Sample records for solid-state flexible asymmetric

  1. Microporous Ni₁₁(HPO₃)₈(OH)₆ nanocrystals for high-performance flexible asymmetric all solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yanping; Zhao, Junhong; Run, Zhen; Zhang, Guangqin; Pang, Huan

    2014-12-07

    Microporous nickel phosphite [Ni11(HPO3)8(OH)6] nanocrystals were prepared using a hydrothermal method, and were successfully applied as a positive electrode in a flexible all solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor. Because of the specific micro/nanostructure, the flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor can achieve a maximum energy density of 0.45 mW h cm(-3), which is higher than most reported supercapacitors. More importantly, the device performance remains efficient for 10,000 cycles.

  2. Layered-MnO₂ Nanosheet Grown on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Template as a Composite Cathode for Flexible Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yongchuan; Miao, Xiaofei; Fang, Jianhui; Zhang, Xiangxin; Chen, Sujing; Li, Wei; Feng, Wendou; Chen, Yuanqiang; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Yining

    2016-03-02

    Flexible solid-state supercapacitors provide a promising energy-storage alternative for the rapidly growing flexible and wearable electronic industry. Further improving device energy density and developing a cheap flexible current collector are two major challenges in pushing the technology forward. In this work, we synthesize a nitrogen-doped graphene/MnO2 nanosheet (NGMn) composite by a simple hydrothermal method. Nitrogen-doped graphene acts as a template to induce the growth of layered δ-MnO2 and improves the electronic conductivity of the composite. The NGMn composite exhibits a large specific capacitance of about 305 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 5 mV s(-1). We also create a cheap and highly conductive flexible current collector using Scotch tape. Flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors are fabricated with NGMn cathode, activated carbon anode, and PVA-LiCl gel electrolyte. The device can achieve a high operation voltage of 1.8 V and exhibits a maximum energy density of 3.5 mWh cm(-3) at a power density of 0.019 W cm(-3). Moreover, it retains >90% of its initial capacitance after 1500 cycles. Because of its flexibility, high energy density, and good cycle life, NGMn-based flexible solid state asymmetric supercapacitors have great potential for application in next-generation portable and wearable electronics.

  3. Ultrathin cerium orthovanadate nanobelts for high-performance flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    He, Junzhi; Zhao, Junhong; Run, Zhen; Sun, Mengjun; Pang, Huan

    2015-02-01

    Ultrathin CeVO4 nanobelts were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The thickness of a single nanobelt is about 2.4 nm, which can effectively shorten the ion diffusion and fasten the charge pathway. More importantly, ultrathin CeVO4 nanobelts and graphene are easily assembled as a flexible all-solid-state asymmetric device, which shows a highly flexible property and achieves a maximum energy density of 0.78 mW h cm(-3) and a high life cycle of >6000 cycles. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Controlled functionalization of carbonaceous fibers for asymmetric solid-state micro-supercapacitors with high volumetric energy density.

    PubMed

    Yu, Dingshan; Goh, Kunli; Zhang, Qiang; Wei, Li; Wang, Hong; Jiang, Wenchao; Chen, Yuan

    2014-10-22

    A 1.8 V asymmetric solid-state flexible micro-supercapacitor is designed with one MnO2 -coated reduced graphene oxide/single-walled carbon nanotube (rGO/SWCNT) composite fiber as positive electrode and one nitrogen-doped rGO/SWCNT fiber as negative electrode, which demonstrates ultrahigh volumetric energy density, comparable to some thin-film lithium batteries, along with high power density, long cycle life, and good flexibility. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Flexible Asymmetrical Solid-State Supercapacitors Based on Laboratory Filter Paper.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Leicong; Zhu, Pengli; Zhou, Fengrui; Zeng, Wenjin; Su, Haibo; Li, Gang; Gao, Jihua; Sun, Rong; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2016-01-26

    In this study, a flexible asymmetrical all-solid-state supercapacitor with high electrochemical performance was fabricated with Ni/MnO2-filter paper (FP) as the positive electrode and Ni/active carbon (AC)-filter paper as negative electrode, separated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-Na2SO4 electrolyte. A simple procedure, such as electroless plating, was introduced to prepare the Ni/MnO2-FP electrode on the conventional laboratory FP, combined with the subsequent step of electrodeposition. Electrochemical results show that the as-prepared electrodes display outstanding areal specific capacitance (1900 mF/cm(2) at 5 mV/s) and excellent cycling performance (85.1% retention after 1000 cycles at 20 mA/cm(2)). Such a flexible supercapacitor assembled asymmetrically in the solid state exhibits a large volume energy density (0.78 mWh/cm(3)) and superior flexibility under different bending conditions. It has been demonstrated that the supercapacitors could be used as a power source to drive a 3 V light-emitting diode indicator. This study may provide an available method for designing and fabricating flexible supercapacitors with high performance in the application of wearable and portable electronics based on easily available materials.

  6. Flexible Asymmetric Threadlike Supercapacitors Based on NiCo2 Se4 Nanosheet and NiCo2 O4 /Polypyrrole Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qiufan; Ma, Yun; Wu, Yunlong; Zhang, Daohong; Miao, Menghe

    2017-04-10

    Flexible threadlike supercapacitors with improved performance are needed for many wearable electronics applications. Here, we report a high performance flexible asymmetric all-solid-state threadlike supercapacitor with a NiCo 2 Se 4 positive electrode and a NiCo 2 O 4 @PPy (PPy: polypyrrole) negative electrode. The as-prepared electrodes display outstanding volume specific capacitance (14.2 F cm -3 ) and excellent cycling performance (94 % retention after 5000 cycles at 0.6 mA) owing to their nanosheet and nanosphere structures. The asymmetric all-solid-state threadlike supercapacitor expanded the stability voltage window from 0-1.0 V to 0-1.7 V and exhibits high volume energy density (5.18 mWh cm -3 ) and superior flexibility under different bending conditions. This study provides a scalable method for fabricating high performance flexible supercapacitors from easily available materials for use in wearable and portable electronics. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Facile template-free synthesis of vertically aligned polypyrrole nanosheets on nickel foams for flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Xiangwen; Lin, Zhixing; Zheng, Jingxu; Huang, Yingjuan; Chen, Bin; Mai, Yiyong; Feng, Xinliang

    2016-04-01

    This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window.This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: ESI figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00468g

  8. 1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures assembled by ultrathin nanoflakes for high-performance flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Junhong; Zheng, Mingbo; Run, Zhen; Xia, Jing; Sun, Mengjun; Pang, Huan

    2015-07-01

    1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures assembled by ultrathin nanoflakes are synthesized for the first time by a hydrothermal method. We present a self-reacting template method to synthesize 1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures using Ni(SO4)0.3(OH)1.4 nanobelts. A high-performance flexible asymmetric solid-state supercapacitor can be successfully fabricated based on the 1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures and graphene nanosheets. Interestingly, the as-assembled 1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures//Graphene nanosheets asymmetric solid-state supercapacitor can achieve a maximum energy density of 0.496 mWh cm-3, which is higher than most of reported solid state supercapacitors. Additionally, the device shows high cycle stability for 10,000 cycles. These features make the 1D Co2.18Ni0.82Si2O5(OH)4 architectures as one of the most promising candidates for high-performance energy storage devices.

  9. All-solid state, flexible, high-energy integrated hybrid micro-supercapacitors based on 3D LSG/CoNi2S4 nanosheets.

    PubMed

    Moosavifard, Seyyed Ebrahim; Shamsi, Javad; Altafi, Mohammad Kazem; Moosavifard, Zeinab Sadat

    2016-11-18

    3D LSG/CoNi 2 S 4 //LSG interdigitated microelectrodes have been firstly developed by a facile, scalable and low cost process for all-solid-state, flexible integrated asymmetric micro-supercapacitors. These devices can achieve energy densities of up to 49 W h l -1 which is comparable to those of lead acid batteries.

  10. Flexible Fe2O3 and V2O5 nanofibers as binder-free electrodes for high-performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Jiang, He; Niu, Hao; Yang, Xue; Sun, Zhiqin; Li, Fuzhi; Wang, Qian; Qu, Fengyu

    2018-04-16

    Flexible highly porous Fe2O3 and V2O5 nanofibers are synthesized by a facile electrospinning method followed by calcination treatment and directly used as binder-free electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. These Fe2O3 and V2O5 nanofibers interconnect with each other and construct three-dimensional hierarchical porous films with high specific surface area. Benefiting from the unique structural features, the intriguing binder-free Fe2O3 and V2O5 porous nanofiber electrodes possess high specific capacitance of 255 F g-1 and 256 F g-1 at 2 mV s-1 in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte, respectively. An all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor is fabricated using Fe2O3 and V2O5 nanofibers as negative and positive electrodes, respectively, and the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor can be operated up to 1.8 V attributed to the wide and opposite potential window of both electrodes. The assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor achieves a high energy density up to 32.2 Wh kg-1 at an average power density of 128.7 W kg-1 as well as excellent cycling stability and power capability. The effective and facile synthesis method and superior electrochemical performance provided in this work make electrospun Fe2O3 and V2O5 nanofibers promising electrode materials for high performance asymmetric supercapacitors. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors based on free-standing carbon nanotube/graphene and Mn3O4 nanoparticle/graphene paper electrodes.

    PubMed

    Gao, Hongcai; Xiao, Fei; Ching, Chi Bun; Duan, Hongwei

    2012-12-01

    We report the design of all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors based on free-standing carbon nanotube/graphene (CNTG) and Mn(3)O(4) nanoparticles/graphene (MG) paper electrodes with a polymer gel electrolyte of potassium polyacrylate/KCl. The composite paper electrodes with carbon nanotubes or Mn(3)O(4) nanoparticles uniformly intercalated between the graphene nanosheets exhibited excellent mechanical stability, greatly improved active surface areas, and enhanced ion transportation, in comparison with the pristine graphene paper. The combination of the two paper electrodes with the polymer gel electrolyte endowed our asymmetric supercapacitor of CNTG//MG an increased cell voltage of 1.8 V, a stable cycling performance (capacitance retention of 86.0% after 10,000 continuous charge/discharge cycles), more than 2-fold increase of energy density (32.7 Wh/kg) compared with the symmetric supercapacitors, and importantly a distinguished mechanical flexibility.

  12. Development of 3D Urchin-Shaped Coaxial Manganese Dioxide@Polyaniline (MnO2@PANI) Composite and Self-Assembled 3D Pillared Graphene Foam for Asymmetric All-Solid-State Flexible Supercapacitor Application.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Kalyan; Yue, Chee Yoon; Sk, Md Moniruzzaman; Jena, Rajeeb Kumar

    2017-05-10

    We have fabricated high-energy-density all-solid-state flexible asymmetric supercapacitor by using a facile novel 3D hollow urchin-shaped coaxial manganese dioxide@polyaniline (MnO 2 @PANI) composite as positive electrode and 3D graphene foam (GF) as negative electrode materials with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/KOH gel electrolyte. The coaxial MnO 2 @PANI composite was fabricated by hydrothermal route followed by oxidation without use of an external oxidant. The formation mechanism of the 3D hollow MnO 2 @PANI composite occurs first by nucleation and growth of the MnO 2 crystal species via dissolution-recrystallization and oriented attachment mechanisms followed by the oxidation of aniline monomers on the MnO 2 crystalline template. The self-assembled 3D graphene block was synthesized by hydrothermal route using vitamin C as a reducing agent. The microstructures of the composites are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The morphology is characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which clearly showed the formation of urchin-shaped coaxial MnO 2 @PANI composite. The electrochemical studies are explored by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectrometry, and cyclic charge-discharge tests. The symmetric all-solid-state flexible MnO 2 @PANI//MnO 2 @PANI and GF//GF supercapacitors exhibit the specific capacitance of 129.2 and 82.1 F g -1 at 0.5 A/g current density, respectively. The solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor shows higher energy density (37 Wh kg -1 ) with respect to the solid-state symmetric supercapacitors MnO 2 @PANI//MnO 2 @PANI and GF//GF, where the obtained energy density are found to be 17.9 and 11.4 Wh kg -1 , respectively, at 0.5 A/g current density. Surprisingly, the asymmetric supercapacitor shows a high energy density of 22.3 Wh kg -1 at a high current density of 5 A g -1 . The solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor shows a good cyclic stability in which ∼11% capacitance loss was observed after 5000 cycles.

  13. Hierarchical nanostructures of polypyrrole@MnO2 composite electrodes for high performance solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Tao, Jiayou; Liu, Nishuang; Li, Luying; Su, Jun; Gao, Yihua

    2014-03-07

    A solid-state high performance flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated. Its anode is based on organic-inorganic materials, where polypyrrole (PPy) is uniformly wrapped on MnO2 nanoflowers grown on carbon cloth (CC), and its cathode is made of activated carbon (AC) on CC. The ASC has an areal capacitance of 1.41 F cm(-2) and an energy density of 0.63 mW h cm(-2) at a power density of 0.9 mW cm(-2). An energy storage unit fabricated using multiple ASCs can drive a light-emitting diode (LED) segment display, a mini motor and even a toy car after full charging. The high-performance ASCs have significant potential applications in flexible electronics and electrical vehicles.

  14. Hybrid fibers made of molybdenum disulfide, reduced graphene oxide, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes for solid-state, flexible, asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Sun, Gengzhi; Zhang, Xiao; Lin, Rongzhou; Yang, Jian; Zhang, Hua; Chen, Peng

    2015-04-07

    One of challenges existing in fiber-based supercapacitors is how to achieve high energy density without compromising their rate stability. Owing to their unique physical, electronic, and electrochemical properties, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, e.g., molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) and graphene, have attracted increasing research interest and been utilized as electrode materials in energy-related applications. Herein, by incorporating MoS2 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets into a well-aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) sheet followed by twisting, MoS2 -rGO/MWCNT and rGO/MWCNT fibers are fabricated, which can be used as the anode and cathode, respectively, for solid-state, flexible, asymmetric supercapacitors. This fiber-based asymmetric supercapacitor can operate in a wide potential window of 1.4 V with high Coulombic efficiency, good rate and cycling stability, and improved energy density. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. High Energy Density All Solid State Asymmetric Pseudocapacitors Based on Free Standing Reduced Graphene Oxide-Co3O4 Composite Aerogel Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Debasis; Lim, Joonwon; Narayan, Rekha; Kim, Sang Ouk

    2016-08-31

    Modern flexible consumer electronics require efficient energy storage devices with flexible free-standing electrodes. We report a simple and cost-effective route to a graphene-based composite aerogel encapsulating metal oxide nanoparticles for high energy density, free-standing, binder-free flexible pseudocapacitive electrodes. Hydrothermally synthesized Co3O4 nanoparticles are successfully housed inside the microporous graphene aerogel network during the room temperature interfacial gelation at the Zn surface. The resultant three-dimensional (3D) rGO-Co3O4 composite aerogel shows mesoporous quasiparallel layer stack morphology with a high loading of Co3O4, which offers numerous channels for ion transport and a 3D interconnected network for high electrical conductivity. All solid state asymmetric pseudocapacitors employing the composite aerogel electrodes have demonstrated high areal energy density of 35.92 μWh/cm(2) and power density of 17.79 mW/cm(2) accompanied by excellent cycle life.

  16. H-TiO(2) @MnO(2) //H-TiO(2) @C core-shell nanowires for high performance and flexible asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xihong; Yu, Minghao; Wang, Gongming; Zhai, Teng; Xie, Shilei; Ling, Yichuan; Tong, Yexiang; Li, Yat

    2013-01-11

    A flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device with H-TiO(2) @MnO(2) core-shell NWs as the positive electrode and H-TiO(2) @C core-shell NWs as the negative electrode is developed. This device operates in a 1.8 V voltage window and is able to deliver a high specific capacitance of 139.6 F g(-1) and maximum volumetric energy density of 0.30 mWh cm(-3) with excellent cycling performance and good flexibility. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Flexible Asymmetric Solid-State Supercapacitors by Highly Efficient 3D Nanostructured α-MnO2 and h-CuS Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Patil, Amar M; Lokhande, Abhishek C; Shinde, Pragati A; Lokhande, Chandrakant D

    2018-05-16

    A simplistic and economical chemical way has been used to prepare highly efficient nanostructured, manganese oxide (α-MnO 2 ) and hexagonal copper sulfide (h-CuS) electrodes directly on cheap and flexible stainless steel sheets. Flexible solid-state α-MnO 2 /flexible stainless steel (FSS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-LiClO 4 /h-CuS/FSS asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) devices have been fabricated using PVA-LiClO 4 gel electrolyte. Highly active surface areas of α-MnO 2 (75 m 2 g -1 ) and h-CuS (83 m 2 g -1 ) electrodes contribute to more electrochemical reactions at the electrode and electrolyte interface. The ASC device has a prolonged working potential of +1.8 V and accomplishes a capacitance of 109.12 F g -1 at 5 mV s -1 , energy density of 18.9 Wh kg -1 , and long-term electrochemical cycling with a capacity retention of 93.3% after 5000 cycles. Additionally, ASC devices were successful in glowing seven white-light-emitting diodes for more than 7 min after 30 s of charging. Outstandingly, real practical demonstration suggests "ready-to-sell" products for industries.

  18. Polymorphous Supercapacitors Constructed from Flexible Three-Dimensional Carbon Network/Polyaniline/MnO2 Composite Textiles.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jinjie; Dong, Liubing; Xu, Chengjun; Ren, Danyang; Ma, Xinpei; Kang, Feiyu

    2018-04-04

    Polymorphous supercapacitors were constructed from flexible three-dimensional carbon network/polyaniline (PANI)/MnO 2 composite textile electrodes. The flexible textile electrodes were fabricated through a layer-by-layer construction strategy: PANI, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and MnO 2 were deposited on activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) in turn through an electropolymerization process, "dipping and drying" method, and in situ chemical reaction, respectively. In the fabricated ACFC/PANI/CNTs/MnO 2 textile electrodes, the ACFC/CNT hybrid framework serves as a porous and electrically conductive 3D network for the rapid transmission of electrons and electrolyte ions, where ACFC, PANI, and MnO 2 are high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials. In the electrolyte of H 2 SO 4 solution, the textile electrode-based symmetric supercapacitor delivers superior areal capacitance, energy density, and power density of 4615 mF cm -2 (for single electrode), 157 μW h cm -2 , and 10372 μW cm -2 , respectively, whereas asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with the prepared composite textile as the positive electrode and ACFC as the negative electrode exhibits an improved energy density of 413 μW h cm -2 and a power density of 16120 μW cm -2 . On the basis of the ACFC/PANI/CNTs/MnO 2 textile electrodes, symmetric and asymmetric solid-state textile supercapacitors with a PVA/H 2 SO 4 gel electrolyte were also produced. These solid-state textile supercapacitors exhibit good electrochemical performance and high flexibility. Furthermore, flexible solid-state fiber-like supercapacitors were prepared with fiber bundle electrodes dismantled from the above composite textiles. Overall, this work makes a meaningful exploration of the versatile applications of textile electrodes to produce polymorphous supercapacitors.

  19. Assembly of flexible CoMoO4@NiMoO4·xH2O and Fe2O3 electrodes for solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jing; Zhang, Leipeng; Liu, Xusong; Zhang, Xiang; Tian, Yanlong; Liu, Xiaoxu; Zhao, Jiupeng; Li, Yao

    2017-01-01

    In this work, CoMoO4@NiMoO4·xH2O core-shell heterostructure electrode is directly grown on carbon fabric (CF) via a feasible hydrothermal procedure with CoMoO4 nanowires (NWs) as the core and NiMoO4 nanosheets (NSs) as the shell. This core-shell heterostructure could provide fast ion and electron transfer, a large number of active sites, and good strain accommodation. As a result, the CoMoO4@NiMoO4·xH2O electrode yields high-capacitance performance with a high specific capacitance of 1582 F g−1, good cycling stability with the capacitance retention of 97.1% after 3000 cycles and good rate capability. The electrode also shows excellent mechanical flexibility. Also, a flexible Fe2O3 nanorods/CF electrode with enhanced electrochemical performance was prepared. A solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device is successfully fabricated by using flexible CoMoO4@NiMoO4·xH2O as the positive electrode and Fe2O3 as the negative electrode. The asymmetric supercapacitor with a maximum voltage of 1.6 V demonstrates high specific energy (41.8 Wh kg−1 at 700 W kg−1), high power density (12000 W kg−1 at 26.7 Wh kg−1), and excellent cycle ability with the capacitance retention of 89.3% after 5000 cycles (at the current density of 3A g−1). PMID:28106170

  20. Low-cost flexible supercapacitors with high-energy density based on nanostructured MnO2 and Fe2O3 thin films directly fabricated onto stainless steel.

    PubMed

    Gund, Girish S; Dubal, Deepak P; Chodankar, Nilesh R; Cho, Jun Y; Gomez-Romero, Pedro; Park, Chan; Lokhande, Chandrakant D

    2015-07-24

    The facile and economical electrochemical and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods have been employed in order to prepare manganese oxide (MnO2) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) thin films, respectively with the fine optimized nanostructures on highly flexible stainless steel sheet. The symmetric and asymmetric flexible-solid-state supercapacitors (FSS-SCs) of nanostructured (nanosheets for MnO2 and nanoparticles for Fe2O3) electrodes with Na2SO4/Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) gel as a separator and electrolyte were assembled. MnO2 as positive and negative electrodes were used to fabricate symmetric SC, while the asymmetric SC was assembled by employing MnO2 as positive and Fe2O3 as negative electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical features of symmetric and asymmetric SCs are systematically investigated. The results verify that the fabricated symmetric and asymmetric FSS-SCs present excellent reversibility (within the voltage window of 0-1 V and 0-2 V, respectively) and good cycling stability (83 and 91%, respectively for 3000 of CV cycles). Additionally, the asymmetric SC shows maximum specific capacitance of 92 Fg(-1), about 2-fold of higher energy density (41.8 Wh kg(-1)) than symmetric SC and excellent mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, the "real-life" demonstration of fabricated SCs to the panel of SUK confirms that asymmetric SC has 2-fold higher energy density compare to symmetric SC.

  1. High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Vertically Aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 Nanosheet Arrays

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

    Gong, Jiangfeng; Tian, Yazhou; Yang, Ziyuan

    The developments of electrode active materials provide the opportunities for next-generation energy storage devices. The arrangement of electrode materials on the substrate has recently emerged as a promising strategy for preparing high-performance supercapacitors. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel vertically aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays electrode for supercapacitor application. The materials are thoroughly characterized by structural and spectroscopic techniques. Electrochemical performance of CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays are investigated in detail, which exhibit a specific capacitance as much as 1180 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1. A flexible asymmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated usingmore » CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The device delivers a volumetric capacitance of 441.4 mF cm -3 with maximum energy density and maximum power density is 0.17 and 62.1 mW cm -3, as well as robust cycling stability (~80.4% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles), excellent flexibility, and mechanical stability. Finally, the excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to its unique vertically aligned configuration.« less

  2. High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Vertically Aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 Nanosheet Arrays

    DOE PAGES

    Gong, Jiangfeng; Tian, Yazhou; Yang, Ziyuan; ...

    2018-01-04

    The developments of electrode active materials provide the opportunities for next-generation energy storage devices. The arrangement of electrode materials on the substrate has recently emerged as a promising strategy for preparing high-performance supercapacitors. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel vertically aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays electrode for supercapacitor application. The materials are thoroughly characterized by structural and spectroscopic techniques. Electrochemical performance of CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays are investigated in detail, which exhibit a specific capacitance as much as 1180 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1. A flexible asymmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated usingmore » CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The device delivers a volumetric capacitance of 441.4 mF cm -3 with maximum energy density and maximum power density is 0.17 and 62.1 mW cm -3, as well as robust cycling stability (~80.4% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles), excellent flexibility, and mechanical stability. Finally, the excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to its unique vertically aligned configuration.« less

  3. Low-cost flexible supercapacitors with high-energy density based on nanostructured MnO2 and Fe2O3 thin films directly fabricated onto stainless steel

    PubMed Central

    Gund, Girish S.; Dubal, Deepak P.; Chodankar, Nilesh R.; Cho, Jun Y.; Gomez-Romero, Pedro; Park, Chan; Lokhande, Chandrakant D.

    2015-01-01

    The facile and economical electrochemical and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods have been employed in order to prepare manganese oxide (MnO2) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) thin films, respectively with the fine optimized nanostructures on highly flexible stainless steel sheet. The symmetric and asymmetric flexible-solid-state supercapacitors (FSS-SCs) of nanostructured (nanosheets for MnO2 and nanoparticles for Fe2O3) electrodes with Na2SO4/Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) gel as a separator and electrolyte were assembled. MnO2 as positive and negative electrodes were used to fabricate symmetric SC, while the asymmetric SC was assembled by employing MnO2 as positive and Fe2O3 as negative electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical features of symmetric and asymmetric SCs are systematically investigated. The results verify that the fabricated symmetric and asymmetric FSS-SCs present excellent reversibility (within the voltage window of 0–1 V and 0–2 V, respectively) and good cycling stability (83 and 91%, respectively for 3000 of CV cycles). Additionally, the asymmetric SC shows maximum specific capacitance of 92 Fg−1, about 2-fold of higher energy density (41.8 Wh kg−1) than symmetric SC and excellent mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, the “real-life” demonstration of fabricated SCs to the panel of SUK confirms that asymmetric SC has 2-fold higher energy density compare to symmetric SC. PMID:26208144

  4. Low-cost flexible supercapacitors with high-energy density based on nanostructured MnO2 and Fe2O3 thin films directly fabricated onto stainless steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gund, Girish S.; Dubal, Deepak P.; Chodankar, Nilesh R.; Cho, Jun Y.; Gomez-Romero, Pedro; Park, Chan; Lokhande, Chandrakant D.

    2015-07-01

    The facile and economical electrochemical and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods have been employed in order to prepare manganese oxide (MnO2) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) thin films, respectively with the fine optimized nanostructures on highly flexible stainless steel sheet. The symmetric and asymmetric flexible-solid-state supercapacitors (FSS-SCs) of nanostructured (nanosheets for MnO2 and nanoparticles for Fe2O3) electrodes with Na2SO4/Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) gel as a separator and electrolyte were assembled. MnO2 as positive and negative electrodes were used to fabricate symmetric SC, while the asymmetric SC was assembled by employing MnO2 as positive and Fe2O3 as negative electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical features of symmetric and asymmetric SCs are systematically investigated. The results verify that the fabricated symmetric and asymmetric FSS-SCs present excellent reversibility (within the voltage window of 0-1 V and 0-2 V, respectively) and good cycling stability (83 and 91%, respectively for 3000 of CV cycles). Additionally, the asymmetric SC shows maximum specific capacitance of 92 Fg-1, about 2-fold of higher energy density (41.8 Wh kg-1) than symmetric SC and excellent mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, the “real-life” demonstration of fabricated SCs to the panel of SUK confirms that asymmetric SC has 2-fold higher energy density compare to symmetric SC.

  5. Coaxial CoMoO4 nanowire arrays with chemically integrated conductive coating for high-performance flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yaping; Liu, Borui; Liu, Qi; Wang, Jun; Li, Zhanshuang; Jing, Xiaoyan; Liu, Lianhe

    2015-10-07

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors have offered promising applications as novel energy storage devices based on their merits, such as small size, low cost, light weight and high wearability for high-performance portable electronics. However, one major challenge to make flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors depends on the improvement of electrode materials with higher electrical conductivity properties and longer cycling stability. In this article, we put forward a simple strategy to in situ synthesize 1D CoMoO4 nanowires (NWs), using highly conductive CC and an electrically conductive PPy wrapping layer on CoMoO4 NW arrays for high performance electrode materials. The results show that the CoMoO4/PPy hybrid NW electrode exhibits a high areal specific capacitance of ca. 1.34 F cm(-2) at a current density of 2 mA cm(-2), which is remarkably better than the corresponding values for a pure CoMoO4 NW electrode of 0.7 F cm(-2). An excellent cycling performance of nanocomposites of up to 95.2% (ca. 1.12 F cm(-2)) is achieved after 2000 cycles compared to pristine CoMoO4 NWs. In addition, we fabricate flexible all-solid-state ASC which can be cycled reversibly in the voltage range of 0-1.7 V, and exhibits a maximum energy density of 104.7 W h kg(-1) (3.522 mW h cm(-3)), demonstrating great potential for practical applications in flexible energy storage electronics.

  6. Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitor Based on Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogels with Wide Working Potential Window.

    PubMed

    Bora, Anindita; Mohan, Kiranjyoti; Doley, Simanta; Dolui, Swapan Kumar

    2018-03-07

    Flexible energy storage devices are in great demand since the advent of flexible electronics. Until now, flexible supercapacitors based on graphene analogues usually have had low operating potential windows. To this end, two dissimilar electrode materials with complementary potential ranges are employed to obtain an optimum cell voltage of 1.8 V. A low-temperature organic sol-gel method is used to prepare two different types of functionalized reduced graphene oxide aerogels (rGOA) where Ag nanorod functionalized rGOA acts as a negative electrode while polyaniline nanotube functionalized rGOA acts as a positive electrode. Both materials comprehensively exploit their unique properties to produce a device that has high energy and power densities. An assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor gives a high energy density of 52.85 W h kg -1 and power density of 31.5 kW kg -1 with excellent cycling and temperature stability. The device also performs extraordinarily well under different bending conditions, suggesting its potential to meet the requirements for flexible electronics.

  7. Three-Dimensional NiCo2O4@Polypyrrole Coaxial Nanowire Arrays on Carbon Textiles for High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Solid-State Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Kong, Dezhi; Ren, Weina; Cheng, Chuanwei; Wang, Ye; Huang, Zhixiang; Yang, Hui Ying

    2015-09-30

    In this article, we report a novel electrode of NiCo2O4 nanowire arrays (NWAs) on carbon textiles with a polypyrrole (PPy) nanosphere shell layer to enhance the pseudocapacitive performance. The merits of highly conductive PPy and short ion transport channels in ordered NiCo2O4 mesoporous nanowire arrays together with the synergistic effect between NiCo2O4 and PPy result in a high specific capacitance of 2244 F g(-1), excellent rate capability, and cycling stability in NiCo2O4/PPy electrode. Moreover, a lightweight and flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device is successfully assembled using the hybrid NiCo2O4@PPy NWAs and activated carbon (AC) as electrodes, achieving high energy density (58.8 W h kg(-1) at 365 W kg(-1)), outstanding power density (10.2 kW kg(-1) at 28.4 W h kg(-1)) and excellent cycling stability (∼89.2% retention after 5000 cycles), as well as high flexibility. The three-dimensional coaxial architecture design opens up new opportunities to fabricate a high-performance flexible supercapacitor for future portable and wearable electronic devices.

  8. When Al-Doped Cobalt Sulfide Nanosheets Meet Nickel Nanotube Arrays: A Highly Efficient and Stable Cathode for Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jun; Wei, Junchao; Xiao, Yingbo; Xu, Yazhou; Xiao, Yujuan; Wang, Ying; Tan, Licheng; Yuan, Kai; Chen, Yiwang

    2018-03-27

    Although cobalt sulfide is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors, its wide application is limited by relative poor electrochemical performance, low electrical conductivity, and inefficient nanostructure. Here, we demonstrated that the electrochemical activity of cobalt sulfide could be significantly improved by Al doping. We designed and fabricated hierarchical core-branch Al-doped cobalt sulfide nanosheets anchored on Ni nanotube arrays combined with carbon cloth (denoted as CC/H-Ni@Al-Co-S) as an excellent self-standing cathode for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). The combination of structural and compositional advantages endows the CC/H-Ni@Al-Co-S electrode with superior electrochemical performance with high specific capacitance (1830 F g -1 /2434 F g -1 at 5 mV s -1 /1 A g -1 ) and excellent rate capability (57.2%/72.3% retention at 1000 mV s -1 /100 A g -1 ). The corresponding all-solid-state ASCs with CC/H-Ni@Al-Co-S and multilayer graphene/CNT film as cathode and anode, respectively, achieve a high energy density up to 65.7 W h kg -1 as well as superb cycling stability (90.6% retention after 10 000 cycles). Moreover, the ASCs also exhibit good flexibility and stability under different bending conditions. This work provides a general, effective route to prepare high-performance electrode materials for flexible all-solid-state energy storage devices.

  9. Inkjet-Printed Electrodes on A4 Paper Substrates for Low-Cost, Disposable, and Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Sundriyal, Poonam; Bhattacharya, Shantanu

    2017-11-08

    Printed electronics is widely gaining much attention for compact and high-performance energy-storage devices because of the advancement of flexible electronics. The development of a low-cost current collector, selection, and utilization of the proper material deposition tool and improvement of the device energy density are major challenges for the existing flexible supercapacitors. In this paper, we have reported an inkjet-printed solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor on commercial A4 paper using a low-cost desktop printer (EPSON L130). The physical properties of all inks have been carefully optimized so that the developed inks are within the printable range, i.e., Fromm number of 4 < Z < 14 for all inks. The paper substrate is made conducting (sheet resistance ∼ 1.6 Ω/sq) by printing 40 layers of conducting graphene oxide (GO) ink on its surface. The developed conducting patterns on paper are further printed with a GO-MnO 2 nanocomposite ink to make a positive electrode, and another such structure is printed with activated carbon ink to form a negative electrode. A combination of both of these electrodes is outlaid by fabricating an asymmetric supercapacitor. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-LiCl gel electrolyte shows a stable potential window of 0-2.0 V and exhibits outstanding flexibility, good cyclic stability, high rate capability, and high energy density. The fabricated paper-substrate-based flexible asymmetric supercapacitor also displays an excellent electrochemical performances, e.g., a maximum areal capacitance of 1.586 F/cm 2 (1023 F/g) at a current density of 4 mA/cm 2 , highest energy density of 22 mWh/cm 3 at a power density of 0.099 W/cm 3 , a capacity retention of 89.6% even after 9000 charge-discharge cycles, and a low charge-transfer resistance of 2.3 Ω. So, utilization of inkjet printing for the development of paper-based flexible electronics has a strong potential for embedding into the next generation low-cost, compact, and wearable energy-storage devices and other printed electronic applications.

  10. Asymmetric Multilevel Outphasing (AMO): A New Architecture for All-Silicon mm-Wave Transmitter ICs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-12

    power-amplifiers for mobile basestation infrastructure and handsets. NanoSemi Inc. designs linearization solutions for analog front-ends such as...ward flexible, multi-standard radio chips, increases the need for high-precision, high-throughput and energy-efficient backend processing. The desire...peak PAE is affected by less than 1% (46 mW/(46 mW 1.8 W/0.4)) by this 64-QAM capable AMO SCS backend . 378 IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, VOL. 48

  11. Bamboo-like Composites of V2O5/Polyindole and Activated Carbon Cloth as Electrodes for All-Solid-State Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xi; Chen, Qiang; Wang, Anqi; Xu, Jian; Wu, Shishan; Shen, Jian

    2016-02-17

    A bamboo-like nanomaterial composed of V2O5/polyindole (V2O5/PIn) decorated onto the activated carbon cloth was fabricated for supercapacitors. The PIn could effectively enhance the electronic conductivity and prevent the dissolution of vanadium. And the activation of carbon cloth with functional groups is conducive to anchoring the V2O5 and improving surface area, which results in an enhancement of electrochemical performance and leads to a high specific capacitance of 535.5 F/g. Moreover, an asymmetric flexible supercapacitor based on V2O5/PIn@activate carbon cloth and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)@activate carbon cloth exhibits a high energy density (38.7 W h/kg) at a power density of 900 W/kg and good cyclic stability (capacitance retention of 91.1% after 5000 cycles). And the prepared device is shown to power the light-emitting diode bulbs efficiently.

  12. A p-nitroaniline redox-active solid-state electrolyte for battery-like electrochemical capacitive energy storage combined with an asymmetric supercapacitor based on metal oxide functionalized β-polytype porous silicon carbide electrodes.

    PubMed

    Kim, Myeongjin; Yoo, Jeeyoung; Kim, Jooheon

    2017-05-23

    A unique redox active flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor with ultra-high capacitance and energy density was fabricated using a composite comprising MgCo 2 O 4 nanoneedles and micro and mesoporous silicon carbide flakes (SiCF) (SiCF/MgCo 2 O 4 ) as the positive electrode material. Due to the synergistic effect of the two materials, this hybrid electrode has a high specific capacitance of 516.7 F g -1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s -1 in a 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. To obtain a reasonable matching of positive and negative electrode pairs, a composite of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and SiCF (SiCF/Fe 3 O 4 ) was synthesized for use as a negative electrode material, which shows a high capacitance of 423.2 F g -1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s -1 . Therefore, by pairing the SiCF/MgCo 2 O 4 positive electrode and the SiCF/Fe 3 O 4 negative electrode with a redox active quasi-solid-state PVA-KOH-p-nitroaniline (PVA-KOH-PNA) gel electrolyte, a novel solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device was assembled. Because of the synergistic effect between the highly porous SiCF and the vigorous redox-reaction of metal oxides, the hybrid nanostructure electrodes exhibited outstanding charge storage and transport. In addition, the redox active PVA-KOH-PNA electrolyte adds additional pseudocapacitance, which arises from the nitro-reduction and oxidation and reduction process of the reduction product of p-phenylenediamine, resulting in an enhancement of the capacitance (a specific capacitance of 161.77 F g -1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s -1 ) and energy density (maximum energy density of 72.79 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 727.96 W kg -1 ).

  13. Coaxial CoMoO4 nanowire arrays with chemically integrated conductive coating for high-performance flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yaping; Liu, Borui; Liu, Qi; Wang, Jun; Li, Zhanshuang; Jing, Xiaoyan; Liu, Lianhe

    2015-09-01

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors have offered promising applications as novel energy storage devices based on their merits, such as small size, low cost, light weight and high wearability for high-performance portable electronics. However, one major challenge to make flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors depends on the improvement of electrode materials with higher electrical conductivity properties and longer cycling stability. In this article, we put forward a simple strategy to in situ synthesize 1D CoMoO4 nanowires (NWs), using highly conductive CC and an electrically conductive PPy wrapping layer on CoMoO4 NW arrays for high performance electrode materials. The results show that the CoMoO4/PPy hybrid NW electrode exhibits a high areal specific capacitance of ca. 1.34 F cm-2 at a current density of 2 mA cm-2, which is remarkably better than the corresponding values for a pure CoMoO4 NW electrode of 0.7 F cm-2. An excellent cycling performance of nanocomposites of up to 95.2% (ca. 1.12 F cm-2) is achieved after 2000 cycles compared to pristine CoMoO4 NWs. In addition, we fabricate flexible all-solid-state ASC which can be cycled reversibly in the voltage range of 0-1.7 V, and exhibits a maximum energy density of 104.7 W h kg-1 (3.522 mW h cm-3), demonstrating great potential for practical applications in flexible energy storage electronics.Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors have offered promising applications as novel energy storage devices based on their merits, such as small size, low cost, light weight and high wearability for high-performance portable electronics. However, one major challenge to make flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors depends on the improvement of electrode materials with higher electrical conductivity properties and longer cycling stability. In this article, we put forward a simple strategy to in situ synthesize 1D CoMoO4 nanowires (NWs), using highly conductive CC and an electrically conductive PPy wrapping layer on CoMoO4 NW arrays for high performance electrode materials. The results show that the CoMoO4/PPy hybrid NW electrode exhibits a high areal specific capacitance of ca. 1.34 F cm-2 at a current density of 2 mA cm-2, which is remarkably better than the corresponding values for a pure CoMoO4 NW electrode of 0.7 F cm-2. An excellent cycling performance of nanocomposites of up to 95.2% (ca. 1.12 F cm-2) is achieved after 2000 cycles compared to pristine CoMoO4 NWs. In addition, we fabricate flexible all-solid-state ASC which can be cycled reversibly in the voltage range of 0-1.7 V, and exhibits a maximum energy density of 104.7 W h kg-1 (3.522 mW h cm-3), demonstrating great potential for practical applications in flexible energy storage electronics. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02961a

  14. Porous dimanganese trioxide microflowers derived from microcoordinations for flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pang, Huan; Li, Xinran; Li, Bing; Zhang, Yizhou; Zhao, Qunxing; Lai, Wen-Yong; Huang, Wei

    2016-06-01

    Dimanganese trioxide microflowers are easily obtained from a Mn(ii) 8-hydroxyquinoline microcoordination after calcination in air. We also look into the possible formation mechanism of the flower-like morphology, and find that the reaction time affects the morphology of the coordination. Furthermore, the as-prepared porous Mn2O3 microflowers are made of many nanoplates which form many nanogaps and nanochannels. Interestingly, the assembled electrode based on the as-prepared porous Mn2O3 microflowers proves to be a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors. The electrode shows a specific capacitance of 994 F g-1, which can work well even after 4000 cycles at 0.75 A g-1. More importantly, the porous Mn2O3 microflowers and activated carbons are assembled into a high-performance flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor with a specific capacitance of 312.5 mF cm-2. The cycle test shows that the device can offer 95.6% capacity of the initial capacitance at 2.0 mA cm-2 after 5000 cycles with little decay. The maximum energy density of the device can achieve 6.56 mWh cm-3 and the maximum power density can also achieve 283.5 mW cm-3, which are among the best results for manganese based materials.Dimanganese trioxide microflowers are easily obtained from a Mn(ii) 8-hydroxyquinoline microcoordination after calcination in air. We also look into the possible formation mechanism of the flower-like morphology, and find that the reaction time affects the morphology of the coordination. Furthermore, the as-prepared porous Mn2O3 microflowers are made of many nanoplates which form many nanogaps and nanochannels. Interestingly, the assembled electrode based on the as-prepared porous Mn2O3 microflowers proves to be a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors. The electrode shows a specific capacitance of 994 F g-1, which can work well even after 4000 cycles at 0.75 A g-1. More importantly, the porous Mn2O3 microflowers and activated carbons are assembled into a high-performance flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor with a specific capacitance of 312.5 mF cm-2. The cycle test shows that the device can offer 95.6% capacity of the initial capacitance at 2.0 mA cm-2 after 5000 cycles with little decay. The maximum energy density of the device can achieve 6.56 mWh cm-3 and the maximum power density can also achieve 283.5 mW cm-3, which are among the best results for manganese based materials. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr02267g

  15. Polyaniline-Modified Oriented Graphene Hydrogel Film as the Free-Standing Electrode for Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Du, Pengcheng; Liu, Huckleberry C; Yi, Chao; Wang, Kai; Gong, Xiong

    2015-11-04

    In this study, we report polyaniline (PANI)-modified oriented graphene hydrogel (OGH) films as the free-standing electrode for flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs). The OGH films are prepared by a facile filtration method using chemically converted graphene sheets and then introduced to PANI on the surface of OGH films by in situ chemical polymerization. The PANI-modified OGH films possess high flexibility, high electrical conductivity, and mechanical robustness. The flexible solid-state SCs based on the PANI-modified OGH films exhibit a specific capacitance of 530 F/g, keeping 80% of its original value up to 10 000 charge-discharge cycles at the current density of 10 A/g. Remarkably, the flexible solid-state SCs maintain ∼100% capacitance retention bent at 180° for 250 cycles. Moreover, the flexible solid-state SCs are further demonstrated to be able to light up a red-light-emitting diode. These results indicate that the flexible solid-state SCs based on PANI-modified OGH films as the free-standing electrode have potential applications as energy-storage devices.

  16. A Flexible Integrated System Containing a Microsupercapacitor, a Photodetector, and a Wireless Charging Coil.

    PubMed

    Yue, Yang; Yang, Zhichun; Liu, Nishuang; Liu, Weijie; Zhang, Hui; Ma, Yanan; Yang, Congxing; Su, Jun; Li, Luying; Long, Fei; Zou, Zhengguang; Gao, Yihua

    2016-12-27

    Nowadays, the integrated systems on a plane substrate containing energy harvesting, energy storing, and working units are strongly desired with the fast development of wearable and portable devices. Here, a simple, low cost, and scalable strategy involving ink printing and electrochemical deposition is proposed to fabricate a flexible integrated system on a plane substrate containing an all-solid-state asymmetric microsupercapacitor (MSC), a photoconduct-type photodetector of perovskite nanowires (NWs), and a wireless charging coil. In the asymmetric MSCs, MnO 2 -PPy and V 2 O 5 -PANI composites are used as positive and negative electrodes, respectively. Typical values of energy density in the range of 15-20 mWh cm -3 at power densities of 0.3-2.5 W cm -3 with an operation potential window of 1.6 V are achieved. In the system, the wireless charging coil receives energy from a wireless power transmitter, which then can be stored in the MSC to drive the photoconductive detector of perovskite NWs in sequence. The designed integrated system exhibits a stable photocurrent response comparable with the detector driven by an external power source. This research provides an important routine to fabricate integrated systems.

  17. Cellulose nanofibril/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube hybrid aerogels for highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitors

    Treesearch

    Qifeng Zheng; Zhiyong Cai; Zhenqiang Ma; Shaoqin Gong

    2015-01-01

    A novel type of highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitor that uses cellulose nanofibril (CNF)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid aerogels as electrodes and H2SO4 poly (vinyl alcohol) PVA gel as the electrolyte was developed and is reported here. These flexible solid-state supercapacitors...

  18. Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Structure ZnO@C@NiO on Carbon Cloth for Asymmetric Supercapacitor with Enhanced Cycle Stability.

    PubMed

    Ouyang, Yu; Xia, Xifeng; Ye, Haitao; Wang, Liang; Jiao, Xinyan; Lei, Wu; Hao, Qingli

    2018-01-31

    In this work, we synthesized the hierarchical ZnO@C@NiO core-shell nanorods arrays (CSNAs) grown on a carbon cloth (CC) conductive substrate by a three-step method involving hydrothermal and chemical bath methods. The morphology and chemical structure of the hybrid nanoarrays were characterized in detail. The combination and formation mechanism was proposed. The conducting carbon layer between ZnO and NiO layers can efficiently enhance the electric conductivity of the integrated electrodes, and also protect the corrosion of ZnO in an alkaline solution. Compared with ZnO@NiO nanorods arrays (NAs), the NiO in CC/ZnO@C@NiO electrodes, which possess a unique multilevel core-shell nanostructure exhibits a higher specific capacity (677 C/g at 1.43 A/g) and an enhanced cycling stability (capacity remain 71% after 5000 cycles), on account of the protection of carbon layer derived from glucose. Additionally, a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor is readily constructed by coating the PVA/KOH gel electrolyte between the ZnO@C@NiO CSNAs and commercial graphene. The energy density of this all-solid-state device decreases from 35.7 to 16.0 Wh/kg as the power density increases from 380.9 to 2704.2 W/kg with an excellent cycling stability (87.5% of the initial capacitance after 10000 cycles). Thereby, the CC/ ZnO@C@NiO CSNAs of three-dimensional hierarchical structure is promising electrode materials for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

  19. NiCo2S4 nanosheet-decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode materials for all solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor applications.

    PubMed

    Saravanakumar, Balasubramaniam; Jayaseelan, Santhana Sivabalan; Seo, Min-Kang; Kim, Hak-Yong; Kim, Byoung-Suhk

    2017-12-07

    Wire type supercapacitors with high energy and power densities have generated considerable interest in wearable applications. Herein, we report a novel NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode for high performance supercapacitor application. In this work, a facile method is introduced to fabricate a 3D, porous Ni film deposited on a Ni wire as a flexible electrode, followed by decoration with NiCo 2 S 4 as an electroactive material. The fabricated NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire electrode displays a superior performance with an areal and volumetric capacitance of 1.228 F cm -2 and 199.74 F cm -3 , respectively, at a current density of 0.2 mA cm -1 with a maximum volumetric energy and power density (E V : 6.935 mW h cm -3 ; P V : 1.019 W cm -3 ). Finally, the solid state asymmetric wire type supercapacitor is fabricated using the fabricated NiCo 2 S 4 -decorated 3D, porous Ni film@Ni wire as a positive electrode and N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) as a negative electrode and this exhibits good areal and volumetric capacitances of C A : 0.12 F cm -2 and C V : 19.57 F cm -2 with a higher rate capability (92%). This asymmetric wire type supercapacitor demonstrates a low leakage current and self-discharge with a maximum volumetric energy (E V : 5.33 mW h cm -3 ) and power (P V : 855.69 mW cm -3 ) density.

  20. All-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors based on Fe-doped mesoporous Co3O4 and three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide electrodes with high energy and power densities.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Cheng; Wei, Jun; Chen, Leiyi; Tang, Shaolong; Deng, Mingsen; Du, Youwei

    2017-10-19

    An asymmetric supercapacitor offers opportunities to effectively utilize the full potential of the different potential windows of the two electrodes for a higher operating voltage, resulting in an enhanced specific capacitance and significantly improved energy without sacrificing the power delivery and cycle life. To achieve high energy and power densities, we have synthesized an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor with a wider voltage range using Fe-doped Co 3 O 4 and three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3DrGO) as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. In contrast to undoped Co 3 O 4 , the increased density of states and modified charge spatial separation endow the Fe-doped Co 3 O 4 electrode with greatly improved electrochemical capacitive performance, including high specific capacitance (1997 F g -1 and 1757 F g -1 at current densities of 1 and 20 A g -1 , respectively), excellent rate capability, and superior cycling stability. Remarkably, the optimized all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly in a wide range of 0-1.8 V, thus delivering a high energy density (270.3 W h kg -1 ), high power density (9.0 kW kg -1 at 224.2 W h kg -1 ), and excellent cycling stability (91.8% capacitance retention after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles at a constant current density of 10 A g -1 ). The superior capacitive performance suggests that such an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor shows great potential for developing energy storage systems with high levels of energy and power delivery.

  1. Solvent-Free Benzoin and Stetter Reactions with a Small Amount of NHC Catalyst in the Liquid or Semisolid State.

    PubMed

    Ema, Tadashi; Nanjo, Yoshiko; Shiratori, Sho; Terao, Yuta; Kimura, Ryo

    2016-11-04

    The intermolecular or intramolecular asymmetric benzoin reaction was catalyzed by a small amount of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) (0.2-1 mol %) under solvent-free conditions. The solvent-free intramolecular asymmetric Stetter reaction also proceeded efficiently with NHC (0.2-1 mol %). In some cases, even solid-to-solid or solid-to-liquid conversions took place with low catalyst loading (0.2-1 mol %).

  2. Electrostatic-Interaction-Assisted Construction of 3D Networks of Manganese Dioxide Nanosheets for Flexible High-Performance Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Na; Su, Yanli; Wang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Zhen; Xia, Jinsong; Chen, Yong; Zhao, Zhigang; Li, Qingwen; Geng, Fengxia

    2017-08-22

    A three-dimensional (3D) macroscopic network of manganese oxide (MnO 2 ) sheets was synthesized by an easily scalable solution approach, grafting the negatively charged surfaces of the MnO 2 sheets with an aniline monomer by electrostatic interactions followed by a quick chemical oxidizing polymerization reaction. The obtained structure possessed MnO 2 sheets interconnected with polyaniline chains, producing a 3D monolith rich in mesopores. The MnO 2 sheets had almost all their reactive centers exposed on the electrode surface, and combined with the electron transport highways provided by polyaniline and the shortened diffusion paths provided by the porous structure, the deliberately designed electrode achieved an excellent capacitance of 762 F g -1 at a current of 1 A g -1 and cycling performance with a capacity retention of 90% over 8000 cycles. Furthermore, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor based on the constructed electrode and activated carbon serving as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively, was successfully fabricated, delivering a maximum energy density of 40.2 Wh kg -1 (0.113 Wh cm -2 ) and power density of 6227.0 W kg -1 (17.44 W cm -2 ) in a potential window of 0-1.7 V in a PVA/Na 2 SO 4 gel electrolyte.

  3. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based upon Co9S8 nanorod//Co3O4@RuO2 nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jing; Wang, Qiufan; Wang, Xiaowei; Xiang, Qingyi; Liang, Bo; Chen, Di; Shen, Guozhen

    2013-06-25

    We have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on acicular Co9S8 nanorod arrays as positive materials and Co3O4@RuO2 nanosheet arrays as negative materials on woven carbon fabrics. Co9S8 nanorod arrays were synthesized by a hydrothermal sulfuration treatment of acicular Co3O4 nanorod arrays, while the RuO2 was directly deposited on the Co3O4 nanorod arrays. Carbon cloth was selected as both the substrate and the current collector for its good conductivity, high flexibility, good physical strength, and lightweight architecture. Both aqueous KOH solutions and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/KOH were employed as electrolyte for electrochemical measurements. The as-fabricated ASCs can be cycled reversibly in the range of 0-1.6 V and exhibit superior electrochemical performance with an energy density of 1.21 mWh/cm(3) at a power density of 13.29 W/cm(3) in aqueous electrolyte and an energy density of 1.44 mWh/cm(3) at the power density of 0.89 W/cm(3) in solid-state electrolyte, which are almost 10-fold higher than those reported in early ASC work. Moreover, they present excellent cycling performance at multirate currents and large currents after thousands of cycles. The high-performance nanostructured ASCs have significant potential applications in portable electronics and electrical vehicles.

  4. Exploring Trends in Metal-Metal Bonding, Spectroscopic Properties, and Conformational Flexibility in a Series of Heterobimetallic Ti/M and V/M Complexes (M = Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu).

    PubMed

    Wu, Bing; Wilding, Matthew J T; Kuppuswamy, Subramaniam; Bezpalko, Mark W; Foxman, Bruce M; Thomas, Christine M

    2016-12-05

    To understand the metal-metal bonding and conformational flexibility of first-row transition metal heterobimetallic complexes, a series of heterobimetallic Ti/M and V/M complexes (M = Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) have been investigated. The titanium tris(phosphinoamide) precursors ClTi(XylNP i Pr 2 ) 3 (1) and Ti(XylNP i Pr 2 ) 3 (2) have been used to synthesize Ti/Fe (3), Ti/Ni (4, 4 THF ), and Ti/Cu (5) heterobimetallic complexes. A series of V/M (M = Fe (7), Co (8), Ni (9), and Cu (10)) complexes have been generated starting from the vanadium tris(phosphinoamide) precursor V(XylNP i Pr 2 ) 3 (6). The new heterobimetallic complexes were characterized and studied by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Mössbauer spectroscopy, where applicable, and computational methods (DFT). Compounds 3, 4 THF , 7, and 8 are C 3 -symmetric with three bridging phosphinoamide ligands, while compounds 9 and 10 adopt an asymmetric geometry with two bridging phosphinoamides and one phosphinoamide ligand bound η 2 to vanadium. Compounds 4 and 5, on the other hand, are asymmetric in the solid state but show evidence for fluxional behavior in solution. A correlation is established between conformational flexibility and metal-metal bond order, which has important implications for the future reactivity of these and other heterobimetallic molecules.

  5. Porous WO3/graphene/polyester textile electrode materials with enhanced electrochemical performance for flexible solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Jin, Li-Na; Liu, Ping; Jin, Chun; Zhang, Jia-Nan; Bian, Shao-Wei

    2018-01-15

    In this work, a flexible and porous WO 3 /grapheme/polyester (WO 3 /G/PT) textile electrode was successfully prepared by in situ growing WO 3 on the fiber surface inside G/PT composite fabrics. The unique electrode structure facilitates to enhance the energy storage performance because the 3D conductive network constructed by the G/PT increase the electron transportation rate, nanotructured WO 3 exposed enhanced electrochemically active surface area and the hierarchically porous structure improved the electrolyte ion diffusion rate. The optimized WO 3 /G/PT textile electrode exhibited good electrochemical performance with a high areal capacitance of 308.2mFcm -2 at a scan rate of 2mVs -1 and excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was further fabricated by using the WO 3 /G/PT electrode and G/PT electrode, which exhibited a good specific capacitance of 167.6mFcm -3 and high energy density of 60μWhcm -3 at the power density of 2320 μWcm -3 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Porous Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms for high performance electrochemical energy storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Jianbo; Li, Man; Li, Junru; Wei, Chengzhen; He, Yuyue; Huang, Yixuan; Li, Qiaoling

    2017-12-01

    Porous Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms have been successfully synthesized via a facile route. The process involves the preparation of nickel-cobalt-manganese acetate hydroxide by a simple co-precipitation method and subsequently the thermal treatment. The as-synthesized Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms had a large surface area (96.53 m2 g-1) and porous structure. As electrode materials for supercapacitors, porous Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms showed a high specific capacitance of 1623.5 F g-1 at 1.0 A g-1. Moreover, the porous Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms were also employed as positive electrode materials to assemble flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The resulting flexible device had a maximum volumetric energy density (0.885 mW h cm-3) and power density (48.9 mW cm-3). Encouragingly, the flexible device exhibited good cycling stability with only about 2.2% loss after 5000 charge-discharge cycles and excellent mechanical stability. These results indicate that porous Ni-Co-Mn oxides prisms have the promising application in high performance electrochemical energy storage.

  7. All solid-state V2O5-based flexible hybrid fiber supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Huan; He, Jin; Cao, Xin; Kang, Liping; He, Xuexia; Xu, Hua; Shi, Feng; Jiang, Ruibin; Lei, Zhibin; Liu, Zong-Huai

    2017-12-01

    Vanadium pentoxide/single-walled carbon nanotube (V2O5-SWCNT) hybrid fibers with good electrochemical performance and flexibility are firstly prepared by using wet-spinning method. V2O5 nanobelt suspension is obtained by mixing V2O5 bulk, 30% H2O2, H2O and followed by hydrothermally treating at 190 °C for 15 h. SWCNT suspension is suspended into V2O5 nanobelt suspension under vigorous stirring, the V2O5-SWCNT homogenous suspension is obtained. It is injected into a coagulation bath composed of 5 wt % CaCl2 ethanol-water solution using syringe pump, V2O5-SWCNT hybrid fibers are prepared by washing with deionized water and drying at room temperature. Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-SWCNT hybrid fibers are also prepared by the similar wet-spinning approach and followed by reducing GO-SWCNT hybrid fibers in an aqueous solution of hydriodic acid. All solid-state asymmetric V2O5/SWCNT//RGO/SWCNT fiber supercapacitors are assembled with V2O5-SWCNT fiber as positive electrode and RGO-SWCNT fiber as negative electrode by using PVA-H3PO4 as gel electrolyte. The assembled device not only shows maximum volumetric energy density of 1.95 mW h cm-3 at a volumetric power density of 7.5 mW cm-3, superior rate performance and cycling stability, but also exhibits remarkable flexibility to tolerate long-term and repeated bending. This work will open a new application filed of V2O5-based fibers in wearable energy storage devices.

  8. Steerable sound transport in a 3D acoustic network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Bai-Zhan; Jiao, Jun-Rui; Dai, Hong-Qing; Yin, Sheng-Wen; Zheng, Sheng-Jie; Liu, Ting-Ting; Chen, Ning; Yu, De-Jie

    2017-10-01

    Quasi-lossless and asymmetric sound transports, which are exceedingly desirable in various modern physical systems, are almost always based on nonlinear or angular momentum biasing effects with extremely high power levels and complex modulation schemes. A practical route for the steerable sound transport along any arbitrary acoustic pathway, especially in a three-dimensional (3D) acoustic network, can revolutionize the sound power propagation and the sound communication. Here, we design an acoustic device containing a regular-tetrahedral cavity with four cylindrical waveguides. A smaller regular-tetrahedral solid in this cavity is eccentrically emplaced to break spatial symmetry of the acoustic device. The numerical and experimental results show that the sound power flow can unimpededly transport between two waveguides away from the eccentric solid within a wide frequency range. Based on the quasi-lossless and asymmetric transport characteristic of the single acoustic device, we construct a 3D acoustic network, in which the sound power flow can flexibly propagate along arbitrary sound pathways defined by our acoustic devices with eccentrically emplaced regular-tetrahedral solids.

  9. Flexible poly(ethylene carbonate)/garnet composite solid electrolyte reinforced by poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) for lithium metal batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Zijian; Chen, Long; Zhang, Bochen; Liu, Yongchang; Fan, Li-Zhen

    2018-07-01

    Solid-state electrolytes with high ionic conductivities, great flexibility, and easy processability are needed for high-performance solid-state rechargeable lithium batteries. In this work, we synthesize nanosized cubic Li6.25Al0.25La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) by solution combustion method and develop a flexible garnet-based composite solid electrolyte composed of LLZO, poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEC), poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VdF-HFP) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI)). In the flexible composite solid electrolytes, LLZO nanoparticles, as ceramic matrix, have a positive effect on ionic conductivities and lithium ion transference number (tLi+). PEC, as a fast ion-conducting polymer, possesses high tLi+ inherently. P(VdF-HFP), as a binder, can strengthen mechanical properties. Consequently, the as-prepared composite solid electrolyte demonstrates high tLi+ (0.82) and superb thermal stability (remaining LLZO matrix after burning). All-solid-state LiFePO4|Li cells assembled with the flexible composite solid electrolyte deliver a high initial discharge specific capacity of 121.4 mAh g-1 and good cycling stability at 55 °C.

  10. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on papers coated with carbon nanotubes and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Kang, Yu Jin; Chung, Haegeun; Han, Chi-Hwan; Kim, Woong

    2012-02-17

    All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors were fabricated using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), regular office papers, and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes. Flexible electrodes were made by coating CNTs on office papers by a drop-dry method. The gel electrolyte was prepared by mixing fumed silica nanopowders with ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf(2)]). This supercapacitor showed high power and energy performance as a solid-state flexible supercapacitor. The specific capacitance of the CNT electrodes was 135 F g(-1) at a current density of 2 A g(-1), when considering the mass of active materials only. The maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitors were 164 kW kg(-1) and 41 Wh kg(-1), respectively. Interestingly, the solid-state supercapacitor with the gel electrolyte showed comparable performance to the supercapacitors with ionic-liquid electrolyte. Moreover, the supercapacitor showed excellent stability and flexibility. The CNT/paper- and gel-based supercapacitors may hold great potential for low-cost and high-performance flexible energy storage applications.

  11. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on papers coated with carbon nanotubes and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Yu Jin; Chung, Haegeun; Han, Chi-Hwan; Kim, Woong

    2012-02-01

    All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors were fabricated using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), regular office papers, and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes. Flexible electrodes were made by coating CNTs on office papers by a drop-dry method. The gel electrolyte was prepared by mixing fumed silica nanopowders with ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf2]). This supercapacitor showed high power and energy performance as a solid-state flexible supercapacitor. The specific capacitance of the CNT electrodes was 135 F g-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1, when considering the mass of active materials only. The maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitors were 164 kW kg-1 and 41 Wh kg-1, respectively. Interestingly, the solid-state supercapacitor with the gel electrolyte showed comparable performance to the supercapacitors with ionic-liquid electrolyte. Moreover, the supercapacitor showed excellent stability and flexibility. The CNT/paper- and gel-based supercapacitors may hold great potential for low-cost and high-performance flexible energy storage applications.

  12. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors based on three-dimensional graphene hydrogel films.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yuxi; Lin, Zhaoyang; Huang, Xiaoqing; Liu, Yuan; Huang, Yu; Duan, Xiangfeng

    2013-05-28

    Flexible solid-state supercapacitors are of considerable interest as mobile power supply for future flexible electronics. Graphene or carbon nanotubes based thin films have been used to fabricate flexible solid-state supercapacitors with high gravimetric specific capacitances (80-200 F/g), but usually with a rather low overall or areal specific capacitance (3-50 mF/cm(2)) due to the ultrasmall electrode thickness (typically a few micrometers) and ultralow mass loading, which is not desirable for practical applications. Here we report the exploration of a three-dimensional (3D) graphene hydrogel for the fabrication of high-performance solid-state flexible supercapacitors. With a highly interconnected 3D network structure, graphene hydrogel exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity and mechanical robustness to make it an excellent material for flexible energy storage devices. Our studies demonstrate that flexible supercapacitors with a 120 μm thick graphene hydrogel thin film can exhibit excellent capacitive characteristics, including a high gravimetric specific capacitance of 186 F/g (up to 196 F/g for a 42 μm thick electrode), an unprecedented areal specific capacitance of 372 mF/cm(2) (up to 402 mF/cm(2) for a 185 μm thick electrode), low leakage current (10.6 μA), excellent cycling stability, and extraordinary mechanical flexibility. This study demonstrates the exciting potential of 3D graphene macrostructures for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

  13. Freestanding mesoporous VN/CNT hybrid electrodes for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Xu; Peng, Xiang; Jin, Huanyu; Li, Tianqi; Zhang, Chengcheng; Gao, Biao; Hu, Bin; Huo, Kaifu; Zhou, Jun

    2013-09-25

    High-performance all-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) are fabricated based on thin, lightweight, and flexible freestanding MVNN/CNT hybrid electrodes. The device shows a high volume capacitance of 7.9 F/cm(3) , volume energy and power density of 0.54 mWh/cm(3) and 0.4 W/cm(3) at a current density of 0.025 A/cm(3) . By being highly flexible, environmentally friendly, and easily connectable in series and parallel, the all-solid-state SCs promise potential applications in portable/wearable electronics. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Facilitated ion transport in all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Choi, Bong Gill; Hong, Jinkee; Hong, Won Hi; Hammond, Paula T; Park, HoSeok

    2011-09-27

    The realization of highly flexible and all-solid-state energy-storage devices strongly depends on both the electrical properties and mechanical integrity of the constitutive materials and the controlled assembly of electrode and solid electrolyte. Herein we report the preparation of all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors (SCs) through the easy assembly of functionalized reduced graphene oxide (f-RGO) thin films (as electrode) and solvent-cast Nafion electrolyte membranes (as electrolyte and separator). In particular, the f-RGO-based SCs (f-RGO-SCs) showed a 2-fold higher specific capacitance (118.5 F/g at 1 A/g) and rate capability (90% retention at 30 A/g) compared to those of all-solid-state graphene SCs (62.3 F/g at 1A/g and 48% retention at 30 A/g). As proven by the 4-fold faster relaxation of the f-RGO-SCs than that of the RGO-SCs and more capacitive behavior of the former at the low-frequency region, these results were attributed to the facilitated ionic transport at the electrical double layer by means of the interfacial engineering of RGO by Nafion. Moreover, the superiority of all-solid-state flexible f-RGO-SCs was demonstrated by the good performance durability under the 1000 cycles of charging and discharging due to the mechanical integrity as a consequence of the interconnected networking structures. Therefore, this research provides new insight into the rational design and fabrication of all-solid-state flexible energy-storage devices as well as the fundamental understanding of ion and charge transport at the interface. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  15. Titanium dioxide@polypyrrole core-shell nanowires for all solid-state flexible supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yu, Minghao; Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Chong; Lu, Xihong; Zeng, Chenghui; Yao, Chenzhong; Yang, Yangyi; Tong, Yexiang

    2013-11-21

    Herein, we developed a facile two-step process to synthesize TiO2@PPy core-shell nanowires (NWs) on carbon cloth and reported their improved electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The fabricated solid-state SC device based on TiO2@PPy core-shell NWs not only has excellent flexibility, but also exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance.

  16. Nanocarbon-Based Materials for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Lv, Tian; Liu, Mingxian; Zhu, Dazhang; Gan, Lihua; Chen, Tao

    2018-04-01

    Because of the rapid development of flexible electronics, it is important to develop high-performance flexible energy-storage devices, such as supercapacitors and metal-ion batteries. Compared with metal-ion batteries, supercapacitors exhibit higher power density, longer cycling life, and excellent safety, and they can be easily fabricated into all-solid-state devices by using polymer gel electrolytes. All-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) have the advantages of being lightweight and flexible, thus showing great potential to be used as power sources for flexible portable electronics. Because of their high specific surface area and excellent electrical and mechanical properties, nanocarbon materials (such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon nanofibers, and so on) have been widely used as efficient electrode materials for flexible ASSSCs, and great achievements have been obtained. Here, the recent advances in flexible ASSSCs are summarized, from design strategies to fabrication techniques for nanocarbon electrodes and devices. Current challenges and future perspectives are also discussed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Monolayer Nickel Cobalt Hydroxyl Carbonate for High Performance All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yufeng; Ma, Hongnan; Huang, Shifei; Zhang, Xuejiao; Xia, Meirong; Tang, Yongfu; Ma, Zi-Feng

    2016-09-07

    The emergence of atomically thick nanolayer materials, which feature a short ion diffusion channel and provide more exposed atoms in the electrochemical reactions, offers a promising occasion to optimize the performance of supercapacitors on the atomic level. In this work, a novel monolayer Ni-Co hydroxyl carbonate with an average thickness of 1.07 nm is synthesized via an ordinary one-pot hydrothermal route for the first time. This unique monolayer structure can efficiently rise up the exposed electroactive sites and facilitate the surface dependent electrochemical reaction processes, and thus results in outstanding specific capacitance of 2266 F g(-1). Based on this material, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor is developed adopting alkaline PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) gel (PVA/KOH) as electrolyte, which performs remarkable cycling stability (no capacitance fade after 19 000 cycles) together with promising energy density of 50 Wh kg(-1) (202 μWh cm(-2)) and high power density of 8.69 kW kg(-1) (35.1 mW cm(-2)). This as-assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (AASC) holds great potential in the field of portable energy storage devices.

  18. Effect of wing flexibility on the experimental aerodynamic characteristics of an oblique wing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hopkins, E. J.; Yee, S. C.

    1977-01-01

    A solid-aluminum oblique wing was designed to deflect considerably under load so as to relieve the asymmetric spanwise stalling that is characteristic of this type of wing by creating washout on the trailing wing panel and washin on the leading wing panel. Experimental forces, and pitching, rolling and yawing moments were measured with the wing mounted on a body of revolution. In order to vary the dynamic pressure, measurements were made at several unit Reynolds numbers, and at Mach numbers. The wing was investigated when unswept (at subsonic Mach numbers only) and when swept 45 deg, 50 deg, and 60 deg. The wing was straight tapered in planform, had an aspect ratio of 7.9 (based on the unswept span), and a profile with a maximum thickness of 4 percent chord. The results substantiate the concept that an oblique wing designed with the proper amount of flexibility self relieves itself of asymmetric spanwise stalling and the associated nonlinear moment curves.

  19. Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Hydrogels with Embedded Nickel Hydroxide Nanoplates.

    PubMed

    Xie, Hao; Tang, Shaochun; Li, Dongdong; Vongehr, Sascha; Meng, Xiangkang

    2017-05-22

    To push the energy density limit of supercapacitors (SCs), new electrode materials with hierarchical nano-micron pore architectures are strongly desired. Graphene hydrogels that consist of 3 D porous frameworks have received particular attention but their capacitance is limited by electrical double layer capacitance. In this work, we report the rational design and fabrication of a composite hydrogel of N-doped graphene (NG) that contains embedded Ni(OH) 2 nanoplates that is cut conveniently into films to serve as positive electrodes for flexible asymmetric solid-state SCs with NG hydrogel films as negative electrodes. The use of high-power ultrasound leads to hierarchically porous micron-scale sheets that consist of a highly interconnected 3 D NG network in which Ni(OH) 2 nanoplates are well dispersed, which avoids the stacking of NG, Ni(OH) 2 , and their composites. The optimal SC device benefits from the compositional features and 3 D electrode architecture and has a high specific areal capacitance of 255 mF cm -2 at 1.0 mA cm -2 and a very stable, high output cell voltage of 1.45 V, which leads to an energy density of 80 μW h cm -2 even at a high power of 944 μW cm -2 , considerably higher than that reported for similar devices. The devices exhibit a high rate capability and only 8 % capacitance loss over 10 000 charging cycles as well as excellent flexibility with no clear performance degradation under strong bending. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. High Performance All-Solid-State Flexible Micro-Pseudocapacitor Based on Hierarchically Nanostructured Tungsten Trioxide Composite

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are promising energy storage devices to power miniaturized portable electronics and microelectromechanical systems. With the increasing attention on all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors, new strategies for high-performance flexible MSCs are highly desired. Here, we demonstrate all-solid-state, flexible micropseudocapacitors via direct laser patterning on crack-free, flexible WO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites containing high levels of porous hierarchically structured WO3 nanomaterials (up to 50 wt %) and limited binder (PVDF, <25 wt %). The work leads to an areal capacitance of 62.4 mF·cm–2 and a volumetric capacitance of 10.4 F·cm–3, exceeding that of graphene based flexible MSCs by a factor of 26 and 3, respectively. As a noncarbon based flexible MSC, hierarchically nanostructured WO3 in the narrow finger electrode is essential to such enhancement in energy density due to its pseudocapacitive property. The effects of WO3/PVDF/MWCNTs composite composition and the dimensions of interdigital structure on the performance of the flexible MSCs are investigated. PMID:26618406

  1. High Performance All-Solid-State Flexible Micro-Pseudocapacitor Based on Hierarchically Nanostructured Tungsten Trioxide Composite.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xuezhen; Liu, Hewei; Zhang, Xi; Jiang, Hongrui

    2015-12-23

    Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are promising energy storage devices to power miniaturized portable electronics and microelectromechanical systems. With the increasing attention on all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors, new strategies for high-performance flexible MSCs are highly desired. Here, we demonstrate all-solid-state, flexible micropseudocapacitors via direct laser patterning on crack-free, flexible WO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites containing high levels of porous hierarchically structured WO3 nanomaterials (up to 50 wt %) and limited binder (PVDF, <25 wt %). The work leads to an areal capacitance of 62.4 mF·cm(-2) and a volumetric capacitance of 10.4 F·cm(-3), exceeding that of graphene based flexible MSCs by a factor of 26 and 3, respectively. As a noncarbon based flexible MSC, hierarchically nanostructured WO3 in the narrow finger electrode is essential to such enhancement in energy density due to its pseudocapacitive property. The effects of WO3/PVDF/MWCNTs composite composition and the dimensions of interdigital structure on the performance of the flexible MSCs are investigated.

