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At least 199 records · Page 11

Review on Interface and Interphase Issues in Sulfide Solid-State Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Li-Metal Batteries

All-solid-state batteries have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional Li-ion batteries owing to their higher energy density and safety, which stem from their use of inorganic solid-state electrolytes instead of flammable organic liquid electrolytes. Among various candidates, sulfide solid-state electrolytes are particularly promising for the development of high-energy all-solid-state Li metal batteries because of their high ionic conductivity and deformability. However, a significant challenge remains as their inherent instability in contact with electrodes forms unstable interfaces and interphases, leading to degradation of the battery performance. In this review article, we provide an overview of the key issues for the interfaces and interphases of sulfide solid-state electrolyte systems as well as recent progress in understanding such interface and interphase formation and potential solutions to stabilize them. In addition, we provide perspectives on future research directions in this field.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Miscanthus: An Environmental Choice for Marginal Lands

Miscanthus x giganteus, or Giant Miscanthus, is a tall, perennial grass originally from Asia. It is considered a sterile hybrid that has been bred to not produce viable seeds. Instead, rhizomes are planted to establish the crop. Here, the rhizome is an underground modified stem mass that puts out shoots and roots supporting new growth each year. This perennial crop takes two to three years to reach maturity, but established stands can reach upwards of 12 ft. tall with a very thick canopy (Pyter, 2007). Miscanthus has shown potential for high dry matter yields compared to other biomass crops, which could in turn lead to more efficient land use especially when applied to a bioenergy and bioproduct supply chain. In one study, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) yielded 10.3 Mg/ha of biomass on average, while miscanthus yielded 22.4 Mg/ha (Heaton et al., 2004). Additionally, miscanthus production has been associated with many environmental benefits, including benefits to water quality, nutrient load removal, soil stabilization, and soil health (Bhardwaj et al., 2011; Hussain et al., 2019). Many of the possible practical and environmental benefits that are associated with miscanthus production may be attractive to stakeholders who are interested in alternative land use options, particularly in areas considered to be marginal in productivity.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Roles of Mn and Co in the Air Synthesizability of Layered Oxide Cathodes for Lithium-Based Batteries

High-nickel layered oxides (LiNi 1-x-y Mn x Co y O 2 ) are the prevailing cathode materials for high-energy-density lithium-based batteries, but they are plagued with deleterious surface air instabilities stemming from residual lithium formation. These issues severely hinder mass production as cathode calcination is limited to a flowing oxygen atmosphere, which entails high manufacturing costs as opposed to simpler and more economical air calcination. Here, while higher Ni contents are known to worsen air instabilities, the influence of Mn and Co contents on impacting these phenomena are less elucidated. We herein present the synthesis in ambient air and flowing oxygen atmospheres of three cathode variants with the same Ni contents, but varying Mn and Co contents: LiNi 0.7 Mn 0.3 O 2 , LiNi 0.7 Mn 0.15 Co 0.15 O 2 , and LiNi 0.7 Co 0.3 O 2 . It is found that the critical parameter influencing the air stability of the cathodes is the average Ni oxidation state, which is greatly dependent on the Mn and Co contents. Substitution of Mn for Ni drives down the Ni oxidation state as Mn exists as Mn4 + and reduces surface residual lithium formation, which vastly improves the overall air stability and, therefore, the synthesizability in air, but with a penalty of lowered capacity. In contrast, substitution of Co for Ni maintains Ni 3+ as Co exists as Co 3+ , offering increased initial capacity, but worsens the air stability and cyclability as the driving force for residual lithium formation and surface reactivity is increased.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Creation of Multi-Principal Element Alloy NiCoCr Nanostructures via Nanosecond Laser-Induced Dewetting

