Highly Elastic Polyrotaxane Binders for Mechanically Stable Lithium Hosts in Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Despite their unparalleled theoretical capacity, lithium‐metal anodes suffer from well‐known indiscriminate dendrite growth and parasitic surface reactions. Conductive scaffolds with lithium uptake capacity are recently highlighted as promising lithium hosts, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an ideal candidate for this purpose because of their capability of percolating a conductive network. However, CNT networks are prone to rupture easily due to a large tensile stress generated during lithium uptake–release cycles. Herein, CNT networks integrated with a polyrotaxane‐incorporated poly(acrylic acid) (PRPAA) binder via supramolecular interactions are reported, in which the ring‐sliding motion of the polyrotaxanes endows extraordinary stretchability and elasticity to the entire binder network. In comparison to a control sample with inelastic binder (i.e., poly(vinyl alcohol)), the CNT network with PRPAA binder can endure a large stress during repeated lithium uptake–release cycles, thereby enhancing the mechanical integrity of the corresponding electrode over battery cycling. As a result, the PRPAA‐incorporated CNT network exhibits substantially improved cyclability in lithium–copper asymmetric cells and full cells paired with olivine‐LiFePO₄, indicating that high elasticity enabled by mechanically interlocked molecules such as polyrotaxanes can be a useful concept in advancing lithium‐metal batteries.     

The rupture of hepatic hydatid disease into the right hepatic vein and bile ducts: a case report

Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis cause liver hydatid disease. One of its most common complications is rupture into the bile ducts; however, penetration of a cyst into a vessel is a very rare complication. We detected a defect (2 x 1 cm) on the wall of the right hepatic vein, in addition to three distinctive ruptures into the bile ducts, in our case. For systemic hypotension due to a bleeding during operation and to repair the vessel wall defect, an urgent right thoracotomy followed by a radial phrenotomy was needed. We were able to reach the operation site easily and repaired the vessel wall with polypropylene suture. Because of the occurrence of these two complications together and the difficulties of the operation, we decided to report this case.     

Bounding approaches for operation assignment and capacity allocation problem in flexible manufacturing systems

This study considers an operation assignment and capacity allocation problem that arises in flexible manufacturing systems. Automated machines are assumed to have scarce time and tool magazine capacities and the tools are available in limited quantities. The aim is to select a subset of operations with maximum total weight. The weight of an operation may represent its profit, processing load, relative priority. Several upper bounding procedures have been taken into account. The results of computational tests have revealed that the proposed upper bounding procedures produce satisfactory solutions in reasonable CPU times. We suggest using some of the bounds when the quality of the solutions is more important than the speed of achieving them and some others when the speed is more important than the quality.     

Energetic and exergetic performance investigation of the Bigadic Geothermal District Heating System in Turkey

In this study a comprehensive performance analysis of the Bigadic Geothermal District Heating System (GDHS) in Balikesir, Turkey is performed through thermodynamic assessment in terms of energy and exergy efficiencies. The actual thermal data taken from the Technical Department of the GDHS are utilized in the analysis to determine the exergy destructions in each component of the system and the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the system for two reference temperatures taken as 15.6 °C for November (e.g., case 1) and 11 °C for December (e.g., case 2). The energy and exergy flow diagrams are clearly drawn to illustrate how much destructions/losses take place in addition to the inputs and outputs. The average energy and exergy efficiencies are found to be 30% and 36% for case 1, and 40% and 49% for case 2, respectively. The key reason as to why the exergy efficiencies are higher is because the heat recovery option is used through the reinjection processes which make use of waste heat. A parametric study is also conducted to show how energy and exergy flows change with the environment temperature. The results are expected to be helpful to researchers and engineers in the area.     

The influence of heat treatment conditions on the evaporation of defect regions in structures with InGaAs quantum dots in the GaAs matrix

Structures with In(Ga)As quantum dots in the GaAs matrix obtained using molecular-beam epitaxy are investigated using photoluminescence (PL) measurements and transmission electron microscopy. The structures were subjected in situ to the procedure of the selective thermal elimination of defect regions. Based on the results of the analysis of luminescence properties, a method for evaluating the crystalline quality of structures using the measurements of PL intensity for the GaAs matrix at high temperatures (as high as 400 K) is suggested. Procedures for the elimination of defects are investigated, namely, the single-stage selective elimination of InAs defect islands at 600°C and a two-stage procedure. The latter procedure additionally includes selective overgrowth with a thin AlAs layer and high-temperature (650–700°C) heat treatment. The optimal conditions of the process, which permit the obtaining of structures with a relatively low defect density without a considerable decrease in the density of coherent quantum dots, are found.     

Conducting polymers of terepthalic acid bis-(2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl) ester and their electrochromic properties

Terepthalic acid bis-(2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl)ester (TATE) was synthesized through the reaction of 2-thiophen-3-yl-ethanol and terepthaloyl chloride. Homopolymer of TATE was synthesized via potentiostatic and potentiodynamic methods by using tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBAFB) as the supporting electrolyte in dichloromethane/borontrifluoride ethylether solvent mixture (DM/BFEE) (8:2, v/v). Copolymerisation of TATE with thiophene was achieved in DM/BFEE solvent mixture (8:2, v/v) by using TBAFB as the supporting electrolyte in the presence of thiophene. The chemical structure of monomer is characterised via NMR and FTIR. Both homopolymer (PTATE) and copolymer P(TATE-co-Th) were characterised by various techniques including cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Conductivities of samples were measured by four probe technique. Optoelectrochemical analysis indicates that the homopolymer and copolymer have an electronic band gap, measured as the onset of the π-to-π* transition, as 2.17 and 2.00 eV, respectively.