (such as PVDF) because of high adhesion of PEDOT:PSS. PEDOT electrode presented considerable discharge and charge capacity at all current densities. These results shows that PEDOT:PSS acts as a redox reaction matrix and conducting binder in the air electrode. Moreover, after cycling, the accumulation of reaction products due to side reaction in the electrode was significantly reduced through the use of PEDOT:PSS. This implies that PEDOT:PSS coating layer can suppress the undesirable side reactions between the carbon and electrolyte (and/or Li2O2), which causes enhanced Li-air cell cyclic performance. PMID:26813852

  1. Novel air electrode for metal-air battery with new carbon material and method of making same

    DOEpatents

    Ross, P.N. Jr.

    1988-06-21

    This invention relates to a rechargeable battery or fuel cell. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel air electrode comprising a new carbon electrode support material and a method of making same. 3 figs.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2015-10-01

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

  3. Synthesis of Ammonia-Assisted Porous Nickel Ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) Nanostructures as an Electrode Material for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Bhojane, Prateek; Sharma, Alfa; Pusty, Manojit; Kumar, Yogendra; Sen, Somaditya; Shirage, Parasharam

    2017-02-01

    In this work, we report a low cost, facile synthesis method for Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanostructures obtained by chemical bath deposition method for alternate transition metal oxide electrode material as a solution for clean energy. We developed a template free ammonia assisted method for obtaining porous structure which offering better supercapacitive performance of NiFe₂O₄ electrode material than previously reported for pure NiFe₂O₄. Here we explore the physical characterizations X-ray diffraction, FESEM, HRTEM performed to under-stand its crystal structure and morphology as well as the electrochemical measurements was performed to understand the electrochemical behaviour of the material. Here ammonia plays an important role in governing the structure/morphology of the material and enhances the electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of 541 Fg⁻¹ is achieved at 2 mVs⁻¹ scan rate which is highest for the pure NiFe₂O₄ electrode material without using any addition of carbon based material, heterostructure or template based method.

  4. Understanding Fundamentals and Reaction Mechanisms of Electrode Materials for Na-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Yu, Linghui; Wang, Luyuan Paul; Liao, Hanbin; Wang, Jingxian; Feng, Zhenxing; Lev, Ovadia; Loo, Joachim S C; Sougrati, Moulay Tahar; Xu, Zhichuan J

    2018-04-01

    Development of efficient, affordable, and sustainable energy storage technologies has become an area of interest due to the worsening environmental issues and rising technological dependence on Li-ion batteries. Na-ion batteries (NIBs) have been receiving intensive research efforts during the last few years. Owing to their potentially low cost and relatively high energy density, NIBs are promising energy storage devices, especially for stationary applications. A fundamental understanding of electrode properties during electrochemical reactions is important for the development of low cost, high-energy density, and long shelf life NIBs. This Review aims to summarize and discuss reaction mechanisms of the major types of NIB electrode materials reported. By appreciating how the material works and the fundamental flaws it possesses, it is hoped that this Review will assist readers in coming up with innovative solutions for designing better materials for NIBs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. B4C as a stable non-carbon-based oxygen electrode material for lithium-oxygen batteries

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

    Song, Shidong; Xu, Wu; Cao, Ruiguo

    Lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2) batteries have extremely high theoretical specific capacities and energy densities when compared with Li-ion batteries. However, the instability of both electrolyte and carbon-based oxygen electrode related to the nucleophilic attack of reduced oxygen species during oxygen reduction reaction and the electrochemical oxidation during oxygen evolution reaction are recognized as the major challenges in this field. Here we report the application of boron carbide (B 4C) as the non-carbon based oxygen electrode material for aprotic Li-O 2 batteries. B 4C has high resistance to chemical attack, good conductivity, excellent catalytic activity and low density that are suitable formore » battery applications. The electrochemical activity and chemical stability of B4C are systematically investigated in aprotic electrolyte. Li-O 2 cells using B4C based air electrodes exhibit better cycling stability than those used TiC based air electrode in 1 M LiTf-Tetraglyme electrolyte. The degradation of B 4C based electrode is mainly due to be the loss of active sites on B 4C electrode during cycles as identified by the structure and composition characterizations. These results clearly demonstrate that B 4C is a very promising alternative oxygen electrode material for aprotic Li-O 2 batteries. It can also be used as a standard electrode to investigate the stability of electrolytes.« less

  6. HSPES membrane electrode assembly

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kindler, Andrew (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Ping (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    An improved fuel cell electrode, as well as fuel cells and membrane electrode assemblies that include such an electrode, in which the electrode includes a backing layer having a sintered layer thereon, and a non-sintered free-catalyst layer. The invention also features a method of forming the electrode by sintering a backing material with a catalyst material and then applying a free-catalyst layer.

  7. Effect of Start-Up Strategies and Electrode Materials on Carbon Dioxide Reduction on Biocathodes

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Abhijeet; Hermansson, Malte; Persson, Frank; Schnürer, Anna; Wilén, Britt-Marie; Modin, Oskar

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The enrichment of CO2-reducing microbial biocathodes is challenging. Previous research has shown that a promising approach could be to first enrich bioanodes and then lower the potential so the electrodes are converted into biocathodes. However, the effect of such a transition on the microbial community on the electrode has not been studied. The goal of this study was thus to compare the start-up of biocathodes from preenriched anodes with direct start-up from bare electrodes and to investigate changes in microbial community composition. The effect of three electrode materials on the long-term performance of the biocathodes was also investigated. In this study, preenrichment of acetate-oxidizing bioanodes did not facilitate the start-up of biocathodes. It took about 170 days for the preenriched electrodes to generate substantial cathodic current, compared to 83 days for the bare electrodes. Graphite foil and carbon felt cathodes produced higher current at the beginning of the experiment than did graphite rods. However, all electrodes produced similar current densities at the end of the over 1-year-long study (2.5 A/m2). Methane was the only product detected during operation of the biocathodes. Acetate was the only product detected after inhibition of the methanogens. Microbial community analysis showed that Geobacter sp. dominated the bioanodes. On the biocathodes, the Geobacter sp. was succeeded by Methanobacterium spp., which made up more than 80% of the population. After inhibition of the methanogens, Acetobacterium sp. became dominant on the electrodes (40% relative abundance). The results suggested that bioelectrochemically generated H2 acted as an electron donor for CO2 reduction. IMPORTANCE In microbial electrochemical systems, living microorganisms function as catalysts for reactions on the anode and/or the cathode. There is a variety of potential applications, ranging from wastewater treatment and biogas generation to production of chemicals

  8. Selective observation of charge storing ions in supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Forse, Alexander C; Griffin, John M; Grey, Clare P

    2018-02-01

    Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has emerged as a useful technique for probing the structure and dynamics of the electrode-electrolyte interface in supercapacitors, as ions inside the pores of the carbon electrodes can be studied separately from bulk electrolyte. However, in some cases spectral resolution can limit the information that can be obtained. In this study we address this issue by showing how cross polarisation (CP) NMR experiments can be used to selectively observe the in-pore ions in supercapacitor electrode materials. We do this by transferring magnetisation from 13 C nuclei in porous carbons to nearby nuclei in the cations ( 1 H) or anions ( 19 F) of an ionic liquid. Two-dimensional NMR experiments and CP kinetics measurements confirm that in-pore ions are located within Ångströms of sp 2 -hybridised carbon surfaces. Multinuclear NMR experiments hold promise for future NMR studies of supercapacitor systems where spectral resolution is limited. Copyright © 2017 University of Cambridge. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Solid oxide fuel cells, and air electrode and electrical interconnection materials therefor

    DOEpatents

    Bates, J. Lambert

    1992-01-01

    In one aspect of the invention, an air electrode material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprises Y.sub.1-a Q.sub.a MnO.sub.3, where "Q" is selected from the group consisting of Ca and Sr or mixtures thereof and "a" is from 0.1 to 0.8. Preferably, "a" is from 0.4 to 0.7. In another aspect of the invention, an electrical interconnection material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprises Y.sub.1-b Ca.sub.b Cr.sub.1-c Al.sub.c O.sub.3, where "b" is from 0.1 to 0.6 and "c" is from 0 to 9.3. Preferably, "b" is from 0.3 to 0.5 and "c" is from 0.05 to 0.1. A composite solid oxide electrochemical fuel cell incorporating these materials comprises: a solid oxide air electrode and an adjacent solid oxide electrical interconnection which commonly include the cation Y, the air electrode comprising Y.sub.1-a Q.sub.a MnO.sub.3, where "Q" is selected from the group consisting of Ca and Sr or mixtures thereof and "a" is from 0.1 to 0.8, the electrical interconnection comprising Y.sub.1-b Ca.sub.b Cr.sub.1-c Al.sub.c O.sub.3, where "b" is from 0.1 to 0.6 and "c" is from 0.0 to 0.3; a yttrium stabilized solid electrolyte comprising (1-d)ZrO.sub.2 -(d)Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 where "d" is from 0.06 to 0.5; and a solid fuel electrode comprising X-ZrO.sub.2, where "X" is an elemental metal.

  10. Solid oxide fuel cells, and air electrode and electrical interconnection materials therefor

    DOEpatents

    Bates, J.L.

    1992-09-01

    In one aspect of the invention, an air electrode material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprises Y[sub 1[minus]a]Q[sub a]MnO[sub 3], where Q is selected from the group consisting of Ca and Sr or mixtures thereof and a' is from 0.1 to 0.8. Preferably, a' is from 0.4 to 0.7. In another aspect of the invention, an electrical interconnection material for a solid oxide fuel cell comprises Y[sub 1[minus]b]Ca[sub b]Cr[sub 1[minus]c]Al[sub c]O[sub 3], where b' is from 0.1 to 0.6 and c' is from 0 to 9.3. Preferably, b' is from 0.3 to 0.5 and c' is from 0.05 to 0.1. A composite solid oxide electrochemical fuel cell incorporating these materials comprises: a solid oxide air electrode and an adjacent solid oxide electrical interconnection which commonly include the cation Y, the air electrode comprising Y[sub 1[minus]a]Q[sub a]MnO[sub 3], where Q is selected from the group consisting of Ca and Sr or mixtures thereof and a' is from 0.1 to 0.8, the electrical interconnection comprising Y[sub 1[minus]b]Ca[sub b]Cr[sub 1[minus]c]Al[sub c]O[sub 3], where b' is from 0.1 to 0.6 and c' is from 0.0 to 0.3; a yttrium stabilized solid electrolyte comprising (1[minus]d)ZrO[sub 2]-(d)Y[sub 2]O[sub 3] where d' is from 0.06 to 0.5; and a solid fuel electrode comprising X-ZrO[sub 2], where X' is an elemental metal. 5 figs.

  11. Electrodes for microfluidic applications

    DOEpatents

    Crocker, Robert W [Fremont, CA; Harnett, Cindy K [Livermore, CA; Rognlien, Judith L [Livermore, CA

    2006-08-22

    An electrode device for high pressure applications. These electrodes, designed to withstand pressure of greater than 10,000 psi, are adapted for use in microfluidic devices that employ electrokinetic or electrophoretic flow. The electrode is composed, generally, of an outer electrically insulating tubular body having a porous ceramic frit material disposed in one end of the outer body. The pores of the porous ceramic material are filled with an ion conductive polymer resin. A conductive material situated on the upper surface of the porous ceramic frit material and, thus isolated from direct contact with the electrolyte, forms a gas diffusion electrode. A metal current collector, in contact with the gas diffusion electrode, provides connection to a voltage source.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of high performance electrode materials for lithium ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Jian

    Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized portable electronics. Electrode reactions in these electrochemical systems are based on reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into the host electrode material with a concomitant addition/removal of electrons into the host. If such batteries are to find a wider market such as the automotive industry, less expensive and higher capacity electrode materials will be required. The olivine phase lithium iron phosphate has attracted the most attention because of its low cost and safety (high thermal and chemical stability). However, it is an intriguing fundamental problem to understand the fast electrochemical response from the poorly electronic conducting two-phase LiFePO4/FePO 4 system. This thesis focuses on determining the rate-limit step of LiFePO4. First, a LiFePO4 material, with vanadium substituting on the P-site, was synthesized, and found that the crystal structure change may cause high lithium diffusivity. Since an accurate Li diffusion coefficient cannot be measured by traditional electrochemical method in a three-electrode cell due to the phase transformation during measurement, a new method to measure the intrinsic electronic and ionic conductivity of mixed conductive LiFePO 4 was developed. This was based on the conductivity measurements of mixed conductive solid electrolyte using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and blocking electrode. The effects of ionic/electronic conductivity and phase transformation on the rate performance of LiFePO4 were also first investigated by EIS and other electrochemical technologies. Based on the above fundamental kinetics studies, an optimized LiFePO4 was used as a target to deposit 1mum LiFePO4 thin film at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Similar to the carbon coated LiFePO4 powder electrode, the carbon-contained RF LiFePO4 film with no preferential orientation showed excellent capacity and rate capability both at 25°C and -20

  13. Nanostructured Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Capacitor Applications.

    PubMed

    Choi, Hojin; Yoon, Hyeonseok

    2015-06-02

    The advent of novel organic and inorganic nanomaterials in recent years, particularly nanostructured carbons, conducting polymers, and metal oxides, has enabled the fabrication of various energy devices with enhanced performance. In this paper, we review in detail different nanomaterials used in the fabrication of electrochemical capacitor electrodes and also give a brief overview of electric double-layer capacitors, pseudocapacitors, and hybrid capacitors. From a materials point of view, the latest trends in electrochemical capacitor research are also discussed through extensive analysis of the literature and by highlighting notable research examples (published mostly since 2013). Finally, a perspective on next-generation capacitor technology is also given, including the challenges that lie ahead.

  14. Effects of Carbonization Temperature on Nature of Nanostructured Electrode Materials Derived from Fe-MOF for Supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sui, Yanwei; Zhang, Dongling; Han, Yongpeng; Sun, Zhi; Qi, Jiqiu; Wei, Fuxiang; He, Yezeng; Meng, Qingkun

    2018-05-01

    This work successfully demonstrates various temperature carbonization of iron based metal organic framework to derive electrode materials for supercapacitors. Furthermore, impacts of calcined temperatures on the nature of as-prepared products are reported, and samples obtained at 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 °C were investigated respectively. The products reveals excellent electrochemical performance. Carbonized at 600 °C, the composite materials display the highest specific capacitance of 972 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. Carbonized at 500 °C, the capacitance retention of materials reach up to 93%. The high specific capacitance and excellent cyclic stability of the developed materials would exhibit nice prospect for the practical utilization of electrode materials.

  15. The catalytic role of tungsten electrode material in the plasmachemical activity of a pulsed corona discharge in water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lukes, Petr; Clupek, Martin; Babicky, Vaclav; Sisrova, Irena; Janda, Vaclav

    2011-06-01

    The effects of tungsten material used as a high-voltage needle electrode on the production of hydrogen peroxide and the degradation of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) caused by a pulsed corona discharge in water were investigated. A reactor of needle-plate electrode geometry was used. The erosion of the tungsten electrodes by the discharge was evaluated. The yields of H2O2 production and the decomposition of DMSO by the discharge, which were obtained using the tungsten electrodes, were compared with those determined for titanium electrodes. The electrode erosion increased significantly with an increase in the solution conductivity. A large fraction (50-70%) of the eroded tungsten electrode material was released into the solution in dissolved form as tungstate WO_4^{2-} ions. A correlation between the amount of eroded tungsten material released into the solution and the chemical effects induced by the discharge was determined. Lower yields of H2O2 and a higher degradation of DMSO by the discharge were obtained using the tungsten electrodes than were determined using titanium electrodes. Tungstate ions were shown to play a dominant role in the decomposition of H2O2, which was produced by the discharge using a tungsten electrode. The higher degradation of DMSO that was determined for tungsten was attributed to the tungstate-catalyzed oxidation of DMSO by H2O2, in addition to the oxidation of DMSO by OH radicals. Such a mechanism was supported by the detection of degradation by-products of DMSO (methanesulfonate, sulfate and dimethyl sulfone). The catalytic role of tungstate ions in the plasmachemical activity of the discharge generated using a tungsten electrode was also demonstrated on a pH-dependent decomposition of H2O2 and DMSO.

  16. Microbial community structure of different electrode materials in constructed wetland incorporating microbial fuel cell.

    PubMed

    Wang, Junfeng; Song, Xinshan; Wang, Yuhui; Abayneh, Befkadu; Ding, Yi; Yan, Denghua; Bai, Junhong

    2016-12-01

    The microbial fuel cell coupled with constructed wetland (CW-MFC) microcosms were operated under fed-batch mode for evaluating the effect of electrode materials on bioelectricity generation and microbial community composition. Experimental results indicated that the bioenergy output in CW-MFC increased with the substrate concentration; maximum average voltage (177mV) was observed in CW-MFC with carbon fiber felt (CFF). In addition, the four different materials resulted in the formation of significantly different microbial community distribution around the anode electrode. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria in CFF and foamed nickel (FN) was significantly higher than that in stainless steel mesh (SSM) and graphite rod (GR) samples. Notably, the findings indicate that CW-MFC utilizing FN anode electrode could apparently improve relative abundance of Dechloromonas, which has been regarded as a denitrifying and phosphate accumulating microorganism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Molecular Engineering with Organic Carbonyl Electrode Materials for Advanced Stationary and Redox Flow Rechargeable Batteries.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Qing; Zhu, Zhiqiang; Chen, Jun

    2017-12-01

    Organic carbonyl electrode materials that have the advantages of high capacity, low cost and being environmentally friendly, are regarded as powerful candidates for next-generation stationary and redox flow rechargeable batteries (RFBs). However, low carbonyl utilization, poor electronic conductivity and undesired dissolution in electrolyte are urgent issues to be solved. Here, we summarize a molecular engineering approach for tuning the capacity, working potential, concentration of active species, kinetics, and stability of stationary and redox flow batteries, which well resolves the problems of organic carbonyl electrode materials. As an example, in stationary batteries, 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) with two carbonyls delivers a capacity of 257 mAh g -1 (2.27 V vs Li + /Li), while increasing the number of carbonyls to four with the formation of 5,7,12,14-pentacenetetrone results in a higher capacity of 317 mAh g -1 (2.60 V vs Li + /Li). In RFBs, AQ, which is less soluble in aqueous electrolyte, reaches 1 M by grafting -SO 3 H with the formation of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid, resulting in a power density exceeding 0.6 W cm -2 with long cycling life. Therefore, through regulating substituent groups, conjugated structures, Coulomb interactions, and the molecular weight, the electrochemical performance of carbonyl electrode materials can be rationally optimized. This review offers fundamental principles and insight into designing advanced carbonyl materials for the electrodes of next-generation rechargeable batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Identification and Mitigation of Generated Solid By-Products during Advanced Electrode Materials Processing

    DOE PAGES

    Tsai, Candace S. J.; Dysart, Arthur D.; Beltz, Jay H.; ...

    2015-12-30

    A scalable, solid-state elevated temperature process was developed to produce high capacity carbonaceous electrode materials for energy storage devices via decomposition of starch-based precursor in an inert atmosphere. The fabricated carbon-based architectures are useful as an excellent electrode material for lithium-ion, sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries. This article focuses on the study and analysis of the formed nanometer-sized byproducts during the lab-scale production of carbonaceous electrode materials in the process design phase. The complete material production process was studied by operation, namely during heating, holding the reaction at elevated temperature, followed by cooling. The unknown downstream particles in the process exhaustmore » were collected and characterized via aerosol and liquid suspensions, and they were quantified using direct-reading instruments for number and mass concentrations. The airborne emissions were collected on polycarbonate filters and TEM grids using the Tsai diffusion sampler (TDS) for characterization and further analysis. Released byproduct aerosols collected in a deionized (DI) water trap were analyzed using a Nanosight real time nanoparticle characterization system and the aerosols emitted post water suspension were collected and characterized. Individual particles in the nanometer size range were found in exhaust aerosols, however, crystal structured aggregates were formed on the sampling substrate after a long-term sampling of emitted exhaust. After characterizing the released aerosol byproducts, methods were also identified to mitigate possible human and environmental exposures upon the industrial implementation of such a process.« less

  19. Latest advances in supercapacitors: from new electrode materials to novel device designs.

    PubMed

    Wang, Faxing; Wu, Xiongwei; Yuan, Xinhai; Liu, Zaichun; Zhang, Yi; Fu, Lijun; Zhu, Yusong; Zhou, Qingming; Wu, Yuping; Huang, Wei

    2017-11-13

    Notably, many significant breakthroughs for a new generation of supercapacitors have been reported in recent years, related to theoretical understanding, material synthesis and device designs. Herein, we summarize the state-of-the-art progress toward mechanisms, new materials, and novel device designs for supercapacitors. Firstly, fundamental understanding of the mechanism is mainly focused on the relationship between the structural properties of electrode materials and their electrochemical performances based on some in situ characterization techniques and simulations. Secondly, some emerging electrode materials are discussed, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), MXenes, metal nitrides, black phosphorus, LaMnO 3 , and RbAg 4 I 5 /graphite. Thirdly, the device innovations for the next generation of supercapacitors are provided successively, mainly emphasizing flow supercapacitors, alternating current (AC) line-filtering supercapacitors, redox electrolyte enhanced supercapacitors, metal ion hybrid supercapacitors, micro-supercapacitors (fiber, plane and three-dimensional) and multifunctional supercapacitors including electrochromic supercapacitors, self-healing supercapacitors, piezoelectric supercapacitors, shape-memory supercapacitors, thermal self-protective supercapacitors, thermal self-charging supercapacitors, and photo self-charging supercapacitors. Finally, the future developments and key technical challenges are highlighted regarding further research in this thriving field.

  20. Impedance spectroscopic analysis of composite electrode from activated carbon/conductive materials/ruthenium oxide for supercapacitor applications

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

    Taer, E.; Awitdrus,; Farma, R.

    Activated carbon powders (ACP) were produced from the KOH treated pre-carbonized rubber wood sawdust. Different conductive materials (graphite, carbon black and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) were added with a binder (polivinylidene fluoride (PVDF)) into ACP to improve the supercapacitive performance of the activated carbon (AC) electrodes. Symmetric supercapacitor cells, fabricated using these AC electrodes and 1 molar H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte, were analyzed using a standard electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The addition of graphite, carbon black and CNTs was found effective in reducing the cell resistance from 165 to 68, 23 and 49 Ohm respectively, and increasing the specific capacitance ofmore » the AC electrodes from 3 to 7, 17, 32 F g{sup −1} respectively. Since the addition of CNTs can produce the highest specific capacitance, CNTs were chosen as a conductive material to produce AC composite electrodes that were added with 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 % (by weight) electro-active material namely ruthenium oxide; PVDF binder and CNTs contents were kept at 5 % by weight in each AC composite produced. The highest specific capacitance of the cells obtained in this study was 86 F g{sup −1}, i.e. for the cell with the resistance of 15 Ohm and composite electrode consists of 5 % ruthenium oxide.« less

  1. Integration of Microchip Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection Using an Epoxy-Based Molding Method to Embed Multiple Electrode Materials

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Alicia S.; Selimovic, Asmira; Martin, R. Scott

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes the use of epoxy-encapsulated electrodes to integrate microchip-based electrophoresis with electrochemical detection. Devices with various electrode combinations can easily be developed. This includes a palladium decoupler with a downstream working electrode material of either gold, mercury/gold, platinum, glassy carbon, or a carbon fiber bundle. Additional device components such as the platinum wires for the electrophoresis separation and the counter electrode for detection can also be integrated into the epoxy base. The effect of the decoupler configuration was studied in terms of the separation performance, detector noise, and the ability to analyze samples of a high ionic strength. The ability of both glassy carbon and carbon fiber bundle electrodes to analyze a complex mixture was demonstrated. It was also shown that a PDMS-based valving microchip can be used along with the epoxy embedded electrodes to integrate microdialysis sampling with microchip electrophoresis and electrochemical detection, with the microdialysis tubing also being embedded in the epoxy substrate. This approach enables one to vary the detection electrode material as desired in a manner where the electrodes can be polished and modified in a similar fashion to electrochemical flow cells used in liquid chromatography. PMID:22038707

  2. Interconnecting Carbon Fibers with the In-situ Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene as Advanced Binder-free Electrode Materials for Flexible Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Zou, Yuqin; Wang, Shuangyin

    2015-07-07

    Flexible energy storage devices are highly demanded for various applications. Carbon cloth (CC) woven by carbon fibers (CFs) is typically used as electrode or current collector for flexible devices. The low surface area of CC and the presence of big gaps (ca. micro-size) between individual CFs lead to poor performance. Herein, we interconnect individual CFs through the in-situ exfoliated graphene with high surface area by the electrochemical intercalation method. The interconnected CFs are used as both current collector and electrode materials for flexible supercapacitors, in which the in-situ exfoliated graphene act as active materials and conductive "binders". The in-situ electrochemical intercalation technique ensures the low contact resistance between electrode (graphene) and current collector (carbon cloth) with enhanced conductivity. The as-prepared electrode materials show significantly improved performance for flexible supercapacitors.

  3. A novel carbon electrode material for highly improved EDLC performance.

    PubMed

    Fang, Baizeng; Binder, Leo

    2006-04-20

    Porous materials, developed by grafting functional groups through chemical surface modification with a surfactant, represent an innovative concept in energy storage. This work reports, in detail, the first practical realization of a novel carbon electrode based on grafting of vinyltrimethoxysilane (vtmos) functional group for energy storage in electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). Surface modification with surfactant vtmos enhances the hydrophobisation of activated carbon and the affinity toward propylene carbonate (PC) solvent, which improves the wettability of activated carbon in the electrolyte solution based on PC solvent, resulting in not only a lower resistance to the transport of electrolyte ions within micropores of activated carbon but also more usable surface area for the formation of electric double layer, and accordingly, higher specific capacitance, energy density, and power capability available from the capacitor based on modified carbon. Especially, the effects from surface modification become superior at higher discharge rate, at which much better EDLC performance (i.e., much higher energy density and power capability) has been achieved by the modified carbon, suggesting that the modified carbon is a novel and very promising electrode material of EDLC for large current applications where both high energy density and power capability are required.

  4. End-of-life Zn-MnO2 batteries: electrode materials characterization.

    PubMed

    Cabral, Marta; Pedrosa, F; Margarido, F; Nogueira, C A

    2013-01-01

    Physical and chemical characterization of several sizes and shapes of alkaline and saline spent Zn-MnO2 batteries was carried out, aiming at contributing for a better definition of the applicable recycling processes. The characterization essays included the mass balance of the components, cathode and anode elemental analysis, the identification of zinc and manganese bearing phases and the morphology analysis of the electrode particles. The electrode materials correspond to 64-79% of the total weigh of the batteries, with the cathodes having clearly the highest contribution (usually more than 50%). The steel components, mainly from the cases, are also important (17-30%). Elemental analysis showed that the electrodes are highly concentrated in zinc (from 48-87% in anodes) and manganese (from 35-50% in cathodes). X-Ray powder diffraction allowed for identifying several phases in the electrodes, namely zinc oxide, in the anodes of all the types of saline and alkaline batteries tested, while zinc hydroxide chloride and ammine zinc chloride only appear in some types of saline batteries. The manganese found in the cathode materials is present as two main phases, MnO x Mn2O3 and ZnO x Mn2O3, the latter corroborating that zinc migration from anode to cathode occurs during the batteries lifespan. A unreacted MnO2 phase was also found presenting a low crystalline level. Leaching trials with diluted HCI solutions of alkaline and saline battery samples showed that all zinc species are reactive attaining easily over than 90% leaching yields, and about 30% of manganese, present as Mn(II/III) forms. The MnO2 phase is less reactive and requires higher temperatures to achieve a more efficient solubilization.

  5. Nitrogen-doped porous graphitic carbon as an excellent electrode material for advanced supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Sun, Li; Tian, Chungui; Fu, Yu; Yang, Ying; Yin, Jie; Wang, Lei; Fu, Honggang

    2014-01-07

    An advanced supercapacitor material based on nitrogen-doped porous graphitic carbon (NPGC) with high a surface area was synthesized by means of a simple coordination-pyrolysis combination process, in which tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), nickel nitrate, and glucose were adopted as porogent, graphitic catalyst precursor, and carbon source, respectively. In addition, melamine was selected as a nitrogen source owing to its nitrogen-enriched structure and the strong interaction between the amine groups and the glucose unit. A low-temperature treatment resulted in the formation of a NPGC precursor by combination of the catalytic precursor, hydrolyzed TEOS, and the melamine-glucose unit. Following pyrolysis and removal of the catalyst and porogent, the NPGC material showed excellent electrical conductivity owing to its high crystallinity, a large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (SBET =1027 m(2)  g(-1) ), and a high nitrogen level (7.72 wt %). The unusual microstructure of NPGC materials could provide electrochemical energy storage. The NPGC material, without the need for any conductive additives, showed excellent capacitive behavior (293 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) ), long-term cycling stability, and high coulombic efficiency (>99.9 % over 5000 cycles) in KOH when used as an electrode. Notably, in a two-electrode symmetric supercapacitor, NPGC energy densities as high as 8.1 and 47.5 Wh kg(-1) , at a high power density (10.5 kW kg(-1) ), were achieved in 6 M KOH and 1 M Et4 NBF4 -PC electrolytes, respectively. Thus, the synthesized NPGC material could be a highly promising electrode material for advanced supercapacitors and other conversion devices. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Textile electrode characterization: dependencies in the skin-clothing-electrode interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macías, R.; Fernández, M.; Bragós, R.

    2013-04-01

    Given the advances in the technology known as smart textiles, the use of textile electrodes is more and more common. However this kind of electrodes presents some differences regarding the standard ones as the Ag-AgCl electrodes. Therefore to characterize them as best as possible is required. In order to make the characterization reproducible and repetitive, a skin dummy made of agar-agar and a standardized measurement set-up is used in this article. Thus, some dependencies in the skin-electrode interface are described. These dependencies are related to the surface of the textile electrode, the conductive material and the applied pressure. Furthermore, the dependencies on clothing in the skin-textile electrode interface are also analyzed. Thus, based on some parameters such as textile material, width and number of layers, the behavior of the interface made up by the skin, the textile electrode and clothing is depicted.

  7. Nanostructured Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Capacitor Applications

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Hojin; Yoon, Hyeonseok

    2015-01-01

    The advent of novel organic and inorganic nanomaterials in recent years, particularly nanostructured carbons, conducting polymers, and metal oxides, has enabled the fabrication of various energy devices with enhanced performance. In this paper, we review in detail different nanomaterials used in the fabrication of electrochemical capacitor electrodes and also give a brief overview of electric double-layer capacitors, pseudocapacitors, and hybrid capacitors. From a materials point of view, the latest trends in electrochemical capacitor research are also discussed through extensive analysis of the literature and by highlighting notable research examples (published mostly since 2013). Finally, a perspective on next-generation capacitor technology is also given, including the challenges that lie ahead. PMID:28347044

  8. An ion-selective electrode method for determination of chlorine in geological materials

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Aruscavage, P. J.; Campbell, E.Y.

    1983-01-01

    A method is presented for the determination of chlorine in geological materials, in which a chloride-selective ion electrode is used after decomposition of the sample with hydrofluoric acid and separation of chlorine in a gas-diffusion cell. Data are presented for 30 geological standard materials. The relative standard deviation of the method is estimated to be better than 8% for amounts of chloride of 10 ??g and greater. ?? 1983.

  9. Rubber-based carbon electrode materials derived from dumped tires for efficient sodium-ion storage.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhen-Yue; Ma, Chao; Bai, Yu-Lin; Liu, Yu-Si; Wang, Shi-Feng; Wei, Xiao; Wang, Kai-Xue; Chen, Jie-Sheng

    2018-04-03

    The development of sustainable and low cost electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries has attracted considerable attention. In this work, a carbon composite material decorated with in situ generated ZnS nanoparticles has been prepared via a simple pyrolysis of the rubber powder from dumped tires. Upon being used as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries, the carbon composite shows a high reversible capacity and rate capability. A capacity as high as 267 mA h g-1 is still retained after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g-1. The well dispersed ZnS nanoparticles in carbon significantly enhance the electrochemical performance. The carbon composites derived from the rubber powder are proposed as promising electrode materials for low-cost, large-scale energy storage devices. This work provides a new and effective method for the reuse of dumped tires, contributing to the recycling of valuable waste resources.

  10. Recent advancements in the cobalt oxides, manganese oxides and their composite as an electrode material for supercapacitor: a review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uke, Santosh J.; Akhare, Vijay P.; Bambole, Devidas R.; Bodade, Anjali B.; Chaudhari, Gajanan N.

    2017-08-01

    In this smart edge, there is an intense demand of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, smart watches etc. That demands the use of such components which has light weight, flexible, cheap and environmental friendly. So that needs an evolution in technology. Supercapacitors are energy storage devices emerging as one of the promising energy storage devices in the future energy technology. Electrode material is the important part of supercapacitor. There is much new advancement in types of electrode materials as for supercapacitor. In this review, we focused on the recent advancements in the cobalt oxides, manganese oxides and their composites as an electrodes material for supercapacitor.

  11. Hierarchical structured Sm2O3 modified CuO nanoflowers as electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xiaojuan; He, Mingqian; He, Ping; Liu, Hongtao; Bai, Hongmei; Chen, Jingchao; He, Shaoying; Zhang, Xingquan; Dong, Faqing; Chen, Yang

    2017-12-01

    By a simple and cost effective chemical precipitation-hydrothermal method, novel hierarchical structured Sm2O3 modified CuO nanoflowers are prepared and investigated as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The physical properties of prepared materials are characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, EDX and FTIR techniques. Furthermore, electrochemical performances of prepared materials are investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectrum in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte. The resulting Sm2O3 modified CuO based electrodes exhibit obviously enhanced capacitive properties owing to the unique nanostructures and strong synergistic effects. It is worth noting that the optimized SC-3 based electrode exhibits the best electrochemical performances in all prepared electrodes, including higher specific capacitance (383.4 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and good rate capability (393.2 F g-1 and 246.3 F g-1 at 0.3 A g-1 and 3.0 A g-1, respectively), as well as excellent cycling stability (84.6% capacitance retention after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g-1). The present results show that Sm2O3 is used as a promising modifier to change the morphology and improve electrochemical performances of CuO materials.

  12. Performance of lightweight nickel electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, Doris L.

    1988-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center is currently developing nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries. These electrodes are lighter in weight and have higher energy densities than the heavier state-of-the-art (SOA) sintered nickel electrodes. In the present approach, lightweight materials or plaques are used as conductive supports for the nickel hydroxide active material. These plaques (fiber and felt, nickel plated plastic and graphite) are commercial products that are fabricated into nickel electrodes by electrochemically impregnating them with active material. Evaluation is performed in half cells structured in the bipolar configuration. Initial performance tests include capacity measurements at five discharge levels, C/2, 1.0C 1.37C, 2.0C and 2.74C. The electrodes that pass the initial tests are life cycle tested in a low Earth orbit regime at 80 percent depth of discharge. Different formulations of nickel fiber materials obtained from several manufacturers are currently being tested as possible candidates for nickel electrodes. One particular lightweight fiber mat electrode has accumulated over 3000 cycles to date, with stable capacity and voltage. Life and performance data of this electrode were investigated and presented. Good dimensional stability and active material adherence have been demonstrated in electrodes made from this lightweight plaque.

  13. Novel synthesis of Ni-ferrite (NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) electrode material for supercapacitor applications

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

    Venkatachalam, V.; Jayavel, R., E-mail: rjvel@annauniv.edu

    Novel nanocrystalline NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} has been synthesized through combustion route using citric acid as a fuel. Phase of the synthesized material was analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction. The XRD study revealed the formation of spinel phase cubic NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} with high crystallinity. The average crystallite size of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanomaterial was calculated from scherrer equation. The electrochemical properties were realized by cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrode material shows a maximum specific capacitance of 454 F/g with pseudocapacitive behavior. High capacitance retention of electrode material over 1000 continuous charging-discharging cycles suggests its excellent electrochemicalmore » stability. The results revealed that the nickel ferrite electrode is a potential candidate for energy storage applications in supercapacitor.« less

  14. Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of Ni-B/ZIF-8 as electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Zhen; Gao, Yilong; Wu, Jianxiang; Zhang, Wei; Tan, Yueyue; Tang, Bohejin

    2016-09-01

    Ni-B/Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8 (Ni-B/ZIF-8) is synthesized via a series of solvothermal, incipient wetness impregnation and chemical reduction methods. The ZIF-8 serves as the host for the growth of Ni-B forming a Ni-B/ZIF-8 composite. Characterization by X-ray diffraction and Transmission electron microscope reveals the dispersion of Ni-B in ZIF-8. As electrode materials for supercapacitors, ZIF-8, Ni-B and Ni-B/ZIF-8 electrodes exhibit specific capacitances of 147, 563 and 866 F g-1, respectively at a scan rate of 5 mV s-1 and good stability over 500 cycles. In particular, Ni-B/ZIF-8 is a promising material for supercapacitors.

  15. Influence of carbon electrode material on energy recovery from winery wastewater using a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell.

    PubMed

    Penteado, Eduardo D; Fernandez-Marchante, Carmen M; Zaiat, Marcelo; Gonzalez, Ernesto R; Rodrigo, Manuel A

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this work was to evaluate three carbon materials as anodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), clarifying their influence on the generation of electricity and on the treatability of winery wastewater, a highly organic-loaded waste. The electrode materials tested were carbon felt, carbon cloth and carbon paper and they were used at the same time as anode and cathode in the tests. The MFC equipped with carbon felt reached the highest voltage and power (72 mV and 420 mW m -2 , respectively), while the lowest values were observed when carbon paper was used as electrode (0.2 mV and 8.37·10 -6  mW m -2 , respectively). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal from the wastewater was observed to depend on the electrode material, as well. When carbon felt was used, the MFC showed the highest average organic matter consumption rate (650 mg COD L -1  d -1 ), whereas by using carbon paper the rate decreased to 270 mg COD L -1  d -1 . Therefore, both electricity generation and organic matter removal are strongly related not to the chemical composition of the electrode (which was graphite carbon in the three electrodes), but to its surface features and, consequently, to the amount of biomass adhered to the electrode surface.

  16. Thin film lithium-based batteries and electrochromic devices fabricated with nanocomposite electrode materials

    DOEpatents

    Gillaspie, Dane T; Lee, Se-Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, John Roland

    2014-02-04

    Thin-film lithium-based batteries and electrochromic devices (10) are fabricated with positive electrodes (12) comprising a nanocomposite material composed of lithiated metal oxide nanoparticles (40) dispersed in a matrix composed of lithium tungsten oxide.

  17. Spectro-Electrochemical Examination of the Formation of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO and Methanol at Different Electrode Materials

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    In this work, we report a fundamental mechanistic study of the electrochemical oxidative carbonylation of methanol with CO for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate on metallic electrodes at low overpotentials. For the first time, the reaction was shown to take place on the metallic catalysts without need of oxidized metals or additives. Moreover, in-situ spectroelectrochemical techniques were applied to this electrosynthesis reaction in order to reveal the reaction intermediates and to shed light into the reaction mechanism. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy was used with different electrode materials (Au, Pd, Pt, and Ag) to assess the effect of the electrode material on the reaction and the dependence of products and intermediates on the applied potentials. It was observed that the dimethyl carbonate is only formed when the electrode is able to decompose/oxidize MeOH to form (adsorbed) methoxy groups that can further react with CO to dimethyl carbonate. Furthermore, the electrode needs to adsorb CO not too strongly; otherwise, further reaction will be inhibited because of surface poisoning by CO. PMID:28929754

  18. Development and characterization of a rechargeable carbon foam electrode containing nickel oxyhydroxide active mass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chye, Matthew B.

    2011-12-01

    Batteries and asymmetric electrochemical capacitors using nickel-based positive electrodes can provide high currents due to their defect structure and low internal resistance. Nickel-based positive electrodes, therefore, are ideal for high current applications such as power tools and electric vehicles (EVs). The positive electrodes prepared in this research are monolithic graphitic foams electrochemically impregnated with nickel oxyhydroxide active mass and select additives that enhance electrode performance. Carbon foam is a good current collector due to its light-weight, porous, and graphitic nature, which give its good electrical properties and the ability to be used as a current collector. Replacing sintered nickel current collectors in nickel-based batteries with a low cost, readily available material, carbon foam, can reduce the mass of a rechargeable battery. The goal of this research has been to contribute to fundamental science through better understanding of optimizing the deposition and formation processes of the active mass onto carbon foams as well as investigating the active mass behavior under deposition, formation, and cycling conditions. Flooded cells and a PFA sealed asymmetric capacitor have been used. The effects of carbon foam surface pretreatments and how they affect the active material/carbon foam performance are demonstrated. Also the feasibility of this positive electrode as a component in nickel-based batteries, a Ni-Zn cells and an asymmetric capacitor pouch cell, is demonstrated.

  19. Is Cu a stable electrode material in hybrid perovskite solar cells for a 30-year lifetime?

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Jingjing; Zheng, Xiaopeng; Deng, Yehao; ...

    2016-10-28

    One grand challenge for long-lived perovskite solar cells is that the common electrode materials in solar cells, such as silver and aluminum or even gold, strongly react with hybrid perovskites. Here we report the evaluation of the potential of copper (Cu) as the electrode material in perovskite solar cells for long-term stability. In encapsulated devices which limit exposure to oxygen and moisture, Cu in direct contact with CH 3NH 3PbI 3 showed no reaction at laboratory time scales, and is predicted to be stable for almost 170 years at room temperature and over 22 years at the nominal operating cellmore » temperature of 40 °C. No diffusion of Cu into CH 3NH 3PbI 3 has been observed after thermal annealing for over 100 hours at 80 °C, nor does Cu cause charge trap states in direct contact with CH 3NH 3PbI 3 after long-term thermal annealing or illumination. High performance devices with efficiency above 20% with Cu electrode retains 98% of the initial efficiency after 816 hours storage in ambient environment without encapsulation. Finally, the results indicate Cu is a promising low-cost electrode material for perovskite solar cells for long-term operation.« less

  20. Positive Active Material For Alkaline Electrolyte Storage Battert Nickel Electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Bernard, Patrick; Baudry, Michelle

    2000-12-05

    A method of manufacturing a positive active material for nickel electrodes of alkaline storage batteries which consists of particles of hydroxide containing mainly nickel and covered with a layer of a hydroxide phase based on nickel and yttrium is disclosed. The proportion of the hydroxide phase is in the range 0.15% to 3% by weight of yttrium expressed as yttrium hydroxide relative to the total weight of particles.

  1. Niobium Nitride Nb4N5 as a New High-Performance Electrode Material for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Cui, Houlei; Zhu, Guilian; Liu, Xiangye; Liu, Fengxin; Xie, Yian; Yang, Chongyin; Lin, Tianquan; Gu, Hui; Huang, Fuqiang

    2015-12-01

    Supercapacitors suffer either from low capacitance for carbon or derivate electrodes or from poor electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability for metal oxide or conducting polymer electrodes. Transition metal nitrides possess fair electrical conductivity but superior chemical stability, which may be desirable candidates for supercapacitors. Herein, niobium nitride, Nb 4 N 5 , is explored to be an excellent capacitive material for the first time. An areal capacitance of 225.8 mF cm -2 , with a reasonable rate capability (60.8% retention from 0.5 to 10 mA cm -2 ) and cycling stability (70.9% retention after 2000 cycles), is achieved in Nb 4 N 5 nanochannels electrode with prominent electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity. Faradaic pseudocapacitance is confirmed by the mechanistic studies, deriving from the proton incorporation/chemisorption reaction owing to the copious +5 valence Nb ions in Nb 4 N 5 . Moreover, this Nb 4 N 5 nanochannels electrode with an ultrathin carbon coating exhibits nearly 100% capacitance retention after 2000 CV cycles, which is an excellent cycling stability for metal nitride materials. Thus, the Nb 4 N 5 nanochannels are qualified for a candidate for supercapacitors and other energy storage applications.

  2. Niobium Nitride Nb4N5 as a New High‐Performance Electrode Material for Supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Cui, Houlei; Zhu, Guilian; Liu, Xiangye; Liu, Fengxin; Xie, Yian; Yang, Chongyin; Lin, Tianquan; Gu, Hui

    2015-01-01

    Supercapacitors suffer either from low capacitance for carbon or derivate electrodes or from poor electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability for metal oxide or conducting polymer electrodes. Transition metal nitrides possess fair electrical conductivity but superior chemical stability, which may be desirable candidates for supercapacitors. Herein, niobium nitride, Nb4N5, is explored to be an excellent capacitive material for the first time. An areal capacitance of 225.8 mF cm−2, with a reasonable rate capability (60.8% retention from 0.5 to 10 mA cm−2) and cycling stability (70.9% retention after 2000 cycles), is achieved in Nb4N5 nanochannels electrode with prominent electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity. Faradaic pseudocapacitance is confirmed by the mechanistic studies, deriving from the proton incorporation/chemisorption reaction owing to the copious +5 valence Nb ions in Nb4N5. Moreover, this Nb4N5 nanochannels electrode with an ultrathin carbon coating exhibits nearly 100% capacitance retention after 2000 CV cycles, which is an excellent cycling stability for metal nitride materials. Thus, the Nb4N5 nanochannels are qualified for a candidate for supercapacitors and other energy storage applications. PMID:27980920

  3. An instrumental electrode model for solving EIT forward problems.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Weida; Li, David

    2014-10-01

    An instrumental electrode model (IEM) capable of describing the performance of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) systems in the MHz frequency range has been proposed. Compared with the commonly used Complete Electrode Model (CEM), which assumes ideal front-end interfaces, the proposed model considers the effects of non-ideal components in the front-end circuits. This introduces an extra boundary condition in the forward model and offers a more accurate modelling for EIT systems. We have demonstrated its performance using simple geometry structures and compared the results with the CEM and full Maxwell methods. The IEM can provide a significantly more accurate approximation than the CEM in the MHz frequency range, where the full Maxwell methods are favoured over the quasi-static approximation. The improved electrode model will facilitate the future characterization and front-end design of real-world EIT systems.

