Influence of oxygen on soot formation during acetylene pyrolysis

Kinetic modeling of pyrolysis of acetylene diluted with argon showed a strong influence of small additives of oxygen on the routes of formation of soot nuclei. The influence of oxygen on various channels of formation and consumption of propargyl radicals C₃H₃, which are important precursors of soot formation, as well as the fundamental possibility of controlling the process of soot formation and its properties are considered.     

Effect of external electric field on the terahertz transmission characteristics of electrolyte solutions

We fabricated a microfluidic chip with simple structure and good sealing performance, and studied the influence of the electric field on THz absorption intensity of liquid samples treated at different times by using THz time domain spectroscopy system. The tested liquids were deionised water and CuSO₄, CuCl₂, NaHCO₃, Na₂CO₃ and NaCl solutions. The transmission intensity of the THz wave increases as the standing time of the electrolyte solution in the electric field increases. The applied electric field alters the dipole moment of water molecules in the electrolyte solution, which affects the vibration and rotation of the whole water molecules, breaks the hydrogen bonds in the water, increases the number of single water molecules and leads to the enhancement of the THz transmission spectrum.     

Electrolyte Effects on the Electrocatalytic Performance of Iridium-Based Nanoparticles for Oxygen Evolution in Rotating Disc Electrodes

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysers are very promising renewable energy conversion devices that produce hydrogen from sustainable feedstocks. These devices are mainly limited by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Ir-based nanoparticles are both reasonably active and stable for the OER in acidic media. The electrolyte composition and the pH may play a crucial role in electrocatalysis, yet they have been widely overlooked for the OER. Herein, we present a study on the effects of the composition and concentration of the electrolyte on commercial Ir black nanoparticles using concentrations of 0.05 M, 0.1 M and 0.5 M of both sulphuric and perchloric acid. The results show an important effect of the electrolyte composition on the catalytic performance of the Ir nanoparticles. The concentration of H₂SO₄ interferes on the oxidation of Ir and decreases the catalytic performance of the catalyst. HClO₄ does not show strong interferences in the electrochemistry of Ir. Higher catalytic performances are observed in HClO₄ electrolytes in comparison to H₂SO₄ with little effect of the concentration of HClO₄.     

Ideal‐filter capillary electrophoresis: A highly efficient partitioning method for selection of protein binders from oligonucleotide libraries

Selection of affinity ligands for protein targets from oligonucleotide libraries currently involves multiple rounds of alternating steps of partitioning of protein‐bound oligonucleotides (binders) from protein‐unbound oligonucleotides (nonbinders). We have recently introduced ideal‐filter capillary electrophoresis (IFCE) for binder selection in a single step of partitioning. In IFCE, protein‐binder complexes and nonbinders move inside the capillary in the opposite directions, and the efficiency of their partitioning reaches 10⁹, i.e., only one of a billion molecules of nonbinders leaks through IFCE while all binders pass through. The condition of IFCE can be satisfied when the magnitude of the mobility of EOF is smaller than that of the protein‐binder complexes and larger than that of nonbinders. The efficiency of partitioning in IFCE is 10 million times higher than those of solid‐phase‐based methods of partitioning typically used in selection of affinity ligands for protein targets from oligonucleotide libraries. Here, we provide additional details on our justification for IFCE development. We elaborate on electrophoretic aspects of the method and define the theoretical range of EOF mobilities that support IFCE. Based on these theoretical results, we identify an experimental range of background electrolyte's ionic strength that supports IFCE. We also extend our interpretation of the results and discuss in‐depth IFCE's prospective in practical applications and fundamental studies.     