The multi-principal element alloy nanoparticles (MPEA NPs), a new class of nanomaterials, present a highly rewarding opportunity to explore new or vastly different functional properties than the traditional mono/bi/multimetallic nanostructures due to their unique characteristics of atomic-level homogeneous mixing of constituent elements in the nanoconfinements. Here, in this paper, the successful creation of NiCoCr nanoparticles, a well-known MPEA system is reported, using ultrafast nanosecond laser-induced dewetting of alloy thin films. Nanoparticle formation occurs by spontaneously breaking the energetically unstable thin films in a melt state under laser-induced hydrodynamic instability and subsequently accumulating in a droplet shape via surface energy minimization. While NiCoCr alloy shows a stark contrast in physical properties compared to individual metallic constituents, i.e., Ni, Co, and Cr, yet the transient nature of the laser-driven process facilitates a homogeneous distribution of the constituents (Ni, Co, and Cr) in the nanoparticles. Using high-resolution chemical analysis and scanning nanodiffraction, the environmental stability and grain arrangement in the nanoparticles are further investigated. Thermal transport simulations reveal that the ultrashort (≈100 ns) melt-state lifetime of NiCoCr during the dewetting event helps retain the constituent elements in a single-phase solid solution with homogenous distribution and opens the pathway to create the unique MPEA nanoparticles with laser-induced dewetting process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Understanding Life History Diversity of a Wild Steelhead Population and Managing for Resiliency

Abstract Diversity in steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss (anadromous Rainbow Trout) is often characterized by varying time spent in freshwater and saltwater environments. However, ontogenetic shifts are not often highlighted as an important diversity characteristic in salmonids. Larger water bodies can play a key role in population stability by buffering limited resources in smaller tributary systems. Based on freshwater and saltwater ages of adult steelhead in Fish Creek, Idaho, there were 12 different life history trajectories observed. Juvenile abundance varied from 12,083 (SE = 1,225.7) to 62,463 (SE = 1,753.8), with ages ranging from young of the year (age 0) to 4 years. Adult abundance fluctuated from 17 (SE < 0.1) to 499 (SE = 67.1), and total age of adults varied from 3 to 7 years. Diversity was most evident in juvenile movement and rearing strategies. We observed four types of movement and rearing pathways in which juveniles either directly migrated to the ocean from Fish Creek or resided for up to three winters in main-stem river habitat in the Clearwater River basin prior to ocean migration. Most juveniles emigrated in the fall at age 2, and most ocean-emigrating smolts were age 3. Subsequently, most juveniles resided for at least one additional winter period before ocean migration. Juvenile diversity was also reflected in adult ages; the mean proportion that spent 3 years in freshwater was 0.55 (SE = 0.03), and the mean proportion that spent 2 years in freshwater was 0.41 (SE = 0.03). Adult sex ratio was female biased (mean ± SE = 0.66 ± 0.02), with a higher proportion of females (0.89 ± 0.03) than males (0.65 ± 0.05) residing in the ocean for at least 2 years. Density-dependent mechanisms were evident in juvenile rearing habitat in Fish Creek for cohorts of high female abundance. Population productivity potentials can be met when tributary and main-stem rearing habitat can be utilized, and this will be essential in attaining recovery goals.

Dobos, Marika E.↗

Mechanistic understanding of support effect on the activity and selectivity of indium oxide catalysts for CO 2 hydrogenation