  4. Electro-optic device with gap-coupled electrode

    DOEpatents

    Deri, Robert J.; Rhodes, Mark A.; Bayramian, Andrew J.; Caird, John A.; Henesian, Mark A.; Ebbers, Christopher A.

    2013-08-20

    An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic crystal having a predetermined thickness, a first face and a second face. The electro-optic device also includes a first electrode substrate disposed opposing the first face. The first electrode substrate includes a first substrate material having a first thickness and a first electrode coating coupled to the first substrate material. The electro-optic device further includes a second electrode substrate disposed opposing the second face. The second electrode substrate includes a second substrate material having a second thickness and a second electrode coating coupled to the second substrate material. The electro-optic device additionally includes a voltage source electrically coupled to the first electrode coating and the second electrode coating.

  5. Graphene oxide-mediated electrochemistry of glucose oxidase on glassy carbon electrodes.

    PubMed

    Castrignanò, Silvia; Valetti, Francesca; Gilardi, Gianfranco; Sadeghi, Sheila J

    2016-01-01

    Glucose oxidase (GOD) was immobilized on glassy carbon electrodes in the presence of graphene oxide (GO) as a model system for the interaction between GO and biological molecules. Lyotropic properties of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) were used to stabilize the enzymatic layer on the electrode surface resulting in a markedly improved electrochemical response of the immobilized GOD. Transmission electron microscopy images of the GO with DDAB confirmed the distribution of the GO in a two-dimensional manner as a foil-like material. Although it is known that glassy carbon surfaces are not ideal for hydrogen peroxide detection, successful chronoamperometric titrations of the GOD in the presence of GO with β-d-glucose were performed on glassy carbon electrodes, whereas no current response was detected upon β-d-glucose addition in the absence of GO. The GOD-DDAB-GO system displayed a high turnover efficiency and substrate affinity as a glucose biosensor. The simplicity and ease of the electrode preparation procedure of this GO/DDAB system make it a good candidate for immobilizing other biomolecules for fabrication of amperometric biosensors. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  6. Operando XRD studies as a tool for determination of transport parameters of mobile ions in electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kondracki, Łukasz; Kulka, Andrzej; Świerczek, Konrad; Ziąbka, Magdalena; Molenda, Janina

    2017-11-01

    In this work a detailed operando XRD investigations of structural properties of LixMn2O4 manganese spinel are shown to be a complementary, successful method of determination of diffusion coefficient D and surface exchange coefficient k in the working electrode. Kinetics of lithium ions transport are estimated on the basis of rate of structural changes of the cathode material during a relaxation stage after a high current charge, i.e. during structural relaxation of the material. The presented approach seems to be applicable as a complementary method of determination of transport coefficients for all intercalation-type electrode materials.

  7. Materials for Nonlinear Optics Chemical Perspectives

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-01-01

    formation of these polarized states has been referred to in terms of " viru transitions". The polarization behavior can be written in terms of the...MATERIALS FOR NONUNEAR OPTICS: CHEMICAL PERSPECTIVES also be corona -poled. Either way, the films are ideally suited for guided wave applications. With...electrodes, or a corona charging station, similar to that used in electrophotographic copiers, can be used to apply charged particles to the insulating

  8. Controlled porosity in electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Chiang, Yet-Ming; Bae, Chang-Jun; Halloran, John William; Fu, Qiang; Tomsia, Antoni P.; Erdonmez, Can K.

    2015-06-23

    Porous electrodes in which the porosity has a low tortuosity are generally provided. In some embodiments, the porous electrodes can be designed to be filled with electrolyte and used in batteries, and can include low tortuosity in the primary direction of ion transport during charge and discharge of the battery. In some embodiments, the electrodes can have a high volume fraction of electrode active material (i.e., low porosity). The attributes outlined above can allow the electrodes to be fabricated with a higher energy density, higher capacity per unit area of electrode (mAh/cm.sup.2), and greater thickness than comparable electrodes while still providing high utilization of the active material in the battery during use. Accordingly, the electrodes can be used to produce batteries with high energy densities, high power, or both compared to batteries using electrodes of conventional design with relatively highly tortuous pores.

  9. Synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofibers as an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Li-Feng; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Liang, Hai-Wei; Kong, Mingguang; Guan, Qing-Fang; Chen, Ping; Wu, Zhen-Yu; Yu, Shu-Hong

    2012-08-28

    Supercapacitors (also known as ultracapacitors) are considered to be the most promising approach to meet the pressing requirements of energy storage. Supercapacitive electrode materials, which are closely related to the high-efficiency storage of energy, have provoked more interest. Herein, we present a high-capacity supercapacitor material based on the nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofibers synthesized by carbonization of macroscopic-scale carbonaceous nanofibers (CNFs) coated with polypyrrole (CNFs@polypyrrole) at an appropriate temperature. The composite nanofibers exhibit a reversible specific capacitance of 202.0 F g(-1) at the current density of 1.0 A g(-1) in 6.0 mol L(-1) aqueous KOH electrolyte, meanwhile maintaining a high-class capacitance retention capability and a maximum power density of 89.57 kW kg(-1). This kind of nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber represents an alternative promising candidate for an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

  10. Graphene-Wrapped Ni(OH)2 Hollow Spheres as Novel Electrode Material for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Sun, Jinfeng; Wang, Jinqing; Li, Zhangpeng; Ou, Junfei; Niu, Lengyuan; Wang, Honggang; Yang, Shengrong

    2015-09-01

    Graphene-wrapped Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres were prepared via electrostatic interaction between poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) modified Ni(OH)2 and graphene oxide (GO) in an aqueous dispersion, followed by the reduction of GO. Morphological and structural analysis by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the successful coating of graphene on Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres with a content of 3.8 wt%. And then its application as electrode material for supercapacitor has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. Results show that the sample displays a high capacitance of 1368 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), much better than that of pure Ni(OH)2, illustrating that such composite is a promising candidate as electrode material for supercapacitors.

  11. High valence transition metal doped strontium ferrites for electrode materials in symmetrical SOFCs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernández-Ropero, A. J.; Porras-Vázquez, J. M.; Cabeza, A.; Slater, P. R.; Marrero-López, D.; Losilla, E. R.

    2014-03-01

    In this paper we report the successful incorporation of high valence transition metals, i.e. Cr, Mo, W, V, Nb, Ti, Zr into SrFeO3-δ perovskite materials, for potential applications as symmetric electrode materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. It is observed that the doping leads to a change from an orthorhombic structure (with partial ordering of oxygen vacancies) to a cubic one (with the oxygen vacancies disordered). These electrodes are chemically compatibles with Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO) and La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) electrolytes at least up to 1100 °C. Thermal annealing experiments in 5% H2-Ar at 800 °C also show the stability of the doped samples in reducing conditions, suggesting that they may be suitable for both cathode and anode applications. In contrast, reduction of undoped SrFeO3-δ leads to the observation of extra peaks indicating the formation of the brownmillerite structure with the associated oxygen vacancy ordering. The performance of these electrodes was examined on dense electrolyte pellets of CGO and LSGM in air and 5% H2-Ar. In both atmospheres an improvement in the area specific resistances (ASR) values is observed for the doped samples with respect to the parent compound. Thus, the results show that high valence transition metals can be incorporated into SrFeO3-δ-based materials and can have a beneficial effect on the electrochemical performance, making them potentially suitable for use as cathode and anode materials in symmetrical SOFC.

  12. Recent Advances in Polymeric Materials Used as Electron Mediators and Immobilizing Matrices in Developing Enzyme Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Moyo, Mambo; Okonkwo, Jonathan O.; Agyei, Nana M.

    2012-01-01

    Different classes of polymeric materials such as nanomaterials, sol-gel materials, conducting polymers, functional polymers and biomaterials have been used in the design of sensors and biosensors. Various methods have been used, for example from direct adsorption, covalent bonding, crossing-linking with glutaraldehyde on composites to mixing the enzymes or use of functionalized beads for the design of sensors and biosensors using these polymeric materials in recent years. It is widely acknowledged that analytical sensing at electrodes modified with polymeric materials results in low detection limits, high sensitivities, lower applied potential, good stability, efficient electron transfer and easier immobilization of enzymes on electrodes such that sensing and biosensing of environmental pollutants is made easier. However, there are a number of challenges to be addressed in order to fulfill the applications of polymeric based polymers such as cost and shortening the long laboratory synthetic pathways involved in sensor preparation. Furthermore, the toxicological effects on flora and fauna of some of these polymeric materials have not been well studied. Given these disadvantages, efforts are now geared towards introducing low cost biomaterials that can serve as alternatives for the development of novel electrochemical sensors and biosensors. This review highlights recent contributions in the development of the electrochemical sensors and biosensors based on different polymeric material. The synergistic action of some of these polymeric materials and nanocomposites imposed when combined on electrode during sensing is discussed. PMID:22368503

  13. Few-layer MoS2-anchored graphene aerogel paper for free-standing electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Lee, Wee Siang Vincent; Peng, Erwin; Loh, Tamie Ai Jia; Huang, Xiaolei; Xue, Jun Min

    2016-04-21

    To reduce the reliance on polymeric binders, conductive additives, and metallic current collectors during the electrode preparation process, as well as to assess the true performance of lithium ion battery (LIB) anodes, a free-standing electrode has to be meticulously designed. Graphene aerogel is a popular scaffolding material that has been widely used with embedded nanoparticles for application in LIB anodes. However, the current graphene aerogel/nanoparticle composite systems still involve decomposition into powder and the addition of additives during electrode preparation because of the thick aerogel structure. To further enhance the capacity of the system, MoS2 was anchored onto a graphene aerogel paper and the composite was used directly as an LIB anode. The resultant additive-free MoS2/graphene aerogel paper composite exhibited long cyclic performance with 101.1% retention after 700 cycles, which demonstrates the importance of free-standing electrodes in enhancing cyclic stability.

  14. The preparation and performance of calcium carbide-derived carbon/polyaniline composite electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Liping; Wang, Ying; Wang, Xianyou; Li, Na; An, Hongfang; Chen, Huajie; Guo, Jia

    Calcium carbide (CaC 2)-derived carbon (CCDC)/polyaniline (PANI) composite materials are prepared by in situ chemical oxidation polymerization of an aniline solution containing well-dispersed CCDC. The structure and morphology of CCDC/PANI composite are characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N 2 sorption isotherms. It has been found that PANI was uniformly deposited on the surface and the inner pores of CCDC. The supercapacitive behaviors of the CCDC/PANI composite materials are investigated with cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge and cycle life measurements. The results show that the CCDC/PANI composite electrodes have higher specific capacitances than the as grown CCDC electrodes and higher stability than the conducting polymers. The capacitance of CCDC/PANI composite electrode is as high as 713.4 F g -1 measured by cyclic voltammetry at 1 mV s -1. Besides, the capacitance retention of coin supercapacitor remained 80.1% after 1000 cycles.

  15. Chitin based heteroatom-doped porous carbon as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jie; Bao, Li; Wu, Shengji; Yang, Wei; Wang, Hui

    2017-10-01

    Chitin biomass has received much attention as an amino-functional polysaccharide precursor for synthesis of carbon materials. Rich nitrogen and oxygen dual-doped porous carbon derived from cicada slough (CS), a renewable biomass mainly composed of chitin, was synthesized and employed as electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors, for the first time ever. The cicada slough-derived carbon (CSC) was prepared by a facile process via pre-carbonization in air, followed by KOH activation. The weight ratio of KOH and char plays an important role in fabricating the microporous structure and tuning the surface chemistry of CSC. The obtained CSC had a large specific surface area (1243-2217m 2 g -1 ), fairly high oxygen content (28.95-33.78 at%) and moderate nitrogen content (1.47-4.35 at%). The electrochemical performance of the CS char and CSC as electrodes for capacitors was evaluated in a three-electrode cell configuration with 6M KOH as the electrolyte. Electrochemical studies showed that the as-prepared CSC activated at the KOH-to-char weight ratio of 2 exhibited the highest specific capacitance (266.5Fg -1 at a current density of 0.5Ag -1 ) and excellent rate capability (196.2Fg -1 remained at 20Ag -1 ) and cycle durability. In addition, the CSC-2-based symmetrical device possessed the desirable energy density and power density of about 15.97Whkg -1 and 5000Wkg -1 at 5Ag -1 , respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Polymer-metal hybrid transparent electrodes for flexible electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Hongkyu; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Kwanghee

    2015-03-01

    Despite nearly two decades of research, the absence of ideal flexible and transparent electrodes has been the largest obstacle in realizing flexible and printable electronics for future technologies. Here we report the fabrication of ‘polymer-metal hybrid electrodes’ with high-performance properties, including a bending radius <1 mm, a visible-range transmittance>95% and a sheet resistance <10 Ω sq-1. These features arise from a surface modification of the plastic substrates using an amine-containing nonconjugated polyelectrolyte, which provides ideal metal-nucleation sites with a surface-density on the atomic scale, in combination with the successive deposition of a facile anti-reflective coating using a conducting polymer. The hybrid electrodes are fully functional as universal electrodes for high-end flexible electronic applications, such as polymer solar cells that exhibit a high power conversion efficiency of 10% and polymer light-emitting diodes that can outperform those based on transparent conducting oxides.

  17. Polymer-metal hybrid transparent electrodes for flexible electronics

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hongkyu; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Kwanghee

    2015-01-01

    Despite nearly two decades of research, the absence of ideal flexible and transparent electrodes has been the largest obstacle in realizing flexible and printable electronics for future technologies. Here we report the fabrication of ‘polymer-metal hybrid electrodes’ with high-performance properties, including a bending radius <1 mm, a visible-range transmittance>95% and a sheet resistance <10 Ω sq−1. These features arise from a surface modification of the plastic substrates using an amine-containing nonconjugated polyelectrolyte, which provides ideal metal-nucleation sites with a surface-density on the atomic scale, in combination with the successive deposition of a facile anti-reflective coating using a conducting polymer. The hybrid electrodes are fully functional as universal electrodes for high-end flexible electronic applications, such as polymer solar cells that exhibit a high power conversion efficiency of 10% and polymer light-emitting diodes that can outperform those based on transparent conducting oxides. PMID:25790133

  18. Bioelectricity generation in continuously-fed microbial fuel cell: effects of anode electrode material and hydraulic retention time.

    PubMed

    Akman, Dilek; Cirik, Kevser; Ozdemir, Sebnem; Ozkaya, Bestamin; Cinar, Ozer

    2013-12-01

    The main aim of this study is to investigate the bioelectricity production in continuously-fed dual chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC). Initially, MFC was operated with different anode electrode material at constant hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2d to evaluate the effect of electrode material on electricity production. Pt electrode yielded about 642 mW/m(2) power density, which was 4 times higher than that of the MFC with the mixed metal oxide titanium (Ti-TiO2). Further, MFC equipped with Pt electrode was operated at varying HRT (2-0.5d). The power density generation increased with decreasing HRT, corresponding to 1313 mW/m(2) which was maximum value obtained during this study. Additionally, decreasing HRT from 2 to 0.5d resulted in increasing effluent dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration from 1.92 g/L to 2.23 g/L, corresponding to DOC removal efficiencies of 46% and 38%, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Evaluating biomass-derived hierarchically porous carbon as the positive electrode material for hybrid Na-ion capacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jizhang; Zhou, Xiaoyan; Mei, Changtong; Xu, Junling; Zhou, Shuang; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2017-02-01

    As a promising renewable resource, biomass has several advantages such as wide availability, low cost, and versatility. In this study, we use peanut shell, wheat straw, rice straw, corn stalk, cotton stalk, and soybean stalk as the precursors to synthesize hierarchically porous carbon as the positive electrode material for hybrid Na-ion capacitors, aiming to establish a criterion of choosing suitable biomass precursors. The carbon derived from wood-like cotton stalk has abundant interconnected macropores, high surface area of 1994 m2 g-1, and large pore volume of 1.107 cm3 g-1, thanks to which it exhibits high reversible capacitance of 160.5 F g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 and great rate capability, along with excellent cyclability. The carbonaceous positive electrode material is combined with a Na2Ti2.97Nb0.03O7 negative electrode material to assemble a hybrid Na-ion capacitor, which delivers a high specific energy of 169.4 Wh kg-1 at 120.5 W kg-1, ranking among the best-performed hybrid ion capacitors.

  20. Nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xianluo; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Mei, Yueni; Huang, Yunhui

    2015-04-21

    The development of advanced energy storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. Nanostructured materials are advantageous in offering huge surface to volume ratios, favorable transport features, and attractive physicochemical properties. They have been extensively explored in various fields of energy storage and conversion. This review is focused largely on the recent progress in nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials including molybdenum oxides (MoO(x), 2 ≤ x ≤ 3), dichalconides (MoX2, X = S, Se), and oxysalts for rechargeable lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and supercapacitors. Mo-based compounds including MoO2, MoO3, MoO(3-y) (0 < y < 1), MMo(x)O(y) (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ca, Mn, Zn, Mg, or Cd; x = 1, y = 4; x = 3, y = 8), MoS2, MoSe2, (MoO2)2P2O7, LiMoO2, Li2MoO3, etc. possess multiple valence states and exhibit rich chemistry. They are very attractive candidates for efficient electrochemical energy storage systems because of their unique physicochemical properties, such as conductivity, mechanical and thermal stability, and cyclability. In this review, we aim to provide a systematic summary of the synthesis, modification, and electrochemical performance of nanostructured Mo-based compounds, as well as their energy storage applications in lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and pseudocapacitors. The relationship between nanoarchitectures and electrochemical performances as well as the related charge-storage mechanism is discussed. Moreover, remarks on the challenges and perspectives of Mo-containing compounds for further development in electrochemical energy storage applications are proposed. This review sheds light on the sustainable development of advanced rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors with nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials.

  1. A hierarchical porous electrode using a micron-sized honeycomb-like carbon material for high capacity lithium-oxygen batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jing; Zhang, Huamin; Zhang, Yining; Wang, Meiri; Zhang, Fengxiang; Nie, Hongjiao

    2013-05-01

    A micron-sized honeycomb-like carbon material (MHC) is prepared in a facile way using nano-CaCO3 as a hard template. A novel electrode for lithium-oxygen batteries is fabricated and displays a superior discharge capacity as high as 5862 mA h g-1. The higher electrode space utilization is attributed to its hierarchical pore structure, with intrinsic mesopores in the MHC particles for Li2O2 depositions and macropores among them for oxygen transport.A micron-sized honeycomb-like carbon material (MHC) is prepared in a facile way using nano-CaCO3 as a hard template. A novel electrode for lithium-oxygen batteries is fabricated and displays a superior discharge capacity as high as 5862 mA h g-1. The higher electrode space utilization is attributed to its hierarchical pore structure, with intrinsic mesopores in the MHC particles for Li2O2 depositions and macropores among them for oxygen transport. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis of the MHC material. Cathode preparation. Material characterization. Assembly of Li-O2 battery cells and performance evaluation. SEM image of the CaCO3-sucrose composite before carbonization. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00337j

  2. Calcium phosphates deposited on titanium electrode surface--part 1: Effect of the electrode polarity and oxide film on the deposited materials.

    PubMed

    Okawa, Seigo; Watanabe, Kouichi; Kanatani, Mitsugu

    2013-01-01

    We report experimental results about the effect of polarity of electrode and anodized titanium oxide film on the deposited materials by electrolysis of an acidic calcium phosphate solution. Mirror-polished titanium and anodized titanium were used as anode or cathode, and a Pt plate was used as a counter electrode. The load voltage was held constant at 20 VDC. No deposited materials were found on the anode surface. On the other hand, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) was deposited on the cathode surface at the beginning of the electrolysis. After the electrolysis time 600 s, the non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAp) with several hundred nanometers was formed on the specimen surface. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data, the anodized oxide film contained both P(5+) and P(3+) ions. This characteristic of the oxide film and the electrolysis conditions were related to the behavior of the deposition of ultra fine HAp with high crystallinity.

  3. HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRODES

    DOEpatents

    Murray, J.J.

    1963-04-23

    S>This patent relates to electrode structure for creating an intense direct current electric field which may have a field strength of the order of two to three times that heretofore obtained, with automatic suppression of arcing. The positive electrode is a conventional conductive material such as copper while the negative electrode is made from a special material having a resistivity greater than that of good conductors and less than that of good insulators. When an incipient arc occurs, the moderate resistivity of the negative electrode causes a momentary, localized decrease in the electric field intensity, thus suppressing the flow of electrons and avoiding arcing. Heated glass may be utilized for the negative electrode, since it provides the desired combination of resistivity, capacity, dielectric strength, mechani-cal strength, and thermal stability. (AEC)

  4. Highly Flexible Freestanding Porous Carbon Nanofibers for Electrodes Materials of High-Performance All-Carbon Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ying; Zhou, Jinyuan; Chen, Lulu; Zhang, Peng; Fu, Wenbin; Zhao, Hao; Ma, Yufang; Pan, Xiaojun; Zhang, Zhenxing; Han, Weihua; Xie, Erqing

    2015-10-28

    Highly flexible porous carbon nanofibers (P-CNFs) were fabricated by electrospining technique combining with metal ion-assistant acid corrosion process. The resultant fibers display high conductivity and outstanding mechanical flexibility, whereas little change in their resistance can be observed under repeatedly bending, even to 180°. Further results indicate that the improved flexibility of P-CNFs can be due to the high graphitization degree caused by Co ions. In view of electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors, this type of porous nanostructure and high graphitization degree could synergistically facilitate the electrolyte ion diffusion and electron transportation. In the three electrodes testing system, the resultant P-CNFs electrodes can exhibit a specific capacitance of 104.5 F g(-1) (0.2 A g(-1)), high rate capability (remain 56.5% at 10 A g(-1)), and capacitance retention of ∼94% after 2000 cycles. Furthermore, the assembled symmetric supercapacitors showed a high flexibility and can deliver an energy density of 3.22 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 600 W kg(-1). This work might open a way to improve the mechanical properties of carbon fibers and suggests that this type of freestanding P-CNFs be used as effective electrode materials for flexible all-carbon supercapacitors.

  5. Few-layered CoHPO4 · 3H2O ultrathin nanosheets for high performance of electrode materials for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Pang, Huan; Wang, Shaomei; Shao, Weifang; Zhao, Shanshan; Yan, Bo; Li, Xinran; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Du, Weimin

    2013-07-07

    Ultrathin cobalt phosphate (CoHPO4 · 3H2O) nanosheets are successfully synthesized by a one pot hydrothermal method. Novel CoHPO4 · 3H2O ultrathin nanosheets are assembled for constructing the electrodes of supercapacitors. Benefiting from the nanostructures, the as-prepared electrode shows a specific capacitance of 413 F g(-1), and no obvious decay even after 3000 charge-discharge cycles. Such a quasi-two-dimensional material is a new kind of supercapacitor electrode material with high performance.

  6. Electrode pattern design for GaAs betavoltaic batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haiyang, Chen; Jianhua, Yin; Darang, Li

    2011-08-01

    The sensitivities of betavoltaic batteries and photovoltaic batteries to series and parallel resistance are studied. Based on the study, an electrode pattern design principle of GaAs betavoltaic batteries is proposed. GaAs PIN junctions with and without the proposed electrode pattern are fabricated and measured under the illumination of 63Ni. Results show that the proposed electrode can reduce the backscattering and shadowing for the beta particles from 63Ni to increase the GaAs betavoltaic battery short circuit currents effectively but has little impact on the fill factors and ideal factors.

  7. Porous nickel hydroxide-manganese dioxide-reduced graphene oxide ternary hybrid spheres as excellent supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hao; Zhou, Shuxue; Wu, Limin

    2014-06-11

    This paper reports the first nickel hydroxide-manganese dioxide-reduced graphene oxide (Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO) ternary hybrid sphere powders as supercapacitor electrode materials. Due to the abundant porous nanostructure, relatively high specific surface area, well-defined spherical morphology, and the synergetic effect of Ni(OH)2, MnO2, and RGO, the electrodes with the as-obtained Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO ternary hybrid spheres as active materials exhibited significantly enhanced specific capacitance (1985 F·g(-1)) and energy density (54.0 Wh·kg(-1)), based on the total mass of active materials. In addition, the Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO hybrid spheres-based asymmetric supercapacitor also showed satisfying energy density and electrochemical cycling stability.

  8. Composite electrode for use in electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Vanderborgh, N.E.; Huff, J.R.; Leddy, J.

    1987-10-16

    A porous composite electrode for use in electrochemical cells. The electrode has a first face and a second face defining a relatively thin section therebetween. The electrode is comprised of an ion conducting material, an electron conducting material, and an electrocatalyst. The volume concentration of the ion conducting material is greatest at the first face and is decreased across the section, while the volume concentration of the electron conducting material is greatest at the second face and decreases across the section of the electrode. Substantially all of the electrocatalyst is positioned within the electrode section in a relatively narrow zone where the rate of electron transport of the electrode is approximately equal to the rate of ion transport of the electrode. 4 figs., 1 tab.

  9. Composite electrode for use in electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Vanderborgh, Nicholas E.; Huff, James R.; Leddy, Johna

    1989-01-01

    A porous composite electrode for use in electrochemical cells. The electrode has a first face and a second face defining a relatively thin section therebetween. The electrode is comprised of an ion conducting material, an electron conducting material, and an electrocatalyst. The volume concentration of the ion conducting material is greatest at the first face and is decreased across the section, while the volume concentration of the electron conducting material is greatest at the second face and decreases across the section of the electrode. Substantially all of the electrocatalyst is positioned within the electrode section in a relatively narrow zone where the rate of electron transport of the electrode is approximately equal to the rate of ion transport of the electrode.

  10. Comparative study of graphene and its derivative materials as an electrode in OLEDs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srivastava, Anshika; Kumar, Brijesh

    2018-04-01

    In current scenario, the organic materials have given a revolutionary evolution in the electronics industry. As, the organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have almost replaced the conventional technologies due to the use of organic based materials. However, the next generations OLEDs are intensively desired nowadays for high definition display technology. There are various concern involved in the successful design of OLEDs. Electrodes are one of the electrical conductors, which play a vital role in the construction of OLEDs. The performance of OLED is majorly affected by the material used for electrodes. Due to the requirement of transparent, flexible and inexpensive anodes in bottom emissive OLEDs, ITO was replaced by graphene material. Graphene is a single layer 2-dimensional transparent carbon allotrope which showed prodigious potential to escalate the device performance. Although graphene demonstrated impressive characteristics in various applications, it showed unfavorable work function for many other devices. Thus, derivative materials of graphene such as graphene oxide, graphane and β - graphdiyne were synthesized by several researchers. By comparing graphene and its derivatives as an anode of OLEDs, it has been found that graphene oxide showed the preeminent performance among all. In this paper, all the comparisons are investigated by using a standard device constructed by piling layers of anode/ m_MTDATA/ NPB/ Alq3: QAD/ Alq3/ cathode in TCAD ATLAS device simulator.

  11. Coated carbon nanotube array electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Ren, Zhifeng; Wen, Jian; Chen, Jinghua; Huang, Zhongping; Wang, Dezhi

    2006-12-12

    The present invention provides conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode materials comprising aligned CNT substrates coated with an electrically conducting polymer, and the fabrication of electrodes for use in high performance electrical energy storage devices. In particular, the present invention provides conductive CNTs electrode material whose electrical properties render them especially suitable for use in high efficiency rechargeable batteries. The present invention also provides methods for obtaining surface modified conductive CNT electrode materials comprising an array of individual linear, aligned CNTs having a uniform surface coating of an electrically conductive polymer such as polypyrrole, and their use in electrical energy storage devices.

  12. Coated carbon nanotube array electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Ren, Zhifeng [Newton, MA; Wen, Jian [Newton, MA; Chen, Jinghua [Chestnut Hill, MA; Huang, Zhongping [Belmont, MA; Wang, Dezhi [Wellesley, MA

    2008-10-28

    The present invention provides conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode materials comprising aligned CNT substrates coated with an electrically conducting polymer, and the fabrication of electrodes for use in high performance electrical energy storage devices. In particular, the present invention provides conductive CNTs electrode material whose electrical properties render them especially suitable for use in high efficiency rechargeable batteries. The present invention also provides methods for obtaining surface modified conductive CNT electrode materials comprising an array of individual linear, aligned CNTs having a uniform surface coating of an electrically conductive polymer such as polypyrrole, and their use in electrical energy storage devices.

  13. Fabricating solid carbon porous electrodes from powders

    DOEpatents

    Kaschmitter, James L.; Tran, Tri D.; Feikert, John H.; Mayer, Steven T.

    1997-01-01

    Fabrication of conductive solid porous carbon electrodes for use in batteries, double layer capacitors, fuel cells, capacitive dionization, and waste treatment. Electrodes fabricated from low surface area (<50 m.sup.2 /gm) graphite and cokes exhibit excellent reversible lithium intercalation characteristics, making them ideal for use as anodes in high voltage lithium insertion (lithium-ion) batteries. Electrodes having a higher surface area, fabricated from powdered carbon blacks, such as carbon aerogel powder, carbon aerogel microspheres, activated carbons, etc. yield high conductivity carbon compositives with excellent double layer capacity, and can be used in double layer capacitors, or for capacitive deionization and/or waste treatment of liquid streams. By adding metallic catalysts to be high surface area carbons, fuel cell electrodes can be produced.

  14. Fabricating solid carbon porous electrodes from powders

    DOEpatents

    Kaschmitter, J.L.; Tran, T.D.; Feikert, J.H.; Mayer, S.T.

    1997-06-10

    Fabrication is described for conductive solid porous carbon electrodes for use in batteries, double layer capacitors, fuel cells, capacitive deionization, and waste treatment. Electrodes fabricated from low surface area (<50 m{sup 2}/gm) graphite and cokes exhibit excellent reversible lithium intercalation characteristics, making them ideal for use as anodes in high voltage lithium insertion (lithium-ion) batteries. Electrodes having a higher surface area, fabricated from powdered carbon blacks, such as carbon aerogel powder, carbon aerogel microspheres, activated carbons, etc. yield high conductivity carbon composites with excellent double layer capacity, and can be used in double layer capacitors, or for capacitive deionization and/or waste treatment of liquid streams. By adding metallic catalysts to high surface area carbons, fuel cell electrodes can be produced. 1 fig.

  15. Catoptric electrodes: transparent metal electrodes using shaped surfaces.

    PubMed

    Kik, Pieter G

    2014-09-01

    An optical electrode design is presented that theoretically allows 100% optical transmission through an interdigitated metallic electrode at 50% metal areal coverage. This is achieved by redirection of light incident on embedded metal electrode lines to an angle beyond that required for total internal reflection. Full-field electromagnetic simulations using realistic material parameters demonstrate 84% frequency-averaged transmission for unpolarized illumination across the entire visible spectral range using a silver interdigitated electrode at 50% areal coverage. The redirection is achieved through specular reflection, making it nonresonant and arbitrarily broadband, provided the electrode width exceeds the optical wavelength. These findings could significantly improve the performance of photovoltaic devices and optical detectors that require high-conductivity top contacts.

  16. Beyond Slurry-Cast Supercapacitor Electrodes: PAN/MWNT Heteromat-Mediated Ultrahigh Capacitance Electrode Sheets.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jung Han; Kim, Jeong A; Kim, Ju-Myung; Lee, Sun-Young; Yeon, Sun-Hwa; Lee, Sang-Young

    2017-01-31

    Supercapacitors (SCs) have garnered considerable attention as an appealing power source for forthcoming smart energy era. An ultimate challenge facing the SCs is the acquisition of higher energy density without impairing their other electrochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a new class of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/multi-walled carbon tube (MWNT) heteromat-mediated ultrahigh capacitance electrode sheets as an unusual electrode architecture strategy to address the aforementioned issue. Vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) is chosen as a model electrode material to explore the feasibility of the suggested concept. The heteromat V 2 O 5 electrode sheets are produced through one-pot fabrication based on concurrent electrospraying (for V 2 O 5 precursor/MWNT) and electrospinning (for PAN nanofiber) followed by calcination, leading to compact packing of V 2 O 5 materials in intimate contact with MWNTs and PAN nanofibers. As a consequence, the heteromat V 2 O 5 electrode sheets offer three-dimensionally bicontinuous electron (arising from MWNT networks)/ion (from spatially reticulated interstitial voids to be filled with liquid electrolytes) conduction pathways, thereby facilitating redox reaction kinetics of V 2 O 5 materials. In addition, elimination of heavy metallic foil current collectors, in combination with the dense packing of V 2 O 5 materials, significantly increases (electrode sheet-based) specific capacitances far beyond those accessible with conventional slurry-cast electrodes.

  17. Beyond Slurry-Cast Supercapacitor Electrodes: PAN/MWNT Heteromat-Mediated Ultrahigh Capacitance Electrode Sheets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jung Han; Kim, Jeong A.; Kim, Ju-Myung; Lee, Sun-Young; Yeon, Sun-Hwa; Lee, Sang-Young

    2017-01-01

    Supercapacitors (SCs) have garnered considerable attention as an appealing power source for forthcoming smart energy era. An ultimate challenge facing the SCs is the acquisition of higher energy density without impairing their other electrochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a new class of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/multi-walled carbon tube (MWNT) heteromat-mediated ultrahigh capacitance electrode sheets as an unusual electrode architecture strategy to address the aforementioned issue. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is chosen as a model electrode material to explore the feasibility of the suggested concept. The heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets are produced through one-pot fabrication based on concurrent electrospraying (for V2O5 precursor/MWNT) and electrospinning (for PAN nanofiber) followed by calcination, leading to compact packing of V2O5 materials in intimate contact with MWNTs and PAN nanofibers. As a consequence, the heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets offer three-dimensionally bicontinuous electron (arising from MWNT networks)/ion (from spatially reticulated interstitial voids to be filled with liquid electrolytes) conduction pathways, thereby facilitating redox reaction kinetics of V2O5 materials. In addition, elimination of heavy metallic foil current collectors, in combination with the dense packing of V2O5 materials, significantly increases (electrode sheet-based) specific capacitances far beyond those accessible with conventional slurry-cast electrodes.

  18. Beyond Slurry-Cast Supercapacitor Electrodes: PAN/MWNT Heteromat-Mediated Ultrahigh Capacitance Electrode Sheets

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Jung Han; Kim, Jeong A; Kim, Ju-Myung; Lee, Sun-Young; Yeon, Sun-Hwa; Lee, Sang-Young

    2017-01-01

    Supercapacitors (SCs) have garnered considerable attention as an appealing power source for forthcoming smart energy era. An ultimate challenge facing the SCs is the acquisition of higher energy density without impairing their other electrochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a new class of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/multi-walled carbon tube (MWNT) heteromat-mediated ultrahigh capacitance electrode sheets as an unusual electrode architecture strategy to address the aforementioned issue. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is chosen as a model electrode material to explore the feasibility of the suggested concept. The heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets are produced through one-pot fabrication based on concurrent electrospraying (for V2O5 precursor/MWNT) and electrospinning (for PAN nanofiber) followed by calcination, leading to compact packing of V2O5 materials in intimate contact with MWNTs and PAN nanofibers. As a consequence, the heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets offer three-dimensionally bicontinuous electron (arising from MWNT networks)/ion (from spatially reticulated interstitial voids to be filled with liquid electrolytes) conduction pathways, thereby facilitating redox reaction kinetics of V2O5 materials. In addition, elimination of heavy metallic foil current collectors, in combination with the dense packing of V2O5 materials, significantly increases (electrode sheet-based) specific capacitances far beyond those accessible with conventional slurry-cast electrodes. PMID:28139765

  19. Targeting ideal acceptor-donor materials based on hexabenzocoronene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos Silva, H.; Metz, Sebastian; Hiorns, Roger C.; Bégué, D.

    2018-06-01

    A series of new hybrid donor-acceptor materials based on hexabenzocoronenes (HBC) functionalized with electron donors is investigated by combining a variety of quantum mechanical and molecular dynamic methodologies for use in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Segments of a low band gap alternating copolymer constructed of benzo[1,2-b;3,4-b]dithiophene and thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione were attached to the conjugated HBC core. The copolymer was chosen for its known high performance in OPVs, and both moieties were singled out due to their exceptional resistance to photo-oxidation, an important requirement for such applications. The macromolecular topology of these systems are expected to induce supra-molecular columns, such as those common to discotic liquid crystals, conducive to the effective percolation of electrons in OPV devices. A challenge with these systems, that of the mixing of the electronic structures of the donor and acceptor moieties that result in excitonic losses and charge recombination, was diminished by trialling a range of linking units. It was found possible to propose ideal donor-acceptor structures with enhanced charge dissociations and transfers in the π-stacking direction for use in OPV and other organic electronic devices.

  20. Composite electrode/electrolyte structure

    DOEpatents

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

    2004-01-27

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

  1. Electrodeposition of nickel sulfide on graphene-covered make-up cotton as a flexible electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yiju; Ye, Ke; Cheng, Kui; Yin, Jinling; Cao, Dianxue; Wang, Guiling

    2015-01-01

    In this report, graphene nanosheets (GNS)/nickel sulfide (NiS) based material for high-performance supercapacitor is prepared by "dip and dry" and electrodeposition methods. Commercial flexible make-up cottons (MCs) are chose as skeletons to construct homogeneous three-dimensional (3D) interconnected graphene-wrapped macro-networks, which can support structures for high loading of active electrode materials and facilitate the access of electrolytes to active electrode materials. The hybrid GNS/NiS based MCs (denoted as MCs@GNS@NiS) electrode yields relatively high specific capacitance of 775 F g-1 at a charge/discharge specific current of 0.5 A g-1 and good capacitance retention of 88.1% after 1000 cycles at 2 A g-1. Furthermore, the MCs@GNS@NiS electrode delivers a high energy density of 11.2 Wh kg-1 at even a high power density of 1008 W kg-1. Therefore, such low-cost and high-performance energy MCs based on GNS/NiS hierarchical nanostructures offer great promise in large-scale energy storage device applications.

  2. Aerospace electrode line

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miller, L.

    1980-01-01

    A facility which produces electrodes for spacecraft power supplies is described. The electrode assembly procedures are discussed. A number of design features in the production process are reported including a batch operation mode and an independent equipment module design approach for transfering the electrode materials from process tank to process tank.

  3. Insulated ECG electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Portnoy, W. M.; David, R. M.

    1973-01-01

    Insulated, capacitively coupled electrode does not require electrolyte paste for attachment. Other features of electrode include wide range of nontoxic material that may be employed for dielectric because of sputtering technique used. Also, electrode size is reduced because there is no need for external compensating networks with FET operational amplifier.

  4. Electrode materials

    DOEpatents

    Amine, Khalil; Abouimrane, Ali; Belharouak, Ilias

    2017-01-31

    A process for forming a surface-treatment layer on an electroactive material includes heating the electroactive material and exposing the electroactive material to a reducing gas to form a surface-treatment layer on the electroactive material, where the surface-treatment layer is a layer of partial reduction of the electroactive material.

  5. Polyaniline silver nanoparticle coffee waste extracted porous graphene oxide nanocomposite structures as novel electrode material for rechargeable batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sundriyal, Poonam; Bhattacharya, Shantanu

    2017-03-01

    The exploration of new and advanced electrode materials are required in electronic and electrical devices for power storage applications. Also, there has been a continuous endeavour to formulate strategies for extraction of high performance electrode materials from naturally obtained waste products. In this work, we have developed an in situ hybrid nanocomposite from coffee waste extracted porous graphene oxide (CEPG), polyaniline (PANI) and silver nanoparticles (Ag) and have found this novel composite to serve as an efficient electrode material for batteries. The successful interaction among the three phases of the nano-composite i.e. CEPG-PANI-Ag have been thoroughly understood through RAMAN, Fourier transform infrared and x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, morphological studies through field emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Thermo-gravimetric analysis of the nano-composite demonstrates higher thermal stability up-to a temperature of 495 °C. Further BET studies through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms confirm the presence of micro/meso and macro-pores in the nanocomposite sample. The cyclic-voltammetry (CV) analysis performed on CEPG-PANI-Ag nanocomposite exhibits a purely faradic behaviour using nickel foam as a current collector thus suggests the prepared nanocomposite as a battery electrode material. The nanocomposite reports a maximum specific capacity of 1428 C g-1 and excellent cyclic stability up-to 5000 cycles.

  6. Method for producing electrodes using microscale or nanoscale materials obtained from hydrogendriven metallurgical reactions

    DOEpatents

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

    2003-09-02

    A method is provided for producing electrodes using microscale and nanoscale metal materials formed from hydrogen driven metallurgical processes; such a the HD (hydriding, dehydriding) process, the HDDR (hydriding, dehydriding, disproportionation, and recombination) process, and variants thereof.

  7. Effect of electrode material and design on sensitivity and selectivity for high temperature impedancemetric NOx sensors

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

    Woo, L Y; Glass, R S; Novak, R F

    2009-09-23

    Solid-state electrochemical sensors using two different sensing electrode compositions, gold and strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSM), were evaluated for gas phase sensing of NO{sub x} (NO and NO{sub 2}) using an impedance-metric technique. An asymmetric cell design utilizing porous YSZ electrolyte exposed both electrodes to the test gas (i.e., no reference gas). Sensitivity to less than 5 ppm NO and response/recovery times (10-90%) less than 10 s were demonstrated. Using an LSM sensing electrode, virtual identical sensitivity towards NO and NO{sub 2} was obtained, indicating that the equilibrium gas concentration was measured by the sensing electrode. In contrast, for cells employingmore » a gold sensing electrode the NO{sub x} sensitivity varied depending on the cell design: increasing the amount of porous YSZ electrolyte on the sensor surface produced higher NO{sub 2} sensitivity compared to NO. In order to achieve comparable sensitivity for both NO and NO{sub 2}, the cell with the LSM sensing electrode required operation at a lower temperature (575 C) than the cell with the gold sensing electrode (650 C). The role of surface reactions are proposed to explain the differences in NO and NO{sub 2} selectivity using the two different electrode materials.« less

  8. Investigation on Electrochemical Properties of Polythiophene Nanocomposite with Graphite Derivatives as Supercapacitor Material on Breath Figure-Decorated PMMA Electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azimi, Mona; Abbaspour, Mohsen; Fazli, Ali; Setoodeh, Hamideh; Pourabbas, Behzad

    2018-03-01

    Breath figures have been formed by the direct breath figure method on polymethyl methacrylate electrode sand hexagonal oriented holes with 0.5- to 10- μm2 surface area have been created. Deposition of materials on the electrodes has been performed by the spray-coating method. polythiophene (PTh) nanoparticles, polythiophene-graphene oxide (PTh-GO) and polythiophene-reduced graphene oxide (PTh-G) nanocomposites were synthesized by emulsion polymerization, while characterization of synthetic materials have been carried out by Fourier transform infrared, Χ-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques. Also, the electrochemical properties of the designed electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Specific capacitance of porous electrodes coated by PTh nanoparticles, PTh-GO and PTh-G nanocomposites were calculated from cyclic voltammetry curves at 5 mV/s scan rate, andthe values are 3.5 F/g, 16.39 F/g, and 28.68 F/g, respectively. Also, the energy density of each electrode at 5 mV/s scan rate has been calculated and the results show that incorporation of GO and G nanolayers with PTh nanoparticles enhances the electrochemical properties of electrodes.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of prospective polyanionic electrode materials for high performance energy storage applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jayachandran, M.; Durai, G.; Vijayakumar, T.

    2018-04-01

    In the present study, Polyanionic compound (SO4)-group based on Li2Ni(SO4)2 (Lithium Nickel Sulphate) composite electrodes materials were prepared by a ball-milling method and solid-state reaction route. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of a polycrystalline orthorhombic phase of composite Li2Ni(SO4)2 with an average crystallite size of about 50.16 nm. Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy investigation reveals the spherical shape particles with the particle size of around 200–500 nm. Raman and FTIR analysis confirms the structural and functional groups of the synthesized materials and also the formation of Li2Ni(SO4)2. The electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charging-discharging (GCD) techniques were carried out to study the electrochemical supercapacitive performance of the composite Li2Ni (SO4)2 electrodes. From the CV investigations, an areal capacitance of 508 mF cm‑2 was obtained at 10 mV s‑1. The galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements exhibited the areal capacitance of 101 mF cm‑2 at a constant current density of 2 mA cm‑2 in 2 M KOH. These GCD profiles were linear and also symmetric in nature with the maximum columbic efficiency of about 85%. The electrochemical performance of the composite Li2Ni(SO4)2 electrode material shows excellent performance for supercapacitor applications.

