Rational Designs for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with Low Electrolyte/Sulfur Ratio

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered a promising next-generation energy storage device owing to their high theoretical energy density. However, their overall performance is limited by several critical issues such as lithium polysulfide (PS) shuttles, low sulfur utilization, and unstable Li metal anodes. Despite recent huge progress, the electrolyte/sulfur ratio (E/S) used is usually very high (≥20 µL mg⁻¹), which greatly reduces the practical energy density of devices. To push forward LSBs from the lab to the industry, considerable attention is devoted to reducing E/S while ensuring the electrochemical performance. To date, however, few reviews have comprehensively elucidated the possible strategies to achieve that purpose. In this review, recent advances in low E/S cathodes and anodes based on the issues resulting from low E/S and the corresponding solutions are summarized. These will be beneficial for a systematic understanding of the rational design ideas and research trends of low E/S LSBs. In particular, three strategies are proposed for cathodes: preventing PS formation/aggregation to avoid inadequate dissolution, designing multifunctional macroporous networks to address incomplete infiltration, and utilizing an imprison strategy to relieve the adsorption dependence on specific surface area. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for low E/S LSBs are discussed.     

Impact of non‐solvent on regeneration of cellulose dissolved in 1‐(carboxymethyl)pyridinium chloride ionic liquid

Cellulose dissolved in ionic liquid (1‐(carboxymethyl)pyridinium chloride)/water (60/40 w/w) mixture is regenerated in various non‐solvents, namely water, ethanol, methanol and acetone, to gain more insight into the contribution of non‐solvent medium to the morphology of regenerated cellulose. To this end, the initial and regenerated celluloses were characterized with respect to crystallinity, thermal stability, chemical structure and surface morphology using wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. According to the results, regardless of non‐solvent type, all regenerated samples have the same chemical structure and lower crystallinity in comparison to the initial cellulose, making them a promising candidate for efficient biofuel production based on enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. The reduction in crystallinity of regenerated samples is explained based on the potential of the non‐solvent to break the hydrogen bonds between cellulose chains and ionic liquid molecules as well as the affinity of water and non‐solvent which can be evaluated based on Hansen solubility parameter. The latter also determines the phase‐separation mechanism during the regeneration process, which in turn affects surface morphology of the regenerated cellulose. The pivotal effect of regenerated cellulose crystallinity on its thermal stability is also demonstrated. Regenerated cellulose with lower crystallinity is more susceptible to molecular rearrangement during heating and hence exhibits enhanced thermal stability. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Inferring kinetic dissolution of NaCl in aqueous glycol solution using a low-cost apparatus and population balance model

An experimental methodology for inferring brine dissolution rate in monoethylene glycol (MEG) solutions at different temperatures using a webcam combined with a mathematical model is presented. The measurement system is designed to track the RGB (red, green, and blue) colour variations during the dissolution process. A dynamic model augmented with the population balance equation is applied to describe the dissolution process. Moreover, the dissolution rate is consistently related to the temperature and MEG concentration through the driving force based on the Gibbs energy and chemical affinity. The applied low-cost measurement apparatus proved to be a useful resource for tracking the dissolution dynamics in a wide range of undersaturation.     

基于萤石溶解/表面转化的含钙矿物表面定向调控浮选技术及机理研究

研究了萤石在白钨矿和方解石表面溶解和转化的可能性, 发现萤石可以在特定的捕收剂体系下作为抑制剂实现含钙矿物的浮选分离。浮选实验结果表明, 萤石作为抑制剂, 在白钨矿和方解石的浮选中, 用量小、作用效果明显; 动电位检测结果证实了萤石能明显降低方解石的动电位, 但对白钨矿基本没有影响; XPS检测结果证明了萤石对方解石的作用主要在于对Ca-O键能的减弱和Ca-F基团的生成, 即在方解石表面生成CaF2膜; AFM检测则可直观观察到方解石表面经过萤石处理之后出现明显的起伏, 印证了离子的侵蚀与CaF₂膜的生成。     

王庄油田粘土矿物转化对储层的影响

王庄油田是水敏性稠油油藏的典型代表，其水敏性在热采过程中的变化直接关系到油田开发方式的选择。针对这一问题，从直接影响水敏性变化的储层粘土矿物入手，在模拟地层环境的基础上通过室内高温高压静态和动态物模实验，并结合X衍射、扫描电镜、元素分析、粒度检测等多种分析测试手段，研究了粘土矿物在100-300℃之间的变化过程，从而找到水敏性的变化规律，进而从机理上解释了渗透率的变化原因，为数值模拟和开发方案制定提供室内研究依据。     

气泡在粘弹性液体中溶解的研究进展

在发泡塑料的制造过程中，均相气体－聚合物体系的形成直接影响了制品的物理机械性能，因此了解气泡在粘弹性液体中的溶解机理成为必然。本文讲述了气泡在流体中塌陷行为的研究进展。对Rayleigh对低粘度牛顿流体，Foqer和Goddand在无线量线性Maxwell模型的粘弹性体，Tanasawa和Tang用oldroyd三常数粘弹模型等科学家的研究行为做了概述，总结出影响此过程的复杂的影响因素，并指出进一步的研究方向。     

A simple conceptual model for predicting the dissolution of phosphate rock in soils

