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Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) with carbon coating has been widely used as cathode material for lithium ion battery, however its electrochemical properties are still limited by the inadequate electrical conductivity of the carbon shell. Herein, through synthesis optimization, the graphitization of the carbon layer has been successfully tuned, resulting in the production of LFP samples coated with carbon exhibiting higher graphitization. Concomitant with this modification, an improved conductive network has been fabricated within the secondary particles of the LFP sample. Compared to the pristine sample, the modified sample showed an approximately 21.3 % increase in capacity retention after 235 cycles at 2C. Graphitization tuning of the carbon coating layer provides a new method to further unlock the electrochemical potential of the LFP cathode material. © 2024 The Authors

Recently, several researchers have claimed the existence of superior catalytic activity associated with topological materials belonging to the class of Dirac/Weyl semimetals, owing to the high electron conductivity and charge carrier mobility in these topological materials. By means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electrocatalytic tests, and density functional theory, we have investigated the chemical reactivity (chemisorption of ambient gases), ambient stability, and catalytic properties of PdSn4, a topological semimetal showing Dirac node arcs. We find a Tafel slope of 83 mV in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) dec-1with an overpotential of 50 mV, with performances resembling those of pure Pd, regardless of its limited amount in the alloy, with a subsequent reduction in the cost of raw materials by ∼80%. Remarkably, the PdSn4-based electrode shows superior robustness to CO compared to pure Pd and Pt and high stability in water media, although the PdSn4surface is prone to oxidation with the formation of a sub-nanometric SnO2skin. Moreover, we also assessed the significance of the role of topological electronic states in the observed catalytic properties. Actually, the peculiar atomic structure of oxidized PdSn4enables the migration of hydrogen atoms through the Sn-O layer with a barrier comparable with the energy cost of the Heyrovsky step of HER over Pt(111) in acidic media (0.1 eV). On the other hand, the topological properties play a minor role, if existing, contrarily to the recent reports overestimating their contribution in catalytic properties. © 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society

Novel hierarchically porous carbon materials with very high surface areas, large pore volumes and high electron conductivities were prepared from silk cocoon by carbonization with KOH activation. The prepared novel porous carbon-encapsulated sulfur composites were fabricated by a simple melting process and used as cathodes for lithium sulfur batteries. Because of the large surface area and hierarchically porous structure of the carbon material, soluble polysulfide intermediates can be trapped within the cathode and the volume expansion can be alleviated effectively. Moreover, the electron transport properties of the carbon materials can provide an electron conductive network and promote the utilization rate of sulfur in cathode. The prepared carbon-sulfur composite exhibited a high specific capacity and excellent cycle stability. The results show a high initial discharge capacity of 1443 mAh g(-1) and retain 804 mAh g(-1) after 80 discharge/charge cycles at a rate of 0.5 C. A Coulombic efficiency retained up to 92% after 80 cycles. The prepared hierarchically porous carbon materials were proven to be an effective host matrix for sulfur encapsulation to improve the sulfur utilization rate and restrain the dissolution of polysulfides into lithium-sulfur battery electrolytes.

Novel hierarchically porous carbon materials with very high surface areas, large pore volumes and high electron conductivities were prepared from silk cocoon by carbonization with KOH activation. The prepared novel porous carbon-encapsulated sulfur composites were fabricated by a simple melting process and used as cathodes for lithium sulfur batteries. Because of the large surface area and hierarchically porous structure of the carbon material, soluble polysulfide intermediates can be trapped within the cathode and the volume expansion can be alleviated effectively. Moreover, the electron transport properties of the carbon materials can provide an electron conductive network and promote the utilization rate of sulfur in cathode. The prepared carbon-sulfur composite exhibited a high specific capacity and excellent cycle stability. The results show a high initial discharge capacity of 1443 mAh g(-1) and retain 804 mAh g(-1) after 80 discharge/charge cycles at a rate of 0.5 C. A Coulombic efficiency retained up to 92% after 80 cycles. The prepared hierarchically porous carbon materials were proven to be an effective host matrix for sulfur encapsulation to improve the sulfur utilization rate and restrain the dissolution of polysulfides into lithium-sulfur battery electrolytes.