  10. Inert electrode connection

    DOEpatents

    Weyand, J.D.; Woods, R.W.; DeYoung, D.H.; Ray, S.P.

    1985-02-19

    An inert electrode connection is disclosed wherein a layer of inert electrode material is bonded to a layer of conductive material by providing at least one intermediate layer of material therebetween comprising a predetermined ratio of inert material to conductive material. In a preferred embodiment, the connection is formed by placing in a die a layer of powdered inert material, at least one layer of a mixture of powdered inert material and conductive material, and a layer of powdered conductive material. The connection is then formed by pressing the material at 15,000--20,000 psi to form a powder compact and then densifying the powder compact in an inert or reducing atmosphere at a temperature of 1,200--1,500 C. 5 figs.

  11. Highly Compressible Carbon Sponge Supercapacitor Electrode with Enhanced Performance by Growing Nickel-Cobalt Sulfide Nanosheets.

    PubMed

    Liang, Xu; Nie, Kaiwen; Ding, Xian; Dang, Liqin; Sun, Jie; Shi, Feng; Xu, Hua; Jiang, Ruibin; He, Xuexia; Liu, Zonghuai; Lei, Zhibin

    2018-03-28

    The development of compressible supercapacitor highly relies on the innovative design of electrode materials with both superior compression property and high capacitive performance. This work reports a highly compressible supercapacitor electrode which is prepared by growing electroactive NiCo 2 S 4 (NCS) nanosheets on the compressible carbon sponge (CS). The strong adhesion of the metallic conductive NCS nanosheets to the highly porous carbon scaffolds enable the CS-NCS composite electrode to exhibit an enhanced conductivity and ideal structural integrity during repeated compression-release cycles. Accordingly, the CS-NCS composite electrode delivers a specific capacitance of 1093 F g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 and remarkable rate performance with 91% capacitance retention in the range of 0.5-20 A g -1 . Capacitance performance under the strain of 60% shows that the incorporation of NCS nanosheets in CS scaffolds leads to over five times enhancement in gravimetric capacitance and 17 times enhancement in volumetric capacitance. These performances enable the CS-NCS composite to be one of the promising candidates for potential applications in compressible electrochemical energy storage devices.

  12. MgO-templated carbon as a negative electrode material for Na-ion capacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kado, Yuya; Soneda, Yasushi

    2016-12-01

    In this study, MgO-templated carbon with different pore structures was investigated as a negative electrode material for Na-ion capacitors. With increasing the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, the irreversible capacity increased, and the coulombic efficiency of the 1st cycle decreased because of the formation of solid electrolyte interface layers. MgO-templated carbon annealed at 1000 °C exhibited the highest capacity and best rate performance, suggesting that an appropriate balance between surface area and crystallinity is imperative for fast Na-ion storage, attributed to the storage mechanism: combination of non-faradaic electric double-layer capacitance and faradaic Na intercalation in the carbon layers. Finally, a Na-ion capacitor cell using MgO-templated carbon and activated carbon as the negative and positive electrodes, respectively, exhibited an energy density at high power density significantly greater than that exhibited by the cell using a commercial hard carbon negative electrode.

  13. Intercalated Water and Organic Molecules for Electrode Materials of Rechargeable Batteries.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyeon Jeong; Shin, Jaeho; Choi, Jang Wook

    2018-03-24

    The intrinsic limitations of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with regard to safety, cost, and the availability of raw materials have promoted research on so-called "post-LIBs". The recent intense research of post-LIBs provides an invaluable lesson that existing electrode materials used in LIBs may not perform as well in post-LIBs, calling for new material designs compliant with emerging batteries based on new chemistries. One promising approach in this direction is the development of materials with intercalated water or organic molecules, as these materials demonstrate superior electrochemical performance in emerging battery systems. The enlarged ionic channel dimensions and effective shielding of the electrostatic interaction between carrier ions and the lattice host are the origins of the observed electrochemical performance. Moreover, these intercalants serve as interlayer pillars to sustain the framework for prolonged cycles. Representative examples of such intercalated materials applied to batteries based on Li + , Na + , Mg 2+ , and Zn 2+ ions and supercapacitors are considered, along with their impact in materials research. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Method for fabrication of electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Jankowski, Alan F.; Morse, Jeffrey D.; Barksdale, Randy

    2004-06-22

    Described herein is a method to fabricate porous thin-film electrodes for fuel cells and fuel cell stacks. Furthermore, the method can be used for all fuel cell electrolyte materials which utilize a continuous electrolyte layer. An electrode layer is deposited on a porous host structure by flowing gas (for example, Argon) from the bottomside of the host structure while simultaneously depositing a conductive material onto the topside of the host structure. By controlling the gas flow rate through the pores, along with the process conditions and deposition rate of the thin-film electrode material, a film of a pre-determined thickness can be formed. Once the porous electrode is formed, a continuous electrolyte thin-film is deposited, followed by a second porous electrode to complete the fuel cell structure.

  15. Arcing time analysis of liquid nitrogen with respect to electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Junaid, Muhammad; Yang, Kun; Ge, Hanming; Wang, Jianhua

    2018-03-01

    Unlike sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), liquid nitrogen (LN2) is cost effective, environment friendly and cryogenic dielectric. It has astounding insulating properties with the potential to decrease power loss in switchgear applications due to its remarkably low temperatures. The basic research is however a necessity to observe the performance of LN2 subjected to high luminance arcs. So far, there are no findings that refer to the arcing time inside the LN2 environment. The objective of this work was to investigate the arcing times in LN2 and compare the results with open air conditions using different electrode materials. Experiments were conducted on different DC voltages and their arcing times were measured. Three different kinds of electrode materials, namely: pure copper (Cu), stainless used steel (SUS) and aluminium alloy (Al 6061) were tested under 1 atmospheric pressure. The results revealed that LN2 extinguishes arc in almost half the amount of time required by the open air insulation. With Al 6061 has the shortest arcing time, whilst Cu, the second best choice and SUS places last in the evaluation. It was encapsulated from the findings that LN2 is a better choice than air insulation in terms of arc quenching and a better alternative to SF6 when environment is the priority.

  16. Low cost stable air electrode material for high temperature solid oxide electrolyte electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Kuo, Lewis J. H.; Singh, Prabhakar; Ruka, Roswell J.; Vasilow, Theodore R.; Bratton, Raymond J.

    1997-01-01

    A low cost, lanthanide-substituted, dimensionally and thermally stable, gas permeable, electrically conductive, porous ceramic air electrode composition of lanthanide-substituted doped lanthanum manganite is provided which is used as the cathode in high temperature, solid oxide electrolyte fuel cells and generators. The air electrode composition of this invention has a much lower fabrication cost as a result of using a lower cost lanthanide mixture, either a natural mixture or an unfinished lanthanide concentrate obtained from a natural mixture subjected to incomplete purification, as the raw material in place of part or all of the higher cost individual lanthanum. The mixed lanthanide primarily contains a mixture of at least La, Ce, Pr, and Nd, or at least La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm in its lanthanide content, but can also include minor amounts of other lanthanides and trace impurities. The use of lanthanides in place of some or all of the lanthanum also increases the dimensional stability of the air electrode. This low cost air electrode can be fabricated as a cathode for use in high temperature, solid oxide fuel cells and generators.

  17. Layer by Layer Ex-Situ Deposited Cobalt-Manganese Oxide as Composite Electrode Material for Electrochemical Capacitor

    PubMed Central

    Rusi; Chan, P. Y.; Majid, S. R.

    2015-01-01

    The composite metal oxide electrode films were fabricated using ex situ electrodeposition method with further heating treatment at 300°C. The obtained composite metal oxide film had a spherical structure with mass loading from 0.13 to 0.21 mg cm-2. The structure and elements of the composite was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The electrochemical performance of different composite metal oxides was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (CD). As an active electrode material for a supercapacitor, the Co-Mn composite electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 285 Fg-1 at current density of 1.85 Ag-1 in 0.5M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The best composite electrode, Co-Mn electrode was then further studied in various electrolytes (i.e., 0.5M KOH and 0.5M KOH/0.04M K3Fe(CN) 6 electrolytes). The pseudocapacitive nature of the material of Co-Mn lead to a high specific capacitance of 2.2 x 103 Fg-1 and an energy density of 309 Whkg-1 in a 0.5MKOH/0.04MK3Fe(CN) 6 electrolyte at a current density of 10 Ag-1. The specific capacitance retention obtained 67% of its initial value after 750 cycles. The results indicate that the ex situ deposited composite metal oxide nanoparticles have promising potential in future practical applications. PMID:26158447

  18. Layer by Layer Ex-Situ Deposited Cobalt-Manganese Oxide as Composite Electrode Material for Electrochemical Capacitor.

    PubMed

    Rusi; Chan, P Y; Majid, S R

    2015-01-01

    The composite metal oxide electrode films were fabricated using ex situ electrodeposition method with further heating treatment at 300°C. The obtained composite metal oxide film had a spherical structure with mass loading from 0.13 to 0.21 mg cm(-2). The structure and elements of the composite was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The electrochemical performance of different composite metal oxides was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (CD). As an active electrode material for a supercapacitor, the Co-Mn composite electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 285 Fg(-1) at current density of 1.85 Ag(-1) in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The best composite electrode, Co-Mn electrode was then further studied in various electrolytes (i.e., 0.5 M KOH and 0.5 M KOH/0.04 M K3Fe(CN) 6 electrolytes). The pseudocapacitive nature of the material of Co-Mn lead to a high specific capacitance of 2.2 x 10(3) Fg(-1) and an energy density of 309 Whkg(-1) in a 0.5 M KOH/0.04 M K3Fe(CN) 6 electrolyte at a current density of 10 Ag(-1). The specific capacitance retention obtained 67% of its initial value after 750 cycles. The results indicate that the ex situ deposited composite metal oxide nanoparticles have promising potential in future practical applications.

  19. Effect of electrode materials on the space charge distribution of an Al2O3 nano-modified transformer oil under impulse voltage conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Qing; Liu, Mengna; Sima, Wenxia; Jin, Yang

    2017-11-01

    The combined effect mechanism of electrode materials and Al2O3 nanoparticles on the insulating characteristics of transformer oil was investigated. Impulse breakdown tests of pure transformer oil and Al2O3 nano-modified transformer oil of varying concentrations with different electrode materials (brass, aluminum and stainless steel) showed that the breakdown voltage of Al2O3 nano-modified transformer oil is higher than that of pure transformer oil and there is a there is an optimum concentration for Al2O3 nanoparticles when the breakdown voltage reaches the maximum. In addition, the breakdown voltage was highest with the brass electrode, followed by that with stainless steel and then aluminum, irrespective of the concentration of nanoparticles in the transformer oil. This is explained by the charge injection patterns from different electrode materials according to the results of space charge measurements in pure and nano-modified transformer oil using the Kerr electro-optic system. The test results indicate that there are electrode-dependent differences in the charge injection patterns and quantities and then the electric field distortion, which leads to the difference breakdown strength in result. As for the nano-modified transformer oil, due to the Al2O3 nanoparticle’s ability of shielding space charges of different polarities and the charge injection patterns of different electrodes, these two factors have different effects on the electric field distribution and breakdown process of transformer oil between different electrode materials. This paper provides a feasible approach to exploring the mechanism of the effect of the electrode material and nanoparticles on the breakdown strength of liquid dielectrics and analyzing the breakdown process using the space charge distribution.

  20. Current density distributions, field distributions and impedance analysis of segmented deep brain stimulation electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Xuefeng F.; Grill, Warren M.

    2005-12-01

    Deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes are designed to stimulate specific areas of the brain. The most widely used DBS electrode has a linear array of 4 cylindrical contacts that can be selectively turned on depending on the placement of the electrode and the specific area of the brain to be stimulated. The efficacy of DBS therapy can be improved by localizing the current delivery into specific populations of neurons and by increasing the power efficiency through a suitable choice of electrode geometrical characteristics. We investigated segmented electrode designs created by sectioning each cylindrical contact into multiple rings. Prototypes of these designs, made with different materials and larger dimensions than those of clinical DBS electrodes, were evaluated in vitro and in simulation. A finite element model was developed to study the effects of varying the electrode characteristics on the current density and field distributions in an idealized electrolytic medium and in vitro experiments were conducted to measure the electrode impedance. The current density over the electrode surface increased towards the edges of the electrode, and multiple edges increased the non-uniformity of the current density profile. The edge effects were more pronounced over the end segments than over the central segments. Segmented electrodes generated larger magnitudes of the second spatial difference of the extracellular potentials, and thus required lower stimulation intensities to achieve the same level of neuronal activation as solid electrodes. For a fixed electrode conductive area, increasing the number of segments (edges) decreased the impedance compared to a single solid electrode, because the average current density over the segments increased. Edge effects played a critical role in determining the current density distributions, neuronal excitation patterns, and impedance of cylindrical electrodes, and segmented electrodes provide a means to increase the efficiency of DBS.

  1. Near-electrode imager

    DOEpatents

    Rathke, Jerome W.; Klingler, Robert J.; Woelk, Klaus; Gerald, II, Rex E.

    2000-01-01

    An apparatus, near-electrode imager, for employing nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to provide in situ measurements of electrochemical properties of a sample as a function of distance from a working electrode. The near-electrode imager uses the radio frequency field gradient within a cylindrical toroid cavity resonator to provide high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectral information on electrolyte materials.

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

    PubMed

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

    2014-11-12

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

  3. Contribution of tin in electrochemical properties of zinc antimonate nanostructures: An electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balasubramaniam, M.; Balakumar, S.

    2018-04-01

    Tin (Sn) doped ZnSb2O6 nanostructures was synthesized by chemical precipitation method and was used as an electrode material for supercapacitors to explore its electrochemical stability and potentiality as energy storage materials. Their characteristic structural, morphological and compositional features were investigated through XRD, FESEM and XPS analysis. Results showed that the nanostructures have well ordered crystalline features with spherical particle morphology. As the size and morphology are the vital parameters in exhibiting better electrochemical properties, the prepared nanostructures exhibited a significant specific capacitance of 222 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g respectively. While charging and discharging for 1000 cycles, the capacitance retention was enhanced to 105.0% which depicts the stability and activeness of electrochemical sites present in the Sn doped ZnSb2O6 nanostructures even after cycling. Hence, the inclusion of Sn into ZnSb2O6 has contributed in improving the electrochemical properties thereby it represents itself as a potential electrode material for supercapacitors.

  4. Linear-sweep voltammetry of a soluble redox couple in a cylindrical electrode

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weidner, John W.

    1991-01-01

    An approach is described for using the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) technique to study the kinetics of flooded porous electrodes by assuming a porous electrode as a collection of identical noninterconnected cylindrical pores that are filled with electrolyte. This assumption makes possible to study the behavior of this ideal electrode as that of a single pore. Alternatively, for an electrode of a given pore-size distribution, it is possible to predict the performance of different pore sizes and then combine the performance values.

  5. Band Gap Engineering of Boron Nitride by Graphene and Its Application as Positive Electrode Material in Asymmetric Supercapacitor Device.

    PubMed

    Saha, Sanjit; Jana, Milan; Khanra, Partha; Samanta, Pranab; Koo, Hyeyoung; Murmu, Naresh Chandra; Kuila, Tapas

    2015-07-08

    Nanostructured hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite is prepared by insertion of h-BN into the graphene oxide through hydrothermal reaction. Formation of the super lattice is confirmed by the existence of two separate UV-visible absorption edges corresponding to two different band gaps. The composite materials show enhanced electrical conductivity as compared to the bulk h-BN. A high specific capacitance of ∼824 F g(-1) is achieved at a current density of 4 A g(-1) for the composite in three-electrode electrochemical measurement. The potential window of the composite electrode lies in the range from -0.1 to 0.5 V in 6 M aqueous KOH electrolyte. The operating voltage is increased to 1.4 V in asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device where the thermally reduced graphene oxide is used as the negative electrode and the h-BN/RGO composite as the positive electrode. The ASC exhibits a specific capacitance of 145.7 F g(-1) at a current density of 6 A g(-1) and high energy density of 39.6 W h kg(-1) corresponding to a large power density of ∼4200 W kg(-1). Therefore, a facile hydrothermal route is demonstrated for the first time to utilize h-BN-based composite materials as energy storage electrode materials for supercapacitor applications.

  6. Electrical characterization of conductive textile materials and its evaluation as electrodes for venous occlusion plethysmography.

    PubMed

    Goy, C B; Dominguez, J M; Gómez López, M A; Madrid, R E; Herrera, M C

    2013-08-01

    The ambulatory monitoring of biosignals involves the use of sensors, electrodes, actuators, processing tools and wireless communication modules. When a garment includes these elements with the purpose of recording vital signs and responding to specific situations it is call a 'Smart Wearable System'. Over the last years several authors have suggested that conductive textile material (e-textiles) could perform as electrode for these systems. This work aims at implementing an electrical characterization of e-textiles and an evaluation of their ability to act as textile electrodes for lower extremity venous occlusion plethysmography (LEVOP). The e-textile electrical characterization is carried out using two experimental set-ups (in vitro evaluation). Besides, LEVOP records are obtained from healthy volunteers (in vivo evaluation). Standard Ag/AgCl electrodes are used for comparison in all tests. Results shown that the proposed e-textiles are suitable for LEVOP recording and a good agreement between evaluations (in vivo and in vitro) is found.

  7. Anionic Redox Chemistry in Polysulfide Electrode Materials for Rechargeable Batteries.

    PubMed

    Grayfer, Ekaterina D; Pazhetnov, Egor M; Kozlova, Mariia N; Artemkina, Sofya B; Fedorov, Vladimir E

    2017-12-22

    Classical Li-ion battery technology is based on the insertion of lithium ions into cathode materials involving metal (cationic) redox reactions. However, this vision is now being reconsidered, as many new-generation electrode materials with enhanced reversible capacities operate through combined cationic and anionic (non-metal) reversible redox processes or even exclusively through anionic redox transformations. Anionic participation in the redox reactions is observed in materials with more pronounced covalency, which is less typical for oxides, but quite common for phosphides or chalcogenides. In this Concept, we would like to draw the reader's attention to this new idea, especially, as it applies to transition-metal polychalcogenides, such as FeS 2 , VS 4 , TiS 3 , NbS 3 , TiS 4 , MoS 3 , etc., in which the key role is played by the (S-S) 2- /2 S 2- redox reaction. The exploration and better understanding of the anion-driven chemistry is important for designing advanced materials for battery and other energy-related applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Direct and continuous strain control of catalysts with tunable battery electrode materials

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Haotian; Xu, Shicheng; Tsai, Charlie; ...

    2016-11-24

    We report a method for using battery electrode materials to directly and continuously control the lattice strain of platinum (Pt) catalyst and thus tune its catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Whereas the common approach of using metal overlayers introduces ligand effects in addition to strain, by electrochemically switching between the charging and discharging status of battery electrodes the change in volume can be precisely controlled to induce either compressive or tensile strain on supported catalysts. Lattice compression and tension induced by the lithium cobalt oxide substrate of ~5% were directly observed in individual Pt nanoparticles with aberration-correctedmore » transmission electron microscopy. As a result, we observed 90% enhancement or 40% suppression in Pt ORR activity under compression or tension, respectively, which is consistent with theoretical predictions.« less

  9. Emerging materials for transparent conductive electrodes and their applications in photovoltaics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Zhaozhao

    Clean and affordable energy, especially solar energy, is becoming more and more important as our annual total energy consumption keeps rising. However, to make solar energy more affordable and accessible, the cost for fabrication, transportation and assembly of all components need to be reduced. As a crucial component for solar cells, transparent conductive electrode (TCE) can determine the cost and performance. A light weight, easy-to-fabricate and cost-effective new generation TCE is thus needed. While indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) has been the most widely used material for commercial applications as TCEs, its cost has gone up due to the limited global supply of indium. This is not only due to the scarcity of the element itself, but also the massive production of various opto-electronic devices such as TVs, smartphones and tablets. In order to reduce the cost for fabricating large area solar cells, substitute materials for ITO should be developed. These materials should have similar optical transmittance in the visible wavelength range, as well as similar electrical conductivity (sheet resistance) to ITO. This work starts with synthesizing ITO-replacing nano-materials, such as copper nanowires (CuNWs), derivative zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and so on. Further, we applied various deposition techniques, including spin-coating, spray-coating, Mayer-rod coating, filtration and transferring, to coat transparent substrates with these materials in order to fabricate TCEs. We characterize these materials and analyze their electrical/optical properties as TCEs. Additionally, these fabricated single-material-based TCEs were tested in various lab conditions, and their shortcomings (instability, rigidity, etc.) were highlighted. In order to address these issues, we hybridized the different materials to combine their strengths and compared the properties to single-material based TCEs. The multiple hybridized TCEs have comparable optical

  10. Nanostructured MnO2 as Electrode Materials for Energy Storage

    PubMed Central

    Mauger, Alain

    2017-01-01

    Manganese dioxides, inorganic materials which have been used in industry for more than a century, now find great renewal of interest for storage and conversion of energy applications. In this review article, we report the properties of MnO2 nanomaterials with different morphologies. Techniques used for the synthesis, structural, physical properties, and electrochemical performances of periodic and aperiodic frameworks are discussed. The effect of the morphology of nanosized MnO2 particles on their fundamental features is evidenced. Applications as electrodes in lithium batteries and supercapacitors are examined. PMID:29149066

  11. Nickel/silicon core/shell nanosheet arrays as electrode materials for lithium ion batteries

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

    Huang, X.H., E-mail: drhuangxh@hotmail.com; Zhang, P.; Wu, J.B.

    Highlights: • Ni nanosheet arrays is the core and Si layer is the shell. • Ni nanosheet arrays act as a three-dimensional current collector to support Si. • Ni nanosheet arrays can improve the conductivity and stability of the electrode. • Ni/Si nanosheet arrays exhibit excellent cyclic and rate performance. - Abstract: Ni/Si core/shell nanosheet arrays are proposed to enhance the electrochemical lithium-storage properties of silicon. The arrays are characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The arrays are micro-sized in height, which are constructed by interconnected Ni nanosheet as themore » core and Si coating layer as the shell. The electrochemical properties as anode materials of lithium ion batteries are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The arrays can achieve high reversible capacity, good cycle stability and high rate capability. It is believed that the enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to the electrode structure, because the interconnected Ni nanosheet can act as a three-dimensional current collector, and it has the ability of improving the electrode conductivity, enlarging the electrochemical reaction interface, and suppressing the electrode pulverization.« less

  12. Advanced electrodes for AMTEC

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

    Fiebig, Brad; Schuller, Michael; Hudson, Patricia

    1999-01-01

    Texas A&M University has begun an investigation of materials and fabrication methods which will improve AMTEC electrode performance. The study currently involves gathering data on materials which meet the basic requirements of operating in an AMTEC cell, and sorting out candidates possessing characteristics conducive to efficient AMTEC operation. An initial assessment has shown Iridium as a promising metal electrode candidate. Sodium-containing double-oxides, with melting temperatures above AMTEC operating temperatures, including NaNbO{sub 3} and Na{sub 2}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 7}, have been identified as possible electrode dopants, to enhance the sodium conductivity of an electrode. Photo-deposition and Evaporative-deposition will be investigated further asmore » electrode fabrication techniques. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}« less

  13. A microwave synthesis of mesoporous NiCo2O4 nanosheets as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Mondal, Anjon Kumar; Su, Dawei; Chen, Shuangqiang; Kretschmer, Katja; Xie, Xiuqiang; Ahn, Hyo-Jun; Wang, Guoxiu

    2015-01-12

    A facile microwave method was employed to synthesize NiCo2 O4 nanosheets as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The structure and morphology of the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller methods. Owing to the porous nanosheet structure, the NiCo2 O4 electrodes exhibited a high reversible capacity of 891 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 100 mA g(-1) , good rate capability and stable cycling performance. When used as electrode materials for supercapacitors, NiCo2 O4 nanosheets demonstrated a specific capacitance of 400 F g(-1) at a current density of 20 A g(-1) and superior cycling stability over 5000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performance could be ascribed to the thin porous structure of the nanosheets, which provides a high specific surface area to increase the electrode-electrolyte contact area and facilitate rapid ion transport. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Recent developments in nickel electrode analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whiteley, Richard V.; Daman, M. E.; Kaiser, E. Q.

    1991-01-01

    Three aspects of nickel electrode analysis for Nickel-Hydrogen and Nickel-Cadmium battery cell applications are addressed: (1) the determination of active material; (2) charged state nickel (as NiOOH + CoOOH); and (3) potassium ion content in the electrode. Four deloading procedures are compared for completeness of active material removal, and deloading conditions for efficient active material analyses are established. Two methods for charged state nickel analysis are compared: the current NASA procedure and a new procedure based on the oxidation of sodium oxalate by the charged material. Finally, a method for determining potassium content in an electrode sample by flame photometry is presented along with analytical results illustrating differences in potassium levels from vendor to vendor and the effects of stress testing on potassium content in the electrode. The relevance of these analytical procedures to electrode performance is reviewed.

  15. Dielectric elastomers with novel highly-conducting electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Böse, Holger; Uhl, Detlev

    2013-04-01

    Beside the characteristics of the elastomer material itself, the performance of dielectric elastomers in actuator, sensor as well as generator applications depends also on the properties of the electrode material. Various electrode materials based on metallic particles dispersed in a silicone matrix were manufactured and investigated. Anisotropic particles such as silver-coated copper flakes and silver-coated glass flakes were used for the preparation of the electrodes. The concentration of the metallic particles and the thickness of the electrode layers were varied. Specific conductivities derived from resistance measurements reached about 100 S/cm and surmount those of the reference materials based on graphite and carbon black by up to three orders of magnitude. The high conductivities of the new electrode materials can be maintained even at very large stretch deformations up to 200 %.

  16. Negative electrodes for Na-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Dahbi, Mouad; Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Kubota, Kei; Tokiwa, Kazuyasu; Komaba, Shinichi

    2014-08-07

    Research interest in Na-ion batteries has increased rapidly because of the environmental friendliness of sodium compared to lithium. Throughout this Perspective paper, we report and review recent scientific advances in the field of negative electrode materials used for Na-ion batteries. This paper sheds light on negative electrode materials for Na-ion batteries: carbonaceous materials, oxides/phosphates (as sodium insertion materials), sodium alloy/compounds and so on. These electrode materials have different reaction mechanisms for electrochemical sodiation/desodiation processes. Moreover, not only sodiation-active materials but also binders, current collectors, electrolytes and electrode/electrolyte interphase and its stabilization are essential for long cycle life Na-ion batteries. This paper also addresses the prospect of Na-ion batteries as low-cost and long-life batteries with relatively high-energy density as their potential competitive edge over the commercialized Li-ion batteries.

  17. Method of making electrodes for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.; Kilsdonk, Dennis J.

    1983-01-01

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

  18. Electrocoagulation of simulated reactive dyebath effluent with aluminum and stainless steel electrodes.

    PubMed

    Arslan-Alaton, Idil; Kabdaşli, Işik; Vardar, Burcu; Tünay, Olcay

    2009-05-30

    Reactive dyebath effluents are ideal candidates for electrocoagulation due to their intensive color, medium strength, recalcitrant COD and high electrolyte (NaCl) content. The present study focused on the treatability of simulated reactive dyebath effluent (COD(o)=300 mg/L; color in terms of absorbance values A(o,436)=0.532 cm(-1), A(o,525)=0.693 cm(-1) and A(o,620)=0.808 cm(-1)) employing electrocoagulation with aluminum and stainless steel electrodes. Optimization of critical operating parameters such as initial pH (pH(o) 3-11), applied current density (J(c)=22-87 mA/cm(2)) and electrolyte type (NaCl or Na(2)SO(4)) improved the overall treatment efficiencies resulting in effective decolorization (99% using stainless steel electrodes after 60 min, 95% using aluminum electrodes after 90 min electrocoagulation) and COD abatement (93% with stainless steel electrodes after 60 min, 86% with aluminum electrodes after 90 min of reaction time). Optimum electrocoagulation conditions were established as pH(o) 5 and J(c)=22 mA/cm(2) for both electrode materials. The COD and color removal efficiencies also depended on the electrolyte type. No in situ, surplus adsorbable organically bound halogens (AOX) formation associated with the use of NaCl as the electrolyte during electrocoagulation was detected. An economical evaluation was also carried out within the frame of the study. It was demonstrated that electrocoagulation of reactive dyebath effluent with aluminum and stainless steel electrodes was a considerably less electrical energy-intensive, alternative treatment method as compared with advanced chemical oxidation techniques.

  19. Chemical weathering of layered Ni-rich oxide electrode materials: Evidence for cation exchange

    DOE PAGES

    Shkrob, Ilya A.; Gilbert, James A.; Phillips, Patrick J.; ...

    2017-05-13

    Lithiated ternary oxides containing nickel, cobalt, and manganese are intercalation compounds that are used as positive electrodes in high-energy lithium-ion batteries. These materials undergo compositional changes that adversely affect their cycling performance when they are stored in humid air or exposed to moisture. There is a new urgency to better understanding of these “weathering” processes as manufacturing moves towards a more environmentally benign aqueous processing of the positive electrode. Delithiation in the oxide subsurface regions and the formation of lithium salts (such as hydroxides and carbonates) coating the surface, have been suggested as chemical drivers for these processes, but themore » mechanistic details remain poorly known. The redox reactions which follow oxide delithiation are believed to cause all of the observed transformations. In this article we suggest another possibility: namely, the proton – lithium exchange. We argue that this hypothesis provides a simple, comprehensive rationale for our observations from X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurements. These observations include contraction of the c-axis (unit cell) lattice parameter, strain in the crystalline oxide bulk, directionality of the chemical damage, formation of amorphous surface films, and the partial recovery of capacity loss by electrochemical relithiation of the material. Lastly, these effects need to be mitigated before aqueous processing of the positive electrode can find widespread adoption during cell manufacturing.« less

  20. Compartmented electrode structure

    DOEpatents

    Vissers, Donald R.; Shimotake, Hiroshi; Gay, Eddie C.; Martino, Fredric J.

    1977-06-14

    Electrodes for secondary electrochemical cells are provided with compartments for containing particles of the electrode reactant. The compartments are defined by partitions that are generally impenetrable to the particles of reactant and, in some instances, to the liquid electrolyte used in the cell. During cycling of the cell, reactant material initially loaded into a particular compartment is prevented from migrating and concentrating within the lower portion of the electrode or those portions of the electrode that exhibit reduced electrical resistance.

  1. Electropolar effects on anaerobic fermentation of lignocellulosic materials in novel single-electrode cells.

    PubMed

    Qu, Guangfei; Qiu, Weixia; Liu, Yuhuan; Zhong, Dongwei; Ning, Ping

    2014-05-01

    As a promising renewable energy technology, anaerobic fermentation is consistently limited by low production and calorific value of biogas, along with the difficulty of lignocellulose degradation. The effects of polarity and micro-voltage on anaerobic fermentation from lignocellulosic materials were investigated in single-electrode fermenter to explore cost-efficient technology. The results illustrated that the biogas production and quality were significantly affected by electric polarity. And cathode-assisted fermentation led to more positive effects than anode-assisted. Compared with results in control group without electrode, the average biogas and methane yield under cathodic micro-voltage (-250 mV) were astonishingly improved by 2.82 and 2.44 mL g(-1)d(-1) respectively. Meanwhile, the degradation ratios of lignin and cellulose were also improved by 23.11% and 19.46%. It demonstrated that single micro-voltage can not only promote lignocellulose degradation but biogas production and calorific value. These micro-voltage effects on fermentation process also provided great opportunity to breakthrough the present limitation of lignocellulosic materials fermentation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Method of making a layered composite electrode/electrolyte

    DOEpatents

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

    2005-01-25

    An electrode/electrolyte structure is prepared by a plurality of methods. An unsintered (possibly bisque fired) moderately catalytic electronically-conductive or homogeneous mixed ionic electronic conductive electrode material is deposited on a layer composed of a sintered or unsintered ionically-conductive electrolyte material prior to being sintered. A layer of particulate electrode material is deposited on an unsintered ("green") layer of electrolyte material and the electrode and electrolyte layers are sintered simultaneously, sometimes referred to as "co-firing," under conditions suitable to fully densify the electrolyte while the electrode retains porosity. Or, the layer of particulate electrode material is deposited on a previously sintered layer of electrolyte, and then sintered. Subsequently, a catalytic material is added to the electrode structure by infiltration of an electrolcatalyst precursor (e.g., a metal salt such as a transition metal nitrate). This may be followed by low temperature firing to convert the precursor to catalyst. The invention allows for an electrode with high electronic conductivity and sufficient catalytic activity to achieve high power density in an ionic (electrochemical) device such as fuel cells and electrolytic gas separation systems.

  3. Effects of discrete-electrode arrangement on traveling-wave electroosmotic pumping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Weiyu; Shao, Jinyou; Ren, Yukun; Wu, Yupan; Wang, Chunhui; Ding, Haitao; Jiang, Hongyuan; Ding, Yucheng

    2016-09-01

    Traveling-wave electroosmotic (TWEO) pumping arises from the action of an imposed traveling-wave (TW) electric field on its own induced charge in the diffuse double layer, which is formed on top of an electrode array immersed in electrolyte solutions. Such a traveling field can be merely realized in practice by a discrete electrode array upon which the corresponding voltages of correct phase are imposed. By employing the theory of linear and weakly nonlinear double-layer charging dynamics, a physical model incorporating both the nonlinear surface capacitance of diffuse layer and Faradaic current injection is developed herein in order to quantify the changes in TWEO pumping performance from a single-mode TW to discrete electrode configuration. Benefiting from the linear analysis, we investigate the influence of using discrete electrode array to create the TW signal on the resulting fluid motion, and several approaches are suggested to improve the pumping performance. In the nonlinear regime, our full numerical analysis considering the intervening isolation spacing indicates that a practical four-phase discrete electrode configuration of equal electrode and gap width exhibits stronger nonlinearity than expected from the idealized pump applied with a single-mode TW in terms of voltage-dependence of the ideal pumping frequency and peak flow rate, though it has a much lower pumping performance. For model validation, pumping of electrolytes by TWEO is achieved over a confocal spiral four-phase electrode array covered by an insulating microchannel; measurement of flow velocity indicates the modified nonlinear theory considering moderate Faradaic conductance is indeed a more accurate physical description of TWEO. These results offer useful guidelines for designing high-performance TWEO microfluidic pumps with discrete electrode array.

  4. Nickel cobalt oxide nanowire-reduced graphite oxide composite material and its application for high performance supercapacitor electrode material.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xu; Yan, Chaoyi; Sumboja, Afriyanti; Lee, Pooi See

    2014-09-01

    In this paper, we report a facile synthesis method of mesoporous nickel cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) nanowire-reduced graphite oxide (rGO) composite material by urea induced hydrolysis reaction, followed by sintering at 300 degrees C. P123 was used to stabilize the GO during synthesis, which resulted in a uniform coating of NiCo2O4 nanowire on rGO sheet. The growth mechanism of the composite material is discussed in detail. The NiCo2O4-rGO composite material showed an outstanding electrochemical performance of 873 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) and 512 F g(-1) at 40 A g(-1). This method provides a promising approach towards low cost and large scale production of supercapacitor electrode material.

  5. Hierarchical Co3O4/PANI hollow nanocages: Synthesis and application for electrode materials of supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Xiaohu; Fan, Huiqing; Ma, Jiangwei; Wang, Chao; Zhang, Mingchang; Zhao, Nan

    2018-05-01

    Hierarchically hollow Co3O4/polyaniline nanocages (Co3O4/PANI NCs) with enhanced specific capacitance and cycle performance for electrode material of supercapacitors are fabricated by combining self-sacrificing template and in situ polymerization route. Benefiting from the good conductivity of PANI improving an electron transport rate as well as high specific surface area from such a hollow structure, the electrode made of Co3O4/PANI NCs exhibits a large specific capacitance of 1301 F/g at the current density of 1 A/g, a much enhancement is obtained as compared with the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode. The contact resistance (Re), charge-transfer (Rct) and Warburg resistance of Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode is significantly lower than that of the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode, indicating the enhanced electrical conductivity. In addition, the Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode also displays superior cycling stability with 90 % capacitance retention after 2000 cycles. Moreover, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor was successfully assembled using Co3O4/PANI NCs as the positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, the assembled device exhibits a superior energy density of 41.5 Wh/kg at 0.8 kW/kg, outstanding power density of 15.9 kW/kg at 18.4 Wh/kg, which significantly transcending those of most previously reported. These results demonstrate that the hierarchically hollow Co3O4/PANI NCs composites have a potential for fabricating electrode of supercapacitors.

  6. Low cost stable air electrode material for high temperature solid oxide electrolyte electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Kuo, L.J.H.; Singh, P.; Ruka, R.J.; Vasilow, T.R.; Bratton, R.J.

    1997-11-11

    A low cost, lanthanide-substituted, dimensionally and thermally stable, gas permeable, electrically conductive, porous ceramic air electrode composition of lanthanide-substituted doped lanthanum manganite is provided which is used as the cathode in high temperature, solid oxide electrolyte fuel cells and generators. The air electrode composition of this invention has a much lower fabrication cost as a result of using a lower cost lanthanide mixture, either a natural mixture or an unfinished lanthanide concentrate obtained from a natural mixture subjected to incomplete purification, as the raw material in place of part or all of the higher cost individual lanthanum. The mixed lanthanide primarily contains a mixture of at least La, Ce, Pr, and Nd, or at least La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm in its lanthanide content, but can also include minor amounts of other lanthanides and trace impurities. The use of lanthanides in place of some or all of the lanthanum also increases the dimensional stability of the air electrode. This low cost air electrode can be fabricated as a cathode for use in high temperature, solid oxide fuel cells and generators. 4 figs.

  7. Hydridable material for the negative electrode in a nickel-metal hydride storage battery

    DOEpatents

    Knosp, Bernard; Bouet, Jacques; Jordy, Christian; Mimoun, Michel; Gicquel, Daniel

    1997-01-01

    A monophase hydridable material for the negative electrode of a nickel-metal hydride storage battery with a "Lave's phase" structure of hexagonal C14 type (MgZn.sub.2) has the general formula: Zr.sub.1-x Ti.sub.x Ni.sub.a Mn.sub.b Al.sub.c Co.sub.d V.sub.e where ##EQU1##

  8. Impedance spectroscopy study of a catechol-modified activated carbon electrode as active material in electrochemical capacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cougnon, C.; Lebègue, E.; Pognon, G.

    2015-01-01

    Modified activated carbon (Norit S-50) electrodes with electrochemical double layer (EDL) capacitance and redox capacitance contributions to the electric charge storage were tested in 1 M H2SO4 to quantify the benefit and the limitation of the surface redox reactions on the electrochemical performances of the resulting pseudo-capacitive materials. The electrochemical performances of an electrochemically anodized carbon electrode and a catechol-modified carbon electrode, which make use both EDL capacitance of the porous structure of the carbon and redox capacitance, were compared to the performances obtained for the pristine carbon. Nitrogen gas adsorption measurements have been used for studying the impact of the grafting on the BET surface area, pore size distribution, pore volume and average pore diameter. The electrochemical behavior of carbon materials was studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS data were discussed by using a complex capacitance model that allows defining the characteristic time constant, the global capacitance and the frequency at which the maximum charge stored is reached. The EIS measurements were achieved at different dc potential values where a redox activity occurs and the evolution of the capacitance and the capacitive relaxation time with the electrode potential are presented. Realistic galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements performed at different current rates corroborate the results obtained by impedance.

  9. Hierarchical Heterostructures of NiCo2O4@XMoO4 (X = Ni, Co) as an Electrode Material for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Hu, Jiyu; Qian, Feng; Song, Guosheng; Wang, Linlin

    2016-12-01

    Hierarchical heterostructures of NiCo2O4@XMoO4 (X = Ni, Co) were developed as an electrode material for supercapacitor with improved pseudocapacitive performance. Within these hierarchical heterostructures, the mesoporous NiCo2O4 nanosheet arrays directly grown on the Ni foam can not only act as an excellent pseudocapacitive material but also serve as a hierarchical scaffold for growing NiMoO4 or CoMoO4 electroactive materials (nanosheets). The electrode made of NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 presented a highest areal capacitance of 3.74 F/cm(2) at 2 mA/cm(2), which was much higher than the electrodes made of NiCo2O4@CoMoO4 (2.452 F/cm(2)) and NiCo2O4 (0.456 F/cm(2)), respectively. Meanwhile, the NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 electrode exhibited good rate capability. It suggested the potential of the hierarchical heterostructures of NiCo2O4@CoMoO4 as an electrode material in supercapacitors.

  10. Molybdenum polysulfide chalcogels as high-capacity, anion-redox-driven electrode materials for Li-ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Doan-Nguyen, Vicky V. T.; Subrahmanyam, Kota S.; Butala, Megan M.; ...

    2016-11-09

    Sulfur cathodes in conversion reaction batteries offer high gravimetric capacity but suffer from parasitic polysulfide shuttling. We demonstrate here that transition metal chalcogels of approximate formula MoS 3.4 achieve a high gravimetric capacity close to 600 mAh g –1 (close to 1000 mAh g –1 on a sulfur basis) as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Transition metal chalcogels are amorphous and comprise polysulfide chains connected by inorganic linkers. The linkers appear to act as a “glue” in the electrode to prevent polysulfide shuttling. The Mo chalcogels function as electrodes in carbonate- and ether-based electrolytes, which further provides evidence of polysulfidemore » solubility not being a limiting issue. We employ X-ray spectroscopy and operando pair distribution function techniques to elucidate the structural evolution of the electrode. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy track the chemical moieties that arise during the anion-redox-driven processes. As a result, we find the redox state of Mo remains unchanged across the electrochemical cycling and, correspondingly, the redox is anion-driven.« less

  11. First-principles theory of doping in layered oxide electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoang, Khang

    2017-12-01

    Doping lithium-ion battery electrode materials Li M O2 (M = Co, Ni, Mn) with impurities has been shown to be an effective way to optimize their electrochemical properties. Here, we report a detailed first-principles study of layered oxides LiCoO2, LiNiO2, and LiMnO2 lightly doped with transition-metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Mn) and non-transition-metal (Mg, Al) impurities using hybrid-density-functional defect calculations. We find that the lattice site preference is dependent on both the dopant's charge and spin states, which are coupled strongly to the local lattice environment and can be affected by the presence of codopant(s), and the relative abundance of the host compound's constituting elements in the synthesis environment. On the basis of the structure and energetics of the impurities and their complexes with intrinsic point defects, we determine all possible low-energy impurity-related defect complexes, thus providing defect models for further analyses of the materials. From a materials modeling perspective, these lightly doped compounds also serve as model systems for understanding the more complex, mixed-metal, Li M O2 -based battery cathode materials.

  12. Electrochemical cell having an alkali-metal-nitrate electrode

    DOEpatents

    Roche, M.F.; Preto, S.K.

    1982-06-04

    A power-producing secondary electrochemical cell includes a molten alkali metal as the negative-electrode material and a molten-nitrate salt as the positive-electrode material. The molten material in the respective electrodes are separated by a solid barrier of alkali-metal-ion conducting material. A typical cell includes active materials of molten sodium separated from molten sodium nitrate and other nitrates in mixture by a layer of sodium ..beta..'' alumina.

  13. Hydrothermal synthesis of Mn-doped ZnCo2O4 electrode material for high-performance supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mary, A. Juliet Christina; Bose, A. Chandra

    2017-12-01

    Mn-doped ZnCo2O4 nanoparticle has been synthesized by hydrothermal method without adding any surfactants. Structural, morphological and electrochemical performances have been studied for the pure and various concentration of Mn-doped ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles. XRD and Raman studies demonstrate the crystalline structure of the material. Specific capacitance of the 10 wt% Mn doped ZnCo2O4 nanomaterial is analysed using the three-electrode system. 10 wt% Mn-doped ZnCo2O4 has a maximum capacitance of 707.4 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. Coulombic efficiency of the material is 96.3% for 500 cycles in the KOH electrolyte medium. A two-electrode device using 10 wt% Mn-doped ZnCo2O4 exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 6.5 F g-1 at a current density of 0.03 A g-1 which is the suitable material for supercapacitor application.