Herein we present a mechanistic study on the support effect (ZrO 2 and CeO 2 ) of In 2 O 3 catalysts in CO 2 hydrogenation by a combined experimental and computational approach. Kinetic experiments and surface characterization suggested that the activity of In 2 O 3 catalysts cannot be simply correlated with the abundance of surface oxygen vacancies (O v ) formed by either H 2 -reduction or thermal treatment, which has been frequently invoked in previous studies. The support effect should originate from the electronic interactions between In 2 O 3 and the support oxide, rather than geometric factors or the difference in the particle size of In 2 O 3 . Theoretical modelling revealed that surface O v facilitate the formation and stabilization of the formate (HCOO*) intermediate. While a carbonate-like structure is favored for CO 2 adsorption on CeO 2 -supported or unsupported In 2 O 3 catalysts, CO 2 tends to bind strongly in a bent configuration on the O v site at the In 2 O 3 -ZrO 2 interface. The distinct CO 2 adsorption structures on different supported In 2 O 3 catalysts may account for the different reaction energy profiles in the subsequent hydrogenation reactions, especially the rate-limiting step, i.e., hydrogenation of HCOO* to CH 2 O* and methoxy (CH 3 O*). The relatively higher methanol selectivity of In 2 O 3 catalyst supported on ZrO 2 with respect to that on CeO 2 are suggested to stem from the greater energy difference (Δ$E_a$) between the parallel hydrogenation and C-O bond cleavage of HCOO*, which leads to the formation of methanol and CO, respectively. We report this study underlines the important role of metal-oxide-interface in determining the catalytic behavior of oxide-supported In 2 O 3 catalysts in CO 2 conversion.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

The surface triple-coupling on single crystalline cathode for lithium ion batteries

Single crystalline (SC) cathode materials, which are less susceptible to micro/nano-cracks formation and offer better structure stability compared to the polycrystalline counterpart, have attained great attention. However, the parasitic side reactions at the cathode-electrolyte interface induces the loss of active species, which consequently leads to continual degradation of the electrochemical performances. Herein, a triple coupling of concentration-gradient Na+, F- co-doping and surface NaF coating are exploited for the first time on SC LiNi 0.5C o 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 cathode by the hydrolysis of NaPF 6 . This process regulates the external structure of materials by constructing a “sandwich” configuration from surface to bulk: rock salt - mixing zone - layered phase. The detailed interface transformation mechanism is revealed by Neutron powder diffraction (NPD), spherical aberration corrected high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and Ar+ sputtering assisted X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synergistic effects endow the SC cathode with outstanding capacity retentions: 91.3% at 25 °C and 85% at 45 °C, after 500 cycles at 5 C between 3.0 and 4.5 V. In addition, a high full-cell reversible capacity of 168.9 mAh g -1 with a capacity retention of 92.4% is achieved after 300 cycles at 1 C. Multiple characterizations further indicate that these superior results are mainly ascribed to the overall structure integrity of SC material, the thin cathode electrolyte interface, high content of lithium fluoride, and the low solubility of transition metal ions. This work opens a new avenue to construct a benign interface towards high-performance lithium ion batteries.

lithium ion batteries↗

TiO 2 Nanocoatings with Controllable Crystal Type and Nanoscale Topography on Zirconia Implants to Accelerate Bone Formation

In dentistry, zirconia implants have emerged as a promising alternative for replacing missing teeth due to their superior aesthetic performance and chemical stability. To improve the osseointegration of zirconia implants, modifying their surface with hierarchical micro/nanotopography and bioactive chemical composition are two effective ways. In this work, a microscale topography was prepared on a zirconia surface using hydrofluoric acid etching, and then a 50 nm TiO 2 nanocoating was deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Subsequently, an annealing treatment was used to transform the TiO 2 from amorphous to anatase and simultaneously generate nanoscale topography. Various investigations into the coating surface morphology, topography, wettability, and chemical composition were carried out using scanning electron microscopy, white light interferometry, contact‐angle measurement, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, in vitro cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential performance of the coatings were evaluated by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), and in vivo osseointegration performance was assessed in a rat femoral condyle model. Moreover, the possible mechanism was also investigated. The deposition of TiO 2 film with/without annealing treatment did not alter the microscale roughness of the zirconia surface, whereas the nanotopography changed significantly after annealing. The in vitro studies revealed that the anatase TiO 2 coating with regular wavelike nanostructure could promote the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts and further improve the osteogenic potential in vitro and osseointegration in vivo. These positive effects may be caused by nanoscale topography via the canonical Wnt/ β ‐catenin pathway. The results suggest that using ALD in combination with annealing treatment to fabricate a nanotopographic TiO 2 coating is a promising way to improve the osteogenic properties of zirconia implants.