  2. All-solid-state flexible ultrathin micro-supercapacitors based on graphene.

    PubMed

    Niu, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Li; Liu, Lili; Zhu, Bowen; Dong, Haibo; Chen, Xiaodong

    2013-08-07

    Flexible, compact, ultrathin and all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors are prepared by coating H₃PO₄/PVA gel electrolyte onto micro-patterned rGO interdigitated electrodes prepared by combining photolithography with selective electrophoretic deposition. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Titanium dioxide@polypyrrole core-shell nanowires for all solid-state flexible supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Minghao; Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Chong; Lu, Xihong; Zeng, Chenghui; Yao, Chenzhong; Yang, Yangyi; Tong, Yexiang

    2013-10-01

    Herein, we developed a facile two-step process to synthesize TiO2@PPy core-shell nanowires (NWs) on carbon cloth and reported their improved electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The fabricated solid-state SC device based on TiO2@PPy core-shell NWs not only has excellent flexibility, but also exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance.Herein, we developed a facile two-step process to synthesize TiO2@PPy core-shell nanowires (NWs) on carbon cloth and reported their improved electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The fabricated solid-state SC device based on TiO2@PPy core-shell NWs not only has excellent flexibility, but also exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, XRD pattern, FT-IR absorption spectrum and CV curves of TiO2@PPy NWs, and SEM images of the PPy. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03578f

  4. 3D Porous Nanoarchitectures Derived from SnS/S-Doped Graphene Hybrid Nanosheets for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chunyan; Zhao, Shulin; Lu, Yanan; Chang, Yingxue; Xu, Dongdong; Wang, Qi; Dai, Zhihui; Bao, Jianchun; Han, Min

    2017-03-01

    3D porous nanoarchitectures derived from SnS/S-doped graphene hybrid nanosheets are successfully prepared by controllable thermal conversion of oleylamine-capped mixed-phase SnS 2 -SnS nanodisks precursors, and employed as electroactive material to fabricate flexible, symmetric, all-solid-state supercapacitors. The fabricated solid devices exhibit very high areal specific capacitance (2.98 mF cm -2 ), good cycling stability (99% for 10 000 cycles), excellent flexibility, and desirable mechanical stability. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Highly flexible, all solid-state micro-supercapacitors from vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Hsia, Ben; Marschewski, Julian; Wang, Shuang; In, Jung Bin; Carraro, Carlo; Poulikakos, Dimos; Grigoropoulos, Costas P; Maboudian, Roya

    2014-02-07

    We report a highly flexible planar micro-supercapacitor with interdigitated finger electrodes of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The planar electrode structures are patterned on a thin polycarbonate substrate with a facile, maskless laser-assisted dry transfer method. Sputtered Ni is used to reduce the in-plane resistance of the VACNT electrodes. An ionogel, an ionic liquid in a semi-solid matrix, is used as an electrolyte to form a fully solid-state device. We measure a specific capacitance of 430 μF cm(-2) for a scan rate of 0.1 V s(-1) and achieve rectangular cyclic voltammograms at high scan rates of up to 100 V s(-1). Minimal change in capacitance is observed under bending. Mechanical fatigue tests with more than 1000 cycles confirm the high flexibility and durability of the novel material combination chosen for this device. Our results indicate that this scalable and facile fabrication technique shows promise for application in integrated energy storage for all solid-state flexible microdevices.

  6. Fabrication of hollow nanorod electrodes based on RuO2//Fe2O3 for an asymmetric supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qiufan; Liang, Xiao; Ma, Yun; Zhang, Daohong

    2018-06-12

    In this work, hollow RuO2 nanotube arrays were successfully grown on carbon cloth by using a facile two-step method to fabricate a binder-free electrode. The well-aligned electrode displays excellent electrochemical performance. By using RuO2 hollow nanotube arrays as the positive electrode and Fe2O3 as the negative electrode, a flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) has been fabricated which exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, such as a high capacitance of 4.9 F cm-3, a high energy density of 1.5 mW h cm-3 and a high power density of 9.1 mW cm-3. In addition, the two-electrode SC shows high cycling stability with 97% capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. These excellent electrochemical performances are ascribed to the unique hollow structural design of electrodes, which can shorten the ion diffusion length, provide a fast ion transport channel, and offer a large electrode/electrolyte interface for the charge-transfer reaction. The structural design and the synthesis approach are general and can be extended to synthesizing a broad range of materials systems.

  7. Embedded Ag Grid Electrodes as Current Collector for Ultraflexible Transparent Solid-State Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jian-Long; Liu, Yan-Hua; Gao, Xu; Sun, Yilin; Shen, Su; Cai, Xinlei; Chen, Linsen; Wang, Sui-Dong

    2017-08-23

    Flexible transparent solid-state supercapacitors have attracted immerse attention for the power supply of next-generation flexible "see-through" or "invisible" electronics. For fabrication of such devices, high-performance flexible transparent current collectors are highly desired. In this paper, the utilization of embedded Ag grid transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) fabricated by a facile soft ultraviolet imprinting lithography method combined with scrap techniques, as the current collector for flexible transparent solid-state supercapacitors, is demonstrated. The embedded Ag grid TCEs exhibit not only excellent optoelectronic properties (R S ∼ 2.0 Ω sq -1 and T ∼ 89.74%) but also robust mechanical properties, which could meet the conductivity, transparency, and flexibility needs of current collectors for flexible transparent supercapacitors. The obtained supercapacitor exhibits large specific capacitance, long cycling life, high optical transparency (T ∼ 80.58% at 550 nm), high flexibility, and high stability. Owing to the embedded Ag grid TCE structure, the device shows a slight capacitance loss of 2.6% even after 1000 cycles of repetitive bending for a bending radius of up to 2.0 mm. This paves the way for developing high-performance current collectors and thus flexible transparent energy storage devices, and their general applicability opens up opportunities for flexible transparent electronics.

  8. Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on polyaniline orderly nanotubes array.

    PubMed

    Li, Huihua; Song, Juan; Wang, Linlin; Feng, Xiaomiao; Liu, Ruiqing; Zeng, Wenjin; Huang, Zhendong; Ma, Yanwen; Wang, Lianhui

    2017-01-07

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors are crucial to meet the growing needs for portable electronic devices such as foldable phones and wearable electronics. As promising candidates for pseudocapacitor electrode materials, polyaniline (PANI) orderly nanotube arrays are prepared via a simple template electrodeposition method. The structures of the final product were characterized using various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtained PANI nanotube film could be directly used as a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor electrode. Electrochemical results show that the areal capacitance of a PANI nanotube-based supercapacitor with the deposition cycle number of 100 can achieve a maximum areal capacitance of 237.5 mF cm -2 at a scan rate of 10 mV s -1 and maximum energy density of 24.31 mW h cm -2 at a power density of 2.74 mW cm -2 . In addition, the prepared supercapacitor exhibits excellent flexibility under different bending conditions. It retains 95.2% of its initial capacitance value after 2000 cycles at a current density of 1.0 mA cm -1 , which displays its superior cycling stability. Moreover, the prepared flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor can power a light-emitting-diode (LED), which meets the practical applications of micropower supplies.

  9. Preparation of asymmetric porous materials

    DOEpatents

    Coker, Eric N [Albuquerque, NM

    2012-08-07

    A method for preparing an asymmetric porous material by depositing a porous material film on a flexible substrate, and applying an anisotropic stress to the porous media on the flexible substrate, where the anisotropic stress results from a stress such as an applied mechanical force, a thermal gradient, and an applied voltage, to form an asymmetric porous material.

  10. Ultraflexible and tailorable all-solid-state supercapacitors using polyacrylamide-based hydrogel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity.

    PubMed

    Li, Huili; Lv, Tian; Li, Ning; Yao, Yao; Liu, Kai; Chen, Tao

    2017-11-30

    Hydrogels with high ionic conductivity consisting of a cross-linked polymer network swollen in water are very promising to be used as an electrolyte for all-solid-state supercapacitors. However, there are rather few flexible supercapacitors using ionic conducting hydrogel electrolytes reported to date. In this work, highly flexible and ionic conducting polyacrylamide hydrogels were synthesized through a simple approach. On using the ionic hydrogels as the electrolyte, the resulting supercapacitors not only exhibited a high specific capacitance but also showed a long self-discharge time (over 10 hours to the half of original open-circuit voltage) and a low leakage current. These newly-developed all-solid-state supercapacitors can be bent, knot, and kneaded for 5000 cycles without performance decay, suggesting excellent flexibility and mechanical stability. These all-solid-state supercapacitors can also be easily tailored into strip-like supercapacitors without a short circuit, which provides an efficient approach to fabricate wearable energy storage devices.

  11. Three-dimensional hierarchical GeSe2 nanostructures for high performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xianfu; Liu, Bin; Wang, Qiufan; Song, Weifeng; Hou, Xiaojuan; Chen, Di; Cheng, Yi-bing; Shen, Guozhen

    2013-03-13

    Highly flexible stacked and in-plane all-solid-state supercapacitors are fabricated on 3D hierarchical GeSe2 nanostructures with high performance, and, when configured as a self-powered photodetector nanosystem, can be used to power CdSe nanowire photodetectors. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Solid-state NMR studies of form I of atorvastatin calcium.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei David; Gao, Xudong; Strohmeier, Mark; Wang, Wei; Bai, Shi; Dybowski, Cecil

    2012-03-22

    Solid-state (13)C, (19)F, and (15)N magic angle spinning NMR studies of Form I of atorvastatin calcium are reported, including chemical shift tensors of all resolvable carbon sites and fluorine sites. The complete (13)C and (19)F chemical shift assignments are given based on an extensive analysis of (13)C-(1)H HETCOR and (13)C-(19)F HETCOR results. The solid-state NMR data indicate that the asymmetric unit of this material contains two atorvastatin molecules. A possible structure of Form I of atorvastatin calcium (ATC-I), derived from solid-state NMR data and density functional theory calculations of various structures, is proposed for this important active pharmaceutical ingredient (API).

  13. Achieving Ultrahigh Energy Density and Long Durability in a Flexible Rechargeable Quasi-Solid-State Zn-MnO2 Battery.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Xiyue; Meng, Yue; Yu, Minghao; Yi, Jianan; Wu, Yiqiang; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

    2017-07-01

    Advanced flexible batteries with high energy density and long cycle life are an important research target. Herein, the first paradigm of a high-performance and stable flexible rechargeable quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery is constructed by engineering MnO 2 electrodes and gel electrolyte. Benefiting from a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) buffer layer and a Mn 2+ -based neutral electrolyte, the fabricated Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery presents a remarkable capacity of 366.6 mA h g -1 and good cycling performance (83.7% after 300 cycles) in aqueous electrolyte. More importantly, when using PVA/ZnCl 2 /MnSO 4 gel as electrolyte, the as-fabricated quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery remains highly rechargeable, maintaining more than 77.7% of its initial capacity and nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency after 300 cycles. Moreover, this flexible quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery achieves an admirable energy density of 504.9 W h kg -1 (33.95 mW h cm -3 ), together with a peak power density of 8.6 kW kg -1 , substantially higher than most recently reported flexible energy-storage devices. With the merits of impressive energy density and durability, this highly flexible rechargeable Zn-MnO 2 battery opens new opportunities for powering portable and wearable electronics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Rational Design of Self-Supported Ni3S2 Nanosheets Array for Advanced Asymmetric Supercapacitor with a Superior Energy Density.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jun Song; Guan, Cao; Gui, Yang; Blackwood, Daniel John

    2017-01-11

    We report a rationally designed two-step method to fabricate self-supported Ni 3 S 2 nanosheet arrays. We first used 2-methylimidazole (2-MI), an organic molecule commonly served as organic linkers in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), to synthesize an α-Ni(OH) 2 nanosheet array as a precursor, followed by its hydrothermal sulfidization into Ni 3 S 2 . The resulting Ni 3 S 2 nanosheet array demonstrated superior supercapacitance properties, with a very high capacitance of about 1,000 F g -1 being delivered at a high current density of 50 A g -1 for 20,000 charge-discharge cycles. This performance is unparalleled by other reported nickel sulfide-based supercapacitors and is also advantageous compared to other nickel-based materials such as NiO and Ni(OH) 2 . An asymmetric supercapacitor was then established, exhibiting a very stable capacitance of about 200 F g -1 at a high current density of 10 A g -1 for 10,000 cycles and a surprisingly high energy density of 202 W h kg -1 . This value is comparable to that of the lithium-ion batteries, i.e., 180 W h kg -1 . The potential of the material for practical applications was evaluated by building a quasi-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor which showed good flexibility and power output, and two of these devices connected in series were able to power up 18 green light-emitting diodes.

  15. High-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on densely-packed graphene/polypyrrole nanoparticle papers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling; Hu, Nantao; Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao; Wang, Yanyan; Zhang, Yafei

    2016-11-01

    Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) have received increasing attention. It's a great challenge to fabricate high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors with high areal and volumetric energy storage capability, superior electron and ion conductivity, robust mechanical flexibility, as well as long term stability. Herein, we report a facile method to fabricate flexible ASSSCs based on densely-packed reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polypyrrole nanoparticle (PPy NP) hybrid papers with a sandwich framework, which consists of well-separated and continuously-aligned rGO sheets. The incorporation of PPy NPs not only provides pseudocapacitance but also facilitates the infiltration of gel electrolyte. The assembled ASSSCs possess maximum areal and volumetric specific capacitances of 477 mF/cm2 and 94.9 F/cm3 at 0.5 mA/cm2. They also exhibit little capacitance deviation under different bending states, excellent cycling stability, small leakage current and low self-discharge characteristics. Additionally, the maximum areal and volumetric energy densities of 132.5 μWh/cm2 and 26.4 mWh/cm3 are achieved, which indicate that this hybrid paper is a promising candidate for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

  16. Flexible all solid-state supercapacitors based on chemical vapor deposition derived graphene fibers.

    PubMed

    Li, Xinming; Zhao, Tianshuo; Chen, Qiao; Li, Peixu; Wang, Kunlin; Zhong, Minlin; Wei, Jinquan; Wu, Dehai; Wei, Bingqing; Zhu, Hongwei

    2013-11-07

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene fibers are demonstrated in this study. Surface-deposited oxide nanoparticles are used as pseudo-capacitor electrodes to achieve high capacitance. This supercapacitor electrode has an areal capacitance of 42 mF cm(-2), which is comparable to the capacitance for fiber-based supercapacitors reported to date. During the bending and cycling of the fiber-based supercapacitor, the stability could be maintained without sacrificing the electrochemical performance, which provides a novel and simple way to develop flexible, lightweight and efficient graphene-based devices.

  17. Flexible, planar-integrated, all-solid-state fiber supercapacitors with an enhanced distributed-capacitance effect.

    PubMed

    Liu, Bin; Tan, Dongsheng; Wang, Xianfu; Chen, Di; Shen, Guozhen

    2013-06-10

    Flexible and highly efficient energy storage units act as one of the key components in portable electronics. In this work, by planar-integrated assembly of hierarchical ZnCo₂O₄ nanowire arrays/carbon fibers electrodes, a new class of flexible all-solid-state planar-integrated fiber supercapacitors are designed and produced via a low-cost and facile method. The as-fabricated flexible devices exhibit high-efficiency, enhanced capacity, long cycle life, and excellent electrical stability. An enhanced distributed-capacitance effect is experimentally observed for the device. This strategy enables highly flexible new structured supercapacitors with maximum functionality and minimized size, thus making it possible to be readily applied in flexible/portable photoelectronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Chiral allene-containing phosphines in asymmetric catalysis

    PubMed Central

    Cai, Feng; Pu, Xiaotao; Qi, Xiangbing; Lynch, Vincent; Radha, Akella; Ready, Joseph M.

    2011-01-01

    Traditionally, ligands used in asymmetric catalysis have contained either stereogenic atoms or hindered single bonds (atropisomerism), or both. Here we demonstrate that allenes, chiral 1,2-dienes, appended with basic functionality can serve as ligands for transition metals. We describe an allene-containing bisphosphine that, when coordinated to Rh(I), promotes the asymmetric addition of aryl boronic acids to α-keto esters with high enantioselectivity. Solution and solid-state structural analysis reveals that one olefin of the allene can coordinate to transition metals generating bi- and tri-dentate ligands. PMID:21972824

  19. Highly flexible and all-solid-state paperlike polymer supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Meng, Chuizhou; Liu, Changhong; Chen, Luzhuo; Hu, Chunhua; Fan, Shoushan

    2010-10-13

    In recent years, much effort have been dedicated to achieve thin, lightweight and even flexible energy-storage devices for wearable electronics. Here we demonstrate a novel kind of ultrathin all-solid-state supercapacitor configuration with an extremely simple process using two slightly separated polyaniline-based electrodes well solidified in the H(2)SO(4)-polyvinyl alcohol gel electrolyte. The thickness of the entire device is much comparable to that of a piece of commercial standard A4 print paper. Under its highly flexible (twisting) state, the integrate device shows a high specific capacitance of 350 F/g for the electrode materials, well cycle stability after 1000 cycles and a leakage current of as small as 17.2 μA. Furthermore, due to its polymer-based component structure, it has a specific capacitance of as high as 31.4 F/g for the entire device, which is more than 6 times that of current high-level commercial supercapacitor products. These highly flexible and all-solid-state paperlike polymer supercapacitors may bring new design opportunities of device configuration for energy-storage devices in the future wearable electronic area.

  20. Wrapping Aligned Carbon Nanotube Composite Sheets around Vanadium Nitride Nanowire Arrays for Asymmetric Coaxial Fiber-Shaped Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Energy Density.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qichong; Wang, Xiaona; Pan, Zhenghui; Sun, Juan; Zhao, Jingxin; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Cuixia; Tang, Lei; Luo, Jie; Song, Bin; Zhang, Zengxing; Lu, Weibang; Li, Qingwen; Zhang, Yuegang; Yao, Yagang

    2017-04-12

    The emergence of fiber-shaped supercapacitors (FSSs) has led to a revolution in portable and wearable electronic devices. However, obtaining high energy density FSSs for practical applications is still a key challenge. This article exhibits a facile and effective approach to directly grow well-aligned three-dimensional vanadium nitride (VN) nanowire arrays (NWAs) on carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber with an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 715 mF/cm 2 in a three-electrode system. Benefiting from their intriguing structural features, we successfully fabricated a prototype asymmetric coaxial FSS (ACFSS) with a maximum operating voltage of 1.8 V. From core to shell, this ACFSS consists of a CNT fiber core coated with VN@C NWAs as the negative electrode, Na 2 SO 4 poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the solid electrolyte, and MnO 2 /conducting polymer/CNT sheets as the positive electrode. The novel coaxial architecture not only fully enables utilization of the effective surface area and decreases the contact resistance between the two electrodes but also, more importantly, provides a short pathway for the ultrafast transport of axial electrons and ions. The electrochemical results show that the optimized ACFSS exhibits a remarkable specific capacitance of 213.5 mF/cm 2 and an exceptional energy density of 96.07 μWh/cm 2 , the highest areal capacitance and areal energy density yet reported in FSSs. Furthermore, the device possesses excellent flexibility in that its capacitance retention reaches 96.8% after bending 5000 times, which further allows it to be woven into flexible electronic clothes with conventional weaving techniques. Therefore, the asymmetric coaxial architectural design allows new opportunities to fabricate high-performance flexible FSSs for future portable and wearable electronic devices.

  1. Flexible solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on MnO2 nanofilms with high rate capability and long cyclability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Lingxia; Li, Ruizhi; Guo, Junling; Zhou, Cheng; Zhang, Wenpei; Wang, Chong; Huang, Yu; Li, Yuanyuan; Liu, Jinping

    2013-08-01

    Flexible solid-state symmetric supercapacitor was fabricated using MnO2 nanofilms growing directly on carbon cloth as the electrodes and PVA/H3PO4 gel as the electrolyte/separator. The device can be operated at a stable cell-voltage up to 1.4 V, obviously larger than that of conventional solid-state symmetric supercapacitors (≤1 V). It exhibited excellent rate capability with a scan rate as high as 20 V s-1 and a long cyclability (˜60000 cycles) even under severe mechanical deformation. The charge storage mechanism at different scan rates was also quantitatively analyzed.

  2. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility prepare a solid state recorder for installation in a protective enclosure as part of the prelaunch preparations for STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The digital solid state recorder will replace one of three engineering/science tape recorders on Hubble. The solid state recorder has no moving parts to wear out. It also is more flexible than a reel-to-reel recorder and can store 10 times as much data. Liftoff aboard Discovery is targeted Feb. 11 with a crew of seven.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1997-01-16

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility prepare a solid state recorder for installation in a protective enclosure as part of the prelaunch preparations for STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The digital solid state recorder will replace one of three engineering/science tape recorders on Hubble. The solid state recorder has no moving parts to wear out. It also is more flexible than a reel-to-reel recorder and can store 10 times as much data. Liftoff aboard Discovery is targeted Feb. 11 with a crew of seven.

  3. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility install a solid state recorder into a transport assembly in its protective enclosure as part of the prelaunch preparations for STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The digital solid state recorder will replace one of three engineering/science tape recorders on Hubble. The solid state recorder has no moving parts to wear out. It also is more flexible than a reel-to-reel recorder and can store 10 times as much data. Liftoff aboard Discovery is targeted Feb. 11 with a crew of seven.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1997-01-16

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility install a solid state recorder into a transport assembly in its protective enclosure as part of the prelaunch preparations for STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The digital solid state recorder will replace one of three engineering/science tape recorders on Hubble. The solid state recorder has no moving parts to wear out. It also is more flexible than a reel-to-reel recorder and can store 10 times as much data. Liftoff aboard Discovery is targeted Feb. 11 with a crew of seven.

  4. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on highly dispersed polypyrrole nanowire and reduced graphene oxide composites.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chenfei; Ma, Peipei; Zhou, Xi; Wang, Anqi; Qian, Tao; Wu, Shishan; Chen, Qiang

    2014-10-22

    Highly dispersed polypyrrole nanowires are decorated on reduced graphene oxide sheets using a facile in situ synthesis route. The prepared composites exhibit high dispersibility, large effective surface area, and high electric conductivity. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors are assembled based on the prepared composites, which show excellent electrochemical performances with a specific capacitance of 434.7 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1). The as-fabricated supercapacitor also exhibits excellent cycling stability (88.1% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles) and exceptional mechanical flexibility. In addition, outstanding power and energy densities were obtained, demonstrating the significant potential of prepared material for flexible and portable energy storage devices.

  5. Polypyrrole-polyoxometalate/reduced graphene oxide ternary nanohybrids for flexible, all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yuyun; Han, Min; Tang, Yujia; Bao, Jianchun; Li, Shunli; Lan, Yaqian; Dai, Zhihui

    2015-08-11

    Novel polypyrrole-polyoxometalate/reduced graphene oxide ternary nanohybrids (TNHs) are synthesized via a one-pot redox relay strategy. The TNHs exhibit high areal specific capacitance (2.61 mF cm(-2)), and the fabricated solid device also exhibits good rate capability, excellent flexibility and mechanical stability.

  6. Three-dimensional ionic conduction in the strained electrolytes of solid oxide fuel cells

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

    Han, Yupei; Zou, Minda; Lv, Weiqiang

    2016-05-07

    Flexible power sources including fuel cells and batteries are the key to realizing flexible electronic devices with pronounced foldability. To understand the bending effects in these devices, theoretical analysis on three-dimensional (3-D) lattice bending is necessary. In this report, we derive a 3-D analytical model to analyze the effects of electrolyte crystal bending on ionic conductivity in flexible solid-state batteries/fuel cells. By employing solid oxide fuel cells as a materials' platform, the intrinsic parameters of bent electrolyte materials, including lattice constant, Young's modulus, and Poisson ratio, are evaluated. Our work facilitates the rational design of highly efficient flexible electrolytes formore » high-performance flexible device applications.« less

  7. Wearable supercapacitors on polyethylene terephthalate fabrics with good wash fastness and high flexibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Guixia; Babaahmadi, Vahid; He, Nanfei; Liu, Yixin; Pan, Qin; Montazer, Majid; Gao, Wei

    2017-11-01

    All solid-state micro-supercapacitors (MSC) have emerged as attractive energy-storage units for portable and wearable electronics. Here, we describe a textile-based solid-state MSC via laser scribing of graphene oxide (GO) coatings on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. The laser-scribed graphene oxide layers (LGO) possess three-dimensionally porous structure suitable for electrochemical-double-layer formation. To improve the wash fastness and the flexibility of the as-prepared MSCs, glutaraldehyde (GA) was employed to crosslink the GO layers and PVA-gel electrolyte onto the PET fabric. The resultant all solid-state MSCs exhibited excellent flexibility, high areal specific capacitance (756 μF·cm-2 at 20 mV·s-1), and good rate capability when subject to bending and laundering. Furthermore, the MSC device showed a high power density of about 1.4 W·cm-3 and an energy density of 5.3 × 10-5 Wh·cm-3, and retained 98.3% of its initial capacitance after 1000 cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA·cm-2. This work is the first demonstration of in-plane MSCs on PET fabric surfaces with enhanced durability and flexibility.

  8. Facile synthesis of amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composites as screen-printed electrode materials for all-printed solid-state flexible supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Qiang; Liu, Li; Yang, Shuanglei; Liu, Jun; Tian, Qingyong; Yao, Weijing; Xue, Qingwen; Li, Mengxiao; Wu, Wei

    2017-09-01

    More convenience and intelligence life lead by flexible/wearable electronics requires innovation and hommization of power sources. Here, amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composite as screen-printed electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) is synthesized by a facile method, and solid-state flexible SCs with aesthetic design are fabricated by fully screen-printed process on different substrates, including PET, paper and textile. The amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composite shows a high specific capacitance and a good rate capability (350.2 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 and 159.5 F g-1 at 20 A g-1). It also possesses 95.6% capacitance retention even after 10 000 cycles. Moreover, the all-printed solid-state flexible SC device exhibits a high area specific capacitance of 5.7 mF cm-2 and 80% capacitance retention even after 2000 cycles. It also shows high mechanical flexibility. Simultaneously, these printed SCs on different substrates in series are capable to light up a 1.9 V yellow light emitting diode (LED), even after bending and stretching.

  9. Nitrogen doped carbon derived from polyimide/multiwall carbon nanotube composites for high performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Dae Kyom; Kim, Nam Dong; Park, Seung-Keun; Seong, Kwang-dong; Hwang, Minsik; You, Nam-Ho; Piao, Yuanzhe

    2018-03-01

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors are desirable as potential energy storage systems for wearable technologies. Herein, we synthesize aminophenyl multiwall carbon nanotube (AP-MWCNT) grafted polyimide precursor by in situ polymerization method as a nitrogen-doped carbon precursor. Flexible supercapacitor electrodes are fabricated via a coating of carbon precursor on carbon cloth surface and carbonization at high temperature directly. The as-obtained electrodes, which can be directly used without any binders or additives, can deliver a high specific capacitance of 333.4 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 (based on active material mass) and excellent cycle stability with 103% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles in a three-electrode system. The flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor device exhibits a high volumetric capacitance of 3.88 F cm-3 at a current density of 0.02 mA cm-3. And also the device can deliver a maximum volumetric energy density of 0.50 mWh cm-3 and presents good cycling stability with 85.3% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles. This device cell can not only show extraordinary mechanical flexibilities allowing folding, twisting, and rolling but also demonstrate remarkable stable electrochemical performances under their forms. This work provides a novel approach to obtain carbon textile-based flexible supercapacitors with high electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility.

  10. All-solid-state flexible microsupercapacitors based on reduced graphene oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mao, Xiling; Xu, Jianhua; He, Xin; Yang, Wenyao; Yang, Yajie; Xu, Lu; Zhao, Yuetao; Zhou, Yujiu

    2018-03-01

    All-solid-state flexible microsupercapacitors have been intensely investigated in order to meet the rapidly growing demands for portable microelectronic devices. Herein, we demonstrate a facile, readily scalable and cost-effective laser induction process for preparing reduced graphene oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite, which can be used as the interdigital electrodes in microsupercapacitors. The obtained composite exhibits high volumetric capacitance about 49.35 F cm-3, which is nearly 5 times higher than that of the pristine reduced graphene oxide film in aqueous 1.0 M H2SO4 solution (measured at a current density of 5 A cm-3 in a three-electrode testing). Additionally, an all-solid-state flexible microsupercapacitor employing these composite electrodes with PVA/H3PO4 gel electrolyte delivers high volumetric energy density of 6.47 mWh cm-3 at 10 mW cm-3 under the current density of 20 mA cm-3 as well as achieve excellent cycling stability retaining 88.6% of its initial value and outstanding coulombic efficiency after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, the microsupercapacitors array connected in series/parallel can be easily adjusted to achieve the demands in practical applications. Therefore, this work brings a promising new candidate of prepare technologies for all-solid-state flexible microsupercapacitors as miniaturized power sources used in the portable and wearable electronics.

  11. All-round utilization of biomass derived all-solid-state asymmetric carbon-based supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chao; Xiong, Ye; Wang, Hanwei; Sun, Qingfeng

    2018-05-30

    All-round utilization of resources is proposed for maximizing environmental and economic benefits. Herein, the concept of all-round utilization on biomass derivations applying to carbon-based supercapacitors is demonstrated. Orange peel is used for all subassemblies of supercapacitor, including electrodes, separator and electrolyte. A monolithic porous carbon (OPHPC) is prepared by one-step carbonization of orange peel and another composite electrode is further synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process, based on sufficient utilization of natural structure and chemical components. OPHPC exhibits a high specific surface area of 860 m 2  g -1 and naturally doped nitrogen. The composite electrode shows the homogeneous and high mass loading of MnO 2 . Orange peel also affords the role of separator benefited from the natural porous channel structure and high porosity of 74.6%. Orange peel juice is exploited to produce the electrolyte, and exhibits the best retention in natural separator. All-orange peel all-solid-state supercapacitor shows the high areal capacitance of 3987 mF cm -2 . Furthermore, the flexibility of orange peel is also utilized to achieve the shape-tailored monolithic porous carbon electrode and device, which further extends the utilized dimensionality in biomass applying to supercapacitors. The work starts with all dimensional utilization for biomass derived supercapacitor. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. When is an imine not an imine? Unusual reactivity of a series of Cu(II) imine-pyridine complexes and their exploitation for the Henry reaction.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Christine J; Jones, Matthew D; Brayshaw, Simon K; Sonnex, Benjamin; Russell, Mark L; Mahon, Mary F; Allan, David R

    2011-04-14

    In this paper we report the synthesis and solid-state structures for a series of pyridine based Cu(II) complexes and preliminary data for the asymmetric Henry reaction. Interestingly, the solid-state structures indicate the incorporation of an alcohol into one of the imine groups of the ligand, forming a rare α-amino ether group. The complexes have been studied via single crystal X-ray diffraction, EPR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Intriguingly, it has been observed that the alcohol only adds to one of the imine moieties. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have also been employed to rationalise the observed structures. The Cu(II) complexes have been tested in the asymmetric Henry reaction (benzaldehyde + nitromethane or nitroethane) with ee's up to 84% being achieved as well as high conversions and modest diastereoselectivities. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  13. Electrode-Impregnable and Cross-Linkable Poly(ethylene oxide)-Poly(propylene oxide)-Poly(ethylene oxide) Triblock Polymer Electrolytes with High Ionic Conductivity and a Large Voltage Window for Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Han, Jae Hee; Lee, Jang Yong; Suh, Dong Hack; Hong, Young Taik; Kim, Tae-Ho

    2017-10-04

    We present cross-linkable precursor-type gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) that have large ionic liquid uptake capability, can easily penetrate electrodes, have high ion conductivity, and are mechanically strong as high-performance, flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors (SC). Our polymer precursors feature a hydrophilic-hydrophobic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock main-chain structure and trifunctional silane end groups that can be multi-cross-linked with each other through a sol-gel process. The cross-linked solid-state electrolyte film with moderate IL content (200 wt %) shows a well-balanced combination of excellent ionic conductivity (5.0 × 10 -3 S cm -1 ) and good mechanical stability (maximum strain = 194%). Moreover, our polymer electrolytes have various advantages including high thermal stability (decomposition temperature > 330 °C) and the capability to impregnate electrodes to form an excellent electrode-electrolyte interface due to the very low viscosity of the precursors. By assembling our GPE-impregnated electrodes and solid-state GPE film, we demonstrate an all-solid-state SC that can operate at 3 V and provides an improved specific capacitance (112.3 F g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 ), better rate capability (64% capacity retention until 20 A g -1 ), and excellent cycle stability (95% capacitance decay over 10 000 charge/discharge cycles) compared with those of a reference SC using a conventional PEO electrolyte. Finally, flexible SCs with a high energy density (22.6 W h kg -1 at 1 A g -1 ) and an excellent flexibility (>93% capacitance retention after 5000 bending cycles) can successfully be obtained.

  14. Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Polyaniline Arrays Coated Graphene Aerogel Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Yu; Xi, Yunlong; Li, Junzhi; Wei, Guodong; Klyui, N. I.; Han, Wei

    2017-06-01

    Flexible supercapacitors(SCs) made by reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-based aerogel usually suffer from the low energy density, short cycle life and bad flexibility. In this study, a new, synthetic strategy was developed for enhancing the electrochemical performances of rGO aerogel-based supercapacitor via electrodeposition polyaniline arrays on the prepared ultralight rGO aerogel. The novel hybrid composites with coated polyaniline (PANI) arrays growing on the rGO surface can take full advantage of the rich open-pore and excellent conductivity of the crosslinking framework structure of 3D rGO aerogel and high capacitance contribution from the PANI. The obtained hybrid composites exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 432 F g-1 at the current density of 1 A g-1, robust cycling stability to maintain 85% after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles and high energy density of 25 W h kg-1. Furthermore, the flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor have superior flexibility and outstanding stability under different bending states from the straight state to the 90° status. The high-performance flexible all-solid-state SCs together with the lighting tests demonstrate it possible for applications in portable electronics.

  15. Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Polyaniline Arrays Coated Graphene Aerogel Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yu; Xi, Yunlong; Li, Junzhi; Wei, Guodong; Klyui, N I; Han, Wei

    2017-12-01

    Flexible supercapacitors(SCs) made by reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-based aerogel usually suffer from the low energy density, short cycle life and bad flexibility. In this study, a new, synthetic strategy was developed for enhancing the electrochemical performances of rGO aerogel-based supercapacitor via electrodeposition polyaniline arrays on the prepared ultralight rGO aerogel. The novel hybrid composites with coated polyaniline (PANI) arrays growing on the rGO surface can take full advantage of the rich open-pore and excellent conductivity of the crosslinking framework structure of 3D rGO aerogel and high capacitance contribution from the PANI. The obtained hybrid composites exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 432 F g -1 at the current density of 1 A g -1 , robust cycling stability to maintain 85% after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles and high energy density of 25 W h kg -1 . Furthermore, the flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor have superior flexibility and outstanding stability under different bending states from the straight state to the 90° status. The high-performance flexible all-solid-state SCs together with the lighting tests demonstrate it possible for applications in portable electronics.

  16. Graphene-Based Linear Tandem Micro-Supercapacitors with Metal-Free Current Collectors and High-Voltage Output.

    PubMed

    Shi, Xiaoyu; Wu, Zhong-Shuai; Qin, Jieqiong; Zheng, Shuanghao; Wang, Sen; Zhou, Feng; Sun, Chenglin; Bao, Xinhe

    2017-11-01

    Printable supercapacitors are regarded as a promising class of microscale power source, but are facing challenges derived from conventional sandwich-like geometry. Herein, the printable fabrication of new-type planar graphene-based linear tandem micro-supercapacitors (LTMSs) on diverse substrates with symmetric and asymmetric configuration, high-voltage output, tailored capacitance, and outstanding flexibility is demonstrated. The resulting graphene-based LTMSs consisting of 10 micro-supercapacitors (MSs) present efficient high-voltage output of 8.0 V, suggestive of superior uniformity of the entire integrated device. Meanwhile, LTMSs possess remarkable flexibility without obvious capacitance degradation under different bending states. Moreover, areal capacitance of LTMSs can be sufficiently modulated by incorporating polyaniline-based pseudocapacitive nanosheets into graphene electrodes, showing enhanced capacitance of 7.6 mF cm -2 . To further improve the voltage output and energy density, asymmetric LTMSs are fabricated through controlled printing of linear-patterned graphene as negative electrodes and MnO 2 nanosheets as positive electrodes. Notably, the asymmetric LTMSs from three serially connected MSs are easily extended to 5.4 V, triple voltage output of the single cell (1.8 V), suggestive of the versatile applicability of this technique. Therefore, this work offers numerous opportunities of graphene and analogous nanosheets for one-step scalable fabrication of flexible tandem energy storage devices integrating with printed electronics on same substrate. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. A Facile Methodology for the Development of a Printable and Flexible All-Solid-State Rechargeable Battery.

    PubMed

    De, Bibekananda; Yadav, Amit; Khan, Salman; Kar, Kamal K

    2017-06-14

    Development of printable and flexible energy storage devices is one of the most promising technologies for wearable electronics in textile industry. The present work involves the design of a printable and flexible all-solid-state rechargeable battery for wearable electronics in textile applications. Copper-coated carbon fiber is used to make a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymer nanocomposite for a flexible and conductive current collector layer. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4 ) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) are utilized to prepare the cathode and anode layers, respectively, with PEO and carbon black composites. The PEO- and Li salt-based solid composite separator layer is utilized for the solid-state and safe electrolyte. Fabrication of all these layers and assembly of them through coating on fabrics are performed in the open atmosphere without using any complex processing, as PEO prevents the degradation of the materials in the open atmosphere. The performance of the battery is evaluated through charge-discharge and open-circuit voltage analyses. The battery shows an open-circuit voltage of ∼2.67 V and discharge time ∼2000 s. It shows similar performance at different repeated bending angles (0° to 180°) and continuous bending along with long cycle life. The application of the battery is also investigated for printable and wearable textile applications. Therefore, this printable, flexible, easily processable, and nontoxic battery with this performance has great potential to be used in portable and wearable textile electronics.

  18. Achieving High-Energy-High-Power Density in a Flexible Quasi-Solid-State Sodium Ion Capacitor.

    PubMed

    Li, Hongsen; Peng, Lele; Zhu, Yue; Zhang, Xiaogang; Yu, Guihua

    2016-09-14

    Simultaneous integration of high-energy output with high-power delivery is a major challenge for electrochemical energy storage systems, limiting dual fine attributes on a device. We introduce a quasi-solid-state sodium ion capacitor (NIC) based on a battery type urchin-like Na2Ti3O7 anode and a capacitor type peanut shell derived carbon cathode, using a sodium ion conducting gel polymer as electrolyte, achieving high-energy-high-power characteristics in solid state. Energy densities can reach 111.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 800 W kg(-1), and 33.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 11200 W kg(-1), which are among the best reported state-of-the-art NICs. The designed device also exhibits long-term cycling stability over 3000 cycles with capacity retention ∼86%. Furthermore, we demonstrate the assembly of a highly flexible quasi-solid-state NIC and it shows no obvious capacity loss under different bending conditions.

  19. Semiempirical equations for modeling solid-state kinetics based on a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of activation energies: applications to a polymorphic transformation under crystallization slurry conditions and to the thermal decomposition of AgMnO4 crystals.

    PubMed

    Skrdla, Peter J; Robertson, Rebecca T

    2005-06-02

    Many solid-state reactions and phase transformations performed under isothermal conditions give rise to asymmetric, sigmoidally shaped conversion-time (x-t) profiles. The mathematical treatment of such curves, as well as their physical interpretation, is often challenging. In this work, the functional form of a Maxwell-Boltzmann (M-B) distribution is used to describe the distribution of activation energies for the reagent solids, which, when coupled with an integrated first-order rate expression, yields a novel semiempirical equation that may offer better success in the modeling of solid-state kinetics. In this approach, the Arrhenius equation is used to relate the distribution of activation energies to a corresponding distribution of rate constants for the individual molecules in the reagent solids. This distribution of molecular rate constants is then correlated to the (observable) reaction time in the derivation of the model equation. In addition to providing a versatile treatment for asymmetric, sigmoidal reaction curves, another key advantage of our equation over other models is that the start time of conversion is uniquely defined at t = 0. We demonstrate the ability of our simple, two-parameter equation to successfully model the experimental x-t data for the polymorphic transformation of a pharmaceutical compound under crystallization slurry (i.e., heterogeneous) conditions. Additionally, we use a modification of this equation to model the kinetics of a historically significant, homogeneous solid-state reaction: the thermal decomposition of AgMnO4 crystals. The potential broad applicability of our statistical (i.e., dispersive) kinetic approach makes it a potentially attractive alternative to existing models/approaches.

  20. A high performance flexible all solid state supercapacitor based on the MnO2 sphere coated macro/mesoporous Ni/C electrode and ionic conducting electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhi, Jian; Reiser, Oliver; Wang, Youfu; Hu, Aiguo

    2016-06-01

    A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solid state supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating layer. By employing butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) modified gels as the ionic conducting electrolyte, the utilization efficiency of MnO2 on the specific capacitance was enhanced up to 88% of the theoretical value, delivering a volumetric capacitance of 81 F cm-3, which is the highest value among MnO2 based solid state supercapacitors. Moreover, such a flexible device exhibits exceptional volumetric energy and power density (6.6 Wh L-1 and 549 W L-1, based on the whole device volume) combined with a small capacity loss of 8.5% after 6000 cycles under twisting. These encouraging findings unambiguously overcome the energy bottleneck of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors, and open up a new application of macro/mesoporous materials in flexible devices.A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solid state supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating layer. By employing butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) modified gels as the ionic conducting electrolyte, the utilization efficiency of MnO2 on the specific capacitance was enhanced up to 88% of the theoretical value, delivering a volumetric capacitance of 81 F cm-3, which is the highest value among MnO2 based solid state supercapacitors. Moreover, such a flexible device exhibits exceptional volumetric energy and power density (6.6 Wh L-1 and 549 W L-1, based on the whole device volume) combined with a small capacity loss of 8.5% after 6000 cycles under twisting. These encouraging findings unambiguously overcome the energy bottleneck of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors, and open up a new application of macro/mesoporous materials in flexible devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr02215d

  1. Addressing the Interface Issues in All-Solid-State Bulk-Type Lithium Ion Battery via an All-Composite Approach.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ru-Jun; Zhang, Yi-Bo; Liu, Ting; Xu, Bing-Qing; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Nan, Ce-Wen; Shen, Yang

    2017-03-22

    All-solid-state bulk-type lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are considered ultimate solutions to the safety issues associated with conventional LIBs using flammable liquid electrolyte. The development of bulk-type all-solid-state LIBs has been hindered by the low loading of active cathode materials, hence low specific surface capacity, and by the high interface resistance, which results in low rate and cyclic performance. In this contribution, we propose and demonstrate a synergistic all-composite approach to fabricating flexible all-solid-state LIBs. PEO-based composite cathode layers (filled with LiFePO 4 particles) of ∼300 μm in thickness and composite electrolyte layers (filled with Al-LLZTO particles) are stacked layer-by-layer with lithium foils as negative layer and hot-pressed into a monolithic all-solid-state LIB. The flexible LIB delivers a high specific discharge capacity of 155 mAh/g, which corresponds to an ultrahigh surface capacity of 10.8 mAh/cm 2 , exhibits excellent capacity retention up to at least 10 cycles and could work properly under harsh operating conditions such as bending or being sectioned into pieces. The all-composite approach is favorable for improving both mesoscopic and microscopic interfaces inside the all-solid-state LIB and may provide a new toolbox for design and fabrication of all-solid-state LIBs.

  2. Holey nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide thin sheets with ultrahigh areal capacitance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhi, Lei; Zhang, Wenliang; Dang, Liqin; Sun, Jie; Shi, Feng; Xu, Hua; Liu, Zonghuai; Lei, Zhibin

    2018-05-01

    Strong coupling of electroactive components on conductive carbonaceous matrix to fabricate flexible hybrid electrodes represents a promising approach towards high performance supercapacitors. This work reports the fabrication of holey nickel cobalt layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) nanosheets that are vertically grown on the cotton cloth-derived activated textile carbon (aTC). The abundant nanoholes on the thin-sheet NiCo-LDH not only enhance the electrode efficiency for efficient Faradaic redox reactions but also facilitate access of electrolyte to the electrode surface, thus giving rise to 70% capacitance arising from their outer surface. As a result, the aTC-NiCo hybrid electrode is capable of simultaneously achieving extremely high areal capacitance (6.37 F cm-2), mass capacitance (525 F g-1) and volumetric capacitance (249 F cm-3) at a practical level of mass loading (6.72 mg cm-2). Moreover, a solid-state asymmetric capacitor built with aTC-NiCo as positive electrode and active carbon-coated on aTC as negative electrode can deliver a volumetric energy density of 7.4 mWh cm-3 at a power density of 103 mW cm-3, while preserving a superior power performance, satisfying cycling stability and good mechanical flexibility.

  3. A high performance flexible all solid state supercapacitor based on the MnO2 sphere coated macro/mesoporous Ni/C electrode and ionic conducting electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Zhi, Jian; Reiser, Oliver; Wang, Youfu; Hu, Aiguo

    2016-06-09

    A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solid state supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating layer. By employing butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) modified gels as the ionic conducting electrolyte, the utilization efficiency of MnO2 on the specific capacitance was enhanced up to 88% of the theoretical value, delivering a volumetric capacitance of 81 F cm(-3), which is the highest value among MnO2 based solid state supercapacitors. Moreover, such a flexible device exhibits exceptional volumetric energy and power density (6.6 Wh L(-1) and 549 W L(-1), based on the whole device volume) combined with a small capacity loss of 8.5% after 6000 cycles under twisting. These encouraging findings unambiguously overcome the energy bottleneck of MnO2 in solid state supercapacitors, and open up a new application of macro/mesoporous materials in flexible devices.

  4. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors based on carbon nanoparticles/MnO2 nanorods hybrid structure.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Longyan; Lu, Xi-Hong; Xiao, Xu; Zhai, Teng; Dai, Junjie; Zhang, Fengchao; Hu, Bin; Wang, Xue; Gong, Li; Chen, Jian; Hu, Chenguo; Tong, Yexiang; Zhou, Jun; Wang, Zhong Lin

    2012-01-24

    A highly flexible solid-state supercapacitor was fabricated through a simple flame synthesis method and electrochemical deposition process based on a carbon nanoparticles/MnO(2) nanorods hybrid structure using polyvinyl alcohol/H(3)PO(4) electrolyte. Carbon fabric is used as a current collector and electrode (mechanical support), leading to a simplified, highly flexible, and lightweight architecture. The device exhibited good electrochemical performance with an energy density of 4.8 Wh/kg at a power density of 14 kW/kg, and a demonstration of a practical device is also presented, highlighting the path for its enormous potential in energy management. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  5. Structure-property relationships: asymmetric alkylphenyl-substituted anthracene molecules for use in small-molecule solar cells.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yu Jin; Ahn, Eun Soo; Jang, Sang Hun; An, Tae Kyu; Kwon, Soon-Ki; Chung, Dae Sung; Kim, Yun-Hi; Park, Chan Eon

    2015-05-11

    Two asymmetric anthracene-based organic molecules, NDHPEA and TNDHPEA, were prepared without or with a thiophene spacer between the anthracene and naphthalene units. These asymmetric oligomers displayed different degrees of coplanarity, as evidenced by differences in the dihedral angles calculated by using DFT. Differential scanning calorimetry and XRD studies were used to probe the crystallization characteristics and molecular packing structures in the active layers. The coplanarity of the molecules in the asymmetric structure significantly affected the crystallization behavior and the formation of crystalline domains in the solid state. The small-molecule crystalline properties were correlated with the device physics by determining the J-V characteristics and hole mobilities of the devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Near-Ideal Xylene Selectivity in Adaptive Molecular Pillar[ n]arene Crystals.

    PubMed

    Jie, Kecheng; Liu, Ming; Zhou, Yujuan; Little, Marc A; Pulido, Angeles; Chong, Samantha Y; Stephenson, Andrew; Hughes, Ashlea R; Sakakibara, Fumiyasu; Ogoshi, Tomoki; Blanc, Frédéric; Day, Graeme M; Huang, Feihe; Cooper, Andrew I

    2018-06-06

    The energy-efficient separation of alkylaromatic compounds is a major industrial sustainability challenge. The use of selectively porous extended frameworks, such as zeolites or metal-organic frameworks, is one solution to this problem. Here, we studied a flexible molecular material, perethylated pillar[ n]arene crystals ( n = 5, 6), which can be used to separate C8 alkylaromatic compounds. Pillar[6]arene is shown to separate para-xylene from its structural isomers, meta-xylene and ortho-xylene, with 90% specificity in the solid state. Selectivity is an intrinsic property of the pillar[6]arene host, with the flexible pillar[6]arene cavities adapting during adsorption thus enabling preferential adsorption of para-xylene in the solid state. The flexibility of pillar[6]arene as a solid sorbent is rationalized using molecular conformer searches and crystal structure prediction (CSP) combined with comprehensive characterization by X-ray diffraction and 13 C solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The CSP study, which takes into account the structural variability of pillar[6]arene, breaks new ground in its own right and showcases the feasibility of applying CSP methods to understand and ultimately to predict the behavior of soft, adaptive molecular crystals.

  7. Flexible interfaces between Si anodes and composite electrolytes consisting of poly(propylene carbonates) and garnets for solid-state batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huo, Hanyu; Sun, Jiyang; chen, Cheng; Meng, Xianglu; He, Minghui; Zhao, Ning; Guo, Xiangxin

    2018-04-01

    Flexible interfaces between Si anodes and composite electrolytes consisting of poly(propylene carbonates) (PPCs) and garnets have been fabricated. The solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) of PPC/garnet/LiTFSI show the conductivity of 4.2 × 10-4 S cm-1 at room temperature. Their combination with the Si layer anodes allows great alleviation of internal stress resulting from the large volume variation during lithiation and delithiation process of Si anodes. As a result, the Si/SPE/Li cells exhibit 2520 mAh g-1, 2260 mAh g-1, 1902 mAh g-1, 1342 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C, 0.2 C, 0.5 C, and 1 C, respectively. Furthermore, with such compatible and stable interfaces of Si/SPE and the LiFePO4 cathodes in solid-state batteries, the specific capacity of 2296 mAh g-1 in terms of Si is obtained, which remains 82.6% after 100 cycles at room temperature and 0.1 C. The results here indicate that constructing of flexible interfaces between Si anodes and SPEs is a promising strategy to develop high performance solid-state batteries.

  8. Bioinspired ion-transport properties of solid-state single nanochannels and their applications in sensing.

    PubMed

    Tian, Ye; Wen, Liping; Hou, Xu; Hou, Guanglei; Jiang, Lei

    2012-07-16

    Biological ion channels are able to control ion-transport processes precisely because of their intriguing properties, such as selectivity, rectification, and gating. Learning from nature, scientists have developed a promising system--solid-state single nanochannels--to mimic biological ion-transport properties. These nanochannels have many impressive properties, such as excess surface charge, making them selective; the ability to be produced or modified asymmetrically, endowing them with rectification; and chemical reactivity of the inner surface, imparting them with desired gating properties. Based on these unique characteristics, solid-state single nanochannels have been explored in various applications, such as sensing. In this context, we summarize recent developments of bioinspired solid-state single nanochannels with ion-transport properties that resemble their biological counterparts, including selectivity, rectification, and gating; their applications in sensing are also introduced briefly. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors fabricated with bacterial nanocellulose papers, carbon nanotubes, and triblock-copolymer ion gels.

    PubMed

    Kang, Yu Jin; Chun, Sang-Jin; Lee, Sung-Suk; Kim, Bo-Yeong; Kim, Jung Hyeun; Chung, Haegeun; Lee, Sun-Young; Kim, Woong

    2012-07-24

    We demonstrate all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors with high physical flexibility, desirable electrochemical properties, and excellent mechanical integrity, which were realized by rationally exploiting unique properties of bacterial nanocellulose, carbon nanotubes, and ionic liquid based polymer gel electrolytes. This deliberate choice and design of main components led to excellent supercapacitor performance such as high tolerance against bending cycles and high capacitance retention over charge/discharge cycles. More specifically, the performance of our supercapacitors was highly retained through 200 bending cycles to a radius of 3 mm. In addition, the supercapacitors showed excellent cyclability with C(sp) (~20 mF/cm(2)) reduction of only <0.5% over 5000 charge/discharge cycles at the current density of 10 A/g. Our demonstration could be an important basis for material design and development of flexible supercapacitors.

  10. A Bamboo-Inspired Nanostructure Design for Flexible, Foldable, and Twistable Energy Storage Devices.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yongming; Sills, Ryan B; Hu, Xianluo; Seh, Zhi Wei; Xiao, Xu; Xu, Henghui; Luo, Wei; Jin, Huanyu; Xin, Ying; Li, Tianqi; Zhang, Zhaoliang; Zhou, Jun; Cai, Wei; Huang, Yunhui; Cui, Yi

    2015-06-10

    Flexible energy storage devices are critical components for emerging flexible electronics. Electrode design is key in the development of all-solid-state supercapacitors with superior electrochemical performances and mechanical durability. Herein, we propose a bamboo-like graphitic carbon nanofiber with a well-balanced macro-, meso-, and microporosity, enabling excellent mechanical flexibility, foldability, and electrochemical performances. Our design is inspired by the structure of bamboos, where a periodic distribution of interior holes along the length and graded pore structure at the cross section not only enhance their stability under different mechanical deformation conditions but also provide a high surface area accessible to the electrolyte and low ion-transport resistance. The prepared nanofiber network electrode recovers its initial state easily after 3-folded manipulation. The mechanically robust membrane is explored as a free-standing electrode for a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor. Without the need for extra support, the volumetric energy and power densities based on the whole device are greatly improved compared to the state-of-the-art devices. Even under continuous dynamic operations of forceful bending (90°) and twisting (180°), the as-designed device still exhibits stable electrochemical performances with 100% capacitance retention. Such a unique supercapacitor holds great promise for high-performance flexible electronics.

  11. A bamboo-inspired nanostructure design for flexible foldable and twistable energy storage devices

    DOE PAGES

    Sun, Yongming; Sills, Ryan B; Hu, Xianluo; ...

    2015-05-26

    Flexible energy storage devices are critical components for emerging flexible electronics. Electrode design is key in the development of all-solid-state supercapacitors with superior electrochemical performances and mechanical durability. We propose a bamboo-like graphitic carbon nanofiber with a well-balanced macro-, meso-, and microporosity, enabling excellent mechanical flexibility, foldability, and electrochemical performances. Our design is inspired by the structure of bamboos, where a periodic distribution of interior holes along the length and graded pore structure at the cross section not only enhance their stability under different mechanical deformation conditions but also provide a high surface area accessible to the electrolyte and lowmore » ion-transport resistance. The prepared nanofiber network electrode recovers its initial state easily after 3-folded manipulation. The mechanically robust membrane is explored as a free-standing electrode for a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor. Without the need for extra support, the volumetric energy and power densities based on the whole device are greatly improved compared to the state-of-the-art devices. Furthermore, even under continuous dynamic operations of forceful bending (90°) and twisting (180°), the as-designed device still exhibits stable electrochemical performances with 100% capacitance retention. As a result, such a unique supercapacitor holds great promise for high-performance flexible electronics.« less

  12. Towards flexible solid-state supercapacitors for smart and wearable electronics.

    PubMed

    Dubal, Deepak P; Chodankar, Nilesh R; Kim, Do-Heyoung; Gomez-Romero, Pedro

    2018-03-21

    Flexible solid-state supercapacitors (FSSCs) are frontrunners in energy storage device technology and have attracted extensive attention owing to recent significant breakthroughs in modern wearable electronics. In this study, we review the state-of-the-art advancements in FSSCs to provide new insights on mechanisms, emerging electrode materials, flexible gel electrolytes and novel cell designs. The review begins with a brief introduction on the fundamental understanding of charge storage mechanisms based on the structural properties of electrode materials. The next sections briefly summarise the latest progress in flexible electrodes (i.e., freestanding and substrate-supported, including textile, paper, metal foil/wire and polymer-based substrates) and flexible gel electrolytes (i.e., aqueous, organic, ionic liquids and redox-active gels). Subsequently, a comprehensive summary of FSSC cell designs introduces some emerging electrode materials, including MXenes, metal nitrides, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), polyoxometalates (POMs) and black phosphorus. Some potential practical applications, such as the development of piezoelectric, photo-, shape-memory, self-healing, electrochromic and integrated sensor-supercapacitors are also discussed. The final section highlights current challenges and future perspectives on research in this thriving field.

  13. 3-V Solid-State Flexible Supercapacitors with Ionic-Liquid-Based Polymer Gel Electrolyte for AC Line Filtering.

    PubMed

    Kang, Yu Jin; Yoo, Yongju; Kim, Woong

    2016-06-08

    State-of-the-art solid-state flexible supercapacitors with sufficiently fast response speed for AC line filtering application suffer from limited energy density. One of the main causes of the low energy density is the low cell voltage (1 V), which is limited by aqueous-solution-based gel electrolytes. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time a 3-V flexible supercapacitor for AC line filtering based on an ionic-liquid-based polymer gel electrolyte and carbon nanotube electrode material. The flexible supercapacitor exhibits an areal energy density that is more than 20 times higher than that of the previously demonstrated 1-V flexible supercapacitor (0.66 vs 0.03 μWh/cm(2)) while maintaining excellent capacitive behavior at 120 Hz. The supercapacitor shows a maximum areal power density of 1.5 W/cm(2) and a time constant of 1 ms. The improvement of the cell voltage while maintaining the fast-response capability greatly improves the potential of supercapacitors for high-frequency applications in wearable and/or portable electronics.

  14. Solid-state resistor for pulsed power machines

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

    Stoltzfus, Brian; Savage, Mark E.; Hutsel, Brian Thomas

    2016-12-06

    A flexible solid-state resistor comprises a string of ceramic resistors that can be used to charge the capacitors of a linear transformer driver (LTD) used in a pulsed power machine. The solid-state resistor is able to absorb the energy of a switch prefire, thereby limiting LTD cavity damage, yet has a sufficiently low RC charge time to allow the capacitor to be recharged without disrupting the operation of the pulsed power machine.

  15. Oxygen-deficient hematite nanorods as high-performance and novel negative electrodes for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xihong; Zeng, Yinxiang; Yu, Minghao; Zhai, Teng; Liang, Chaolun; Xie, Shilei; Balogun, Muhammad-Sadeeq; Tong, Yexiang

    2014-05-21

    Oxygen-deficient α-Fe2 O3 nanorods with outstanding capacitive performance are developed and demonstrated as novel negative electrodes for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors. The asymmetric-supercapacitor device based on the oxygen-deficient α-Fe2 O3 nanorod negative electrode and a MnO2 positive electrode achieves a maximum energy density of 0.41 mW·h/cm(3) ; it is also capable of charging a mobile phone and powering a light-emitting diode indicator. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Cellulose nanofibril/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube hybrid aerogels for highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Qifeng; Cai, Zhiyong; Ma, Zhenqiang; Gong, Shaoqin

    2015-02-11

    A novel type of highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitor that uses cellulose nanofibril (CNF)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid aerogels as electrodes and H2SO4/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel as the electrolyte was developed and is reported here. These flexible solid-state supercapacitors were fabricated without any binders, current collectors, or electroactive additives. Because of the porous structure of the CNF/RGO/CNT aerogel electrodes and the excellent electrolyte absorption properties of the CNFs present in the aerogel electrodes, the resulting flexible supercapacitors exhibited a high specific capacitance (i.e., 252 F g(-1) at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g(-1)) and a remarkable cycle stability (i.e., more than 99.5% of the capacitance was retained after 1000 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 1 A g(-1)). Furthermore, the supercapacitors also showed extremely high areal capacitance, areal power density, and energy density (i.e., 216 mF cm(-2), 9.5 mW cm(-2), and 28.4 μWh cm(-2), respectively). In light of its excellent electrical performance, low cost, ease of large-scale manufacturing, and environmental friendliness, the CNF/RGO/CNT aerogel electrodes may have a promising application in the development of flexible energy-storage devices.

  17. Reduced graphene oxide-wrapped MoO3 composites prepared by using metal-organic frameworks as precursor for all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Cao, Xiehong; Zheng, Bing; Shi, Wenhui; Yang, Jian; Fan, Zhanxi; Luo, Zhimin; Rui, Xianhong; Chen, Bo; Yan, Qingyu; Zhang, Hua

    2015-08-26

    Reduced graphene oxide-wrapped MoO3M (rGO/MoO3 ) is prepared by a novel and simple method that is developed by using a metal-organic framework as the precursor. After a two-step annealing process, the obtained rGO/MoO3 composite is used for a high-performance supercapacitor electrode. Moreover, an all-solid-state flexible supercapacitor is fabricated based on the rGO/MoO3 composite, which shows stable performance under different bending states. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Structure of a double-domain phosphagen kinase reveals an asymmetric arrangement of the tandem domains.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhiming; Qiao, Zhu; Ye, Sheng; Zhang, Rongguang

    2015-04-01

    Tandem duplications and fusions of single genes have led to magnificent expansions in the divergence of protein structures and functions over evolutionary timescales. One of the possible results is polydomain enzymes with interdomain cooperativities, few examples of which have been structurally characterized at the full-length level to explore their innate synergistic mechanisms. This work reports the crystal structures of a double-domain phosphagen kinase in both apo and ligand-bound states, revealing a novel asymmetric L-shaped arrangement of the two domains. Unexpectedly, the interdomain connections are not based on a flexible hinge linker but on a rigid secondary-structure element: a long α-helix that tethers the tandem domains in relatively fixed positions. Besides the connective helix, the two domains also contact each other directly and form an interdomain interface in which hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions further stabilize the L-shaped domain arrangement. Molecular-dynamics simulations show that the interface is generally stable, suggesting that the asymmetric domain arrangement crystallographically observed in the present study is not a conformational state simply restrained by crystal-packing forces. It is possible that the asymmetrically arranged tandem domains could provide a structural basis for further studies of the interdomain synergy.

  19. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films.

    PubMed

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-01-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications.

  20. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B.; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-01-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications. PMID:23105970

  1. Transparent, flexible supercapacitors from nano-engineered carbon films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jung, Hyun Young; Karimi, Majid B.; Hahm, Myung Gwan; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Jung, Yung Joon

    2012-10-01

    Here we construct mechanically flexible and optically transparent thin film solid state supercapacitors by assembling nano-engineered carbon electrodes, prepared in porous templates, with morphology of interconnected arrays of complex shapes and porosity. The highly textured graphitic films act as electrode and current collector and integrated with solid polymer electrolyte, function as thin film supercapacitors. The nanostructured electrode morphology and the conformal electrolyte packaging provide enough energy and power density for the devices in addition to excellent mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, making it a unique design in various power delivery applications.

  2. Asymmetric ion transport through ion-channel-mimetic solid-state nanopores.

    PubMed

    Guo, Wei; Tian, Ye; Jiang, Lei

    2013-12-17

    Both scientists and engineers are interested in the design and fabrication of synthetic nanofluidic architectures that mimic the gating functions of biological ion channels. The effort to build such structures requires interdisciplinary efforts at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology. Biological ion channels and synthetic nanofluidic devices have some structural and chemical similarities, and therefore, they share some common features in regulating the traverse ionic flow. In the past decade, researchers have identified two asymmetric ion transport phenomena in synthetic nanofluidic structures, the rectified ionic current and the net diffusion current. The rectified ionic current is a diode-like current-voltage response that occurs when switching the voltage bias. This phenomenon indicates a preferential direction of transport in the nanofluidic system. The net diffusion current occurs as a direct product of charge selectivity and is generated from the asymmetric diffusion through charged nanofluidic channels. These new ion transport phenomena and the elaborate structures that occur in biology have inspired us to build functional nanofluidic devices for both fundamental research and practical applications. In this Account, we review our recent progress in the design and fabrication of biomimetic solid-state nanofluidic devices with asymmetric ion transport behavior. We demonstrate the origin of the rectified ionic current and the net diffusion current. We also identify several influential factors and discuss how to build these asymmetric features into nanofluidic systems by controlling (1) nanopore geometry, (2) surface charge distribution, (3) chemical composition, (4) channel wall wettability, (5) environmental pH, (6) electrolyte concentration gradient, and (7) ion mobility. In the case of the first four features, we build these asymmetric features directly into the nanofluidic structures. With the final three, we construct different environmental conditions in the electrolyte solutions on either side of the nanochannel. The novel and well-controlled nanofluidic phenomena have become the foundation for many promising applications, and we have highlighted several representative examples. Inspired by the electrogenic cell of the electric eel, we have demonstrated a proof-of-concept nanofluidic reverse electrodialysis system (NREDS) that converts salinity gradient energy into electricity by means of net diffusion current. We have also constructed chirality analysis systems into nanofluidic architectures and monitored these sensing events as the change in the degree of ionic current rectification. Moreover, we have developed a biohybrid nanosystem, in which we reconstituted the F0F1-ATPase on a liposome-coated, solid-state nanoporous membrane. By applying a transmembrane proton concentration gradient, the biohybrid nanodevice can synthesize ATP in vitro. These findings have improved our understanding of the asymmetric ion transport phenomena in synthetic nanofluidic systems and offer innovative insights into the design of functional nanofluidic devices.

  3. Strong and Robust Polyaniline-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels for Flexible Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Li, Wanwan; Gao, Fengxian; Wang, Xiaoqian; Zhang, Ning; Ma, Mingming

    2016-08-01

    We report a supramolecular strategy to prepare conductive hydrogels with outstanding mechanical and electrochemical properties, which are utilized for flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) with high performance. The supramolecular assembly of polyaniline and polyvinyl alcohol through dynamic boronate bond yields the polyaniline-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PPH), which shows remarkable tensile strength (5.3 MPa) and electrochemical capacitance (928 F g(-1) ). The flexible solid-state supercapacitor based on PPH provides a large capacitance (306 mF cm(-2) and 153 F g(-1) ) and a high energy density of 13.6 Wh kg(-1) , superior to other flexible supercapacitors. The robustness of the PPH-based supercapacitor is demonstrated by the 100 % capacitance retention after 1000 mechanical folding cycles, and the 90 % capacitance retention after 1000 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles. The high activity and robustness enable the PPH-based supercapacitor as a promising power device for flexible electronics. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Superelastic Few-Layer Carbon Foam Made from Natural Cotton for All-Solid-State Electrochemical Capacitors.

    PubMed

    Lin, Tianquan; Liu, Fengxin; Xu, Feng; Bi, Hui; Du, Yahui; Tang, Yufeng; Huang, Fuqiang

    2015-11-18

    Flexible/stretchable devices for energy storage are essential for future wearable and flexible electronics. Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) are an important technology for supplement batteries in the energy storage and harvesting field, but they are limited by relatively low energy density. Herein, we report a superelastic foam consisting of few-layer carbon nanowalls made from natural cotton as a good scaffold to growth conductive polymer polyaniline for stretchable, lightweight, and flexible all-solid-state ECs. As-prepared superelastic bulk tubular carbon foam (surface area ∼950 m(2)/g) can withstand >90% repeated compression cycling and support >45,000 times its own weight but no damage. The flexible device has a high specific capacitance of 510 F g(-1), a specific energy of 25.5 Wh kg(-1) and a power density of 28.5 kW kg(-1) in weight of the total electrode materials and withstands 5,000 charging/discharging cycles.

  5. Flexible high-temperature pH probe

    DOEpatents

    Bielawski, John C.; Outwater, John O.; Halbfinger, George P.

    2003-04-22

    A flexible pH probe device is provided for use in hot water and other high temperature environments up to about 590.degree. F. The pH probe includes a flexible, inert tubular probe member, an oxygen anion conducting, solid state electrolyte plug located at the distal end of the tubular member, oxide powder disposed at the distal end of the tubular member; a metal wire extending along the tubular member and having a distal end in contact with the oxide powder so as to form therewith an internal reference electrode; and a compression fitting forming a pressure boundary seal around a portion of the tubular member remote from the distal end thereof. Preferably, the tubular member is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, and the solid state electrolyte plug is made of stabilized zirconia. The flexibility of the probe member enables placement of the electrode into the area of interest, including around corners, into confined areas and the like.

  6. 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.

  7. A high-capacitance flexible solid-state supercapacitor based on polyaniline and Metal-Organic Framework (UiO-66) composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shao, Liang; Wang, Qian; Ma, Zhonglei; Ji, Zhanyou; Wang, Xiaoying; Song, Doudou; Liu, Yuguo; Wang, Ni

    2018-03-01

    Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) attract increasing attention in the field of energy storage, however, poor conductivity in most MOFs largely hinders their electrical properties. In this work, an effective strategy is developed to make the polyaniline (PANI) molecular chains grow in the pores of UiO-66 as one of the MOFs (labeled as PANI/UiO-66) to form a fixed interpenetrating network structure by using the highly stable porous MOFs, through a variety of synergistic effects to enhance the conductivity and electrochemical properties. Moreover, the design and analysis about PANI/UiO-66 is reported for the first time to our knowledge. In addition, PANI/UiO-66 exhibits an extraordinary capacitance of 1015 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 by electrochemical test. At the same time, the symmetric flexible solid-state supercapacitors is also assembled and tested. The resultant supercapacitor shows a favorable specific capacitance of 647 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and a high cycling stability (91% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles). The bending test indicates that the obtained supercapacitor is flexible and its performance is only decreased 10% after 800 bending cycles with a bending angle of 180. This flexible solid-state supercapacitor shows great potential in energy storage device.

  8. Fiber-based all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors for self-powered systems.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Xu; Li, Tianqi; Yang, Peihua; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Huanyu; Ni, Weijian; Zhan, Wenhui; Zhang, Xianghui; Cao, Yuanzhi; Zhong, Junwen; Gong, Li; Yen, Wen-Chun; Mai, Wenjie; Chen, Jian; Huo, Kaifu; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Wang, Zhong Lin; Zhou, Jun

    2012-10-23

    All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on a carbon/MnO(2) (C/M) core-shell fiber structure were fabricated with high electrochemical performance such as high rate capability with a scan rate up to 20 V s(-1), high volume capacitance of 2.5 F cm(-3), and an energy density of 2.2 × 10(-4) Wh cm(-3). By integrating with a triboelectric generator, supercapacitors could be charged and power commercial electronic devices, such as a liquid crystal display or a light-emitting-diode, demonstrating feasibility as an efficient storage component and self-powered micro/nanosystems.

  9. Transparent and flexible supercapacitors with single walled carbon nanotube thin film electrodes.

    PubMed

    Yuksel, Recep; Sarioba, Zeynep; Cirpan, Ali; Hiralal, Pritesh; Unalan, Husnu Emrah

    2014-09-10

    We describe a simple process for the fabrication of transparent and flexible, solid-state supercapacitors. Symmetric electrodes made up of binder-free single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films were deposited onto polydimethylsiloxane substrates by vacuum filtration followed by a stamping method, and solid-state supercapacitor devices were assembled using a gel electrolyte. An optical transmittance of 82% was found for 0.02 mg of SWCNTs, and a specific capacitance of 22.2 F/g was obtained. The power density can reach to 41.5 kW · kg(-1) and shows good capacity retention (94%) upon cycling over 500 times. Fabricated supercapacitors will be relevant for the realization of transparent and flexible devices with energy storage capabilities, displays and touch screens in particular.

  10. Flexible Black-Phosphorus Nanoflake/Carbon Nanotube Composite Paper for High-Performance All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yang, Bingchao; Hao, Chunxue; Wen, Fusheng; Wang, Bochong; Mu, Congpu; Xiang, Jianyong; Li, Lei; Xu, Bo; Zhao, Zhisheng; Liu, Zhongyuan; Tian, Yongjun

    2017-12-27

    We proposed a simple route for fabrication of the flexible BP nanoflake/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite paper as flexible electrodes in all-solid-state supercapacitors. The highly conductive CNTs not only play a role as active materials but also increase conductivity of the hybrid electrode, enhance electrolyte shuttling and prevent the restacking between BP nanoflakes. The fabricated flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor (ASSP) device at the mass proportion of BP/CNTs 1:4 was found to deliver the highest volumetric capacitance of up to 41.1 F/cm 3 at 0.005 V/s, superior to the ASSP based on the bare graphene or BP. The BP/CNTs (1:4) device delivers a rapid charging/discharging up to 500 V/s, which exhibits the characteristic of a high power density of 821.62 W/cm 3 , while having outstanding mechanical flexibility and high cycling stability over 10 000 cycles (91.5% capacitance retained). Moreover the BP/CNTs (1:4) ASSP device still retains large volumetric capacitance (35.7 F/cm 3 at the scan rate of 0.005 V/s) even after 11 months. In addition, the ASSP of BP/CNTs (1:4) exhibits high energy density of 5.71 mWh/cm 3 and high power density of 821.62 W/cm 3 . As indicated in our work, the strategy of assembling stacked-layer composites films will open up novel possibility for realizing BP and CNTs in new-concept thin-film energy storage devices.

