Synthesis and characterization of Ag/BiVO4 composite photocatalyst

Ag/BiVO₄ composite photocatalysts were hydrothermal synthesized and characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and DRS techniques. Their photocatalytic activities were determined by oxidative decomposition of methyl orange in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. It revealed that the doped Ag species greatly improved the visible light absorption abilities and morphologies of the composites, and thus lead to enhanced photocatalytic activities compared with that of the pure BiVO₄.     

Synthesis and characterization of LiFePO4/3-dimensional carbon nanostructure composites as possible cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

Composites of three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanostructures coated with olivine-structured lithium iron phosphates (LiFePO₄) as cathode materials for lithium ion batteries have been prepared through a Pechini-assisted reversed polyol process for the first time. The coating has been successfully performed on nonfunctionalized commercially available 3D carbon used as catalysts. Thermal analysis revealed no phase transitions till crystallization occurred at 579 °C. Morphological investigation of the prepared composites showed a very good quality of the coating on the 3D carbon structures. A great enhancement of the crystallinity of the olivine structure and of the composites was revealed by the structural investigation performed on pure LiFePO₄ and composites after annealing at 600 °C for 10 h under nitrogen atmosphere. The cyclic voltammetry curves of the composites show well-defined peaks and smaller value of the polarization overpotential indicating an enhancement of electrode reaction reversibility compared to the LiFePO₄ phase.     

Preparation of V-LiFePO4 cathode material for Li-ion batteries

The preparation of vanadium-modified olivine LiFePO₄ was attempted using vanadium-modified FePO₄ precursor which was synthesized by controlled crystallization. The structure and electrochemical behavior of V-LiFePO₄ with different vanadium contents were investigated. The electrochemical behavior of V-LiFePO₄ materials at high rate and low temperature was compared with that of the LiFePO₄ material. Incorporation of vanadium improved the electrochemical performance of LiFePO₄. The investigation showed that the 3%V-modified LiFePO₄ presented the best electrochemical performance.     

Preparation of Li3V2 (PO4)3/LiFePO4 composite cathode material for lithium ion batteries

A novel process was attempted for synthesis of Li₃V₂ (PO₄)₃/LiFePO₄ composite cathode material via loading nano-LiFePO₄ (LFP) powders onto the outside of micrometer-size spherical Li₃V₂ (PO₄)₃ (LVP). The precursor of nano-LFP and LVP were synthesized via “controlled crystallization” and “spray drying” techniques, respectively. The X-ray diffraction characterization, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical performance measurements were studied. The results indicated that the prepared Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/LiFePO₄ (LVP/LFP) composite material exhibited better discharging capacity at high C rate and at low temperature than that of LFP and bulk LVP/LFP. This can pave an effective way to improve the performance of LFP at high C rate and at low temperature.     

Modified carbothermal synthesis and electrochemical performance of LiFePO4/C composite as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

LiFePO₄/C active materials were synthesized via a modified carbothermal method, with a low raw material cost and comparatively simple synthesis process. Rheological phase technology was introduced to synthesize the precursor, which effectively decreased the calcination temperature and time. The LiFePO₄/C composite synthesized at 700 °C for 12 h exhibited an optimal performance, with a specific capacity about 130 mAh g^?1 at 0.2C, and 70 mAh g^?1 at 20C, respectively. It also showed an excellent capacity retention ratio of 96 % after 30 times charge–discharge cycles at 20C. EIS was applied to further analyze the effect of the synthesis process parameters. The as-synthesized LiFePO₄/C composite exhibited better high-rate performance as compared to the commercial LiFePO₄ product, which implied that the as-synthesized LiFePO₄/C composite was a promising candidate used in the batteries for applications in EVs and HEVs.     

Development and characterization of a novel silicon-based glassy composite as an anode material for Li-ion batteries

A novel silicon-based glassy composite anode material with high initial coulombic efficiency and long cycling performance for lithium-ion batteries was synthesized by a wet mechanochemical reduction method. The in situ formed Si particles with size of 5-10 nm were uniformly distributed in the glassy matrices formed by B₂O₃ and P₂O₅. The as-prepared composite electrode revealed an initial charge and discharge capacity of 432.7 and 514.4 mAh g^− 1, respectively, with an initial coulombic efficiency of 84%. After 100 cycles, the reversible capacity retention rate was still up to 97%, meaning a favorable cycling stability.     

Li2MnSiO4/carbon nanofiber cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Pure single-phase Li₂MnSiO₄ nanoparticle-embedded carbon nanofibers have been prepared for the first time via a simple sol-gel and electrospinning technique. They exhibit an improved electrochemical performance over conventional carbon-coated Li₂MnSiO₄ nanoparticle electrodes, including a high discharge capacity of ～200 mAh g^?1, at a C/20 rate, with the retention of 77 % over 20 cycles and a 1.6-fold higher discharge capacity at a 1 C rate.     