Li, Nan (ORCID:0000000255156737)↗

Resolving atomic transport through iron oxide under irradiation using isotopic tracers

Structural materials in nuclear environments are exposed to complex and harsh conditions, including high temperatures, corrosive solutions, and irradiation. Material stability and likewise degradation are fundamentally controlled by atomic transport mechanisms. Here, we investigate the influence of radiation-induced, non-equilibrium point defect populations on mass transport within model oxide systems using isotopic tracers and atom probe tomography. An isotopically labelled hematite (a-Fe2O3) film was synthesized with 16O- and 18O-rich layers (>30nm and 10 nm, respectively) sequentially deposited via molecular beam epitaxy. One region of the film was proton irradiated to ~0.1 dpa at 450°C, and regions outside the beam spot provided a non-irradiated control of thermal annealing only. 3D APT was used to directly visualize the elemental and O-isotopic redistribution following both thermal and combined thermal and irradiation conditions. Complementary scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was also employed to study the microstructural evolution. Error function fits of the 18O-concentration profiles enabled quantification of diffusion coefficients.

isotopic tracers, diffusion, proton irradiation, h↗

Unraveling the Synergistic effects of La and Al co-doping on Ni/Co-free P2-type Na 0.67 Mn 0.67 Fe 0.33 O 2 layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries

Recent developments in high-performance cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) tend to mitigate use of critical Ni and Co active species to satisfy sustainability. P2-type layered oxide cathodes based on Mn and Fe promise high capacity, sustainability, and low cost on account of the abundance and multiple redox characteristics of Mn and Fe. However, their commercialization is still challenged due to poor cycling stability caused by phase changes emanating from inherent Jahn-Teller distortions. Herein, we propose a novel strategy of trivalent La and Al co-doping to alleviate the drawbacks, innovating a new cathode of Na 0.67 Mn 0.62 Al 0.05 Fe 0.31 La 0.02 O 2 (AlLa). The co-doped cathode delivers an impressive capacity of 128.7 mAh/g at 1C and 106.5 mAh/g at high rate of 5C with a good capacity retention of 85% after 100 cycles. These are superior to the unmodified material, whose specific capacity was 118.6 mAh/g at 1C and 61.1 mAh/g at 5C with a retention of only 65% after 100 cycles. The synergistic contribution from La and Al associated with their improved oxygen bonding, pillaring, and local electronic structural modification stemming from rigid Lasingle bondO and Alsingle bondO bonding resulted in the observed structural and electrochemical improvement. Overall, this research offers novel strategies for designing high-performance cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

High-temperature steam oxidation study of irradiated FeCrAl defueled specimens

Post irradiation examinations (PIE) were performed on irradiated iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) specimens. These FeCrAl specimens were fabricated at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The experimental setup involved subjecting FeCrAl cladding, along with UO 2 pellets, to irradiation in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). In parallel, the FeCrAl alloy tubing without UO 2 pellets was irradiated at ORNL's High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). After irradiation, the ATR-irradiated rodlet was transported to an ORNL hot cell, where it was sectioned into multiple samples for the PIE and severe-accident testing. The sectioning process revealed that the fuel was not bonded to the cladding and could be easily detached from sectioned cladding slices. Microstructural analysis of the fuel cross sections demonstrated no significant interaction between the fuel and the cladding. Additionally, high-temperature steam oxidation tests on defueled cladding segments showed minimal oxygen uptake even at 1200 °C. Here, the ATR-irradiated specimens began to exhibit signs of enhanced oxidation upon reaching a temperature of 1300 °C. Furthermore, enhanced oxidation was observed on the inner surface of the ATR-irradiated FeCrAl specimen, which had been subjected to 1300 °C for a duration of 1 min. By contrast, high-temperature steam oxidation experiments indicated that the HFIR-irradiated FeCrAl cladding provided good thermal stability when exposed to 1300 °C for up to 4 h. Comparative analysis encompassing the oxidation behavior of the ATR-irradiated fueled FeCrAl, HFIR-irradiated unfueled FeCrAl, and unirradiated FeCrAl suggests that the fuel–cladding interaction, although not visible via standard microscale electron microscopy measurements, may accelerate the deterioration of FeCrAl cladding in beyond-design-basis accident scenarios.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Substitution of Co with Ni in Co/Al 2 O 3 Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis

The effect of cobalt substitution with nickel was investigated for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis reaction. Catalysts having different Ni/Co ratios were prepared by aqueous incipient wetness co-impregnation, characterized, and tested using a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) for more than 200 h. The addition of nickel did not significantly modify the morphological properties measured. XRD, STEM, and TPR-XANES results showed intimate contact between nickel and cobalt, strongly suggesting the formation of a Co-Ni solid oxide solution in each case. Moreover, TPR-XANES indicated that nickel addition improves the cobalt reducibility. This may be due to H 2 dissociation and spillover, but is more likely the results of a chemical effect of intimate contact between Co and Ni resulting in Co-Ni alloying after activation. FTS testing revealed a lower initial activity when nickel was added. However, CO conversion continuously increased with time on-stream until a steady-state value (34%–37% depending on Ni/Co ratio) was achieved, which was very close to the value observed for undoped Co/Al 2 O 3 . This trend suggests nickel can stabilize cobalt nanoparticles even at a lower weight percentage of Co. Currently, the cobalt price is 2.13 times the price of nickel. Thus, comparing the activity/price, the catalyst with a Ni/Co ratio of 25/75 has better performance than the unpromoted catalyst. Finally, nickel-promoted catalysts exhibited slightly higher initial selectivity for light hydrocarbons, but this difference typically diminished with time on-stream; once leveling off in conversion was achieved, the C 5+ selectivities were similar (≈ 80%) for Ni/Co ratios up to 10/90, and only slightly lower (≈ 77%) at Ni/Co of 25/75.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Infrared triggered dwell and active cooling thermal control effects on microstructural uniformity in DED

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) offers rapid large scale fabrication, but difficulty in delivering consistent microstructures and properties hinders the use of DED fabricated components in safety or performance critical applications. Variability stems from the complex thermal cycles generated by the toolpath used to print the required geometry. Several practical methods have become established in DED to regulate overheating, such as active cooling of the baseplate structure or the use of an infrared camera to inject interlayer pauses to ensure the top layer of the component cools to a set temperature, which have been shown to affect microstructure. However, no critical assessment has been performed as to how effective these controls are in promoting microstructural uniformity in the context of complex layer timing commonly generated by non-prismatic geometries. Here we show how controls influence the thermal field, phase transformations, and dynamic annealing of a low-temperature transformation steel using infrared imaging and operando neutron diffraction. Counterintuitively, common thermal homogenization process controls can reduce microstructural uniformity because these approaches stabilize peak temperature while overlooking temperatures near the solid-state phase transformation fronts. Instead, the cyclic reheating induces spatially-variant dynamically annealed regions which can be modulated via control parameters. We show that these controls have spatially linked effects centimeters away from the active weld, which implies that microstructure control must co-optimize thermal input across many subsequent layers. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the pressing need for higher order controls that integrate predictive elements of simulation data to stabilize printed properties for future qualification of DED components.

Directed energy deposition↗

Shape-persistent phthalocyanine cages

Phthalocyanine (Pc), an electro-redox active moiety, has many attractive properties stemming from its large aromatic system and ability to act as a catalyst in electrochemical reactions, such as the CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). However, due to the synthetic challenge related to geometric requirements and poor solubility (strong aggregation), discrete shape-persistent cages consisting of site-isolated, readily accessible Pc moieties have not been available. Here, we report the synthesis of Zn- and Ni-metallated Pc-based molecular cages via one-step dynamic spiroborate linkage formation in high yields. The ZnPc cage structure is unambiguously elucidated at the atomic level by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Moreover, owing to the site-isolated redox-active metal centers, readily accessible intrinsic cavity, and shape-persistent backbone, the Ni-metallated Pc (NiPc) cage exhibits high catalytic efficiency, selectivity, and stability, superior to the non-caged control molecules in electrocatalytic CO 2 RR.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Learning the stable and metastable phase diagram to accelerate the discovery of metastable phases of boron

