Glyme-based nonaqueous electrolytes for rechargeable lithium cells

Poly(ethylene glycol)dimethyl ethers [(CH₃O(CH₂CH₂O)_nCH₃, n = 1, 2, 3, and 4)] are generally known as “glymes”. This study examines the conductivity, lithium ion solvation state and charge-discharge cycling efficiency of lithium metal anodes in glyme-based electrolytes for rechargeable lithium cells. 1 M (M: mol l⁻¹) LiPF₆ was used as the solute. The properties of the glymes were investigated by using a ternary mixed solvent consisting of n-glyme, ethylene carbonate (EC) and methylethylcarbonate (MEC). This was because the solubility of LiPF₆ is far less than 1 M in an n-glyme single solvent. The glyme solutions exhibited higher conductivity and higher lithium cycling efficiency than EC/MEC. The conductivity tended to increase with decreases in ethylene oxide chain number (n) and solution viscosity. The decrease in the solution viscosity resulted from the change in the lithium ion solvation structure that occurred when a glyme was added to EC/MEC. The selective solvation of the glyme with respect to lithium ions was clearly demonstrated by -NMR measurements. The lithium cycling efficiency value depended on the charge-discharge current (I_ps). When n increased there was an increase in lithium cycling efficiency at a low I_ps and a decrease in the reduction potential of the glymes. When the conductivities including those at low temperature (below 0 °C), and charge-discharge cycling at a high current are taken into account, di- or tri-glyme is superior to the other glymes tested here.     

Electroreduction of dioxygen (ORR) in alkaline medium on Ag/C and Pt/C nanostructured catalysts—effect of the presence of methanol

Ag/C catalysts with different loading were prepared using a colloidal route to obtain well dispersed catalysts on carbon, with a particle size close to 15 nm. An amount of 20 wt.% Ag on carbon was found to be the best loading in terms of current density and mass activity. The 20 wt.% Ag/C catalyst was then studied and the kinetics towards ORR was determined and compared with that of a 20 wt.% Pt/C catalyst. The number of exchanged electrons for the ORR was found to be close to four with the rotating disk electrode (RDE) as well as with the rotating ring disc electrode (RRDE) techniques. From the RDE results, the Tafel slopes b, the diffusion limiting current density inside the catalytic film (j_l^film) and the exchange current density (j₀) were evaluated. The Tafel slopes b and diffusion limiting current densities inside the catalytic film (j_l^film) were found to be in the same order for both catalysts, whereas the exchange current density (j₀), which is a suitable estimation of the activity of the catalyst, was at least 10 times higher at the Pt/C catalyst than at the Ag/C catalyst. The behavior of both catalysts in methanol containing electrolyte was investigated and it was found that at a low methanol concentration, the Pt/C catalyst was quasi-tolerant to methanol. But, at a high methanol concentration, the ORR at a Pt/C was affected. However, the Pt/C catalyst showed in each case better activity towards ORR than the Ag/C catalyst, even if the latter one was less affected by the presence of methanol than the former one.     

固体氧化物燃料电池YSZ电解质薄膜的制备方法概述

固体氧化物燃料电池(SOFC)是一类既能发电,又无噪声污染、高效清洁的能量转换装置. 氧化钇稳定的氧化锆(YSZ)是应用最为广泛的SOFC电解质材料. SOFC制备的关键技术之一是获得足够薄且不透气的YSZ电解质薄膜. 本文综述了几种不同的制备YSZ电解质薄膜的方法,并对它们进行了分析和比较,讨论了它们各自的优缺点和应用场合. 最后,对用于固体氧化物燃料电池的YSZ薄膜制备方法进行了评述和展望.     

采用常规条形流场的质子交换膜燃料电池阴极数值模拟(Ⅱ)电池性能影响因素的分析

利用已建立的数学模型考察了阴极扩散特性参数、阴极流场几何参数、电极电阻、催化剂活性、流道上O₂浓度变化对H₂-Air PEMFCs性能的影响.计算表明,增大氧有效扩散系数、减小扩散层厚度可增大电池的工作电流密度;提高氧还原反应交换电流密度、减小电极电阻、优化流道尺寸可改善电池性能;沿反应气体流动方向逐渐增加MEA的催化剂负载量可提高电流密度分布的均匀性.     