  14. Facile synthesis of birnessite-type manganese oxide nanoparticles as supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lihu; Luo, Yao; Tan, Wenfeng; Zhang, Yashan; Liu, Fan; Qiu, Guohong

    2016-11-15

    Manganese oxides are environmentally benign supercapacitor electrode materials and, in particular, birnessite-type structure shows very promising electrochemical performance. In this work, nanostructured birnessite was facilely prepared by adding dropwise NH2OH·HCl to KMnO4 solution under ambient temperature and pressure. In order to fully exploit the potential of birnessite-type manganese oxide electrode materials, the effects of specific surface area, pore size, content of K(+), and manganese average oxidation state (Mn AOS) on their electrochemical performance were studied. The results showed that with the increase of NH2OH·HCl, the Mn AOS decreased and the corresponding pore sizes and specific surface area of birnessite increased. The synthesized nanostructured birnessite showed the highest specific capacitance of 245Fg(-1) at a current density of 0.1Ag(-1) within a potential range of 0-0.9V, and excellent cycle stability with a capacitance retention rate of 92% after 3000 cycles at a current density of 1.0Ag(-1). The present work implies that specific capacitance is mainly affected by specific surface area and pore volume, and provides a new method for the facile preparation of birnessite-type manganese oxide with excellent capacitive performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Catalyst Stability Benchmarking for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: The Importance of Backing Electrode Material and Dissolution in Accelerated Aging Studies.

    PubMed

    Geiger, Simon; Kasian, Olga; Mingers, Andrea M; Nicley, Shannon S; Haenen, Ken; Mayrhofer, Karl J J; Cherevko, Serhiy

    2017-09-18

    In searching for alternative oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for acidic water splitting, fast screening of the material intrinsic activity and stability in half-cell tests is of vital importance. The screening process significantly accelerates the discovery of new promising materials without the need of time-consuming real-cell analysis. In commonly employed tests, a conclusion on the catalyst stability is drawn solely on the basis of electrochemical data, for example, by evaluating potential-versus-time profiles. Herein important limitations of such approaches, which are related to the degradation of the backing electrode material, are demonstrated. State-of-the-art Ir-black powder is investigated for OER activity and for dissolution as a function of the backing electrode material. Even at very short time intervals materials like glassy carbon passivate, increasing the contact resistance and concealing the degradation phenomena of the electrocatalyst itself. Alternative backing electrodes like gold and boron-doped diamond show better stability and are thus recommended for short accelerated aging investigations. Moreover, parallel quantification of dissolution products in the electrolyte is shown to be of great importance for comparing OER catalyst feasibility. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. High frequency reference electrode

    DOEpatents

    Kronberg, J.W.

    1994-05-31

    A high frequency reference electrode for electrochemical experiments comprises a mercury-calomel or silver-silver chloride reference electrode with a layer of platinum around it and a layer of a chemically and electrically resistant material such as TEFLON around the platinum covering all but a small ring or halo' at the tip of the reference electrode, adjacent to the active portion of the reference electrode. The voltage output of the platinum layer, which serves as a redox electrode, and that of the reference electrode are coupled by a capacitor or a set of capacitors and the coupled output transmitted to a standard laboratory potentiostat. The platinum may be applied by thermal decomposition to the surface of the reference electrode. The electrode provides superior high-frequency response over conventional electrodes. 4 figs.

  17. High frequency reference electrode

    DOEpatents

    Kronberg, James W.

    1994-01-01

    A high frequency reference electrode for electrochemical experiments comprises a mercury-calomel or silver-silver chloride reference electrode with a layer of platinum around it and a layer of a chemically and electrically resistant material such as TEFLON around the platinum covering all but a small ring or "halo" at the tip of the reference electrode, adjacent to the active portion of the reference electrode. The voltage output of the platinum layer, which serves as a redox electrode, and that of the reference electrode are coupled by a capacitor or a set of capacitors and the coupled output transmitted to a standard laboratory potentiostat. The platinum may be applied by thermal decomposition to the surface of the reference electrode. The electrode provides superior high-frequency response over conventional electrodes.

  18. A MoO2 sheet as a promising electrode material: ultrafast Li-diffusion and astonishing Li-storage capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Yungang; Geng, Cheng

    2017-03-01

    The potential of MoO2 crystal as an electrode material is reported, and nanostructural MoO2 systems, including nanoparticles, nanospheres, nanobelts and nanowires, were synthesized and proved to be advanced electrode materials. A two-dimensional (2D) geometric structure represents an extreme of surface-to-volume ratio, and thus is more suitable as an electrode material in general. Stimulated by the recent fabrication of 2D MoO2, we adopted an ab initio molecular dynamics simulation and density functional theory calculation to study the stability and electrochemical properties of a MoO2 sheet. Identified by a phonon dispersion curve and potential energy curve calculations, the MoO2 sheet proved to be dynamically and thermally stable. After lithiation, similar to most promising 2D structures, we found that a Li atom can strongly adsorb on a MoO2 sheet, and the lithiated MoO2 sheet presented excellent metallic properties. Note that, compared with most promising 2D structures, we unexpectedly revealed that the diffusion barrier of the Li atom on the MoO2 sheet was much lower and the storage capacity of the MoO2 sheet was much larger. The calculated energy barrier for the diffusion of Li on the MoO2 sheet was only 75 meV, and, due to multilayer adsorption, the theoretical capacity of the MoO2 sheet can reach up to 2513 mA h g-1. Benefiting from general properties, such as strong Li-binding and excellent conductivity, and unique phenomena, such as ultrafast diffusion capacity and astonishing storage capacity, we highlight a new promising electrode material for the Li-ion battery.

  19. Transition-Metal Carbodiimides as Molecular Negative Electrode Materials for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries with Excellent Cycling Properties

    DOE PAGES

    Sougrati, Moulay T.; Darwiche, Ali; Liu, Xiaohiu; ...

    2016-03-16

    Here we report evidence for the electrochemical activity of transition-metal carbodiimides versus lithium and sodium. In particular, iron carbodiimide, FeNCN, can be efficiently used as a negative electrode material for alkali-metal-ion batteries, similar to its oxide analogue FeO. Based on 57Fe M ssbauer and infrared spectroscopy (IR) data, the electrochemical reaction mechanism can be explained by the reversible transformation of the Fe NCN into Li/Na NCN bonds during discharge and charge. These new electrode materials exhibit higher capacity compared to well-established negative electrode references such as graphite or hard carbon. Contrary to its oxide analogue, iron carbodiimide does not requiremore » heavy treatments (nanoscale tailoring, sophisticated textures, coating etc.) to obtain long cycle life with density current as high as 9 A/g -1 for hundreds of charge/discharge cycles. Similar to the iron compound, several other transition-metal carbodiimides M x(NCN) y with M = Mn, Cr, Zn can cycle successfully versus lithium and sodium. Ultimately, their electrochemical activity and performances open the way to the design of a novel family of anode materials.« less

  20. Advanced screening of electrode couples

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giner, J. D.; Cahill, K.

    1980-01-01

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

  1. Improved electrochemical performance of polyindole/carbon nanotubes composite as electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Zhi-Jiang; Zhang, Qin; Song, Xian-You

    2016-09-01

    Polyindole/carbon nanotubes (PIN/CNTs) composite was prepared by an in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of indole monomer with CNTs using ammonium persulfate as oxidant. The obtained composite material was characterized by SEM, TEM, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, XRD and BET surface areas measurements. It was found that the CNTs were incorporated into the PIN matrix and nanoporous structure was formed. Spectroscopy results showed that interfacial interaction bonds might be formed between the polyindole chains and CNTs during the in-situ polymerization. PIN/CNTs composite was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge tests to determine electrode performances in relation to supercapacitors properties in both aqueous and non-aqueous system. A maximum specific capacitance and specific volumetric capacitance of 555.6 F/g and 222.2 F/cm3 can be achieved at 0.5 A/g in non-aqueous system. It also displayed good rate performance and cycling stability. The specific capacitance retention is over 60% at 10 A/g and 91.3% after 5000 cycles at 2 A/g, respectively. These characteristics point to its promising applications in the electrode material for supercapacitors.

  2. Method of making an air electrode material having controlled sinterability

    DOEpatents

    Vasilow, T.R.; Kuo, L.J.H.; Ruka, R.J.

    1994-08-30

    A tubular, porous ceramic electrode structure is made from the sintered admixture of doped lanthanum manganite and an additive containing cerium where a solid electrolyte, substantially surrounds the air electrode, and a porous outer fuel electrode substantially surrounds the electrolyte, to form a fuel cell. 2 figs.

  3. Electrode systems for in situ vitrification

    DOEpatents

    Buelt, James L.; Carter, John G.; Eschbach, Eugene A.; FitzPatrick, Vincent F.; Koehmstedt, Paul L.; Morgan, William C.; Oma, Kenton H.; Timmerman, Craig L.

    1990-01-01

    An electrode comprising a molybdenum rod is received within a conductive collar formed of graphite. The molybdenum rod and the graphite collar may be physically joined at the bottom. A pair of such electrodes are placed in soil containing buried waste material and an electric current is passed therebetween for vitrifying the soil. The graphite collar enhances the thermal conductivity of the combination, bringing heat to the surface, and preventing formation of a cold cap of material above the ground surface. The annulus between the molybdenum rod electrode and the graphite collar is suitably filled with a conductive ceramic powder that sinters upon the molybdenum rod, protecting the same from oxidation as graphite material is consumed, or a metal powder which liquefies at operating temperatures. The center of the molybdenum rod, used with a collar of separately, can be hollow and filled with a powdered metal, such as copper, which liquefies at operating temperatures. Connection to electrodes can be provided below ground level to avoid open circuit due to electrode deterioration, or sacrificial electrodes may be employed when operation is started. Outboard electrodes cna be utilized to square up a vitrified area.

  4. Novel hole transport materials for organic light emitting devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Jianmin; Forsythe, Eric; Morton, David

    2008-08-01

    Organic electronic devices generally have a layered structure with organic materials sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, such organic electronic devices of organic light-emitting diode (OLED), organic photovoltaic (OPV), organic thin-film transistor (OTFT). There are many advantages of these organic electronic devices as compared to silicon-based devices. However, one of key challenge for an organic electronic device is to minimize the charge injection barrier from electrodes to organic materials and improve the charge transport mobility. In order to overcome these circumstances, there are many approaches including, designing organic materials with minimum energy barriers and improving charge transport mobility. Ideally organic materials or complex with Ohmic contact will be the most desired.

  5. Graphene electrodes for stimulation of neuronal cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koerbitzer, Berit; Krauss, Peter; Nick, Christoph; Yadav, Sandeep; Schneider, Joerg J.; Thielemann, Christiane

    2016-06-01

    Graphene has the ability to improve the electrical interface between neuronal cells and electrodes used for recording and stimulation purposes. It provides a biocompatible coating for common electrode materials such as gold and improves the electrode properties. Graphene electrodes are also prepared on SiO2 substrate to benefit from its optical properties like transparency. We perform electrochemical and Raman characterization of gold electrodes with graphene coating and compare them with graphene on SiO2 substrate. It was found that the substrate plays an important role in the performance of graphene and show that graphene on SiO2 substrate is a very promising material combination for stimulation electrodes.

  6. Method of making an air electrode material having controlled sinterability

    DOEpatents

    Vasilow, Theodore R.; Kuo, Lewis J. H.; Ruka, Roswell J.

    1994-01-01

    A tubular, porous ceramic electrode structure (3) is made from the sintered admixture of doped lanthanum manganite and an additive containing cerium where a solid electrolyte (4), substantially surrounds the air electrode, and a porous outer fuel electrode (7) substantially surrounds the electrolyte, to form a fuel cell (1).

  7. Structural and electrochemical study of positive electrode materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Meng

    The research presented in this dissertation focuses on a combined study of the electrochemistry and the structure of positive electrode materials for Li ion batteries. Li ion batteries are one of the most advanced energy storage systems and have been the subject of numerous scientific studies in recent decades. They have been widely used for various mobile devices such as cell phones, laptop computers and power tools. They are also promising candidates as power sources for automotive applications. Although intensive research has been done to improve the performance of Li ion batteries, there are still many remaining challenges to overcome so that they can be used in a wider range of applications. In particular, cheaper and safer electrodes are required with much higher reversible capacity. The series of layered nickel manganese oxides [NixLi 1/3-2x/3Mn2/3- x/3]O2 (0 < x < 1/2) are promising alternatives for Li2CoO2, the commercial positive electrode materials in Li ion batteries, because of their lower cost and higher safety and abuse tolerance, when lithium is removed from their structure. Compounds with x<1/2, in which the total Li content is higher than transition metal content, are referred as "Li-excess" materials. The "Li2MnO3-like" region is always present in this type of materials, and the overcapacity is obtained in the first charge process, which is not reversible in the following cycles. A combined X-ray diffraction, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray absorption spectroscopy study is performed to investigate the effect of synthetic methods on the structure, to probe the structural change of the materials during cycling and to understand the electrochemical reaction mechanism. The conversion compounds are also investigated because of their high capacities. Since the various compounds have different voltage windows, they can have potential applications as both cathodes and anodes. Solid state nuclear magnetic resonance is used to study the

  8. High-Performance Capacitive Deionization Disinfection of Water with Graphene Oxide-graft-Quaternized Chitosan Nanohybrid Electrode Coating.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yilei; El-Deen, Ahmed G; Li, Peng; Oh, Bernice H L; Guo, Zanru; Khin, Mya Mya; Vikhe, Yogesh S; Wang, Jing; Hu, Rebecca G; Boom, Remko M; Kline, Kimberly A; Becker, David L; Duan, Hongwei; Chan-Park, Mary B

    2015-10-27

    Water disinfection materials should ideally be broad-spectrum-active, nonleachable, and noncontaminating to the liquid needing sterilization. Herein, we demonstrate a high-performance capacitive deionization disinfection (CDID) electrode made by coating an activated carbon (AC) electrode with cationic nanohybrids of graphene oxide-graft-quaternized chitosan (GO-QC). Our GO-QC/AC CDID electrode can achieve at least 99.9999% killing (i.e., 6 log reduction) of Escherichia coli in water flowing continuously through the CDID cell. Without the GO-QC coating, the AC electrode alone cannot kill the bacteria and adsorbs a much smaller fraction (<82.8 ± 1.8%) of E. coli from the same biocontaminated water. Our CDID process consists of alternating cycles of water disinfection followed by electrode regeneration, each a few minutes duration, so that this water disinfection process can be continuous and it only needs a small electrode voltage (2 V). With a typical brackish water biocontamination (with 10(4) CFU mL(-1) bacteria), the GO-QC/AC electrodes can kill 99.99% of the E. coli in water for 5 h. The disinfecting GO-QC is securely attached on the AC electrode surface, so that it is noncontaminating to water, unlike many other chemicals used today. The GO-QC nanohybrids have excellent intrinsic antimicrobial properties in suspension form. Further, the GO component contributes toward the needed surface conductivity of the CDID electrode. This CDID process offers an economical method toward ultrafast, contaminant-free, and continuous killing of bacteria in biocontaminated water. The proposed strategy introduces a green in situ disinfectant approach for water purification.

  9. Improved electrochemical performance of boron-doped SiO negative electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woo, Jihoon; Baek, Seong-Ho; Park, Jung-Soo; Jeong, Young-Min; Kim, Jae Hyun

    2015-12-01

    We introduce a one-step process that consists of thermal disproportionation and impurity doping to enhance the reversible capacity and electrical conductivity of silicon monoxide (SiO)-based negative electrode materials in Li-ion batteries. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) results reveal that thermally treated SiO at 900 °C (H-SiO) consists of uniformly dispersed nano-crystalline Si (nc-Si) in an amorphous silicon oxide (SiOx) matrix. Compared to that of prinstine SiO, the electrochemical performance of H-SiO shows improved specific capacity, due mainly to the increased reversible capacity by nc-Si and to the reduced volume expansion by thermally disproportionated SiOx matrix. Further electrochemical improvements can be obtained by boron-doping on SiO (HB-SiO) using solution dopant during thermal disproportionation. HB-SiO electrode without carbon coating exhibits significantly enhanced specific capacity superior to that of undoped H-SiO electrode, having 947 mAh g-1 at 0.5C rate and excellent capacity retention of 93.3% over 100 cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement reveals that the internal resistance of the HB-SiO electrode is significantly reduced by boron doping.

  10. Binder-free three-dimensional high energy density electrodes for ionic-liquid supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Tran, Chau; Lawrence, Daniel; Richey, Francis W; Dillard, Caitlin; Elabd, Yossef A; Kalra, Vibha

    2015-09-18

    We demonstrate a facile methodology to fabricate binder-free porous carbon nanofiber electrodes for room temperature ionic-liquid supercapacitors. The device provides an energy density of 80 W h kg(-1) based on the mass of two electrodes while retaining the high rate capability of supercapacitors with near-ideal CV curves at a high scan rate of 200 mV s(-1).

  11. New, Efficient, and Reliable Air Electrode Material for Proton-Conducting Reversible Solid Oxide Cells.

    PubMed

    Huan, Daoming; Shi, Nai; Zhang, Lu; Tan, Wenzhou; Xie, Yun; Wang, Wanhua; Xia, Changrong; Peng, Ranran; Lu, Yalin

    2018-01-17

    Driven by the demand to minimize fluctuation in common renewable energies, reversible solid oxide cells (RSOCs) have drawn increasing attention for they can operate either as fuel cells to produce electricity or as electrolysis cells to store electricity. Unfortunately, development of proton-conducting RSOCs (P-RSOCs) faces a major challenge of poor reliability because of the high content of steam involved in air electrode reactions, which could seriously decay the lifetime of air electrode materials. In this work, a very stable and efficient air electrode, SrEu 2 Fe 1.8 Co 0.2 O 7-δ (SEFC) with layer structure, is designed and deployed in P-RSOCs. X-ray diffraction analysis and High-angle annular dark-filed scanning transmission electron microscopy images of SEFC reveal that Sr atoms occupy the center of perovskite slabs, whereas Eu atoms arrange orderly in the rock-salt layer. Such a special structure of SEFC largely depresses its Lewis basicity and therefore its reactivity with steam. Applying the SEFC air electrode, our button switches smoothly between both fuel cell and electrolysis cell (EC) modes with no obvious degradation over a 135 h long-term test under wet H 2 (∼3% H 2 O) and 10% H 2 O-air atmospheres. A record of over 230 h is achieved in the long-term stability test in the EC mode, doubling the longest test that had been previously reported. Besides good stability, SEFC demonstrates great catalytic activity toward air electrode reactions when compared with traditional La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ air electrodes. This research highlights the potential of stable and efficient P-RSOCs as an important part in a sustainable new energy power system.

  12. Electrode structures and surfaces for Li batteries

    DOEpatents

    Thackeray, Michael M.; Kang, Sun-Ho; Balasubramanian, Mahalingam; Croy, Jason

    2017-03-14

    This invention relates to methods of preparing positive electrode materials for electrochemical cells and batteries. It relates, in particular, to a method for fabricating lithium-metal-oxide electrode materials for lithium cells and batteries. The method comprises contacting a hydrogen-lithium-manganese-oxide material with one or more metal ions, preferably in an acidic solution, to insert the one or more metal ions into the hydrogen-lithium-manganese-oxide material; heat-treating the resulting product to form a powdered metal oxide composition; and forming an electrode from the powdered metal oxide composition.

  13. A porous carbon material from pyrolysis of fructus cannabis’s shells for supercapacitor electrode application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Kai; Zhang, Wei-Bin; Zhao, Zhi-Yun; Zhao, Yue; Chen, Xi-Wen; Kong, Ling-Bin

    2018-02-01

    The porous carbon material is obtained via pyrolysis and activation of fructus cannabis’s shells, an easy-to-get biomass source, and is used as an active electrode material for supercapacitors. The obtained carbon exhibit a high specific surface area of 2389 m2 g-1. And the result of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the obtained porous carbon possess numerous oxygen groups, which can facilitate the wettability of the electrode. The prepared porous carbon also exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties, such as high specific capacitance of 357 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 in 6 mol L-1 aqueous KOH electrolyte, good rate capability of 77% capacitance retention as the current density increase from 0.5 A g-1 to 10 A g-1. In addition, it also presents a superior cycling stability of 100% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles at the current density of 1 A g-1.

  14. Recent advances in graphite powder-based electrodes.

    PubMed

    Bellido-Milla, Dolores; Cubillana-Aguilera, Laura Ma; El Kaoutit, Mohammed; Hernández-Artiga, Ma Purificación; Hidalgo-Hidalgo de Cisneros, José Luis; Naranjo-Rodríguez, Ignacio; Palacios-Santander, José Ma

    2013-04-01

    Graphite powder-based electrodes have the electrochemical performance of quasi-noble metal electrodes with intrinsic advantages related to the possibility of modification to enhance selectivity and their easily renewable surface, with no need for hazardous acids or bases for their cleaning. In contrast with commercial electrodes, for example screen-printed or sputtered-chip electrodes, graphite powder-based electrodes can also be fabricated in any laboratory with the form and characteristics desired. They are also readily modified with advanced materials, with relatively high reproducibility. All these characteristics make them a very interesting option for obtaining a large variety of electrodes to resolve different kinds of analytical problems. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art, advantages, and disadvantages of graphite powder-based electrodes in electrochemical analysis in the 21st century. It includes recent trends in carbon paste electrodes, devoting special attention to the use of emergent materials as new binders and to the development of other composite electrodes. The most recent advances in the use of graphite powder-modified sol-gel electrodes are also described. The development of sonogel-carbon electrodes and their use in electrochemical sensors and biosensors is included. These materials extend the possibilities of applications, especially for industrial technology-transfer purposes, and their development could affect not only electroanalytical green chemistry but other interesting areas also, for example catalysis and energy conversion and storage.

  15. Anodized Steel Electrodes for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Sagu, Jagdeep S; Wijayantha, K G Upul; Bohm, Mallika; Bohm, Siva; Kumar Rout, Tapan

    2016-03-09

    Steel was anodized in 10 M NaOH to enhance its surface texture and internal surface area for application as an electrode in supercapacitors. A mechanism was proposed for the anodization process. Field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) studies of anodized steel revealed that it contains a highly porous sponge like structure ideal for supercapacitor electrodes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements showed that the surface of the anodized steel was Fe2O3, whereas X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated that the bulk remained as metallic Fe. The supercapacitor performance of the anodized steel was tested in 1 M NaOH and a capacitance of 18 mF cm(-2) was obtained. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that there was a large psueudocapacitive contribution which was due to oxidation of Fe to Fe(OH)2 and then further oxidation to FeOOH, and the respective reduction of these species back to metallic Fe. These redox processes were found to be remarkably reversible as the electrode showed no loss in capacitance after 10000 cycles. The results demonstrate that anodization of steel is a suitable method to produce high-surface-area electrodes for supercapacitors with excellent cycling lifetime.

  16. Negative electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.; Chilenskas, Albert A.

    1982-01-01

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

  17. Synergetic electrode architecture for efficient graphene-based flexible organic light-emitting diodes.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jaeho; Han, Tae-Hee; Park, Min-Ho; Jung, Dae Yool; Seo, Jeongmin; Seo, Hong-Kyu; Cho, Hyunsu; Kim, Eunhye; Chung, Jin; Choi, Sung-Yool; Kim, Taek-Soo; Lee, Tae-Woo; Yoo, Seunghyup

    2016-06-02

    Graphene-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have recently emerged as a key element essential in next-generation displays and lighting, mainly due to their promise for highly flexible light sources. However, their efficiency has been, at best, similar to that of conventional, indium tin oxide-based counterparts. We here propose an ideal electrode structure based on a synergetic interplay of high-index TiO2 layers and low-index hole-injection layers sandwiching graphene electrodes, which results in an ideal situation where enhancement by cavity resonance is maximized yet loss to surface plasmon polariton is mitigated. The proposed approach leads to OLEDs exhibiting ultrahigh external quantum efficiency of 40.8 and 62.1% (64.7 and 103% with a half-ball lens) for single- and multi-junction devices, respectively. The OLEDs made on plastics with those electrodes are repeatedly bendable at a radius of 2.3 mm, partly due to the TiO2 layers withstanding flexural strain up to 4% via crack-deflection toughening.

  18. Electrode structure and methods of making same

    DOEpatents

    Ruud, James Anthony; Browall, Kenneth Walter; Rehg, Timothy Joseph; Renou, Stephane; Striker, Todd-Michael

    2010-04-06

    A method of making an electrode structure is provided. The method includes disposing an electrocatalytic material on an electrode, applying heat to the electrocatalytic material to form a volatile oxide of the electrocatalytic material, and applying a voltage to the electrode to reduce the volatile oxide to provide a number of nano-sized electrocatalytic particles on or proximate to a triple phase boundary, where the number of nano-sized electrocatalytic particles is greater on or proximate to the triple phase boundary than in an area that is not on or proximate to the triple phase boundary, and where the triple phase boundary is disposed on the electrode.

  19. Layered electrode for electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Swathirajan, Swathy; Mikhail, Youssef M.

    2001-01-01

    There is provided an electrode structure comprising a current collector sheet and first and second layers of electrode material. Together, the layers improve catalyst utilization and water management.

  20. Double-shell CuS nanocages as advanced supercapacitor electrode materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Jinxue; Zhang, Xinqun; Sun, Yanfang; Zhang, Xiaohong; Tang, Lin; Zhang, Xiao

    2017-07-01

    Metal sulfides hollow structures are advanced materials for energy storage applications of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. However, constructing hollow metal sulfides with specific features, such as multi-shell and non-spherical shape, still remains great challenge. In this work, we firstly demonstrate the synthesis of CuS double-shell hollow nanocages using Cu2O nanocubes as precursors. The synthesis processes involve the repeated anion exchange reaction with Na2S and the controllable etching using hydrochloric acid. The whole synthesis processes are well revealed and the obtained double-shell CuS is tested as pseudocapacitive electrode material for supercapacitors. As expected, the CuS double-shell hollow nanocages deliver high specific capacitance, good rate performance and excellent cycling stability due to their unique nano-architecture. The present work contributes greatly to the exploration of hollow metal sulfides with complex architecture and non-spherical shape, as well as their promising application in high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors.

  1. Preparation and photoelectrocatalytic performance of N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane composite electrode material.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Zhi-Lin; Han, Shuai

    2016-01-01

    A novel composite electrode material based on a N-doped TiO2-loaded NaY zeolite membrane (N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane) for photoelectrocatalysis was presented. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible (UV-vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization techniques were used to analyze the structure of the N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane. The XRD and SEM results verified that the N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles with the size of ca. 20 nm have been successfully loaded on the porous stainless steel-supported NaY zeolite membrane. The UV-vis result showed that the N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane exhibited a more obvious red-shift than that of N-TiO2 nanoparticles. The XPS characterization revealed that the doping of N element into TiO2 was successfully achieved. The photoelectrocatalysis performance of the N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane composite electrode material was evaluated by phenol removal and also the effects of reaction conditions on the catalytic performance were investigated. Owing to exhibiting an excellent catalytic activity and good recycling stability, the N-doped TiO2/NaY zeolite membrane composite electrode material was of promising application for photoelectrocatalysis in wastewater treatment.

  2. Lightweight fibrous nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, Doris L.

    1989-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center is currently developing nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen batteries. These electrodes are lighter in weight and have higher energy densities than the heavier state-of-the-art sintered nickel electrodes. Lightweight fibrous materials or plaques are used as conductive supports for the nickel hydroxide active material. These materials are commercial products that are fabricated into nickel electrodes by electrochemically impregnating them with active material. Evaluation is performed in half cells structured in the bipolar configuration. Initial performance tests include capacity measurements at five discharge levels, C/2, 1.0C, 1.37C, 2.0C, and 2.74C. The electrodes that pass the initial tests are life cycle-tested in a low Earth orbit regime at 80 percent depth of discharge.

  3. One-dimensional nanostructured materials for lithium-ion battery and supercapacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chan, Candace Kay

    The need for improved electrochemical storage devices has necessitated research on new and advanced electrode materials. One-dimensional nanomaterials such as nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoribbons, can provide a unique opportunity to engineer electrochemical devices to have improved electronic and ionic conductivity as well as electrochemical and structural transformations. Silicon and germanium nanowires (NWs) were studied as negative electrode materials for lithiumion batteries because of their ability to alloy with large amounts of lithium, leading to 4-10 times higher specific capacities than the graphite standard. These nanowires could be grown vertically off of metallic current collector substrates using the gold-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid synthesis. Electrochemical measurements of the SiNWs showed that capacities greater than 3,500 mAh/g could be obtained for tens of cycles, while hundreds of cycles could be obtained at lower capacities. As opposed to bulk Si, the SiNWs were observed to maintain their morphology during cycling and did not pulverize due to the large volume changes. Detailed TEM and XRD characterization showed that the SiNWs became amorphous during the first lithiation (charge) and formed a two-phase region between crystalline Si and amorphous Li xSi. Afterwards, the SiNWs remained amorphous and subsequent reaction was through a single-phase cycling of amorphous Si. The good cycling behavior compared to bulk and micron-sized Si particles was attributed to the nanowire morphology and electrode design. The surface chemistry and solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) were studied using XPS as a function of charge and discharge potential. The common reduction productions expected in the electrolyte (1 M LiPF6 in 1:1 EC/DEC) were observed, with the main component being Li2CO3. The morphology of the SEI was found to change at different potentials, indicating a dynamic process involving deposition, dissolution, and re-deposition on the SiNWs. Longterm

  4. EXAFS: New tool for study of battery and fuel cell materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcbreen, James; Ogrady, William E.; Pandya, Kaumudi I.

    1987-01-01

    Extended X ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) is a powerful technique for probing the local atomic structure of battery and fuel cell materials. The major advantages of EXAFS are that both the probe and the signal are X rays and the technique is element selective and applicable to all states of matter. This permits in situ studies of electrodes and determination of the structure of single components in composite electrodes, or even complete cells. EXAFS specifically probes short range order and yields coordination numbers, bond distances, and chemical identity of nearest neighbors. Thus, it is ideal for structural studies of ions in solution and the poorly crystallized materials that are often the active materials or catalysts in batteries and fuel cells. Studies on typical battery and fuel cell components are used to describe the technique and the capability of EXAFS as a structural tool in these applications. Typical experimental and data analysis procedures are outlined. The advantages and limitations of the technique are also briefly discussed.

  5. Wearable polyimide-PDMS electrodes for intrabody communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moon, Jin-Hee; Baek, Dong Hyun; Choi, Yoon Young; Lee, Kwang Ho; Kim, Hee Chan; Lee, Sang-Hoon

    2010-02-01

    In this paper, we introduce a novel wearable electrode for an intra-body area network (I-BAN) by employing the advantages of polyimide (PI) which is a well-known substrate material for flexible electrodes and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which is a biocompatible and representative soft-lithography adaptable material. Electrodes were patterned onto thin and flexible PI substrates and encapsulated in PDMS to enhance skin compatibility. For this purpose, we developed an electrode fabrication process on thin PI substrates and a PDMS encapsulation technique by bonding two PDMS layers on the front and back surfaces of the PI electrode. The mechanical property and communication performance of electrodes were characterized through spectrum analysis to optimize the role as an I-BAN electrode. Skin-compatibility and cyto-toxicity tests using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were carried out to demonstrate the non-toxicity of the electrode after continuous wearing. Sinusoidal signals of 45 MHz were successfully transmitted with high fidelity between electrodes separated by 30 cm.

  6. Synthesis of a highly efficient 3D graphene-CNT-MnO2-PANI nanocomposite as a binder free electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Asif, Muhammad; Tan, Yi; Pan, Lujun; Rashad, Muhammad; Li, Jiayan; Fu, Xin; Cui, Ruixue

    2016-09-29

    Graphene based nanocomposites have been investigated intensively, as electrode materials for energy storage applications. In the current work, a graphene-CNT-MnO 2 -PANI (GCM@PANI) nanocomposite has been synthesized on 3D graphene grown on nickel foam, as a highly efficient binder free electrode material for supercapacitors. Interestingly, the specific capacitance of the synthesized electrode increases up to the first 1500 charge-discharge cycles, and is thus referred to as an electrode activation process. The activated GCM@PANI nanocomposite electrode exhibits an extraordinary galvanostatic specific capacitance of 3037 F g -1 at a current density of 8 A g -1 . The synthesized nanocomposite exhibits an excellent cyclic stability with a capacitance retention of 83% over 12 000 charge-discharge cycles, and a high rate capability by retaining a specific capacitance of 84.6% at a current density of 20 A g -1 . The structural and electrochemical analysis of the synthesized nanocomposite suggests that the astonishing electrochemical performance might be attributed to the growth of a novel PANI nanoparticle layer and the synergistic effect of CNT/MnO 2 nanostructures.

  7. Electrode for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, T.D.; Nelson, P.A.; Miller, W.E.

    1980-05-09

    An electrode structure for a secondary electrochemical cell includes an outer enclosure defining a compartment containing electrochemical active material. The enclosure includes a rigid electrically conductive metal sheet with perforated openings over major side surfaces. The enclosure can be assembled as first and second trays each with a rigid sheet of perforated electrically conductive metal at major side surfaces and normally extending flanges at parametric margins. The trays can be pressed together with moldable active material between the two to form an expandable electrode. A plurality of positive and negative electrodes thus formed are arranged in an alternating array with porous frangible interelectrode separators within the housing of the secondary electrochemical cell.

  8. Electrode for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.; Nelson, Paul A.; Miller, William E.

    1981-01-01

    An electrode structure for a secondary electrochemical cell includes an outer enclosure defining a compartment containing electrochemical active material. The enclosure includes a rigid electrically conductive metal sheet with perforated openings over major side surfaces. The enclosure can be assembled as first and second trays each with a rigid sheet of perforated electrically conductive metal at major side surfaces and normally extending flanges at parametric margins. The trays can be pressed together with moldable active material between the two to form an expandable electrode. A plurality of positive and negative electrodes thus formed are arranged in an alternating array with porous frangible interelectrode separators within the housing of the secondary electrochemical cell.

  9. Ultrathin NiO nanoflakes electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Huanhao; Qu, Fengyu; Wu, Xiang

    2016-01-01

    In this work, large scale ultrathin NiO nanoflakes grown on nickel foam have been successfully obtained by a facile, low cost and eco-friendly route under mild temperature. The average thickness of the as-obtained NiO nanoflakes is about 10 nm. And they possess large surface area of 89.56 m2 g-1 and the dominant pore size of 2.313 nm. The electrochemical properties of the obtained product were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge measurement and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical tests demonstrate the highest discharge areal capacitance of 870 mF cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2 and excellent long cycle-life stability with 84.2% of its discharge areal capacitance retention after 6000 cycles at the current density of 10 mA cm-2. The remarkable electrochemical capacitive performance revealed NiO nanoflakes grown on nickel foam might be promising supercapacitor electrode materials for future energy storage applications.

  10. Conducting polymer coated neural recording electrodes.

    PubMed

    Harris, Alexander R; Morgan, Simeon J; Chen, Jun; Kapsa, Robert M I; Wallace, Gordon G; Paolini, Antonio G

    2013-02-01

    Neural recording electrodes suffer from poor signal to noise ratio, charge density, biostability and biocompatibility. This paper investigates the ability of conducting polymer coated electrodes to record acute neural response in a systematic manner, allowing in depth comparison of electrochemical and electrophysiological response. Polypyrrole (Ppy) and poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) doped with sulphate (SO4) or para-toluene sulfonate (pTS) were used to coat iridium neural recording electrodes. Detailed electrochemical and electrophysiological investigations were undertaken to compare the effect of these materials on acute in vivo recording. A range of charge density and impedance responses were seen with each respectively doped conducting polymer. All coatings produced greater charge density than uncoated electrodes, while PEDOT-pTS, PEDOT-SO4 and Ppy-SO4 possessed lower impedance values at 1 kHz than uncoated electrodes. Charge density increased with PEDOT-pTS thickness and impedance at 1 kHz was reduced with deposition times up to 45 s. Stable electrochemical response after acute implantation inferred biostability of PEDOT-pTS coated electrodes while other electrode materials had variable impedance and/or charge density after implantation indicative of a protein fouling layer forming on the electrode surface. Recording of neural response to white noise bursts after implantation of conducting polymer-coated electrodes into a rat model inferior colliculus showed a general decrease in background noise and increase in signal to noise ratio and spike count with reduced impedance at 1 kHz, regardless of the specific electrode coating, compared to uncoated electrodes. A 45 s PEDOT-pTS deposition time yielded the highest signal to noise ratio and spike count. A method for comparing recording electrode materials has been demonstrated with doped conducting polymers. PEDOT-pTS showed remarkable low fouling during acute implantation, inferring good biostability

  11. Work function determination of promising electrode materials for thermionic converters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jacobson, D.

    1977-01-01

    Work performed on this contract was primarily for the evaluation of selected electrode materials for thermionic energy converters. The original objective was to characterize selected nickel based superalloys up to temperatures of 1400 K. It was found that an early selection, Inconel 800 produced a high vapor pressure which interfered with the vacuum emission measurements. The program then shifted to two other areas. The first area was to obtain emission from the superalloys in a cesiated atmosphere. The cesium plasma helps to suppress the vaporization interference. The second area involved characterization of the Lanthanum-Boron series as thermionic emitters. These final two areas resulted in three journal publications which are attached to this report.

  12. Mixed ionic-electronic conductors for electrodes of barium cerate-based SOFCS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Zhonglin

    Gadolinium doped barium cerates (BCGs) have been identified as promising electrolyte materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). It is crucial to develop compatible electrode materials for such electrolytes. Mixed ionic-electronic conductor (MIEC) electrode materials developed for SOFCs based on yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) may be used as electrode materials for BCG-based SOFCs; but a careful re-evaluation is required due to the intrinsic differences between BCG and YSZ. The performance of these electrode materials depends critically the transport of ionic and electronic species as well as gas. Accordingly, a profound understanding of transport in MIEC electrodes is imperative to effective design of high performance SOFCs. In this thesis, ambipolar transport in composite MIEC electrodes has been modeled using percolation theory to predict the effect of volume fractions of constituent phases and porosity on ambipolar conductivity. Transport and electrode kinetics of homogeneous MIEC electrodes have also been formulated under a steady-state condition to predict the distributions of ionic defects and current carried by each defect in such electrodes. Effects of catalytic properties, transport properties, and microstructure of porous electrodes and interfaces on the electrode performance are investigated. Under the guidelines of the theoretical modeling, several MIEC electrode materials are developed. Lasb{1-x}Srsb{x}Cosb{1-x}Fesb{y}Osb{3-delta} homogeneous materials are studied as cathode materials. However, the interfacial resistance seems too high due to the lack of catalytic activity at intermediate temperatures. Results indicate that Ag-Bisb{1.5}Ysb{0.5}Osb3 composite MIECs are good cathode materials when the volume fractions of constituent phases and porosity are carefully controlled. Such electrodes have low interfacial resistance, better binding strength, and smaller thermal mismatch with the BCG electrolyte, compared to other

  13. Method of preparing porous, active material for use in electrodes of secondary electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Vissers, Donald R.; Nelson, Paul A.; Kaun, Thomas D.; Tomczuk, Zygmunt

    1977-01-01

    Particles of carbonaceous matrices containing embedded electrode active material are prepared for vibratory loading within a porous electrically conductive substrate. In preparing the particles, active materials such as metal chalcogenides, solid alloys of alkali or alkaline earth metals along with other metals and their oxides in powdered or particulate form are blended with a thermosetting resin and particles of a volatile to form a paste mixture. The paste is heated to a temperature at which the volatile transforms into vapor to impart porosity at about the same time as the resin begins to cure into a rigid, solid structure.The solid structure is then comminuted into porous, carbonaceous particles with the embedded active material.

  14. Perovskite electrodes and method of making the same

    DOEpatents

    Seabaugh, Matthew M [Columbus, OH; Swartz, Scott L [Columbus, OH

    2009-09-22

    The invention relates to perovskite oxide electrode materials in which one or more of the elements Mg, Ni, Cu, and Zn are present as minority components that enhance electrochemical performance, as well as electrode products with these compositions and methods of making the electrode materials. Such electrodes are useful in electrochemical system applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, ceramic oxygen generation systems, gas sensors, ceramic membrane reactors, and ceramic electrochemical gas separation systems.

  15. Perovskite electrodes and method of making the same

    DOEpatents

    Seabaugh, Matthew M.; Swartz, Scott L.

    2005-09-20

    The invention relates to perovskite oxide electrode materials in which one or more of the elements Mg, Ni, Cu, and Zn are present as minority components that enhance electrochemical performance, as well as electrode products with these compositions and methods of making the electrode materials. Such electrodes are useful in electrochemical system applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, ceramic oxygen generation systems, gas sensors, ceramic membrane reactors, and ceramic electrochemical gas separation systems.

  16. Characterization of dry biopotential electrodes.

    PubMed

    Xie, Li; Yang, Geng; Xu, Linlin; Seoane, Fernando; Chen, Qiang; Zheng, Lirong

    2013-01-01

    Driven by the increased interest in wearable long-term healthcare monitoring systems, varieties of dry electrodes are proposed based on different materials with different patterns and structures. Most of the studies reported in the literature focus on proposing new electrodes and comparing its performance with commercial electrodes. Few papers are about detailed comparison among different dry electrodes. In this paper, printed metal-plate electrodes, textile based electrodes, and spiked electrodes are for the first time evaluated and compared under the same experimental setup. The contact impedance and noise characterization are measured. The in-vivo electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement is applied to evaluate the overall performance of different electrodes. Textile electrodes and printed electrodes gain comparable high-quality ECG signals. The ECG signal obtained by spiked electrodes is noisier. However, a clear ECG envelope can be observed and the signal quality can be easily improved by backend signal processing. The features of each type of electrodes are analyzed and the suitable application scenario is addressed.

  17. Biologically derived melanin electrodes in aqueous sodium-ion energy storage devices

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Young Jo; Wu, Wei; Chun, Sang-Eun; Whitacre, Jay F.; Bettinger, Christopher J.

    2013-01-01

    Biodegradable electronics represents an attractive and emerging paradigm in medical devices by harnessing simultaneous advantages afforded by electronically active systems and obviating issues with chronic implants. Integrating practical energy sources that are compatible with the envisioned operation of transient devices is an unmet challenge for biodegradable electronics. Although high-performance energy storage systems offer a feasible solution, toxic materials and electrolytes present regulatory hurdles for use in temporary medical devices. Aqueous sodium-ion charge storage devices combined with biocompatible electrodes are ideal components to power next-generation biodegradable electronics. Here, we report the use of biologically derived organic electrodes composed of melanin pigments for use in energy storage devices. Melanins of natural (derived from Sepia officinalis) and synthetic origin are evaluated as anode materials in aqueous sodium-ion storage devices. Na+-loaded melanin anodes exhibit specific capacities of 30.4 ± 1.6 mAhg−1. Full cells composed of natural melanin anodes and λ-MnO2 cathodes exhibit an initial potential of 1.03 ± 0.06 V with a maximum specific capacity of 16.1 ± 0.8 mAhg−1. Natural melanin anodes exhibit higher specific capacities compared with synthetic melanins due to a combination of beneficial chemical, electrical, and physical properties exhibited by the former. Taken together, these results suggest that melanin pigments may serve as a naturally occurring biologically derived charge storage material to power certain types of medical devices. PMID:24324163

  18. Measuring electrode assembly

    DOEpatents

    Bordenick, John E.

    1989-01-01

    A pH measuring electrode assembly for immersion in a solution includes an enclosed cylindrical member having an aperture at a lower end thereof. An electrolyte is located in the cylindrical member above the level of the aperture and an electrode is disposed in this electrolyte. A ring formed of an ion porous material is mounted relative to the cylindrical member so that a portion of this ring is rotatable relative to and is covering the aperture in the cylindrical member. A suitable mechanism is also provided for indicating which one of a plurality of portions of the ring is covering the aperture and to keep track of which portions of the ring have already been used and become clogged. Preferably, the electrode assembly also includes a glass electrode member in the center thereof including a second electrolyte and electrode disposed therein. The cylindrical member is resiliently mounted relative to the glass electrode member to provide for easy rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the glass electrode member for changing of the portion of the ring covering the aperture.

  19. Measuring electrode assembly

    DOEpatents

    Bordenick, J.E.

    1988-04-26

    A pH measuring electrode assembly for immersion in a solution includes an enclosed cylindrical member having an aperture at a lower end thereof. An electrolyte is located in the cylindrical member above the level of the aperture and an electrode is disposed in this electrolyte. A ring formed of an ion porous material is mounted relative to the cylindrical member so that a portion of this ring is rotatable relative to and is covering the aperture in the cylindrical member. A suitable mechanism is also provided for indicating which one of a plurality of portions of the ring is covering the aperture and to keep track of which portions of the ring have already been used and become clogged. Preferably, the electrode assembly also includes a glass electrode member in the center thereof including a second electrolyte and electrode disposed therein. The cylindrical member is resiliently mounted relative to the glass electrode member to provide for easy rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the glass electrode member for changing of the portion of the ring covering the aperture. 2 figs.

