Advanced Current Collectors for Alkali Metal Anodes

High-energy-density batteries are in urgent need to solve the ever-increasing energy storage demand for portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and renewable solar and wind energy systems. Alkali metals, typically lithium(Li), sodium(Na) and potassium(K), are considered as the promising anode materials owing to their low electrochemical potential, low density, and high theoretical gravimetric capacities. However, the problem of dendrite growth of alkali metals during their plating/stripping process will lead to low Coulombic efficiencies, a short lifespan and huge volume expansion, eventually hindering their practical commercialization. To resolve this issue, a very effective approach is engineering the anodes on structured current collectors. This review summarizes the development of the alkali metal batteries and discusses the recent advances in rational design of anode current collectors. First, the challenges and strategies of suppressing alkali-metal dendrite growth are presented. Then the special attention is paid to the novel current collector design for dendrite-free alkali metal anodes. Finally, we give conclusions and perspective on the current challenges and future research directions toward advanced anode current collectors for alkali metal batteries.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(4-vinyl,2′-carboxybensophenone)

The synthesis and characterization of poly(4-vinyl,2′-carboxybenzophenone) ion exchange resin is described. This resin displays a remarkably high capacity for Cu²⁺. Control of pH permits selective adsorption and estimation of Fe³⁺. This ion-exchanger is quite stable to loading acid washing cycles. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Novel Catalytic Dielectric Barrier Discharge Reactor for Gas-Phase Abatement of Isopropanol

Catalytic gas-phase abatement of air containing 250 ppm of isopropanol (IPA) was carried out with a novel dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor with the inner catalytic electrode made of sintered metal fibers (SMF). The optimization of the reactor performance was carried out by varying the voltage from 12.5 to 22.5 kV and the frequency in the range 200–275 Hz. The performance was significantly improved by modifying SMF with Mn and Co oxide. Under the experimental conditions used, the MnO _x /SMF showed a higher activity towards total oxidation of IPA as compared to CoO _x /SMF and SMF electrodes. The complete destruction of 250 ppm of IPA was attained with a specific input energy of ∼235 J/L using the MnO _x /SMF catalytic electrode, whereas, the total oxidation was achieved at 760 J/L. The better performance of the MnO _x /SMF compared to other catalytic electrodes suggests the formation of short-lived active species on its surface by the in-situ decomposition of ozone.     

Evolution of lowest singlet and triplet excited states with transition metals in group 10-12 metallaynes containing biphenyl spacer

A new series of thermally stable group 10 platinum(II) and group 12 mercury(II) poly-yne polymers containing biphenyl spacer trans-[-Pt(PBu₃)₂CC(p-C₆H₄)₂CC-]_n and [HgCC(p-C₆H₄)₂CC-]_n were prepared in good yields by Hagihara’s dehydrohalogenation reaction of the corresponding metal chloride precursors with 4,4′-diethynylbiphenyl HCC(p-C₆H₄)₂CCH at room temperature. We report the optical spectroscopy of these polymetallaynes and compare the results with their bimetallic model complexes trans-[Pt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂CC(p-C₆H₄)₂CCPt(Ph)(PEt₃)₂] and [MeHgCC(p-C₆H₄)₂CCHgMe] as well as the group 11 gold(I) counterpart [(PPh₃)AuCC(p-C₆H₄)₂CCAu(PPh₃)]. The structural properties of all model complexes have been studied by X-ray crystallography. The influence of the heavy metal atom in these metal alkynyl systems on the intersystem crossing rate and the spatial extent of lowest singlet and triplet excitons is systematically characterized. Our investigations indicate that the organic triplet emissions can be harvested by the heavy-atom effect of group 10-12 transition metals (viz., Pt, Au, and Hg) which enables efficient intersystem crossing from the S₁ singlet excited state to the T₁ triplet excited state.     

Use of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate room temperature ionic liquids as chelate extraction solvent with 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedione

Possible use of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as chelate extraction solvent was evaluated by using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF₆]), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([hmim][PF₆]) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([omim][PF₆]). These RTILs showed high extraction performance for divalent metal cations with 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedione (Htta). The extracted metals were back-extracted into 1 mol dm⁻³ nitric acid quantitatively. Furthermore, the extracted species were estimated as neutral hydrated complexes M(tta)₂(H₂O)_n (n= 1 or 2) for M = Ni, Cu and Pb and anionic complexes M(tta)₃⁻ for M = Mn, Co, Zn and Cd.     

Transition metal clusters and supported species with metal-carbon bonds from first-principles quantum chemistry

We discuss the impact of density functional electronic structure calculations for understanding the organometallic chemistry of transition metal (TM) surface complexes and clusters. Examples will cover three types of systems, mainly of interest in the context of heterogeneous catalysis: (i) supported carbonyl complexes of rhenium on MgO and of rhodium in zeolites, (ii) TM clusters with CO ligands and adsorbates, and (iii) metal clusters exhibiting chemical bonds with atomic carbon. The first group of case studies promotes the concept that surface groups of oxide supports are bonded to TM complexes in the same way as common (poly-dentate) ligands are bonded in coordination compounds. The second group of examples demonstrates various “ligand effects” of TM clusters. Finally, we illustrate how carbido centers stabilize TM clusters and modify the propensity for adsorption at the surface of such clusters.     