  11. In Situ Neutron Depth Profiling of Lithium Metal-Garnet Interfaces for Solid State Batteries.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chengwei; Gong, Yunhui; Dai, Jiaqi; Zhang, Lei; Xie, Hua; Pastel, Glenn; Liu, Boyang; Wachsman, Eric; Wang, Howard; Hu, Liangbing

    2017-10-11

    The garnet-based solid state electrolyte (SSE) is considered a promising candidate to realize all solid state lithium (Li) metal batteries. However, critical issues require additional investigation before practical applications become possible, among which high interfacial impedance and low interfacial stability remain the most challenging. In this work, neutron depth profiling (NDP), a nondestructive and uniquely Li-sensitive technique, has been used to reveal the interfacial behavior of garnet SSE in contact with metallic Li through in situ monitoring of Li plating-stripping processes. The NDP measurement demonstrates predictive capabilities for diagnosing short-circuits in solid state batteries. Two types of cells, symmetric Li/garnet/Li (LGL) cells and asymmetric Li/garnet/carbon-nanotubes (LGC), are fabricated to emulate the behavior of Li metal and Li-free Li metal anodes, respectively. The data imply the limitation of Li-free Li metal anode in forming reliable interfacial contacts, and strategies of excessive Li and better interfacial engineering need to be investigated.

  12. Flexible, transparent and high-power triboelectric generator with asymmetric graphene/ITO electrodes.

    PubMed

    Song, Xinbo; Chen, Yuanfu; Li, Pingjian; Liu, Jingbo; Qi, Fei; Zheng, Binjie; Zhou, Jinhao; Hao, Xin; Zhang, Wanli

    2016-07-29

    The reported flexible and transparent triboelectric generator (FTTG) can only output ultralow power density (∼2 μW cm(-2)), which has seriously hindered its further development and application. The low power density of FTTG is mainly limited by the transparent material and the electrode structure. Herein, for the first time, a FTTG with a superior power density of 60.7 μW cm(-2) has been fabricated by designing asymmetric electrodes where graphene and indium tin oxide (ITO) act as top and bottom electrodes respectively. Moreover, the performance of FTTG with graphene/ITO (G/I) asymmetric electrodes (GI-FTTG) almost remains unchanged even after 700 cycles, indicating excellent mechanical stability. The excellent performance of GI-FTTG can be attributed to the suitable materials and unique asymmetric electrode structure: the extraordinary flexibility of the graphene top electrode ensures the GI-FTTG excellent mechanical robustness and stability even after longer cycles, and the bottom electrode with very low sheet resistance guarantees lower internal resistance and higher production rate of induction charges to obtain higher output power density. It shows that light-emitting diodes (LED) can be easily powered by GI-FTTG, which demonstrates that the GI-FTTG is very promising for harvesting electrical energy from human activities by using flexible and transparent devices.

  13. Cobalt terephthalate MOF-templated synthesis of porous nano-crystalline Co3O4 by the new indirect solid state thermolysis as cathode material of asymmetric supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bigdeli, Hadise; Moradi, Morteza; Hajati, Shaaker; Kiani, Mohammad Ali; Toth, Jozsef

    2017-10-01

    In this work, two different types of Co3O4 nano-crystals were synthesized by (i) conventional direct solid state thermolysis of cobalt terephthalate metal-organic framework (MOF-71) and (ii) new indirect solid state thermolysis of Co(OH)2 derived by alkaline aqueous treatment of MOF-71. The products were then characterized by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. By REELS analysis the energy band gap of MOF-71 was determined to be 3.7 eV. Further, electrochemical performance of each Co3O4 nanostructure was studied by the cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a three-electrode system in KOH electrolyte. An asymmetric supercapacitor was fabricated using indirect Co3O4 nanoparticles as cathode and electrochemically reduced graphene oxide as anode, and the electrochemical properties were studied and showed a high energy density of 13.51 Wh kg-1 along with a power density of 9775 W kg-1 and good cycling stability with capacitance retention rate of 85% after 2000 cycles.

  14. Tailor-made force fields for crystal-structure prediction.

    PubMed

    Neumann, Marcus A

    2008-08-14

    A general procedure is presented to derive a complete set of force-field parameters for flexible molecules in the crystalline state on a case-by-case basis. The force-field parameters are fitted to the electrostatic potential as well as to accurate energies and forces generated by means of a hybrid method that combines solid-state density functional theory (DFT) calculations with an empirical van der Waals correction. All DFT calculations are carried out with the VASP program. The mathematical structure of the force field, the generation of reference data, the choice of the figure of merit, the optimization algorithm, and the parameter-refinement strategy are discussed in detail. The approach is applied to cyclohexane-1,4-dione, a small flexible ring. The tailor-made force field obtained for cyclohexane-1,4-dione is used to search for low-energy crystal packings in all 230 space groups with one molecule per asymmetric unit, and the most stable crystal structures are reoptimized in a second step with the hybrid method. The experimental crystal structure is found as the most stable predicted crystal structure both with the tailor-made force field and the hybrid method. The same methodology has also been applied successfully to the four compounds of the fourth CCDC blind test on crystal-structure prediction. For the five aforementioned compounds, the root-mean-square deviations between lattice energies calculated with the tailor-made force fields and the hybrid method range from 0.024 to 0.053 kcal/mol per atom around an average value of 0.034 kcal/mol per atom.

  15. Changing States of Matter: Science, Education, and Giftedness in 21st Century High Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sytsma, Rachel E.

    2001-01-01

    This article uses the change of solids to liquids to gases as a metaphor for the need of high school gifted education to change from current rigid forms to the liquidity of increased flexibility, individual opportunity, and freedom and the maximum energy, freedom and flexibility (gaseous state) achieved by gifted education at its best. (Contains…

  16. Solid-state Distributed Temperature Control for International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holladay, Jon B.; Reagan, Shawn E.; Day, Greg

    2004-01-01

    A newly developed solid-state temperature controller will offer greater flexibility in the thermal control of aerospace vehicle structures. A status of the hardware development along with its implementation on the Multi- Purpose Logistics Module will be provided. Numerous advantages of the device will also be discussed with regards to current and future flight vehicle implementations.

  17. Electrochemically Synthesis of Nickel Cobalt Sulfide for High‐Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Chunyan; Cai, Xiaoyi; Qian, Yao; Jiang, Haifeng; Zhou, Lijun; Li, Baosheng; Shen, Zexiang; Huang, Wei

    2017-01-01

    Abstract A lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient energy management strategy is highly desirable for flexible electronic devices to meet a rapidly growing demand. Herein, Ni–Co–S nanosheet array is successfully deposited on graphene foam (Ni–Co–S/GF) by a one‐step electrochemical method. The Ni–Co–S/GF composed of Ni–Co–S nanosheet array which is vertically aligned to GF and provides a large interfacial area for redox reactions with optimum interstitials facilitates the ions diffusion. The Ni–Co–S/GF electrodes have high specific capacitance values of 2918 and 2364 F g−1 at current densities of 1 and 20 A g−1, respectively. Using such hierarchical Ni–Co–S/GF as the cathode, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is further fabricated with polypyrrple(PPy)/GF as the anode. The flexible asymmetric supercapacitors have maximum operation potential window of 1.65 V, and energy densities of 79.3 and 37.7 Wh kg−1 when the power densities are 825.0 and 16100 W kg−1, respectively. It's worth nothing that the ASC cells have robust flexibility with performance well maintained when the devices were bent to different angles from 180° to 15° at a duration of 5 min. The efficient electrochemical deposition method of Ni–Co–S with a preferred orientation of nanosheet arrays is applicable for the flexible energy storage devices. PMID:29610721

  18. Electrochemically Synthesis of Nickel Cobalt Sulfide for High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chunyan; Cai, Xiaoyi; Qian, Yao; Jiang, Haifeng; Zhou, Lijun; Li, Baosheng; Lai, Linfei; Shen, Zexiang; Huang, Wei

    2018-02-01

    A lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient energy management strategy is highly desirable for flexible electronic devices to meet a rapidly growing demand. Herein, Ni-Co-S nanosheet array is successfully deposited on graphene foam (Ni-Co-S/GF) by a one-step electrochemical method. The Ni-Co-S/GF composed of Ni-Co-S nanosheet array which is vertically aligned to GF and provides a large interfacial area for redox reactions with optimum interstitials facilitates the ions diffusion. The Ni-Co-S/GF electrodes have high specific capacitance values of 2918 and 2364 F g -1 at current densities of 1 and 20 A g -1 , respectively. Using such hierarchical Ni-Co-S/GF as the cathode, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is further fabricated with polypyrrple(PPy)/GF as the anode. The flexible asymmetric supercapacitors have maximum operation potential window of 1.65 V, and energy densities of 79.3 and 37.7 Wh kg -1 when the power densities are 825.0 and 16100 W kg -1 , respectively. It's worth nothing that the ASC cells have robust flexibility with performance well maintained when the devices were bent to different angles from 180° to 15° at a duration of 5 min. The efficient electrochemical deposition method of Ni-Co-S with a preferred orientation of nanosheet arrays is applicable for the flexible energy storage devices.

  19. Approach to Low-Cost High-Efficiency OLED Lighting. Building Technologies Solid State Lighting (SSL) Program Final Report

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

    Pei, Qibing

    2017-10-06

    This project developed an integrated substrate which organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel developers could employ the integrated substrate to fabricate OLED devices with performance and projected cost meeting the MYPP targets of the Solid State Lighting Program of the Department of Energy. The project optimized the composition and processing conditions of the integrated substrate for OLED light extraction efficiency and overall performance. The process was further developed for scale up to a low-cost process and fabrication of prototype samples. The encapsulation of flexible OLEDs based on this integrated substrate was also investigated using commercial flexible barrier films.

  20. An all-solid-state yarn supercapacitor using cotton yarn electrodes coated with polypyrrole nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Wei, Chengzhuo; Xu, Qi; Chen, Zeqi; Rao, Weida; Fan, Lingling; Yuan, Ye; Bai, Zikui; Xu, Jie

    2017-08-01

    A novel all-solid-state yarn supercapacitor (YSC) has been fabricated by using the cotton yarns coated with polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes. The interconnected network structure of PPy can increase the surface area as well as the electrode/electrolyte interface area, thus resulting in improved electrochemical performance. For the proposed YSC, a high areal-specific capacitance of 74.0mFcm -2 and a desirable energy density of 7.5μWhcm -2 are achieved. The flexibility of the YSC demonstrates that it is suitable for the integration as flexible power sources in wearable electronic textiles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Pseudocapacitance of TiO2-x /CNT Anodes for High-Performance Quasi-Solid-State Li-Ion and Na-Ion Capacitors.

    PubMed

    Que, Lan-Fang; Yu, Fu-Da; Wang, Zhen-Bo; Gu, Da-Ming

    2018-04-01

    It is challenging for flexible solid-state hybrid capacitors to achieve high-energy-high-power densities in both Li-ion and Na-ion systems, and the kinetics discrepancy between the sluggish faradaic anode and the rapid capacitive cathode is the most critical issue needs to be addressed. To improve Li-ion/Na-ion diffusion kinetics, flexible oxygen-deficient TiO 2- x /CNT composite film with ultrafast electron/ion transport network is constructed as self-supported and light-weight anode for a quasi-solid-state hybrid capacitor. It is found that the designed porous yolk-shell structure endows large surface area and provides short diffusion length, the oxygen-deficient composite film can improve electrical conductivity, and enhance ion diffusion kinetic by introducing intercalation pseudocapacitance, therefore resulting in advance electrochemical properties. It exhibits high capacity, excellent rate performance, and long cycle life when utilized as self-supported anodes for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. When assembled with activated carbon/carbon nanotube (AC/CNT) flexible cathode, using ion conducting gel polymer as the electrolyte, high energy densities of 104 and 109 Wh kg -1 are achieved at 250 W kg -1 in quasi-solid-state Li-ion and Na-ion capacitors (LICs and SICs), respectively. Still, energy densities of 32 and 36 Wh kg -1 can be maintained at high power densities of 5000 W kg -1 in LICs and SICs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. A facile one-step approach for the fabrication of polypyrrole nanowire/carbon fiber hybrid electrodes for flexible high performance solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Sanqing; Han, Yichuan; Lyu, Siwei; Lin, Wenzhen; Chen, Peishan; Fang, Shaoli

    2017-10-01

    Wearable electronics are in high demand, requiring that all the components are flexible. Here we report a facile approach for the fabrication of flexible polypyrrole nanowire (NPPy)/carbon fiber (CF) hybrid electrodes with high electrochemical activity using a low-cost, one-step electrodeposition method. The structure of the NPPy/CF electrodes can be easily controlled by the applied electrical potential and electrodeposition time. Our NPPy/CF-based electrodes showed high flexibility, conductivity, and stability, making them ideal for flexible all-solid-state fiber supercapacitors. The resulting NPPy/CF-based supercapacitors provided a high specific capacitance of 148.4 F g-1 at 0.128 A g-1, which is much higher than for supercapacitors based on polypyrrole film/CF (38.3 F g-1) and pure CF (0.6 F g-1) under the same conditions. The NPPy/CF-based supercapacitors also showed high bending and cycling stability, retaining 84% of the initial capacitance after 500 bending cycles, and 91% of the initial capacitance after 5000 charge/discharge cycles.

  3. A facile one-step approach for the fabrication of polypyrrole nanowire/carbon fiber hybrid electrodes for flexible high performance solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Huang, Sanqing; Han, Yichuan; Lyu, Siwei; Lin, Wenzhen; Chen, Peishan; Fang, Shaoli

    2017-10-27

    Wearable electronics are in high demand, requiring that all the components are flexible. Here we report a facile approach for the fabrication of flexible polypyrrole nanowire (NPPy)/carbon fiber (CF) hybrid electrodes with high electrochemical activity using a low-cost, one-step electrodeposition method. The structure of the NPPy/CF electrodes can be easily controlled by the applied electrical potential and electrodeposition time. Our NPPy/CF-based electrodes showed high flexibility, conductivity, and stability, making them ideal for flexible all-solid-state fiber supercapacitors. The resulting NPPy/CF-based supercapacitors provided a high specific capacitance of 148.4 F g -1 at 0.128 A g -1 , which is much higher than for supercapacitors based on polypyrrole film/CF (38.3 F g -1 ) and pure CF (0.6 F g -1 ) under the same conditions. The NPPy/CF-based supercapacitors also showed high bending and cycling stability, retaining 84% of the initial capacitance after 500 bending cycles, and 91% of the initial capacitance after 5000 charge/discharge cycles.

  4. LOCATING AND REPAIRING LEAKS IN LANDFILL/IMPOUNDMENT FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE LINERS

    EPA Science Inventory

    In the United States, the large quantities of solid and hazardous wastes generated each year are commonly disposed of in landfills and surface impoundments. Geomembrane liners (flexible membrane liners, FMLs) are often used to form an impermeable barrier to prevent migration of c...

  5. Flexible packaging of solid-state integrated circuit chips with elastomeric microfluidics

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Bowei; Dong, Quan; Korman, Can E.; Li, Zhenyu; Zaghloul, Mona E.

    2013-01-01

    A flexible technology is proposed to integrate smart electronics and microfluidics all embedded in an elastomer package. The microfluidic channels are used to deliver both liquid samples and liquid metals to the integrated circuits (ICs). The liquid metals are used to realize electrical interconnects to the IC chip. This avoids the traditional IC packaging challenges, such as wire-bonding and flip-chip bonding, which are not compatible with current microfluidic technologies. As a demonstration we integrated a CMOS magnetic sensor chip and associate microfluidic channels on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate that allows precise delivery of small liquid samples to the sensor. Furthermore, the packaged system is fully functional under bending curvature radius of one centimetre and uniaxial strain of 15%. The flexible integration of solid-state ICs with microfluidics enables compact flexible electronic and lab-on-a-chip systems, which hold great potential for wearable health monitoring, point-of-care diagnostics and environmental sensing among many other applications.

  6. Solid-state, ambient-operation thermally activated delayed fluorescence from flexible, non-toxic gold-nanocluster thin films: towards the development of biocompatible light-emitting devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Talite, M. J. A.; Lin, H. T.; Jiang, Z. C.; Lin, T. N.; Huang, H. Y.; Heredia, E.; Flores, A.; Chao, Y. C.; Shen, J. L.; Lin, C. A. J.; Yuan, C. T.

    2016-08-01

    Luminescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with good biocompatibility have gained much attention in bio-photonics. In addition, they also exhibit a unique photo-physical property, namely thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), by which both singlet and triplet excitons can be harvested. The combination of their non-toxic material property and unique TADF behavior makes AuNCs biocompatible nano-emitters for bio-related light-emitting devices. Unfortunately, the TADF emission is quenched when colloidal AuNCs are transferred to solid states under ambient environment. Here, a facile, low-cost and effective method was used to generate efficient and stable TADF emissions from solid AuNCs under ambient environment using polyvinyl alcohol as a solid matrix. To unravel the underlying mechanism, temperature-dependent static and transient photoluminescence measurements were performed and we found that two factors are crucial for solid TADF emission: small energy splitting between singlet and triplet states and the stabilization of the triplet states. Solid TADF films were also deposited on the flexible plastic substrate with patterned structures, thus mitigating the waveguide-mode losses. In addition, we also demonstrated that warm white light can be generated based on a co-doped single emissive layer, consisting of non-toxic, solution-processed TADF AuNCs and fluorescent carbon dots under UV excitation.

  7. Vacuum-Assisted Low-Temperature Synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide Thin-Film Electrodes for High-Performance Transparent and Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Aytug, Tolga; Rager, Matthew S; Higgins, Wesley; Brown, Forrest G; Veith, Gabriel M; Rouleau, Christopher M; Wang, Hui; Hood, Zachary D; Mahurin, Shannon M; Mayes, Richard T; Joshi, Pooran C; Kuruganti, Teja

    2018-04-04

    Simple and easily integrated design of flexible and transparent electrode materials affixed to polymer-based substrates hold great promise to have a revolutionary impact on the functionality and performance of energy storage devices for many future consumer electronics. Among these applications are touch sensors, roll-up displays, photovoltaic cells, health monitors, wireless sensors, and wearable communication devices. Here, we report an environmentally friendly, simple, and versatile approach to produce optically transparent and mechanically flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor devices. These supercapacitors were constructed on tin-doped indium oxide coated polyethylene terephthalate substrates by intercalation of a polymer-based gel electrolyte between two reduced graphene oxide (rGO) thin-film electrodes. The rGO electrodes were fabricated simply by drop-casting of graphene oxide (GO) films, followed by a novel low-temperature (≤250 °C) vacuum-assisted annealing approach for the in situ reduction of GO to rGO. A trade-off between the optical transparency and electrochemical performance is determined by the concentration of the GO in the initial dispersion, whereby the highest capacitance (∼650 μF cm -2 ) occurs at a relatively lower optical transmittance (24%). Notably, the all-solid-state supercapacitors demonstrated excellent mechanical flexibility with a capacity retention rate above 90% under various bending angles and cycles. These attributes underscore the potential of the present approach to provide a path toward the realization of thin-film-based supercapacitors as flexible and transparent energy storage devices for a variety of practical applications.

  8. Harvesting water wave energy by asymmetric screening of electrostatic charges on a nanostructured hydrophobic thin-film surface.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Guang; Su, Yuanjie; Bai, Peng; Chen, Jun; Jing, Qingshen; Yang, Weiqing; Wang, Zhong Lin

    2014-06-24

    Energy harvesting from ambient water motions is a desirable but underexplored solution to on-site energy demand for self-powered electronics. Here we report a liquid-solid electrification-enabled generator based on a fluorinated ethylene propylene thin film, below which an array of electrodes are fabricated. The surface of the thin film is charged first due to the water-solid contact electrification. Aligned nanowires created on the thin film make it hydrophobic and also increase the surface area. Then the asymmetric screening to the surface charges by the waving water during emerging and submerging processes causes the free electrons on the electrodes to flow through an external load, resulting in power generation. The generator produces sufficient output power for driving an array of small electronics during direct interaction with water bodies, including surface waves and falling drops. Polymer-nanowire-based surface modification increases the contact area at the liquid-solid interface, leading to enhanced surface charging density and thus electric output at an efficiency of 7.7%. Our planar-structured generator features an all-in-one design without separate and movable components for capturing and transmitting mechanical energy. It has extremely lightweight and small volume, making it a portable, flexible, and convenient power solution that can be applied on the ocean/river surface, at coastal/offshore areas, and even in rainy places. Considering the demonstrated scalability, it can also be possibly used in large-scale energy generation if layers of planar sheets are connected into a network.

  9. Vertically-aligned Mn(OH) 2 nanosheet films for flexible all-solid-state electrochemical supercapacitors

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

    Yang, Ziyuan; Gong, Jiangfeng; Tang, Chunmei

    We report that the arrangement of the electrode materials is a significant contributor for constructing high performance supercapacitor. Here, vertically-aligned Mn(OH) 2 nanosheet thin films were synthesized by cathodic electrodeposition technique on flexible Au coated polyethylene terephthalate substrates. Morphologies, microstructures, chemical compositions and valence state of the nanosheet films were characterized systematically. It shows that the nanosheets arranged vertically to the substrate, forming a porous nanowall structures and creating large open framework, which greatly facilitate the adsorption or diffusion of electrolyte ions for faradaic redox reaction. Electrochemical tests of the films show the specific capacitance as high as 240.2 Fmore » g -1 at 1.0 A g -1. The films were employed to assemble symmetric all-solid-state supercapacitors with LiCl/PVA gel severed as solid electrolyte. Finally, the solid devices exhibit high volumetric capacitance of 39.3 mF cm -3 at the current density 0.3 mA cm -3 with robust cycling stability. The superior performance is attributed to the vertically-aligned configuration.« less

  10. Vertically-aligned Mn(OH) 2 nanosheet films for flexible all-solid-state electrochemical supercapacitors

    DOE PAGES

    Yang, Ziyuan; Gong, Jiangfeng; Tang, Chunmei; ...

    2017-08-28

    We report that the arrangement of the electrode materials is a significant contributor for constructing high performance supercapacitor. Here, vertically-aligned Mn(OH) 2 nanosheet thin films were synthesized by cathodic electrodeposition technique on flexible Au coated polyethylene terephthalate substrates. Morphologies, microstructures, chemical compositions and valence state of the nanosheet films were characterized systematically. It shows that the nanosheets arranged vertically to the substrate, forming a porous nanowall structures and creating large open framework, which greatly facilitate the adsorption or diffusion of electrolyte ions for faradaic redox reaction. Electrochemical tests of the films show the specific capacitance as high as 240.2 Fmore » g -1 at 1.0 A g -1. The films were employed to assemble symmetric all-solid-state supercapacitors with LiCl/PVA gel severed as solid electrolyte. Finally, the solid devices exhibit high volumetric capacitance of 39.3 mF cm -3 at the current density 0.3 mA cm -3 with robust cycling stability. The superior performance is attributed to the vertically-aligned configuration.« less

  11. Constructing Hierarchical Tectorum-like α-Fe2 O3 /PPy Nanoarrays on Carbon Cloth for Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Libin; Yang, Huiling; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Zeng, Rui; Li, Ming; Huang, Yunhui; Hu, Xianluo

    2017-01-19

    The design of complex heterostructured electrode materials that deliver superior electrochemical performances to their individual counterparts has stimulated intensive research on configuring supercapacitors with high energy and power densities. Herein we fabricate hierarchical tectorum-like α-Fe 2 O 3 /polypyrrole (PPy) nanoarrays (T-Fe 2 O 3 /PPy NAs). The 3D, and interconnected T-Fe 2 O 3 /PPy NAs are successfully grown on conductive carbon cloth through an easy self-sacrificing template and in situ vapor-phase polymerization route under mild conditions. The electrode made of the T-Fe 2 O 3 /PPy NAs exhibits a high areal capacitance of 382.4 mF cm -2 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm -2 and excellent reversibility. The solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor consisting of T-Fe 2 O 3 /PPy NAs and MnO 2 electrodes achieves a high energy density of 0.22 mWh cm -3 at a power density of 165.6 mW cm -3 . © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Recoverable Wire-Shaped Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Volumetric Energy Density for Multifunctional Portable and Wearable Electronics.

    PubMed

    Shi, Minjie; Yang, Cheng; Song, Xuefeng; Liu, Jing; Zhao, Liping; Zhang, Peng; Gao, Lian

    2017-05-24

    Wire-shaped supercapacitors (SCs) based on shape memory materials are of considerable interest for next-generation portable and wearable electronics. However, the bottleneck in this field is how to develop the devices with excellent electrochemical performance while well-maintaining recoverability and flexibility. Herein, a unique asymmetric electrode concept is put forward to fabricate smart wire-shaped SCs with ultrahigh energy density, which is realized by using porous carbon dodecahedra coated on NiTi alloy wire and flexible graphene fiber as yarn electrodes. Notably, the wire-shaped SCs not only exhibit high flexibility that can be readily woven into real clothing but also represent the available recoverable ability. When irreversible plastic deformations happen, the deformed shape of the devices can automatically resume the initial predesigned shape in a warm environment (about 35 °C). More importantly, the wire-shaped SCs act as efficient energy storage devices, which display high volumetric energy density (8.9 mWh/cm 3 ), volumetric power density (1080 mW/cm 3 ), strong durability in multiple mechanical states, and steady electrochemical behavior after repeated shape recovery processes. Considering their relative facile fabrication technology and excellent electrochemical performance, this asymmetric electrode strategy produced smart wire-shaped supercapacitors desirable for multifunctional portable and wearable electronics.

  13. Protein Flexibility Facilitates Quaternary Structure Assembly and Evolution

    PubMed Central

    Marsh, Joseph A.; Teichmann, Sarah A.

    2014-01-01

    The intrinsic flexibility of proteins allows them to undergo large conformational fluctuations in solution or upon interaction with other molecules. Proteins also commonly assemble into complexes with diverse quaternary structure arrangements. Here we investigate how the flexibility of individual protein chains influences the assembly and evolution of protein complexes. We find that flexibility appears to be particularly conducive to the formation of heterologous (i.e., asymmetric) intersubunit interfaces. This leads to a strong association between subunit flexibility and homomeric complexes with cyclic and asymmetric quaternary structure topologies. Similarly, we also observe that the more nonhomologous subunits that assemble together within a complex, the more flexible those subunits tend to be. Importantly, these findings suggest that subunit flexibility should be closely related to the evolutionary history of a complex. We confirm this by showing that evolutionarily more recent subunits are generally more flexible than evolutionarily older subunits. Finally, we investigate the very different explorations of quaternary structure space that have occurred in different evolutionary lineages. In particular, the increased flexibility of eukaryotic proteins appears to enable the assembly of heteromeric complexes with more unique components. PMID:24866000

  14. Differential Enzyme Flexibility Probed Using Solid-State Nanopores.

    PubMed

    Hu, Rui; Rodrigues, João V; Waduge, Pradeep; Yamazaki, Hirohito; Cressiot, Benjamin; Chishti, Yasmin; Makowski, Lee; Yu, Dapeng; Shakhnovich, Eugene; Zhao, Qing; Wanunu, Meni

    2018-05-22

    Enzymes and motor proteins are dynamic macromolecules that coexist in a number of conformations of similar energies. Protein function is usually accompanied by a change in structure and flexibility, often induced upon binding to ligands. However, while measuring protein flexibility changes between active and resting states is of therapeutic significance, it remains a challenge. Recently, our group has demonstrated that breadth of signal amplitudes in measured electrical signatures as an ensemble of individual protein molecules is driven through solid-state nanopores and correlates with protein conformational dynamics. Here, we extend our study to resolve subtle flexibility variation in dihydrofolate reductase mutants from unlabeled single molecules in solution. We first demonstrate using a canonical protein system, adenylate kinase, that both size and flexibility changes can be observed upon binding to a substrate that locks the protein in a closed conformation. Next, we investigate the influence of voltage bias and pore geometry on the measured electrical pulse statistics during protein transport. Finally, using the optimal experimental conditions, we systematically study a series of wild-type and mutant dihydrofolate reductase proteins, finding a good correlation between nanopore-measured protein conformational dynamics and equilibrium bulk fluorescence probe measurements. Our results unequivocally demonstrate that nanopore-based measurements reliably probe conformational diversity in native protein ensembles.

  15. Viscoelastic fluid-structure interactions between a flexible cylinder and wormlike micelle solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dey, Anita A.; Modarres-Sadeghi, Yahya; Rothstein, Jonathan P.

    2018-06-01

    It is well known that when a flexible or flexibly mounted structure is placed perpendicular to the flow of a Newtonian fluid, it can oscillate due to the shedding of separated vortices at high Reynolds numbers. Unlike Newtonian fluids, the flow of viscoelastic fluids can become unstable even at infinitesimal Reynolds numbers due to a purely elastic flow instability that can occur at large Weissenberg numbers. Recent work has shown that these elastic flow instabilities can drive the motion of flexible sheets. The fluctuating fluid forces exerted on the structure from the elastic flow instabilities can lead to a coupling between an oscillatory structural motion and the state of stress in the fluid flow. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation into the flow of a viscoelastic wormlike micelle solution past a flexible circular cylinder. The time variation of the flow field and the state of stress in the fluid are shown using a combination of particle image tracking and flow-induced birefringence images. The static and dynamic responses of the flexible cylinder are presented for a range of flow velocities. The nonlinear dynamics of the structural motion is studied to better understand an observed transition from a symmetric to an asymmetric structural deformation and oscillation behavior.

  16. Dynamics and control of escape and rescue from a tumbling spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaplan, M. H.

    1972-01-01

    The results of 18 months of investigations are reported. A movable mass control system to convert the tumbling motion of a spacecraft into simple spin was studied along with the optimization techniques for generating displacement profiles for a tumbling asymmetrical body. Equations of motion are discussed for two asymmetrical vehicles with flexible beams and one spacecraft with flexible solar arrays. The characteristics which allow reasonable safety and reliability in bailout are also discussed.

  17. Superior Blends Solid Polymer Electrolyte with Integrated Hierarchical Architectures for All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dechao; Zhang, Long; Yang, Kun; Wang, Hongqiang; Yu, Chuang; Xu, Di; Xu, Bo; Wang, Li-Min

    2017-10-25

    Exploration of advanced solid electrolytes with good interfacial stability toward electrodes is a highly relevant research topic for all-solid-state batteries. Here, we report PCL/SN blends integrating with PAN-skeleton as solid polymer electrolyte prepared by a facile method. This polymer electrolyte with hierarchical architectures exhibits high ionic conductivity, large electrochemical windows, high degree flexibility, good flame-retardance ability, and thermal stability (workable at 80 °C). Additionally, it demonstrates superior compatibility and electrochemical stability toward metallic Li as well as LiFePO 4 cathode. The electrolyte/electrode interfaces are very stable even subjected to 4.5 V at charging state for long time. The LiFePO 4 /Li all-solid-state cells based on this electrolyte deliver high capacity, outstanding cycling stability, and superior rate capability better than those based on liquid electrolyte. This solid polymer electrolyte is eligible for next generation high energy density all-solid-state batteries.

  18. Eco-friendly wood-based solid-state flexible supercapacitors from wood transverse section slice and reduced graphene oxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lv, Shaoyi; Fu, Feng; Wang, Siqun; Huang, Jingda; Hu, La

    2015-07-01

    An interesting wood-based all-solid-state supercapacitor is produced using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) coated on wood transverse section slice (WTSS) as electrode material by means of a low-cost, eco-friendly, and simple method for the first time. The RGO-coated WTSS electrode has a porous 3D honeycomb framework due to the hierarchical cellular structure of the WTSS substrate and can function as an electrolyte reservoir. This special construction endows this novel electrode with good areal capacitance (102 mF cm-2) and excellent cyclic stability (capacitance retention of 98.9% after 5000 cycles). In addition, the supercapacitors exhibit good mechanical flexibility and preserve almost constant capacitive behavior under different bending conditions. Our study introduces a new and eco-friendly material design for electrodes in future flexible energy storage devices that closely resemble natural materials. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  19. Order, viscoelastic, and dielectric properties of symmetric and asymmetric alkyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophenes.

    PubMed

    Grigoriadis, Christos; Niebel, Claude; Ruzié, Christian; Geerts, Yves H; Floudas, George

    2014-02-06

    The morphology, the viscoelastic, the dielectric properties and the dynamics of phase transformation are studied in symmetrically and asymmetrically substituted alkyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophenes (C8-BTBT) by X-ray scattering, rheology, and dielectric spectroscopy. The interlayer spacing reflects the molecular and supramolecular ordering, respectively, in the symmetrically and asymmetrically substituted BTBTs. In the asymmetric BTBT, the core layer is double in size with a broader network of intermolecular interactions though the increased S-S contacts that is prerequisite for the development of high performance OFET devices. Two crystal states with elastic and viscoelastic responses were identified in the symmetric compound. In contrast, the SmA phase in the asymmetric compound is a viscoelastic solid. A path-dependent dielectric environment with a switchable dielectric permittivity was found in both compounds by cooling below 0 °C with possible implications to charge transport. The kinetics of phase transformation to the crystalline and SmA phases revealed a nucleation and growth mechanism with rates dominated by the low activation barriers.

  20. Asymmetric carbon nanotube-MnO2 two-ply yarn supercapacitors for wearable electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Fenghua; Miao, Menghe

    2014-04-01

    Strong and flexible two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors are electrical double layer capacitors that possess relatively low energy storage capacity. Pseudocapacitance metal oxides such as MnO2 are well known for their high electrochemical performance and can be coated on carbon nanotube yarns to significantly improve the performance of two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors. We produced a high performance asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor from as-spun CNT yarn and CNT@MnO2 composite yarn in aqueous electrolyte. The as-spun CNT yarn serves as negative electrode and the CNT@MnO2 composite yarn as positive electrode. This asymmetric architecture allows the operating potential window to be extended from 1.0 to 2.0 V and results in much higher energy and power densities than the reference symmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitors, reaching 42.0 Wh kg-1 at a lower power density of 483.7 W kg-1, and 28.02 Wh kg-1 at a higher power density of 19 250 W kg-1. The asymmetric supercapacitor can sustain cyclic charge-discharge and repeated folding/unfolding actions without suffering significant deterioration of specific capacitance. The combination of high strength, flexibility and electrochemical performance makes the asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor a suitable power source for flexible electronic devices for applications that require high durability and wearer comfort.

  1. Asymmetric carbon nanotube-MnO₂ two-ply yarn supercapacitors for wearable electronics.

    PubMed

    Su, Fenghua; Miao, Menghe

    2014-04-04

    Strong and flexible two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors are electrical double layer capacitors that possess relatively low energy storage capacity. Pseudocapacitance metal oxides such as MnO₂ are well known for their high electrochemical performance and can be coated on carbon nanotube yarns to significantly improve the performance of two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors. We produced a high performance asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor from as-spun CNT yarn and CNT@Mn₂2 composite yarn in aqueous electrolyte. The as-spun CNT yarn serves as negative electrode and the CNT@MnO₂ composite yarn as positive electrode. This asymmetric architecture allows the operating potential window to be extended from 1.0 to 2.0 V and results in much higher energy and power densities than the reference symmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitors, reaching 42.0 Wh kg(-1) at a lower power density of 483.7 W kg(-1), and 28.02 Wh kg(-1) at a higher power density of 19,250 W kg(-1). The asymmetric supercapacitor can sustain cyclic charge-discharge and repeated folding/unfolding actions without suffering significant deterioration of specific capacitance. The combination of high strength, flexibility and electrochemical performance makes the asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor a suitable power source for flexible electronic devices for applications that require high durability and wearer comfort.

  2. An innovative SNP genotyping method adapting to multiple platforms and throughputs.

    PubMed

    Long, Y M; Chao, W S; Ma, G J; Xu, S S; Qi, L L

    2017-03-01

    An innovative genotyping method designated as semi-thermal asymmetric reverse PCR (STARP) was developed for genotyping individual SNPs with improved accuracy, flexible throughputs, low operational costs, and high platform compatibility. Multiplex chip-based technology for genome-scale genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has made great progress in the past two decades. However, PCR-based genotyping of individual SNPs still remains problematic in accuracy, throughput, simplicity, and/or operational costs as well as the compatibility with multiple platforms. Here, we report a novel SNP genotyping method designated semi-thermal asymmetric reverse PCR (STARP). In this method, genotyping assay was performed under unique PCR conditions using two universal priming element-adjustable primers (PEA-primers) and one group of three locus-specific primers: two asymmetrically modified allele-specific primers (AMAS-primers) and their common reverse primer. The two AMAS-primers each were substituted one base in different positions at their 3' regions to significantly increase the amplification specificity of the two alleles and tailed at 5' ends to provide priming sites for PEA-primers. The two PEA-primers were developed for common use in all genotyping assays to stringently target the PCR fragments generated by the two AMAS-primers with similar PCR efficiencies and for flexible detection using either gel-free fluorescence signals or gel-based size separation. The state-of-the-art primer design and unique PCR conditions endowed STARP with all the major advantages of high accuracy, flexible throughputs, simple assay design, low operational costs, and platform compatibility. In addition to SNPs, STARP can also be employed in genotyping of indels (insertion-deletion polymorphisms). As vast variations in DNA sequences are being unearthed by many genome sequencing projects and genotyping by sequencing, STARP will have wide applications across all biological organisms in agriculture, medicine, and forensics.

  3. Vertically Oriented and Interpenetrating CuSe Nanosheet Films with Open Channels for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Lingzhi; Gong, Jiangfeng; Liu, Chunyan; ...

    2017-03-22

    As a p-type multifunctional semiconductor, CuSe nanostructures show great promise in optoelectronic, sensing, and photocatalytic fields. Although great progress has been achieved, controllable synthesis of CuSe nanosheets (NSs) with a desirable spacial orientation and open frameworks remains a challenge, and their use in supercapacitors (SCs) has not been explored. Herein, a highly vertically oriented and interpenetrating CuSe NS film with open channels is deposited on an Au-coated polyethylene terephthalate substrate. Such CuSe NS films exhibit high specific capacitance (209 F g–1) and can be used as a carbon black- and binder-free electrode to construct flexible, symmetric all-solid-state SCs, using polyvinylmore » alcohol–LiCl gel as the solid electrolyte. A device fabricated with such CuSe NS films exhibits high volumetric specific capacitance (30.17 mF cm–3), good cycling stability, excellent flexibility, and desirable mechanical stability. The excellent performance of such devices results from the vertically oriented and interpenetrating configuration of CuSe NS building blocks, which can increase the available surface and facilitate the diffusion of electrolyte ions. Moreover, as a prototype for application, three such solid devices in series can be used to light up a red light-emitting diode.« less

  4. Vertically Oriented and Interpenetrating CuSe Nanosheet Films with Open Channels for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitors

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

    Li, Lingzhi; Gong, Jiangfeng; Liu, Chunyan

    As a p-type multifunctional semiconductor, CuSe nanostructures show great promise in optoelectronic, sensing, and photocatalytic fields. Although great progress has been achieved, controllable synthesis of CuSe nanosheets (NSs) with a desirable spacial orientation and open frameworks remains a challenge, and their use in supercapacitors (SCs) has not been explored. Herein, a highly vertically oriented and interpenetrating CuSe NS film with open channels is deposited on an Au-coated polyethylene terephthalate substrate. Such CuSe NS films exhibit high specific capacitance (209 F g–1) and can be used as a carbon black- and binder-free electrode to construct flexible, symmetric all-solid-state SCs, using polyvinylmore » alcohol–LiCl gel as the solid electrolyte. A device fabricated with such CuSe NS films exhibits high volumetric specific capacitance (30.17 mF cm–3), good cycling stability, excellent flexibility, and desirable mechanical stability. The excellent performance of such devices results from the vertically oriented and interpenetrating configuration of CuSe NS building blocks, which can increase the available surface and facilitate the diffusion of electrolyte ions. Moreover, as a prototype for application, three such solid devices in series can be used to light up a red light-emitting diode.« less

  5. Method to fabricate high performance tubular solid oxide fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Chen, Fanglin; Yang, Chenghao; Jin, Chao

    2013-06-18

    In accordance with the present disclosure, a method for fabricating a solid oxide fuel cell is described. The method includes forming an asymmetric porous ceramic tube by using a phase inversion process. The method further includes forming an asymmetric porous ceramic layer on a surface of the asymmetric porous ceramic tube by using a phase inversion process. The tube is co-sintered to form a structure having a first porous layer, a second porous layer, and a dense layer positioned therebetween.

  6. Time-Dependent Solid State Polymorphism of a Series of Donor-Acceptor Dyads

    PubMed Central

    Peebles, Cameron; Alvey, Paul M.; Lynch, Vincent; Iverson, Brent L.

    2014-01-01

    In order to exploit the use of favorable electrostatic interactions between aromatic units in directing the assembly of donor-acceptor (D-A) dyads, the present work examines the ability of conjugated aromatic D-A dyads with symmetric side chains to exhibit solid-state polymorphism as a function of time during the solid formation process. Four such dyads were synthesized and their packing in the solid-state from either slower (10-20 days) or faster (1-2 days) evaporation from solvent was investigated using single crystal X-ray analysis and powder X-ray diffraction. Two of the dyads exhibited tail-to-tail (A-A) packing upon slower evaporation from solvent and head-to-tail (D-A) packing upon faster evaporation from solvent. A combination of single crystal analysis and XRD patterns were used to create models wherein a packing model for the other two dyads is proposed. Our findings suggest that while side chain interactions in asymmetric aromatic dyads can play an important role in enforcing segregated D-A dyad assembly, slowly evaporating symmetrically substituted aromatic dyads allows for favorable electrostatic interactions between the aromatic moieties to facilitate the organization of the dyads in the solid-state. PMID:24678269

  7. From Ion Current to Electroosmotic Flow Rectification in Asymmetric Nanopore Membranes

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Xiaojian

    2017-01-01

    Asymmetrically shaped nanopores have been shown to rectify the ionic current flowing through pores in a fashion similar to a p-n junction in a solid-state diode. Such asymmetric nanopores include conical pores in polymeric membranes and pyramidal pores in mica membranes. We review here both theoretical and experimental aspects of this ion current rectification phenomenon. A simple intuitive model for rectification, stemming from previously published more quantitative models, is discussed. We also review experimental results on controlling the extent and sign of rectification. It was shown that ion current rectification produces a related rectification of electroosmotic flow (EOF) through asymmetric pore membranes. We review results that show how to measure and modulate this EOF rectification phenomenon. Finally, EOF rectification led to the development of an electroosmotic pump that works under alternating current (AC), as opposed to the currently available direct current EOF pumps. Experimental results on AC EOF rectification are reviewed, and advantages of using AC to drive EOF are discussed. PMID:29240676

  8. From Ion Current to Electroosmotic Flow Rectification in Asymmetric Nanopore Membranes.

    PubMed

    Experton, Juliette; Wu, Xiaojian; Martin, Charles R

    2017-12-14

    Asymmetrically shaped nanopores have been shown to rectify the ionic current flowing through pores in a fashion similar to a p-n junction in a solid-state diode. Such asymmetric nanopores include conical pores in polymeric membranes and pyramidal pores in mica membranes. We review here both theoretical and experimental aspects of this ion current rectification phenomenon. A simple intuitive model for rectification, stemming from previously published more quantitative models, is discussed. We also review experimental results on controlling the extent and sign of rectification. It was shown that ion current rectification produces a related rectification of electroosmotic flow (EOF) through asymmetric pore membranes. We review results that show how to measure and modulate this EOF rectification phenomenon. Finally, EOF rectification led to the development of an electroosmotic pump that works under alternating current (AC), as opposed to the currently available direct current EOF pumps. Experimental results on AC EOF rectification are reviewed, and advantages of using AC to drive EOF are discussed.

  9. Mono- and Dinuclear Manganese Carbonyls Supported by 1,8-Disubstituted (L = Py, SMe, SH) Anthracene Ligand Scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Manes, Taylor A; Rose, Michael J

    2016-06-06

    Presented herein is a synthetic scheme to generate symmetric and asymmetric ligands based on a 1,8-disubstituted anthracene scaffold. The metal-binding scaffolds were prepared by aryl chloride activation of 1,8-dichloroanthracene using Suzuki-type couplings facilitated by [Pd(dba)2] as a Pd source; the choice of cocatalyst (XPhos or SPhos) yielded symmetrically or asymmetrically substituted scaffolds (respectively): namely, Anth-SMe2 (3), Anth-N2 (4), and Anth-NSMe (6). The ligands exhibit a nonplanar geometry in the solid state (X-ray), owing to steric hindrance between the anthracene scaffold and the coupled aryl units. To determine the flexibility and binding characteristics of the anthracene-based ligands, the symmetric scaffolds were complexed with [Mn(CO)5Br] to afford the mononuclear species [(Anth-SMe2)Mn(CO)3Br] (8) and [(Anth-N2)Mn(CO)3Br] (9), in which the donor moieties chelate the Mn center in a cis fashion. The asymmetric ligand Anth-NSMe (6) binds preferentially through the py moieties, affording the bis-ligated complex [(Anth-NSMe)2Mn(CO)3Br] (10), wherein the thioether-S donors remain unbound. Alternatively, deprotection of the thioether in 6 affords the free thiol ligand Anth-NSH (7), which more readily binds the Mn center. Complexation of 7 ultimately affords the mixed-valence Mn(I)/Mn(II) dimer of formula [(Anth-NS)3Mn2(CO)3] (11), which exhibits a fac-{Mn(CO)3} unit supported by a triad of bridging thiolates, which are in turn ligated to a supporting Mn(II) center (EPR: |D| = 0.053 cm(-1), E/|D| = 0.3, Aiso = -150 MHz). All of the metal complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and NMR/EPR measurements-all of which demonstrate that the meta-linked, anthracene-based ligand scaffold is a viable approach for the coordination of metal carbonyls.

  10. Two-dimensional tin selenide nanostructures for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chunli; Yin, Huanhuan; Han, Min; Dai, Zhihui; Pang, Huan; Zheng, Yulin; Lan, Ya-Qian; Bao, Jianchun; Zhu, Jianmin

    2014-04-22

    Due to their unique electronic and optoelectronic properties, tin selenide nanostructures show great promise for applications in energy storage and photovoltaic devices. Despite the great progress that has been achieved, the phase-controlled synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) tin selenide nanostructures remains a challenge, and their use in supercapacitors has not been explored. In this paper, 2D tin selenide nanostructures, including pure SnSe2 nanodisks (NDs), mixed-phase SnSe-SnSe2 NDs, and pure SnSe nanosheets (NSs), have been synthesized by reacting SnCl2 and trioctylphosphine (TOP)-Se with borane-tert-butylamine complex (BTBC) and 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone. Utilizing the interplay of TOP and BTBC and changing only the amount of BTBC, the phase-controlled synthesis of 2D tin selenide nanostructures is realized for the first time. Phase-dependent pseudocapacitive behavior is observed for the resulting 2D nanostructures. The specific capacitances of pure SnSe2 NDs (168 F g(-1)) and SnSe NSs (228 F g(-1)) are much higher than those of other reported materials (e.g., graphene-Mn3O4 nanorods and TiN mesoporous spheres); thus, these tin selenide materials were used to fabricate flexible, all-solid-state supercapacitors. Devices fabricated with these two tin selenide materials exhibited high areal capacitances, good cycling stabilities, excellent flexibilities, and desirable mechanical stabilities, which were comparable to or better than those reported recently for other solid-state devices based on graphene and 3D GeSe2 nanostructures. Additionally, the rate capability of the SnSe2 NDs device was much better than that of the SnSe NS device, indicating that SnSe2 NDs are promising active materials for use in high-performance, flexible, all-solid-state supercapacitors.

  11. Functionalized graphene hydrogel-based high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yuxi; Lin, Zhaoyang; Huang, Xiaoqing; Wang, Yang; Huang, Yu; Duan, Xiangfeng

    2013-10-25

    Functionalized graphene hydrogels are prepared by a one-step low-temperature reduction process and exhibit ultrahigh specific capacitances and excellent cycling stability in the aqueous electrolyte. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors based on functionalized graphene hydrogels are demonstrated with superior capacitive performances and extraordinary mechanical flexibility. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Temperature-gated thermal rectifier for active heat flow control.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Jia; Hippalgaonkar, Kedar; Shen, Sheng; Wang, Kevin; Abate, Yohannes; Lee, Sangwook; Wu, Junqiao; Yin, Xiaobo; Majumdar, Arun; Zhang, Xiang

    2014-08-13

    Active heat flow control is essential for broad applications of heating, cooling, and energy conversion. Like electronic devices developed for the control of electric power, it is very desirable to develop advanced all-thermal solid-state devices that actively control heat flow without consuming other forms of energy. Here we demonstrate temperature-gated thermal rectification using vanadium dioxide beams in which the environmental temperature actively modulates asymmetric heat flow. In this three terminal device, there are two switchable states, which can be regulated by global heating. In the "Rectifier" state, we observe up to 28% thermal rectification. In the "Resistor" state, the thermal rectification is significantly suppressed (<1%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of solid-state active-thermal devices with a large rectification in the Rectifier state. This temperature-gated rectifier can have substantial implications ranging from autonomous thermal management of heating and cooling systems to efficient thermal energy conversion and storage.

  13. Sodium-Doped Mesoporous Ni2P2O7 Hexagonal Tablets for High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Hybrid Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wei, Chengzhen; Cheng, Cheng; Wang, Shanshan; Xu, Yazhou; Wang, Jindi; Pang, Huan

    2015-08-01

    A simple hydrothermal method has been developed to prepare hexagonal tablet precursors, which are then transformed into porous sodium-doped Ni2P2O7 hexagonal tablets by a simple calcination method. The obtained samples were evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors. Electrochemical measurements show that the electrode based on the porous sodium-doped Ni2P2O7 hexagonal tablets exhibits a specific capacitance of 557.7 F g(-1) at a current density of 1.2 A g(-1) . Furthermore, the porous sodium-doped Ni2P2O7 hexagonal tablets were successfully used to construct flexible solid-state hybrid supercapacitors. The device is highly flexible and achieves a maximum energy density of 23.4 Wh kg(-1) and a good cycling stability after 5000 cycles, which confirms that the porous sodium-doped Ni2P2 O7 hexagonal tablets are promising active materials for flexible supercapacitors. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Wearable Solid-State Supercapacitors Operating at High Working Voltage with a Flexible Nanocomposite Electrode.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Jun; Zhao, Yaping; Ge, Fengyan; Komarneni, Sridhar; Cai, Zaisheng

    2016-10-05

    The proposed approach for fabricating ultralight self-sustained electrodes facilitates the structural integration of highly flexible carbon nanofibers, amino-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (AM-MWNT), and MnO 2 nanoflakes for potential use in wearable supercapacitors. Because of the higher orientation of AM-MWNT and the sublimation of terephthalic acid (PTA) in the carbonization process, freestanding electrodes could be realized with high porosity and flexibility and could possess remarkable electrochemical properties without using polymer substrates. Wearable symmetric solid-state supercapacitors were further assembled using a LiCl/PVA gel electrolyte, which exhibit a maximum energy density of 44.57 Wh/kg (at a power density of 337.1 W/kg) and a power density of 13330 W/kg (at an energy density of 19.64 Wh/kg) with a working voltage as high as 1.8 V. Due to the combination of several favorable traits such as flexibility, high energy density, and excellent electrochemical cyclability, the presently developed wearable supercapacitors with wide potential windows are expected to be useful for new kinds of portable electric devices.

  15. Minimizing hot spot temperature in asymmetric gradient coil design.

    PubMed

    While, Peter T; Forbes, Larry K; Crozier, Stuart

    2011-08-01

    Heating caused by gradient coils is a considerable concern in the operation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. Hot spots can occur in regions where the gradient coil windings are closely spaced. These problem areas are particularly common in the design of gradient coils with asymmetrically located target regions. In this paper, an extension of an existing coil design method is described, to enable the design of asymmetric gradient coils with reduced hot spot temperatures. An improved model is presented for predicting steady-state spatial temperature distributions for gradient coils. A great amount of flexibility is afforded by this model to consider a wide range of geometries and system material properties. A feature of the temperature distribution related to the temperature gradient is used in a relaxed fixed point iteration routine for successively altering coil windings to have a lower hot spot temperature. Results show that significant reductions in peak temperature are possible at little or no cost to coil performance when compared to minimum power coils of equivalent field error.

  16. Solution-processed ultrathin chemically derived graphene films as soft top contacts for solid-state molecular electronic junctions.

    PubMed

    Li, Tao; Hauptmann, Jonas Rahlf; Wei, Zhongming; Petersen, Søren; Bovet, Nicolas; Vosch, Tom; Nygård, Jesper; Hu, Wenping; Liu, Yunqi; Bjørnholm, Thomas; Nørgaard, Kasper; Laursen, Bo W

    2012-03-08

    A novel method using solution-processed ultrathin chemically derived graphene films as soft top contacts for the non-destructive fabrication of molecular junctions is demonstrated. We believe this protocol will greatly enrich the solid-state test beds for molecular electronics due to its low-cost, easy-processing and flexible nature. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Three-dimensional skeleton networks of graphene wrapped polyaniline nanofibers: an excellent structure for high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Nantao; Zhang, Liling; Yang, Chao; Zhao, Jian; Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao; Liao, Hanbin; Feng, Zhenxing; Fisher, Adrian; Zhang, Yafei; Xu, Zhichuan J.

    2016-01-01

    Thin, robust, lightweight, and flexible supercapacitors (SCs) have aroused growing attentions nowadays due to the rapid development of flexible electronics. Graphene-polyaniline (PANI) hybrids are attractive candidates for high performance SCs. In order to utilize them in real devices, it is necessary to improve the capacitance and the structure stability of PANI. Here we report a hierarchical three-dimensional structure, in which all of PANI nanofibers (NFs) are tightly wrapped inside reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet skeletons, for high-performance flexible SCs. The as-fabricated film electrodes with this unique structure showed a highest gravimetric specific capacitance of 921 F/g and volumetric capacitance of 391 F/cm3. The assembled solid-state SCs gave a high specific capacitance of 211 F/g (1 A/g), a high area capacitance of 0.9 F/cm2, and a competitive volumetric capacitance of 25.6 F/cm3. The SCs also exhibited outstanding rate capability (~75% retention at 20 A/g) as well as excellent cycling stability (100% retention at 10 A/g for 2000 cycles). Additionally, no structural failure and loss of performance were observed under the bending state. This structure design paves a new avenue for engineering rGO/PANI or other similar hybrids for high performance flexible energy storage devices. PMID:26795067

  18. Three-dimensional skeleton networks of graphene wrapped polyaniline nanofibers: An excellent structure for high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors

    DOE PAGES

    Hu, Nantao; Zhang, Liling; Yang, Chao; ...

    2016-01-22

    Thin, robust, lightweight, and flexible supercapacitors (SCs) have aroused growing attentions nowadays due to the rapid development of flexible electronics. Graphene-polyaniline (PANI) hybrids are attractive candidates for high performance SCs. In order to utilize them in real devices, it is necessary to improve the capacitance and the structure stability of PANI. Here we report a hierarchical three-dimensional structure, in which all of PANI nanofibers (NFs) are tightly wrapped inside reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet skeletons, for high-performance flexible SCs. The as-fabricated film electrodes with this unique structure showed a highest gravimetric specific capacitance of 921 F/g and volumetric capacitance ofmore » 391 F/cm 3. The assembled solid-state SCs gave a high specific capacitance of 211 F/g (1 A/g), a high area capacitance of 0.9 F/cm 2, and a competitive volumetric capacitance of 25.6 F/cm 3. The SCs also exhibited outstanding rate capability (~75% retention at 20 A/g) as well as excellent cycling stability (100% retention at 10 A/g for 2000 cycles). Additionally, no structural failure and loss of performance were observed under the bending state. Lastly, this structure design paves a new avenue for engineering rGO/PANI or other similar hybrids for high performance flexible energy storage devices.« less

  19. Enhanced performance of HRGO-RuO 2 solid state flexible supercapacitors fabricated by electrophoretic deposition

    DOE PAGES

    Amir, Fatima Z.; Pham, V. H.; Mullinax, D. W.; ...

    2016-06-07

    Ruthenium oxide (RuO 2) nanomaterials exist as excellent materials for electrochemical capacitors. However, they tend to suffer from low mechanical flexibility when cast into films, which makes them unsuitable for flexible device applications. Herein, we report an environmentally friendly and solution-processable approach to fabricate RuO 2-based composite electrodes for flexible solid state supercapacitors. The composites were produced by anchoring RuO 2 nanoparticles onto holey reduced graphene oxide (HRGO) via a sol-gel method, followed by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of the material into thin films. The uniform anchoring of ultra-small RuO 2 nanoparticles on the two-dimensional HRGO sheets resulted in HRGO-RuOmore » 2 hybrid sheets with excellent mechanical flexibility of HRGO. EPD induced a layer-by-layer assembly mechanism for the HRGO-RuO 2 hybrid sheets, which resulted in a binder-free, flexible electrode. The obtained HRGO-RuO 2 flexible supercapacitors exhibited excellent electrochemical capacitive performance in a PVA-H 2SO 4 gel electrolyte with a specific capacitance of 418 F g -1 and superior cycling stability of 88.5% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles. Additionally, these supercapacitors exhibited high rate performance with capacitance retention of 85% by increasing the current density from 1.0 to 20.0 Ag -1, and excellent mechanical flexibility with only 4.9% decay in the performance when bent 180°.« less

  20. Co3O4/MnO2/Hierarchically Porous Carbon as Superior Bifunctional Electrodes for Liquid and All-Solid-State Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries.

    PubMed

    Li, Xuemei; Dong, Fang; Xu, Nengneng; Zhang, Tao; Li, Kaixi; Qiao, Jinli

    2018-05-09

    The design of efficient, durable, and affordable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is very indispensable in liquid-type and flexible all-solid-state zinc-air batteries. Herein, we present a high-performance bifunctional catalyst with cobalt and manganese oxides supported on porous carbon (Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /PQ-7). The optimized Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /PQ-7 exhibited a comparable ORR performance with commercial Pt/C and a more superior OER performance than all of the other prepared catalysts, including commercial Pt/C. When applied to practical aqueous (6.0 M KOH) zinc-air batteries, the Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /porous carbon hybrid catalysts exhibited exceptional performance, such as a maximum discharge peak power density as high as 257 mW cm -2 and the most stable charge-discharge durability over 50 h with negligible deactivation to date. More importantly, a series of flexible all-solid-state zinc-air batteries can be fabricated by the Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /porous carbon with a layer-by-layer method. The optimal catalyst (Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /PQ-7) exhibited an excellent peak power density of 45 mW cm -2 . The discharge potentials almost remained unchanged for 6 h at 5 mA cm -2 and possessed a long cycle life (2.5 h@5 mA cm -2 ). These results make the optimized Co 3 O 4 /MnO 2 /PQ-7 a promising cathode candidate for both liquid-type and flexible all-solid-state zinc-air batteries.

  1. Enhanced cycling stability of NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yuanyuan; Shi, Tielin; Jiang, Shulan; Cheng, Siyi; Tao, Xiangxu; Zhong, Yan; Liao, Guanglan; Tang, Zirong

    2016-12-07

    As a new class of pseudocapacitive material, metal sulfides possess high electrochemical performance. However, their cycling performance as conventional electrodes is rather poor for practical applications. In this article, we report an original composite electrode based on NiCo 2 S 4 @NiO core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) with enhanced cycling stability. This three-dimensional electrode also has a high specific capacitance of 12.2 F cm -2 at the current density of 1 mA cm -2 and excellent cycling stability (about 89% retention after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device has been assembled with NiCo 2 S 4 @NiO NWAs as the positive electrode and active carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, delivering a high energy density of 30.38 W h kg -1 at 0.288 KW kg -1 and good cycling stability (about 109% retention after 5000 cycles). The results show that NiCo 2 S 4 @NiO NWAs are promising for high-performance supercapacitors with stable cycling based on the unique core-shell structure and well-designed combinations.

  2. Enhanced cycling stability of NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Yuanyuan; Shi, Tielin; Jiang, Shulan; Cheng, Siyi; Tao, Xiangxu; Zhong, Yan; Liao, Guanglan; Tang, Zirong

    2016-12-01

    As a new class of pseudocapacitive material, metal sulfides possess high electrochemical performance. However, their cycling performance as conventional electrodes is rather poor for practical applications. In this article, we report an original composite electrode based on NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) with enhanced cycling stability. This three-dimensional electrode also has a high specific capacitance of 12.2 F cm-2 at the current density of 1 mA cm-2 and excellent cycling stability (about 89% retention after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device has been assembled with NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs as the positive electrode and active carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, delivering a high energy density of 30.38 W h kg-1 at 0.288 KW kg-1 and good cycling stability (about 109% retention after 5000 cycles). The results show that NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs are promising for high-performance supercapacitors with stable cycling based on the unique core-shell structure and well-designed combinations.

  3. Enhanced cycling stability of NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Yuanyuan; Shi, Tielin; Jiang, Shulan; Cheng, Siyi; Tao, Xiangxu; Zhong, Yan; Liao, Guanglan; Tang, Zirong

    2016-01-01

    As a new class of pseudocapacitive material, metal sulfides possess high electrochemical performance. However, their cycling performance as conventional electrodes is rather poor for practical applications. In this article, we report an original composite electrode based on NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) with enhanced cycling stability. This three-dimensional electrode also has a high specific capacitance of 12.2 F cm−2 at the current density of 1 mA cm−2 and excellent cycling stability (about 89% retention after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device has been assembled with NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs as the positive electrode and active carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, delivering a high energy density of 30.38 W h kg−1 at 0.288 KW kg−1 and good cycling stability (about 109% retention after 5000 cycles). The results show that NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs are promising for high-performance supercapacitors with stable cycling based on the unique core-shell structure and well-designed combinations. PMID:27924927

  4. Porous honeycomb structures formed from interconnected MnO2 sheets on CNT-coated substrates for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ko, Wen-Yin; Chen, You-Feng; Lu, Ke-Ming; Lin, Kuan-Jiuh

    2016-01-01

    The use of lightweight and easily-fabricated MnO2/carbon nanotube (CNT)-based flexible networks as binder-free electrodes and a polyvinyl alcohol/H2SO4 electrolyte for the formation of stretchable solid-state supercapacitors was examined. The active electrodes were fabricated from 3D honeycomb porous MnO2 assembled from cross-walled and interconnected sheet-architectural MnO2 on CNT-based plastic substrates (denoted as honeycomb MnO2/CNT textiles).These substrates were fabricated through a simple two-step procedure involving the coating of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto commercial textiles by a dipping-drying process and subsequent electrodeposition of the interconnected MnO2 sheets onto the MWCNT-coated textile. With such unique MnO2 architectures integrated onto CNT flexible films, good performance was achieved with a specific capacitance of 324 F/g at 0.5 A/g. A maximum energy density of 7.2 Wh/kg and a power density as high as 3.3 kW/kg were exhibited by the honeycomb MnO2/CNT network device, which is comparable to the performance of other carbon-based and metal oxide/carbon-based solid-state supercapacitor devices. Specifically, the long-term cycling stability of this material is excellent, with almost no loss of its initial capacitance and good Coulombic efficiency of 82% after 5000 cycles. These impressive results identify these materials as a promising candidate for use in environmentally friendly, low-cost, and high-performance flexible energy-storage devices.

  5. Porous honeycomb structures formed from interconnected MnO2 sheets on CNT-coated substrates for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Ko, Wen-Yin; Chen, You-Feng; Lu, Ke-Ming; Lin, Kuan-Jiuh

    2016-01-01

    The use of lightweight and easily-fabricated MnO2/carbon nanotube (CNT)-based flexible networks as binder-free electrodes and a polyvinyl alcohol/H2SO4 electrolyte for the formation of stretchable solid-state supercapacitors was examined. The active electrodes were fabricated from 3D honeycomb porous MnO2 assembled from cross-walled and interconnected sheet-architectural MnO2 on CNT-based plastic substrates (denoted as honeycomb MnO2/CNT textiles).These substrates were fabricated through a simple two-step procedure involving the coating of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto commercial textiles by a dipping-drying process and subsequent electrodeposition of the interconnected MnO2 sheets onto the MWCNT-coated textile. With such unique MnO2 architectures integrated onto CNT flexible films, good performance was achieved with a specific capacitance of 324 F/g at 0.5 A/g. A maximum energy density of 7.2 Wh/kg and a power density as high as 3.3 kW/kg were exhibited by the honeycomb MnO2/CNT network device, which is comparable to the performance of other carbon-based and metal oxide/carbon-based solid-state supercapacitor devices. Specifically, the long-term cycling stability of this material is excellent, with almost no loss of its initial capacitance and good Coulombic efficiency of 82% after 5000 cycles. These impressive results identify these materials as a promising candidate for use in environmentally friendly, low-cost, and high-performance flexible energy-storage devices. PMID:26726724

  6. Bending impact on the performance of a flexible Li4Ti5O12-based all-solid-state thin-film battery.

    PubMed

    Sepúlveda, Alfonso; Speulmanns, Jan; Vereecken, Philippe M

    2018-01-01

    The growing demand of flexible electronic devices is increasing the requirements of their power sources. The effect of bending in thin-film batteries is still not well understood. Here, we successfully developed a high active area flexible all-solid-state battery as a model system that consists of thin-film layers of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 , LiPON, and Lithium deposited on a novel flexible ceramic substrate. A systematic study on the bending state and performance of the battery is presented. The battery withstands bending radii of at least 14 mm achieving 70% of the theoretical capacity. Here, we reveal that convex bending has a positive effect on battery capacity showing an average increase of 5.5%, whereas concave bending decreases the capacity by 4% in contrast with recent studies. We show that the change in capacity upon bending may well be associated to the Li-ion diffusion kinetic change through the electrode when different external forces are applied. Finally, an encapsulation scheme is presented allowing sufficient bending of the device and operation for at least 500 cycles in air. The results are meant to improve the understanding of the phenomena present in thin-film batteries while undergoing bending rather than showing improvements in battery performance and lifetime.

  7. Impact of repeated uniaxial mechanical strain on flexible a-IGZO thin film transistors with symmetric and asymmetric structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Po-Yung; Chang, Ting-Chang; Su, Wan-Ching; Chen, Bo-Wei; Chen, Li-Hui; Hsieh, Tien-Yu; Yang, Chung-Yi; Chang, Kuan-Chang; Zhang, Sheng-Dong; Huang, Yen-Yu; Chang, Hsi-Ming; Chiang, Shin-Chuan

    2017-06-01

    This letter investigates repeated uniaxial mechanical stress-induced degradation behavior in flexible amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors (TFTs) of different geometric structures. Two types of via-contact structure TFTs are investigated: symmetrical and UI structure (TFTs with I- and U-shaped asymmetric electrodes). After repeated mechanical stress, I-V curves for the symmetrical structure show a significant negative threshold voltage (VT) shift, due to mechanical stress-induced oxygen vacancy generation. However, degradation in the UI structure TFTs after stress is a negative VT shift along with the parasitic transistor characteristic in the forward-operation mode, with this hump not evident in the reverse-operation mode. This asymmetrical degradation is clarified by the mechanical strain simulation of the UI TFTs.

  8. Program Retrieval/Dissemination: A Solid State Random Access System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weeks, Walter O., Jr.

    The trend toward greater flexibility in educational methods has led to a need for better and more rapid access to a variety of aural and audiovisual resource materials. This in turn has demanded the development of a flexible, reliable system of hardware designed to aid existing distribution methods in providing such access. The system must be…

  9. Electromagnetic energy coupling mechanism with matrix architecture control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hughes, Eli (Inventor); Knowles, Gareth (Inventor)

    2006-01-01

    The present invention relates generally to reconfigurable, solid-state matrix arrays comprising multiple rows and columns of reconfigurable secondary mechanisms that are independently tuned. Specifically, the invention relates to reconfigurable devices comprising multiple, solid-state mechanisms characterized by at least one voltage-varied parameter disposed within a flexible, multi-laminate film, which are suitable for use as magnetic conductors, ground surfaces, antennas, varactors, ferrotunable substrates, or other active or passive electronic mechanisms.

  10. A C–H oxidation approach for streamlining synthesis of chiral polyoxygenated motifs

    PubMed Central

    Covell, Dustin J.; White, M. Christina

    2013-01-01

    Chiral oxygenated molecules are pervasive in natural products and medicinal agents; however, their chemical syntheses often necessitate numerous, wasteful steps involving functional group and oxidation state manipulations. Herein a strategy for synthesizing a readily diversifiable class of chiral building blocks, allylic alcohols, through sequential asymmetric C—H activation/resolution is evaluated against the state-of-the-art. The C—H oxidation routes’ capacity to strategically introduce oxygen into a sequence and thereby minimize non-productive manipulations is demonstrated to effect significant decreases in overall step-count and increases in yield and synthetic flexibility. PMID:25013239

  11. Fully vectorial laser resonator modeling of continuous-wave solid-state lasers including rate equations, thermal lensing and stress-induced birefringence.

    PubMed

    Asoubar, Daniel; Wyrowski, Frank

    2015-07-27

    The computer-aided design of high quality mono-mode, continuous-wave solid-state lasers requires fast, flexible and accurate simulation algorithms. Therefore in this work a model for the calculation of the transversal dominant mode structure is introduced. It is based on the generalization of the scalar Fox and Li algorithm to a fully-vectorial light representation. To provide a flexible modeling concept of different resonator geometries containing various optical elements, rigorous and approximative solutions of Maxwell's equations are combined in different subdomains of the resonator. This approach allows the simulation of plenty of different passive intracavity components as well as active media. For the numerically efficient simulation of nonlinear gain, thermal lensing and stress-induced birefringence effects in solid-state active crystals a semi-analytical vectorial beam propagation method is discussed in detail. As a numerical example the beam quality and output power of a flash-lamp-pumped Nd:YAG laser are improved. To that end we compensate the influence of stress-induced birefringence and thermal lensing by an aspherical mirror and a 90° quartz polarization rotator.

  12. Flexible, solid-state, ion-conducting membrane with 3D garnet nanofiber networks for lithium batteries

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Kun (Kelvin); Gong, Yunhui; Dai, Jiaqi; Gong, Amy; Han, Xiaogang; Yao, Yonggang; Wang, Chengwei; Wang, Yibo; Chen, Yanan; Yan, Chaoyi; Li, Yiju; Wachsman, Eric D.; Hu, Liangbing

    2016-01-01

    Beyond state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology with metallic lithium anodes to replace conventional ion intercalation anode materials is highly desirable because of lithium’s highest specific capacity (3,860 mA/g) and lowest negative electrochemical potential (∼3.040 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). In this work, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, a 3D lithium-ion–conducting ceramic network based on garnet-type Li6.4La3Zr2Al0.2O12 (LLZO) lithium-ion conductor to provide continuous Li+ transfer channels in a polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite. This composite structure further provides structural reinforcement to enhance the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix. The flexible solid-state electrolyte composite membrane exhibited an ionic conductivity of 2.5 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature. The membrane can effectively block dendrites in a symmetric Li | electrolyte | Li cell during repeated lithium stripping/plating at room temperature, with a current density of 0.2 mA/cm2 for around 500 h and a current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 for over 300 h. These results provide an all solid ion-conducting membrane that can be applied to flexible LIBs and other electrochemical energy storage systems, such as lithium–sulfur batteries. PMID:27307440

  13. Flexible, solid-state, ion-conducting membrane with 3D garnet nanofiber networks for lithium batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kun, Kelvin; Gong, Yunhui; Dai, Jiaqi; Gong, Amy; Han, Xiaogang; Yao, Yonggang; Wang, Chengwei; Wang, Yibo; Chen, Yanan; Yan, Chaoyi; Li, Yiju; Wachsman, Eric D.; Hu, Liangbing

    2016-06-01

    Beyond state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology with metallic lithium anodes to replace conventional ion intercalation anode materials is highly desirable because of lithium's highest specific capacity (3,860 mA/g) and lowest negative electrochemical potential (˜3.040 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). In this work, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, a 3D lithium-ion-conducting ceramic network based on garnet-type Li6.4La3Zr2Al0.2O12 (LLZO) lithium-ion conductor to provide continuous Li+ transfer channels in a polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite. This composite structure further provides structural reinforcement to enhance the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix. The flexible solid-state electrolyte composite membrane exhibited an ionic conductivity of 2.5 × 10-4 S/cm at room temperature. The membrane can effectively block dendrites in a symmetric Li | electrolyte | Li cell during repeated lithium stripping/plating at room temperature, with a current density of 0.2 mA/cm2 for around 500 h and a current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 for over 300 h. These results provide an all solid ion-conducting membrane that can be applied to flexible LIBs and other electrochemical energy storage systems, such as lithium-sulfur batteries.