Boron, an element of captivating chemical intricacy, has been surrounded by controversies ever since its discovery in 1808. The complexities of boron stem from its unique position between metals and insulators in the Periodic Table. Recent computational studies have shed light on some of the stable boron allotropes. However, the demand for multifunctionality necessitates the need to go beyond the stable phases into the realm of metastability and explore the potentially vast but elusive metastable phases of boron. Traditional search for stable phases of materials has focused on identifying materials with the lowest enthalpy. Here, we introduce a workflow that uses reinforcement learning coupled with decision trees, such as Monte Carlo tree search, to search for stable and metastable boron phases, with enthalpy as the objective. We discover new boron metastable phases and construct a phase diagram that locates their phase space (T, P) at different levels of metastability (ΔG) from the ground state and provides useful information on the domains of relative stability of the various stable and metastable boron phases.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Aboveground Wood Production Is Sustained in the First Growing Season after Phloem-Disrupting Disturbance

Carbon (C) cycling processes are particularly dynamic following disturbance, with initial responses often indicative of longer-term change. In northern Michigan, USA, we initiated the Forest Resilience Threshold Experiment (FoRTE) to identify the processes that sustain or lead to the decline of C cycling rates across multiple levels (0, 45, 65 and 85% targeted gross leaf area index loss) of disturbance severity and, in response, to separate disturbance types preferentially targeting large or small diameter trees. Simulating the effects of boring insects, we stem girdled > 3600 trees below diameter at breast height (DBH), immediately and permanently disrupting the phloem. Weekly DBH measurements of girdled and otherwise healthy trees (n > 700) revealed small but significant increases in daily aboveground wood net primary production (ANPP w ) in the 65 and 85% disturbance severity treatments that emerged six weeks after girdling. However, we observed minimal change in end-of-season leaf area index and no significant differences in annual ANPP w among disturbance severities or between disturbance types, suggesting continued C fixation by girdled trees sustained stand-scale wood production in the first growing season after disturbance. We hypothesized higher disturbance severities would favor the growth of early successional species but observed no significant difference between early and middle to late successional species’ contributions to ANPP w across the disturbance severity gradient. We conclude that ANPP w stability immediately following phloem disruption is dependent on the continued, but inevitably temporary, growth of phloem-disrupted trees. Our findings provide insight into the tree-to-ecosystem mechanisms supporting stand-scale wood production stability in the first growing season following a phloem-disrupting disturbance.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

High‐Efficiency Ion‐Exchange Doping of Conducting Polymers

Abstract Molecular doping—the use of redox‐active small molecules as dopants for organic semiconductors—has seen a surge in research interest driven by emerging applications in sensing, bioelectronics, and thermoelectrics. However, molecular doping carries with it several intrinsic problems stemming directly from the redox‐active character of these materials. A recent breakthrough was a doping technique based on ion‐exchange, which separates the redox and charge compensation steps of the doping process. Here, the equilibrium and kinetics of ion exchange doping in a model system, poly(2,5‐bis(3‐alkylthiophen‐2‐yl)thieno(3,2‐b)thiophene) (PBTTT) doped with FeCl 3 and an ionic liquid, is studied, reaching conductivities in excess of 1000 S cm −1 and ion exchange efficiencies above 99%. Several factors that enable such high performance, including the choice of acetonitrile as the doping solvent, which largely eliminates electrolyte association effects and dramatically increases the doping strength of FeCl 3 , are demonstrated. In this high ion exchange efficiency regime, a simple connection between electrochemical doping and ion exchange is illustrated, and it is shown that the performance and stability of highly doped PBTTT is ultimately limited by intrinsically poor stability at high redox potential.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