Synthesis of thiol chelating resins and their adsorption properties toward heavy metal ions

A series of chelating resins, derived from a macroreticular styrene-divinylbenzene (2%) copolymer beads grafted with various poly(ethylene glycols) HO? (? CH₂? CH₂? O? )_n? H(n = 0, 4, 9, 13) and containing thiol groups as chelating functions, have been synthesized in a three-step reaction sequence. The structure of the functionalized resins was confirmed by IR spectrophotometry, elemental analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The complexation behavior of these thiol resins was investigated towards Hg(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) ions in aqueous solution by a batch equilibration technique. The influence of pH on adsorption capacity was also examined. The adsorption values for metal ions' intake followed the order Hg(II) > Cu(II) > Pb(II). The affinity of these polymers towards Hg(II) ions was so high that the total mercury level in the liquid decreased from 20 ppm to below 10 ppb after 2 h of treatment. Polymers can be regenerated by washing with a solution of hydrochloric acid (6N) and 10% by weight of an aqueous solution of thiourea. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

激光诱导击穿光谱(LIBS)法微损快速检测党参中Pb

中药材重金属元素快速检测对污染监控及人们健康具有重要意义。激光诱导击穿光谱技术(Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, LIBS)属于一种快速检测方法,研磨压片等预处理方法相对样品消解已有所简化,但破坏了样品的物理性质,且不能满足中药材大宗品种、大批量检测需求。若进一步简化样品预处理,将更加凸显LIBS快速检测的优势。本文建立了激光诱导击穿光谱技术(LIBS)快速微损检测中药材样品重金属元素定标方法。线性相关系数R2为0.7764,建立的微损定标曲线线性可用于切片党参LIBS快速检测,对待测党参切片样品检测平均相对误差为3.74%,与电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)对比,相关系数R2为0.7957,验证了LIBS技术微损检测的可行性。制备的党参参考定标样品可多次重复用于待测样定标和仪器标定等。实验对待测党参样品仅进行切片处理,避免了研磨、压片等预处理,更加充分地体现LIBS快速检测的优势,为LIBS技术应用于中药材重金属元素快检等领域提供了一种新方法。     

Biomineralization of Nickel Struvite Linked to Metal Resistance in Streptomyces mirabilis

Biomineral formation is a common trait and prominent for soil Actinobacteria, including the genus Streptomyces. We investigated the formation of nickel-containing biominerals in the presence of a heavy-metal-resistant Streptomyces mirabilis P16B-1. Biomineralization was found to occur both in solid and liquid media. Minerals were identified with Raman spectroscopy and TEM-EDX to be either Mg-containing struvite produced in media containing no nickel, or Ni-struvite where Ni replaces the Mg when nickel was present in sufficient concentrations in the media. The precipitation of Ni-struvite reduced the concentration of nickel available in the medium. Therefore, Ni-struvite precipitation is an efficient mechanism for tolerance to nickel. We discuss the contribution of a plasmid-encoded nickel efflux transporter in aiding biomineralization. In the elevated local concentrations of Ni surrounding the cells carrying this plasmid, more biominerals occurred supporting this point of view. The biominerals formed have been quantified, showing that the conditions of growth do influence mineralization. This control is also visible in differences observed to biosynthetically synthesized Ni-struvites, including the use of sterile-filtered culture supernatant. The use of the wildtype S. mirabilis P16B-1 and its plasmid-free derivative, as well as a metal-sensitive recipient, S. lividans, and the same transformed with the plasmid, allowed us to access genetic factors involved in this partial control of biomineral formation.     

Supramolecular Hybrids from Cyanometallate Complexes and Diblock Copolypeptide Amphiphiles in Water

The self-assembly of discrete cyanometallates has attracted significant interest due to the potential of these materials to undergo soft metallophilic interactions as well as their optical properties. Diblock copolypeptide amphiphiles have also been investigated concerning their capacity for self-assembly into morphologies such as nanostructures. The present work combined these two concepts by examining supramolecular hybrids comprising cyanometallates with diblock copolypeptide amphiphiles in aqueous solutions. Discrete cyanometallates such as [Au(CN)₂]⁻, [Ag(CN)₂]⁻, and [Pt(CN)₄]²⁻ dispersed at the molecular level in water cannot interact with each other at low concentrations. However, the results of this work demonstrate that the addition of diblock copolypeptide amphiphiles such as poly-(L-lysine)-block-(L-cysteine) (Lys_m-b-Cys_n) to solutions of these complexes induces the supramolecular assembly of the discrete cyanometallates, resulting in photoluminescence originating from multinuclear complexes with metal-metal interactions. Electron microscopy images confirmed the formation of nanostructures of several hundred nanometers in size that grew to form advanced nanoarchitectures, including those resembling the original nanostructures. This concept of combining diblock copolypeptide amphiphiles with discrete cyanometallates allows the design of flexible and functional supramolecular hybrid systems in water.