  14. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy and high power density in aqueous electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Yingwen; Zhang, Hongbo; Lu, Songtao; Varanasi, Chakrapani V.; Liu, Jie

    2013-01-01

    Supercapacitors with both high energy and high power densities are critical for many practical applications. In this paper, we discuss the design and demonstrate the fabrication of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on nanocomposite electrodes of MnO2, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The combined unique properties of each of these components enable highly flexible and mechanically strong films that can serve as electrodes directly without using any current collectors or binders. Using these flexible electrodes and a roll-up approach, asymmetric supercapacitors with 2 V working voltage were successfully fabricated. The fabricated device showed excellent rate capability, with 78% of the original capacitance retained when the scan rate was increased from 2 mV s-1 to 500 mV s-1. Owing to the unique composite structure, these supercapacitors were able to deliver high energy density (24 W h kg-1) under high power density (7.8 kW kg-1) conditions. These features could enable supercapacitor based energy storage systems to be very attractive for a variety of critical applications, such as the power sources in hybrid electric vehicles and the back-up powers for wind and solar energy, where both high energy density and high power density are required.Supercapacitors with both high energy and high power densities are critical for many practical applications. In this paper, we discuss the design and demonstrate the fabrication of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on nanocomposite electrodes of MnO2, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The combined unique properties of each of these components enable highly flexible and mechanically strong films that can serve as electrodes directly without using any current collectors or binders. Using these flexible electrodes and a roll-up approach, asymmetric supercapacitors with 2 V working voltage were successfully fabricated. The fabricated device showed excellent rate capability, with 78% of the original capacitance retained when the scan rate was increased from 2 mV s-1 to 500 mV s-1. Owing to the unique composite structure, these supercapacitors were able to deliver high energy density (24 W h kg-1) under high power density (7.8 kW kg-1) conditions. These features could enable supercapacitor based energy storage systems to be very attractive for a variety of critical applications, such as the power sources in hybrid electric vehicles and the back-up powers for wind and solar energy, where both high energy density and high power density are required. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr33136e

  15. Scalable Synthesis of Freestanding Sandwich-structured Graphene/Polyaniline/Graphene Nanocomposite Paper for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Fei; Yang, Shengxiong; Zhang, Zheye; Liu, Hongfang; Xiao, Junwu; Wan, Lian; Luo, Jun; Wang, Shuai; Liu, Yunqi

    2015-03-01

    We reported a scalable and modular method to prepare a new type of sandwich-structured graphene-based nanohybrid paper and explore its practical application as high-performance electrode in flexible supercapacitor. The freestanding and flexible graphene paper was firstly fabricated by highly reproducible printing technique and bubbling delamination method, by which the area and thickness of the graphene paper can be freely adjusted in a wide range. The as-prepared graphene paper possesses a collection of unique properties of highly electrical conductivity (340 S cm-1), light weight (1 mg cm-2) and excellent mechanical properties. In order to improve its supercapacitive properties, we have prepared a unique sandwich-structured graphene/polyaniline/graphene paper by in situ electropolymerization of porous polyaniline nanomaterials on graphene paper, followed by wrapping an ultrathin graphene layer on its surface. This unique design strategy not only circumvents the low energy storage capacity resulting from the double-layer capacitor of graphene paper, but also enhances the rate performance and cycling stability of porous polyaniline. The as-obtained all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor exhibits high energy density, high power density, excellent cycling stability and exceptional mechanical flexibility, demonstrative of its extensive potential applications for flexible energy-related devices and wearable electronics.

  16. Scalable Synthesis of Freestanding Sandwich-structured Graphene/Polyaniline/Graphene Nanocomposite Paper for Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitor

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Fei; Yang, Shengxiong; Zhang, Zheye; Liu, Hongfang; Xiao, Junwu; Wan, Lian; Luo, Jun; Wang, Shuai; Liu, Yunqi

    2015-01-01

    We reported a scalable and modular method to prepare a new type of sandwich-structured graphene-based nanohybrid paper and explore its practical application as high-performance electrode in flexible supercapacitor. The freestanding and flexible graphene paper was firstly fabricated by highly reproducible printing technique and bubbling delamination method, by which the area and thickness of the graphene paper can be freely adjusted in a wide range. The as-prepared graphene paper possesses a collection of unique properties of highly electrical conductivity (340 S cm−1), light weight (1 mg cm−2) and excellent mechanical properties. In order to improve its supercapacitive properties, we have prepared a unique sandwich-structured graphene/polyaniline/graphene paper by in situ electropolymerization of porous polyaniline nanomaterials on graphene paper, followed by wrapping an ultrathin graphene layer on its surface. This unique design strategy not only circumvents the low energy storage capacity resulting from the double-layer capacitor of graphene paper, but also enhances the rate performance and cycling stability of porous polyaniline. The as-obtained all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor exhibits high energy density, high power density, excellent cycling stability and exceptional mechanical flexibility, demonstrative of its extensive potential applications for flexible energy-related devices and wearable electronics. PMID:25797022

  17. Scalable synthesis of freestanding sandwich-structured graphene/polyaniline/graphene nanocomposite paper for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Fei; Yang, Shengxiong; Zhang, Zheye; Liu, Hongfang; Xiao, Junwu; Wan, Lian; Luo, Jun; Wang, Shuai; Liu, Yunqi

    2015-03-23

    We reported a scalable and modular method to prepare a new type of sandwich-structured graphene-based nanohybrid paper and explore its practical application as high-performance electrode in flexible supercapacitor. The freestanding and flexible graphene paper was firstly fabricated by highly reproducible printing technique and bubbling delamination method, by which the area and thickness of the graphene paper can be freely adjusted in a wide range. The as-prepared graphene paper possesses a collection of unique properties of highly electrical conductivity (340 S cm(-1)), light weight (1 mg cm(-2)) and excellent mechanical properties. In order to improve its supercapacitive properties, we have prepared a unique sandwich-structured graphene/polyaniline/graphene paper by in situ electropolymerization of porous polyaniline nanomaterials on graphene paper, followed by wrapping an ultrathin graphene layer on its surface. This unique design strategy not only circumvents the low energy storage capacity resulting from the double-layer capacitor of graphene paper, but also enhances the rate performance and cycling stability of porous polyaniline. The as-obtained all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor exhibits high energy density, high power density, excellent cycling stability and exceptional mechanical flexibility, demonstrative of its extensive potential applications for flexible energy-related devices and wearable electronics.

  18. Solution and solid-state effects on NMR chemical shifts in sesquiterpene lactones: NMR, X-ray, and theoretical methods.

    PubMed

    Dračínský, Martin; Buděšínský, Miloš; Warżajtis, Beata; Rychlewska, Urszula

    2012-01-12

    Selected guaianolide type sesquiterpene lactones were studied combining solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy with theoretical calculations of the chemical shifts in both environments and with the X-ray data. The experimental (1)H and (13)C chemical shifts in solution were successfully reproduced by theoretical calculations (with the GIAO method and DFT B3LYP 6-31++G**) after geometry optimization (DFT B3LYP 6-31 G**) in vacuum. The GIPAW method was used for calculations of solid-state (13)C chemical shifts. The studied cases involved two polymorphs of helenalin, two pseudopolymorphs of 6α-hydroxydihydro-aromaticin and two cases of multiple asymmetric units in crystals: one in which the symmetry-independent molecules were connected by a series of hydrogen bonds (geigerinin) and the other in which the symmetry-independent molecules, deprived of any specific intermolecular interactions, differed in the conformation of the side chain (badkhysin). Geometrically different molecules present in the crystal lattices could be easily distinguished in the solid-state NMR spectra. Moreover, the experimental differences in the (13)C chemical shifts corresponding to nuclei in different polymorphs or in geometrically different molecules were nicely reproduced with the GIPAW calculations.

  19. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy and high power density in aqueous electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Yingwen; Zhang, Hongbo; Lu, Songtao; Varanasi, Chakrapani V; Liu, Jie

    2013-02-07

    Supercapacitors with both high energy and high power densities are critical for many practical applications. In this paper, we discuss the design and demonstrate the fabrication of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on nanocomposite electrodes of MnO(2), activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The combined unique properties of each of these components enable highly flexible and mechanically strong films that can serve as electrodes directly without using any current collectors or binders. Using these flexible electrodes and a roll-up approach, asymmetric supercapacitors with 2 V working voltage were successfully fabricated. The fabricated device showed excellent rate capability, with 78% of the original capacitance retained when the scan rate was increased from 2 mV s(-1) to 500 mV s(-1). Owing to the unique composite structure, these supercapacitors were able to deliver high energy density (24 W h kg(-1)) under high power density (7.8 kW kg(-1)) conditions. These features could enable supercapacitor based energy storage systems to be very attractive for a variety of critical applications, such as the power sources in hybrid electric vehicles and the back-up powers for wind and solar energy, where both high energy density and high power density are required.

  20. Nanostructured graphene composite papers for highly flexible and foldable supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lili; Niu, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Li; Zhou, Weiya; Chen, Xiaodong; Xie, Sishen

    2014-07-23

    Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and polyaniline (PANI) assemble onto the surface of cellulose fibers (CFs) and into the pores of CF paper, to form a hierarchical nanostructured PANI-rGO/CF composite paper. Based on these composite papers, flexible and foldable all-solid-state supercapacitors are achieved. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene/carbon black nanoparticle film electrodes and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol)-H2SO4 porous gel electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fei, Haojie; Yang, Chongyang; Bao, Hua; Wang, Gengchao

    2014-11-01

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) are fabricated using graphene/carbon black nanoparticle (GCB) film electrodes and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol)-H2SO4 porous gel electrolytes (gPVAP-H2SO4). The GCB composite films, with carbon black (CB) nanoparticles uniformly distributed in the graphene nanosheets, greatly improve the active surface areas and ion transportation of pristine graphene film. The porous structure of as-prepared gPVAP-H2SO4 membrane improves the equilibrium swelling ratio in electrolyte and provides interconnected ion transport channels. The chemical crosslinking solves the fluidity problem of PVA-H2SO4 gel electrolyte at high temperature. As-fabricated GCB//gPVAP(20)-H2SO4//GCB flexible SC displays an increased specific capacitance (144.5 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and a higher specific capacitance retention (67.9% from 0.2 to 4 A g-1). More importantly, the flexible SC possesses good electrochemical performance at high temperature (capacitance retention of 78.3% after 1000 cycles at 70 °C).

  2. Densely-packed graphene/conducting polymer nanoparticle papers for high-volumetric-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling; Hu, Nantao; Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao; Xu, Zhichuan J.; Wang, Yanyan; Zhang, Yafei

    2016-08-01

    Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) are one of the most ideal candidates for high-performance flexible power sources. The achievement of high volumetric energy density is highly desired for practical application of this type of ASSSCs. Here, we present a facile method to boost volumetric performances of graphene-based flexible ASSSCs through incorporation of ultrafine polyaniline-poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PANI-PSS) nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) papers. A compact structure is obtained via intimate contact and π-π interaction between PANI-PSS nanoparticles and rGO sheets. The hybrid paper electrode with the film thickness of 13.5 μm, shows an extremely high volumetric specific capacitance of 272 F/cm3 (0.37 A/cm3 in a three-electrode cell). The assembled ASSSCs show a large volumetric specific capacitance of 217 F/cm3 (0.37 A/cm3 in a two-electrode cell), high volumetric energy and power density, excellent capacitance stability, small leakage current as well as low self-discharge characteristics, revealing the usefulness of this robust hybrid paper for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

  3. A flexible Li-ion battery with design towards electrodes electrical insulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vieira, E. M. F.; Ribeiro, J. F.; Sousa, R.; Correia, J. H.; Goncalves, L. M.

    2016-08-01

    The application of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology in several consumer electronics leads to the development of micro/nano power sources with high power and MEMS integration possibility. This work presents the fabrication of a flexible solid-state Li-ion battery (LIB) (~2.1 μm thick) with a design towards electrodes electrical insulation, using conventional, low cost and compatible MEMS fabrication processes. Kapton® substrate provides flexibility to the battery. E-beam deposited 300 nm thick Ge anode was coupled with LiCoO2/LiPON (cathode/solid-state electrolyte) in a battery system. LiCoO2 and LiPON films were deposited by RF-sputtering with a power source of 120 W and 100 W, respectively. LiCoO2 film was annealed at 400 °C after deposition. The new design includes Si3N4 and LiPO thin-films, providing electrode electrical insulation and a battery chemical stability safeguard, respectively. Microstructure and battery performance were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, electric resistivity and electrochemical measurements (open circuit potential, charge/discharge cycles and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy). A rechargeable thin-film and lightweight flexible LIB using MEMS processing compatible materials and techniques is reported.

  4. X-ray chemical analyzer for field applications

    DOEpatents

    Gamba, Otto O. M.

    1977-01-01

    A self-supporting portable field multichannel X-ray chemical analyzer system comprising a lightweight, flexibly connected, remotely locatable, radioisotope-excited sensing probe utilizing a cryogenically-cooled solid state semi-conductor crystal detector for fast in situ non-destructive, qualitative and quantitative analysis of elements in solid, powder, liquid or slurried form, utilizing an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry technique.

  5. An added-mass partition algorithm for fluid–structure interactions of compressible fluids and nonlinear solids

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

    Banks, J.W., E-mail: banksj3@rpi.edu; Henshaw, W.D., E-mail: henshw@rpi.edu; Kapila, A.K., E-mail: kapila@rpi.edu

    We describe an added-mass partitioned (AMP) algorithm for solving fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems involving inviscid compressible fluids interacting with nonlinear solids that undergo large rotations and displacements. The computational approach is a mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian scheme that makes use of deforming composite grids (DCG) to treat large changes in the geometry in an accurate, flexible, and robust manner. The current work extends the AMP algorithm developed in Banks et al. [1] for linearly elasticity to the case of nonlinear solids. To ensure stability for the case of light solids, the new AMP algorithm embeds an approximate solution of a nonlinear fluid–solidmore » Riemann (FSR) problem into the interface treatment. The solution to the FSR problem is derived and shown to be of a similar form to that derived for linear solids: the state on the interface being fundamentally an impedance-weighted average of the fluid and solid states. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the AMP algorithm is stable even for light solids when added-mass effects are large. The accuracy and stability of the AMP scheme is verified by comparison to an exact solution using the method of analytical solutions and to a semi-analytical solution that is obtained for a rotating solid disk immersed in a fluid. The scheme is applied to the simulation of a planar shock impacting a light elliptical-shaped solid, and comparisons are made between solutions of the FSI problem for a neo-Hookean solid, a linearly elastic solid, and a rigid solid. The ability of the approach to handle large deformations is demonstrated for a problem of a high-speed flow past a light, thin, and flexible solid beam.« less

  6. Printable Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries: A New Route toward Shape-Conformable Power Sources with Aesthetic Versatility for Flexible Electronics.

    PubMed

    Kim, Se-Hee; Choi, Keun-Ho; Cho, Sung-Ju; Choi, Sinho; Park, Soojin; Lee, Sang-Young

    2015-08-12

    Forthcoming flexible/wearable electronic devices with shape diversity and mobile usability garner a great deal of attention as an innovative technology to bring unprecedented changes in our daily lives. From the power source point of view, conventional rechargeable batteries (one representative example is a lithium-ion battery) with fixed shapes and sizes have intrinsic limitations in fulfilling design/performance requirements for the flexible/wearable electronics. Here, as a facile and efficient strategy to address this formidable challenge, we demonstrate a new class of printable solid-state batteries (referred to as "PRISS batteries"). Through simple stencil printing process (followed by ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking), solid-state composite electrolyte (SCE) layer and SCE matrix-embedded electrodes are consecutively printed on arbitrary objects of complex geometries, eventually leading to fully integrated, multilayer-structured PRISS batteries with various form factors far beyond those achievable by conventional battery technologies. Tuning rheological properties of SCE paste and electrode slurry toward thixotropic fluid characteristics, along with well-tailored core elements including UV-cured triacrylate polymer and high boiling point electrolyte, is a key-enabling technology for the realization of PRISS batteries. This process/material uniqueness allows us to remove extra processing steps (related to solvent drying and liquid-electrolyte injection) and also conventional microporous separator membranes, thereupon enabling the seamless integration of shape-conformable PRISS batteries (including letters-shaped ones) into complex-shaped objects. Electrochemical behavior of PRISS batteries is elucidated via an in-depth analysis of cell impedance, which provides a theoretical basis to enable sustainable improvement of cell performance. We envision that PRISS batteries hold great promise as a reliable and scalable platform technology to open a new concept of cell architecture and fabrication route toward flexible power sources with exceptional shape conformability and aesthetic versatility.

  7. Aloe vera Derived Activated High-Surface-Area Carbon for Flexible and High-Energy Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Karnan, M; Subramani, K; Sudhan, N; Ilayaraja, N; Sathish, M

    2016-12-28

    Materials which possess high specific capacitance in device configuration with low cost are essential for viable application in supercapacitors. Herein, a flexible high-energy supercapacitor device was fabricated using porous activated high-surface-area carbon derived from aloe leaf (Aloe vera) as a precursor. The A. vera derived activated carbon showed mesoporous nature with high specific surface area of ∼1890 m 2 /g. A high specific capacitance of 410 and 306 F/g was achieved in three-electrode and symmetric two-electrode system configurations in aqueous electrolyte, respectively. The fabricated all-solid-state device showed a high specific capacitance of 244 F/g with an energy density of 8.6 Wh/kg. In an ionic liquid electrolyte, the fabricated device showed a high specific capacitance of 126 F/g and a wide potential window up to 3 V, which results in a high energy density of 40 Wh/kg. Furthermore, it was observed that the activation temperature has significant role in the electrochemical performance, as the activated sample at 700 °C showed best activity than the samples activated at 600 and 800 °C. The electron microscopic images (FE-SEM and HR-TEM) confirmed the formation of pores by the chemical activation. A fabricated supercapacitor device in ionic liquid with 3 V could power up a red LED for 30 min upon charging for 20s. Also, it is shown that the operation voltage and capacitance of flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors fabricated using aloe-derived activated carbon could be easily tuned by series and parallel combinations. The performance of fabricated supercapacitor devices using A. vera derived activated carbon in all-solid-state and ionic liquid indicates their viable applications in flexible devices and energy storage.

  8. Reversible and Selective Encapsulation of Dextromethorphan and β-Estradiol Using an Asymmetric Molecular Capsule Assembled via the Weak-Link Approach.

    PubMed

    Mendez-Arroyo, Jose; d'Aquino, Andrea I; Chinen, Alyssa B; Manraj, Yashin D; Mirkin, Chad A

    2017-02-01

    An allosterically regulated, asymmetric receptor featuring a binding cavity large enough to accommodate three-dimensional pharmaceutical guest molecules as opposed to planar, rigid aromatics, was synthesized via the Weak-Link Approach. This architecture is capable of switching between an expanded, flexible "open" configuration and a collapsed, rigid "closed" one. The structure of the molecular receptor can be completely modulated in situ through the use of simple ionic effectors, which reversibly control the coordination state of the Pt(II) metal hinges to open and close the molecular receptor. The substantial change in binding cavity size and electrostatic charge between the two configurations is used to explore the capture and release of two guest molecules, dextromethorphan and β-estradiol, which are widely found as pollutants in groundwater.

  9. Colloidal Magnetic Heterostructured Nanocrystals with Asymmetric Topologies: Seeded-Growth Synthetic Routes and Formation Mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scarfiello, Riccardo; Nobile, Concetta; Cozzoli, P. Davide

    2016-12-01

    Colloidal inorganic nanocrystals, free-standing crystalline nanostructures generated and processed in solution phase, represent an important class of advanced nanoscale materials owing to the flexibility with which their physical-chemical properties can be controlled through synthetic tailoring of their compositional, structural and geometric features and the versatility with which they can be integrated in technological fields as diverse as optoelectronics, energy storage/ conversion/production, catalysis and biomedicine. In recent years, building upon mechanistic knowledge acquired on the thermodynamic and kinetic processes that underlie nanocrystal evolution in liquid media, synthetic nanochemistry research has made impressive advances, opening new possibilities for the design, creation and mastering of increasingly complex “colloidal molecules”, in which nanocrystal modules of different materials are clustered together via solid-state bonding interfaces into free-standing, easily processable multifunctional nanocomposite systems. This Review will provide a glimpse into this fast-growing research field by illustrating progress achieved in the wet-chemical development of last-generation breeds of all-inorganic heterostructured nanocrystals (HNCs) in asymmetric non-onionlike geometries, inorganic analogues of polyfunctional organic molecules, in which distinct nanoscale crystalline modules are interconnected in hetero-dimer, hetero-oligomer and anisotropic multidomain architectures via epitaxial heterointerfaces of limited extension. The focus will be on modular HNCs entailing at least one magnetic material component combined with semiconductors and/or metals, which hold potential for generating enhanced or unconventional magnetic properties, while offering diversified or even new chemical-physical properties and functional capabilities. The available toolkit of synthetic strategies, all based on the manipulation of seeded-growth techniques, will be described, revisited and critically interpreted within the framework of the currently understood mechanisms of colloidal heteroepitaxy.

  10. Transparent, flexible, and solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Y.; Zhou, Y. S.; Xiong, W.; Jiang, L. J.; Mahjouri-samani, M.; Thirugnanam, P.; Huang, X.; Wang, M. M.; Jiang, L.; Lu, Y. F.

    2013-07-01

    In this study, graphene-based supercapacitors with optical transparency and mechanical flexibility have been achieved using a combination of poly(vinyl alcohol)/phosphoric acid gel electrolyte and graphene electrodes. An optical transmittance of ˜67% in a wavelength range of 500-800 nm and a 92.4% remnant capacitance under a bending angle of 80° have been achieved for the supercapacitors. The decrease in capacitance under bending is ascribed to the buckling of the graphene electrode in compression. The supercapacitors with high optical transparency, electrochemical stability, and mechanical flexibility hold promises for transparent and flexible electronics.

  11. Bending impact on the performance of a flexible Li4Ti5O12-based all-solid-state thin-film battery

    PubMed Central

    Vereecken, Philippe M.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract The growing demand of flexible electronic devices is increasing the requirements of their power sources. The effect of bending in thin-film batteries is still not well understood. Here, we successfully developed a high active area flexible all-solid-state battery as a model system that consists of thin-film layers of Li4Ti5O12, LiPON, and Lithium deposited on a novel flexible ceramic substrate. A systematic study on the bending state and performance of the battery is presented. The battery withstands bending radii of at least 14 mm achieving 70% of the theoretical capacity. Here, we reveal that convex bending has a positive effect on battery capacity showing an average increase of 5.5%, whereas concave bending decreases the capacity by 4% in contrast with recent studies. We show that the change in capacity upon bending may well be associated to the Li-ion diffusion kinetic change through the electrode when different external forces are applied. Finally, an encapsulation scheme is presented allowing sufficient bending of the device and operation for at least 500 cycles in air. The results are meant to improve the understanding of the phenomena present in thin-film batteries while undergoing bending rather than showing improvements in battery performance and lifetime. PMID:29868149

  12. Na3.4Zr1.8Mg0.2Si2PO12 filled poly(ethylene oxide)/Na(CF3SO2)2N as flexible composite polymer electrolyte for solid-state sodium batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhizhen; Xu, Kaiqi; Rong, Xiaohui; Hu, Yong-Sheng; Li, Hong; Huang, Xuejie; Chen, Liquan

    2017-12-01

    Solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and excellent electrochemical stability are of prime significance to enable the application of solid-state batteries in energy storage and conversion. In this study, solid composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) based on sodium bis(trifluorosulfonyl) imide (NaTFSI) and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) incorporated with active ceramic filler (NASICON) are reported for the first time. With the addition of NASICON fillers, the thermal stability and electrochemical stability of the CPEs are improved. A high conductivity of 2.8 mS/cm (at 80 °C) is readily achieved when the content of the NASICON filler in the composite polymer reaches 50 wt%. Furthermore, Na3V2(PO4)3/CPE/Na solid-state batteries using this composite electrolyte display good rate and excellent cycle performance.

  13. A Completely Solid-State Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Guerra, David V.; Coyle, D. Barry; Krebs, Danny J.

    1994-01-01

    Compact, completely solid-state tunable pulsed laser system passively cooled developed for potential employment in aircraft and sounding-rocket lidar experiments. Ti:sapphire based laser system pumped with frequency-doubled diode-pumped Nd:YAG. Rugged, self-contained system extremely flexible and provides pulsed output at specific frequencies with low input-power requirements. In-situ measurements enables scientists to study upper-atmosphere dynamics. Tuning range easily extended to bands between 650-950 nm in order to study other atmospheric constituents.

  14. Technical guidance for the development of a solid state image sensor for human low vision image warping

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vanderspiegel, Jan

    1994-01-01

    This report surveys different technologies and approaches to realize sensors for image warping. The goal is to study the feasibility, technical aspects, and limitations of making an electronic camera with special geometries which implements certain transformations for image warping. This work was inspired by the research done by Dr. Juday at NASA Johnson Space Center on image warping. The study has looked into different solid-state technologies to fabricate image sensors. It is found that among the available technologies, CMOS is preferred over CCD technology. CMOS provides more flexibility to design different functions into the sensor, is more widely available, and is a lower cost solution. By using an architecture with row and column decoders one has the added flexibility of addressing the pixels at random, or read out only part of the image.

  15. Designing a Novel Polymer Electrolyte for Improving the Electrode/Electrolyte Interface in Flexible All-Solid-State Electrical Double-Layer Capacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jeng-An; Lu, Yi-Ting; Lin, Sheng-Chi; Wang, Yu-Sheng; Ma, Chen-Chi M; Hu, Chi-Chang

    2018-05-30

    A novel copolymer, polyurethane-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), is successfully synthesized from poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) backbone cross-linked with waterborne polyurethane (WPU). This sticky polymer, which is neutralized with 1 M KOH and then soaked in 1 M KOH (denoted as WPU-PAAK-K), provides an ionic conductivity greater than 10 -2 S cm -1 and acts as a gel electrolyte perfectly improving the electrode/electrolyte interfaces in a flexible all-solid-state electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC). The PAA backbone chains in the copolymer increase the amount of carboxyl groups and promote the segmental motion. The carboxyl groups enhance the water-uptake capacity, which facilitates the ion transport and promotes the ionic conductivity. The cross-linked agent, WPU chains, effectively maintains the rich water content and provides mechanical stickiness to bind two electrodes together. An acid-treated carbon paper (denoted as ACP) combining with such a gel polymer electrolyte demonstrates excellent capacitive behavior with a high areal capacitance of 211.6 mF cm -2 at 10 mV s -1 . A full cell consisting of ACP/WPU-PAAK-K/ACP displays a low equivalent series resistance of 0.44 Ω from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic results. An all-solid-state ACP/WPU-PAAK-K/ACP EDLC provides an areal specific capacitance of 94.6 mF cm -2 at 1 mA cm -2 . This device under 180° bending shows a capacitance retention over 90%, revealing its remarkable flexibility.

  16. Behavioral training promotes multiple adaptive processes following acute hearing loss.

    PubMed

    Keating, Peter; Rosenior-Patten, Onayomi; Dahmen, Johannes C; Bell, Olivia; King, Andrew J

    2016-03-23

    The brain possesses a remarkable capacity to compensate for changes in inputs resulting from a range of sensory impairments. Developmental studies of sound localization have shown that adaptation to asymmetric hearing loss can be achieved either by reinterpreting altered spatial cues or by relying more on those cues that remain intact. Adaptation to monaural deprivation in adulthood is also possible, but appears to lack such flexibility. Here we show, however, that appropriate behavioral training enables monaurally-deprived adult humans to exploit both of these adaptive processes. Moreover, cortical recordings in ferrets reared with asymmetric hearing loss suggest that these forms of plasticity have distinct neural substrates. An ability to adapt to asymmetric hearing loss using multiple adaptive processes is therefore shared by different species and may persist throughout the lifespan. This highlights the fundamental flexibility of neural systems, and may also point toward novel therapeutic strategies for treating sensory disorders.

  17. Three-Dimensional Hierarchically Mesoporous ZnCo2 O4 Nanowires Grown on Graphene/Sponge Foam for High-Performance, Flexible, All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Moon, In Kyu; Yoon, Seonno; Oh, Jungwoo

    2017-01-12

    To achieve high energy storage on three-dimensional (3D) structures at low cost, materials with high power and long cycle life characteristics have to be developed. We synthesized ZnCo 2 O 4 /reduced graphene oxide (rGO) binary composites in commercial sponges. ZnCo 2 O 4 nanosheets were grown on the surface of GO/sponge through a hydrothermal reaction. The resulting flexible, free-standing ZnCo 2 O 4 /rGO/sponge electrodes were used as the electrodes in a symmetric supercapacitor. ZnCo 2 O 4 /rGO/sponge electrodes have a large specific capacitance of 1116.6 F g -1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s -1 in aqueous electrolyte. The all-solid-state flexible supercapacitor is assembled based on ZnCo 2 O 4 /rGO/sponge electrodes, which show excellent electrochemical performances with a specific capacitance of 143 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 . The as-fabricated supercapacitor also exhibits excellent cycling stability (93.4 % capacitance retention after 5000 cycles) and exceptional mechanical flexibility. These results demonstrate the potential of ZnCo 2 O 4 /rGO/sponge as an electrode in flexible, high-performance supercapacitors. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. All-solid state symmetric supercapacitors based on compressible and flexible free-standing 3D carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) sponge electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Xin; Yang, Wenyao; Mao, Xiling; Xu, Lu; Zhou, Yujiu; Chen, Yan; Zhao, Yuetao; Yang, Yajie; Xu, Jianhua

    2018-02-01

    Flexible supercapacitors that maintain electrochemical performance under deformation have attracted much attention for the potential application in the flexible electronics market. A compressible and flexible free-standing electrodes sponge and all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on as-prepared electrodes are presented. The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) framework is synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, and then composited with poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT by the electrodeposition. This CNTs/PEDOT sponge electrode shows highest mass-specific capacitance of 147 Fg-1 at 0.5 A g-1, tuned by the PEDOT mass loading, and exhibits good cyclic stability with the evidence that more than 95% of capacitance is remained after 3000 cycles. Furthermore, the symmetric supercapacitor shows the highest energy density of 12.6 Wh kg-1 under the power density of 1 kW kg-1 and highest power density of 10.2 kW kg-1 with energy density of 8 Wh kg-1, which exhibits both high energy density and power density. The electrochemical performance of composite electrode also indicates that the operate voltage of device could be extend to 1.4 V by the n-doping and p-doping process in different potential of PEDOT component. This flexible supercapacitor maintains stable electrochemical performance working on different bending condition, which shows promising prospect for wearable energy storage applications.

  19. Use of Crystal Structure Informatics for Defining the Conformational Space Needed for Predicting Crystal Structures of Pharmaceutical Molecules.

    PubMed

    Iuzzolino, Luca; Reilly, Anthony M; McCabe, Patrick; Price, Sarah L

    2017-10-10

    Determining the range of conformations that a flexible pharmaceutical-like molecule could plausibly adopt in a crystal structure is a key to successful crystal structure prediction (CSP) studies. We aim to use conformational information from the crystal structures in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) to facilitate this task. The conformations produced by the CSD Conformer Generator are reduced in number by considering the underlying rotamer distributions, an analysis of changes in molecular shape, and a minimal number of molecular ab initio calculations. This method is tested for five pharmaceutical-like molecules where an extensive CSP study has already been performed. The CSD informatics-derived set of crystal structure searches generates almost all the low-energy crystal structures previously found, including all experimental structures. The workflow effectively combines information on individual torsion angles and then eliminates the combinations that are too high in energy to be found in the solid state, reducing the resources needed to cover the solid-state conformational space of a molecule. This provides insights into how the low-energy solid-state and isolated-molecule conformations are related to the properties of the individual flexible torsion angles.

  20. Structure of N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide by combined X-ray powder diffraction, 13C solid-state NMR and molecular modelling.

    PubMed

    Hangan, Adriana; Borodi, Gheorghe; Filip, Xenia; Tripon, Carmen; Morari, Cristian; Oprean, Luminita; Filip, Claudiu

    2010-12-01

    The crystal structure solution of the title compound is determined from microcrystalline powder using a multi-technique approach that combines X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data analysis based on direct-space methods with information from (13)C solid-state NMR (SSNMR), and molecular modelling using the GIPAW (gauge including projector augmented-wave) method. The space group is Pbca with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The proposed methodology proves very useful for unambiguously characterizing the supramolecular arrangement adopted by the N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide molecules in the crystal, which consists of extended double strands held together by C-H···π non-covalent interactions.

  1. Facilitated charge transport in ternary interconnected electrodes for flexible supercapacitors with excellent power characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Wanjun; He, Yongmin; Li, Xiaodong; Zhou, Jinyuan; Zhang, Zhenxing; Zhao, Changhui; Gong, Chengshi; Li, Shuankui; Pan, Xiaojun; Xie, Erqing

    2013-11-01

    Flexible and high performance supercapacitors are very critical in modern society. In order to develop the flexible supercapacitors with high power density, free-standing and flexible three-dimensional graphene/carbon nanotubes/MnO2 (3DG/CNTs/MnO2) composite electrodes with interconnected ternary 3D structures were fabricated, and the fast electron and ion transport channels were effectively constructed in the rationally designed electrodes. Consequently, the obtained 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 composite electrodes exhibit superior specific capacitance and rate capability compared to 3DG/MnO2 electrodes. Furthermore, the 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 based asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrates the maximum energy and power densities of 33.71 W h kg-1 and up to 22 727.3 W kg-1, respectively. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling stability with 95.3% of the specific capacitance maintained after 1000 cycle tests. Our proposed synthesis strategy to construct the novel ternary 3D structured electrodes can be efficiently applied to other high performance energy storage/conversion systems.Flexible and high performance supercapacitors are very critical in modern society. In order to develop the flexible supercapacitors with high power density, free-standing and flexible three-dimensional graphene/carbon nanotubes/MnO2 (3DG/CNTs/MnO2) composite electrodes with interconnected ternary 3D structures were fabricated, and the fast electron and ion transport channels were effectively constructed in the rationally designed electrodes. Consequently, the obtained 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 composite electrodes exhibit superior specific capacitance and rate capability compared to 3DG/MnO2 electrodes. Furthermore, the 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 based asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrates the maximum energy and power densities of 33.71 W h kg-1 and up to 22 727.3 W kg-1, respectively. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling stability with 95.3% of the specific capacitance maintained after 1000 cycle tests. Our proposed synthesis strategy to construct the novel ternary 3D structured electrodes can be efficiently applied to other high performance energy storage/conversion systems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional experimental details; calculations of the specific capacitances, and energy and power densities; additional SEM and optical images; XPS results; additional electrochemical results. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03923d

  2. Vertically-aligned Co(OH)2 Nanosheet Films for Flexible All-solid-state Electrochemical Supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Yazhou; Gong, Jiangfeng; Zhu, Weihua

    2017-11-01

    Vertically-aligned Co(OH)2 nanosheets were cathodically electrodeposited on a piece of gold coated polyethylene terephthalate (Au-PET) as an electrode material for supercapacitor. The Co(OH)2 electrode showed a high capacitance of 2695 F g-1 at 8 A g-1 in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Besides, the films were employed to assemble symmetric all-solid-state supercapacitors with PVA/LiCl gel served as solid electrolyte. The device exhibits an areal capacitance of 50.5 μF cm-2 at the current density of 2 μA cm-2 accompanied by excellent cycle stability.

  3. Recent advances in flexible and wearable organic optoelectronic devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Hong; Shen, Yang; Li, Yanqing; Tang, Jianxin

    2018-01-01

    Flexible and wearable optoelectronic devices have been developing to a new stage due to their unique capacity for the possibility of a variety of wearable intelligent electronics, including bendable smartphones, foldable touch screens and antennas, paper-like displays, and curved and flexible solid-state lighting devices. Before extensive commercial applications, some issues still have to be solved for flexible and wearable optoelectronic devices. In this regard, this review concludes the newly emerging flexible substrate materials, transparent conductive electrodes, device architectures and light manipulation methods. Examples of these components applied for various kinds of devices are also summarized. Finally, perspectives about the bright future of flexible and wearable electronic devices are proposed. Project supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2016YFB0400700).

  4. In-situ growth of high-performance all-solid-state electrode for flexible supercapacitors based on carbon woven fabric/ polyaniline/ graphene composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yingxi; Zhang, Haiyan; Deng, Wentao; Zhang, Danfeng; Li, Na; Wu, Qibai; He, Chunhua

    2018-04-01

    For the development of wearable electronic devices, it is crucial to develop energy storage components combining high-capacity and flexibility. Herein, an all-solid-state supercapacitor is prepared through an in-situ "growth and wrapping" method. The electrode contains polyaniline deposited on a carbon woven fabric and wrapped with a graphene-based envelop. The hybrid electrode exhibits excellent mechanical and electrochemical performance. The optimized few layer graphene wrapping layer provides for a conductive network, which effectively enhances the cycling stability as 88.9% of the starting capacitance is maintained after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. Furthermore, the assembled device delivers a high areal capacity (of 790 F cm-2) at the current density of 1 A cm-2, a high areal energy (28.21 uWh cm-2) at the power densities of 0.12 mW cm-2 and shows no significant decrease in the performance with a bending angle of 180°. This unique flexible supercapacitor thus exhibits great potential for wearable electronics.

  5. Macrocyclic molecular rotors with bridged steroidal frameworks.

    PubMed

    Czajkowska-Szczykowska, Dorota; Rodríguez-Molina, Braulio; Magaña-Vergara, Nancy E; Santillan, Rosa; Morzycki, Jacek W; Garcia-Garibay, Miguel A

    2012-11-16

    In this work, we describe the synthesis and solid-state dynamics of isomeric molecular rotors 7E and 7Z, consisting of two androstane steroidal frameworks linked by the D rings by triple bonds at their C17 positions to a 1,4-phenylene rotator. They are also linked by the A rings by an alkenyl diester bridge to restrict the conformational flexibility of the molecules and reduce the number of potential crystalline arrays. The analysis of the resulting molecular structures and packing motifs offered insights of the internal dynamics that were later elucidated by means of line shape analyses of the spectral features obtained through variable-temperature solid-state (13)C NMR; such analysis revealed rotations in the solid state occurring at kilohertz frequency at room temperature.

  6. Structural Changes Associated with Transthyretin Misfolding and Amyloid Formation Revealed by Solution and Solid-State NMR

    DOE PAGES

    Lim, Kwang Hun; Dasari, Anvesh K. R.; Hung, Ivan; ...

    2016-03-21

    Elucidation of structural changes involved in protein misfolding and amyloid formation is crucial for unraveling the molecular basis of amyloid formation. We report structural analyses of the amyloidogenic intermediate and amyloid aggregates of transthyretin using solution and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. These NMR solution results show that one of the two main β-sheet structures (CBEF β-sheet) is maintained in the aggregation-competent intermediate, while the other DAGH β-sheet is more flexible on millisecond time scales. Magic-angle-spinning solid-state NMR revealed that AB loop regions interacting with strand A in the DAGH β-sheet undergo conformational changes, leading to the destabilized DAGHmore » β-sheet.« less

  7. Large Deformation of an Elastic Rod with Structural Anisotropy Subjected to Fluid Flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hassani, Masoud; Mureithi, Njuki; Gosselin, Frederick

    2015-11-01

    In the present work, we seek to understand the fundamental mechanisms of three-dimensional reconfiguration of plants by studying the large deformation of a flexible rod in fluid flow. Flexible rods made of Polyurethane foam and reinforced with Nylon fibers are tested in a wind tunnel. The rods have bending-torsion coupling which induces a torsional deformation during asymmetric bending. A mathematical model is also developed by coupling the Kirchhoff rod theory with a semi-empirical drag formulation. Different alignments of the material frame with respect to the flow direction and a range of structural properties are considered to study their effect on the deformation of the flexible rod and its drag scaling. Results show that twisting causes the flexible rods to reorient and bend with the minimum bending rigidity. It is also found that the drag scaling of the rod in the large deformation regime is not affected by torsion. Finally, using a proper set of dimensionless numbers, the state of a bending and twisting rod is characterized as a beam undergoing a pure bending deformation.

  8. Current status of solid-state lithium batteries employing solid redox polymerization cathodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Visco, S. J.; Doeff, M. M.; Dejonghe, L. C.

    1991-03-01

    The rapidly growing demand for secondary batteries having high specific energy and power has naturally led to increased efforts in lithium battery technology. Still, the increased safety risks associated with high energy density systems has tempered the enthusiasm of proponents of such systems for use in the consumer marketplace. The inherent advantages of all-solid-state batteries in regards to safety and reliability are strong factors in advocating their introduction to the marketplace. However, the low ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes relative to nonaqueous liquid electrolytes implies low power densities for solid state systems operating at ambient temperatures. Recent advances in polymer electrolytes have led to the introduction of solid electrolytes having conductivities in the range of 10(exp -4)/ohm cm at room temperature; this is still two orders of magnitude lower than liquid electrolytes. Although these improved ambient conductivities put solid state batteries in the realm of practical devices, it is clear that solid state batteries using such polymeric separators will be thin film devices. Fortunately, thin film fabrication techniques are well established in the plastics and paper industry, and present the possibility of continuous web-form manufacturing. This style of battery manufacture should make solid polymer batteries very cost-competitive with conventional secondary cells. In addition, the greater geometric flexibility of thin film solid state cells should provide benefits in terms of the end-use form factor in device design. This work discusses the status of solid redox polymerization cathodes.

  9. Dual-Doped Molybdenum Trioxide Nanowires: A Bifunctional Anode for Fiber-Shaped Asymmetric Supercapacitors and Microbial Fuel Cells.

    PubMed

    Yu, Minghao; Cheng, Xinyu; Zeng, Yinxiang; Wang, Zilong; Tong, Yexiang; Lu, Xihong; Yang, Shihe

    2016-06-01

    A novel in situ N and low-valence-state Mo dual doping strategy was employed to significantly improve the conductivity, active-site accessibility, and electrochemical stability of MoO3 , drastically boosting its electrochemical properties. Consequently, our optimized N-MoO3-x nanowires exhibited exceptional performances as a bifunctional anode material for both fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The flexible fiber-shaped ASC and MFC device based on the N-MoO3-x anode could deliver an unprecedentedly high energy density of 2.29 mWh cm(-3) and a remarkable power density of 0.76 μW cm(-1) , respectively. Such a bifunctional fiber-shaped N-MoO3-x electrode opens the way to integrate the electricity generation and storage for self-powered sources. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Solid-State High Performance Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Polypyrrole-MnO2-Carbon Fiber Hybrid Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Jiayou; Liu, Nishuang; Ma, Wenzhen; Ding, Longwei; Li, Luying; Su, Jun; Gao, Yihua

    2013-07-01

    A solid-state flexible supercapacitor (SC) based on organic-inorganic composite structure was fabricated through an ``in situ growth for conductive wrapping'' and an electrode material of polypyrrole (PPy)-MnO2 nanoflakes-carbon fiber (CF) hybrid structure was obtained. The conductive organic material of PPy greatly improved the electrochemical performance of the device. With a high specific capacitance of 69.3 F cm-3 at a discharge current density of 0.1 A cm-3 and an energy density of 6.16 × 10-3 Wh cm-3 at a power density of 0.04 W cm-3, the device can drive a commercial liquid crystal display (LCD) after being charged. The organic-inorganic composite active materials have enormous potential in energy management and the ``in situ growth for conductive wrapping'' method might be generalized to open up new strategies for designing next-generation energy storage devices.

  11. Ionically conducting PVA-LiClO4 gel electrolyte for high performance flexible solid state supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chodankar, Nilesh R; Dubal, Deepak P; Lokhande, Abhishek C; Lokhande, Chandrakant D

    2015-12-15

    The synthesis of polymer gel electrolyte having high ionic conductivity, excellent compatibility with active electrode material, mechanical tractability and long life is crucial to obtain majestic electrochemical performance for flexible solid state supercapacitors (FSS-SCs). Our present work describes effect of different polymers gel electrolytes on electrochemical properties of MnO2 based FSS-SCs device. It is revealed that, MnO2-FSS-SCs with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-Lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) gel electrolyte demonstrate excellent electrochemical features such as maximum operating potential window (1.2V), specific capacitance of 112Fg(-1) and energy density of 15Whkg(-1) with extended cycling stability up to 2500CV cycles. Moreover, the calendar life suggests negligible decrease in the electrochemical performance of MnO2-FSS-SCs after 20days. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Hexagonal VS2 Anchored MWCNTs: First Approach to Design Flexible Solid-State Symmetric Supercapacitor Device.

    PubMed

    Pandit, Bidhan; Karade, Swapnil S; Sankapal, Babasaheb R

    2017-12-27

    Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) embedded with a carbon network are gaining much attention because of their high power capability, which can be easily integrated to portable electronic devices. Facile chemical route has been explored to synthesize hexagonal structured VS 2 nanoparticles onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) matrix. Such surface-modified VS 2 /MWCNTs electrode has boosted the electrochemical performance to reach high capacitance to 830 F/g and excellent stability to 95.9% over 10 000 cycles. Designed flexible solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device (FSSD) with a wide voltage window of 1.6 V exhibited maximum gain in specific capacitance value of 182 F/g at scan rate of 2 mV/s along with specific energy of 42 Wh/kg and a superb stability of 93.2% over 5000 cycles. As a practical approach, FSSD has lightened up "VNIT" panel consisting of 21 red LEDs.

  13. V2O5 encapsulated MWCNTs in 2D surface architecture: Complete solid-state bendable highly stabilized energy efficient supercapacitor device

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandit, Bidhan; Dubal, Deepak P.; Gómez-Romero, Pedro; Kale, Bharat B.; Sankapal, Babasaheb R.

    2017-03-01

    A simple and scalable approach has been reported for V2O5 encapsulation over interconnected multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) network using chemical bath deposition method. Chemically synthesized V2O5/MWCNTs electrode exhibited excellent charge-discharge capability with extraordinary cycling retention of 93% over 4000 cycles in liquid-electrolyte. Electrochemical investigations have been performed to evaluate the origin of capacitive behavior from dual contribution of surface-controlled and diffusion-controlled charge components. Furthermore, a complete flexible solid-state, flexible symmetric supercapacitor (FSS-SSC) device was assembled with V2O5/MWCNTs electrodes which yield remarkable values of specific power and energy densities along with enhanced cyclic stability over liquid configuration. As a practical demonstration, the constructed device was used to lit the ‘VNIT’ acronym assembled using 21 LED’s.

  14. Solid state thermal rectifier

    DOEpatents

    None

    2016-07-05

    Thermal rectifiers using linear nanostructures as core thermal conductors have been fabricated. A high mass density material is added preferentially to one end of the nanostructures to produce an axially non-uniform mass distribution. The resulting nanoscale system conducts heat asymmetrically with greatest heat flow in the direction of decreasing mass density. Thermal rectification has been demonstrated for linear nanostructures that are electrical insulators, such as boron nitride nanotubes, and for nanostructures that are conductive, such as carbon nanotubes.

  15. Solid-state supercapacitors with ionic liquid gel polymer electrolyte based on poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene), carbon nanotubes, and metal oxides nanocomposites for electrical energy storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Obeidat, Amr M.

    Clean and renewable energy systems have emerged as an important area of research having diverse and significant new applications. These systems utilize different energy storage methods such as the batteries and supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices that are designed to bridge the gap between batteries and conventional capacitors. Supercapacitors which store electrical energy by electrical double layer capacitance are based on large surface area structured carbons. The materials systems in which the Faradaic reversible redox reactions store electrical energy are the transition metal oxides and electronically conducting polymers. Among the different types of conducting polymers, poly (3, 4- ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is extensively investigated owing to its chemical and mechanical stability. Due to instability of aqueous electrolytes at high voltages and toxicity of organic electrolytes, potential of supercapacitors has not been fully exploited. A novel aspect of this work is in utilizing the ionic liquid gel polymer electrolyte to design solid-state supercapacitors for energy storage. Various electrochemical systems were investigated including graphene, PEDOT, PEDOT-carbon nanotubes, PEDOT-manganese oxide, and PEDOT-iron oxide nanocomposites. The electrochemical performance of solid-state supercapacitor devices was evaluated based on cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge (CD), prolonged cyclic tests, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. Raman spectroscopy technique was also utilized to analyze the bonding structure of the electrode materials. The graphene solid-state supercapacitor system displayed areal capacitance density of 141.83 mF cm-2 based on high potential window up to 4V. The PEDOT solid-state supercapacitor system was synthesized in acetonitrile and aqueous mediums achieving areal capacitance density of 219.17 mF cm-2. The hybrid structure of solid-state supercapacitors was also studied in solid-state design based on PEDOT and graphene electrodes that produced areal capacitance density of 198.26 mF cm-2. Symmetrical PEDOT-manganese oxide nanocomposites were synthesized by co-deposition and dip-coating techniques to fabricate solid-state supercapacitor systems achieving areal capacitance density of 122.08 mF cm-2 credited to the PEDOT-MnO2 supercapacitor that was synthesized by dipping the PEDOT electrode in pure KMnO4 solution. The electrochemical performance of PEDOT-carbon nanotube solid-state supercapacitors was also investigated in both acetonitrile and aqueous medium showing good dispersion characteristics with optimum CNT content of 1 mg. The PEDOT-CNT solid-state supercapacitor system synthesized in acetonitrile displayed areal capacitance density of 297.43 mF cm-2. PEDOT-Fe2O3 nanocomposites were synthesized by single-step co-deposition techniques, and these were used to fabricate solid-state supercapacitors achieving areal capacitance density of 96.89 mF cm-2. Furthermore, some of these thin flexible solid-state supercapacitors were integrated with solar cells for direct storage of solar electricity, which proved to be promising as autonomous power source for flexible and wearable electronics. This dissertation describes the electrode synthesis, design and properties of solid-state supercapacitors, and their electrochemical performance in the storage of electrical energy.

  16. Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy of Metal–Organic Framework Compounds (MOFs)

    PubMed Central

    Hoffmann, Herbert C.; Debowski, Marta; Müller, Philipp; Paasch, Silvia; Senkovska, Irena; Kaskel, Stefan; Brunner, Eike

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a well-established method for the investigation of various types of porous materials. During the past decade, metal–organic frameworks have attracted increasing research interest. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy has rapidly evolved into an important tool for the study of the structure, dynamics and flexibility of these materials, as well as for the characterization of host–guest interactions with adsorbed species such as xenon, carbon dioxide, water, and many others. The present review introduces and highlights recent developments in this rapidly growing field.

  17. Novel and high-performance asymmetric micro-supercapacitors based on graphene quantum dots and polyaniline nanofibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Wenwen; Yan, Xingbin; Chen, Jiangtao; Feng, Yaqiang; Xue, Qunji

    2013-06-01

    In comparison with graphene sheets, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibit novel chemical/physical properties including nanometer-size, abundant edge defects, good electrical conductivity, high mobility, chemical inertia, stable photoluminescence and better surface grafting, making them promising for fabricating various novel devices. In the present work, an asymmetric micro-supercapacitor, using GQDs as negative active material and polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers as positive active material, is built for the first time by a simple and controllable two-step electro-deposition on interdigital finger gold electrodes. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the as-made GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor has a more excellent rate capability (up to 1000 V s-1) than previously reported electrode materials, as well as faster power response capability (with a very short relaxation time constant of 115.9 μs) and better cycling stability after 1500 cycles in aqueous electrolyte. On this basis, an all-solid-state GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor is fabricated using H3PO4-polyvinyl alcohol gel as electrolyte, which also exhibits desirable electrochemical capacitive performances. These encouraging results presented here may open up new insight into GQDs with highly promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices, and further expand the potential applications of GQDs beyond the energy-oriented application of GQDs discussed above.In comparison with graphene sheets, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibit novel chemical/physical properties including nanometer-size, abundant edge defects, good electrical conductivity, high mobility, chemical inertia, stable photoluminescence and better surface grafting, making them promising for fabricating various novel devices. In the present work, an asymmetric micro-supercapacitor, using GQDs as negative active material and polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers as positive active material, is built for the first time by a simple and controllable two-step electro-deposition on interdigital finger gold electrodes. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the as-made GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor has a more excellent rate capability (up to 1000 V s-1) than previously reported electrode materials, as well as faster power response capability (with a very short relaxation time constant of 115.9 μs) and better cycling stability after 1500 cycles in aqueous electrolyte. On this basis, an all-solid-state GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor is fabricated using H3PO4-polyvinyl alcohol gel as electrolyte, which also exhibits desirable electrochemical capacitive performances. These encouraging results presented here may open up new insight into GQDs with highly promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices, and further expand the potential applications of GQDs beyond the energy-oriented application of GQDs discussed above. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01139a

  18. Room-Temperature Performance of Poly(Ethylene Ether Carbonate)-Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

    PubMed

    Jung, Yun-Chae; Park, Myung-Soo; Kim, Duck-Hyun; Ue, Makoto; Eftekhari, Ali; Kim, Dong-Won

    2017-12-13

    Amorphous poly(ethylene ether carbonate) (PEEC), which is a copolymer of ethylene oxide and ethylene carbonate, was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of ethylene carbonate. This route overcame the common issue of low conductivity of poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes at low temperatures, and thus the solid polymer electrolyte could be successfully employed at the room temperature. Introducing the ethylene carbonate units into PEEC improved the ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability and lithium transference number compared with PEO. A cross-linked solid polymer electrolyte was synthesized by photo cross-linking reaction using PEEC and tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate as a cross-linking agent, in the form of a flexible thin film. The solid-state Li/LiNi 0.6 Co 0.2 Mn 0.2 O 2 cell assembled with solid polymer electrolyte based on cross-linked PEEC delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 141.4 mAh g -1 and exhibited good capacity retention at room temperature. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using this solid polymer electrolyte in all-solid-state lithium batteries that can operate at ambient temperatures.

  19. Flexible robust binder-free carbon nanotube membranes for solid state and microcapacitor application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adu, Kofi; Ma, Danhao; Wang, Yuxiang; Spencer, Michael; Rajagopalan, Ramakrishnan; Wang, C.-Yu; Randall, Clive

    2018-01-01

    We present a liquid phase post synthesis self-assemble protocol that transforms trillions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in powder form into densely packed flexible, robust and binder-free macroscopic membranes with a hierarchical pore structure. We employ charge transfer engineering to spontaneously disperse the CNTs in a liquid medium. The processing protocol has limited or no impact on the intrinsic properties of the CNTs. As the thickness of the CNT membrane is increased, we observed a gradual transition from high flexibility to buckling and brittleness in the flexural properties of the membranes. The binder-free CNT membranes have bulk mass density greater than that of water (1.0 g cm-3). We correlate the mass of the CNTs in the membrane to the thickness of the membrane and obtained a bulk mass density of ˜1.11 g cm-3 ± 0.03 g cm-3. We demonstrate the use of the CNT membranes as electrode in a pristine and oxidized single/stacked solid-state capacitor as well as pristine interdigitated microcapacitor that show time constant of ˜32 ms with no degradation in performance even after 10 000 cycles. The capacitors show very good temperature dependence over a wide range of temperatures with good cycling performance up to 90 °C. The specific capacitance of the pseudocapacitive CNT electrode at room temperature was 72 F g-1 and increased to 100 F g-1 at 70 °C. The leakage current of bipolar stacked solid state capacitor was ˜100 nA cm-2 at 2.5 V when held for 72 h.

  20. One-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous Ni-Co sulfide/reduced graphene oxide composite with optimal incorporation of carbon nanotubes for high performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Cheng-Ting; Chen, Dong-Hwang

    2018-04-27

    Three-dimensional (3D) porous Ni-Co sulfide/reduced graphene oxide composite with the appropriate incorporation of carbon nanotubes (NCS/rGO/CNT) was fabricated as a promising material for supercapacitor electrodes. It combined the high pseudo-capacitance of Ni-Co sulfide as well as the large specific surface area and electrical double layer capacitance of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated to act as the spacer for hindering the restacking of rGO and to construct a conductive network for enhancing the electron transport. The 3D porous NCS/rGO/CNT composite was fabricated by a facile one-step hydrothermal process in which Ni-Co sulfide nanosheets were synthesized and graphene oxide was reduced simultaneously. It was shown that the capacitance and cyclic performance indeed could be effectively improved via the appropriate addition of CNTs. In addition, a flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor based on the NCS/rGO/CNT electrode was fabricated and exhibited the same capacitive electrochemical performance under bending. Also, it could successfully turn on a light-emitting diode light, revealing its feasibility in practical application. All results demonstrated that the developed NCS/rGO/CNT composite has potential application in supercapacitors.

  1. One-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous Ni-Co sulfide/reduced graphene oxide composite with optimal incorporation of carbon nanotubes for high performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chiu, Cheng-Ting; Chen, Dong-Hwang

    2018-04-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) porous Ni-Co sulfide/reduced graphene oxide composite with the appropriate incorporation of carbon nanotubes (NCS/rGO/CNT) was fabricated as a promising material for supercapacitor electrodes. It combined the high pseudo-capacitance of Ni-Co sulfide as well as the large specific surface area and electrical double layer capacitance of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated to act as the spacer for hindering the restacking of rGO and to construct a conductive network for enhancing the electron transport. The 3D porous NCS/rGO/CNT composite was fabricated by a facile one-step hydrothermal process in which Ni-Co sulfide nanosheets were synthesized and graphene oxide was reduced simultaneously. It was shown that the capacitance and cyclic performance indeed could be effectively improved via the appropriate addition of CNTs. In addition, a flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor based on the NCS/rGO/CNT electrode was fabricated and exhibited the same capacitive electrochemical performance under bending. Also, it could successfully turn on a light-emitting diode light, revealing its feasibility in practical application. All results demonstrated that the developed NCS/rGO/CNT composite has potential application in supercapacitors.

  2. Pseudo hard-sphere potential for use in continuous molecular-dynamics simulation of spherical and chain molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jover, J.; Haslam, A. J.; Galindo, A.; Jackson, G.; Müller, E. A.

    2012-10-01

    We present a continuous pseudo-hard-sphere potential based on a cut-and-shifted Mie (generalized Lennard-Jones) potential with exponents (50, 49). Using this potential one can mimic the volumetric, structural, and dynamic properties of the discontinuous hard-sphere potential over the whole fluid range. The continuous pseudo potential has the advantage that it may be incorporated directly into off-the-shelf molecular-dynamics code, allowing the user to capitalise on existing hardware and software advances. Simulation results for the compressibility factor of the fluid and solid phases of our pseudo hard spheres are presented and compared both to the Carnahan-Starling equation of state of the fluid and published data, the differences being indistinguishable within simulation uncertainty. The specific form of the potential is employed to simulate flexible chains formed from these pseudo hard spheres at contact (pearl-necklace model) for mc = 4, 5, 7, 8, 16, 20, 100, 201, and 500 monomer segments. The compressibility factor of the chains per unit of monomer, mc, approaches a limiting value at reasonably small values, mc < 50, as predicted by Wertheim's first order thermodynamic perturbation theory. Simulation results are also presented for highly asymmetric mixtures of pseudo hard spheres, with diameter ratios of 3:1, 5:1, 20:1 over the whole composition range.

  3. New biphenol-based, fine-tunable monodentate phosphoramidite ligands for catalytic asymmetric transformations

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Zihao; Vassar, Victor C.; Choi, Hojae; Ojima, Iwao

    2004-01-01

    Monodentate phosphoramidite ligands have been developed based on enantiopure 6,6′-dimethylbiphenols with axial chirality. These chiral ligands are easy to prepare and flexible for modifications. The fine-tuning capability of these ligands plays a significant role in achieving high enantioselectivity in the asymmetric hydroformylation of allyl cyanide and the conjugate addition of diethylzinc to cycloalkenones. PMID:15020764

  4. High Efficiency Ka-Band Solid State Power Amplifier Waveguide Power Combiner

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wintucky, Edwin G.; Simons, Rainee N.; Chevalier, Christine T.; Freeman, Jon C.

    2010-01-01

    A novel Ka-band high efficiency asymmetric waveguide four-port combiner for coherent combining of two Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) having unequal outputs has been successfully designed, fabricated and characterized over the NASA deep space frequency band from 31.8 to 32.3 GHz. The measured combiner efficiency is greater than 90 percent, the return loss greater than 18 dB and input port isolation greater than 22 dB. The manufactured combiner was designed for an input power ratio of 2:1 but can be custom designed for any arbitrary power ratio. Applications considered are NASA s space communications systems needing 6 to 10 W of radio frequency (RF) power. This Technical Memorandum (TM) is an expanded version of the article recently published in Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Electronics Letters.

  5. Comment on "Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Hydrogels with Embedded Nickel Hydroxide Nanoplates".

    PubMed

    Vongehr, Sascha

    2017-05-22

    It is argued that the main claims of "Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Hydrogels with Embedded Nickel Hydroxide Nanoplates" are strongly exaggerated. By selecting first a subregion (ΔV) of the total voltage drop, the capacitance (C ΔV ) is inflated by 30 %. Then, by selecting different regions for different properties and using different ΔV values in different terms of a single expression for the energy density (E ΔV ), the value is doubled. A bending angle of only 45° is instead claimed to be 180°. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Thin Film Photovoltaic Cells on Flexible Substrates Integrated with Energy Storage

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-07-01

    selected mass-altered planes is varied, we have constructed a simple one-dimensional lattice that approximates the solids simulated previously with...to Sn atoms added to a silicon lattice). Development of Solid State Supercapacitors Integrated with Solar cells for Solar Electricity Storage This... supercapacitor for solar electricity storage. These areas and the major tasks therein are: (i) Supercapacitor Electrodes: We have investigated an approach to

  7. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on ultrathin two-dimensional nanosheets with outstanding electrochemical performance and aesthetic property

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Shan; Xu, Chengjun; Yang, Cheng; Chen, Yanyi; Liu, Juanjuan; Kang, Feiyu

    2013-01-01

    Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors with excellent electrochemical performance and aesthetic property are realized by using ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) MnO2 and graphene nanosheets as cathode and anode materials, respectively. 2D MnO2 nanosheets (MSs) with a thickness of ca. 2 nm are synthesized with a soft template method for the first time, which achieve a high specific capacitance of 774 F g−1 even after 10000 cycles. Asymmetric supercapacitors based on ultrathin MSs and graphene exhibit a very high energy density up to 97.2 Wh kg−1 with no more than 3% capacitance loss after 10000 cycles in aqueous electrolyte. Most interestingly, we show that the energy storage device can have an aesthetic property. For instance, a “Chinese panda” supercapacitor is capable of lighting up a red light emitting diode. This work has another, quite different aspect that a supercapacitor is no longer a cold industry product, but could have the meaning of art. PMID:24008931

  8. Snakes on a plane: modeling flexible active nematics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Selinger, Robin

    Active soft matter systems of self-propelled rod-shaped particles exhibit ordered phases and collective behavior that are remarkably different from their passive analogs. In nature, many self-propelled rod-shaped particles, such as gliding bacteria and kinesin-driven microtubules, are flexible and can bend. We model these ``living liquid crystals'' to explore their phase behavior, dynamics, and pattern formation. We model particles as short polymers via molecular dynamics with a Langevin thermostat and various types of activity, substrate, and environments. For self-propelled polar particles gliding on a solid substrate, we map out the phase diagram as a function of particle density and flexibility. We compare simulated defect structures to those observed in colonies of gliding myxobacteria; compare spooling behavior to that observed in microtubule gliding assays; and analyze emergence of nematic and polar order. Next we explore pattern formation of self-propelled polar particles under flexible encapsulation, and on substrates with non-uniform Gaussian curvature. Lastly, we impose an activity mechanism that mimics extensile shear, study flexible particles both on solid substrates and coupled to a lipid membrane, and discuss comparisons to relevant experiments. Work performed in collaboration with Michael Varga (Kent State) and Luca Giomi (Universiteit Leiden.) Work supported by NSF DMR-1409658.

  9. Investigating the asymmetric relationship between inflation-output growth exchange rate changes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chu, Jenq Fei; Sek, Siok Kun

    2017-08-01

    The relationship between inflation-output growth or output variation has long been studied. In this study, we extend the investigation under two exchange rate flexibility/regime in four Asian countries (Indonesia, Korea, Philippines and Thailand) that have experienced drastic exchange rate regime changes aftermath the financial crisis of 1997. These countries have switched from fixed/rigid exchange rate regime to flexible exchange rate and inflation targeting (IT) regime after the crisis. Our main objective is to compare the inflation-output trade-off relationship in the pre-IT and post-IT periods as a tool to evaluate the efficiency of monetary policy. A nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags (NARDL) model is applied to capture the asymmetric effects of exchange rate changes (increases and decreases). The data ranging from 1981M1 onwards till 2016M3. Our results show that exchange rate has asymmetric effect on inflation both short-run and long-run with larger impact in the post-IT period under flexible regime. Depreciation of exchange rate has leads to higher inflation. Furthermore, we find evidences on the relationship between inflation and growth in both short-run and long-run, but the trade-off only detected in the short run both in the pre- and post-IT periods.

  10. Free-standing graphene/vanadium oxide composite as binder-free electrode for asymmetrical supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Deng, Lingjuan; Gao, Yihong; Ma, Zhanying; Fan, Guang

    2017-11-01

    Preparation of free-standing electrode materials with three-dimensional network architecture has emerged as an effective strategy for acquiring advanced portable and wearable power sources. Herein, graphene/vanadium oxide (GR/V 2 O 5 ) free-standing monolith composite has been prepared via a simple hydrothermal process. Flexible GR sheets acted as binder to connect the belt-like V 2 O 5 for assembling three-dimensional network architecture. The obtained GR/V 2 O 5 composite can be reshaped into GR/V 2 O 5 flexible film which exhibits more compact structure by ultrasonication and vacuum filtration. A high specific capacitance of 358Fg -1 for GR/V 2 O 5 monolith compared with that of GR/V 2 O 5 flexible film (272Fg -1 ) has been achieved in 0.5molL -1 K 2 SO 4 solution when used as binder free electrodes in three-electrode system. An asymmetrical supercapacitor has been assembled using GR/V 2 O 5 monolith as positive electrode and GR monolith as negative electrode, and it can be reversibly charged-discharged at a cell voltage of 1.7V in 0.5molL -1 K 2 SO 4 electrolyte. The asymmetrical capacitor can deliver an energy density of 26.22Whkg -1 at a power density of 425Wkg -1 , much higher than that of the symmetrical supercapacitor based on GR/V 2 O 5 monolith electrode. Moreover, the asymmetrical supercapacitor preserves 90% of its initial capacitance over 1000 cycles at a current density of 5Ag -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Facilitated charge transport in ternary interconnected electrodes for flexible supercapacitors with excellent power characteristics.

    PubMed

    Chen, Wanjun; He, Yongmin; Li, Xiaodong; Zhou, Jinyuan; Zhang, Zhenxing; Zhao, Changhui; Gong, Chengshi; Li, Shuankui; Pan, Xiaojun; Xie, Erqing

    2013-12-07

    Flexible and high performance supercapacitors are very critical in modern society. In order to develop the flexible supercapacitors with high power density, free-standing and flexible three-dimensional graphene/carbon nanotubes/MnO2 (3DG/CNTs/MnO2) composite electrodes with interconnected ternary 3D structures were fabricated, and the fast electron and ion transport channels were effectively constructed in the rationally designed electrodes. Consequently, the obtained 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 composite electrodes exhibit superior specific capacitance and rate capability compared to 3DG/MnO2 electrodes. Furthermore, the 3DG/CNTs/MnO2 based asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrates the maximum energy and power densities of 33.71 W h kg(-1) and up to 22,727.3 W kg(-1), respectively. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling stability with 95.3% of the specific capacitance maintained after 1000 cycle tests. Our proposed synthesis strategy to construct the novel ternary 3D structured electrodes can be efficiently applied to other high performance energy storage/conversion systems.

  12. Hydrothermally formed three-dimensional hexagon-like P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays for high performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Kunzhen; Li, Shikuo; Huang, Fangzhi; Lu, Yan; Wang, Lei; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Hui

    2018-01-01

    Three dimensional hexagon-like phosphrous (P) doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays grown on Ni foam (NF) are fabricated by a facile and green one-step hydrothermal process. Ni foam is only reacted in a certain concentration of P containing H2O2 aqueous solution. The possible growth mechanism of the P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays is discussed. As a battery-type electrode material in situ formed on Ni foam, the binder-free P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays electrode displays a ultrahigh specific areal capacitance of 2.11C cm-2 (3.51 F cm-2) at 2 mA cm-2, and excellent cycling stability (95.5% capacitance retention after 7500 cycles). The assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (AAS) based on such P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode achieves an energy density of 81.3 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 635 W kg-1. The AAS device also exhibits excellent practical performance, which can easily drive an electric fan (3 W rated power) when two AAS devices are assembled in series. Thus, our synthesized P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays has a lot of potential applications in future energy storage prospects.

  13. Powder X-ray diffraction, infrared and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies of the homologous series of some solid-state zinc(II) and sodium(I) n-alkanoates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelson, Peter N.; Taylor, Richard A.

    2015-03-01

    A comparative study of the room temperature molecular packing and lattice structures for the homologous series of zinc(II) and sodium(I) n-alkanoates adduced from Fourier transform infrared and solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopic data in conjunction with X-ray powder diffraction measurements is carried out. For zinc carboxylates, metal-carboxyl bonding is via asymmetric bridging bidentate coordination whilst for the sodium adducts, coordination is via asymmetric chelating bidentate bonding. All compounds are packed in a monoclinic crystal system. Furthermore, the fully extended all-trans hydrocarbon chains are arranged as lamellar bilayers. For zinc compounds, there is bilayer overlap, for long chain adducts (nc > 8) but not for sodium compounds where methyl groups from opposing layers in the lamellar are only closely packed. Additionally, the hydrocarbon chains are extended along the a-axis of the unit cell for zinc compounds whilst for sodium carboxylates they are extended along the c-axis. These packing differences are responsible for different levels of Van der Waals effects in the lattices of these two series of compounds, hence, observed odd-even alternation is different. The significant difference in lattice packing observed for these two series of compounds is proposed to be due to the difference in metal-carboxyl coordination mode, arising from the different electronic structure of the central metal ions.

  14. Strong Photo-Amplification Effects in Flexible Organic Capacitors with Small Molecular Solid-State Electrolyte Layers Sandwiched between Photo-Sensitive Conjugated Polymer Nanolayers

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hyena; Kim, Jungnam; Kim, Hwajeong; Kim, Youngkyoo

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-state electrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation, and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180o. PMID:26846891

  15. Strong Photo-Amplification Effects in Flexible Organic Capacitors with Small Molecular Solid-State Electrolyte Layers Sandwiched between Photo-Sensitive Conjugated Polymer Nanolayers.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyena; Kim, Jungnam; Kim, Hwajeong; Kim, Youngkyoo

    2016-02-05

    We demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-state electrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation, and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180(°).

  16. Guest-tuned spin crossover in flexible supramolecular assemblies templated by a halide (Cl -, Br - or I - )

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

    Darawsheh, M. D.; Barrios, L. A.; Roubeau, O.

    Ligand 1,3-bis(3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzene, L, forms mononuclear spin crossover complexes [FeL 3] 2+ with pendant arms that cause them to dimerize through numerous intermolecular interactions forming supramolecular (X@[FeL 3] 2) 3+ cations. Finally, hey have the flexibility to encapsulate Cl -, Br - or I -, which allow tuning the magnetic properties, in the solid state and in solution.

  17. Guest-tuned spin crossover in flexible supramolecular assemblies templated by a halide (Cl -, Br - or I - )

    DOE PAGES

    Darawsheh, M. D.; Barrios, L. A.; Roubeau, O.; ...

    2016-12-05

    Ligand 1,3-bis(3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzene, L, forms mononuclear spin crossover complexes [FeL 3] 2+ with pendant arms that cause them to dimerize through numerous intermolecular interactions forming supramolecular (X@[FeL 3] 2) 3+ cations. Finally, hey have the flexibility to encapsulate Cl -, Br - or I -, which allow tuning the magnetic properties, in the solid state and in solution.

  18. Carbon nanotube network film directly grown on carbon cloth for high-performance solid-state flexible supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Cheng; Liu, Jinping

    2014-01-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have received increasing attention as electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors. We herein present a straightforward method to synthesize CNT films directly on carbon cloths as electrodes for all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors (AFSCs). The as-made highly conductive electrodes possess a three-dimensional (3D) network architecture for fast ion diffusion and good flexibility, leading to an AFSC with a specific capacitance of 106.1 F g-1, an areal capacitance of 38.75 mF cm-2, an ultralong cycle life of 100 000 times (capacitance retention: 99%), a good rate capability (can scan at 1000 mV s-1, at which the capacitance is still ˜37.8% of that at 5 mV s-1), a high energy density (2.4 μW h cm-2) and a high power density (19 mW cm-2). Moreover, our AFSC maintains excellent electrochemical attributes even with serious shape deformation (bending, folding, etc), high mechanical pressure (63 kPa) and a wide temperature window (up to 100 ° C). After charging for only 5 s, three such AFSC devices connected in series can efficiently power a red round LED for 60 s. Our work could pave the way for the design of practical AFSCs, which are expected to be used for various flexible portable/wearable electronic devices in the future.