Synthesis of nanosized Si composite anode material for Li-ion batteries

A simple method was proposed to prepare nanosized Si composite anode materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The preparation started with the shock-type ball milling of silicon in liquid media of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/dimethylformamide (DMF) solution, forming slurry where the nano-Si particles were uniformly dispersed, followed by the drying of the slurry to remove DMF. The nanosized Si composite anode material was obtained after the pyrolysis of the mixture at 300 °C where the pyrolyzed PAN provided a conductive matrix to relieve the morphological change of Si during cycling. As-prepared composite presented good cyclability for lithium storage. The proposed process paves an effective way to prepare high performance Si, Sn, Sb and their alloys based composite anode materials for Li-ion batteries.     

Hard carbon/Li2.6Co0.4N composite anode materials for Li-ion batteries

Hard carbon/Li_2.6Co_0.4N composite anode electrode is prepared to reduce the initial high irreversible capacity of hard carbon, which hinders potential application of hard carbon in lithium ion batteries, by introducing Li_2.6Co_0.4N into hard carbon. Lithiated Li_2.6Co_0.4N provides the compensation of lithium in the first cycle, leading to a high initial coulombic efficiency of ca. 100% versus lithium. As-prepared hard carbon/Li_2.6Co_0.4N composite electrode presents initial capacity of 438 mA h g^− 1. A full cell using LiCoO₂ cathode and the composite anode shows much higher initial coulombic efficiency and capacity than those of a cell using LiCoO₂ and hard carbon anode. This paves the way to reduce the large initial irreversible capacity of hard carbon.     

Preparation and characteristics of Sb-doped LiNiO2 cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

Compounds LiNi_1−xSb_xO₂ (x=0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25) were synthesized by the two-step calcination method. The structural and morphological properties of the products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis confirms that the uniform solid solution has been formed in the as-prepared compounds without any impurities. It is shown that the crystal lattice parameters (a, c) of the Sb-doped compounds are bigger than those of pure LiNiO₂ and the Sb-doped compound with x=0.2 consists of spherical-like nanoparticles with a mean grain size of 50 nm. The electrochemical performances of as-prepared samples were studied via galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling tests. The compound with x=0.2 exhibits excellent capacity retention during the charge-discharge processes due to its reinforced structural stability, and a discharge capacity of 102.4 mAh/g is still obtained in the voltage range of 2.5-4.5 V after 20 cycles. Thermal analysis further confirms that the structural stability of LiNi_0.8Sb_0.2O₂ is superior to that of pure LiNiO₂.     

Preparation and characterization of antibacterial Au/C core-shell composite

An environment-friendly oxidation-reduction method was used to prepare Au/C core-shell composite using carbon as core and gold as shell. The chemical structures and morphologies of Au/C core-shell composite and carbon sphere were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersion X-ray spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The antibacterial properties of the Au/C core-shell composite against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) were examined by the disk diffusion assay and minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) methods. In addition, antibacterial ability of Au/C core-shell composite was observed by atomic force microscope. Results demonstrated that gold homogeneously supported on the surface of carbon spheres without aggregation and showed efficient antibacterial abilities.     

Synthesis and characterization of LiMn1-x Fe x PO4/carbon nanotubes composites as cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) coated with LiMn_1-x Fe _x PO₄ (0.2?≤?x?≤?0.8), as possible cathode materials, was synthesized by using a sol–gel process (Polyol method), after annealing under flowing nitrogen. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the composites confirmed the formation of the olivine structured LiMn_1-x Fe _x PO₄ phase and no secondary phases were detected. The morphological investigation revealed the formation of agglomerates with particles size ranging between 300 and 700 nm. XRD investigation of composites shows difference of the morphology by doping CNT and carbon black in the composites. Transmission electron microscopy shows the growth of nano-sized particles on CNT (20–70 nm) and the agglomeration of primary particles to form secondary particles. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the Fe and Mn ions are in divalent states in the LiMn_1-x Fe _x PO₄ composites. The cyclic voltamograms showed the oxidation peaks of iron and manganese ions at 3.53–3.63 and 4.05–4.33 V, respectively, while the reduction peaks were found at 3.21–3.42 V (iron reduction) and 3.85–3.93 V (manganese reduction) depending on the iron content in the composition. The LiMn_0.6Fe_0.4PO₄/CNT composite (x?=?0.4) (with 20 %?wt CNT) delivered a specific capacity of 120 mAhg^?1 (at a discharge rate of C/20 and RT).     