  20. Highly Efficient Electrode Materials and Their Applications in Solar Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Wei

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) present promising low-cost alternatives to the conventional Silicon (Si)-based solar cells. The counter electrode (CE), as an important component of DSSC, collects electrons from external circuit and catalyzes the reduction of electrolyte. This dissertation research focused on: (1) metal nitride/conductive polymer composites, (2) transition metal dichalcogenides, and (3) carbon nanomaterials. The performances of these materials in DSSCs were also investigated in this dissertation. Chapter 3 of this dissertation indicates that ZrN can be an efficient promoter for PEDOT:PSS CE in DSSCs because of its excellent electrical conductivity, leading to a remarkable increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.46% to 6.68%. In Chapter 4, 1T metallic MoS2 film, as a rapidly rising star in electrical materials, was directly grown onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) conducting glass as a DSSC CE. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the DSSC with the 1T metallic MoS2 CE exhibited an excellent PCE of 7.08%, which is 3 times larger than that (1.72%) of the DSSC with 2H phase MoS2. Numerous approaches, such as mechanical cleavage, chemical vapor deposition, and epitaxial growth, have been developed to synthesized the first generation graphene. However, for its practical applications, synthesis of free-standing graphene sheets with controllable shape as three dimensional structure is important. This dissertation invented chemical reactions for the synthesis of 3D carbon nanomaterials, which processing high electrical conductivity and large accessible surface areas. Four chemical reactions were invented, namely, Na2O can react with CO to synthesize carbon nanosheets and carbon nanofibers, which are dependent on synthesis temperature; 3D cauliflower-fungus-like graphene (CFG) can be synthesized via a simple reaction between the Li liquid and CO2 gas; the reaction of CO2 and Na can produce 3D crape myrtle flower-like graphene (CMFG); and

  1. Lithium-aluminum-magnesium electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Melendres, Carlos A.; Siegel, Stanley

    1978-01-01

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

  2. Development of Novel Metal Hydride-Carbon Nanomaterial Based Nanocomposites as Anode Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion Battery

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-30

    The aim of this study is to develop metal hydride-carbon nanomaterial based nanocomposites as anode electrode materials for high capacity lithium ion battery and...henceforth to develop high energy density, and good cyclic stability lithium ion battery .

  3. Biosensing with Paper-Based Miniaturized Printed Electrodes-A Modern Trend.

    PubMed

    Silveira, Célia M; Monteiro, Tiago; Almeida, Maria Gabriela

    2016-09-28

    From the bench-mark work on microfluidics from the Whitesides's group in 2007, paper technology has experienced significant growth, particularly regarding applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Besides the structural properties supporting microfluidics, other advantageous features of paper materials, including their versatility, disposability and low cost, show off the great potential for the development of advanced and eco-friendly analytical tools. Consequently, paper was quickly employed in the field of electrochemical sensors, being an ideal material for producing custom, tailored and miniaturized devices. Stencil-, inkjet-, or screen-printing are the preferential techniques for electrode manufacturing. Not surprisingly, we witnessed a rapid increase in the number of publications on paper based screen-printed sensors at the turn of the past decade. Among the sensing strategies, various biosensors, coupling electrochemical detectors with biomolecules, have been proposed. This work provides a critical review and a discussion on the future progress of paper technology in the context of miniaturized printed electrochemical biosensors.

  4. Amperometric Enzyme Electrodes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-12-01

    form of carbon (glascy carbon , graphite, reticulated vitreous carbon , carbon paste, fiber or foil). Carbon is favored for enzyme immoblization...the surface for covalent bonding. The most frequently used electrode material, glassy carbon , often displays complex behavior. Although attempts have...Mixed Carbon Paste Electrode with an Immobilized Layer of D-Gluconate Dehydrogenase from Bacteral Membranes," Agric. Biol. Chelm., 51 (1987), 747-754

  5. Oxygen-incorporated MoS2 microspheres with tunable interiors as novel electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Tianhua; Li, Zhangpeng; Liu, Xiaohong; Ma, Limin; Wang, Jinqing; Yang, Shengrong

    2017-06-01

    In this work, a simple and facile one-step hydrothermal method is developed to synthesize oxygen-incorporated molybdenum disulphide (O-MoS2) microspheres with tunable interiors (solid, yolk-shell and hollow microstructures) by using carbon disulfide (CS2) as soft template and sulfur source simultaneously. The synthesized O-MoS2 microspheres with enlarged interlayer spacing of ca. 9.8 Å show remarkable electrochemical performances as novel electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs). Specifically, O-MoS2 hollow microsphere exhibits optimal electrochemical performances with a high specific capacitance of 744.2 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and a good cycling stability with ca. 77.8% capacitance retention after 10 K continuous charge-discharge cycles at a high current density of 5 A g-1, thus making it a promising electrode material for high-performance SCs. The excellent electrochemical performances are mainly attributed to the enlarged interlayer spacing and the reduced band gap owing to the oxygen incorporation in MoS2 and the hollow microstructure.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    1981-07-29

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

  7. Decreasing redox voltage of terephthalate-based electrode material for Li-ion battery using substituent effect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lakraychi, A. E.; Dolhem, F.; Djedaïni-Pilard, F.; Thiam, A.; Frayret, C.; Becuwe, M.

    2017-08-01

    The preparation and assessment versus lithium of a functionalized terephthalate-based as a potential new negative electrode material for Li-ion battery is presented. Inspired from molecular modelling, a decrease in redox potential is achieved through the symmetrical adjunction of electron-donating fragments (-CH3) on the aromatic ring. While the electrochemical activity of this organic material was maximized when used as nanocomposite and without any binder, the potential is furthermore lowered by 110 mV upon functionalization, consistently with predicted value gained from DFT calculations.

  8. The influence of materialism and ideal body internalization on body-dissatisfaction and body-shaping behaviors of young men and women: support for the Consumer Culture Impact Model.

    PubMed

    Guðnadóttir, Unnur; Garðarsdóttir, Ragna B

    2014-04-01

    Exposure to media images of the 'body-perfect' ideal has been partly blamed for the pursuit of thinness among women and muscularity among men. Research has largely overlooked the materialistic messages frequently associated with these images. We present findings from two studies with Icelandic students aged 18-21, one focusing on young women (n = 303) and one on young men (n = 226), which test associations of materialistic and body-perfect ideals with body dissatisfaction and excessive body shaping behaviors. In both studies, the internalization of materialistic values is strongly linked to the internalization of body-perfect ideals: the thin-ideal for young women, and the muscular-ideal for young men. A materialist value orientation also predicted body dissatisfaction in both studies, and was linked to body shaping behaviors, albeit differently for young women and men. Thus, the research identifies materialism as a further correlate of both body dissatisfaction and excessive body-shaping behaviors. The findings support Dittmar's (2008) Consumer Culture Impact Model, which proposes that the body-perfect and 'material good life' ideals jointly impact well-being. © 2014 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Water Treatment Using Plasma Discharge with Variation of Electrode Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chanan, N.; Kusumandari; Saraswati, T. E.

    2018-03-01

    This research studied water treatment using plasma discharge. Plasma generated in this study produced active species that played a role in organic compound decomposition. The plasma reactor consisted of two needle electrodes made from stainless steel, tungsten, aluminium and grafit. It placed approximately 2 mm above the solution and connected with high-AC voltage. A solution of methylene blue used as an organic solution model. Plasma treatment times were 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min. The absorbance, temperature and pH of the solution were measured before and after treatment using various electrodes. The best electrode used in plasma discharging for methylene blue absorbance reduction was the graphite electrode, which provided the highest degradation efficiency of 98% at 6 min of treatment time.

  10. Facile construction of 3D graphene/MoS2 composites as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Tianhua; Li, Zhangpeng; Liu, Xiaohong; Ma, Limin; Wang, Jinqing; Yang, Shengrong

    2016-11-01

    Flower-like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) microstructures are synthesized based on three-dimensional graphene (3DG) skeleton via a simple and facile one-step hydrothermal method, aiming at constructing series of novel composite electrode materials of 3DG/MoS2 with high electrochemical performances for supercapacitors. The electrochemical properties of the samples are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests. Specifically, the optimal 3DG/MoS2 composite exhibits remarkable performances with a high specific capacitance of 410 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and an excellent cycling stability with ca. 80.3% capacitance retention after 10,000 continuous charge-discharge cycles at a high current density of 2 A g-1, making it adaptive for high-performance supercapacitors. The enhanced electrochemical performances can be ascribed to the combination of 3DG and flower-like MoS2, which provides excellent charge transfer network and electrolyte diffusion channels while effectively prevents the collapse, aggregation and morphology change of active materials during charge-discharge process. The results demonstrate that 3DG/MoS2 composite is one of the attractive electrode materials for supercapacitors.

  11. Conductive Polymer Binder for High-Tap-Density Nanosilicon Material for Lithium-Ion Battery Negative Electrode Application.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Hui; Wei, Yang; Qiao, Ruimin; Zhu, Chenhui; Zheng, Ziyan; Ling, Min; Jia, Zhe; Bai, Ying; Fu, Yanbao; Lei, Jinglei; Song, Xiangyun; Battaglia, Vincent S; Yang, Wanli; Messersmith, Phillip B; Liu, Gao

    2015-12-09

    High-tap-density silicon nanomaterials are highly desirable as anodes for lithium ion batteries, due to their small surface area and minimum first-cycle loss. However, this material poses formidable challenges to polymeric binder design. Binders adhere on to the small surface area to sustain the drastic volume changes during cycling; also the low porosities and small pore size resulting from this material are detrimental to lithium ion transport. This study introduces a new binder, poly(1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PPyMAA), for a high-tap-density nanosilicon electrode cycled in a stable manner with a first cycle efficiency of 82%-a value that is further improved to 87% when combined with graphite material. Incorporating the MAA acid functionalities does not change the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) features or lower the adhesion performance of the PPy homopolymer. Our single-molecule force microscopy measurement of PPyMAA reveals similar adhesion strength between polymer binder and anode surface when compared with conventional polymer such as homopolyacrylic acid (PAA), while being electronically conductive. The combined conductivity and adhesion afforded by the MAA and pyrene copolymer results in good cycling performance for the high-tap-density Si electrode.

  12. Investigations on the effects of electrode materials on the device characteristics of ferroelectric memory thin film transistors fabricated on flexible substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Ji-Hee; Yun, Da-Jeong; Seo, Gi-Ho; Kim, Seong-Min; Yoon, Myung-Han; Yoon, Sung-Min

    2018-03-01

    For flexible memory device applications, we propose memory thin-film transistors using an organic ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] gate insulator and an amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) active channel. The effects of electrode materials and their deposition methods on the characteristics of memory devices exploiting the ferroelectric field effect were investigated for the proposed ferroelectric memory thin-film transistors (Fe-MTFTs) at flat and bending states. It was found that the plasma-induced sputtering deposition and mechanical brittleness of the indium-tin oxide (ITO) markedly degraded the ferroelectric-field-effect-driven memory window and bending characteristics of the Fe-MTFTs. The replacement of ITO electrodes with metal aluminum (Al) electrodes prepared by plasma-free thermal evaporation greatly enhanced the memory device characteristics even under bending conditions owing to their mechanical ductility. Furthermore, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was introduced to achieve robust bending performance under extreme mechanical stress. The Fe-MTFTs using PEDOT:PSS source/drain electrodes were successfully fabricated and showed the potential for use as flexible memory devices. The suitable choice of electrode materials employed for the Fe-MTFTs is concluded to be one of the most important control parameters for highly functional flexible Fe-MTFTs.

  13. Carbon Nanofiber Electrode Array for Neurochemical Monitoring

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koehne, Jessica E.

    2017-01-01

    A sensor platform based on vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (CNFs) has been developed. Their inherent nanometer scale, high conductivity, wide potential window, good biocompatibility and well-defined surface chemistry make them ideal candidates as biosensor electrodes. Here, we report using vertically aligned CNF as neurotransmitter recording electrodes for application in a smart deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. Our approach combines a multiplexed CNF electrode chip, developed at NASA Ames Research Center, with the Wireless Instantaneous Neurotransmitter Concentration Sensor (WINCS) system, developed at the Mayo Clinic. Preliminary results indicate that the CNF nanoelectrode arrays are easily integrated with WINCS for neurotransmitter detection in a multiplexed array format. In the future, combining CNF based stimulating and recording electrodes with WINCS may lay the foundation for an implantable smart therapeutic system that utilizes neurochemical feedback control while likely resulting in increased DBS application in various neuropsychiatric disorders. In total, our goal is to take advantage of the nanostructure of CNF arrays for biosensing studies requiring ultrahigh sensitivity, high-degree of miniaturization, and selective biofunctionalization.

  14. Bacterial-cellulose-derived carbon nanofiber@MnO₂ and nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber electrode materials: an asymmetric supercapacitor with high energy and power density.

    PubMed

    Chen, Li-Feng; Huang, Zhi-Hong; Liang, Hai-Wei; Guan, Qing-Fang; Yu, Shu-Hong

    2013-09-14

    A new kind of high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor is designed with pyrolyzed bacterial cellulose (p-BC)-coated MnO₂ as a positive electrode material and nitrogen-doped p-BC as a negative electrode material via an easy, efficient, large-scale, and green fabrication approach. The optimal asymmetric device possesses an excellent supercapacitive behavior with quite high energy and power density. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Electrode materials: a challenge for the exploitation of protonic solid oxide fuel cells

    PubMed Central

    Fabbri, Emiliana; Pergolesi, Daniele; Traversa, Enrico

    2010-01-01

    High temperature proton conductor (HTPC) oxides are attracting extensive attention as electrolyte materials alternative to oxygen-ion conductors for use in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at intermediate temperatures (400–700 °C). The need to lower the operating temperature is dictated by cost reduction for SOFC pervasive use. The major stake for the deployment of this technology is the availability of electrodes able to limit polarization losses at the reduced operation temperature. This review aims to comprehensively describe the state-of-the-art anode and cathode materials that have so far been tested with HTPC oxide electrolytes, offering guidelines and possible strategies to speed up the development of protonic SOFCs. PMID:27877342

  16. Electrochemical Properties of Poly(Anthraquinonyl Sulfide)/Graphene Sheets Composites as Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Capacitors.

    PubMed

    Lee, Wonkyun; Suzuki, Shinya; Miyayama, Masaru

    2014-07-30

    Poly(anthraquinonyl sulfide) (PAQS)/graphene sheets (GSs) composite was synthesized through in situ polymerization to evaluate its performance as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors. PAQS was successfully synthesized in the presence of GSs with uniform distribution. PAQS/GSs showed a pair of reversible redox peaks at around 0 V ( vs. Ag/AgCl). The specific capacitance of PAQS/GSs was 349 F·g -1 (86 mAh·g -1 ) at a current density of 500 mA·g -1 , and a capacitance of 305 F·g -1 was maintained even at a high current density of 5000 mA·g -1 . The in situ polymerization of PAQS with GSs facilitated their interaction and enabled faster charge transfer and redox reaction, resulting in enhanced electrode properties.

  17. Ionic polymer metal composites with nanoporous carbon electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palmre, Viljar; Brandell, Daniel; Mäeorg, Uno; Torop, Janno; Volobujeva, Olga; Punning, Andres; Johanson, Urmas; Aabloo, Alvo

    2010-04-01

    Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs) are soft electroactive polymer materials that bend in response to the voltage stimulus (1 - 4 V). They can be used as actuators or sensors. In this paper, we introduce two new highly-porous carbon materials for assembling high specific area electrodes for IPMC actuators and compare their electromechanical performance with recently reported IPMCs based on RuO2 electrodes. We synthesize ionic liquid (Emi-Tf) actuators with either Carbide-Derived Carbon (CDC) (derived from TiC) or coconut shell based activated carbon electrodes. The carbon electrodes are applied onto ionic liquid-swollen Nafion membranes using the direct assembly process. Our results show that actuators assembled with CDC electrodes have the greatest peak-to-peak strain output, reaching up to 20.4 mɛ (equivalent to >2%) at a 2 V actuation signal, exceeding that of the RuO2 electrodes by more than 100%. The electrodes synthesized from TiC-derived carbon also revealed significantly higher maximum strain rate. The differences between the materials are discussed in terms of molecular interactions and mechanisms upon actuation in the different electrodes.

  18. Improved zinc electrode and rechargeable zinc-air battery

    DOEpatents

    Ross, P.N. Jr.

    1988-06-21

    The invention comprises an improved rechargeable zinc-air cell/battery having recirculating alkaline electrolyte and a zinc electrode comprising a porous foam support material which carries the active zinc electrode material. 5 figs.

  19. Binder free MnO2/PIn electrode material for supercapacitor application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Purty, B.; Choudhary, R. B.; Kandulna, R.; Singh, R.

    2018-05-01

    Electrochemically stable MnO2/PIn nanocomposite was synthesized via in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization process. The structural and morphological properties were studied through FTIR and FESEM characterizing techniques. Sphere like PIn and MnO2 nanorods offers interacting surface for charge transfer action. The electrochemical properties were investigated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) techniques. The significant enhancement in capacitance value with 95% coulombic efficiency and relatively low equivalent series resistance (ESR)˜0.4 Ω proved that MnO2/PIn nanocomposite is an excellent performer as an electrode material in the spectrum of supercapcitors and optoelectronic devices.

  20. Synergetic electrode architecture for efficient graphene-based flexible organic light-emitting diodes

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Jaeho; Han, Tae-Hee; Park, Min-Ho; Jung, Dae Yool; Seo, Jeongmin; Seo, Hong-Kyu; Cho, Hyunsu; Kim, Eunhye; Chung, Jin; Choi, Sung-Yool; Kim, Taek-Soo; Lee, Tae-Woo; Yoo, Seunghyup

    2016-01-01

    Graphene-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have recently emerged as a key element essential in next-generation displays and lighting, mainly due to their promise for highly flexible light sources. However, their efficiency has been, at best, similar to that of conventional, indium tin oxide-based counterparts. We here propose an ideal electrode structure based on a synergetic interplay of high-index TiO2 layers and low-index hole-injection layers sandwiching graphene electrodes, which results in an ideal situation where enhancement by cavity resonance is maximized yet loss to surface plasmon polariton is mitigated. The proposed approach leads to OLEDs exhibiting ultrahigh external quantum efficiency of 40.8 and 62.1% (64.7 and 103% with a half-ball lens) for single- and multi-junction devices, respectively. The OLEDs made on plastics with those electrodes are repeatedly bendable at a radius of 2.3 mm, partly due to the TiO2 layers withstanding flexural strain up to 4% via crack-deflection toughening. PMID:27250743

  1. Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous graphene aerogel as an efficient electrode material for high performance supercapacitor in ionic liquid electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yujuan; Liu, Zhaoen; Sun, Li; Lu, Zhiwei; Zhuo, Kelei

    2018-06-01

    Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene aerogel (NS-GA) is prepared by one-pot process. The as-prepared materials are investigated as supercapacitors electrodes in an ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, EMIMBF4) electrolyte. The NS-GA is characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the NS-GA has hierarchical porous structure. Electrochemical performance is investigated by cycle voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge. Notably, the supercapacitor based on the NS-GA-5 possesses a maximum energy density of 100.7 Wh kg-1 at power density of 0.94 kW kg-1. The electrode materials also offer a large specific capacitance of 203.2 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and the capacitance retention of NS-GA-5 is 90% after 3000 cycles at a scan rate of 2 A g-1. The NS-GA-5 with numerous advantages including low cost and remarkable electrochemical behaviors can be a promising electrode material for the application of supercapacitors.

  2. Conducting polymer coated neural recording electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, Alexander R.; Morgan, Simeon J.; Chen, Jun; Kapsa, Robert M. I.; Wallace, Gordon G.; Paolini, Antonio G.

    2013-02-01

    Objective. Neural recording electrodes suffer from poor signal to noise ratio, charge density, biostability and biocompatibility. This paper investigates the ability of conducting polymer coated electrodes to record acute neural response in a systematic manner, allowing in depth comparison of electrochemical and electrophysiological response. Approach. Polypyrrole (Ppy) and poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) doped with sulphate (SO4) or para-toluene sulfonate (pTS) were used to coat iridium neural recording electrodes. Detailed electrochemical and electrophysiological investigations were undertaken to compare the effect of these materials on acute in vivo recording. Main results. A range of charge density and impedance responses were seen with each respectively doped conducting polymer. All coatings produced greater charge density than uncoated electrodes, while PEDOT-pTS, PEDOT-SO4 and Ppy-SO4 possessed lower impedance values at 1 kHz than uncoated electrodes. Charge density increased with PEDOT-pTS thickness and impedance at 1 kHz was reduced with deposition times up to 45 s. Stable electrochemical response after acute implantation inferred biostability of PEDOT-pTS coated electrodes while other electrode materials had variable impedance and/or charge density after implantation indicative of a protein fouling layer forming on the electrode surface. Recording of neural response to white noise bursts after implantation of conducting polymer-coated electrodes into a rat model inferior colliculus showed a general decrease in background noise and increase in signal to noise ratio and spike count with reduced impedance at 1 kHz, regardless of the specific electrode coating, compared to uncoated electrodes. A 45 s PEDOT-pTS deposition time yielded the highest signal to noise ratio and spike count. Significance. A method for comparing recording electrode materials has been demonstrated with doped conducting polymers. PEDOT-pTS showed remarkable low fouling during

  3. Modified Gold Electrode and Hollow Mn3O4 Nanoparticles as Electrode Materials for Microbial Fuel Cell Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhungana, Pramod

    Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has attracted great attention in the scientific community as it offers the possibility of extraction of electricity from wide range of soluble and dissolved organic waste or renewable biomass, including sludge, waste water and cellulosic biomass. Microbial fuel cells are devices that utilize microbial metabolic processes to convert chemical energy via the oxidation of organic substances to produce electric current. MFCs consist of two chambers, an anode and cathode, separated by ion-permeable materials. The efficiency of producing electricity using the MFC depends on several factors such as immobilization of microorganisms on anode, mode of electron transfer, types of substrate/fuel and effectiveness of cathode materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this work, in order to immobilize the microorganisms on anode materials, we have investigated the surface modification of gold electrode (anode) using alkyl dithiol and aryl thiol with glucose. The modification processes were characterized by using contact angle measurements and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In order to study the effectiveness of cathode materials for ORR, we have synthesized hollow Mn3O 4 nanoparticles which are electrically very poor. Therefore, the hollow nanoparticles were mixed with electrically conductive multi-walled carbon nanotube as support and optimized the mixing process. This composite material shows enhanced ORR activity in all types of pH conditions. In future, we will focus to integrate anode and cathode in MFC to check its efficiency to produce electricity.

  4. Uncharged positive electrode composition

    DOEpatents

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

    1977-03-08

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

  5. Transitions from near-surface to interior redox upon lithiation in conversion electrode materials

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

    He, Kai; Xin, Huolin L.; Zhao, Kejie

    Nanoparticle electrodes in lithium-ion batteries have both near-surface and interior contributions to their redox capacity, each with distinct rate capabilities. Using combined electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray methods and ab initio calculations, we have investigated the lithiation pathways that occur in NiO electrodes. We find that the near-surface electroactive (Ni²⁺→Ni⁰) sites saturated very quickly, and then encounter unexpected difficulty in propagating the phase transition into the electrode (referred to as a “shrinking-core” mode). However, the interior capacity for Ni²⁺→Ni⁰ can be accessed efficiently following the nucleation of lithiation “fingers” which propagate into the sample bulk, but only after a certain incubationmore » time. Our microstructural observations of the transition from a slow shrinking-core mode to a faster lithiation finger mode corroborate with synchrotron characterization of large-format batteries, and can be rationalized by stress effects on transport at high-rate discharge. The finite incubation time of the lithiation fingers sets the intrinsic limitation for the rate capability (and thus the power) of NiO for electrochemical energy storage devices. The present work unravels the link between the nanoscale reaction pathways and the C-rate-dependent capacity loss, and provides guidance for the further design of battery materials that favors high C-rate charging.« less

  6. Transitions from near-surface to interior redox upon lithiation in conversion electrode materials

    DOE PAGES

    He, Kai; Xin, Huolin L.; Zhao, Kejie; ...

    2015-01-29

    Nanoparticle electrodes in lithium-ion batteries have both near-surface and interior contributions to their redox capacity, each with distinct rate capabilities. Using combined electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray methods and ab initio calculations, we have investigated the lithiation pathways that occur in NiO electrodes. We find that the near-surface electroactive (Ni²⁺→Ni⁰) sites saturated very quickly, and then encounter unexpected difficulty in propagating the phase transition into the electrode (referred to as a “shrinking-core” mode). However, the interior capacity for Ni²⁺→Ni⁰ can be accessed efficiently following the nucleation of lithiation “fingers” which propagate into the sample bulk, but only after a certain incubationmore » time. Our microstructural observations of the transition from a slow shrinking-core mode to a faster lithiation finger mode corroborate with synchrotron characterization of large-format batteries, and can be rationalized by stress effects on transport at high-rate discharge. The finite incubation time of the lithiation fingers sets the intrinsic limitation for the rate capability (and thus the power) of NiO for electrochemical energy storage devices. The present work unravels the link between the nanoscale reaction pathways and the C-rate-dependent capacity loss, and provides guidance for the further design of battery materials that favors high C-rate charging.« less

  7. Transitions from near-surface to interior redox upon lithiation in conversion electrode materials.

    PubMed

    He, Kai; Xin, Huolin L; Zhao, Kejie; Yu, Xiqian; Nordlund, Dennis; Weng, Tsu-Chien; Li, Jing; Jiang, Yi; Cadigan, Christopher A; Richards, Ryan M; Doeff, Marca M; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Stach, Eric A; Li, Ju; Lin, Feng; Su, Dong

    2015-02-11

    Nanoparticle electrodes in lithium-ion batteries have both near-surface and interior contributions to their redox capacity, each with distinct rate capabilities. Using combined electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray methods and ab initio calculations, we have investigated the lithiation pathways that occur in NiO electrodes. We find that the near-surface electroactive (Ni(2+) → Ni(0)) sites saturated very quickly, and then encounter unexpected difficulty in propagating the phase transition into the electrode (referred to as a "shrinking-core" mode). However, the interior capacity for Ni(2+) → Ni(0) can be accessed efficiently following the nucleation of lithiation "fingers" that propagate into the sample bulk, but only after a certain incubation time. Our microstructural observations of the transition from a slow shrinking-core mode to a faster lithiation finger mode corroborate with synchrotron characterization of large-format batteries and can be rationalized by stress effects on transport at high-rate discharge. The finite incubation time of the lithiation fingers sets the intrinsic limitation for the rate capability (and thus the power) of NiO for electrochemical energy storage devices. The present work unravels the link between the nanoscale reaction pathways and the C-rate-dependent capacity loss and provides guidance for the further design of battery materials that favors high C-rate charging.

  8. All-Solid-State High-Energy Asymmetric Supercapacitors Enabled by Three-Dimensional Mixed-Valent MnOx Nanospike and Graphene Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jie; Li, Guizhu; Pan, Zhenghui; Liu, Meinan; Hou, Yuan; Xu, Yijun; Deng, Hong; Sheng, Leimei; Zhao, Xinluo; Qiu, Yongcai; Zhang, Yuegang

    2015-10-14

    Three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures enable high-energy storage devices. Here we report a 3D manganese oxide nanospike (NSP) array electrode fabricated by anodization and subsequent electrodeposition. All-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors were assembled with the 3D Al@Ni@MnOx NSP as the positive electrode, chemically converted graphene (CCG) as the negative electrode, and Na2SO4/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the polymer gel electrolyte. Taking advantage of the different potential windows of Al@Ni@MnOx NSP and CCG electrodes, the asymmetric supercapacitor showed an ideal capacitive behavior with a cell voltage up to 1.8 V, capable of lighting up a red LED indicator (nominal voltage of 1.8 V). The device could deliver an energy density of 23.02 W h kg(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1). It could also preserve 96.3% of its initial capacitance at a current density of 2 A g(-1) after 10000 charging/discharging cycles. The remarkable performance is attributed to the unique 3D NSP array structure that could play an important role in increasing the effective electrode surface area, facilitating electrolyte permeation, and shortening the electron pathway in the active materials.

  9. VS4 Nanoparticles Anchored on Graphene Sheets as a High-Rate and Stable Electrode Material for Sodium Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Pang, Qiang; Zhao, Yingying; Yu, Yanhao; Bian, Xiaofei; Wang, Xudong; Wei, Yingjin; Gao, Yu; Chen, Gang

    2018-02-22

    The size and conductivity of the electrode materials play a significant role in the kinetics of sodium-ion batteries. Various characterizations reveal that size-controllable VS 4 nanoparticles can be successfully anchored on the surface of graphene sheets (GSs) by a simple cationic-surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method. When used as an electrode material for sodium-ion batteries, these VS 4 @GS nanocomposites show large specific capacity (349.1 mAh g -1 after 100 cycles), excellent long-term stability (84 % capacity retention after 1200 cycles), and high rate capability (188.1 mAh g -1 at 4000 mA g -1 ). A large proportion of the capacity was contributed by capacitive processes. This remarkable electrochemical performance was attributed to synergistic interactions between nanosized VS 4 particles and a highly conductive graphene network, which provided short diffusion pathways for Na + ions and large contact areas between the electrolyte and electrode, resulting in considerably improved electrochemical kinetic properties. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. A Graphene Composite Material with Single Cobalt Active Sites: A Highly Efficient Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Cui, Xiaoju; Xiao, Jianping; Wu, Yihui; Du, Peipei; Si, Rui; Yang, Huaixin; Tian, Huanfang; Li, Jianqi; Zhang, Wen-Hua; Deng, Dehui; Bao, Xinhe

    2016-06-01

    The design of catalysts that are both highly active and stable is always challenging. Herein, we report that the incorporation of single metal active sites attached to the nitrogen atoms in the basal plane of graphene leads to composite materials with superior activity and stability when used as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A series of composite materials based on different metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) were synthesized and characterized. Electrochemical measurements revealed that CoN4 /GN is a highly active and stable counter electrode for the interconversion of the redox couple I(-) /I3 (-) . DFT calculations revealed that the superior properties of CoN4 /GN are due to the appropriate adsorption energy of iodine on the confined Co sites, leading to a good balance between adsorption and desorption processes. Its superior electrochemical performance was further confirmed by fabricating DSSCs with CoN4  /GN electrodes, which displayed a better power conversion efficiency than the Pt counterpart. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Organic electrode coatings for next-generation neural interfaces

    PubMed Central

    Aregueta-Robles, Ulises A.; Woolley, Andrew J.; Poole-Warren, Laura A.; Lovell, Nigel H.; Green, Rylie A.

    2014-01-01

    Traditional neuronal interfaces utilize metallic electrodes which in recent years have reached a plateau in terms of the ability to provide safe stimulation at high resolution or rather with high densities of microelectrodes with improved spatial selectivity. To achieve higher resolution it has become clear that reducing the size of electrodes is required to enable higher electrode counts from the implant device. The limitations of interfacing electrodes including low charge injection limits, mechanical mismatch and foreign body response can be addressed through the use of organic electrode coatings which typically provide a softer, more roughened surface to enable both improved charge transfer and lower mechanical mismatch with neural tissue. Coating electrodes with conductive polymers or carbon nanotubes offers a substantial increase in charge transfer area compared to conventional platinum electrodes. These organic conductors provide safe electrical stimulation of tissue while avoiding undesirable chemical reactions and cell damage. However, the mechanical properties of conductive polymers are not ideal, as they are quite brittle. Hydrogel polymers present a versatile coating option for electrodes as they can be chemically modified to provide a soft and conductive scaffold. However, the in vivo chronic inflammatory response of these conductive hydrogels remains unknown. A more recent approach proposes tissue engineering the electrode interface through the use of encapsulated neurons within hydrogel coatings. This approach may provide a method for activating tissue at the cellular scale, however, several technological challenges must be addressed to demonstrate feasibility of this innovative idea. The review focuses on the various organic coatings which have been investigated to improve neural interface electrodes. PMID:24904405

  12. Membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prakash, Surya (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Atti, Anthony (Inventor); Olah, George (Inventor); Smart, Marshall C. (Inventor)

    2006-01-01

    A catalyst ink for a fuel cell including a catalytic material and poly(vinylidene fluoride). The ink may be applied to a substrate to form an electrode, or bonded with other electrode layers to form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

  13. Magnetohydrodynamic electrode

    DOEpatents

    Marchant, David D.; Killpatrick, Don H.

    1978-01-01

    An electrode capable of withstanding high temperatures and suitable for use as a current collector in the channel of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator consists of a sintered powdered metal base portion, the upper surface of the base being coated with a first layer of nickel aluminide, an intermediate layer of a mixture of nickel aluminide - refractory ceramic on the first layer and a third or outer layer of a refractory ceramic material on the intermediate layer. The sintered powdered metal base resists spalling by the ceramic coatings and permits greater electrode compliance to thermal shock. The density of the powdered metal base can be varied to allow optimization of the thermal conductivity of the electrode and prevent excess heat loss from the channel.

  14. Evaluation of Niobium as Candidate Electrode Material for DC High Voltage Photoelectron Guns

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    BastaniNejad, M.; Mohamed, Abdullah; Elmustafa, A. A.; Adderley, P.; Clark, J.; Covert, S.; Hansknecht, J.; Hernandez-Garcia, C.; Poelker, M.; Mammei, R.; hide

    2012-01-01

    The field emission characteristics of niobium electrodes were compared to those of stainless steel electrodes using a DC high voltage field emission test apparatus. A total of eight electrodes were evaluated: two 304 stainless steel electrodes polished to mirror-like finish with diamond grit and six niobium electrodes (two single-crystal, two large-grain, and two fine-grain) that were chemically polished using a buffered-chemical acid solution. Upon the first application of high voltage, the best large-grain and single-crystal niobium electrodes performed better than the best stainless steel electrodes, exhibiting less field emission at comparable voltage and field strength. In all cases, field emission from electrodes (stainless steel and/or niobium) could be significantly reduced and sometimes completely eliminated, by introducing krypton gas into the vacuum chamber while the electrode was biased at high voltage. Of all the electrodes tested, a large-grain niobium electrode performed the best, exhibiting no measurable field emission (< 10 pA) at 225 kV with 20 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to a field strength of 18:7 MV/m.

  15. New electrodes for biofuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stom, D. I.; Zhdanova, G. O.; Lashin, A. F.

    2017-11-01

    Two new types of electrodes for biofuel elements (BFC) are proposed. One of them is based on a microchannel plate (MCP). Its peculiarity is a special structure with a large number of glass channels being 6-10 μm in diameter with an internal semiconducting surface. The MCP operation is based on the principle of the channel secondary emission multiplication of the electrons. The second type of electrode presented in the work is made of silicon carbide. This type of electrodes has a developed porous structure. The electrode pores account for at least 30% of the total volume. The pore size varies from 10 to 100 μm. Such porosity greatly increases the anode area and volume. This allows us to achieve sorption of a larger number of microorganisms interacting with the anode and transformed by electron donors. The work of the electrodes developed in BFC was tested, their effectiveness was estimated. A comparison is made with electrodes made of carbon cloth, the most widely used material for working with BFC. It is shown that the MCP based electrode is not inferior to the power characteristics of carbon cloth. The generated power when using silicon carbide was slightly lower than the other two electrodes. However, the stability of silicon carbide to aggressive media (alkalis, acids, strong oxidants, etc.), as well as to mechanical damages gives additional advantages to such electrodes compared to the materials that are commonly used in BFC. The noted features are extremely important for the BFC to work in harsh conditions of treatment facilities and to utilize wastewater components.

  16. Dilute NiO/carbon nanofiber composites derived from metal organic framework fibers as electrode materials for supercapacitors

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

    Yang, Ying; Yang, Feng; Hu, Hongru

    A new type of carbon nanofiber (CNF) dominated electrode materials decorated with dilute NiO particles (NiO/CNF) has been in situ fabricated by direct pyrolysis of Ni, Zn-containing metal organic framework fibers, which are skillfully constructed by assembling different proportional NiCl2·6H2O and Zn(Ac)2·2H2O with trimesic acid in the presence of N,N-dimethylformamide. With elegant combination of advantages of CNF and evenly dispersed NiO particles, as well as successful modulation of conductivity and porosity of final composites, our NiO/CNF composites display well-defined capacitive features. A high capacitance of 14926 F g–1 was obtained in 6 M KOH electrolyte when the contribution from 0.43more » wt% NiO was considered alone, contributing to over 35% of the total capacitance (234 F g–1 ). This significantly exceeds its theoretical specific capacitance of 2584 F g–1. It has been established from the Ragone plot that a largest energy density of 33.4 Wh kg–1 was obtained at the current density of 0.25 A g–1. Furthermore, such composite electrode materials show good rate capability and outstanding cycling stability up to 5000 times (only 10% loss). The present study provides a brand-new approach to design a high capacitance and stable supercapacitor electrode and the concept is extendable to other composite materials. Keywords: Metal organic framework; Nickel oxide; Carbon nanofiber; In situ synthesis; Capacitance« less

  17. Colloidal paradigm in supercapattery electrode systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Kunfeng; Xue, Dongfeng

    2018-01-01

    Among decades of development, electrochemical energy storage systems are now sorely in need of a new design paradigm at the nano size and ion level to satisfy the higher energy and power demands. In this review paper, we introduce a new colloidal electrode paradigm for supercapattery that integrates multiple-scale forms of matter, i.e. ion clusters, colloidal ions, and nanosized materials, into one colloid system, coupled with multiple interactions, i.e. electrostatic, van der Waals forces, and chemical bonding, thus leading to the formation of many redox reactive centers. This colloidal electrode not only keeps the original ionic nature in colloidal materials, but also creates a new attribute of high electroactivity. Colloidal supercapattery is a perfect application example of the novel colloidal electrode, leading to higher specific capacitance than traditional electrode materials. The high electroactivity of the colloidal electrode mainly comes from the contribution of exposed reactive centers, owing to the confinement effect of carbon and a binder matrix. Systematic and thorough research on the colloidal system will significantly promote the development of fundamental science and the progress of advanced energy storage technology.

  18. Positive electrode for a lithium battery

    DOEpatents

    Park, Sang-Ho; Amine, Khalil

    2015-04-07

    A method for producing a lithium alkali transition metal oxide for use as a positive electrode material for lithium secondary batteries by a precipitation method. The positive electrode material is a lithium alkali transition metal composite oxide and is prepared by mixing a solid state mixed with alkali and transition metal carbonate and a lithium source. The mixture is thermally treated to obtain a small amount of alkali metal residual in the lithium transition metal composite oxide cathode material.

  19. Electrochemical properties of nanostructured porous gold electrodes in biofouling solutions.

    PubMed

    Patel, Jay; Radhakrishnan, Logudurai; Zhao, Bo; Uppalapati, Badharinadh; Daniels, Rodney C; Ward, Kevin R; Collinson, Maryanne M

    2013-12-03

    The effect of electrode porosity on the electrochemical response of redox active molecules (potassium ferricyanide, ruthenium(III) hexammine, and ferrocene methanol) in the presence of bovine serum albumin or fibrinogen was studied at macroporous (pore diameter: 1200 nm), hierarchical (1200/60 nm), and nanoporous (<50 nm) gold. These electrodes were prepared using standard templating or dealloying techniques, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) was utilized to evaluate the effect of protein adsorption on the electron transfer of the diffusing redox probes. Following exposure to albumin (or fibrinogen) under near neutral pH conditions, planar gold electrodes showed an immediate reduction in Faradaic peak current and increase in peak splitting for potassium ferricyanide. The rate at which the CV curves changed was highly dependent on the morphology of the electrode. For example, the time required for the Faradaic current to drop to one-half of its original value was 3, 12, and 38 min for planar gold, macroporous gold, and hierarchical gold, respectively. Remarkably, for nanoporous gold, only a few percent drop in the peak Faradaic current was observed after an hour in solution. A similar suppression in the voltammetry at planar gold was also noted for ruthenium hexammine at pH 3 after exposure to albumin for several hours. At nanoporous gold, no significant loss in response was observed. The order of performance of the electrodes as judged by their ability to efficiently transfer electrons in the presence of biofouling agents tracked porosity with the electrode having the smallest pore size and largest surface area, providing near ideal results. Nanoporous gold electrodes when immersed in serum or heparinized blood containing potassium ferricyanide showed ideal voltammetry while significant fouling was evident in the electrochemical response at planar gold. The small nanopores in this 3D open framework are believed to restrict the transport of large biomolecules, thus

  20. Lithium battery electrodes with ultra-thin alumina coatings

    DOEpatents

    Se-Hee, Lee; George, Steven M.; Cavanagh, Andrew S.; Yoon Seok, Jung; Dillon, Anne C.

    2015-11-24

    Electrodes for lithium batteries are coated via an atomic layer deposition process. The coatings can be applied to the assembled electrodes, or in some cases to particles of electrode material prior to assembling the particles into an electrode. The coatings can be as thin as 2 .ANG.ngstroms thick. The coating provides for a stable electrode. Batteries containing the electrodes tend to exhibit high cycling capacities.

  1. Membrane-electrode assemblies for electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Swathirajan, Sundararajan; Mikhail, Youssef M.

    1993-01-01

    A combination, unitary, membrane and electrode assembly with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and first and second electrodes at least partially embedded in opposed surfaces of the membrane. The electrodes each comprise a respective group of finely divided carbon particles, very finely divided catalytic particles supported on internal and external surfaces of the carbon particles and a proton conductive material intermingled with the catalytic and carbon particles. A first group of finely divided carbon particles forming the first electrode has greater water attraction and retention properties, and is more hydrophilic than a second group of carbon particles forming the second electrode. In a preferred method, the membrane electrode assembly of the invention is prepared by forming a slurry of proton conductive material and at least one group of the carbon and catalyst particles. The slurry is applied to the opposed surfaces of the membrane and heated while being pressed to the membrane for a time and at a temperature and compressive load sufficient to embed at least a portion of the particles into the membrane.

  2. Conductive Graphitic Carbon Nitride as an Ideal Material for Electrocatalytically Switchable CO2 Capture

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Xin; Kou, Liangzhi; Tahini, Hassan A.; Smith, Sean C.

    2015-01-01

    Good electrical conductivity and high electron mobility of the sorbent materials are prerequisite for electrocatalytically switchable CO2 capture. However, no conductive and easily synthetic sorbent materials are available until now. Here, we examined the possibility of conductive graphitic carbon nitride (g-C4N3) nanosheets as sorbent materials for electrocatalytically switchable CO2 capture. Using first-principle calculations, we found that the adsorption energy of CO2 molecules on g-C4N3 nanosheets can be dramatically enhanced by injecting extra electrons into the adsorbent. At saturation CO2 capture coverage, the negatively charged g-C4N3 nanosheets achieve CO2 capture capacities up to 73.9 × 1013 cm−2 or 42.3 wt%. In contrast to other CO2 capture approaches, the process of CO2 capture/release occurs spontaneously without any energy barriers once extra electrons are introduced or removed, and these processes can be simply controlled and reversed by switching on/off the charging voltage. In addition, these negatively charged g-C4N3 nanosheets are highly selective for separating CO2 from mixtures with CH4, H2 and/or N2. These predictions may prove to be instrumental in searching for a new class of experimentally feasible high-capacity CO2 capture materials with ideal thermodynamics and reversibility. PMID:26621618

  3. Evaluation of niobium as candidate electrode material for DC high voltage photoelectron guns

    DOE PAGES

    BastaniNejad, M.; Mohamed, Md. Abdullah; Elmustafa, A. A.; ...

    2012-08-17

    In this study, the field emission characteristics of niobium electrodes were compared to those of stainless steel electrodes using a DC high voltage field emission test apparatus. A total of eight electrodes were evaluated: two 304 stainless steel electrodes polished to mirror-like finish with diamond grit and six niobium electrodes (two single-crystal, two large-grain and two fine-grain) that were chemically polished using a buffered-chemical acid solution. Upon the first application of high voltage, the best large-grain and single-crystal niobium electrodes performed better than the best stainless steel electrodes, exhibiting less field emission at comparable voltage and gradient. In all cases,more » field emission from electrodes (stainless steel and/or niobium) could be significantly reduced and sometimes completely eliminated, by introducing krypton gas into the vacuum chamber while the electrode was biased at high voltage. Of all the electrodes tested, a large-grain niobium electrode performed the best, exhibiting no measurable field emission (< 10 pA) at 225 kV with 20 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to a gradient of 18.7 MV/m.« less

  4. Electrode including porous particles with embedded active material for use in a secondary electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

    Vissers, Donald R.; Nelson, Paul A.; Kaun, Thomas D.; Tomczuk, Zygmunt

    1978-04-25

    Particles of carbonaceous matrices containing embedded electrode active material are prepared for vibratory loading within a porous electrically conductive substrate. In preparing the particles, active materials such as metal chalcogenides, solid alloys of alkali or alkaline earth metals along with other metals and their oxides in powdered or particulate form are blended with a thermosetting resin and particles of a volatile to form a paste mixture. The paste is heated to a temperature at which the volatile transforms into vapor to impart porosity at about the same time as the resin begins to cure into a rigid, solid structure. The solid structure is then comminuted into porous, carbonaceous particles with the embedded active material.