Novel hierarchically porous carbon materials with very high surface areas, large pore volumes and high electron conductivities were prepared from silk cocoon by carbonization with KOH activation. The prepared novel porous carbon-encapsulated sulfur composites were fabricated by a simple melting process and used as cathodes for lithium sulfur batteries. Because of the large surface area and hierarchically porous structure of the carbon material, soluble polysulfide intermediates can be trapped within the cathode and the volume expansion can be alleviated effectively. Moreover, the electron transport properties of the carbon materials can provide an electron conductive network and promote the utilization rate of sulfur in cathode. The prepared carbon-sulfur composite exhibited a high specific capacity and excellent cycle stability. The results show a high initial discharge capacity of 1443 mAh g(-1) and retain 804 mAh g(-1) after 80 discharge/charge cycles at a rate of 0.5 C. A Coulombic efficiency retained up to 92% after 80 cycles. The prepared hierarchically porous carbon materials were proven to be an effective host matrix for sulfur encapsulation to improve the sulfur utilization rate and restrain the dissolution of polysulfides into lithium-sulfur battery electrolytes.

The electric conductivity of perovskite-like Ba2(In 1-x Al x )2O5 solid solutions (0 < x ≤ 0.20) characterized by structural disordering in the oxygen sublattice was studied as a function of temperature and partial pressure of oxygen in an atmosphere with a low content of water vapors (pH2O = 3 Ч 10-5 atm). When In3+ was partially replaced by Al3+, the oxygen ion conductivity increased because of the disordering of oxygen structural vacancies, leading to a significant increase in the total electric conductivity of the samples. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.

The electric conductivity of perovskite-like Ba2(In 1-x Al x )2O5 solid solutions (0 < x ≤ 0.20) characterized by structural disordering in the oxygen sublattice was studied as a function of temperature and partial pressure of oxygen in an atmosphere with a low content of water vapors (pH2O = 3 Ч 10-5 atm). When In3+ was partially replaced by Al3+, the oxygen ion conductivity increased because of the disordering of oxygen structural vacancies, leading to a significant increase in the total electric conductivity of the samples. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.

Chemically modified graphene (CMG) has emerged as a new material whose many attractive properties complement those of pure graphene. Graphene, a single atomic sheet of carbon bonded in a honeycomb lattice, has remarkable physical properties ranging from near-ballistic electron conduction to extremely high mechanical stiffness (more than five times that of steel). Such extreme properties motivate researchers to investigate these materials for use in applications ranging from high-frequency, low-power electronics, to flexible displays, chemical/biological sensors, and high-frequency electromechanical devices. We have developed a process to form large-area, ultra-thin CMG films that enable us to investigate CMG properties and to explore prototype devices. Using these films we have fabricated state-of-the-art chemical sensors and nanomechanical resonators. For chemical sensors, we have increased the sensitivity and reduced the level of noise by tuning the CMG film chemistry. These optimized sensors are capable of real-time detection of explosives and the three main classes of chemical-warfare agents at parts-per-billion concentrations. For nanomechanics, we have utilized chemical modification to produce suspended films under high tension. These high-stiffness, low-mass resonators display quality factors (up to 4000) and figures of merit well exceeding those of pure graphene resonators and are comparable to diamond thin films. Together, these results demonstrate that CMG is an inexpensive, high-performance material that will find application in a wide range of defense and commercial applications., Featured research. Published in 2009 NRL Review, p88-96. The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.

A hot spot of laser plasma is surrounded by extensive region of weakly ionized gas and the electron conductivity in background cold plasma is main reason for plasma electrons cooling., Pub. in International Conference on Phenomena in Ionized Gases (26th), v4 p221-222, July 2003. This article is from ADA421147 International Conference on Phenomena in Ionized Gases (26th) Held in Greifswald, Germany on 15-20 July 2003. Proceedings, Volume 4