  19. Focusing, refraction, and asymmetric transmission of elastic waves in solid metamaterials with aligned parallel gaps.

    PubMed

    Su, Xiaoshi; Norris, Andrew N

    2016-06-01

    Gradient index (GRIN), refractive, and asymmetric transmission devices for elastic waves are designed using a solid with aligned parallel gaps. The gaps are assumed to be thin so that they can be considered as parallel cracks separating elastic plate waveguides. The plates do not interact with one another directly, only at their ends where they connect to the exterior solid. To formulate the transmission and reflection coefficients for SV- and P-waves, an analytical model is established using thin plate theory that couples the waveguide modes with the waves in the exterior body. The GRIN lens is designed by varying the thickness of the plates to achieve different flexural wave speeds. The refractive effect of SV-waves is achieved by designing the slope of the edge of the plate array, and keeping the ratio between plate length and flexural wavelength fixed. The asymmetric transmission of P-waves is achieved by sending an incident P-wave at a critical angle, at which total conversion to SV-wave occurs. An array of parallel gaps perpendicular to the propagation direction of the reflected waves stop the SV-wave but let P-waves travel through. Examples of focusing, steering, and asymmetric transmission devices are discussed.

  20. Highly Flexible and Conductive Cellulose-Mediated PEDOT:PSS/MWCNT Composite Films for Supercapacitor Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Dawei; Zhang, Qi; Chen, Wenshuai; Yi, Xin; Liu, Shouxin; Wang, Qingwen; Liu, Yixing; Li, Jian; Li, Xianfeng; Yu, Haipeng

    2017-04-19

    Recent improvements in flexible electronics have increased the need to develop flexible and lightweight power sources. However, current flexible electrodes are limited by low capacitance, poor mechanical properties, and lack of cycling stability. In this article, we describe an ionic liquid-processed supramolecular assembly of cellulose and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene for the formation of a flexible and conductive cellulose/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT:poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) composite matrix. On this base, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into the matrix to fabricate an MWCNT-reinforced cellulose/PEDOT:PSS film (MCPP), which exhibited favorable flexibility and conductivity. The MCPP-based electrode displayed comprehensively excellent electrochemical properties, such as a low resistance of 0.45 Ω, a high specific capacitance of 485 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 , and good cycling stability, with a capacity retention of 95% after 2000 cycles at 2 A g -1 . An MCPP-based symmetric solid-state supercapacitor with Ni foam as the current collector and PVA/KOH gel as the electrolyte exhibited a specific capacitance of 380 F g -1 at 0.25 A g -1 and achieved a maximum energy density of 13.2 Wh kg -1 (0.25 A g -1 ) with a power density of 0.126 kW kg -1 or an energy density of 4.86 Wh kg -1 at 10 A g -1 , corresponding to a high power density of 4.99 kW kg -1 . Another kind of MCPP-based solid-state supercapacitor without the Ni foam showed excellent flexibility and a high volumetric capacitance of 50.4 F cm -3 at 0.05 A cm -3 . Both the electrodes and the supercapacitors were environmentally stable and could be operated under remarkable deformation or high temperature without damage to their structural integrity or a significant decrease in capacitive performance. Overall, this work provides a strategy for the fabrication of flexible and conductive energy-storage films with ionic liquid-processed cellulose as a medium.

  1. Dynamics of the OH stretching mode in crystalline Ba(ClO4)2.3H2O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hutzler, Daniel; Brunner, Christian; Petkov, Petko St.; Heine, Thomas; Fischer, Sighart F.; Riedle, Eberhard; Kienberger, Reinhard; Iglev, Hristo

    2018-02-01

    The vibrational dynamics of the OH stretching mode in Ba(ClO4)2 trihydrate are investigated by means of femtosecond infrared spectroscopy. The sample offers plane cyclic water trimers in the solid phase that feature virtually no hydrogen bond interaction between the water molecules. Selective excitation of the symmetric and asymmetric stretching leads to fast population redistribution, while simultaneous excitation yields quantum beats, which are monitored via a combination tone that dominates the overtone spectrum. The combination of steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy with quantum chemical simulations and general theoretical considerations gives indication of various aspects of symmetry breakage. The system shows a joint population lifetime of 8 ps and a long-lived coherence between symmetric and asymmetric stretching, which decays with a time constant of 0.6 ps.

  2. Novel and high-performance asymmetric micro-supercapacitors based on graphene quantum dots and polyaniline nanofibers.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wenwen; Yan, Xingbin; Chen, Jiangtao; Feng, Yaqiang; Xue, Qunji

    2013-07-07

    In comparison with graphene sheets, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibit novel chemical/physical properties including nanometer-size, abundant edge defects, good electrical conductivity, high mobility, chemical inertia, stable photoluminescence and better surface grafting, making them promising for fabricating various novel devices. In the present work, an asymmetric micro-supercapacitor, using GQDs as negative active material and polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers as positive active material, is built for the first time by a simple and controllable two-step electro-deposition on interdigital finger gold electrodes. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the as-made GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor has a more excellent rate capability (up to 1000 V s(-1)) than previously reported electrode materials, as well as faster power response capability (with a very short relaxation time constant of 115.9 μs) and better cycling stability after 1500 cycles in aqueous electrolyte. On this basis, an all-solid-state GQDs//PANI asymmetric micro-supercapacitor is fabricated using H3PO4-polyvinyl alcohol gel as electrolyte, which also exhibits desirable electrochemical capacitive performances. These encouraging results presented here may open up new insight into GQDs with highly promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices, and further expand the potential applications of GQDs beyond the energy-oriented application of GQDs discussed above.

  3. Construction of Core-Shell NiMoO4@Ni-Co-S Nanorods as Advanced Electrodes for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chao; Yan, Dan; Luo, Xin; Gao, Wenjia; Huang, Guanjie; Han, Ziwu; Zeng, Yan; Zhu, Zhihong

    2018-02-07

    In this work, hierarchical core-shell NiMoO 4 @Ni-Co-S nanorods were first successfully grown on nickel foam by a facile two-step method to fabricate a bind-free electrode. The well-aligned electrode wrapped by Ni-Co-S nanosheets displays excellent nanostructural properties and outstanding electrochemical performance, owing to the synergistic effects of both nickel molybdenum oxides and nickel cobalt sulfides. The prepared core-shell nanorods in a three-electrode cell yielded a high specific capacitance of 2.27 F cm -2 (1892 F g -1 ) at a current density of 5 mA cm -2 and retained 91.7% of the specific capacitance even after 6000 cycles. Their electrochemical performance was further investigated for their use as positive electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. Notably, the energy density of the asymmetric supercapacitor device reached 2.45 mWh cm -3 at a power density of 0.131 W cm -3 , and still retained a remarkable 80.3% of the specific capacitance after 3500 cycles. There is great potential for the electrode composed of the core-shell NiMoO 4 @Ni-Co-S nanorods for use in an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device.

  4. Fine refinement of solid state structure of racemic form of phospho-tyrosine employing NMR Crystallography approach.

    PubMed

    Paluch, Piotr; Pawlak, Tomasz; Oszajca, Marcin; Lasocha, Wieslaw; Potrzebowski, Marek J

    2015-02-01

    We present step by step facets important in NMR Crystallography strategy employing O-phospho-dl-tyrosine as model sample. The significance of three major techniques being components of this approach: solid state NMR (SS NMR), X-ray diffraction of powdered sample (PXRD) and theoretical calculations (Gauge Invariant Projector Augmented Wave; GIPAW) is discussed. Each experimental technique provides different set of structural constraints. From the PXRD measurement the size of the unit cell, space group and roughly refined molecular structure are established. SS NMR provides information about content of crystallographic asymmetric unit, local geometry, molecular motion in the crystal lattice and hydrogen bonding pattern. GIPAW calculations are employed for validation of quality of elucidation and fine refinement of structure. Crystal and molecular structure of O-phospho-dl-tyrosine solved by NMR Crystallography is deposited at Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center under number CCDC 1005924. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A Highly Flexible Supercapacitor Based on MnO2/RGO Nanosheets and Bacterial Cellulose-Filled Gel Electrolyte

    PubMed Central

    Fei, Haojie; Saha, Nabanita; Kazantseva, Natalia; Moucka, Robert; Cheng, Qilin; Saha, Petr

    2017-01-01

    The flexible supercapacitors (SCs) of the conventional sandwich-type structure have poor flexibility due to the large thickness of the final entire device. Herein, we have fabricated a highly flexible asymmetric SC using manganese dioxide (MnO2) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheet-piled hydrogel films and a novel bacterial cellulose (BC)-filled polyacrylic acid sodium salt-Na2SO4 (BC/PAAS-Na2SO4) neutral gel electrolyte. Apart from being environmentally friendly, this BC/PAAS-Na2SO4 gel electrolyte has high viscosity and a sticky property, which enables it to combine two electrodes together. Meanwhile, the intertangling of the filled BC in the gel electrolyte hinders the decrease of the viscosity with temperature, and forms a separator to prevent the two electrodes from short-circuiting. Using these materials, the total thickness of the fabricated device does not exceed 120 μm. This SC device demonstrates high flexibility, where bending and even rolling have no obvious effect on the electrochemical performance. In addition, owing to the asymmetric configuration, the cell voltage of this flexible SC has been extended to 1.8 V, and the energy density can reach up to 11.7 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 441 W kg−1. This SC also exhibits a good cycling stability, with a capacitance retention of 85.5% over 5000 cycles. PMID:29084177

  6. Dynamics and locomotion of flexible foils in a frictional environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xiaolin; Alben, Silas

    2018-01-01

    Over the past few decades, oscillating flexible foils have been used to study the physics of organismal propulsion in different fluid environments. Here, we extend this work to a study of flexible foils in a frictional environment. When the foil is oscillated by heaving at one end but is not free to locomote, the dynamics change from periodic to non-periodic and chaotic as the heaving amplitude increases or the bending rigidity decreases. For friction coefficients lying in a certain range, the transition passes through a sequence of N-periodic and asymmetric states before reaching chaotic dynamics. Resonant peaks are damped and shifted by friction and large heaving amplitudes, leading to bistable states. When the foil is free to locomote, the horizontal motion smoothes the resonant behaviours. For moderate frictional coefficients, steady but slow locomotion is obtained. For large transverse friction and small tangential friction corresponding to wheeled snake robots, faster locomotion is obtained. Travelling wave motions arise spontaneously, and move with horizontal speeds that scale as transverse friction coefficient to the power 1/4 and input power that scales as the transverse friction coefficient to the power 5/12. These scalings are consistent with a boundary layer form of the solutions near the foil's leading edge.

  7. Dynamics and locomotion of flexible foils in a frictional environment.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaolin; Alben, Silas

    2018-01-01

    Over the past few decades, oscillating flexible foils have been used to study the physics of organismal propulsion in different fluid environments. Here, we extend this work to a study of flexible foils in a frictional environment. When the foil is oscillated by heaving at one end but is not free to locomote, the dynamics change from periodic to non-periodic and chaotic as the heaving amplitude increases or the bending rigidity decreases. For friction coefficients lying in a certain range, the transition passes through a sequence of N -periodic and asymmetric states before reaching chaotic dynamics. Resonant peaks are damped and shifted by friction and large heaving amplitudes, leading to bistable states. When the foil is free to locomote, the horizontal motion smoothes the resonant behaviours. For moderate frictional coefficients, steady but slow locomotion is obtained. For large transverse friction and small tangential friction corresponding to wheeled snake robots, faster locomotion is obtained. Travelling wave motions arise spontaneously, and move with horizontal speeds that scale as transverse friction coefficient to the power 1/4 and input power that scales as the transverse friction coefficient to the power 5/12. These scalings are consistent with a boundary layer form of the solutions near the foil's leading edge.

  8. Tunable cw Single-Frequency Source for Injection Seeding 2-micrometer Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-01

    Nd:glass Slab Asilomar, CA, January, 1989. Laser for X-ray Lithography ," presented at Lasers 11. R. L. Byer, "Solid State Lasers for Accelerator 89, New...Alumni Association (Stanford Club of M.K. Reed and R.L. Byer, "A Nd:glass Slab Connecticut), April, 1989. Laserfor X-ray Lithography ," to be...and R.L. Byer, "A Nd:Glass Slab asymmetric quantum wells," invited paper QWA1 Laser for Soft X-ray Lithography ", paper MB4, International Quantum

  9. A High Performance Computing Approach to the Simulation of Fluid Solid Interaction Problems with Rigid and Flexible Components (Open Access Publisher’s Version)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-08-01

    performance computing, smoothed particle hydrodynamics, rigid body dynamics, flexible body dynamics ARMAN PAZOUKI ∗, RADU SERBAN ∗, DAN NEGRUT ∗ A...HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING APPROACH TO THE SIMULATION OF FLUID-SOLID INTERACTION PROBLEMS WITH RIGID AND FLEXIBLE COMPONENTS This work outlines a unified...are implemented to model rigid and flexible multibody dynamics. The two- way coupling of the fluid and solid phases is supported through use of

  10. Solid-State High Performance Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Polypyrrole-MnO2-Carbon Fiber Hybrid Structure

    PubMed Central

    Tao, Jiayou; Liu, Nishuang; Ma, Wenzhen; Ding, Longwei; Li, Luying; Su, Jun; Gao, Yihua

    2013-01-01

    A solid-state flexible supercapacitor (SC) based on organic-inorganic composite structure was fabricated through an “in situ growth for conductive wrapping” and an electrode material of polypyrrole (PPy)-MnO2 nanoflakes-carbon fiber (CF) hybrid structure was obtained. The conductive organic material of PPy greatly improved the electrochemical performance of the device. With a high specific capacitance of 69.3 F cm−3 at a discharge current density of 0.1 A cm−3 and an energy density of 6.16 × 10−3 Wh cm−3 at a power density of 0.04 W cm−3, the device can drive a commercial liquid crystal display (LCD) after being charged. The organic-inorganic composite active materials have enormous potential in energy management and the “in situ growth for conductive wrapping” method might be generalized to open up new strategies for designing next-generation energy storage devices. PMID:23884478

  11. An All-Solid-State Fiber-Shaped Aluminum-Air Battery with Flexibility, Stretchability, and High Electrochemical Performance.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yifan; Zhao, Yang; Ren, Jing; Zhang, Ye; Peng, Huisheng

    2016-07-04

    Owing to the high theoretical energy density of metal-air batteries, the aluminum-air battery has been proposed as a promising long-term power supply for electronics. However, the available energy density from the aluminum-air battery is far from that anticipated and is limited by current electrode materials. Herein we described the creation of a new family of all-solid-state fiber-shaped aluminum-air batteries with a specific capacity of 935 mAh g(-1) and an energy density of 1168 Wh kg(-1) . The synthesis of an electrode composed of cross-stacked aligned carbon-nanotube/silver-nanoparticle sheets contributes to the remarkable electrochemical performance. The fiber shape also provides the aluminum-air batteries with unique advantages; for example, they are flexible and stretchable and can be woven into a variety of textiles for large-scale applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Highly Flexible and Planar Supercapacitors Using Graphite Flakes/Polypyrrole in Polymer Lapping Film.

    PubMed

    Raj, C Justin; Kim, Byung Chul; Cho, Won-Je; Lee, Won-gil; Jung, Sang-Don; Kim, Yong Hee; Park, Sang Yeop; Yu, Kook Hyun

    2015-06-24

    Flexible supercapacitor electrodes have been fabricated by simple fabrication technique using graphite nanoflakes on polymer lapping films as flexible substrate. An additional thin layer of conducting polymer polypyrrole over the electrode improved the surface conductivity and exhibited excellent electrochemical performances. Such capacitor films showed better energy density and power density with a maximum capacitance value of 37 mF cm(-2) in a half cell configuration using 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte, 23 mF cm(-2) in full cell, and 6 mF cm(-2) as planar cell configuration using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solid state electrolyte. Moreover, the graphite nanoflakes/polypyrrole over polymer lapping film demonstrated good flexibility and cyclic stability.

  13. Ultra-Flexibility and Unusual Electronic, Magnetic and Chemical Properties of Waved Graphenes and Nanoribbons

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Hui; Chen, Bin

    2014-01-01

    Two-dimensional materials have attracted increasing attention because of their particular properties and potential applications in next-generation nanodevices. In this work, we investigate the physical and chemical properties of waved graphenes/nanoribbons based on first-principles calculations. We show that waved graphenes are compressible up to a strain of 50% and ultra-flexible because of the vanishing in-plane stiffness. The conductivity of waved graphenes is reduced due to charge decoupling under high compression. Our analysis of pyramidalization angles predicts that the chemistry of waved graphenes can be easily controlled by modulating local curvatures. We further demonstrate that band gaps of armchair waved graphene nanoribbons decrease with the increase of compression if they are asymmetrical in geometry, while increase if symmetrical. For waved zigzag nanoribbons, their anti-ferromagnetic states are strongly enhanced by increasing compression. The versatile functions of waved graphenes enable their applications in multi-functional nanodevices and sensors. PMID:24569444

  14. Generic approach for synthesizing asymmetric nanoparticles and nanoassemblies

    DOEpatents

    Sun, Yugang; Hu, Yongxing

    2015-05-26

    A generic route for synthesis of asymmetric nanostructures. This approach utilizes submicron magnetic particles (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4--SiO.sub.2) as recyclable solid substrates for the assembly of asymmetric nanostructures and purification of the final product. Importantly, an additional SiO.sub.2 layer is employed as a mediation layer to allow for selective modification of target nanoparticles. The partially patched nanoparticles are used as building blocks for different kinds of complex asymmetric nanostructures that cannot be fabricated by conventional approaches. The potential applications such as ultra-sensitive substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) have been included.

  15. Nanoporous adsorption effect on altering Li+ diffusion pathway by a highly ordered porous electrolyte additive for high rate all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenwen; Zhang, Sanpei; Wang, Bangrun; Gu, Sui; Xu, Dong; Wang, Jianing; Chen, Chunhua; Wen, Zhaoyin

    2018-06-19

    Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have shown extraordinary promise for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries with high energy density and flexibility but are mainly limited by the low ionic conductivity and their poor stability with lithium metal anode. In this work, we propose a highly ordered porous electrolyte additive derived from SSZ-13 for high-rate all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. The nanoporous adsorption effect provided by the highly ordered porous nanoparticles in the poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) electrolyte are found to significantly improve the Li + conductivity (1.91×10 -3 S cm -1 at 60°C, 4.43×10 -5 S cm -1 at 20°C) and widen the electrochemical stability window to 4.7 V vs Li + /Li. Meanwhile, the designed PEO-based electrolyte demonstrates enhanced stability with the lithium metal anode. Through systematically increasing Li + diffusion, widening the electrochemical stability window and enhancing the stability of the SSZ-CPE electrolyte, the LiFePO4/SSZ-CPE/Li cell is optimized to deliver high-rate capability and stable cycling performance, which demonstrates great potential for all-solid-state energy storage application.

  16. Asymmetrical external effects on transmission, conductance and giant tunneling magnetoresistance in silicene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oubram, O.; Navarro, O.; Guzmán, E. J.; Rodríguez-Vargas, I.

    2018-01-01

    Electron transport in a silicene structure, composed of a pair of magnetic gates, is studied in a ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic configuration. The transport properties are investigated for asymmetrical external effects like an electrostatic potential, a magnetic field and for asymmetrical geometric structure. This theoretical study, has been done using the matrix transfer method to calculate the transmission, the conductance for parallel and antiparallel magnetic alignment and the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR). In Particular, we have found that the transmission, conductance and magnetoresistance oscillate as a function of the width of barriers. It is also found that a best control and high values of TMR spectrum are achieved by an asymmetrical application of the contact voltage. Besides, we have shown that the TMR is enhanced several orders of magnitude by the combined asymmetrical magnetization effect with an adequate applied electrostatic potential. Whereby, the asymmetrical external effects play an important role to improve TMR than symmetrical ones. Finally, the giant TMR can be flexibly modulated by incident energy and a specific asymmetrical application of control voltage. These results could be useful to design filters and digital nanodevices.

  17. Toward achieving flexible and high sensitivity hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.; Lin, J. Y.; Jiang, H. X.

    2017-07-01

    Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) detectors have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency to date among solid-state neutron detectors at about 51%. We report here the realization of h-BN neutron detectors possessing one order of magnitude enhancement in the detection area but maintaining an equal level of detection efficiency of previous achievement. These 3 mm × 3 mm detectors were fabricated from 50 μm thick freestanding and flexible 10B enriched h-BN (h-10BN) films, grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition followed by mechanical separation from sapphire substrates. Mobility-lifetime results suggested that holes are the majority carriers in unintentionally doped h-BN. The detectors were tested under thermal neutron irradiation from californium-252 (252Cf) moderated by a high density polyethylene moderator. A thermal neutron detection efficiency of ˜53% was achieved at a bias voltage of 200 V. Conforming to traditional solid-state detectors, the realization of h-BN epilayers with enhanced electrical transport properties is the key to enable scaling up the device sizes. More specifically, the present results revealed that achieving an electrical resistivity of greater than 1014 Ωṡcm and a leakage current density of below 3 × 10-10 A/cm2 is needed to fabricate large area h-BN detectors and provided guidance for achieving high sensitivity solid state neutron detectors based on h-BN.

  18. Solid-state supercapacitors with rationally designed heterogeneous electrodes fabricated by large area spray processing for wearable energy storage applications.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chun; Zhang, Jin; Young, Neil P; Snaith, Henry J; Grant, Patrick S

    2016-05-10

    Supercapacitors are in demand for short-term electrical charge and discharge applications. Unlike conventional supercapacitors, solid-state versions have no liquid electrolyte and do not require robust, rigid packaging for containment. Consequently they can be thinner, lighter and more flexible. However, solid-state supercapacitors suffer from lower power density and where new materials have been developed to improve performance, there remains a gap between promising laboratory results that usually require nano-structured materials and fine-scale processing approaches, and current manufacturing technology that operates at large scale. We demonstrate a new, scalable capability to produce discrete, multi-layered electrodes with a different material and/or morphology in each layer, and where each layer plays a different, critical role in enhancing the dynamics of charge/discharge. This layered structure allows efficient utilisation of each material and enables conservative use of hard-to-obtain materials. The layered electrode shows amongst the highest combinations of energy and power densities for solid-state supercapacitors. Our functional design and spray manufacturing approach to heterogeneous electrodes provide a new way forward for improved energy storage devices.

  19. High-reflective colorful films fabricated by all-solid multi-layer cholesteric structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Y.; Luo, D.

    2018-02-01

    We demonstrate all-solid-state film with high-reflectivity based on cholesteric template. The adhesive (NOA81) is both filler and an adhesive, which can be avoids interfacial losses. The reflected right- and left-circularly polarized light has been developed by roll-to-roll method, and the reflectance of the films is more than 78%. Here, the all-solid film was used in distribute feedback laser with dye-doped. In addition, this films also used in include flexible reflective display, color pixels in digital photographs, printing and colored cladding of variety of objects.

  20. A rationally designed self-standing V2O5 electrode for high voltage non-aqueous all-solid-state symmetric (2.0 V) and asymmetric (2.8 V) supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Meena; Vijayakumar, Vidyanand; Soni, Roby; Kurungot, Sreekumar

    2018-05-10

    The maximum capacitive potential window of certain pseudocapacitive materials cannot be accessed in aqueous electrolytes owing to the low dissociation potential of 1.2 V possessed by water molecules. However, the inferior pseudocapacitance exhibited by the commonly used electrode materials when integrated with non-aqueous electrolytes still remains a challenge in the development of supercapacitors (SC). Proper selection of materials for the electrode and a rational design process are indeed important to overcome these practical intricacies so that such systems can perform well with non-aqueous electrolytes. We address this challenge by fabricating a prototype all-solid-state device designed with high-capacitive V2O5 as the electrode material along with a Li-ion conducting organic electrolyte. V2O5 is synthesized on a pre-treated carbon-fibre paper by adopting an electrochemical deposition technique that effects an improved contact resistance. A judicious electrode preparation strategy makes it possible to overcome the constraints of the low ionic and electrical conductivities imposed by the electrolyte and electrode material, respectively. The device, assembled in a symmetrical fashion, achieves a high specific capacitance of 406 F g-1 (at 1 A g-1). The profitable aspect of using an organic electrolyte is also demonstrated with an asymmetric configuration by using activated carbon as the positive and V2O5 as the negative electrode materials, respectively. The asymmetric device displays a wide working-voltage window of 2.8 V and delivers a high energy density of 102.68 W h kg-1 at a power density of 1.49 kW kg-1. Moreover, the low equivalent series resistance of 9.9 Ω and negligible charge transfer resistance are observed in the impedance spectra, which is a key factor that accounts for such an exemplary performance.

  1. Non-reciprocal geometric wave diode by engineering asymmetric shapes of nonlinear materials.

    PubMed

    Li, Nianbei; Ren, Jie

    2014-08-29

    Unidirectional nonreciprocal transport is at the heart of many fundamental problems and applications in both science and technology. Here we study the novel design of wave diode devices by engineering asymmetric shapes of nonlinear materials to realize the function of non-reciprocal wave propagations. We first show analytical results revealing that both nonlinearity and asymmetry are necessary to induce such non-reciprocal (asymmetric) wave propagations. Detailed numerical simulations are further performed for a more realistic geometric wave diode model with typical asymmetric shape, where good non-reciprocal wave diode effect is demonstrated. Finally, we discuss the scalability of geometric wave diodes. The results open a flexible way for designing wave diodes efficiently simply through shape engineering of nonlinear materials, which may find broad implications in controlling energy, mass and information transports.

  2. High-performance all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on two-step activated carbon cloth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Shulan; Shi, Tielin; Zhan, Xiaobin; Long, Hu; Xi, Shuang; Hu, Hao; Tang, Zirong

    2014-12-01

    A simple and effective strategy is proposed to activate carbon cloth for the fabrication of flexible and high-performance supercapacitors. Firstly, the carbon cloth surface is exfoliated as nanotextures through wet chemical treatment, then an annealing process is applied at H2/N2 atmosphere to reduce the surface oxygen functional groups which are mainly introduced from the first step. The activated carbon cloth electrode shows excellent wettablity, large surface area and delivers remarkable electrochemical performance. A maximum areal capacitance of 485.64 mF cm-2 at the current density of 2 mA cm-2 is achieved for the activated carbon cloth electrode, which is considerably larger than the resported results for carbon cloth. Furthermore, the flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor, which is fabricated based on the activated carbon cloth electrodes, shows high areal capacitance, superior cycling stability as well as stable electrochemical performance even under constant bending or twisting conditions. An areal capacitance of 161.28 mF cm-2 is achieved at the current density of 12.5 mA cm-2, and 104% of its initial capacitance is retained after 30,000 charging/discharging cycles. This study would also provide an effective way to boost devices' electrochemical performance by accommodating other active materials on the activated carbon cloth.

  3. Design and fabrication of a foldable 3D silicon based package for solid state lighting applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sokolovskij, R.; Liu, P.; van Zeijl, H. W.; Mimoun, B.; Zhang, G. Q.

    2015-05-01

    Miniaturization of solid state lighting (SSL) luminaires as well as reduction of packaging and assembly costs are of prime interest for the SSL lighting industry. A novel silicon based LED package for lighting applications is presented in this paper. The proposed design consists of 5 rigid Si tiles connected by flexible polyimide hinges with embedded interconnects (ICs). Electrical, optical and thermal characteristics were taken into consideration during design. The fabrication process involved polyimide (PI) application and patterning, aluminium interconnect integration in the flexible hinge, LED reflector cavity formation and metalization followed by through wafer DRIE etching for chip formation and release. A method to connect chip front to backside without TSVs was also integrated into the process. Post-fabrication wafer level assembly included LED mounting and wirebond, phosphor-based colour conversion and silicone encapsulation. The package formation was finalized by vacuum assisted wrapping around an assembly structure to form a 3D geometry, which is beneficial for omnidirectional lighting. Bending tests were performed on the flexible ICs and optical performance at different temperatures was evaluated. It is suggested that 3D packages can be expanded to platforms for miniaturized luminaire applications by combining monolithic silicon integration and system-in-package (SiP) technologies.

  4. Controllable Synthesis of Atomically Thin Type-II Weyl Semimetal WTe2 Nanosheets: An Advanced Electrode Material for All-Solid-State Flexible Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yu, Peng; Fu, Wei; Zeng, Qingsheng; Lin, Junhao; Yan, Cheng; Lai, Zhuangchai; Tang, Bijun; Suenaga, Kazu; Zhang, Hua; Liu, Zheng

    2017-09-01

    Compared with 2D S-based and Se-based transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), Te-based TMDs display much better electrical conductivities, which will be beneficial to enhance the capacitances in supercapacitors. However, to date, the reports about the applications of Te-based TMDs in supercapacitors are quite rare. Herein, the first supercapacitor example of the Te-based TMD is reported: the type-II Weyl semimetal 1Td WTe 2 . It is demonstrated that single crystals of 1Td WTe 2 can be exfoliated into the nanosheets with 2-7 layers by liquid-phase exfoliation, which are assembled into air-stable films and further all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors. The resulting supercapacitors deliver a mass capacitance of 221 F g -1 and a stack capacitance of 74 F cm -3 . Furthermore, they also show excellent volumetric energy and power densities of 0.01 Wh cm -3 and 83.6 W cm -3 , respectively, superior to the commercial 4V/500 µAh Li thin-film battery and the commercial 3V/300 µAh Al electrolytic capacitor, in association with outstanding mechanical flexibility and superior cycling stability (capacitance retention of ≈91% after 5500 cycles). These results indicate that the 1Td WTe 2 nanosheet is a promising flexible electrode material for high-performance energy storage devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Li conduction pathways in solid-state electrolytes: Insights from dynamics and polarizability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Tsukasa; Nagagiri, Koki; Iwadate, Yasuhiko; Utsuno, Futoshi; Yamaguchi, Hiroshi; Ohkubo, Takahiro

    2018-04-01

    We investigated the dynamical and polarizable properties of Li7P3S11, which is a fast Li-conducting material, by performing ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. A zone analysis based on Li migration highlighted the effective path along which Li diffuses in the crystal. The effective Li diffusion was analyzed in terms of the dynamics and polarizability of the sulfur surrounding the Li migration path. High flexibility and large anisotropic polarizability were the characteristics identified as necessary for the formation of an effective Li migration path. These findings provide principles for understanding Li conduction in solid-state electrolytes.

  6. Nanoscale Solid State Batteries Enabled by Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition of a Lithium Polyphosphazene Solid State Electrolyte

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

    Pearse, Alexander J.; Schmitt, Thomas E.; Fuller, Elliot J.

    Several active areas of research in novel energy storage technologies, including three-dimensional solid state batteries and passivation coatings for reactive battery electrode components, require conformal solid state electrolytes. We describe an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for a member of the lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) family, which is employed as a thin film lithium-conducting solid electrolyte. The reaction between lithium tert-butoxide (LiO tBu) and diethyl phosphoramidate (DEPA) produces conformal, ionically conductive thin films with a stoichiometry close to Li 2PO 2N between 250 and 300°C. The P/N ratio of the films is always 1, indicative of a particular polymorph ofmore » LiPON which closely resembles a polyphosphazene. Films grown at 300°C have an ionic conductivity of (6.51 ± 0.36)×10 -7 S/cm at 35°C, and are functionally electrochemically stable in the window from 0 to 5.3V vs. Li/Li +. We demonstrate the viability of the ALD-grown electrolyte by integrating it into full solid state batteries, including thin film devices using LiCoO 2 as the cathode and Si as the anode operating at up to 1 mA/cm 2. The high quality of the ALD growth process allows pinhole-free deposition even on rough crystalline surfaces, and we demonstrate the fabrication and operation of thin film batteries with the thinnest (<40nm) solid state electrolytes yet reported. Finally, we show an additional application of the moderate-temperature ALD process by demonstrating a flexible solid state battery fabricated on a polymer substrate.« less

  7. Nanoscale Solid State Batteries Enabled by Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition of a Lithium Polyphosphazene Solid State Electrolyte

    DOE PAGES

    Pearse, Alexander J.; Schmitt, Thomas E.; Fuller, Elliot J.; ...

    2017-04-10

    Several active areas of research in novel energy storage technologies, including three-dimensional solid state batteries and passivation coatings for reactive battery electrode components, require conformal solid state electrolytes. We describe an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for a member of the lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) family, which is employed as a thin film lithium-conducting solid electrolyte. The reaction between lithium tert-butoxide (LiO tBu) and diethyl phosphoramidate (DEPA) produces conformal, ionically conductive thin films with a stoichiometry close to Li 2PO 2N between 250 and 300°C. The P/N ratio of the films is always 1, indicative of a particular polymorph ofmore » LiPON which closely resembles a polyphosphazene. Films grown at 300°C have an ionic conductivity of (6.51 ± 0.36)×10 -7 S/cm at 35°C, and are functionally electrochemically stable in the window from 0 to 5.3V vs. Li/Li +. We demonstrate the viability of the ALD-grown electrolyte by integrating it into full solid state batteries, including thin film devices using LiCoO 2 as the cathode and Si as the anode operating at up to 1 mA/cm 2. The high quality of the ALD growth process allows pinhole-free deposition even on rough crystalline surfaces, and we demonstrate the fabrication and operation of thin film batteries with the thinnest (<40nm) solid state electrolytes yet reported. Finally, we show an additional application of the moderate-temperature ALD process by demonstrating a flexible solid state battery fabricated on a polymer substrate.« less

  8. Pseudo hard-sphere potential for use in continuous molecular-dynamics simulation of spherical and chain molecules.

    PubMed

    Jover, J; Haslam, A J; Galindo, A; Jackson, G; Müller, E A

    2012-10-14

    We present a continuous pseudo-hard-sphere potential based on a cut-and-shifted Mie (generalized Lennard-Jones) potential with exponents (50, 49). Using this potential one can mimic the volumetric, structural, and dynamic properties of the discontinuous hard-sphere potential over the whole fluid range. The continuous pseudo potential has the advantage that it may be incorporated directly into off-the-shelf molecular-dynamics code, allowing the user to capitalise on existing hardware and software advances. Simulation results for the compressibility factor of the fluid and solid phases of our pseudo hard spheres are presented and compared both to the Carnahan-Starling equation of state of the fluid and published data, the differences being indistinguishable within simulation uncertainty. The specific form of the potential is employed to simulate flexible chains formed from these pseudo hard spheres at contact (pearl-necklace model) for m(c) = 4, 5, 7, 8, 16, 20, 100, 201, and 500 monomer segments. The compressibility factor of the chains per unit of monomer, m(c), approaches a limiting value at reasonably small values, m(c) < 50, as predicted by Wertheim's first order thermodynamic perturbation theory. Simulation results are also presented for highly asymmetric mixtures of pseudo hard spheres, with diameter ratios of 3:1, 5:1, 20:1 over the whole composition range.

  9. One-step synthesis of graphene nanoribbon-MnO₂ hybrids and their all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Mingkai; Tjiu, Weng Weei; Pan, Jisheng; Zhang, Chao; Gao, Wei; Liu, Tianxi

    2014-04-21

    Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical hybrid nanomaterials (GNR-MnO₂) of graphene nanoribbons (GNR) and MnO₂ nanoparticles have been prepared via a one-step method. GNR, with unique features such as high aspect ratio and plane integrity, has been obtained by longitudinal unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). By tuning the amount of oxidant used, different mass loadings of MnO₂ nanoparticles have been uniformly deposited on the surface of GNRs. Asymmetric supercapacitors have been fabricated with the GNR-MnO₂ hybrid as the positive electrode and GNR sheets as the negative electrode. Due to the desirable porous structure, excellent electrical conductivity, as well as high rate capability and specific capacitances of both the GNR and GNR-MnO₂ hybrid, the optimized GNR//GNR-MnO₂ asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly in an enlarged potential window of 0-2.0 V. In addition, the fabricated GNR//GNR-MnO₂ asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a significantly enhanced maximum energy density of 29.4 W h kg(-1) (at a power density of 12.1 kW kg(-1)), compared with that of the symmetric cells based on GNR-MnO₂ hybrids or GNR sheets. This greatly enhanced energy storage ability and high rate capability can be attributed to the homogeneous dispersion and excellent pseudocapacitive performance of MnO₂ nanoparticles and the high electrical conductivity of the GNRs.

  10. Enhancement of CNT/PET film adhesion by nano-scale modification for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Yu Jin; Chung, Haegeun; Kim, Min-Seop; Kim, Woong

    2015-11-01

    We demonstrate the fabrication of high-integrity flexible supercapacitors using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films, and ion gels. Although both CNTs and PET films are attractive materials for flexible electronics, they have poor adhesion properties. In this work, we significantly improve interfacial adhesion by introducing nanostructures at the interface of the CNT and PET layers. Simple reactive ion etching (RIE) of the PET substrates generates nano-scale roughness on the PET surface. RIE also induces hydrophilicity on the PET surface, which further enhances adhesive strength. The improved adhesion enables high integrity and excellent flexibility of the fabricated supercapacitors, demonstrated over hundreds of bending cycles. Furthermore, the supercapacitors show good cyclability with specific capacitance retention of 87.5% after 10,000 galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles. Our demonstration may be important for understanding interfacial adhesion properties in nanoscale and for producing flexible, high-integrity, high-performance energy storage systems.

  11. Holmium Doped Solid State Laser Resonantly Pumped and Q-Switched by Novel GaSb-Based Photonic Devices

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-08-31

    dominant role of inter valence band absorption [7]. Details of the conduction band structure of the particular 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 10 20 30 CW 30s...here the n-cladding composition resulted into material with three valleys in conduction band to have almost the same energy minimum so no inter...emitting GaSb -based diode lasers was improved by utilization of the waveguide structure with asymmetric claddings. The AlGaAsSb p-cladding contained

  12. Non-Reciprocal Geometric Wave Diode by Engineering Asymmetric Shapes of Nonlinear Materials

    PubMed Central

    Li, Nianbei; Ren, Jie

    2014-01-01

    Unidirectional nonreciprocal transport is at the heart of many fundamental problems and applications in both science and technology. Here we study the novel design of wave diode devices by engineering asymmetric shapes of nonlinear materials to realize the function of non-reciprocal wave propagations. We first show analytical results revealing that both nonlinearity and asymmetry are necessary to induce such non-reciprocal (asymmetric) wave propagations. Detailed numerical simulations are further performed for a more realistic geometric wave diode model with typical asymmetric shape, where good non-reciprocal wave diode effect is demonstrated. Finally, we discuss the scalability of geometric wave diodes. The results open a flexible way for designing wave diodes efficiently simply through shape engineering of nonlinear materials, which may find broad implications in controlling energy, mass and information transports. PMID:25169668

  13. Phase-retrieval attack free cryptosystem based on cylindrical asymmetric diffraction and double-random phase encoding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jun; Li, Xiaowei; Hu, Yuhen; Wang, Qiong-Hua

    2018-03-01

    A phase-retrieval attack free cryptosystem based on the cylindrical asymmetric diffraction and double-random phase encoding (DRPE) is proposed. The plaintext is abstract as a cylinder, while the observed diffraction and holographic surfaces are concentric cylinders. Therefore, the plaintext can be encrypted through a two-step asymmetric diffraction process with double pseudo random phase masks located on the object surface and the first diffraction surface. After inverse diffraction from a holographic surface to an object surface, the plaintext can be reconstructed using a decryption process. Since the diffraction propagated from the inner cylinder to the outer cylinder is different from that of the reversed direction, the proposed cryptosystem is asymmetric and hence is free of phase-retrieval attack. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the flexibility and effectiveness of the proposed cryptosystem.

  14. Helium in chirped laser fields as a time-asymmetric atomic switch

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

    Kaprálová-Žďánská, Petra Ruth, E-mail: kapralova@jh-inst.cas.cz; J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Dolejškova 3, 182 23 Prague 8; Moiseyev, Nimrod, E-mail: nimrod@tx.technion.ac.il

    2014-07-07

    Tuning the laser parameters exceptional points in the spectrum of the dressed laser helium atom are obtained. The weak linearly polarized laser couples the ground state and the doubly excited P-states of helium. We show here that for specific chirped laser pulses that encircle an exceptional point one can get the time-asymmetric phenomenon, where for a negative chirped laser pulse the ground state is transformed into the doubly excited auto-ionization state, while for a positive chirped laser pulse the resonance state is not populated and the neutral helium atoms remains in the ground state as the laser pulse is turnedmore » off. Moreover, we show that the results are very sensitive to the closed contour we choose. This time-asymmetric state exchange phenomenon can be considered as a time-asymmetric atomic switch. The optimal time-asymmetric switch is obtained when the closed loop that encircles the exceptional point is large, while for the smallest loops, the time-asymmetric phenomenon does not take place. A systematic way for studying the effect of the chosen closed contour that encircles the exceptional point on the time-asymmetric phenomenon is proposed.« less

  15. Flexible and inflexible task sets: asymmetric interference when switching between emotional expression, sex, and age classification of perceived faces.

    PubMed

    Schuch, Stefanie; Werheid, Katja; Koch, Iring

    2012-01-01

    The present study investigated whether the processing characteristics of categorizing emotional facial expressions are different from those of categorizing facial age and sex information. Given that emotions change rapidly, it was hypothesized that processing facial expressions involves a more flexible task set that causes less between-task interference than the task sets involved in processing age or sex of a face. Participants switched between three tasks: categorizing a face as looking happy or angry (emotion task), young or old (age task), and male or female (sex task). Interference between tasks was measured by global interference and response interference. Both measures revealed patterns of asymmetric interference. Global between-task interference was reduced when a task was mixed with the emotion task. Response interference, as measured by congruency effects, was larger for the emotion task than for the nonemotional tasks. The results support the idea that processing emotional facial expression constitutes a more flexible task set that causes less interference (i.e., task-set "inertia") than processing the age or sex of a face.

  16. Asymmetric Catalysis with bis(hydroxyphenyl)diamides/rare-earth metal complexes.

    PubMed

    Kumagai, Naoya; Shibasaki, Masakatsu

    2013-01-02

    A series of asymmetric catalysts composed of conformationally flexible amide-based chiral ligands and rare-earth metals was developed for proton-transfer catalysis. These ligands derived from amino acids provide an intriguing chiral platform for the formation of asymmetric catalysts upon complexation with rare-earth metals. The scope of this arsenal of catalysts was further broadened by the development of heterobimetallic catalytic systems. The cooperative function of hydrogen bonding and metal coordination resulted in intriguing substrate specificity and stereocontrol, and the dynamic nature of the catalysts led to a switch of their function. Herein, we summarize our recent exploration of this class of catalysts. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Trapped-mode-induced Fano resonance and acoustical transparency in a one-dimensional solid-fluid phononic crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quotane, Ilyasse; El Boudouti, El Houssaine; Djafari-Rouhani, Bahram

    2018-01-01

    We investigate theoretically and numerically the possibility of existence of Fano and acoustic-induced transparency (AIT) resonances in a simple though realistic one-dimensional acoustic structure made of solid-fluid layers inserted between two fluids. These resonances are obtained by combining appropriately the zeros of transmission (antiresonance) induced by the solid layers and the local resonances induced by the solid or combined solid-fluid layers with surface free boundary conditions. In particular, we show the possibility of trapped modes, also called bound states in continuum, which have recently found a high renewal interest. These modes appear as resonances with zero width in the transmission spectra as well as in the density of states (DOS). We consider three different structures: (i) a single solid layer inserted between two fluids. This simple structure shows the possibility of existence of trapped modes, which are discrete modes of the solid layer that lie in the continuum modes of the surrounding fluids. We give explicit analytical expressions of the dispersion relation of these eigenmodes of the solid layer which are found independent of the nature of the surrounding fluids. By slightly detuning the angle of incidence from that associated to the trapped mode, we get a well-defined Fano resonance characterized by an asymmetric Fano profile in the transmission spectra. (ii) The second structure consists of a solid-fluid-solid triple layer embedded between two fluids. This structure is found more appropriate to show both Fano and acoustic-induced transparency resonances. We provide detailed analytical expressions for the transmission and reflection coefficients that enable us to deduce a closed-form expression of the dispersion relation giving the trapped modes. Two situations can be distinguished in the triple-layer system: in the case of a symmetric structure (i.e., the same solid layers) we show, by detuning the incidence angle θ , the possibility of existence of Fano resonances that can be fitted following a Fano-type expression. The variation of the Fano parameter that describes the asymmetry of such resonances as well as their width versus θ is studied in detail. In the case of an asymmetric structure (i.e., different solid layers), we show the existence of an incidence angle that enables to squeeze a resonance between two transmission zeros induced by the two solid layers. This resonance behaves like an AIT resonance, its position and width depend on the nature of the fluid and solid layers as well as on the difference between the thicknesses of the solid layers. (iii) In the case of a periodic structure (phononic crystal), we show that trapped modes and Fano resonances give rise, respectively, to dispersionless flat bands with zero group velocity and nearly flat bands with negative or positive group velocities. The analytical results presented here are obtained by means of the Green's function method which enables to deduce in closed form: dispersion curves, transmission and reflection coefficients, DOS, as well as the displacement fields. The proposed solid-fluid layered structures should have important applications for designing acoustic mirrors and acoustic filters as well as supersonic and subsonic materials.

  18. Highly Stretchable Waterproof Fiber Asymmetric Supercapacitors in an Integrated Structure.

    PubMed

    Guo, Kai; Wang, Xianfu; Hu, Lintong; Zhai, Tianyou; Li, Huiqiao; Yu, Neng

    2018-06-01

    Fiber supercapacitors have attracted tremendous attention as promising power source candidates for the next generation of wearable electronics, which are flexible, stretchable, and washable. Although asymmetric fiber supercapacitors with a high energy density have been achieved, their stretchability is no more than 200%, and they still face mechanical instability and an unreliable waterproof structure. This work develops a highly integrated structure for a waterproof, highly stretchable, and asymmetric fiber-shaped supercapacitor, which is assembled by integrating a helix-shaped asymmetric fiber supercapacitor into a bifunctional polymer. The asymmetric fiber supercapacitor demonstrates a working voltage of 1.6 V, a high energy density of 2.86 mW h/cm 3 , has unchanged capacitance after being immersed in water for 50 h, and retains 95% of its initial capacitance after 3000 cycles of stretching-releasing at a maximum strain of 400%. The extraordinary waterproof capability, the large stretching strain, and excellent stretching stability are attributed to the highly integrated structure design, which can also simplify the assembly process of stretchable, waterproof fiber supercapacitors.

  19. Design and analysis on thermal adaptive clamping device for PPMgLN crystal used in solid state laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Conglin; Chen, Yongliang; Zhang, Wei

    2015-02-01

    The quality of clamping device for PPMgLN crystal has a vital influence on the optical property of solid-state laser. It has highly requirements of work stability and environmental adaptation ability, especially the thermal adaptation under high temperature differences. To achieve thermal adaptation, structural stiffness will be unavoidably weakened. How to keep both enough stiffness and thermal adaptation as far as possible is the key design point and also difficult point. In this paper, a kind of flexible thermal release unit which can work permanent under 130+/-10°C is studied. Thermal compensation principle and flexible thermal release theory are applied. Analysis results indicate that this device can effectively decreased the thermal stress of the crystal from 85MPa to 0.66MPa. The results of the vibration resistance test on the optical axis direction of the crystal indicate that the device can provide at least 5.62N to resistant 57.2g impact vibration and 18.5g impact vibration in the side direction, well satisfied the requirements of ability to resistant 6g impact vibration.

  20. Structural characterization of the voltage sensor domain and voltage-gated K+- channel proteins vectorially-oriented within a single bilayer membrane at the solid/vapor and solid/liquid interfaces via neutron interferometry

    PubMed Central

    Gupta, S.; Dura, J.A.; Freites, J.A.; Tobias, D.J.; Blasie, J. K.

    2012-01-01

    The voltage-sensor domain (VSD) is a modular 4-helix bundle component that confers voltage sensitivity to voltage-gated cation channels in biological membranes. Despite extensive biophysical studies and the recent availability of x-ray crystal structures for a few voltage-gated potassium (Kv-) channels and a voltage-gate sodium (Nav-) channel, a complete understanding of the cooperative mechanism of electromechanical coupling, interconverting the closed-to-open states (i.e. non-conducting to cation conducting) remains undetermined. Moreover, the function of these domains is highly dependent on the physical-chemical properties of the surrounding lipid membrane environment. The basis for this work was provided by a recent structural study of the VSD from a prokaryotic Kv-channel vectorially-oriented within a single phospholipid (POPC; 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) membrane investigated by x-ray interferometry at the solid/moist He (or solid/vapor) and solid/liquid interfaces thus achieving partial to full hydration, respectively (Gupta et. al. Phys. Rev E. 2011, 84). Here, we utilize neutron interferometry to characterize this system in substantially greater structural detail at the sub-molecular level, due to its inherent advantages arising from solvent contrast variation coupled with the deuteration of selected sub-molecular membrane components, especially important for the membrane at the solid/liquid interface. We demonstrate the unique vectorial orientation of the VSD and the retention of its molecular conformation manifest in the asymmetric profile structure of the protein within the profile structure of this single bilayer membrane system. We definitively characterize the asymmetric phospholipid bilayer solvating the lateral surfaces of the VSD protein within the membrane. The profile structures of both the VSD protein and phospholipid bilayer depend upon the hydration state of the membrane. We also determine the distribution of water and exchangeable hydrogen throughout the profile structure of both the VSD itself and the VSD:POPC membrane. These two experimentally-determined water and exchangeable hydrogen distribution profiles are in good agreement with molecular dynamics simulations of the VSD protein vectorially-oriented within a fully hydrated POPC bilayer membrane, supporting the existence of the VSD’s water pore. This approach was extended to the full-length Kv-channel (KvAP) at solid/liquid interface, providing the separate profile structures of the KvAP protein and the POPC bilayer within the reconstituted KvAP:POPC membrane. PMID:22686684

  1. One-step spray processing of high power all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Chun; Grant, Patrick S.

    2013-08-01

    Aqueous suspensions of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in dilute H2SO4 were sprayed onto both sides of a Nafion membrane and dried to fabricate flexible solid-state supercapacitors. A single cell with MWNT-only electrodes had a capacitance of 57 F g-1 per electrode at 2 mV s-1 and 44 F g-1 at 150 mV s-1 but with low H+ mobility. Cells with MWNT + ionomer hybrid electrodes showed higher H+ mobility, and the electric double layer (EDL) capacitance increased to 145 F g-1 at 2 mV s-1 and 91 F g-1 at 150 mV s-1. The energy and power densities of one electrode charged to 1 V at 1 A g-1 were 12.9 Wh kg-1 and 3.3 kW kg-1 respectively. Three solid-state supercapacitor cells connected in series charged to 3 V at 1 and 2 A g-1 provided a device power density of 8.9 kW kg-1 at 1 A g-1 and 9.4 kW kg-1 at 2 A g-1, the highest for all-solid-state EDL supercapacitors.

  2. Solid-state supercapacitors with rationally designed heterogeneous electrodes fabricated by large area spray processing for wearable energy storage applications

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Chun; Zhang, Jin; Young, Neil P.; Snaith, Henry J.; Grant, Patrick S.

    2016-01-01

    Supercapacitors are in demand for short-term electrical charge and discharge applications. Unlike conventional supercapacitors, solid-state versions have no liquid electrolyte and do not require robust, rigid packaging for containment. Consequently they can be thinner, lighter and more flexible. However, solid-state supercapacitors suffer from lower power density and where new materials have been developed to improve performance, there remains a gap between promising laboratory results that usually require nano-structured materials and fine-scale processing approaches, and current manufacturing technology that operates at large scale. We demonstrate a new, scalable capability to produce discrete, multi-layered electrodes with a different material and/or morphology in each layer, and where each layer plays a different, critical role in enhancing the dynamics of charge/discharge. This layered structure allows efficient utilisation of each material and enables conservative use of hard-to-obtain materials. The layered electrode shows amongst the highest combinations of energy and power densities for solid-state supercapacitors. Our functional design and spray manufacturing approach to heterogeneous electrodes provide a new way forward for improved energy storage devices. PMID:27161379

  3. Preparation of the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel of biopolymers via a semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition method and its application in solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Jian; Chen, Yu; Yao, Ying; Tong, Zong-Rui; Li, Pu-Wang; Yang, Zi-Ming; Jin, Shao-Hua

    2018-02-01

    Hydrogels have drawn many attentions as the solid-state electrolytes in flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) recently. Among them, the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel (PECH) electrolytes of natural polymers are more competitive because of their environmentally friendly property and low cost. However, while mixing two biopolymer solutions with opposite charges, the strong electrostatic interactions between the cationic and anionic biopolymers may result in precipitates instead of hydrogels. Here we report a novel method, semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition (SD-A-SGT), for the preparation of the PECH of chitosan (CTS) and sodium alginate (SA), with the controllable sol-gel transition and uniform composition and successfully apply it as the hydrogel electrolyte of solid-state supercapacitors (SCs). The CTS-SA PECH exhibits an extremely high ionic conductivity of 0.051 S·cm-1 and reasonable mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 0.29 MPa and elongation at break of 109.5%. The solid-state SC fabricated with the CTS-SA PECH and conventional polyaniline (PANI) nanowire electrodes provided a high specific capacitance of 234.6 F·g-1 at 5 mV·s-1 and exhibited excellent cycling stability with 95.3% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles. Our work may pave a novel avenue to the preparation of biodegradable PECHs of full natural polymers, and promote the development of environmentally friendly electronic devices.

  4. Development of qualitative and quantitative analysis methods in pharmaceutical application with new selective signal excitation methods for 13 C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance using 1 H T1rho relaxation time.

    PubMed

    Nasu, Mamiko; Nemoto, Takayuki; Mimura, Hisashi; Sako, Kazuhiro

    2013-01-01

    Most pharmaceutical drug substances and excipients in formulations exist in a crystalline or amorphous form, and an understanding of their state during manufacture and storage is critically important, particularly in formulated products. Carbon 13 solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is useful for studying the chemical and physical state of pharmaceutical solids in a formulated product. We developed two new selective signal excitation methods in (13) C solid-state NMR to extract the spectrum of a target component from such a mixture. These methods were based on equalization of the proton relaxation time in a single domain via rapid intraproton spin diffusion and the difference in proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame ((1) H T1rho) of individual components in the mixture. Introduction of simple pulse sequences to one-dimensional experiments reduced data acquisition time and increased flexibility. We then demonstrated these methods in a commercially available drug and in a mixture of two saccharides, in which the (13) C signals of the target components were selectively excited, and showed them to be applicable to the quantitative analysis of individual components in solid mixtures, such as formulated products, polymorphic mixtures, or mixtures of crystalline and amorphous phases. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Flexible Transparent Supercapacitors Based on Hierarchical Nanocomposite Films.

    PubMed

    Chen, Fanhong; Wan, Pengbo; Xu, Haijun; Sun, Xiaoming

    2017-05-31

    Flexible transparent electronic devices have recently gained immense popularity in smart wearable electronics and touch screen devices, which accelerates the development of the portable power sources with reliable flexibility, robust transparency and integration to couple these electronic devices. For potentially coupled as energy storage modules in various flexible, transparent and portable electronics, the flexible transparent supercapacitors are developed and assembled from hierarchical nanocomposite films of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and aligned polyaniline (PANI) nanoarrays upon their synergistic advantages. The nanocomposite films are fabricated from in situ PANI nanoarrays preparation in a blended solution of aniline monomers and rGO onto the flexible, transparent, and stably conducting film (FTCF) substrate, which is obtained by coating silver nanowires (Ag NWs) layer with Meyer rod and then coating of rGO layer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Optimization of the transparency, the specific capacitance, and the flexibility resulted in the obtained all-solid state nanocomposite supercapacitors exhibiting enhanced capacitance performance, good cycling stability, excellent flexibility, and superior transparency. It provides promising application prospects for exploiting flexible, low-cost, transparent, and high-performance energy storage devices to be coupled into various flexible, transparent, and wearable electronic devices.

  6. Two-Dimensional Polymer Synthesized via Solid-State Polymerization for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wei; Ulaganathan, Mani; Abdelwahab, Ibrahim; Luo, Xin; Chen, Zhongxin; Rong Tan, Sherman Jun; Wang, Xiaowei; Liu, Yanpeng; Geng, Dechao; Bao, Yang; Chen, Jianyi; Loh, Kian Ping

    2018-01-23

    Two-dimensional (2-D) polymer has properties that are attractive for energy storage applications because of its combination of heteroatoms, porosities and layered structure, which provides redox chemistry and ion diffusion routes through the 2-D planes and 1-D channels. Here, conjugated aromatic polymers (CAPs) were synthesized in quantitative yield via solid-state polymerization of phenazine-based precursor crystals. By choosing flat molecules (2-TBTBP and 3-TBQP) with different positions of bromine substituents on a phenazine-derived scaffold, C-C cross coupling was induced following thermal debromination. CAP-2 is polymerized from monomers that have been prepacked into layered structure (3-TBQP). It can be mechanically exfoliated into micrometer-sized ultrathin sheets that show sharp Raman peaks which reflect conformational ordering. CAP-2 has a dominant pore size of ∼0.8 nm; when applied as an asymmetric supercapacitor, it delivers a specific capacitance of 233 F g -1 at a current density of 1.0 A g -1 , and shows outstanding cycle performance.

  7. Durable and water-floatable ionic polymer actuator with hydrophobic and asymmetrically laser-scribed reduced graphene oxide paper electrodes.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jaehwan; Jeon, Jin-Han; Kim, Hyun-Jun; Lim, Hyuneui; Oh, Il-Kwon

    2014-03-25

    Ionic polymer actuators driven by electrical stimuli have been widely investigated for use in practical applications such as bioinspired robots, sensors, and biomedical devices. However, conventional ionic polymer-metal composite actuators have a serious drawback of poor durability under long-term actuation in open air, mainly because of the leakage of the inner electrolyte and hydrated cations through cracks in the metallic electrodes. Here, we developed a highly durable and water-floatable ionic polymer artificial muscle by employing hydrophobic and asymmetrically laser-scribed reduced graphene oxide paper electrodes (HLrGOP). The highly conductive, flexible, and cost-effective HLrGOP electrodes have asymmetrically smooth hydrophobic outer and rough inner surfaces, resulting in liquid-impermeable and water-floatable functionalities and strong bonding between an ionic polymer and the electrodes. More interestingly, the HLrGOP electrode, which has a unique functionality to prevent the leakage of the vaporized or liquid electrolyte and mobile ions during electrical stimuli, greatly contributes to an exceptionally durable ionic polymer-graphene composite actuator that is a prerequisite for practical applications in active biomedical devices, biomimetic robots, touch-feedback haptic systems, and flexible soft electronics.

  8. Flexible thin-film battery based on solid-like ionic liquid-polymer electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Qin; Ardebili, Haleh

    2016-01-01

    The development of high-performance flexible batteries is imperative for several contemporary applications including flexible electronics, wearable sensors and implantable medical devices. However, traditional organic liquid-based electrolytes are not ideal for flexible batteries due to their inherent safety and stability issues. In this study, a non-volatile, non-flammable and safe ionic liquid (IL)-based polymer electrolyte film with solid-like feature is fabricated and incorporated in a flexible lithium ion battery. The ionic liquid is 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIMDCA) and the polymer is composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP). The electrolyte exhibits good thermal stability (i.e. no weight loss up to 300 °C) and relatively high ionic conductivity (6 × 10-4 S cm-1). The flexible thin-film lithium ion battery based on solid-like electrolyte film is encapsulated using a thermal-lamination process and demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance, in both flat and bent configurations.

  9. A review of flexible lithium-sulfur and analogous alkali metal-chalcogen rechargeable batteries.

    PubMed

    Peng, Hong-Jie; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Qiang

    2017-08-29

    Flexible energy storage systems are imperative for emerging flexible devices that are revolutionizing our life. Lithium-ion batteries, the current main power sources, are gradually approaching their theoretical limitation in terms of energy density. Therefore, alternative battery chemistries are urgently required for next-generation flexible power sources with high energy densities, low cost, and inherent safety. Flexible lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries and analogous flexible alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are of paramount interest owing to their high energy densities endowed by multielectron chemistry. In this review, we summarized the recent progress of flexible Li-S and analogous batteries. A brief introduction to flexible energy storage systems and general Li-S batteries has been provided first. Progress in flexible materials for flexible Li-S batteries are reviewed subsequently, with a detailed classification of flexible sulfur cathodes as those based on carbonaceous (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbonized polymers) and composite (polymers and inorganics) materials and an overview of flexible lithium anodes and flexible solid-state electrolytes. Advancements in other flexible alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are then introduced. In the next part, we emphasize the importance of cell packaging and flexibility evaluation, and two special flexible battery prototypes of foldable and cable-type Li-S batteries are highlighted. In the end, existing challenges and future development of flexible Li-S and analogous alkali metal-chalcogen batteries are summarized and prospected.

  10. Layer Structured Bismuth Selenides of Bi2Se3 and Bi3Se4 for High Energy and Flexible All-Solid-State Micro-Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Hao, Chunxue; Wang, Lidan; Wen, Fusheng; Xiang, Jianyong; Li, Lei; Hu, Wentao; Liu, Zhongyuan

    2017-12-20

    Bismuth selenides (Bi2Se3 and Bi3Se4), both of which have the layered rhombohedral crystal structure, and found to be useful as electrode materials for supercapacitor application in this work. Bi2Se3 nanoplates as electrode material exhibit much better performance than that of Bi3Se4 nanoparticles in liquid electrolyte system (6 M KOH), which delivers a higher specific capacitance (272.9 F/g) than that of Bi3Se4 (193.6 F/g) at 5 mV/s. This result would may be attributed to that Bi2Se3 nanoplates possess more active electrochemical surfaces for the reversible surface redox reactions owing to its planar quintuple stacked layers (septuple layers for Bi3Se4). For the demand of electronic skin, we used a novel flexible annular interdigital structure electrode applying for all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors (AMSCs). Bi2Se3 AMSCs device delivers a much more excellent supercapacitor performance, exhibits a large stack capacitance 89.5 F/cm3 (Bi3Se4: 79.1 F/cm3) at 20 mV/s, a high energy density 17.9 mWh/cm3 and high power density 18.9 W/cm3. The bismuth selenides also exhibit good cycle stability, retention 95.5% (90.3%) after 1000 c for Bi2Se3 (Bi3Se4). Obviously, Bi2Se3 nanoplates can be promising electrode materials for flexible annular interdigital all-solid-sate supercapacitor. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  11. Hierarchical MnO2 nanowire/graphene hybrid fibers with excellent electrochemical performance for flexible solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Wujun; Chen, Shaohua; Yang, Shengyuan; Chen, Wenping; Cheng, Yanhua; Guo, Yiwei; Peng, Shengjie; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Zhu, Meifang

    2016-02-01

    Towards rapid development of lightweight, flexible, and even wearable electronics, a highly efficient energy-storage device is required for their energy supply management. Graphene fiber-based supercapacitor is considered as one of the promising candidates because of the remarkable mechanical and electrical properties of graphene fibers. However, supercapacitors based on bare graphene fibers generally suffer a low capacitance, which certainly restricts their potentially wide applications. In this work, hierarchically structured MnO2 nanowire/graphene hybrid fibers are fabricated through a simple, scalable wet-spinning method. The hybrid fibers form mesoporous structure with large specific surface area of 139.9 m2 g-1. The mass loading of MnO2 can be as high as 40 wt%. Due to the synergistic effect between MnO2 nanowires and graphene, the main pseudocapacitance of MnO2 and the electric double-layer capacitance of graphene are improved simultaneously. In view of the practical demonstration, a highly flexible solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated by twisting of two MnO2/graphene fibers coated by polyvinyl alcohol/H3PO4 electrolyte. The supercapacitor exhibits a high volumetric capacitance (66.1 F cm-3, normalized by the total volume of two fiber electrodes), excellent cycling stability (96% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles), high energy and power density (5.8 mWh cm-3 and 0.51 W cm-3, respectively).

  12. A flexible super-capacitive solid-state power supply for miniature implantable medical devices.

    PubMed

    Meng, Chuizhou; Gall, Oren Z; Irazoqui, Pedro P

    2013-12-01

    We present a high-energy local power supply based on a flexible and solid-state supercapacitor for miniature wireless implantable medical devices. Wireless radio-frequency (RF) powering recharges the supercapacitor through an antenna with an RF rectifier. A power management circuit for the super-capacitive system includes a boost converter to increase the breakdown voltage required for powering device circuits, and a parallel conventional capacitor as an intermediate power source to deliver current spikes during high current transients (e.g., wireless data transmission). The supercapacitor has an extremely high area capacitance of ~1.3 mF/mm(2), and is in the novel form of a 100 μm-thick thin film with the merit of mechanical flexibility and a tailorable size down to 1 mm(2) to meet various clinical dimension requirements. We experimentally demonstrate that after fully recharging the capacitor with an external RF powering source, the supercapacitor-based local power supply runs a full system for electromyogram (EMG) recording that consumes ~670 μW with wireless-data-transmission functionality for a period of ~1 s in the absence of additional RF powering. Since the quality of wireless powering for implantable devices is sensitive to the position of those devices within the RF electromagnetic field, this high-energy local power supply plays a crucial role in providing continuous and reliable power for medical device operations.

  13. Investigation of heterogeneous asymmetric dihydroxylation over OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL catalysts of functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with ionic liquid

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

    Qiu, Shenjie; Sun, Jihong, E-mail: jhsun@bjut.edu.cn; Li, Yuzhen

    2011-08-15

    Highlights: {yields} Functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with MTMSPIm{sup +}Cl{sup -}. {yields} Mesoporous catalyst immobilized with OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL. {yields} Catalysts for asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction with high yield and enatioselectivity. {yields} Recyclable catalysts. -- Abstract: A novel synthesis of the functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with ionic liquid (FBMMs) was performed. After grafting 1-methyl-3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylimidazolium chloride onto the surface of bimodal mesoporous silicas, 1,4-bis(9-O-quininyl)phthalazine ((QN){sub 2}-PHAL) and K{sub 2}Os(OH){sub 4}.2H{sub 2}O were immobilized onto the modified FBMMs by adsorption or ionic exchange methods, and then, the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction was carried out by using solid catalysts. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transformmore » Infrared spectroscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption and desorption were employed to characterize their structure and properties. The results showed that the mesoporous ordering degree of bimodal mesoporous silica decreased after functionalization and immobilization of OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL. Being very effective in asymmetric dihydroxylation with high yield and enantioselectivity, the prepared heterogeneous solid catalyst could be recycled for five times with little loss of enantioselectivity, with comparison of those results obtained in homophase system. Moreover, the effect of Osmium catalyst on asymmetric dihydroxylation was investigated.« less

  14. Exploratory Investigation of Aerodynamic Characteristics of Helicopter Tail Boom Cross-Section Models with Passive Venting

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Daniel W.; Kelley, Henry L.

    2000-01-01

    Two large-scale, two-dimensional helicopter tail boom models were used to determine the effects of passive venting on boom down loads and side forces in hovering crosswind conditions. The models were oval shaped and trapezoidal shaped. Completely porous and solid configurations, partial venting in various symmetric and asymmetric configurations, and strakes were tested. Calculations were made to evaluate the trends of venting and strakes on power required when applied to a UH-60 class helicopter. Compared with the UH-60 baseline, passive venting reduced side force but increased down load at flow conditions representing right sideward flight. Selective asymmetric venting resulted in side force benefits close to the fully porous case. Calculated trends on the effects of venting on power required indicated that the high asymmetric oval configuration was the most effective venting configuration for side force reduction, and the high asymmetric with a single strake was the most effective for overall power reduction. Also, curves of side force versus flow angle were noticeable smoother for the vented configurations compared with the solid baseline configuration; this indicated a potential for smoother flight in low-speed crosswind conditions.

  15. Electrochromic Asymmetric Supercapacitor Windows Enable Direct Determination of Energy Status by the Naked Eye.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Ying; Chai, Zhisheng; Liang, Zhimin; Sun, Peng; Xie, Weiguang; Zhao, Chuanxi; Mai, Wenjie

    2017-10-04

    Because of the popularity of smart electronics, multifunctional energy storage devices, especially electrochromic supercapacitors (SCs), have attracted tremendous research interest. Herein, a solid-state electrochromic asymmetric SC (ASC) window is designed and fabricated by introducing WO 3 and polyaniline as the negative and positive electrodes, respectively. The two complementary materials contribute to the outstanding electrochemical and electrochromic performances of the fabricated device. With an operating voltage window of 1.4 V and an areal capacitance of 28.3 mF cm -2 , the electrochromic devices show a high energy density of 7.7 × 10 -3 mW h cm -2 . Meanwhile, they exhibit an obvious and reversible color transition between light green (uncharged state) and dark blue (charged state), with an optical transmittance change between 55 and 12% at a wavelength of 633 nm. Hence, the energy storage level of the ASC is directly related to its color and can be determined by the naked eye, which means it can be incorporated with other energy cells to visual display their energy status. Particularly, a self-powered and color-indicated system is achieved by combining the smart windows with commercial solar cell panels. We believe that the novel electrochromic ASC windows will have great potential application for both smart electronics and smart buildings.

  16. Solid-state Marx based two-switch voltage modulator for the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redondo, L. M.; Silva, J. Fernando; Canacsinh, H.; Ferrão, N.; Mendes, C.; Soares, R.; Schipper, J.; Fowler, A.

    2010-07-01

    A new circuit topology is proposed to replace the actual pulse transformer and thyratron based resonant modulator that supplies the 60 kV target potential for the ion acceleration of the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator, the stability of which is critical for the mass resolution downstream separator, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The improved modulator uses two solid-state switches working together, each one based on the Marx generator concept, operating as series and parallel switches, reducing the stress on the series stacked semiconductors, and also as auxiliary pulse generator in order to fulfill the target requirements. Preliminary results of a 10 kV prototype, using 1200 V insulated gate bipolar transistors and capacitors in the solid-state Marx circuits, ten stages each, with an electrical equivalent circuit of the target, are presented, demonstrating both the improved voltage stability and pulse flexibility potential wanted for this new modulator.

  17. Solid state engine using nitinol memory alloy

    DOEpatents

    Golestaneh, Ahmad A.

    1981-01-01

    A device for converting heat energy to mechanical energy includes a reservoir of a hot fluid and a rotor assembly mounted thereabove so a portion of it dips into the hot fluid. The rotor assembly may include a shaft having four spokes extending radially outwardly therefrom at right angles to each other, a floating ring and four flexible elements composed of a thermal memory material having a critical temperature between the temperature of the hot fluid and that of the ambient atmosphere extending between the ends of the spokes and the floating ring. Preferably, the flexible elements are attached to the floating ring through curved leaf springs. Energetic shape recovery of the flexible elements in the hot fluid causes the rotor assembly to rotate.

  18. Solid state engine using nitinol memory alloy

    DOEpatents

    Golestaneh, A.A.

    1980-01-21

    A device for converting heat energy to mechanical energy includes a reservoir of a hot fluid and a rotor assembly mounted thereabove so a portion of it dips into the hot fluid. The rotor assembly may include a shaft having four spokes extending radially outwardly therefrom at right angles to each other, a floating ring and four flexible elements composed of a thermal memory material having a critical temperature between the temperature of the hot fluid and that of the ambient atmosphere extending between the ends of the spokes and the floating ring. Preferably, the flexible elements are attached to the floating ring through curved leaf springs. Energetic shape recovery of the flexible elements in the hot fluid causes the rotor assembly to rotate.