  5. Electrochemical Properties of Poly(Anthraquinonyl Sulfide)/Graphene Sheets Composites as Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Capacitors

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Wonkyun; Suzuki, Shinya; Miyayama, Masaru

    2014-01-01

    Poly(anthraquinonyl sulfide) (PAQS)/graphene sheets (GSs) composite was synthesized through in situ polymerization to evaluate its performance as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors. PAQS was successfully synthesized in the presence of GSs with uniform distribution. PAQS/GSs showed a pair of reversible redox peaks at around 0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The specific capacitance of PAQS/GSs was 349 F·g−1 (86 mAh·g−1) at a current density of 500 mA·g−1, and a capacitance of 305 F·g−1 was maintained even at a high current density of 5000 mA·g−1. The in situ polymerization of PAQS with GSs facilitated their interaction and enabled faster charge transfer and redox reaction, resulting in enhanced electrode properties. PMID:28344238

  6. Hierarchical Cu4V2.15O9.38 micro-/nanostructures: a lithium intercalating electrode material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Liang; Cui, Wangjun; Wu, Jiamin; Zhao, Qingfei; Li, Hexing; Xia, Yongyao; Wang, Yunhua; Yu, Chengzhong

    2011-03-01

    Hierarchical Cu4V2.15O9.38 micro-/nanostructures have been prepared by a facile ``forced hydrolysis'' method, from an aqueous peroxovanadate and cupric nitrate solution in the presence of urea. The hierarchical architectures with diameters of 10-20 µm are assembled from flexible nanosheets and rigid nanoplates with widths of 2-4 µm and lengths of 5-10 µm in a radiative way. The preliminary electrochemical properties of Cu4V2.15O9.38 have been investigated for the first time and correlated with its structure. This material delivers a large discharge capacity of 471 mA h g-1 above 1.5 V, thus making it an interesting electrode material for primary lithium ion batteries used in implantable cardioverter defibrillators.Hierarchical Cu4V2.15O9.38 micro-/nanostructures have been prepared by a facile ``forced hydrolysis'' method, from an aqueous peroxovanadate and cupric nitrate solution in the presence of urea. The hierarchical architectures with diameters of 10-20 µm are assembled from flexible nanosheets and rigid nanoplates with widths of 2-4 µm and lengths of 5-10 µm in a radiative way. The preliminary electrochemical properties of Cu4V2.15O9.38 have been investigated for the first time and correlated with its structure. This material delivers a large discharge capacity of 471 mA h g-1 above 1.5 V, thus making it an interesting electrode material for primary lithium ion batteries used in implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: SEM images of hierarchical Cu4V2.15O9.38, CV curves of the electrode and discharge profiles of the cell made from Cu4V2.15O9.38 hierarchical structures, XRD pattern and SEM images of layered vanadium oxide hydrate, structure model of Cu4V2.15O9.38. See DOI: 10.1039/c0nr00657b

  7. Experimental study of the electrode material for electro-osmosis in mudflat sludge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yi-min; Xu, Hao-feng

    2017-11-01

    In order to study the performance of electro-osmosis, several tests including indoor electro-osmosis experiments using copper, aluminum as the anode and cathode electrode materials, and Mercury Intrusion Porosimiter (MIP) were conducted. The results indicate that the drainage ratio using aluminum is faster than that of copper while the energy consumption per unit is lower, the effectiveness is better than that of copper. After electro-osmosis, the percentage of pore with large diameter shows a remarkable decrease comparing with the remolded soil which result in the increase of pore with small diameter. The reasons were discussed in this paper.

  8. Poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based carbons as electrode material in supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Domingo-García, M.; Fernández, J. A.; Almazán-Almazán, M. C.; López-Garzón, F. J.; Stoeckli, F.; Centeno, T. A.

    A systematic study by complementary techniques shows that PET-waste from plastic vessels is a competitive precursor of carbon electrodes for supercapacitors. PET derived-activated carbons follow the general trends observed for highly porous carbons and display specific capacitances at low current density as high as 197 F g -1 in 2 M H 2SO 4 aqueous electrolyte and 98 F g -1 in the aprotic medium 1 M (C 2H 5) 4NBF 4/acetonitrile. Additionally, high performance has also been achieved at high current densities, which confirms the potential of this type of materials for electrical energy storage. A new method based on the basic solvolysis of PET-waste and the subsequent carbonization seems to be an interesting alternative to obtain porous carbons with enhanced properties for supercapacitors.

  9. Mesoporous MnO2/carbon aerogel composites as promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Li, Gao-Ren; Feng, Zhan-Ping; Ou, Yan-Nan; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen; Tong, Ye-Xiang

    2010-02-16

    MnO(2) as one of the most promising candidates for electrochemical supercapacitors has attracted much attention because of its superior electrochemical performance, low cost, and environmentally benign nature. In this Letter, we explored a novel route to prepare mesoporous MnO(2)/carbon aerogel composites by electrochemical deposition assisted by gas bubbles. The products were characterized by energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The MnO(2) deposits are found to have high purity and have a mesoporous structure that will optimize the electronic and ionic conductivity to minimize the total resistance of the system and thereby maximize the performance characteristics of this material for use in supercapacitor electrodes. The results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments and electrochemical measurements showed that these obtained mesoporous MnO(2)/carbon aerogel composites had a large specific surface area (120 m(2)/g), uniform pore-size distribution (around 5 nm), high specific capacitance (515.5 F/g), and good stability over 1000 cycles, which give these composites potential application as high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

  10. Highly ordered mesoporous carbons as electrode material for the construction of electrochemical dehydrogenase- and oxidase-based biosensors.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Ming; Shang, Li; Li, Bingling; Huang, Lijian; Dong, Shaojun

    2008-11-15

    In this work, the excellent catalytic activity of highly ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) to the electrooxidation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) was described for the construction of electrochemical alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and glucose oxidase (GOD)-based biosensors. The high density of edge-plane-like defective sites and high specific surface area of OMCs could be responsible for the electrocatalytic behavior at OMCs modified glassy carbon electrode (OMCs/GE), which induced a substantial decrease in the overpotential of NADH and H(2)O(2) oxidation reaction compared to carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode (CNTs/GE). Such ability of OMCs permits effective low-potential amperometric biosensing of ethanol and glucose, respectively, at Nafion/ADH-OMCs/GE and Nafion/GOD-OMCs/GE. Especially, as an amperometric glucose biosensor, Nafion/GOD-OMCs/GE showed large determination range (500-15,000 micromoll(-1)), high sensitivity (0.053 nA micromol(-1)), fast (9+/-1s) and stable response (amperometric response retained 90% of the initial activity after 10h stirring of 2 mmoll(-1) glucose solution) to glucose as well as the effective discrimination to the possible interferences, which may make it to readily satisfy the need for the routine clinical diagnosis of diabetes. By comparing the electrochemical performance of OMCs with that of CNTs as electrode material for the construction of ADH- and GOD-biosensors in this work, we reveal that OMCs could be a favorable and promising carbon electrode material for constructing other electrochemical dehydrogenase- and oxidase-based biosensors, which may have wide potential applications in biocatalysis, bioelectronics and biofuel cells.

  11. Novel GO-LaSmO2 Nanocomposite as an Effective Electrode Material for Hydrogen Fuel Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Amin, Ayman A.; Othman, Abdelhameed M.

    2016-04-01

    Nano-composites of lanthanum-samarium oxide (LaSmO2) were prepared in the absence and presence of graphene oxide (GO) and characterized as an effective electrode material for hydrogen fuel cells. X-ray and scanning electron microscope investigations revealed grain sizes of 8 nm for LaSmO2 and 12 nm for GO-LaSmO2 composites. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed sharp peaks, indicating a well-crystallized phase indexable to a rhombohedral structure with space group R 3 C , and their structural refinement performed in the hexagonal mode. The ionic conductivity of LaSmO2 was found to be 4.12 × 10-5 S/cm, while in the presence of GO it was enhanced to 5.32 × 10-5 S/cm. The mechanism of conduction in the proposed nano-materials was investigated based on frequency exponent S. The values of S were observed to decrease with increasing temperature. This result was found to be in good agreement with the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The present work revealed GO to be a conductivity enhancer that caused the GO-LaSmO2 composite to be an effective electrode material for hydrogen fuel cells.

  12. Conductive Polymer Binder for High-Tap-Density Nanosilicon Material for Lithium-Ion Battery Negative Electrode Application

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Hui; Wei, Yang; Qiao, Ruimin; ...

    2015-11-24

    High-tap-density silicon nanomaterials are highly desirable as anodes for lithium ion batteries, due to their small surface area and minimum first-cycle loss. However, this material poses formidable challenges to polymeric binder design. Binders adhere on to the small surface area to sustain the drastic volume changes during cycling; also the low porosities and small pore size resulting from this material are detrimental to lithium ion transport. This study introduces a new binder, poly(1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PPyMAA), for a high-tap-density nanosilicon electrode cycled in a stable manner with a first cycle efficiency of 82%-a value that is further improved to 87%more » when combined with graphite material. Incorporating the MAA acid functionalities does not change the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) features or lower the adhesion performance of the PPy homopolymer. Our single-molecule force microscopy measurement of PPyMAA reveals similar adhesion strength between polymer binder and anode surface when compared with conventional polymer such as homopolyacrylic acid (PAA), while being electronically conductive. Finally, the combined conductivity and adhesion afforded by the MAA and pyrene copolymer results in good cycling performance for the high-tap-density Si electrode.« less

  13. Supercapacitor Electrode Materials from Highly Porous Carbon Nanofibers with Tailored Pore Distributions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chathurika Abeykoon, Nimali

    Environmental and human health risks associated with the traditional methods of energy production (e.g., oil and gas) and intermittency and uncertainty of renewable sources (e.g., solar and wind) have led to exploring effective and alternative energy sources to meet the growing energy demands. Electricity based on energy storage devices are the most promising solutions for realization of these objectives. Among the energy storage devices, electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) or supercapacitors have become an attractive research interest due to their outstanding performance, especially high power densities, long cycle life and rapid charge and discharge times, which enables them to utilize in many applications including consumer electronics and transportation, where high power is needed. However, low energy density of supercapacitors is a major obstacle to compete with the commercially existing high energy density energy storage device such as batteries. The fabrication of advanced electrodes materials with very high surface area from novel precursors and utilization of electrolytes with higher operating voltages are essential to enhance energy density of supercapacitors. In this work, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) from different polymer precursors with new fabrication techniques are explored to develop highly porous carbon with tailored pore distributions to match with employed ionic liquid electrolytes (which possess high working voltages), to realize high energy storage capability. Novel electrode materials derived from electrospun immiscible polymer blends and synthesized copolymers and terpolymers were described. Pore distributions of CNFs were tailored by varying the composition of polymers in immiscible blends or varying the monomer ratios of copolymer or terpolymers. Chapter 1 gives the detailed introduction of supercapacitors including history and storage principle of EDLCs, fabrication of carbon nanofiber based electrodes and electrolytes employed

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

    DOEpatents

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

    1999-01-01

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

  15. Variations the diameter tip of electrode on the resistance spot welding using electrode Cu on worksheet Fe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baskoro, A. S.; Sugeng, S.; Sifa, Agus; Badruzzaman; Endramawan, Tito

    2018-04-01

    Resistance Spot Weld (RSW) is a welding technology which plays an important role that is often used in industry in large manufacturing industries, especially in the automotive sector, some of the parameters are affecting the welding process that give impact in the weld quality, diameter tip important impact on the resistance spot welding, This study can be categorized as experimental study by using Electrode material such as Cu and Fe Worksheet Materials, with a material thickness of 1 mm,0,8 mm, and 0,6 mm on each worksheet, and the large diameter of tip electrode (5√t) depend on the thickness of worksheet. Testing the material in the electrode and the worksheet by testing the composition and tensile test, and the hardness of the material used are to know the material used certainly. The result of the welding process was done by using the parameters voltage of 8KV, with a duty cycle of 50% using a variation of the time 8s-10s, and variations the electrode tip diameter that are affected by the thickness of the worksheet 5\\sqrt{t}, plate thickness used 1 mm, 0,8 mm and 0,6 mm, so that the electrodes was used to a thickness of 1 mm diameter tip electrode 5 mm, thickness 0,8 mm with an electrode tip diameter 4,5 mm and a thickness 0,6 mm with an electrode diameter of 4 mm, with current welding parameter 8kVA, and variations in holding time 10s, 9s and 8s 50% duty cycle, then testing welds with the standard shear test refers ASTM A370-2012 with more results to a thickness of 0,6 has the ability to withstand greater load on the holding time 8s and 9s, 10s, to a thickness 0,8 mm and 1 mm shear test results demonstrate the ability to withstand loads on the holding time of 10s and 9s have a greater ability than 8s on worksheet that has thickness 1 mm at a holding time of 10s, and then Maximum shear test averaging of 36,41 N at a worksheet with a thickness of 0,8 mm (diameter tip 4,5 mm) at a holding time of 8s and a mean minimum shear stress of 23,73 N at worksheet that

  16. Disintegration of Meatball Electrodes for LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 Cathode Materials

    DOE PAGES

    Xu, R.; de Vasconcelos, L. S.; Shi, J.; ...

    2017-05-12

    Mechanical degradation of Li-ion batteries caused by the repetitive swelling and shrinking of electrodes upon electrochemical cycles is now well recognized. Structural disintegration of the state-of-art cathode materials of a hierarchical structure is relatively less studied. In this paper, we track the microstructural evolution of different marked regimes in LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 (NMC) electrodes after lithiation cycles. Decohesion of primary particles constitutes the major mechanical degradation in the NMC materials, which results in the loss of connectivity of the conductive network and impedance increase. We find that the structural disintegration is largely dependent on themore » charging rate – slow charging causes more damage, and is relatively insensitive to the cyclic voltage window. We use finite element modeling to study the evolution of Li concentration and stresses in a NMC secondary particle and employ the cohesive zone model to simulate the interfacial fracture between primary particles. Finally, we reveal that microcracks accumulate and propagate during the cyclic lithiation and delithiation at a slow charging rate.« less

  17. Au-embedded ZnO/NiO hybrid with excellent electrochemical performance as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Xin; Yan, Xiaoqin; Sun, Yihui; Bai, Zhiming; Zhang, Guangjie; Shen, Yanwei; Liang, Qijie; Zhang, Yue

    2015-02-04

    Here we design a nanostructure by embedding Au nanoparticles into ZnO/NiO core-shell composites as supercapacitors electrodes materials. This optimized hybrid electrodes exhibited an excellent electrochemical performance including a long-term cycling stability and a maximum specific areal capacitance of 4.1 F/cm(2) at a current density of 5 mA/cm(2), which is much higher than that of ZnO/NiO hierarchical materials (0.5 F/cm(2)). Such an enhanced property is attributed to the increased electro-electrolyte interfaces, short electron diffusion pathways and good electrical conductivity. Apart from this, electrons can be temporarily trapped and accumulated at the Fermi level (EF') because of the localized schottky barrier at Au/NiO interface in charge process until fill the gap between ZnO and NiO, so that additional electrons can be released during discharge. These results demonstrate that suitable interface engineering may open up new opportunities in the development of high-performance supercapacitors.

  18. Advances in lightweight nickel electrode technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coates, Dwaine; Paul, Gary; Daugherty, Paul

    1989-01-01

    Studies are currently underway to further the development of lightweight nickel electrode technology. Work is focused primarily on the space nickel-hydrogen system and nickel-iron system but is also applicable to the nickel-cadmium and nickel-zinc systems. The goal is to reduce electrode weight while maintaining or improving performance, thereby increasing electrode energy density. Two basic electrode structures are being investigated. The first is the traditional nickel sponge produced from sintered nickel-carbonyl powder. The second is a new material for this application which consists of a non-woven mat of nickel fiber. Electrodes are being manufactured, tested, and evaluated at the electrode and cell level.

  19. Advances in lightweight nickel electrode technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coates, Dwaine; Paul, Gary; Wheeler, James R.; Daugherty, Paul

    1989-01-01

    Studies are currently underway to further the development of lightweight nickel electrode technology. Work is focused primarily on the space nickel-hydrogen system and nickel-iron system but is also applicable to the nickel-cadmium and nickel-zinc systems. The goal is to reduce electrode weight while maintaining or improving performance thereby increasing electrode energy density. Two basic electrode structures are being investigated. The first is the traditional nickel sponge produced from sintered nickel-carbonyl powder and the second is a new material for this application which consists of a non-woven mat of nickel fiber. Electrodes are being manufactured, tested and evaluated at the electrode and cell level.

  20. The development of insulated electrocardiogram electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Portnoy, W. M.; David, R. M.

    1971-01-01

    An integrated system was developed, consisting of an insulated electrode and an impedance transformer, which can be used for the acquisition of electrocardiographic data. The electrode consists of a thin layer of dielectric material deposited onto a silicon substrate. The impedance transformer is an operational amplifier used in the unity gain configuration. Both electrode and impedance transformer are contained in a plastic housing identical to that used with the NASA Apollo-type electrode. The lower cut off frequency of the electrode system is between 0.01 and 1.0 Hz, depending on the dielectric used and its thickness. Clinical quality electrocardiograms were obtained with these electrodes.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-01-01

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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2005-05-01

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

  3. Li4 Ti5 O12 Anode: Structural Design from Material to Electrode and the Construction of Energy Storage Devices.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhijie; Li, Honsen; Wu, Langyuan; Lu, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Xiaogang

    2018-03-01

    Spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , known as a zero-strain material, is capable to be a competent anode material for promising applications in state-of-art electrochemical energy storage devices (EESDs). Compared with commercial graphite, spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 offers a high operating potential of ∼1.55 V vs Li/Li + , negligible volume expansion during Li + intercalation process and excellent thermal stability, leading to high safety and favorable cyclability. Despite the merits of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 been presented, there still remains the issue of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 suffering from poor electronic conductivity, manifesting disadvantageous rate performance. Typically, a material modification process of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 will be proposed to overcome such an issue. However, the previous reports have made few investigations and achievements to analyze the subsequent processes after a material modification process. In this review, we attempt to put considerable interest in complete device design and assembly process with its material structure design (or modification process), electrode structure design and device construction design. Moreover, we have systematically concluded a series of representative design schemes, which can be divided into three major categories involving: (1) nanostructures design, conductive material coating process and doping process on material level; (2) self-supporting or flexible electrode structure design on electrode level; (3) rational assembling of lithium ion full cell or lithium ion capacitor on device level. We believe that these rational designs can give an advanced performance for Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -based energy storage device and deliver a deep inspiration. © 2018 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Fabrication methods for low impedance lithium polymer electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Chern, T.S.; MacFadden, K.O.; Johnson, S.L.

    1997-12-16

    A process is described for fabricating an electrolyte-electrode composite suitable for high energy alkali metal battery that includes mixing composite electrode materials with excess liquid, such as ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate, to produce an initial formulation, and forming a shaped electrode therefrom. The excess liquid is then removed from the electrode to compact the electrode composite which can be further compacted by compression. The resulting electrode exhibits at least a 75% lower resistance.

  5. Fabrication methods for low impedance lithium polymer electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Chern, Terry Song-Hsing; MacFadden, Kenneth Orville; Johnson, Steven Lloyd

    1997-01-01

    A process for fabricating an electrolyte-electrode composite suitable for high energy alkali metal battery that includes mixing composite electrode materials with excess liquid, such as ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate, to produce an initial formulation, and forming a shaped electrode therefrom. The excess liquid is then removed from the electrode to compact the electrode composite which can be further compacted by compression. The resulting electrode exhibits at least a 75% lower resistance.

  6. Few-layered MoSe2 nanosheets as an advanced electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Balasingam, Suresh Kannan; Lee, Jae Sung; Jun, Yongseok

    2015-09-21

    We report the synthesis of few-layered MoSe2 nanosheets using a facile hydrothermal method and their electrochemical charge storage behavior. A systematic study of the structure and morphology of the as-synthesized MoSe2 nanosheets was performed. The downward peak shift in the Raman spectrum and the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images confirmed the formation of few-layered nanosheets. The electrochemical energy-storage behavior of MoSe2 nanosheets was also investigated for supercapacitor applications in a symmetric cell configuration. The MoSe2 nanosheet electrode exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 198.9 F g(-1) and the symmetric device showed 49.7 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 2 mV s(-1). A capacitance retention of approximately 75% was observed even after 10 000 cycles at a high charge-discharge current density of 5 A g(-1). The two-dimensional MoSe2 nanosheets exhibited a high specific capacitance and good cyclic stability, which makes it a promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

  7. Fabrication of Graphene on Kevlar Supercapacitor Electrodes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-05-01

    fabricated with graphene to investigate its applicability for energy storage devices, as this carbon- based material has a large surface area and...Distribution List 14 iv List of Figures Figure 1. Dip-and-dry technique applied to Kevlar- based electrodes...2  Figure 2. Three-electrode system used for the CV measurements. The (1) working electrode was the Kevlar- based electrode; (2) the counter

  8. High Speed, Low Cost Fabrication of Gas Diffusion Electrodes for Membrane Electrode Assemblies

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

    DeCastro, Emory S.; Tsou, Yu-Min; Liu, Zhenyu

    Fabrication of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) depends on creating inks or pastes of catalyst and binder, and applying this suspension to either the membrane (catalyst coated membrane) or gas diffusion media (gas diffusion electrode) and respectively laminating either gas diffusion media or gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) to the membrane. One barrier to cost effective fabrication for either of these approaches is the development of stable and consistent suspensions. This program investigated the fundamental forces that destabilize the suspensions and developed innovative approaches to create new, highly stable formulations. These more concentrated formulations needed fewer application passes, could be coated overmore » longer and wider substrates, and resulted in significantly lower coating defects. In March of 2012 BASF Fuel Cell released a new high temperature product based on these advances, whereby our customers received higher performing, more uniform MEAs resulting in higher stack build yields. Furthermore, these new materials resulted in an “instant” increase in capacity due to higher product yields and material throughput. Although not part of the original scope of this program, these new formulations have also led us to materials that demonstrate equivalent performance with 30% less precious metal in the anode. This program has achieved two key milestones in DOE’s Manufacturing R&D program: demonstration of processes for direct coating of electrodes and continuous in-line measurement for component fabrication.« less

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

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.

    1996-01-01

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

  10. Redox electrodes comprised of polymer-modified carbon nanomaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roberts, Mark; Emmett, Robert; Karakaya, Mehmet; Podila, Ramakrishna; Rao, Apparao; Clemson Physics Team; Clemson Chemical Engineering Team

    2013-03-01

    A shift in how we generate and use electricity requires new energy storage materials and systems compatible with hybrid electric transportation and the integration of renewable energy sources. Supercapacitors provide a solution to these needs by combining the high power, rapid switching, and exceptional cycle life of a capacitor with the high energy density of a battery. Our research brings together nanotechnology and materials chemistry to address the limitations of electrode materials. Paper electrodes fabricated with various forms of carbon nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, are modified with redox-polymers to increase the electrode's energy density while maintaining rapid discharge rates. In these systems, the carbon nanomaterials provide the high surface area, electrical conductivity, nanoscale and porosity, while the redox polymers provide a mechanism for charge storage through Faradaic charge transfer. The design of redox polymers and their incorporation into nanomaterial electrodes will be discussed with a focus on enabling high power and high energy density electrodes.

  11. Removal of suspended solids and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters by electrocoagulation: comparison of electrode materials and electrode connection systems.

    PubMed

    Solak, Murat; Kiliç, Mehmet; Hüseyin, Yazici; Sencan, Aziz

    2009-12-15

    In this study, removal of suspended solids (SS) and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters by electrocoagulation (EC) process were investigated by using aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe) electrodes which were run in serial and parallel connection systems. To remove these pollutants from the marble processing wastewater, an EC reactor including monopolar electrodes (Al/Fe) in parallel and serial connection system, was utilized. Optimization of differential operation parameters such as pH, current density, and electrolysis time on SS and turbidity removal were determined in this way. EC process with monopolar Al electrodes in parallel and serial connections carried out at the optimum conditions where the pH value was 9, current density was approximately 15 A/m(2), and electrolysis time was 2 min resulted in 100% SS removal. Removal efficiencies of EC process for SS with monopolar Fe electrodes in parallel and serial connection were found to be 99.86% and 99.94%, respectively. Optimum parameters for monopolar Fe electrodes in both of the connection types were found to be for pH value as 8, for electrolysis time as 2 min. The optimum current density value for Fe electrodes used in serial and parallel connections was also obtained at 10 and 20 A/m(2), respectively. Based on the results obtained, it was found that EC process running with each type of the electrodes and the connections was highly effective for the removal of SS and turbidity from marble processing wastewaters, and that operating costs with monopolar Al electrodes in parallel connection were the cheapest than that of the serial connection and all the configurations for Fe electrode.

  12. Snap-in compressible biomedical electrode

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frost, J. D., Jr.; Hillman, C. E., Jr. (Inventor)

    1977-01-01

    A replaceable, prefilled electrode enclosed in a plastic seal and suitably adapted for attachment to a reusable, washable cap having snaps thereon is disclosed. The apparatus is particularly adapted for quick positioning of electrodes to obtain an EEG. The individual electrodes are formed of a sponge body which is filled with a conductive electrolyte gel during manufacture. The sponge body is adjacent to a base formed of a conductive plastic material. The base has at its center a male gripper snap. The cap locates the female snap to enable the electrode to be positioned. The electrode can be stored and used quickly by attaching to the female gripper snap. The snap is correctly positioned and located by mounting it in a stretchable cap. The cap is reusable with new electrodes for each use. The electrolyte gel serves as the contact electrode to achieve a good ohmic contact with the scalp.

  13. Ideal strength of bcc molybdenum and niobium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Weidong; Roundy, D.; Cohen, Marvin L.; Morris, J. W.

    2002-09-01

    The behavior of bcc Mo and Nb under large strain was investigated using the ab initio pseudopotential density-functional method. We calculated the ideal shear strength for the {211}<111> and {011}<111> slip systems and the ideal tensile strength in the <100> direction, which are believed to provide the minimum shear and tensile strengths. As either material is sheared in either of the two systems, it evolves toward a stress-free tetragonal structure that defines a saddle point in the strain-energy surface. The inflection point on the path to this tetragonal ``saddle-point'' structure sets the ideal shear strength. When either material is strained in tension along <100>, it initially follows the tetragonal, ``Bain,'' path toward a stress-free fcc structure. However, before the strained crystal reaches fcc, its symmetry changes from tetragonal to orthorhombic; on continued strain it evolves toward the same tetragonal saddle point that is reached in shear. In Mo, the symmetry break occurs after the point of maximum tensile stress has been passed, so the ideal strength is associated with the fcc extremum as in W. However, a Nb crystal strained in <100> becomes orthorhombic at tensile stress below the ideal strength. The ideal tensile strength of Nb is associated with the tetragonal saddle point and is caused by failure in shear rather than tension. In dimensionless form, the ideal shear and tensile strengths of Mo (τ*=τm/G111=0.12, σ*=σm/E100=0.078) are essentially identical to those previously calculated for W. Nb is anomalous. Its dimensionless shear strength is unusually high, τ*=0.15, even though the saddle-point structure that causes it is similar to that in Mo and W, while its dimensionless tensile strength, σ*=0.079, is almost the same as that of Mo and W, even though the saddle-point structure is quite different.

  14. High rate, long cycle life battery electrode materials with an open framework structure

    DOEpatents

    Wessells, Colin; Huggins, Robert; Cui, Yi; Pasta, Mauro

    2015-02-10

    A battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an aqueous electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode and including a cation A. At least one of the cathode and the anode includes an electrode material having an open framework crystal structure into which the cation A is reversibly inserted during operation of the battery. The battery has a reference specific capacity when cycled at a reference rate, and at least 75% of the reference specific capacity is retained when the battery is cycled at 10 times the reference rate.

  15. Hybrid nanomaterial of α-Co(OH)2 nanosheets and few-layer graphene as an enhanced electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Cheng, J P; Liu, L; Ma, K Y; Wang, X; Li, Q Q; Wu, J S; Liu, F

    2017-01-15

    Supercapacitor with metal hydroxide nanosheets as electrode can have high capacitance. However, the cycling stability and high rate capacity is low due to the low electrical conductivity. Here, the exfoliated α-Co(OH) 2 nanosheets with high capacitance has been assembled on few-layer graphene with high electric conductivity by a facile yet effective and scalable solution method. Exfoliated hydrotalcite-like α-Co(OH) 2 nanosheets and few-layer graphene suspensions were prepared by a simple ultrasonication in formamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, respectively. Subsequently, a hybrid was made by self-assembly of α-Co(OH) 2 and few-layer graphene when the two dispersions were mixed at room temperature. The hybrid material provided a high specific capacitance of 567.1F/g at 1A/g, while a better rate capability and better stability were achieved compared to that mad of pristine and single exfoliated α-Co(OH) 2 . When the hybrid nanocomposite was used as a positive electrode and activated carbon was applied as negative electrode to assembly an asymmetric capacitor, an energy density of 21.2Wh/kg at a power density of 0.41kW/kg within a potential of 1.65V was delivered. The high electrochemical performance and facile solution-based synthesis method suggested that the hybrid of exfoliated α-Co(OH) 2 /few-layer graphene could be a potential electrode material for electrochemical capacitor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Organic photosensitive cells grown on rough electrode with nano-scale morphology control

    DOEpatents

    Yang, Fan [Piscataway, NJ; Forrest, Stephen R [Ann Arbor, MI

    2011-06-07

    An optoelectronic device and a method for fabricating the optoelectronic device includes a first electrode disposed on a substrate, an exposed surface of the first electrode having a root mean square roughness of at least 30 nm and a height variation of at least 200 nm, the first electrode being transparent. A conformal layer of a first organic semiconductor material is deposited onto the first electrode by organic vapor phase deposition, the first organic semiconductor material being a small molecule material. A layer of a second organic semiconductor material is deposited over the conformal layer. At least some of the layer of the second organic semiconductor material directly contacts the conformal layer. A second electrode is deposited over the layer of the second organic semiconductor material. The first organic semiconductor material is of a donor-type or an acceptor-type relative to the second organic semiconductor material, which is of the other material type.

  17. Nanoporous carbon-based electrodes for high strain ionomeric bending actuators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palmre, Viljar; Brandell, Daniel; Mäeorg, Uno; Torop, Janno; Volobujeva, Olga; Punning, Andres; Johanson, Urmas; Kruusmaa, Maarja; Aabloo, Alvo

    2009-09-01

    Ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) are electroactive material devices that bend at low applied voltage (1-4 V). Inversely, a voltage is generated when the materials are deformed, which makes them useful both as sensors and actuators. In this paper, we propose two new highly porous carbon materials as electrodes for IPMC actuators, generating a high specific area, and compare their electromechanical performance with recently reported RuO2 electrodes and conventional IPMCs. Using a direct assembly process (DAP), we synthesize ionic liquid (Emi-Tf) actuators with either carbide-derived carbon (CDC) or coconut-shell-based activated carbon-based electrodes. The carbon electrodes were applied onto ionic liquid-swollen Nafion membranes using a direct assembly process. The study demonstrates that actuators based on carbon electrodes derived from TiC have the greatest peak-to-peak strain output, reaching up to 20.4 mɛ (equivalent to>2%) at a 2 V actuation signal, exceeding that of the RuO2 electrodes by more than 100%. The electrodes synthesized from TiC-derived carbon also exhibit significantly higher maximum strain rate. The differences between the materials are discussed in terms of molecular interactions and mechanisms upon actuation in the different electrodes.

  18. Composite carbon foam electrode

    DOEpatents

    Mayer, S.T.; Pekala, R.W.; Kaschmitter, J.L.

    1997-05-06

    Carbon aerogels used as a binder for granulated materials, including other forms of carbon and metal additives, are cast onto carbon or metal fiber substrates to form composite carbon thin film sheets. The thin film sheets are utilized in electrochemical energy storage applications, such as electrochemical double layer capacitors (aerocapacitors), lithium based battery insertion electrodes, fuel cell electrodes, and electrocapacitive deionization electrodes. The composite carbon foam may be formed by prior known processes, but with the solid particles being added during the liquid phase of the process, i.e. prior to gelation. The other forms of carbon may include carbon microspheres, carbon powder, carbon aerogel powder or particles, graphite carbons. Metal and/or carbon fibers may be added for increased conductivity. The choice of materials and fibers will depend on the electrolyte used and the relative trade off of system resistivity and power to system energy. 1 fig.

  19. Composite carbon foam electrode

    DOEpatents

    Mayer, Steven T.; Pekala, Richard W.; Kaschmitter, James L.

    1997-01-01

    Carbon aerogels used as a binder for granularized materials, including other forms of carbon and metal additives, are cast onto carbon or metal fiber substrates to form composite carbon thin film sheets. The thin film sheets are utilized in electrochemical energy storage applications, such as electrochemical double layer capacitors (aerocapacitors), lithium based battery insertion electrodes, fuel cell electrodes, and electrocapacitive deionization electrodes. The composite carbon foam may be formed by prior known processes, but with the solid particles being added during the liquid phase of the process, i.e. prior to gelation. The other forms of carbon may include carbon microspheres, carbon powder, carbon aerogel powder or particles, graphite carbons. Metal and/or carbon fibers may be added for increased conductivity. The choice of materials and fibers will depend on the electrolyte used and the relative trade off of system resistivty and power to system energy.

  20. Long Life Nickel Electrodes for Nickel-Hydrogen Cells: Fiber Substrates Nickel Electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, Howard H.

    2000-01-01

    Samples of nickel fiber mat electrodes were investigated over a wide range of fiber diameters, electrode thickness, porosity and active material loading levels. Thickness' were 0.040, 0.060 and 0.080 inches for the plaque: fiber diameters were primarily 2, 4, and 8 micron and porosity was 85, 90, and 95%. Capacities of 3.5 in. diameter electrodes were determined in the flooded condition with both 26 and 31% potassium hydroxide solution. These capacity tests indicated that the highest capacities per unit weight were obtained at the 90% porosity level with a 4 micron diameter fiber plaque. It appeared that the thinner electrodes had somewhat better performance, consistent with sintered electrode history. Limited testing with two-positive-electrode boiler plate cells was also carried out. Considerable difficulty with constructing the cells was encountered with short circuits the major problem. Nevertheless, four cells were tested. The cell with 95% porosity electrodes failed during conditioning cycling due to high voltage during charge. Discharge showed that this cell had lost nearly all of its capacity. The other three cells after 20 conditioning cycles showed capacities consistent with the flooded capacities of the electrodes. Positive electrodes made from fiber substrates may well show a weight advantage of standard sintered electrodes, but need considerably more work to prove this statement. A major problem to be investigated is the lower strength of the substrate compared to standard sintered electrodes. Problems with welding of leads were significant and implications that the electrodes would expand more than sintered electrodes need to be investigated. Loading levels were lower than had been expected based on sintered electrode experiences and the lower loading led to lower capacity values. However, lower loading causes less expansion and contraction during cycling so that stress on the substrate is reduced.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    1999-06-29

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

  2. Methods for and products of processing nanostructure nitride, carbonitride and oxycarbonitride electrode power materials by utilizing sol gel technology for supercapacitor applications

    DOEpatents

    Huang, Yuhong; Wei, Oiang; Chu, Chung-tse; Zheng, Haixing

    2001-01-01

    Metal nitride, carbonitride, and oxycarbonitride powder with high surface area (up to 150 m.sup.2 /g) is prepared by using sol-gel process. The metal organic precursor, alkoxides or amides, is synthesized firstly. The metal organic precursor is modified by using unhydrolyzable organic ligands or templates. A wet gel is formed then by hydrolysis and condensation process. The solvent in the wet gel is then be removed supercritically to form porous amorphous hydroxide. This porous hydroxide materials is sintered to 725.degree. C. under the ammonia flow and porous nitride powder is formed. The other way to obtain high surface area nitride, carbonitride, and oxycarbonitride powder is to pyrolyze polymerized templated metal amides aerogel in an inert atmosphere. The electrochemical capacitors are prepared by using sol-gel prepared nitride, carbonitride, and oxycarbonitride powder. Two methods are used to assemble the capacitors. Electrode is formed either by pressing the mixture of nitride powder and binder to a foil, or by depositing electrode coating onto metal current collector. The binder or coating is converted into a continuous network of electrode material after thermal treatment to provide enhanced energy and power density. Liquid electrolyte is soaked into porous electrode. The electrochemical capacitor assembly further has a porous separator layer between two electrodes/electrolyte and forming a unit cell.

  3. Polyaniline-Manganese dioxide nanorods nanocomposite as an electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahirrao, Dinesh J.; Jha, Neetu

    2017-05-01

    Supercapacitors (SC) are energy storage devices with long durability, and high power density. Metal oxides, conducting polymers and carbon based nanomaterials are generally used as an electrode material in SC due to their high charge storage properties. Superior performance of SC can be achieved by making a composite of metal oxides with conducting polymer or with carbon based nanomaterials in order achieve synergy. Herein, we report a low temperature hydrothermal method for the synthesis of α-MnO2 nanorods (α-MnO2-NR) and the composite was prepared by in situ polymerization of polyaniline (PANT) with α-MnO2-NR. Uniform distribution of MnO2-NR on the PANI granules was observed in composite. Material characterization was carried out by using XRD, FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical performance of the as-prepared materials was evaluated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements in potential range of 0 to 0.8 V. PANI-α-MnO2-NR showed improved specific capacitance of 605 F/g at 1 A/g which is higher than that of individual component like pure PANI (515 F/g) and pure MnO2-NR (141 F/g) at 1A/g.

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

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, T.D.

    1996-07-16

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

  5. Mesoscale characterization of local property distributions in heterogeneous electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Tim; Epting, William K.; Mahbub, Rubayyat; Nuhfer, Noel T.; Bhattacharya, Sudip; Lei, Yinkai; Miller, Herbert M.; Ohodnicki, Paul R.; Gerdes, Kirk R.; Abernathy, Harry W.; Hackett, Gregory A.; Rollett, Anthony D.; De Graef, Marc; Litster, Shawn; Salvador, Paul A.

    2018-05-01

    The performance of electrochemical devices depends on the three-dimensional (3D) distributions of microstructural features in their electrodes. Several mature methods exist to characterize 3D microstructures over the microscale (tens of microns), which are useful in understanding homogeneous electrodes. However, methods that capture mesoscale (hundreds of microns) volumes at appropriate resolution (tens of nm) are lacking, though they are needed to understand more common, less ideal electrodes. Using serial sectioning with a Xe plasma focused ion beam combined with scanning electron microscopy (Xe PFIB-SEM), two commercial solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrodes are reconstructed over volumes of 126 × 73 × 12.5 and 124 × 110 × 8 μm3 with a resolution on the order of ≈ 503 nm3. The mesoscale distributions of microscale structural features are quantified and both microscale and mesoscale inhomogeneities are found. We analyze the origin of inhomogeneity over different length scales by comparing experimental and synthetic microstructures, generated with different particle size distributions, with such synthetic microstructures capturing well the high-frequency heterogeneity. Effective medium theory models indicate that significant mesoscale variations in local electrochemical activity are expected throughout such electrodes. These methods offer improved understanding of the performance of complex electrodes in energy conversion devices.

  6. Investigation of the effects of shear on arc-electrode erosion using a modified arc-electrode mass loss model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, Bryan T.

    The electrodes are the attachment points for an electric arc where electrons and positive ions enter and leave the gas, creating a flow of current. Electrons enter the gas at the cathode and are removed at the anode. Electrons then flow out through the leads on the anode and are replenished from the power supply through the leads on the cathode. Electric arc attachment to the electrode surface causes intensive heating and subsequent melting and vaporization. At that point a multitude of factors can contribute to mass loss, to include vaporization (boiling), material removal via shear forces, chemical reactions, evaporation, and ejection of material in jets due to pressure effects. If these factors were more thoroughly understood and could be modeled, this knowledge would guide the development of an electrode design with minimal erosion. An analytic model was developed by a previous researcher that models mass loss by melting, evaporation and boiling with a moving arc attachment point. This pseudo one-dimensional model includes surface heat flux in periodic cycles of heating and cooling to model motion of a spinning arc in an annular electrode where the arc periodically returns to the same spot. This model, however, does not account for removal of material due to shear or pressure induced effects, or the effects of chemical reactions. As a result of this, the model under-predicts material removal by about 50%. High velocity air flowing over an electrode will result in a shear force which has the potential to remove molten material as the arc melts the surface on its path around the electrode. In order to study the effects of shear on mass loss rate, the model from this previous investigator has been altered to include this mass loss mechanism. The results of this study have shown that shear is a viable mechanism for mass loss in electrodes and can account for the mismatch between theoretical and experimental rates determined by previous investigators. The results of

  7. Effects of crystalline quality and electrode material on fatigue in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film capacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, J.; Johnson, L.; Safari, A.; Ramesh, R.; Sands, T.; Gilchrist, H.; Keramidas, V. G.

    1993-07-01

    Pb(Zr(0.52)Ti(0.48))O3 (PZT)/Y1Ba2Cu3O(x) (YBCO) heterostructures were grown by pulsed laser deposition, in which PZT films were epitaxial, highly oriented, or polycrystalline. These PZT films were obtained by varying the deposition temperature from 550 to 760 C or by using various substrates such as SrTiO3 (100), MgO (100), and r-plane sapphire. PZT films with Pt top electrodes exhibited large fatigue with 35-50 percent loss of the remanent polarization after 10 exp 9 cycles, depending on the crystalline quality. Polycrystalline films showed better fatigue resistance than epitaxial or highly oriented films. However, PZT films with both top and bottom YBCO electrodes had significantly improved fatigue resistance for both epitaxial and polycrystalline films. Electrode material seems to be a more important parameter in fatigue than the crystalline quality of the PZT films.

  8. 3D nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel nanomesh: Facile synthesis and electrochemical properties as the electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Xiao-Li; Fu, Lin; Cheng, Ming-Yu; Yang, Jing-He; Guan, Xin-Xin; Zheng, Xiu-Cheng

    2017-12-01

    Nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel nanomesh (N-GANM) has been hydrothermally prepared from graphene oxide and ammonium hydroxide using iron nitrate as the etching agent. The results showed that N-GANM with an interesting nanomesh structure on the graphene sheets maintained the 3D architecture of graphene aerogel (GA). Furthermore, it exhibited excellent electrochemical capacitive behavior and the specific capacitance value (290.0 F g-1 at 1 A g-1) remained approximately 90.3% after 2000 cycles in the three-electrode system. In addition, N-GANM displayed an energy density of 30.9 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 450.3 W kg-1 and excellent cycling stability retention (98%) after 10,000 cycles in the two-electrode symmetric device. The resulting N-GANM was expected to be a much favorable supercapacitor electrode material due to the heteroatom-doping and its unique porous structure.

  9. Layered assembly of graphene oxide and Co-Al layered double hydroxide nanosheets as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lei; Wang, Dong; Dong, Xin Yi; Zhang, Zhi Jun; Pei, Xian Feng; Chen, Xin Jiang; Chen, Biao; Jin, Jian

    2011-03-28

    An innovative strategy of fabricating electrode material by layered assembling two kinds of one-atom-thick sheets, carboxylated graphene oxide (GO) and Co-Al layered double hydroxide nanosheet (Co-Al LDH-NS) for the application as a pseudocapacitor is reported. The Co-Al LDH-NS/GO composite exhibits good energy storage properties.

  10. High-capacity electrode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries: Li3NbO4-based system with cation-disordered rocksalt structure.

    PubMed

    Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Takeuchi, Mitsue; Nakayama, Masanobu; Shiiba, Hiromasa; Ogawa, Masahiro; Nakayama, Keisuke; Ohta, Toshiaki; Endo, Daisuke; Ozaki, Tetsuya; Inamasu, Tokuo; Sato, Kei; Komaba, Shinichi

    2015-06-23

    Rechargeable lithium batteries have rapidly risen to prominence as fundamental devices for green and sustainable energy development. Lithium batteries are now used as power sources for electric vehicles. However, materials innovations are still needed to satisfy the growing demand for increasing energy density of lithium batteries. In the past decade, lithium-excess compounds, Li2MeO3 (Me = Mn(4+), Ru(4+), etc.), have been extensively studied as high-capacity positive electrode materials. Although the origin as the high reversible capacity has been a debatable subject for a long time, recently it has been confirmed that charge compensation is partly achieved by solid-state redox of nonmetal anions (i.e., oxide ions), coupled with solid-state redox of transition metals, which is the basic theory used for classic lithium insertion materials, such as LiMeO2 (Me = Co(3+), Ni(3+), etc.). Herein, as a compound with further excess lithium contents, a cation-ordered rocksalt phase with lithium and pentavalent niobium ions, Li3NbO4, is first examined as the host structure of a new series of high-capacity positive electrode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries. Approximately 300 mAh ⋅ g(-1) of high-reversible capacity at 50 °C is experimentally observed, which partly originates from charge compensation by solid-state redox of oxide ions. It is proposed that such a charge compensation process by oxide ions is effectively stabilized by the presence of electrochemically inactive niobium ions. These results will contribute to the development of a new class of high-capacity electrode materials, potentially with further lithium enrichment (and fewer transition metals) in the close-packed framework structure with oxide ions.

