PEFC catalyst layers: Effect of support microstructure on both distributions of Pt and ionomer and cell performance and durability

In order to improve the performance and durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), various improvements in the microstructures of cathode catalyst layers (CLs) were initiated in the early 1990s. More recent advances in CL materials are highlighted, including carbon supports for improved accessibility of Pt nanoparticles (NPs), adsorption of ionomer on the Pt surface, high-oxygen-permeability ionomers, corrosion resistance of mesoporous and microporous carbons, and conductive ceramic supports with a fused-aggregate network structure. These approaches are summarized as stepwise improvements. The influences of the support structure on the distribution of Pt NPs and ionomer are reviewed, as well as their effects on performance and durability. These approaches for carbon supports are extended to conductive ceramic supports and the unique advantages are discussed.     

Analytical theory for ion transfer–electron transfer coupled reactions at redox layer–modified/thick film–modified electrodes

Electrodes modified by liquid films or plasticized polymeric membranes containing a redox species offer valuable alternatives for the study of ion transfers and bimolecular electron transfers at liquid–liquid interfaces with conventional electrode arrangements and stable interfaces. The ion-to-electron (or electron-to-electron) transducer affects the electrochemical signal, complicating the accurate analysis of experimental data. This can be reduced through the use of an electrode surface-attached redox species of well-defined electrochemical behaviour. As will be demonstrated, the voltammetry of these systems show significant deviations with respect to individual charge transfers, which must be considered for appropriate diagnosis and quantitative analysis. For this, a simple analytical theory is presented here, deducing mathematical expressions for the current–potential response, as well as for the potential difference at the two polarized interfaces, the surface excess of the redox species and the ion interfacial concentrations.     

Onion‐like Multifunctional Microtrap Vehicles for Attraction–Trapping–Destruction of Biological Threats

A multifunctional motile microtrap is developed that is capable of autonomously attracting, trapping, and destroying pathogens by controlled chemoattractant and therapeutic agent release. The onion‐inspired multi‐layer structure contains a magnesium engine core and inner chemoattractant and therapeutic layers. Upon chemical propulsion, the magnesium core is depleted, resulting in a hollow structure that exposes the inner layers and serves as structural trap. The sequential dissolution and autonomous release of the chemoattractant and killing agents result in long‐range chemotactic attraction, trapping, and destruction of motile pathogens. The dissolved chemoattractant (l ‐serine) significantly increases the accumulation and capture of motile pathogens (E. coli) within the microtrap structure, while the internal release of silver ions (Ag⁺) leads to lysis of the pathogen accumulated within the microtrap cavity.     

新型螺环树状化合物的合成

利用环己二酮单腙芳构化反应, 得到9H, 9H, 11H, 11H, 12H, 12H-六氢化苯并[9,10]-(1H, 1H, 3H, 3H, 4H, 4H, 5H, 5H, 7H, 7H, 8H, 8H-十二氢)菲-2, 6, 10-三酮腙, 然后与季戊四醇反应, 得到9H, 9H, 11H, 11H, 12H, 12H-六氢化苯并[9,10]-(1H, 1H, 3H, 3H, 4H, 4H, 5H,5H, 7H, 7H, 8H, 8H-十二氢)菲-2,6,10-三酮缩三(2,2-二羟甲基-1,3-丙二醇), 再与9-[4-(2,6-二硫杂环己基)苯基]-3-[4-(二甲酯基甲基)苯基]-2,4,8,10-四氧杂螺[5.5]十一烷反应, 制成标题化合物. 中间体和标题化合物经过IR, 1H NMR, MS和元素分析表征.     

直接出射白光的新型发光二极管

介绍了实现出射白光发光二极管的几种方法,包括波长转化产生白光,多有源区级联合成白光以及单个有源区直接出射白光.并从芯片结构、材料选取、白光形成机理以及器件性能等四个方面对这几种方法进行了分析比较.最后指出了实现直接出射白光的发光二极管存在的问题及今后的研究重点.     

Effect of pressure gradients on the different stages of roughness induced boundary layer transition

The physical mechanisms of roughness-induced transition (RIT) in pressure gradient boundary layers are studied using direct numerical simulations. Recent investigations have examined RIT processes in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers (Suryanarayanan et al., 2019). The present study uses a vorticity dynamics point of view to examine how these processes are altered by a locally accelerating or decelerating flow that strains the vorticity field and creates a net vorticity flux at the wall. Flow acceleration is imposed on specific streamwise extents of the flow. This provides an understanding about how the fundamental mechanisms in different stages of RIT are affected by pressure gradients. The present results suggest that both lift-up and subsequent amplification of the unsteady perturbations are mitigated by flow acceleration. The effect on lift-up is explained by the compression (i.e. large negative value of the stretching term) of the wall-normal vorticity by negative dv/dy. Consistent with earlier experimental observations on spots and wedges, favorable pressure gradients reduce turbulent wedge spreading and nearly arrest the spreading when sufficiently strong. This result is also explained in terms of vorticity dynamics.     

Prediction of resolvent mode shapes in supersonic turbulent boundary layers

This work applies resolvent analysis to compressible zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers with freestream Mach numbers between 2 and 4, focusing exclusively on large scale motions in the outer region of the boundary layer. We investigate the effects of Mach number on predicted flow structures, and in particular, look at how such effects may be attributed to changes in mean properties. By leveraging the similarity between the compressible and incompressible resolvent operators, we show that the shape of the streamwise velocity and temperature components of resolvent response modes in the compressible regime can be approximated by applying ideas from wavepacket pseudospectral theory to a simple scalar operator. This gives a means of predicting the shape of resolvent mode components for compressible flows without requiring the singular value decompositions of discretized operators. At a Mach number of 2, we find that accurate results are obtained from this approximation when using the compressible mean velocity profile. At Mach numbers of 3 and 4, the quantitative accuracy of these predictions is improved by also considering a local effective Reynolds number based on the local mean density and viscosity.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Layered Lead(Ⅱ) Carboxylate-sulfonate Compound Templated by 4,4''-Bipyridine

A new lead(Ⅱ) carboxylate-sulfonate has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal and elemental analyses. It crystallizes in triclinic, space group P,(1) with a=8.1573(6), b=9.4663(7), c=12.7488(9) (A), α=89.2320(10), β=80.7380(10), γ=77.9760(10)°, Z=2, V=950.10(12) (A)3, Mr=599.57, Dc=2.096 g/cm3, μ=9.032 mm-1, F(000)=572, the final R=0.0412 and wR=0.1035. It has a 1D chain structure, and the Pb(Ⅱ) is six-coordinated. Two PbO6 polyhedra are interconnected via edge-sharing into a two-core unit. Such units are further interconnected by 3-sulfonato-benzoic acids into 1D chains which are linked by hydrogen bonds into a layer structure. The 4,4'-bipyridines are located at the interlayer space and link the layers into a supramolecular structure by π-π stacking interactions.     

Predicting ion selectivity in water purification by capacitive deionization: Electric double layer models

Ion-selective water treatment is needed to address emerging problems in an energy- and cost-efficient manner. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a membraneless water treatment technology, which relies on storing ions in charged electric double layers (EDLs) of micropores. CDI has shown remarkable selectivity, with local density approximations (LDAs) showing some success in guiding selective separations. However, many underlying processes are represented by lumped fitting parameters in LDA models, hindering further progress. Atomistic models help unravel selectivity mechanisms, but are difficult to integrate with cell-level CDI theory. Here, we review and extend LDA models for CDI, highlight a knowledge gap in connecting between LDA and atomistic models for CDI, and emphasize and build upon analogies between micropore EDLs and nanofiltration membranes.