  19. Laissez-Faire : Fully Asymmetric Backscatter Communication

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Pan; Zhang, Pengyu; Ganesan, Deepak

    2016-01-01

    Backscatter provides dual-benefits of energy harvesting and low-power communication, making it attractive to a broad class of wireless sensors. But the design of a protocol that enables extremely power-efficient radios for harvesting-based sensors as well as high-rate data transfer for data-rich sensors presents a conundrum. In this paper, we present a new fully asymmetric backscatter communication protocol where nodes blindly transmit data as and when they sense. This model enables fully flexible node designs, from extraordinarily power-efficient backscatter radios that consume barely a few micro-watts to high-throughput radios that can stream at hundreds of Kbps while consuming a paltry tens of micro-watts. The challenge, however, lies in decoding concurrent streams at the reader, which we achieve using a novel combination of time-domain separation of interleaved signal edges, and phase-domain separation of colliding transmissions. We provide an implementation of our protocol, LF-Backscatter, and show that it can achieve an order of magnitude or more improvement in throughput, latency and power over state-of-art alternatives. PMID:28286885

  20. Architecture of the pontin/reptin complex, essential in the assembly of several macromolecular complexes

    PubMed Central

    Torreira, Eva; Jha, Sudhakar; López-Blanco, José R.; Arias-Palomo, Ernesto; Chacón, Pablo; Cañas, Cristina; Ayora, Sylvia; Dutta, Anindya; Llorca, Oscar

    2008-01-01

    Summary Pontin and reptin belong to the AAA+ family and they are essential for the structural integrity and catalytic activity of several chromatin remodeling complexes. They are also indispensable for the assembly of several ribonucleoprotein complexes, including telomerase. Here, we propose a structural model of the yeast pontin/reptin complex based on a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction at 13 Å. Pontin/reptin hetero-dodecamers were purified from in vivo assembled complexes forming a double ring. Two rings interact through flexible domains projecting from each hexamer, constituting an atypical asymmetric form of oligomerization. These flexible domains and the AAA+ cores reveal significant conformational changes when compared to the crystal structure of human pontin that generate enlarged channels. This structure of endogenously assembled pontin/reptin complexes is different to previously described structures, suggesting that pontin and reptin could acquire distinct structural states to regulate their broad functions as molecular motors and scaffolds for nucleic acids and proteins. PMID:18940606

  1. Solid state carbon nanotube device for controllable trion electroluminescence emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Shuang; Ma, Ze; Wei, Nan; Liu, Huaping; Wang, Sheng; Peng, Lian-Mao

    2016-03-01

    Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a direct chirality-dependent bandgap and reduced dimensionality-related quantum confinement effects, which are closely related to the performance of optoelectronic devices. Here, taking advantage of the large energy separations between neutral singlet excitons and charged excitons, i.e. trions in CNTs, we have achieved for the first time all trion electroluminescence (EL) emission from chirality-sorted (8,3) and (8,4) CNT-based solid state devices. We showed that strong trion emission can be obtained as a result of localized impact excitation and electrically injected holes, with an estimated efficiency of ~5 × 10-4 photons per injected hole. The importance of contact-controlled carrier injection (including symmetric and asymmetric contact configurations) and EL spectral stability for gradually increasing bias were also investigated. The realization of electrically induced pure trion emission opens up a new opportunity for CNT film-based optoelectronic devices, providing a new degree of freedom in controlling the devices to extend potential applications in spin or magnetic optoelectronics fields.Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a direct chirality-dependent bandgap and reduced dimensionality-related quantum confinement effects, which are closely related to the performance of optoelectronic devices. Here, taking advantage of the large energy separations between neutral singlet excitons and charged excitons, i.e. trions in CNTs, we have achieved for the first time all trion electroluminescence (EL) emission from chirality-sorted (8,3) and (8,4) CNT-based solid state devices. We showed that strong trion emission can be obtained as a result of localized impact excitation and electrically injected holes, with an estimated efficiency of ~5 × 10-4 photons per injected hole. The importance of contact-controlled carrier injection (including symmetric and asymmetric contact configurations) and EL spectral stability for gradually increasing bias were also investigated. The realization of electrically induced pure trion emission opens up a new opportunity for CNT film-based optoelectronic devices, providing a new degree of freedom in controlling the devices to extend potential applications in spin or magnetic optoelectronics fields. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07468a

  2. Free-Standing and Transparent Graphene Membrane of Polyhedron Box-Shaped Basic Building Units Directly Grown Using a NaCl Template for Flexible Transparent and Stretchable Solid-State Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Li, Na; Yang, Gongzheng; Sun, Yong; Song, Huawei; Cui, Hao; Yang, Guowei; Wang, Chengxin

    2015-05-13

    Transparency has never been integrated into freestanding flexible graphene paper (FF-GP), although FF-GP has been discussed extensively, because a thin transparent graphene sheet will fracture easily when the template or substrate is removed using traditional methods. Here, transparent FF-GP (FFT-GP) was developed using NaCl as the template and was applied in transparent and stretchable supercapacitors. The capacitance was improved by nearly 1000-fold compared with that of the laminated or wrinkled chemical vapor deposition graphene-film-based supercapacitors.

  3. Paper-based supercapacitors for self-powered nanosystems.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Longyan; Xiao, Xu; Ding, Tianpeng; Zhong, Junwen; Zhang, Xianghui; Shen, Yue; Hu, Bin; Huang, Yunhui; Zhou, Jun; Wang, Zhong Lin

    2012-05-14

    Energy storage on paper: paper-based, all-solid-state, and flexible supercapacitors were fabricated, which can be charged by a piezoelectric generator or solar cells and then discharged to power a strain sensor or a blue-light-emitting diode, demonstrating its efficient energy management in self-powered nanosystems. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Toward achieving flexible and high sensitivity hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors

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

    Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.

    Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) detectors have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency to date among solid-state neutron detectors at about 51%. We report here the realization of h-BN neutron detectors possessing one order of magnitude enhancement in the detection area but maintaining an equal level of detection efficiency of previous achievement.

  5. Toward achieving flexible and high sensitivity hexagonal boron nitride neutron detectors

    DOE PAGES

    Maity, A.; Grenadier, S. J.; Li, J.; ...

    2017-07-17

    Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) detectors have demonstrated the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency to date among solid-state neutron detectors at about 51%. We report here the realization of h-BN neutron detectors possessing one order of magnitude enhancement in the detection area but maintaining an equal level of detection efficiency of previous achievement.

  6. Many-body perturbation theory for understanding optical excitations in organic molecules and solids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharifzadeh, Sahar

    2018-04-01

    Semiconductors composed of organic molecules are promising as components for flexible and inexpensive optoelectronic devices, with many recent studies aimed at understanding their electronic and optical properties. In particular, computational modeling of these complex materials has provided new understanding of the underlying properties which give rise to their excited-state phenomena. This article provides an overview of recent many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) studies of optical excitations within organic molecules and solids. We discuss the accuracy of MBPT within the GW/BSE approach in predicting excitation energies and absorption spectra, and assess the impact of two commonly used approximations, the DFT starting point and the Tamm–Dancoff approximation. Moreover, we summarize studies that elucidate the role of solid-state structure on the nature of excitons in organic crystals. These studies show that a rich physical understanding of organic materials can be obtained from GW/BSE.

  7. Promiscuous interactions and protein disaggregases determine the material state of stress-inducible RNP granules

    PubMed Central

    Kroschwald, Sonja; Maharana, Shovamayee; Mateju, Daniel; Malinovska, Liliana; Nüske, Elisabeth; Poser, Ina; Richter, Doris; Alberti, Simon

    2015-01-01

    RNA-protein (RNP) granules have been proposed to assemble by forming solid RNA/protein aggregates or through phase separation into a liquid RNA/protein phase. Which model describes RNP granules in living cells is still unclear. In this study, we analyze P bodies in budding yeast and find that they have liquid-like properties. Surprisingly, yeast stress granules adopt a different material state, which is reminiscent of solid protein aggregates and controlled by protein disaggregases. By using an assay to ectopically nucleate RNP granules, we further establish that RNP granule formation does not depend on amyloid-like aggregation but rather involves many promiscuous interactions. Finally, we show that stress granules have different properties in mammalian cells, where they show liquid-like behavior. Thus, we propose that the material state of RNP granules is flexible and that the solid state of yeast stress granules is an adaptation to extreme environments, made possible by the presence of a powerful disaggregation machine. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06807.001 PMID:26238190

  8. Faradic redox active material of Cu7S4 nanowires with a high conductance for flexible solid state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Javed, Muhammad Sufyan; Dai, Shuge; Wang, Mingjun; Xi, Yi; Lang, Qiang; Guo, Donglin; Hu, Chenguo

    2015-08-01

    The exploration of high Faradic redox active materials with the advantages of low cost and low toxicity has been attracting great attention for producing high energy storage supercapacitors. Here, the high Faradic redox active material of Cu7S4-NWs coated on a carbon fiber fabric (CFF) is directly used as a binder-free electrode for a high performance flexible solid state supercapacitor. The Cu7S4-NW-CFF supercapacitor exhibits excellent electrochemical performance such as a high specific capacitance of 400 F g-1 at the scan rate of 10 mV s-1 and a high energy density of 35 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 200 W kg-1, with the advantages of a light weight, high flexibility and long term cycling stability by retaining 95% after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at a constant current of 10 mA. The high Faradic redox activity and high conductance behavior of the Cu7S4-NWs result in a high pseudocapacitive performance with a relatively high specific energy and specific power. Such a new type of pseudocapacitive material of Cu7S4-NWs with its low cost is very promising for actual application in supercapacitors.The exploration of high Faradic redox active materials with the advantages of low cost and low toxicity has been attracting great attention for producing high energy storage supercapacitors. Here, the high Faradic redox active material of Cu7S4-NWs coated on a carbon fiber fabric (CFF) is directly used as a binder-free electrode for a high performance flexible solid state supercapacitor. The Cu7S4-NW-CFF supercapacitor exhibits excellent electrochemical performance such as a high specific capacitance of 400 F g-1 at the scan rate of 10 mV s-1 and a high energy density of 35 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 200 W kg-1, with the advantages of a light weight, high flexibility and long term cycling stability by retaining 95% after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at a constant current of 10 mA. The high Faradic redox activity and high conductance behavior of the Cu7S4-NWs result in a high pseudocapacitive performance with a relatively high specific energy and specific power. Such a new type of pseudocapacitive material of Cu7S4-NWs with its low cost is very promising for actual application in supercapacitors. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03363b

  9. SRB-3D Solid Rocket Booster performance prediction program. Volume 2: Sample case

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Winkler, J. C.

    1976-01-01

    The sample case presented in this volume is an asymmetrical eight sector thermal gradient performance prediction for the solid rocket motor. This motor is the TC-227A-75 grain design and the initial grain geometry is assumed to be symmetrical about the motors longitudinal axis.

  10. Dramatic Increase in the Signal and Sensitivity of Detection via Self-Assembly of Branched DNA

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Kyung-Tae; Chae, Chi-Bom

    2011-01-01

    In molecular testing using PCR, the target DNA is amplified via PCR and the sequence of interest is investigated via hybridization with short oligonucleotide capture probes that are either in a solution or immobilized on solid supports such as beads or glass slides. In this report, we report the discovery of assembly of DNA complex(es) between a capture probe and multiple strands of the PCR product. The DNA complex most likely has branched structure. The assembly of branched DNA was facilitated by the product of asymmetric PCR. The amount of branched DNA assembled was increased five fold when the asymmetric PCR product was denatured and hybridized with a capture probe all in the same PCR reaction mixture. The major branched DNA species appeared to contain three reverse strands (the strand complementary to the capture probe) and two forward strands. The DNA was sensitive to S1 nuclease suggesting that it had single-stranded gaps. Branched DNA also appeared to be assembled with the capture probes immobilized on the surface of solid support when the product of asymmetric PCR was hybridized. Assembly of the branched DNA was also increased when hybridization was performed in complete PCR reaction mixture suggesting the requirement of DNA synthesis. Integration of asymmetric PCR, heat denaturation and hybridization in the same PCR reaction mixture with the capture probes immobilized on the surface of solid support achieved dramatic increase in the signal and sensitivity of detection of DNA. Such a system should be advantageously applied for development of automated process for detection of DNA. PMID:21870112

  11. Equations of state for the fully flexible WCA chains in the fluid and solid phases based on Wertheims-TPT2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirzaeinia, Ali; Feyzi, Farzaneh; Hashemianzadeh, Seyed Majid

    2018-03-01

    Based on Wertheim's second order thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT2), equations of state (EOSs) are presented for the fluid and solid phases of tangent, freely jointed spheres. It is considered that the spheres interact with each other through the Weeks-Chandler-Anderson (WCA) potential. The developed TPT2 EOS is the sum of a monomeric reference term and a perturbation contribution due to bonding. MC NVT simulations are performed to determine the structural properties of the reference system in the reduced temperature range of 0.6 ≤ T* ≤ 4.0 and the packing fraction range of 0.1 ≤ η ≤ 0.72. Mathematical functions are fitted to the simulation results of the reference system and employed in the framework of Wertheim's theory to develop TPT2 EOSs for the fluid and solid phases. The extended EOSs are compared to the MC NPT simulation results of the compressibility factor and internal energy of the fully flexible chain systems. Simulations are performed for the WCA chain system for chain lengths of up to 15 at T* = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0. Across all the reduced temperatures, the agreement between the results of the TPT2 EOS and MC simulations is remarkable. Overall Average Absolute Relative Percent Deviation at T* = 1.0 for the compressibility factor in the entire chain lengths we covered is 0.51 and 0.77 for the solid and fluid phases, respectively. Similar features are observed in the case of residual internal energy.

  12. Equations of state for the fully flexible WCA chains in the fluid and solid phases based on Wertheims-TPT2.

    PubMed

    Mirzaeinia, Ali; Feyzi, Farzaneh; Hashemianzadeh, Seyed Majid

    2018-03-14

    Based on Wertheim's second order thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT2), equations of state (EOSs) are presented for the fluid and solid phases of tangent, freely jointed spheres. It is considered that the spheres interact with each other through the Weeks-Chandler-Anderson (WCA) potential. The developed TPT2 EOS is the sum of a monomeric reference term and a perturbation contribution due to bonding. MC NVT simulations are performed to determine the structural properties of the reference system in the reduced temperature range of 0.6 ≤ T* ≤ 4.0 and the packing fraction range of 0.1 ≤ η ≤ 0.72. Mathematical functions are fitted to the simulation results of the reference system and employed in the framework of Wertheim's theory to develop TPT2 EOSs for the fluid and solid phases. The extended EOSs are compared to the MC NPT simulation results of the compressibility factor and internal energy of the fully flexible chain systems. Simulations are performed for the WCA chain system for chain lengths of up to 15 at T* = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0. Across all the reduced temperatures, the agreement between the results of the TPT2 EOS and MC simulations is remarkable. Overall Average Absolute Relative Percent Deviation at T* = 1.0 for the compressibility factor in the entire chain lengths we covered is 0.51 and 0.77 for the solid and fluid phases, respectively. Similar features are observed in the case of residual internal energy.

  13. Toward highly stable solid-state unconventional thin-film battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices: Interfacing vertical core-shell array electrodes with a gel polymer electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandey, Gaind P.; Klankowski, Steven A.; Liu, Tao; Wu, Judy; Li, Jun

    2017-02-01

    A novel solid-state battery-supercapacitor hybrid device is fabricated for high-performance electrical energy storage using a Si anode and a TiO2 cathode in conjunction with a flexible, solid-like gel polymer electrolyte film as the electrolyte and separator. The electrodes were fabricated as three-dimensional nanostructured vertical arrays by sputtering active materials as conformal shells on vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) which serve as the current collector and structural template. Such nanostructured vertical core-shell array-electrodes enable short Li-ion diffusion path and large pseudocapacitive contribution by fast surface reactions, leading to the hybrid features of batteries and supercapacitors that can provide high specific energy over a wide range of power rates. Due to the improved mechanical stability of the infiltrated composite structure, the hybrid cell shows excellent cycling stability and is able to retain more than 95% of the original capacity after 3500 cycles. More importantly, this solid-state device can stably operate in a temperature range from -20 to 60 °C with a very low self-discharge rate and an excellent shelf life. This solid-state architecture is promising for the development of highly stable thin-film hybrid energy storage devices for unconventional applications requiring largely varied power, wider operation temperature, long shelf-life and higher safety standards.

  14. Significantly enhanced robustness and electrochemical performance of flexible carbon nanotube-based supercapacitors by electrodepositing polypyrrole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yanli; Du, Lianhuan; Yang, Peihua; Sun, Peng; Yu, Xiang; Mai, Wenjie

    2015-08-01

    Here, we report robust, flexible CNT-based supercapacitor (SC) electrodes fabricated by electrodepositing polypyrrole (PPy) on freestanding vacuum-filtered CNT film. These electrodes demonstrate significantly improved mechanical properties (with the ultimate tensile strength of 16 MPa), and greatly enhanced electrochemical performance (5.6 times larger areal capacitance). The major drawback of conductive polymer electrodes is the fast capacitance decay caused by structural breakdown, which decreases cycling stability but this is not observed in our case. All-solid-state SCs assembled with the robust CNT/PPy electrodes exhibit excellent flexibility, long lifetime (95% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles) and high electrochemical performance (a total device volumetric capacitance of 4.9 F/cm3). Moreover, a flexible SC pack is demonstrated to light up 53 LEDs or drive a digital watch, indicating the broad potential application of our SCs for portable/wearable electronics.

  15. Zwitterionic metal carboxylate complexes: In solid state

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nath, Bhaskar; Kalita, Dipjyoti; Baruah, Jubaraj B.

    2012-07-01

    A flexible dicarboxylic acid having composition [(CH(o-C5H4N)(p-C6H4OCH2CO2H)2] derived from corresponding bis-phenol reacts with various metal(II) acetates such as manganese(II), cobalt(II) and nickel(II) acetate leads to zwtterionic complexes with compositions [CH(o-C5H4N)(p-C6H4OCH2CO2){p-C6H4OCH2CO2M(H2O)5}].6H2O (where M = Mn, Co, Ni). The complexes are characterised by X-ray crystallography. These complexes have chiral center due to unsymmetric structure conferred to the ligand through coordination at only one carboxylate group of the ligand. In solid state these complexes are racemic.

  16. Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres for symmetrical and asymmetrical supercapacitor devices.

    PubMed

    Jing, Xuyang; Wang, Cong; Feng, Wenjing; Xing, Na; Jiang, Hanmei; Lu, Xiangyu; Zhang, Yifu; Meng, Changgong

    2018-01-01

    Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres with low crystallinity composed of nanoparticles were prepared by a facile and template-free method, which involved a precipitation of precursor microspheres in aqueous solution at room temperature and subsequent hydrothermal reaction. Quasi-solid-state symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor (SSC and ASC) devices were fabricated using hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres as the electrodes, and the electrochemical properties of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device and the VOOH//AC ASC device were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of the VOOH//AC ASC device was better than that of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device. After 3000 cycles, the specific capacitance of the VOOH//AC ASC device retains 83% of the initial capacitance, while the VOOH//VOOH SSC device retains only 7.7%. Findings in this work proved that hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres could be a promising candidate as an ideal electrode material for supercapacitor devices.

  17. Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres for symmetrical and asymmetrical supercapacitor devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jing, Xuyang; Wang, Cong; Feng, Wenjing; Xing, Na; Jiang, Hanmei; Lu, Xiangyu; Zhang, Yifu; Meng, Changgong

    2018-01-01

    Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres with low crystallinity composed of nanoparticles were prepared by a facile and template-free method, which involved a precipitation of precursor microspheres in aqueous solution at room temperature and subsequent hydrothermal reaction. Quasi-solid-state symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor (SSC and ASC) devices were fabricated using hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres as the electrodes, and the electrochemical properties of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device and the VOOH//AC ASC device were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of the VOOH//AC ASC device was better than that of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device. After 3000 cycles, the specific capacitance of the VOOH//AC ASC device retains 83% of the initial capacitance, while the VOOH//VOOH SSC device retains only 7.7%. Findings in this work proved that hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres could be a promising candidate as an ideal electrode material for supercapacitor devices.

  18. The Crystal and Molecular Structure of an Asymmetric Diacetylene Monomer, 6-(2-methyl-4-nitroanilino)-2,4-hexadiyne-1-ol

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vlasse, Marcus; Paley, Mark S.

    1993-01-01

    The crystal and molecular structure of an asymmetric diacetylene monomer has been determined from x-ray diffraction data. The crystals, obtained from an acetone/pentane solution, are orthorhombic, Fdd2 with Z = 16 in a unit cell having dimensions of a = 42.815(6) A, b = 22.224(5) A, c = 4.996(l) A. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by least- squares techniques to an R(sub F) of 6.4% for 988 reflections and 171 variables. The diacetylene chains are disposed in the unit cell in a complex manner in order to satisfy the hydrogen- bonding, crystal packing, and symmetry requirements of the system. The solid state polymerization mechanism is discussed with respect to the geometric disposition of the diacetylene chains. These chains are far apart and incorrectly oriented with respect to each other to permit polymerization in the crystal by means of 1,4-addition, consistent with the Baughman mechanistic model.

  19. Keto-enol tautomerism in asymmetric Schiff bases derived from p-phenylenediamine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Užarević, Krunoslav; Rubčić, Mirta; Stilinović, Vladimir; Kaitner, Branko; Cindrić, Marina

    2010-12-01

    Reaction of dehydroacetic acid and p-phenylenediamine afforded a monosubstituted Schiff base, I, with the other amino group free. In further reactions with various salicylaldehyde derivatives, I served as a precursor for synthesis of asymmetric bis-Schiff bases. The synthesized compounds are thus comprised of two subunits, dehydroacetic ( dha) and salicylidene ( sal), which are bridged by the phenylene linker. All products were investigated by means of elemental analysis, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, thermal methods, powder X-ray diffraction and, when possible, by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Structural and spectroscopic studies revealed that in the bis-products, the dha subunit adopts the keto-amino tautomeric form, while the sal subunit adopts the enol-imino form. Tautomeric forms were not affected if a methoxo group was introduced on the salicylidene ring. Both tautomeric subunits are stabilized by strong resonance-assisted hydrogen bonds, RAHB. The two subunits of the prepared bis-Schiff bases predominantly retain in solution the same tautomeric forms as found in the solid state.

  20. Field-effect enhanced triboelectric colloidal quantum dot flexible sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, Lingju; Xu, Qiwei; Fan, Shicheng; Dick, Carson R.; Wang, Xihua

    2017-10-01

    Flexible electronics, which is of great importance as fundamental sensor and communication technologies for many internet-of-things applications, has established a huge market encroaching into the trillion-dollar market of solid state electronics. For the capability of being processed by printing or spraying, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) play an increasingly important role in flexible electronics. Although the electrical properties of CQD thin-films are expected to be stable on flexible substrates, their electrical performance could be tuned for applications in flexible touch sensors. Here, we report CQD touch sensors employing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) triboelectric films. The electrical response of touching activity is enhanced by incorporating CQD field-effect transistors into the device architecture. Thanks to the use of the CQD thin film as a current amplifier, the field-effect CQD touch sensor shows a fast response to various touching materials, even being bent to a large curvature. It also shows a much higher output current density compared to a PDMS triboelectric touch sensor.

  1. Graphene-patched CNT/MnO2 nanocomposite papers for the electrode of high-performance flexible asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Jin, Yu; Chen, Hongyuan; Chen, Minghai; Liu, Ning; Li, Qingwen

    2013-04-24

    MnO2 has been widely studied as the pseudo-capactive electrode material of high-performance supercapacitors for its large operating voltage, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, it suffers from low conductivity and being hardly handle as the electrodes of supercapacitors especially with flexibility, which largely limit its electrochemical performance and application. Herein, we report a novel ternary composite paper composed of reduced graphene sheet (GR)-patched carbon nanotube (CNT)/MnO2, which has controllable structures and prominent electrochemical properties for a flexible electrode of the supercapacitor. The composite paper was prepared by electrochemical deposition of MnO2 on a flexible CNT paper and further adsorption of GR on its surface to enhance the surface conductivity of the electrode and prohibit MnO2 nanospheres from detaching with the electrode. The presence of GR was found remarkably effective in enhancing the initial electrochemical capacitance of the composite paper from 280 F/g to 486.6 F/g. Furthermore, it ensures the stability of the capacitance after a long period of charge/discharge cycles. A flexible CNT/polyaniline/CNT/MnO2/GR asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled with this composite paper as an electrode and aqueous electrolyte gel as the separator. Its operating voltage reached 1.6 V, with an energy density at 24.8 Wh/kg. Such a composite structure derived from a multiscale assembly can offer not only a robust scaffold loading MnO2 nanospheres but also a conductive network for efficient ionic and electronic transport; thus, it is potentially promising as a novel electrode architecture for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

  2. The influence of simulated transversus abdominis muscle force on sacroiliac joint flexibility during asymmetric moment application to the pelvis.

    PubMed

    Gnat, Rafael; Spoor, Kees; Pool-Goudzwaard, Annelies

    2015-10-01

    The role of so-called local muscle system in motor control of the lower back and pelvis is a subject of ongoing debate. Prevailing beliefs in stabilizing function of this system were recently challenged. This study investigated the impact of in vitro simulated force of transversely oriented fibres of the transversus abdominis muscle (a part of the local system) on flexibility of the sacroiliac joint during asymmetric moment application to the pelvis. In 8 embalmed specimens an incremental moment was applied in the sagittal plane to one innominate with respect to the fixed contralateral innominate. Ranges of motion of the sacroiliac joint were recorded using the Vicon Motion Capture System. Load-deformation curves were plotted and flexibility of the sacroiliac joint was calculated separately for anterior and posterior rotations of the innominate, with and without simulated muscle force. Flexibility of the sacroiliac joint was significantly bigger during anterior rotation of the innominate, as compared to posterior rotation (Anova P<0.05). After application of simulated force of transversus abdominis, flexibility of the joint did not change both during anterior and posterior rotations of the innominate. A lack of a stiffening effect of simulated transversus abdominis force on the sacroiliac joint was demonstrated. Earlier hypotheses suggesting a stiffening influence of this muscle on the pelvis cannot be confirmed. Consistent with previous findings smaller flexibility of the joint recorded during posterior rotation of the innominate may be of clinical importance for physio- and manual therapists. However, major limitations of the study should be acknowledged: in vitro conditions and simulation of only solitary muscle force. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Microscale solid-state thermal diodes enabling ambient temperature thermal circuits for energy applications.

    PubMed

    Wang, Song; Cottrill, Anton L; Kunai, Yuichiro; Toland, Aubrey R; Liu, Pingwei; Wang, Wen-Jun; Strano, Michael S

    2017-05-24

    Thermal diodes, or devices that transport thermal energy asymmetrically, analogous to electrical diodes, hold promise for thermal energy harvesting and conservation, as well as for phononics or information processing. The junction of a phase change material and phase invariant material can form a thermal diode; however, there are limited constituent materials available for a given target temperature, particularly near ambient. In this work, we demonstrate that a micro and nanoporous polystyrene foam can house a paraffin-based phase change material, fused to PMMA, to produce mechanically robust, solid-state thermal diodes capable of ambient operation with Young's moduli larger than 11.5 MPa and 55.2 MPa above and below the melting transition point, respectively. Moreover, the composites show significant changes in thermal conductivity above and below the melting point of the constituent paraffin and rectification that is well-described by our previous theory and the Maxwell-Eucken model. Maximum thermal rectifications range from 1.18 to 1.34. We show that such devices perform reliably enough to operate in thermal diode bridges, dynamic thermal circuits capable of transforming oscillating temperature inputs into single polarity temperature differences - analogous to an electrical diode bridge with widespread implications for transient thermal energy harvesting and conservation. Overall, our approach yields mechanically robust, solid-state thermal diodes capable of engineering design from a mathematical model of phase change and thermal transport, with implications for energy harvesting.

  4. Nitranilic acid hexahydrate, a novel benchmark system of the Zundel cation in an intrinsically asymmetric environment: spectroscopic features and hydrogen bond dynamics characterised by experimental and theoretical methods.

    PubMed

    Molčanov, Krešimir; Stare, Jernej; Vener, Mikhail V; Kojić-Prodić, Biserka; Mali, Gregor; Grdadolnik, Jože; Mohaček-Grošev, Vlasta

    2014-01-21

    Nitranilic acid (2,5-dihydroxy-3,6-dinitro-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione) as a strong dibasic acid in acidic aqueous media creates the Zundel cation, H5O2(+). The structural unit in a crystal comprises (H5O2)2(+) (2,5-dihydroxy-3,6-dinitro-1,4-benzoquinonate)(2-) dihydrate where the Zundel cation reveals no symmetry, being an ideal case for studying proton dynamics and its stability. The Zundel cation and proton transfer dynamics are studied by variable-temperature X-ray diffraction, IR and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and various quantum chemical methods, including periodic DFT calculations, ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, and quantization of nuclear motion along three fully coupled internal coordinates. The Zundel cation features a short H-bond with the O···O distance of 2.433(2) Å with an asymmetric placement of hydrogen. The proton potential is of a single well type and, due to the non-symmetric surroundings, of asymmetric shape. The formation of the Zundel cation is facilitated by the electronegative NO2 groups. The employed spectroscopic techniques supported by calculations confirm the presence of a short H-bond with a complex proton dynamics.

  5. Ultrafast vibrational dynamics of BH{sub 4}{sup −} ions in liquid and crystalline environments

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

    Tyborski, Tobias, E-mail: tyborski@mbi-berlin.de; Costard, Rene; Woerner, Michael

    2014-07-21

    Ultrafast vibrational dynamics of BH{sub 4}{sup −} ions, the key units in boron hydride materials for hydrogen storage, are studied in diluted polar liquid solution and in NaBH{sub 4} crystallites by femtosecond infrared spectroscopy. Two-color pump-probe experiments reveal v = 1 lifetimes of 3 ps for the asymmetric BH{sub 4}{sup −} stretching mode ν{sub 3} and of 3.6 ps for the asymmetric bending mode ν{sub 4} in the solvent isopropylamine. We provide direct evidence for the BH{sub 4}{sup −} stretching relaxation pathway via the asymmetric bending mode ν{sub 4} by probing the latter after femtosecond excitation of ν{sub 3}. Pump-probemore » traces measured in the crystalline phase show signatures of radiative coupling between the densely packed BH{sub 4}{sup −} oscillators, most clearly manifested in an accelerated subpicosecond depopulation of the v = 1 state of the ν{sub 4} mode. The radiative decay is followed by incoherent vibrational relaxation similar to the liquid phase. The excess energy released in the relaxation processes of the BH{sub 4}{sup −} intramolecular modes is transferred into the environment with thermal pump-probe signals being much more pronounced in the dense solid than in the diluted solution.« less

  6. One-step spray processing of high power all-solid-state supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Chun; Grant, Patrick S.

    2013-01-01

    Aqueous suspensions of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in dilute H2SO4 were sprayed onto both sides of a Nafion membrane and dried to fabricate flexible solid-state supercapacitors. A single cell with MWNT-only electrodes had a capacitance of 57 F g−1 per electrode at 2 mV s−1 and 44 F g−1 at 150 mV s−1 but with low H+ mobility. Cells with MWNT + ionomer hybrid electrodes showed higher H+ mobility, and the electric double layer (EDL) capacitance increased to 145 F g−1 at 2 mV s−1 and 91 F g−1 at 150 mV s−1. The energy and power densities of one electrode charged to 1 V at 1 A g−1 were 12.9 Wh kg−1 and 3.3 kW kg−1 respectively. Three solid-state supercapacitor cells connected in series charged to 3 V at 1 and 2 A g−1 provided a device power density of 8.9 kW kg−1 at 1 A g−1 and 9.4 kW kg−1 at 2 A g−1, the highest for all-solid-state EDL supercapacitors. PMID:23928828

  7. Compact localized states and flat bands from local symmetry partitioning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Röntgen, M.; Morfonios, C. V.; Schmelcher, P.

    2018-01-01

    We propose a framework for the connection between local symmetries of discrete Hamiltonians and the design of compact localized states. Such compact localized states are used for the creation of tunable, local symmetry-induced bound states in an energy continuum and flat energy bands for periodically repeated local symmetries in one- and two-dimensional lattices. The framework is based on very recent theorems in graph theory which are here employed to obtain a block partitioning of the Hamiltonian induced by the symmetry of a given system under local site permutations. The diagonalization of the Hamiltonian is thereby reduced to finding the eigenspectra of smaller matrices, with eigenvectors automatically divided into compact localized and extended states. We distinguish between local symmetry operations which commute with the Hamiltonian, and those which do not commute due to an asymmetric coupling to the surrounding sites. While valuable as a computational tool for versatile discrete systems with locally symmetric structures, the approach provides in particular a unified, intuitive, and efficient route to the flexible design of compact localized states at desired energies.

  8. A flexible, robust and antifouling asymmetric membrane based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers for high-efficiency separation of oil/water emulsions.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kui; Yiming, Wubulikasimu; Saththasivam, Jayaprakash; Liu, Zhaoyang

    2017-07-06

    Polymeric and ceramic asymmetric membranes have dominated commercial membranes for water treatment. However, polymeric membranes are prone to becoming fouled, while ceramic membranes are mechanically fragile. Here, we report a novel concept to develop asymmetric membranes based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers, with the combined merits of good mechanical stability, excellent fouling resistance and high oil/water selectivity, in order to meet the stringent requirements for practical oil/water separation. The ultra-long dimensions of ceramic nanofibers/polymeric microfibers endow this novel membrane with mechanical flexibility and robustness, due to the integrated and intertwined structure. This membrane is capable of separating oil/water emulsions with high oil-separation efficiency (99.9%), thanks to its nanoporous selective layer made of ceramic nanofibers. Further, this membrane also displays superior antifouling properties due to its underwater superoleophobicity and ultra-low oil adhesion of the ceramic-based selective layer. This membrane exhibits high water permeation flux (6.8 × 10 4 L m -2 h -1 bar -1 ) at low operation pressures, which is attributed to its 3-dimensional (3D) interconnected fiber-based structure throughout the membrane. In addition, the facile fabrication process and inexpensive materials required for this membrane suggest its significant potential for industrial applications.

  9. Engineering Polymer Nanocomoposite Aerogels for Energy Storage and Harvesting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Qifeng

    Various porous polymer nanocomposite aerogels were synthesized using an environmentally friendly freeze-drying process. These polymer nanocomposite aerogels exhibit ultralow densities, high porosities, high specific surface areas and high flexibility. The advantages of these polymer nanocomposites aerogels for energy storage and energy harvesting applications have been demonstrated. Flexible supercapacitors (SCs) are particularly attractive for energy storage applications due to their high power densities and long life cycles. A novel type of highly flexible and all-solid-state SCs using cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels as electrodes was developed. Due to the porous structure of the CNF/RGO/CNT aerogel electrodes, and the excellent electrolyte absorption properties of the CNFs present in the electrodes, the resulting all-solid-state SCs exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, superior flexibility and cycle stability. To further increase the capacitances and energy densities, pseudocapacitive materials (i.e., MoO3) were incorporated to prepare the free-standing and highly flexible CNF-RGO-molybdenum oxynitride (MoOxNy) aerogel film electrode. Supercapacitors made with the CNF/RGO/MoOxNy aerogel electrodes exhibited outstanding specific capacitances and remarkable energy densities in different electrolytes while maintaining the high power densities and superior cycle stability. Flexible nanogenerators (NGs) that can harvest ubiquitous mechanical energy from ambient environments have attracted significant attention during the past decade. A novel, simple, cost-effective, and scalable technique was developed to fabricate high-performance flexible compact NGs using porous CNF-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) aerogel film. Under external stress, the resulting NGs exhibited very stable and high output signals. We hypothesized that the remarkable electric outputs would not only be attributable to the intrinsic piezoelectric properties of the CNFs, but also to the mechanoradicals generated by the porous PDMS coated on the surface of the CNF aerogel film, which can lead to a change in the electric dipole moments and consequently generate electric outputs. A series of systematic studies were carried out to substantiate this new mechanism. These systematic studies have demonstrated that high-performance NGs can be made from porous mechanoradical-generating polymer films. The elucidation of the mechanisms for this family of porous mechanoradical-generating polymers will lead to a new class of energy harvesting materials and high-performance flexible energy generation devices.

  10. Beyond flexible batteries: aesthetically versatile, printed rechargeable power sources for smart electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Sang-Young

    2017-05-01

    Forthcoming wearable/flexible electronics with compelling shape diversity and mobile usability have garnered significant attention as a kind of disruptive technology to drastically change our daily lives. From a power source point of view, conventional rechargeable batteries (represented by lithium-ion batteries) with fixed shapes and dimensions are generally fabricated by winding (or stacking) cell components (such as anodes, cathodes and separator membranes) and then packaging them with (cylindrical-/rectangular-shaped) metallic canisters or pouch films, finally followed by injection of liquid electrolytes. In particular, the use of liquid electrolytes gives rise to serious concerns in cell assembly, because they require strict packaging materials to avoid leakage problems and also separator membranes to prevent electrical contact between electrodes. For these reasons, the conventional cell assembly and materials have pushed the batteries to lack of variety in form factors, thus imposing formidable challenges on their integration into versatile-shaped electronic devices. Here, as a facile and efficient strategy to address the aforementioned longstanding challenge, we demonstrate a new class of printed solid-state Li-ion batteries and also all-inkjet-printed solid-state supercapacitors with exceptional shape conformability and aesthetic versatility which lie far beyond those achievable with conventional battery technologies.

  11. Composite Polymer-Garnet Solid State Electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villa, Andres; Oduncu, Muhammed R.; Scofield, Gregory D.; Marinero, Ernesto E.; Forbey, Scott

    Solid-state electrolytes provide a potential solution to the safety and reliability issues of Li-ion batteries. We have synthesized cubic-phase Li7-xLa3Zr2-xBixO12 compounds utilizing inexpensive, scalable Sol-gel synthesis and obtained ionic conductivities 1.2 x 10-4 S/cm at RT in not-fully densified pellets. In this work we report on the fabrication of composite polymer-garnet ceramic particle electrolytes to produce flexible membranes that can be integrated with standard battery electrodes without the need for a separator. As a first step we incorporated the ceramic particles into polyethylene oxide polymers (PEO) to form flexible membranes. Early results are encouraging yielding ionic conductivity values 1.0 x 10-5 S/cm at RT. To increment the conductivity in the membranes, we are optimizing amongst other: the ceramic particle size distribution and weight load, the polymer molecular weight and chemical composition and the solvated Li-salt composition and content. Unhindered ion transport across interfaces between the composites and the battery electrode materials is paramount for battery performance. To this end, we are investigating the effect of interface morphology, its atomic composition and exploring novel electrode structures that facilitate ionic transport.

  12. Housing flexibility effects on rotor stability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davis, L. B.; Wolfe, E. A.; Beatty, R. F.

    1985-01-01

    Preliminary rotordynamic evaluations are performed with a housing stiffness assumption that is typically determined only after the hardware is built. In addressing rotor stability, a rigid housing assumption was shown to predict an instability at a lower spin speed than a comparable flexible housing analysis. This rigid housing assumption therefore provides a conservative estimate of the stability threshold speed. A flexible housing appears to act as an energy absorber and dissipated some of the destabilizing force. The fact that a flexible housing is usually asymmetric and considerably heavier than the rotor was related to this apparent increase in rotor stability. Rigid housing analysis is proposed as a valuable screening criteria and may save time and money in construction of elaborate housing finite element models for linear stability analyses.

  13. Symmetric and asymmetric hybrid cryptosystem based on compressive sensing and computer generated holography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Lihong; Jin, Weimin

    2018-01-01

    A novel symmetric and asymmetric hybrid optical cryptosystem is proposed based on compressive sensing combined with computer generated holography. In this method there are six encryption keys, among which two decryption phase masks are different from the two random phase masks used in the encryption process. Therefore, the encryption system has the feature of both symmetric and asymmetric cryptography. On the other hand, because computer generated holography can flexibly digitalize the encrypted information and compressive sensing can significantly reduce data volume, what is more, the final encryption image is real function by phase truncation, the method favors the storage and transmission of the encryption data. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed encryption scheme boosts the security and has high robustness against noise and occlusion attacks.

  14. Spray-painted binder-free SnSe electrodes for high-performance energy-storage devices.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xianfu; Liu, Bin; Xiang, Qingyi; Wang, Qiufan; Hou, Xiaojuan; Chen, Di; Shen, Guozhen

    2014-01-01

    SnSe nanocrystal electrodes on three-dimensional (3D) carbon fabric and Au-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wafer have been prepared by a simple spray-painting process and were further investigated as binder-free active-electrodes for Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and flexible stacked all-solid-state supercapacitors. The as-painted SnSe nanocrystals/carbon fabric electrodes exhibit an outstanding capacity of 676 mAh g(-1) after 80 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g(-1) and a considerable high-rate capability in lithium storage because of the excellent ion transport from the electrolyte to the active materials and the efficient charge transport between current collector and electrode materials. The binder-free electrodes also provide a larger electrochemical active surface compared with electrodes containing binders, which leads to the enhanced capacities of energy-storage devices. A flexible stacked all-solid-state supercapacitor based on the SnSe nanocrystals on Au-coated PET wafers shows high capacitance reversibility with little performance degradation at different current densities after 2200 charge-discharge cycles and even when bent. This allows for many potential applications in facile, cost-effective, spray-paintable, and flexible energy-storage devices. The results indicate that the fabrication of binder-free electrodes by a spray painting process is an interesting direction for the preparation of high-performance energy-storage devices. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Manganese dioxide decoration of macroscopic carbon nanotube fibers: From high-performance liquid-based to all-solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pendashteh, Afshin; Senokos, Evgeny; Palma, Jesus; Anderson, Marc; Vilatela, Juan J.; Marcilla, Rebeca

    2017-12-01

    Supercapacitors capable of providing high voltage, energy and power density but yet light, low volume occupying, flexible and mechanically robust are highly interesting and demanded for portable applications. Herein, freestanding flexible hybrid electrodes based on MnO2 nanoparticles grown on macroscopic carbon nanotube fibers (CNTf-MnO2) were fabricated, without the need of any metallic current collector. The CNTf, a support with excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, and appropriate pore structure, was homogeneously decorated with porous akhtenskite ɛ-MnO2 nanoparticles produced via electrodeposition in an optimized organic-aqueous mixture. Electrochemical properties of these decorated fibers were evaluated in different electrolytes including a neutral aqueous solution and a pure 1-butyl-3-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquid (PYR14TFSI). This comparison helps discriminate the various contributions to the total capacitance: (surface) Faradaic and non-Faradaic processes, improved wetting by aqueous electrolytes. Accordingly, symmetric supercapacitors with PYR14TFSI led to a high specific energy of 36 Wh· kgMnO2-1 (16 Wh·kg-1 including the weight of CNTf) and real specific power of 17 kW· kgMnO2-1 (7.5 kW kg-1) at 3.0 V with excellent cycling stability. Moreover, flexible all solid-state supercapacitors were fabricated using PYR14TFSI-based polymer electrolyte, exhibiting maximum energy density of 21 Wh·kg-1 and maximum power density of 8 kW kg-1 normalized by total active material.

  16. Photoluminescence studies of high-efficient red-emitting K{sub 2}Y(WO{sub 4})(PO{sub 4}):Eu{sup 3+} phosphor for NUV LED

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

    Zhang, Xinguo; State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275; Chen, Mengyang

    Highlights: • Novel K{sub 2}Y(WO{sub 4})(PO{sub 4}):Eu{sup 3+} red phosphors were prepared by solid-state method. • Phosphors exhibit strong red light under NUV excitation with quantum efficiency of 70.5 %. • Judd–Ofelt analysis ascertains the presence of Eu{sup 3+} in a highly asymmetric environment. • The red LED prototype was fabricated with KYWP:Eu{sup 3+} phosphor and InGaN chip. - Abstract: A series of high-efficient red-emitting phosphors K{sub 2}Y(WO{sub 4})(PO{sub 4}):Eu{sup 3+} have been successfully synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction, and its photoluminescence (PL) properties have been investigated. The phosphors can be excited efficiently by NUV light, then exhibit strong redmore » emission with quantum efficiency of 70.5%. The concentration quenching takes place at relatively high concentration of Eu{sup 3+} (x = 0.70), which is further confirmed by the variation of decay curves of the entitled phosphors. Judd–Ofelt analysis ascertains the presence of Eu{sup 3+} in a highly asymmetric environment. The phosphor exhibits good thermal stability (92.5% at 100 °C and 84.1% at 180 °C). The red LED prototype fabricated by opyimized-composition K{sub 2}Y(WO{sub 4})(PO{sub 4}):0.70Eu{sup 3+} phosphor and 395 nm-emitting InGaN chips exhibit bright red emission. The results indicate that the K{sub 2}Y(WO{sub 4})(PO{sub 4}):Eu{sup 3+} phosphors are promising red phosphors for NUV LED.« less

  17. Balancing techniques for high-speed flexible rotors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smalley, A. J.

    1978-01-01

    Ideal and non-ideal conditions for multiplane balancing are addressed. Methodology and procedures for identifying optimum balancing configurations and for assessing, quantitatively, the penalties associated with non-optimum configurations were developed and demonstrated. The problems introduced when vibration sensors are supported on flexible mounts were assessed experimentally, and the effects of flexural asymmetry in the rotor on balancing were investigated. A general purpose method for predicting the threshold of instability of an asymmetric rotor was developed, and its predictions are compared with measurements under different degrees of asymmetry.

  18. Direct growth of vanadium nitride nanosheets on carbon nanotube fibers as novel negative electrodes for high-energy-density wearable fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Jiabin; Zhang, Qichong; Sun, Juan; Li, Chaowei; Zhao, Jingxin; Zhou, Zhenyu; He, Bing; Wang, Xiaona; Man, Ping; Li, Qiulong; Zhang, Jun; Xie, Liyan; Li, Mingxing; Yao, Yagang

    2018-04-01

    Significant efforts have been recently devoted to constructing high-performance fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors. However, it is still a paramount challenge to develop high-energy-density fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors for practical applications in portable and wearable electronics. This work reports a simple and efficient method to directly grow vanadium nitride nanosheets on carbon nanotube fibers as advanced negative electrodes with a high specific capacitance of 188 F/cm3 (564 mF/cm2). Taking advantage of their attractive structure, we successfully fabricated a fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitor device with a maximum operating voltage of 1.6 V by assembling the vanadium nitride/carbon nanotube fiber negative electrode with the Zinc-Nickel-Cobalt ternary oxides nanowire arrays positive electrode. Due to the excellent synergistic effects between positive and negative electrodes, a remarkable specific capacitance of 50 F/cm3 (150 mF/cm2) and an outstanding energy density of 17.78 mWh/cm3 (53.33 μWh/cm2) for our fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitor can be achieved. Furthermore, the as-assembled fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitor device has excellent mechanical flexibility in that 91% of the capacitance retained after bending 90° for 3000 times. Thus, this work exploits a pathway to construct high-energy-density fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitor for next-generation portable and wearable electronics.

  19. Asymmetric transmission in prisms using structures and materials with isotropic-type dispersion.

    PubMed

    Gundogdu, Funda Tamara; Serebryannikov, Andriy E; Cakmak, A Ozgur; Ozbay, Ekmel

    2015-09-21

    It is demonstrated that strong asymmetry in transmission can be obtained at the Gaussian beam illumination for a single prism based on a photonic crystal (PhC) with isotropic-type dispersion, as well as for its analog made of a homogeneous material. Asymmetric transmission can be realized with the aid of refraction at a proper orientation of the interfaces and wedges of the prism, whereas neither contribution of higher diffraction orders nor anisotropic-type dispersion is required. Furthermore, incidence toward a prism wedge can be used for one of two opposite directions in order to obtain asymmetry. Thus, asymmetric transmission is a general property of the prism configurations, which can be obtained by using simple geometries and quite conventional materials. The obtained results show that strong asymmetry can be achieved in PhC prisms with (nearly) circular shape of equifrequency dispersion contours, in both cases associated with the index of refraction 01. For the comparison purposes, results are also presented for solid uniform non-magnetic prisms made of a material with the same value of n. It is shown in zero-loss approximation that the PhC prism and the ultralow-index material prism (01. Possible contributions of scattering on the individual rods and diffraction on the wedge to the resulting mechanism are discussed. Analogs of unidirectional splitting and unidirectional deflection regimes, which are known from the studies of PhC gratings, are obtained in PhC prisms and solid uniform prisms, i.e. without higher diffraction orders.

  20. Note: All solid-state high repetitive sub-nanosecond risetime pulse generator based on bulk gallium arsenide avalanche semiconductor switches.

    PubMed

    Hu, Long; Su, Jiancang; Ding, Zhenjie; Hao, Qingsong; Fan, Yajun; Liu, Chunliang

    2016-08-01

    An all solid-state high repetitive sub-nanosecond risetime pulse generator featuring low-energy-triggered bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) avalanche semiconductor switches and a step-type transmission line is presented. The step-type transmission line with two stages is charged to a potential of 5.0 kV also biasing at the switches. The bulk GaAs avalanche semiconductor switch closes within sub-nanosecond range when illuminated with approximately 87 nJ of laser energy at 905 nm in a single pulse. An asymmetric dipolar pulse with peak-to-peak amplitude of 9.6 kV and risetime of 0.65 ns is produced on a resistive load of 50 Ω. A technique that allows for repetition-rate multiplication of pulse trains experimentally demonstrated that the parallel-connected bulk GaAs avalanche semiconductor switches are triggered in sequence. The highest repetition rate is decided by recovery time of the bulk GaAs avalanche semiconductor switch, and the operating result of 100 kHz of the generator is discussed.

  1. The influence of water on the nanomechanical behavior of the plant biopolyester cutin as studied by AFM and solid-state NMR.

    PubMed

    Round, A N; Yan, B; Dang, S; Estephan, R; Stark, R E; Batteas, J D

    2000-11-01

    Atomic force microscopy and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance have been used to investigate the effect of water absorption on the nanoscale elastic properties of the biopolyester, cutin, isolated from tomato fruit cuticle. Changes in the humidity and temperature at which fruits are grown or stored can affect the plant surface (cuticle) and modify its susceptibility to pathogenic attack by altering the cuticle's rheological properties. In this work, atomic force microscopy measurements of the surface mechanical properties of isolated plant cutin have been made as a first step to probing the impact of water uptake from the environment on surface flexibility. A dramatic decrease in surface elastic modulus (from approximately 32 to approximately 6 MPa) accompanies increases in water content as small as 2 wt %. Complementary solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance measurements reveal enhanced local mobility of the acyl chain segments with increasing water content, even at molecular sites remote from the covalent cross-links that are likely to play a crucial role in cutin's elastic properties.

  2. Energy issues in microwave food processing: A review of developments and the enabling potentials of solid-state power delivery.

    PubMed

    Atuonwu, J C; Tassou, S A

    2018-01-23

    The enormous magnitude and variety of microwave applications in household, commercial and industrial food processing creates a strong motivation for improving the energy efficiency and hence, sustainability of the process. This review critically assesses key energy issues associated with microwave food processing, focusing on previous energy performance studies, energy performance metrics, standards and regulations. Factors affecting energy-efficiency are categorised into source, load and source-load matching factors. This highlights the need for highly-flexible and controllable power sources capable of receiving real-time feedback on load properties, and effecting rapid control actions to minimise reflections, heating non-uniformities and other imperfections that lead to energy losses. A case is made for the use of solid-state amplifiers as alternatives to conventional power sources, magnetrons. By a full-scale techno-economic analysis, including energy aspects, it is shown that the use of solid-state amplifiers as replacements to magnetrons is promising, not only from an energy and overall technical perspective, but also in terms of economics.

  3. Survey of beta-particle interaction experiments with asymmetric matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Horn, J. David; Wu, Fei

    2018-05-01

    Asymmetry is a basic property found at multiple scales in the universe. Asymmetric molecular interactions are fundamental to the operation of biological systems in both signaling and structural roles. Other aspects of asymmetry are observed and useful in many areas of science and engineering, and have been studied since the discovery of chirality in tartrate salts. The observation of parity violation in beta decay provided some impetus for later experiments using asymmetric particles. Here we survey historical work and experiments related to electron (e-) or positron (e+) polarimetry and their interactions with asymmetric materials in gas, liquid and solid forms. Asymmetric interactions may be classified as: 1) stereorecognition, 2) stereoselection and 3) stereoinduction. These three facets of physical stereochemistry are unique but interrelated; and examples from chemistry and materials science illustrate these aspects. Experimental positron and electron interactions with asymmetric materials may be classified in like manner. Thus, a qualitative assessment of helical and polarized positron experiments with different forms of asymmetric matter from the past 40 years is presented, as well as recent experiments with left-hand and right-hand single crystal quartz and organic compounds. The purpose of this classification and review is to evaluate the field for potential new experiments and directions for positron (or electron) studies with asymmetric materials.

  4. Asymmetrical booster ascent guidance and control system design study. Volume 1: Summary. [space shuttle development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, F. E.; Lemon, R. S.; Jaggers, R. F.; Wilson, J. L.

    1974-01-01

    Dynamics and control, stability, and guidance analyses are summarized for the asymmetrical booster ascent guidance and control system design studies, performed in conjunction with space shuttle planning. The mathematical models developed for use in rigid body and flexible body versions of the NASA JSC space shuttle functional simulator are briefly discussed, along with information on the following: (1) space shuttle stability analysis using equations of motion for both pitch and lateral axes; (2) the computer program used to obtain stability margin; and (3) the guidance equations developed for the space shuttle powered flight phases.

  5. Large areal mass, flexible and free-standing reduced graphene oxide/manganese dioxide paper for asymmetric supercapacitor device.

    PubMed

    Sumboja, Afriyanti; Foo, Ce Yao; Wang, Xu; Lee, Pooi See

    2013-05-28

    Well-separated RGO sheets decorated with MnO2 nanoparticles facilitate easy access of the electrolyte ions to the high surface area of the paper electrode, enabling the fabrication of a thicker electrode with heavier areal mass and higher areal capacitance (up to 897 mF cm(-2) ). The electrochemical performance of the bent asymmetric device with a total active mass of 15 mg remains similar to the one in the flat configuration, demonstrating good mechanical robustness of the device. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Robust generative asymmetric GMM for brain MR image segmentation.

    PubMed

    Ji, Zexuan; Xia, Yong; Zheng, Yuhui

    2017-11-01

    Accurate segmentation of brain tissues from magnetic resonance (MR) images based on the unsupervised statistical models such as Gaussian mixture model (GMM) has been widely studied during last decades. However, most GMM based segmentation methods suffer from limited accuracy due to the influences of noise and intensity inhomogeneity in brain MR images. To further improve the accuracy for brain MR image segmentation, this paper presents a Robust Generative Asymmetric GMM (RGAGMM) for simultaneous brain MR image segmentation and intensity inhomogeneity correction. First, we develop an asymmetric distribution to fit the data shapes, and thus construct a spatial constrained asymmetric model. Then, we incorporate two pseudo-likelihood quantities and bias field estimation into the model's log-likelihood, aiming to exploit the neighboring priors of within-cluster and between-cluster and to alleviate the impact of intensity inhomogeneity, respectively. Finally, an expectation maximization algorithm is derived to iteratively maximize the approximation of the data log-likelihood function to overcome the intensity inhomogeneity in the image and segment the brain MR images simultaneously. To demonstrate the performances of the proposed algorithm, we first applied the proposed algorithm to a synthetic brain MR image to show the intermediate illustrations and the estimated distribution of the proposed algorithm. The next group of experiments is carried out in clinical 3T-weighted brain MR images which contain quite serious intensity inhomogeneity and noise. Then we quantitatively compare our algorithm to state-of-the-art segmentation approaches by using Dice coefficient (DC) on benchmark images obtained from IBSR and BrainWeb with different level of noise and intensity inhomogeneity. The comparison results on various brain MR images demonstrate the superior performances of the proposed algorithm in dealing with the noise and intensity inhomogeneity. In this paper, the RGAGMM algorithm is proposed which can simply and efficiently incorporate spatial constraints into an EM framework to simultaneously segment brain MR images and estimate the intensity inhomogeneity. The proposed algorithm is flexible to fit the data shapes, and can simultaneously overcome the influence of noise and intensity inhomogeneity, and hence is capable of improving over 5% segmentation accuracy comparing with several state-of-the-art algorithms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Toxin-induced conformational changes in a potassium channel revealed by solid-state NMR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lange, Adam; Giller, Karin; Hornig, Sönke; Martin-Eauclaire, Marie-France; Pongs, Olaf; Becker, Stefan; Baldus, Marc

    2006-04-01

    The active site of potassium (K+) channels catalyses the transport of K+ ions across the plasma membrane-similar to the catalytic function of the active site of an enzyme-and is inhibited by toxins from scorpion venom. On the basis of the conserved structures of K+ pore regions and scorpion toxins, detailed structures for the K+ channel-scorpion toxin binding interface have been proposed. In these models and in previous solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies using detergent-solubilized membrane proteins, scorpion toxins were docked to the extracellular entrance of the K+ channel pore assuming rigid, preformed binding sites. Using high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy, here we show that high-affinity binding of the scorpion toxin kaliotoxin to a chimaeric K+ channel (KcsA-Kv1.3) is associated with significant structural rearrangements in both molecules. Our approach involves a combined analysis of chemical shifts and proton-proton distances and demonstrates that solid-state NMR is a sensitive method for analysing the structure of a membrane protein-inhibitor complex. We propose that structural flexibility of the K+ channel and the toxin represents an important determinant for the high specificity of toxin-K+ channel interactions.

  8. Ultra-Flexible Thermal Bus for Use in the Astro-H Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kimball, Mark O.; Shirron, Peter J.

    2015-01-01

    The adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) developed for the Astro-H Soft-X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a multi-stage solid-state cooler. It is capable of holding the SXS detector array at 0.050 K for greater than 24 hours with a recycle time of less than one hour. This quick recycle time relies upon high-conductivity thermal straps to couple the individual stages to a pair of heat switches without imposing a lateral load on the paramagnetic salt pills. To accomplish this we construct thermal straps using a technique of diffusion bonding together the ends of high-purity copper straps leaving the length between as individual foils. A thermal bus created this way has a thermal conductivity comparable to a solid strap of the equivalent thickness but with much-increased flexibility. The technique for selecting the base material, machining, cleaning, forming into final shape, and finally bonding together individual foils will be discussed along with examples of complete straps in various geometries.

  9. A new family of Ln₇ clusters with an ideal D(3h) metal-centered trigonal prismatic geometry, and SMM and photoluminescence behaviors.

    PubMed

    Mazarakioti, Eleni C; Poole, Katye M; Cunha-Silva, Luis; Christou, George; Stamatatos, Theocharis C

    2014-08-14

    The first use of the flexible Schiff base ligand N-salicylidene-2-aminocyclohexanol in metal cluster chemistry has afforded a new family of Ln7 clusters with ideal D(3h) point group symmetry and metal-centered trigonal prismatic topology; solid-state and solution studies revealed SMM and photoluminescence behaviors.

  10. New Materials and Device Designs for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Brien, Barry Patrick

    Research and development of organic materials and devices for electronic applications has become an increasingly active area. Display and solid-state lighting are the most mature applications and, and products have been commercially available for several years as of this writing. Significant efforts also focus on materials for organic photovoltaic applications. Some of the newest work is in devices for medical, sensor and prosthetic applications. Worldwide energy demand is increasing as the population grows and the standard of living in developing countries improves. Some studies estimate as much as 20% of annual energy usage is consumed by lighting. Improvements are being made in lightweight, flexible, rugged panels that use organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), which are particularly useful in developing regions with limited energy availability and harsh environments. Displays also benefit from more efficient materials as well as the lighter weight and ruggedness enabled by flexible substrates. Displays may require different emission characteristics compared with solid-state lighting. Some display technologies use a white OLED (WOLED) backlight with a color filter, but these are more complex and less efficient than displays that use separate emissive materials that produce the saturated colors needed to reproduce the entire color gamut. Saturated colors require narrow-band emitters. Full-color OLED displays up to and including television size are now commercially available from several suppliers, but research continues to develop more efficient and more stable materials. This research program investigates several topics relevant to solid-state lighting and display applications. One project is development of a device structure to optimize performance of a new stable Pt-based red emitter developed in Prof Jian Li's group. Another project investigates new Pt-based red, green and blue emitters for lighting applications and compares a red/blue structure with a red/green/blue structure to produce light with high color rendering index. Another part of this work describes the fabrication of a 14.7" diagonal full color active-matrix OLED display on plastic substrate. The backplanes were designed and fabricated in the ASU Flexible Display Center and required significant engineering to develop; a discussion of that process is also included.

  11. Thermal and velocity slip effects on the MHD peristaltic flow with carbon nanotubes in an asymmetric channel: application of radiation therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akbar, Noreen Sher; Nadeem, S.; Khan, Zafar Hayat

    2014-10-01

    Peristaltic flow is used to study the flow and heat transfer of carbon nanotubes in an asymmetric channel with thermal and velocity slip effects. Two types of carbon nanotubes, namely, single- and multi-wall carbon nanotubes are utilized to see the analysis with water as base fluids. Empirical correlations are used for the thermo-physical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in terms of solid volume fraction of CNTs. The governing equations are simplified using long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximation. Exact solutions have been evaluated for velocity, pressure gradient, the solid volume fraction of CNTs and temperature profile. The effects of various flow parameters, i.e. Hatmann number M, the solid volume fraction of the nanoparticles ϕ, Grashof number G, velocity slip parameter β, thermal slip parameter γ and Prandtl number P r are presented graphically for both single- (SWCNT) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT).

  12. A New Miniaturized Inkjet Printed Solid State Electrolyte Sensor for Applications in Life Support Systems - First Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, Christine; Stefanos Fasoulas, -; Eberhart, Martin; Berndt, Felix

    New generations of integrated closed loop systems will combine life support systems (incl. biological components) and energy systems such as fuel cell and electrolysis systems. Those systems and their test beds also contain complex safety sensor monitoring systems. Especially in fuel cells and electrolysis systems, the hydrogen and oxygen flows and exchange into other areas due to diffusion processes or leaks need to be monitored. Knowledge of predominant gas concentrations at all times is essential to avoid explosive gas mixtures. Solid state electrolyte sensors are promising for use as safety sensors. They have already been developed and produced at various institutes, but the power consumption for heating an existing solid state electrolyte sensor element still lies between 1 to 1.5 W and the operational readiness still takes about 20 to 30 s. This is partially due to the current manufacturing process for the solid state electrolyte sensor elements that is based on screen printing technology. However this technology has strong limitations in flexibility of the layout and re-designs. It is therefore suitable for mass production, but not for a flexible development and the production of specific individual sensors, e.g. for space applications. Moreover a disadvantage is the relatively high material consumption, especially in combination with the sensors need of expensive noble metal and ceramic pastes, which leads to a high sensor unit price. The Inkjet technology however opens up completely new possibilities in terms of dimensions, geometries, structures, morphologies and materials of sensors. This new approach is capable of printing finer high-resolution layers without the necessity of meshes or masks for patterning. Using the Inkjet technology a design change is possible at any time on the CAD screen. Moreover the ink is only deposited where it is needed. Custom made sensors, as they are currently demanded in space sensor applications, are thus realized simply, economically and ecologically. Based on the knowledge of the screen printing sensor production a complete solid state electrolyte oxygen sensor could be produced using Inkjet technology. First measurements in oxygen environment already show promising results. A defined oxygen concentration could be seen during exposition of the Inkjet sensors in an oxygen environment. The obtained results demonstrate the potential to use the technology development in other applications such as in situ respiratory gas analysis systems for human spaceflight. Further approaches at the Institute of Space Systems include the implementation of Inkjet printed solid state electrolyte sensors for the use as redundant safety sensors for the Institute's hybrid life support test beds including fuel cells and algal photo bioreactor elements.

  13. Dynamic self-organisation of haematopoiesis and (a)symmetric cell division.

    PubMed

    Måløy, Marthe; Måløy, Frode; Jakobsen, Per; Olav Brandsdal, Bjørn

    2017-02-07

    A model of haematopoiesis that links self-organisation with symmetric and asymmetric cell division is presented in this paper. It is assumed that all cell divisions are completely random events, and that the daughter cells resulting from symmetric and asymmetric stem cell divisions are, in general, phenotypically identical, and still, the haematopoietic system has the flexibility to self-renew, produce mature cells by differentiation, and regenerate undifferentiated and differentiated cells when necessary, due to self-organisation. As far as we know, no previous model implements symmetric and asymmetric division as the result of self-organisation. The model presented in this paper is inspired by experiments on the Drosophila germline stem cell, which imply that under normal conditions, the stem cells typically divide asymmetrically, whereas during regeneration, the rate of symmetric division increases. Moreover, the model can reproduce several of the results from experiments on female Safari cats. In particular, the model can explain why significant fluctuation in the phenotypes of haematopoietic cells was observed in some cats, when the haematopoietic system had reached normal population level after regeneration. To our knowledge, no previous model of haematopoiesis in Safari cats has captured this phenomenon. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Helical cone beam CT with an asymmetrical detector.

    PubMed

    Zamyatin, Alexander A; Taguchi, Katsuyuki; Silver, Michael D

    2005-10-01

    If a multislice or other area detector is shifted to one side to cover a larger field of view, then the data are truncated on one side. We propose a method to restore the missing data in helical cone-beam acquisitions that uses measured data on the longer side of the asymmetric detector array. The method is based on the idea of complementary rays, which is well known in fan beam geometry; in this paper we extend this concept to the cone-beam case. Different cases of complementary data coverage and dependence on the helical pitch are considered. The proposed method is used in our prototype 16-row CT scanner with an asymmetric detector and a 700 mm field of view. For evaluation we used scanned body phantom data and computer-simulated data. To simulate asymmetric truncation, the full, symmetric datasets were truncated by dropping either 22.5% or 45% from one side of the detector. Reconstructed images from the prototype scanner with the asymmetrical detector show excellent image quality in the extended field of view. The proposed method allows flexible helical pitch selection and can be used with overscan, short-scan, and super-short-scan reconstructions.

  15. Asymmetric soft-error resistant memory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buehler, Martin G. (Inventor); Perlman, Marvin (Inventor)

    1991-01-01

    A memory system is provided, of the type that includes an error-correcting circuit that detects and corrects, that more efficiently utilizes the capacity of a memory formed of groups of binary cells whose states can be inadvertently switched by ionizing radiation. Each memory cell has an asymmetric geometry, so that ionizing radiation causes a significantly greater probability of errors in one state than in the opposite state (e.g., an erroneous switch from '1' to '0' is far more likely than a switch from '0' to'1'. An asymmetric error correcting coding circuit can be used with the asymmetric memory cells, which requires fewer bits than an efficient symmetric error correcting code.

  16. Three dimensional force balance of asymmetric droplets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Yeseul; Lim, Su Jin; Cho, Kun; Weon, Byung Mook

    2016-11-01

    An equilibrium contact angle of a droplet is determined by a horizontal force balance among vapor, liquid, and solid, which is known as Young's law. Conventional wetting law is valid only for axis-symmetric droplets, whereas real droplets are often asymmetric. Here we show that three-dimensional geometry must be considered for a force balance for asymmetric droplets. By visualizing asymmetric droplets placed on a free-standing membrane in air with X-ray microscopy, we are able to identify that force balances in one side and in other side control pinning behaviors during evaporation of droplets. We find that X-ray microscopy is powerful for realizing the three-dimensional force balance, which would be essential in interpretation and manipulation of wetting, spreading, and drying dynamics for asymmetric droplets. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2016R1D1A1B01007133).

  17. Preparation and characterization of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube hybrid thin-film electrodes.

    PubMed

    Chen, Po-Chiang; Shen, Guozhen; Shi, Yi; Chen, Haitian; Zhou, Chongwu

    2010-08-24

    In the work described in this paper, we have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrid thin-film electrodes. These hybrid nanostructured films, with advantages of mechanical flexibility, uniform layered structures, and mesoporous surface morphology, were produced by using a filtration method. Here, manganese dioxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films worked as the positive electrode, and indium oxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films served as the negative electrode in a designed ASC. In our design, charges can be stored not only via electrochemical double-layer capacitance from SWNT films but also through a reversible faradic process from transition-metal-oxide nanowires. In addition, to obtain stable electrochemical behavior during charging/discharging cycles in a 2 V potential window, the mass balance between two electrodes has been optimized. Our optimized hybrid nanostructured ASCs exhibited a superior device performance with specific capacitance of 184 F/g, energy density of 25.5 Wh/kg, and columbic efficiency of approximately 90%. In addition, our ASCs exhibited a power density of 50.3 kW/kg, which is 10-fold higher than obtained in early reported ASC work. The high-performance hybrid nanostructured ASCs can find applications in conformal electrics, portable electronics, and electrical vehicles.

  18. Investigation of Phase Mixing in Amorphous Solid Dispersions of AMG 517 in HPMC-AS Using DSC, Solid-State NMR, and Solution Calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Calahan, Julie L; Azali, Stephanie C; Munson, Eric J; Nagapudi, Karthik

    2015-11-02

    Intimate phase mixing between the drug and the polymer is considered a prerequisite to achieve good physical stability for amorphous solid dispersions. In this article, spray dried amorphous dispersions (ASDs) of AMG 517 and HPMC-as were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solid-state NMR (SSNMR), and solution calorimetry. DSC analysis showed a weakly asymmetric (ΔTg ≈ 13.5) system with a single glass transition for blends of different compositions indicating phase mixing. The Tg-composition data was modeled using the BKCV equation to accommodate the observed negative deviation from ideality. Proton spin-lattice relaxation times in the laboratory and rotating frames ((1)H T1 and T1ρ), as measured by SSNMR, were consistent with the observation that the components of the dispersion were in intimate contact over a 10-20 nm length scale. Based on the heat of mixing calculated from solution calorimetry and the entropy of mixing calculated from the Flory-Huggins theory, the free energy of mixing was calculated. The free energy of mixing was found to be positive for all ASDs, indicating that the drug and polymer are thermodynamically predisposed to phase separation at 25 °C. This suggests that miscibility measured by DSC and SSNMR is achieved kinetically as the result of intimate mixing between drug and polymer during the spray drying process. This kinetic phase mixing is responsible for the physical stability of the ASD.

  19. Active-matrix OLED using 150°C a-Si TFT backplane built on flexible plastic substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarma, Kalluri R.; Chanley, Charles; Dodd, Sonia R.; Roush, Jared; Schmidt, John; Srdanov, Gordana; Stevenson, Matthew; Wessel, Ralf; Innocenzo, Jeffrey; Yu, Gang; O'Regan, Marie B.; MacDonald, W. A.; Eveson, R.; Long, Ke; Gleskova, Helena; Wagner, Sigurd; Sturm, James C.

    2003-09-01

    Flexible displays fabricated using plastic substrates have a potential for being very thin, light weight, highly rugged with greatly minimized propensity for breakage, roll-to-roll manufacturing and lower cost. The emerging OLED display media offers the advantage of being a solid state and rugged structure for flexible displays in addition to the many potential advantages of an AM OLED over the currently dominant AM LCD. The current high level of interest in flexible displays is facilitating the development of the required enabling technologies which include development of plastic substrates, low temperature active matrix device and backplane fabrication, and display packaging. In the following we will first discuss our development efforts in the PEN based plastic substrates, active matrix backplane technology, low temperature (150°C) a-Si TFT devices and an AM OLED test chip used for evaluating various candidate designs. We will then describe the design, fabrication and successful evaluation and demonstration of a 64x64 pixel AM OLED test display using a-Si TFT backplane fabricated at 150°C on the flexible plastic substrate.

  20. Measurement of the adsorption energy difference between ortho- and para-D2 on an amorphous ice surface.

    PubMed

    Amiaud, L; Momeni, A; Dulieu, F; Fillion, J H; Matar, E; Lemaire, J-L

    2008-02-08

    Molecular hydrogen interaction on water ice surfaces is a major process taking place in interstellar dense clouds. By coupling laser detection and classical thermal desorption spectroscopy, it is possible to study the effect of rotation of D(2) on adsorption on amorphous solid water ice surfaces. The desorption profiles of ortho- and para-D(2) are different. This difference is due to a shift in the adsorption energy distribution of the two lowest rotational states. Molecules in J''=1 rotational state are on average more strongly bound to the ice surface than those in J''=0 rotational state. This energy difference is estimated to be 1.4+/-0.3 meV. This value is in agreement with previous calculation and interpretation. The nonspherical wave function J'' =1 has an interaction with the asymmetric part of the adsorption potential and contributes positively in the binding energy.

  1. Molecular Dissection of the Homotrimeric Sliding Clamp of T4 Phage: Two Domains of a Subunit Display Asymmetric Characteristics.

    PubMed

    Singh, Manika Indrajit; Jain, Vikas

    2016-01-26

    Sliding clamp proteins are circular dimers or trimers that encircle DNA and serve as processivity factors during DNA replication. Their presence in all the three domains of life and in bacteriophages clearly indicates their high level of significance. T4 gp45, besides functioning as the DNA polymerase processivity factor, also moonlights as the late promoter transcription determinant. Here we report a detailed biophysical analysis of gp45. The chemical denaturation of gp45 probed by circular dichroism spectroscopy, tryptophan fluorescence anisotropy, and blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggests that the protein follows a three-state denaturation profile and displays an intermediate molten globule-like state. The three-state transition was found to be the result of the sequential unfolding of the two domains, the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the C-terminal domain (CTD), of gp45. The experiments involving Trp fluorescence quenching by acrylamide demonstrate that the CTD undergoes substantial changes in conformation during formation of the intermediate state. Further biophysical dissection of the individual domain reveals contrasting properties of the two domains. The NTD unfolds at low urea concentrations and is also susceptible to protease cleavage, whereas the CTD resists urea-mediated denaturation and is not amenable to protease digestion even at higher urea concentrations. These experiments allow us to conclude that the two domains of gp45 differ in their dynamics. While the CTD shows stability and rigidity, we find that the NTD is unstable and flexible. We believe that the asymmetric characteristics of the two domains and the interface they form hold significance in gp45 structure and function.

