Comparison between potentiostatic and galvanostatic intermittent titration techniques for determination of chemical diffusion coefficients in ion-insertion electrodes

Using well-cycled, thin composite graphite electrodes we analyze carefully the limitations of potentiostatic and galvanostatic intermittent titration techniques (PITT and GITT, respectively) for determination of the differential (incremental) intercalation capacitance, C_dif, and the chemical diffusion coefficient, D, of Li ions in these ion-insertion electrodes (IIEs). We demonstrate the superiority of the GITT over PITT to determine these quantities as the former technique allows for a more accurate determination of C_dif and hence D which closely approach to the spinodal domain related to the first-order phase transition during ion-insertion. We show that GITT is also more effective in eliminating the parasitic contributions of background currents to the total measured response. A pronounced difference in the initial, intrinsic kinetics of formation of a new phase in the bulk of the old one has been observed depending on the direction of titration (phases less saturated with Li are formed faster during deintercalation than the Li-rich phases in the course of intercalation).     

Solute diffusion in swollen membranes VII. Diffusion in semicrystalline networks

A model is developed to express the solute diffusion coefficient through semicrystalline polymeric networks. The crystallites create impermeable diffusional barriers around the amorphous regions. Solute diffusion is determined by applying a transport model to the amorphous phase and incorporating the crosslinked polymer structure characteristics. This model is tested with theophylline and vitamin B₁₂ permeation experiments through semicrystalline poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes prepared by annealing of amorphous PVA membranes. The degree of crystallinity varies between 23.1 % and 40.5 % on a dry basis. The solute diffusion coefficients correlate well with various parameters of the model.     

Diffusion coefficients from stopped-flow gas chromatography

Summary Mutual diffusion coefficients of two gases A and B can be determined in an empty gas chromatographic column by letting component B enter at an intermediate position of the column and continuously flow through a part only of it, as a carrier gas. The other component A is injected in a small amount instantaneously at the closed end of the column with the detector placed at the other end. By repeatedly stopping and then restoring after a short time the flow of B, narrow extra peaks are produced on the chromatographic elution curve, owing to diffusion of A into B. An equation is derived giving the area under the curve of each stop-peak as a function of time of the corresponding stop. Plotting the experimental data according to this equation permits the determination of the diffusion coefficient of A into B. Some results obtained by this method show negligible variations with changes in the experimental parameters.     

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/poly(amide imide) polymer blends for proton conducting membrane

Poly(amide imide) (PAI) was synthesized using 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic anhydride (BTBA) and 4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MBPI). SPEEK/PAI blend membranes were prepared and investigated by NMR, GPC, FT-IR and AFM. The chemical structures of PAI and SPEEK were characterized by using NMR and FT-IR. The adsorption of the SPEEK/PAI blend membrane of water or methanol solution was also characterized. The significant swelling of the blend membrane in concentrated methanol solution was explained by the solubility parameter. The water diffusion coefficient (D_H2O) was related to the lambda value of the membrane. The SPEEK/PAI blend membrane had a lower proton conductivity and methanol permeability than Nafion. However, the relative selectivity (proton conductivity divided by methanol permeability) of the SPEEK/PAI 70/30 (w/w) blend membrane was 3.46 × 10⁴ S s cm⁻³, which is closed to that of Nafion (3.30 S s cm⁻³).     

Estimation of diffusion coefficient of Ba++ ions in silica gel from periodic precipitation of BaMoO4

Formation of Liesegang rings on the growth of BaMoO₄ crystals in silica gel by single diffusion is discussed. The rhythmic precipitation is found to be influenced profoundly by (a) the molarity of inner and outerelectrolytes (b) the age of gel and (c) the pH of the gel medium. The time law, spacing law and the law relating diffusion depth and width are verified. A method to estimate the diffusion coefficient of the outer electrolyte in the gel medium is developed and calculated for Ba⁺⁺ions.     