Magnesium-Based Clusters as Building Blocks of Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Superhalogens, owing to their large electron affinity (EA, exceeding those of any halogen atom), play an essential role in physical chemistry as well as new material design. They have applications in hydrogen storage and lithium-ion batteries. Owing to the unique geometries and electronic features of magnesium-based clusters, their potential to form a new class of lithium salts has been investigated here theoretically. The idea is assessed by conducting ab initio computations on Li⁺/Mg_nF_2n+1-2mO_m⁻ compounds (n=2, 3; m=0-3) and analyzing their performance as potential Li-ion battery electrolytes. The Mg₃F₇⁻ cluster, with large electron binding energy (EA of 7.93 eV), has been proven to serve as a building block for lithium salts. It is shown that, apart from high electronic stability, the new superhalogen-based electrolytes exhibit a set of desirable properties, including a large band gap, high electrolyte stability window, easy mobility of the Li⁺, and favorable insensitivity to water.     

碳钢表面微弧氧化膜的制备及摩擦磨损性能研究

在碳钢表面利用微弧氧化技术分别在以铝酸盐和硅酸盐为主的电解液体系中制备了氧化膜.用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、能谱仪(EDS)和X射线衍射仪(XRD)研究了两种氧化膜的结构、元素含量及分布和相组成;用往复摩擦试验机评价了氧化膜的摩擦磨损性能,并对膜层和对偶表面的磨痕进行了表征.结果表明:铝酸盐体系中制得的微弧氧化膜主要由Fe3O4和铁铝尖晶石(Fe Al2O4)组成,而硅酸盐体系制得的微弧氧化膜成膜元素为Fe、Si和O,并且以非晶态存在.干摩擦条件下,铝酸盐体系中制备的微弧氧化膜具有比硅酸盐体系中制备的微弧氧化膜更低的摩擦系数和磨损率,这是由于铝酸盐中制备的氧化膜含有的Fe3O4在摩擦过程中向对偶发生了一定程度的转移,起到了减摩抗磨的作用.     

A facile synthesis of non-aqueous LiPO2F2 solution as the electrolyte additive for high performance lithium ion batteries

Constructing a reliable and favorable electrode-electrolyte interface is crucial to utilize the exceptional energy storage capability in commercial lithium-ion batteries. Here, we report a facile synthesis approach for the lithium difluorophosphate (LiPO₂F₂) solution as an effective film-forming additive via direct adding the Li₂CO₃ into LiPF₆ solution at 45 °C. Benefiting from the significantly reduced interface resistance (R_SEI) and charge transfer impedance (R_ct) of both the cathode and anode by adding the prepared LiPO₂F₂ solution into a baseline electrolyte, the cycling performance of the graphite||LiNi_0.5Mn_0.3Co_0.2O₂ pouch cell is remarkably improved under all-climate condition.     

Optimization of Solution Condition for an Effective Electrochemical Reduction of N2O

An effective electrochemical reduction of nitrous oxide (N₂O) is established by controlling solution compositions in this study. N₂O was electrochemically reduced varying solvent composition and supporting electrolytes (K₂SO₄ and Na₂SO₄) concentrations. The differences in reduction current density and solution resistance were analyzed via linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively, depending on solution conditions. UV‐Vis spectroscopy was adopted to measure the solubility of N₂O. As a result, among the conditions investigated in this study, 300 mM of K₂SO₄ and aqueous based solution were revealed as an optimum condition for the electrochemical N₂O reduction. At 300 mM of K₂SO₄, the highest current density was obtained due to a high conductance of the electrolyte and a moderate solubility of N₂O.     

4D Printing based piezoelectric composite for medical applications

Additive manufacturing (AM), otherwise known as three‐dimensional (3D) printing, is driving major innovations in many areas, such as engineering, manufacturing, art, education, and medicine. Although a considerable amount of progress has been made in this field, additional research work is required to overcome various remaining challenges. Recently, one of the actively researched areas lies in the AM of smart materials and structures. Electroactive materials incorporated in 3D printing have given birth to 4D printing, where 3D printed structures can perform as actuating and/or sensing systems, making it possible to deliver electrical signals under external mechanical stimuli and vice versa. In this paper, we present a lightweight, low cost piezoelectric material based on the dispersion of inorganic ferroelectric submicron particles in a polymer matrix. We report on how the proposed material is compatible with the AM process. Finally, we discuss its potential applications for healthcare, especially in smart implants prostheses. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 109–115