  2. High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitor from Large Free-Standing Graphene-PEDOT/PSS Films.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yuqing; Weng, Bo; Razal, Joselito M; Xu, Qun; Zhao, Chen; Hou, Yuyang; Seyedin, Shayan; Jalili, Rouhollah; Wallace, Gordon G; Chen, Jun

    2015-11-20

    Although great attention has been paid to wearable electronic devices in recent years, flexible lightweight batteries or supercapacitors with high performance are still not readily available due to the limitations of the flexible electrode inventory. In this work, highly flexible, bendable and conductive rGO-PEDOT/PSS films were prepared using a simple bar-coating method. The assembled device using rGO-PEDOT/PSS electrode could be bent and rolled up without any decrease in electrochemical performance. A relatively high areal capacitance of 448 mF cm(-2) was achieved at a scan rate of 10 mV s(-1) using the composite electrode with a high mass loading (8.49 mg cm(-2)), indicating the potential to be used in practical applications. To demonstrate this applicability, a roll-up supercapacitor device was constructed, which illustrated the operation of a green LED light for 20 seconds when fully charged.

  3. High-Performance Biomass-Based Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitor Constructed of Pressure-Sensitive Lignin-Based and Cellulose Hydrogels.

    PubMed

    Peng, Zhiyuan; Zou, Yubo; Xu, Shiqi; Zhong, Wenbin; Yang, Wantai

    2018-06-19

    Employing renewable, earth-abundant, environmentally friendly, low-cost natural materials to design flexible supercapacitors (FSCs) as energy storage devices in wearable/portable electronics represents the global perspective to build sustainable and green society. Chemically stable and flexible cellulose and electroactive lignin have been employed to construct a biomass-based FSC for the first time. The FSC was assembled using lignosulfonate/single-walled carbon nanotube HNO 3 (Lig/SWCNT HNO 3 ) pressure-sensitive hydrogels as electrodes and cellulose hydrogels as an electrolyte separator. The assembled biomass-based FSC shows high specific capacitance (292 F g -1 at a current density of 0.5 A g -1 ), excellent rate capability, and an outstanding energy density of 17.1 W h kg -1 at a power density of 324 W kg -1 . Remarkably, the FSC presents outstanding electrochemical stability even suffering 1000 bending cycles. Such excellent flexibility, stability, and electrochemical performance enable the designed biomass-based FSCs as prominent candidates in applications of wearable electronic devices.

  4. High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Supercapacitor from Large Free-Standing Graphene-PEDOT/PSS Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yuqing; Weng, Bo; Razal, Joselito M.; Xu, Qun; Zhao, Chen; Hou, Yuyang; Seyedin, Shayan; Jalili, Rouhollah; Wallace, Gordon G.; Chen, Jun

    2015-11-01

    Although great attention has been paid to wearable electronic devices in recent years, flexible lightweight batteries or supercapacitors with high performance are still not readily available due to the limitations of the flexible electrode inventory. In this work, highly flexible, bendable and conductive rGO-PEDOT/PSS films were prepared using a simple bar-coating method. The assembled device using rGO-PEDOT/PSS electrode could be bent and rolled up without any decrease in electrochemical performance. A relatively high areal capacitance of 448 mF cm-2 was achieved at a scan rate of 10 mV s-1 using the composite electrode with a high mass loading (8.49 mg cm-2), indicating the potential to be used in practical applications. To demonstrate this applicability, a roll-up supercapacitor device was constructed, which illustrated the operation of a green LED light for 20 seconds when fully charged.

  5. Electrochemical characteristics of flexible micro supercapacitors with reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes composite electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Kyungwhan; Cho, Kyoungah; Kim, Sangsig

    2018-06-01

    In this study, we fabricate solid-state flexible micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) with reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotube (rGO-CNT) composite electrodes and investigate the electrochemical characteristics by comparing with those of an MSC with rGO electrodes. Regarding the resistance-capacitance time constant and IR drop, the addition of CNTs into the rGO electrodes shows a significant effect owing to both the decrease in the resistance and the increase in the permeability of the electrolytes. Compared to the rGO MSCs, the rGO-CNT MSCs show an excellent areal capacitance of 2.6 mF/cm2, a smaller IR drop of 11 mV, a lower RC time constant of 6 ms, and faster charging/discharging rates with a high scan rate ability up to 100 V/s. The mechanical stability of the flexible rGO-CNT MSCs is verified by 1000 bending cycles. In addition, the electrochemical characteristics of the flexible rGO-CNT MSCs are maintained regardless of the MSC array type.

  6. Energy from gasification of solid wastes.

    PubMed

    Belgiorno, V; De Feo, G; Della Rocca, C; Napoli, R M A

    2003-01-01

    Gasification technology is by no means new: in the 1850s, most of the city of London was illuminated by "town gas" produced from the gasification of coal. Nowadays, gasification is the main technology for biomass conversion to energy and an attractive alternative for the thermal treatment of solid waste. The number of different uses of gas shows the flexibility of gasification and therefore allows it to be integrated with several industrial processes, as well as power generation systems. The use of a waste-biomass energy production system in a rural community is very interesting too. This paper describes the current state of gasification technology, energy recovery systems, pre-treatments and prospective in syngas use with particular attention to the different process cycles and environmental impacts of solid wastes gasification.

  7. Wall Pressure Unsteadiness and Side Loads in Overexpanded Rocket Nozzles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baars, Woutijn J.; Tinney, Charles E.; Ruf, Joseph H.; Brown, Andrew M.; McDaniels, David M.

    2012-01-01

    Surveys of both the static and dynamic wall pressure signatures on the interior surface of a sub-scale, cold-flow and thrust optimized parabolic nozzle are conducted during fixed nozzle pressure ratios corresponding to FSS and RSS states. The motive is to develop a better understanding for the sources of off-axis loads during the transient start-up of overexpanded rocket nozzles. During FSS state, pressure spectra reveal frequency content resembling SWTBLI. Presumably, when the internal flow is in RSS state, separation bubbles are trapped by shocks and expansion waves; interactions between the separated flow regions and the waves produce asymmetric pressure distributions. An analysis of the azimuthal modes reveals how the breathing mode encompasses most of the resolved energy and that the side load inducing mode is coherent with the response moment measured by strain gauges mounted upstream of the nozzle on a flexible tube. Finally, the unsteady pressure is locally more energetic during RSS, albeit direct measurements of the response moments indicate higher side load activity when in FSS state. It is postulated that these discrepancies are attributed to cancellation effects between annular separation bubbles.

  8. Unique considerations in the design and experimental evaluation of tailored wings with elastically produced chordwise camber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rehfield, Lawrence W.; Zischka, Peter J.; Fentress, Michael L.; Chang, Stephen

    1992-01-01

    Some of the unique considerations that are associated with the design and experimental evaluation of chordwise deformable wing structures are addressed. Since chordwise elastic camber deformations are desired and must be free to develop, traditional rib concepts and experimental methodology cannot be used. New rib design concepts are presented and discussed. An experimental methodology based upon the use of a flexible sling support and load application system has been created and utilized to evaluate a model box beam experimentally. Experimental data correlate extremely well with design analysis predictions based upon a beam model for the global properties of camber compliance and spanwise bending compliance. Local strain measurements exhibit trends in agreement with intuition and theory but depart slightly from theoretical perfection based upon beam-like behavior alone. It is conjectured that some additional refinement of experimental technique is needed to explain or eliminate these (minor) departures from asymmetric behavior of upper and lower box cover strains. Overall, a solid basis for the design of box structures based upon the bending method of elastic camber production has been confirmed by the experiments.

  9. Effect of arginine methylation on the RNA recognition and cellular uptake of Tat-derived peptides.

    PubMed

    Li, Jhe-Hao; Chiu, Wen-Chieh; Yao, Yun-Chiao; Cheng, Richard P

    2015-05-01

    Arginine (Arg) methylation is a common post-translational modification that regulates gene expression and viral infection. The HIV-1 Tat protein is an essential regulatory protein for HIV proliferation, and is methylated in the cell. The basic region (residues 47-57) of the Tat protein contains six Arg residues, and is responsible for two biological functions: RNA recognition and cellular uptake. In this study, we explore the effect of three different methylation states at each Arg residue in Tat-derived peptides on the two biological functions. The Tat-derived peptides were synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis. TAR RNA binding of the peptides was assessed by electrophoresis mobility shift assays. The cellular uptake of the peptides into Jurkat cells was determined by flow cytometry. Our results showed that RNA recognition was affected by both methylation state and position. In particular, asymmetric dimethylation at position 53 decreased TAR RNA binding affinity significantly, but unexpectedly less so upon asymmetric dimethylation at position 52. The RNA binding affinity even slightly increased upon methylation at some of the flanking Arg residues. Upon Arg methylation, the cellular uptake of Tat-derived peptides mostly decreased. Interestingly, cellular uptake of Tat-derived peptides with a single asymmetrically dimethylated Arg residue was similar to the native all Arg peptide (at 120 μM). Based on our results, TAR RNA binding apparently required both guanidinium terminal NH groups on Arg53, whereas cellular uptake apparently required guanidinium terminal NH₂ groups instead. These results should provide insight into how nature uses arginine methylation to regulate different biological functions, and should be useful for the development of functional molecules with methylated arginines. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Three-Dimensional Expanded Graphene-Metal Oxide Film via Solid-State Microwave Irradiation for Aqueous Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yang, MinHo; Lee, Kyoung G; Lee, Seok Jae; Lee, Sang Bok; Han, Young-Kyu; Choi, Bong Gill

    2015-10-14

    Carbon-based electrochemical double-layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors, consisting of a symmetric configuration of electrodes, can deliver much higher power densities than batteries, but they suffer from low energy densities. Herein, we report the development of high energy and power density supercapacitors using an asymmetric configuration of Fe2O3 and MnO2 nanoparticles incorporated into 3D macroporous graphene film electrodes that can be operated in a safe and low-cost aqueous electrolyte. The gap in working potential windows of Fe2O3 and MnO2 enables the stable expansion of the cell voltage up to 1.8 V, which is responsible for the high energy density (41.7 Wh kg(-1)). We employ a household microwave oven to simultaneously create conductivity, porosity, and the deposition of metal oxides on graphene films toward 3D hybrid architectures, which lead to a high power density (13.5 kW kg(-1)). Such high energy and power densities are maintained for over 5000 cycles, even during cycling at a high current density of 16.9 A g(-1).

  11. Construction of Metal-Organic Framework/Conductive Polymer Hybrid for All-Solid-State Fabric Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Qi, Kai; Hou, Ruizuo; Zaman, Shahid; Qiu, Yubing; Xia, Bao Yu; Duan, Hongwei

    2018-05-30

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) hold promising potential in energy storage but are limited by poor conductivity. In this work, a metal-organic framework/polypyrrole hybrid is constructed by a facile one-pot electrodeposition method in the presence of dopamine. An all-solid-state fabric supercapacitor based on this hybrid demonstrates excellent electrochemical energy-storage performance, which achieves a specific capacitance of 10 mF cm -1 (206 mF cm -2 ), a power density of 132 μW cm -1 (2102 μW cm -2 ), and an energy density of 0.8 μWh cm -1 (12.8 μWh cm -2 ). The stable cycling life and excellent mechanical flexibility over a wide range of working temperature are also achieved, which maintains a capacitance retention of 89% over 10 000 charging/discharging cycles, a capacitance decrease of only 4% after 1000 frizzy (360° bending) cycles, and no obvious capacitance loss under 100 repeated heating (100 °C)/cooling (-15 °C) cycles. This fibrous supercapacitor displays promising potential in wearable textile electronics as it can be easily woven into common cotton cloth. Our strategy may shed some valuable light on the construction of MOF-based hybrids for flexible energy-storage electronics.

  12. Highly compressible three-dimensional graphene hydrogel for foldable all-solid-state supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xianbin; Zou, Shuai; Liu, Kaixi; Lv, Chao; Wu, Ziping; Yin, Yanhong; Liang, Tongxiang; Xie, Zailai

    2018-04-01

    The fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based macroscopic materials with superior mechanical and electrical properties for flexible energy storage devices is still extremely challenging. Here, we report a novel 3D graphene hydrogel decorated by the biomass phytic acid (PAGH) with developed porosity and strengthen mechanical property via hydrothermal and freeze-drying methods. The phytic acid molecules are intercalated into the graphene sheets, enabling robust network structure. This induces the formation of materials with larger specific surface area, lower density and enhanced compressive strength compared with pure GH. When directly employed as an electrode, the PAGH exhibits a high specific capacitance of 248.8 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and excellent rate performance of 67.9% as current density increasing to 20 A g-1. Furthermore, the all-solid-state supercapacitor based PAGH can deliver outstanding cycle life (86.2% after cycling 10,000 times), glorious energy density (26.5 Wh kg-1) and power density (5135.1 W kg-1). The prepared device shows stable electrochemical behaviors at random bending angles. Therefore, the present work will open a new avenue to design and fabricate new flexible and portable graphene-based electrodes for future applications in energy storage devices.

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

    Hu, Nantao; Zhang, Liling; Yang, Chao

    Thin, robust, lightweight, and flexible supercapacitors (SCs) have aroused growing attentions nowadays due to the rapid development of flexible electronics. Graphene-polyaniline (PANI) hybrids are attractive candidates for high performance SCs. In order to utilize them in real devices, it is necessary to improve the capacitance and the structure stability of PANI. Here we report a hierarchical three-dimensional structure, in which all of PANI nanofibers (NFs) are tightly wrapped inside reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet skeletons, for high-performance flexible SCs. The as-fabricated film electrodes with this unique structure showed a highest gravimetric specific capacitance of 921 F/g and volumetric capacitance ofmore » 391 F/cm 3. The assembled solid-state SCs gave a high specific capacitance of 211 F/g (1 A/g), a high area capacitance of 0.9 F/cm 2, and a competitive volumetric capacitance of 25.6 F/cm 3. The SCs also exhibited outstanding rate capability (~75% retention at 20 A/g) as well as excellent cycling stability (100% retention at 10 A/g for 2000 cycles). Additionally, no structural failure and loss of performance were observed under the bending state. Lastly, this structure design paves a new avenue for engineering rGO/PANI or other similar hybrids for high performance flexible energy storage devices.« less

  14. Some properties of asymmetric Hopfield neural networks with finite time of transition between states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suleimenov, Ibragim; Mun, Grigoriy; Panchenko, Sergey; Pak, Ivan

    2016-11-01

    There were implemented samples of asymmetric Hopfield neural networks which have finite time of transition from one state to another. It was shown that in such systems, various oscillation modes could occur. It was revealed that the oscillation of the output signal of certain neuron could be treated as extra logical variable, which describes the state of the neuron. Asymmetric Hopfield neural networks are described in terms of ternary logic. Such logic may be employed in image recognition procedure.

  15. Finite Rotation Analysis of Highly Thin and Flexible Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Clarke, Greg V.; Lee, Keejoo; Lee, Sung W.; Broduer, Stephen J. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Deployable space structures such as sunshields and solar sails are extremely thin and highly flexible with limited bending rigidity. For analytical investigation of their responses during deployment and operation in space, these structures can be modeled as thin shells. The present work examines the applicability of the solid shell element formulation to modeling of deployable space structures. The solid shell element formulation that models a shell as a three-dimensional solid is convenient in that no rotational parameters are needed for the description of kinematics of deformation. However, shell elements may suffer from element locking as the thickness becomes smaller unless special care is taken. It is shown that, when combined with the assumed strain formulation, the solid shell element formulation results in finite element models that are free of locking even for extremely thin structures. Accordingly, they can be used for analysis of highly flexible space structures undergoing geometrically nonlinear finite rotations.

  16. Asymmetric reduction of benzil to (S)-benzoin with Penicillium claviforme IAM 7294 in a liquid-liquid interface bioreactor (L-L IBR).

    PubMed

    Oda, Shinobu; Isshiki, Kunio

    2008-05-01

    The asymmetric reduction of benzyl to (S)-benzoin with Penicillium claviforme IAM 7294 was applied to a liquid-liquid interface bioreactor (L-L IBR) using a unique polymeric material, ballooned microsphere (MS). The L-L IBR showed superior performance, as compared with suspension, organic-aqueous two-liquid-phase, and solid-liquid interface bioreactor (S-L IBR) systems, affording 14.4 g/l-organic phase of (S)-benzoin (99.0% ee).

  17. Evidence for asymmetric edge-on Langmuir monolayer: Application to surface potential measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Abed, A.; Ionov, R.; Goldmann, M.; Fontaine, P.; Billard, J.; Peretti, P.

    2001-10-01

    We show, using surface pressure vs. molecular area isotherm measurements and synchrotron grazing X-ray diffraction, that 4BCD12 molecules, which consist of a central flexible bowl-like core to which eight long lateral hydrocarbon chains are bound, form a stable edge-on monolayer. Experimental data indicate that six lateral hydrocarbon chains orient upwards to form a quasi-rectangular lattice of 43° tilted hydrocarbon chains. The obtained axially asymmetric phase, which we label edge26-on, allows using surface potential measurements, for the validation of literature electric models of a single monolayer spread at the air-water interface.

  18. Fabrication of gradient optical filter containing anisotropic Bragg nanostructure.

    PubMed

    Cho, Bomin; Um, Sungyong; Woo, Hee-Gweon; Sohn, Honglae

    2011-08-01

    New gradient optical filters containing asymmetric Bragg structure were prepared from the distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) porous silicon (PSi). Anisotropic DBR PSi displaying a rainbow-colored reflection was generated by using an asymmetric etching configuration. Flexible anisotropic DBR PSi composite films were obtained by casting of polymer solution onto anisotropic DBR PSi thin films. The surface and cross-sectional images images of anisotropic DBR PSi composite films obtained with cold field emission scanning electron microscope indicated that the average pore size and the thickness of porous layer decreased as the lateral distance increased. As lateral distance increased, the reflection resonance shifted to shorter wavelength.

  19. Global Structure of HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibody IgG1 b12 is Asymmetric

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

    Ashish, F.; Solanki, A; Boone, C

    2010-01-01

    Human antibody IgG1 b12 is one of the four antibodies known to neutralize a broad range of human immunodeficiency virus-1. The crystal structure of this antibody displayed an asymmetric disposition of the Fab arms relative to its Fc portion. Comparison of structures solved for other IgG1 antibodies led to a notion that crystal packing forces entrapped a 'snap-shot' of different conformations accessible to this antibody. To elucidate global structure of this unique antibody, we acquired small-angle X-ray scattering data from its dilute solution. Data analysis indicated that b12 adopts a bilobal globular structure in solution with a radius of gyrationmore » and a maximum linear dimension of {approx}54 and {approx}180 {angstrom}, respectively. Extreme similarity between its solution and crystal structure concludes that non-flexible, asymmetric shape is an inherent property of this rare antibody.« less

  20. Diketopyrrolopyrrole Polymers with Thienyl and Thiazolyl Linkers for Application in Field-Effect Transistors and Polymer Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Yu, Yaping; Wu, Yang; Zhang, Andong; Li, Cheng; Tang, Zheng; Ma, Wei; Wu, Yonggang; Li, Weiwei

    2016-11-09

    Conjugated polymers consisting of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) units have been successfully applied in field-effect transistors (FETs) and polymer solar cells (PSCs), while most of the DPP polymers were designed as symmetric structures containing identical aromatic linkers. In this manuscript, we design a new asymmetric DPP polymer with varied aromatic linkers in the backbone for application in FETs and PSCs. The designation provides the chance to finely adjust the energy levels of conjugated polymers so as to influence the device performance. The asymmetric polymer exhibits highly crystalline properties, high hole mobilities of 3.05 cm 2 V -1 s -1 in FETs, and a high efficiency of 5.9% in PSCs with spectra response from 300 to 850 nm. Morphology investigation demonstrates that the asymmetric polymer has a large crystal domain in blended thin films, indicating that the solar cell performance can be further enhanced by optimizing the microphase separation. The study reveals that the asymmetric design via adjusting the aromatic linkers in DPP polymers is a useful route toward flexible electronic devices.

  1. Estimation of value at risk in currency exchange rate portfolio using asymmetric GJR-GARCH Copula

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurrahmat, Mohamad Husein; Noviyanti, Lienda; Bachrudin, Achmad

    2017-03-01

    In this study, we discuss the problem in measuring the risk in a portfolio based on value at risk (VaR) using asymmetric GJR-GARCH Copula. The approach based on the consideration that the assumption of normality over time for the return can not be fulfilled, and there is non-linear correlation for dependent model structure among the variables that lead to the estimated VaR be inaccurate. Moreover, the leverage effect also causes the asymmetric effect of dynamic variance and shows the weakness of the GARCH models due to its symmetrical effect on conditional variance. Asymmetric GJR-GARCH models are used to filter the margins while the Copulas are used to link them together into a multivariate distribution. Then, we use copulas to construct flexible multivariate distributions with different marginal and dependence structure, which is led to portfolio joint distribution does not depend on the assumptions of normality and linear correlation. VaR obtained by the analysis with confidence level 95% is 0.005586. This VaR derived from the best Copula model, t-student Copula with marginal distribution of t distribution.

  2. A Linear City Model with Asymmetric Consumer Distribution

    PubMed Central

    Azar, Ofer H.

    2015-01-01

    The article analyzes a linear-city model where the consumer distribution can be asymmetric, which is important because in real markets this distribution is often asymmetric. The model yields equilibrium price differences, even though the firms’ costs are equal and their locations are symmetric (at the two endpoints of the city). The equilibrium price difference is proportional to the transportation cost parameter and does not depend on the good's cost. The firms' markups are also proportional to the transportation cost. The two firms’ prices will be equal in equilibrium if and only if half of the consumers are located to the left of the city’s midpoint, even if other characteristics of the consumer distribution are highly asymmetric. An extension analyzes what happens when the firms have different costs and how the two sources of asymmetry – the consumer distribution and the cost per unit – interact together. The model can be useful as a tool for further development by other researchers interested in applying this simple yet flexible framework for the analysis of various topics. PMID:26034984

  3. Designing asymmetric multiferroics with strong magnetoelectric coupling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Xuezeng; Xiang, Hongjun; Rondinelli, James; Materials Theory; Design Group Team

    2015-03-01

    Multiferroics offer exciting opportunities for electric-field control of magnetism. Single-phase multiferroics suitable for such applications at room temperature need much more study. Here, we propose the concept of an alternative type of multiferroics, namely, the ``asymmetric multiferroic.'' In asymmetric multiferroics, two locally stable ferroelectric states are not symmetrically equivalent, leading to different magnetic properties between these two states. Furthermore, we predict from first principles that a Fe-Cr-Mo superlattice with the LiNbO3-type structure is such an asymmetric multiferroic. The strong ferrimagnetism, high ferroelectric polarization, and significant dependence of the magnetic transition temperature on polarization make this asymmetric multiferroic an ideal candidate for realizing electric-field control of magnetism at room temperature. Our study suggests that the asymmetric multiferroic may provide an alternative playground for voltage control of magnetism and find its applications in spintronics and quantum computing.

  4. Designing asymmetric multiferroics with strong magnetoelectric coupling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, X. Z.; Xiang, H. J.

    2014-09-01

    Multiferroics offer exciting opportunities for electric-field control of magnetism. Single-phase multiferroics suitable for such applications at room temperature need much more study. Here, we propose the concept of an alternative type of multiferroics, namely, the "asymmetric multiferroic." In asymmetric multiferroics, two locally stable ferroelectric states are not symmetrically equivalent, leading to different magnetic properties between these two states. Furthermore, we predict from first principles that a Fe-Cr-Mo superlattice with the LiNbO3-type structure is such an asymmetric multiferroic. The strong ferrimagnetism, high ferroelectric polarization, and significant dependence of the magnetic transition temperature on polarization make this asymmetric multiferroic an ideal candidate for realizing electric-field control of magnetism at room temperature. Our study suggests that the asymmetric multiferroic may provide an alternative playground for voltage control of magnetism and find its applications in spintronics and quantum computing.

  5. Redox-Active Hydrogel Polymer Electrolytes with Different pH Values for Enhancing the Energy Density of the Hybrid Solid-State Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiaohui; Lui, Yu Hui; Merhi, Abdul Rahman; Chen, Bolin; Ding, Shaowei; Zhang, Bowei; Hu, Shan

    2017-12-27

    To enhance the energy density of solid-state supercapacitors, a novel solid-state cell, made of redox-active poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel electrolytes and functionalized carbon nanotube-coated cellulose paper electrodes, was investigated in this work. Briefly, acidic PVA-[BMIM]Cl-lactic acid-LiBr and neutral PVA-[BMIM]Cl-sodium acetate-LiBr hydrogel polymer electrolytes are used as catholyte and anolyte, respectively. The acidic condition of the catholyte contributes to suppression of the undesired irreversible reaction of Br - and extension of the oxygen evolution reaction potential to a higher value than that of the redox potential of Br - /Br 3 - reaction. The observed Br - /Br 3 - redox activity at the cathode contributes to enhance the cathode capacitance. The neutral condition of the anolyte helps extend the operating voltage window of the supercapacitor by introducing hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential to the anode. The electrosorption of nascent H on the negative electrode also increases the anode capacitance. As a result, the prepared solid-state hybrid supercapacitor shows a broad voltage window of 1.6 V, with a high Coulombic efficiency of 97.6% and the highest energy density of 16.3 Wh/kg with power density of 932.6 W/kg at 2 A/g obtained. After 10 000 cycles of galvanostatic charge and discharge tests at the current density of 10 A/g, it exhibits great cyclic stability with 93.4% retention of the initial capacitance. In addition, a robust capacitive performance can also be observed from the solid-state supercapacitor at different bending angles, indicating its great potential as a flexible energy storage device.

  6. Highly Efficient Flexible Quantum Dot Solar Cells with Improved Electron Extraction Using MgZnO Nanocrystals.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaoliang; Santra, Pralay Kanti; Tian, Lei; Johansson, Malin B; Rensmo, Håkan; Johansson, Erik M J

    2017-08-22

    Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells have high potential for realizing an efficient and lightweight energy supply for flexible or wearable electronic devices. To achieve highly efficient and flexible CQD solar cells, the electron transport layer (ETL), extracting electrons from the CQD solid layer, needs to be processed at a low-temperature and should also suppress interfacial recombination. Herein, a highly stable MgZnO nanocrystal (MZO-NC) layer is reported for efficient flexible PbS CQD solar cells. Solar cells fabricated with MZO-NC ETL give a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.4% and 9.4%, on glass and flexible plastic substrates, respectively. The reported flexible CQD solar cell has the record efficiency to date of flexible CQD solar cells. Detailed theoretical simulations and extensive characterizations reveal that the MZO-NCs significantly enhance charge extraction from CQD solids and diminish the charge accumulation at the ETL/CQD interface, suppressing charge interfacial recombination. These important results suggest that the low-temperature processed MZO-NCs are very promising for use in efficient flexible solar cells or other flexible optoelectronic devices.

  7. Distributed flexibility in inertial swimmers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Floryan, Daniel; Rowley, Clarence W.; Smits, Alexander J.

    2017-11-01

    To achieve fast and efficient swimming, the flexibility of the propulsive surfaces is an important feature. To better understand the effects of distributed flexibility (either through inhomogeneous material properties, varying geometry, or both) we consider the coupled solid and fluid mechanics of the problem. Here, we develop a simplified model of a flexible swimmer, using Euler-Bernoulli theory to describe the solid, Theodorsen's theory to describe the fluid, and a Blasius boundary layer to incorporate viscous effects. Our primary aims are to understand how distributed flexibility affects the thrust production and efficiency of a swimmer with imposed motion at its leading edge. In particular, we examine the modal shapes of the swimmer to gain physical insight into the observed trends. Supported under ONR MURI Grant N00014-14-1-0533, Program Manager Robert Brizzolara.

  8. An intrinsically self-healing NiCo//Zn rechargeable battery by self-healable ferric-ion-crosslinking sodium polyacrylate hydrogel electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yan; Liu, Jie; Wang, Jiaqi; Hu, Mengmeng; Mo, Funian; Liang, Guojin; Zhi, Chunyi

    2018-06-15

    Self-healing solid-state aqueous rechargeable NiCo//Zn batteries are an essential element of flexible/wearable electronics due to their inherent safety, high energy density and mechanical robustness etc. However, the self-healability of solid-state batteries is only realized by few studies, in which electron/ion-inactive self-healable substrates are utilized. This fundamentally arises from the lack of self-healable electrolytes for solid-state batteries, and therefore, results in low healing efficiency and volume/mass diseconomy. Here we develop an intrinsically self-healing battery by designing a new electrolyte that is intrinsically self-healable. Sodium polyacrylate hydrogel chains are crosslinked by ferric ions to promote dynamic reconstruction of an integral network. These non-covalent crosslinkers can form ionic bonds to reconnect damaged surfaces when the hydrogel is cut off, providing an ultimate solution to the intrinsic self-healability problem of batteries. As a result, our NiCo//Zn battery with this hydrogel electrolyte can be autonomically self-healed with over 87% of capacity retained after 4 cycles of breaking/healing. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. A novel adenine-based metal organic framework derived nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon for flexible solid-state supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Li, Haowen; Fu, Dongying; Zhang, Xian-Ming

    2018-01-01

    In this article, we have synthesized a series of nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon (NPC) from metal organic framework of UiO-66 with different ratios of adenine and 1,4-benzendicarboxylate (H 2 BDC) coated on carbon nanotube film (CNTF) to obtain a flexible porous electrode (NPC/CNTF). It is worth noting that the introduction of adenine at different ratios did not change the structure of UiO-66. We also investigated the effect of carbonization temperature from 800 to 1000°C on the electrochemical properties of the NPC. The ratio (H 2 BDC:adenine) 9 : 1 and the NPC carbonized at 900°C (denoted as NPC-1-900) exhibits better electrochemical properties. The results show that NPC-1-900/CNTF electrode exhibits an exceptional areal capacitance of 121.5 mF cm -2 compared to that of PC-900/CNTF electrode (22.8 mF cm -2 ) at 5 mV s -1 in a three-electrode system, indicating that the incorporation of nitrogen is beneficial to the electrochemical properties of nanoporous carbon. A symmetric flexible solid-state supercapacitor of NPC-1-900/CNTF has also been assembled and tested. Electrochemical data show that the device exhibited superior areal capacitance (43.2 mF cm -2 ) at the scan rate of 5 mV s -1 ; the volumetric energy density is 57.3 µWh cm -3 and the volumetric power density is 2.4 mW cm -3 at the current density of 0.5 mA cm -2 based on poly(vinyl alcohol)/H 3 PO 4 gel electrolyte. For practical application, we have also studied the bending tests of the device, which show that the device exhibits outstanding mechanical stability under different bending angles. Furthermore, the flexible device shows excellent cyclic stability, which can retain 91.5% of the initial capacitance after 2000 cycles.

  10. A novel adenine-based metal organic framework derived nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon for flexible solid-state supercapacitor

    PubMed Central

    Li, Haowen; Zhang, Xian-Ming

    2018-01-01

    In this article, we have synthesized a series of nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon (NPC) from metal organic framework of UiO-66 with different ratios of adenine and 1,4-benzendicarboxylate (H2BDC) coated on carbon nanotube film (CNTF) to obtain a flexible porous electrode (NPC/CNTF). It is worth noting that the introduction of adenine at different ratios did not change the structure of UiO-66. We also investigated the effect of carbonization temperature from 800 to 1000°C on the electrochemical properties of the NPC. The ratio (H2BDC:adenine) 9 : 1 and the NPC carbonized at 900°C (denoted as NPC-1-900) exhibits better electrochemical properties. The results show that NPC-1-900/CNTF electrode exhibits an exceptional areal capacitance of 121.5 mF cm−2 compared to that of PC-900/CNTF electrode (22.8 mF cm−2) at 5 mV s−1 in a three-electrode system, indicating that the incorporation of nitrogen is beneficial to the electrochemical properties of nanoporous carbon. A symmetric flexible solid-state supercapacitor of NPC-1-900/CNTF has also been assembled and tested. Electrochemical data show that the device exhibited superior areal capacitance (43.2 mF cm−2) at the scan rate of 5 mV s−1; the volumetric energy density is 57.3 µWh cm−3 and the volumetric power density is 2.4 mW cm−3 at the current density of 0.5 mA cm−2 based on poly(vinyl alcohol)/H3PO4 gel electrolyte. For practical application, we have also studied the bending tests of the device, which show that the device exhibits outstanding mechanical stability under different bending angles. Furthermore, the flexible device shows excellent cyclic stability, which can retain 91.5% of the initial capacitance after 2000 cycles. PMID:29410815

  11. The 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoro-methylsulfonyl)-imide ionic liquid nanodroplets on solid surfaces and in electric field: A molecular dynamics simulation study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Dengpan; Vatamanu, Jenel P.; Wei, Xiaoyu; Bedrov, Dmitry

    2018-05-01

    Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to study the wetting states of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoro-methylsulfonyl)-imide ionic liquid (IL) nanodroplets on surfaces with different strengths of van der Waals (VDW) interactions and in the presence of an electric field. By adjusting the depth of Lennard-Jones potential, the van der Waals interaction between the solid surface and ionic liquid was systematically varied. The shape of the droplets was analyzed to extract the corresponding contact angle utilized to characterize wetting states of the nanodroplets. The explored range of surface-IL interactions allowed contact angles ranging from complete IL spreading on the surface to poor wettability. The effect of the external electrical field was explored by adding point charges to the surface atoms. Systems with two charge densities (±0.002 e/atom and ±0.004 e/atom) that correspond to 1.36 V/nm and 2.72 V/nm electric fields were investigated. Asymmetrical wetting states were observed for both cases. At 1.36 V/nm electric field, contributions of IL-surface VDW interactions and Coulombic interactions to the wetting state were competitive. At 2.72 V/nm field, electrostatic interactions dominate the interaction between the nanodroplet and surface, leading to enhanced wettability on all surfaces.

  12. A Layered Searchable Encryption Scheme with Functional Components Independent of Encryption Methods

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Guangchun; Qin, Ke

    2014-01-01

    Searchable encryption technique enables the users to securely store and search their documents over the remote semitrusted server, which is especially suitable for protecting sensitive data in the cloud. However, various settings (based on symmetric or asymmetric encryption) and functionalities (ranked keyword query, range query, phrase query, etc.) are often realized by different methods with different searchable structures that are generally not compatible with each other, which limits the scope of application and hinders the functional extensions. We prove that asymmetric searchable structure could be converted to symmetric structure, and functions could be modeled separately apart from the core searchable structure. Based on this observation, we propose a layered searchable encryption (LSE) scheme, which provides compatibility, flexibility, and security for various settings and functionalities. In this scheme, the outputs of the core searchable component based on either symmetric or asymmetric setting are converted to some uniform mappings, which are then transmitted to loosely coupled functional components to further filter the results. In such a way, all functional components could directly support both symmetric and asymmetric settings. Based on LSE, we propose two representative and novel constructions for ranked keyword query (previously only available in symmetric scheme) and range query (previously only available in asymmetric scheme). PMID:24719565

  13. Taichi-inspired rigid-flexible coupling cellulose-supported solid polymer electrolyte for high-performance lithium batteries

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jianjun; Yue, Liping; Hu, Pu; Liu, Zhihong; Qin, Bingsheng; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Qingfu; Ding, Guoliang; Zhang, Chuanjian; Zhou, Xinhong; Yao, Jianhua; Cui, Guanglei; Chen, Liquan

    2014-01-01

    Inspired by Taichi, we proposed rigid-flexible coupling concept and herein developed a highly promising solid polymer electrolyte comprised of poly (ethylene oxide), poly (cyano acrylate), lithium bis(oxalate)borate and robust cellulose nonwoven. Our investigation revealed that this new class solid polymer electrolyte possessed comprehensive properties in high mechanical integrity strength, sufficient ionic conductivity (3 × 10−4 S cm−1) at 60°C and improved dimensional thermostability (up to 160°C). In addition, the lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)/lithium (Li) cell using such solid polymer electrolyte displayed superior rate capacity (up to 6 C) and stable cycle performance at 80°C. Furthermore, the LiFePO4/Li battery could also operate very well even at an elevated temperature of 160°C, thus improving enhanced safety performance of lithium batteries. The use of this solid polymer electrolyte mitigates the safety risk and widens the operation temperature range of lithium batteries. Thus, this fascinating study demonstrates a proof of concept of the use of rigid-flexible coupling solid polymer electrolyte toward practical lithium battery applications with improved reliability and safety. PMID:25183416

  14. Rolling dry-coupled transducers for ultrasonic inspections of aging aircraft structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Komsky, Igor N.

    2004-07-01

    Some advanced aircraft materials or coatings are porous or otherwise sensitive to the application of water, gel, or some other ultrasonic couplants. To overcome the problems associated with the liquid coupling medium, dry-coupled rolling modules were developed at Northwestern University for the transmission of both longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves at frequencies up to 10 MHz. Dry-coupled ultrasonic modules contain solid core internal stators and solid or flexible external rotors with the flexible polymer substrates. Two types of the dry-coupled modules are under development. Cylindrical base transducer modules include solid core cylindrical rotors with flexible polymer substrates that rotate around the stators with ultrasonic elements. Dry-coupled modules with elongated bases contain solid core stators and flexible track-like polymer substrates that rotate around the stators as rotors of the modules. The elongated base modules have larger contact interfaces with the inspection surface in comparison with the cylindrical base modules. Some designs of the dry-coupled rolling modules contain several ultrasonic elements with different incident angles or a variable angle unit for rapid adjustments of incident angles. The prototype dry-coupled rolling modules were integrated with the portable ultrasonic inspection systems and tested on a number of Boeing aircraft structures.

  15. Vibration isolation by exploring bio-inspired structural nonlinearity.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhijing; Jing, Xingjian; Bian, Jing; Li, Fengming; Allen, Robert

    2015-10-08

    Inspired by the limb structures of animals/insects in motion vibration control, a bio-inspired limb-like structure (LLS) is systematically studied for understanding and exploring its advantageous nonlinear function in passive vibration isolation. The bio-inspired system consists of asymmetric articulations (of different rod lengths) with inside vertical and horizontal springs (as animal muscle) of different linear stiffness. Mathematical modeling and analysis of the proposed LLS reveal that, (a) the system has very beneficial nonlinear stiffness which can provide flexible quasi-zero, zero and/or negative stiffness, and these nonlinear stiffness properties are adjustable or designable with structure parameters; (b) the asymmetric rod-length ratio and spring-stiffness ratio present very beneficial factors for tuning system equivalent stiffness; (c) the system loading capacity is also adjustable with the structure parameters which presents another flexible benefit in application. Experiments and comparisons with existing quasi-zero-stiffness isolators validate the advantageous features above, and some discussions are also given about how to select structural parameters for practical applications. The results would provide an innovative bio-inspired solution to passive vibration control in various engineering practice.

  16. Quadrupolar magic angle spinning NMR spectra fitted using the Pearson IV function.

    PubMed

    Mironenko, Roman M; Belskaya, Olga B; Talsi, Valentin P; Likholobov, Vladimir A

    2014-01-01

    The Pearson IV function was used to fit the asymmetric solid-state (27)Al NMR spectra of alumina based catalysts. A high convergence (correlation coefficient is no less than 0.997) between experimental and simulated spectra was achieved. The decomposition of the (27)Al NMR spectra of zinc/aluminum mixed oxides with different Zn/Al molar ratio revealed an increased fraction (6-9%) of pentacoordinated aluminum atoms in these oxides as compared to γ-Al2O3. As the Zn/Al ratio is raised, the fraction of [AlO6] octahedral units decreases, while the fraction of [AlO4] tetrahedra increases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Mode-locked solid state lasers using diode laser excitation

    DOEpatents

    Holtom, Gary R [Boston, MA

    2012-03-06

    A mode-locked laser employs a coupled-polarization scheme for efficient longitudinal pumping by reshaped laser diode bars. One or more dielectric polarizers are configured to reflect a pumping wavelength having a first polarization and to reflect a lasing wavelength having a second polarization. An asymmetric cavity provides relatively large beam spot sizes in gain medium to permit efficient coupling to a volume pumped by a laser diode bar. The cavity can include a collimation region with a controlled beam spot size for insertion of a saturable absorber and dispersion components. Beam spot size is selected to provide stable mode locking based on Kerr lensing. Pulse durations of less than 100 fs can be achieved in Yb:KGW.

  18. Accelerated transport and growth with symmetrized dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merikoski, Juha

    2013-12-01

    In this paper we consider a model of accelerated dynamics with the rules modified from those of the recently proposed [Dong et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 130602 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.130602] accelerated exclusion process (AEP) such that particle-vacancy symmetry is restored to facilitate a mapping to a solid-on-solid growth model in 1+1 dimensions. In addition to kicking a particle ahead of the moving particle, as in the AEP, in our model another particle from behind is drawn, provided it is within the "distance of interaction" denoted by ℓmax. We call our model the doubly accelerated exclusion process (DAEP). We observe accelerated transport and interface growth and widening of the cluster size distribution for cluster sizes above ℓmax, when compared with the ordinary totally asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP). We also characterize the difference between the TASEP, AEP, and DAEP by computing a "staggered" order parameter, which reveals the local order in the steady state. This order in part explains the behavior of the particle current as a function of density. The differences of the steady states are also reflected by the behavior of the temporal and spatial correlation functions in the interface picture.

  19. Lithiated Nafion as polymer electrolyte for solid-state lithium sulfur batteries using carbon-sulfur composite cathode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Jing; Sun, Chunshui; Xu, Lei; Chen, Jian; Wang, Chong; Guo, Decai; Chen, Hao

    2018-04-01

    Due to flexible property and light weight, the lithiated Nafion membrane swollen with PC (PC-Li-Nafion) has been employed as both solid-state electrolyte and separator to fabricate solid-state Li-S cells. The electrochemical measurements of PC-Li-Nafion membrane show that its Li-ion transference number is 0.928, ionic conductivity of 2.1 × 10-4 S cm-1 can be achieved at 70 °C and its electrochemical window is 0 ∼ +4.1 V vs. Li+/Li. It is observed that the Li dendrites are suppressed by using PC-Li-Nafion membrane due to its single-ion conducting property. The amounts of Li-Nafion resin binder and conductive carbon in the cathode are optimized as 40% and 10% respectively to make a balance of ionic and electronic conductivities. A thin-layer Li-Nafion resin with a thickness of around 2 μm is fabricated between the cathode and PC-Li-Nafion membrane to improve the interfacial contact and further enhance the specific capacity of the cell. When measured at 70 °C, the Li-S cell delivers a reversible specific capacity of 1072.8 mAh g-1 (S) at 0.05 C and 895 mAh g-1 (S) at 1 C. The capacity retention at 1 C is 89% after 100 cycles. These results suggest that high-performance solid-state Li-S cells can be fabricated with the Li-Nafion polymer electrolyte.

  20. Characteristics of strain-sensitive photonic crystal cavities in a flexible substrate.

    PubMed

    No, You-Shin; Choi, Jae-Hyuck; Kim, Kyoung-Ho; Park, Hong-Gyu

    2016-11-14

    High-index semiconductor photonic crystal (PhC) cavities in a flexible substrate support strong and tunable optical resonances that can be used for highly sensitive and spatially localized detection of mechanical deformations in physical systems. Here, we report theoretical studies and fundamental understandings of resonant behavior of an optical mode excited in strain-sensitive rod-type PhC cavities consisting of high-index dielectric nanorods embedded in a low-index flexible polymer substrate. Using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulation method, we calculated two-dimensional transverse-electric-like photonic band diagrams and the three-dimensional dispersion surfaces near the first Γ-point band edge of unidirectionally strained PhCs. A broken rotational symmetry in the PhCs modifies the photonic band structures and results in the asymmetric distributions and different levels of changes in normalized frequencies near the first Γ-point band edge in the reciprocal space, which consequently reveals strain-dependent directional optical losses and selected emission patterns. The calculated electric fields, resonant wavelengths, and quality factors of the band-edge modes in the strained PhCs show an excellent agreement with the results of qualitative analysis of modified dispersion surfaces. Furthermore, polarization-resolved time-averaged Poynting vectors exhibit characteristic dipole-like emission patterns with preferentially selected linear polarizations, originating from the asymmetric band structures in the strained PhCs.

  1. Asymmetric Bidirectional Controlled Teleportation by Using Six-qubit Cluster State

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yuan-hua; Nie, Li-ping; Li, Xiao-lan; Sang, Ming-huang

    2016-06-01

    We propose a scheme for asymmetric bidirectional controlled teleportation by using a six-qubit cluster state as quantum channel. In our scheme, Alice can transmit an arbitrary two-qubit entangled state to Bob and at the same time Bob can teleport an arbitrary single-qubit state to Alice under the control of the supervisor Charlie.

  2. Spectra and structure of small ring molecules. XLV. Microwave, infrared, and Raman spectra, conformational stability, dipole moment and vibrational assignment of cyclobutylcarboxaldehyde

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durig, J. R.; Badawi, H. M.

    1990-12-01

    The microwave spectrum of cyclobutylcarboxaldehyde, c-C 4H 7CHO, has been recorded from 12.4 to 39.0 GHz. Two sets of a-type R-branch transitions were observed and assigned, on the basis of the rigid rotor model, to the equatorial-trans and the equatorial-gauche conformers. The rotational constants for the ground state for the equatorial-trans conformer are: A=9653.70 ± 0.47, B=2224.15 ± 0.01 and C=1986.68 ± 0.01 MHz. The lines for the first excited state of the asymmetric torsion for the equatorial-trans conformer have also been identified and assigned and, from relative intensity measurements, the frequency of the asymmetric torsion of this conformer is estimated to be 71 ± 10 cm -1. For the equatorial-gauche conformer in addition to the R-branch assignments, Q-branch assignments have been made for b- and c-type transitions for the ground state. The rotational constants for this conformer are: A=8108.08 ± 0.05, B=2554.89 ± 0.01, and C=2215.78 ± 0.01 MHz. From the Stark effect the dipole moment components for both conformers were determined. For the equatorial-trans conformer the dipole moment components were determined to be: &|μ a&| = 1.65 ± 0.01 D, &|μ b&|=0.00 (by symmetry), &|μ c&|=1.23 ± 0.01 &|μ t&|=2.06 ± 0.01 D. For the equatorial-gauge conformer the dipole moment components were determined to be: &|μ a&|=2.03 ± &|μ b&|=1.52 ± 0.04, &|μ c&|=0.83 ± 0.06 and &|μ t&|=2.66 ± 0.02 D. The infrared (3500-30 cm -1 and Raman have been recorded for the gaseous and solid states of cyclobutylcarboxaldehyde. Additionally, the Raman spectrum of the liquid phase has been recorded and qualitative depolarization values have been obtained. From variable temperature measurements of the microwave and Raman spectra, for the gaseous and liquid phases, respectively, the equatorial-gauche conformer was found to be thermodynamically preferred for the gas phase; however, it is the equatorial-trans rotamer which is most stable in the liquid. Furthermore, the only conformation present in the annealed solid is the equatorial-trans rotamer. From these data a complete vibrational assignment is proposed. The observed splitting of many of the fundamentals in the solid state indicates that there are at least two molecules per primitive cell. These results are compared to similar quantities in some related molecules.

  3. Molecular Strategies for Morphology Control in Semiconducting Polymers for Optoelectronics.

    PubMed

    Rahmanudin, Aiman; Sivula, Kevin

    2017-06-28

    Solution-processable semiconducting polymers have been explored over the last decades for their potential applications in inexpensively fabricated transistors, diodes and photovoltaic cells. However, a remaining challenge in the field is to control the solid-state self-assembly of polymer chains in thin films devices, as the aspects of (semi)crystallinity, grain boundaries, and chain entanglement can drastically affect intra-and inter-molecular charge transport/transfer and thus device performance. In this short review we examine how the aspects of molecular weight and chain rigidity affect solid-state self-assembly and highlight molecular engineering strategies to tune thin film morphology. Side chain engineering, flexibly linking conjugation segments, and block co-polymer strategies are specifically discussed with respect to their effect on field effect charge carrier mobility in transistors and power conversion efficiency in solar cells. Example systems are taken from recent literature including work from our laboratories to illustrate the potential of molecular engineering semiconducting polymers.

  4. Improvement of system capacitance via weavable superelastic biscrolled yarn supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Changsoon; Kim, Kang Min; Kim, Keon Jung; Lepró, Xavier; Spinks, Geoffrey M.; Baughman, Ray H.; Kim, Seon Jeong

    2016-12-01

    Yarn-based supercapacitors having improved performance are needed for existing and emerging wearable applications. Here, we report weavable carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors having high performance because of high loadings of rapidly accessible charge storage particles (above 90 wt% MnO2). The yarn electrodes are made by a biscrolling process that traps host MnO2 nanoparticles within the galleries of helically scrolled carbon nanotube sheets, which provide strength and electrical conductivity. Despite the high loading of brittle metal oxide particles, the biscrolled solid-state yarn supercapacitors are flexible and can be made elastically stretchable (up to 30% strain) by over-twisting to produce yarn coiling. The maximum areal capacitance of the yarn electrodes were up to 100 times higher than for previously reported fibres or yarn supercapacitors. Similarly, the energy density of complete, solid-state supercapacitors made from biscrolled yarn electrodes with gel electrolyte coating were significantly higher than for previously reported fibre or yarn supercapacitors.

  5. Recent advances in rare earth doped alkali-alkaline earth borates for solid state lighting applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verma, Shefali; Verma, Kartikey; Kumar, Deepak; Chaudhary, Babulal; Som, Sudipta; Sharma, Vishal; Kumar, Vijay; Swart, Hendrik C.

    2018-04-01

    As a novel class of inorganic phosphor, the alkali-alkaline earth borate phosphors have gained huge attention due to their charming applications in solid-state lighting (SSL) and display devices. The current research drive shows that phosphors based on the alkali-alkaline earth borates have transformed the science and technology due to their high transparency over a broad spectral range, their flexibility in structure and durability for mechanical and high-laser applications. Recent advances in various aspects of rare-earth (RE) doped borate based phosphors and their utilizations in SSL and light emitting diodes are summarized in this review article. Moreover, the present status and upcoming scenario of RE-doped borate phosphors were reviewed in general along with the proper credential from the existing literature. It is believed that this review is a sole compilation of crucial information about the RE-doped borate phosphors in a single platform.

  6. Water-gel for gating graphene transistors.

    PubMed

    Kim, Beom Joon; Um, Soong Ho; Song, Woo Chul; Kim, Yong Ho; Kang, Moon Sung; Cho, Jeong Ho

    2014-05-14

    Water, the primary electrolyte in biology, attracts significant interest as an electrolyte-type dielectric material for transistors compatible with biological systems. Unfortunately, the fluidic nature and low ionic conductivity of water prevents its practical usage in such applications. Here, we describe the development of a solid state, megahertz-operating, water-based gate dielectric system for operating graphene transistors. The new electrolyte systems were prepared by dissolving metal-substituted DNA polyelectrolytes into water. The addition of these biocompatible polyelectrolytes induced hydrogelation to provide solid-state integrity to the system. They also enhanced the ionic conductivities of the electrolytes, which in turn led to the quick formation of an electric double layer at the graphene/electrolyte interface that is beneficial for modulating currents in graphene transistors at high frequencies. At the optimized conditions, the Na-DNA water-gel-gated flexible transistors and inverters were operated at frequencies above 1 MHz and 100 kHz, respectively.

  7. Asymmetric Bidirectional Controlled Teleportation via Seven-Photon Entangled State

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nie, Yi-you; Sang, Ming-huang

    2017-11-01

    We propose a protocol of asymmetric bidirectional controlled teleportation by using a seven-photon entangled state. In our protocol, Alice can teleport an arbitrary single-photon state to Bob and at the same time Bob can teleport an arbitrary two-photon state to Alice via the control of the supervisor Charlie. In addition, ones only carry out the Bell-state measurements and single-photon measurement.

  8. Solid-State Thin-Film Supercapacitors with Ultrafast Charge/Discharge Based on N-Doped-Carbon-Tubes/Au-Nanoparticles-Doped-MnO2 Nanocomposites.

    PubMed

    Lv, Qiying; Wang, Shang; Sun, Hongyu; Luo, Jun; Xiao, Jian; Xiao, JunWu; Xiao, Fei; Wang, Shuai

    2016-01-13

    Although carbonaceous materials possess long cycle stability and high power density, their low-energy density greatly limits their applications. On the contrary, metal oxides are promising pseudocapacitive electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their high-energy density. Nevertheless, poor electrical conductivity of metal oxides constitutes a primary challenge that significantly limits their energy storage capacity. Here, an advanced integrated electrode for high-performance pseudocapacitors has been designed by growing N-doped-carbon-tubes/Au-nanoparticles-doped-MnO2 (NCTs/ANPDM) nanocomposite on carbon fabric. The excellent electrical conductivity and well-ordered tunnels of NCTs together with Au nanoparticles of the electrode cause low internal resistance, good ionic contact, and thus enhance redox reactions for high specific capacitance of pure MnO2 in aqueous electrolyte, even at high scan rates. A prototype solid-state thin-film symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device based on NCTs/ANPDM exhibits large energy density (51 Wh/kg) and superior cycling performance (93% after 5000 cycles). In addition, the asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device assembled from NCTs/ANPDM and Fe2O3 nanorods demonstrates ultrafast charge/discharge (10 V/s), which is among the best reported for solid-state thin-film supercapacitors with both electrodes made of metal oxide electroactive materials. Moreover, its superior charge/discharge behavior is comparable to electrical double layer type supercapacitors. The ASC device also shows superior cycling performance (97% after 5000 cycles). The NCTs/ANPDM nanomaterial demonstrates great potential as a power source for energy storage devices.

  9. Flexible optical metrology strategies for the control and quality assurance of small series production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitt, R.; Pavim, A.

    2009-06-01

    The demand for achieving smaller and more flexible production series with a considerable diversity of products complicates the control of the manufacturing tasks, leading to big challenges for the quality assurance systems. The quality assurance strategy that is nowadays used for mass production is unable to cope with the inspection flexibility needed among automated small series production, because the measuring strategy is totally dependent on the fixed features of the few manufactured object variants and on process parameters that can be controlled/compensated during production time. The major challenge faced by a quality assurance system applied to small series production facilities is to guarantee the needed quality level already at the first run, and therefore, the quality assurance system has to adapt itself constantly to the new manufacturing conditions. The small series production culture requires a change of paradigms, because its strategies are totally different from mass production. This work discusses the tight inspection requirements of small series production and presents flexible metrology strategies based on optical sensor data fusion techniques, agent-based systems as well as cognitive and self-optimised systems for assuring the needed quality level of flexible small series. Examples of application scenarios are provided among the automated assembly of solid state lasers and the flexible inspection of automotive headlights.

  10. Many-Body Perturbation Theory for Understanding Optical Excitations in Organic Molecules and Solids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharifzadeh, Sahar

    Organic semiconductors are promising as light-weight, flexible, and strongly absorbing materials for next-generation optoelectronics. The advancement of such technologies relies on understanding the fundamental excited-state properties of organic molecules and solids, motivating the development of accurate computational approaches for this purpose. Here, I will present first-principles many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) calculations aimed at understanding the spectroscopic properties of select organic molecules and crystalline semiconductors, and improving these properties for enhanced photovoltaic performance. We show that for both gas-phase molecules and condensed-phase crystals, MBPT within the GW/BSE approximation provides quantitative accuracy of transport gaps extracted from photoemission spectroscopy and conductance measurements, as well as with measured polarization-dependent optical absorption spectra. We discuss the implications of standard approximations within GW/BSE on accuracy of these results. Additionally, we demonstrate significant exciton binding energies and charge-transfer character in the crystalline systems, which can be controlled through solid-state morphology or change of conjugation length, suggesting a new strategy for the design of optoelectronic materials. We acknowledge NSF for financial support; NERSC and Boston University for computational resources.

  11. Layer structured bismuth selenides Bi2Se3 and Bi3Se4 for high energy and flexible all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Hao, Chunxue; Wang, Lidan; Wen, Fusheng; Xiang, Jianyong; Li, Lei; Hu, Wentao; Liu, Zhongyuan

    2018-01-19

    In this work, bismuth selenides (Bi 2 Se 3 and Bi 3 Se 4 ), both of which have a layered rhombohedral crystal structure, have been found to be useful as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. In a liquid electrolyte system (6M KOH), Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplates exhibit much better performance as an electrode material than Bi 3 Se 4 nanoparticles do, delivering a higher specific capacitance (272.9 F g -1 ) than that of Bi 3 Se 4 (193.6 F g -1 ) at 5 mV s -1 . This result may be attributed to the fact that Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplates possess more active electrochemical surfaces for the reversible surface redox reactions owing to their planar quintuple stacked layers (septuple layers for Bi 3 Se 4 ). To meet the demands of electronic skin, we used a novel flexible annular interdigital structure electrode to support the all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors (AMSCs). The Bi 2 Se 3 AMSC device delivers a much better supercapacitor performance, exhibits a large stack capacitance of 89.5 F cm -3 at 20 mV s -1 (Bi 3 Se 4 : 79.1 F cm -3 ), a high energy density of 17.9 mWh cm -3 and a high power density of 18.9 W cm -3 . The bismuth selenides also exhibit good cycle stability, with 95.5% retention after 1000 c for Bi 2 Se 3 (Bi 3 Se 4 :90.3%). Clearly, Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplates can be promising electrode materials for flexible annular interdigital AMSCs.

  12. Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of silver(I) complexes based on N-benzoyl-L-glutamic acid and N-donor ligands with different flexibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Ming-Jie; Feng, Qi; Song, Hui-Hua

    2016-05-01

    By changing the N-donor ancillary ligand, three novel silver (I) complexes {[Ag(HbzgluO) (4,4‧-bipy)]·H2O}n (1), {[Ag2(HbzgluO)2 (bpe)2]·2H2O}n (2) and {[Ag(HbzgluO)(bpp)]·2H2O}n (3) (H2bzgluO = N-benzoyl-L-glutamic acid, 4,4‧-bipy = 4,4ˊ-bipyridine, bpe = 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethane, bpp = 1,3-di(4-pyridyl)propane) were synthesized. Their structures have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and further characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). In this study, the N-donor ligands are changed from rigidity (4,4‧-bipy), quasi-flexibility (bpe) to flexibility (bpp), the structures of complexes also change. Complex 1 features a 1D chain structure which is further linked together to construct a 2D supramolecular structure through hydrogen bonds. Complex 2 is a 1D double-chains configuration which eventually forms a 3D supramolecular network via hydrogen bonding interactions. Whereas, complex 3 exhibits a 2D pleated grid structure which is linked by hydrogen bonding interactions into a 3D supramolecular network. The present observations demonstrate that the modulation of coordination polymers with different structures can accomplish by changing the spacer length of N-donor ligands. In addition, the solid-state circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicated that compound 2 exhibited negative cotton effect which originated from the chiral ligands H2bzgluO and the solid-state fluorescence spectra of the three complexes demonstrated the auxiliary ligands have influence on the photoluminescence properties of the complexes.

  13. Layer structured bismuth selenides Bi2Se3 and Bi3Se4 for high energy and flexible all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hao, Chunxue; Wang, Lidan; Wen, Fusheng; Xiang, Jianyong; Li, Lei; Hu, Wentao; Liu, Zhongyuan

    2018-02-01

    In this work, bismuth selenides (Bi2Se3 and Bi3Se4), both of which have a layered rhombohedral crystal structure, have been found to be useful as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. In a liquid electrolyte system (6M KOH), Bi2Se3 nanoplates exhibit much better performance as an electrode material than Bi3Se4 nanoparticles do, delivering a higher specific capacitance (272.9 F g-1) than that of Bi3Se4 (193.6 F g-1) at 5 mV s-1. This result may be attributed to the fact that Bi2Se3 nanoplates possess more active electrochemical surfaces for the reversible surface redox reactions owing to their planar quintuple stacked layers (septuple layers for Bi3Se4). To meet the demands of electronic skin, we used a novel flexible annular interdigital structure electrode to support the all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors (AMSCs). The Bi2Se3 AMSC device delivers a much better supercapacitor performance, exhibits a large stack capacitance of 89.5 F cm-3 at 20 mV s-1 (Bi3Se4: 79.1 F cm-3), a high energy density of 17.9 mWh cm-3 and a high power density of 18.9 W cm-3. The bismuth selenides also exhibit good cycle stability, with 95.5% retention after 1000 c for Bi2Se3 (Bi3Se4:90.3%). Clearly, Bi2Se3 nanoplates can be promising electrode materials for flexible annular interdigital AMSCs.

  14. Liquid Adsorption of Organic Compounds on Hematite α-Fe2O3 Using ReaxFF.

    PubMed

    Chia, Chung-Lim; Avendaño, Carlos; Siperstein, Flor R; Filip, Sorin

    2017-10-24

    ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations are used in this work to study the effect of the polarity of adsorbed molecules in the liquid phase on the structure and polarization of hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ). We compared the adsorption of organic molecules with different polarities on a rigid hematite surface and on a flexible and polarizable surface. We show that the displacements of surface atoms and surface polarization in a flexible hematite model are proportional to the adsorbed molecule's polarity. The increase in electrostatic interactions resulting from charge transfer in the outermost solid atoms in a flexible hematite model results in better-defined adsorbed layers that are less ordered than those obtained assuming a rigid solid. These results suggest that care must be taken when parametrizing empirical transferable force fields because the calculated charges on a solid slab in vacuum may not be representative of a real system, especially when the solid is in contact with a polar liquid.

  15. Part I: Reverse-docking studies of a squaramide-catalyzed conjugate addition of a diketone to a nitro-olefin Part II: The development of ChemSort: an education game for organic chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Granger, Jenna Christine

    Part 1: Reverse-docking studies of a squaramide-catalyzed conjugate addition of a diketone to a nitro-olefin. Asymmetric organocatalysis, the catalysis of asymmetric reactions by small organic molecules, is a rapidly growing field within organic synthesis. The ability to rationally design organocatalysts is therefore of increasing interest to organic chemists. Computational chemistry is quickly proving to be an extremely successful method for understanding and predicting the roles of organocatalysts, and therefore is certain to be of use in the rational design of such catalysts. A methodology for reverse-docking flexible organocatalysts to rigid transition state models of asymmetric reactions has been previously developed by the Deslongchamps group. The investigation of Rawal's squaramide-based organocatalyst for the addition of a diketone to a nitro-olefin is described, and the results of the reverse docking of Rawal's catalyst to the geometry optimized transition state models of the uncatalyzed reaction for both the R and S-product enantiomers are presented. The results of this study indicate a preference for binding of the organocatalyst to the R-enantiomer transition state model with a predicted enantiomeric excess of 99%, which is consistent with the experimental results. A plausible geometric model of the transition state for the catalyzed reaction is also presented. The success of this study demonstrates the credibility of using reverse docking methods for the rational design of asymmetric organocatalysts. Part 2: The development of ChemSort: an educational game for organic chemistry. With the advent of the millennial learner, we need to rethink traditional classroom approaches to science learning in terms of goals, approaches, and assessments. Digital simulations and games hold much promise in support of this educational shift. Although the idea of using games for education is not a new one, well-designed computer-based "serious games" are only beginning to emerge as exceptional tools for helping learners understand concepts and processes. The use of computer games for learning college-level organic chemistry is still relatively unexplored and underrepresented within the realm of "serious gaming". In this section, ideas for games as a way for teaching and learning organic chemistry will be introduced and the development process of ChemSort, a web-based Flash game for learning college-level organic chemistry topics, will be outlined. ChemSort is a path-based game, in which the player, or in this case the learner, must match the chemical structures with their appropriate functional groups. At the end of this section a 4-level useable prototype of ChemSort will be unveiled.

  16. Advances in optical structure systems; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 16-19, 1990

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Breakwell, John; Genberg, Victor L.; Krumweide, Gary C.

    Various papers on advances in optical structure systems are presented. Individual topics addressed include: beam pathlength optimization, thermal stress in glass/metal bond with PR 1578 adhesive, structural and optical properties for typical solid mirror shapes, parametric study of spinning polygon mirror deformations, simulation of small structures-optics-controls system, spatial PSDs of optical structures due to random vibration, mountings for a four-meter glass mirror, fast-steering mirrors in optical control systems, adaptive state estimation for control of flexible structures, surface control techniques for large segmented mirrors, two-time-scale control designs for large flexible structures, closed-loop dynamic shape control of a flexible beam. Also discussed are: inertially referenced pointing for body-fixed payloads, sensor blending line-of-sight stabilization, controls/optics/structures simulation development, transfer functions for piezoelectric control of a flexible beam, active control experiments for large-optics vibration alleviation, composite structures for a large-optical test bed, graphite/epoxy composite mirror for beam-steering applications, composite structures for optical-mirror applications, thin carbon-fiber prepregs for dimensionally critical structures.

  17. Recent Advances in Flexible/Stretchable Supercapacitors for Wearable Electronics.

    PubMed

    Li, La; Lou, Zheng; Chen, Di; Jiang, Kai; Han, Wei; Shen, Guozhen

    2017-11-22

    The popularization of personalized wearable devices has accelerated the development of flexible/stretchable supercapacitors (SCs) that possess remarkable features of miniaturization, high security, and easy integration to build an all-in-one integrated system, and realize the functions of comfortable, noninvasive and continuous health monitoring, motion records, and information acquisition, etc. This Review presents a brief phylogeny of flexible/stretchable SCs, represented by planar micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) and 1D fibrous SCs. The latest progress and advantages of different flexible/stretchable/self-healing substrate, solid-state electrolyte and electrode materials for the fabrication of wearable SCs devices are summarized. The various configurations used in planar MSCs and 1D fibrous SCs aiming at the improvement of performance are also discussed. In addition, from the viewpoint of practical value and large-scale production, a survey of integrated systems, from different types of SC powered wearable sensing (gas, pressure, tactile…) systems, wearable all-in-one systems (including energy harvest, storage, and functional groups), to device packaging is presented. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of wearable SCs are also considered. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Printable Fabrication of Nanocoral-Structured Electrodes for High-Performance Flexible and Planar Supercapacitor with Artistic Design.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yuanjing; Gao, Yuan; Fan, Zhiyong

    2017-11-01

    Planar supercapacitors with high flexibility, desirable operation safety, and high performance are considered as attractive candidates to serve as energy-storage devices for portable and wearable electronics. Here, a scalable and printable technique is adopted to construct novel and unique hierarchical nanocoral structures as the interdigitated electrodes on flexible substrates. The as-fabricated flexible all-solid-state planar supercapacitors with nanocoral structures achieve areal capacitance up to 52.9 mF cm -2 , which is 2.5 times that of devices without nanocoral structures, and this figure-of-merit is among the highest in the literature for the same category of devices. More interestingly, due to utilization of the inkjet-printing technique, excellent versatility on electrode-pattern artistic design is achieved. Particularly, working supercapacitors with artistically designed patterns are demonstrated. Meanwhile, the high scalability of such a printable method is also demonstrated by fabrication of large-sized artistic supercapacitors serving as energy-storage devices in a wearable self-powered system as a proof of concept. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Flexible graphene transistors for recording cell action potentials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blaschke, Benno M.; Lottner, Martin; Drieschner, Simon; Bonaccini Calia, Andrea; Stoiber, Karolina; Rousseau, Lionel; Lissourges, Gaëlle; Garrido, Jose A.

    2016-06-01

    Graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors (SGFETs) are a promising platform for the recording of cell action potentials due to the intrinsic high signal amplification of graphene transistors. In addition, graphene technology fulfills important key requirements for in-vivo applications, such as biocompability, mechanical flexibility, as well as ease of high density integration. In this paper we demonstrate the fabrication of flexible arrays of graphene SGFETs on polyimide, a biocompatible polymeric substrate. We investigate the transistor’s transconductance and intrinsic electronic noise which are key parameters for the device sensitivity, confirming that the obtained values are comparable to those of rigid graphene SGFETs. Furthermore, we show that the devices do not degrade during repeated bending and the transconductance, governed by the electronic properties of graphene, is unaffected by bending. After cell culture, we demonstrate the recording of cell action potentials from cardiomyocyte-like cells with a high signal-to-noise ratio that is higher or comparable to competing state of the art technologies. Our results highlight the great capabilities of flexible graphene SGFETs in bioelectronics, providing a solid foundation for in-vivo experiments and, eventually, for graphene-based neuroprosthetics.

  20. Strong Photoluminescence Enhancement in All-Dielectric Fano Metasurface with High Quality Factor.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Shuai; Qiu, Xingzhi; Cui, Chengcong; Zhu, Liangqiu; Wang, Yuxi; Li, Yi; Song, Jinwen; Huang, Qingzhong; Xia, Jinsong

    2017-11-28

    All-dielectric metamaterials offer great flexibility for controlling light-matter interaction, owing to their strong electric and magnetic resonances with negligible loss at wavelengths above the material bandgap. Here, we propose an all-dielectric asymmetric metasurface structure exhibiting high quality factor and prominent Fano line shape. Over three-orders photoluminescence enhancement is demonstrated in the fabricated all-dielectric metasurface with record-high quality factor of 1011. We find this strong emission enhancement is attributed to the coherent Fano resonances, which originate from the destructive interferences of antisymmetric displacement currents in the asymmetric all-dielectric metasurface. Our observations show a promising approach to realize light emitters based on all-dielectric metasurfaces.

  1. A Promiscuous De Novo Retro-Aldolase Catalyzes Asymmetric Michael Additions via Schiff Base Intermediates.

    PubMed

    Garrabou, Xavier; Beck, Tobias; Hilvert, Donald

    2015-05-04

    Recent advances in computational design have enabled the development of primitive enzymes for a range of mechanistically distinct reactions. Here we show that the rudimentary active sites of these catalysts can give rise to useful chemical promiscuity. Specifically, RA95.5-8, designed and evolved as a retro-aldolase, also promotes asymmetric Michael additions of carbanions to unsaturated ketones with high rates and selectivities. The reactions proceed by amine catalysis, as indicated by mutagenesis and X-ray data. The inherent flexibility and tunability of this catalyst should make it a versatile platform for further optimization and/or mechanistic diversification by directed evolution. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Distribution of quantum Fisher information in asymmetric cloning machines

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Xing; Yao, Yao; Zhou, Lei-Ming; Wang, Xiaoguang

    2014-01-01

    An unknown quantum state cannot be copied and broadcast freely due to the no-cloning theorem. Approximate cloning schemes have been proposed to achieve the optimal cloning characterized by the maximal fidelity between the original and its copies. Here, from the perspective of quantum Fisher information (QFI), we investigate the distribution of QFI in asymmetric cloning machines which produce two nonidentical copies. As one might expect, improving the QFI of one copy results in decreasing the QFI of the other copy. It is perhaps also unsurprising that asymmetric phase-covariant cloning outperforms universal cloning in distributing QFI since a priori information of the input state has been utilized. However, interesting results appear when we compare the distributabilities of fidelity (which quantifies the full information of quantum states), and QFI (which only captures the information of relevant parameters) in asymmetric cloning machines. Unlike the results of fidelity, where the distributability of symmetric cloning is always optimal for any d-dimensional cloning, we find that any asymmetric cloning outperforms symmetric cloning on the distribution of QFI for d ≤ 18, whereas some but not all asymmetric cloning strategies could be worse than symmetric ones when d > 18. PMID:25484234

  3. Method development of damage detection in asymmetric buildings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yi; Thambiratnam, David P.; Chan, Tommy H. T.; Nguyen, Andy

    2018-01-01

    Aesthetics and functionality requirements have caused most buildings to be asymmetric in recent times. Such buildings exhibit complex vibration characteristics under dynamic loads as there is coupling between the lateral and torsional components of vibration, and are referred to as torsionally coupled buildings. These buildings require three dimensional modelling and analysis. In spite of much recent research and some successful applications of vibration based damage detection methods to civil structures in recent years, the applications to asymmetric buildings has been a challenging task for structural engineers. There has been relatively little research on detecting and locating damage specific to torsionally coupled asymmetric buildings. This paper aims to compare the difference in vibration behaviour between symmetric and asymmetric buildings and then use the vibration characteristics for predicting damage in them. The need for developing a special method to detect damage in asymmetric buildings thus becomes evident. Towards this end, this paper modifies the traditional modal strain energy based damage index by decomposing the mode shapes into their lateral and vertical components and to form component specific damage indices. The improved approach is then developed by combining the modified strain energy based damage indices with the modal flexibility method which was modified to suit three dimensional structures to form a new damage indicator. The procedure is illustrated through numerical studies conducted on three dimensional five-story symmetric and asymmetric frame structures with the same layout, after validating the modelling techniques through experimental testing of a laboratory scale asymmetric building model. Vibration parameters obtained from finite element analysis of the intact and damaged building models are then applied into the proposed algorithms for detecting and locating the single and multiple damages in these buildings. The results obtained from a number of different damage scenarios confirm the feasibility of the proposed vibration based damage detection method for three dimensional asymmetric buildings.

  4. Self-Standing Polypyrrole/Black Phosphorus Laminated Film: Promising Electrode for Flexible Supercapacitor with Enhanced Capacitance and Cycling Stability.