Laboratory experimental and literature data were integrated to develop a simple, conceptual model to describe and predict the dissolution of a reactive phosphate rock (Gafsa phosphate rock, GPR) in soils. The model showed that initial solution Ca concentration strongly influences the time required for a single application of GPR (at 30 kgP ha^?1) to dissolve. The model predicts that all of the GPR will dissolve within a year of application in an unlimed, acid (pH_w 4.5) loam. However, if the soil has previously been limed to (pH_w 5.8, and contains permanent charge only, the model predicts that only about 50% of the GPR would have dissolved by the end of the second year after application. On the other hand, if a previously limed soil ((pH_w 5.8) contains variable-charge components, the model predicts that virtually all of the GPR would have dissolved in this soil by the end of the second year after application. These results emphasise that, even in the presence of a high proton supply, solution Ca has an overriding influence on the dissolution of GPR. The faster rate of GPR dissolution in the limed soil with variable charge, compared to that in the limed soil with permanent charge only, demonstrates the ability of the variable-charge component of soil to act as a sink for some of the lime-derived Ca. According to the solubility product principle, this allows more GPR to dissolve. Because of the generally stronger buffering of soil for P than for Ca, a relatively large proportion of any P removed by leaching and plant uptake is buffered by the sorbed phase. Consequently, the influence of leaching and plant uptake on GPR dissolution is attributed primarily to the removal of the relatively less-strongly buffered Ca.     

Corrosion fatigue short crack growth behaviour in a high strength steel

The influence of an aggressive environment (0.6 M, aerated NaCl solution) on short fatigue crack initiation and growth behaviour has been studied. The study involved three major test series, namely: air fatigue, corrosion fatigue, and intermittent air fatigue/corrosion fatigue. The above tests carried out under fully reversed torsional loading conditions at a frequency of 5 Hz, showed that it was the non-metallic inclusions which took part in crack initiation resulting from debonding at metal matrix/inclusion interface and pitting of inclusions in both air and corrosove environments, respectively. Short fatigue crack growth results in these two environments obtained by using plastic replication technique, indicated a large effect of microstructure i.e. prior austenite grain boundaries. The stage/stages at which the environmental contribution was dominant has been discussed by considering the results achieved from intermittent tests. However, the mechanisms involved in corrosion fatigue short crack growth have also been described in the light of results obtained from futher investigations carried out by conducting corrosion fatigue tests under applied cathodic potential conditions and tests on hydrogen pre-charged specimens under air fatigue and uniaxial tension conditions.     

Analysis of supersaturation and nucleation in a moving solution droplet with flowing supercritical carbon dioxide

A supercritical antisolvent (SAS) process is employed for production of solid nanoparticles from atomized droplets of dilute solution in a flowing supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO₂) stream by attaining extremely high, very rapid, and uniform supersaturation. This is facilitated by a two‐way mass transfer of CO₂ and solvent, to and from the droplet respectively, rendering rapid reduction in equilibrium solubility of the solid solute in the ternary solution. The present work analyses the degree of supersaturation and nucleation kinetics in a single droplet of cholesterol solution in acetone during its flight in a flowing SC CO₂ stream. Both temperature and composition are assumed to be uniform within the droplet, and their variations with time are calculated by balancing the heat and mass transfer fluxes to and from the droplet. The equilibrium solubility of cholesterol with CO₂ dissolution has been predicted as being directly proportional to the Partial Molar Volume Fraction (PMVF) of acetone in the binary (CO₂–acetone) system. The degree of supersaturation has been simulated up to the time required to attain almost zero cholesterol solubility in the droplet for evaluating the rate of nucleation and the size of the stable critical nuclei formed. The effects of process parameters have been analysed in the pressure range of 7.1–35.0 MPa, temperature range of 313–333 K, SC CO₂ flow rate of 0.1136–1.136 mol s^?1, the ratio of the volumetric flow rates of CO₂‐to‐solution in the range of 100–1000, and the initial mole fraction of cholesterol in acetone solution in the range of 0.0025–0.010. The results confirm an extremely high and rapid increase in degree of supersaturation, very high nucleation rates and stable critical nucleus diameter of the order of a nanometre. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of pH on the passivation behavior of 254SMO stainless steel in 3.5% NaCl solution

The potentiodynamic polarization measurement of 254SMO stainless steel (UNS 31254) was conducted in 3.5% NaCl solutions with pH ranging from 0.1 to 5. The results indicated that this stainless steel offered excellent pitting corrosion resistance in corrosive environments. Further, it also exhibited various features on the polarization curves in different pH solutions. The electrochemical constant-potential passivation treatment performed at different pH followed by XPS analysis revealed that the primary constituents of the outermost layer of the passive films formed in the weak (pH 5) and strong (pH 0.8) acid solutions are iron oxides and Cr₂O₃ and Cr(OH)₃, respectively. Molybdenum oxides, primarily in the six-valence state, existed in the outermost layer of the passive film. Only very weak signals corresponding to that of nickel oxides were detected in the film formed in the weak acid (pH 5) solution. The ICP-MS analyses indicated selective dissolution of a significant amount of Fe and a few Mo and Ni ions during the passivation treatment in the strong acid (pH 0.8) solution. No Cr dissolution was observed; this indicated that the Cr in the film is relatively stable. XPS depth profiling results showed that a similar bilayer-structured film was formed in both the solutions (pH 0.8 and 5); the outer layer of this film is primarily composed of Cr(OH)₃ and Mo(VI), and the inner layer, Cr₂O₃ and Mo(IV). The results of the examinations of passive film formations and dissolution by XPS and ICP-MS were consistent with the polarization curves.