Fabrication of co-PVDF/modacrylic/SiO2 nanofibrous membrane: Composite separator for safe and high performance lithium-ion batteries

Highly porous free-standing co-poly(vinylidene fluoride)/modacrylic/SiO₂ nanofibrous membrane was developed using electrically-assisted solution blow spinning method. The performance and the potential of the membrane as a lithium-ion battery separator were investigated. The addition of modacrylic enhanced the solution spinnability that resulted in defect-free membranes. Moreover, the presence of modacrylic enhanced the dimensional and thermal stabilities, while the addition of hydrophilic SiO₂ nanoparticle enhanced both mechanical property and ionic conductivity. Combustion test results illustrated that the presence of modacrylic provide flame retarding property over a set of different polymeric-based membranes. Electrochemical performance results showed that the developed membrane can increase the battery capacity compared with the commercial separator.     

Hybrid anion exchange membranes with adjustable ion transport channels designed by compounding SEBS and homo-polystyrene

Hybrid anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared via chemically functionalizing and crosslinking poly(styrene-b-[ethylene-co-butylene]-b-styrene) (SEBS) copolymers and low molecular weight homo-polystyrene (hPS). Via sequential chloromethylation, crosslinking, quaternization, and alkalization, a series of hPS/SEBS AEMs were obtained with varying content of hPS. Systematic structural, morphological, mechanical, absorption, and transport measurements reveal that these properties depend on the total PS content in the membranes. Particularly, increasing total PS content causes (a) PS domains in the AEMs transition the cylindrical morphology to lamella-like morphology with comparable correlation length; (b) Young's modulus, water uptake, swelling ratio, ionic exchange capacity and ionic conductivity of the AEMs, and T_g of PS phase increase. In addition, the alkaline stability of the hPS/SEBS AEMs is also improved by addition of hPS. These findings suggest that the proposed method can develop high performance SEBS AEMs that are suitable for fuel cell applications.     

Immobilization of multicopper oxidase from Pyrobaculum aerophilum onto an electrospun-aligned single-walled carbon nanotube surface via a carbon-nanotube-binding peptide for biocathode

Biofuel cells (BFCs) that produce electrical energy from organic resources through enzymatic reactions have been attracting significant attention. Owing to the high electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), their modification on the electrode surface of a BFC is expected to increase the current, and their high specific surface area may be useful in increasing the power output. Previously, we constructed a biocathode by immobilizing multicopper oxidase from Pyrobaculum aerophilum (McoP) with a carbon nanotube binding peptide (CBP) sequence on the CNTs. This resulted in higher current densities than when using enzymes without CBP sequences. However, owing to the randomly stacked CNTs on the surface of the electrodes, their conductive properties were impaired and performance as biocathodes was poor. Herein, we constructed a biocathode in which single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) were oriented one-dimensionally and McoP is immobilized on the surface of an SWNCT via CBP. The current density was successfully increased by two-fold by orienting the CNTs and orienting and immobilizing McoP on their surfaces. This technology provides insights into the development of biodevices with controlled orientation of both the SWCNTs and enzymes immobilized on their surfaces.     

Achieving superiorly high heat-dimensional stability,high strength,and good electrochemical performance for electrospun separators in power lithium-ion battery through building unique condensed structure based on polyimide and poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide)

It is still a challenge for simultaneously achieving high heat resistance, high strength and outstanding electrochemical performance for separators in power lithium-ion battery (PLB). Herein, new high performance electrospun separators are developed through building unique structure based on polyimide (PI) and poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA). Orthogonal tests (4⁴) show that the magnitude order of electrospinning factors on the morphology of membrane is concentration>injection rate>receiving distance>voltage. With the optimum factors, the electrospun membrane (PI/PMIA) was prepared, which was further pressed at 100°C for 10 min to get treated membrane (H-PI/PMIA). Interestingly, the comprehensive performance of PI/PMIA is not a simple combination of those of PI and PMIA; instead, PI/PMIA has much better thermal and mechanical properties than both PI and PMIA, proving that PI/PMIA has a synergistic effect. PI/PMIA and H-PI/PMIA not only have good ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, but also have superiorly high properties including dimensional stability (thermal shrinkage temperature>300°C), tensile strengths (24.1 MPa for PI/PMIA, 34.3 MPa for H-PI/PMIA) and capacity retentions (97.9%, 99.2%) compared with electrospun membranes for PLBs reported in the literature so far (SCI database). The mechanism behind these attractive performances is discussed from condensed structure of membranes.     

The influence of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) modification on the transport properties and fuel cell performance of Nafion-117 membranes

Nafion-117/PEDOT composite membranes were synthesized by in situ chemical polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant. The polymerization of EDOT in Nafion membranes for various EDOT/oxidant treatment sequences was studied for the first time. PEDOT introduction leads to a slight decrease in both the ion-exchange capacity and water uptake of the composite membranes, as well as to an increase in cationic transport. Membranes initially treated with an oxidant exhibit better conductivity and lower hydrogen permeability. The effect of both modification of Nafion-117 membranes by PEDOT and hot-pressing of hydrogen-oxygen membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) on the performance of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells was studied. The maximum power density of the fabricated MEAs increases 1.5-fold: from 510 (for a pristine Nafion-117 membrane) to 810 mW cm⁻² (for a membrane modified by PEDOT). The current density at a voltage of 0.4 V reaches 1248 and 2246 mA cm⁻², respectively.     