  11. Recent progress in hollow sphere-based electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Yan; Chen, Min; Wu, Limin

    2016-08-01

    Hollow spheres have drawn much attention in the area of energy storage and conversion, especially in high-performance supercapacitors owing to their well-defined morphologies, uniform size, low density and large surface area. And quite some significant breakthroughs have been made in advanced supercapacitor electrode materials with hollow sphere structures. In this review, we summarize and discuss the synthesis and application of hollow spheres with controllable structure and morphology as electrode materials for supercapacitors. First, we briefly introduce the fabrication strategies of hollow spheres for electrode materials. Then, we discuss in detail the recent advances in various hollow sphere-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, including single-shelled, yolk-shelled, urchin-like, double-shelled, multi-shelled, and mesoporous hollow structure-based symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor devices. We conclude this review with some perspectives on the future research and development of the hollow sphere-based electrode materials.

  12. Recent progress in hollow sphere-based electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yan; Chen, Min; Wu, Limin

    2016-08-26

    Hollow spheres have drawn much attention in the area of energy storage and conversion, especially in high-performance supercapacitors owing to their well-defined morphologies, uniform size, low density and large surface area. And quite some significant breakthroughs have been made in advanced supercapacitor electrode materials with hollow sphere structures. In this review, we summarize and discuss the synthesis and application of hollow spheres with controllable structure and morphology as electrode materials for supercapacitors. First, we briefly introduce the fabrication strategies of hollow spheres for electrode materials. Then, we discuss in detail the recent advances in various hollow sphere-based electrode materials for supercapacitors, including single-shelled, yolk-shelled, urchin-like, double-shelled, multi-shelled, and mesoporous hollow structure-based symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor devices. We conclude this review with some perspectives on the future research and development of the hollow sphere-based electrode materials.

  13. Electrode erosion in arc discharges at atmospheric pressure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hardy, T. L.

    1985-01-01

    An experimental investigation was performed in an effort to measure and increase lifetime of electrodes in an arcjet thruster. The electrode erosion of various anode and cathode materials was measured after tests in an atmospheric pressure nitrogen arc discharge at powers less than 1 kW. A free-burning arc configuration and a constricted arc configuration were used to test the materials. Lanthanum hexboride and thoriated tungsten had low cathode erosion rates while thoriated tungsten and pure tungsten had the lowest anode erosion rates of the materials tested. Anode cooling, reverse gas flow, an external magnetic fields were all found to reduce electrode mass loss.

  14. Novel Conductive Carbon Black and Polydimethlysiloxane ECG Electrode: A Comparison with Commercial Electrodes in Fresh, Chlorinated, and Salt Water.

    PubMed

    Noh, Yeonsik; Bales, Justin R; Reyes, Bersain A; Molignano, Jennifer; Clement, Amanda L; Pins, George D; Florian, John P; Chon, Ki H

    2016-08-01

    In this study, we evaluated the performance of two novel conductive carbon black (CB) and polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) bio-potential electrodes, with and without an integrated flexible copper mesh, against commercially available electrodes (Polar(®) textile, Silver-coated textile, and carbon rubber). The electrodes were tested in three types of water (fresh/unfiltered, chlorinated, and salt water). Our testing revealed that our CB/PDMS electrode with integrated copper mesh provided a high-fidelity ECG signal morphologies without any amplitude degradation in all of the types of water tested (N = 10). The non-meshed CB/PDMS electrodes were also subjected to a long-term durability test by the US Navy SCUBA divers during which the electrodes maintained ECG signal quality for a 6 h period of continuous use. The results of a material degradation analysis revealed the CB/PDMS composite material does not exhibit significant changes in physical integrity after prolonged exposure to the test conditions. The newly developed meshed CB/PDMS electrodes have the potential to be used in a wide variety of both dry and wet environments including the challenge of obtaining ECG signals in salt water environments.

  15. Electric filter with movable belt electrode

    DOEpatents

    Bergman, W.

    1983-09-20

    A method and apparatus for removing airborne contaminants entrained in a gas or airstream includes an electric filter characterized by a movable endless belt electrode, a grounded electrode, and a filter medium sandwiched there between. Inclusion of the movable, endless belt electrode provides the driving force for advancing the filter medium through the filter, and reduces frictional drag on the filter medium, thereby permitting a wide choice of filter medium materials. Additionally, the belt electrode includes a plurality of pleats in order to provide maximum surface area on which to collect airborne contaminants. 4 figs.

  16. Electric filter with movable belt electrode

    DOEpatents

    Bergman, Werner

    1983-01-01

    A method and apparatus for removing airborne contaminants entrained in a gas or airstream includes an electric filter characterized by a movable endless belt electrode, a grounded electrode, and a filter medium sandwiched therebetween. Inclusion of the movable, endless belt electrode provides the driving force for advancing the filter medium through the filter, and reduces frictional drag on the filter medium, thereby permitting a wide choice of filter medium materials. Additionally, the belt electrode includes a plurality of pleats in order to provide maximum surface area on which to collect airborne contaminants.

  17. Soybean Root-Derived Hierarchical Porous Carbon as Electrode Material for High-Performance Supercapacitors in Ionic Liquids.

    PubMed

    Guo, Nannan; Li, Min; Wang, Yong; Sun, Xingkai; Wang, Feng; Yang, Ru

    2016-12-14

    Soybeans are extensively cultivated worldwide as human food. However, large quantities of soybean roots (SRs), which possess an abundant three-dimensional (3D) structure, remain unused and produce enormous pressure on the environment. Here, 3D hierarchical porous carbon was prepared by the facile carbonization of SRs followed by chemical activation. The as-prepared material, possessing large specific surface area (2143 m 2 g -1 ), good electrical conductivity, and unique 3D hierarchical porosity, shows outstanding electrochemical performance as an electrode material for supercapacitors, such as a high capacitance (276 F g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 ), superior cycle stability (98% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 5 A g -1 ), and good rate capability in a symmetric two-electrode supercapacitor in 6 M KOH. Furthermore, the maximum energy density of as-assembled symmetric supercapacitor can reach 100.5 Wh kg -1 in neat EMIM BF 4 . Moreover, a value of 40.7 Wh kg -1 is maintained at ultrahigh power density (63000 W kg -1 ). These results show that the as-assembled supercapacitor can simultaneously deliver superior energy and power density.

  18. Direct Observation of Active Material Concentration Gradients and Crystallinity Breakdown in LiFePO4 Electrodes During Charge/Discharge Cycling of Lithium Batteries.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Matthew R; Madsen, Alex; Nicklin, Chris; Rawle, Jonathan; Palmer, Michael G; Owen, John R; Hector, Andrew L

    2014-04-03

    The phase changes that occur during discharge of an electrode comprised of LiFePO 4 , carbon, and PTFE binder have been studied in lithium half cells by using X-ray diffraction measurements in reflection geometry. Differences in the state of charge between the front and the back of LiFePO 4 electrodes have been visualized. By modifying the X-ray incident angle the depth of penetration of the X-ray beam into the electrode was altered, allowing for the examination of any concentration gradients that were present within the electrode. At high rates of discharge the electrode side facing the current collector underwent limited lithium insertion while the electrode as a whole underwent greater than 50% of discharge. This behavior is consistent with depletion at high rate of the lithium content of the electrolyte contained in the electrode pores. Increases in the diffraction peak widths indicated a breakdown of crystallinity within the active material during cycling even during the relatively short duration of these experiments, which can also be linked to cycling at high rate.

  19. Direct Observation of Active Material Concentration Gradients and Crystallinity Breakdown in LiFePO4 Electrodes During Charge/Discharge Cycling of Lithium Batteries

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    The phase changes that occur during discharge of an electrode comprised of LiFePO4, carbon, and PTFE binder have been studied in lithium half cells by using X-ray diffraction measurements in reflection geometry. Differences in the state of charge between the front and the back of LiFePO4 electrodes have been visualized. By modifying the X-ray incident angle the depth of penetration of the X-ray beam into the electrode was altered, allowing for the examination of any concentration gradients that were present within the electrode. At high rates of discharge the electrode side facing the current collector underwent limited lithium insertion while the electrode as a whole underwent greater than 50% of discharge. This behavior is consistent with depletion at high rate of the lithium content of the electrolyte contained in the electrode pores. Increases in the diffraction peak widths indicated a breakdown of crystallinity within the active material during cycling even during the relatively short duration of these experiments, which can also be linked to cycling at high rate. PMID:24790684

  20. Electrode/workpiece combinations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benedict, J. J.

    1989-10-01

    Of the many machine tool operations available in the shop today, plunge cut Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) has become an increasingly useful method of materials fabrication. It is a necessary tool for the research and development type of work performed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). With advancing technology, plunge cut EDMs are more efficient, faster, have greater accuracy and are able to produce better surface finishes. They have been in the past and will continue to be an important part of the production of quality parts in both the Precision and NC Shop. It should be kept in mind that as a non-traditional machining process, EDMing is a time consuming process that can be a very expensive method of producing parts. For this reason, it must be used in the most efficient manner in order to make it a cost-effective means of fabrication, although technology has advanced to the point of state-of-the-art equipment, there is currently a void in available technical information needed for use with this process. The type of information sought after concerns the area of electrode/workpiece combinations. This is in reference to the task of choosing the correct electrode material for the specific workpiece material encountered. A brief description of the EDM process will help in understanding the electrode/workpiece relationship.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    2015-07-07

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

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

    DOEpatents

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

    2015-10-06

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

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

    DOEpatents

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

    2017-08-01

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

  4. Not All Ideals are Equal: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Ideals in Relationships.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez, Lindsey M; Hadden, Benjamin W; Knee, C Raymond

    2015-03-01

    The ideal standards model suggests that greater consistency between ideal standards and actual perceptions of one's relationship predicts positive relationship evaluations; however, no research has evaluated whether this differs across types of ideals. A self-determination theory perspective was derived to test whether satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffers the importance of extrinsic ideals. Participants (N=195) in committed relationships directly and indirectly reported the extent to which their partner met their ideal on two dimensions: intrinsic (e.g., warm, intimate) and extrinsic (e.g., attractive, successful). Relationship need fulfillment and relationship quality were also assessed. Hypotheses were largely supported, such that satisfaction of intrinsic ideals more strongly predicted relationship functioning, and satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffered the relevance of extrinsic ideals for outcomes.

  5. Not All Ideals are Equal: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Ideals in Relationships

    PubMed Central

    Rodriguez, Lindsey M.; Hadden, Benjamin W.; Knee, C. Raymond

    2015-01-01

    The ideal standards model suggests that greater consistency between ideal standards and actual perceptions of one’s relationship predicts positive relationship evaluations; however, no research has evaluated whether this differs across types of ideals. A self-determination theory perspective was derived to test whether satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffers the importance of extrinsic ideals. Participants (N=195) in committed relationships directly and indirectly reported the extent to which their partner met their ideal on two dimensions: intrinsic (e.g., warm, intimate) and extrinsic (e.g., attractive, successful). Relationship need fulfillment and relationship quality were also assessed. Hypotheses were largely supported, such that satisfaction of intrinsic ideals more strongly predicted relationship functioning, and satisfaction of intrinsic ideals buffered the relevance of extrinsic ideals for outcomes. PMID:25821396

  6. Carbon/CuO nanosphere-anchored g-C3N4 nanosheets as ternary electrode material for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vattikuti, S. V. Prabhakar; Reddy, B. Purusottam; Byon, Chan; Shim, Jaesool

    2018-06-01

    Novel electrode materials for supercapacitors comprised of carbon and copper oxide (CuO) nanospheres on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets, denoted as C/CuO@g-C3N4 are self-assembled via a one-step co-pyrolysis decomposition method. The pure g-C3N4 and C/CuO@g-C3N4 were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption/desorption studies and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The specific capacitance was 247.2 F g-1 in 0.5 M NaOH at a current density of 1 A g-1, and more than 92.1% of the capacitance was retained after 6000 cycles. The property enhancement was ascribed to the synergistic effects of the three components in the composite. These results suggest that C/CuO@g-C3N4 possessed an excellent cyclic stability with respect to their capacity performance as electrode materials.

  7. Inherent N,O-containing carbon frameworks as electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Hu, Fangyuan; Wang, Jinyan; Hu, Shui; Li, Linfei; Wang, Gang; Qiu, Jieshan; Jian, Xigao

    2016-09-15

    N,O-Containing micropore-dominated materials have been developed successfully via temperature-dependent cross-linking of 4,4'-(dioxo-diphenyl-2,3,6,7-tetraazaanthracenediyl)dibenzonitrile (DPDN) monomers. By employing a molecular engineering strategy, we have designed and synthesized a series of porous heteroatom-containing carbon frameworks (PHCFs), in which nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms are distributed homogeneously throughout the whole framework at the atomic level, which can ensure the stability of its electrical properties. The as-made PHCFs@550 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 378 F g -1 , with an excellent long cycling life, including excellent cycling stability (capacitance retention of ca. 120% over 20 000 cycles). Moreover, the successful preparation of PHCFs provides new insights for the fabrication of nitrogen and oxygen-containing electrode materials from readily available components via a facile route.

  8. Metallic 1T phase MoS2 nanosheets as supercapacitor electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Acerce, Muharrem; Voiry, Damien; Chhowalla, Manish

    2015-04-01

    Efficient intercalation of ions in layered materials forms the basis of electrochemical energy storage devices such as batteries and capacitors. Recent research has focused on the exfoliation of layered materials and then restacking the two-dimensional exfoliated nanosheets to form electrodes with enhanced electrochemical response. Here, we show that chemically exfoliated nanosheets of MoS2 containing a high concentration of the metallic 1T phase can electrochemically intercalate ions such as H(+), Li(+), Na(+) and K(+) with extraordinary efficiency and achieve capacitance values ranging from ∼400 to ∼700 F cm(-3) in a variety of aqueous electrolytes. We also demonstrate that this material is suitable for high-voltage (3.5 V) operation in non-aqueous organic electrolytes, showing prime volumetric energy and power density values, coulombic efficiencies in excess of 95%, and stability over 5,000 cycles. As we show by X-ray diffraction analysis, these favourable electrochemical properties of 1T MoS2 layers are mainly a result of their hydrophilicity and high electrical conductivity, as well as the ability of the exfoliated layers to dynamically expand and intercalate the various ions.

  9. Lithium-aluminum-iron electrode composition

    DOEpatents

    Kaun, Thomas D.

    1979-01-01

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

  10. Freestanding three-dimensional graphene/MnO2 composite networks as ultralight and flexible supercapacitor electrodes.

    PubMed

    He, Yongmin; Chen, Wanjun; Li, Xiaodong; Zhang, Zhenxing; Fu, Jiecai; Zhao, Changhui; Xie, Erqing

    2013-01-22

    A lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient energy management strategy is needed for flexible energy-storage devices to meet a rapidly growing demand. Graphene-based flexible supercapacitors are one of the most promising candidates because of their intriguing features. In this report, we describe the use of freestanding, lightweight (0.75 mg/cm(2)), ultrathin (<200 μm), highly conductive (55 S/cm), and flexible three-dimensional (3D) graphene networks, loaded with MnO(2) by electrodeposition, as the electrodes of a flexible supercapacitor. It was found that the 3D graphene networks showed an ideal supporter for active materials and permitted a large MnO(2) mass loading of 9.8 mg/cm(2) (~92.9% of the mass of the entire electrode), leading to a high area capacitance of 1.42 F/cm(2) at a scan rate of 2 mV/s. With a view to practical applications, we have further optimized the MnO(2) content with respect to the entire electrode and achieved a maximum specific capacitance of 130 F/g. In addition, we have also explored the excellent electrochemical performance of a symmetrical supercapacitor (of weight less than 10 mg and thickness ~0.8 mm) consisting of a sandwich structure of two pieces of 3D graphene/MnO(2) composite network separated by a membrane and encapsulated in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membranes. This research might provide a method for flexible, lightweight, high-performance, low-cost, and environmentally friendly materials used in energy conversion and storage systems for the effective use of renewable energy.

  11. Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Nolan, Hugo; Mendoza-Sanchez, Beatriz; Ashok Kumar, Nanjundan; McEvoy, Niall; O'Brien, Sean; Nicolosi, Valeria; Duesberg, Georg S

    2014-02-14

    Herein we use Nitrogen-doped reduced Graphene Oxide (N-rGO) as the active material in supercapacitor electrodes. Building on a previous work detailing the synthesis of this material, electrodes were fabricated via spray-deposition of aqueous dispersions and the electrochemical charge storage mechanism was investigated. Results indicate that the functionalised graphene displays improved performance compared to non-functionalised graphene. The simplicity of fabrication suggests ease of up-scaling of such electrodes for commercial applications.

  12. Oxygen electrodes for rechargeable alkaline fuel cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swette, L.; Kackley, N.

    1989-01-01

    Electrocatalysts and supports for the positive electrode of moderate temperature single-unit rechargeable alkaline fuel cells are being investigated and developed. Candidate support materials were drawn from transition metal carbides, borides, nitrides and oxides which have high conductivity (greater than 1 ohm/cm). Candidate catalyst materials were selected largely from metal oxides of the form ABO sub x (where A = Pb, Cd, Mn, Ti, Zr, La, Sr, Na, and B = Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, Ni (Co) which were investigated and/or developed for one function only, O2 reduction or O2 evolution. The electrical conductivity requirement for catalysts may be lower, especially if integrated with a higher conductivity support. All candidate materials of acceptable conductivity are subjected to corrosion testing. Materials that survive chemical testing are examined for electrochemical corrosion activity. For more stringent corrosion testing, and for further evaluation of electrocatalysts (which generally show significant O2 evolution at at 1.4 V), samples are held at 1.6 V or 0.6 V for about 100 hours. The surviving materials are then physically and chemically analyzed for signs of degradation. To evaluate the bifunctional oxygen activity of candidate catalysts, Teflon-bonded electrodes are fabricated and tested in a floating electrode configuration. Many of the experimental materials being studied have required development of a customized electrode fabrication procedure. In advanced development, the goal is to reduce the polarization to about 300 to 350 mV. Approximately six support materials and five catalyst materials were identified to date for further development. The test results will be described.

  13. Paper‐Based Electrodes for Flexible Energy Storage Devices

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Bin; Zhang, Jing; Kou, Tianyi; Song, Yu; Liu, Tianyu

    2017-01-01

    Paper‐based materials are emerging as a new category of advanced electrodes for flexible energy storage devices, including supercapacitors, Li‐ion batteries, Li‐S batteries, Li‐oxygen batteries. This review summarizes recent advances in the synthesis of paper‐based electrodes, including paper‐supported electrodes and paper‐like electrodes. Their structural features, electrochemical performances and implementation as electrodes for flexible energy storage devices including supercapacitors and batteries are highlighted and compared. Finally, we also discuss the challenges and opportunity of paper‐based electrodes and energy storage devices. PMID:28725532

  14. Dynamic Impact of Electrode Materials on Interface of Single-Crystalline Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite

    DOE PAGES

    Tisdale, Jeremy T.; Muckley, Eric; Ahmadi, Mahshid; ...

    2018-06-19

    One of the current challenges in methylammonium lead halide (MAPbX 3) perovskite application research is understanding contact formation and interfacial phenomena for highly efficient and stable device performance. For semiconductors, development of contact formation is inseparable from device performance and stability. Single–crystalline MAPbX3 has become of great interest for perovskite devices in photodetectors, light–emitting diodes, and more recently in high–energy radiation detection. Deeper research is required to understand interfacial interactions in single–crystalline MAPbX 3. This article focuses on the dynamic impact of electrode metal (Au and Cr) on methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr 3) single crystals. It is studied how chargemore » transport properties of single crystal MAPbBr 3 can be tuned via electrode material selection at the metal/MAPbBr 3 interface to improve device performance with proper contact formation. The ability to create an ohmic–like or nonohmic contact by switching the electrode metal from Cr to Au, respectively, is demonstrated. It is observed that the interfacial charge transfer resistance (recombination resistance) of the Cr/MAPbBr 3 interface is 1.79 × 10 9 Ω, compared to 1.32 × 10 7 Ω for the Au/MAPbBr 3. Cr contacts can reduce hysteretic behavior by reducing interfacial recombination and interfacial polarization. Furthermore, these studies provide insight to metal/MAPbX 3 interfacial interactions toward device engineering for hole transport layer–free MAPbX 3 device structures.« less

  15. Dynamic Impact of Electrode Materials on Interface of Single-Crystalline Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite

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

    Tisdale, Jeremy T.; Muckley, Eric; Ahmadi, Mahshid

    One of the current challenges in methylammonium lead halide (MAPbX 3) perovskite application research is understanding contact formation and interfacial phenomena for highly efficient and stable device performance. For semiconductors, development of contact formation is inseparable from device performance and stability. Single–crystalline MAPbX3 has become of great interest for perovskite devices in photodetectors, light–emitting diodes, and more recently in high–energy radiation detection. Deeper research is required to understand interfacial interactions in single–crystalline MAPbX 3. This article focuses on the dynamic impact of electrode metal (Au and Cr) on methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr 3) single crystals. It is studied how chargemore » transport properties of single crystal MAPbBr 3 can be tuned via electrode material selection at the metal/MAPbBr 3 interface to improve device performance with proper contact formation. The ability to create an ohmic–like or nonohmic contact by switching the electrode metal from Cr to Au, respectively, is demonstrated. It is observed that the interfacial charge transfer resistance (recombination resistance) of the Cr/MAPbBr 3 interface is 1.79 × 10 9 Ω, compared to 1.32 × 10 7 Ω for the Au/MAPbBr 3. Cr contacts can reduce hysteretic behavior by reducing interfacial recombination and interfacial polarization. Furthermore, these studies provide insight to metal/MAPbX 3 interfacial interactions toward device engineering for hole transport layer–free MAPbX 3 device structures.« less

  16. Stress and Strain in Silicon Electrode Models

    DOE PAGES

    Higa, Kenneth; Srinivasan, Venkat

    2015-03-24

    While the high capacity of silicon makes it an attractive negative electrode for Li-ion batteries, the associated large volume change results in fracture and capacity fade. Composite electrodes incorporating silicon have additional complexity, as active material is attached to surrounding material which must likewise experience significant volume change. In this paper, a finite-deformation model is used to explore, for the first time, mechanical interactions between a silicon particle undergoing lithium insertion, and attached binder material. Simulations employ an axisymmetric model system in which solutions vary in two spatial directions and shear stresses develop at interfaces between materials. The mechanical responsemore » of the amorphous active material is dependent on lithium concentration, and an equation of state incorporating reported volume expansion data is used. Simulations explore the influence of active material size and binder stiffness, and suggest delamination as an additional mode of material damage. Computed strain energies and von Mises equivalent stresses are in physically-relevant ranges, comparable to reported yield stresses and adhesion energies, and predicted trends are largely consistent with reported experimental results. It is hoped that insights from this work will support the design of more robust silicon composite electrodes.« less

  17. Composite substrate for bipolar electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Tekkanat, B.; Bolstad, J.J.

    1992-12-22

    Substrates for electrode systems, particularly those to be used for bipolar electrodes in zinc-bromine batteries, are disclosed. The substrates preferably include carbon-black as a conductive filler in a polymeric matrix, with reinforcing materials such as glass fibers. Warpage of the zinc-bromine electrodes which was experienced in the prior art and which was believed to be caused by physical expansion of the electrodes due to bromine absorption by the carbon-black, is substantially eliminated when new substrate fabrication techniques are employed. In the present invention, substrates are prepared using a lamination process known as glass mat reinforced thermoplastics technology or, in an alternate embodiment, the substrate is made using a slurry process. 4 figs.

  18. Composite substrate for bipolar electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Tekkanat, Bora; Bolstad, James J.

    1992-12-22

    Substrates for electrode systems, particularly those to be used for bipolar electrodes in zinc-bromine batteries, are disclosed. The substrates preferably include carbon-black as a conductive filler in a polymeric matrix, with reinforcing materials such as glass fibers. Warpage of the zinc-bromine electrodes which was experienced in the prior art and which was believed to be caused by physical expansion of the electrodes due to bromine absorption by the carbon-black, is substantially eliminated when new substrate fabrication techniques are employed. In the pesent invention, substrates are prepared using a lamination process known as glass mat reinforced thermoplastics technology or, in an alternate embodiment, the substrate is made using a slurry process.

  19. Carbon nanofibers wrapped with zinc oxide nano-flakes as promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Pant, Bishweshwar; Park, Mira; Ojha, Gunendra Prasad; Park, Juhyeong; Kuk, Yun-Su; Lee, Eun-Jung; Kim, Hak-Yong; Park, Soo-Jin

    2018-07-15

    A combination of electrospinning technique and hydrothermal process was carried out to fabricate zinc oxide nano-flakes wrapped carbon nanofibers (ZnO/CNFs) composite as an effective electrode material for supercapacitor. The morphology of the as-synthesized composite clearly revealed that the carbon nanofibers were successfully wrapped with ZnO nano-flakes. The electrochemical performance of the as-synthesized nanocomposite electrode was evaluated by the cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GDC), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and compared with the pristine ZnO nanofibers. It was found that the composite exhibited a higher specific capacitance (260 F/g) as compared to pristine ZnO NFs (118 F/g) at the scan rate of 5 mV/s. Furthermore, the ZnO/CNFs composite also exhibited good capacity retention (73.33%). The obtained results indicated great potential applications of ZnO/CNFs composite in developing energy storage devices with high energy and power densities. The present work might provide a new route for utilizing ZnO based composites for energy storage applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. An ex-vivo experimental study on optimization of bipolar radiofrequency liver ablation using perfusion-cooled electrodes.

    PubMed

    Lee, J M; Han, J K; Kim, S H; Lee, J Y; Shin, K S; Choi, B I

    2005-08-01

    To determine optimal parameters for bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using perfusion-cooled electrodes to create a large ablation volume in ex vivo bovine liver. Three sets of RF experiments were performed using a 200-Watt generator and two 15-gauge perfusion-cooled or internally cooled electrodes in ex vivo bovine livers. In the first set of experiments, to find the ideal inter-electrode distance for creating large coagulation necrosis, 30 ablation lesions were created by bipolar RFAs at inter-electrode spacings of 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm. In the second set of experiments, to explore the ideal duration of RF application, bipolar RFAs were performed for 10 min and 20 min. In the first and second experiments, 10 lesions were made for each condition with infusion of 6% hypertonic saline (HS) at 2 ml/min. In the third set of experiments, 10 ablation lesions were created by bipolar RFAs using internally cooled electrodes without HS infusion. The mean volume of those ablation lesions was then compared to that of the lesions created by bipolar RFA using perfusion-cooled electrodes in the second experiments. Tissue impedance, dimension, and shape of the ablated areas were compared in each condition. In the first set of experiments, bipolar RFA created a homogeneous oval or spherical-shaped ablation area between the electrodes at 3-5 cm spacing, but showed a more spherical-shaped lesion at 3 cm inter-electrode spacing than at 4 cm and 5 cm spacing. In the second set of experiments, RF energy delivered for 20 min created a larger dimension of coagulation necrosis than energy delivered for 10 min: 107.6 +/- 34 cm3 versus 59.5 +/- 27 cm3 (P<0.05). In addition, the mean volume of ablation regions obtained with bipolar RFA using the internally cooled electrode was 47.5+/- 17 cm3, which was significantly less than that with bipolar RFA using perfusion-cooled electrodes (P <0.05). Bipolar RFA using perfusion-cooled electrodes achieves homogeneous areas of coagulation necrosis

  1. Optimization of hierarchical structure and nanoscale-enabled plasmonic refraction for window electrodes in photovoltaics.

    PubMed

    Han, Bing; Peng, Qiang; Li, Ruopeng; Rong, Qikun; Ding, Yang; Akinoglu, Eser Metin; Wu, Xueyuan; Wang, Xin; Lu, Xubing; Wang, Qianming; Zhou, Guofu; Liu, Jun-Ming; Ren, Zhifeng; Giersig, Michael; Herczynski, Andrzej; Kempa, Krzysztof; Gao, Jinwei

    2016-09-26

    An ideal network window electrode for photovoltaic applications should provide an optimal surface coverage, a uniform current density into and/or from a substrate, and a minimum of the overall resistance for a given shading ratio. Here we show that metallic networks with quasi-fractal structure provides a near-perfect practical realization of such an ideal electrode. We find that a leaf venation network, which possesses key characteristics of the optimal structure, indeed outperforms other networks. We further show that elements of hierarchal topology, rather than details of the branching geometry, are of primary importance in optimizing the networks, and demonstrate this experimentally on five model artificial hierarchical networks of varied levels of complexity. In addition to these structural effects, networks containing nanowires are shown to acquire transparency exceeding the geometric constraint due to the plasmonic refraction.

  2. Optimization of hierarchical structure and nanoscale-enabled plasmonic refraction for window electrodes in photovoltaics

    PubMed Central

    Han, Bing; Peng, Qiang; Li, Ruopeng; Rong, Qikun; Ding, Yang; Akinoglu, Eser Metin; Wu, Xueyuan; Wang, Xin; Lu, Xubing; Wang, Qianming; Zhou, Guofu; Liu, Jun-Ming; Ren, Zhifeng; Giersig, Michael; Herczynski, Andrzej; Kempa, Krzysztof; Gao, Jinwei

    2016-01-01

    An ideal network window electrode for photovoltaic applications should provide an optimal surface coverage, a uniform current density into and/or from a substrate, and a minimum of the overall resistance for a given shading ratio. Here we show that metallic networks with quasi-fractal structure provides a near-perfect practical realization of such an ideal electrode. We find that a leaf venation network, which possesses key characteristics of the optimal structure, indeed outperforms other networks. We further show that elements of hierarchal topology, rather than details of the branching geometry, are of primary importance in optimizing the networks, and demonstrate this experimentally on five model artificial hierarchical networks of varied levels of complexity. In addition to these structural effects, networks containing nanowires are shown to acquire transparency exceeding the geometric constraint due to the plasmonic refraction. PMID:27667099

  3. Segmented electrode hall thruster with reduced plume

    DOEpatents

    Fisch, Nathaniel J.; Raitses, Yevgeny

    2004-08-17

    An apparatus and method for thrusting plasma, utilizing a Hall thruster with segmented electrodes along the channel, which make the acceleration region as localized as possible. Also disclosed are methods of arranging the electrodes so as to minimize erosion and arcing. Also disclosed are methods of arranging the electrodes so as to produce a substantial reduction in plume divergence. The use of electrodes made of emissive material will reduce the radial potential drop within the channel, further decreasing the plume divergence. Also disclosed is a method of arranging and powering these electrodes so as to provide variable mode operation.

  4. Traceability of pH measurements by glass electrode cells: performance characteristic of pH electrodes by multi-point calibration.

    PubMed

    Naumann, R; Alexander-Weber, Ch; Eberhardt, R; Giera, J; Spitzer, P

    2002-11-01

    Routine pH measurements are carried out with pH meter-glass electrode assemblies. In most cases the glass and reference electrodes are thereby fashioned into a single probe, the so-called 'combination electrode' or simply 'the pH electrode'. The use of these electrodes is subject to various effects, described below, producing uncertainties of unknown magnitude. Therefore, the measurement of pH of a sample requires a suitable calibration by certified standard buffer solutions (CRMs) traceable to primary pH standards. The procedures in use are based on calibrations at one point, at two points bracketing the sample pH and at a series of points, the so-called multi-point calibration. The multi-point calibration (MPC) is recommended if minimum uncertainty and maximum consistency are required over a wide range of unknown pH values. Details of uncertainty computations for the two-point and MPC procedure are given. Furthermore, the multi-point calibration is a useful tool to characterise the performance of pH electrodes. This is demonstrated with different commercial pH electrodes. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL is available if you access this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00216-002-1506-5. On that page (frame on the left side), a link takes you directly to the supplementary material.

  5. Embedded Metal Electrode for Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Nanowire Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Um, Han-Don; Choi, Deokjae; Choi, Ahreum; Seo, Ji Hoon; Seo, Kwanyong

    2017-06-27

    We demonstrate here an embedded metal electrode for highly efficient organic-inorganic hybrid nanowire solar cells. The electrode proposed here is an effective alternative to the conventional bus and finger electrode which leads to a localized short circuit at a direct Si/metal contact and has a poor collection efficiency due to a nonoptimized electrode design. In our design, a Ag/SiO 2 electrode is embedded into a Si substrate while being positioned between Si nanowire arrays underneath poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), facilitating suppressed recombination at the Si/Ag interface and notable improvements in the fabrication reproducibility. With an optimized microgrid electrode, our 1 cm 2 hybrid solar cells exhibit a power conversion efficiency of up to 16.1% with an open-circuit voltage of 607 mV and a short circuit current density of 34.0 mA/cm 2 . This power conversion efficiency is more than twice as high as that of solar cells using a conventional electrode (8.0%). The microgrid electrode significantly minimizes the optical and electrical losses. This reproducibly yields a superior quantum efficiency of 99% at the main solar spectrum wavelength of 600 nm. In particular, our solar cells exhibit a significant increase in the fill factor of 78.3% compared to that of a conventional electrode (61.4%); this is because of the drastic reduction in the metal/contact resistance of the 1 μm-thick Ag electrode. Hence, the use of our embedded microgrid electrode in the construction of an ideal carrier collection path presents an opportunity in the development of highly efficient organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells.

  6. Porous carbon derived from aniline-modified fungus for symmetrical supercapacitor electrodes

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Keliang; Xu, Ming; Wang, Xiaomin; ...

    2017-01-23

    N incorporated carbon materials are proven to be efficient EDLCs electrode materials. In this work, aniline modified fungus served as a raw material, and N-doped porous activated carbon is prepared via an efficient KOH activation method. A porous network with a high specific surface area of 2339 m 2g -1 is displayed by the prepared carbon material, resulting in a high accessible surface area and low ion diffusion resistance which is desirable for EDLC electrode materials. In assembled EDLCs, the N–AC based electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 218 F g -1 at a current density of 0.1 A gmore » -1. Besides, excellent stability is displayed after 5000 continuous cycles at different current densities ranging from 0.1 to 10 A g -1. Thus, the present work reveals a promising candidate for electrode materials of EDLCs.« less

  7. Ionic Liquid Directed Mesoporous Carbon Nanoflakes as an Effiencient Electrode material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Lirong; Chen, Wei

    2015-12-01

    Supercapacitors are considered to be the most promising approach to meet the pressing requirements for energy storage devices. The electrode materials for supercapacitors have close relationship with their electrochemical properties and thus become the key point to improve their energy storage efficiency. Herein, by using poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and ionic liquid as the dual templates, polyacrylonitrile as the carbon precursor, a flake-like carbon material was prepared by a direct carbonization method. In this method, poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) worked as the separator for the formation of isolated carbon flakes while aggregated ionic liquid worked as the pore template. The obtained carbon flakes exhibited a specific capacitance of 170 F/g at 0.1 A/g, a high energy density of 12.2 Wh/kg and a high power density of 5 kW/kg at the current of 10 A/g. It also maintained a high capacitance retention capability with almost no declination after 500 charge-discharge cycles. The ionic liquid directed method developed here also provided a new idea for the preparation of hierarchically porous carbon nanomaterials.

  8. Sodium titanate nanotubes as negative electrode materials for sodium-ion capacitors.

    PubMed

    Yin, Jiao; Qi, Li; Wang, Hongyu

    2012-05-01

    The lithium-based energy storage technology is currently being considered for electric automotive industry and even electric grid storage. However, the hungry demand for vast energy sources in the modern society will conflict with the shortage of lithium resources on the earth. The first alternative choice may be sodium-related materials. Herein, we propose an electric energy storage system (sodium-ion capacitor) based on porous carbon and sodium titanate nanotubes (Na-TNT, Na(+)-insertion compounds) as positive and negative electrode materials, respectively, in conjunction with Na(+)-containing non-aqueous electrolytes. As a low-voltage (0.1-2 V) sodium insertion nanomaterial, Na-TNT was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal reaction. Compared with bulk sodium titanate, the predominance of Na-TNT is the excellent rate performance, which exactly caters to the need for electrochemical capacitors. The sodium-ion capacitors exhibited desirable energy density and power density (34 Wh kg(-1), 889 W kg(-1)). Furthermore, the sodium-ion capacitors had long cycling life (1000 cycles) and high coulombic efficiency (≈ 98 % after the second cycle). More importantly, the conception of sodium-ion capacitor has been put forward.

  9. Graphene as a transparent electrode for amorphous silicon-based solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vaianella, F.; Rosolen, G.; Maes, B.

    2015-06-01

    The properties of graphene in terms of transparency and conductivity make it an ideal candidate to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) in a transparent conducting electrode. However, graphene is not always as good as ITO for some applications, due to a non-negligible absorption. For amorphous silicon photovoltaics, we have identified a useful case with a graphene-silica front electrode that improves upon ITO. For both electrode technologies, we simulate the weighted absorption in the active layer of planar amorphous silicon-based solar cells with a silver back-reflector. The graphene device shows a significantly increased absorbance compared to ITO-based cells for a large range of silicon thicknesses (34.4% versus 30.9% for a 300 nm thick silicon layer), and this result persists over a wide range of incidence angles.

  10. Air electrode composition for solid oxide fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Kuo, Lewis; Ruka, Roswell J.; Singhal, Subhash C.

    1999-01-01

    An air electrode composition for a solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed. The air electrode material is based on lanthanum manganite having a perovskite-like crystal structure ABO.sub.3. The A-site of the air electrode composition comprises a mixed lanthanide in combination with rare earth and alkaline earth dopants. The B-site of the composition comprises Mn in combination with dopants such as Mg, Al, Cr and Ni. The mixed lanthanide comprises La, Ce, Pr and, optionally, Nd. The rare earth A-site dopants preferably comprise La, Nd or a combination thereof, while the alkaline earth A-site dopant preferably comprises Ca. The use of a mixed lanthanide substantially reduces raw material costs in comparison with compositions made from high purity lanthanum starting materials. The amount of the A-site and B-site dopants is controlled in order to provide an air electrode composition having a coefficient of thermal expansion which closely matches that of the other components of the solid oxide fuel cell.

  11. A process to fabricate fused silica nanofluidic devices with embedded electrodes using an optimized room temperature bonding technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boden, Seth; Karam, P.; Schmidt, A.; Pennathur, S.

    2017-05-01

    Fused silica is an ideal material for nanofluidic systems due to its extreme purity, chemical inertness, optical transparency, and native hydrophilicity. However, devices requiring embedded electrodes (e.g., for bioanalytical applications) are difficult to realize given the typical high temperature fusion bonding requirements (˜1000 °C). In this work, we optimize a two-step plasma activation process which involves an oxygen plasma treatment followed by a nitrogen plasma treatment to increase the fusion bonding strength of fused silica at room temperature. We conduct a parametric study of this treatment to investigate its effect on bonding strength, surface roughness, and microstructure morphology. We find that by including a nitrogen plasma treatment to the standard oxygen plasma activation process, the room temperature bonding strength increases by 70% (0.342 J/m2 to 0.578 J/m2). Employing this optimized process, we fabricate and characterize a nanofluidic device with an integrated and dielectrically separated electrode. Our results prove that the channels do not leak with over 1 MPa of applied pressure after a 24 h storage time, and the electrode exhibits capacitive behavior with a finite parallel resistance in the upper MΩ range for up to a 6.3Vdc bias. These data thus allow us to overcome the barrier that has barred nanofluidic progress for the last decade, namely, the development of nanometer scale well-defined channels with embedded metallic materials for far-reaching applications such as the exquisite manipulation of biomolecules.

  12. Nitrogen-doped carbon spheres: A new high-energy-density and long-life pseudo-capacitive electrode material for electrochemical flow capacitor.

    PubMed

    Hou, Shujin; Wang, Miao; Xu, Xingtao; Li, Yandong; Li, Yanjiang; Lu, Ting; Pan, Likun

    2017-04-01

    One of the most challenging issues in developing electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC) technology is the design and synthesis of active electrode materials with high energy density and long cycle life. However, in practical cases, the energy density and cycle ability obtained currently cannot meet the practical need. In this work, we propose a new active material, nitrogen-doped carbon spheres (NCSs), as flowable electrodes for EFC application. The NCSs were prepared via one-pot hydrothermal synthesis in the presence of resorcinol/formaldehyde as carbon precursors and melamine as nitrogen precursor, followed by carbonization in nitrogen flow at various temperatures. The results of EFC experiments demonstrate that NCSs obtained at 800°C exhibit a high energy density of 13.5Whkg -1 and an excellent cycle ability, indicating the superiority of NCSs for EFC application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Determination of specific capacitance of modified candlenut shell based carbon as electrode material for supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakir, M.; Budi, P.; Raya, I.; Karim, A.; Wulandari, R.; Sobrido, A. B. J.

    2018-03-01

    Surface modification of candlenut shell carbon (CSC) using three chemicals: nitric acid (HNO3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) has been carried out. Activation of CSC was performed using H3PO4 solution with different ratio between CSC and activator. Carbon surface area was determined by methylene blue adsorption method. Surface characterization was performed using FTIR spectroscopy and Boehm titration method. Specific capacitance of electrode prepared from CSAC (candlenuts shell activated carbon) materials was quantified by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) measurement. The surface area before and after activation are 105,127 m2/g, 112,488 m2/g, 124,190 m2/g, and 135,167 m2/g, respectively. Surface modification of CSAC showed the improvement in the chemical functionality of CSAC surface. Analyses using FTIR spectroscopy and Boehm titration showed that modifications with HNO3, H2SO4 and H2O2 on the surface of the CSAC increased the number of oxygen functional groups. As a consequence, the specific capacitance of CSAC modified with 65% HNO3 attained the highest value (127 μF/g). There is an incredible increase by a factor of 298% from electrode which was constructed with un-modified CSAC material. This increase correlates to the largest number of oxygen functional groups of CSAC modified with nitric acid (HNO3).

  14. Metal sulfide electrodes and energy storage devices thereof

    DOEpatents

    Chiang, Yet-Ming; Woodford, William Henry; Li, Zheng; Carter, W. Craig

    2017-02-28

    The present invention generally relates to energy storage devices, and to metal sulfide energy storage devices in particular. Some aspects of the invention relate to energy storage devices comprising at least one flowable electrode, wherein the flowable electrode comprises an electroactive metal sulfide material suspended and/or dissolved in a carrier fluid. In some embodiments, the flowable electrode further comprises a plurality of electronically conductive particles suspended and/or dissolved in the carrier fluid, wherein the electronically conductive particles form a percolating conductive network. An energy storage device comprising a flowable electrode comprising a metal sulfide electroactive material and a percolating conductive network may advantageously exhibit, upon reversible cycling, higher energy densities and specific capacities than conventional energy storage devices.

