The properties of electroactive ruthenium oxide coatings supported by titanium-based ternary carbides

Electroactive oxide coatings on titanium, known in industrial chlorine production as dimensionally stable anodes (DSA), are of limited service life owing to the dissolution of active oxide, but also due to low corrosion stability of titanium, at high anodic potentials and elevated temperatures. In order to improve the anode stability, ternary carbide, Ti₃SiC₂, could be a promising material for the coating support, since chemical corrosion stability of Ti₃SiC₂ is significantly higher if compared to Ti. In this work, the possibility of the sol-gel preparation of RuO₂-TiO₂ coating on Ti₃SiC₂ is investigated and comparison of the basic characteristics of sol-gel processed oxide coating, Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂, applied onto Ti₃SiC₂ and Ti, is reported. Microscopic investigation of the coating surface showed that considerably less cracked coating is formed onto the Ti₃SiC₂ support. Slightly higher voltammetric currents are registered for Ti₃SiC₂-supported coating in H₂SO₄ and NaCl solution. The activity for chlorine evolution is higher, while the currents of oxygen evolution reaction are lower for Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti₃SiC₂ anode in comparison to Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti anode. Even though these preliminary results on the basic electrochemical properties of Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti₃SiC₂ anode and chemical stability of Ti₃SiC₂ are promising, the accelerated stability test in NaCl solution showed that coated Ti₃SiC₂ is not anodically stable and lasts considerably shorter than Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti anode prepared and tested under the same conditions.     

Improvement of structural stability and electrochemical activity of a cathode material LiNi0.7Co0.3O2 by chlorine doping

In the process of Li⁺ intercalation-deintercalation, electron removal is accompanied simultaneously. Oxygen was found to compensate electron removal both in theoretical calculations and practical experiments. Chlorine addition to LiNi_0.7Co_0.3O₂ was expected to exchange electrons in that Cl⁻ was easier to lose electrons than O²⁻. LiNi_0.7Co_0.3O_2−xCl_x was identified as a pure hexagonal lattice of α-NaFeO₂ type by X-ray diffraction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the influence of chlorine substitution on the oxidation state of transition-metal ions. Charge-discharge experiments and cyclic voltammetry confirmed that chlorine addition was an effective way to improve reversible capacity and structural stability in cycles.     

Application of pulse methods to the determination of the electrochemical characteristics of lithium intercalates

The transfer processes proceeding in insertion electrodes with surface control on the application of a potential or current step are considered theoretically. The theoretical relationships have been verified by the determination of the kinetic and diffusion parameters of electrochemical lithium intercalation into thin carbon films. The overall electrode polarization is divided, both theoretically and experimentally, into the kinetic component, related to hindered ion transfer in the passive surface layer, and the diffusion one, related to decelerated lithium diffusion in the carbon matrix. The polarization dependence of kinetic current is shown to obey the same regularities that the current-potential function of the lithium electrode. The concentration dependences of the surface layer parameters and the diffusion coefficient of lithium in carbon have been determined.     

THE EFFECT OF PRECIPITATION PARAMETERS ON PREPARATION OF LITHIUM FLUORIDE (LIF) NANO-POWDER

Lithium fluoride powder (LiF) is a white powder with a density of 2.64 gr/cm³ and a melting point of 848°C. This powder has several applications such as flux, glaze, soldering, and aluminum melting process, but one of the most important uses of this powder is its application in dosimetry. The commercial powders currently used for this purpose have average sizes of 5 to 10 micrometers; the objective of this research is to produce LiF powder with nano-metric particle size. In this study, the reaction of LiOH + HF → LiF + H₂O has been selected from among several reactions that were able to produce LiF powder, and some precipitation parameters such as temperature, time, agitation type, and supersaturation degree have been controlled. The morphology, phase analysis, and particle size distribution of the resulting powders were analyzed by SEM, XRD, and LPSA. Finally, lithium fluoride nano-powder was synthesized at a temperature of 25°C, pH about 2-3, reaction time less than 1 s, and agitation by ultrasonic bath.     

Effect of cation structure on the electrochemical and thermal properties of ion conductive polymers obtained from polymerizable ionic liquids

Several onium cations having vinyl group formed ionic liquids after coupling with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide. These monomers were polymerized, and the relation between onium cation structure and properties of thus polymerized ionic liquids was investigated. The polymerized ionic liquid having ethylimiadzolium cation unit showed the highest ionic conductivity of around 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C among the obtained polymers reflecting the lowest glass transition temperature of −59 °C. These polymers were thermally stable and their decomposition temperatures were about 350 °C. The ionic conductivity of the polymerized ionic liquids decreased by both the addition of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and the polymerization in the presence of cross-linker. However, the polymerized ionic liquid having 1-methylpiperidinium cation structure showed good lithium ion transference number of 0.43 at room temperature.     