    PubMed

    Luo, Shaojuan; Zhao, Jinlai; Zou, Jifei; He, Zhiliang; Xu, Changwen; Liu, Fuwei; Huang, Yang; Dong, Lei; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Han

    2018-01-31

    With the rapid development of portable electronics, solid-state flexible supercapacitors (SCs) are considered as one of the promising energy devices in powering electronics because of their intrinsic advantages. Polypyrrole (PPy) is an ideal electrode material in constructing flexible SCs owing to its high electrochemical activity and inherent flexibility, although its relatively low capacitance and poor cycling stability are still worthy of improvement. Herein, through the innovative introduction of black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets, we developed a laminated PPy/BP self-standing film with enhanced capacitance and cycling stability via a facile one-step electrochemical deposition method. The film exhibits a high capacitance of 497.5 F g -1 (551.7 F cm -3 ) and outstanding cycling stability of 10 000 charging/discharging cycles, thanks to BP nanosheets inducing laminated assembly which hinder dense and disordered stacking of PPy during electrodeposition, consequently providing a precise pathway for ion diffusion and electron transport together with alleviation of the structural deterioration during charge/discharge. The flexible SC fabricated by laminated films delivers a high capacitance of 452.8 F g -1 (7.7 F cm -3 ) besides its remarkable mechanical flexibility and cycling stability. Our facile strategy paves the way to improve the electrochemical performance of PPy-based SC that could serve as promising flexible energy device for portable electronics.

  5. A facile approach to fabricate flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on MnFe2O4/graphene hybrids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Weihua; Lai, Ting; Dai, Wanlin; Ye, Jianshan

    2014-06-01

    A critical challenge for the construction of flexible electrochemical capacitors is the preparation of flexible electrodes with large specific capacitance and robust mechanical strength. Here, we demonstrate a facile approach to make high performance and flexible electrodes by dropping MnFe2O4/graphene hybrid inks onto flexible graphite sheets (as current collectors and substrates) and drying under an infrared lamp. MnFe2O4/graphene hybrid inks are synthesized by immobilizing the MnFe2O4 microspheres on the graphene nanosheets via a simple solvothermal route. Electrochemical studies show that MnFe2O4/graphene exhibits a high capacitance of 300 F g-1 at a current density of 0.3 A g-1. In addition, the excellent electrochemical performance of a supercapacitor consisting of a sandwich structure of two pieces of MnFe2O4/graphene hybrids modified electrodes separated by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-H2SO4 gel electrolyte is further explored. Our studies reveal that the flexible supercapacitor device with 227 μm thickness can achieve a maximum specific capacitance of 120 F g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and excellent cycle performance retaining 105% capacitance after 5000 cycles. This research may offer a method for the fabrication of lightweight, stable, flexible and high performance energy storage devices.

  6. Overview of Innovative Aircraft Power and Propulsion Systems and Their Applications for Planetary Exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colozza, Anthony; Landis, Geoffrey; Lyons, Valerie

    2003-01-01

    Planetary exploration may be enhanced by the use of aircraft for mobility. This paper reviews the development of aircraft for planetary exploration missions at NASA and reviews the power and propulsion options for planetary aircraft. Several advanced concepts for aircraft exploration, including the use of in situ resources, the possibility of a flexible all-solid-state aircraft, the use of entomopters on Mars, and the possibility of aerostat exploration of Titan, are presented.

  7. Coarse Grain Reconfigurable ASIC through Multiplexer Based Switches

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-15

    chip area (0.5 mm2), and from simulation their power consumption is negligible (0.002% from simulation, too small to measure in physical system...performing implementation that is also flexible. REFERENCES [1] I. Kuon and J. Rose, “ Measuring the gap between FPGAs and ASICs,” IEEE Trans...A 3GPP- LTE Example," Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of , vol.47, no.3, pp.757,768, March 2012. [5] Agarwal, A.; Hassanieh, H.; Abari, O

  8. An anion-immobilized composite electrolyte for dendrite-free lithium metal anodes

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Chen-Zi; Zhang, Xue-Qiang; Cheng, Xin-Bing; Zhang, Rui; Xu, Rui; Chen, Peng-Yu; Peng, Hong-Jie; Huang, Jia-Qi

    2017-01-01

    Lithium metal is strongly regarded as a promising electrode material in next-generation rechargeable batteries due to its extremely high theoretical specific capacity and lowest reduction potential. However, the safety issue and short lifespan induced by uncontrolled dendrite growth have hindered the practical applications of lithium metal anodes. Hence, we propose a flexible anion-immobilized ceramic–polymer composite electrolyte to inhibit lithium dendrites and construct safe batteries. Anions in the composite electrolyte are tethered by a polymer matrix and ceramic fillers, inducing a uniform distribution of space charges and lithium ions that contributes to a dendrite-free lithium deposition. The dissociation of anions and lithium ions also helps to reduce the polymer crystallinity, rendering stable and fast transportation of lithium ions. Ceramic fillers in the electrolyte extend the electrochemically stable window to as wide as 5.5 V and provide a barrier to short circuiting for realizing safe batteries at elevated temperature. The anion-immobilized electrolyte can be applied in all–solid-state batteries and exhibits a small polarization of 15 mV. Cooperated with LiFePO4 and LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathodes, the all–solid-state lithium metal batteries render excellent specific capacities of above 150 mAh⋅g−1 and well withstand mechanical bending. These results reveal a promising opportunity for safe and flexible next-generation lithium metal batteries. PMID:28973945

  9. Low-cost superior solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on hematite nanocrystals.

    PubMed

    Peng, Shaomin; Yu, Lin; Lan, Bang; Sun, Ming; Cheng, Gao; Liao, Shuhuan; Cao, Han; Deng, Yulin

    2016-11-22

    We present a facile method for the fabrication of hematite nanocrystal-carbon cloth (Fe 2 O 3 -CC) composite. Hierarchical manganite is chosen as the sacrificial precursor, that does not contribute to the component of final iron oxide but can be in situ dissolved by the acid produced from the Fe 3+ hydrolysis. This method effectively enhances the specific surface area and conductivity of hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ) by attaching Fe 2 O 3 nanocrystals (around 5 nm) firmly on the surface of carbon fibers. The obtained Fe 2 O 3 -CC can be directly used as a binder-free electrode for a supercapacitor. Interestingly, the composite electrode exhibits synergistic electrochemical capacitance (electrochemical double-layer capacitance and pseudo-capacitance). It manifests a very high areal capacitance of 1.66 F cm -2 (1660 F g -1 ) at 2 mA cm -2 and excellent cycling performance at large current densities (88.6% retention at 30 mA cm -2 after 5000 cycles) in a three-electrode testing system, which is among the best performances reported in the literature. Importantly, when fabricated as a solid-state flexible symmetric supercapacitor it still shows a maximum energy density of 8.74 mW h cm -3 and power density of 253.9 mW cm -3 . Additionally, its good flexibility makes it suitable for portable devices.

  10. Low-cost superior solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on hematite nanocrystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Shaomin; Yu, Lin; Lan, Bang; Sun, Ming; Cheng, Gao; Liao, Shuhuan; Cao, Han; Deng, Yulin

    2016-12-01

    We present a facile method for the fabrication of hematite nanocrystal-carbon cloth (Fe2O3-CC) composite. Hierarchical manganite is chosen as the sacrificial precursor, that does not contribute to the component of final iron oxide but can be in situ dissolved by the acid produced from the Fe3+ hydrolysis. This method effectively enhances the specific surface area and conductivity of hematite (Fe2O3) by attaching Fe2O3 nanocrystals (around 5 nm) firmly on the surface of carbon fibers. The obtained Fe2O3-CC can be directly used as a binder-free electrode for a supercapacitor. Interestingly, the composite electrode exhibits synergistic electrochemical capacitance (electrochemical double-layer capacitance and pseudo-capacitance). It manifests a very high areal capacitance of 1.66 F cm-2 (1660 F g-1) at 2 mA cm-2 and excellent cycling performance at large current densities (88.6% retention at 30 mA cm-2 after 5000 cycles) in a three-electrode testing system, which is among the best performances reported in the literature. Importantly, when fabricated as a solid-state flexible symmetric supercapacitor it still shows a maximum energy density of 8.74 mW h cm-3 and power density of 253.9 mW cm-3. Additionally, its good flexibility makes it suitable for portable devices.

  11. A flexible metallic actuator using reduced graphene oxide as a multifunctional component.

    PubMed

    Meng, Junxing; Mu, Jiuke; Hou, Chengyi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Wang, Hongzhi

    2017-09-14

    Flexible actuators are widely in demand for many real-life applications. Considering that existing actuators based on polymers, low-dimensional materials and pore-rich materials are mostly limited by slow response rate, high driving voltage and poor stability, we report here a novel metal based flexible actuator which is fabricated simply through partial oxidation and nano-function of copper foil with the assistance of reduced graphene oxide. The obtained asymmetric metallic actuator is (electric-)thermally driven and exhibits fast response rate (∼2 s) and large curvature (2.4 cm -1 ) under a low voltage (∼1 V) with a sustainable operation of up to ∼50 000 cycles. The actuator can also be triggered by infrared irradiation and direct-heating under various conditions including air, water, and vacuum.

  12. Retinal Ligand Mobility Explains Internal Hydration and Reconciles Active Rhodopsin Structures

    PubMed Central

    Leioatts, Nicholas; Mertz, Blake; Martínez-Mayorga, Karina; Romo, Tod D.; Pitman, Michael C.; Feller, Scott E.; Grossfield, Alan; Brown, Michael F.

    2014-01-01

    Rhodopsin, the mammalian dim-light receptor, is one of the best-characterized G-protein-coupled receptors, a pharmaceutically important class of membrane proteins that has garnered a great deal of attention because of the recent availability of structural information. Yet the mechanism of rhodopsin activation is not fully understood. Here, we use microsecond-scale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, validated by solid-state 2H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, to understand the transition between the dark and metarhodopsin I (Meta I) states. Our analysis of these simulations reveals striking differences in ligand flexibility between the two states. Retinal is much more dynamic in Meta I, adopting an elongated conformation similar to that seen in the recent activelike crystal structures. Surprisingly, this elongation corresponds to both a dramatic influx of bulk water into the hydrophobic core of the protein and a concerted transition in the highly conserved Trp2656.48 residue. In addition, enhanced ligand flexibility upon light activation provides an explanation for the different retinal orientations observed in X-ray crystal structures of active rhodopsin. PMID:24328554

  13. Effective Infiltration of Gel Polymer Electrolyte into Silicon-Coated Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers as Anodes for Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Gaind P; Klankowski, Steven A; Li, Yonghui; Sun, Xiuzhi Susan; Wu, Judy; Rojeski, Ronald A; Li, Jun

    2015-09-23

    This study demonstrates the full infiltration of gel polymer electrolyte into silicon-coated vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (Si-VACNFs), a high-capacity 3D nanostructured anode, and the electrochemical characterization of its properties as an effective electrolyte/separator for future all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Two fabrication methods have been employed to form a stable interface between the gel polymer electrolyte and the Si-VACNF anode. In the first method, the drop-casted gel polymer electrolyte is able to fully infiltrate into the open space between the vertically aligned core-shell nanofibers and encapsulate/stabilize each individual nanofiber in the polymer matrix. The 3D nanostructured Si-VACNF anode shows a very high capacity of 3450 mAh g(-1) at C/10.5 (or 0.36 A g(-1)) rate and 1732 mAh g(-1) at 1C (or 3.8 A g(-1)) rate. In the second method, a preformed gel electrolyte film is sandwiched between an Si-VACNF electrode and a Li foil to form a half-cell. Most of the vertical core-shell nanofibers of the Si-VACNF anode are able to penetrate into the gel polymer film while retaining their structural integrity. The slightly lower capacity of 2800 mAh g(-1) at C/11 rate and ∼1070 mAh g(-1) at C/1.5 (or 2.6 A g(-1)) rate have been obtained, with almost no capacity fade for up to 100 cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy does not show noticeable changes after 110 cycles, further revealing the stable interface between the gel polymer electrolyte and the Si-VACNFs anode. These results show that the infiltrated flexible gel polymer electrolyte can effectively accommodate the stress/strain of the Si shell due to the large volume expansion/contraction during the charge-discharge processes, which is particularly useful for developing future flexible solid-state lithium-ion batteries incorporating Si-anodes.

  14. Photonic band gap in isotropic hyperuniform disordered solids with low dielectric contrast.

    PubMed

    Man, Weining; Florescu, Marian; Matsuyama, Kazue; Yadak, Polin; Nahal, Geev; Hashemizad, Seyed; Williamson, Eric; Steinhardt, Paul; Torquato, Salvatore; Chaikin, Paul

    2013-08-26

    We report the first experimental demonstration of a TE-polarization photonic band gap (PBG) in a 2D isotropic hyperuniform disordered solid (HUDS) made of dielectric media with a dielectric index contrast of 1.6:1, very low for PBG formation. The solid is composed of a connected network of dielectric walls enclosing air-filled cells. Direct comparison with photonic crystals and quasicrystals permitted us to investigate band-gap properties as a function of increasing rotational isotropy. We present results from numerical simulations proving that the PBG observed experimentally for HUDS at low index contrast has zero density of states. The PBG is associated with the energy difference between complementary resonant modes above and below the gap, with the field predominantly concentrated in the air or in the dielectric. The intrinsic isotropy of HUDS may offer unprecedented flexibilities and freedom in applications (i. e. defect architecture design) not limited by crystalline symmetries.

  15. Continuous-wave lasing in colloidal quantum dot solids enabled by facet-selective epitaxy.

    PubMed

    Fan, Fengjia; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Sabatini, Randy P; Bicanic, Kristopher T; Adachi, Michael M; McBride, James R; Reid, Kemar R; Park, Young-Shin; Li, Xiyan; Jain, Ankit; Quintero-Bermudez, Rafael; Saravanapavanantham, Mayuran; Liu, Min; Korkusinski, Marek; Hawrylak, Pawel; Klimov, Victor I; Rosenthal, Sandra J; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H

    2017-04-06

    Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) feature a low degeneracy of electronic states at the band edges compared with the corresponding bulk material, as well as a narrow emission linewidth. Unfortunately for potential laser applications, this degeneracy is incompletely lifted in the valence band, spreading the hole population among several states at room temperature. This leads to increased optical gain thresholds, demanding high photoexcitation levels to achieve population inversion (more electrons in excited states than in ground states-the condition for optical gain). This, in turn, increases Auger recombination losses, limiting the gain lifetime to sub-nanoseconds and preventing steady laser action. State degeneracy also broadens the photoluminescence linewidth at the single-particle level. Here we demonstrate a way to decrease the band-edge degeneracy and single-dot photoluminescence linewidth in CQDs by means of uniform biaxial strain. We have developed a synthetic strategy that we term facet-selective epitaxy: we first switch off, and then switch on, shell growth on the (0001) facet of wurtzite CdSe cores, producing asymmetric compressive shells that create built-in biaxial strain, while still maintaining excellent surface passivation (preventing defect formation, which otherwise would cause non-radiative recombination losses). Our synthesis spreads the excitonic fine structure uniformly and sufficiently broadly that it prevents valence-band-edge states from being thermally depopulated. We thereby reduce the optical gain threshold and demonstrate continuous-wave lasing from CQD solids, expanding the library of solution-processed materials that may be capable of continuous-wave lasing. The individual CQDs exhibit an ultra-narrow single-dot linewidth, and we successfully propagate this into the ensemble of CQDs.

  16. Development of Nuclear Renewable Oil Shale Systems for Flexible Electricity and Reduced Fossil Fuel Emissions

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

    Daniel Curtis; Charles Forsberg; Humberto Garcia

    2015-05-01

    We propose the development of Nuclear Renewable Oil Shale Systems (NROSS) in northern Europe, China, and the western United States to provide large supplies of flexible, dispatchable, very-low-carbon electricity and fossil fuel production with reduced CO2 emissions. NROSS are a class of large hybrid energy systems in which base-load nuclear reactors provide the primary energy used to produce shale oil from kerogen deposits and simultaneously provide flexible, dispatchable, very-low-carbon electricity to the grid. Kerogen is solid organic matter trapped in sedimentary shale, and large reserves of this resource, called oil shale, are found in northern Europe, China, and the westernmore » United States. NROSS couples electricity generation and transportation fuel production in a single operation, reduces lifecycle carbon emissions from the fuel produced, improves revenue for the nuclear plant, and enables a major shift toward a very-low-carbon electricity grid. NROSS will require a significant development effort in the United States, where kerogen resources have never been developed on a large scale. In Europe, however, nuclear plants have been used for process heat delivery (district heating), and kerogen use is familiar in certain countries. Europe, China, and the United States all have the opportunity to use large scale NROSS development to enable major growth in renewable generation and either substantially reduce or eliminate their dependence on foreign fossil fuel supplies, accelerating their transitions to cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable energy systems.« less

  17. Exploration of structure and function in biomolecules through solid-state NMR and computational methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heider, Elizabeth M.

    Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy and quantum mechanical calculations are powerful analysis tools. Leveraged independently, each method yields important nuclear and molecular information. Used in concert, SSNMR and computational techniques provide complementary data about the structure of solids. These methods are particularly useful in characterizing the structures of microcrystalline organic compounds and revealing mechanisms of biological activity. Such applications may possess special relevance in analysis of pharmaceutical products; 90% of all pharmaceuticals are marketed as solids and bioactivity is strongly linked with molecular conformation. Accordingly, this dissertation employs both SSNMR and quantum mechanical computation to study three bioactive molecules: citrinin, two forms of Atrasentan (Abt-627), and paclitaxel (Taxol RTM). First, a computational study is utilized to determine the mechanism for unusual antioxidant activity in citrinin. Here, molecular geometries and bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE) of the citrinin O--H groups are calculated from first principles (ab initio). The total molecular Hamiltonian is determined by approximating the individual contributors to energy including electronic energy and contributions from modes of molecular vibration. This study of citrinin clearly identifies specific reaction sites in the active form, establishing the central role of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in this activity. Notably, it is discovered that citrinin itself is not the active species. Instead, a pair of hydrated Michael addition products of citrinin act as radical scavengers via O--H bond dissociation. Next, two separate compounds of the anticancer drug Abt-627 (form I and form II) are examined via SSNMR. The three principal values of the 13C diagonalized chemical shift tensor are acquired through the high resolution 2D experiment, FIREMAT. Isotropic chemical shift assignments are made utilizing both dipolar dephasing experiments and 1H-- 13C heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) experiments. A comparison of spectral data confirms the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit for form II (Z'=2) and regions of conformational variation between the two forms are posited. Structural rigidity is found throughout both forms and extends into the alkyl groups at the amine with similarties between form I and form II in this moiety. Likely regions of motion are found around the bond axes formed by C1--C5 in form I. This motion is also observed in one of the two molecules of form II. Tensor differences between the two forms at the tetrahydro-pyrrole center indicate that conformational variation between form I and form II exists in the dihedral angles formed by the atoms C14--C13--C3--C2, O--C12--C2--C1, C10--C5--C1--N1 and C21--C20--N1--C4. Finally, SSNMR is applied in conjunction with quantum mechanical calculations in the analysis of a novel polymorph of the anticancer drug paclitaxel. The three dimensional structure of paclitaxel is established through a combination of SSNMR tensor (13C & 15N) and 1H--13C HETCOR data. With two molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z'=2), this represents the first conformational characterization with Z'>1 established solely by SSNMR. Semi-empirical models are constructed and fitted to experimental data by adjusting the conformation of the paclitaxel models and selecting those conformers which minimize the difference between predicted and measured tensors. This computational grid search exhausively samples the conformation of paclitaxel, utilizing more than 600 independent models. HETCOR data at thirteen key positions provide shift assignment to the asymmetric unit for each comparison. The two distinct molecules of the asymmetric unit possess nearly identical baccatin III moieties with matching conformations of the C10 acetyl moiety. Additionally, both are found to exhibit an extended conformation of the phenylisoserine sidechain at the C13 position. Notable differences between the two forms are centered around the rotation axes of O--C13, C2'--C1 ', and C3'--C2'.

  18. 3D architecture of a graphene/CoMoO(4) composite for asymmetric supercapacitors usable at various temperatures.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yaru; Zheng, Xin; Yan, Xiaoqin; Li, Yong; Zhao, Xuan; Zhang, Yue

    2017-05-01

    Designing and optimizing the electrode materials and studying the electrochemical performance or cycle life of the supercapacitor under different working conditions are crucial to its practical application. Herein, we proposed a rational design of 3D-graphene/CoMoO 4 nanoplates by a facile two-step hydrothermal method. Owing to the high electron transfer rate of graphene and the high activity of the CoMoO 4 nanoplates, the three-dimensional electrode architectures achieved remarkable electrochemical performances with high areal specific capacitance (1255.24F/g at 1A/g) and superior cycling stability (91.3% of the original specific capacitance after 3000 cycles at 1A/g). The all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor composed of 3D-graphene/CoMoO 4 and activated carbon (AC) exhibited a specific capacitance of 109F/g at 0.2A/g and an excellent cycling stability with only 12.1% of the initial specific capacitance off after 3000 cycles at 2A/g. The effects of temperature and charge-discharge current densities on the charge storage capacity of the supercapacitor were also investigated in detail for practical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

    Gianetti, Thomas L.; Nocton, Grégory; Minasian, Stefan G.

    Reaction of the neutral diniobium benzene complex {[Nb(BDI)N tBu] 2(μ-C 6H 6)} (BDI = N,N'-diisopropylbenzene-β-diketiminate) with Ag[B(C 6F 5) 4] results in a single electron oxidation to produce a cationic diniobium arene complex, {[Nb(BDI)N tBu] 2(μ-C 6H 6)}{B(C 6F 5) 4}. Investigation of the solid state and solution phase structure using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, magnetic susceptibility, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy indicates that the oxidation results in an asymmetric molecule with two chemically inequivalent Nb atoms. Further characterization using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, UV-visible, Nb L 3,2-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), and EPR spectroscopies supports assignment ofmore » a diniobium complex, in which one Nb atom carries a single unpaired electron that is not largely delocalized on the second Nb atom. During the oxidative transformation, one electron is removed from the δ-bonding HOMO, which causes a destabilization of the molecule and formation of an asymmetric product. Subsequent reactivity studies indicate that the oxidized product allows access to metal-based chemistry with substrates that did not exhibit reactivity with the starting neutral complex.« less

  20. Stall Flutter Control of a Smart Blade Section Undergoing Asymmetric Limit Oscillations

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Nailu; Balas, Mark J.; Nikoueeyan, Pourya; ...

    2016-01-01

    Stall flutter is an aeroelastic phenomenon resulting in unwanted oscillatory loads on the blade, such as wind turbine blade, helicopter rotor blade, and other flexible wing blades. While the stall flutter and related aeroelastic control have been studied theoretically and experimentally, microtab control of asymmetric limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) in stall flutter cases has not been generally investigated. This paper presents an aeroservoelastic model to study the microtab control of the blade section undergoing moderate stall flutter and deep stall flutter separately. The effects of different dynamic stall conditions and the consequent asymmetric LCOs for both stall cases are simulatedmore » and analyzed. Then, for the design of the stall flutter controller, the potential sensor signal for the stall flutter, the microtab control capability of the stall flutter, and the control algorithm for the stall flutter are studied. Lastly, the improvement and the superiority of the proposed adaptive stall flutter controller are shown by comparison with a simple stall flutter controller.« less

  1. Coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Solid Rocket Motor with Flexible Inhibitors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yang, H. Q.; West, Jeff; Harris, Robert E.

    2014-01-01

    Flexible inhibitors are generally used in solid rocket motors (SRMs) as a means to control the burning of propellant. Vortices generated by the flow of propellant around the flexible inhibitors have been identified as a driving source of instabilities that can lead to thrust oscillations in launch vehicles. Potential coupling between the SRM thrust oscillations and structural vibration modes is an important risk factor in launch vehicle design. As a means to predict and better understand these phenomena, a multidisciplinary simulation capability that couples the NASA production CFD code, Loci/CHEM, with CFDRC's structural finite element code, CoBi, has been developed. This capability is crucial to the development of NASA's new space launch system (SLS). This paper summarizes the efforts in applying the coupled software to demonstrate and investigate fluid-structure interaction (FSI) phenomena between pressure waves and flexible inhibitors inside reusable solid rocket motors (RSRMs). The features of the fluid and structural solvers are described in detail, and the coupling methodology and interfacial continuity requirements are then presented in a general Eulerian-Lagrangian framework. The simulations presented herein utilize production level CFD with hybrid RANS/LES turbulence modeling and grid resolution in excess of 80 million cells. The fluid domain in the SRM is discretized using a general mixed polyhedral unstructured mesh, while full 3D shell elements are utilized in the structural domain for the flexible inhibitors. Verifications against analytical solutions for a structural model under a steady uniform pressure condition and under dynamic modal analysis show excellent agreement in terms of displacement distribution and eigenmode frequencies. The preliminary coupled results indicate that due to acoustic coupling, the dynamics of one of the more flexible inhibitors shift from its first modal frequency to the first acoustic frequency of the solid rocket motor. This insight could have profound implications for SRM and flexible inhibitor designs for current and future launch vehicles including SLS.

  2. Dynamics and asymmetry in the dimer of the norovirus major capsid protein.

    PubMed

    Tubiana, Thibault; Boulard, Yves; Bressanelli, Stéphane

    2017-01-01

    Noroviruses are the major cause of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis in humans and livestock worldwide, despite being physically among the simplest animal viruses. The icosahedral capsid encasing the norovirus RNA genome is made of 90 dimers of a single ca 60-kDa polypeptide chain, VP1, arranged with T = 3 icosahedral symmetry. Here we study the conformational dynamics of this main building block of the norovirus capsid. We use molecular modeling and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the VP1 dimer for two genogroups with 50% sequence identity. We focus on the two points of flexibility in VP1 known from the crystal structure of the genogroup I (GI, human) capsid and from subsequent cryo-electron microscopy work on the GII capsid (also human). First, with a homology model of the GIII (bovine) VP1 dimer subjected to simulated annealing then classical molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the N-terminal arm conformation seen in the GI crystal structure is also favored in GIII VP1 but depends on the protonation state of critical residues. Second, simulations of the GI dimer show that the VP1 spike domain will not keep the position found in the GII electron microscopy work. Our main finding is a consistent propensity of the VP1 dimer to assume prominently asymmetric conformations. In order to probe this result, we obtain new SAXS data on GI VP1 dimers. These data are not interpretable as a population of symmetric dimers, but readily modeled by a highly asymmetric dimer. We go on to discuss possible implications of spontaneously asymmetric conformations in the successive steps of norovirus capsid assembly. Our work brings new lights on the surprising conformational range encoded in the norovirus major capsid protein.

  3. Organic Lasers: Recent Developments on Materials, Device Geometries, and Fabrication Techniques.

    PubMed

    Kuehne, Alexander J C; Gather, Malte C

    2016-11-09

    Organic dyes have been used as gain medium for lasers since the 1960s, long before the advent of today's organic electronic devices. Organic gain materials are highly attractive for lasing due to their chemical tunability and large stimulated emission cross section. While the traditional dye laser has been largely replaced by solid-state lasers, a number of new and miniaturized organic lasers have emerged that hold great potential for lab-on-chip applications, biointegration, low-cost sensing and related areas, which benefit from the unique properties of organic gain materials. On the fundamental level, these include high exciton binding energy, low refractive index (compared to inorganic semiconductors), and ease of spectral and chemical tuning. On a technological level, mechanical flexibility and compatibility with simple processing techniques such as printing, roll-to-roll, self-assembly, and soft-lithography are most relevant. Here, the authors provide a comprehensive review of the developments in the field over the past decade, discussing recent advances in organic gain materials, which are today often based on solid-state organic semiconductors, as well as optical feedback structures, and device fabrication. Recent efforts toward continuous wave operation and electrical pumping of solid-state organic lasers are reviewed, and new device concepts and emerging applications are summarized.

  4. Design of Amorphous Manganese Oxide@Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Fiber for Robust Solid-State Supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Shi, Peipei; Li, Li; Hua, Li; Qian, Qianqian; Wang, Pengfei; Zhou, Jinyuan; Sun, Gengzhi; Huang, Wei

    2017-01-24

    Solid-state fiber-based supercapacitors have been considered promising energy storage devices for wearable electronics due to their lightweight and amenability to be woven into textiles. Efforts have been made to fabricate a high performance fiber electrode by depositing pseudocapacitive materials on the outer surface of carbonaceous fiber, for example, crystalline manganese oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MnO 2 /MWCNTs). However, a key challenge remaining is to achieve high specific capacitance and energy density without compromising the high rate capability and cycling stability. In addition, amorphous MnO 2 is actually preferred due to its disordered structure and has been proven to exhibit superior electrochemical performance over the crystalline one. Herein, by incorporating amorphous MnO 2 onto a well-aligned MWCNT sheet followed by twisting, we design an amorphous MnO 2 @MWCNT fiber, in which amorphous MnO 2 nanoparticles are distributed in MWCNT fiber uniformly. The proposed structure gives the amorphous MnO 2 @MWCNT fiber good mechanical reliability, high electrical conductivity, and fast ion-diffusion. Solid-state supercapacitor based on amorphous MnO 2 @MWCNT fibers exhibits improved energy density, superior rate capability, exceptional cycling stability, and excellent flexibility. This study provides a strategy to design a high performance fiber electrode with microstructure control for wearable energy storage devices.

  5. Modeling the effect of heatsink performance in high-peak-power laser-diode-bar pump sources for solid-state lasers 011 011

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

    Honea, E.C., LLNL

    We derive approximate expressions for transient output power and wavelength chirp of high- peak-power laser-diode bars assuming one-dimensional heat flow and linear temperature dependences for chirp and efficiency. The model is derived for pulse durations, 10 < {tau} < 1000 ps, typically used for diode-pumped solid-state lasers and is in good agreement with experimental data for Si heatsink mounted 940 nm laser-diode bars operating at 100 W/cm. The analytic expressions are more flexible and easily used than the results of operating point dependent numerical modeling. In addition, the analytic expressions used here can be integrated to describe the energy permore » unit wavelength for a given pulse duration, initial emission bandwidth and heatsink material. We find that the figure-of-merit for a heatsink material in this application is ({rho}C{sub p}K) where {rho}C{sub p} is the volumetric heat capacity and K is the thermal conductivity. As an example of the utility of the derived expressions, we determine an effective absorption coefficient as a function of pump pulse duration for a diode-pumped solid-state laser utilizing Yb:Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F (Yb:S-FAP) as the gain medium.« less

  6. Recent progress in asymmetric bifunctional catalysis using multimetallic systems.

    PubMed

    Shibasaki, Masakatsu; Kanai, Motomu; Matsunaga, Shigeki; Kumagai, Naoya

    2009-08-18

    The concept of bifunctional catalysis, wherein both partners of a bimolecular reaction are simultaneously activated, is very powerful for designing efficient asymmetric catalysts. Catalytic asymmetric processes are indispensable for producing enantiomerically enriched compounds in modern organic synthesis, providing more economical and environmentally benign results than methods requiring stoichiometric amounts of chiral reagents. Extensive efforts in this field have produced many asymmetric catalysts, and now a number of reactions can be rendered asymmetric. We have focused on the development of asymmetric catalysts that exhibit high activity, selectivity, and broad substrate generality under mild reaction conditions. Asymmetric catalysts based on the concept of bifunctional catalysis have emerged as a particularly effective class, enabling simultaneous activation of multiple reaction components. Compared with conventional catalysts, bifunctional catalysts generally exhibit enhanced catalytic activity and higher levels of stereodifferentiation under milder reaction conditions, attracting much attention as next-generation catalysts for prospective practical applications. In this Account, we describe recent advances in enantioselective catalysis with bifunctional catalysts. Since our identification of heterobimetallic rare earth-alkali metal-BINOL (REMB) complexes, we have developed various types of bifunctional multimetallic catalysts. The REMB catalytic system is effective for catalytic asymmetric Corey-Chaykovsky epoxidation and cyclopropanation. A dinucleating Schiff base has emerged as a suitable multidentate ligand for bimetallic catalysts, promoting catalytic syn-selective nitro-Mannich, anti-selective nitroaldol, and Mannich-type reactions. The sugar-based ligand GluCAPO provides a suitable platform for polymetallic catalysts; structural elucidation revealed that their higher order polymetallic structures are a determining factor for their function in the catalytic asymmetric Strecker reaction. Rational design identified a related ligand, FujiCAPO, which exhibits superior performance in catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of cyanide to enones and a catalytic asymmetric Diels-Alder-type reaction. The combination of an amide-based ligand with a rare earth metal constitutes a unique catalytic system: the ligand-metal association is in equilibrium because of structural flexibility. These catalytic systems are effective for asymmetric amination of highly coordinative substrate as well as for Mannich-type reaction of alpha-cyanoketones, in which hydrogen bonding cooperatively contributes to substrate activation and stereodifferentiation. Most of the reactions described here generate stereogenic tetrasubstituted carbons or quaternary carbons, noteworthy accomplishments even with modern synthetic methods. Several reactions have been incorporated into the asymmetric synthesis of therapeutics (or their candidate molecules) such as Tamiflu, AS-3201 (ranirestat), GRL-06579A, and ritodrine, illustrating the usefulness of bifunctional asymmetric catalysis.

  7. Wearable energy-smart ribbons for synchronous energy harvest and storage

    PubMed Central

    Li, Chao; Islam, Md. Monirul; Moore, Julian; Sleppy, Joseph; Morrison, Caleb; Konstantinov, Konstantin; Dou, Shi Xue; Renduchintala, Chait; Thomas, Jayan

    2016-01-01

    A promising energy source for many current and future applications is a ribbon-like device that could simultaneously harvest and store energy. Due to the high flexibility and weavable property, a fabric/matrix made using these ribbons could be highly beneficial for powering wearable electronics. Unlike the approach of using two separate devices, here we report a ribbon that integrates a solar cell and a supercapacitor. The electrons generated by the solar cell are directly transferred and stored on the reverse side of its electrode which in turn also functions as an electrode for the supercapacitor. When the flexible solar ribbon is illuminated with simulated solar light, the supercapacitor holds an energy density of 1.15 mWh cm−3 and a power density of 243 mW cm−3. Moreover, these ribbons are successfully woven into a fabric form. Our all-solid-state ribbon unveils a highly flexible and portable self-sufficient energy system with potential applications in wearables, drones and electric vehicles. PMID:27834367

  8. Fiber photo-catheters for laser treatment of atrial fibrillation

    PubMed Central

    Peshko, Igor; Rubtsov, Vladimir; Vesselov, Leonid; Sigal, Gennady; Laks, Hillel

    2009-01-01

    A fiber photo-catheter has been developed for surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation with laser radiation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart rhythm abnormality that involves irregular and rapid heartbeats. Recent studies demonstrate the superiority of treating AF disease with optical radiation of the near infrared region. To produce long continuous transmural lesions, solid-state lasers and laser diodes, along with end-emitting fiber catheters, have been used experimentally. The absence of side-emitting flexible catheters with the ability to produce long continuous lesions limits the further development of this technology. In this research, a prototype of an optical catheter, consisting of a flexible 10-cm fiber diffuser has been used to make continuous photocoagulation lesions for effective maze procedure treatments. The system also includes: a flexible optical reflector; a series of openings for rapid self-attachment to the tissue; and an optional closed-loop irrigating chamber with circulating saline to cool the optical diffuser and irrigate the tissue. PMID:19587838

  9. Wafer-scale integrated micro-supercapacitors on an ultrathin and highly flexible biomedical platform.

    PubMed

    Maeng, Jimin; Meng, Chuizhou; Irazoqui, Pedro P

    2015-02-01

    We present wafer-scale integrated micro-supercapacitors on an ultrathin and highly flexible parylene platform, as progress toward sustainably powering biomedical microsystems suitable for implantable and wearable applications. All-solid-state, low-profile (<30 μm), and high-density (up to ~500 μF/mm(2)) micro-supercapacitors are formed on an ultrathin (~20 μm) freestanding parylene film by a wafer-scale parylene packaging process in combination with a polyaniline (PANI) nanowire growth technique assisted by surface plasma treatment. These micro-supercapacitors are highly flexible and shown to be resilient toward flexural stress. Further, direct integration of micro-supercapacitors into a radio frequency (RF) rectifying circuit is achieved on a single parylene platform, yielding a complete RF energy harvesting microsystem. The system discharging rate is shown to improve by ~17 times in the presence of the integrated micro-supercapacitors. This result suggests that the integrated micro-supercapacitor technology described herein is a promising strategy for sustainably powering biomedical microsystems dedicated to implantable and wearable applications.

  10. Wearable energy-smart ribbons for synchronous energy harvest and storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Chao; Islam, Md. Monirul; Moore, Julian; Sleppy, Joseph; Morrison, Caleb; Konstantinov, Konstantin; Dou, Shi Xue; Renduchintala, Chait; Thomas, Jayan

    2016-11-01

    A promising energy source for many current and future applications is a ribbon-like device that could simultaneously harvest and store energy. Due to the high flexibility and weavable property, a fabric/matrix made using these ribbons could be highly beneficial for powering wearable electronics. Unlike the approach of using two separate devices, here we report a ribbon that integrates a solar cell and a supercapacitor. The electrons generated by the solar cell are directly transferred and stored on the reverse side of its electrode which in turn also functions as an electrode for the supercapacitor. When the flexible solar ribbon is illuminated with simulated solar light, the supercapacitor holds an energy density of 1.15 mWh cm-3 and a power density of 243 mW cm-3. Moreover, these ribbons are successfully woven into a fabric form. Our all-solid-state ribbon unveils a highly flexible and portable self-sufficient energy system with potential applications in wearables, drones and electric vehicles.

  11. Wearable energy-smart ribbons for synchronous energy harvest and storage.

    PubMed

    Li, Chao; Islam, Md Monirul; Moore, Julian; Sleppy, Joseph; Morrison, Caleb; Konstantinov, Konstantin; Dou, Shi Xue; Renduchintala, Chait; Thomas, Jayan

    2016-11-11

    A promising energy source for many current and future applications is a ribbon-like device that could simultaneously harvest and store energy. Due to the high flexibility and weavable property, a fabric/matrix made using these ribbons could be highly beneficial for powering wearable electronics. Unlike the approach of using two separate devices, here we report a ribbon that integrates a solar cell and a supercapacitor. The electrons generated by the solar cell are directly transferred and stored on the reverse side of its electrode which in turn also functions as an electrode for the supercapacitor. When the flexible solar ribbon is illuminated with simulated solar light, the supercapacitor holds an energy density of 1.15 mWh cm -3 and a power density of 243 mW cm -3 . Moreover, these ribbons are successfully woven into a fabric form. Our all-solid-state ribbon unveils a highly flexible and portable self-sufficient energy system with potential applications in wearables, drones and electric vehicles.

  12. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy and first-principles calculations: a powerful combination of tools for the investigation of polymorphism of indomethacin.

    PubMed

    Ukmar, Tina; Kaučič, Venčeslav; Mali, Gregor

    2011-09-01

    Two polymorphs of indomethacin were investigated by 1H MAS and CRAMPS, and 1H-13C CPMAS and HETCOR NMR techniques. The obtained spectra clearly elucidated the structural differences between the polymorphs, especially the different numbers of indomethacin molecules within the crystallographic asymmetric units and the different schemes of hydrogen bonding among the molecules. Known structure of indomethacin gamma was used in first-principles DFT/GIPAW calculations of 1H and 13C isotropic chemical shifts. Two packages, freely available Quantum Espresso and commercially available CASTEP, were employed. They both provided values that excellently agreed with the measured values, and thus allowed unambiguous assignment of 1H and 13C spectral lines.

  13. Separation and characterization of gold nanoparticle mixtures by flow-field-flow fractionation.

    PubMed

    Calzolai, Luigi; Gilliland, Douglas; Garcìa, César Pascual; Rossi, François

    2011-07-08

    We show that using asymmetric flow-field-flow fractionation and UV-vis detector it is possible to separate, characterize, and quantify the correct number size distribution of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) mixtures of various sizes in the 5-60 nm range for which simple dynamic light scattering measurements give misleading information. The size of the collected nanoparticles fractions can be determined both in solution and in the solid state, and their surface chemistry characterized by NMR. This method will find widespread applications both in the process of "size purification" after the synthesis of AuNP and in the identification and characterization of gold-based nanomaterials in consumer products. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The asymmetric geospace - the most common state of the system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ostgaard, Nikolai; Reistad, Jone P.; Tenfjord, Paul; Laundal, Karl M.; Rexer, Theresa; Haaland, Stein; Snekvik, Kristian; Hesse, Michael; Milan, Steve; Ohma, Anders

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies have shown that conjugate auroral features are significantly displaced in the two hemispheres when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has a transverse (Y) component. Furthermore, it has been shown that a By component is induced in the closed magnetosphere due to the asymmetric loading of magnetic flux in the lobes following asymmetric dayside reconnection when IMF has a strong Y component. The magnetic field lines with azimuthally displaced footpoints map into a «banana» cell in one hemisphere and an «orange» cell in the other. This means that both the magnetosphere and the ionosphere are asymmetric during such conditions. As the most common orientation of IMF is to have a dominant By component an asymmetric geospace is in fact the most common state of the system. In this paper we study auroral features observed (IMAGE and Polar) and convection pattern (all available data) during a magnetic storm on August 17, 2001. Due to the combination of a strong IMF By component (>20 nT) and tilt angle of 23 degrees we observed conjugate auroral features, which were displaced as much as 4 MLT. Convection data are consistent with this asymmetric state of geospace. We also observed that the asymmetries were reduced by substorms during that period.

  15. Infrared spectra of molecules and materials of astrophysical interest

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Durig, J. R.

    1978-01-01

    The Raman spectra of gaseous, liquid and solid, and infrared spectra of gaseous and solid isopropylamine-d sub 0 and -d sub 2 was investigated between 4000 and 50 cm superscript -1. Differences between the spectrum of the solid phase and that of the fluid phases were interpreted in terms of an equilibrium between low energy s-trans and high energy gauche conformers, and a complete vibrational assignment was proposed for the s-trans conformer. The far infrared spectra of the gaseous compounds contained bands due to the asymmetric amino and coupled methyl torsions; the assignment of these bands was aided by observation of a number of two quantum transitions for each vibrational mode. The asymmetric potential functions were calculated, which resulted in values for the enthalpy differences between conformers in the gaseous phase of 446 and 523 callmole for the sub 0 -d and -d sub 2 compounds, respectively. The methyl torsional potential function of isopropylamine-d sub 0 was calculated which led to a value for the barrier height to internal rotation of the methyl rotors of 4.23 + or - 0.06 kcal/mole. Values for the ideal gas thermodynamic functions were calculated over a range of temperatures.

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

    Zhu, Yuanyuan; Munro, Catherine J.; Olszta, Matthew J.

    In this work, we showcase that through precise control of the electron dose rate, state-of-the-art large solid angle energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping in aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is capable of faithful and unambiguous chemical characterization of the Pt and Pd distribution in a peptide-mediated nanosystem. This low-dose-rate recording scheme adds another dimension of flexibility to the design of elemental mapping experiments, and holds significant potential for extending its application to a wide variety of beam sensitive hybrid nanostructures.

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

    Petach, Trevor A.; Reich, Konstantin V.; Zhang, Xiao

    Ionic liquid gating has a number of advantages over solid-state gating, especially for flexible or transparent devices and for applications requiring high carrier densities. But, the large number of charged ions near the channel inevitably results in Coulomb scattering, which limits the carrier mobility in otherwise clean systems. We develop a model for this Coulomb scattering. We then validate our model experimentally using ionic liquid gating of graphene across varying thicknesses of hexagonal boron nitride, demonstrating that disorder in the bulk ionic liquid often dominates the scattering.

  18. Asymmetric Bidirectional Controlled Quantum Information Transmission via Seven-Particle Entangled State

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sang, Ming-huang; Nie, Li-ping

    2017-11-01

    We demonstrate that a seven-particle entangled state can be used to realize the deterministic asymmetric bidirectional controlled quantum information transmission by performing only Bell-state measurement and two-particle projective measurement and single-particle measurement. In our protocol, Alice can teleport an arbitrary unknown single-particle state to Bob and at the same time Bob can remotely prepare an arbitrary known two-particle state for Alice via the control of the supervisor Charlie.

  19. Building solids inside nano-space: from confined amorphous through confined solvate to confined 'metastable' polymorph.

    PubMed

    Nartowski, K P; Tedder, J; Braun, D E; Fábián, L; Khimyak, Y Z

    2015-10-14

    The nanocrystallisation of complex molecules inside mesoporous hosts and control over the resulting structure is a significant challenge. To date the largest organic molecule crystallised inside the nano-pores is a known pharmaceutical intermediate - ROY (259.3 g mol(-1)). In this work we demonstrate smart manipulation of the phase of a larger confined pharmaceutical - indomethacin (IMC, 357.8 g mol(-1)), a substance with known conformational flexibility and complex polymorphic behaviour. We show the detailed structural analysis and the control of solid state transformations of encapsulated molecules inside the pores of mesoscopic cellular foam (MCF, pore size ca. 29 nm) and controlled pore glass (CPG, pore size ca. 55 nm). Starting from confined amorphous IMC we drive crystallisation into a confined methanol solvate, which upon vacuum drying leads to the stabilised rare form V of IMC inside the MCF host. In contrast to the pure form, encapsulated form V does not transform into a more stable polymorph upon heating. The size of the constraining pores and the drug concentration within the pores determine whether the amorphous state of the drug is stabilised or it recrystallises into confined nanocrystals. The work presents, in a critical manner, an application of complementary techniques (DSC, PXRD, solid-state NMR, N2 adsorption) to confirm unambiguously the phase transitions under confinement and offers a comprehensive strategy towards the formation and control of nano-crystalline encapsulated organic solids.

  20. Solid-state acid-base interactions in complexes of heterocyclic bases with dicarboxylic acids: crystallography, hydrogen bond analysis, and 15N NMR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Li, Z Jane; Abramov, Yuriy; Bordner, Jon; Leonard, Jason; Medek, Ales; Trask, Andrew V

    2006-06-28

    A cancer candidate, compound 1, is a weak base with two heterocyclic basic nitrogens and five hydrogen-bonding functional groups, and is sparingly soluble in water rendering it unsuitable for pharmaceutical development. The crystalline acid-base pairs of 1, collectively termed solid acid-base complexes, provide significant increases in the solubility and bioavailability compared to the free base, 1. Three dicarboxylic acid-base complexes, sesquisuccinate 2, dimalonate 3, and dimaleate 4, show the most favorable physicochemical profiles and are studied in greater detail. The structural analyses of the three complexes using crystal structure and solid-state NMR reveal that the proton-transfer behavior in these organic acid-base complexes vary successively correlating with Delta pKa. As a result, 2 is a neutral complex, 3 is a mixed ionic and zwitterionic complex and 4 is an ionic salt. The addition of the acidic components leads to maximized hydrogen bond interactions forming extended three-dimensional networks. Although structurally similar, the packing arrangements of the three complexes are considerably different due to the presence of multiple functional groups and the flexible backbone of 1. The findings in this study provide insight into the structural characteristics of complexes involving heterocyclic bases and carboxylic acids, and demonstrate that X-ray crystallography and 15N solid-state NMR are truly complementary in elucidating hydrogen bonding interactions and the degree of proton transfer of these complexes.

  1. Electropolymerized polyazulene as active material in flexible supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suominen, Milla; Lehtimäki, Suvi; Yewale, Rahul; Damlin, Pia; Tuukkanen, Sampo; Kvarnström, Carita

    2017-07-01

    We report the capacitive behavior of electrochemically polymerized polyazulene films in different ionic liquids. The ionic liquids in this study represent conventional imidazolium based ionic liquids with tetrafluoroborate and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions as well as an unconventional choline based ionic liquid. The effect of different ionic liquids on the polymerization and capacitive performance of polyazulene films is demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a 3-electrode cell configuration. The films exhibit the highest capacitances in the lowest viscosity ionic liquid (92 mF cm-2), while synthesis in high viscosity ionic liquid shortens the conjugation length and results in lower electroactivity (25 mF cm-2). The obtained films also show good cycling stabilities retaining over 90% of their initial capacitance over 1200 p-doping cycles. We also demonstrate, for the first time, flexible polyazulene supercapacitors of symmetric and asymmetric configurations using the choline based ionic liquid as electrolyte. In asymmetric configuration, capacitance of 55 mF (27 mF cm-2) with an equivalent series resistance of 19 Ω is obtained at operating voltage of 1.5 V. Upon increasing the operating voltage up to 2.4 V, the capacitance increases to 72 mF (36 mF cm-2).

  2. High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitor Based on CoAl-LDH and rGO Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Shuoshuo; Cheng, Pengpeng; Luo, Jiaxian; Zhou, Dan; Xu, Weiming; Li, Jingwei; Li, Ruchun; Yuan, Dingsheng

    2017-07-01

    A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on a CoAl-layered double hydroxide (CoAl-LDH) electrode and a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrode was successfully fabricated. The CoAl-LDH electrode as a positive electrode was synthesized by directly growing CoAl-LDH nanosheet arrays on a carbon cloth (CC) through a facile hydrothermal method, and it delivered a specific capacitance of 616.9 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. The rGO electrode as a negative electrode was synthesized by coating rGO on the CC via a simple dip-coating method and revealed a specific capacitance of 110.0 F g-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1. Ultimately, the advanced ASC offered a broad voltage window (1.7 V) and exhibited a high superficial capacitance of 1.77 F cm-2 at 2 mA cm-2 and a high energy density of 0.71 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 17.05 mW cm-2, along with an excellent cycle stability (92.9% capacitance retention over 8000 charge-discharge cycles).

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

    Zhai Zehui; Guo Juan; College of Physics and Electronics Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006

    We propose an asymmetric quantum cloning scheme. Based on the proposal and experiment by Andersen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 240503 (2005)], we generalize it to two asymmetric cases: quantum cloning with asymmetry between output clones and between quadrature variables. These optical implementations also employ linear elements and homodyne detection only. Finally, we also compare the utility of symmetric and asymmetric cloning in an analysis of a squeezed-state quantum key distribution protocol and find that the asymmetric one is more advantageous.

  4. Ion Current Rectification, Limiting and Overlimiting Conductances in Nanopores

    PubMed Central

    van Oeffelen, Liesbeth; Van Roy, Willem; Idrissi, Hosni; Charlier, Daniel; Lagae, Liesbet; Borghs, Gustaaf

    2015-01-01

    Previous reports on Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) simulations of solid-state nanopores have focused on steady state behaviour under simplified boundary conditions. These are Neumann boundary conditions for the voltage at the pore walls, and in some cases also Donnan equilibrium boundary conditions for concentrations and voltages at both entrances of the nanopore. In this paper, we report time-dependent and steady state PNP simulations under less restrictive boundary conditions, including Neumann boundary conditions applied throughout the membrane relatively far away from the nanopore. We simulated ion currents through cylindrical and conical nanopores with several surface charge configurations, studying the spatial and temporal dependence of the currents contributed by each ion species. This revealed that, due to slow co-diffusion of oppositely charged ions, steady state is generally not reached in simulations or in practice. Furthermore, it is shown that ion concentration polarization is responsible for the observed limiting conductances and ion current rectification in nanopores with asymmetric surface charges or shapes. Hence, after more than a decade of collective research attempting to understand the nature of ion current rectification in solid-state nanopores, a relatively intuitive model is retrieved. Moreover, we measured and simulated current-voltage characteristics of rectifying silicon nitride nanopores presenting overlimiting conductances. The similarity between measurement and simulation shows that overlimiting conductances can result from the increased conductance of the electric double-layer at the membrane surface at the depletion side due to voltage-induced polarization charges. The MATLAB source code of the simulation software is available via the website http://micr.vub.ac.be. PMID:25978328

  5. Fabrication of high-density In3Sb1Te2 phase change nanoarray on glass-fabric reinforced flexible substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Jong Moon; Shin, Dong Ok; Yin, You; Seo, Hyeon Kook; Kim, Daewoon; In Kim, Yong; Jin, Jung Ho; Kim, Yong Tae; Bae, Byeong-Soo; Ouk Kim, Sang; Lee, Jeong Yong

    2012-06-01

    Mushroom-shaped phase change memory (PCM) consisting of a Cr/In3Sb1Te2 (IST)/TiN (bottom electrode) nanoarray was fabricated via block copolymer lithography and single-step dry etching with a gas mixture of Ar/Cl2. The process was performed on a high performance transparent glass-fabric reinforced composite film (GFR Hybrimer) suitable for use as a novel substrate for flexible devices. The use of GFR Hybrimer with low thermal expansion and flat surfaces enabled successful nanoscale patterning of functional phase change materials on flexible substrates. Block copolymer lithography employing asymmetrical block copolymer blends with hexagonal cylindrical self-assembled morphologies resulted in the creation of hexagonal nanoscale PCM cell arrays with an areal density of approximately 176 Gb/in2.

  6. A Solution Processable High-Performance Thermoelectric Copper Selenide Thin Film.

    PubMed

    Lin, Zhaoyang; Hollar, Courtney; Kang, Joon Sang; Yin, Anxiang; Wang, Yiliu; Shiu, Hui-Ying; Huang, Yu; Hu, Yongjie; Zhang, Yanliang; Duan, Xiangfeng

    2017-06-01

    A solid-state thermoelectric device is attractive for diverse technological areas such as cooling, power generation and waste heat recovery with unique advantages of quiet operation, zero hazardous emissions, and long lifetime. With the rapid growth of flexible electronics and miniature sensors, the low-cost flexible thermoelectric energy harvester is highly desired as a potential power supply. Herein, a flexible thermoelectric copper selenide (Cu 2 Se) thin film, consisting of earth-abundant elements, is reported. The thin film is fabricated by a low-cost and scalable spin coating process using ink solution with a truly soluble precursor. The Cu 2 Se thin film exhibits a power factor of 0.62 mW/(m K 2 ) at 684 K on rigid Al 2 O 3 substrate and 0.46 mW/(m K 2 ) at 664 K on flexible polyimide substrate, which is much higher than the values obtained from other solution processed Cu 2 Se thin films (<0.1 mW/(m K 2 )) and among the highest values reported in all flexible thermoelectric films to date (≈0.5 mW/(m K 2 )). Additionally, the fabricated thin film shows great promise to be integrated with the flexible electronic devices, with negligible performance change after 1000 bending cycles. Together, the study demonstrates a low-cost and scalable pathway to high-performance flexible thin film thermoelectric devices from relatively earth-abundant elements. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. HIV-1 Env trimer opens through an asymmetric intermediate in which individual protomers adopt distinct conformations.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xiaochu; Lu, Maolin; Gorman, Jason; Terry, Daniel S; Hong, Xinyu; Zhou, Zhou; Zhao, Hong; Altman, Roger B; Arthos, James; Blanchard, Scott C; Kwong, Peter D; Munro, James B; Mothes, Walther

    2018-03-21

    HIV-1 entry into cells requires binding of the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) to receptor CD4 and coreceptor. Imaging of individual Env molecules on native virions shows Env trimers to be dynamic, spontaneously transitioning between three distinct well-populated conformational states: a pre-triggered Env (State 1), a default intermediate (State 2) and a three-CD4-bound conformation (State 3), which can be stabilized by binding of CD4 and coreceptor-surrogate antibody 17b. Here, using single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET), we show the default intermediate configuration to be asymmetric, with individual protomers adopting distinct conformations. During entry, this asymmetric intermediate forms when a single CD4 molecule engages the trimer. The trimer can then transition to State 3 by binding additional CD4 molecules and coreceptor.

  8. Y{sub 2}MoSe{sub 3}O{sub 12} and Y{sub 2}MoTe{sub 3}O{sub 12}: Solid-state synthesis, structure determination, and characterization of two new quaternary mixed metal oxides containing asymmetric coordination environment

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

    Bang, Seong-eun; Pan, Zhi; Kim, Yeong Hun

    Two new quaternary yttrium molybdenum selenium/tellurium oxides, Y{sub 2}MoSe{sub 3}O{sub 12} and Y{sub 2}MoTe{sub 3}O{sub 12} have been prepared by standard solid-state reactions using Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MoO{sub 3}, and SeO{sub 2} (or TeO{sub 2}) as reagents. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystal structures of the reported materials. Although both of the materials contain second-order Jahn–Teller (SOJT) distortive cations and are stoichiometrically similar, they reveal different structural features: while Y{sub 2}MoSe{sub 3}O{sub 12} shows a three-dimensional framework consisting of YO{sub 8}, MoO{sub 6}, and SeO{sub 3} groups, Y{sub 2}MoTe{sub 3}O{sub 12} exhibits a layered structure composed ofmore » YO{sub 8}, MoO{sub 4}, TeO{sub 3}, and TeO{sub 4} polyhedra. With the Mo{sup 6+} cations in Y{sub 2}MoSe{sub 3}O{sub 12}, a C{sub 3}-type intraoctahedral distortion toward a face is observed, in which the direction of the out-of-center distortion for Mo{sup 6+} is away from the oxide ligand linked to a Se{sup 4+} cation. The Se{sup 4+} and Te{sup 4+} cations in both materials are in asymmetric coordination environment attributed to the lone pairs. Elemental analyses, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses, intraoctahedral distortions, and dipole moment calculations for the compounds are also presented. - Graphical abstract: Y{sub 2}MoSe{sub 3}O{sub 12} reveals a three-dimensional framework consisting of YO{sub 8}, MoO{sub 6}, and SeO{sub 3} polyhedra, whereas Y{sub 2}MoTe{sub 3}O{sub 12} exhibits a layered structure composed of YO{sub 8}, MoO{sub 4}, TeO{sub 3}, and TeO{sub 4} groups. - Highlights: • Two new selenite and tellurite (Y{sub 2}MoQ{sub 3}O{sub 12}; Q=Se and Te) are synthesized. • Y{sub 2}MoQ{sub 3}O{sub 12} contain second-order Jahn–Teller distortive cations in asymmetric environments. • The intra-octahedral distortion of the Mo{sup 6+} is influenced by the Se{sup 4+}.« less

  9. Voltage-Rectified Current and Fluid Flow in Conical Nanopores.

    PubMed

    Lan, Wen-Jie; Edwards, Martin A; Luo, Long; Perera, Rukshan T; Wu, Xiaojian; Martin, Charles R; White, Henry S

    2016-11-15

    Ion current rectification (ICR) refers to the asymmetric potential-dependent rate of the passage of solution ions through a nanopore, giving rise to electrical current-voltage characteristics that mimic those of a solid-state electrical diode. Since the discovery of ICR in quartz nanopipettes two decades ago, synthetic nanopores and nanochannels of various geometries, fabricated in membranes and on wafers, have been extensively investigated to understand fundamental aspects of ion transport in highly confined geometries. It is now generally accepted that ICR requires an asymmetric electrical double layer within the nanopore, producing an accumulation or depletion of charge-carrying ions at opposite voltage polarities. Our research groups have recently explored how the voltage-dependent ion distributions and ICR within nanopores can induce novel nanoscale flow phenomena that have applications in understanding ionics in porous materials used in energy storage devices, chemical sensing, and low-cost electrical pumping of fluids. In this Account, we review our most recent investigations on this topic, based on experiments using conical nanopores (10-300 nm tip opening) fabricated in thin glass, mica, and polymer membranes. Measurable fluid flow in nanopores can be induced either using external pressure forces, electrically via electroosmotic forces, or by a combination of these two forces. We demonstrate that pressure-driven flow can greatly alter the electrical properties of nanopores and, vice versa, that the nonlinear electrical properties of conical nanopores can impart novel and useful flow phenomena. Electroosmotic flow (EOF), which depends on the magnitude of the ion fluxes within the double layer of the nanopore, is strongly coupled to the accumulation/depletion of ions. Thus, the same underlying cause of ICR also leads to EOF rectification, i.e., unequal flows occurring for the same voltage but opposite polarities. EOF rectification can be used to electrically pump fluids with very precise control across membranes containing conical pores via the application of a symmetric sinusoidal voltage. The combination of pressure and asymmetric EOF can also provide a means to generate new nanopore electrical behaviors, including negative differential resistance (NDR), in which the current through a conical pore decreases with increasing driving force (applied voltage), similar to solid-state tunnel diodes. NDR results from a positive feedback mechanism between the ion distributions and EOF, yielding a true bistability in both fluid flow and electrical current at a critical applied voltage. Nanopore-based NDR is extremely sensitive to the surface charge near the nanopore opening, suggesting possible applications in chemical sensing.

  10. Layered crystal structure, conformational and vibrational properties of 2,2,2-trichloroethoxysulfonamide: An experimental and theoretical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gil, Diego M.; Piro, Oscar E.; Echeverría, Gustavo A.; Tuttolomondo, María E.; Altabef, Aída Ben

    2013-12-01

    The molecular structure of 2,2,2-trichloroethoxysulfonamide, CCl3CH2OSO2NH2, has been determined in the solid state by X-ray diffraction data and in the gas phase by ab initio (MP2) and DFT calculations. The substance crystallizes in the monoclinic P21/c space group with a = 9.969(3) Å, b = 22.914(6) Å, c = 7.349(2) Å, β = 91.06(3)°, and Z = 8 molecules per unit cell. There are two independent, but closely related molecular conformers in the crystal asymmetric unit. They only differ in the angular orientation of the sulfonamide (sbnd SO2NH2) group. The conformers are arranged in the lattice as center-symmetric Nsbnd H⋯O(sulf)-bonded dimers. Neighboring dimers are linked through further Nsbnd H⋯O(sulf) bonds giving rise to a crystal layered structure. The solid state infrared and Raman spectra have been recorded and the observed bands assigned to the molecular vibration modes. Also, the thermal behavior of the substance was investigated by TG-DT analysis. The stability of the molecule arising from hyper-conjugative interactions and charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond (NBO) analysis.

  11. Physicochemical characterization and structural evaluation of a specific 2:1 cocrystal of naproxen-nicotinamide.

    PubMed

    Ando, Shigeru; Kikuchi, Junko; Fujimura, Yuko; Ida, Yasuo; Higashi, Kenjirou; Moribe, Kunikazu; Yamamoto, Keiji

    2012-09-01

    Physicochemical characterization and structural evaluation of a 2:1 naproxen-nicotinamide cocrystal were performed. The 2:1 cocrystal showed rapid naproxen dissolution and less water vapor adsorption, indicating better pharmaceutical properties of naproxen. The unique 2:1 cocrystal formation was evaluated by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The assignments of all H and (13) C peaks for naproxen and the cocrystal were performed using dipolar-insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer and (1) H-(13) C cross-polarization (CP)-heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) NMR measurements. The (13) C chemical shift revealed that two naproxen molecules and one nicotinamide molecule existed in the asymmetric unit of the cocrystal. The (1) H chemical shifts indicated that the carboxylic group of the naproxen in the cocrystal was nonionized, and the CH-π interaction between naproxens was very strong. From the (1) H-(13) C CP-HETCOR NMR spectrum with contact time of 5 ms, two different synthons, carboxylic acid-amide and carboxylic acid-pyridine ring, were found between naproxen and nicotinamide. Single-crystal X-ray analysis, which supported the solid-state NMR results, clarified the geometry and intermolecular interactions in more detail. The structure is unique among pharmaceutical cocrystals because each carboxyl group of the two naproxens formed different intermolecular synthons. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Emergence of topological semimetals in gap closing in semiconductors without inversion symmetry.

    PubMed

    Murakami, Shuichi; Hirayama, Motoaki; Okugawa, Ryo; Miyake, Takashi

    2017-05-01

    A band gap for electronic states in crystals governs various properties of solids, such as transport, optical, and magnetic properties. Its estimation and control have been an important issue in solid-state physics. The band gap can be controlled externally by various parameters, such as pressure, atomic compositions, and external field. Sometimes, the gap even collapses by tuning some parameter. In the field of topological insulators, this closing of the gap at a time-reversal invariant momentum indicates a band inversion, that is, it leads to a topological phase transition from a normal insulator to a topological insulator. We show, through an exhaustive study on possible space groups, that the gap closing in inversion-asymmetric crystals is universal, in the sense that the gap closing always leads either to a Weyl semimetal or to a nodal-line semimetal. We consider three-dimensional spinful systems with time-reversal symmetry. The space group of the system and the wave vector at the gap closing uniquely determine which possibility occurs and where the gap-closing points or lines lie in the wave vector space after the closing of the gap. In particular, we show that an insulator-to-insulator transition never happens, which is in sharp contrast to inversion-symmetric systems.

  13. Multilayer heterostructures and their manufacture

    DOEpatents

    Hammond, Scott R; Reese, Matthew; Rupert, Benjamin; Miedaner, Alexander; Curtis, Clavin; Olson, Dana; Ginley, David S

    2015-11-04

    A method of synthesizing multilayer heterostructures including an inorganic oxide layer residing on a solid substrate is described. Exemplary embodiments include producing an inorganic oxide layer on a solid substrate by a liquid coating process under relatively mild conditions. The relatively mild conditions include temperatures below 225.degree. C. and pressures above 9.4 mb. In an exemplary embodiment, a solution of diethyl aluminum ethoxide in anhydrous diglyme is applied to a flexible solid substrate by slot-die coating at ambient atmospheric pressure, and the diglyme removed by evaporation. An AlO.sub.x layer is formed by subjecting material remaining on the solid substrate to a relatively mild oven temperature of approximately 150.degree. C. The resulting AlO.sub.x layer exhibits relatively high light transmittance and relatively low vapor transmission rates for water. An exemplary embodiment of a flexible solid substrate is polyethylene napthalate (PEN). The PEN is not substantially adversely affected by exposure to 150.degree. C

  14. Effect of d electrons on defect properties in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Shijun; Egami, Takeshi; Stocks, G. Malcolm; ...

    2018-01-01

    Here, the role of d electrons in determining distributions of formation and migration energies for point defects in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys (CSAs) are studied regarding electron density deformation flexibility based on first-principles calculations. The disordered state is taken into account by constructing special quasirandom structures. The migration barriers are determined by directly optimizing the saddle point. It is found that the formation energies of interstitials in CSAs are lower than those in pure Ni, whereas the formation energies of vacancies are higher. In both NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr, Co-related dumbbell interstitials exhibit lower formation energies. Notably,more » the distributions of migration energies for Cr interstitials and vacancies exhibit a remarkable overlap region. A detailed analysis of electronic properties reveals that the electronic charge deformation flexibility regarding e g to t 2g transition has a dominant effect on defect energetics for different elements in CSAs. Thus the electron deformation ability is suggested as a key factor in understanding the peculiar defect behavior in CSAs.« less

  15. Effect of d electrons on defect properties in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys

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

    Zhao, Shijun; Egami, Takeshi; Stocks, G. Malcolm

    Here, the role of d electrons in determining distributions of formation and migration energies for point defects in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys (CSAs) are studied regarding electron density deformation flexibility based on first-principles calculations. The disordered state is taken into account by constructing special quasirandom structures. The migration barriers are determined by directly optimizing the saddle point. It is found that the formation energies of interstitials in CSAs are lower than those in pure Ni, whereas the formation energies of vacancies are higher. In both NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr, Co-related dumbbell interstitials exhibit lower formation energies. Notably,more » the distributions of migration energies for Cr interstitials and vacancies exhibit a remarkable overlap region. A detailed analysis of electronic properties reveals that the electronic charge deformation flexibility regarding e g to t 2g transition has a dominant effect on defect energetics for different elements in CSAs. Thus the electron deformation ability is suggested as a key factor in understanding the peculiar defect behavior in CSAs.« less

  16. Flexible self-powered piezo-supercapacitor system for wearable electronics.

    PubMed

    Gilshteyn, Evgenia P; Amanbaev, Daler; Silibin, Maxim V; Sysa, Artem; Kondrashov, Vladislav A; Anisimov, Anton S; Kallio, Tanja; Nasibulin, Albert G

    2018-08-10

    The integration of energy harvesting and energy storage in a single device both enables the conversion of ambient energy into electricity and provides a sustainable power source for various electronic devices and systems. On the other hand, mechanical flexibility, coupled with optical transparency of the energy storage devices, is required for many applications, ranging from self-powered rolled-up displays to wearable optoelectronic devices. We integrate a piezoelectric poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) film into a flexible supercapacitor system to harvest and store the energy. The asymmetric output characteristics of the piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) film under mechanical impacts results in effective charging of the supercapacitors. The integrated piezo-supercapacitor exhibits a specific capacitance of 50 F g -1 . The open-circuit voltage of the flexible and transparent supercapacitor reached 500 mV within 20 s during the mechanical action. Our hybridized energy harvesting and storage device can be further extended to provide a sustainable power source for various types of sensors integrated into wearable units.

  17. All-atom molecular dynamics of the HBV capsid reveals insights into biological function and cryo-EM resolution limits

    PubMed Central

    Perilla, Juan R; Schlicksup, Christopher John; Venkatakrishnan, Balasubramanian; Zlotnick, Adam; Schulten, Klaus

    2018-01-01

    The hepatitis B virus capsid represents a promising therapeutic target. Experiments suggest the capsid must be flexible to function; however, capsid structure and dynamics have not been thoroughly characterized in the absence of icosahedral symmetry constraints. Here, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations are leveraged to investigate the capsid without symmetry bias, enabling study of capsid flexibility and its implications for biological function and cryo-EM resolution limits. Simulation results confirm flexibility and reveal a propensity for asymmetric distortion. The capsid’s influence on ionic species suggests a mechanism for modulating the display of cellular signals and implicates the capsid’s triangular pores as the location of signal exposure. A theoretical image reconstruction performed using simulated conformations indicates how capsid flexibility may limit the resolution of cryo-EM. Overall, the present work provides functional insight beyond what is accessible to experimental methods and raises important considerations regarding asymmetry in structural studies of icosahedral virus capsids. PMID:29708495

  18. On the Propagation of Plane Acoustic Waves in a Duct With Flexible and Impedance Walls

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frendi, Abdelkader; Vu, Bruce

    2003-01-01

    This Technical Memorandum (TM) discusses the harmonic and random plane acoustic waves propagating from inside a duct to its surroundings. Various duct surfaces are considered, such as rigid, flexible, and impedance. In addition, the effects of a mean flow are studied when the duct alone is considered. Results show a significant reduction in overall sound pressure levels downstream of the impedance wall for both mean flow and no mean flow cases and for a narrow duct. When a wider duct is used, the overall sound pressure level (OSPL) reduction downstream of the impedance wall is much smaller. In the far field, the directivity is such that the overall sound pressure level is reduced by about 5 decibels (dB) on the side of the impedance wall. When a flexible surface is used, the far field directivity becomes asymmetric with an increase in the OSPL on the side of the flexible surface of about 7 dB.

  19. Babinet to the half: coupling of solid and inverse plasmonic structures.

    PubMed

    Hentschel, Mario; Weiss, Thomas; Bagheri, Shahin; Giessen, Harald

    2013-09-11

    We study the coupling between the plasmonic resonances of solid and inverse metallic nanostructures. While the coupling between solid-solid and inverse-inverse plasmonic structures is well-understood, mixed solid-inverse systems have not yet been studied in detail. In particular, it remains unclear whether or not an efficient coupling is even possible and which prerequisites have to be met. We find that an efficient coupling between inverse and solid resonances is indeed possible, identify the necessary geometrical prerequisites, and demonstrate a novel solid-inverse plasmonic electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) structure as well as a mixed chiral system. We furthermore show that for the coupling of asymmetric rod-shaped inverse and solid structures symmetry breaking is crucial. In contrast, highly symmetric structures such as nanodisks and nanoholes are straightforward to couple. Our results constitute a significant extension of the plasmonic coupling toolkit, and we thus envision the emergence of a large number of intriguing novel plasmonic coupling phenomena in mixed solid-inverse structures.

  20. Electronic structure studies of adsorbate-induced surface reconstructions: oxygen on Rh(1 0 0)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirsch, Janet E.; Harris, Suzanne

    2004-03-01

    Solid-state Fenske-Hall band structure calculations have been used to study the electronic structure and bonding that occur on an "asymmetric" clock reconstructed Rh(1 0 0) surface with a half-monolayer of O atom adsorbates. The displacement of the top-layer Rh atoms on reconstructed O/Rh(1 0 0) is similar to that observed when a half-monolayer of C or N atoms adsorb onto clean Ni(1 0 0). Unlike the five-coordinate C or N adsorbates that adsorb into effectively coplanar sites on the Ni(1 0 0) surface, however, O atoms sit well above the Rh surface plane and occupy three-coordinate adsorption sites. The results of these calculations show that the asymmetric clock reconstruction of O/Rh(1 0 0) increases the negative charge localized on the highly electronegative O atoms and strengthens the O-Rh bonding relative to an unreconstructed surface. This suggests that, in contrast to the C(N)/Ni(1 0 0) clock, which appears to be driven primarily by the restoration of metal-metal bonding, the asymmetric O/Rh(1 0 0) clock reconstruction is driven by the optimization of the O atom bonding environment. Comparisons of the O/Rh(1 0 0) and C(N, O)/Ni(1 0 0) surfaces further indicate that the electronegativity and electron count of the adsorbed species, as well as the electron count and physical size of the metal, all play a role in determining the preferred atomic geometries of these adsorbate-covered transition metal surfaces.

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