Preparation of P(AN-MMA) gel electrolyte for Li-ion batteries

Phase inversion technique was used to prepare poly(acrylonitrile-methyl methacrylate) [P(AN-MMA)]-based microporous gel electrolyte with addition of SiO₂ via in-situ composition for Li-ion batteries. The P(AN-MMA) was synthesized by emulsion polymerization and was dissolved into N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to form a uniform solution, while tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was added into the solution and was hydrolyzed by catalysis of alkali ammonia solution to form SiO₂. Then the solution was cast onto a glass plate using a doctor blade and exposed to humidified atmosphere produced by ultrasonic humidifier, followed by washing, rinsing, and drying, successively. The gel electrolyte was obtained by putting the P(AN-MMA) microporous membrane in a liquid electrolyte. The gelled microporous membrane sucked with 755 wt% of liquid electrolyte vs the dried membrane. It had a porosity of 70%, about 1∼5 μm of pores, and presented an ionic conductivity of 0.94 × 10⁻³ S/cm at room temperature. Electrochemical stability window of the porous gel polymer electrolyte was determined by running a linear sweep voltammetry. The decomposition voltage of the polymer electrolyte exceeds 4.5 V vs Li. The coin test cell with the microporous gel electrolyte showed a good cycling performance. The discharge capacity retention was above 87% at 0.1 C for 45 cycles.     

Rapid synthesis of LiFePO4/C composite by microwave method

A highly crystalline LiFePO₄/C phase was successfully synthesized by a microwave irradiation method in 4 min. SEM and particle size analysis indicate that the particle size of resulting LiFePO₄/C is much smaller than that of the solid-state derived sample and that it mostly distributes in the range of 160–600 nm. Cycling tests show that the sample prepared by microwave method can deliver 150 mAh g^? 1 at 17 mA g^? 1(0.1C). Further AC impedance measurements reveal that the LiFePO₄ electrode can be well activated after the first cycle as reflected by the dramatic decrease in the charge transfer resistance.     

Structure and electrochemical characteristics of LiFePO4 cathode materials for rechargeable Li-Ion batteries

Complex investigations of cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have been carried out using the following techniques: scanning electron microscopy, microanalysis, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and porosimetry. Investigations have been performed on samples prepared according to the original technology at the St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University) (SPbSTI (TU)) and on four commercial cathode materials. It has been established that there is a correlation between the nanostructured morphology of the cathode materials, their chemical composition, and electrochemical capacity. It has been found that the internal resistance of the LiFePO₄ cathode material is linearly dependent on the diffusion coefficient of lithium ions. The valence state and local coordination of Fe ions have been studied using the ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect. It has been shown that more than 90% of the iron ions are in the valence state Fe²⁺. Based on the data available in the literature on the methods of synthesizing LiFePO₄ and data on the diagnosis of the studied samples, conclusions have been drawn about a modification of the synthesis for producing high-quality cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.     

Preparation and characterization of nano-sized Ag/PVP composites for optical applications

A modification of the polyol process has enabled the direct synthesis of nm-sized Ag particles with narrow size distribution and controlled average dimension embedded in a polymeric matrix. Dispersion of colloidal silver was obtained by reduction of silver nitrate in ethylene-glycol in the presence of a polymeric protective agent (i.e., poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)) and ultrasounds. The final particle size was controlled by removing the colloid from the reactive mixture by addition of acetone. The very strong plasmon resonance peak at 410 nm and a feature at 350 nm in the UV-visible spectra are a clear consequence of the nano-size of dilute Ag particles. The proposed process offers the possibility to effectively use these synthesised materials for the production of colour filters for advanced optical devices. Received 10 November 1999     

插层化合物Ag1/4TiSe2电子结构的第一性原理研究

采用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法,选用局域密度近似对Ag1/4TiSe2及TiSe2的几何结构进行了优化和总能量计算.计算得到的晶格常量与实验结果符合较好,负的形成能表明有序Ag1/4TiSe2系统的稳定性.布居数、键长、能带结构和态密度的计算结果显示:Ag以较强的离子性结合于Ag1/4TiSe2中.Ag的插入使得半金属性的TiSe2变为金属性的Ag1/4TiSe2,导电性质得到明显改善.     

激光拉曼光谱对LiFePO4/C正极材料包覆碳结构的研究

利用激光拉曼光谱对LiFePO4/C锂离子正极材料碳外壳的石墨化程度进行了研究,对不同碳源合成的样品进行激光拉曼光谱比较,并结合X射线衍射、扫描电镜、透射电镜、选区电子衍射、电阻率测试等多种检测手段,对材料的性质结构和形貌进行了研究.结果发现,相比对应sp3杂化峰和sp2杂化峰的峰面积比,对应非等向性sp2杂化峰和对应规则sp2杂化峰的ID/IG分布更加均匀,其显示的石墨化程度与材料导电性在一定程度上有相似规律,但同一材料的拉曼光谱信号因受碳包覆均匀性的影响出现较大差别,且相对于单独用柠檬酸或蔗糖做碳源的样品,利用两者混合物做碳源的样品的ID/IC值和sp3杂化峰和sp2杂化峰的峰面积比值均较高.在扫描电镜和透射电镜图中,可以观察到二次和一次颗粒包覆不均匀的现象,这有可能是导致同个样品中不同点数据不均匀的原因.但是较大的离散性还是影响了拉曼光谱在此类检测中的客观准确性.