无油螺杆压缩机在燃料电池中的应用

由于环境污染、全球变暖、能源短缺等各方面原因,能量转换效率高且无污染的燃料电池汽车备受人们的青睐,作为燃料电池系统中重要部件之一的空气压缩机也成为研究的热点。西安交通大学压缩机研究所成功研制了可以应用于燃料电池的LG300型喷水螺杆空气压缩机以及具有体积小、质量轻、效率高的高速干式螺杆压缩机、膨胀机,并且经过与燃料电池系统配套使用,获得成功。     

Efficient usage of highly dispersed Pt on carbon nanotubes for electrode catalysts of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

A Pt-deposited carbon nanotube (CNT) shows higher performance than a commercial Pt-deposited carbon black (CB) with reducing 60% Pt load per electrode area in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) below 500 mA/cm². K₂PtCl₄ and H₂PtCl₆·6(H₂O) are used for the Pt deposition onto multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs), which are produced by the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons. The electric power densities produced using the Pt/CNT electrodes are greater than that of the Pt/CB by a factor of two to four on the basis of the Pt load per power. CNTs are thus found to be a good support of Pt particles for PEFC electrodes. TEM images show 2–4-nm Pt nanoparticles dispersed on the CNT surfaces. These high performances are considered to be due to the efficient formation of the triple-phase boundaries of gas–electrode–electrolyte. The mechanisms of Pt deposition are discussed for these Pt-deposited CNTs.     

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of cyclohexanone: Simple dynamic cell design

The electrocatalytic hydrogenation of cyclohexanone has been investigated with catalytic powder particles made of metal nanoaggregates deposited on a nonconductive material such as activated carbon and alumina. The catalytic powder particles were suspended in the solution under vigorous stirring conditions. The brief contact of the powder particles with a porous carbon cathode was sufficient to form adsorbed hydrogen on the metallic nanoaggregates through water electrolysis and initiate the electrohydrogenation process. It is demonstrated that the key parameters of the electrohydrogenation process are both the nature of the metallic nanoaggregates and the nature of the non-conductive material. The hydrodynamics of the solution under vigorous stirring conditions have also been studied for the particular cell used in the present study.     

Experimental Investigation and Numerical Simulation of an Expanding Multifront Detonation Wave

Results of experimental investigations of an expanding multifront detonation wave are presented. Two stages of spontaneous formation of new disturbances and transverse waves on the expanding detonationwave front are observed. The main mechanisms of reinitiation of detonation waves are discussed. Twodimensional numerical simulation of the dynamics of a multifront detonation wave in a linearly expanding channel is performed. The effect of spontaneous formation of new disturbances and new transverse waves is confirmed by computations, and the main mechanism of multiplication of transverse waves is the instability of detonationwavefront elements at the stage they cease to be in the overdriven state and are attenuated during expansion.     

Influence of electrolyte additives on safety and cycle life of rechargeable lithium cells

The influence of electrolyte additives on the safety and cycle life of 4V-class lithium cells is examined. The electrolyte solution employed was 1 M LiClO₄-propylene carbonate, the most widely used electrolyte in lithium battery research. The additives studied were ten organic aromatic compounds including biphenyl, cyclohexylbenzene and hydrogenated diphenyleneoxide. For safety, focus was given to the overcharging tolerance of the lithium cells. Biphenyl is well-known as an overcharge protection additive. The purpose of this work was to find additives with a higher oxidation potential and longer charge–discharge cycle life than biphenyl. The oxidation potentials and currents of the additives were measured to determine whether or not these compounds work as overcharge protection additives. Charge–discharge cycling efficiencies were examined for lithium metal anodes. The results showed that cyclohexylbenzene and hydrogenated diphenyleneoxide have a higher oxidation potential and a higher lithium cycling efficiency than biphenyl.     

Polymer electrolytes from PEO and novel quaternary ammonium iodides for dye-sensitized solar cells

Polymer electrolytes were prepared by blending high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and a series of novel quaternary ammonium iodides, the polysiloxanes with oligo(oxyethylene) side chains and quaternary ammonium groups. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements ensured relatively low crystallinity when the quaternary ammonium iodides were incorporated into the PEO host. The ionic conductivity of these complexes was improved with the addition of plasticizers. The improvement in the ionic conductivity was determined by the polarity, viscosity and amounts of plasticizers. A plasticized electrolyte containing the novel quaternary ammonium iodide was successfully used in fabricating a quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell for the first time. The fill factor and energy conversion efficiency of the cell were calculated to be 0.68 and 1.39%, respectively.