A comparative study of the thermal behaviour of phosphate washing sludge from Tunisia and Morocco

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The aim of the present work is to characterize the phosphate sludge from two different countries: Morocco and Tunisia, and to study the difference...     

Beyond the Polysulfide Shuttle and Lithium Dendrite Formation: Addressing the Sluggish Sulfur Redox Kinetics for Practical High-Energy Li-S Batteries

Electrolyte modulation simultaneously suppresses polysulfide the shuttle effect and lithium dendrite formation of lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, the sluggish S redox kinetics, especially under high S loading and lean electrolyte operation, has been ignored, which dramatically limits the cycle life and energy density of practical Li-S pouch cells. Herein, we demonstrate that a rational combination of selenium doping, core–shell hollow host structure, and fluorinated ether electrolytes enables ultrastable Li stripping/plating and essentially no polysulfide shuttle as well as fast redox kinetics. Thus, high areal capacity (>4 mAh cm⁻²) with excellent cycle stability and Coulombic efficiency were both demonstrated in Li metal anode and thick S cathode (4.5 mg cm⁻²) with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (10 μL mg⁻¹). This research further demonstrates a durable Li-Se/S pouch cell with high specific capacity, validating the potential practical applications.     

Solvation Rule for Solid‐Electrolyte Interphase Enabler in Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Despite the exceptionally high energy density of lithium metal anodes, the practical application of lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs) is still impeded by the instability of the interphase between the lithium metal and the electrolyte. To formulate a functional electrolyte system that can stabilize the lithium‐metal anode, the solvation behavior of the solvent molecules must be understood because the electrochemical properties of a solvent can be heavily influenced by its solvation status. We unambiguously demonstrated the solvation rule for the solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) enabler in an electrolyte system. In this study, fluoroethylene carbonate was used as the SEI enabler due to its ability to form a robust SEI on the lithium metal surface, allowing relatively stable LMB cycling. The results revealed that the solvation number of fluoroethylene carbonate must be ≥1 to ensure the formation of a stable SEI in which the sacrificial reduction of the SEI enabler subsequently leads to the stable cycling of LMBs.     

Antidirected paths in 5-chromatic digraphs

Let $T_5$ be the regular 5-tournament. B. Grünbaum proved that $T_5$ is the only 5-tournament which contains no copy of the antidirected path $P_4$. In this Note, we prove that, except for $T_5$, any connected 5-chromatic oriented digraph in which each vertex has out-degree at least two contains a copy of $P_4$. It will be shown, by an example, that the condition that each vertex has out-degree at least two is indispensable. To cite this article: A. El Sahili, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 339 (2004).     

Micro-pillar plasticity: 2.5D mesoscopic simulations

The plastic behavior of micro- and nano-scale crystalline pillars is investigated under nominally uniform compression. The transition from forest hardening to exhaustion hardening dominated behavior is shown to emerge from discrete dislocation dynamics simulations upon reduction in the initial source density. The analyses provide new insight into the scaling of flow stress with specimen size and also highlight the connection between individual dislocation mechanisms, collective phenomena and overall behavior.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc labeled aryl piperazine derivatives as cerebral radiotracers

The aim of this study is to develop cerebral radiotracers for central nervous system receptors imaging. The synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of two aryl piperazine ^99mTc-radiocomplexes based on the piano stool motif [CpM(CO₃)] (Cp = cyclopentadienyl, M = ^99mTc/Re) is reported. The ^99mTc-radiocomplexes were obtained quickly (time < 5 min) with high radiochemical yields. The ^99mTc-radiocomplexes characterized by high performance liquid chromatography comparison with the rhenium surrogates have both a suitable lipophilicity and are able to cross the blood brain barrier with 0.43 ± 0.05 and 1.96 ± 0.06% ID/g of brain uptake, at 10 min post injection.     

Biosensors based on cholinesterase inhibition for insecticides, nerve agents and aflatoxin B1 detection (review)

The present review reports the research carried out during last 9 years on biosensors based on cholinesterase inhibition for nerve agents, organophosphorus and carbammic insecticides, and aflatoxin B₁ detection. Relative applications in environmental and food areas are also reported. Special attention is paid to the optimization of parameters such as enzyme immobilization, substrate concentration, and incubation time in the case of reversible inhibition by aflatoxin B₁ or irreversible inhibition by organophosphorus and carbamic insecticides, and nerve agents in order to optimize and improve the analytical performances of the biosensor. Evaluation of selectivity of the system is also discussed.     

On von Neumann regular elements in <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>-rings

Let B be an Archimedean reduced f-ring. A positive element \({\omega}\) in B is said to satisfy the property \({(\ast)}\) if for every f-ring A with identity e and every \({\ell}\)-group homomorphism \({\gamma : A \rightarrow B}\) with \({\gamma(e) = \omega}\), there exists a unique \({\ell}\)-ring homomorphism \({\rho: B \rightarrow B}\) such that \({\gamma = \omega \rho}\) and \({\rho(e)^{\perp \perp} = \omega^{\perp \perp}}\). Boulabiar and Hager proved that any (positive) von Neumann regular element in B satisfies the property \({(\ast)}\) and proved that the converse holds in the C(X)-case. In this regard, they asked about this converse in the general case. Our main purpose in this note is to prove, via a counter-example, that the converse in question fails in general. In addition, we shall take the opportunity to extend the direct result obtained by Boulabiar and Hager, and to get the C(X)-case we were talking about in an easier way.     

Independent components analysis coupled with 3D-front-face fluorescence spectroscopy to study the interaction between plastic food packaging and olive oil

Olive oil is one of the most valued sources of fats in the Mediterranean diet. Its storage was generally done using glass or metallic packaging materials. Nowadays, plastic packaging has gained worldwide spread for the storage of olive oil. However, plastics are not inert and interaction phenomena may occur between packaging materials and olive oil. In this study, extra virgin olive oil samples were submitted to accelerated interaction conditions, in contact with polypropylene (PP) and polylactide (PLA) plastic packaging materials. 3D-front-face fluorescence spectroscopy, being a simple, fast and non destructive analytical technique, was used to study this interaction. Independent components analysis (ICA) was used to analyze raw 3D-front-face fluorescence spectra of olive oil. ICA was able to highlight a probable effect of a migration of substances with antioxidant activity. The signals extracted by ICA corresponded to natural olive oil fluorophores (tocopherols and polyphenols) as well as newly formed ones which were tentatively identified as fluorescent oxidation products. Based on the extracted fluorescent signals, olive oil in contact with plastics had slower aging rates in comparison with reference oils. Peroxide and free acidity values validated the results obtained by ICA, related to olive oil oxidation rates. Sorbed olive oil in plastic was also quantified given that this sorption could induce a swelling of the polymer thus promoting migration.     

DBU-catalyzed transprotection of N-Fmoc-cysteine di- and tripeptides into S-Fm-cysteine di- and tripeptides

The transprotection of N-Fmoc-cysteine containing di- and tripeptides possessing a free SH group to produce the corresponding S-Fm-cysteine di- and tripeptides bearing a free amino group is accomplished efficiently with DBU in dry THF. The N-Fmoc to S-Fm transformation mechanism is discussed. S-Fm-Cysteine di- and tripeptides readily form amide bonds on coupling with N-(Pg-α-aminoacyl)benzotriazoles and N-(Pg-α-dipeptidoyl)benzotriazoles to give larger peptides.