Preparation and electrical conductivity of polyethers/WS2 layered nanocomposites

Utilizing the solvothermal synthesis technique, lithium intercalated tungsten disulfide Li_xWS₂ with x > 1 was obtained, which was allowed to react with water to the formation of single-molecule-layer suspension of tungsten disulfide. The layered nanocomposites PEG, PEO/WS₂, intercalating poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, MW ≈ 1 × 10³, 6 × 10³, 1 × 10⁴) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO, MW ≈ 3 × 10⁵) into the tungsten disulfide host galleries, were prepared using the improved exfoliation-adsorption technique. It was revealed that the intercalated polymers within the host galleries are in a double-layer arrangement with an interlayer expansion of about 9 Å. Despite high conductivity of the host material, those of the PEG, PEO/WS₂ nanocomposites were found to be high in the order of 1 × 10⁻² to 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at ambient temperature, resulted from the guest-host charge transfers.     

Li-intercalation electrochemical/electrochromic properties of vanadium pentoxide films by sol electrophoretic deposition

Thin films of orthorhombic V₂O₅ have been prepared by sol electrophoretic deposition (EPD) followed by post-treatment at 500 °C. Their electrochemical and optical performances have been investigated for possible applications in electrochemical/electrochromic devices. Li⁺-intercalation properties of the films have been explored in two voltage ranges: 0.4 to −1.1 V and 0.4 to −1.6 V versus Ag/Ag⁺, respectively. High capacities of over 300 mAh/g are acquired in the wider voltage range at a current density of 50 μA/cm² and moderate capacities of 140 and 110 mAh/g are obtained in the narrower voltage range at a current density of 25 and 50 μA/cm², respectively. Electrochemical measurements have shown that the films demonstrate good cyclability in both voltage ranges. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and optical spectra have been used to examine the changes in crystallinity, microstructure, morphology and transmittance of the films during cycling. Films cycled to a deeper voltage of −1.6 V versus Ag/Ag⁺ deliver higher capacity with appreciable morphological change, while films cycled in the narrower voltage range show moderate capacity and maintain the morphology, optical responses and crystalline structure. Voltage range can be optimized in between to acquire both high capacity and stability in structure, electrochemical and optical properties. High Li⁺-intercalation capacity and good cyclic stability are attributed to the porous structure of V₂O₅ films prepared by EPD.     

Electrochemical characteristics of phase-separated polymer electrolyte based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropane) and ethylene carbonate

A polymer electrolyte based on microporous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropane) (PVdF-HFP) film was studied for use in lithium ion batteries. The microporous PVdF-HFP (Kynar 2801) matrix was prepared from a cast of homogeneous mixture of PVdF-HFP and solvents such as ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC). After evaporation of DMC and EMC, a sold film of the PVdF-HFP and the EC mixture was obtained. EC-rich phase started its formation in the PVdF-HFP/EC film at EC content of about 60 wt.% based on the total weight of PVdF-HFP and EC. The formation of the new phase resulted in the abrupt increase of the porosity of the PVdF-HFP matrix from 32 to 62%. The ionic conductivity of the film soaked in 1 M LiPF₆-EC/DMC=1/1 was significantly increased from order of 10⁻⁴ S/cm to order of 10⁻³ S/cm at the EC content of 60 wt.%. Thermal and spectroscopic investigations showed that most of the EC interact with PVdF-HFP with the EC content being below 60 wt.%. MCMB/polymer electrolyte/LiCoO₂ cells employing the microporous PVdF-HFP polymer film showed stable charging/discharging characteristics at 1C rate and good rate capability.     

New perfectly difunctional organolithium initiators for block copolymer synthesis: 2. Difunctional polymers of dienes and of their triblocks copolymers with styrene

New organodilithium initiators were prepared in a hydrocarbon solvent in the absence of any polar additive. Although these initiators are insoluble when they are synthesized, they may be easily purified and reacted with dienes to give perfectly telechelic polydienes having unimodal distributions and low dispersity. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical molecular weights was observed. The polymer microstructures were similar to those of polymers initiated by butyllithium in the same solvent. Triblock thermoplastic elastomers were also prepared, the characteristics of which are given. The mechanical properties of a S.B.S. sample support also the claim of a good initiating ability and difunctionality of these initiators.     

氯化锂－水吸附式再循环型空调制冷系统性能研究

对氯化锂－水吸附式空调系统在再循环运行方式下的性能进行了模拟。分析了再生温度、热交换器效率及蒸发冷却器效率对性能的影响。与开式通风型空调制冷系统的制冷性能相比，再循环型空调制冷系统的制冷能力较大，但性能系数ＣＯＰ较小