  15. Applications of Graphene-Modified Electrodes in Microbial Fuel Cells

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Fei; Wang, Chengxian; Ma, Jie

    2016-01-01

    Graphene-modified materials have captured increasing attention for energy applications due to their superior physical and chemical properties, which can significantly enhance the electricity generation performance of microbial fuel cells (MFC). In this review, several typical synthesis methods of graphene-modified electrodes, such as graphite oxide reduction methods, self-assembly methods, and chemical vapor deposition, are summarized. According to the different functions of the graphene-modified materials in the MFC anode and cathode chambers, a series of design concepts for MFC electrodes are assembled, e.g., enhancing the biocompatibility and improving the extracellular electron transfer efficiency for anode electrodes and increasing the active sites and strengthening the reduction pathway for cathode electrodes. In spite of the challenges of MFC electrodes, graphene-modified electrodes are promising for MFC development to address the reduction in efficiency brought about by organic waste by converting it into electrical energy. PMID:28773929

  16. Bimetallic Co-Mn Perovskite Fluorides as Highly-Stable Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Shi, Wei; Ding, Rui; Li, Xudong; Xu, Qilei; Ying, Danfeng; Huang, Yongfa; Liu, Enhui

    2017-11-02

    Bimetallic Co-Mn perovskite fluorides (KCo x Mn 1-x F 3 , denoted as K-Co-Mn-F) with various Co/Mn ratios (1:0, 12:1, 6:1, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, 0:1) were prepared through a one-pot solvothermal strategy and further used as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The optimal K-Co-Mn-F candidate (Co/Mn=6:1) showed a size range of 0.1-1 μm and uniform elemental distribution; exhibiting small changes in XRD peaks and XPS binding energy in comparison to the bare K-Co-F and K-Mn-F, due to the structural/electronic effects. Owing to the stronger synergistic effect of Co/Mn redox species, the K-Co-Mn-F (Co/Mn=6:1) electrode exhibited superior specific capacity and rate behavior (113-100 C g -1 at 1-16 Ag -1 ) together with excellent cycling stability (118 % for 5000 cycles at 8 Ag -1 ), and the activated carbon (AC)//K-Co-Mn-F (Co/Mn=6:1) asymmetric capacitor showed superior energy and power densities (8.0-2.4 Wh kg -1 at 0.14-8.7 kW kg -1 ) along with high cycling stability (90 % for 10 000 cycles at 5 Ag -1 ). © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. The Unusual Colour of Copper Deposited on a Graphite Electrode in an Aqueous Solution of CuSO[subscript 4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrusevski, Vladimir M.; Stojanovska, Marina

    2010-01-01

    The colour of the copper layer deposited on a graphite electrode during electrolysis of an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulfate looks whitish-grey when inspected in situ. Taking the electrode out of the solution reveals the familiar orange-red colour of deposited copper. The explanation is found in terms of the almost ideal complementary colours…

  18. The cataphoretic emitter effect exhibited in high intensity discharge lamp electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mentel, Juergen

    2018-01-01

    A mono-layer of atoms, electropositive with respect to the substrate atoms, forms a dipole layer, reducing its work function. Such a layer is generated by diffusion of emitter material from the interior of the substrate, by vapour deposition or by deposition of emitter material onto arc electrodes by cataphoresis. This cataphoretic emitter effect is investigated within metal halide lamps with transparent YAG ceramic burners, and within model lamps. Within the YAG lamps, arcs are operated with switched-dc current between rod shaped tungsten electrodes in high pressure Hg vapour seeded with metal iodides. Within the model lamps, dc arcs are operated between rod-shaped tungsten electrodes—one doped—in atmospheric pressure Ar. Electrode temperatures are determined by 1λ -pyrometry, combined with simulation of the electrode heat balance. Plasma temperatures, atom and ion densities of emitter material are determined by emission and absorption spectroscopy. Phase resolved measurements in YAG lamps seeded with CeI3, CsI, DyI3, TmI3 and LaI3 show, within the cathodic half period, a reduction of the electrode temperature and an enhanced metal ion density in front of the electrode, and an opposite behavior after phase reversal. With increasing operating frequency, the state of the cathode overlaps onto the anodic phase—except for Cs, being low in adsorption energy. Generally, the phase averaged electrode tip temperature is reduced by seeding a lamp with emitter material; its height depends on admixtures. Measurements at tungsten electrodes doped with ThO2, La2O3 and Ce2O3 within the model lamp show that evaporated emitter material is redeposited by an emitter ion current onto the electrode surface. It reduces the work function of tungsten cathodes above the evaporation temperature of the emitter material, too; and also of cold anodes, indicating a field reversal in front of them. The formation of an emitter spot at low cathode temperature and high emitter material

  19. Free-standing three-dimensional graphene/manganese oxide hybrids as binder-free electrode materials for energy storage applications.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Peng; Xu, Shan; Yan, Xingbin; Xue, Qunji

    2014-07-23

    Novel three-dimensional (3D) hybrid materials, i.e., free-standing 3D graphene-supported MnO2 nanosheets, are prepared by a simple and controllable solution-phase assembly process. Characterization results show that MnO2 nanosheets are uniformly anchored on a 3D graphene framework with strong adhesion and the integral hybrids show desirable mechanical strength. Such unique structure of 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids thus provides the right characteristics of binder-free electrode materials and could enable the design of different kinds of high-performance energy storage devices. Especially, an advanced asymmetric supercapacitor is built by using a 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrid and a 3D graphene as two electrodes, and it is able to work reversibly in a full operation voltage region of 0-3.5 V in an ionic liquid electrolyte and thus exhibits a high energy density of 68.4 Wh/kg. As the cathode materials for Li-O2 and Li-MnO2 batteries, the 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids exhibit outstanding performances, including good catalytic capability, high reversible capacity and desirable cycling stability. The results presented here may pave a way for new promising applications of such 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids in advanced electrochemical energy storage devices.

  20. Low-cost electrodes for stable perovskite solar cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bastos, João P.; Manghooli, Sara; Jaysankar, Manoj; Tait, Jeffrey G.; Qiu, Weiming; Gehlhaar, Robert; De Volder, Michael; Uytterhoeven, Griet; Poortmans, Jef; Paetzold, Ulrich W.

    2017-06-01

    Cost-effective production of perovskite solar cells on an industrial scale requires the utilization of exclusively inexpensive materials. However, to date, highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells rely on expensive gold electrodes since other metal electrodes are known to cause degradation of the devices. Finding a low-cost electrode that can replace gold and ensure both efficiency and long-term stability is essential for the success of the perovskite-based solar cell technology. In this work, we systematically compare three types of electrode materials: multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), alternative metals (silver, aluminum, and copper), and transparent oxides [indium tin oxide (ITO)] in terms of efficiency, stability, and cost. We show that multi-walled carbon nanotubes are the only electrode that is both more cost-effective and stable than gold. Devices with multi-walled carbon nanotube electrodes present remarkable shelf-life stability, with no decrease in the efficiency even after 180 h of storage in 77% relative humidity (RH). Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential of devices with multi-walled carbon nanotube electrodes to achieve high efficiencies. These developments are an important step forward to mass produce perovskite photovoltaics in a commercially viable way.

  1. Synthesis of NiMn-LDH Nanosheet@Ni3S2 Nanorod Hybrid Structures for Supercapacitor Electrode Materials with Ultrahigh Specific Capacitance.

    PubMed

    Yu, Shuai; Zhang, Yingxi; Lou, Gaobo; Wu, Yatao; Zhu, Xinqiang; Chen, Hao; Shen, Zhehong; Fu, Shenyuan; Bao, Binfu; Wu, Limin

    2018-03-27

    One of the key challenges for pseudocapacitive electrode materials with highly effective capacitance output and future practical applications is how to rationally construct hierarchical and ordered hybrid nanoarchitecture through the simple process. Herein, we design and synthesize a novel NiMn-layered double hydroxide nanosheet@Ni 3 S 2 nanorod hybrid array supported on porous nickel foam via a one-pot hydrothermal method. Benefited from the ultrathin and rough nature, the well-defined porous structure of the hybrid array, as well as the synergetic effect between NiMn-layered double hydroxide nanosheets and Ni 3 S 2 nanorods, the as-fabricated hybrid array-based electrode exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 2703 F g -1 at 3 A g -1 . Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor with this hybrid array as a positive electrode and wood-derived activated carbon as a negative electrode demonstrates high energy density (57 Wh Kg -1 at 738 W Kg -1 ) and very good electrochemical cycling stability.

  2. Ideal band shape in the potential thermoelectric material CuAlO2: Comparison to NaxCoO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mori, Kouta; Sakakibara, Hirofumi; Usui, Hidetomo; Kuroki, Kazuhiko

    2013-08-01

    A potential thermoelectric material CuAlO2 is theoretically studied. We first construct a model Hamiltonian of CuAlO2 based on the first principles band calculation, and calculate the Seebeck coefficient. Then, we compare the model with that of a well-known thermoelectric material NaxCoO2, and discuss the similarities and the differences. It is found that the two materials are similar from an electronic structure viewpoint in that they have a peculiar pudding-mold type band shape, which is advantageous for thermoelectric materials. There are, however, some differences, and we analyze the origin of the difference from a microscopic viewpoint. The band shape (a very flat band top but with an overall wide bandwidth) of CuAlO2 is found to be even more ideal than that of NaxCoO2, and we predict that once a significant amount of holes is doped in CuAlO2, thermoelectric properties (especially the power factor) even better than those of NaxCoO2 can be expected.

  3. Sex Education and Ideals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Ruyter, Doret J.; Spiecker, Ben

    2008-01-01

    This article argues that sex education should include sexual ideals. Sexual ideals are divided into sexual ideals in the strict sense and sexual ideals in the broad sense. It is argued that ideals that refer to the context that is deemed to be most ideal for the gratification of sexual ideals in the strict sense are rightfully called sexual…

  4. Polyaniline nanofiber/large mesoporous carbon composites as electrode materials for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Huan; Xu, Bin; Jia, Mengqiu; Zhang, Mei; Cao, Bin; Zhao, Xiaonan; Wang, Yu

    2015-03-01

    A composite of polyaniline nanofiber/large mesoporous carbon (PANI-F/LMC) hybrid was prepared by an in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer with nano-CaCO3 templated LMC as host matrix for supercapacitors. The morphology, composition and electronic structure of the composites (PANI-F/LMC) together with pure PANI nanofibers and the LMC were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is found that the PANI nanofibers were incorporated into the large mesochannels of LMC with interpenetrating framework formed. Such unique structure endows the PANI-F/LMC composite with a high capacitance of 473 F g-1 at a current load of 0.1 A g-1 with good rate performance and cycling stability, suggesting its potential application in the electrode material for supercapacitors.

  5. Mechanical Behavior of Free-Standing Fuel Cell Electrodes on Water Surface.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sanwi; Kim, Jae-Han; Oh, Jong-Gil; Jang, Kyung-Lim; Jeong, Byeong-Heon; Hong, Bo Ki; Kim, Taek-Soo

    2016-06-22

    Fundamental understanding of the mechanical behavior of polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes as free-standing materials is essential to develop mechanically robust fuel cells. However, this has been a significant challenge due to critical difficulties, such as separating the pristine electrode from the substrate without damage and precisely measuring the mechanical properties of the very fragile and thin electrodes. We report the mechanical behavior of free-standing fuel cell electrodes on the water surface through adopting an innovative ice-assisted separation method to separate the electrode from decal transfer film. It is found that doubling the ionomer content in electrodes increases not only the tensile stress at the break and the Young's modulus (E) of the electrodes by approximately 2.1-3.5 and 1.7-2.4 times, respectively, but also the elongation at the break by approximately 1.5-1.7 times, which indicates that stronger, stiffer, and tougher electrodes are attained with increasing ionomer content, which have been of significant interest in materials research fields. The scaling law relationship between Young's modulus and density (ρ) has been unveiled as E ∼ ρ(1.6), and it is compared with other materials. These findings can be used to develop mechanically robust electrodes for fuel cell applications.

  6. Dry EEG Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Lopez-Gordo, M. A.; Sanchez-Morillo, D.; Valle, F. Pelayo

    2014-01-01

    Electroencephalography (EEG) emerged in the second decade of the 20th century as a technique for recording the neurophysiological response. Since then, there has been little variation in the physical principles that sustain the signal acquisition probes, otherwise called electrodes. Currently, new advances in technology have brought new unexpected fields of applications apart from the clinical, for which new aspects such as usability and gel-free operation are first order priorities. Thanks to new advances in materials and integrated electronic systems technologies, a new generation of dry electrodes has been developed to fulfill the need. In this manuscript, we review current approaches to develop dry EEG electrodes for clinical and other applications, including information about measurement methods and evaluation reports. We conclude that, although a broad and non-homogeneous diversity of approaches has been evaluated without a consensus in procedures and methodology, their performances are not far from those obtained with wet electrodes, which are considered the gold standard, thus enabling the former to be a useful tool in a variety of novel applications. PMID:25046013

  7. Effect of electrode material on characteristics of non-volatile resistive memory consisting of Ag{sub 2}S nanoparticles

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

    Jang, Jaewon, E-mail: j1jang@knu.ac.kr

    2016-07-15

    In this study, Ag{sub 2}S nanoparticles are synthesized and used as the active material for two-terminal resistance switching memory devices. Sintered Ag{sub 2}S films are successfully crystallized on plastic substrates with synthesized Ag{sub 2}S nanoparticles, after a relatively low-temperature sintering process (200 °C). After the sintering process, the crystallite size is increased from 6.8 nm to 80.3 nm. The high ratio of surface atoms to inner atoms of nanoparticles reduces the melting point temperature, deciding the sintering process temperature. In order to investigate the resistance switching characteristics, metal/Ag{sub 2}S/metal structures are fabricated and tested. The effect of the electrode materialmore » on the non-volatile resistive memory characteristics is studied. The bottom electrochemically inert materials, such as Au and Pt, were critical for maintaining stable memory characteristics. By using Au and Pt inert bottom electrodes, we are able to significantly improve the memory endurance and retention to more than 10{sup 3} cycles and 10{sup 4} sec, respectively.« less

  8. Combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials for batteries.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jun; Cheng, Fangyi

    2009-06-16

    In a society that increasingly relies on mobile electronics, demand is rapidly growing for both primary and rechargeable batteries that power devices from cell phones to vehicles. Existing batteries utilize lightweight active materials that use electrochemical reactions of ions such as H(+), OH(-) and Li(+)/Mg(2+) to facilitate energy storage and conversion. Ideal batteries should be inexpensive, have high energy density, and be made from environmentally friendly materials; batteries based on bulk active materials do not meet these requirements. Because of slow electrode process kinetics and low-rate ionic diffusion/migration, most conventional batteries demonstrate huge gaps between their theoretical and practical performance. Therefore, efforts are underway to improve existing battery technologies and develop new electrode reactions for the next generation of electrochemical devices. Advances in electrochemistry, surface science, and materials chemistry are leading to the use of nanomaterials for efficient energy storage and conversion. Nanostructures offer advantages over comparable bulk materials in improving battery performance. This Account summarizes our progress in battery development using a combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials. We highlight the benefits of nanostructured active materials for primary zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-Mn), lithium-manganese dioxide (Li-Mn), and metal (Mg, Al, Zn)-air batteries, as well as rechargeable lithium ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Through selected examples, we illustrate the effect of structure, shape, and size on the electrochemical properties of electrode materials. Because of their numerous active sites and facile electronic/ionic transfer and diffusion, nanostructures can improve battery efficiency. In particular, we demonstrate the properties of nanostructured active materials including Mg, Al, Si, Zn, MnO(2), CuV(2)O(6), LiNi(0.8)Co(0.2)O(2), LiFePO(4), Fe(2)O(3

  9. Characterization of Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries Using Synchrotron Radiation Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Doeff, Marca M.; Chen, Guoying; Cabana, Jordi; Richardson, Thomas J.; Mehta, Apurva; Shirpour, Mona; Duncan, Hugues; Kim, Chunjoong; Kam, Kinson C.; Conry, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Intercalation compounds such as transition metal oxides or phosphates are the most commonly used electrode materials in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. During insertion or removal of alkali metal ions, the redox states of transition metals in the compounds change and structural transformations such as phase transitions and/or lattice parameter increases or decreases occur. These behaviors in turn determine important characteristics of the batteries such as the potential profiles, rate capabilities, and cycle lives. The extremely bright and tunable x-rays produced by synchrotron radiation allow rapid acquisition of high-resolution data that provide information about these processes. Transformations in the bulk materials, such as phase transitions, can be directly observed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) gives information about the local electronic and geometric structures (e.g. changes in redox states and bond lengths). In situ experiments carried out on operating cells are particularly useful because they allow direct correlation between the electrochemical and structural properties of the materials. These experiments are time-consuming and can be challenging to design due to the reactivity and air-sensitivity of the alkali metal anodes used in the half-cell configurations, and/or the possibility of signal interference from other cell components and hardware. For these reasons, it is appropriate to carry out ex situ experiments (e.g. on electrodes harvested from partially charged or cycled cells) in some cases. Here, we present detailed protocols for the preparation of both ex situ and in situ samples for experiments involving synchrotron radiation and demonstrate how these experiments are done. PMID:24300777

  10. Characterization of electrode materials for lithium ion and sodium ion batteries using synchrotron radiation techniques.

    PubMed

    Doeff, Marca M; Chen, Guoying; Cabana, Jordi; Richardson, Thomas J; Mehta, Apurva; Shirpour, Mona; Duncan, Hugues; Kim, Chunjoong; Kam, Kinson C; Conry, Thomas

    2013-11-11

    Intercalation compounds such as transition metal oxides or phosphates are the most commonly used electrode materials in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. During insertion or removal of alkali metal ions, the redox states of transition metals in the compounds change and structural transformations such as phase transitions and/or lattice parameter increases or decreases occur. These behaviors in turn determine important characteristics of the batteries such as the potential profiles, rate capabilities, and cycle lives. The extremely bright and tunable x-rays produced by synchrotron radiation allow rapid acquisition of high-resolution data that provide information about these processes. Transformations in the bulk materials, such as phase transitions, can be directly observed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) gives information about the local electronic and geometric structures (e.g. changes in redox states and bond lengths). In situ experiments carried out on operating cells are particularly useful because they allow direct correlation between the electrochemical and structural properties of the materials. These experiments are time-consuming and can be challenging to design due to the reactivity and air-sensitivity of the alkali metal anodes used in the half-cell configurations, and/or the possibility of signal interference from other cell components and hardware. For these reasons, it is appropriate to carry out ex situ experiments (e.g. on electrodes harvested from partially charged or cycled cells) in some cases. Here, we present detailed protocols for the preparation of both ex situ and in situ samples for experiments involving synchrotron radiation and demonstrate how these experiments are done.

  11. Surface protected lithium-metal-oxide electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Thackeray, Michael M.; Kang, Sun-Ho

    2016-04-05

    A lithium-metal-oxide positive electrode having a layered or spinel structure for a non-aqueous lithium electrochemical cell and battery is disclosed comprising electrode particles that are protected at the surface from undesirable effects, such as electrolyte oxidation, oxygen loss or dissolution by one or more lithium-metal-polyanionic compounds, such as a lithium-metal-phosphate or a lithium-metal-silicate material that can act as a solid electrolyte at or above the operating potential of the lithium-metal-oxide electrode. The surface protection significantly enhances the surface stability, rate capability and cycling stability of the lithium-metal-oxide electrodes, particularly when charged to high potentials.

  12. Wick-and-pool electrodes for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

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

    1977-01-01

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

  13. Wick-and-pool electrodes for electrochemical cell

    DOEpatents

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

    1980-01-01

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

  14. Novel metal(II) coordination polymers based on N,N'-bis-(4-pyridyl)phthalamide as supercapacitor electrode materials in an aqueous electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Gong, Yun; Li, Jian; Jiang, Peng-Gang; Li, Qing-Fang; Lin, Jian-Hua

    2013-02-07

    Based on the redox-active L (N,N'-bis-(4-pyridyl)phthalamide) ligand, two porous MOFs formulated as Zn(6)(BPC)(6)(L)(3)·9DMF (H(2)BPC = 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid) (1) and Cd(2)(TDC)(2)(L)(2)·4H(2)O (H(2)TDC = 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid) (2) were synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffractions. Complex 1 features a uninodal 5-connected 3-fold interpenetrated 3D framework with {4(6).6(4)}-bnn hexagonal BN topology. Complex 2 displays a uninodal 6-connected 2-fold interpenetrated 3D framework with {4(12).6(3)}-pcu topology. When complexes 1 and 2 are used as supercapacitor electrode materials, they can provide a large voltage window as high as 2.6 V in an aqueous electrolyte, and their specific capacitances are much more than the value for the bare carbon glassy electrode. It is observed that the more the current density, the less the specific capacitance for the two kinds of supercapacitor electrode materials. The two complexes show different thermal stabilities, UV absorption and photoluminescence properties.

  15. Method of fabricating electrodes including high-capacity, binder-free anodes for lithium-ion batteries

    DOEpatents

    Ban, Chunmei; Wu, Zhuangchun; Dillon, Anne C.

    2017-01-10

    An electrode (110) is provided that may be used in an electrochemical device (100) such as an energy storage/discharge device, e.g., a lithium-ion battery, or an electrochromic device, e.g., a smart window. Hydrothermal techniques and vacuum filtration methods were applied to fabricate the electrode (110). The electrode (110) includes an active portion (140) that is made up of electrochemically active nanoparticles, with one embodiment utilizing 3d-transition metal oxides to provide the electrochemical capacity of the electrode (110). The active material (140) may include other electrochemical materials, such as silicon, tin, lithium manganese oxide, and lithium iron phosphate. The electrode (110) also includes a matrix or net (170) of electrically conductive nanomaterial that acts to connect and/or bind the active nanoparticles (140) such that no binder material is required in the electrode (110), which allows more active materials (140) to be included to improve energy density and other desirable characteristics of the electrode. The matrix material (170) may take the form of carbon nanotubes, such as single-wall, double-wall, and/or multi-wall nanotubes, and be provided as about 2 to 30 percent weight of the electrode (110) with the rest being the active material (140).

  16. Nano-graphite functionalized mesocellular carbon foam with enhanced intra-penetrating electrical percolation networks for high performance electrochemical energy storage electrode materials.

    PubMed

    Jo, Changshin; An, Sunhyung; Kim, Younghoon; Shim, Jongmin; Yoon, Songhun; Lee, Jinwoo

    2012-04-28

    Mesocellular carbon foam (MSU-F-C) is functionalized with hollow nanographite by a simple solution-phase method to enhance the intrapenetrating electrical percolation network. The electrical conductivity of the resulting material, denoted as MSU-F-C-G, is increased by a factor of 20.5 compared with the pristine MSU-F-C. Hollow graphite nanoparticles are well-dispersed in mesocellular carbon foam, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the d spacing of the (002) planes is 0.343 nm, which is only slightly larger than that of pure graphite (0.335 nm), suggesting a random combination of graphitic and turbostratic stacking. After nanographitic functionalization, the BET surface area and total pore volume decreased from 928 m(2) g(-1) and 1.5 cm(3) g(-1) to 394 m(2) g(-1) and 0.7 cm(3) g(-1), respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis in air shows that the thermal stability of MSU-F-C-G is improved relative to that of MSU-F-C, and the one-step weight loss indicates that the nanographite is homogeneously functionalized on the MSU-F-C particles. When the resulting mesocellular carbon materials are used as electrode materials for an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC), the specific capacitances (C(sp)) of the MSU-F-C and MSU-F-C-G electrodes at 4 mV s(-1) are 109 F g(-1) and 93 F g(-1), respectively. The MSU-F-C-G electrode exhibited a very high area capacitance (C(area), 23.5 μF cm(-2)) compared with that of the MSU-F-C electrode (11.7 μF cm(-2)), which is attributed to the enhanced intraparticle conductivity by the nanographitic functionalization. MSU-F-C-G exhibited high capacity retention (52%) at a very high scan rate of 512 mV s(-1), while only a 23% capacity retention at 512 mV s(-1) was observed in the case of the MSU-F-C electrode. When applied as an anode in a lithium ion battery, a significant increase in the initial efficiency (44%), high reversible discharge capacity (580 mA h g(-1)) in the lower voltage region, and a higher rate

  17. Experimental and theoretical investigations of functionalized boron nitride as electrode materials for Li-ion batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Fan; Nemeth, Karoly; Bareno, Javier; ...

    2016-03-03

    The feasibility of synthesizing functionalized h-BN (FBN) via the reaction between molten LiOH and solid h-BN is studied for the first time and its first ever application as an electrode material in Li-ion batteries is evaluated. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to provide mechanistic understanding of the possible electrochemical reactions derived from the FBN. Various materials characterizations reveal that the melt-solid reaction can lead to exfoliation and functionalization of h-BN simultaneously, while electrochemical analysis proves that the FBN can reversibly store charges through surface redox reactions with good cycle stability and coulombic efficiency. As a result, the DFTmore » calculations have provided physical insights into the observed electrochemical properties derived from the FBN.« less

  18. Self-templated Synthesis of Nickel Silicate Hydroxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Highly Stable Supercapacitor Electrode Material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yanhua; Zhou, Wenjie; Yu, Hong; Feng, Tong; Pu, Yong; Liu, Hongdong; Xiao, Wei; Tian, Liangliang

    2017-05-01

    Nickel silicate hydroxide/reduced graphene oxide (Ni3Si2O5(OH)4/RGO) composite hollow microspheres were one-pot hydrothermally synthesized by employing graphene oxide (GO)-wrapped SiO2 microspheres as the template and silicon source, which were prepared through sonication-assisted interfacial self-assembly of tiny GO sheets on positively charged SiO2 substrate microspheres. The composition, morphology, structure, and phase of Ni3Si2O5(OH)4/RGO microspheres as well as their electrochemical properties were carefully studied. It was found that Ni3Si2O5(OH)4/RGO microspheres featured distinct hierarchical porous morphology with hollow architecture and a large specific surface area as high as 67.6 m2 g-1. When utilized as a supercapacitor electrode material, Ni3Si2O5(OH)4/RGO hollow microspheres released a maximum specific capacitance of 178.9 F g-1 at the current density of 1 A g-1, which was much higher than that of the contrastive bare Ni3Si2O5(OH)4 hollow microspheres and bare RGO material developed in this work, displaying enhanced supercapacitive behavior. Impressively, the Ni3Si2O5(OH)4/RGO microsphere electrode exhibited outstanding rate capability and long-term cycling stability and durability with 97.6% retention of the initial capacitance after continuous charging/discharging for up to 5000 cycles at the current density of 6 A g-1, which is superior or comparable to that of most of other reported nickel-based electrode materials, hence showing promising application potential in the energy storage area.

  19. Self-templated Synthesis of Nickel Silicate Hydroxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Highly Stable Supercapacitor Electrode Material.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yanhua; Zhou, Wenjie; Yu, Hong; Feng, Tong; Pu, Yong; Liu, Hongdong; Xiao, Wei; Tian, Liangliang

    2017-12-01

    Nickel silicate hydroxide/reduced graphene oxide (Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO) composite hollow microspheres were one-pot hydrothermally synthesized by employing graphene oxide (GO)-wrapped SiO 2 microspheres as the template and silicon source, which were prepared through sonication-assisted interfacial self-assembly of tiny GO sheets on positively charged SiO 2 substrate microspheres. The composition, morphology, structure, and phase of Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microspheres as well as their electrochemical properties were carefully studied. It was found that Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microspheres featured distinct hierarchical porous morphology with hollow architecture and a large specific surface area as high as 67.6 m 2  g -1 . When utilized as a supercapacitor electrode material, Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO hollow microspheres released a maximum specific capacitance of 178.9 F g -1 at the current density of 1 A g -1 , which was much higher than that of the contrastive bare Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 hollow microspheres and bare RGO material developed in this work, displaying enhanced supercapacitive behavior. Impressively, the Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microsphere electrode exhibited outstanding rate capability and long-term cycling stability and durability with 97.6% retention of the initial capacitance after continuous charging/discharging for up to 5000 cycles at the current density of 6 A g -1 , which is superior or comparable to that of most of other reported nickel-based electrode materials, hence showing promising application potential in the energy storage area.

  20. Electrode wells for powerline-frequency electrical heating of soils

    DOEpatents

    Buettner, H.M.; Daily, W.D.; Aines, R.D.; Newmark, R.L.; Ramirez, A.L.; Siegel, W.H.

    1999-05-25

    An electrode well is described for use in powerline-frequency heating of soils for decontamination of the soil. Heating of soils enables the removal of volatile organic compounds from soil when utilized in combination with vacuum extraction. A preferred embodiment of the electrode well utilizes a mild steel pipe as the current-carrying conductor to at least one stainless steel electrode surrounded by a conductive backfill material, preferably graphite or steel shot. A covering is also provided for electrically insulating the current-carrying pipe. One of the electrode wells is utilized with an extraction well which is under subatmospheric pressure to withdraw the volatile material, such as gasoline and trichloroethylene (TCE) as it is heated. 4 figs.

  1. Electrode wells for powerline-frequency electrical heating of soils

    DOEpatents

    Buettner, Harley M.; Daily, William D.; Aines, Roger D.; Newmark, Robin L.; Ramirez, Abelardo L.; Siegel, William H.

    1999-01-01

    An electrode well for use in powerline-frequency heating of soils for decontamination of the soil. Heating of soils enables the removal of volatile organic compounds from soil when utilized in combination with vacuum extraction. A preferred embodiment of the electrode well utilizes a mild steel pipe as the current-carrying conductor to at least one stainless steel electrode surrounded by a conductive backfill material, preferably graphite or steel shot. A covering is also provided for electrically insulating the current-carrying pipe. One of the electrode wells is utilized with an extraction well which is under subatmospheric pressure to withdraw the volatile material, such as gasoline and trichioroethylene (TCE) as it is heated.

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

    DOEpatents

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

    1983-01-01

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

  3. Na1.25Ni1.25Fe1.75(PO4)3 nanoparticles as a janus electrode material for Li-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karegeya, Claude; Mahmoud, Abdelfattah; Hatert, Frédéric; Vertruyen, Bénédicte; Cloots, Rudi; Lippens, Pierre-Emmanuel; Boschini, Frédéric

    2018-06-01

    A solvothermal method was used to prepare Na1.25Ni1.25Fe1.75(PO4)3 nanoparticles, a new promising electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. The composition and the crystal structure were determined by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction Rietveld refinements and confirmed by magnetic measurements. The structural formula □0.75Na1.25Ni1.25Fe1.75(PO4)3 was obtained showing a significant amount of Na vacancies, which enhances Li diffusion. Na1.25Ni1.25Fe1.75(PO4)3 was used as negative and positive electrode material and shows excellent electrochemical performances. As negative electrode in the voltage range 0.03-3.5 V vs. Li+/Li, the first discharge at current density of 40 mA g-1 delivers a specific capacity of 1186 mAh g-1, which is almost three times its theoretical capacity (428 mAh g-1). Then, reversible capacity of 550 mAh g-1 was obtained at 50 mA g-1 with high rate capability (150 mAh g-1 at 500 mA g-1) and capacity retention of 350 cycles. As positive electrode material, specific capacities of about 145 and 99 mAh g-1 were delivered at current densities of 5 and 50 mA g-1, respectively, in the voltage range of 1.5-4.5 V vs. Li+/Li. In addition, we show that the use of solvothermal synthesis contributes to the synthesis of small sized particles leading to good electrochemical performances.

  4. Polymeric metallic electrodes for rechargeable battery applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Somoano, R.

    1982-01-01

    A review is presented on the status of plastic metal electrodes, emphasizing the use of polyacetylene as a prototype polymeric material. The electrochemical characteristics of polyacetylene are examined; and the potential use of this material, as well as other types of plastic metal electrodes, in batteries is evaluated. Several problem areas which must be solved before polyacetylene can be widely used in battery applications are discussed, including the problem of electrolyte stability, the problem that the depth of discharge and the energy density is limited by the metal-semiconductor transition, and also the poor electrochemical performance of impure material.

  5. Surface loss probability of atomic hydrogen for different electrode cover materials investigated in H₂-Ar low-pressure plasmas

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

    Sode, M., E-mail: maik.sode@ipp.mpg.de; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; Jacob, W.

    2014-07-07

    In an inductively coupled H₂-Ar plasma at a total pressure of 1.5 Pa, the influence of the electrode cover material on selected line intensities of H, H₂, and Ar are determined by optical emission spectroscopy and actinometry for the electrode cover materials stainless steel, copper, tungsten, Macor{sup ®}, and aluminum. Hydrogen dissociation degrees for the considered conditions are determined experimentally from the measured emission intensity ratios. The surface loss probability β{sub H} of atomic hydrogen is correlated with the measured line intensities, and β{sub H} values are determined for the considered materials. Without the knowledge of the atomic hydrogen temperature,more » β{sub H} cannot be determined exactly. However, ratios of β{sub H} values for different surface materials are in first order approximation independent of the atomic hydrogen temperature. Our results show that β{sub H} of copper is equal to the value of stainless steel, β{sub H} of Macor{sup ®} and tungsten is about 2 times smaller and β{sub H} of aluminum about 5 times smaller compared with stainless steel. The latter ratio is in reasonable agreement with literature. The influence of the atomic hydrogen temperature T{sub H} on the absolute value is thoroughly discussed. For our assumption of T{sub H}=600 K, we determine a β{sub H} for stainless steel of 0.39±0.13.« less

  6. Oxygen electrodes for rechargeable alkaline fuel cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swette, Larry; Giner, Jose

    1987-01-01

    Electrocatalysts and supports for the positive electrode of moderate temperature single unit rechargeable alkaline fuel cells were investigated and developed. The electrocatalysts are defined as the material with a higher activity for the oxygen electrode reaction than the support. Advanced development will require that the materials be prepared in high surface area forms, and may also entail integration of various candidate materials. Eight candidate support materials and seven electrocatalysts were investigated. Of the 8 support, 3 materials meet the preliminary requirements in terms of electrical conductivity and stability. Emphasis is now on preparing in high surface area form and testing under more severe corrosion stress conditions. Of the 7 electrocatalysts prepared and evaluated, at least 5 materials remain as potential candidates. The major emphasis remains on preparation, physical characterization and electrochemical performance testing.

  7. Investigation of electrode materials for alkaline batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arcand, G. M.

    1971-01-01

    A number of amalgam electrode systems were investigated for possible use as high rate anodes and cathodes. The systems examined include: lithium, sodium, and potassium in Group 1, magnesium, calcium, and barium in Group 2, aluminum in Group 3, lead in Group 4, copper in Group 1b, and zinc and cadmium in Group 2b. The K(Hg) and Na(Hg) anodes in 10 VF and 15 VF (an unambiguous expression of concentration that indicates the number of formula weights of solute dissolved in a liter of solution) hydroxide solutions have proven satisfactory; some of these have produced current densities of more than 8 A/sq cm. None of the amalgam cathodes have approached this performance although the TI(Hg) has delivered 1 A/sq cm. Se(Hg) and Te(Hg) cathodes have given very stable discharges. Zn(Hg) and Cd(Hg) electrodes did not show good high rate characteristics, 200 to 300 mA/sq cm being about the maximum current densities obtainable. Both anodes are charged through a two-step process in which M(Hg) is first formed electrochemically and subsequently reduces Zn(II or Cd(II) to form the corresponding amalgam. The second step is extremely rapid for zinc and very slow for cadmium.

  8. Method to planarize three-dimensional structures to enable conformal electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Nikolic, Rebecca J; Conway, Adam M; Graff, Robert T; Reinhardt, Catherine; Voss, Lars F; Shao, Qinghui

    2012-11-20

    Methods for fabricating three-dimensional PIN structures having conformal electrodes are provided, as well as the structures themselves. The structures include a first layer and an array of pillars with cavity regions between the pillars. A first end of each pillar is in contact with the first layer. A segment is formed on the second end of each pillar. The cavity regions are filled with a fill material, which may be a functional material such as a neutron sensitive material. The fill material covers each segment. A portion of the fill material is etched back to produce an exposed portion of the segment. A first electrode is deposited onto the fill material and each exposed segment, thereby forming a conductive layer that provides a common contact to each the exposed segment. A second electrode is deposited onto the first layer.

  9. An inexpensive and robust conductance electrode.

    PubMed

    Lorimer, J P; Jagit, K; Mason, T J

    1985-03-01

    A conductance electrode consisting of carbon "pultrusion" rod embedded in PTFE has been shown to have similar characteristics to those of the traditional platinum-on-glass type. The new electrode has the advantages of being both robust and inexpensive and could prove particularly useful in Karl Fischer analyses of biological material where maceration of the sample is required.

  10. Correlation of Electrode Kinetics with Surface Structure.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    platinum and gold electrodes is sufficiently strong so that monolayers are formed upon contact even with small (millimolar) bulk iodide concentrations...transition-metal reactants, we have monitored the effects of altering the electrode material from mercury to silver, platinum, and gold upon the...strikingly different behavior for the reduction of Co III(NH3)5X and Co II(en)2X2 at platinum and gold electrodes. 1 0 For halide bridging ligands (X

  11. Enhanced Conductivity and Electrochemical Performance of Electrode Material Based on Multifunctional Dye Doped Polypyrrole.

    PubMed

    Zang, Limin; Qiu, Jianhui; Yang, Chao; Sakai, Eiichi

    2016-03-01

    Polypyrrole were prepared via in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization in the presence of multisulfonate acid dye (acid violet 19). In this work, acid violet 19 could play the role as dopant, surfactant and physical cross-linker for pyrrole polymerization, and had impact on the morphology, dispersion stability, thermal stability, electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior of the samples. The thermal stability of the dye doped polypyrrole was enhanced than pure polypyrrole due to the strong interactions between polypyrrole and acid violet 19. The dispersion stability of the samples in water was also improved by incorporating an appropriate amount of acid violet 19. The sample with 20% of acid violet 19 showed granular morphology with the smallest diameter of -50 nm and possessed the maximum electrical conductivity of 39.09 S/cm. The as-prepared multifunctional dye doped polypyrrole samples were used to fabricate electrodes and exhibited a mass specific capacitance of 379-206 F/g in the current density range of 0.2-1.0 A/g. The results indicated that the multifunctional dye could improve the performances of polypyrrole as electrode material for supercapacitors.

  12. Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Nanosheets from Eco-Friendly Eucalyptus Leaves as High Performance Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors and Lithium Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Mondal, Anjon Kumar; Kretschmer, Katja; Zhao, Yufei; Liu, Hao; Wang, Chengyin; Sun, Bing; Wang, Guoxiu

    2017-03-13

    Nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets were prepared from eucalyptus tree leaves by simply mixing the leaf powders with KHCO 3 and subsequent carbonisation. Porous carbon nanosheets with a high specific surface area of 2133 m 2  g -1 were obtained and applied as electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries. For supercapacitor applications, the porous carbon nanosheet electrode exhibited a supercapacitance of 372 F g -1 at a current density of 500 mA g -1 in 1 m H 2 SO 4 aqueous electrolyte and excellent cycling stability over 15 000 cycles. In organic electrolyte, the nanosheet electrode showed a specific capacitance of 71 F g -1 at a current density of 2 Ag -1 and stable cycling performance. When applied as the anode material for lithium ion batteries, the as-prepared porous carbon nanosheets also demonstrated a high specific capacity of 819 mA h g -1 at a current density of 100 mA g -1 , good rate capability, and stable cycling performance. The outstanding electrochemical performances for both supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries are derived from the large specific surface area, porous nanosheet structure and nitrogen doping effects. The strategy developed in this paper provides a novel route to utilise biomass-derived materials for low-cost energy storage systems. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Air electrode composition for solid oxide fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Kuo, L.; Ruka, R.J.; Singhal, S.C.

    1999-08-03

    An air electrode composition for a solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed. The air electrode material is based on lanthanum manganite having a perovskite-like crystal structure ABO{sub 3}. The A-site of the air electrode composition comprises a mixed lanthanide in combination with rare earth and alkaline earth dopants. The B-site of the composition comprises Mn in combination with dopants such as Mg, Al, Cr and Ni. The mixed lanthanide comprises La, Ce, Pr and, optionally, Nd. The rare earth A-site dopants preferably comprise La, Nd or a combination thereof, while the alkaline earth A-site dopant preferably comprises Ca. The use of a mixed lanthanide substantially reduces raw material costs in comparison with compositions made from high purity lanthanum starting materials. The amount of the A-site and B-site dopants is controlled in order to provide an air electrode composition having a coefficient of thermal expansion which closely matches that of the other components of the solid oxide fuel cell. 3 figs.

  14. A difference in using atomic layer deposition or physical vapour deposition TiN as electrode material in metal-insulator-metal and metal-insulator-silicon capacitors.

    PubMed

    Groenland, A W; Wolters, R A M; Kovalgin, A Y; Schmitz, J

    2011-09-01

    In this work, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) and metal-insulator-silicon (MIS) capacitors are studied using titanium nitride (TiN) as the electrode material. The effect of structural defects on the electrical properties on MIS and MIM capacitors is studied for various electrode configurations. In the MIM capacitors the bottom electrode is a patterned 100 nm TiN layer (called BE type 1), deposited via sputtering, while MIS capacitors have a flat bottom electrode (called BE type 2-silicon substrate). A high quality 50-100 nm thick SiO2 layer, made by inductively-coupled plasma CVD at 150 degrees C, is deposited as a dielectric on top of both types of bottom electrodes. BE type 1 (MIM) capacitors have a varying from low to high concentration of structural defects in the SiO2 layer. BE type 2 (MIS) capacitors have a low concentration of structural defects and are used as a reference. Two sets of each capacitor design are fabricated with the TiN top electrode deposited either via physical vapour deposition (PVD, i.e., sputtering) or atomic layer deposition (ALD). The MIM and MIS capacitors are electrically characterized in terms of the leakage current at an electric field of 0.1 MV/cm (I leak) and for different structural defect concentrations. It is shown that the structural defects only show up in the electrical characteristics of BE type 1 capacitors with an ALD TiN-based top electrode. This is due to the excellent step coverage of the ALD process. This work clearly demonstrates the sensitivity to process-induced structural defects, when ALD is used as a step in process integration of conductors on insulation materials.

  15. Graphene nanocomposites for electrochemical cell electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Zhamu, Aruna; Jang, Bor Z.; Shi, Jinjun

    2015-11-19

    A composite composition for electrochemical cell electrode applications, the composition comprising multiple solid particles, wherein (a) a solid particle is composed of graphene platelets dispersed in or bonded by a first matrix or binder material, wherein the graphene platelets are not obtained from graphitization of the first binder or matrix material; (b) the graphene platelets have a length or width in the range of 10 nm to 10 .mu.m; (c) the multiple solid particles are bonded by a second binder material; and (d) the first or second binder material is selected from a polymer, polymeric carbon, amorphous carbon, metal, glass, ceramic, oxide, organic material, or a combination thereof. For a lithium ion battery anode application, the first binder or matrix material is preferably amorphous carbon or polymeric carbon. Such a composite composition provides a high anode capacity and good cycling response. For a supercapacitor electrode application, the solid particles preferably have meso-scale pores therein to accommodate electrolyte.

  16. Stress analysis in cylindrical composition-gradient electrodes of lithium-ion battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Yaotian; Liu, Yulan; Wang, B.

    2017-07-01

    In recent years, the composition-gradient electrode material has been verified to be one of the most promising materials in lithium-ion battery. To investigate diffusion-induced stresses (DIS) generated in a cylindrical composition-gradient electrode, the finite deformation theory and the stress-induced diffusion hypothesis are adopted to establish the constitutive equations. Compared with stress distributions in a homogeneous electrode, the increasing forms of Young's modulus E(R) and partial molar volume Ω(R) from the electrode center to the surface along the radial direction drastically increase the maximal magnitudes of hoop and axial stresses, while both of the decreasing forms are able to make the stress fields smaller and flatter. Also, it is found that the slope of -1 for E(R) with that of -0.5 for Ω(R) is a preferable strategy to prevent the inhomogeneous electrode from cracking, while for the sake of protecting the electrode from compression failure, the optimal slope for inhomogeneous E(R) and the preferential one for Ω(R) are both -0.5. The results provide a theoretical guidance for the design of composition-gradient electrode materials.

  17. Hexagonal CeO2 nanostructures: an efficient electrode material for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Maheswari, Nallappan; Muralidharan, Gopalan

    2016-09-28

    Cerium oxide (CeO2) has emerged as a new and promising pseudocapacitive material due to its prominent valance states and extensive applications in various fields. In the present study, hexagonal CeO2 nanostructures have been prepared via the hydrothermal method employing cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). CTAB ensures a slow rate of hydrolysis to form small sized CeO2 nanostructures. The role of calcination temperature on the morphological, structural, electrochemical properties and cyclic stability has been assessed for supercapacitor applications. The mesoscopic hexagonal architecture endows the CeO2 with not only a higher specific capacity, but also with an excellent rate capability and cyclability. When the charge/discharge current density is increased from 2 to 10 A g(-1) the reversible charge capacity decreased from 927 F g(-1) to 475 F g(-1) while 100% capacity retention at a high current density of 20 A g(-1) even after 1500 cycles could be achieved. Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitor based on CeO2 exhibited a significantly higher energy density of 45.6 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 187.5 W kg(-1) with good cyclic stability. The electrochemical richness of the CeO2 nanostructure makes it a suitable electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

  18. Electrochemical impregnation and cycle life of lightweight nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, Doris L.

    1990-01-01

    Development of a high specific energy nickel electrode is the main goal of the lightweight nickel electrode program at NASA-Lewis. The approach was to improve the nickel electrode by continuing combined in-house and contract efforts to develop a more efficient and lighter weight electrode for the nickel-hydrogen cell. Lightweight plaques are used as conductive supports for the nickel hydroxide active material. These plaques are commercial products that are fabricated into nickel electrodes by electrochemically impregnating them with active material. The electrodes are life cycle tested in a low Earth orbit regime at 40 and 80 percent depths-of-discharge.

  19. Electrochemical impregnation and cycle life of lightweight nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, Doris L.

    1990-01-01

    Development of a high specific energy nickel electrode is the main goal of the lightweight nickel electrode program at NASA-Lewis. The approach was to improve the nickel electrode by continuing combined in-house and contract efforts to develop a more efficient and lighter weight electrode for the nickel-hydrogen cell. Lightweight plaques are used as conductive supports for the nickel hydroxide active material. These plaques are commercial products that are fabricated into nickel electrodes by electrochemically impregnating them with active material. The electrodes are life cycle tested in a low earth orbit regime at 40 and 80 percent depths-of-discharge.

  20. Supercapacitor electrode materials with hierarchically structured pores from carbonization of MWCNTs and ZIF-8 composites.

    PubMed

    Li, Xueqin; Hao, Changlong; Tang, Bochong; Wang, Yue; Liu, Mei; Wang, Yuanwei; Zhu, Yihua; Lu, Chenguang; Tang, Zhiyong

    2017-02-09

    Due to their high specific surface area and good electric conductivity, nitrogen-doped porous carbons (NPCs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention for electrochemical energy storage applications. In the present work, we firstly prepared MWCNT/ZIF-8 composites by decoration of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8) onto the surface of multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs), then obtained MWCNT/NPCs by the direct carbonization of MWCNT/ZIF-8. By controlling the reaction conditions, MWCNT/ZIF-8 with three different particle sizes were synthesized. The effect of NPCs size on capacitance performance has been evaluated in detail. The MWCNT/NPC with large-sized NPC (MWCNT/NPC-L) displayed the highest specific capacitance of 293.4 F g -1 at the scan rate of 5 mV s -1 and only lost 4.2% of capacitance after 10 000 cyclic voltammetry cycles, which was attributed to the hierarchically structured pores, N-doping and high electrical conductivity. The studies of symmetric two-electrode supercapacitor cells also confirmed MWCNT/NPC-L as efficient electrode materials that have good electrochemical performance, especially for high-rate applications.