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.     

Preparation of activated carbon filled epoxy nanocomposites

Activated carbon derived from oil palm empty fruit bunch (AC-EFB), bamboo stem (AC-BS), and coconut shells (AC-CNS) were obtained by pyrolysis of agricultural wastes using two chemical reagents (H₃PO₄ or KOH). The AC-EFB, AC-BS and AC-CNS were used as filler in preparation of epoxy nanocomposites. Epoxy nanocomposites prepared at 1, 5 and 10 % activated carbons filler loading using KOH and H₃PO₄ chemical agents. Transmission electron microscopy confirms better dispersion of the nano-activated carbons in the epoxy matrix at 5 % activated carbon. The presence of 5 % AC-CNS in the epoxy matrix using H₃PO₄ chemical reagent resulted in an improvement of the thermal stability of epoxy matrix. KOH treated AC filled epoxy nanocomposites were slightly better in thermal stability as compared to H₃PO₄ treated AC filled epoxy nanocomposites, may be due to better interaction of filler with epoxy matrix. Thermal analysis results showed that thermal stability of the activated carbon filled epoxy nanocomposites improved as compared to the neat epoxy matrix. The degree of crystallinity of epoxy matrix was improved by adding the activated carbon due to interfacial interaction between AC and epoxy matrix rather than loading of AC alone. Developed nanocomposites from biomass (agricultural wastes) materials will help to reduce the overall cost of the materials for its demanding applications as insulating material.     

Functional Properties and Molecular Degradation of Schizostachyum Brachycladum Bamboo Cellulose Nanofibre in PLA-Chitosan Bionanocomposites

The degradation and mechanical properties of potential polymeric materials used for green manufacturing are significant determinants. In this study, cellulose nanofibre was prepared from Schizostachyum brachycladum bamboo and used as reinforcement in the PLA/chitosan matrix using melt extrusion and compression moulding method. The cellulose nanofibre(CNF) was isolated using supercritical carbon dioxide and high-pressure homogenisation. The isolated CNF was characterised with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, zeta potential and particle size analysis. The mechanical, physical, and degradation properties of the resulting biocomposite were studied with moisture content, density, thickness swelling, tensile, flexural, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and biodegradability analysis. The TEM, FT-IR, and particle size results showed successful isolation of cellulose nanofibre using this method. The result showed that the physical, mechanical, and degradation properties of PLA/chitosan/CNF biocomposite were significantly enhanced with cellulose nanofibre. The density, thickness swelling, and moisture content increased with the addition of CNF. Also, tensile strength and modulus; flexural strength and modulus increased; while the elongation reduced. The carbon residue from the thermal degradation and the glass transition temperature of the PLA/chitosan/CNF biocomposite was observed to increase with the addition of CNF. The result showed that the biocomposite has potential for green and sustainable industrial application.     

A Convenient Regiospecific Synthesis of New Conjugated Tetrazole Derivatives via the Reaction of Dienones with the Tetrachlorosilane-Sodium Azide Reagent and their NMR Structural Assignment

Summary. Several new 1-aryl-, aralkyl-, and heteroaryl-5-(4-phenylbuta-1,3-dienyl)tetrazole derivatives and annulated tetrazole derivatives were efficiently and regiospecifically prepared in nearly quantitative yield via a facile one step reaction of dienones with a combination of tetrachlorosilane and sodium azide in acetonitrile under mild conditions. A complete structure assignment of three representative examples of the tetrazoles was achieved by advanced 2D NMR measurements including COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY, and ROESY experiments.Received March 17, 2003; accepted March 18, 2003 Published online July 28, 2003     

Preparation of Diazo Phenyl Sulfides. Kinetics and Mechanism of the Diazo Coupling Reaction of p-Nitrobenzenediazo Phenyl Sulfide with β-Naphthol under Various Conditions

Aryldiazophenyl sulfides prepared from diazotised arylamines and thiophenol at controlled pH, are coupled with β-naphthol yielding the corresponding azo dye. A kinetic study of the diazo coupling reaction of p-nitrobenzenediazo phenyl sulfide with β-naphthol under various conditions revealed that the reaction is of first order kinetics with respect to the diazo phenyl sulfide, and that the rate of coupling measured colorimetrically is influenced by the hydrogen ion concentration and by the ionising power of the medium.     

Facile and Efficient Method for the Synthesis of 14-Substituted-14-H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes Catalyzed by Ruthenium Chloride Hydrate as a Homogeneous Catalyst

Synthesis of dibenzoxanthenes through condensation of β-naphthol with various aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes in ethanol as an ecofriendly solvent using Ru^III as catalyst is reported.

Synthesis and characterization of optically active poly(amide-imide)s based on [N,N′-(4,4′-carbonyldiphtaloyl)-bis-lamino diacid]s and 1,5-bis(4-aminophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one

Six dicarboxylic acids 3a-3f were synthesized by the reaction of 3,3’,4,4’-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride 1 with L-aminoacids 2a-2f in a solution of glacial acetic acid/pyridine(Py) at refluxing temperature.Then six new poly(amide-imide)s PAIs were synthesized from the direct polycondensation reaction of[N,N’-(4,4’- carbonyldiphtaloyl)-bis-L-amino diacid]s with 1,5-bis(4-aminophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one(APPD).The polymerization reactions produced a series of new optically active PAIs with high yield and good inherent viscosity.Also these PAIs are optically active and soluble in various organic solvents.These resulting new polymers can be used in column chromatography for the separation of enantiomeric mixtures.The resulted polymers were fully characterized by means of FTIR and ~1H-NMR spectroscopy,elemental analyses,inherent viscosity measurements,solubility tests and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA).     

Structural and thermodynamic features of complexes formed by DNA and synthetic polynucleotides with dodecylamine and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide

Complex formation of native and denatured DNA, single-stranded polyribonucleotides poly(A) and poly(U), as well as double-stranded poly(A).poly(U) with dodecylamine (DDA) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been studied by UV-, CD-, IR-spectroscopy and fluorescence analysis of hydrophobic probe pyrene. DDA and DTAB were shown to bind cooperatively with DNA and polyribonucleotides, resulting in the formation of complexes containing hydrophobic micelle-like clusters. Critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of DDA and DTAB shifts sharply to lower values (30-50 times) in the presence of DNA and polynucleotides as compared to critical micelle concentration (CMC) of free DDA and DTAB in solution. The analysis of binding isotherms within the frame of the model of cooperative binding of low-molecular ligands to linear polymers allowed us to determine the thermodynamic parameters of complex formation and estimate the contribution of electrostatic interaction of positively charged heads of amphiphiles with negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA and polyribonucleotides, and hydrophobic interaction of aliphatic chains to complex stability. Electrostatic interaction was shown to make the main contribution to the stability of DNA complexes with DDA, while preferential contribution of hydrophobic interactions is characteristic of DTAB complexes with DNA. The opposite effect of DDA and DTAB on the thermal stability of DNA double helix was demonstrated from UV-melting of DNA-while DTAB stabilizes the DNA helix, DDA, to the contrary, destabilizes it. The destabilizing effect of DDA seems to originate from the displacement of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in complementary Watson-Crick A.T and G.C base pairs with intermolecular H-bonds between unsubstituted DDA amino groups and proton-accepting sites of nucleic bases.