Preparation and lithium storage properties of Mo2N quantum dots@nitrogen-doped graphene composite

To improve the electrochemical lithium storage performance of molybdenum nitrides, Mo₂N quantum dots@nitrogen-doped graphene oxide sponge (Mo₂N-QDs@Ngs) was prepared by hydrothermal reaction, freeze-drying and calcination in H₂/N₂ mixture with ammonium molybdate ((NH₄)Mo₇O₂₄·4H₂O), hexamethylenetetramine (C₆H₁₂N₄) and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials. The effect of GO content on the electrochemical lithium storage performance was investigated. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) results show that the size of the prepared Mo₂N quantum dots is about 2—5 nm, and the Mo₂N quantum dots are uniformly distributed on the surface of nitrogen-doped graphene. The electrochemical test results show that when the GO content is 30%, the prepared Mo₂N-QDs@Ngs-30 has the best electrochemical lithium storage performance, which has 699 mA·h·g^-1 specific capacity at the current density of 0.1 A·g^-1, and has 286 mA·h·g^-1 specific capacity even at the current density of 2 A·g^-1.     

基于深度学习的锂离子电池SOC和SOH联合估算

锂离子电池常被作为储能元件以实现电能的存储和转化,然而其荷电状态(state of charge,SOC)和健康状态(state of health,SOH)无法被直接测量。为了实现锂离子电池SOC和SOH联合估算,该文分析SOC和SOH之间的关联性,并提出一种基于深度学习的锂离子电池SOC和SOH联合估算方法。该方法能够基于门控循环单元循环神经网络(recurrent neural network with gated recurrent unit,GRU-RNN)和卷积神经网络(convolutional neural network,CNN),利用锂离子电池电压、电流、温度,实现锂离子电池全使用周期内SOC和SOH的同时估算,而且由于将锂离子电池的SOH估算值考虑到SOC估算中,能够消除锂离子电池老化因素对锂离子电池SOC估算造成的负面影响,从而提升SOC估算精度。两个锂离子电池测试数据集上的实验结果表明,提出的估算方法能够在不同温度和不同工况下实现锂离子电池全使用周期SOC和SOH联合估算,且获得较高的精度。     

复合溶胶–凝胶一锅法制备锂离子电池氧化亚硅/碳复合负极材料

采用复合溶胶–凝胶法结合后续热处理,制备了具有包埋结构的氧化亚硅/碳(SiO_x/C)复合负极材料。扫描电子显微镜分析结果表明:氧化亚硅纳米颗粒嵌入在无定形碳中。电化学性能测试表明:SiO_x/C复合材料具有较高的比容量、优异的循环稳定性和倍率性能。材料在0.1 A/g的电流密度下100次循环后的可逆比容量为710 m A·h/g,容量几乎无衰减;在1.6 A/g的电流密度下,可逆比容量为380 m A·h/g。优异的电化学性能是由于材料的包埋结构能有效地缓冲SiO_x充放电过程中的体积膨胀,保证材料的结构完整性和电化学循环稳定性。     

锂离子电池电解液过充添加剂的行为

制备了3种1 mol/L LiPF6电解液,溶剂组成分别为:1)碳酸乙烯酯,碳酸二甲酯和碳酸甲乙酯;2)碳酸乙烯酯,碳酸二甲酯,碳酸甲乙酯和4%联苯;3)碳酸乙烯酯,碳酸二甲酯,碳酸甲乙酯和4%环己基苯.采用线性电压扫描法、锂循环效率法、锂离子电池的循环性能法和3 C倍率过充的方法测试了联苯与环己基苯电解液过充添加剂的行为.结果表明:环己基苯是一种较实用的锂离子电池电解液过充添加剂,环己基苯的电化学稳定性比联苯的高,环已基苯的氧化电势为4.72 V(vs Li/Li ),联苯的为4.54 V(vs Li/Li );以1 mA电流循环20次后,联苯的铂电极锂循环效率为15.7%,环己基苯的为59.3%;锂离子电池以1 C循环150次后,环己基苯的容量保持率为88%,联苯的为76.3%.环己基苯与联苯添加剂都改善了锂离子电池的耐过充性能,且两者的效果十分接近.     

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of layered Li[Ni1/3CO1/3 Mn1/3]O2 cathode material for Li-ion batteries

1 INTRODUCTIONDue to the high cost of LiCoO2,a commonlyused cathode material in commercial rechargeablelithium-ion batteries , much efforts have been madeto develop cheaper cathode materials than LiCoO2,Li Ni O2and Li MnO2have been studied extensivelyas possible alternatives to LiCoO2[1 4 ]. Stoichio-metric Li Ni O2is knownto be difficult to synthesizeandits multi-phase reaction during electrochemicalcyclingleads to structural degradation,andlayeredLi MnO2has a significant drawback…