Sodium hexadecanoate micellar aggregation number

The diffusion coefficient of sodium hexadecanoate micelles was studied by polarography at 63°C, and the size and aggregation number of the micelles was computed. At concentrations above 0.01 mol·L^–1 rodlike micelles exist, which become flexible at 0.040 mol·L^–1 and entangle at 0.043 mol·L^–1     

High-performances membranes for pervaporation I. Poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) blends

Dense membranes were prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVA–PVP) blends of different compositions and studied in swelling and dehydration by pervaporation of three organic solvents contaminated by 5 wt% water. The swelling generally increases with the PVP content. No extraction occurs in water–tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water–methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) mixtures. In ethanol containing 10 wt% of water, there is no extraction for blends containing less than 40 wt% PVP and an increasing extraction beyond this PVP content. The pervaporation flux of the water–ethanol mixture increases drastically at the same threshold whereas the water permselectivity falls to a low level. The values of the diffusion and permeability coefficients determined from transient permeation of the test water–ethanol mixture exhibit a similar sudden increase at the same PVP content threshold. This singular behavior of the blend membranes is interpreted by a strong affinity of the PVP component to ethanol, combined with a disappearance of crystallites in the blend at this threshold. Consequently the amorphous membrane can swell freely according to the affinity of the PVP component, leading to the observed behavior.     

Characteristic behavior of macro-, semimicro- and microelectrodes in voltammetric and chronoamperometric measurements

The advantages of microelectrodes such as the improvement of signal-to-noise ratio, the ability to perform electrochemical measurements in high resistive solutions and small RC-time constants give the possibility of an extended use for voltammetric and chronoamperometric techniques in analytical chemistry. In this comparative study, the microelectrode properties of three selected electrodes were examined. The characterization of a RAM-microarray electrode, an epoxy-impregnated carbon electrode and a conventional glassy carbon macroelectrode was performed by cyclic voltammetry at different scan rates, by DP-voltammetric measurements using different concentrations of supporting electrolyte and by transient measurements. It could be shown, that in comparison to the microarray electrode and to the glassy carbon macroelectrode, respectively, the results obtained by using the epoxy-impregnated carbon electrode are caused by its semimicroelectrode character.     

Investigations of the effect of viscosity of resin on the diffusion of pyrene in silicone polymer coatings using steady state fluorescence technique

The diffusion phenomenon of pyrene in silicone coatings prepared from various commercial silicone resins with different viscosities was investigated using steady state excimer fluorescence technique. The amount of pyrene lost from the coatings by diffusion at different temperatures ranging from 25 to 70 °C was estimated from the excimer emission intensity. The diffusion coefficients (D) and activation energy of diffusion of pyrene in silicone coatings were determined. It was found that the kinetic parameters of pyrene were comparable in all the four silicone coatings and independent of the viscosity of the resin. The D values were lower than those expected for pyrene in PDMS resins in the corresponding viscosity range. This may be attributed to restricted mobility of pyrene due to cross-linking of polymer chains in the cured silicone coatings.     

利用湿法反应制备的LiV3O8的锂离子扩散特性

利用V2O5•nH2O湿凝胶和Li2CO3作原料,通过溶液反应和低温焙烧的方法合成了用于锂离子电池正极的LiV3O8.对其前驱体和产品分别进行DTA-TG、XRD表征.LiV3O8用作锂离子电池正极的电化学性能利用恒电流充放电测试进行研究.实验表明活性材料LiV3O8具有较高的充放容量和良好的循环性能.LiV3O8电极的锂离子化学扩散系数由恒电位间歇滴定技术(PITT)来确定，其值依据Li1＋xV3O8中x值的不同在10－8～10－10 cm2•s－1的变化范围内.获得的锂离子的扩散活化能为：Ea=25～42 kJ•mol－1(x=0.18～2.5).认为锂离子扩散的最大活化能是由锂离子在Li4V3O8相中的扩散决定的.